Mark Trail revised

[Mark Trail, original and revised, April 28, 2014. Click for larger views.]

I thought of Robert Johnson’s “Hellhound on My Trail”: “I got to keep moving, I got to keep moving.” I thought of “Whoopsie!” and “Oops!” I thought of putting this thought in two heads. But I like better what Elaine suggested.

Thanks, Elaine, for your suggestion and for the use of your humormeter.

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Fun with Wikipedia

From a Wikipedia article: “The Four Square Writing Method is a simplified graphic organizer for teaching writing to children in school. While primarily used to teach persuasive writing, it has also been used to help teach deconstruction.”

Someone is having fun with Wikipedia. I think.

Mark Trail revised

[Mark Trail revised, April 26, 2014.]

It’s now three days straight. But I’m not planning to make a habit of it. Not. I can stop at any time.

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[Context here.]

VDP on American Routes

Nick Spitzer’s radio program American Routes has two hours of and with Van Dyke Parks and Tom McDermott. Listen here: Creole Eyes and Classical Ears: Van Dyke Parks and Tom McDermott.

A Parks thought:

“I would prefer to have recognition in my lifetime. The hell with immortality. Who needs it? I don’t. I would love to have the riches that come or the sustenance that comes from an easy life in the arts. But that is not to be. And at the age of seventy-one, all I can say is, I’ve had enough, and I’m grateful, because enough to me is plenty to go on.”

Related reading
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[I always thought it was roots. Heard, not seen.]

“No Figures of Speech”

A student pointed out the words left behind on the blackboard: “No Figures of Speech.”

“Bullshit,” said I.

Mark Trail revised

[Mark Trail revised, April 25, 2014.]

I don’t plan to make a habit of revising Mark Trail strips, but then no one plans to acquire a habit.

Related reading
All OCA Mark Trail posts (Pinboard)

[Context, if it’s not obvious, here.]

Mark Trail revised

Rushed by an bear, Mark Trail picks up a large branch and stuns the enraged creature. “It worked,” Mark tells himself. “The bear is stunned!” I couldn’t resist revising the aftermath.


[Mark Trail, April 24, 2014.]


[Mark Trail revised, April 24, 2014.]

Even Mark Trail deserves a break once in a while.

Related reading
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[Those shoes.]

Happy Anniversary

[Louise and Jim Leddy, 1954.]

My parents are celebrating the sixtieth wedding anniversary today. What a great-looking couple, then and now.

I am now ten years older than my parents’ combined ages when they married. Younger readers, take caution: these things become inexpressibly strange to think about as you get older. Or at least they do for me.

Teachers and policemen

From the Naked City episode “A Horse Has a Big Head — Let Him Worry!” (November 21, 1962). Lieutenant Mike Parker (Horace McMahon) is speaking:

“Teachers and policemen — you don’t have much money, but on the other hand, you don’t have much fun.”

This episode must rank among the greatest Naked City episodes. Diahann Carroll’s performance as teacher Ruby Jay won her an Emmy. There’s an interview with her at the Archive of American Television’s Naked City page. Also in this episode: John Megna, who would soon appear as Dill in To Kill a Mockingbird. Two great actors.

Related reading
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Literally

Literally is a Chrome browser extension that replaces literally with figuratively. Funny, yes. But a better choice when writing is to replace literally with nothing, nothing at all:

That meeting had me literally climbing the walls.
That meeting had me figuratively climbing the walls.
That meeting had me climbing the walls.

My friend Aldo Carrasco used literally with impunity. He must have gotten special permission. “Literally unbelievable” was a signature Aldo phrase.

[As you might imagine, the extension would turn this post into nonsense.]