Superbug

Northern Exposure

Possibly my favorite show of all time. I certainly miss it. Once fairly common in reruns, it has not been on TV for quite a few years. Won't ONE station please pick it up for repeats and make me and so many others happy? Meanwhile, I do have nearly every episode recorded on VCR tapes. I think I will have to drag them out and start watching, as the withdrawal has finally become too much. Does anybody else adore this show the way I do? Who was your favorite character? So many to choose from. I would have to say my favorite was Maurice, such a complex character played wonderfully by Barry Corbin. A close second would be Adam, a multilayered man portrayed adeptly by Adam Arkin.

This was an outstanding series that gave much respect to Native Americans and their way of life. Never portrayed with ridicule or derision, these Alaskans opened up a whole new world to me. Their dances, their traditions, their songs gave the show a unique dimension, as did all the offbeat characters and strange storylines. I do miss this show greatly. It meant so much to me.

I hope you enjoy the great theme song, and a few of my favorite moments from the show.

Just For Fun

Cheese-tastic Eighties in a nutshell.....

R.I.P. Clarence Clemons

We love you. Be at peace, Big Man.

Me and You and a Dog Named....Whiskey?

So, get this. A couple weeks ago, my youngest first cousin GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL. Let me repeat - my BABY cuz is officially no longer a baby. He has now graduated high school. Of course, my dad and I had to be there. And everything went well, without a hitch. He is now a high school graduate and will be joining the ranks of the college-bound soon.

There were parties galore that weekend, but the best ones were the ones that were INSIDE. As outrageous as it may seem, it is hotter in Conroe than it is down here, and has been for some time. While we are flirting with 100's, East Texas has been sweltering in 100+ heat for at least a couple weeks. In fact, the day the we headed to Conroe, we saw a Houston Chronicle with a very unsettling headline: "RECORD: Earliest day to reach 100 degrees EVER", or something to that effect. Now, that's something that is not to be ignored. And indeed it was HOT. Saturday's party, during which we were outside the whole day with nary a breeze to help cool us was barely tolerable. The only bright spot for me was the antics of a happy-go-lucky dog named Whiskey, who belonged to the owners of the house where the party was located. His high-pitched yap as he chased another puny dog around was the best spectator sport in town. Watching my cousin play poker, basketball, and washers, though, was just about as fun. He has grown into quite the handsome, athletic young man who still minds his manners and respects his elders.

Dad and I also had a great opportunity to talk, with him regaling me of tales that I had never heard before. I never knew that he spent a summer as a teen making deliveries for a soft drink company along with his cousin Bobby. They would drive kegs of syrup to fast-food joints to be mixed with carbonated water to produce the fountain-quality soft drinks so rare these days. In addition, he was also a member of the Civilian Air Patrol for some time, watching the skies for certain suspicious aircraft, and reporting to the captains of Ellington AFB (now Ellington Field) any alarming sights. Remember, this was during the cold war, when we were sure the Soviets were sending planes to spy on us. And maybe they were. Maybe the reason we never got bombed was due to vigilance on the part of Americans, like my dad.

The sweltering weekend was rewarded by a dip in the pool with my aunt, uncle, and grandmother while listening to great tunes on the radio. A couple of the songs surpised me, as I hadn't heard them in so many years. In fact, I had flat out forgotten about Peter Frampton's "I Can't Stand It No More", as I always liked that song so much, as well as Manfred Mann's cover of the Bruce Springsteen song "I Came For You". These songs were among some of my favorites "back in the day" and it was sheer pleasure hearing them again.

So here for you are some of the great songs played that weekend that will now always remind me of my youngest cousin leaving behind high school for college. I hope they make you as happy (and nostalgic) as they made me.

Sweet Sounds for a Saturday

Don't know why, but I woke up with the Statler Brothers in my head. I would think that might happen on a Sunday, since so much of their music was gospel-style, but it is what it is. I don't fight it, I embrace it. Their lovely harmonies helped weave a soundtrack throughout my life. Those sweet voices are a treasure to me. The Statlers is one of those musical acts that seems beloved by all age groups. In fact, whenever the Statlers are mentioned, I've not once ever heard anyone say, "I don't care for them". The conversation seems to turn to "You know, I love those guys", or "I remember when my mom would play their records", or even "Do they still tour?". I have personally never seen these guys live, but would really like to....maybe someday. Until then, this will have to do:

Business as Usual at Victoria City Council

If I Were a Songwriter....

These would be the songs I would forever wish I wrote. These are the ones that are PERFECT. Every word, every note. It is where so many elements come together to form a whole that is even greater than the sum of its parts. Here are these exceptional songs that, from the writing to the music to the artist, make my jaw drop and say - well, nothing. They pretty much leave me speechless, so much the better to enjoy the perfection. I hope they brighten your day as they have mine.

















And, my friends, it just doesn't get any better than that.