To Boom, or…….?

Happy Saturday morning. I’m certain that even without trying, I am not ready for the latest fad — the Pouch! Without any research I just know I’d miss the smells, the taste, even the mug in my hand. No, just leave me with my preferred morning ‘kick-start’.

This week we celebrated Sandy and Vaioleti’s Birthday – Vai’s was yesterday. This also means that in a couple of hours we’ll all gather at Cathy and Jason’s for a late breakfast; or is that called “Brunch”?

Labor Day – BOOM – Tomorrow evening will be the 48th annual WEBN radio station’s Fireworks on the riverfront. A half million with gather on the Ohio and Kentucky riverbanks. For 48 years, each year WEBN staff works and puts together a soundtrack to which Rozzy Fireworks joins up the pyrotechnics. It’s a major event and I love it. And that is the problem.

There was a time when I’d head out at the crack of dawn to strategically park the car to facilitate a quick way home (we’d all take the bus into town & drive home). That was a long time ago. Now it’s difficult to find anyone in the family to head down for the Fireworks extravaganza. Should I head out solo, or should I just park by the TV? It’s a quandary.

So, let’s get started. Or as Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood in Sudden Impact – 1983) said: “Go Ahead, make my day!”

Earl Pitts Uhmurican – yesterday we heard that my favorite Morning Radio personality –Gary Burbank – had passed. It wasn’t all that long ago that one of his ‘buds’ from his radio days (locally at WLW700 radio between 1981 and his retirement in late 2007) sat down with Gary and had the mike on. At that time Burbank already knew that he had Alzheimer’s. He was asked how that diagnosis changed his life. Typical Burbank style, he said that now he appreciated reruns of Seinfeld more than ever. Now he could watch and enjoy the same show repeatedly since he couldn’t remember the ending.

Over the years, every afternoon, we were regaled by several of his many radio characters. Here are two bits, Burbank as Earl Pitts and my favorite, Gilbert Gnarley. Gilbert would call from his retirement home [St. Pia Zadora Golden Buckeye Community] to a corporate or governmental agency. Get a hanky ready to aid with your ‘tears of laughter’. Enjoy!

First is Earl Pitts with his thoughts on TV Weathermen:

Then, here is Burbank doing his classic Gilbert Gnarley calling the Johnson & Johnson switchboard (this is one of my favorites):

The Old is again the New – It’s funny just how all this works isn’t it? And the latest to discover this being Cracker Barrel and their ‘cracker’ Marketing Team. It cost them a mere hundred plus million dollars to discover that the ‘Cracker’ wasn’t dead after all.

In fact, there is a long list of companies that made a similar discovery. Wasn’t it a beer company wanting to stop selling to the “fratties”? Or the company that filled their aisles with rainbow colored baby onesies to then quickly change back? How about the company which successfully sold livestock castrating bands deciding their real customers had to be those involved in dressage. All spent serious investor money chasing the idea of a better “mousetrap”, only to revert to what they were.

Condo Life – has many upsides, especially when (improved?) age suggests that something called; “downsizing” comes into focus. There are, however, a few downsides. On top of the downside list is what in America we label as ‘needed or must-have’ space. We love to collect ‘stuff’.

A couple of weeks ago at “Paddlefest 2025” I snagged an inflatable standup Paddleboard, complete with all the necessities, i.e. pump, fins, tools and wonderful backpack. The problem now is that Marcia has very little appreciation for this great backpack acquisition sitting in the bedroom at the foot-end of the bed.

I am trying to get it moved up to Northern Comfort; and this is something which makes Marcia very happy.

Shopping – Getting groceries to our pantry is currently easier than ever. “Ever” now that Marcia is categorically adept ordering online from Kroger, complete with the exact day and time it be delivered to our front door.

Now that this whole shopping business is under complete control other worries must be explored. See, we humans cannot feel ‘complete’ unless we have something to lose sleep over. Am I correct or not?

It’s Opera Time – Finishing up my Opera experience last Saturday at the Aronoff Center to see Iolanta Op. 69 by Pyotr Tchaikovsky last Saturday. It was wonderful!

Iolanta when written in the late 1800s, reflected that period and thus Princess Iolanta was born blind because of some sin by the family. In the end a magical Doctor from the Mid-East cures her blindness. This rendition is somewhat problematic in today’s world. Hence the actress in the Iolanta role, who in real life is blind, was asked to rework the ending.

Her change had the Doctor restore her sight. This was so altering, scary, and massive that she then chose to stay the blind person as the way she grew up. This reflects what people who are blind having to face as technology changes, stay the way or step into the unknown.

Adriane, the play’s director, and Iolanta came on stage to have the audience ask questions. I was very proud of my daughter and the professional woman she’s become.

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

What is a Schwa?   One of the following is correct

1) “In Israel, an area on a Kibbutz”
2) “In Hungary a rivulet prior to running into a canal”
3) “Finnish, a specific type of Iceberg.”
4) “the upside-down “e” per the International Phonetic Alphabet.”
5) “various specific rock formations in Scotland