Jam Shade has been Cancelled

Like all serials it just couldn't last. The Jam Shade Show has retired. National Visual Radio pulled the plug. Perhaps some day there will be a release of the "lost episodes", but I have to lose them first.

I have to admit that the ratings were not as great as the creator had hoped for. I think the only one who really read them was David Wylie and only because he is obsessed about the BFlat 7th chords and organ fills called for in the script. Well, byegood, Jam Shade ---Dyslexic Dectective... we hardly you knew.

NOTE: (Written July 7th... 5:00pm) The news trucks moved away from the Jackson Encino house this morning so a parade of black autos and limos could pick up the family. The helicopters were nosily hovering over the scene at 6:00am this morning. I did not need to tune into CNN to know that the family had gone to Forrest Lawn for a "private" ceremony, because the helicopters followed them. It was too late to go back to sleep by the time the noise stopped at eight o'clock. So, like billions of others we tuned into the "Memorial concert coverage". Some of the highlights for me was Brook Shields, Smokey Robinson, Barry Gordy and Magic Johnson. I think we could have done without the Congress woman in the only white dress with in miles of the Staples center. White? For a funeral? Did she think that Michael Jackson was a Hindu?

We were hoping that the pilgrimage to the neighborhood would stop after the service at Staples, but the news trucks are back and there seems to be the usual steady stream of fans. The Encino residents have grown tired of the traffic snarls. Tonight there is a meeting to see what can be done. I was never much for the Encino Homeowners Association so I won't be attending. It is a touchy situation. Katherine Jackson has lived in this neighborhood much longer than most anyone in the association. This is certainly not anything the family is encouraging and it is a tragedy of global interest. If the news media trucks would go away it would help. I figure the family is as ready to move on and get back to normal as is the neighborhood. We shall see what comes of this.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE: it is my birthday on Saturday. A couple of papers stated my birthday was last week, making me a week older than I am. I am not rushing to maturity like I did when I was eighteen. I will milk every day I can from this year.

So, a friend (along with the help of the lovely Sandra Johnson) is throwing me a birthday party, and other friends are flying in for the occasion. Because our friend is having the spectacle at her house Sandi and I are providing the drinks for the masses. This meant a trip to Costco for large quantities of adult beverage yesterday.

We pushed a very full cart to the check out loaded with nothing but industrial size booze containers. After scanning nothing but alcohol for a minute or two the girl at the register said,
"Having a Party?" Smart ass birthday boy replied, "No, I just got a liver transplant and I want to test the new one out." She actually thought that was funny and laughed out loud.

As we left the bag-boy said, "Have a good day," to which I replied, looking at the bulging cart... "How can we not?" Two scores for me. Two laughs in 10 minutes. I may be getting older, but I still got it.

Got what?

Uh..what were we talking about? Oh..... look over there, a five year supply of Costco peanut butter in an oil drum.

As you were,
Jay