Friday, October 13, 2017

Buddy, surfing & Egyptian girl


Buddy is a perfect gentleman, although it might not always appear that way. He often sleeps on his back and he takes his own sweet time getting out of bed in the mornings. He prefers breakfast in bed, but I insist he get up and eat at the table. There are times, like this particular morning, when he waits until "last call" for breakfast before greeting the day. This is a "mix it up" post and includes sort of tying up loose ends and clearing up a few matters.  Read on for further information.
Ahhhhhh, Egyptian girl ....
I cannot recall the first time I heard the Dick Dale version of the song, "Misirlou," but it has been more than a few years. I never really thought about it other than to assume it was one he had composed. It was enough that I liked it.
When I heard a different rendition of it a few days ago, I did a bit of research and learned that it is a traditional song of Eastern Mediterranean origin. There are Greek, Arabic, Armenian, Persian, Indian and Turkish adaptations of it -- and, most certainly, a few others. The first known recording was in 1927. Dick Dale's father was Arab and his mother was Polish-Belarusian, so, undoubtedly, he was familiar with the song when he decided to record it in the surf music style.
"Misirlou," sometimes spelled miserlou, incidentally, is Arabic for "Egyptian girl" and is a popular song among belly/exotic dancers .... catch the connection ???? Just for fun, I have both the Dick Dale interpretation and what might be described as an original adaptation by a Greek singer named Kalliopi Vetta here for "your listening pleasure" .... or whatever ....
More seriously, I have listened to a few dozen versions of the song in a number of musical styles/variations during the past few days. It seems one-half of the bands/orchestras in the world have recorded it at one time or another .... and, it might seem I was the only one in the world who thought Dick Dale not only played it, but composed it.

Of those versions which I listened to, I think Kalliopi Vetta's interpretation is far and above the most beautiful and it is absolutely tantalizing. She has the voice of an angel .... or so, I would imagine.
Surfing has real dangers
My post on October 1 included a video about surfing. All the photographs in it portrayed the "romance" of surfing, so to speak, with nothing to illustrate the dangers. It is a high-risk sport .... of that, have no doubt. Many surfers are injured every year -- some severely and some even killed.
The earlier video showed the best of the best making surfing look easy. But, even they succumb to injuries at times and narrowly escape catastrophe at other times and occasionally are killed.

Writing as someone who tried surfing on five- to six-foot waves while in the Marine Corps, I guarantee there is no more helpless a feeling than being drawn down to the bottom after taking a spill and being mercilessly bounced along the seabed like a basketball. Fortunately, for me, the seabed where I took my spills was sand; rock or coral bottoms always are worse and can be deadly.
Some waters have a reputation for an abundance of sharks. More often than not, the surfer will go one way and the shark another way. But, there are times when their paths do cross and which often spell disaster for the surfer.

Accompanying this post is a video about "wipeouts," which probably present the most accurate portrait of what to expect when you pick up a surf board and head for the beach. You ask, what is a "wipeout?" Watch the video and be enlightened ....



16 comments:

Marina Filgueira said...

¡¡¡Pues si que es fino el señorito peluche! ¡Pero si parece el mío!!!
Estos se adueñas de todo, del sofá, de la cama... Son los reyes de la casa, mas son más fieles que algunos humanos. Es precioso, me gusta, soy amante de los animales.

He visto el vídeo, vaya peligro para esos chicos atrevidos, sin miedos. Esas grandes tan altas asustan solo verlas, me parecen unos héroes los surfing que más de uno se deja la vida en el intento ¡Ufff!!! Que miedo.
Es una interesante entrada.

Un beso y mi gratitud.
Feliz fin de semana.

As if that is fine the señorito Teddy! But if it seems mine!! These are adueñas of all, sofa, bed... They are the Kings of the House, but they are more faithful than some human. It is beautiful, I like, I am a animal lover. I've seen the video, go danger to those brave guys, without fear. These large as high frightened just to see them, a few heroes seem to me to be the surfing where more than one is left life in the attempt to Phew!! That fear. It is a very interesting this post, thank you. A kiss and my gratitude, Fram, Happy weekend.

Anita said...

Ohh darling what a cutie xxxxx

He looks soo sweet:))))
I bet you have alot of fun and joy with this little fellow

I prefer the second music trailer...not exactly in the mood for slow music these days..But I think its a lovely tune

About surfing.Have you donethat thing Fram??
Iam scared of deep water but like very much watching..you know i have been looking at all the Open Waters movies.(A drift ect ect)47 meters down and of course 12nmeters down locked in the swimming pool..ohh yeah its a B.movies but allright its ok sometimes.But now have to say goodbye Iam sitting on the floor with my computer and looking for a film at popcorn time..(No i dont have any treadless mouse)Am alittle into horror movies right now..so ok see you soon and BUDDY is lovely!!!!xxxxxx

Anita

Kaya said...

Buddy is adorable! It looks like he owns the sofa, probably you and the house. I also believe that he thinks that he is the center of universe and you are his world.

I agree about surfing that it is a high risk sport. You are lucky, Fram that you safely survived your surfing on five to six foot waves and was not eaten by sharks.

Well, say hello from my Tasha and me to your wonderful loving Buddy.

Smareis said...

Que coisa mais linda esse cachorrinho.
Parece bem folgado e safado. Ele gosta do que é bom. Café na cama, quem não gosta. O Buddy é mesmo um cavalheiro.
Gostei da música Misirlou com Dick Dale. A versão é melhor que a da Kalliope.
Bom fim de semana Fram!
Um punhado de sorrisos.

Fram Actual said...

Buddy and I are true buddies. That is for sure, Marina. We sleep in the same love seat hide-abed, and each have our own side of the bed. We eat at the same time, beginning with a bowl of cereal when we get up in the mornings and ending with a late-night snack before we go to bed. We spend most days together, and often are engaged in the same activities.

I have had many dogs in my life and enjoy their company very much. The only times I have been without one have been when circumstances did not allow it. I often have had four or five at the same time. You are absolutely correct -- they often are more faithful and better friends than many people.

Surfing does require courage or reckless abandon -- or, perhaps, a bit of both. More men engage in it than women, but it is not unusual to find women whose daring and skill can match that of any man. I never tried surfing in waves comparable to those in the video, mostly, I think, because I never had the opportunity. My time living near an ocean has been very limited.

So, Marina, thank you, once again, for coming to visit me here and for writing a comment. I truly enjoy your company ....

Fram Actual said...

Yes, Buddy is a real cutie and an all-round good guy .... in fact, I frequently call him "Handsome Buddy" and he loves it.

I really enjoy listening to Dick Dale play "surfer music," Anita, but I seem to have "fallen" for Greek music after listening to it so much the past week or two .... and, I especially like the song, "Misirlou," the way the Greeks do it.

I spent a bit of time at Naval Base San Diego when I was in the Marine Corps, and had my first taste of surfing in the Pacific Ocean just up the road from there at La Jolla. Incidentally, a Great White Shark took out a swimmer in the waters off La Jolla a year or two ago. We had a lot of "in ocean water" training while I was there, and if anyone ever mentioned the word "shark," I cannot recall it = dumb kids, I guess.

Actually, I wrote a post in 2009 about exiting a submarine fifty feet under water at night off San Clemente Island. The water was a few thousand feet deep below the submarine, and I started swimming downward when I first exited. Weird or stupid? I cannot recall the exact date of the post, and, at the moment, I am too lazy to search for it. If I run across it, I will let you know.

Thank you, Anita, for coming to visit me and for writing a note to me. Buddy thanks you for the compliments ....

Fram Actual said...

Buddy was a shelter dog who came to live with me in August 2016. It was estimated he was about three years old. He came to Minnesota from Oklahoma with a rescue organization, and I have no information about his previous life. Our relationship has been one of sort of slowly getting to know one another. We do get along fine, Kaya, and spend "play time" together every day.

Incidentally, that is a love seat hide-abed he is sprawled out upon .... he has one side, and I have the other side.

I spent a considerable amount of time in the Pacific and other oceans when I was in the Marine Corps, and not much of it was surfing. Had there been nearly as much publicity about sharks -- particularly "Great White Sharks" -- during my "water time" as there is today, I am not at all sure I ever would have dipped a foot into an ocean. The only sharks I actually saw were alongside ships where they were cruising for food scraps and a couple of dead ones on beaches.

Buddy and I thank you and Tasha for your visit and your warm greeting, Kaya, and we send our best regards to the two of you ....

Fram Actual said...

Yes, Smareis, Buddy is a beautiful boy. He often is pretty loose. He seldom is naughty, but he can be sneaky and he likes to play tricks on me.

It seems I am outvoted about the song, "Misirlou" .... the Dick Dale version wins out. I have listened to so many interpretations the past few days -- some beyond my belief -- that Kalliope Vetta's adaptation seems the most soothing and tranquil when compared to any and all others. It is possible that is what I am looking for at this moment in time -- peacefulness and serenity -- so that is why I favor it.

The weatherman predicts rain for the weekend, so it will be reading and films mostly for me, but next week will bring a return of sunny skies and warmer temperatures. I hope your weather will be better for you, Smareis, and that all your days will be filled with happiness.

By the way, have you tried surfing? I noticed a few Brazilians among the surfers while viewing videos, and I immediately thought of you.

Buddy and I thank you, Smareis, for coming to see us here and for your kind words and, especially, I thank you, for the smiles .... they are very important to me ....

Kaya said...

Fram, I like that you adapted Buddy from shelter. You gave him a home and a good life. Buddy is a very lucky dog and I am sure that he is immensely grateful for that.

My Tasha also was found in one of animals shelters. She was six when I brought her home. In her certificate was written that she is a cocker spaniel without papers but she is "who knows what kind of breed".

I wish that more people would adapt abandoned dogs and gave them home.

Fram Actual said...

Time was running short for Buddy -- or Gator, as he was called in those days -- when a Minnesota rescue group decided to bring him from Oklahoma to Minnesota as an attempt to find a home for him here. He arrived in Minnesota on a Saturday; I saw his photograph online the next Tuesday and contacted the group; a volunteer brought him to my house for me to see and for them to check me out on Thursday; since then, Buddy never has left.

Yes, Buddy is a lucky young man to have found a home and I am a lucky guy for having found him. I rarely look at online rescue sites -- usually only two or three times a year -- and only once before actually had filled out an application for adoption. On that occasion, I was too late and someone else already had taken the dog. For no apparent reason, I did look on August 16, 2016, and saw Buddy. I guess this time it was "meant to be."

Yes, Tasha is a beautiful young lady. She and you also are fortunate your paths crossed and that you found each other.

I have a history, so to speak, of finding homes for dogs. It is my wish, too, more people would take abandoned dogs into their homes.

A Cuban In London said...

I agree with your approach to pets. What's that about eating in bed? Sorry, get up and join us at the table! :-)

Greetings from London.

Fram Actual said...

There was a time, CiL, when I enjoyed lying and/or sitting in bed .... reading, watching television, eating, talking (hmmmm). Since the advent of personal computers, however, now those activities usually take place at the computer table. I even fall asleep here at times ....

Yes, Buddy is my buddy, but we all have a few rules we have to follow and self-discipline is a worthy goal for all creatures. Thank you, for stopping by and writing a comment for me.

Liplatus said...

Buddy is good to be. I think she enjoys it.:)
Do not spoil it, so it's not lazy.
Cute dog image.

It's a surprise when surfing, it is a conscious risk-taking, dangerous.
Some people need such an adrenaline.
Good skills are not enough in the storm or in the middle of the fish.
Exciting video.

Fram Actual said...

It is not at all unusual to find Buddy sleeping on his back. He evidently does like it -- especially when he is lying atop a cushion of soft pillows -- because he often is in a sound, deep sleep. I do not disturb him unless I have a serious reason because I want him to enjoy a comfortable and a happy life.

Yes, Liplatus, I agree: Surfing is a dangerous sport, and those who participate make a conscious decision to do so despite the risks, most often simply for the thrill of the experience .... but, for those who excel at it, my guess is that they continue to surf more for the fame and the money it can bring them than for the adrenaline rush. The top twenty to thirty professional surfers make between $250,000 and $400,000 a year, and a few earn in the neighborhood of a million.

There is a cliché to the effect, "better to be lucky than to be good." That applies in many/most places, I am sure, including surfing .... and, especially when sharks are cruising the same waters.

By the way, Liplatus, sooner or later I will resume my search for Upper Peninsula mine accidents/disasters. I am sort of a moody guy and frequently jump from project to project without rhyme or reason. Almost always, though, I finish what I start so I am assuming I will in that matter, too. Remember, patience is virtue .... at least, that is what I keep telling myself ....

Liplatus said...

Yeah, then I can understand that duddy surfing when a lot of money is given.
I also have time often in Michigan in my mind. Maybe I'm also interested when my mind wants history today.

Fram Actual said...

Yes, Liplatus. It would be a safe bet that money is the primary motivation for the best surfers to continue riding the waves, but the adrenalin factor must also remain or surely fewer would carry on as they do. There also is money to be made on the fringes working for companies which make surfboards and related gear, and even money in photography. You see swimmers in the water holding cameras and boats cruising with cameramen and even hovering drones in almost every surfing video; the operators are hoping to be at the right place at the right time and get marketable photographs and tapes.

My ancestors came from Norway and Germany, mostly in the 1850s. I have written a bit about this in past posts. Most were farmers; a few fought in the American Civil War; one was an army cavalry officer killed by a Sioux and Cheyenne war party in Kansas on July 12, 1867.

I did receive a few leads regarding the Michigan material, and, no doubt, will resume making inquiries at some point in time. I still have a few friends in the Upper Peninsula, and have not ruled out making a trip there or, possibly, even moving back there. I miss being there ....

Something special ....