Jay’s MI-5

Jay says: “It’s that time of year – back to school with the kids (that’ll learn ‘em to complain about being bored during summer vacation!).  Look back to your high school years & answer these questions five:”

1. Think back to the soundtrack of your high school years – what were you listening to then?
I was big into The Beatles then. Also, The Jimi Hendrix Experience. I can remember what albums I used to put on to play the drums along with: Skynyrd’s “Second Helping” and “One More From the Road,” Clapton’s “Best Of,” Peter Frampton’s “Frampton Comes Alive.” I was in a band, and we would listen to David Lee Roth’s “Eat ‘Em and Smile” all the time. Bob Marley’s “Rastaman  Vibrations” saw much play, as did James Brown’s “Gravity.” It was in high school too that I was first introduced to Tull.

2. It’s an average Thursday night– what’s on TV?
The Cosby Show, I guess. I don’t really remember the line-up.

3. What was playing at the local Bijou then?
Susan and I saw Arachniphobia in the theater. Really, in my home town, there wasn’t much happening by way of movies. The Strand had yet to be restored, and the big box movie house had yet to come to town. So if you didn’t like either of the two movies the Strand had, you had to wait until the following Thursday for two new ones. As a result, I don’t remember seeing many there. Movie rental places were all the rage then. I remember when you had to be a member before you could rent movies, and membership required money! I can remember a former girlfriend putting in reservations for “Dirty Dancing,” and having to wait for it to be returned.

4. What character from “The Breakfast Club” best described you during high school: Judd Hircsh, the brooding rebel without a cause?  Molly Ringwald’s pampered princess?  Ally Sheedy’s freak in need of a bottle of Head & Shoulders?  Emilio Estevez’s varsity jacketed jock?  Or Anthony Michael Hall’s dweeby dork?
I guess I was the dork. Not really, though. I think I was generally well liked, but I wasn’t the real popular kid. I was into music and drums, of course. (It was in high school I got the nickname “Billy Rhythm.”) I also did work in what would now be called the A/V club. We didn’t really have that back then; we had 3-4 guys who liked lights and sound.

5. Does looking back at your junior & senior high class pictures cause you to cringe, wondering why nobody stopped you from walking out into public looking like that?  Why?  Mullet?  Poodle perm?
My clothes were pretty normal, but I had some hair issues. I used to wear it way too long. It looked ok enough when short, but it didn’t stay that way for long. I used to part my hair in the middle, and did until about five years ago. Is that too ’80s?

Friday Fill-Ins #87

1. When I’m sick I’m a bear. (I don’t get sick very often, and when I do, I just want to be in bed.)

2. When I take a walk, I think about the architecture of the buildings around me.

3. Money can’t buy happiness but it can sure help making sure the rent is paid.

4. Cotton makes me comfortable and leather makes me wonder who’s clothes I’m wearing, ’cause I don’t own any leather.

5. The strangest person/character I’ve had lewd thoughts about was actually so forgettable, I can’t really think of any.

6. My favorite color these days is purple because it’s been my favorite color all my life.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to an evening home with the kids, tomorrow my plans include two (!) gigs and Sunday, I want to just relax!

I’ve Put In a Bid

I placed an absentee bid on that painting. Why? I’ll tell you. Last year, at this same guy’s auction, I found a French dry sink with a marble top that I really liked. Susan’s been keen on dry sinks for some time. Since we don’t have a big enough bathroom for a hamper, we put dirty clothes in a basket at the top of the stairs. I’d rather we had some piece of furniture that would hide the clothes, but haven’t yet found a piece the right size and quality. The dry sink would’ve worked just fine. The estimate was $500 – $800: too rich for my wallet. The selling price? $172. Now that’s in my budget. With that little bit of experience, I decided I’d put a sort-of “low ball” offer on the painting. I’m thinking of it this way: if it sells for an amount equal to (or less than) my offer, and I didn’t put a bid in, I’d be kicking myself in the pants. Now, I feel covered. If I win it, I win it for a price that I would consider a good deal, possibly even a bargain (depending on where it ends). If it goes over that, well, then it just wasn’t meant to be.

Weekend Wrap Up

My weekend started rather early. I left the office at noon on Friday. My Friday night gig started at 4pm, and I needed time to get my drums out of my car, and get them into Quick’s van. (We all car-pooled down to save gas.) The Jazz gig went until 7pm, and the crowd seemed to appreciate us. Hans, the German drummer who sat in last time we played this venue, was there again, as well as some other “regulars” I remembered from the last time we played there. After the gig, we stopped at Moody’s for supper. Hot turkey sandwich for me! Unfortunately for Susan, the cream puffs were sold out, so I wasn’t able to snag her one.

Saturday morning came along, and I whipped up some blueberry pancakes for everyone. Then we took a walk downtown; the boys and I went to Pirate Days, and Julia and Susan did some shopping on Main Street. In the afternoon, I took a nap before my gig. Here’s where things get funky. I was supposed to play Saturday night in Bar Harbor. (For those of you in Canada or California, Bar Harbor is 2 or 3 hours away, depending on traffic.) Blind Albert wasn’t able to make it, so he found a substitute. I figured “Hey, maybe I should get a sub too!” It was ok with the bass player, so I made arrangements to have the drummer who played Friday night at that club play Saturday too. So instead of playing in Bar Harbor, I played right here in Rockland, and I was all done at 8pm. I went to the grocery store to secure some flowers. As I pulled in the driveway, I shut the car off, and coasted in. I figured I really surprise Susan. Well, what a surprise it was, since she’d already gone to bed! Rather than just walk into the bedroom, possibly inciting a heart attack, I called softly from the bottom of the stairs. She was, of course, happy to see me, and mentioned that she thought perhaps I had something up my sleeve. Apparently, I’d been acting a little strange.

On Sunday morning, I made breakfast for everyone again: sausage, eggs, toast. Then off to church. We had lunch at Mom’s as usual. In the afternoon, I took a quick 1/2 hour nap or so, and hung out with Susan a little. Then back to church in the evening, and to Subaway to purchase a sandwich for Susan and Julia afterwards. Then off to bed, after a little Olympic volleyball action.