COOLKAYAKER1

Longhand Novel Writing

2012-02-12T10:49:00.001-06:00

I am going to try my 'hand"--hee hee--at longhand writing. I've hit a roadblock with the Mac, and it's labyrinth of "save as" and "file" commands, nevermind the lugging it to the library every few days.

Many other famous writers, such as John Irving (Cider House Rules, Garp, etc.) write longhand. Many have hired typists to enter the longhand into the computer. Heck, some--like the late Sidney Sheldon--transcribe their novels. Yes, he literally dictated them. Barbara Cartwright, romance queen, used to have a courtroom stenographer write down her novels. Barbara sat on a couch and stroked her cat and dreamed up the novel No joke!

And should we forget about all the fabulous authors--JD Salinger, Gertrude Stein, FS Fitzgerald, Hemingway, some of the best ever--who had to type directly into a Smith Corona typewriter, one peck at a time. That was before White Out! No wonder the few modern typing writers, like Cormac McCarthy and director Woody Allen, savor their typewriters so divinely: they're almost irreplaceable.

Longhand, by pen, is slower, but more thoughtful. Longhand can be input with Dragon Naturally Speaking v.11, and even if it gets one in 20 words written like alphabet soup, we are going back and editing the entire thing again, right? If you've not tried it, at about $60, it's much better than prior versions, and one can read their longhand into a desktop $20 microphone and save boatloads of keyboard time. That is one tip I might suggest to you, my fellow free-hand writers.

John Irving writes his first drafts in fancy $35 Boorum and Pease bound journals. For the rest of us, stenographer's pads--the kind with spiral bound at the top and flippable for a flat lay on the desk--work wonders, and can easily poise on a monitor side stand for easy transcribing. Try that with a leather bound journal.

Many, from my online search this morning, espouse freehand writing as a remedy for computer snags and viruses. But, don't forget, although computers get the sniffles with a virus and might lose our hard work in one massive "ka-choo", paper is not forever.

Just ask my neighbor down the way whose house is now cinders after their cat, Jinxy, kicked over a tea candle.

I'm Like A Bird

2012-02-11T12:53:00.001-06:00

Kangaroos and Ukes

2012-02-09T12:22:00.001-06:00

Wild 4 Hypnosis Wisconsin Dells

2012-02-07T00:03:00.006-06:00

A horrendous show in the Wisc Dells. Bawdy, staged, humorless and obscene. But, memorable, I give it that.

Writing According To William Faulkner

2012-02-05T08:04:00.004-06:00

“I’m a failed poet. Maybe every novelist wants to write poetry first, finds he can’t and then tries the short story which is the most demanding form after poetry. And failing that, only then does he take up novel writing.” —William Faulkner

Leon Redbone

2012-02-03T22:46:00.002-06:00

I scored a second row ticket to see Leon Redbone at the Performing Arts Theater on a week. Really looking forward to it.

My Favorite Robert Frost Poem

2012-02-03T08:59:00.007-06:00

A brilliant reading, with text. This poem, particularly for anyone from new England, rings so very true of a walk in the woods. Written by Frost in 1916, it is timeless. The words are so true, in fact, that it can bring a reader to tears. Weeping, from the authenticity of it all.

Listen, if you dare.

The Opening

2012-02-01T00:39:00.000-06:00

If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.
The Catcher in the Rye
Holden Caulfield in Chapter 1, opening words of book

Cup Music

2012-01-30T01:25:00.000-06:00

Jake On The Uke

2012-01-29T00:52:00.003-06:00

Eddie Vedder On Uke On Dave

2012-01-28T15:45:00.002-06:00

Taimane

2012-01-26T15:36:00.002-06:00

Uke Kid

2012-01-26T15:36:00.000-06:00

Ukulele Underground Meets Jake

2012-01-24T23:32:00.002-06:00

Jake, the uke player here, is the top ukulele player in the world. Impromptu Beatles with Ukulele Underground founder Adreline Guerra (on vocals).

Images

2012-01-23T23:34:00.001-06:00

Wiggly

2012-01-23T20:27:00.000-06:00

Marley Man

2012-01-21T08:02:00.000-06:00

Kayaking = Being One With The Water

2012-01-21T00:20:00.000-06:00

How To Look Like Tomb Raider

2012-01-19T00:18:00.005-06:00

Comic Sarah Silverman's Start On Community Auditions

2012-01-17T00:01:00.001-06:00

Tully Beaver Slap

2012-01-15T23:39:00.000-06:00

Lower Doane's Falls

2012-01-15T23:37:00.000-06:00

Motorbike Fun

2012-01-13T22:58:00.003-06:00

Spooky Uke Amazing!

2012-01-11T23:56:00.003-06:00

Solo Cars Cover

2012-01-09T22:15:00.000-06:00

10 Pages A Year

2012-01-07T08:47:00.002-06:00

Little Girl Nails Robert Frost

2012-01-05T08:36:00.003-06:00

A recitation of a famous New England poet's work.

Question for your consideration...why does Robert Frost choose to repeat that last line twice. Some say, the last has two meanings, and he wanted each to stand alone. Others, that it expresses the weary nature and emphasizes the "miles to go", almost exaspirated tone. What do you think, oh faithful reader?

Girl Plays Uke

2012-01-05T08:06:00.003-06:00

Master Of Puppets: Obey Your Ukulele

2012-01-04T13:21:00.000-06:00

Same song as yesterday, only this time, shredding on a ukulele. Wow!

My Review Of Gerry Rafferty's City To City on the Anniversary of His Passing

2012-01-04T00:39:00.006-06:00

Rafferty's Masterpiece is City To City, by Coolkayaker1

This review is from: City to City (Audio CD) Amazon.com by coolreviewer1/coolkayaker1

Gerald Rafferty's innate sense of pop tempo and styling--similar to Lennon and McCartney and the best of his younger contemporaries, like Difford and Tillbrook (of Squeeze)--was evident to his locals and peers since he first picked up a guitar at age 12. The son of an alcoholic and abusive father, his mother was known to stay out with Gerry until his Dad was home, drunk, and asleep. Gerry was beaten as a child and, although it impacted his life, he seldom spoke of his abuse even as an adult. Some say his contemplative songwriting reflects the healing wounds of his childhood. But Papa Rafferty may have given Gerry something worse than the physical abuse: alcoholism. Quiet Gerry fell victim to the vices of the bottle, a lifelong and possibly hereditary affliction for this even-tempered and well-loved man.

City To City is his first solo album after the break-up of Stealer's Wheel, and Gerry's songwriting and pitch-perfect singing came to a crescendo in this glorious--almost spiritual--LP/CD. Although every late seventies FM rock station played Baker Street and Right Down The Line for the power pop tunes that they are, the commercial success of these songs was the antithesis of the core constitution of Gerry Rafferty: quiet, unassuming, the forgotten man in the back of the room, bashful on stage, and yet with a zest for life and a dry humor that came through in his songwriting. He believed in the power of song, and this LP reflects that ethos. Most listeners of City To City will have memories of when they heard the hits, perhaps when spending time at the lake or in the car as a youth, but the Rafferty fan will sit and listen to the hit singles yet again, a fresh listen, and will recognize songs as deep as they are popular. Baker Street's haunting meander is followed directly by the straight forward sensibility of Right Down The Line, a one-two punch of impeccable songwriting.

The rest of City To City defies characterization. Incessantly tuneful, the songs shine with regional Scottish flare (like The Ark and Mattie's Rag) and yet exude universal voice and meaning. City To City, Island and Waiting For The Day all feature mid-tempo harmony and that crystal voice, so tuneful. The highlights of the LP are not only the mega-hit FM staples, but also the incredibly powerful Stealin' Time and Whatever's Written In Your Heart, which are anthems for inner peace and soul-searching. The meaning of life is Gerry's eternal question, and the artist's calm strength in subtle words fills each Rafferty record over forty years, but is most pronounced on the City To City album.

The centerpiece of the John Byrne album covered, 10-song LP--the song that defines Gerry and exemplifies his goodness, his vice (alcohol) and his rock sensibility--is Home And Dry. I urge you to listen to Home And Dry right now please by searching it at your favorite online video site: "This silver bird takes me, cross the sky, just one more hour and I'll be, home and dry." Absolute power. Absolute purity. "Gotta see you. Gotta be with you." Home And Dry is a sparkling example of Gerry's forte: depth of lyric. Not one for repetition, each verse is unique with thought-provoking "voice", and even the chorus has subtle differences each time it's repeated in the song. The album's pinnacle track, Home And Dry, captures the essence of the man, Gerry Rafferty.

City To City is Gerry's career crowning achievement. Gerry's solitary demeanor and shunning of publicity and its trappings limited his exposure to the music buying public, and to this day, many view Gerry as a "two-hit wonder". But, alas, those that know Gerry Rafferty's career know him as a beacon of independent living: keeping the life he desired, rather than the one that others desired for him. He was "true" for fulfilling his passion as a songwriter and singer, and not an empty passion for adulation and riches. He took the road less traveled, and toured infrequently, and eventually saw his popularity wane as a result. Few other artists have forgone the spotlight and wealth for a simple, straightforward lifestyle, and most who do are not recognized at all as their talents may be a shallow well. Rafferty, however, managed to walk that thread-fine line between being used by the record label like a ragged and worn mannequin, or fading away entirely. No, Gerry managed to hone his craft and play it right down the line, if you will, and remained alive and viable to those fans sincere to his music over decades. The constant fans appreciate that Gerald was as talented as the best of his contemporaries, the ones that had multiple gold records, but that he elected to live his life differently. A man's worth, in the end, is in his ability to follow the beat of his own drummer. And to this, one must raise a pint of stout to Gerry Rafferty.

The late songwriter remained productive and dedicated to his music, although flying below conventional pop radar, until his untimely death from the scurvy of alcohol and advanced liver disease on January 4, 2011. Gerry peaked in creativity, maturity, and strength of voice on the 1978 gem, City To City. Listen to it loudly and appreciate every tape pop, every hiss, every cymbal and guitar twang. It's real music, written and performed by a real artist. In Rafferty's City To City, you will hear lyrical variety that is seldom recorded now, forty years later, by any musician. Rafferty is a "natural" songwriter, and his heart will live on in his gift to us, City To City.

I Wanna Be A Cowboy

2012-01-03T22:10:00.001-06:00

Master Of Puppets: Obey Your Master

2012-01-03T16:17:00.000-06:00

My Favorite Literary Quote Of All Time

2012-01-01T00:37:00.001-06:00

"Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around - nobody big, I mean - except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff - I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be." ~J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 22, spoken by the character Holden Caulfield

Second City At Pheasant Run

2011-12-31T14:17:00.002-06:00

One year ago tonight we saw a famously funny show of Second City at St Charles Pheasant Run, and it was a complete gas. They never call on anyone from the audience, yet my son's pal J got called on stage for a long skit. It was so funny, and he says he was nervous, but you couldn't ever tell it from the video I shot. He played right along with the cast (the same cast as in this photo) and he had several extremely great lines himself.

Fun memories.

Iz

2011-12-30T23:53:00.001-06:00

Moose again!

2011-12-28T01:21:00.000-06:00

Moose on the loose! (why does everyone say that)

2011-12-27T23:02:00.005-06:00

Quabbin Song and Photos

2011-12-25T22:48:00.000-06:00

Rick Wilcox Magic, Wisconsin Dells

2011-12-23T00:01:00.002-06:00

A fun magic show from the WI Dells

Upward Vision

2011-12-21T05:14:00.005-06:00

It's almost a calendar flip,
And with that observation,
Things are looking up,
Just a not-so-subtle personal revelation.

Satan's Toilet: Makes a Great Gift

2011-12-19T23:45:00.002-06:00

Remembering Summer

2011-12-19T04:52:00.012-06:00

Summer.

Reflections from a hammock.
Shakespeare festival, impromptu for me,
Metered and practiced for them.

A bicycle, no petrol but my muscles,
A rucksack full of beer and reading.
Summer on Island Park, Geneva.

Girl Plays Saw For Xmas

2011-12-17T00:34:00.003-06:00

Santa Baby

2011-12-15T00:19:00.001-06:00

Gay In Valley Nordkapp

2011-12-13T23:05:00.003-06:00

My dear kayaking friend, Gay, aka Trailmom, looking fine on the big water in a red Valley Nordkapp. The boat used to be mine, and I am delighted that Gay was able to buy it from me and give it a wonderful home. She is making fine use of it, making memories and having fun and being the wonderful outdoorswoman and kayaker that she is. A sweet reflection in chilly December.

Okay Voice. Nothing Great.

2011-12-13T14:52:00.000-06:00

Summer Memories

2011-12-11T21:05:00.002-06:00

Tiny Home Movement

2011-12-11T19:01:00.000-06:00

Hulk Hogan Has Many Fans

2011-12-09T20:25:00.000-06:00

Masters Of War by Bob Dylan Poetic Profound

2011-12-07T00:08:00.002-06:00

Phoebe Believes So Much That It's Like Falling Off A Crazy Cliff

2011-12-05T23:23:00.011-06:00

My sister Phoebe still has pies in her eyes when she thinks about life, you know, still thinking there's a Santa Claus and all, even when every phony Santa down at Gimbels lets their fake beard fall off their face, and they even smoke Camels in front of the kids, the crazy bastards...we have to lie to every goddam kid that those are Santa's helpers and the real Santa would never do corny stuff like that.

That's the thing about kids, they want to believe. They want to think the ducks in the pond won't freeze to death in the winter, and that the carousel horse with the glass eyes might someday come alive and jump right off that goddam merry-go-round and give them a ride right up Fifth Avenue.

That's the swell thing about kids--they really crack me up, they really do--because they believe everything they see. And we should kiss the bottoms of their little feet and let them know it's okay to believe. Even if the rest of the world thinks they're just little kids running off some crazy cliff in a field of rye with no one to catch them--no one big, at least--we should let them believe like a madman, because when they realize it's all made up, they won't be kids any more.

---Holden, May 2011

The Cars In Chicago 2011

2011-12-04T21:15:00.001-06:00

The Late Ben Orr

2011-12-03T00:07:00.001-06:00

Miss You

2011-12-01T00:36:00.000-06:00

Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody. ~J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 26

So Classic That It Hurts: Tiny Tim

2011-11-30T22:40:00.000-06:00

Please Turn On Your Magic BEAM.

2011-11-30T21:43:00.001-06:00

2011-11-29T23:26:00.001-06:00

Rare Footage Warren Buffett Playing A Uke In His Family Room

2011-11-28T23:25:00.002-06:00

Zayre

2011-11-28T23:24:00.001-06:00

Tongue

2011-11-26T20:29:00.002-06:00

Nearly 5 millions views.

Zero G's, Anyone?

2011-11-26T20:28:00.004-06:00

3rd Wave Of Four String Mania

2011-11-25T16:41:00.001-06:00

Rendition of "Mad World", A Voice Like Ripples On A Clear Pond

2011-11-24T22:03:00.002-06:00

Indian Camp by Ernest Hemingway, reading by Tom O'Bedlam

2011-11-22T22:26:00.000-06:00

What a gorgeous 1500 word story, early in his career, that established Ernest Hemingway as a great American author. Concise, impactful. So many layers to this story. The wisdom of the father, the innocence of Nick. The first Hemingway short story that presages the future for "Papa" Hemingway, when Nick asks his father about suicide and death.

With great appreciation for SpokenVerse, Tom O'Bedlam. Check out his youtube channel for many eloquent readings here:

Ernest

2011-11-22T10:41:00.000-06:00

"Nobody really knows or understands and nobody has ever said the secret. The secret is that it is poetry written into prose and it is the hardest of all things to do." -- Ernest Hemingway

Cormac McCarthy from Blood Meridian

2011-11-20T00:44:00.007-06:00

"That which exists without my knowledge exists without my consent."
— Cormac McCarthy (Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West)

"They were watching, out there past men's knowing, where stars are drowning and whales ferry their vast souls through the black and seamless sea."
— Cormac McCarthy (Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West)

Fishing, Anyone?

2011-11-19T23:21:00.000-06:00

I'm Taking Up A New Instrument So I Can Jam With TsunamiChuck and BanjoChuck

2011-11-19T00:51:00.000-06:00

Lost Hit: George Harrison

2011-11-18T01:32:00.000-06:00

Classic George From 1970's All Things Must Pass

2011-11-16T01:26:00.001-06:00

Who's Version Is Better: Ringo's. Or This Lost Gem From George Harrison.

2011-11-14T01:24:00.001-06:00

Donnie's Second Hit! A Two Hit Wonder.

2011-11-12T23:17:00.000-06:00

Forgotten Hits Of The Seventies: Donnie Iris!

2011-11-12T01:16:00.001-06:00

The New Wave Of Ukulele

2011-11-11T08:11:00.000-06:00

Jake Live My Ears Are Still Ringing

2011-11-09T22:50:00.000-06:00

One of the best shows by a single performer that I've ever seen in my life. Jake S, an absolute genius on the four strings. Soft as a whistle, loud as a train, Jake can be lightening fast, or pluck as smoothly as a jazz guitarist. The audience of about 1500 was entranced. I sat, sixth row, and watched every finger motion. And between songs, Jake entertained us with tales of Hawaii of old, and childhood memories. At one point he said, "I love playing ukulele for live audiences because the expectations are so low," which got quite a laugh.

Jake S. Ukulele God at Bloomington, IL Performing Arts Center, Nov 9, 2011.

Mystery Tyke And Uke

2011-11-08T00:48:00.002-06:00

(wikimedia commons)

Casual Bossa Nova: Ipanema And An Orange

2011-11-06T12:30:00.003-06:00

The Girl From Ipanema by ukulele expert Taimane Gardner on the absolute, most famous beach on planet earth.

Lullaby

2011-11-05T16:16:00.002-05:00

An Na Na Lots Of Work To Be Done

2011-11-03T22:15:00.001-05:00

Warbonnet Traveler

2011-11-02T21:50:00.002-05:00

Star Wars

2011-11-01T20:42:00.000-05:00

Crooks

2011-11-01T00:41:00.000-05:00

Pencey was full of crooks. Quite a few guys came from these wealthy families, but it was full of crooks anyway. The more expensive a school is, the more crooks it has - I'm not kidding.
The Catcher in the Rye
Holden Caulfield in Chapter 1

Happy Tinny in Maine

2011-10-31T23:26:00.002-05:00

He'll Rip Your Lungs Out, Jim.

2011-10-30T23:19:00.001-05:00

One of my absolute favorite songs of all time. Zevon rocks the beat, and the lyrics. Happy Halloween!

Ukulele Girl

2011-10-30T00:47:00.002-05:00

On Fire

2011-10-28T12:00:00.001-05:00

I'm Learning The Ukulele...Care To Join Me?

2011-10-28T00:46:00.002-05:00

The Carillion, Naperville, IL

2011-10-26T00:45:00.004-05:00

Seeso Talks To Angels

2011-10-25T11:03:00.006-05:00

The Black Crow's She Talks To Angels on ukulele. Amazing rendition from Chicago's Seeso, youtube sensation. The Ukulele here sounds almost better than the original. He hits the harmonics, and the strumming pattern, precisely. So much talent out there in youtubeland, with only a point and shoot and a microphone. Enjoy!

95th Street Library, Naperville, IL

2011-10-24T00:43:00.003-05:00

A place with big windows where I spend loads of time writing.

Lil Rev

2011-10-22T23:16:00.002-05:00

Not only the star of my Hal Leonard Ukulele lesson DVD, but I happened to see Lil Rev at the Geneva (IL) Folk Music Festival on Labor Day weekend. A great performer and teacher.

The fest, replete with crunchy Granola types in sandals and tie-dyed sundresses, was fun. Many small pickup bands, with plenty of mandolins (and a few ukes). Here's a photo of an unnamed band of attendees jamming to some old bluegrass romp. Fun!

Lost 80s Hit by The Nails

2011-10-20T23:23:00.001-05:00

Zombie

2011-10-18T15:53:00.008-05:00

Okay, when I was writing for National Novel Writing Month in November past, I had a great story line that I didn't finish. Kiss The Dirt. About Eleven thousand words in, I recognized that I'm just not cut out to write 50k words in a month. Quality over quantity.

Here's a snippet of that unfinished work, my synopsis on NanoWriMo websites, and this intense scene is when the Sheriff kills a couple in a trailer after they find out about his plan.

http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/143217

In the movie version, after he "offs" them, I can imagine a sequence with the sad wailing of The Cranberies Zombie, done better here by Cali teen Laura Carlson.

Even Wicked Hip People Dig Ukulele

2011-10-16T23:59:00.003-05:00

Some Kid Nails Girl From Ipanema on a Uke

2011-10-15T01:48:00.001-05:00

Apple MacIntosh Demonstration by Mr. Jobs

2011-10-13T05:00:00.002-05:00

We're all familiar with Apples presentations by Steve Jobs in front of a black background when he introduces new devices. Well, here's the very first one. The MacIntosh. The personal computer. The crowd of 3000 goes berserk for his little machine.

Dimebag's Wife, Rita

2011-10-12T21:33:00.006-05:00

I saw Rita and her naked cat this summer at Mayhem Fest!

Cupcake Song 58 Millions Views

2011-10-12T20:22:00.002-05:00

Why We Love Computers

2011-10-12T07:50:00.003-05:00

Jake in Bloomington, IL

2011-10-11T20:55:00.000-05:00

Just scored info and ticket to see Jake, arguably the best ukulele player in the entire world, in Bloomington, IL in November.

Cheers!