June 6, 2023 - Bears, Bears, Bears and Bears
Welcome to our new readers! I'm happy you are here!!
Nuggets of Information: Somebody’s Been Playing My Piano
In 2018, a black bear broke into a Montana home and played the piano before leaving. The bear, which had been spotted in the area earlier, entered the house through an open window and proceeded to play the piano before becoming bored and leaving. The homeowner later found that the bear had eaten some chocolate and a few apples from the kitchen. A video of the bear playing the piano went viral on social media, and the bear became known as the "piano-playing bear." He resented that name though, as he had studied the clavichord at Juilliard and considered the piano pedestrian.
Enrichment: I See Dead People
I’ve been a Grateful Dead fan since high school and went to my first show in March 1989 while in college. They have been a big part of my musical life for over 35 years. But when I heard about the final Dead & Company tour, I talked myself into NOT going. I didn’t want to give $600 to Ticketmaster when that same amount of money could cover ten shows at smaller venues. Billy dropped out of the tour, and the last few times I saw them, they seemed to have slowed down a bit. Plus, they were playing at the Cellairis Lakewood Amphitheatre, which is just a big hassle. I had lots of excuses not to go. But then my buddy Seth reached out to me the day before the Atlanta show, with an offer I couldn’t refuse – a face value ticket on the lawn. Plus, the weather in Atlanta was absolutely perfect. Sigh. Time to pick out one of my numerous Dead shirts and head to the show!
Our band of intrepid music fans made it down to Lakewood, parked in a sketchy field behind a sketchy neighborhood, spent way too much time in way too long lines, and dealt with a way oversold crowd. But it was all worth it. We missed parts of the first set due to long lines, but what we heard was good, and the second set was REALLY good. Being in that space, with that crowd, hearing that music was all so … familiar. I saw the Dead when Jerry was alive 20 times, Jerry Garcia Band twice, the different incarnations of the Dead after Jerry died, and every Dead & Company show in Atlanta. That translates into a lot of parking lot grilled cheese sandwiches.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they reinvent themselves as some new incarnation of the Dead. But if they don’t, that will be okay. They will always be part of my musical experience.
As I sang and danced with 20,000 fellow Deadheads, one line really hit home for me. During “I Know You Rider” we all sang “I know you rider gonna miss me when I’m gone.” Yep. I’ll miss you all right. The band, the fans, the experience – all of it. Fare thee well!
Workshop: Buh...buh...buh
If there is one thing our family is known for, it is furthering the fine arts. While everyone is exposed to the latest Marvel movie or Fast & Furious offering, we strive to bring awareness to those smaller movies that would be shown in the trendy art houses or be nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. With that in mind, over Memorial Day weekend, we hosted a movie night in our yard and screened the movie “Cocaine Bear”. The film was a hit with our group, featuring lots of gratuitous gore and violence, a killer soundtrack, and plenty of humor.
Produced and directed by Elizabeth Banks, the cast was outstanding, featuring career-defining performances by the late Ray Liotta, Keri Russell and her former “The Americans” costars Matthew Rhys and Margo Martindale, Isiah Whitlock Jr., and Jesse Tyler Ferguson.
Cocaine Bear tells the story of a bear who accidentally ingests a stash of cocaine dropped from a smuggler's plane. Chaos ensues as the bear runs wild through the forest, pursued by a group of hapless characters.
While the movie is not ideal for those sensitive to graphic bear maulings, its unique blend of dark humor and over-the-top violence made it a memorable viewing experience for our crowd. We highly recommend giving it a watch if you're in the mood for something a little offbeat or are unclear if you should feed blow to a bear. (Spoiler: Don’t feed blow to a bear.) Cocaine Bear is available on Peacock TV.
Selected Content: Every Bear’s Crazy ‘bout a Sharp-dressed Canadian
If you have ever wished there was a documentary produced by the National Film Board of Canada about a guy who wants to design a bear-proof suit, well do I have good news for you! Project Grizzly is a must-watch for any nature and wildlife lovers out there. The documentary follows bear enthusiast Troy Hurtubise as he attempts to design and build a bear-proof suit. The journey is equal parts fascinating and absurd, as we see Hurtubise's dedication to his goal and the challenges he faces along the way.
The documentary not only provides an interesting look into the world of bears and their behavior, but it also delves into the mind of a man determined to push the limits of what's possible. Hurtubise's passion and persistence are admirable, even if his methods are sometimes … questionable.
Overall, Project Grizzly is an entertaining and informative watch, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a unique documentary experience or those who want to build their own bear-proof suit. Note: There is also a TV series called Project Grizzly, which I have not seen and can’t recommend. The documentary referenced here is available for free on YouTube or you could rent it on Amazon Prime Video.