Steve Cotler Steve Cotler

Irrepressibly True Tales

One man's squint at the metaphorical signposts, songbirds, soapboxes, street musicians, and hot dog stands of life. Criticism, lyricism, polemics, performance, and making change…all with mustard.

Blue Highway Travelogue–Crater Lake

— 9:13 pm · Comments Off on Blue Highway Travelogue–Crater Lake

“Continental Breakfast Served” is written on the doorposts of my motel room, so I venture down at 8 a.m. to sample their cuisine. Two styros of hot dark coffee substance and three ping pong ball-sized poppy seed muffins later, I am back in Room #244 embracing my belly wondering whether liquid poison or bad baking will undo me.

A half-hour further, as I load up the wagons in preparation for our journey northward toward the Oregon Trail, I notice a glistening, reddish smear Continue reading “Blue Highway Travelogue–Crater Lake” →

Blue Highway Travelogue–Mt. Lassen

— 4:02 pm · Comments Off on Blue Highway Travelogue–Mt. Lassen

Mt._Lassen“If you want to hike to the peak, you’d best do that this morning,” Ranger Ilene cautioned at the entrance gate. Dry lightning had recently set fires across four counties, and we could see two plumes graying the horizon of blue sky to the west. Her electro-shock warning encouraged us to choose Lassen National Park‘s pamphlet-assisted Bumpass Hell Trail to a 100-meter bowl of bubbling fumaroles—gray clay molten plopping sulfur steam—and circular ponds of green-gray water, bubblescum-coated and Venusian under the low cloud cover. Continue reading “Blue Highway Travelogue–Mt. Lassen” →

Evaluating Charities

— 12:12 am · One comment

charity nav logoNow, as at the end of every calendar year, we are besieged by charities asking for support. Incoming mail brims with urgent and passionate pleas. Your phone will ring at dinner time. Even with a “Do Not Call” prohibition installed on your phone number, you can still expect calls from non-profits you have previously supported (and from scofflaw telemarketers calling from Canada). How do you decide which charities to support?

There is a website devoted to answering this question: Charity Navigator.

Continue reading “Evaluating Charities” →

Dog Gone

— 1:39 pm · One comment

My daughter recently put her 13-year-old cat down. Her post about it was heartfelt and touching. Today Lee Geiger, a chum from my Wall Street days, wrote about saying farewell to his dog. I reprint his goodbye below.

* * * * *

This is not a good day. The Fat Guy is driving me to the vet. At least he brought treats. The Pretty Blonde brought tissues. She’s got tears in her eyes. I wonder what for?

I feel old. My hips are killing me. I can barely stand up and walk anymore. My nose is shot. I can’t smell any difference between the kitchen and the backyard. Glaucoma’s nearly blinded me, and I haven’t heard anything since the last Super Bowl. At least The Pretty Blonde Continue reading “Dog Gone” →

Little Songs on Big Subjects–Sung by Bibb & Gilbert

— 9:39 pm · View all 6 comments

Earlier this year I mentioned there were at least two cover records of the Jesters’ version of Little Songs on Big Subjects. In addition to a version by the Bachelors:

There was also a Leon Bibb/Ronnie Gilbert album called It Could Be a Wonderful World that included many (or all…I have more research to do) of these Zaret/Singer tunes. Subtitled Little Songs on Big Subjects (look at the album cover’s upper left corner), it was released in the ’50s, but it is barely mentioned on the Internet.

I now have the album. Sent to me recently by Dan Horowitz, it has all the Jesters’ tunes, plus three more by Zaret and Singer which I had never before heard:

‘Round the World Polka
I Want to Live in a Friendly World
We’re Building a Happier World

Bibb and Gilbert (she, one of the original Weavers) have beautiful voices, but I still prefer the Jesters’ versions. These are songs for kids…and the Jesters’ arrangements are more kid-friendly.

Steve with students at an author event

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