elvagreen123

The Day After

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Hi Folks.  In an earlier post titled “On The Radio” I wrote a little blurb about the fact that I had been invited to be interviewed on an old time radio program.  Well, it’s the day after and I am still enjoying the experience of being interviewed via the internet.  I have had a smile on my face from the moment I opened my eyes this morning.

I decided to visit a blogging site after I woke up and, just by chance, I found a post written by a young lady who has recently garnered some acclaim in her writing career, and though she was truly happy and excited when she got the news, her euphoria was short-lived, and the next day she said something like, “I did the thing, though”.  This reminded me of what my daughter said to our friends last night about my radio appearance, which was, “my mom did the d*** thing.”  Now, my understanding of this term is that it is basically slang for “wow! she did it”, or something to that effect, and it touched me to read those words from Melony, because yea,I did do it.   I did it with the help, also, of three gentlemen, Larry, John and Walden who gave me the chance to appear as a guest on their show to discuss my father, Eddie Green, and why I have chosen to write a book about his life and how he rose above poverty despite the odds.

Now, it is the day after and I still feel happy, but, and here is where that afore-mentioned young lady comes in, there has been a moment here and there when the thought has gone through my mind that, there is nothing else happening now, it’s the next day and everything is back to normal.  Don’t get me wrong, the boost I got from being given the opportunity to share my endeavors over the airwaves is phenomenal, there is just a tiny part of me, evidently, that needs continual boosting and I guess the best way for me to do that is to continue doing the d*** thing!

As a newbie to this blogging process, I am not sure about the rules of etiquette so I am not mentioning last names-I want to thank Larry, John and Walden for having me on their program and Martin for introducing us.

elvagreen123

Exposure

Hello, happy Thursday, today I am posting an internet radio address below for anyone who would like to tune in on Friday, December 5, 2014 at 8:15pm to listen to yours truly being interviewed about why I have chosen to write a book about my father, Eddie Green.  If you are a fan of OTR (old time radio) or you like trailblazer stories or are just looking for something a little different to enjoy, try this:

www.yesterdayusa.com

click on either the red or blue link.

We will begin at about  8:15 Pacific and should be finished in 45 minutes to an hour.

Since starting this blog, I have written about 14 posts and almost every one of them has some mention of my father, or of the book I am putting together regarding my father.  While focusing on getting this blog up and at the same time researching my father’s life from 1950 back to 1896, I never even considered someone might want to interview me.  I had, of course, hoped to build an impressive group of followers to have something to show potential publishers, and then, once I got started, I realized I really did want to be that person who helps others find inspiration.  But to actually have someone point me out and bring me forward and have me speak out loud to a live audience, is something that just had not occurred to me.  Well, truthfully, I thought it would probably happen to me after I became famous.

What I am learning is that part of this blogging and book-writing process, is me going out and making myself visible, if for no other reason than to get ideas that I can then pass on to others with similar ambitions.  Actually, this blog is late in the process, as I made the decision, at least 15 years ago, to write a book chronicling my father’s accomplishments.  It is only in the last four years that I have actually done the necessary footwork it takes to gather material, such as birth certificates, copyright information, newspaper clippings and photographs. I understand now that with exposure and active research, I will learn things that may help another blossoming writer, things like the fact that people want money to give you pictures of your father, pictures that they own.  Meaning people in museums and people who work at newspapers.  I have learned also, that there are people out there who are more than willing, and able, to help another person achieve positive results in their endeavors.  I absolutely look forward to this experience and I will blog about it.

In the meantime, and in between time, I am still adding and subtracting elements to my site and I have received some good feedback that I really appreciate.  My intent is to post pretty much in the realm of inspiration through examples, motivational stories and poems, and about daily happenings.  Comments and shares are welcome.

elvagreen123

A Sense Of Purpose

Seen on the internet:
“This evening, I was reading Donald Miller’s book “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years” and came across this passage:

“It’s true that while ambition creates fear, it also creates the story. But it’s a good trade, because as soon as you point toward a horizon, life no longer feels meaningless. And suddenly there is risk in your story and a question about whether you’ll make it. You have a reason to get out of bed in the morning.”

It reminded me that learning how to blog is learning how to tell a good story. And in the process of working thru the fear, we find meaning for our words that gives us a sense of purpose.”—Steve Hawkins.

The above post by Steve Hawkins spoke to me as a person new to blogging, because fear absolutely allowed me to procrastinate in this blogging endeavor.  I probably spent two months just researching platforms, search engines, best names for my site, until I became aware of the fact that I needed to start the process of writing or stop fooling myself and relax.   My desire to write a book, and to be able to blog about it while doing so, overcame my fear.  I have pointed toward a horizon.  It is similar to what I felt when I got my first “real” job in 1968.  That first morning I woke up, threw off my covers and jumped (yep) out of bed.  I had a reason to get out of bed.

Today, by sharing stories and thoughts of inspiration, I feel a sense of purpose.  When I wake up I want to get out of bed (no jumping though!), I look forward to my day because I can see the goal, and I am working towards that goal.  There are a lot of posts on-line from people who overcame their fear.  I am in good company.  Thank you for allowing me to share your post, Steve Hawkins.

elvagreen123

From an Article in the The Pittsburgh Courier:

“BLACKBERRIES OF 1932”
With one of the largest casts yet
to appear on Broadway . . . Lee (Harlemanla)
Posner has conceived the
idea for “Blackberries of 1932 which
opens at Max Rudnick’s Liberty The”
ater. West 42d street. Easter Monday
. .book by Eddie Green, who was featured
with “Hot Chocolates”

The Eddie Green mentioned in this article was my father.  According to numerous Playbills, archives and Library of Congress documents, “BLACKBERRIES OF 1932” was an original Broadway musical revue, with music by Donald Heywood and Tom Peluso; and book by Lee Posner and Eddie Green.  And book by. Wow! I read this article about four years ago and I was flabbergasted, mom never told me Eddie wrote a book!  They weren’t married yet, but still.  It’s things like this that I am finding out 64 years after his death.

In 1932, Eddie was 36 years old.  He had been in the entertainment industry since he was too young to receive a wage.  He had already been on the stage for 18 years and had pretty much begun to make a name for himself.  As you can see from the Hudson Theatre program below, Eddie had also appeared in a number of skits in a show on Broadway titled “HOT CHOCOLATES” in 1929.  Eddie was popular and became more so as the years went on.One reason that I am writing a book about my father is that even though Eddie was a well-known, highly visible, funny man who hung out with other well-known entertainers and business-men, today it is as though Eddie never existed.  I picture my father in the company of some of the greats of his era and what I see is a an empty space where he should be standing.   With my book, I would like to re-place my father into that empty space by bringing his accomplishments to light and by keeping the memory of his achievements fresh in the minds of those who have come after him, so that they may find inspiration to take that leap to a better life.

I have to reiterate here that Eddie was born in 1896 or thereabouts into a poverty-stricken home that he left as early as he could.  Eddie made the determination, at quite a young age, to have a better life and he made it happen.  Despite the obstacles ahead of him.  Actually, it seems to me that my father decided to do whatever he wanted to do, and then he went out and did it.  My father lived his life as if there were no obstacles.

elvagreen123

Be Inspired By Those Who Have Gone Before You

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My mom

I had the television on the other day and I heard the phrase “those who have gone before us”.  I only caught a glimpse of what was on the screen, but I think they were showing photos of people who had overcome some adversity.  When starting this blog, I had considered using this phrase as the title of my blog because I want to write about the people older than us, from whom we have acquired a bit of knowledge which helped us get through life, people who have inspired us.

I was inspired by my mom.

My mother was 86 when she died and I know that during her lifetime she endured some trials and tribulations.  In 1959, she came so close to dying at age 36, our neighborhood minister was called in to pray with her.  She received 60 pints of blood from the sailors in Long Beach, got better and came home weighing 86 pounds.  Life went on, she had a husband (the second), five kids, a household to run and she held a series of jobs.  Unfortunately, she also had a complicated personal life which caused turmoil, but she always persevered.  She married a third time in 1966 and for 40+ years was on a roller coaster ride.  In 1998 mom lost a son.  In 1997 she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  In 2007 she was planning a birthday bash for me but she wound up in an emergency room with an embolism and from there she went into a hospice, the local Catholic priest came this time.  She surprised everyone when she got better and left the hospice.  She went back to hospice a couple of years later.  She had cancer, but unless you were family or her doctor, you would never have guessed. I never heard my mother complain to anyone about how rough life was.

One day it dawned on me just how strong my mother had been through her life and what an inspiration she was to me.  I shared that thought with her, and I am glad I did because her smile was like a ‘thank you’ for sharing that with her.

Mom lived life as it was and rolled with the punches, and then she got up and went to look at Jeopardy, her favorite television program.

Take a look around at those who came before you and see if you can recognize how they have been an inspiration in your life.  And then, show your respect.

elvagreen123

As We Give Thanks

Thanksgiving ingredients Stock Image

In light of recent family tragedies, and also because of the unrest around our world, I have been wondering how some people are able to feel thankful on this Thanksgiving Day. ‘

I believe that most of us look forward to having something positive to say at the dinner table on Thanksgiving. Dad says he’s thankful for mom, mom is thankful that her kids are doing well in school, and everybody is thankful for the turkey. In my case, I am thankful today that the many members of my family have come together in spirit this year, more so than any other year that I can remember.

Unfortunately, there are families who, as a direct result of an act of violence, will be missing a family member. So today, as we give thanks, I hope that the love we share can somehow travel through the air and touch those who need support, and that our prayers of thankfulness are instrumental in helping others enjoy life once again.

elvagreen123

On The Radio

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I have been invited to be a guest on a radio program in December.  They say there is a first time for everything, well, this is a first for me.  This was not something I expected, and I am a bit anxious, however, I am Eddie Green’s daughter and Eddie was a star of stage, radio and screen, so why be anxious?  After all, there was also a first time for Eddie.

Eddie was doing a show on Broadway “Hot Chocolates” in 1929, when he was asked to join the cast of a radio program that was being broadcast to Commander Byrd in Little America in the Antarctic.  According to The Brooklyn Eagle,  “The whole town was talking about Eddie Green. . . . ” because evidently Eddie’s skit was side-splitting. He joined the program, which was broadcast to all listeners in the United States as well as on two short-wave channels.

Of course, I am not half as funny as my father, nor am I as well-known, but here I am following in his footsteps, on the radio, an Old Time Radio program, at that.  I am being interviewed in regard to what I am trying to do to preserve the history of my father’s life.  I feel honored to be able to do the interview.   I started this project with a focus on my immediate family, but as I began to uncover the many achievements of my father, who started with nothing, I realized Eddie’s story could serve as inspiration to a wider population of people facing a variety of obstacles, and what could be better than an audience of radio listeners.  I’m in seventh Heaven.

 

elvagreen123

Learn to Relax!

The title of this post is basically for me.  I am new to blogging and I am having to read all instructions two and three times to get this right.  I want images, but not too big, I want them here, not there, I should make up my mind because I must get this post out today!  When the reality is, there is nothing I must do at all.  I have no time limit and I actually find blogging and learning new technology enjoyable.  Hence, the picture.

I have been re-reading my posts and I realized that I have been writing the posts as if I was writing a book.  Meaning, that unless a person reads my first blog, they may not understand the most recent blog.  Well, I have to relax about that also.  It’s not as if I have a lot of traffic, yet.

While sitting here, I decided to see if I could locate something to fill the rest of this post and TA DA! I found a copy of a portion of sheet music for the song my father wrote.  I don’t know if this was handwritten by Eddie (I intend to find out) but the good thing about this is his name is on it.  This song was actually copyrighted by my father in 1917 in Chicago.  Quite a lot of artists have performed this song and it is still recognized as being written by Eddie Green.  I knew before I began researching the life of my father, that he had written this song and in the course of this research I discovered 28 more songs, four of which Eddie renewed in 1950, the same year that he died.  The man was sick for at least a year before he died, but he took the time to renew the copyright on his songs.

I hereby give kudos to those folks that preserve and keep track of copyright documents so that people like me can find records that may have otherwise been lost.

Sheet Preview

elvagreen123

A Positive Vibe

Initially, my decision to write a book about my father was inspired by my grandson, and my mom and I were going to work on this book together.  Unfortunately, it was discovered that mom had breast cancer, so, of course, we put the book aside.  Mom survived the cancer, but along the way other physical issues popped up, and my enthusiasm waned.

After my mom died in 2010, my desire to continue my research came back full-force.  The past four years have been a jaw-dropping experience for me.  I have come to have a deep respect for people who have had to work hard at living a decent life. As a black man born in 1896, my father put in an enormous amount of work, as I have discovered in my research.  In a 2001 interview, Jimmy Dean said, “Poverty was the greatest motivating factor in my life.”  What a powerful statement!  I believe that statement was probably true, also, for my father.

Of course, motivation can come from many sources so, In that vein, I have posted an address (hope it works, this is my first attempt) to a blog I follow because this young man is extremely positive, energetic and helpful.   The blog is titled,  “PointlessBlog”, check it out.