Oh, deer..... DEER!

I know I don't have to be a renowned soothsayer with advanced capabilities to predict that one day in the near future, a deer is going to kick the crap out of one of our dogs in their own back yard!


The subdivision that we live in is just 3 miles from the St. Louis Galleris Mall, and only 8 miles from the center of St. Louis city.  Our neighborhood is completely and immediately surrounded  by some of the largest thoroughfares in the St. Louis area.

I present, for your consideration, a visual aid:


(The white box in the middle of this pic is my back yard. )
The sound barrier for Interstate 40 / 60 is the back fence to our yard, Lindbergh Blvd. is just 3 blocks west, Clayton Road is just a few feet from our home, and Warson Rd. is 3 blocks east.  


Our back yard is completely fenced in with chain link fence, with no ungated openings.  The clincher is that the entire fence line is thick with the tree / bush type of Honeysuckle.  That honeysuckle is so thick in several places in back yards in our area that I know a human hasn't been in that area of their yards in probably decades.  It would be impossible to navigate through that honeysuckle.


My questions are, "How the Hell does a deer survive crossing I-270, I-40, Lindbergh, Clayton Rd. or Warson Road - to climb over a bush-laden fence, to get in OUR yard, with 3 large dogs that love a good challenge, and a little mouthy dog that will encourage them?"

We have also had a large number of wild turkeys in our back yard.  They are notoriously bad flyers, and they prefer to walk / run, rather than fly, but they will fly for short distances if they are forced to do so.   Do you know what's on the other side of that barrier that is in the back of our yard?  200,000 cars a day moving at 60+ MPH!

Can you imagine the mess that they make when they jump that fence, only to be taken by surprise by 8 lanes of traffic?

The general (human) population needs to stop encroaching on these animals natural habitats, so they won't be forced to kick in Amanda's skull!  Amanda is our 13 year old Yellow Lab / Chow mix.   After that deer ran head-on into the chain link fence, she fell down, and Amanda moved in.  I saw that doe get in one good kick before she jumped back on her feet, and headed in the other direction.  THEN....  She ran into the other chain link fence, and fell, once again.  Amanda was standing across the yard, wondering what the Hell just thumped her skull, so Denver, our Black Lab / Sher Pei mix picked up the chase.   When she hit the dirt again, Denver moved in, and he, too, got his head smacked.  I didn't phase him one bit.  He has a thick skull!  At that point, both dogs chased the doe into the back corner of the yard.  I think she found a small spot through the honeysuckle, and jumped into the neighbor's yard.  I hope she did, anyway.  If she jumped the sound barrier, somebody has a dead deer sitting in their lap, as they were driving down I-40!

 I swear to you: I scan the back yard before I let the dogs out, but we have a heavily wooded 1 acre back yard.  I often don't see wildlife out there until it is too late: The chase is on!

- Michael

World's Longest Piano (built by an untrained teenager in New Zealand!)

...and a pipe organ built by a man with no formal pipe organ-building training.

First up:


When he was 16 years old and despite having no formal training, Adrian Mann of New Zealand decided that he was going to build a piano. Not just any piano – but the world’s largest and longest grand piano, built from scratch entirely by hand. Four years later, he completed his masterpiece …


The World's longest piano....  18 ft. 9 inches long.

A couple videos:

(The quality of this video leaves much to be desired, but it will get the job done.)

The Making of the World's Longest Piano (did I mention that this was accomplished by an untrained TEENAGER? )  :)

The bass that these long strings must produce would have to be a treat not only for the ears, but it will also get in touch with your entire body - the vibration!

This is a link to Adrian Mann's YouTube channel, with more videos and more information:

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheAlexanderpiano?feature=watch#p/u/2/6PI8RYIeypM

Second:

A 5 rank home-built pipe organ.  Granted:  This man, Raphi Giangiulio, comes from a musical family, but trust me when I tell you that these skills are not obtained through genetics, but are available through hard work, curiosity and determination!

He had no formal previous pipe organ building experience.  In fact, he has a BSME, a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, and worked for Texas Instruments.
His website, with lots of audio and video samples, as well as a lot of information re: building a pipe organ:

http://www.rwgiangiulio.com/

An organ recital on this particular pipe organ (in his home):

You can learn more about Raphi Giangiulio by Googling him, or searching for him on YouTube.  Since he built this organ, he has built a couple continuo's - smaller, self-contained organs:

Raphi Gianguilio has since taken a job with an organ builder in Tacoma, WA.  Where can I get it?  There is nothing comparable to doing something that you absolutely love to do - and you get paid to do it.

These are just 2 examples of people who are self-taught, and have had no formal training.

Personally, I have taught myself how to read music and I am a self-taught, advanced-level knitter.  Please don't misunderstand me.  Learning to read music or knitting it by no means comparable to building flawless, breathing instruments, both from scratch and with no formal training..... however......  The intent of this blog is this:

"You can learn anything you want to learn, and the best way to finish any task is to BEGIN."

I heard someone once say that "The love of money is the root of all evil."  I challenge the author of that statement to take just ONE look at 'laziness'.  In the league of 'evilness', Laziness trumps Money all day long!  :)

GET BUSY AND DO IT!

(And congratulations to these 2 gentlemen, and many more that I have not listed, for their hard work, determination, attention to detail, and for your passion.  The world sorely needs less physically and mentally lazy people, and more people like you!)

- Michael

Let's Talk TWAIN!

Today's Google front page cover art is dedicated to Mark Twain. Today is his 176th birthday. Most of his family (with the exception of his immediate family - wife and children!) are buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in my hometown of Hannibal, MO.  Their graves are not too far from the graves of the people who were the inspiration for the characters of Injun Joe and the Widow Douglas. Mark Twain's parents (the inspiration for Aunt Polly and Judge Thatcher), as well as his siblings and in-laws are all buried there.  My biological paternal grandmother is buried just a few feet away.

The grave of Injun Joe in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Hannibal, MO  The Widow Douglas' grave is immediately to the left of Injun Joe's:



My grandmother, Rose Lee Keller, is buried just a few feet away from this stone. (Note that Injun Jo died in 1923 - at the age of 102 !)

These are the headstones for the rest of Mark Twain's family, in Mt. Olivet cemetery, Hannibal, MO:

A link to John M. Clemens' ("Judge Thatcher") FindAGrave.com:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=21749

Mark Twain, his wife and children are all buried in Elmira, NY:


Mark Twain's FindAGrave.com entry:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=1048

Unlike Mark Twain (Tom Sawyer),  Laura Hawkins Frazer ("Becky Thatcher") never moved from the Hannibal area, and is buried just 11 miles outside Hannibal, in the small town of Rensselaer, MO:


Laura Hawkins Frazer / Becky Thatcher's FindAGrave.com page:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=21754

I'll never forget my high school English teacher, Mrs. Nona Long-Clark , running into the classroom after the tardy bell rang, slamming her text book down on her desk, throwing her head back, and yelling, "OK! Let's talk TWAIN!" We had an entire semester dedicated solely to Mark Twain.

But then, on the other hand, while reciting an entire piece from Edgar Allen Poe, Mrs. Long-Clark would turn beet red, her eyes would roll back in her head, she would go into convulsions, and throw herself backwards over her desk, and ultimately end up flat on her back on the floor, all the while never missing a word, and keeping an entire class full of high school juniors absolutely spellbound by reciting Poe. I was an adult before I realized that this feat - holding the attention of an entire class full of juniors by reciting Poe - is TRUE TALENT!

(Coincidentally, Laura Ingalls Wilder, of "Little House on the Prairie" fame is buried not far outside Springfield, MO.  Walnut Groves was a small town in Missouri, not Minnesota, as depicted in the TV series, that is another blog for another day!)

- Michael

Christmas Eve in Sarajevo - New York ?

This video contains many of the reasons that I wake up each morning: It's magical, mystical, passionate and powerful.

Watch the little girl at 1:26 - 1:30, as she moves in on the conductor's job, to the extent that she even reaches around him to direct the music. I have cried more than a few times - every time, actually - watching her entire body release the passion as she is standing on top of that grand piano, directing music from 2:19 - 2:26. Go Girl! 

Whowouldathunkit? (Me! Me! Me!)

A progressive rock band from New York City (not Siberia!) that combines the voices of an orchestra with a metal rock band? Both Billboard Magazine and Pollstar have ranked them as one of the top ten ticket-selling bands in the first decade of the new millennium.

Throughout the years, many musicians have had the opportunity to play with the Trans Siberian Orchestra. For more information on this New York City-based band:




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


I went to my closest Guitar Center yesterday to check to see if there was a deal that I didn't know that I couldn't live without, until I laid eyes on it! They were busy with Black Friday shoppers. I went into the keyboard room, and played Roland's Fantom-G8. At first, I started playing Carol of the Bells (the main theme in "Christmas Eve in Sarajevo") using a light music box sound. As I began playing more rounds of the song, I changed the music box sound into a bigger-than-life 16 ft grand piano sound, and eventually added a screaming electric guitar and a violin with an attitude. After a few rounds, I added the beat.

The Guitar Centers:
(they carry much more than guitars:  Keyboards, drums, amps, etc)


Their website:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/?source=4WWRWXMT
While I was playing this Fantom-G8, out of the corner of my eye, I could see several people peeking in the door of the music room. I know my arms were stretched straight out in front of me, I never hit a note that wasn't either a full-block chord, or an octave, and my head was going 100 MPH. As Mary J Blige says, "My soul temporarily left the building."

There were several rad-looking salesman lined up watching me. When I wound the phantasmagoria down to a whimper, I picked myself up, dusted myself off, and as I left the keyboard room, I whispered to the line of salesmen, as I passed: "Thank you! I needed that!" At that moment, they all turned into my own personal applause box! I think we were all 'rode hard, and put away wet', but every one of us would admit that a damned good time was had by all! :)

The Roland Fantom-G8:




For more info:

http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.php?ProductId=918&ParentId=83

And a video:

Finally!  A computer-mouse driven keyboard!  I WANT ONE!

- Michael

Black Friday.. The Blackest!

"Black Friday", a 1975 song by Steely Dan:

First and foremost, I will admit that I love Macy's.  The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a must-watch for me on Thanksgiving morning.  That is one tradition that I have faithfully upheld since I escaped the house that I was raised in, and moved out on my own. (That is a long story, which is another blog for another day!)  You will have to trust me when I tell you that my parents were ass-backwards, and I did not have a television in my home until I was 18 years old, which was when I moved out of the house, and I bought my own television.  **EVERYTHING**  that I now know about pre-1986 television AND secular music, I have had to learn after the fact, and I had to learn on my own.

Anywho.... back to "Black Friday".

Macy's is opening their doors at 12:00 PM Midnight, Friday morning.  They aren't the only store to do such foolishness. I heard that Kohl's was committing the same act.

If you're opening your doors to shoppers at 12:00 AM, why the Hell even close at all?

When we combine greed with our #1 need (acceptance), the outcome is a toxic brew, indeed.

Yes, I am going out on Friday.  I am going to St. Louis' old Crestwood Mall ("The Art Mall"), and I am stopping by the adjacent Guitar Center to see if there are any bargains that I can't pass up.  Today, I am rearranging my music studio, and I might need some more cables to complete the connections.

HOWEVER.....

Right here and right now, I will swear to you that I have *NEVER*, and I mean *NEVER* bought anything from a "Black Friday" sale.  And I never intend to do so in the future.  Why not, you ask?  The answer is simple:

First:

I am secure enough in myself that I do not need the 'latest, greatest' gadget to feel accepted by my peers, or to feel complete.  I can make myself feel everything I need to feel, and without outside efforts.  Additionally, the things that I now have in my possession work nicely, thank you..

Second:

I have worked diligently to make sure that I do not feed into current 'trends', especially those that assist in feeding the ravenous pigs: Retailers.

Third:

By feeding into this silly frenzy, you are encouraging retailers to further abuse their staff.  I mean. C'mon.  Really!  There aren't too many employees that are willing to say, "Sure!  I want to go to bed on Thanksgiving day at 3:00 PM, because I have to be at work at Midnight for some stupid sale to make you (the retailer) more money!"

Retailers:  You should hope and pray that there is no such thing as an 'afterlife'.  If there is an afterlife, I would love to be a 'fly on the wall' when you are being judged for the way you mismanaged innocent employee's time, only to feed your never ending greed.

Fourth:

After *I* die, as an example, I personally do not want to have to rationalize how I spent my only non-renewable resource:  Time.

Did you spend that time wisely and efficiently, or did you wait in long lines - in the dark - for an item that will be obsolete in a year an a half/. (And.... you could have spent your time more wisely by shopping during normal shopping hours (avoiding lines), and spending your money more wisely on a better quality item that was NOT a part of the Black Friday sale, but one which has more features, and is of better quality.  Sure.  You will spend more money on the better item, but you only have to spend it ONCE.  If you buy an item that will be obsolete in a year and a half, you will be spending more money then.  (Which will make you more of a sucker,  while simultaneously thrilling the ravenous retail pigs!)  As another example, I have a Harmon / Kardon GPS that I finally had to replace this year.  This GPS is 5 years old, and the only reason I had to replace it is that it has a faulty plug.  **5 years**, I said.   I also have my original MP3 player: 7 years old, and I use it daily.  On the other hand, Mark has 4 MP3 players sitting on this very desk that he has spend much more $$ on, and they have a much larger memory capacity than the one I bought 7 years ago. HOWEVER.... they won't hold a batter charge for more than a few minutes. Therefore, all 4 of them are sitting on this desk.  They are unused, and are taking up space....and they are annoying me.  I will continue to use the 7 year old MP3 player that I continue to use on a daily basis.  Incidentally, I only use size AA batteries in this MP3 player that I first 'depleted' in my camera.  I wait until the camera will no longer switch on (because the batteries are so low) before I replace them.  Then.... I take these batteries and use them in my MP3 player. ONE battery that is supposedly spent will last me 4 - 6 months of daily use in m MP3 player.  These 'new' MP3 players that Mark has sitting on my desk can't hold a charge for 10 minutes.  What gives?  I can't tell you what gives, but I can tell you what takes!  Ravenous retail pigs.  I guess I really do know what gives.  Gullible shoppers who are too lazy to think for themselves, and those that think they have to buy the 'latest, greatest' thing to 'fit in'.  You can fit in WITHOUT IT, and you most likely don't need it!


If you will, please allow yourself to think of it this way:

If not one, and I mean *not one* person would walk into any of these silly retailers until normal shopping hours (and if the shoppers  would refuse to wait in long lines for hours!), with 100% accuracy, I can guarantee you that these retailers would not do this foolishness one more year.  Not once more!  They will stop doing the behavior if the shoppers will stop feeding the ravenous pigs!

- Michael

Local St. Louis Food icons in the National Spotlight

Congratulations to the local St. Louis (and the St. Louis area) restaurants and food sources that have earned their "15 minutes of fame", and have been featured in national media:  Food Network and Oprah's list of Favorite Things in her "O" magazine.


First up:

The Blue Owl Restaurant

The Blue Owl Restaurant and Bakery is located in the quiet, sleepy little river town,  Kimswick, MO (located 45 minutes from my home).  I ate at this restaurant after their second appearance on the Food Network.  If you go to this restaurant, it would be in your best interest to either put your name on the waiting list to get in, or call for reservations.  If you do not have reservations, you can shop while you wait. It will be about a 2 hr. wait to get a seat if you don't have previous reservations.  They were featured on this channel for their famous Levee High Apple Pie:

Recently, this restaurant - and their pie - has been featured in Oprah's "O" Magazine, as one of her Favorite Things:

Since their appearance in the "O" Magazine, their website has crashed often due to the high volume of hits. I did get on this site this morning.

The Blue Owl's website:

http://www.theblueowl.com/

Second up:

Jilly's Cup Cake Bar
(4.2 miles from my home!)

"Chocolate Thunder"

A few years ago, I was introduced to Jilly's Cupcakes at the annual Best of Missouri Market at the Missouri Botanical Gardens.  Jilly's started out in a small shop in a strip mall on Delmar Blvd in the St. Louis area.  They have since expanded their shop - twice- and now occupies 3 shops in that strip mall.  Jilly's was a contestant on Food Network's "Cupcake Wars",  and they won that episode.  (Was there really any question that they wouldn't win?  :)  )

More info on their Cupcake Wars appearance:

http://www.jillyscupcakebar.com/cupcake-wars.php

Jilly's website - take a look at their cupcakes!  Bet you can't eat one - in just one sitting!  These are "not yo mamma's cupcakes!"  Not even close.

http://www.jillyscupcakebar.com/

Jilly's - because of you, and my generally weak constitution, I now live on an exercise bike!

Last on this list: (but the list could continue....)

Sweetie Pie's on the Mangrove
(8 miles from my home!)

Ronnie Montgomery, the founder and chef at Sweetie Pie's started her career as an Ikette.  For those of you have been born since then, an "Ikette" was a back-up singer for Ike and Tina Turner, who got their start in East. St. Louis, IL - just across the river from St. Louis.  Ike and Tina worked in many clubs St. Louis' Gaslight Square district "back in the day".  Ronnie has several photos on the walls of the restaurant of herself, along with the other Ikettes when they are a part of the Ike and Tina Turner Revue.

The food at this restaurant is billed as 'Soul Food', but the only 'Soul' that I can find in this food is that that originates from the core of her own heart.  This food is more 'Southern comfort food' than 'Soul Food'.  I have read many review that were written about Sweetie Pie's, and many of them state, "Your mother only wishes she could cook like this!"

The food is served 'cafeteria style', and feature several different meats, sides, and a couple desserts each day.  I have been to this restaurant many, many times.  Even though Ronnie is famous for her Mac & Cheese, I was put here on this Earth to tell you that I have never in my life tasted better Fried Catfish!  It does not have a "muddy, river" taste, and will stay crispy several hours after you take it home.  Their serving portions are HUGE, and it is almost expected for you to ask for a take-home container at the end of your meal.  

The service at the restaurant is almost uncomfortable and uncanny, in the fact that they are definitely on their job!  It has been several decades since I have seen such good service in any restaurant.
If you go to Sweetie Pie's on a weekend, while you eat,  you will often be entertained by live jazz music, provided by a small band, and often played on the grand piano that is painted to match the decor of the restaurant.

Recently, Sweeties has secured a spot on the OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network), and she has her own show - "Welcome To Sweetie Pie's!"  The show airs on Saturdays at 8 PM Central.

More info on "Welcome To Sweetie Pie's" on OWN Network:

http://www.oprah.com/own-sweetie-pies/sweetie-pies-blog.html


Robbie's appearance on Food Network's  Diner's Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri:

This clip is a longer interview, and goes into a bit more depth.  This Ronnie Montgomery's appearance on Channel 9 (Public TV), making her Famous Mac & Cheese, and a couple other delights:

These are just a few local food finds that have made their way into the national spotlight.  There are many more notable food and drink spots in this area that I have not covered that will include (but are not limited to):

1) Crown Candy Kitchen:
  Although the candy is featured, there is more to this spot than the candy.  In fact, I have never bought candy from them...because I go to eat in the attached diner.  If you go to this are, you must be aware of the area that you are in.  They know they are in a bad area of town, but as the owners / operators have said, "We have been in this area since 1913.  We were here before the area turned bad, and we are staying here."  My advice:  Go early.  The line to get in will literally go out the door at lunch time.  Park as close to the door as you can - and always get an old-fashioned Malt!  Great diner food.  Great nostalgia.

 Their website:
http://crowncandykitchen.net/

2) Anheuser-Busch (self-explanatory!)

3)  Schlafly Brewery (AKA. The St. Louis Brewery).
  Located in the Maplewood area of St. Louis, this brewery has it's own bar and restaurant, and you can get a clear view of the process behind the process of beer making.

 Schlafly Brewery's website:
http://www.schlafly.com/

As I have previously stated:  These are just a few of the food and drink spots in the St. Louis area that have had national coverage.

We could cover the Central West End, The Grand South Grand and the Delmar Loop (featuring the stars of the St. Louis walk of fame!) shopping and restaurant areas....

In summary:
I have said on more than one occasion that if we are going to kill ourselves from over-eating, don't be lame in the way that you go about it.  After all, isn't killing yourself murder?  In my belief system, murders go to a bad place (Hell?) after they pass from this Earth.  If you kill yourself, whether it be from a self-inflicted gun shot wound, or overeating, the results are the same:  you murdered yourself.  I believe that if we do such a thing, we will arrive in that Inferno.  Upon our arrival, we will be surrounded by "Hell Royalty", such as Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, Fidel Castro, Adolph Hitler........  When they ask you, "What brought you here?", are you going to embarrass yourself by answering, "I ate a Twinkie?"  or "I had a store-bought, pre-packaged cupcake?" or "I put too much mayonnaise on a plain ham sandwich?"  Good God, I hope you don't have to answer in that manner!  I want you to be proud of yourself!  I want you to be able to answer, "I ate the Cadbury Egg cupbake from Jilly's!" or "I had the Mac & Cheese from Sweetie Pie's!"   However you decide to answer, I would hope that you won't have to answer, "I ate a super-sized order from McDonald's!"

If you are going to do it - do it right, and do it with style!  :)


Happy Eating!

- Michael  

There is no better way to get your adrenaline flowing....

I'm willing to bet that the nice, young utility line workers that met 3 of our 4 dogs in the back yard are probably wishing that they would have notified me that they were back there before I let the dogs out to go potty!

My dogs won't hurt anybody, but they sure will bug the Hell out of them!

We live on a fairly heavily wooded acre, and I can't see all the way to the back of the property. These gents were cutting trees away from utility lines in our neighbor's yard, and I thought I had plenty of time to let the dogs out one more time before they came into my back yard. HOWEVER....I couldn't see back there, and...they had already crossed the chain-link fence, rather than go through the gate to the back yard.

By the time I heard the commotion, and I got back to the back fence, I know one of the lads had the pointy top piece of the chain link fence up his butt, because he was sitting, perfectly balanced, on top of the fence! The other lad was as close to the top of his ladder as he could get!

I am not horribly territorial, and neither are my dogs. Once I got back there to the action, I only had to point to the house, and say, "GO!". All 3 went back home, like they were trained.

I turned to the man with the grimace on his face (the one sitting on the pointy fence!), and I said:

"None of us really cares that you are back here. I know you are just doing your job, and I am thankful that you're here. **IF** there is a 'next time', you might want to come through the front door, and meet the dogs so they won't be taken by surprise by a stranger that suddenly appeared in their own back yard. If you cover those bases, you might not have to do such fancy fence hopping the next time!"

I tried to make good by them, by telling them that they could leave the debris that they cut from the trees in the pile that I already had started in the back yard. It is a LONG WAY to carry all that cut wood back the wood chipper on their truck. I offered them a deal: If you leave the wood in fire place-sized pieces, they can leave it where it falls.

I don't know if offer truly made up for an Olde English Bulldogge nipping at his ...testicles..... (and a Black Lab / Shar Pei and a Yellow Lab / Chow helping him!), but it's not like I didn't try! :)

- Michael