Wednesday, January 18, 2012

The Fine Art Of Blog-Meandering...


It is Winter on the South Coast, and with the Winter comes the Rain. And more rain. And still more rain. And...well, you get the idea. So far, though, the year has been unremarkable, but I'm sure that'll change. After all, we've got a Prezzidential Campaign coming up this year. I've been fairly ignorant of things political ever since Mr. Obama became President. I haven't heard anything disgusting; he's given some Dignity back to the Presidency. I give him points for remaining (relatively) scandal-free over the last 4 years. Various officials, mostly Republican stooges, have made a big deal over his Birth Certificate issue...born in the USA or not? And you know what? I don't give a damn. He made sure that the tax reduction thing has been extended for at least a while. True, no one is going to become a Zillionaire because of that, but still... Also, we're getting out of Iraq this year, if not already. His timetable has been stuck to, and really, I don't have any complaints. And, Social Security payments have also risen slightly due to cost-of-living issues. Just perhaps, we're reaching a scenario of Government actually doing something for us. How about that! I'm satisfied that the President is actually being Presidential, unlike the buffoon he replaced. I shouldn't call him a buffoon...maybe a Bonehead. Which reminds me of a joke:

"So what if I drink a lot of milk? It's a great Calcium Source"...
"Oh yeah? Kinda looks like the drinks are going to your HEAD!"
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SOME OTHER STUFF TO LOOK FORWARD TO THIS YEAR:

RINGO STARR, that ever-lovin' king of the Backbeat for the Beatles, is coming out with another new album this year; in fact, I believe it'll be released very very soon. Like his previous CD's, I'll probably play it once and shelve it for the ages. Already, the new album is being Dissed. Seems he re-did a song called "Wings", which he originally recorded and released in 1976. In short, his unremarkable new album features an updated, and equally unremarkable version of his old unremarkable 1976 tune. And in one word, before even hearing the album, I can tell it's going to be..."unremarkable". Sometimes these comments just seem to write themselves, y'know?
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PAUL McCARTNEY, That ever-aging Beatle Boy-wonder, is in love these days. He married whats-her-name who comes from a rich family, so he (allegedly) doesn't worry that they'll divorce, and that if she does, he'll be taken to the cleaners ($$$) once again. He is so in mushy-love that he's recorded an album of Old Standards for his Laidy Faire. "So you think he's taking a chance with such an out-of-character release?" No, no, not at all. Rod Stewart, a fellow Britisher, has been doing that for ages. You know, he used to Rock. Didn't he? Anyway, Paul has done much the same thing. His new album will feature the old Chestnut "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter"...which features the line which doubles as the Album Title: A lot of "KISSES ON THE BOTTOM" (he'll be glad he Got 'Em). Ugh. What a title. Until I learned where he got the song title, my brain was springing forth with all kinds of Ugly Pictures.
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THE SEATTLE MARINERS Already are headed for another "unremarkable", if not downright awful, new season. I get "Mariners News" e-mailed, and the only thing of note this season, is that they've traded away a Proven Power Pitcher (PPP), Michael Pineda, for a young kid who can (allegedly) hit, but still needs two or three (or however many) seasons to develop into a Major League Catcher, the position he's played in the Minors. The M's already HAVE a couple of catchers! Why trade away a Pitcher that can PITCH? The M's have bought some developing young players for their farm system, and as a result, the M's are going to have another what-is-known-as-a "rebuilding season". Or should I say, "ANOTHER rebuilding season". Which makes me think that they've had "rebuilding seasons for the last four or five seasons", which makes me also think that we're in store for many more "rebuilding seasons". Which is why I place the quote-marks on the term "Rebuilding Season". "Rebuilding Season" is Mariners'-speak for "DISASTER SEASON". So we'll see. I'm not very optimistic at this point.
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I'VE GOT THE MUSIC IN ME: Quick! Who did that song? Answer in the Italic print at the bottom of the post. Oops...there's that word ("bottom") again. Anyway, after hiding myself away for the last year from going to musical jam sessions due to anxiety/depression symptoms, I started Going Back. Making myself do it. It's scary sometimes. A music store here has converted the adjacent Coffee House building into two Recording Studios, plus on Friday Nights, jams are being held there, in the same Coffee House building where jam sessions were held before. When I play guitar and (try to) sing in front of everyone, I get a pit in my gut which feels like taking Final Exams back in College. Ulp...
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There I am in the middle bashing away on my twelve-string guitar, and I don't feel so alone (and vulnerable) when I'm up there in front of an audience who is trying to figure out What The HECK I'm Doing. I spend most of the time asking myself that as well. I have to perhaps realize that I'm judging myself too harshly. This whole business of re-orienting my personality is tough sometimes. But I've met some good people at the Jams, so it might yet be all worth the effort of Getting Myself Out There.
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THE CREDIT CARD CRUNCH: Mostly, when I hand my debit card to a store clerk, they still ask, "debit or credit"? It really doesn't matter to me since I know I've got the money. That's the biggest fault of Credit Cards; you're basically hoping that you Will Have the money, and you have to pay back that money, plus interest if you take too long to pay it...if ever. Actually, I've been in the "credit situation", borrowing money from my bank 'cos I fell a few dollars short of what I needed. I did that too much last year, and got my credit option suspended for a while. I'd started putting away money last year, but then my computer fried its brains and Whoops, there goes another $400 dollar expense. But at least I was able to do what I did. I paid all my taxes at once, rather than spreading payments over 3 months, which really felt good. Well, I had "mixed emotions" actually, knowing the taxes were paid, but having to wait 2 or 3 weeks for more Disposable Income. 
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If you've experienced the Credit Card Crunch, the common remedy, of course, is to Cut your card into little pieces. But that's a waste of energy if you don't make something useful out of those pieces. Here is one suggested use. Slice your plastic into little guitar-shaped pieces like what you see at left. Sometimes guitar picks get a bit slippery after a lot of use, and here's where Credit Cards are actually an improvement; you've got the raised numbers which give you more Finger Traction so you won't drop your pick. One of the people at the Jam managed to get a machine that cuts pieces of plastic into pick-shaped pieces. I should try that! I could use it on vinyl records that are cracked or don't play. Lots of traction in those grooves!
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If you've read this post all the way through, I asked, "who did the song, 'I've Got The Music In Me'?" It was done by the Kiki Dee Band back in the mid-1970's; 1974, I believe. Kiki Dee is probably best-known for her duet with Elton John, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", a song that I got sick and tired of hearing on La Radio. She was a rocker in the Susie Quatro mode before heading for the Middle Of The Road. Also, the group "Heart" recorded a live version of "Got The Music" and can be found on their album, "Magazine". And that's all. Probably too much. Oh well...

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