december 9
Song Sunday: Natural One
“Your world is falling down, you may as well crash with me…”
Returning to my Samsung playlist for this Sunday evening submission, I present Natural One by The Folk Implosion. Written by Lou Barlow and bassist Wally Gagel of Orbit, it was the seventh song on the soundtrack album from the 1995 movie Kids, though it wasn’t actually played in the film. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 at #54 on December 9, 1995 and peaked at #29 on February 3, 1996. It peaked at #4 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart on December 16, 1995 and peaked at #21 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart on February 17, 1996. I hope you enjoy. ~Vic
How Lou Barlow Soundtracked 1995 (Vice/Cam Lindsey/03-21-2017)
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Christmas Countdown 14.0
Some more sweet decorations. ~Vic
This tree is in front of our Fire Department.
12-09-2020
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Hot Tin Roof Bar
12-13-2020
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Also at the Hot Tin Roof Bar.
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The ornaments are lit at night.
12-18-2020
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More natural decorations.
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Christmas Countdown 13.0
I did a write-up on the Colonial Inn back in May. This historic building has come a long way. It is, now, finally open for business after being vacant and crumbling for nearly 20 years. I wish them luck. ~Vic
If you’d like to vote:
Homes for the Holidays 2020
12-09-2020
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12-05-2020
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Christmas Countdown 12.0
Welcome to the Winter Solstice. ~Vic
From Why Christmas:
The evergreen Fir Tree has traditionally been used to celebrate winter festivals (Pagan and Christian) for thousands of years. Pagans used branches of it to decorate their homes during the winter solstice, as it made them think of the spring to come. The Romans used Fir Trees to decorate their temples at the festival of Saturnalia. Christians use it as a sign of everlasting life with God.
12-05-2020
12-09-2020
12-09-2020
Christmas Star
Image Credit: staffblogs.le.ac.uk
Christmas Countdown 11.0
I did a post on the Old Courthouse back in April. Now, it’s a Gingerbread House. ~Vic
If you’d like to vote:
Homes for the Holidays 2020
12-09-2020
Nice reflection of the Town Tree.
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Christmas Countdown 9.0
Another Gingerbread House submission. I walk past this house every day. It’s nice to see these historical homes being restored. We had another house jacked up on on stilts 18 months ago while the foundation was repaired. ~Vic
If you’d like to vote:
Homes for the Holidays 2020
12-09-2020
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Trick the Eye
12-09-2020
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12-09-2020
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Folk Victorian Home
07-14-2020
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07-21-2020
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for the concrete basement/garage.
12-08-2020
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Christmas Countdown 7.0
The next Gingerbread House submission. ~Vic
If you’d like to vote:
Homes for the Holidays 2020
12-09-2020
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07-06-2019
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07-11-2018
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POTD: Stickwork Sculpture 3.0
I’ve posted this sculpture twice, before…here & here. This will be my last installment as I only had a few shots and this shot isn’t even mine. This photo was part of a larger group of snow shots I posted about here & here.
Since it is SO HOT outside, I thought I would cool your mind a bit. ~Vic
(I have no idea who he is despite searching.)
From the January 2018 Snow Bomb
01-18-2018
Shutterbug Saturday: Snow Pix
We’ve had cold temps here and plenty of rain but, the two haven’t combined to give us any frozen precipitation. Don’t me wrong. I’m not complaining. I like a good snow storm, here and there but, I don’t like the mess. That being said, since we haven’t had any of the white stuff, I submit…for your approval…some pix I harvested from a FakeBook group back in 2018, when we had two snow bombs. I posted my own photos on December 9, 2018 and added some of my stuff to the same group. These are really good and photographer credit is listed. I will post the rest, tomorrow. ~Vic
Music Monday: Pearl Jam 1994
Twenty-five years ago, this week (November 19/25, 1994), the song Spin the Black Circle by Pearl Jam debuted on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart (Page 79/ called Album Rock Tracks in 1994), entering at #16 (also its peak). Released November 8, it was the first single from their third album Vitalogy. Produced by Brendan O’ Brien, it was written by Eddie Vedder and Stone Gossard.
Mike McCready had difficulty with the leads and Jeff Ament didn’t like the punk sound at the time. Per Vedder, the lyrics reflect a love of vinyl records but, there could be interpretations of similarities with drug addiction.
From Jon Pareles with The New York Times (December 4, 1994):
The most [Vedder] will do is proselytize against the extinction of the LP, as he does in “Spin the Black Circle,” one of the few songs from Seattle in which a needle has nothing to do with heroin.
From Al Weisel with Rolling Stone (December 15, 1994):
Vitalogy has a number of gripping songs that match the soaring anthems of Ten. The first three tracks are a promising start: “Last Exit,” “Not for You” and especially “Spin the Black Circle,” a revvedup thrash tribute to vinyl, rock harder than anything Pearl Jam have ever done.
From David Browne with Entertainment Weekly (December 9, 1994):
Pearl Jam still hasn’t developed an individual style to match that of its profoundly uptight singer, Eddie Vedder. Guitarists Stone Gossard and Mike McCready continue to play sloppy, characterless riffs. [T]heir punk song, ”Spin the Black Circle,” is a little flabby, like dinosaur rockers trying to prove they’re into Green Day.
The song peaked at #18 November 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the first Pearl Jam single to enter this chart. It also peaked at #11 on the Billboard Alternative chart (called Modern Rock Tracks in 1994). It peaked in the top five in Australia, New Zealand and Norway.
The single won Best Hard Rock Performance at the 38th annual Grammy Awards. Vedder famously remarked:
I don’t know what this means. I don’t think it means anything.
Lyrics (From LyricFind)
See this needle
Oh see my hand
Drop, drop, dropping it down
oh so gently
here it comes
touch the flame
Turn me up
won’t turn you away
Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin
spin the black, spin the black
Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin
whoa
Pull it out
a paper sleeve
Oh my joy
only you deserve conceit
Oh I’m so big
and my whole world
I’d rather you
rather you, than her
Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin
spin the black, spin the black
Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin
whoa
Oh you’re so warm
oh, the ritual
as I lay down your crooked arm
Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin
spin the black, spin the black
Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin
[Repeat: x5]
Spin the black
circle
Spin the black circle
Spin the black circle
Snapshots Sunday: Snow Bombs 2018
All photos are my personal collection.
Have mercy…two big snowstorms in one year. This is reminding me of my childhood. I remember lots of snow and lots of snowmen in the 70s. I also remember folks being more mobile back then, too. Anytime there was a snow forecast, my dad was putting chains on the back tires of the ’72 Charger. Everybody got chains and off they went. Even in the early 80s, a manual, front-wheel-drive compact would pretty much get you anywhere. My 1977 Honda Civic and my 1983 Toyota Tercel took me where I wanted to go. People just don’t do that anymore. Cars these days are definitely more fragile and lighter than the metal monsters of yesteryear.
I remember zipping around in the snow in the middle 80s (college days) in my Civic. One particular trip, I was headed to a friend’s place for snacks, movies and snowballs. I was approaching an intersection that included a railroad crossing (with roads and individual intersections on either side) and a steep, short hill on the other side of it. The light was red as I cleared the tracks but, my Civic became excited about the hill-induced inertia and my attempt to slow down (tapping said brakes lightly) only brought my ass end around. Just as the light turned green, I slid sideways, all the way thru the intersection. Once my Civic was done having fun (yes, I’m blaming it on the car), I came to a stop, hitting nothing…and, nothing hitting me…and, then, proceeded on my way. If it were today, I’d either be dead or, viral on social media.
Today
January 17
Majestic, mighty Oak across the street
