Elvis, Chagall ... and Tea

(1.) Elvis Vigil is tomorrow in front of Graceland. Assuming you guys aren't coming to Memphis for the oddity that is the annual vigil, you can catch the vigilcast online. But it's just not the same. You don't get to see the police blocking off Elvis Presley Boulevard so people can bring their lawn chairs and gaze upon the temple that is Graceland. You don't get to see the shrines, the photos, the Elvis impersonators, the people holding hands in a circle and singing "You Ain't Nothin' But a Hound Dog."

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but when I was working for the CA during The Summer From Hell, a couple of the rim editors took the other intern, Andy, and me down to the vigil. It was just overwhelming, the people crying, holding candles, watching Elvis movies on the Jumbotron, etc.

Now, there were plenty of teenagers there (which, in itself, was kind of weird ... they weren't even born when he died). But what weirded me out the most was the group of five or six teenagers, 16- or 17-year-olds, who had drawn a pentagram with a huge photo of Elvis propped in the middle and different colored candles on each arm of the pentagram. They had their eyes closed and were sitting around the pentagram with their legs crossed and chanting. O_o Very odd, that.

Anyway, you don't get to see any of that on the Vigilcast, but you can still marvel at the people who are more religious about Elvis than most people are about Jesus.

(2.) Elvis-related oddity #2: "Elvis and Chagall" at The Dixon: A Vivian R. Jacobson and Seth Weinstein Multimedia Presentation, Aug. 21.

If you haven't yet caught what that's all about, let me copy a bit from the press release: The program at The Dixon will feature a multimedia approach incorporating slides as well as recorded and live music. Elvis’ hit, The Wonder of You, will resound as Chagall paintings are shown on the screen. In another segment, Chagall’s Biblical paintings are accompanied by Elvis’ Amazing Grace. ... Weinstein’s unique blend of rock and roll with the klezmer, a musical form rooted in ancient Jewish culture, will join the worlds of Elvis and Chagall.

Once again ... O_o

(3.) And a totally non-Elvis-related item: I subscribe to a number of coffee podcasts, but I've noticed the market is lacking a solid tea-focused podcast. After bouncing the idea off Rachel, I'm thinking I might give it a go.

I'm going to do some research and planning ... what kind of segments to include, whether I can secure a co-host, how much equipment I need (if any), etc. But, of course, all my planning won't begin until after I watch "Elvis and Chagall." Absolutely inspirational, that. ::grins::