Long-lost documentary looks at Neiman Marcus circa 1983

Dad, you might be interested in this one.

The Great Wilonsky posts on Unfair Park today regarding a late entry into the AFI International Film Festival (to be held in Dallas in a couple of weeks): A forgotten film by documentarian Frederick Wiseman, shot in 1983 and entitled The Store.

It turns out that Wiseman produced a four-hour doc on Neiman Marcus in it's heyday.

Now, this is of some note on general purposes. Neiman Marcus was, for many years, Dallas' major redeeming feature. As much as, and probably more than, that stupid TV show, NM symbolized the glitter of Dallas, and put it on the international map. This film captures NM towards the end of the "We Have a Marcus (Richard) In-House" years, before the company was bought, and watered down, by General Cinema. In those days, everyone who was anyone in this town did a stint as a salesperson or assistant buyer in the joint. As such, The Store is worth seeing by anyone and everyone who lived, or who wanted to live, in Dallas in the halcyon days of the mid-80s.

But there is more at work here than general purposes. In 1983, the elder Curmudgeon (Curmudgeon Emeritus, if you will) was at the height of his long run as NM's Executive VP of Just About Everything At One Time or Another, and yours truly was indulging in a bit of shameless nepotism, working in various menial, but highly educational and entertaining, positions in the underbelly of the company.

So, one would think that a lot of folks either he knew, or I knew, or both, would make an appearance in this one.

I doubt I'll make the show (it's on a Monday afternoon), but I might check it out on video...

Today's comedy joke

Not that this describes my house or anything...

A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.

A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

That's the World of Warcraft That You Play!

A quick note about World of Warcraft:

Our whole family (myself, my wife, and my 11 year old son) have all gotten on the WOW kick now. Many evenings are spent pw3ning noobs, farming for epics, camping Horde, and wasting our lives. The game is highly addictive and it does, in its own special way, bring the family together. It gives us common goals, a hierarchical power structure, and a clear set of rules to follow. That, and believe it or not, it ROCKS! Remember when the family all sat around together playing Monopoly? Well, this is sort of the same bonding experience, except this time your father won't make you cry when he wipes you out -- we're killing Hoard and running through instances TOGETHER!

All that, and after awhile you can get the following song stuck in your head:



And you will ROFLMAO to this Video:




So now it is time to put some Liferoot up for auction in Stormwind. As my son says, "Quick Robin, to the Rolfomoblie!" Then again, he says a lot of things like that after we have been playing for an hour or so.

So WOW, get on the horse (once you hit level 30 that is)!

Had a Party This Weekend

Thought I would drop a quick video of the party we had last night at the Idiot Farm. We rarely receive company on the Farm anymore ever since the neighbor started all that shooting. Bastard. We had the last laugh, though, as his house was foreclosed on last week.

Thus, the party:



Tomorrow I will have to clean that rug.....

Where was I? Let me continue....

I am a thick azure
And I breathe in time
With my wife’s gentle snore.

I descend into the shape
Of Mickey Mouse’s Ears.
A Dead Rat stuck rigormortis half out of his hole.

40.

The soft downy fur of the Firefly.
The snap pea apple tang of Eric Dolphy’s saxophone
Calling, a siren
And me, sitting on my son’s bed reading superhero comic books together
Milk to the left of me
Garlic Powder to my right
A Claw Hammer under his pillow.

I believe the dew on my wife’s upper lip is a reflection of her love for me
An indication of her embrace.

40.

I am the Ruby Cyclops
Lumbering through the ages
Pawing Potassium Pills
And Rocky Road ice cream
Into the Black Hole of my face

Turning my one bloodshot eye
Away
From the road.

Reflecting about the future

I come from a huge stack of old comics piled high in the corner filling the room with a musty smell that lingers long into adulthood.
I come from a pillow fort I built in the hour before my dad came home again and my mother braced to greet him.
I come from skinned knees, swollen lips.
I come from sneaking cigarettes in the backyard, getting dizzy, hoping not to puke.
I come from the Sex Pistols and the Ramones.
I come from a brother far bigger than I and angry twice as strong.

I come from the hope of escape.

I believe that in the mind anywhere is possible and that if you can muster the focus and lose the fear your feet can begin to move.
I believe a strong left cross trumps a solid right jab.
I believe we are all capable of the most enormous cruelty and it is only fear that keeps us from eating our own.
I believe that women understand the world better than men because they caress with their fingers while men poke with their thumbs.
I believe that while ignorance is bliss a true happiness is best found in a quiet conversation about ideas.
I believe photography is more true than real life because of its pace.
I believe in my wife.
I believe in my son.

I believe we are all in trouble.

I value quietness.
I value moving slowly.
I value thinking it through.
I value pillow forts and comic books.
I value my wife and I value my son.
I value their happiness as much as I value my peace.

And the future is like a glass drained recently of milk, clear insofar as you can make it through the film.

The future is truly thin, yet runny and it has been in my back pocket and I have been sitting for weeks.

The future is in the hand of my son and I worry because his room is such a mess.

Bonus YouTube: The Great White at SeaWorld

Dear, beloved Catapult Systems took us all to SeaWorld last weekend. After many years of being waaayyyy too chicken to ride roller coasters, my daughter got me on a couple last year, then wanted to ride the Great White last weekend.

It. Was. AWESOME!

Praise (of course) Bob???

I don't know why I had pushed The Church of the SubGenius out of my mind for the past few years. I blame my rapid decline into normalization and genital failure. But lately I've been scratching the inside of my skull with a giant sequoia that I had wittled into a toothpick. Then I had a vision. A vision of something like the apocolypse, yet tart like a Granny Smith Apple. I didn't know what to do with myself. So I stuck what was left of the stump that was the stump of my own left index finger straight down my gullet with a guggle-guggle-guggle -- and I then cried out, "I knew that when you left me, I would be riddled with sores! I knew that without you life would turn savage and hard to envision! I knew that bereft of your kind gleaming cheeks I would remain walletless and unwarented." And then came the pipe. Then came the Bob. Then came the Subgenius.



But, of course, there is always the chance that the deviant and odd are shunned by society because they are deviant and odd, and not because the deviant and odd are actually better than everyone else which leads everyone else to shun them.

Nobody understands me, therefore I am better than everyone. Except you of course. I'll let you be better than me if you'll give me a job.

I'm hungry.

Happy Birthday Curmudgeon!

Hey Curmudgeon!

It's your birthday and as a gift I give you a little bit of information:

351 days left of the Bush "Administration"

You may be getting older, but that light at the end of the tunnel

is not your approaching death,

it's a new hope for America.

Happy Birthday, my brother!

--Walt Whitman

2007 Recap

As has become tradition around here at little CIT, I thought I'd do the year-end review thing. Not that anyone is interested - by now, you should know that's not the point of anything here. I do this whole bit for myself. If anyone else enjoys it, great. But, believe me, your enjoyment is entirely secondary to mine.

Most of you have probably already punched out, but for anyone who's made it this far, onward!

News Story of the Year

Many to choose from, as always: The takeover of Gaza by Hamas was a biggie. The downward spiral in Zimbabwe, while not as catastrophic as I thought it would be (but it ain't over yet) was also big. The crash of the housing market and the disintegration of the sub-prime mortgage sector had enormous impact which has not yet been fully played out. For me, it comes down to two major stories: The near-revolution in Burma and the turning of the tide in Iraq.

Personally, I was most caught up in the Burma story, although I know I'm in the very small minority. I can't explain my fascination with Burma, but I am enthralled. To see the monkhood defy the authorities as they did in late summer/early fall was exciting, even thrilling. The high point came when the monks marched by Suu Kyi's home/prison, with her silently watching, tears evident. Of course, it all came to naught as the fascist thugs in power turned the army's guns on the monks and civilians, and the world, after some lip-service, turned to other topics. Hope, which for a brief moment appeared to be turning into something more, is in very, very short supply on the streets of Rangoon these days.

In terms of world impact, of course, the situation in Iraq has far more impact. The right wing press has been saying, for some time, the tide has been turning. The troops on the ground started saying the same thing mid-year, and now the evidence seems obvious: Stability is emerging, and we dare hope for a reasonably happy outcome.

Worth the cost? Hell no. Not even close in terms of the money, equipment, good will, and, most of all, lives that have been squandered in this catastrophe. But a stable Iraq seems a real possibility now, which was the goal (I think) all along.

How will history judge this endeavor? I have no idea. Probably more favorably than we do now, but it's impossible to say with any certainty. The legacy of the GWB presidency is indelibly linked to the historical view of the Iraq effort. I think its a real possibility that, 20 years from now, the whole bit is viewed as a success, and maybe even a great success. Crazy? Stupid? Naive? Maybe. Call me in 2027 and lets compare notes, shall we?

Sports Story of the Year

Again, some contenders: The Cowboys' return to greatness (we'll see in January if its real or a parity-induced mirage), the Mavericks' fall from greatness (the window slammed shut in a hurry, didn't it?), the invincibility of the New England Patriots, the somewhat anti-climactic continued greatness of the Red Sox, Beckham in America (well, maybe), the rise of Sidney Crosby, and many other compelling events are all possibilities.

To me, the steroids brouhaha in baseball was the big one, even if it, too, was anti-climactic. From my perspective, the entire game of baseball has been sullied, and every major record achieved in the past 25 years is suspect. No one is surprised to hear Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, or any of the other names in the Mitchell Report. But think about it: Do you now doubt the true greatness of some, if not all, of the big stars of the recent past? Reggie Jackson? Tony Gwynn? Cal Ripken Jr? Even the hallowed and revered Nolan Ryan? I do. And I hate that.

Local Story of the Year

Oh, where to start (or end) here? The election of the great (I hope) Tom Leppert to the Dallas Mayor's office? The defeat of the revisionist Trinity River nay-sayers? The unveiling of the Jerry Dome and all that went with it?

I'm going with an obscure one, but one that hits very close to home, and one that I think has the potential to put a major crimp in the stratospheric growth of my home town of Frisco TX. And that is the failure of all involved to do something about Eldorado Parkway. This major east-west artery of Frisco has seen MASSIVE development over the past two years or so, with gigantic shopping and housing developments lining it nearly from stem to stern. And yet it remains a poorly lit, poorly paved, poorly controlled two-lane country road. The traffic jams on Eldorado Parkway at nearly any hour of the day or night are becoming the stuff of legend. I will go MILES out of my way to avoid it. The solution remains elusive, as the city of Frisco and TxDOT continue to wrangle over who should do what to relieve the situation. I feel for the people (good friends of ours included) who have built homes along Eldorado, in many cases BEAUTIFUL homes, but who's quality of life suffers dramatically from their inability to literally get out of their driveways during rush hour.

Story to Watch in 2008

There are the obvious ones, such as the US presidential election and (God, I hope) the resolution of the Iraq boondoggle, among many many others. However, the one I hope, and expect, to see is "The Beginning of the End of the Petroleum Era".

I think it's time, and I think, in 2008, we'll begin to see it. The rise of the hybrid (already well under way) and the all-electric car, the rebirth of nuclear, the advance of battery technology, and perhaps some things we're not thinking much about now, all will, I really hope and believe, start to move us away from our dependence on oil. Don't sell your Exxon stock yet - this is going to take many years - but I think we'll start to see some real movement in 2008.

On the Family Front

As Robynne and I celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary, our son is seven, our daughter turns 10, and we approach our 3rd year in Frisco, there is much to be thankful for and much to look forward to.

Professionally, 2007 saw Catapult Systems establish ourselves as a major player in the Dallas IT market, and the arrows are all pointing up precipitously for 2008. Robynne continued to add to her legend in the North Dallas pediatric community, the RES-Q Wedge finally became available online, and all trends for next year are positive. Our daughter, fast approaching the teenage years, has re found her stride academically and has matured so much I can't believe it. Our son continues in good health (Tyrosinemia Type 1 is very manageable thus far, thank God) and continues to charm everyone around him. We have great hopes for his emotional and behavioral growth in 2008.

The extended family had its ups and downs in 2007. Minor (mostly) health issues in some quarters, and perhaps somewhat less-minor marital issues in others were more than offset by professional successes, milestones like starting school, going away to camp, new jobs, and new opportunities. We got to see some family members we hadn't seen in some time, almost everyone got to travel a bit, with some mixed results, and I think we all enter 2008 looking forward to continued successes.

We end our family's 2007 with a net positive on all fronts, and look forward to continued good things in 2008. I wish you and your loved ones a very happy Holiday Season, and a happy, peaceful, and healthy 2008.

RES-Q Wedge - a bit more pub

Some news on the RES-Q Infant Reflux Wedge (the medical device invented by me wife, Robynne Elkin, and her partners, Dr. Craig and Roz Troop) has continued to sell well in local hospitals, and is now available online through a medical products company.

In addition, Frisco Style magazine did a write-up on the product and its creation, which I thought I'd link here. It's worth a read, and contains some excellent pictures of Robynne, Dr. and Mrs. Troop, and our kids.

Go check it out!

Too good not to post

Here is the photo from our family holiday card this year. It's a good 'un, so I'm breaking tradition and posting it here...

Thanksgiving musings

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite of the big hollerdays (my favorite minor one - Patriot's Day, also known as Marathon Day in the old college haunt of Boston), and it's worth a few moments to tell all seven of you why.

As Jews, we don't do the Christmas or Easter thing, so Thanksgiving has always been the big family holiday for us. We've never had much in the way of tradition around the day, just that we try to get as many family members as possible under a single roof, which is a good enough tradition for me. The more the better. I sincerely hope we can gather more each year, both family and friends.

The best Thanksgivings for me have occurred in two places: Our house and my uncle and aunt's house back in the day.

Thanksgivings in our house, esp since we moved to the palace in Frisco a couple of years ago, are great, and I hope to have it here more often than not. It's difficult with some wrinkles in the extended family which have come up recently, and I certainly don't mind going elsewhere for Thanksgiving dinner. But I really like having a lot of family at our place. It was one of the big reasons I wanted to build this joint in the first place. Having the kids running around upstairs, and good, interesting conversation in every room, lots of wine bottles opened, TONS of food filling the kitchen, both ovens going, it's all great. I especially like it when the weather is Thanksgiving-ish - cold, even grey, never a given in Texas. It makes the house seem warmer. Love it!

The very best Thanksgivings, however, were at my uncle and aunt's huge old house in Western Massachusetts. The house was perfect for large gatherings - I have no idea how big that place was in terms of square feet, but, trust me, it was gi-normous. Getting there was a bit of a challenge, so we always stayed for the long weekend, which was part of the greatness. It was always cold, snow was a player several times, and it felt very, very American, and I mean everything good about being American. I always thought, and still think, that's what Thanksgiving ought to be. I hope we establish that sort of feeling at our house when we host the meal.

Other things I like about Thanksgiving - football (of course); lots to drink; lots of laughs; a meal I actually like to eat (NEVER happens during Jewish holiday - I hate most Jewish food); lots of activity in the house; lots of sports talk, politics talk, kid talk, guy talk; no work worries for a few days; the start of the Holiday Season (which I like even if we don't do Christmas); the change in the weather.

Thanksgiving is, nearly without fail, my favorite day of the year. I look forward to it every year, and some of my best memories are from Thanksgivings past.

I hope you and your family have a Thanksgiving to enjoy, even savor. I hope you enjoy your time with your loved ones.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

The biggest news ever in the history of this little blog

And I am totally NOT overselling it in the headline.

We have the biggest, most exciting news ever in the 2-plus years this blog has been polluting the Internet. And that news is: We have been joined by a new contributor.

My brother, Dan Elkin, has agreed to come on board here at little CIT as co-blogger. Starting really soon, you'll see his fine work appear in this space, alongside the drivel I contribute on a somewhat regular basis (OK, OK, a lot less regular than it used to be).

A few words about Dan: My bro is two-years-and-a-bit younger than me, which also makes him a 40-something white guy. He's married, has a kid (a son who's now 10), and lives in the wilds of Northern California. He's the top dog at a charter school in the area since the summer. Prior to that, he was a high-school English teacher for many years.

Dan is my polar opposite in many ways. Much more politically liberal, much better read, and a deeper thinker than I am, he's going to lend a much different take to the offerings here at little CIT. Which I think is great.

My reasons for inviting Dan to contribute here are pretty varied, but it boils down to my obvious diminishing of interest in keeping this thing going. I've invested a lot of time and effort into this blog, but I was at the point where it was either shake it up big-time or close it down. I think this is going to be a big, and welcome, shake up.

At any rate, please welcome Dan to the forum, and keep reading!

Blue Man preschool

Two of the three founders of Blue Man Group have opened a preschool in NYC. The Blue Man Creativity Center will permit students to have "moments of unbridled exuberance".

My six-year-old (seven this weekend) has moments of "unbridled exuberance" all the time. They are generally followed by me cracking open a bottle wine, or the hard stuff. Depends on how "exuberant" he gets...

The RES-Q Wedge (and my wife) now online

My wife, the incredibly beautiful and intelligent Robynne Elkin MOT/OTR-L, now has a MySpace page, where she features the genius RES-Q Infant Reflux Wedge, which she co-invented with Dr. Craig Troop. Go check it out here.

In case you doubt my word on the "incredibly beautiful" part, here is a picture from this summer's family pilgrimage to the ancestral homeland of Vancouver BC. You can see more pictures on Picassa here.

A little love for cousin Rick

My cousin Rick is an outstanding craftsman. I haven't seen any of his new stuff in person, but his previous work (mostly in ceramics) is outstanding.

Give his new site a check-out. Tell him CIT sent you.