Department of Corrections

So, since I don't want to sound like I am complaining, let me start by bragging about the greatest one-two-punch of a Christmas gift ever. First, the Wifey got me these great new kicks (which she has forbade me from calling "kicks" in her presence, so Wifey, don't you read this blog!).

Then, she got her folks to buy me the best New York sneakers book ever, which probably means the only New York sneakers book ever. It even came in a box from The Strand, which is one of my favorite places in the world.

The Nikes (pronounced "nyks") are by way of complimenting the Nike (pronounced nyk-e) waffle racers I got last year, which, while they are wonderful, are both red and non-wind-proof. They mesh tops are designed to let the air straight in, which is a wonderful thing in the summertime, but not so much in the winter. These are leather-tops, so warm and quite comfy-cozy. They are also, careful readers will note, not bright red.

Here's a pic of the Nike Waffle Racers from last year, for all those un-careful readers out there. I love them too. I came up in the generation that knew what great sneakers were, because the industry was throwing them at us by the truckload. As opposed to what they sell nowadays, which is chiefly clown shoes. (No, you will not see a picture of them on my site.)

The other gift (amongst the other gifts) I wish to speak of today is the new David Gilmour CD, which I am listening to now, and quite enjoying. But, and take this in the spirit intended, the first blush response was that it sounds like a conglomeration of Echoes out-takes and incidental music for a proposed Dr. Who movie. Which still makes it a helluva lot better than 90% of what most people have playing on their MP3 players these days, or virtually anything you're going to stumble across on VH1 (now that Music TeleVision no longer plays any music), but it brings to mind an old paradox, which is that Pink Floyd was always far less an invention of David Gilmour and Roger Waters than it was of those other two guys.

Whose names are Nick Mason and Rick Wright. (Yeah, I did go look them up on Allmusic just now. I'm not proud. I remembered the drummer's name, spaced on the keyboardist's name.) Not to say that Gilmour and Waters were not instrumental (he he he) in the band (he he), but it has long been my contention that the music stopped getting better after those two turned it into a rolling turf war. And it always struck me as odd that most of the Floydheads I know never gushed over the possibility of a Mason or Wright solo project the way they have over Gilmour or Waters solo projects. (Like The Pro's and Con's of Hitchhiking, which sucked.) (Yes, it did. And does. It has not aged well.)

Anyways. It was a very Merry Christmas for us. I hope it was for y'all, too. And a Very Merry New Year to ya, as well!!!