Monsieur Blogmester a.k.a. Paul F. Etcheverry in his natural habitat, which could also be a curry joint in San Francisco.
Yes, we've been on hiatus. Unfortunately, this hiatus has not been spent eating bagels in front of Russ & Daughters in New York City while Madame Blogmeister is inside, selecting a bounty of smoked salmon and other astonishing food to bring back to the ol' homestead in Ulster.
This blogger has been out of action largely due to a sick computer. The "old reliable" MacBook Pro, due to a security vulnerability in the High Sierra system, is now a "hacked Mac," out of action and currently sporting a firmware lock. If only Mountain Lion - or a new operating system named Pete Puma - could be brought back to devour the rogue code. . .
Lots has happened since our last post. On the positive side, a computer on the 21 day disabled list makes it easier to avoid the putrid, fetid, tribal, tres toxic cesspool that is social media, and the epic San Francisco Silent Film Festival presented serious big screen glory last weekend at the Castro Theatre to close out May with style.
Alas, missed the festival entirely in 2017 and 2018, after a few years of, due to a lengthy illness in the family, just catching a handful of the programs. This year's "it costs too much to go" call turned out to be quite the mistake, as the dean of silent film history and preservation, filmmaker/author/scholar Kevin Brownlow, was the festival's special guest and celebrated his 80th birthday there. Oh well. . . hope to make it to the 2019 San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Until then, we'll watch our Charlie Chaplin Blu-rays, Undercrank Productions DVDs and Cartoon Roots compilations curated by silent animation expert Tommy Jose Stathes. . .
Also pleased that the mighty Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers are yet again in the NBA Finals and the one, the only Madison Bumgarner a.k.a. The Sheriff recovered from a broken pinky to pitch for the San Francisco Giants.
While our cats Yogi and Raymond fight in the background, we await the date of the next (and as of yet unannounced) KFJC Psychotronix Film Festival at Foothill College. We look forward to schlepping boxes bursting with 16mm film reels to yet another rilly big shoe!
The scuttlebutt is that the next KFJC Psychotronix Film Festival at Foothill will transpire either on the last Saturday of July or the first Saturday in August. Robert Emmett will make an official announcement on KFJC's Saturday morning Norman Bates Memorial Soundtrack Show. Before this show, my co-programmers/curators Sci Fi Bob Ekman and Scott Moon shall present a mini-Psychotronix program to celebrate the re-opening of the New Rheem Theatre in Moraga on June 30.
On the extremely negative side, three tragic and untimely passings have saddened us here at Way Too Damn Lazy To Write A Blog.
The rotten news: chef and TV host turned writer and documentary filmmaker Anthony Bourdain, San Francisco 49er receiver Dwight Clark, of "the catch" fame, and guitar genius Phil Emmanuel have passed.
The Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown programs top the very short list of this blogmeister's favorite TV shows - no, that would be his only favorite current show - while Madame Blogmeister has several of Bourdain's enjoyable, lively and well-written books in hardcover. He would no doubt scoff and give both a dirty look and a middle finger salute to anyone suggesting his death is a blow to the forces of cultural, literary and cinematic literacy - and yes, that's a cultural literacy that includes Iggy Pop & The Stooges, The Bad Brains, James White & The Blacks, Lou Reed's band featuring guitarist Robert Quine and Richard Hell & The Voidoids - but that's how it feels.
It appears Mr. Bourdain's passing was a direct result of the deadly combination of a failing relationship with more than a few close encounters with Ol' Man Depression too many. We can only hope for the best for the surviving family members of Mr. Bourdain, as well as those of the recently passed fashion designer Kate Spade, also a suicide. The family members are on the receiving end of a most rotten deal. Ol' Man Depression is a killer and a destroyer of families.
If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help:
In the United States:
Crisis Text Line: Text START to 741741 from anywhere in the USA, at any time, about any type of crisis
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
Outside the United States, two very worthy organizations:
Befrienders Worldwide
The International Association for Suicide Prevention, which includes the following link to suicide prevention organizations around the world.
San Francisco Bay Area sports legend Dwight Clark, a much-loved, bonhomie-filled and by all accounts devastatingly funny fellow, passed after a lengthy battle with ALS.
One positive has been the outpouring of love and support by Dwight's friends and family through his illness.
Music (and especially guitar) aficionados shall recite a riff-filled rosary for the great Phil Emmanuel, brother of fellow guitar slinger Tommy and among the truly super-talented musical families, along with the Carlings of Sweden and the Marsalises of New Orleans. So, to at least attempt to close today's depressing post on a positive note, actually A BUNCH of positive notes (including 16th and 32nd notes), here are Phil & Tommy Emmanuel, doing what they do so well.
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