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14 January Bumper StickerSeen on the back of a van that passed me today:
You don't scare me - I'm a teacher.
Another warrior of the classroom. 11 January Laughing At The WorldI just told someone on another blog to keep searching for things to laugh at to chase away sadness. I try to find something to laugh at every day. I have even been known to laugh out loud at funerals. To remember something about the deceased that makes you laugh is to honor that person. I hope, when my time comes, that my friends will get some good chuckles out of remembering things that I have done or said.
I am a news junkie and sometimes I get angry at the foolishness of our leaders. The ability to laugh at life's foibles helps to temper that anger.
I love all kinds of comedy and sometimes laugh at things that other people seem to miss. I consider that ability to be a wonderful gift.
I think that the writings of Mark Twain and Will Rogers are so timeless that it seems that they are speaking about things that are happening now. Our humorists are our greatest geniuses. I don't think we could exist without them.
Keep laughing, friends. It beats the hell out of crying. 09 January New ShowI just watched the premiere of The Book of Daniel that I recorded on Friday. At first I thought I was not going to like it but, after the first 15 minutes, I began to see it as the very dark comedy that it obviously is intended to be. Aiden Quinn is marvelous as the Episcopalian priest who seems quite bemused by the problems in his life. Some of the best parts are his conversations with Jesus who pops up whenever others aren't around.
The usual people are condemning this show without ever seeing it. I am reminded of what Tom Smothers said when CBS was giving their show a hard time for "sacreligeous" humor. "If God truly made us in His image then surely He must have a sense of humor."
Regardless of what you believe, there is a certain amount of truth to that statement. Otherwise, why would it feel so good to laugh at everything? 08 January The ArtsWhen I retired in 1998 I was looking forward to having the time to enjoy all the Arts, music, books, movies and the best television shows. But, you know, there is never enough time for all of it. New musicians and authors are popping up all the time. I joined Netflix and their computer system has shown me many great movies that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. Some television shows have excellent writing and acting. House and Veronica Mars come to mind along with CSI (the original or, as my daughter calls it, the real CSI) and the guilty pleasure of Desperate Housewives.
In New Mexico we have so many art galleries and arts and craft shows that it is almost overwhelming. Beautiful paintings and sculpture are everywhere, even on the freeways. Silver and turquoise jewelry are readily available, some at very good prices if you know where to look.
When I first visited the Albuquerque area I stopped in at a jewelry store in one of the malls. I was wearing my rings, a pendant and an earring. I told the clerk that I knew that I wore more jewelry than most guys. She said, "Hey, you're in New Mexico now." She was right, a lot of men here wear almost as much as women. It is a wonderful thing to be able to wear art as well as look at it.
I guess I am really fortunate. Some people retire and sit at home waiting to die. My life is full of all the things that I love and hey, I get to travel, too. 06 January Friday Night ServicesThe Rudy "Boy" Experiment will be playing at Smokehouse BBQ tonight and I am really looking forward to hearing them again.
They have a blog and the address is:
As I have stated before music is pretty much my religion. After a good concert I feel the way others do after a church service.
The world is still a very messed up place. Employment is up but at what wages? The war in Iraq rages on with new casualties every day. Most people are unhappy in the workplace.
But, for three hours tonight, all will be well. Rudy will be preaching the word... 04 January Friends (Not the TV show)It has always seemed remarkable to me how you instantly like some people. Some take time to grow on you and those can be the most solid friendships but, with others, upon first meeting them it is like you are continuing a conversation that has been going on for some time.
Someone once said, "Friends are family that you make for yourself." I have never found anything to be more true.
Of course, there is the other quote: "Friends are people who know you and like you anyway."
 My friends have always tended to be women. You get two guys together at the watercooler and the conversation usually goes on about the game last night. I am not into sports all that much. I don't really care about a bunch of guys chasing a ball around. When I worked I was in a support field (Personell) so most of my lunch friends were women. Our conversations were so far ranging. We talked about everything from politics to philosophy. Sometimes I miss that now.
These days I am making new friends through our blogs. We talk about everything under the sun and share pictures. And my old friends can look in and see what is going on. Is the internet great or what? 02 January Colorado VacationIn July we headed North to Alamosa, Colorado. Our purpose was to ride the Cumbres & Toltec narrow guage railroad from Antonito, CO to Chama, NM and then back by bus. One day we drove from Alamosa to Pagosa Springs just for the scenery. At Wolf Creek Pass they are doing construction so you get stopped for about 20 minutes until you can proceed. No one minded the delay as we all stood around talking to each other about the beauty of the mountains and taking a lot of pictures.
The photo collection that I just added has pictures of both that drive and the train ride. 01 January Happy New Year!A joyous and Happy New Year to all who read this blog. Last year was not so great what with all the hurricanes, the stock market actually posting a loss, and the seemingly endless war in Iraq. But, as bad as it was, this year has got to be better, right?
A note to those who read this blog even if you are not bloggers: There is a place at the bottom of these entries to leave comments. Please do. Even if you disagree with me, I won't get angry. Much. 31 December New Addition To The FamilyJust bought this really neat bear. A guy in Riudoso carves them with a chain saw and his brother brings them to our area to sell. Jan has always wanted one and I think the one we picked out is the best. As always, click on the pictures for a larger view.
WordsI just learned an interesting word for one of my pet peeves: Muffintop. It refers to the fat that burbles over the top of lowrider jeans. As I have stated elsewhere, another thing that I dislike about them is what happens when women bend over. Buttcrack is no more sexy on a woman than on a man.
I love words, especially those that are powerful or sound like what they mean. I have a lot of favorite words in English but the one I like the most in my limited Spanish vocabulary is verdad. It means "truth" but it is much more forceful and has a solid impact when spoken. It is such powerful word that the great Latin musician Eddie Palmieri used it to title a Grammy winning album.
There are some words that I dislike as well. I won't use "hate" very often as it refers to one of the most destructive of emotions. I don't hate anyone or anything. I may dislike them but not hate.
I also will not use derogatory words that describe a person's ethnicity. To do so is just flat ignorant. I also will not use the word "race" to describe people. DNA testing has proved that be invalid. 30 December About MeI was born a poor black child...Oh, wait, that's a Steve Martin movie...
Actually, I was born on the day Joe Louis defeated Max Schmelling which was a blow to Hitler's Aryan theory. I was raised in Albany, New York but lived in Flushing, Long Island during WWII. My father was an alcoholic so the family was somewhat dysfunctional. That probably contributed to my poor grades but it was still my fault that I didn't finish high school there. I couldn't wait to get away from it all and the Air Force gave me that opportunity. I made a 20 year career of it and during that time I finished high school through the GED program. I wasn't satisfied with that and, while I was in Italy, I got a genuine high school diploma through a progam sponsored by a University in Washington State.
I'm now a retiree from both the Air Force and the State of Iowa. We learn a lot of things on this road of life and I probably have some college equivalency but, being retired, it hardly matters. I read a lot both in books and on the internet so my education is ongoing. I think that when we stop learning we are as good as dead.
I will be 68 this year and that is incredible to me. I just don't feel like I am pushing 70.
The only way I can feel the years is to look back on where I have been. Even then, it sometimes feels like I am remembering things that happened to someone else.
Now I live in this fascinating state of New Mexico and it is like I have a whole new life ahead of me. I don't think a lot about how much time I have left because no one knows that. John Spencer died at 58 and here I am still rolling along writing this stuff on my blog as if people want to read it. It seems to me that, if you worry a lot about dying, you will be wasting time that could be better spent having fun and learning new things. 29 December Funny Man With GlassesMy wife gave me a wonderful gift for Christmas, The Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection. Lloyd was one of the three great silent film comedians. He was even more popular than Chaplin and Keaton and certainly a better businessman. He owned the rights to all of his films and his refusal to sell them to television caused him to be forgotten by a whole generation. This collection should do much to rectify that.
After trying Chaplinesque schtick that didn't work, he created his persona by the simple expedient of putting on a pair of lenseless, dark rimmed glasses. He was a very handsome man and the glasses, being owlish, gave him a boyish and innocent look that worked beautifully for his films.
He invented many techniques that are used in film today. His movies are hilarious, tempered with pathos and filled with warmth, a formula which many have tried since and failed.
I hope that this entry will make you go out and buy the collection. I have often thought about how we don't have to look for the sad things in life, they come to us automatically. What we do have to search out are the things that make us laugh, as much as possible. That is the antidote to life's miseries and Harold Lloyd's films are a strong dose.
27 December Music, Music, Music...A week ago Friday night, Rudy blew the roof off of Smokehouse BBQ.
He did it with an electric guitar that he put together from old guitar parts. Sort of a Frankenguitar, if you will. It howled, roared, swooped, screamed and moaned. Altogether a thrilling performance.
I can't overemphasize the importance of music in my life. Good music makes sense when nothing else in the world does. It changes my mood as no drug could. It makes me feel full of life.
I like all kinds of music but Blues and Afro-Cuban Jazz are my favorites. Years ago I was fortunate to see Tito Puente perform in a renovated burlesque house in Kansas City. Recently Jan and I saw Poncho Sanchez, probably the best conguero in Latin Jazz.
Have you ever watched a performance and gone into a light trance, actually becoming part of the music? I have. It doesn't get much better than that.
26 December Busy, Busy, BusyI really like Christmas, I really do but sometimes I wish things would slow down a little. On Christmas Eve we went to Albuquerque's Old Town to see the lights and luminarias. We took about 60 pictures, some of which will appear on here as soon as I get time to look through and improve them.
Yesterday was filled with opening presents and long phone calls to relatives who are far away. Today we are going to climb an 11,000 foot mountain. Well, the car is going to do most of the work. I love mountain driving. Tricky as it is, it is a lot of fun.
I hope everyone who reads this is having a very happy and joyful Christmas holiday. 24 December FearThere is always something to fear in this world. The politicians and the media make sure of that. When I was in my 'teens (yeah, kids, prehistoric times) we had THE BOMB. We had so many scare stories about possibility of nuclear disaster that I used to have a recurring dream where I would see the bright flash from my window and I would be waiting to be fried to cinders. Well, it didn't happen so all those hours spent shivering in my bed were wasted.
The one thing I don't fear is death. In fact I feel rather sorry for the old Reaper. When he comes for me, instead of going quietly, I will probably scream at him, "NO, I HAVEN'T FINISHED READING MY BOOK YET!" And there he stands, tapping his foot, mumbling under his breath, checking his celestial watch, as I slowly finish the chapters that are left. 23 December A Curious IncidentWe took our guest to the mall yesterday. He is follically challenged so he wears a colorful bandana wherever he goes. While we were eating lunch in the Food Court, a security guard told him that he couldn't wear the bandana in the mall and asked him to take it off. I asked the guard why and he said that the police department had identified bandanas as being gang wear.
I couldn't help but wonder if a real gangbanger was told to take off his bandana, would he still be a gang member or would he magically change to an upstanding citizen. What if gangsters were to start identifying themselves with certain kinds of trousers? Would they be required to take them off before entering the mall?
Funny old world, ain't it? 22 December An AnecdoteOk, so I changed the name of my blog. I hope this one is better but, if not, well it is my blog and...you know.
When we first moved here we went to a book signing by Tony Hillerman at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Before the signing he gave a talk, telling stories about the area and the Navajo. His books have done a great service to the indians, helping to bring their traditions back to the young people.
At one time he was asked to ride in a parade and was told that they had a fine horse for him. He said that, even though he was origiinally a Missouri farm boy, he had never learned to ride a horse. They reluctantly found an old convertable for him and he rode in the parade in that.
When the time came to honor him by giving him a Navajo name, they had no trouble coming up with the perfect one:
"Afraid of His Horse." 21 December SunshineAnother gorgeous day here in New Mexico. Temps in the 50's and lots of sunshine. We have a visitor from back East who left 10 inches of snow behind. We are going to take him out to see the sights, especially the mountains. A lot of people think that it is all desert, nothing but sand and scrub. A gross misconception. There is a lot of that and I think it is beautiful but there are many forested areas with pine trees. Turn a corner and you will think that you are in a different state. Below are pictures taken from Sandia Crest and the road leading up to the Crest. Click on them for a larger view. 18 December Feast DayIn New Mexico there are 19 Indian Pueblos populated by people whose ancestors go back thousands of years and who traded with the Aztecs. In November we went to the Jemez Pueblo's Feast (Fiesta) Day. There were hundreds of people doing the Corn Dance from sunup to sundown. They would break occasionally and then go right back to it. The colorful traditional garments, the beating of the big drum and shaking of the rattles were all quite beautiful and enthralling.
There were vendors from many of the Pueblos selling jewelry, pottery and other hand made items. I bought a coffee cup with a hummingbird design etched into it. We were not allowed to take pictures in the Pueblo but here are several pictures of the cup. It was made by someone from the Acoma Pueblo also known as Sky City. Click on the photos for a larger view.
16 December WelcomeWelcome to my personal blog. I know that The Wilder West is probably a tacky title but it is my blog and I can call it anything I want to. So there.
I will try to keep this blog free of any prurient content. Of course, if I comment on things that are going on in our country, a lot of that is pretty obscene in itself.
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