Hello from the front porch

[Dave]

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Welcome!

Dave

[fiona]

Hi Brother Jesse. Sorry I have not been working on any of my projects on the forum. Christmas was bad, as always, in that it has become a maw, a time consuming pit, and all for one day...! After that a person needs time to recover. I have, however, started a new painting, in the Precisionist style and it is coming along well. I haven't painted in 7 - 8 months and I am surprised at this new style of work. Haven't heard from Jon either. When are you going to Florida and can you bring me a psalm tree ?( just a little Catholic play on words). I have been reading your blog. My feeling is with the long winter ahead and all that rice and beans the brothers had better stand downwind of Saugerties after meals.

[fiona]

hello front porchers everywhere!

[fiona]

Big storm comin' in Dave. Time to batten down the hatches and get out the beans and rice!

[Dave]

Another storm? It's still blowing here, although the snow has stopped. Thank you for the front porch photo, Fiona. You'll see I used it immediately on the front page of this forum. What a great porch photo!

I should finish the piece about my Aunt's front porch on Neilsen Street. They literally lived on it in the summer.

Brother Jesse staggers forward under the load of his own fecund imagination. Thank you for the opportunity to plug the blog at:
monkinthecellar.blogspot.com

Monk In The Cellar: I just this afternoon began to lay out plans for the book. On Amazon maybe this spring or early summer.

Heaven goes well on Amazon, here:
tinyurl.com/25g6f74

[fiona]

Sounds good. If you are going to be doing any serious porch sitting in the near future, be sure the snaps on your Union Suit are closed and be well.

[Dave]

A happy and safe new year to everyone!

[keith]

[Dave]

Mrs. Dave told me this morning she watched a bit of the Times Square whatever on TV last night and Dick Clark's appearance was sad. She said the camera had to look away a few times and that whoever had arranged for him to do the spot should be fired.

[fiona]

That's really sad about Dick Clark. I don't have a television and also had to work new years eve. I was so tired I had a shot of brandy and fell asleep. About Dick Clark - there has to be a moral limit, a human limit, a point where it is a kindness to the man to just "let him alone". How about Elizabeth Taylor? We could trot her out, prop her up and let her do the rotating Queen Elizabeth wrist/hand wave to the assembled masses. Mrs Dave is right. There comes a point where things are just disgusting and unfair. I side with Mrs. Dave on everything!!

[Dave]

Jan 2, 2011 16:41:20 GMT -5 fiona said:

That's really sad about Dick Clark. I don't have a television and also had to work new years eve. I was so tired I had a shot of brandy and fell asleep. About Dick Clark - there has to be a moral limit, a human limit, a point where it is a kindness to the man to just "let him alone". How about Elizabeth Taylor? We could trot her out, prop her up and let her do the rotating Queen Elizabeth wrist/hand wave to the assembled masses. Mrs Dave is right. There comes a point where things are just disgusting and unfair. I side with Mrs. Dave on everything!!

Me too! hahahaha! But you don't have to, of course. I did see Dick Clark for the three minutes I could stand it maybe 2 or 3 years ago and assumed then it would be his last year. How sad. But I suppose I'll reach a point where I won't want to stop doing whatever I do. Hopefully there'll be someone there to help me decide otherwise. I suppose this could be just another instance of what happens when you own everyone around you, but I don't know Clark's circumstances.

[keith]

Here is a slightly different take.
www.jeffpearlman.com/dick-clark/

So last night the wife and I spent New Years Eve with a bunch of friends. Great times, amazing food, tons of Coke Zero (hey, I’m soft). We paid no attention to the TV until 11:55, when everyone gathered around to catch the annual ball drop.

There was Dick Clark. Slurring. Again.

Some people started making fun. And giggling. Others just watched in stunned disbelief. One or two expressed a good-for-him outlook.

Me? I’m not so sure. Initially, I felt bad for the man. You’re Dick Clark. You’re 81. You’ve had an insanely succesful career; an iconic career. You’re one of the most famous people in the world, and you’ve got all the money you could possibly need. Why, oh, why, would you tarnish your legacy by, post-stroke, slurring and mumbling your way through a show that makes you look old, feeble and sad? (The awkward manhug with Ryan Seacrest was downright painful). I mean, what’s the point? Why not just kick back on your yacht and live large?

This morning, I woke up feeling differently.You’re Dick Clark. You’re 81. You’ve had an insanely succesful career; an iconic career. You’re one of the most famous people in the world, and you’ve got all the money you could possibly need. You know what—fuck the stroke. Fuck those who laugh and giggle. Just because a man is impaired doesn’t mean he should stop living; stop doing; stop being. I don’t know Clark’s motivation, but perhaps he continues to appear on New Years because, frankly, he wants to. Not to prove a point or stand up for stroke victims—but to live. To exist.

If so, I say bravo.

I don't know, I was asleep. I assume they got the ball down OK without my oversight.

[fiona]

An excellent reply. I too feel that way and should have said, written down something. I spent years in geriatric social work. I should know better. Shame on me.

[fiona]

anyone can visit me on Face Book, at my new page "Fiona's Art Place", where you can comment or post something creative you have done.

[Dave]

Fiona, as soon as I remember my facebook password I'll come and have a look. I am not on FB very much these days.
Dave