Caspar Milquetoast

To start out the 2010 book list, I just finished Webster Unabridged, a compendium of comic panes and strips by H.T. Webster, published in 1945. The humor is SO outdated, which is humorous in itself. It's so America 1940s. I checked this book out of the library, however, because of Caspar Milquetoast. 

Some of you long-time readers of this blog, if you exist, may remember the blog subtitle: "It always comes back to David Niven." I had to take that down because it hadn't been coming back to him in a while (Although the title and url both stem from Niven film Around the World in 80 Days (1954)). Well, now it has! I first heard the word milquetoast when I professed my love of David Niven to my mother. She responded: "That milquetoast?!" His foppish top hat and umbrella cane probably irked my mother, while these accessories are probably what I liked best about him. Consequently, I began to associate the term with formal, serious people. 

In case you don't know, it actually means timid or bland. And it is purely an American word, appearing in American English dictionaries but not British English ones. So, it turns out my mother's description of Niven, the ultimate Brit, was not quite ironic, but whatever is the appropriate term here, coincidentally incorrect? The word comes from the aforementioned character in H.T. Webster's series of The Timid Soul single-pane comics. In turn, he got the name from milk toast, a food often eaten at the time by people with ill or sensitive stomachs, a calming, mild food. Caspar is always afraid, worried, and meek (Check out the page I scanned in for you). Exactly what David Niven isn't. 

A more appropriate character would be Mr. Limpet of the children's classic, The Incredible Mr. Limpet. Don Knotts! Such a great movie. (Edit: I was spot on. I just checked Netflix and they even describe him as "a bespectacled, milquetoast bookkeeper.")

Anyways, the book linked in the list is not this book, because Amazon doesn't carry it, but a similar looking collection and one that is only 50 cents! You should definitely get it or find one at your library.

In Memoriam J.A.W.

Dear Jack A. Weil,

For you, I resurrect my letter writing. For you, I spent 85 dollars on a shirt. For you, I made my friend drive twenty minutes out of the way so I could spend those 85 dollars on that shirt. I am glad I did. And I still regret that we didn't stop by earlier in the day so I could meet you. I don't have a picture of you, either, but trusty Charles Phoenix does and a mighty good one, too! You are great. I mean, come on, you invented the western pearl snap button shirt!!! You, and not that hideous Lee Greenwood song my mom loves so much, make me proud to be an American.

Laura

P.S. Your initials are JAW!

I am slow at getting drug references.

L-R, T-B:
1) Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians: Heaven
2) Rod Stewart: Sing It Again, Rod
3) The Rolling Stones: Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass)
4) Piano Rags by Scott Joplin
5) Piano Rags by Scott Joplin volume 2
6) Sean Lennon: Friendly Fire

1) As already explained in one post or another, I like to patronize little record stores. This predilection is unfortunate when there really is nothing worth buying in a store. Well, not necessarily nothing worth buying but nothing worth buying at the store's prices. This store on the corner of a block of Melrose (I can't remember what it was called) had some okay records, mostly overpriced. This is just an EP or single; I can't really decide. I really do like Robyn Hitchcock, but the songs on this aren't too great. Overall, this purchase is regrettable. I shouldn't buy records if I'm not going to like them. heh. Maybe I'll get into this one day and be really happy I ended up buying it. Hopefully.

2) I've gotten into quite a few arguments with people over this record. I think it is a piece of masterful music. Others don't quite agree with me. First, however, you can't argue about the album art. The picture obscures the fact that this record is not rectangular -- wow! hehe. It is die-cut to look like a whiskey shot glass and depicts Rod's smiling face looking through it. And when you pull out the record, the inner sleeve has his face. It's just so great. I don't remember where I got this, possibly Rhino but also possibly MAMSROC. It has many gems, but the highlights for me are 1) his Street Fighting Man cover and 2)Reason to Believe. The only song on it that I could do without is his Pinball Wizard version. I also own this album on cd (found it for five dollars in Colorado last winter!).

3) This is one of my dad's old records. A 1966 collection.

4) & 5) Both are from Rhino. Both are solid. Who doesn't like Scott Joplin? These feel particularly American. Is ragtime particular American? I don't know.

6) I got this record when I interned at Capitol Records in the fall of 2006. I like the album art better than the music, but the music ain't bad, either.

Six Records Speak

L-R, T-B:
1)Various Artists (Dani Dassa): Rikud
2)Various Artists: Roots: The Black Beginnings of American Music
3)Various Artists: The Secret Policeman's Ball
4)Six Presidents Speak
5)Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: The Sting
6)Various Artists: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club band

1) I got this at the last night of Cafe Dansa before it closed. I had always wanted to go but never did, but at least I made it out there before it was gone foreverrr, and it was exactly how I wanted it to be--way tiny, cramped, and stuck in the 1970s. I danced with random old men (old men seem to be becoming a recurring motif in this blog). And got this great record, which is made even more great by the picture on the back of Dani Dassa in all his eyebrow glory. I have some good pictures of this, but since I am an inadequate tagger, I cannot currently find them on flickr.

2) This also came from the Rhino closeout sale. As you can see by the cover, it has some pretty good artists on it, like Big Bill Broonzy and Fats Waller. The record also has some nice generalizing statements on the back: "Here then is 'Roots'. Black Music (capitalization theirs). Black Music that speaks for God and man; joy and sorrow; hard work and good lovin'; music and artists who have influenced the music of America, the music of the world."

3) Rhino. I never listen to this. Was worth the ten cents just for the fact that it says on the back "Stage show slightly directed by John Cleese."

4) I don't remember where I got this one. It includes FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon. It was produced by the Ford Customer Service Division of Ford Motor Company in 1972. I wonder for what reasons people were given this record. Everyone got it? Only if you had car trouble? Christmas gift? Bank of America once gave my dad a really bad holiday CD. I would have much preferred this. It's pretty great to listen to; some of it is unbelievably dry. I like to listen to it while watering my plants on the balcony.

5) Scott Joplinnnnnn. This soundtrack is superb. The movie ain't bad either. I love Paul Newman. This movie made me see why people like Robert Redford, but I still prefer Newman. Also, what a great font!

6) Another soundtrack. This movie is crazy. Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees play the Beatles. I am sure this movie was created due to all sorts of drugs. The songs are ok, some better than others. I like the Bee Gees, for sure, but they are better singing their own songs. Billy Preston doing Get Back, on the other hand, is great.

In other news, I may have failed my midterm today, but I am still GM of UCLAradio.com for next year. Oh yeah, James Franco was on Auto Stapler today. He's silly.

A little biographical information.

Old superpatriotic movies make me teary-eyed, especially ones starring Gary Cooper. I like that about myself. I am not as much of a fan of Cary Grant, although I like him quite a bit. Bogart's okay, don't like Clark Gable. I do like William Powell. Gotta love Joel McRea. David Niven is second to none but James Stewart. Oh yeah, can't forget John Payne. Yes, Payne, not Wayne.

Basically, this is here because I removed it from my facebook profile but didn't want to delete it entirely.

Also, some new colors on this here blog. Wooooo!

A "Long Goodbye" to the "Time Lady"

The sun has set (on Sunset) for the Time Lady.

You can't hear this mechanical voice anymore. AT&T stopped offering this service at the end of last year. According to NPR, a recording of the voice of the last "Time Lady," Joanne Daniels, will be put in the Smithsonian! I would link you the audio but I can't find it. Instead, I'll point you to this article that cheesily proclaims, "Time has run out on the Time Lady." The service started in the 1940s but was obviously already well known enough to be referenced by Raymond Chandler in 1953 in The Long Goodbye, a book I highly recommend.

And when she spoke her voice had the lucid emptiness of that mechanical voice on the telephone that tells you the time, and if you keep listening, which people don't because they have no reason to, it will keep on telling you the passing seconds for ever, without the slightest change of inflection.

Americana

1. I am SO excited that I got the Eddie & the Cruisers soundtrack LP today from the oldmanrecordseller on campus. woooooo! There is nothing better than a movie about the false death of a fake Bruce Springsteen. yowza.

2. Weird.

3. I am giving away tickets to see Afrika Bambaataa (at the Roxy 2/21) on my show next week. Listen in Tuesdays 4-6pm pdt UCLAradio.com