Tuesday, July 09, 2013
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Tidewater Community College Theatre and The Chesapeake Fine Arts Commission present A Midsummer Night's Dream from this year. My good friend Lynn plays a part. No, I don't know which role.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
A Tennessee Feud
I have just become aware of a family feud in Monroe and Knox counties. It started in 1898 and lasted several years, with at least five dead. I'm still trying to learn more about it, but thought that I'd share my findings so far.
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| The North Platte Semi-Weekly Tribune - April 12, 1898 |
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| The Saint Paul Globe - September 19, 1900 |
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| The St. Louis Republic - September 19, 1900 |
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| The Cape Girardeau Democrat - September 22, 1900 |
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| Jackson Citizen Patriot - March 20, 1902 |
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| Grand Rapids Press - March 20, 1902 |
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| The Time-Dispatch - May 13, 1903 |
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| Daily Advocate - May 13, 1903 |
Friday, June 28, 2013
Monday, May 27, 2013
James Oliver Knowles
James Oliver Knowles is my wife's paternal grandfather.
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| James Oliver Knowles Saulmon Cemetery, Gibson Co., Indiana |
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| Registration State: South Dakota; Registration County: Brown; Roll: 1877787; Draft Board: 2.Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. |
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| National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; State Headquarters: Indiana. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. |
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Musician Interview - Will Calhoun
Time for another of drive-by interview. These are intended to be an introduction to an artist, not their whole life story.
Today we get to tap the mind of Will Calhoun, Knoxville area railroad man and musician.
Because some music fans are gearheads...
Q: What guitar/instrument are you playing the most these days? Maker and model preferred
Because inquiring minds want to know...
Q: What are you actively listening to? What music is inspiring you? Yes, this is your typical, what's in the CD player, ipod, etc question. But, it isn't a "If you could be a tree, what tree would you be?" question.
Future Plans...
Q: What are you currently working on? Recording/shows/tour/writing/etc.
My connection to Will? Over the years Will and I have played in our local church's praise bands. Last year he asked me if I wanted to write some songs with him. Since I'm not a song writer that never happened. Every so often we trade CDs to listen to. He's a good egg.
Will and his old band, Hambone Pie, are having a reunion show later this week. It is sold out. Perhaps they'll do another one later in the summer. If you don't have tickets and want some Hambone Pie, here's a video.
Today we get to tap the mind of Will Calhoun, Knoxville area railroad man and musician.
Because some music fans are gearheads...
Q: What guitar/instrument are you playing the most these days? Maker and model preferred
I'm currently playing a 12 string Fender acoustic, the sticker inside says: cd-160/12 blk made in China. I'm not a gear head by any stretch. If it stays in tune for most of a song, I dig it.
Because inquiring minds want to know...
Q: What are you actively listening to? What music is inspiring you? Yes, this is your typical, what's in the CD player, ipod, etc question. But, it isn't a "If you could be a tree, what tree would you be?" question.
I'm not forced but to keep the peace at work, the radio stays on a country music channel all day. I don't dislike country, I just don't particularly care for it. However, 1 or 2 will grab me from time to time.
For the past couple of years though, I've been listening to Audio Slave (singer from Soundgarden, band from Rage against the Machine). But I always fall back on Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, etc.
Future Plans...
Q: What are you currently working on? Recording/shows/tour/writing/etc.
Currently I am going to be doing a reunion show with the old band. It has been almost 12 years since we've played together. For the past couple of weeks, I've been trying to condition my voice to sing a 4 hour show.
I've always enjoyed writing and recording music. After the reunion show we may try to attempt to record with each other again, maybe play a couple music festivals in the summer time. I want to continue writing and recording even if it's just for fun for as long as I am able.
My connection to Will? Over the years Will and I have played in our local church's praise bands. Last year he asked me if I wanted to write some songs with him. Since I'm not a song writer that never happened. Every so often we trade CDs to listen to. He's a good egg.
Will and his old band, Hambone Pie, are having a reunion show later this week. It is sold out. Perhaps they'll do another one later in the summer. If you don't have tickets and want some Hambone Pie, here's a video.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Top Five Recent Staff Lines from Downton Abbey
A friend of mine, Shelly Wildman, has a blog, Life on the Wild Side. She, too, is a Downton Abbey fan. After every episode she presents her five favorite lines.
I thought I'd do the same, but I don't remember every line, so I went back and found some great lines that the staff said in recent episodes. I hope you enjoy them.
5. Mr. Branson to Lady Edith: Not quite, my lady.
4. Mr. Carson to Lord Grantham: Mrs. Patmore, my lord.
3.William to Lord Grantham: I'm sorry, my lord.
2. Mrs. O'Brien to the Countess Grantham: Well done, my lady.
1. Mr. Carson to Lord Grantham: Certainly, my lord.
Carson comes in with two fantastic lines.
5. Mr. Branson to Lady Edith: Not quite, my lady.
4. Mr. Carson to Lord Grantham: Mrs. Patmore, my lord.
3.William to Lord Grantham: I'm sorry, my lord.
2. Mrs. O'Brien to the Countess Grantham: Well done, my lady.
1. Mr. Carson to Lord Grantham: Certainly, my lord.
Carson comes in with two fantastic lines.
Friday, December 28, 2012
A Poser’s Guide to Les Misérables
Everybody’s talking about the new film, Les Misérables. A bunch of singing by dirty, hungry French people.
Your significant other has been begging you to go see it. You really don’t want to. You want to see Jack Reacher. You’d even go see that Cirque du Soleil movie than see Les Misérables. But there’s part of you that wants to sound sophisticated the next time you get together with some of your friends.
Whether you saw it or not, you want to sound like you know something about it.
The real goal is not to sit through a two and a half hour movie but to sound like you have. Save yourself some money. There’s tickets, popcorn and soda. Probably dinner beforehand. Parking. You’re already $75 ahead.
So, this guide is for you. To be totally honest, I haven’t seen the movie. Nor have I seen the musical. Nor have I read the book.
What? There’s a book?
Yep, a book. It was published in 1862. A guy by the name of Victor Hugo wrote it.
When talking about Les Mis, you want to sound knowledgeable, but not too much. First thing is to know how to pronounce it. Lay Ms. That’s all.
You can go down to Barnes and Noble and buy a copy for $12.50. Or you can go to archive.org and download it for free. But who has time to read?
Here are some of the passages with which you should become familiar:
You probably should know some of the characters’ names.
You’ve already met Jean Valjean and Cosette. Javert, Fantine, and Enjolras. Try to say them with a French accent.
Jean Valjean is a convict. Javert is a policeman. Cossette is Fantine’s daughter. Enjolras is the leader of the Friends of the ABC. No, not a Jackson 5 fan club, but a revolutionary student group.
The story is set from 1815 to 1832 in and around Paris.
The characters in the movie sing a lot. An awful lot. I don’t think that they sing so much in the book.
Some things to say about the film are, “I liked the musical better. The film was good, but they did it all in a recording studio. There’s something about live music...”
“Wow, there are just some things that you can’t do on a stage. Did you see what the director did with that ship?”
“That was one of the best films I’ve seen all year. I see some Oscars being awarded.”
A memorable quote from Jean Valjean is:
That should get you some points.
So, I could go on and on, but this is just supposed to get you by.
It is okay to be a poser.
And now you’re an informed poser.
Your significant other has been begging you to go see it. You really don’t want to. You want to see Jack Reacher. You’d even go see that Cirque du Soleil movie than see Les Misérables. But there’s part of you that wants to sound sophisticated the next time you get together with some of your friends.
Whether you saw it or not, you want to sound like you know something about it.
The real goal is not to sit through a two and a half hour movie but to sound like you have. Save yourself some money. There’s tickets, popcorn and soda. Probably dinner beforehand. Parking. You’re already $75 ahead.
So, this guide is for you. To be totally honest, I haven’t seen the movie. Nor have I seen the musical. Nor have I read the book.
What? There’s a book?
Yep, a book. It was published in 1862. A guy by the name of Victor Hugo wrote it.
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| Vick Hugo |
When talking about Les Mis, you want to sound knowledgeable, but not too much. First thing is to know how to pronounce it. Lay Ms. That’s all.
You can go down to Barnes and Noble and buy a copy for $12.50. Or you can go to archive.org and download it for free. But who has time to read?
Here are some of the passages with which you should become familiar:
"The book the reader has now before his eyes - from one end to the other; in its whole and in its details, whatever the omissions, the exceptions, or the faults - is the march from evil to good, from injustice to justice, from the false to the true, from night to day, from appetite to conscience, from rottenness to life, from brutality to duty, from Hell to Heaven, from nothingness to God. Starting point: matter; goal: the soul. Hydra at the beginning, angel at the end."and
"Cosette and Marius fell on their knees, overwhelmed, choked with tears, each grasping one of Jean Valjean's hands. Those noble hands moved no more. He had fallen back, the light from the candlesticks fell across him; his white face looked up toward heaven, he let Cosette and Marius cover his hands with kisses; he was dead. The night was starless and very dark. Without any doubt, in the gloom, some mighty angel was standing, with outstretched wings, waiting for the soul."Now, you don’t need to memorize all those words, but you should get the essence. This is a story about redemption and in the end, Jean Valjean dies. See, pretty easy?
You probably should know some of the characters’ names.
You’ve already met Jean Valjean and Cosette. Javert, Fantine, and Enjolras. Try to say them with a French accent.
Jean Valjean is a convict. Javert is a policeman. Cossette is Fantine’s daughter. Enjolras is the leader of the Friends of the ABC. No, not a Jackson 5 fan club, but a revolutionary student group.
The story is set from 1815 to 1832 in and around Paris.
The characters in the movie sing a lot. An awful lot. I don’t think that they sing so much in the book.
Some things to say about the film are, “I liked the musical better. The film was good, but they did it all in a recording studio. There’s something about live music...”
“Wow, there are just some things that you can’t do on a stage. Did you see what the director did with that ship?”
“That was one of the best films I’ve seen all year. I see some Oscars being awarded.”
A memorable quote from Jean Valjean is:
“To love another person is to see the face of God.”
That should get you some points.
So, I could go on and on, but this is just supposed to get you by.
It is okay to be a poser.
And now you’re an informed poser.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Thursday, November 08, 2012
Tuesday, November 06, 2012
Today, I'm the boss
Today, I'm the boss
Today, November 4, 1952, I will walk into a voting booth just around the corner from home and tell everybody how I want my country run.
Today, I am the boss.
In a way, of course, I'm boss in my country every day of the year. Government by the people, they say. The people, when you come down to it, is me.
But I don't work full time at governing. I've got my own job to do — a living to earn, a lawn to mow, kids to play with and bawl out and love and look after. So, for the hard job of running the country, I hire other men — smarter fellows than myself, I hope, but with the same kind of heart and purpose.
They govern for me — but I keep tabs. I listen to what they say. I watch what they do. It's a big country I live in, and there's room for different ways of looking at things. I vote for the people who see things as I do, and if enough other people agree, that the way thing gets done.
That's what it means to be the boss in your own country.
Now, there are places in the world where a man like me is not the boss. They don't let him vote. Or they march him to some public place and tell him whom to vote for. I think the voiceless people of those lands are watching me as I leave my house today saying: "There goes a lucky man."
In this country of mine we love freedom so much, and hate force so much, that I am not even forced to vote. I could stay home today if I liked. I could sleep late and take it easy and let others doe the job of choosing.
I could — but who'd want to? What spirited man or woman would loaf through a day like this, when he can go out and write boldly on the page of history: "Here's how I want things run in my country"?
No, today I am the boss and I must act like a boss. Today, I must vote. My freedom, my happiness, my pride as an American, are bound up in that simple and wonderful act.
John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company
Boston, Massachusetts
from a LIFE magazine, October 20, 1952 at Google Books.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Battle of Boyd's Creek Monument
I live about three miles from the location of The Battle of Boyd's Creek.
The battle took place on December 16, 1780. I've often passed this monument and stopped a few times. Earlier this month I took some photos.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
100th Straight
An article about a team that didn't do well. They finally broke the unbeaten string at 138 games. Harrison Chilhowee Baptist Academy (now The King's Academy) helped contribute to that string. Here's a story by Vince Staten about their final twenty games or so.
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| The Dispatch - December 11, 1971 |
Monday, September 17, 2012
Wednesday, August 01, 2012
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