When I was a teen I was DYING to see Easy Rider. But I was too young to get in without a parent. “No problem.” said Pam, an older high school friend. She was one grade ahead of me in school, but in terms of life experiences (of the boy-girl kind), light years. She got [...]
There’s a guy named Jason who has a business wearing other people’s T-shirts. It’s an on-line marketing type of service called www.iwearyourshirt.com. He’s been doing it a couple of years. Apparently it’s a lucrative job. He sells each day of the year in a sliding scale. January 1st costs $1.00. January 2nd costs $2.00 and [...]
Here’s how shocking becomes NOT shocking: Ninety-seven years ago today, a ballet created by the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky was unleashed to an unsuspecting Parisian audience. The French audience was used to ballets like Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker Suite—music described as elegant and beautiful. Rite of Spring sounded nothing like those other [...]
WOW—what’s with all the hate for the new Sex and the City movie? The critics’ reviews are scathing. So are many of the internet posts. I don’t know what buttons this movie pushed for people, but it sure has generated some nasty comments. I don’t get it. I LIKED the movie. I even liked Liza [...]
My New Year’s Resolution for 2010 was to go cold turkey to end my addiction to American Idol. I kept this resolution—sort of. I did not watch the show on TV. But I did watch some of the performances online and posted comments on the Idol Chatter blog (of USA Today). Luckily this season’s group [...]
[Part 1 of a 2-Part Series] Chris Rock’s documentary about how black people get “good hair” is terrific—hilarious, interesting, creative, and insightful. I had a hair-raising life, as I grew upon hair. My Mom was a hairdresser almost her entire adult life. She worked as an independent operator. She set her own hours but [...]
I dreaded wasting my Saturday—and a sunny-n-breezy day to boot—sitting in a classroom at Cabrillo College. I need my Saturdays for chores and errands—or if I blow those off, for catching up on reading or sleeping, or strolling along the beach, or hiking in the foothills, or doing anything but sitting on my rear in [...]
Today’s Random Jambalaya has a Happy theme: Gay Gay Gay—Yeah Yeah Yeah! I figure if more people talk about the gay issue in America, the quicker it will become a non-issue. In other words, “gay” won’t matter. In keeping with the happy and gay theme, Happy Birthday to Harvey Milk. Today would have been his [...]
I have a theory: everything’s connected. Not in the deep philosophical-psychological- sociological-ecological sense (although that probably is true). I’m talking about average everyday instances. In a weird convoluted way, I can surmise everything is connected to ME. Not in a “I’m so important” kind of way. But like a “Kevin Bacon six-degrees-of- separation” occurrence. (Or [...]
I’m a big NPR fan: This American Life, Fresh Air, Wait! Wait! Don’t Tell Me, Radio Lab, Seventh Avenue Project, The Splendid Table, and The Diane Rehm Show: All superb shows. I also enjoy listening to The Story with Dick Gordon. He has a terrific personality and knows what and how to ask questions. While [...]
