Michael Embry's Blog, page 36

Riding the Rails -- The Journey Begins in Chicago

Chicago is one of my favorite cities in America.

There's so much to do in this midwestern megalopolis of nearly 10 million people, from museums to theatre to concerts to art galleries to sightseeing to professional sports and more.

Union Station

Before departing on our "America's Beautiful West" rail vacation at Union Station, my wife Mary and I spent a couple of hours walking in the downtown area.


I first got interested in Chicago in the 1960s, along with many other teenagers, listening to clear-channel WLS-AM (890 on the dial) radio. DJs such as Dick Biondi, Art Roberts, and Larry Lujack played the latest hits of The Beatles, The Buckinghams, The Dave Clark Five, The Rolling Stones, The Animals and other popular bands. 

But I digress.

Willis TowerOnly a block or so away from Union Station is 110-story Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower), one of the tallest buildings in the world at 1,451 feet, located at Jackson Building and Wacker Drive.

Chicago Board of TradeA few more blocks down Jackson Boulevard is the Chicago Board of Trade building, another impressive structure in the cityscape. 

Chicago River The Chicago River traverses the heart of town, bringing a tranquility to offset the urban rush of people hurrying to and from various destinations on the busy streets. And not far away, on the east side, is the beautiful Lake Michigan that offers a variety of activities and events.

As you can see from these images, our little walk didn't even scratch the surface of things to see and do in electrifying Chi-town. 

We'll definitely return for a visit dedicated to the Windy City.

Until the next time...


  

Riding the Rails

If you've been wondering where I've been the past couple of weeks, my wife Mary and I went on a two-week railroad vacation billed as "America's Beautiful West." 


All aboard in ChicagoIt was quite an amazing and rewarding trip, and beautiful as well.

We boarded the Amtrak's Southwest Chief at Chicago's historic Union Station, then spent the next two days traveling 1,699 miles to Flagstaff, Ariz., making brief stops along the way at Fort Madison, Iowa; Kansas City; Dodge City, Kan.; La Junta, Colo.; Raton and Albuquerque, N.M., and Winslow, Ariz. (we didn't have time to get off the train and stand on the corner).   
Mary and I had a small, semi-private roomette on one of the sleeper cars. The full sleeper area had a bit more space and included a shower. Some folks opted to travel in the coach cars, which didn't offer any privacy but had comfortable reclining seats where they could sleep.
Mary 
The guided tour, offered by Vacations by Rail (check the Internet for other tour companies), attracted 47 people including folks from Denmark, India, and Australia as well as Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois. We were the only Kentuckians.


Me
Although most of us didn't know each other before the tour (there was a family of six people on the trip), many of us bonded and developed friendships over the two weeks. That was one of the highlights of the 4,500-mile journey.

Our friendly, knowledgeable, personable and tireless guide was Kileen Prather, a former school librarian as well as a travel blogger and romance (boomer lit) novelist. She kept us in line,  and on time, while adding some side trips that enhanced the entire experience. She's a fun gal with lots of stories, puzzles, and jokes.
Tour bus
We also had someone who handled our luggage and other duties when we were bused to places where we couldn't ride the train. All we knew him by was Clair, a man of few words (often wearing a western hat) from Idaho who always got things done ahead of time.

Over the next few weeks I'll have posts about the various places we visited -- on and off the tracks.




Until the next time...

Writing Drought

If you're looking to me to find some motivation for your writing, then I suggest you move on to another blog. That's unless you gain some sort of curious satisfaction from reading about a writer struggle to put down words. 

Or maybe you're also experiencing a similar drought with your creative juices and you can sympathize with my sad situation.

August was one of the least productive months for me. About the only thing I was able to do creatively was review a few short stories and write a few notes on projects I hope to begin in the coming days. I've only written three posts on this blog, the fewest since I started four years ago.

I recall a writer telling me once that she had quit writing because she had lost her muse. I sure hope that's not happening to me. Perhaps my muse has lost me and we'll reconnect soon. 

If anything, August was a particularly busy month at the place that supports my writing. You know, regular employment that provides a paycheck on a regular basis. I believe many writers (and other artists) can relate to that.

Regardless, I hope to get re-energized and refocused. I have a few events coming up in my life that should provide some spark (and time) to the writing life. And I'm looking forward to National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November as well as the Kentucky Book Fair on Nov 15.

Until the next time...

National Dog Day

August 26 is THE dog day of summer in the United States -- National Dog Day.


According to the NDD website, the annual day "serves to galvanize the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year, and acknowledges family dogs and dogs that work selflessly to save lives, keep us safe and bring comfort."

For those who have dogs, or owned dogs, most would probably agree that everyday is dog day for these lovable and devoted four-legged mates.
Bailey and me
My dog is Bailey, who will be 2 on Nov. 1. He's a Chorkie (part Yorkie and part Chihuahua). He's been a big part of our family since we took him as a rescue puppy on Dec. 14, 2012.

Our two previous dogs, Bucky and Baxter, crossed the rainbow bridge in 2011 and 2012 respectively, and I miss them to this day because once a dog enters your life, they leave an indelible pawprint on your heart.

I'm not going to go on and on about Bailey, even though I could probably write a book about him. But I will say he's special to my wife and me, just like other dogs (and even cats) are the pride and joy to their keepers. 

But I will share a few of my favorite quotes about dogs:

"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." -- Josh Billings

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." -- Roger Caras

"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." -- Will Rogers

"The average dog is nicer than the average person." Andy Rooney

"To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace." -- Milan Kundera

"The only creatures that are evolved enough to convey pure love are dogs and infants." -- Johnny Depp

"The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs." -- Charles de Gaulle

"The greatest fear dogs know is the fear that you will not come back when you go out the door without them." -- Stanley Coren

"The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog." -- George Graham Vest

"Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really." -- Agnes Sligh Turnbull

And finally:

"Happiness is a warm puppy." -- Charles M. Schultz

Until the next time...

Happy for Pharrell

Pharrell Williams is quite an amazing singer, musician, producer, philanthropist, and.....person.

I watched him interviewed on CBS's "Sunday Morning," and it was refreshing to see someone as talented as Williams be so down to earth and grateful for his accomplishments.

I'll admit that I had never heard of Williams until the "Happy" song came out. He admits that the movie, "Despicable Me," gave the tune a tremendous boost. 

The catchy song -- which I believe will be timeless, much like The Turtles' "Happy Together" -- cuts across all ages with its joyful message. According to the CBS program, it hit No. 1 in 24 countries. 

Williams, known for his oversized "buffalo" hat, gave most of the credit for his success to those who have been part of his life -- from his grandmother who encouraged him to play the drums to high school music teachers to other artists including Stevie Wonder and Donald Fagen (of Steely Dan).

At the close of the interview, the youthful 41-year-old artist used an analogy of flying a kite to a person's success, noting that it's not the kite but the air that lifts it into the sky that causes it to fly. 

And that's a message that a lot of us seem to forget as we go through life -- it's those around us that truly provide the lift when we put forth the effort.

Since the interview lifted my spirits, I'll close this post with Williams' "Happy":




Until the next time...

More Laments

While reviewing some of my writing today that I keep on a thumb drive, I found six short stories. They are in the first-draft stage -- very raw -- but they are stories that I can sink my editing teeth into in the coming weeks.

My goal in the spring was to write 10 short stories so I could publish a second volume of "Laments" this year.  That seems doable now. 

I feel very motivated to write four more short stories in August. I already have ideas on how I want to approach each of the stories. They will all carry a similar theme as my previous collection; something that was my intent from the beginning.

It's reinvigorating to get back into creative writing. As I've mentioned several times before, I do a lot of writing at work, blogging, reviewing, and a few other outlets. But writing fiction is my favorite creative endeavor.

I'm also  tossing around ideas in my head on how to approach my next novel. In the past, there has been some kind of spark, and the words simply seem to flow on the screen. Perhaps that will happen again (it would be nice). 

But that's for another post.

Until the next time... 

Spotlight on Joe Cocker

In the documentary of the legendary concert, "Woodstock," one of the most memorable of several unforgettable performances was by rock and blues singer Joe Cocker.

With his expressive, gravelly voice and flailing arms along with some air guitar picks,  Cocker turned in a dynamic and electric performance before the 500,000 or so folks who attended (and the millions of others who claimed they did) the "3 days of peace and music" in 1969.

His distinctive cover of The Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends," at Woodstock propelled him into the top tier of rock singers in the 1970s. 

Among his recordings that charted were No. 33 "Feeling Alright," and No. 7 "The Letter,"  No. 11 "Cry Me a River," No. 22 "High Time We Went," No. 27 "Midnight Rider," and No. 5 "You Are So Beautiful." He also covered The Beatles' "Something" and "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window." 

Despite battling some personal demons (drugs and alcohol), Cocker persevered and got his got his life back on track.  In 1982, he and Jennifer Warnes reached No. 1 with "Up Where We Belong," which also won a Grammy for best song. 

The native of Sheffield, England also hit No. 11 at "When the Night Comes" in 1989 and No. 31 in 2004 with "One."

Surprisingly, the 70-year-old singer has never been nominated to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame despite being eligible since 1994.  

Needless to say, Joe Cocker could use a "little help from his friends" to be rewarded in the Rock Hall for his outstanding contributions for five decades to rock and blues. I hope they honor this wonderful performer.

Here's some videos of Cocker in performance:









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Until the next time...

Staying Focused

I believe one of the most -- if not THE MOST -- difficult aspect of writing is staying focused. 

It's my biggest obstacle. I have the best intentions but oftentimes life simply gets in the way of my writing goals.

I'm still laboring on completing a second volume of short stories. I'm still wavering back and forth on plans for my next time. 

But, more than anything, I simply don't have as much time as I need to get what I want accomplished in terms of writing.

I'm not sure if it's a lack of energy, motivation, or simply have too many other things going on that I need to scale back or eliminate from my planned or unplanned routine. 

No doubt, my regular job takes up about nine hours a day, leaving 15 hours. Of that, I try to get eight hours of sleep each night (hey, I'm not a night owl anymore and I do need my rest), so that makes it seven hours.

And I do like to eat, read, and exercise, and there are chores around the house. 

I know it sounds like I'm making excuses, and of course, I am. 

On my last novel, I allotted about an hour to write every morning. I was amazed how much I could accomplish in that amount of time if I kept at it day after day.

So it seems like I need to get myself back into that mindset. I'll keep you posted.

Until the next time...

On the Road

For the past few months my wife, Mary, and I have made what we call  "mini-bucket list" trips to various towns in Kentucky (the only exception has been Madison, Ind., located across the Ohio River).

We try to keep our trips no longer than an hour's drive from our home. We are fortunate in that Kentucky, which was settled in 1774 and became a state in 1792, has a rich and varied history. Each town has its own heritage and distinctiveness.

 We visit a local restaurant for lunch and then we'll spend time walking to see some of the buildings around town. Since most of these places date back to the early 19th century, there are a few historical buildings we see on our short journeys.

I find the architecture fascinating as it ranges from Greek Revival, Federal, Georgian, Italianate and more. No doubt  many buildings were taken down through the years in the name of progress or whatever reason. It's gratifying to see that some historic preservation taking place, although it can be expensive to renovate these buildings.

I also take photos from our trips that I post on my Facebook page. Feel free to check them out. A friend asked me if these photos might be the makings of a new book. While I'm not currently pursuing that, the photos do take me back to another time and environment that I could incorporate into to my stories.

I try to take photos of historical buildings, churches, libraries and other places to provide a glimpse of what makes the town what it is. I will say that some towns are more interesting than others. Some seem to have more civic pride and try to promote their uniqueness. And some are more prosperous, which allows them to do more than others in terms of historic preservation.

But all are worth a visit.

Here are a few photos:


Madison Hall of Justice in Richmond

Boyle County Courthouse in Danville


Fayette County Museum in Lexington
Court Street corner in Owingsville
J.J. Newberry storefront in Paris
Harrodsburg Historical Society
Bluegrass Heritage Museum in Winchester Old house in Warsaw
Schofield House in Madison, Ind. Anderson County Courthouse in Lawrenceburg
Lincoln County Public Library in Stanford  Owen County Courthouse in Owenton
Veterans Memorial in Shelbyville




Until the next time... 

Story Songs: Shake You Down

One of the most sensual, soulful and sexy songs I've ever heard is Gregory Abbott's "Shake You Down."


The tune was released in September 1986 and reached No.1  on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1987. It was written by Abbott and was on his debut album of the same name. 

Rock critic Dave Marsh rated the song No. 615 among the top 1001 singles in his book, "The Heart of Rock & Soul." He writes that it is a "slinky seduction song that uses traditional R&B harmony techniques in a contemporary rhythm ballad context."

The song opens with the narrator hoping to catch the attention of a woman and goes from there:

"Girl, I've been watching youFrom so far across the floor now babyThat's nothing newI've watched you so many times before now babyI see that look in your eyesAnd what it's telling me"
And apparently they make eye contact:

"And you know girl that I'm not shyI'm glad you picked up on my telepathy"
The narrator admits that the woman knows what he's thinking:

"You read my mindGirl I wanna shake you downI could give you all the loving you needCome on let me take you downWe'll go all the way to heaven"
Throughout the song the narrator expresses his desire for her:

"Let me ease your mind, oh babyI got the remedy, just I doNow give me just a little time"
and

"Every time I get to feeling this wayI wish I had you near me, I wanna reach out and touch you"
and finally,

"I can't stop thinkin' of the things we doThe way you call me baby when I'm holding youI shake and I shiver when I know you're nearThen you whisper in my ear, oh baby, well, well"
On his website, Abbott is said to be "a favorite with the ladies for his sophisticated demeanor and intelligent green eyes with a sense of something much more." 
Abbott, who is 60,  was formerly married to singer Freda Payne ("Band of Gold"). He remains involved in music, writing for television and movies, as well as releasing nine albums.
"Shake You Down" lyrics