31 October, 2007

Crazy

She's got two good songs- well, two songs that appear catchy to my ears. "Crazy", of course, and "Oops!" .
Mehtinnks we should go easy on her and all- she's just 25 or so.
But for now, lets all laugh @ the death of a clown.......wait, not laugh, but...

Gallo

Could it be- mite Gallo actually join the dcs? I want to claim credit, however, for approcahing him longtemps ago.

Read this, and check out his comments. We'll see. The obvious strenghts of dcs (coverage of the Sox, Fire, and St. Rita football in particular) only go so far. We need more Yankees, Vikings, Rangers, and Knicks coverage.

Where did my Halloween go ?

Did not dress up in costume for halloween. Lots of teachers do it here, but I wasn't interested- even though I wanted to. Have a 101% priests shirt that with black pants transforms me into a pretty believable priest. Easy to do. Where did all my energy go?
It's great to watch the kids and teachers in costume. it's a partly fine arts schoool, so lolts of funky kids w/ great costumes. Teachers as well.

Endings in general and in particular

So, the word is out that the National Trust is the National Bust. Word from Rocky from Eclipital Straights from Crank Face. I have absolutely no clue why the end, and had no clue it was coming.

John Lennon said on one of his demises "don't be sad". Life does go on. I will admidt that I enjoyed the Trust a lot. The first record was great, and the second LP transendent. The played many great shows (the sho @ Neils Church, the basement show, the first show @ the eBottle) - and a few that were not rememberable.

Sometimes, we all know, that it is better to sunder than to try to work it through. Beatles? Smiths? etc...? It happens, and maybe for the better. Suxx for all involved- ususally- but better stuff comes out of maybe plagued situations.

I don't know if it was a difficult decision for them. Maybe out of the blue. Maybe all are happy. Maybe not.
Oftentimes neither want what is happening, but there is no real other way out. Alweays happens. No bad guys, just a bad situations. Hopeless situation. We've all been there before, will be there again, maybe in it now.

"But life just carries on/
even when I'm not there"
"Rush"- B.A.D.

29 October, 2007

Extended flowers

And I really enjoyed writing this. Read it, y'll be convinced of it.

‘A People’s History of the Chicago Danse Floor: House Parties, 1980-2007’ part 5:on the Actions of the Halloween Party, October 2007

Went to the Halloween party I was advertising on the blog and it was ……… well, go ahead and reread the title of this post- y know how it went. I’m mainly gonna write about the dancing aspect, it was a fun dynamic to watch seasoned soldiers going into action secure of the commitment in the flanking bayonets of the unit - this being the Young Guard - and ‘every man w/ a job to do’, if I may so Morrissey. The dancing wait. The down first.

Because the afternoon was characterized by stupendous depression. Very cloudy, from the morning till my manic performance of the nite. I did do some positive shit- all that posted stuff on Saturday here and the Fire thing on dcs were written through it. I wonder if it tells? And then I noticed the manic behaviour of me in the nite- my evening performance- and wondered if this is some sorta bi polar thng-- very subtle, not like, say, Mr. Jamie Fibulee pits of his pendulum- but swingy nonetheless. I suspect, but experts in the field would know better. Jackson?
Finally sagged meself outta bed and fired the Trans Russian Injection. Eventually got down again to Logan Square, changed into Hilts in the parked car, and came in.

Chesterfield and Big Chris have a huge good place residential side rented top floor, they have lots of real quirky and funky people- all fucking types- and they are young men who love to throw parties. I have been to many, but this easily was the best. Best, and I loved it. You do not wonder why - you have read the title, n’est pas? But first- the Young Guard was mustered. Good showing. Soldiers of the highest magnitude. And in their finest battelery for the nite- generally speaking, this crowd LOVES to dress up, and they always make a great deal of it. My Hilts characterization was fine for me but shit these fuxx went to town. Blood, togas, spikes, and a giant soda pop glass.

And there were other things. Teacate beer in the fridge for me to steal ( and eventually vomit up into the bathtub sometime in the second quarter of the Bears loss Sunday afternoon- I promise, then and now that I WILL EVER DRINK AGAIN !!-), smoke machines and whirring lites, and that ephemeral quality that is one of the few things on a very short list that make a party great, least in my context- lots of hot chix. Now I didn’t pursue any or anything- but the female element in a party is always superior to the male 100 of every 100 chances. Or something Napoleonic like that. So many, talkative, fun. Witches, dolls, witches, mice, witches, a plant, and witches. Dragon was there and I tried to support him whenever I could. It was good. Single men out there who did not respond to my entreaties to y to come, I‘ll say it as Rocky did once in 1993: “You lose.”

And there is that over other thing I look so mostly most to in a party- the dancing. I won’y go on too much, but the delivery system that brought women and men twisting on the floor is to be commented upon, and for me : Praised and with deep satisfaction. I was just a part- just a part- but an important part, in many different. It was one of those nites where I did good- I stretched myself, injured in the head the whole weekend and wanting nothing; but spurred to action because I wanted it and it was my duty.

Ingrediants were there. Again, that biggest deal- hot chixx- were in the house. But there was so much more kindling. The crowd was great. Lots of people with lots of Life and they were in Halloween mood- costumes, personas, drinking, funning, etc. Johnny Gunners had the foresight to bring along his I pod chock full of danse shit he specifically ( I bet) chose for the nite. And, again, the hosts- party boys who love life, and hosting a bunch of people in the middle of their crib was of course something to rejoice about- so there was that support. The crib had a great floor to danse on- and they had disco lites and smoke machines. Yes!!

And, I do believe: I wanted to danse. It doesn’t always happen, but this nite I really felt it, really wanted it, recognized the ingredients were there, and felt good about it. It was then that Chartman, knowing the run of the nites battle so far and understanding, I think, knowing my role in times past in junctures similar of parties past, casualed @ me something about maybe dancing could happen that nite. All I needed. I was in my manic fase of the day, and I’d just had seconded the same thoughts that were obviousing themselves already inside my head.

Gunns had brought his Ipod. This day was a sad day for me, whatever, and I was in NO MOOD TO D.J. (((It must be noted here that the official Christ Figure of the Security Out blog, Hilts, DID in fact bring a selection of CD’s if in case it was needed, but Gunns was loaded and showing off. Not every song, y’know, but fantastic. Done well to the 90th m and beyond.))) I knew I didn’t wanna do it ((as well as stepping on Gunns toes since he had obv. asked already asked Chesterfield if he could do it- rude)), but after Chartman’s spur I went to Gunns and paraphrased “Alrite, Charts and I are of a line of thought, and this line of though this nite is putting you on military duty- get ready to play yr part ‘cause were gonna try it.”

Digress on his On- ness?? Here =
Gunner made a wondrous observation in the middle of the whole mess. There came a particular time when the people left the floor- an hour of dancing had gone by, but its ok to have a clear floor in the course of the nite- it happens. Gunns threw something on (forget) with the words “All rite, time to reconstitute the danse floor.” And yes, by the time the pop blast ended, there were ten on the floor. So Listen: it was Guns with input from (another pro do) Vampire (well, maybe better-appelled Satan this nite) that did all the musical decisions, not me. I only opinioned 2/3rds way in “More accessible stuff”. Dunno/nay remember if this advice was taken. No matter (Don’t fuckin’ hassle the d.j. !!”) He was prepared and good.

But to start up a danse- y dunno, it could just be flat and no one would dig it. First order of official business was to take the host out of the music choosing business. He was discussing w/ Gunns choices, and I walked over and told him to let be Gunned tonite. He knew and trusted, and that was it until Gunns gone bye bye. He knew.

Then I quite frankly told Gunns to hold fire for 20-30 m. Right time of nite, y know, but really I was feeling the fear. I didn't feel it fully @ this moment. One goes out on a limb when attempting to vivify a situation- and there’s fear y mite fail. But this nite support was evident. It was during this warming period of mine that I was really not needed @ all to start a danse floor- I was reduced to a spectator in the decision to danse. It was the bulk of the Young Guard themselves, irregardless of me and feelin’ it themselves, were- not dancing, out and out- but moving, and moving, and moving, and more; expression of a collective good will. All of them, splayed @ strategic spots, all moving- just a bit, now- to fix a flow to the appointed danse area. Also, dinna ferget, the disco lites and the smoke machines. These movements, taken to-gether and overtime, and steady- resulted in more and ore peole trsking the plunge and decideing to danse. It was fun.

This to me was the lesson of the nite. Everyone in the Guard, in this delicate spot, working to-gether, collectively got what we wanted. We wanted to danse. And we were snarky, in a way, maybe- we really did foster up some conditions just by deciding to foster them up- but sometimes, that’s just the way.

Unit citation, the Young Guard,
Actions of the nite of 27 October, 2007,
Halloween Battle of 2007.


I was emboldened, seeing the teamwork, knowing the duty, knowing I can be Devin Hester in these situations if I just let myself kick it the ball to myself, and I………Got it done. I’d like to think its not just my usual Delusions of Grandeur that lets me write that I feel I played a large role in my frentic returns from the porch by supplying enough energy to get everybody to the next level of out and out Dansing! Leave me to my myth. And the drink. That helped. We were just all dancing, and the those not in out gurd unit joined us in properly celebrating Life. Very soon, bunches were dancing. Manic me, darting in and out, joyous. And yes, most importantly, lots of babes, shaking.
"Contact Lite."
"Engine Stop"
"Engine arm off"
"Chicago, Tranquility Base here. Hilts has landed."

It lasted for 3 hours, ebbed and flowed, and finally bleed dry in the earliness of the AM. The major actions of the nite of 27- 28 October, 2007, in The Halloween Battle of 2007- ended around 0400h. The Peter Strasser pulled out, Hilts (nom de war and disuised as such as well this nite) captained it South starting @ 0500h.

This nite. Many positives, few negatives, who knows though. I didn’t see me vomiting into a bathtub the next afternoon.

27 October, 2007

Hilts...just make it Hilts

So, to-nites a Halloween party that i'm going to. dunno if it'll be great,, but hoping it will. will bring some music, but leery of whole laptop along- plans to get a cheap i pod- again, just for dj'g @ parties- is needed. they're cheap.

But, laziness rules my always quest for a stupid costume. I've always had the conceit of wearing a costume that is very obv. a costume but I also wear in normal life. So, in 2002 I went as Ralphie, a character innthe sopranos. But I'd also worn the exact outfit the day before teaching. Was it '94 when I paired a pair of Stewart patterned plaid cutoffs with a Scotty Pippen jersay and named myself "Scottish Pippen".

lazy me is going to to-nites party as............Hilts.
Needs to find my mitt- the good new one (brown), not the shit little piece that is the only one I can find rite now.

Red Flowers

Red Flowers

26 October, 2007

Meddle

... but for now. Yes, i understand that i should not be publising the War. I was impressed; but in truth, I bet 85% deserve some sorta medal.

sorry to be just a conduit to others stories.....but i promise, last nite and last sat nite will have their day...

Reds

Once my girl had orange hair.......one was blonde, brown etc etc etc... but none naturally red ....
crankface contributed...

catherine

we'll make great pets/ we'll make great pets/ we'll make great pets/ we'll make/ great pets

This just in from Neice #1

"the spice girls are making their glorious return to the united center feb 15 and 16. at least one beckham will have a good time in chicago"

Trivia Night Diversity

written by Lazers Montana
names edited by Hilts
addendum by Hilts
Per Benkowski’s website, the all-time record for points is 8,554, recently set by Kevin’s Team (playing at The Quest). Before this week’s trivia battle, J&B let Benkowski know that they are gunning for the record (though Chemical Man pleaded to Benkowski “don’t tell anybody”).

TC Pub was rollicking last night (and as is often the case, that meant they didn’t have a waitress working). I should have expected it, as when I arrived, I consciously thought to myself “Newbie is going to be here tonight.” Sure enough, she walks in a few minutes after Art arrived. Unfortunately, she never came over for a visit.

The competition: Bar, Cameo, Kristenators (I think), and We Have Jobs.

J&B represented by: Chemical Man, Stix, Peppys, Hilts, Gf, and Jow Montana

Cameo represented by: Some guys, some girls, and one of the biggest flames I’ve ever seen.

First Half: Entertainment & Sports/TV/90s Music & Food

The most expensive spice, mentioned in a 60s song by Donovan?
(Note: guess from Cameoboy: “Posh”)

Led 2003 White Sox in stolen bases?
Tim Allen’s real last name (4 letters)?

Bar taunts Benkowski about his tight shirt. Benkowski: “Why would a man care about my shirt? Why would a straight man care about my shirt?” I wonder what Cameoboy thought about that rhetorical? I wonder what Cameoboy thought about Benkowski's shirt?

A Mexican recipe question is looking for Chihuahua cheese as the answer. J&B has control, and even though Chemical Man knew the answer, one of the Bar yells it. J&B then answers correctly. Benkowski: “That’s the first time the Bar voluntarily helped J&B.”

By now, Peppys had arrived. The first time Cameoboy (who had the middle portion of his hair spiked upward) passes, Peppys: “What’s with Alfalfa?”

The Kristenators was a group of friends celebrating the birthday of one of the girls, assumed to be Kristen. By the end of the first half, birthday girl and another girl (who will receive a nickname in the second half) were trying to distract Kearney Meats during “throw the ball” as one would rub the other’s face in her own chest. That was good.

Scores at the half: Bar 1220 Cameo 720 Kristenators 630 J&B 580 We Have Jobs 260

Second half: News/Movies/Music

Movie for which Kim Basinger won an Oscar in 1987?
(Note: J&B asks Benkowski to confirm that he doesn’t mean 1997. He sticks to his guns. Answer in Part II)
Highest grossing animated movie of the 90s?
(Note: Art was up-in-arms over the answer- further research expected)
1959 movie about strangers in Australia awaiting nuclear holocaust?

The group of Kristenators started to grow to the point at which they were in the way of “throw the ball” challenges. Someone said, “You make a better door than a window.” Then Stix, referencing the fat one: “Especially you.”

Benkowski, trying to deal with the Kristenators: “I feel like I’m at a 7 year old’s party…Jesus Christ.”

Gf went toe-to-toe with the Kristenators in three “Ladies Only” challenges in the second half. Gf wins the “Long Distance Roll” challenge but is smoked twice in a row in “Drink Faster” challenges by one of the chest-rubbing girls, who drank quickly and was given the nickname “Miss Swallow”. If faced with a third “Ladies Only- Drink Faster” challenge, we suggested that Rene should just douse the front of Miss Swallow’s shirt instead.

One of the Kristenator group was a blonde whose jeans fit her very nicely (duly noted when she was adjusting them). The blonde and the chest-rubbers inspired some J&B suggestions for other “Ladies Only” challenges, including “Bending Over a Barstool the Longest”, “Strip Faster (‘First to put a pile of clothes in my hand wins’)”, and “Longest Kiss (‘first to pull away loses’)”.

Scores into Final: Bar 2420 J&B 1860 Kristenators 1140 We Have Jobs 970 Cameo 880

Choice of Final Category: Chicago Locations or Pro Sports in America

J&B selects Pro Sports in America. The wager was 421 (enough to beat the third place Kristenators by 1 if they double). Bar and Kristenators also select the sports category.

Pro Sports in America: 6 of 8 wins wager. All 8 wins 3000 bonus points: Considering the 4 major professional sports leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL), there are 8 markets in North America that have exactly 3 pro teams- no more, no less. Name them.

Note: I did not catch the Chicago Locations question, although it required 2 of 3 to win wager and all 3 to win 3000 bonus points. I think Benkowski provided some intersections, and quiz players had to respond with the suburb.

Good final question, gentlemen…
Part II

J&B guesses: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Houston, Seattle, Tampa Bay, St Louis, Charlotte, and Toronto. J&B is most concerned about the Charlotte guess, not entirely certain where the Panthers and Hurricanes play.

First Half answers:
Saffron
Carlos Lee
Dick (Benkowski: “J&B knows their dick.”)

Second Half answers:
LA Confidential (J&B was pretty certain that Basinger didn’t win an Oscar for “Blind Date”- despite the question referencing the incorrect year, J&B makes the correct guess)
Lion King (Stix is certain the answer is Toy Story 2- I’ll leave that research up to him)
On The Beach (good answer from Hilts)

Final answers:

Cameo- 880- Chicago Locations- did not get at least 2 correct- wagered 880- thanks for playing. Team immediately departs, but Cameoboy made quite an impact tonight with his antics and girlish screams.

We Have Jobs- 970- Chicago Locations- they get all 3 correct- wagered 970 plus bonus- up to 4940. Uh-oh.

Kristenators- 1140- Pro Sports- guess St Louis (correct), Tampa Bay (correct), Cleveland (correct), Seattle (correct), Houston (correct), Dallas (no- and some controversy regarding the Rangers, but the question did ask for “markets” not “cities”), and Phoenix (no)- 5 correct- wagered 1140- thanks for playing…and please play again!

J&B- 1860- Pro Sports- guesses Pittsburgh (correct), Cleveland (correct), Houston (correct), Seattle (correct), Tampa Bay (correct), St Louis (correct), Charlotte (correct), Toronto (correct)- for those of you scoring at home, that would be all 8 correct- wagered 421 plus bonus- J&B up to 5281 and hopes that the Bar does not do the same.

Bar- 2420- Pro Sports- guesses Pittsburgh (correct), St Louis (correct), Cleveland (correct), Houston (correct), Seattle (correct), Tampa Bay (correct), Dallas (no), Miami (no)- 6 correct- wagered 310- up to 2730- and can anyone figure out the rationale behind their wager amount?

And like Doolittle’s bomber off the deck of the aircraft carrier, J&B rises to victory once again! But the record for points remains unscathed….

Next trivia night: Thursday, November 8th.
Hilts addendum:
I was late- i'd gone to the fire game (that then startted late because of ESPN whims) and was plesantly suprised to find a big ole J & B team again agumented by former regulars- this time Peppys. it was great to see him as he rarely shows. I didn't think GF would show either- couldn't tell ya these days. And yes I was happy that my love of literacy and war combined again when I was the only one who knew the answer- though i know it as a book that rattled around upstairs in the house on Mozart Street. On the Beach was to me a book- not a movie- that I finally read early in h.s., I think. Whatever= J & B!! And I thought my teamates jokes about a wonderous women that showed up- not my types, but alluring- I think the best joke was the one after Gf and the busty girl had a drink off- they said next time just throw the cup of water onto the girls chest. Funny lads.

25 October, 2007

get involved........

If yr interested in going: I am. This Saturday. Do come, it'll be good. I hope it's big and I hope I'm obnoxious and christian enough to dj... ...and disco danse... ...call me.

get your damn hands off her, biff

i never talk to my neighbours i 'd rather not ......get in-volvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvved. Wait- I would like to get involved. Involve myself with faked fotos and the eyes that want to see what they want to see, unles its the others eyes that only want us to see what they give us to see..................see? And this here is an OFFICIAL Nas A. fwd. to y.......

.1

.2

.3

java'd over by our friend, Nas A.

drunxx

drunxx

arbitron

So, I'm being paid $2 to be an arbitron radio person for the next week. You know, keep a log and write down what I'm listening to. Generally speaking, I listen to the radio when I'm in the car and when the Sox or Bulls or Hawks are playing and no tv.


I'm doing it seriously. Bit of Plant on XRT (good version of 'Gone gone gone'). NPR news. An oldies song. Etc. These people, however, are wanting long streches of radio listening, not my ADD flipping about on the stations. But I want to do it seriously, so flipping they get.

NOW!!

It was almost upon me. I had so much to do, and their were only minutes to get it done. I needed to get to my post before 1844h to successfully complete the mission, and preconditions had to be met NOW!!. It was 1836.

The field fone was used to co-ordinate Mom, Gf, Neice #3 and Neice #4 on the days rations. Three calls made to make three different collection times. Hurridly. Then I asked the commanding officer, Field Marshal Mom, if the ration run could be delayed.

Done.
Then equipement. I knew that tyhe rush would not allow me to collect fotographic evidence of the movement of the target, but I realised that my binocualers (sic) would help- there they were, where they are always for just this type of hurrid operation.

Then- get into position.

Because of the terrain (both God and Man made) of the area, I needed height. I'd planned to mount the garage to spot the target's first reported sight site- due West. It was 1631h. Three minutes before M minute. But I discovered the scouts had led me wrong. Due West was the largest tree in the battlefield- a giant sliver maple towering tall. Insatntly my calculations then surrendered siting the target West, but I realised that I could track it, maybe beginning 1635h. I waited, but a second problem had occured. Although my scouts had thought the garage would have been a perfect operationg base to watch, it was also rite next to a very brite alley lite- and this in the direction of Jupiter.

FUBAR

But then I saw. There it was- it had to be. And it wasn't 'just' over the horizon like I feared- it was way up, over the maple, and rite on track. As it turned out, all my rushing and planning and siting and worrying signified nothing- I coulda looked out my backyard window and seen it.

But I do so love pretending to be a soldier............
foto (not from the nite i was talking about) from Processed Productions. If PP happens to get an updated foto of last nites, it may appear in this blog officially dedicated to Sanjaya......wait, Morrissey.

24 October, 2007

Birders of all types/

types of all birders

This is also an interesting article that's linked in the above story.

bless you Files

The New York Times

Slothful I am, and addledminded to das boot, but lately I have been terrible deficifient in my reading of the NYT. I had well publisized troubles reading over summer, but this continues: unitl today, I was stuck on last wednesdays paper- no Thursday, Friday, Monmday, or tuesady (and I left for school before todays arrived). However, sometimes.........

first: kool article on the moon and corals and sex...

second: I subscribe to the NYT from time to time when they have - and they always do- a 50% sale - for so many month (plus, an extra 4 weeks if you pay by card !!!- hey hey !!). So, i did that subscription for a few times, always cancelling when I had to pay full price. However, once the person on the fone said : "Wait- let me check with my manager and see if we can extend yr subscription @ that rate for another few months." Then, after a minute, they said "We can extend the rate for another 4m". So, I now know, since this has played out three more times in the past year, that I will always get the NYT for the 1/2 priced deal as long as I call up, say there is no no no way that I can afford the paper, they go off for a minute (my guess is is that they put me on hold for the minute and play with their hair), and then say "I just talked to the manager and they said thatb it's a go to giving you another 4m @ the same rate....".
third: I did my job 101% today, but sometimes the life of a sub. is totally easy. I had a drafting class to direct, and they were all totally well behaved and working. I used it as an opportunity to catch up on my reading. Now that sounds terrible: a teacher using the day to 'catch up on his reading'- but anything else would have distracted the kids from their work.
Now other days it can get crazy- I've had to cover two classes @ once several times, and othertimes the kids can get crazy- but not today. I'm so far behind in reading the papaer- we get three @ my house, but the two local ones are nothing more than glorified sports sections to me (unless there is a Kamin or roeper article). However, my (again) well self publisized troubles w/ reading this year means I'm constantly reading yeaterdays NYT- never todays. This last 10 days I've really gotten behind- but I read THURSDAYS and FRIDAYS and am 1/2 way through MONDAYS. Why do I even bother?

23 October, 2007

The desperation of the sung "Oh very nice very nice..."

The death of a disco dancer
Well, it happens a lot 'round here
And if you think Peace
Is a common goal
That goes to show
How little you know
The death of a disco dancer
Well, I'd rather not get involved
I never talk to my neighbour
I'd rather not get involved
Oh ...Love, peace and harmony ?
Love, peace and harmony ?
Oh, very niceVery niceVery niceVery nice...
But maybe in the next world
"The death of a Disco Dancer" by Morrissey/Marr

notes on the rotting corpse of a disco dancer

Rest rules these days -well it should/
to relax, to refresh, and enjoy/
but cultivated news/
from kids below/
answers questions/
one knows one shouldn't ask/

But ask I did-/
the 70th time!!/
finally getting the answer I expected/
And what did I expect?/
That'd I'd feel different?/
:I deserve the myself that I elected/

Learnin' to Land/141 ft wings

Looking @ the picture of Doolittle's Raid on Tokyo, April 1942 (presently the cover star - to use Picadilly Palare- of this blog- and also the foto @ left), I'm reminded of a story of an even bigger bomber 'landing' on a carrier. Aprocapkal (sic) story, maybe. Plus it didn't LAND on the carrier....wait, from the beginning.

So, Doolittle's Raid on Tokyo in April '42 was could be considered a 'cheap publicity stunt'. The Japanese armed forces had run wilde after Pearl Harbour- The Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Battle of the Java Sea, the Dutch East Indies= they were honestly like the '84 Tigers starting the war, except they were 40-0, not 35-5. For those of you who know the war, 18 April 1942 was less than two months before Midway, so the Japanese only had a few more weeks where they could still believe they had a chance (Think the "Tampa Bay Devil Rays") to win the war.

But in April of '42, Coral Sea and Midway were in the future, so to get a little revenge for Pearl Harbour, the Americans decided to stage a crazy air strike on Japan. To start with, the first six months of the war had cleared away all airbases close to Japan where the Americans could hopefully stage a raid. The next thought was to use aircraft carriers, but the single engined planes of the early forties would never reach Japan unless the carriers got so close to Japan themselves that they would be put into terrible risk.

They solved the problem by slitely adapting B-25 two engines bombers and having them fly off of something they were not designed to take off from- the short, bucking in the sea deck of an aircraft carrier. Wasn't done in those days. The planes would carry short loads and heavy on the stored gas, and have to race and race the engines on takeoff to have any chance of getting off the deck. There was no way they could land on the carriers, so they would fly straight through Japan air space and land in China. The foto presently on the front of this blog shows the first plane (Doolittle's) off the deck of the carrier- rev, rev, rev, GO!!! The plane, upon reaching the end of the deck, plunged down below the level of the deck before rising to the cheers of the sailors on deck. Each successive plane had a little more runway in front of it.

The small US task force- it's all the Navy could muster after the severe disasters of the early war- sailed secretly to near-Japanese waters. They were discovered by the Japanese early, and the decision was made to send off the sixteen B-25's before the ideal range. Most planes made it to Japanese airspace, dropped their bombs, and did a little damage. Most planes crashed in China, and read the accompanying article for the rest of the story and for whatever I got wrong.

The raid, like I said, was a 'PR stunt'*= the tiny tonnage of explosives= FUCKING TINY IN CONTEXT OF THE REST OF THE WAR= In later raids on Germany, the RAF would put 600-700-800-900-1000 planes, with 14,000 lbs of bombs each, over Germany every other nite. This raid was 16 planes with what- it had've been no more than 3000lbs, and I suspect it was only one tonne a plane. However, it's a very interesting story in the war. There were thousands of raids by all sides, but few are more famous than this one.

So, that long explanation over, now I can get to the point. The B-25's in the Doolittle raid were great aircraft= read Eric Bergerud , (especially Fire in the Sky ) a great historian of the war in the Solomons and New Guinea (sp), for the general worthiness of different planes of that time (brilliant author)= but they were toys compared to one of the most singular pieces of equipment from the war The B-29 Superfortress (pictured above). Compared to the comparably tiny B-25, the B- 29 had twice the wingspan and almost three times the weight. Midget. The B-25 was a 'medium' bomber- two engines, lite bomb load- generally it had a ground support role (and shipping in the Pacific), though not always. The B-29 was the absolute latest thing in bombing. Giant planes, giant bombloads, totally pressurized for the long flites, and centrally controlled machine guns for defense. It was the main US bomber into the jet age, having a large role in the Korean War.

So the story goes= late in the war, the B-29's had begun to regularly raid the Japanese homeland. The Americans had bases for out in the Pacific (Marshall Islands) and would send the bomber forces over the pacific for hundreds of miles. So on one return flite from a fire raid on Japan, a B-29 pilot decided to fuck around when he saw an aircraft carrier on the return. The B-29 descended on the carrier, lined up with the runway, flaps down, wheels down, landing lites blazing; and jokingly tried to land on the carrier. It pulled away, less from the efforts of the signal man on the deck of the ship than to the obvious joking nature of the 'landing'. Knowing how big these planes are, I'dve loved to have seen it. And yes, any any attempt of a B-29 to land on a carrier, even the supergiants of today- would have resulted in a horrible crash- the Essex class carriers back then had a beam of 93 ft== 50+ feet skinnier than a B-29.

So, although most don't, I do like talking about planes and such, and I got a great laugh outta this story......

For the role of the B-29's in the Korean War, check out my crappy little web site done as a little bitty college student. It's shitty, but I loved doing it.
..................................................................
*= for some reason, I have to put'PR stunt'in parenthesis- lots died, i don't want to be cavalier.

22 October, 2007

Bikeface'd

Ive got a little bike/
its such a nice bike/
i like to trike/
you can blide if you psych/
cause i borrowed it

AfterBexx

AfterBexx

Bexx

Funny how Gf is a fan of Blanco. I get a lot of "Look at what he's doing now ha ha ha !!". I must admidt I never expected any girlo-mine to be such a fan of a soccer player. Well, I got Q and Madonna to watch English hilights back in the late 80's early 90's when Spotschannel would sometimes sho an our show on sundays. They both have attended matches (Madonna actually rooting for ITALY when they bplayed the USA in Soldiers Field back in '92. Traitor.). But Gf has now gone to.........25 soccer games in her life (pro games-not including my various coached teams or seeing this or that nephew or neice play).

But this is the Beckham game.....or should it be called the playoff clincher game. Whatever, read on......

mumswept

Morrissey SatNite.1

Gunnery
There is the age old naval gunnery practice of "over/under". Thinking of warfare especially in the Dreadnaught era - lets say, 1900 -1945 (before effective gunnery radar, that is), ships in a surface action would have to hit a moving target from several miles away. This wasn't just a moving target; it was a cutting, speeding, turning, maneuvering target -albeit one that can take a bit to turn, but moving none the less. And the ship that is trying to hit it - itself is wildely speeding and maneuvering to avoid being hit from the other side.

The firing system back then consisted of zeroing in on the other ship bit by bit until they 'found the range'. This meant that guys w/ super Zeiss binocaulars and 20/20 vision, way up in the crows nest @ the beginning of the battle, wouls find the approximate range of the target. They would compute the range and speed of the target with atmospheric conditions and the movement of ewinf\d and their own ship and 50 million other variables into a primitive computer (In ww2- not sure in ww1). The computer spat out a target area, and then half of the ships main battery would fire.

Wait 40-60 seconds.

Then observe the shell splashes. Almost always - wait, always - there were corrections to be made. If the shells fell short, the binocaulared men would be able to spot that and ask for -say =400 yards more ranger. If long, take off 400 yards. Fire again and wait.

Then, finally, somethinig called a straddle was achieved - range was found and the target was either hit or water columns from the exploding shells would rise up to either side of the target. The range had been found. It was now that the firing ship "Opened fire/ fire @ will" until range was lost. then; repeat.

Concert

As far as we all know, Morrissey was not in the Royal Navy - ever - but he eas subjected to this sort of "over/under" from me - until I finally found the range and started to fire @ will. And trust me -when we realised that we'd found the range on Morrissey - there was rampenant celebration in our crowd.

But more of that later. This is actually a review of the Morrissey concert from last october - who says I'm not timely?

So, after having seen Morrissey in Waukeegan a few days before w/ Jacob (nee Jamey)and me wishing GF was there, now I got the best of all worlds = both GF anf Jacob (nee Jamey) going. Now, Jacob is an oldtime Morrissey fan - was into them when the Smiths were extent, saw them @ that famour World threatre show (famous for several rasons, but mainly because I was dating two girls @ the time, and both showed up....), weeped in Milwaukee, and met him @ Tower. Big fan. Gf. well, dragged into it by me, although she does enjoy him.

We drove out to northern Inidana to the ..... whats it called in ....where? Oh, Holiday Star theatre. Going there therew as a classic jacob moment - on the expressway, him screaming for me to get over two lanes of traffic, screaming, then a few minutes later , apologising for it. Par/course/jacob . I had one of those 2-1 couipons - wait, I had two - nand since we were hungry, we stopped @ a Shoops in Scherville. I had two coupons that were "get a burger, get a free", and usually you can only use one @ a time. However, we had a real positive experience @ this schoops. The waitress said, no problem, and since we were in a hurry, they got to us real quick. Shoops has great burgers - one of the best shops around.

Plesent experince -even 8m later I wanted to get it out. Then we raced to the Star Plaza flor the show -and raced in hearing the music that Morrissey plays rite before he walks on stage. It's a list of things he hates - Thacther, meat eaters, etc..... just an intoned list over ominous music. Hearing this, we raced to the ticket office- to find it closed !!

Again, wonderful northern Indiana people reopened the box office for us, raced us our tickets, then bounding through the crowds, into the darkened arena, and BAM= Morrissey walks out.

I have a few songs in the Smiths canon that I label "Favourites". There is no one song that is my favourite, I have always been careful of that. But of the four (used to be three, before that two) favourite songs, we were treated to the opening bits of "Stop me if you think you heard this one before", the classic track from the last Smiths LP (My other favourites, w/ no explaintion, are "Unlovable", "This Charming Man (Peel version)", and the original '45 version of "Hand in Glove"). It's such a rocker. I loved this song dearly when it was relased in Fall '87, and I adapted it as one of my themes. I was so unreliable, so childlike, so immature, that how couldn't I?? It also was in the acceptable area of Morrissey ideas as well - the long title was fine (These title would later faze me i nhis solo career, but not yet), the wordplay was wonderous ("/and when I fell on the floor I had more"), the whole idea great. As a #1 Smiths fan back then, this song was manna. And it still holds up. The version we recieved from Morrissey that nite instantly got us dancing and singing along - i feared that I would alienate the people about us from our singing, but we were well back and the sound was loud. 1987 all over, if only for 3m.

Now, I don't wanna be stuck in 1987, no matter how long I'd wished I'd had: but there were other old songs from that era. On the same LP as "Stop me" was "The Death of a Disco Dancer". Slow, tortuous song, but not w/out it's charms. But the version they played this nite (and in Waukeegan) was so catchy - same old DIRGE TYPE SONG, but it came off really well live both nites. Transcended. It was the song that the in the following days I kept goping back to in my head - "oh very nice, very nice, very nice, very nice, very nice / but maybe in the next world". I can't tell you how this song - never one of my top faves - kept that dirge in my head in days to follow. It was the desperation in the his voice : the "Very nice..." lines that got me bad. It was like Morrissey was back in 1987 and singing w/ the same desperation of then. Again : how many times in the floowing days did I repeat - sing - "I never talk to my neighbours id rather not/ get in-voooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooolllllllllllllllllvvvvvved." So dominant. And a song that preceeded that LP, "Shoplifters of the World Unite", was played on the Waukeegan show but not in Indiana - SHIT 'cause it was so good. I always loved this song - I got it as a 12" from Wax Trax back in the day, I am sure (Or was it Vintage Vynal, or Round, or..... ??), and took it as one of my world views back then.. I always loved the -again, the desperation in the singing, how the guitars mirror the singing, and the great lines as "I was bored before I even began" and "A heartless hand on my shoulder/ a push and it's over/ alabaster chrashes down". That alabaster line especially - When the song came out, I remember talking it over w/ the girl of my 21 year old dreams @ the time - real poetry discussions amongst the university kids. I really wanted to experience this song this nite like I had @ Waukeegan - I love the solo, and in Waukeegan I was allowed the rare treat of letting my body and spirit go so it could twist and turn and allow the song to flow through me and lift it up with the solo - and then that abrupt stop when the solo ends and he rejoins the singing ("a heartless hand..."). "London", a B side to "Shoplifetrs", was played @ both shows. It really got us going in the first show - I remember Jacoob and I just jumping up and down and clapping to the beat. Finally, "Strech out and wait", a b side from summer 1985, came with the adapted line "It's the manchester bllod in my veins".

But it wasn't just mid 80's Smiths material. Morrissey, in both shows, played selections from all parts of his career, although the early Smiths stuff was sparse. Therebwas ace solo stuff as well. "Billy Budd" has always been one of my favourites. Off of the great "Vauxhall and I" (not just Vito, Jacob, and I LOVE this LP- the critics do as well), it's a classic 2m racing stomp detailing Morrisseys's unrequited love -or so. Maybe it's about Johnny Marr, I dunno. But it was great both shows. Here - look @ the clip. Both Jacob and I loved "Why don't you find out for yourself", also from Vauxhall. Jacob especially - he kept going on about this one. And it sounded great - a minimal song, it was served well in both theatres we concerted it @. Another ace solo song is the rocker "Tomorrow". A seemingly very cold song when it was realsed, it still projects something standoffish. But it rocks. This is "Billy Budd".




But there were also lots of songs I'm pretty unfamileir with. I enjoyed "One day goodbye will be farewell", "You have killed me", and "I'm throwing my arms around Paris". No clue what LP's these are on or even if they are covers, but I like Paris. You like it too:





Gunnery Again
So Hilts, what about all that sticht about "over/under", boy?? Ah, a special Morrissey moment. He said hello.

I have a loud voice. Projecting fucker, it can be when I want it to be. Constantlt told to lower it when I'm just speaking @ normal volume. Serves me well coaching and in rowdy classrooms of kids. And w/ Morrissey.

Jacob and I had been projecting out "Morrissey is Lord" and "Morrissey is Ceasar" and "Hail ceasar" ahain and agian that nite. It was a small place (Waukeegan) and I've learned to wait for it all to settle and in the 3/4 second of silence that can popp up @ a show from time to time - then deliver. So in Indiana, after being subjected to "HAIL CAESAR" again and again in Waukeegan, we started in again @ the Holiday Star. Not during songs, etc -well, maybe once - but when it could be heard, Again and again we shouted out our stupid joy @ him. We know we were rteaching him - starddling him, to use the naval term- as our roundels were bouncing around the theatre seating. Again and again, "Hail Caesar", as ridicilous as we could get it, poppped up in the moments of hush.

Then, rite after a resounding run of "Hail Caesar"'s, Morrissey looked over to our section and addressed Jacob and I thusly:



"Are you insane?"




Again, the shock and joy that ripped through us instantly when we realised - instantly -that he was adressing us ........................ was stunning. WE knew. And yes, I understand that Morrissey is only Morrissey , but shit............. it was Morrissey! Again, shocked, we toned down the retoric after that. But it was great.




He also played "How soon is now?", the greatest of all hits of the Smiths. Why, unlike when it came out, you can now actually hear it on American radio. Funny that. I love the song, but I much prefer to hear it done live. It was great in Waukeegan, and it was great here. There have been varied versions of this song live - the Smiths version in 1985 is the best - but the 2007 version in his solo band also smokes. It's funny - the young man in 1984 writing this song, and the old man in 2007 singing it. These versions did have the air of "how it used to be" heard in his voiuce. Or maybe it was just me. You decide:




Set list

Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before / Tomorrow / I Like You / Sister, I'm A Poet / That's How People Grow Up / Jack The Ripper / London / The Loop / Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself? / Stretch Out And Wait / The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores / Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me / Billy Budd / All You Need Is Me / Death Of A Disco Dancer / Irish Blood, English Heart / I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris / One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell / You Have Killed Me / Dear God, Please Help Me / How Soon Is Now? // First Of The Gang To Die

Read the others

After the show/ SatNite.2

==Morrissey review under construction. There will be a detour sign back to this post when itts done later in the week==
Apres Morrissey Morrissey Morrissey, we decided to have a drink or three @ Lanigans. We were in a great mood, all three of us, after the show. I'll take a few days and try to do the two shows some justice, but the experience Saturday was great and a neat bookend to the three Morrissey shows I've enjoyed this year. Some sorta reckoning later.
It was Gf's first show with me where we weren't frenz w/ the people in the band. Novel.
Stated above, Lanigans was the last pace for the drink. Had a bunch of halfbreed drinx (Crowns, took a bunch of pictures, but worried that the "drink on the bar picture" sthicht has run its course- ok, lets now switch to funny picture reflections........whatever...).
Jimey crashed over @ my house. We stayed up late w/ dr. Jaxx and several serrepitious (sic) movies of "how soon is Now?", "Billy Budd", and a new song.

Morrissey, again!!

Friday nite

We went out to Lanigans this friday nite. I will not reproduce the list of pictures of the good crowns we drank- I had a dangerous three, I think. I like the foto enclosed. No, it's not Sherman like, but the two guys in the picture are total regulars. We think they are father and son, but not sure. I do know they drink there and then always walk home- I have talked/ seen them before. The 'Dad' wore the same sweater.

Gf and I saw them the next nite- yeesh are we regualrs (not really anymore, but that's another ripost...)

18 October, 2007

I have read, the last two days......

So's, Im a Librarian, so's I gotta be upkeeping wit'm all in da reading thing, so here's some stuff- all graphic and all- i gotten down the last few days... Went to the lib (chipub) and got 5 more graphic novels.....lotta looking next few days.... was subbing a class today, and the American born was being read by me, and redfaced snorting - by me again - led to the kids giving me the "what the look?"...they know me, so.... ok

Hail Caesar !!!!!!!!!!!

We could talk about the music. We could talk about the songs. But instaed, lets talk about Jimey. Mr. Fibulee and I sped north almost to the Wisc. border to the charminglittle town of Waukeegan Illinois to see.........The Man Himself, once more.
Fib's wasn't going, or even aware that old Steve, old Steve Morrissey , was going, but he made the show. He Made the show. We got in rite when Morrissey was hitting the stage, and from the minute we got in, we were rocking silly. Good show by Morrissey = although it wasn't as good as the earlier show @ the Aud in the Loop that I saw w/ the Patiences http://securityout.blogspot.com/2007/05/bulls.html, ((((for some reason, lynx are not working properly to-day, so just paste the address etc...))) it was good. "Billy Budd" was one of the headliners.
But it was the complete exeburence of Jimey that was the most enjoyable part of this nite. he was in rare from, and from the minute we got to the seats, we were standing (well, all were), singing along, clapping along, shouting, dansing..... It was a nice time to let go.
And it was a time to shout out requests. The place we saw the show= the Gensee Theatre- is a nice snug little place to watch a show. And it was nicel accousted, so our shouts carried. The shouts quickly went from "Morrissey is God" to quickly "Morrissey is Lord"- a favourite of mine- until it desended into ridicilousness: "Morrissey is Caesar" "Hitler", until, finally, cutting throught it all @ the exact moment the crowd and Morrissey were silent @ the same time=
"HAIL CAESAR !!!"
This was the scream for the rest of the show, along w/ more "Morrissey is Lord". Morrissey later was ragging on the media and mocking it's intersts, but when he said "I could care less about Anna Nicole Smith" Jimey screamed out "I loved her", which got the TEN rows around us laughing.
It was great to see Mr. Fibs in such a good mood. He was just so stoked for the show. Really, he was excited as (and in a different context) as the 13 yo girls@ Shea Stadium wetting their drawers during a Beatles show.
Next Morrissey show is Saturday in Indiana. I'm going, and draggin' Gf as well. ASfter all, it could all end to-morrow....................
Set list:

Set List: Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before / Tomorrow / Sister, I'm A Poet / London / The Loop / Jack The Ripper / Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself? / Stretch Out And Wait / I Like You / The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores / Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me / Billy Budd / All You Need Is Me / Death Of A Disco Dancer / I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris / One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell / Shoplifters Of The World Unite / Irish Blood, English Heart / You Have Killed Me / Dear God, Please Help Me / How Soon Is Now? // First Of The Gang To Die

17 October, 2007

edwardian, at long last

Wanted to post even more drinking pictures= was out w/ kixx, Gf, and Edwardian made an appearance. We had just two each- I feel ok rite now.

Godkixx is, to say the veryvery least, persistant. Phone persistant. 2,3,4,5, calls a day in his hayday. Every day. Lives on his phone. Every car trip, the list is this:

open car door
start car
get out fone
...........
park car
hang up fone.


So his new schedule is off on tuesdays and wednesdays. Last nite the first of the new schedule, wheas he used to get Mondays off.

So: end of endless calls on Monday nite letsgooutletsgooutletsgoout now replaced by same on Tuesdaynite.

more/difference/same

pictures to follow sooon, as well as an appreciation of........Jesus Lizard! If I can pull it.

16 October, 2007

a party girl??

Casualed across this, and some of it looks good, if I may say so in the same 30sec it took to do this. maybe it sux, but CPS will not let me find out today, so..........

The Flanks

Both sides of the garage. I plant flowers on the sides of the garage- lately I've been trying to get a hummingbird/butterfly garden, but it's taking forever. NEXT SUMMER, fer sure. But until then, one of the easiest planyts to grow (if there is sun), the Sunflower, will take pride of place in the garage area. Prob. next summer as well. That picture of Bolo at nite?? He's underneath the sunflowers.
And by the way, these sunflowers are very very late in the season plantings. They were a total afterthought. I do believe that the American Goldfinches have left the area, so we won't have a little yellow and gold show, but still I enjoy the plants.

Cutis, from last fortnite, via my addled up series of tubes.....

expects us to like these. Because of the ewetube/ cps interface disallows me to preview them, I expect that Curtis has done us well......... we'll see.

SHE........KA.........GO.....SHE........KA.........GO....

Beware, this ones on the Chicago Fire F.C.

a little spit from one of my favourite rant subjects...

...it's on NCAA foootball, be careful...

boring I know

The Reds
The tomatoes plants have some left in them- although they have been exhausted beyond belief in the act of fruiting (vegtabling) so grandly all late summer, there still will be another 20-30 veggies left that I think will go red. Then? Everythings left green. The shit on the ground in the foto to the rite, I think, the last single supercull of the year. Others will be on a pluck by needed basis. A lot will be given out in school- I have a regular network of people who like the shit.
The Greens

Still on, brave Sprouts, Brussels will be ours by next month. Don't beware the first freeze of the season, we sprouts are more powerful than it- we will survive that cold shoulder. See how proud we Sprouts stand!! See how powerful we are in comparison to the other vegtables. WEhen others have been culled to death, withered away by the change in season, We soldier on.

weed out

15 October, 2007

sundayafternoooooooooooon

Nondelight to Da Bears. Was a wake to watch the loss.

Mass @ 5pm, walked Mummy, enjoyed it but was in a tizzy 'cause I forgot my Espanish missellette;I couldn't study foreign languages during mass.

We wanted some crowns, (Tops that taste !!) so after saying no to my regular (where evrybody knows my name) and no to my old favourite (many people know my face), I decided that what WE needed was a trip to the old bikerbar turned bikernadirishbar in the hood.

Now, on a long ago visit to this bar I was asked for my licence, not once but twice, and treated as if...........well, as if I'd put some grafitti or regularly Reggie Jackson'd up the loo. Hmm. I'd've never done that. But I know both owners lawyer- it's BCD- and I'd done some political work for one of them, so I figured it'd be ok to go back in. We decided - well, I decided, she really didn't care- to go back to this place for drinx shown.

It was fun. They poured great drinx (Shit shit shit- did I just say that ?? I regularly inwardly made fun of people who would say "That place pours a great Guiness", but now since I'm a half guinnydrinker now........well, there's truth to those statements, I now know.) and they were cheap. We'll be back.

It was a late Sunday nite. We went home after thinking 'one more drink',but Gf saw the o'clock= it was near 2230h, and reville was never far from our minds now.......

saturday nite

There comes a time every year in my life around now= the expiration dates on my Entertainment book two for one coupons come nigh, and all those wonderful pans to eat @ these fivethoudasnd places for half price comes to an end.

Ah, the Entertainment book- one of my favourite coveting objects. Starts off this post with the acknowledgable 'fact' that I'm a cheapskate. Learned it the Dadway, so taunts from others only make me realise that I'm doing something rite, @ least.


I look for sales and coupons everywhere. Used to make a point of attending every Sox 1/2 priced Monday games, like the Sunday coupons in the paper, and look for all other breaks. But the coupon book is special to me- Gf found a lost one summer of '05 and off we went. I like it 'cause it's a price saver- we can go out to this or that proscribed restuaraunt and enjoy a goodmealnite and still I feel ok 'cause I saved a bit. Nice to give the waitress a big tip on money saved. Anf to Gf, it's anite out- she's 101% chill on the cheap factor since I do actually spent time, though, and $ on her for evenongs out. A change for her.
So, with the expiration date -- 1 Nov. -- approaching, there comes the "rip out coupons for every likely place we want to go and lets plan it". So, we got the last time @ Quigley's, a place we love. In the hood, lots of people on weekends, real good food (with the single exception of their shitty breakfast fry on Sunday mornings-- the only place in the world where ican prepare a dish better than the cooks there), and half priced coupons.

It was good. We both left nothing on the plate. I had my complete regular platter= the burger and chedder and bacon and sauce. She had...wait, did she have fish ?? No matter, it was good. We also watched the Fire play the 2d half. Tie.

Friday (meetmeanyplaceoranywhereoranytime)

Afterwork, sallied to the Olde Prisedentss chool I used to library at to see the soccer team I used to coach. It was good to see the kids and staff, but depressing. This ws the school I lost my job @ two years ago- the school I did such a good job @ and I was going to retire from.........
One of the most positive thigs about my whole career in education was being a coach in that school's program. It was a great program, and the kids were great. I miss being involved, even though it means 20=h/week more relaxing since I'm no longer a coach- for now.
I'd seen the kids @ a Fire game a onth ago. They got to walk the field. Even though I'd seen the team in the stands that nite, I was too depressed and jaggled to walk over and say hello. But I'm glad I got to stop in this day to say hello.


Gf's and hung fire for a bit. It was a milch cow evening. Went to Treats to milch some treats, and then to Curtis' for same. Spent a long time hanging @ both- well, not all nite, but a bit. Curtis refound and finally played some superkool short films from some Czeck dude that he'd played for me years earlier then leant out and lost. He had to deal w/ my "Didja ever get it back?"'s since then, until Friday: Then he was able to say : Well, I didn't get it back, but I got another copy of it!" Both of my favourite films in his "Food" (three parts) were again reappreciated by me and enjoyed by Gf.

12 October, 2007

again, my ignorance

Before they killed him on the Ides, The badguy Senators realised that they would have to seperate Caesar from his his homeboy mark Antony. Antony was a robust soldier, and they feared that they would not be able to get to Caesar through Antony. So, the plan- which worked, obv.- was to detain Antony outside the Senate ("Excuse me, mark Antony, can I have a word with you??") when Caesar and he walked into ithe building.

I like the idea that Antony would have stood up and fought with Caesar. Speaks good for his character that these bad guys realised they would have to seperate the two.

Lets talk religion

Since we are on the subject, (and this is neither a response post nor a long thoughtful one to the ones that have gone on before) of religion: I wanted to note how much effort when was put into saving our souls when we arer young. We had t be in a "state of grace" when we died= that means we had to have no unconfessed MORTAL sins on our soul when we died. That's it= go to confession on yr death bed, go to heaven. We had a priest - Fr. Nite (my second love was his neice- from 1st through about 15th grade, she was a special redhead for me. Then I got an orange head and then a bottle red head, and .............)- who would come into our grammer school classrooms and drone on about whatever- religion based stuff - for an hour. Then he took questions from the kids.
I got to be very famous as a questioner.
Like: Jesus never sinned? What about his tempertantrum in the temple w/ the money changers?? (My own thoughts, years ago- I've heard them since repeated, but @ the time i knew it was original to me- i'm proud, sorry!!)
Like: Say? Whats the deal with the church and gay people? If God made everybody, he obviously made them as well. Did She fuck up on this?? This line of questioning got this remark from my 8th grade teacher on the veryeve of another Fr. Nite visit : "And Hilts: no more questions about gay people."
and Like: So- if all we needed on our deathbeds was a confession, does that mean Hilter could be in Heaven?
Much later- well, adulthood- I realised that being in a state of grace is wonderful, but its the actions that get us in the state of grace thtat are important. Since God is watching all the time, so the theory goes, doesn't that mean that if I was way kool for all my life, but fucked up once - rite before I died and didn't get a chance to go to confession- does that mea HELL to me?? And Hitler? That fuck would be someone who deserves hell, rite?? But he could be hanging w/ Gabriel if he got that confessio in on time?
Yes, there's more to it than that. I like Jesus. Commie leveller.
the trail