Season of the Witch from Super Session

 Season of the Witch is a Halloween song that was originally recorded by Donovan,  I have featured that in this journal.  An 11 minute version was featured on the Super Session album that included Al Kooper, Stephen Stills and Mike Bloomfield.

Today is National Cat Day

 National Cat Day was  founded in 2005 by animal advocate Colleen Paige to raise awareness about shelter cats and encourage adoption.  I never owned a cat, but in the 1980s my sister-in-law had two Siamese cats named Tasha and Jenny. When she went on vacation Karen and I would cat sit for them.  The obvious song for today is Year of the Cat by Al Stewart.

The New York City Subway Began on October 27, 1904

 Since I retired, I only take the subway about once a week on the average.  I only remember a few bad delays over the past 9 years, but I encountered many over my years of commuting to work.  I have discussed many of them in my companion blog that I stopped when I retired.  With that thought in mind I a featuring Don't Sleep in the Subway by Petula Clark.

Life is a Carnival by the Band - Random Classic Rock Hit of the Day

 

It is sad that all the members of the Band have passed away.

Baseball Comments of the Day - October 23, 2026

 

• The World Series starts tonight with the Milwaukee Brewers facing the Tampa Bay Rays.  I will be watching, but I have no preference for either team.
• I am watching because I don't know how long I will have to wait to see Major League Baseball again.  It seems almost certain there will be a lockout on December 1.  The question is how long will it last.
• The consensus of fans and baseball journalists is that the season will resume on or before Memorial Day.  Too much money will be lost if the entire season is cancelled. Lessons were learned from the 1994-95 lockout when the World Series was cancelled.
• Out of a sense of loyalty to the Mets I renewed my 20-game package for 2027.  They are already billing for the plan.  If games are lost they will have to give refunds.

My 9 Favorite Movies

 

Notice, that they are all about the Beatles or Bob Dylan.  I will have to give some thought and pick other movies not musical in nature.  Since the College Point Multiplex closed in 2024 I have seen relatively few movies.  As I have discussed before, the mainstream movies are not aimed at the baby boomers.

Forest Hills High School Class of '67 Reunion on June 6, 2027

 

It is hard to believe that it will be 60 years since I graduated from Forest Hills High School.  I will be going to this reunion as it is so close to home.  I thank Shelley Gabel Dinstein and Helaine Unger for organizing this.

Recording of Last night' Bob Dylan Concert in Oslo, Norway

 

Where there is a will, there is a way.  The concert was recorded by John Dillon on an Apple Watch.  I guess they can't put watches in a Yondr pouch.  It was remastered by BennyBoy.  I'll have to find time to listen to it.  My friends the Dylan scholars are excited over new lyrics to Tangled Up in Blue.

Bob Dylan's Never Ending Tour Resumes in Oslo, Norway

 

Dylan is 85 years old and keeps on going,  The set list has been posted on Bill Pagel's site:

Louisiana and Dublin Blues are songs that he has not performed before.  Tangled Up in Blue has made a return after 8 years.  As of Saturday evening there are no reviews of the concert.  I wonder if he is still  hiding behind a hoodie.  He won't be playing at the Beacon Theater in November this year

Oslo, Norway Spektrum October 17, 2026

1.	To Be Alone With You (Bob on electric keyboard)
2.	Man In The Long Black Coat (Bob on electric keyboard)
3.	Crash On The Levee (Bob on electric keyboard)
4.	Tryin' To Get To Heaven (Bob on electric keyboard)
5.	Early Roman Kings (Bob on electric keyboard)
6.	I Can Tell (song by Samuel Smith) (Bob on electric keyboard)
7.	Tangled Up In Blue (Bob on electric keyboard)
8.	Share Your Love With Me (song by Alfred Braggs and Deadric Malone) (Bob on electric keyboard)
9.	Louisiana (song by Randy Newman) (Bob on electric keyboard)
10.	When I Paint My Masterpiece (Bob on electric keyboard)
11.	I'll Make It All Up To You (song by Charlie Rich) (Bob on electric keyboard)
12.	Crossing the Rubicon (Bob on electric keyboard)
13.	Soon After Midnight (Bob on electric keyboard)
14.	Dublin Blues (song by Guy Clark) (Bob on electric keyboard)
15.	Under The Red Sky (Bob on electric keyboard and harp)
16.	I've Made Up My Mind To Give Myself To You (Bob on electric keyboard)
17.	Goodbye Jimmy Reed (Bob on electric keyboard)
18.	I Shall Be Released (Bob on electric keyboard)
	(encore)
19.	You Ain't Goin' Nowhere (Bob on electric keyboard)

Reflections on 21 Years of Bruce's Journal

 

On October 15, 2005 I wrote my first blog entry and kept going.  Essentially, it is a vanity press for me after 5518 entries.  I try to write something on most days.  Whenever I have writer's cramp I just post a song.  Many of the YouTube videos that I posted are now gone.  Perhaps, I should update those entries, but it would be a very time consuming task.  Some of the topics:

• The Golden Oldies
• Bob Dylan
• Baseball (especially the New York Mets)
• Memories of growing up
• Frustrations about the world situation
• Museum trips
• Vacations
• Obituaries of friends

I rarely write about politics since I hate it so much.  Medical issues should be private so I don't mention it in this journal.

I always wonder who reads this journal since internet surfers are anonymous.  Some have found specific articles by Googling.  I am only aware of a few who read it regularly after I post my latest entry.  Blogger indicate 12 million hits, but I am certain the overwhelming majority are from Bots.

I always like to keep my entries relatively short, so I'll close here.

Thanks for stopping by.

Beatle Cover of the Day - You Won't See Me by Anne Murray

 

Now the Beatles' original

October 11, 10/11, is WCBS-FM 101.1 Day

 

Today's WCBS-FM is not the station that was my favorite in the 1980s and 90s that played the oldies of the 50s, 60s, and 70s.  Today it plays the hits of the 80s, 90s and beyond as it tries to appeal to listeners in the 25-54 age range.  They don't want baby boomer like myself who are not desired by advertisers.  They made a terrible mistake in 2005 when they flipped to the dreaded Jack format.  They learned their lesson and became a "Greatest Hits" station in 2007.  Since that time they gradually phased out the 60s and 70s music.  All of the radio personalities from the oldies era are gone.

I listen to the station just once a week on Sunday mornings.  They have a Yacht Rock show from 7 AM - 10 AM.  There is no radio personality nat that time.  Audacy, the company that now owns the station, is trying to save money,

9 of My Favorite Albums

 

It was very hard to pick 6 of my favorite albums.  I did this off the top of my head.  I avoided Greatest Hits collections and only picked 3 Bob Dylan albums.

10/10 is 1010 WINS Day

 

With the demise of WCBS News 880 1010 WINS is the only all-news radio station left in NYC.  It became an all news station on April 19, 1965 and began a simulcast on 92.3 FM on October 27, 2022.  This move was done since the AM dial has lost popularity in recent years.  Today, most people get their news from their smartphones and are less reliant on radio.  I listen to WINS a few times a week.  I remember listening to Murray the K back in the early 1960s when WINS was a top 40 station,

So Trump is Giving Roger Clemens the Medal of Freedom Award - Mike Piazza and Other Hall of Famers Deserve it as Well

 

USA Today reports that President Trump will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Roger Clemens who has been denied election to the Baseball Hall of Fame because of his involvement with steroids.  Hall of Famers including  Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Yogi Berra, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente*, Stan Musial, Ernie Banks, Frank Robinson, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, and Mariano Rivera have received that prestigious award but numerous other Hall of Famers have not.

I have hated Clemens since he beaned Mike Piazza on July 8, 2000.

 

In the second game of the 2000 World Series Clemens threw a piece of Mike Piazza's bat at him.

I feel Trump's award the medal to Clemens is a stunt to get Republican votes in the midterm elections  Hopefully, the next president will award it to Mike Piazza.

Random Thoughts of the Day - October 6, 2026

 

• The Yankees are one game away from being eliminated in the ALDS.  The hitting has not come through for them.  If Aaron Judge were playing, would it made a difference?
• From 2023-2025 the Chicago White Sox lost 100 games.  Now they are one game away from beating Cleveland in the ALDS.  Is there hope for the Mets in 2027?
• A wooden fence was built around Whitestone Lanes and its parking lot.  Other than that there has been no other work done.  I guess the affordable housing at that site is at least a few years away.
• After 40+ years nothing has been done at the site of the RKO Keith's Theater at Northern Blvd. and Main Street.  The lobby of that theater has been deemed a landmark, but how can something be a landmark if it has not been seen in over 40 years?
• Whenever I drive around Queens, I always encounter construction.  I guess the work has to be done.

My Comments about the News Media

 

I have always felt that very often the news media creates the news rather than report it.  Over the years there have been many high-profile stories that predominate print and electronic news sources.  They often drag on for months and even years while they don’t affect our daily lives.  Let me give a few examples:

·       The British Royal Family – Should Americans care about what they do or say?  The most import Royal, King Charles III, gets less attention than anyone else while he is the most important.

·       The rape case at Cornell University.  Must the public be advised of all the details?  It is unfortunate as it affects the university community. Will” applications to Cornell University declinw? Does it have bearing on the general public?

·       Luigi Mangione.  There are thousands of murders in the country every year, but why does this one get so much attention?  Do we need to see a video of how he was arrested?  Do we know who called the police in Altoona, PA?  Do we know much about Brian Thompson who was murdered.

·       The Lindsay Clancy trial.  It is so sad that 3 small children were killed.  Do we know the details of the legal proceedings.  Does this situation affect our daily lives?

·       Celebrity romances.  I couldn’t care less.

I guess it is part of the “media culture” that unusual situations are reported and blown out of proportion.  Maybe I am the exception for objecting to this.

To me, the weather forecast is the most important item in the news as it affects everyone.

 

The Beatles Rubber Super Deluxe Box Set is Released Today

I remember buying Rubber Soul at Alexanders record department in Rego Park in December 1965.  I guess the record company wants to make more money from the Beatles, so they have produced  this boxed set.  It includes alternative takes of the songs and also distinguishes between the American and British versions of the original release.  I bought it from Amazon.com and am awaiting its delivery.

Beatles Oldie of the Day - From Me to You - Mono and Stereo Versions