I could very easily turn this one into another prolonged whine fiesta, but will spare you guys. Nobody needs more of that shit in their lives. Right? Right. It goes counter to my nature, but I’m going to try not to complain today. We’ll see how it goes.
Next Saturday I’m going to a concert with the younger hooligan. Proving that I remain on the cutting edge, we’re going to see The Zombies, a group that originally formed in 1961. How’s that for fresh and new?
The touring band features four surviving members, including singer Colin Blunstone and keyboardist/songwriter Rod Argent. In 1967 they recorded an album called Odessey and Oracle that is one of my favorites. They’re doing a 50th Anniversary tour, where they play the entire album live. It’s one of those holy shit in a salad spinner! situations.
I heard those two guys on the Adam Carolla podcast a few months ago, when Adam and the gang were in London. They were talking about playing together again, and how well the shows were going. It seemed like a UK thing, and I assumed I’d never actually have the chance to see them. Now it’s going to happen, apparently, and they’ll be playing The Album. My nipples are exploding with delight.
One thing, though: Ticketmaster fees are now 33% of the total cost of the tickets?? Seriously? That’s something straight out of a shower stall on Riker’s Island, right there. But I said I wasn’t going to complain… Let’s move on.
Toney and I need a vacation, but it’s a difficult thing to manage. Both boys work, there’s not an enormous amount of money available, and only Toney and I deserve a trip. It sounds harsh, I know, but true.
So, Toney proposed separate trips. She said I should find a hotel on the ocean somewhere, take my laptop there for a few days in April or May, and try to jump start the book project I’ve been monkeying around with. And she’d go somewhere in October (she has a week off in October).
At first I dismissed the plan, ’cause it feels like something husbands and wives on the cusp of divorce would do. We’re not having any kind of marital problems, other than our kids are driving us crazy, and there’s a load of work stress, etc. The two of us are fine, and we’d like to travel together. But we can’t leave the two hooligans alone for days on end. We’d return to a big black spot in the grass, and nothing but a charred mound of Bud Light cans where our house used to be.
Have you ever done any solo traveling, while married or involved? I’m not talking about sex tourism to Singapore, or anything like that. I just mean normal, innocent travel. I didn’t like the sound of it, at first, but am starting to warm to the idea. God knows it would be great to extract myself from this chaos and stress for three or four days. And I really need to get the book back on track. I like the idea more with each passing hour. I’ve got my eye on this place, tentatively.
When we were in England we talked to a guy from Australia, while on a bus trip to Oxford and Stratford (I think). He was traveling alone, and had a wife back home. He said sometimes they travel together, but both enjoy taking “excursions” alone, as well. I thought that was weird, and was judging him and his unseen wife with gusto. I assumed they were some brand of eccentric, on the verge of marital collapse, or both. But maybe not? What are your thoughts on this one?
Also, what are your holy shit in a salad spinner! moments? You know, stuff you experienced that you never could’ve predicted? I have several in the music category: a Television reunion concert, seeing Queen at the height of their powers in Charleston, WV, hanging out with Paul Westerberg in a bowling alley in Atlanta, watching Nick Lowe perform four or five songs in the WEA Atlanta conference room(!) during the first month I worked there. There are more, but I’m getting tired and hungry.
I must also add Johnny Bench Night at Riverfront Stadium to the salad spinner list. It was the last game he played as catcher, and the day he hit the final home run of his career. That was pretty special, too. Do you have anything on this one? Please share in the comments.
And I’m going to call it day, my friends. I’m spent.
I’ll see you guys again soon.
Now playing in the bunker
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