So “aside” from everything that is happening now …
Put some Facebook posts together again wrapped around something new. I know an “aside” can be viewed as simply just our everyday us but things are different now and we almost feel compelled to lessen this everyday “us” when speaking of the greater that’s happening right now. But it is still important … still necessary.
(Note: an aside … a something we could certainly use right about now)
Was just at the PC doing the usual keyboard scribbling, no cats on my lap for the moment or clamoring to be so as per the usual, when I got up and turned to head into the kitchen.
“Ummmmm, Memes (Mimi the Quirky)?”
“What?”
“Shit, do I have to clear my Tab’s history now?”
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(Note: another aside ’cause we need them, I need them, to distract from the fear)
From the files of “Because of course and what next?”
Read earlier today in a survey at a morning show prep-site that, with the isolation of laying low and self quarantining, there has been an uptick in folks … uhhh … how to put this delicately … ummm … just delicately, by the way, as there a’int no diplomatically in this case … happyin’ themselves? And it quoted a Doctor that said that this … “happyin'” … is a good thing and would help bolster a person’s immune health.
Well, now that’s a whole new avenue huh?
Be safe all … seriously … and, NO, I don’t want to know.
“What?”
“No! … for God’s sake leave that shit in your phone!!”
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(Note: asiding again. Maybe this is a time for all of us to find “asides”, things that are important to us while we fearfully just sit).
Over the years I’ve discovered that there are certain things that have fallen to the wayside, things that I couldn’t have imagined, at the time, or in the future, would lose their importance. A getting old thing I guess, maybe. Music is probably the biggest one. There was a time where anything new, and I mean ANYTHING, anything would have been on the radar for me. Anthony’s “shit” pile of record company CD’s at DVE jumps to mind. A just waiting to be discovered three or four foot high pile of hopefuls that was mine and Russ’s always early Christmas when allowed, our treasure trove, an often whole weekend of listening (how I first discovered Counting Crows) a thing where I really miss working at a place with a heritage alternative station like WRRV or my similar days at the X in Pittsburgh or the Edge in Dayton, any band, any sound, where keeping up with new stuff was like a religion, where the latest from my guy Bob Mould, for example, would have had me waiting in a line that didn’t exist, but a line I started.
But his latest has come and gone. I actually had to remind myself recently to Wiki him and check. I will still buy it at some point when those couple of dollars are there and I can justify them and pop it in BB’s dinosaur CD player while cursing other cars and those who can’t fathom simple traffic signs, but the being at the top of the list? Days long gone.
I’ve got my few things in BB’s glove compartment from the 80’s and 90’s that are my go-to’s, the Rave-Ups, The Rainmakers, Dead Can Dance, Winter Hours, the aforementioned Bob Mould and anything related, Spoon for a somewhat more current, my always Chameleons UK, Counting Crows, things that I can sing, things that do a bit of reminding, but I haven’t reached in there in quite some time.
I don’t know what Neil Gaiman’s latest book is (though I have “Anansi Boys” in my manbag waiting for a new page or two to be read if I’m stuck at an office that overloads its patient’s appointment schedule like everyone else) and I haven’t found the time to check whether my other guy, Gene Wolfe, is even still alive.
I’ve kind of dropped football. Didn’t watch a single down until about week 14 this season, though I’ve recently checked in with its version of “hot stove”, interested, at least, with its happenings for now and maybe just Jonesing for any kind of news, just trying to stay current for conversation.
I guess I’m not completely disconnected from my loves but the light of their importance has certainly dimmed.
But the one thing that needs an “aside”, that one thing that I’m missing through all of this is baseball.
Yes, you can dismiss baseball and all professional sports if you will with your more than justifiable arguments about batshit crazy unworldly salaries. I can’t argue you that. I will though offer that I’ve always looked at it as an industry within its own bubble. Their market is what their market will allow. Like the pipefitter or the cop or the accountant have what it is considered their wage in their own bubbles so does major league sports. I know that’s lame, nothing justifies paying these guys what they’re paid, especially by comparison, NO, big sports guy, you are NOT worth that, EVER, get over yourself and give the rest of us a break, but as a fan of something that has been at the core of my being for almost 50 years, I’ll allow it if need be.
Plus, what am I gonna do about the bubble? Rules and roster changes though? Don’t get me started on Rob Manfred. “insert appropriate word” clueless.
Every year since its inception I try and get my taxes done early so I can buy the MLB.TV package, to be able to watch my Buccos, buy it before I realize I could have used that hundred bucks for simple stuff like food.
I’m missing that baseball right now.
And, as to this, stay with me, my bestest of buddies, JJ, is a big fan of posting to Facebook via its “stories”. Shit still makes no sense to me, flitting wisps of people’s moments that just disappear. Color me old I guess but posting something that isn’t actually a post but was intended to be a post just seems silly, especially for the seeming seconds you have to witness it.
I did though respond to one of his recent “stories”, it involved his cats, I know … whodathunk? … and discovered when I did that my response and his “story” ended up in Facebook messenger. So now I know at least that this crap goes somewhere. When I looked though, I saw that the last time he and I had actually messaged each other was 4 years ago. It was about baseball and a post I wrote here in the Attic in its old form about how he and I have caught at least one Pirates/Mets game every year since we first realized we got along as friends might, other than two, which is my bad. Going on 16 or 17 years now as long as baseball comes back … baseball … normalcy … the health of all of us.
Long story long … sorry … another aside.
But it’s a post that, as I read it again (even with wanting to edit the shit out of it), reminded me of my one true joy. Of all the things that may have fallen to a different “aside” over the years baseball is NOT one of them.
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(Note: more on the asides) …
Did my usual run to Stop N Shop earlier today (fucking habits), but a real quickie with hands washed and face not touched when done (however difficult it may be to not fondle this handsome, according to my mom at least, mug. Hold on … sorry … just made myself laugh.
The essential essentials, seltzer and kitty litter … whittling it down to just that. Already stocked up on Friskies and beer and prayer and my usual small Steve food so, after said whittling, I hope to be good. Was gonna grab a few extra on the Friskies front but, apparently, cat food is like toilet paper now. There were literally 10 cans of those small Fancy Feasts … in the entire cat canned food spot … that’s it … nothing else … empty … (well, 8 now after I left). The girls consider it a treat. But I couldn’t grab all of them, which could easily have been done, a quick arm swipe … there are other cats and other folks owned by them just behind me.
Maybe these “asides” here are just an attempt at normalcy, cracking a joke or two or posting a funny cat pic, I don’t know. Please don’t take it as me making light of the gravity. Believe me, I’m not. I’m frightened and the anxiety doesn’t help thinking you’ve got a something when your breath comes hard because of it.
I discovered a few days ago though, emailing back and forth with a good friend of mine, that whatever anxiety I may be feeling dissipates slowly with conversation, albeit through the waiting of the call and response of email.
I also took a moment to write a bit. It’s a nothing really, well not really a nothing, these words are a me, but I just took these small posts and added those (these now) few words, ok, more than a few, words about a time, things lost, things remembered, things that are just things but are still an important.
And I also came across and re-visited an old post about baseball that I’ve already mentioned here, and trips to the ballpark with a bestest (yeh, as I’ve said before – bestest – problem with a made up word mother….er ?!) of friends.
It’s actually pretty good as I look at it again 4 years later.
We all need some “asides”.
Be safe all …
Cheers from me and Bella and the Unintentionals,
frankenberrysattic.com 