You thought I was going to forget this blog for another 20 years, didn't you? Well who smells like the kiddie pool now, pal?

I enjoy having a good, formulaic 70s or 80s TV series running in the background while I work. Maybe it's my ADD, maybe it's because I need the comfort, but it helps me concentrate and makes me happy. The A-Team is a perfect example. You don't have to pay attention or know who the characters are or know what the plot is. You can jump in at any point of any episode and know exactly what's going to happen. We don't have that kind of stability in the world anymore, and it really shows. Anyway, can you believe Manimal was picked as the worst SciFi TV show of all time? Really? I mean it's not great, but it's better than Small Wonder or any version of Star Gate or the last season of Sliders. Think about what it took those writers to put together plots every week that called for him to turn into a bird for some reason and a Puma (said Puuma like Donald Pleasance) in every episode. Must have been exhausting, and personally I think they rose to the occasion. I recommend watching the (very short) series at least once. And then watch Blue Thunder, where the writers had to figure out reasons for LA to be wasting millions of dollars to have an assault helicopter randomly hovering about the city in search of crime for every episode. Lots of great surprise guests in that one. 
 

I should really update that "About Me"

 I probably won't though. I think I've collected all the radio shows I can at this point, which is actually a lot. I moved on to 60s-90s crappy TV and I'm almost through those too. Just storing them up for the disasters to come, where we huddle together around a fire pit in the middle of winter and regal the children with episodes of Manimal from memory or try to explain who Ike Eisenmann was. I also had two dogs since that original post, though both have now passed away and all my cats from that time have also died. I do have one new(ish) cat, but he deserves his own post. Here's a picture though.

I still have children, but they are all grown and live on the exact opposite side of the country. Literally couldn't get farther away without swimming. One even lived in Alaska for awhile, but then grudgingly moved back to the west coast. Do I smell?

Still no grandparents. 
 

Cal Tjader Sounds out Burt Bacharach

 This was the first record I put on my Sony PS-LX250H after I replaced the stylus and the belt. 

 Ok, I was going to paste a picture of the record, but since I have to sign away the legal rights to my left nut to do so these days, just forget it. EDIT: Screw it, I'm not going to have anymore kids anyway, so here:

 

Here's a lovely link to it on discogs instead (as well): https://www.discogs.com/release/6472286-Cal-Tjader-Cal-Tjader-Sounds-Out-Burt-Bacharach

I found my copy for $6 at a used record store in Chicago It was in 2016, according to the sticker.  So happy anniversary, Cal!

 Anyway, I found this record player in 2018 or thereabouts dumped at an electronics recycling center and I decided to see if I could fix it. Turns out the belt just fell off and needed to be put back on, which took all of five minutes. I used is as-is for 8 years before I decided to replace the stylus (you MUST use the AT3600L!!!!) and the belt, even though it was mostly working fine. But, I had started to hear some degradation in the sound, so decided to replace the needle and what the hell, let's do the belt too. It really did make a difference. I should have taken a before and after picture, as the old belt was actually pretty stretched out, but it was still working. Not bad for 20 years of use. This record player is a real workhorse though, and it deserves a few perks now and then, so I hope in some weird, mechanical way, I've made it happy. It makes me happy every time I use it. 

 When I got this, I gave my old turntable to my Dad to replace his from the 60s that was just shot. It was nice though, a real wood case and everything. I should have kept it and just replaced the guts. Anyway, now I want to fix up that one too, even though he's gone now and not many people listen to his records (plus I've been pilfering all the good ones), but at this point, I think every record player deserves a chance. And that one is in rough shape. I'd love to bring it back to its former glory, so someone who appreciates his 30s-40s swing and jazz can play them. I'll post a picture of it the next time I'm there. There's also an all-in-one that belonged to my Aunt that's still kicking. 

Here's mine, basking in it's new hi-fi glory:

 

Hey! I didn't see you there for 10+ years! How have you been?

 Ok, before you start on me, I've been busy. Seriously, there was so much going on over the past 12 years you wouldn't even believe it. I can't believe the worst thing I could find to complain about 20 years ago was TV advertising. Oh how I wish I was back in those simple times, watching Sean Penn try to save his own ass by selling out Carlito. "Dave, you ain't no tough guy, and you can't start late". Or something like that. Everything now is unstable, rudderless and all around dreadful. We are ruled by stupid, selfish, violent thugs and their "religious" handlers. Everything we thought was protecting us has been uprooted by the lowest, greediest pig-people this country has ever produced. But, I digress.

Time really did just get away from me and I completely forgot about writing my meandering thoughts onto this blog. I also never did produce any more films and if you look at my old youtube link, there's some cartoon shit I made, probably drunk or on a train, or both. I also moved far away from Francisco, crushing once and for all the possibility of a reunion project. There doesn't seem to be much point in it all anyway at this point. I always thought the world would end in nuclear bombs or natural devastation, not with everyone just quietly accepting their rights and way of life being swept away by a degenerate coward and his troglodyte army. Must be how the British in Singapore felt as the Japanese broke down their fortifications in a day. Hopefully sanity and rationality will recover and push back in the same way. 

On a happy note, I just put a new stylus and belt on my record player, so let the sounds of Cal Tjader blast forth! 

I'm still here you bastards.

Alright now

It took me five years to tunnel out from under the stack of old Grit magazines that fell on me while I was cleaning out the attic. I still don't believe any of the other 4 people who live in my house didn't hear the constant screams for help, but I'll deal with them in my own time. Suffice it to say that I am once again free to communicate with you, my loyal and faithful readers who never once gave up on me.

A year already?

I really must pay more attention to this site. All you avid fans out there who continue to pour in your support must be starved for my attention. I of course care not, for my artistic endeavors leave me so high above you all that I can only see the tops of your heads from my lofty ivory tower.

We must unite to stamp out marketing

I was trying to watch Carlito's Way the other night on Bravo. Don't worry about why, it doesn't matter. I was tired and there was nothing else on and I started and got caught up and I already feel bad about it so just shut up. Anyway, I already knew Bravo was pretty much the worst, most ad saturated waste of time on Earth, and wouldn't have even bothered normally, but I was still disgusted by the obscene amount of purile advertising they shoved in between 5 minute segments of the movie. The ads went on so long I kept forgetting what I was even watching! I always mute commercials anyway, but still after 10 or 15 minutes you lose interest. I just wanted to see Benny Blanco put a few slugs in Carlito's stomach, not buy anything related to cleaning, erectile dysfunction or hearing loss.
I have long believed that television is about 99% unwatchable and this only confirms that judgement.
Once they finally showed the last minute of the film (with 10 minutes of ads right before), they started running the next movie over the top of the credits. What moron thinks that's going to help their cause? I guess they are assuming their audience is made up of comatose patients, lobotomy victims and strapped-down, rage filled monkeys. Granted, these constant attempts to annoy the viewer into distraction have been going on for a long time now, but addition of the corporate channel logo in the corner, the streaming crap along the bottom and the constant interruptions are the final limit. They wonder why so many people have turned to the internet for amusement, entertainment, education. It's not that the content is so much better, but it's much easier to edit that crap out.
Advertising is universally loathed, despised and hated. Any intelligent person will do anything to avoid it. So how is it worthwhile to have advertisers pay for shows that a brain damaged hamster could write? The whole obscene charade is a tragic circus of lies and desperate screams for attention.
I don't think it's too much to ask to once in awhile sit down and watch a movie, that I'm paying for already with cable fees and not be inundated with infantile attempts to con me into buying worthless junk I don't need or want. So anyway, Carlito shoots the mob guys and then he gets whacked right before he gets on the train to freedom. By John Leguzamo by the way! He was great in this, but Empire was a big disappointment. See, look at that, my attention span has been shortened already. Bastards!