The local newsweekly/arts publication Metroland had a civer story last week called Bring It Back, things “vaudeville to roller disco and trolleys to pterodactyls” that the writers want to see return. I’ll tell you my three, and you tell me yours. You are not limited to three, BTW.
1. Single-screen movie theaters. Generally, they were not only much larger screens, but the place was more ornate as well. Love to see films at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady, not that far from Albany, NY. Even if the movie’s not good, the experience is still worthwhile.
2. The Ed Sullivan Show. Yes, I know Ed’s dead. I’m talking about something as eclectic as the Sullivan program, where you wade through the guy spinning plates to see the singer you really want to see, and realize that you sorta LIKED the guy spinning plates, either genuinely or as kitsch.
3. Public civility. Yes, I’m old-fashioned, but I really HATE it when people on the bus/on the street curse in front of my four-year old daughter. Yeah, yeah, “she’ll learn it eventually”, and “everybody curses” (not true, BTW) and “it’s just words” (true in a George Carlinesque way, but still), blah, blah, blah. It still bugs me. My aversion in that situation should be differentiated from language in music, books, movies, blogs, etc., where one generally can choose to be, or not.
Sidebar: I’ve said this before, but the overuse of cursing minimizes the power of the words. If/when I say “F*** you!” to you, you’ll know that I’m royally p.o.ed.
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From About.com, this Madonna quote: “I always thought I should be treated like a star.” Shouldn’t we all feel that way, really? Madonna turns 5-0 today.
ROG
