Wednesday, October 26, 2005

WHEN THE EVENING SUN GOES DOWN...

Then you know...I'll be around...
Oh, the Night Life...ain't no good life...
But it's my life...
--a timeless old Willie Nelson song

I found this rather interesting photo of downtown Coeur d'Alene at night, and I imagine this was taken in the late 60s or early 70s. That's when that "hotel" sign was blazing away for all to see; I can also see (at left) the "Dingles" Hardware sign; it's "yellowish"...each letter of "Dingles" was encased within a diamond-shaped yellow screen. We're on Sherman Avenue here, between 4th and 5th streets, looking westward, ho! I see the smear of timed-exposure tail-lights on the street; either that or it's some motorist who was zooming down Sherman too fast to be photographed. Things like that don't happen these days, with the "overprotective" and "overserve" philosophy of the current Coeur d'Alene police force.
You gotta admit, tho...it is an interesting photo!
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The "Night Life" used to be my life; I used to be able to withstand hangovers quite well. Until one night when I had to hang my face over a toilet bowl and wait for the "inevitable". Now, the only "hangover" I have is when I sit on a small chair. (ha ha) I am hoping I can work up some incentive to get to the health club before hell freezes over, as it does here every year in the Lake City.
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Got something of a musical shock today: I was listening to a Carlos Santana tape, "Havana Moon", which features his distinctive guitar playing set to various Latin rhythms. Up came a song about "Mexico", and on vocals...WILLIE NELSON. On a Carlos Santana album. Talk about musical whiplash! I haven't had a shock like that since I heard JOHNNY CASH singing on an album by "U2"!
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Speaking of things 'musical', I watched the Concert for Bangladesh movie which I purchased yesterday. What a wonderful concert. Where else are you gonna see a concert that features George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan? Musical history that truly came alive. That's what I love about DVD's. Anytime I want, I can go to Woodstock, or the Monterey Pop Festival, or see Cream "live", or see Jimi Hendrix at the "Isle of Wight". It's magic, pure magic. And I need all the "magic" in my meager existence that I can get.
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I absolutely hate it when people or corporations try to manipulate me. I got a thing in the mail today, saying, "DON'T USE YOUR 'PIN' NUMBER! USE THE 'CREDIT' FUNCTION INSTEAD!" So evidently now, when I use my debit card at the grocery store and the checker says, "enter your pin number", I can tell her, "no, I want to use the credit function instead". (?) The letter from the bank went on to say that I, with a debit card, could use the "credit" function, and cash would still be "debited" from my checking account. "What, I'm not supposed to use my pin number anymore?" "What's the angle here?" (For there ALWAYS is some kinda angle!)

So I called the "800" number and asked about this. In the end, I learned, that by using the 'Credit' function, "VISA" processes my transaction rather than the system used by my bank, with the net result being it's CHEAPER for my bank if "VISA" processes the transaction. I tell ya, IT'S ALL ABOUT MONEY, isn't it? Oh yeah, by using the "Credit" function, I'm supposed to get some miniscule "points incentive" reward; if I spend 500 dollars, I might get six bits or whatever. In the bank mailing I got, nowhere does it say, "USE THE CREDIT FUNCTION! IT'S CHEAPER FOR US!!!" I guess, at this point, I must ask: Am I weird, or is there some 'subversion' going on here? I don't know...I guess I could just use some "basic honesty" for a change. How about you?
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You wonder why I don't vote anymore? In the past, I've read everything about the candidates I could get my hands on. I've watched news shows, interview shows, read political digests, whatever. And the political flotsam, jetsam, ephemera and diatribes I've been exposed to every election year are full of more GOBBLEDYGOOK than the "bank mailing" I described above! I'm always relieved when election season is over. "Aaaah", I think to myself, "now all I have to deal with is all the other bad news I hear about every day!"
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I'm not much into politics, but I've been able to glean the following from recent news reports: President Bush is trying to rally support for the Iraq war, in spite of the fact that now, over 2,000 soldiers have died over there. Bush Associate Karl Rove is being looked at for various violations. Vice Prezzident Dick Cheney "may or may not" have a connection with the "outing" of a CIA operative person. Oh yeah, and I almost forgot; we've gotta suffer with this current administration until 2009. Like I said, I'm not politically astute AT ALL, but it looks like the sun is setting fast for various parties in D.C. I just love a good scandal, don't you?
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If you saw my previous post, well, this item is a continuation of that. I went out and visited the cemetery today and took out some flowers for Mom. It was rainy and gloomy. I only spent 5 minutes out there. If that. And then I left. They say cemeteries are for the "living" more than the "dearly departed" anyway. A place for "us" to go and remember. Thing is, I remember her every day, no matter what I do or where I go. And I prefer to remember her alive. Not lying under a headstone.
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That's all for now. The World Series is on. Hopefully tonite's game will be over before midnite. Thanks also, to everyone who stops by and leaves comments here on this blog. Makes me think that maybe I'm doing something halfway worthwhile.

2 Comments:

Blogger stebbijo said...

I did not know that about the banks and the credit/debit card thing. Yep --there is one thing you can always count on and that it is always about the money - always.

Your mother was a beautiful lady. Must be something about redheads! My mother was also a redhead. She was a "Lucy" look alike.

8:48 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dave. I thought I was the only one that got tired of all of the mud slinging of the political process. I am more of a conservative thinking type but I have problems with both major political parties. I also have a distain for banks even though I have been in the insurance business for 30 years and this industry can be just as bad. I like your blog so keep up the good work.

9:27 AM  

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