Random ramblings from an amateur rock-n-roll historian and critic,self-professed bourbon aficionado, blackberry growin', jam makin', sometime tie-die shirt makin', ex hippie wannabe, turned punk rock lovein', blues festival going, middle aged pudgy bald white guy who loves to wear Hawaiian shirts in the summertime and happens to be more Stax than Motown, more Alman Brothers than Skynard, more Stones than Beatles, more NASCAR than Baseball, more freeware than license keys...
Thinking about how I've been preaching against it for close to 40 years now.
Thinking about how my dad used to say the Moral Majority was neither.
Thinking about when the conservatives were taking over the seminaries he warned me:
"Don't believe these people who tell you you have to think everything exactly like they do, it's just not true."
Thinking about how they have allowed themselves to be hijacked over a faulty theological position by evil greedy racist men.
Its why I like the fact that in The United Methodist Church we say the apostles creed.
Traditional Version
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;*
the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic** church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
*Traditional use of this creed includes these words: "He descended into hell."
**universal
As long as your denomination can say this?
Then you're good with me.
It was the whole point of assembling it in the first place.
This whole notion that we as the body of Christ can't have disagreements with each other is ridiculous.
That you have to vote for a certain political party, or your not a christian, or not as much of a christian. How much more self-righteous could you be?
Time to change the paradigm. 40+ years of this nonsense is enough.
Fundamentalist Christianity been used and exploited for nefarious political purposes whose time is obviously about to run out.
I fully expect to make enemies.
Loose friends.
Have people disagree and argue with me.
Seems like I'm in good company if you ask me.
So anyway.
I'm thinking about all this.
I get up to head to the truck parked out by the corn field which after harvest time is now stubble.
And it's misting. Not hard, just slight drizzle.
And it's coming down at and angle and I'm walking into it, the wind, the drizzling mist, etc, to get to the truck to get home.
And out of nowhere the lyrics:
"Gonna be a twister to blow everything down that aint got the faith to stand its ground"
"Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water."
Water signifies righteousness.
The first thing I though, without any hesitation, was the 12 springs represented the 12 disciples and the 70 palm trees represented Jesus sending out the seventy.
I don't even have to think about it or try to remember.
I've maybe read that verse one or two other times.
Things just come to me.
It's how I know it's not me doing it.
I read like twenty commentaries on this verse afterwards.
The one that mentioned the 70 palm trees representing the seventy Christ sends out?
The writer of that commentary pretty much calls it the mystical interpretation of that verse.
"As to the mystical application of this passage, the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem make the twelve fountains answerable to the twelve tribes of Israel, and seventy palm trees to the seventy elders of the sanhedrim; and so Jarchi: and more evangelically the twelve fountains of water may denote the abundance of grace in Christ, in whom are the wells of salvation, and the sufficiency of it for all his people; and which the doctrine of the Gospel, delivered by his twelve apostles, discovers and reveals, and leads and directs souls unto; and the seventy palm trees may lead us to think of the seventy disciples sent out by Christ, and all other ministers of the word, who for their uprightness, fruitfulness, and usefulness, may be compared to palm trees, as good men in Scripture are, see Psalm 92:12.
Psalm 92:12
12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Luke 10
King James Version (KJV)
10 After these thingsthe Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.
5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.
7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.
8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,
11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.
(Written about this, better to have never known that to have known and turned away)
15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.
16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
who else you know ever been to a Hells' Angels food drive and tried a brain sandwich at a fall festival in the same day?
I told you a long time a go Lucy, if it sounds fun or interesting?
Count me in.
All started when me and my buddy went to pick up a garage door in town.
We got gas and the used car lot across the street had the baddest looking convertible.
Had no idea what it was but it was cool as hell.
More on that in a minute.
So we gas up, get the garage door and parts loaded up and go eat at a diner I hadn't been to in a while.
It was right across from where I used to work and close by to where the hospital used to be before it moved. We used to go there after visiting people or somebody got released from hospital etc.
So we have lunch and upon leaving I see a flyer on the wall.
Hells Angels food drive.
Saturday.
American Legion Post
Live music all day.
$5 cover or bring can goods for admission.
(needed picture of the diner and the flyer but oh well)
I asked my buddy, "Is that for real?"
He said, "I don't know."
I said well there aint but one way to know for sure.
The Evansville West Side Nut Festival was going on that same Saturday.
We had been talking about it earlier in the week and I had mentioned I had never been and always wanted to go. My buddy said they used to have brain sandwiches there :-).
Theres all kinds of food booths serving all kinds of crazy food raising $ for churches, civic organizations, etc.
So?
Before I set out on my journey?
Somebody lets it be know they want a gift :-).
Well?
Hadn't really bought her anything before so?
So?
Of course, not a problem.
Day just got a lil busier to get home before dark but I'm thinking we can get it all in.
So I set out.
First thing is, since I don't have picture of the flyer for the Hells Angels food drive I gotta go by diner and see where it's the drive is being held.
I thought hey, that cool car is right down the street, go find out what it is.
So?
I did.
Turns out it's a 63 tbird convertible.
68,000 original miles.
Sounded great.
Steering column tilts to right to give you more room to get in and out of the car :-).
Cool AF as the kids say.
$16,000.
The owner of the lot said he got it at one of those auto auctions in Louisville.
They also had this on their lot:
41 Chevy I think it was?
Pretty cool.
So I go by the diner, get the location of the food drive and off we go.
Hells Angels Food Pantry Drive.
Lets just say.
If you ever go to a Hells Angles philanthropic event?
Don't be quick to pull out a cell phone.
When in Rome, etc.
Didn't see one out the whole time I was there.
Not one.
Take clues from your environment people.
They had a big trailer they were using to collect the food in.
I took this picture from the sidewalk as I figured it was public property.
Gave them my can goods.
There were maybe 80-100 people there.
Signed in.
Went and sat down for a while to check it out.
Not what you would have expected.
Members were mostly younger.
Looked like a lot of ex-military types to me.
Jeans were nice.
Leathers clean, etc.
It was around lunch time.
I'm sure things got interesting later but hey,
I got a brain sandwich and a gift on my mind so I'm not sticking around long.
They were selling all kinds of merchandise.
Shirts, hats, stickers, etc.
Didn't expect that.
Trust me I asked before just whipping out the camera to get a picture of the stickers offered :-).
Anybody that knows me and my truck knows I was gonna buy at least one.
But which one would be appropriate?
I got the one that said: "I believe in angels" :-).
I had questions and several members were kind enough to answer.
I was thinking Fulton must be in California and the 81 was the chapter number here?
Turns out this chapter (The first charter issued in the state of KY BTW) is based out of Fulton County KY. You wanna talk about being out in the boonies?
I thought where I live is remote.
Not compared to Fulton County it's not.
I told the guy I was speaking to:
"Well thats pretty isolated"
He just smiled.
"Yeah, they kinda like it that away"
I told him I had been there.
Crossed the Mississippi River on a ferry, been through Hickman etc.
He seemed kinda surprised I even knew where it was.
I asked about the 81 also and what it meant.
H is the eight letter of the alphabet and A is the first.
"Civilians aren't allowed to wear attire with "Hells Angels"
So? 81.
Learn something everyday Lucy.
After a few days it dawned on me.
The advent of biker culture in the US came about after WW2.
Lots of vets coming home didn't want the white picket fence and two kids and a dog lifestyle.
They had been exposed to horrific things during war time and just saw fit to set out on a new lifestyle and biker culture, Motorcycle Clubs (MC's) started springing up everywhere.
I believe we are in for a resurgence of MC's if were not already.
The way this country treats it's veterans is shame full.
Somewhere down there is a brain sandwich and I plan on at least trying it.
I asked a guy, "Hey wheres all the food?"
"Oh down there by the Ferris Wheel." he says.
Nice.
Sweet.
Wearing full leathers and carrying helmet :-).
Gotta get in and out cause you know, somebodys gift is a priority and want to be back before dark.
I found it.
Turns out the food booths are numbered and there is a flyer that tells you where different booths are located but I didn't know all that until afterwards.
Once I saw the numbers on the booths I stopped and asked somebody where the brain sandwiches were.
"Booth 53" I think she said and they were like booth 49 so a lil further up the way and
Wallah
They only had one "Zombie slider left so thats what I had.
I told the lady, "You guys are literally out of your brains."
I told her I was sorry, I had to :-).
She got a good laugh out of it.
I was excited.
Zombie slider?
Fried brains with Pepper Jack Cheese, Onion Straws and Sriracha infused mayo?
I thought, "Well I can eat pretty much anything with Pepper Jack Cheese, Onion Straws and Sriracha infused mayo.
Nope.
:-).
Couldn't do it.
One bite.
Not a flavor thing.
Texture thing.
Way to mushy for me.
But hey, I did get one bite down and I did try it, which was the whole point to begin with.
And let me tell you, I've lived plenty of days where I would have gladly eaten a zombie slider.
Just not this day.
Great.
Now the five mile walk back to the bike in full leathers. :-).
All for one bite of a brain sandwich. :-).
49 Mercury I think he said.
Taken on way out while they were lining up for the parade.
Love the grill.
Looks like an auger? Braces?
Saw lots of cool cars this day.
Nice.
Gift time.
I make it to the mall.
I see the place and I just start smiling.
Like I didn't know one of the reasons you asked me to go here this day was because you knew I would be in full leathers. :-).
Look says it all :-).
Like seriously?
You didn't think I knew why you asked me to come here today?
:-).
The sales people were very nice, professional, courthouse, helpful.
I think they got a kick out of seeing me there as well :-).
Leaving the mall.
On the corner of food court see this restaurant.
All Route 66 type stuff.
Stop to get a coke.
See this.
It was odd because before leaving my buddy's to go on this adventure
we had been talking about gravity fed gas pumps from back in the day.
I see this and sit down.
Then?
I notice this is playing.
I just smile.
Serendipity indeed.
"the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for"
“at the end of the day he still considers himself to be in the hospitality business.”
Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said describing this guy.
Well?
Let me tell ya something.
These guys?
At the end of the day?
Do not consider themselves in the hospitality business.
Fuckin world is on fire, Turkey getting ready to defect from NATO and align with Russia and take with them some US nukes and this buffoon is like selling time shares or something?
"It's no secret that the stars are falling from the sky It's no secret that our world is in darkness tonight They say the sun is sometimes eclipsed by a moon You know I don't see you when she walks in the room...
Love, we shine like a burning star We're falling from the sky tonight...
It's no secret that the stars are falling from the sky The universe exploding 'cos-a one man's lie Look I gotta go, yeah, I'm running outta change; There's a lot of things if I could I'd rearrange"
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Isaiah 27:13
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem.
Matthew 24:29-31
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
shows that "time is no more, and that the mystery of God is finished,
Rev. 10:6-7
"And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets."
At the 7th trumpet, Jesus rules and reigns forevermore, He has taken His great power and reigned,and He rewards the righteous, and judges the wicked. Both Jesus and Paul declare that when Jesus comes, His reward is with Him, and He rewards everyone according to their works,
Revelation 22:12
"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
1 Timothy 4
4 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons."
I've always said the best whiskey in the world was made right here and the money goes to support the workers, families and local economies of the state..
"It was against this backdrop that Putin toured the capitals of two key Gulf states -- the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday and Saudi Arabia on Monday."
"We may very well defeat ISIS, but this is just going to keep reforming and reconstituting until it eventually results in a new Islamic caliphate.
(I even used the same word she did, reconstituting).
"Islamic resurgence anybody?
Revelation 13:3
One of the heads of the beast appeared to be fatally wounded. But the mortal wound was healed, and the whole world was astonished and followed the beast."
"One of the heads of the beast appeared to be fatally wounded. But the mortal wound was healed..."
I mean?
What do you think it's referring to?
I've been praying for wisdom and knowledge and understanding every day for years now.
I don't drink spiritual baby milk, I've been eating solid spiritual food for a long time.
I just don't understand how can people not see what is so plainly on display right in front of therm?
Jeremiah 5:21
"Hear this, O foolish and senseless people,
who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear."
"Never trust a cheeseburger you can't take the bun off of."
"Never trust a rock-n-roll band that can't play at least five Chuck Berry songs."
"Satisfying more desperate housewives than the spin cycle."
"she's not drunk, she's just mean!"
"swampadelic!!!"
"We self medicate the depression that is a direct result of the obsessive compulsiveness"
"what's crackalackin?"
"Your curse is my blessing"
Quotes from the 09 WC Handy Blues Fest
"We're an army and we're growing"
"Thats award winnin strutin' right there"
"That's shakin' it like the pros do"
"It's just Jimi passin' by"
"I walked in the door and saw hubert and my old lady doing the funky chicken right down in the middle of the floor"
"I spent $500 to save you $300, thats almost half off"
"I hate loud music, blues music and Heat"
"I don't know, that might be Jimi and Stevie"
"I don't buy enough shit to try and talk people down to start with"
"as long as you don't have that 38 it's all cool!"
People Of The WC Handy Blues fest
Ol' Dancin' Couple
Freaky Lookin' Dude
Mother and Daughter
Purple Hat Lady
Old Soldier
Got Grey Hair Now Duse
Subnet.com People
T- Shirt Guy
Quotes from "Porch Night Out"
"...are there any ding dongs left?..."
"...are those the Cheetos?...
"...can a brother get a lil ananimity?..."
"What was I supposed to be writing?..."
"YEAH!!......I'm sorry what?..."
"...there aint no dope on Bowling Green..."
"...somebodys got to drive my fat ass to Philpot..."
"...snapper shit..."
"...18 to 80, blind, crippled, or crazy..."
"...higher than a hippie on a helicopter ride..."
"...Whiskey Dicked..."
Quotes from Bowling Green Trip
Andrew, "Look a trailer with Christmas lights on it". "Thats not a trailer, thats a school bus!, and it doesn't have Christmas lights on it", Dave
Andrew, "Is the computer on?". "No you have to turn it on for it to be on", NA
"Well, it is getting toward wintertime", NA on Big breasted women.
"She wont get horny, she'll just get pissed off", BC
"Now do you want to smoke paper or do you want to smoke...", NA
"I'm squinting, everything s blurry..."Andrew
"I might just gateway across the spectrum", Dave
Overheard in Hancocok County
Criminal Girl, "oh shit, that wasn't the ash can!, that was my purse!!, Preacher Man, "If you go messing around with a skunk, you ought naught be surprised when you end up a little smelly.""If your clean, you aint eating it right", guy eating barbq.Country Boy, "I think those jerks on first shift were trying to poison us."Country Boys' Date, "Well, you didn't have to eat it now did you?"Country Boy, "But it was pizza". Big Guy to Clerk: "look at me, does it look like I want cheese sauce?"Overheard from phone: "Why the hell are you watching that?" Reply "Because it's on." Country Boy, "She got fired for doing some guy in the parking lot. Typical Tell City Chick..." Country Boy, "It done dried!"
Overheard at Work
"Has anybody seen the hemostats?"
"How are you?" "I'm doing well. It's early."
"I aint in any hurry."
"I am the queen of 8:15"
"I don't care if she takes over a Russian satalite with it..."
"I don't know anything, I'm just a suit"
"I plan on being reasonably functional for most of the day"
"I tried to reformat it, but it takes a frigin' act of congress or somethin'..."
"I'm like a brownie at a weight watchers meeting, I'm gone..."
"I'm not their boss, and I'm not their moma..."
"It would help to have your mouse over the link, yes..."
"It's a vortex of evil down there"
"It's not that I'm not listening to you, it's that I am having trouble comprehending you"
"Just click it with your mouth."
"Man, it's fried", "Like chicken..."
"The only thing I'm handy with is a doughnut"
"Why don't you go troubleshoot a Network Printer or something?"
"You are starting to scare me with your new found caffinefreeness..."
"You might not want to mess with me, I have a bladder infection"
Great Music Quotes
"If they wanted to name rock-n-roll something else, they could have called it Chuck Berry", John Lennon."Tune low and play hard", Stevie Ray Vaughn "What do I want a pick for, I got five of them on my hand." Gatemouth Brown "The Grateful Dead should be sponsored by the government -- a public service." Jerry Garcia "Rhythm is something you either have or you don't have, but when you have it, you have it all over." Elvis Presley "Free your mind and your ass will follow." George Clinton
Great Guitarists
Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, Tab Benoit, SRV, Pete Townshend, Eddie Van Halen, Pete Anderson, Steve Cropper, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, James Burton, Ron Wood, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Carlos Santana, Freddie King, Albert King, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Robert Cray, Prince, The Edge, Duane Allman, Dickey Betts, Slash, Joe Walsh, Joe Lewis Walker, Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, Kim Thayil, Albert Collins, Lonnie Mack, Buddy Guy, Bonnie Rait, "Gatemouth" Brown, Johnny Winter, Tinsley Ellis, Lightnin Hopkins, Jimmy Reed, Robert Johnson, T-Bone Walker, Tommy Castro, Hubert Sumlin, Tom Morello, Elmore James, Brian Jones, Jeff Beck, Mike Campbell, Steve Via...
Great Keyboardists
Jerry Lee Lewis,
Little Richard,
Johnie Johnson,
Booker T. Jones,
Ray charles,
Billy Preston,
Fats Domino,
Roy Bittan,
Pinetop Perkins,
Bernie Worrell,
Benmont Tench,
Sly Stone
Great Bass Players
Duck Dunn, Jaco Pastorius, John Entwistle, John Paul Jones, Bill Wyman, Jack Bruce, Robbie Shakespear,
Bootsy Collins, Tony Levine, Willie Dixon, Les Claypool, Noel Redding, Flea, Adam Clayton
2 Turtles, (1 released, I think it was a she and she was preggers) 4 Frogs (1 of them a Tree Frog, 1 of them about as big as thr tip of my index finger), 2 salamanders, countless worms and lightning bugs, 1 big ugly lookin' thing with wings on it...