Friday, December 24, 2010

My Favorite Scene From The Movie, "A Christmas Story"


Since Christmas is here again, I thought that I would like to write about my favorite all-time Christmas movie scene. If you have been a reader of my blogs very long, you might have guessed it already. It's the "Chinese Restaurant" scene in the movie, "A Christmas Story."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Christmas_Story
It's the story of a little boy named "Ralphie" who lives with his family in middle America back in the 1940's and all he wants for Christmas is a "Red Ryder BB gun." The whole movie revolves around this theme. The movie was made in 1983 and it's definitely become a family favorite and a classic Christmas movie this time of year. I can't tell you how many times through the years that I have watched this movie. My wife, son and I have always made it a tradition in our family to watch this movie together during this time of the year especially when our son was younger. Now that he is older and his interest are much different, it's kind of hard to get him to sit down and watch this kind of movie with his ole mom and dad.
Anyway, most importantly, as families do together at Christmas, they sit down at the table and have a Christmas dinner. This is what Ralphie and his family were getting ready to do in the movie. But while Ralphie's mother is preparing the Christmas meal and turkey, the neighbor's dogs somehow get in the house and eat their special holiday bird. So, Ralphie and his family end up going to eat at a Chinese Restaurant on Christmas day because everything else in town is probably closed. And what happens to make this particular scene of the movie really funny and endearing, is when the Chinese servers along with their boss gather their table and try to sing a certain Christmas carol to their American family customers. Instead of singing, "Deck the halls," in the correct way they sing it in their Chinese accents, "Deck tha halls with bows of faree, fa ra ra a ra a ra ra." And then they bring out a Chinese cooked Christmas duck to the table and chop its head off right off the neck, right in front of Ralphie and his family. It's a hilarious scene and probably very true at the same time. I can visualize that happening in real life at one time or another.
Believe it or not, my family and I have eaten Chinese food on Christmas day on several occasions. Usually, it was Christmas day night after all the Christmas ham and turkey has been eaten or we had grown tired of holiday food. So if your dog ever eats your Christmas turkey or ham on Christmas day, try a Chinese restaurant or Chinese take-out. However, just watch out for that Chinese Christmas turkey!


Saturday, December 18, 2010

Radio Music: D-93 FM WDNS, Bowling Green, Ky., 56 AM WHBQ And Rock 103 FM, Memphis, Tenn.











Music is life. I think it reflects what's in the inner human soul. It inspires us. It makes us sad. It makes us happy. It makes us cry. It makes us look back into our lives in an introspective way perhaps. It's there for us during the good and bad times of our lives. And it's has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry that started years ago with the dawn of the radio age and the recording industry. It's something that we can all relate too. We all have grown up with music. Whether it's rock, blues, country, classical, jazz or whatever, most people love music. I know I do. And that's why I wanted to write about music and radio today. Mainly, I love rock music or commonly known as "Rock & Roll," or perhaps, "Hard Rock," even.




During the Christmas season, I always tend to get a little sentimental and begin to reflect back on my youth. One of the ways I do this is by the music I listen too. I listen to a lot of music everyday and usually it's via FM radio in my work vehicle and one of my favorite radio stations is a Classic Rock station in Bowling Green, Ky., where I live, by the name of "D-93 WDNS FM," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBKYgyx4FF0 I have been listening to these guys for years and they do a great job. They play some of the greatest rock music ever and they really have a format that is wide-open and there's a lot freedom in the choice of different types of rock music that they can play. The play a lot of Kiss, Ozzy, Peter Frampton, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Pink Floyd, Journey, Styx, Rush and on and on. They type of music I love. They also play a lot of the newer bands like Nickleback, Guns & Roses, Slash, Velvet Revolver and even some of the newer younger generation of rock music that is springing up such as Bowling Green's own "Cage The Elephant." Another awesome thing about this station is that will take your requests and play them on the air. Their radio personalities are incredible funny and friendly such "Rockin' Rhonda," "Bryan 'The Official Long Hair Guy' Locke," "Tommy Starr (with two "R's")," and "Brother Greg Martin" from the Kentucky Headhunters and Rufus Huff who hosts the "Low Down Hoe Down Blues Show" on Monday nights. And of the best things about D-93 is the stuff that give-away in their radio contests! Just by being a listener, you can win tons of free stuff. I know it to be true, because I have won lots of free stuff through the years (since 1988) by being a loyal listener (concert tickets, gifts certificates and free food among other things!)




My radio listening and "winning stuff" days goes a long ways back to when I was kid growing up in Memphis, Tenn., in the 1960's and early 1970's. One time, I won the double rock album "Tommy" by the band, "The Who," by being the right caller. WHBQ mailed it to my house and my older brother opened it and started playing it before I got home from school. I remember I got really mad at him for doing that. But I got over it like always. (Well, most of the time.) I used to listen to Rick Dees in the mornings on 56 AM, WHBQ radio and this guy was incredibly funny too who used to make fun our mayor by saying in a deep voice, "Yes sir, Mr. Dees!" Rick went on bigger and greater things by moving to Los Angeles, Calif., work for a super station out there and ended up hosting the music television show, "Solid Gold." He also had a couple hit songs which one of them was "Disco Duck."http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxf2KCSyvgQ




Another great radio station that had a important role in my life growing up after I moved to North Mississippi in the mid-1970's as a teenager from Memphis was "Rock 103 Fm" in Memphis. These guys were one of the Mid-South's great rock stations. They had a awesome radio personality by the name of "Red Beard" who had a deep voice and who always interesting to listen to too. He was smart and knowledgeable. He was a pretty nice guy too because I met him once at the Mall of Memphis back in 1982 years before it was tore down. They played all the latest hits in the rock and roll scene during its heyday and even did a lot interviews with the latest bands traveling through the city who would play concerts at The Mid-South Coliseum or the Memphis Auditorium in downtown. They were always promoting a band or a concert and usually played host to the event. I remember when I was in college at Ole Miss they did a pre-concert live broadcast from the Mid-South Coliseum when Judas Priest was playing there. Apparently, the Judas Priest concert was professionally filmed and you can still buy it on Amazon.com or find it at your local record store.




Again, I love music and our local rock radio station and I'm sure millions of other people all over the world feel the same way I do about their favorite music and radio station too. And I want to thank D-93, WBHQ (which I think no longer exists) and Rock 103, for many good years of listening pleasure! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and Rock On!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Just In Time For Christmas: The Kentucky Whoopie Pie




Whether you're a Kentucky native or not and you're looking for that perfect Christmas gift for a friend or relative who loves the "Bluegrass State" the Kentucky Whoopie may be just for you.


But they don't have to love Kentucky to become a big fan of the Kentucky Whoopie. If they love sweets such as cookies, cakes and pies, then they will love the Kentucky Whoopie. And one the best things about the Kentucky Whoopie pie besides its great taste, it's made in Franklin, Ky., about 20 miles down the road from Bowling Green, Ky., from where I live. Let me tell you, this product says, "Pure Kentucky!" I know, because I've eaten a couple of them already and they are incredible!


Here's what the Kentucky Whoopie web-site http://www.kentuckywhoopies.comsays about it's own awesome product, "Kentucky Whoopie is a fun little dessert snack created by Linne & Minnie Baking Company. Whoopie pies are not new, but the Kentucky Whoopie is. We like to say they are "Whoopie Pies Southern Style". If you've ever eaten Southern food you know what we're talking about. So pull up a chair and stay a while. You're gonna love the Classic Southern flavors we offer."


Also, according to the web-site, it says, "The product has its origins in the states of Maine and Pennsylvainia and is known as a Whoopie Pie. A Whoopie Pie is basically a two cake-textured cookies stacked together with a fluffy filling. Here at Kentucky Whoopie, we've taken that concept and specialized it in our home state of Kentucky. We've stepped it up from basic to gourmet by use of variations in design, size, flavors and especially delicious ingredients. Whoopie Pies Southern style. All Kentucky Whoopies are baked in a certified commerical Kitchen."


Some of the flavors of Whoopie Pies that Minnie & Linnie offer are the Classic Whoopie. This pie is kicked up a notch with a topping of their rich dark chocolate. Or the Peanut Butter Chocolate Whoopie. This one combines classic chocolate with the perfect peanut butter cream, iced with rich chocolate and a few peanut butter chips. Or for the Christmas Season, the Red Velvet Whoopie. It's a classic paring of red velvet cake, cream cheese and a festive topping of white chocolate which will add to any holiday or occasion. Some of the other flavors they offer are Chocolate Macaroon Whoopie, Chocolate Covered Cherry Whoopie, Strawberry Dipped Chocolate Whoopie, Chocolate Chip Whoopie, Raspberry Vanilla Whoopie, Pumpkin Whoopie, Jam Cake Whoopie and the Classic Whoopie With An Attitude.


All Kentucky Whoopie pies are available online at http://www.kentuckywhoopies.com/ Go there to place your order and they will be shipped direct via UPS. Or for more information, call (270) 586-7676. Here's their Facebook linkhttp://www.facebook.com/kentuckywhoopie to become a fan. Get em' early before Christmas arrives and just tell them, "Galen sent ya!"


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