Happy 4th!!

Going to spend much of the afternoon prepping the Windstar for our vacation next week.  On the menu for today – EGR ports, rear brakes, and windshield wiper arms (one of them doesn’t work).  A few prayers and/or happy thoughts that I don’t screw anything up.  Later, dinner consisting of BBQ chicken wings (I can smell them slow cooking already) and whatever else Yes Dear decides will go with it.  This evening, maybe we’ll look for a good fireworks display, and set off a few of our own in the yard.  Too bad we don’t have the yard like our last place did (easily an acre) where we could set off something really obnoxious without fear of damaging neighboring property.

For my readers, however you may spend it, have a happy and safe Fourth of July!

A Hard Day’s Week

Sorry I haven’t been around this week to post.  But I have a good excuse.  Really, I do.

Though details haven’t been finalized yet, looks like I may soon be back amongst the ranks of the employed.

I’ve been working at a print shop on a trial basis all week.  Two people went on vacation and they had a massive backlog of work they needed to catch up on.  They want me to come in Monday as well.

I’m going to Arkansas to see my wife’s wonderfully dysfunctional family the week after next. (grandson may be coming too.  Yay!)  Final decision will likely be made by then, but owner has made it all but obvious that he’s impressed with my work and my willingness to start early in the morning (apparently that’s been an issue with others, and many orders need to be done by noon), and has pretty much implied he wants to keep me.

Cons? (of course there always will be some)  Pay is notably less than what I was making before, and there are no benefits to speak of.  My commute is 50 miles each way, through some of Atlanta’s most brutal traffic.  Morning is not an issue, I leave early enough that traffic is smooth sailing unless there’s an accident along the way.  Return trip is a different story, depending on what time I get out.  Luckily, overtime seems to be plentiful so that helps with the pay issue, though not the traffic issue.

And I need to seriously get back into shape.  My feet have been absolutely killing me at work, to the point that I’m having difficulty walking and have to consciously grit my teeth and ignore the pain.  My wife told me, tongue-in-cheek, that my feet are now complaining after being so coddled and lazy for six months living the easy life.  May be some truth in that.

So it’s not a total lock yet, but as close as I can get it.  And despite my complaining footsies and long commute, I’m actually enjoying just being a productive member of society during hard economic times.  Even though I literally passed out on the bed last night with the TV and all my clothes on and woke up at 2am with no memory of how I got that way.

And the commute, while challenging, is still shorter (by 12 miles), and slightly more traffic friendly (for Atlanta traffic), than it would’ve been had I kept my previous job and followed their move across town.  And done the same thing, for the same people, that I had done for them the past 11 years.

I talk periodically to an ex-coworker that tells me how lucky I am that I don’t work there anymore.  That the micromanagement has gotten far worse after the move.  That nothing has changed, other than the location, and the same BS is still ever-present.

And to think that I was starting to consider the possibility that I might have to ask for my old job back.  That I might have to go back in the box.

Hope that I don’t have to come back here in two or three weeks with a post about eating today’s words.  But I think it’s for real this time.  And it’s something I can deal with for the time being.

Happy Father’s Day

To all the dads, stepdads, and dad figures out there.

But especially for my dad, my hero.

For the man whose example I try hardest to follow.

For the father:

- whose best way of teaching was leading by quiet example

- who set firm boundaries, yet was pretty lenient within said boundaries

- who always made the distinction between kid stuff and adult stuff

- who could very easily be a little kid at heart himself

- who always had a nugget of wisdom to share behind each puff of his cigar

- who never pretended to be Superdad, just himself

- who was your friend, but your parent first and foremost

- who wasn’t perfect and never pretended to be

- who could break out into a silly song at a moment’s notice

- who was very laid back, but very protective of his family

- who could keep up with the times, yet hold the past dear

- who was easily entertained by the simplest things in life

- who concealed his considerable intelligence behind a semi-redneck facade

- who could toss back his share of drinks, but be responsible about it

- who could accidentally hit a golf ball over his shoulder and pass it off as a neat trick

- who never said an unkind word about our mom after she left us

- who you could never turn your back on during a scary movie

- who never failed to rise to the occasion when he needed to

- who believed in hard work, but plenty of relaxation once the job was done

- who was always able to keep work and play separate

- who taught us love and respect for animals (particularly dogs)

- who was loyal and faithful to all the women in his life (both wives, his mother, and his daughter)

- who I wish I could be more like, yet fall way short of

- who will always be remembered and greatly missed by his family

Question for the ages

What is it about love that strips away any veneer of civility and gives two people liberty to be as hateful and ugly to each other as they please?  Why is it that there are rules of civility for strangers but none for lovers?  Why does love make one want to hurt another?

Musical Interlude 6/16/09

Quick question for my readers, if they still stop by: when you comment, do you prefer me to reply in my comments, or reply via email?  I don’t get many comments, so rest assured I do read them, and sometimes I do like to offer a reply.  I’m just curious as to the preferred method out there.

Aside from my usual confessions of laziness, I’ve briefly taken over a babysitting gig this week for my daughter, who’s at the church girls’ camp.  So posting will likely be light, since it’s difficult to blog about anything thoughtful and entertain a rambunctious 10-year-old boy at the same time.

Anybody remember the group Procol Harum?  An old gem from the late 60’s/early 70’s featuring Gary Brooker and the great guitarist Robin Trower, before he left for better things, notably “Bridge Of Sighs”.  But the true heart of this band was Brooker’s vocals, one of the best voices in rock during this time period.  As well as the classic “A Whiter Shade Of Pale”, Procol Harum was known for many grandiouse pieces that have become somewhat obscure over time.  One of my other faves is this one which sends shivers up and down my spine every time I view and listen to it (think it would be appropriate Deadliest Catch music, Joanie?).

I dug up this one and I like it so much that I downloaded it sometime ago, before Youtube  pretty much shut off any downloading capability.  One of these days I’ll spend the money to get a video upgrade for WordPress, until then just enjoy as long as Youtube keeps it up.   This one is Conquistador, performed by Gary Brooker and some prominent guest “friends”.  Particularly prominent is the guitarist in this video, know who it is?  (Giveaway hint for those who don’t – do you feel like I do?)  Also, does Gary Brooker bear some resemblance to the late Carroll O’Connor?  Would you like a beahhhr, Ahhhchie?  Well you may or may not agree, but I think you’d agree that his voice sounds as great as ever on this video.  And he sure looks like he’s having fun, too.  So watch this, and have fun as well.  Conquistador, by Gary Brooker & Friends:

Today’s TMI

For lack of anything more imaginative to come up with right now, I bring you Today’s TMI.

Musical irritations

Two things that radio stations do that irritate the living crap out of me.

#1 – Starting another song, or talking, or starting a commercial while another song is ending.

How many times have you just wanted to bask in the final notes of a treasured favorite only to be rudely snapped out of it by some DJ that can’t shut up, or the opening notes of another song transposed over the closing notes of the one you’re listening to?  Some tunes are meant to be played all the way.  Sometimes we’ve got to experience that last guitar note, that last drum crash, that last lyric from our favorite vocalist.  Like being woken up too early or forced up after missing the alarm and going through the rest of the day in a fugue state, sometimes we have to complete the moment in our heads before we’re ready to move on with the day.

#2 – Playing remixed versions of staple tunes.

I was just listening to the timeless Stevie Nicks/Tom Petty classic “Stop Dragging My Heart Around” on KFOG online, the streaming version of my favorite station back in my Bay Area, CA days.  Everybody that knows this song (and as classic as it is, most rock enthusiasts over 30 do) knows that Stevie starts out the singing, with Petty coming in later just before the chorus.  Except in this version Petty started out the singing.  Not to knock Tom Petty at all, for he is one of my favorite artists, but dammit THAT’S NOT HOW THE SONG IS SUPPOSED TO SOUND!!  Another recent abomination is they took The Black Crowes’ “Hard To Handle” and inserted a horn section into it. What was the perfect raw jamming sound got tarted up like a cheap midtown hooker.

To quote Joan Crawford, when she found the wire hangers in her daughter’s closet, “Why?  WHYYYY!!??”

I realize there’s big money involved, and the radio stations have to do what the artists and advertisers want in order to make money and stay solvent.  And I also understand that the artists have license to do what they want with their music.

But for cripes sake, I wish they’d understand that they’re messing with the public’s heads when they do that.  Because our ipod or mp3 collection often is what gets us through life, what gives us the ability to express ourselves in our own little worlds, what sustains us through difficult moments or prolonged hard times, in a (usually) safe and private manner.

And I wish radio stations and artists would learn that often they need to leave well enough alone.  If something sounds good, looks good, and ain’t broke, don’t mess with it.  Leave it the way it is.  Sometimes beauty and perfection is achieved on the first shot, and no improvement is needed.

Latest gun control news

(UPDATE – I changed the title of this post because it screamed “LAME!” at me everytime I looked at it.  Not the post, but the title.)

This kind of news should make me grind my teeth, but instead makes me feel strangely at peace.

The 7th US Circuit Court of Appeals all but stated that federal constitutional law does not apply to the city of Chicago.  Apparently this decision was made by a bunch of hardcore anti-gun judges who ruled by their biases rather than the law.

I feel at peace because there is no way this ruling will stand before the Supreme Court.  Not after the Heller decision.

Musical Interlude 6/2/2009

Does anybody really keep track of the fact that summer officially “starts” three weeks into June?  Forget that!  For the bulk of America, summer starts the 1st of June, or within a few days of, depending on when school lets out.  (Of course for working stiffs that don’t have time or can’t afford vacation, it means nothing more than hot afternoon rides home from work.)

So to celebrate the beginning of another summer, I’ll give you the Dick Dale/Stevie Ray Vaughan rendition of  “Pipeline”, from the eminently forgettable movie Back To The Beach.  The only thing I remember about that movie was that Pee-Wee Herman showed up in it.  But watch this video and tell me that Dick and Stevie didn’t have themselves a good time shooting it.  BTW nice hair, Dick.  And some nice guitar work on an old classic to the both of them.  So let’s all get into a summertime, party at the beach type of mood by enjoying this video.

Technical difficulties

WordPress seems to have eaten my blogroll this morning.  I’ve got an email into support, so we’ll see what happens.  Meantime if any of my regulars stop by here, don’t panic, I didn’t delete you.  Hopefully the problem will be fixed soon.

UPDATE: Fixed.  Within five minutes of me sending an email to support.  Pretty good service, if you ask me.

Back to our (ir)regularly scheduled programming.