As one poster on YouTube said: "Hate Yoko. Love this song."
Guitar by John Lennon.
Guitar by John Lennon.
Saturday, January 30, 2021
An Unusually Good Day
Today, not a single thing happened in my apartment community to get on my nerves! What a shocker!
Maintenance guys in the room next door didn't do a single bit of banging on our adjoining walls or yucking it up for hours.
Maintenance guys cleaning up the apartment on the other side of me didn't blast their music.
Not a single kid was running up and down the sidewalk outside my apartment (or on my roof), or running around screaming, or throwing rocks, or bouncing basketballs in the area next to my apartment.
The guys in #115 weren't parked in the parking lot blaring their car stereo; nor were they setting off fireworks.
I didn't hear a single thing all day and all night! WOW! So unlike other days...An idea of how living here could/should actually be.
That said: Today on Amazon I ordered a box of black magic markers (for labeling boxes), and I received a moving dolly that I'd ordered a few days ago. Mid-March, I have to decide whether or not to renew my lease. I'm prepared.
Saturday, January 23, 2021
Finding Religion
When I was younger, I---in my post-Modern cynicism---assumed that old and sick people, and prisoners, "found religion" because they were desperate for something/anything to assure them they would go on to a happier life after their current misery. (And, plus, for prisoners, acting religious might make them look good for the parole board.)
Now, in my 50s, though, I see it from a slightly different angle: When you're old, or very sick, or in jail, the outside world and its gaudy attractions/distractions/illusions have been stripped away. You're basically left with yourself and four walls. Once all of the outside chatter has subsided, what, then, comes to the fore? I think the enforced quiet time allows something purer and more delicate to be heard, something that was formerly drowned out in the cacophony of mainstream life.
The Library
My apartment neighbors and the maintenance guys (in the maintenance room right next door) have been so irritating in the last month that I've been fantasizing about moving. But...daaaaamn. I've got a lot of books (and other shit---oh, and FIVE cats!) to move!
If there were no people around me, this place would be pretty OK: 1200 sq ft, 2 bedrooms (one used for my library), and a small backyard. The downside: Absolutely no view of anything. And I can't really go out to my backyard and sit and read because there's a row of neighbor apartments 20 ft away. I'd ideally like a small two-story townhouse/duplex in an actual neighborhood, not an apartment complex, which is within my price range.
I'm currently on the fence, leaning more toward staying, primarily because of the HUGE hassle of trying to round up my 5 cats. (And once the Wuhan quarantine is over, I won't be working from home and having to listen to the maintenance guys next door all day long.)
If there were no people around me, this place would be pretty OK: 1200 sq ft, 2 bedrooms (one used for my library), and a small backyard. The downside: Absolutely no view of anything. And I can't really go out to my backyard and sit and read because there's a row of neighbor apartments 20 ft away. I'd ideally like a small two-story townhouse/duplex in an actual neighborhood, not an apartment complex, which is within my price range.
I'm currently on the fence, leaning more toward staying, primarily because of the HUGE hassle of trying to round up my 5 cats. (And once the Wuhan quarantine is over, I won't be working from home and having to listen to the maintenance guys next door all day long.)
What might be a tipping point: My next-door neighbors, two guys who sometimes blasted their stereo, moved out a month ago. I'll see who I get next. If the next people are loud, I'm pretty sure I'll decide to move when my lease is up in May. If I do, THAT will be my very last rental. After that, I'll have the money to buy something. (Ideally, though, I wish I could just stay put until the house day comes.)
In the meantime... Aside from setting up my Thomas Hardy area, I also cleaned up the rest of my study. Including getting rid of the second cat-litter box I had in there (which I moved to the spare bathroom). I want to be able to go into just ONE room where I can RELAX and not have to clean up after little creatures! (There's still the cat hair on the chair, but at least not the daily scooping and semi-daily sweeping...)
In the meantime... Aside from setting up my Thomas Hardy area, I also cleaned up the rest of my study. Including getting rid of the second cat-litter box I had in there (which I moved to the spare bathroom). I want to be able to go into just ONE room where I can RELAX and not have to clean up after little creatures! (There's still the cat hair on the chair, but at least not the daily scooping and semi-daily sweeping...)
My Thomas Hardy Shrine
My 1905 Harpers set of Hardy novels is almost complete.
Aside from having read the major novels Jude, Tess, Far from the Madding Crowd, and Mayor of Casterbridge---plus various bios---in the past 6 months (in various editions), I've also embarked on reading all of his novels in the order published, from the complete 1975 Wessex Edition: I recently finished his first, Desperate Remedies, and just started on the second, Under the Greenwood Tree.
I almost have all of the poetry in individual volumes. (And, lordy, I am not looking forward to tackling The Dynasts, whatever genre THAT might be considered...)
And I just bought a wooden frame and some postcards from the UK to go in it, to crown the whole collection.
I almost have all of the poetry in individual volumes. (And, lordy, I am not looking forward to tackling The Dynasts, whatever genre THAT might be considered...)
And I just bought a wooden frame and some postcards from the UK to go in it, to crown the whole collection.
Thursday, January 21, 2021
Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture (1830, written age 21)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hebrides_(overture)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Mendelssohn
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Mendelssohn
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Friday, January 15, 2021
The Waltons: The Lunchbox
The Hallmark cable channel shows old episodes of "The Waltons" (which aired '72 thru '81, though once they got to the War Years they jumped the shark), and while trying to doze on my couch yesterday, I ended up watching 5 of the episodes, sticking with it to determine if the show was as wonderful as I found it back in the '70s when I was a kid. I used to LOVE that show!
In fact, one of the nicest memories of my mother is the day we were shopping for my 3rd-grade school supplies, including that year's lunchbox (VERY important, because you had to live with it all year and what you had chosen was on display for all of your friends and said something about you).
We had picked up most of the supplies, including a lunchbox (I can't remember which), at one store. And then we went to another store...which had THE WALTONS lunchbox! OH MY! MAMA, MAMA! Now, normally, my mother was very no-nonsense. And we'd already bought a lunchbox, which meant that there was no reason at all to take the first one back and get another. But this one time... Magic happened! My mother allowed me to get this Waltons lunchbox, and we returned the first one!
I don't still have my beautiful Waltons lunchbox, but I found pictures online:
Now, as for the 5 episodes from Season One that I saw last night (falling asleep intermittently):
Seen in a row, they ended up seeming like episodes from "Gilligan's Island" (which I also loved as a kid, except... "The Waltons" was supposed to be serious!)---What random, oddball character would show up next? Or else there was a left-wing Morality Lesson.
The Actress: Wacky, alcoholic aging actress whose car breaks down in Virginia teaches Mary Ellen how to put on makeup and then puts on a show to earn her way back to New York City.
In fact, one of the nicest memories of my mother is the day we were shopping for my 3rd-grade school supplies, including that year's lunchbox (VERY important, because you had to live with it all year and what you had chosen was on display for all of your friends and said something about you).
We had picked up most of the supplies, including a lunchbox (I can't remember which), at one store. And then we went to another store...which had THE WALTONS lunchbox! OH MY! MAMA, MAMA! Now, normally, my mother was very no-nonsense. And we'd already bought a lunchbox, which meant that there was no reason at all to take the first one back and get another. But this one time... Magic happened! My mother allowed me to get this Waltons lunchbox, and we returned the first one!
I don't still have my beautiful Waltons lunchbox, but I found pictures online:
Really? I got so excited over changing a car tire and Grandpa getting a haircut?? :)
Now, as for the 5 episodes from Season One that I saw last night (falling asleep intermittently):
The Actress
The Fire
The Love Story
The Courtship
The Gypsies
Seen in a row, they ended up seeming like episodes from "Gilligan's Island" (which I also loved as a kid, except... "The Waltons" was supposed to be serious!)---What random, oddball character would show up next? Or else there was a left-wing Morality Lesson.
The Actress: Wacky, alcoholic aging actress whose car breaks down in Virginia teaches Mary Ellen how to put on makeup and then puts on a show to earn her way back to New York City.
The Fire: Crazy right-wing nut sets fire to the school because the teacher is teaching evolution.
The Love Story: John-Boy falls in love in a week (family all coos over the fact that he's in love---after one week) and then girl has to leave.
The Courtship: Big-city banker down-and-out because of the Depression learns to give up his fancy dreams and settle for local thrice-married local widow. (OK, this one was more subtle; I enjoyed the talk between Grandpa and the Visitor about their favorite rivers to fish in.)
The Courtship: Big-city banker down-and-out because of the Depression learns to give up his fancy dreams and settle for local thrice-married local widow. (OK, this one was more subtle; I enjoyed the talk between Grandpa and the Visitor about their favorite rivers to fish in.)
The Gypsies: Gypsies break into the Baldwin sisters' temporarily empty house and set up camp there. Instead of chasing them the hell away, the Waltons welcome them with open arms and invite them to live in their own house.
"The Gypsies" episode was pretty much the last straw---I felt like I was right back in 2016-21 again! Enough of THAT Crazy! :)
"The Gypsies" episode was pretty much the last straw---I felt like I was right back in 2016-21 again! Enough of THAT Crazy! :)
I did enjoy watching the interesting, comfortable Will Geer and Ralph Waite, though. Unfortunately, Michael Learned and Ellen Corby spent much of their time pursing their lips. (And I never want to see the actress who played "Mary Ellen" again.)
Monday, January 11, 2021
Essential Oils
Among other things, got my mother a set of essential oils and an oil burner for Christmas. She didn't have any interest, so she gave the oils back to me. I've had my own oil burner for a couple of years, but my only oils have been the basics: peppermint, lavender, and lemon, bought by the "jug" (i.e., 4 oz) years earlier, for use with a vaporizer in my work office.
I'm now obsessed with both the Orange and the Ylang-Ylang scents. The former is both stimulating and friendly, and the latter smells like sex! (I had to look up the latter online to find out WHY it smelled like "sex" to me---as it turns out, ylang-ylang is used as an ingredient in many perfumes/colognes. I'm guessing both in Amarige de Givenchy and Royall Lyme!)
From the gift box returned and my own subsequent second order from Amazon, I also know that I absolutely HATE Tea Tree and Eucalyptus. And I want to get to know Clove better. And I've just ordered a third set, curious about Vetiver and Frankincense and Cinnamon.
I'm now obsessed with both the Orange and the Ylang-Ylang scents. The former is both stimulating and friendly, and the latter smells like sex! (I had to look up the latter online to find out WHY it smelled like "sex" to me---as it turns out, ylang-ylang is used as an ingredient in many perfumes/colognes. I'm guessing both in Amarige de Givenchy and Royall Lyme!)
From the gift box returned and my own subsequent second order from Amazon, I also know that I absolutely HATE Tea Tree and Eucalyptus. And I want to get to know Clove better. And I've just ordered a third set, curious about Vetiver and Frankincense and Cinnamon.
Tuesday, January 05, 2021
Oklahoma City Police Officer MSgt Phil Paz Sings 'Imagine' (2019)
Better than John Lennon's own version. Yeah, really.
p.s. I've been a Beatles fan since I was 15. I have every Beatles album and every John solo album (and most of Paul's). This is a GREAT version of "Imagine." I actually got chills listening to it.
And, as I just discovered on YouTube tonight, this guy sings EVERYTHING great---including George Jones!
p.s. I've been a Beatles fan since I was 15. I have every Beatles album and every John solo album (and most of Paul's). This is a GREAT version of "Imagine." I actually got chills listening to it.
And, as I just discovered on YouTube tonight, this guy sings EVERYTHING great---including George Jones!
Sunday, January 03, 2021
$806.76
Current full price of an Expedia round-trip plane ticket to Los Angeles in June, AND 4 nights at the exact hotel I want to stay at. ($600 would be covered by the upcoming Covid check.)
Was too scared to book this early, though! I guess I'll pussy-foot around for another couple of weeks, and keep checking and re-checking.
DO IT.
Friday, January 01, 2021
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