Alistair Kimble 6/27/16 Alistair Kimble 6/27/16

Enjoying Life - Social Media Edition

I choose to use social media and interact on social media in positive ways. People will typically only see positive items from me on the internet and that may give the impression I'm having a good time, all the time (extra credit if you got that movie quote, I'll put the answer below). You know what? I certainly attempt to have a good time, but most of the time. Life is too short.

I've posted quite a few photos (a lot for me, at least) on a few social media sites the past couple of months. One of my cousins commented on one of those photos--a typical photo of me enjoying scotch and cigars on a weekend, the one below, actually:

A lovely afternoon in the mountains of Colorado enjoying single malt scotch and a cigar.

My cousin's comment was: "You always look like you're enjoying life."

I thought about the comment and for the most part I think I do enjoy life, however, I am at times dour and cynical and unhappy. Chalk it up to my day job in law enforcement, I suppose. And even with my job there are many days of awesome and it's all fuel for my writing. But the point of this post isn't to complain or point out that my life sucks. It doesn't. It's not even close to sucking. I'm fortunate and I am aware of how fortunate I am.

One of the many points I'm attempting to make is this: I choose to use social media and interact on social media in positive ways. People will typically only see positive items from me on the internet and that may give the impression I'm having a good time, all the time (extra credit if you got that movie quote, I'll put the answer below). You know what? I certainly attempt to have a good time, but most of the time. Life is too short.

Sure, I may slip in a post or comment once in a while that isn't positive, but that is rare event. I will comment or post on grief, but grief is my exception to "negative" comments and posts on social media. I don't often vent or discuss personal problems and issues (I think I commented once that I needed to listen to Slayer or some death metal during a commute, but that was sort of meant to be funny though the commute that day was horrible). The people who need to know my personal matters are made aware and I'll discuss those in person or in private messages and email. I prefer speaking to people and seeing their reactions and body language (again, my job requires speaking with people face to face rather than through email, texting, and utilizing emojis). I'm not good at emailing people back or even participating in text discussions. Actually being in the company of people works for me.

There is enough negativity and hate in the world without me chiming in and adding more to that pile of you know what. I rarely complain on social media, and rarely get upset and make negative comments on social media. Why would I? There are too many people doing that already and what does it accomplish? Negativity is low hanging fruit, and even if you mean well and are trying to have a civilized dialogue, people are too easily outraged these days over someone else's opinion. I do not typically engage in political disputes or those regarding religion. There are more mundane and useless items people get upset over, such as trending news: I don't care if Bieber grabbed his crotch, or that the Coldplay guy said Rihanna was the Frank Sinatra of this generation. I'm a huge Sinatra fan, but really, who cares? But people get upset and "outraged" over that sort of nonsense.

I applaud the dedication of the people working for me, but I tell them from time to time that on their deathbed they aren't going to be thinking about all those extra hours they put in working. Instead, I'd likely lament not having spent enough time with family and friends, and perhaps thinking such things as: "Why didn't I travel more?" or "I should have gotten back in touch with (insert name of person here)," or "I always wanted to learn to (insert thing here)." That sort of thing. Along the same lines: will you be thinking about the person who trolled you on the internet or that thing you can't even remember that upset you so much on the internet all those years ago? I doubt it. I'm not saying don't take up a cause, please do. Just don't get too upset when people sh*t all over it, they're not worth the time and energy, especially when hiding behind a computer screen somewhere on the internet. Have meaningful discussions with your friends and acquaintances, in person if at all possible. Hell, try a Google Hangout, even that's way better than flame wars with people you don't really know, or even want to know. I've found people tend to be more reasonable when having to look me in the eye.

There are so many wonderful topics to write about and discuss, why would I choose to drop more negativity into an already overflowing cesspool of hate, negativity, and derision? I want to smile, but I'm too often frowning when I'm on certain social media sites.

Enough negativity! I started going down that path during this post and I'm done with it!

I enjoy posting about books, writing, film, travel, music, mens style (or lack of), outings with my wife, my cats, drinking (scotch, gin, mules, beer, and, you get the picture), smoking cigars, and sitting on my deck.

Post something humorous!

Tell us about the stuff you enjoy. You have hobbies, right? People and pets you love and care for?

How about a photo of people having a good time?

Give us more cat and dog photos!

Enjoy life!

Oh, here is the quote I mentioned above. It's from the awesome "Rockumentary", This Is Spinal Tap:

"Have...a good time...all the time." Viv Savage, keyboardist for Spinal Tap.

A funny film, and even funnier if you've been in a band.

Alistair Kimble 6/7/16 Alistair Kimble 6/7/16

The King of Cool

Dean Martin. So cool and so talented. I'm a huge Frank Sinatra fan, but Dean Martin is right up there with Frank as one of the top entertainers of not only the 20th century, but all-time. Another favorite of mine, Steve McQueen, was also nicknamed the "King of Cool", but Martin got there first.

Dean Martin. So cool and talented. I'm a huge Frank Sinatra fan, but Dean Martin is right up there with Frank as one of the top entertainers of not only the 20th century, but of all-time. Another favorite of mine, Steve McQueen, was also nicknamed the "King of Cool", but Martin got there first.

Today would have been Martin's 99th birthday, but he passed away on Christmas day in 1995 at the age of 78. I'm always shocked at the longevity of guys like Dean and Frank--they smoked, they drank, they partied hard and had a good time. On the other hand, the lifestyle took a toll, but I'm still impressed he lived to the age of 78.

Yes, he had many hits, such as: "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Volare", "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?" and so on, and so on, but he was an entertainer stretching far beyond his dreamy crooner persona.

Most everyone has heard of the comedy team of Martin & Lewis. Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis performed a music-comedy act at night clubs and eventually made a bunch of pretty funny films. From 1949 to 1956 they were in something like 17 films together. Lewis is ridiculous in those films, but Martin, as the straight man always seemed funnier to me. Try My Friend Irma (their first film) and Scared Stiff.

My favorite Dean Martin film is Rio Bravo where Martin shared the screen with John Wayne and was directed by Howard Hawks. Even if you don't enjoy westerns, the pairing of Wayne and Martin is worth the time spent watching the film. He also starred in a string of comedy adventures as Matt Helm, a super spy--these films are ridiculous, but a lot of fun to watch.

Of course, Martin was a key member of the Rat Pack. They performed on stage together, recorded songs together, and made movies together, such as Ocean's 11, Robin and the 7 Hoods, Sergeants 3 (a comedy remake of Gunga Din), and 4 for Texas.

Martin was everywhere, even on television. He had his own variety show, The Dean Martin Show, which launched in the mid-60s and ran until the mid-70s. It's a fun show to watch, even now, and showed off Martin's gift for improvisation.

As a child I remember seeing Dean Martin on television, but hosting The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast which ran through 1984 when I was a teenager. I thought these roasts were funny back then, but they're funnier now (probably because I've immersed myself so much in old Hollywood films and trivia). He roasted Ronald Reagan, Hugh Hefner, Kirk Douglas, Frank Sinatra, Bette Davis, Jimmy Stewart, and the list goes on and on. I think these roasts are available in a box set, I may have to pick that up.

When I think of the greatest entertainers of all time (the multi-faceted ones, not the one-trick ponies), Dean Martin is in my top 5.

Alistair Kimble 6/4/16 Alistair Kimble 6/4/16

The Cure

This Sunday I'll be seeing The Cure in concert at Fiddler's Green Amphitheater. I prefer Red Rocks (who wouldn't, that venue is amazing, and if you're ever in the Denver area go there and check it out!), but couldn't pass up a chance to see The Cure.

For those in the know regarding The Cure, you can skip this paragraph, but for the uninitiated, read on. The Cure have been around since 1976 and are known for gloomy, gothic rock, but in reality defy any specific categorization. Having written that, Robert Smith (pretty much the driving force behind the band) developed pop sensibilities in mid 1980s and released some commercial albums. Don't get me wrong, those albums aren't all butterflies and flowers and happy, but they're more accessible to the casual listener and do have some "upbeat" tunes. The album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me is the best example of this.

I enjoy Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, but my favorite albums comprise a trilogy which Robert Smith toured a few years back, playing each track from those albums in order.

Here they are:

1. Pornography--released in 1982 and is an example of their early gloom and doom and depression. Supposedly this album was conceived under the influence of alcohol and LSD, and the result is a textured, moody, and intense album I love listening to while writing. The entire album is worth a listen, but the opener, One Hundred Years, surges the album forward beneath a gathering storm. The album's cover shows the band members as if they were under the influence of a hallucinogen and alcohol cocktail.

2. Disintegration - released in 1989 after the more commercial Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, and was a return to gloom land, and from what I've read, Robert Smith claimed to have been, once again, under the influence of LSD during the writing and recording. I suppose this album was a backlash against the commercial elements of the previous album--but this album became The Cure's most commercially successful album. Again, the entire album is worth a listen, but check out Fascination Street--the straight forward beat and punchy bass guitar mixed with the chiming guitars is standard fare for The Cure, but amidst the somewhat optimistic tune, the lyrics strive to pull us down into an inevitable despair.

3. Bloodflowers - released in 2000 is the final album in the trilogy. Robert Smith believes this trilogy of albums best represents what The Cure is all about. This may not be the strongest of the trilogy, but is enjoyable when listened to start to finish with my favorite track being the title track followed by The Last Day of Summer and There Is No If...

I'll be enjoying The Cure live this Sunday and I hope you give them a try if you've not been exposed to them, or if you have, rediscover their music.

Alistair Kimble 5/30/16 Alistair Kimble 5/30/16

American Cemetery and Memorial

Memorial Day has occupied a place in my heart for as long as I can remember. My family used to attend the Memorial Day Parade in Hackettstown, NJ every year. I remember seeing both of my grandfathers in the parade, as well as my mom's uncle--all World War II veterans. For a child, the parade was thrilling, since there were uniforms and trucks and tanks and so forth, but I couldn't grasp the true meaning of Memorial Day. I also didn't realize how significant the day was given the timeframe--I was a child in the 1970s and the Vietnam War was either still going on or had just ended.

During my first trip to France a few years ago, one of the first things we did was visit Normandy and saw the beaches and the cliffs where so many gave their lives with our own eyes. We also visited the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. There are 9,387 U.S. servicemen buried there on what is now essentially American soil--France granted the United States a perpetual concession to the land occupied by the cemetery.

A view of some of the 9,387 graves in Normandy, France

This cemetery was originally established on June 8, 1944, the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II. The U.S. flag flies over this soil in France. This cemetery is situated overlooking Omaha Beach, perhaps the bloodiest landing site of the Normandy Invasion. I will probably post about the Normandy Invasion on June 6th.

Omaha Beach is below the American Cemetery

The cemetery is beautiful, but being there is overwhelming. Arlington National Cemetery is overwhelming as well, but that may be due to the sheer numbers buried there. The American Cemetery and Memorial in Normandy overwhelmed me in a different way--I'd just walked on Omaha Beach and Point du Hoc like it was just another blustery day, like it was nothing, while 70 years earlier men died taking those beaches and cliffs I strolled on without worry. The thought brought tears to my eyes and thinking on it right now dredged up those memories of visiting Normandy, and again my eyes water.

Theodore Roosevelt Jr. is buried at the cemetery. In 1941, in his early 50s, he returned to active duty and given command of the same infantry regiment he'd fought with in World War I and participated in the North Africa Campaign. At the age of 56, he was the oldest man in the invasion and was the only general on D-Day to land by sea with the first wave, landing on Utah Beach. His son, Quentin, also landed that day among the first wave, but on Omaha Beach. Theodore didn't die during the invasion, but did so a month after landing at Utah Beach.

Theodore Roosevelt's grave marker at the American Cemetery, Normandy. — Theodore Roosevelt's grave marker at the American Cemetery, Normandy.

There is one veteran of World War I buried in this cemetery--Theodore Roosevelt Jr's younger brother, Lieutenant Quentin Roosevelt, a pilot shot down in France during World War I. He was exhumed from another location in France and re-interred beside his brother.

In closing, while I'm honored people think about me and my service to the country on this day (I was enlisted in the U.S. Navy), Memorial Day is specifically for those who died while serving in the armed forces of the United States.

Don't ever forget what these brave men and women died for--I won't elaborate on that point, but give that some thought, please.

Alistair Kimble 5/27/16 Alistair Kimble 5/27/16

Consider Adopting A Shelter Pet

My wife and I always think of animal shelters as the Island of Misfit Toys, if you've seen the Christmas special, "Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer", you already know what this means, but the island was a place where all the defective toys were sent and were waiting to be loved by a child. Whenever we pass a shelter, we always think of the scene where the toys are sad because no one wants them.

The toys are later rescued and they're happy that they'll be in a home where they'll be loved.

As we head into summer, and kids are off from school, I'm sure many families look into getting a pet for the household. Consider adopting from a shelter--there are so many wonderful animals waiting for you to adopt them! Give these guys a chance, many have been returned to a shelter, or worse, abandoned when they became a problem (the problem is usually humans who do not understand the adopted animal and what they need). Some are simply old and after all those years of companionship the family no longer wants to "deal" with them.

All of the photos I've included in this post are of cats we rescued from shelters over the years. The next two photos are Woobie--adopted way back in the late 90s when he was just a little guy in a shelter in the Mojave Desert. He was my best friend and traveled the across the country with me multiple times, driving and flying. Woobie was named after the blanket in Mr. Mom since he always wanted to be near me. He was a wonderful cat, and I still miss him.

Woobie stretched out--such a white belly!

The next two images are of Juniper, a sweet and loving (almost) 17yr old friend. She's also been all over the country, but was adopted in the Los Angeles area. She loves to snuggle and help me when I'm writing (she'll tuck herself in behind me, which makes me sit up straight!). She's required subcutaneous fluids every other day for the past year or so (for kidney failure), but it's worth it, she's so loving and sweet, and as long as she's not suffering we'll keep doing it.

Bumble, the character in the next couple of images, was adopted after Woobie passed away back in 2011. Bumble was our first Colorado cat. He's a lovely piebald cat who was named after the Abominable Snowman from the above-mentioned "Rudolph" Christmas special, which Yukon Cornelius called the Bumble. He's full of energy, but also loves to snuggle and be around us, he'll even steal my spot on the sofa when I lean forward or move! Bumble was diagnosed with premature kidney failure and lost a lot of weight a couple of years ago. He requires some medication, but he's rebounded and the vet believes we've halted his kidney failure.

We like to torture ourselves on occasion and visit a shelter, and during one visit, discovered a little black bear of a cat named Pepper. Pepper's owner passed away and the owner's son simply tossed Pepper outside into the cold. A neighbor scooped him up and took him to a no-kill shelter which is where we adopted him. Black cats are often overlooked by people, but Pepper's story was so sad and he'd been at the shelter for a long time before we took him home. Pepper may have been 10 when we adopted him, and he passed away last year from cancer--the three years he was with us were wonderful. He was such a handsome guy.

We were heartbroken after Pepper passed away so suddenly last July, and we weren't sure if we were ready for another cat, but then we heard about Buddy. Buddy was being fostered at a home after his owner had boarded him and never returned--we're not sure what happened to the owner. Buddy was 18 when we adopted him and recently turned 19. Many people do not want to adopt older cats, but Buddy does not act like a senior. He's active and loving. He must have been treated well by his previous owner. He puts a smile on my face in the morning (which is hard to do most of the time, just ask my poor wife). Buddy is healthy, but is deaf and is starting to get cataracts. He is so sweet though, and we just can't believe he is 19 (and neither can the vet). He can still jump with the best of them!

Shelter pets are wonderful and many of the cats we've adopted over the years would have been overlooked or passed over. Black cats, elderly cats, or cats with conditions after often those misfit toys that only want to be loved. Buddy healed our hearts after Pepper passed away--kittens are wonderful, but that 19yr old cat was exactly what we needed. We thought we were rescuing him, but he rescued us.