A Slick Run! / Garcia Shenandoah Good. CSS Shenandoah Bad.

Did you know the American Civil War had its last battles in the waters off the coast of... where? Anyone? Anyone?? Bueller???

If you guessed Alaska, no, you're not a moron 'cause that's where the Civil War was last fought! Seriously.

The war ended on April 9 but the CSS Shenandoah sailed on. The ship's dillhole commander decided he still wanted to fight. Schmuck shoulda been court-martialed and sent to Guantanamo. But finally, the Glasgow-built Shenandoah sailed back to the United Kingdom and surrendered in Liverpool... on this day, November 6, in 1865.

A side-note: interestingly, shortly before the war officially ended, in Melbourne, Queensland Victoria, Australians were taken on as crew members of the Shenandoah. Aussies fighting for the pro-slavery Confederacy... I did not know that.

So there you go, a history lesson for today -- Alaska and Australia involved in the American Civil War!

Three books were written about the Shenandoah.
For more info, check out the link.

Thursday noontime Run: 24 min 40 sec

+ 49 sec

11:55 a.m. - 67°, sunny and a little too warm
X ·Oct :: +30 sec· X

October: XX hours XX min September: 3 hours 25 min August: 2 hours 39 min July: 2 hours 11 min June: 1 hour 47 min May: 4 hours 46 min

Okay. Two runs in three days. Much better.

Unfortunately it was a little too warm today. 70° by the time I got back. That's, I guess, about normal for this part of the country at this time of the year. But to me it's disgusting. I'd MUCH rather be running in temps lover than 60°, thanks. Not this crap.

Anyway... I felt good out there and now I feel like I've accomplished something very positive. To sit on my ass and never get exercise this whole life would be wrong. To just get fat and consequently become an unhealthier human being would be wrong. There's just NO justifying that. So I run.

And today I added nearly an entire minute to my Run Time. How awesome is that?!!!? Heck yeah! I was kind of uneasy about adding more than 20 or 30 seconds, in the past I've been used to adding just 10 or less(!), but it was okay. I feel like I nailed the run without any problem to speak of. That doesn't mean it was easy. This is the LONGEST I've EVER run for! I wanted to quite several times. My mind often begins to think -- "Quit, there'll be no negative consequences, you love beer, you love donuts, you love cheeseburgers, you love beer, quit, it doesn't matter."

Ahhh... but it does matter.

Thursday's Running Playlist included most of this album...
	Grace Slick Dreams 1980
Dreams El Diablo Face To The Wind Angel Of Night Seasons Do It The Hard Way Full Moon Man Let It Go Garden Of Man

Who is Grace Slick? I'd never heard of her. Haa! Just kidding. She was in some band called the Washington Space Shuttle or something? Right?

This isn't the best album I've ever heard. It's decent listening but nothing's really that spectacular on here. Maybe it was best to listen to one of her... less good albums first before I explore more of her solo stuff. Save the best for last, right?

a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Grace!

Less controversially titled than 1973's Manhole, Grace Slick's second solo album is an inconsistent, erratic, yet often compelling collection. Written in the aftermath of an extended Alcoholics Anonymous stay, Slick's self-penned tunes revisit themes of self-reflection and atonement. As a result, her lyrics are far less obtuse, more accessible than usual, even becoming downright obvious on "Do It the Hard Way." It's a letdown for someone accustomed to her more poetic and challenging musings on previous Jefferson Airplane/Starship records. Musically the album is far less focused, with the subpar up-tempo track "Angel of Night" foretelling the vapid arena rock that would comprise her next solo album, Welcome to the Wrecking Ball. There are, however, several strong moments, such as the flamenco-styled "El Diablo" and the strong guitar work of Scott Zito on the sweeping "Full Moon Man." Most curious of the bunch, though, are the album-opening title track and the Slick-authored "Seasons": both surge on mock-whimsical melodies straight out of a haunted Biergarten, a side of Slick rarely seen before or since. Also new to her repertoire is the addition of orchestration on some tracks, ably arranged on the remarkable closer "Garden of Man" by Ron Frangipane. While her voice is not up to par on this record (there's a distinct husk and gasp on the album-opening title track in particular), Dreams is a useful acquisition for Grace Slick completists and listeners engrossed by the life and personality of its creator. --JOSEPH McCOMBS--

look for a download @ Effie's Way

320 kbps mp3 download