Word of the day–2

Sesquipedalian.

 

Yes, it's a four-dollar word. But a cool four-dollar word. Probably spoken by a man who spoke those kinds of words with ease.

 

No, I rarely agreed with William F. Buckley. But the words he used with utter ease and that slight English/patrician accent was a joy to behold.

Oh by the way

Happy Leap Year Day

Them changes

Buddy Miles, drummer for Jimi Hendrix, died today. He was in Hendrix's Band of Gypsys in the late '60s, and had a hit of his own with 'Them Changes,' a great song. 

 

I saw him and his band in the late '90s at the now-closed Chicago Blues in Greenwich Village. I still remember how fantastic, groovy and bluesy his set was. How he powered through and pretty much set the place on fire. I stayed for both sets that night, and I'm glad I did.

 

He and Jimi are back together again, jamming and burning guitars.

Oops

Here’s a memo to pilots looking to buzz the airfield, a la Tom Cruise in “Top Gun”:

Make sure the chairman of the airline is NOT on board as you cruise that big Boeing 777 over the airfield.

Just a thought…

Hop aboard

Here’s a good history lesson and a good life lesson wrapped into a good story. I won’t describe who the Pullman porters were—I’ll let you read about it. What I loved about porters was the way they handle the racism they faced on the rails—with aplomb, nimbleness, and, if I may add, a little subversiveness. The dual role they played as both servants and psychologists was standard for the age. They wore many hats, besides the blue caps on their heads. And I love how they handled difficult passengers—they’d “nice ‘em to death.”

 

One more thing…Look at the picture of the three gentleman. To me, they are the epitome of dignity, grace, style and elegance. When I look in the mirror, I hope to see these things.

No barriers

What do barriers mean for a young man who is 17-9 this season as a wrestler? Who’s blind, by the way? Not much. Not much at all.

Good for him.

Is Tiger Woods an underdog?

Sometimes we put ourselves into holes. We never mean to, but it happens. We become an underdog. Then what?

 

Then, we become Tiger Woods. And get out of the hole we dug for ourselves. Like he did at the Accenture Match Play Championship. Three down with five holes to play, he summoned his indomitable will to win.

 

We can get in it, and we can get out. Sometimes all it takes it sheer force of will.

What is age?

It ain’t nuttin’ but a number…

A little apple and cheese with your whine?

I’ve been known to shed a tear or two, but man, not the way the Apple universe whines. I own an iPhone, an iPod (my third–hardly used now), I’m on my second laptop (MacBook), and I had a Mac mini. I’ve given someone an iPod mini. I’ve drank mightily from Steve Jobs’ Kool-Aid bowl, and loved every damn sip.

But I’ve never seen a more soft, preening, pretentious bunch of pansies than Apple fans. It would be nice if life were just so. But it’s not, which makes life more interesting. So you have to pay $20 more to upgrade your iPod Touch? Fine. Give up five lattes. Boom! You have your upgrade, Steve Jobs has his Andy Jackson, and everybody is happy.

Stop living the fairy tale of the Princess and the Pea.

Question/answer

What makes a person (a man in most cases) reach the point where they need to reach for a gun to think they can solve their problems?

 

I don’t have an answer. I don’t know. I think, though, that we (the country) aren’t giving men the outlets they need to say, I need help. I need someone to talk to. Tangible outlets and intangible outlets.

 

What made the man in Illinois snap, get guns, walk into a classroom, and shoot people he doesn’t know? I fear I know this answer. And it saddens me.