BLOGAHOMA

Dedicated to my father Jack H. Norris

Jack Norris behind his desk Greyhound Bus Terminal, Cleveland 1949

I’m a night owl, and my father is to blame. He worked two jobs to support his brood so in order to get my one-on-one I stayed up late, very late. After homework, approved television was a diet of news, travel journals and variety shows but following the last newscast father and “daughter number three” shared old movies while munching on sardines in mustard sauce and saltines. Dad was fond of operettas like Rose Marie or Naughty Marietta starring Jeanette McDonald & Nelson Eddie. “Ah! Sweet mystery of life at last I’ve found thee,” we’d sing. More intriguing to me was Lena Horne in Cabin in the Sky an all African-American cast. Dad proclaimed Lena a “torch singer” and then (like always when introducing new words) he proceeded to define the term. It was at that pivotal moment I declared myself a fan of “torch singers”. During commercials dad critiqued the movie du jour. He pointed out great dialog or retched triteness, historic accuracy or slipshod inaccuracy. He expressed disdain for predictability or lackluster lyrics. I never asked questions but waited for my father’s effusive explanations.

The emergence of the penny stash in the majolica sugar bowl signaled gin rummy night with Uncles and buddies. Hours after siblings scooted off to bed I remained. I didn’t ever ask to stay up I was just never told to go to bed because I was unobtrusively quiet and most helpful. I fetched beer and refilled the pretzel bowl. Selfishly I stayed up to learn gin rummy by my father’s side watching over his shoulder as he played. He would (without utterance) point out possible run combinations. I watched intently as he drew and discarded. His movements were deliberate as if recorded in slow motion so I could catch on. After sufficient amount of “lessons” dad suggested his 8 year-old play a hand. I was paired with Ted, a bus driver, who had honed his skills on layovers. There was great amusement among the observers when demonstrated that I had not only grasped technique but after a few verbal slings of “mini snatcher” “are you fishing?” I also talked the talk. The “ah hah” moment came when I timidly announced “Gin” and scooped up the pennies.

Yes, music, vocabulary, history, critical thinking, strategy and a million things taught in stealth manner by my father who avoided triteness, sang like Nelson Eddie and delivered the most amazing dialog.

Susan, Lucy, Dad and Me 1947 Rocky River, OH

The clock I chose to render in 3D is the Nelson Wall Clock designed by
George Nelson in 1948. George Nelson was a signature mid century designer. And this clock clock which produced in wood and metal both painted and unpainted symbolizes that post WWII era (the atomic age).

A full Nelson is a wrestling hold executed from the backside and so the the metaphor. Holding back time, grappling with time, wrestling with time. Interesting to note that it is not a “finishing” action and you cannot pin you opponent “time” down.

Not that either of these came to mind when executing this 3D. I liked the clock and thought “easy” to recreate in 3D.

So what’s next in my 3D brain buffer? Perhaps something by Heywood Wakefield. Mid-centure Moderne so much easier than Victorian.

Created in Cheetah 3D on a 13″ MacBook.

She didn't look up for long!

My mom is gone now, my husbands mom is a 1000 miles away and my kids, although they will call, live too far to stop by. I wanted to celebrate anyhow, celebrate by handing out Medicine Park Marauders Mother’s day cards with mini roses attached in “Random Acts of Marauding”. Some will ask to have their pictures taken with us. It will be fun.

Mother and Son have a Heart to Heart

I gathered some quotes from various sites around the Net. Many from thinkexist. Read and Enjoy.

“My mother always told me I wouldn’t amount to anything because I procrastinate. I said ‘Just wait.” ~Judy Tenuta

“The patience of a mother might be likened to a tube of toothpaste – it’s never quite all gone”

“When I was a child, my mother said to me, ‘If you become a soldier, you’ll be a general. If you become a monk you’ll end up as the pope.’ Instead I became a painter and wound up as Picasso.” ~Pablo Picasso

“To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power.”~ Maya Angelou quotes

“His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork. ~Mae West

“No matter how old a mother is she watches her middle-aged children for signs of improvement.”~Florida Scott Maxwell

“Who ran to help me when I fell, And would some pretty story tell, Or kiss the place to make it well? My mother” ~Ann Taylor

All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.  ~Abraham Lincoln

“My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.” ~Mark Twain

“Nobody loves me but my mother, And she could be jivin’ too.”~ B. B. King

Happy Mother’s Day!

Mother's Day Cards from the Marauders

The Necessity of Appearing in Your Own Face 

There are days when that is the last place
in the world where you want to be but you
have to be there, like a movie, because it
features you. ~ Richard Brautigan

Back in the 1950’s a popular TV show, “This is Your Life” aired for a decade. The premise: a person, some celebrity of a kind, would be the receiver (target) , then people, teachers, best friends, former dates, relatives and the like would be dredged up from their recent and distant past. The mystery person (standing off stage) would proceed to give the person hints, sometimes embarrassing, sometimes heart-warming; the celebrity would then try to guess.

Facebook is very much like “This is Your Life” but on steroids. For me it has turned out to be one stupendous open house where people from you life come out of the woodwork and onto you facebook. Three years ago I attempted to join but alas my generation had not come aboard so I ended up talking to myself.  (A blog is much better place for that.) Then on Christmas my daughter got me up and running again.  Like most I felt a little frustrated when I first looked at the maze they call Facebook.  Having left timidity behind years ago I opened the door and walked in.

 My easiest path for regrouping on Facebook is family due to mine being vast. I began finding cousins and collating them onto my Facebook. My sister Lucy (being influential as the first born of the cousins) coaxed a batch of them on and gregarious Aunt Pauline wrangled in more.  Now there are 70 people I am related to. 70! More than half of all my friends are actually related. After that followed the Lourdes Academy class of 1964 (I scanned in all the Senior pics and tagged them) followed by neighbors, and people I worked with from three previous jobs. Friends brought other friends and cousins brought the kids and their kids, kids. And pretty soon it was big open house where you never know who might walk in and whether you will recognize them.  But unlike an open house they won’t see the stunned expression on your face as you see how they have aged and visa versa, and no one offers you a cocktail although that might be a nice addition.

 And like an open house people will arrive and after they get reacquainted they will bring out the pictures of the their kids, grandkids, dogs, cars, vacations and the like. And the comments will come “adorable”, “nice family” “beautiful” etc. etc. And you are free to wonder among your guest as you get introduced to friends of friends, sisters of friends and it goes on. But there comes a time, like any party, when people are seated or standing and involved in a deeper more meaningful conversation. And you’ll want to be there because it features you.

Click on Picture to View Slide Show of our Visit

Yes, I needed it, the San Francisco fix. I had only asked that we see some live music and eat interesting food. Son Colin and DIL (daughter-in-law) Nifer who never do things in a small way, except maybe Balsa Man (miniature Burning Man), dished up a variety of activities that kept us old hippies hopping.

Tuesday Feb 24- Arrived having digested only pretzels since leaving OKC, we noshed out on fabulous orders of sushi from Sushi Zen ordered up with no hesitation by Nifer. Highlights included Cool Summer Roll and Winter Hama Roll, house specialties toasted with saki.

Arriving in their home in the Sunset District we got reaquainted with Ghastly of the Sphinx cat persuasion and met new roomy Stella a charming creative live wire.

Wednesday Feb 25  Lunch at Frjtz Belgium Fries on Valencia Street. Fresh choices to make your palate spin. And you must have the fries. I had a crazy mixed up salad with tuna, cranberries, caper and avocado and more. We meandered the mission from there and stopped into the Five and Diamond THE place for your favorite Steam Punk clothes and accessories.

After grocery shopping, Nifer produced a nummy dinner of grilled orange roughy and tasty jimaca, corn salad. Met the other half of the roomies Doug of the orange and yellow hair owner of two adorable rats that have a pension for good booze.

Thursday Feb 26th – Cellphone problem finally fixed thanks to Tim Leung of Verizon SF. Took a trip up North to Mt. Tamapai for picnic and hiking. Great views, glorious day! That evening we grabbed a cookie from Hot Cookie in the Castro. Then down a few store fronts to the Castro Theatre to see “Milk“. As Milk is all about Harvey Milk, of the Castro, how he fought for gay rights, it was so right to be there in that marvelous deco theatre with the organ rising from under the floor. Being part of the audience was an electrifying experience as people cheered and wept during transforming scenes throughout the movie.

Friday Feb 27th – Colin accompanied us to The JeJune Institute. (Antisystematically increase creative inspiration in the public sphere). Suffice it to say that we were initiated. The process took the better part of the day. And that is ALL we can say. We are sworn to secrecy.

Colin good to his promise, took us to a concert took us to the Great Music Hall, a melange of Baroque and Rococo decor, the perfect venue to experience indie music. There was opening acts, Rafter being the best, a crazy guitarist/ singer with zany stage presence. The main act, St. Vincent (Annie Clark), was wispy bit of thing with huge talent including singing her own songs in several voices and wielding the guitar like she was the second coming of Jimi Hendrix.We will be the probably be able to see her for a mere $16!

Saturday Feb 28th – Doug’s 30th Birthday Party. Stella throws together outfits for the two of them for the Logan’s Run themed party. (An apropo movie where no one is allowed to live past the age of 30.) The festivities moves through San Francisco spots linked in ways to the movie. It is during one of the stops in the Castro district where we are invited to slide down the concrete slides (erected by a hippy family in 1973) in the Castro. Then it is on to Eddie Rickenbackers where classic motorcycles hang from the ceiling as eye candy. We down an Irish Coffee or two before we head for home base (other’s hit a few more spots). The rest of the party arrives and we actually watch the movie while chowing down on some pretty decent East Indian food.

Sunday March 1st - Thai Temple Berkley for curry brunch in the rain. Surprising number of folks considering the steady downpour. Seated under tents we dine with the burner community. The took is lively, the company fun.  Seated next to me is Michael, a 16 year old film editing genius and par cor aficionado. Some day I will see his names on the credits of some action thriller as, yes, film editor. I also meet Brody, Kitty, Elliott, Kevin, Flint (with that name you gotta be a burner), Ben, Chris and CTP (maker of strange buttons). Fueled up with spicy curry we move on over to The Berkeley Botanical Gardens. At first the rain is little annoying but then not much noticeable as view the lush grounds. Last stop a Berkeley cafe for me a must. Michael prepares my favorite, butternut squash soup and brushetta with goat cheese. Nifer gets fire going and soon we have forgotten the dampness of the day.

Monday March 2nd - After fine breakfast of citris fruit in orange liquor and Michael’s muffins Colin, Michael and I head up to SFMOMA to take in the visual arts. Nothing special on exhibit but being able to view Katharina Fritcsh’s Baby with Poodles is worth the trip.  I pick up a few new ideas in the gift shop that I promise I will try to work on when I get back.  Back to Berkeley this time meeting up with Morley, an engineer/ geologist in the making, for zesty Cajun fare at Angelina’s Kitchen. Lots of techie conversation mixed with plans for TIMEscale (lost funding) for Burning Man. Walk down in the rain for Gelato, worth it. My choice Ginger and Roasted Banana.

Tuesday March 3th Last day in San Francisco starting out with Nifer’s eggstrata with cheese, aspargus and pear. Down to San Jose to go through the Tech Museum of Innovation. We all agree although there was fun aspects they need to update the innovation part. Last meal masterpiece…. Lamb burgers with carmelized onions and pesto, cucumber salad with yogurt sauce, and rosemary pototos. Thanks Nifer.

Final notes: Most nights brought out the board games including Ticket to Ride, Settlers and Mexican Train Dominos.  Always a good way to end our pleasant days. Conversation was always clever and pithy (don’t know one tell you different). Thanks to Colin for being the man of record as he carried his cute little Kodak Zi6 for capturing grown up kids on slides and the like.