Mom, or anyone else who's interested, to read my story about my missing suitcase (and to see a picture of the wayward bag) click here: http://www.worldhum.com/features/tom-swick/mr.-suitcase-20100831/
I'm thoroughly enjoying Fresh Air's country music week, during which Terry Gross is playing old interviews with country greats. Yesterday, I heard Waylon Jennings tell her: "You ask some good questions, girl."
She plays songs as well, mostly classics. I never cared much for country music until a few years ago, when I went to Nashville for the Southern Festival of Books. One night I went to dinner with some people from the Oxford American, and heading back downtown the driver, a local, put on an old Johnny Cash CD. Hearing him and his family sing "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" while riding through the nighttime streets of Nashville opened my eyes.
A few months ago I returned to the city and went to the Grand Ole Opry, which was back at the Ryman Auditorium because Opryland had been damaged by the spring flood. The place was packed - Loretta Lynn was on the bill - and the circle remained unbroken.
I should be on my way to teach my first class - English as a second language - but the course was canceled due to lack of students.
The last time I taught English, students waited in line overnight to enroll. But that was in Warsaw, in the early 80s. It's a lot easier to learn a language when you're living in a country that speaks it. That's how I learned Polish - living with my wife's aunt (who, not allowed to pursue a career in theater, brought her thespian skills to the kitchen table), watching TV (loved those Russian movies with Polish subtitles), and reading. The best thing to read, speaking of movies, are screenplays. You don't get bogged down in description, and you learn everyday speech. Studying French I read Truffaut; for Polish I read Zanussi. Students of English could try Woody Allen - starting with the screenplays and then, as they progress, listening to his old stand-up routines (I actually taught these in Warsaw) and finally, when they think they've got the language licked, reading his humorous essays. Woody Allen - the complete language teacher.
I'm a little late this morning because I had to get up early for an appointment with my dermatologist - known around our house as "the slasher." I am now typing while wearing six band-aids that are fairly evenly distributed from forehead to thigh. Such is the price one pays for making a home in the Sunshine State.
I've always enjoyed watching awards shows. But watching the Emmys last night - Jimmy Fallon looking increasingly like William Shatner - I was struck by the fact that your enjoyment is greater if you've actually seen some of the shows that are winning awards.
It also helps, I think, if you have a job. Otherwise you spend the night gazing at people who are not only gainfully employed, they're working at jobs that they've always dreamed of doing, with groups of equally happy, talented and often attractive people. They also look as if it won't ruin them to pick up the drinks bill after the event. And - this is the killer (perhaps especially if you're a freelance writer) - they're getting praised and honored for their work.
Having been away for two weeks, I now have to learn the new channels all over again. Last night after dinner, somewhere up in the 2000's, I found a talk show with a host I'd never seen before (and who, interestingly, was in his 60s). His guests were Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner.
Brooks had a wonderful nervous energy, and looked a bit like an octogenarian John McEnroe. He said he was thinking about doing a musical of Blazing Saddles. Reiner suggested that he do a musical of the 2,000 year old man. The attraction, he said, would be that you could have songs covering all the different musical eras.
Then Brooks started asking the host questions. "What is this show?" (I had been wondering the same thing.) "Are we getting paid for this?" Reiner told him he didn't need to get paid; he should look at his bank account. Undeterred, Brooks asked if they were at least getting a town car to take them from the studio.
There are some people who should just be allowed to keep living.