I spend a lot of time walking; it’s my favorite mode of transportation, except for maybe riding a train, but riding a train from my apartment to, say, Amoeba Music Hollywood, would require either walking half the day to the train station, spending lots of money on a ticket to the next nearest destination which would be somewhere on the outskirts of Los Angeles, at which point I would either have to walk back, which would take a couple days (stopping for food/bathroom/weeping breaks) OR a couple hours in a cab (which would cost more money than I make in a week) OR require walking to a bus-stop and a day-long bus ride. I could do all that, or I could walk the 10 minutes from my apartment to Amoeba.

So, while technically riding a train is my favorite mode of transportation, context is of some consideration, and that results in walking sometimes being my favorite mode of transportation.

Please accept my apologies for the above two paragraphs; they were a complete waste of both our time.

While walking to various destinations, I often enjoy listening to books that have been recorded. People, myself included, still most often refer to these as “books on tape,” even though compact discs are the preferred vehicle for said recordings (“said recordings” – get it?).

I am really hating my journalistic “voice” in this article. Like, a lot. But, going on…

Amoeba Music has a hearty supply of used, “books on tape” and other spoken-word gems. In the Hollywood branch, they’re located in the jazz room, tucked between the classical and experimental sections. We put them there because they kept getting picked-on by the rock/pop DVD’s and vintage posters, both sections known for their name-calling and general rowdiness.

Gadzooks

Dr Seuss

Do you know what this morn brings?

For one thing on this day you were born,

So let’s sing

Ting a ling a song we’ll bring

So toot a flute

Go blow a horn

Let’s celebrate this great date in 1904.

Today sir

Is Monday for sure

Take a look

In my calendar book.

On page three you can see

The month to be is March I believe

And the day,

It says number two,

But not the number two like pooh,

Number two
Like a smooth loop into a curly cue.

The day between one and three,
A second before the third,
Two before four and three before five …
Just a try to solve
What’s enough and where's the stuff
And answer all the whys.

 

Anyway, let me say to you today good sir

Happy birthday in the grandest way

And to make sure of that

Here’s a party hat

A special one, elaborately done
That’s more than just wacky fun,

Designed and refined by critters you made

Who came alive on the page,

Books for kids age one to one hundred twenty three

With names that begin and end from A to Z

And stories even the man on the moon likes to read.

We’ll croon to you a zany tune,

We’ll sing to you a from a crazy balloon

Painted blue and red with yellow thread,

With a sunny bow that glows

Where ever it goes.

We’ll teach a baboon to cook a cake,

We’ll find a dancing prancing loon
To shimmy and shake.

 

Oh but Dr. Seuss let me sigh

It’s so sad and all too bad  

You’re not alive, still today

We will cheer loud and clear

Happy birthday, you're a hundred and five.

So take a look at all your books

and the words that shook us snooks
I still sneak a peak at least once a week,

Catching up with old friends of mine,

From time to time I take a seat

Kick up my feet,

Retreat into your boxes and foxes
And what a fish does

And how to talk to a Cat in the Hat
And a Zither Zather Zuzz.
I used to read to my son for fun,

And now he likes to read alone
On his own
Till the book is done,

It’s a funny twirling whirling
World you shared with us.

Thus and such from me and him
And a zillion,
Kajillion others too

Again and again from us to you

Thank you, Dr. Seuss

Thank you thank you
So very very much.