Like many, I am happy that baseball season is back. Even though opening day is behind us, on this day in 1940 it was a historical opening day.
At Comiskey Park, the Cleveland Indians took on the Chicago White Sox. 21 year old Bob Feller was the starting pitcher for the Indians. He would go on to strike out 8 batters and walk only 5 in a 1-0 victory.
What makes the victory a special one is that Feller “No Hit” the White Sox. He became the first pitcher in Major League Baseball history to have a no hitter on opening day. Oh, and no one else has done it since Feller. The Society for American Baseball Research says that this remains one of the most iconic achievements in MLB history, often cited as a testament to Feller’s status as a prodigy.
The weather that day was unseasonably cold. The cold kept many fans away from the ballpark. The attendance that day was only about 14,000. Feller had a really good curveball, but because of the cold, he threw mostly fastballs that day. This historical game almost didn’t happen.
“The first couple of innings, I was pretty wild,” Feller recalled. “In the second inning, I loaded the bases. Someone in the bullpen was warming up and the manager was getting ready to walk out to the mound. But I managed to strike out the last hitter (Bob Kennedy) on a full count.”
As the game went on, a thought crept into his mind. “I knew I had a chance for a no-hitter,” Feller said. “But I tried to put it out of my mind by reminding myself you never have a no-hitter until the last man is out.”
My daughter is in kindergarten. She has always seemed to be a bit ahead of the other kids. Even when she was in preschool, the teachers talked about how smart she was. She has quite the collection of chapter books and reads them all the time. I’m always surprised at the bigger words that she knows. Listening to her play with her dolls is a treat, too. Her imagination is fantastic.
Recently, they pulled her from her class to do some testing. I had no doubt that she would do well on those tests. My wife and I both shed tears when we opened up the letter from her district:
She was the only one in her school to get into this program! We could not be more proud of her.
I watch a lot of stuff at home. Usually, it is just me and the family or just me. Watching something like this is nice, however, watching something with an audience can enhance your experience (and sometimes do the opposite).
Here’s an example. I have watched the Three Stooges on TV, VHS, and DVD hundreds of times. They always make me laugh. The first time I went to a Three Stooges Festival and watched them on the big screen something was different. I was surrounded with fellow Stooge fans who were laughing just as hard as I was. It made the evening even better.
When I surf YouTube for music videos for my blog, there are always suggested videos off to the side. A lot of it is amateur content that I blow off. This week, however, the preview picture caught my eye. It was a woman wearing headphones with her hand up to her mouth and eyes wide open. She could have easily been place in the above picture.
I was told that this is called a “reaction” video. The creator watches something (or listens to something) for the first time and records the reaction. This woman was watching the Godfather for the first time. I was intrigued. Now, the video is edited down, so you don’t see the whole movie. I think her video was 45 minutes with the film playing in the lower corner.
SPOILERS:
I have watched the Godfather countless times, but watching this gal (probably about 35 years old) see it for the first time was interesting. To see her gasp in disbelief at the horse’s head, and when Sonny get’s shot was crazy. She seemed to be reacting to the movie just as I did. I was in awe of the transformation of Michael Corleone, and she was commenting about his change as the movie played.
After the movie, she commented about it and talked about what a great film it was. She talked about cinematography, and character development and how it deserved to be the third best movie of all time (on whatever list she had). She then stated she needed to watch Godfather Part II.
Her video for that was about an hour, and there were much more reactions to that film. Yes, she was still watching in disbelief as some of the things fell into play. The thing that got me was when she cried at a couple of the scenes. Watching Vito’s mom get shot, and Fredo’s death were two of the scenes that stood out. After the latter, she had to pause the movie and compose herself.
This gal has many other films that she has reacted to. Some comedies, some dramas. I’m not sure that I will make it a point to watch them, but I may. It really was interesting to watch it through someone else’s eyes.
I think if I was going to watch more “reaction” videos, it would be someone reacting to music. I mean, isn’t that like saying to someone, “You’ve got to hear this!” then watching them love it or hate it? I think about playing the Beatles or Elvis to someone who has never heard them before.
Have you ever watched any of these types of videos? What are your thoughts.
John Fred (Gourrier) died on this day in 2005. His career in the music biz started in 1956 when he formed the band, John Fred and the Playboys. He was 15 years old.
The first single that charted (#82) for the band was “Shirley” and the instrumentation was by Fats Domino’s backing band. Their only real hit wouldn’t come for over a decade. This time under the name John Fred and His Playboy Band. The name change was so they were not confused with Gary Lewis and the Playboys.
“Judy in Disguise” is a parody of “Lucy In The Sky With Diamons” which The Beatles released a year earlier. The biggest difference is that instead of the psychedelic sound of the Beatles song, “Judy in Disguise” is bubblegum pop, but with similarly obtuse lyrics. Songfacts.com says: According to John Fred, John Lennon loved the song. Said Fred: “When I met John Lennon, that’s the first thing he asked me. He thought it was great. He said the first thing he was going to do when he got home was write a song called ‘Froggy in a Pond with Spectacles.'”
Fred came up with this song when he was touring southern states in 1967. He explained to One Shot magazine that he was looking for material for a follow up song when he found inspiration in the crowd. Fred said, “We were playing in Florida and the girls at the time had these big old sunglasses. One of the guys was hustling this chick. She took off these glasses and she could stop a clock. I said, ‘That’s it.’ That’s what gave me the idea. I said, ‘She’s kind of in disguise.'”
Fun Fact: The lyric, “Cross your heart with a living bra” came to him as he was writing lyrics while watching TV. He stole the line from a Playtex commercial.
Following “Judy In Disguise (with Glasses),” he got a deal with UNI records, who also signed the unknown talents Neil Diamond and Elton John. His follow-up song was “Hey, Hey Bunny,” failed to chart. With the label putting most of their efforts into Elton John, Fred’s career stalled.
With nothing really going on for the group, he went to work for a record company for a while. Then, in the early ’80s he returned to music, once again touring the south.
He received a kidney transplant in 2004. Due to complications, he died on April 15, 2005.
I’ve always loved the bass line in this song. Let’s remember John Fred …
Bill Conti turns 84 today. He has composed some of the most memorable movie music in history. His most famous was featured in Rocky.
I don’t think anyone would disagree that “Gonna Fly Now” is perhaps the most inspirational, motivational song ever recorded. Fans of the film can picture every scene that was accompanying the song on screen. It soundtracks the training montage in the first Rocky movie as Sylvester Stallone runs through the streets of Philadelphia, does one-armed pushups, pounds a slab of beef, and does some impressive sit-ups. It ends with a classic shot of him running up the steps to the Philadelphia Art Museum and raising his arms in celebration. It’s a classic scene, and it’s inextricably entwined with the music.
As songfacts.com says, “Rocky is an underdog story that itself overcame long odds to succeed. Stallone was scraping by as an actor when he wrote the screenplay, which he insisted on starring in himself. It was made for less than one million dollars but made over $200 million. It’s also one of the most celebrated works in film history, an example of a movie with heart that succeeds on every level. The song quickly became iconic and grew its own roots outside of the film. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, you know what the song represents.”
Bill Conti, was only paid $25,000 to score the entire film. John Avildsen, who directed the film, asked him to provide about 90 seconds of music so he could edit the training scene together. Montages rely almost exclusively on music, so they serve as a guide for the visuals. After he started editing, Avildsen asked for another 30 seconds… and then another. The final scene ended up running 2:45, the equivalent of a full-length song.
Conti recorded it, along with the rest of the score, in one three-hour session – he was being thrifty because he had to pay for the musicians and studio time out of his $25,000. Conti says he grossed $15,000, which was a huge payday for him. He went to Germany to work on his next project, and when he got back, the movie, which was released on December 3, 1976, was a hit. Conti worked out a deal to release “Gonna Fly Now” as a single and include it on a soundtrack album for the film. The song quickly climbed the charts and rose to #1 in the US on July 2, 1977, eight months after the movie hit theaters.
The lyrics (what little there are) were written by Conti’s collaborators Carol Conners (of the Teddy Bears) and Ayn Robbins. As Conners tells it, she was taking a shower when the words “gonna fly now” came into her head. She called Conti from the shower and said she knew what the words should be.
Fun fact: Conti’s wife, Shelby Conti, and two of her friends: DeEtta West and Nelson Pigford, are the ones singing the lyrics. All three were working at the Los Angeles radio station KHJ when Bill called Shelby and asked if she could round up some co-workers and come by the studio to sing. She, West and Pigford came by on their lunch break and put down their vocals.
In a documentary, Conti said, “When I think of heroic music, I hear brass, and I hear loud when it’s time to go into battle.” He came up with the famous fanfare that starts the song, then made it loud and brassy the rest of the way, capturing the essence of Rocky as he pushes through the pain.
It truly is one of the greatest sports anthems of all time.
A parent loves to watch their child grow. However, it can be overwhelming to realize that while they are growing older, so are you. Take it one step further and you realize that at the same time, your parents are growing older as well.
I have noticed a change in my dad over the past year. The changes are subtle, but seem to be cumulating as time goes by. I’m not even really sure how to explain it. Things are just different.
I talk with him weekly. That hasn’t changed. The content and the “feel” has changed, though. Conversations with dad usually are about family, friends, music, books or TV. There is always laughter as we chat about old shows we love. Today, there is still laughter, but there is also a bit more seriousness to the conversations.
I’ve noticed over the past few months that he will post on Facebook before he goes to bed. He often talks of music that brings back memories or about family members who have passed away. He shares stories of his childhood, and talks about my brother, his grandkids and me. He seems to be even more nostalgic than me.
The other thing he slips into conversation are things that, if I am being honest, I don’t want to talk about. “I’m working on an envelope that will have all my passwords in it …” “If anything happens, there is a folder …” “All the forms for the cemetery can be found …” “We need to sit down with your brother and figure out ….”
Dad will be 80 in November. I realize that he is getting up there. I completely understand why he wants to talk about this. I’m not ready to. Granted, I am grateful to know that he is planning, and making sure that we don’t have to scurry around looking for stuff. It is just that I am not prepared for anything happening. This is dumb on my part.
My grandma, his mom, had dementia at the end of her life. It was a huge burden on my dad. “I don’t want you to deal with what I had to with your grandma,” he told me. I appreciate that. I do. It was absolute craziness for him. He is obviously thinking about getting everything in order.
Over the past year, I have seen people my age pass away. There have been friends who have lost parents and siblings. Then there are my friends who are battling cancer or waiting for a kidney transplant. The older I get, the more people get sick and pass away. It is a sad realization.
I see the wear and tear of age in my face – and more so in my father’s. Time won’t slow or stop and whether you like it or not, at the end of life’s journey, death awaits. I’m just not ready.
They say that when you have children, the clocks in your life begin to tick away the minutes, hours, days, weeks, and years faster than ever. There is a lot of truth to that statement. It certainly doesn’t feel like it, but 24 years ago today, my life was changed forever. My oldest son, Dante’ was born.
Originally written in 2018 and updated
While many people want to know the sex of their baby (and some even go as far as to request the sex now that science can do that), I didn’t want to know. The nursery was painted in a neutral tan with a Noah’s ark border. The baby clothes that we bought were neither blue or pink, but a lot of yellow, green, and other non-gender colors. The day he was born, the labor went on forever and he got stuck in the birth canal. An emergency C-Section was done and I remember the doc dropping the sheet in front of me, saying “it’s a boy” and raising the sheet back up and they whisked him over to the scale.
You never really know joy until you hold your first child. After twenty four years, I still can’t put into words the amazing feeling you get. You notice everything. The color of their eyes, just how tiny their toes are, how sharp their fingernails are, you get caught up in every breath they take. You marvel at just how soft their skin is, and the fact that you had a hand in creating this perfect little human.
Dante’ was developmentally delayed. We found this out when he was about a year and a half. There were things he was excelling at, but there were things that he should have been doing that he was not. He was not as verbal as the docs wanted him, so we had pictures that we used as cues to get him to tell us what he wanted. Our behavioral neurologist was amazing and gave us a lot of things to do to help him. He began to do better. I used to sing to him at night. I sang him Dean Martin songs and songs we learned from Sesame Street and such. I remember driving with him in the car and all of a sudden he began to sing. He sang “On an Evening In Roma” word for word. I remember my eyes welled up with tears. It was an amazing thing!
Eventually the doc told us that he was on the Autism Spectrum and that there was still plenty of work to do. There was a time when they didn’t even know if he would be in regular education classes. Dante’ had plenty of preschool and when it was time for Kindergarten – he went into the Regular Ed class with some help and an IEP. He was in Regular Ed classes his entire time in school. There were some things in place to help, but he went above and beyond what those doctors told us. I couldn’t be more proud!
He has received his share of awards, one of which was unexpected. He was given an award by his music teacher. She stated that there was a boy who always was helpful, happy, cared for his classmates, always participated and gave his all to whatever they were doing, and just made everyone in the class – and the teacher – smile. He made a difference. I remember sitting in the audience that day and watching him get a hug from her. It was a pretty awesome parent moment.
He followed in his dad and mom’s footsteps and played trumpet in the middle school and high school band. After his freshman year, he decided that he didn’t want to continue, which made me sad. Even though he stopped, I will treasure the memories of sitting and watching him play on stage.
On my iPod, there are many songs that make me think of him. Naturally, the Dean Martin songs I sang to him: On an Evening In Roma, Watching the World Go By, Everybody Loves Somebody, and Buona Sera (which is Italian for goodnight, appropriately). I am pretty sure I sang him some Sinatra too, I just can’t recall which ones.
Two songs I have on the iPod that ALWAYS remind me of Dante’ are I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon and Blue Shadows on the Trail. I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon was sung by Ernie on Sesame Street. Sometimes he did it solo, but most of the time they played the duet with Ernie and Aaron Neville. He would sit and watch that in silence and just smile.
Blue Shadows was the song that Chevy Chase, Martin Short, and Steve Martin sing at sunset in the movie The Three Amigos. I remember him standing in front of the TV watching that scene over and over again. I actually searched online and found the soundtrack for the movie so I could have it.
He is no longer that little boy who watches Sesame Street. He is 24 today. The hands of the clock spun faster than I could possible imagine. I have seen my son thrive and grow into a mature young man. He has such compassion for others. He is sad when his friends are sad. He holds doors for people when we are out at the store. He is everybody’s friend.
Today he has an apartment with his brother. He has a car and a full time job. It’s hard to believe there was a time when we had no idea if he’d be independent at all. He has excelled and is one amazing man! I am proud that I was chosen to be his father and I love him more than I could ever express. Happy 24th Birthday, my boy. May God continue to bless you each and every day.
Today’s Flashback consists of a few photos. 24 years ago tomorrow, I became “Dad” for the first time. My son, Dante, was born. I can remember so many details of that day. It was one of the most chaotic and emotional days of my life.
My mom could not wait for her first grandchild. She was over the moon when he was born. Outside of me, my mom and my then mother in law were the first to see him. I was walking with a nurse and my son down the hall and they spied me.
I love the look of awe in my mom’s eyes. I also love that my grandmother was there to see him, too. It is obvious that I am still processing the whole thing in this photo.
The above must have been first birthday photos. It’s amazing to look at him here. I can hardly remember him being this small.
The above had to be taken just before or just after his first birthday. It has always been one of my favorite photos of him. He was totally zoned in on the TV. If I had to guess, he is probably watching Elmo here.
I remember when the daycare said they were doing photos. At the time I thought it was just a way for them to make money. I’m glad we opted to get the pictures taken. This is Dante a month before his second birthday. Wow.
Tomorrow, he turns 24. He has a great job, a place of his own, a decent car, and he is doing very well for himself. I’m so very proud of him and all that he has accomplished. What a great feeling to see your children thrive!
This is not the first Jonas Jonasson book that I have read. I have found his books to be entertaining and often make me laugh out loud. This time around, it is the book Sweet Sweet Revenge LTD.
One of the things that Jonas seems to do very well is to introduce you to a character and give you a bit of their story. Then he introduces you to a different character who seems to have nothing to do with the first one and gives you their story. Sometimes there are 3-4 characters who are all presented to you before you begin to see how they will all come together and how their stories intersect with the others.
Before going on, here is the Goodreads synopsis:
Victor Alderheim has a lot to answer for. Not only has he heartlessly tricked his young ex-wife, Jenny, out of her art gallery inheritance, but he has also abandoned his son, Kevin, to die in the middle of the Kenyan savanna.
It doesn’t occur to Victor that Kevin might be rescued and adopted by a Maasai medicine man, or that he might be expected to undergo the rituals expected of all new Maasai warriors – which have him running back to Stockholm as fast as you can say circumcision without anaesthetic.
Back in Stockholm, Kevin’s path crosses with Jenny’s – and they have an awful lot to talk about, not least a shared desire to get even with Victor. So it’s convenient when they run into a man selling revenge services, who has an ingenious idea involving Victor’s cellar, a goat, some forged paintings, four large boxes of sex toys, and a kilo of flour…
Right from the start, we are introduced to a very unlikeable guy – Victor. The more he does, the more you can hardly believe it. You won’t have any trouble disliking him. If you think of the literary descriptions of The Grinch, or maybe Ebenezer Scrooge – they’d fit him.
What follows is the intersecting of four lives, their encounters with the police, the search for the true owner of a couple of paintings and confusion brought about by cultural ignorance. All of that leads to some funny and laugh out loud moments.
While this is not the best book I have read by Jonasson, it wasn’t a bad read.
I’m not sure why I am just now getting around to writing a quick life recap. I guess I didn’t think I was as busy as I was.
Prior to Easter, my friend Margaret stopped by to see the kids. They always love when she stops by. She was passing by our house on her way home, so she made a pit stop. In a couple weeks, she is taking the kids, Sam and I to the Detroit Opera House to see Bugs Bunny. They actually have a live orchestra that will play along with the cartoons. I cannot wait for this.
The kids with Aunt Margaret
It was a very cold Easter day! It was very windy. Some places were still flooded from the recent rains. The weather did not stop Nana from hiding eggs for the kids to find outside. They really lucked out this year, because it was just them. Their cousins were on a trip, so they loaded up on candy-filled eggs!
We had quite a meal, too. Sam’s mom had turkey, ham, potatoes, mac and cheese and loads of desserts. It was a nice, quiet day with good conversation.
I had hoped to get together with my boys before Easter, but Dimitri wasn’t feeling well. We were able to get together on Easter Monday for dinner. Ella was with her mom, so it was me and my three sons. We went to a nice place with a rustic feel to it. We had a really great meal and quite a few laughs.
The biggest change for me over the last week or so is having to get used to my new appliance.
I picked up my hearing aids and have been wearing them every day. Honestly, they make me feel like I don’t need them. Why? Because everything seems so loud now! My goodness, my kids talking, yelling or screaming make me wince. God forbid I am in a small room with them or in the car. Everything is magnified like three times.
I have to go back next week to see how they are working. At that time, they will set up Bluetooth. Yeah, high tech stuff. I’ll be able to answer my phone and it will go right to my hearing aids. I’m not sure what else they can do, but I suppose I will find out.
I suppose those are the big highlights from the week. Hopefully, you have had a great week, too.
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 