You better watch out, You better not cry, You better watch out I'm telling you why.

Lil Durlx, is coming to town....

Well. I have been very busy, it's retail crazy right now. I've been working more often than not.

But I have this one day as a break... and this is my one pre X-mas splash.

The pic above is a favorite of mine because my Dad took it many, (oh so many) years ago. It's a pic of me staring with wonder at the Christmas tree when I was a lil' durlx, and when my Dad was a lil' Dad with a brand new Kodak 35 mm camera.

My Dad did wood work, rather good amateur photography, and played in a swing band, as well as running a farm.

Such an amazing man; and now he's staying with my brother as his Alzheimer's has left him with no other choice. He's doing well enough there, in fact very well.

I talked to him a few weeks ago on the phone.

Once again, I said, "Hi! This is Durlx!" And he said "Durlx who?" I said, "You know, your son, durlx!" And then he laughed, because he sort of remembered, and then he did remember and that was funny. With my Dad, now, it seems to be a matter of his sense of humor... that's what works.

Otherwise...

I am listening this evening, as I type away, to a recording of a 1926 Wurlitzer Band organ that used to play for the Rochester, New York, Seabreeze Amusement park for the carousel there. There was a tragic fire that destroyed the carousel there and this most amazing band organ. Fortunately, there were recordings.

I grew up with this amazing machine; as a kid we went to the amusement park and it was there. High school years, it was there. During my college and drug years with Hal, it was still there.

Then, somehow, I stopped paying attention for awhile, and there was a fire. Shit, pussy and goddam! The amazing carousel, one of the oldest in the country and the amazing 1926 Wurlitzer Band Organ were toasted. I mean, I used to ride this carousel with a guy that I was madly in love with... there used to be this thing where you could catch a ring and get a free ride... (hey! it wasn't all that long ago! Just the late seventies...)

Anyway, it's the X-mas 1926 Wurlizter Band Organ recording that I am listeneing to right now, a special memory. Ahhhhh.

HEY! you I-Pod poofters! This mechanical music machine is fabulous in a very special way. There are very few of them left anywhere, you have to gather with other human beings in one place to enjoy the music that they produce and if you are very lucky, you will be spinning around on an antique carousel at the time.

My lil nephew understands.

I'll be totally busy until x-mas eve and I'm not sure what will happen after that. Luca might not have to work then, or I might have a last minute party, or I might spend the holiday alone...


I hope all of you have a very merry (Mary!) holiday!

durlx