markie d: : Another Self Portrait

Showing posts with label Another Self Portrait. Show all posts

Monday, August 8, 2016

Bob Dylan's secret track and the Venice Artisans

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My Brothers and some of the creative Venice gang began doing custom remodel work at Bob Dylan's house.

Bob was so impressed with the craftsmanship of their artistry that he took the whole group fishing. I can only imagine that while there on that fishing trip the older boys entertained the troops with famous and infamous Dahlin stories while hauling in halibut, bonita, sea bass, and yellow-tail off the Santa Monica coast.

From there, I image how Bob Dylan might have wrote the song on the secret track (3) of his Self Portrait album - about leaving little Markie D behind at Salton Sea.

In the epic 7 part series that began on the first day of fifth grade.

part 2 Life without Sunscreen

part 3 Where things go to die

part 4 Half-a-piece-of-bacon and vanishing

part 5 Chasing taillights and Left Behind

part 6 The Mud covered refugee and the High-Speed Chase

part 7 The Cheese Burger and the Happy Reunion

Karin with floaties

Me flexing in background (on the weekend of the fateful trip)

Bob Dylan probably heard the funny stories and might have even pee'd himself - not sure about that - but it could have happened that way and then proceeded to write this song.

Here are some pictures to keep you occupied until my next post (coming soon).

Backyard

our front yard...

three broken bones at one time

Nana to the left and "The Quaker" far rear of picture

Fishing with Bob Dylan was true - the telling of Dahlin Stories - certain, and the song was possible at least in his head (probably recorded in an alternate universe).

The question still remains: Why did mom send me to Europe? I didn't really want to go. I wanted to hang out and go to the beach with friends and maybe connect with Andrea, so I didn't really understand.

Mom sending me off. 1971 at LAX leaving for Europe look at my enthusiasm. Joy! (sarcasm).

* Photo Credit: Bob Dylan with Fish [The Dylan Group]

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Bob Dylan's secret track: Markie D...Not As It Should Be!

Longest Day Ever Continued:

We now pause for station identification...

You would think that with being left behind at Salton Sea and nearly erased (blog post), shot with arrows, electrocuted, knocked-out three times a week by being squeezed on the temples (blog post), living in a house run by the inmates of the asylum- i.e the WOLF PACK (that's my Viking older brothers); betrayed and shoved into the hamper of death(blog Post), chased by Jerry and having to throw-up everyday (as a sole means of self-protection) that the poor little guy, Markie D, would end up psychotic, if he somehow managed to survive at all.

The Dahlin's made the Addams Family appear normal!

As you can see- they had nothing on us!

Add to that - the trauma of being singled out by the Nuns at the Catholic school, who took a special interest in paying back the last-born-male of this dysfunctional tribe for all the torment that his brothers had inflicted over the past ten years.

It doesn't take rocket science or a advanced degree in psychology to understand that it was no wonder that by the end of the first week of fifth grade - he had trust and focus issues, learning disabilities among other things. He had developed a slight stutter and other speech problems, he was afraid of the dark, gross smells and deathly afraid of suffocation.

Other than all this, the poor little was doing okay - having fun as long as he stayed on the run.

Bob Dylan was so intrigued by his story, that he wrote a bootleg song that was on the secret track of Another Self Portrait album - simply titled: Markie D.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO759kxMCL8&feature=youtu.be

Click on link (above) to listen!

I guess it's no wonder that the little guy's brain didn't work like it should be....

Getting back to our regular programing: Next time "The Great Escape"

No Other Family Like Ours - seriously

WHAT OTHER FAMILY IN THE WORLD let all of the monkeys out of the Zoo, been pranked by the sitting President of the United States in a rouge encounter, chased in cities, chased out of cities and chased down by the cops. Who in their right mind voluntarily electrocute themselves just for fun and dared to electrify the nuns around the corner—who neither volunteered nor had fun? WHAT OTHER FAMILY has had more broken bones, pulled more pranks, have had a plethora of runaway rattlesnakes and other large reptiles terrorize their neighborhood. WHAT OTHER FAMILY grew Mexican Tomato plants that never grew tomatoes and had leaky boats that refuse to float or Escaped death more times? Who had cars on blocks, trucks as trash barges and flowerbeds sprouting rusted bikes, mislaid sparkplugs and abandoned carburetors instead of flowers? Meet the DAHLINS

And to think we survived and came out normal—well, mostly.

The Truimph of Overcoming

I use the word dysfunction with deliberate intention and with great respect in serving the main point of this blog. In the wild ramblings of a kid I ruminate on the idea that my family was not just dysfunctional but was the “most dysfunctional family” on the planet—that’s the set up.

As I look to the other “normal” plain-wrap families next door and across the street that had tidy yards and flowerbeds believing that the grass is greener on the other side (well the grass was greener), it shouldn’t shock anyone to realize that there is dysfunction in all of us—often times masked by tidy lawns and clean exteriors. Along with joy, success and adventure, life is filled with disappointment, failure, pain, and betrayal from those who have let us down. This is what it means to be human. I admit that I faced some disappointment in trying to fit in and longed for acceptance as the youngest boy of our wolf pack, but in large part I can honestly say that I had more fun and more adventure, in what I would call a happy childhood—despite the numerous broken bones. Yet, I would be remiss if I did not brag a bit and say, “Yeah, but...Look at all the great stories.”

Though, I dig deep into the mind and explore the full range of emotions of this young kid who felt detached, wondered about his existence, about his place in the family and his connection to the universe—He came out okay.

The older Markie D loves his brothers and sisters and holds no grudges.

Markie D has found this elusive connection to the universe and is well adjusted—and yes, still a little bit crazy. He has been married for 34 years to an amazing artist, Kerry, and has four incredibly gifted and talented adult children.

Oh, BTW… He mows his lawn, parks a car in the garage and has flowers in the flowerbeds and desires boats that float and less adventure in every outing and more "plain-wrap."

May you find your connection to the universe that brings healing, wholeness, forgiveness and a sense of hope as you look to your future.

Not too long ago on a pale blue dot, third from the sun, people and events converged in the space/time continuum that would forever change the course of history. The setting is a huge Victorian home that slightly leaned on its crumbling foundation, groaning under the weight of unruly kids and hoards of junk. In the era of Ozzie and Harriet and Father’s Knows Best, I was born into a family dysfunction of epic proportions. This decrepit masterpiece in Venice would rival the Addams Family’s house, and the cast of characters would prove to be more incredible and wacky than The Munsters. The big problem was that I was the seventh born, the youngest boy and the runt of the litter.

To have 10 in a family in our catholic neighborhood was underachieving. To compete with the larger families, my mom gladly took in strays. The official-nonofficial count was more in the neighborhood of 14 ―mostly boys and all older than me.

All sibling rivalry and mischief flowed downhill and ended up on my platter, whether I had any say in the matter or not. For fun, we held on to the live wires that were left hanging out of a wall from a unfinished remodel. We were the only family I knew who voluntarily electrocuted themselves with 110 volt household current, and are the only family in the history of the world to single-handedly let all of the monkeys out of the LA zoo. We got chased out of cities; pursued by the Highway Patrol; and sought after by the entire Needles California Police force. Wherever we went, we made a spectacular splash which usually ended up on the front page of the local newspaper.

After being buried in pits, caged, hunted, left behind and electrocuted, I somehow managed to survive my childhood but felt numb, disconnected and alone although part of a big family. In college while searching for acceptance and connection, I experienced an event that would alter the course of my life. I graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Communications. I coached water polo and swimming at Saint Monica’s my High School Alma Mater and enjoyed major success in investment real estate. After a financial crisis, I committed myself to serving in ministry, working with Youth and Family, as an associate pastor of a large church in Southern California. I graduated with a Masters at the top of my class from Azusa Pacific Graduate School of Theology and was ordained a licensed Pastor.

I am married to an avid artist and have four children: three boys and a girl who takes after her mother’s creativity.

Currently, I am a senior Pastor of a church in Roseville, CA, and adjunct Professor of Biblical Studies at a Bible college, and live in Sacramento with my wife and daughter.

markie d:

'72 swim team

Monday, August 8, 2016

Bob Dylan's secret track and the Venice Artisans

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Bob Dylan's secret track: Markie D...Not As It Should Be!

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