Pops Goes To Washington

I know, I know, I promised that on this blog I would steer clear of politics, religion, and NCAA Football Conference alignment. So, let's be clear, although I am mentioning Washington and politicians, this is not meant to be a taking of sides or partisan commentary.

Could it be that I have some superpower for negotiation, something Washington could use right now?

This story may make it sound like I'm comparing our elected "leaders" to a two-year-old in the toy department at Cracker Barrel, well...

Understand this: I want the love and unwavering devotion of my grand-girls more than anything, and I'm not above buying it with cheap junk and trinkets. Heck, we (the human collective) have used those tactics forever. But occasionally a line must be drawn (oooo, so tough!)

This is Harper animatedly making her argument for five new purses. At least I think that's what she was telling me. Most of it was in an unknown tongue.

Recently I had to call on my negotiation gifts and some half-truths to get out of Cracker Barrel without solely funding their fourth quarter profits. YES, you read that correctly I went toe to toe with a two-year-old at Cracker Barrel, left the building with nothing but the pancakes and apple juice in our bellies AND she still loves me.

Maybe I'll write a book. 

My only hesitation in posting this is I don't want to give anyone the impression that my youngest grand-girl is in any way as stubborn, unreasonable, selfish, arrogant, delusional, and pouty as the politicians I am suggesting need professional help.

In the event I may be slipping into political commentary. I'll stop, now. 

Pop's Flicks Picks #1

I'm not trying to come up with yet another definitive list of must-see movies--at least not one I'm trying to push on others. This is my list though, or at least the first of my list. I would love to hear your picks. That's what the comment box at the bottom of this post is for--that, and a place to add your opinions on the matter.

One word: plastics.

That is one of the great lines from my first movie pick: The Graduate. The line comes in the form of tons of advice people are giving Benjamin Bratton (Dustin Hoffman) upon his college graduation. Ben is stuck in that post-graduate malaise, waiting for what's next.

The exploration of one of life's passages in The Graduate is one of the reasons I think it's an important movie. It is known as one of the defining "coming of age" stories.

If you have read the "About" stuff here at AboutPOPS.com, you know I'm taking a look at aging as sort of a second-coming of age. It's marked by the same eminent life transitions as any coming of age, and is, at least for me, accompanied with an unsettling ennui.

For example, check out this conversation between Ben and his dad. Ben is home from college and floating on an air mattress in the family pool:

Mr. Braddock: Ben, what are you doing?

Benjamin: Well, I would say that I'm just drifting.

Here in the pool.

Mr. Braddock: Why?

Benjamin: Well, it's very comfortable just to drift here.

Mr. Braddock: Have you thought about graduate school?

Benjamin: No.

Mr. Braddock: Would you mind telling me then what those four years of college were for? What was the point of all that hard work?

Benjamin: You got me.

Please don't start worrying about me being in some kind of confused identity funk. I probably am, but it's nothing to worry about.

Other reasons this is my number one pick are some of the same reasons why the film was nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Actor, and Actress, with Nichols winning Best Director. It became the top-grossing film of 1968. The stuff of this film resonated hard with me in 1968. Also this was, in my opinion, one of the first, best uses of pop music as a soundtrack score, written by Paul Simon and performed by Simon & Garfunkel.

The good news is, as we learn from the movie, life goes on--sometimes we get it all together.

For Ben, he falls in love with the daughter of Mrs. Robinson, the older woman with whom he's having an affair. He makes the decision to marry Elaine quickly and pursues that goal with all he's got, although some, including his parents and Elaine herself wonder about his sanity. I love the talk between he and his parents:

Dad: Wait a minute, you talked to Elaine this morning? (about getting married)

Ben: No, she doesn't know about it.

Dad: Uh, you mean she doesn't know you are coming up to Berkeley?

Ben: No, actually she doesn't know about us getting married yet.

Mom: Well when did you two talk this over?

Ben: We haven't.

Mom: You haven't?

Dad: Ben, this whole idea sounds pretty half baked.

Ben: No, it's not. It's completely baked.

To those who may see my dream of selling everything and moving in to an Airstream travel trailer as being half-baked, let me say, it is but it is still in the oven.

One review of The Graduate said: "Together with Bonnie and Clyde, it stands as one of the most influential films of the late '60s, as its mordant dissection of the generation gap helped lead the way to the youth-oriented Hollywood artistic "renaissance" of the early '70s. ~ Lucia Bozzola

So, Pops's Flicks Picks #1 is The Graduate. Why? Because it's important to me.

How about you?

Katherine Ross as Elaine Robinson & Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Bratton

Aequus Nox

Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.

― F. Scott Fitzgerald

I realize the autumnal equinox was a few days ago, but I've been in its compelling company and I'm just now emerging enough to reflect and write about it.

In case you've forgotten the chapter on astronomy from seventh grade science, here's what Wikipedia says on the subject of equinox:

At an equinox the Sun is at one of two opposite points on the celestial sphere where the celestial equator (i.e. declination 0) and ecliptic intersect. These points of intersection are called equinoctial points: classically, the vernal point (RA = 00h 00m 00s and longitude = 0º) and the autumnal point (RA = 12h 00m 00s and longitude = 180º). By extension, the term equinox may denote an equinoctial point.

If that doesn't make any more sense now than it did back then, this means that around the time of the equinox, which happens twice a year, day and night are about equal.

Earth Lighting Equinox. From Wikipedia Commons.

Here's what I love about the autumnal equinox: autumn begins, and I really like autumn; for all the common reasons and some less obvious ones too. Who doesn't enjoy a bit of relief from the summer heat, the glimpse of winter, pulling the sweaters out, the way your body begins to crave substantial, hearty meals, not to mention the amazing color palette of the landscape?

I also like that the equinox is a passage--not just a passage of time but a portal into what's next--a fresh start, opportunity for things new, potential for adventure. It's almost as if nature is saying, "I'm going to give you mild temperatures, calm winds, a crispness in the air, and sights that will blow your mind. Now get out there and make the most of it!"

But what I love most about an equinox as well as the solstices is that they are like a big downbeat to the beautiful rhythms of life. I don't think it is an accident that there are four seasons, like four beats to the measure of a many songs.

Our lives beat to rhythms; even to the most basic of life: our heart beat. Our days are divided rhythmically. Morning, night, morning, night. Day, week, month, year. Day, week, month, year.

Okay this is weird. As I'm typing this, I'm listening to Pandora®. Dave Brubeck's amazing jazz standard, "Take Five" just came on. This song, like so much of jazz, throws the normal rhythms off a bit because it has five beats to a measure. It's a little tricky to tap your foot to and that can be a little unsettling for reasons we don't dwell on.

But let's do dwell a minute. Not all jazz music has five beats to the measure, but most has syncopation:

A disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of rhythm: a placement of rhythmic stresses or accents where they wouldn't normally occur.

All that, along with the polyrhythms and cross-rhythms so common in jazz, make it an acquired taste at best. We tend to like our rhythms regular and predictable. Unfortunately when that's all we know, we pretty much just march through life without paying much attention to the nuances. Jazz makes us skip occasionally, it makes us stop and wait and listen and feel at a deeper level.

Obviously I'm using jazz as a metaphor, but I think its a good one. So while autumn is a marker, a downbeat, it's also a passage. Pay attention! Maybe the tempo is changing, the cellos are taking the lead. If you don't listen you'll miss it. You may march right through it. Don't be oblivious. 

RECOMMENDATION: I highly recommend two arrangements of "Autumn Leaves" for your fall playlist:

1. By Eva Cassidy. On the album "Live at Blues Alley."
2. By Bill Evans Trio. On the album "Portrait in Jazz."

Have any other suggestions for great fall tunes or ideas for doing fall right?

I Choose Shaving Over Gliding

Pops Shave Kit

[Disclaimer: Lest you think I'm setting myself apart and above as some sort of expert on men's health, wealth, fashion and hygiene, those who know me well can quickly set the record straight. I'm no Sean Connery. Although a guy can pretend right? This post is just me telling whomever is listening what I like, not offering up advice. But if you choose to take it as such, it's probably worth what you're paying for it.]

Speaking for this guy and maybe a few others, I have a love/hate relationship with shaving. And let me qualify right away that this post is about facial hair shaving; specifically "wet" shaving--shaving with water, shave cream and a blade razor.

How many blades does our razor need? We're up to five now in razors and you wonder if five is better than four, why not TEN? Multiple blades is just part of the new and improved technologies. As a matter of fact one company has taken it above regular old shaving. Here's their promise about the latest:

The Gillette® Fusion® ProGlide™ Power Razor is Gillette’s most advanced blade ever. Thinner, finer blades with a low-resistance coating glide effortlessly through hair for less tug and pull, providing incredible comfort, even if you shave every day.

Try Gillette Fusion ProGlide today; after one shave, you’ll stop shaving and start gliding.

This "glider" will cost you $10.97 at Wal Mart. A 12-pack of replacement cartridges is $39.47. Gliding is not cheap.

One day, not too long ago, I was waxing nostalgic about the days as a prepubescent boy when I would watch Dad shave and long for the day when I could start. Occasionally he would take the blade out of his safety razor, let me lather up and pretend. Shaving back then seemed more real, more dangerous, less glidey. 

I decided to roll back the clock and invest in a good old razor and blades. I looked at several and decided on an Edwin Jagger® De89bl Double Edge Safety Razor. When it arrived, I was as excited as I was as a thirteen year-old, getting to shave the peach fuzz with a real blade that very first time. I also learned that a small piece of tissue will stop the bleeding.

Edwin Jagger De89bl Double Edge Safety Razor Chrome Plated

$39.69

Edwin Jagger

Buy on Amazon

I was not disappointed with my decision. I love this razor and real shaving. It turns out if you have a really good blade and a beautifully balanced razor, one blade is all you need. You can buy this beauty at Amazon® (see link below) for about the price of a pack of ProGlide replacement cartridges and it will last longer than you will. Of course you'll have to buy blades for it. You can buy 100 for about ten bucks. So you save money, get a wonderful shave, and feel more manly. What more could you ask for?

This photo at the top of this post is my actual razor and my choice of shave cream and blades. Don't  be afraid of the cost of the Jack Black Beard Lube. It is well worth it.

I'm planning soon to ramp up the authenticity and buy myself a real badger shave brush. With the money I'm saving on disposable razors, I can afford it.

So as it turns out, maybe different doesn't always equate to "new and improved." Maybe, at least when it comes to shaving, we had the right tools years ago.

Affiliate Links

Product links in this post are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I may receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value for others. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."