If you reach for your nearest set of red and blue glasses, you can watch this simulated 3D YouTube presentation of the 1965 “Noah’s Ark” ViewMaster reels. The clay figurines are by the sculptor Florence Thomas.

YouTube isn’t as 3D friendly as it was when these videos were posted, apparently, so here’s how to watch: After clicking the link to the YouTube video, replace “watch?v=” with “v/” (no quotation marks). Play the video, then look for the gear symbol at the bottom right. Click on that, then click “options.” Make sure that “red/cyan” and “full color” are checked. You may also need to check the “swap (right left)” box if it still doesn’t look right. And of course, if you’d rather just look at the pictures, you can go back to “options” and click “off” next to the 3D heading.

A gorgeous, glossy book featuring diorama images from vintage view masters has never come out but needs to. Luckily blogs like View-Master World have gotten the picture.

The Night Before Christmas

Bird count: 4.

Bookshelf OCD.

For view master fans, the last few decades have been a dark age in which the collectable packaging of the 60s – 80s (far left) was done away with in favor of bubble packaging that suggested – if you could even find them in stores – the reels’ disposability (middle left and middle right). A recent visit to the downtown target in San Francisco, though, got me feeling optimistic; not only were regional interest View Masters in stock and packaged in a new, durable sleeve (far right), but they were on prominent display, right behind the cash registers.

I’ve just gone off to China again, this time courtesy of the US Embassy, giving little performances and talks (mostly to university audiences) about definitions and functions of American folk music. Most of the programs end up being 50% talking and 50% singing/playing, with lively Q and A at the end.

I’m really reveling in the hodgepodge aspects of the programs, playing Cajun, Tex Mex, ragtime, Hawaiian, bluegrass, and tossing in a few of my own – and to such receptive audiences, to boot. A recent one in Harbin featured an ad hoc classical guitar showcase featuring me and one of the audience members.

The audiences have been a real delight – enthusiastic, interested and intelligent – and their perspectives are so different. (Campfire songs? Johnny Cash? Better explain a little bit.) I’m also trying to take full advantage of the opportunity to investigate more Chinese rock/folk/pop and to understand how some of the stuff I’ve gotten into ranks according to the tastes of these college kids.

Two of my favorite unexpected post-program questions:

Audience member: “I’m very surprised that you didn’t mention the famous American song ‘Copacabana’ in your presentation.”
Me (busted): (Break into an a cappella rendition of “Copacabana,” which I happen to love.)

Audience member: “I was hoping you would explain why the Backstreet Boys are no longer popular in America.”
Me: “They still reign supreme in the charts of our hearts.”

Bassist Pete Comita joined Cheap Trick in 1980 and was gone by early ’81, so he was in the group just long enough to (1) co-write and record “Reach Out” for the Heavy Metal movie soundtrack and (2) appear in the group’s historic view master photo shoot.