Some old habits - and new finds

Mark is on vacation this week.  We took some friends to one of our favorite Indian restaurants, India's Rasoi, located in the Central West End district of St. Louis.  The local Indian buffets vary their menus from day to day, rotating their daily selections in an unpredictable pattern.  The food was great, but none of my favorite dishes were available today.  In particular, I missed the Palak (Spinach) Paneer and my favorite Indian sweet: Gulab jamun.  The food that was available was good, as always, and the staff was happy to see us. 


When we left the restaurant, I still had a craving for sweets, and a doughnut or piece of cheesecake wasn't going to satisfy me. 


We headed for the Global International Food Market on Kirkwood Rd / Lindbergh Blvd. 


Near the entrance of the store is a cooler with Japanese refrigerated foods.
We picked up a pack of Rice Cakes with Fruit-flavored Bean Paste (Fruit Daifuku).





We love those things, but Mark has a small problem with them.  He is phobic of the cornstarch that is used to coat them. Their texture definitely isn't 'American', which single-handedly mkes them an 'adventure' !  As far as that goes, Mark can't take the cotton out of the tops of pill bottles, either - but that is another blog, altogether!  :)


We went through the produce dept., and picked up some fresh Mangosteen fruit: (old habit!)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangosteen

and some fresh Rambutan fruit: (new adventure!)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambutan





We also got some Fresh Dosegai, which is a yellow Indian cucumber (New adventure!):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dosakai#Varieties





Global Internal Food Market is the largest International grocer in the St. Louis area.  The isles are labeled with flags - one or two flags for each ethnic food group located in that isle:  Mexican, England, Greek, Russian, Japanese, Indian, and so on.


We passed the cooler section of the store, and I had to pick up a couple boxes of (Indian) Rajbhog Dry Mix Sweets.  Those damned things are addicting!


http://rajbhog.com/get_category.asp?catid=1&cat_name=Sweets





Back to the Indian isle (OF COURSE!):


Remember.  the Indian restaurant wasn't serving Gulab Jamun for desert today.  Those little things are one of my guilty pleasures!  Most people will describe them as "little pancake balls" or "doughnut holes" soaked in rose water syrup, when in fact, they contain no flour or leavening at all.  Their main ingredient is powdered milk!  Thankfully, I am good at improvising.  If your favorite Indian restaurant isn't serving Gulab Jamun for desert on a day that you are having a craving, you can go to your local International Market, and either get a dry mix,and make them yourself, or you can get them in a can!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulab_jamun





I have this can sitting on my desk:





While we were in the Indian isle, we picked up another Indian sweet -  another guilty pleasure! Sonpapdi:

This stuff is flaky, sweet and tastes strongly of cardamom.  And I love it!


We also bought Conrad (the African Grey parrot) some 'cookies' - they look like quarter-sized bagels (Salted Biscuits) with Pineapple jelly between them. They are human food, but Conrad loves them.


The next adventure?  The Greek Festival? .... No. That's more of a guilty pleasure and a habit than an adventure.  The Japanese Fest?  No.  that, too, is a habit, and not exploratory in nature.  But so is 90% of the items that I listed in this blog.  I love it!  I can't possibly imagine how boring life would be if I lived just to see another day. 


Wasn't John Barrymore's last words, "I'm dying?  THIS is dying?  How boring! I'm glad I only have to do it once!"  The same thing can be said for life. To live just to exist is more boring than I care to let my mind dwell on.  If I am going to be on the face of this planet, I need to do more than... simply exist.  How lazy.....   


A video for you.  Larry Gatlin, "I've Done Enough Dying Today"





Do you seek a different pace? This song says the same thing - just a different speed.  I love it!





Enjoy!


Care to join me?  Mr. Toad's Wild Ride = LIFE


- Michael

Of Dreams ... Teeth...and TINA!

Minimally, I have 3 - 5 dreams every night of my life.  Although the scenery in my dreams widely varies, the color of the rooms in my dreams is more often than not a deeper, matte tangerine orange, and the woodwork in those orange rooms is always shiny black lacquer.  I couldn't tell you why, but that is a small portion of what happens in my head every night.

 I know, those are very Halloween colors.  On the other hand, I have always wanted a set of dentures made that looked like Candy Corn, with the white tips of the corn pointing up into the gums, but the fangs should have the white tips pointing down.  I also want a set of teeth made that are clear acrylic, with tiny LED multi-colored Christmas lights -  one light in each tooth - flashing in them.  Another possible set of teeth would be a set that looks like sugared gum drops.

I have had full dentures since I was 30 yrs. old.  Dr. Thomas Farmer from Clayton, MO (6 miles from downtown St. Louis) is pleasantly surprised that I am willing to have fun with a subject that most people fight hard to hide. I told him, "Why not have fun with it?  You have given me a better smile than Mother Nature provided me, and I don't mind showing it!"  He said that he is willing to put in those 'special orders for me' - at $2,400 a set (only $200 more than normal dentures!).  He said "Since you are willing to have fun with it, I will definitely help you with your mission!", and he is willing to have them made for me.  I will work on a mock-up in Blender, and post it in a few days.

Why hide the results of good work?  Let's look at Tina Turner, for example. She says that she is 71 yrs. old.  I know MANY people local to St. Louis that knew her on a first-name basis (Anna Mae).  None of these people came into contact with the other, and they *all* say Tina is lying by 5 years - she's actually 76.  I love Tina. She is one my my "other mothers".  When she leaves this world, it is going to be a rough day for me - and anybody around me!  BUT...BUT... I have to ask, "Baby, why the Hell would you lie about something like that?"  I mean - C'mon!  If I looked better at the age of 76 than anyone has ever looked at the age of 30, I would have my age printed on the back of a T-shirt in big, bold numbers, and I would wear that shirt, wear it proudly - and wear it OUT (worn out!)

The only reason I can think of that she would want to lie about looking and moving so fantastic at any age, much less the age of 76 is the fact that she is afraid that she would lose her 'relevance' with the younger crowd.  I don't think I need to tell you, dear readers, that I 'have something' in an upcoming blog about that word - 'relevance'!  A spoiler: "It's not a good thing!"

- Michael

I Just Don't Get It! (..and why nosy people are better off minding their own business!)

I quit smoking over a year ago, and even then, I smoked a pack every 3 - 4 days, which isn't much by the average smoker's standards.  Incidentally, Mark quit at the same time I did, and he was a 2 pack a day smoker.  I have cravings every day, and he hasn't had a craving for a cigarette since after the first week that we quit! I want to scream, "What is this, God? Sarcasm?"  But I digress, and I will continue....

I was having a cigarette one day while bicycling through Forest Park.  This snooty looking lady stopped beside me on the trail while we were both waiting for a stop light to change to give us the right-of-way.
The lady decided to mind MY own business, and she made the mistake of saying to me in a crass tone, "You're smoking AND bicycling. I just don't get it!"  I looked at her and said, "Look, nosy bitch!  Just judging your general look AND that nasty outfit you have on, there is probably a lot of things you don't get, if you know what I mean,  but you not getting any is as much of my business is as me smoking while bicycling is your business!"

She huffed...she stammered.... and she jogged through the red light, just to get away from me!

- Michael

If You Would Have Seen The Sight That I Saw, You Would Say The Same!

(Say that 3 times fast without your teeth, and you would have to serve towels with that!)

Which was more beautiful - the man or the car??

Mark often says that I am like Rose Nylund from The Golden Girls.  I don't think, teach or even dream in a linear fashion, so why should I tell a story in a manner which is inconsistent with my basic character?
Most of you that know me well will know that Mark and I have been a couple for almost 9 years.

Let's start this thing off with debunking yet another common misconception.  I'm sure you have all heard it, and most of you even utter it occasionally:

"I'm married now, so I don't even notice / see other people!"

(Please replace the word "Married" with partnered, joined, 'I have a significant other'. dating, or any other word or phrase that indicates that you are not a single person.)

I am a relatively simple person, so if you would help me to better understand this situation, I would be forever in your debt.

For the life of me, I cannot understand how a marriage license or a commitment to another person stops you from SEEING or noticing others.   I mean - C'mon!  Right after your marriage / commitment ceremony, are you going to tell me that you walk into people when you walk down a mall or when you are walking down the street? While driving your car,  do you run over people crossing the street and then say, "Oh, excuse me!  I didn't see you there because (and you have to say it like Shug Avery from The Color Purple), "Look, pa!  I's married now!"

The honest answer to those rhetorical questions, whether you are willing or not to admit it is, "But of course not!"

OK. OK.  Now that I have pounded out of you the truth, and you have come to the conclusion that a commitment to another person does not, actually, render you blind and helpless, I can surmise that when you see somebody, you actually SEE them.  You note whether they are tall or short, fat or thin, what race they might be, whether they have long, short or no hair at all, what they might have been wearing, their general demeanor - and the list could continue for quite some time.  Included in that list is the fact that you will notice that, according to your own personal criteria and filters that you have set up long ago, you will automatically determine if that person is more or less attractive.  If you lie and tell me that "you don't such a thing", you are in some serious denial, and as those people who tend to wax Biblical would be inclined to say, "You are a liar and the truth is not in you!"

While this next statement is not at all the gist of this blog, it does  exist in a parallel universe with the "Everybody looks at everybody else - some just choose to lie about it!" theme.  Mark Twain said, "Ninety-Five percent of the people say that they experience self-gratification.  The other five percent are liars!"

Translated:  "Everybody masturbates.  Five percent of the people choose to lie and say they don't!"

The parallel that I am aiming towards: "Everybody looks at everybody else.  A percentage of the people choose to lie and say they don't!"

If You Would Have Seen The Sight That I Saw, 

                                          You Would Say The Same!

Schucks is a local St. Louis-based mid-range grocery store chain.  Some folk would say that it is a  step up from H-Vees and Save-A-Lot stores, yet Dieerbergs is a local grocery store chain that is a rung higher than Schnucks on that ladder, and Straub's is on the top rung with a bit of snoot to polish it off.

We live 3 blocks from the Schnucks that was billed as "Mrs. Schnucks Schnucks".  It isn't as big as the larger supermarket Schnucks, and has a gourmet yet cafe vibe to it.

Today, I have one of those 'sweets' cravings that I have all-too-often, and decided that to help rationalize the calories that I was about to ingest, I would walk to the market, rather than drive.  It is a nice, temperate day - the high temp should reach only 81 degrees.

I have never done the type of live-in-the-store shopping that Mark does.  Unless it is an International Food Market, which is more of an experience than a chore, I can be in-and-out-of a grocery store in 10 minutes or less with a week's worth of food. Mark will take a minimum of a couple hours - and that is no joke.

Anywho, I walked to the grocery store for a little nosh.  I had my mind set on one of the large chocolate chip cookie sandwiches that has icing in the middle, and that is so big that I usually have to eat it in two sittings.  My secondary reason for going was to get eggs and Egg Beaters, for me and Conrad, and a small bag of sugar.  If I get a BIG bag of sugar, I will eat it all within a very short time!

I was walking through the bakery section.  The feeling you get when you know somebody it watching you came over me.  I looked up, and looked into the eyes of who I honestly believe was a World Wrestler. No. Really!

My Ex worked at the airport as first a reservation agent, then he worked the counter to check passengers on a flight, then as a flight attendant.  I would often drive to the airport, park, and go inside to wait on him to finish his shift.  On more than one occasion, the members of the WWF would pass me walking down the concourse. I have a 'somewhat' unorthodox look.  I know. You're saying, "No, you're kidding!  I would have never noticed!"  More heads turn in my general direction when my beard and mustache and beard are long and well groomed, and especially when my facial hair is bleached snow white.  Several of the WWF wrestlers have stopped to talk to me.  They say to me, "I put this outfit on when I am going on stage - for the act.  When YOU live it as part of your life, rather than an act, it's quite a different story, eh?"

My answer: "Indeed, it is quite a different story!"

I was staring into the eyes of a 6' 6" World Wrestler!  New, shiny, shaved head, steel blue eyes, long Tom of Finland Foo Manchu mustache, built like a brick Shit House, and tattoos coming out of his collar and up the back of his neck! Did I mention the butt that you could serve Brunch on?   I froze for a second. Catching me off-guard is no easy task.  I have been selling a lot of my musical instruments lately.  Mark thinks I am going to die soon.  Did I just have "The Big One"?  Am I really dead, and I just don't know it, and did I go straight (IMAGINE THAT!) to Man Heaven? The only thing I could do was to mutter to myself, "GOOD GOD, MAN!"

I shifted my eyes so we wouldn't be staring into each other's beautiful peepers.  I went around the end of the isle, regained any composure that I could muster up, and I continued with my abbreviated shopping trip.  This store isn't tiny, but it is by no means a supermarket.  Can I just confide in you - because you're my favorite! - that I ran into this man 3 more times in the isles of the store before I managed to get to the check-out lane?

Given that this is not a huge store, the parking lot is appropriately sized. It isn't a big lot.  This was on a Sunday morning, and this store isn't busy on weekend mornings.  There were few cars in the parking lot.  This grocery store shares the lot with a bank, which is closed on Sundays.  Some workmen had a section of the lot that the bank shares blocked off, and they were doing some repairs on the roof.  A small part of the bank parking lot was not blocked off.   This car was parked in that section of vacant parking lot (He parked the car there to avoid door dings, etc!):


A Limited Edition Lamborghini Convertible!

Even though I am not at all a testosterone-filled fast-car enthusiast,  I do have a dream car and a dream truck in mind.  They are a fully Loaded Dodge Viper, and the highest priced, loaded HUGE Dodge Ram truck.  I am not a Mopar Maniac, it is pure coincidence that they are both Dodges.  I currently drive a 2004 Dodge Dakota truck with 41,000 miles on it.

Whether you like cars or not, it does come to the point where you have to stop and admit, "Even though I am not a car nut, that is a BEAUTIFUL, MUSCLY CAR!" That is a $382,000 car!

The moment I realized that the ultimate hunk that was in the store drove this wonderful work of art (and has the $$ to own such a car!), I had to stop and say it again:  "GOOD GOD. MAN!"

A lot of people are reluctant to admit that a man is 'beautiful'.  I'm not talking about a person who has every hair in place, eyebrows tweezed just right, perfectly tanned - you know - a 'pretty boy".  At best, I have trouble with that definition, and that general idea, anyway.  I feel that a person who works hard to maintain themselves, and he / she puts the work into themselves that is involved in looking good, then that person can look as 'pretty' as their little heart desires.  The man that I previously described (shaved head, TALL, BUILT, long 'stache, etc), is not, in the classical sense, "pretty", but honey, let me tell you first!  He was BEAUTIFUL!  And the Lamborghini was just the icing on the cake!  That car, too, was BEAUTIFUL!

Did I sneak up on him from behind, and try to tackle him as he urinated in the stall of a public bathroom? No ! (Hey! I didn't have the opportunity, but I would have, should the occasion have presented itself!)

I simply tried to lower my heart rate, and I continued about my daily business.

But....the urge did come over me to do an "Adam" in 'The Color Purple', and instead of "Momma!  Momma!", I wanted to run across the parking lot with my arms outstretched yelling, "Daddy!  Daddy!"
(at 1:35 in this video):


Both the man AND the car were beautiful!

- Michael

"Conrad, What Are You Doing?"

Most folk have never stopped to closely examine their belief system concerning higher animal intelligence.

There are several less obvious reasons for avoiding this thought process, but that is not the essence of this particular blog.  Thousands of hours totaling many decades of research have been directed towards the study of Koko, the gorilla that speaks with American Sign Language, and Kanzi, the Bonobo - a chimpanzee relative.  Bonobo communicates with his trainers by selecting from thousands of combinations of symbols  

There are specific reasons that you never see African Gray parrots (or Bonobos!) in Zoos:  They have certain behaviors that do not appeal to many humans that simply have never taken the time to see things from the Bonobo or the African Gray's perspective.  As an example, male Bonobos act out sexually - and they do so in public!  They will act out towards humans, as well, and some close-minded human Zoo visitors might get a little offended, if you know what I mean.  

Some videos:

As I previously stated, I am intentionally trying to avoid discussing why many folk will fail to understand the true depth of animal cognition, so I will continue with a video about the famous (but still so very common!) African Gray Parrot, "Alex", and his trainer / companion / colleague, Dr. Irene Pepperberg.  Remember:  The beef that both myself and Dr. Pepperberg has with this video is that Diane Sawyer calls Alex a "genius among birds."  This is not true, as Dr. Pepperberg mentions in her book, "Alex and Me".  Alex was selected randomly from a pet shop 30 years ago for the sole purpose of the Doctor's studies. He was by no means a 'genius'. **ALL** average African Grey parrots have these capabilities.  (Try saying that sentence without an "A"!):

Conrad is the from the same lineage. I have been in charge of his little soul since 2000.  I got him when he was 6 years old.  As Dr. Pepperberg explains, there is much more to an African Grays than a little 1 pound ball of fluff.

When Conrad came into my life, he was already semi-potty trained.  As with most things in Conrad's life, we had two options:

1)  Every morning, I could put him on my hand and hold him over the toilet. He would dutifully exclaim, "Shit, BIRD!  Shit, BIRD!", he could give a manly, human laugh, and then he did proudly did his business.

(If you know anybody with an African Gray, the will tell you how much a Gray absolutely loathes the word "BIRD!", and they view it as a forbidden curse word!)  If I say the word "Bird" in his presence, whether it is directed at him or not, Conrad will spend the next hour, looking at me with mean, squinty eyes, and mumbles, "Bird!  Bird! Bird!", as if he is in total disbelief that I would have the chutzpah to do such a thing!

2) I could sit him on the toilet rim while I took my morning shower, and he would do his business and then would boast, "I shit, I shit!  Huhhhh.... Huhhhhh.... Huhhhh!" (A somewhat bored human laugh!)

I could also put him in the shower with me, and he would exclaim, "What....What... WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"  He knew very well what the situation was,  and he was protesting loudly.

Although African Gray parrots have every cognitive ability that the average 4 yr old child has, Mother Nature will occasionally - but rarely! - take over, and at least in part, govern their actions.

As was demonstrated in the videos that I have included with this blog, to list just a small fraction of the cognitive abilities that African Grays can master:

1) They can count! Not just recite numbers they have been taught, but they know and are aware of 'quantity'.
2) They know the difference between hot / cold, and can express such differences if so trained.
3) They know the material, or matter that something is constructed or made of. (wood, metal, glass, wool, etc)
4) They have a *very* profound sense of both worry - and jealousy!
5) They know current, present and past tense.

Let's do another quick review.  Consider as an example (the above video), when Alex asked Dr. Pepperberg for some corn.  Alex knew the difference between 'soft' (fresh) and 'hard' (dry) corn, and would ask for them individually.  He then proclaimed that the corn was 'cold' - it had been in the refrigerator.  Most people, if they have considered theses things at all, have no idea the magnitude that this level of cognition, or thought processes takes to accomplish.  They tend to think, "Oh, so what!  The thing asked for 'cold corn'."  Baby, let me tell you. There is so much more to it than that, and that point brings us back to the reason why many people fail to see these skills and abilities in 'mere lowly animals':  They refuse to believe that a 'caged creature' might just have as much or more intelligence as they do, and by golly, we can't have that, now can we?  Why can't we 'have that'?  The Dr. Phil phrase, "There is something in that guy that I can't stand about myself!" comes to mind, and 'leveling' is the technique that those folk tend to use to make them feel better about themselves.  Trust me when I tell you this.  The group of people that were hurled at me at the time of my birth (called 'a family' by some unknowing people!) are the masters of leveling, and in the immortal words of Sophia Petrillo from "The Golden Girls", "But I digress, and I will continue....."

What ever happened to the "quick review"?  (The rap group, Salt 'n' Peppa):  "OK, Here it go!"

Alex then threw some of the corn he was eating on the floor, and he asked Dr. Pepperberg, "Will you go pick up corn?"  Like a good momma / trainer - and the fact that she knows Grays very well, she answered him, "Well, no, Alex. I'm not going to go pick up the corn that you threw on the floor!"  She knows that 'once you're a Gray's bitch, you're ALWAYS a Gray's bitch!'  If you don't let the habit start in the beginning, there will be no habit to break in the end!

Let's break down what Alex said:

1) "Will...."   
"Will..." is a word that we use to start a question. He knew that he wanted to ask Dr. Pepperberg a question. That one thought process, my friends, is very profound in the world of cognition and psychiatry.  Alex knew that this is the word that I use when I am anticipating YOU to do an action that I am about to ask of you.

2) "you......."
He isn't asking another person in the room (such as the camera man!) to so an activity, he is asking Dr. Pepperberg. He is directing his request at a specific person.  Another advanced thought process...

3) "go....."
He is letting you know that he wants you to leave the current spot you occupy and to move your body to another place....  There is more to "go" than meets the average mind.

4) "pick up....."
Is not only making a request of Dr. Pepperberg, and he wants this request to be accomplished at a different location than they are currently located, but when she gets there, he wants her to retrieve an object.....

5) "corn?"
And the object he wants her to pick is the object that he remembered that he purposefully flung across the room.

A psychologist would say to me, "OK, Sherlock. That was a nice start, but it sure was amateurish!", and he would probably rattle off a list of 100 more cognitive events that occurred during this exchange that I inadvertently overlooked.

Fast Forward to yesterday afternoon:

Conrad was 'in one of those moods."

I have had several pieces of keyboard equipment for sale over the past few days via Craigslist. I have been occupied with showing potential buyers the items for sale, answering e-mails and calls, and the activities that comes with this flourish of activities.  The last thing I need to do is to clean up around Conrad's cage after he has a "shredding" fit.  One thing that Mother Nature gave African Grays that I wish she would take back immediately is the need to occasionally "forage".   In their natural environment, African Grays don't have their own voices, but they effectively borrow the language from other animal species around them to communicate with each other.  They also have an occasional need to 'forage', because their natural environment isn't really deep inside a rain forest in Africa, but it is more on the edge of the forest, where it meets a savanna.  They will fly down from the protection of a tree, and forage or rummage on the ground, looking for food.  African Grays that share our lives tend to do the same thing occasionally. I know one Gray owner that has a particularly twisted sense of humor, and when their Grey does the 'foraging thing', they have taught that poor fella to squawk like a contented chicken that is scratching through hay! So...here we have it:  A bird that is doing a chicken-like behavior, and is making chicken sounds!  I'll have to admit that that's kinda funny!

Anywho,  Conrad has been doing the foraging-thing the past couple days.  He has been shredding the paper that lines the bottom of his cage into thin strips, and throwing it out of his cage, all over the floor.  Birds are particularly messy little beings, and they don't really care where crap flies, if you know what I mean.  In nature, if they are eating in a tree, or on the ground, pieces of food will fall, and usually fall quite some distance from them. Other than meticulous body cleanliness and preening, bird don't care where their food scraps land.   Considering the flying food, some of which is accidental, and some he does with purpose, and the flying newspaper strips, it is next to impossible to maintain a clean environment around him.  I don't want my house to look like a dump EVER, much less when I have guests in my house.  So... I removed the newspaper, and placed it a few inches beneath the bottom grill of his cage. He can't shred paper any more.  He gets pissed and walks over to his large heavy crock - the food bowl, which probably  weighs more than he does.  I put the food bowl on the floor of his cage years ago, to prevent him from throwing fists (claws?) full of food through the bars of the cage, and into the back of my head, because he can't find the special treat that he thinks should be there waiting for him to discover!  On this particular foraging trip, he discovers that his beloved newspaper is gone. What to do next?  "Oh, I have an idea", he says.  He starts to mercilessly pummel that innocent food bowl.  He doesn't stop until he has it turned over, and the 'bad' food has all spilled out.  He's still pissed, and this latest tantrum hasn't fulfilled his need to destroy something.  He spies the yellow plastic tray that I have had sitting under that food bowl for YEARS.  He starts to tear at that tray until he has a huge hole torn in it.  I was trying to play Scott Joplin's "Weeping Willow" as part of my practice routine on the piano, and the noises that were coming from that cage were starting to get on my last damned nerve, mildly stated.

I looked over my shoulder at his cage, and I asked:

"CONRAD, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

He looked at me with the meanest, squintiest eyes that he could muster, and he said, "What the Sam Hell does it look like? I'm kickin' ass, do ya mind?"  I answered him, "I guess not!  Do I really have any other choice?" He answered me with a sharp, "NO!", turned his head and looked straight ahead at the poor pummeled food bowl, and picked up where he left off!  As soon as I finished "Weeping Willow", I got off the piano bench, and put his food bowl back in it's original holder on the side of the cage (so he can't beat it to death or tip it over!), and I removed the chewed-up plastic tray!

I can just hear the referee in the corner, ringing the bell, and the announcer yelling over the loud speaker, "Round 2" ! ! ! ! ! 

Here is another little treasure before I leave you.  You can find many more videos on YouTube by searching "Tattookub", but this one is pertinent to the subject:

Pay close attention, or fast forward to the 2:24 mark:

The little Cherub! Can't you just see the Halo around his head that matches his angel wings?  he he he

- Michael

Musical equipment I am offering for sale

There simply isn't enough time in any day to achieve all that I set out to do, and the following items might find a home where they would be put to better use.

I have chosen to sell the following items:

1.) 1970 Farfisa Fast 2 Combo OrganThis instrument is a Farfisa Fast 2.  $250

It is in the original condition that bought it 2 years ago. A previous owner thought it was a 'good idea' to paint the beautiful 1960's - 1970's orange case black. Although I definitely don't disagree with that choice, and I had plans to somehow remove the black paint, I postponed that project.
The highest key on the keyboard, "E" does not work, but otherwise, every voice and every key works on the instrument.

I'm selling this keyboard because I have 28 keyboard instruments, and we have recently bought a home and we have to downsize - and I have a downpayment on that house on a credit card that I have to pay off! The reason this instrument is only $300 is that the same model (unaltered) is available on eBay for over $600. Since this combo organ has been spray painted and the highest key doesn't play, I have cut the price in half - $300 firm.

 

 

2) ChromaHarp Autoharp
With its case and tuning tool - $125.
I bought this instrument with the intent to learn to play it. For the sake of all within earshot, I'll stick with keys!

This instrument has had recent professional servicing including tuning, cleaning, and several strings replaced. a new tuning hammer / wrench / tool (still in the bag) is included.
 

Please call or text Michael at 314-304-5413, or e-mail me at: MJKeller568@aol.com with contact information.

 ***PLEASE NOTE***
I will not ship these items.

- Michael

St. Louis Area 2014 Fall Events, Festivals and Venues

There are many other events that happen in the St. Louis Metro area other than the ones listed below.  These are my favorite fall cultural events.  On-going attractions, such as The City Museum, etc, are indeed 'another show for a different day'. .....

BELLEVILLE, IL's 200th ANNIVERSARY....

Featuring:
(Highlights, but not limited to...)Friday, September 19,  9:00 PM- 10:30 PM
The Beach Boys

Saturday, September 20, 9:00 PM
The Roots & Boots Tour
Featuring Sammy Kershaw, Aaron Tippin, Darryl Worley

Sunday, September 21, 7:30p-9:00p
Craig Morgan

Please keep in mind that those are the headliner bands in the evening, and on only stage.  There are multiple stages (at least 4) at this event with other genres from classic rock to German music, with a lot of other activities

For more information, please visit:
http://belleville200.com/

Event map:


Missouri Festival for the Arts

 

When:
2014 dates...
Sept 19, Friday, 4:00 to 9:00 pm
Sept 20, Saturday, 1:00 am to 9:00 pm
Sept 21, Sunday, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Where: Historic Main Street St Charles, MO

Fantastically, detailed art, music and food!
The MOSAICS Missouri Festival for the Arts – hosted annually by the Art Festival Association – offers a free, family-friendly community arts event that has provided art appreciation, live entertainment, children’s art education activities and enjoyment for the past 18 years.

This free festival in the City of St. Charles, held on North Main Street in the Historic District, appeals to artists and visitors of all ages – from individuals to families, to those who appreciate art to the serious art collector, as well as aspiring artists and working arts professionals.

The MOSAICS Festival draws from across the St. Louis metropolitan region and surrounding states. The festival is also accessible to individuals of all abilities.

114 juried artists exhibit, sell their art, and compete for cash prize awards.

For more info: 
http://stcharlesmosaics.org/home/
The Great Forest Park Balloon Glow and...The Great Forest Park Balloon Race


The oldest and most well-attended FREE Hot-Air Balloon Event in the World

When: Fri, Sept 19 (evening) - the Balloon Glow

When: Sat, Sept 20 (afternoon) - the Balloon Race

Where: Forest Park, St. Louis, MO

Admission: FREE!

(Bring $$ if you want to purchase  food / drink from vendors, or you can bring your own in a cooler, backpack, etc.)

The Great Forest Park Balloon Glow and Race is the second-largest Hot Air Balloon event in the United States, second only to...well...you know who!  :)

The Great Forest Park Hot Air Balloon Race's web site:

(After this page loads, click on the "Experience the website: Click here for a ride.  After a few seconds of a digital hot air balloon ride, you will see pics of both the balloon glow and the actual race from the same ride you would get if you were in a helicopter - or a hot air balloon!)

http://greatforestparkballoonrace.com/

Admission and parking for this event is free. There is a large midway area that has food, other sponsors, as well as a Purina Pet area, live bands, and much, much more.  Most people 'make a day of it' by bringing lawn chairs and / or a blanket and they spend a few hours relaxing under the trees down over the hill from the ball fields where the events are held.  You can buy food and drink from the vendors, or bring your own.

On Friday evening (the night before the actual race), they do the 'Balloon Glow'.  You can walk up to the balloons, and go feel the heat from the burners when they all Glow in the Dark!  The ring leader has an air horn, and every 5 - 10 minutes, he blows that air horn as a signal to the balloon captains. All at once, 40 - 60 balloon captains add turn up the gas, and the resulting flame is bright, but somewhat inefficient:  It produces a brighter, prettier glow  The entire area glows, the crowd cheers, and cameras flash!

You can find many more pictures and video of this event on YouTube (search "Great Forest Park Balloon Race or Glow"), and more photos on sites like Flickr.com.  This YouTube video is a good example of the atmosphere at the Balloon Glow :

This link is to Flickr.com, and some pics of the race and Balloon Glow:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Great+Forest+Park+Balloon&f=hp

It gets a bit crowded at both the balloon glow, and the actual race the day after the glow (Saturday), but with some planning in advance, it is a very enjoyable experience.

**DO NOT DRIVE INTO THE PARK ON EITHER DAY!**

You will be stuck there, and never get out!
We always park out of the park and walk in.

On the day of the actual race, we like to 'park out and walk in', and we find a  little spot under a tree, just down over the hill behind the launch area, about Noon - 1:00 PM. 

The largest hot air balloon in the world, St. Louis' own Energizer Bunny is the 'hare' the leads the 'hounds' (the other 69 balloons!) in a make-shift race, lifting off about 4:30 PM.  It isn't really a race, at all, but more of a competition.  The captain of the Energizer Bunny drops a bag of bird seed from his balloon.  The remaining captains have their own bags of bird seed. They drop theirs as close as they can to where the Bunny dropped his, thus declaring a winner.  (It's not all about the competition - it's all about the beautiful balloons going up on an early fall day, a large, energized crowd, and a good day to be out and about, in general!)

The Taste of St. Louis
(Not to be confused with the Taste of Clayton - a very different event!)



2014 DATES & TIMESFriday, September 19, 2014 – 4pm to 10pm
Saturday, September 20, 2014 – 11am to 10pm
Sunday, September 21, 2014 – 11am to 9pm
LOCATION:
Chesterfield Amphitheater in Central Park & Chesterfield Village.

ADMISSION:
Free to the Public - open to all ages

(Bring $$ for food, drink, and merchandise that you might want to buy)

At 2012's Taste of St. Louis, they had over 350,000 patrons.

This event is a bit different this year, because the ridiculous St. Louis dick heads forced this venue to the county, but it should still be welt worth attending.  I, for one, certainly will!


http://tastestl.com/about-the-taste/


THE STRANGE FOLK FESTIVAL





WHEN:
Saturday, September 27, 2013 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday,   September 28, 2013  10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Where:
401 E. 5th St., O'Fallon, Illinois 62269


Featuring 150 indie vendors selling handmade, upcycled, and vintage wares. 10 bands, unique exhibits and DIY activities for kids and adults, a variety of concessions, and new this year:
the Running with Scissors 5K on Sunday morning!
You can find everything at this event from handmade furniture to handspun yarns. jewelry and findings that would be **GREAT** on your own upcoming projects.  I could have loaded up on watch parts and other 'parts' to be used in future projects. One entire section of this event was wool sheering, spinning, etc.  It's a great event that I am looking forward to.  I bought several things at this festival last year.

For more info:
http://www.strangefolkfestival.com/

The Best of Missouri Market & Shaw Art Fair

When: The first weekend in October each year.

Friday, October 3
6 - 9 p.m. First Look Friday

Saturday, October 4
8 - 9 a.m. Members' Hours
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Market Hours

Sunday, October 5
8 - 9 a.m. Members' Hours
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Market Hours

Where:  The Missouri Botanical Gardens and Shaw Park, right across the street from the Gardens

Go early!  This event is 4 HUGE tents that are packed with vendors featuring products that are hand made in Missouri...

These products range from many food products to wools, yarns, candles, wood products, artwork, jewelry, lawn ornaments, plants, and much, much more.

Adults (ages 13–64)    - $12
Seniors (ages 65+)      - $10
Children (ages 3–12)   - $5
Garden members        -  $5
(free for members' children 3–12)


There are TONS of free sample at many of the vendor's booths.  Additional items are available for purchase at each booth.

THE HISTORIC SHAW ART FAIR

The Shaw Art Show is held directly across the street from the Gardens, and it is held at the same time as the Best of Missouri Market.  This show features fine artists from all over the country, and occasionally - from around the world.

When: (Located right across the street from the Best of Missouri Show & Sale, the times and dates are pretty much the same.)

Admission:
$7 per person – good for both days. Children 14 and under enjoy free admission when accompanied by an adult.


For more information about The Historic Shaw Art Fair:
http://www.shawartfair.org/

For more information about The Best Of Missouri Show & Sale:

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/things-to-do/events/signature-events/best-of-missouri-market.aspx

THE GROVE FEST


While the Grove Fest is the smallest event out of all that I have listed in this blog entry, it is well worth a visit.  Last year, I entered - and won - my first beard contest!  :)



When: October 4, 2014 at 2:00 pm until Midnight

Where:  Manchester Ave between Boyle Ave. Sarah Ave.
GroveFest is an outrageously eclectic FREE street festival in the Grove, a vibrant commercial district here in St. Louis located along Manchester between Kingshighway and Vandeventer. Last year the festival drew over 12,000 attendees, was likened to funky New Orleans street festivals, was praised for the diversity in programming and turnout, and won Best Event Entertainment Concept and Best Public Event Planning ISES awards. At this year’s GroveFest, expect a diverse set of live music, live and interactive art, fashion shows, street performers, and of course, local food, drinks and wares of the Grove’s and St. Louis’ finest establishments.http://www.thegrovestl.com/events/grove-fest/

After your evening at Grove Fest, you can visit one of the nightspots on Manchester - maybe catch a female impersonation (translated: Drag) show at Meyer's Grove?  If you go to Meyer's for a show, plan on being there at least by 8:30 PM (or earlier!) for a 10:00 PM show if you want seating in the stage area.

Just call me "Julie, the tour guide" !  I have gone to these events every year since the late 1980's.  If you want to go, but don't want to go by yourself, give me a holla!

THE LAST OUTDOOR ART FAIR OF THE SEASON:
Friday, October 17, 2014
Saturday, October 18, 2014
October 19, 2014


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Below the solid line are past events.... but you can attend them next year!

The Festival of the Little Hills

**FREE ADMISSION**

2013 Festival Dates

FRIDAY, AUGUST 16
4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
SATURDAY, AUGUST 17
9:30 AM - 10:00 PMSUNDAY, AUGUST 18
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
This huge event is held in in the Historic district of St. Charles, MO, just a few minutes drive from downtown St. Louis.

Lots of arts, crafts and vendors.

(I bought the hat you see in my pics at this festival from the representative from Head'n Home Hats.

( http://www.headnhome.com )

I just got a memo from Head'n Home, and they confirmed that they are going to have their booth at this year's festival.  The same spot as last year:  Booth # 910, which is closer to Old Millstream Inn Restaurant and Beer Garden.  I'm gonna pick out another hat!

You will find many vendors selling products ranging from key chains to fine jewelry to not-so-cheap hats, fine art and much more.  Live entertainment. Great food, and an early fall good time.  


For more info on the Festival, itself:

http://www.festivalofthelittlehills.com/index.html


The Festival of Nations



When:Saturday, August 24, 2013 - 10am - 7pm
Sunday, August 25, 2013   - 10am - 6pm

Where:
St. Louis' Tower Grove Park,  located near Grand and Arsenal on the City’s South Side, only steps away from St. Louis' famed International District!

Admission:
FREE!

(Bring $$ if you want to purchase food or merchandise from the many vendors at this event.)

Founded as recently as 2000, our annual Festival of Nations has QUICKLY grown into the St. Louis region's largest multicultural festival.  The first few years, this Festival was relatively small, located in a tight circle within the park, and having only a few vendors, etc.  The festival continued to grow at a modest rate each year since 2000, and in 2010, it suddenly exploded, expanding exponentially into the large festival that it is today.

With over 140,000 annual visitors, this festival has over 40 ethnic food booths, non-stop dance and music, arts and crafts, and an international bazaar with unique gifts from around the world.

Providing food, entertainment and education all day long during both Saturday and Sunday, this festival features:

	Stage Performances & Entertainment		World Religions
	International Food Court		Global Corner
	World Bazaar		Village Green
	Family Arts & Crafts		Highland Games
	Citizens Corner		Our Green Efforts

For more information, please visit:
http://www.festivalofnationsstl.org/ 

The Greek Festival

WHEN: Held every year on Labor Day Weekend
(This year - 2014 - this event will also be held on Fri. afternoon before Labor Day weekend)
Friday, Aug 29 (5 PM) - Monday, September 1, 2014
WHERE: St. Louis, MO - Forest Park at Kingshighway, just off I-40
Admission:  The admission is free, the food is not free!

There is a gift shop on-site, a small band might be playing Greek music in the corner of one of these massive tents, and on-the-hour, you can take a tour of the Greek Orthodox church - if you want to, but not of these extracurricular activities are required.

THIS FESTIVAL HAS BEEN AND WILL ALWAYS BE 'ALL ABOUT THE FOOD!'
The food is all Greek, and it doesn't get any better than this.

For more info:
http://www.sngoc.org/content/welcome-st-nicholas-greek-festival-2014

The Japanese Festival

WHEN: (every Labor Day Weekend)Saturday, August 29 - Monday, September 1, 2014
WHERE: The Missouri Botanical Garden
4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63110

From the Opening Ceremonies to the Lion dance, the food court and other vendors to the many demonstrations and displays, this festival continues for 3 days.

I always start my day at this festival by eating at the Food Court (before the crowd hits hard!), then I grab some good Sake, and walk through The Gardens, soaking up as much Japanese culture as possible.

GOTTA HAVE SAKE! (That's not *Sake* as in "For Chrissake!", but is is "SAKE" (SAH-KEY), as in good Japanese Rice Wine

I have a Member's Pass to the Gardens, and our price of entry is greatly reduced.

The Admission is as follows (it is well worth the price!):
Admission (ages 13–64) - $15
Seniors (ages 65+)     - $10
Children (ages 3–12)   - $5
Garden members         - $5

(free for members' children 3–12)

For more info:

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/things-to-do/events/signature-events/japanese-festival.aspx
https://www.facebook.com/events/114178962122203/

- Michael