Fists in the Pocket (I pugnii in tasca)

Marco Bellocchio, 1965

I watched this Criterion DVD last night, and frankly I'm still processing the film I just watched. Films on dysfunctional families are not rare (Lucretia Martel's La Cienega and Denys Arcand's The Barbarian Invasions come to mind), but this film which preceded the other two by a least a quarter century, is about as originial as it gets.

The protagonist -- who evokes the physicality of Doogie Howser yet the emotional instability of Stanley Kowalski -- is a moody epileptic who can be kind and gentle only to follow those feelings with unimaginable cruelty. Yet, like most protagonists in cinema, he's charasmatic and charming as well.

At some point in my 'education' as an actor I learned that it's the contradictions in people that make them so interesting (Isn't it ironic that most of us spend the majority of our lives trying to conform to some self-mposed or societal 'norm?). Bellochio, who purportedly drew much of the substance in his script from personal experience, recognizes this oddity, that in all of us there are bad/good, upright/immoral, etc. characteristics. In this film, Bellochio lays bares the entire personality of his main characters, warts and all.

Another fun touch was the ending: set to the same music from La Traviata that was lip-synched by the three queens on top of the bus driving through the outback in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, this scene is not one you'll forget easily. It involves a moral decision, and having had a few hours to reflect on it, I understand why it was included. Also, the scene was almost entirely improvised by the protagonist, Lou Castel.

My favorite line in the movie comes from who else -- the retarded brother: "What torture it is living in this house."

Two more things: Luis Bunuel, the Spanish/Mexican director who made a career out of blasting the bourgeoisie commented disparaginly about this film after first viewing: "I don't agree with this kind of profanation." Hmm, I'd love to know the context surrounding Bunuel's statement, primarily because everyone from the Pope down to local governments probably said the same about Bunuel's film at one time or another.

The other thing -- and I always try to remind my students of this -- is you must look at a film in terms of its historical moment: Nashville, although it has nothing to do with Watergate, is a scathing rebuke of American culture following the Vietnam War and Nixonian political mess of the early Seventies; In the Company of Men is a violent and ugly look at the male species that took its direction from Ronald Reagan's influence during the Eighties.

This film was a precurser of the anger, violence, and primal scream that characterized 1968 and its aftermath. This was no longer the Italian neorealism of De Sica or Rossellini, or even Visconti.

I strongly encourage everyone to pick up this dvd (always choose the Criterion label if given a choice) and experience what great cinema can be (this being Belocchio's first film, it was shot on a shoestring budget, used nonprofessional actors, and interestingly, was NOT edited by the director or with the director's input).

The Dimming of the Day

Written/composed by Linda and Richard Thompson.

Until you've heard Bonnie Raitt's rendition of this ballad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt34u2SlO6I, you ain't heard no singin'. Raitt's interpretation of this oft-interpreted song is perfection. Back when I was a "sanger," I remember coaches saying "you'll know when a song is 'yours':" Streisand's "People," Garland's "Over the Rainbow," Peggy Lee's "Fever." This song belongs to Bonnie Raitt

I know her fans think she hung the moon, but I'd go farther and say she's arguably the overall best female vocalist (non-classical) of modern times, perhaps since Rosemary Clooney shot her wad.

George and Vestal ...

That's Jones and Goodman to you, bucko!

It's 3:39 a.m., and I'm stuffed (on Keebler's Fudge Shoppe Deluxe Grahams) and I'm wide awake ... and I'm listening to an old gospel standard, "Angel Band," sung by George Jones (fresh back on stage from a bad car wreck) and the only person who could coax him back to the stage -- Miss Vestal Goodman. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG00pby2bq0

" Oh bear me away on your snowy wings to my immortal home ..." What the hell?

Yet I'm digging it! I've just played it over for the fourth time. Starts out with that steel guitar introduction then Vestal's contralto takes the stage. Strong as an ox, old as Methuslah, and, oh yes, dead as a doorknob ... well, not when she sang the duet.

Vestal sings a verse then takes a backseat to the Ol' Possum himself.

"I've almost gained my heavenly home, my spirit loudly sings.
The Holy ones behold they come, I hear the noise of wings.

"Oh bear my longing heart to Him who bled and died for me,
Whose blood now cleanses from all sin and gives me victory.

"Oh come, angel band, come and around me stand,
Oh bear me away on your snowy wings to my immortal home!
Oh bear me away on your snowy wings, to my immortal home."

This is the real thing, or "thang," as it were.

Back in the late 80s, when I was at SMU, going to graduate school, I'd go to a beerbust every Sunday at Throckmorton Mining Co., a "happy" bar in Dallas, Texas. Every Sunday, at 5 p.m., they'd play the Happy Goodman Family version of "Lookin' for a City." it was hilarious hearing all these Texas cowgirls belting out Southern gospel music. Here's a link to the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf8f32cDAXA

I consider it one of the magic moments ( for those who are world-weary) that you didn't know existed until it happened.

The Seventh Seal

As most of you know, I was a film instructor once. Ingmar Bergman, considered by cineastes as one of the handful of 'greatest directors', was among the auteurs I taught (in my Foreign Films/Classics class). However, instead of screening The Seventh Seal I preferred to show Wild Strawberries, a film that had a transformational impact on me.

So, confession time! Although I saw The Seventh Seal in college (back in the Dark Ages), and I've seen snippets of it since then, I hadn't viewed the entire film since college days ... and for good reason. It's not one of my favorite Bergman films. To film lovers that statement is considered heresy.

So, last night (Monday, February 11, 2008) I went to the Loft Cinema, in Tucson, for a screening of the film. It was part of a free program the Loft sponsors called "The Essentials." The theater was packed, and for the most part, the audience was quiet and entirely committed to experiencing this rare event -- seeing a most revered film on the big screen.

I was no exception. Foremost, what stood out about the film was the chiaroscuro lighting/cinematography. The style made perfect sense: Bergman's opus, at its simplest, is a confrontation between a man and Death! Guess who wins? So, it makes sense that the photography would emphasize the black/white dichotomy (either/or; good/bad; life/death), as opposed to dwelling in the realm of ump-teen shades of gray.

Another element of the film that stood out (and stayed with me) was the music/sound. In no uncertain terms it was obtrusive. Loud, abrupt, shocking, upsetting -- these are terms that describe the music/sound. As I remember, Bergmans films are the ideal blend of photography/script/sound/music/performance, et. al. -- with none of these elements overshadowing the others. I'm not sure what was the purpose unless, once again, it was meant to startle, to create unrest in the audience.

It would be irredeemable to talk about a Bergman film and not mention the acting. An actor closely associated with Bergman, Max von Sydow, plays the knight who engages in a chess game with Death. Tall, erect, stoic, oddly handsome, von Sydow's face was created for the screen. If ever an actor embodied the concept of "less is more" it is von Sydow. With the smallest grimace or eye movement he is able to convey extreme angst or careful calm. Since I'm writing this without notes, and very late at night, I don't have a list of the other actors, but several are worth noting.

Finally, the viewer should know that Bergman spent his life preoccupied with death. He suffered major anxiety and several nervous breakdowns. The Seventh Seal is tough to watch because of its fatalistic modus operandi. That said, I was rapt while watchng, albeit my breathing became a bit belabored on occasion. At least I was able to sit throughout the entire film, something I have not been able to accomplish with another Bergman essay on death: Cries and Whispers.

Who knows, maybe that will be the next hurdle for me.

If anyone reads this, I implore you to someday see the film, and if you find it is screening somewhere on a big screen, don't even hestitate. It really is an "essential" film for those who are interested in great cinema.

2007 Travel Schedule

I am preparing my taxes, so I felt it was a good time to think back about where I was last year (2007). The following is a list of my travels:

For Davita

Tuba City, AZ/ 1 week (Navajo reservation; trained with Van) (I passed a kidney stone on Go-Live day.)

Dallas, TX/ 1 week (Trained with Carol, Herb, Diane, and Mike Garcia; Carol and Herb were let go following that week) (Flew Dallas to Albuquerque; Roxie and I drove to Window Rock through some pretty tough snowy roads. Stopped in Cuba and had the best grilled cheese sandwich either of us could remember every having.)

Window Rock, NM/ 1 week (Another Navajo reservation; trained with Roxsan) (The weather was cold with snow and ice everywhere; the way the ice formed on the leafless, and lifeless, trees was similar to what you might see on a picture postcard -- absolutely beautiful!)

Fresno, CA/ 1 week (Trained with Lyn, Nancy Mercer, Yvonne Cook, and some big ol' East Texas dykish woman whom I loved, despite my description.)

Brookfield, WI/ 1 week (Class. Trained with Adam, Jeff Pai, and DJ) (Flew into Midway, on Super Bowl Sunday to -30 temperatures; never knew such cold; given a rental car without HEAT!!!! when I returned it, with an icicle hanging from my nose, they felt guilty and gave me a Lincoln Towncar, albeit with a particularly gross stain in the back seat. Don't ask. It was in Brookfield where I first met Esther Salasavage -- great gal!)

Lake Geneva, WI/ 2 weeks (My first "New Davita" clinic; trained with Jeff Pai, Pam, Robert Jean) (This was one of the most beautiful places I traveled to, albeit extremely cold; the lake was frozen over with trucks and ice fishermen sitting out on the frozen lake, plus I stayed in a fabulous hotel room with great view of the frozen lake, as well as a frozen meandering stream with rocks and boulders creating water/ice noise)

Gonzales, LA/ 2 weeks (Trained with Calvin) (Hell hole with great, fattening Cajun food)

Houston, TX/ 2 weeks (Trained with Diane Venture and Jeff Pai)

Baltimore, MD/ 2 weeks (Trained with Diane, Greg Hill, and Jocelyn) (Had a blast, but it was one of the worst clinics I went to; scary to think how they ran things; a great big ol' nurse with HUGE HAIR had a crush on me; a man puked right in the doorway that was used to exit the building -- I chose to go out the back door.)

Charleston, SC/ 1 week (Class. Trained with Eric Whiteway) (I drove down from Baltimore, with a stopover in Williamsburg, VA; Came down with horrible toothache which turned out to be a sinus infection. Vicodin turned me into a vegetable, but luckily Eric came through and carried the week for both me and him.

Orangeburg, SC/ 2 weeks (Trained with Jocelyn, Esther Salasavage) (THE ABSOLUTE WORST CLINIC ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH, and run by a snot nose little white girl Yuppie who not only was preggers but had the worst attitude I experienced at Davita. That said, we discoverec a fabulous gardens in Orangeburg that made up for the crap at that clinic. And while I'm hating, the Hampton Inn should be blown off the earth, and the FA should be put in jail. Worse, the barbecue sucked!)

Fort Myers, FL/ 2 weeks (Trained with Yvonne, Anthony, Charmayne; the FA complained about me and told Yvonne, the primary trainer, to tell me not to train anymore; I sat shiva for about an hour, licking my wounds, then the FA/wench left for the week and all the big shots in the clinic came to me specifically for trianing. Go figure!)

Miami, FL/ 1 week (Trained with Bernard; stayed in hotel on Atlantic ocean, woke up daily to the most beautiful sight and sound ... oh, it was a little piece of heaven; jbandel and I went out several times, eating down on South Beach and driving up to Fort Lauderdale.)

Tucson, AZ/ 1 week (Class. Trained with Rhonda)

Nogales, AZ/ 2 weeks (Trained with Lisa Storer who is worth her weight in gold many times over!) (Stayed at the Espelendor resort about 10 miles north of Nogales; a great place for people who like birding, in fact, I had a bird's nest just outside my doorway, and every morning and evening I woke up or returned home to a virtual symphony of melodies from Birdland.)

Escondido, CA/ 2 weeks (Trained with Diane Venture and Bob Race)

Tucson, AZ/ 1 week (Class. Trained with Rhonda Thompkins)

Tucson, AZ/ 3 weeks (Trained with Darla, Randy, Ken, Robert Jean) (This clinic was the most problematic of all the clinics I trained for Davita.)

For Merrill Lynch

New Jersey (T3) (On Thursday of the T3 week I was "let go," ostensibly because I 'refused' a teachback. Now, the fact that I'd already completed nine teachbacks apparently carried little weight.)

For Technisource

Frisco, TX (T3)

Under Home Arrest (All I can say to anyone considering working for this country: DON'T; they are the closest to 'nuts' I've met in this business ... and there are lots of flakes and nuts involved in contract training.)

Why John McCain is Unfit to be President

Back when Bill Clinton was President, and Chelsea was a gawky pubescent girl, John McCain told a horribly hurtful joke at Chelsea's expense. It is the lowest of the low to pick on the child of a politician to boost one's ego. After hearing of McCain's low blow I vowed that I could never support someone who could demonstrate such a base level of sensitivity.

So, all the days McCain sat in a prison cell as a prisoner of war do not make up for the undeserved cruelty he inflicted on a gawky kid who just happened to be the only child of a sitting President.

That is why I would never vote for John McCain.

And the Winner Is ...

POST MORTEM COMMENTS.

As I look back at this post, I have to admit that I did vote for BO.  I've not been especially pleased with his leadership, but considering the alternatives (that other party), I'll stay the course.

I add that HRC has exonerated herself very nicely as Secretary of State.  I bet she is thanking her lucky stars that she didn't win the first time.  She's positioned herself now as a world leader and should the opportunity arise, I believe she could get elected.


I voted (by mail) for Hillary Rodham Clinton, and I'm proud of it.

I'm truly dismayed by my fellow liberals who through their words and actions have thrown HRC to the dogs. Shame on you!

Here are my reasons for supporting la Clinton:

1. She's socially liberal yet also a strong-willed leader. No one is going to push her around for long.
2. She is experienced, if for no other reason than having been married to BC. She knows how to win ... the most important skill in politics (like it or not). If Republicans win, they will stack the Supreme Court with the likes of Scalia and Thomas. That would be a liberal's nightmare, at the same time endorsing the corruption and lack of ethics the Republicans have demonstrated over the past seven years.
3. There are no skeletons left to uncover. The Republicans -- who live to destroy people -- have an arsenal of fecal matter to destroy BO (they are so low they'll even try to link 'Obama' to 'Osama;' that is their m.o.). They don't have any new mud to sling at HRC ... and even if they did, she's experienced enough to make minced meat pie out of their slimy asses. One of the reasons they so fear her is she has more testosterone in her fingernails than they can muster in their disgusting loins.
4. I'm not voting for rock stars, Hollywood celebrities, or military heroes for President. Somehow, people were motivated to vote for President Bush because he'd be fun to sit around a campfire with, swig a beer or two. Big mistake. I don't care about HRC; I want her to lead this country and clean up the detritus left by the pond scum she is replacing.
5. The true story of this campaign is not the purported race-baiting, but the blatantly obvious misogyny that has emanted from both the parties and the press in their coverage of HRC. I can't believe how openly hostile the press is to her ... and it's almost always some anti-woman reason behind it. Women should be mad as hell, but instead Susan Sarandon and her ilk are worshiping at Iglesia Obama. It tells me so much about modern-day liberals. Well, Janet Napolitano, Teddy Kennedy, Claire McKaskill, et. al. are going to live to regret turning their backs on HRC. I look forward to the moments of schadenfreude when these turncoats, and others, are left out to pasture in HRC's Administration.
6. Finally, and this is patently obvious. The Right hates HRC. They've organized "Stop Hillary Now" campaigns, they accuse her of the most egregious actions, they try to Swiftboat her, etc. Why? because she scares the crap out of them. They know she can win. They know she will win. They also know Barack Obama CANNOT win in present day United States of America. Otherwise, they'd be calling him everything except a Black man (pun intended). Wake up you nutty liberals. Be smart for once in your life.

Bottom line: I am as disgusted with Democrats/libs as I have been with Republicans. That said, if this party nominates Barack Obama, I won't vote. I don't believe he has the gravitas to be President yet! [He will someday]. I also believe he is exactly what the racist Republicans want because they KNOW America isn't going to elect an African American. And they are right ... sadly. NOTE: I am truly angry at the way HRC has been treated ... and the statement that I won't vote is a manifestation of that anger. However, as of this writing, I'm serious as a stroke.
The Super Tuesday elections are here, and I'm expecting a good showing from HRC.

Follow up to Atlanta Burning

I was told that by Monday or Tuesday I'd get some feedback from the Atlanta Epic project. So, what happened?

BUTKUS! Da nada. Until Friday. I got a call from the recruiter saying I'd made the cut and they were looking for a place for me. That was it.

I was happy (these days anyone who even acknowledges me makes me happy; I'm truly in that "Mr. Cellophane" zone these days; maybe I should quit trying.).

So, I remain in Tucson, dodging the occasional dog feces that populates the patio behind our house, and continuing to look for employment.

My grand plan -- to train continuously for the next five years, and rake in some bucks, is not quite working as I'd hoped. But, there is hope on the whatever. I am one step away (interview with IBM) from getting that longterm project. While it IS a job, it pays ridiculously, and they have paltry limits on what one can spend for housing and per diem.

All kvetching aside, I am working out religiously, eating more judiciously, almost recovered from the allergy onslaught I experienced last week, and breathing clean air in Tucson. That last fact is very important to me.

The Burning of Atlanta

Thursday, January 24, I flew to Atlanta for an interview at Atlanta Children's Hospital. Position is a Technical Trainer for Epic project, specifically the "Order Entry" part.

Late Tuesday, I had come down with what I describe as a severe allergic reaction. My eyes werepuffed, I sneezed these cataclasmic sneezes, I stopped up, and it just got worse.

But, I still went to Atlanta, and with the help of generic Claritin I was able to perform, however, if I tilted my head any way but straight ahead, I felt like holy crap.

Interview was very tough, and included a training demonstration. I chose to demonstrate how to embed an Excel spreadsheet into a Word document, and then link them.

Following the teach was the interview ... and it was a doozy.

My limo picked me up afterwards and I returned to my hotel (the Doubletree, where dozens of over-achieving high school debaters seemed to always be talking to themselves in the hallway) and died. The allergies, the stress, the panic all sent me literally to bed.

I'm back in Tucson [getting back is another story, another time] and should here whether or not i've been selected. If so, I have to move to Atlanta immediately. I really do not know how this will all play out, but I'm game.

Griff’s Training Resume

R. Griffin Gregory

Post Office Box 10497 ^¨
Phoenix, Arizona 85064 ^¨ [480] 720-9478

rgg.trainer.educator@gmail.com

 

Trainer/ Educator/ Project Manager

Accomplished professional with a twenty-year diversified background in corporate training and higher education. Exceptional leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills. Expertise in instructional design and development. Specialized training in interpersonal relationship development and group dynamics. Seasoned public speaker and presenter.

 

Corporate Training Projects

 

Cadbury Schweppes/Technisource    (October 2007—present)

IT Software Trainer

• Instructed employees of bottling company on proprietary electronic inventory and sales software applications; and
  
• Created instructional materials designed to support classes of 20-25 non-English speaking and computer illiterate end-users.
  

 

Davita/Berkeley Training    (June 2006—September 2007)

IT Software Trainer/Team Leader/Technical Support Provider

• Instructed employees of medical services company (physicians, nurses, technicians, staff, administration) on proprietary electronic medical records [EMR] software applications;
  
• Led team as primary trainer on majority of assignments: scheduling, coordinating, assessing, reporting, and holding accountable;
  
• Designed instructional materials for classroom presentation (e.g., syllabi, quick reference guides, pre-assessments, final assessments) and clinical utilization (e.g., posters, "cheat sheets," guides);
  
• Served as technical support liaison between end-user and Help Desk personnel;
  
• Trained Facility Administrator on creating clinic-specific PRN (standing orders) panel;
  
• Collaborated with all levels of management, training, and support in setting strategic objectives and measuring successful implementation;
  
• Traveled extensively and continuously from clinic to clinic throughout the continental United States for fifteen months; and
  
• Averaged 4.5/5.0 on training evaluations for entire project.
  

 

IBM/Catapult Software    (June 1995—August 2000)

Software Trainer/Course Developer

• Instructed corporate employees (Del Webb, Liberty Mutual, American Express, Seattle Mariners, et. al.) in both proprietary and commercial software applications for the PC and Macintosh, including XP operating system, Microsoft Office Suite, Lotus Notes, and GroupWise;
  
• Co-lead trainer for nationwide roll-out of custom-designed training application for Fortune 500 company requiring 100% travel;
  
• Designed customized training documentation for selected clients (Seattle Mariners baseball team and scouts; Millipore Corporation sales personnel); and
  
• Delivered technical instruction on-site, on-line, and in traditional classroom setting.
  

 

Intel    (April 1992—May 1995)

Technical Writer/Software Trainer

• Developed and authored technical training manuals documenting the introduction, progression, and resolution of testing anomalies and project alterations;
  
• Trained software engineers on various software applications, including Microsoft Windows and Office; and
  
• Coordinated agenda and chaired department meetings.
  

 

Academic Appointments

Maricopa Community Colleges    (Fall 1996—Spring 2006)

Faculty, Communications & Humanities

Project Coordinator, New Horizons Film Festival

• Instructed average of 120 students each semester in media studies courses: Introduction to Cinema; Contemporary Cinema; Hispanic Cinema;
  Foreign Films: Classics; Humanities I and II;
  
• Exploited technology to enhance delivery of course subjects and materials: MS Word (handouts and overheads), MS Excel spreadsheet (grade books), MS PowerPoint (class and film festival presentations), MS Access (student progress database), MS Outlook (communication), Blackboard (course management; web page creation and maintenance), Respondus (exam construction);
  
• Received grants to design and develop curricula for new courses: Hispanic Cinema; Mexican Cinema; Foreign Films: Classics;
  
• Inaugurated, produced, directed, and curated film series (at Paradise Valley CC) focusing on films from Hispanic nations and Asia;
  
• Presented lectures on individual films (e.g., Cookie's Fortune, Smoke Signals) and directors (e.g., Robert Altman, Leni Riefenstahl, Luis Bunuel) at various film festivals and symposia;
  
• Composed and designed instructional materials (e.g., syllabi, course outlines, assessments, chapter notes, PowerPoint presentations, teacher notes) to support classes and film festivals; and
  
• Chaired or sat on various committees, including Film Festival, Fine Arts, and Diversity committees.
  

Professional Accomplishments

Honors

Who's Who in America's Community College Instructors, Phi Beta Kappa, Magna cum laude, Omicron Delta Kappa, Pi Delta Phi, National Honor Society

Public Speaking

Key note presenter: Foothills Film Festival (four years), Phoenix Public Library, Paradise Valley Community College, Scottsdale Community College, Sedona International Film Festival

Presentations

Presenter, curator, lecturer, discussion leader: New Horizons Film Festival, Phoenix Public Library, Phoenix Mexican-American League

Professional Development

Continuing Education/Technical Skills: SAP, Salesforce.com, , Microsoft Office (2003 and 2007), HTML, Lotus Notes, PageMaker 6.0, Blackboard, Midas, FrontPage, Train the Trainer, PeopleSoft

 

 

Education and Credentials

 

Master of Business Administration

Master of Arts, Arts Administration

Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas

 

Bachelor of Arts, Foreign Languages

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas

 

 

Professional References

 

David Brennan, Account Manager

Berkeley Training

Four Falls Corporate Center

300 Conshohocken State Road, Ste. 300

West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania 19428

[800] 452-4033, ext. 4194

dbrennan@berkeley.judge.com

William O. (Bill) Drum, Training Consultant

801 N Sahuara Ave

Tucson, Arizona 85711

[520] 250-4684

wdrum@cox.net

Dr. Gene Rister, Professor of Art and Humanities

Paradise Valley Community College

18401 North 32^nd Street

Phoenix, Arizona 85032

[480] 991-6501

gene.rister@pvmail.maricopa.edu

Kay from Iraan

Lately, I've been driving east on Interstate 10 (toward El Paso), pulling off into the desert somewhere between the Sonoita/Patagonia exit and Benson. I've found a wonderful place to park the car, read (Faulkner's The Unvanquished; William S. Burrough's Queer), and watch the freight trains wind through the desert and go right past me. It's a bit like having a miniature train set in the living room and watching it like a kid on Christmas day. Only the trains are real and the boxcars big.

Today, for the first time in my life, I actually fantasized about jumping a train and taking off for a joy ride (like in the movies! yeah really).

Also, I go to the desert to write. I'm determined this year to finally finish a tome I've been writing for too many years, titled "Thank God for Mississippi." More about it in another post.

Another reason I've been heading out east from Tucson is to eat at Reb's cafe in Benson. I drove out there on New Year's Day (trying my best to forget how alone and sad I was), and pulled in to Reb's for some grub. I staked out a booth in the front of the cafe, right behind two weekend bikers (I gathered she was Scandinavian, and he was probably an accountant by day).

I loved this cafe (the anti-Denny's), and had one of the best homemade bacon cheeseburgers in many years. In fact, the last hamburger this good I ate at Miss Annie Mae's cafe back home in Seedtick.

So, I make up reasons to go back to Reb's, and about five cheeseburgers later I'm still an enthusiastic supporter.

Today, I ordered "to go" for the first time (big mistake: they forgot the mayo and the bun was soggy along the perimeter; I still savored it as if it were the Last Supper). While the burger was being prepared, i took a seat at this little two seater booth, right behind this wizened old lady who asked me "where to get gas, I need gas."

Replying that I wasn't a local denizen, she asked several others before returning to me, noting the book i was trying to read, Faulkner's The Unvanquished.

"I'm a teacher" she blurted while stuffing the last bite of blueberry pie in between her thin, wrinkled lips. "I'm Kay, and I read too."

Anyway, i was in the mood to converse, and she was a wonderful character, the kind you find in cafes like Reb's. She noted my accent, and I noted hers. After telling her I was from Arkansas, she volunteered that she was from west Texas, near Midland-Odessa. I added that I was probably one of few people alive who actually likes that drive between El Paso and Midland-Odessa.

I asked Kay what town she was from. She said "Ira Ann." I though she said Ida Ann, which reminded me of the Methodist choir director back in Seedtick. But, apparently there were two people -- Ira and Ann -- who owned a lot of land and formed a town. I asked how they spelled it.

"It's Iraan, but not to be confused with I-ran." It's "Ira Ann."

Then she told me she was Christian Scientist, and how she was walking the dog the other day and said "hello, how are you doing" to another walker who replied "none of you buisness lady." Kay then went home and cried, nursing her hurt feelings all day long.

I began to feel a "baggage trip" comin' on, so I accepted a piece of paper with her e-mail address, and left, happy to have met Kay from Iraan, the kind of lonely little ol' lady I'd expect at an ol' timey cafe.

I live for moments like these, and besides, I'd have never heard of Iraan, Texas, had I not started talking to Kay.

The Poop on Boo and Mike

In case this is not known, I have rented a room in a house in central Tucson with two other guys: Boo and Mike. Actually, Boo's name is Mike, too, hence Boo instead of Mike (otherwise it'd be Mike and Mike). Oh, lest I forget, two other members of the household are a dog named Thunderation and a cat named Fatass. Thunderation is justifiably suspicious of me, but Fatass and I have bonded in uncharacteristic fashion (I ain't no cat lover!).

I haven't lived with anyone since college "daze", so the bets are on amongst my friends that this livin arrangement will be about as successful as George Bush at a MENSA coffee klatch. Amazingly, despite having little in common, the arrangement has worked well. Well, almost well.

The backyard comprises a kidney-shaped pool, and little else except for a patch of dirt, rock, and grass outside my bedroom window. Soon after moving in I discovered that Thunderation was using this spot for his constitutional. Why me, Lord?! Better yet, the Almighty Thunderation also sees fit to leave sundry turds all over the patio and even on the rim of the pool. [When I checked out the house, it was night and I didn't go out onto the patio which explains why my dog poop alert did not go off.]

I like my room because it has a huge window that looked out over the Rincon mountains to the north, plus I can see the azure sky that typically hovers over this college town. I hadn't anticipated that my room would abut Dog Poop Lane.

So, several times I've told Boo (my contact since Mike either can't speak or chooses not to speak) that the free range dog crap is not acceptable to me and needs to be picked up post-poop and each poop. This is not a negotiable issue for me.

Well, Saturday I went out onto the patio anticipating my first day lying in the sun only to be greeted by a sea of poop. It was like "Attack of the Killer Turds." I suppressed a primal scream. Not only did I exit the patio, but I lost my appetite for the day (which, to be honest, is the "up" side of living with poop).

I came into my room and immediately wrote the following Poop Memo: "Boo and Mike, I've asked you numerous times to please pick up Thunderation's poop. Not only is it a disgusting to look at, but it smells and is creating a sanitation issue. If you continue to ignore my request, I will move out as soon as I can find another place to live. In the meantime, I will clean up the poop if you refuse. I cannot live in squalor and filth."

So, in case anyone reads this, or even cares, am I being unreasonable by asking the dog's owner to be responsible and dispose of Thunderaton's recyclables? I know Tucson is near Mexico, the Third World, but it's NOT Mexico and it's NOT the Third World, so until it becomes so (we only have a few more years, by the way) I prefer to live in the civilized world which by my definition is POOPLESS.

Any comments? Feel free to send Xanax to my Post Office Box.

Aden Sisters on Gold

(Full post with charts: http://www.kitco.com/ind/Aden/aden_jan032008.html)


Mega Move Underway, Stay With It
Courtesy of http://www.adenforecast.com/
As we enter 2008, gold is hitting a new record high. That’s a great way to kick off the new year and it looks like there’s a lot more to come. Why?
This commodity upmove is over six years old, yet it’s still young and it’ll likely last another decade before it’s over. The falling dollar has certainly given the commodities a boost and there’s really no reason why the dollar will strengthen next year, which is a positive sign for the commodities.
But it’s important to keep in mind that this is not just a reflection of the weak dollar. Most telling is to see the commodities in a strong currency, like the euro. Chart 1 shows this clearly. Be it oil, gold or the commodity index, they are all rising in a strong currency.
This is most impressive because it shows that a true commodity upmove is underway.
GOLD RISE IS SOLID
Gold is now at a new high in U.S. dollar terms. It’s also at record highs in other currencies.
This reflects a strong rise, yet most people don’t realize that gold’s at a record high within an almost seven year old bull market! Gold’s been up every year since 2001, and 2007 was not an exception. Gold gained 31% in 2007, yet most investors do not own gold. That’s going to change. As higher gold prices begin to attract attention, investors will notice and they’ll jump in too. That’s when gold will start soaring. That’s not happening yet, but it will and probably sooner rather than later.
Steps about complete
If gold stays above $850 it will have completed its fourth step of the bull market. Chart 2 shows that gold entered the fourth step in December 2005, when it broke above $500. That in itself was a milestone and gold started to break away from the dollar. Gold has been rising steadily since then. By staying above $850, the steps will be complete and gold will be entering a new stronger phase of the bull market.
Gold stronger than many markets
Gold has a lot going for it. It’s strong compared to several currencies, and it’s stronger than the stock and bond markets.
Chart 3A shows that gold has been stronger than the Dow Industrials since 2000. This was a major change and the trend in the ratio clearly favors gold on a mega trend basis. The ratio reached an intermediate low last July while the indicator (B) was at a gold too low area. Both have been rising since then showing that gold has been outperforming stocks and it’s poised to stay stronger.
There are many reasons why gold’s bull market has further to run, and the ongoing political and financial uncertainty in the world are just two important reasons why. Recent events in Pakistan have further reinforced this.
Gold is a safe haven, which is why demand is rising. Even though gold’s bull market turns seven years old in February, it’s strong and solid, and a buy and hold strategy is the best way to make the most profits… ride the mega-major wave to completion and keep in mind that the long-term trend has a lot further to run.
by Mary Anne & Pamela Aden

A Redbird Christmas

I'm on a reading jag, and by chance, picked up Fannie Flagg's A Redbird Christmas (the big print version, of course).

I enjoyed the hell out of this book, though I admit it didn't seem particularly well-written. But, it was enjoyable, and that is what sustained my late-night interest.

Lust, Caution

Last night, January 3, 2008, I saw Ang Lee's Lust, Caution. While I'm still processing the film -- it simply will not let go of me -- I can say it's one of the best films I've seen in eons. Complex, mysterious, stimulating, enigmatic -- these are all words that come to mind.