My Last Idol

I have been a fan of American Idol since the 3rd season (2004 with Fantasia and Jennifer Hudson). I've enjoyed the show for the most part despite the occasional disappointment. However, last night was the most colossally stupid decision I have seen in the history of the show. Lilly Scott is the most exciting new musical artist I have seen in many years. She was, by far, the most talented person on the show. For her to be shut out of the top twelve when Katie Stevens and Paige Miles got in after weeks of poor performances was an outrage. I cannot express strongly enough how disgusted I am at the Idol voters who let this happen. I've been a faithful watcher of this show for seven years, but last night was my last Idol. I'll not watch the show again.

For Lilly, I only hope that she will get a record deal and start releasing some music. I'll surely buy it and I'm sure that many others will as well. Lilly, you have a fan in me. Idol, you just lost a fan.

Not much longer now.

So here's what happened. I got back from Alabama in December to find my house frozen. Seattle had suffered a deep freeze in my absence and I was in such a rush to get home and see my father before he died that I didn't think to leave the heat on in my house. I returned to find the water in my toilet was a solid block of ice, the sink had an icicle hanging from the faucet, and the seal on the bottom of the toilet had broken causing water to leak all over the floor which had also frozen into a sheet of ice. Also, my computer was no longer working. It has taken three months, but I have finally been able to purchase a new computer system. I should have it in two or three weeks. As soon as the new system is up and running, I'll be able to finish my music lists for 1966 and at long last we will see the beginning of 1967.

Thanks to all for your patience and I sincerely hope that you are still with me. With luck, we'll never have such a big delay of posting again. I'll be back soon.

My father, Leonard Bellew, Sr., passed away at the age of 82 on Saturday, the 5th of December at around 11:30 in the morning. He had been diagnosed a few months earlier with Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a type of pre-Leukemia. He passed in his own bed at home. He was comfortable, in no pain, lucid, and surrounded by his family. One couldn't hope for a better transition to the next world.

He was born in Altoona, Alabama in 1927. He joined the Navy when he was only 15 to fight in WWII. They released him when they discovered his age, but he re-enlisted at 17 to join the Merchant Marines. It must have been really frightening to haul cargo across the Pacific in those lightly armed vessels with the constant fear of Japanese attack. He continued to work as a merchant seaman for a few years after the war, then returned to Alabama where he drove a cement mixer for the next 45 years.

My friends always said that my dad was a really cool guy. I didn't see it at the time, but I certainly see it now. Here's hoping that the Crimson Tide takes the National Championship as he loved Alabama football all his life and it would certainly be meaningful to his memory.

I'm still a little numb and don't have much else to say now. I apologize for my absence from the site and as soon as I resolve some problems with my home computer, I'll start posting regularly again.

Thanks,
Leo