I still expect him to call. Or when we record expecting to hear his infectious laugh.
Thanks to The Gal for authoring this meme. Click on the Sat-9 title of song on the next line below to play.
Saturday 9: You Make Me Feel Brand New (1974)
1) As 2019 kicks off, what are your hopes for the brand new year? A long December and there is reason to believe that maybe this year will be better than the last. (Apologies to Adam Duritz.)
2) Just because an item isn’t brand new doesn’t mean it isn’t valuable. Have you scored any fabulous finds at a second hand store or website? I love the chance to respond to this question. There are so many items that you use to have or miss. I need new speakers for my radio studio. My fave of all time? The original Advent speakers. I paid more, but they
were the best. While the large ones wouldn’t work in this studio, but the smaller ones did. And I need them used. Advent was sold circa the late 70s and the speakers while good, don’t touch the originals. My Advents were sent in the original box, with all sales receipts from 1972. The year I bought my Advents! I bought them early 2018. I replaced my audio mixing board with the same one I’ve missed since the the late 80s. My board died just before Xmas. My Radio Shack 1980s mixing board was on sale – get this I paid $150 back then. I bought one for $40. It works perfectly.
3) This song is sung by The Stylistics, a group from Philadelphia. Have you ever been to Philly? Yes, long ago. The Cubbies were in town when I was around 12. So my whole family went to Philly to cheer on Ernie, Billy & the Cubs.
4) This song was co-written by Thom Bell, a Philadelphia-based musician/producer who was born in Kingston, Jamaica. The average daily temp in Kingston in January is 87º. Do you have plans to get away this winter and go somewhere warm? Yes. We’ve decided to drive south. I have never driven anywhere like this. Memphis, Nashville & New Orleens. I was inspired by Johnnie Walker’s story of his final vacation and that’s what he did before he moved to the Rockies in 2015.
5) The Stylistics took their choreography very seriously. As you can see from the video, they even carefully synchronized their hand movements. Do you use your hands much when you talk? I think everyone does to a certain extent.
6) The lyrics tell us that the singer is grateful for a friend who will walk with him.
Johnnie & I (circa 2012)
along a path that “sometimes bends.” Looking back on 2018, tell us about a time that life’s path took a bend you didn’t quite expect.That’s simple, the death of Johnnie Walker. He turned 67 in June 2018. He died two weeks later. He was always 6 months my elder. Now I am already older than he when he died. We texted a lot. The last thing he said to me was, “Let’s talk more.” I think if we had paid for his move, he was ready to return. It was an event that was not to be.
7) In 1974, when this song was popular, Chicago’s Sears Tower opened and was for years the world’s tallest building. Its elevators can carry you to the 103rd floor in approximately a minute. When were you last on an elevator? I had a stress test (routine – I have had heart disease) and the elevator took me down to it. I have it every two years. Since 2004 when I had two stints put in, I have passed all test & have no problem. I don’t follow and of the rules except one – I quit smoking (two packs) cold turkey a week later. My cardiologist is amazing. I was told I was her favorite patient. Kinda cool, no?
8) Also in 1974, the 55 mph speed limit was imposed nationwide. When you drive, are you careful to stay within the speed limit? Or do you have a led foot? Since I drove as a sales guy for a decade in radio and the last 14 years selling liquor (So I did not nee tickets). I only go 10 mikes over the speed limit. I don’t drive much since my retirement, other than local or Drs appointments. Kathy drive when we’re together.
9) Random question — It’s time to pose for your Saturday 9 yearbook picture. Will you show us your right profile, your left profile, or will you look directly into the camera? Direct. If you go to my wife’s YouTube page I appear in some of the videos. I only do comedy on her beauty vlog. It’s funny it’s a beauty for over 40 somethings, but when she asks I join in. She has nearly 11,000 subbies and when I appear her 200+ comments usually turn to 400 when I’m on. It’s only 3-5 times a year but I enjoy.
Well we all know my return to daily blogging didn’t work. The book questions were not right for me. Oh, but ladies (Gal & Bev) if you want a book I have two. There are a million questions and good ones. I’m SO glad 2018 is over. Obviously, I am not over Johnnie’s sudden death. My mom, as I’ve mention passed as well, but she was 95.
I want to get off opioids. I tried it for a week. My doc sent me to a doc that recommended medical pot. So, I can now purchase up to 2 and 1/2 oz a month. They want to to smoke from morning to night. Some would be thrilled. Not me. I think I will need my day pill, and I don’t mind smoking at night.
The only weirdness is that I have lost my appetite. I am 5-11 and weighed 200 lbs my entire adulthooh. I hit 240 in the 80s, but by 1987 I was back at 200. Three months ago I weighed 180. This morning I weighed in at 167. Something is not right. There has never been cancer in my family on either side. (Other that skin cancer) I’ll keep you posted (if you comment – I will only update in the blog would be if it were very bad. But don’t worry – I feel great. But I have no appetite…
I almost forgot about the twins. So they are here today. I wish you all a Happy New Year! I hope it is both happy and in good health. I will return to the Tape Radio blog. Join us then. Same time. Same Blog.
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You folks will understand this. It’s been a weird year. A totally shitty & weird year. I lost my mom in February. I lost my best friend, Johnnie Walker, in July. No, I’m not finished describing my year. I’ll do that with a New Years meme. And I hope no more deaths.
Back to losing Johnnie: I had planned to change the year on this header. All of us loved the wonderful sendoff his family had for him. I did the eulogy and it went well. But here, on this blog, I found his picture jarring. This space has always been about the present. Things change. Times change. So we removed Johnnie from the header and put Harvey Wallbanger instead. Harvey hasn’t been here since 2015 but that’s not so long ago and, he did have two advantages. We are still very close and he’s still alive. No one knew Johnnie better than I and I know he wouldn’t care. He was into the recording sessions. I doubt he ever read a post here on the blog or more that once on our web page WTIT.net. In fact the only DJ who has helped here was Harvey. In 2008 & 9, he did a weekly post on the old blog. The one with the twins and my singles stories. using this backup computer sucks because no site recognizes me and my password “hints” are on the other computer. OK, I didn’t back up everything. It was called “Harvey Has a Take” …I think. If I were on my main computer I’d figure it out. and it was done after I did my dating profiles meme. Here’s is the old header:
Thanks for taking a minute to listen to me ramble. You gotta keep moving. Peace & love. Join us next time here at the same blog.
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That went well. I lasted a week. Starting to write a post during this season is nuts. Yesterday I went on a church carol sing. Now if you read this space I am a confirmed agnostic. My wife is an atheist, I think. But she works for a church. So yesterday it was caroling to nursing homes. We went to four nursing homes d three were not ready/or caring about it. Friday it was the ministers Christmas party. I am done. A guy tries to be my friend by walking over and talking about Woodstock. My hair is really long now. He was sincere. But he also was an AA type – I am not a good person for them to be around for them. So sue me.
I am writing a play currently. It’s a sequel to my favorite play as last done in 1974. I always regretted that it was on before we could record TV. I’ve even contacted a few of the actors. I had an audio version that got lost. I bought the script. To my delight my daughter her husband, their kids (my grandkids of course) and Kathy & I recorded it. It was a cold read (my son-in-law was a child actor who now designs theaters all over the world.) My daughter won “best actress in Connecticut her senior year of high school” so we all have the background. It came out fantastically! I have a picture of it when I get my regular computer back. The title of this post? Another time. We will return. Same time. Same blog.
Peace & love.
Bud
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Cheers to all of us thieves!
Sunday Stealing: Back to Normal
1.What is your favorite animal? The lion. The social aspect of lions is the most interesting and intriguing of all cats. Although in many nature materials and films, they claim lions as the only social cat. But it is simply untrue. While lions clearly are the most social cat, other big cats socialize. Male cheetah brothers generally stay together all their lives. As we learn more about the biggest cat of the Americas, the jaguar (the least known for an obvious reason: The jungles in in South America are so dense, it makes them hardest to observe.) But they are more social than originally thought.
2.Your dream vacation? St. Anywhere. Send me to the Caribbean. Anyplace not wiped out by hurricanes.
3.Last person’s house you were in? Either of my oldest kids’ homes.
4.Worst injury you’ve ever had? That would be the broken neck that I am still not recovered from, I think I was in more danger with the staph infection in ’02 – ’03
5.Last play you saw? My oldest grandchild is 16. She did a Shakespeare play (I think “A Mid Summer’s Night Dream”).
6. Ever go to camp? Once. The longest 2 weeks of my life.
7. Were you an honor roll student in school? No. But I was on The Dean’s List in college.
8. What do you want to know about the future? That my $$ will last through retirement.
9. Are you wearing any perfume or cologne? Nope. Aftershave on occasion.
10. Are you due sometime this year for a doctor’s visit? Yes, I see my primary care doc 4 X a year and my cardiologist 3 X a year. My last visit took a real left turn.
11. Where is your best friend? She’s in the living room.
12. Do you have a tan? We’ve got snow everywhere. And as good as our president looks from a tanning bed, I’d pass on that shit.
13. What are you listening to right now? “So Tied Up” with the Cold War Kids.
14. Do you collect anything? It used to be record albums, then CDs. I still have them all.
15.Who is the biggest gossiper you know? Donald Trump.
16.Last time you got stopped by a cop or pulled over? A couple of years ago a cop got made at me for driving into road work. What he couldn’t grasp was that the 18 wheeler in front of me was not made from glass.
17.What does your last text message say? You’re getting shit from Amazon or my prescription is ready from Walgreens. Those were the exciting texts of yesterday. They always cheer me up…
18.Do you like hot sauce? YES. A lot. Tabasco is still the best.
19.Do you need to do laundry? I did it yesterday.
20. What is your heritage? My father was European Jewish and my mom’s family came here from Ireland.
That is it for a Sunday. GO PATS! See you next time. Same time. Same blog.
Thanks to The Gal for authoring this meme. Click on the Sat-9 title of song on the next line below to play.
Saturday 9: Sentimental Journey (1945)
1) Doris sings that she has her bag packed. Tell us about your luggage. Is your bag easy to spot on the luggage carousel? Until last year my luggage was easy to spot. Maybe because I was given it as a high school graduation gift. Very old. But still as good as the day I got them. But, no wheels. I am too old for that shit.
2) The release of this song coincided with VE Day, and so it meant a great deal to troops returning home from Europe. What song has sentimental value for you? Why? As I’m sure remember that my dad sang at nightclubs. His signature song was “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. He sang it at our wedding. Now I always get teary eyed when I hear it whether it’s his version or Armstrong. my favorite song is “Imagine” by John Lennon. Coincidentally, on the brand new Barbra Streisand album she does the two songs as a medley. But it’s best song is “Don’t Lie to Me” a real rocker. It’s her assessment of the Trump administration. I heard the rock song when she showed the video to “Don’t Lie to Me” on the Bill Maher show.
3) As a young girl, Doris was passionate about dance. Concentrating in the studio and performing on stage helped distract her from heartache and embarrassment over her parents’ divorce. When you want to escape from what’s troubling you, what do you do? Usually I’ll need to talk it out with either my wife or my son Ben. My dad was my go to guy for everything. My sister on certain subjects can be good as well.
4) Her dancing days came to an end when, at age 15, she was in a car accident and damaged her leg. During her recovery, she discovered how much she enjoyed singing with the radio, and was delighted to find others enjoyed hearing her. Tell us about a time you unexpectedly found happiness or success. I loved doing night clubs gigs as a DJ. My last one was in the 90s. I warmed the house by warming for the comics. I had never done standup, but I was pretty good at it. Had I been younger or had enough money I would have given it a whirl.
5) She moved from singer to actress in the late 1940s and was a major movie star for 25 years. She was paired with the most popular leading men of her time — everyone from Clark Gable to Frank Sinatra to Rock Hudson. If you could share a kiss with any actor or actress, who would you choose? Jill Hennessy.
6) 1968 was a terrible year for Doris. First, she suddenly became a widow. Then she discovered that her late husband and his business partner had squandered her money and she had to file for bankruptcy. Oh, wait! There’s more! She also found that, in his role as her manager, her late husband had, without her knowledge, committed her to a weekly TV series. Do you have a 1968? What year you can point to and say, “Wow, I’m glad that’s over”? 2016 when a broken neck made me retire, I did think, “Man am I glad that’s over with.” I mean my career. No more résumés!
7) After retiring from show business, she became an advocate for animal welfare. She has said we should be more sensitive to the loneliness, sadness and guilt people feel when they lose a pet. Think of a time you were grieving. What words or gestures helped you through? Conversely, what’s something no one should ever say to someone who is hurting? If I never have to hear “He/She’s in a better place.” How the fuck do you know that? It is not at all comforting to me. Particularly since I’m agnostic.
8) Doris’ only child was her son, record producer Terry Melcher. Terry had a successful, years-long collaboration with The Beach Boys. Do you have a favorite Beach Boys song? “God Only Knows” is not only my favorite Beach Boy’s song, but right up the as best song ever. It’s in the discussion.
9) Random question: What’s one thing you’ve never done, but have always wanted to try? Play guitar, but more in the I wish I had learned. I wife misunderstood when I said that, I don’t want to do it now. I meant she bought me one for my birthday last year. I have picked it up a time or two since I know a few chords. But my days of wanting to be Eric or Jimi are gone.
A weird thing is happening. I’ve lost a lot of weight. I’ve lost 20 pounds and four inches off my waist. My doc says the at my age losing you appetite happens. I love the look as long as he’s right. But I feel excellent, but I’m glad I checked it out. We are going to try to do Stealing. Thanks for dropping by. See you next time on this here Tape Radio Blog. Peace & love-
Your bud,
Bud
