80’s Flashback.

I found a fun, rather obscure video from the 1980s. When I hung out at the record store in my hometown after school we used to have debates as to the sexuality of Sam Harris. He was (and still very much is) a hottie and if I had completely accepted my gay card back in 1984 I would have been tipped off by the ruby shoes pictured in the video.

Here’s Sam Harris with “Sugar Don’t Bite”.

For those that say, “doesn’t that sound like…”, this came first, there was litigation, and the writers of “Sugar Don’t Bite” won.

12 April 2008 by DJ 1

Will of the People.

During a recent conversation I was asked, “As you grow older are you finding yourself less tolerant of stupid people?” My answer was an undeniable “yes”.

I can’t decide if I have a growing impatience as I grow older or if society in general is setting standards to a lower level. If the reason is the latter, is it the nanny approach of government these days? It seems like no one has to think for themselves anymore. “Wear your seat belts”. If you don’t we’ll annoy the hell out of you with a reminder buzzer until you do as we say. Here’s the thing, If I don’t want to wear my seat belt that’s my choice. It might not be the smartest move in the world but my demise from such an act would contribute to a thinning of the herd, so to speak. A product of insurance companies going wild, a startlingly litigious society and greedy people.

“Don’t eat trans-fat”. Again, this is common sense as it’s been proven that it’s bad for you to do this.I know it’s probably not good for me to eat fries cooked in trans-fats but if I want to eat that food then that should be my decision, not some nebulous government society that doesn’t know me personally. Why the ban on trans fats and not the tobacco companies? Oh that’s right, there’s probably not a Crisco lobbyiest group.

In recent history it seems like government and ‘do-gooders’ (as my grandfather would call them) have immersed themselves in the business of protecting people from their own actions. In doing this it seems like people are having to think less and less, and in turn this is sort of dumbing down the sheep. When does it stop? Isn’t there a sci-fi novel floating around out there where people became so dumb that a man returned to Earth and was worshipped as a God because he could think for himself?

Of course, my perceptions could be fueled by an increase in crankiness as I get older. Perhaps I’m getting set in my ways as I approach 40 and have less tolerance for different points of view.

11 April 2008 by Ponderings and Musings 3

Switch.

Today there was a mini-revolt in my Calculus class. Professor Frightful handed out a take-home quiz on Tuesday that is due tomorrow. There were several classmates missing from the class on Tuesday and subsequently they didn’t get the handout. When they asked for the handout today (we don’t have class on Wednesday), he informed these guys that he didn’t bring any copies of the quiz with him but they were more than welcome to pick them up from the folder outside of his office door, where they have been stored since class ended on Tuesday. The couple of guys that needed the quiz threw a bit of a hissy fit and told him that he should have brought them to the class.

I’ll openly admit that I don’t care the teaching style of this professor, but for the first time in two semesters I have to say that I agree with the professor. It’s not his job to babysit his students and make sure that they get their assignments if they miss class. The quiz has been made readily available. The professor’s end of the bargain has been fulfilled. I fear this scene is indicative of a problem we may see in the up and coming generation. I can’t imagine missing a class (going to Ireland last semester about killed me as far as my work ethic goes, but it was worth it) and several students in the class miss multiple classes a week. I can’t figure out the logic behind that.

I’m starting to feel rather obsolete in my classes these days. During Surveying today one of my classmates remarked on how quickly I can run a calculator. When he asked why I was so proficient, I simply replied “The savings are amazing at Ames”, meaning that I was an Ames (and Hills) cashier at one time and in order to do my job I had to be able to be quick on the cash register. My explanation fell on blank faces as these kids had never known a retail establishment to be without scanning. Back in my day (God that makes me sound old), we had to punch in the eight digit item number (at least at Ames) AND the price of the item on every single item that went through the checkouts. Store employees received incentives to be really quick and accurate with their fingers. I was one of the fastest cashiers in the Jamestown, N.Y./Erie, Pa. district. The skill lingers with me today. Nevertheless, I felt really old when I realised that these guys had never seen a cash register without scanning. Imagine their disbelief if they saw the older mechanical cash registers where you had to compute your own change!

I wish calculus was as easy to comprehend as item prices and making change. I’ve been working on the aforementioned assignment (20 questions) for three and a half hours and I still have six questions to go. I’m flinging around variables and derivatives and prime variables like it’s nobody’s business and I haven’t a clue as to what to do with them when they land. Even the square roots look cranky.

10 April 2008 by Fun and Games Dept 1

Pride.

Back in 1999 Earl and I were only three years into our relationship. I was becoming rapidly disenchanted with the radio business and as luck would have it the city announced a new mini-mall opening in an old building that had once housed one of the original Woolworth’s. Those interested in opening a retail establishment in this mini-mall (which was owned by the city) would get a year’s free rent. Earl and I grabbed the opportunity to open “The City Pound”, a hot-dog based fast food restaurant that was basically an A & W without the brand name.

Owning a business with your partner of three years is sort of a make or break deal. There was a lot of hard work, some tears, a lot of screaming, a considerable amount of butting heads, different points of view and like-minded business savvy rolled up into this experience. The business cruised along for a year or so and on April Fool’s Day 2000 (after broken promises from the city and rapidly dwindling interest from the public in this retail venture) we closed up shop and chalked it up to a learning experience. (We had to tell our employees they were done AND convince them it wasn’t an April Fool’s joke at the same time). I went back into radio for a while and Earl continued doing what he’s doing today as he was wise enough to never have left his position.

It was then that we decided that our relationship could survive anything if we could survive that together. We agreed that we have different ways of approaching the same problem and while we both would get satisfactory results, we took different paths of getting there and since only one of us could be right, it was probably best that we don’t work together.

We broke that promise today.

Today I started a temp job at Earl’s office. They are behind on paperwork sorting and data entry and since I’m one of the fastest data entry clerks you’ll ever meet, and since I have Wednesdays off from school (they’ve been reserved for homework and studying for the most part), Earl thought it would be good for the family budget if I were to lend a hand in his office through the temp agency. Last week I took my drug test (I passed) and did the appropriate paperwork; this morning I reported for my 8 a.m. gig at 7:50 a.m.

Earl was proud of my promptness.

One of the rules of my working at Earl’s office is that I don’t report to him. This is a good thing. I don’t believe in mixing business with pleasure unless you can do it in an office with the blinds drawn, so I’m reporting to one of his managers instead. He doesn’t have blinds on his window.

Earl talks about work all the time. I know the ins and outs of his business like it’s nobody’s business. I’ve gone with him on countless occasions to find out why the burglar alarm is going off in the middle of the night. I’ve burned the weekend oil with him doing data entry (for free) when the inventory was behind. I know how his business works and I know his style.

Today I was able to see him in action, first hand for the first time. I can only say this about the experience: My lover is an amazing man. He cares about his employees (they even have a 9:30 a.m. stretching exercise for all office personnel), safety in the entire workplace (office and factory) is paramount and I can’t help but burst with pride to know that my husbear is doing such a bang up job. He’s a hard worker and he has one of the most profitable (and successful) plants in the entire company.

I am proud of him.

I don’t say that a lot. The phrase “I’m proud of you” is very important to me. I just don’t throw it out there for the sake of making a person feel better because to me that would be hypocritical. I’ll tell a person that they’ve done a good job when they’ve done a good job. I’ll tell a person that they’ve done a great job when they’ve done a great job. But to tell a person that I’m proud of them, well, that’s one of the highest compliments I can give and it’s reserved for a select few in the proper situations.

I think we’ll make it through this work experience together. Yesterday I quipped that maybe I should do some grunt work this summer to get buff. Maybe I’ll work out on the factory floor during summer break.

9 April 2008 by Fun and Games Dept 2

American Idol: The Top 8.

As I’ve been doing for the past couple of weeks, here’s my unedited thoughts on tonight’s American Idol. There may be spoilers, you’ve been warned.

Ryan Seacrest really grates on me nerves these days. I used to find him hot, now I find him exceedingly annoying. His “This is American Idol” sounds too fake and his demeanor just makes me go “ock”.

They introduced the Top 8; I thought “who’s the new girl?” It was Jason Castro. Tonight’s theme: “Inspirational Songs”.

1. Michael Johns, “Dream On” by Aerosmith. Usually a favorite of mine, he seems to be struggling to me a little bit. He could have taken it down a step and probably sounded more comfortable. Good performance but he didn’t do anything new with the song.

Paula is liquored up. She’s lucky I like her single else I wouldn’t give her a second notice.

I must by cranky tonight. I hate the audience tonight and I’m not in the mood for the syrupy explanations of why the performers chose their song.

2. Syesha Mercado, “I Believe” by Fantasia. She sounds like someone else but I can’t decide who. Maybe Whitney. I like this better than Fantasia’s. Ms. Thing hand movements, interesting. Where did that Mariah yelp come from? I’m impressed.

The judges are dipshits. They’re complaining because the performers are singing the songs that others have already sang. No shit sherlock, what the hell are they suppose to sing?

3. Jason Castro, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by some guy in Hawaii. Aloha Don Ho. Your hair is dirty. Same old, same old, boo-boop boo-boop boo-boop the TiVo goes. You will never hear this on a Top 40 station. Must be I’m missing something on this guy. I don’t agree with the judges at all.

4. Kristy Lee Cook, “Anyway” by Martina McBride. I don’t like watching her sing. The band is drowning out her vocals and she doesn’t sound too bad tonight. The hand movements are forced. A few pitch issues. More than a few on the second verse. Paula is up, someone goosed her animatronic remote.

A mike squeal on this multi-million dollar show? Puleez. And I’m missing the oval on the bumper, but I’ve mentioned that once or twice.

5. David Cook, “Innocent” by Our Lady Peace. Thank God his hair is getting tamer. Not familiar with the track but it fits his style. Good display of range. His eyes look weird to me tonight. Paula’s animatronics are getting weird again. Someone please pull her plug. He writes on his hand. That’s a first. Not a bad performance.

6. Carly Smithson, “The Show Must Go On” by Queen. I love her accent but of course it’s because she’s Irish. She always looks intense when she sings. She dead on with her pitch. Clothes are better. Not her best performance, she wasn’t comfortable.

7. David Archuleta, “Angels” by (I have no idea). He likes singing somewhat religious songs. He sings beautifully. I’m not a big fan of the pronunciation of “ain-julls”. A good performance but again I found him in his safe zone. He’s a brilliant vocalist but avoided risk tonight.

8. Brooke White, “You’ve Got A Friend” by Carole King. Song choice totally fits her style. Hand movements look rehearsed to me (why do I notice that?) Safe performance, not bad but I don’t feel engaged.

My prediction: I want Jason to go home but it’ll probably be Carly.

8 April 2008 by Everyone's A Critic. 0

Finally.

Now that spring has finally sprung in these parts I have to say that I’m getting out of my funk. It would be even easier to get out of the funk if I wasn’t wrestling with school so hard this semester. I’ve always enjoyed wrestling with something challenging but I’m used to overcoming the challenge quicker than this.

I love it when I use metaphors.

Even though the birds are singing and the sun is shining and I’m feeling good, I have to admit that I’m still in a bit of a hermit mode. I don’t know that hermit is quite the right word; it’s that loner side of me that is always present and it’s something that I honestly revel in. Few understand this, but those that do know how I feel.

I’m looking forward to a bike ride either today and/or tomorrow. I’m ready to hit the road and get some exercise. I have lofty dreams of having the body of a Marine. Maybe I should just get a summer job working road construction or something where I have to do something other than type on a keyboard. It would be good for me.

8 April 2008 by Ponderings and Musings 1

Quiet.

After a busy weekend in Connecticut, I am back and home and settling in with the books for the evening. I have two major exams tomorrow and a total of four major exams this week. Apparently a memo or something went out to all the professors at school that read, “synchronize your exams to apply maximum stress.” I’m counting the weeks left in this semester. At least the counting is math that I can handle.

The Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus gig on Saturday night in Norwalk went well but not as stellar as I would have preferred. The guys did a fantastic job (as always) of performing but there were a couple of sound issues including wireless body mics that weren’t turned on and a sound board that was a little cranky. I ended up doing some rewiring during the intermission. The audience was entertained but I was stressing through the performance. About 30 seconds into the performance a man came down to the sound board and waved a note in my face that said, “Can not hear vocals”. That’s always a cheery way to start the show. Apparently some people thought the lighting was too bright and they complained about that as well. Sigh. We do what we can do. It’s always a balancing act: if I turn the instrumentals down too far then the performers can’t hear the music and start singing softer. If I turn the instrumentals too high, then the guys start having a hard time singing over the tracks and the audience can’t hear what’s going on. During the pre-game the sound system sounded incredible, so I don’t know what changed. I blame gremlins. The final show is in New Haven at the Shubert Theatre on the 19th of April. The current plan is to have both Earl and I in Connecticut that weekend.

Earl and I took a walk along the canal in the spring sunshine this afternoon and talked about a bunch of stuff that partners talk about. It was a good way to relax and it was good exercise as well.

6 April 2008 by Fun and Games Dept 0

Direction.

Earl commented to me last night that I haven’t been very feisty in the blog lately. I have to admit that life has kept me busy for the past several weeks and I haven’t focused on blogging as much as I have in the past. I don’t know if it’s a lack of inspiration, laziness or a lack of creativity that’s been plaguing me when it comes to blogging but something hasn’t felt quite right for me and therefore I haven’t put as much time into the process. Perhaps it’s this latest bout of the sniffles that I’ve been dealing with.

Speaking of the sniffles. I occasionally hear or read comments from others about the “supposed Global Climate Change” (i.e. Global Warming). “It’s snowing here, where’s this Global Warming they’re all screaming about.” Global Warming/Global Climate Change refers to a relatively drastic CHANGE in our climate. Snow is Las Vegas, for example, would be a result of Global Warming/Global Climate Change because “something” has affected the weather patterns enough to make it snow when or where it shouldn’t. I’ve quipped before that people aren’t going to believe that “something” is changing with our environment until one of the Great Lakes evaporate or Syracuse becomes a desert resort, but I don’t think it’s working that way. What does this have to do with the sniffles? There’s a lot of people sick in these parts and I think it’s because it never got super-cold this winter. While it got chilly with temperatures down around 0 (fahrenheit), it never fell below that and I think that is what kills many of the germs that make us sick. The flooding of the planet isn’t going to wipe us out; the germs that hang around when they shouldn’t will.

Now that I’ve talked about the environment and have thrown out my theories, let’s see what else is rattling about in my mind. I’ve lost complete interest in the Presidential election. Hillary continues to shoot herself in the foot (I agree completely with Sean and her usage of ‘gay rights’), Barack rings hollow to me and McCain is an antique. ‘Nuff said. Call me when it’s time to pull a lever.

I recently learned that Driver Educators in this area are not teaching their young students to turn right on red because it’s “too risky”. They say that said drivers should wait until they’re more confident behind the wheel before they turn right on red. What a completely assinine approach to teaching drivers; said teachers are teaching _habits_ and students should get in the habit of turning right on red when it’s legal to do so. It keeps traffic moving; if it was a risky move a prohibition would be signed. By the way – in New York it’s legal to turn LEFT on red if you’re turning from a one way street to a one way street, so don’t get angry when I honk at you to snap you out of your ignorance.

Last rant: my math class is still out of control. Professor Frightful and his cast of voices can not complete the material before the end of the semester without tacking an extra five minutes to each end of the class. He’s now moving so quickly that I have no idea what my notes mean as I write them and when I ask a question (which is rare for me, as I’m usually a silent observer), he says that we have to move on. I’m not the only one that gets this response; we all do. “You’re going to fast!” “We need to get through the material.” I chant nightly, “five more weeks, five more weeks, five more weeks”.

4 April 2008 by Ponderings and Musings 0

About J.P.

Just a guy with a husband. We’ve been together 28 years and he still makes me see fireworks on a daily basis. Hiker. Storm Chaser. Private Pilot. Tech Guy. Hackerish.

Weird? Eccentric!

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