Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Lost And Found

Looking at Blogger today, and I found this draft post, from earlier this year.  I figured I'd go ahead and post it, sneak it in as my last post of 2013.
 

I beleive this was taken at Pleasant Ridge Park in Fairview Heights, IL...  But not positive.  It might be St. Ellen Mine Park in O'Fallon. 

Friday, December 27, 2013

Rocksmith!!


 So, my son got me an Xbox game for Christmas:  Rocksmith!

Billed as "The Fastest way to learn guitar", it's also like a "real" version of Rockband...  We've all been having loads of fun.  Who knows, maybe I'll get closer to decent (on bass)...  and perhaps guitar!  At least I'll enjoy trying.  (to be precise:  photo is my younger daughter, not me)

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Closing In on 2014..

And closing out 2013.  It's been a quiet month, at least from the blogging / photography perspective.  I apologize for the lack of posting.

So, as the sun sets on 2013, here's a sunset photo...  Taken last week (12/18), at the I-44 rest stop near Conway. Missouri.  On the drive back from a quick trip to Tulsa.

 

Friday, December 06, 2013

40 Years...


It was the first week of December, 1973.  It was a few months after our first gas crisis, and a few weeks after Nixon declared "I am not a crook". 
But more importantly, Paul McCartney and Wings released the album “Band On The Run”!  BOTR ranks #418 in Rolling Stones’ list of the top 500 albums of all time.  It spawned 2 top 10 singles, the title track (#1) and Jet (#7) and several other songs well known to listeners of AOR radio.  True confession:  I never owned BOTR on vinyl, and still only have 8 of its 9 tracks on my iPod.  Anyway, it's good stuff.
 

Also released in the 1st week of December, 1973:  Black Sabbath’s “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” and Jim Croce’s “I Got A Name”.

 
I have both of these albums on vinyl (and digital), and really like them both.  Call it a testament to my broad tastes in music, I suppose... even as a 13 year old kid.  Although Sabbath Bloody Sabbath didn't spawn any "hits" I rememebr hearing the title track on the radio way back then.  And 40 years later, it remains my favorite Sabbath record.  On the other end of the Pop-Rock spectrum is Jim Croce's "I Got A Name".  Released just 2.5 months after his death, had three hits:  "I'll Have To Say I Love You" (#9), "I Got A Name" (#10) and "Workin' At The Car Wash Blues" (#32).   But it is solid all around.