Soul of Lee's Basement ( #BOTB )

     When my family first went to Maryville Tennessee I figured it was more like a vacation except that my father had to go to work every day.  It was a vacation for the rest of us though.  My parents and four siblings were staying in our travel trailer parked at a mobile home park.  Each day after my father went to work, my mother took the rest of us to some nearby tourist attraction--and there were many!  We all fell in love with the area.  By  mid-August it was decided that we would move here.  My parents put our Indiana house up for sale and by September we were settled in our new home in East Tennessee.

     The house we decided on was a nice sized recently built brick house on a very large lot. Of particular appeal to all of us was the large finished half basement that had a large open area with a fireplace, a sort of alcove with small closet, and a laundry room with a bathroom.  My father saw a good space for practicing our juggling act.  I envisioned a retreat where I could listen to music.  There was something for everyone, but I felt like it was mostly my domain.  Eventually those in my circle of friends would call it Lee's Basement.

       When our family made the move to Maryville, my record collection was likely not much more than 20 records if that many.  I treasured each and every one of them and played them often.  My sister also had her records, but she didn't take collecting as serious as I did.  My records were usually in better shape than hers and always inside their proper dustcovers. I occasionally listened to her records and enjoyed them, but we had distinct inclinations to like different types of music.

        Each Christmas my mother would take an album wish list from each of us and that would be another 20 or so albums in the house.  There would be my Kinks album versus her Bobby Vinton or my Beach Boys against her Diane Renay (anyone remember her?  "Navy Blue"?).  When she got over Beatlemania and stopped being interested in Beatles records is when they caught my attention an I started listening.

        My sister had her music and I had mine even though I really did like a lot of what she was listening to.  I like music and that's why I do this thing...

       

Battle of the Bands

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and now hosted by StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   This event happens each month on the 15th and on some there is also a Battle on the 1st of the month.  My blog is one of those with a second Battle excepting over these summer months.   The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.

A Little Bit of Soul

       Both my sister and I leaned heavily in the direction of the rock or pop genres, but some of the R & B groups caught our attention.  We both started listening to the Motown artists, but Joy had already been a fan of the NYC group Little Anthony and the Imperials for a couple years.  I also liked their hits that were often played on the Chicago station we listened to when we were still in Northern Indiana.  Joy probably liked having their songs as a background to young teenage angst.  I just liked their sound, but I could understand how some of their songs could set a mood for reflection or whatever.

      The Four Tops had released several hits before they really registered with me, but soon they caught my attention with their edgier sound.  They seemed more like a group for action rather than reflection and being moody.  Of course Joy liked those Four Tops songs, but I'm pretty sure she would have rather listened to Little Anthony if the choice were hers for music to set her mood and I think that would be the case even now. 

        Has my musical tasted changed over the years as I've become older and more reflective?  Back in the late sixties in my basement, my go to music would have been Four Tops over Little Anthony.  Where am I now?  That's not only for you to find out when I post my results for this Battle, but also for you to decide which you prefer.  Listen and remember.  And then, please vote...

       

Little Anthony & the Imperials   "Hurt So Bad"  (1964)

Four Tops   "Reach Out I'll Be There"  (1966)

Time to Vote!

           Do these songs bring back memories for you?  Which do you like best?.  Just listen and have fun.  Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind.  You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

        Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours. I don't know if anyone else will be doing a Battle this time around, but you can still check out these sites.


Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Stine Writing

Results coming on Monday October 9th

Just Thinking As We Approach Year's End (déjà vu)

This is a re-post from my currently inactive memoir blog Wrote By Rote.  This post first appeared on December 31, 2011.   





Winds of Change Without Awareness--A New Year's Eve Once Upon a Time

                                                             Image via Wikipedia

I try to remember but I can't. It's the exact year that I don't remember, or most of the details of that evening. I do know it was New Year's Eve.

I was married to my second wife, Susan, at the time. We were in Tennessee at my parents' house. This is where we typically spent New Year's Eve. It was the more happening place between going to Richmond, Virginia, where her parents lived, and being with my family, who were the more fun party people.

My father was still alive at the time, our kids were still babies, and my wife and I were still in our thirties. The house was aglow with lights and music and chatter and laughter as the festivities pressed on toward the turning over of one year to the next. Everyone was having a grand time.

At one point Susan and I decided to go out into the dark quiet of the night to take a break from the activity in the house. It was unseasonably warm that end of December night. Strangely and unseasonably warm--more like a summer night, but with the crisp dryness of autumn.

In silence, we strolled into the expansive back yard to a point that was about fifty yards from the house and sat down side by side in the desiccated winter grass. Wordless, we smoked a joint under a cloudless starry sky and basked in the comforting balminess of the evening breeze. Gazing upon the big house with lights in every window silhouetted against the black night sky, I slipped into a meditation.

Here from where we sat in the back yard, the lights, the house, the people seemed so far away, and it was only Susan and I with our life together beautiful and filled with so much promise. A feeling of serenity and security enveloped me as I clutched Susan's hand. I felt that now was forever and this moment would have no end.

Then a whoosh of warm wind swept over us and I felt exhilarated. With a deep breath I leaned forward to breathe in the moment. It was only Susan and I. Our world was perfect. A mental image of a distant future filled my mind--a place peaceful and beautiful where my wife and I would grow older together and watch our grandchildren grow and we would fade into the twilight years happy with the satisfaction of dreams fulfilled.

That was then, one moment on a New Year's Eve many years ago. Not too many years after that night it ended. Things changed and became different. I'm not even sure what happened or why it happened, but only that it did happen. Susan left and what we had was over. Any dreams she had once had about us were simply shrugged off as she moved on, leaving me to shoulder the burdens of memory and the confusion of questioning why things had come to the point they had reached.

It was one New Year's Eve when things were weirdly warm and sublimely wonderful. It was only an illusion--my personal illusion I guess. The winds bring change that we don't even realize, things we don't understand even after they've blown past us. Life sweeps us forward to where the next adventure awaits. There is time for memories, but no real time for memories. The memories are only illusion.

A new year is a new year and an old year is an old year and all of the years just blend together. Our minds capture certain memories isolated without reference other than the years that came before and the years that followed, whichever those years might have been. And even then we sometimes don't know which years or why.

Capture this moment in time. Savor it and breathe it in deeply. This is the last time you will ever be here.

            Have you ever been swept by a magical wind?   When your expectations aren't fulfilled do you accept your circumstances with a shrug or clenched fists?   How much has your life changed in the past seven years?

Yearly Events (#atozchallenge)

         We are about to wrap up the eighth annual Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.  It's pretty cool to realize that the A to Z Challenge can now be considered a "yearly event"!




Yearly Events

         Many families as well as communities have their own special celebrations to commemorate milestones that are especially significant to them.  Throughout the United States one can find events and gatherings in honor of something that people want to remember.  Countless festivals and fairs occur throughout the year in towns, neighborhoods, or even city or statewide.  These are aside from the holiday events that are celebrated nationwide.

           For years in my former hometown of Maryville, Tennessee there was a yearly celebration known as Hillbilly Homecoming that was popular with locals and out-of-towners alike.  This event apparently lost favor as something that negatively stigmatized the community even though thousands enjoyed those few days celebrated every year.

           Other cities have latched on to events that generate revenue that benefits many businesses and individuals as well while showing a good time to many.  There are street fairs, arts festivals, and so many other celebrations that have retained a popularity that keeps people coming back year after year.

             This weekend brings to an end another yearly event--The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.   From the way bloggers keep coming back to participate and to read it looks like this event might keep going for years to come.

              Another yearly tradition that is part of the A to Z Challenge is the A to Z Reflections Posts where many participants return with a post telling about their April experience.  This year the Reflections Post day will officially be on Monday May 8th.   There will be more information about this at the A to Z Blog on Monday May 1st.  

            Does your family celebrate any yearly traditions?   What are some of the yearly events in the community where you live?   Do you see any value in having yearly events?  

Yippee-Ki-Yay! Another Flash Back Friday!

      The Western genre has never ridden off into the sunset never to return.  Though not regaining the popularity that it may have experienced prior to about 1965 or so, throughout the years Western films have continued to reemerge intermittently with mixed reactions from the public.

       Recently I watched a 1941 Western called Six-Gun Gold which starred Tim Holt.   I haven't seen many films starring Holt, but I really enjoyed his performance in the classic film The Treasure of  the Sierra Madre which if you've never seen I would highly recommend.   This all got me thinking back to a blog post that I did several years ago which in turn provides me for my September post for Flashback Friday...

     

    
        IT'S FLASHBACK FRIDAY - A TIME OF THE MONTH WHERE YOU CAN REPUBLISH AN OLD POST OF YOURS THAT MAYBE DIDN'T GET ENOUGH ATTENTION, OR THAT YOU'RE REALLY PROUD OF, OR YOU THINK IS STILL RELEVANT ETC. THIS BLOG-GO-ROUND IS HOSTED BY MICHAEL G D'AGOSTINO FROM A LIFE EXAMINED--THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL FIND THE REST OF THE PARTICIPANTS OR TO JOIN UP YOURSELF.

THE POST I'VE CHOSEN FOR THIS MONTH FIRST APPEARED ON TOSSING IT OUT ON Wednesday, March 10, 2010. TO SEE THE ORIGINAL COMMENTS TO THAT POST YOU CAN CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO BE TAKEN TO THE ORIGINAL POST...

No Country Music For Old Men

            My father used to tell me stories about how when he was a kid he and his friends would go to the movie theatre on a Saturday and, for a nickel or a dime, spend the afternoon watching cowboy movies.  He might have mentioned the stars of these movies, but if he did the names never really registered with me. 

         I had grown up with Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers, and Gene Autry-- the cowboys that were on early television. Then later I might have watched Wagon Train, Gunsmoke, or Bat Masterson.  The cowboy stars of my father's day had fallen out of favor in the early network television days and had been replaced with the new guys in town.

          When my dad heard that Colonel Tim McCoy was coming to town with the Tommy Scott Caravan and Wild West Show, he was enthused about it.  I was not able to share his enthusiasm because I wasn't familiar with Tim McCoy and even after my father told me who Tim McCoy was I was not very interested.

         Tommy Scott's Wild West and Medicine Show, as it was also known, passed through Maryville, Tennessee every year and would play in the old armory building in Alcoa, which is a city which borders Maryville.  Each year I would go with my parents to see the show.  In one sense I feigned interest in these shows, though on the other hand my love of show business couldn't keep me away.  Since our family was known in the entertainment business we would be always be welcomed to visit the show and spend time with the entertainers.

          The show was mostly country music interspersed with cornball comedy skits and variety acts. Tommy Scott's show was very much like Hee-Haw, the country comedy TV variety show that was popular at the time, except Tommy Scott had been doing it long before the television show had ever aired.  The highlight of Scott's show would be the headliner, who this year was Colonel Tim McCoy.  He would come out and talk about being a cowboy and present his expertise at fast-draw and gun slinging and then give a demonstration of his skills using a bullwhip.

         After the show, my parents and I visited with the performers and met Tim McCoy. Neatly dressed in a black cowboy outfit, he was a very polite man in his seventies.  His demeanor was dignified and robust.  He seemed like a real gentleman cowboy.  He seemed more than willing to be engaged in conversation and I suppose my father spoke to him a bit, but I wasn't paying attention to what was said.  My curiosity about the show and it's folk had been satisfied and I was ready to get on my way.

         Now I look back wishing I had tried to establish some kind of relationship with this elegant, legendary cowboy star.  This man is a genuine American legend.  He had ties with the real West and actually was a real cowboy before he went to Hollywood.  He had an actual working relationship with Indian tribal leaders and had gained their respect.  He had actually been a Colonel in the U.S. Army.  He was once a marquee idol and has a star on Hollywood Boulevard.  His wife had been at one time associated with Adolf Hitler and John F. Kennedy.  The man had an extraordinary history and hundreds of stories to tell and now toured the country with a country music circus and I didn't even ask for an autograph.

        

             For that matter Ramblin' "Doc" Tommy Scott came to town every year and I passed him off as some country yokel who put a silly old time medicine show together.  Actually he is a figure of country music history who wrote many songs and was an entertainer, recording artist, television personality, and author.  His show was a springboard for future talents as well as a forum for nearly forgotten stars like Johnny Mack Brown, Clyde Moody, Gabby Hayes, and many others.  He was a man who respected legendary talent because he was one of them.  To see an early Tommy Scott performance check out his  She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain  video on YouTube.  If you remember Hee-Haw I think you'll see the influence from this video that is probably from the late 40s or early 50s.  Why didn't I get to know Tommy Scott?  I was around him every year.

         So perhaps I'll blame my indifference on my youth--I was in my early twenties at this time.  But what excuse do I use when I was in my late thirties and early forties and was around Lash La Rue on many occasions.  Lash La Rue was working with the company that owned the show I managed at that time and on several occasions I was right there working side by side with him.  Somehow I guess I was thinking he was just some weird old guy that my boss was helping out.  Now that I'll never have an opportunity to be around Lash La Rue again I realize that Lash was once a huge cowboy star famous for his skills with a bullwhip.  He's the one who trained Harrison Ford for the Indiana Jones role.  He was also a poet and a wonderfully witty raconteur.  And yet at the events I attended where he was speaking I essentially ignored him, absorbed with my own thoughts.   Couldn't I have just listened for a short while? 

          There have been so many lost opportunities.  I think back once again to that Tommy Scott show passing through town --every one of the entertainers with stories to tell and with talents to exhibit.  And like any one of the other faceless members of the audience I sat dutifully through the program and soon forgot what I saw.  Except I had the opportunity that most of them did not have --I was able to meet with the performers and spend time with them.  I could actually visit with a cowboy star like Sunset "Kit" Carson and shake his hand.  But I squandered my opportunities. Sunset rode off into the sunset and I didn't even say so much as good-bye.

           Cowboy stars were once heroes to Americans, and they sometimes were literally real life heroes.  Do we have any real celebrity heroes now and who are they?  Who were your heroes when you were a kid?  As you look back were they really heroes and what did they do to deserve that label?  

        Check out my current post at the A to Z Challenge Blog for some more information about blogging events such as Flashback Friday.   Also tomorrow I'll be presenting my next Battle of the Bands installment.  It will be the start of a pre-election BOTB series, but don't worry--I'll try not to be overly provocative or antagonizing about the subject.   Of course, you never can tell what the comment section might bring.   Be there to vote on your favorite version of a song that I'm using to start a conversation about political elections in general.   

Tail of the Dragon

        Riding the Dragon can be a pretty harrowing experience, yet each year thousands of bikers flock to this stretch of two-lane Highway 129 that winds along the border of the Great Smoky Mountains between Tennessee and North Carolina.   

The embayment of Hazel Creek along the Little Tennessee River (Fontana Lake) in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, located in the Southeastern United States. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Riding the Dragon

        Here's a short overview video of some highlights of the ride on The Dragon.  For best effect view full screen.



        The 11 mile stretch of 318 curves has become a well-known lure for motorcycle and sports car enthusiasts throughout the U.S.    This piece of highway is part of U.S. route 129 passing through Deals Gap along the border of the Smokey Mountains National Park.   The scenery is spectacular and the ride can be pretty scary, especially on those days when the bikers are out in force taking the curves like madmen.   During the summer almost every day is one of those days.

         I've driven this route numerous times over the past many years so I'm familiar with the ride, but the thrill never dissipates no matter how often I drive it.   My trips have always been in an enclosed vehicle so I never drive as fast as the bikers do.   Those motorcyclists will ride your rear end until they find an opening to pass.   Even though I feel more safe and secure in my vehicle, having a biker flying past from behind or from the opposite direction can be a tense sensation.   More than once have I seen a biker who has gone down for one reason or another.  Indeed, so many accidents occur on this stretch of road that the Blount County Rescue Squad maintains a presence in the ready during summer week-ends.  Fortunately most of the accidents are relatively minor, but death and serious injury is no stranger to many who have taken a tumble on their rides.

         During my vacation I drove the stretch twice.  The first trip was southbound to Fontana Dam, then on to Cherokee, NC and up through the Smokey Mountain Park to return home.  On the second trip I drove a group of family members down to Blue Ridge, GA, then over to Murphy, NC, and finally up through the Dragon during the sunset hours.  Either direction you go it's twenty minutes or so of thrilling driving or riding.

          With so many travelers going this route, photo concessions are set up at a number of places along the way so visitors can get a souvenir shot of their vehicles or motorcycles on the road.  To follow are some links where you can see my van as I pass by the various photographers.  If you go to the linked photo you can click on the arrows at the sides to see other shots of my van in action.

X-treme Sports Photography


KillBoy Photos


Moonshine Photo


     Whether you are a fan of extreme sport driving or just enjoy mountain roads in a beautiful setting, this route is a destination that you might want to think about driving if you're going to be in the Great Smokey Mountain National Park area.  There is plenty in the area to keep you busy for a vacation whether it be for a few days or a few weeks.   Highly recommended.


The Dragon From the Biker's View

      If you're interested in the full Dragon ride experience,  here's a GoPro video from a biker's perspective.   Those who experience motion sickness might want to avoid this video.   But if you like those virtual reality amusement park rides then this might be entertainment you'll enjoy.  For full effect, crank up the sound and watch full screen--the bigger the screen, the better the effect.  If you want more views of Dragon riding, there are hundreds of videos about this to be found on YouTube.

Try this one first...




         Did  you enjoy the ride?   What is the most thrilling road that you've ever been on?   Have you been on this road through Deals Gap (the Dragon)?     Do you tend to get carsick?

Related articles

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• Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Ask Arlee: Answering Some Questions

English: Rear of the Clover Hill Mill in Maryville, Tennessee, USA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

   
      Today I'm going to answer some questions posed at L.D. Masterson's blog L.D. Masterson.  It was all part of an award, but I left the award at her blog since I already got one of those some time back.  But I'll answer the questions to fill up my space today.

        The problem here is the questions are about favorites.  I usually have a tough time playing favorites because the choice can often depend on time, place, occasion, or whatever.  Ask me a favorite and I'll come up with a list.  My favorite today may be different tomorrow or next week.  I'll play along by naming what comes to mind first or what I'm leaning toward for the moment.

1. Favorite color --Blue.  No green.  Wait--blue.  Green.  Blue green?

2. Favorite animal--Elephant.  I used to like to draw elephants when I was a kid and I thought I did a pretty good job at that.

3. Favorite number-- 7

4. Favorite non-alcoholic drink--Chocolate milk.  Yeah, that's healthy.  I have gotten better than I used to be at drinking more water.

5. Favorite alcoholic drink--Brandy mixed with Grand Marnier

6. Facebook or Twitter?--I use Twitter the most, but I find Facebook to be more interesting and functional.  

7. Passions--Writing, music, movies.

8. Prefer getting or giving presents?--I hate shopping but I enjoy making people happy by giving them something they like.

9. Favorite City--I could probably live just about anywhere because I can usually find something good about wherever I am.   In the U.S. I'd probably opt for Maryville, Tennessee.  Outside the U.S. borders I am mighty partial towards the Canadian city of Toronto--I've always loved being there.

10. Favorite TV Shows--I tend to prefer the classics I grew up with like "Twilight Zone", "The Ed Sullivan Show", or "The Jack Benny Show".   I have a post planned about television and I'll have more to say about modern TV at that time.

         Do you think posts like this are just trivial space fillers?   Do you have a hard time playing favorites?   Do you want to share any of your own answers (here or on your own blog if you need to fill some space)?   Do you have any new questions for future ASK ARLEE posts?

Related articles

• Profiles of Murder receives the Peer Blogger Award from Chick Swagger
• Difficult interview questions and answers
• Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.

Sweet Ride Home

   

           For starters you might want to first head over to DiscConnected and click on the "Sweet Ride" video for some background music to accompany this blog post.  And while you're there say hi to my ol' pal Larry Cavanaugh.  He's got a great blog that's a great place to hear good music new and old.

            So now you got the music playing and I can tell you what's happening with me.  I'm heading back home to Tennessee again.  This year is the most times I've gone back to Tennessee in the same twelve month span.  This time is just another visit and not a relocation.  I'll be back in Los Angeles in time for the BlogWorld Expo.  I wouldn't want to miss that.

            I'll be driving a rental truck from Phoenix, AZ to Maryville, TN as I help my sister move back to be closer to family.  I've lost count of the number of times I've driven across country, but it's always been enjoyable to me.  The difference this time is that I'll be driving by myself as my two sisters follow in a car.

           As long as I'm able to stop whenever I need to and take a break from driving, I should be fine.  I do pretty well at long distance driving.  Usually I'm in a car with my wife and a good stereo.  I'll miss that part.  But driving alone in a truck that will probably be noisier and slower than my wife's car may actually have some benefits that I can take advantage of.

           For one thing I can plan out blog posts for the future.  I often do this even while driving short distances around town.  With eighteen hundred miles and three full days of driving I should be able to plan out blog posts for the next couple of years or so.  I'll keep a notebook in the truck cab with me so I can jot down my ideas when I take my breaks.  Now with five blogs under my name I'd better be doing some planning.

          Then considering that NaNoWriMo will be starting up shortly after I get back home, some of my thoughts will undoubtedly be drifting in that direction.  In my past two NaNo attempts I didn't start planning anything until the first day of the novel writing challenge.   I was considering taking this same approach this year, but now it looks like I may have a very busy November waiting for me and planning the novel ahead of time might be a helpful strategy.

          Another thing that I know will be on my mind as I'm driving is my BlogWorld Expo mission.  I will want to plan out a strategy of which booths I will want to visit the most and what I will want to learn.   Just a few days after I get back to Los Angeles, I will be facing what will possibly be one of the most intense opportunities for learning as much as I can in two days that I've ever experienced.  Getting psyched up for this event will require good planning if I want to get the most out of it.

         There will be no shortage of things to think about as I drive across country--my life, my job prospects, my family's future.   If I need to rest my brain and let someone else think for me I guess I'll always have the radio.  Unfortunately I won't have any mobile devices like a CD player or an I-pod, so that won't be an option, but I don't think I'll be lacking in things to keep my mind occupied.  Then of course, I should probably pay attention to driving some of the time.

          By now, if you were listening to the "Sweet Ride" song on Larry's DiscConnected blog, the song has probably ended.  If you weren't, maybe you can still hop over to his site and say hello to him.   I guess I'm thinking about Larry because he lives in Phoenix and I'll be in and out of town in such a flurry I won't have time to meet up with him

          For that matter I'd say anyone who lives along Interstate 40 between Holbrook, Arizona and Knoxville, Tennessee could stand along the roadside between today (Friday) and Sunday night and wave as I drive by in the rental truck.  Of course since I don't know exactly where I'll be at what time then that won't be very practical.  But if you do happen to see a rental truck rolling down that highway, just think of me.  Think of me anyway as I take my sweet ride home.

          Have you ever made a cross country move?    Did you rent a truck and move yourself?   Have you gotten to know my buddy Larry at Disconnected yet?


..

 

Juggling Jacksons

A Brief History of The Juggling Jacksons

1950s


                 When my dad, Bob Jackson, met my mother, Lois Kay Trevillian, he was a juggler and she was a dancer.  They got married and while my mother was pregnant with me she learned to juggle.

          They worked long hours in rehearsing a juggling act until they finally put together a fast-paced act they called The Juggling Jacksons.  The act became a popular fixture in nightclubs, at conventions, and in other show venues in the early to latter 1950s around the Cleveland, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania areas.


1960s

         After four more children and moves to San Diego, California and the Chicagoland area of Northern Indiana, the kids were added to The Juggling Jacksons in what my father used to call "The Big Act".  It was a fast paced act that incorporated intricate juggling patterns.

         This new larger Juggling Jacksons act began playing numerous fairs, circuses, corporate parties, and other shows throughout the Midwestern United States.   Then Bob's day job transferred him and his family to the quaint town of Maryville in East Tennessee.

              The "Big Act" was sharpened up and often performed as a self-contained show throughout Tennessee, Kentucky, the Carolinas, and other Southern states.   The Juggling Jacksons continued to perform for several years until the kids started moving on into adulthood.  Bob and Lois continued to perform--again as a two person act--into the 1980s.

Mid 1970s til Now

           And me?  After a few years at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, I went on as a solo act in the Ken Griffin Magic Show in 1975.   For the next sixteen years, I toured the country with various shows often as a juggler, but mostly as a show manager.  In my juggling act I was billed as "The Juggling Jackson".

            So if you were wondering about the picture in the header of the blog, this is a brief account of how it came about.  And my blog title Tossing It Out?    It was my juggling metaphor for tossing out ideas to readers and juggling words and phrases.  Do I still juggle?  Not often, but I still can--it's just like riding a bicycle.




*******

Burritos and Buttermilk

              On Monday I decided that for lunch I was going to eat one of the two Tina's frozen burritos that had been in the freezer for a couple of months.   These burrito's are really not that great, but they are cheap and easy to zap in the microwave for a simple thought-free meal.  They are passable, but I'd probably rather have a fast food burrito like Taco Bell.   But for those one person meals or for busy mothers feeding teenagers who have no taste for fine food, Tina's burritos fill the bill.

          As soon as I decided on lunch I immediately thought of buttermilk.  Where this came from I have no idea, but it just seemed like the right accompaniment for the frozen soy product-filled frozen tubes that Tina made.  I started craving buttermilk and when I get a craving for something I have to satisfy the craving so it will go away.  I needed some groceries anyway, so I went to the market.  Since the half gallon size of buttermilk was the far better deal, that's the one I got.   Now I could plan on several days of drinking buttermilk.

      I was first introduced to buttermilk by my friend Fred Tilson.  Some of you may remember me talking about my friend Fred from back in Maryville, Tennessee.  He was a good ol' country boy with a rebel heart and he was one of the best rhythm guitar players I ever heard.  When I moved to Tennessee in the summer of 1966, Fred was among my first friends.  I had come there from the Northern Indiana part of Chicagoland and this new culture was quite alien to me.

        Fred introduced me to a lot of foods to which I was not accustomed.   We never had biscuits or gravy for breakfast when I was growing up.  I was especially intrigued by Fred's description of Red-eye Gravy like his father made.  He made it in a cast iron skillet with country ham drippings, coffee grounds, and a cup of strong coffee.   Sounded weird to me, but I was curious.  Since I have always liked anchovies on pizza and salty things in general, I loved the salty country ham.   Now, biscuits and sausage gravy or country ham biscuits are two of my breakfast favorites.

             Gravy and country ham seemed like pretty normal fare, but when Fred started talking about drinking buttermilk I was a bit more dubious.  Of course, I was familiar with buttermilk, but I thought it was something you used for cooking and not for drinking straight.  Fred was insistent.  He told me how he liked to drink it with cornbread or potato chips crumbled into it.  There was nothing like it for a hot summer day refresher.  That's what Fred said with great enthusiasm, but I was not convinced.

            Then one lazy warm summer afternoon I was over at Fred's house and he poured himself a glass a buttermilk.   He insisted I try some and poured some of the yellowish dairy sludge into a glass for me.  I'd seen milk that looked like that before and it meant the milk had gone bad.  I sniffed the substance in my glass.  It smelled like milk gone bad.  I didn't think that it was a good idea to drink it, but there was Fred gulping away.

           Warily, I took a sip.  This was rancid spoiled milk--it was absolutely gross.   Fred egged me on to drink more.  I took another taste and gagged.  This was not something that I was able to stomach.  And there sat Fred across from me finishing off his glass of buttermilk and then settling back looking satisfied with a thick buttermilk mustache.  I didn't know how he could enjoy this stuff, but he obviously liked it a great deal.

            After that I would sometimes tease Fred about his buttermilk.  He didn't seem to drink it that often, but apparently sometimes he would get a craving for it and down a glass or even a whole quart carton.  I would shake my head as I wondered how he could drink the awful stuff.  I had no interest in trying it again.

           Years later something odd happened.   I began to want some buttermilk.  By this time I had seen many other people drinking and enjoying buttermilk and I thought that maybe I should give it another try. Now in my thirties, I had tried many different foods that I would have never touched in my teenage years and buttermilk began to sound interesting to me.   I bought a quart, took it home, and poured a big glass, liberally seasoning it with salt and pepper.  Cautiously, I tasted it.  It still seemed kind of rancid, but the salt and pepper helped improve the taste.   While eating some fried pork rinds,  I continued to drink it until I finished it.  Actually it wasn't too bad after you got used to it.  And it made a nice accompaniment to the pork rinds.

         Since that day I have periodically had cravings for buttermilk and have picked up a quart or a half gallon that I will finish off in a few days.  It's good with cornbread or popcorn.  My favorite is drinking it along with crunchy tacos from Taco Bell.  I'll get buttermilk every three months or so--I don't drink it with great frequency, but I sometimes get a craving.  I don't know how good it is for me, but I'm sure it's probably fattening so it's better that I don't drink too much.

         I'm not sure why those Tina's Burritos would have made me crave buttermilk.  It was just one of those things that seemed to come to me from out of nowhere.  Maybe it was a message from Fred.  I'm sure if Fred would have been eating those burritos he would have been drinking beer with them.  I don't know if he would be eating those burritos anyway.

          And so I raise a glass of buttermilk to Fred.   "Here's to trying new things and letting them grow on you."  

         Is there any food that you hated at first, but you eventually developed a taste for?    What's your opinion of buttermilk as a beverage?     Do you have a favorite way of drinking it?    Or do you equate buttermilk with spoiled, curdled milk like I used to?



                                                       *****

Longhorn Steakhouse and Cheddar's

        When traveling, my wife and I tend to mostly eat in restaurants or get take out food.   Our Christmas vacation was no exception.  We had a few quite good meals and a lot of fast food.  Today I want to give a review of sorts of a couple of the standout restaurants.  This is not a comprehensive review by any means, but a short look at our experiences with these two establishments.

          On Wednesday December 22 my daughter Emilee treated us to dinner at the Longhorn Steakhouse in Lakewood, New Jersey.  The place was nearly full when we arrived at about six in the evening, but we were seated immediately.  The service was quick, efficient, and attentive.

            I ordered a 7 oz filet that was served with very tasty honey wheat bread, salad, and steamed vegetables.  The steak was perfectly prepared and melt in your mouth tender.  The seasoning was very savory.  This was one of the better steaks I've eaten.  The vegetables had the right amount of crispness and an excellent flavor.  At $18.79 this meal was in line with other restaurants of this caliber.  The serving was adequate.  I ate every bite and was well satisfied.

            My wife ordered a Grilled Chicken & Strawberry Salad.  This salad was a huge delightfully presented mixture of grilled chicken breast served over mixed field greens with strawberries, grapes, mandarin oranges, candied pecans, red onion, feta, and raspberry vinaigrette.   She loved it, but was not able to finish it because it was so big.   At $11.99 I'd say this was a good deal for a high quality salad like this.  Too bad they don't offer a half size version for half the price for smaller appetites.  This of course is something I would say about many restaurant meals.

            The restaurant is clean with pleasant western-style decor and well lit, which makes it conducive for family or business dining.  Perhaps not the environment for a romantic dining experience, but this is the kind of place I would prefer to go for the business of getting something good to eat for a price that won't make you feel a big void in your wallet.

           I was looking forward to trying one of these restaurants again, but alas they are only located in the eastern U.S.   I'll have to wait until next Christmas I guess, or whenever it is I'm back east again.

  

                A few days later we were visiting family in Maryville, Tennessee.  On the Tuesday following Christmas we decided on a family dinner at Cheddar's Restaurant in sister city Alcoa, Tennessee.  I'd been hearing about this place from my mother, but I'd never seen one.  As we started passing through urban areas on our trip we began to see many of these restaurants.  Cheddar's has its greatest concentration in some middle America and southeastern states.

             It's a family oriented chain that offers home-cooking with a gourmet touch.   I'd been told about how busy these restaurants get and I believed it everytime we'd passed a location during business hours and saw the full parking lots.  Our family dinner was set for 4 P.M. hoping we'd beat the crowds.  We still had to wait--the place was packed.  However our wait was only about fifteen minutes and once seated the waitress was very accommodating to our needs.

            The food was quite good-tasting and seemed of excellent quality.  My wife ordered a lemon-pepper chicken breast for $7.99 and I had tilapia in a mango salsa.  Both meals came with two sides with a fine selection from which to choose.  My sides were carrots and cole slaw.  Everybody had a healthy portion and no one went home hungry.  The price is right at Cheddar's and it's easy to see why the place is so popular.

            Have any of you eaten at either of these restaurants?  What's your opinion?   What have you heard from others?