samsararose

The beauty that is Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Talking Heads. Tom Tom Club too!

Revisado: 02-26-25

Loved this book so much. Brings to life so many fascinating characters. Reminds of a famous time gone by.

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Excellent Podcast BUT!

Revisado: 07-14-24

I think there is a true need for this podcast because there are people who are capable of doing horrible things for whatever reasons they deem fit. And they should be held accountable. People without a lot of life's experiences can benefit from stories like this. But that isn't our antagonist. They may not be a person of the world, but they aren't a "bumpkin," never been off the farm either. What I don't appreciate is that our protagonist doesn't admit their own foibles and weaknesses - the whole entire thing is somebody else's fault. Nah... I experienced what they experienced but our results are far different and while they spent years putting up with nonsense answers the adult in me just couldn't let things go for year after year, excuse after excuse. I spoke up for myself. I spoke directly and asked the questions our antagonist never does...geesh??!!!! Why?! Yuk. How can we respect our "victim" when they don't even feebly try to respect themselves. They are not under any death threat. There are no children. There is no physical abuse and the mental abuse is being allowed. The argument that the police don't "do anything" needs to also be countered with "we can't help it if you choose not to use your own common sense." It isn't illegal to lie. If that were so the whole world would be under arrest. Since when do we just believe everybody and take what they say at face value as confirmed on a Facebook page or because they know other people we know or because they are or aren't a family member, perhaps initially we accept them as an acquaintance but for years, lie after lie? How many lies does it take? Children maybe. But this person is an adult. In the end I was deeply unsatisfied with our protagonist. I felt a bit of loathing and disdain for their inability to be proactive...yuk, especially when they give their father a "way to go" and couldn't feel sorry for our antagonist when clearly our antagonist while not deserving of pity sure could use some help. Who does what they do/did? You have to be pretty miserable to even try. When someone is mentally ill prosecution won't help. Granted I am conservative I believe people should be prosecuted but for what? Fibbing? Compassion might help. But for the most part threatening our antagonist only made them double down. And trust me if I can forgive my own stepbrother for killing my mom...then our protagonist could dig a little deeper accept their responsibility for allowing themselves to get emotionally but otherwise unharmed and find some empathy for a person who's so broken they do the unthinkable. Own up...you let them do it. You saw a million red flags and carried on. Common sense thrown aside!!! And you weren't guilt free all those emotional messages to a married "friend." Geesh. Something our protagonist never admits. Again, this is a very valuable story. But it does leave a bit of disgust lingering...and for me it isn't so much a story of our antagonist as it is a story of how our protagonist spent years enabling their abuser. The old "why me?" narcissistic cry...could be countered with "why not." Anybody that's willing to be victimized will be...we are always given what we ask for...not in the way we hope but in the way the world shares knowledge...the hard way which is the way most REAL lessons are learned.

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What a story!!

Revisado: 06-25-24

Sometimes selfishness can destroy dreams...at least for some folks. You decide. What is a dream for some is just another day for others. Which side do you live on?

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It's all right

Revisado: 04-14-24

This could have been a good story. It wasn't bad. It was obvious, however. And our protagonist doesn't use his brain and does things that are downright aggravating and undermine his credibility as our main character. It's not that this story couldn't have been good it's just that halfway through you'll already probably solve the crime yourself. Where's the fun in that?

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History Becomes Tangible

Revisado: 04-14-24

What makes this book awesome is that it makes historical figures into REAL people all of us can know as flesh and blood and bones and not just some factoid in the pages of a dusty boring schoolbook. Another thing I appreciated is the gift that History and a good author so often gives...the illustration of the same mistakes made over and over perhaps by different people in different ages and generations...yet the same mistakes. History is nothing if not cyclical. If it weren't for being History, this book could be a page out of Now.

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Father Mike's Joyfulness

Revisado: 02-14-24

I loved it so much I am doing it all over again and find it to be even better the second time around!!

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Clichéd as it gets.

Revisado: 01-08-24

I know this author thinks being one of the "cool cats" means being "one of the guys." But not with my posse of mail friends. They bailed on caveman and Neanderthal thinking decades ago. Why his/our Protagonist's ex-wife is still hanging around only goes to show some people have no self-respect. The rest of us left "the cave" decades ago. Can't finish this...don't do drivel. arrogant. narcissistic, thoughtless primitiveness. Especially when it comes to a Protagonist. This guy sets "Good Guys" back 50 years. This book is a no.

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Better than the Usual Fluff

Revisado: 01-05-24

I have to admit my snobbery. It needs to be my disclaimer. Almost all of the podcasts I listen to frustrate me. Extreme tropism, constant use of stereotypes and trampled on plot lines filled with predictable players and I sometimes feel as if I wonder about why my tastes seem so different than the usual 4 star voter - like I said I'm a snob. But I often feel as if I am in a desert of bad storytelling. It's painful. And while I am not going to say this story development wasn't predictable I am going to say I liked the different and realistic ending of this story. This piece has just a touch of irony making it bearable in a sea of saccharin. There's just a bit of sharpness to the mundane moments in life and that is revealed in this story that coalesces into a nice cohesive whole...after all, don't "things" always come to an inevitable conclusion? I suspect folks will disagree with me. That's good. I'm just grateful after the last 5 podcasts I actually liked something/this podcast, enough to leave a comment.

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Disappointing

Revisado: 12-22-23

I realize Priscilla's had quite the life. But there is a HUGE white elephant in the room which she glosses over. I wonder if it had been her daughter dating a famous rocker at the age of 14, 15 and 16 if her responses would be the same? I wonder if she'd be copacetic to her tropes of how cute Elvis was, how attentive he was and how he basically groomed her. Would she stand-up for a guy who was trying to date Lisa Marie at 14 when he 24? If it were Lisa Marie, would she feel the same if it was Lisa who was the person being groomed? If it was Lisa Marie getting on an airplane to spend weeks with a man who was publicly dating the likes of Ann Margaret or "Anita" would "Cilla" be as accepting? As someone who's been groomed and as someone who lived through the sixties when "grooming" wasn't quite a "thing" yet...I find it abhorrent. I may still love my groomer. I may be very grateful for many things that were done for me but underlying my love is an ambivalence that I can't ignore. It's a spot of mold in my heart that doesn't clean. The love is there but the black spot won't go. I can't put the "genie" back in the bottle...my abuser was just a man. And regardless of how amazing my experiences were he still stole my youth. He still took my innocence and naivete away from me without me understanding what he was doing. He still took my choice...because starry eyed I was, just as he planned. I was no consenting adult. Neither was "Cilla." She was a consenting child. And no matter how you slice it Elvis' was a groomer...and he came off as insecure, petty, cruel, manipulative and quite the player...despite what I believe was Priscilla's intention which was to paint him as a "Great" Guy" and icon...okay, I'll bite he changed the world with his music but that doesn't mean he was a "Great Guy." Great Guys don't groom 14-year-olds while their dating their "side cookie" cause Elvis always had and was always with a side girl, always with the sycophants to tell him just how "Great" he was. And Col. Tom? he was just a way for Elvis to ignore his responsibilities. Instead of being a grown man he expected The Colonel to "take care of things..." so in the end it's hard to feel for Elvis at all. The fact that she doesn't touch any of this leads me to believe she hasn't really grown much since those long-lost days. That's she still at heart is the girl Elvis stole away with. And there is a bit of yukkiness about that. It's not something I can respect her for. Her writing style is simplistic, and she goes over some material but it's a quick read/listen because most of what she talks about is done in a superficial way. Most people will love this book because they idolize Elvis. They idolize her. And they like to make up a fantasy about how "cool" this story is. But I don't idolize anyone and while I may come close to idolizing certain figures like say Harriet Tubman or Marie Curie...Elvis isn't certainly anyone I can idolize even if he DID change the world. Nah, Priscilla's viewpoint was disappointing for me. It's like listening to an abused person write a whole book on excusing someone's/abuser's bad behavior...even if he did have good moments - he and she will never have my respect no matter how much I appreciate their contributions. I just can't give this book more than a one and I feel bad about doing even that. This book had a yuk factor to it that made me very glad that I had finished it. About as deep as a topcoat of fingernail polish. I always thought Priscilla had become and grown into being a fully formed adult. Instead, I find she's still locked into an immaturity that keeps her bound to Elvis. For me that's disappointing. And just a hint...I love my ex-hubby...but he's no Elvis. Thank G*d. Yes, people can love those they were married to and divorced from...but what good is that love if it consists of having it with blinders on?

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Exceptional

Revisado: 12-02-23

Clear and well written with compassion and insight "Geddy" Lee shares his story in such away that it will truly move your heart - this a read that should not be missed. Imagine that after decades this man and the band we once knew as RUSH continue to have my respect. More even after reading Mr. Lee's books.

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