A Thousand Lifetimes

My part of the country has been suffering under a ‘heat dome’, with over 60 days at plus 100 degrees and zero rain. Driving in to the city this morning, there was a tease of weather that delivered 18 raindrops on my windshield. Not that driving into town at 5:30 AM, dodging the usual morons isn’t philosophical enough, but today I was listening to a freshly downloaded bonus track mp3 release of Glen Campbell’s “Ghost on the Canvas”. An incredible journey…

“A Lineman for the County” was an amazing introduction for me to Campbell’s voice and music, in a time of my life when AM radio and driving cars gave me a voice that sounded good, as long as I sang along with the blaring single speaker in the ’63 Chevy I drove around Austin in 1968. A freshman at UT Austin, I had no TV but went to the Student Union Building to watch the Smothers Brothers, and saw the too clean cut GC singing.

Glen Campbell on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

Now Glen is 75 with Altheimer’s, and I’m older, too, thinking about my ‘never-ending farewell tour’, and how tenuous our mental awareness is. It scares us, as it should. Those of us in our 60’s are ‘holding on to hope,’ and rooting for another victory by the medical community, over another demon of aging.

But back to the music, and how an icon of my life is making a journeyman effort to leave us with a legacy of words and music that will hopefully carry us to our end, as well. All of the 18 selections in “Ghost” are marvelous, and “In My Arms” really celebrates the music. But my favorite, “A Thousand Lifetimes”, has the line that speaks to me and mine, so well.

“Every breath I take, is a gift that I will never take, for granted.”

Warren Zevon left us with “Enjoy Every Sandwich”, as an epilogue and reminder to ‘live today’. And now Glen Campbell gives us more songs to sing along with as we spread our lunch, on the next thousand picnics.

Ghost on the Canvas - Glen Campbell

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Words Define Our Shared Experience

As I have gone about my journey of exploration into Social Networking during the past year or so, the tools associated with this new community of new and old friends have provided some quite astounding revelations. About a year ago, I made contact with a college mate of mine from the 70’s. We were in a group that I have blogged about here and in other venues. We constructed slide/music/film presentations at UT Austin from 1968-1971.

In some of our email swapping sessions, another friend of ours from that era mentioned that she wishes we had ‘marvaloned’ rocker Patty Smith for our slide/music shows. ‘Maravlon?’ What is that? We went on to discuss in various stages of memory, how the verb got penned or voiced, in that frenzy of activity that led up to the debut of our Media 70 shows.

To that end, I offer a Webster 2.0 (sic) version of the Media 70 Dictionary.

marvalon – verb, origin unknown, perhaps from the Tralfamadorian, or Venusian. Probably not Latin, from marvalonus.

1. To capture, by image on vinyl, mylar, or other transparent material, either photographically or other method of transfer, with mounting in card board holders, which are heat sealed with a heated iron appliance. These 2 x 2 slides are suitable for projecting using slide projectors, as with regular 35mm transparencies.
2. The method of capturing, encapsulating, or incorporating the music, philosophy, political thought or psychological construct of an individual, a group or a cultural movement, for use in the presentation or display of complex theatrical expositions intended to stimulate intense discussion, emotion, or individual thoughts within a group of students, researchers or amateur explorers.
3. To simulate the physical, emotional and mental effects of experimental herbal ingestion, using sounds and images juxtaposed in a pleasing or disturbing manner.
4. To provoke thought or incite epiphany. Slang, to grok.

Also. Marvaloning: noun. the act of gazing with wonder. Often associated with an inspired or mind altered state.

Tools and Appliances.

Marvalon Coated Heat Sealing Iron

This is a perfect hand iron for sealing your heat seal stereo mounts. It has an adjustable temperature control and a non-stick Marvalon coating. It also will handle many other dry-mounting chores. It’s temperature range goes from 150^oF (65^oC) up to 410^oF (210^oC). It comes with a stand. Don’t forget to turn it off when you go to the Toddle House!

Hope this helps…

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Earthrise: 40th Anniversary of Apollo 8

On Christmas Eve, forty years ago today, the crew of Apollo 8 pointed their television camera back toward Earth and shared their vision with the entire world.

On December 21, 1968, Frank Borman, James Lovell and Bill Anders set out on the first ever journey to the Moon. Three days later they became the first humans to enter lunar orbit.

“Providence happened to put everything together at the end of the year to give the American public an uplift after what had been a poor year.” – Jim Lovell, Command Module Pilot

“It was a time when this country set out to do what seemed to be the impossible, and we did it.” – Frank Borman, Commander

“What a wonderful time it was, and is, as we celebrate that event and look forward to more in the future.” – Farnham Farrjones, Blogger

The National Space Society wishes everyone a happy, healthy, and awe-inspiring holiday season.

www.nss.org

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