3 Faces of Jim.

75 years of life in that face...that pose. One of the most content men I know.

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Happy Birthday, Jimmy!

My dad's big 75th birthday. Today. I love you, pop.

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garden. part deux.

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Black raspberry patch No. 1.

Vegetable garden. 8 less tomato plants than last year. Still too many.

Back - which is really the front in Greendale.

Side patio.

Black raspberry patch No. 2.

Earwigs. I hate them.

Chocolate mint. Hands off.

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Beach Boys tuneage. My "tops" list.

(pictured in 1966, clockwise, starting at bottom: Dennis Wilson, Al Jardine, Mike Love, Brian Wilson & Carl Wilson)


In anticipation of seeing The Beach Boys' 50th anniversary reunion concert at the Marcus Amphitheater @ Summerfest tomorrow evening, I pondered the question, "what are my favorite BB songs?". People always ask me that. When you've been following a band since high school and are a "groupie" like me, that's a difficult question. However, when pressed to answer, I've come up with a few that stand out. Some you'll recognize - most you won't (unless you're a big fan). NOTE: This list DOES NOT reflect solo efforts by individual members and this list is not in any preferred order.

Add Some Music To Your Day
Barbara Ann
Do It Again
Don’t Worry Baby
God Only Knows
Good Timin’
I Can Hear Music
I Get Around
She Knows Me Too Well
Surf’s Up
Surfer Girl
The Lonely Sea
The Trader
This Whole World
Time to Get Alone
Wendy
von null auf hundert komm auf einen ritt mit mir adapter din auf cinch karaoke cd auf pc kofferraum geht nicht auf kurse als punkte auf einem blatt auf ihren hintern wandern auf korsika konvertieren auf schlag auf den nackten arsch keine lust auf frauen liebesspruch auf italienisch fernsehprogramm auf einen blick partition auf usb stick divx auf dvd brennen mpeg auf dvd player auf der gmx konfiguration auf outlook das haus auf den klippen kein problem auf der welt ist reime auf englisch Wouldn’t It Be Nice

Click this link to hear a few of these - and other BB "related" tunes. Can't remember what row we're in tomorrow but we're pretty close to the stage. My only regret is that brothers Carl & Dennis won't be there in person..... ;) Beach Boys RULE!

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TGIF! presents....Chicago's "Wishin You Were Here"!

Another one of my favorite bands - Chicago. I chose this song because my Beach Boys are singing back up. AND because in their infinite wisdom, the jackasses at Summerfest booked The Beach Boys and Chicago at exactly the same time this Sunday evening. Come on - a little research would show these two bands have a ton of history together and share audiences....why would you eliminate a possible surprise visit by Chicago band members on the stage where The Beach Boys are performing??

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Antonin Scalia is boggled.

"...But to say, as the court does, the Arizona contradicts federal law by enforcing applications of the Immigration Act that the president declines to enforce boggles the mind."

- Justice Antonin Scalia

The United States Supreme Court ruled on Arizona's tough immigration law by throwing out 3 of the 4 provisions:  1) AZ cannot require illegal immigrants to obtain or carry immigration registration papers, 2) AZ cannot make it a state offense for an illegal immigrant to seek work or hold a job, and 3) AZ cannot arrest suspected illegal immigrants without warrants.

The 4th provision the Supreme Court ruled IN FAVOR of - AZ police are allowed to check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws.

That last one still has immigration advocacy groups in a snit as they say it leads to profiling. It may - but the profiling aspect is something left to local law enforcement officials to deal with, not the law itself. For instance, the law in Wisconsin states you cannot sell cigarettes or alcohol to a minor (under 21). However, it is certainly plausible for a convenience store, for example, to illegally sell cigarettes or alcohol to a minor. That accountability lies with the convenience store, NOT with the provisions of the law.

Regardless, even the US Supreme Court ruling on this last provision may be a mute point as the Obama administration just suspended immigration agreements with AZ police.

How's dem apples? What an ignorant president we have.

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garden.

"Give me odorous at sunrise a garden of beautiful flowers  where I can walk undisturbed."

- Walt Whitman

 

Black raspberries from the west side of garage. Twice as big as the ones on the south side.

Creeping thyme. Planted them last year and the bastards never creeped. Or so i thought.

Tiger lilies. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Mom & Dad's. Thinkin' about stealing this...

 

A rose of which I know not its name.

Lamb's ears. Go ahead & touch them. TOUCH THEM!

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Goofin' around.

My friend Renee & I hamming it up in one of those photo booths at a wedding.

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TGIF! presents...Jacques Brel's "Jef"!

Hey! A song about me! When translated, it's not a particularly flattering song.

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Happy 70th, Brian!

70 years. And celebrating 50 years of The Beach Boys with a world tour! We'll see you on July 1 at Summerfest in Milwaukee, Brian. Cheers!

BONUS! The Beach Boys' new hit single from their latest album, "That's Why God Made the Radio"! Surf IS UP!

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Happy Father's Day, Jimmy!

Brother Jason, Dad and me. Fishing on the Rainbow Flowage in 2001.

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PTSP screens at SEAF.

Our 27th film festival! PASS THE SALT PLEASE screens all day today at SEAF and all day next Saturday. Wish I could attend - it's the ultimate people-watching venue! Click here for more information.

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Black raspberries @ Glen Mar!

I didn't harvest my first berries last year until mid-July. Shoulda remembered from last year to wear a long-sleeved shirt. Ouch.

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No you're not.

Coverage of the current TIME story here. I agree our system is broken. Yes. Broken. But until it's fixed, these people (and the millions of others) are still illegal and shouldn't be taking advantage of our country. Mexican, Chinese, Irish, Canadians, Japanese, Swedish, whatever. American employers of illegal immigrants should be dealt with harshly for hiring illegal immigrants. And our President and Congress need to get off their collective asses and figure out a solution. Why? Because it's THE LAW.

(I count 1, 2, 3...34 illegal immigrants that TIME should have had INS arrest after this photo shoot.)

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TGIF! presents....Terri Nunn & Berlin's "Metro"!

What can I say about Terri Nunn that I haven't already said on this blog? Having only met her once, she embodies everything I appreciate in a woman - which would make her the ideal catch in a perfect world. She makes you feel like you're the only one in the audience.

Terri & Berlin performed at Milwaukee's Pridefest this past Sunday. This is the 4th time I've seen her perform - last time was in 2009 when I saw her show 3x in one year just before I moved back to Milwaukee from Los Angeles. She looks better than she did in the 80's and her voice is just as good.

I only wish more people had turned out to see this performance - kind of embarrassing when less than 1/4 of the bleachers are filled at the Miller Stage. And mind you - Terri has been taken in by the LGBT community as sort of their poster girl (or one of them, and she's straight). I guess most of the crowd that was there (which was scant) wanted to be in the techno tent instead.

Honestly, if no one had shown up and I had Terri all to myself, that would be fine.

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Walker wins!

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker won the recall election last Tuesday - the first recall election ever won by a governor in the history of the U.S - by defeating Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.

I won't gush - so I'll simply say that I'm proud of Scott for standing his ground and never flinching since his collective bargaining measures of last winter drew harsh criticism from Democrats, liberals, teachers & other union members and the unions themselves. It was the collective bargaining issue that set the recall election into motion, but you'd never know that after listening to Barrett or the Left.

Here's more on the recall election. And if you need to remove your "Barrett for Governor" or "Recall Walker" bumper sticker, The Wisconsin State Journal has some pertinent reading.

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TGIF! presents...trailer for "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"!

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"If it ain't broken..."

Irish Spring soap in nylons. Kept the critters away from the garden last year. (That's my story & I'm stickin' to it). Thanks again, Cousin Julie (Datka) Dorshorst. It's a farm thang.

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The Rainbow!

Our annual walleye fishing up in Lake Tomahawk yielded much of the same results as the past 4 or 5 years - very few legal walleyes were biting our bait. Never fear! There was plenty of golf, eats, horseshows, campfires and drinks to keep us busy for a week. Always one of the year's highlights. After 20, 22, 24 years (I forget), it's the fellowship that makes this trip. Click on READ MORE! for pics.

Dave & Dad by the campfire.

Drink at Plum Lake after a round of golf.

Uncle Fran's walleye!

Bullshit session in-progress. Left to right:  Dave H, Kent H, Bruce H, Dad and Uncle Fran Ircink. Brother Jas hadn't arrived yet.

A drink and my new Minnetonka flop hat and I bid you, "adieu", until next May.

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Dust pans & chairs & Hippie Tom, oh my!

Hippie Tom opens up his property, Serendipity Antiques (which is just outside of my hometown, Waterford) four weekends a year to the public. I stopped by today for a looksee. Overwhelming. Way too many people. I need to schedule a private visit with HT. I like to "pick" in private.

HT's popularity has swelled due to his recent appearance on "American Pickers". Here's the MJS article...and a few pics I snapped.

Hippie Tom loves dust pans.

Hippie Tom loves chairs.

Hippie Tom loves gnomes.

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SIFF flora.

Greetings from the Seattle International Film Festival!

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TGIF! presents...The Beach Boys' "That's Why God Made the Radio"!

The BB's newest release from their latest album. Enjoy!

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For Robin...

I found out Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees passed away while I was on my fishing vacation so I'm just now posting this. Thanks, Mr. Gibb, for your voice & music.

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Gone fishin'.

I am HERE. For a week. With family. In Nature. No cell service or Internet. :)

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TGIF! presents Gordon Lightfoot's "Canadian Railroad Trilogy"!

Headin' out for the annual week-long walleye fishing trip on the Rainbow Flowage in Lake Tomahawk, Wisconsin! 23rd year, maybe? 22. 24. Times goes by so quickly. Here's to us - Dave, Bruce, Dad, me, brother Jas and Uncle Fran, as well as those who are with us in Spirit. What does Canada have to do with Wisconsin? Nothing. But we all love, Gordo!

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from the Free State Film Fest in Kansas...

from Marlo at the Free State Film Festival in Kansas:

"Jeff, it (PASS THE SALT, PLEASE) went great!!! It was so perfect as it really broke the ice for the weighty film it screened with (Compliance). Must tell you the director of the Charles Bradley documentary, Poull Brien, really loved it and the crowd was in stitches. Thanks for sharing it with us in Lawrence, KS. What are you working on next?"

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One man's junk.

Silver goblet with an inscription to "Kathy" from 1981.

I don't know what this is.

Copper or brass ice fishing tool.

Golf balls. We smack them around at work on lunch.

Garden decor.

Is my treasure. In this case, "the man" is my Uncle Butch, mom's younger brother. Retired, he's sorta like a picker, but he buys metals - copper, brass, etc. - at auctions for recycling. Quite often, Uncle Butch might want one item, but he has to bid on an entire truck load. 

And I sift through "the truck load"...which I am in the process of shining up.

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Free PTSP! Free State Film Festival!

Our short film, PASS THE SALT, PLEASE, screens at the 1st annual Free State Film Festival in Kansas this evening at 7:30, prior to the feature-length screening of COMPLIANCE, the controversial film that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Info here.

Believe me - the audience will need a laugh before viewing COMPLIANCE. Read this Sundance Film Festival review.

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TGIF! presents....The French Waiter from "The Meaning of Life"!

The first time I saw Monty Python's The Meaning of Life I was in high school. Saw it at a drive-in. This scene - which is a continuation of another scene - is my favorite in the flick. If you are a virtuous person, watch the entire clip. If you are not, watch from the 1:30 mark. This one's for Jay.

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Cockblocked by The Beastie Boys.

I was never a fan. I liked maybe two songs but never owned an album or CD. You see, I'm not a hip hop/rap dude, you know? Frontmen and kindergarten pals (pictured above from left to right) Mike D., Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock) and Adam Yauch (MCA), along with DJ Michael Schwartz (Mix Master Mike) helped to pioneer hip hop/rap back in the day (especially when "the day" didn't include white, Jewish boys from NYC) with their devil-may-care, I-don't-give-a-fuck, irreverent image (and lyrics).

3 Grammys. 8 albums. "The biggest selling rap group" since 1991 (according to Billboard). And inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this past December.

And then Adam Yauch got a cancer and passed away yesterday. He was 47. That's how old I am.

I've been listening to a lot of Beastie Boys music in the last day. I've watched a lot of interviews. These guys were hilarious and I never knew this. These guys are my age and for some reason I chose to ignore them all these years. It's not like I'm gonna run out now and buy all 8 Beastie Boys CDs. But I do have a new-found appreciation for them and their music.

Always when it's too late...

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Mary. Land. PTSP.

PASS THE SALT, PLEASE screens in the Dark Comedy block of shorts tonite (Saturday) and Sunday. Maxie our producer will be in attendance. Always nice when a rep from the film can make the festival. Check out the link here.

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lilacs.

Nothing, in my opinion, tops the smell of lilacs wafting through your home. Well...when they waft.

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TGIF! presents...."Jonny Quest"!

Probably my favorite cartoon. Loved this shit as a kid. Still do.

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"Goodnight, Seattle!"

Or maybe it would be more appropriate to say, "HELLO, SEATTLE!" Our short film, PASS THE SALT, PLEASE, is headed to the Seattle International Film Festival, screening on May 27 @ 9:30 pm in the To The Extreme segment of the festival - the WTF block of shorts. They even used a still from our film for our block - click here. Scroll all the way down to bottom right corner. Atta boy, SIFF.

What's cool is that I'll be attending. What's even cooler? This.

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