Musical Memories

What was the first song you remember as a kid? Rock-A-Bye-Baby? Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star? "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles?

I wish I could answer that question for myself but I haven’t the foggiest idea. Maybe I heard the Bee Gees or Barbara Streisand in utero. I plan on playing Beethoven for my baby. I also intend to play the records on this sweet little find from a few weeks ago.

Meet my 1971 Fisher Price Music Box Record Player. It is a wind-up record player that plays plastic records like a real record player but doesn’t need batteries. It comes with five double-sided records featuring the following songs:

Edelweiss

Children’s Marching Song

Camptown Races

Jack and Jill

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Au Clair de la Lune

Humpty Dumpty

London Bridge

Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?

Hickory Dickory Dock

I was going to list it on eBay but a recent afternoon spent with my mom, out on the back patio listening to the songs and reminiscing, made me change my mind. For now the record player has a home on our piano bench. I'm curious to see the reactions of different houseguests when they request to play a tune or two.

*Illustrations are from Mother Goose published by Stoll & Edwards Co. Inc. New York circa 1929. If you have an idea of who the artist is please let me know!

A Little Somethin' Somethin' about Amber Skowronski

I meant to post this awhile ago but sometimes our pets do some really naughty things. The whole “my dog ate my homework” excuse seems completely plausible this week. You see, my cat Baxter (aka Little Bastard) ate the cord that powers up my laptop.

He’s lucky he’s cute and that there’s a plethora of these cords on eBay

Back to my original post:

Do people send gifts anymore? Are there really just a few of us out there? Surprises people! Have we given up on the extra delight that comes with a little extra something placed inside an envelope before it hits the post? Do we really give a rat’s ass about the extra postage? No. We get the satisfaction of knowing the recipient will be beaming when they open our package.

They could have had the worst day at work, maybe they can’t find a place to work, or worse just lost a job. But forget all of that. Here comes your package delivered by a nice man or woman, or in the case of my local postman, an old curmudgeon that gives lectures on how to properly park ones car when facing uphill: Wheels away from the curb, pointing to the left.

So, not so long ago my friend BB told me about an incredible artist, Amber Skowronski. The amazing thing about all of this internet weirdness is that I was able to befriend her and look through the killer selection of illustrations and portraits that make up her portfolio. And if you have a fine appreciation for some Kung Fu follow her awesome blog.

You’ve had a peek at her work now. Pretty amazing collection, right? I found one item in particular that I liked. Yeah, so I’ve got a Lee Pace thing. The lovely guy went to my high school and turns out I’m a big gushing fan. Do the rest of us Bearkats stand a chance? What exactly is a bearkat, or bearcat for that matter?

Amber sent me a wonderful illustration of Mr. Pace as the Masked Bandit (aka Roy) from The Fall. If you haven’t seen it yet stop reading my silly blog and fill your mind with some beautiful and epic scenery.

Here is the print Amber sent me:

(sorry about my added watermark but I have to protect Ms. Skowronski’s work)

In addition to this print Amber included a T-shirt...

and some wonderful postcards...

Don’t you people miss getting letters in the mail? Don’t you miss surprises and crazy stamps? How about your friends writing your name on an envelope in experimental calligraphy and dotting the “I” in your name with something sweet or vulgar.

Sure the internet keeps us together but the tangible proof that we exist keeps us truly connected. Keep making art. Keep in touch with something other than a text message.

Thank you, Amber!