Dear Mr. Kotter

Please excuse Juan from class. He has gone to live with his Lord.

Signed,

Epstein's Mother.

Animal Instinct

A blog by a sweet friend got me to thinking about how men just get better as they get older. So much of the brashness, the wildness, the strong-headedness fades and is replaced by a mellow, richer spirit. Musicians seem to settle into their roles, and after the battles with the booze and the drugs are over, find a lightness in being, reflecting a newfound wisdom in their music.

Or not.

Thank goodness some men retain that bad-boy attitude and refuse to let the world change them. Lucky for us. Eric Burdon of the Animals was the first man that came to mind when I thought of men who have refused to "go quietly into that good night".  The lines carved into his face and his gift of a most amazing voice, enriched over the years, make him twice the man he used to be.  I'm pretty sure he'll die growling, with a petulant youth's smirk on his face. Good for him. And for us.

And as a wise man once said: "You wanna find the truth in life, don't pass music by. And you know I would not lie."

Their Time 2 Shine

Funny thing, going into this Saints-San Fran game, I was behind the Saints all the way. I think New Orleans has a great team, and their Super Bowl win of a couple years ago stays with me. I was dismayed by the tug-and pull of this particular game yesterday, with one team ahead, and then another. In the last few seconds, I couldn't believe my eyes as Vernon Davis of the 49ers caught an unbelievably bold pass at the touchdown line. I thought for sure the Saints had it clinched.

Then I saw the emotion of the game in Davis' face. This huge man started crying like a child, and, embraced by his coach and teammates, showed this chick what it's all about. I saw the sign held up by a 49ers fan in the audience that said simply "Our time 2 shine". And I understood. I was glad the 49ers won, not to take anything away from New Orleans. But I do believe it IS their time to shine. Congratulations, San Francisco.

Now for your "feel good" video of the day:

*YAWN*

Ever have a night like this?





I really must stop watching "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" before I go to bed.

*BURP*

Pardon me.

Evotourism

There's nothing like expanding your vocabulary. Because, in the process, your horizons also become broader. One of my favorite magazine subscriptions I have had for many years, Smithsonian, never fails to fascinate me. Now they have introduced me and so many others to EVOTOURISM. This is a concept whose time has come. Evotourism destinations are microcosms of evolution in action. Spanning six continents and such varied locales as Kangaroo Island, Australia and Mount St. Helens in Washington state, the evotourist becomes witness to the Earth's timeline as it supported the evolution, and sometimes extinction, of an astounding array of species. I never knew whales walked in Egypt. Let me say that again. Whales. Walked. In. Egypt. You must go here to see it for yourself. A mammal that possesses a duck's  feet and bill, spines on its back, and lays eggs? Yes, the duck-billed platypus is represented, as are microscopic ancient fossils called Foraminifera. Giant, cactus-eating tortoises are here along with Gregor Mendel's humble peas.

The concept of evotourism as presented by Smithsonian has given me a new perspective on travel. I knew there were places I've always wanted to see; doesn't everybody? Only, I couldn't say just why I've always longed to go to the  Galapagos Islands and La Brea Tar Pits. I understand now that this is travel with a purpose. It is human nature to yearn for understanding, to want to believe there is an order to and a rationale for our existence. When one is confronted with a billions-of-years-old history before one's eyes, when one witnesses layer upon layer of time just waiting to be seen and understood, when one begins to truly believe the insignificance of one's existence in the shadow of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras, then, and only then, does one grasp the world around oneself.

Won't you visit www.Smithsonian.com for some evotourism? Maybe, like me, you will have finally found your bucket list.

To Laugh or To Cry?

THAT is the question...