Westerns

Clarity.  I'm the first to say things aren't always black and white (like the old TV shows -s-), but then again, there are certainties.  I love the old TV Westerns.  There is nothing like them now.  In fact there are some shows I watch now.  And I always watch them as I have always watched entertainment, with a grain of salt, measuring them against content and reality.  I'm able to suspend disbelief and enjoy.

As for Westerns, there was a time when they covered both movies and television.  Now there are none.  There was Deadwood, a morbid dark show and yes there is Hell on Wheels, a dark tinged show about the railroad expansion in the last half of the 19th century.  To me it is all in the telling.

Realism is dandy, but the emphasis is on how duplicitous people can be and the evil white man/capitalist.  Were there faults?  Sure.  But we are a country which acknowledges our complete history, warts and all.  And we still have the stuff Freedom is made of.

Wagon Train, among others, had a great deal of realism.  It lasted eight years and managed to tell a morality tale each week.  It, and many others, gave people something to think about.  Many of the Westerns didn't always have tidy endings either.  They were left undone, with conclusions to be drawn by the watcher.  Tough decisions, not always cut and dried, ensued on shows like Gunsmoke. 

I am also quick to add that there was probably more gunplay on TV/movies than in the real Old West.  One should keep in mind that studying history mustn't be based on Hollywood theatrics.  But the stories are what I'm driving at.  And it wasn't a matter of wondering what was right.  But these Westerns pointed out that in life decisions/outcomes aren't always neatly done up.  And that we must live with consequences.

Responsibility is a steady message in these shows.  The Rifleman comes to mind.  That, by the way, was a terrific example of a single dad raising his son.

So many show, so little time.  I suggest you all find as many rerunning and on disc.  Get a taste for yourself.

I will leave the conclusion up to you.

Character Actors

It may take stars to steer a project, or it may not.  Star is kind of overused these days.  Not everyone can be a star, but many can lead.  Ensemble casts are a good example of this.  The most long lived shows have casts which shift emphasis round a core group of say, half a dozen or more actors. 

There can be central characters, aka 'stars' such as actors portraying James Bond.  But Bond is only as good as the villains, ladies and again, supporting players.  The original Star Trek was supposed to be ensemble.  Though star slanted, the ensemble quality of the cast came through.

There has been a lot of discussion about stars and character actors.  The latter often have longer more versatile careers.  And some stars, such as Bruce Willis, actually segue from character parts to starring roles and vice versa. 

Often the villain is a more memorable role, with opportunities to stretch past a somewhat confined hero.  Versatility can vary and teamed with good writing and direction, heroes can shine as well.  The whole point is to be adaptable.  The more options, the better in most instances. 

In the same line, supporting players can be character actors or they can be there to literally support leading actors (much too often referred to as stars).  Eccentric individuals or unusual folks often define character actors.  They add flavor to the pot. 

Stars can become figureheads who literally walk through the film.  Some stars, like John Wayne, can produce magnificent performances.  Suspending disbelief is a great two way street.

The audience should be able to do so.  Good actors, along with the other elements (director, script, camera etc) can take us on a journey.

So it is in other realms.  So it is in our efforts re the Republic.

We actors and other artists aka everyday characters, all play a part.

Act.  Do.  Go forth at least on paper/online if not in person.

Characters.  Having character ie features, qualities that stand out, particularly moral excellence enduring the test of time.  I'm not talking saints.  Most of us are a might prickly-s-.  I'm talking consistency.  Again and again we each play a part in the unfolding story of Freedom.

THAT is performance.  Not make believe.  Reality.

Hard Rolls

Never did like 'em.  I always liked the soft yeast kind like Great Grandma used to make -s-.  You may wonder why sometimes I seemingly digress with tales of food and old time places etc.  I'm not living in the past.  I just remember and often details/minutiae that are obscure.  I believe recalling even odd bits is important.  The ability to remember is essential if we are to restore the Republic.  If we don't, we will fail.

Now hard rolls, the kind you can knock on a table, are a matter of taste.  They are good for soaking broth or soup.  And there might come a time when having them beats nothing at all.  I'm just saying make do with what you have.  And if I can have a preference, I'll take it!  Also, suffering for suffering's sake is insane.

Some people wear suffering on their sleeves.  That's different then again, from simply declaring where one is at re status, health, even wealth (whatever that is lol).  It's the opposite of putting on airs.

If all you have are hard rolls, make the most of them.  We may have a hard row to hoe as it is -s-.

On the other hand, being picky is not to be despised.  I'm pretty picky about taking back the Republic bit by bit!

Excuse Reason

First, I'm glad David Codrea and Mike Vanderboegh are better.  Now that doesn't make an excuse for any of us.  We still need to do our part.

Looks like I'm not making it at all to the NRA convention.  It's almost in walking distance and I have the ten buck 'member for a day' aka admission.  Call it zigging when I should have zagged.  I'm sure all has gone well without me.  It's not an excuse either.  It's just a fact.

I bet there are lots of neat things to see and do.  It would be a fine way to say hey I'm for the 2A!  Then again in my daily grind, I let that be known.  I don't shove it in people's face.  Then again, I don't demure like a shrinking violet either.  I make choices.

I might have had time yesterday Saturday 4/26, to have dropped by.  Could have said hi to Mike and met the Armed American Radio folks.  It didn't happen.  And the world continues to turn.

Running errands, being along when a good deed was done by another, shopping; well the last could have been postponed.  Is it a matter of excuse or reason?  Little of both I guess.

I am sure lots of good goals were accomplished at the convention.  What's more important to me is what happens after.  70,00 attended.  NRA has, what, between 4-5 million members?  GOA and JPFO has more, along with other groups, of which some criss cross.  Meetings are invaluable times to exchange ideas and get things rolling.  Hope word is spread re what occurred at the convention.  But it is not a be all end all.  We each have a job to do.

Aside from all the official stuff, which all conventions, no matter the content/purpose share, there would no doubt be a transfer, a continuation of ideas.  in this case, Freedom is predominant.  Ideas move along, propelled by meeting. sharing doing.

Those who for active or passive reasons, protest Freedom, in this case guns, met too.

We drove by them downtown.  Couldn't have been more than around 200 as was predicted.  I'm sure they are a mixed bunch.  Some really think guns will destroy us.  Some have had negative imprinting.  And some are aiming as it were, to disarm us as a prelude to total tyranny.

They offer excuses, based on emotion.  Reasons are few and far between, usually couched in emotion only.  They do not offer real reason.

Now there are excuses for not doing something.  'I'm busy, family, work, distractions.  There are reasons for same.  But examine where you are.  Is there not at least some time to send a letter, support Freedom, speak out?  Just because most of us didn't make a convention is no excuse to do nothing.  Stay the course.  Find those activities that call on your individual talents. If you don't think you have any, they may be quietly roiling underneath -s-.

There are usually plenty of excuses.  But there is no reason not to do something.