Haines His Way
Archives => Archive 2 => Topic started by: bk on September 27, 2004, 12:06:33 AM
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Well, you've read the notes, the notes have serviced you and now it is time for you to service the notes by posting until the serviced cows come home. To it, I say.
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Well I have never owned a car so I really can't discuss that. I just wanted to give a quick hello to tell you all I survived my weekend of retreat. The retreat was my "tune-up" (going with the car theme here) and has helped me clarify my priorities. So now I am revved up and ready to go! ;) Priority one tomorrow is to start looking for songs to audition with because I still haven't gotten around to auditioning for the school of music after a year of college! The good news is I have my core classes pretty much out of the way though!
By the way, I went to my first concert in the new hall (It was a Faculty Recital) last night and I really enjoyed it! ;D Maybe I'll share a little more about it later today. Ooooh the suspense!
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The car I have now is the first car I ever bought by myself for myself. In Toronto, before I was married, I never owned a car. As in NY, you don't really need one unless you live in the suburbs, which I didn't. After I was hitched, the car thing was of no interest to me - so basically whatever my husband wanted to drive is what we got. Even when we got a second car for me, he chose it because I have no interest at all in cars. When we left LA for Colorado, we traded in our nice Lexus and got a (yuck) Explorer - better suited to Colorado. It was leased and I was stuck with it after the divorce. I could not stand that huge beast. The minute the lease was over, I went out and bought the white Toyota Camry (99) I'm still driving. I'd like a smaller car - perhaps a hybrid - and one that hasn't got such a low front. But it's still mine all mine. So I guess it's my favorite. End of car story.
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***TOE HEALING VIBES TO BK****
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!![/move][/size]Hope You feel better BK!
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The toe is a small part of the body....but if it hurts...IT HURTS!!!!
Musical version of THE HOBBITS? Oh my!
My favorite car will have to be my NEXT one, because I have never had a car I liked. The only car I have ever picked out was my first one, a 1968 Rambler American - 6 cylinder automatic. I liked it....for awhile.
Hmmmmmmmmm.....a movie to go with North by Northwest.... Well of course SABOTEUR starts in California and goes the other way and ends up at the Statue of Liberty in New York. Or The Long Long Trailer which is always funny....maybe Cary and Eva should have rented and car and mobile home instead of taking the train. And Lucy does try to prepare that lovely ragout of beef....with disastrous results!
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Cars are unimportant to me. I had a car in college and a different car after I graduated. Don't remember much about either of them, including the make of either. I've lived in NYC for 24 years and I don't need a car. Anthony has his car out on Long Island but that's the closest I come to owning a car. I do not miss the issues associated with automobile ownership, including insurance, upkeep, gas and other maintenance. If I ever leave New York we will use Anthony's car.
And now, to work.
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If there's any choice, I'll use public transportration rather than drive. But some of the companies I work for are in faraway suburbia. And then there's the convenience of having the car for vet visits. My favorite car is the one I drive now - it's a 1986 Toyota Tercel, and I bought it new more than 18 years ago. It's easy to navigate around the city and is extraordinarily reliable. Over the years it's cost very little to maintain.
By the way, I once talked to a tow truck operator. He told me that the cars he towed the least were Toyotas. The most? Mercedes.
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[move=left,scroll,6,transparent,100%]! ! ! ! ! TOE TAPPING VIBES OF HEALING FOR BK ! ! ! ! ![/move]
My favorite car is my current one and the same as DR Panni's--a 99 Toyota Camry (except mine is Hunter Green.) It was love at first sit--it was the only car I was able to sit in and not have my knees hit against the steering wheel. It was also the first brand spanking-new car I ever owned. Power windows, power doors, power side-view mirrors. And since I had a thing going with the moon at the time, I got a moon roof. I absolutely love this car and I've tried my best to keep it as immaculate as the day I picked it up (the strict "No Eating! No Smoking!" rule helps.)
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BK - Your California roots are showing. As with several of the postings already, I've never owned a car. It's just not that vital outside of CA.
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BTW (internet lingo!), BK, did you ever figure out what movie this came from?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/WandaDuck/globe.jpg)
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1. I'm here. I'm inundated with lots of work; once school started we lost several servers and hosts(hostesses), so, I have been picking up all the extra shifts that I can.
2. In addition, been running folks back and forth to their regularly scheduled doctors' appointments, going to anniversary and birthday parties.
3. Spent a weekend -and then some - dealing with the after effects (and effects) of storms and hurricanes.
4. Been actively planning and charting the next trip to NYC (are you listening Elmore? Ben?) which takes me into the city for Thanskgiving weeekend. (How about a chorus of "Turkey Lurkey Time?")
5. GOOD HEALTH VIBES TO BK.
6. The car that I'm driving, a 2003 red Potiac Sunfire is the best car I've ever had: great gas mileage, comfortable seats, sunroof. . . 8)
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BK can you go into more detail about Alias.
I know a lot of us here love that show. And we'd love to talk about it with you. But it's been a while since we've seen the episodes. So we need more detail about the episodes you're watching.
If you're worried about spoiling for anyone who will watch the DVD, just put Alias Spoiler at the top of your posts.
Btw, I cannot wait till the new season starts. But it's still a long 4 months away. :(
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Like many native new yorkers, I've never owned a car, although we have started giving some consideration to one, since it would cut my current commute down considerably. The parents, however, have taken old junkers off of the hands of co-workers. The memorable one of the lot was a 15-year old 1973 Ford Galaxie 500, aka The Tank. Forget gas mileage on this thing, and you could land three helicopters simultaneously on the roof, the hood, and the trunk. Added to this is the fact that my mother is all of 4'10" and practically had to reach up to steer the thing (must've been a terrifying sight in the rear view mirror to see the tank chewing up ground and no driver, just a set of fingers on the wheel!)
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Hmmmmmmmmm.....a movie to go with North by Northwest.... Well of course SABOTEUR starts in California and goes the other way and ends up at the Statue of Liberty in New York. Or The Long Long Trailer which is always funny....maybe Cary and Eva should have rented and car and mobile home instead of taking the train.
It would have been a hoot if the climax of the movie involved Cary and Eva trying to maneuver the trailer at the top of Mt. Rushmore.
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Also, BK, hope your toe feels better. I've stubbed my toe many times. Although I've never made it bleed. :(
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TD: Sounds good. Perhaps BK can arrange his end of the year trip to NY around the same time and we can have a large gathering. He mentioned yesterday in chat that he wants to try and come to NYC by the end of the year. We have friends in from England for Thanksgiving weekend but we can work something out, I'm sure.
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Good Morning!
-Nothing like sleeping for about 14 hours straight! WHEW!!
I got into Dulles around 3:00. My brother, Don, picked me up - and his daughter (and my niece), Alexandra - came along for the ride too. She was in a particularly "sugary" mood. We picked up some lunch. Went over to Alyssa's (my other niece) birthday party. -She even told me that she was "Two years" - holding up the requisit amount of fingers too, no more, no less!. I ended up crashing upstairs in one of the bedrooms after about an hour. Then we all headed back to my parents house, where I proceeded upstairs to "my" bedroom... next thing I knew it was this morning. Whew!
So... Lots to do in the next few hours.. I, too, need to take my car in for servicing. Thankfully, I just found all the warranty info for my muffler in my glove compartment. Yeah! -So, hopefully, I won't have to pay anything for the re-repair. I'm doing laundry. I'm checking on other stuff, etc.
DR JRand54 - I have yet to check out yesterday's posts.... But I did get your e-mail... Soooo sorry... Ah, well...
And Toe Healing Vibes to BK! (Ouch!)
OK. I'll be back... Laters...
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I have only owned 4 cars in my life and none of them were spectacular, but I would sure love to have my first car back...a 1963 Mercury Comet 4 door. I bought it in 1982 but traded it in for a 1975 AMC Matador. Since then I have owned only a 1984 Toyota Tercel and my current car, a 1994 Toyota Tercel. Sadly they don't make Toyota Tercel's anymore..so when time comes to buy something new I have no idea what I will get.
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From Playbill.com
The Enchanted Cottage, the new musical based on the Arthur Wing Pinero play, gets public readings in Manhattan Sept. 27 and 30 as part of The New York Musical Theatre Festival.
The 1921 play The Enchanted Cottage was made into a film in 1945. Robert Young and Dorothy McGuire starred.
Tickets are $15. For reservations and ticket info, call (212) 352-3101. Performances are at 4:30 PM.
I enjoy the movie immensely, and the musical seems promising. Will any New Yorkers be attending the reading?
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Car is being serviced and I have a nice new loaner for the day.
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My favorite car is my current one and the same as DR Panni's--a 99 Toyota Camry (except mine is Hunter Green.)
From your description, we have EXACTLY the same car (except color) - mine also has all the power features and the moon roof.
DD and I drove it from Boulder to LA last November - stuffed with everything I didn't trust to the movers (including Abie) - and it did wonderfully.
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From your description, we have EXACTLY the same car (except color) - mine also has all the power features and the moon roof.
DD and I drove it from Boulder to LA last November - stuffed with everything I didn't trust to the movers (including Abie) - and it did wonderfully.
Ya, know, it is the perfect car to get carjacked in and forced to get into the trunk. (The trunk is very roomy and when one wishes, one can just tug on a cable and--voila!--the trunk opens!)
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Ya, know, it is the perfect car to get carjacked in and forced to get into the trunk. (The trunk is very roomy and when one wishes, one can just tug on a cable and--voila!--the trunk opens!)
So long as the thugs don't eat or smoke while they're driving.
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BK - Your California roots are showing. As with several of the postings already, I've never owned a car. It's just not that vital outside of CA.
WEL, that's a pretty outlandish statement to make. Unless you live in a large city with a well developed mass transit system, cars (or some vehicle) are a necessity. Believe me that I don't live in California, but there would be no way to attend to the life I lead without a car.
My favorite one to drive was, unfortunately, the worst one in terms of maintenance: a Ford Mustang that I owned in the early 1980s. It was such fun to drive and had the tightest handling of any car I've ever owned. But things were constantly going bad in it, and in three years, it must have been in the shop for something six or seven times. I saw the handwriting on the wall and went back to GM products.
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Ah, living without cars reminds me of a story I heard in Oregon (DR MBarnum and other Oregonians take note) about a family in rural OR who had a relative visiting from New Yawk City. They decided to have fun with the city slicker, so they took him hiking in the mountains, sure that the rigors of rural life would be too much for him.
All good New Yorkers will, of course, realize that the city mouse left his country cousins in his dust, precisely because in the city he walked everywhere, but they had grown totally reliant on their automobiles.
Favorite car? That would have to be Joe's Mercedes SLK, because of the hard-top convertible, the tushy warmers, and the superb handling. Except in snow, where it has nearly cost us our lives. And please remind us to get new tyres.
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I had two count them two lemons in my car-driving experience - a pricey Peugeot (the worst car I've ever owned) and an Audi (the second worst car I've ever owned). Both bought new and both broke down regularly and cost me thousands of dollars before I finally dumped them.
Best car - my current Infiniti I30. Prior to that was my second best car - a preowned Infiniti M30 (no longer made - in fact, it was already out of production when I bought the preowned in 1996). The M30 was great and great-looking. When The Faculty sold and we got our rather large payments, I bought the I30. I have never had a spot of trouble (knocking wood loudly) with this car. In fact, I said to the service person that it was the most amazing car ever, and he concurred that that model is the workhorse of the Infiniti line. I've had it for six years now - normally I would never keep a car six years, but I'm so grateful it's been so good that I just want to keep it. Besides, its looks haven't dated at all and it's in very good condition. And for some reason I've put very little mileage on it - only 50,000 in six years. In all that time, I've only had to replace the brake pads once, the battery went last year and I replaced that, and until today that was it. I knew there were going to be brake problems on the rear brakes because the sensor was making a noise - so they have to redo the back brakes (fronts are perfect), they have to change the windshield wipers, and, after six years, new belts. All this under seven hundred bucks - I don't think I've spent more than 1500 dollars on this car in six years, which is pretty amazing if you ask me.
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The two cars I've always wanted to own were a Porsche 914 (discontinued around 1975) and a Mercedes hard-top convertible like WFO is speaking about - or any of the sporty little Mercedes line. I occasionally look at used ones but you really have to know what you're doing when you buy a used classic car.
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So long as the thugs don't eat or smoke while they're driving.
Ohhhhhhh....they better not have...they better not have... That's all I will say. They better not have...
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My worse car was a 1984 Ford Tempo, bought used. One month after I had it, the radiator went. Then the brakes. Then the transmission. And on one particularly memorable drive over the Ben Franklin Bridge, the muffler intake pipe broke, but the muffler remained attached to the car by a hard rubber gasket. This resulted in a horrendous scraping noise accompanied by sparks as I dragged the muffler beneath my car across the bridge and then four miles of highway until I finally came across a Midas shop ( I was not going to pay a lot for that muffler!) Lord praise the day I traded that POS in for a fun to drive but tight Honda Civic.
My dream car would be a first-year red Mazda Miata. I love the looks of that car.
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My favorite car is my current one, my first. It is a 2001 Kia Sephia, in what the dear partner and I like to call "Burnt Champagne," though most others would call it a slightly metallic beige.
Having been one of the native New Yorkers whose mastery of the subway/bus system, as well as other ways of public transportation, and who's arm reflexively shoots up and out at the sight of a yellow car, I had gotten my license in high school, but never really drove until we moved up to Rochester two years ago. What I was waiting for, I am not quite sure. Except that people I know pay more for a garage space than I did for my maintenance payment on my co-op apartment. But come on, what New Yorker would sensibly own a car, and NOT garage it? Except if you lived in the wilds of Sheepshead Bay or Little Neck, or some such outer-borough place, where you could actually FIND parking spaces, even on alternate side days, of course......
My Kia has been terrific thus far, save for the three sets of wiper blades I have had to put on it. But with slushy, salty goo being tossed at you on the highways on a regular basis during the snow season, I suppose that is to be expected.
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My first car:
A 1964 Chevy Malibu Supersport. White w/red interior. My father gave it to me in the summer of 1969. I wrecked it two weeks later when I rear-ended a pickup truck. My father repaired it (sort of), including the a/c. I had it my senior year in college and the first two years I was in the Navy. On a 4th of July weekend in 1972, I bought a new Datsun (forget the model) which I drove until I went to Italy in March 1973. Sold the Datsun to my father, who drove it as a second car and he had it when I returned from Italy in 1977. During my time in Europe, I picked up a 1964 VW bug (with a hasp lock on the outside of the driver's door) which served me exceedingly well from August 1975 until roughly April 1977 at which time I bought a Fiat convertible (again, model escapes me) which had U.S. specs and which I shipped back to the U.S. I was stationed in Washington DC where this poor little Fiat shivered and shook and didn't run at any time there was ice or snow on the ground. When I left Washington in 1979 for training at the Navy Training Center, Great Lakes, my father drove to Washington and got the Fiat and towed it to South Carolina.
When my training was over and I was bound for Indiana to teach journalism at the Defense Information School, my father offered to sell me the Datsun. Essentially, I paid him $300 and gave him the Fiat (I'm now thinking it was the 1200 model) in return for the Datsun. I drove that Datsun until 1984 when I was assigned to a carrier out of Alameda here in the Bay Area. Again, my father took the Datsun and drove it a while before selling it.
I didn't have a car again until 1987 when I was assigned to Naples, Italy. My purchase was a Citroen...model: Deux Cheveaux. That's right! It had 2 hp! It was gorgeous, though. Maroon body with black fenders and black rag top. Dove grey interior. I drove it for about a year and then it was stolen out of my locked garage via my locked driveway gate. Professional job.
I ended up with a European-specs BMW which I drove until I left in October 1992.
In June 1993, I bought a 1990 Ford Probe SL that had 30,000 miles on it. I still drive it. I went over 60,000 miles this past summer.
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I know my next car will be a Saturn. A couple of friends have them, and I love riding in their cars. I also appreciate their "no haggling" salesmanship. That's the thing I detest most about buying a new car, and I won't have to do that with them.
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Tammy's got a red Mazda Miata - she'll be selling hers soon she tells me. Now's your chance.
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DR Stuart, I see your car in ads everywhere. ;)
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Good Afternoon!
DR JRand54 - Read your post from yesterday, read your e-mail today, and your response too. As I mentioned in my e-mail, when I looked for a 1757, I didn't see one - unless it was on the part of the road that turned into a private driveway further up the hill. (Did you catch that DR Jay? ;)) So, just in case I had written down the number wrong... (I knew there was a "5" in there somewhere.)
And who knows? Maybe the hot sun beating down on my head affected me... :P
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Speaking of cars, I was sent this e-mail by a friend who usually doesn't pass stuff like this along. It's apparently from a detective in the identity theft unit of the San Diego Police Dept.
So for what it's worth, here it is:
Be aware of the new car-jacking scheme. Here's how it works:
You walk across the parking lot, unlock your car and get inside. Then you lock all your doors, start the engine and shift into REVERSE, and you look into the rear view mirror to back out of your parking space and you notice a piece of paper stuck to the middle of the rear window. So you shift into PARK, unlock your doors and jump out of your car to remove that paper (or whatever it is) that is obstructing your view...
When you reach the back of the car that is when the car-jackers appear out of nowhere, jump into your car and take off. Your engine was running, (women would have their purse in the car) and they practically mow you down as they speed off in your car.
What you should do if you do see something in the rear window:
Just drive away and remove the piece of paper that is stuck to your
window later. (http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/auto/car-smiley-002.gif)
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Yes, I did have a good trip back yesterday. I guess the only real inconvenience was having to get picked up by the airport shuttle service at 3:45AM(!?!?!?) to get to Long Beach. Of course, since it was an early Sunday morning, we ended up getting to LGB at 4:15AM(!?!?!) - The airport didn't open until 5:00AM! Thankfully, the terminal was not completely closed - the doors and bathrooms were still open - and since it was SoCal, waiting outside wasn't too bad either. And the whole waiting period went rather fast too.
I did get a good laugh watching some of the people stock up on food for the trip at the snack bar since Jet Blue does not serve meals on their flights. However, they do serve snacks, and the flight attendants are usually more than happy to give you seconds - and sometimes thirds. I mean people seemed to be stocking up for a snow storm! It was only a four and a half hour flight?!?!? Do you really need two sandwiches and three containers of yogurt?!?! But I guess if you need to eat that much food... If I'm sitting down for that long, I don't like eating that much anyway - just don't want to be digesting without having a chance to move around normally. *I also just wanted to get in my seat and stay there for the duration of the flight getting some rest - and a few winks here and there - which I did.
Once at Dulles, it was a bit of a maze getting to baggage claim since they're in the process of remodeling and constructing some of the terminals. *I also noticed the lack of signage in foreign languages as I was making my way towards baggage claim - kind of strange for a very international airport, dontcha think?
My brother called me from his car just as my baggage was coming off the carousel, so I only had about a two minute wait once I got out to the curb. And then I spent the ride home playing "I Spy" with my niece. Boy, was she in a wacky mood yesterday. She just kept asking me how many plates I could balance on my head?!?!? -Were Ed Sullivan reruns being shown on TV?
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My niece's birthday party was fun - even though I was sort of in "zombie" mode for it. There were LOTS of kids there, and a bunch of other families I didn't know. However, it was nice seeing the ones I did know.
My brother's new house/condo is very nice. And it's surprisingly big. It looks small from the outside, but it has three floors, and a nice finished basement with a storage area, plus a brick patio in the back. It's a good kids party house - enough room for them to run around, but not large enough for them to get lost or out of ear shot.
The spread of food consisted of pizza, fried chicken, various types of chicken wings, chips, dips, etc. And the birthday cake ended up being an ice cream cake from Carvel. -My favorite! Unfortunately, when it came time to blow out the candles, I was already upstairs zonked out in one of the bedrooms. But I did get to spend some time with my niece - who is still "scared" of me - but she at least let me hug her, and she gave me a few "un besitos". :-*
And then it was home, and then it was time to sleep... for 14 hours! I did get up once during the night, and I had absolutely no idea what time it was. I even thought for a few minutes that I had slept through the following day. It was only 12:45AM. I got up to get a drink of water, and then went back to bed. From what I could tell, my parents were still up downstairs, but I knew if I tried to navigate the stairs at that time, I probably would have ended up falling down them rather than walking down them.
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SWW how about "And Then There Were None"?
I’m pleased you are feeling better. Good luck with the ear. I hate when a cold goes into my ear.
Matthew, Amber India is a pretty name for a restaurant. If ever I’m in San Jose I will try and eat there. I’m glad you enjoyed your new experience.
George I like your suggestion of “Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?” I think it should be combined with my suggestion. :D
Divarobbie what is wrong with Hobbits?
Panni possibly the theater can still reach her for you. Did you check to see if she has a website now?
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Are you bored yet? ;)
Well... Once I got up this morning just after 9:00am, I put some laundry in the machine, and caught up on my e-mails.
I also dropped my car off at the muffler shop up the street. I had it repaired two years ago there, and I could tell something had come "undone" when I was driving up here in July on my way to Dulles to fly out to L.A. So, I drove it up, and walked back home - yes, more walking.
*And walking back from the shop I noticed - again - how even though there are bus stops along the main road every five to six blocks, there are no real sidewalks - no real place to wait for the bus - no real safe place to wait. Hmm...
In any case, on the way back, I stopped at my favorite Chinese carryout place, got some lunch, then made a stop at the bank, yadda-yadda....
Once back at the house, the muffler guy called. The repair was under the warranty! Yippee! However, there was one other thing that did need fixing - which I was suspecting needed to be fixed, which would only cost about $130. Not too bad. Then he called again a few minutes later... UGH! Well... Let's just say I'll be paying more than $130 when I go to pick up my car later this afternoon... It will be a little painful on my wallet, but, hey... -And this ties in to today's Topic...
The car I own right now is the car the car I've had for the past 11(!) years, a Ford Escort Wagon. Say what you will about Ford's, but this one has treated me very well. Besides the basic maintenance and the usual replacements that are needed as a car ages (belts, brakes, rotors, muffler, tires, etc.), I've never had any truly unexpected repairs. I'd say I've put just over $3000 into over the 11 years that I've owned it. And this car has 212,000+(!) miles on it! Not bad at all. And the gas mileage seems better now than it did when it was new - highway, I average about 40 mpg - truly not bad at all.
Before this car, I had hand-me-downs from my parents... A big, gray Impala (diesel, too!), a Datsun 510 (kind of a mini-station wagon), and a Ford Mustang. All of them treated me very well, with the Impala seeming to go in the shop more often than the others. But, boy, was that Impala quite roomy, we used to call it a tank. It was perfect for small moves, as well as taking a bunch of friends to the movies.
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Kudos to Dear Reader Panni who quelled The Wrath of Bruce last night.
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Panni: You often mention that something or other is playing on the TV in the bg. What is a bg?
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Bruce, och! I broke my little toe and boy did it hurt. It was sensitive for years and every little bump would hurt. It is fine now. How is your throat today?
WEL a car is very vital outside of LA. LA was the only place I have lived where I could manage without one.
Td are you sure you can’t be in NY on Oct. 6th?
Elan the description of your mother driving the tank is hilarious. ;D
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I liked my 1999 Audi A6 (black exterior, black leather interior) so much that when the lease expired, I got a 2002 Audi A6 (with, yes, a black exterior and black leather interior.)
This has me concerned to some degree that I am turning into my Dear Father, as he is a serial buyer of one kind of automobile. In his case, it is Big Blue Buicks. The lease on my Audi will be up in February, and as I consider what's out there, I find myself leaning toward yet another A6.
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BK - Your California roots are showing. As with several of the postings already, I've never owned a car. It's just not that vital outside of CA.
I, too, am confused by this remark. Not vital? To whom?
Certainly, those living in NYC would have little need for personal transportation.
But the remainder of the country is vast and personal transportation is absolutely VITAL.
In fact, there are few places in the USA one can live comfortably WITHOUT a vehicle of some kind.
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I just got back from a lunchtime walk to Barnes & Nobel where I picked up an interesting birthday gift for a friend. It's a series of books that are guides ot the top 100 selling albums of the 50s thru to the 90s. Each page gives a little write up of the albums, with a nice quality image of the album cover on the opposite page. I bought my friend the complete set, but after having scanned through them here at my desk, I think I'll head back there tomorrow to pick up some of them for myself (IMHO (I.L.!) cover art went to crap once CDs became the rage, so I'll skip the 80s and the 90s.) At just $6.95 a pop, these books are a good deal.
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Kudos to Dear Reader Panni who quelled The Wrath of Bruce last night.
:D ;D
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DR Jay:
The bg is the background. BTW, IMHO LOL, etc, etc, etc.
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Jose did you say Carvel’s ice cream cake!!! Did it have extra crunchies in the middle? I’m drooling here. :P
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Jose did you say Carvel’s ice cream cake!!! Did it have extra crunchies in the middle? I’m drooling here. :P
YES! Yes, it did!! -That's truly my favorite part!!! Now I just wish my parents had brought back some of the leftover ice cream cake with them instead of just some pizza and chicken. -I only had one piece of ice cream cake at the party. I had just woken up, and was getting ready to head back to my parents' house, so I was not really that hungry - well, I guess "consciously hungry" is the right phrase.
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DR Jay:
The bg is the background. BTW, IMHO LOL, etc, etc, etc.
BIFDN
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("Boy, I feel dumb now" in internet lingo.)
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Did you find your checkbook, Dear Reader Jose?
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Okay - maybe I was rash saying CA is the only place where a car is vital, but almost every major city has good public transportation (some better than others) and a car is only needed if you live on the outskirts of town and in some suburbs. I guess in rural areas, though, a car would be needed.
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I wonder if DR WEL's car comment was directed towards NYC. I think most people can get along quite well in the city without a car.
I know in Montreal, one can get along without a car if you live near downtown. There is a good metro/bus system.
In the suburbs it is possible to survive without a car. But it would not be easy. I know I took the bus/metro for a number of years getting to school downtown. And it took between 1 - 1 1/2 hrs each way. That's long. Now I try to bike to a lot of places near by.
Even though the grocery store might only be a 20-25 minute walk, it's still SO MUCH EASIER with a car!
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Did you find your checkbook, Dear Reader Jose?
Not yet. However, I haven't really been looking for it. Yet. I'm also suspecting that I might have thrown it away accidentally with all the junk mail I was sorting through. *I also have an unfortunate track record of throwing checks away. It's kind of weird. I've had to dig through the trash more than once for a paycheck that I somehow threw out - and even ripped up! Don't ask me how?!?!? It just happens sometimes.
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Hmmm, DR WEL was answering while I was typing. I guess I was slower.
One interesting point. I think it's possible to get along without a car, when you don't know what having a car is like. For instance I didn't realize that taking public transport for 3 hours a day was a pain till I had a car to take to class. Then the car was indispensable. :)
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DR Jose, if you threw out your checkbook, wouldn't someone be able to just make checks out to CASH and start using them? Did you cancel the rest in that book?
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Hmmm... Just checked the latest weather reports.. and the latest status on Hurricane/Tropical Storm/Depression Jeanne... -I may just be staying up here in Fairfax tonight - and possibly tomorrow night - if the rains end up being as bad as they are predicting. Hmm...
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DR Jose, if you threw out your checkbook, wouldn't someone be able to just make checks out to CASH and start using them? Did you cancel the rest in that book?
Technically, yes. But only if someone actually went through and dug through the garbage cans I threw it in. However, I do know which check numbers were left and my bank has been notified. *And my bank also knows that I am now back on the East Coast, so any West Coast activity will get red-flagged. -I like my bank. :)
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ALAS, PAGE THREE!!!
-Could I have this dance?
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I think there is a Toyota theme here. We are very fond of their cars.
I have never been a fan of cars and normally can’t tell the difference from one to the other. I know when I rent a car in LA I will no longer get a Kia. I do enjoy driving Camry’s but rarely get to rent one. The only car I have ever really enjoyed is my current car, a 92 Lexus Coupe. It is just my size and is very comfortable to drive. It has just over 70 thousand miles on it. Most of those are from taking Echo up the mountains to hike. It has lost its great pick up, the sound system is shot and I only get a few FM channels to listen to since it needs a new antenna, but I love it. I stopped trying to drive it up our road when it snows. For that we have Keith’s Toyota 4Runner. The day Craig left for the Peace Corps we stopped at the dealership on the way home from the airport and consoled ourselves with a new car. It is comfortable and has a smooth drive. I like being up high for the views. I don’t particularly enjoy driving it, but I do enjoy being a passenger in his car.
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ALAS, PAGE THREE!
-Could I have this dance?
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Hmmmm.. How did that happen?!!? Very strange... Maybe it has something to do with the "Too Many User" error I got a few minutes ago... Hmm...
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Not yet. However, I haven't really been looking for it. Yet. I'm also suspecting that I might have thrown it away accidentally with all the junk mail I was sorting through. *I also have an unfortunate track record of throwing checks away. It's kind of weird. I've had to dig through the trash more than once for a paycheck that I somehow threw out - and even ripped up! Don't ask me how?!?!? It just happens sometimes.
You should check your state's unclaimed property department to see if there's money out there waiting for you.
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Speaking of Craig, today is his 25th birthday so we began our morning with a call to Romania. Since it is his birthday he was boiling water to treat himself to a bath. He has given up on the school he works for to do something about his housing situation. Now he will apply to the Peace Corps for assistance. It would be nice if he could have hot water and heat this winter. If not he will tough it out again.
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I don't feel good.
But it will be better.
Don't worry DRJOSE. Yes, DRJAY has taken on the assignment, at his leisure. Hmmmmmmm....private road...it is 4 rooms and bath on a 57x67 lot, so it is very small 745 sq ft.....hmmmmmm.....mysterious.
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Jay I didn’t know what bg was either. I’m glad you asked.
JRand feel better.
I have lots of work to do today before I get a massage. Believe it or not, I still don’t have hotel reservations for my trip. I didn’t do much while my back was bad. It is improving enough for me to get things done now.
Jose where will you be on the 4th? Anywhere near Bethesda?
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Years ago I visited my friend Patty in NYC. She lived (still lives) on West 106th St. I told her I was going to visit my aunt in Riverdale - about 40 minutes by subway plus bus. Patty said she'd drive me. So we took the bus up Broadway to 125th Street. Then we took the crosstown bus to East 125th. Then we hopped on the Lexington subway, changing at 149th Street in the Bronx, and then on to Parkchester, where she kept her car in an old garage. From there we drove to my aunt's - about half an hour.
But we had a great time.
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LOL-all that just to get a car from a garage.
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I don't feel good.
But it will be better.
Don't worry DRJOSE. Yes, DRJAY has taken on the assignment, at his leisure. Hmmmmmmm....private road...it is 4 rooms and bath on a 57x67 lot, so it is very small 745 sq ft.....hmmmmmm.....mysterious.
FEEL BETTER VIBES, DR JRAND54
I'm not sure private road is the correct term... It looked like a really long driveway with more houses on either side of it. In any case, I had the feeling that if I did venture up the hill, someone was bound to come out and stop me and/or call the police. It just really seemed private.
Now, there were some rather large trees on both sides of the road, so maybe it was hiding. ???
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Jay I didn’t know what bg was either. I’m glad you asked.
JRand feel better.
I have lots of work to do today before I get a massage. Believe it or not, I still don’t have hotel reservations for my trip. I didn’t do much while my back was bad. It is improving enough for me to get things done now.
Jose where will you be on the 4th? Anywhere near Bethesda?
I'll be in Richmond on the 4th going over the keyboard book with the assistant conductor for The Producers. I'm only playing the weekend shows, but that's the time slot alloted for the "teaching session". I was hoping to make it up to NYC during those interim days since I head to Houston the following Monday, but it looks like I'll be heading back up to Fairfax to spend some time with my folks...
-Potential Downer Warning Ahead... But, there's good news too!
My father was diagnosed with prostate cancer a few weeks ago. I did not find out until last week, and I only found out from my brother, Jay. Even he was not directly told from my father or mother - and he's the "good son" who calls home regularly - he found out from my sister-in-law (who at the time was still living with my parents (with my brother (her husband), so...).
I still have yet to get all the details, but the bone scan tests have come back, and they came back negative. So he's not at Stage 4, the cancer has not gone into his bones. Thankfully, prostate cancer is one of the most curable cancers, and when I saw my father yesterday at the party, he looked to be hisself. He still loves being a grandfather! I'm hoping to talk to him when he gets home from work later. However, my brother has said that my Mom prefer that we not about "it" with my father, so... We'll see. In any case, it will be nice to spend some time with them tonight when I'm not so zonked out from lack of sleep.
On the "bright" side of things, things can't be that bad. My mother has a habit of hiding things from us (the four boys) from time to time. There were a few times when she had gone into the hospital for some routine stuff, but none of us had found out until after the fact. Only if "it" is really bad, and a true cause for worry and concern will she share any real bad news us about her or about my father. So... (*Of course, she wonders why her boys tend to be on the "private" side when it comes to personal matters. :-X ;))
I'm just trying to stay close to home while I can. I will be heading to Houston to do A Chorus Line at Theatre Under the Stars, but that's only for the last three weeks in October. And I've already lined up Hallelujah, Baby at Arena Stage for December-February. I can live at home while I'm working on the show. *And since my brother Mike and his family moved out a month ago, I now have "my room" back. ;)
So, that's that. Any Good Vibes will, of course, be appreciated. But from what I saw and "felt" yesterday, everyone seems to be doing well - especially my father.
:)
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DR Jane - However, if I am up in Fairfax on the 6th, would you like a ride to Union Station? ;)
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Jose,
My best good-health vibes to your dad, you, your entire family.
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Good health vibes to DR Jose's father.
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Some great jobs lined up there, DRJOSE.
LOL...perhaps Allison's house is "in hiding"....LOL.
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Okay - maybe I was rash saying CA is the only place where a car is vital, but almost every major city has good public transportation (some better than others) and a car is only needed if you live on the outskirts of town and in some suburbs. I guess in rural areas, though, a car would be needed.
That's provided you live, work, and do business only on main commuter lines. But what if, like me, you're doing a show in a theater 20 miles from your home? What if you commute into another county for work? What if you want to go shopping in a mall 10 miles from you that has the only store you're interested in shopping in? There are a thousand different scenarios of what people must do to be employed and/or pursue daily activities where cars are needed to get you where you need to go. Unlike New York, places you need or want to go are not located within walking distance or subway/bus lines.
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Vibes to DR Jose's Father: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't drive and I don't think I'm ever going to learn. Like I think I mentioned in chat a few weeks ago, I plan on dying either on public transportation of some kind or (more likely) waiting for public transportation to pick me up.
Last night I didn't sleep at all. I went to bed at midnight and stared at the ceiling for two hours. Then I read for a bit, worked on some research for upcoming papers and listened to the news for a while before I finally got sleepy. Unfortunately, by the time I was getting tired my alarm clock that I had set the evening before was going off telling me to "wake up". So now after work and a class and looking forward to another class at 4:30, I am very very VERY tired. I'm also very caffeinated :)
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BK, if you think the first six episodes of ALIAS are all over the map, you've only scratched the surface of the wild (sometimes absurd) plot development to come. Thankfully, Producer/Creator J.J. Abrams promises a more grounded season for us starting in January. I love the show, but even I was rolling my eyes BIG TIME as the season trudged along to its conclusion.
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DR Jose, so sorry to read about your dad's diagnosis. I will be thinking of him and you in the weeks ahead.
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Mr BK....Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls is NOT scheduled in the next couple of months on the WE (Women's Entertainment) but they emailed me that I should just watch the schedule because it may be on soon. SO.....see if you have WE and set your Tivo....Catherine Hicks, Lisa Hartman, Bert Convy, Jean Simmons, James Coburn.
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GOOD VIBES to Padre Simbulan.
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Thanks for all the Good Vibes for my father.
As I mentioned, everything and everyone seems to be doing well. My family has never really been good at "putting on a happy face", so... And talking with my brothers has also helped. The biggest thing I've had to deal with in the past few days was just the shock of hearing about it. It was one of those classic "uh-oh" moments. I was just talking with my brother, Jay, on the phone on Thursday afternoon about his visit up to LA on Friday. I told him that I had called home the other night just to check in and say HI. "Oh, so you know about Dad then?".. Umm... No. So...
But it has been caught early, and that's the best news with any diagnosis of cancer. :)
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I've just never bought into the Hollywood philosophy of a car being an extension of one's personality or penis. Therefore, I've never gone for a status car of any kind. I'd rather spend the money on books or trips to England. A car is just a means of convenient transportation to me. As long as it gets me there and has good music-producing apparati, I'm cool.
I have had mostly Buicks. A taste probably inherited from my father. I like leg room, front and back. Probably my favourite car for sentimental reasons would be a used Buick Skylark I had in the early seventies to early eighties. It was a car I used when I was actng in dinner theatre and I always drove to the gigs so I would have a car while I was there.
Accompanying me on these cross-country drives was the faithful and loyal Hotspur, my Yorkie, who was a great traveller and usually just curled up beside me on the seat. Larry Drake and I (along with Hotspur) also did some long hauls in it when we were in shows together, usually where we would close a show in Dallas on a Sunday night at eleven o' clock and have to be in Columbus or North Carolina for a rehearsal at ten on Tuesday morning. These became racuous all-nighters where by three o'clock the next afternoon we were giddy, rude, and very funny. We had to drive it through an hellacious blizzard one time, but got through to our next gig just fine. I think I must have put 200,000 miles on that car before it died.
The current Buick Regal I have, an '89, has a crumpled trunk, a short in the my speakers, and it's probably time to consider getting a new car. I think I might like one of those hybrids...The lovely wife would also like to get rid of the big Dodge Caravan we have...which seemed like a good idea at the time.
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And in "happier" news... ;)
Unless my eyes are deceiving me, it appears that I lost 12 pounds while I was in L.A.! I just stepped on the scale after I got out of the shower... And... I guess all that walking in and around L.A. really paid off! *I was actually thinking I might have gained a few pounds especially after all those tamales and pupusas I had "discovered" and eaten my last two weeks in town.
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Good thoughts and vibes to your father, Dear Reader Jose.
It's fascinating to me that members of your family have a tendency to "hide" their maladies and even trips into the hospital.
My people have made public kvetching about the most minor of aches and pains into an art form. When serious illness or injury occurs, the drama steps up accordingly.
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And in "happier" news... ;)
Unless my eyes are deceiving me, it appears that I lost 12 pounds while I was in L.A.! I just stepped on the scale after I got out of the shower... And... I guess all that walking in and around L.A. really paid off! *I was actually thinking I might have gained a few pounds especially after all those tamales and pupusas I had "discovered" and eaten my last two weeks in town.
Jose, you should always weigh yourself BEFORE you get into the shower! Your body absorbs the water and increases your weight. I tested this out on myself several years ago and there were times when I could gain almost two pounds just by taking a shower!
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Mr BK....Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls is NOT scheduled in the next couple of months on the WE (Women's Entertainment) but they emailed me that I should just watch the schedule because it may be on soon. SO.....see if you have WE and set your Tivo....Catherine Hicks, Lisa Hartman, Bert Convy, Jean Simmons, James Coburn.
Can you give me a good reason to bother with that version??
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Jose, you should always weigh yourself BEFORE you get into the shower! Your body absorbs the water and increases your weight. I tested this out on myself several years ago and there were times when I could gain almost two pounds just by taking a shower!
Well, it's a shower... not a water fountain. ;)
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To paraphrase the late and beloved Miss Totie Fields, I always go to the bathroom, trim my nails and exhale before I get on my bathroom scale.
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I love Pogue's Buick Regal - it's a boat and is lots of fun to ride in.
I'm back from all my errands and just waiting for a call from the car dealership to see when my car will be ready.
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Throat is better than yesterday but still a bit annoying, compounded by some allergy issues today.
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My people have made public kvetching about the most minor of aches and pains into an art form. When serious illness or injury occurs, the drama steps up accordingly.
You're generalizing about Jewish people in general, not your immediate mishpocheh (or "peeps," as we are now known), aren't you Dear Brother?
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You're generalizing about Jewish people in general, not your immediate mishpocheh (or "peeps," as we are now known), aren't you Dear Brother?
Guess!
(Oooh. A Follies reference.)
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I love Pogue's Buick Regal - it's a boat and is lots of fun to ride in.
If you think that DR Pogue's Buick Regal is a boat, you should have ridden in the '73 Buick Electra 225 (sky blue, natch) that belonged to the father of DR Jay and myself. You changed time zones going from the front seat to the back seat.......
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DRs Stuart and Jay,
Have you two ever considered doing standup? Especially as a duo, you crack me up.
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DRs Stuart and Jay,
Have you two ever considered doing standup?
But I AM standing up!
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Thank you! I'm here all week....
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Friday at 11 is my "blue" show....
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Drive safely....and on your way home, consider this.....
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An egg cream...contains neither egg nor cream. Discuss!
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My friend Salah just phoned to say he got us tickets to see Joan Rivers at the Imperial Room. On Halloween.
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You've been great! G'nite! (Orchestra swells....)
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Joan Rivers at the Imperial Room. On Halloween.
Well, there's someone who no longer needs a costume......
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Stuart, the very first car I got, a hand-me-down, from Dad, was a Buick Electra 225 (Deuce and a quarter..."63; '64...I don't remember the year) (dark blue...not my colour at all)...and it was a boat. When it went to its reward was when I got the Skylark (about '75-'76).
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DR STUART - Mr BK the VOD maven has never seen this particular incarnation of it and was asking if anyone had it or where/when it could be seen. My video tape (from air) has disappeared - or immolated - so I was just passing along the information.
Bert Convy as Tony Polar - that's not a reason?
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Good thoughts and vibes to your father, Dear Reader Jose.
It's fascinating to me that members of your family have a tendency to "hide" their maladies and even trips into the hospital.
My people have made public kvetching about the most minor of aches and pains into an art form. When serious illness or injury occurs, the drama steps up accordingly.
Thank you, DR Jay.
As for the "hiding", it all comes out of love basically. Not wanting anyone to worry unless it's really necessary and "wanted". On the flip side, I guess you could say there are some Filipino families that are quite "Jewish" in regards to maladies and such. Both ends of the spectrum.
*There's also two types of ways of treating your children once they become adults. One type of family/parents, continues to support their children once they become 18 and leave for college... and beyond. The other type basically stops any financial support for their children once they turn 18. They must pay for their college education and/or get a job. They also must move out of the house. I have a few friends and relatives in the "other" camp, and I'm guessing it must be a cultural tradition. None of them have ever felt slighted or less-loved. In fact, they were raised knowing that once they became adults that they would be on their own. It's just the way things are supposed to be. *And I do have to give them credit for being able to be that independent and self-sufficient after graduating from high school. Again, financial support is the only thing that is withdrawn, otherwise, all other support and love (and food) continue to be bestowed upon them. ;)
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...And I just got my car back from the shop! It was kind of nice and weird driving again. But I have a new muffler assembly - again, thankfully, most of the parts and labor fell under the warranty - and a new serpentine belt (which I knew was going to need to be replaced - the "old" one was about 6 years and 100,000 miles old, so... <knock wood>).
I'm planning on heading back down to Richmond around 7:30 - the weather forecast looks good. However, leaving tomorrow looks to be out of the question - heavy rains predicted all day.
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...And the Ten Commandments: The Spectacle Musical (the Spectacle Musical?!?!?) opens officially tonight. Hmmm... Guess I'll be scouring the web for reviews tomorrow morning.
*Oh, and I found out that they cancelled last Wednesday's matinee due to "technical reasons". I'm not sure if I'd call a bad score and bad staging and choreography "technical reason". ;)
<meow>
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Hmmm.... The local CBS affiliate in DC has a new anchorman... And he's very easy on the eyes... actually, he's practically hunky... Hmmm... Of course, it could just be all that TV makeup - which is evident... ah, well...
However, I do miss my "regulars"... And, unfortunately, this station - like many stations around the nation - has slowly been "de-graying" their news staff.
Well... after some Googling it appears Todd McDermott came from WCBS in NYC. Hmm...
Whatever...
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****THE BEST OF HEALTH VIBES TO DR JOSE'S DAD****
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Jane - I think that hot water and heat in the winter are not unreasonable requests -- even for Romania.
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You've been great! G'nite! (Orchestra swells....)
But you forgot to remind us to tip our waitress!?!?!?
;)
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Okey-dokes...
Time for me to head back down to Richmond. I just checked the traffice reports, and it seems rush hour ended early today. :)
-And I did spend some time with my father this afternoon. We didn't talk about his health - I'm going to wait for him to bring it up with me - but we did about my car, and my car repair. And we also listened to the Filipino CDs that I bought for him and my Mom. -After listening to a few tracks, even he didn't think they were that good. Hehe. -I believe DR Jay got a taste of Filipino pop music a few weeks ago, and knows what I mean. ;) So, he's doing well. And he's actually doing some yard work right now - mowing the lawn and doing some edge-trimming. :)
Laters... from Richmond!
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BK - Your California roots are showing. As with several of the postings already, I've never owned a car. It's just not that vital outside of CA.
HUH???
Maybe it's not that vital outside of NYC, but there are many parts of the USA, and the world, where cars are a necessary part of the transportation picture! The major cities that have a public transportation infrastructure are few and far between.
I can't imagine living anywhere in Texas, for instance, without a car. This includes the major cities such as Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, and Austin.
Nor can I imagine living in Florida without a car.
Even here in Rehoboth Beach, DE, one needs a car to get out of downtown...or into.
And I'm not a car person; I don't even drive, myself. Der Brucer does all the driving for us.
But, for instance, tomorrow we have errands to run, up to Dover (a little less than an hour to the north) and then over to drop some things off at the grandlad's. It would be impossible for us to do these things without a car.
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As for car of choice, we're partial to Ford Tauruses these days. Der Brucer complains about our current model's sightlines, but other than that the car runs fine and is very comfortable.
Of course, we haven't tried driving anywhere with all five dogs in tow...yet.
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Hello, all! I'm back sporadically till my health is flourishing, but I've missed you all enormously, and I want to thank you all for your support, kind words, emails and phone calls. Bruce is right: this is the best site on the web.
I've been going through several health problems which have had me under the weather physically and emotionally. I've turned down three jobs since July, which is depressing, and I've depleted all my funds from Goodspeed and the Mickey-Judy show through prescriptions, car service and taxis, food deliveries, and daily living expenses. Today I saw an orthopedic surgeon who checked out the left leg and foot that have been giving me sleepless nights and committed me to a pair of crutches since early August. My HMO caregiver decided it was gout even though the emergency crew that took me to the emergenvcy room of St Luke's Hospital around 4:30 am believed it was a sciatic nerve problem. Finally, three weeks ago, my doctor referred me to an orthopedic surgeon, but his first free date was Oct. 7. I called every day he had office hours looking for a cancellation, and he saw me today. Things are looking up, but I still need minor surgery on an abscess in my hip that will not heal. Today's diagnosis has lifted a great deal of emotional weight from my shoulders and mind.
Dear Friend BK, how is your toe today? I hope that you didn't break it or that you don't lose the nail.
When I gave up my car and moved to New York in 1979, I think there was dancing in the streets at the State Farm corporate headquarters. I was never a good driver, but I was an enthusiastic one. I remember in June 1973 driving in one day from Cincinnati to Lee, Massachuseetts, in the Berkshires to work box office at the Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival, and how glorious the Hudson River looked at dawn as I drove across it. Today, I only drive in areas I'm familiar with so that any out-of-town job I take means I need to stay within walking distance of the theatre, and I only keep a drivers license so that I can drive in Ohio when I visit family.
My first car, secondhand, was a 1962-64 (I don't recall the year) green Volkswagen beetle, which I loved. My next car also green, when I was in graduate school, was a car owned by friends of my Father. I don't recall its make, but I do remember that it had sat for around a year in a farm lot facing the road, and the farmer who owned it had written on it in chalk or soap "FAST GREEN ROADSTER FOR SALE CHEAP." The sun faded the paint on the car except where the chalk protected it, so my car was affectionately known on the Miami University campus as "the fast green roadster." I wonder whatever became of it. I don't remember giving it up, but I do remember the winter of 1970-71, when the battery died every morning in the cold and I lived with a pair of jumper cables in my hands. My next car was a Plymouth Duster, which I drove to Lee, Mass, and my last car was a Gremlin, which I sold in 1979.
I like the MTA transit system when I can find a seat, but I have to rant and say that at 8 am it's impossible to find a seat on the bus becausae of all the schoolchildren and their irresponsible parents who hog the seats. When I was a child my mother would say, you're healthy, give that old man your seat. I can be on the bus with crutches and a neck brace and those moronic mothers with a sense of entitlement for producing one or more children they're raising to be selfish asses totally ignore you. The same happens around 2 pm-4 pm with the returning children. The other day I got on a crowded No 7 bus, and a lady in front offered me her seat; it was sweet of her, but there were seats in the back, and I went there.
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...And I've already lined up Hallelujah, Baby at Arena Stage for December-February.
Oh, good! This must be the rewrite I've heard about. Any further details, when you get them, will be appreciated.
And VIBES
[move=left,scroll,6,transparent,100%]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[/move]
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Welcome back, DR Elmore!
It's so nice to have you back where you belong!
(a Hello Dolly reference)
(http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/party/party-smiley-049.gif)
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Something else about public transportation: It doesn't always run 24/7, not even in major cities. I remember der Brucer and myself staying in the Kings Cross (?) area of London, and having to make sure we got out of the theater pronto to get back to our hotel because the tube was shutting down for the night.
I can just imagine what it is like, trying to get to a hospital in a big city at that odd hour of the morning when the streets are empty save for those you wouldn't want to hang around while getting to the hospital. You need to get there fast? You can't afford a cab? Hey, it's going to take you two busses, minimum, and they're only running once an hour! Have fun, chump!
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Jane - I think that hot water and heat in the winter are not unreasonable requests -- even for Romania.
;D Craig agrees with you. His school, which did request a Peace Corp volunteer, has not been overly helpful in this manner. They never did a check on his landlord or they would have known she owed lots of money and had skipped town. People, including the police, often knock on his door looking for her.
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Jose best of health vibes to your father. There really are many reasons your father should share this with you. For one, it can be hereditary. Good luck talking to him. More good vibes to you and your entire family while you all go through this.
Your family sounds like mine. There was the time, when I was 18, my sister almost died of a blood clot in her lung. I had a bad feeling after getting off the phone with my father and was a wreck all night. Keith dragged me to the movies saying “they would tell you if your sister was sick”. There was the time I called my Dad at work only to be told to call home. Later in the day my sister called to speak to him and, not recognizing who she was, was told he was in the hospital. I calmly called home waiting for the bad news, my sister on the other hand became hysterical. Hey, she at least knew he was alive. Turned out my father was in the hospital with pneumonia and “didn’t want to worry us”.
I would love a ride to Union Station, but I’m going there on the 5th. Thanks for the offer anyway. I sorry I will miss you by only one day.
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Charles Pogue my mother passed along her Buick Regal to me before we moved to New Jersey. The California car did not do well on the east coast in the rain or cold. Bryan learned to count while I waited to give the car one more attempt at starting. Eventually it would, unless it rained. I learned how to dry the spark plugs and get the car started. Finally I just stayed home if it rained. I was stranded far too many times with little children. This car had to be jinxed. It was the car my mother accidentally drove off a cliff after an argument with me. Oh, that was another time my father didn’t tell me she was in the hospital, even after I called to check on her. I found out from another family member.
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Best of vibes to DRELMORE!
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Elmore is back and even if it's merely sporadic it's great to see him here. The joint wasn't quite the same. Toe is fine - it just bled cause a piece of skin came loose, but it was very surface and missed the nail completely.
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I hope you are all enjoying this week's new Broadway Radio Show with the very talented and very nice and very handsome Scott Dreier.
Funny story.....I mailed Scott a CD copy of the show and he called to thank me. He also informed me that, when I called him for the interview, he had just stepped out of the shower. Little did I know, but I was conducting our very first naked Broadway Radio Show!!!
In any case, Scott is a delightful and funny guy and I urge you all to listen to the radio show and buy his CD.
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That sounds lovely, BK.
Vibes to Jose's dad and Elmore. ~~~~~~~~~~~~
My brother is watching That '70s Show and I don't get it.
Oh yeah, public transportation is great. For just $1.25, you get a ride and entertainment.
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elmore it was wonderful you could visit today!! Welcome back. :D :D :D
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ElMoore is back and ALL IS RIGHT in the world again!
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Oh yeah, public transportation is great. For just $1.25, you get a ride and entertainment.
Especially in San Francisco -- where I'm quite convinced the buses also serve as moving mental hospitals.
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I, too, come from a family of Buick devotees. My mother had an ongoing crush on the LeSabre, thanks to my maternal grandfather's annual tradeup for that model. Then she found the Regal!
Oddly enough, she'd still be a Regal gal but she traded for an SUV when my father was alive to assist in getting him around and making it easier for him to get in/out. She has become attached to being "above the fray" when driving and, though complaining about the mileage, doesn't seem inclined to think about going back to Buick in the near future.
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Arm therapy update: It hurts, it hurts, it hurts. It hurts all the time.
It's not the deep bone-crunching hurt. It's the strained tendon, pulled muscle, pinched nerve hurt that has become my constant companion. I am now working with a 3-lb weight doing bicep curls -- and it's driving me mad, I tell you, mad! The bicep ISN'T growing any, but it's hurting all the same.
Sigh.
I have to be very sparing with my last prescription for Vicodin....so living with pain seems to be my immediate future until the therapist can get my arm totally straightened (it's still slightly crooked when it's at its most relaxed, which isn't often).
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Well I'm back from a week of hell. Being under the weather all last week didn't help with the fact that I misplaced my passport and I had an ticket to fly to Montreal to visit my family. Despiter what the consulate and immigration said that as long as I had a picture ID and birth certificate etc I would not need my passport. Getting into Canada I am sure would not pose a problem, but getting back into the USA just might have. All I needed was on officer who thought he was G-d and I would never have gotten back into the USA. So I took Friday off and spent the morning applying for a replacement passport which would take 4-6 weeks. I hope sooner so I can get to Canada before the first snow comes.
And then the hurricane. My electricity went out rather quickly. 3:30pm which wasn't even the height of the storm! As I write this I still do not have electricity. I went back to work where there is electricity and AC. There is however a curfew so I have to get back home before 10pm. I will just pop a pill and try to get to sleep.
I have been spending a lot of time in cafes, bookstores, restaurants to escape the humdrum existance of a darken apartment. What is pissy is that most of the surrounding area where I live has power and most of the community where I live has power, but my area does not.
I have been catching up on all the posts since last week and enjoyed DR Jose review of the Ten Commandments. I really think it is a show I can miss.
So all good vibes to those that need them.
Good vibes to those that don't need them.
I drive a Nissan Altima. It is the 2nd one that I have owned. I really like it. One of the reason I got a second one was that the service I received from the dealership was very good. The worse car I ever had was the Hyundi I had when I lived in Montreal. I don't think is was designed for the winters the city has. The interior was cheaply made and parts broke and the dealers kept on goign out of business so I had to drive further and further away to get service.
I know I been saying this but the people who expressed interest in those CDs please hold on. Once I get my power back on I will get the out to you.
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Hooray for the return of our beloved DR Elmore3003!
And many health vibes to DR Jose's father!
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(Never hurts to repeat a good point...)
Welcome back, DR Elmore!
It's so nice to have you back where you belong!
(a Hello Dolly reference)
(http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/musik/music-smiley-026.gif)(http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/musik/music-smiley-026.gif)(http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/musik/music-smiley-026.gif)
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The only bright spot is coming up is on Sunday when I have tickets to see Jason Graae and Karen Mason in concert.
Jason is also doing Grand Hotel in LA for a month. Maybe I will take another weekend off and go see it. Grand Hotel is one of my favorite musicals of the last 20 years and I think Jason will be great as Kringalein (sp?)
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*****HEALING VIBES TO RLP****
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Well the curfew is upon me and I have to get back home or risk being arrested. I hope my power returns soon.
It's hell watching TV my candle light.
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Michael Shayne - Sounds Horrible! Hope things get back to normal for you REALLY soon! Being a DP (that's "displaced person" for those who don't have the bg to know WTH I'm talking about..) one of my biggest fears is losing my passport. When I was a kid, losing your ID papers could put you in jail or worse. I still carry a bit of that with me and always will. I keep my Canadian passport and all other important ID docs in a safe deposit box and only remove them when needed.
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DVD weekend:
I waded into a pile of DVDs starting this past Friday and this is what I watched over the weekend:
"Murder on the Orient Express" -- beautiful audio/video quality, IMO, and loads of fun! A gorgeous presentation.
"Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines" -- stunning transfer, IMO, with great sound/video quality. A most wonderful/enjoyable treat!
"Prince Valiant" -- there's only ONE reason to watch this for me: Franz Waxman's amazing score which lends more credibility to the proceedings than one might think humanly possible. An amazing misfire of a production from 20th-Fox which usually made such fare look much much better.
"Star Wars" -- "A New Hope," "Empire Strikes Back," "Return of the Jedi" -- awesome DVD. The video is stunning. These films have NEVER looked better than they do on this set. The audio is extremely good, too. The music has always been a main attraction, but it actually moved me to tears a few times so gorgeous did it sound with the brilliant video.
"Frasier: The Complete Third Season" -- an extremely witty, smartly produced show that pays off handsomely in each episode of this early season.
I managed to clean and bake a cake over the weekend, too.
It was a pound cake. From scratch. Family recipe. Loaded with goodness in every bite!!!!! I sliced up half of it and took it in to work (I have seven co-workers in my office area). The cake disappeared with beaucoups compliments!
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DR RLP, I'm sorry you've been going through a painful period as well. You have my sympathies and my jealousy for your Vicodin: I can get nothing strionger from my doctor than Tylenol with codeine, and I think my body after two months has built an immunity.
Dear Friend BK, I'm so glad it's only torn skin on your foot; I'm sure it's still painful.
So, what's up now? I've missed so much: the triumphant run of Bruce's revue with DR Jose, DR MattH has a new photo, which looks good. I can't wait to find the other changes on the site. I noticed a new DR today, Joey, but I think he was on the board when I got back from Goodspeed. DR JRand, is your avatar new? I'm sorry I never laid hands on the song you wanted.
I'm fading. I think it's time to rest. Good night, all. Thanks for the lovely welcome!
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Have to admit that I'm a serial addict. That is, I become addicted to things for a time, then move on to something else. Right now it's frozen blueberries from Trader Joe's on Cheerios. I can never be out of berries or Cheerios or I get the DT's. Sooo, as I'm getting low on the blue pills (berries, I mean), I must hie it out to Trader J's. The big unknown (shudder) is whether they will have any. Last time I checked they were out and were hoping for a shipment to come in today. Will report when I get back.
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I may also get a muffin. I've felt like a muffin all day today (Please - no "Funny you don't look like a...") and could not get one in the morning. DuPar's was out of bran muffins at breakfast! As well as ice. I don't know what's happening to the place. A restaurant with no muffins at breakfast time and no ice??? Skammen.
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Welcome back, DR Elmore!
It's so nice to have you back where you belong!
(a Hello Dolly reference)
And you still get glances from us handsome men.
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;D Craig agrees with you. His school, which did request a Peace Corp volunteer, has not been overly helpful in this manner. They never did a check on his landlord or they would have known she owed lots of money and had skipped town. People, including the police, often knock on his door looking for her.
Uh, Jane, you DO know that sometimes people look for certain women for things other than money, right? Including the police?
I can only imagine the calls Craig would be getting in the middle of the night if she'd left the phone paid for.
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RLP-ouch-and SPEEDY THERAPY HEALING VIBES!!
Michael Shayne I have been worried and am relieved you posted today. GOOD HEALING VIBES and POWER VIBES.
I still haven’t heard from Danise so I expect she is having similar electrical problems.
And of course, CONTINUED HEALING VIBES TO ELMORE.
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SWW, ;D She didn't leave a phone so he purchased a cell phone.
We have a beautiful moon tonight.
Goodnight.
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I've not yet had a chance to read all the posts today, having spent a good five hours at The Players Club. Quite a treat, that gig.
But the subject is cars and that's a little disappointing to me. I dislike cars with a white-hot passion that is consuming my very vitals. I'm told there are towns where car ownership is essential. Prior to hearing DR Jose's tales of the non-city city, I would have thought Los Angeles was one such place. I learned.
Car owners are always telling horrible repair stories. Somehow, that doesn't make me like cars any better.
But the real problem is they frequently kill people. Or injure people. Amazingly frequently. Everybody I know thinks they're a good driver. They may be dead wrong.
I think it's interesting that we require a license for drivers and not gun-owners. You'd think passing some sort of competancy test would be more important for guns. The only purpose of a gun is to kill; that's what they're meant to do. Cars have the higher purpose of transportation, and the cost we pay in human lives... well, it's awfully high.
I've noticed a similar macho bravado about gun ownership and car ownership. Many men seem to think they're things of beauty. I disagree. I think they're ugly, and dangerous, and cars, in certain parts of the world, are a necessary evil. Nothing more, nothing less.
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I may also get a muffin. I've felt like a muffin all day today (Please - no "Funny you don't look like a...") and could not get one in the morning. DuPar's was out of bran muffins at breakfast! As well as ice. I don't know what's happening to the place. A restaurant with no muffins at breakfast time and no ice??? Skammen.
Didn't Dupar's just change hands? This does not bode well.
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He's not on line right now, but please let me join the welcome (back) wagon for Dear Reader Elmore 3003. You have been terribly missed and it's grand to see you back here.
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Well, so far Hurricane Jeanne has brought us rain, rain, rain but so far no heavy winds here in Charlotte. There have been tornados in other parts of the Carolinas, but here so far it's just been rain off and on all day, and right now it's raining heavily.
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Thank you for the compliment on my picture, DR Elmore. Actually, that one may not be up much longer because I have grown my mustache back for playing Colonel Gillweather in SOMETHING'S AFOOT. At one point in the show (for those unfamiliar with it), a lady with whom I had an affair many years ago sings an ode to my character: "The Man with the Ginger Mustache."
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Couldn't even enjoy CSI: MIAMI in high def because the weatherman kept breaking into the broadcast with updated weather bulletins. Yep, he confirmed what I suspected: it was raining outside.
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[move=left,scroll,6,transparent,100%]! ! ! ! ! VIBES OF HEALTH FOR DR JOSE'S DAD ! ! ! ! ![/move]
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[move=left,scroll,6,transparent,100%] :) :) :) WELCOME BACK DR ELMORE! :) :) :)[/move]
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The escrow, unlike mine own, has not closed for Du-Par's. I think they're hanging on by a thread until it does. There were no busboys present, no ice for the soft drinks, no muffins, and two waiters for the entire restaurant. I'm hoping the sale goes through because if they go on much longer like this, they will lose their customers.
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[move=left,scroll,6,transparent,100%]! ! ! ! ! THERAPUTIC VIBES FOR DR RLP'S ARM ! ! ! ! ![/move]
(Vicodin? Did someone say Vicodin?)
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[move=RIGHT,scroll,6,transparent,100%]@ @ @ @ POWER VIBES FOR DR MICHAEL SHAYNE @ @ @ @[/move]
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[move=RIGHT,scroll,6,transparent,100%]@ @ @ @ POWER VIBES FOR DR DANISE @ @ @ @[/move]
('cause no doubt she needs them, too.)
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Tammy's got a red Mazda Miata - she'll be selling hers soon she tells me. Now's your chance.
Ya know, if I weren't considering moving (and I considered leg reduction surgery so I could comfortably fit in it), I would be out there in a flash to kick the tires.
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After the gig at The Players, I went to the wonderful coffee place on Irving Place to meet with a guy who wanted to ask me about theatre. He's an MBA who's been working on Wall Street for ten years and he's sick and tired and wants to investigate whether he could become a producer.
I gave him quite an earful. But what a wonderful ambition to have! I said that, essentially, any one with access to capital can be a producer, but I told him lots of things that would surprise anyone: the union curtain-pullers on curtainless shows, the scam the Fire Department pulls, Equity's insistance on actors never wearing their own shoes, the David Merrick ad with quotes from men who shared the same names as the critics.
There are no David Merricks anymore. But wouldn't it be wonderful if there could be? Broadway is produced by "organizations" and, as with any committee facing accountability to a parent conglomerate, there's not a lot of artistic vision there. Here's hoping I sent this guy on his way to being Merrick...
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Blueberries and muffin update: I couldn't find the kind of muffin I wanted. Also - Trader J's was STILL out of blueberries. Eeeek. I bought a Fancy Berry Mixture - a mix of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. It will have to do until the straight stuff comes in. I hope I can make it through...
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i think I've mentioned before that because I live in a guesthouse it takes a bit longer for the hot water to heat up. Because of this, I need to turn on the shower a few minutes before I want to use it.
So... I've been sitting here for the last hour or so - talking on the phone, reading, on the computer, making popcorn, etc. I noticed the pleasant sound of rain outside - unusual for these parts. I just got up to see the rain - and realized I had turned on the shower and hour ago... Oooops (spoo).
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Good Evening!... From Richmond!!!
:)
The drive down from Fairfax was very uneventful and non-rainy. It was a little drizzly here and there, but that was about it in regards to precipitation. And I actually made good time considering that everyone seemed to be driving under the speed limit tonight - which actually was not that bad a thing considering the damp roads. But even the truckers seemed to be taking their time tonight. It was kind of strange. Nice, but strange.
*And my car really seemed to be driving very well - I guess today's repair were for the better.
Once back in the Richmond city limits, I made a stop at Ukrop's, my favorite grocery store to pick up some supplies. It felt good to be shopping in there again - seeing my favorite clerks, checking out the sales, etc. Then I headed to my apartment.
Lo and behold, the city had paved the back alley! No more tracking in mud and dirt into the kitchen! And speaking of the kitchen: My roommate actually cleaned!!! Will wonders never cease?!?!? He even cleaned the bathroom and the living room!! -Of course, once I opened the refrigerator... ah, well... But it was sure nice to see a nice clean kitchen floor when I walked in the apartment. -Ah, the simple joys.
--Oh, a downpour just started... and I'm sure it's not the water running in the bathroom (DR Panni) ;) Let's just hope Jeanne does not overstay her un-welcome.
So, I've been going through my junk mail for the past hour or so... -Oh, I did go the restaurant on the corner for a quick late night bite - a very good artichoke/tomato/ginger soup, and a catfish sandwich.
-Oh, and I'm eating one of my souvenirs from California right now.. I just opened the "Fall Assortment" from See's. :)
OK - That's enough rambling for this post...
I'm home!
:)
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-Of course, I sat here for a few minutes wondering why the new Notes weren't up yet since it was past midnight.... DUH!! I'm home.
:D
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Did someone say See's?
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Checkbook Update: It's been found! :D In L.A. ::)
I somehow pushed it under a piece of furniture in my cousin's apartment. She came back today and was moving the rest of her stuff out, and found it. My brother will be FedEx-ing it to me at the end of the week. Mystery solved.
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Thanks again for all the Good Vibes for my father.
DR Jane: The whole hereditary aspect of prostate cancer has crossed my mind, so...
As I left the house, I made sure to check in with my father as he was working in the yard. And I asked him if he was doing all right. He said he was. He did mention that he's dealing with "the prostate thingie", but that, so far, all the tests have been in his favor. He's OK. Obviously "nervous", but OK.
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Welcome Back, DR Elmore!
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DR Michael Shayne - Hope you get your power back on soon!
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Oh, good! This must be the rewrite I've heard about. Any further details, when you get them, will be appreciated.
And VIBES
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Hallelujah, Baby opens soon up at George Street Playhouse in New Jersey (if it hasn't opened already), then it transfers down to Arena. I'm not exactly sure if any tweaking will be done in between time, but there seems to be a few weeks between the runs for more rehearsals. So, we'll see... All I know right now is that I - along with the rest of the band/orchestra - will be on stage for the show. Guess that means I'll have to get a new tux - ot maybe I'll be getting a fabulous costume! ;)
And thanks for the VIBES~~~~~~~
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Power vibes for DR MS....
RLP....ouch! Healing is a slow process.
So hiding your checkbook under the furniture again, eh, DRJOSE?
Okay time for bed. Work tomorrow and all that. No rain here, nice fall weather.
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Yes, DRELMORE - I changed my avatar on my birthday!
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Hooray for the checkbook, DR Jose!
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OK... Time for me to retire to the land of the Wussburgers... Which is actually a good thing... Guess my "trick" of staying up all night on Saturday and sleeping for 14 hours last night did the trick!
Goodnight.
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'Night, Jose. (And John Boy)
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...I'm told there are towns where car ownership is essential. Prior to hearing DR Jose's tales of the non-city city, I would have thought Los Angeles was one such place....
This is news, that Los Angeles is a "town". Given that Los Angeles County contains two of the largest cities in the nation, Long Beach being the second, and that Long Beach is larger than Atlanta...
The term is "megalopolis." It refers to an unbroken stretch of urban area, formerly consisting of several smaller urban areas that have since joined physically, if not as a single political entity. Los Angeles is one such area. New York City is the center of another megalopolis. Each has serious problems with congestion, pollution, importation of goods (such as potable water, food, other consumables) and exportation of those goods after they've been used (a.k.a. garbage). The NYC megalopolis is still dependent upon motor transport for the goods, adding to that citys congestion problems. (How often have you seen deliveries of food being made to grocery stores via public transportation, after all? Or clothing from wholesaler to retailer?)
I'm just amazed by how little the people who dwell in these megalopolises (megalopoli?) understand the infrastructure of their own environments.
But the real problem is (cars) frequently kill people. Or injure people. Amazingly frequently. Everybody I know thinks they're a good driver. They may be dead wrong.
I quit driving over two decades ago, because I was a terrible driver. I know several people who will not drive at night, because they don't trust their night vision. Good drivers know their limits.
And I don't see the sense in blaming the vehicle for the actions of a bad driver. Cars are tools, machines, and most people that I know regard them as such. They are not sentient, and do not act of their own accord.
I think it's interesting that we require a license for drivers and not gun-owners. You'd think passing some sort of competancy test would be more important for guns. The only purpose of a gun is to kill; that's what they're meant to do. Cars have the higher purpose of transportation, and the cost we pay in human lives... well, it's awfully high.
To a degree, I agree with you here. In an urban area, there should be stricter controls on gun usage, including the licencing of the users.
However, in a rural setting, where there is more variety of life forms than human, the use of guns can be more practical than the use of the word "kill" suggests. What is being "killed" can be food. Amazingly, there are still people in this nation who rely on their skills as hunters to help provide for their families. I have relatives nearby who fit in that catagory. They also fish, and farm. Yes, they grow their own food. Not everything they eat comes frozen and ready to be nuked.
What is being "killed" can also be predators, natural beasts of prey that are targeting livestock.
I've noticed a similar macho bravado about gun ownership and car ownership. Many men seem to think they're things of beauty. I disagree. I think they're ugly, and dangerous, and cars, in certain parts of the world, are a necessary evil. Nothing more, nothing less.
A machine of any type, well maintained and cared for, can indeed become a thing of beauty, made with craftsmanship and respect. I also know many women who care and maintain their cars as well as the menfolk do. This is not a "macho" trait at all. I find it the mark of someone, regardless of sex, who respects their tools and abilities and is knowledgable about how they interact with their environment. If this is "bravado," at least there is nothing false about it.
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Apparently certain people just sit at their computers like so much fish for thirty minutes and don't post. And what do we call those certain people? WUSSBURGERS.
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Dear BK:
You mentioned that Writer's Block takes place in 1969.
I don't know if you're interested, but my own research on what musicals were running on Broadway gave the following results:
Hello Dolly, Fiddler on the Roof, and Man of La Mancha were enjoying very long runs, as were Hair and Promises, Promises. George M ended it's run in April, Cabaret and Zorbawould close in August, Mame at about the end of the year.
Opening and closing rapidly were Celebration (January thru April), Red, White and Maddox (Jan thru March), Canturbury Tales and Dear World (both February thru May), and Come Summer and Billy (quickly in March). The end of the year brought Jimmy (October thru December) and Buck White and La Strada (Dec.)
Of more note during the year were the openings of 1776 in March, Oh! Calcutta in June, and Coco in December, with the latter running about a year and the other two running three years each before closing.
Hope this info matches what you've been working with.
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I lived in NY in 1969 and that's why I set it in that year - having seen most of those shows that year. But my research was extensive, with help from Tony Walton, Harvey Schmidt, Rupert Holmes and quite a few others.