Other Hobbies

[Mayerling]

Sure, the Cretans, Minoans, Trojans, Phoenicians-- all very interesting. I've read about them at a lay person's level-- not a scholar or anything.

The Minoans fit into my interests in ancient history and archeology too.

[SirJohnFalstaff]

Thank you for the website Sir John. I liked some of the pictures you collected.

Jeff

No problem. I had to transfer some images from a previous blog on an older platform. I've been doing this since 2005.

[Mayerling]

No problem. I had to transfer some images from a previous blog on an older platform. I've been doing this since 2005.

I noticed you had one (a fairly well known one) of Conrad Veidt as "Gwynplayne" in "The Man Who Laughs" silent film. Are you a fan of him as an actor (admittedly I am)?

Jeff

[Steadmund Brand]

I noticed you had one (a fairly well known one) of Conrad Veidt as "Gwynplayne" in "The Man Who Laughs" silent film. Are you a fan of him as an actor (admittedly I am)?

Jeff

I myself am a fan of Conrad Veidt, and not just from the Man who Laughs and Caligari...although he is AMAZING in both....funny to think he was almost Dracula in 1931....but he left Hollywood because of his accent....I always wonder how many other great roles he would have had if he did stay...

Steadmund Brand

[Steadmund Brand]

yes you did. LOL.
I'm the exact opposite-I still find all their music eclectic and innovative and interesting. They are truly original and I think still holds up extremely well especially compared to a lot of music that was coming out at the time. I think they are the greatest American rock band.

I also think Morrison was one of the greatest crooners ever, and his lyrics (poems really) beautiful.

oh and yes! Kreigers slide is awesome!!!!

Oh god this reminds me of a great story...in the early 90's after the Doors movie came out, the surviving Doors were very smart to capitalize on the huge resurgence. Tours, albums, books, one man shows, interviews etc.. brilliant, which leads me to the story

Robby Krieger went on a tour and he was playing a nice venue I use to work at (as a teenager.. I was there from the ages of 16-19 when the place closed) I was a stage hand/ Guitar tech ( being a guitarist myself... I loved working on all the really nice guitars I could never afford!!!), anyway, I’m 17 years old and Krieger was coming to town, now, I was/am a casual Doors fan, but always did like his playing ( found Jim way overrated and pretentious.. but loved the musicianship of the Doors), so about 3 in the afternoon Robby shows up at the place, no security, no “bodyguards” no nothing, he took a cab from the hotel he was staying at to the venue….he was super, really down to earth, nice guy….so in the backstage area he was just hanging out, by himself, I saw him, walked over and said hello and offered to show him around the place ( weird little venue.. the “backstage” area was not connected to the building…) so we were walking around ( and I mean around, it was a theatre in the round) and I mentioned how much I liked his playing on a particular song… and he asked if I played, with genuine interest too, I said I did and we talked about guitars and playing for about 15 minutes and he said “ ya know what…is there a guitar store around here, I feel like just going and playing around” , well the nearest guitar store was about ½ away, but we decided to go, Robby, myself and another guy from the crew ( who had a car) and we drove to the guitar store.

As I said this was the height of the Doors resurgence in pop culture, and we walk in the store and I swear the guy behind the counter, maybe in his mid 20’s was wearing a Doors T-shirt….none of us said anything, just started looking around the store, Robby saw a guitar he wanted to try and asked the guy if he could take it off the wall and plug it in to try it, he came over, gave him a cord, and pointed to a practice amp and walked away…. Robby starts playing, no songs, just playing, beautifully I might add, and after about 10 minutes the guy working the store, in the Doors T-shirt, comes over and said “ hey man, you’re not bad, ever think of playing in a band?” , seriously this guy is on your friggin t-shirt!!!! Anyway, Robby looks up and said “ nah, I just like playing for fun”…..was hilarious!!!!

Anyway, we left the store and on the ride back I asked him why he didn’t tell the guy who he was, or if it bugged him that the guy didn’t know who he was, and he said to me, and I’ll never forget this, he said “ Hey man, it was always like that, even in the 60’s, ya gotta remember Jim was a rock star… we were musicians….and I’m glad it was that way…made things easier for us then it was for Jim”…

What a great guy he was… one of my favorite memories from that job!!!

Steadmund Brand

[Abby Normal]

Oh god this reminds me of a great story...in the early 90's after the Doors movie came out, the surviving Doors were very smart to capitalize on the huge resurgence. Tours, albums, books, one man shows, interviews etc.. brilliant, which leads me to the story

Robby Krieger went on a tour and he was playing a nice venue I use to work at (as a teenager.. I was there from the ages of 16-19 when the place closed) I was a stage hand/ Guitar tech ( being a guitarist myself... I loved working on all the really nice guitars I could never afford!!!), anyway, I’m 17 years old and Krieger was coming to town, now, I was/am a casual Doors fan, but always did like his playing ( found Jim way overrated and pretentious.. but loved the musicianship of the Doors), so about 3 in the afternoon Robby shows up at the place, no security, no “bodyguards” no nothing, he took a cab from the hotel he was staying at to the venue….he was super, really down to earth, nice guy….so in the backstage area he was just hanging out, by himself, I saw him, walked over and said hello and offered to show him around the place ( weird little venue.. the “backstage” area was not connected to the building…) so we were walking around ( and I mean around, it was a theatre in the round) and I mentioned how much I liked his playing on a particular song… and he asked if I played, with genuine interest too, I said I did and we talked about guitars and playing for about 15 minutes and he said “ ya know what…is there a guitar store around here, I feel like just going and playing around” , well the nearest guitar store was about ½ away, but we decided to go, Robby, myself and another guy from the crew ( who had a car) and we drove to the guitar store.

As I said this was the height of the Doors resurgence in pop culture, and we walk in the store and I swear the guy behind the counter, maybe in his mid 20’s was wearing a Doors T-shirt….none of us said anything, just started looking around the store, Robby saw a guitar he wanted to try and asked the guy if he could take it off the wall and plug it in to try it, he came over, gave him a cord, and pointed to a practice amp and walked away…. Robby starts playing, no songs, just playing, beautifully I might add, and after about 10 minutes the guy working the store, in the Doors T-shirt, comes over and said “ hey man, you’re not bad, ever think of playing in a band?” , seriously this guy is on your friggin t-shirt!!!! Anyway, Robby looks up and said “ nah, I just like playing for fun”…..was hilarious!!!!

Anyway, we left the store and on the ride back I asked him why he didn’t tell the guy who he was, or if it bugged him that the guy didn’t know who he was, and he said to me, and I’ll never forget this, he said “ Hey man, it was always like that, even in the 60’s, ya gotta remember Jim was a rock star… we were musicians….and I’m glad it was that way…made things easier for us then it was for Jim”…

What a great guy he was… one of my favorite memories from that job!!!

Steadmund Brand

That's an awesome story!!! I love krieger even more now!

[JadenCollins]

I did this for friend who is a little obsessed. Behold Cthuperman.

Amazing!


It's so cute.

[Errata]

Amazing!


It's so cute.

I didn't come up with the pattern, I found it online. I just adapted it for different characters. During the winter I do a lot of star wars hats for people. A few star trek ones, the classic firefly hat... I made a tardis hat once but it was so much work I vowed to never do it again. Same with R2d2. Once was enough. And I'm still trying to figure out daleks.

I'm a nerd with a crochet hook really.

[c.d.]

Does masturbation count as a hobby?

Yes, as long as it doesn't get out of hand.

c.d.

[Wickerman]

Gee, you, me, and Steve out to form a new website or thread! Have you ever visited any of the archeological sites in the Mideast? I never have, and now I fear it may be too dangerous for tourist.

Sadly, never been fortunate enough to visit the near-east, and as you say, it might not be the best idea at present.

Anyone out there also interested in the Minoan/Cretan civilization? Or Troy?

Just curious.

Jeff

Yes Jeff, primarily because the Cretans/Minoans have been credited with being involved in the Sea Peoples escapades, a theory that is steadily crumbling, thankfully.
Troy, yes especially after the eye-opening excavations of Manfred Korfmann.

[Wickerman]

The Minoans fit into my interests in ancient history and archeology too.

Have you read, The Secret of Crete, Hans Georg Wunderlich, 1974?

I understand his views came in for academic ridicule but I get the impression this was more due to accepted doctrine than any factual arguments.

[Mayerling]

Sadly, never been fortunate enough to visit the near-east, and as you say, it might not be the best idea at present.

It bugs me to hear of the horrible destruction that Isis and their pals are doing to archeological sites like Palmyra. So much has been lost already.

Yes Jeff, primarily because the Cretans/Minoans have been credited with being involved in the Sea Peoples escapades, a theory that is steadily crumbling, thankfully.
Troy, yes especially after the eye-opening excavations of Manfred Korfmann.

I'm not up to Korfmann (haven't read him). Fascinating that there were so many layers of Troy as it turned out. And Schliemann may not have located the correct one for the poem.

Jeff

[Mayerling]

Have you read, The Secret of Crete, Hans Georg Wunderlich, 1974?

I understand his views came in for academic ridicule but I get the impression this was more due to accepted doctrine than any factual arguments.

Haven't read Wunderlich, but the last books involving the Minoans (among other ancient Greek and Roman civilizations) were by M. I. Finley. He was quite interesting.

Love those Penguin volumes on the ancients.

Jeff

[Mayerling]

I myself am a fan of Conrad Veidt, and not just from the Man who Laughs and Caligari...although he is AMAZING in both....funny to think he was almost Dracula in 1931....but he left Hollywood because of his accent....I always wonder how many other great roles he would have had if he did stay...

Steadmund Brand

I always regretted his death in 1943 while making films in Hollywood, but usually playing Nazis like Major Strasser. It occurred to me that had he lived passed 1945 into the 1950s or even 1960s he might have resumed in Hollywood his position as a leading man that he had in Germany and England up to 1940.

Jeff

[Steadmund Brand]

I did this for friend who is a little obsessed. Behold Cthuperman.

OH MY......how can I get a Cthuperman!!!

Steadmund Brand