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Posts Tagged ‘music’

Home on the Range?

Posted in Lifes Observations, tagged , , , , , on August 11, 2022| 6 Comments »

Taken at Glacier National Park

I am tired, tired of everyone being offended by everything. We have become so politically correct, so sensitive to each and every comment that we are seriously stunting our own growth. Frankly I’ve given up, If you are offended by something I’ve said, I apologize I don’t mean to be offensive I can’t keep up. Besides I’m beginning to realize if you are offended by something I’ve said, chances are its a ‘you’ problem and not necessarily a ‘me’ problem.

Political correctness is not what this blog is about. So we can all take a collective breath and I’ll keep writing while you keep reading. So what is my point? We should be correcting the things in society that is actually wrong, not perceived to be wrong, not to try to erase or rewrite history. But change the wrongs that we can actually change. Who is with me?

Taken just outside of Yellowstone National Park 2022

In 1870’s Brewster M. Higley wrote, ‘Home on the Range’ to celebrate the beauty of the Great Plains of Smith County, Kansas. Home on the Range was actually a poem which Daniel Kelly set to music.

I’m sure you can all sing along as I type;

“Oh give me a home where the Buffalo roam Where the deer and the antelope play Where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the skies are not cloudy all day”

These lyrics are simply wrong, and nobody seems to care and frankly that offends me. So lets get the record straight. Buffalo are not found naturally anywhere in the USA. Buffalo’s never, ever roamed the plains in Kansas. If you are seeing Buffalo you are either in South Asia watching water buffalo or Africa watching the Cape buffalo. What one finds in the Western states are Bison! But it doesn’t end there my friends, oh no! Antelope don’t live on the Western plains either. Like the Buffalo, Antelope live in Africa. There are people who call the pronghorn an American Antelope but those people are wrong. Pronghorns are the one and only living member of their family. Their closest relatives are goats and antelope but alas the pronghorns are on their own.

Pronghorns in Custer State Park 2021
Custer State Park 2021

So where does that leave us? In keeping with current trend we must eradicate the old song, burn every copy wipe out any existence of poem or song in all its many renditions and rewrite.

Everybody now!

“Oh give me a home where the bison roam and the deer and the pronghorns play. Where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the skies are not cloudy all day”.

Doesn’t take much does it?

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Blinded By The Light…

Posted in humour, Lifes Observations, tagged , , , , , on December 4, 2017| 3 Comments »

It is hard enough finding motivation to write.  So it is really frustrating when I want to write and cannot come up with a topic.  That said, here are some random thoughts buzzing around in my head.

Who decided the current toilet paper roll dimensions? Was there some sort of committee?  I’m not complaining, they did an excellent job, I’m just curious as to how it all came about.

The original Smurfs, there were 100 of them and only three are women. Makes you wonder what goes on in those mushroom shaped houses.

In the chilrdens’ rhyme “This Little Piggy” You know, the one usually counted out on an infant’s toes?   The rhyme starts out ‘This little piggy went to market’.  Only recently I learned that first piggy did not go shopping!  I’m still trying to ‘process’.

Elves, can we come to some sort of agreement?  Are they beautiful mystical creatures that strive for a peaceful way of life but when pushed become fearsome protective warriors?  Or are they pudgy little bumbling toy and cookie makers?  Seems the closest we can all agree on is they have pointy ears.

I am 52 years old, I have been listening to Meatloaf for the majority of my life.  I’ve finally figured out what all three things are in Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad.  Yes, sometimes I am a little slow.

Speaking of Lyrics:

“And she was blinded by the light, oh cut loose like a deuce another runner in the night….”

I am settling this for once and for all.  In New Jersey, the home town of Bruce Springsteen ‘Cut loose like a deuce’ refers to a break up.  So she broke up with her boyfriend and ran home.  I understand that the lyrics were changed by another,  to revved up like a deuce, so everyone thought the lyrics referred to the Ford Deuce Coupe. By everyone I’m referring to the 0.2 percent of the listening population who understood the lyrics unlike the rest of us who thought he was calling somebody a douche.

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Yup It’s a Renfaire

Posted in Lifes Observations, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 10, 2012| 3 Comments »

We try to go to the Pa Renaissance fair every year or at least every other year.  I won’t get into all the details because you can check them out here.  There are many shows to watch including magicians, jugglers, story tellers, musicians, singers, bawdy and comedy acts.  There are interesting shops to wander through, a few old time rides, for an additional coin of the realm (US Greenbacks) you can even ride an elephant. The human chess match between the Queen of England and the King of Scotland is not to be missed, and of course one does not want to miss the Royal Joust. There are endless food stalls selling everything from Turkey legs to bacon on a stick, Deep fried Oreos to Scotch egg eating competitions.  And then there are the costumes,  some are simply amazing and others, well others are just interesting but I like to see them all from those who are paid to be at the faire and those who fork over the $30.00 for the privilege to attend.

When you remove all the glitter, glamour and glitz it is simply the nerdiest place on earth.  A place where nerds from far and wide come to congregate, to drink and make merry where the Trekkies manage to blend in with the twihearts and the elves mingle with the crusaders.   A magical place where a 40 year old Harry Potter can sit with a 60 year old Robin Hood and both be served by the same tavern wench who wears a flint lock pistol on one hip and a sword on the other.

But just when you didn’t think it could get much nerdier it does.  We were heading off to see the falconer, along the way we noticed three teenage boys sitting at a picnic table playing dungeons and dragons!  Really boys, did your mom kick you out of the basement?

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Play that music

Posted in Lifes Observations, tagged , , , , on July 14, 2010| 6 Comments »

 

For the past 10 years we have been passing this old abandoned, dilapidated house on the side of the highway.  The windows were all gone, the walls were buckling and the roof was sagging.  Each morning I’d look at it as we passed by and wondered why it was still there.

About a year ago the house finally caved in, it was a slow painful collapse.  One day part of the roof caved in, a few days later a portion of a wall came down.  In all it took about two months to get to the point you now see in the photo.   You could see where the stairs were along the back wall, the main room and an upright piano.   Perhaps it is  because when I was growing up we always had at least one (if not three) piano’s in the house, for me that piano made that dilapidated old house a home.  People cried there, they laughed there, lived, played and sang there. And now it just sits and rots open to the elements and the critters.  Each day it is fading slowly into nothingness.  If I thought it was safe I would be tempted to wait until dark sneak on over and play a note to see if any sound came out, perhaps a little song just for old-time sake.  Heck if I had a truck and space I would be tempted to steal it away and breathe some life into, it. I just can’t help but think that old upright deserves a little more respect.   

We have a really nice old upright piano that we never play.  The last person to play it was my Dad and that was a few years ago.  Because we never play it, and our house isn’t that big we are always looking to sell it, although I would rather just give it away to somebody who would appreciate it and treat it with respect.  Never would I let something that has the potential to give so much to so man sit and rot.

   

piano is in circle click picture to make larger

 

 

 

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