McCuenications
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Hello? Is There Anybody In There? Just Nod if You Can See Me
Thinking about starting this up again. Let me know if you're out there, are you out there?
Love,
Billy
Love,
Billy
Monday, March 30, 2015
In the New York Times this Weekend - March 28-29, 2015
All apologies for the delayed posting. What’s that old joke
about the best way to make God laugh? Make a plan. And mine was to post two
times a weekend – once on Saturday, once on Sunday. Well, so much for the best
laid plans of aspiring bloggers and men. Full disclosure – I was so busy this
weekend, I didn’t even get to read the entire paper. So today’s, I mean,
tonight’s update will be brief. I will make it up to you next weekend, I
promise. And I keep my promises. Now then…
Sports
With March Madness in full swing – and don’t forget the
ladies tourney – the sports section was loaded with great basketball stories
this weekend. Here are just a few.
Definitely take the time to read about the author of the
book on Dollar
Bill Bradley. I read “A Sense of Where You Are” many years ago. My dad
loved Bill Bradley. I’m pretty sure he was his favorite basketball player.
Smart, a great passer and shooter. Maybe not the most fleet of foot and
certainly no leaper. But what a big game player. He should have been President,
too. My feeling is he waited too long. By then he was losing his hair a bit,
his chin looked weak and we all know how important appearances are when there
are video cameras everywhere. None of that matters now. He had a great career
as a college player at Princeton and on my dad’s beloved Knickerbockers, served
New Jersey admirably in the Senate. Read the article and by all means, go back
and read the book. You won’t be sorry.
Loved reading about Coach Geno’s assistant coach at UCONN. What
a gem she
is, and what an incredibly positive influence on the young women on the team. She
could have gone anywhere and been a head coach herself years ago. She chose to,
sorry, stand by her man. But she’s not Tammy Wynette. Oh no. This is a strong,
smart, tough lady who has provided immeasurable support and counsel to Geno and
his teams over the years. Great story.
Speaking of legendary coaches…did you know that the late
Dean Smith, arguably the “dean” of college coaches – see what I did there? –
made arrangements in his trust for every varsity basketball player who played
on one of his teams in the 36 years he coached at North Carolina to receive a
check for $200 upon his death? Neither did I. Read more here.
The $200 check story is in another one here.
Front Page – Sunday
The story about kids who are facing death due to cancer or
other incurable diseases and work out their own arrangements
is both heartbreaking and inspiring. What courage, what guts, what strength. I
apologize in advance if it makes you cry, but it’s an issue too many people have
to deal with these days and might be helpful for someone you know.
That’s it for this week. Back next week with more. I promise.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
In the NY Times this Weekend - March 22, 2015
I decided to cut these updates down to once a weekend rather
than twice. No reason, really, just takes a bit of pressure off me to crank out
two. I hope that you – my legion of readers – will understand. Today’s update is
being written up on the second floor of the Prospect Heights branch of the Brooklyn public library. It’s
a beautiful day outside so I’m going to make this quick so I can get back out
there and enjoy the sunshine while it lasts.
Now then…
Arts & Leisure
Some great stuff in this section this weekend.
One of my favorite filmmakers is making a documentary about
one of my favorite photographers. Wim Wenders, who many of you are familiar
with through his Wings of Desire masterpiece, is collaborating with the son of
Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado to tell the story of Salgado’s life
and his incredible photographs. The article in the Times focuses on the
dynamics between the filmmakers and their subject and the difficulties they
encountered while making the film. Egos clashed, father and son were pushed
together after many years of being distant from each other. Fascinating stuff.
I look forward to seeing the film when it opens this coming weekend.
Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys is a few years younger
than me, but in many ways I feel like we grew up together. I remember when The
Beastie Boys burst upon the scene in the mid to late 80s. A college friend of
mine is a Brooklyn native and she was the first person I knew who was really
into them. Initially I was skeptical of three Jewish guys from “the hood”
co-opting hip hop, but they won me over with a few Led Zeppelin samples and the
video for So Whatcha Want. Today, Horovitz is 48 years old and adjusting to
life as a middle aged dude. In addition to our mutual love of Led Zep, Horovitz
composed the soundtrack for the No No documentary about my man Dock Ellis.
International
In Kabul, a 27-year old mentally disturbed woman named
Farkhunda was stoned and beaten to death by an angry mob that then proceeded to
burn her corpse. Why? Because she allegedly burned pages of the Koran. Stoned
and beaten to death. It is the year 2015. I don’t know what else to say about this.
New York
I’m late to the party for The Jinx – an HBO series on the
infamous Robert Durst of the powerful Durst real estate family. This creep is
linked to at least two murders and one disappearance. Charles Bagli reports on
the police seizing a cache of Durst’s belonging that were stored at the home of
a friend in upstate New York. If you are fascinated by a good story with
interesting characters, be sure to check out The Jinx on demand. It’s riveting
television. It bothers me how likeable I found Durst at times. He’s a quirky
weird character, for sure, but there are millions like him out there. But when
you hear what he most likely did to his wife, one of his best friends and an
acquaintance in Galveston, Texas, you’ll understand why the whole thing gives
me the chills. The final episode in the series is a corker with an incredible
twist.
Magazine
Alabama Shakes received universally positive reviews when
they released their first
album Boys & Girls three years ago. You’ve probably heard the opening
track and first single Hold On. They’re about to release their second album
Sound & Color and are performing mostly songs from it during their shows
this year. Lead singer Brittany Walker has had to overcome some devastating
personal issues and circumstances along the way to becoming the front person in
one of today’s biggest rock bands. Incredible story. Will make you want to
support them.
Metropolitan
Today’s Character Study by Corey Kilgannon is a classic
“Only in New York City” story. Since 2007, Michael Seidenberg has been running
a “part speakeasy, part bookstore” out of his rent stabilized apartment on the Upper
East Side. His landlord is putting the hammer down and evicting him at the end
of July. If you love books and people who collect them, you’ll want to get up
there before he’s closed down. What a hoot.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
In the NY Times this Weekend - March 14, 2015
Lazy Saturday here in Park Slope. Went to see my friends
Woody and Jesse play with their band Mighty High in Williamsburg last night.
The bar where they played – Trash Bar – is on the verge of closing and last
night was one of the final shows before it’s turned into a sushi joint, nails
salon or whatever else is taking over the location. Mighty High has played
there many times over the years and always brings the rock. Last night was no
exception. Cool venue, good crowd, and the boys played well. I ran out of gas
early and hit the road right after the boys finished their set. Now it’s
Saturday night and I’m listening to Stevie Wonder’s Fulfillingness’ First
Finale on vinyl with the Rangers vs. Sabres game on the TV on mute. It’s 0-0
with a bit more than 4 minutes left in the second period. Go Blueshirts.
Here’s what I read in today’s half of the NY Times that I
thought would be of interest to you. Please let me know what you think by
leaving comments. Always good to hear from my readers.
The Magazine
I remember watching National Geographic specials on the
great Jane
Goodall when I was a kid and being absolutely mesmerized by them. What an inspiration she is to so many. I love
her voice and the way she describes the activities of the chimpanzees she lived
with for years at a time. To this day I get such a kick out of thinking about
David Greybeard using a stick to pry termites out of their mound for a snack. Her
efforts to protect chimps and conserve the jungle forests they inhabit are beyond
admirable. She’s still going strong today as you’ll see by reading this feature
article. I’m sure those of you with children who love animals will want to
share this article with them, too. (Hello KAM!) Enjoy.
A few years ago when President Obama decided that his
feelings towards same sex marriage had “evolved” and he was now in favor of it,
I caught some flak from my Facebook friends for posting a two word response: politically
opportunistic. I did find it rather
convenient that the President had experienced this “evolution” just a short
time after Vice President Biden had taken a pro-same sex marriage position and
the state of North Carolina voted down an amendment to allow it. In any event,
Mark Leibovich takes a look at how we common folks change our minds and politicians
evolve.
Have a look and share your thoughts. For the record, I’m pro love between two
consenting adults and if they want to make a legal commitment to each other and
get married, so be it. Mazel Tov.
Last year I was on the subway and saw a guy leaning against
a pole and thoroughly engrossed in a book called My Struggle by Karl Ove
Knausgaard. I made a mental note to look into it and eventually bought a copy
online. Reading it was an interesting experience. It’s basically a book about
everyday life. There’s nothing particularly noteworthy about it. Knausgaard
talks about his years growing up and the usual things that happen as years go
by. He also touches on his life as an adult, married with children and writing
for a living. I read Book I – there are three in the series. I can’t adequately
explain why I couldn’t put the book down once I started it. Maybe it’s because
it felt like reading someone’s diary. Anyway, I’d be interested in discussing it
with any of you who’ve also read it. Last weekend, the Times published part
1 of his road journal on crossing North America from Newfoundland to
Detroit in the magazine. I didn’t get a chance to read it yet. Part
2 is in today’s magazine.
Arts & Leisure
There are a few noteworthy articles in this section today.
Here are some thoughts on two of them.
It would appear our man Al Pacino is in the midst of an
active run of starring roles. His new movie Danny
Collins opens this coming Friday. It’s based on the true story of an
aspiring British folk singer Steve Tilston who
received a letter of encouragement from his fellow Liverpudlian John Lennon in
1971, but the note never reached him until nearly 40 years later. Tiltson’s
still alive today and has made a living as a working musician since first
starting out. He can’t help wondering if his life would have turned out
differently if the letter had reached him when it was first sent, but says he
has no regrets. Sounds like an interesting concept for a movie. Have a look to
learn more about the filmmakers’ approach to the story.
Some of you may have heard Courtney Barrett’s catchy and
cheekily titled single Avant
Gardener. As a fellow asthma sufferer, I could surely relate to the lyrics.
She’s about to release her first full album and talks about the recording of it
here.
Can’t say I’m a huge fan but I do love the way she writes about the everyday
and finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. I’ve always sought to do the
same in my own work – largely inspired by the short stories of Raymond Carver
and Sherwood Anderson.
That’s all for tonight. More tomorrow. Until then….
Sunday, March 8, 2015
In the New York Times this Weekend - March 8, 2015
Nice to see blue skies and the sun return to Park Slope,
Brooklyn today. Temperatures were in the 40s. Great day to walk around the
neighborhood, do some people watching and leap over puddles. Well, leap might
be pushing it. I wrote a great deal about my personal adventures yesterday. Not
sure how I comfortable I am with that approach so we’ll stick to the Sunday
Times this evening. Here are a few articles from today’s half of the paper that I believe
are worth a read. Please leave some comments.
Sunday Business
My friend Stephanie Strom takes a look at the challenges faced by McDonald’s
new CEO in the Sunday Business section’s cover story. Fast food restaurants
like Mickey D’s are at a crossroads. With Americans looking to make healthier
meal choices, and Big Macs and French Fries viewed as decidedly unhealthy fare,
McDonald’s will have to find a way to stay relevant. From my perspective, it’s
hard to believe anyone who isn’t hungover still eats fast food these days. It’s
not cheap, it doesn’t taste very good and it’s not good for you. Other than that,
Mrs. Lincoln, how was your meal? Always a treat to read Stephanie's writing. I'm forever grateful for her teaching me what a group of pigs is called - a drift.
Sports
As we move into March, the Sports section is starting to
fill up with spring training baseball reports from Florida and Arizona. One of
today’s cover stories focuses on a rite of passage for baseball players at all
levels – breaking
in your glove for the season. Billy Witz looks at all of the different
methods used by players on the Yankees including Alex Rodriguez who is breaking
in a first baseman’s mitt for the first time. That’s when he can find it. What
a knucklehead. I remember putting a ball inside the pocket of every new glove,
wrapping it up with string and then shoving it under my mattress. We also used oil
for baseball gloves. I can still remember the smell. What was your favorite
method?
Book Review
Reading Dave Itzkoff’s review of Robert
Christgau’s autobiography is a reminder of why I never would have made it
as a music critic. Oh sure, I’m an “opinionated bigmouth,” too, but guys like
Christgau hated all of the albums I loved – including Emerson Lake and Palmer’s
Trilogy, which is cited in this review as an easy target of his wrath. I remember reading Christgau’s work in the Village
Voice and always thought he was trying too hard to be hip. Heck, even a
notorious music snob like Lester Bangs had guilty pleasures. Guys like
Christgau never did. I catch hell for it from certain circles, but I do
genuinely enjoy a little bit of everything – from Bjork to Motorhead to James
Brown to Led Zep to P-Funk to Django Reinhardt to Bob Marley to Miles Davis to Radiohead
to Om Khalsoum to Les Paul/Mary Ford to AC/DC to Pink Floyd. Good music is good
music. The genre isn’t important. And most important of all is whether *you*like
it or not – not what other people think
or how your reaction to liking something will be perceived. I sound like a true
Rush geek, don’t I? Guilty as charged. Now where’s my copy of A Farewell to
Kings (on vinyl, please).
Monday, March 2, 2015
In the New York Times this Weekend - March 1, 2015 (Updated March 2, 2015)
All apologies for the day-late post, folks. Had to work yesterday. Spent the afternoon and into the early evening hours writing staff reviews. Fun times. So with apologies and excuses out of the way and without further adieu, quickly now...
Arts & Leisure
Two articles from this section are worth a catch-up read tonight.
On the face of it, you wouldn't think an article about a barn in North Dakota being sold would be all that interesting. But this is no ordinary barn. For more than 25 years, the Johnson family barn in Arthur, North Dakota has hosted dances on Friday nights featuring live music and, you guessed it, dancing. People of all generations come from miles around to listen to great music, drink, eat and dance the night away. All that may change when the sale is complete. Brian Johnson (no relation to the AC/DC singer of the same name) is the owner of the farmstead including the barn that is now up for sale. Let's hope the buyer continues the Friday night dance tradition. I loved hearing that Roy Orbison once stopped in on his way to a gig and jumped on stage to sing a song or two.
My friend KAM is a big Downton Abbey fan. Don't call, email or text unless it's an emergency on Sunday night between 9pm and 10pm. I'm guessing she'll enjoy this article on the challenges faced by the show's food stylist. Just reading this article makes me hungry. And reminds me that I'm about five episodes behind - so no spoilers in the Comments section, if you please. Enjoy, KAM.
Obituaries
I mentioned in Saturday's post that this weekend's updates could be made up almost entirely of obituaries between Leonard Nimoy aka Mr. Spock, Earl Lloyd, the NBA's first black player, and another NBA player, Anthony Mason of the New York Knicks.
Mason, or Mase, as he was known by those of us who cheered him on when he played for those great Pat Riley era teams, died of congestive heart failure at age 48. According to his agent and others who knew him well, he did a bad job of taking care of himself and let his weight get out of control. His mother Mary, apparently the only person he ever truly listened to, survives him at age 90 and is still going strong. Mase was a fierce competitor and fearsome presence on the basketball court. He personified the Knicks' toughness with his chiseled physique and ever present scowl. He never agreed with a foul called against him and never thought he was getting enough minutes or looks on the offensive end. I loved him as a player. Off the court was a different story, but I'll let someone else dwell on that.
When Mase came jogging onto the court with a freshly cut motto or one word message carved into his close cropped hair and sporting jet black sneakers and black socks, you knew he was ready to do battle. He was never intimidated by anyone and often saved his best performances for the biggest games. I love the story Pat Riley tells about Mase in the opening of his book "The Winner Within." During his first practice as coach of the Knicks, Riles set up a one-on-one rebounding drill between the two baddest mofos in camp - Mase, who was battling for a spot on the team, and recent free agent signing Xavier McDaniel. I'll let you seek out the book to hear how the story unfolds. Rest in Peace, Mase. We could use two or three of your kind on the current Knicks roster.
I'm going to leave it here for this extended weekend's post with a commitment to be back on schedule with a more substantial offering this coming Saturday. Until then...
Arts & Leisure
Two articles from this section are worth a catch-up read tonight.
On the face of it, you wouldn't think an article about a barn in North Dakota being sold would be all that interesting. But this is no ordinary barn. For more than 25 years, the Johnson family barn in Arthur, North Dakota has hosted dances on Friday nights featuring live music and, you guessed it, dancing. People of all generations come from miles around to listen to great music, drink, eat and dance the night away. All that may change when the sale is complete. Brian Johnson (no relation to the AC/DC singer of the same name) is the owner of the farmstead including the barn that is now up for sale. Let's hope the buyer continues the Friday night dance tradition. I loved hearing that Roy Orbison once stopped in on his way to a gig and jumped on stage to sing a song or two.
My friend KAM is a big Downton Abbey fan. Don't call, email or text unless it's an emergency on Sunday night between 9pm and 10pm. I'm guessing she'll enjoy this article on the challenges faced by the show's food stylist. Just reading this article makes me hungry. And reminds me that I'm about five episodes behind - so no spoilers in the Comments section, if you please. Enjoy, KAM.
Obituaries
I mentioned in Saturday's post that this weekend's updates could be made up almost entirely of obituaries between Leonard Nimoy aka Mr. Spock, Earl Lloyd, the NBA's first black player, and another NBA player, Anthony Mason of the New York Knicks.
Mason, or Mase, as he was known by those of us who cheered him on when he played for those great Pat Riley era teams, died of congestive heart failure at age 48. According to his agent and others who knew him well, he did a bad job of taking care of himself and let his weight get out of control. His mother Mary, apparently the only person he ever truly listened to, survives him at age 90 and is still going strong. Mase was a fierce competitor and fearsome presence on the basketball court. He personified the Knicks' toughness with his chiseled physique and ever present scowl. He never agreed with a foul called against him and never thought he was getting enough minutes or looks on the offensive end. I loved him as a player. Off the court was a different story, but I'll let someone else dwell on that.
When Mase came jogging onto the court with a freshly cut motto or one word message carved into his close cropped hair and sporting jet black sneakers and black socks, you knew he was ready to do battle. He was never intimidated by anyone and often saved his best performances for the biggest games. I love the story Pat Riley tells about Mase in the opening of his book "The Winner Within." During his first practice as coach of the Knicks, Riles set up a one-on-one rebounding drill between the two baddest mofos in camp - Mase, who was battling for a spot on the team, and recent free agent signing Xavier McDaniel. I'll let you seek out the book to hear how the story unfolds. Rest in Peace, Mase. We could use two or three of your kind on the current Knicks roster.
I'm going to leave it here for this extended weekend's post with a commitment to be back on schedule with a more substantial offering this coming Saturday. Until then...
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