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N O T E S F R O M T H E C A F E F I A S C O
Volume 9, Number 2 - May 2004
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CLICKER ROULETTE
Sometimes I leave the TV tuned to a cable movie station as I click it off to
go to bed in the evening. This can make for interesting situations the next
time that I turn the TV back on. One morning last week, while preparing for
work, I decided that I wanted to see the weather map to estimate when the
May showers were going to show up and I turned on the television at 8am.
What I suddenly found myself facing was Janis Joplin beginning to sing "Ball
and Chain" in the movie "Monterey Pop" -- the grandmother of all 60's
concert movies. The effect was for Janis to reach though the TV from 1967
and force me to immediately sit down and focus for 3 intense minutes. I had
no choice. Damn, she was good.
But the best part of this small sliver of history was a cut away shot of
Cass Eliot of the ultimate lightweight pop group - the Mommas and the
Poppas. She was shown in oversize sunglasses staring at Janis, her
expression wide, her jaw slack, and her mouth open. The expression on her
face said, "How the hell does she do that?" All these years later, the
question still stands.
Then, as quickly as it had come, she was done, the spell was snapped, and I
was back in 2004 and I had to complete getting ready for work. Who would
have thought that Cinemax would give a little glimpse of the eternal early
on a Thursday morning? Maybe I should stop complaining about my cable bill.
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CASSIE
I sometime worry that this space gets too elegiac - espically lately the
dead seem to have more than their share of words here at the Cafe. But I
would be remiss if I didn't note the passing this week of Cassie Norris -- a
girl of mixed German Shepherd and Husky parentage who graced the life of
Emmy Norris for 13 years. Cassie was pure of heart, clear of mind, and
noble of spirit. What more could anyone ask of an incarnated being? She
was a model for all of us and will be very much missed.
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"Notes From the Cafe Fiasco" is sort-of-written, sort-of-edited, and
sort-of-published whenever the Muses allow (and blockages go away).
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Marshall T. Spriggs
[email protected]; (617) 666-1571
One does not need buildings, money, power, or status to
practice the Art of Peace.
Heaven is right where you are standing,
and that is the place to train.
- Morihei Ueshiba
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