Monday, July 23, 2018

Summer Tunes 2018

Summer Tunes  2018 & 2019 • 2022 • 2023


T-shirts, cut-offs, and a pair of thongs
We've been having fun all summer long

Brian Wilson

Updated - Okay, starting week two of summer tunes as I have been busy on the YouTubes collecting nearly a 100 different eclectic videos for your summertime listening pleasure! This week I really got into watching Beach Boys videos, stories and just enjoying the music of Brian Wilson. Brian's one of rock 'n' rolls greatest artists and a fascinating character to put it mildly. I love this picture of him and wish him as much happiness as he has given all of us with his music! Please make some time this summer to relax, maybe next to a body of water, and listen to some music. Enjoy my friends!

Summer Tunes 2018 & 2019 Combined Playlist

Summer Tunes 2022

Summer Tunes 2023

Monday, July 16, 2018

Paul and John... via Dana Carvey

Getty Images
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a little blog about Paul McCartney's new album, Egypt Station coming out in September. In the video playlist I included Paul's recent appearance on Carpool Karaoke with James Corden.

This past week, I had a chance to see Dana Carvey on Jerry Seinfeld's, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, New Season 5, Episode 6. I just love this show and the Dana Carvey episode was great as Dana rolls through his impressions. He does a segment of the sketch with Paul McCartney talking to John Lennon in heaven about Kanye West. Now this was absolutely hysterical and I didn't realize that Carvey actually does a 5 minute piece on this in his 2016 Netflix Special, Dana Carvey, Straight White Male, 60. (As a side note - Dana Carvey is my birth class of 1955 and we all just seem to continue to ride that endless Beatles wave.)

So after the Comedians in Cars Episode, I immediately watched Dana Carvey, Straight White Male, 60 which I highly recommend. His Paul McCartney John Lennon sketch was so fantastic I had to find it on the Internet and write this blog. Anyway, Netflix didn't create a copyrighted clip for YouTube and the only other one I found wasn't up to par. So, thinking I could do a bit better, I set up me ol' iPhone on the tripod and shot it right off the big telly. I uploaded to YouTube and well... that lasted for about 15 minutes before my clip was blocked by YouTube (as it should Douglas Glen McIntosh), but I've now posted another one I found on YouTube (?)...

So watch the bit here with a few more gems stitched together to form the playlist, and then catch the entire special on Netflix, as it's a boomer's TV night event!

Monday, July 09, 2018

Harry Nilsson - Good Old Desk

My old desk does an arabesque,
In the morning when I first arrive 
It's a pleasure to see, it's waiting there for me
To keep my hopes alive


This past week I came across the 1968 song, Good Old Desk by Harry Nilsson from his third album, Arieal Ballet while listening to streamed music at well... my desk. I have a tricked out 60"x 30" sit to stand electric desk that I purchased at IKEA in 2015 (see build).  Since retiring from my 35 year teaching career, it has become my new place of work.

Almost everyday, I get up in the morning and write something into the cloud from my good old desk. It has really become an extension of myself as I grow my educational consulting business, do research, write my book (with Richard Oka), or post a music blog before my self-imposed deadline of Monday at 8am. The blog title, Monday Monday Music (yes inspired by The Mamas and Papas) but strictly named on my part to kick my ass into actually writing something every week.

My favorite desk story is that it's going to be Mary Kit's birthday a couple of years ago, and I decided to get her a 32" TV for her office/sewing room. I order it from Amazon Prime and it doesn't show up for a week. We call, they can't locate it and send another one out, and it comes in two days. Then, about three weeks later, the original comes with the box a little worse for wear, but its fine. We call, and Amazon says, "just keep it." The picture above of me standing, is MY 32" TV/computer monitor that I use to mirror my laptop screen, on my desk. I blow the text up and man, I can even take off my reading glasses and pretend I'm reading 12 point font again. Also, my grandchildren love to control the up and down button (with my supervision) and watch the desk grow and shrink.

So, if you're at your work desk right now and going through your email or on the web and come across this blog, take a listen about a place where maybe you spend a good deal of time. If you don't like your current desk, think of it as, "a sad song and make it better." I mean it, start right now, concoct a plan to get a better desk that fits YOU. Nothing better than creating at a space that you can call, "my good old desk."

If you already like your desk and it kind of follows with this song, knock on wood.



Monday, July 02, 2018

Paul McCartney - Egypt Station (peek)

Paul McCartney's new album, Egypt Station is set to be released September 7, 2018 but Sir Paul has given us several bits of new media to hold us over through the summer.

First, I saw the Carpool Karaoke with Paul for The Late Late Show with James Corden in Liverpool. I think its fabulous and the reason for creating this post.

Then, Paul has just released two songs off the album, I Don't Know and Come On to Me.

I'm still kicking myself for not seeing him at Petco Park in San Diego in 2014. These opportunities are shrinking with the greats and let that be a lesson mates to go see the band you want to see when your gut tells you to go!