Thursday, January 19, 2006

Music and Counselling

Alright, so yesterday hubby and I had a date at the Hometown Farmer's Market. He didn't get off work until 6 so I caught a ride over a little bit earlier with my mom and figured I'd just browse around a bit until he showed up.

I came across a stand where a guy was selling DVDs and CDs - the music kind, not the savings kind - and, well you all know how I am about music. The CDs were only $4 each and I thought "Surely I can find something for me!" So I start flipping through the selection.

Things were looking grim. I was really hoping to find one along the order of "70's Greatest Disco Hits" or maybe "Getting Down With You Bad Self Funk", for house cleaning, you know. It's really motivating. However, it was really slim pickin's, even for the likes of me.

Whilst I was searching, I could overhear the conversation between the guy manning the booth and a buddy of his. As it turns out, Buddy is apparantly divorced and sharing custody of his children with his X. Booth Guy was counselling him on making sure to let his employer know that he's all caught up on the back support. Poor Buddy was attempting to listen but he was trying to wrap his mind around why, when he has the kids, they always need a pair of sneakers or something..."I mean, I send her support. Where is that going?"

Finally I found it. "Gospel Legends" featuring Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Golden Gate Quartet, Mahalia Jackson and Many More! I don't have any old timey gospel music so I thought this would be a good start.

I checked through the rest of the CDs - just in case - and figured I'd made the best selection, considering the options. I dug through my pusre for $4 and turned to the guy manning the booth. He was a biggish sort of fellow with some kind of unremarkable t-shirt under a flannel shirt, all topped off with an Eagles baseball cap. He was standing - bag at the ready - waiting for me. I handed him the CD and my $4.

He took everything and looked at the CD.

He looked at me.

He looked at the back of the CD.

He looked at me.

He looked back at the CD like he was carefully contemplating what he would say. Finally...

Booth Guy: I have some christian music right here...

I look at two stacks of CDs.

Me: No thanks, I'd like the gospel music, please.


He looks back at the CD, shrugs and starts to put it into the bag.

Booth Guy: You look a little bit young to be listening to gospel music.

As I took the bag from him I said "I know...but I'll be careful. Bye."




At that point I turned and walked away, leaving him to wonder "Just what the hell was that all about, Alfie?"




Next week I'm going back for the Helen Reddy CD.

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Because I Am A Professional

Here's an amusing little anecdote.

Today I was at work, fielding calls from the various folks dabbling in real estate, when I get a phone call from a client who recently closed on a building. The building he bought was loaded - and I mean loaded - with all kinds of stuff including 3 full size church organs. All of the assorted treasures came along with the building.

When he first put the offer in on it, there was a good bit of discussion as to what would be the best way to deal with everything inside. Ebay, auctions, dumpsters...everything was considered. Even the free ads in the newspaper. But for some reason, everything always circled back to the organs. I guess because...well...an organ. And not just one, but three. How do you find homes for three organs?

I mentioned that there were one or two items that I would be willing to buy when he got around to cleaning it out. And that was that.

Until today.

There I am, sitting at my desk, being all professional and everything, cutting real estate deals right and left, impressing my co-workers with not only my fluent knowledge of the business, but human nature as well, when he calls.

Client: Hey, are you still interested in those things in the building I bought?
Me: Sure. Are you starting to clean it out?
Client: Well, pretty soon. I think I might have an auction but I figured I'd let you take what you wanted first.
Me: Well that's awfully nice of you. Just let me know when you're at the property and I can come by to pick everything up.
Client: Ok. I should be there in a couple of days.
Me: Ok. Just call me here or on my cell.
Client: There's just one thing...
Me: What's that?
Client: Well, for each item you want, you have to take an organ.

and me, without missing a beat...

Me: I wouldn't have any idea where to even put an organ.



ahem


This is the point where all my co-workers landed on the floor, doubled in laughter.


Me: I can't believe I just said that.
Client: What?
Me: Nevermind.

Friday, January 06, 2006

My Exciting Life

I don't want to fan the flames of jealousy here or anything, but I just wanted to give a little update on what Ms. Quintessence has been up to this new year.

Let's start at the beginning, shall we? And I mean the very beginning - those first few exciting, romantic seconds of the New Year that, as some superstitions have it, determine how you will spend the rest of the year.

So, if legend serves us right, where will Ms. Quintessence spend the bulk of 2006? Partying it up in the Big Apple? Nooooo.

Jet setting off to far and distant lands?

Nooooo.

Revelling in the streets with drunken friends?

No.

Judging by my first few moments of the New Year, it would seem that a job at a power plant must be in my near future because, yes, that's where I rang in 2006.

As it turned out, hubby had to work New Year's Eve (and into New Year's Dawn). So I made a nice batch of chocolately chip brownies and son and I took them there for hubby and the rest of the crew. (Daughter didn't go along because she had a better offer in advance.) We brought the Anatomically Correct Clock - which was brought to our house by friends attending previous parties at our house where we have to call someone who actually has a television to walk us through the countdown. So I, along with son, hubby and the rest of the midnight crew at the power plant, greeted 2006 with mouths full of brownie. Then hubby took me and son on a tour of the plant, which I wish I could have paid more attention to but I was kind of like that mouse in the cartoons that is watching the unfolding of the elaborate trap the cat has made. You know, the one that includes at least one bowling ball and one iron?

Anyway, moving right along.

I'm just going to skip the work part of the new year because that's a given.

What else...what else...

Oh! Hubby and I also went grocery shopping! And this was exciting because I bought two different varieties of pomegranate juice. And ginger snaps. Something I hardly ever do. I was so worn out from the excitiment, I came home and went to bed. Whew!

Alright, I admit it - it may not sound like much fun to some people. And perhaps it's not. But, dear readers, it's all in the approach, yes? What I mean is, it doesn't matter what we do or where we are as long as we canbe with the ones we love, right?


But, yet...

I still needed something a little fun and even a bit mischievous.

What to do? What to to? I went about my daily routine and suddenly it came upon me. While I was going about the business of weeding through the books in our library, opportunity presented itself to me. I realized I was standing there with a paperback Bible in my hand and so, I did what any fun loving, mischievous keeper of books would do.

I slipped it in between Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead.

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

All But One

All but one died.

Can you even begin to imagine?

I am so sad for the families of those poor men.




all your daylight i dig in darkness
you feel the wind while i break the stone
in the blackness far below you
my blood runs through veins of coal
veins of coal, veins of coal
my blood runs through veins of coal

a shaft of daylight collapsed behind us
sirens scream up the valley, families moan
in the blackness my breath is fading
in an ocean of frozen stone
frozen stone, frozen stone
in an ocean of frozen stone

do you hear a canary
in a cage in a cave under ground
is she crying or is she singing
in a cage in a cave under ground

i can see you move my body
not connected to my soul
i am floating right beside you
though you touch me i am alone
i'm alone, i'm alone
though you touch me i am alone

do you hear a canary
in a cage in a cave under ground
is she dying or is she sleeping
in a cage in a cave under ground

carry me high into the mountains
pray the Good Lord takes my soul
do not place me beneath the surface
i have been there for far too long
far to long, far too long
i have been there for far too long

let the wind blow through my rib cage
let the sunshine bleach my skull
some day my tears will reach the ocean
and my bones will turn into coal
turn to coal, turn to coal
and my bones will turn to coal

turn to coal, turn to coal
and my bones will turn to coal

-richie stearns

Tuesday, January 03, 2006