Let's Try It!

OK, I'm going to give this a shot, but whether or not I can find enough time to compose a post is pretty questionable this afternoon. Usually I can honestly refer to this place as my place of employment, but this time around it definitely qualifies as "work". It hasn't helped that I haven't felt particularly well since last week. I'm now on the mend (thank Goodness), but still not quite 100%. By the end of the day it's all I can do to drag myself to the cafeteria for a little bit of chow and then collapse into bed.

Where Have All the Flowers Gone?

I'm a bonafide child of the 1960s, and literally grew up during the 'hootenanny' folk music revival of that time. As an adolescent the familiar unplugged sounds of Pete Seeger, Johnny Hardford, The Smother's Brothers, the Kingston Trio were seared into my developing brain, punctuated later with the irreverent and revolutionary lyrics of John Prine. Of all the urban folk heros of the age, none were so prolific or well known as Peter, Paul and Mary - Mary being Mary Travers.

Peter Yarrow and Noel "Paul" Stookey were (and are) talented enough, but it was Mary's strong voice and long, blond hair that set the band apart. Their version of "Blowin' in the Wind" by Bob Dylan helped transform the song into a civil rights anthem and introduced Dylan's music to a wider, more mainstream audience. Other Peter, Paul and Mary hits included "Puff the Magic Dragon", "If I Had a Hammer" and "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" Their signature tune "Leaving on a Jet Plane" relied tested Mary's ability to harmonize with her male counterparts and those often arranged by other artists, none of bested the trio's performance.

According to news articles I've read, Mary Travers died at age 72 from complications of chemotherapy used to treat her leukemia.

Sure Enough Autumn Weather

There isn't a green leaf to be seen around my place of employment, and more than half the leaves are lying on the ground rather than gracing the limbs of their host birch, aspen or alders. The temperatures the first two weeks of the month were unseasonably warm (up in the 70s) but now it's cooling off a bit. I had to scrape ice off the windshield of my car to drive to my place of employment Tuesday morning, and today it has been overcast, drizzling and thus far the high temperature is at 51 degrees (F).

Nearly Universal Agreement with President

President Barack Obama has finally made a statement that nearly all Americans can agree with. Just prior to a formal interview with CNBC's John Harwood the chat turned to the topic of Kanye West's treatment of country singer Taylor Swift. When somone asked "Why would he do it?", referring to West's behavior, President Obama responded "He's a jackass"

Now THAT is a bilateral statement if one has ever been made by a sitting president. Even I can agree with it.

I'm Afraid That's About All the News I can Muster!