CCP cranberry sauce
15 years ago
Monday, September 29, 2008
The road ends...
Well the trip is over. Though excited to go home I am sad to end the trip. I had a great time just meandering through the trip and hanging out with Dad. The most memorable parts of the trip were the drives and the memorable meals. For me the museums were very interesting, but the real gem of the trip was the company. I don't know that many people that take father son, father daughter, mother son, or mother daughter trips but I would urge most anyone to do it. Dad and I were contemplating why more people don't do this. My speculation was that often there are personality conflicts and other times it is a lack of common interests. Next I have to figure out where to go with Mom. Both Dad and the HyWy have been asking where I would go with Mom. Even I have been asking Mom where would she like to go. Who knows, but I'm looking forward to it.
Stax and the Natchez Trace Parkway
On our final real day of the trip (ie doing new stuff) we went to visit the Stax Museum of Soul. The story of Stax is an amazing one. Stax was a recording studio that brought us some very famous musicians and songs. Most notable of the Stax family to the general population are the late great Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes. However, there are many more songs as I found out that once I listened to them I recognized. The beauty of what Stax did was that they were founded by a white owner who located them in a predominantly black neighborhood or at least a neighborhood that was shifting in it's demographic. This at a time when racial tensions throughout the south were running very high. It was repeatedly told to us that Stax was an integrated company from top to bottom (with eventually shared ownership between black and white people). Many of the musicians at Stax said that they did not have any conscious realization of the racial boundaries that they were breaking. Unfortunately for Stax all of the good that they were doing would change almost instantly with the assassination Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Subsequently Stax's top star, Otis Redding, would die along with several members of his backing band in a plane crash. These two events were a major blow for Stax. They would go through several ownership changes and strangely enough one of them saw Stax's masters owned by the legendary studio from Berkeley, Fantasy. Listening to a CD of the great soul hits from Stax the instantly recognizable Stax rhythm section and horns sound phenomenal. After we finished up at Stax I asked one of the people at the ticket counter where we could get some good food. He directed us to a great soul food restaurant around the corner. Inside we found a restaurant that had been open (albeit not continuously) since 1942. We were informed that Dr. King would often eat there and that he favored the peach cobbler.
Dad eating some salmon croquettes, black eyed peas, and okra.
I had turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes/gravy, and collards.As we began our drive home we plotted what route we would follow. The obvious choice was the interstate south to Baton Rouge and then the interstate again west to Houston. However, this has not been a trip of doing the obvious. We decided to stop in Jackson for the evening (thus allowing us to watch the UGA/'Bama game). The next morning we got out of Jackson and hit the Natchez Trace Parkway. The parkway is a meandering 2 lane road that goes through fields and is tree lined. Judging by all the historic markers we saw I think many of the endless fields were likely old Civil War battlefields. This and one of our drives on the Great River Road where we drove through cotton fields following the Mississippi were two of my favorite moments of the trip. Dad made a great point that both drives were beautiful and were not particularly quick to get from one point to the next. In that way they were similar to driving on Hwy 1, but the major difference was the ease of driving these roads without a sheer dropoff on oneside. So if you ever find yourself with time to kill while driving through Mississippi consider driving the Natchez Trace Parkway or the Great River Road you will not regret it.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Football
This is the final post for the evening as I have been doing a lot of writing.
Death Valley. Enough said.
On this trip we have covered most of the best things in the south: blues, bbq, fried chicken, and now college football. For dinner tonight we went to a sports bar that was next door to the hotel. Few things compare to seeing a college football game at a bar in the south. I'm sure my South American friends will say go see a soccer game at a Brazilian bar or the Bostonians will say go see a Red Sox game at a Boston bar or even I will say what about the time I saw a Indian/Pakistan cricket match in Calcutta. Fair enough all of these are greater experiences. However, my favorite experience is a college football game at a bar in the South or preferably in person in the South. We went at halftime to see UGA vs. Alabama after having seen the first half in the hotel. The bar was filled because at the same time Miss. State was playing LSU. We only had 3 screens for our game and there were two conveniently free seats right in front of the TV showing our game. Our game was a blow out and I was happy. What I love best though in the South is the unwavering loyalty. Miss. State was in no real position to beat LSU, but their fans were in for the long haul. Even when they were really pretty much done the fans were still there. In any other conference Miss. State would have probably fared pretty well, but what do you do when there are 3 teams in the top 5? It should be noted that there WERE 3 teams in the top 5 and as of Monday there will no longer be 3 SEC teams in the top 5 much less the top 10. The part that made my day was when we walked into the bar and were trying to figure out what screen was showing our game. I saw a guy with an Alabama shirt and went to ask him. He was so excited and friendly. He immediately shook my hand and asked me if I was an Alabama fan. When I told him that I wasn't and was a Georgia Tech fan it didn't matter at all to him. We both agreed that it didn't matter as long as I wasn't a UGA fan. He offered to let us sit down with him, but then we would've had our backs to the game. It's times like this that I miss the South the most.
National Civil Rights Museum
I have been to the site of Gandhi's assassination, the MLK center in Atlanta, and now the National Civil Rights Museum. I don't think the atrocities of the civil rights movement will ever stop shocking me. The stories, images, and videos that I saw at the museum were not that different than what I saw or read before. However, they still stun me. Dad was very much in the country during the Civil Rights Movement and he mentioned how he avoided many of the cities in the south. I will say that for all the problems that the South caused during that time frame they have come a long way. Never on this trip have I felt unsafe and never in so many years of living in the South did I feel significantly discriminated against. Many people were worried about us traveling through Mississippi and I think that it unfortunately has an undeserved reputation in that sense.
However, I digress. One thing that has taken my curiosity is wondering what happened to many of the people that we see in the famous pictures of the Civil Rights Movement. People on both sides of the debate. What happened to the kid pouring the glass with the printed shirt? What about the people sitting at the counter? What about the girl shouting? Obviously I'm asking mostly about the aggressors, but that is because I'm wondering whether they ever changed their views. I wonder if they realized what they were advocating.
The museum is on the site of the Lorraine Motel which is where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. The motel is remarkably well preserved. My understanding is that there was a squatter that was still staying at the motel after a number of years when they were trying to get the museum started there. I believe the squatter was kicked out and is now living across the street still campaigning to get the museum closed. Many of the modern assassinations have been so well documented that you can literally trace minute by minute or step by step the victim's last moments. I found the same to be true at the site of Gandhi's assassination and the result is that it is very surreal to be in that spot. The Civil Rights Museum has also acquired the building where James Earl Ray resided and shot Dr. King from. I was very amazed to find out that they also have on display all of the evidence from Mr. Ray's trial. I guess at this point with the death of Mr. Ray there is no real point in keeping the evidence from the public eye.
However, I digress. One thing that has taken my curiosity is wondering what happened to many of the people that we see in the famous pictures of the Civil Rights Movement. People on both sides of the debate. What happened to the kid pouring the glass with the printed shirt? What about the people sitting at the counter? What about the girl shouting? Obviously I'm asking mostly about the aggressors, but that is because I'm wondering whether they ever changed their views. I wonder if they realized what they were advocating.
The museum is on the site of the Lorraine Motel which is where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. The motel is remarkably well preserved. My understanding is that there was a squatter that was still staying at the motel after a number of years when they were trying to get the museum started there. I believe the squatter was kicked out and is now living across the street still campaigning to get the museum closed. Many of the modern assassinations have been so well documented that you can literally trace minute by minute or step by step the victim's last moments. I found the same to be true at the site of Gandhi's assassination and the result is that it is very surreal to be in that spot. The Civil Rights Museum has also acquired the building where James Earl Ray resided and shot Dr. King from. I was very amazed to find out that they also have on display all of the evidence from Mr. Ray's trial. I guess at this point with the death of Mr. Ray there is no real point in keeping the evidence from the public eye.
Why Memphis?
Many people have asked why we went to Memphis. The reason is simple because this is where almost all of American music is rooted. With the exception of Detroit and Motown, which is a different sound I can't think of any city in the country that has been so instrumental in American music. I can honestly say that someone can pick any genre of music or any artist in existence today and we could trace their influences back to Memphis. Of course I'm not talking about classical (as it predates Memphis by a few hundred years), reggae (music from foreign countries doesn't count), jazz (in my mind one of two styles not mainly based from Memphis), and country (the second style not based from Memphis, but with a very significant influence in Memphis) but rather about hip hop, rap, rock, metal, alternative, etc. For example I will consider two very different groups...First Metallica whom I really enjoy. Metallica's early metal influences included Motorhead, Queen, and Led Zepplin. Queen and Led Zepplin were both influenced by The Who. The Who started out as a band playing R&B covers of songs from the US that they found by mail ordering records from abroad. The Who, The Rolling Stones, and The Beatles all got their start by playing covers of R&B songs. Modern rap or hip hop is the same way. Consider a hip hop star like Jay-Z who likely grew up listening to all kinds of soul records and the connection is even easier. So for people to say that they don't understand why I would take a trip to Memphis I think the real question should be why wouldn't you?
Museum of Rock and Soul and Gibson
Today we went to the Museum of Rock and Soul and the Gibson Factory. After we finished those two we even went to the National Civil Rights Museum, but that will need it's own post. The Museum of Rock and Soul was pretty impressive, but the thing that was so enjoyable about it as Dad pointed out is that we could listen to the progression of songs over the years. It started with the the blues of Robert Johnson and Charley Patton and went through the Stax years of Isaac Hayes and Otis Redding.
This was really where I started to realize that there are so many songs that other people wrote that I have heard in more famous versions and enjoy. Dad and I were discussing what we thought the difference between Motown and Stax was, because they were the predominant soul labels during the 60s and 70s. I think that Motown had a more refined sound and a smoother sound. Stax had a very raw sound. Stax was taking instrumentalists that grew up on blues and other influences that were driving rock and roll and then using that as the backbone to their soul music. Again at the Soul Museum we saw a whole church group of ladies find the song of their younger years and they were just screaming and shouting about how much they loved it. Despite being annoying it was at the same time endearing to see them.
From the Soul Museum we walked across the street the Gibson Factory. This was an amazing experience to see how the guitars come together. A Gibson guitar has an entirely different look and I imagine feel to it when compared to a Fender or for that matter any other electric guitar. It is interesting doing something like this particularly when I don't play guitar, but I feel like it is something that I still get to some degree. I think the pictures for this tour tell more of a story so I'll leave it at that.
Gibson Guitar Factory
This was a really interesting experience. As Dad said I've been to a distillery, car factory, jelly bean factory, and maybe a few others. I find factories very interesting. The difference here is that there is no manufacturing line per se. These guitars are not mass produced. They make 45 or so per day. At capacity I think they can make 100.
The innards of a hollow body electric.
All the various hollow bodies waiting to cure. 
The machine the operator is running is a CNC machine (computer numeric control) and it is setting the holes for the electronic controls on the guitar.
Guitar necks prior to being added to the body. The fretboards are attached to the necks in Nashville. These necks are waiting to be sanded down and rounded. The tolerance on the necks is 1/64th of an inch. 
Guitars as they are going through the painting process. 
BBQ - Memphis style
This was where we went to have BBQ dinner at Central BBQ. Apparently they are known for their ribs, which is what Dad got. This is Memphis so I had to have the pulled pork.
That is a full rack of ribs. Daunting. The sauces were good. They had hot and mild.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Sun Studios Photos
Some photos from the main room at Sun Studios. Check out all that old analog gear. All the old gear including the mics still work.
Most people were taking pictures of Elvis and his memorabilia. I took this picture for the microphone.
This was the microphone that everyone was posing with and taking pictures with. Apparently there are only 6 of these mics in existence. It has been pointed out to me that I should clarify that this mic was used by Elvis and others, which is why it was the mic to take pictures with. 
Most people were taking pictures of Elvis and his memorabilia. I took this picture for the microphone.
This was the microphone that everyone was posing with and taking pictures with. Apparently there are only 6 of these mics in existence. It has been pointed out to me that I should clarify that this mic was used by Elvis and others, which is why it was the mic to take pictures with. 
This picture almost captured the whole room. The control room is in front. It's amazing what kind of magic can come out of such a small room. It just goes to show that you don't need a big fancy studio with million dollars in gear to make a good record.
This mixing board is what U2 recorded three of the songs on their Rattle and Hum album onto. They did those songs at Sun as part of a visit into America's Heartland. One of the songs they sang with BB King. Being a big U2 fan the memorabilia aspect of this was significant, but what was more amazing was how small a board they used. I can't say I used a much bigger board when I was running shows in San Francisco.
America epitomized with the red convertible outside of Sun Studios. On the left the smaller building is the actual studio. On the right is a converted restaurant in which a lot of studio business was conducted.
Not sure why I took this photo as this wasn't even the studio entrance. It is the entrance to the restaurant next door. Oh well.
Sun Studios and BBQ
As we arrived and checked in to our hotel in Memphis I was amazed at how beautiful a city Memphis is. In many ways I keep having flashbacks to Atlanta. I see Memphis as Atlanta with a nice waterfront or riverfront. However, as I spent more than a few hours in Memphis I have come to see it as not as nice as Atlanta. There are a number of vacant buildings in the downtown area. Someone I know has asked me for my input on whether Memphis would be a good place to move. Initially I would have said yes without hesitation. The more I think about it though the more I am skeptical as I see so many vacant buildings, a downtown rampant with agressive panhandling, and isolated downtown areas that can easily make one feel unsafe. It's interesting coming from San Francisco where we are not at all new to the idea of panhandling the main difference though is that our panhandlers don't follow you down the street harrassing you. Or maybe they do and they reserve that for tourists which is what I am here.
After checking in we went to the Sun Studios to see where it all started. One of the most interesting things that I have learned on this trip is that so many of the classic songs that we associate with one artist or another were not originally written by who we think they were. Blue Suede Shoes...not Elvis...Carl Perkins. R-E-S-P-E-C-T...not Aretha...Otis Redding. At Sun it was interesting to see how excited these 50-60 year old women would get when listening to the hits of their teenage years. In the initial part of the tour we saw the upstairs museum and the digital cameras were in full effect. As the tour guide pointed out Elvis' jacket, high school diploma, guitar, and even social security card the camera snapping would not stop. Once we moved downstairs to the actual live room in which many historic sessions took place with Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and countless others the real straining of the imagination started taking place. By some miracle Sam Phillips recollected (prior to his death) where Elvis stood when he recorded while still under contract with Sun and there is now a black X in that spot. Again everyone lined up to hold the actual microphone that was used and pose in that exact spot. With my particular interest being the engineers' skills and work I was taking photos of the old gear (which is still useable today) and was very interested in the control room (though we couldn't go in there). It was an amazing feeling thinking of all the visionary artists that had walked through the door and made such magic take place in that little room.
To work up an appetite prior to eating dinner I went for a run and what a great idea that was. For dinner we went to Central BBQ. As we walked in we decided it would be nice to have a beer outside on the deck and then go back and order dinner. By the time finished our beer there was a line out the door. I cannot begin to do the meal justice in a description so I will end here. Hopefully tomorrow I will update this post or do another post with photos of the meal and Sun.
After checking in we went to the Sun Studios to see where it all started. One of the most interesting things that I have learned on this trip is that so many of the classic songs that we associate with one artist or another were not originally written by who we think they were. Blue Suede Shoes...not Elvis...Carl Perkins. R-E-S-P-E-C-T...not Aretha...Otis Redding. At Sun it was interesting to see how excited these 50-60 year old women would get when listening to the hits of their teenage years. In the initial part of the tour we saw the upstairs museum and the digital cameras were in full effect. As the tour guide pointed out Elvis' jacket, high school diploma, guitar, and even social security card the camera snapping would not stop. Once we moved downstairs to the actual live room in which many historic sessions took place with Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and countless others the real straining of the imagination started taking place. By some miracle Sam Phillips recollected (prior to his death) where Elvis stood when he recorded while still under contract with Sun and there is now a black X in that spot. Again everyone lined up to hold the actual microphone that was used and pose in that exact spot. With my particular interest being the engineers' skills and work I was taking photos of the old gear (which is still useable today) and was very interested in the control room (though we couldn't go in there). It was an amazing feeling thinking of all the visionary artists that had walked through the door and made such magic take place in that little room.
To work up an appetite prior to eating dinner I went for a run and what a great idea that was. For dinner we went to Central BBQ. As we walked in we decided it would be nice to have a beer outside on the deck and then go back and order dinner. By the time finished our beer there was a line out the door. I cannot begin to do the meal justice in a description so I will end here. Hopefully tomorrow I will update this post or do another post with photos of the meal and Sun.
Debate and food
Debate.fried green tomatoes.beer.fried chicken.venue: chicken joint so smokey from frying i can barely see straight.
National Civil Rights Museum
Just finished the Nat'l Civil Rights Museum. A stark contrast to music studios and music related sites.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
CD Annex
On our way out of Clarksdale we stopped at a CD store. As we had gone during lunchtime the door was locked. We went next door thinking that maybe the entrance was through the restaurant. Inside in a packed restaurant the guy working the counter called out to the owner of the store and we interrupted his lunch. He came anyways and opened the store for us. Inside we did not find a CD store. What we found was a store that sold 45s and also happened to sell a few CDs. Most of the CDs on sale were blues, but in an effort to cater to the local market there were gospel, jazz, and even rap. The rap was relegated to a small stack in the display case and consisted of relatively new work by a rising group known as NWA. After discussing various artists and groups we found out that the owner was selling his personal collection of 45s after many years of collecting. He had moved out from the city after getting tired of 'city stuff' (which included traffic) and had set up shop in Clarksdale. It didn't seem to phase him in the least bit that he wasn't getting enough business. He was in this for the relaxed pace and the enjoyment of it. Apparently he has a online source for blues and a email newsletter at BluesSource.com so I will be checking that out.
Hot Tamales
Throughout our drive through Mississippi we had been seeing signs about "hot tamales". Knowing full well that these were not the candies that I used to eat in the movie theaters we set about investigating what the hot tamales were. They are exactly what we thought. Tamales. I didn't know that tamales were big with the non Mexican community. One story that we heard suggested that a black sharecropper and a Mexican migrant worker go to lunch on a cold November day. The sharecropper opens his pail and takes out some pork, corn bread, and greens all of which are cold. The migrant worker opens his pail and pulls out 3 tamales that are still hot from being wrapped in the corn husk. Soon they trade items like kids in elementary school. Then they trade recipes and thus the Delta tradition of the hot tamale is born.
In Clarksdale there are 5-6 hot tamale restaurants. However, there is one that is known as the place for hot tamales. Hicks. We had 6 hot tamales at Hicks. They are not too big (I was worried that they would be huge) and 6 was just the right number. The tamales are filled with a type of ground beef and were actually despite my concern not very spicy. I actually did not find them very different from Mexican tamales except in size. I was quite impressed though.
Pictures of Hicks to be added to this post later.
In Clarksdale there are 5-6 hot tamale restaurants. However, there is one that is known as the place for hot tamales. Hicks. We had 6 hot tamales at Hicks. They are not too big (I was worried that they would be huge) and 6 was just the right number. The tamales are filled with a type of ground beef and were actually despite my concern not very spicy. I actually did not find them very different from Mexican tamales except in size. I was quite impressed though.
Pictures of Hicks to be added to this post later.
Clarksdale
The main reason for going to Clarksdale is that it is considered the birthplace of the blues. There are many reasons for this in my mind...it was home to Muddy Waters is probably one of the big ones.
After we settled into our shack and had a shower to clean up (at this point it having been more than a day since I had showered...and not out of choice, but rather because the previous hotel had funny colored water) we headed over to the Hopson Commissary for a drink. Along the way we met a gentleman from I have no idea where who is an artist that does beautiful portraits of various blues artists. That is one of the most enjoyable parts of this trip is all the interesting people we are meeting along the way. Often our conversations with them will barely last a few minutes, but their impact may last much longer. At the Commissary we found a much better beer selection than in Greenville and ordered a local Mississippi beer that was brewed with pecans. We took our beers and wandered around the enormous building, which looked like it used to be a barn. The barn was filled with an immense amount of junk or collectibles depending on your perspective. There were more than a few shrines to Eli Manning, which we found out were courtesy of the owner's husband who was an Ole Miss graduate. At the bar we struck up a conversation with the bartender and then another customer who checked in at the same time we did. It turned out that the customer lives in Fisherman's Wharf and drives a tour bus for a living. He has been doing so for nearly 25 years and lives in a rent controlled place walking distance from his 'office'. Interestingly, despite all of the driving his work entails he chose to embark on a driving tour to last up to a month or so from San Francisco to Yellowstone down to Atlanta to Mississippi (to check out where he was born) up to Memphis and then heading back home.
After finishing our beers we made our way to Morgan Freeman's blues bar, Ground Zero. I'm sure there are those out there that would argue we should have gone for a more localized or more authentic juke joint. I would agree. However, on a Wednesday night in Clarksdale there is very slim picking. At the bar we were able to order some food and more beer. I had fried catfish (you can't go through the Delta without some catfish) and Dad had a pulled pork sammich (that's how they spell it...props to the HyWy for picking up on that). We hung out at the bar and listened to Bill Abel and some session players for a few hours. It was fun to listen to real blues in the heart of it all. Mr. Abel was a great guitar player who even treated us to some amazing skills as he played a homemade guitar that he made out of a cigar box.
Eventually we made our way back to the shack and as we were driving I couldn't help but let my thoughts drift to the journeymen blues artists that would have been walking along these roads at this time 80 years or so ago. It was dark and the moon was barely lighting up the road. If you stopped and listened all you heard was cicadas and crickets. I'm sure I'm grossly romanticizing the whole situation, but for me it's just amazing to walk the ground they did and know in my mind that they would have recognized where we are today as their home.
The next morning we went to the Delta Blues Museum. The museum has seen more than it's share of heavy hitters roll through to pay their respects to the men that inspired them. One of the biggest inspirations was Robert Johnson. His story is as much of a fable or legend as they come in the world of blues. I won't go into the details of the story as I'm sure you can find a good explanation on line. The myth of Robert Johnson is one of the key building blocks of modern day Clarksdale. Everywhere you go there seems to be something about the crossroads or with his image on a painting. At the Blues Museum they had a wonderful amount of information on the other artists that do not receive the recognition that they deserve.
A post to follow on what we did for lunch.
After we settled into our shack and had a shower to clean up (at this point it having been more than a day since I had showered...and not out of choice, but rather because the previous hotel had funny colored water) we headed over to the Hopson Commissary for a drink. Along the way we met a gentleman from I have no idea where who is an artist that does beautiful portraits of various blues artists. That is one of the most enjoyable parts of this trip is all the interesting people we are meeting along the way. Often our conversations with them will barely last a few minutes, but their impact may last much longer. At the Commissary we found a much better beer selection than in Greenville and ordered a local Mississippi beer that was brewed with pecans. We took our beers and wandered around the enormous building, which looked like it used to be a barn. The barn was filled with an immense amount of junk or collectibles depending on your perspective. There were more than a few shrines to Eli Manning, which we found out were courtesy of the owner's husband who was an Ole Miss graduate. At the bar we struck up a conversation with the bartender and then another customer who checked in at the same time we did. It turned out that the customer lives in Fisherman's Wharf and drives a tour bus for a living. He has been doing so for nearly 25 years and lives in a rent controlled place walking distance from his 'office'. Interestingly, despite all of the driving his work entails he chose to embark on a driving tour to last up to a month or so from San Francisco to Yellowstone down to Atlanta to Mississippi (to check out where he was born) up to Memphis and then heading back home.
After finishing our beers we made our way to Morgan Freeman's blues bar, Ground Zero. I'm sure there are those out there that would argue we should have gone for a more localized or more authentic juke joint. I would agree. However, on a Wednesday night in Clarksdale there is very slim picking. At the bar we were able to order some food and more beer. I had fried catfish (you can't go through the Delta without some catfish) and Dad had a pulled pork sammich (that's how they spell it...props to the HyWy for picking up on that). We hung out at the bar and listened to Bill Abel and some session players for a few hours. It was fun to listen to real blues in the heart of it all. Mr. Abel was a great guitar player who even treated us to some amazing skills as he played a homemade guitar that he made out of a cigar box.
Eventually we made our way back to the shack and as we were driving I couldn't help but let my thoughts drift to the journeymen blues artists that would have been walking along these roads at this time 80 years or so ago. It was dark and the moon was barely lighting up the road. If you stopped and listened all you heard was cicadas and crickets. I'm sure I'm grossly romanticizing the whole situation, but for me it's just amazing to walk the ground they did and know in my mind that they would have recognized where we are today as their home.
The next morning we went to the Delta Blues Museum. The museum has seen more than it's share of heavy hitters roll through to pay their respects to the men that inspired them. One of the biggest inspirations was Robert Johnson. His story is as much of a fable or legend as they come in the world of blues. I won't go into the details of the story as I'm sure you can find a good explanation on line. The myth of Robert Johnson is one of the key building blocks of modern day Clarksdale. Everywhere you go there seems to be something about the crossroads or with his image on a painting. At the Blues Museum they had a wonderful amount of information on the other artists that do not receive the recognition that they deserve.
A post to follow on what we did for lunch.
Route 61
We spent the first night in Greenville and the next morning we drove out to Leland to see the Blues museum there. From Leland we happened to find out that the BB King museum in Indianola had just opened up. We backtracked and went to visit that museum.
The BB King museum was a remarkable testament to the life of an amazing man. Unfortunately time has claimed many of the most interesting artifacts leaving replicas or similar pieces for the museum to show. However, the most interesting parts are the video clips, interviews, and sound bytes. They are what really give the visitor a glimpse into the heart and soul of BB King. They show how caring and compassionate a person he is. I began to realize that he looks at all his fans as his children or grandchildren treating them with the same reverence. I find that to be a very admirable quality for someone of such fame as it is only too easy to become a jaded star in this age. In retaining this characteristic Mr. King also has managed to stay very close to his roots and returns to his hometown once a year to play free concerts.
From Indianola we headed north towards Clarksdale. On the way we happened to drive by a cemetary, which had the grave of another great blues guitar player, Charley Patton. I don't have any of his music, but I will be trying to find some. As we drove on we popped in a CD by BB King (Live at the Regal) and listened to some of his music. Earlier we had been listening to Leadbelly as well as Lightenin' Hopkins. The thing that I enjoyed most as I was listening to the music was as we drove through the region I really began to feel the music. It was somewhat hot (not July in the South hot) and we were driving along on empty roads. If I closed my eyes I could see Robert Johnson, Leadbelly, Muddy Waters, Willie McTell, or whomever walking along the side of the road with their guitar thrown over their shoulder. It's amazing how little the countryside has changed since the 1930s. With the exception of paved roads and perhaps more power lines or telephone lines I would be surprised if there is much difference. Whatever the reason I know that I'm immensely grateful that we did not take the Interstate and instead meandered our way along state highways.
The BB King museum was a remarkable testament to the life of an amazing man. Unfortunately time has claimed many of the most interesting artifacts leaving replicas or similar pieces for the museum to show. However, the most interesting parts are the video clips, interviews, and sound bytes. They are what really give the visitor a glimpse into the heart and soul of BB King. They show how caring and compassionate a person he is. I began to realize that he looks at all his fans as his children or grandchildren treating them with the same reverence. I find that to be a very admirable quality for someone of such fame as it is only too easy to become a jaded star in this age. In retaining this characteristic Mr. King also has managed to stay very close to his roots and returns to his hometown once a year to play free concerts.
From Indianola we headed north towards Clarksdale. On the way we happened to drive by a cemetary, which had the grave of another great blues guitar player, Charley Patton. I don't have any of his music, but I will be trying to find some. As we drove on we popped in a CD by BB King (Live at the Regal) and listened to some of his music. Earlier we had been listening to Leadbelly as well as Lightenin' Hopkins. The thing that I enjoyed most as I was listening to the music was as we drove through the region I really began to feel the music. It was somewhat hot (not July in the South hot) and we were driving along on empty roads. If I closed my eyes I could see Robert Johnson, Leadbelly, Muddy Waters, Willie McTell, or whomever walking along the side of the road with their guitar thrown over their shoulder. It's amazing how little the countryside has changed since the 1930s. With the exception of paved roads and perhaps more power lines or telephone lines I would be surprised if there is much difference. Whatever the reason I know that I'm immensely grateful that we did not take the Interstate and instead meandered our way along state highways.
The Shack Up Inn - Grounds
This is what the Shack Up Inn is trying to turn into a live music venue or a juke joint. I'm not sure what it was in it's past life, but it is definitely turning into something awesome.
Note the prayer benches as potential seating options.
I loved this poster. Great marketing ideas from a company that doesn't even market itself.
Texas blues legend on the wall there underneath the name of a great juke joint type of beer.
In the upper right you can see the stairs that lead to the upstairs loft accomodations. As rickety as this place might look in the pictures I would have no qualms about walking around anywhere as it was all pretty solid steel. They have done a very good job of renovating or rather just adding to the original construction to add some comfort while keeping the character.
The outside of the barn.
Note the prayer benches as potential seating options.
I loved this poster. Great marketing ideas from a company that doesn't even market itself.
Texas blues legend on the wall there underneath the name of a great juke joint type of beer.
In the upper right you can see the stairs that lead to the upstairs loft accomodations. As rickety as this place might look in the pictures I would have no qualms about walking around anywhere as it was all pretty solid steel. They have done a very good job of renovating or rather just adding to the original construction to add some comfort while keeping the character.The outside of the barn.The entrance into the barn. The sign says it all.
More pictures to come. Next post is going to be more writing, because I have a lot that I want to write about.
The Shack Up Inn - Legends Cabin
Just outside Clarksdale (aka birthplace of the blues) we stayed at the Shack Up Inn. I would urge anyone who is passing through that area to stay there. Hell I would urge people that aren't passing through to change their trip so that they can pass through and stay there. The Shack Up has taken an old plantation, the Hopson plantation, and converted it into a lodging facility. They have brought in original sharecroppers shacks (not slave shacks judging by their size...according to Dad who has visited a slave shack while in Louisiana) from other plantations. The shacks were then slightly modified to include some modern conveniences: A/C, shower, standard plumbing, etc. However, as you can see from the photos the feel of the original shack has been maintained. The price to stay at the Shack Up was remarkably reasonable considering we had 1 queen bed, two twins, and a mini kitchen.
My bed. To the left of my bed was an old record player in the cabinet, but unfortunately it didn't work.
My bed. To the left of my bed was an old record player in the cabinet, but unfortunately it didn't work.
"Graffiti" that past visitors have left. Areas that were represented ranged from the local Mississippi or Memphis to the distant Iceland or Bangalore.
The "kitchen" and the view into the bigger bedroom. The door to the right goes to a side porch. On the wall to the left of the doorway in front are light brown patches, which are old newspaper that was apparently often used as insulation.
Looking back into my bedroom. Obviously take note of the past visitors' bottles.
Key point in this picture that brought much excitement to dad's eyes was the coffee maker and some coffee grounds that he found later.
More photos of the exterior and the rest of the grounds in subsequent posts.
Walkin' in Memphis...
Arrived in Memphis...First impression a beautiful city. Stunning riverfront. Reminds me of Lima's oceanfront on a smaller scale.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
BB King's start...
Just saw the street corner where BB King first busked for change in Indianola,MS.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Day 1 Blues Tour
So we have settled down for the night in Greensville, MS on the first night of the Blues tour. We are trying to figure out what to do tomorrow. I think most of the day will be devoted to Clarksdale, MS and justifiably so as that is a central town to the blues.
Today was great as we left Houston on Hwy 59 to head in a north/northeast direction towards Marshall, TX. We passed a few towns whose names I recognized, but were of no other significance. We stopped in Marshall to check out Wiley College as I just saw The Great Debators. From there we continued along into Louisiana towards Shreveport. We stopped in Shreveport for lunch at a BBQ joint. Our conversation at the visitors center set the tone for what I anticipate will be many similar conversations...
Us: Do you know of a good BBQ restaurant?
Helpful visitor's center lady while pulling out a nice glossy brochure: Well there is this place, this one, and this is good also.
Us: Hmm they sound good, but where would YOU go?
Lady: Well if it was me then I would go to Jake's, but it's a real hole in the wall kind of dumpy place.
Us: That's what we are looking for! We want a place like that.
We made our way there and as promised it was a real hole in the wall place. The lady for some reason felt the need to yell at us to get our order. After ordering I began to contemplate the next few days of similar food...it's going to be an interesting time:). From Shreveport we made our way to Mississippi and crossed the river as we entered. As detailed in the previous post we wandered our way up Hwy 61 (current and original). Finally we arrived at a stopping point in Greenville. And what a stopping point it is. Our first room was mosquito ridden and our second room has not entirely clear water. After dropping our stuff off we went looking for a place for a beer. Who knew that would be such an ordeal. We found ourselves at a riverboat casino and they had a wonderfully deep selection of beer: Bud, Bud Light, Miller Light, Michelob, Miller Light with Lime. Dad actually asked whether they were serving the same beer at all their bars...of course they do. Finally we found another restaurant and had a light dinner of gumbo and a Killian's each before wandering around a little more and calling it a night. Until tomorrow...
Today was great as we left Houston on Hwy 59 to head in a north/northeast direction towards Marshall, TX. We passed a few towns whose names I recognized, but were of no other significance. We stopped in Marshall to check out Wiley College as I just saw The Great Debators. From there we continued along into Louisiana towards Shreveport. We stopped in Shreveport for lunch at a BBQ joint. Our conversation at the visitors center set the tone for what I anticipate will be many similar conversations...
Us: Do you know of a good BBQ restaurant?
Helpful visitor's center lady while pulling out a nice glossy brochure: Well there is this place, this one, and this is good also.
Us: Hmm they sound good, but where would YOU go?
Lady: Well if it was me then I would go to Jake's, but it's a real hole in the wall kind of dumpy place.
Us: That's what we are looking for! We want a place like that.
We made our way there and as promised it was a real hole in the wall place. The lady for some reason felt the need to yell at us to get our order. After ordering I began to contemplate the next few days of similar food...it's going to be an interesting time:). From Shreveport we made our way to Mississippi and crossed the river as we entered. As detailed in the previous post we wandered our way up Hwy 61 (current and original). Finally we arrived at a stopping point in Greenville. And what a stopping point it is. Our first room was mosquito ridden and our second room has not entirely clear water. After dropping our stuff off we went looking for a place for a beer. Who knew that would be such an ordeal. We found ourselves at a riverboat casino and they had a wonderfully deep selection of beer: Bud, Bud Light, Miller Light, Michelob, Miller Light with Lime. Dad actually asked whether they were serving the same beer at all their bars...of course they do. Finally we found another restaurant and had a light dinner of gumbo and a Killian's each before wandering around a little more and calling it a night. Until tomorrow...
Hwy 61 the Blues Highway
The cotton fields as we were driving up what was the "original" Hwy 61, which is now Hwy 1. Apparently one of the oldest roads in the US also. It was an amazing drive as there were no cars on the road. At this point we pulled off to see the cotton fields and it was dead quiet. The only thing you could hear was the wind. When a car was approaching you could hear it coming from at least a half mile or more away. I picked a little bit of cotton off of one of the plants and was amazed with how soft it was. 
Looking down the road...how dead it was.Crossing the Mississippi
Just entered Mississippi. Crossed the mighty river. Moving onto the legendary Hwy 61! Going to drive up along the river.
Kicking off the Bonding, Blues, Beer, and BBQ trip
Went to wiley college from the great debators and just finished grambling state.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
God bless college football
Damn I love the fall! ECU-NCState! UF-UT! GT-MissState!
I woke up this morning and went for a run. While I was stretching and getting ready for my run I was watching ECU vs. NC State. It hit me then how much I love the fall, because of the college football season. I feel like the longer I'm out of college the more I love college football. Or maybe it's because we made a trip up to Eugene this year and had a recharge on the college scene. I feel sooo unbelievably disconnected from the college scene in California. As I went for the run I thought about how I didn't see anyone that had a college sweatshirt or t-shirt. I know that it can be argued that I'm in a town without a major school, but Cal is not that far. When I lived in the A on Saturdays there was no shortage of people wearing GT, UGA, UF, FSU, Clemson, USC (and not the Pac-10 USC), LSU, etc., etc. colors. Regardless of who else is into the scene here I love it! I was doing laundry and watching the UF-UT game and I was just soo excited. For me the thing that makes this sport so amazing is that though there are solid teams (USC, LSU, UF, UM, OSU) so much changes year to year. There are very few opportunities to have a long term powerhouse. I LOVE THIS SEASON!
I woke up this morning and went for a run. While I was stretching and getting ready for my run I was watching ECU vs. NC State. It hit me then how much I love the fall, because of the college football season. I feel like the longer I'm out of college the more I love college football. Or maybe it's because we made a trip up to Eugene this year and had a recharge on the college scene. I feel sooo unbelievably disconnected from the college scene in California. As I went for the run I thought about how I didn't see anyone that had a college sweatshirt or t-shirt. I know that it can be argued that I'm in a town without a major school, but Cal is not that far. When I lived in the A on Saturdays there was no shortage of people wearing GT, UGA, UF, FSU, Clemson, USC (and not the Pac-10 USC), LSU, etc., etc. colors. Regardless of who else is into the scene here I love it! I was doing laundry and watching the UF-UT game and I was just soo excited. For me the thing that makes this sport so amazing is that though there are solid teams (USC, LSU, UF, UM, OSU) so much changes year to year. There are very few opportunities to have a long term powerhouse. I LOVE THIS SEASON!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
The Omnivore's 100
How many have you had? I think I counted my tally around 40 or so. There are some easy ones I haven't had so maybe I can build my total.
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat's milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth 60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald's Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S'mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs' legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears, or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost (my BFF is Norwegian)
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat's milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth 60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald's Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S'mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs' legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears, or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost (my BFF is Norwegian)
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake
Stand By Me
We recently watched Stand By Me for the first time. Watching it reminded me of what it was like to be a kid again. It reminded me of the adventures you would have with your best friends. It reminded me of what it was like to be innocent and naive about the world that lay beyond your door. It reminded me of days when the greatest things seemed to come in the future and it was so hard to live in the present. Now there is more responsibility. More anxiety. Less imagination. More cynicism.
More than my childhood I thought about my friends. When we are children it seems like our friends will be our friends forever. Some of us imagine growing old with our friends in the same town. As we grow older some friends leave our lives and others enter it. This happens a little in high school when typically the same crowd moves from one school to the next, but with the move people change. Entering college we leave behind many of the people we knew in high school and meet a whole new group of people in college. It now becomes difficult to keep in touch with high school friends. I know I'm rambling, but as I was running today I was thinking about so much that I want to put most of it down.
The reason I'm writing this is because where I am in my life I feel like there are some friends that in the past I was very close to and that is no longer the case. This is not meant to place blame on friends, because I'm sure I'm as much to blame as anyone. Rather I just want to acknowledge the friends that I miss as they move on with their lives and out of mine. It is also meant to appreciate the friends that are entering my life. It is meant to fondly remember the friends who have been a part of my life, however brief, in the past.
I guess what I have learned from all this is that there are no guarantees in life and that we should embrace all the friends in our life for the time that they are there.
More than my childhood I thought about my friends. When we are children it seems like our friends will be our friends forever. Some of us imagine growing old with our friends in the same town. As we grow older some friends leave our lives and others enter it. This happens a little in high school when typically the same crowd moves from one school to the next, but with the move people change. Entering college we leave behind many of the people we knew in high school and meet a whole new group of people in college. It now becomes difficult to keep in touch with high school friends. I know I'm rambling, but as I was running today I was thinking about so much that I want to put most of it down.
The reason I'm writing this is because where I am in my life I feel like there are some friends that in the past I was very close to and that is no longer the case. This is not meant to place blame on friends, because I'm sure I'm as much to blame as anyone. Rather I just want to acknowledge the friends that I miss as they move on with their lives and out of mine. It is also meant to appreciate the friends that are entering my life. It is meant to fondly remember the friends who have been a part of my life, however brief, in the past.
I guess what I have learned from all this is that there are no guarantees in life and that we should embrace all the friends in our life for the time that they are there.
Let there be solid food!
So on Tuesday night we had our first bite of solid food after 12 days. Truthfully this should be called the 12 or 13 day fast.
The experience of making our first meal was great. As simple a meal as it was for me it will stand to be a very memorable one. Everyone has been talking to me about how they would be craving a hamburger, but the truth is that I was most interested in simple things. I want daal, rice, soup, vegetables, and of course BBQ (though that has more to do with the Blues and BBQ Pilgrimage I'm embarking on in a few days). At the store we had our list of vegetables that would be good, which we carefully picked. We ventured into aisles that seemed almost foreign to us after 10 days of buying a handful of items. Both of us thought the same thing when our eyes strayed to lemons or maple syrup...AHHH! The items we picked up included potatos, okra, bell pepper, celery, kale, onion, garlic, ginger, canned tomatos, zuchini, and carrots. We also bought brown rice, rye wafers, vegetable broth, and powdered vegetable broth. At home the TV that was normally on while we cook happened to be off, which was to my benefit. I enjoyed listening to the sounds of all the veggies being peeled and cut. The HyWy was the one who cut most of them, but we both were sniffing and smelling everything. As the soup was simmering I was constantly sticking my nose in the steam to get a wonderful smell of what was to come. We then opened the carton of rye wafers, which on most days would seem like a fairly mundane and innocuous food item. I can't even say that I would buy them on a normal day. However, as we opened the carton and broke a piece of wafer off for each of us I was brimming with excitement myself. We toasted our successful completion of the fast with our wafers and bit in. The act of taking a bite, chewing, and feeling the rough texture of the wafer on my tongue was wonderful. As I read this I'm amazed at my own ability to write such a detailed description about a cracker. There was little to no taste to the cracker, but for me it was all about the texture. Finally the meal was ready and we poured ourselves a bowl over a little rice. The HyWy was not entirely impressed with the results mostly due to the a strong tomato flavor, which overpowered the rest of the seasoning. I tasted one thing and only one thing...the lack of lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. As I was cleaning up I washed out our lemonade jugs and just the smell of the lemonade made me cringe:).
The experience of making our first meal was great. As simple a meal as it was for me it will stand to be a very memorable one. Everyone has been talking to me about how they would be craving a hamburger, but the truth is that I was most interested in simple things. I want daal, rice, soup, vegetables, and of course BBQ (though that has more to do with the Blues and BBQ Pilgrimage I'm embarking on in a few days). At the store we had our list of vegetables that would be good, which we carefully picked. We ventured into aisles that seemed almost foreign to us after 10 days of buying a handful of items. Both of us thought the same thing when our eyes strayed to lemons or maple syrup...AHHH! The items we picked up included potatos, okra, bell pepper, celery, kale, onion, garlic, ginger, canned tomatos, zuchini, and carrots. We also bought brown rice, rye wafers, vegetable broth, and powdered vegetable broth. At home the TV that was normally on while we cook happened to be off, which was to my benefit. I enjoyed listening to the sounds of all the veggies being peeled and cut. The HyWy was the one who cut most of them, but we both were sniffing and smelling everything. As the soup was simmering I was constantly sticking my nose in the steam to get a wonderful smell of what was to come. We then opened the carton of rye wafers, which on most days would seem like a fairly mundane and innocuous food item. I can't even say that I would buy them on a normal day. However, as we opened the carton and broke a piece of wafer off for each of us I was brimming with excitement myself. We toasted our successful completion of the fast with our wafers and bit in. The act of taking a bite, chewing, and feeling the rough texture of the wafer on my tongue was wonderful. As I read this I'm amazed at my own ability to write such a detailed description about a cracker. There was little to no taste to the cracker, but for me it was all about the texture. Finally the meal was ready and we poured ourselves a bowl over a little rice. The HyWy was not entirely impressed with the results mostly due to the a strong tomato flavor, which overpowered the rest of the seasoning. I tasted one thing and only one thing...the lack of lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. As I was cleaning up I washed out our lemonade jugs and just the smell of the lemonade made me cringe:).
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Day 10!
Day 10...Hallelujah!!
The golden number is 10! Yes, we've made it to the last day of the 10 day Master Cleanse. Going into the diet the both of us were nervous and slightly skeptical that we could finish the cleanse. Regardless, we jumped in head first and decided to tackle this challenge one day at a time. The first 3 days were a little tough since our body was beginning to react to the shift in our diet. But with some rest and perseverance, we managed to get through it. Initially, I was only going to do the fast, but a month before I embarked on this adventure, the T-Hub decided to hop on board as well. I'm so glad he did, because it made all the difference. We were able to stick it out together and keep pushing one another.
Our energy level was surprisingly really good and we rarely felt weak. Most of our friends and family couldn't believe how upbeat we looked and sounded over the phone. Over time our appetite decreased and our bodies adjusted.
What next? Tomorrow we are confined to just orange, lemonade, and water. It's very important to gradually introduce solid food into the body since all the good and bad bacteria has completely been flushed out. We are also going to start taking probiotics to build good bacteria in the stomach.
We were gifted with more time since we did not have to think about food or cooking, not to mention we saved some money. We also realized how food is such a central part of our society and our relationships. We had to find ways to fill our time and keep our minds from wondering about meals. We read, watched TV, went for walks, and caught up on some quality time.
It's been difficult at times watching people eat, seeing those never-ending fast food commercials on T.V. and driving by our favorite restaurants. But in the end, it was all worth it. Our bodies removed tons of toxic gunk that was caked in our digestive system for years. We reaped the benefits of improved complexion, better health, weight loss, increased blood circulation, and so much more. The next few days will be interesting as we enter back into the real world of food.
The T-Hub and I definitely have some great moments to share from this experience. I enjoyed being able to tell himthe gritty details of the cleanse. We had many laughs!
All in all, I would recommend the cleanse. It's not as hard as people say if you just fill up on enough lemonade each day. Here's to a healthlier body!!
The golden number is 10! Yes, we've made it to the last day of the 10 day Master Cleanse. Going into the diet the both of us were nervous and slightly skeptical that we could finish the cleanse. Regardless, we jumped in head first and decided to tackle this challenge one day at a time. The first 3 days were a little tough since our body was beginning to react to the shift in our diet. But with some rest and perseverance, we managed to get through it. Initially, I was only going to do the fast, but a month before I embarked on this adventure, the T-Hub decided to hop on board as well. I'm so glad he did, because it made all the difference. We were able to stick it out together and keep pushing one another.
Our energy level was surprisingly really good and we rarely felt weak. Most of our friends and family couldn't believe how upbeat we looked and sounded over the phone. Over time our appetite decreased and our bodies adjusted.
What next? Tomorrow we are confined to just orange, lemonade, and water. It's very important to gradually introduce solid food into the body since all the good and bad bacteria has completely been flushed out. We are also going to start taking probiotics to build good bacteria in the stomach.
We were gifted with more time since we did not have to think about food or cooking, not to mention we saved some money. We also realized how food is such a central part of our society and our relationships. We had to find ways to fill our time and keep our minds from wondering about meals. We read, watched TV, went for walks, and caught up on some quality time.
It's been difficult at times watching people eat, seeing those never-ending fast food commercials on T.V. and driving by our favorite restaurants. But in the end, it was all worth it. Our bodies removed tons of toxic gunk that was caked in our digestive system for years. We reaped the benefits of improved complexion, better health, weight loss, increased blood circulation, and so much more. The next few days will be interesting as we enter back into the real world of food.
The T-Hub and I definitely have some great moments to share from this experience. I enjoyed being able to tell himthe gritty details of the cleanse. We had many laughs!
All in all, I would recommend the cleanse. It's not as hard as people say if you just fill up on enough lemonade each day. Here's to a healthlier body!!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Day 9
Many of the reports and blogs say that people feel wonderful on the last two days. Interestingly I think the last two days were some of the hardest. I general I already felt that weekends were harder than weekdays when I was at my desk in a controlled environment all day. Maybe it was because I volunteered in a community garden on Day 9, but this was definitely hard.
We went to a friend's housewarming and it seems a few people already knew about our undertaking so we spent a good deal of time talking about it. The reactions are really only two ways...wow that's awesome I'd think about it or wow that's awesome I'd never do it. The housewarming itself was a real mind game as there was so much delicious food (or delicious looking).
We talked a lot about the procedure we should use to go about breaking our fast. That is just as important if not more important than the actual fast. We have been consulting many blogs and other accounts of what people have done. My parents were in favor of us breaking sooner than later. My dad's thought was that since we started on Thursday night we should be able to break on Sunday night:). The more I think about the act of breaking the fast the more I realize that we actually are on a 14 day fast of sorts (by the time we eat solid food again it will have been 2 weeks since our last solid meal).
Well this will be last official Master Cleanse post since the HyWy is guest posting for our final day.
General energy level today: medium
General mood: above average
We went to a friend's housewarming and it seems a few people already knew about our undertaking so we spent a good deal of time talking about it. The reactions are really only two ways...wow that's awesome I'd think about it or wow that's awesome I'd never do it. The housewarming itself was a real mind game as there was so much delicious food (or delicious looking).
We talked a lot about the procedure we should use to go about breaking our fast. That is just as important if not more important than the actual fast. We have been consulting many blogs and other accounts of what people have done. My parents were in favor of us breaking sooner than later. My dad's thought was that since we started on Thursday night we should be able to break on Sunday night:). The more I think about the act of breaking the fast the more I realize that we actually are on a 14 day fast of sorts (by the time we eat solid food again it will have been 2 weeks since our last solid meal).
Well this will be last official Master Cleanse post since the HyWy is guest posting for our final day.
General energy level today: medium
General mood: above average
Day 8
Wow one week ago today I was staying at home and I had a pretty bad headache as I went to bed. Now today I have learned to understand my body and how it works. I know the best way to take care of myself through this.
Thus far I think we have bought or consumed on the order of the following:
-77 lemons
-104 oz of syrup
-1 box of laxative tea
This evening the HyWy opened the door to the patio and she said, "We can't leave that door open." I asked why. Her response, "The neighbors are cooking something and it smells like Punjabi food." That was all I needed to hear. Any sane normal person would have said (after not eating for 8 days) that they can't bear that smell. I'm not normal. I proceed to go straight to the door, open it, and stick my head outside to get a deep whiff of the food that I could not have. Don't ask why I torture myself like this.
Thus far I think we have bought or consumed on the order of the following:
-77 lemons
-104 oz of syrup
-1 box of laxative tea
This evening the HyWy opened the door to the patio and she said, "We can't leave that door open." I asked why. Her response, "The neighbors are cooking something and it smells like Punjabi food." That was all I needed to hear. Any sane normal person would have said (after not eating for 8 days) that they can't bear that smell. I'm not normal. I proceed to go straight to the door, open it, and stick my head outside to get a deep whiff of the food that I could not have. Don't ask why I torture myself like this.
Day 7
Well we have managed to make it a week without eating solid food. It felt like this day would take forever to reach.
Today at work there was another meeting where the food was catered. They catered pizza and pasta with pesto sauce. I don't think I have been tested like I was during lunch. It was incredibly difficult resisting the urge to eat. At one point I just went into the room just to smell the food. I have seen blogs about the cleanse that say that if you are still craving 'bad foods' then you should stay on the cleanse for a few days. HA! Yeah right! I'm always craving bad foods. The purpose of me doing this was not to stop craving bad foods. Also what is a bad food? I'm craving solids...is that bad? I just miss chewing:). The HyWy mentioned how she got a piece of pulp in her lemonade and had to think to chew it!
I was asked whether I would do this again. I don't know yet. Maybe the next time I'll do it is when I'm closing out my 4th decade.
Today at work there was another meeting where the food was catered. They catered pizza and pasta with pesto sauce. I don't think I have been tested like I was during lunch. It was incredibly difficult resisting the urge to eat. At one point I just went into the room just to smell the food. I have seen blogs about the cleanse that say that if you are still craving 'bad foods' then you should stay on the cleanse for a few days. HA! Yeah right! I'm always craving bad foods. The purpose of me doing this was not to stop craving bad foods. Also what is a bad food? I'm craving solids...is that bad? I just miss chewing:). The HyWy mentioned how she got a piece of pulp in her lemonade and had to think to chew it!
I was asked whether I would do this again. I don't know yet. Maybe the next time I'll do it is when I'm closing out my 4th decade.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Day 6
After two somewhat consistent and stable days there were a few changes today. One possible explanation for this is that the body works in 7 day cycles so if something new happens it is around Day 6, 7, or 8.
There was some change in the gory details, but I won't get into that. The major change that I noticed was that I'm tired of this. I'm not tired of not eating...well maybe I am, but more importantly I'm tired of the same thing. I can handle the not eating part, I just want something different. The HyWy and I were talking about how we have for 6 days now subsided entirely on only four things...water, lemonade, salt water, and laxative tea. If you count brushing my teeth with toothpaste in 6 days I have only experienced 5 different tastes. I don't know if I have ever reached this point before. Often when the HyWy and I have a lot of leftovers I'm willing to eat them for 3 or 4 straight days at which point they usually run out before I get tired of them. Now I will look at my lemonade glass disdainfully and wish that I could just make it disappear. This is the real mental part.
Something else interesting...many sites talk about how your some of your other senses (particularly smell) increase in sensitivity during this time. Very true. The HyWy commented on how sensitive she is to smell and then realized that she sounded like a pregnant lady. There is a strange combination of enjoyment, satisfaction, and frustration that comes with smelling some really good food.
What about all the TV commercials for food? It's almost impossible to watch a half hr of TV without seeing some juicy (albeit incredibly unhealthy) sandwich or other food item. And on high definition that really leaps out at you!
Well there you go...in terms of time we have more days behind us than in front of us and we are slowly reaching the end of this experiment.
General energy level: above average.
General mood: good.
There was some change in the gory details, but I won't get into that. The major change that I noticed was that I'm tired of this. I'm not tired of not eating...well maybe I am, but more importantly I'm tired of the same thing. I can handle the not eating part, I just want something different. The HyWy and I were talking about how we have for 6 days now subsided entirely on only four things...water, lemonade, salt water, and laxative tea. If you count brushing my teeth with toothpaste in 6 days I have only experienced 5 different tastes. I don't know if I have ever reached this point before. Often when the HyWy and I have a lot of leftovers I'm willing to eat them for 3 or 4 straight days at which point they usually run out before I get tired of them. Now I will look at my lemonade glass disdainfully and wish that I could just make it disappear. This is the real mental part.
Something else interesting...many sites talk about how your some of your other senses (particularly smell) increase in sensitivity during this time. Very true. The HyWy commented on how sensitive she is to smell and then realized that she sounded like a pregnant lady. There is a strange combination of enjoyment, satisfaction, and frustration that comes with smelling some really good food.
What about all the TV commercials for food? It's almost impossible to watch a half hr of TV without seeing some juicy (albeit incredibly unhealthy) sandwich or other food item. And on high definition that really leaps out at you!
Well there you go...in terms of time we have more days behind us than in front of us and we are slowly reaching the end of this experiment.
General energy level: above average.
General mood: good.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Day 5 - HALFWAY POINT!
Well today is the halfway point and I'm quite happy.
Nothing major to report except that my office has guests from another office in town for the whole week. Normally this would be good as they cater the lunch everyday for the guests and what is not eaten is put out for the office to scavenge. Trust my luck that this would happen the week that I'm fasting. To make matters worse today they have catered the following: roasted chicken, garlic bread, watermelon, and salad. Needless to say I'm craving the garlic bread.
Another interesting thing happened yesterday evening that I forgot to blog about. I was cleaning the counter and moving stuff and I moved a package of fennel seeds. Two individual seeds fell out and typically I would have just picked them up, popped them in my mouth and kept cleaning. I almost did that and realized I can't. Interesting how things you normally do out of habit have to be watched more carefully.
I'm also realizing that since we don't have to cook we have more free time. We came home yesterday at 7:30 and I didn't know what to do with myself. The HyWy could tell I was a little bored because I was just wandering around for while. I finally settled in and read for a bit then we watched Stand By Me, which will be blogged about later. Maybe if we are up to it then we will visit friends today to make the time go by quicker.
Nothing major to report except that my office has guests from another office in town for the whole week. Normally this would be good as they cater the lunch everyday for the guests and what is not eaten is put out for the office to scavenge. Trust my luck that this would happen the week that I'm fasting. To make matters worse today they have catered the following: roasted chicken, garlic bread, watermelon, and salad. Needless to say I'm craving the garlic bread.
Another interesting thing happened yesterday evening that I forgot to blog about. I was cleaning the counter and moving stuff and I moved a package of fennel seeds. Two individual seeds fell out and typically I would have just picked them up, popped them in my mouth and kept cleaning. I almost did that and realized I can't. Interesting how things you normally do out of habit have to be watched more carefully.
I'm also realizing that since we don't have to cook we have more free time. We came home yesterday at 7:30 and I didn't know what to do with myself. The HyWy could tell I was a little bored because I was just wandering around for while. I finally settled in and read for a bit then we watched Stand By Me, which will be blogged about later. Maybe if we are up to it then we will visit friends today to make the time go by quicker.
Day 4
Today was the first day I experienced the fast while at work. I thought it would be hard at work before I started (hence why I worked from home last week), but it was actually one of the easiest days. The fact that I was working and talking with coworkers made the day go by much quicker.
The temperature has also decreased significantly since the weekend and I'm in a climate controlled office the whole day, which certainly helps. I don't know if I'm hydrating enough, but I'm certainly not feeling it as I was over the weekend. In fact I'm not as tired as I was and I think my nights have been pretty restful.
Thus far the items we have bought for the fast have included:
55 lemons (15 initially, 10 later, and then 30 which we are still using)
9.5 gallons of water (of which we have finished 2 and are working on the next 2.5)
64 oz of syrup (we had about 8 oz left at home and have finished one 32 oz bottle so far)
My dad asked me what I do at work during lunch and I thought nothing that different from my regular lunch. I still poke around news sites, read, and find interesting things to blog about. The main difference is that I have to contend with the smells in the office.
General energy level: better than average
General mood: good
The temperature has also decreased significantly since the weekend and I'm in a climate controlled office the whole day, which certainly helps. I don't know if I'm hydrating enough, but I'm certainly not feeling it as I was over the weekend. In fact I'm not as tired as I was and I think my nights have been pretty restful.
Thus far the items we have bought for the fast have included:
55 lemons (15 initially, 10 later, and then 30 which we are still using)
9.5 gallons of water (of which we have finished 2 and are working on the next 2.5)
64 oz of syrup (we had about 8 oz left at home and have finished one 32 oz bottle so far)
My dad asked me what I do at work during lunch and I thought nothing that different from my regular lunch. I still poke around news sites, read, and find interesting things to blog about. The main difference is that I have to contend with the smells in the office.
General energy level: better than average
General mood: good
Monday, September 8, 2008
Day 3
I can't believe I have made it 3 days without solid food. Strangely enough also it's not that bad when I go into grocery stores. The harder part for me is going to restaurants. When I go to a grocery store I don't 'see' food I 'see' packages, but that's as far as I conceptualize the package. In a restaurant you see plates of food so there is no getting around it. I know in grocery stores there is the meat dept, produce, cheese, section, etc. but I am becoming quite good at going in a just leaving without paying attention to anything else. Hopefully I'm not ignoring any friends in there that may have noticed me.
Thus far I think yesterday was for some reason the hardest. The evening was particularly hard as I had a rather bad headache. However, as with Fri night's headache when I woke up Mon morning it was gone and I felt reasonably rested. One interesting side result of this is that I feel like there is in a sense extra time in my day now that I'm not really cooking. In order to "eat" I have to squeeze 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, pour 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and mix with water. Consequently I'm left wondering where all this free time came from.
If I can make it through Monday then Tuesday night will be the halfway point of this journey. As a reward I plan to buy for myself this book.
Well that's all here's to a good week!
Thus far I think yesterday was for some reason the hardest. The evening was particularly hard as I had a rather bad headache. However, as with Fri night's headache when I woke up Mon morning it was gone and I felt reasonably rested. One interesting side result of this is that I feel like there is in a sense extra time in my day now that I'm not really cooking. In order to "eat" I have to squeeze 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, pour 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and mix with water. Consequently I'm left wondering where all this free time came from.
If I can make it through Monday then Tuesday night will be the halfway point of this journey. As a reward I plan to buy for myself this book.
Well that's all here's to a good week!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Day 2
I woke up this morning and the headache was gone. I was really surprised at how well I slept all things considered. I think the key isn't to think about how many days are left, but rather going in baby steps. So right now I'm just thinking about getting through today.
Evening...
So it looks like we might have made it through the day. I think the more time that is spent outside the apt the better. I also discovered two interesting things to look forward to: licking the tablespoon when I make a glass of lemonade after adding the maple syrup and drinking lemonade made with water that I have in the fridge. I forgot how refreshing in this absurd heat lemonade is. I'm also making a more concerted effort to conserve my energy. One of my friends thought that this weekend would be full of the HyWy and I getting into fights and being grumpy. However, I think today both of our moods have been on the happier side.
General mood: pretty upbeat.
General energy level: average.
Evening...
So it looks like we might have made it through the day. I think the more time that is spent outside the apt the better. I also discovered two interesting things to look forward to: licking the tablespoon when I make a glass of lemonade after adding the maple syrup and drinking lemonade made with water that I have in the fridge. I forgot how refreshing in this absurd heat lemonade is. I'm also making a more concerted effort to conserve my energy. One of my friends thought that this weekend would be full of the HyWy and I getting into fights and being grumpy. However, I think today both of our moods have been on the happier side.
General mood: pretty upbeat.
General energy level: average.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Day 1
Had the tea last night. Nothing to report there. When the HyWy came home she said that she was surprised that I was as nervous as I was and that I didn't even seem this nervous during the wedding.
This morning I was up kind of early, because for some reason though I was tired I couldn't sleep. The first thing you are supposed to have in the morning is a quart of sea salt water. That wasn't too bad I thought. In fact it kind of reminded me of chicken noodle soup and not in that craving way, but just that was the level of saltiness. I have a slight headache and I'm a little bit hungry. I just made my first glass of lemonade. Who knew that maple syrup and lemons would taste good together. I'm not sure how much I'll like this at the end of ten days, but at this point it tastes pretty decent.
Later in the Day...
So I worked from home today, but I think that worked against me. When I was at home by myself I was more alone with my thoughts (and my stomach). I work through it until the HyWy came home. I'm not starving so much as I just have a mild continual hunger.
Another interesting result of this experience is I really have to pay attention to my body. Without going into the nitty gritty details I'll say that when my body says go to the bathroom it's not a time to hold back or wait.
General mood: lighthearted.
Energy level: average.
Evening...
We decided that we didn't want to spend the evening at home as we had spent most of the day at home and the time seemed to go by quicker when we were out. We went to the movies and missed the show that we wanted to see (7:30) so we settled for a later show (9:30). During the time we hung around the shopping center/bookstore it was ok. I had another two glasses of lemonade. Then the headache started settling in. I think it was a dehydration headache, but I'm not sure. I had a bottle of water during the movie, but the headache was very distracting. So far that was the hardest point. When we were coming home I was sleepy and still had the headache. I went straight to bed (without the tea).
General mood: slightly grumpy
Energy level: low
This morning I was up kind of early, because for some reason though I was tired I couldn't sleep. The first thing you are supposed to have in the morning is a quart of sea salt water. That wasn't too bad I thought. In fact it kind of reminded me of chicken noodle soup and not in that craving way, but just that was the level of saltiness. I have a slight headache and I'm a little bit hungry. I just made my first glass of lemonade. Who knew that maple syrup and lemons would taste good together. I'm not sure how much I'll like this at the end of ten days, but at this point it tastes pretty decent.
Later in the Day...
So I worked from home today, but I think that worked against me. When I was at home by myself I was more alone with my thoughts (and my stomach). I work through it until the HyWy came home. I'm not starving so much as I just have a mild continual hunger.
Another interesting result of this experience is I really have to pay attention to my body. Without going into the nitty gritty details I'll say that when my body says go to the bathroom it's not a time to hold back or wait.
General mood: lighthearted.
Energy level: average.
Evening...
We decided that we didn't want to spend the evening at home as we had spent most of the day at home and the time seemed to go by quicker when we were out. We went to the movies and missed the show that we wanted to see (7:30) so we settled for a later show (9:30). During the time we hung around the shopping center/bookstore it was ok. I had another two glasses of lemonade. Then the headache started settling in. I think it was a dehydration headache, but I'm not sure. I had a bottle of water during the movie, but the headache was very distracting. So far that was the hardest point. When we were coming home I was sleepy and still had the headache. I went straight to bed (without the tea).
General mood: slightly grumpy
Energy level: low
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Day 0
The evening before the Master Cleanse. We have all of our supplies (lemon, syrup, water, jugs, cayenne pepper, and salt) and I'm anxious and nervous. I haven't weighed myself lately, but I would estimate my weight around 160, because I didn't workout last week or this week. My general temperment is relaxed and otherwise my health is good. I don't plan to go into the gory details, but mostly blog about my mood, general health, energy level, activities, etc.
The plan before the first day of the cleanse is to have an herbal laxative tea to get things moving so to speak. You are supposed to have it after eating and before going to bed. I think I'll have a salad for dinner and maybe a little bit of pasta. The fridge is pretty well emptied out and I need to hide the last of our snack items.
The plan before the first day of the cleanse is to have an herbal laxative tea to get things moving so to speak. You are supposed to have it after eating and before going to bed. I think I'll have a salad for dinner and maybe a little bit of pasta. The fridge is pretty well emptied out and I need to hide the last of our snack items.
Couchsurfing
So the past weekend the HyWy and I decided to try out CouchSurfing. Without going into the details of the experience (because that was what the website is for) I thought I would offer up some of my own reflections.
I was amazed at how genuine and open people can be. I don't know why I was so amazed given the people that the HyWy and I meet through our various other activities, but I think that was just the thing. We didn't meet these people through other activities they were for lack of a better word complete random. Call it a Berkeley feeling, but there is something reassuring that one can have an experience like this in what otherwise feels like a rather skeptical society.
One particularly interesting aspect of the whole experience was telling people that we did it and hearing their reactions. I grouped them into three main categories: I would never do that, I've thought about it and since you have had a good experience I'll seriously consider it, and I was definitely going to do it, but you just beat me to it.
I wonder if the general age range of our friends contributed to their reactions. Would people have reacted differently if they were in college and used to doing 'random' things? Maybe the things that we accepted socially back then have changed.
I was amazed at how genuine and open people can be. I don't know why I was so amazed given the people that the HyWy and I meet through our various other activities, but I think that was just the thing. We didn't meet these people through other activities they were for lack of a better word complete random. Call it a Berkeley feeling, but there is something reassuring that one can have an experience like this in what otherwise feels like a rather skeptical society.
One particularly interesting aspect of the whole experience was telling people that we did it and hearing their reactions. I grouped them into three main categories: I would never do that, I've thought about it and since you have had a good experience I'll seriously consider it, and I was definitely going to do it, but you just beat me to it.
I wonder if the general age range of our friends contributed to their reactions. Would people have reacted differently if they were in college and used to doing 'random' things? Maybe the things that we accepted socially back then have changed.
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