March Rambling: mostly about me

I’ve been Superman, Abraham Lincoln, and a Georgia O’Keefe painting.

roger2
My old buddy Augustus (who you FantaCo customers might have known as Matt), put this together for my birthday. Pic on the left is from the cover of the FantaCon 1988 convention program, drawn by the late Chas Balun. The image is on the right was John Hebert’s rendition from Sold Out #1, c. 1986.
This is about me because: It was so cool. And he wrote: “Thank you for turning me on to a world of literature far beyond science fiction and fantasy. You are still an influence on this boychik. Long may you arrange. (books in order).” And you thought I couldn’t blush.

Now Jaquandor KNOWS how to celebrate my birthday. He added me to his sentential links here. He answered my question about football.
This is about me, obviously. (Sidebar: some highly educated person wrote: “As is my want” recently in a mass e-mail I received. You have NO idea how difficult it was for me NOT to correct him. Jaquandor would NOT make this misteak, er, mistake.)

Tom Skulan of FantaCo is being interviewed for Theater of Guts.
This is about me because: I worked at FantaCo for over eight years I took the photo of Tom, and also the pic of the late Chas Balun looking towards the ceiling. I find it interesting that my photos of the store and the FantaCon have been so heavily used since I am really a lousy photographer.

Dustbury answers my question about women’s fashion. Not only does he know more about the topic than I do, but he also knows more about popular music.
This is about me because: as a librarian, I am always ready to defer to people with greater expertise.

Occasionally, I’ll do one of those BuzzFeed games. This month, I’ve been Superman, Abraham Lincoln, and a Georgia O’Keefe painting.
This is about me because: actually I found the first two descriptions relatively accurate; the third, maybe not so much.

Meet Jeopardy!’s new master–and his controversial strategy, [Podcast interview] by Glenn Fleishman, two-time JEOPARDY! winner. Plus Arthur Chu’s social media brand, from the New Yorker.
This is about me because: I like to watch JEOPARDY! And now that Chu’s 11-day run is over, these articles will stop, at least until the Tournament of Champions. See also, Ken Jennings’ interview with Julann Griffin, the mother of JEOPARDY!

Tosy continues to count down his U2 song rankings, from 144 to 135 and 134 to 125 and 125 to 115 and 114 to 101.
This is about me because: When I wrote that I was linking to his return post last month, he wrote, “Thanks, Roger! I need the pressure!” I THINK he meant that in a good way.

Eddie, the Renaissance Geek, links to Green Day songs.
This is about me because: I mean it’s GREEN Day. Yeesh. How is it that American Idiot is MORE relevant now than it was a decade ago?

In the years 1965-1966, Pete Seeger hosted a television series, Rainbow Quest, devoted to folk music. Here are 13 of the 39 episodes.
This is about me because: I loved Pete Seeger’s music, and I used to sing folk music, and this was posted by a sort of relative.

Incredibly dirty R&B: gloriously filthy music from the 30s-50s
This is about me because I really like music, as my posts this year should suggest. I’m particularly interested in the history of music in the United States. Yeah, that’s the story.

Why Sharp Little Pencil writes.
This is about me because: we lived in the same county (Broome, NY), at the same time, once upon a time. And because she speaks truth to power, which I find to be an admirable thing.

RodSerling.BinghamtonHS.
Here is, on a wall of Binghamton High School, a picture of Rod Serling.
This is about me because: Rod Serling went to what was then Binghamton Central High School, as did I. He was student government president, as was I. I got to introduce him to an assembly, sort of.

Mark Evanier linked to twelve songs, all but one sung by Mel Blanc, voicing a different cartoon character, each a “Happy Birthday” song for a different month. Here’s
January and February, and
March and April, and
May and June, and
July and August, and
September and October, and
November and December. PLUS Happy Birthday played on “the 5th largest organ in the world”
This is about me because: did I mention this is my birth month?

12 YEARS A SLAVE: portraits of Solomon Northup’s descendants
This is about me because: what it says about our preconceived notions. And because it’s about movies. And Northup lived around here.

My cousin Dr. Anne Beal is leaving one important job for another.
This is about me because: my family had Thanksgiving dinner with hers, and about a dozen other people, in 2013.

Stephen Bissette‘s open letter to DC on Facebook about NBC’s Constantine.
This is about me because my friend Steve’s dissection of DC is so deliciously understated, and addresses the issue of common courtesy.

Rory O’Neill, aka Panti Bliss, a leading drag performer in Ireland, speaks about homophobia.
This is about me because the narrative reminds me of certain people on a certain “news network” defining racism for black people.

Lisa retells the story of Esther, which led to the holiday of Purim.
This is about me because: about 20 years ago, I played Haman in a church play.

What’s the reality behind “senior moments”?
This is about me because: because…because…oh, yeah, because this TOTALLY explains mine.

Anthony sees an anxious face in this picture of a building.
This is about me because: so do I.

The Lost Art of the Unsent Angry Letter from Jaquandor, and the AmeriNZ response.
This is about me because: I seldom respond quickly to comments on the Internet so that I can avoid unnecessary noise.

SamuraiFrog is linking to Muppet stuff, such as Sequel Song and Lipton Tea commercials, and searching for sushi and St. Patrick’s Day.
This is about me because: The Daughter REALLY wants to see the new Muppet movie, so I GUESS I’ll just HAVE to take her.

Les Miserables is back on Broadway, and Sesame Street has put together an excellent cookie-themed parody of it.
This is about me because: I love theater and Muppets. And COOKIES!

picket

Frog is also still writing his 50 Shades of Smartass. Here’s Chapter 17 and Chapter 18 and Chapter 19 and Chapter 20.
This is about me because: now I have an excuse to REALLY NEVER EVER have to read the books.

Dustbury notes that a strange story about the woman’s auto-payments hid her death for six years!
This is about me because my auto-posting on this blog, and directed to Facebook and Twitter, would probably hide my own demise for a month.

I love this church sign.
This is about me because: I TOTALLY mean it. Bring it on, Westboro! Here’s my Fred Phelps tribute post. Here’s Nathan Phelps’ statement on the death of his estranged father. And Dustbury points to the new Westboro poison meister.

Green Day meme

His point is that we should do more than tolerate our differences, but that we should embrace them.

There’s this meme called Rock ‘n Roll Fridays. “…our little ‘twist’ is that each week we will pick a singer, band, era, or category and pick thirteen of their lyrics. Each of our questions will be based on the lyrics.”

Back in August, they did one for Green Day.

1. 21 GUNS:
“Do you know what’s worth fighting for?
When it’s not worth dying for?
Does it take your breath away and you feel yourself suffocating?”

What was the last cause/reason that you signed a petition or joined in a protest?

Actually, I sign a fair number of petitions. In the past couple months, I’ve signed them for political candidates and for a variety of peace, justice and ecological causes. I’m not keeping track. Possibly the last protest was when the evil Fred Phelps came to Albany, but it could have more recently than that; probably was, actually. Oh, it was a gay marriage rally this spring.

2. AMERICAN IDIOT:
“Don’t want to be an American idiot
One nation controlled by the media.
Information age of hysteria
It’s going out to idiot America”

Where is the best place for trusted information about world events?

It’d be cliched to say Jon Stewart on The Daily Show, but I do tend to appreciate it when he puts politicians’ and FOX News’ feet to the fire. That said, I get lots of news from lots of sources, from differing points of view, and winnow it out.

3. GOOD RIDDANCE:
“Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test and don’t ask why.
It’s not a question but a lesson learned in time”…

What was the last lesson or message about life you learned?

I’m not sure I’m having “aha” big life lessons lately, as much as mini-lessons regularly, too numerous, or subtle, to mention or even notice until much later. OK, here’s one: if I eat after 7 p.m., it interferes with my sleep. Not the LAST lesson, but that is something.

4. WELCOME TO PARADISE:
“Dear Mother, Can you hear me whining?
It’s been 3 weeks since that I left your home.
This sudden fear has left me trembling
Cause now it seems that I am out here on my own
And I’m feeling so alone”…

Where was the place you went to live when you first moved out of your parents/guardians home?

My college town of New Paltz, NY. During my tenure there, my parents moved to Charlotte, NC.

5. MINORITY:
“I want to be the minority
I don’t need your authority
Down with the moral majority
Cause I want to be the minority”…

When have you ever felt like an outsider?

I feel like an outsider surprisingly often, actually, even in the midst of a party or other event.

6. WHEN I COME AROUND:
“Oh I heard it all before
So don’t knock down my door
I’m a loser the user
So I don’t need no accuser
To try and slag me down because I know you’re right”…

What was the last bad thing you discovered about yourself?

I don’t know that I’ve learned any NEW bad things, just the same old bad things, notably impatience.

7. MISERY:
“Mr. Whirly had a catastrophic incident
He fell into the city by the bay
He liquidated his estate
Now he sleeps upon the Haight
Panhandling misery”…

If you have ever been poor, what lesson, skill-set, or experience came from it?

Mostly it’s patience for those who are currently poor. To the point of the lyric, I don’t always give money to panhandlers, but I usually don’t act as though I didn’t hear them, as though they weren’t there.

8. 80:
“Sometimes I wonder if I should be left alone
And lock myself up in a padded room
I’d sit and spew my guts out in the open air
Cuz no one wants to hear a drunken fool”…

How do you relax after a stressful day?

Really depends. Sometimes, I go to bed early, or read, or blog, or watch TV, or have a glass of wine.

9. REDUNDANT:
“We’re livin in a repetition
Content in the same old stick again
Now the routine’s turnin to a contention
Like a production line goin over and over and over roller coaster”…

Do you do something over and over the same way, even though you know there is a better/simpler way to do it?

Well, no and yes. I’m sure there are better ways to use certain technologies – cellphone, digital camera for two – that would probably make my life easier in investing the time learning how. Don’t know if it’s simpler in the short term, getting past the learning curve, but it’d definitely be better.

10. ANDROID:
“It makes me wonder when I grow to be that age
Will I be walking down the street begging for your spare change
Or will I grow that old? Will I still be around?
The way I carry on, I’ll end up 6 feet underground and waste away”…

What age do you believe is OLD and why?

85, mostly because it’s 20 years past 65, the traditional retirement age.

11. WAITING:
“I’ve been waiting a lifetime for this moment to come
I’m destined for anything at all”…

What is your biggest dream in life (so far)?

I was reading some LOC, and the letter writer was complaining about the word “tolerance”, used in the context that we should be more tolerant of gays, Muslims, et al. His point is that we should do more than tolerate our differences, but that we should embrace them. While I don’t disagree, the cultural milieu seems to be sometimes SO intolerant and even vile, mere tolerance these days would be perfectly acceptable.

Wait a minute: was I supposed to say “end hunger” or “world peace”, and I’m reducing my dream to a Rodney King quote? Certainly, it cannot be something that’s already happened, for what would be the point of the pursuit of life otherwise? OK, that my daughter grows up to be smart and well and happy, not necessarily in that order.

12. POPROCKS AND COKE:
“I don’t care is you don’t mind
I’ll be there, not far behind
I will dare, keep in mind, I’ll be there for you”…

What is the biggest favor you ever did for family or for a friend?

Lent money that I really couldn’t afford to lend.

13. BASKET CASE:
“Yea, I went to a shrink to analyze my dreams,
She says it’s lack of sex that’s bringin’ me down…”

What would you like more of in your life?

Free time, by myself. And massage – a lot more massage.

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