Blogging

I don't blog much, as one can see by the posts I've made. But since Eden linked to this blog on her entry, I thought I'd at least write something new. And I'm not pissed off at the present moment, which is the usual state I'm in when I blog. Hence the title of this blog. When very pissed off, I'll point my index finger and begin my rant with "Now look...".

I've just moved the computer and computer desk from our "dining room" to our "fireplace room". This involved taking the computer desk out the front door and around the house to the back door (which is a French door). The computer desk is too wide to fit through the interior doorways. Thank the maker for owning a wheelbarrow upon which the computer desk rode as I started this endevour at 10:30pm. We will be selling our house and need to actually make the dining room just that a dining room even though most people don't ever use a dining room for dining. So, the computer had to be moved. And I'm not very tired at present, so why not blog as I've had enough of working on the house at 1am. And maybe blogging will be theraputic for me. Beats seeing a shrink.

As those of you who read Eden's blog, you know that we are in the midst of trying to get the house in shape before putting it on the market before the big move back home to "Bumblefuck", as Eden affectionately calls it. It's where we are from and our ties to the area have remained very strong. I've always been asked by those back home if I'd ever move back. So far, since graduating high school nearly 18 years ago, I've lived in 11 different towns/cities. Some of these places were as a student, but I was there long enough to get a feel for the community and became familiar with the local happenings. Long enough to get the instinct whether the place was somewhere I could envision staying the rest of my life. The longest place I've lived during that time has been the Erie area and it is the closest to feeling at home as I've had since going off to college. I guess that's the main reason we stayed here in the Erie area over the past 10 years. Both Eden and I view the year we lived in Colorado a few years ago like a very long vacation, a sabbatical in a way. It wasn't the place for us although it seemed at first like it could have been. It was time for a change for us.

But in the end, Erie just doesn't have the feel of being the place to be for the rest of our days. We have many reasons for moving back to "Bumblefuck", namely needing to help with the care for aging, ailing parents. I'm sure we'll be frustrated by the antics of Jed and Bets. And Scooter will certainly make things interesting. Always some sort of drama going on. But the interaction with family for the younglings is something that they won't forget as the grow up and have kids of their own. Neither Eden or I had much of that. And I'd hate to have the younglings miss out on knowning their relatives. Really getting to know them. Sure, I'd see relatives every now and then. But they are like strangers to me in the end. Of course I'm sure Jed drove them away with his antics, which seems to be his MO. I'm sure I'll run across relatives often at the new job, and I'm sure I won't recognize them.

In the end, Bumblefuck and Erie aren't that different. Probably an unconscious conclusion years ago but now just entering my consciousness. Physically, there are differences. The people are basically the same. And the ecomony sucks in both areas. Healthcare is the biggest employer followed by colleges. But family and friends, who are as close or even closer than family, are there. I'll miss much about Erie and the people I've known and worked with over the past 10 years. But as Eden put it months ago, it's time to move back. And, time to realize that Bumblefuck is where we want to spend the rest of our days.

Movie viewing in Phily

Eden has challanged me to blog about my experience watching "The Firm" in Center City Philadelphia in 1993. This is the most bizzare movie viewing adventure I have ever had. And one of the scariest times of the four years living in Philadelphia as a med student.

It was a Friday night and my friends and I didn't want to keep studying or go to the bars too early. So we decided to go see the movie "The Firm". Now, in Center City Philadelphia, there are only so many theaters. The fancy theaters in the safer area showed artier movies. These theaters are near Independence Hall. Most of the popular films played in areas that were less safe. Of course, safe is a relative term living in any big city. So we went to a theater at 19th and Locust (which was demolished not long afterward; it was a dump).

There were four of us who went. R and S were Asian Americans. E and I were white guys. The rest of the audience were African American. No big deal. Except, several people were acting like gangsta's. And in all honesty, they probably were gang members. In fact, several auguments occured across the theater prior to the film starting and we all commented later how we all thought bullets were going to fly.

Anyway, the gang like persons would shout out comments as the movie ran. Some of these were like the play by play in a sporting event. During the chase scene toward the end of the film, the Tom Cruise character beats up the Wilford Brimley character using his foot and briefcase. But the play by play was given by an audience members as this: "Damm, he ( the TC Character) fucked him up with his bag and his boot!" Fortunately, no bullets flew in the theater that night. And, I have that comment always occuring in my mind when I watch that movie.

I have't had a more ominous movie experience since then.

Observations From a Grocery Store

I hate going to the grocery store. It's not that I dislike buying food. I've gotten over the shock of what things cost long ago. It's the interaction with some of the most stupid, idiotic, self-centered people in existence.

People seem to have the worst time pushing a shopping cart. Well, they push it ok, they just don't look where they are going. I have to practice defensive shopping, so as not to be run into during the entire shopping experience. People stop in the middle of aisles without any regard for other shoppers.

I encountered a very old lady today while shopping. I estimate that she would be in her early 80's. She really did not have any clue what was going on around her. When she nearly ran into me when I was trying to go around her, she commented that she doesn't see too well. I can only imagine what it would be like in traffic with her. I'm sure she's still driving. I certainly would favor mandatory road driving tests at certain ages.

People talking on cell phones while shopping is annoying as well, particularly people using a headset. Seeing someone walking along and talking in a normal or extra loud voice just makes me think that they are schizophrenic or psychotic.

Kids have no manners. They just walk anywhere they want. Of course, the parents are just as bad.

And this shopping event was not as bad as most. I'll see how the next event goes.

Live 8

We tuned in for some of the Live 8 coverage yesterday and I logged on to some of the Live 8 coverage on AOL.

I was disappointed. Very disappointed.

The coverage reminded me of Olympic TV coverage. Show a part of the current event, then go to some annoying "correspondent" and leave the viewer high and dry while the act is still performing. I felt like the director had ADD.

What was more frustrating was to have MTV and VH1 have the same coverage. Why not have each channel cover a few sites. I would have expected MTV to carry the Philadelphia coverage as most of the acts there were more for the younger generations (ie rap and hip-hop), while the London acts were more of the older generation.

And the two hour evening ABC coverage was a joke. But I'm sure that sooner or later there will be a multi-disc DVD of the event available.

Now, I didn't see much of Live Aid in 1985. The coverage I saw was shown by a local UHF station that did not have a powerful signal. But, they showed the concert which was why I turned on the TV on a hot, humid July day without AC in 1985.

The main act I wanted to see yesterday was the much hyped reunion of Pink Floyd. And, I was quite enjoying their performance until toward the end of Comfortably Numb the coverage went to commercial. A few explicatives burst from my mouth toward the TV and MTV/VH1 in general. And that was it. When the commercials were done, we were shown the event in Philadelphia. And the ABC coverage only showed one performance from Pink Floyd. Again, it will be available on DVD sometime. Or at AOL.

I think the mission to raise awareness of the plight of poverty in Africa was accomplished. As well as to show that a few men control the economy of the world. It just seems like a tease to those of us who tuned in to see a concert, to be left with a Cliff notes version of the concert. Why wasn't this offered on pay per view? Why weren't the multiple MTV/VH1 extended cable channels used to show the concerts?

As for the AOL coverage, the sound was poor, and every time I logged in, no act was performing anywhere. So, I just gave up.

I guess my expectations were more of what was delivered in 1985 than how the current, modern delivery of entertainment is done.

Fireworks

We received in the mail today, not one, but two postcards advertising places to purchase fireworks. The one place, is in Ohio, just over the PA/OH line. The second is in North East, PA.

I had to laugh. Fireworks are illegal in PA (except for sparklers). I could envision a police bust of people trying to buy firewoks at the North East site. Of course, who knows what is being sold.

I Know There's An Answer

Via Eden:

"Pick a band/artist now answer the questions using ONLY song titles from the chosen band/artists…add your answers and repost…let’s see all the different bands and songs….get creative and.have fun!"

1. artist choice:
The Beach Boys

2. are you a male or female:
When I Grow Up To Be A Man

3. describe yourself:
I Guess I Just Wasn't Made For These Times

4. how do you feel about yourself:
It's Okay

5. describe your ex boyfriend/girlfriend:
She's Not The Little Girl I Once Knew

6. describe your current boyfriend/girlfriend:
She Knows Me Too Well

7. describe your current location:
In My Room

8. describe where you want to be:
Warmth of the Sun

9. your best friend is:
Fun Fun Fun

10. your favorite color:
Baby Blue

11. what’s the weather like:
God Only Knows

12. if your life was a television show what would it be called:
Wouldn't It Be Nice

13. what is life to you:
I Get Around

14. what is the best advice you have to give:
Hang On To Your Ego

15. if you could change your name what would you change it to:
The Baker Man

A Mystery Revealed

So the identity of the infamous "Deep Throat" has been revealed. I was listening to a national radio feed on the local "oldies" channel tonight. The DJ was asking if "Deep Throat" was a good guy or a bad guy, and wanted people to call and give their opinions. Overall a ridiculous question about a complicated situation, in my opinion.

The first thought I had was I guess it depends on your point of view. Certainly, Nixon would call "Deep Throat" a bad guy. After all, he left office in disgrace. I'm sure at the time, many people felt that the informant was a traitor to national security, and that the scandal weakened the nation. I'm sure some would have felt that it should be covered up "for the good of the country". I'm also sure that others felt that "Deep Throat" was a good guy in leading the press to the illegal activities of a corrupt administration.

Of course, I'm sure the reality is not black and white, as most situations are tried to be viewed by our society. I have not yet read the article in Vanity Fair. (I don't think I ever read anything from Vanity Fair.) I am curious why "Deep Throat" allowed his identity to be revealed now. I am impressed that Woodward and his partner and editor kept their word all these years and did not reveal their source. I thought the world would never know who "Deep Throat" was. It brings back some of my trust in the press. At least the written press, from where I get most of my news now (besides NPR).

Anyway, that's my two cents about this. At least for now.