THE SIGNAL from David Katznelson
“We must uncenter our minds from ourselves; We must unhmanize our views a little, and become confident As the rock and ocean that we were made from.”― Robinson Jeffers
Elvis Presley has definitely had an impact on our family. When Kaya was 5 she developed a love for his music, wanting to hear Suspicious Minds, Hound Dog and other Elvis classics all the time. She was so into his music, we made the mistake of surprising her on her 5th birthday party by hiring Rick Torres, an Elvis impersonator—the guy considered to be the best around—for what he called “an Elvis quickie” which entails him showing up in his pink Cadillac, singing 3 songs that we got to choose, wearing the outfit we asked for (we went for the white Vegas jumpsuit) and staying around for 10 minutes after the performance to shake hands and take pictures.
When he arrived, Kaya was surprised….and burst into tears…running behind a parked car and demanding that Elvis leave the park. She was yelling, “Elvis is dead, what is he doing at my party?” Our Elvis had already launched into his set, not knowing about the crying birthday girl in the princess dress. Asher, of course, was in front of the other kids and parents, mesmerized. As soon as Elvis finished, he jumped into his arms. Everyone loved it…everyone except for Kaya.
Moral of the story: don’t have Elvis make a surprise appearance at your daughter’s 5 year old princess birthday party.
When Barb and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary, we went to Vegas and had Elvis perform a vow-renewal. It was hilarious; Kaya was still uncertain about the whole thing.
Happy 85th birthday Elvis!
Elvis and Nixon: Graceland exhibit marks 50th anniversary of meeting; here's how it happened
Here is an article from the Commercial Appeal from a few months back. The Nixon story is an interesting one…good investigative reporting here…but what is even better is the gallery of Elvis photos that are showcased, many I have never seen!
The Howling Wilderness: Doug Smith Tells The Truth About Wolves, But Will Anyone Listen?
Kaya and I just finished reading Call Of The Wild (it was my 5th time reading it). It was a reminder at how much of a genius book Jack London wrote over 100 years ago…how it has aged so well. This interview with Doug Smith arrived the day after we finished reading the book and it is illuminating. A great weekend read, and once again, an amazing example of the power of The Sun Magazine.
‘The Ghost of Peter Sellers’ Review: Inside a Cursed Comedy
I watched this documentary on The Criterion Channel last night. Peter Sellers is an infamous difficult weirdo…and this film does a solid job showing just that. The fact that he would only enter his rented apartment after the stereo was set up and Ravi Shankar was playing on it….crazy…brilliant…something I will have to demand on my next travel (whenever that will be).
Five Experts Discuss Monet’s Most Beguiling Painting
Interesting read, coming in the same week a friend posted a film that “a young Russian-born, French actor named Sacha Guitry” took of Monet and some other legendary painters in their habitats.
Fire In The Earth
by David Whyte
And we know, when Moses was told,
in the way he was told,
“Take off your shoes!” He grew pale from that simple
reminder of fire in the dusty earth.
He never recovered
his complicated way of loving again
and was free to love in the same way
he felt the fire licking at his heels loved him.
As if the lion earth could roar
and take him in one movement.
Every step he took
from there was carefully placed.
Everything he said mattered as if he knew
the constant witness of the ground
and remembered his own face in the dust
the moment before revelation.
Since then thousands have felt
the same immobile tongue with which he tried to speak.
Like the moment you too saw, for the first time,
your own house turned to ashes.
Everything consumed so the road could open again.
Your entire presence in your eyes
and the world turning slowly
into a single branch of flame.
