Hey, it was the '80s...

From politipunk to pop, the '80s were an innovative decade musically, and my tastes were all over the place. Duran Duran were huge, and their videos were all over MTV, also huge at the time.  One of my friends loved them and got tickets; several of us went, chaperoned by his mom.

The concert was near Cleveland, possibly at Richfield Coliseum.  I think it was 1981 or 1982, and it was my first rock concert (my first concert of any kind was the Irish Rovers.)  It seemed like we were the only boys there- surrounded by thousands of squealing teen and pre-teen girls.  Not that we minded.  I vaguely remember the concert itself, but the rest of the night stands out.  We tried to go home (a two-hour drive) but were trapped by a snowstorm and stayed at a hotel, along with many other concertgoers- and Duran Duran.  They had their own wing.  We went to the hotel's arcade room later in the evening, and Simon LeBon was playing Defender.  We asked if we could play him, and he declined.  Oh, well.

I don't think about them much anymore, but they are still together.  Once in awhile I'll hear them on the radio and reminisce.  I already posted their video for Hungry Like The Wolf, accompanied by Reel Big Fish's cover of it.  Here are a few more.



Girls On Film
Hey, I was a teenage boy.  Anything with scantily-clad women got my attention.



Rio
More of the same...



A View To A Kill
From the Bond movie soundtrack.  Interesting opening sequence.

People Are People. Maybe Someday Everyone Will Believe That.

I'm white.  My wife is black. Any kids we have would be black. Not half white/half black. Black. That is how they will be seen, and treated. And I have seen a bit of how Miss Mox is treated, and she has told me of her experiences. And I have seen how her brothers are treated. If you think racism is dead, you're wrong. If you don't think race is an issue in the Brown/Wilson case, and wasn't in the Martin/Zimmerman case, you're wrong. You are ignorant.

I've been using that word a lot lately, because sadly, it describes so many of us. And worse is willful ignorance, which again describes too many. In this case, mostly conservatives, mostly apologists for racism. You've heard most of the facts, and plenty of conjecture and hyperbole, particularly if you have been exposed to the virus that is Fox News.  I won't go over them more.  There won't be a trial.  Why not?  A grand jury is supposed to decide whether there is sufficient evidence for a trial, which there most certainly is in this case.  It is not supposed to decide on guilt or innocence, but it has.  Ask yourself why there wouldn't be a trial.  And ask yourself why people are so upset.

I've tried to be fair, going through scenarios in my mind, playing the devil's advocate.  The best case I can hypothetically construct for Wilson is that he overreacted.  He got into a scuffle with Brown, while he was in the car.  And shot him.  Maybe he feared for his life, and I can almost stay with him that far (though he surely lost his cool and overreacted.)  But then- he gets out of car, and far from there he shoots several more times. How can anyone justify that? It was an assassination in street. Most police officers are decent people.  Well, most try to be.  I've lived long enough to have seen plenty of "respect my authority" cops and cadets too.  At the very least this guy was not a professional cop- he lost his cool and mishandled the situation.

There are so many apologists for this, trying to divert attention from the core of the matter.  Yes, yes, blacks shoot whites too- and they go directly to jail. When whites shoot blacks- not so much. And especially not when police do it. Then there's "Race is only an issue because you're making it one." Yes!  Because otherwise it would be ignored.  Anybody not like you, you'll ignore.  You won't even make an effort to begin to understand their situation, their problems.  This is about unequal justice- that is exactly what this is about. So yes, it's about race. And yes, it deserves protest. Our country is a bit more equal than it was fifty years ago, but it is still far from equal. And that progress has come from laws, sometimes enacted against "the will of the people.And from protest. Sitting quietly does not change things. Peaceful protest is best, and it's a problem when some get violent.  But they will be caught and punished.  Some people even say not to protest peacefully; "what is the big deal?"  And they help me lose faith in humanity.

Look.  You don't know what you don't know. I'm no expert but at least I admit that there is plenty I don't understand, and that my experience is limited. If you have only whites as friends (coworkers don't count), if your main news source is Fox, then you have a wildly distorted view of America, of reality.  Try opening your eyes and being a decent human being.

What A Fox

Not too long ago I got rid of a car.  To many people that doesn't seem like a big deal, but this was a car that
was important to me.  Actually, it was one in a whole line that has been important.  It had the plates from my
first new car, a VW Fox.  And it was a Fox.  And I still have another Fox, and Miss Mox insists that I keep that.

The '90 2-door Fox I scrapped had been a great car.  Fun to drive, fuel-efficient, reliable.  The body was in great shape because it came from Missouri and hadn't seen salt till it got to Ohio.  It was just the right size for me, and took us on quite a few dates.  Sadly, the body started to go when it got hit with the winters here, and with a deer last year.   Then it had some mechanical issues.  I tried to keep it going, but it was harder and harder, and I had to focus on the wagon since it was in better shape and is more useful (I treat the wagon as a large hatchback, and can haul a fair amount in it- and even get in the back at the drive-in.)  Also, the wagon is more rare, and has an aftermarket turbocharger that makes it more fun to drive.  It has had its issues, which led to me getting a more efficient and reliable replacement (my first American car, ever.)  But it's still a good car.

The 2-door sat at the Mox estate for almost a year; I went over to start it up from time to time, but lost hope in getting it back on the road.  We pulled some parts from it for the wagon, and set a date with the crusher.

It had expired plates and insurance, no instrument cluster, no turn signals.  Miss Mox followed me on that short trip (that it barely made.)  We had to jump it, and it overheated as we pulled in.  The workers there were sympathetic, and offered to give me a moment to say goodbye to it...  Miss Mox understood too, and was very patient and supportive.

I felt bad for not keeping it going, partly because there is a small community of Foxers and we are very supportive of each other.  But it just wasn't worth throwing more time and money into.  Now I can keep the wagon up, and be gentle on it since it isn't my daily driver.

The brakes and other parts from the 2-door will keep going, and help keep the wagon alive.  And I saved the key, as I did from my first Fox.  This makes, hm, 21 years of driving Foxes.  I hope there are many more.

It's baaack...

I had hoped the "war on Xmas" would fade away this year.  But, it's that time of year, and it's popping up again.  Someone at work was ranting about it, and how "you can't say 'Merry Christmas.'"  I told him I thought that was a crock; he said "yeah, they keep taking away our freedoms."  I explained that I meant his line of thought was a crock, that there wasn't a war on Xmas, that he can say whatever he wants.  He mentioned that "Maryland is getting rid of religious holidays.  You can't celebrate Christmas or Easter."  I was skeptical, and asked if he heard that on Fox, but then I researched it because hey, I don't know everything.  And it turns it was true, but sort of the reverse of what he was saying: one school district in Maryland did indeed change their holiday schedule.  But it's not the filthy liberals being all PC and keeping us from celebrating; it's fuddy-duddy conservative school board members.  They didn't want to allow a Muslim holiday on the calendar, so they got rid of all religious holidays.  To me that sounds like little kids saying "we don't want to play with those people, so we're taking all the toys and going home."

Actually, I can see how a school not having any religious holidays is a reasonable option, but I'd rather have all of them.  Well, the big ones, anyway- if we celebrate every one, there'd be no school or work.  And I know that would be welcomed, but still... I'd rather celebrate the diversity of our country.  I don't want to bland things down. I'm not sure why we can't be reasonable and inclusive.  Hanukkah has become more mainstream since the '70s; why not add Eid, since Muslims are becoming more influential?

Anyway, as usual, please celebrate whatever holiday you enjoy, in whatever way you see fit.  Stay warm, with family and friends, as the snow falls.

On The Road Again

Miss Mox and I were tripping again last weekend. No, no psychedelics were involved, though we were often gazing wide-eyed at the wonders along the way. And no “tripping” like acting crazy, though there was some of that, and there were certainly bizarre sights and adventures. We laughed and enjoyed the whole thing.

This time we went to Atlanta, to see her old friend play a show. We were only in town about 18 hours, some of them sleeping; we definitely need to go back again. Atlanta seems like an interesting city, and we also passed a lot of stuff along the route that we wanted to check out. Museums, restaurants, parks... Plus, we got to see the leaves change again since we were headed south. It was pretty, especially in the mountains. And the weather was perfect- almost 70 in Atlanta, and clear the whole time. Our rented Camry was a good cruiser, too, even though it felt like a boat to me- I'm used to small cars, and Camrys were small a long time ago but not anymore.

The concert was fun, and I got to meet her friend and hear more stories of the old days. We hung out with him and other friends before and after the show, but not nearly long enough.

On the way down we stayed in Berea, Kentucky. That too is worth a return visit, mainly because of Berea College. It's a pretty school, small, in a small town, with rolling hills, so it's nice anyway. But their mission is to provide an education for those who can't afford it. Plus, they're very open-minded, the campus is very green, etc. We were both astounded.

She and I do roadtrips together very well, and have since the beginning. I find roadtrips good tests of relationships, of any sort- family, friends, lovers. Family vacations crammed in the backseat with siblings, college type trips, vacations as a couple- put any people in a small space for a long time, and see what happens. From our first trip together, we have been good partners, road warriors. Copilots in the best sense of working together. Laughing at signs. Discussions deep and shallow. Car concerts, solo and duet. Stopping to explore. Relaxing. I can't wait to get on the road again with her. Wherever we go, wherever we are, she's my favorite person.

You Say It's Your Birthday? We're Gonna Have A Good Time!

I didn't get Miss Mox anything for her birthday. She was happy anyway- we took a trip to her alma mater for a football game, and had a nice long weekend away.  Plus the weather I asked for arrived, so we had perfect fall days...

Friday we checked into our hotel, actually a small inn in IN.  Brookville, Indiana, to be exact, which turned out to be a quaint small town.  One weird thing about it, as we discovered later, was the newpaper.  The Brookville Democrat was on the rack; right below it was the Brookville American, with the same font, same pictures, same stories.  I guess some people don't want to hold a Democrat in their hands, or maybe don't consider Democrats Americans?

Regardless, the inn was just right, a beautifully remodeled old house.  Not quite a B&B, but it had a full communal kitchen.  Who wants to get up early for breakfast, anyway?  It was a great place to relax, almost like being at home.  We poked around town some but spent more time in Oxford, where Miss Mox went to college.  We revisited favorite haunts, and went to a few new places like an old covered bridge.  She introduced me to toasted rolls, which are a thing at Miami.  I'd heard about them, and assumed they were just nice dinner rolls.  No- take a really big, good roll or bun, split it in half, butter and toast it on a griddle, then spread frosting on each half and add cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar.  Supergood sugarcoma.

Dessert?  Breakfast?  Entree?  You make the call.

The next day, her birthday, we slept in, then went to the game.  Miami won- guess they got my request too.  We picked up a flyer for a haunted forest-night zipline place, and since we'd been thinking about ziplining, we thought "why not?"  Pretty soon she was thinking "why?" The haunted forest was goofy and fun.  The ziplining was pretty cool, at least for me.  However, Miss Mox thought we were done after the first zipline.   She had been nervous but eager; now she was ready to go.   Unfortunately we were twenty feet up on a platform, with one way down. I think they'll remember her a long time...

This is just the training line, so we really went on three...

On the way home we went back through Oxford, stopping at the school's airport on the way for me to geek out a bit.  It was a perfect weekend, and a great trip, with the best companion I could wish for.

This is the end.

Now Listen Here!

More songs that have been in my head.  There are lots of thoughts in there too, I just need to get them down on "paper."  For now, have a listen, and prepare to be offended and amused.



Broken Hearts Are For Assholes- Frank Zappa

This is a bizarre song.  I just keep hearing the refrain ("You're an asshole") in my head while driving.  Does it refer to me?  Other drivers?  Everybody?  You decide.  Just don't listen to this at work- it might upset you and everyone around you...





Some Like It Hot- The Power Station

Is it about the weather, or sex?  Is it an ode to capsaicin, or matrimony and parenthood?  So many layers... It came on the radio the other day and I heard new things in it.  Researching this one, I was reminded of how many hits Robert Palmer had, and how many were covers.





Whatever It Is, I'm Against It- The Marx Brothers

One of the planks of the Republican Party platform, and appropriate for today.   Go vote tomorrow!

 

What If You Weren't You?

One of my Facebook friends posted something recently wondering what life might be like if you were raised in a different place, or by different people.  I thought about that for a while, and it gradually meandered through my mind and connected with some other things I had been thinking about.  (I have a lot of time to think at work.  Now if I only had time to write at work...)

There are a lot of ways to approach the concept, of course.  What if you were born in another time, another place?  How would you be different?  How would you look at things?  It's hard to tell with hypothetical situations; we are so wrapped up in our own reality that it can be hard to imagine feeling differently.  I try to put myself in other peoples' shoes, both in my personal relationships and when wondering about history, but can we really know how we would react in different circumstances, in completely unfamiliar situations?  I use my imagination, and have read plenty of alternative history and science fiction.  But it's hard to know how I would deal with stuff I have never encountered.

We are products of our environment to some extent, and of how we are raised.  But that is not our total being.  I have a feeling we would be similar to our current selves in terms of personality, but might be limited by the possibilities in a different environment.  Or, who knows, freed by them.

Since I've been doing some genealogy lately I've imagined what life might have been like for some of my ancestors.  How they would have dealt with the weather, with politics, with moving across the country knowing you would never go home, with losing children and spouses to sickness.

Of course there's always the question, "what era would you like to live in?"  I'd want to live in an interesting one, and, though I'm something of a loner, in or near a city.  I can't imagine being completely alone, with nothing to do except try to survive. Miss Mox says I should have been at Kittyhawk for the Wrights' first flight, and that would be cool.  Pretty brisk at the beach in December, though, even in North Carolina...

This time of year, I think about people missing from my life.  How would I be different if they were still here? I lost my grandparents within a few years a while back; they each left a big hole in my life.  The most recent one was my granddad, and then my dad died a couple of years later, and then my brother.  I miss them- I wish they were here to talk to, to tell about all the stuff that has happened lately.  I'm thankful that my brother got to meet Miss Mox and that they hit it off.  I think my dad and grandparents would like her.  But there's just no way to really describe to her what they were like.  I don't dwell on their losses; sometimes I do get wistful about what things were like with them around.

I'm not sure I would be much different if they were here.  They had already had big impacts on me; and my personality, though still changing, is pretty set.  I don't think they would have pushed me in different directions in life at this point, but it sure would be nice to have their advice, and just use them as sounding boards.

I'm pretty happy where I am in life.  I have plenty of good memories, and lots of things I want to do.  I'm not content, not sitting still, but I'm happy.  I appreciate what I have.  I only have a few regrets- some things I've screwed up, some people I wish I'd been nicer to.  A few I wish I'd let go sooner.  Live and learn.  Try to appreciate who and what you have.  Wonder what life could have been like if things were different, and go out and find out what things can be like in the future.  Remake yourself, if you want.  You can't change the past, though you can learn from it.  But you can change your future.