The Fragments of my Life

It's been awhile, so here's fragments.

The fragments of my life.

 Yup, I grew up on this song. So amazing how emotional Aaron Neville can get singing about cotton. Amazing. 

About three weeks ago, I was surprised to see an armadillo walking in our backyard.  Once I alerted the kids and it became aware of noise and it hopped (??) away, looking down-right rabbit like, hopping/running down our hill towards the safety of the woods. 

I've been thinking about applying for a Fulbright to teach in India and once I told the kids, they were excited. They started talking about where else they would want to go. E, age 7 said, "I want to learn Spanish in China!" While C, age 10 said, "They speak Japanese in  China, E!"


Anyway, I have no idea how competitive the slots are (there are about 50) and if they need or want someone with my background, but ya know, why not?

We we went to visit some friends in Arkansas for spring break. It was our first "real" spring break trip and it was eventful and fun. I saw my first Trump billboard (in central AR) and really got to know "Trump" country pretty well (Northeast TX and AR). The nature in the area was gorgeous and we went on a hike to a beautiful waterfall. Most of the time we generally hung out with our friends. It was low key and we liked it that way.

They live in a small town, so when we visited the antique store and I saw comics, I was happy. I picked up my very first pre-1970's comics. I now have a few 60's Disney comics! Alas, there wasn't a Carl Barks. They are in pretty shoddy shape, but still cool to me!  Later at a used book shop, I found a 1970 collection of Buck Rodgers for a little less than ten bucks. I felt like a big spender but I figured I would kick myself if I didn't grab it.

On our way back home we stopped in Little Rock and visited Central High, where the "Little Rock 9" helped integrate the public education system in Arkansas. We also visited an African American art museum and the Big Dam Bridge (a walking bridge built over a dam).

We also stopped by another friend's house in Longview, TX. That was fun and I finally got to play Mario Maker for the first time. That was so awesome, I wish I had an extra 300 bucks around. I'll wait until the WiiU is about to die and pick it up for cheap. 

On the way home home we pulled into a church parking lot to wait for GPS to"catch up" to where we were. The church had one of those rotating digital signs and two messages stuck out. "The 2nd amendment guarantees all the other amendments" and "Political Correctness is Insanity!"


I figure that's a Trump Church if there's ever been one.

Pop Culture Update:

I saw the new Pee-Wee. Thumbs up. Saw Zootopia with the kids, also, thumbs up.

Weezer has a new album coming out next week, I kinda don't really care all that much but I really liked "LA Girlz", despite the stupid title and spelling.

Gonna buy the new Star Wars on DVD/Blu Ray - I really liked it and I am excited on showing the girls the movie for the first time. We just couldn't find the right time for me to take them to the theater.  Look, it's a flawed movie, but I still can't believe there's an actual new "good" Star Wars movie.

That's it, one day I might write an actual blog post of substance. Until then enjoy this:

Generic Fragments from a Generic Guy on a Generic Blog

It's been awhile since I've had a generic fragments.

This Friday we watched Benji and on Saturday morning I watched Return of the Jedi (for the first time) with my two oldest. Yeah, I'm parenting the right way.

I have to tell you, if there had been a competent film editor, Benji would be like 45 minutes long. 1/3 of the movie was showing Benji running around (sometimes in slow motion, often in a place the audience has already seen multiple times). 

Both the girls liked Jedi, mainly cause Ewoks.

I'm not a Jedi hater, I like it, it's solid. Obviously, its the weakest of the three but so what? I love the first 30 odd minutes with Jabba. It's cool.

The Lucas additions really stuck out this for me and the young Anakin ghost thing is just so stupid. I have hidden the prequels from my kids. My oldest C really pressed me on why they were so bad but try explaining to a 10 year old how terrible they are. She asked me what the story was about and I told her it was about how Darth Vader grew up. She said, "That sounds awesome!" and I replied, "That's what we thought before we saw it."

In retrospect, it was a bad idea for three complete movies. There are literally no major surprises in the film and I think that really hurts them.  Maybe it could have worked as one movie, but the heck with it, the prequels criticism begins and ends with Plinket, so what else is there to say?

I suppose it's time for me to share this song because it's spot on.




The other day our son was eating cocktail fruit and he wanted to let this sisters know that we had opened a can. He asked me what it was called and then went calling out in the garage, "Hey, girls, we have cotton tail fruit!"  It was great.

 Earlier this week I was driving home and saw a bumper sticker of Calvin for the comic strip, Calvin and Hobbes bowing before a cross that said "Real Men Pray".

Okay, but Calvin is neither a man or real. Someone should let him know.

That's all for now. Buckle up when you drive, don't forget to feed the fish and go ahead and take a long, hot shower tonight, you deserve it.

Art Post: The Old Castle's Secret

I haven't posted in awhile because my PC crashed and we still haven't got it fixed up just yet. Meanwhile, I've been busy teaching an apologetics class for the high school class at church and generally having to share the family laptop. Also, life, ya know.

I have a cool post about performing at a Spurs game and meeting Craig Sager so that's coming at some point.

Ahem, anyway, onto the post.

I adore Carl Barks' work. I first discovered the wonderful world of Barks on a family vacation to (of all places Disney Land) when I was 12. We stopped at my great uncle's house up and I spent the night in his den full of old stuff and old books.

Of course, even at this age, I knew what I had to do.

After rummaging through hundreds of books, I found a huge book of reprints of Carl Barks' stories of Donald Duck.  I settled in for the night with the book in bed and read as long as I could. I already loved comics but these were different. I thought they would be "kiddie" but they were just as good (and most of the time) better than any epic Marvel tale.

From that night forward, I was hooked.

One of the great pleasures of being a parent has been being able to share my favorite stuff with my kids. I have been able to pass on my love of Carl Barks to my oldest, C. She tells me the Barks stories are the best and will frequently turn up her nose at a perfectly fine Don Rosa, telling me it's "boring".

Almost every night, C will read in bed with a reading lamp until at least 8:45 or 9:00 and she usually seeks out comics to read, especially Carl Barks. She doesn't realize how  good she has it, my dad didn't have any comics growing up! I love it.


One Saturday morning last spring, I had one the new Fantographics reprints of on the kitchen table. I am happy to report, the Fantographics Carl Barks collection is just awesome. I can't recommend them enough if you love adventure comics!

Anyway, this was sitting on the table and I started to doodle, which turned into a copy. Enjoy

Here's the original. In this story, which is a great one, the ghost in the story  is supposed to be Scrooge's ancestor, but the skeleton looks nothing like a duck. Why did this happen? An editor here would have been a valuable resource.

The only thing I regret is the text, which is pretty awful.

Detail. I had to improvise the writing on the gravestones (although the names are Barks'). The original image was pretty small, so it was just gibberish.

Comics Stories: Fragments on Comics and 1986

One of my favorite scenes from Throw Momma From the Train is Owen's coin collection.

If you haven't seen it, here it is:




For those of you too lazy to watch, the scene is about Owen's (played by Danny Devito) coin collection, which amounts to just normal nickels, pennies and quarters. The coins are only worth their face value, however for Owen, they are full of value because they are change that his father allowed him to keep  (from a concert, the circus, etc). Memories can do that to ya. Suddenly a piece of paper with a doodle becomes a treasure.  

I got my first comic sometime in 1984-85.

There had been a few comics around the house, some Whitman Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig and some old Smurfs (Marvels, actually). I still have many of them and they were published in 1982 and possibly my sister's when they were first purchased. However, there were no real super-hero comics around the house. I did have an awesome Spider-Man shirt (I know I have a picture somewhere of me in it around the house) and I loved all super hero cartoons (well, pretty much all cartoons, really). 

For years I had remembered  Marvel Tales #185 as the first comic I ever bought.

I was with my Mom at Walgreen's and she told me to go pick out a comic to buy.  It all felt special because the way I remember it, my mom just never bought me anything when she went out shopping - candy, toys, whatever. I don't think that's actually true, but you can't shake that feeling of "that's not fair!" impression out the brain.

I remember being really impressed with the cover and finding the Lizard really creepy. 

I loved the issue. Spidey has to fight the Lizard with one arm and ends up winning by tricking him into a refrigerated train car, which weakens the Lizard (being that the cold would weaken the cold-blooded reptile).  I was a little confused as I was aware sometimes Spider-Man wore a black suit and sometimes the red and blue. I also found all the 60's references perplexing but I figured that's just how Spider-Man was. I had no idea it had been published in the 1960's.  This particular story was so powerful and well done.

It drew me in and I was hooked on comics since then. 

However, recently I discovered that my old childhood memories were faulty. 

That's because that comic (Marvel Tales #185) was published in 1986, which would place me in the 4th grade and I know I was into comics before that!

I have a specific memory of  hiding Peter Parker #104 in my desk and showing it to my best buddy, Matt in the 3rd grade. This memory is so specific, it's hard to doubt.

The cover (and the internet) states it was published in  July 1985 date but that typically meant the issue was on the newsstands for months before July. The weird cover dates on Marvel comics was a thing until the early 90's. So, I'm not really sure what my "first comic" was but whatever it was, it was good enough to get me to keep buying more!

I do have a theory as to how my memory was so muddled. I used to beg my mom for these three-packs for comics at my local Winn's. If you unfamiliar with Winn's it was a five-and-dime store. Think of it as mini-Wal-mart without clothing, kinda like a Big Lots but without furniture or Hobby Lobby without all the crafts or home deco but they had yarn. I remember lots of yarn and a kick-ass toy section. Oh, and they had ICEE's!!!

So, basically, kid utopia.

This was the same store where I first spied and lusted after the Ultra Magnus Transformer that was located on the top shelf. I begged my mom for months for that toy and finally got it on my birthday (which was probably my 9th birthday, in, you guessed it, 1986!)

Anyway, Winn's had these 3 packs of Marvel Comics that I would get from time-to-time but for whatever reason, I must have forgotten them and in my head, my love affair with comics really started with that Marvel Tales comic. I loved the three packs because you could never see the third issue, so you were getting one surprise every time!

Another great comic that I love is Spider-Ham # 6 (also, in 1986 ) Again, this one was bought at the same Walgreen's as Marvel Tales #185.  I don't quite remember if it was purchased at night but I remember it in the car with me as my parents took us took my sister and I driving around to look at Christmas lights. After we got home, I took the comic and read it under the colorful lights of our Christmas tree. I remember feeling safe, warm and cozy. It's one of my most favorite childhood memories.

I am as anti-gun as they come nowadays but this is still one of my favorite covers of any comic I own.

Another great memory that also comes from...you guessed it, 1986. This time, a non-Spider comic and one of my only Archie comics in my whole collection.

I was visiting my grandmother (who lived out of town) and she took me shopping with her. I can't remember if my sister was with me or if we were by ourselves. She took me downtown, where we looked at the river that runs through her small town from the top of the bridge and we walked down to an actual old soda shop. My grandma treated me to a shake and a comic as well!  The comic rack only had Archie's, which I found odd, but a comic is a comic. That old soda shop was fantastic and I wonder if it's still standing but I doubt it. More than any detail, I remember the feeling of that day with my grandma and walking into that soda shop. Again, another safe, special, childhood memory.

There might be more comic memories so, if they hit me, they will eventually wind up here. In the meantime, stay warm amigos!

Pic Dump: Emergency Edition

My PC may be failing (as it did last year at the exact same time). I backed up everything I could think of...hopefully, I got it all.

While reviewing my files, I noticed it was time for a Pic Dump. Some goodies and some serious ones, enjoy. Or don't, man, I don't care either way. Sheesh, these great images from my internet surfing was culled just for you the least you could do is enjoy it.

Wow.

The Greatest Star Wars GIF in the History of the Internet:

Weezer Deluxe Albums: Part I: The Blue Album

This is not a post about the official Weezer "Blue Album" deluxe album.

Both the Blue and Pinkerton deluxe albums are a "must-have" for any hardcore Weezer fan (especially for new fans who just getting into Weezer).  Both albums are in many ways "The Best of Weezer".  If you were trying to preserve two albums of Weezer for the future, it would be those official deluxe albums.

However, as with any Weezer post-2000 release the track list leaves much to be desired and is filled with disappointments. So, I've created my own versions of Weezer albums.

Because I can.

At first, I thought this was going to be an easy post, I had my deluxe albums already designed but as the time came to actually write the post, I started to re-think and re-visit my own track list. There were some major additions to be had.

Building a deluxe edition of any album offers the challenge of balancing between making an actual album as a listening experience and being comprehensive of the band's output in that specific time period.  On one hand, fans want everything. After all, any fan of any band wants every listenable track. Well, maybe not.

Exhibit 1: In How to Squeeze Every Last Dollar Out of Dead Person. I have mixed feelings about this. It's a cash grab, but no one is forcing anyone to buy this. I want Rivers COR demos and I would pay for the scraps too. 

My first impulse was to leave out almost all redundant tracks (i.e., "The Good Life" is tacked on four times on Pinkerton Deluxe)!  I wanted my deluxe album to be more than just collecting random live versions of songs.  And, you won't find any live versions on my deluxe albums.

However, before I decided to publish my deluxe album, I started having doubts. Did I get every track?  I am a pretty big Weezer fan but there's always something I forgot or something that got lost off of an old hard drive.

So, Weezerpedia, Youtube and Soulseek to the rescue.

Once I had decided to make it more comprehensive, there was another conundrum that I had to face. Should I include Rivers' demos or just the band material? In the case of Pinkerton, it would open up the track list to adding 10 or so more songs and end up including all of Rivers' scrapped space opera, Songs from the Black Hole. So I started to actually spend time in life to figure this all out.

Actually typing this made me realize what a nerd I am.

Here were some of my guidelines in building the track lists:

• Music recorded as a band takes priority over Rivers' demos 
• Rivers' demos are included if they were already included in the official deluxe release
• Rivers' demos that are "significantly interesting" are included 
• Songs that were not seriously considered for the final album were not included
• Almost all band recording sessions songs are included
• Almost anything that has been released that was recorded during the actual recording sessions of the album is included. 

So, here's the track list....

Blue Deluxe Tracklist

1-10  - Original Album

11. My Evaline ("Undone" Single)

12. Mykel & Carli ("Undone" Single)

13. Mykel & Carli (Death to False Metal - Album Sessions Rehearsal)

14. Jamie (DGC Rarities) 

15. Suzanne (Mallrats Soundtrack Version)

16. Suzanne (Alone III - Rivers' Demo)  

17. You Gave Your Love To Me Softly (Angus Soundtrack Version)

18. Lullaby for Wayne (Blue Deluxe - Album Sessions Rehearsal)

19. Paperface (Alone II - Rivers' Demo)
20. Paperface (Kitchen Tape Demo - Blue Deluxe)
21. Let's Sew Our Pants Together (Kitchen Tape Demo) *
22. Thief, You've Taken All That Was Me (Kitchen Tape Demo) *

23. My Name is Jonas (Kitchen Tape Demo) *

24. No One Else (First Real Demo) *
25. Say It Ain't So (First Real Demo) *
26. The World Has Turned....(First Real Demo) *
27. Undone (First Real Demo) *
28 Surfwax America (First Real Demo) *
29. Just What I Needed (Album Sessions Rehearsal - Incomplete) *

* Denotes commercially unreleased

^ First Real Demo is also known as the "3rd Demo"

Omissions

The biggest omission is that of "I Swear It's True", which is actually on the official Blue deluxe track list. It was recorded during the album rehearsals and in my estimation, it was a little rough around the edges. If I hadn't placed two different versions of this song on my Pinkerton Deluxe, it would have found a home here.  

I also omitted the "Undone" and "Only in Dreams" from the Kitchen Tape Demos, which are also on the official release.  The main reason is because I don't find them pleasant to listen to and in the case of "Undone", I find the "First Real Demo" version superior.

"Suzanne" from the "Undone" single was left off  because "Suzanne" from the Mallrats soundtrack is superior in just about every way possible.

A "flowing album" - there are few songs that were back-to-back, I simply didn't know where else to put them. Most people rarely listen to albums in order any way, especially one that is non-existent. So, the hell with a "listening experience".

Interesting Additions

I added the "Suzanne" demo from Alone III, largely, because it's a great song but I also really love that "Kurt Cobain" line that was dropped after his death.

After re-visiting the "First Real Demos" on Youtube, I really felt like most of it needed to be included. They sound great and they are different enough to be included in a deluxe set. I have no idea why the "Say It Ain't So" demo didn't make it onto the official release....so mysterious/lazy/stupid. Take your pick.

Finally, the album ends with a tragically incomplete version of the The Car's "Just What I Needed". The song was recorded during rehearsals for the album in NYC.  The band was just having fun, but it's still a pretty cool take.  Apparently, the tape ran out before the song was over. I think Karl or the band leaked this treat several years ago. 

Hopeful Additions 

There's hope that in time more material will be released, so there could be a few more tracks to be included in the years to come.  In the last 5 years or so, we received the "Suzanne"  & "Paperface" demos and the "Mykel & Carli" rehearsal track. Who knows what the future might bring?  

"In the Garage" Reprise - this idea was supposedly kicked around as an addition to the album.  I think there are at least a few takes and it would be sweet to hear - even if it wasn't finished or if it is incomplete. It's cool thinking Rivers started to see the themes of the album and how they could be emphasized for effect. Maybe a little foreshadowing from Songs From A Black Hole?

"Getting Up and Leaving" and "Jamie" - NYC Album Rehearsals.

Any and all Rivers' demos of the songs

LMU Sessions - I think "Surfwax" was attempted and an alternate "Jamie" was attempted. This was the session that "Jamie" was culled from (for a sound engineering student's assignment).  

"Tracking Roughs" - on Pinkerton Deluxe we got a few "rough tracks" (which really weren't that rough!) so any alternate takes would be awesome to hear. 

The Unknown  - Karl kept meticulous recording history chronology for this time period but we didn't have a clue about "Tragic Girl", so maybe there's something else we don't know about! 

That's it for now, I hope you enjoyed this post of Weezery goodness.

The Pinkerton Deluxe post will be coming soon!  

Thought of the Day

Asking what someone else deserves will you get you no where and it ultimately, distracts from the true answer of what you or we should do. 

Honestly ask yourself, what do you deserve?