Wayback Machine Music Review

Billy Joel: The Stranger. Originally released in 1977.

I originally bought this record on LP back in probably around 1978 from the Columbia House Record Club. I recently bought this recording on Compact Disc and I wanted to write about it. This recording holds up. It is definitely a product of it's time and therefore, I'm not sure I would classify this album as "timeless" but it is a good album and in fact for me, being a 15 - 16 year old kid at the time, listening to this record, takes me back to my first dates and high school, etc. In fact I was moved to buy the LP back in 10th grade by a girl I dated, her favorite at the time was "Only The Good Die Young". The entire record is very good with some tunes that really stand out. "Just The Way You Are" IS a timeless piece, so is "She's Always A Woman". The rest of the songs are very good, and for those of us who where there the first time around, it quickly transports you back to the late 1970's.

I'm not a huge Billy Joel fan, however he did have his moments. The Stranger is the album that made Billy Joel a household name, it was worth buying again.

Sailing With A Green Crew

Took my own midshipman and his uncle out for a nice sail, fortunately or unfortunately, I discovered that my SUV had a blown head gasket.

Sailing with a young midshipman

I took my 13 year old nephew out for a nice sail.

Suprise Sail

Took a couple of former coworkers out for sail. The air was light and the weather looked threatening. As the night went on, wind came up and clouds went away, all in all a good sail for a Friday night.

Training Exercises

Took my usual crew out for a sail, the midshipmen can only tolerate an hour or two at most before the crew becomes mutinous.

Shake Down Cruise 2009

Sailed on July 4th for a few hours, everything went very well.

New Berth Cushions

Finally after many years of putting up with less than stellar berth cushions, I bit the bullet and ordered new ones made. By a stroke of luck I ordered it from what turns out to be the supplier to the Hutchins Company for cushions! I know this is going to turn out to be a great improvement inside the cabin. My first mate couldn't stand the originals which had become ripped, musty and flattened out. These cushions are made of a much better grade and it is my hope that these cushions will last the rest of the time I own this boat (which is going on 17 years now, unbelievable!). This will make being/sleeping below a much better experience. I need to work on sleeping accommodations topside now since my midshipman is getting too big to sleep across the front of the cabin.