It’s pagan fertility season as well as Easter weekend. As a devout atheist, I don’t celebrate but if I did it would be on Greek Easter, which falls late this year on May 5.
I saw my primary care physician yesterday. After years of not liking doctors, I dig digging this doc. She’s pleased with my progress and not surprised my recovery is so slow. I’m having more good days than bad days and am lucid for longer than just a few weeks ago.
I am, however, anemic with low red blood and iron counts. That’s why I still tire easily. So, I’m taking iron pills to improve my endurance. No Iron Man jokes, please. I gave up comic book movies long ago.
I’m out of the woods but still lingering on the edge of the forest. It will be 2-3 months until I’m back to almost normal; that’s what happens when you lose half your blood. It’s okay. I’m a big picture person and I can deal with some short-term issues as long as I keep making progress.
The short hand I use with my docs is this: No bleeding, no head whacking.
One positive thing that’s come out this mess is that I’ve learned how good my genes are. Other than my current illness, I’m in good health for a pudgy old guy. Good genes. My father was only sick twice in his life, albeit with two major illnesses: malaria during World War II then leukemia at the end of his life. He never had a cold, the flu, or any of the mild maladies we mere mortals suffer from. Thanks for the good genes, Dad.
This week’s theme song was written by Grace Slick for Jefferson Airplane’s classic 1967 album Surrealistic Pillow. It poses the eternal question: Go ask Alice? Is it a drug or literary song? It could be both.
We have two versions of White Rabbit for your listening pleasure: the studio original and Jefferson Starship live at Winterland in 1975. I’m old, so I was there:
Ian Hunter wrote his own Alice inspired song in 1974.
Should we go ask Alice or Ian? Beats the hell outta me, go ask Grace. This strikes me as an excellent time to post another Slick song that declares: It doesn’t mean shit to a tree. Well, does it?
All we have for our second act is this 2022 self-quote about Greek Easter:
“Yesterday was Orthodox Easter. I’m not religious and haven’t celebrated since I left the paternal home, but I have fond memories of the holiday, especially the food.
We usually had company but always had roast leg of lamb cooked with potatoes for the main course. We rarely dyed eggs, but many were hard-boiled for what I called egg battles. You smash someone else’s egg with your own whilst saying, “Christos anesti,” which is Greek for Christ has risen. I didn’t care about the religious aspect, but I liked the egg battles. I suspect I made jokes about the Batman villain Egghead but don’t eggsactly remember.
My parents weren’t deeply religious. They attended church for the social aspect. My father in particular liked to schmooze with the other parishioners. I think many churchgoers are like that, but my parents were willing to admit it. It was the conventional thing to do, and they were conventional people with an unconventional son. I liked the food.”
The last word of our second act goes to Fred Astaire with Oscar Peterson on piano:
We begin our third act with our favorite stolen feature.
Separated At Birth Casting Edition: It’s funnyman Tracy Morgan as the Easter Bunny. We don’t know what the EB looks like, so we’ll give Tracy the floor alone.
Other than Bad Santa, I don’t do Santa Claus movies, so I missed The Santa Clauses. I do, however, dig Tracy as well as this venerable pop song by The Cuff Links:
They were singing to a chick, not an Easter Bunny or eccentric comedian.
Your Weekly Oscar: You heard this Irving Berlin song earlier. Here’s an OP doubleheader:
Have I told you lately how much I love Oscar Peterson? That goes for Ella and Louis as well.
The Best Of Letterman: A bunny related clip from the good, bad, and ugly people at The Late Show:
Saturday GIF Horse: Since I have wabbits on my mind, I give you the Jimmy Cagney of the Looney Tunes set. See Bugs count his bucks, count Bugs count.
Let’s close down this virtual honky tonk with some more music.
Saturday Closer: An Eric Carmen song for the road:
That’s all for this week. The last word goes to Jefferson Airplane: Grace Slick, Spencer Dryden, Jack Casady, Marty Balin, Paul Kantner, and Jorma Kaukonen.
