MiniSky: Thoughts About Everything

Doug Meacham tagged me the other day, so it’s my turn to weigh in on the “Eight Random Things About Me” meme. First, the rules:

• Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
• People who are tagged need to write their own post about their eight things and post these rules.
• At the end of your post, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
• Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Here goes:

1. I am an Eagle Scout, and a Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow, a fraternal group within the BSA. My vigil name is “Gischeleman,” which I liked so much I named this blog for it. It means “To Create with the Mind,” or as I originally understood it, “Vision Maker.”I value my time in the Scouts, though I am not fond of the national organization’s discriminatory anti-gay policies.
2. Before getting into public relations, I worked for a decade in public radio, mostly at WBUR-FM, Boston– yes, the Car Talk guys really are like that in real life, thanks for asking. My last job there was as producer for “Only a Game.” Great job, still a great bunch of people.
3. I have an engineering credit on a rock record, the EP by Ed’s Redeeming Qualities called “Ed’s Day.” I can’t find my copy and I am pissed. ERQ hosted the Sunday Evening “Ed’s Basement at The Rat in Kenmore Square circa 1988-1989, where I got to meet River Phoenix, who played there with his mediocre band Aleka’s attic, and Kim Deal of the Pixies, who seemed quite nice. Yup, I’m name dropping.
4. I played trombone and tuba through high school. I was actually pretty good, but dropped them in favor of spinning vinyl in college. I actually marched in the NYC St. Patrick’s Day parade as part of the New England Scholastic Honors Band.
5. I was a jazz DJ at WERS-FM, Emerson College, and after that, for a little while at WBUR. Boston remains a good city to meet some pretty good jazz musicians. I recall meeting Mark Murphy, Harold Mabern, John Medeski, Cercie Miller, and a bunch of really talented musicians, many coming from the New England Conservatory and Berklee College of Music. Hey, more name dropping!
6. I got to see Hank Aaron play ball. Yes, I am just old enough. It was Hammerin’ Hank’s last season, he hit a double in Fenway Park. Another Fenway moment I witnessed: John Valentin’s unassisted triple play game, which also happened to be the major league debut of Alex Rodriguez.
7. My 9-year-old son is ten times the athlete I was.
8. I may or may not be related to Francis Bacon. Pretty sure I am related to Nathaniel Bacon of Bacon’s Rebellion. I like to think I am a distant cousin of singer Annie Haslam– she, like my grandfather, is from Bolton, England.

To keep the chain going, and hoping I don’t get someone who has been tagged already, I hereby tag:

Chuck, Chip, Cathryn, Critt, Duncan, Ed, Brian, Priyah

Technorati Tags: Boy+Scouts, Eagle+Scout, Blog+tag, Pixies, Car+Talk, WERS, WBUR, Only+A+Game, Bacon’s+Rebellion, Annie+Haslam, River+Phoenix, Hank+Aaron, A-Rod, Fenway, jazz,

As a lifelong movie fan, part-time art-film snob, and dad, I had a great time reading Boston Globe film critic Ty Burr’s new book”The Best Old Movies for Families: A Guide to Watching Together.”

First, I should disclose that I know Ty– we live in the same school district, and my son is slightly younger than the younger daughter he references so frequently in this book.

I think it is a wonderful idea to watch old movies with your kids– to open up enjoyment that is not solely dependent on dull kids’ TV and video games.

Ty is exhaustive in explaining why you should–or should not– sow different movies to your kids, what might need explaining, and what companion movies you should seek out for further viewing.

When my son was a bit younger, I showed him Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin films– which he ate up, and still likes, and this may give me the excuse to explore a bit more with him, starting with my own library and perhaps rambling over the nearby Brattle Theater in Harvard Square, Cambridge, or the Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline, Massachusetts for a revival show.

Now that I have praised the book, it’s time to get snarky. I need a list of films not to watch with your kids– or Old Movies Guaranteed to Mess with Your Youngster’s Mind:

• “Blood of a Poet” — Ty Burr recommends Jean Cocteau’s “La Belle et La Bete,” and rightly so as it is fantastic. But Cocteau’s earlier, surreal mind-f**k of a short film should be good for a little bed-wetting and nightmares. (Also look for: “Un Chien Andalou” by Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dali, especially if your child has been naughty)
• Any film by Ingmar Bergman — I was a little surprised Ty could not find at least one Bergman film to include in his book, until Bergman died this week and I was reminded of his subject matter. Try the Seventh Seal, especially if your young genius is a budding chess champion.
• “Godzilla” — This is an old movie, from 1954, so it should qualify. No excuse for not including this in the book; I refuse to acknowledge this omission. It’s a classic, especially the American version with Raymond Burr inexplicably shoe-horned in.
• Catherine Deneuve — Ty included the beautiful ribbon-candy of a film “Umbrellas of Cherbourg,” but could have dug deeper for follow-up films. I think “The Hunger” would be great. It’s not so old but it co-stars David Bowie; don’t kids still love Bowie?

Just a few helpful suggestions for the next edition of the book.

Technorati Tags: movies, film, books, Ty+Burr, Boston+Globe, keaton, chaplin, Catherine+Deneuve, Godzilla, Cocteau, Ingmar+Bergman, Dali, Bunuel,