Loyd's BONUS video-clip---- # 7!!!--

This one is WELL worth  the 25 minutes or so it'll take of your time!!! The one, the ONLY, Mr. Robin Williams--- making his very FIRST appearance on the 'Tonight' show, with Johnny Carson!!

Robin Williams,around the time he made this appearance, was like a ROCK STAR to the then-16 year-old Loydster.  It was through his rapid-fire,mind-blowing (and VERY, VERY FUNNY!!), 'stream-of-consciousness' -type of humor, that I realized, at that oh-SO-awkward-feeling stage of my life-- that laughter and humor, were two of the VERY important things that were going to help me SURVIVE my teen years!! It was Robin Williams who gave me BOTH that sort-of 'wake-up call', and incredible gift--- by making me laugh harder than I'd ever laughed in my life!!!

Oh, I'd grown up with humor alright--- other posts on this blog bear that out well enough!!! BUT--- Robin was a one-man REVOLUTION. He stepped up behind a mic on stage, and it was like living, breathing,human FIREWORKS had stepped up there to blow EVERYONE'S mind!! --- AND --- make us laugh 'till our sides hurt!!! (just watch Mr. Carson's reactions, as Robin TAKES OVER the show from him!!)

Lots of folks speak of the tragedy at the end of his life..... but THIS is the way I've chosen to remember this wonderfully gifted, special person---- one who can STILL make me laugh 'til tears come out, and yes,laugh 'til my sides hurt!!!----

                                                           See you NEXT time, gang!!!

The OTHER artist in the family!!!---

We have another kind of  creative-type living here at good old 'Ferrell central'!!! The type that uses seeds, plants and gardening tools to express their 'artistic side'!! I'm referring to my beautiful wife, Mrs. Debbie, of course!!--- You know, THIS lovely lady!!!---

A lot of folks don't realize what a TRUE talent my wife has for putting in plants, a full veggie garden (EVERY late spring/ early summer!!),and various other kinds of 'green-thumb'-type stuff around the property here!!! Well--- allow me to do a little boasting on her behalf!!!

Folks also usually don't realize what kind of HARD work, planning and patience it takes to do all the  type of things Deb is SO talented at!! But..... she truly enjoys the results of all that labor. The rest of us that live here with her (meaning the kids and I!!!) are also pretty impressed with it all too!! Let's take a little tour around our yard here, and check out some of her handiwork, shall we?----

This 'raised flower bed' is something Deb put in just this season!! The plants and soil only go down a couple of feet, and it all sits within this 'box' (made with old landscaping posts she cut down and fastened together all by her lonesome!!) on top of a hidden, sturdy 'platform' of wood & mason blocks (water-proofed with plastic sheeting, of course!!)!!  The lady could be an engineer!!

A closer look at the 'raised bed'!!

The rest of the place has 'bright spots' of color from all sorts of plants and flowers--- from right by the steps going into the house-----

---- To the areas along side AND behind the house!!!----

----- All the way to the edge of the yard and next to the driveway!!----

Also, as you can probably see, Deb uses lots of 'found' objects in her arrangements, making it all look even MORE 'vintage cool'!!! Like I said before, this is the way the FAVORITE lady in my life expresses her creative side!! I'm VERY proud of ALL she accomplishes, EVERY season!!!

 I also can't imagine living in this place that we do, without all this beautiful color all around us every spring & summer!!! What a DRAB place this would be without her!!! Stand up and take a WELL-deserved bow, oh LOVE of the Loydster's life!!!!


                                                          See you NEXT time, gang!!!!

Cartoons and doodles that helped me keep my SANITY!!!

Sooner or later,here at the old 'blog-a-wing-a-ding-thing'--- you might as well expect to see the occasional post with at least SOME 'Loydster-doodling' in it!!! Considering that I've been cartooning and just generally goofing around with pencils / pens / paper ever since I could grasp a writing / drawing instrument, that really shouldn't be much of a shock!!!

In fact, for a good chunk of time there--- mostly my teen years up into my mid-30s, a LONG-time dream of mine was to be able to make a living at the cartooning / doodling / lettering--- or even doing hand-lettered signs & posters. I've made the stray dollar or two at it here & there..... but NEVER have I made enough to 'make a living' at it.

That's OK though, because one VERY important thing I've discovered, is that having this doodling / cartooning ability of mine---while not in ANY way making me 'rich and famous', has helped me COUNTLESS times!!! Both in keeping my sanity, AND-- not to take myself TOO seriously!!!! Oh, and it's helped me take some of life's ups, downs and all-around bumps & bruises with a healthy dose of  HUMOR!! It's truly the most valued tool I have in my 'mental toolbox'!!!

First off, let's look at some 'toons I scrawled while working at the last manufacturing / factory job I had to endure!!! On this particular job, I had to  carry around a set of blank orange 'tags' (about 3 inches wide by 6 inches long) in my shirt pocket, pretty much all the time, along with a handy-dandy 'sharpie' pen!!!

Being the COMPULSIVE doodler that I've ALWAYS been--- and having HUGE chunks of time (we worked 12-hour shifts,rotating from days-to-nights every 4 months!!) with a LOT of tedious, REALLY slow-moving equipment to monitor, it was EXACTLY the right set of circumstances to let loose with some truly GOOF-BALL-type 'toons!!! Keep in mind I was doing these things to BOTH keep from losing my mind from the boredom, and just give myself a reason to laugh!!! Your mileage, as they used to say, may vary!!!---

Now that we've had a look at that weird little form of  'therapy'--- let's take a look-see at some other scrawlings & scribbles I put down, MOSTLY on lined, notebook paper ( I know, a TRULY odd choice!!! But--- hey, these were for pretty much just ME to look & laugh at, remember!!)--- this time to help keep me from going BONKERS during a particularly LONG stretch of unemployment!!!---

---- And that, folks is just a SMALL sampling of the kind of thing the 'ol Loydster will scribble when he's trying to either keep his sanity, OR ..... just needs a good belly-laugh!!! Hope it brought you a few giggles too!!! 


                                                 See  you  NEXT time gang!!!!

Loyd's BONUS video-clip---- # 6!!!!

Here we have a REAL treat!! One of my all-time favorite 'smooth-country-crooners', the legendary Patsy Cline!!! This clip features her singing, circa the mid-fifties, the ORIGINAL version of the hit,'Walkin' after midnight',which she re-recorded (with a LOT more polish & classy-sheen) after signing with Decca records in 1960.

As much as I REALLY dig Patsy's 'smooth' sound----the sound she's most known and recognized for (with good reason!!! ALL of her hits are indeed CLASSICS!!) I kinda prefer this earlier version of  'Walkin'....' to the later one!!! It's just got a LOT more of a bluesy-swing to it!!

The clip was also done (as a LOT of shows like this one were back then!!) LIVE-- which also proves, without a doubt, Mrs. Patsy could belt out a tune with all her heart, WHERE EVER she was!!! whether in the studio, or 'live-and-in-person'!!----

                 


                                                            See you next time, gang!!!

Why 3 Knuckle-heads are my HEROES!!!

Much like my recent post about a 'certain pair of caped crusaders', this one is about some other VERY important people in my childhood!!! Heck, they've been VITAL to me throughout my life!!!  I'm talking, of course, about the masters of mayhem themselves, 'Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, and Dr. Howard'--- The 3 Stooges!!!

These 3 shameless GOOFBALLS influenced me in countless ways!! Mostly in the VERY critical area of both not taking myself TOO seriously,AND being able to laugh--- no matter WHAT life may throw at you!! Whether it be hardships & heartaches... or just a coconut cream pie!!

I could go on and on about how the boys have helped the 'ol Loydster through COUNTLESS tough times, brought me A good belly-laugh EXACTLY when I needed it, etc.... BUT---- it's just as easy to show you!!!--- FIRST, let's look at what they're MOST famous for----

All right..... now that we've refreshed our memories of what we ALL remember about the guys that made us laugh in 3rd grade (and STILL does!!!), how about a look at what caught my attention a little later in life, say around junior high or so!!! The Marx Brothers were more famous for their 'word-play', but the Stooges could do EXTREMELY funny verbal stuff too!!!-----

Now----- Just so we can remember how REALLY well-rounded a team these fellas were, let's have a look-see at how they could even handle a swingin' little musical number,goofing around with the alphabet!!!----

I think the above clips show the evidence pretty well!!!--- Just WHY the Stooges have stayed in the top spot of  my list of favorite folks who ALWAYS make me laugh!!! Not only make me laugh, but MORE important, make me forget life's cares, troubles and problems--- even if it's for just the 17- 18 minutes running length that each of their shorts run!!!

Oh, there are OTHERS in my little 'mental-top-ten-list' of classic comedy teams!! This includes the above mentioned Marx Brothers, Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy, a handful of others. But Moe, Larry, Curly--- and yes, in a few shorts, even SHEMP--- They will ALWAYS be the 'team SUPREME', when it comes to making me realize just how MUCH it helps your heart & mind to laugh!!! DAILY and as often as possible!! I recommend at least a once-a-month dose of 'Stooge-watching' be added to EVERYBODY'S diet!!!

                                                     See you NEXT time, gang!!!!