So like, it happened like this…I gotta give you some background on this.  The story should begin in August…you see it actually must have been over a period of time, really.  All summer long I was busy out in the garden and so great was my level of activity, I was able to take the entire summer off from walking my 3 to 5 miles a day 4 to 6 days a week.  I got on the scale in August and was a very comfortable 190 lbs.  “Looking good” I smiled in the mirror and “feeling better,” I said in my head.  So at the end of October when I stepped on the scale again and I was up to 195, I wasn’t too surprised because I knew things had slowed down.  I decided to take it easy during the holidays, enjoy myself but not go crazy, and try to not hit 200.

So, I sit here today, at the Davison Precinct in Detroit, being questioned as to why I shot my bathroom scale.  I have been read my rights and I thought it prudent to waive my request to have a lawyer present.  I wasn’t going to be here too long.  I was confident that everybody would understand my side of the story.

Detective Hill:   Uh, Mr. Littsey, this shouldn’t take too long.  Uh, may I call you Arthur?

Me:   Sure, no problem…just don’t call me Art okay? (always Arthur never Art)

Detective Hill:   (stifling a smile) Right Ar—thur!  So, can you tell me what happened?

Me:   Yes, of course.  I got up and for some reason felt that today would be a good day to step on the old scale to see how much or how little damage was done over the holidays.  I remembered hearing a local news reporter claim that we can get our metabolism up and running by drinking a glass of cold water first thing in the morning…burns calories or something…so I thought that would be a good time to check my weight.  I pulled the scale out and stepped on it and I was totally shocked by the images shown on the digital dial.  My first thought was something was wrong.  So I started peeling articles of clothing off until I was standing there in my “tidy whiteys” and to my further amazement the numbers had changed only slightly…like only by an ounce or two.

Detective Hill:   You’re not going to tell me that this is all about some pounds that you might have…

Me:    (Interrupting) Of course this is more than that, may I continue?

Detective Hill:   Yes, you may.

Me:   I recalled that I had a problem with the scales’ accuracy earlier in the year and it was a fiend on batteries.  So I attempted to change the batteries.  First, because I lacked the right sized screwdriver it took me nearly 10 minutes to get the damn machine open.  Second, I didn’t have extra batteries on hand so I had to go out in the rain to the all-night Rite-Aid to get some.   Third, after installing the new batteries (which are not cheap mind you) I stripped down and stepped back on the scale to see that yes, the first reading was off by 2 pounds…Doggone it, I was now 2 pounds heavier than I was 45 minutes ago.  So I had no choice but to do what I did.

Detective Hill:   You had no choice?

Me:   Yes, I shot it!  I shot the dadgum contraption, YES I DID!  I shot it for lyin’!!!

Detective Hill:   For lyin’?

Me:   You’re damn right I did.  Oh, I believed it when I was at 190 and I believed it when I was 195 but there ain’t no way in…

Detective Hill:   Art…Arthur

Me:   It was lyin’…it had to be lyin’…and there was only one thing I could do.  You understand don’t you?

Detective Hill:   I believe I do, I have been married for 45 years so I have a pretty good idea as for what you are going through.  It actually has a name…  “Post-Holiday something or other”…my wife knows all about it.

Me:   (whimpering)  I-I-I h-had t-to d-do itttttt.  Somebody had to stop it.  It would have lied to anybody…my mother, my sisters, my friends…why Officer Hill, I think it would’ve even lied to you!

Detective Hill:   Oh Yeah…heh-heh-heh, I am sure of that…heh-heh-heh.  The report here says that you used a shotgun?

Me:   Well I wanted to make sure it would be all over when I was through.  At first I thought about using a 22 but all that was going to do was leave a little hole.  I had other options like a 44 or 357 magnum, but since I couldn’t remember Clint Eastwood’s lines in Dirty Harry, I decided not to use either one.  The shotgun for some reason felt just right…it kinda spoke to me (Happiness is a Warm Gun), so I loaded up both barrels and fired away.

Detective Hill:   The report says you fired four shots!

Me:   Yup, 4 shots was all I had.  I wanted to make sure that that doggone contraption would lie no more…to anybody.  BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!  Done!!!!!

Detective Hill:   Welllllllll Art, here’s what we are going to do.  Since you didn’t shoot at anybody and the only damage is to your property we are basically going to let you off on those charges.  But you will be put on probation and while you are on probation you are going to be put on a diet.  No more snacking at inappropriate times of the day.  You will be required to keep a journal of what you eat, when you eat and how much you have eaten.  Additionally, weather-permitting, you will walk 2 – 3 miles a day 3 to 4 days a week AND ride your exercise bike on the days you do not walk.  Start at 10 minutes and work yourself up to a minimum of 30 minutes/6 miles a day.  Lastly, you will perform aerobic exercises for 30 minutes at least 4 days a week.

There will also be a change in your diet over the next few months.  At least one day a week will be devoted to vegetarian foods only.  Integrate different forms of pasta, more brown rice and whole-grains.  We are going to ask you to take a hard look at your salt consumption.  Sodium is everywhere so you need to be careful how much you eat over a normal day.  You are back to the “weekend-only egg breakfast,” we have video of you at McDonald’s ordering their breakfast burritos…Man you really like those don’t you?  There will be no more of that and no more than 2.5 ounces of processed/prepared meats a day.  How are you fixed on soups?  Do you like soups?

Me:   Yes, I do!  Right now I have homemade pea soup, Great Northern bean cassoulet w/ham, vegetarian vegetable, meatball w/roasted vegetables and turkey w/roasted vegetables soups in my freezer.  A couple of quarts of each!

Detective Hill:   Good!  You will be eating a lot of soup for a while!  How much protein do you get a day?

Me:   Protein?

Detective Hill:   Yeah, you know…meat?

Me:   Not counting the paltry amount you allow me at lunch I guess I will be going for about 2 to 4 ounces a meat a day, eh?

Detective Hill:   Uh, Art…I think that will be okay…just keep…

Me:   I thought I told you not to call me Art!

Detective Hill:   Okay, Arthur just keep your protein amount to something around that.  No fried foods, okay?  Do you think you can handle this?

Me:   Un-uh…Okay!

Detective Hill:   Oh there’s one last thing…we want you to wear this…

Me:   BANG!!!!!

Some Good Links For You To Check Out To Get 2012 Off To A Great Start!

WebMD

http://www.webmd.com/diet/food-fitness-planner/default.htm?ecd=wnl_fit_123011

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/ss/slideshow-no-gym-workout?ecd=wnl_dia_010312

“Happiness Is A Warm Gun”

words and music by

John Lennon & Paul McCartney 

You probably don’t know that there are 86,400 seconds in a day.  Which equates to 1,440 minutes.  So in the typical 30-day month this means that there are 2,592,000 seconds or 43,200 minutes or 720 hours.  So let’s take a look at what this means by the numbers:

Month                         Seconds                  Minutes                        Hours

November                   2,592,000                    43,200                           720

December                  2,678,400                    44,640                            744

January                      2,678,400                    44,640                            744

February*                   2,505,600                    41,760                             696

March                        2,678,400                    44,640                             744

Total                        13,132,800                    218,880                                3,648

*Leap Year/29 days

There’s 13,132,800 seconds or 218,880 minutes or 3,648 hours or 152 days or 5 months before I can start the process of planting something in the ground again.  WHAT TO DO…WHAT TO DO…WHAT TO DO!?!?!

Well let me tell you what I’m a gonna do!  I ain’t gonna wait until April to plant no stinkin’ seeds.  I’ve got a “garden jones” and I am  “jonesing” bad!  Can’t wait…no sir…no ma’am…no how!  NO KIDDING!

I am going to grow herbs indoors!  That’s right indoors!  I will deal with my habit by growing herbs that I will be able to use in the kitchen to give my meals that “just-picked” taste.  So while the snow is drifting up against the windows, I will be growing herbs right on my windowsills.  And for those of you that might be interested, I am going to provide you with a few smart tips and techniques* you can use to keep them all healthy and happy until you, like me, can plant outside again.

Basil

You can start Basil from seeds and place the pots in a south-facing window.  Basil likes a lot of sun and warmth.

Bay

A perennial that grows well in the pot in an east- or west-facing window.  Be sure you don’t crowd the plant, as it needs good air circulation to remain healthy

Chervil

Start Chervil seeds in late summer (I should have started this one earlier I guess).  It grows well in low light but needs temperatures between 65 degrees F and 70 degrees F to thrive.

Chives

Dig up a clump of Chives from your garden (this I can still do) at the end of the growing season and pot it up.  Leave the pot outside until the leaves die back.  In early winter, move the pot to your coolest indoor spot (such as a basement) for a few days, then finally to your brightest window.

Oregano

Your best bet is to start with a tip cutting from an outdoor Oregano plant.  Place the pot in a south-facing window.

Parsley

You can start this herb from seeds or dig up a clump from your garden at the end of the season.  Parsley likes full sun, but will grow slowly in an east- or west-facing window.

Rosemary

Start with a cutting of Rosemary, and keep it in moist soil-less mix until it roots.  It grows best in a south-facing window.

Sage

Take a tip cutting from an outdoor plant to start an indoor Sage.  It tolerates dry, indoor air well, but it needs the strong sun it will get in a south-facing window.

Tarragon

A dormant period in late fall or early winter is essential for Tarragon to grow indoors.  Pot up a mature plant from your outdoor garden and leave it outside until the leaves die back.  Bring it to your coolest indoor spot for a few days, then place it in a south-facing window for as much sun as possible.  Feed well with an organic liquid fertilizer.

Thyme

You can start Thyme indoors either by rooting a soft tip cutting or by digging up and potting an outdoor plant.  Thyme likes full sun but will grow in an east- or west-facing window.

Rooting a Cutting

Many herbs – including oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sage – are best propagated for indoor growing by taking a cutting from an existing outdoor plant.  To do it, snip off a 4-inch section, measured back from the tip.  Strip off the lower leaves and stick the stem into a moist soil-less mix, such as perlite and/or vermiculite.  To ensure good humidity, cover with glass or clear plastic, and keep the growing medium-moist.

Water, Light and Temperature

Most herbs like to be well watered but don’t like wet feet.  That’s why good drainage is important.  Water when the top of the container feels dry, or learn to judge the moisture in the soil by the weight of the pot.  Add sand or vermiculite to the potting soil to ensure good drainage.

An herb in a clay pot in a south-facing window will need more water than one in a plastic pot in an east- or west-facing window.  If the light is low, keep the temperature low as well

Pest Prevention

Choose the soil for your indoor herbs carefully.  A good commercial potting soil is fine, or for a deluxe mix, blend one part potting soil with one part vermiculite, perlite, or sand (or a mixture of all three).

Resist the temptation to use disease- and pest-prone garden soil.  When you pot up garden-grown plants, remove as much of the garden soil as possible without damaging the roots.

Separate outdoor transplants from your other houseplants while you acclimate them to being indoors.  If you see insects on a plant during this “quarantine,” leave them outdoors.

If, despite such defenses, your indoor plants do come under insect attack, help the herbs stay healthy by providing the correct mix of light and temperature, and give them regular baths.  A plant weakened by hot, dry indoor conditions is even more susceptible to spider mites, whitefly, or aphid damage than a healthy one.

If you choose to use soap sprays to control these pests, remember that the wet spray must come in direct contact with the insect to be effective.  Spray in the evening (and never in bright sunlight) to prevent rapid drying, and wash off the residues the next day (or before eating the leaves).  Don’t spray very young seedlings with soap!

For more information about the material presented here, please go to www.organicgardening.com.  I encourage you to sign up for their newsletter where you will get articles like this and a whole lot more.  There is no better source for organic gardening information that Organic Gardening!

*Original Content by Organic Gardening Magazine/Newsletter

• 10 Best Herbs for Indoors
• Smart Techniques for Growing Herbs Indoors

So deal with I did.  I posted pictures in a previous blog that showed what my garden looked like at a couple of stages this year.  At the time the pictures were taken, I was hopeful but I really wasn’t expecting much, not like last year.  Last year was fantastic…an exceptional year.  What made me more than a little concerned was that I had signed up for a program with the Garden Resource Program (The Greening of Detroit) to weigh my harvested produce.  When I signed up for this initiative I did so because of last year’s success.  But with the way things had started this year I was having some regrets and doubts very early on.

Every day I worked out in the garden, I thought of myself as a “sodbuster”, in the traditional sense.  On the rainy days I got soaked to the bone!  On the hot days I sweated like a pig!  Either way I looked like someone had thrown buckets of water on me.  One day my mother said, “Arthur, what have you been doing…you’re BLACK”!  I had to laugh for maybe my mom didn’t know that black folks tanned.  But there I was with a farmer’s tan…neck, shoulders, arms and the bottom half of my legs (I usually wore shorts when working in the garden).  My long hours working in the garden, in the sun, evoked memories and images in my mind of cotton fields and cabbage patches worked by sharecroppers back in the day.  The things I read about in history books or works of fiction were what I was living presently…day in and day out.

Lest you think that I am being overly dramatic, there is a real connection to the past here…the way we all used to live.  Being a post-war baby…a baby boomer…I can recall the days when everybody had a garden in his or her yard.  You lived off of your efforts to grow things.  If you grew tomatoes…you canned them!   If you grew beans…you pickled them!  If you had fruit trees…you made jams or pies!  We had cabbage plants, carrots, peas, cucumbers; you name it…you grew things because you had to…everybody lived off of the land.  Black, White, Asian…Martian or Venutian…you worked your garden because it was in your DNA.  History compelled you to do so.  And now 50 some odd years later, I was carrying on the tradition.  I never thought about it…never thought I would…but I was out there.  Watering plants by hand, not with a hose hooked to a faucet, to save money and resources.  Pulling and hoeing weeds…gardening organically, without the use of pesticides.  Fighting off the varmints…squirrels, birds and rabbits, fending off the damage they could and would do on a daily basis.  There were a lot of moments where I thought, “How did they handle all of these negative factors…the rain, the heat, weeds, the insects, the varmints?”  How did they survive these daily, weekly or season-long challenges?  How did they do it?  They would Deal With It…that’s all they could do…deal with it.  And so did I!

Around the beginning of July, several of the plants started to show signs of bearing fruit and I harvested my first vegetable from the garden.  It was Romaine Lettuce.  We had it as part of our Fourth of July celebratory meal.  Not too long after that, my onions were ready.  I was kind of surprised that the onions were ready so soon, but I guess because of the extreme heat we had in June, a lot of vegetables matured at an accelerated pace.  We had a big storm around July 11^th and several of my tomato plants were knocked over.  The bush beans were flooded and potted plants were blown away.  But you know what I did, don’t you?

Around July 14^th things started to come around.  The beans came back from the storm damage and though it looked some of the plants growth (cucumbers, zucchini and squash) was stunted due to the excessive heat, there were signs that things would be okay.  On July 19^th I harvested my first batch of bush beans and the garden took off from there.  Before the end of the month I was picking beans, cucumbers, lettuces and tomatoes and at the beginning of the month of August, I was adding all types peppers and squash to the list.

I kept planting beans throughout the summer and ultimately those efforts paid off.  Before that garden was done, I had planted four successions of Contender and Provider bush beans along with Cherokee Yellow Wax Beans.  My pole beans were a victim of the summer heat as they flowered quickly and then just died without producing anything.  But everything else just flourished.  It seemed that every day it didn’t rain I was picking stuff from the garden.  My “yard of plenty” was giving me plenty to share with family, friends and neighbors.  Some of the biggest tomatoes I have ever grown.  The fleshiest and tastiest beans, the sweetest cucumbers and peppers that were both hot and sweet.  Even my first year test of growing tomatillos was showing signs of success.  Since I was weighing everything I harvested, I was surprised to see at the end of the month that I had harvested 60 pounds of produce.  WOW!

September was even better!  This time last year I was fighting a losing battle with the squirrels that lived in the trees around my yard.  I was talking to a friend about the garden and pest control when he asked me how much had I lost to the squirrels this year.  I thought about it for a minute and said that I had lost between 1 to 2% of this year’s yield up to then.  It sounded so insignificant when compared to last year when I spent hours every day chasing the varmints from my yard and was unable to stop them from feeding two or three times a day.  His remark was to SHUT THE F**K UP!  I wasn’t just getting by…I was getting over!  And he was right.  September was even better than August when it came time for me to audit what I harvested for the month.  On September 15 I had harvested a total of 117.66 pounds (August/September combined) and the final tally for the month showed that I had harvested 166.84 pounds.  I had harvested over 100 pounds during the month of September.  The breakdown was:

Category

• Leaf/Greens            10.6 lbs.
• Cabbage/Broccoli            8.4 lbs.
• Beans              16.4 lbs.
• Squash/Zucchini/Cucumbers            20.06 lbs.
• Tomatoes            82.09 lbs.
• Tomatillos            7.13 lbs.
• Peppers            12.55 lbs.
• Onions            9.0 lbs
• Herbs              1.0 lbs

Total                           166.84 lbs.

For October, though the numbers are incomplete, to date I have harvested 63.31 pounds of produce.  I have harvested everything I can but still have quite a few tomatoes and tomatillos on the vine, along with broccoli, which has several shoots on each remaining plant.  So by my count I am well over 200 pounds and I just might, if I don’t get hit by a hard frost before the end of next week, reach 250 pounds.

So in spite of all my worrying…hand wringing…cries of despair, I have had a truly remarkable year.  What an effort…what a great yield!  I learned a lot form gardening this year but the most important lesson I learned was…no matter what comes up…meet it head on…and just Deal With It.  You may be real surprised as to way things turn out!

Ode To The End Of Summer

Summer, adieu

Adieu gregarious season

Goodby, ‘revoir, farewell

Now day, comes late; now chiller blows the breeze on

Forsaken beach and boarded-up hotel

Now wild geese fly together in thin lines

And Tourist Homes take down their lettered signs

It fades—this green this lavish interval

This time of flowers and fruits,

Of melon ripe along the orchard wall,

Of sun and sails and wrinkled linen suits;

Time when the world seems rather plus than minus

And pollen tickles the allergic sinus

Now fugitives to farm and shore and highland

Cancel their brief escape.

The Ferris wheel is quiet at Coney Island

And quaintness trades no longer on the Cape;

While meek-eyed parents hasten down the ramps

To greet their offspring, terrible from camps.

Turn up the steam.  The year is growing older.

The maple boughs are red.

Summer, farewell.  Farewell the sunburnt shoulder

Farewell the peasant kerchief on the head,

Farewell the thunderstorm, complete with lightning,

And the white shoe that ever needth whitening

Farewell, vacation friendships, sweet but tenuous

Ditto to slacks and shorts,

Farewell, O strange compulsion to be strenuous

Which sends us forth to death on tennis courts. 

Farewell, Mosquito, horror of our nights;

Clambakes, iced tea, and transatlantic flights.

The zinnia withers, mortal as the tulip

Now from the dripping glass

I’ll sip no more the amateur mint julep

Nor dine al fresco on the alien grass;

Nor scale the height nor breast the truculent billow

Nor lay my head on any weekend pillow.

Unstintingly I yield myself to Autumn

And Equinoctial sloth.

I hide my swim suit in the bureau’s bottom

Nor fear the fury of the after-moth

Forswearing porch and pool and beetled garden,

My heart shall rest, my arteries shall harden.

Welcome, kind Fall, and every month with ‘r’ in

Whereto my mind is bent.

Come, sedentary season that I star in,

O fire-lit Winter of my deep content!

Amid the snow, the sleet, the blizzard’s raw gust

I shall be cozier than I was in August.

Safe from the picnic sleeps the unlittered dell,

The last Good Humor sounds its final bell

And all is silence.

Summer, farewell, farewell.

By Phyllis McGinley

Lastly, a special thanks to all of the people of the Garden Resource Program.  Lindsay, Kido, Carmen, Tepfirah, Eitan and all of the rest…thank you for your kind and generous support.  See Y’all Next Year!

Back when I was a kid (during the 1950’s and 60’s) it seemed like there was so much to do…so many things to experience.  Wages were low but there apparently was an adequate tax base that enabled the city fathers/planners, board members, etc., to extend a hand to make sure that as a people, black or white, we were not culturally or socially deprived.  We could go on and on…round and round…about what’s wrong, how things went wrong and the despair that grips our communities but at the end of the day, not too much will be done.  Thankfully, there are those who’d rather not just talk about the problems, but would rather solve them and one of those individuals is Ron Jackson.

Many of the readers of this piece may have heard about Ron and the various projects he has developed.  There’s Ron Jackson Entertainment, where he operates as a Disc Jockey, providing a range of entertainment services such as live music, mobile disc jockeying, videotaping, photography, karaoke, ballroom dancing. Hustle instructions, African Dance groups and consulting for special events.  With this he has worked with such notable organizations like Vista Maria, Urban League, NAACP, COTS, Focus Hope, Southfield Delta Sigma Theta, Black United Fund, Ford Motor Co., Barat House, Detroit Public Library, Detroit Science Center, DSO, Wayne County Community College, and New Detroit.  He has performed at schools, recreation centers, nursing homes, senior citizens and weddings of all shapes, sizes and flavors.  He is a very busy and in demand artist.

But what really gets his motor running…his deepest pleasure is the Peoples Creative Ensemble.  It is here that Ron feels he is doing his best work.  For Ron this is more than a hobby or another way to fill his already filled day. 

The Peoples Creative Ensemble is a mission and in his words a spiritual quest that is “God’s plan” for him to pursue on the behalf of anybody and everybody that has not had the access to the things that he and many of the fortunate have experienced in their lifetime.

Peoples Creative Ensemble (PCE) was founded in 1983.  Its mission is to “provide individuals without music education prerequisites exposure to performing arts education, social programming and to showcase indigenous music and other genres”.   Initially, he started with just three programs…

• Hustle for the Heart and Ballroom for the Body – a health education program that extols the benefit of dancing to maintain a healthy body and mind.
• Music For Special People – A program for the general community with an emphasis on youth, seniors and the physically/mentally challenged
• Chance to Choose Youth Touring Program – a program that gives youth the opportunity to act out their aggressions on stage instead of in the streets with a gun.

But as times have changed, definitely not for the better, the demands for these programs and others, along with the benefits they provide have increased significantly.  Forget the political rhetoric of today, because we are all affected, and we all need to do whatever we can to make the most of these hard times.

Recognizing that since the financial crisis that hit our nation charitable donations are down across the board, Ron is looking for help and support in other ways, Ron says…

• If you are a musician…call Ron
• If you are an artist…call Ron
• If you are an actor…call Ron
• If you are a dancer…call Ron
• If you are a health instructor…call Ron
• If you can teach…call Ron

If there is any way you can help…at any level…call Ron.  And…if all you can do is write a check…make a donation…large or small…CALL RON!  Your help and support will not be refused or rejected.  Our communities need the programs that Ron is trying to provide via the Peoples Creative Ensemble and Ron needs you!  Call Ron…do it…today…right now!

Peoples Creative Ensemble (PCE) is a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization; therefore your donation will be tax deductible.  Contact PCE via phone (313) 341-6981 or (313) 758-9476 or via email info@pcedetroit.org 

People typically know the name of Ron Jackson because of his musical abilities.  Yes, this is the Ron Jackson that as a trumpeter has more than 30 years of experience playing a variety of music.  As a sideman he has played Jazz, Oldies, Gospel, Blues, Motown, R&B, and Reggae.  He has played with such notable Detroit artists like The Spinners, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, The Miracles, Gladys Knight and the Pips, the Contours, the Supremes, Aretha Franklin, the Clark Sisters, Parliament-Funkadelic as well as Joe Tex, Bobby Blue Bland, Millie Jackson, Carl Carlton, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, the O’Jays, the Chi-lites, the Dramatics, Chuck Jackson, Lou Rawls, Tom Jones and the great Sammy Davis Jr.  He has played with the crème-de-la-crème of musical entertainers and has no intention of slowing down.

Evoking the words of Charlton Heston, Ron says with a laugh, “You will have to pry my trumpet from my cold dead hands!”  Ron is ready to play with anyone, anywhere and at a moments notice.

But it is not playing the trumpet that gets his juices flowing nowadays.  Though he stills loves and wants to play, Ron believes that he now has a higher calling.  A slim and healthy 65 year old, Ron is using his skills to engage and motivate others to lead healthy lifestyles.  Ron feels that one of the best activities one can do to maintain a healthy lifestyle is to dance.  Not surprisingly, many health studies and officials tend to agree with him.  And to that point Ron gives hustle and ballroom dance lessons for mature adults and others five days a week.  He holds classes at Farwell Recreation Center, the Redford Community Center, ELKS Lounge and Trinity Faith United Methodist Church (for a complete schedule of dates/times/addresses go to www.ronjacksonent.com).

Dance class students "bustin' a move"!

I have personally attended his lessons and though I have not yet joined in the festivities, I can see how much fun he and his students of all ages are having.  His teaching style is pretty simple as he stands in front of the classroom, demonstrating the various steps or moves to the group and then once the music begins he moves smoothly around the floor giving individual attention to those that need it.  His patient manner is almost seductive as the unskilled dancers became skilled (or something close to that) right before my eyes.  It is probably just a matter of time before this old “foot breaker” will be on the dance floor moving with the grace and ease of a Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly and preparing for a casting call to join “Dancing With the Stars”.

You would think that after all of the performances he has done and with his advancing years, Ron would be ready to sit in a rocker on the porch and let the shining sun warm his face.  “Not so”, says Ron!  The beat within him remains strong and he finds much enjoyment by being active.  Besides the dance lessons he also works as a disc jockey.  When conducting his classes he has come upon yet another bonus, and that is being able to teach the young how to do these dances.  With so much attention on learning the hip-hop style of “free form” dancing, many of today’s youth do not know how to dance cheek-to-cheek…face-to-face socially with a partner.  When asked how he feels about all of the rump shaking that goes for dancing today, Ron just shakes his head and says it doesn’t take any real talent to do that kind of stuff.  When you look at the diverse age group of some of his sessions that is something that the old as well as the young agree upon.

Ron would like to collaborate on an ongoing basis with one of the healthcare companies or hospitals in the area.  He would like to put together a program that incorporates elements of an approved health program.  He has started to bring a scale and keep a log on the progress some of his students have made losing weight.  “If Kirstie Alley and Marie Osmond can dance the pounds away and keep them off, so can you”, Ron says with his easy smile.  “In fact, I can’t think of a better or more socially entertaining way to do it”.  And you know what?  Neither can I!

Ron...Smooth as Silk!

If you or a group would be interested in joining/starting a dance program or hiring a disc jockey for an event contact Ron by phone at 313-758-9476 (cell) or by email djron45@yahoo.com.  His office is located at 11000 W. McNichols, Suite 100, Detroit MI 48221

“Back in the Saddle Again” by Gene Autry

It was a cool September morning, when the truck pulled into the driveway.  After a brief greeting, a handshake and a hug we loaded up the truck and were on our way.  It was a three-hour drive to our destination and we were anxious to get there.  It had been several years since the last onstage performance of the original members of the locally relevant band Code Blue and though we were very familiar and comfortable with each other’s ability there was still a feeling of uncertainty in the air.  The plan was to perform as a quartet, but just a day before the performance, the keyboardist, my brother Isaac “Little Top” Littsey, had taken ill and would not be up to taking the trip.  Such is the life of a working musician; you know the old saying…“The Show Must Go On!”

The time spent on the road was filled with reminiscing and not-so-tall-tales about people we hadn’t seen in awhile and performances from way back when.  Tom Mayer, our drummer who had returned from a long sojourn in Paris, France, regaled me with some of his experiences as an American working overseas.  His French was better than some peoples English and though he had a wonderful time you could tell he was glad to be back home.  So glad, that we compared his return to that of a returning war veteran.  There were so many friends and acquaintances to see, it was a bit of a challenge to spend time with his parents, Carl and Margaret and his sister Amy.  Soon the tour would be over and he would be able to settle into a normal routine once again.

When we finally arrived at the home of our bass player John Adams, we are all smiles.  John, who is a great cook, had the grill going and our pre-gig meal was almost finished.  I had to take a quick look at his garden, it’s twice the size of mine, and received a quick dose of “pepper envy”.  His peppers, as with most of what he was growing, were big and fat…just ripe for picking!  Row upon row of vegetables…beans, tomatoes, squash, beets, lettuces, herbs…you name it, growing quite impressively in his garden.  Tom thought it was pretty funny that we could go from businessmen to musicians to gardeners in a matter of seconds.  Maybe it is because of our shared backgrounds…we all work in advertising, we love to perform and we have a real appreciation for the beauty of nature. We are able to move back and forth from one mutual interest to another with relative ease.

After dinner, which was simple yet tasty, we create the set list for the night’s performance.  I was going to use the guitar of our recently departed friend and John’s brother-in-law Rob Finney, a mahogany Fender Telecaster, as a simple tribute/dedication.  Plus, this style or model of guitar was the instrument of preference of one of my heroes, the late and great Muddy Waters!  Knowing that we were going to be onstage for approximately two hours we had a lot of songs to choose from and settled on doing a classic blues set with the typical Code Blue-style twists.  The songs were:

• Help Me
• Boom Boom
• Highway 49
• Spoonful
• Tin Pan Alley
• Hucklebuck
• Louisiana Blues
• Evil
• Rock Me Baby
• The Same Thing
• Wee Wee Baby
• How Many More Years
• Wang Dang Doodle
• Mannish Boy

We were doing material by all of the greats…Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker and B.B. King.  We hoped to entertain and we did!

When we got into the beautiful town of Niles, Michigan we were greeted by the promoter of the concert and were given several copies of that day’s newspaper.  There we were on the front page of the town’s paper (just below the fold) with a nice story about the band.  Here it is in its entirety…

“Blues band wraps up Thursday night concerts!”

“The last Thursday night free concert of the season, blues band Code Blue, will play from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Niles Riverfront Amphitheater.

Originally a five-piece blues band that was launched in the late 1980’s, Code Blue virtually from the very start has been a featured performing act and has played most of the major blues rooms and festivals in southeast Michigan.

Featuring the voice and guitar work (lead guitar and slide) of “Little Brother Arthur David” Littsey, the band is known for its hard driving “Chicago-influenced” style of blues.  Arthur’s growl will remind listeners of either Louis Armstrong or the Howlin’ Wolf, and his guitar will either take concert-goers along the banks of the Mississippi, the cotton fields of the delta or the smoke filled barrooms of Bourbon Street.

But this band is not “Little Brother Arthur David” by himself.  Much has been said and written about the dynamic rhythm section of Johnny “Ace” Adams on bass guitar and Tommy “Tomcat” Mayer on the drums.  Very reminiscent of the tight sound of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s sidemen “Double Trouble” (Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton), these two provide the foundation that propels the sound of Code Blue like a train dieseling down the track.

An added treat for at any performance is Isaac “Little Top” Littsey on keyboards.  Isaac is the older brother of “Little Brother” and is more or less responsible for giving Arthur his stage name.  “Little Top” follows in the tradition of another great keyboardist, namely Booker T. Jones (of the MGs).  His rich Hammond organ sound clearly adds another ingredient to the mix turning it all into a rich “blues stew” that is not only tasty, but very funky too.”

When we were introduced we received a few humorous comments about being a Detroit-based blues band with a “Chicago” style or sound and continued to confused the audience by playing the songs in a way that showed tremendous understanding and respect for the genre but not a note-by-note reproduction of the material.  Each song was given a warm applause, hopefully not just because of the audience’s familiarity with the material but for our interpretations.  Since we had practiced as a quartet, playing as a three piece made us think and perform each song differently than what was planned.  But at the end of the night we were as happy about our performance as the audience was.  In fact, we were even asked to do an encore…“I’ve Got My Mojo Working”.  Code Blue had it’s mojo workin’ and we can’t wait to crank it up again soon! 

 “Back In The Saddle” by Aerosmith

“All we are asking is that the “transporters” meet some minimal expectations, like having a bus that can transport at least 25 people and it meets all of the standards required by the city and/or state (valid licensed driver, insurance, inspection certification).  We will pay $100.00 per trip, according to Mazin Shina, the owner of Imperial.  There are no restrictions as to how many trips per day or week…we will pay.”  No minimum purchases required either!  That could add up to a tidy sum for any enterprising church that is looking for ways to pay off some of its debts or is just looking for another reason to do something good for the community.  It is a win-win-win situation…for the church, the community and the stores!

Mazin Shina owner of Imperial Supermarket in Detroit

The group of stores represents 4 non-competitive territories of the city, basically covering the northwest side (7 Mile & Evergreen), the north central (8 Mile & Conant), east central (Caniff & Mound) and south central (Schaefer & Lyndon).  Therefore it should be very easy to find partners for the program as word gets out about the program.

“We feel it will be important to help the people shop within their existing neighborhoods where they are most comfortable.  They know our people…our employees; they are their neighbors and friends, too.  Anything that we can do to ensure that our customers are happy is a good thing, especially when the weather starts to change and it will be hard for anybody to get around.”

“So people get ready”!  Let’s get those buses rollin’!  If you are an official with a church and want to get involved in this program all you have to do is contact Arthur Littsey at (313) 369-1710 or at littsey.arthur@sbcglobal.net and if you are a reader address this article with your church leaders to see if they or a church that they know that is qualified can become part of this very important initiative.  The opportunities has been defined and presented and now the solution is in your hands.

Golden French Fries...Yummy!

Now that summer is nearly over and if you are like me you are settling in for the fall/winter seasons.  Not being as active, how do I deal with my little calorie-rich cravings that I won’t be able to burn off as quickly?  Well, fortunately for me I received in the mail a little gift from the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline a helpful item called the “Craving Converter”©.  It’s a set of flash cards that I can keep handy to use at a moments notice.  The Craving Converter gives you delicious, healthy choices when cravings seem uncontrollable and these healthy alternatives are approved by a registered dietician.  The information I am sharing you can find in more detail at CravingConverter.com.

Sweet Spot

When you crave………………Enjoy………

Ice Cream……………………Berries and Cream

Chocolate……………………Chocolate-covered Strawberries

Brownies…………………….Cupcakes

Shake the Salt

When you crave………………Enjoy………

French Fries…………………..Carrot Fries

Potato Chips…………………..Soy Crisps

Corn Chips…………………….Sliced Cucumbers, lightly salted with salsa

Crackers w/cheese…………..Melba Toast and low-fat American cheese

Munch ‘n Crunch

When you crave………………Enjoy………

Corn Flakes……………….….All-bran Cereal

Popcorn………………………..3 cups light microwave popcorn

Nuts……………………………Almonds and peanuts

Tortilla Chips………………….Sliced Cucumbers, lightly salted with salsa

Rice Crispy Cereal………….Cinnamon-flavored puffed cereal (2/3 cup)

Cheers!

When you crave………………Enjoy………

Wine……………………………4 oz. wine with sodium-free club soda

Café Latte, Café Mocha……Iced coffee or hot coffee with fat-free or low-fat milk and sugar-free syrups.

Fill Me Up

When you crave………………Enjoy………

Meat Lasagna………………..Vegetarian Lasagna

Meatloaf……………………….Turkey Meatloaf

Mashed Potatoes…………….Creamy mashed Cauliflower

Beef Tacos……………………Chicken Tacos

On the Go

When you crave………………Enjoy………

Cheese Pizza………………..Thin-crust Pizza

Bacon………………………..Canadian Bacon

Nachos with Cheese………Tortilla chips with salsa

CravingConverter.com is trademarked by GlaxoSmithKline

Image via Wikipedia

 In honor of Ted Nugent‘s appearance this Saturday at DTE Music Theatre (Pine Knob as it is stilled called), I thought I would tell the story as to how I met “Terrible Ted” and why he is not so terrible if you were to ask me.

Back in the late sixties guitar players were gods and everybody had hitched their wagons to  one “god” or another.  Of course there were those that were into Hendrix, Clapton, Beck, Green, Townsend, Sheldon Kay and more, and though I liked them all, I focused on one local player who at the time had the greatest band in the city…Ted Nugent and the Amboy Dukes!  Ted absolutely destroyed everybody that grew up in the George Harrison style of rock and roll guitar.  His was a sonic blast that in many ways, as you know, put him in a lot of the conversations about American guitar players.  And the best reason for making Ted my personal guitar hero was that I could see him frequently…very frequently in fact…almost on a monthly basis.

In addition to the event I am about to describe, I had two previous encounters with the “Nuge” and a third  opportunity, that came later.  The third was having the thrill of actually being on his first live record, “Survival of the Fittest–Rock Bottom”!  I made a significant contribution to the record which was recorded at the now closed Easttown Theatre.

Now back to my story.  Ted was playing a concert in Windsor, Ontario at the Windsor Ice Arena sometime in the spring or fall of 1970.  My best friend at the time Marcus Dawson, who also happened to be the bass player in my band Merlin, and I went to the show.  We went to so many of the Amboy Duke concerts that we were starting to get recognized by some of his people, which shouldn’t have been too surprising as we were usually the only black people there.

During the concert we were allowed to go backstage and hang out.  There were a lot of people there…mostly girls of course…and they had the “we have all been here before” look about them.  Since this was our first time being backstage, we tried desparately to look like we belonged there too…it wasn’t easy, but we managed to get by.

Those of you who are reading this and have been to some of Ted’s earliest concerts  know that at the end of his show, Ted had a little ritual he would perform before doing his encore.  He would go offstage, change into a loincloth and comeback out with a bow and arrow to shoot at some prop.   He would also have his backup Byrdland guitar amped and with both guitars howling with feedback…he would scream, “AND NOW WE ARE ONE”!

So when Ted went offstage to change and get his other guitar,  he looked around…holding the one guitar, he needed a place to put it while he prepped the other.  30 maybe 40 pairs of hands reached out for the guitar…”I’ll hold for you Ted…”Please let me”…were the chants/cries from the crowd.  I turned and walked away, believing that there was absolutely no way that I, “Little Arthur David” (this was before I added “Brother” to the mix) would be chosen to hold his guitar.  I walked a good 50 ft from the crowd plus another 5 ft from where Ted was standing.  Feeling somewhat dejected, I turned to see Ted step through the crush of people and stride purposefully toward me and say, “Hey man…will you hold my guitar”?  He gave me, Arthur David Littsey, his guitar to hold!  ME!  OH WOW!  I couldn’t believe it.  My first inclination was to run, but seriously how far would I get!  My eyes danced over it…the gold plated tuning gears and bridgework…the super low action…the knobs…it was soooooooooo pretty!  My fingers floated over the strings as I suddenly fantasized about being on stage with Ted dueling it out on “Good Natured Emma” or “Migration” or “Baby, Please Don’t Go“!  All of this took place in about 60 seconds as thats about how long it took for Ted to pick up his other guitar and head back on stage to finish his set.

Yes, for nearly 60 seconds I had held Ted Nugents’s Byrdland guitar.  Dear Diary…I’m in heaven…HEAVEN!

We went back out in front to catch the end of the show.  We heard that there was a party somewhere afterward, but being the good boys we were and because we had promised our parents we would come right home after the concert, we didn’t go.  Plus, this was a Sunday night and we had classes first thing Monday morning.  I was floating regardless…my head was in the clouds and my feet were way up and off the floor!

I went out not long after that night and bought that guitar and I would bet my friend Howard Kalish will remember the times in which when I owned it.  I had to have it.  The one I bought was a 1968 Gibson Byrdland.  Ted used the ’66 and ’67 models.  He mostly used blond Byrdlands on stage but he also had a tobacco sunburst model as well as a black lacquered one.  It was supposed to cost me $600, I put $200 down and walked out of Gus Zoppi Music Store with it.  That $200 went a long way because I used that to get my 1957 Les Paul Deluxe.  How that happened is another story by itself.

So that was and will always be one of the most significant musical highlights of my life.  Having that moment…sharing it with a friend…was huge!  It affected me in some ways that will be forever positive.

 The Journey to the Center of the Mind!

http://youtu.be/UN2VNFpiGWo

Thanks for the memories!!!

EVERYDAY HEALTH…Today’s The Day 

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As I discover and subscribe to other services I will be sure to update this listing.  I hope that you find a resource that will be of some service to you.  Since I am not a doctor, I cannot endorse or recommend any information that you find on these sites.  If you have a medical condition that you think you needs a professional medical opinion, please see a doctor right away.