Museum of Heart

The Facebook phenomenon sure is a strange one. I was on, then I was off, now I am back on. I left because I had decided that I didn’t want certain people to have the ability to contact me. Returning was prompted by my high school reunion this summer, and it’s been rewarding to catch up with many people I had lost touch with. So now, I’ve thrown caution to the wind; I really don’t care who contacts me, but in reality, the line of folks looking for me really isn’t all that long.

Now, if only we do could away with all the “Social Activities” on the site. You know, the Mafia Wars, FarmVille and the like. In the most polite way possible, I don’t care if anyone has found a lost kitten or lonely cow or has been promoted to head Godfather. It’s boring, superfluous and clutters up the pages. I do care about keeping in touch (for the most part). But, the rest, not so much.

So, I am making a late New Year’s Resolution: All of you Facebook gamers are on notice; I am going to block any one playing or inviting me to play said games. I have no interest in seeing a cartoon image of your newly-harvested crops.

As for one of the more interesting things on Facebook, I turn to Dave Alvin. I had heard that he was actually on the site and doing his own posting, and being a fan of one of the best songwriters of the past 30 years, I put in a friend request. I know, he’s not my “friend,” although I have spoken to him once or twice, and had dinner with the Blasters (sans the Alvin brothers) back in the 80s.

But he’s a fascinating guy, and, what the hell? Lo and behold, he accepted, and he has regularly posted things of great interest: Links to great videos of B.B. King and others, his thoughts on the American Masters Sam Cooke episode and even comments about coyotes out and around his home.

In other words, passionate and heartfelt musings in the same vein as his music.

The Blasters – American Music
Dave Alvin – Fourth of July