For the past year, I've written a blog (with 94 posts so far) about the sport of Track and Field.
And I love doing it.
But my interests are far more diverse than just 1 sport.
I've always been at least as much involved with writing, books, movies, and Bob Dylan.
So I've decided to start this 2nd blog---called My Cultural World---which will focus on my involvement with these 4 subjects.
So let me tell you my background with each, and what I intend to present to you about each in this blog.
Writing
I started writing November 23rd, 1965, when I wrote my first poem.
Since that date, over 49 years ago, I've penned over 4500 short pieces, including poems, song lyrics, essays, reviews/critiques, personal prose, self-interviews, and assorted other forms.
I've also completed 13 books, both auto-biographical and fictional.
I'm mostly UNpublished, but I continue writing anyway.
In this blog, I will present my ideas on this art, my own experiences, my own techniques, as well as my influences, motivations, and philosophy.
Books
I keep lists of lots of stuff.
Among them is a list (compiled in 2 notebooks) of all the books I've read in my life.
These presently number over 2730
I'm not the most sophisticated or learned reader, but I do read a wide variety of genres.
I've written a few book reviews on Amazon.
I've worked about 9 years in used bookstores (in 3 different states!).
I believe I know enough to be able to recommend books, rate them, critique them here.for you.
(And I guarantee you my list will be different than yours, so maybe I can offer opinions on books and authors YOU have never read or even heard of!)
Movies
As with books, I've compiled a list of all the 4800 (or so) movies I've seen in my life.
I've done this in 4 notebooks.
I've also rated these movies.
On 5X8 lined index cards, I've created lists of my Top 15 Movies from each year (or group of years) since the Sound Era began in 1927.
I began with the years 1927-37, then for the next 32 years (1938-69), I did Top 15 lists for 2 year groupings, such as 1938-39, 1940-41, up through 1968-69.
Then, beginning with 1970, and up through the current year, I've done Top 15 lists for each and every year separately!
In this blog, I'll present these lists, and tell you why I've chosen one movie as better (or worse) than another.
I feel sure that, among those 4800 movies, there will be a few you'll want to see....or watch again....based on my critiques!
Bob Dylan
I've been a fan of Bob's since early 1964.
I own most of his CD's, have read about 50 books on or by him, have been to 10 concerts, and have (like many others) tried to interpret what his lyrics mean.
Here, I'll offer up some of my opinions, and my passionate devotion to this Minstrel Boy!
While these subjects are divergent enough, they have an overriding theme.
They compose My Cultural World.
Although I must say that world is not limited to just these subjects.
I also love Van Gogh, and have experience as a nude model.
I watch some "porn", and have some ideas and thoughts about THAT too!
I don't know how often I'll post here, as my Track and Field blog keeps me fairly busy.
but I do LOVE these subjects, and I DO have lots to talk about here, so I hope to post often enough to please, but not often enough to become obnoxious!
