Forget how you feel about the music. They had some heavy weights writing for them (Neil Diamond, Boyce and Hart).
This was a band on top of the world at one point, for those who were around. (If you weren't, go on www.wikpedia.com and find out)
The fact is, there's been many covers of "Daydream Believer", but he owns the song. The first five albums, if my memory serves me correctly (Meet The Monkees, Monkees 2nd album, Monkees The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees.Headquarters (album), Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., ) all charted.
"Valerie"--came on the radio like a locomotive, went right to the top.
You know what's funny? I saw the re-union tour in '87 and thought they were old. Not really, all in their forties. It was two decades after their success and it seemed so distant. It was not.
It was a great tour. Gary Puckett came out and raised the roof.
The Turtles did a parody on "flashdance" (what this had to do with oldies is anyone's guess) and were hilarious.
David Jones--part of music history--whether you like it or not.
RIP.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
NEW YORK GIANTS--CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD--LIFE LESSONS
Dear Readers:
I apologize if I come off like Horatio Alger.
But wasn't it just a short time ago, that the critics and pundits were saying last rites for Coach Coughlin, Perry Fewell, and Brandon Jacobs? And what about Jerry Reese, the alleged apathetic GM, who sat through the off-season, let his starting tight end and high-volume wide receiver slip away and do nothing to replace them?
Lesson: don't judge a book by its cover
All we can do in our difficult times, is dig in, block out the distractions, keep working, and have the faith. What a concept!
That's what Couglin's predecessor, Bill Parcells, did in 1983. Had two terminally ill parents, lost Doug Kotar to cancer, had to deal with the rumors the GM was talking to Schnellenberger in Florida. In his book, Parcells posed the question, how does one deal with it? answer: you just do. He coached the team during the day, visited his parents in the hospital at night.. Al Davis told him, "just coach your god-damn team".
Worked out pretty well, dontcha think? The fact that Parcells was kept out the Hall of Fame, gives new meaning to the word "bias".
Back to Coach Coughlin. His public persona is always even. But his wife conceded that the last couple of years have been trying. No amount of $ will mitigate that. You work insane hours, obliterates quality time with your loved ones. Everyone's a Monday morning QB. We have 24/7 talk shows with those who think they can do it better.
Reminds me of a quote by the late George Burns: "it's a shame that all the people who think they can run the country are too busy cutting hair and driving hacks". Classic. Not meant to disparage barbers or livery drivers, just to hammer home the point that each of us has our own limited sphere of knowledge.
He'll never admit to it, but it hurts. Maybe not as much as someone very sensitive, but it does.
Look at Joe Frazier. One of the toughest men ever, willing and able to absorb punishment. Yet Ali's words hurt like uppercuts, qnawned at him forever, took it to his grave.
What I admire most about the coach as well as Eli Manning is their humility. Nothing against braggadocios, but I prefer those who do their talking through their actions rather than self-promotion.
Wouldn't it be great if the examples that the way both Manning and Coughlin go about their business, becomes the new paradigm?
Kudos to the Giants, Coach Coughlin and his magnificent staff. I hope that both Well Mara and Bob Tisch are looking down with Cheshire The Cat smiles on their faces.
I apologize if I come off like Horatio Alger.
But wasn't it just a short time ago, that the critics and pundits were saying last rites for Coach Coughlin, Perry Fewell, and Brandon Jacobs? And what about Jerry Reese, the alleged apathetic GM, who sat through the off-season, let his starting tight end and high-volume wide receiver slip away and do nothing to replace them?
Lesson: don't judge a book by its cover
All we can do in our difficult times, is dig in, block out the distractions, keep working, and have the faith. What a concept!
That's what Couglin's predecessor, Bill Parcells, did in 1983. Had two terminally ill parents, lost Doug Kotar to cancer, had to deal with the rumors the GM was talking to Schnellenberger in Florida. In his book, Parcells posed the question, how does one deal with it? answer: you just do. He coached the team during the day, visited his parents in the hospital at night.. Al Davis told him, "just coach your god-damn team".
Worked out pretty well, dontcha think? The fact that Parcells was kept out the Hall of Fame, gives new meaning to the word "bias".
Back to Coach Coughlin. His public persona is always even. But his wife conceded that the last couple of years have been trying. No amount of $ will mitigate that. You work insane hours, obliterates quality time with your loved ones. Everyone's a Monday morning QB. We have 24/7 talk shows with those who think they can do it better.
Reminds me of a quote by the late George Burns: "it's a shame that all the people who think they can run the country are too busy cutting hair and driving hacks". Classic. Not meant to disparage barbers or livery drivers, just to hammer home the point that each of us has our own limited sphere of knowledge.
He'll never admit to it, but it hurts. Maybe not as much as someone very sensitive, but it does.
Look at Joe Frazier. One of the toughest men ever, willing and able to absorb punishment. Yet Ali's words hurt like uppercuts, qnawned at him forever, took it to his grave.
What I admire most about the coach as well as Eli Manning is their humility. Nothing against braggadocios, but I prefer those who do their talking through their actions rather than self-promotion.
Wouldn't it be great if the examples that the way both Manning and Coughlin go about their business, becomes the new paradigm?
Kudos to the Giants, Coach Coughlin and his magnificent staff. I hope that both Well Mara and Bob Tisch are looking down with Cheshire The Cat smiles on their faces.
SAY HELLO TO BILL CLINTON AND VENUS WILLIAMS--PUBLIC'S NEW VEGANS
2-15
Was walking in downtown Union, NJ the other day and did a double-take:
COMING SOON. KILLER VEGAN DINER AND DELI.
Thought I was hallucinating. It was always my dream for such a venture to take place in Jersey.
But what timing!
The more I think about it, the more conviction I have in the venture.The recent announcements of President Clinton and world-class athlete Venus Williams,to follow a vegan diet, is a ringing endorsement. How far we've come from the stereotype of the typical vegan being a scraggly starvation practitioner.
Funny, I used to work for a company where the women just adored the former President. I mean, he could do no wrong. And these were the same women who castigated me for eating tofu. So I wonder, how much clout does he have? Would they now turn on him, or would it make them more open?
What's interesting here are the opposing reasons why both the former President and Ms. Williams came to their decision.
Clinton's decision was spurred on by a strong letter by Dr. Dean Ornish, an MD who has reversed coronary arterial blockage through dietary and lifestyle changes and has the scientific proof to do so. In fact, Oxford is paying for his protocol, as an alternative to bypass surgery. Clinton, in a candid interview, said, he wants to be around for his grandkids to grow up. That statement is on the money. I can't tell you how many times I've listened to people with the same academic intelligence as President Clinton, became utterly moronic when defending their dietary choices. Here, the President came to an informed decision based on irrefutable science. I mean, it's just a grand slam on his part. There is academic intelligence. And then there's emotional intelligence. The President has it on both counts.
In the case of the thirty-year old tennis champion Williams, she became educated on how a predominate animal-protein diet is pro-inflammatory. here she made the choice to be her best on the court.
I truly hope that these two admired public figures, by coming out, will encourage others to do the same. Again, not to necessarily buy the practice wholesale. Just a shift. And from that shift comes momentum once the benefits are realized.
Was walking in downtown Union, NJ the other day and did a double-take:
COMING SOON. KILLER VEGAN DINER AND DELI.
Thought I was hallucinating. It was always my dream for such a venture to take place in Jersey.
But what timing!
The more I think about it, the more conviction I have in the venture.The recent announcements of President Clinton and world-class athlete Venus Williams,to follow a vegan diet, is a ringing endorsement. How far we've come from the stereotype of the typical vegan being a scraggly starvation practitioner.
Funny, I used to work for a company where the women just adored the former President. I mean, he could do no wrong. And these were the same women who castigated me for eating tofu. So I wonder, how much clout does he have? Would they now turn on him, or would it make them more open?
What's interesting here are the opposing reasons why both the former President and Ms. Williams came to their decision.
Clinton's decision was spurred on by a strong letter by Dr. Dean Ornish, an MD who has reversed coronary arterial blockage through dietary and lifestyle changes and has the scientific proof to do so. In fact, Oxford is paying for his protocol, as an alternative to bypass surgery. Clinton, in a candid interview, said, he wants to be around for his grandkids to grow up. That statement is on the money. I can't tell you how many times I've listened to people with the same academic intelligence as President Clinton, became utterly moronic when defending their dietary choices. Here, the President came to an informed decision based on irrefutable science. I mean, it's just a grand slam on his part. There is academic intelligence. And then there's emotional intelligence. The President has it on both counts.
In the case of the thirty-year old tennis champion Williams, she became educated on how a predominate animal-protein diet is pro-inflammatory. here she made the choice to be her best on the court.
I truly hope that these two admired public figures, by coming out, will encourage others to do the same. Again, not to necessarily buy the practice wholesale. Just a shift. And from that shift comes momentum once the benefits are realized.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
STOP&SHOP SETS NEW STANDARDS FOR NATURAL FOODS SECTION IN A SUPERMARKET
If someone said to me, twenty years ago, ten years ago, five years ago, I would walk into a supermarket, and see on the shelves "Red Bolivian Quinoa", I'd have you committed.
Low and behold, I was browsing the aisles at the Stop&Shop in Union, NJ, and that's exactly what I saw.
Voila!
To say their natural foods section is a forte is to put it mildly. having been consuming natural foods for more years than I care to remember, I was literally blown away by some of the true "super-foods" they offer, including:
Low and behold, I was browsing the aisles at the Stop&Shop in Union, NJ, and that's exactly what I saw.
Voila!
To say their natural foods section is a forte is to put it mildly. having been consuming natural foods for more years than I care to remember, I was literally blown away by some of the true "super-foods" they offer, including:
- Food For Life's Ezekiel Sprouted Cereal. so far superior to other cold cereals, it leaves them in the dust (see my review at http://www.epinions.com/ under my nickname "Jewdacrys"
- Bob's Red Mill line of whole grain products
- Virgil's Diet Root Beer, sweetened with stevia
- Assortment of natural sweeteners, including raw, unfiltered, unpasturized honey, agave, stevia.
- A plethora of natural snacks, made with expeller-pressed oils
WHITNEY HOUSTON--REFLECTIONS
Wow.
Was riding mass transit Sat. eve., heard a passenger casually mentioned that Whitney Houston died.
....??!!
Floods of memories flew by. For me, the second album, eponymously titled, "Whitney", made me an instant fan, and in my opinion, was her strongest effort. A friend played the whole LP (yes, once upon a time, there was vinyl). It was the strongest and most flavorable top 40 pop LP I had heard in a while.
My favorite: "Just The Lonely Talking Again", a jazzy ballad arrangement of the Sam Dees composition. She just put me into convulsions.
Then there was the duet with her mother, Cissy called "I Know Him So Well." Solid.
Another ballad that made me melt, the opener on side B "Where You Are". What control. She could throw it into over-drive, or pull it back into first gear. Just gorgeous.
I broke out of my my dance shell with "So Emotional", "Love Will Save The Day", and "I Just Want To Dance With Somebody". I practiced swing dancing to "Love Is A Contact Sport." I could not stay seated when these tunes were spun. 1987 was the heyday of melodic, flavorable, listenable songs. Along with Taylor Daynes efforts, that was it for me.
I'm fully aware there was a plethora of material after this release, along with film acting, and of course, she blew the roof off on "The Star Bangled Banner". But for me, this 2nd LP, simply titled, "Whitney" (not to be confused the eponymously titled "Whitney Houston", two years prior) ranks as my fav of all of her work. Going forward, it seemed like she tried to adjust to trends, starting with 1990's "I'm Your Baby Tonight".
_______________________________________________________________
So where did it all go wrong? This is not the first, nor will it be the last superstar to lose their life prematurely.
Not looking forward to all the tabloids flooding us with conspiracy theories and psuedo-scientific nonsense, not to mention the mere gossip ad nauseum.
I feel for her mother, to be pre-deceased by your daughter. Can't fathom what that feels like.
I caught Whitney's act at the Garden State Arts Center coinciding with the release of the second LP. Live performance was not her forte, at least not then. I sat behind her mother, who walked out mid-way.
But for pure voice, strength, fluidity, power, control, octave range, she was indeed one of a kind.
May this gifted yet tortured soul find peace and be reunited with her maker
Was riding mass transit Sat. eve., heard a passenger casually mentioned that Whitney Houston died.
....??!!
Floods of memories flew by. For me, the second album, eponymously titled, "Whitney", made me an instant fan, and in my opinion, was her strongest effort. A friend played the whole LP (yes, once upon a time, there was vinyl). It was the strongest and most flavorable top 40 pop LP I had heard in a while.
My favorite: "Just The Lonely Talking Again", a jazzy ballad arrangement of the Sam Dees composition. She just put me into convulsions.
Then there was the duet with her mother, Cissy called "I Know Him So Well." Solid.
Another ballad that made me melt, the opener on side B "Where You Are". What control. She could throw it into over-drive, or pull it back into first gear. Just gorgeous.
I broke out of my my dance shell with "So Emotional", "Love Will Save The Day", and "I Just Want To Dance With Somebody". I practiced swing dancing to "Love Is A Contact Sport." I could not stay seated when these tunes were spun. 1987 was the heyday of melodic, flavorable, listenable songs. Along with Taylor Daynes efforts, that was it for me.
I'm fully aware there was a plethora of material after this release, along with film acting, and of course, she blew the roof off on "The Star Bangled Banner". But for me, this 2nd LP, simply titled, "Whitney" (not to be confused the eponymously titled "Whitney Houston", two years prior) ranks as my fav of all of her work. Going forward, it seemed like she tried to adjust to trends, starting with 1990's "I'm Your Baby Tonight".
_______________________________________________________________
So where did it all go wrong? This is not the first, nor will it be the last superstar to lose their life prematurely.
Not looking forward to all the tabloids flooding us with conspiracy theories and psuedo-scientific nonsense, not to mention the mere gossip ad nauseum.
I feel for her mother, to be pre-deceased by your daughter. Can't fathom what that feels like.
I caught Whitney's act at the Garden State Arts Center coinciding with the release of the second LP. Live performance was not her forte, at least not then. I sat behind her mother, who walked out mid-way.
But for pure voice, strength, fluidity, power, control, octave range, she was indeed one of a kind.
May this gifted yet tortured soul find peace and be reunited with her maker
MR. MONTAGUE'S DIST. LIST--MY JOURNEY
Mr. Montague's e-mail distribution list is one of several steps that is essential to either getting a job or re-entering the market for whatever reason you're "looking in" from the outside.
My personal journey: (and I elect to still receive the list, even though I might not really "need" it)
Last year, the list had a job interview offering at a nearby company. While I did not get the job, I met another applicant. She was working p/t nites, she gave me the number for that company, Guess what? That was my re-entry into the job market after being unemployed for months. The young woman became a co-worker as well as a friend. The fact I got to chill with a bodacious 22 y.o with curves that haven't been invented yet, is besides the point.
Then, walking around the area near that first job, I saw a sign for a radio station. Went to their website. Now I volunteer there. Met someone who wants to help me break into a certain job market. So there. Just put yourself out there.
All of the above was put in place from the e-mail distribution list!
Inertia. Momentum. Set something into motion, and it grows.
Lesson #1: get out there, stuff happens. There's two ways to climb a tree. You can simply climb, get dirty, get roughed up.
Or you can look for an acorn, sit your lazy behind down on it, and wait for the acorn to grow.
Re: Job Connection and Distribution List: The reality is most of the jobs will not be for you. Monte will send me something and I will be like, "what the____?" Under-qualified. Over-qualified. This stuff is way out there.
But you never know. Let me give you an example. Recently, the list had an opening for NJ Transit, directing interested applicants to their website. My first thought was, "why bother? I'm no bus driver, I'm not 'Ralph Kramden' from 'The Honeymooners'. And I have no mechanical background". But something happened. You see, I've been riding NJT buses for a while, and had wanted to start giving them feedback. You know, compliment drivers, complain about late buses, and the like. So the ad on Monte's list triggered me to do it. And now I repsond with them regularly, made a connection there. So who knows, maybe something will open up that I'd be qualified for.
- Reading that list is great experience. After a while, you know what to look for in a job ad. You can read a greater volume, get through more ads quickly and efficientyl, eliminate, and dig for the job you desire.
Also, while a particular job may not be for you, you may know of someone who would be perfect for that job.
Ever hear the expression, " you have to give in order to get?"
Use the Distribution List to network with those who don't receive it.
My story: I got my first job in a long time thru Montague's job distribution list. It wasn't my dream job. But it was a job nevertheless. Telemarketing for an insurance company. Most people won't do it. But it was valuable work experience. And it put me on the map. Resumes with active work experience have more intrinsic value with those that have gaps.
VERY IMPORTANT POINT: I was told that once you start working again, regardless of the job, you build momentum. You don't view yourself as a victim or someone who is un-marketable. You start to aspire to better jobs. I can tell you first-hand, that statement was on the money.
I've moved on from that first job. I'm making contacts to reach higher, to get my optimal job or business. I've met quality people, honorable, loving kind people. Those outside Brix city don't know it, but not everyone who lives here, works here, or rides NJ Transit buses is a clown (or buffoon, as Monte so succinctly put it), a street thug, or knucklehead. Most people are good.
And I got to meet Monte and learn what "rubbing the Black&Mild" means.
Summation: The e-mail distribution list is a resource. It's not "what you get out of it", but what it" gets out of you". It's what you make of it. Remember, a fifty-cent silver dollar and fifty dollar gold coin have the same value if they're both lying at the bottom of an ocean.
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