September 23, 2008

"Love Is the Thing"



The title track to Nat King Cole's 1957 album

5 comments:

Leigh said...

I just found your blog today, while searching for the time for sunset in Nacogdoches on October 18, of all things! Serendipity is a wonderful thing . . .

I'm a Nacogdoches native, a graduate of SFA (M.S. in computer science), and currently a resident of Austin. I come back to Nac every two or three weeks on business and to visit the family.

Sunset time on October 18? It matters because I'm directing a family wedding on that day. You'd like it . . . we'll be listening to Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Linda Ronstadt backed by the incomparable orchestration of Nelson Riddle, and many other American classics. Thank God the younger generation loves good music! No "Electric Slide" for us, thank you.

It looks like we share many other interests. Blue Highways is one of my favorites, too -- though I probably first read it while you were still in grade school! William Least Heat Moon has a new book coming out in October, at long last. And have you read In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead? James Lee Burke may be up your street. I googled the title to get it right (I'm always adding an extraneous "the") and found out that Tommy Lee Jones has just made a movie of it.

Thanks for the music clips. My server has conked out, so I'm living without music right now until I can replace the motherboard. I was in dire need of a little listening pleasure.

I'm adding you to the list of blogs I visit frequently. It's really good to "meet" you!

Chris said...

Hi Leigh,

It's nice to meet you, as well. Thanks for your comments. I feel the need to cut and paste each of them (especially the one you made at my Lonely Pictures blog) into the posts, each is so fact-filled and illuminating.

I guess the Weather Channel only forecasts sunsets/sunrises a few days in advance at a time. Did you check the Farmer's Almanac? I'm not sure I represent my generation (or anyone else; "younger" is a relative term!) in terms of musical tastes. In fact, based on the...success of this blog, I'd say about three people (not including you and me) like those American classics you list. You'd ruin the wedding with "Electric Slide," anyway. You've got to play "Love Is the Thing"! It's so beautiful.

A Nacogdoches native, eh? You would not have wanted to live here during the last couple of weeks unless you like being without a functioning server, or anything else powered by electricity.

I've heard of Burke, but I'm afraid I've never read any of his books. I'll check him out. I'm about finished re-reading Philip Roth's Zuckerman books, so I'm looking for something to read. I was going to get The Old Man and the Sea at the Nac. library, but I think I'll look for some Burke. I do like Blue Highways quite a bit. I think of Moon many times when I'm venturing around the little towns I photograph. In fact, in some ways, he and that book inspired very much inspired me to seek out those "blue highways," and all the great things to which they can lead.

I hope perusing my picture-heavy blogs wasn't what led to your server issues!? Surely not. Regardless, thanks for stopping by!

Chris said...

Roads to Quoz is the title to Moon's new book. It sounds like a sequel to Blue Highways. I'm so excited!

Leigh said...

Power was restored to much of my family, including our office, on Saturday. We're lucky to be on the same grid as our family's nursing home on the south side. We didn't get internet service back until Wednesday, though.

I'd actually planned to come last week, but a refugee family from Orange was still at my cousin's house, where I stay when I visit. That reminds me, I need to call her to see if the coast is clear; I need to get some work done!

The MB fried itself all on its own, without help from any external agency. Just one more of the HW problems plaguing me right now.

Your photos are beautiful. My 14-year-old son has an interest in photography; I'm eager to show him your work.

I have a huge music collection. One of the nicest things about that has been sharing the classics with my extended family's large brood of kids. My oldest daughter and three of my nieces are big Sinatra and Fitzgerald fans. Michael Buble is also a favorite. And just this past Saturday night, while listening to Ronstadt sing "Skylark" backed by Nelson Riddle's orchestra, my 14-year-old daughter switched her allegiance from Green Day to "those good old songs."

I'm looking forward to sharing your blog with these new readers.

Chris said...

My power finally came back Tuesday night. It was a blissful moment, let me tell you. What good is electricity without Internet??

If you are wondering about the coast being clear in Nac, it is. This morning the Daily Sentinel reported power was back at 100%, citywide. If you mean Orange, I'd definitely check.

Thank you for your compliment about my photography. I do appreciate it. Your 14-year-old was born at the right time to get into photography. Digital cameras are pretty amazing. You almost can't take a bad picture with one.

You are lucky to have such a "tolerant" group of kids who will endure those classics. Maybe they genuinely do like them. It's possible. I'm not that knowledgeable about Buble, but I appreciate how he is carrying on the tradition. I do love those Ronstadt/Riddle albums. What's New (the first one) is by far the best (IMHO). It sounds like your daughter has inherited her mom's good musical tastes. Good for her. She should know it's possible to like both, though!