True story, one potentially unrelated to the remainder of this post: Back in the day, Sherpa had this older, wiser friend who wrote popular-music concert reviews for the local newspaper. He reviewed a Neil Diamond concert that had taken place at Veteran's Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, the same place Ozzy Osbourne had once bit the head off a bat.
My friend writes a few punchy paragraphs about what Diamond had been singing at the previous night's concert, followed by: "Then, Neil Diamond bit the head off a bat."
Next paragraph: "Just kidding."
Neil Diamond fans across the state, as I remember it, were not pleased with the concert review. My friend may have even gotten death threats regarding the article.
So, let me say this now, to avoid possible misinterpretations and death threats: I ... love ... Neil Diamond.
I love how snippets of his tunes catch up with you in unexpected ways, then won't leave you alone. When the Iowa State Extension harvest report goes out over the radio in late fall, for example, and the radio guy says "Sep-tem-ber corn" in just the right cadence, I end up humming Diamond's "September Morn" for the rest of the day, even if no one hears it. Not even the chair.
OK, I can tell. "Sherpa," you're saying, "time to dial it back in. Just what the Foxtrot are you going on about?"
Well, one of the unexpected joys of mil-blogging is meeting new people and fellow travelers. One of those, I'm happy to report, is Kentucky Woman--"Ky Woman," for short. She writes a blog called "Little Drops," (aka "Pebble Drops") in which she conversationally takes on both downrange and homefront issues. Her philosophy, that small ripples can make great waves, is right in keeping with one of my own missions: "Find small ways you can support, celebrate, and remember troops and their families."
Her sidebar resource-lists are alone worth clicking over to browse (I'm looking at you, intel-buddies), and her fluency in What's Going On is downright intimidating. (I wish more of our fellow citizens were as tuned in.) You might say--Neil Diamond most certainly would--that I look forward to getting to know her. And her blog.
My chair even heard me laughing while reading this! It reminded me of Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs, if you haven't read it, I highly recommend it!
ReplyDeleteSo now that song is gonna be stuck in my head a. l. l. day long! Thanks, Sherpa... btw, now I know the lyrics. Nice.
ReplyDeleteHoly Crap!! Now I've gotta live up to your hype. Just so you know, I'm not really fluent, just aware and interested. :=))
@ ParaTed2k: I know Dave Barry. Dave Barry is a hero of mine. Unfortunately, I'm no Dave Barry.
ReplyDeleteThat said, Creedwater Clearwater Revival's (ala Dave Barry, of course.) "There's a bathroom on the right" never fails to give me the giggles, too.
@ Ky Woman: Hey, you're following me! (You're officially 'No. 1 with a bullet!') To continue our Mutual Admiration and Aid Society, I've put your blog into my "Intel & Insights" sidebar feature. Let's keep up the conversation! More improvements to come!
I tol' ya that I'd be #1... I gets bullets,too?? Yeehaw!
ReplyDeleteThank you kindly for adding me to your sidebar. I consider that a very high honor, indeed.
Hey, why mess with perfection? You know what they say, don't ya? No? "Don't fix it if it ain't broke..."
:P
I've loved and enjoyed KY Woman for some time now. She is dead-on with her commitment and support of the troops, and you are doing yourself a great favor by following her, Sherpa.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, BTW.
Sherpa,
ReplyDeleteTake Coffeypot's comment with a grain of salt. He only likes me cause I laugh at the dirty jokes he posts... Who? Me??
Shhhh....my dirty little secret.