Saturday, March 03, 2012

7:09 am

I woke too early for a Saturday morning. I could partially blame Butterball - not only because he plonked himself beside me just before 6, but I think I had also been dreaming about him. All the animals were very UP, particularly Barry, who was acting like today was the day we were going to the circus. The elders (Charlie and Bela) perhaps a little less OTT but still really awake. Butterball likes to go out first thing in the morning, preferably but not necessarily having had a little breakfast first. In fact, he will rarely do anything without also hoping for some food prior. Maybe he has a tapeworm or maybe he was just once quite hungry and it has formed his personality forever.

He is ruggedly handsome though with a wisdom which belies his years (1).



I do love (or should that be wuv) this time of day (enough daylight for things to be visible but they look flat and grey, birds audible everywhere, distant hum of Western Ring Road) and I also love this time of year (end of Summer, my birthday soon). When my birthday is close enough to be plannable for, then winter is approaching, no more scorchers, the year well under way, and the prospect of presents.

Yesterday evening I went to JB to get Emma Russack's album and Harry Howard's album. Harry Howard's album wasn't there, unfortunately, but I did pick up the first season of Louie for half the price I paid for it when I bought it for Lina for Christmas. I have already watched 2.3 episodes and it's amazing. Can't wait to get properly stuck into that.

I have developed a podcast routine that serves me very well with all the bike riding I"m doing. Old favourites such as Thinking Allowed and In Our Time (how much longer will these last in their current forms? That is, with their current presenters? Both presenters pushing it) joined by relative newies like the Slate Political Gabfest and Culture Gabfest. Then there are Boxcutters and the /filmcast, which I also never miss. Though the /filmcast is going into hiatus for the next few weeks which won't be fun for me. Those guys really help me have opinions about American films. I bet there are other great podcasts, recommendations please.

The death of Davy Jones or rather the 2012 way of expressing appalling grief over this event really broke the camel's back for me. Everyone on facebook paying tribute to DJ by, you know, taking the huge trouble to post a youtube video of 'the Porpoise song' or 'Daydream Believer'. I mean it so trivialises someone's life (1) to reduce them to some portion of their output (2) to be sad about their death only because it reminds you of your own childhood. I am sure DJ was a nice enough chap, but I will only accept tributes and mourning in a context which acknowledges that many other nice people we have no actual knowledge of, also died.

For breakfast I will have a bagel and coffee. You should too.

9 comments:

boy moritz said...

The third paragraph is my favorite.

David Chen said...

We'll be off for a few weeks, but we'll still be putting out content! Take heart.

Also, for podcasts:

http://www.davechen.net/2011/06/podcasts-i-currently-listen-to.html

Anonymous said...

I will point this out at your funeral

many other nice people we have no actual knowledge of, also died

David Nichols said...

Please do. I am thrilled to think of anonyms at my funeral

David Nichols said...

And OMG David Chen commented. I must have spent about two weeks all told of my life listening to his postulations. Actually, David, I have already taken up some of your recommendations via /filmcast (eg Reasonable Discussions)- I just got tired of url-ing after listing all my stalwarts. But thanks, you're great!

AB said...

The Butterball cat is not ruggedly handsome. It's actually rather delicate and pretty.

I am tired of everyone talking about their funerals.

It was hardly an outpouring of grief about Davey Jones. It was nowhere near as tedious as the death of lady di.

ab said...

Oh and didn't you post clips of his auditions for the Monkees on facebook that day?

David said...

That wuz just a coincidenz

iODyne said...

The Monkees toured AUS to almost the same hysteria as The Beatles had, and I ignored them completely. Later, about 1970 when I discovered 'LA singer/songwriters like John Stewart I was able to appreciate that aspect.
HEAD of course was brilliantly insane. But the tedium of FcBoofers who just post endless YuToobs of everything is so wearying. They are the types who wafted over from Myspace and never had an actual blog. As my hero Willie Nelson wrote: you can't make a record if you ain't got nothin' to say.

the early 70s was all juxtaposition

October 1970, everyone had their arms out in the air, from Barbra to, um, whoever that is on the left, to Thumbelina. This is from the Sprin...