Welcome to Paradise

Randy Stonehill gets down to Millbrook, AL on April Fools 2016.
Last stop and almost home.

I'll write about Jesus Music from time to time here at Boomerville because I was part of the Jesus Movement.  I wasn't much into the stuff a lot of my classmates were into back then.  I didn't go to the ball games, the proms, whatever.  I merely showed up, payed my dues in class and dusted my feet off of it all when the school bell rang. My joy was hanging out with other young Christians like myself at Christian Brothers Coffeehouse.  I loved the gatherings, the prayer meetings, the small and large concerts.  I'd roadie for my brother, for my friends as they'd go places to sing.  I was messing with his guitar on the side, trying to learn to play so I could write songs and sing and go too.  It's what I was all about.

I purchased a cassette player for my ride back in '76.  I had three Jesus Music tapes that I wore out. Randy Stonehill's 'Welcome to Paradise' was among those three cassettes.  Christian Brother's Association hosted concerts, festivals, and provided sound for other concerts and festivals.  I got to see almost everyone LIVE back then, but never Stonehill...until last Friday evening.

My old friend Jack Jackson had posted on facebook that he was having Randy Stonehill play at Grace Community Church down in Millbrook, AL.  Like I said, I had never got the opportunity to hear Randy perform.  On top of that, I had not seen my friend Jack in decades.  My oldest daughter Katie had to stay back and study, but my youngest, Kelsey, was free and willing to go.  Gina, Kelsey and I drove down and walked in after Randy had taken the mic. 

It was a fun concert.  Millbrook was his last gig before he and his wife Leslie head back in South Carolina.  Stonehill looked a little tired.  He admitted right off the bat that he was a bit punchy, but what a show! He played a lot of familiar songs in the first set and then returned with songs from his new CD.  It wasn't a large audience, but Randy gave it his all.  I enjoyed the songs, his energy and his spirit.  I think though, the best thing about the guy, is he took time after the concert to talk to anyone who wanted to talk to him, a very pleasant and approachable fellow.

Jack asked us if we'd like to go out and eat afterwards.  We settled at Applebees in Prattville around midnight.  Stonehill was at the opposite end of the table still entertaining.  Jack and Debbie were on my end, so nice to just catch up on life after all these years.  Jack asked if we could hook up for breakfast before we left town.  So we continued out conversation the next day at Cracker Barrel for a couple more hours before parting. I had a great time.

This is the first activity outside of home since my hospital stay.  The trip wore me down, but I had the rest of the weekend to rest.  I don't regret it a bit.  The girls had fun too.

Randy is interested in coming back next year.  The talk at the table Friday night was a return visit for an 'all request concert'.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to make it down for that one too.

wood console to the vast wasteland

I had the task of clearing and cleaning my mother in-law's house after she passed away a few years ago.  One of the items I had taken away was Betty's old Curtis Mathis wood console television set.  I remember it being in use when Gina and I were dating.  When it broke, the television sat in the same corner of the den with another television sitting on it.  It was used in that capacity for almost a decade.  Eventually the old console was moved to her garage and sat there until she died. I offered on several occasions if she needed me to haul it off for her.  She always politely declined.

A wood television console is kind of like catching a mermaid, too much fish to kiss and too much woman to throw back in.  The wood console television was too much furniture for Betty to have hauled off as junk.  Even though the old wood grained units were crafted to look like furniture, they were still just too much electronics to re-purpose (though some have tried). Most of these units eventually were kicked to the curb.

the moon left before evening

All these years passed and I am still a little pissed at Keith.  He was so full of energy, spunk and awesome talent.  I still enjoy listening to him ~ enJOY watching him on old videos.  I guess he was just determined, kept accelerating, refused to grow beyond his youth.  All these years passed and I am still a little pissed at him.

Mad Max Returns

Max Rockatansky

My wife had zero interest in seeing Mad Max: Fury Road and so I ventured the late show last night.  I wasn't really sure if I was going to like the new Mad Max sans Mel, but once the movie started, I was taken into the familiar post apocalyptic world and took Tom Hardy in as Max withing the first few minutes of the picture.  The story is as good as the best of the original three, Road Warrior, the second one.

It doesn't take long before this savage road picture gets rolling.  The odd band of good guys are thrown together in a life and death struggle, the bad guys are just as evil as prior Road Warrior installments, and everyone is absolutely fearless.

George Miller could've taken the movie over the top, but thankfully he seemed to reign it in a little.  I'm glad he didn't try to take us beyond Thunder Dome.  This time he told us a good story - to the edge and back again.  It's a gritty, bazaar world - but nothing that seemed to reach further beyond the better of it's prequels. Fury Road runs through the same mad world.  It isn't a retelling of the Mad Max saga, it's merely a different gauntlet of fire and death.  I enjoyed the ride.

Nux

The Mad Max movies have always introduced unusual, likeable mad characters, and this one delivered as well. Nux, played my Nicholas Hoult is my favorite character to emerge from this movie. I won't spoil it for you, but this fanatical fellow was fun to watch - not quite knowing what to expect of him as the plot progressed. Good stuff.

Miller delivered the goods this time around and it was well worth the price of admission.

race and laughter

I watched a few of Dean Martin's Celebrity Roasts on YouTube. I am surprised by all the racial jokes on the show.  They were all up there jabbing at each other mercilessly and without holding back. It was all taken in fun, Everyone up on the dias had a great time taking verbally abusing and insulting each other.  It made me think about how far we've come since those days. I don't mean far for the better. I mean everyone today is so sensitive and too easily offended. Too many people have become emotionally fragile thanks to the intolerance of Political Correctness. PC has pretty much ruined it for comedy. I happen to think there is more healing in laughter between the races.