Mrs Duck and I went out to dinner at our favorite steak place Friday night. And while we are finishing up our excellent Longhorn dinner, this song blared over the speakers. I had never heard it before, though Jennifer Nettles has such a distinct voice, you knew it was Sugarland. And it was beautiful.
I want to wish all my American friends a happy and safe Thanksgiving. It should be a time of family and friends and laughs.
Speaking of laughs, here is the greatest Thanksgiving episode, ever, WKRP.
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I traditionally do a variation of this speech on Martin Luther King's birthday celebration day, since his birthday was last week and I am off today. While everyone knows the I Have a Dream Speech, personally, this one is more a favorite of mine.
Let us rise up tonight with a greater readiness. Let us stand with a greater determination. And let us move on in these powerful days, these days of challenge to make America what it ought to be. We have an opportunity to make America a better nation. And I want to thank God, once more, for allowing me to be here with you.
You know, several years ago, I was in New York City autographing the first book that I had written. And while sitting there autographing books, a demented black woman came up. The only question I heard from her was, "Are you Martin Luther King?" And I was looking down writing, and I said, "Yes." And the next minute I felt something beating on my chest. Before I knew it I had been stabbed by this demented woman. I was rushed to Harlem Hospital. It was a dark Saturday afternoon. And that blade had gone through, and the X-rays revealed that the tip of the blade was on the edge of my aorta, the main artery. And once that's punctured, your drowned in your own blood -- that's the end of you.
It came out in the New York Times the next morning, that if I had merely sneezed, I would have died. Well, about four days later, they allowed me, after the operation, after my chest had been opened, and the blade had been taken out, to move around in the wheel chair in the hospital. They allowed me to read some of the mail that came in, and from all over the states and the world, kind letters came in. I read a few, but one of them I will never forget. I had received one from the President and the Vice-President. I've forgotten what those telegrams said. I'd received a visit and a letter from the Governor of New York, but I've forgotten what that letter said. But there was another letter that came from a little girl, a young girl who was a student at the White Plains High School. And I looked at that letter, and I'll never forget it. It said simply,
Dear Dr. King,
I am a ninth-grade student at the White Plains High School."
And she said,
While it should not matter, I would like to mention that I'm a white girl. I read in the paper of your misfortune, and of your suffering. And I read that if you had sneezed, you would have died. And I'm simply writing you to say that I'm so happy that you didn't sneeze.
And I want to say tonight -- I want to say tonight that I too am happy that I didn't sneeze. Because if I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been around here in 1960, when students all over the South started sitting-in at lunch counters. And I knew that as they were sitting in, they were really standing up for the best in the American dream, and taking the whole nation back to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep by the Founding Fathers in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been around here in 1961, when we decided to take a ride for freedom and ended segregation in inter-state travel.
If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been around here in 1962, when Negroes in Albany, Georgia, decided to straighten their backs up. And whenever men and women straighten their backs up, they are going somewhere, because a man can't ride your back unless it is bent.
If I had sneezed -- If I had sneezed I wouldn't have been here in 1963, when the black people of Birmingham, Alabama, aroused the conscience of this nation, and brought into being the Civil Rights Bill.
If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have had a chance later that year, in August, to try to tell America about a dream that I had had.
If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been down in Selma, Alabama, to see the great Movement there.
If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been in Memphis to see a community rally around those brothers and sisters who are suffering.
I'm so happy that I didn't sneeze.
And they were telling me --. Now, it doesn't matter, now. It really doesn't matter what happens now. I left Atlanta this morning, and as we got started on the plane, there were six of us. The pilot said over the public address system, "We are sorry for the delay, but we have Dr. Martin Luther King on the plane. And to be sure that all of the bags were checked, and to be sure that nothing would be wrong with on the plane, we had to check out everything carefully. And we've had the plane protected and guarded all night."
And then I got into Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers?
Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop.
And I don't mind.
Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land
I don't know about you, but usually my New Years Eve is not spent amongst a rash of people drunken and making out with the idle stranger. I used to wish it was, but that is not here or there.
Earth Cam has a special showing this year of New Years Eve around the world, and you can see it from the comfort of your own living room. As a public service, I present to you the link.
Earth Cam New Years 2008
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Yes, we continue on our holiday adventure, even on the Thursday Thirteen. If the stores can overload us on Christmas, why can't a simple blog?? 1.A Chestnut tree can grow to be twenty to forty feet tall, but the nuts can also fall from a shrub or low lying bush. (Man that sounds kinky) 2.A true Chestnut should not be confused with a horse chestnut (a buckeye) or a water chestnut, since they really are not related, even though the nuts are similiar. 3.Chestnuts are important to the survival of Blue Jays, Squirrels and Pigeons. 4.The nuts can be eaten candied, boiled or roasted; the former are often sold under the French name marrons glacés. Another important use of chestnuts is to be ground into flour, which can then be used to prepare bread, cakes and pasta. 5.The wood of the Sweet Chestnut is most used in small items where durability is important, such as fencing and wooden outdoor cladding ('shingles') for buildings. In Italy, it is also used to make barrels used for aging balsamic. 6.In Jane Eyre, written by Charlotte Bronte, A chestnut tree outside of Thornfield Hall is broken in two by lightning. This foreshadows the impending break-up of Rochester and Jane's marriage. (oops, spoiler alert) 7.Legend has it that the Greek army survived on their stores of chestnuts during their retreat from Asia Minor in 401-399 B.C. 8.The jazz standard April in Paris by Vernon Duke and E.Y. Harburg begins, "April in Paris / Chestnuts in blossom". 9. 10.If you are tempted to eat chestnuts raw, think again. These nuts must be boiled or roasted before eating due to the high levels of tannic acid. The nuts are cured for about a week to permit their starch to develop into sugar, thus sweetening the meat. They must be cooked completely in order to avoid digestive discomfort. 11.Of course, chestnuts are best known at Holiday time for its prominence in The Christmas Song, which was made famous by Nat King Cole, but was actually written by Mel Torme. 12. 13.Okay, hard to come up with 13 things about Chestnuts, so I will just take this chance to mention again the Christmas Card list post from a few days back. Yes I have mentioned it often haven't I? |
First off, I had to do a little bit of a double take on the name of the neighborhood in Brooklyn, but the beauty of the picture made me do a triple take.
I wish I could take credit for the picture, but alas I just found it. All props go to Richard Carey on Flickr.
Oh yea, and don't forget about the Christmas Cards
Don't forget, the Christmas Card list is being built on the post below this one, so go ahead and sign up.
One of my favorite Christmas Songs is Baby Please Come Home. I first heard it performed by the imcomparable U2, but then I heard Darlene Love perform it annually on the Late Show with David Letterman, in fact the last 10 years and I hope they figure out a way to do it this year.
But the song is so sad yet happy all at the same time, kind of like how the Holidays can be in general.
It's Christmas
Baby, please come home
(Yeah!)
The snow's coming down
I'm watching it fall
Watching the people around
Baby please come home
The churchbells in town
They're rining a song
What a happy sound
Baby please come home
Theyr'e singing deck the halls
But it's not like Christmas at all
I remember when you were here
And all the fun we had last year
Pretty lights on the tree
I'm watching 'em shine
You should be here with me
Baby please come home
Baby please come home
Baby please come home
They're singing deck the halls
But it's not like Christmas at all
I remember when you were here
And all the fun we had last year
If there was a way
I'd hold back these tears
But it's Christmas day
Baby please come home
Ohh...
Baby please come home
Baby please come home
Baby please come home
Ohh...
Baby please come home
Baby please come home
Jump aboard the Poetry Train here, cmon its culture!
Last Years display
Introducing the Christmas Express here on Philly Transplant. I love Christmas and so for the next few weeks, look for quite a few Christmas related posts, recipes, pictures and other stuff, hopefully, since we all know about how best laid plans go.
We are doing those photo Christmas Cards this year, or at least we sure hope we are, since we have to take care of it this weekend or we will be sending the damned things out on Christmas Eve. Luckily, we picked up a few regular ones from Target last week, so we can get started some.
Along those lines, while this will not be a Christmas card exchange, since that gets to messy figuring out who gets what and who, etc, etc, etc, I will be asking my blogger buddies if they want a "Holiday" card from the Duck Family. If so, anytime this week, drop me an email at blujackit AT gmail DOT com, with your address and you will be on the list. Festive, isnt it?
This is not going to be one of my official Thursday Thirteen's this week, because I really am not sure if I am going to really do 13 things today, but we will see how many things I have and walla, it may turn into 13 of them.
1.Get that Turkey to defrost. One of the problems with trying to avoid the early rush at the food store is that the frozen Turkey is bought closer to the actual day of use. And as of 10:30 this morning, the bird still was not defrosted. So its getting an ice water bath as we speak.
2.Green Bay vs Detroit. Out of all the football games on Thanksgiving, now there are 3, the Detroit game is the only one I consistently watch. Its on at just the right time and this year, I have two of my fantasy players involved, Greg Jennings and Donald Lee, both of Green Bay. Plus, who doesnt like watching Brett Favre?
3.Get the Christmas decorations out. Our plan today, since it is just Mrs Duck and myself was to start Christmas decorating today. For sure we are going to get the tree out and up. We may or may not decorate/light it today, because who knows how the cats will react to there first Christmas tree.
4.Decorate a little bit outside. It feels like it is close to 70 degrees outside. So, I will definetly take this opportunity to at least get up on a ladder and string some Christmas lights outside. I usually like to wait for the ground to be cooler to put some of the reindeer/snowmen/stars in the ground out, but no wind and warm temps is the perfect time to be on a ladder.
5.Apple, Sausage and Sage Stuffing. Its gotta go in the turkey well once it does not feel like an iceberg, so the stuffings gotta be done early.
6.Enjoy some Martinis. Hey, whats a holiday without at least some liquor. Just have to start a little bit earlier so I get a good nights sleep for a long long long day at work tomorrow.
7.Call the relatives. We have family flung all over the United States this year, so its going to be quite a few phone calls that need to be placed.
8.Relax. I really plan to get back into Anya's book once again and certainly recline a little bit, just because thats really what this Holiday is about. Giving thanks for a comfy chair and a full belly.
9.Whatever Mrs Duck wants to do. The above listed is just my gameplan. I am sure the wife will have some input that might be a little bit different, involving a tad more work on my part. But, thats why I love her, she always makes things a bit better.
Happy Thanksgiving to my US Blogger Buddies. To Everyone else, um Happy Thursday!!
One great thing about Thanksgiving while I was growing up, was the great, sappy, funny Thanksgiving episodes on TV. So, as we all prepare for the Turkey coma, lets look back at some of what YouTube offered me.
Chandler's Worst Thanksgiving (Friends)
WKRP Turkey Drop (an all time classic)
The Turkey Drop Followup
Turkey or Fish-Everybody Loves Raymond
We do not really consider this to be last minute, its more like we like to go out and make all of our decisions carefully. Plus, I am hoping a Tuesday night before Thanksgiving will be alot better then the weekend before Thanksgiving, because that was a nightmare.
So, what do you all do with your turkeys. I know I can just put some herbs on the skin and then butter underneath, but since it will just be the two of us this Turkey Day, I figure I could try something a little bit different. Mrs Duck is adventurous enough.
So, give me some recipe hints for your bird. Send me some ideas for your stuffing. The veggies gotta be something that someone allows there inner Paula Deen out for. Share share share.
Plus, if you do my shopping list, I will have more time to try and get the last minute gifts for Mrs Duck, whose birthday is Saturday.
Starr your resident Vintage Goth here, and today I am taking a bit of liberty with my final choice of Halloween/Gothic Hotness. It's more a group effort. Ladies, Gentlemen, Transexuals... I bring you the male cast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
First up Baby Eddie Who Didn't Love His Teddy. LOVE. HATE. Greaser Hotness! And Dr. Scott...or should I say Dr. Von Scott! He's fusty, he's in a chair, he rocks a garter!
Willkommen!
Who can forget the resident A-Hole of Denton? Brad Majors. Check out those...glasses!
Frank spent 7 days to make a man and this is what he has to show for it.
And last but, never ever least, we have Riff Raff and Dr. Frank N Furter. Friends. Enemies, Frenemies. Riff with his flowing blonde locks and mobile, side swapping hunchback and Frank with his fierce fashion sense. Who else could have pulled off those pink gloves. Work it, Frank!
Now, I was supposed to come up with something, some hotness that could match the amazing specimens that are the men of Rocky Horror Picture Show. Now, while I will throw up a Christina Ricci picture.
For my money there is no way she compares with the cult schtick that is Rocky Horror, even if shhhh, I do not like the movie.
I just hope everyone had a safe Halloween and I want to thank Starr for her participation. I think she may just stay on here as a contributor, just because she brings that extra special ummph.
Stuart is ridiculously hot as a vampire and I think got the tone of Lestat so much better than that couch jumping little freak Cruise. He wears black leather really really well. Really well. Yup.
In addition to that he played Dorian Gray in League Of Extraordinary Gentleman and Dorian is a product of the fevered imagination of Goth favorite Oscar Wilde.
He's played The Nightstalker, the naked hot chef on Will and Grace, and a fun little movie with Kate Hudson called About Adam. In which, he gets to showcase his secret weapon. His Irish accent.
/swoon!
Sadly, Stuart is taken by Charlize Theron. She's not quite Angelina Jolie but she is darn close. And so far out of my league. Gotta box your weight, and that girl is smoking. Now if he ever leaves her...watch out Stuart I am coming for ya!
If you get Stuart, can you whisper in his ear to give Charlize my email address? I have never heard of Stuart Townsend, though it does not mean that he does not have that certain English class that is easily swayed into Goth. The last picture, scary sexy. Like I am gonna kick your ass and then take your woman.As we continue our little sojourn around the goth world of hotness, I am going way way off the reservation with my choice today. It is inspired by an email that Starrlight sent me last week with a link to a bunch of models that I find hot. Of course I would find them hot, they are models, but they were all hot in a gothic sort emo way.
Now I said inspired, not taken directly from the site, which can be found by asking Starrlight, since I have seemed to have lost the link. If you pay some attention to my rantings and ravings in the last oh, 18 months, this selection might be a tad familiar.
Serena Star is a model from Philadelphia. She was Miss Irish Pub or something like that this past St Patricks Day, and she is a Preston & Steve girl, a popular radio station here in Philadelphia. Actually a radio station I listen too.
But, to me, she is also the person I picture when I am reading my Rachael Morgan novels, by Kim Harrison. I love these books, about a witch, a bisexual vampire and a wise cracking fairy who team up to banish demons. 
Though, after looking at this final picture, I think I might have a new idea for Ivy in mind, if I knew who the brunette was.
Be sure to check out Serena Star's website, she has alot of great shots and links to other ones that have that pesky copyright on them. And now I hand off the reigns to my other Starr.
Well since Sparky asked so nice and was suitably happy with the visuals, I'll post the link to the Goth Model site which is called Nocturnal Models. Just a note, these girls are goth/fetish models. You might want to peek before the kiddies get a look. Yea, watch some of those pictures, especially the piercings. Well unless you have that fetish. That said I have only one thing to say for my choice today.
He's Batman.
Better known to you and I as Christian Bale. Ah Christian, how I do lust thee. Let's count the ways shall we?
Batman is the ultimate Goth Superhero..bat's, dark cave, tragic background and an all black wardrobe. Check check and pass the absinthe. Christian plays him with such perfect low key restraint and a tragic air. Which is in total contrast to the over the top blackly funny psychopath he played in American Psycho. Plus he totally starved himself down to play the character in The Machinist. It may not have been hot, but starving for your art is oh so very Goth.
You know it must be hard to be covered in blood and still look hot. As he said in American Psycho, "dont just stare at it, eat it"
Ohh..the Duck and I are Slackers! Here it is Sunday and no hotness for you fine folks yet. Today we start off with the guys. And my second choice is Mr Movie Star Goth himself, Johnny Depp. Johnny is Goth in the old school, doing my thing, not really caring what others think of him kinda way. That and the handy Tim Burton association. So much attention these days is on Capt Jack (and rightly so as that is one great character) that it is easy to overlook some of his, shall we say, darker works.
His Willy Wonka was much more in tune with the book and not at all benign, Edward Scissorhands is the epitome of Gothic Outsider, Secret Window was a fine adaption of one of King's better stories.
The somewhat sleazy bookdealer to the devil in The Ninth Gate, providing voice work for Corpse Bride, the truly gothic Inspector Abberline of Jack the Ripper Fame in From Hell, and the upcoming murderous Sweeny Todd are all fine Goth flavored fare. And last but not least, his work as Ichabod Crane proved you could be pale and a scaredy cat...and still be damn hot!
PS...head to Oh Johnny for these and other, oh so very yummy pictures. Someone should buy that girl a drink for the service she provides!
Somehow I knew it was going to be a Johnny day. If you are going to be a slacker, better bring your A game around. And I have not been slacking, I just have been, yea um, hmm researching, yea thats it researching. Though I freely admit, that if I could not find some way to infuse the coolness of George Clooney into my body, I would take the smoldering look and quirkiness of Johnny Depp really quickly.
And all that work brings me to Rose McGowan. Now, Rose was a member of the Halliwell family, the 3, 4 or 5 Witches in the show CHARMED. It really depends on when you watched the show. And while for sheer sex appeal, the character Alyssa Milano played could have been considered sexiest, hottest, 
Rose McGowan's Paige would fit in nicely if we are going for Halloween/Goth hot! And she was smoking.
And then there was the Manson factor. I actually remember first knowing who Rose was thanks to the fact that she was dating the misunderstood, yet freaky looking Marilyn Manson. 
Manson has talent, but he still looks weird as hell, so it sort of dragged Miss McGowan into the freaky weird area as well.
Alright, that last picture is sorta freaking me out, lets end this on a good note.
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Here is the prerequisite Halloween themed Thursday Thirteen, as we focus on well known witches. And amazingly, not everyone of them is hot. 1. Ann Boleyn-Henry VIIIths second wife, she was beheaded, ostensibly because the king was sick of her. But she was called a witch because she could not bear the King a son. 2.Isobel Goldie-Living in the 1600's, it is said that she had wild sexual escapades with the devil who had initiated her into the art of witchcraft. She confessed this several times but many thought that it was just a story she had made up and that it was just a game that had gotten out of hand. She was probably hung. 3.The Three Witches from Macbeth- They created evil magic in their cauldron to encourage Macbeth to kill the King and seize the throne. 4.Medea- In Greek mythology helped her Husband capture the golden Fleece. She committed several murders including those of her own children. 5.The Witch of Sleeping Beauty-A story written by the brothers Grimm. The plot revolves around a beautiful young princess who pricks her finger on a evil witches spindle, falls asleep and can only been awoken by the kiss of a stranger. 6.The Witch of Rapunzel-Another Brothers Grimm tale,its the story of a jealous witch who has imprisoned the lovely Rapunzel in a tower and who uses her hair to climb to the top. 7.Samantha of Bewitched-The kooky main character of a TV Show that marries a witch and a mortal man and sticks them in the suburbs. Hilarity ensues. 8.The Blair Witch-A fictional legend that apparently runs around the woods of Western Maryland. The legends was turned into a movie that somehow was very popular, though after watching the first 20 minutes, I do not know how. 9.The Witches of "The Craft"-A teen angst movie from the 90's, about the unpopular girls who actually develop supernatural powers. Somehow, I think it would be dangerous for the cool kids if the nerdy girls get supernatural powers. 10.Eglantine Price of Bedknobs and Broomsticks-Played by Angela Landsbury, this is a 1970's Disney movie about a witch, her three orphaned nieces and nephews and a magician who travel across Europe on a Magic Bed. Yes, its a Disney Movie. 11.The Wicked Witch of the West-The villain character in the Wizard of Oz. She is out to steal back the silver/ruby slippers back from Dorothy and will do whatever it takes to get them back, including sending flying monkeys. The Wicked Witch just can't shower. She is also a main character in the Broadway hit & Novel, Wicked. 12.Willow Rosenberg-I guess she is the best known Witch from the Television Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Since I have never seen a full season of the show, I would be guessing. She is cute though. 13.The Halliwell sisters of Charmed-The three, then fourth sister when Shannen Doherty left/got fired, that were the heroes of Charmed. They used the power of 3 to make there magic work. They also used the power of skimpy clothing, but that is a story for another Thursday Thirteen. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!) |
Wish me luck, I am going to be lighting up the grill for the first time this year and I have this unnatural fear of Propane and propane accessories. But, its the Fourth of July, so its a necessity.
We will be off to fireworks, if the weather holds out, which are being held as part of the Southampton Days festival. I got some neat shots of that last night, I am not holding out as much hope for good firework pictures.
When it comes to music on the Fourth, for me there are two artists that come to mind. I am a Jersey Boy, so Bruce Springsteen is the man. And if you are going to watch Fireworks, you need the 1812 Overture and if you need that you need the Boston Pops.
Enjoy a little bit of both below and I hope everyone has a safe Holiday. To all my Canucks, I hope Canada Day was just as festive and if you are someplace else, well, enjoy your Wednesday?
I am in a remarkably good mood today. I know part of it is because the sun is shining, the windows are open with a nice little breeze blowing through the house. Not only does it feel at least sort of summery, it also does a great job of saving on the Peco bill, win/win. Though if I was at the shore, I don't know if I would be all that thrilled with the coolness and the breeze.
We here in Chez Duck are quite dull. Yesterday was spent catching up on some TiVo, sorting through old mail and banking statements and the like and lots of shredding. I don't necessarily hate the paper shredder, I just sort of hate the way Mrs Duck is determined to shred everything. Ads, the little inserts in banking statements. Some envelopes. It began to grate on my nerves, like the continued drip drip drip on my forehead. But, it is for the best and again, at least for now, we are organized.
I want to get out and enjoy some of the afternoon, so what does that call for? A trip to Trader Joe's and Giant. See, I told you we are just exciting wild and crazy people. Apparently Mrs Duck is not that opposed since she is searching for certain Popsicles that are only available at the Joe. I'm continuing my quest for fried shallots for a recipe.
I am still reading The Greatest Story Ever Sold by Frank Rich. I know why it is taking me so long. Its very interesting, but it just pisses me off so much.
Its the start of the summer holiday weekend, and if you are landlocked and not hitting the sand like me, pop over to the Point Pleasant Beach cam and get some beach love.
