Back After 10-year Break

Big Frank is back. Let's not get into why he went away in the first place. Indeed, many of you may well be thinking, "I didn't know that Big Frank was gone," or more deprecatingly, "Who is Big Frank?" As for the second question, Big Frank is perhaps best known as "former mayor" and "part-time jewel thief." While there may be some who dispute those epithets, it is not for Big Frank to engage with the doubters of this world. In following with the opening info, and in keeping with that, this is a sunny, cheerful blog even though it is located in an often cloudy and dour world. We are walking on the sunny side of the street even if that be to the tune of Blues.

Big Frank intends to post regularly as was done 10 years ago, prior to Facebook taking over the world. Perhaps this signals a change of the times and if so that would be a welcome one for everyone. Postings, as before will cover a wide range of topics: poetry, music, books, current events, food, Kansas City stuff, Poland, Zags, and so so much more.

Feel free to comment on any topic that you would like to engage in. Big Frank looks forward to hearing from you.

The clouds are parting.  The sun is out.  Big Frank is back.  Sorry about the long delay.  There is much to say about so much that Big Frank isn't quite sure where to begin.  Let's begin with the clouds.  This time of year, despite whatever it is that is happening, is the time of Big Clouds!  They don't stay around long - with the heat of July they rise up even higher, and then come August they flatten out.  More to come.  But first - Big Frank has to get up on his bike and ride.

3 by Kay Ryan

Big Frank has been reading Kay Ryan's poetry.  She is amazing.  Here are a three of her poems.

LEAVING SPACES

It takes a courageous
person to leave spaces
empty. Certainly any
artist in the Middle Ages
felt this timor, and quickly
covered space over
with griffins, sea serpents,
herbs and brilliant carpets
of flowers--things pleasant
or unpleasant, no matter.
Of course they were cowards
and patronized by cowards
who liked their swards as
filled with birds as leaves.
All of them believed in
sudden edges and completely
barren patches in the mind,
and they didn't want to
think about them all the time.


CAUGHT

If something
gets caught
like a bone
in the throat
it isn't right.

We know this
with fish:

it isn't impolite
to cough.
Our life
is at risk.

But there are
so many wrong thoughts
we refuse to release

massaging
our own throats
like pate geese.


RELIEF

We know it is close
to something lofty.
Simply getting over being sick
or finding lost property
has in it the leap,
the purge, the quick humility
of witnessing a birth--
how love seeps up
and retakes the earth.
There is a dreamy
wading feeling to your walk
inside the current
of restored riches,
clocks set back,
disasters averted.

Magne and Linda's Wedding

Big Frank had the honor being best man for Magne and Linda's wedding yesterday.  It was held in a beautiful Norwegian chapel with a wonderful reception at the Clarke House on Hayden Lake.

Good YouTube Stuff

Big Frank, like most of you, from time to time reviews some YouTube stuff.  However, he hasn't really watched much other than funny videos or music videos.  There are lost of sites that comb through YouTube to give you the best of the best, and Big Frank is sharing a couple of the best of these best of the bests.

This first one is on the age old question can men and women be just friends.  Perhaps there was some editing done on this to give the appearance of the black and white response from those interviewed.  It doesn't make any difference.  It's a funny interview.



This next one is going to make you laugh.  It was filmed on a train in Berlin.  Laughter is contagious.

Looking outward or inward

Big Frank has been watching YouTube and has been struck by two different types of programs that do a good job of showing the preoccupations of people: on themselves and the outside world.  When you view the two in sequence the contrast is a stark one.  One sequence - the changing nature of my face, has a huge number of videos that you can watch.  These are essentially one person's face shown over the passage of time, just that one face day after day after day.  Contrast that with the changes that can be seen in nature.  Pay attention to how you feel when you watch these two kinds of videos and that difference in feelings tells you everything.

Here's an example of the first kind - one face, one picture taken every day for 3 years:




Next, and what a contrast, is some wonderful contrast is a video from the TED from Louie Schwartzberg on gratitude.  He is an award winning photographer whose film on the changes in nature are beautiful.  His presentation and film truly does lead to being more grateful for being here today.