Friday, September 12, 2014

Reflections On Growing Up A White, Middle Class Baby Boomer



It's been a while since I've posted anything here. This past year has been one of distraction. Some good, some life altering. Maybe I'll go into that in another post later on, but for now, I hope you enjoy these ramblings. 

Reflections On Growing Up A White, Middle Class Baby Boomer


I couldn’t sleep last night.

I kept thinking about a conversation I had with a friend, who is my age. We talked about how we grew up in, what arguably, was the best time in history to pass from childhood to young adult.

World War II was over and the economy was strong. The atom had been harnessed, and technology was just learning to crawl. We witnessed so many developments that today we take for granted. In the 50’s we were the first to hear recorded stereo music, the first to see TV in color and most important to my early development, rock and roll was born.

As I lay in bed trying to sleep, images and sounds ran through my head, like watching people dance in strobe light. Stuttering fragments of memories would shift in and out of time. One split second I saw our first stereo, a giant thing more furniture than record player. I remembered seeing Elvis and The Beatles in black and white on the Ed Sullivan Show. Memories of Sunday dinners at my Aunt Elizabeth’s house and my Uncle Jim falling asleep in his favorite chair while watching football after dinner

It was the music, however, that was the root and driving force of that great time in history. I remembered listening to Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, Hank Williams, Brenda Lee and Johnny Cash on the juke box in my Uncle Pete’s bar. Then there was Rock and Roll. An amalgamated bastard, born of blues, country music, jazz, and rhythm and blues, that would change the world forever.

There was Ray Charles, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly playing the first Stratocaster I’d ever seen, the Big Bopper, Jerry Lee Lewis pounding out mayhem on a grand piano, and James Brown dancing up a tumultuous sweat as if possessed by the devil and of course the King. Elvis was in the building.

My mind wandered again to a great paradox of human existence, that great talent was so often coupled with great despair and tragedy. I thought of how so many were so gifted with great talent and at the same time cursed with personal dysfunction and depression. Drugs, alcohol, and domestic abuse were often the price paid for being on the cutting edge of musical history. Some did not survive.

Then there were the vultures of the infant industry who exploited the essence of creative thought and process with no regard for those whose talent padded their pockets. One sided contracts paid little or nothing for the blood and spirit that changed the course of music. Bastards of profound proportion.

I was swept again to thoughts of my father and his musical tastes. Dad liked The Mills Brothers, whose melodies and harmony was genius. He liked the horns of Al Hirt, Herb Alpert, and the raspy vocals of Louis Armstrong and the soulful sound of Ella Fitzgerald. His favorites though were the crooners, Pat Boone, Perry Como, Johnny Mathis, Dean Martin and Bing Crosby. He didn’t hate the new sounds of rock and roll, it just wasn’t his thing.

The 50’s was a time of innocence and gradual progression to the future. It wasn’t all milk and cookies. There were demons. Segregation and racism were quietly endured by the black community and virtually ignored by most northern whites, even those who felt sympathetic to the plight.

In the next chapter of this story I’ll go into the 60’s. I’ll reflect on race relations, assassinations, war, the hippie movement, and the political upheaval that would tear the fabric of innocence and how music was instrumental in changing attitudes and influencing society.    

Monday, January 16, 2012

Kitty is a Saint's Fan


Don't hate me for posting a Stupid Pet  Tricks video. My cat Graygray loves to watch football on TV. I noticed she appeared to favor the Saints over the Niners during the playoff game this weekend.
Sorry the quality isn't the greatest. I just grabbed my Pentax P&S camera for the video, since it was within reach.
Stupid cat, Niners Rock.


Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Moments in Time: Photos Of The Week

Moments in Time: Photos Of The Week: You can click on the pictures for a larger view. Click it again for a really big view . Spotted Sandpiper ©2010-2011...

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Denver Fly Fishing Show

Didn't make it out to take advantage of the beautiful weather and fish last Thursday (house chores took priority), but I did make it to the Denver Fly Fishing Show at the Merchandise Mart on Saturday.

If you've never been, you are missing out on a great opportunity to see, hear and question some of the best fly tying experts, and authors, in the Country, as well as peruse, sample and purchase the latest and greatest fly fishing equipment available. There were also films and classes with experts  for beginners, as well as advanced fliers.

This year a group of fly chuckers from the Colorado Mt. Fishing forum coordinated to meet at the show on Saturday. It was great to meet up with old friends and put a face to the names of those who I had never met. A great group of people hang out on that forum.
The highlight of the show for me this year was a short seminar by Gary Borger. Gary has been a fixture of the fly fishing elite for some 50 odd years. He has authored a number of must have books, including "Presentation" and "Fishing the Film". His background in fly fishing is eclipsed only by his ability to communicate to both advanced and beginner fly fisherman the intricacy of the life cycle of bugs and trout behavior. And he does it with a humorous and animated exuberance. Never miss a rare opportunity to hear Gary when you have the chance.
For the stillwater enthusiast, it doesn't get any better than a Scadden boat or toon. They are the top of the line.
























Dave Whitlock explains one of his streamers.
Some of the finest fly tying people in the Country lined the walls and tied and shared there skills with anyone who cared to stop, look and ask question.  The cream of the crop were Featured Tyers. A special area was set aside for these Featured Tyers to accommodate  the crowds of eager fishermen who wanted to learn the particulars of their fish candy creations.









I'm not a big gear head when it comes to fishing. My personal belief is that if it works don't fix it and if you can make do with a piece of equipment that doesn't cost the same as a good used car, by all means do it, but it would be remiss of me to not include this warning. CAUTION: If you get a chance to cast the Sage ONE rod, don't do it!!!! You will be wanting to sell a kid or a kidney for one of these amazing rods.
When I first picked up the rod I was impressed with how light it was. When I  gave it a flick of the tip it resisted almost all movement. It just kinda went "blip", one flex of the tip and an abrupt stop. I told the rep, (Matt from Rigs fly shop in Ridgeway, nice kid), "This thing is stiff as a brick." He said, "I'll string it up and let you cast it." Big mistake. Now I'm trying to figure out how to get the money for a thing I swore I'd never spend that much cash on. Come on, really? Buy a $700 + fly rod? Short answer, "YUP!"
The ONE is the lightest, most responsive , effortless and accurate rod I've ever casted. You make a shorter stop on your back cast than you would with a rod that takes longer to load than the ONE, and when you bring the rod forward it just follows the direction your hand is pointing and takes an incredible amount of line with it. With just a short single haul this thing will send your fly into the next county and set it down like a down feather.

Casting the Sage ONE

I ask Matt if he takes used cars in trade for the ONE







Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Happy New Year


First off I’d like to wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year. May 2012 bring you great happiness and excellent photo opportunities and many days on the water stalking your favorite species of fish.
Sorry for the long silence here at Moments in Time. With the onset of winter, my time on the water has been taking a back seat to an active pursuit of music. (I hate freezing guides too) We had a great show New Year’s Eve.
This weekend the International Sportsman Expo and Denver Fly Fishing show are in town. I’ll be attending the Fly Fishing Show on Saturday. A must see seminar will be “Fishing the Film” by Gary Borger.
Tomorrow the temps up here are expected to top 50 degrees, so my immediate goal is to get out and wet a line. This may be the last chance for a couple of months to take advantage of my 50 or forget it rule of winter fishing. Did I mention I hate frozen guides?
Anyway, I hope to have a report on tomorrows fishing and a synopsis of the Denver Fly Fishing Show up soon. I’d love to here your thoughts on the show as well.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Moments in Time: Photos Of The Week

Moments in Time: Photos Of The Week: You can click on the pictures for a larger view. Click it again for a really big view . One more Mt Lion shot and a black and white macro shot of a blue flax blossom

Monday, October 10, 2011

Rockin in the Rockies

Got out to see a friend's band play at one of the local watering holes last Friday night.  Sleepy Dave played at Silver Tongued Devil, in Green Mt. Falls debuting his new Marshall West Band. The bar recently did a major renovation to the stage area, adding sound dampening panels to the ceiling, a new house PA system and some nice LED stage lighting.
It's been a long time since I photographed live bands and this was my first time doing it with a quality digital camera (Nikon D7000). Digital is great. You get to dial in the exposure by previewing sample shots instead of depending on luck and prior experience then waiting to see what the film looks like when it comes back from the lab. Man I wish they had these things 30 years ago.