Green Dragon Tavern
A place to sit down with a couple of pints of ale and wax subversive.
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Reaching for the Light….
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Reaching for the Light….
Greetings Taverneers, it’s been a while since I posted anything much of substance, and I’ve really missed y’all. Those of you who have supported, prayed, encouraged, and persevered with the ups and downs and arounds and arounds of the last ten months of my seemingly being shaken off the planet (the too real world) like salt from a shaker, and the ardors and perils of trying to find my way back to the light…your friendship honors me in ways I cannot find adequate words to express, and I cannot thank you enough. Getting back to Tavern-ish type substance, I seem to remember posting some chats a while back, about the Chinese incursion into our economy, and their getting a substantial number of military aged males across our Southern border. So much else has happened on so many political and geopolitical fronts across the globe in the last ten months, that as I sat down to write, I was overwhelmed at just how much there was to write about! Where does one start? Which world or national tragedy or travesty should take precedence over any other world or national tragedies or travesties about which one could write? How about the Presidential debate? Anybody have the intestinal fortitude to sit through that whole thing? When Mike speaks of everything in political governance being a “show” or just part of a larger scripted narrative, does anybody dare to disbelieve him? If two men of varying degrees of dubious character, both vying for one of the top political offices in the entire world, and they are haranguing each other about who has the best golf handicap, then anyone who doubts Mike’s “scripted show” analogy will be the first to drown when the water really starts to rise. While the only news in which I indulge these days is news of tropical hurricanes, since my son lives pretty much in the ground zero area, I admit I’m largely ignorant of our wars du jour. I’m assuming there’s still fighting in Ukraine and Gaza. I’m assuming we the people are still paying for both. I’m also assuming that corruption and scandal haven’t magically disappeared from our elected officials and appointees, and, we’re still financing them as well. Please feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. So much bad news, and you know what? I’ve just about met my bad news quota for the last almost calendar year. So, I’m done talking about it for this rant. Instead, let’s move on to more pleasant endeavors. The following I posted on today’s podcast re-broadcast comment section/forum, as a recommendation for Mike, given he’s taking a break, and given his love of music. And I recommend it to all of you as well. Here goes, and I quote (me): “If you can find it, I recommend watching the documentary “The Beach Boys.” It’s a very good, fondly portrayed sort of history of music going back to the 1950’s, through the 1960’s and onwards to today. None of the salacious tabloid crap, but a celebration of The Beach Boys, and the impact of their music across several generations. Lots of archival footage, including lots of other musical luminaries sharing memories, history, and thoughtful hindsight. Besides, in a generation of so much political protest music, and tunes full of anger and angst, The Beach Boys just made you feel good. The documentary will too. A good film to relax to. Some streaming service or another should have it. Even if you have to rent it for a couple of bucks, it’s worth it. You won’t see anything in the theaters right now that’s that good for ten times the price!” OK, back to now. Please do see this if you’re a baby boomer, it will bring a smile, or if you’re of a later generation who loves music, it’s still a good watch—you might learn something from days gone by. To be fair, the film doesn’t neglect the drug abuse, Brian Wilson’s personal psychological struggles, Dennis Wilson’s association with Charles Manson, or their financial and legal squabbles. But the filmmakers decided not to dwell on those things, as those issues, while not trivial ones, certainly did not define the band or its members. One story NOT covered in the film, but is worth telling, as it involves John Lennon (The Beatles are certainly part of the movie; just not the following story), and we all deserve to hear a story designed to make us feel good, especially when there’s so much out there to drag us down. The story is told of how when Brian Wilson had his breakdown and lost his grip on reality, he showed up at a party where John Lennon and Bernie Taupin (Elton John’s lyricist) were both in attendance. Brian cornered Bernie and begged him to him to introduce him to John. Knowing Brian’s condition, Bernie reluctantly did so. John shook Brian’s hand, chatted a bit, told him how much he admired The Beach Boys’ music, and, that their record album “Pet Sounds” was one of his (John’s) all time top favorite records. About a brief period of time later (same party) Brian again cornered Bernie and begged him to introduce him to John Lennon as if the first time never happened. Very reluctantly now, Bernie introduced John to Brian again. Once more John shook Brian’s hand, chatted a bit, told him how much he admired The Beach Boys’ music, and, that their record album “Pet Sounds” was one of his (John’s) all time top favorite records. This scene was repeated several more times the same night, and each time John acted accordingly, and afforded Brian every courtesy and kindness. This scenario happened on several other occasions at different functions, and each time John lovingly treated Brian with compassion and respect. Again to reiterate, the above story is NOT in the movie. But what is in the movie is when The Beach Boys released “Pet Sounds,” John Lennon and Paul McCartney requested a private “listen” from and audience with Brian and received them (imagine being in that room with Brian Wilson, John Lennon and Paul McCartney debuting “Pet Sounds”). The point is, John had known Brian all along when Brian asked to be introduced to him over and over again, and never once displayed annoyance or impatience or unkindness. I guess if the last ten months have shown me anything, they have shown me that time is so much shorter than we think, and everyone we know and care about, we need to tell all the time that we love them. Never miss an opportunity. Never. Also, like in the Brian Wilson/John Lennon story accounted above, I (as it were) have played the “Brian Wilson role” in the story of the last ten months of my life myself. And, I’ve been blessed to meet so many “John Lennon’s” both here on the Tavern and the platform, and also out there in the “Heart of Darkness” that I have wandered through, and still am prone to wander when, “Sometime a darkness falls upon the spirit, and it gets dark like there ain’t never been light,” (John Barlow); it’s all of those and you “John Lennon’s” who have treated me with kindness, compassion and respect. You all have my undying affection. Drinks on the house!
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12 Replies
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Great to see you back in good form & sharing with us here Dana. In keeping with the music theme… “A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words” as the tried & true saying goes. It is my honor to sing your song of praise & admiration, welcome back!
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I’m going to use that saying. Absolutely true and beautiful. Thank you.
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CHEERS @dana.acker I love this story thank you for sharing. I also loved you call, I’ve been in the US VI and several others, brought back great memories! God bless and remember….. go hug a tree and listen for your trains!
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Thanks so much for sharing that information about the Beach boys you’re right it is just feel good great music I’m glad you’re back I hope your son’s okay I think it’s going to be a crazy season this year stay well.
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I’m so happy you are back @dana.acker It’s like you never left-like it is when a long lost friend comes around!
How right you are about telling people you appreciate them.
M grandmothers were 180 degrees apart: one was a Catholic gal who mothered 9 children, the other had parents in a murder suicide death and grew up as “tavern trash”.
I dearly loved them both!
When they passed we discovered cards with nice sentiments were saved by both!
I imagine them pulling the cards out a re-reading them on difficult days. (They both passed from cancer)
I was so thankful I had sent them cards and that they treasured the words within.
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It is so good to see you back, Dana. I know it has been a rough road for you and I have paid for you and for Trish for all these months. I know that it is hard to lose her, but I am quite certain she is with the Lord in heaven and no longer in pain. I hope that you can take some solace than that.
Talking about The Beach Boys, my favorite memory is my dad listening to the Beach boys like all the time. He absolutely loved them. I remember being a kid and rollerskating to “I wish they all could be California girls. “ I grew up in California and lived the lifestyle of the beach and the sun and the surf that they sang about. It seems like such a Long time ago, and I guess it was! I’m a Gen Xer, not a boomer, but I absolutely understand the music of that time as my dad was such an aficionado of that genre.
Thanks for the memories! That’s what music does, Doesn’t it? Reminds us. I hope your memories are happy ones. I’ll keep you in my prayers. Take care.
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Glad to see you’re back and had some R & R in the Carribean with your family. I hadn’t heard that story about Brian Wilson and John Lennon. John just went up a notch with that telling. Always looking for something positive to watch. I’ve been hiding out from all the so called news. Thanks.
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Cheers Dana👍🍻
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Cheers… I listened in the truck on the way to lads place and it was entertaining to see some of it on tv. Beach Boys were some cool cats who had some killer parties up in the hills. Happy you’re coming along well. We’re planning a road trip North in The Unit. I think that’s her plan. Maybe borrowing a National Park pass this year and camping.
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Like my fellow Painiacs I’m thrilled to hear from you. It’s funny you mention the news… I catch a bit here and a bIt there but I do my best avoid the yow yow and nonstop fear-mongering… I resist looking back too often or too far — when I do I remind myself that it’s a different reality. Guess that’s always been the case, but in the time of the Western Civilization Destroyers and wave function collapse the past is more remote, more foreign, to what we have today. I believe we can capture its essence within our “magic circles” like Paine.TV but on the grand scale? Well only time will tell… time… what a concept.
My mind is blown just thinking about it… and I’ve not been watchin’ Joe Rogan.
Whenever I think about time I’m draw back to that Twilight Zone — “Time Enough at Last” my husband’s favorite episode. Indeed, I feel like I am living in the Twilight Zone most days… bopping between that episode and “The Obsolete Man.” Burgess Meredith was one hell of an actor.
But I digress — what was the topic… right, time —
The key as you say is to make the most of it… Ray Bradbury talked of that in interviews, focusing on embracing, living, feeling, creating FIRST… the right brain stuff of humor, sorrow, experience and depending on how we respond we can transform all this into something of value… like satisfaction or even joy.
You Dana are a man… or as they said regarding Feynman, a magician, of the highest order. You have a way of expanding time, melting space, and promoting humanity — a you precious gem of a man. So glad you’re back and the beacons of light are once again lit on the old Green Dragon!
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You mentioned different realities. In days past I spent a lot of time in Oaxaca, Mexico, where the population is made up from 15 different Native Indian groups, with histories, languages, religions, dress, and traditions going back millennia. Some of these people groups were building pyramids that are still standing, while our “so called superior” ancestors were emptying their chamber pots out of their kitchen windows and dying of the plague because of rat infestation. Talk about different realities!!! My head got rearranged permanently, but for the good. The old part of Oaxaca City was built by Cortez (before he moved West and nearly eradicated the Aztecs), and is the apex of European colonial architecture—cobblestone streets, buildings of massive stone, with lots of wrought iron fencing, gates and trim. Nice as that is to see, it pales in comparison to what was built a millennium before Christ by Oaxacan Indians. Then a couple of years ago, McDonald’s wanted to build one of their franchises, golden arches and all right in the middle of the Oaxacan square built in the 1500’s. Thankfully the Indian peoples ran them out and wouldn’t allow it. YAAAY for them! Someone in the world has sense. My question is, why do these beautiful, wise, ancient-blooded people create exquisite, mind boggling different realities that will make you wonder and ponder for the rest of your life, and we, “the shining city on the hill,” only create different realities that are soulless, greed filled, garish, tasteless, and criminally and morally corrupt?
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No need to address the noise and the darkness. While you get clean, trimmed and re-oiled, I hope our light and love give you enough to keep going. Ps 18
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