Leonard Nimoy as Mister Spock

I learned just minutes ago that it is Leonard Nimoy's 91st birthday today. The late actor began playing the legendary television alien character in "The Cage", Star Trek's first pilot film. In November and December of 1964, when that "episode" was shot, the actor was just 33 years of age. Little did he know how memorable Mr Spock would become in the history of entertainment. Through his portrayal of one of television's greatest characters, in one of the greatest of all dramatic television programs, Leonard Nimoy will never truly die.

Book: The Kids in the Hall (Myers)

The Kids in the Hall

- One Dumb Guy -

by

Paul Myers

House of Anansi Press

2018

Perhaps It's Time to Saturday Night Fever Again

For reasons unknown I did not see Saturday Night Fever upon its first release in December of 1977. However, I made up for that missed opportunity in early 1993 when the fabulous Bloor Cinema here in Toronto fulfilled its role as a top repertory movie house. In 1992 alone I saw about 150 movies there. What was playing was not an issue at all to this movie fan: I would pop out of the subway -- "Bathurst" station -- on my way home from work and pop into the royal movie place. (Once I double-dipped without realizing it. "I've seen this; when it came out.")

I was glad to finally get around to seeing the Fever. Much of the audience had seen it, that much was clear to me. They howled during the opening credits sequence, specifically the very low shot of John Travolta's boots Ping-Ponging to and from the camera lens. I too laughed. Awesome filmmaking. Later, when the star applied the essential 1970s hair blow-dry, the audience went nuts.

I loved the film, as a film. It deserves its "classic" status. The dance scenes are almost transcendental.

Absolutely, Saturday Night Fever is a wonderful and joyous piece of movie entertainment; even with the non-PG moments.

Canada Geese Are Back in Toronto (Early?)

CD: Never Mind the Bollocks (Sex Pistols)

Never Mind the Bollocks

- Here's the Sex Pistols -

Sex Pistols

Universal Music Operations

(this release)

2012

A Forever Question: Return to Sender

“Since before your sun burned hot in space and before your race was born, I have awaited a question."

Sir. Does the saying 'foot the bill' mean 'to kick it to where it came from'?

CD: Revolver (The Beatles)

Revolver

by

The Beatles

EMI Records Ltd

1966

Sunday Fun: Back in Premier League Action!

Back in November of last year, in the interests of real productivity, I made the decision to "pause" my DAZN account. This creative likes to think that he's good with time management (I don't watch any television, for a start), but he also knows that his love of football can be a wonderful distraction -- cutting into reel productivity.

A few days ago I noticed that my account had been automatically reactivated. (That's right, I had picked a random day in March as my restart date, figuring that I'd be "done" by then. What emoticon could I insert here?....)

Great news! I picked today as my Premier League football restart day.

When I went to grab a 'snip' for this posting I noticed that a match was already in progress.

"Well, get on it, my son!"

Should Toronto's SkyDome Be Given Its Name Back?

The name "SkyDome" was not my first choice. A contest had been held in 1987, while the structure was under construction, to come up with an appropriate moniker for this new and impressive soon-to-be stadium; the first one with a "fully retractable roof".

Although I never submitted anything, I came up with my own pick very quickly once I heard about the contest: "Trillium." It just happens to be the official provincial flower of Ontario. (Attention, some American readers: Toronto is in the province of Ontario.) In addition, "Trillium" sounds "big" — it does to me, at least.

Once the name for Toronto's new stadium was chosen and announced, I was underwhelmed. "SkyDome? That's totally uninspired." (Totally.)

Now I like that name. It's certainly better than "Rogers Centre". To be honest, most Torontonians don't say "Rogers Centre", and rarely do I hear the stadium referred to by that name unless I'm listening to a Sports news reader on the radio. "Live, down at the Rogers Centre....".

No, "Sky Dome".

 

Post Notes: I survived the SkyDome opening ceremonies back in June of 1989. There was a contest at work and I won two tickets, so in turn I took my old school mate Jorge to the promised grand event. It turned out to be an all too tacky affair. More than once during the song-and-dance stuff Jorge and I cracked up laughing. He said to my left ear, "What's with all the Broadway numbers?"

To impress, the dome was then opened. The sky had opened.

Notes from a Brat: The TV Lunchbox Kids Again

When I was a child in the 1960s and early 1970s TV-themed "tie-in" lunchboxes were a big thing. The colour screen on the box's exterior was probably more important than any nutrients carried on the inside. The graphic was part of your identity: Perhaps you were a Bonanza fan, a "Bat-fan", or you gravitated towards the Irwin Allen fantasy shows such as Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea or Lost in Space. It did not matter whether or not these dramatic television programs were good (most were not) but the lunchboxes were a way of advertising our programming -- a statement as to what we little ones thought was cool on television.

I remember sitting on the school bus one day, waiting for the vehicle to finish loading up kids outside of the CFB Baden Elementary School (in then West Germany). A fellow traveller in the seat immediately in front of mine had in his possession what must have looked to me like a pretty specimen of a lunchbox: It had a rich green trim; it showed some futuristic vehicle; it was adorned with the title Land of the Giants. (What's Land of the Giants? I learned something new and important.)

My favourite of the TV lunchboxes was the one for Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. The artwork, lame on many themed boxes for some inexplicable reason, was absolutely dynamic here: The front-of-box illustration depicted the submarine "Seaview" approaching a giant (giant!) octopus that was resting, but looking mighty angry, with the Flying Sub in its tentacles, on the ocean floor.

I never did get that lunchbox, simply because I never asked for it. My own box was of no TV-theme. It had a tartan pattern with the thermos inside sharing the same pattern. For all its blandness, that lunchbox served me well. When we moved back to Canada there was no need for this piece of school equipment as my school, Frederick Campbell Elementary in CFB Borden, was a few minutes walk from the house. I'd go home, eat, and pop on CFTO and meet The Flintstones.

Also, by this time the television series' Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Land of the Giants had been cancelled. Suddenly their tie-in lunchboxes had become worthless....

Book: The Germans (Watson)

The Germans

- Who Are They Now? -

by

Alan Watson

Mandarin

1994

A Forever Question: Nocturnal Admissions

“Since before your sun burned hot in space and before your race was born, I have awaited a question."

Sir. Why is it that, too often after 'turning in', one 'turns over', and over, and over?

Designer Ghouls of the Graveyard Set

A happy set designer poses with his creation. Note the unfinished left side of the mausoleum. This was done to save money. The right side has a full wall.

The creator poses with the set's ghoul. I'm on the left. (The top photo should have been a clue.)

An early sketch, sans ghoul.

Commonplace Book Sample 3 (On Bukowski 2)

John Milton kept one, and I keep one. A commonplace book is a great method for taking notes when one comes across an interesting song lyric, a poem, a quote, a conversation overheard, something witnessed, a random idea that hits with little or no provocation or warning.

These bits can be put down in text form, sketches, or both. Whatever works best for the notetaker at that stitch in time. Referring to a commonplace book and its contents weeks, months, or even years after the ink was set on paper, can be inspirational and instructive. "Oh, that's what spurred me on."

I'm good at making mental notes, but more often than not, if it's "not written down" when the bolt strikes, it eventually, at times too quickly, gets lost with the storm as it moves on.

If you read a lot, a commonplace book is a good companion; for writers, this book is essential, or at least it should be.

On February 16th, I filed the first part on my commonplace book entries on the late writer/poet, Charles Bukowski. As I stated in that piece, I'm a big CB fan (of his writings more than some of his behaviours).

In part two's scan, we see that I was on a roll entering truths and wisdoms about artists' creative processes and inspirations: notes from Bukowski, William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Leon Trotsky, and Bukowski biographer Barry Miles. What does influence your sequencing of your keyboard's, or typewriter's, keys? What pushes your pen/pencil-equipped hand as it streams over the paper?... as if scripting around a Ouija board?

The unconscious mind is known to any creative artist. Where does it come from? (Well, this comes from my effort to complete something before my pasta finishes boiling....)

Flukey the Flower's Return

Flukey thinks he has it bad.

A Forever Question: Signals

“Since before your sun burned hot in space and before your race was born, I have awaited a question."

Sir. Should we have taken that left turn at Albuquerque?

Picturing: Bird on a Balcony

They Were Freedom Fighters

A Lancaster bomber flies over Toronto. As "aircrew" (RAF 626 Squadron), my dad bombed Hitler's Eagle's Nest on one of these machines.

(That's right - Antifa!)

Book: Anger Is An Energy (Lydon)

Anger Is An Energy

- My Life Uncensored -

by

John Lydon

Dey Street

2016

A Forever Question: Short Circuit

“Since before your sun burned hot in space and before your race was born, I have awaited a question."

Sir. Why is it that some people lack a logic circuit?