Friday, March 28, 2008

The Beat(les) goes on

I took my kids to the University Library at Northwestern today, where they had a small exhibit of Lennon/McCartney manuscripts on display. Among the items were the original jottings of "Eleanor Rigby", "Yellow Submarine", and "Good Day, Sunshine".

I imagine that I got a bigger thrill than my kids. But I told them that someday they could tell their friends that they saw these wonderful artifacts of creativity. As we looked at each one, I tried my best to sing them snippets of each song. I even sang the cello parts in "Rigby" My god, George Martin could arrange some strings!

Just as Freud believed that everyone goes through phases (oral, phallic, anal, etc), I believe everyone goes through a Beatles phase. Some pass through without any mark, others get stuck in it. I recall a kid in high school who always wore a John Lennon "Mao" hat all the time. A Lennon/Mao hat? You gotta love it.

Anyway, I went through the Beatles phase while in college in the early 80's. I was always a John Lennon guy (as opposed to a Paul person, or a George person, or that other one person). Although at age 45, I've grown more fond of George. Shy yet brilliant.

It's not that I dislike Paul. He's just too schlocky for my tastes. Always the wink and the nod, having one over on you and all that.

(Interruption: Raise your hand if you knew 5 years ago that Heather Mills was a gold-digger? I see lots of armpits out there, Sir Paul)

Paul is sort of having the last laugh being the last Beatle. No, I'm not picking on Ringo. Ringo tours because he likes to get paid. Paul has nothing to prove, and doesn't need to prove it.


This is my daughter, standing over "Eleanor Rigby". Someday, her heart will ache when she realizes what that song really means.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Miss Spoke



When I call my daughter by our dog's name (they both start with 'L') that is mis-speaking.

Hillary's recollection of sniper fire in Bosnia is something else entirely.

To say she misspoke is to not understand the difference.

Please notice that unlike Matt Drudge, I post a flattering photo of Hillary, just because despite my dislike of her politics, I still admire something about her.

Friday, March 21, 2008

March Madness

Sure, I have lots to say about Obama's inconsistancy about his pastor's anti-white, anti-semitic hate speech versus his desire to have Don Imus fired over a really terrible attempt at humor that was racially insensitive and very stupid; but I just have to complain about the 4 inches of snow that was just shat upon us on March 21. That would be the second day of Spring to most of you. For me, it's just a cruel exclamation point on a terrible Winter.

And it made me miss our Good Friday service at church.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Blogs of Note



Congrats to Heather Armstrong of dooce.com for winning four major blogging awards at SXSW.

James and Kathy, if you don't already visit dooce.com several days a week, start doing it NOW!!

That goes to the rest of you, too!

(Note to Heather's husband: at least I fixed her red-eye before posting her photo!)

Saturday, March 08, 2008

Antoher Guilty Pleasure

I never wanted to watch Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel because I'm not what you call dirty fingernail kind of guy.

Host Mike Rowe, however, is a much better looking, deeper-voiced version of me. His constant stream of smart-ass remarks and skepticism is very much me. As I watch, the wisecracks that I think of seem to eminate from his mouth.

Very cool, very funny.