I've written about what happened on 9/11 before (at least, from my distant perspective). No need to repeat that account (such as it was) here.
That date has become our generation's "date which will live in infamy," as well it should have done--The events of that day, and the horror, anger, fear and unity of nation they inspired, will never be forgotten.
Other significant events in history, minor and major, that happened on this date, however, have faded into the shadow of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and rural Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed.
Events like the foundation of the World Wildlife Fund in 1961. Or, on that same day in that same year, the first broadcast of Bozo's Circus, the Chicago children's show that would have an amazing run of just under 40 years. (Its 40th anniversary was, in fact, 9/11/01, but the show had been cancelled earlier that year and its last original broadcast, featuring Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins sining Bob Dylan's "forever Young," aired in June.)
Authors O. Henry and D.H. Lawrence were born on this date. So were directors Brian de Palma and Brad Bird, as well as actors Herbert Lom, Amy Madigan, Virginia Madsen and Kristy McNichol and music makers Moby and Ludacris.
Actors Lorne Greene, Jessica Tandy, Kim Hunter and John Ritter died on this date.
And Pete Rose broke Ty Cobb's all-time Major League hits record on this day 24 years ago.
Like I said--that terrible day in 2001 has forever marked this point in the calendar, and it will never be forgotten. Today has become a day of prayer, of reflection, of service to this country, of mourning. But in the midst of that reflection, I don't believe it's disrespectful to take a moment or two and recall other events--some happy or amusing, others far less so--that transpired on this date.
Showing posts with label Kristy McNichol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kristy McNichol. Show all posts
Friday, September 11, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
What Dreams May Come
My sleep patterns have been hosed for quite some time. I get very little sleep during the week (6 hours or less most nights), then oversleep on the weekends (10-12 hours each Saturday and Sunday, not including afternoon naps).
The last couple of nights, I've tried going to bed a lot earlier than usual. That way, I get the pre-sleep reading, tossing and turning out of the way and have a better chance at a full night's rest. Monday night, I went down just after eight; Tuesday, perhaps an hour later. Both nights, I fell asleep pretty quickly and very deeply.
When I fall asleep deeply, I dream. And because I went to bed so early, I had more than one highly detailed dream each night.
Some of the dreams I could do without, like the zombie nightmares or the "woman I used to love or lust or whatever" inscapes. (Anytime you want to do me a big wet favor and shut your trap, subconscious, I'd greatly appreciate it.) Others, however, are entertaining, if only because of their random weirdness, like the one I had last night about Kristy McNichol.
Kristy McNichol was a TV/movie star back in the '70s and '80s, when she won an Emmy for her role on Family, appeared in a Christmas episode of Starsky & Hutch and struggled to get a big-screen career on track with efforts like Little Darlings (a teen sex dramidy also starring Tatem O'Neal and Matt Dillon), The Pirate Movie (a blatant ripoff of The Pirates of Penzance) and White Dog (a Sam Fuller film that, because of its exploration of racism through the story of the titular canine, who's been trained to kill black people, was never properly released in the U.S. and only last year came out on DVD--thank you, Criterion Collection!). She was last seen as the youngest daughter on the sitcom Empty Nest; rumor has it that she's taught acting in the Los Angeles area.
I had a massive crush on Kristy back in the day. (What can I say--I went through a tomboy phase). I had a poster of her up in my bedroom, and yes, I had impure thoughts about her--teenage boys rarely have thoughts that are anything but. But I don't recall ever dreaming about her before--last night, though, I did.
Kristy was in one of those vertical malls--the kind that spread up rather than out--and was at a table on the ground level of the mall, signing photos and CDs advertising her comeback not as an actress, but as a singer. (Like nearly every other '70s teen actor, Kristy put out an album--in conjunction with her older brother, Jimmy--and like nearly other '70s teen-actor album, it's bloody awful.) I was riding down the escalators one by one, working my way toward the table where Kristy labored away at a pile of 8x10s with a black Sharpie all by herself--there was no one in line, and indeed no one else on that level of the mall but her--but I never quite reached the bottom before waking up.
What does the dream mean? Does it mean anything? Don't know. Don't care. It was just refreshing to have a guest star bopping around my nigh-nigh noggin who was actually welcome there.
The last couple of nights, I've tried going to bed a lot earlier than usual. That way, I get the pre-sleep reading, tossing and turning out of the way and have a better chance at a full night's rest. Monday night, I went down just after eight; Tuesday, perhaps an hour later. Both nights, I fell asleep pretty quickly and very deeply.
When I fall asleep deeply, I dream. And because I went to bed so early, I had more than one highly detailed dream each night.
Some of the dreams I could do without, like the zombie nightmares or the "woman I used to love or lust or whatever" inscapes. (Anytime you want to do me a big wet favor and shut your trap, subconscious, I'd greatly appreciate it.) Others, however, are entertaining, if only because of their random weirdness, like the one I had last night about Kristy McNichol.
Kristy McNichol was a TV/movie star back in the '70s and '80s, when she won an Emmy for her role on Family, appeared in a Christmas episode of Starsky & Hutch and struggled to get a big-screen career on track with efforts like Little Darlings (a teen sex dramidy also starring Tatem O'Neal and Matt Dillon), The Pirate Movie (a blatant ripoff of The Pirates of Penzance) and White Dog (a Sam Fuller film that, because of its exploration of racism through the story of the titular canine, who's been trained to kill black people, was never properly released in the U.S. and only last year came out on DVD--thank you, Criterion Collection!). She was last seen as the youngest daughter on the sitcom Empty Nest; rumor has it that she's taught acting in the Los Angeles area.
I had a massive crush on Kristy back in the day. (What can I say--I went through a tomboy phase). I had a poster of her up in my bedroom, and yes, I had impure thoughts about her--teenage boys rarely have thoughts that are anything but. But I don't recall ever dreaming about her before--last night, though, I did.
Kristy was in one of those vertical malls--the kind that spread up rather than out--and was at a table on the ground level of the mall, signing photos and CDs advertising her comeback not as an actress, but as a singer. (Like nearly every other '70s teen actor, Kristy put out an album--in conjunction with her older brother, Jimmy--and like nearly other '70s teen-actor album, it's bloody awful.) I was riding down the escalators one by one, working my way toward the table where Kristy labored away at a pile of 8x10s with a black Sharpie all by herself--there was no one in line, and indeed no one else on that level of the mall but her--but I never quite reached the bottom before waking up.
What does the dream mean? Does it mean anything? Don't know. Don't care. It was just refreshing to have a guest star bopping around my nigh-nigh noggin who was actually welcome there.
Friday, January 30, 2009
The Month in Photos: January 2009
Let it never be said that i don't learn at least some small things from experience: After waiting almost exactly a year to download the photos on my digital camera onto a CD, I waited less than a month to do so again. So here, for your viewing pleasure, is a random assortment of the images thus captured and preserved. Enjoy.
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