It’s Friday! It’s Friday! Thank the Universe. I am so ready for the weekend.
Work is moving along at a nice clip, Earl and I are getting together with friends this weekend (I’ll be sure to take some pictures to share with the class) and then we’re getting together with my family next week because my sister will be back from Moscow for a few days.
As my lover says so well, “Life is good”.
The sun brought me out of my hibernation mode today. For what it’s worth, I could see my shadow. I don’t know what happens when a bear sees his shadow on Groundhog Day, but it can’t be all bad. Not on a beautiful day like today!
All I know is that the bright sunshine today has done wonders for my mood, my outlook on life and my disposition. They say we are returning to winter starting this weekend. I don’t care.
I’m enjoying the sunshine today.
As an aside, I’ve gone from my “large” clothes to my “medium” clothes. I’m quite pumped about that.
I found this newspaper clipping on one of my daily “must read” blogs, which is maintained by Boston blogger Karl. Though no picture is included, I’m sure this woman brings new meaning to the words “Fright Night.”
O.k., so a couple of weeks ago, I ranted a little bit about why people should use revolving doors when the opportunity arises. Today we’re going to go a few steps further into the building and talk about the elevator.
As a kid I was absolutely fascinated with the elevator. You hopped in, pressed a button and faster than you can say “whoosh”, you were on your way to the selected floor. The elevator would bump around on the rails a little bit but you’d make it with the least amount of effort required. Since I grew up in a small town, the only time we really rode elevators is when we went to a hospital or office building in downtown Syracuse. It wasn’t very often.
Then when I was a sophomore in high school, we visited the local college to get a grip on what we wanted to do with the rest of our lives and 22 students piled into an elevator designed to hold less than that. The elevator got stuck between floors for 20 minutes or so and there was a burning smell coming from some place. We assumed the cables were burning through and we were going to plunge to our death. Needless to say, we got out of the situation unscathed but it freaked me out for the next five or ten years. I wouldn’t get on an elevator at all, opting to walk regardless of the number of stairs I had to climb. In fact, to this day I can’t get on a crowded elevator without thinking twice about it.
I eventually got over my fear of elevators for the most part. Prior to my current job, I worked on the top floor of a 16 story office building, and elevator etiquette fascinated me there as well. Quick side note: I did get stuck alone in the elevator in that building and being the brave soul that I am, I decided that the best way to get the elevator moving again was to jump. So I jumped up and down until it started moving. In fact everytime I jumped I chanted, “LET – ME – OUT”. But I never panicked.
Anyways, I find it amazing that some people just don’t “get” an elevator. At work, I’ll be going from our floor to the basement to work on some equipment and will almost always stop at the lobby to let others on the elevator off. About 75% of the time, those waiting for the elevator will either ask “Is this going up?” or will get on and then become annoyed because it’s heading down and not up. First of all, this is a standard elevator with colorful lights that indicate the direction of travel when the door is open. In fact, there are two sets of lights – one over the door in the lobby, and a second on the door frame inside the elevator. (I wonder what would happen if the two didn’t match?) There’s also a pleasing chime noise to keep people calm. Is it really that difficult to take note of the light flashing over the door to note which way the elevator is going?
Another thing that kind of intrigues me are these people that have no idea what floor they want to go to so they punch every button available to them, aside from STOP, and then look out from the door when the elevator stops at floor after floor. “No, this isn’t it.” “Nope, this isn’t it either.” They did that in the other building too, where several floors had been abandoned years ago and the only thing on those floors were cranky pigeons and lots of bird poop. “I guess this isn’t your floor, either.”
Then of course we have the people that are SO anxious to get to work that they refuse to let those on the arriving elevator out. They start jamming themselves in regardless of the fact that 1. the elevator is full and 2. the people on the elevator wish to get off. I would often see a similar situation on the subway, it was very popular on the Boston T at Government Center and at Alewife.
And what is it with people hogging the elevator buttons? They park themselves right in front of the control panel and then don’t say anything. Uh, how about a “what floor?” Instead you have to push them out of the way and select your floor. I’ve tried to set an example by standing in front of the buttons and asking the floor, but I’ve been ignored, glared at and shoved aside while the others select their own floor. Such bitterness in the world today.
And lastly, once in a while you’ll get some yo-yo that gets on the elevator apparently just to ride. (Must be they like the muzak or something). They don’t select a floor. They just get on and seemingly WILL the elevator to stop at their desired stop. Finally, they’ll croak out something like, “How do I get to the bank?” Since they walked by the bank to get on the elevator in the first place, I usually instruct them to press “B”.
I know, I’m mean.
After eating healthier for the past two weeks, this morning I decided to add some working out to my routine.
I felt like was killing myself as I lifted weights and did some sit ups. I can’t wait for spring so I can hit trails and road with my bike. I’m hoping to do some major long distance cycling this summer.
I felt better this morning after working out, now it’s just a matter of making it a habit.
It’s always good to perk up your evening with a retro dance track or two off your iPod. We’re not going way back tonight, as I’m currently listening to “Justified and Ancient” by the KLF featuring Tammy Wynette, The First Lady of Country Music.
It’s funny, when I listen to music I tend to look up these lost artists I’m listening to on Google. I’m kind of curious as to what they’re up to. Of course Tammy Wynette is no longer with us, but as I was doing a little research on her participation with The KLF for “Justified and Ancient”, the next song on my iPod came on…
“Boom Boom Boom (Let’s Go Back To My Room)”, Paul Lekakis, 1987.
Who would know that Paul Lekakis would have his own website? And it has his resumé on it. Very odd. I feel rather old as this song came out in 1987 and it seems like it was just yesterday that I was dancing to this track in a little bar in Jamestown, N.Y. called “Doc’s”. My college roommate Steve and I would go out with a bunch of friends from the music school at SUNY Fredonia. The bar was called “Doc’s” because it was in the basement of a doctor’s office. That must have been a hoot for the patients in the waiting room. “What’s that thumping noise?” “Oh, it’s just the gay boys cranking up the tunes in the basement.” “Oh.”
“Baby Love”, Regina, 1986.
Now we’re on to “Baby Love” by Regina. I remember this song very well as it came out when I graduated from high school. Co-written by Stephen Bray (who worked with Madonna on early records), this could easily have been a Madonna cast-off, but contrary to the rumors, this track was never offered to her.
Because I first heard this song in spring ’86, I always think of summer when I hear this track. It does have a summertime feel to it. This song is definitely in the J.P. Top 25. I should compile that list some time and share.
Speaking of summertime, it’s always good to spin this track up at the end of January…
“Summertime, Summertime”, Nocera, 1986.
Another track from 1986, the year that dance tracks started making a return to radio. One of the first freestyle tracks I ever heard, I found the syncopation in this type of music very fun. “Together Forever” by Lizette Melendez and “Temptation” by Corina were both bigger freestyle tracks as far as chart action goes. Both of those songs use almost identical beat tracks, in fact, when I was a DJ I used to spin those two back-to-back, followed by “What Goes Around (Comes Around)” by Giggles. It worked for a while but then the crowd would get bored and I’d have to change it up.
“Situation”, Yaz, 1983.
Yaz/Yazoo (depending on what record you’re looking at) can always fill the dance floor with “Situation”. At least they could up until 2001 when I stopped spinning. But it had to be late in the night. Always late in the night, after folks were liquored up a little bit. The later into the night, the more daring I could get with music selection. That’s what makes spinning in Buffalo or Albany fun, the bars are open until 4:00 a.m. and people really get into the music in the later hours.
“Because of You (The Original Mix)”, The Cover Girls, 1987.
The last song on my iPod tonight. When I worked in a home for disabled senior adults, this song used to come on the radio as we were driving back from the day treatment center. (I always hated that term: “day treatment”.) Anyways, my co-worker and friend Dawn and I taught the folks some hand movements to do to this track. It made the drive go by faster. Now that I think about it, Dawn and I once took the folks out for a ride and drove to a place where there were rumored to be satan worshippers. So there we were in two vans full of senior adults driving in a gravel bed. It’s a wonder we didn’t get fired.
“Because of You” is a great track but it never really did that well on the charts. People are more familiar with “Show Me” and “Wishing On A Star”, the latter being a remake of the Rose Royce classic. “Wishing…” was also the last song ever played on the radio station I used to work for.
O.k. I admit that I’ve O.D.’d on technology over the past couple of days. I’m at the point where I want to throw out all the non-Mac computers I have in the basement. (I’ll probably just give them out to family members as presents though.) I’m selling off unwanted clocks in my collection. I haven’t turned on my cell phone in quite a few days.
Pretty sad when your job is technology based, isn’t it?
I think I’m going to read a book instead of surfing the internet tonight. Perhaps Earl and I will play a board game. If we watch the State of the Union we could call it a Bored Game. I won’t watch the State of the Union though because I can’t stand Bush Lite’s “I can’t believe I’m President!” look whenever he speaks in public. I read his expression as “These dumb asses voted me in!” I’ve seen more intellectual expressions on roadkill.
What was I saying? Oh yes, technology. I’m in the mood where I don’t want to touch tone my way to a phone call. I want to DIAL the phone. There’s too much in the way of beeping and flashing lights going on around me today. “Thank you for calling Diggem Funeral Home. If a family member has died, press 1. If you’re still breathing, press 2. If someone close to you is ready to flat line, press 3.” Why can’t people answer the friggin’ phone anymore? Don’t screen me, I’m important.
Now I’m babbling. On a computer. Maybe I’ll shut the Powerbook for a while.
I’m feeling all spiritual today. I don’t know if it’s because I slept surprisingly well last night, because I had a rather sedate weekend or if it’s because maybe I have indigestion or something, but I’ve been thinking this morning about this whole chaotic existence we call life.
As a reincarnationist, I believe that we all have a journey to follow down a pre-chosen path. We are here for a reason and that’s to experience all we can experience and then learn from what we’ve encountered. As we reincarnate, we subconsciously know what we’ve learned in previous lives, though we can’t remember the specifics, and then we add more to our “knowledgebase” as we continue to move down our chosen course.
Remembering these beliefs helps me curb frustration I feel towards people that I view as acting rather idiotic. The person that drove through the red light. The woman that pushed an elderly man out of the way in the grocery store. The man that seems to be stumbling his way through life, making one bumbling mistake after another. I just tell myself that these people are learning, just as I’m learning how to be less frustrated and more tolerant of others. Some of us have reincarnated more, jumping into the pool with both feet and swimming to the other side so that we just get back up on the diving board and do it all over again, while others stick their toes in, try the water out for a little bit and then sit and watch from the sidelines for a while before doing it again.
Some people don’t like the idea of a pre-chosen destiny. “You’re destined to be smart.” “He’s going to be rich and famous.” “She’s going to die at a young age.” When these things occur, not only is the subject learning from the experience, but those around them are learning from the experience as well. LIfe is a great puzzle where all the pieces fit together in an intricate pattern.
Next time you’re sitting somewhere, depressed because whatever is happening doesn’t seem right, instead of thinking about how dreadful the situation is, try to concentrate on learning from what’s wrong with it and what you need to do to make it right.
Gosh, that previous paragraph sounds quite preachy and bossy. But it’s something that I’ve just figured out for myself over the past couple of months. And I just needed to share.
You know, I find it a little humorous that I was sitting at home on Friday night thinking, “Gee, the entire weekend is stretched out in front of me and I’m sitting at home on call.” Next thing I know, it’s Sunday night and I’m in the midst of preparing for the work week.
I wish I could tell you what we did this weekend that made it fly by so quickly.
Looking back, I don’t really know what I’ve done that made the time pass. Laundry is caught up. I even washed the sheets for the second time this week. (Usually we wait until Tom makes burying motions with his paws, then we know the sheets are getting kind of gross.) I’ve sorted out the junk in the basement enough to know what computers are going to the dumpster and what computers are staying in my lab. I had eight computers down there. Only three are worth anything. The trash man is going to love me this week.
Last night we watched “Brother Bear” on DVD and then followed it up with an episode of the Superfriends, followed by the more cerebral but no less entertaining “SportsNight”.
I don’t feel like anything has been accomplished, but I do feel quite good about the weekend I guess. I just have no idea where it went.
I’ve mentioned before that I’m a huge “Bewitched” fan. I absolutely adore the show and have ever since I was a little kid. As a fan, I’ve often participated on the message boards at a website devoted to the show, Harpies Bizarre. There’s currently a discussion going on about who can twitch their nose like Samantha did and who can’t.
I’ve got about 30 years of practice behind me, but I am proud to say that I can twitch my nose with the best of them. And for the first time ever, this amazing feat is available for the general viewing audience.
If you have Quicktime, you can this wonderous act here.
Enjoy.
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!
