Nows and Forevers

I have an odd New Year’s tradition for the past 30+ years tradition: the first song I listen to every year is Artie Shaw and His Orchestra’s version of Cole Porter’s “Begin the Begiuine.” It happened because in the early ‘90s, my aunt had found a bunch of my paternal grandfather’s records and said I… Continue reading

Fifty-six years ago this week the three brave men undertook up to then was the most spectacular and hazardous journey ever undertaken: Apollo 8, the first trip from the Earth to the Moon. That took a lot of planning and guts, and think about it: This is a trip that we haven’t been able to… Continue reading

Michael Brewer — half of the duo Brewer & Shipley — died Tuesday at age 80. Maybe you don’t know Brewer & Shipley by name but you probably know their most famous song, “One Toke Over the Line,” which I can’t believe was actually a hit. Not only that, but it was also performed in… Continue reading