Monthly Archives: September 2007

Flotsam / Jetsam

The joys of modern-day communication

We recently returned to the world of land-line phones after a little over a year of only using cell phones. Among the Things I Had Forgotten About Land-line Phones:

  • They are not small enough to carry around in your pocket!
  • Sometimes they come with cords!
  • Sales calls!

    The phone rang a few minutes ago. I hauled myself out of the recliner (it requires an elaborate winch system these days) and waddled over to the wall to pick it up. Because our phone is attached to the wall! Oh, the inconvenience!

    Anyway, I winched, waddled and picked up the phone, and there was the tell-tale silence that generally precludes the sales pitch. And then there was a fog horn.

    Eh?

    Following the fog horn: “Hello! This is your captain speaking! You can earn a cruise to the Bahamas just by answering 10 questions!”

    And that was the dumbest sales call I’ve ever received.

    The end.

    • Music

    Mid-week shuffle

    1. The Girl from Ipanema, Astrud Gilberto
    2. Stayin’ Alive, The Bee Gees
    3. Why, Oh Why, Woody Guthrie
    4. Sissyneck, Beck
    5. Jesus Christ, Mike Mills and Sally Ellyson
    6. Every Little Thing She Does, The Police
    7. The People in Your Neighborhood, Sesame Street
    8. Rocketship, Justin Roberts
    9. The Mariner’s Revenge Song, The Decemberists
    10. Guitar, Flute and String, Moby
    11. Miles From Our Home, Cowboy Junkies
    12. I Should Have Known Better, Yo La Tengo
    13. Highway Song, James Taylor
    14. The Jessica Numbers, The New Pornographers
    15. Cry One More Time, Gram Parsons
    Screen time

    Out of Time

    Nichole — and, for that matter, anyone who knows me — will attest to the fact that I like some strange things. There are even times when I look back and think: “Hmm, maybe that was a little strange.”

    Perfect example: In 1994, on any given day, my attire may have consisted of a Neil Young T-shirt, leather vest, high-top hiking shoes, flannel shorts and tall socks. There’s picture proof of this very outfit. Just ask Nichole.

    Anyway, I like some odd things, but sometimes the things I like are just what I like to call “out of time.” In other words, things that seem to fit me regardless of what time period they are from. I never really felt like a Gen X-er or for that matter a Gen Y-er. The tags never felt comfortable. Nichole would say that I was born a decade late and that I missed my prime window: the 1970s. I tend to like books from the 70s (Child of God = creepy), movies from the ’70’s (“Jaws,” “Vanishing Point,” “The Sting“), music from the ’70s (as I write this I am listening to “I Got A Name” by Jim Croce, and the last song was “Kid Charlemagne” by Steely Dan). The latter is what got me thinking about writing this post: I was having one of those “out of time” feelings. Because I’m sitting here thinking the following: “I sure wish I could go home and watch some ‘Rockford Files.’ ”

    I adore “The Rockford Files.” I remember watching re-runs with my dad back in the day, and I have been a fan ever since. I watched all the TV movies on first run back in the ’90s. And when they began releasing the series on DVD last year … all I can say is, a tear formed in my eye. I don’t know what it is I like so much about the show. Maybe it’s the writing, which really is quite good. Maybe it’s James Garner. Who knows.

    We are now the proud owners of seasons 1-4. Soon season 5 will be ours, oh yes it will.

    If you ever want to watch the show and understand the fascination, complete with cheesy intros, come on over and we’ll settle back and watch together. Because, quite honestly, there is nothing better than kicking back with a tall drink after a long day, Poppy asleep, dishes washed from dinner, knowing that all I have to do now is let Mike Post take me away to Rockford land. Trust me, you’ll be glad you came.

    Oh, and right now in my headphones, Styx is beckoning me to “Come Sail Away.”