Megan's Diorama

There's nothing better than friendship. My sweet pal Megan just sent me a diorama she made herself. It's dedicated to this concept. Isn't it nice?!

Life

Take care of your cue ball and it will take care of you. 

Not just literally true but also a metaphor for life. What we shoot out to the world comes back at us in multiple ways. Ripples travel in all directions.

Vintage Beauty

Back in the 1920s a British company named Brough Superior made beautiful vintage motorcycles. It's the bike T.E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia") rode and died on. The company went out-of-business in the 1930s. There are very few BR bikes still around; one was recently auctioned for half a million dollars. 

I find the style of these bikes very appealing. An authentic BR is more expensive than I want to pay; plus, a 100-year old motorcycle is going to be mechanically unreliable. Fortunately I just discovered a small American company in Indiana (Janus) is producing a limited number of hand-made motorcycles. They look like BRs but possess more modern technology. Their new model is called the Halcyon. The Halcyon has a relatively small engine (450cc) but the bike, at only 350 lbs., benefits from its weight/power ratio and can hit 90 mph. 

I don't NEED another motorcycle but there's something to be valued in romance. This bike tugs at my heart. Can you see its beauty?

Self-Delusion

Last night I rode my motorcycle to dinner with friends, one of whom snapped a photo of me when I wasn't looking. I didn't see the picture until this morning. Honestly I'm shocked -- who's that old guy?!

It's sad to realize there's a wide gulf between our mental image of ourselves and empirical reality. The first picture is what I thought I look like (42 and hale). The second, taken yesterday, is reality (63 and creaky).

At least I don't ride any slower than I used to.  :)

New Shoes!

The last time I bought clothing was in 2019. It seemed senseless to shop last year. When would I wear anything nice?

Well, those days are over. Now that we're out and about again, I want to look nice. 

So I fired up the old computer and headed to that haven of style: Fluevog.com. I found a chic pair of shoes in an unusual color I've never worn before. And the shoes are individually hand-painted by humans, not sprayed by a machine. 

What do you think?

Sinéad O'Connor

I just read Sinéad O'Connor's new memoir ("Rememberings"). For those of you too young to know, Sinéad was an Irish singer-songwriter who sky-rocketed to fame in the late 1980s. She had a worldwide hit song in 1990, "Nothing Compares 2 U." The song was accompanied by an arresting music-video featuring Sinéad singing with a shaved head. Back then, baldness was a radical, almost unknown choice for women.

Sinéad is still alive (54 years old). Three years ago she converted to Islam and changed her name to Shuhada' Sadaqat.

Sinéad had a horrible childhood, full of abuse and neglect. She was sent to an asylum at age 15 and forced to live with tortured mentally ill patients ("I have never — and probably will never — experience such panic and terror and agony over anything"). 

Music was a salvation for her, but fame was a curse. Like Amy Winehouse and Britney Spears, Sinéad was simultaneously celebrated and tormented by a global public. People seemed as interested in destroying Sinéad as feting her.

In 1990, Sinéad was criticised for saying she would not perform if the U.S. national anthem was played before her concerts. In response, Frank Sinatra threatened to "kick her in the ass."

Sinéad's most famous act occurred in 1992; it's so well-known it was later parodied by Madonna (who considered Sinéad a competitor). Appearing as the musical guest on "Saturday Night Live," Sinéad sang Bob Marley's song "War" as a protest against the sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church. She then presented a photograph of Pope John Paul II while singing the word "evil" and tore the photo into pieces, urging us to "fight the real enemy." This happened nine years before the Pope publicly acknowledged widespread sexual abuse in the Church.

In response, the world ripped Sinéad to shreds, declaring her unfit to be an entertainer. The damage to her career was immense and irrevocable. On SNL the following week, host Joe Pesci held up the photo and said he had taped it back together which got huge applause. Pesci also said that if he had been on the show when it happened, "I would have gave her such a smack." Back then, threatening to beat women for voicing unpopular opinions was culturally acceptable.

The best part of the new book is getting Sinéad's take on this. She believes the controversy had the opposite effect of what's commonly assumed: ""I feel that having a No. 1 record derailed my career and my tearing the photo put me on the right track." "Everyone wants a pop star, see? But I am a protest singer. I just had stuff to get off my chest. I had no desire for fame."

Sinéad is due for a cultural re-appraisal. Our society has evolved in the past 30 years and ought to take a new look at her history and music.

Sweet Tooth

I know it's still early but I just figured out who I'm gonna be for Halloween!

Serendipity

I'm walking around my neighborhood today and spot a garage sale. Curious, I peer at the wares. As usual, 98% of it is crap. But I spy a little camera box tucked in the back. Inside, with original instructions and packaging, is an Imperial Satellite 127 in perfect condition. I doubt it's ever been used. The simple shutter mechanism works like new.

The camera takes 127-roll film which is very obscure today. Only one company in the world makes it (in Japan). Fortunately I already have several rolls of 127 film for my mid-century Kodak Brownie cameras. 

The Imperial Satellite 127 was made in the 1960s by Braun, a respected German company. The Satellite name and graphic design tapped into that era's fascination with space exploration.

Holding this historical treasure in my hands I approached the grandma in charge and asked how much she wants for the camera. She looks puzzled and replies, "Umm... How about five dollars?" 

DEAL! What a fun new toy to play with! For five dollars!

Baba Ganoush

Baba Ganoush!

This dish with an exotic name is actually very simple. It's an eggplant spread using ingredients similar to hummus (e.g., tahini, lemon juice, garlic). I add smoked paprika and sea salt for seasoning.

Baba Ganoush is perfect for easy Summer dining. Make it early and break out pita or other bread. BG can be tailored to personal taste: I enjoy mine with a little caviar sprinkled on top!

A Few More Photos