The Secret Piano

When Father Papered the Parlour

2010-04-11T22:24:00.001-07:00

R. P. Weston, 1878-1936

Our parlor wanted papering,
And Pa says it was waste
To call a paperhanger in,
And so he made some paste.
He bought some rolls of paper,
Got a ladder and a brush
And with my mummy's nightgown on,
At it he made a rush.

Chorus:
When Father papered the parlour
You couldn't see him for paste
Dabbing it here! dabbing it there!
Paste and paper everywhere
Mother was stuck to the ceiling
The children stuck to the floor
I never knew a blooming family
So 'stuck up' before.

The pattern was 'blue roses'
with its leaves red, white, and brown;
He'd stuck it wrong way up and now,
we all walk upside down.
And when he trimm'd the edging
off the paper with the shears,
The cat got underneath it,
and dad cut off both its ears.
Chorus: Soon dad fell down the stairs
and dropp'd his paperhanger's can
On little Henrietta sitting there
with her young man,
The paste stuck them together,
as we thought t'would be for life,
We had to fetch the parson in
to make them man and wife.
Chorus:

We're never going to move away
from that house any more
For Father's gone and stuck the chairs
and table to the floor,
We can't find our piano,
though it's broad and rather tall,
We think that it's behind the paper
Pa stuck on the wall.
Chorus:

Now, Father's sticking in the pub,
through treading in the paste,
And all the family's so upset,
they've all gone pasty faced.
While Pa says, now that Ma has spread
the news from north to south,
He wishes he had dropped a blob
of paste in Mother's mouth.
Chorus:

2009-10-06T12:53:00.000-07:00

Anna B. McQuiston Henry (Toni Jo Henry)

2009-07-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

Toni Jo Henrys gravestone on the northwest side of Orange Grove Cemetery on Broad St. in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Early life-Born near Shreveport, Louisiana, she was the third of five children. Her mother died while she was a child. She worked in a factory, but later found her way into the employment of a local brothel as a prostitute. Petite, young and very attractive, she was very popular with many men. She soon became a regular user of alcohol, marijuana and cocaine.
Claude "Cowboy" Henry-In 1939, she met Cowboy Henry in the brothel where she worked. A down-on-his-luck prize fighter, Cowboy fell in love with the young prostitute. Married on November 25, 1939, the couple honeymooned in Southern California. During this time, Cowboy was able to wean his young bride off her various drug addictions.

Upon returning from California, Claude Henry was arrested for the murder of a Texas man prior to their marriage. He was found guilty in January 1940 and sentenced to 50 years in the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville.

Murder of Joseph P. Calloway-Toni Jo Henry then began contemplating plans to break her husband out of Huntsville Prison. She and Finnon Burks murdered Joseph P. Calloway after he offered to give the two a ride, apparently believing that the victim's Ford V8 Coupe would make a suitable get-away car.

As they passed Lake Charles, Louisiana, Toni Jo pulled out a 32 caliber pistol and ordered Mr. Calloway to drive down a country road. She then ordered him out of the car and to undress. After Finnon collected the clothes, she told the victim to kneel down and say his prayers, then shot him in the head.

She later was interviewed by a Shreveport police officer, where she confessed and tendered over the murder weapon.

Trials and appeals-Her first trial occurred the week of March 27, 1940. After the deliberating for 7 hours, the jury convicted her and sentenced her to death. Her accomplice was later convicted and sentenced to death. She appealed and was granted a new trial.

The second trial occurred February 1941. After an hour of deliberations, she was again convicted and sentenced to death--and again appealed and was granted a new trial.

The third trial occurred January 1942. Again convicted and sentenced to death, she appealed--but this time her appeal was denied.
Execution-While pending her trials, Louisiana changed its method of execution from hanging to death by electrocution. Toni Jo Henry was executed on November 28, 1942.

Sallier Oak Pruning

2009-02-19T13:03:00.001-08:00

So I've been neglecting my blog lately due to my life beinga bittoo hectic. Anyway, here is the annual pruning of the 375 year old Sallier Oak that is situated behind the museum. It's been a local landmark since the first settlers came here.

Murder in Lake Charles, 1894

2009-02-04T14:34:00.000-08:00

The following article was published in the newspaper here in 1894. I thought that the story was rather interesting and wrote in a strange style that gives many facts but doesn't finish the story out in a satisfying way. Deesport was located where the present day property of the Port of Lake Charles and the Stream property.
april 14, 1894
“Coon Howard”
A bloody tragedy was enacted Saturday night and Sunday morning near Lockport, 5 miles down the river, that found its equal in the shaded woods near Deesport. Matilda Howard, a colored woman, who resided with her family near Lockport left home in a skiff with her 11 year old son to go to w/s to sell fish her husband caught during the night. They never returned. While rowing peacefully along Hugh Earl Partoine with murder in his heart answered by a merry “hello” rowed his boat nearly alongside. After a few words of greeting with no intimation of his intention he leveled his revolver and sped a bullet through the mother’s head. Death was instantaneous, she fell over the side of the boat into rear where it floated. The echo had not died away when partaine fired a death dealing missile at the little boy whose small corpse sank in the water. The mothers body was recovered Sunday morning, the boy not until Tuesday evening. Partaine reloaded his revolver and with one last look at woman’s body still afloat, went to the landing where a path led to Howard’s home. He hung around all night, near daybreak he entered one of the rooms of the house which had a door leading to the gallery. He had hardly hidden himself, when R. G. Howard, a white man better known as “Coon” Howard as their house was on Coon Island, husband of murdered woman, walked out on gallery with one of his little boys. As soon as Partaine saw him from his hiding place he raised his pistol and fired. He was known as a dead shot but this time the bullet went well off its mark. Howard ran to the house of his mother-in-law, named Spencer. About 100 yards distant and yelled to young Spencer to bring him a gun. In the meantime, Partaine shot the little boy, Henry, through the wrist of his right arm. He fired at Joanna, 16 year old daughter, bullet struck side of her head, rendering her unconscious. She sank to the floor between a clothes press and the door. When Joanna recovered her faculties, she pushed the door shut with her foot. Parttaine heard the noise and returned with the fury of a maniac. The frightened girl ran to an open window where she stood at bay tearfully pleading for her life. He took deliberate aim and as she tried to escape through the window fired again. The bullet struck the young girl in the neck and loded in her shoulder. Partaine then possessed himself of Howards unloaded shotgun and made his escape. He entered his boat and rowed away; nothing being seen or heard of him until 4 o’clock Monday when he called at Peter Madison’s home near Deesport. Mrs. Madison was alone with only her baby girl. She was frightened for she had heard of the shooting. While preparing something for Partaine to eat, small son of J. A. Johnson called on an errand. He ran back out to his father. Then telling J. C. Valvender. Valvender hustled to town an informed the sheriffs office. Constable Harmon, Andrews, and Valveda (sic) returned. They went through the woods and espied Partaine sitting at the foot of a tree. Partaine rose and started to run. Valvende fired in the air with his revolver. Andews fired at him with his Winchester to halt. He stopped and turned with his revolver when Harmon and Andrews fired simultaneously. The fugitive sank to the earth. He died in the jail 9 o’clock Monday night. He confessed and was particularly anxious to know if Howard was hit, intimating Howard was the one he was after. Partaine had been fishing in this locality for some time. He was well known here having one time boarded at the Bilbo’s. He once wore long hair and was an itinerant photographer, and had an alias of Frank James. He was infatuated with Joanna but she had support of her family repulsing his advances.

It's the Hair!

2009-02-02T11:05:00.000-08:00

ROD BLAGOJEVICH
WRITES 25 THINGS
ABOUT HIMSELF
ON FACEBOOK.
BY SEAN CARMAN

- - - -

1. I'm the governor of Illinois.

2. Well, I mean, I was, until recently.

3. I'm innocent. That's the first thing you need to know. The indictment is a lie. When the truth comes out, I will be vindicated.

4. When I look in the mirror, I'm perfectly willing to admit, when I'm being honest with myself, that I am extremely good-looking.

5. I understand power. No one is going to give you power. Power is something you take.

6. Most people don't get this.

7. The hair. If I had to name my most attractive quality, I would say it's the hair.

8. The hair has never let me down and I know it never will.

9. The thing about the hair is that it always looks good, even in a strong wind.

10. You can't teach that. It's like Obama's halting cadence or Bill Clinton's thumb gesture. You either have it or you don't.

11. OK, here's what happened during those phone conversations. See, I was joking. We kid around a lot in Chicago. That's the kind of place it is. We're not like those uptight people on the East Coast. We know how to take a joke, see? That's how it was.

12. Before the indictment, I was intensively focused on positioning myself to run for the United States Senate after the conclusion of my term as governor.

13. That's what's so ironic about all of this.

14. That Senate seat belonged to me.

15. It was mine.

16. And now Patrick Fitzgerald has taken it away from me.

17. That man has ambitions. Don't be fooled by his charming, boyish image. He wants things.

18. I should know.

19. My therapist says I'm an obsessive narcissist.

20. You know what? My therapist can ...

21. Never mind what my therapist can do. My anger-management counselor says I need to change. She says to think of a calm place and then go to that calm place. Like, it could be a beach, she says, or a meadow filled with wildflowers, near the peak of a mountain. And when I'm there I'm allowed to think of anything I want. Anything. That's freedom, right there. That's what I like about the quiet place I can go to. The freedom I have there.

22. Look, I'm only seeing her because my defense attorney insisted.

23. Still, I find I enjoy our sessions. I had never experimented with transcendental meditation before. I had never really had what you might call an epiphany. It's something, when they come.

24. I'm like a cat. A powerful, hungry cat. But I'm also a great man. A man who helps people. A man who helps people who is also a strong cat in the wild, taking what he wants. I could be in movies, I think. Or on television. You know what? When this is over, I'm going to write a book.

25. I can do anything. When it comes to Rod Blagojevich and his hair, the sky's the limit. Listen: write that down. It's the last thing you need to know.

Vitas

2009-01-02T11:59:00.001-08:00

From his own website Vitas is "The artist you have been waiting for"
I couldn't agree with his PR people more.

download whole folder here:
http://www.box.net/shared/nd5o4jziij

Mechanicalia

2008-12-22T19:47:00.000-08:00

Today I'm going to share some music I've ripped from vinyl and from youtube videos by friends.It's good stuff, but WARNING, quality may be dubious!

Racial issues during Hurricane Katrina

2008-12-22T19:37:00.000-08:00

Found this interesting article through the dead pelican today. Very interesting read and definetly a lot of information to mull over. Katrina will definetly be a defining event of our lifetimes.
http://mshale.com/article.cfm?articleID=18304

Three new items added to my ephemera collection

2008-12-20T23:01:00.000-08:00

Bought these today at the antique store on Hodges in the cottage district. Also purchased a surprise for Randy and a bisque figure of a storyville style woman with a black mardi gras mask on. Will post pics of that soon!

2008-12-19T12:51:00.000-08:00

random pictures from WFMU and other random sources

2008-12-19T12:49:00.000-08:00

windows and doors

2008-12-19T12:47:00.000-08:00

Snowday

2008-12-11T06:42:00.001-08:00

Fixed some hot chocolate and enjoyed the view from our house today. Yep, that's snow on my porch!

Boycott Urban Outfitters

2008-12-10T14:10:00.000-08:00

Urban Outfitters Yanks Same-Sex Marriage T-shirt From Shelves
12/8/08 at 5:18 PMComment 18Comment 18Comments
The shirt in question.
Photo: Courtesy of Support Shirts
Printed T-shirts are a staple item for Urban Outfitters, but in a rare move, the company yanked one from their California shelves last week. Tara Littman of Support Shirts designed the shirt in question, which features the statement "I Support Same Sex Marriage," clearly a hot-button item in the Proposition 8 state. Less than a week after it first arrived in stores and online, the shirt was gone. A buyer cited the reason as "too much bad press" to Littman, though the designer couldn't find more than one blog entry that dissed the shirt. (Funny how a youth-targeted company blamed the Internet.) But we had to wonder if there was more to it than just bad press. After all, Urban has carried more sensational items than this in the past. In a 2006 interview, the Boston Globe asked Richard Hayne, the CEO of Urban Outfitters, if he felt regrets or second thoughts about potentially offensive products, and he said "very, very, very rarely." So is the veto of Littman's shirt just a case of good ol' discrimination? Consider this: Hayne is a notably right-wing Republican who supports senators who vote for legislation against gay marriage. In fact, last May the British Website ThisIsMoney.co.uk wrote, "Hayne must be the only retailer whose expansion plans depend on no one finding out who he really is." Interesting where your money goes, isn't it? When a right-wing Republican is the one concocting your anti-Establishment image, you start to wonder if the entire hipster movement has been duped into becoming puppets of Hayne's billionaire income. Because if we're all suckers, that just sucks.

By: Sharon Clott

DISCO NOEL

2008-12-09T09:57:00.000-08:00

Here it is, ripped from the original cheap vinyl, DISCO NOEL!
http://www.box.net/shared/8p6q65dyxd
enjoy in your best fur-trimmed platforms!One warning, I ripped this myself from the original vinyl record, cleaned it only slightly with Audacity so I am not promising astudio quality professional sound, only something to enjoy for this Christmas holiday!

End Of October

2008-11-01T21:52:00.000-07:00

These following photos are of dresses that were exhibited in our 1920's exhibit at the museum. They are from the ICM collection and all are original. The brown and beige was a traveling dress worn in 1927 when a young woman changed to catch the train with her new husband on their honeymoon from LC. The two silk dresses are actually heavily beaded in glass beads. They are surprisingly heavy. The light blue dress is from the early 1920's.

So, I didn't remember to post this to my blog, this is the flyer I designed for Lake Charles' downtown halloween pub crawl. Max and I Djed the street party and JohnnyNewYork M.C.ed. Pretty Snazzy. It was a moderate success.

Photos from my trip to NYC

2008-10-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

If you are unaware, I just got back from my trip to NYC. I've been posting the pics this week on a new blog, www.blainemanhattan2008.blogspot.com, check it out if you would like

Antiquing in Round Top

2008-10-06T21:04:00.000-07:00

working text

2008-09-09T21:38:00.000-07:00

Six-Thirty and I'm exhaling a deep cough in an unexpected nap that overcame me after getting home from work, sometimes it's hard to find the right words to describe the sudden precipitous feeeling that a nap may come on and next thing I'm deep in. The TV continued its lecture at nobody and through that sometimes I caught snippets of things maybe imagined and maybe overheard. The yellow announcer yelled over the mic in a shrill intonation about barbecue and great americans and how in this show you may not think that the man barbecuin' might be that much of an amazing american. But then they found out his home in New Braunfels Texas was created from an an old nuclear cooling water storage tower. The brown steel and grey concrete structure rose steeply from the texan waste and seemed a marvel of technology frozen on the diode screen with the wacky texan with his white BBQ hat and his wife and his saucemop waving frantically in his hand behind his blonde wife in her red tight jeans and cliche white knotted buttondown shirt. Apparently there was a competition between this man and another for amazin' American(!) and the crew followed with their cameras, cords, elctrical boxes with flashing red and green lights into the concrete edifice and followed slowly up its spiral of walkways for possibly an hour to the top where an "executive" suite was for the man and his wife and their perfect children and even a dog, not the sort of lap dogs that don't offen me, but a great border collie or great dane or great beagle or some such other great dog. Still when I woke up, I thought it had happened and instinctively opened the computer and began to search for New Braunfels barbecue man in the search engine.

Sitting Pretty, sheet music artwork

2008-09-05T21:23:00.000-07:00

CLIP ART OF THE THIRTIES

2008-09-05T21:19:00.000-07:00

Calabria

2008-08-30T20:39:00.000-07:00

Strange how this song bores into my head like a boll weevil. Had to know what the lyrics were, and I thought I would share what I found.

Easy now no need fi (to) go down,
easy now no need fi go down,
rock that run that, this wheh (where) we from
(repeat 2x)

Whoop Whoop
When you run come around,
Cau' (cuz) now yuh (you're) de(the_ talk ah (of) de town yea
(repeat 4x)

Easy now no need fi go down
Just wuk(work) it gently and nuh (don't) bruk (break) up no bone,
Cool end-it-ly, you have a style of your own,
Me never kno seh (that) yuh (you) masta (master) de saxophone

cau' u sound like the talk of the town yea,
an' (and) mi (I'm) lucky when yuh run come around yea,
make me wobbly, make me whole body bubble,
an' mi (I) know seh yuh trouble, when yuh ready fi (for) de double,

an' yuh hit dat (that),
note inna de mickle (note in the middle)
play with it a lickle (little),
why yuh soun' a tickle (why(do)you sound tickled(as in laughing hard))
im tellin' you to, hit that
note inna de mickle
stay with it a lickle,
why yuh soun' a tickle
im feelin' dem (them)
(whoop whoop)

easy now no need fi go down,
easy now no need fi go down,
wuk it gently and nuh bruk up no bone

Whoop Whoop
When you run come around,
Cau' now yuh de talk ah de town yea
(repeat 4x)

Best shown overall, shiny and tall,
One touch make a gal climb ova (over) de wall
Brass hat, hotta (hotter) than fireball
Whoop Whoop!
Yuh nuh (You're not) small, yuh nuh lickle at all
Dat touch, just deh pon mi (my) mind yea
De good feelin de pon rewind yea
make me wobbly, make me whole body bubble,
an' mi know seh yuh trouble, when yuh ready fi de double,

an' yuh hit dat,
note inna de mickle
play with it a lickle,
why yuh soun' a tickle
im tellin' you to, hit that
note inna de mickle
stay with it a lickle,
why yuh soun' a tickle
im feelin' dem

Wuk it gently and nuh bruk up no bone

easy now no need fi go down,
easy now no need fi go down,
rock that run that, this wheh we from
(repeat 2x)

Whoop Whoop
When you run come around,
Cau' now yuh de talk ah de town yea
(repeat 8x)

Whooop Whooop!!!
Another interpretation...
(Feat. Natasha)

Easy now no need fi(as in for) go down,
easy now no need fi go down,
rock that run that, this where we from
(repeat 2x)

Whoop Whoop
When you run come around,
Cu(z) I kno ur the talk of the town yea
(repeat 4x)

Easy now no need fi go down
Just walk it gently and no break nah bone,
Cool end-it-ly, you have a style of your own,
Me never kno you saw ya master the saxsaphone

cause u sound like the talk of the town yea,
imma lock u when u run come around yea,
make me wobble, make me whole body bubble,
an me no say ya trouble, when ya ready for the double,
and n u hit that,
no ti-na the mickle (as in nothing in the middle)
play with it a lickle(as in little), why you so na tickle
im tellin' you to, hit that
no ti-na the mickle (as in nothing in the middle)
stay with it a lickle(as in little), why you so na tickle
im feelin' them
(whoop whoop)

easy now no need fi go down,
easy now no need fi go down,
walk it gently and no break nah bone

Whoop Whoop
When you run come around,
Cu(z) I kno ur the talk of the town yea
(repeat 4x)

Best shown overall, shiny and tall,
One touch make a gal climb whoever you are,
Brass hat, hatter(as in hotter) than fireball
Whoop Whoop!
You not small you not lickle(as in little) at all
Dat touch, just dip on me mind yea
The good feelin dip on rewind yea
make me wobble, make me whole body bubble,
an me no say ya trouble, when ya ready for the double,
and n u hit that,
no ti-na the mickle (as in nothing in the middle)
play with it a lickle(as in little), why you so na tickle
im tellin' you to, hit that
no ti-na the mickle (as in nothing in the middle)
stay with it a lickle(as in little), why you so na tickle
im feelin' them

Walk it gently and no break nah bone

easy now no need fi go down,
easy now no need fi go down,
rock that run that, this where we from
(repeat 2x)

Whoop Whoop
When you run come around,
Cu(z) I kno ur the talk of the town yea
(repeat 8x)

Whooop Whooop!!!

New Drawing

2008-08-27T17:23:00.000-07:00

New drawing,may use it in October for the group show. Not sure if it doesn't need something else.
Carl & Whisp
Charcoal, conte,and acrylic on cigar paper
August 26, 2008
8 1/2" x 11"

Another Radio Identified

2008-08-17T20:13:00.000-07:00

RCA 114 Tombstone (1934)

WOO HOO, found info on one of my radios! AND it's a rare one!

2008-08-17T20:10:00.000-07:00

Crosley Radio Corp.
Model 53 - "Mate"
Crosley introduced an entire line of "Repwood" radios in 1931. All were given "nicknames" to go along with their official model number. Table models, like the "Buddy Boy" were popular, however console models are seldom seen. Shown is the Model 53, or the "Mate," a miniature console that is only 30" tall. The chassis was a small five tube TRF using three 24-A tubes, a single 45 output tube and an 80 rectifier. The Crosley Dynacone speaker was allowed to hang on a hook behind the grille. The "Mate" sold for $79.50 in 1931. "Repwood" was Crosley's trade name for the wood and binder combination that was compressed and molded into trim pieces, panels and cabinets.
http://www.radioblvd.com/ConsolePhoto.htm

If You Dare To Click...

2008-07-22T19:54:00.001-07:00

Be forewarned that this is difficult material you'll be examining....

http://www.lileks.com/institute/motel/gob1.html
http://gobblermotel.blogspot.com/

I Love Michael Ian Black

2008-07-22T19:51:00.000-07:00

- - - -

WHAT I WOULD
BE THINKING ABOUT
IF I WERE BILLY JOEL
DRIVING TOWARD
A HOLIDAY PARTY
WHERE I KNEW THERE
WAS GOING TO BE
A PIANO.
BY MICHAEL IAN BLACK
- - - -

I'm not doing it. I'm just not. I know I say the same thing every year, but this time I mean it—I am not playing it this year. Seriously, how many times can I possibly be expected to play that stupid song? I bet if you counted the number of times I've played it over the years, it probably adds up to, like, a jillion. I'm not even exaggerating. One jillion times. Well, not this year.

This year, I'm just going to say, "Sorry, folks, I'm only playing holiday songs tonight." Yeah, that's a good plan. That's definitely what I'm going to do, and if they don't like it, tough cookies. It'll just be tough cookies for them.

But I know exactly what'll happen. I'll sit down, play a few holiday songs, and then some drunk jerk will yell out, "'Piano Man,'" and everybody will start clapping, and I'll look like a real asshole if I don't play it.

I wonder if they'll have shrimp cocktail.

Now that I think of it, it's always Bob Schimke who yells out, "'Piano Man.'" He does it every year. He gets a couple of Scotches in that fat gut of his, and then it's, "Hey, Billy, play 'Piano Man'!" That guy is such a dick. He thinks he's such a big shot because he manages that stupid hedge fund. Big deal. He thinks because he used to play quarterback for Amherst that everybody should give a shit. I don't. Who cares about you and your stupid hedge fund, Bob? That's what I should say to him this year. I really should. I should just march right up to him and say, "Who cares about your stupid hedge fund, you dick?" Let's just see what Mr. Quarterback has to say about that. And I know he made a pass at Christie that time. She probably liked it—that's probably why she denied it even happened.

I'm such a loser.

Why do I even go to these parties? I mean, honestly, how many times do I need to see Trish and Steve and Lily and that creepy doctor husband of hers and all their rich Long Island friends? Although that Greenstein girl is nice. Maybe she'll be there. What's her name—Alison?

What if Alison asks me to play "Piano Man"? Then what? I've got to stick to my guns, that's what. I'll simply say, "Some other time." Yeah, that's good. Kind of like we're making a date or something. And then at the end of the night when we're all getting our coats, I'll turn to her and say something like, "So when do you want to get together and hear 'Piano Man'?" Oh man, that's really good. That's so smooth. After all, how is she going to say no? She's the one who asked to hear it in the first place! Oh man, Billy, that is just perfect.

Maybe she'll say something like, "How about right now?" Yeah. And maybe we'll leave together. I can drive her back to my place and I can play her the stupid song and then maybe we'll do it. I'd really like to do it with that Greenstein girl. How awesome would that be? Me leaving with Alison on my arm and Bob's big fat stupid face watching us go. That would be too rich. I'd be real nonchalant about it, too—"See you later, Bob."

Who am I kidding? She'd never go out with me. She was dating that actor for a while. What's his name? Benicio? What kind of name is Benicio? A stupid name, that's what kind. Hi, I'm Benicio. I'm so cool. I'm sooooo cool. I should start going by Billicio. I'm Billicio Del Joelio. I play pianolo.

Sing us a song, you're the piano man ...

Oh great. Now it's in my head. Perfect. Now I have to walk around that stupid party with that stupid song stuck in my head all night.

Amherst sucks at football.

You know what I should do? I should just turn this car around and go home. Just pick up the phone and call them and tell them I ate some bad fish or something. Yeah, that's what I should do. This party's going to suck anyway. By the time I get there, all the shrimp cocktail will probably be gone anyway.

What am I going to do? Go through my entire life avoiding situations where somebody might ask me to play a song? I can't do that. No, Billy, you've just got to grow yourself a sack and take care of business. And if that loudmouth Bob Schimke requests "Piano Man," I just need to look him in the eye and tell him I'd be happy to play it for him just as soon as he goes ahead and fucks himself.

Who am I kidding? Of course I'm going to play it. I always play it. Probably the only reason half the people at that party even show up is to hear me play "Piano Man." They probably don't even like me. Not really. They just want to tell all their friends that Billy came and played "Piano Man." Again. Like I'm the loser who's dying to play it. Whatever.

Fine. I'll do it, but not because they want me to, but because I want me to. I'm not even going to wait for them to ask. I'm going to march right in there and play the song and that'll be that. I'm not even going to take off my coat first. Yeah. Let's see what Bob has to say about that. I might even play it twice.

- - - -

Hey everybody.....Ukelele!

2008-07-13T18:50:00.001-07:00

"My Little Grass Shack"

I want to go [G]back to my little grass shack
In Kealakekua, Ha[A7]waii
I want to [D7]be with all the kanes and wahines
That I used to [G]know... so long ago

I can [B7]hear the old guitars a-playing [E7]
On the beach at Honaunau
I can [A7]hear the old Hawaiians saying
"Komo [D7]mai no kaua i ka hale welakahau"

It won't be [G]long till my ship will be sailing
Back to [A7]Kona
A [D7]grand old place
That's always fair to [B7]see... you're telling me

I'm [E7]just a little Hawaiian and a homesick island boy
I [A7]want to go back to my fish and poi

I want to go [G]back to my little grass shack
In Kealakekua, Ha[A7]waii
Where the [D7]humu-humu nuku-nuku a pua'a
Go swimming [G]by

Where the [D7]humu-humu nuku-nuku a pua'a
Go swimming [G]by

The Great(er) Depression

2008-06-29T18:22:00.000-07:00

I'm very glad to see a children's film as cute as this set in the depression, I think now is a good time for a film like this to educate children about the hardships they may experience in the upcoming economic depression we may have in the years to come.

The Beautiful Despair of the Past

2008-06-26T22:22:00.000-07:00

These photos were posted to a model RR forum that I participate in. These color photos grabbed me and I just couldn't believe the beauty of them. I felt like Icould cry, my head throbbed because of the immediacy of their decayed beauty.

My Embarrasment As A Photgrapher

2008-06-26T22:12:00.000-07:00

Ok,
So my sister graduated High School and I grabbedthe wrong camera. These are the only shots that you can see anything. SEE! Even I make mistakes.YEAH??? Well no one asked your opinion anyhow.

This is actually my lil' sis' with the long hair:

And I was also glad the Sulphur band didn't half-ass the music, but they left before the ceremony was over,tacky darlings!

A SECRETIVE DUSTY BICYCLE

2008-06-19T23:02:00.000-07:00

So's, maybe there's a secret bicycle hiding out in some place other than my kitchen. What's it to you? Maybe I'm riding it in the afternoons around my neighborhood for health-type reasons, I don't know why it would be any of your business. Maybe someone like me cleaned a stove tonight that may or may not be located in the vicinity of my kitchen, what?, it's not like stoves gotta be in the kitchens anyhow!

CHECK OUT LABELTRADER.COM

2008-06-18T22:00:00.000-07:00

You won't be disappointed!

Video Clips Of My New Victor III

2008-06-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

"Rag-A-Muffin Rag"

"Auntie Skinner's Chicken Dinner"

"The Little Ford Rambled Right Along"

"Sugar Babe, I'm Leavin!"

"The Memphis Blues"

Flooding In Iowa

2008-06-14T13:58:00.000-07:00

After reading comments on news blogs about the flooding in Iowa, sort of reminds me of these words:
Oh, there's nothing halfway
About the Iowa way to treat you,
When we treat you
Which we may not do at all.
There's an Iowa kind of special
Chip-on-the-shoulder attitude
We've never been without.
That we recall.
We can be cold
As our falling thermometers in December
If you ask about our weather in July.
And we're so by God stubborn
We could stand touchin' noses
For a week at a time
And never see eye-to-eye.
But what the heck, you're welcome,
Join us at the picnic.
You can eat your fill
Of all the food you bring yourself.
You really ought to give Iowa a try.
Provided you are contrary,
We can be cold
As our falling thermometer in
DecemberIf you ask about our weather in July.
And we're so by God stubborn
We can stand touchin' noses
For a week at a time
And never see eye-to-eye.
But we'll give you our shirt
And a back to go with it
If your crops should happen to die.
Farmer:So, what the heck, you're welcome,
Glad to have you with us.
Farmer and Wife: Even though we maybe never mention it again.
Townspeople:You really ought to give Iowa
Hawkeye Iowa
Dubuque,
Des Moines,
Davenport,
Marshalltown,
Mason City,
Keokuk,
Ames,
Clear Lake
Ought to give Iowa a try!

A JOURNEY TO ROBERTS' COVE

2008-06-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

Sunset in Roberts' Cove

St. Leo Church

The germanic cemetery in Roberts' Cove

St. Leo's again
The gate leading to the small chapel (view hidden behind a post)

This column in Rayne Cemetery

"Mother" also in Rayne cemetery

Gerites and Yolande in Rayne Cemetery

one of the smallest churches in Louisiana
A view of the interior of the tiny chapel.

Erica next to it for scale comparison.

"5 plots, 2 with vaults"

A TRIP TO ALTON CEMETERY, NORTH OF MOSS BLUFF

2008-06-13T21:53:00.000-07:00

That is one of the most unusual names I have ever heard!!!
Above is a beautifully carved column from the turn of the century. Below is the oldest tombstone we could find in the cemetery....1811!

She actually named her son and/or daughter COPPER?!?!?!?
The sailor above died in 1960.

I would love to look that cocky on my tombstone when I pass on!
Another unusual name!?!?

Some Randomness For Friday

2008-06-13T14:37:00.000-07:00

Wesley in St. Louis Cemetery No.1 in New Orleans. A stereoscopic photo by myself. 2006 or 2007. The Bluestein House at dusk, 2007
The Bluestein House at dawn, 2007
The Eureka Brass Band of Lake Charles outside of one of the borading houses. 1880's. ICM collection.
"Empire",Drawing by myself in ink and acrylic on tinted paper. 2007

SHEET MUSIC

2008-06-12T22:17:00.000-07:00

I have "Old Jim's Christmas Hymn" on an Edison cylinder. The melody is set to "Rock of Ages".

I'll soon have "They Start the Victrola" as a piano roll when my latest purchase comes in.

Just some sheetmusic covers that I've saved from websitesthat I felt like putting up.

2008-05-24T20:58:00.000-07:00

If I hear one more "expert" say that people were smaller in the nineteenth century than they are today, I'm going to blow a gasket. One hundred years ago there WERE NOT THOUSANDS OF TINY PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND!!! Just like today, people came in a variety of sizes with some being tall, short, fat and skinny. There is a problem today with obesity due to the science and preparations of our foodstuffs. Old people seem smaller because their bodies degenerate, their joints don't have the fullness to keep them upright, and maybe, just maybe,grandma was just short! Here are some justifications for the shorter arguments I've heard:
Myth 1: doorknobs in old (read pre-1900) homes are lower than they are today.
Myth 1 debunked: Women generally regarded flailing their arms above their heads to be declasse. Most of those doorknobs are set at a height that didn't require the average size human to lift their arm more than at the wrist.
Myth 2: Beds were shorter because people were shorter.
Myth 2 debunked: Before 1900, healthcare was still very haphazard. If you are like I am and suffer from allergies, then you are probably familiar with having to sleep in a semi-upright position. It was considered healthful to sleep sitting up, hence things like HEADBOARDS and WINGBACK CHAIRS, both things designed to aid in sleeping in a semi-reclined position.
Myth 3: Healthcare wasn't as good so people didn't grow as big.
Myth 3 debunked: Partially correct, healthcare was hit-or-miss. But, the truth is that good health care doesn't make people grow taller. Food doesn't really either, that's an excuse that your parents were passed down to help encourage you to eat your greens. Enriched food does help you to grow fat though and probably aids in the development of various cancers in your body.
Oh and just one more myth thrown in there while I'm on a tirade:
Myth X: Cancer is a modern disease.
Myth X debunked: Cancer is a mistake that your cells make in your body. It is a horridbut natural occurence. Cancer has always been around, humans and science just couldn't detect or name it until the twentieth century.
This photo of an average American family in the 1920's, which according to some experts means that the father measures up to about 4'8" and the young soon is somewhere around 1'8", yeah that sounds about right! (sarcasm hasn't changed much either over the years)

Tiffany Box Blue, Only Slightly Greener

2008-05-24T12:06:00.000-07:00

This is the color I'm painting all the furniture on the porch. It shows pretty well in thispicture. I like that it looks fresh but still has a vintage thirties vibe to it. July 4 is my deadline for finishing the porch so that there can be a Fourth of July party at Bluestien House. Thinking about calling the party "Red, White, Booze and You" as a take off of LC's "Red White Blue and You" fest at the Centre Civique. Also suggested was "red, white,blue, and Martini's!" If the fireworks display is done in the same spot as when it was done for Contraband Days, then we will have a splendid view of the pyrotechnics.

Zack

2008-05-20T19:56:00.001-07:00

Orchid

2008-05-20T19:45:00.000-07:00

Wesley took these pictures of our Cymbidium Orchid in the bay tower of the parlor.

STAND FOR YOU RIGHT

2008-05-20T19:43:00.000-07:00

Got this in the mail I think, can't really remember, but I thought it was worth sharing.

2008-05-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

Elemore Morgan Jr.

With a great sense of loss, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art announces that Elemore Morgan Jr., one of the most important and respected artists in Louisiana and the South, passed away on Sunday, May 18, 2008, at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, Md. Morgan Jr. passed away due to complications from the heart surgery he had in April, 2008. He was 76 years old.

Elemore Morgan Jr. was celebrated for his colorful paintings of vernacular architecture and panoramic vistas of the prairies of Southwestern Louisiana. With the exceptions of the occasional Mississippi River scene and New Orleans cityscapes, the majority of his paintings concentrated on a 30-mile-square area between Kaplan, Abbeville and Maurice, La.

Morgan was the only child born to Elemore Morgan Sr. and Dorothy Golden Morgan on Aug. 6, 1931 in Baton Rouge, La. Morgan Sr., a well-known photographer, often took Morgan Jr. on his travels throughout Louisiana. He was known for his images of Louisiana landscapes, churches, folk culture and people, immersing his son in the importance and beauty of his native state. Morgan Jr. studied art at Louisiana State University, where teachers such as printmaker Caroline Durieux, painter Ralston Crawford, and painter David Le Doux shaped Morgan Jr.’s early artistic outlook. Morgan Jr. was a member of the Air Force ROTC, and upon his graduation with a bachelor’s degree in 1952, he was commissioned into the United States Air Force to serve in the Korean War. During “R&R” (rest and relaxation), Morgan Jr. traveled throughout Korea and Japan, absorbing the culture, particularly that of the art and architecture. In 1954, he attended the Ruskin School of Art at Oxford University in England. Among his classmates were writer John Updike, and artists Philip Morsberger and Ron Kitaj. He graduated in 1957.

After a few weeks of post-graduate travel in Europe, Morgan Jr. returned to Louisiana, and in 1965 began teaching at University of Louisiana/Lafayette (then Southwestern Louisiana University). Upon his retirement in 1997, Morgan Jr. had influenced and mentored hundreds of artists. In 2006, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art had a retrospective of both his and his father’s work. A book, “Art and Life in Louisiana: Elemore Morgan Sr. and Elemore Morgan Jr.,” by David Houston, was published by the museum to complement the exhibition.

Morgan Jr. whose paintings and photographs are in the museum’s collection -- was a familiar presence at the Ogden, and could often be seen on the fifth-floor terrace working on paintings, some of which are in a show currently at Arthur Roger Gallery in New Orleans, La. The museum also used the painting, “A View from the Prairie,” for the poster and invitation from its grand opening in 2003. A tribute installation of his work will open on Thursday, May 22, in the museum’s Kanner Gallery in the Stephen F. Goldring Hall.

“Elemore was a great friend to the Ogden Museum, and to all of us who work here,” says museum director J. Richard Gruber. “His generous spirit and grand artistic vision will be missed by all who knew him. Elemore’s art was rooted in the environment and culture of his native Louisiana, passed on to him by his father, noted photographer Elemore Morgan Sr. His love of this state and his understanding of its unique history infused the entire range of his work, which will serve as a lasting legacy for future generations.”

Festivale De Internationale in Lafayette

2008-04-28T21:27:00.000-07:00

Greg Stratton and Heather Ryan Kelley

Heather Ryan Kelley and Me

Bassist for Terence Simien

Amie J. Herbert and Taylor Clement

Aaron Thibodeaux was a volunteer announcer through Codofil

Jackson Herbert dancing in the street.

Jackson throwing bottle caps in the street.

Amie J. Herbert and Justin Ruttley

Blake Soto and Tiko Soto

Les Breastfeeders

The crowd on Jefferson St. taken from the VIP box.

Eric Prejean

Aaron "word" Thomas and Meagan Horn

Aaron, Eric, Jackson, Mark, and Meagan taking a break.

Blake Soto

View of "Fais do-do" stage

Les Breastfeeders

les Breastfeeders

Tambourinist for Les Breastfeeders

Terence Simien singing

Terence Simien and washboard players.

Tay and Blake two-steppin

Jackson gets a bird's eye's view of the Burning Spears on daddy Mark.

les Breastfeeders

FAUN NUIT

2008-04-03T10:56:00.000-07:00

"Faun Nuit"
acrylic on masonite
2006

Paragon Ragtime Orchestra plays "Vito"

2008-04-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

ART

2008-03-25T21:51:00.001-07:00

Check out my art blog/gallery at http://blaineartblog.blogspot.com/ YAY,art.

New Videos of Randy's Phonographs

2008-03-15T10:29:00.000-07:00

Several nice selections were recroded on friday morning. The Caruso and Sousa records are from my collection and are new acquisitions. The Sousa is a fabulous recording,nearly mint in sleeve and I bought it only one week ago for $2! The Caruso was 25 cents at a library book sale. It is a one sided record, the Sousa is two sided and has "March Militaire" on the other side.

Calcasieu Parish Schools "Figures and Features" Show opens at ICM gallery, Friday, Mar 7, 08

2008-03-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

Arabie Environmental (sort of) Solutions

2008-03-12T08:13:00.000-07:00

So Tuesday I'm driving to work on Hodges St. and get to the red light on Clarence St and notice that two old trees next to a parking area had been cut down. It is definitely less shady on that street now. This morning I noticed what building that parking lot was for...Arabie Environmental Solutions. How tacky. That's what keeps Louisiana moving backward instead of forward. Stupidity. EVEN if the trees HAD to come down...I think to remove them and not replace the greenspace is REALLY STUPID FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL "SOLUTIONS" COMPANY!

check this blog out

2008-03-10T12:31:00.001-07:00

It's so much more interesting than mine...
http://thriftstoreadventures.blogspot.com/

phonographs at the round top antique fair

2008-03-01T09:26:00.000-08:00

news around town

2008-02-24T22:24:00.001-08:00

While on my way to check on the museum on Sunday, I was shocked to see this scene on the side of the street. This happened friday night on the corner of Ethel and S. Ryan, apparently someone fell asleep at the wheel, or was drunk, and ran off the road and slammed into this lonely little shed. But they didn't just hit it, they apperently went through it dukes of hazzard style. Scattered contents were strewn on the other side ofthe hole and the west wall was drug about 10 feet from its original location. Apparently soemone came and hauled them out of the mud from the look of the tracks. Strangely enough,the neighbors I talked to didn't hear a thing. I guess they were just far enough away to not hear it. The real shame is that one of the neighbors said the shed had been built around 1892. I can verify that it is pre-1910, due to the wood shingles covered with rusted tin. Due to the 1910 fire, all homes and outbuildings had to have non-flammable roofs from that year on, and many people just covered their wood shingles with tin, tarpaper, or slate to adjust to code.

Le Petit

2008-02-23T20:48:00.000-08:00

If you're in Lake Charles,and you haven't seenthe Le Petit Salon Show at Art By Melancon Studios,then you should go check it out.

Hauteur

2008-02-22T20:12:00.001-08:00

i'm really thinkingabout building that steamdummy and streetcar, Ithink I might build it really tiny like it's somesort of experimental streetcar from 1880and use the bachmann passenger trucks for the passenger car. That could work.

So, I've been busy lately, what's it to you?

2008-02-22T20:03:00.000-08:00

Here's some pictures anyway. My spacebar has been broken so it's annoying to type fast. I might juststopusingitaltogether!,isthatconfusing?Maybe[I[could[learn[to[use[a[different[key[instead[ofspacebar.Nothatsucks. Anyway...onto pictures....

Narrow Gauge Engines (and two giant steamers)

2008-01-27T20:02:00.000-08:00

Here are some steam engine photos I picked up in Houston. Planning on trying to build some of the narrow gauge small engines to run on my layout. Very pleased to find period photos that show so much detail and are specific to Louisiana. The Sunlight is the train my parents brought me on in the 1980's when I was a child, a very fond memory for me, I was a nut for trains as a child. The Mallet engine I'm Giving to Philip because I remember hime saying how much he liked the flat front Southern Pacific Mallets.

Sporty

2008-01-20T19:41:00.000-08:00

http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.com/

2008-01-18T21:15:00.000-08:00

http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.com/ ...if you've never seen this site, and you love old engravings, illustration, manuscripts, and prints...then you haven't lived. I've been reading for hours at this site. Absolutely magnificent!!! Here's a picture from the site...

I'm catching a rattler today!

2008-01-18T20:59:00.000-08:00

"Deep Elm Blues" piano roll played on my 1919 Steiff.
Elm is a neighborhood in downtown Dallas. It's referred to there as "deep el-lum" This 1920's blues song refers to that area and has a great beat too!

Edison Phonograph

2008-01-18T20:42:00.000-08:00

Here are some samples of the Edison phonograph at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum playing cylinders from my personal collection at the museum. One cylinder is broken, but I recorded the playable portion and one clip was cut short because of the camera stopping mysteriously.

"Every Mother's Son There Sang the Wearing Of the Green" sung by Edwin S. Porter, Columbia or Indestructible cylinder #846

"Uncle Josh In Society" a comic spoken word piece recorded by Charles Stuart, Edison #10058

"yodle Sweet Rose" Edison cylinder #8438

There will be more of these to come soon.

oakdale

2008-01-18T08:33:00.000-08:00

This interesting derelict building was along the highway that went through Oakdale when Erica and I were driving to Monroe. I spotted it in the woods and had to turn around and get a picture of it! i wonder what it could have been?

Coquette of the Sea

2008-01-16T21:28:00.001-08:00

Re-worked the image and added some texture per Amie's suggestion.

Coquette of the Sea

2008-01-14T23:05:00.000-08:00

"Coquette of the Sea" is the working title of this collage. Just a reminder that if I catch someone stealing my artwork, I will hunt them down and saw their legs off!

Untitled

2008-01-14T22:57:00.000-08:00

Haven't decided on a title for this collage yet. It's one of the collages I'm thinking about putting in the Petit Salon show at Melancon gallery. It's sort of a stream of conscious design, using antique images and a drawing I had made a few years ago that was destroyed in Hurricane Rita. Erica and I drove to Monroe on Saturday to pick up the work from Arender gallery. Brad Arender sent photos back with us for the petite salon show also. I've been distracted with working on model buildings for the Streetcar layout and I will photograph those soon and put them on this blog so everyone can check them out.

Over the Waves

2008-01-11T17:25:00.000-08:00

A spastic carnival waltz played on my Steiff Deluxe player!

Red Pepper Rag, A Spicy Rag.

2008-01-11T17:24:00.000-08:00

There are some bass notes at the beginning that are due to wrinkles in the roll, but the rest of it plays fine. Enjoy!

Some good images of Lake Charles

2008-01-11T13:28:00.000-08:00

Look Into My Eyes!

2008-01-11T13:25:00.000-08:00

Probably the best-worst album cover i've ever found.

Paris 1900

2008-01-10T19:32:00.000-08:00

This is the paris Exposition of 1900. The Edison film shows the moving sidewalk, very intriguing and something somewhat commonplace today.

Edison Moving Sidewalk 1900 Paris
Uploaded by donaldtheduckie

Columbia Type A Phonograph

2008-01-10T19:15:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite phonograph in my collection. It is the first phonograph put on the market that was financially affordable for the general public. It is in original condition, the reproducer is a reproduction as is the horn. It is playing "Cotten" a cakewalk with banjo by Fred Van Epps. The Type A was revealed in the Christmas catalog of Sears-Roebuck in 1896.

Ain't this slick, a hupfield automatic violin player

2008-01-10T18:30:00.001-08:00

Photoplayer

2008-01-10T18:24:00.000-08:00

Bear with me through the intro, the Photoplayer is the real attractio, boy do I wish I could get my paws on one of those!!!

These were used throughout the US to accompany silent movies in medium sized movie houses. The arcade in Lake Charles only had a Seeburg nickelodeon, a small and inexpensive machine, but I'm sure there was probably a few in New Orleans and slightly larger cities. They are as rare today as hen's teeth.

Bizet's Carmen

2008-01-10T18:11:00.001-08:00

2008-01-10T18:05:00.000-08:00

Cute picture of my mom and Wesley. Love y'all. They are at work in this picture.

My Player Piano, experimental film

2008-01-10T17:41:00.000-08:00

2008-01-09T19:32:00.000-08:00

OH, I also got my Bachman streetcar in the UPS today! Ran it this afternoon and I'm much more pleased with it than I thought I would be!

HRC

2008-01-09T19:29:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I'm a sucker for punishment and even though it gets my blood pressure up to stroke levels, I've been watching the election. Pleased with Hillary. BUT, I want to say that I am so disgusted with the pundits who keep spouting about the women voters. So is what you are trying to say is that no MAN would vote for a woman? Well...I'm voting for her and I'm a man. argh Charlie Brown!

Pride and the proud

2008-01-05T09:12:00.000-08:00

This is an experimental digital collage i worked on last night. Not sure where I'm going with these...
Just a reminder, this is all rights reserved by artist and I will hunt you down like a madman if I find out you stole my image.

Taking Photos

2008-01-04T10:46:00.000-08:00

About to start taking some pro photos and looking at development and I found this website which seems affordable, http://www.dwaynesphoto.com/newsite2006/color-neg-processprint.html I need to remember that.

Last Dinner on the Titanic

2007-12-30T19:58:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone!
This year i will be DJing on Shell Beach Dr for the Titanic party, We're going to party like it's 1912 to my ragtime beats! Ok, that's out of my system. Here's the invite...
Haven't decided to go out this New Year's Eve? Change your mind, and join Carolyn Woosley and Leslie Berman for a dinner/dance to ring in the New Year in style and for a few good causes. Leslie is cooking up the Last Dinner on the Titanic to celebrate New Year's Eve December 31, 2007/January1, 2008 from 8:00pm - 1: 00a.m. at 1401 Shell Beach Drive, Lake Charles. The fundraiser will benefit the Women's Shelter, the Whistle Stop, and SLAC (SWLA AIDS Council). RSVP to 515-6479 required as space is limited. $30 per person includes Supper (the actual three-course last meal served in the Third Class Dining Room on the last evening before the Titanic hit the iceberg), Hot Mulled Wine/Hot Mulled Cider, Champagne/Sparkling Cider Midnight Toast, and soft drinks and sparkling water all night. Come on and party like it's 1912 to Blaine Miller's selection of Titanic era tunes and dance music from other modern eras, plus the international continuous midnight countdown celebration! Edwardian costuming welcomed. A cash bar for wine, beer, and mixed drinks will be available (hey, it's a fundraiser for good causes!). Must RSVP in advance by calling 515-6479. What the hey, you could do something different for New Year's once in a very blue moon.

Hope you can join us!

Semper Augustus

2007-12-29T17:28:00.000-08:00

From : http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/aconite/semperaugustus.html

A Rosen, with blood-red flares or flames vividly streaked on a white ground, and flakes and flashes of the same color at the pedals' edge, Semper Augustus was, by all accounts, an extraordinary flower, and one celebrated at the time for its beauty and rarity. Because Semper Augustus was scarce, it was coveted and because it was desirable, it was expensive (indeed, by the time the market collapsed, the number of bulbs probably never was much greater than it had been originally). This rarity was reflected in the price. In 1623, one bulb was sold for a thousand guilders. Even then, the owner felt cheated when it was discovered that there were two offsets when lifted from the ground. The next year, only a dozen examples was said to exist, each of which could have sold for 1,200 guilders and all owned by an anonymous individual who refused to part with them, realizing that the price would fall if he did not control the market. The following year, 2,000 and then 3,000 guilders were offered for a single bulb but the owner still could not make up his mind, not wanting to increase the supply of such a rare bulb and appreciating that even more might be realized if he waited.

In 1633, one Semper Augustus was said to have sold for 5,500 guilders, and in 1637, just before the crash, a price of 10,000 guilders was asked, an exorbitant amount that would have purchased a grand home on the most fashionable canal in Amsterdam.

Back when ford made cars...

2007-12-27T22:11:00.000-08:00

Gosh...I wish I had a Model T.
This image is from my personal collection, not to be reproduced, copied, or used in any way without written permission.

Beaumont

2007-12-27T16:14:00.000-08:00

This is another of the pieces of sheet music I had picked up in Winnie Texas. And now, for a story...
So Saturday Wes had an employee party so we couldn't go to dinner like we had planned. So to make up for it, we decided to go to Pappadeaux's in Beaumont for some seafood. Wes' grandparents and aunt were supposed to go with us, but they deiceded against it about 30 minutes before we left. So we set out in my tracker to Beaumont. We made it into the city and everything was going great and we were talking and relaxing....and then we came over a hill and there was some sort of axle thing in the road!!! I had an eighth of a second to decide to hit the cars to my left or run over the axle and then, I went over it. it was like a 10 inch steel disk with boltholes around its circumference and a four foot shaft, about three inches in diameter and threaded on the end. I describe it as an axle, but lordonlyknows what it was. SO, it blew out both of my passenger side tires, bent the rims, and tore out the brake line. Lost control of the brakes but made it to the shoulder safely where I rolled to a stop. I jumped out to see if I could change the tire, but alas, they were both flat. I called my mom and she got us a tow truck and headed out to pick us up.
Well, now I'm car-less until it can be fixed, it will be about a week and a half, but at least it's not costing me much. It's actually cheaper to pay for it myself than pay my insurance deductible, but at least I can afford it. There is more to this story, but I'll finish it another post. Safe driving everyone!!!

Row Houses

2007-12-27T12:38:00.001-08:00

A little night photography of the "condos" located North of the museum property at about 7pm, roughly a week before christmas 2007. I prefer to think of them as rowhouses.

Day-trippers

2007-12-19T21:11:00.000-08:00

Erica and I drove to St. Francisville and traveled through Baton Rouge and down River Road to take photos and to visit plantations. It was a really nice relaxing Sunday. Erica showed me a new way to get to St. Francisville on the Atchafalaya levee along these dirt roads to the ferry in New Roads to cross the Mississippi. These are some of my photos from that day strung together into a sort of photo essay, witht he exception of the fact that the last photo should really be the first photo. It shows the ferry crossing at New Roads. Click on the pictures to see a nice detailed large image!

Old home in St. Francisville.

Grace Episcopal church, St. Francisville, Louisiana. Pre-Civil War church and cemetery.

Grace Episcopal cemetery, St. Francisville

The Myrtles, St. Francisville Louisiana

Taking pictures with Erica of the haunted mirror in the Myrtles plantation, St. Francisville.

The oldest church west of the Mississippi, built by the first cajuns to come to Louisiana in the late eighteenth century. The records of the Acadian exile were kept there from the 1790's on, a proud and sad place.

Nottoway plantation in the early winter evening.

Crossing the Mississippi river by ferry in New Roads Louisiana

Office Space

2007-12-19T13:05:00.000-08:00

Ran across this today and just felt like sharing it, Office Space is a favorite movie of mine and have some very sentimental memories attached to it. These quotes are from imdb.com....

Tom Smykowski: It was a "Jump to Conclusions" mat. You see, it would be this mat that you would put on the floor... and would have different CONCLUSIONS written on it that you could JUMP TO.
Michael Bolton: That's the worst idea I've ever heard in my life, Tom.
Samir: Yes, this is horrible, this idea.

Dom Portwood: Hi, Peter. What's happening? We need to talk about your TPS reports.
Peter Gibbons: Yeah. The coversheet. I know, I know. Uh, Bill talked to me about it.
Dom Portwood: Yeah. Did you get that memo?
Peter Gibbons: Yeah. I got the memo. And I understand the policy. And the problem is just that I forgot the one time. And I've already taken care of it so it's not even really a problem anymore.
Dom Portwood: Ah! Yeah. It's just we're putting new coversheets on all the TPS reports before they go out now. So if you could go ahead and try to remember to do that from now on, that'd be great. All right!

Milton Waddams: [talking on the phone] And I said, I don't care if they lay me off either, because I told, I told Bill that if they move my desk one more time, then, then I'm, I'm quitting, I'm going to quit. And, and I told Don too, because they've moved my desk four times already this year, and I used to be over by the window, and I could see the squirrels, and they were married, but then, they switched from the Swingline to the Boston stapler, but I kept my Swingline stapler because it didn't bind up as much, and I kept the staples for the Swingline stapler and it's not okay because if they take my stapler then I'll set the building on fire...

Nina: Now Milton, don't be greedy, let's pass it along and make sure everyone gets a piece.
Milton Waddams: Yeah, but last time I didn't receive a piece. And I was told...
Nina: Just pass.
[while the cake passes Milton mutters - eventually everybody but Milton gets a piece]
Milton Waddams: [muttering] I could set the building on fire.

Peter Gibbons: Doesn't it bother you that you have to get up in the morning and you have to put on a bunch of pieces of flair?
Joanna: Yeah, but I'm not about to go in and start taking money from the register.
Peter Gibbons: Well, maybe you should. You know, the Nazis had pieces of flair that they made the Jews wear.

Bill Lumbergh: Oh, and remember: next Friday... is Hawaiian shirt day. So, you know, if you want to, go ahead and wear a Hawaiian shirt and jeans.

Tom Smykowski: Well-well look. I already told you: I deal with the god damn customers so the engineers don't have to. I have people skills; I am good at dealing with people. Can't you understand that? What the hell is wrong with you people?

Peter Gibbons: Hey, guys.
Michael Bolton: What's up, G?
Peter Gibbons: Want to go to Chotchkie's? Get some coffee?
Samir: Oh, it's a little early.
Peter Gibbons: I gotta get outta here. I think I'm gonna lose it.
Female Temp: Uh-oh. Sounds like somebody's got a case of the Mondays.

Steve: I lied. Um... All that stuff I said about being a crack head? It just helps me sell magazines. I'm actually an unemployed... software engineer.
Peter Gibbons: You're a software engineer?
Steve: Yup.
[sighs]
Samir: Things, uh... it must be very rough for you.
Steve: Actually man, I make more money selling magazine subscriptions, than I ever did at Intertrode!

Streetcar Conspiracy

2007-12-18T17:47:00.000-08:00

Fu-sion

2007-12-01T22:46:00.001-08:00

So the show went great, that's all I'm going to say about it now. I thought I'd see what random pics I have hanging around...let's see:

A Sadder World

2007-11-26T16:28:00.000-08:00

I saw on the news that they found the bodies of princess Anastasia and prince Alexi of the Romanovs. They were buried a short distance from the rest of the family for an unknown reason. The world is a little darker and sadder today. A little bit of hope and mystery are gone and solved and cold as those bones buried in the permafrost in Russia.

WOW

2007-11-25T22:30:00.000-08:00

All these can be seen at the amazing blog Paleo-Future. Check my links section.

Hurry up with that damned turkey, we gots to go shopping at JCPenney's

2007-11-23T20:49:00.000-08:00

So Thanksgiving is over and I'm not stuffed. I feel good. Preparing for the gallery opening at Gallerie Melancon and for our opening at the museum of Pat Gallaugher's work. Thanksgiving is now officially losing out to Christmas. Lots of stores are opening on thanksgiving day instead of Black friday to beat the holiday rush. That's retarded. Next year "after thanksgiving rush shopping" will begin the day before turkey day and soon Halloween will be the start of the Christmas holiday. ARGH. I feel more like Charlie Brown everyday. Oh the angst.

Drive to Monroe and back again.

2007-11-17T23:07:00.000-08:00

I hate driving at night. Some joik always tailgates me with his brights on. Hauling his four-wheeler from Ball to Pineville. A-hole. Erica and I went to Monroe today and dropped off our artwork for the "louisiana's finest" show at the Brad Arender gallery. He's a swell guy, when I get his link up, make sure to visit his website, or even better if you are in or near Monroe Louisiana, drop in on him on North 2nd. I think I am having trouble with my night vision.
On another note we also visited the Biedenharn Museum and the Masur Museum of Art in Monroe. I also introduced Erica to the small chapel in Columbia and the Columbia cemetery built into the hilltop in the center of town. We stopped and ate dinner on th way home in Alexandria at Copeland's. Hadn't ate at a Copeland's in a while and i must say the food, and the service were superb. I can't wait to eat my leftover crabcake!

Thursday Night

2007-11-15T20:18:00.001-08:00

So another workday, I'm still feeling sick due to the weather change and an infection that just hangs around like an unwanted curr. Nothing that exciting happened today. Here is another piece of the sheet music I just acquired. This is a rare one and if you aren't familiar with "jake" , here's an article about it... http://content.herbalgram.org/iherb/herbalgram/articleview.asp?a=957 ...and an excerpt from that article after the photo...

Early in the year 1930, newspapers in the American South and Midwest began to report on a strange new paralytic illness that was affecting relatively large numbers of individuals. Victims of the disease would typically notice numbness in the legs, followed by weakness and eventual paralysis with "foot drop." In most cases, this was followed within about a week by a similar process in the arms, resulting in many cases in "wrist drop." The disease was rarely fatal, but recovery was very slow and in many cases the damage to the nervous system left the patient with permanent disabilities.

Although the affliction resembled other neurological problems, such as Landry's disease and anterior poliomyelitis, the symptoms did not conform exactly to any known condition. The number of cases of this mysterious ailment reached epidemic proportions over the course of 1930 and 1931, eventually affecting an estimated tens of thousands of individuals in many states, from New York to California.(1)

It did not take long after the first appearance of the illness to link it to the consumption of fluid extract of Jamaica ginger, commonly referred to as "Jake" by many who used the product. This paper examines the ginger extract toxicity episode of the early 1930s, with particular emphasis on the role of pharmacologist Maurice Smith of the National Institute (now Institutes) of Health in solving the mystery of the poisoning.

"Hurry On Down:A Celebration of the Life of Nellie Lutcher"

2007-11-15T12:14:00.000-08:00

Here are some images of the show I put together at the ICM for our Nellie Lutcher exhibit. The pics are of the sign-in table next to the entrance, the entrance greeting sign and Nellie's traveling wardrobe trunk and her pink dress that she wore on "This Is Your Life" in 1952.

Wednesday Night

2007-11-14T20:12:00.000-08:00

This is an image from some sheet music I acquired this past weekend in Winnie Texas...

Well, worked today, watched Project Runway's new season start. Was really dissapointed the hippy-dippy goofy designer didn't get kicked off. Alas.

Photo Accepted...

2007-11-13T21:20:00.001-08:00

Here is the photo accepted into the show. It is a digital collage done in photoshop.