Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Veterans Day 2015 Ideas

AGAIN, it is Veterans Day.  This is the 2015 event.  I feel it is very hard to put into words this meaning of being a veteran.  Unless you have been there in a far country it is hard to explain the dynamics of the situation.  I am a veteran, but I was not in combat.  When I was in service I was in Okinawa, Japan.  But many of my best friends were in Nam.  Some of them had brutal times.  It is difficult to get the pseudo-intellectuals to grasp some of the bizarre aspects of the experiences of veterans.  The Americans who have been in the tough times of the Middle East had just as many harsh deals to undergo as those souls who dealt with Vietnam, Korea and WWII.  Let us listen to all our men and women of the U.S. Military.  Let us learn from the warriors who are here with us even now.

Oscar Peterson Bossa Nova

Monday, November 9, 2015

Stan Getz Quintet Live 1951 ~ Parker 51

Metro Atlanta So Different Now

THE ATLANTA AREA has changed so much.  It hums as a pluralistic, powerful society now.  A few decades ago it was so lean and odd.  It was the apotheosis of Mencken's 'Sahara of the Bozart' in many ways.  I remember the first time I saw a Datsun vehicle on these streets. Yet, now it has folks from so many different cultures that it is a "melting pot" as the arcane pundits say.  It is a much more interesting subculture of the U.S. this big thing called Atlanta.  However in many ways the rugged old culture blood veins are still there.  This is the literary land of Caldwell and Mitchell and to some degree a little bit of the noted Alabaman, Harper Lee, also.  It appears difficult to understand this essence defined as Atlanta.  But perhaps it is best to simply not think too much....just let Atlanta be itself.

I Understand Thoreau Now....Another Short Story By Me

THOREAU AND PHILOSOPHY OF NATURE:  The crusty old man with pain in his tortured legs stared out the bus window at the beautiful Italian countryside.  He found himself drowning in memories.  The writer, Henry David Thoreau, had always been a baffling mystery to him.  But now seeing the looping, sleek beauty of the high mountains of Italy he felt more truthful realizations about life than he had in a long time.  He heard the rapid fire Italian voice of the female tour guide and he knew he was being blessed.  It was like listening to the jovial strains of Puccini.  Thoreau and Nature now made sense. He felt wild happiness running through his bloodstream.

Short Story I Wrote....Title Is 'Innocence'

NERVOUS AND SO INNOCENT, the young man walked into the tiny music cafe with plenty of moronic inabilities cascading inside of him.  He did not realize the fine attributes he had like his patrician good looks. He was submerged in all the blatant rejection crap that had been foisted on to him for a long time.  He had been rejected so many times.  His social skills had been crushed horribly.  He read books because the damn reading was all he had.  There in the cafe over on the far left there was an odd, melancholy looking girl...He stared like the absurd idiot he felt he was.  He got up guts and walked toward her.  The brittle female saw the mark that was him coming.  She readied her scam routine.  Gonna get him, good.  In moments he was done for again.  After three months it was over and the curse of heinous rejection had smashed him again. He felt like Barnes in 'Sun Also Rises.'

Jazz-Bud Powell - Paris 1959 (With Kenny Clarke, Clark Terry, Etc).

"Lover Man"Sonny Stitt,Walter Bishop,Tommy Potter,Kenny Clarke.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

More of My Thoughts on Europe

ITALY WAS SO BEAUTIFUL.  We had a joyous bus ride climbing higher and higher in The Italian Mountains.  The people of Italy build their houses on the so very high mountains and it takes your breath away..The magical wonders of nature come blazingly to life as the travelers ease through the Italian countryside.  Also, another vigorous and sensational experience that became a powerhouse part of us was our wild and fun boat ride on the strong waters of The Mediterranean Sea.  The boat men were such super seamen.  Like all the charming men and women of the superb country of Italy they were so friendly and warm to us the visitors.  I feel that the Italians and their kind words and deeds helped my wife and I to enjoy even more of the terrific dramatic emotionalism that is modern Italy. Yes, Italy has so many positive vibes. This world of Dante Alighieri and friends is so creatively stimulating and a super totally strong  life experience.

A Very Meaningful Trip to Europe

WE ARE BACK from Europe.  It was a terrific trip, indeed.  We visited the deliciously fascinating countries of Spain, France and Italy.  In Spain we saw the ancient city of Barcelona.  This place in Catalonia proves charming in so many ways.  The people have such a sophisticated flair and the sights and sounds mesmerize us so much.  The Catholic culture is rich and unique in Barcelona. When we got into France we especially loved the superb city of Nice on the French Riviera.  It had views that really take your breath away.  In Italy, we found the old city of Rapallo on the Italian Riviera so charming.  The shops were delightful and the panoramic view of The Mediterranean was tremendous. Perhaps the crowning moments of our sojourn took place in Florence Italy.  The Italians call Florence..."Firenze."  This is a fantastic genius of a city.  We delighted tremendously in the incredible artistic creativity that is Florence.  And the cuisine was genius personified.  I feel and my wife feels that our lives have been changed dramatically by those October days in the mighty world of Europe. Because of Europe, life certainly is now a marvelous joy.

Nice Writing

THE GOOD terse writing of Ernest Hemingway is a real joy.  He does not use too many adjectives.  His 'Torrents' is a fine tome.