Oakland: Colorado County

The Ungame at 0.00

Tell us how that makes you feel?                                                    

I was playing the Ungame with my family.  I would rather have had a kick in the groin, than to express how that makes me feel.  I was afraid that my fear would emerge, a multiple head serpent, ready to strike a spark and leave the house flamed.                                                                                                  (16:365)

1855

Andy and Michelle Move to Portland, Oregon

Oregon awaits 'em,
Good times lay ahead, gold sea
foam: Rogue Micro Beer.

Good Luck to Andy and Michelle.

Review: Bard of Roth's Movie House

Oakland: Colorado County

A Longmont Turkey Smell 

The playground smelled, like rotten school food left in the sun, we chocked, coughed, wheezed. We ran. We hoped to avoid kisses from little girls.   They had kisses that would ruin us.   We stood near the principal. He spat near the bike rack.  We spat often, onto the gravely play-ground.  The bell rung: recess over.  (15:356) 


*The Smell was brought to us by the processing plant at Longmont Foods. The smell, of turkeys being processed, would be quit awful.

Oakland:Colorado County

The Lawn Job

Belle Gato would do the job.

 “It has to be her! She’s great!”, thought her father in law.

 He sharpened his cleaver.   

He called Belle. 

Belle answered.  

“you are  great…like my own daughter… By the way I have something for...! ”

Belle arrived, on her hands and knees, and began to edge the yard. (14-356)

Oakland: Colorado County

Senator Murphy Played Red and Black

People did not stop and ponder a thing because time had run out.  And did anyone remember the people who George Murphy played cards with.  George Murphy always won before time ran out.  It wasn’t that he played inferior competitors.  Or that he somehow cheated.  George Murphy was just good at stacking the cards.  (13:356)

Review of Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon

Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thomas Pynchon is a writer who compels the reader to work hard through his books to find a gem at the end of his rainbow.   If you want something easy Mr. Pynchon probably is not your cup of tea.  But if you are willing to be submerged in a new experience Pynchon is your guide.

Here Pynchon, our rough guide, takes us to the Los Angeles neighborhood that surrounds LAX. The time is 1969, and the mood is hazy. Our government has us involved in a never ending war with a place called Vietnam.   The economy is good not great.  The beginning of the internet is here but it will not be released to the public till 1991.   Charlie Manson has gotten every suburbanite scared of long haired freaks.  There seems to be a quite buzz about. Los Angeles  feels like it could blow up into a Technicolor Riot at any moment. Pynchon does an incredible job of lifting up what subterranean currants made Los Angeles glow dim in the 1980’s. This is where we find Doc, a private gum shoe, investigating the disappearance of his girlfriend.

 I really enjoyed this book and think that anyone who likes Elmore Leonard or Raymond Chandler would find this book a blast.  It also could be the book for all of you interested in social history; with a need to find out what caused something to turn from a dream into now a nightmare.

All people who love Shelley Winters will love this book.  

Inherent Vice is scheduled to become a movie released in 2014.

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Reviews: Greg's Jukebox

The Blue Cheer: Psychedelic man!

Tiny Tim gets weird.

Fapardokly

Java Jive by the Ink Spots

Check out more music on the Thomas Pynchon Wiki Page that lists a lot more.

Reviews: Greg's Jukebox

This little ditty was played on the Lawrence Welk Show! Where's the bubbles man!  Such a polite audience too.


Heck yeah! Go Sponge Bob, play the Trashmen! Go! Baby Go!

 Just for the Halibut!

Oakland: Colorado County

Star Crossed Lovers

Mildred sat in Eugene's new1921 Model T Ford.    Mildred had splashed Chanel Number 5 liberally. 
They were roaring to dine in Mr. Kirby’s drive in, this being their third date.  
She asked Eugene, "I Look Good Right?... cute as  Margaret Gorman.?”  
He nodded. 
They did not notice the silver UFO, passing in the starry night. (12:356)

(Story based on Post On Kirby's Pig-Stand)

Oakland: Colorado County

A Wild Armadillo Was Her Sound

Her thighs resounded in her leopard printed stretch pants (tattoo inked on collar bone).  She walked with the grace of a wild armadillo.  Her earrings hung like cymbals clashing.  She smacked her red glossed lips deliciously as she sent Morris Code into her husband’s ear.  The words clashed and clattered his fiscally filled up mind. (#10:365-55 Words)

101 Things My Love Bird Says

#46 "Worship your all mighty mechanical Apple."

 

101 Woes : Who is Andy Rooney?

#21 It has come to my attention that the youth demographic from 30 and younger, may not know Andy Rooney.  Well this is Andy Rooney?  This clip is classic.  It shows us what Andy thinks of Postmodern Art, he is so rightly funny.
So sad that great critics are no longer known!
Woe Baby!

101 Things My Love Bird Says

#64

Were all going to fail but the operation won't.  Each of us has his cage and the tenants come and go but the cage remains.

Based on Thomas Pynchon's Gravity Rainbow (page 616.10)

101 Things My Love Bird Says

#47 

I get rational when I panic.*

*from Amy Hempel The Collected Stories

Oakland: Colorado County

Oakland: Colorado County

Don't Swim in Florida Lakes!

I drove my Honda Odyssey to visit my parents in Sarasota.  I decided to take a short cut.  I knew I needed to go north. But north had been cut off due to a bad accident between a motorcycle and a cement mixer.   The only way to go was south.  I found my way to the tip of Lake Okeechobee.   At the lake there was one lone fisherman who had not caught anything the whole day.   He asked me if there was any place around here to get some dynamite.   I shrugged the universal code that means “Not sure man!”   The sky started to turn a strange purpleblackblue and that’s when it happened.  The lake sucked up and from the lake emerged a giant red crablike thing.   It approached my Honda.  It grabbed the van with one of his red claws.  Then it opened a wide chasm (probably his mouth). It gulped the van down in one bite.  It burped a noxious smelling protoplasm.  Then it went back into the midst of the lake.   I was cut off from my home, and how was I going to get back now? 
I was to busy to notice, the silver UFO passing in the starry night.

Oakland: Colorado County

Art by Peter Saul who's
birthday was Yesterday!

Mr. Clement’s Guests

George Clement busied himself setting high-tea.  The smell of cranberry scones made his mouth water. He poured Earl Grey tea from a silver pot into steamy china cups.

His guests sat stuffed, His guests  sat waiting.

Some for you Floppy…

for Mossy,

Eleanor.

The phone rang.  

He answered.

Tea would wait; dreaded management needed him. (11:356- 55 Word Stories)

Oakland: Colorado County

I Dream of October and Fat Tire Beer

Donald Duck in Stubble,
as Pynchon asked-"What else
does Daisy make Donald do?"

I cruise on my bike, the one that was stolen in my college years. I pass a liquor store.  I see that Florida has finally been access to sell New Belgium Beer's Fat Tire (one of the best beers ever).  My lips slabber. Inside the store, a cardboard Elvira in a witch’s custom hangs on the wall. She sells Coors Light, it must be October. I grab the Fat Tire from the assortment of Micro-Brews; 
but when I get outside, I can't find my bike. I walk the five miles home.

Reviews: Books

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great book recommend by my mother.  I wish I would have read it earlier, but then again it was recommended by my mother and I thought it would be too sappy.  Not true at all.  I love my mom but the sure way for a man not to read something is for his mom to recommend a book.  Even if my mom was Daryl Hannah.


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Reviews: Books

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Emil Frankl
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is a book of realistic optimism.  Victor E. Frankl explores the existential nihilism found in much of the world today, especially in our Post Modern thought.   Sophists would claim that there is no meaning in the world.    It is easy to buy yourself an existential vaccum, but it sucks up all meaning.

But what then?  What would Daryl Hannah do?  Atlas holds the world but who holds Atlas?  And if Atlas stands on-top of turtles than who is the squashed turtle on the bottom of the pile?

There is pain in this world.   There is suffering, and much of this suffering is not decipherable, but we must go on finding our meaning in this world.   One becomes happy when one finds the answer beyond the number 42 for what is the reason for God, the universe, and self.    Frankl claimed the core principal to godly living is “to live as if you were living for the second time and acts as wrongly the first time as you are about to act now.”pg. 175,
I would recommend to anyone who might have suffered, or is suffering, or will suffer in the future. 
Man’s Search for Meaning would benefit everyone. 

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Oakland: Colorado County

Existential-Vacuums Have Arrived in Suburbia

(Read as a Home Shopping Network Ad).

The Existential-Vacuums have just arrived. We have them in three colors fire-engine red, death worn yellow, and slug green.  Existential vacuums will drain your life.   Existential Vacuums focus on empty feelings. They make you want to raid the old liquor cabinet.  And hopefully your gun cabinet is locked.  Your fears will increase, and you will be haunted by shrubbery.  You will be so bored as to take the first train to White Sands, Nevada and be blown away in a terrible nuclear bomb accident.  Existential vacuums will take away your instinct that tells you what to do. It pumps out traditions that speak of what ye ought to do.  And for your wishes, they have gone away!  Order now: supplies going fast.

Influenced by Viktor Frankl's book Man's Search for Meaning.

Oakland: Colorado County

Soviets Ran Out of Paint

“There is no more paints comrade! I need to finish this to inspire the people in our party.”

"Why are you asking?  I am just a Bed Bug Killer!”

“Well, we heard bed bug pesticide will make a unique yellow-green, is this true brother?”

"Yes comrade, one can make beautiful yellows with bed bug pesticides."   (9/356)

Oakland: Colorado County

Carving Out Polk County

Peace River – July 17, 1849.

Paranoia reigns after the Red Stick Indians attacked the Pioneer Kennedy Trading Post.  

 William Mc Collough stated, “We had scarcely got seated at the supper-table when they fired in at the door from the outside, one Indian standing on either side of the door and two in front one behind.”* (8/36)

*Brown, Canter. In the Midst of All That Makes Life worth Living: Polk County, Florida, to 1940. Tallahassee, FL: Sentry, 2001. Print.

Reviews: Past Blog Posts

This bit of information is intriguing and seemed relevant when I posted it so long ago; it still is relevant. (I did not post this but found it somewhere on the internet. Let me know if it is yours so that I can give you credit).  I found it while searching through my 2009 posts.  Hope you all enjoy it. 

Oakland-Colorado County: Pictorial

A Thought found at Flagler College on August 6th 2011.

I hope David does not need to go number 2.
At least I got my hat on.

Oakland: Colorado County

Kerouac Slept: A Rooster Awakens the Burbs

Kerouac on nickels and dimes, transcended the arteries of America; when he ran out of funds he slept where he could. Working at KFC, I knew Kerouac had come and slept at a gas station nearby. The legend awakened the road to me, a ghostly song picking up speed, as tires turned against black pavement.(6/365)

Oakland: Colorado County

Stop Staring at My Banana

We are the mighty astronauts standing in front of the Chimp Cage.    

Albert the space Chimp hides a banana from mates. He grins with triumph.  Albert fears that we will give away his banana. We stare back pointing and grunting, we show our teeth, we jump.   

Albert pulls out a protest sign: Shhhh! Please Stop Staring!(7/365)

Reviews: Ideas from Classic Literature

U.S. Power Grid

Like all slaves to a fixed idea,
 it was a stupid beast.

J.M. Barrie-Peter Pan

101 Things My Love Bird Says

#48

Jesus Christ rode on a donkey, but he never rode an Elephant.

Oakland: Colorado County

Gregorio Roth Mows the Lawn

Urban lawn cowboy

Electric Chord in Hand,

Reigning in the Seed.

Oakland: Colorado County

Grandma Pearl in the Drive In (Story #5/365)

I pulled up to Burger Chef: a line of cars moved to a window where “Young Holligan” took their cash, and then I saw the order picked up in the next window. 

 My grandson son yelled, “Grandma, order here!”

We pulled up to a plastic clown.

“Help me please…I want food… How do you order?”      

Possible Link for Future Story Inclusion: Burger Chef Murders.
Also check out the Wikipedia Page on Burger Chef

Oakland: Colorado County

Plato Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico: (4/365)

We fish away from the mangroves, the sun shines brightly on the pier.  We stare out.  A group of men from Church. We pray for sharks to bite our lines. Our weather eyes open to movement.  But, I think of forms I loved.  I dream of pantheism, of mathematical formulas. Not fish in the Gulf.