1987-1988
I suppose i'm the distilled essence of Max Headroom hype - i'd always been aware (and even appreciative) of his cultural resonance and schtick...but never actually saw the show. If you're the same, feel free to stay uninitiated, as the reality will likely be less than you hope. Not that it's awful! It's fascinating, and almost good. The concept, the production values and acting...top-notch. But as is so often the case, the writing struggles to rise above middling. Eventually, your interest is reduced to wondering what guest actor might pop up unexpectedly (look...it's bill maher!).
It's more purely sci fi than i'd imagined. In a dystopian, television-dominated near future, idealistic field reporter edison carter has his consciousness digitally imprinted after a near-fatal accident, and an unduplicatable cyber-version is born, who has the power to hack onto TV screens at will. "Max" becomes a media sensation, but it's okay, because he retains edison's idealism. They become allies!
Matt frewer (DOCTOR DOCTOR, WATCHMEN) carries a whole lot of dramatic/comedic water as the two leads, and never falters. His max persona is irresistible, and all the moreso when you realize it's all real - no CGI! Amanda pays (THE FLASH, THE FLASH) is solid as edison's producer...and the writers gave her a great flash of feminist potential, in having an active sex life rather than pining for edison. Jeffrey tambor (HILL STREET BLUES, THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW) is a dewy delight as the station manager. George coe (HILL STREET BLUES, THE WEST WING) is flawless as the studio head. William morgan sheppard (SEAQUEST 2032, STAR TREK VI) is strangely compelling as fringe network operator blank reg.
Perhaps given more than fourteen episodes, MAX might have eventually found its voice. But for once, i'm sympathetic to the network. After two seasons, they still hadn't figured out how to maximize max's zany irreverence. The best episode is "Deities" - i recommend you watch that, and nothing more.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Friday, May 25, 2018
dear bub
Hello bub (and jan)!
Thank you again for the Maxmas presents. Last night i finished the last of the chocolate, and this week listened to the last of the miles davis CDs. Wonderful, both...
An actual, live paper letter from bub! What a trot down memory lane.
I woke up not remembering it was my birthday, and didn't expect to take any notice of it, aside from responding to electronic well-wishing from distant friends. I ended up telling one person at the end of the day, a stranger at an open mic who was drunk and very affectionate with me, and feeling self-conscious about how "old" she was (early forties). So i whispered that it was my birthday, and how old i was. She kissed me very gently, and that was the sum total of my birthday celebration.
My life expectations? The question really doesn't apply. I've spent most of my life trying to learn how to live in the moment. Almost impossible to do when no one else is doing it...we all spend so much of our reality trapped in the past or future...caught up in creating the "story" of our lives, which we can show to people, because we know everyone is always judging us, and if our "story" isn't pleasing, we won't get the love and rewards we're taught to want. If you're forever trying to create your "story", it's based on a preconceived notion, so you end up never feeling anything you didn't start out expecting to feel. That all gets mangled up with something called desensitization. It's something that happens in a society where children are taught to stifle their natural feelings and empathy. Our culture is profoundly desensitized. The most obvious ethos is the "boys don't cry" mentality, but it runs much deeper. So i've spent the past decade trying to take down my emotional walls, to try to feel things more naturally. I think i've succeeded, but it's a hard journey. To really feel all the loneliness and aggression that surrounds us everyday is pretty horrible. It's given me mild depression and occasional insomnia...and makes it so hard to restrain my natural responses in everyday humyn interactions.
Am i happy with my life? That's not a question i'd ever ask myself, it's far too self-conscious, but...as much as one can be, under the circumstances, i'm happy with the results. I've never gotten the love i need, but no one does. I've been very creative, and unusually true to my spirit, i hope.
Would i change anything? My mind doesn't think that way...though it might be nice to have been born a century or two from now (if humynity is still around, which is doubtful). We might grow up a good deal by then. I'm perhaps unrealistically optimistic on that score.
Bucket list? Nah, the question doesn't apply. I suppose i'd like to produce one of my plays before i'm too old to act in it...and i'd like to love a pregnant womyn, or have the FULL love affair i've been capable of for a long time. It's so hard, almost impossible, finding someone on my level. We're all too trapped in our own selfishness. That's the worst part of this "life story" nonsense - other people become bit actors we accept or reject, based only on how they fit into our narrative. We never learn how to connect on a deeper level. We do our best, and some people do a little better than others...
Plus, i don't drink, i reject greed, and i don't believe in monogamy. YOU try getting some female attention under those circumstances. A damn shame too, as my last two lovers told me i was the best of their life...and that was with my spirit less than 100% present. Ah, well...
For now, i'm on a train that centers around my stories and songs, getting some amazing, humbling feedback. Let's see where that goes. I think i'm going to schedule my first-ever full concert of songs, at a radio station where i've appeared many times. I can get ninety minutes for $100, and it will go out on the internet all over the world. Maybe July.
Give hugs to all the crew for me...
much love,
wrob
Thank you again for the Maxmas presents. Last night i finished the last of the chocolate, and this week listened to the last of the miles davis CDs. Wonderful, both...
An actual, live paper letter from bub! What a trot down memory lane.
I woke up not remembering it was my birthday, and didn't expect to take any notice of it, aside from responding to electronic well-wishing from distant friends. I ended up telling one person at the end of the day, a stranger at an open mic who was drunk and very affectionate with me, and feeling self-conscious about how "old" she was (early forties). So i whispered that it was my birthday, and how old i was. She kissed me very gently, and that was the sum total of my birthday celebration.
My life expectations? The question really doesn't apply. I've spent most of my life trying to learn how to live in the moment. Almost impossible to do when no one else is doing it...we all spend so much of our reality trapped in the past or future...caught up in creating the "story" of our lives, which we can show to people, because we know everyone is always judging us, and if our "story" isn't pleasing, we won't get the love and rewards we're taught to want. If you're forever trying to create your "story", it's based on a preconceived notion, so you end up never feeling anything you didn't start out expecting to feel. That all gets mangled up with something called desensitization. It's something that happens in a society where children are taught to stifle their natural feelings and empathy. Our culture is profoundly desensitized. The most obvious ethos is the "boys don't cry" mentality, but it runs much deeper. So i've spent the past decade trying to take down my emotional walls, to try to feel things more naturally. I think i've succeeded, but it's a hard journey. To really feel all the loneliness and aggression that surrounds us everyday is pretty horrible. It's given me mild depression and occasional insomnia...and makes it so hard to restrain my natural responses in everyday humyn interactions.
Am i happy with my life? That's not a question i'd ever ask myself, it's far too self-conscious, but...as much as one can be, under the circumstances, i'm happy with the results. I've never gotten the love i need, but no one does. I've been very creative, and unusually true to my spirit, i hope.
Would i change anything? My mind doesn't think that way...though it might be nice to have been born a century or two from now (if humynity is still around, which is doubtful). We might grow up a good deal by then. I'm perhaps unrealistically optimistic on that score.
Bucket list? Nah, the question doesn't apply. I suppose i'd like to produce one of my plays before i'm too old to act in it...and i'd like to love a pregnant womyn, or have the FULL love affair i've been capable of for a long time. It's so hard, almost impossible, finding someone on my level. We're all too trapped in our own selfishness. That's the worst part of this "life story" nonsense - other people become bit actors we accept or reject, based only on how they fit into our narrative. We never learn how to connect on a deeper level. We do our best, and some people do a little better than others...
Plus, i don't drink, i reject greed, and i don't believe in monogamy. YOU try getting some female attention under those circumstances. A damn shame too, as my last two lovers told me i was the best of their life...and that was with my spirit less than 100% present. Ah, well...
For now, i'm on a train that centers around my stories and songs, getting some amazing, humbling feedback. Let's see where that goes. I think i'm going to schedule my first-ever full concert of songs, at a radio station where i've appeared many times. I can get ninety minutes for $100, and it will go out on the internet all over the world. Maybe July.
Give hugs to all the crew for me...
much love,
wrob
Sunday, May 20, 2018
naked nurse 19
SOOTHING OUR SOCIAL/SEXUAL/SPIRITUAL STRIFE
Dear naked nurse,
Outercourse? What the hell's "outercourse"?? Just another prudish practical joke from the abstinence brigade?
-puzzled in Pennington
Dear puzzled,
Outercourse is genital/genital stimulation without penetration...and i'm a bit baffled too. Pre- (or even non-) penetrative up-and-down erection sliding between the vaginal lips has ALWAYS been one of my favorite pastimes. It's also a great way to take things slowly in a new relationship, while avoiding the dreaded condom! In theory, it sounds wonderful for the womyn, a perfect formula for maximal clitoral stimulation...which addresses one of the major complaints with intercourse, the contention that "barrel thrusting" leaves many wimyn feeling non-orgasmic and used. Some couples seek out modifications such as the "coital alignment technique" (the naked nurse recommends!).
However...even though outercourse sounds perfect for her, in my humble experience, when you offer a womyn limitless genital/genital stimulation without penetration, many respond with "Mmmmmmmm...NO, that's really not going to do it for me."
Help us, clitoral crowd! Write in! We need guidance!
generous grindings,
the naked nurse
Send queries to nakednursing@yahoo.com!
Dear naked nurse,
Outercourse? What the hell's "outercourse"?? Just another prudish practical joke from the abstinence brigade?
-puzzled in Pennington
Dear puzzled,
Outercourse is genital/genital stimulation without penetration...and i'm a bit baffled too. Pre- (or even non-) penetrative up-and-down erection sliding between the vaginal lips has ALWAYS been one of my favorite pastimes. It's also a great way to take things slowly in a new relationship, while avoiding the dreaded condom! In theory, it sounds wonderful for the womyn, a perfect formula for maximal clitoral stimulation...which addresses one of the major complaints with intercourse, the contention that "barrel thrusting" leaves many wimyn feeling non-orgasmic and used. Some couples seek out modifications such as the "coital alignment technique" (the naked nurse recommends!).
However...even though outercourse sounds perfect for her, in my humble experience, when you offer a womyn limitless genital/genital stimulation without penetration, many respond with "Mmmmmmmm...NO, that's really not going to do it for me."
Help us, clitoral crowd! Write in! We need guidance!
generous grindings,
the naked nurse
Send queries to nakednursing@yahoo.com!
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
naked nurse 18
SOOTHING OUR SOCIAL/SEXUAL/SPIRITUAL STRIFE
Dear naked nurse,
With romance and sex, is there anything i should always know about someone before getting involved?
-randy in Roanoake
Dear randy,
When i'm attracted to someone, i ask myself just one question. How will meeting the greatest lover of their life affect them?
I'm sorry...did you want the playful answer or the serious one (or the playfully serious one, in this case)?
But in a sane world, your question wouldn't make any sense! Sex should be the least self-conscious thing in life, yet somehow we've made it the complete opposite. If anyone ever loved you fearlessly and without walls, your poor brain would explode. But we keep trying, because we need love and touch to stay sane. See many sane people lately?
If you had a comprehensive answer to your question, you'd never leave home. Following pure "instinct" can be a wonderful ride, but begs for personality catastrophe. Choosing someone with your head? Also a disaster waiting to happen. In an ideal world you could love anyone reasonably well, but here...if you don't feel a powerful instant reaction, STAY AWAY. That's a horrible, myopic, anti-social reality, but it's "wise". Overall, the best you can hope for is chemistry plus mutually aligned selfishnesses, a formula that promises happiness for a year or two.
prehistoric pairings,
the naked nurse
Send queries to nakednursing@yahoo.com!
Dear naked nurse,
With romance and sex, is there anything i should always know about someone before getting involved?
-randy in Roanoake
Dear randy,
When i'm attracted to someone, i ask myself just one question. How will meeting the greatest lover of their life affect them?
I'm sorry...did you want the playful answer or the serious one (or the playfully serious one, in this case)?
But in a sane world, your question wouldn't make any sense! Sex should be the least self-conscious thing in life, yet somehow we've made it the complete opposite. If anyone ever loved you fearlessly and without walls, your poor brain would explode. But we keep trying, because we need love and touch to stay sane. See many sane people lately?
If you had a comprehensive answer to your question, you'd never leave home. Following pure "instinct" can be a wonderful ride, but begs for personality catastrophe. Choosing someone with your head? Also a disaster waiting to happen. In an ideal world you could love anyone reasonably well, but here...if you don't feel a powerful instant reaction, STAY AWAY. That's a horrible, myopic, anti-social reality, but it's "wise". Overall, the best you can hope for is chemistry plus mutually aligned selfishnesses, a formula that promises happiness for a year or two.
prehistoric pairings,
the naked nurse
Send queries to nakednursing@yahoo.com!
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