Mugs

A good mug as the vessel for coffee is grossly under appreciated.  A good mug will trap the heat of the coffee and will radiate heat to your hands on a cool morning.  More than that, a mug can tell a story.

I have a shelf full of mugs, and each has a story to tell.  They provide insight to my mind, to my values, to my history.  I don't have a single mug that's just a plain mug, part of some set of dishes from the department store.  Each was chosen with care because of it's design and point in history.  A few have been gifts, given by those that know of the pleasure I derive from them and the significance I attach to them.  If you're at my house and I get you a cup of coffee (or tea, or hot cocoa),  I will select a mug for you, based on who you are, and I what I know about you, because you deserve that.

My current go-to is my blue Duluth Pack mug.  I chose it on my birthday trip to Duluth.  It stands as a fine representation of that city, a reminder of the value of a Duluth Pack on a canoe trip. It's blue, my favorite color (though I'm more of a deeper, darker loyal blue than this shade).  It's hand thrown, the logo cut by hand and carefully joined to the main body of the vessel.   It's weighty, but not burdensome.

We have junk mugs at the office.  Plastic-ish type of material, and thin.  They tell no story, and heat dissipates from the coffee so quickly it would almost be better to drink iced coffee.  A paper cup from Starbucks does a better job than these do.  The paper cup from Starbucks has your order on it, telling a story.  It's paper, but sturdy. 

Celebration Day

It's been a long time…

The Zeptember project was fun, but writing every day became less of a joy at some point; it became a stressor, because it became something I had to do.  There's a lot of things do  in my life; being a dad, work responsibilities and some other things.  But I had made a commitment to write, and needed to follow through.  That's the type of person I am.

I ended up at the end wanting to take a break of a few days at the beginning of October, and then life started happening. The blog became less of a priority, then nothing.  

I do still feel a need to write, and I know I don't have to write every day.  So, I resolve to write more frequently than the most recent gap, and I'm not just going to focus on Led Zeppelin and their music. There will be all manner of twists and turns.   I think I can make this work in a more measured way than an everyday project.  I have a lot of stuff I think about, and this might be the venue to write it all down.

But first: some music!

In addition to being a Led Zeppelin song, Celebration Day is title of the recording of 2007's Led Zeppelin concert at the O2 Arena in London.  Drummer John Bonham's son, Jason, sat in on drums and did a wonderful job.  This concert commemorated the legacy of Ahmet Ertegun, founder of Atlantic Records, who had passed away a year earlier.  Demand for tickets was unheard of; requests came from every imaginable place on Earth, and only a lucky few thousand attended. 

Hours after the after the concert, the first bootleg recordings (video and audio) began making their way around the world.  5 years after the concert, the official  concert video was released as a theatrical film titled "Celebration Day," which I attended on opening night with a couple friends.  The theater was packed, and we enjoyed seeing the concert in its full digital glory on a large screen. The only issue I had was that the volume wasn't loud enough.  This was a concert video! My ears should have been bleeding when I left.

In November 2012, weeks after the theater release, audio tracks and the concert video were released for purchase. Just in time for Christmas, right?  For many people, yes; but not for me.  However, on my birthday, I was visiting with my friends Sara & Troy and watching the Superbowl.  Troy received two copies for of Celebration Day for Christmas, and gifted one to me.  A generous gift, and one that I appreciate having.

Earlier in the evening, Troy asked me earlier if I liked the show.  After all, these guys were playing a concert many years after their most recent performance; Plant's voice can't hit the dynamics it used to.  I said that yeah, I did like it, even this far down the road.  One of the principal reasons is the advancement in technology; here was a high-definition audio and video track of the greatest band ever, preserved for eternity. Preserved for future fans, including, I hope, my own kids.  My youngest daughter, K, is 5; she loves watching the show (and it warm's her Daddy's heart to hear "Dad, can we watch Led Zeppelin?"

So, if you haven't seen the show, or even heard the audio, take some time and find it. These guys still were really able to rock an arena.

I look forward to visiting you more in the coming days.