Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Getting started with Blogs (should it be capitalized?)

Well, here I am. In blogspace. So far, I don't really have much to say.

My brother Thom blogs a lot. I wonder if he will find this space. I never think to read his entries unless he tells me to look at them. Some of the entries are really fine.

His coverage of the Thanksgiving Family Band rendition of "Froggy Went a Courtin' " went national, and soon a Tom and Jerry (Hanna and Barbara) version of the ballad surfaced. http://newt9.blogspot.com/2007/11/feast.html You can watch the "Toon" and hear some of the live music at the the blogspot above. My son, Jesse, is a seated guitarist wearing a white shirt. The other musical interlude features a John Prine favorite with another of my brothers on primary vocals.

Now that I looked at this blogspot again, I'm glad that it was recorded. The event was wonderful, and I'm glad my family had this wonderful get together.

Also, Thom's coverage of the Breeder's Cup from Monmouth Park right on the money.

He blogs Va Tech sports and news, "Save the Golf Course" rallies, Virginia Teachers' Association activities and many other things that he recalls from his/my colorful childhoods--although, I must admit, I never knew how colorful his childhood was until he started blogging it. Every once in a while, I become a character in his recollections. "Beatles on My Porch" is one of his fun memories.

He's become a very good writer, and the blog is his most expressive medium. So, if you find this is cyberblogspace. I hope you enjoy the stuff Thom assembled in his blog. And, if you want the words to "Froggy Went a Courtin'"--well, you can certainly find them on the web, and I recommend John McCutcheon's recording to learn the pronounciation.

Cheers from Becky's Blue Blog.

3 comments:

Thomcub said...

I had no idea that you have a brother whose name is Thom and spells it like I do.

Becky Ryder said...

Do you remember Thom McCann shoes? Maybe that was his inspiration. At any rate, he added the "h" sometime around college graduation and withstood all the jokes -- "what you want to do that for, Tommy". I guess he basically wanted to get away from "Tommy," although I still call him that sometims. I guess he comes by the tendency honestly, because I just found out that my mother, whose name is Jeane, added the "e" to the end of her when she graduated from college (at 19!). I was totally stunned. My mom. The rebel. I like it the "J - E - A - N - E" spelling. But, I had no idea that it wasn't her given name until she shared her mother's diary with me.

Newt said...

I didn't know that about Mom! I always thought the "e" was given at birth.

I'm believe that I switched away from "Tommy" because I endured high school without hitting puberty until the end. I felt small...then I got the part of "Christopher Robin" in a Winnie-the-Pooh play...that sealed it. I was destined to be regarded as a kid forever. I tried shortening the name to "Tom," but that seemed too plain. That's when I recalled the Thom McCann shoe logo. I'd always loved Thom McCann shoes. When I got Thom McCann shoes that meant that I was getting a NEW pair of shoes, not my sister's hand-me-down saddles.

I've been "Thom" for about thirty years now. However, many teachers call me "Mr. Ryder." I've found that I like spelling "thom" in lower case. I've accumulated many other names since then.

Strangely, I seem to come up with names for my different personalities. Rather, they talk to me. "Newt" is the writer in me. "Axel" is the rude, self-serving jerk in me. "Ajax" is my rock. "Reg" is my waffling politician self. "Jim" is the trickster and general smart-ass. Finally, there's "Loretta." She's gender confused and wants (like Eric Idle from "The Life of Brian") to have babies. (Of course, Reg debates this with her all day every day and has generally agreed to accept his/her right to have babies.)

Names are fun.