Translate

Friday, April 25, 2014

How can we forget about Bob Marley's gift to us????

Ziggy Marley is Bob's eternal gift to us!
Enjoy!
Listening to him is like listening to Bob...








Grad School Funnies....




JAH Rastafari! The Prophetic Bob Marley---Peace Love and Unity!









Poetry Time.... Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy, was an English novelist and poet. A Victorian realist in the tradition of George Eliot, he was influenced both in his novels and in his poetry by Romanticism, especially William Wordsworth.


The Man He Killed by Thomas Hardy
Had he and I but met 
By some old ancient inn,
We should have set us down to wet
Right many a nipperkin!

But ranged as infantry,
And staring face to face,
I shot at him as he at me,
And killed him in his place.

I shot him dead because--
Because he was my foe,
Just so: my foe of course he was;
That's clear enough; although

He thought he'd 'list, perhaps,
Off-hand like--just as I--
Was out of work--had sold his traps--
No other reason why.

Yes; quaint and curious war is!
You shoot a fellow down
You'd treat, if met where any bar is,
Or help to half a crown.
Ah, Are You Digging On My Grave? by Thomas Hardy
"Ah, are you digging on my grave,
My loved one? -- planting rue?"
-- "No: yesterday he went to wed
One of the brightest wealth has bred.
'It cannot hurt her now,' he said,
'That I should not be true.'"

"Then who is digging on my grave,
My nearest dearest kin?"
-- "Ah, no: they sit and think, 'What use!
What good will planting flowers produce?
No tendance of her mound can loose
Her spirit from Death's gin.'"

"But someone digs upon my grave?
My enemy? -- prodding sly?"
-- "Nay: when she heard you had passed the Gate
That shuts on all flesh soon or late,
She thought you no more worth her hate,
And cares not where you lie.

"Then, who is digging on my grave?
Say -- since I have not guessed!"
-- "O it is I, my mistress dear,
Your little dog , who still lives near,
And much I hope my movements here
Have not disturbed your rest?"

"Ah yes! You dig upon my grave...
Why flashed it not to me
That one true heart was left behind!
What feeling do we ever find
To equal among human kind
A dog's fidelity!"

"Mistress, I dug upon your grave
To bury a bone, in case
I should be hungry near this spot
When passing on my daily trot.
I am sorry, but I quite forgot
It was your resting place."


Thursday, April 24, 2014

Needed a change....

Yes! I love change! I need change every now and then. So, as you can tell I have given my blog a mini facelift. Hopefully, you will enjoy the new design!

Peace, Unity, and Love!!!!




Good memories of a great man....

When I was about 6 or 7 years old (back in the 80s) I met a big, happy, vivacious man in a black mink coat and a black fedora hat. He had a huge smile and a distinguished gray and black beard. He was loud and had a laugh that rocked the house. He was a long time friend of my grandfather.  He happened to be coming to visit my grandfather to meet the rest of his long time friends family. At the time I didn't understand the excitment brewing in the house as I colored in my coloring book.  I remember being miffed my mom made me dress up just to play. My grandfather owned and operated a barber shop in Detroit and cut hair and styled hair for many of the stars from Motown.
However, he formed a special bond with The Four Tops, especially Levi Stubbs.
Back when Detroit was great these famous figures lived right around the corner from each other. 
When he met me he plopped me on his knee and I remember my mom snapping pics. Levi insisted I call him "Uncle Levi". I remember on my 12th birthday my mother woke me up at like 1:00am very excited.
It was "Uncle Levi" calling me after a Vegas show and sang me happy birthday. 
At the time I knew he was famous, however it took a few years for it to sink in just how influential he was, and how his voice was unique and identifiable. 

Enjoy my absolute favorite song!
Still Waters (Live)
and Still Waters (Extended)
Enjoy the legends!







Film Noir Fans.... Get in here!

I love film noir. I grew up watching old movies with my mother. I love so many old movies it is hard to keep track. I am a movie lover in general, but I have a distinct love of film noir and documentaries. So here is my list of favorites. 

Also, if you are a film noir lover who doesn't get enough from TCM or AMC head over to the internet archives. They have an awesome film noir selection to watch for free: https://archive.org/details/Film_Noir

You can also find many awesome flicks on YouTube.



Here is my top 10:
  1. Double Indemnity
  2. Sunset Boulevard
  3. The Big Combo
  4. Mildred Pierce
  5. Behind Green Lights
  6. The Bigamist
  7. Little Cesar
  8. Guest in the House
  9. The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
  10. I Want to Live


Poetry Time... 'A Day Off''

Lucy Maud Montgomery
Lucy Maud Montgomery OBE, called "Maud" by family and friends and publicly known as L. M. Montgomery, was a Canadian author best known for a series of novels beginning with Anne of Green Gables, published in 1908.

A Day Off by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Let us put awhile away
All the cares of work-a-day,
For a golden time forget,
Task and worry, toil and fret,
Let us take a day to dream
In the meadow by the stream.

We may lie in grasses cool
Fringing a pellucid pool,
We may learn the gay brook-runes
Sung on amber afternoons,
And the keen wind-rhyme that fills
Mossy hollows of the hills.

Where the wild-wood whisper stirs
We may talk with lisping firs,
We may gather honeyed blooms
In the dappled forest glooms,
We may eat of berries red
O'er the emerald upland spread.

We may linger as we will
In the sunset valleys still,
Till the gypsy shadows creep
From the starlit land of sleep,
And the mist of evening gray
Girdles round our pilgrim way.

We may bring to work again
Courage from the tasselled glen,
Bring a strength unfailing won
From the paths of cloud and sun,
And the wholesome zest that springs
From all happy, growing things.




Science Lovers... Celebration!




Marie Curry (1867-1934)
Discovered radioactivity nature of thorium and the discovery of polonium and radium
She is known for introducing techniques in the field of radioactivity for isolating isotopes. Marie was instrumental in the discovery of the elements known as polonium and radium,




Werner Heisenburg (1901-1976)
Work on Quantum Mechanics and the Uncertainty Principle
Werner Karl Heisenberg is known for the matrix formulation applied in quantum mechanics. The Heisenberg principle, or the “uncertainty principle” in quantum mechanics, became important to the field of physics in explaining inequalities of results from physical properties


and last but DEFINITELY not the least...



Albert Einstein
(1885-1962)
Advancing the Theory of Relativity
At the age of seventeeen, Albert Einstein enrolled to complete and receive his teaching diploma in the field of physics and mathematics at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland. He debated with Niels Bohr, the other founder of quantum mechanics. In 1905, Einstein published On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies, this contained his theory on relativity. In 1921, Albert Einstein was a recipient of the Nobel Prize in the field of Physics.

Su Vida y Su Obra Perdurará. TRUTH: Cesar chavez!







Damn I miss what once was... They were EPIC



All good things have to end....
However, enjoy the shit out of these classics!
BOOOO Axl (however he cannot ever be replaced and once was so gotdamn good-that voice is unmatchable)
But, other than my Axl rant enjoy!








smiley360.com—Be Heard. Be Happy.

smiley360.com—Be Heard. Be Happy.



Join the product testing fun!!! For the US and I believe Canada!

Truth, Peace,and Love!!!





Timothy Leary... Inspiration for the day!










How the F&*% Did This Happen?

Finally!!! A day off! I cannot tell you how odd and awesome a day off from classes, exams, and presentations is. I really don't know what I will do with myself. Too excited to sleep, too tired to be excited. But, it's only one day... I take what I can get.

The one positive of grad school is being able to detach from the real world... even if for only 2 years.

Good Wishes!!!




Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Jah Bless... Bob Marley!





More Poe... Enjoy the read! More should know the classics....

The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you"- here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!" -
Merely this, and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice:
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis the wind and nothing more."

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as "Nevermore."

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered- not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered, "other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
Then the bird said, "Nevermore."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of 'Never - nevermore'."

But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore:
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore -
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," I shrieked, upstarting -
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!

I REALLY miss the 90s.... Enjoy!

Next to the late 80s, the 90s was the best time to come of age. The music was new and fresh. We had so many awesome bands, awesome tv (pre-reality bullshit), and the music was more socially conscious, not materialistic or degrading (yes-some groups went hard like 2 Live Crew, etc...) however, the following videos are some of my favorites and every time I hear them it takes me all the way back. Let's just say I was rebellious back then and thought I could change the world, I was invincible, no fear. Anyways, enjoy! 
























Take a journey back in time.....

Who wasn't a Duran Duran fan?






Film Noir is Also a Great Love of Mine.....

I am a movie buff, among other things.
I must admit I love a good old movie.
Film Noir is my favorite!
I am a HUGE Joan Crawford fan.
Unfortunately, just like the Beatles... I am not a huge Bette Davis fan. However, I love her in 'All About Eve'. 
In saying that I will start to post links to some of my favorites.

Who else is into old/classic movies?
If so +1 this comment :-)

Poetry time.... Get inspired!

A Dream Within A Dream by Edgar Allan Poe


Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow--
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand--
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep--while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?

My Papa's Waltz by Theodore Roethke

The whiskey on your breath 
Could make a small boy dizzy; 
But I hung on like death: 
Such waltzing was not easy. 


We romped until the pans 
Slid from the kitchen shelf; 
My mother's countenance 
Could not unfrown itself. 



The hand that held my wrist 
Was battered on one knuckle; 
At every step you missed 
My right ear scraped a buckle. 



You beat time on my head 
With a palm caked hard by dirt, 
Then waltzed me off to bed 
Still clinging to your shirt.

Grad School Rant Funnies.... I need a laugh after all this shit!



What is a Day Without a Tribute to Bob Marley?





Let's Get Some Music Going.... Enjoy!



Perhaps you can tell from my taste in music I am a young person who hates the crap they play now. I love REAL MUSIC BY REAL ARTIST. Classics... Enjoy one of my fave Janis Joplin songs. 






Thank You!

Thank You for all the wonderful comments and support of my blog! I have had so many page views. I'd like to think I have Google + to thank for that ;-)
So, please keep enjoying my blog and I hope it makes you smile, laugh, get inspired, learn something and relax!
Thank You again to all who have viewed my blog and enjoyed it!


Let's get into some art.... Artist Homage of the Day!

Paul Cezan
1839-1906

Paul CĂ©zanne was a French artist and Post-Impressionist painter whose work laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th-century conception of artistic endeavour to a new and radically different world of art in the 20th century.