Category: Uncategorized

Jon Batiste – a brief biography

Jonathan Michael Batiste: A Life in Music and Meaning

Early Years and Musical Foundations

Jonathan Michael Batiste was born on November 11, 1986, in Metairie, Louisiana, and raised in Kenner in the greater New Orleans area.   He was born into a storied New Orleans musical family: the Batiste name carries weight in the city’s jazz and brass band traditions, with many extended relatives active in the local music scene.

Performance journey: he played percussion and drums in the Batiste Brothers Band, a family ensemble.  When his mother suggested he try piano, he began formal classical lessons at about age eleven, studying with local teacher Shirley Herstein.   Alongside formal study, he developed his ear by transcribing and playing video game music (e.g. Final Fantasy, Street Fighter, Sonic) — a practice that sharpened his musical versatility.

Jon attended St. Augustine High School and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), graduating in 2004.  He then moved to New York City to enter the Juilliard School, where he earned both a Bachelor of Music (jazz) in 2008 and a Master of Music in 2011.  These years in New York exposed him to broader musical networks and styles, expanding his ambitions beyond New Orleans.

Career Trajectory: Stay Human, Television, and Beyond

Formation of Stay Human & Early Recordings

Soon after arriving in New York, Jon formed a trio with bassist Philip Kuehn and drummer Joe Saylor. This core trio later expanded (including saxophonist Eddie Barbash) into the group Stay Human.  One of their earliest releases was an EP titled My N.Y. — recorded in a “busker style,” using street performances and subway settings as a recording platform.

In 2013, Stay Human released Social Music, an album grounded in Jon’s philosophy of music as a force for connection and social uplift. Over time the band released several albums: Christmas with Jon Batiste (2016), Hollywood Africans (2018), We Are (2021), World Music Radio (2023), and Beethoven Blues (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 1) (2024).  Their sound fuses New Orleans jazz, R&B, soul, pop, and elements of hip hop — a genre‑fluid approach that resists labeling.

The Late Show and National Spotlight

Batiste and Stay Human first appeared on The Colbert Report in 2014, and soon thereafter were tapped to serve as the house band on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, beginning with the show’s 2015 launch. Jon served as musical director and bandleader through 2022.  Their nightly musical intros, outros, and interstitial performances brought Batiste’s style into millions of homes. In 2016 they released The Late Show EP, a collection drawn from the show’s musical interludes.  In August 2022, Jon announced his departure from the show to pursue other creative avenues.

Film, Composition & Collaborations

Batiste’s compositional reach expanded into film. Most notably, he co‑composed the score for Pixar’s Soul (2020), alongside Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. That collaboration earned him an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a Grammy, and a BAFTA.  That Oscar win made him only the second Black composer to win in the original score category (after Herbie Hancock).

He has also composed for other films (e.g. Spike Lee’s Red Hook Summer) and contributed music to documentaries and television.  Batiste’s compositional ambition led him to produce American Symphony (premiered September 2022 at Carnegie Hall), a symphonic work chronicling his life and identity.  In parallel, the 2023 documentary American Symphony (directed by Matthew Heineman) follows Jon’s creative journey as he composes this symphony while his wife, Suleika Jaouad, faces a leukemia relapse.

He has collaborated broadly across genres, working with artists such as Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Lenny Kravitz, Ed Sheeran, Lana Del Rey, Mavis Staples, and many others.

Impact, Recognition & Personal Life

Awards and Honors

Jon Batiste has accrued many accolades. He has been nominated for more than twenty Grammy Awards, winning multiple. In 2022, his album We Are won Album of the Year among other awards.  He has also been honored with titles such as Steinway Performing Artist, the Movado Future Legend Award, and has received honorary degrees and lifetime achievement awards.  He has held institutional roles, including serving as Music Director of The Atlantic and Creative Director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem.

Social Engagement & Advocacy

Beyond performance, Batiste sees music as a tool for social connection, equity, and justice. He supports organizations like the Equal Justice Initiative, the Innocence Project, and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.  In the wake of George Floyd’s murder and the Black Lives Matter movement, he led and participated in peaceful protests and used his platform to call for change.

His single “We Are” was not just a musical statement but also a philanthropic vehicle: proceeds supported the Equal Justice Initiative.

Personal Life & Recent Highlights

Jon Batiste is married to writer and cancer advocate Suleika Jaouad. Their relationship and personal challenges are central to American Symphony. Their song “It Never Went Away” from the documentary was nominated for an Academy Award.

In February 2025, Batiste performed a distinctive arrangement of the U.S. National Anthem at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans — a performance that incorporated elements reflecting his Louisiana roots and symbolic artistry. Also in 2025, he released the song “Petrichor”, commemorating the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and urging climate awareness and action.

He has embarked on a new headlining tour, Big Money Tour: Jon Batiste Plays America, featuring music from Beethoven Blues and unreleased material.

Musically, Beethoven Blues (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 1) (2024) marks a more introspective turn: reimagining Beethoven through his own lens, fusing classical with jazz and blues sensibilities.

Legacy & Forward Look

Jon Batiste is one of the most compelling voices in modern American music — rooted in tradition, yet unabashedly forward‑looking. His career reflects a synthesis: of New Orleans jazz heritage and contemporary genres; of performance and activism; of public visibility and introspective art.

He offers a model of the musician as citizen: someone whose art intersects with the social, political, and emotional lives of communities. His ability to operate across mediums — television, film, symphony, popular albums — while maintaining sincerity is rare.

As he continues, one can expect bold new compositions, further cross‑genre collaborations, and art that remains both deeply personal and broadly connective. Whether he composes large orchestral works, experiments in immersive performance, or expands his social initiatives, his trajectory promises to be as dynamic as the music he creates.

Information about Gulfport, Mississippi

We visited Gulfport for the first time (not counting driving through on the Ocean highway) on Tuesday, September 30, 2025.  We were there to see a gentleman about repairing our electric grand piano – he was successful in troubleshooting the lack of sound, and tracking the issue down to a failed $0.18 capacitor.  Not knowing much about the city, I did some quick online research.  Here’s an AI overview, followed by some history.

Here’s what the city of Gulfport, population around 70,000 looks like:

Directions to drive from New Orleans:

“Overview of Gulfport MS:

Gulfport is the second-largest city in Mississippi
 and, with Biloxi, is one of two county seats for Harrison County. Known as “The Port City,” Gulfport has a vibrant waterfront personality with an economy driven by maritime commerce, tourism, and military operations. 
History
  • Founded as a railroad terminus 
    Gulfport  was officially incorporated in 1898, originally founded in 1887 by William H. Hardy as the terminus for the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad.
  • Early lumber port With the backing of Philadelphia tycoon Joseph T. Jones, the port and rail lines were developed, and the city became the nation’s largest lumber export port in the early 20th century.
  • Transition to tourism and gaming As the timber resources diminished, the city shifted its focus to tourism, attracting visitors with its beaches, hotels, and, beginning in the 1990s, casino gambling.
  • Resilience after hurricanes 
    Gulfport has rebuilt and expanded multiple times after being devastated by hurricanes, most notably Camille in 1969 and Katrina in 2005. 
Economy and industry
Top industries: Major employers in Gulfport and the surrounding metropolitan area include health care, retail trade, and the leisure and hospitality sectors.
  • Maritime hub: The Port of Gulfport is a world-class terminal and a major economic driver, serving as one of the busiest ports in the Gulf of Mexico. It is a significant import hub for green fruit.
  • Military presence: The city hosts the Naval Construction Battalion Center for the U.S. Navy Seabees and the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center
Culture and attractions
  • Waterfront recreation: 
    Jones Park, often called the “Front Yard for the State of Mississippi,” is a centerpiece of the city, adjacent to the port and harbor facilities. It hosts concerts and festivals, including the Harbor Lights Winter Festival.
  • Unique downtown scene: Following reconstruction after Hurricane Katrina, the downtown area has experienced a revitalization. 
    Fishbone Alley, a formerly gloomy service alley, has been transformed into a vibrant community gathering space with murals and street art.
  • Casinos: The Island View Casino Resort offers gaming, dining, and entertainment options for adults.
  • Family-friendly fun: Gulfport provides numerous family attractions, including the Mississippi Aquarium, Gulf Islands Waterpark, and the interactive Lynn Meadows Discovery Center
    .
  • Historic and quirky sights: Visitors can explore historic buildings like the 
    Carnegie Library, see the World’s Largest Rocker, or visit the
    Mississippi Aviation Heritage Museum.
  • Gateway to Ship Island: Gulfport offers ferry services to Ship Island, a barrier island that is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore and home to the historic Fort Massachusetts.
  • Diverse festivals: The city is a host for a number of special events, such as the classic car festival “Cruisin’ the Coast” and the charitable “Jeepin’ the Coast” event.

History of Gulfport, MS:

Although the present day Port of Gulfport was officially established in 1902, the area’s strategic location along the Gulf of Mexico has made it a destination for vessels for more than 300 years. As far back as 1699, the French explorer D’Iberville used the natural basin on the lee side of Ship Island as a safe haven. In 1961, the Port of Gulfport became a state-owned facility and has continued to expand its business interests and facilities.

For many years before and after the Civil War, the port was a primary site for exporting lumber products. During South Mississippi’s timber boom, this location was ideal for a port to connect with the Ship Island anchorage. This strategically situated port resulted in the founding and naming of present day city of Gulfport. Within its first decade of operation, the Port of Gulfport became the world’s leading exporter of yellow pine.

When the region’s yellow pine forests began to diminish, the port sought out other business opportunities. The proximity to Central America led to the importation of huge quantities of bananas. The port became a serious competitor in the Gulf of Mexico when Dole and Chiquita arrived in Gulfport.

Over the years, the port has faced many natural disasters, two of which completely leveled the port’s facilities. Hurricane Camille in 1969 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005 left the port devastated and forced to rebuild from the ground up. The innate resilience of the people of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and their desire for a world-class port were the catalysts for both rebuilding efforts.

The Port of Gulfport continues to thrive and meet aggressive targets. The Port is now the third largest container port on the Gulf of Mexico, among the top 2O U.S. container ports and the second largest importer of green fruit in the nation.

 

 

River Eckert – a brief biography

We first saw River perform at the Booker Fest at the Maple Leaf Bar either one or two years ago – Diana and I can’t decide.  He was amazing amidst all the old veterans and was either 13 or 14 at the time.  We saw him last night on the Columns hotel porch as part of the NOLA x NOLA music week.  He was playing with Matt Perrin on the tuba – a very fun combination.

I love his latest video with one of our favourite artists, Frenchy, painting behind him, and all the New Orleans murals:

And then there’s this gem, reliving Dr. John’s performance at the Band’s Last Waltz show and movie:

He seems to be having so much fun making music – long may that continue.

Now, here’s some deeper biographical information that my AI friends gathered for you:

River Eckert: Carrying the Torch of the New Orleans Piano Tradition

Early Life and Musical Roots
River Eckert was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on October 9, 2009. Bandsintown+2OffBeat Magazine+2 He comes from a deeply musical family: his father is Jake Eckert, a guitarist associated with groups including the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and the New Orleans Suspects. Live Music News and Review+2Tipitina’s+2 Surrounded by the sounds of his city from birth, River was steeped in the New Orleans musical heritage—rhythm & blues, funk, jazz, blues, and the distinctive piano styles that have made the city famous. OffBeat Magazine+2OffBeat Magazine+2

He began playing piano at age three. Bandsintown+2Tipitina’s+2 At first his training was classical, but early on his teachers and those around him recognized his affinity for New Orleans styles—blues, jazz, funk—and encouraged him to explore and integrate those elements. Tipitina’s+2Bandsintown+2

Musical Style, Influences and Development
River Eckert is known for his deep respect for and immersion in the classic New Orleans piano tradition. His influences include legends such as Professor Longhair, James Booker, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, Fats Domino, and Art Neville. OffBeat Magazine+3Bandsintown+3OffBeat Magazine+3 Young as he is, River aims not merely to emulate, but to carry the torch of that tradition—drawing on its rhythmic complexity, emotional directness, and richly varied lineage. OffBeat Magazine+3Bandsintown+3OffBeat Magazine+3

Beyond solo piano work, he performs in full band settings, singing as well as playing. His performance style reflects a maturity beyond his years, balancing showmanship and musical depth. OffBeat Magazine+2Bandsintown+2

Performance Milestones
Even as a teenager, River has attained considerable visibility in New Orleans and beyond. Some of his performance highlights:

  • Debut at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2024, at 14 years old—he ascended from performing on smaller stages like the Children’s Tent and RhythmPOURium to larger venues like the Blues Tent. OffBeat Magazine

  • Regular appearances at notable New Orleans venues including Tipitina’s, the Maple Leaf Bar, Chickie Wah Wah, & others. OffBeat Magazine+3Tipitina’s+3Bandsintown+3

  • Performances at music festivals such as the French Quarter Festival, NOLA Funk Festival, Oak Street Po‑Boy Festival. Bandsintown+2OffBeat Magazine+2

  • Shared stage with respected New Orleans and regional musicians: George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville, Stanton Moore, Anders Osborne, Terence Higgins; also with members of the brass and funk / R&B scenes. Bandsintown+2Tipitina’s+2

Recording and Future Directions
River has begun laying groundwork for recorded output. His debut single, “Pass That Torch,” came out in October 2024. Bandsintown+1 He is working on his first studio album, with collaborators including George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville, Terence Higgins, Cornell Williams, Raymond Weber, John Fohl, among others. The album is anticipated to be released in early 2025. Bandsintown+1

He has also been featured in video recordings with Playing for Change, an international multimedia project. Bandsintown

Personality, Mission, and Impact
Though still young, River Eckert has articulated a mission: honoring and preserving the piano traditions of New Orleans, while adding his own voice. He has been quoted as saying that “playing at Jazz Fest is a dream come true,” noting that he’s attended it almost every year of his life. OffBeat Magazine His early years of study—classical discipline followed by embracing the improvisation, rhythmic drive, and soul of blues and jazz—have given him both technical foundation and expressive agility.

Peers and critics alike comment on his remarkable poise, consistency, and versatility—from solo piano recitals to full band, from covers of classic New Orleans repertory to original work. Tipitina’s+2OffBeat Magazine+2

Challenges and Outlook
Growing up in New Orleans carries advantages—rich musical culture, mentors, live performance opportunities—but also challenges faced by all young artists: balancing schooling, growing public expectations, finding one’s own voice amid venerable influences. River seems to be navigating these with humility, passion, and steady progress.

Looking ahead, the full album expected in 2025 is likely to be a key moment: consolidating his growing reputation, extending his reach beyond local stages, and helping to define what the younger generation of New Orleans piano players can contribute.

River Eckert: A Young Keeper of the New Orleans Piano Flame

River Eckert was born October 9, 2009, in New Orleans, Louisiana, and at just 15 years old is already making his mark as one of the most promising bearers of the New Orleans piano tradition. rivereckert.com+1 From his earliest years, music was part of his DNA: his father, Jake Eckert, is a longtime musician and producer who has played with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and the New Orleans Suspects, among others. Live Music News and Review+4AOL+4rivereckert.com+4

Early Years & Family Legacy

River’s affinity for piano emerged almost before he could remember. He began by age three, initially studying classical repertoire under formal instruction. rivereckert.com+2OffBeat Magazine+2 But his teachers soon realized that he had an uncanny ability to absorb blues and jazz styles, and encouraged him to explore those idioms. rivereckert.com+1

In a conversation on the Tales From the Green Room podcast, River reflected on the benefit of having older veteran musicians around him in New Orleans:

“It’s not ever annoying to hang out with older people because they’re the ones with the knowledge. … So when I’m around all those guys, it’s just I soak up any information that I can possibly get.” Tales from the Green Room+1

Indeed, the city’s musical ecosystem became his classroom.

His father, Jake, has spoken about how River’s musical roots reach further back in the family. Jake recalled that their great-grandmother was a vaudeville musician, performing in silent-movie era shows, and that his grandmother traveled in performance circuits. Jake described it as both “a blessing and a curse” to carry forward that lineage. Tales from the Green Room

Jake also described his own upbringing in New Orleans’ musical community — backyard gatherings, inviting local musicians to perform over crawfish boils — as fertile ground for River to grow up absorbing music as part of life. Tales from the Green Room

Musical Voice & Influences

From early on, River has been deeply immersed in the lineage of New Orleans piano giants: Professor Longhair, James Booker, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, Fats Domino, Art Neville, among others. Live Music News and Review+3rivereckert.com+3OffBeat Magazine+3 His goal is often framed in his website’s biographical summary: to “carry the torch” of the New Orleans piano tradition. rivereckert.com+1

He balances reverence for tradition with an appetite to bring his own voice forward. In festival settings and band lineups, he moves between solo piano, vocal-led songs, and full band arrangements. rivereckert.com+2Live Music News and Review+2

At the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, he made his festival debut at age 14, initially playing in smaller stages (the Children’s Tent and RhythmPOURium) and then moving up to the larger Blues Tent. Reflecting on it, he said:

“I’ve gone to Jazz Fest just about every year of my life. So, getting to play at Jazz Fest is a dream come true.” OffBeat Magazine

Performing at such festivals is not just a career milestone — it’s a full-circle moment of being both audience and artist in his hometown.

On the significance of New Orleans as more than a backdrop, he has remarked:

“You can go anywhere else in the world to learn rock music or even straight‑ahead jazz — you can learn it in many places. But the only place you can come to learn New Orleans music is New Orleans.” NOLA Funk Fest

He also spoke candidly about the “main stage” leap in festival settings:

“When I played the Passing the Torch stage, it was my first time playing with my own little band … I’m really looking forward to [playing on] the main stage. … It just sounds exciting.” NOLA Funk Fest

In other words, the journey is as important to him as the destination.

Performances, Collaborations & Recordings

River already has an impressive résumé of venues, festivals, and collaborations. AOL+5rivereckert.com+5rivereckert.com+5

He has performed at:

He has shared stages and recording space with many notable figures in the New Orleans and broader musical world: George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville, Terence Higgins, Luther Dickinson, Cyril Neville, Anders Osborne, Fred Wesley, Reggie Scanlan, Kirk Joseph, Donald Harrison Jr., and others. OffBeat Magazine+3rivereckert.com+3rivereckert.com+3

His recorded singles already hint at ambition. His debut single, “Pass That Torch,” dropped in October 2024. rivereckert.com+1 He followed with “Hey Hey Hey (Fi Nah Nay)” in February 2025 and “Painting Pictures” in April 2025. rivereckert.com The full album is anticipated in early 2025. rivereckert.com+1

He is also featured in Playing for Change video recordings, helping extend his reach beyond local scenes. rivereckert.com One such video is “St. James Infirmary | River Eckert | Live Outside” under the Playing for Change banner. MVOTD

Perspectives, Challenges, and Vision

Though young, River’s reflections show a maturity and humility grounded in his context.

In the Green Room conversation, he acknowledged feeling the weight—and benefit—of being a teenage musician surrounded by older veterans. But he approaches it with eagerness:

“I soak up any information that I can possibly get.” Tales from the Green Room

More broadly, he embraces the idea of continuity:

“From a very young age, River has been surrounded by music … he is passionate and dedicated to ‘carrying the torch’ of the New Orleans piano tradition.” rivereckert.com

His path is not without tension. He must balance schooling, expectations, and the pressure of growing in public. But in interviews, he focuses on the joy of performance, the thrill of shared improvisation, and the pride of representing his city’s distinct musical heritage.

His father, Jake, also gives perspective on the generational thread: he describes River’s link to earlier musical eras via family stories, and the responsibility that comes with inheriting that legacy. Tales from the Green Room+1

Looking ahead, River’s upcoming album will likely act as a marker—not just of technical and compositional growth, but of how a young musician chooses to situate himself in the lineage of New Orleans piano. If past is prologue, his intent to absorb, honor, and innovate suggests a future in which he becomes not just a protégé of the tradition, but a forward‑looking voice in its evolution.

Robert Reich Biography

This post was inspired by a movie that I saw this week – “The Last Class”

Before we jump into the biographical information on Reich, here’s a link to his most recent blog post – very interesting from my perspective:

Reich blog on awakening the giant

And here’s a link to his website which contains a myriad of interesting and though provoking content:

Robert Reich website

Here’s a summary biography from Wikipedia:

About Robert Reich 40 years in education.

Robert Bernard Reich (/ˈraɪʃ/ ⓘ RYSH;[2] born June 24, 1946) is an American professor, author, lawyer, and political commentator.[3] He worked in the administrations of presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter,[4] and he served as secretary of labor in the cabinet of President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997.[5][6] He was also a member of President Barack Obama‘s economic transition advisory board.[7] In 2008, Time magazine named him one of the Ten Best Cabinet Members of the century;[8] in the same year The Wall Street Journal placed him sixth on its list of Most Influential Business Thinkers.[9]

Reich has also had a long teaching career. From 1981 to 1992 he was a lecturer at Harvard University‘s John F. Kennedy School of Government[10] and from 1997 to 2005 he was a professor of social and economic policy at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management of Brandeis University. In January 2006 he was appointed Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley.[11] He taught his last class at Berkeley in the spring of 2023[12] and is currently Emeritus Carmel P. Friesen Professor of Public Policy.[11]

Reich has published numerous books,[13] including the best-sellers The Work of Nations (1991), Reason (2004), Supercapitalism (2007), Aftershock (2010), Beyond Outrage (2012), and Saving Capitalism (2015). The Robert Reich–Jacob Kornbluth film Saving Capitalism debuted on Netflix in November 2017, and their film Inequality for All won a U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Achievement in Filmmaking at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.[14][15] He is board chair emeritus of the watchdog group Common Cause and blogs at Robertreich.org.[16]

Here’s what ChatGPT generated when asked to write a one page biography:

Robert Reich – Biography Summary

Robert B. Reich is an American economist, professor, author, and political commentator widely known for his work on economic inequality, labor policy, and public policy. Born on June 24, 1946, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Reich has had a distinguished career in public service, academia, and writing. Despite being diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called Fairbanks disease (which affects bone growth), Reich became a prominent and influential public intellectual.

Reich earned his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, won a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University, and later received a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School. He began his public service career in the administrations of Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter. However, he gained national prominence as Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997. During his tenure, he focused on job training, worker rights, and raising the minimum wage.

After leaving government service, Reich transitioned into academia and public advocacy. He has taught at Harvard University and is currently a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. Reich has authored numerous influential books, including The Work of Nations, Aftershock, Saving Capitalism, and The System, which critique economic inequality and advocate for a more inclusive and equitable economy.

Reich is also known for his engaging public communication, including documentaries like Inequality for All (2013) and Saving Capitalism (2017), and his active social media presence where he continues to comment on economic and political issues. Through his work, Robert Reich remains a leading voice in progressive economic thought and a staunch advocate for social and economic justice.

Week in Review – August 10, 2025

“Keith’s turn at the beach”
I would like to start this week with a quote from the late, great Anthony Bourdain, courtesy of the wonderful Bastion restaurant in Nashville:
A lot of great advice in there.
Diana made it home from Julia’s beach house, trapping a mouse in a closet for John to deal with when he arrived after their departure.  We enjoyed a late “welcome home” lunch at the Columns on Tuesday, sharing the delicious burger (best in NOLA?) and their new chopped salad.
I didn’t make it to trivia.  Apparently the most interesting question was about naming 4 of the 5 classic French cooking “mother” sauces.  Denny got Hollandaise and Bechamel.  I would have added Tomato if I had been there but would not have remembered the remaining two – Velouté and Espagnole.
We participated in our classic retiree activity on Wednesday morning – the classic 10am movie at the Prytania.  This week was “Roman Holiday” – the 1953 movie with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.
I’d forgotten how many quiet scenes there were in this one – relying on the facial expressions from Hepburn in particular.  The very last scene being an excellent example.  We both enjoyed this one very much.
We’ve been working on our wills, medical and financial powers of attorney, living wills etc. for many months now.  These were finalized on Thursday on the 25th floor of the Regions Bank building downtown.  It’s always entertaining for us to enter the type of building that we worked in for so many years and haven’t been in for many years since.  Paul met us there and acted as the second witness for the document signing.
We celebrated this milestone with a Happy Hour at Saint John.  This is another great value offering (not quite as good as Cafe Degas, but close.)
The moules frites and crudo with creme fraiche were both very good, and the highlight for me was the muffuletta bruschetta.
Kenny drove us to Grand Isle on Friday.  Where is that?  Well, it’s the last barrier between New Orleans and the Gulf.  Way down there (about a two and a half hour drive.)
I always learn something when driving with Kenny.  Two takeaways from this trip:
1.  There are three billionaires in Louisiana.   Trey’s employer is one of them, and he hails from Lockport, a small town we drove through.
2.  Port Fourchon, right on the tip before you turn for Grand Isle, once delivered 17% of the US energy supply.  Amazing to contemplate from such a small town.
We arrived a bit before check in time and so enjoyed a burger and yummy onion rings at the Starlite diner.
The “fishing camp”, really a big house on stilts, that Denny chose for us was excellent.  Big, manly living area, huge upper deck, queen size bunkbeds, massive downstairs cooktop, and a huge dining table.  Denny always does such a good job of researching and finding places for us.
We met Denny and Mason at the marina and then Kenny made everyone jambalaya back at the house.
Grand Isle was in sync with New Orleans – hosting a red dress run on Saturday morning.  This is a silly charity event where men and women all dress up in red dresses and participate in a short run.  We made our way down to the marina to check out the post run festivities.  The red dresses piled into their golf carts and started to leave shortly after our arrival.  They were off to Cisco’s bar.  Why not join?
This was a classic dive bar.  The guys played a complicated three ball pool game and we enjoyed the ambience.
Thom ended up winning the pool pot and doing an entertaining happy dance.
Later in the afternoon we headed out on the boats.  I was assigned to Preston’s boat with first mate Jack and Kenny.
Neither boat had good luck with catching any fish.  The water was choppy and that led to a pretty bumpy ride back and forth from the fishing spots.  I was amazed by the selection of extremely expensive reels that Preston’s friend had in his closet after we docked and enjoyed the sunset.
Back at the fishing camp, Denny cooked up a feast (no fish on the grill) while the guys relaxed.  Denny works hard on these trips to keep everything going.
Meanwhile, in the Quarter, the girls were enjoying “Dirty Linen Night”.  This follows “White Linen Night” which happened the week earlier.  This is a fundraising event on Royal Street and most of the galleries and shops participate.  You buy a wrist band and get drinks at all the galleries.
The funds go to pre-college education for kids hoping to go to college that might not typically have the right preparation.  Last year, 100% of students made it to college.  Seems the girls had a great time, finishing with dinner and drinks at Manolito (Cuban restaurant.)
Kenny did a great job of driving us home through serious storms on Sunday morning.  Then we took Anne for dinner at Basin Seafood to start her “birthday week.”  They had an interesting coolinary menu (the August special menus that restaurants have to try and bring more locals in during the quiet season.)  Diana had the crawfish pupusa.  I sampled and it was perfect.
Anne started with the corn bisque.  Great presentation on both dishes:
Both of them opted for the soft shell crab entree, while I rejected the coolinary menu (not that hungry) and opted for the beet and crab ravigote salad (highly recommended.)
My book this week was “So Far Gone” by Jess Walter.  I really enjoyed this – the first half quite a bit more than the second.  First half was more character driven, with a lot of dramatic action in the second.  This is not as great as Walter’s “Beautiful Ruins”, but worth the read.  Here’s the online summary of the plot:

“A few weeks after the 2016 election, at Thanksgiving with his daughter’s family, Rhys Kinnick snapped. After an escalating fight about politics, he hauled off and punched his conspiracy theorist son-in-law. Horrified by what he’d done, by the state of the country and by his own spiraling mental health, Rhys chucked his smartphone out a car window and fled for a cabin in the woods, off the grid and with no one around—except a pack of hungry raccoons.

Now, seven years later, Kinnick’s old life is about to land right back on his crumbling doorstep. Can this failed husband and father, a man with no phone, no computer, and a car that barely runs, reemerge into a broken world to track down his missing daughter and save his sweet, precocious grandchildren from the members of a dangerous militia?

With the help of his caustic ex-girlfriend, a bipolar retired detective, and his only friend (who happens to be furious with him), Kinnick heads off on a madcap journey through cultural lunacy and the rubble of a life he thought he’d left behind. So Far Gone is a rollicking, razor-sharp, and ultimately moving road trip through a fractured nation, from a writer who has been called “a genius of the modern American moment””

I take issue with the “caustic ex-girlfriend” – that’s not how I read her.

Some passages that I enjoyed:

An entertaining metaphor:

“Rhys sat helplessly between the dim husbands of daughter and ex-wife, quietly nursing his fourth beer. He was a terrible nurse. This patient wasn’t likely to make it, either.”
Emphasizing my hatred of the younger set inserting “like” everywhere it doesn’t belong:
” She was, of course, neither nun nor teenager, but a twenty-four-year-old recent college graduate, still able to conjure a bit of high school indignation on her face when it suited her. “Um,” Allison said, “I’m, like, working on it?” She held her phone up with a flopped wrist. On the screen: a photo of crime scene tape around a light pole. She was, like, posting it! If someone would just, like, leave her alone!”
Getting a little deeper:
“All cruelty springs from weakness. Seneca said that, along with: Ignorance is the cause of fear. Kinnick had always believed these adages to be true, but now, bleeding on the ground, watching Dean Burris stand over his dead son-in-law, Rhys wondered if Seneca might have been a little silly to believe in the causal roots of evil.”
An interesting take on the surface level journalism that we are served:
“Pestered by Lucy the day he left the hospital, Rhys had allowed himself to be interviewed by a young reporter named Allison. When the story ran, Kinnick was deflated. She’d gotten his quotes right and the details certainly seemed accurate, but reading about the whole thing in the newspaper somehow shrunk Shane’s murder, as if it had been nothing more than a seedy domestic squabble between a flaky wife, her religious husband, and his gun-toting militia friends. Rhys even started to wonder if that’s all it was. He had to remind himself of the limits of daily journalism, which was better at posing questions than answering them. Still, he wondered: Where was the story about how fear had infected so many people, how it had killed his poor son-in-law? How a sociopath like Dean Burris had burrowed his way into the Church of the Blessed Fire? How these insane things kept happening, these eruptions of senseless violence, of anger and ignorance and greed and mendacity, like ancient fissures bubbling up under the surface, and what—we were just supposed to go on with our lives? Wake up the next day like nothing happened, like we hadn’t lost our minds? Just turn the page, to the baseball scores or the horoscopes or celebrity birthdays? (Nothing to see here, just America.)”
We watched a documentary on Billy Joel that we agreed was very well done.  What a huge talent.
And then I watched a few episodes of the CNN documentary about Liveaid.  This took place the day before I started working, and I remember watching it with my new boss, Howard Dunn, at his home.  40 years ago!
One of the interesting scenes is Paul McCartney’s microphone not working during “Let it Be.”  The logistics of doing something like this in 1985 are astounding, and this was the only blip that I’m aware of.  David Bowie, Pete Townsend and Bob Geldof came out to sing and help with the issue.  And then the crowd took over.
Finally, I remembered a crazy good album that I got as a Christmas gift from Mum and Dad one year.  It was called “The Hitmakers” and had a ridiculously good set of tracks:
Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits
Oh Yeah by Roxy Music
Games Without Frontiers by Peter Gabriel
Dark End of the Street by Van Morrison
You Wear it Well by Rod Stewart
What an amazing year in music.
Coexist peacefully, with kindness and patience for all.

Week in Review – August 3rd, 2025

“Diana makes it to the beach”

We kicked off the week with an early morning walk in the park.  It is hard to drink enough water when it’s so hot outside.  Anne and Diana took advantage of the pool at Merry Lee and Jeff’s condo on Monday afternoon.

For Tuesday trivia there were a lot of teams and thankfully it was a  few degrees cooler than last week.  We were doing well going into the final round (1st place if I remember correctly.)  There were some easy questions like this one:

And then there was “What is a German Shepherd dog called in Britain?”  That was an easy one for me and I suspect not for many of the other teams.

The final question involved putting these events in chronological order:

The first episode of Charlie Rose

Pete Rose banned from baseball

Kiss for a Rose on the chart

Kate Winslet won Oscar for Rose

We got the first two in the wrong order – Charlie Rose was more recent than we suspected.  I think we finished in 4th place.

I promised Diana that we would try the Happy Hour at Cafe Degas on Thursday.  This is an excellent value – full sized martini for $5 (and not drowned in vermouth), Diana approved sparkling wine for $5, escargots for $6, and pate and cheese board for $12 (a really good selection and portion.)

The food and drink seem to taste better when you know you’re getting a really good value.

I got a NOLA.com alert at Cafe Degas about a man running down Bourbon street with a “Love” flag.  This could only be our buddy, Chris Peet.  Here’s the article – really well written with some good pictures:

 

Chris Peet Love Flag on Bourbon St

I treated myself to a delicious breakfast sandwich from Gracious bakery on Friday.  I haven’t decided if I prefer this to the one from District or the one from Chicory – so many great options in walking radius.  I picked up a lemon bar treat for McD while I was there – well received.  I enjoy reading the “On this day in history” column in the paper.  Some highlights from August 1st:

Baden Powell hosted a camp at Brownsea island in Southern England, marking the first Boy Scout camp.

In 1981, MTV took to the airwaves with the first video played being “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles – a good trivia question:

Diana made it to the beach, courtesy of Julia’s beach house, and Anne’s transportation.  I chuckled at her little packing station on the counter:

This was her location:

Ok – I didn’t do a very good job with that screenshot – she was between Mobile and Pensacola on the south (Gulf) coast.

The beach looked very pleasant and came with some interesting wildlife:

The heron has a name, and I don’t remember it now.

Denny organized a get together for the male members of the krewe while the ladies were at the beach.  We met at Gris Gris and enjoyed their Happy Hour snacks – mini meat pies for me, wings for Good Lord Alex etc.

We relaxed a bit at our home after that:

I finished “King of Ashes” by S.A. Crosby this week.  My summary – very dark content, great characters, sad story.  Off to find something a bit lighter.

 

 

Here’s a recent poem by Giancarlo (Diana’s brother).  I tried to get the line spacing closer and gave up after 30 minutes of putzing around in WordPress.

*Love Poems to Gaza (Songs to Gaza) 

 I come to you from my speck on the planet

10,000 miles of proximity 

I am eager to know you 

Even in my speckled English 

My own lost language hovers in the atmosphere 

Just out of reach 

I have drunk the poison known as empire 

And in my veins the antidote still lives 

It works diligently day and night 

To salvage my flesh housing my soul 

I say this to you now even in my shock 

My sorrow wants to embrace yours 

This desire riddled with the grapples 

Of my nation’s self-pleading 

I must pass through a climate of indifference 

To reach your shores 

I suspect you know the old lines 

The betrayers announce themselves 

Before they charge 

I too have to calm myself before the thieves 

Overtake me 

I tell you with my voice only a shrivel of meaning 

No act stifles your life 

No cruelty disappears your heritage 

You are not lost to me 

 

Please, I do not want to burden you 

I want to lift the yoke of your hurt 

My eyes burn and my heart clenches 

My hand is near just outside the flames 

Where I embrace your brethren 

Still living amidst the explosions 

In my proximity there is a gulf of fire 

But the winds blow cold 

Parting the flames momentarily 

I reach in and lift you out 

Hold you as if you were my own 

 

Your planet as mine joined by a blaze 

Our planets merge into one 

Inseparable as we’ve always been 

To know you again to know your strength 

Inseparable as we’ve always been 

Believing our climate traces a proof 

The skies push back smoke 

We look together to the skies 

A silence we begin to remember 

 

Where was I the last time 

The waters overdrew my feet 

I looked out at the sea’s 

Tangled white crests 

Watching for any signs of you 

I looked beyond the swells 

Past the imaginary line of horizon 

My bare feet grasp the sand, 

Inextricable 

I feel you from here 

Water tumbling like cries 

Waves spreading a burdened life before me 

Shell eyes, driftwood limbs 

I reach down to pick up a stone 

Chiseled and smooth by innumerable fingers 

And toss it through the spray 

To reach you 

 

I love the funky side of John Scofield:

And on a completely different musical track, just a masterclass in songwriting:

And finally, a similar style from another great singer songwriter:

Coexist peacefully, with kindness and patience for all.

 

Remembering Dad

 

“Ian Morrison Robertson, 1936-2023”

My Dad, Ian Morrison Robertson, died on February 17, 2023.  He was 86 years old.

Here he is with me in the Whisky Cave at the Marine hotel at Royal Troon golf course, celebrating his 80th birthday.

 

 

 

And here’s Dad when we visited him in hospital before Heather’s wedding, 6 months ago.

My sister, Elspeth, did a lovely job of collecting some thoughts for input to the eulogy for Dad:

 

“Messages from the many cards we have received have shared a common theme, describing Dad as a true gentleman and a gentle gentleman. He was described as a dear and lovely friend and a family man at heart. There were many references to his sense of humour, exchanging merry banter, and the many laughs on church holidays. They described his “unfailingly thoughtful and measured opinions in discussions at session meetings”, his valued comments, and that he will be a loss to the church and community.

Personal reflections

I have many memories of wonderful holidays together as a family, firstly in our touring caravan, then at Glenluce, in our static caravan. We would travel there most weekends, and spend much of the summer there. Like Keith, I remember listening to music in the car, James Last, Herb Alpert, Tom Jones ( in particular “What’s New Pussycat?” and “Delilah”) and Simon and Garfunkel, remembering Dad singing along to “Cecilia”. It was always the highlight of the journey if you got to stop for ice cream at Ballantrae, or a fish supper at Girvan.

I have fond memories of dancing around the living room standing on Dad’s toes. I took this very seriously and truly believed I was learning to ballroom dance.

When teenage life made us too busy for the caravan, our holidays moved to France, and I have many wonderful memories. Dad , despite his limited knowledge of French, would read a paper every day, and had learned to order all our complicated ice cream flavours and combinations, but caused hilarity when he managed to order everything perfectly in French, but ended with please.

Dad had a lovely sense of humour. I remember being on a school trip to France. Dad spotted metal balls on the electricity cables and told us that this was how the French transported their cheese. He also told us to look carefully and we would be able to see the hunchback of Notre Dame. I couldn’t understand why I was the only one laughing, but he had sounded so convincing that everyone else believed him. We laughed about it later. I might add that he did this shortly after calling me “toots” in front of all my classmates!

Dad loved nature, and whenever we were walking, it would turn into a nature walk with him pointing out plants, trees, birds and animals. He loved to share his passion and continued this tradition with his grandchildren. He loved gardening and would spend hours pottering with his plants. Heather and Struan enjoyed “helping “ him with this when they were young, and I have a lovely memory of him pushing them around in the wheelbarrow.

His love of nature extended to water, so much so that he always connected with it, but not in the way he intended. He loved clambering over rocks, but was always so busy looking in rock pools that he invariably fell in.

Dad’s hobbies included completing jigsaws and crosswords. He had endless patience and was a mine of knowledge, although we used to tease him that he was full of useless information. This came in useful for quizzes, and there was always a fight over who would have him in their team for Trivial

Pursuit. He loved flower arranging and a favourite was a display he created of “The Burning Bush” which sat in front of the organ at the flower festival. His love of art has filled our homes with beautiful paintings which we will cherish forever. I only wish he had passed on some of his artistic talent!

Dad would do anything for any of us. He was always there for all events. He ferried me all over, and never missed a concert, dancing display, prizegiving, competition or BB display . This applied equally to Keith and I , and also Heather and Struan.

When Heather was born, we were very grateful for “Grandpa’s magic arms” as he had the perfect knack of calming her and getting her to sleep.

He enjoyed precious time spent looking after Heather and Struan, hearing all their stories and playing with them. Part of Struan’s weekly routine right up until he left school was watching Scooby Doo and Roadrunner with Grandpa.

Keith’s boys used to call Mum and Dad “Grannyampa”, which was lovely, because it highlighted that they were inseparable, and loved to do things together. They saw them as a combined entity.

Dad really enjoyed going on church holidays. There were many tales of the happy times he spent with friends.

I have always known how proud Dad was of me, and felt his unconditional love, but he was never overly generous with his compliments. If asked his opinion on, for example, outfits, he would often reply that they were “fine”. It amused me that when I moved to Aberdeenshire, I discovered that fine has a very different meaning, and actually means very good or special. I laughed with Dad that , of course, he knew that all along and that was always what he meant.”

Such great memories and wonderful writing.  This is a link to some of Dad’s favourite songs:

Here are some of my thoughts that I shared for potential inclusion in the euglogy:

Artist

Dad was a great artist and enjoyed his regular art classes – I think maybe just as much for the story telling as the art activities. I remember being amazed at the knights in armour he would draw for me as a young kid. A painting Dad did of a Tuscan scene for my 50th birthday has pride of place as the first thing you see on entering my home.

Music

Dad loved all kinds of music. A fond memory is driving around in the Renault 16, listening to Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” on the 8-track player. I think I could still tell you where the “clunk” of the track changing happens on those songs. Some of his favourites were Abba, James Last, Neil Diamond and Tom Jones.

Dad invested countless hours ferrying me to band practice and patiently listening to many brass bands playing the same piece at competitions – and those were not popular hits type pieces.

Story Telling

One of Dad’s big enjoyments was telling a good story. “Jackanories” is what we called the detailed recaps of Dad’s day at school we listened to at the dinner table each night. Lots of detailed dialogue and plot lines. Dad did love to read and I enjoyed perusing his library for a good read during my visits and on flights home.

Boy Scouts

Dad put together and taught a course leading to the Conservation badge for my Boy Scout Troop. His teaching and story telling skills really made this a fun and popular badge.

Trying New Things

At the age of 80, Dad tried snorkeling for the first time at our wedding in Cozumel.  He thoroughly enjoyed the plethora of colourful fish in the reef.

Here are some pictures of the many flower arrangements and cards that were delivered to Merrick View.  You can see how many people in the community loved my Dad.

Here’s a plant that I received from work colleagues.  His name is Morrison, and he’s a Bromeliad (according to Google lens).  It looks like a species about which Dad would have had a lot to share.

A windchime that I received as a sympathy gift included this poem:

“A Letter from Heaven”, by Ruth Ann Mahaffey

“To my dearest family,

Some things I’d like to say
But first of all to let you know
That I arrived OK.
I’m writing this from heaven
Where I dwell with God above
Where there’s no more tears or sadness
There is just eternal love
Please do not be unhappy
Just because I am out of sight
Remember that I’m with you
Each morning, noon, and night
That day I had to leave you
When my life on Earth was through
God picked me up and hugged me
And He said I welcome you.
It’s good to have you back again
You were missed while you were gone
As for your dearest family…
They’ll be here later on.
I need you here so badly
As part of my big plan
There’s so much that we have to do
To help the mortal man.
Then God gave me a list of things
He wished for me to do,
And foremost on that list of mine
Is to watch and care for you.
And I will be beside you
Every day and week and year
And when your sad I’m standing there
To wipe away the tear.
And when you lie in bed at night
The day’s chores put to flight
God and I are closer to you
In the middle of the night.
When you think of my life on Earth
And all those loving years
Because you’re only human
They are bound to bring you tears.
But do not be afraid to cry
It does relieve the pain
Remember there would be no flowers
Unless there was some rain.
I wish that I could tell you
Of all that God has planned,
But if I were to tell you
You wouldn’t understand.
There is one thing is for certain
Though my life on Earth is o’re,

I’m closer to you now
Than I ever was before.
And to my very many friends,
Trust God knows what is best
I’m still not far away from you
I’m just beyond the crest.
There are many rocky roads ahead of you
And many hills to climb,
But together we can do it
Taking one day at a time.
It was always my philosophy
And I’d like it for you too
That as you give unto the world,
So the world will give to you.
If you can help somebody
Who’s in sorrow or in pain,
Then you can say to God at night
My day was not in vain.
And now I am contented
That my life, it was worthwhile,
Knowing as I passed along the way
I made somebody smile.
So if you meet somebody
Who is down and feeling low,
Just lend a hand to pick him up
As on your way you go.
When you are walking down the street,
And you’ve got me on your mind
I’m walking in your footsteps
Only half a step behind.
And you feel that gentle breeze
Or the wind upon your face
That’s me giving you a great big hug
Or just a soft embrace.
And when It’s time for you to go
From that body to be free
Remember that you’re not going,
You are coming here to me.”

I’ll finish with a few of my favourite photos that sit on my desk:

I miss you Dad!

 

 

Week in Review – September 11, 2022

“Home Alone 2”

Monday saw us heading outside for a run together for the first time in a few months – it’s just been too hot and humid.  The first part was fine but then it started to heat up and became hard work.  Good running weather will be coming soon.

After the run, we put the top down on Penelope and had an excursion to Filtered in downtown McKinney for coffee and quiche (actually Diana had a veggie Galette.)

Finn joined us for burgers, potato salad and grilled vegetables for  the traditional Labor day cookout.  He’s looking well and doing great things at work.  His department was number 2 in a district of around 30 stores last month.  Finn enjoyed seeing the pictures and videos from our trip to Scotland.

We watched the end of Tiafoe’s amazing defeat of Nadal in the U.S. Open.  Lots of upsets in that tournament so far.

Tuesday was a quiet day overall.  We watched a new (to us) series on Apple TV called “Surface.”  This is a promising mystery series about a lady in San Francisco who loses her memory and is trying to piece together what happened to her.

After that I tried, and failed in the fourth set, to stay awake to watch the Kyrgios tennis match.  Why do they have them start so late?  Checking in the morning I saw that Kyrgios couldn’t control his emotions and ended up losing in five sets.  It’s exciting to see the next generation of players coming up.

We had another swim together on Wednesday – maybe this is going to become a regular thing.  I’m going to have to swim much faster to keep up with Diana.  I watched Tiafoe play again in the afternoon – he really destroyed Rublev.  Such an exciting player!  As I was watching the tennis, it occurred to me that I didn’t see any line judges.  Some Googling revealed that’s because they don’t have them anymore – it’s all done with the Hawkeye computer system.  The voices volume and tone is adjusted based on the situation – loud for very close calls so that they players can hear above potential crowd noise.  The only time live people are involved is with foot faults – apparently the computer can’t do that yet.

I dropped Diana at the airport on Thursday afternoon – she’s back out to California to spend time with her Mom and Marco.  Since then things have been pretty quiet.  I fell asleep before the first game of the NFL season on Thursday night.  I did have a nice FaceTime with Vince and Lori at their lake house in the Adirondacks.  Their daughter, Alex, was married last weekend.  I love this picture – such a happy Dad and daughter:

The football season continued in earnest today.  I’m watching the Eagles and Lions just now – close game.  The Cowboys play tonight and I’m hoping to stay awake and watch it.  They play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by the un-retired Tom Brady and it should be a good game.

I really enjoyed my book this week – “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus.  This was a very entertaining read and reminded me a bit of the humour in “Eleanor Oliphant is Just Fine”.  Here’s the GoodReads summary:

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results.

But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.

Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist.”

Elizabeth Zott is a wonderful character – has me thinking of a combination between Julia Child and Margaret Thatcher.  Her daughter, Madeline, and dog, Six-Thirty, are also very well done – isn’t it strange that a dog is a believable character?  He really is.  The book did drag a bit in the last quarter, before the conclusion, but highly recommended overall.

I love Chris Rea and totally missed the massive set of “Blue Guitars” albums that he released in 2005.  A full history of the Blues over many albums – lots for me to listen to.

Open in Spotify

Open in Spotify

Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings was another new find this week – they have a lot of good tunes:

Open in Spotify

Coexist Peacefully with kindness and compassion for all!

Week in Review – September 13, 2020

“Construction Zoo”

It’s been quite a zoo at our home this week.  I made the mistake of contracting with a couple of guys to pressure wash and stain the fence and patio pergola at the same time as the bathroom guys were working away on fixing all the issues from the first contractor.  Why didn’t I just wait a week?  I suppose part of me thought we could get finished up with having constant traffic at the house all at once.  And that has been the case – it’s been such a nice Sunday with nobody but the two of us at the house.

We’ve been using the guest bedroom upstairs while the remodel downstairs has continued and continued.  And wouldn’t you know it – the air conditioning decided to croak this week.  On Friday we had eleven different guys at the house – plus all their trucks and equipment.  Diana made her largest ever order at Taco Bell to feed everyone lunch.  The neighbours must have been wondering what on earth was going on at our house.

The great news is that the bathroom guys plan to finish up tomorrow.  The new bathroom does look very sleek and modern – a huge change.  All that remains is a new glass door (that was measured incorrectly – to add to the list of everything else that was wrong with the first contractor) before we can try out the steam shower.  I’ll post some pictures of the finished product next week.  That and my new TV/stereo wall cabinet.  I did chuckle when I found the new bathtub sitting in front of the fireplace in the music room.  I was picturing McD with a fire going, glass of champagne in hand, and maybe some soothing piano music.

 

Other than the construction zoo factor, it’s been a typical week.  Work, exercise, some music and reading.  I did get a clean bill of health from the orthopedic doctor this week.  He reports that my leg has completely healed and I’m ready for action again.  I was able to “close all my rings” every day this week on the Apple watch.  I may have to increase my active calories daily goal a bit to stretch things.

 

 

We did try to get in the Labor (American spelling since it’s an American holiday) Day spirit with some outdoor cooking.  Griller D made some delicious bacon cheeseburgers and stuffed jalapenos.  What a nice treat.

 

 

 

It’s Marco’s birthday today and I enjoyed sending him this special meme greeting:

Football’s back!  I enjoyed watching Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints beat up on Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  The Bucs are going to be a good team once Brady gets them whipped into shape.  Hoping for a similar positive result when the Cowboys play the Rams in the new $5 billion SoFi stadium later this evening.

I learned a bit of “The Great Gig in the Sky” from Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” on the piano this week.  Here’s the original:

And my attempt.  What great chord progressions – like something Gil Evans would chart for the Miles Davis band:

I finished Stewart O’Nan’s thirteenth novel, “The Odds”, on the Monday holiday.  This is another very original, bittersweet story like the last book of his I read, “Last Night at the Lobster”.  It’s Valentine’s weekend, Art and Marion Fowler flee their Cleveland suburb for Niagara Falls, desperate to recoup their losses. Jobless, with their home approaching foreclosure and their marriage on the brink of collapse, Art and Marion liquidate their savings account and book a bridal suite at the Falls’ ritziest casino for a second honeymoon. While they sight see like tourists during the day, at night they risk it all at the roulette wheel to fix their finances-and save their marriage.  I won’t spoil the ending for you.

I really enjoyed this book – not quite as much as my previous O’Nan reads but still more than just about anything that I’ve read recently.

This paragraph made me chuckle as I was reminded me of my ever increasing piles of books to be moved around and sorted.

“She addressed her mystery again, tilting it to the beam of light from the overhead console.  She read two or three a week, the pile of cracked and yellowing paperbacks on her nightstand dwindling as the one on the marble-topped table by the front door grew until it was time to trade them in at the Book Exchange.”

Here’s a classic O’Nan recounting of the little things that make up a marriage:

“The one on the left was dressy, crushed velvet with a high heel, elaborate straps and a needle-nosed toe.  She loved them but they killed her feet.  The one on the right was plain, but much more comfortable.  

“The right,” he said.

“You really like that one better?”

“I do.”

“You’re so boring.”

“You’ve got a blister, and the restaurant’s at the end of the mall.”

“You’re right,” she admitted, but when she returned from the bedroom she was in her stocking feet, the fancier pair dangling from one hand.  “When else am I going to wear them?  I’m just going to have to suffer.”

“You said it, not me.”

“How long do we have?  I’m not putting them on until I absolutely have to.”

“Five minutes.  Before we get going, I’d like to get a picture of us.”

“You haven’t taken enough pictures today.”  She thought it was typical of him, wanting to commemorate their adventure.  He’d already chosen where he wanted her to stand.  She could see it being used against her in the future, but couldn’t refuse him.

“You don’t have to put your shoes on.”

“I do if I don’t want to look like a dwarf next to you.”

They were too narrow, and crushed her toes, her bunions flaring with every step.”

Well, there’s several pieces in that passage that I can relate to.

I continue to work my way through the Churchill book and learned a few new things this week.

While asking my Dad about the Anderson bomb shelter in his back garden, I learned a couple of interesting facts about his wartime experiences in Glasgow.  He told me about the house across the street being bombed and all that remained was the staircase from the ground to the first floor.  I also learned about the “smoke screen cylinder machines” that went around the streets producing smoke to hide the prime Glaswegian targets from the Luftwaffe.  One of those was the nearby Singer sewing machine factory which at the time was manufacturing war equipment.  That and the nearby Clyde shipyards, building battleships.  I don’t think I had ever equated the term “smoke screen” with the original wartime purpose.

Back to the book.  Violet Bohnam Carter is referenced a few times, and I wondered if she was any relation to Helena Bonham Carter (actress and wife of the director Tim Burton).  Turns out Violet was Helena’s grandmother.

“Soon after the bombing, Clementine, in a letter to Violet Bonham Carter, wrote, “We have no gas or hot water and are cooking on an oil stove.  But as a man called to Winston out of the darkness the other night, ‘It’s a great life if we don’t weaken!'””

An interesting and somewhat prescient quote from Roosevelt, “Of course we’ll fight if we’re attacked.  If somebody attacks us, then it isn’t a foreign war, is it?  Or do they want me to guarantee that our troops will only be sent into battle in the event of another Civil War.”

I didn’t know that Joseph Kennedy, father of John and Bobby, was the American ambassador to the UK in 1940.  Not a particularly helpful ambassador from what I read.

And lastly, an interesting note about Churchill practicing his speech to the French.  “He had difficulty with certain French linguistic maneuvers, in particular rolling his r’s, but Saint-Denis found him to be a willing student, later recalling, “He relished the flavour of some words as though he were tasting fruit.””

“American Dirt”, my swimming audio book, continues to expose me to the many issues associated with Latin American migrants trying to make their way to the United States.  Lydia and Luca made it on top of “La Bestia”, the freight train that runs from Mexico to the US, as far as San Miguel de Allende before having to take a break for food and sleep.  This is the town where we celebrated Denny’s 50th birthday, and the juxtaposition of the way we saw this beautiful town with the way migrants experience it was quite jarring.

I did a bit of research on “La Bestia” to understand how realistic the depiction in the book really is.  It’s a very scary reality and well described in the book as documented in this NPR story from 2014:

https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2014/06/05/318905712/riding-the-beast-across-mexico-to-the-u-s-border

Let’s switch over to music and some happier topics.  The Hayes Carll livestream on Tuesday was one of his best yet.  Joined by his wife, Allison Moorer, at about 49 minutes in, he plays one of my favourite songs and then continues with a few more excellent duets:

Something told me it would be a good week to tune into the Anders Osborne livestream on Friday.  What a treat – one of the best drummers in the world, Stanton Moore, and an amazing keyboard player, David Torkanowsky, joined Anders in his living room.  Excellent from start to finish:

https://m.facebook.com/AndersOsborne/videos/311878796765073/

Some new music that I enjoyed this week:

I stumbled on this version of Randy Newman’s “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today” by Jools Holland (Squeeze and “The Tube” fame) with David Gray (“Babylon” fame) on vocals.  Not quite up there with Curtis Stigers live, but a close second:

A timely Stevie Wonder song from the classic “Songs in the Key of Life”:

And lastly, something that I had never heard from The Bodeans.  It was playing on D’s playlist by the pool today and the opening guitar riff sucked me in.  Wouldn’t have picked it out as a Bodeans song:

 

 

 

 

Three Weeks in Review – August 2, 2020

“Austin’s Been a Friend of Mine”

I’m getting worse – three weeks since I provided an update – just a plain old slacker.  A couple of projects have been keeping us (mostly McD) quite busy over the last few weeks.

The bathroom remodel has begun.  The designer twins (Marci and Mindy) – identical so it’s helpful that they have different hairdos – visited us to finalize the tile and other design elements.  The tiles are actually white, grey and blue, although they look a bit beige in the picture.  Believe me, there will be no more beige in that bathroom.

We’ve moved to the upstairs guest bedroom and I’m now showering in the small bathtub area.  Should only be another few weeks or so – OK, maybe a month at the most, he said optimistically.

At this point, the demo has been completed, the new shower floor poured, and the steam shower mostly installed.  We have steam, coloured lights, and WiFi connectivity.  We just don’t have music coming out of the speakers.  Hopefully that will be resolved tomorrow and the tiling can begin.  Oh yeah, the aromatherapy hasn’t proven to be working yet either.

Diana has been doing an amazing job of overseeing the work.  Without her management, several more redos would have been necessary, and we would not have had helpful access to the area where the steam shower is installed.

The other project was getting packed up and out of the Austin apartment by the end of July.  Diana did another excellent job of getting everything ready for the movers.  What a great crew we had – showed up early, took incredible care with everything, and followed directions to a tee, all with kindness and a smile.  The movers taking the couch to Alicia were late, and so the McKinney crew was fully unloaded when we arrived.

We laughed at the debris under my spot on the couch – including a martini olive stick and a variety of crackers.  It really wasn’t as bad as I had expected but Diana was quick to point that there wasn’t a single crumb under her spot.  Perhaps she was sweeping things in my direction?

Bats Domino and Baby Penguin enjoyed one final pretty sunrise from the kitchen window.

It was pretty sad to see the empty apartment as we waited for our final walk through with the building management.

We did manage to squeeze in visits to another two of our favourite restaurants before leaving Austin.  June’s is always good and we loved the curried escargot with puff pastry and the bone marrow bolognese.  This is the restaurant where I had my lunch “interview” before taking the job in Austin.

 

 

 

After dinner we walked up to C-Boy’s Heart and Soul and snapped a picture – it’s not going to be open again for a while and we’ve had so many lovely evenings there.

And then on the walk home, we found the elusive Mr. Rogers mural on the side of Home Slice pizza – can’t believe we never noticed it before.

We also got to experience the new layout in the garden at Justine’s in East Austin.  What a great job they have done with individual awnings over tables with chandeliers and ferns to enhance the separation.  They also are employing the scan-able “Le Menu” that you pull up on your phone.

Farewell for now Austin – we’ve had such a good time with you this last year or so.  You’re not the same as you were now, but hopefully we can visit again when you’re feeling better and back to normal.

“But I never wanted to leave this town
Austin’s been a friend of mine
Texas we’ve had a time”

We listened to “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” by Gail Honeyman on the drives to and from Austin.  Apparently this is soon to be a movie starring Reese Witherspoon.  I can’t quite picture that given the Glasgow setting.  I highly recommend this book – very unique, entertaining and heart-breaking at the same time.  The narrator of the audio book really adds quite a bit with her wide variety of male and female Scottish accents.

 

Alicia shared one of her jazz appreciation class assignments with us.  We had to write 1,000 words about this performance by the Yellow-jackets.  I gave some input that was incorporated into the final paper – particularly about an electric wind instrument that had Alicia fascinated – “It looks like it’s from the year 3000.”  Her paper was very enjoyable to read and must have covered everything the teacher was looking for – 250 out of a possible 250 points!

Tuesday night continues to be live music night with Hayes Carll followed by the Band of Heathens Supper Club show.  I particularly enjoy this Little Feat cover they put together from one of the Supper Club shows:

This CBS Sunday Morning piece about a conductor who has assembled the largest ever virtual choir is excellent.  Thousands of folks from around the world record their parts in time with the conductor’s video, and then a technical team splices together all the video and audio – what must be a painstakingly tedious process.

We’ve enjoyed a few of the episodes of Zac Efron’s  “Down to Earth” show on Netflix.  The one about free sparkling water fountains in Paris is quite good.

I watched the movie “American Folk” while Diana was sunbathing yesterday afternoon.  The film is written, directed and edited by David Heinz.  Typically an editor on major films, this is his only feature film and  I loved it.  A beautifully created, quiet film that just happens and doesn’t push anything.  It was originally titled September 12th, as it covers two strangers who meet on a plane that is forced to land as September 11th unfolds.    Amber Rubarth’s character meets Joe Purdy’s when she pulls out a splitter and plugs in her headphones to share his music on the plane.  The major themes are the kindness of strangers and the bond of music.  Joe Purdy and Amber Rubarth are great musicians and sing well together.  Highly recommended.

I mentioned the Hayes Carll Tuesday night livestreams earlier.  He is often joined on those by his wife, Allison Moorer.  I didn’t realize she was the younger sister of the equally great singer, Shelby Lynne.  They both had tragic upbringings, culminating in a murder/suicide of their parents when Moorer was fourteen.  She writes about her upbringing in rural Alabama in the book “Blood”.  I’m about half way through this (taking a break from the Susan Sontag tome) now and while the subject is very sad, the way Moorer writes about her memories and how she feels about them in her forties is quite beautiful and moving.  Here’s one of Moorer’s songs that sounds like it was inspired by childhood:

I stumbled into a large collection of Youtube videos by Rick Beato accidentally while doing some research for Alicia’s paper.  Beato is a musical genius, playing almost all instruments and with an infectious love of the music he discusses in his postings.  I love the way he breaks down the elements of classic recordings and explains the harmonic and melodic make up.  Here’s one about “Rocketman” by Elton John that is a great example:

I enjoy these postings so much that I have to limit myself to just one or two at a time.

Peter Green, founding member of Fleetwood Mac (way before Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham), died recently.  He has the sweetest tone of any guitar player and wrote so many amazing songs.  Here’s my favourite:

And finally, here’s a tune from Paul Desmond that popped up on a Spotify list.  I think he has the best saxophone tone, perfectly pure and full, like Chet Baker’s trumpet sound.

Stay safe and kind among the madness.