Jimmy get's his Doo.

(Photos courtesy of Buffettnews.com)

I've been a parrothead and Jimmy Buffett fan since I saw him in 1978 (see Oct. 14, 2005 blog). It has been said that an artist that lasts a long time, does his best work at the beginning and the end of his/her career. Well Jimmy is proving that again, with all his recent accolades. At almost 60 now, Jimmy has gone from driving a city of Mobile, Alabama work truck, with a clothes hanger keeping the hood from popping up, to being almost as rich as his namesake Uncle "Warren" (no relation to know of). What started this path, was up until 3 or 4 years ago, his 2 1/2 hits (Come Monday, Margaritaville + Cheeseburger in Paradise). Now he just looks crooked and it spits out millions of parrot caged lining dollars! Jimmy just recieived a new award, entering the Nashville Song Writer's Hall of Fame. He used to say something like this, "I've never won any awards for what I've written, but to be here with you (fans) is reward enough!" Well no more of that chum! (I meant in the literal fishfood sense)

He just put out an album "Take the Weather with You" (a great, mellow Crowded House song) and I think this is his best album since Off to See the Lizard! Yes, it is mellow, but that's my bag baby! I imagine listening to his song, Duke's on Sunday, watching 10 foot waves, and eating seafood on a rocky Hawaiian coast. Jimmy has another song, that brought back Sunday afternoons, listening to my Mama sing along with her old LP standards, Whoop De Doo, warms my ticker. So I suggest you all get on board, listen to it, and if you get the chance check out Jimmy's Havana Daydreamin' or A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean or Livin' and Dying in 3/4 Time! To me they are classic Buffett. If you want to know more, post me a note here and I'll direct you to the music that's carried me for about 30 years. Phins up!

Note to Jimmy: "We Went to Paris..... and had to turn around real quicklike!" RunRummer

Green for Red

(photo courtesy of nba.com)

This year I've had some memorable icons pass in my life. As a child from Upton, Massachusetts, I listened to and watched Boston Celtics games. The Celtics of course were successful way before I was born but I thought because they won all the time, that was the way it was supposed to be. Yesterday was another proofing that my expectations and reality are two different things. The mastermind of the Celtics dynasty passed at 89 years old. Arnold "Red" Auerbach was a New England icon. Red helped the Boston organization to a record 16 NBA titles. Whoa is me though, since my oldest son's birth, they haven't won any. 1986 was the last title, and the Celtics haven't been the same, or even close to a championship team, since then. As Red's influence will continue in the world of basketball, I can't help but feel that without Boston Garden, the leaky parquet floor, the baseline trappings, the lights going off during games, the fog during a basketball game, we've lost a lot as Celtic fans. Today I wear green in honor of the Red that demonstrated success, in a man that didn't care that Bill Russell was black, in a man that until recently had won more basketball games than any other coach, and in a man that puffed on a big, fat stogey and looked great doing it! We all long for success in our lives, Red was one of us who will carry that success for all time! Thanks RED!

Suns Rise

I'm so sick of Charles Barkley and the rest of the NBA announcing team putting down the Phoenix Suns! All they have done, without there out of this world player, Amare Stoudamire, is have the 3rd best record in the Western conference, and win two best of seven series (one of them coming down from a 3 games -1 deficit) and have won game 1 against the "predicted" Western conference finalist, Dallas Mavericks. I know it is too early in the series to say Phoenix will win this one, but at least give them their props!!!!!!!! You bastards! Just because TNT didn't like a small guard being the NBA MVP (2 consecutive years), they don't think they can win. Oh yeah, who hit the 3 to go ahead with 8 seconds left? Hmmph! Grit and determination remind me of my Celtics pre-1987! You don't have to be big in the NBA to win, how about smart, ala Jordan, Johnson, Bird? All of them were under 6'9"! Not 7', or weighing 300 pounds! Nash took a team that lost two, let me repeat, three major parts, no wait 4, including Stoudamire, Kurt Thomas, Joe Johnson, and Quentin Richardson. They got Boris Diaw and Raja Bell, castoffs from other teams. How come now they are so good? They get layups, because of a little Canadian guy, who has balls as hard as hockey pucks! Even if the Suns lost this series, or next, they have shown determination beyond their abilities, and persevered through injury and cold shooting. when the Suns shoot 43%, they are always in the game, but they shoot better than that in their sleep! Since Sir Charles has left the NBA. all he does is dog the Suns. I think he doesn't want them to succeed where his teams failed. He should know, being the smallest, toughest rebound leader in the world! He should know how much harder it is for the little guy to make it, especially in a league that is built on giants. Wait until next year, when the Suns have Amare, and oh yeah Kurt Thomas! Defense, size, skill ....Wahoo! How will they be stopped then? We even get the poor Atlanta Hawks number 1 pick in the next two years too!

DaVinci De-Coder Ring

I remember when I was a kid and sent away for a Cap'n Crunch de-coder, man if I knew then that such deciphering could lead to such a controversial film, I wouldn't have focused on writing my sister codes about what was for lunch! I saw the DaVinci code and wanted to share my thoughts. First off it's a frickin story. People think because they see something or hear it, it has truth. The man who wrote it is a man! He has no insight into any other truths than you or I, only supposition and research and than embelishing on that, the possibility. I can see how the Catholic church wouldn't like this, but they have been corrupt enough without a story that includes them. I think the whole issue is not any different than watching "The National Treasure" with Nicholas Cage. I won't get into it's premise, because I liked the story and it kept me guessing. It is clever, but it won't change my faith or belief system. Churches may not like it because it may entice weak minded people to veer from their truths. Man can choose, good or evil, as I said in my earlier review of church, that church isn't about shiny objects, or standing, sitting, kneeling, etc... It is about practicing every thought to make good, honorable, honest and even right choices. It isn't about a shiny cathedral or awesome art work. Think how much churches have spent on structures and property that could solve some of the issues we pray about! Does God care about a shiny cross? He didn't when Moses' followers made that sacred golden cow. God, as I believe, wants us to practice what we preach. WE can talk about doing good, but we need to do it! The movie is one of the better one's I've seen lately in general. I think the fact people might choose to believe it as an awakening of truths, probably also believe in other bizarre philosophies. Maybe Bigfoot or Martians. I used to have an opinion about Jesus' "doubting Thomas", but now I think it makes sense, that all he wanted was to find out truths. Maybe that's what a lot of us are looking for... but then if we knew it all, life would not have it's value, we wouldn't need faith and that's what God + Jesus have asked of us. Faith is believing that not all power is seen. Life's journey is finding the right paths to take and correcting them when we go astray. As far as bloodlines, aren't we all originally from the same bloodlines? Something to ponder I guess!? Enjoy it for what it's worth, a good suspense movie, that may stimulate you to think and find your own answers. Thanks, Mike

Ringer is a Stinger in my ass!

Just watched the movie Ringer. It had a storyline of a guy trying to get money by competing against Special Olympians. Great premise... Not! First off, Special Olympics even endorsed this shit to make people feel "empathy" for it's participants. Bullshit! How much money did they get out of this? The Farrelly Brothers, who have some really funny movies, stepped off the moving bus on this one. They say in the "special" section that they wanted people to appreciate and respect people with disabilities. I'm not stupid! Secondly, most of the speaking parts were fricking bad actors! Not even Special Olympians. The Olympians in there are good in their roles, but I spotted the difference mostly right off. Another thing was how they portrayed people with disabilities. There were parts where a group of them acted mean spirited and some of their quips were plain dumb! There is a difference between having a mental disability and being plain dumb. Dumbness is laziness and an easy cop-out, much like ignorance! I really do believe this could have been better. Do not buy this! Watch Simon Birch or even I Am Sam, but this has two funny parts and that's it! And by the way "As Life Goes On" the TV show, just released in a box set, was ridiculous! Sure it had a high functioning person with Down's Syndrome, but the crap he dealt with and his responses are not typical. It bothers me because realism is truth and when he is saved by a wolf, that kicked it for me. That assumes the Wolf knew he needed help because he was disabled? Aaargh!! That never happens to many "normal" people. If a movie is made to promote a certain population than it shouldn't do so by exploiting it!

Mother's Day 2006

Happy Mother's Day!
I know most of us have had a good Mother's Day, but today was exceptionally hard for me. My Mom passed away two weeks ago and we will have a service for her in Phoenix on May 20th. It's not so hard knowing that my Mom is in a better place, it's knowing I can't hold her in this physical world. When last I saw her, in March, she really was hanging on to see us. From what I understand, she went to bed the next day and never got up. All I can think about is how peaceful she was. She was meek, humble and relaxed, which is totally contradictory to what we knew her to be. My mom's greatest strength was doing things on her own. I cannot remember a time when she wasn't fighting to survive. We never lacked for love and always knew where she stood. I miss hearing her loud laugh and her eyes would smile when her mouth did. I know that it will be okay through time, but I don't have to like it. I love my Mom and hope everyone cherishes their Mom, today and everyday! Love all ways, Mike

Master of What?

Well well! I just finished my final Action Research Proposal to the University of Phoenix online Master's program. After beginning it in February of 2004, It took less than two full years to complete. It ended up costing me quite a bit, financially and personally. I will have no regrets because I strove to complete it, ended with a solid A average and will probably get another Master's, beginning the New Year, because I am sadistic! No, I want to get to the top of my district's payscale before I retire. Yes, retire! Because I've been teaching for 18 years in my district, you add that to your age and that's how many points you have earned for district retirement. I have to date 65 points out of 80. I'd have had 71 points if I hadn't taken my retirement out in the mid-80's, when my district riffed me, and I used the money to buy a house. Things have worked out for the best because now I'm using my last years to get to the top of the scale to increase my retirement benefits. As far as the Master's goes, I have a degree in Technology in Education. It opens up a field of education I am interested in and can finish being a lab tech coordinator or something along the lines with any district! Sale-ability! I love my current job, but I've been in Special Education since I was a Junior in High School. My family would say I should have been in it from 1st grade on! ;) Time is my ally and my enemy at this point of my life. My near future is exciting but there isn't as much left as there used to be.

Going to church!

Some people believe in attending service every Sunday with an organized religon. I do that, sometimes, but I want to share the time I feel the most spiritual and at peace. In my history on this planet, nature is my chapel. An open field in a heavily wooded forest, on top of a rock in the middle of a creek, on the shore of an uninhabited beach, on a mountain overlooking the countryside, and sometimes just listening to meaningful music while driving. These places lead me to clearer thought and self re-evaluation. Being brought up Catholic gave me a bible based history and routine of practicing religion, but it has never been enough to reach into my heart and force change. Granted, I've made a lot of mistakes, but when I get to visit my "church" it opens me up to more truths and honesty than I feel I deserve. Maybe that's "Catholic" guilt, or my mother's voice ringing in my ears. Whatever it is, nature does nurture. Freedom, purity, passion, insight and reflection are tools I need and I don't use them enough. The most perfect religious opportunity I dream of is listening to a sermon in the woods or by the waterside. Simple, clean, and without the "things of man". Songlines are a way for my mind to travel. It gets me out of the corrupt shell of my body and gives me focus. Being Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish, or whatever are not as important to me, as much as if you believe in God, and direct yourself towards doing good and striving to constantly go forward. When I question why are we here, I always come back to reasoning and I do believe we are here for a reason. If science were the only reason for our existence, then why do we have emotion? Why do we love? Why do we create art, or poetry, or songs, or offer help to others in need. These are the types of thoughts I get from my church. I will end this personal sermon with a prayer: Dear Lord of the Ages, Please guide us to treat each other with love, and passion. Forgive us our sins and make us whole. Guide us to the light of truth, honesty and right. Help us to remove the things that way on us daily and turn them into a driving positive nature that leads us to you. Love to all! Mike

Why R U a Parrothead?

It started back in June of 1978. I took this hot chick to see Jimmy Buffett at the Celebrity Theatre. My best friend Dan and I had been listening to Buffett's albums; "Son of a Sailor" and "Changes in Lattitudes" for almost a year and he was coming to town, ticket cost: $13.95. That's 4 hours of work @ Pizza Inn! .... and I needed two tickets! I met this girl @ summer camp and asked if she'd go, and without a hitch she said yeah. Dan and I planned for about a month. At that time the songs we liked were "The Last Line" + "Coast of Marseilles". We always had a penchant for songs that weren't on regular radio. He had his hot date and we planned dinner and after we'd go to Farrell's. I had never been to a concert before, so that may have something to do with it, but Celebrity was it, man it had a rotating stage, tropical plants and even a ship's bell on the stage. The smells, the clothes people were wearing were different than on most dates. Most guys had tropical shirts and women dressed in whatever. I didn't know about concert shirts so I was crappin' that I didn't have enough to get one or any of Buffett's other albums. I also didn't know that there would be lead in entertainment. Danny O'Keefe was great! He sang "Goodtime Charlie's got the Blues", "Magdalena" and "Angel spread your wings"! Some of my all-time favorites. I still listen to them today off of the "Breezy Stories" album, circa 1978. My date had on one of those long peasant dresses, cool, but outdated in '78. She was hot so it didn't matter! I had never smelled some of the smells before, from people tokin' to women's perfumes that lifted my feet off the ground. Buffett came on to the ship's bell and "Son of a Sailor", my son Brandon's fave, and I was taken away to the Carrribean, a place I never thought of before. Hell, until I moved form Massachusetts, I thought Kentucky was the state directly south of New York. He played all the songs we loved, including his first hit "Come Monday". I still like that song after a billion listens! Jimmy had previously broken his leg for the second time in a year, playing softball. He sat on a stool and had long scraggily hair and a huge Mark Twain style 'stache. The women seemd to love him, so why not me! "Cause I loved them! At an intermission he hobbled out and said he was going to sing Happy Birthday, Well, the girl he was singing to was a back-up singer and she and the other singer came out in their birthday suits and kissed him on his cheek! Man, that sealed the deal! Then, not to be outdone this girl in the audience had to share her credentials, which were very impressive, and they shoved a spotlight on her. Heaven was on Earth at that moment! I thought, Hey, I might get laid! My music taste has never been the same, and that helped me start selecting what I liked in music. Screw MTV videos, we had the real thing(s)! Since then I have kept Jimmy from the poor house! I've seen him 11 times at various venues, been to the Vegas Margaritaville 3x, purchased goods at Margartiaville.com and listen to RadioMargaritaville daily. You can listen to it online @: http://radiomargaritaville.com/. The music is quite diverse and the same song isn't played 5 times an hour! Buffett's words and lifestyle are an important part of my life and definitely soothed me through some difficult times! My daughter's name is taken from Jimmy and I know I want to have my last days on this planet, with a rum drink in one hand, a stoggie hanging out the side of my mouth and a fly-rod in the other, in a little skiff, on a salty flat, with the sun lapping off of tiny waves! A Parrothead forever and I just wanted to share the head-onisom with you!

That's Amare' !

Anyone who knows basketball knows who Amare Stoudamire is. The Phoenix Suns young stud just signed a contract for $70 mill. all well and good, so the next day he goes to the doctor for a knee ailment and within 2 more days has surgery that requires 4 months of rehab and healing! I want my money back! I hope that the Sun's stay in contention that long, but most players that have had this surgery in basketball are never the same. Ever hear of Grunt Hill? No, it had nothing to do with the American Revolution! In Phoenix we had hopes of doing it all this year. Now we hope for a chance to slide into the playoffs. The big question here is: Why did the Sun's sign him for that much if they knew he was hurting? or Why did Amare' wait until after he got the cash, when he could have done the surgery before the Summer break? Greed is rampant in pro sports and maybe they should throw away every form of integrity we hold for our sports idols. I think the state of sports reminds me of an old film, rollerball. Character lacks in most superstars and those that have it aren't recognized for it! When I was a kid, I dreamed of the heroics of Brooks Robinson or mammoth homers from Pops Stargell. What does my son see? Athletes with unbelieveable physiques that come form more than working out. I'll rant about steroids another day, but greed is just as bad, because it makes things unfair for those that live by quality standards. Heal well Amare', you have youth on your side, but remember this, you'll only win a title when you put the team first!!!!