Author Archives: Steve Mays
Minette
Minette from Dickie Beau on Vimeo.
Stay Asleep
“Stay Asleep,” a GIF by illustrator TAO-B, based in Tel Aviv, Israel.
I wanna be a DJ or a cowboy
You know how when you cut down the rain forest you destroy the natural habitat of some exotic wild animals and they become extinct? Say goodbye the Spotted American DJ. It’s all there in an excellent (and depressing) story by Clay Barbour in The Virginian-Pilot:
10 companies control two-thirds of the country’s listeners and ad revenue; two of them – Clear Channel and Infinity Broadcasting – own more than 40 percent of all stations.
Edison Research found that as many as 75 percent of 12- to 24-year-olds were listening to online radio, with nearly half of them using their phones to do so while in the car. Essentially, if you are younger than a certain age, you don’t listen to terrestrial radio anymore.
Many of you have ready my nostalgic ramblings about my dozen years as a small town radio DJ in the 70s. (sigh) Really glad I got to ride the range before all the media sod busters arrived.
Scott Adams: The Age of Magic
“Imagine walking to a crosswalk and doing the “halt” hand motion in the direction of traffic. Your ring and your watch can tell by their orientation to each other that you have formed that gesture and so they send a “pedestrian waiting” message to the street light. The lights change for you and you cross. It will feel like magic. Or point at something in a vending machine and your watch and ring can detect which item you selected, charge your credit card, and send a code to release the item. To an observer it will seem that you pointed at an item and magic released it.”
John Mays: The proper way to wear a wife-beater
John Mays and Opal Moore (circa 1950). Opal and her husband Arthur lived behind John and Evelyn on Washington Avenue in Kennett, MO.
In the Navy
My father was a Radio Operator (not sure if that’s the correct term) on a ship in the Pacific. He never talked about his war experiences to me but shared some with a friend of mine. Apparently he saw some action. The communications guys were, I’m told, some of the first on the beach. John Mays joined the navy on May 28, 1943. He was discharged on March 9, 1946. He served as a radio operator on several ships that saw action in the Pacific (USS Mount McKinley; USS Appalachian; USS New Jersey; USS Iowa; USS War Hawk). The man looked damn good in uniform.
Till There Was You
In 1966 I got the part of Professor Harold Hill in our high school spring musical. This song was supposed to be sung in two-part harmony with Marion the Librarian (who also happened to be my girl friend). I couldn’t do the harmony so they cut my part and I stood on the little foot bridge while she did a solo. I still can’t sing harmony.
Wikipedia: “Till There Was You” is a song written by Meredith Willson for his 1957 musical play The Music Man, and which also appeared in the 1962 movie version. The song is sung by librarian Marian Paroo (Barbara Cook on Broadway, Shirley Jones in the film) to Professor Harold Hill (portrayed by Robert Preston) toward the end of Act Two.
A tidy desk
Barb cleaned out her office today. She started practicing law in August, 1990 and retires June 30. Sort of. (She’ll be on some national board for a couple of years). Next week it’s off to NYC for some conference but come July 1 she’s a woman of leisure. These photos of her desk tell the (a) story.
It’s Hard to Sing the Blues
It occurred to us recently that we might not get any better on the ukelele. No matter how many hours we practice. And who really wants to hear Five Feet Two one more time? Or the first time? So, with the encouragement of my friends Viretta and Natasia, I decided to write something myself and put it up on YouTube for the world to hear. Like a gay man coming out, just more awkward.
I dedicate this first effort to Professor Peter who’s been coaching me, as well as J-Walk, Bisbo and the Hobbit who encouraged me. Okay, they didn’t discourage me which is sort of the same thing.