My Top Ten 70's Sitcom Theme Songs

Like most of us who were born in the sixites, I have fond memories of those riotous seventies sitcoms that we grew up with. In most cases the theme songs from these classic series are as memorable as the shows are themselves. It has taken me a while to compile my top ten theme song favorites from these wonderful shows I grew into my teen years watching, but there they are. Enjoy the trip down memory lane.

10. The Ropers

9. Alice



8. Rhoda



7. Phyllis



6. The Facts of Life



5. All In The Family



4. The Mary Tyler Moore Show



3. Good Times



2. The Jeffersons

The Jefferson's Theme Song - Funny videos are here

1. Maude

Spotlight Interview with Writer Xavier Axelson

Not long ago I was contacted by writer Xavier Axelson. We became acquainted through the internet and I discovered that Xavier is also a writer. He has made quite a name for himself in the genre of erotica and his books have been highly praised. With two new projects hitting the scene, Xavier requested an interview and I was happy to oblige.

I must admit I didn’t know a lot about his work before we began corresponding, but once I began my research for the article I became a fan myself. I’ve never really read that much erotica but when Xavier writes it is usually with a different approach than most of the others in his field. His touch is unique in that it draws in the reader with characters that are very lifelike and who endear themselves to the audience without relying solely on the “erotic” elements to do so.

I’m pleased to host Xavier in this forum. He is an interesting guy who makes his own brand of magic with his work. His fans can attest to his prowess and with their numbers growing his new releases are sure to satisfy.

CP: Xavier, thanks for visiting with me.

XA: Thank you so much for having me!

CP: Tell me, what draws you to writing erotica?

XA: Actually, I never really planned to write erotica, I’m a horror/magical realism writer at heart but I saw a call for a Holiday Romance collection and decided to challenge myself. I had no idea the Pandora’s Box I was opening.

CP: Your books have been quite popular. To what do you attribute their appeal?

XA: I think I’m serving something different to the readers of erotic romance. In this genre there are a ton of writers bringing the same dish over and over to the party; I like to try different things, explore interesting tastes and not limit myself and this love of exploration is something I hope comes across in my work. My writing is my journey and I am glad and grateful there are people willing to get on board with me.

CP: Tell me about your upcoming print collection, Menage?

XA: Menage is a collection of my first three novellas with Seventh Window Publishing; Dutch’s Boy, The Incident and The Birches. I hired a great graphic artist to create fresh covers, added a new recipe for Dutch’s Boy, and wrote a foreword introducing all three of the stories. It’s important to me for readers to feel they are getting something new when they buy this collection. I’m super excited about it and hope it does well.

CP: You’ve also got a new novella coming out, Earthly Concerns. What can you share about it?

XA: Earthly Concerns is a story about the power of generosity, generosity of spirit and the price of selfishness. While there is an erotic romance involved, it is also pretty creepy. There are forces at work in that story that scare me; hopefully it will frighten readers too. 

Click to Purchase

CP: What motivated you to take your writing in a different direction with your latest projects?
XA: My last novella, Lily actually began to lead me to where I am with my writing today. I have a love of paranormal horror and knew I would eventually find my way back to the genre. I think it is possible to blend the horrific with the sexual.

CP: Do you plan to continue writing erotica in the future?

XA: I think I’ll continue writing the stories that come to me, if they are erotica I will write erotica, but I have a huge horror novel sitting next to me begging my attentions and getting more and more impatient with my procrastination, so we’ll have to see what happens.
CP: Are you working on a new book now? If so, what can you share about it?

XA: I’m actually writing a new novella which is totally unlike anything I have published so far. It is probably my most generous and romantic story to date and I am in love with all the characters that have become part of the story. I now know what I’ll answer when I’m asked which of my characters I love the best! It’s about half way done and I’m a little scared it might turn into a novel.

CP: You also write for Examiner.com as well. What about journalistic writing do you find appealing?

XA: What is most appealing about my columns over at Examiner.com is the strange and wonderful mix of people I have had the good fortune to interview. From Trans Male Porn Performers to 80’s Cartoon Voice Over icons to Politicians and Jewelry Artisans it’s a crazy and fantastic potpourri of creative people and they all inspire me.

CP: What’s next for you?
XA: Right now, I am shopping a full-length erotic horror novel hoping for a bite, it’s the first of 4 books in a series and whoever snatches it will have to be kind of brave to get on that ride with me. I also have a zombie short story out (non erotic) and an erotic story centered around a magician theme for an anthology due out in the spring sometime.

Click to Purchase

CP: Okay…Now a few nosy questions for the fans: Married/Single/Divorced/Involved?

XA: I’m always involved in something.

CP: Any children?

XA: My stories are my kids, well, and my cats and rabbit.

CP: What do you do in your ‘Xavier’ time?

XA: Hit the beach for beer and seafood.

CP: What are you reading right now?
XA: It’s so weird I’m really struggling with reading right now; first time in my life. But, by my bed are two books; Mrs. Dalloway (that I’ve been slogging through for about 100 years) and Dune which scrambles my brain every time I pick it up.

CP: What music do you enjoy?

XA: Music is a monstrously huge part of my life. I listen to everything from 60’s girl groups to Rob Zombie and The Misfits. The last job I had was in a sex shop and my coworkers would always know when I was working when the music would go from Fleetwood Mac to Black Flag and then 80’s Freestyle. 

CP: Favorite food?

XA: Anything spicy, the hotter the better.

CP: Favorite movie?

XA: A Streetcar Named Desire; I’m a huge Vivien Leigh guy.

CP: Personal preference: Long sleeves or barefoot weather?

XA: Barefoot, I’m in flip flops now.

CP: What advice or wisdom can you pass along?

XA: Do you; don’t worry about what other people are doing, just DO YOU 

CP: And what are you most proud of?

XA: Being brave enough to pursue creative fulfillment.

Xavier's Links:

http://www.facebook.com/xaviersaxel

http://www.twitter.com/xaviersaxel

http://www.examiner.com/la-in-los-angeles/francis-xavier

http://www.xavieraxelson.com/

Carey Parrish

Existence

What is it to exist?
Is it simply to be?
With life or without?
Animate or inanimate?
Do we always exist?
On a molecular level?
Long after we're dead?
Will there always be some evidence that we were?
Or are?
When do we begin?
At birth?
At conception?
Or are we always present?
Energy, waiting for a vessel?
When do we end?
At death?
Do we end?
Or do we go on?
In some form?
Will we learn the answer?
Do we spend our time trying to figure it all out?
Or do we just enjoy what we have?
Now?
Then?
In the future?
Or never?
Always?
Questions, curiosity, only to propagate more of the same?
Is that what it's all about?
Existence?

Carey Parrish
March 2012

Burning Bridges: The GOP Free - For - All

I had decided that this year I would remain neutral in the political race for the White House. Four years ago I was one of Barack Obama's biggest supporters. I felt it was my duty as an American citizen to help defeat John McCain and Sarah Palin. I was totally behind President Obama and I had nothing but high hopes for his administration. Like so many of my fellow Americans, I have been bitterly disappointed by many aspects of his performance as our president. So much so that until the last few months I have been undecided about whether he would get my vote again, or not.

The behavior of the Republican candidates for president this year has all but made up my mind for me. I have a hard time imagining myself voting for anyone representing the Republican party because they stand for almost everything I do not. I cannot imagine an America where we could regress to a time where people are no longer equal. I don't support any religious agenda and I can't accept any lawmakers who believe their religious beliefs give them the right to force them on everyone else. I feel that we are now into the 21st Century and it's time for America to catch up with most of the rest of the world in terms of equality. The Republicans and their conservative stances display a willingness to do the opposite of what I see as The American Dream.

Though, as the race to see who gets the Republican nomination goes on, I am beginning to believe that they are their own worst enemy. There are four frontrunners for the GOP nomination and they are sabotaging not only themselves but their entire party by fighting over who's the most conservative and who best represents the GOP. Constantly tearing each other down detracts from the most important issues in this contest and I am not very impressed by anyone who loses focus on what our country needs in favor of committing character assassinations on one another.

Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul have about as much chance of getting the GOP nomination as I do, and yet they remain in the race because they are deluded in their assessments of the support behind them. Newt Gingrich, in my opinion, stands for almost everything the Republican party does not. He's on his third marriage, has openly admitted to adultery where his first two wives were concerned, and he tends to forget that he was forced to leave Congress in disgrace. Or maybe he just hopes everyone else will forget it. Ron Paul, on the other hand, seems to only be keeping his campaign alive to irritate Mitt Romney. He knows he won't get his party's nod to run against Obama. I can't understand why he is so intent on undermining the GOP. I wonder if he knows the answer himself.

Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are the only potential nominees the Republicans can offer up. Of the two, the former will almost certainly get the nomination. Romney is the only one who seems to have shifted his focus onto the issues facing the US right now. Santorum is completely overwhelmed by the need to slander Romney in any way he can. Whenever he does talk about the problems average Americans are facing today he flubs his words and comes off contradicting himself more often than not. His religious views are another mark against him because he is of the opinion that he can use them against anyone who believes differently than he does himself, and he's willing to say anything he thinks his fellow Republicans want to hear. He is his own biggest opponent.

All this fighting over who's the best Republican and who is the most conservative is serving to do nothing more than undermine whatever chances the GOP has to unseat Barack Obama in November. The contenders for the nomination are making fools of themselves on a global stage by attacking one another over and over again. People want to hear what they can do to make life better and sadly their behavior isn't demonstrating very much ability for any of them to make any difference whatsoever,

Today is Super  Tuesday and I fully believe that when it's over Romney will have more delegates to his credit than his counterparts will ever be able to challenge. If it is indeed Romney who goes up against Obama in November I have no doubt that the President will be reelected. Even though Romney does seem to be talking about the real issues at stake, he is being undermined by those who are vying with him for the nomination. He's also much more moderate than most Republicans are as well. I don't think he'll end up with the support he's expecting from his own party.

The GOP has effectively sunk its own ship. In a country where values and ideals are changing, the Republican lean toward trying to preserve a vision of America that is no longer relevant to most of their countrymen is yet another nail in their coffin. What I find most curious about the entire debacle is that the candidates the Republican party is currently offering seem unable to grasp the real meaning of what their antics are doing to their credibility. Only Romney seems to have an inkling of what's going on but he can't rise above it because his opponents won't let him.

This GOP free for all is proving to Americans as a whole that the Republican party is increasingly irrelevant in today's world. As much as I consider myself independent when it comes to political choices and affiliations, I would find it practically impossible to support a Republican candidate for president when evaluating the present state of their affairs. The GOP is burning bridges within itself even more effectively than they're burning them with the rest of the country.

And polls across the country are bearing out the fact that I am far from alone in this assessment.

My Oscar Predictions for 2012

Every year, like so many other countless writers, I post my Oscar predictions. I am usually either right on the money or terribly close. (Ha Ha.) So this year, it may be a bit late, but here they are; Carey's picks.

Best Picture - The Artist. (I foresee no possible upsets.)

Best Director - Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist. (Possible upset by Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris, but I don't really see it.)

Best Actor - Jean Dujardin for The Artist. (Possible upset by George Clooney for The Descendants, but George already has an Oscar.)

Best Actress - Viola Davis for The Help. (Possible upset by Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady, but lets face it, Davis' performance was superb.)

Best Supporting Actor - Christopher Plummer for Beginners. (Possible upset by Max von Sydow for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close; big chance of this.)

Best Supporting Actress - Octavia Spencer for The Help. (I foresee no upsets in this race, unless Janet McTeer pulls a fast one for her performance in Albert Nobbs.)

Okay...Lets see how I do!

Wild Week

This writing is about four days in the making. Most of you know that last Friday I had to go to my local ER due to chest pain. I was subjected to a day of probing, prodding, labs, and EKG's. They sent me home because everything checked out but with the advice that if my chest pain recurred I would need to return for a heart cath. My age, general health, and family history were too prominent to ignore. I came home hoping for no more chest pain and with a resolve to take better care of myself.

Well, the chest pain came back on Sunday morning and it was worse than the original episode. I heeded my doctor's advice and returned to the ER. Soon I was back in the chest pain observation unit and having a visit with a cardiologist I've known for many years. Dr. Olson is someone I trust and I had no doubts that his recommendations were in my best interests. The chest pain that was resolved with nitroglycerin, the cold clammy sweat and nausea that accompanied it, and the right bundle branch block were all too much to dismiss. I let Dr. Olson proceed as he saw fit.

On Monday morning I underwent a heart cath. The results were both good and bad news. The good news was that none of my coronary arteries were occluded. Everything was open and flowing. The bad news was that my coronary arteries are congenitally small and narrow. This lent itself to my having had vasospasms. It's a condition called Prinzmetal Angina. This made perfect sense in light of the chest pains I was having and my passing a nuclear stress test with flying colors on the previous Friday.

I came home later in the afternoon on Monday with some more changes to my medication regimen. I was prescribed a drug called a calcium channel blocker which should act to prevent any further arterial spasms in my coronaries. I was also given a scrip for nitroglycerin tablets in case I need them. I have to say that this treatment plan is working well so far. I've had no more chest pains and I haven't had to take any nitroglycerin either. Fantastic! I should be on the mend now.

I've had a few days since of not feeling very well in terms of having a low energy level. This is no doubt an adverse effect of the calcium channel blocker but it will hopefully resolve in time. I can deal with feeling run down so long as it entails no more cardiac episodes and no further ambulance rides. That was all a bit much for my nerves but I must say my fears over having blockages trumped anything else I might have been concerned about at the time.

I'm getting back to normal now. I was given a low sodium, low cholesterol diet and I've been trying very hard to live by it. I am always very compliant with my medication schedule, so taking the pills on time isn't an issue for me. I know that with my family history heart disease is a malady which tends to run through the gene pool on both sides and I have no desire to go that route myself. So I'm following my doctor's advice and doing things the way I'm supposed to be doing them. This includes turning down a cheeseburger for lunch today. It was hard to do but I remembered the pain, the rides in the ambulances, and the invasive procedures I endured while in the hospital, and it wasn't that difficult after all.

Getting back to my routine has helped a lot as well. I wasn't released to go back to work until Thursday. I think I needed the extra time off because the heart cath took more out of me than I expected; or perhaps it was all the drugs they used to snow me during the procedure. Whichever, I didn't complain. I wasn't experiencing chest pain and having to call 911 anymore. I can deal with the other issues as long as I don't have to go through any more of that.

I feel I will be back to my old self soon enough. I'd like to thank everyone who checked on me and sent me notes of encouragement throughout the last wild week. I can overcome anything; that I've learned in my nearly 45 years living.

And I will continue to pursue the goal of taking better care of myself. It won't be easy turning down cheeseburgers and french fries on a regular basis but I can do it often enough to keep myself out of the ER. One thing about having small coronary arteries is that I can't risk building up plaque in them. My cholesterol level was excellent for someone my age, so I think it best not to rock the boat.

Hopefully this will be my last cardiac post. Keep egging me on in this goal. I'll need all the help I can get.

Peace,
C

Perspective

I've always heard that at different times in our lives things happen to bring us a new perspective. No matter what you're dealing with or going through, the entrance of something bigger than you are sets everything in the right viewpoint so that you have no doubts about what you should or shouldn't be doing. For me, one of those moments happened yesterday morning.

It was just past 4:30 when I was suddenly overcome by an intense pressure like, squeezing chest pain that began in the area of my left breast and radiated to my shoulder. It was accompanied by nausea, difficulty breathing, and a clammy perspiration. Being here alone, I was shaken enough by the experience to call 911. Within half an hour I was in the chest pain center of our local hospital being evaluated for a cardiac event.

What followed was almost twelve hours of blood work, being monitored by telemetry, undergoing a nuclear stress test and having oxygen delivered through a nasal cannula. The results were encouraging. My enzymes were negative for a heart attack. My cholesterol level was within normal limits. My blood pressure was elevated, but I'm already on high blood pressure medication, so that was no shock what with all that was going on, and the nuclear scan was "okay," according to the doctor. I was discharged with some changes to my medication regimen and the news that if the pain recurred I would likely have to undergo a cardiac catheterization to evaluate my coronay arteries for blockages.

I was also diagnosed with a right bundle branch block. This is a defect in the heart's electrical conduction system. Normally, when a heart beats, it does so because of a discharge of electrical impulses along a defined pathway throughout the heart. Once the impulse passes the two atria, it causes the ventricles of one's heart to contract. In the case of a right bundle branch block the right ventricle does not contract because the electrical impulse to it is blocked. Instead, it contracts because the impulses delivered to the left ventricle are conducted through the heart muscle the two chambers share. Why do I have this abnormality? Who knows?

Fortunately I've had no further episodes of chest pain and I've begun the new medication regimen. So perhaps it was only a cardiac spasm, as the doctor suggested. I hope for no repeats of it because, folks, that was scary.

But it gave me a new perspective. I've dealt with a lot of health issues in my life and through them all I've always had the conviction that I'd overcome them because modern medicine is so advanced, and is always getting more so. Yet that heart scare gave me pause, because I was suddenly, shockingly reminded just how tenuous our grip on life actually is, and how suddenly it can end.

I've been given notice that I need to take better care of myself. I'm only 44 years old, but heart disease runs rampant through both sides of my family, and I had two cousins die young from heart attacks, one at age 47 and the other at age 52. I'm not a young man anymore. I'm "pushing on a bit" as the British would say. It's time I took my health more seriously, did what my doctor advises, and get myself on the right path. I want to live to be 100. I'll have to work at it.

I also have to reprioritize some things in my life. What do I want to deal with? What do I have to deal with? What can I do without? What deserves my worry and what doesn't? In the past twenty-four hours I've come to some pretty sharp conclusions in these areas. And I intend to follow through on these convictions as well. Life is too short to live it being anything less than happy.

Keep your fingers crossed for me that I don't have any more episodes of chest pain. I don't want to have a heart cath. I had one several years ago and four hours flat on your back following it is a killer. Not to mention that pinching feeling you get at the site of incision in the groin where they go in with the catheter. That lasts for about a week. I can do without that again as well.

Thanks for all your kind thoughts and loving words.

Carey