The Monkees' Davy Jones has died, from a heart attack, at the age of 66. He was a vegetarian and a runner. People who knew him said he was in tip top shape.
A bit of trivia: Had there been no Davy Jones, there would have been no David Bowie. David Jones' manager suggested he change his name to avoid confusion with the only British member of the Monkees.
I was a big Monkees fan as a kid. RIP, Davy.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
I'm e-published.
My little book, "THEME FUROR," has been e-published. You can find it on Amazon. Thanks for all of your help, Chuck!
Happy Leap Year Day!
Today is February 29, 2012. It's Leap Year Day. I'm not sure how to celebrate it. Are there any traditions associated with this once every 4 years day? Did you know that a leap year is also called an Intercalary or Bissextile year? And a year that is not a Leap Year is known as a Common Year? A low down, trifling common year...
Have fun!
Have fun!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Scrap of paper from 1996.
End of August. 1996. Another summer has passed me by. God, I hate fall.
Today is off. N.Q.R.
Someone died last night.
Death.
There's change in the air. Change is sorta scary, but I've learned to ride it out.
That Robin, though. She sure was unexpected...
"That's a mighty shallow grave, Morris."
"It'll be fine. We'll just cover it over with some leaves and pine straw and shit and no one will ever find it."
"I don't know, man. Those tall elves are pretty clever. Shrewd, if you will..."
(N.Q.R. = Not Quite Right. I don't remember who died that night. I probably just assumed that someone, somewhere on the planet, died. In other words, it was a metaphorical death. Ahem. Change is still scary. That "unexpected" Robin turned out to be trashy mess. I should have expected that... The bit of dialog about a shallow grave? Who knows. I do remember that my friend Big Mac (RIP) and I had a running thing about tall elves. So, there you go.)
Today is off. N.Q.R.
Someone died last night.
Death.
There's change in the air. Change is sorta scary, but I've learned to ride it out.
That Robin, though. She sure was unexpected...
"That's a mighty shallow grave, Morris."
"It'll be fine. We'll just cover it over with some leaves and pine straw and shit and no one will ever find it."
"I don't know, man. Those tall elves are pretty clever. Shrewd, if you will..."
(N.Q.R. = Not Quite Right. I don't remember who died that night. I probably just assumed that someone, somewhere on the planet, died. In other words, it was a metaphorical death. Ahem. Change is still scary. That "unexpected" Robin turned out to be trashy mess. I should have expected that... The bit of dialog about a shallow grave? Who knows. I do remember that my friend Big Mac (RIP) and I had a running thing about tall elves. So, there you go.)
My exciting life.
I woke up in the middle of the night feeling nauseated. I haven't thrown up in a long time, but I thought I might last night. I wasn't feeling super this morning, either, but I got up and went to the doctor's for my regular blood-work.
On the way home, I stopped at the grocery store for a few items. While I was in the checkout line I noticed something odd about the woman in front of me. She had a full size shopping cart (this store also has what I refer to as "bachelor carts"), but the only thing in the basket was a small frozen pizza. She put this on the conveyor. Underneath the cart, however, was a loaf of garlic bread. Now, I was wondering if she had forgotten about the bread ,or was stealing it. Why would you have one small item in your huge, otherwise empty, cart, and one small item on the bottom rack? The space underneath the basket is usually reserved for heavy items, like cases of water or big bags of dog food, or it's used when the cart is over-flowing. Then I thought, "Gee, what a stupid thing to steal." I mean, if you're going to steal, get a nice pack of steaks. I almost said something ("Ma'am, I think you have forgotten about your bread."), but then I noticed how she was paying for the pizza: she counted out change - dimes, nickles and pennies. So, I'm thinking that she was poor and desperate - although, I must say, she didn't look as if she were starving... (I'm one to talk!)
We were in the line run by the young cashier who lost a lot of weight, a couple of years ago, and has yet to figure out how to purchase a bra that fits her correctly (she still has prominent, although sagging, breasts). She always tries to do everything at the speed of light, while hardly acknowledging the customer, making a lot of mistakes, and not really paying much attention to things going on under her nose. Sure enough, the woman walked out of the store with her stolen bread. Now, I'm fascinated by this whole scene being played out in front of me. I watch her through the window as she pushes her cart toward her car. (Why would you need a cart for a small frozen pizza?) Maybe someone else left the bread in the cart and she hadn't noticed it - I'm all about the benefit of a doubt - but she opens her trunk and reaches under the cart to grab the bread. And here's the thing: I was feeling sorry for her, because of her counting out change, and the desperate act of stealing bread (!), but she was driving a very nice late model SUV.
When I got home I realized how engrossed I had been. I had left my eggs on the counter and had to go back to the store to retrieve them. Hey, eggs are like $3 a dozen now!
On the way home, I stopped at the grocery store for a few items. While I was in the checkout line I noticed something odd about the woman in front of me. She had a full size shopping cart (this store also has what I refer to as "bachelor carts"), but the only thing in the basket was a small frozen pizza. She put this on the conveyor. Underneath the cart, however, was a loaf of garlic bread. Now, I was wondering if she had forgotten about the bread ,or was stealing it. Why would you have one small item in your huge, otherwise empty, cart, and one small item on the bottom rack? The space underneath the basket is usually reserved for heavy items, like cases of water or big bags of dog food, or it's used when the cart is over-flowing. Then I thought, "Gee, what a stupid thing to steal." I mean, if you're going to steal, get a nice pack of steaks. I almost said something ("Ma'am, I think you have forgotten about your bread."), but then I noticed how she was paying for the pizza: she counted out change - dimes, nickles and pennies. So, I'm thinking that she was poor and desperate - although, I must say, she didn't look as if she were starving... (I'm one to talk!)
We were in the line run by the young cashier who lost a lot of weight, a couple of years ago, and has yet to figure out how to purchase a bra that fits her correctly (she still has prominent, although sagging, breasts). She always tries to do everything at the speed of light, while hardly acknowledging the customer, making a lot of mistakes, and not really paying much attention to things going on under her nose. Sure enough, the woman walked out of the store with her stolen bread. Now, I'm fascinated by this whole scene being played out in front of me. I watch her through the window as she pushes her cart toward her car. (Why would you need a cart for a small frozen pizza?) Maybe someone else left the bread in the cart and she hadn't noticed it - I'm all about the benefit of a doubt - but she opens her trunk and reaches under the cart to grab the bread. And here's the thing: I was feeling sorry for her, because of her counting out change, and the desperate act of stealing bread (!), but she was driving a very nice late model SUV.
When I got home I realized how engrossed I had been. I had left my eggs on the counter and had to go back to the store to retrieve them. Hey, eggs are like $3 a dozen now!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
The only decent show on television.
I watched a big Lawrence Welk special on PBS tonight. It's pledge drive time, so a lot of people begged for money during the (many) breaks. My dad used to watch Lawrence EVERY Saturday night. He said it was the only decent show left on television. Boy, if he could see TV now...
I have very fond memories of TLWS. After all these years I still remember a lot of the performer's names. Two of my favorites, as a kid, were Bob Havens, on bone, and Jo Ann Castle on Boogie Woogie piano. They were both featured tonight. As an adult, I now realize that, as corny as the show was, the musicians were a stellar lot.
After the Welk special, they promised some sort of Celtic music show. I can't take very much Celtic music, for some reason. And the whole pledge drive thing ruined my usual Saturday night Brit-coms. Yes, I used to be out dancing on Saturday nights, but now I lie on the couch and watch PBS.
I gotta tell you, though, Lawrence Welk was a man who thoroughly enjoyed his job. That's rare - and infectious.
I have very fond memories of TLWS. After all these years I still remember a lot of the performer's names. Two of my favorites, as a kid, were Bob Havens, on bone, and Jo Ann Castle on Boogie Woogie piano. They were both featured tonight. As an adult, I now realize that, as corny as the show was, the musicians were a stellar lot.
After the Welk special, they promised some sort of Celtic music show. I can't take very much Celtic music, for some reason. And the whole pledge drive thing ruined my usual Saturday night Brit-coms. Yes, I used to be out dancing on Saturday nights, but now I lie on the couch and watch PBS.
I gotta tell you, though, Lawrence Welk was a man who thoroughly enjoyed his job. That's rare - and infectious.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Stuff.
Hey! It's 2:00 pm and it's only 70 degrees. What's up with that weather forecast?
I just made some changes to my cookies - and totally screwed everything up. I think I have it straightened out now, though. I tell myself I shouldn't mess with this kinda computer stuff, but, then again, that's how you learn (I suppose). Now... what was it I did? And how did I fix it?
You know, I wasn't complaining about the weather. 70 degrees is awfully nice in February.
I just made some changes to my cookies - and totally screwed everything up. I think I have it straightened out now, though. I tell myself I shouldn't mess with this kinda computer stuff, but, then again, that's how you learn (I suppose). Now... what was it I did? And how did I fix it?
You know, I wasn't complaining about the weather. 70 degrees is awfully nice in February.
Stuff.
It's supposed to be 85 degrees today!
I'm going to work on a small home improvement project in my bedroom.
My friend Chuck sent me a link to a story about the joys and perils of living alone. "Joyful" and "Perilous" just about sum it up. I should know.
My dog Scooter is antsy today. He's making me antsy.
Joyful, Periled, Antsy and Angsty.
As Sade sang, "What a life..."
I'm going to work on a small home improvement project in my bedroom.
My friend Chuck sent me a link to a story about the joys and perils of living alone. "Joyful" and "Perilous" just about sum it up. I should know.
My dog Scooter is antsy today. He's making me antsy.
Joyful, Periled, Antsy and Angsty.
As Sade sang, "What a life..."
Thursday, February 23, 2012
About to be published on Kindle.
Thanks to my friend Chuck, who knows how to do these things.
I had to come up with a description for Kindle. Here it is:
"THEME FUROR" is a somewhat psychedelic, whimsically profound, sometimes silly sail down the stream of consciousness, with a small, down-to-earth and thoroughly outrageous, seemingly omniscient and indubitably deliciously naive entity inextricably embroiled in the naturally magical goings-on of the world he loves, and the lives of its zany inhabitants, who love him.
I had to come up with a description for Kindle. Here it is:
"THEME FUROR" is a somewhat psychedelic, whimsically profound, sometimes silly sail down the stream of consciousness, with a small, down-to-earth and thoroughly outrageous, seemingly omniscient and indubitably deliciously naive entity inextricably embroiled in the naturally magical goings-on of the world he loves, and the lives of its zany inhabitants, who love him.
Blogging again?
I've decided to re-try this thing. I've changed the design of the blog (within the narrow constraints of basic Blogger templates, and my technological know-how), hoping the result will be inspirational. I've decided to try to ignore the shortcomings of Blogger's design choices. Don't sweat the small stuff, I tell myself. (And that also applies to life in general.)
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