Matthew

I hope you're wrong but it's definitely not a good sign. Bad sign, tempted to get the two Mosaics I really want but can't afford (Braxton & Parker). Buy now, worry & pay later -- the American way!

Well Ghosty, how is the book? Worth the money? I'm looking for the same thing in a good Miles Davis reference/discography right now -- I just like the feel of a book in my hand, even though the Miles Ahead website is very good.

There's an entry for him in Who's Who in Colored America: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Persons of African Descent in America, but I haven't been able to run a copy of this down. Plus, I think most of what is out there is a rehashing of what in the Who's Who. I might have to drive into L.A. and hunt it down. It would be interesting to find out if there are letters between Miles and his father that are public.

This seems like a good place as any to ask my question: Does anyone know of a good article, or a good description in a book (outside of Szwed & Carr), about Miles Davis father, Dr. Miles Henry Davis? I'm doing some research on Miles, and I would like more information on Dr. Davis, he seems like a very interesting man.

My favorite tootsie roll pop is cherry...

One of my desert island books! Some wonderful ruminations on history in its pages. Highly evocative of the Fenland region of East Anglia where it is set. And very good on eels too! Bev: Have you seen the movie version of the book? It's out on dvd and it has Jeremy Irons in the lead. I'm tempted to buy it...

Waterland by Graham Swift. Just got this from the library today, and started reading this for the first time in a long while. First of all, I cannot believe this was published twenty-seven years ago, where does time go? I remember the first time I read this book, when I finished, I went right back to page one, and started all over again. It's still that powerful, what a wonderfully written book, one of the best in the past thirty years.

Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees. It's very nice to have baseball back.

We all need some James Brown in our life.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHYnW8njGis&feature=player_embedded#

Rereading The Seven Mountains of Thomas Merton by Michael Mott to get in my mind a good overall feel sense Merton's life. Heaven help me, but I'm 99% certain that I am going to blog a commentary on Merton's Journals.

Good choice! I found it very readable. Got about 2/3 of the way through (have to return it to the library, I'll get it again in a day or so) but it is a very good read. It's interesting how Miles' life has a pronounced mythic component, where reading about his life, it already seems to fall into jazz cliche mode, but yet, it was a real life. One of the interesting points that Szwed makes is that Miles was not a "modern person" of the sixties, but was really a throwback to the 1950's, and makes the caparison that Miles was actually like Elliott Gould's Philip Marlowe in The Long Goodbye, an outdated character adrift in the modern world, with values and outlooks that are out of sync with what is going on around him. You could write some great articles of some of the off-hand comments that Szwed makes.

Not all revamped boxes from Amazon U.K. come with the shoebox-type lid. I got mine from Amazon U.K. with the "old" box (which is still intact), but with glue-free CDs. I immediately put the CDs in Japanese "cloth" inner mini-LP sleeves. That was also my experience with Amazon Fr. I will be ordering the inner sleeves very soon as I want to keep this box for the rest of my life.

My excuse: I had Miles I sold Miles With two purchases (this and the Columbia Album Collection) I have Miles again. I like Miles

Bought this from Amazon Germany for $68.35. Stamp sucker on my forehead, but still, 14 albums for less than $5.00 per is a good buy, and I like albums in their original format. PS: Link for anyone interested.

Happy Birthday!

This past week I watched replays of that game, and the one before, where Ichiro had a walk off single. I loved the little shuffle-dance-step he did right before touching home plate. Now I really know baseball is around the corner, as I just renewed by mlb.tv premium subscription.

Just consider me on call, free of charge--I've got lots more in my little black bag where that came from. So Matthew, pardon my being so AL East-centric...who's got a shot at keeping up with the Mariners in the AL West in 2010? I do not think the Mariners are a shoe-in by any means. The 4 & 5 starters are not anything special, and the closer, to my mind, is still open to questions. There is also a lack of power in the lineup, which was a major problem last year, though Milton Bradley might have a good year(??!!??). I also wonder if the Mariners are down by 5+ games at the trading deadline, if Cliff Lee stays around. As you can see, I'm not completely sold on the Mariners, and the Angles are still the team to beat. Any team managed by Mike Scioscia is going to be tough. I wind up my business trip north of Seattle, so I can check out the local enthusiasm. I'm also thinking of driving to Peoria, AZ to catch some spring training games. Even though I have my doubts, I know the Mariners are going to kick some rear ends this year. Anything less than the playoffs will be a disappointment. This is what I remember of the 2009 World Champions... :) :) :) :) :) :)

My gosh, I'm starting to get a raft of these: It's bad enough I get these, but two weeks ago, I was getting panic phone calls from Poland about a scam using my name....

So What: The Life of Miles Davis. John Szwed's biography of Miles Davis, which I will read during my business trip the next ten days. Nothing helps reading like long lay-overs in airports..

Dan, I don't see Beltre & Cameron hitting more that 50 fifty home runs, and at 37, I see Cameron going on the down slide. It's pitching that's going win for Boston this year, though I do not have the highest confidence in Papelbon at the moment, his meltdown against the Angels in too fresh in my mind. Ghosty: The Yankee outfield flat-out stinks. Really? Gardner/Winn? Move your best outfielder, Granderson to left, who is also coming off a bad year? Swisher in right? A 35 year old Jeter at shortstop? I'm not seeing it for the Yankees this year -- and hey! I'm completely unbiased about the whole thing!

Is Echo Curio that place on the east end of Sunset? Close to Dodger Stadium? I might have to get the gumption to go out and see the show.

To get in shape for the upcoming baseball season: Mariners 2010 Annual

The Beach Boys -- Surf's Up Absolutely gorgeous. I always find it amazing that this beautiful music can come from such a SoCal soul crushing state-of-being and location like Hawthorne. And I say that as one who grew in a soul-crushing SoCal locale myself.

Parker Lewis Can't Lose -- The Complete First Season. I've been looking forward to this dvd for years. I don't have a clue why I enjoy this series so much, but I find it just a fun watch.