Reading Challenges – A Quick Update – April 2, 2015

Edward finishes Book 13 of 2015 – brings home 3 new Reading Challenges Books -Oh My!

A quick Reading Challenges Update! This afternoon I finished book number 13 for 2015.When Gods Die -a Sebastian St.Cyr mystery from C.S.Harris. This is the first book that I have read in this series and it will not be my last!! It is actually Book #2 of what is now a 10 book series. The book’s setting is London in June of 1811, where Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin is investigating the murder of a beautiful young wife of an aging marquis. The young woman was found dead in the arms of the Prince Regent with a jeweled dagger that once belonged to Bonnie Prince Charlie in her back. And a necklace that belonged to Sebastian’s dead mother around her neck! I will write my complete review tomorrow but for now I’ll just say I really, really liked the book!! Read More

Andrew’s Birthday Leads to Memories of Two Scary Days!

Two Days When We Didn’t Know What was Wrong with Andrew and Nick!

Everyone has them,you know those days  when things happen that you can’t control, that scare you to death. Two of those days for me involve my two oldest sons,Nicholas and Andrew. The first day was the day that Nick had his seizure.He was 21 months old and it was just a typical day. My wife fed him spaghetti for lunch and put him down on the bed for a nap. She came downstairs and in a little while she heard a thud. When she picked him up, there was no response, she quickly called me at work. When I got home and picked him up, it was the scariest moment of my life, as I held him and talked to him, and got no response. He was breathing and awake but that was it! We rushed him to the pediatricians and after an evaluation, we were told that he had a seizure, and should be hospitalized. He was sent to close by Rancocas Valley Hospital and when he got settled he was sleeping and stable. I went home and got some books and other things. At around six that evening, he woke up, sat up and started to play with his books, like nothing happened. We were told that the seizure was localized in the right side of his brain, and there did not seem to be permanent damage. He was though put on medication for two years, because a another seizure could be life-threatening. Luckily he never had another one!! Read More

Seattle Metropolitans win Stanley Cup March 27,1917!

Seattle Metropolitans the first US Team to win the Stanley Cup!

Okay, I am not the world’s biggest hockey fan.Living in the suburbs of Philly,I do follow the Flyers and a couple of years ago attended several games. However, I did not follow any hockey before 1967, when the Flyers entered the league,. In 1967 the NHL doubled in size adding six teams to the original six teams.So when  saw that on March 27, 1912.  The Seattle Metropolitans, of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association, defeated the Montreal Canadians and became the first U.S. hockey team to win the Stanley Cup. I said huh?? The Seattle Metropolitans? The Pacific Coast League of Canada and the Stanley Cup?? I needed to find out about this!! Read More

Psychedelic/Space Rock From Eloy Powers My Run!

Psychedelic/Space Rock from Germany’s Eloy Powers My Run!

So you know that you are listening to a progressive rock album, when you run for 30 plus minutes and when you are finished you are only on the sixth song on the album! Such was the case today, when music from  the band Eloy became the soundtrack for my run. I had spent much of this morning exploring several prog bands.The bands that I explored included Sylvium from the Netherlands, and The Myrrors from Texas. I liked both of the bands. When I went to ProgArchives and read about The Myrrors, I discovered that they were classified as a Psychedelic/Space Rock band This is not the first time that I have liked a band within that subgenre., so I went to ProgArchives again, and this time I read about the Psychedelic/Space Rock  sub-genre which has among its roots the music of Jimi Hendrix, and the Jefferson Airplane, particularly the live performances of these groups. Hum, guess that’s why I like this subgenre! Anyway, I thought I’d checked out a Ocean = Psychedelic/Space Rock from Eloyband or two. When I looked at the top albums of th Psychedelic/Space Rock sub-genre, the first four albums are from Pink Floyd, the fifth album is Ocean from Eloy. The album was released in 1977! From their biography at ProgArchives…. Read More

Green-Eyed Lady – Chuck Greaves

Green-Eyed Lady –  Chuck Graves – Jack MacTaggart No 2

Green-Eyed Lady from Chuck Greaves has a great opening. Liberal Democratic candidate for the Senate in California Warren Burkett three weeks before the election, encounters a damsel in distress. The young lady’s pursue and keys have been stolen by an unknown assailant. Burkett offers to give the beautiful green-eyed lady a ride back to her mansion. Reminiscent of another Democrat, this one was elected President, Burkett’s libido doesn’t stop. He believes he has hit the mother lode with this young woman! So much so, he helps break into her mansion (remember her keys were in her purse, which was stolen!) But when the door to her bedroom bangs open,  where a lust-filled Burkett  lies in wait for a thankful young woman to repay her debt it’s not the damsel who enters the room, but the police. They had responded the break-in at the mansion! When the dust settles, the green-eyed lady is gone along with a 2 million dollar plus painting and  maybe Burkett’s hopes of winning the election! Read More

Traveler – Lawson Rollins

Lawson Rollins – Traveler – Another Awesome Album!

I discovered the fantastic guitar of Lawson Rollins a few years ago. My first encounter with his music was through his work as part of the duo Young & Rollins,  then in 2013 I met the solo artist, when I listened to his 2013 release Full Circle.  In both settings,Rollins is amazing! Just ask Guitar Player Magazine who says this about his playing: “ungodly classical chops…dazzling speed, uncanny accuracy and beautifully delicate touch.”  That artistry is on display again on Rollins’s latest release Traveler. Read More