Wednesday, January 30, 2008

John & Elizabeth - a class act

I was saddened to hear this morning that John Edwards was bowing out as a presidential candidate. If he had ever been able to rise to the level of a serious contender to insure that we don't have another 4 years of Republican rule (if only for the Supreme Court nominees), I would have supported him in a heartbeat.

When I heard this morning that he was throwing in the towel I first thought it was to give his supporters time to mull it over and cast a meaningful vote in the upcoming "Super Tuesday" primary elections. After some mulling that over, I realized that while that supposition makes some sense it doesn't explain his exit. He had contended all along that he was going to the convention with his delegates, in the hope that he could broker a better future.

No, I sadly concluded that the real reason is Elizabeth. She is dying of cancer. You all may have forgotten, or never tuned into it, but back just after John declared, it was revealed that Elizabeth's cancer had surged back from remission and was ultimately terminal, but that the end date was unpredictable, abliet certain. I think people forgot this, but I didn't. I admired her choice to let her husband run for president, knowing that even if he succeeded, she would not live to see the full promise fulfilled.

I don't mean to bring folks down by this post. It's just that I have had WAY TO MANY dear friends succumb to cancer, including my own brother, so I am very familiar with all the jargon and am able to translate it to the real prognosis.

I believe that once John realized that he could not get the nomination, even though he might have been able to be a mover and shaker at the convention, he decided to withdraw to be able to spend his time with his wife until she dies. I truly hope I am full of shit on this, but I will not be surprised to wake up one morning in the next year and read that Elizabeth died of cancer. If that heartbreaking turn of events actually happens, all of you should hearken back to this post and give a sincere tribute to John for his decision.

~ Sadly,

Tom

Monday, January 28, 2008

Poetry

Some of my favorite people, and my best friend, are poets. I have a deep empathy with them, which includes their frustration about the fact that few people read poetry on a regular basis. In that regard I am ashamed to admit that, while not as bad as the mass of transgressors, I do not read enough poetry. I know I should, but I just don't seem to be able to get around to it. In view of the first sentence of this post, it should be obvious that my shame is genuine.

Anyway, there was a very interesting review in Sunday's S.F. Chronicle touching on the subject. I think I will order the book. Maybe reading a prose book on poetry will help me view poetry as a forethought rather than an afterthought.

I loved a quote by Carlos Santana at the Grammys a few years back when he won a lot of awards. He said something like, "Listen to John Coltrane every day." I say, read some poetry every day.

T.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Prick up your ears, installment 6 - SiA & Downtempo

I'll admit it, I am a fan of the music genre often called "Downtempo." While I have never liked most rap music, for some reason downtempo really appeals to me. Massive Attack, Portishead, Lamb, Morcheeba, Hooverphonic and the like are very cool on the whole. My favorite downtempo group is Zero 7, featuring SiA, the definitive downtempo singer.

SiA has a new album out, "Some People Have Real Problems," that I listened to for the first time yesterday on my walk with my dog. I LOVE this album. SiA gets to show us that she is far more diverse that her signature, laconic, slurry delivery -- this girl can sing. My "Allmusic" link to the album reveals that their critic does not agree with me. I guess I'm just one of those people he describes as:
"Sia is exactly the sort of artist a middle-aged Starbucks devotee who wants to remain at least tangentially hip would flock to: if Amy Winehouse did yoga instead of Jack Daniels, she'd sound a lot like Sia.
I'm guilty, but feeling zero shame about it. SiA simply makes me feel really, really good. What's not to like about that? Oh, could have have a Mocha Grande please?

~ Tom

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Getting nervous

Remember my prediction a few posts ago that we will bring some sort of military action against Iran within 30 days, and that I hoped I was wrong? Well this blurb from today's Associated Press is not making me rest easy in that regard:
In Abu Dhabi on Sunday, President Bush said Iran "defies the United Nations and destabilizes the region by refusing to be open and transparent about its nuclear programs and ambitions." Calling the country the "world's leading state sponsor of terror," he urged Arab nations to join with the U.S. to confront the danger "before it's too late."
Well I urge you all to "confront the danger" of this idiot and his cronies "before it's too late." Call, email or write your senators and congressman and tell them you won't stand for another resolution like they served up for Iraq.

~ tom

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Jazz Tube

This blog was inspired by "Birth of the Cool." Well here is a VERY cool discovery for jazz fans, especially those of us who have a deep love and reverence for Trane. When you're down, depressed, or just feelin' punk, fire up this site and get the gospel from Trane and his cohorts.

T.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Hillary pulls it off...

Well, in view of my post of a few hours ago, I feel somewhat sheepish. Despite all the polls, including her own internal polls, Hillary won in New Hampshire. I tip my cap, and slink back to my lair. I'm still rooting for Obama, but I'll vote for Hillary in a heartbeat if she is the nominee. However, I'm still pissed at Bill!

Insantiy on the horizon

You read it here...

We will take some sort of military action against Iran within the next 30 days.

I fervently hope that I am wrong.

~ Tom

The unspoken perspective...

I have been elated to see the Obama phenomenon (this is being written even before the polls close in New Hampshire).

However, I have been bothered about my visceral rejection of Hillary in the process. When such inexplicable feelings intrude, I always try to figure out the so-called "deeper meaning" of those feelings.

Well, I figured it out. It all stems from Bill and Monica, but it's deeper than you might think. Of course I was, and still am, highly pissed at Bill for his stupidity for getting into an illicit relationship with an intern to the level at which he would be blowing his wad onto her dress. People are afraid to talk about it because Bill is a supposed icon these days, but his little exercise with Monica cost Gore the election in 2000. If you don't agree, just think of how things would have gone if Bill had never done what he did, including getting impeached, and Gore had been able to run on that record with Bill at his side. Get the point?

That's all pretty obvious, but, you say, why take that out on Hillary? Here comes the "unspoken" part: because she did not divorce the guy, or at least publicly trash him and make him come crawling back after a couple of years. Instead she capitulated and forgave way to early and easily.

I am not a moralist, uptight guy. But, based on my work and my life experiences, I recognize in Hillary the weakness and character defects I've seen in countless battered women who willingly go back to their own private hell. Take any variation of that motif and apply it to Hillary, and you'll get a positive match. My point is that how can she claim that she is going to be tough and discriminating as President in the face of her abject failure to do so in real life. You may disagree, but every time I see Bill actively participating in her campaign I winch and get pissed. I would be more impressed with Hillary if she had publicly banned him from him from participating.

This is not to say that private forgiveness is not to be encouraged. But, people understand that there are PUBLIC prices that have to be paid: witness, Imus getting kicked off his radio show even though it was the highest revenue-pr0ducing show that his network had. Sure he has come back now, but only after paying heavy public dues, which Bill has not paid in the Hillary context.
Sorry about the rambling nature of this post, but I realize I must publish it "as is" before I start editing it to make it less shrill.

~ Tom

Friday, January 4, 2008

Reel Geezers

Check out this web site, which is described in today's San Francisco Chronicle.

Who are the geezers?
Lorenzo is actually Lorenzo Semple, 84. One of Hollywood's top screenwriters in the 1970s, he helped write movies for virtually every star of the day, notably Warren Beatty ("The Parallax View"), Robert Redford ("Three Days of the Condor"), Steve McQueen ("Papillon") and Paul Newman ("The Drowning Pool"). His foil is Marcia Nasatir, 81, a longtime agent, pioneering female production executive and producer of such films as "The Big Chill" and "Hamburger Hill."

Hope I can do something this cool if I make it to 80. Check out.

~ tom

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Impending age

I'm coming up on 64 (will you still love me) in March. I was out walking Spenser in the rain today when I realized that I am appreciating and being grateful for things now that I would have never even brought onto my radar scope at earlier ages in my life.

This in turn rekindled a memory of a good woman friend of mine, probably now in her seventies, who when she turned 50 told me that it was her favorite birthday thus far. She explained that her mind had "matured" to the point where the quality of her "life-filter" had markedly improved, while her body was still at a physical level that allowed her to experience her matured perceptions on all levels, including physical.

At that time (I was probably late 30's), while loving this person very much, I viewed her observations as the rationalizations of the aging -- getting old was going to be a bummer. Now that I am well past that time on my own life path, I know EXACTLY what she was talking about. It is so nice to finally know what I really enjoy or do not enjoy in life, and just do it, or not do it, without pressure, guilt, or any sort of remorse. That freedom really makes me feel grateful and fulfilled. However, along with that I realize that a large part of my joy stems from the equally great gift of having been able to maintain my physical prowess at an acceptable level.

I can still ski, jog, take long bike rides, walk my dog for 5+ miles, work out at the gym and so on. Even so, I can feel those powers inevitably waning, which certainly brings a tinge of sadness into the mix.

But isn't that what I've heard all my life in song and prose? In my case: Wouldn't it have been great to have had my 63-year-old-mind in my 20-year-old-body or vice versa! It didn't happen then and it'll never happen now, so I'm just enjoying each day on its own terms.

~ tom