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Psssst. Hoops, Purple T-shirts, Karaoke, Dunking: I got inside info on MikeMadness hoops tourney

ME: (To man on the street. Waiting for the light to change.) You know I’ve never done this before.

MAN: Done what? (Looks me up and down with a mixture of confusion and hostility).

ME: Oh, I can’t tell you yet, I’m not sure if I’ve been authorized. But, (I lean a little closer) it involves dunking.

MAN: Oh hoops. You gonna try to dunk (slight smile on face as he sizes me up again. Yes this is a balding 59-year-old white man, he confirms). You? Dunk? No way. (Man was laughing now).

ME: Yes way. OK, I can tell you it will happen after the MikeMadness Basketball Tournament. You heard of that?

MAN: Well now that you mention it, I saw a poster about that. Gonna be at UAB?

ME: Yes, UAB Recreation Center, July 20, 8 a.m. You should get three buddies and sign up. It costs $150 a team and it’s for a good cause, to raise money for Lewy body dementia. It’s a fatal brain disease and I have it. I’m Mike of MikeMadness.

—Click here to sign up now —-

MAN: You’re Mike? Fatal disease? (Man steps back)

ME: (Laughing) No no, it’s not contagious. I’ve had it for three years and I’m still working, playing basketball and now this dunking. Oops don’t repeat that.

MAN: You telling me you are going to be dunking?

ME: Well, it involves me and it involves dunking. That’s all I can say now. Except it also involves some celebrity types like a certain Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist will be going for a dunk.

MAN: Where is this going to be?

ME: The after party and dunking will be after the tournament, starting at 1 p.m., at TrimTab brewery. It’s at 2721 5th Ave South in Birmingham.

MAN: And that Pulitzer Prize guy, you aren’t talking about John Archibald are you?

ME: Yes but don’t tell anybody, I’m not authorized yet. There’ll probably be other celebrities like disc jockeys and athletes. Last year Trent Richardson and Buck Johnson showed up.

MAN: You mean Archibald is gonna dunk? (Now laughing harder).

ME: Let’s just say, me and John will be called the ‘Splash Brothers.”

MAN: Well, let’s go then!

ME: Heck yeah, let’s go. (I reach out for a fist bump).

MAN: No, I mean the light has changed, time to cross.

THE FINE PRINT: Sign up now on the link above or go to mikemadness.org The tournament is free to watch July 20 from 8 am to about noon. Teams consist of three or four (if you want a substitute, most do) and team entry fee is $150. Sure to be collectible T-shirts, for $15 each, and are purple this year in honor of Prince who was, we hear, a great basketball player in his day. New this year will will be a 3-point contest. Entry fee is $20. I’m looking forward to seeing who will come in second place. The after party at TrimTab is at 1 p.m. and it’s free. The brewery will donate 10 percent of its proceeds during this time. Remember this is all about raising money for Lewy body dementia a killer brain disease which I have. Last two years we raised $25,000 combined. I’m looking to match that two-year-total this year with $25,000 bringing the total to $50K in three years. Ambitious yes? But important. Money raised will be going to Lewy body research at UAB and the Lewy Body Dementia Association. For more on my living with the disease plus music, check out www.myvinylcountdown.com

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Daily Journal, June 9, 2019, Premature edition

Several stories recently that appeared in AL.com but not here:

News anchor dies by suicide believing he had Lewy body dementia

Music heals the brains of premature babies — and me

Alzheimer’s from A to Z at Birmingham forum

My Vinyl Countdown: Nothing from nothing is something

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The Mamas & the Papas — 340

ALBUM: Fairwell to the First Golden Era

MVC Rating: 4.0/$$

Perfect harmonies. Big bold singing voices. Mama Cass. California Dreamin.’

These are the things I think of when I think of this singing group.

And during their prime, they really were larger than life.

California Dreamin’ is such a perfect ‘state’ song. It made me wonder what the best song about a state is? That one has to be near the top.

Well there’s ‘Georgia on My Mind’ as sung by the great Ray Charles. Of course ‘Sweet Home Alabama. Sweet Virginia by the Stones. Yellow Rose of Texas a traditional folk song but Hoyt Axton is known for his version. Private Idaho by my hometown band B-52s . This could go on forever but don’t forget this one: “The Moon is Bigger in Alabama.”

This greatest hits album also has Creeque Alley, kinda of a here’s-how-we- got-here song that has the memorable line: And the only one getting fat is Mama Cass.

Their song ‘Monday Monday’ could also start a list-sickle song like the state songs. ‘Manic Monday’ by the Bangles via Prince; Tuesday’s Gone by Skynyrd; Friday on my Mind by the Easybeats; I Dont like Mondays by the Boomtown Rats.

There’s more. Hit the comments if you want to add more. Because there are many, but I’ve got to go, trying to make that Midnight Train to Georgia.

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Daily Journal, June 4, 2019

Tuesday’s not gone yet. In fact it’s only 10:58 a.m. my time (Central). As I said in a previous post, I was going through some fluctuating symptoms the past few days. So much better this morning as I can type.

Fluctuations in symptoms is a hallmark of Lewy body dementia. I see it as the ultimate donut and hole cliche’. In other words I am thankful it is not just one long descent. I am thankful that I have a donut on some days. (No wonder I can’t shake this extra weight).

Describing the symptoms is hard for me to put my finger on it, literally, when I have those symptoms but let’s just say I don’t feel comfortable in my own skin, feel fidgety and fine motor skills like buttoning shirts, typing, and tying my shoes become frustratingly difficult. Coping mechanism? Maybe half a tab of carbidopa/levodopa or get out and walk or both.

I have doctor’s permission to up my dosage slightly during these events. It’s good medicine but it was developed to treat Parkinson’s not Lewy body specifically. I also take a med created for Alzheimer’s patients to help with the cognitive issues. I don’t know how that is working, but somethings going well as I’m three years into this thing and still playing basketball.

In fact at the MikeMadness tournament I am getting excited about seeing who is going to come in second.

Because they may as well go ahead and put my name on the trophy now.

I’ll be wearing my No. 33 Boston Celtics jersey.

Let’s outro with my greatest therapeutic treatment: Music.

I love to listen to the slide guitar intro by Lynyrd Skynyrd for the song Tuesday’s gone — beautiful.

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Daily Journal May 30, 31, 2019

Had lunch Thursday with some friends from the West Coast. Talking about San Francisco made me nostalgic. Good conversation, good lunch at Mile End deli. It was DELIcious. (Sorry).

I’ve been stop-starting on some stories that I need to focus on. There are so many paths for me to go down, that I need a compass.

I really enjoyed the use of the phrase city-savvy in a sentence — as an alternative for streetwise. What sentence you are asking? The one I just wrote. (Sorry again).

Stay tuned for details about an after party for MikeMadness 3X3 basketball tournament. The tournament is Saturday July 20 to raise money for Lewy body research and awareness. We have raised about $25,000 overall in the previous tournaments. This will be the third and I hope we can raise $25,000 altogether this year to bring our total for three years to $50,000.

Here is officia MikeMadness page: https://mikemadness.org/

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Daily Journal, May 13, 2019

Yesterday I wrote up a long post before bed, closed my eyes and through the miracle workers of the Internet, found that my post was not there by morning. Abracadabra. Just a paragraph and a sentence stopped before its end.

I realize I need to be careful with that. Some folks think I may be dropping any minute and when they see a sentence unfinished … well, I can imagine the scene, elderly couple reading my latest post on his tricked-out Dell laptop:

Old man says to his wife: “Something ain’t right with that man on MyVinylCountdown.com. He just stopped writing without finishing the words and, he’s got a brain disease called Lewy.”

“Well what did he write? What were his last words.” Maw maw asked.

This was my last sentence:

“On my question yesterday about why …”

And this was his last word: Warranted.

My earlier missing version had the sentence at the bottom\

Will post more, if warranted. The last sentence I was asking about my question related to why Joe Cocker is getting the most traffic on my blog, up against my 300-plus posts including artists like Allman Brothers, Al Green, Carpenters, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Beatles, George Harrison, Heart and the Temptations.

A reader named D.L. suggested the upcoming 50th anniversary of Woodstock in August (if it’s still on) might be a reason for a bump in traffic. Cocker got his bones at Woodstock.

And in case you’re wondering I didn’t die mid-sentence — that would make for good headline though. Memo to me: I need to come up with some good last word(s).

Rosebud.

Sorry, taken.

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Daily Journal May 9, 2019

I rolled out about 5:20 a.m. to get ready for a speech to the Vestavia Hills Rotary Club.

I spoke at 7 but I needed all the time I could get to get ready.

It went well, I think. I told them I had to set my alarm for ‘yesterday’ — that’s how early it was. Good people. I spoke mostly on living with Lewy body dementia.

I did talk a little bit about our upcoming Mike Madness basketball fundraiser. And don’t be surprised if you see a Rotarian team in the 3X3 classic at UAB Rec Center on July 20.

Don’t have sign-ups right ready to roll but here’s some links about donations and my blog.

Here’s the link to donate (more on how to register your team (3 or 4 people) to play. Expecting big things this year.

Also my blog www.myvinylcountdown.com

1:45 a.m.: Went to lunch. Got caught in rain, wet but feeling all right. Right hand starting it up again, hoping meds catch up soon.

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Lyle Lovett– 360

ALBUM: Lyle Lovett (1986); Pontiac (1988)

MVC Rating: Lovett 4.0/$$$; Pontiac, 4.0/$$$$

bought this debut album in my early Birmingham years. Probably because of lyrics like this: And this old porch is like a steaming greasy plate of enchiladas
With lots of cheese and onions
And a guacamole salad
And you can get them down at the LaSalle Hotel

Lovett went to Texas A&M just like my Dad.

Lovett loved cheese enchiladas just like Dad (who taught me to love them).

Lovett married Julia Roberts. Dad married Jo Ellen Oliver, beautiful women both. Dad stayed married.

Though I haven’t listened much lately I have this album and a couple Lovett CD’s. His song about church going on too long is a favorite.

Then there’s the ultimate cheating song ‘God Will.‘

 
So who says he'll forgive you
And says that he'll miss you
And dream of your sweet memory
God does
But I don't
God will
But I won't
And that's the difference
Between God and me

In the liner note the legendary Guy Clark wrote: “The first time I met Lyle I thought he was a French blues player. You can’t tell he’s Texan ’til you hear the songs. Then he’s so Texas he doesn’t have to say it.”

After publishing this and weeks later I discovered I had another vinyl Lyle Lovett album called Pontiac. It’s even better than the self-titled debut I reviewed here. HIghlights: “If I had a Boat,’ ‘She’s No Lady,’ and ‘Give me Back My Heart.’

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Dementia Free Day: How too much information can be bad (blog version)

Be careful little eyes what you see, be careful little ears what you hear — Sunday school song based on Bible passage in Luke

As a lifelong journalist, I’m all about information. Open records open meetings. Free speech. I say no secrets is the best way to run a government and, for the most part, your personal life.

But also in my experience as a journalist in Alabama, Florida and California I’ve seen burnout.

I learned to protect myself but you can’t always. I didn’t want to see the crime scene photos of Chauncy Bailey, a journalist and colleague in Oakland Calif. but after I pushed the photos away I snuck a glance. He was shot in the face with a shotgun.

I cannot unsee that.

Covering the cop beat in Birmingham years earlier a similar thing occurred when a police detective said “Hey this is what we were working on. He threw the envelope with photos of the crime scene. They watched me pull out a 70-something-year-old woman who was stabbed more than a dozen times. I passed the hazing of a cub cop reporter by not throwing up.

So I learned to avert my eyes and steel myself: When a decomposing body of a heatwave victim was taken out of her house; when a female murder victim was pulled from a quarry; when people broke down and screamed in anguish at funerals of children; when a man cried showing me the spot where he found his dying brother, carried by a tornado 100 yards from his house.

When I was offered to cover an execution while working at the Orlando Sentinel, I declined. When a woman threatened to jump off the Oakland Tribune building in a suicide, I chose not to watch as the street filled with onloookers.

But I heard the the eerie simultaneous gasp of the crowd below when she hit the pavement. I can’t unhear that.

I guess i am hoping to give you a strategy, however ineffectual, and as a warning, however meaningful it may be.

I am three years into a diagnosis of Lewy body dementia. The average lifespan after diagnosis is 4 to 8 years.

I am scared. I am sad. I am angry. I am resigned. All those things at different times but I’m also practicing my strategies learned in the past.

That doesn’t mean I will stop gathering information about my disease or listening to others’ experiences in memory care centers, in support groups and in YouTube videos.

On YouTube I watched John and Dawn’s achingly beautiful video. It shows what will likely happen to me. I doubt I will watch it again, because that would be too much. I’m linking it here but don’t watch if you are not up for it right now. Self protection.

I wanted to do something funny with this post. I was going to propose a Lewy body dementia free day. A day where patients like myself and caretakers like my super strong wife, Catherine, and my daughters Hannah, Emily and Claire could have a daylong respite from encountering, talking, reading, watching anything about dementia..Lewy Free Day.

Maybe the symptoms will go away for a day. Maybe that burning feeling on my neck will go away. That my fingers will return to their past nimbleness. I actually took typing in school and could get 50 to 60 words a minute. Now I find myself hunting and pecking.

What if we had one day a week as Lewy Free Day.

We all know that’s a pipe dream. But we can choose a day –i’ll say Monday — to mindfully focus on what is positive in our lives. Watch an uplifting movie, read something not about dementia. Make your favorite dinner or go out. Put off any non-urgent actions related to dementia care or research or talking about new symptoms until the next day.

Don’t even joke about dementia. Finger to lips to anyone who brings it up.

On this day, dementia doesn’t exist.

Lewy Free Day or, to broaden it out, Dementia Free Day. T-shirts could be made:

‘Dementia Free Day’ on the front.

On the back: ‘Don’t forget.’ (or vice versa.)

I’m putting my Dementia Free Day for Monday on my calendar.

Otherwise I’ll forget.

For AL.com version go here.

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Little Richard — 361


ALBUMS: Precious Lord (1985)

This is an interesting record from one of the founders of rock ‘n roll.

MVC Rating: 3.5/$$$$

Son of a church deacon, who severely punished Little Richard after catching his son wearing women’s clothes , Little Richard aka Richard Wayne Penniman clearly had some personal issues in his life — sexuality conflicts and substance abuse.

According to various sources including an autobiography, Little Richard’s father’s church duties in Macon, Ga., were augmented by a moonshine and nightclub business. So somewhere therein lies a reason or two why Little Richard bounced back and forth between being ‘born again,’ singing gospel and secular music that pushed the bounds that society had laid down for sexually explicit content at the time.

Long Tall Sally, Tutti Frutti, and Good Golly Miss Molly are three of his bigger hits whose vocal stylings influenced everyone from Paul McCartney to Wilson Picket.

The record company had to hire someone to clean up the lyrics forTutti Frutti, for example. This 1985 gospel record is not listed on Wikipedia’s discography although you can buy it on vinyl on Amazon for about $17. I bought this new back in 1985 after wandering into a store in one of Birmingham’s mostly black neighborhoods. That’s where I also found a Birmingham Community Choir record, which I feature earlier in my countdown.

This album is not well recorded and that’s why I give it a 3.5, rather than a 4 or better. It sounds like it was recorded in a cavernous empty church with one microphone dangling from the ceiling. An echo-ey and distant feel.

That said, the singer shows off an amazing voice and range. Glad I got it

ALABAMA NOTE: In one of his bounce backs to religion in the late 60s, he attended Oakwood College (now University) in Huntsville. It is a historically Black Seventh-day Adventist institution,