We are the ’80s!

Flipping through the channels with eldest daughter in the room. VH1 Classic is playing ’80s music. On comes some ’80s funk/pop band, I think it was Cameo. The singer is wearing a bright red leather codpiece. Now, how do you explain the codpiece phenomenon to the children of today? More importantly, why should you have to? Thankfully, she didn’t ask. But now all week I’ve had a line from “Hot Sauce,” George Clinton by way of Thomas Dolby, stuck in my head: “The brother in the codpiece / I’ve seen him on the TV / I think he likes his ladies / All sweet and sugary.”

For some reason grocery shopping is much better when the Indigo Girls’ version of “Tangled Up In Blue” is blasting through my ears. Also, Joan Baez doing “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright.” I was listening to that and some other Dylan covers when something very odd happened: a song actually sung by Dylan appeared on my playlist. Unexpected.

Moving into this decade, finished re-reading Richard Russo’s “Empire Falls.” Even better the second time through. I think it’s his best. There’s something familiar, because aren’t “Mohawk,” “Risk Pool” and “Nobody’s Fool” virtually the same book? Yes, and no. This one took many of the elements of the earlier books, reworked them, added an interesting reason why the main character is stuck where he is, and then scared the hell out of any of us who are parents. Really good book, being made into a movie, in post-production. I knew Paul Newman had signed to play Max Roby (a natural, even if he did a similar role in “Nobody’s Fool”), but I’m a little surprised to see Ed Harris for Miles — I would think the role would call for someone vastly less intense. We’ll see what he can do. Aidan Quinn as David sounds like brilliant casting. I’ve never felt like there’s been enough Aidan Quinn in my movies.