When I as a kid, I was in love with Linda Ronstadt. She was not only the best singer, she was so beautiful. I thought she was awesome.
The best experience I think I ever had at a concert was seeing her at the Huntsman Center at the, "U" with my friend, Kelly Richards (who really wish I had KEPT DATING another blog there) and she just blew us away. The voice was amazing.
Kind of lost touch with Linda for many years, but a few years ago, I saw she was doing a show out in Wendover! I thought that would be awesome. So see one of my childhood, "hero's" as it were, up close and personal. And with Deb not being able to see very well, I would buy really good seats, and SHE could see an icon from our youth up close.
I paid $150 a ticket for fourth row center (as close as I could get). Over $150 for a room on a Saturday night, plus the cost to drive out there and dinner.
And the show sucked.
She came out, and did a an hour of shit from the 80's while sitting in a chair, with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. No, Silver Threads And Golden Needles. No Blue Bayou. Total shit show. And in an hour, she walked off without even an anchor.
Pissed me off. I spent about $500 to see this person I loved and admired as a kid, and she gave me crap!
I'm not happy she's sick. But I'm sure disappointed that she didn't do a better job for her fans when she COULD have.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Friday, August 9, 2013
Purging The FB Friends List. It's NOT Cause I'm Angry With You.
We've all done it. You get a friend request, or, "People You Might Know" thing pops up. And you just say yeah, what the heck.
You kind of knew this person in high school. Or it's a friend's, now adult, kid (and that kind of makes me feel creepy if they are a young woman). Or it's a friend of a friend you have met once or twice.
You accept. Thinking that you would like to know what these folks are up to all these years later. Or what they are thinking. And after a while? Turns out what they are thinking is not at ALL what you are thinking, or they just don't post ANYTHING so you wonder why they bothered to get onto Facebook in the first place? They are just taking up space.
About twice a year, I get rid of those folks. It's not cause I don't like them. Not cause they pissed me off. Well, sometimes it IS cause they pissed me off. If everything you post is hating on the President? I'm tired of hearing from you.
I go down the list of my FB friends, and I start deleting people who have not said anything in a while, don't post at all, won't respond when they are on chat, and those I realize that I had NO idea why I put you on my friends list in the first place.
There were about 220 folks on my friends list when I started. I'm down to 192. And I'm OK with that. I can pay more attention to 192 people than 220.
Guys I played hockey with years ago, but haven't kept in touch with? Gone. People from high school that said they knew me, but I don't remember them? Gone. Friends adult kids that I have nothing in common with, and some I DO really like? Gone any way. People from high school who I DID know, but don't ever post, respond to chat or do ANYTHING on FB? Gone.
Two things I noticed as I was doing this. One was the folks who have deleted ME from their friends list. I'm not surprised. With my political and religious views? Hell, I could piss off the Pope. Even THIS one. And he's pretty Liberal. My friend, Phil thinks the Italian's in the Vatican are going to, "Whack" him if he doesn't shut up.
That will teach em to pick a, Jesuit and an educated guy to be in charge.
Oh, there I go AGAIN! Can't help myself.
The second thing was how many of my friends are DEAD! I'm not talking old relatives. I'm talking folks MY age, that I either worked with, or went to school with that have died! Cancer sucks, and it does NOT care how old you are.
I deleted about six or eight friends who have died in the last couple of years!
And I noticed something else. My friend, Kathy that lived in Provo that died of Cancer last year? I CAN'T delete her page. Someone is keeping it going and it consists of her friends and family posting how much they miss her. I really loved my friend. But I have to say, I think this is weird. I said my goodbyes the last time I saw her. Get over it folks.
So, if you are unfriended, as I have been numerous times. Don't get bent out of shape. No matter who you are? You are not EVERYONES cup of tea. And that's what makes life interesting.
Now, the 192 of you left of the 220 or so I started with? Let me know what you think. I'm curious.
You kind of knew this person in high school. Or it's a friend's, now adult, kid (and that kind of makes me feel creepy if they are a young woman). Or it's a friend of a friend you have met once or twice.
You accept. Thinking that you would like to know what these folks are up to all these years later. Or what they are thinking. And after a while? Turns out what they are thinking is not at ALL what you are thinking, or they just don't post ANYTHING so you wonder why they bothered to get onto Facebook in the first place? They are just taking up space.
About twice a year, I get rid of those folks. It's not cause I don't like them. Not cause they pissed me off. Well, sometimes it IS cause they pissed me off. If everything you post is hating on the President? I'm tired of hearing from you.
I go down the list of my FB friends, and I start deleting people who have not said anything in a while, don't post at all, won't respond when they are on chat, and those I realize that I had NO idea why I put you on my friends list in the first place.
There were about 220 folks on my friends list when I started. I'm down to 192. And I'm OK with that. I can pay more attention to 192 people than 220.
Guys I played hockey with years ago, but haven't kept in touch with? Gone. People from high school that said they knew me, but I don't remember them? Gone. Friends adult kids that I have nothing in common with, and some I DO really like? Gone any way. People from high school who I DID know, but don't ever post, respond to chat or do ANYTHING on FB? Gone.
Two things I noticed as I was doing this. One was the folks who have deleted ME from their friends list. I'm not surprised. With my political and religious views? Hell, I could piss off the Pope. Even THIS one. And he's pretty Liberal. My friend, Phil thinks the Italian's in the Vatican are going to, "Whack" him if he doesn't shut up.
That will teach em to pick a, Jesuit and an educated guy to be in charge.
Oh, there I go AGAIN! Can't help myself.
The second thing was how many of my friends are DEAD! I'm not talking old relatives. I'm talking folks MY age, that I either worked with, or went to school with that have died! Cancer sucks, and it does NOT care how old you are.
I deleted about six or eight friends who have died in the last couple of years!
And I noticed something else. My friend, Kathy that lived in Provo that died of Cancer last year? I CAN'T delete her page. Someone is keeping it going and it consists of her friends and family posting how much they miss her. I really loved my friend. But I have to say, I think this is weird. I said my goodbyes the last time I saw her. Get over it folks.
So, if you are unfriended, as I have been numerous times. Don't get bent out of shape. No matter who you are? You are not EVERYONES cup of tea. And that's what makes life interesting.
Now, the 192 of you left of the 220 or so I started with? Let me know what you think. I'm curious.
Friday, August 2, 2013
It's About Over
She limps. All the time. She can't move very fast. Chasing tennis balls is out of the question.
I had a total hip replacement seven weeks ago, and I can go up stairs faster than she can. And that isn't right.
She spends most of her time on her bed, or on the carpet in the living room in front of her, "human units". She will wander down the hall late at night to sleep on the floor next to her, Momma. But she can't jump up on the bed between us anymore.
She was the best friend for my Autistic daughter. Pretty much her ONLY friend.
She was the being that got nervous when the suitcases would come out, cause she knew we were leaving. Even though, "Grandma" would come and take care of her, and spoil her and give her more, "puppy treats" than any dog ever deserved.
She knew when any one of us was sick or hurt, and spent time in our lap, or at our feet.
The muzzle is SO gray! All the way up PAST her eyes.
When she was young, she was so excitable, and would chase a ball as long as you would throw it. We decided she was not a Black Lab. She was a, Meth Lab!
We used to buy tennis balls by the case at Costco cause a can at a time was just not good enough.
Now? It's about over. She has a hard time getting in and out of the house.
I'm going to miss this old dog. It's August. She's 13. Not a bad age for a, "Meth Lab".
With any luck, one night, she will just slip into the arms of Morpheus while she sleeps and dreams of chasing tennis balls. I really hope I don't have to have her put down, but I understand that that is probably the way it's going to end.
It's going to be tough on us all.
But its not far away. I can just tell. You love them and you lose them.
You might, if you've never had one, say, "Well it's not like losing a family member."
You would be wrong. And deserving of a punch right in your neck.
If you have the right kind of relationship with your dog? You don't keep them outside in a kennel and use them only to help you hunt game? Which is cruel and stupid. You will realize that loosing a dog is EVERY bit like losing a family member! They are part of your family. And you have to love them and treat them as such.
I'm going to miss this dog.
Every day is a bonus. I don't think the bonus will last until September. But I hope it does.
Hang in there, Solstice. We don't want to lose you. But we know we will.
I had a total hip replacement seven weeks ago, and I can go up stairs faster than she can. And that isn't right.
She spends most of her time on her bed, or on the carpet in the living room in front of her, "human units". She will wander down the hall late at night to sleep on the floor next to her, Momma. But she can't jump up on the bed between us anymore.
She was the best friend for my Autistic daughter. Pretty much her ONLY friend.
She was the being that got nervous when the suitcases would come out, cause she knew we were leaving. Even though, "Grandma" would come and take care of her, and spoil her and give her more, "puppy treats" than any dog ever deserved.
She knew when any one of us was sick or hurt, and spent time in our lap, or at our feet.
The muzzle is SO gray! All the way up PAST her eyes.
When she was young, she was so excitable, and would chase a ball as long as you would throw it. We decided she was not a Black Lab. She was a, Meth Lab!
We used to buy tennis balls by the case at Costco cause a can at a time was just not good enough.
Now? It's about over. She has a hard time getting in and out of the house.
I'm going to miss this old dog. It's August. She's 13. Not a bad age for a, "Meth Lab".
With any luck, one night, she will just slip into the arms of Morpheus while she sleeps and dreams of chasing tennis balls. I really hope I don't have to have her put down, but I understand that that is probably the way it's going to end.
It's going to be tough on us all.
But its not far away. I can just tell. You love them and you lose them.
You might, if you've never had one, say, "Well it's not like losing a family member."
You would be wrong. And deserving of a punch right in your neck.
If you have the right kind of relationship with your dog? You don't keep them outside in a kennel and use them only to help you hunt game? Which is cruel and stupid. You will realize that loosing a dog is EVERY bit like losing a family member! They are part of your family. And you have to love them and treat them as such.
I'm going to miss this dog.
Every day is a bonus. I don't think the bonus will last until September. But I hope it does.
Hang in there, Solstice. We don't want to lose you. But we know we will.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Oh, It's THAT Time Of The Year When You Can't Have It Both Ways
Summertime. You gotta love it. Warm days, cool nights. But now it's August.
College Football camps open this week. Games actually start BEFORE September. Thank you/Fuck you, ESPN.
I love college football, as do most of my friends. It is the best game in the world. But it sure means the end of a time of year we all love.
The, "Beach Boys" records get put away, the cover goes on the Camaro. There is a very fragrant pile of freshly cut pine on the patio. My back yard smells like a lumber yard.
And it's going to get cold.
You can't help it. It is as it is. Sweatshirt weather. Cold nights. You are going to have to pour the ice out of the outside dog bowl every morning.
And we are just around the corner from Winter.
And all that sucks.
But would you have it any other way? Nope. Love college football.
So this might just be the cruelest time of the year. You want to hang on to summer, but you know you can't. Not if you want your college football fix.
And that is cruel, man. Really cruel.
College Football camps open this week. Games actually start BEFORE September. Thank you/Fuck you, ESPN.
I love college football, as do most of my friends. It is the best game in the world. But it sure means the end of a time of year we all love.
The, "Beach Boys" records get put away, the cover goes on the Camaro. There is a very fragrant pile of freshly cut pine on the patio. My back yard smells like a lumber yard.
And it's going to get cold.
You can't help it. It is as it is. Sweatshirt weather. Cold nights. You are going to have to pour the ice out of the outside dog bowl every morning.
And we are just around the corner from Winter.
And all that sucks.
But would you have it any other way? Nope. Love college football.
So this might just be the cruelest time of the year. You want to hang on to summer, but you know you can't. Not if you want your college football fix.
And that is cruel, man. Really cruel.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Lighten The Fuck Up!
Last night, I posted a joke at the expense of a high school friend who was not know as very bright. Yeah, it was cruel. But the truth is, she had about as much chance of being a Sterling Scholar at I had being elected Homecoming King.
And I got a lot of shit for it.
Oh, shut the fuck up!
If it wasn't on Facebook, no one would come to her defense. When it's not on line, they all talk about her the same way.
It's Facebook! It's not the Congressional Record. Let it go.
We all know our place and our history.
So quit it. Just roll with the punches. So it goes.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Uppity
Uppity: Tending to be snobbish or arrogant. Usually followed in print and every other way in THIS country by the word, "Nigger". No definition needed.
I love my wife's family. Wonderful people. But there was a post on Facebook the other day from one of her niece's to the effect that it's not right that the President gets to take his family on vacation on the taxpayers dime! And to such exotic places! After all, when, "W" was President, he ONLY went on vacation to his ranch. None of these far away (read: UN-American places).
Well, "W" took more time off than any President in history (which is not a bad thing. I think he did LESS damage while on vacation). But the tone of the email was really telling.
THIS President shouldn't be able to take vacation on the public dime, but she had no problem with the rest of them doing it? Gosh, what could possibly be the reason for that? Cause she didn't vote for him? Probably. Cause he's a DEMOCRAT! And everyone in Utah hates THOSE guys! Maybe.
Could it be that THAT UPPITY NIGGER DOESN'T KNOW HIS PLACE!? I'm betting it's this one. Just sayin.
I had to point out to her that her father, who made his living in the Military and then when he retired from there, the public school system, has ONLY worked as a public servant his entire, adult life. He has flow on, Military, "Hop's" to take her mother and he to vacation in Hawaii. And other places.
And as for not taking vacations to, "exotic" places? Wow. She must hate her aunt and I. We, public employees both, even though we always paid our own way, like to vacation in places like Paris, Grenada, Mexico and Belize. I guess we are totally UN-American?
So, my feeling is, if you don't like this President cause of his politics, or even just because he's a Democrat. Fine. I can live with that.
But if you think HE should not be able to do what every other President has done for the history of this country? And THIS President should have to fly Southwest to take his family on vacation instead of Air Force One? There is something else there. You know what I think it is?
See, "Uppity".
I love my wife's family. Wonderful people. But there was a post on Facebook the other day from one of her niece's to the effect that it's not right that the President gets to take his family on vacation on the taxpayers dime! And to such exotic places! After all, when, "W" was President, he ONLY went on vacation to his ranch. None of these far away (read: UN-American places).
Well, "W" took more time off than any President in history (which is not a bad thing. I think he did LESS damage while on vacation). But the tone of the email was really telling.
THIS President shouldn't be able to take vacation on the public dime, but she had no problem with the rest of them doing it? Gosh, what could possibly be the reason for that? Cause she didn't vote for him? Probably. Cause he's a DEMOCRAT! And everyone in Utah hates THOSE guys! Maybe.
Could it be that THAT UPPITY NIGGER DOESN'T KNOW HIS PLACE!? I'm betting it's this one. Just sayin.
I had to point out to her that her father, who made his living in the Military and then when he retired from there, the public school system, has ONLY worked as a public servant his entire, adult life. He has flow on, Military, "Hop's" to take her mother and he to vacation in Hawaii. And other places.
And as for not taking vacations to, "exotic" places? Wow. She must hate her aunt and I. We, public employees both, even though we always paid our own way, like to vacation in places like Paris, Grenada, Mexico and Belize. I guess we are totally UN-American?
So, my feeling is, if you don't like this President cause of his politics, or even just because he's a Democrat. Fine. I can live with that.
But if you think HE should not be able to do what every other President has done for the history of this country? And THIS President should have to fly Southwest to take his family on vacation instead of Air Force One? There is something else there. You know what I think it is?
See, "Uppity".
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Trayvon, Zimmerman And The Untold Story
If the trial was all about whether or not this flabby, middle aged guy was getting the shit kicked out of him by a teenage boy and felt his only option was to use his gun to save his own life? Then under Florida law. The jury got it right.
But that is far from the WHOLE story!
He stood his ground, alright. But he stood it WAY too late.
Look, Zimmerman is the neighborhood watch guy in his gated community. You can call him a want a be Cop all you want, but there just isn't enough information to make that statement. Maybe he's just a guy who was tired of crime in his neighborhood. And he stepped up to do something.
BUT... When he called in a, "Suspicious" person, someone he didn't recognize, in his community, his job, as a Neighborhood Watch guy was over. End of story, you are out of it. The Police are on the way. The dispatcher even TOLD him to quit following the person that he called in, and the Cops were going to take care of it.
And this is where he SHOULD have stood his ground. Right where the dispatcher told him to cut it out. They would handle it from here.
But he didn't. He had to follow the kid. And the kid felt threatened. No one has any idea what, if anything was said between them. Did the kid say, "Why are you following me?" Did Zimmerman say, "Hey, I'm with Neighborhood Watch. Do you live here?"
Who knows. But between Zimmerman's phone call to 911 and Trayvon beating him up, Zimmerman screwed up. And it cost a teenager his life. And that's not right.
And yeah, I think the guy should have gone to prison. But it's not going to happen. And anyone who is surprised by this verdict, coming out of the state that stole the election for Bush in 2000, isn't paying attention.
If there were any REAL justice in this country? George Zimmerman would be sharing a cell with OJ Simpson, and they would both be serving life for Murder. Well, "life" being as long as it took one of them to make a good, "shank".
But that is far from the WHOLE story!
He stood his ground, alright. But he stood it WAY too late.
Look, Zimmerman is the neighborhood watch guy in his gated community. You can call him a want a be Cop all you want, but there just isn't enough information to make that statement. Maybe he's just a guy who was tired of crime in his neighborhood. And he stepped up to do something.
BUT... When he called in a, "Suspicious" person, someone he didn't recognize, in his community, his job, as a Neighborhood Watch guy was over. End of story, you are out of it. The Police are on the way. The dispatcher even TOLD him to quit following the person that he called in, and the Cops were going to take care of it.
And this is where he SHOULD have stood his ground. Right where the dispatcher told him to cut it out. They would handle it from here.
But he didn't. He had to follow the kid. And the kid felt threatened. No one has any idea what, if anything was said between them. Did the kid say, "Why are you following me?" Did Zimmerman say, "Hey, I'm with Neighborhood Watch. Do you live here?"
Who knows. But between Zimmerman's phone call to 911 and Trayvon beating him up, Zimmerman screwed up. And it cost a teenager his life. And that's not right.
And yeah, I think the guy should have gone to prison. But it's not going to happen. And anyone who is surprised by this verdict, coming out of the state that stole the election for Bush in 2000, isn't paying attention.
If there were any REAL justice in this country? George Zimmerman would be sharing a cell with OJ Simpson, and they would both be serving life for Murder. Well, "life" being as long as it took one of them to make a good, "shank".
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