It's been quite some time since I've posted on my blog. I'm finally ready to start back blogging. While I did enjoy my time away, I have missed blogging and all my friends here. I did need the rest and the time to concentrate on certain goals I wanted to accomplish. I have been able to achieve some of the things I wanted to do during my hiatus. Some of the other items I am still currently working on.
When I took my break, I wasn't really sure how long I would be away. I had figured at most that I might be gone for six weeks to two months. I never would have imagined I would have been away this long. I heard from quite a lot of people who did miss this blog, as well as my Sugar & Spice blog, and wondered when I was coming back. I was never quite sure. I think I got burned out and overwhelmed with my blogs. It got to be where it felt like a job. It just got to a point where I felt stressed out.
There are going to be some changes. One of the biggest changes will be in the amount of postings I do. Before I was doing a post every weekday, but I won't be doing that this time around. One thing is that I don't want to feel the stress and tension I felt before. Plus I no longer have internet access at my house. I don't have the time and so forth these days to do that many posts. I plan to do around two posts per week. They will generally be posted on Mondays and Wednesdays. They will probably be posted around 9AM Eastern Standard Time. Some weeks I might only do one post on this blog, while other weeks I might do three. Two will be the normal amount for this blog though. The same goes for my other blog as well.
While my blog originally focused on Dean Martin and the Rat Pack, I plan to mix it up this time around. You've noticed that I'm now calling this blog Coolness Is Timeless. That was always part of the previous title, The Dino Lounge: Coolness Is Timeless. I did do posts back then that focused on other men I admire from both the past and present. I covered everybody from Cary Grant to Fonzworth Bentley. I want to do more of that. I plan to still cover Dino and those cool cats this time around, but I want to expand the blog out to share some of my other interests. That's the main reason why I didn't feel it was right to continue to keep the previous title since the main focus would no longer be on Dean Martin. I'll continue to do posts on him and the Rat Pack, but there is so much more I want to post about now. Coolness is truly timeless. It never goes out of style. I have a lot of retro interests, but I also embrace the best of our modern times as well. I want to try to find the right balance between the past and the present.
This blog is a work in progress. This is a time of evolution for this blog. I'm really excited about the future here. I've got some great ideas about what I want to do here. I can't wait to start having fun again. I do hope that all my readers from before will return to read my blog. I've missed all of you. I am sorry for going away so long. I also hope that you will enjoy what I do with this blog. I know things are going to be different now, but I do hope you will stick around. Thanks for all your support, encouragement, friendship, etc. I have appreciated all of it so much. Cheers!
P.S. I hope that you will link to my blog. If you add a new link, please let me know so I can add a link to your blog as well. If you already linked to my blog, please change the title of the link to Coolness Is Timeless instead of The Dino Lounge. Thanks.
Happy New Year! I hope that everybody will have a fantastic time ringing in 2010. I do hope that all of you who celebrated Christmas had a wonderful time this year.
I'm still without a cable modem. I've been doing a lot of soul searching lately, plus I've been talking to my sister. We've decided to give up the internet at our house for the time being. Money is really tight right now. It doesn't seem to be getting any better any time soon. We are giving up both our high speed internet and our digital cable service. We are just going to keep basic cable. That will save us some money every month. We are always looking for way to cut expenses.
I am putting this and my other blog on hiatus for the time being. I had been mulling doing this anyway before the situation with the cable modem arose. The modem dying just sealed it for me.
I've got a lot of things I want to try to work on in 2010. The last few years of my life have been rather rocky. Plus I will turn 40 in 2010. That's one of those milestone birthdays. There are some goals I'm setting for myself that I want to accomplish in this year.
I really want to get back into shape. I've gained a lot of weight over the last few years. When I'm stressed out, I eat a lot. I've been stressed out so much due to work and other factors. I want to start eating better and working out again.
I also want to try to find another job this year. It's not getting any better at work. I'm thankful that I've got a job when so many others are still out of work. I still would like to figure out something else to do. I'm not getting the hours or the pay I was a few years back. It's been a real struggle.
I want to work on my spiritual life as well. I'm not sure if it's because I'm getting older or what, but I've been thinking about spiritual matters a lot lately. I plan to start going to a house of worship in a few weeks. I want to work on my relationship with God. Plus it will give me a chance to be part of some community and something greater than myself.
I have so much enjoyed doing both my blogs. I've had a lot of fun. I've meet a lot of great people. I'm going to miss it. But I feel like I need to take this break for now so I can concentrate on some other areas of my life. Blogs tend to take so much time and energy. I need to focus that instead on improving my life. I'm not saying I'll never come back. I may be back in a month or it could be six months or more. I'm not sure. Thanks so much for all the support and friendship you've all given me since I starting blogging. It means the world to me. I care about you guys a lot.
I'll be able to get on the internet a few times a week at my grandmother's. I plan to keep my pages on Facebook and MySpace. For those that I'm friends with on either, we can keep in touch there. If you are on either of those and we are not friends yet, I hope that you will become my friend. I do want to stay in touch.
I hope all of you will understand what's going on. Please don't be upset with you. This is just something I need to do. My sister Stephanie is taking a break from her blog Chic Femme as well. I'm not sure how long her break will be. It could be shorter or longer than mine. She's working on getting into graduate school.
Take care. I wish you all the best in 2010. God bless you all. Cheers!
P.S. I wanted to leave you with a couple of videos. The first is of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra doing a skit on Dino's television show for New Year's. The other one is Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli singing New York, New York. I hope you will enjoy both.
One of my favorite actors of all time is Telly Savalas. I'm been a fan of him since I was a young boy. I first remember watching him on the television series Kojak (1973-1978). My mom actually went into labor with my younger brother when we were watching an episode of the show. Telly is most remembered for that classic show of the 1970's. He would even go on to play the role again in a series of television movies during the 1980's.
Some of his other credits throughout the years are The Young Savages (1961), Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), Battle of the Bulge (1965), The Dirty Dozen (1967), etc. He also played the part of the Bond supervillain Ernst Stavro Blofeld in On Her Majesty's Secret Service in 1969. His portrayal of Blofeld is actually my favorite in the Bond franchise. Telly recorded quite a few albums. He also did some print and commercial ads over the years. He even has a connection with members of the Rat Pack because he played the villain in Cannonball Run II in 1984.
Telly always had this masculine coolness about him that I've always admired. Even as a young boy, I found myself idolizing him. There was just something about him that drew me in. I knew that this was the type of man I'd love to be more like. Telly was his own man. He was comfortable in his own skin. He's one of the first bald actors I can remember ever seeing. He also had a voice that was very memorable. It could be soothing, humorous, threatening, etc. Plus Telly definitely had a style of his own. Telly passed away from cancer at the age of 72 in 1994. He's been sorely missed ever since.
Here are a few clips of Telly for your viewing pleasure. I hope you enjoy them.
Telly's spoken word version of If:
The fight scene between Telly's Blofeld and George Lazenby's Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service:
Tribute video to Telly:
P.S. I do hope all my fellow Americans had a great Thanksgiving weekend. Mine was fantastic. I hate to see it come to an end. I also hope that all my international friends had a great week and weekend. I'm trying to head around to all of your blogs now. I did miss checking you guys out this week. I wish you all the best. I hope you will all have a great week as December is almost upon us.
I did want to let everybody know that I'm making some changes here at the blog. I've talked with some friends about this before I made this decision. I will more than likely not be leaving comments anymore here at my blog in response to the comments you leave.
When I was only getting a couple of comments, it was easy to leave comments here and then visit the blogs of others to leave comments there as well. Now that I'm getting a lot more comments at both my blogs, it's gotten to where it's taking so much time that I don't really have. I love doing it, but it's very time consuming. I know that a lot of people who get lots of comments don't leave responses in their own comment section, so I'm definitely not alone in this. I will be visiting each of your blogs and leaving comments there like I always have. If there's a reason to leave feedback in my own comment section, then I'll do it. Otherwise I just won't be usually doing that much anymore.
I hope you all understand. I don't think it should be a problem with anybody. I had been mulling this for quite some time, but had put it off. This is my first week of trying it out. I did want to let all of you know. I'm not sure if any of you had really been checking back to see if I leave comments in my comment section or not. That way you will know what's going on. Plus obviously this will make the amount of comments in my comment section go down, but I never wanted it to look like I was inflating my comment section with my own comments. Thank you for your support. Take care.
I love all those great horror classics from Universal Studios. I'm posting some of my favorites here. Which ones do you really like?
The Phantom of the Opera (1925):
Dracula (1931):
Frankenstein (1931):
The Mummy (1932):
The Invisible Man (1933):
Bride of Frankenstein (1935):
The Wolf Man (1941):
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954):
I decided to include an extra treat. Not sure how many of you have ever heard of the goth band Bauhaus. Here is a video clip for their song Bela Lugosi's Dead.
P.S. I wanted to thank all of those you have been visiting and commenting on my sister Stephanie's blog Chic Femme. I really appreciate it. She's having a lot of fun blogging. I know she's been thrilled with all the positive feedback you guys have given her. I hope you will continue to visit and comment on her blog. For those who haven't checked it out yet or haven't been in awhile, I hope you will definitely drop by her blog. I would greatly appreciate it. I know she would too. Thank you all very much.
Blacula is a blaxplotation horror film released in 1972. William Marshall stars as the title character. In the late 1700's Marshall's character Prince Mamuwalde is transformed by Count Dracula. Two hundred years later, the Prince's coffin finds its way to Los Angeles. There he is released from his slumber and begins to stalk the streets looking for prey. He also falls in love with a woman that looks like the reincarnation of his late wife. While critical reaction has always been negative, the film did enjoy financial success. It has become a cult favorite over the years.
I've included both the movie trailer and a scene from the movie for your viewing pleasure. I hope you enjoy them.
P.S. It has been brought to my attention by someone that he and some others were having trouble reading my blog. He mentioned that it was hard to read the black text on the brown background. I hadn't had anyone say anything to me about this before. I definitely want people to be able to read my blog without any difficulty. So were you guys having any trouble at all? This reader suggested I change the text color to white. I've done that right now. What do you think? Was it easier to read it in black or do you like it in white? If you have any other suggestions for the colors, etc, please let me know. I'm open to recommendations. I want to make my blog a pleasurable experience for everybody to view. Let me know what you think. Thanks.
Here's Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin posing with Jack Klugman of The Odd Couple & Quincy, M.E. fame. I'm not sure when or where this was exactly. These gents definitely look to be having a good time.
P.S. I'm just starting to get into the idea of following other blogs. The blogs I check out are either in my blogroll or I have them bookmarked in my browser. I've decided to start following blogs now. I know that there are quite a few people here who follow my blog. If you would like me to follow your blog, please let me know. I'll be more than happy to do it. If you aren't already following my blog, I hope you will begin doing it now. Oh yeah. If you and I have not already exchanged links and you would like to, please let me know that too. I'd love to add you to my blogroll. I'd love to be added to yours as well. Thanks so much.
One of my favorite singers of all time is Tom Jones. The man has got a powerful voice. He's had so many songs that I love. I'm posting clips of some of my favorite tunes throughout the years. Some of these clips are older ones, while others are more modern. Which is your favorite?
She's A Lady:
What's New, Pussycat?
It's Not Unusual
Thunderball
I'll Never Fall In Love Again
Delilah
Sex Bomb
You'll Never Walk Alone Again
Kiss
P.S. My sister Stephanie has started a blog. It's called Chic Femme. She plans to cover everything from fashion to entertainment. The blog is fairly new, but she does have a few posts up so far. I hope you'll check it out. I know she would appreciate it. I would too. Please feel free to leave her some comments on any posts you like. Thanks.
Also don't forget to vote in my poll for your favorite member of the Rat Pack. The poll will close on late Tuesday. I'll reveal the most popular Rat Packer in my Wednesday post.
Not sure how many of you are fans of Bobby Darin, but I've always liked him. Here's some clips of him performing. I hope you enjoy them. Which one do you like the best? Have a cool & swingin' weekend. Cheers! Dream Lover:
Mack the Knife:
Beyond the Sea:
Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You:
P.S. I know that some of my blogging friends have have Etsy stores? How do you like it? Was it hard to set up? Have you made any sells? Anything you can share with me would be well appreciated. I've been looking into, but I wanted to check with you guys first. Thanks.
I'm not sure where I found this, but I think it's so cool. I would definitely love to have a poster of this at my pad. What do you guys think of it?
Seeing this made me wanna post a clip of the Rat Pack. Here's a video from their charity concert held at the Kiel Opera House on June 20, 1965. The show was hosted by Johnny Carson. This is such an amazing clip. It features a performance by Frank Sinatra. Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. & Johnny Carson all get into the act as well. I hope you enjoy it.
P.S. I wanted to mention that I have reached 100 followers! Thanks so much to everybody who is following my blog. I really appreciate it so much. It means a lot to me. It's cool to reach such a milestone. I was never sure that this blog would last very long. I didn't know if anybody would give a flip about the interests I would post about or not. I've been pleasantly surprised by all the feedback I've gotten since starting this blog over a year ago. There have been times I wasn't sure if I wanted to stick around with this or not. I'm glad I did. I appreciate all the support and encouragement you've given me. Thanks for being good pallies. I raise a toast to all of you. Cheers!
This is a picture of Dean Martin and a bunch of other folks backstage somewhere in 1961. I have no clue where this is and what's going on here. Any ideas? It's still cool to see any picture of Dino. I do often wonder what would it would have been like to have lived back then and had the chance to work with him.
P.S. I never started either of my blogs as a way of making money. I started both of them so that I could share some of my interests with others. I appreciate all the support and encouragement I've gotten since starting both my blogs. It means a lot to me. I'm glad that so many people are enjoying what I post about. I have talked up here before about the situation with my job. I don't get enough hours and the pay is low. Plus I have a lot of trouble with my boss. I'm just thankful to have a job with so many people out of work. While I enjoy blogging just for the fun of it, I did think it would be cool if I could make a few bucks in the process.
I've decided to join a few affiliate programs. They are listed on the right side of my blog in a new advertising section. I thought partnering with these companies in an affiliate program might be a good idea. I hope you will consider ordering from these companies in the future. Thanks so much.
Here's a clip of Nancy Sinatra performing Your Groovy Self in the 1968 film Speedway, which she starred in along with Elvis Presley.
P.S. I am now on bloglovin'. I've seen some other bloggers around who are using it so I decided to sign up as well. If you are on bloglovin', I hope you will follow my blog with it. Thanks. If you have a blog on bloglovin', please let me know so I can start following it there. I appreciate it.
I mean no copyright infringement by the posting of pictures, videos, etc. on this blog. I do not in any way claim the rights of ownership to any of them. They totally remain the property of their respective owners. I have posted them purely for entertainment purposes only. All written content, unless otherwise noted as being quotes, has been written and copyrighted by me.
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