This Dreary City

New York isn't looking so pretty today. The view from my cubicle is slightly obstructed because of the florescent lights bouncing off the window. I can see dark dreary sky and big clouds of smoke or smog. Sometimes this sort of weather is exciting to me but not now. Now it feels more like a horrible foreshadowing. I don't want to know whats to come. I'm not ready to handle it. Does anyone know where the silver lining is located? I guess nobody knows where to find it until the story unfolds. Okay story... keep collapsing in on me. It could always be worse.

Today I studied up on Cliff Edwards "Ukulele Ike". That's right he played the Ukulele. Mostly because it was the cheapest instrument to purchase and the pianos at all his saloon gigs sucked. Cliff was popular in the 1920's and 30's for his Jazzy renditions of pop and novelty tunes. Apparently he made the "ukes" really popular in the 20's so the Tin Pan Alley folks started writing chords for ukulele in standard sheet music. Who knew? He had a huge career which included early jazz scat in 1922 followed by a big career of hits. He starred in several movies, as well as tv and radio. Most notably he was the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio. Sounds like this guy had a lot going on but I don't think he took good care of himself. He declared bankruptcy several times and owed alimony to several wives. Nice reminder to keep your act together. Walt Disney Studios actually had to buy back his unclaimed corpse from a medical school so that they could give him a proper burial. Why do I always focus in on the morbid part? I didn't have a clue who Cliff Edwards was until today but his beautiful tenor voice will always be in my memory as Jiminy. I can't wait to find out more about the many other hits he recorded in his time. Seriously.... Disney bought his corpse!