Random thoughts of sadness and oddness after a lonnnng day

[captainsblog]

Perhaps the only thing in the universe that Bush, Obama and John Sidney McCain all agree on:

Tim Russert was a damn good guy.

I wasn't much for the Sunday morning talking-head shows, before or during Russert's tenure at the venerable Meet the Press, but as a fellow Buffalonian of his, I knew of and respected him for his honest, direct and heartfelt approach to everything he did.

Making it especially sad is his passing on Father's Day weekend, when "Big Russ," the subject of so much of his writing, is still alive at the age of 84.  We heard that Tim the Younger had been in town recently to move his dad to a newer living facility. Prayers for the old man, the way-too-young man's wife and family, and all those in this city and elsewhere who will miss his voice and his spirit.

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I spent much of my travel day today listening to the Girlyman live album. The live versions of the songs themselves aren't all that notable, since their studio albums aren't particularly overproduced, but the improvised "songs" on the live album are priceless- particularly the ones involving the unexpected use of Hava Negilah over Nate's strenuous objections.

Robert Klein's debut comedy album is also as fun as I remember it from 30 years ago. I suspect some of you will be discovering that more directly in the coming days.

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We watched most of American Grafitti tonight. Mackenzie Phillips, it turns out, was born precisely one day after I was. That's not as cool as the HIGNIFY guy I apparently share the actual date and year with, but it still has some coolness overtones, at least.

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Love yas. Mean it. Smoochie boochies.

Comments

[luckycee.livejournal.com]

He was a nice guy. I didn't realize his dad was still alive. That's tragic.

[headbanger118.livejournal.com]

I really liked Tim Russert. He asked the hard stuff to both sides, and NOT in a "I'm the media and I am GOD" way. I love to see any politician squirm!