Wednesday 3 August 2011

IT WASN'T SO BAD!

although it was a really long day, up at 4.30am and then trains across france - through the tunnel and home by 7pm, it actually wasn't so bad. wistle is a hardy traveller, we stopped in Paris at a bistro for lunch, and did quite a bit of napping on the train -
Nice to be back in London, see my guys,
im maid of honour at a friends wedding on friday which will be fun - and then planning to do some work before i head back to france -
rach x

34 comments:

  1. How did Wistle and Skrapovsky get on? Glad you're home safe. You will be a beautiful Bridesmaid, Rach! Have fun, Darlin'

    Much love~
    EA

    PS Cut all my hair off~" Waif- look" kinda thing only not as dramatic as Emma Watson. It was very liberating after my mom's passing. Onward & Upward
    ~X~

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  2. PS Meant Maid of Honour, not Bride'sMaid.......

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  3. I got well fed up with long train travel back when I lived in northern Finland and used to travel to Helsinki. I know it's not ecological to fly but when I have to visit the northern parts I'll choose that if possible - particularly as very often it's cheaper than trains!

    Hope it's a smashing party, the wedding. Be sure not to tie the corset too tight!

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  4. Ah, glad it wasnt so bad Rachel. Wistle faired the ride. Does she get motion sickness, or the Train is just 'odd' for her? good to catch up on some napping.
    All your guys were happy you both were home.

    Enjoy the Wedding on Friday, you'll be the best maid of honour, you'll keep everything on track, and everyone in line ;). I have Wedding hair this weekend, always fun.

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  5. Glad your are both back in London and it was not so bad after all. Sounds like Wistle is happy to be home and off the clickity clack of the train.

    Have a great time I know you will be a beautiful maid of honour. It will be a fun night. Maybe you could post a picture of you in your dress. :)

    Sounds like you will be busy working for a bit. Then back to France. Take care.
    Kitty
    xxoo

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  6. I get motion sickness and avoid trains, boats, etc..unless I'm medicated. I would love to see a pic in your VW dress.
    Denise x

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  7. It would be wonderful to be in love and on the cusp of wedded bliss. Sigh.

    In the meantime Im alone, I cant drink and I quit smoking. What the fuck!

    Have fun! :-)

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  8. Rachel, you know what,' Wistle is a hardy traveller". I misread that. Of course the train was just fine for her!

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  9. Rachel can you pst pics of the dress.. would love to see it. Loved your post on Amy Winehouse. You are young in years but an old soul.

    xox
    ~Lace~

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  10. Trains across France sounds like a little bit of heaven to me at the moment-

    :D

    Bonne wedding!

    Whoops, it might be over by now!

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  11. Ahhh WORK!!! 12 days in a row... Can't wait to see the dress!

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  12. So do you think Rachel and her little dog are out pillaging the Metropolis? And if so can London withstand their fury?

    Or is this the end of my favorite Island Nation.

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  13. Rachel. Come back to FB, your orible lot misses you.

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  14. Hola!!

    How are you doing?? Glad it wasn't so bad. How was the wedding?
    xxxx

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  15. I bet she's been locked up. She probably got involved in the riots, smashed the wrong person in the face with a brick and whamo, back behind bars.

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  16. Hi Rachel, I hope everything went as expected, which is to say, “swell,” and I hope you’re now getting back on track. It’s time to go to work again. You weren’t put here on earth to dawdle and laze around. You were put here for other reasons.

    While I haven’t said too much to you lately, I have not been idle. I’ve been chatting with a few steelworkers and trying to amuse them, confuse them, abuse them, infuse them … and fuck with them in general, but I try to be fair. Sometimes they think I’m marvelous and sometimes they think I’m nuts.

    I sent my wife and her sister an e-mail today and it got me to thinking about the Three Stooges. The “subject” was Solitary Man, and here’s how it goes.

    Here's Neil Diamond - LIVE - when he was in his mid-twenties by the looks of it. A good looking guy.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUaxBJ39lK4

    Now, here is the ORIGINAL recording.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EpU1tGfOME

    BUT it was Hamilton's own Tom Wilson that created a really COOL version of this song. Really cool.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VMURN0M0U8

    Tom Wilson is - Junkhouse - Blackie and The Rodeo Kings - and of course, Lee Harvey Osmond. COOL

    Here's Lee Harvey Osmond and his Buddy dancing up a storm in Hamilton - COOL

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIXkfl-ZjVw

    Here's: You drove me crazy and "I'm Going To Stay That Way." A five minute movie and a great ballad and ... is that a B-3 Hammond I hear? Maybe it is - ask Jason! And who's that girl singing right behind Tom and sometimes right along with him? She sounds sexy. A girl from the country, to be sure. Tom only works with country girls.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg16fjptbz4

    As for the steelworkers - here's my last entry:

    Show me an American that is not suing someone, or being sued by someone, or damn well thinking about suing someone, or threatening to sue someone, or facing a lawsuit or some form of litigation.

    Show me one!
    It can’t be done.

    While the U.S.A. has less than 5% of the world’s population, it has more than half of the world’s lawyers.

    The U.S.A. has half the world’s lawyers, and the rest of the world, with over 95% of the population, has the other half. Now that is scary. It’s one of the most frightful things I know.

    You see, I agree with Shakespeare when he had one of his characters say, “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.” That’s what Dick said in response to Cade. But I would take it one step further and have Cade reply. “And replace them with doctors and engineers.” But that’s not what was said. Cade simply agreed.

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  17. Oh, I almost forgot, I also gave the steelworkers this "Doonesbury" link but I didn't link them to The Invisible Hand. I think it would be far too boring for them.

    http://news.yahoo.com/comics/doonesbury-slideshow/;_ylt=As4PJbhfH_To61ClC_Xqr0kDwLAF;_ylu=X3oDMTBuZXJjODUzBHBvcwMzOARzZWMDTWVkaWFMaW5rYm94;_ylg=X3oDMTFwM2M3aW1xBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lfGNvbWljcwRwdANzZWN0aW9ucw--;_ylv=3

    Sincerely,
    Tommy Discool

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  18. Hi Rachel, I wrote a little something for some dumbass steelworkers, I like to write things, because that’s my new work. I try to do good work, when I can and I usually look it over before I present it. So I inspected my work and thought it “looked” okay to present to them. I thought it “sounded” just fine.

    When I’m at my best, I try to be funny and poignant and full of the devil. And for good reason.

    If the devil dwells within me, I reasoned, the world will be safe even for little children. If the devil dwells within me and roams through my veins, so be it. I think I’m up to the challenge.

    I threw that little preamble in there for you rationale, Rachel, now here’s a little something more, meant for your perusal or sudden care.

    I don’t know a whole lot about this guy John Surma. I know he has a strange twitch from time to time, I’ve seen it with mine own eyes. But I’m not sure why, or what makes him do that. We all get nervous at times. I think John is at his best when there is a script in front of him and he has rehearsed and rehearsed. I don’t think he likes to adlib. WHEREAS I DO - sometimes it’s fun to just wing it.

    For all I know, this guy Surma may think he’s on a mission from God, or something. I know there was a time when I thought I was on a mission, but I think we all go through that stage.

    I remember thinking I was “KING” for a moment, and that moment was filled with charm and beauty and bliss, but it was only for that moment. And then it sunk in, and then came despair.

    To be King, for more than a moment, I might be faced with terrible stories and lies. I might have to send men and women into war, and many will be killed or maimed, I cried, and I thought furthermore about being King For More Than A Moment, and I said fuck it. I don’t want that job.

    Now, when it comes to John Surma, last I heard he was still singing the blues and stammering away to Obama. Why would anyone ask this guy how to create jobs in America, let alone that question from the President of the United States of America, is beyond my ken. I don’t get it.

    I think if Surma knew how to create more jobs in America, he would already have done it. I think he’s pretty much tapped out. Obama may just as well have invited his Grandmother for tea and asked her what she knew about “greed.” At least he would have leaned something.

    I could create more jobs in America with just the stroke of my pen. A few paragraphs, is all I would need and then, “Oh fuck, why didn’t we think of that. Obama is going to be totally pissed if he gets word of this!” Spoken like a trooper.

    Your Good Friend,
    Tommy D_____

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAa-hj9gyVk

    There’s something to be said about youthful exuberance, it’s full of jubilance and divine - it’s irreplaceable. Pete knows all about it. I have a name for it. I call it Heaven.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2XPaqYwLkI

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  19. What I think I like best about that song with Serena Ryder is this. She’s in safe hands, so I can sit back and relax.

    The men are there only to be helpful. Nothing devilishly clever going on, just some good taste buds.

    Oh no, I’ve resorted to puns, I better take off. Have a good night, Rachel.

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  20. Another thing I like about that “Black Sheep” song, Rachel, is that it’s kind of like Fleetwood Mac meets Mark Knopfler (Mark is actually quite amazing) with Lindsey Buckingham doing double-duty, and Stevie Nicks looking as lovely as ever. At least I like to think of it in that manner. I actually prefer it that way. See what you think, Rachel.

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  21. Hi Rachel, I hope everything is alright with you and the people you most cherish. I wrote a little something for the hometown crowd and I want to share it with you. I don’t think I’ve told you any of this before because I didn’t think you would appreciate it. You know, clutter, just more clutter.

    But then I got to thinking, what little does Rachel know about the common plight of man, and how might I help her understand. I think in your line of work, some jibber-jabber from someone like me may hit a nerve and bingo, a new thought is born. And from that new thought, who knows what may become of it? I’m sure some jibber-jabber from Pete and your relatives and your close friends resonates as well, but it ain’t the same. Most of what I know today, I learned from strangers.

    So anyway, here’s what I had to say:

    Listen up pensioners, because I am a pensioner, and let’s be fair. I receive my pension from Siemens, and it’s not indexed.

    Here is my situation and it may not be pretty but I’ll survive just fine, thank you very much.

    I have to support myself and my wife. I’m allowed to SPLIT my Siemens income with my wife. My wife receives $1200 a year CPP (she worked part time for a few years) and $6300 OAS = $7500 a year fully indexed.

    I receive $7800 a year CPP and $6300 OAS = $14,100 a year fully indexed. Together $21,600 fully indexed.

    In addition to the $21,600, I receive my Siemens (not indexed) pension - and benefits galore!

    I also have a very modest private source of income that is hardly worth mentioning.

    Siemens were even kind enough to give me a $10,000 paid-up life insurance policy. I guess that’s so my wife doesn’t have to fret it when I bite the dust and she has to get rid of my ashes.

    My wife and I get to keep ALL the money from all the pensions except for a few piddly dollars we pay in “income tax.” (you won’t find ‘piddly’ in the tax code so don’t bother looking it up)

    My wife and I pay no CPP or EI or any other deductions that we had when we received a pay cheque. All we pay is income tax and we’re allowed some nice deductions. First thing I do is transfer half my Siemens’ pension to my wife and we both pay in a lower income bracket.

    We’re both allowed $2000 deduction for ‘pension income.’ We’re both allowed our $10, 380 personal deduction plus additional $6450 age deduction.

    We pay next to nothing in “income tax!” Which is to say we get to keep ALMOST every dollar we receive. And $21,600 of that income is fully indexed.

    (Unfortunately we all pay the dreaded HST when we spend our money and the hidden tax on gasoline, alcohol, cigarettes and import duties. Nobody has any advantage there. We all pay the same.)

    Like I said earlier, “my situation is not pretty,” but I’ve projected my income and expense for the next ten years using a constant 2.5% rate of inflation and everything looks fine! Maybe I’ll start worrying about a lack of money during the eleventh year, but for now, and for the next ten years everything looks beauty!

    I save thousands of dollars a year now because I have all the time in the world to shop for bargains. It’s beauty!

    continued...

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  22. So let’s be fair, pensioners. The poor guys and gals that have to work for a living, that have to pay a mortgage and put their kids through school, that have to save a bit of money for their own personal RRSPs, that have to get up Monday morning at the break of dawn, that have to buy gasoline to go back-and-forth to work (can you imagine) that have to WORK day in and day out, hours upon hours upon hours working (can you imagine) while we sit back and do as we please all day long. When I retired I took off my watch and I haven’t seen it since. We answer to no one. It’s beauty!

    Money isn’t everything. Now let’s be fair and brutally honest. Above all, it is crucial for people of working age to be working, because when they are not working, that can spell trouble for everyone, young and old, rich or poor, weak or strong. People of working age will determine the future.

    People of MY GENERATION should be happy with everything we got - because we got more than anybody in history, by far.

    Sincerely,
    Tommy DisCool

    PS; my mother receives a fully indexed pension from the Ontario government. She worked for them for 25 years and retired when she was 65. She will be 97 in November. She has been collecting her pension for 32 years! I bet her pension plan administrator will be happy when she dies. I don’t think they expected her to collect and collect and collect all these years. She’s killing them softly. Way to go mom!

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  23. Hi Rachel, it’s just me again. I just wanted to stop by and tell you that more than anything right now, I hope you are well, and I’m thinking about you. But that will change soon. Within a few moments my attention will move to other things. I don’t mean to say that people are things, but, you know what I mean. People and things are not interchangeable, not synonyms in any shape or form. And while some things breathe, those things certainly don’t breathe like we do. Take a breath.

    So, why I dropped in to say hi Rachel is because - see above. Now on with the show.

    The fact that you were planning to compose for a 90 piece - I think it was - maybe 70 - I forget - a big symphony orchestra. I’m about to quote something from Kurt Vonnegut, and because you are a smart girl it may annoy you, but please bear with me. You are very pretty and witty that much I know, but I don’t know about wise, or sly, or any of that. You’re just Rachel to me.

    So when I talk to you, I talk from afar, and I like that, because I can be up close and personal and never receive a hard red slap on my face, or a great big blue hug, or a thank you masked-man. It’s perfect.

    Oh and by the way, I’ve never been accused of stalking any one, or any thing in my life, and that’s the way I like it. So, if ever you felt that I was stalking, or doing anything stupid, you need only to tell me to stop - and if so, I would give it some serious thought.

    Okay, now back to something jovial. This is from Vonnegut.

    “I am often asked to give advice to young writers who wish to be famous and fabulously well-to-do. This is the best I have to offer: While looking as much like a bloodhound as possible, announce that you are working twelve hours a day on a masterpiece. Warning: All is lost if you crack a smile.”

    Tommy DisCool

    I know you’re getting a little too old for this, or it is not in your disposition, but I’d like you to write something for this little girl. Keep it for yourself, but write it for her. Ask Pete for some help. I think that’s only fair. What else is he there for, if not for his help. If I were doing anything - along the creative lines - and I had access to Pete, I’d use him for everything he’s worth. I’d tap his brain.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb7F6Lzf7zM

    When you write, I want you to be happy, but I want you to challenge yourself, so you can also be naughty and cruel, in your head, there’s nothing to say you can’t. Remember, it’s all just a big act, those little thoughts that jump into your head, and for whatever reason, whatever the mood, I want you to WRITE happy. C A P I C H E - ?

    PS; if you’re talking to Pete, tell him I did not like the movie, “Tommy.” I don’t think the shenanigans did the work justice, I would have done it another way. My way would have been more solemn and not quite so gay. If that movie were to be made again today, I would go noir.

    TOMMY

    A little girl with a toy guitar, who could have predicted that rock-and-roll would lead to this someday?

    It’s just another way - I suppose, to say rock-and-roll will never die. A constant reminder, like the four seasons, R and R and rejuvenation, life goes on.

    Obla-dee-obla-dah, or something like that. Those words are nowhere near Shakespearean, but the music sure is. Within Shakespeare’s work we find the simpleton, the absurd, and a stretch of the imagination. Not that this music has anything to do with that. Well, maybe to some degree, the toy horns and the tinkling piano, but nothing else. Man, that is some fine rock-and -roll.

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  24. Hola Rachel~

    I am listening to your MySpace page and wondering how you are....
    "Almodovar," is perfect and soothes my weary (but happy) soul.

    Hope you are well and busy being creative and enjoying life!

    Love,
    Sue xoxoxoxo

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  25. Hi Rachel, once again I hope all is well with you and that you have simply become bored with this Blog entitled Almodovar. In case you were wondering, here’s what I’ve been up to lately. Get a load of this.

    Someone with the moniker, Steelpawn, took a shot at me in a Topix Forum and I felt the need to respond. Here’s the whole shebang for your perusal - if you find time and are so inclined to read any further.

    Steelpawn wrote: Oh..forgot to say...Tommy D...you are a great writer and very knowledge guy..but your rants here are not needed. Your philosophy is too self opinionated and again after months I say....GO AWAY

    Rachel, as you can probably well imagine, I took offence to what Steelpawn said. This is a serious offence I thought, and so I began to type....

    WOW - I see it took me damn near two hours to whip-up an answer that might explain my presence.

    This is just a Storage Site for me, Steelpawn. Somewhere to store my files, just in case my hard drive pukes on me again. Have you ever had your hard drive crash on you? If so, you know it happens without warning.

    Every time it has happened to me, I realized that I forgot to backup all my files again.

    “Some of my files are gone!” I shrieked. LOL - how lame is that? I did nothing of the kind.

    I didn’t shriek when my hard drive crashed, here is what I did. It’s always the same. I’m sitting in front of my keyboard looking at the computer screen waiting for Microsoft to boot me up. Ordinarily MS boots up flawlessly, but not always in a timely manner. Sometimes it’s slow, but that’s okay because I’ve learned the hard way, if it’s a quick boot up, but all you get is a blue screen - a blank blue screen - you’re screwed.

    So here’s what I did when it happened to me. It’s always the same - every time!

    I sit and I stare and I say nothing. Then I think to myself, “Oh God please! Please tell me this isn’t really happening.” Then almost immediately, I drift off into His arms, and I’m almost in tears.

    And then, as if by magic, I return suddenly to my senses and I scream out loud, as if I were in the middle of Africa and couldn’t find my way out - I shout at the blue screen, “FUCK!!!” And then I raise my hand high into the air, and I form a fist and I bring that fist down as hard as I can onto the desk with a loud THUD.

    It never fails, I always react the same when my hard drives crash.

    I’ve lost a lot of good notes, pertaining to stories that I wanted to explore, because I’ve had a few hard disc failures - blue screen in the morning - with no prior warning!

    It’s best to keep your files stored on someone else’s hard drive or storage site. The trick is to pick the ones that never fail. “Topix” seemed like a decent place to keep my notes for my upcoming, “Steelwork Too,” story. Not to be confused with Gilbert Sorrentino’s “Steelwork.” I wouldn’t have the audacity.

    For some time now I’ve been thinking of doing a short story about a guy that works in a steel mill. I’ve been thinking about it for just over a year, so it’s still in the early stages. I haven’t even “sketched” the protagonist in yet, let alone anyone else. I know he’s a “guy” and not a gal. But I don’t know if he’ll be young and big and strong and maybe even beautiful? Or maybe he’ll have a tiny head, maybe he’ll be fat and homely or maybe even gay. I haven’t done much of a sketch yet.

    Steelworkers come in all shapes and sizes, I’ve come to learn.

    Sincerely,

    Tommy DisCool

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  26. PS; Europe is absolutely dazzling with its many canals, ornate architecture everywhere one glances, gorgeous countryside, mountains and fresh water streams, cobblestone roads, magnificent castles, and history, history, history. On this side of the Atlantic we cannot compete with much of the grandeur found all throughout Europe, but we find grandeur in what we have. It’s a different grandeur to be sure. Huge cattle ranches. Alberta oil, the lure of Wall Street, Vancouver, New York, and Coney Island. Salem Massachusetts, the Adirondacks, the Smokey Mountains, The Statue of Liberty - thank you very much, London Bridge - thanks again, Las Vegas, NASA, Ira Rennert’s Mansion, Hammond Castle - tiny by any standard but with a wonderful story, The Rockies, Banff, Quebec City, and of course Hollywood.

    A different type of grandeur to be sure. Now here’s something from a new author - his first book. I hope you like it.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWrNyVhSJUU

    And here’s the writer traveling in Europe with a Dutchman, and a film crew, by the looks of it.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VM5ikr2rwY

    Good night, Rachel

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  27. Hi Rachel, I didn’t feel like doing much today, it’s cold and damp here and I had no need to venture outside. I hope Indian summer is on its way, I really do.

    So anyway I was bopping around the NET, and I just itching to write, but write about what, when I bumped into a fairly recent article - 2011 - where Roger Daltrey claims (reveals) that Pete is going the way of old Ludwig van Beethoven. So that did it. When I read that, I thought, I’m through bopping around today, I’m going to write something for Rachel with Pete in mind. It seemed like a decent challenge. So this is what I came up with, Rachel. A half decent days work in my mind.

    I don’t know how true that is about Pete, but I can believe it. Hearing loss most certainly but to what degree? Mingling with tinnitus, hearing loss can lead to the umpty-umpth degree - followed by madness.

    Move over Beethoven, meet Ray High.

    And so we find Ray High in a shouting match with Old Lugwig - but why?

    Who started it - who was first approached and then reproached by the other? And where? Oh where of all places - a bar? Okay, a British pub then, I suppose. And the name of the pub, The Black Hole - oh no! The Invincible Star.

    And standing there behind the bar, a bartender wearing mirror glasses - what’s that all about? And what’s that song he’s humming? Is that from Oklahoma?

    And why did the bartender continue to pour drinks when clearly the two men were getting very drunk and their manner of speech was getting more absurd? What had begun with exchanges of wit and humour had now become abusive and strange and damn near hysterical as the two men continued to drink and ramble on and challenge one another. They were like two banshees in a bramble bush, at times.

    For example - near the end of the story we hear Old Ludwig tell Ray as he raises a glass of scotch and makes a toast. “This is the blood of my Lord, Jesus Christ, and you aren’t the leaven Mr. High. You’re going nowhere boy. You will never rise again!” To which Ray replied, “Fuck you and your fifth, I’m leaving,” and he leapt off the barstool. “Sit back down,” Beethoven said, “I’m not finished with you.” Next thing you know, one thing led to another and politics entered the picture. And then, “Dumb-dumb-dumb-dumb, that’s all you’re known for!” These words were shouted by Ray just after Old Ludwig called him a strum-bum. And so on and so forth, back and forth it went. At the end of the bar a woman that’s built like a brick shithouse, but appears to be in the latter stages of her life, claims that she was an opera star when she was in her prime. She tells anyone who will listen, but nobody is listening tonight.

    Kurt Vonnegut referred to his mirror glasses as “leaks.” I think he was sitting in a bar or a lounge when he made the comment. He called all mirrors leaks if I recall. Yes, my recollection is valid - here it is - “Breakfast of Champions.”

    Are you smarter than a fifth grader?

    http://www.gradesaver.com/breakfast-of-champions/study-guide/major-themes/

    It’s been so long since I read that book, but I’m pretty sure it was Kurt himself and not Kilgore Trout, his alter-ego, that was sitting in the lounge wearing those mirror glasses.

    To be continued …

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  28. ... continued

    There are times when Vonnegut can be almost as funny as Mark Twain. Sometimes funnier, and sometimes just as poignant. Kurt’s favourite short story is “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” by Ambrose Bierce. It’s about 10 pages in all and the story takes place in a very short period of time. There is a little movie for those that don’t like to read but I think it’s best to leave the visuals inside your head where they belong. “That’s not his face and those are not his hands and who is to say how it feels to drown or what gown a woman should wear?” Some things are best left on the page.

    And just as with many an author, Kurt’s earliest work was his best. His last book was a rehash of earlier works and it should not have been written. Ten years in the making! That’s embarrassing, Mr. Vonnegut. But what else could he do as an old man except write, that’s about all he knew. You can only pass so much time playing tiddlywinks before you get another call from the Muse.

    Put down those detective books Pete and pick-up Mother Night. “You are what you pretend to be, so be careful what you pretend to be.” Cat’s Cradle can be read in one sitting - almost. Slaughterhouse Five brought tears to my eyes and all because of a horse. A lousy horse pulling a wooden cart if I’m not mistaken. Welcome to the Money House, a collection of short stories. I read Palm Sunday but I must confess I didn’t read every page verbatim. Vonnegut claims that The Sirens of Titan is a true story. He says it takes place in the Nightmare Ages, falling roughly between the Second World War and The Third Great Depression and I believe him. I think that’s where I met Wanda June. Our meeting was short and brief.

    Here are a few pages:

    http://www.amazon.com/Sirens-Titan-Novel-Kurt-Vonnegut/dp/0385333498/ref=cm_lmf_img_10#reader_0385333498

    Sincerely,

    Tommy DisCool

    Regarding the name of the bar and why I said, “The Black Hole - no! The Invincible Star,” and why so emphatically? Why did I say that, why the new name, why change it?

    Because that’s where all black holes lead too, they all funnel into the same place. Into the Invincible Star. I changed the name because I wanted “that bar” one step further removed from the crushing weight of mankind, I wanted it more distant. And there was another reason as well. I don’t get a chance to use a word like invincible all that often, and it was way past its time. So I used it here.

    Good morning, good night, and take care,

    T D

    PS - I’ve been thinking about writing something fickle. What do you think?

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  29. Dear Rachel, I should have left off on a silly note - and maybe I did, but anyway Rachel, here’s something silly for you. You know France far better than I do, so you can smile along with me because you also know a little-bit about America. I say a little bit because as we both know, it’s far too big to actually know. I think Mr. Maher has a pretty good take on France and he knows a bit about America also.

    Here for your amusement -

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKS0yISz6xQ

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=8rjYuaQ1Zho

    And on a solemn note - this is for Pete

    http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/OccOwl.shtml#1

    Now I’m off to bed - but first the meds, and make the kid’s lunch, then maybe a song or two or a few poems or a chapter or what have you. I don’t like to go to bed too early - it makes me toss and squirm a lot. I like to go later when things die down. If I’m just going to toss and squirm, I may as well sit up. So that’s what I do.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El03KPUeQc4

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TszIJX-F4U

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  31. RACHEL!! Where did you disappear to? I miss you.
    Hope you enjoy your Christmas.

    Much Love~
    Elizabeth A

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  32. Hello Rachel,
    in case you breeze on by your blog here, I wish you a Merry Christmas!
    A peaceful and very Happy New Year!

    xox

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