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My First Award!
I’ve won my first award! The One Lovely Blog Award. My wife thinks it’s very beautiful. Gilligan at Retrospace awarded me, so a big thanks. I’m not following as many blogs as I used to, so I’m sure some great ones are being missed. I guess I’m supposed to pick 10 blogs that haven’t already won. And the winners are to do the same. It’s too bad that I can’t pick a website, because one of the most wonderful sites on the web for fellow retrohounds is Wes Clark’s Avocado Memories. You HAVE to check out his huge site that Wes has been working on since 1996. All the sites in my Cool Cats section on the left sidebar are quality sites. I have rather odd tastes that no one seems to be able to figure out. But here are the award winners:
- Brick Mantooth at Plaid Stallions.
- The gang at Spy Vibe.
- Chris at Exquisitely Bored in Nacogdoches.
- Joe at 70s Child.
- Amy at I Love Retro Things.
- Eclectorama. While you’re there, check out what a great time Spock has while visiting the Hound house.
- The Shelf. Even though they don’t post anywhere near often enough.
- C. K. Dexter Haven at Hollywood Dreamland.
- Uncle Gil’s Rockin’ Archives.
- Film Noir of the Week. Even though they look like dark brooding people that wouldn’t display this award.
I’m surprised I don’t have more movie or music specific blogs, but there you have it.
This seems like a good time to give a little personal and blog info. I had planned on reviewing most older movies I watch, but I just couldn’t keep up. Short takes: Le Mans, Steve McQueen drives a race car without a plot. To Be Or Not To Be, a comedy set in 1939 Poland? Niagara, Marylin Monroe is hot.
The last few years have been stressful (not always bad, but busy and stressful) and this blog is a kind of way to keep my mind on other things. Also, my 12- and 14-year-olds wanted to learn guitar and I’ve started learning with them since summer. Being the kind of guy I am, I immediately bought 4 guitars and 4 amps. The younger two might pick guitar up later, but the youngest wants to play drums. Doesn’t that sound stereotypical? The youngest wants the loudest instrument? The 14 year old moved over to banjo, but still messes with guitars. I’ve found playing the guitar in the evening very relaxing and, really, a blast. But I don’t get any writing done (hence no reviews). I also don’t listen to music as much. But, hey, I’m making my own. Sort of. If you can call it music.
I’ve been organizing my albums. I’ve had a few requests for some and I couldn’t put my hands on them. They were scattered between two closets and the living room. We are at 748 with A-Z. We still have compilations, children’s, Christmas, and movie and Broadway soundtracks. It will end up at around 1000 albums. (Update: the final is 912) This doesn’t include the 400 or so 45s and 30 or so 78s. Please people, I’ve got a wife, 4 boys, a homeschool, a 4-year-old my wife watches for a friend, a dog, and a cat, and all my junk in an 1800 sq. ft. 3 bedroom house. EVERYTHING’S FOR SALE! I’ll post a spreadsheet with all the records soon. (UPDATE: Look in the Pages section on the right sidebar)
Here’s a question, what can I do to get more comments? I’m not a comment-hound, but I see others who don’t post much more than a picture and some basic text, but they get comments on every post. Perhaps they are more focused in their topic, or they have a larger following, I’m not sure. Perhaps I should reply to every comment, but just saying, “Yeah, I know” sounds repetitive. Certainly, I want to thank all that do comment.
Looney Tunes a Day – Not Today
I seem to have lost January 9th. If I find it, I’ll post it. Are people enjoying these Looney Tunes a Day? I’ve got January done and will post all this month. Should I bother scanning and prepping the rest of the year? They don’t seem to be generating much traffic, but I like them.
Jimmy Nelson’s “Instant Ventriloquism”
Jimmy Nelson’s “Instant Ventriloquism.” Juro JCR 101. 1964. Juro Novelty Company. With Danny O’Day and Farfel. A Juro Celebrity Record. “Yes, simply by listening to this record and following its very simple instructions, YOU can learn to amaze and fool your friends.”
How to Take Photos for eBay or Your Photo Blog
I thought I’d do a post on how to get the best photos you can to make your items most attractive. I see horrible pictures on eBay
all the time. Why don’t people realize how much this affects which items people bid on and which items go for more money?
Next to a decent camera, lighting can make the biggest difference. Scanning is probably the best, but not everyone has the time to scan everything they want to post. A good album to use for demonstration is appropriately named Contrasts, by Erroll Garner.
Both these photos are untouched except for cropping and my retrohound.com logo, which you can’t see because it’s red. The first picture was taken inside under a compact florescant bulb. The second was taken out in bright sunlight, that’s the only difference. However, some photos work better taken in the shade, like a porch, on a sunny day instead of in direct sunlight. For an even starker contrast, let’s look at the back side.
The one taken in the sunlight obviously has blue tinted photos which you would not know if you only saw the one taken inside. Now here’s a look at the Eddie Heywood album I posted yesterday.
Small photos on eBay are a big annoyance. Here I am, trusting you, who I don’t know, to be selling me merchandise, that I can’t see. And my vision is still in the neighborhood of 20/20. If it annoys me enough, I’ll wait for a garage sale. You should at least provide links to larger photos. Yes, I’m aware of people still on dial-up, I’m on dial-up at home myself. There are ways to make the file size smaller however, someone called Knowledge Hound (no relation) has info on resizing pictures. I hope this little lesson has helped. I’ve wanted to do it for no other reason than to use the yellow photos I’ve taken.
Westinghouse Electric Pot
Westinghouse Electric Pot seen at a friends house. It belongs to her grandmother and is full of chicken and noodles here. I don’t know why I love this stuff, the photo looks kinda boring, but I like seeing these old appliances around.
