Music!

I have decided in my 65th year to take up playing the guitar. When I was little, my grandma and I would watch Gene and Roy on the silver screen play their guitars and sing from horseback. I don't plan on doing it from horseback but maybe sittin' around the campfire.

When J-L was here he told me that he could teach me three chords that I could use to play any song. I think it was an over simplification. But he had been readin' and makin' music since he was eight years old. So he might've know a thing or two 'bout music. I dusted off my old Stella, made by Harmony Guitars of Chicago, and decided that I would give it a go. The guy at the guitar shop put new strings on for me and told me that it was a collectible. I bought it in the '60's from a pawn shop and had taken it around the world twice while in the Navy. It's got some battle scars. I pulled out my "Country and Blues Guitar for the Musically Hopeless" book and had at it. With the help of an electronic device, I have learned to tune it (something that has eluded me forty years). Of course I've looked on the Internet for information, songs and such. Some of the most helpful things are the YouTube videos.

I don't want to be the next rock star. I just want to be good enough to accompany my friends as we sing something, NOT Kumbaya. And maybe, just maybe, I could sing something by myself without makin' the hounds howl. Perhaps with the help of Divine providence I could learn to flat-pick one song...

Robin Hood

Back when I chased my sister with a bow and arrow I was a fan of Robin Hood. And I still am! The latest cinema rendering of the tale of Sherwood Forest's most famous resident is one of the best. It can't be compared with Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, the Kevin Costner film or any of the others. Although I'm a fan of Ridley Scott's work and Rusell Crowe's as well, the story line in this film is completely different. It's the story of Robin before he was Robin. He is Robert in this story and does not become Robin Hood until he's declared an outlaw by King John. Yes, this is the same King John that signed the Magna Carta and reneged on it. I liked the movie. It has lots of action and Scott's skill at rendering a strikingly visual film. And then there's Cate Blanchett. She's not very pretty, has the figure of a school girl (a primary school girl at that), and the sex appeal of a wet mop. But I think she's great! A good movie and very entertaining.

Sun. 5/23/2010

Sometimes during the sermon my mind drifts. Usually this is just before I succumb to sleep. You see I got spoiled as a young man when I attended a church that had a blind minister. I could fall asleep without the eye of the man on me. But, not now. I think this guy has eyes of an eagle. Even puts these little "fill in the blanks" in the church bulletin to keep you busy. It doesn't quite work on me though. I have a better natural process that keeps me awake. I gotta draw. Since the time my wee fingers held a pencil I have drawn. So, it's only natural that I should draw in church. However, it does create some questions. What prompts the images that I draw? Could it be the sermon? The top drawing is kind of obvious, I simply illustrate the word of text. Maybe, drawings of pencils show the method of creating the drawing. Or, is there a greater philosophical question. In retrospect I don't know which came first the mountain or the pencil. And what's with all these bubbles? The funky symbol on the left is easily understood. I have long had a fascination with symbols. They're about brevity. The reduction of an idea or process or whatever reduced to a small drawing . A symbol. Wow! From church to symbols, I guess there is some kind of continuum there.

Gunpowder & Lead 2010

Tony Young is back from the Gunpowder and Lead event sponsored by the Men of Peace. There was smell of gunpowder in the air at the assault in Dorchester county, but, alas, many an orange bird survived. There were no sharpshooters in the crowd, however, Preacher Will did call on a higher authority to improve his shooting skills.... Big Tim Walker managed to discharge both barrels of his gun at the same time and really got a bang out of it but the clay birds survived. Blastermaster Willie Murphy was accused of introducing some concrete birds into the event. Chef Bill served up a great low country boil and a large time was had by all.

(click on the picture above to see complete photo album)

The Rocketeer

This Disney film has always been one of my favorites. It becomes even more of a favorite when you know the back story. This film was based on a graphic novel by Dave Stevens before cinema based on graphic novels became popular. What's the difference between a graphic novel and a comic book? Price? Today all artist and story tellers in graphic form are masters of their craft. Since I am an unabashed aerophile, this film certainly got my attention. Set in the Golden Age of Aviation It has a charm all it's own. Back in the day when home-built airplanes could win national air races. The first scenes has the star flying a GeeBee race, which was famous for crashing. The famous aviator,Jimmy Doolittle, did set a speed record in one though. The Rocketeer had it's own pin-up girl (her picture was pinned up on a bulletin board at a cafe) based on true life pin-up girl Bettie Page. There are other interesting things such as the Howard Hughes character creating a flying model of his famous "Spruce Goose". Little details are interesting too, such as, the hero chewing Beaman's gum which of course was Chuck Yeager's favorite. I think he was chewing it when he broke the sound barrier. This is a good "G" movie and I liked it again and again and...

I could've told who it starred and so forth...but you can read the in the trailer. Anyway, you can recognize the faces!