Farewell To The Meathead, Closing Credits

by Kevin Burton    I’m supposed to be good with words, but sometimes there just aren’t any.    I’m having trouble expressing my distress at the violent death of Actor/Director Rob Reiner. Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead Sunday and their son Nick is now facing two counts of murder. Sadness, disbelief, anger, …

Des Moines Isn’t Boring, Really, I Mean It

by Kevin Burton    Did you know there is a Memphis, Missouri?    Fewer than 2,000 people live there. We came perilously close to joining them on vacation two weeks ago.    We had planned to see the big Memphis – the BB King-Jerry Lee Lewis-Johnny Cash Memphis – but a flood warning for the …

Mark Twain And Hannibal To The Rescue

by Kevin Burton    Thirty-six little hours before we were to set sail for Memphis, my wife Jeannette checked the weather.    And we never set sail for Memphis.    The National Weather Service had issued a flood warning covering Memphis at exactly the same time we had planned to hit town. That sort of …

When The Chips Were Down, I Came Through

by Kevin Burton    Briefly, I stuck to my guns, relied on my own resources, ever so briefly. And I can’t tell you why.    This was misguided, but I rebounded quickly and it all worked out.    It was just after 8 p.m. and my wife Jeannette approached, walking with purpose into the mancave …

There Is A Method To My March Madness

by Kevin Burton    I can’t imagine a scenario where I am completely immune to the madness.    While you and your office mates filled out brackets last week, that was only a fleeting thought for me. Didn’t come close to working up the enthusiasm. But that doesn’t mean I can’t be found on the …

All Aboard For Interesting Facts About Trains

by Kevin Burton    My dream vacation is to accompany my bride on a long, interrupted train ride along the Mississippi River.    The plan is to ride the City of New Orleans train on Amtrak – the one that Arlo Guthrie sang about – from Chicago to Memphis, get off and explore that town …

“Memphis” And The Poetry Of Chuck Berry

by Kevin Burton    You knew any rock and roll road trip would have to stop by Memphis, right?  Well, we are using a Chuck Berry vehicle to get there.    We’re going Coast to Coast this summer, talking rock and roll history by means of songs with a state or city in the title. …

A Magic Carpet Ride To New Orleans

by Kevin Burton    While at the Quiet Knight bar in Chicago, Steve Goodman saw fellow singer/songwriter Arlo Guthrie, and asked to be allowed to play a song for him, according to a story on Wikipedia.    “Guthrie grudgingly agreed, on the condition that if Goodman bought him a beer, Guthrie would listen to him play …

On Date Night We Paint The Town Beige

by Kevin Burton    It’s Saturday baby, the day we’ve all been waiting for! You know what that means.    It’s date night!    But what does date night mean anymore?    Between Covid 19 safety measures and the new geezer bedtimes we’re learning to prefer, date night isn’t what it used to be.    …