The Great American Gun ShowThe great American tradition: Mom, apple pie and baseball. In some parts of the United States (probably most parts), add to that gun shows. Usually not much is heard about them unless it is a real or imagined negative commentary coming from anti-gun activists. In reality, gun shows are happening all around you several times a year, and they draw people of all ages and all occupations and all religions and both (all ??) sexes.
For instance, I drove a few hundred miles to attend this show. I encountered six other people who I know: A university student, a diesel engine mechanic, a land surveyor, a real estate agent, a bank president and a medical doctor, each of whom had driven at least a hundred miles individually to attend this event.
This particular show was sponsored by the Dakota Territory Gun Collectors Association. The group puts on about fifteen shows a year at various locations in North and South Dakota. While the primary ingredient for this particular show was collector and antique firearms (the value of many ranging into the thousands of dollars), guns are not the only objects bought, sold and traded at the association's events.
Firearms-related accessories are the secondary items present, of course, but as shown in the center of the middle photograph is an original Oscar Howe painting. Oscar was a Yanktonai Sioux artist whose work is known and recognized worldwide. Many would argue he is the individual who brought contemporary Indian art to the attention of modern America.
His style was unique and is now much imitated. He took traditional Sioux painting and injected it with Cubism, which turns his paintings into mystical, dreamlike and tremendously beautiful works of art. In addition to being a producer of art, Oscar was a teacher of art, first at the high school level and later as a professor at the University of South Dakota -- a small school, which has had some giants among its faculty members.
A portion of another of his paintings is barely visible on the far right end of the same table. Someday, I might do a post on Oscar; in the meanwhile, those who appreciate art, especially work which reflects the American Indian culture, might care to check him out on their own. Here is a start:
http://www.oscarhowe.org/resources/Collection_Paintings_Info.pdf
The firearms in front of the center painting in the middle photograph, incidentally, are cased sets of matching, antique, dueling pistols -- also mystical and beautiful, but potentially deadly. As the old saying goes, "God made man, but Samuel Colt made them equal." Although, I suppose a few men with names such as Winchester, Henry, Smith, Wesson and Remington might argue the finer points of who exactly deserves the credit.
Personal note
I am roaming about, here and there, but have made no extended treks to date. That is coming in the not too distant future. I also have been tending to business, which is to say, pack up a house full of "things" and prepare otherwise, as well as to pay social calls. To a couple of people who sent emails during the past week or so, I promise I will catch up and respond.
For heavy-duty rockers only
The song I have posted this time is not a love song or a ballad. It is hard rock, metal rock, from a motion picture called "Point Break," which is a hard film, a metal film. There is no particular reason for posting the song other than it goes with my mood = follow the sun (and the stars).
The band is known as Ratt, and the guitar men are excellent. Too bad the vocalist is more of a raspy-voiced screamer than a singer. The music is dandy, and the lyrics are sort of arrogant. There are at least two versions of the lyrics, and I have mixed them both into one. The song is, "Nobody Rides For Free."
Nobody Rides For Free
In my dreams see I'm on tv
Get back exactly who I wanna be
If she could really see herself in my eyes
This wouldn't be such a big surprise
I'm sick and tired of it getting in my way
I'm sick and tired of everything I seem I know
Nobody rides for free
Nobody rides for free
Don't stop to think cause I know where I stand
I'm on my way, no, you're not gonna change my plan
If you can break away and see what I say
You'll understand what I'm trying to be
If you can break away and see what I say
You'll understand what's burning inside of me
Nobody rides for free
Nobody rides for free
I'm sick and tired of talking bout little things
I'm sick and tired of everyone in my way
I'm sick and tired of talking to my little dates
I'm sick and tired of everyone in my way
Nobody rides for free
Nobody rides for free
Nobody rides
Noooobooody...nobody rides for free
Noooobooody...nobody rides for free
Noooobooody...nobody rides for free
Noooobooody
You've gotta pay to play
So don't you stand in my way
Now the world's at stake
The card was drawn
Cause nobody, nobody rides for free
Nobody rides for free
Nobody rides for free
Now the water was deep
The current was strong
You thought he could swim but I guess you were wrong
You sink to the depths of your misery
Baby, the past will set you free
Nobody rides for free
Nobody rides for free
Nobody rides
Noooobooody...nobody rides for free
Noooobooody...nobody rides for free
Noooobooody...nobody rides for free
Noooobooody
You've gotta pay to play
So don't you stand in my way
Now the world’s at stake
The card was drawn
Cause nobody, nobody rides for free
Nobody rides for free
Nobody rides for free...
17 comments:
I like it :D
Sounds good and looks fun :D
Have a Happy Day, Fram :D
Hi Fram the Wolf!!!
It's been a while... I missed commenting on your blog. The show must had been great, but I wish I could see you on those photos :-) Oscar Howe painting is an inner view, or an inner worlds view, as I would say, and this is why I like him very much. Thank you!!!
Ok. I will not listen to this song :-)
All the best to you!
Hello, Fram. Nice as always to read your posts. Thank you for introducing me to Oscar Howe - great style and I was glad for the link to find out more about him. I quite like his work.
I assume you were talking about the video, especially the surfing, rather than the gun show, Kelly, but, just in case: I think both qualify as lots of fun.
Thank you, for your visit.
Yes, beautiful and wise Polish girl, it has been a while.
The gun show was entertaining, interesting and educational, which does make it great.
Oscar was a gifted painter, and his Native American heritage gave him understanding of the natural world, as well as the ability to see beyond the shadows and through the mist. It can be that way for anyone who wishes to understand, through your meditation, Mag, or through my dreams.
If you are feeling brave sometime, try the video ....
Greetings, Peggy. Nice to see you.
Oscar was an innovative and skilled artist, and a fascinating man. I had the opportunity to meet him and to talk with him a few months before he died, and wish the time with him had been longer. I am glad you like his work.
This was really snaky...
But efficacious. I listened to it and I am still alive. Not so bad :-)
Yes, mistress linguist, very efficacious, for sure. Maybe I should hire you to translate my books into Polish. In the meanwhile, I hereby declare you an honorary heavy-duty rocker.
Two observations from the visuals of the video:
The first time I tried surfing, I learned what it feels like to be a basketball, dribbled wildly along the ocean floor, and was very happy that I was a fairly strong swimmer.
The last images on my Sunday film clip of a man drifting from the airplane with a smile on his face, falling toward earth in a sky dive, are of actor Patrick Swayze, who died from cancer on Monday. Perhaps the video selection was a bit prophetic.
People at gun shows around here don't like their picture taken. lol
Everyone loves it when I take their pictures, Yippee's mama.
I did have many stares, but no dirty looks that I noticed, and only two people asked me why I was taking photographs. Possibly, the Marine Corps t-shirt I was wearing allayed their fears. The t-shirt might have saved me a couple of hundred dollars, too. Other than it, I can think of no reason the Minnesota State Patrol officer who stopped me for driving fifteen miles an hour over the limit let me off the hook.
Seriously, having been a newspaper reporter carrying a camera into many places, including places which were off limits to reporters, much less those carrying a camera, has inoculated me from thinking about it. I just do it.
Well, well, well! Look who's back in town! The lone wolf returns with a fully loaded Remington caressing his shoulder.
You were missed, mate. By Jimmy and his boys a couple of weeks ago and now by Ms Zadie Smith and her excellent series on what makes a good (or bad, depending on how you see it) writer.
As for Ratt, did they not use to have one of the 'Ts' facing the other way? Another relic from my youth.
Rock on, man!
Greetings from London.
Guilty, as charged, CiL. I have been absent, negligent, asleep at the switch, careless, distracted and neglectful for some time. That said, even now, in and out or coming and going, would be a better way to describe my presence and location rather than the word "back." Every other week, I think about buying a Notebook or a Netbook for those times I am (and will be) absent, but I am lazy when it comes to shopping.
I will read your writer's remarks about writing. The first one this evening. I need something to stir my blood again in a prosaic manner.
As for Ratt, I was never a fan, but fell for this particular song as a result of the motion picture it came from and the concept it portrayed.
By the way, I stole your idea of scheduling music to automatically load on given days and times to ensure there was some activity on my blog. It is a handy technique. Thank you.
You're welcome :-D!
Greetings from London.
Herr Fram….
Out-and-about…. Nice to hear from you before my departure!! I am officially unemployed now, decided to visit mama Russia once again this year.
I like the name Sycamore, like Skaramoosh or Singapore sounds very exotic… While I was taking pictures, thinking it was a tulip tree, an old Englishman corrected me… for a person reasonably knowledgeable in botanics, it was somewhat embarrassing…
Will post more pictures when I come back in late October…
P.S. thank you for the poem, dear friend..... Against the wind, against the odds…
I had not noticed your second visit before now, CiL.
As sometimes is said, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
It has been a very long time since your last visit to me, Natalie. I am glad you came.
I also am glad you will have another trip to Russia. A person cannot travel too much during their lifetime. But, I wish the circumstances were better in relation to your employment situation.
If you run across a computer in Russia, you still could post a note or a photograph.
Perhaps, we will pass on airliners over the Atlantic Ocean -- you returning to the West, me departing for the East. That would be a laugh.
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