Jay Leno Retires

Jay Leno retired.  And honestly I hate to see him go. He was the last bit of class on late night. I kinda like Jimmy Fallon; one is for his band. There is a tuba player in it so I like them. Also, they do play some good music. But the politics. Fallon, like so many others will give the current administration, in my opinion, a pass. They have no problem bashing Republicans, but I want it to be equal. But of course it won’t be.

But I digress. 

I remember the night Johnny Carson retired. I was working late at my store in Columbia.  I knew there was no way I was going to make it home to see it, as it usually took me an hour to get the farm. This was before TiVo, so, I got a motel room, just to make sure I caught Johnny’s last show.

Johnny was the last bit of class-the last true performer. He would do whatever it takes to get a laugh and have a good show. I miss Johnny, Ed and Doc.

No one remembers Doc. I know this as a few years ago I was in a bar with a friend who I hadn’t seen in literally 30 years. So we are having a drink and looking around at this bar. It was in Columbia-so of course it was full of young women-students from the 3 colleges. Anyway, I made the comment that what do two old farts like us have in common with these young girls. I said that I bet none of them even knew who Doc Severnson was. He disagreed. So we took a poll of the bar. Of the 15 customers, 12 didn’t know. 2 had heard of him but only 1 actually knew he was on The Tonight Show.

So I am glad that Jay went out on top, but he will be missed. Letterman, that gapped tooth, brain dead comedian, is not one that I am a fan of. I know, he has a TV show and I don’t. I don’t care. Paul Shaffer is another, who, in my opinion, should just stick to making music and not try comedy.  They are no Johnny and Ed.

Thank you Jay. You did good.

Can singing stop you peeing?

I am in Sales. Which means I am on the road in all kinds of weather; in and out of my car.   So after drinking a large Diet Coke, and the cold air hitting me, I had a typical reaction; in that I had to go pee. Bad. And like right now. So I hurriedly started to drive to a Quick Trip. I was seriously wondering if I was going to make it. So to take my mind off of my situation, I started to sing with a song on the radio. And wonders of wonder; I fought the urge. And yes, I made it in time.

Same day. The afternoon. Just had lunch, another big Diet Coke. Same thing, Cold air. Reaction. I jump in my car and off looking for a bathroom. I start to sing and again, I was able to control myself making it in time to get to a Casey's.

So I am wondering if there is some correlation to singing that you are able to control the pee urge or was it just my voice that forced everything to 'freeze' sorta speak. I don't know. But it helped me.

Yeah, I know. I'm strange.

Awkward & Greek and Kelsey Grammer's daughters...

Started watching "Awkward" an MTV series. I didn't think I'd like as much as I do. It was a bit slow at the beginning, but glad I gave it a chance. It also has one of Kelsey Grammer's daughters in it. I find it ironic that one of the daughters was in another young comedy called "Greek" about college life and this one is about high school life and has one it. But that's not the focus of this entry. In the third season the main female character is in a Creative Writing class and the teacher is Anthony Michael Hall.

That I find funny as he used to be the student in these kind of things; Breakfast Club, 16 Candles...Guess that just shows how old I am.

Like the saying, "It was the best of times it was the worst of times..." The era of my life is so that. My hero's and favorites are people like John Wayne, Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack, John Belushi and the Not-ready-For-Prime-Time Players...Chevy Chase, Ackroyd, Pryor, Sam Kinison... Jim Croce, John Denver, Harry Chapin, Hank Jr..to have read.The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings before the movies... same with all the Trek books, before the franchise took off with TNG. The classic works of science fiction and fantasy, back when it wasn't main stream.

There will come a time in everyone young person's life when they will realize what the old folk meant about the best years of their lives. At least I hope they get that chance. And that they will still be young enough to make the memories that will sustain them through the cold parts of their lives.

Un-told memories that I have that few know...

Among the many things that suck when you are alone, and I mean that in the way of not having someone special in your life, is you can't share a memory. This weekend I was at a state conference for work. They had a  local VFW present the flag and a recorded national anthem. The recording was a modern rendition, nice-but not the 'official' way it is suppose to be played.

As I stood at attention with my hand over my heart, all I could think of was how many times I had played it and could still play it by memory on the tuba right now. But also how Bunch would hit that high note at the end. I can hear it right now and I can see Bunch playing. Hell I can see all of us playing it. Speidel on the trombone, Summers on the clarinet, Beck on drums. Also at the conference my boss gave me, what I consider a good compliment, in that he said I remembered my interaction with people (i.e. I remember why people said yes or no to my sales presentation). I wanted to say its because those times are stressful. And that makes an imprint. The times at Kemper were stressful and the best of my life. Of course I am going to remember them! From the way light reflects off brass, or the smell of certain foods or the sound of the National Anthem or the look of a grass field on a clear day. I remember. And as sweet as those times were-the sour is that I have no one I can tell them to. The people from Kemper know those times. The ones I went to school with, lived them with me. Others have similar stories.

But those times, were my times. And I have no one I can share them with. Those times are what make me who I am, so no one really knows the layers. I could have taken a friend to this event, but the significant others were the guests and no one fits in that category for me. Also, unless you are in the biz, it can get long since you have no idea what is going on or who these people are or why people are making so, much, noise.

Another thing; the Kansas City Chief cheerleaders were also there. Very attractive, very energetic, very smiling, very young ladies. A credit to that organization. And yet, all I could think of was the time at the Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis, where the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders were also there. I remember riding in the elevator with Bernhardt and some of them. Nothing happen. No one spoke, there was absolutely zero interaction. And yet I remember Bernhardt standing next to me along with an elevator full of those cheerleaders. and when they walked out we followed. To say we were in a daze was understatement.

And lastly they had some men and women doing the hula and Hawaiian dancing. The big trip for meeting a certain goal is to go to Hawaii. I remember a May day;(actually more than one) that was hot. The smell of fresh cut grass. The crowd of people. And the scent of flowers from the leis that the island guys and girls got from their parents for graduation and commissioning. And the fact that I was made an honorary Hawaiian by them. Not a howley. I remember their smiles, the hugs and the strong handshakes. And their friendship, which to me is the most important thing in my life.Things like that. Moments like that.I keep; seemingly ready to burst forth at times; to explode on people unexpectedly. Too soon. Too soon.

To me Hell is not remembering. I guess that's why I went through what I did at the beginning of my life, as those memories help me through the last part of my life.

About Last Night the 1986 version

I watched "About Last Night" with Rob Lowe and Demi Moore. I forgot how much I enjoyed this movie and the music. Lowe and Moore looked so young. But Lowe still looks young even today. Demi doesn't look like she was in '86 but she still looks good. 

They are remaking this in 2014. Its not exactly like it was in 86, but hey, neither am I. I also am looking at this through rose colored glasses and at that time in my life, it was Eden.

Still the story is good; Moore, Lowe, Belushi and Perkins are great. Boy meets girl. They immediately fall in love. They have problems. They split up. They get back together at the end. The music, as I said is definitely of that time. Belushi is the typical woman chasing character, but lovable never-the-less. I just love the ending where she is riding off into the sunset with Lowe chasing after her.

I know, I am sucker for a happy ending, and there was definitely chemistry between the two.

I miss that time in my life. But, we all grow. I am glad I have the chance to revisit those times through music and movies.

I love Kansas City!

I finally figured out why I love Kansas City so much.

Yes, it's a great town. Big city with a small town feel. The West! Bar-b-que, steak, cowboys. But for me, when I was a kid, we would travel to KC during the holidays. When I was at Kemper, we would come up for special events; parades, the American Royal, concerts, ball games. Things like that.

I remember my first concert; it was at the American Royal. I remember seeing Crystal Gail. I made it to near the stage when she sang "Don't it Make My Brown Eyes, Blue" and all the flash bulbs going off, her long hair and her voice. Not to mention before we had paraded in Kansas City and also presented the colors. I remember my friend Webb taking pictures of her and him giving me one. Then the long bus ride back.

Also the Shrine Circus and lights popping there also. Like miniature suns exploding in the darkness of night.

I remember seeing the Royals play the Texas Rangers.

I remember going to Worlds of Fun for senior night, and hanging with Miner. And meeting some girls that we hooked up with for the rest of the time there. The Scream Roller and the view of the skyline.

All of these and more; Christmas lights, Thanksgiving with family, the travel to and from the farm, stopping at Nickerson's Farm and then when I was old enough; for me to drive up here on my own. Quick Trip, which hadn't made it to Columbia was a big deal I thought. The different malls. Oak Park Mall. Blue Ridge Mall was still here and Crown Center was a still new. Leaving KCI for any trips-there was n o t h i n g out there at that time.

The radio stations which I could barely get in mid-Missouri. At that time AM was still big: 610 was WDAF, 710 was WHB and 810 was KCMO. The same for the TV stations. I always loved channel 41 KSHB and there was channel 5 and 9 which was KCMO I believe. And Dick Wilson. To me that man was Kansas City. Glad to hear him on 94.9 KCMO which plays the oldies, but at the time that was the music I loved and still do! Hope to eventually get an autographed picture of him someday, preferably me shaking his hand.

All of this and more make Kansas City very special to me. Those memories are some of the best times of my life. They add up to many reasons why I love Kansas City.

More than 30 years and a lifetime ago.

While at Kemper, in my officer years, I had access to my car. Since I knew many of the young teenagers in Boonville, and my reputation was solid (in that I could be trusted) I would haul them around. These were my 'little sisters' and I figured having me around kept some of the guys in check. 

Anyways, there was this diner; I remember going there for breakfast on the weekends. I also remember there was a waitress, cute, who I would playful give a hard time too. I guess I was flirting with her, but didn't think too much of it until one day, when I was riding with a friend and they got out to talk to some people. One of them was this girl. She leaned and looked at me and I looked back and we both said "YOU!"

She got in and we talked for a while. It was like out of a movie. I wish I had flirted more with her as she was cute. Found out later she was the daughter of the owner of the diner. 

Still, it's a memory that makes me smile. Both of the time in my life and of the girl.