The Lumpkin Family
I’d watch a TV show based on a 50’s era family that made their living performing on small town radio stations. I might make one or both of the children “little people” passing as kids. Maybe the wife transgender. The gimmick would be they are all very talented but couldn’t make it as solo acts and discover — by humorous accident — that they’re a hit as a family. The thing practically writes itself.
Barb and Steve (1981)
Books, like love, make life worth living
If you love paper books, you’ll enjoy this essay by William Geraldi. A few snippets to prime your pump:
“What does it mean when what you own is essential to who you are? In our everyday grasp of owning things, we tag it materialism, consumerism, consumption. But I trust you’ll agree that the possession of books is not identical to the possession of shoes: Someone with a thousand books is someone you want to talk to; someone with a thousand shoes is someone you suspect of belonging to the Kardashian clan. Books are not objects in the same way that shoes are objects.’
“For readers, what they read is where they’ve been, and their collections are evidence of the trek.”
“The wise are wise only insofar as they know that they know nothing. In other words: Someone with all the answers has no use for books.”
“Like the bicycle, the book is a perfect invention, and perfection dies very, very hard. The car hasn’t murdered the bike, and the Web won’t murder the book.”
Some KBOA colleagues
Below are a few of the people I worked with at KBOA (Kennett, MO) in the 70’s. Not sure when or why these photos were taken and they’re obviously no professional pics but I share them here, for the record. Top row: Ted Guffy, Keith Parker, John Mays. Middle row: Charlie Isbell, Charlie Austin, Larry Anthony. Bottom row: Bob Conner. More on KBOA at KBOA830.com
Before digital
Taken sometime in the early 80’s? My desk at KBOA (Kennett MO). Manual typewriter instead of computer; rotary dial phone; 45rpm records in the shelves behind me; paper desk calendar; bulletin board; cassette tape.
One rock at a time
I recently had our propane provider move our tank from where it had been sitting for the past 30 years to a less visible (from the house) location. I noticed that the rocks that once covered the slope down from our driveway had rolled/washed/worn away and decided replace them. No shortage of rocks on our property. The red line shows my progress to date. This task turned out to be much harder than I expected. I have a wheelbarrow but quickly discovered that it’s easier to move one rock at at time, by hand. Doesn’t look like I have much hill left but that might take five or six hours. Searching for Zen? Here it is.
Update: May 6, 2015. Task completed.
Winchester Cathedral
My first brush with hot air ballooning was in 1979. An advertiser (McCaul Tire and Appliance) for the station I worked at had a big promotion that included a hot air balloon. Someone decided it would be fun to broadcast live from the balloon so we held a contest and the winner (Keith Williams) got to go along for the ride. [First 3 photos below]
A year later I hired the same crew as an anniversary present for Barb (and me). Barb and took a flight on beautiful October morning. From a mile up we could see the Mississippi River in the distance. We also did some tethered flights for our friends, which included a champaign christening for first-timers.
Revolution in civil liberties
From interview with David Simon (Where the Baltimore Police Went Wrong):
The documented litany of police violence is now out in the open. There’s an actual theme here that’s being made evident by the digital revolution. It used to be our word against yours. It used to be said—correctly—that the patrolman on the beat on any American police force was the last perfect tyranny. Absent a herd of reliable witnesses, there were things he could do to deny you your freedom or kick your ass that were between him, you, and the street. The smartphone with its small, digital camera, is a revolution in civil liberties.
KBOA (1976)
