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The Idealist
a cultural review
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Virginia Beach V
The American cause in Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and Virginia were all unique to their own circumstances and, in some ways, the Americans should not have won the war but they did, and in large part because of the vision and leadership of Washington.
Later, the Idealist will be surprised to learn that Washington’s is the most complete and detailed record of any life in the eighteenth century. I would have guessed Goethe but Washington makes sense. It’s also a wonder that an incident initiated by Washington in what was then remote wilderness near present-day Pittsburgh in 1754 led to what is often viewed as the first world war, the Seven Years War from 1756 to 1763. And if that is considered the first one then surely the second would have to be the American Revolution because if the French and the Spanish had not been deeply involved in it, Washington could have never cornered Cornwallis on that scenic spot overlooking the Chesapeake, that great tributary of eastern-flowing rivers and waterways, that portal to the eastern seaboard.
We leave Cornwallis defeated in Yorktown, heading to the Mariner’s Museum in Newport News, an incredible place, but before moving on what is the deal with all the clothes on the streets and in the middle of the roadways? First came across this at El Sabor de Mi Tierra in Williamsburg on that first lunch the first day but then I started spotting them everywhere. It reminded me of the iconic gym shoes dangling over powerlines phenomenon in Chicago alleyways, which at least served a purpose (for the dopeboys). Someone please explain this to me or secure your clothes in a better fashion!
At any rate, we’re up and at ‘em early Friday, our last day. Check out at 1100am then head over to Rudee’s on the Inlet with the iconic swinging tables on the floating dock. The dolphin cruise went off without a hitch. There were so many out in the water, the Idealist lost count after a while. They swim together in pods, with family presumably. The Idealist is in awe at how the mammals of this world stick together, creating families everywhere where once there was none.
At what a happy way to end this Virginia Beach excursion. The Idealist approves. It is an amazing place with so much to offer. Virginia is for lovers and we are in love.
Happy Father’s Day to all!
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Virginia Beach IV
Up early and at the gym for a quick workout then run up the stairs to the twenty-first floor and down again. Today the wife booked an excursion to see the dolphins and Andy shoots me a text to visit Edgar Cayce’s A. R. E. Health Center & Spa. Apparently it has an epic library. Now, if you haven’t ever heard of the mystic Cayce, I’d rather not get into it here. Just know that the Idealist is intrigued and Andy knows I’m working on a piece about the Beat figure Neal Cassady and a key moment in his life when he discovered a Cayce book in the backseat of some car in the mid-1950s. Like the scene from Repo Man where the character finds a copy of Dianetics in a random car, the discovery changes Cassady’s life and Andy guessed correctly that I didn’t know the A. R. E. Health Center & Spa was located in Virginia Beach.
In the morning we explore the VIBE district and the colorful murals all about and check out the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art. In the afternoon we lunch at Big Sam’s Raw Bar, an amazing little place right on Lake Rudee with incredible she-crab soup. Then we learn that the dolphin trip is canceled due to wind and rough seas and the Idealist immediately proposes a trip to Yorktown since the ticket from Jamestowne is still good.
I guess the Idealist was expecting something more from Yorktown but one thing struck me wandering around the battlefield. How in the world did the British get cut off from it’s main fighting force so far from home in the middle of nowhere? The answer is complex but all roads lead to Washington, Virginia’s distinguished son and hero of the Revolution. Washington looms large here and I’m shocked at how little I know about all of this.
First off, I’d never heard of Colonial Williamsburg until I started looking into Virginia Beach. Second, I’d never heard of the House of Burgesses. The House of Burgesses was a unique democratic body representing colonials long before the revolution. There’d been a longstanding tradition of autonomy in Virginia when the outrageous policies of King George III swayed loyalist-minded men like Washington to the American cause. It goes without saying, the American cause in Boston, Philadelphia, New York, and Virginia were all unique to their own circumstances and, in some ways, the Americans should not have won the war but they did, in large part because of the perseverance and leadership of Washington.
The Idealist is surprised to learn that Washington’s is the most complete and detailed record of any life in the eighteenth century. I would have guessed Goethe but Washington makes sense. It’s also hard to believe that an incident initiated by Washington in rural Pennsylvania (near present-day Pittsburgh) in 1754 led to what is often viewed as the first world war, the Seven Years War, 1756 – 63. And if that is considered the first one then surely the second would have to be the American Revolution because if the French and the Spanish had not been deeply involved in it, Washington could have never cornered Cornwallis on that scenic spot overlooking the Chesapeake.
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Virginia Beach III
Up early for sunrise over the Atlantic then off to Hillier Ignite Fitness Park to hit the rings. I like these workout centers on the beach. It reminds me of the one in Santa Monica. Then Dunkin Donuts for coffee and donuts for the kids.
Soon it’s time to pay the piper. The oceanfront room, listed on the door for $1000 a night, is free for four nights under an arrangement to meet with corporate folks to explain their timeshare program. We’ve had comparable meetings before under similar circumstances. One of these experiences, I just remembered, is documented in the story “The Perfect Martini” in my collection of stories, Keeper of the Rise. Shameless self-promotion (I’m afraid it’s all downhill from here). In other words, we know the drill and there’s no way around our meeting at 945 a. m.
The presentation is good and the offer is, in fact, excellent but the Idealist can’t drop $3,500 on a timeshare program he doesn’t really understand. Heck, we haven’t even seen this year’s tax return yet. What was scheduled to be 90 to 120 minutes turns into three hours. The main reason we didn’t invest, though, was because the program wouldn’t cover our trip to Hawaii at the end of the year and our rep couldn’t offer up a good place to eat, which struck me strange. Anyway, I’m a huge fan of service and the processes involved in providing an experience and this study was worth the time. Soon we’re in the sun on the beach with the kids and everything is perfect again. Today will be the nicest day of the week.
We head to Murphy’s Irish Pub for a Happy Hour extravaganza of oysters, wings, shrimp, and superloaded nachos. It’s nice enough to eat outside and the servier is friendly and accommodating and we’re grateful.
Afterwards, we walk around taking pictures then stop at Catch 31 at the hotel for a drink. It’s the liveliest place on the Boardwalk. We wind up at a sidewalk bar on Atlantic and order a pizza for the room. By nightfall we’re watching a movie on HBO, Barbarian.
The wife had never seen it. On the tablet I’m reading Edward Bunker’s No Beast So Fierce and soon I’m fast asleep dreaming of jewelry heists dreaming of jewelry heists.
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Virginia Beach II
After Jamestowne we head to the hotel, a Hilton, right on the beach. Everything is right and we head to CP Shuckers on Pacific for Happy Hour. Everyone is worn out but excited. I’m an “oysters and beer” kind of guy and Shuckers is the perfect raw bar on a Monday night. Perfect.
We take our time walking back, appreciating the surroundings, appreciating each other. The Atlantic at dusk from the Boardwalk is amazing. The sun is going down on the other side of town. Horses are being corralled on the beach. Fighter jets are returning to base.
Virginia Beach and Norfolk are essentially one. All branches of the military are present here, the military an essential part of life here.
On the way back to the hotel we spot a sign for Pharrell’s “Something on the Water.” This, along with Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday celebration at the Hollywood Bowl that same weekend, are the only two shows I would have liked to see so far this year. As it turns out, the event was canceled due to inclement weather. A gnarly tornado touched down in the area the day before we arrived. Oh, well.
We spend some time on the beach and on the hotel’s rooftop at the infinity pool. The pool is freezing but we take the polar plunge a few times for fun.
After cleaning up, the wife and I head to a nearby CVS for some supplies and hit the Duck Dive Tavern for a killer rum punch. The Duck Dive is a nice place with surfboards on the walls and surfers on the screen. We head back to the room, beat from having been up since 2 a. m. to catch a plane. We enjoy the ocean at night from our patio, so relaxing and refreshing from my normal humdrum daily grind.
Peace tonight on the Atlantic, the eastern seaboard. We are content.
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Virginia Beach I
The Idealist took a much needed family vacation to Virginia Beach this past week. None of us had been to Virginia together and none of us really knew what to expect, it being the offseason.
Here at the Idealist, we are committed to vacation, family, travel, and fun. Above all else, we believe in hard work, serious study and contemplation, but we also believe it necessary to run away on occasion to find oneself, and Virginia is the perfect place for this since Virginia is for lovers and we believe wholeheartedly in love and the power of discovery.
If you’re ever in the area, you’ll find an abundance of literature on the “Historic Triangle,” comprising Historic Jamestowne, Colonial Williamsburg and Yorktown.
As a history buff, we drove straight to Historic Jamestowne from Norfolk International. Along the way we stopped at the Jamestown Pie Company, a highly recommended family-owned pie shop. Now, we’re huge fans of the American director Terrence Malik, and his film, The New World, is probably the most remarkable introduction to this place. Wagner’s “Vorspiel” is ringing in my mind as we approach the ancient site.
It’s a beautiful day but the wind is violent and the James River is choppy. We visit the fort and the chapel and talk about John Smith and Pocahantas. I, of course, know nothing actually factual about either of them so encourage the children to look into it.
The bookstore is impressive with the complete works of Captain John Smith’s available in print. I’m tempted to purchase but it’s too much for the Idealist. I never realized how crazy a life his was and want to know more.
The good news is the purchase of the ticket gives us entry to Yorktown for seven days. I’m ecstatic. The wife and kids, not so much.
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That's my uncle Ted in the middle with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. In the very near future Ted will raise these pups into hunting dogs. I remember their pens back by the barn when I was little. We weren't allowed to interact with these dogs under any circumstance, which only fueled my interest in them.
They weren't normal dogs at all; their purpose set them apart from the normal humdrum. When it was time to hunt these dogs took off through the brush and the trees like berserkers, howling and yapping over great distances. When I was old enough I had the privilege of accompanying the men on one of these excursions. I'd heard all the stories and was ready for the ultimate. When we reached the point of departure in the middle of the woods at night, Ted stopped the truck, let the dogs out of the bed, turned the radio on and cracked a cold one.
What're we doing? I asked.
Waiting, he said.
Waiting for what?
Waiting for the dogs to bay.
That's it, I said. That's all we do?
That's it, son.
Not the sort of adventure I had in mind but a valuable life lesson at the very least?
Not much later, Ted was in an accident and never was right after that. Over time, though, he developed five ideas that have helped me in life and are the pillars of criticism here at The Idealist.
One is "That's true, too." We use that when we want to agree with someone and move on.
Two is "Well, I reckon so." This is somewhat related to number one with the stipulation that while possible, it may not necessarily be. It's a helpful qualifier.
Three is "Now that was a big, big number." That is too acknowledge that the book, song, album, photo, exhibition, or film was truly extraordinary.
Four is "I'll be the judge of that," meaning your entitled to your opinion but we'll decide for ourselves, thank you.
Five is the big daddy, "She rough, boy," she being life, the project, the relationship, or enterprise.
There's simply no way around it. She rough. So today we'll poor one out for Ted and the others in this photo taken in middle Tennessee and who are all long gone.
Today we're listening to "Long Time Gone," written by Tim O'Brian and made famous by The Chicks way back when.
Happy Sunday and many blessings!
#culture#writers on tumblr#writerslife#writing#hunting#podcast#writersnetwork#author#authors#literature
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This week at The Idealist we're celebrating National Poetry Month and doing what we do best, shameless self-promotion. Shoot the Messengers is the author's first book of selected poetry featuring the collections "heartland" (2021), "Through the Aegean" (2014), "Admonition from the King" (2013), and "Leaps & Bounds" (2012). It's a solid selection with work spanning decades, all original 100% American made.
Today we’re thinking of our favorite poems and reading James Dickey's "Falling." Dickey is a wonderful wide-ranging poet not talked about much these days but we don't care. What are some of your favorite poems / poets?
Today we're listening to Bad Bunny. If you haven't heard of Bad Bunny, we promise that your partner has. He's the biggest reggaeton star in the world and on the cusp of unprecedented superstardom. He's headlining Coachella this week, the first Latino to do so. Coachella typically kicks off the summer concert tours and we're excited to see some live music in the very near future.
Enjoy your week. Make it count.
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Happy Easter from the Idealist! We hope that your Sunday is filled with hope, light and love. This year is unique, a special time for the world’s major religions. Easter, Passover and Ramadan are all happening at the same time. Now, the Idealist doesn’t care which side of the fence you’re on, or if there even is a fence, but does recognize the significance and importance of religious value and meaning. We are, after all, only animals in love, no?
Today we’re reading Luther: Man between God and the Devil by renowned scholar and Reformation specialist Heiko A. Oberman. Published by Yale University Press, it is, by all accounts, major. This wild image is a woodcut from Ulm during Luther’s times. In many ways, the Idealist feels that the Enlightenment started with Luther and his translation of the Bible into German, resulting in his excommunication. In other ways, we’re not so sure. As Foucault wonders, What, after all, Is Enlightenment?
Enlightenment will be a recurring theme for the Idealist this year but today we’re going to enjoy family and friends and food. Hopefully, there will be some sensuality, singing or dancing along the way.
Today we’re listening to Jack Johnson’s “Don’t Look Now” from his new album Meet the Moonlight, and especially the lyric, “Don’t look now but somehow we got shook up. Well good luck baby, we’re only animals in love.” Happy Sunday!
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Welcome to the Idealist, a cultural review centered around books, music and film. It seems that all of my interests revolve around these three subjects. I guess I imagine the Idealist to be something akin to Samuel Johnson's Rambler or Idler essays. Speaking of Johnson, I just found a wonderful edition of his Selected Works from Half Price Books in Hodgkins for a fair price. I now have 800 pages of Johnson to page through this weekend!
So far, the only two entities I follow here are the Silver Compass Journal, which inspired me to do this, and Anthony Bourdain, who I miss.
The featured book today is How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read by Pierre Bayard. For better or worse, this book explains the situation better than any other. Alas, reading only leads to more reading, and conversations about reading only leads to other books, books we probably haven't read, so how does the conversationalist keep up? Bayard's approach is a survival strategy that allows us to follow and discuss things without the intimacy of Das Kapital or Moby Dick (a painful admission on my part, though I adore Melville). Bayard helps modern folk navigate the waters without embarrassment, so thank you friend!
Today's song is a deep cut from Jimmy Buffett's Take the Weather with You, "Wheel Inside the Wheel," written by Mary Gauthier. It's a perfect Sunday song that brings me back to the Crescent City, an important locale for the Idealist.
Happy Sunday and hopeful happenings. Cheers!
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