My Christmas Decorations

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Even though I planned to go home to Richmond for the holidays, I felt an urge to put up a Christmas Tree. I’m not sure why; I suppose nostalgia and sentimentality. Every year I am given at least one Christmas ornament for the holidays. I also pick them up as souvenirs of places I visit. There are ornaments I made in school, ornaments made by my mother, grandmothers, siblings, and nieces, so unpacking them and putting them on the tree becomes a walk down memory lane. 

This year I also wanted to put up my Grandma and Grandpa Toler’s Nativity scene for the first time in a very long time. It’s a little worse for wear with some broken pieces, but it has enormous sentimental value. As a boy, I’m sure I tried the patience of both my grandparents and parents over my obsession with the Nativity scenes they’d put up. I was quite a religious and Christmas was my favorite time of year. I truly believed it to be a day on which all the world would be filled with peace and love for the rest of humanity. I also found the story of the birth of Jesus to be deeply moving. It touched me deeply that he was born in a stable, placed in a manger instead of a crib, and that humble shepherds were the first to receive news of his birth.  

Photograph of a Nativity Scene under a tree

I knew the story so well, so to me, it was imperative that the scene be arranged accurately. It was much more important than any aesthetic considerations. I’d insist that the shepherds come into the scene from the front and left for the manger, and that the wise men come in from the right.  In my mind the east was to the right, probably because that was the case on every map I’d ever seen. I thought of all that as I put up my decorations, and it brought me joy.

My T-shirts

HeadCount hat and Ryan Bingham, American Love Song shirt
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I’m a packrat; there is no denying it! Fortunately, throughout most of my adult life, I’ve changed houses often, and that inevitably entails culling possessions down to those it is worth moving. But now it has been more than a decade since I’ve moved house, and I’m feeling a bit claustrophobic as my belongings crowd in around me. Of course, I’m exaggerating, but it is time for me to go through some stuff and throw it out, even if only because I am running out of space for new stuff! There is really no reason for me to keep my phone bills from the late 1990s, is there!

I’ve been a Ryan Bingham fan since the release of Mescalito (2007), but I didn’t see him live until two years later, and he blew my socks off! I’ve loved every album he’s done, and have been thrilled at how his sound has evolved, so it’s not suprise I love this one. Like the others, it’s not easily classifiable, with songs that sound very bluesy, straight-forward Rock and Roll, and some softer, more Western Country type tunes. Also like his previous releases, some songs seem more personal, others politically engaged, which is always a winning strategy as far as I’m concerned. At the same time, it’s not like anything he’s done before, which also scores points with me. But this is not a music review, so I’ll leave it at that.

As is evidenced by the contents of this blog, I love live music! That and live theater are the things I miss most from pre-Corona days! I collect autographed CDs and LPs, posters, and other concert memorabilia, and I have a lot of it. I’ll never get rid of my CDs and LPs, especially not those that are personalized, because they have I have at least 4-5 drawers full of concert Ts, and it’s a bit out of control. Something needs to be done! I’ve just started going through them to decide which to keep, which I can donate, and which are so worn that they just need to go in the trash.

I’ve decided to say goodbye to some of them that I’m really only holding on to for sentimental reasons, and I will use this blog to do so in an occasional series of posts showing me wearing those shirts, and sometimes a ball cap, too. I’m happy to say most still fit, although a bit more snugly. (At least we’ll see. Many of them I haven’t tried on since the start of the pandemic, so…) Why post those photos here and not on Instagram, a Pinterest board, or some other social media? The answer is simple. These shirts have a great deal of sentimental value to me and are connected to stories that I’d like to tell in the space this site allows me.

One important caveat: I don’t plan to throw out all the shirts you will see here. I’m making decisions as I go, so I would love to hear your feedback on which you think I should keep.

The cover of American Love Song, released 2019

I’m posting these either as I actually wear them, or when I try them on, so some are quite new and definitely keepers. That includes this enigmatic star and heart design. I got that one as part of a pre-order for Ryan Bingham‘s newest album American Love Song.

This is definitely a keeper because it is comfortable, new, and I like the design. The star and heart are the logo on the top right of the very retro album cover, which is also very cool! It shows Bingham leaning on a vintage Buick convertible that’s pulling a horse trailer. I don’t know what year the car is. I wouldn’t have known it was a Buick if it didn’t have emblazoned across the front. The album looks like it is straight out of the 1970s, and the songs on it have a retro vibe to them, as well.

Like everyone else, he’s not touring right now, but check out the Cantina Sessions on his YouTube channel to hear him recorded live and solo. They are fun!

The hat is one of my HeadCount hats that I wore when I was out registering voters for them. HeadCount gets young people involved in politics using several different strategies, one of which is voter registration drives at concerts and festivals. I registered a lot of voters for them, and in exchange saw some amazing shows. More on them in subsequent posts. You will definitely see that logo again.

Decency, hypocrisy, and the passing of a great woman!

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It has hardly been 24 hours the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and already there are battles brewing over whether she should be replaced before or after the elections due to take place in in 45 days. It is disgusting!

A justice on the highest court in the land has died. Could we not have had at least a weekend of national mourning before the President tweeted about the need to move quickly to replace her, or before the Senate Majority Leader promised to bring a nominee to a vote as quickly as possible. What kind of society have we become?

By any standards, Justice Ginsburg was a remarkable woman and an influential, barrier smashing jurist. Yet the haste with which Republican leaders announced they will be going ahead with a replacement makes it seem like they have been sitting on death watch, eager for this great woman to die. It is shameful!

Continue reading

Man of La Mancha: New Rep Theater

Though I go to the theater often, I’ve not reviewed any theatrical productions on this site,  but a couple weeks ago I saw the New Rep’s production of Man of La Mancha, and really want to laud the production here.  Man of La Mancha was the first musical I remember seeing performed live.  It was a production at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, VA. I don’t remember very much about that performance except that it was completely enthralling. The idealistic young man I was found himself identifying in with the madman trying to change the world. I was also enamored with the idea that a writer can be a force for good in the world, simply by inspiring others.

I’ve been obsessed with the musical ever since. I was so fascinated by the story that I read the original novel by Cervantes.  But it’s really the musical I’m obsessed with. I’ve seen several productions, including the film adaptation, and I own the cast recordings of most productions that I haven’t seen.  Each version has it’s merits, but the New Rep’s production is really something special. Everything about this production works, from the effective use of the performance space and the integration of the musicians into the ensemble, to the lighting and set design. Continue reading

Spotify Playlist: Architecture, Music, and Metaphor

timelinealmoravidTo celebrate the launch of the new Archnet, I’m presenting a Spotify playlist on the theme of architecture and the built environment. It explores various themes, ranging from an appreciation of great cities and monuments, to architecture as a spiritual metaphor.  Check it out and let me know what you think?
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Restore Basic Consumer Protections to Student Loans!

An email I received today from MoveOn puts the case for the Student Borrowers’ Bill of Rights very well.  This is a very important piece of legislation.

Did you know that, like murder and treason, there is no statute of limitations on the collections of student loan debt?
Did you know that student loans do not enjoy bankruptcy protections just like any other type of debt in America, including gambling debts?
Did you know that defaulted borrowers face the potential of having their professional licenses suspended, as well as having their wages, Social Security benefits, tax returns and other benefits garnished, without a court order?
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Please sign the petition and share it widely!

Live Art: Tree of Life-The Most Heartwarming Show I’ve Seen This (or Any) Holiday Season Isn’t Actually a Christmas Show

LiveArt2013logo-webThe performance of The Live Art: Tree of Life at the Landmark Theater on December 22 had a few problems. Among other issues, a smoke machine set of a fire alarm, more than a few dancers missed their marks, and a pianist was slightly off tempo. Yet the show left me completely spellbound from beginning to end! The problems, with the possible exception of the fire alarm, only enhanced the charm of a truly magical evening that celebrated all forms of the arts, and the joy of participation in them, regardless of skill level or ability. Continue reading

Offbeat Holiday Music

a1023094489_2On Friday at Rockwood Music Hall Delcan Bennet played a new single, “Father Christmas Knows,” that comes from the perspective of the black sheep of the family, the one too often left out of the celebrations. The song has bells and is dark, but optimistic at the same time.

Now I have to admit, I have warm and fuzzy feelings toward Christmas, and I like Christmas music, especially the traditional stuff. Continue reading

An Interview with Caravan of Thieves

Here’s a good song for Halloween, “Raise the Dead” by Caravan of Thieves.

Caravan of Thieves are a fun band to play at your Halloween party because of songs like Monster, Ghostwriter and Butcher’s Wife that treat appropriately macabre Halloween type themes, but that’s not the only reason.  They’re also a band that celebrates the things that really make a holiday like Halloween fun, dressing up in costume, and letting it bring out your wild side.  To be sure they do their fair share of songs about kind of creepy, macabre themes, but there’s a playfulness to it.  Think more Dia de los Muertos or even CarnivalMardi Gras or a Gypsy Fair, than crass commercialism, blood and gore!  It’s a party for one and all!  Continue reading