Snowfallout: State Street

Shots from last night, walking home after the 24 hours of snow finally stopped:

And So On...

Around 3:45 PM today, a little after classes were cancelled:













The buses stop running at 7 PM. Coming down pretty good.

Down It Comes

That Didn't Last

Blue

This Won't Last

Harmonizin': Walk Lonesome

A little Mississippi John Hurt:


In case, like me, you didn't know, the guy cuts an album in 1928, goes back to farming in Mississippi for the next 35 years, then gets rediscovered during the 60s folk revival, gets three years of fame and recognition, cuts some new albums, then passes away at 74. Plucks out notes like drops of rain. Sings like a ray of sun cutting through the clouds. I think he's my new favorite blues singer.

Very lengthy, very detailed 1963 interview with the man right here. Includes some bits about Frank and Jesse James.

Lewis

So Jared Lewis has headed on home to Salt Lake City. Department projectionist for the past three and a half years, a vital part of the the film festival, and a very good friend. Always someone you could depend on when times were tough. Always good for a laugh or a word of support at the right moment. Really going to miss having him around.

Rather than trying to wax eloquent about the Man from Screwtah, which'd probably get maudlin, I'll just post a few pics from the past couple days.

1. Prepping to project his final Cinematheque show, Buichi Saito's Plains Wanderer, on Saturday night:


2. Quick pic with DB after the show:


3. A last breakfast Sunday morning at Lazy Jane's, with Meg, Erik, and myself:



4. In front of the Wisconsin State Historical Society after grabbing some fish tacos at the Union, a little before Friday's C-theque show:


So there you go. And there he went. Godspeed, Mr. Lewis, and thanks for all you've done.

Gonna miss you, buddy.

Obligatory Monona

Lake, that is. A little after 10 AM today.

Harmonizin': Traveling Music

A little Sonny & Brownie action, with a side of Pete Seeger:

Snow Again

The cold snap's well past, and it's a balmy 27°, so it's like Spring, with snow:

Obligatory Mendota, Part II

Combined some of the photos I took on Lake Mendota the other day into a panorama:



Not perfect, obviously. And for some reason I left out the Terrace. So here it is from about 10 minutes later:



So there. You go.

Pat Novak Says...

"I had some of the answers, but not enough. It’s like trying to weave a rug with a spinning wheel and a bucket of sand.”

- Pat Novak, Feb 20, 1949 – “Jack of Clubs”

"But the Iron Hills of Pittsburgh ..."

"... Where all my memories are. Gathering the light around the reservoir."





Quote from a Hem song. Pics from about 12 years ago, eastern edge of Allegheny County, southwestern PA.

Cinema Report: Two Things That Every Movie Needs

1. Monkey in a Space Suit:


2. Astronaut with a Gun:

And that's . . . one to grow on.

Pat Novak Says...

"Well, I watched her as she turned and walk out of there. It was the kind of a walk that makes you flip the calendar and find out how far away Spring is. I looked around a while, but it didn't do any good, the place was full of doors, so whoever killed Fleet Lady got out easy, like a rumor at a Church Picnic. I closed the door and went down the line to call headquarters. As I stood there talking, I saw Sybil Thornton drive away. It was a long convertible with red asbestos seat covers. After I called headquarters, I went back and waited by the stable. About a half hour later, a police car pulled up, and when I saw who got out, I began to get unhappy, like a three-legged man at a ballet school. It was Hellman from Homicide and he had a squad with him."

-- from Pat Novak for Hire March 6, 1949 - "Fleet Lady"

No Time for Snapshots, Dr. Jones

Didn't have time to grab a new shot today, so here's this bit of unnecessariness:

Pat Novak Says...

"Well, I watched her for a minute as she brushed her hair back and started the car. It was nice hair, and the dress helped too. It was dark blue and had a v-neck, but the designer believed in big letters. She pulled away, and gave me a look you could take on a safari. It was enough to tell me she was as safe as a tap dancer on a floor full of dynamite caps. I walked up and turned in at Pier 19. When I reached the door of the office, I could see the old man sitting by the desk. He looked tired, and a year older than the Bible. His hands were shaking and his skin was coarse and the color of an old razor strap. When I walked in, he glanced up at me and looked about as happy as a Cocker Spaniel with a stomach ache."

From Pat Novak for Hire March 30, 1949 - "Rory Malone."

Artbloggery

For my own reference as much as anything, a couple of blog links. Two artists who are doing some of the best monthly comic book work these days, who both work with Ed Brubaker, one of, if not the best monthly comic book writer these days.

1. Sean Phillips' Sure Beats Working

2. Steve Epting's sketchblog

And for good measure, Brubaker's site. (If'n you don't know, Phillips and Brubaker work on Criminal, and Epting and Brubaker work on Captain America.)

Harmonizin': Serenade for a Kaiju

"And a Wisconsin Hitchhiker with a Cueball Head..."

"... is wishing he was home in a Wisconsin bed."


About a 40° drop overnight. -1° F outside at the moment, without the wind chill. -7° when I walked in to campus this morning. Those are some cold Wisconsinites out there.

Keep It Clean

Kind of an ugly day today.

Goofin' Agin

Obligatory Orpheum

Much earlier in the day, on the way back from Capital Square:

Obligatory Library Mall

About twenty minutes or so after the Mendota shot:

Obligatory Lake Mendota

Early evening, late in January:

Obligatory State Street

Look to the East:


Look to the West:

Goofin'

Happy Harmonizin'

Something a little more upbeat:

Changes

In light of the events of the past month and a half, and the events of the next several weeks, gonna get my maudlin on:

Augh! Even More Harmonizin'!

And-a one:


And-a two:


And-a three:


Okay, not a lot of harmonizin' in two, but whatever.

Here's one to grown on:

Good Grief, More Harmonizin'

One from Mark Knopfler and Emmylou:

Harmonizin': Two from Townes

These go out of synch after a bit, but what the hey:

More Harmonizin'

From the Archives: Yet Another Public Service Announcement

Attention:

Do not be a seal.

As the images show indicate, seals shall stand no chance against the inevitable onslaught of our Orca overlords. If you want to be a seal, then the Orca have already won.





That is all.

P.S. Mothman is indifferent to the seal, unless seal is looking to bum some change. In which case, Mothman will say: "What you talkin' about, seal. You KNOW Orca's gonna be wanting some change for the bus, and you KNOW what's gonna happen to me if I don't have it." Seal will try to lie, he'll be all: "I am not seal. I am the walrus." Mothman will reply: "Shut up. And goo goo ga get the fuck out of here."

P.P.S. C.H.U.D. may be momentarily amused by the seal. In light of this, some have suggested packing a seal for any lengthy sewer expedition, but this is disastrous advice, as the seal inevitably attracts the attention of the blind albino sewer Orca that swim blindly beneath the city streets of our great metropolitan centers.

So don't pack a seal, don't be a seal, don't even offer one a lift. If you see one, do not make eye contact, go home, paint the scratches on the tank, put the Sarge to bed, and forget this night ever happened (c.f. 1941).

P.P.S. This just in. Apparently, sealions eat penguins. I am not making this up. Holy crap. It's like Thunderdome out there.