Who Knows Where the Time Went?

She was slightly over thirty years of age (31) when she died and as of today she is gone exactly thirty years. Her voice sounds as haunting to me today as it did the first time I heard it circa 1969.

Sandy Denny continues to be one of those singer-songwriters whose music I return to most often. She could sing a song with heartbreaking vulnerability or punch a musical phrase with the unexpected ferocity of a hurricane. Even today, when there is a plethora of talented female artists, to my ears there is no one whose voice can immediately assault one's emotions upon recognition.

What should not be lost in all this is that she was also an incredibly evocative lyricist:

Then came the question and it was about time.
The answer came back and it was long.
The house it was built by some man in a rhyme,
But whatever came of his talented son?
Who wrote me a dialogue set to a tune?
Always you told me of being alone,
Except for the stories about God and you,
And do you still live there in Buffalo?

They put up the walls with no more to say,
Nobody stopped to ask why it was done.
The stream was too far and the rain was too high,
So into the city the river did run.
Because of the architect the buildings fell down,
Smothered or drowned all the seeds which were sown.
I wish I were somewhere, but not in this town.
Maybe the ocean next time around.

I seem to remember the face and the name,
But if it's not you I won't care.
I know of changes, but nothing would change you
To Theo the sailor who sings in his lair.
And then I'll turn and he won't be there,
Dusky black windows to light the dark stair,
Candles all gnarled in the musty air
All without flames for many's the year.

From "Next Time Around" (Warlock Music)

A link to an overview of her musical legacy with accompanying sound samples is included below:
http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/sandy.denny/records/albums.html


Photo courtesy of Fledg'ling Record's website for the five cd Sandy Dennny compilation, "A Boxful of Treasures."

Danny O'Keefe (Redux)

A few days ago, I received notice from Danny O'Keefe's website (Dannyokeefe.com) that his new album, "In Time", is finally completed and available through the website. This album has been in the works for at least three years. In fact, he previewed some of the new songs at his October 2006 concert in Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin (see October 23, 2006 post). He also has a myspace page that is currently offering four of the new tracks for your listening pleasure.

Danny O'Keefe is truly one of the great American songwriters. Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Judy Collins and, yes, even Leo Sayer - don't snicker, his version of "Magdalena" was actually very good! - would attest to that.

Based on the four offerings, he sounds in fine form, as usual. If you enjoy these (and the new album), search out the earlier DOK titles which are currently available from Wounded Bird Records.

Check out Danny's myspace page (and the previewed audio files) at: http://www.myspace.com/dannyokeefedotcom.


Cover art for "In Time" (pictured above) appears through the courtesy of Dannyokeefe.com.

Can I Be Frank for a Moment?

They could be 'brudders'...

I know there is a song in that line somewhere.

Last Sunday, I went to see Randy Newman with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra up in the ol' hometown. On Friday night, Congressman Barney Frank appeared on "Real Time with Bill Maher." I'm thinking, those guys could pass for brothers.

To quote Randy Newman (from "My Life is Good"): Well...yeah!


Randy Newman photo (left) courtesy of www.RandyNewman.com.

What? I Said I'd Be Right Back ...

OK, so it's been awhile. On my trek around the blog, I stopped at the corner market to pick up some bread and juice and I ran into some old friends and we got to talking and time just seemed to slip away...

How long was I gone? Was it that long? Wow!

If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own backyard. Because if it isn't there, I never lost it to begin with!*


*Pilfered from "The Wizard of Oz" (1939) by Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allen Woolf. Based on the book by L. Frank Baum.

Too Late the Guitar Hero

I first became aware of the name, Bert Jansch, from listening to the early Donovan records. In fact, Donovan titled one of his songs, "House of Jansch."

Jansch had a huge influence on Donovan's guitar playing and while American critics were dismissive of the latter as a British Dylan clone, he was actually a disciple of the Bert Jansch/Davy Graham school that combined traditional British folk styles with eastern modalities and chord structures.

For decades now, Bert Jansch has been one of my favorite musicians. I became familiar with his work in the early 1970s, about the same time I had discovered other British folk acts such as Fairport Convention, (which, at that time, included guitarist extraordinaire Richard Thompson and probably the greatest singer England has ever produced, Sandy Denny), Pentangle (which included Jansch and another guitar phenomenon, John Renbourn), and the Incredible String Band.

Over the years, I have had an opportunity to see most of the great British folk guitarists when they toured the Midwest: Donovan, Richard Thompson, John Martyn, Ralph McTell, and John Renbourn. But for some reason, Bert Jansch has been elusive. Either I have been out of town on the date of the show or there has been some other obstacle impeding the opportunity.

Well, Bert Jansch is in town again tonight to headline the Friday night portion of a three-day music festival at the Empty Bottle here in Chicago. He is currently touring in support of his new album, The Black Swan, which has been garnering rave reviews, and showcases a supporting cast that includes longtime admirers Beth Orton and Devendra Banhart.

[Speaking of admirers, Bert performed a duet last month with Neil Young at Neil and Pegi's s annual Bridge Benefit Concert. Neil Young has long been one of Bert Jansch's most vocal supporters, citing his influence on his own guitar playing on many occasions.]

Unfortunately, Bert isn't slated to perform until after midnight. And there are two supporting acts prior to his set that I am sure are just fine, but I really don't want to wait through two sets to see a headliner perform after midnight. Am I getting old or what?

Maybe next time...

I guess I will listening to the latest Luka Bloom album (see November 16 post) instead.


Photo courtesy: www.BertJansch.com

Not Those Barrymores...This Barry Moore

I have been listening to the latest cd from Barry Moore, aka Luka Bloom, entitled Innocence, which was released stateside in Spring of this year. It is one of his most consistently satisfying efforts in a long time. His voice seems to have a richer timbre these days and, as a result, he is not hesistant to favor a more subdued program as opposed to the more rhythmic exercises of his earlier work -- which is not a criticism by any means.

There are still a few uptempo numbers, but the most pleasant surprise is the inclusion of two songs that have an Arabic and North African (Moroccan) flavor, one a narrative about a Muslim carpenter. A great late night or early morning listen.

For the uninitiated, Luka is the younger brother of legendary Irish singer-songwriter, Christy Moore. Because Christy was well established by the time Barry stepped onto the world stage in the late 1980s, the older brother (by ten years) probably cast a huge shadow of expectations. Barry apparently was playing club dates during that span and heard Suzanne Vega's hit single, "Luka", and a change was in order.

Gee, What's for Dinner? And What Time Should I Be There?

While this isn't the most sensational of the legendary (New York crime scene photographer) Wee Gee's photos, it is one of his most published and it bears the most interesting title, Human Head Cakebox Murder. Perfect name for a thrash metal or punk band.

I was watching the local (Chicago) news last night and a reporter was interviewing neighbors of a Park Ridge, Illinois (Hillary Clinton's hometown) man who had been murdered in the early morning hours. Many neighbors described being awakened by a popping sound and were genuinely astounded later to discover that such a nice guy had been murdered -- he owned a plumbing business. Maybe there was a business connection to the crime? Still, a real tragedy and one that would shake a small community to the core.

What really appalled me was, that, while a murderer was on the loose, the reporter and the station continued providing far too much specific detail about the neighborhood that could endanger the community further; for example, what the neighbors heard, what they might have seen, or where they lived in relation to the victim. The station even flashed their names across the screen! What the interviewer neglected to ask was what each neighbor might be serving for dinner that night. After all, murderers gotta eat too...

Kudos to the administrators of the private elementary school across the street from the scene. They had the sense to implement a phone tree to notify parents that the school would be closed for the day so the children wouldn't be curious about all the police cars (and yellow tape) or media vans parked outside.

Photo: Wee Gee, Human Head Cakebox Murder (1940)

Are You Ready?

"When the coal brick man comes round,
On a cold November day
You'll be on the Celtic Ray,
Are you ready?"

From "Celtic Ray" (Van Morrison) Caledonia Productions

Artwork: Chris Sheban

♫ "We're Trader Joe's Organic Pepper Soup" ♫

A Day in the Soup...

This item was in today's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Not sure how it's all connected but it sure sounds like it was a festive time:

"Trader Joe's, the quirky California-based grocery chain, opened its first store in the Milwaukee area at the Bayshore Town Center on Friday morning with music, dancing and organic tomato roasted pepper soup for $2.99 a quart..."

It almost reads like a statement from a cognitive abilities test -- the section that measures one's abstract reasoning capabilities. "Which one of the above items does not belong with the other two?"

And, of course, congratulations to Trader Joe's on its entry into the Milwaukee market.


Artwork: Euan Myles

Hold On For Dear Life

Now that the Dems have recaptured both houses, maybe they can move this country forward. Let's hope last Tuesdays's election results have taken some gas out of the windbags who were trying to spook their disenfranchised voters away from the opposing candidates.

"Beware ... the Democrats (Liberals) are going to raise your taxes."

Nevermind the fact that when the Republicans cut taxes (and programs), the financial burdens ("No Child Left Behind," for one) shift to the states and, subsequently, state (or municipal) taxes are significantly increased instead. Of course, many large corporations are rewarded with enormous tax breaks or exemptions from those states so the burden inevitably shifts back to the middle class tax payer (again). Talk about sloppy seconds. It's just a shell game, folks!!!

I saw a political cartoon from the 2004 Presidential election that contained a caricature of Bush and the text read:

"Vote for me once, shame on me. Vote for me again, shame on you!"

I remember on that last Presidential election day, an associate (who was in her mid-50s at that time) seemed perplexed and wasn't sure who she should vote for President. I said to her (matter-of-factly): "If you have to think about it, you should vote for Bush. And enjoy your golden years!"

Unfortunately, some political experts have suggested that Tuesday's victories were merely a reactionary swing and could easily fall the other way in another two years. So the Dems have a very narrow window to regain the public confidence.

Hopefully, the soon-to-be-released movie, "Bobby" (the forthcoming biopic of Robert F. Kennedy, one of my lifelong heroes), will remind people that, at another time in history, altruism and idealism weren't bad attributes to possess. And helping the less fortunate was actually considered a good deed. Maybe the public will be remember a time when government existed to serve the people not those who served within it, before the word liberal (progressive) had been twisted into an ugly pejorative muck.

I am now stepping off the soapbox and pouring the contents into the toploader (wash cycle).


Artwork: Adri Berger/TSI Images

If the Shoe Fits, Keep On 'Runnin'...

Even though advertising agencies have plundered just about every recognizable hit song from the 60s and 70s for television spots, there seem to be some tunes which, so far, remain untouched.

I was driving around my hometown, Milwaukee, Friday afternoon, and the Doobie Brothers' version of "It Keeps You Runnin' " (Carly Simon also recorded this song at about the same time) came on the oldies station. I pondered why this one hasn't been tapped. Why would Creative Directors be distancing themselves from this radio staple?

The more genteel Carly Simon version would seem a natural fit for products like the Sears Diehard battery or a vitamin (or herbal) supplement, while the Doobies version (with Michael McDonald's bloated and unintelligible wailing) might not be out of place in an Immodium or Taco Bell spot ... or maybe even a Produce Growers' Council ad campaign (if such an organization exists).

I was just wondering ...

[A slightly crass and humorous thought from Yours Truly]


The above photo is another from the series of my photos from the sculpture park in Skokie, Illinois.

Meet the New Blues Man

While working at the computer last week, I was streaming the excellent college radio station here in Rogers Park (Chicago), WLUW (the Loyola University station), and the dj played a track called "Song of the Blackbird" by William Elliot Whitmore. After identifying the track, he mentioned that Whitmore would be playing Friday night at the Cabaret Metro (locally referred to as the Metro), here in Chicago. He offered tickets for callers, and on a whim I called and got on the list.

It's not often that I would be compelled to see a performer based on a three minute sampling of his work, but there was much in those three minutes that told me he would be worth hearing further. I love delta and acoustic folk-blues. And since many of the great ones, such as Rev. Gary Davis, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee and Dave Van Ronk, to name a few, have long since passed, there haven't been many contemporary artists to carry the mantle.

Even one of the more talented members of this shrinking community, Chris Whitley, died within recent years. He showed great promise with his debut album, seemed to be scared off by the critical acclaim and radio attention and then veered off into increasingly edgy terrain only to disappear into relative obscurity by the time he died. I had an opportunity to see him in the late 90s and he looked scary -- rail thin and heavily tatooed under a thin white tank-top t-shirt, I think he could have even spooked the legendary blues guitarist and recovered heroin-addict himself, Johnny Winter. His appearance that night seemed to foreshadow a typical blues title like: "I'm Not Long for this World."

William Elliot Whitmore took the stage at the Metro on Friday night, the opening set of a three artist bill (Rocky Vololato and Lucero were subsequent acts). With just a banjo, a heavy, yet steady foot stomping to serve as his rhythm section and a loose and familiar demeanor with the audience, Whitmore provided an engaging and memorable set that seems to indicate he is a performer with a bright future ahead of him. His style does harken back to the hoot n' holler type of blues that typified the delta blues artists such as Sonny and Brownie, Charlie Patton or even Elmore James. But there are hints of Jimmie Rogers and even contempary singer-songwriters, such as fellow Iowan Greg Brown, one of the most influential songwriters currently on the scene. It seems that Whitmore has been formed of the same clay as Brown in that these songs of anguish and loss are strongly rooted in a nearly spiritual (I would almost say evangelical) underpinning. Some of the songs from his current album, Song of the Blackbird, wouldn't have been out of place on timeless recordings such as The Band's, Music from Big Pink or the eponymous debut of Jesse Winchester (which featured both Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson of The Band), and are not dissimilar to the type of songs Bob Dylan is writing these days.

While the songs did have that old-timey feel of a revival meeting, I would offer that my only criticism is that he needs to musically stretch a little more. By the end of his forty-five minute set these evocative pieces started to yield a sameness in tone and the familiar chord progressions seemed to mimic other classics from this bygone era. Still, there is much to be mined in the future for Whitmore and I think he will be a major artist, maybe not through sales or radio play, but in terms of a name that will immediately prompt respect and recognition. I was thinking that, with a few albums under his belt, William Elliot Whitmore would be the perfect type of performer that Dylan would want on the bill with him. That would make for a memorable evening...

The photograph is not from the Friday night performance (notice he is playing a guitar and not a banjo) and comes courtesy of the Southern Records website --www.southern.net -- William Elliot Whitmore's label.

Hurricane Camille Downgraded

She used to be quite the spitfire (or as they would say on the East Coast, a "pisser"), even as a little kitten. In the few months after I had to have my oldest cat, Marceau, put to sleep (at 18 1/2 years old), Camille, who is five-years old now, has mellowed considerably and now the sunny disposition shines through at least 90 per cent of the time -- much like the daily forecast in San Diego. The above photo shows Camille as a kitten.

"Cat Balloon" (Camille Part II)

When I took her in (from my neighbor who is a vet tech), I wasn't sure what to name her. I had given almost all my previous cats names that began with "M" and not by any design: Murphy, Montgomery, Marceau (although there was an Ingmar in there as well -- but that still contained the soft "m" voicing in the name). I was driving up to Wisconsin (from here in Chicago) with an Al Kooper cd, I Stand Alone, playing in the background and the song, "Camille," queued up. That name just seemed to fit perfectly. And, of course, it still has the soft "m" voicing in the name -- I guess it just rolls off the tongue easier when you have to get their attention ... frequently. So, Camille it became.

Previous to formally naming her, I had been looking for a name that would capture her essence -- she has a very distinct marking on her flank that strongly resembles an ascending hot air balloon. I tried locating the translation for "balloon" in several different languages, including Swedish and Norwegian. Nothing sounded remotely like a name. So Camille it is.

Although, if I were more clever and inclined to rename her today (with the weight she has gained over the years and her distinctive black and white facial markings), I might want to call her "Panda."

For Arlene

"And the ship sets the sail
They've lived the tale
To carry from the shore
Straining at the oars
Or staring from the rail
And the sea bids farewell
She waves in swells
And sends them on their way
Time has been her pay
And time will have to tell
Soon your sailing will be over
Come and take the pleasures of the harbor"

From "Pleasures of the Harbor" (Phil Ochs)

In loving memory of cousin, Arlene (Hart) Hait [1959-2006]


I took this photo in 1982 (Door County, WI). An enlarged version of this scene hangs in my sister's living room.

---

View to a Skill

I watched a fascinating interview between Tim Russert and Annie Leibovitz earlier this afternoon. I do wish Russert asked Leibovitz more probing questions. He skirted around her relationship with Susan Sontag, but I wanted to know more about Sontag's artistic influence on Leibovitz. After all, she had written extensively on the visual arts (her classic essay collection, On Photography, for one). For the most part, all we learned from the interview was that Sontag challenged Annie to do better work. Leibovitz is probably the foremost celebrity/personality photographer, much as Avedon and Scavullo had been a generation before. She seems to shun the mantle of celebrity for herself and appears genuinely humble and committed to the work itself.

In addition to Annie Leibovitz's portraiture, I have a great affinity for distinctive album cover art, especially that created for the full-scale, flat cardboard album covers that were the norm before being replaced by the microscopic cd recreations secured behind lifeless plastic windows. Album cover art, before then, had been tactile and viscerally oriented; different textures, die-cut renderings, vibrant colors, and fully extended, gate-folded sleeves. It is, today, an artifact of a another era.

Last year, I had an opportunity to view the small Storm Thorgerson (of the Hipgnosis graphic design studio fame) exhibit that briefly visited Chicago. Hipgnosis did much of the surreal and abstract artwork for several of the prog-rock bands in the 70s; among them, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Brand X, and Yes. It was revealing to see the original artwork in its full-scale size before it had been reproduced and reduced to album cover proportions. Among my personal favorites is the cover art for The Nice (Keith Emerson's band prior to forming ELP) album, Elegy, pictured above.

Several books have been published that have compiled the works of Storm Thorgerson and his Hipgnosis studio (which comprises a multitude of different photographers and designers). In fact, in one of those volumes, Thorgerson conveys a minutely detailed and amusing account regarding the Elegy photo shoot in the desert. The team had pre-inflated the many red balls that were used in the final shot, and transporting all those large balls to the Sahara site proved to be very challenging.

Photo courtesy of Hipgnosis/Storm Thorgerson

And the Days Grow Shorter Still

        “... A springful of larks in a rolling

     Cloud and the roadside bushes brimming with whistling

        Blackbirds and the sun of October

                Summery

            On the hill's shoulder,

     Here were fond climates and sweet singers suddenly

     Come in the morning where I wandered and listened

            To the rain wringing

                Wind blow cold

        In the wood faraway under me...”

From “Poem in October” (Dylan Thomas)

I believe this might be another of my Door County, Wisconsin photos.

Thoughts from the North Country

“... the enemy I see wears a cloak of decency...”

Bob Dylan (from "Slow Train Coming")

Copyright © 1979 Special Rider Music

I leave this line open to interpretation, but they know who they are.

This is another photo from the Skokie sculpture park.

'Going' Says It All

From "Urge for Going" (Joni Mitchell)

"I awoke today and found
the frost perched on the town
It hovered in a frozen sky
then it gobbled summer down
When the sun turns traitor cold
and all the trees are shivering in a naked row

I get the urge for going
But I never seem to go
I get the urge for going
When the meadow grass is turning brown
Summertime is falling down and winter is closing in..."

Copyright © 1966; Siquomb Publishing Company


"Urge for Going," written by Joni Mitchell, captures the seasonal transition between summer and winter better than any other song I can think of. I think I first heard the song on a Tom Rush album (he was among the first to record the songs of Mitchell, James Taylor and Jackson Browne before any of them released their first albums). Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever heard a bad cover of this song. The other versions (I know) by David Crosby and Graham Nash, Dave Van Ronk, Joni herself (of course), and an obscure Canadien band called Courage of Lassie, may vary in tempo and interpretation, but it is so evocative you can almost hear the leaves falling off the trees.

The photo above is one I took about 20 years ago in a field in Brussels (?), Wisconsin, located in northeastern Door County.

Suggested New Ad Campaign Slogan for Major Fast Food Chain (Don't thank me yet!)

"Burger-mortis... your meal ticket to heaven!"

The Singer and the Song

I first stumbled upon the music of Danny O' Keefe in a cut-out (cheapie) bin sometime around 1974. The songwriter's name seemed familiar but I wasn't sure I if I'd ever heard any of his songs before. He certainly hadn't performed on the Midwest folk club circuit nor had he been slated as the opening act for any of the concerts I had seen back then. And it wasn't uncommon, then, for solitary singer-songwriters poised only with a guitar (or piano) to open a show for a major headlining act. Performers such as Livingston Taylor (James' underrated and overshadowed brother) or the tragic figure of the late Judee Sill would be two among those up-and-coming songwriters I had witnessed in the early 70s.

After weighing the risks, I indulged myself the purchase of two unfamiliar Danny O'Keefe albums from the discount bin: O'Keefe and Breezy Stories. That decision proved to be a momentous discovery and a revelation. Those two albums contained divergent styles and moods from one another, but the constant was the consistently good songwriting. And that voice!

O'Keefe did, in fact, boast a song I was sure I'd heard before: "Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues." Breezy Stories was still somewhat "folky" in nature, but with a melange of New Orleans jazz flavorings and street-smart narratives. Furthermore, the album featured top-notch accompaniement from musicians such as Dr. John, Donny Hathaway and David Bromberg. Another common thread between those two early Atlantic recordings was the evocative arrangements and no-frills production style of the legendary (and recently departed) Arif Mardin.

Over the years Danny O' Keefe continued to release works that would become classics in the singer-songwriter pantheon, but seemed to evade a larger public audience: So Long Harry Truman, American Roulette, Global Blues, The Day To Day, and Runnin' From The Devil. In 1978, Jackson Browne opted to record O'Keefe's travel-weary saga, "The Road," for his own musical meditation on a musician's life that would become Running On Empty. According to O' Keefe (in a prior radio interview), the reason Jackson initially chose to include that song was that Running On Empty's original working title supposedly had been The Road and the Sky. The song (as well as the title) seemed to fit.

I had previously seen Danny O'Keefe perform a brief set at a benefit concert in Seattle back in 1980. He has never toured much and his recorded output became significantly more sporadic (that's an understatement) after 1979.

O' Keefe does have a website, although it is in woeful need of updating to make it an engaging read worth revisiting. Still, I do occasionally navigate to DannyOKeefe.com to see if there might be anything new and interesting. I was recently pleased to discover that Mr. O'Keefe was scheduled to make a rare trek to the Midwest on October 20, and more specifically, to the venue called the Cafe Carpe in Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin. The cafe is owned and operated by another wonderful singer-songwriter, Bill Camplin and his partner Kitty Welch, who opened the place in 1985. In the 70s Bill Camplin was a prominent and highly regarded songwriter and performer on the local Milwaukee folk scene and throughout the Midwest. Cafe Carpe is now a frequent destination for many notable songwriters and performers traveling through the region.

On October 20th, we (myself, and friends, Joel, his wife, Elizabeth, and daughter, Caroline) traveled to Ft. Atkinson (about an hour west of Milwaukee) for the Friday evening performance. We felt we should get there at least an hour early, as the club is small and we were sure there would be throngs waiting at the door to view the blessed rare event.

Danny O'Keefe took the stage promptly at 8:30 (there was no opening act). After a briefly tentative start, he quickly warmed to the room. There were, by Elizabeth's count, fifteen people in the audience. O'Keefe's guitar playing was fluid and his voice was in great form -- so many singers, over time, lose the top of their vocal range and compensate by singing in a slightly lower octave or they might sing a song in the original key but won't even try to hit the higher notes. Singers like Elton John, who has had surgery for nodes on his vocal cords, and Debby Harry immediately come to mind. Others, such as Gary Brooker (of Procol Harum fame) and O'Keefe seem to be ageless in their deliveries.

Because of the smaller audience, the set had a very intimate and familiar ambience, like talking to a friend after many years. O'Keefe was generous in his set and audience repartee. Joel and Elizabeth's daughter, Caroline, had come to the show completely uninitiated to the performer's oevre and left wishing she had invited all her musician friends (she's in a band) to witness this great American songwriter singing his songs, as she had.

After the Cafe Carpe show, Danny O'Keefe was scheduled to drive to another gig in a small town in central Illinois and before heading out to the east coast (Massachusetts) for a show and an afternoon radio interview on WUMB.

They are just some other towns along the road.


Photo courtesy of the DannyOKeefe.com website

And Now for Something Completely Familiar...

Hmmm... eventually I'll get this right. I have moved everything over from the old site (four days old at that!) and am now using the newfangled, state-of-the-art, best-of-both-worlds, can't-get-any-better-than-this, beta-release. To quote Kurt Vonnegut: "And so it goes..."


I took this photo a few years ago in the nearby Skokie, Illinois sculpture park.