Live Asbury Park « Vichy Water

April 7, 2012

Old Movie Watching. Hyperthymesia (Superior Autobiographical Memory). On Art in Asbury Park. Me and Danny Glover. Dr. Sketchy and Me. La Marseillaise. April 7, 2012

Filed under: November 2009 — Tags: Asbury Park, Casablanca, Danny Glover, Dr. Sketchy, La Marseillaise, Live Asbury Park, Marilu Henner, Mel Gibson, Mireille Mathieu, Wilson Volleyball — earthood @ 3:07 pm

Asbury Park Convention Hall. a view from a bridge nearby. at nite. country music in air

Before drifting into the deep recesses of my Asbury Park mind, I need to do a movie discourse. Funny, I’ve been thinking lately of actually making a movie; a blend of real and unreal in a special place of reverence. ‘There’s still time brother;’ a thought from the scary prophetic movie, On the Beach.

The other night I was in the mood to watch Casablanca. My viewing of the movie eclipsed the century mark; recollect I’ve seen this tech noir movie more than 100 times; I can almost but not quite tell the exact dates I watched it. Some people can tell that fact; they’ve got a condition called hyperthymesia in which they possess a superior autobiographical memory. Folks with hyperthymesia can recall almost every day of their lives in near perfect detail, as well as public events that hold some personal relevance to them.

Marilu Henner. Superior autobiographical memory

wilson the volley ball from 'castaway'

Those affected describe memories as uncontrollable associations, when they encounter a date, they “see” a vivid depiction of that day in their heads. Recollection occurs without hesitation or conscious effort. Actress Marilu Henner has this condition. Oh, I don’t really have it but I dwell frequently in the past; how I could’ve tweaked a few things and made 2012 living different; how did I lose a sibling; this notion provokes walks at night, near 2 AM in central Jersey, head tilted skyward to stars, moon and the parallel worlds/universes out there. A few years ago, I read about Princeton PhD candidate Hugh Everett’s thesis in 1951, when he mathematically proved the existence of parallel worlds. Maybe there’s a million of me (and you too) at this exact moment in time. Reckon you should’ve seen my facial expression when I found Everett’s doctoral thesis on line, read the first paragraph or so, and felt like Tom Hanks, in Castaway talking to ‘Wilson’ a former volleyball. My two college degrees got me to the third paragraph before running off to seven layer cake land (a frustration buster).

Vichy Water, a novel

Back to Casablanca; a long story of being a Humphrey Bogart fan. I suppose most of you all know seven years ago on a rainy March Sunday around 9:30 AM, when I was watching Casablanca for the 74^th time, I saw Claude Rains throw a bottle of Vichy Water (French mineral water) into a metal garbage can near the end of the movie. Then I let out a blood curdling scream because a novel popped into my head. Two years ago my novel ‘Vichy Water’ was published; a special achievement in a life. One of my favorite scenes in the movie: Paul Henreid (Victor Laszlo) starts singing ‘La Marseillaise,’ the French National Anthem, in one of the most memorable and moving scenes. After the movie, I went to YouTube and found famed French singer Mireille Mathieu’s version, singing in front of the Eiffel Tower; how unbelievably moving an anthem. I read comments made about Mathieu and the anthem; a few proclamations that it’s the most inspirational national anthem ever. I was curious about the lyrics into English translation.

Let’s go children of the fatherland,

The day of glory has arrived!

Against us tyranny’s

Bloody flag is raised! (repeat)

In the countryside, do you hear

The roaring of these fierce soldiers?

They come right to our arms

To slit the throats of our sons, our friends!

Famed French singer Mireille Mathieu

I listened to Mathieu sing La Marseillaise for literally several hours. Powerful stuff; I began to envision myself in Paris this August, working on my 2^nd novel, being inspired and moved. I was bothered by some of the lyrics; rather graphic images of throats. I was also haunted by images of the Germans marching with ease and little resistance into Paris and the French citizens helping to round up fellow Parisians into the Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup in 1942 (ultimate destination, concentration camps) as depicted in the movie, Sarah’s Key. My respiration levels during that movie were some of the lowest readings ever in a life.

A few nights ago I was flicking channels, looking for blue lights that would mess up my melatonin levels but somehow soothe me to sleep. I like muffled television sounds in the wee hours of the morning to facilitate sleep. It works for me. I stumbled upon Lethal Weapon, (from 1987, 24 long years ago) with Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. I promised myself a few years ago, after a publicized Mel Gibson despicable racist anti-Semitic rant to Los Angeles police, that I’d never watch anything involving him again. But this scene I stumbled upon was one of my favorites; to me it was as poignant and telling a societal revelation as there is, so I watched. Here’s the setup: Gibson and Glover (Roger Murtaugh), LA cops, are about to investigate a woman, Dixie. Her house explodes. Soon after, cops Mel and Danny encounter four small black neighborhood kids who may’ve witnessed the perpetrator who planted the bomb. They identify themselves as police officers but one kid says, “My mother told me that policemen shoot black people.” Then I thought about Trayvon Martin being shot recently in Sanford, Florida. I thought to myself, “24 years ago, seems like a long time, but I guess not.

Asbury Park. Bangs Art Gallery. scene. grand opening.

With Artists Christopher Fitzgerald (amazing collages in background) and Kortez Robinson just before opening of Bangs Art Gallery in Asbury Park

Fifteen years ago or so I was travelling into New York City with seven other sales reps in a hired van to take us to the Parker-Meridien Hotel (French) and then to Javits Convention Center for Vision Expo, an international eyeglass exhibition. After dropping our clothes off at the hotel (it was 4 PM) the van driver was cruising downtown via Fifth Avenue. At 40^th Street we hit a red light. I saw Danny Glover on the corner trying to hail a cab unsuccessfully. I rolled down my window and offered him a lift. He said, “I can’t get a f—— cab.” Then Glover picked up his suitcase and started coming to our van. I remembered at the time there was a bit of a scandal going on with New York City cabs not wanting to pick up African-Americans for ‘fears.’ I was excited because I was about to pick-up one of my favorite actors and give him a lift. We had all the time in the world I thought (thinking of the movie, The Time Machine by HG Wells) because the convention started the next day. Suddenly the light turned green and my van driver sped off, not knowing my intentions and therefore leaving Danny Glover standing by the curb and me in fifteen year devastation, on what Danny Glover thought of me and what could’ve been.

Kortez Robinson mixed media/canvas) Art also on display Heldrich Hotel. New Brunswick. Esoteric Urbanism Exhibit

Posing(modeling?) in the eclectic photographic studio of Andrei Jackomets in Asbury Park. The last time I modeled was in Ohio in spring 1964 a few days before Barry Goldwater campaigned down the road.

Lately I’ve been pondering how curious topics arrive at my computer keyboard. Earlier this week, I wrote about Monmouth County Cemetery Chasing because NJ Discover TV writers (me) have been on the grounds of several local cemeteries for rather serendipitous reasons. At NJ Discover we’re all over Monmouth County doing our job description; discovering, elevating and exploring our home county. Last month, I’ve also immersed myself into the art scene in Asbury Park and an hour ago, I realized that I should be telling a tale of art discovery.

asbury lanes at night. my shadow on ground.

Asbury Lanes. Asbury Park. bowling balls and candles and sound equipment. sounds like an old sixties song.

Through the magic of Facebook with never ending stories of networking and events, last month I heard about an ‘artsy’ item at Asbury Lanes called Dr. Sketchy Asbury Park and decided to click the JOIN button after getting an invitation from Tim. I checked Google first; a new tool of investigative reporting. “Since 2005, Dr. Sketchy’s has been the name in alternative drawing. From illegal flash mobs to the Museum of Modern Art, Dr. Sketchy’s has brought artists a rule-breaking cocktail of dames, drinking and drawing. Dr. Sketchy’s branches draw in over a hundred cities around the globe, from Akron to Zagreb. Whether you’re an art star or a scribbling newbie, Dr. Sketchy’s is the perfect place to get your fill of life-drawing.” For me, all a new world; in the past I’ve thought that if Christopher Columbus had approached me way back in my medicinal and potions medieval shop, a mile from where Queen Isabella lived, I would’ve jumped at the opportunity for a long ocean voyage. Crazy after all these years; so I still jump.

sitting in lounge area asbury lanes. neat art in background.

artists sketching at Dr Sketchy Asbury Park. makes sense.

Cut to a recent Sunday afternoon; I arrived at Asbury Lanes for the Dr Sketchy’s Asbury Park sketching session themed as vampire motif with young female models. Asbury Lanes is as close to back to the future, 1950’s ambience, as I’ve seen since Michael J Fox drove a Delorean car. An old self photo booth, bowling ball rack with the top shelf filled with candles, a vending machine, the kind you pull the handle to release (four selections available) set the mood for ambience. A bar that almost reminded me of the The Shining (old movie references again) was off to the left; neat eclectic art work on the walls; an image of Springsteen, Henry Winkler and a rhinoceros and four rows of liquor in a bright showcase. A sign in the snack bar read, “Menu on counter. Booze in back. Vegetarian eats too.” Even the water fountain arrested eye contact.

Tim from Dr Sketchy Asbury Park with Tara-Jean Vitale producer from NJ Discover

with model Tricia Pain at Dr Sketchy. the theme was Vampires.

Then we met congenial and inventive Tim, the host of Dr. Sketchy and Christopher Fitzgerald, an extraordinary artist and force field. Meanwhile 60 real artists with sketch pads positioned over ten vacant bowling alleys did their thing drawing the beautiful ‘dames’ posing in vampire suggestive poses on a stage. Finally, posing for an old fashioned photo-op with striking model Tricia completed my day in a brave new artistic world.

frenetic studio of Andrei Jackomets preparing for vintage pin up model shoot

A few weeks later, Tim invited me as a journalist to cover a special photographic shoot at a private studio in Asbury Park. Of course, there wasn’t much processing just what this shoot was all about. Entering a vestibule (neat descriptive word), I rang the doorbell of suite five, was buzzed into a voice calling down a flight of stairs. “I’m from NJ Discover,” I yelled towards the voice. Next, I entered the photographic artist studio of amazing Andrei Jackomets; a frenetic universe of sets, props, and four models being meticulously made up for a vintage art-deco classy pin-up shoot. More brave new world explorations for this reporter. Tim was thrilled with my effort of being there. I was thrilled to be standing on the deck of the Santa Maria, so I thought; another Columbus voyage for me. Time and energy expended into creating this shoot amazed. I asked permission to photograph what was witnessed. Works of Andrei lined the walls; an extraordinary artist. Everyone was gracious. Space was tight and most of the time, I couldn’t find a place for my 6’5” frame. Andrei and I saw eye to eye; he asked me to pose and then he posed with a model for my camera. I remember what Winston Zeddmore said at the end of Ghostbusters. “I love this city!” (and still another old movie reference) And I do love the invention of Asbury Park. And thanks Tim, Dr Sketchy.

LIVE ASBURY PARK at the Press Room. performance of an evening with Dusty (Springfield) and thanks to Carlos Armesto, creative director for a magical night.

an Asbury Park beach scene. a photographer taking a couple's picture.

Last Saturday, March 24th the new Bangs Art Gallery (congratulations Doug Z’illa) in Asbury Park celebrated an opening. Christopher Fitzgerald displayed his dazzling mixed-media collages before its multi-gallery tour. Rather than describe; check out pictures. With dynamic social commentary artist Kortez Robinson, from Freehold; I stared at his mixed media/canvas and was transported far away; I like when art makes you think by reaching for an often misplaced social conscience. The gallery was crowded and folks talked not only about present art but how great it is to see Asbury Park alive. Prior to the gallery opening, we grabbed a sandwich on Cookman Avenue and afterwards walked across the street to The Press Room for Live Asbury Park’s presentation of ‘An Evening with Dusty,’ which recreated a 1969 concert experience with the original pop Diva and blue-eyed soul singer, Dusty Springfield. Dusty was delivered by “powerhouse singer Kirsten Holly Smith, complete with peroxide beehive and panda eye shadow, backed by a trio of pop-soul doo-wop girls who step out for their own funky star turns.” By the way, what a night; those that confine their souls to the sedentary couch TV ought to know this entire evening in Asbury Park cost me $24.75 for two for everything and this is 2012 not 1955, the year the Dodgers won the World Series.

So I battle with the old internal introspective mechanism as relates to this particular blog. I love Paris in the spring time or in August when I dream of going for a month to work on my second novel but “Golly,” as Sally Field from Norma Rae uttered in the movie, I’d miss the Jersey Shore and Asbury Park this summer, with its amazing renaissance of music, art and food. And “there is no place like home” as Dorothy said, in the Wizard of Oz. However I don’t know why she wasn’t wearing the red ruby slippers at the end of the movie. Wouldn’t it have been provocative? Oh well.

red ruby slippers. so cool brewster if they are on at end of movie.

NOW HERE THIS: a bit of an advertisement. I don’t do those very much here. BUT there’s a very unusual upbeat funny precious 2 minute video involving 102 year old Emily Cook who talks about the life briefly and then invites me back to her room. Not to be missed especially the last 23 seconds. PLEASE check it out and share it.

http://www.hooplaha.com/getting-better-all-the-time/

HooplaHa Videos and Article LINKS to Check Out. Very Interesting!!!!

Judy Feinstein: Female Pilot:

Judy Feinstein pilot

Fatherhood:

http://www.hooplaha.com/fatherhood/

Ida Gonzalez: A Mother’s Journey to Light:

http://www.hooplaha.com/a-mothers-journey-to-light/

Common Sense Approach to Common Sense:

http://www.hooplaha.com/common-sense-approach-to-common-sense/

Flexitarianism:

http://www.hooplaha.com/flexitarianism/

A Real College Pep Band Video (yes 85 seconds):

http://www.hooplaha.com/rutgers-rah-a-college-pep-band/

Also a very worthwhile cause to read up on:

Butterfly Circle of Friends. http://www.butterflycircleoffriends.org

MY CONTACT INFORMATION

website: http://vichywater.net

Facebook: Cal Schwartz

Twitter: Earthood

Email: earthood@gmail.com

book trailer. hey its 65 seconds long

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qj2ko9gcC_M

IMPORTANT LINK

If on Facebook check out this NJ Discover site:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000125711074

OR www.njdiscover.com

LINKS TO VIDEOS. Please Watch.

1. ZOMBIE WALK October 22, 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfFA-y115nc&feature=autoshare

2. VETERANS DAY NJ VIETNAM MEMORIAL

Nov 11, 2011

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYwkaa_xreg&feature=related

3. RANDALL HAYWOOD & VICTOR JONES JAZZ CONCERT

Nov 19, 2011

Randall Haywood and Victor Jones Interview from Chico’s House of Jazz Asbury Park

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNohzH8AHvM&feature=player_embeddedr

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March 11, 2012

Adventures in Baby Sitting and Facebook: Dutch Reformed Church in Colts Neck, NJ. Predictability; The Movie ‘Prom’ (My Son’s Generation?). “I Love the Smell of Napalm in the Morning.” (Apocalypse Stuff: An Asteroid in 2040) Living to 150: Stop With Soda? Steve Jobs: Daniel Kottke (Human Nature?). Asbury Park, NJ (Live Asbury Park Launch) March 11, 2012

Filed under: November 2009 — Tags: Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, Asteroid, Belmar, Daniel Kottke, Dutch Reformed Church, Live Asbury Park, Midnight Express, Shark River, Sleeper, Springsteen, Steve Jobs, Vichy Water — earthood @ 9:21 pm

asbury park boardwalk

I do love Asbury Park (New Jersey). As a kid growing up in Newark, my parents saved and scrimped all year to make it to the Jersey shore for August, renting a small bungalow in a Belmar backyard on Seventh Avenue. On weekends, if I behaved all week and babysat for my sisters, my reward was the quintessential boardwalk and Palace Amusements of Asbury Park. My sister Hildy called it Raspberry Park.

with mario casella and eric greene from slim chance and the gamblers at wonderbar in asbury park

Asbury Park pinball

I’ve been saying since I stumbled into journalism in July, and spending a great deal time in Asbury Park, there is magical dust from a hovering Springsteen cirrus (fair weather) cloud that keeps descending, and inspiring musicians and artists; almost remindful of the dust (snow) that watched over Dorothy, Cowardly Lion, Tin Man and Ray Bolger’s Scarecrow as they approached Emerald City.

A few weeks ago, I covered the launch of ‘Live Asbury Park,’ at the ‘Press Room’ (missing Springsteen live there by two nights); an exciting new non-profit live entertainment company. Carlos Armesto, Artistic Director, will bring the spirit of Asbury Park into all avenues of the arts; “to move audiences, open minds and give the artistic experience of a lifetime.”

at launch for Live Asbury Park at 'Press Room'

Asbury Park boardwalk lonely surfboards

Adventures in Baby Sitting in the blog title: streams of consciousness relating to adventures on Facebook and social media networking; like meeting people in real life, babysitting for T.S. Garp or his mother Jenny Fields. Last week I was hanging out in Facebook at, NJ Discover’s Wall. Earlier that day, I had a NJ Discover TV breakfast meeting at a pancake establishment. On the way back, I drove up a rural country road in Colts Neck, Monmouth County, New Jersey, passed this magnificent old church. I made an illegal turn and stopped to read a sign: “Dutch Reformed Church completed and erected in 1856.”

Asbury Park Convention Hall

Asbury Park lanes at night. my shadow on the bottom.,

With camera always by my side, I snapped a few and posted the pix on the wall of NJ Discover to which a Facebook Florida stranger asked me on behalf of NJ Discover, if there was a cemetery in the back and if so, it could very well be where her mother and grandparents are buried. I didn’t know about a cemetery but something (a favorite word) made me respond, by offering if I ever return (which was doubtful) to investigate and try to find her mother’s grave stone.

Dutch Reformed Church 1856

Singer Danny White in Belmar Studio

On Thursday, I was down the Jersey shore, a few towns over from my beloved Asbury Park, in Belmar, hanging out with fast rising singer Danny White (‘A Beautiful Crazy’ cd newly released). After huge amounts of caffeine sweetened with a dark brown liquid confection, I headed to my favorite jetty in the world, including all gin joints, and meditated by the mighty Shark River (a few blocks long?). A fierce seventy degree warm wind blew virginal sand in my face as my feet rested on jetty boulders. I did see a ship heading to Kilimanjaro and the bridge over a troubled Shark River water lift to let a boat pass under.

At Belmar St. Patrick's Day Parade

my jetty in belmar at shark river

Something then directed me to that country road and that church, reasonably far out of the way. I drove to the rear and there was this old cemetery as the stranger on Facebook described. A spiritual quality was there even in the way the trees bent in the wind. I snapped pictures but forgot the stranger’s name; when I saw that certain headstone, I knew it was her mother’s. A special good deed accomplished, I was about to make a get-away; somehow taking pictures in a reverent silent place bothered me. A man of rural authority approached. “I’m from NJ Discover TV,” I quickly stated and told the story of the woman Facebook stranger. Tom(the caretaker) asked if I’d like to learn cemetery history.

The marker of Ryers Crumal, the last Indian chief from the Sand Hill Nation, part of the historic Lenni Lenape Tribe, was inches away from my shoe, frozen in soft soil, afraid to move closer. Then Tom pointed to the far end of the cemetery where no graves were, yet one lone grave stood. James Miller, an African-American,(the only one buried there) without family or friends had died in 1901 and the church provided. “Would you like to meet Reverend Scott Brown now?” Meeting Reverend Brown was pure magic too. Later I sent the picture of her mother’s grave to the Facebook stranger( no more)who wrote a beautiful emotional thank you message.

Cemetery

Ryers Crummal

A few weeks ago I flicked the cable box at 11 PM and landed at the beginning of a movie, ‘Prom,’ made in 2011 for the generation or two after my 26 year old son. I thought saffron light and muffled sound from a somewhat (stretching) reasonably crafted movie on TV, might supply the thrust into my REM stage of sleep but instead I watched (in a fetal position) a remarkably predictable movie to within 120 seconds of the ending. Long haired rebellious boy gets pretty girl at prom. The morning after, I sought reasons for my viewing behavior; reasons are rationalizations; as a writer and reporter I need to be in tune and be able to reach culturally and substantively younger and younger generations. However I shall never write nor will I attempt to write a children’s book nor will I seek the nomination of my party for President of the United States. Lyndon Johnson said the same thing about running for office.

This Sunday morning I saw a travel commercial for historic and beautiful Turkey; people snorkeling in azure blue water then being served a tropical drink. It was really inviting. Then starkly and harshly, I conjured up images of the movie (I am an old movie guy. Give me ‘Casablanca’ and liberty) ‘Midnight Express,’ from 1978, about an American, Billy Hayes, imprisoned in Turkey for smuggling hashish; perhaps one of the most vivid movies I’ve ever seen and can’t seem to lose the imagery over these decades; the resilient power of movies.

James Miller 1901

Movies. Great lines. “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.” “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.” Robert Duvall in ‘Apocalypse Now.’ Streams of consciousness made me think. Just throw it all on a wall. So there’s a massive asteroid that could hit Earth in 2040. I see things; people running around in togas and being fed grapes from the fingers of nubile virgins or male instructors from work-out places where endless bikes are spinning and creating a gentle breeze with self- generated electricity. An ever changing sign across the street has gas at $19.99/gallon. Scientists are keeping a close eye on a big asteroid that may pose an impact threat to Earth in a few decades. The space rock, which is called 2011 AG5, is about 460 feet (140 meters) wide. It may come close enough to Earth in 2040 that some researchers are calling for a discussion about how to deflect it. Talk about the asteroid was on the agenda during the 49th session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), held earlier this month in Vienna. Ah ha. There’s (plug time) an interesting relevant novel ‘Vichy Water’ available on Kindle. Of course I wrote it and the name of this blog. The near-Earth asteroid 2011 AG5 currently has an impact probability of 1 in 625 for Feb. 5, 2040. And Rutgers will be playing Michigan in basketball that day. I’ll be sitting in the handicapped section but I don’t know why.

from movie SLEEPER Woody Allen 1973

Someday over the rainbow in that wonderful place called OZ, a company that makes a consumable, ingestible will come along and say their product actually does no good for the internal areas of a human being and will voluntarily withdraw their golden fleece (fleecing?) from the market. Perhaps I will be in a wheel chair in 2040 when cigarette companies cease and desist. Of course there’s Woody Allen’s movie, ‘Sleeper,’ which makes me laugh. Imagine waking up 500 years in the future, being unfrozen by a team of physicians only to realize they’re all smoking cigarettes and being told that it was finally proven it’s good for you.

caramel coloring in soda

Now take soda. With a father-in-law once in the soda business, I brushed my teeth with an endless cheap supply of it. The moment diet soda arrived; I joined and voraciously consumed even more. A notion to get into the soda manufacturing business passed after I measured the wrong amount of sugar so that a pitchfork was able to stand erect in the syrup vat. The other day Coke and Pepsi announced a reformulation of the caramel coloring additive or else use a cancer warning label. Someone authoritative said you’d have to consume 1000 cans per day to worry about cancer. Five years ago, I came to my senses and stopped all soda and switched to seltzer. By the way, folks who drink diet soft drinks on a daily basis may be at increased risk of suffering vascular events such as stroke, heart attack, and vascular death, according to a new study by the University of Miami Miller School Of Medicine and at Columbia University Medical Center. I want 150 years, still playing tennis and no more wire hangers or soda. Did I read about a Georgia state trooper using soda to wash blood stains off a highway? Good old phosphoric acid they use as a preservative. Maybe someday soda companies can package soda as a household cleaner or solvent. I’ll pose for free as a new modern senior citizen Mr. Clean with copious amounts of brown hair.

Steve Jobs has always been a hero. Then he passed and I’m reading his biography. Not such a hero anymore. Apple is now worth $500 billion; wealthier than many countries. Sitting on the dock of my jetty the other day in Belmar, after reading how Steve Jobs completely ignored his friend Daniel Kottke, his soul mate in college, in India, and in a rental house they shared, and then Jobs absolutely cut Kottke out of any chance to make a few dollars on an Apple IPO; I was dazed and confused for a brief jetty sitting moment. Gosh, Kottke was even with Jobs when they started Apple in a garage. Jobs did give his parents $750,000 dollars; how nice. But the jetty illuminated me. Some folks get it and some don’t and never will. To be charitable and take care of those close to you is a gift. Some folks never understand it’s a gift to gift to others. I see a scene from ‘Beetlejuice,’ with folks sitting and waiting for disposition.

An Asbury Park gin joint looks like the bar in the movie 'The Shining'? Maybe.

Perhaps a similar scene somewhere over Dorothy’s rainbow; people waiting in a going coming around spinning white room with white shag carpeting; if you drop an old faded penny, it disappears. Some of our species have qualities of charity and warmth to go through life with and some don’t. ‘Beetlejuice’ with a shrunken head scared me; another lasting visual like ‘Midnight Express.’ Some of these words are close to home and pound occasionally on left side of my cardiac chamber, causing severe compression and fake heart attack symptoms. Ah, but I’ll be in Asbury Park all throughout the week, exploring, meeting and stuffing as much of the ocean air into my lungs as I can manage. I won’t think about Jobs (Steve), or asteroids, cigarettes or soda. I’ll enjoy the moments the Jersey shore life afford, think about Dorothy and the fact there is no place like home while my Jobs Ipod plays, “Let it Be.”