Beginning a Blog
“Having bought the colours, an easel, and a canvas, the next step was to begin. But what a step to take! The palette gleamed with beads of colour; fair and white rose the canvas; the empty brush hung poised, heavy with destiny, irresolute in the air. My hand seemed arrested by a silent veto. But after all the sky on this occasion was unquestionably blue, and a pale blue at that. There could be no doubt that blue paint mixed with white should be put on the top part of the canvas. One really does not need to have had an artist’s training to see that. It is a starting-point open to all. So very gingerly I mixed a little blue paint on the palette with a very small brush, and then with infinite precaution made a mark about as big as a bean upon the affronted snow-white shield.”
Winston Churchill
OK. I’ve begun.
Today I watched the video of James Cagney’s “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” What a picture! Yesterday I saw “The Wrestler” at the Harvard Square Movie Theater. It seemed long; while I admired the performances yet I waited for it to get on. I wanted to know more about the secondary characters, too. I wanted more of the story. My ideas of drama and life are drawn from the last Century and, to a large degree, from the previous Century, too. Tonight I’m going to The Stone Temple Coffee House to hear a folk singer. Amy will be singing over the dead bodies of two presidents — John and John Quincy Adams — in the crypt below along side their wives. I hope they enjoy the music. This is enough painting for now.
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I’ve seen your Calvin Coolidge show many times and each of your other performances at least once.
What has really impressed me, in addition to the HUGE reservoir of information you bring to life in your shows, is how they rivet the audience.
I’ve been teaching high school for 15 years now in Massachusetts, and I’ve rarely seen students as plugged in as my students were when you came to perform for them.
Thanks for truly bringing history to life for all of us!
Malcolm C.
Waltham MA
Hi Jim
Great webb site…….. have put it in my bookmarks. Will be cheaking it out now and then.
I saw several of your Coolidge performances years ago–they were great! I was particularly impressed with the broad range of material that you drew on and the terse, dry humor that you brought to the performances. I had expected an insightful history lesson, and I got both a wonderful history lesson and many unexpected laughs.
Thank you for the work you do.
Ethan
San Francisco, CA
Stefan and Resa have given you a very pretty website — quite a contrast to most of those I see. So: nice for you and nice for them.
The knowledge of Calvin Coolidge you’ve given me has been valuable over the years: I can forcefully correct all the people who scornfully refer to ’silent Cal’.
Malcolm’s comment is touching, and far more valuable than mine!
Mr. Cook,
I had the distinct pleasure of attending one of your performances and found it most enjoyable, quite realistic and absolutely riveting. I was curious about lesser known politiciians and names I have heard but know little about.
I was not dissapointed. YOUR PEFORMANCE WAS TERRIFIC AND LEFT ME FILLED WITH A SENSE OF HISTORY AND WAS QUITE ENJOYABLE.
I concur with your mission, revealing the essence of these important but less known hero’s. Thank you for your dedication. A magnificent performance it was.
A very nice web site…
You are the man, Mr. Cook….Our community is better because of your input. It teaches us about mens standards and how they live them…a concept that appears too infrequently these days.
keep up this important work.
Don Todrin
Howdy, Jim! I like the website redesign very much. We’re trying to get a Wordpress powered site up for the farm…I just haven’t had much time to work on it since the arrival of Lydia. Hope you are well and busy, and we hope to see you up here sometime soon!
Jim,
This is a very pleasing web site. It invites me to linger a bit and find out more. Many a site leaves me leaving on the first page. I have seen you perform Calvin Coolidge and Daniel Webster. I enjoyed the performances very much and I am awed by the breadth and depth of the material you have mastered. Thank you for your interest in these historical figures and thank you for bringing them to life. I await the opportunity to see your performance of the other two characters.
Jim: Great new web site. Your various performaces have all been wonderful. You have that very special knack of bridging time and making history come alive. You educate us and make us smile. Thank you.