my home in okinawa, once upon a time

This was the entrance to Torii Station, the US Army post that offered one of its buildings to bunk us sailors.

In fact, if I'm not mistaken, that large three-story building to the left of the gate was the one I lived in for two years.

This restaurant was one of two that were right across the street from Torii Station.

This one was the Royal.

I always like it for the sushi, as its where I first experienced that food.

I went to the Azuma for Katsu Donburi.

Good times!

This photograph is an overhead shot of the elephant cage at the top of the hill.

Whoever took it must have had a buddy with a helicopter, as this predates drones.

Well... then again, it was shot in the mid-1970's so perhaps he did have a remote-controlled device, like a model plane.

And see this space?

This was the place inside that windowless, cinder block building where I spent the vast majority of my time.

Here, in the mat shop, was everything needed to keep the reel-to-reel recorders spinning, the teletypes printing, the monitors showing images, and the Intel and RCA computers providing the controls and information.

Pretty cool.

Thanks, David Gramann, for sharing these.

Now, I'm off to a special screening at AMC, another Fathom event in less than a week's time.

How appropriate that I had plenty of reward bucks to offset the cost of "Facing The Laughter: Minnie Pearl" - she would get a kick out of that.

See that price tag hanging off that straw hat?

That's her, the eternal and instantly recognizable "country girl" on "Hee Haw" and at the Grand Ole Opry!

I grew up with her bits of rural humor and time-worn jokes that she made sound fresh and bright.

I wonder what Fathom has in store for me this time?

(smile!)

rx2: meat loaf aday

No, this isn't Meat Loaf, or even meatloaf, whether made by my own hand or fashioned by someone else's.

That's the last two slices of Margherita Pizza - first baked on Wednesday, when I forced it to become three meals instead of the one big meal I usually do with it.

So, that first meal was a breakfast, the one on Friday was a late lunch, and this final serving is to break my fast after 11 hours of sleep.

(Yes, that number is correct; I've had much insomnia this week.)

As for the cantaloupe, what's shown is the last of that, too, and quite probably the last of the melon craving I've had since my trip to Florida.

Hey, I'm just glad to see these leftovers have finally made it out of the fridge!

I've made another batch of pinto beans from dried and the room is definitely needed.

What's on my agenda on this freezing day?

Well, I am certainly not going outside.

I made the mistake of bouncing onto fb to update my profile pic and found even more family and friends with COVID.

No, thanks, I can entertain me just fine.

Besides listening to music, catching up on the latest "Smithsonian" magazine, and bummin' 'round on this beach, there's the video world, courtesy of Comcast.

Of course, any movies to be watched will have to appear for free on television.

No worries, there, as I have plenty available, even with my limited basic subscription.

(smile)

Speaking of music, for today I've selected a song that first appeared on my radar in 1981, while I was in Okinawa.

Jim Steinman had released "Bad For Good" and I'd snapped it up at the commissary.

The songs had been written for Meat Loaf to sing, but his throat was not cooperative at the time, so the writer had taken it upon himself to take it on.

Now, I must say that I love that album, and love the lyrics on the songs, but Jim doesn't have the requisite three-octave range to really do them justice... but I just about wore the grooves off that record anyway.

(smile!)

Now, fast forward a dozen years to 1993: "Bat Out Of Hell: Return To Hell" was released, a sweet-16 followup to the first collaboration between the man with the golden pen and the man with the golden voice.

Fortunately for me, I finally was able to hear some of those "Bad For Good" tunes in the style for which they'd been written!

One of those favorites is "Lost Boys And Golden Girls"... and here it is.

This is how it sounded on the Steinman album; and this is performed by Meat Loaf.

I like both, for different reasons.

(smile)

 

*****

Lost Boys And Golden Girls

Lost boys and golden girls
Down on the corner and all around the world
Lost boys (boys)
and golden girls (girls)
Down on the corner and all around
all around the world

It doesn't matter where they're going
Or wherever they've been
'Cause they got one thing in common
it's true
They'll never let a night like tonight go to waste
and let me tell you something
Neither will you (neither will you)
Neither will you

We gotta be fast
We were born out of time
Born out of time
and alone
And we'll never be as young as we are
right now
Running away
and running for home
Running
for
home

It doesn't matter where they're going
Or wherever they've been
'Cause they got one thing in common
it's true
They'll never let a night like tonight go to waste
and let me tell you something
Neither will you
Neither will you
Neither will you

Lost boys and golden girls
Down on the corner and all around the world
Lost boys (boys)
and golden girls (girls)
Down on the corner and all around
all around the world

penny for my marvel

That's me, in 1981, sitting in my barracks room at Torii Station, wearing my t-shirt from boot camp, festooned with balloons which proclaimed that "Life is a Breece!"
That pun was based on my boot camp commander down in Orlando.
This picture of me, at 23 years of age, taken by Rick Putt, is one of my favorites.
I'm happy and hopeful and confident and I knew I was loved as I was!
(smile)


That feeling of the world being open for exploration and adventure, and me being just the person to do so, was absolutely magical.
Join A.C.T.O.R. (the theatre group) and be their biggest fan?
Yep, you know I'm your girl!
Jump up on the bar with my best friend Lizz and dance to Pat Benatar?
You know I will, even with my boots on!
Sing along to every song on the jukebox, getting Beau and others to join in?
"Hit Me With Your Best Shot" while I "Whip It"!
Go down to Kadena and hang out at Club Pianissimo and the strip clubs with Mikey?
Oh, man, that was soooo much fun!
Stay up all night during a typhoon, drinking beer and playing pool by flashlight?
You betcha! Gotta drink 'em while they're cold!
Check out the sushi and Mongolian grill with Ralph and Jim and everybody?
Sounds like a lip-smacking thing to do, y'all!
I even went by myself to Hong Kong and to Taiwan.
Sure, they were USO-sponsored trips, but I was still solo.
That meant that when I found the woman from Okinawa who ran the tea shop in Taipei, and her brother invited me to go see "The Gods Must Be Crazy" with him, I went. He even took me to see some beautiful gardens there! I still have the jade ring he gave me.
(smile!)

All of those fond memories and feelings came rushing back to me in the darkened cinema tonight.
The movie was set in 1995, but fly-girl Carol Danvers was searching through her jumbled-up memories for clues to her identity.
There she was, singing karaoke! Playing pool and flirting with the fly-guys! Dancing with her best friend!
That's when I had the odd realization that I was watching myself in BigD.

No, I am definitely not saying I am Captain Marvel,
or that I ever was.
I'm just saying that Brie Larson has made her so realistic that I can see myself in that character.
See those hips on that almost-30 body, and those full thighs and fuller breasts?
Those are features of a maturing woman, not a girl.
Moreover, those are the features of a woman proud
of her curves, at peace with her body.
In the movie, the music is from the 1990's, and I could certainly see "Carol" eagerly moving out onto a dance floor for "Just A Girl"or "I'm Only Happy When It Rains" (two of my favorites).
Thank you, Stan Lee for so much, and thank you Roy Thomas for this character.
This 21st film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe shows that we've all come a long way, thanks to y'all's help.

Thank you, Mama and Daddy, too, for continuing
to bless me with your love and guidance.
Pennies from heaven, shimmering with a bright
gleam as they suddenly appear in my path...
right place, right time...
and exactly what i needed, when i needed it...
reminding me that i am still loved.