RobZerrvations
Musings from a Meandering, Mischievous Mind
We Are The Ultimate In Recycled Goods
My mother used to tell me that I could be anyone I wanted to be when I grew up. That somewhere inside me there was a great writer, a great artist, a great philosopher, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. I didn't know until recently how right she was. I was listening to Bill Bryson's brilliant book, A Short History of Nearly Everything. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. And if the origins of you and the universe seem a little too daunting, he wrote a shorter version for kids, just...
God, Please Don’t Cancel My Show
Today, I'm not waxing philosophic. Instead, it's all about TV, heaven and what happens next. I know, pretty heady stuff. But never in my mind. The inspiration for this morning's tome is the unexpected death of John Dye at the age of 47. If you don't remember the name, John as was the Angel of Death on Touched by an Angel, playing opposite that little slice of heaven right here on earth, Roma Downey. Anyway, it seems that God had recast the role of the Angel of Death and the new guy visited...
Who Stole The American Spirit?
When I was just a wee little lad, I remember a president who set a huge goal that we should send a man to the moon and return him safely before the decade was out. In just seven years, we did it. 400,000 Americans combined forces to achieve what some would say is the most remarkable achievement in the history of mankind. I was also thought to be impossible. What made me think of that was a newspaper article this morning. It seems NASA had a gripe session yesterday with members of Congress that...
Life Does Imitate The Movies
At the end of my day yesterday, I turned on the old Boob Tube to relax. I happened upon one of my favorite movies -- you know, the ones you've seen countless times but just love it anyway. I count among them Top Gun, Field of Dreams and Remember the Titans. If you haven't seen the latter, it was based on a true story about TC Williams High School in Virginia which had been desegregated in 1971. An African American Coach, played by Denzel Washington, is hired to lead the football team, ousting...
Life Has Such Poetry… But Not Always Good Rhymes
If my recent life had been ideal, the date Dec. 4, 2007 would resonate in my mind as well as Dec. 2, 2003 and July 7, 2006 do. Unfortunately, even the most poetic moments in life don't always rhyme perfectly. So we live with the imperfection it often brings. For this is the story of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and my life. And how they danced with one another in a macabre waltz that only I could enjoy. Or at least marvel at. Dec. 2, 2003. A day that will live in infamy. I was in Key...
Woohoo! Drug Withdrawals
So, is it only me or do others think withdrawals are kind of fun? Now, I'm not talking hardcore illegal drug withdrawals. Those look pretty raw and harsh, not that I've ever done an illegal substance (I haven't even tried smoking, not even once). But years ago, I decided it was time to get on an anti-anxiety drug. I've always suffered from anxiety, to the point where I was so stressed and anxious that I sounded like a moron in job interviews. I can't even begin to tell you how many jobs I lost...
Why It Doesn’t Work For Me
I've been a performer for the last 26 years. During that time, I've been to some pretty amazing places, done amazing things and learned the secrets of the masters who came before me on how to wow a crowd, whether it's a bar full of loud drunks or bunch of giddy children. It comes easy to me these days, knowing just when to be the fool, when to deliver a pun, when to sing the right song to bring the very essence of being a pirate to life before one's eyes, or lift up the spirits of someone who...
A Fairy Tale For The Ages: Nixonocchio
I admit that I wrote this when I was in college. The year was 1979 and I was in my Art Buchwald stage. I still think it’s one of the funniest, and in the case of the opening, more ironic things I’ve written. Some things are just worth sharing again. The release of President Richard Nixon's tapes have been quite interesting. It shows a paranoid, obsessed president who ordered unnecessary break-ins and planned to find an African American shill to run as a Democrat against him, funded by the...
Singalongs For My Generation
At the Bryn Mawr last night, I was having a great time performing. As I did my Medley, it suddenly occurred to me that my generation, The Boomers, are in real trouble. There I was, singing "Five foot, two, eyes of blue . . ." when the thought crossed my mind: "what are today's teens going to sing to me when I'm aging comfortably in a rest home somewhere?" Somehow, "In Da Gadda Da Vida" doesn't seem to cut it, although the drum solo would be pretty nifty if performed on bedpans. Dylan's "The...
Who’s Doing All the Talking?
I don't know about the rest of you, but I have a voice in my head. Not several, mind you. Nothing too psychotic. Just a single voice. It's been there as long as I can remember. If I were to describe it, it's a lot like those cartoons with the little angel on one shoulder and the little devil on the other shoulder of the character, each providing unsolicited advice. My voice handles both duties. It's the reason why I've done some pretty amazing things in my life, things others would never even...
A Trip Back to the Future
Although I don't own a DeLorean, I took a heck up a great trip back to the future last night. And no, no drugs or alcohol were involved. Instead, I watched some old VHS tapes. The first was of my band, performing at Folklife in Seattle in 1987. Darn we were pretty good. And I'm amazed at how we were getting paid $400 a performance back then when my performer friend in Florida here gets that for a four hour gig today for his band. I put in the next tape. It was old Seafair parades from 1987 and...
A Day of Rest… and Filing
Yesterday, I didn't seek out to be Biblical, it just turned out that way. You see, I actually made a Sunday a day of rest, as God intended. I lounged, slept, dozed, slept some more, napped, snoozed and occasionally rolled over to sleep some more. In between, I did nothing substantial, outside of a bite to eat, a sip of water and a visit to the restroom. And it was so refreshing. In the old days, I would have been yelled at for doing this. But in my new environment, it's an acceptable pastime...