Highlights from My 40 Things To Do List

Those of you who are jumping from our sister blog "The Daily Vampire" are perhaps more keenly aware than the rest of you about what I am doing here. Yes, I am simply posting things from an actual 40 Things To Do List that I made yesterday. Hopefully, at least six of the things will get completed!

Hopefully, you can also match the item posted with the proper image. The clothes line is from a couple (I presume they are Americans) who decided to get away from it all and go to Mexico. Hmmmm....yes, I hope they don't get held hostage by armed drug gangs either!

Here are highlights from the mega-list; the number in parantheses is where the item actually was on the real list:

1. Copy resumes (#10)

2. Go to Sweded Film Festival at the Shadowbox Cinema (#19)

3. Oil Change (#20)

4. Laundry (#21)

5. See the Henrik Ibsen play at Triad Stage (#25)

6. Write a piece of flash fiction, whatever that means (#27)

7. Try to get more organized (#37)

8. Find missing headphones (#35)

9. Take a very long walk (#39)

10. Listen to BBC (#40)

Quote of the Week- Fyodor Dostovesky

Today's quote of the day comes from another Russian (well, the Olympic gymnast Olga Korbut whom we quoted last week is actually from Belarus) as we continue to quote famous Russians this month as the famous October revolution happened in that country 'a few years back.'

And, today, we go with a quip from Fyodor Dostovesky (1821-1881) who penned "Crime and Punishment," "The Idiot" and "The Brothers Karamazov."

Here is his quote:

"Beauty is mysterious and as well as terrible. God and devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man."

Quote of the Day- Elif Shafak

We are quoting famous Turkish people this month since October 29th is Turkish Republic's Day. I happen to be a Turkish-American, and unlike novelist Elif Shafak, whom I am quoting today, I actually try to avoid ethnic politics. But, as it is, a Facebook called "Armenians for Jesus" put me in their group without asking me first! The central conflict is not only my ethnicity, but also the fact that I am a human secularist!

While researching this piece, I was surprised to learn that Shafak, who turns 40 on Oct. 25, is actually a year younger than I am. She is not to be confused with Elif Batuman, a Turkish-American writer who published an excellent personal narrative called "Possesed..." about Russian writers last year.

Shafak has written essays, but she is primarily known as a novelist. She has arguably been the most controversial arts figure in Turkey since the late filmmaker/novelist Yilmaz Guney whose works in the 1970s and early 80s (he died in his late forties in France at a relatively young age) usually had very overt pro-Kurdish secterian views.

For her part, Shafak has encountered legal problems in Turkey for her her highly controversial 2006 novel "The Bastard of Istanbul," which unlike her contemporary Orhan Pamuk's works, was originally written in English.

Shafak decided to tackle the Turkish-Armenian controversy directly and she politically expressed her desires to see Turkey recognize those disputed events as a genocide.

Since I have had my own quicksand moments, such as the Armenians for Jesus Fiasco, I will refrain from my views on the matter here, which is certainly not inherent in my nature!

But, we will quote Shafak with a line from her latest novel "The Forty Rules of Love," which is ironically a best-seller in Turkey:

"Every true love and friendship is a story of unexpected transformation. If we were the same person before and after we loved, that means we haven't loved enough."

Happy National College Radio Day

Happy National College Radio Day. I co-hosted a Turkish music show on WUVT-FM (90.7-FM) in 1994, so I fully respect the hard work and dedication that all college radio djs put in. Today's Turkish music show on WUVT-FM is called "Turkish Music Hour" and it airs from 1:00-2:30 p.m. (yes, it is an ironic title since the show lasts an hour and a half). I still listen to the show, and I think it's quite well-done. The hosts have in fact thought me about the Turkish female pop singer Nil Karaibrahimgil who is apparently very popular now.

There is a Greek music show before the Turkish show, as was the case when my friend Bahadir and I co-hosted the show. And, it is also quite good.

Since I now live in North Carolina, I also want to mention four exceptional college radio stations between Greensboro and Raleigh. They include WKNC (North Carolina State), which has a great heavy metal show on Friday nights, WXDU (Duke University, pictured) which has a great folk/local music show hosted by Washboard Dave.

In addition, there is WXYC (UNC) and WUAG (UNC-Greensboro).

SIDEBAR: This was a good weekend for many ACC sports team in Virginia and North Carolina. In college football, Wake Forest pulled off a huge upset of Florida State by a 35-30 score. Similarly, the Virginia Tech Hokies were able to defend their home turf in an exciting 38-35 win over Miami (Fla).

Not that this is pick on the Miami Hurricanes Day, but the UNC Tarheels won a home volleyball in five sets over the Hurricanes yesterday. Emily McGee of the Tarheels was named ACC Volleyball Player of the Week. On Thursday, the Tarheels, which also have a Turkish player named Ece Taner, host the Virginia Tech Hokies, a team that features junior Liz Trinchere, who is an alumnus of my high school, Glenvar High School in Salem, Va.

Bonus Silly Photo to Fill Space- It's Oktoberfest Time

Hmm....yes, I'm afraid this photo image might get blog banned in both Qom, Iran, (we've actually had hits from Iran!) and Provo, Utah. In addition, it's possible that Michele Bachmann might use this entry to exemplify her views of a decline in morals in our culture. Of course, truth be told, I'd be honored to be on her enemies' list as the late Paul Newman said when he found out he was near the top of President Richard Nixon's enemies list, which had some 249 other names.

One of the major Oktoberfests going on this weekend will be in Leavenworth, Wash. The event will start at noon on Saturday. It will consist of four venues full of beer, bands and brats (their words, not mine).

Minors will be allowed until 9:00 p.m., and No Dogs Allowed inside the Oktoberfest compound.

SIDEBAR: Believe it or not, I am in the process of finishing up listening to two artists known for kischy music. The first was Barry Manilow II, a record I found for one dollar at All Day Records in Carrboro, NC (near Chapel Hill). And, the second is "Poems, Prayers and Promises" from the late John Denver, which I got at a yard sale some 25 years ago.

Both records contain 'signature songs' from the artists as the first one has "Mandy" and the second one has "Take Me Home Country Roads," which was supposedly written on a farm in Mount Jackson, Va., in the Shenandoah Valley. The answer to the question why am I doing this to myself is indeed a very valid one.

The Rabbit Ears Quiz (1 of 12)_ Lolek and Bolek

Today we start our The Rabbit Ears Quiz series on both of our blogs. We begin with "Lolek and Bolek," a very popular cartoon in its native Poland, but it is very obscure here in the United States. Though I was delighted to find out that Netflix actually offered collections of the Polish cartoons, which originally aired from
1963-1966.

I actually came across "Lolek and Bolek" in 1975 when our family lived in then-communist Poland as my late father Mehmet Gokbudak, a Turkish immigrant to the United States, worked for a Polish factory for six months as part of a program with General Electric, his employer.

While researching a piece about "Lolek and Bolek" a few months ago, I was stunned to learn that one of the cartoon's main novelties is the fact that it was the only cartoon shown on television in one of the following Muslim countries. Is the answer:

A) Saudi Arabia
B) Iran
C) Iraq
D) Syria
E) Egypt

There were 150 episodes of "Lolek and Bolek," which were usually about eight and a half minutes in length. One can now watch entire episodes on Youtube.

The two boys frequently traveled to other parts of the globe, including one curious to the American West! A monument to the characters was unveiled this year in Poland. The show still ranks as the most popular cartoon in Polish television history.

SIDEBAR: In case you were wondering, the answer to our last Road Trip question is "B."

Casualties of Modern Technology (1 of 12)- Swiss Cuckoo Clocks

Well, the Swiss cuckoo clock may not quite be an endangered species as one can find one on a retail site like e-bay for $200 or in a neighborhood antique store for a slightly higher or lower price.

But, in today's world, even the more modern and conventional wristwatch is becoming obsolete as every personal computer, laptop and cellphone tells each of us what time it is, irregardless if one is in Lagos, Nigeria, or Louisville, Ky.

According to Wikipedia, the cuckoo clock is pendulum-regulated, so that a mechanical cuckoo comes out at the top of each designated hour.

The cuckoo clock was first developed in the Black Forest region of Germany in 1629 by Philipp Hainhofer. The chalet/Swiss-style cuckoo clock emerged in the late 1800s. Cuckoo clocks also figure prominently in pop culture. Two examples in film include the classic thriller "The Third Man" (1949) with Orson Welles and the sci-fi cult classic "Blade Runner" (1982) with Harrison Ford. There is also a Cuckoo Clock Museum in Cheshire, England.

Cuckoo clocks, as well as other antique clocks, such as the grandfather clock, frequently comes up for discussion in the PBS show "Antiques Roadshow," which airs in most markets at 8:00 p.m. on Mondays. The episode for this coming week's show was recorded in Raleigh, NC, which is (almost) here in our backyard.