12.25.2008

Don't forget, it's a birthday party!

Get out the party hats, the paper horns 

and don't forget the presents.


Ho, ho, ho.

Don't try this at home

Now, THAT'S a long walk!

Or this!

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Copyright © 2008 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Photos and content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.


12.22.2008

Public Transit Gives Us Reasons To Complain

"That's what we do. Complain.

We complain the cars are cold. We complain the cars are too hot.

We complain when the cars leak water in the rain.

We complain the fare's too high...."

Continue reading: Commuters love to complain

12.19.2008

Evening of Confetti

CONFETTI

Late evening when the snow has fallen
and before plows roll round untrod streets,
I tread, my dog and I.
The only sound is the silent snow
falling upon snow.
It’s the sound every poet hears
when he opens up his ears.
In the street lights’ glare
flakes stream in sparkling white confetti
celebrating the beauty of this cold, cold night.

By Anthony Buccino
from the forthcoming collection AMERICAN BOY

Stormi and her snowman

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Copyright © 2008 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Photos and content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.
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12.15.2008

It's beginning to look a lot like Zamboni in a tree

Just a quick walk around the living room
and you can see things are different
around the house ... it must be December.


Is that our chocolate Labrador retriever, Zamboni, wearing a red ribbon and wreath collar sitting in the Christmas tree?








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Copyright © 2008 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Photos and content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.
Support this web site, shop at Amazon through this link, thanks
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12.12.2008

Coal miner's kids' Christmas

Harry was four years old when his dad died in a coal mine cave-in in Wilkes Barre, Pa.


Harry was the youngest of eight children, the oldest was barely a teenager.

That was February 1929.

After more than 70 years, Harry remembers the hard times the destitute family went through.

His oldest brother went to work for a carpenter and the next oldest eventually became a miner's union representative who often went head-to-head for worker safety with the mine owner's goons.

His sisters cleaned houses and did laundry for the neighbors. Often the laundry baskets outweighed the young waifs. But they persevered for the sake of the family.

Continue reading


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Copyright © 2008 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Photos and content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.


12.08.2008

Prime Prine at the Wellmont in Montclair

Folk singer John Prine rocked the house with nearly forty years worth of songs Friday night at the recently renovated Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, N.J.






Well-known for talking between songs about the songs, the narrative was kept to a minimun at the show, however, his story about his father driving the scenic route to their vacations gives a new slant to "Bottomless Lake".

Prine sang for more than 90 minutes to the devoted crowd, showing the 60-plus year-old singer has the stamina of a much, much younger man. Of course, we could have listened to him sing every song he ever wrote through to a blue Monday and still not had enough.


John Prine at the Wellmont Theatrer, Montclair, N.J. Dec. 5, 2008, Copyright © 2008 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.



There were the old favorites, including "Donald and Lydia," "Storm Windows" and "Picture Show" as well as his favorites, "Sam Stone," "Lake Marie" and "Six O'Clock News" as well as our favorite "Hello in There."

Heck, he even gave a shout out to our 4th row (Row C, go figure) which was as far back into the audience as he could see in the dark. But you know, he could hear all the applause from as far back as the last row in the house!


And, it rocked along with his version of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."


You go, John.

Copyright © 2008 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved.

The opening act held our interest. Singer-song writer Chip Taylor took it slow and easy and pleasant enough ... however he surprised us with a rendition of his 60s hit Angel of the Morning, and later with another really big hit of his, that song Wild Thing.
Montclair Gets Its Own Rock House
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Copyright © 2008 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Photos and content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.

12.05.2008

Married to a Christmas Nut

At the end of November, my plain, normal, ordinary English teaching wife went mad.


She whistled tunes about a fat guy, deer that stand in the rain and told me not to be naughty because I was being watched.

She cluttered the breakfast table with holly until I could not find my cereal bowl.

Eggnog filled each and every shelf in the refrigerator and all my root beer had been banished to the pantry. I awakened to smell the chestnuts.

It was too late to change her or find a cure, I married a Christmas Nut!

Continue reading


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Copyright © 2008 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Photos and content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.

12.01.2008

Free gasoline from your local car dealer and friends

What do you think of a car dealer that sends a loyal customer a key to try and win free gas? Sounds too good to be true. Perhaps car dealers are at the point where they'll do anything to get customers on the lot? They figure that if Grandpa bought two cars there already, maybe he's ready now for a new car. He just doesn't know it.

Please read the rest at ...

Free gasoline from your local car dealer

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Copyright © 2008 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Photos and content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.