Earlier today, I attended a memorial service for a classmate of mine who lost a long, arduous battle with a brain tumor. I had first heard of my friend Duane's cancer last year, and the last time I saw him was at a well-attended benefit back in October. While we weren't close friends, I was glad to donate to such a worthy cause.
The memorial was very well-done, and I think hardly anyone wasn't choked up at one time or another during it. It also made me think of my old ad director JR and my uncles Jack and Ray, two other recent casualties to cancer. Cancer really is a nasty damn disease - it affects the lives of so many of us, and it doesn't discriminate by age, sex or race.
I think another classmate died in a farm accident in Wyoming or Montana several years back, so Duane was only the 2nd classmate who had passed away in our class of over 160. With our 20-year high school reunion coming up this summer, I know that plenty of us will be thinking of our lost classmate. I'm sure he'll be there with us in spirit, though, smiling down at us from heaven.
Duane was only 38 when he died, a few months older than me. Thinking about this fact over the weekend made me realize how precious life is, and how it can be taken away at any moment. 38's too young to die of a brain tumor in my opinion, but like I said before: cancer doesn't discriminate. Take some time to enjoy the company of your loved ones this Easter weekend - I know I will too. Until later, take care and be well!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Bucky's Favorite Cartoons
As I watched the 14th season premiere of South Park this week (I would've been surprised if they HADN'T spoofed Tiger Woods in that episode), I realized I've been watching animated cartoons for a long time. With that in mind, here's an alphabetical list of my all-time favorites:
Beavis and Butthead - this show was on MTV when I was in college. Although the drawing style seems kinda crude, the characters and their insults to each other stick in your head. I can still mimic Beavis and Butthead's voices! In my opinion, this is Mike Judge's best animated series.
Family Guy - it took me a while to warm up to this show, and their jokes are sometimes hit or miss, I still enjoy this show. Brian the dog and Stewie are perfect foils for each other, and I love the cut-away gags that are spoofs of science fiction or 80's shows. I have to admire them for coming back after being cancelled twice, too. (I also like the spinoff The Cleveland Show, but have never been a big American Dad fan.)
Futurama - a sometimes forgotten show from Simpsons creator Matt Groening. I love John DiMaggio's portrayal of Bender, the robot with an attitude. Glad to hear it's coming back.
Peanuts - I watched the specials all the time as a kid, and I think I even had some of the book club books that adapted these specials. I remember watching the one where Snoopy ran away from home on a Mother's Day evening, a day that I probably ruined for Mom by getting the stomach flu right before church!
Popeye - probably my favorite cartoon of all-time. I learned a lot about drawing from watching these cartoons. The color cartooons from the 1950's and 1960's were on the most when I was a kid, but seeing a black and white Popeye adventure from the 1930's would occasionally come on TV, which I thought was a rare treat. I used to draw all of the main characters as a kid, and I can still draw the spinach-eating sailor and some of the other characters from memory all these years later.
Rocky and Bullwinkle - this show was on all the time as a kid. I loved the serial stories that you could watch in the morning before school and again after you got home. I was kinda bummed out when I first learned that there is no actual town called Frostbite Falls in Minnesota, though! I also loved the Fractured Fairy Tales and the exploits of Sherman and Peabody and Dudley Do-Right.
The Simpsons - hard to believe this show's been on for over 20 years. While I like episodes from probably their first 10-15 years or so the best, the current episodes are still worth watching.
South Park - definitely my favorite cartoon as an adult. I love how they satirize current events and people, and often grossly exaggerate situations. Eric Cartman is the ultimate rotten kid. What other show would feature a talking piece of poo (Mr. Hankey) as a supporting character? I'd still like to see another episode that focuses on Timmy, though.
Underdog - another serial type cartoon that was on all the time as a kid. I think it was rare for Underdog not to say something that wasn't a rhyme. Loved hearing the late Don Adams (best known as Maxwell Smart in the sitcom Get Smart) as the scheming Tennessee Tuxedo during these shows too.
Beavis and Butthead - this show was on MTV when I was in college. Although the drawing style seems kinda crude, the characters and their insults to each other stick in your head. I can still mimic Beavis and Butthead's voices! In my opinion, this is Mike Judge's best animated series.
Family Guy - it took me a while to warm up to this show, and their jokes are sometimes hit or miss, I still enjoy this show. Brian the dog and Stewie are perfect foils for each other, and I love the cut-away gags that are spoofs of science fiction or 80's shows. I have to admire them for coming back after being cancelled twice, too. (I also like the spinoff The Cleveland Show, but have never been a big American Dad fan.)
Futurama - a sometimes forgotten show from Simpsons creator Matt Groening. I love John DiMaggio's portrayal of Bender, the robot with an attitude. Glad to hear it's coming back.
Peanuts - I watched the specials all the time as a kid, and I think I even had some of the book club books that adapted these specials. I remember watching the one where Snoopy ran away from home on a Mother's Day evening, a day that I probably ruined for Mom by getting the stomach flu right before church!
Popeye - probably my favorite cartoon of all-time. I learned a lot about drawing from watching these cartoons. The color cartooons from the 1950's and 1960's were on the most when I was a kid, but seeing a black and white Popeye adventure from the 1930's would occasionally come on TV, which I thought was a rare treat. I used to draw all of the main characters as a kid, and I can still draw the spinach-eating sailor and some of the other characters from memory all these years later.
Rocky and Bullwinkle - this show was on all the time as a kid. I loved the serial stories that you could watch in the morning before school and again after you got home. I was kinda bummed out when I first learned that there is no actual town called Frostbite Falls in Minnesota, though! I also loved the Fractured Fairy Tales and the exploits of Sherman and Peabody and Dudley Do-Right.
The Simpsons - hard to believe this show's been on for over 20 years. While I like episodes from probably their first 10-15 years or so the best, the current episodes are still worth watching.
South Park - definitely my favorite cartoon as an adult. I love how they satirize current events and people, and often grossly exaggerate situations. Eric Cartman is the ultimate rotten kid. What other show would feature a talking piece of poo (Mr. Hankey) as a supporting character? I'd still like to see another episode that focuses on Timmy, though.
Underdog - another serial type cartoon that was on all the time as a kid. I think it was rare for Underdog not to say something that wasn't a rhyme. Loved hearing the late Don Adams (best known as Maxwell Smart in the sitcom Get Smart) as the scheming Tennessee Tuxedo during these shows too.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
CD Review - Valleys of Neptune by Jimi Hendrix
Hi there,
Sorry it's taken me so long to post - sometimes this blog is like my Twitter account, in that I really take it for granted and forget that it's there.
I just picked up the new Hendrix album Valleys of Neptune, and I have to admit that I'm surprised there was still unreleased material in the Hendrix vault - I thought his family had already posthumously released all of his B-sides, rare tracks and other previously unavailable live recordings years ago.
Some of the songs are songs you've probably heard before, but these are new arrangements. I have enjoyed the fresh takes on classics like "Stone Free," "Hear My Train A Comin'" and a nice extended instrumental cut of Cream's classic "Sunshine of Your Love."
The title track is probably the best of the new songs on this album, and will probably stick in your head after a few listens. The version I bought at Target also has two great bonus instrumental songs "Slow Version" and "Trash Man" (plus if you buy this album and any other Hendrix album at Target this week, they give you a $5 gift card for your next purchase).
Sorry it's taken me so long to post - sometimes this blog is like my Twitter account, in that I really take it for granted and forget that it's there.
I just picked up the new Hendrix album Valleys of Neptune, and I have to admit that I'm surprised there was still unreleased material in the Hendrix vault - I thought his family had already posthumously released all of his B-sides, rare tracks and other previously unavailable live recordings years ago.
Some of the songs are songs you've probably heard before, but these are new arrangements. I have enjoyed the fresh takes on classics like "Stone Free," "Hear My Train A Comin'" and a nice extended instrumental cut of Cream's classic "Sunshine of Your Love."
The title track is probably the best of the new songs on this album, and will probably stick in your head after a few listens. The version I bought at Target also has two great bonus instrumental songs "Slow Version" and "Trash Man" (plus if you buy this album and any other Hendrix album at Target this week, they give you a $5 gift card for your next purchase).
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