Excuses, Excuses

“The funny thing about excuses is your enemies never believe them and your friends don’t need them.”

 

Therefore, Gentle Reader, I offer you no excuses other than the fact that I have been a busy boy.  I have two jobs and I work 7 days a week.  I’ve been a bit swamped – physically, emotionally, spiritually and, as a luck would have it, this translates to me not updating things as I should here on the electronic pages of Evil Chicken Scratch.  For this, I apologize.  My time is not my own these days.

However, social media is my friend. I have been frolicking in the fields of 140 characters or less (Twitter), been roaming around Facebook, and, generally, keeping my eyes open and I have found some interesting things that are, not so much about the past, but about right now.  If you will indulge me I thought that I’d share a few with you.

The Dropkick Murphys.  They are a thoroughly unique Punk/Irish fusion band out of Boston and I love ‘em.  Here is a cool video, “Dropkick Murphys: Live at House of Blues” presented by, Front Row Boston that is worth a look-see.  If you have discovered the band – GREAT!  If not, then You’re Welcome!  Here ya go:  http://frontrowboston.wgbh.org/

One of the things I miss most is having the time (and yes, the money – although it doesn’t take much to have adventures of one sort or another) to spend with my family.  Time is precious.  It flies.  Time away from them is time lost.  I don’t dwell on this because, well, it saddens me.  Instead I find myself making plans.  “If wishes were horses then beggars would ride.”  Well, giddy up, doggie – yippie-kai-yay.  Here is a place that we will be visiting.  I say we will ‘because it gives me hope and I find more and more that I need to hope.  Also, it is within striking distance – the Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle: http://www.mercermuseum.org/.  Henry Mercer built it between 1908 and 1912 out of hand mixed concreate.  From what I understand the castle has about 44 rooms.  It is rife for exploration and we – my family and I, need to do just that!

I just finished listening to an audio book, “One Summer: America, 1927” by Bill Bryson (http://www.amazon.com/One-Summer-America-Bill-Bryson/dp/0767919416/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1404678020&sr=1-1&keywords=one+summer+america+1927).  As I believe I have established I have no time and audio books have become, to me, a ribbon of sanity.  No longer do I travel all over South Jersey to perform my duties with the barren, processed radio garbage for a companion – NAY, I am now, “Surrounded by stories, surreal and sublime,” and THAT makes all the difference.  This is the third book I’ve read/listened to by Bill Bryson and this one was read by the author.  It was brilliant.  Bryson has a way of turning the mundane into magnificence.  He’s one of my all-time favorite non-fiction writers.  The book is a snapshot in time of just how much the world changed just after that summer in 1927.  Limburg flew from New York City to Paris France, Babe Ruth started slamming home runs, Al Capone was doing his thing in Chicago, the most powerful bankers on earth set the stage for the Great Depression, and, “The Jazz Singer” ushered in a new era for cinema – the “talkie” was born.  If you get the chance give it read or a listen.  It’s worth your time.

I try my best to avoid politics here.  It sickens me.  Sure, I am a HUGE supporter of Net Neutrality but I try not to let politics be the driving force here on this blog.  That said I recently read an article by Nick Hanauer entitled, “Ultra-rich man’s letter: “To My Fellow Filthy Rich Americans: The Pitchforks Are Coming”.  It is not about Net Neutrality but it is about class discrepancy - the 1% and the 99%.  Here is the article: http://topinfopost.com/2014/06/30/ultra-rich-mans-letter-to-my-fellow-filthy-rich-americans-the-pitchforks-are-coming and, Mr. Hanauer, if you’re out there, Thank you – further, if you ever consider running for office, you have my vote.

Batman Day is coming on July 23d!  The Batman is turning 75 years-old and he’s looking better than ever.  Ben Affleck has taken a lot of flack for putting on the cowl for the next film but I say, “BRING IT ON!”  Not only was he the Bomb in, “Phantoms” but he is also a great storyteller.  He’s gonna make a GREAT Bruce Wayne and I will gleefully be at the IMAX theater opening night for, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”.  In the meantime, the good people from Level Up Entertainment / Far Point Toys have found their own way to celebrate Batman Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM3q-LVkjW0&feature=youtu.be.  It’s good to be the Batman.  I may have to take off to be there, but I’ll be there.

So, Gentle Reader, I offer no excuses due to the fact that I consider us friends.  I’ll be in touch as soon as possible.  There are a LOT of wonderful things on the horizon such as, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” & “Guardians of the Galaxy” at the theaters, trying the food at, “The British Chip Shop” in Haddonfield, and, of course, the return of Doctor Who on August 23d!

Talk soon,

EC