Sunday, May 15, 2005

Black. Mostly black.

Just a couple of things. My class cancelled my radar brief last week, but didn't bother to tell us anything until this morning when we called to ask where they were. I look sad on the outside, but that's just for show. It's too pretty outside to be inside.

When I wrote the title, which by the way is about umbrellas, this tidbit just kinda popped into my head. On the CD I just bought, Willie Nelson Live: Angels and Outlaws, he has a duet with the honorable Mr. Kid Rock on the song Shotgun Willie. In one stanza of that song he writes about a feller who joins the Ku Klux Klan and then gets rich selling sheets on the family plan. That really struck me the other day only because in these times we live in, even though the Klan was mentioned as part of a humorous song, a risk like that is not usually taken. Of course, Shotgun Willie is a pretty old song. And we are talking about Willie Nelson.


And in another oh by the way, he has duets with Shelby Lynn and with Al Green that are just fantastic. The only reasons I am not pushing this as a must have album is a) Willie is an acquired taste for many, and b) Willie keeps getting slower and slower every year.

I love Kid Rock, though not in the biblical sense. He's a right decent mix of redneck hellraiser and rocker. Anybody that counts Skynyrd, Dave Coe and Bocephus among his heroes and friends is alright in my book. But what made me buy the first CD of his was one of those "with the troops" specials on TV. He was so down to earth and friendly. He interacted with the young troops in a very sincere way and seemed to genuinely enjoy talking with them. He was respectful and humorous simutaneously and never condescending. I thought, "That's a great guy." I have found nothing to change my mind.


Also, during the Super Bowl (I think it was the Super Bowl, but anyway it was something high profile) he came out wearing the flag as a cape. I watched him closely on that, because while that did not particularly bother me, I wanted to see what he did with it when he took it off. What he did was kinda back towards the drum set where a stage hand took it off his back and spirited it away. I was watching and it didn't touch the ground. I was pretty happy with that.

So imagine my suprise when I read in our newspaper a few days later that the Kid ought to banned from TV and the pages of the paper because, among other really, REALLY heinous things, he wore the flag as a cape and just dropped it on the stage like a rag. I'm telling you what, some people take their agenda so seriously they don't even bother with the facts.

And now, for the reason for this blog. As I was putting on my boondockers in preparation for heading out the door, my gaze fell upon the umbrella stand we have right inside our front door. Now I must tell you that this place has not one, but two rainy seasons so we are far from remarkable in having an umbrella stand at home. On a whim I counted them. Turns out I have 13 umbrellas just inside my front door. How the heck did I get so many? I mean 13 seems a bit excessive, even to me. Then I thought, I also have several in the car, so let's say now I'm at 16 total. Plus, in my closet there are 2 of the collapsable ones I keep to pack when I travel and a giant golf umbrella. Now that's 19. Plus, no telling how many the wife has stashed away in her room. So I'm confident in saying that I have 20+ umbrellas. And they are black. Mostly black.

Donjon, out
Travelin' Ed

8 comments:

Blogger Gun Trash said...

I caught one Willie Nelson concert, early 90s, Dayton, Ohio. Had to be talked into it, but once I saw it, I was glad that I went. Excellent performance and an American icon, to boot.

7:51 PM  
Blogger Ramblin' Ed said...

I saw Willie Nelson & Family in the late '70s. I was literally a little redneck kid, and I loved it. Let me put it this way...Whiskey River was one of his new songs.

The first concerts I remember? For 3 years running Dad took us to see The Killer, Jerry Lee Lewis somewhere in or around Charlotte. When he stood up, ripped his jacket off and kicked the piano stool away you knew it was going to get frantic. I couldn't have been more than 7 for the first one, but man I loved that guy.

Years later, my first rock concert. KISS. Yeah buddy!
Travelin' Ed

10:26 PM  
Blogger Hill Billy Rave said...

I'm not partial to Kid Rock. Now, that's me. You mentioned him with the troops. Last year I worked with a boy who had just retired out of the Army. Kid Rock came to Germany where he was(before going into Iraq) and that made him a fan. He said he realy liked him. That he was a personable person and had a genuine interest in the things they showed him.

About umbrella's. A couple of weeks ago 6 teachers were struck by lightening in Bumcombe County NC. They had steel shaft umbrella's. One of them was realy cute. There umbrellas were black.

4:14 PM  
Blogger Hill Billy Rave said...

Their, not there...3rd shift you know.

4:14 PM  
Blogger Ramblin' Ed said...

Darn shame about the teachers, AI. The cute one, I mean.

Been visitng your site daily. Just ain't had anything I've really needed to say lately.
Ed

8:57 PM  
Blogger Gun Trash said...

Well, I'm telling on myself here, but Bob Hope.. 1966, Udorn Thailand, so far back in the crowd I was in a different time zone. So, then in '69 or '70 (memories fade, fellers) he was at Long Binh and I coulda gone from Tan Son Nhut but I passed on it as I figured once was enough for me.

9:53 PM  
Blogger Ramblin' Ed said...

Good God, Gunner. I was in short pants and waiting to start first grade when you were in Thailand, watching a non-ancient Bob Hope and buying concert T-shirts.

And I thought I was old for going to Jerry Lee Lewis concerts.

By the way, you change avatars/icons as often as I do. Cool.

Ed

11:19 PM  
Blogger Hill Billy Rave said...

No damage to the teachers. They just got a little tingle.

1:55 AM  

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