Friday, July 22, 2016

I Don't Know What But I Like The I Don't Knows


Yesterday we finally got around to having Cailin visited the CaiBar (K Bar, Cai's Bar, or however we want to call it) . T'was as nice a visit as can be experienced. Bob and Kathy and last weekend, Bobby and Meredyth stopped by too. All those Cupps.  What also was especially nice was that Cailin assumed the bartender duties, making my life much easier.  I threw together a (Moosewood) vegetarian gumbo-hey, not bad!  At 9:30, Dext and Oliver and I headed to Beyond (updated entry earlier).


Oliver has been volunteering at a bike shop and really enjoys doing this. The people there are super nice o him (why?). Barry is the manager and his co-workers, Melody (she of the awesome 3 point shot) and Jeremy (super friendly and encouraging to O) are usually there when he stops in.  Oliver is learning a lot, this was his idea, and he will do anything from cleaning, to taking apart a bike, or fixing a flat, inner tube.  I think he likes wearing the cool gloves they sometimes have him wear.

I've kept these photos on my desktop a long time but haven't used them (I think). They are from an evening several years ago in New Orleans when I went to see the Golden Eagles (as memory serves) in a club on upper Magazine Street.  I remember seeing these guys enter the side of the club with their standing head dress making them seem very tall. When the show started it wasn't long before a woman asked me if I knew how to use a movie camera (not a small camera). I told her she would get technical better service from someone more knowledgeable but I provided the best advice that I could.

It wasn't much longer (she was a married to one of the Mardi Gras Indians and at this point, had consumed several beverages- not conducive to a steady hand) when she asked me to film for her. Her husband really wanted the footage and she was in a pickle. These then were the only photos I could take for myself. She led me right into the band and I remember sweating in the heat, the feathers rolling over me in different colored hues and textures, the whooping and hollering, banging of percussion and in hoping that I was actually filming something.  I felt as if I was in the process of becoming a rolled pastry in a very colorful and noisy bakery.






In going back and checking over this blog, I'm going to find that I've posted photos several times. This one is still up at my parents house. It's the last collage I completed.  I think it was put together after my Dad died as a memorial that I could share.  It's captures him and a little bit of my Mom in his later years. We miss you.

Robert- thanks for the nice words you wrote last week about them.  I take back all the insults about your character all these years. Well, most of them.


Monday, July 18, 2016

Into The Jaws Of My Happiness


    Sometimes I think I've just participated in this (wonderful) kid thing just to have the opportunity to watch Jaws with them, when they've been ready and willing to see this wonderful (truly!) film. People forget that there are moments of joy, wonder, humor and release along with all the suspense, and sometimes scary parts.  A perfectly realized music score, cinematography, performances, direction and story telling. The best example when knowing your weakness becomes a strength (lack of CGI, limits of robot shark, etc leads to seeing less and informs more).  There is one specific part of horror where I've taken great glee in becoming borderline sadistical in making the moment a little scarier, jolting the first time viewer at the same time the movie does. I've only had to apologize to Maria (several times).  Such great reactions, of joy that a movie can still startle like it does. This time Dexter got an assist on his brother. 40 years going back to my mom, then Maria, Cailin (viewed on a boat!) Dexter and now Oliver.  Oh, his reaction was so good.  Maybe the best moment of the year for me. I need another kid.

   

kind of like how Oliver looked (reacting to an earlier part of the movie)



actors lounging waiting for Kraft Services. "So Bob, did you see the game this weekend?"


                                Did the director of this film ever find more work? He did a good job.

Star Trek Beyond (Let's Get Together)

Excited.
Thrilled.
Can't Wait.
Early reviews, excellent.
Possibly the greatest movie ever released.
Transformative.
Pajama sales will go through the rooftop.
Like outerspaceville.
Pokemon go, get gone.
Trump the Trump.
Beam me up.


Update: By now you must be exhausted, deluged by everyone exclaiming how this is possibly the 
Best Movie Ever Made (at least 20 Oscars) but this must be accepted. On the flip side I watched Melancholia, which offers an opposing take on the values of human life; well done in its grim yet somehow beautiful lonely view of existence.  At Trek we enjoyed receiving the free pins. Earlier at Melancholia we were puzzled at the compost bags that are for "ourselves"

(from Trekmovie.com):
Of interest, Simon Pegg took to his personal blog to discuss the reaction to the recent news about Sulu's sexuality, George Takei's reaction t it, and how the Kelvin timeline works.

The news that Hikaru Sulu will be gay in Star Trek Beyond and the somewhat suprising negative reaction from George Takei has kept the internet abuzz for days. Today, Simon Pegg lays out the rationale for the changes, and more. Be aware- he uses the occasional colorful metaphor:

Well, this has been interesting. What was initially intended as a moment of progressive affection has drawn comment and debate from the unlikeliest corners. What is heartening is that the vast majority of comments have never questioned the decision to include an LGBT character in Star Trek, just whether or not it should be existing characters or new ones. Those who have whined about the secret agenda of the liberal left, spreading ungodly perversions, through the evil mouthpiece of homosexual Hollywood, can go fuck themselves (apologies to serial masturbators if you find that offensive, we get so little support from the mainstream media).
The main thrust for those who aren’t keen on our LGBT Sulu, seems to come down to two things. Firstly, why Sulu? It’s a good point, I mean it could have been anybody: Kirk is a pansexual fun seeker; who knows why Bones got divorced? Nobody said Spock and Uhura were exclusive; Chekov is just permanently horny and let’s face it, there’s more to Scotty and Keenser than meets the eye. The fact is, we chose Sulu because of George, there was something sweet and poetic about it. Introducing a new gay character had its own set of problems, as I mentioned before, the sexuality of that character would have to be addressed immediately and pointedly and the new characters in Star Trek Beyond have enough on their plate, without stopping to give us the intimate details of their personal lives. We were concerned it might seem clumsy, tokenistic or worse, too little too late, raising and exasperated, “finally!” from those who’ve been waiting for representation for the last 50 years.
So why persist when George Takei wasn’t keen? The thinking behind embracing an existing character was that it felt as though it retroactively put right something that had long been wrong. By the time, we mentioned it to GT, the idea had taken shape, it felt good, interesting and worthy of thought and conversation. We were disappointed that George didn’t see it that way but, truth be told, Sulu Prime seemed to be missing a very important point. With galaxies of respect to the great man, this is not hisSulu. John Cho does not play a young George Takei, nor does he play the same character George Takei played in the original series. He is a different Sulu. This brings me to the second point of contention, Canon.
With the Kelvin timeline, we are not entirely beholden to existing canon, this is an alternate reality and, as such is full of new and alternate possibilities. “BUT WAIT!” I hear you brilliant and beautiful super Trekkies cry, “Canon tells us, Hikaru Sulu was born before the Kelvin incident, so how could his fundamental humanity be altered? Well, the explanation comes down to something very Star Treky; theoretical, quantum physics and the less than simple fact that time is not linear. Sure, we experience time as a contiguous series of cascading events but perception and reality aren’t always the same thing. Spock’s incursion from the Prime Universe created a multidimensional reality shift. The rift in space/time created an entirely new reality in all directions, top to bottom, from the Big Bang to the end of everything. As such this reality was, is and always will be subtly different from the Prime Universe. I don’t believe for one second that Gene Roddenberry wouldn’t have loved the idea of an alternate reality (Mirror, Mirror anyone?). This means, and this is absolutely keythe Kelvin universe can evolve and change in ways that don’t necessarily have to follow the Prime Universe at any point in history, before or after the events of Star Trek ‘09, it can mutate and subvert, it is a playground for the new and the progressive and I know in my heart, that Gene Roddenberry would be proud of us for keeping his ideals alive. Infinite diversity in infinite combinations, this was his dream, that is our dream, it should be everybody’s.
Ultimately, if we love Star Trek, we are all on the same page, we all want Gene’s idea of a tolerant inclusive, diplomatic and loving Universe to become a reality. For those who have joined this debate in the spirit of discussion and forward momentum, it’s been a pleasure to see your reactions. For those who have seen it as an opportunity to sling abuse, or be rude and presumptuous, please take a long hard look in the mirror and remember we are discussing the personal details of a fictional spaceman. In the words of Martin Blank, who are you mad at? Because it’s not me.
I am so excited for you all to see Star Trek Beyond, whether you’re a 50 year veteran or this is your first time around. We made it with love and we made it for everyone.
LLAP
SP


While the following is not from a major news review outlet, it's well written so I want to include it::



Sunday, July 17, 2016

Oliver Goes to Great America


Oliver went to Great America and had a great time. It occurs to me that maybe this is what Donald Trump means when he refers to "making America great again".  Roller coasters, water flumes, river rapids, bad food (led me to a walk to First Aid but I was saved by later winning Oliver a basketball).  Not sure how long I have to ride these type of rides but I did about 10 of them and enjoyed the Gold Striker train (although really loud) and the river rapids (reminds of Disneyland) the most. Oliver liked Flight Deck the most. Punishing for me.










                                                       the pain was worth it for this old man.



You Never Know


    Late evening, a couple of nights ago. (In bold large print) this showed up on my phone plus two phone calls. My response is in this type.

         Hey it's Steven

         Is this Ariana

          Wrong #

          I receive a phone call. I answer "hello"- immediately clicks off.  One minute later:

           Is this her dad  


           Wrong #. You're probably off one digit or something close.

              Fuck

           Good luck man

            Ya thx             about five minutes pass.

            Man she hot dam

            Find her. Treat her right then.

the next day I receive a phone call during dinner from this same #, I let him know he's still got the wrong # (as if the number would somehow be corrected over night).  He apologizes hangs up, still sad.



       

   

More From 4


The same day Dexter got a router we picked up a bar that Maria has had her eye on for nearly two months. Somehow it was still available at Redux, and we were fortunate to get it at a kind price and able to load it onto the car with my concept and Dexter's ability.  The CaiBar, Dexter decided would look better as Cai's Bar (unintentional coloring of the "AA" part of the title, of which Cailin promises us never to be concerned about). Dext instantly took to locating wood, paint and getting this project complete by night time. Amazing.















finally making good use of apples from our tree

Fourth Of July (Let's Not Go In Search Of Fireworks)


All Photos Courtesy Robert Rhody

No one seemed to mind all the vegetarian dishes. It was nice to contain everything at the homestead; no trudging and freezing in seeking fireworks at the beach- just depending on Dexter to come up with something. Also featuring the Cai Bar!





















                                                       
                                                                 Thanks, Robert!

I Can't Keep This A Secret Any Longer

With great news this morning of November 7,2020, it's time to share more: I didn't like my makeup and admittedly I am wearing a bad ...