Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Echo forever!




I used to be nervous when talking about Echo Lake because I was afraid it might change if an excess of people knew about it.

I'm officially changing that position because I now realize that it will never change.

And in fact it might need a little publicity from time to time.

Of course the services will alter, but the actual facility known as Lower and Upper Echo Lake is basically a forever thing as long as the forest service doesn't start charging $250,000 a year for their land leases.

I worked at Echo in the summers of 1963-64-65-and maybe a little in 66. I have a friend from that time period who I can easily say is one of my best friends even though I haven't seen him in 12 years.

His name is Dr. Francis Joseph Conlan and he doesn't make house calls unless you have a math problem.

His non doctor name is Butch and today he is probably getting ready to leave Echo Lake after spending the entire month of September in his cabin......

All Cabins are only reached by boat unless you really feel like walking and then there is a trail....sort of.

The taxi boat service takes people to the beginning of Desolation Valley but access is only available during the summer because during the winter it looks like the mountains passes approaching Tibet.

SNOW makes it impossible to access the cabins during the winter so Echo Lake truly becomes a summer resort.

The current owner of Echo Chalet, which is the service arm of the resort, is Dr. Tom Fashinel and very dear friend of Dr. Butch's. Dr. Tom is not a math doctor but does something with brains....maybe like in the Man with Two Brains.....

When I worked at Echo Lake as a boat boy I was employed by a man named Jorgy. The most notable thing I remember about Jorgy was the gas that he would pass anywhere, anyplace and anytime........loud boomers. WHAMOS! WINDOW BANGERS LOUD.....and the best part would be standing by him and seeing the face of someone who didn't know him. I'm serious when I tell you that he could be shaking your hand for the first time and blow one off....and you could be a hot babe or a ten year old.....it just didn't matter to Jorgy.

Priceless memory.

The summers I worked at Echo only cost me about $50. Each time I checked out for the winter I would sit down and Jorgy would go over the records and because of store credits and draws I would actually owe him money. I think he would say something like....."don't worry I'll get it from you next summer."

Of course in 1963 I was making $1.25 as a general flunky.
In 1964 I was a certified Boat Boy and I think my pay went to $ 1.75 an hour.
In 1965 I think I worked for free because of what I owed the previous summer.

They were three of the greatest summers of my life.

Every freaking year I plan on going to Echo for a short visit with Butch but alas something happens and the last time I was there was 1998. I took Lily and her friend Rachel. Butch got exposed to young pre-teen girls and I'm not sure he ever recovered.

In fact it might have been 1996 and they might have been ten which really makes it scary.

I'm having this Echo moment because I woke up from a Echo dream about 45 minutes ago.

The water was very low and there were large rocks in the middle of the lake and people were practicing climbing. I mean very large rocks that seemed to extend hundreds of feet in the air.

When driving a taxi boat with 30 people on board it used to part of the job description to
AVOID THE ROCKS.....both in the canal and on the approach to the canal.

THE CANAL between the Upper and Lower Echo is it's own story....and I shall tell you about it at another time.

IF YOU HAVE ANY REASON TO BE IN THE LAKE TAHOE AREA DURING THE SUMMER YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF TO MAKE THE SHORT TRIP OFF HIGHWAY 50 AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO ECHO LAKE. I PROMISE YOU WILL NEVER FORGET IT.

AND FROM ALL INDICATIONS VERY LITTLE HAS CHANGED......

and that's something that doesn't get said very often anymore.........

very little has changed......except of course for the forest service lease fees.......

Michael Timothy McAlevey




Monday, September 27, 2010

Changing Levels

In 1994 my daughter Lily was 7 when her brother Sean passed away at the age of 15. Two weeks after the "event" she called me and said she hated the word "death." I responded with "yes it's a horrible thing that has happened." She said, "No not the thing....the words, death and dead.....Dad they just aren't the right words to explain what has happened to Sean."

I thought about it for a few seconds and said, "you are absolutely right...give me a little time to think about it and I'll see if I can find something that works better."

The next day as I was driving home from work it came to me in the form of poem....or a lyric...or an answer.

When I got home I called Lily and explained how Sean was not "dead" and the word "death"
did not have to be used. At the time she was living with her mom in a two story house so it was easy to explain........

"Lily, you live in a two story house and on the upstairs level you have your bedrooms and your bathroom and that's where you study and take your baths and sleep. The downstairs level is where the kitchen and the living room and the den are located and where busy things happen.
The upstairs level is quieter and calmer."

"That's exactly what has happened to Sean. He simply Changed levels. He is now on a level that is higher than where we are and that's why we can't see him but we can still feel him."

Lily simply said to me......"Ok Dad, and can I tell my friends that he changed levels?" "Of course you can." I said.

Within a few weeks they moved from that two story house to a single level dwelling behind the school in Malibu. I suspect that being around new friends made it easier for her to go forward because she didn't have to tell anybody anything unless she wanted to.

16 years later I thought I'd share that poem, or lyric or......answer.

changing
lev
els

driving home tonight
i look around and see
a lot of what is right
and a big old sun looking back at me

i wonder what has happened
to make
life
seem so strange
and of course
the only real difference
is the level
of his change

the level where we play and sleep
is one that we can know
the level where our memories keep
is somewhat down below
and then
there's where my sonfriend lives
beyond what we can see
it's brighter there and righter there
he just made there
before you and me

driving home tonight
i look around and see
a lot of what is right
and a big old sun looking back at me

i wondered what has happened
to make life seem so strange
and the only real difference
is the level of his change

there's a feeling now
that just......somehow
you might not believe this dream
and just because you can't accept
doesn't really mean a thing

we come knowing who we are
we leave just
the same way
and no matter what you think
there is always
another
day

this level is hard and tough
because we get left behind
and once you are left waiting
there is trouble in your mind
it's pain
it's hurt
it's a block of non-belief
it's rain
it's dirt
and a case of no relief

when you think that you've seen
all there is to know
the balance of your present level
can turn around and go
and then
the when
that you thought might be right
becomes the when
that only holds you in the night

driving home tonight
i look around and see
a lot of what is wrong and right
and a big old son looking back at me

i wonder what has happened
to make life seem so strange
and the only real difference
is the level of his change

Today the manager of our building Ed Mucha changed levels at the age of 86.
He was a gentle soul who has shared a long and wonderful relationship with his loving wife Camille.

Out thoughts and prayers are with Camille and hopefully she won't be changing levels for awhile

Thanks Ed for always keeping the grounds clean
.......and say hi to Sean if your levels ever crisscross.

I'm not for one second even remotely going to claim that I know how many levels there are.....
but I suspect there's a whole bunch.

Michael Timothy McAlevey




Thursday, September 23, 2010

Missing an old friend and I barely knew him

I received a CD in the mail today and it's absolutely amazing how much I've missed listening to Hoyt Axton.

I haven't had a record player for about six years and I only have Hoyt on vinyl. I finally ordered "My Griffin is Gone" from a guy ( Ray Kawal) in Washington, who seems to have everything that Hoyt ever recorded.

Nobody....living or dead....has a voice like Hoyt. And then on top of that he might have been one of the best songwriters who ever lived.

I'm pretty sure I'll let him play in the background of my life for the next few months.

It will be interesting to see how my artwork looks while Hoyt serenades me in 2010.

Between 1971 and 1977 most of what I created was done with Hoyt's voice somewhere near.
The dozen times I was able to see him perform was just gravy. I probably listened to My Griffin is Gone more than any album I've ever owned....and yet I haven't heard it in years and as it plays in the background at this very moment.....I just marvel at my stupidity.

What on God's great earth would have kept me from something that is so damn wonderful?

I have to thank Richard Eyer for introducing Hoyt into my life in 1966.

Hoyt changed levels in 1999 and I'm sure his voice resonates throughout all tangents of non-physical reality. Heaven is a great recording studio with tremendous acoustics.

Hoyt and Elvis probably get together from time to time and croon a few tunes.

Keep in mind that Hoyt's mom, Mae Axton, wrote Heartbreak Hotel which was Mr. Presley's first single for RCA in 1956.

Anyway I'm going to give a copy to a singer in the promenade, Eric Kufts, who needs Hoyt in his life.

There are somethings that I just simply know.

Michael Timothy McAlevey



Sunday, September 19, 2010

Second and Third

If you had said a month ago that the Trojans would be 3-0 to start the Lane Kiffin era....I would have been pleased. What doesn't please me is the overall reaction of the fans and the media.

Of course I realize that the person who calls a radio station to talk about a college football team is a different breed.....and generally they appear not to know from whence they speak.

The media is another story. They seem to know the game and the players and the coaches but their expectations seem excessive.

OBVIOUSLY THE LAST NINE YEARS UNDER PETE CARROLL SPOILED A LOT OF USC FANS.

There is an old adage that needs to be stated at this point in time.

A WIN IS A WIN IS A WIN...........

UCLA fans are feeling a lot better today than they were yesterday morning and they are experiencing a 1-2 start to the season.

USC has a some incredible weapons and although they won't be going to any bowl games for the next two years, they will have repeated spectacular highlights on all the ESPN wrap up shows.

One of the repeated stars of those highlights will be Robert Woods.....All predictions in football must be followed by the obvious caveat ........as long as he doesn't get injured.

I'm not going to get overly excited about a 3-0 start because I was going to be happy with 8 or 9 wins. What a 3-0 start does is allow me to be thinking that 10 or 11 wins might be possible.

Baseball season is over pretty early this year with the Dodgers just trying to avoid fourth place in their division, so USC is it for me. As far as my other football team, which resides in St. Louis, I would be happy with 4 wins. Sam Bradford seems to enjoy throwing the football and since they have nothing to lose they might as well let him average 45 to 50 passes a game. I would think that would help Steven Jackson.

Anyway, today they play their second game of the season and it's against the Oakland Raiders and it's still not on television. I thought the Raider Nation got priority in Southern California but apparently not. I've already resigned myself to the fact that the Rams will not be on TV once this year. How come the Raiders have a nation and the Rams have zip?

I might belong to a very small fraternity. PEOPLE FROM LA WHO STILL FOLLOW THE RAMS. I wonder how small it really is? Are there 50,000 of us? I'll check out Facebook and see if there's even a presence. My guess is if there is a site that the amount of friends will number in the hundreds.

Oh and by the way.......I will be rooting for the Cincinnati baseball club because they came from nowhere and I think they were 200-1 to win the series. I do think the Giants will win the division and with their pitching they might surprise a lot of people in the playoffs.

As far as my feelings on Donnie Baseball getting the Dodger job I simply have no emotion attachment to the entire situation because of the Divorce. Until that fiasco gets cleaned up....the players will not be happy. A Baseball team is a family experience and right now the parents are causing stress for the kids and the kids are not responding well to the chaos.

When Peter O'Malley talks people should listen, but it's important to remember that HE sold the Dodgers to FOX so his opinion does have less emphasis then it should. The only voice that matters is Vin and he'll never say anything but the right thing so we have no idea what he really thinks. Tommy might tell you the truth if you get a little vino down the tube.

Wait a minute.....I'm talking baseball.......Oh well, I guess I'm a lot like those idiots who call the radio shows.

Rams will upset the Raiders 24-21................as hope springs eternal on the second week of Pro football and the third week of college with USC being 3-0. Did I already mention that the Trojans were 3-0?

UCLA is ?????

Michael Timothy McAlevey












Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Bill needs to come

After viewing Meg Whitman's campaign slam, using Bill Clinton to whack Jerry Brown, I think it's time Bill came to California and spent some time with Jerry on the trail.

The information in the spot is slightly off.......Jerry didn't like Prop 13 and probably still doesn't but the deficit was only in one of his eight years in office....and it happened at the end when he was trying to pocket as much money as possible to pay off the mattress he had been using.

At the time Linda Ronstadt needed a sizable loan in order to take Spanish lessons for her next album.

What is Jerry Brown's net worth? I'm guessing he is not a rich man but if he is....then I think we would have to start asking some serious questions.

When would he had time to make a ton of coin?

Meg's money situation does not bother me. Rich people deserve to be rich because they figured something out that apparently I haven't. And it's not just about being smarter and working harder. They've actually figured something out. A secret. A money secret that once it starts unfolding just keeps steamrolling until the bank gets full.

What bothers me about Meg is the fact that she didn't register to vote for 28 years of her adult life.

How is that even possible?

I know lots of people don't vote but has anybody ever ran for a major office who didn't vote for a large percentage of their adult life?

THIS HAS TO BE A FIRST.

MEG.....seriously.

I've yet to hear an explanation.

Were you just too busy to care?

I'd love to know.

How cool would it be if Bill Clinton could ask her that question?

Hurry Bill and come get involved in California politics.
There's a beach house in Malibu just waiting for you.

I think it's right next door to David Geffen's house.

Does anybody have Bill's cell phone number?

Michael Timothy McAlevey


Sunday, September 12, 2010

NFL for the record and other junk

It's always a good idea to post predictions....JUST IN CASE

SUPER BOWL PARTICIPANTS 2011

BENGALS vs PACKERS

WINNER OF THE SUPER BOWL
GREEN BAY PACKERS

MVP
AARON ROGERS

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Sam Bradford and Tim Tibow will tie.

TOTAL VICTORIES FOR THE RAMS................4....which is 3 more than last year.

College
After watching the Trojans play twice I think they will end up 9-4

Politics
The GOP will make a few gains but nowhere near what they thought.

Robert Duvall will win the Academy Award for GET LOW

THE WORLD WILL NOT END IN 2012

Reese Witherspoon will decide to make LEAJEWEL

Lily will be one of the Executive Producers.

Laura will select a Mini-Cooper

Grace will open her own cupcake shop.

The start of the NFL season really gets the juices flowing.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

nine eleven and nine


Nine years since the attack on The United States......but keep in mind that anyone 10 years or younger doesn't have that memory unless they have been schooled with repeated television images.

Some schooling just isn't a good idea.

Imagine if Hiroshima had been televised.

That's a horrible thought... but then again, once one starts remembering tragic events then other tragic events just become part of the process.

I realize there is a large contingent of adults out there who don't consider Hiroshima a tragedy.
They regard IT as a necessary event in order to end WW ll.

What I've been able to learn from my various studies is that detonating a nuclear bomb was simply a huge finishing statement for a situation that was pretty much over.

There are numerous people who say that Japan would never have surrendered but it seems that opinion is debatable. Our government made it pretty clear that our nuclear action was taken to save American lives and a vast majority of people accept that concept.

I'm just not sure that using a Nuclear Bomb sets the proper tone for traveling down a path of spiritual awareness.

Obviously wars of any kind.... put a damper on that highway.

Every personal act of violence creates a pothole on that path.

And that brings us to The Koran

The Koran has been very much in the news lately with the Florida situation.

I suspect that very few non-Muslim people have read The Koran. I would even put the figure at less than 1/10 of one percent of Americans.

I fall in that category and yet I have read enough excerpts to think I know what The Koran says about KILLING.

I ACTUALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE KORAN SAYS ABOUT ANYTHING BECAUSE I DON'T READ BOOKS THAT CLAIM THEY POSSESS THE WILL OF GOD.

IF THE KORAN CALLS FOR HUMAN BEINGS TO KILL OTHER HUMAN BEINGS BECAUSE THEY DON'T FOLLOW THE KORAN THEN THE KORAN IS WRONG.

IF THE KORAN DOESN'T SAY THAT.....THEN SOMEONE IS DOING A VERY POOR JOB OF RELAYING INFORMATION.

Every time I think of 9/11 I think of 19 Saudi Arabians, who were radical Muslims, somehow penetrated our security and attacked the United States because they thought the United States was the Devil.

That's what I think radical Muslims think..... because I've heard that they have read, in The Koran, that anyone who doesn't accept Allah is the enemy....and enemies should be killed.

I'M PRETTY SURE THAT MOHAMMAD HAD TO COME UP WITH SOME FAIRLY RADICAL STUFF IN 600 A.D.....BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME PRETTY RADICAL STUFF TAKING PLACE.

I'll go back to one of my favorite ideas ( THE COUNCIL OF FAITH) and simply say.

THERE NEEDS TO BE A REALITY SHOW THAT PUTS ALL RELIGIONS ON TRIAL.

AT THE SAME TIME...

USING THE BEST LAWYERS FROM EACH RELIGION TO BOTH DEFEND THEIR OWN RELIGION AND QUESTION THE OTHER RELIGIONS.


LET EVERYBODY TUNE IN ON A WEEKLY BASIS AND LEARN WHAT EACH RELIGION REALLY STANDS FOR. PEOPLE COULD BE REMINDED OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE TIME PERIODS WHEN THESE RELIGIONS WERE FORMED.

THAT ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE IGNORED WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THEIR RELIGIONS.

I think (BUT I HAVE NO PROVABLE IDEA)
that a Creator of the Universe
might regard our actions, that are based on historical religious points of view,
AS
PRIMITIVE

AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK ABOUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT 9/11

PRIMITIVE BEHAVIOR ON THE PART OF HUMAN BEINGS.

It might be a good idea to prevent those ten year old and younger kids.... from watching the History Channel until they turn 18.

Michael Timothy McAlevey






Tuesday, September 7, 2010

THE WILDEST DREAM


If you get a chance go see THE WILDEST DREAM.

It's the story of George Mallory and his attempt to be the first person to climb Mt. Everest.

I once climbed a really big tree in our backyard when I was 6 years old.

I think I fell on my ass and broke my brain.

I'm still waiting for it to heal.

Really good film if you are interested in the adventurous spirit that lies inside the heart and soul of human beings.


Michael Timothy McAlevey






Saturday, September 4, 2010

COLLEGE FOOTBALL UNDER WAY

Since last January there has been extreme events in the hallow, somethings shallow ( according to some) halls of my college football team.

San Jose State would be my football team according to attendance but since I didn't officially graduate then I am allowed to pick any team I want. (NCAA rules # 89.34)

And I picked The University of Southern California when I was 6 years old so it's been a long term relationship. The Gods chose to give me a serious girl friend during 1967 and 1968 who was attending USC, so I was able to fringe participate in many school events.

Leslie went on to marry a doctor and have children so I didn't totally mess up her life.

It was simply a coincidence that those two years also happened to be the two years that O.J. attended USC.

The Gods are not without humor.....but then again you already knew that.

Getting back to the off-season of college football which extends from early January to Sept 2nd....the hammer was thrown down on the USC program and the main problem appeared to be a lost of scholarships. It created a major question mark in the depth of USC's team.

That question mark usually arises on the defensive side of the field when it comes to depth.

Thursday in Hawaii that question mark was bold and evident. The offense seems to be extremely capable of averaging 35 points a game. The defense seems to be extremely capable of allowing 36 points a game.

That could result in a 8-5 season.

It could also result in a 13-0 season if the offense averages 40 points a game.

If USC finishes 13-0 every UCLA fan in Los Angeles would have a small stroke.

I'm not worried because they have numerous hospitals throughout the area.

USC only has one hospital.

I hate how talking about college football results in discussing hospitals but when one gets to a certain age then medical topics just seem to appear.

Why Jessica Alba doesn't come up more often really confuses me.

Since my pro team, The Rams (from St.Louis at the moment) appear to have no chance to win more than 4 games I am totally devoting my football energy to college.

I'll be rooting for USC and .........and........and........
and.........and.......and.......
and........

I'll will root for UCLA until they play the Trojans because I still owe their hospital a sh.t load of coin.

Michael Timothy McAlevey