Almost Eloquent

Remembering John

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Sun, 20 Feb 2022 23:30:00 +0000

How do I say goodbye to my Cousin John?

He is featured in so many memories of my life. As a young child, I recall being so excited when “Johnnie and Ronnie” were coming to visit. I saw cousins James and Derrick every day, as they lived across the street, but these cousins brought a fresh, daring vibe to our kid adventures

When us cousins got together as kids, my brother Fred, the oldest and more mature cousin would usually exclude himself from our shenanigans. John, the next oldest, became the de facto leader and the facilitator of fun.

He led us as we attempted to launch a G.I Joe helicopter off a roof to see if it could fly. John was the aerodynamic engineer as our Evel Knievel toy motorcycles attempted jumps over all kinds of objects culminating with an attempt either onto or from a roof! His never-ending imaginations once led him to put “golden ticket” type notes into helium balloons and let them go to gauge the distance of the responses.

John also used my Super 8 movie camera to direct us in a silent stop-action short film. The five of us spent an entire summer recording a TV News parody that John had conceived using our audio cassette recorders.

I smile whenever I think about our childhood trips to Disneyland. Playing “Ditch em” on Tom Sawyer Island with my cousins was insane. Speaking of insane, John nearly crossed the line once when he boldly opened a closed gate at the Monorail station nearly causing the whole family to be kicked out of Disneyland!

Besides our country’s independence, July 4^th always makes me think of John and his plastic car models. He would modify them with Piccolo Pete components for propulsion and firecrackers for explosion. Just like in an action movie, if you didn’t pay attention, you might end up having to suddenly dodge a Hot Wheel with a bomb speeding towards you.

When we all began having families of our own, we didn’t see each other as often. Though I’d see John at birthday parties, my family and I would randomly run into him in the strangest places under the most bizarre circumstances. We walked into the Cerritos Target one evening and there was John sitting alone on a bench just inside the store. Imagine our surprise when, on another evening, we were grabbing a snack at Taco Bell and when we reached the window, John had commandeered the drive-thru and asked, “will there be anything else?”, as he handed us our food!

John’s most notable unexpected sighting occurred when my wife, Chris and I were on a dinner date at our favorite romantic spot, Johnny Carino’s in Downey.

There I was sitting across from Chris discussing the menu gazing into her eyes, when suddenly the spell was broken by the startling shock of John sliding next to me and putting his arm around me!

Over the years random “John encounters” were also logged at Bob’s Big Boy, Home Depot, Downtown Disney, and Toys R Us of course.

So, how do I say goodbye to Cousin John?

It makes me sad knowing there will never be another one of those surprise meetings.

But my sadness turns to a sweetly hopeful expectation when I realize the next place, I’ll see John is in Heaven.

So, it’s not goodbye, but until then.

Too Busy Singing...

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 06:30:00 +0000

The people who know me well, know that I am a Monkees fan. I have been since I was 4 years old. Why?

The news of Davy Jones' passing and the surprisingly large magnitude of tributes, caused me to ponder that question.

The TV show was fun. It was part 60's sitcom, a bit of the "Hard Day's Night" Beatles, a bit of the Marx Brothers and it was full of great sixties Pop Music. As a kid I loved the music, the silliness and the loyalty of that the group displayed towards one another. And they were always “too busy singing to put anybody down”.

As an adult I have enjoyed The Monkees as fun nostalgia. They were actors that were cast to play a fictional band in a TV show. Those 4 actors became a real band performing to sold-out audiences in record breaking numbers. It has been interesting watching the reunions and revivals over the last 45 years. The endurance of the popularity has been remarkable. They captured fans of multiple generations as the TV show aired successfully on NBC Prime Time in the 60's, CBS and ABC Saturday Morning reruns and daily syndicated reruns in the Seventies and MTV in the 80's. They toured the US and UK in 2011 to audiences of all ages.

Will the casts of Glee or High School Musical be touring the country in the year 2050? I wonder.

Monkees Artwork by Patrick Owsley used by permission.

powsley.blogspot.com

Memories of Mom

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 08:14:00 +0000

My Mom passed away on January 12th. I have been wanting to write a blog about her. She was the biggest fan of my blog and so I think it would be most appropriate to present some of my memories of her.

I loved my Mom's cooking. She made these great grilled cheese sandwiches that went so well with her Cream of Tomato soup. She made homemade spaghetti that I would consume beyond capacity.

She made Birthdays and holidays special. She made great custom Birthday cakes. My favorites were my Monkees cake and my Bozo cake. Christmas were always overwhelming with food and presents and more food, especially the homemade sugar cookies.

When we were kids, if a Halloween costume of our favorite character wasn't available, Mom would make it for us. She did a great Spiderman costume for my brother Freddie. My favorite was the Bozo the Clown costume she made from scratch for me.

Mom was always was the room mother at school going on the field trips. She was our Den mother in Cub Scouts. She was on the booster clubs when we were involved in sports.

She planned these amazing cross-country vacations. Over the years we must have stopped at every point of interest in the AAA guide in at least 8 or 9 states. Those were great times.

I was part of a Science department trip to Catalina Island, when I was in High School. Mom and I disagreed on what I should take and what I should store my gear in. She won. Much to my chagrin, I was toting a suitcase full of clothes. When I arrived at school to board the bus, Mom felt bad when all the other kids had duffle bags or backpacks. She knew that I would get teased. When we reached the institute, even the workers were making fun of my suitcase. At the scheduled end of our trip, the waves were too choppy so we had to stay another day. All the kids had packed for 3 days. All except for me, who had a suitcase full of clothes, thanks to Mom. I felt like the Howells on Gilligan's Island. All the guys were begging to borrow some of my extra underwear. Mother Knows Best!

When I was in college, I had put off a Religious Studies assignment until the night before it was due. I was supposed to find a secular song that conveyed something from the Bible. I had a lot of records but no ideas. As the clock reached 1am. I gave up and went to bed. When I arose the next day, my paper was finished and neatly typed. Mom had stayed up all night going through my records. She found a song that worked great as an ode to Lot’s wife: "Don't Look Back" by Boston. The "A" I received really belonged to her

Mom left us one of those “In Case Anything Happens to your Father & I” letters that we found the day after she died. She wanted to comfort us in the event that they died together in an accident. She wrote, "If we are gone when you read this then you know we are happy together in Heaven ” She updated the letter after my Dad died and wrote, “Your father has gone on to Heaven without me. It is not his fault. He didn’t want to go.” Now she has joined him.

The greatest thing, my Mom ever did for Freddie and I was to introduce us to Jesus. She taught us about Him, prayed with us every night, took us to Sunday School and modeled Christ in her life. It is now that Faith that comforts my family today because we know we will be reunited with her because of our relationships with Jesus.

Drive My Car

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 05:19:00 +0000

Have you ever had an experience with a service provider that made you wonder how the person you dealt with survives in the customer service business. I’ve had a few recently and I’ve selected the best to share.

On the last day of our vacation this past August, the kids had tickets to see a concert at the Hollywood Bowl. We reserved a rental car online with one of the major car rental companies so Chris and I could drop our music loving children off in Hollywood. We would then venture over to Citywalk for a dinner and movie.

When we arrived to pick up the car, they had no record of our reservation and no cars left. After waiting for the rental agent and owner to text back and forth, we were upgraded to a van. Not what we wanted but it would get us to Hollywood.

Our journey was just minutes old when we experienced a tire blowout. I managed to maneuver the van off to the shoulder of the Freeway. As we waited for AAA to assist in changing the tire, we called and alerted the rental company to the tire damage. AAA responded quickly but the delay resulted in the kids missing the first act at their Concert.

We returned the car the next day. Their representative examined the car, we paid the bill and drove off. Several hours later, we received a message indicating that we owed $150 for the damaged tire. I called the credit card company to file a claim with their Car Insurance Damage Coverage. When I tried to give the car rental owner my insurance claim number, he adamantly refused to accept my valid insurance. He demanded immediate payment and threatened to sue me in small claims court and jack up the price if he did not receive it. He then berated me for not taking their insurance and scolded me for returning his van with only three good tires. When I pointed out that threatening a customer with litigation was a novel approach to customer service, he justified his aggressive behavior by saying, “people don’t want to pay their bills in this economy”.

We allowed him to charge our credit card. I did write to the company’s corporate office inquiring if the chain endorses this unique style of service. Their response did not contain any comments from the company, only the franchise owner’s comments.

I was and continue to be flabbergasted.. How does someone like this stay in business?

Have you ever experienced anything like this?

On The Radio

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Mon, 17 May 2010 03:53:00 +0000

A picture on the L.A. Dodgers Facebook page featuring Vin Scully and Dick Enberg, reminded me how much fun it was watching and listening to sports in Los Angeles in the 1970’s. The 70’s were when people still carried transistor radios instead of IPODS.

Vin Scully was and is the king of Baseball announcers. In the 70’s, only about 20 Dodger games would air on TV per season. Radio was how we really bonded with the Dodgers. Vin would paint the pictures with his colorful words creating an excitement that made the listener feel as if he was there sitting next to him. Others have proven that is not so easy to entertain while simply describing a game into a microphone. I have so many childhood memories that include a soundtrack supplied by Vin Scully and the Dodgers. In the car or on a transistor radio, it never felt like Spring had arrived until we would hear Vin say, “It’s time for Dodger Baseball!” for the first time each year.

Dick Enberg was the workhorse for GWB which owned KTLA Channel 5 and KMPC 710. As the longtime voice of the Angels, Rams, UCLA Bruins and Boxing from the Olympic, he was always on the air it seemed. During most of his tenure in SoCal, he had to endure some pretty bad Angel and Ram teams. It was during some of the biggest Angel blowouts, that he would really shine and keep his listeners engaged even though the Angels were losing badly and already eliminated. And it would only be June! His work with Don Drysdale with the Angels and Merlin Olsen with the Rams made for some great radio. He also co-created and hosted a great TV Game Show called “Sports Challenge”. The show had that special quality that made it both corny & cool. It is a shame that Dick Enberg is working for the Padres and not the Angels. I don’t know what they are thinking in Anaheim.

For those of us who loved sports in Southern California, we were blessed with the opportunity to hear Chick Hearn and Bob Miller with the Lakers and Kings. They both became Hall Of Fame announcers and kept fans rooting for some pretty poor teams. Bob and Vin are still behind their mikes but other less memorable voices now fill the Angel and Laker airwaves. The Rams, of course, moved somewhere a while back. I’m not sure where.

I’m thankful for the memories that SoCal’s Sports Golden Throats of the 70’s have left me with. Now, where did I leave my IPOD?

The Rainbow Connection

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:11:00 +0000

Many years ago, Chris and I were going through a very difficult trial that never seemed to end. At the darkest point we were extremely disappointed by some people we trusted. We wondered would this season ever change. Why weren’t our prayers being answered.

On a rainy day we were driving together. The sun emerged and seemed to chase the rain away. As I made a turn on a Bellflower street, we saw this amazing rainbow. I had never seen anything like it before or since. The colors were so bold and vibrant. Even though rainbows aren't supposed to have actual bands of colors, we saw clear separation between distinct bands of colors. It was breathtaking and without even saying anything to each other, Chris and I both, immediately, knew that we had witnessed a confirmation that God honors his promises.

Shortly after our rainbow sighting, things changed and our prayers were answered.

Now every time it rains I remember:

1. Rain must fall
2. God is faithful
3. A rainbow always follows the rain to remind us of number 2.

It Never Rains in Southern California

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 06:17:00 +0000

Rain in Southern California brings two things to mind

Number One: It convinces me that we are weather cry-babies. There are people who live in areas that face mudslides or other dangers and people who have physical conditions effected by the weather. They have legitimate concerns. But so many of us complain about getting hit with rain. We act like we are the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz and we are going to melt if we get wet. Not only that, we gripe when it is too hot, when it is too cold, when it is too dry, too wet, too windy, etc.

Number Two: There are so many songs that I think of when it rains and then I can’t get them out of my head. Here are a list of my favorite rain songs.

1. It Never Rains in Southern California
2. She Rather Have The Rain
3. Baby, The Rain Must Fall
4. Rainy Days and Mondays
5. Rain
6. Another Rainy Day In New York City
7. Go Ahead and Rain
8. Fire and Rain
9. Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head
10. Pray For Rain
11. Midnight Rain
12. Walking in the Rain
13. December Rain (I wrote that one)

I challenge my readers to name the artists who recorded these songs. How many can you name?

Time For Another Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 05:15:00 +0000

I received some free music downloads. Searching for hidden gems that I wouldn’t normally be interested buying enabled me to dig deeper and find some little sonic treasures. My Itunes Top Ten is being dominated by some of these obscure examples of ear candy. In no particular order, here is my current list of favorites.

1. Where We Started From-David Pack & Timothy B.Schmit
2. Grouch of the Day-Squeeze
3. I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better-The Byrds
4. 10 Simple Rules-Mercy Me
5. This Is Love-The Archies
6. You’re My Favorite Waste of Time-Jeffrey Foskett
7. I Can Hear Music-Kathy Troccoli w/The Beach Boys
8. Love In Time-Dan Fogelberg
9. Here I Am to Worship-Tumes, Ashton And Denté
10.I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times-Sixpence None The Richer

The Archies? Yes, the Archies!

The Little Drummer Boy

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:40:00 +0000

Christmas time has always been my favorite time of year. I have many wonderful memories of Christmases of the past.

One year my parents gave me a car for Christmas. Another year Chris gave me a daughter for Christmas.

However, there have been moments of pain amidst the Holiday revelry. I remember one such moment very well. I was 6 years old and very excited about Christmas, especially one of the presents that I had asked for.

This particular year had a new twist. My brother, my cousin and I were going to get to speak with Santa Claus on the telephone. I don’t know how this was arranged but there was somebody on the phone claiming to be jolly ole’ St. Nick. My skepticism, which has increased in the ensuing years, was generated by my conversation with him. As my Mom handed me the phone, butterflies danced to Christmas carols in my stomach. In between his "Ho, Ho Ho’s", “Santa” told me that he knew I had been a good little boy. His words stroked my 6 year old ego. The obligatory, “What would you like Santa to bring you”, followed. There was no doubt in my mind or hesitation in my reply.
“I want a Monkee Drum” I said excitedly.
“A What?”, a confused “Santa” inquired.
“A Monkee drum” I said as clearly and adamantly as I could.
“What’s a muhkeydwum?”
“No! A Monkee Drum!”
“What?” He struggled to understand.
My young mind was flooded with confusion. Why can’t he understand me? What is wrong with him? He knows when I am sleeping and knows when I’ve been naughty or nice so why can’t he understand what I am saying. Doesn’t he understand English. What language do they speak up in the North Pole?
“Monkee Drum! I want a Monkee drum!”, I continued to exclaim.
“I’m sorry I don’t understand”
“Monkee drum from the Monkees!” Didn’t this guy watch television. Didn’t he get my letter? I started to get really upset and the butterflies in my stomach turned nauseous.
“What’s muhkeys?, He said, still attempting to comprehend and redeem this conversation.
Great, I thought, I’m going to get a muhkeydwum for Christmas and not my beloved Monkee Drum! In utter frustration, as I held back tears, I handed the phone to my mother. She clarified that I wanted the kids drum set that I had seen in the Sears catalog adorned with the faces of the 4 Monkees and their guitar logo.

She explained that this was evidently one of Santa’s helpers and not the real one, who would have had no trouble understanding me. Good help must have been hard to find. In the ensuing years I’ve listened to an audio cassette recording made by my mother that Christmas. On the vintage recording she can be heard asking my brother and I what we got for Christmas that year. When I heard the six year Jeff gleefully announce his Christmas bounty, I could not understand what he was saying either. For some reason I was using an unusual dialect that was a hybrid of baby talk and a New England accent. I have no idea how my parents understood what the heck I was saying.

I did get my Monkees Drum set and a matching tambourine. I spent many hours generating enough racket to make my parents regret clarifying my wish to Santa.

Do You Believe In Angels?

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:42:00 +0000

“Do You Believe In Angels” was the bold question posed in the subject field. The email blast from JCPenney was advertising their Angel Giving Tree Online Program. I took the question seriously and answered affirmatively, audibly. Sure, I believe in angels. There are the ones down in Anaheim. Then there are Michael, Gabriel and their cohorts in the Bible. Of course, there are the ones who look like Roma Downey and Della Reese. What about real angels in the present day?

All I can do is answer from my own experience. The Bible talks about entertaining angels unaware. There are times in my life that I believe my might have encountered an angel.

When I was in my mid 20’s, I was going through some extremely difficult times in my professional life. In the midst of the chaos that I found myself in, I was engaging in a typical transaction with a gentleman. A few minutes later, he returned to say, “I have a message for you”. I looked up to meet his eyes as he continued, “Be encouraged, Jesus loves you and will get you through this!” I babbled a confused., “Uhh…thanks”. Before my mind could form any other actual words, he was gone, never to be seen again. He might have not been an angel but he had right message that I needed to hear at the right time. That is a pretty gifted messenger.

Several years later, I received a frantic call from Chris. She had a flat tire on the freeway. A policeman had followed her as she drove on the rim off the freeway and into the first parking lot off the freeway. I valiantly dashed to my car to come to my love’s rescue and change the flat. We had a Toyota Minivan and tire changing was a difficult exercise. On this day I learned the crucial detail to a successful tire changing experience with that type of car was to only attempt it on a flat surface. As I cranked the crazy scissor jack on the uneven Home Depot parking lot, I was able to extract the deflated tire. However, it became clear that I was not going to elevate the car up high enough to get the inflated spare on. Nonetheless, I kept winding the jack as high as it would go and it slipped out from underneath the car. The tireless wheel dropped and landed on the asphalt. This was not good. I determined that if I could get a board underneath it could level the area the jack needed to be and could raise the jack a bit more off the ground. I ventured into the Home Depot. While I was gone, a truck with two men appeared out of nowhere. Chris explained what I said was needed. They jumped out of the truck reached into the back and pulled out the exact boards that were necessary and raised the car and changed the tire in seconds. On the way back from my quest for wood, I could see these guys talking to Chris. I put on my “tough guy” face and rushed over. Chris, amused by my “tough guy” face, assured me that things were fine. One of the guys tipped his cap as they jumped into their truck and sped off. We found it curious that these did not go into Home Depot. Why were they randomly driving through the parking lot with exactly what we needed? Who were these guys?

Well, I do believe in angels but I am not certain that these were angelic encounters. Either way God sent help in my time of need. So I am satisfied.

Have you entertained any angels unaware?

Waiting for Patience

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:52:00 +0000

“Patience is a virtue”-Late 14th century proverb.

"Genius is eternal patience"-Michelangelo

"All things come to him who waits - provided he knows what he is waiting for."-Woodrow T. Wilson

"Blessed are all who wait for Him!" Isaiah 30:18

“The waiting is the hardest part"-Tom Petty

"I want it now!"-Jeff Craft

Why is it so hard to wait? Patience is a good thing but there is life to live while I'm waiting for patience.

My first recollection of having to really wait for something, was waiting for something in the mail. Of course, I remember waiting for the bell to ring signaling the end of an endless school day, but I’m talking about patiently awaiting the arrival of something very special. A very special hat.

I grew up reading Archie comics. My parents had read them in their youth and felt compelled to continuously furnish my brother and I with the latest antics of Archie, Jughead and their cohorts from Riverdale High. When I was 7, Archie was hot. Not only did The Archies have a number one hit record, best selling albums, a top rated animated TV series but they were pitchmen for Post Cereals.

It was on one of the Cereal boxes at a Lucky's supermarket that I gazed upon the mail in offer for Jughead’s hat. With several box tops from a Post cereal and 50¢ I could own my own hat just like Jughead's. I knew that I wanted that hat. I needed that hat. I would live happily ever after if I had that hat!

My Mom graciously agreed to my acquisition plan and purchased a box of cereal that I didn’t really like (probably Alpha-Bits). I had to promise to actually consume the required cereal to obtain the necessary box tops. By the time I had eaten and collected all that I needed, the deadline arrived. My order form was mailed on the day of expiration. Now I had to find the patience to wait for something that might not actually come because it took so long to eat all that cereal.

After only a couple of weeks, I began my daily ritual of rushing home from school and checking the mailbox. I knew that it was a 6-8 week thing but I checked anyway, hoping for some sort of favor from some unknown postal fairy. As time went on, I started to resign myself to the possibility that it would not come. I would never have that silly beanie. How could I go on with out it?

Finally, one day after school, I entered our house and a box on the dining room table caught my eye. Was my wait over? I expectantly glanced at my Mom, who grinned widely. I can remember the butterflies I felt in my stomach and the blood rushing to my face. I ripped the box open and gingerly removed my Jughead hat. I surrendered to the excitement that I had held at bay. I engaged in a brief, awkward, happy dance (I’ve never been much of a dancer!) I loved that hat and wore it everywhere all the time. If you're living the life of a Jughead you might as well have the hat for it!

As an adult, I’ve become more discerning about my headgear choices but it is still hard to wait. Time seems to go by faster when you're older so waiting for inevitable things is easier. We even pay places like Disneyland for the privilege of waiting in lines all day long. We know that eventually we will reach the front of the line. Waiting for things that might not come or events that might not happen is still extremely hard. That’s where faith comes in. True patience for me only comes in trusting in God’s timing.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heaven…” Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

I’ve posted a picture of myself wearing my beloved Jughead hat. (I’m evidently trying to strangle my neighbor Gus)

I am, of course, still waiting for "dumb" to become a term used for greatness. If you haven't read my blog on the new "dumb", click here: My Dumb Blog

My Dumb Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:31:00 +0000

Have you ever heard anyone refer to something good as “Sick”, as in “That song is sick”? If someone says to you, “Do me a solid”, are you confused or do you, through the process of osmosis, just know that a favor has been requested? Instead of the standard exclamation, “Oh no!” do you hear a “Oh Snap!”? I have and it has made wonder who gives these words new meanings. Somebody had to be the first one to use or misuse a word and make it mean something completely different. How do the first recipients of these communications of new slang understand the words and why do they have the inclination to make them part of their vocabulary? Negative words used as slang for good have always been around but how do they spread? These questions have plagued me for some time and I’m finally taking action.

I am challenging my readers to join me in my campaign to coin a new bit of slang by twisting the English language for the greater good. Yes, It will be swell, cool, neat, ginchy, fab, gear, sweet, bad, groovy, far out, sweet, tough, tight, dope, mad and sick. You’ll be a participant in the birth of something momentous. We’ll not only pump new life into a tired old word but also spoof the whole concept of frivolous metaphors and, as a result, perhaps, save the English language from further perversion.

My new superlative for something great, and outstanding is...drum roll…“Dumb”. Yes, “dumb” can be the new “dope”, the new “tight” or the new “neato”. If "bad" can mean good, why can't "dumb" be good as well? I know if sounds revolutionary but as another decade winds down, it’s time to stand for something …dumb! Are you brave enough to join me as I try to make the world a little more dumb?

I need your help. In conversations, in texts, on Twitter, MySpace and Facebook let's make dumb mean good, great and the best. Think it, use it, say it, write it and live it. Dumb is the word! Remember no more “Oh, that’s nice”, “She is so sweet” or “That dress is beautiful”. Now it’s “Oh, that’s dumb”, “She is so dumb” and “That dress is beautiful”. Statements like that will make great conversation starters!

If we work together, we can make “dumb” slang for the next generation. We can prove that slang like this is really dumb. Are you dumb enough to unite with your dumb brothers and sisters and change the world just a little?

Thank you for you time and attention. Have a dumb day!

Jeff's Jukebox

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:24:00 +0000

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love music. Anyone who knows my music knows that I have an offbeat taste and seem to gravitate towards obscure songs and artists. As I was looking at my current playlist, I noticed a mix of new and old, obscure and known, cool and embarrassing. So what better way to use my blog than to let all of you capture a glimpse of what my favorite songs are right at this moment in time. You could call this Jeff's Time Capsule of Music. You could, but I'm calling it Jeff's Jukebox. Here are my current faves, in no particular order:

1. Flying On the Ground Is Wrong-Buffalo Springfield
2. Sister Golden Hair-West Coast All-Stars
3. One Reason-Chynna & Vaughn
4. Runaway Heart-Alathea
5. Angel Band-The Monkees
6. Where the Streets Have No Name-Chris Tomlin
7. Fallin’ For You-Colbie Caillat
8. Counting On God-Phillips, Craig & Dean
9. I Don’t Want to Hear Anymore-Paul Carrack
10. Couldn’t I Just Tell You-Susanna Hoffs & Matthew Sweet
11. Safe-Phil Wickham & Bart Millard
12. I Wish-Cindy Morgan
13. My Heart’s Cryin’ Tonight-Richie Furay w/Timothy B. Schmit
14. The Other Side of the Rain-the Rubinoos
15. Alright-Rynn

I Was A Teen-Age Balloon Boy

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:50:00 +0000

With all the media attention about the so-called Balloon Boy over the past couple of days I felt compelled to come clean. It is time to spill the beans, let the cat out of the bag and throw myself on the mercy of the court of public opinion. I am guilty. Guilty of more than using a bunch of tired clichés. I am guilty of being a Teenage Balloon boy. To be more precise, I was an accomplice of a Teenage Balloon Boy.

For a short period of time in the 70’s you could purchase small cans of helium at toy stores. They were the size of a can of Wizard Air Freshener and contained only enough helium for about a dozen balloons. That was all that was needed for our Great Balloon Hoax.

My cousin received a couple of cans of Helium for his Birthday. You would have thought it would have been for the balloons for his party, but no, they were for him to have fun with. This was the days 1970’s years before Xbox, Wii and Guitar Hero. Boys had to have something to do. After the party, his plan was revealed. He would fill several balloons with helium and let them go in hopes of ascertaining how far they could go. How could he track them in the days before sophisticated equipment you may ask. Well that is where the hoax comes.

Each balloon contained a note that promised the finder a cash prize by calling the number enclosed. As we watched each latex sphere ascend into the air, our excitement increased. We never really thought about what would happen when or if someone actually found one of the balloons or it’s remnants. After a few days we found out. A woman called my cousin asking for the award that was promised to the finder of a balloon. When my Aunt discovered the hoax she was not happy. She had to apologize to the disappointed balloon recipient. The hoax did accomplish the desired result as we did discovered how far the balloons would travel. The balloon that the lady found traveled only a few miles.

It feels good to get that off my chest. Of course, all I did was watch the balloons take off. That and laugh when my cousin got into trouble. It’s not as funny now. Actually, helium is not a good thing for kids to play with. It was a much simpler time and we were just simple enough to get a thrill of watching balloons float into the sky.

Lost & Found

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 04:05:00 +0000

Have you ever had a weird moment. A moment where you experienced something odd that you could not fully understand. I had such a moment on Friday.

My family and I had just enjoyed a showing of the Toy Story 3D Double Feature Event at the Long Beach Towne Center. My son and I were entering the restroom when I noticed that my cell phone was not attached to my pants. I furiously checked my pockets to no avail. I alerted my son of the situation and we quickly headed back to Theater 14. On the way, I remembered leaving the theater to take a call. However, I was sure I had secured it back into it’s holder upon completion of the call.

Just as the theater came into view, I was stopped by a tall burly man. He asked me if I had found a jacket. I assumed he mistook the Pillar sweatshirt I was holding as the jacket he was looking for. I informed him that I did not find a coat and showed him what I was carrying. As I started to head towards Theater 14 to renew my quest, the sight of a cell phone and holder that looked a lot like mine was in this guy’s hand. Not knowing what to say, I just blurted out “I did lose my phone…”, as my eyes were focused on the phone in his hand. He held it up and asked, “Is this your phone?” I began to reach for it but before I could take possession he said, “Monkees, right?”. I then knew that this stranger has either opened my phone and saw the Monkees wallpaper or took a call and heard my Monkees ringtone. I uttered an affirmation and grabbed my phone. He said that he was on his way to turn it in. I thanked the man and he walked away.

From the moment he stopped me and I saw my phone I thought it was peculiar. I was coming in the opposite direction of the theater that he found the phone in. Why did he pick me out to ask about his jacket. It seems like such an odd coincidence that he would stop the person that had lost the phone he found. Both of my kids thought it all made perfect sense. Chris thinks he was angel. I don’t know what to think.

What do you think?

Endless Possibilties

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:51:00 +0000

When I was about ten years old, I discovered the joy of opening a fresh sketch pad. Nothing felt better than holding 50 blank pages with endless possibilities. By applying a pencil and my imagination, from nothing I could create something. I could create anything. Fred Flintstone, Archie & Jughead, Dodger players all appeared in my sketch book. I eventually came up with my own characters. When I was finishing up a pad, all I could think of was getting a new one to dive into.

A few years later, fresh legal pads brought be that same feeling. Writing song lyrics was my passion. I was never intimated at staring at a blank page because I knew that there was always a chance that something special could emerge. Even if the result was mediocre at least something would appear. I learned that rewriting afforded the opportunity to improve the result. Rewriting became as important as the writing. A second chance. A do-over. The song wasn’t final until it was on vinyl.

As I have grown older, I have begun to see each day like the blank canvases with endless possibilities that excited me in the past. With each morning, I get a fresh opportunity to create a day of significance. I can try to meet challenges with a touch of grace. I can be a blessing to the people that I come in contact with. Depending on intent, word choice and tone, each interaction has the potential to be something exceptional or it can end disastrous or somewhere in between. Even though today does not allow for erasing, rewrites or do-overs, tomorrow presents a fresh chance to do something meaningful. As I despised wasting my blank pages, I dislike wasting moments and I hate wasting days.

I am not as successful at all of this as I would like but I am trying. I’ve only just recently perfected my Fred Flintstone drawings, so some things take time.

My Top Ten Favorite CDs

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 03:37:00 +0000

I recently blogged about my favorite vinyl albums. But what about my CD collection? What are my favorite CDs? To satisfy the curiosity of my readers, I have compiled a list of my favorite CDs. There are some obscure titles that are out of print but here they are in chronological order:

Lead Me On-Amy Grant-1988-This CD has been voted the best Christian album of all time. It is a classic and sonically ahead of it‘s time. The lyrics delved deeper into the Christian experience than any of her other recordings before or after.

Door Into Summer- Jacob’s Trouble-1989 The title track was a Monkees cover so I could not resist. The debut album from this trio from Georgia contained 60’s flavored pop-rock with a distinct 12 string flavor. Terry Taylor from Daniel Amos produced this album. Third Day covered “These Thousand Hills” from this CD and made it a radio hit.

For The Sake of The Call-Steven Curtis Chapman-1991-In my opinion, Christian music’s best lyricist followed this CD with more sophisticated works but this meant a lot to me when it came out. I remember getting goosebumps listening to the title track. The outstanding music inside makes up for Steven's mullet on the cover.

Consider the Cost-Steve Camp-1991- I discovered this CD from the Radio hit Guard the Trust. The 80’s keyboard heavy arrangements of the songs now seem a bit dated but the lyrics are still great. Scripture based and challenging. One of the best songs was written with Steven Curtis Chapman.

Let The Truth Run Wild-Jacob’s Trouble-1992- The Christian trio expanded to a quintet on what may have been their best CD. I’ve exchanged emails with one of the members and he posted some of my comments on his webpage. I guess that could be considered my first blog.

Songs-Rich Mullins-1996-A greatest hits album with 3 new recordings. Those recordings became his last as he died shortly after it’s release. A great collection by a great artist. Not one weak song on the entire album. Contains the classic “Awesome God”.

In My Father’s House-Richie Furay-1997-Worship music done in a country-rock style by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member. I bought this CD when the founding member of Buffalo Springfield and Poco performed at my Church.

Paleophonic-The Rubinoos-1998-The 70’s power-pop cult favorites return from a 15 year hiatus for this CD full of joyous music. Although they are now famous for suing Avril Lavigne for plagiarizing one of their songs. I only knew the group from a 1983 EP collaboration with Utopia. I saw this CD in a used bin a few years ago and plucked down the $1.50. It was new in shrink wrap. Every track is fabulous except for one which contains a voice mail message with a vulgar phrase. I skip that one.

Rich Young Ruler-Rich Young Ruler-2000-What a great sound on this Terry Taylor production. This band from La Mirada made this classic CD mixing sparkling catchy 60’s sounds with modern sensibilities. Beatleseque melodies and Beach Boys style harmonies permeate every track. Hey, it features a cello on several tracks. Sadly out of print and selling on Amazon for a penny.

Truth, Soul and Rock & Roll-the Elms-2002-A little Beatles, a little Raspberries, a little Who mix in some Tom Petty and give it current twist and you have this album. Their best.

It Might Get Loud

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 04:03:00 +0000

I watched the documentary "It Might Get Loud" the other night with my family. It featured Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White in a guitar-slinger summit. The three musicians from three generations and three countries spoke of their love of the guitar and their passion for music.

I'm not really of fan of any of these guys' bands but that was not necessary to enjoy this film. The bands that they were members of are responsible for some of the most memorable music in the last 40 years and this film offers an inside look to what makes them the musicians that they are.

Jack White is by far the most eccentric of the three and therefore the most intriguing. The scenes featuring him were often captivating.

It was hard not to smile when Jimmy Page beamed as he played a vinyl record from his youth. I also found it interesting as the three played together on each others songs, when Page began playing the riff to “Whole Lotta Love” the other two just stopped, watched and smiled widely.

The Edge spoke at length about his use of technology in his performances. His guitar sound was definitely much copied over the last 20 years. I found it humorous when he shared a anecdote about Bono and in the story Bono called him “Edge“. I guess that means that his friends call him “Edge” and everybody else calls him “The Edge”.

There was a lot of separate footage of the individual artists alone but the best moments were when the three were playing together or speaking with each other. Music is a force that can bring very different people together and give them an inexplicable connection. That connection was extended to the audience of this very entertaining film.

I’m hoping for a sequel about drummers. I was thinking maybe Jughead Jones, Guy Patterson and Bamm-Bamm Rubble.

What I Like About You

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 00:45:00 +0000

This blog entry is about a very special person I know.

This lady has devoted her entire life to her family. She has always placed others above herself. I’ve been impressed as I’ve watched her face major trials of life as her faith carried her through and refined her. She dedicated herself to educating her children by home-schooling them while spending a great deal of time each week working and doing a myriad of things at Church without fanfare.

I’ve always been aware of how special she is. However, I have developed a greater appreciation for her as I have marveled at the way she has met recent struggles and heartbreaking disappointments with such Christ-like grace.

Instead of growing bitter, she has grown as a person, daily demonstrating the faith that she professes. She has amazed me during this difficult season, as she has selflessly poured herself into assisting others, doing things that only she can do. Words do not exist that could fully describe my deep admiration for her.

I am her biggest fan.

I am also blessed to be her husband. From the moment she turned down my first request for a date and then 2 months later proposed to me, life with her has been an extreme adventure that I am grateful for. Even though she will probably say this blog was not entertaining enough or wasn’t funny enough, my hope is that I was able to pay tribute to her in a way that captures at least a portion of the lady that she is. Needless to say I love her and I think she is really swell.

Watching TV at the Movies

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 02:22:00 +0000

As I watched "Star Trek 2:The Wrath of Khan" the other night, I started thinking about movies featuring TV casts. The original Star Trek cast transitioned to the big screen more successfully than any other, starring in 6 theatrical feature films. What about the other TV shows that have been made into films with at least some of the original TV cast? Join me, on my way to the local cinema, traveling through the vast wasteland known as Television.

The first TV show to appear at the local Theater was “Dragnet” in 1954. The Jack Webb creation started as a Radio series before moving to TV. I’ve never seen this movie but I’m guessing it is very "Jack Webb". That is all you need to know.

The next TV transition was “Our Miss Brooks” in 1956. This movie appeared after the demise of the series and featured the original TV cast. For some odd reason the film ignored the story lines of the series about a schoolteacher.

Universal drafted the crew of the black & white 60’s sitcom, McHale’s Navy for the big screen in two low budget Color feature films during the run of the 1962-1966 series. They made one of them without McHale!

The Munsters followed their TV series with a lame feature film set in London but filmed at Universal Studios. 1966’s “Munsters, Go Home!” was the Munsters’ debut in color. Did we really need proof that Herman was green?

The year was 1966. America was experiencing the height of Batman-mania. The TV show Batman was airing on ABC twice a week to huge audiences. That summer FOX released “Batman” starring Adam West, Burt Ward and 4 Arch Criminals from the TV show in what was probably the most successful TV Show movie of the 60’s. This was a fun movie that captured some of what was great about the series. There is a hilarious scene with Batman trying to dispose of a giant bomb on a busy pier.

Speaking of bombs, the Monkees segued from their canceled TV show to the theaters with a bizarre movie called “Head”. Words can not adequate describe this very strange film that was written by Bob Rafelson and Jack Nicholson. The extreme lack of filmgoers led to this movie being pulled after one week. The few people who did see the film left dumbfounded. It has attracted a cult following over the years and is required viewing in film schools.

Anybody remember the Saturday morning show, H.R. Pufnstuf? Well, the talking dragon mayor of Living Island frolicked at the movies with Jimmy, Freddie the Flute and Witchiepoo in “Pufnstuff”. Mama Cass Elliot from The Mamas & The Papas also starred in this 1970 musical.

In 1980 Maxwell Smart returned from an extended stay in an undisclosed location for “The Nude Bomb”. Don Adams was amusing but none of the classic characters from “Get Smart” appeared in this not so nude bomb.

Police Squad! was a very funny and very short-lived series from 1982. With only 6 episodes produced this was probably the least successful show to be made into a feature. 1989’s “The Naked Gun: From The Files of Police Squad!” became a big box office hit and spawned 2 sequels.

Twin Peaks, a series I’ve never seen, was a big hit in 1990. It’s day in the sun was brief as the ratings plummeted in 1991. That did not stop David Lynch from bringing the show and most of the cast to the movies with “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me” in 1992. Unfortunately, he could not bring a sizeable audience to this critically drubbed prequel.

In 1994 the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation made the giant leap to cinematic glory with "Generations", the first of four features based on the syndicated hit. It actually featured cast members from the original series as well. Shatner is always better on the big screen!

The hottest kids show in the mid-90's was the Power Rangers. So hot that FOX was compelled to bring them to the cineplex with 1995's "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie". It was actually more enjoyable than the series. The movie was a marginal hit and led to a low budget sequel in 1997.

In the middle of the X-Files’ successful run on TV, “The X-Files: Fight the Future” arrived at the local cinemas. This 1998 film was moderately successful in the US but was a big hit internationally. 2008 saw the release of "X-Files: I Want to Believe". They could not find enough believers.

Strong DVD sales of the short-lived FOX Sci-fi series Firefly, led to a big screen version entitled “Serenity”. Praise from critics and Joss Whedon fans did not translate into big box-office numbers for this 2005 futuristic western.

I’ve ignored the movies made from Cable TV shows because 3 of them I really don’t want to write about.

Animated TV shows also moved to the movies. Yogi Bear, The Flintstones, Alvin & The Chipmunks, The Jetsons , Goof Troop, Duck Tales, Batman:The Animated Series and The Simpsons all were adapted to the big screen with the voice talents from the TV Shows. “The Simpsons Movie” was a huge hit while most of the others were as flat as Hanna- Barbera animation. Batman was pretty cool though.

Theatrical features starring TV casts have been around as long as TV. I believe I’ve hit on all the U.S. shows that were adapted to features. The question always arises about why would someone pay to see something that they could get for free. In most of the cases listed above, they wouldn’t. Maybe Hollywood got it wrong. Maybe they just picked the wrong shows. Of all the shows that have ever aired, McHale’s Navy gets two movies? Come on! I went through my TV Encyclopedia searching for the one show that would have been a surefire hit movie. After hours of meticulous research I found it. Not Bonanza, not Dallas, not Punky Brewster, not MacGyver, not Golden Girls and not According to Jim. The show that would have been a blockbuster movie is “Saved By the Bell”! Screech on the big screen. It would have been Oscar time in Bayside!

Doctor, My Eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 23:21:00 +0000

I’ve had a bad time recently with my eyes. I don’t know about you but I use my eyes a lot. Everyday in fact.

Back in February, I sprayed nasal spray into my eye. It was an accident, my eye never sneezes. A trip to the Eye Doctor and some eye drops did the trick and I was soon scoping out the world good as new.

However, back in May, I was using a spin toothbrush and shot some Sensodyne toothpaste into my eye. My eye was irritated and bothersome. During the two weeks of maneuvering through insurance red tape, my eye had improved but still was not right. When I finally saw the ophthalmologist, his first words were, “Why did you wait so long to come in, Mr. Craft?”. My eye pain prevented me from giving him the dirty look that he deserved. His examination revealed that I and my eye would survive. He gave me some drops and told me to use them in both eyes because the other eye looked irritated as well.

Faithfully following the Doctor’s instructions, I used the drops until my eyes had a reaction to them 2 days later. I called the Doctor and he said, “Stop using those drops!” Thanks Doctor I already knew that. Now both eyes were sore and worse than before. This time the red tape only took a week. The Doctor gave new drops but my eyes improved only slightly. Another visit resulted in a diagnosis that I now needed new eyeglasses.

The next day I went to a Wal-Mart Vision Center and ordered 2 pairs of glasses. When they arrived a week later, both pairs were wrong. By then my eyes were so strained, everything in life was difficult. Reading, driving, watching TV just caused me frustration. I was just miserable. I began to realize what a blessing vision is and wondered if my old clear vision would ever return.

When my newest new glasses arrived a week later, one of the pairs still caused me issues. A recheck revealed that the prescription was not the correct one. I then had to wait another week for another new pair. My spirit was low but I soldiered on. The final pair of progressive lenses arrived. After 2 weeks of getting used to them and having the optician adjust the frames, I could see again. God’s colorful creation was now once again there from me to gaze upon. Wow, I thought, the kids have grown, Chris is even more beautiful and I need a haircut! But then…! But then, one of the nose guards fell off my glasses. I took it to a different Vision center to have them replace it. It should not have been a big deal. It was. The person replaced the guard with the wrong size and for some reason readjusted the lenses. The frames no longer fit on my face the way progressives need to. I could not see properly again!

My old friends at my original Vision Center replaced the nose guard and readjusted the frames. Things are once again good.

During this season of eye issues, I began to think about the old hymn, Amazing Grace. The line about “was once blind but now I see” ran though my mind frequently. It made me think about how my life changed when I became a Christian. I had been blind and began to see things in a whole new way. Life did come in focus. I think about that each time I put on my specs. I also close my eyes before I use my nasal spray or use my spin toothbrush!

Two Hours Of My Life I’ll Never Get Back

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 07:24:00 +0000

I have always enjoyed my visits to the cinema. As a kid, my parents would take my brother and I to the drive-in to see the latest Disney releases. The title didn’t matter it was just fun. Some of the those Disney films like “The Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes” were pretty lame. But I never noticed and certainly didn’t care. As I got older, I would “go to the movies” picking whichever movie was starting at the desired time or what looked like the best of the bunch playing that night. I have, therefore, seen some pretty bad films.

My family and I have had many conversations around the dinner table discussing bad movies. My daughter actually develops animosity towards films that waste her time and money. “That’s two hours of my life I’ll never get back” is a frequent phrase she uses. Both kids want to avoid films that might not meet all their expectations. My trips to the theater have grown scarce over the years. I now “go to see Star Trek” or “go to see Up!” and therefore most of the movies I see I am pretty sure I’m going to like.

I was thinking about the worst films that I have paid to see and decided to list the Top 10, in chronological order. So grab a flat soft drink, stale popcorn and some melted chocolate and revisit the best of the worst with me.

Viva Knievel!- 1977
This played with Rocky, which had won Best Picture a few months earlier, in a strange double bill at Lakewood Center. Evel Knievel played a fictional version of himself jumping his motorcycle, fighting drug traffickers and reconciling Gene Kelly and his estranged son. Leslie Nielsen, Lauren Hutton and Frank Gifford also appeared. Evel was a showman but he was no actor. Even if he was, the dialogue was so horrific that even Olivier would have induced laughter. However, this is one of those movies that is so bad it’s good. One night a few years ago I watched this on a Spanish language station. It was even better dubbed in Spanish and I don’t understand the language.

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band-1978
The Bee Gees, Peter Frampton, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Earth Wind & Fire, Steve Martin & George Burns starring in a film that is told only using Beatles songs from Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road. No dialogue at all. Sound interesting? Think again. I admit enjoying the film the first time and returning to throw my money away a second time. By then people were going to see it just to hiss and boo. In the climatic scene where Billy Shears, played by teen magazine cover boy Peter Frampton (think Joe Jonas), is distraught over the death of his sweetheart at the hands of Steven Tyler. As he stood on a ledge contemplating suicide, people in the audience were chanting, “Jump!” in unison. Maybe this is where Van Halen got the idea for their song, Jump!. Billy Shears survived but the film killed Peter Frampton’s career.

Thank God It’s Friday-1978
This was my worst movie experience ever. First, I upset my best friend for bringing a girl along to the guy’s night out. Then “Grease” was supposed to be the word but at Alondra 6 that night it was sold out. We had to settle for this Disco drivel. The threadbare plot about a night at the hottest Disco in town had several interlocking storylines. One included Donna Summer, as an aspiring singer, trying to get her big break. Jeff Goldblum, Debra Winger and the Commodores also starred in this movie that played like a lame episode of The Love Boat. Where was Gopher when we needed him? I disliked Disco with a passion so I was not the target audience. I kept praying for the movie to end. It finally did and then I wished it hadn’t. On the way home, I got my first ticket. I had my license for only a month. The movie did win a Best Song Oscar for Last Dance. I hated it anyway.

Goin’ Coconuts-1978
I actually took a date to see a double bill of Goin’ Coconuts starring Donny & Marie and Jaws 2. I was either the bravest or the dumbest teenage boy. Believe it or not she spoke to me the next day. The plot, if you could call it that, involved Donny & Marie, playing themselves, getting involved in stopping jewel thieves. The story was lame. The jokes were stale, the acting was bad, the direction was lacking and Donny & Marie were…Donny & Marie. What more do I need to say? By the way I blamed Donny & Marie for the brevity of my relationship with the young lady.

Nude Bomb- 1980
Don Adams returned to the role of Maxwell Smart for the first time in a decade in this miserable follow-up to the classic Get Smart TV series. It was fun to see Smart back in action and on the big screen. Get Smart, however, without Agent 99, Hymie, Siegfried or the Chief isn’t really Get Smart. This movie, which reportedly was filmed as a TV movie but released theatrically, only included Max and Larabee from the series. They story concerned a villain who develops a bomb that when detonated destroys clothing. I was treated to this movie as a Birthday present from one of my High School buddies (He forgave me for the TGIF debacle).

"The Nude Bomb/" Opening Titles

Caveman- 1981
A prehistoric leading man vehicle for Ringo Starr. This film had no dialogue in English, just grunts and caveman gibberish. Maybe this is where Mel Gibson got the idea to do Passion Of the Christ in Aramaic. That’s basically all you really need to know. Randy Quaid and Shelly Long co-starred in this and their careers managed to survive. This is the only film I’ve seen that I had to fight to stay awake. The other 4 people in theater lost the fight.

Neighbors- 1981
This film starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd was so disappointing. A comedy that is not funny. Black comedy or not, I did not laugh. The film made a lot a money on opening weekend because it was not shown to reviewers. Once word of mouth got around the film bombed. The story was about neighbors. Bad neighbors. Bad movie. Sadly, Belushi died about 3 months later. This was his last film.

Man With One Red Shoe-1985
Tom Hanks belly flopped in his follow up to Splash. This was an unfunny spy spoof co-starring Jim Belushi, Dabney Coleman and Carrie Fisher. I was expecting so much more. I refuse to wear red shoes to this day in protest.

Harriet The Spy- 1995
I shied away from listing films that we went to see for the kids benefit. Films like Andre, All I Want for Christmas, Spice World, and From Justin to Kelly, etc, could have all been contenders but I enjoyed the family movie going experience so much that I cannot be objective. However this was a film that we took the kids to the drive-in to see and I could not wait for it to be over. Michelle Tratchenberg and Rosie O’Donnell starred in this film about a kid who writes observations down and then loses her notebook.

Carman The Champion- 2001
Christian singer Carman, who was so big at one time, he could go by just one name. Unlike singularly named Cher, Carman did not make a graceful segue into films. His acting was actually not the worst part of this film that recycled plotlines from the first 5 Rocky films. It was painfully predictable and plodding. I saw this with Chris, the kids and my Mom. We were the only ones in the theatre so we could laugh freely at the unintentionally comical scenes.

Year One- 2009
The 11th film in my Top 10. Jack Black, Michael Cera directed by Harold Ramis. I expected to be rolling on the floor laughing. I did no rolling. I did no laughing. Jack Black is always mildly amusing doing anything, however I did not go to see this to be mildly amused. A comedy that did not make me laugh. I chuckled once. At $12 a ticket I need more than that.

I have to say that Viva Knievel was by far the worst of my list. It is also my favorite. Unfortunately there were so many other contenders. What were the worst movies you paid to see?

Jeff's Top Ten Vinyl Records

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:39:00 +0000

A week spent excavating my vintage record collection generated nostalgic memories so strong that I had no choice but to share them on my blog. Each LP seemed to have it's own backstory. The covers brought to mind anecdotes that need to be told. So here is my ten most memorable records. These were my favorites during the vinyl era. Even though I have most of these on CD, I rarely listen to them. Most of them have seemed to have lost their luster. But I loved them all at one time. Sit back for my trip back to my youth!

1. More of the Monkees-The Monkees 1967
The first album I ever owned. It’s one of the biggest selling albums of the 60’s. I played this record a million times. “I‘m A Believer" was the big hit but as a kid I loved it all except for a lame Davy Jones spoken word track. Over the years I’ve received a vinyl re-issue and the various CD re-releases. Last Christmas, upon presenting me with the 2 CD Collector’s edition, my Mom asked, “Exactly how many versions of this album have I given you?” The answer is 5.

2. Up To Date-Partridge Family
Real men are not afraid to admit their embarrassing childhood interests. This record, like the other 7 releases from the lipsychning faux family band, featured music from the ABC-TV 70’s sitcom and I loved them all. I revisited these albums in the mid 80’s and beyond the singles, I found the music trite and uninspired. However, over the last few years I bought the CD’s and could not stop smiling as I listened to this polished pop from a simpler time and place.

3. A New World Record-ELO 1976
The catchy Beatlesque pop melodies of Jeff Lynne presented with a full orchestra and choir reached an apex with this release. The first radio hit “Livin’ Thing” caught my attention and then an appearance on Midnight Special performing other songs like “Telephone Line” and “Do Ya?” sold me. Instantly this became my favorite LP before being shortly replaced by #5.

4. Their Greatest Hits 1971-1976 -Eagles 1976
I bought this at K-Mart on the same day as “A New World Record” and it blew me away. I loved every song. Catchy, melodic country rock with intelligent lyrics. I had heard most of the songs on KHJ the top radio station in LA at the time but had never really paid much attention until I heard them all together. This is the biggest selling album of all time in the US but “Thriller” will probably pass it soon for obvious reasons.

5. Hotel California-Eagles 1976
Despite “New Kid in Town” hitting #1 on the charts it wasn’t until some of the other songs started getting a lot of airplay on FM stations that I was convinced about spending the $4. It was a bargain. The addition of Joe Walsh to the line-up made a good band great. The level of songwriting inspired this fledgling lyricist tremendously. This was my favorite album of the Vinyl era. I actually wore this album out by continuous playing. The mood and many of the themes and lyrics are really too dark for me now to enjoy. I haven’t listened to it in it’s entirety in many years. “New Kid in Town” is still a great song.

6. Out Of The Blue-ELO 1977
It was a cold November afternoon when my brother came to the rescue with a loan during a trip to Licorice Pizza in Downey. I discovered this 2 record set and realized I could not afford it so I brother kicked in some greenery. I had spent my money on tickets to a School dance and my parents had bought me a suit to wear. (A leisure suit! Hey, it was 1977!) I loved it so much( the record, not the suit) that I would not relinquish the record player for my brother to play his new record, some Jimi Hendrix thing. “Mr. Blue Sky” and “Sweet Talking Woman” still bring a smile to my face.

7. Hot Streets-Chicago 1978
This group has released 30 albums and this one was the only one not to have a number in the title and the only one to feature their mugs on the cove. It was their lowest selling album to date. In retrospect this was a pretty weak album, but I couldn’t get enough of it at the time. For days I anxiously awaited the group's appearance on “Dick Clark’s Live Wednesday” to promote this album. Just as the band took the stage to sing “Alive Again” the phone rang. My brother begrudgingly answered the phone and informed me that my youth pastor was the caller. A dilemma for young Jeff! Do I have my brother lie to the pastor or miss Chicago in the pre-VCR days. I did not want my brother’s nose to grow so I missed the performance. As I was writing this, I checked You Tube and found the clip and watched it for the first time. Check it out below.

8. All Things Are Possible-Dan Peek 1978
My first Christian album. My classmate Treasure (yes that's really her name) loaned her copy to me. I loved hearing songs about Jesus being sung by a familiar voice in a style that sounded cool. Peek had been a member of the group America. My Mom bought me my own copy that Christmas. The title track became the first song on a Christian label to make the Billboard charts.

9. The Innocent Age-Dan Fogelberg 1981
I hesitated at the hefty price tag this 2 record concept album came with but my Mom blessed me with the dough because I had been helping out so much at home while she tended to an ill relative. The eloquent singer songwriter hit his peak creatively and commercially with this LP. The writing stuck a chord in me and influenced my lyric writing quite a bit. It contained 4 hits including, “Leader of the Band” and “Same Old Lang Syne”.

10. Utopia -Utopia 1982
I almost didn’t buy this after being disappointed with their previous release. The bonus songs on the extra disc enticed me enough to throw down the cash. I bought this at Licorice Pizza in Bellflower and kept it spinning on the turntable for weeks non-stop. This album of premier Power-pop contained a couple of FM radio hits and a minor Hit Single. This was my favorite LP for many years. Utopia became my favorite band and I enjoyed their next 2 records as well but this was their best, by far. When I met my wife Chris, she scored major points by not only knowing who Utopia was, but she had seen them in concert in ’78. One of my first dates with Chris involved Pizza and watching a rented VHS video of Utopia performing these songs from the first ever Live Concert presented on Cable TV.

11. Inamorata-Poco 1984
The 11th album in my Top Ten. I had become a fan of this pioneering country rock band with their hit “Legend” LP in 1979. This album did not contain any country or much rock. Some have called it “Poco meets Toto” but it hit the pocket for me at the time. Three former members including Pastor Richie Furay and Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles returned to recreate the classic Poco harmonies. This is probably the least successful of any the records on my list. It’s lack of success led to the group losing it’s record deal. These songs were part of a mix tape that Chris and I listened to on an ill-fated Las Vegas trip. The transmission malfunctioned on the way and we spent 8 hours going 20 miles an hour with the Poco tape in repeat. Chris gets angry every time she hears any of the songs but I still sing along.

Chris severely chastised me for not including any Beatles albums on this list. She said that I should not be allowed to use the term "Beatlesque" if they are not included. My vow to my blog readers is to always tell the truth. So if "Beatles Love Songs" is number 12 it is not going to be in my Top 10 or 11. Hopefully she understands the integrity of a blog.

Please enjoy the videos below. I'm going to go listen to my IPOD.

Finyl Vinyl?

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 05:03:00 +0000

Recently my family and I acquired a turntable device that play the prehistoric black round 12" platters known as records. As the kids sat amazed watching the record spin around and around and the stylus run in the grooves that emitted the sounds of wonderful vintage music, I began to wax nostalgically about vinyl records.

For over 50 years the vinyl record format ruled. Growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, those records played a big part of my life. From my Mom’s Elvis LPs to my father’s Johnny Cash records, to Paul Revere & the Raiders owned by my brother, music was playing frequently in my childhood home. My Monkees and Partridge Family records dominated once I was tall enough to reach the stereo. I totally rejected the 8-Track or cassette formats and spent my money only on vinyl. However, I could never come up with a way to play my records in the car.

Surprisingly, years after it’s death caused by the compact disc, vinyl is making a comeback. Sales of vinyl records has doubled in 2009. Record companies are reissuing classic albums from the past as well as pressing current hits on vinyl. Stores like Barnes & Noble and Best Buy have added record sections. Used records stores are still around. Amoeba Records in Hollywood stocks thousands of used albums and is seeing increased business. (At Amoeba Chris was able to score a sealed copy of an album of hymns from the 70’s sung by Pastor Chuck Smith)

Our kids had purchased some collectible vinyl recordings of some of their favorite artists and were looking forward to having a record party. I’ve been able to get most of my favorite records on CD or MP3 over the years. However there are some that have never been released in a digital format. It has been interesting to listen to some things that I have not heard in close to 20 years. Of course, I had to endure derision from Chris about my musical choices of the past. She had the audacity to greet the playing of my Kelly Groucutt album with the comment of “How horrid!”. This was spoken by the person who owns the disco version of the Theme from Chips and every Donny Osmond album ever released. I don’t need to go into what she said when I put on the Soundtrack to the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club movie.

My kids got a kick out of going through our collection of over 200 old records asking about the ownership of each one. They were able to guess a lot of them. Poco, Dan Fogelberg, America and Eric Carmen is Dad’s. Culture Club, The Motels, Bette Midler and Carole King is Mom's. Questions like who is Dan Peek, Joe Vitale or Randy Meisner came up frequently. The 10 minute dance remix of Dancing in the Dark just bewildered them. Much to her chagrin, Chris’ Mustard Seed Faith was never located. The kids, however, discovered a copy of Thriller that Chris had forgotten she even owned. The enlarged area for lyrics and graphics were intriguing to my son & daughter. They understood where the term “liner notes” came from after this.

It was a lot of fun because we spent time listening to music together. In this personal IPOD, individual earbud age we live in, the experience of communal music listening is often neglected. The pops, scratches and surface noise that used to drive me crazy felt soothing and comfortable. As I joined the kids watching the records spin, feeling the music more, I was a part of the experience. I was involved and not just listening to a sound piped directly into my ear from a sterile, cold and impersonal little 4 inch POD.

Do you have any vinyl memories?

Playing Songs On My Guitar

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff Craft) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 23:11:00 +0000

I’ve worked with a lot of different people over the years. When you stay at one place for a long time you see a lot of people come and go. Friendships are made and work is done and then people leave and someone new arrives. There is always a mix of different personalities and different talents that hopefully will grow into a productive unit. Every so often, I’ve wound up working with one or two special people that fit well and more work and better work was the result. Lately, I have found myself in a situation where the entire staff working under me has been special. The strengths and qualities of the very different people have meshed and extraordinary things have been accomplished. Everyone worked together as a true team to complete the tasks at hand. In some very difficult situations, these co-workers went above and beyond the call of duty. They sacrificed and never complained. Well, they complained a little. Actually, some complained a lot. But the work always came first and they always cared about the quality of what we were doing. What impressed me most was the dedication to our mission. Not discounting the contributions of any other staffers, as a whole, this is the best “team” that I been blessed to work with.

Sadly, I’ve learned that our team is breaking up. Shortly, I will be saying goodbye to these fine young ladies. This is difficult for me. Probably because of the hard work we’ve had to do in tough situations, I’ve grown closer to this bunch than I have most co-workers. Actually, it’s probably because these are very special people that I am talking about. Their work is outstanding because they are outstanding people that I am privileged to know. Frankly, I may just feel closer to them because of Twitter and Facebook and I always know what they’re eating, what they’re doing or what they’re thinking.

So to Brenda, Valerie, Morgan, and Clarice I thank you and I salute you. My tribute to my favorite, your mother hen, Calvary Bird is forthcoming. The Lord used our teamwork in so many ways to reach so many with our efforts. It has been an extreme pleasure to see you guys grow and mature into the young ladies of God that you all are. I will miss each of you, professionally and personally, more than I can say.