OK, where are the guys??
It’s OK, men, to chime in even if it’s with only four words.
You can even hit on the women, but then you have to use no more than four words — and we’re rated PG-13 here, with some slipups, true, but, you know, stay clean.
Went out today and interviewed people for the story and it was fun. Saw other people, too — couple of folks from the RT, Ken at the Fret Mill, Ed the developer, and so on.
Kinda cheered me up, and the interviews were interesting and fun. Then I came home and got that old feeling. Lots of talk and laughs off-site and then — bom ba bom bom — the Empty House.
So I yoga’d till my ankle hurt, then went through some journals from this month in previous, tortured years. It sure made this part of life seem better. Except for my ankle.
Then, after dinner, I bought two books to take on my trip and two CDs — one by the Frames, the band of the guy in "Once," and one an entertaining new Frankie Vallie CD of ’60s songs — "Spanish Harlem," "Then You Can Tell Me Good-Bye," and so on.
He doesn’t seem to do falsetto any more, and he sings like a little kid, but there’s something about that hood’s look he has (he had a small part on the Sopranos a few years ago) and the memory of "Sherrie" when it first hit big and I, at about 12, was at the beach, that hooks me every time.
It’s amazing how our moods can change. It’s amazing to me to realize that the accounts of the months before and after my wife died, and the later demise of a long and troubled relationship, teach me different things at different times.
I wouldn’t wish torture or trouble on anyone, particularly anyone with kids, but there are lessons available to those who have the patience and strength to discern them.
Anyway, that’s what I’ve been up to. Anybody else done anything interesting?
Guys?
42 responses so far ↓
I work with a couple of men and trying to talk them in to blogging. Only one is interested, and of course he is more our age. I think he did write you when you were writing about the hardware store closing. He lives behind there. You have been single a lot longer than me and I enjoy going home to a empty place. At work it is very busy and to come home and just sit there, and no one to bother me, I really love it. But my daughter still lives with me and even though she is gone a lot, I guess I am not alone anyway. My favorite time of the day,is in the morning especially on the weekends, is to read the paper(sorry Joe) and drink my coffee. When it gets a little cooler to sit on the porch and drink my coffee, will be the best of times. Does not take much to please me, just the simple things of life. Joe, I predict that you will find love again and maybe get married. It looks like there are a few women on your blog to choose and also your “friends”. Hey you might meet that special someone in NY who has the same passion in baseball as you. Maybe I am the next Ms Cleo. Go Yankees Go.
take care and be safe. No Harp beer without us
Guy responds, “I washed the car.”
I’m not touching “where are the guys?” with a ten foot pole!
You know, it is interesting to look back over the different phases of your life. To try learn from mistakes that you invariably made or to reinforce the incredibly postive things that happened. To have grieved over something very dear or to laugh at something ridiculous you might have done. Gosh, nothing seems like it’s easy sometimes. And then sometimes you feel like you’re golden. Life is tricky. But it’s how you handle it, that counts for something. We all come out being better people in the end, because we’ve experienced the pain and the happiness. It makes us well rounded people emotionally. Does this make sense? We can certainly learn from each other, that’s so true.
Annette, don’t press me on the Harp when I return. What happens in Cooperstown, stays in Cooperstown.
Second Guy offers, “Bought beer at Kroger’s”
I agree, MM. Life hurts. And then it doesn’t. And then it’s good. We have very little control. The one thing I’ve learned is to try, at least try, not to respond when provoked. I’ve still got buttons, and at least a couple of people still know how to push them. I wonder why some people are like that — born button-pushers, and clueless as to what they’re doing.
First guy says: “Cool. Let’s go blog.”
Here’s what popped up on my computer today….
Tennessee Williams said, “Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.”
The first reason people are button pushers is because that weren’t raised right! Mostly, people push your buttons for the feeling of having power or control over you. Especailly if you wear your button on your sleeve, it’s easy to push. We’re the ol’ softies and people take advantage of that. They know what they are doing, believe me.
Another Guy enters the room and asks, “What’s on teevee tonight?”
Fourth Wheel (with light bulb over his head) says, “Let’s start a band!”
Joe analyzes all of this and thinks, “Guys have a great economy of words.”
Thoughts on an empty nest: The oldest went to college in 2001 and now lives in Roanoke. Grocery consumption, toilet paper consumption, and total number of laundry loads per week cut in half. Youngest will go to college fall of 2009. Grocery consumption, toilet paper consumption and total number of laundry loads per week will again plummet. Small red sports car will replace 1988 Lincoln Towncar. I will get to eat what I want whenever I want and will get to watch anything on television I want and I can go out in public without fearing the everpresent Fashion Police (Is that what you’re wearing to the restaurant?!?!?)
I’ll also miss the dickens out of them both.
Maybe I’ll skip the red sports car…. statistically, red cars are ticketed more often.
All kidding aside, I’ve been divorced for 12 years and have come to embrace aloneness.
Aloneness and lonliness are two separate things. They can exist as two different entities. They can also co-exist, although not without each rubbing the other the wrong way. I’m plenty lonely on occasion but I let it happen, try to learn something from the experience, and move on.
Besides, I come home to Angus Schmangus and he keeps me company.
I can’t think of a guy-four-word-funny… darn it.
Some of us are born clueless and have been losing ground ever since. And that hurts too.
You’ve Gotta Have Heart! Lyrics
Coach:
[Spoken]
See boys, that’s what I’m talking about. Baseball is only one half skill, the
other half is something else…..something bigger!
{sang}
You’ve gotta have….Heart! All you really need is heart!
When
the odds are sayin’ you’ll never win, that’s when the grin should start!
You’ve gotta have hope! Musn’t sit around and mope. Nuthin’ half as bad as
it may appear, wait’ll next year and hope. When your luck is battin’ zero,
get your chin up off the floor. Mister, you can be a hero. You can open any
door. There’s nothin’ to it, but to do it. You’ve gotta have heart! Miles
and miles and miles of heart! Oh, it’s fine to be a genius of corse! But
keep that ol’ horse before the cart! First you’ve got to have heart!
Smokey:
A great pitcher, we haven’t got!
Rocky:
A great slugger, we haven’t got!
Sohovic:
A great pitcher, we haven’t got!
All:
What’ve we got? We’ve got heart! All you really need is heart! When the odds
are sayin’, You’ll never win, that’s when the grin should start! We’ve got
hope! We don’t sit around and mope! Not a solitary sob do we heave, mister
’cause we’ve got hope.
Rocky:
We’re so happy, that we’re hummin’.
All:
Hmm, Hmm, Hmm
Coach:
That’s the heart-y thing to do.
Smokey:
‘Cause we know our ship will come in!
All:
Hmm, hmm, hmm
Sohovic:
So it’s ten years over due!
All:
Hoo, hoo, hoo. We’ve got heart! Miles and miles and miles of heart! Oh it’s
fine to be a genius of coarse, but keep that old horse before the cart!
Smokey:
So what the heck’s the use of cryin’?
Coach:
Why should we curse?
Sohovic:
We’ve got to get better……
Rocky:
….’cause we can’t get worse!
All:
And to add to it; we’ve got heart! We’ve got heart! We’ve got Heart!
Really, just four words?
That’s all - just four?
Not certain I can…
Joe -
Ok, here are four words (plus a few) from a guy: “Life is too short to waste.” Yes, death of loved ones, divorce, war, hateful people, freezing rain, not being able to prevent your kids from experiencing the lesser side of life, cheap wine, and bosses who drive you crazy make you question the essence of life itself sometimes. But, I still have to believe that you only see what you look for…especially guys. Heck send me to look for a pencil in the kitchen drawer, then ask me if there was a paper clip there…I dunno, I was looking for a pencil…same thing…
So instead of counting scars and remembering who did what to whom, I prefer to find the things in life that reaffirm. Sunrises, puppy breath, the sight of a brown trout taking a dry fly on a still morning lake, the sound of a 1968 GTO starting up, any song that makes me think of a high school dance in a gym, the taste of my Mom’s blueberry pie, the explosion of a good red wine on my tongue, the sound of my kids voices when they come to visit, the smell of spring rain…
Like I said, life is too short not to revel in good conversation, spontaneous acts of kindness, splashing in puddles and feasting to celebrate the fact that today is a day that ends in “y”.
Oh, and reading thoughtful blogs…
Win,
Exactly!!! That was so well put!
Wow. Fairly interesting topic.
Win Hunt: You are my hero. My thoughts exactly. Going forward is, really, the only choice we have, since time doesn’t stop (despite our efforts to accomplish that). I love the sensory images you lay out for us. To them, I might add the following:
the look of stars just before sunrise
Win..if everyone could live the way you describe what a wonderful world we would have. I believe sometime you have to walk through the valley in order to experience the beauty from the mountain top. Today is really the first day of the rest of our life…you can get out of bed saying this is a great day I am glad I am alive or you can get out of the bed with negative thoughts..our choice.
Winston Churchill said “Don’t let others interrupt the song in your soul” “A man is about as big as the things that make him angry”
The stars last night from the third floor skylites…..heavenly…
Hi ME-linda,
Some men are about as big as the things that make them hungry….
Pam, the Yankees are gone.
We can hit on the women Joe and only four words?
Okay, here goes, “Kat, marry me please”.
Work was a b—-.
What is for dinner?
White or red wine?
Diner was great, thanks!
You look very sexy….
(Leer):To bed “early” tonight?
To A guy, some guy, any guy….
“You speak my language.”
To Ron…..
“That was very sweet!”
To Pam . . .
“Thank you very much.”
Joe,
You’ve created a monster!
Are you talking about the four-word thing?
Not my brilliance. I believe it came from Pamela. Is that correct?
Maybe I did create it. To speak manfully, I have no idea.
Why yes, I believe it came from the back seat of my man’s monster truck…
On a 3-dog nite…
the moon was full…
the dogs were howling…
Speaking manfully, like WOW!!!
There you go again,
having fun just when
you should be workin’
and bringin’ home bacon…
To Pam…
“Oh my dear Lord.”
To Ron…
“I think I’m shocked.”
To Annette…
“I need a beer.”
To Everyone…
“You make me smile.”
To Joe…
“Keep on keepin on!”
To Kat…
“Say yes to Ron!!”
“Before he finishes beer!!”
I did it first.
To Pamela..
“I don’t think so!”
Who will be married?
Will it happen here?
Who fell in Love?
And where’s MY beer?
It’s still to early.
But for sure tonight.
I best be going.
before traffic is a’flowing!!
“this is a trip”
God, I can’t stop.
But I have to.
Thanks for the laughs~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Did IT in 1970?”
KH,
you did what first?
See, I can’t leave!!!!
We keep doing this.
On two different subjects. LOLOL
KH…
I remember so well…
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