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Rain on a Tin Roof

I'm sitting outside just at dusk on my back porch listening to the gentle rain fall on the roof of the house and on the leaves in the trees and patter down onto the ground. In the twilight a beautiful Cardinal flew down from somewhere and sat on a limb right in front of me.  His colors seemed to have a neon glow in the fading light.
It made me think of my Granpa, born in 1905, and how he used to tell me stories of his childhood.  He said there was nothing better than listening to a gentle rain on a tin roof of the old farmhouse they lived in and falling asleep, sometimes even out on the screened in "sleeping porch" where people often slept in the summer because it was cooler than in the house. 
Light at night was from the fireplace and a coal-oil  or kerosene lantern, the bathroom was the outhouse across the way which may have treacherous things in the path at night like spiders and snakes and skunks etc. 
They lived central Texas and as kids he and his older brother would sometimes be sent into the little town for supplies from the general store which of course had the candy jar on the candy from which a prize piece or two of candy might be bought for a few pennies.
The horse named "Mack" would pull the wagon and their dog "Ring" would ride or run along.  I remember him telling me how one time they stopped and killed a huge snake, probably a rattle snake or copperhead by throwing rocks at it.  By the time they came back from town that afternoon- it took most of the day to go to town and back- the snake had been picked clean by the buzzards.

So, sitting on my back porck looking out at the twilight and gentle rain, all of the memories came back to me.
He told of such a simpler slower time. 

I can't imagine sending my 9 year old child alone for more than a few blocks away at most nowdays, but they were gone all day to town with the horse and buggy and no one had a thought that they might not come back because of something/someone bad coming their way.

So, take time to enjoy the gentle rain, and see if you can go to a kinder gentler place for a moment in memory ...
Thanks Granpa for sharing that simpler gentler time with me.

Michael Jackson- remembering 1 year later

Watch the 2 videos embedded below and remember with me.

I was 10 years old when Elvis died.  I did not know his music at the time, but what I remember is all the radio stations playing Elvis all day long.
My son was 8 when Michael Jackson died.  He did not really know of MJ at the time, but like me as a child, I think that he too will remember the day that TV played MJ videos back-to-back all day long.

So, here we are one year after MJ's death.  Maybe, like myself, you too have some mixed feelings about him.  But, who can forget the first time you saw the Moonwalk? Or the Thriller video?

And btw, if you have not see his movie "This Is It"... it's a must-see.  You will see that the stories of him being sick, weak, out of touch are just not true.

Link to my previous blog about "what if" MJ had been on American Idol.  http://pixelrichblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/if-michael-jackson-in-american-idol-as.html

Watch and Remember with me. click vid box below to play. double-click for full view in youtube.
First Vid is from last years filming of MJ for "This is It"

Remebering WHY

Remember why we have a Memorial Day?  Remember someone you know/ knew that served in the military.

For love of country they accepted death...

~President James A. Garfield

And I'm proud to be an American

where at least I know I'm free.

And I won't forget the men who died,

who gave that right to me.

~Lee Greenwood

Hang Memorial Day wreath on Facebook 2010

Please hang a wreath on Facebook for Memorial Day in rememberance of our soldiers and our freedom!
http://apps.facebook.com/memorialdaywreath/?app=wreath&publish_id=609788020&ref=mf

Hang a wreath on Facebook for Memorial Day 2010

Asking 5 million people to hang a Memorial Day wreath on their Facebook profile to honor fallen soldiers.
http://apps.facebook.com/memorial_day_wreath/

Chemistry when people meet -Carl Jung

The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.
Carl Jung Swiss psychologist (1875 - 1961)


I must say that my wife has transformed my life. There is nothing like finding your soul mate. If you're single, and think that marriage is bad, you've just not found the right person.

If you've had a child of your own you will also know this kind of "chemistry" that special connection you feel instantly.
How anyone could ever mistreat or abuse their own child is beyond me, but that's another subject for another day.

He always ended the new broadcast on CBS television nightly news by saying, "And that's the way it was, (insert the date)".

His was the face and voice America trusted. Because of him broadcasters became known as "anchors" and in some countries he is so linked to the job and style that they are called "Cronkiters".

40 years ago the country listened to his voice while men landed on the moon.
Who will we remeber telling us about the next man on the moon?

NO one most likely. We won't know how we found out.

We get news from faceless, voiceless websites more often than not or even a "tweet" from Twitter or a text from a news source like CNN or Fox.

Cronkite and televison was the latest thing, the trendsetter of his day.

He was the "text" or "tweet" or "status update" at that time.
Oh well... I'll remember. Maybe you will too.

R.I.P.

if Michael Jackson on American Idol as contestant

What if... Michael Jackson had been on American Idol B4 he "was" MJ.
With some actual AI quotes added.

*********************
Dawg!! (smiling) OK! OK! ok!
(cheers delay)

“Dawg pound, we got a hot one tonight!”
“You took a song that everyone knows and made a cool alternative version"

Let me say.. It was too theatrical for me...
but overall very hot babee!!

( prolonged cheering now)

“You could sing the phone book!!!”

(dawg pound chanting in background- bad, bad, really really, I'm bad!)
--Randy
　
　**********
Uuummm… Like, wow. Wow!
Can I … I just wanna’ cum up there… and…grab your crotch for you!

(Paula’s standing ovation--
panting out of breath, lip quivering slightly, ,hair a bit tussled, chest heaving and shimmering, and bleary-eyed**
Looking like she just woke at climax of a wet dream - - -
you know the look).

--*-( camera abrupt switch from full shot to cam zoomed on face- away from her hand heading toward her chest - we saw it anyhow)

I loved it. America loved it. We luv BAD BOYZ-and I love you. I just love you. I LOVE the outfit, did you do your own hair and makeup? GREAT dancing! And, I love the shoes!
I’m gonna’ take you home and keep you. Can I take you home? I LUV you!

(breathing slowing down a bit- beads of sweat now visible on forehead and cleavage).

Wow! that was..uh SEXY! Can I say that on TV?
what? ...
OH SHUT UP SIMON!! I DID like the dancing!
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT DANCING ANYHOW SIMON? (sluggin’ him)
I'VE CHOREOGRAPHED for EVERYONE ON MTV.
He did nothing wrong!
I’VE BEEN GRABBING MY CROTCH IN PUBLIC FOR YEARS!

(camera pans audience for producers fear she will demonstrate the crotch-grab on herself).

BEST performance of the night.
I think you will be the next “Michael Jackson“...

(leaning over talking to Randy now- cleavage and boobs going everywhere)
what? what?? (more mumbling and pauses) oh... ok.

Oh!! oh THAT's Michael Jackson! oops.. heeeheee
I thought we were talking about the next performance in the show.
Thanks Randy ;) hehehehee

(flashes big smile and a little bounce and licks lips while flipping her hair causing producers to hope they don’t have a wardrobe malfunction with her bustier).

I DID think it was just great. I love you.
And I want to encourage you to just keep on doing what you do, and as for that little thing about the kids...
"I think it would be great if there were no age limit".

(silence and confusion from the audience now)
xoxox
Paula

***************

(after some time glaring at Paula)

Paula. Paula. Paula! It's a SINGING competition. What's all this nonsense about hair and makeup and dancing and kids?!

Well, first of all, "I couldn't wait for it to end".
I have to agree with Randy- it WAS theatrical. I mean, reeeally-This is a singing competition after all.

"It was like something out of 'The Addams Family.' Tonight's theme is Halloween."

I mean, what do you think this is? a "thriller-movie” set??!
America doesn't want to hear a song about "zombies".
Or watch dancing zombies for that matter!

(hissing from the crowd)

Oh I KNOW RANDY! I know it's about the “virtues” of being a bad-ass, gangbanger, thug!

---(Randy-"Simon- that's not what"--)
and.. and, and! AND!!!

"I actually thought the dancing was a bit desperate."

(is crowd now chanting “go home Simon“ ?)

"That WAS your worst performance by a mile."

(mumbling) ... what?!.. whatever Paula! You can have him after the show is over…

Which, however, may be better than last week and that horrid performance of BILLIE JEAN!

(crowd chanting grows louder)

... and what's with that, that THING you did laast week...
what did you call it? a "moonwalk" ? REALLY?!?! cum on!

(many boo's and cat calls ensue delaying the show-
possible projectiles in the air)

Whatevearh! America agrees with me!!!
“Worst performance of the night!”

"I think this is gonna be the last week where we're gonna see you."
　
--Simon Cowell