A brief introduction to my new blog called Moanin’ in Mason. The Mason reference is because I live outside Mason, buried so far back in the woods no one can find me without a map. The Moanin’ refers to the late, great Bob Talbert and his must-read Monday Moanin’ columns in the Detroit Free Press years ago. Research back then confirmed that he was the single most popular feature in the old Freep. This is my homage to his amazing ability to capture the zeitgeist in a sentence or two.
I knew Bob somewhat, back in the day. (He once published a rant of mine to replace his column while he was on vacation.) He told me years ago that the challenge in writing his column’s wasn’t to ahead of the curve. If you could stay just a half-step ahead, that was good enough.
- In addition to politics and religion, another topic to avoid at Thanksgiving dinner this year is: “So, are you going to get a swine flu shot for yourself and the kids?”
- Michigan’s budget crisis has now reached the point there are no good choices. Education is the key to Michigan’s future but the cuts that are being made risk turning us into Indiana or Ohio.
- I drove down Michigan Avenue a couple weeks ago toward the Capitol with the goal of taking some video of blight and decay - only to find lots of find fresh paint and new stores instead. Green shoots?
- Is it just me, or do you feel PR’ed to death? It seems that everything I see or hear has an underlying agenda to push some product, service or idea.
- Am I the only one who remembers when it was cool to go to Detroit for the evening? Little Harry’s. Baker’s Keyboard Lounge. Act IV. How badly am I dating myself?
- I find myself getting irritated with the people on Twitter who just regurgitate great quotes. But then they hit me with one that resonates and all is forgiven.
- I love Ralston Bowles’ song ‘(I don’t want to be just your) Friend on Facebook’ - we need to make the time to see each other face-to-face.
Ralston sings about Facebook at the Creole Gallery
Twitter…ugh - I love it but I just went into my account last week and unfollowed all those who tweet as if it’s a Facebook update.
No, I really don’t care that you’re helping so and so move later tonight. Nor do I care to know what you’re having for dinner or that you’re using trending topics to spout off about how horrible men are or whatever…
I loved Bob Talbert’s columns; he was the first read of the day for me from a very young age (pre-teen actually). Wasn’t he involved in a landmark first amendment rights case before coming to the Freep, or am I thinking of someone else there around the early 70’s?