What a year; out of names, and here comes Beta in the Gulf.

Growing up, it was Paul Newman in about anything that he did, Clint Eastwood as "Dirty Harry", Cary Grant in "It takes a thief", and Sean Connery as Bond. It was always that, "Wow, I want to be like that guy one day". I will always associate those guys with those roles because of the impact that they had at the time. "The color of money" was never going to be the same without Newman after "The hustler"; it would have been a massive error to even try. Bond became more of a spy series after Connery, but when he was in the role, he could read the phone book and I would want to do it just like that one day. That whole alpha male, "Just don't even think about it" type of presence.

Sean Connery
Chadwick Boseman
Anthony Hopkins

Well, we do owe a rather sizable part of our American identity to one royal. Two members of British royalty had an illegitimate child, and he became one of the great thinkers of his time. He traveled throughout the world, collected things for research, and increased an already large fortune. Royalty didn't know who he was, so when he asked them to build a place for his growing collection, they pretty much said, "Take a hike". Bad idea; in anger he wrote a letter to the president of The United States, asking if they would do it. Jackson said yes, and he had no more idea who he was than British royalty. England found out who he was, and tried to reverse the snub that they had given him, he said that it was too late; American accepted his offer without question. He knew that it would be a hassle, so he put in the will that if his nephew had a heir, his fortune would go to that heir. His nephew was gay, and had no desire to undo the desire of his uncle. He died never having made a trip to America, and once the nephew died, we found out just how vast his fortune had been. It took years to sell all his land, and convert it into gold. That was Smithson, and his dream became the Smithsonian. He was buried in Italy, and they were suppose to look after his grave site. Alexander Graham Bell went over to pay his respects, and found the area to be a nightmare. He was understandably livid, and went on a crusade to bring the remains to America. At some point Roosevelt stepped in, and his remains were brought here to rest with the empire that he started. Not really fond of the rest of them, but Smithson was a large part of this nation's identity.

Never lock eyes with a kangaroo

Led Zeppelin

Cane Corso

The first concert that I knew who it was that was preforming was Gladys Knight and the Pips with my parents in the '70's sometime, but my actual first concerts are a mystery. My mother was a professor at Illinois State University, and during the week of finals in the early to mid 70's, they had the Rites of Spring. That was a beast; an all day concert outside that was free. She would go to campus to grade and collect papers, and some students would ask to take me to see part of it while she was there. Wanting to get a better grade evidently. Anyway, could have been Thin Lizzy, Golden Earring, Richie Havens, Santana, Earth Wind and Fire, Head East, George Carlin, just a number of acts during those years. It was huge when I was in grade school, and I will never know how on earth they pulled it off more than once. All student run, even security. Police avoided it like the plague. I just remember asking students that would take me, "Why is everyone acting so silly, and what's that smell??" They would just laugh; kids drunk and smoking weed. I missed the last year, but we were going to visit family in New Orleans so I went to "The Fest". That had to be 1976-1977, the Superdome was basically still new. No, it was 1979, so just missed the final Rites. Older cousins went with me for that 3 days of soul, funk, and jazz. Went to my first country concert in high school with my best friend, saw Alabama. I remember standing up, looking around, and saying, "Dude! I'm the only Black guy here!" He just laughed.

Strangelove

Some days online, Alexander O'Neal-Fake
You're a fake
baby
I've blown your cover
the gig is up
'cause I discovered -
You're a fake
baby
no need to hide it
Can't change my mind
'cause I've decided -
You're a fake
baby
and I'm disgusted
The game is through and
girl
you're busted
fake!

Here And Now- Luther Vandross

Always And Forever - Heatwave