Showing posts with label birthdays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label birthdays. Show all posts
Friday, November 26, 2021
Monday, December 28, 2015
Robert Ruark At 100
Tomorrow - - Tuesday - - would have been North Carolina author Robert Ruark's 100th birthday.
I only discovered Ruark a few years ago, but his The Old Man and the Boy and The Old Man's Boy Grows Older have quickly earned a place on my shelf of favorite books. They are a pure distillation of nostalgia for his upbringing in coastal North Carolina, specifically the Cape Fear region around Wilmington. I've spent a lot of time down there myself, seeing some of what Ruark saw, although the area is far more developed than he would recognize these days. He'd probably recognize the area around Fort Fisher, though, and maybe shake hands with descendants of people he fished with off of the Kure Beach fishing pier, and once into a boat and away from the crowds on shore he'd probably be quite happy revisiting the marshes, islands and beaches of the Cape Fear area. If you've never read The Old Man and the Boy, you're missing a great coming-of-age story and a primer on how to be a good man, even if Ruark himself often ignored the advice his grandfather gave him.
I only discovered Ruark a few years ago, but his The Old Man and the Boy and The Old Man's Boy Grows Older have quickly earned a place on my shelf of favorite books. They are a pure distillation of nostalgia for his upbringing in coastal North Carolina, specifically the Cape Fear region around Wilmington. I've spent a lot of time down there myself, seeing some of what Ruark saw, although the area is far more developed than he would recognize these days. He'd probably recognize the area around Fort Fisher, though, and maybe shake hands with descendants of people he fished with off of the Kure Beach fishing pier, and once into a boat and away from the crowds on shore he'd probably be quite happy revisiting the marshes, islands and beaches of the Cape Fear area. If you've never read The Old Man and the Boy, you're missing a great coming-of-age story and a primer on how to be a good man, even if Ruark himself often ignored the advice his grandfather gave him.
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Happy Thanksgiving!
A blessed Thanksgiving to all of my readers. As it happens occasionally, it is also my birthday - - 54th, to be exact. Here's a photo of the 54-year old fatman:
I make the skull beads in my hatband from the teeth of my enemies, incidentally. ;-)
I make the skull beads in my hatband from the teeth of my enemies, incidentally. ;-)
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Happy Birthday To...
...Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, 70 years old today, and not looking a day over 160.
Tuesday, September 03, 2013
Happy Birthday...
...to Mort Walker, creator of the comic strip Beetle Bailey. Mr. Walker is 90 years old today.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Friday, February 22, 2013
Wednesday, July 04, 2012
Can Anyone Point Me To...
...a Leftist blog that mentions Independence Day without also mentioning: slavery, war, genocide, imperialism, exploitation? You know, the usual Leftist complaints about why the USA is such a terrible country? I'd appreciate it. Note: posts on leftist blogs that have a time stamp after the time stamp shown on this blog post don't qualify.
Happy Birthday, America, from an ignorant, racist redneck yahoo clinging bitterly to guns and religion.
Happy Birthday, America, from an ignorant, racist redneck yahoo clinging bitterly to guns and religion.
Friday, April 13, 2012
This Would Have Been...
...Christopher Hitchens's birthday.
Rest In Peace, Christopher. I guess you know by now whether there really is an afterlife or not.
Rest In Peace, Christopher. I guess you know by now whether there really is an afterlife or not.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Happy Birthday...
...to Slaid Cleaves.
If you've never heard Slaid before, give a listen:
He sings a lot of what I'd call bummer songs, in which never is heard an encouraging word. That last video was about a divorce, here's one about dead miners:
This last one is about a gambler who's so far down on his luck that he plead for "just one good year" to get himself back on his feet:
These are three of my favorite Slaid Cleaves songs. Slaid's an acquaintance, I've seen him in concert a few times; he puts on a great show, usually travelling with just a guitar player; he plays guitar himself, too.
Give a listen. I think you'll like it.
If you've never heard Slaid before, give a listen:
He sings a lot of what I'd call bummer songs, in which never is heard an encouraging word. That last video was about a divorce, here's one about dead miners:
This last one is about a gambler who's so far down on his luck that he plead for "just one good year" to get himself back on his feet:
These are three of my favorite Slaid Cleaves songs. Slaid's an acquaintance, I've seen him in concert a few times; he puts on a great show, usually travelling with just a guitar player; he plays guitar himself, too.
Give a listen. I think you'll like it.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Happy Birthday To...
...the electric guitar known as the Fender Telecaster, now celebrating its 60th year.
I had one back in the 80's that I bought in Norfolk; an ash-bodied instrument with a translucent white paint job that was reminiscent of a fat woman with varicose veins. I sold it a few years later in Spain. Great guitar for a clean sound, it wasn't very cooperative at giving a dirty or distorted sound, at least until I attached a fuzzbox to it.
I had one back in the 80's that I bought in Norfolk; an ash-bodied instrument with a translucent white paint job that was reminiscent of a fat woman with varicose veins. I sold it a few years later in Spain. Great guitar for a clean sound, it wasn't very cooperative at giving a dirty or distorted sound, at least until I attached a fuzzbox to it.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
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