Ernest Hemingway is my favorite author. I think it is true that his writing is more tilted to the masculine view. In today's world it is very easy to find his writing dated and antiquated. For me a male in the 21st century with all the sensitivities that provides refuge into the world of Hemingway is a respite I welcome. We were taught in our literary classes that Hemingway changed the way writing was done. Writing in short declarative sentences his words were crisp and clear like the water he so often based his stories around.
For me the short story is an art form and I I visit this book often for an uplift. Reading The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber yesterday and enjoying the way Hemingway wrote almost in two layers at the same time. The Shakespeare quote on death brings me back again and again.
I gave my son some Hemingway short stories featuring Nick Adams for Christmas a year ago. He has enjoyed them in the rare times when he finds the time to focus on one. I trust in time he will like me return to them. They are like a boomerang they always find you again and again.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Bob Dylan - Pledging My Time
I love Bob Dylan. I think, without a doubt, the greatest songwriter of his era. The recent Dylan recordings with the raspy voice approaching 70 years old still have merit. In the late 90's his Time out of Mind CD won awards and more. That was a great album topped for me by the epic 16 minute long Highlands as Bob meanders his way through a free association riff. Uncountable songs are legendary with their stories, tales and rhymes. An underrated one of these would be " Brownsville Girl" where Bob repeatedly returns to tell the story about a movie with Gregory Peck. Only Bob could do that and have you singing along.
At an age far south of 10 my son could sing the first verse of Highway 61 much to his Mom and Sunday school teachers dismay. But for very personal reasons the song that always makes me smile is Pledging My Time from Blonde on Blonde. Why. It is simple for me, its the harmonica. i love to play but have no real talent for it, those that can play have my respect and jealousy. When Bob plays this song I riff with him between each line. Covered by Bobs talents mine blends in pretty well. I know the song and I have a better idea how to play. For a moment I am with Bob. What is any song but an escape.
Now if we could get the dog to stop howling when I hit the high notes.
I love Bob
At an age far south of 10 my son could sing the first verse of Highway 61 much to his Mom and Sunday school teachers dismay. But for very personal reasons the song that always makes me smile is Pledging My Time from Blonde on Blonde. Why. It is simple for me, its the harmonica. i love to play but have no real talent for it, those that can play have my respect and jealousy. When Bob plays this song I riff with him between each line. Covered by Bobs talents mine blends in pretty well. I know the song and I have a better idea how to play. For a moment I am with Bob. What is any song but an escape.
Now if we could get the dog to stop howling when I hit the high notes.
I love Bob
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Neil Young - Harvest and many more
As I write this I am listening to the Neil Young album Harvest for what is most likely what now numbers into the hundreds of times. The album which was considered the commercial peak of his success is a great album. A list of tracks is not necessary but certainly Lonely Boy, Heart of Gold, and Old Man are a good place to start. This past weekend we watched Neil who now is 64 appear on both the Haiti benefit and on Conan's last show on The Tonight Show. In the last 10 years Neil has put out more albums than any artist of his stature, as if he is racing against time. I have not purchased most of them and with radio now an unfriendly place to him I have not heard much of it either. I am sure all of it is music well worth hearing.
From his early albums Neil Young, Everyone Knows This is Nowhere and After the Goldrush I have come to treasure all Neil albums. Each one that I hear new is like going the excitement of a new album when we went to the store. Only this music when heard 30 years later is still timeless and to me as an 44 year old man current. The other evening an obscure early track titled I've Loved Her So Long came up on Random on the Ipod. It was like a bullet over the bow. An artist such as Neil has more great songs you have never heard than any contemporary artist.
My son tells me that he can tell if I am will like an artist, be they classic rock or contemporary, if they play a harmonica. It is a true fact. I do not think it is the harmonica, although I do love the sound, but certainly Bruce, Dylan, Petty and Neil do indeed all play the harmonica. Maybe it is the harmonica.
Today with a few minutes I looked on Amazon's MP# store to see what Neil albums I might have missed. With Neil there are some albums that are obscure because they are not as accessible, and some albums that are a little more obscure because they were not accessible to the " right people" at the time of their release. I have found a few of these from the mid seventies when Neil rejected the stardom of the Harvest era and has he said " drove into a ditch because you meet more interesting people there." Tonights the Night, On the Beach and more are albums I will be exploring soon.
If you do not like Neil Young, much like if you do not appreciate Dylan nothing I can say would make you appreciate it. However, if you have enjoyed some Neil in the past, explore much more. It is some of the best music ever made. Like perhaps no other artist this side of Dylan Neil has moved all over the map in the rock/country I refuse to be classified one way musical spectrum. It has been a ride well worth riding shotgun in.
Rating: Harvest 8.5
From his early albums Neil Young, Everyone Knows This is Nowhere and After the Goldrush I have come to treasure all Neil albums. Each one that I hear new is like going the excitement of a new album when we went to the store. Only this music when heard 30 years later is still timeless and to me as an 44 year old man current. The other evening an obscure early track titled I've Loved Her So Long came up on Random on the Ipod. It was like a bullet over the bow. An artist such as Neil has more great songs you have never heard than any contemporary artist.
My son tells me that he can tell if I am will like an artist, be they classic rock or contemporary, if they play a harmonica. It is a true fact. I do not think it is the harmonica, although I do love the sound, but certainly Bruce, Dylan, Petty and Neil do indeed all play the harmonica. Maybe it is the harmonica.
Today with a few minutes I looked on Amazon's MP# store to see what Neil albums I might have missed. With Neil there are some albums that are obscure because they are not as accessible, and some albums that are a little more obscure because they were not accessible to the " right people" at the time of their release. I have found a few of these from the mid seventies when Neil rejected the stardom of the Harvest era and has he said " drove into a ditch because you meet more interesting people there." Tonights the Night, On the Beach and more are albums I will be exploring soon.
If you do not like Neil Young, much like if you do not appreciate Dylan nothing I can say would make you appreciate it. However, if you have enjoyed some Neil in the past, explore much more. It is some of the best music ever made. Like perhaps no other artist this side of Dylan Neil has moved all over the map in the rock/country I refuse to be classified one way musical spectrum. It has been a ride well worth riding shotgun in.
Rating: Harvest 8.5
Monday, January 25, 2010
Field of Dreams
How many times have you seen this movie. In our house it is well into double figures. Everyone knows the story, Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta and Burt Lancaster made the movie star filled but it is the story, always the story. My children, boys and girls have always enjoyed the movie.
As with many men of a certain age the movie has a profound effect on me. It has for 20 years. It has the ability to choke me up. For me " the scene " , I do not have to tell you which one, makes me cry everytime. My Dad gone for over 25 years fills my heart whenever I see it.
A couple of weeks ago I got a text from my son asking me if I was watching Field of Dreams. It was on CMT. Who would have ever thought it would end up on Country Music Television. He told me to hurry it was almost over I was going to miss " it." I did not have to ask what " it " was. Men know. I watched it, my eyes watered and I remembered all that was good about childhood.
My son is 14 and we have played baseball together far more than my Dad had time to play with me. Will he think of me years and years from now when this movie comes on. I think he will. I think I am ok with that. I hope he remembers that the more things change between fathers and sons the more they stay the same. I hope he shares it with his son.
Few movies can have this generational impact. For that reason alone Iowa must be heaven.
Rating : 8.5
As with many men of a certain age the movie has a profound effect on me. It has for 20 years. It has the ability to choke me up. For me " the scene " , I do not have to tell you which one, makes me cry everytime. My Dad gone for over 25 years fills my heart whenever I see it.
A couple of weeks ago I got a text from my son asking me if I was watching Field of Dreams. It was on CMT. Who would have ever thought it would end up on Country Music Television. He told me to hurry it was almost over I was going to miss " it." I did not have to ask what " it " was. Men know. I watched it, my eyes watered and I remembered all that was good about childhood.
My son is 14 and we have played baseball together far more than my Dad had time to play with me. Will he think of me years and years from now when this movie comes on. I think he will. I think I am ok with that. I hope he remembers that the more things change between fathers and sons the more they stay the same. I hope he shares it with his son.
Few movies can have this generational impact. For that reason alone Iowa must be heaven.
Rating : 8.5
24 Season Debut
Jack Bauer is back. He was this close to moving to Los Angeles to live a private life and playing Grampa to his 2 year old granddaughter. But as these things happen, especially to Jack Bauer, he now is involved in another effort to prevent a terrorist attack on a Middle Eastern leader as he visits the United States.
The show is enjoyable. But I just cannot be surprised. To me the show is like the Tom Clancy spy thrillers and John Grisham courtroom books. They are done in a superior way. They are very good at what they do. In no way, however, are the surprising or for me something I want to invest my time in.
We watch the show. We will continue to watch the show. My middle son who has not seen six seasons of the show previous as we have enjoys every minute. However, for me, i am done with the show. I will be in the room when it is on but it has just one on too long. I do not read Grisham anymore either. At some point you need to do something different...it is time for Jack to go be Grampa.
The show is enjoyable. But I just cannot be surprised. To me the show is like the Tom Clancy spy thrillers and John Grisham courtroom books. They are done in a superior way. They are very good at what they do. In no way, however, are the surprising or for me something I want to invest my time in.
We watch the show. We will continue to watch the show. My middle son who has not seen six seasons of the show previous as we have enjoys every minute. However, for me, i am done with the show. I will be in the room when it is on but it has just one on too long. I do not read Grisham anymore either. At some point you need to do something different...it is time for Jack to go be Grampa.
The Invention of Lying
We watched this movie Saturday evening. I did not have any interest in the movie at the beginning but my wife and her sister were planning to watch it, I, however, had my magazine ready. I am still not sure what I think of the movie, I did, however, watch the movie, the magazine went unread. The story tells of an alternate reality where no one has the ability to lie and what happens when one person figures out how to and its benefits.
The movie had some very funny moments, a quirky love story between a man who can fib and a woman who cannot but lost me with its diversion into a satire of religion. I know that this has a significant appeal and the questions the satire brings about are questions we all have at some times, however for me it was a little squirmy.
Ricky Gervais was better in the movie than I remembered in other roles and Jennifer Garner continues to be a " cute" actress. A host of strong cameos in the movie adds to it as well.
I did not read the magazine that night so the movie held my attention. I am not sure I am glad I did however.
Rating: 5
The movie had some very funny moments, a quirky love story between a man who can fib and a woman who cannot but lost me with its diversion into a satire of religion. I know that this has a significant appeal and the questions the satire brings about are questions we all have at some times, however for me it was a little squirmy.
Ricky Gervais was better in the movie than I remembered in other roles and Jennifer Garner continues to be a " cute" actress. A host of strong cameos in the movie adds to it as well.
I did not read the magazine that night so the movie held my attention. I am not sure I am glad I did however.
Rating: 5
Will Ferrell on The Tonight Show
Watching Will Ferrell's rendition of Lynyrd Sknyrd on The Tonight Show made me again realize that Will Ferrell might be as close as we have to a national comedian right now. His gift for impersonation from Bush to well Skynyrd, his movies that do not alway work but when they do such as Elf and Anchorman become iconic. Add a few other characters such as Ricky Bobby, his SNL history and his Funny or Die clips and Will Ferrell is to me a must see actor.
His ability to do anything for a role to make it funny, he seemingly has no limits. Here is how I rate it. When I see Will Ferrell I do not flip. What more can you say.
His ability to do anything for a role to make it funny, he seemingly has no limits. Here is how I rate it. When I see Will Ferrell I do not flip. What more can you say.
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