Prairie Town, Buddy Bolden, Coming Through Slaughter, Funky Butt

An old friend from Canada who I have not heard from in a long time found us and sent an email:

Hey Ray, waddya say? Long time no talk. Still Miami? Going home for x-mas? Managed to reconnect with Shoob and have seen him when I have been back in the peg. Still writing? I'm still working as a First AD. Just finished a low budget feature....probably won't work until next year. How are things?
Regards,
Dave

I wrote back:

Hey Dave,

Greetings from Pensacola and Gulf of Mexico.Yes, long time but I still think of you my old friend! I saw Constant Gardener (with my wife Melissa, yes my wife!) and noticed your name! Great work! Wanted to invite you to the wedding in Miami early last year but I didn't know where you were - a small wedding in the only Ukrainian orthodox church in South Florida!

And No, I'm no longer in Miami. I was offered a department head's position at the University of West Florida in Pensacola (http://www.uwf.edu/) , small coastal beach town on the Gulf of Mexico with a very interesting Bohemian slow southern paced vibe.

Last Monday I went to see some New Orleans Gulf Coast jazz Monday with my wife. They want me to do the website:

The cornettist played "Wont' you Come Home Bill Bayley" and "When the Saints Go Marching Inand "Funky Butt"(old Buddy Bolden Tune). I told the director that I had read Ondaatje's "Coming Through Slaughter" about Bolden - he hadn't read it and I don't know that much about jazz except that Bolden went crazy coming through Slaughter, Louisiana.

I asked my wife to dance there. No one was dancing. She was a little self conscious in the hot number she was wearing! She said no! I didn't want to drag her onto the floor!

Blue Moon of Kentucky Keep on Shinin' - that's the name of the beer I had "Blue Moon". They serve here it with an orange slice!

My parents are actually down here and we want them to stay for Christmas. They are watching my baby, the princess of Pensacola. http://pensacolaprincess.blogspot.com/ My mom and her have become a cheek to cheek pair, a veritable new fighting force!

This weekend's American Thanksgiving so I get a couple days off to eat turkey, fish with my dad off the pier, walk with everyone and the baby and just kick back with a few Bud light's while we cast outlines! No more "Blowfish" - that's the inedible fish I caught last week that my wife told me only sushi chef's know how to cook and remove the toxins! Shout out the the shoob!

I'm not overly writing, mostly computers now. Ironically, a play I wrote ages ago is getting a little attention. Thom Gossom Jr. (of West Wing, Boston Legal) was interested in playing the main character for a smaller Pensacola production. His wife is one of the Dean's here! I'm not at all crossing my fingers, he called me from LA - it seems I've heard this before. I'm attaching the play . If it every did get it produced. . . nostalgic shout out to NYC! Shout out to the Hood.

Pensacola's friendlier than Miami! A small coastal beach town rather than Miami Vice. North Florida, the Gulf of Mexico as opposed to Miami Land. Definitely warmer than Winnipeg or New York!

We are going on a cruise here from Mobilenext week week. I'm encouraging my parents to go to Costa Maya

Well, take care. Shout out to the peg!!!

I'm going to put on Randy Bachman and Neil Young's "Prairie Town - Portage and Main 40 degrees below" in tribute to us, Dave, the travellin prairie boys! You haven't lived until you've explained the name "Uzwyshyn" in the deep south. "U-what" - let alone "U - krainian". I just listened to Taj Mahal's "Johnny, you're too bad!"

Mucho Gusto, Dave!

Ray