Tuesday, September 24, 2013

LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Starry Night Over the Rhône - Vincent van Gogh
Light of the World
Phos hilaron

Light of the world in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now, as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise;
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, lamp of our days.
Image from Wikipedia.

OFF TO MERRIE OLDE ENGLAND


In a little more than a week, I will head to Merrie Olde England for my final trip across the Atlantic. Traveling by plane has become so difficult and unpleasant, that I don't see myself making the attempt again. Even I think it's a bit crazy for me to attempt it now. Grandpère surely thinks so, and he will not travel with me. On this trip, I will be in the south of England, with Oxford as my outpost farthest to the north.

While I'm there, I will have access to the internet mostly on my friend's laptop.   Email messages to and from my family will be my priority, so it's likely few posts will appear on Facebook or my blog.

I've just been summoned to jury duty on a date when I will be out of the country, so I must write to be excused, though I like to do my civic duty when called upon. The notice tells me that I may also be excused due to my great age, but I would not ask on that account.

DOCTOR'S OFFICE CONVERSATION

A man with a cough is examined by his doctor and asks, "Doc, are you sure I'm suffering from pneumonia?  I heard once about a doctor treating someone with pneumonia but eventually finally he died of typhus."

The doctor replies, "Don't worry about that:  It won't happen with me.  If I treat someone for pneumonia, he will die of pneumonia."


Cheers,

Paul (A.)

Monday, September 23, 2013

ALLEN TOUSSAINT AND ELVIS COSTELLO - "WHO'S GONNA HELP A BROTHER GET FURTHER"


From their wonderful album, The River in Reverse.

From a review at Amazon:
By 
Tim Brough "author and music buff"
The most searing of musical indictments during 2006 didn't come from some young buck MC or a snorting enraged punk band. It came from a pair of wizened musical vets. Elvis Costello teamed up with Allen Toussaint and dropped this amazing 13 song collaboration that both celebrates the spirit of New Orleans' music makers at the same time it ravages those that willingly stood off and averted their eyes. "Ascension Day" is this album's centerpiece, mournfully delivering the lyric "40 days passed by, 40 alibis" with the clarity of his best work. "The River In Reverse" takes on this dichotomy and doesn't flinch. The angry young man of old finally gets to harness his vitriol to a new cause, and Toussaint gives Costello a whole new batch of colors to work with.

Oddly enough, it is the catalog numbers from Toussaint that really bring out the soul to "The River In Reverse." Versions of "Tears and More Tears," "Freedom for the Stallion" and "Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further" (with the lead sung by Toussaint) make their emotional mark to the time, even despite their age. Toussaint's arrangements (often not varying much from their older recordings) also draw out some of Costello's better vocal skills. He sounds more soulful here than on his "My Flame Burns Blue" CD, released with the same year as "The River In Reverse."

Sunday, September 22, 2013

FAMILY GATHERING - SEPTEMBER 2013


In the month of September, we celebrate four birthdays (Patrick, Alison, Joey, and me) and one anniversary (Tom and me).  We try to gather the family together each year for the celebration.



As the grandchildren grow older, it's not easy to have everyone together at the same time.  We're missing two grandsons because they were out of town.
We had dinner at Café Milano in Houma, Louisiana, and I believe we all agreed the food was excellent.  My daughter kindly let me taste her delicious appetizer that included rolled crepes stuffed with goat cheese - food for the gods.
A Facebook friend suggested the restaurant would do well to check the silver as we looked like a shady bunch.  I was thinking a motley crew, but my friend said she never liked that band, so shady bunch we are, not to be confused with The Brady Bunch.

Friday, September 20, 2013

NO WORDS

Until I see the possibility of the enactment of sensible laws to regulate ownership of guns in the United States, I have no words. I am silenced by the insanity of acceptance of a culture of frequent mass shootings with no will to change.
"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
Surely, when the framers of the Second Amendment to the US Constitution included the words "A well regulated Militia", they did not intend the amendment to give free rein to the carnage we see happening all too frequently today.  Why do we continue to ignore the words "well-regulated" in the amendment?  That is all. 

COMMENT MODERATION IS ENABLED

Wounded Bird receives fewer comments now than ever before in the six years of its existence.  I'm not complaining, simply stating a fact.  Except for the most popular blogs, those with thousands of readers, commentary has moved from blogging to other social networks, such as Facebook, etc.  When I disallowed anonymous comments earlier, due to the overwhelming numbers of spam comments coming through, mostly in the name of "anonymous", some regulars here were unable to comment because they were not registered with Blogger, Google, or one of the other blogging formats.  Now, perhaps too late, I invite those readers back to the comments, because with comment moderation enabled,  anonymous comments are permitted.  I ask those who comment as "anonymous" to sign a name, any name, make up a name, when you leave a comment, so we can distinguish one anonymous from another. 

My wish has always been to keep the comment function open and free, and, for many years it was possible, but no longer.  Wounded Bird must change with the times.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

R. I. P. LAPTOP - THE CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL CAT

We are sad to report the death of Laptop, the Cathedral cat. The friendly feline had lived at the Cathedral for many years and it was estimated that he was over 18 years old.

Laptop was a free spirit and the exact story of how he came to live at the Cathedral is somewhat of a mystery. It is believed he started his life here visiting the choir boys at Choir House, and this is how we think he got his name, as he was forever trying to jump on people’s lap when they stroked him.
See the cathedral website for more adorable pictures of Laptop.  Surely after 18 years at Canterbury, Laptop ought to have a title, if only honorary.

IN HONOR OF FATS DOMINO

Irvin Mayfield, Fats Domino, Davell Crawford
Rock ’n’ roll pioneer Fats Domino, 85, was honored Wednesday at his home by New Orleans Jazz Orchestra founder Irvin Mayfield and keyboardist Davell Crawford.
....

Domino’s ascendancy began in 1949 with his million-selling recording of “The Fat Man.” By the early 1960s, he had racked up 35 Top 40 records including the No. 1 hits “Ain’t That a Shame,” “Blueberry Hill” and “Blue Monday.”
My relationship with Fats goes back a long time, to the early 1950s, when we jitterbugged or slow danced to his music.  Fats' recordings remain in my music collection today, and I listen fairly often.  Congratulations, Fats.  The gold records, No. 1 hits, and honors are well-earned and well-deserved.

Here's Fats with "Blue Monday".