To thine own self be true

A chance for Trudeau to physically play with his hair while among the other members and to utter ‘thoughtful’, uh-uh pontifications in front of the media cameras.

Well, certainly, there is much on this blog that reveals who and what I am and have been. The many likes, dislikes, experiences, special moments, epiphanies, reflections, pleasures, memories, venerations, appreciations, inspirations, valued connections, sources, hindsights, loves, etc. of a unique, rich life so far.

If anyone wishes to really know, understand, and appreciate who or what I am, the evidence is fairly represented here, apart from actually meeting me and experiencing me in person.

like waking up at leisure between clean sheets on a proper bed, looking at the time on a clock, taking in all the aspects of a private bedroom, casually flicking on light switches for more light, running taps for water to take our pills and wash up first thing on rising.

As elsewhere, for centuries, many other people wake up on the ground or in a crude cot being bothered by insects or animal noises, seeing nothing but maybe a shack, relieve themselves outdoors, wander over to a well or river to draw some water for drink and breakfast. No nice dwellings, light switches, running water, modern conveniences, delivered newspapers, cable tv, or fancy phones with messages from afar.

These different contexts so unique and vastly different, reflecting diverse lifestyles and daily realities. So much that people fortunate to be living in the West never think about and take for granted, even complaining when our conveniences minorly give us ‘problems’.

(a scrumptious room-service brekkie in Victoria)

and how many specific ones do I recall? Certainly there are sense memories like the smell of toast, especially burnt toast. And the sound of kettles boiling and toast popping, fridges opening and closing.
If I try, without effort, to recall a specific trip breakfast like the one in Golden a few years back, I can recall the way everything looked on my plate: the bacon, the toast, the eggs, and maybe a garnish.
But others, no. Maybe the experience of a 5-year-old opening a small box of Frosted Flakes to eat out of the box, trying not to spill the milk over the edges.
Specific memories? Few.
Sense impressions? Long layered from many experiences. Who does not remember the smell of fresh coffee and just-popped toast?

How many dogs at home watched Westminster Dog Show on tv?

I am very impressed by Newman’s munificent contributions to charity via his salad dressing sales. He was a fine actor, too. The Verdict and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid may have been his best work.

Branagh is the Olivier of our age. His Henry V was a veritable home run and his version of Hamlet includes all the lines of the play and featured many famous actors in cameos, even for the bit parts. If you haven’t seen his Macbeth, filmed in a UK church, then you haven’t seen one of his best Shakespeares.

Ustinov signed this to a tv hostess and added a rare caricature of himself. Ustinov, Peter Sellers, and Jonathan Winters are the funniest guys who were in the media many years.

Poitier has been a favorite of mine since Blackboard Jungle, Slender Thread, A Patch of Blue, A Raisin in the Sun, To Sir with Love, and In the Heat of the Night. I had the privilege with some other Edmontonians to spend an evening in his company at the Jubilee in the 2010s. A true class act.

I’ve long been a Caine fan: Sleuth (original with Olivier), The Quiet American, The Man Who Would Be King, X, Y, and Zee, The Cider House Rules, Educating Rita, on and on. A great character actor and a likable man.

Tony was quite the visual artist and won two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor. Always remembered for his legendary role in Zorba the Greek. Friend of Brando’s from the Actor Studio days.

Claire is a classy actress. She was strong in movies like Charly, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, and The Haunting of Hill House.

Julie was another unique actress from Actor Studio Days. Worked with James Dean in East of Eden. She nailed Emily Dickinson in her one-woman show.

A fan of his work in Bullitt and Columbo. He actually did a dinner theatre Hamlet and later migrated to coronation Street in the U.K. where he settled.

A funny fellow who nailed Wilde (Brian Gilbert was the director). His audio recording of Wilde’s bitchy De Profundis is right-on.

The above pic was signed to my daughter when I met him at the Agricom at a pop culture convention. A nice, quiet, friendly small guy who appreciates his fans.

A treasure for me. The movie developed out of his script.

Rare. Before it became a movie, this play opened at a dinner theatre with Patty Duke and Anne Bancroft also in the lead roles. Also signed by Patricia Neal and director Arthur Penn.

Redford, Hoffman, Jason Robards and Hal Holbrook were great in the movie version. This is the classic book cosigned by Woodward and Bernstein (rare) which led to the excellent Academy-Award-winning movie.

Robert Bloch wrote one of the great scripts of all time. He dedicated this edition to his niece in Winnipeg.

Beautiful film created largely by director Scorcese and writer Cocks.

Signed Robert Altman is hard to get. One of my favorite unconventional directors: Gosford Park, Nashville, Short Cuts, The Player.

He hired and influenced ‘everyone’ including Scorcese, Coppola, Howard, Nicholson and many more. His own schlock Poe film series is legendary. A nice guy.

Dog Day Afternoon, 12 Angry Men, Network, The Verdict. A major director.

Stoppard is a witty, intelligent playwright, screenplay writer, and director of the film version of his classic spoof of Hamlet.

In 1951, the Norwegian adventurer Heyerdahl’s film won the Academy Award documentary category. A classic black and white film tracing his trip.

The two famous movie critics from tv. Interesting, thoughtful guys who raised film consciousness in viewers everywhere. Both long gone now.

My favorite Canadian director. Many hits including Fiddler on the Roof and The Thomas Crown Affair. The letter was written after In the Heat of the Night‘s Oscar wins.

A Canadian animated film creator who was successful and popular way before this field opened up. He won an AA for “Neighbors”, his clever satire about two neighbors who kill each other!

Guy Maddin made the internationally-acclaimed film about Winnipeg. This scarce book also contains the DVD.

Aaron Sorenson is a teacher who became an Albertan filmmaker.  When I worked at Alberta Film Classification, I got to know him from a preview he put on there.

A Canadian stay-at-home staple who was in Alice Munro’s/Sarah Polley’s excellent Away from Her  with Julie Christie.

Ray Davies of The Kinks. Seeing Ray at Winspear, row 1, was a privilege. He played all their hits.

I grew up in Winnipeg going to high school dances seeing Chad (“Shakin’ All Over”) before he left and the band became The Guess Who. He sent this to me, personally, in the 2000s.

So many famous women folk singers and so little time. Met Suzanne at the Arden in St. Albert.

I was a long-time fan since her Wildflowers album and after seeing her live at U of M in 1968 after “Both Sides Now” came out. The most beautiful voice of all the female folk singers.

What a slice to meet Janis; she was surprisingly diminutive and kindly signed a Between the Lines album to ‘Richard’ after her fabulous concert. An excellent songwriter with a nice catalogue.

Sang at the famous Washington March of Dr. King. Helped launch Dylan’s stage career and was involved in innumerable causes. Both her voices (early and late) are memorable. Saw her at Winspear, touring with her son. A must-see recently honored by the Kennedy Centre.

A Canadian and Albertan Legend going back to Ian and Sylvia folk days. Saw Ian (and Sylvia) several times. Great live shows. Their raw, full-throttle a cappella songs drove shivers up the spine!

My first and favorite folk group, though Peter, Paul, and Mary outsold them. Bob Shane, who kept the group going with other members, recently passed; he was the last original member to go. John Stewart, also deceased, replaced Dave when he left the group–a move he always regretted.

Still goin’ strong. The top Aboriginal-Canadian performer of all time going back to the folk sixties. Writer of many hits. terrific voice. I’ve seen her in concert several times (once in row 1 @ Citadel Theatre)  and was the first person to meet her after her first show at Festival Place, Sherwood Park. Surprisingly diminutive, but beautiful, and beautifully dressed.

The front man of ’60s US group The Rascals.: “Good Lovin'”, “Groovin'”. Headed a hot band at Festival Place; we had front table seats. Still got a great voice; a consummate entertainer.

Saw at both Festival Place and Century Casino Showroom. Two originals remain. Played their many hits including “Bumble Bee” which I personally requested, which they hadn’t played in a long-time; it was a top 20 hit in Winnipeg. 

Went to 2 Zombies concerts at Century Casino Showroom. They played the entire classic Odessey and Oracle album letter-perfect and then some. “Time of the Season”, “Tell Her No”, “She’s Not There”. A personal thrill to meet keyboardist-leader Rod Argent and singer Colin Blundstone of the ‘zombie’ voice.

The first hard-rock group of all-time. Started in the ’60s with an incredible run of guitarists: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page. Saw them twice at Century Casino Showroom and met them in the dressing room after. There were still two original members left. “For Your Love”, “Heartful of Soul”, “Shapes of Things”, “Over, Under Sideways Down”, “Happenings Ten Years Time Ago” plus the original version of “Dazed and Confused”. Not to be missed.

Saw Johnny live three times; met him once @ Winspear. Nice guy, great songwriter, singer, and dancer. Died much too early. This was the album that introduced me to his music and made me a huge fan.

Always liked his early material. He was still performing until recently. Saw him @ the Edmonton Folk Festival. I still sing his “Catch the Wind” and “Sunshine Superman”.

The hottest of jazz guitarists today. Played with Steps Ahead and many others. Seen him live a few times, once @ the Winspear where I met him afterward and we talked of legendary Winnipeg guitarist Lenny Breau.

I like these guys as much as The Guess Who. They put on an incredible three-man-show. Saw them 2 x @ Century Casino Showroom and met them twice. ‘Real people’; very friendly. All the hits still sound great!

A rare signed letter from Dave Brubeck, writer of “Take Five”, the best-selling jazz single of all time. A truly nice guy as you can read. Very honest.

One of my favorite British Invasion bands was The Animals. Eric’s voice is unique and very soulful. He was performing until recently. I had the privilege of sitting at a table in front of him at the old Sidewalk Cafe in Edmonton. He has a terrific sense of humor.

The Winnipeg and Canadian Rock Legend (The Guess Who, Brave Belt, and Bachman-Turner Overdrive). Seen him about 15-20 times. Met him once @ The Yardbird Suite in Edmonton playing his jazz songs. ‘Grew up with him’, seeing and hearing him at high school and university dances.

Great voice; beautiful songs.

My favorite Canadian folk singer of all-time. Seen Bruce many times live, row 1 a couple of times. I think he’s the best folk guitarist and have long been impressed by his many songs and concerts. He signed my own textbook beside his “Wonderin’ Where the Lions Are” song lyric and once I talked with him about his memoir before it came out. Nice guy.

This was a must-have acquisition on a favorite album, for my wife.

Gord I’ve seen many times through his career up until recently. The songs speak for themselves; the most impressive song catalogue of anyone in Canada. This is a photo from his early folk days (’66-67 or so at The Riverboat in T.O).

Jimmie Rodgers was a penpal until he passed recently. He had many ’50s and ’60s hits like “Honeycomb”, “Child of Clay”, and “Bimbombey”.

Not signed, but thought to include– a rare photo of Lenny in Stanley Park, 1978, taken by David Boswell. Picked this up @ the eccentric Macleod’s Books in Vancouver.

First album I ever heard in stereo in the mid-’50s. Very impressive then and now still.

First album I ever bought (at the height of the Twist dance craze). By Joey Dee and the Starliters live.

First album by The Byrds I heard in the fall of 1967 (1st yr. u) that made me want to buy their Greatest Hits album. “Eight Miles High”, “5D”, and “Mr. Spaceman” really impressed me.

After I saw that The Kinks’ songwriter was ‘R. Davies’ and I’d heard their first three hits: “You Really Got Me,” “All Day and All Night”, and “Tired of Waiting” I was ready to buy this one. The copy shown here is actually a picture disc I also picked up half a century later.

This is an album I sought for many years and bought it in the 2000s when it was rereleased. A blues-jazz classic by the coolest and jazziest of the British Invasion bands.

From my large retro spoken word collection on LP, cassette, and CD. The above are clean and impossible to find on the Internet in such condition if one can find them at all.

Great readers, stories, and poems.