2022 Kerouac-olutions and a report on 2021's

Before I address Kerouac-olutions for the New Year, here is an update on how I did with 2021's. It's a mixed bag.

2021 New Year's Kerouac-olutions UPDATE

In 2021, I hereby resolve to:

1. Stay alive one more year (this item partly inspired by COVID)

SUCCESS

2. Drink a bottle of 21-year-old Bushmills and 18-year-old Tullamore Dew (with help from Crystal)

ALMOST (a little Tullamore Dew is left)

3. Use the treadmill at least 2 times per week

FAIL

4. Lose 10 pounds

SUCCESS

5. Be able to do 25 pushups in a row

FAIL (I'm currently at 16)

6. Continue blogging in general and specifically about Kerouac-related births and deaths

SUCCESS

7. Read a bunch of books, including some John LeCarre -- who just died (hard to quantify, I know)

SUCCESS

8. See the California Dales in person (COVID may prevent this)

FAIL

9. Read Kerouac (no particular amounts or titles)

SUCCESS (mostly related to research for  blog posts)

10. Buy Crystal flowers at least 6 times

SUCCESS (I think)

2022 New Year's Kerouac-olutions

I only have one Kerouac-olution this year: to practice kindness. That's something I need to work on every day in every way. Click HERE for some Buddhist-inspired thinking on the subject.

What are YOU resolving for the New Year?

Belatedly remembering Al Hinkle

 

Al Hinkle (R) with Jack Kerouac

Holiday busy-ness got the better of us yesterday, so today we belatedly remember Al Hinkle, who died on yesterday's date -- December 26 - in 2018 (bonus trivia: wrestler Gorgeous George died on this same date in 1963). Hinkle was represented in Jack Kerouac's works as follows: Big Ed Dunkel in On The Road; Slim Buckle in Desolation Angels and Visions of Cody; Ed Buckle in Book of Dreams; and, Al Buckle in Lonesome Traveler. Al was a childhood friend of Kerouac muse Neal Cassady, and was along for the ride on certain legs of the cross-country Cassady-Kerouac road trips made famous in On The Road.

Al was one of the last living original Beat Generation characters, and one of the only ones I met/saw in person (David Amram and Michael McClure being the only other two I can think of -- I haven't ever seen Gary Snyder). I interviewed Al in 2012 for The Daily Beat. Click HERE for my post on the occasion of his death -- there you can find links to my interview and our meeting. A little Googling will reveal several sources of info about this well-known Beat Generation figure where you can read up on his interesting life.

RIP, Mr. Hinkle.

Remembering Denise Levertov

                                     

Poet Denise Levertov died on this date -- December 20 -- in 1997. She appeared in Jack Kerouac's Desolation Angels as Alise Nabokov. We recently wished her a happy birthday in heaven and posted some additional information about her (click HERE).

RIP, Ms. Levertov.

 

A palindrome birthday

 

Today is my birthday, and the date is a palindrome (reading the same forward and backward): 121121. Also of note, I was born in 55 and turned 66 today. 

I've opined about numerology in a previous post HERE. And we completed what I called a "numerology project" HERE.

HERE is another source detailing facts about this special date.

Happy reading.

Oh, and Jack Kerouac claimed to remember his birth day. I'm glad I don't, to be perfectly honest.