Saturday, August 11, 2007

A man of few words...

...that would be me tonight.

Nothing bad happened today, and that's Good, I suppose. But nothing good happened, and that's definitely Bad.

I'm still seething about yesterday, so spent much of the day avoiding any thoughts of work.

Instead, I talked at length with my musician buddy R. and did a little design work in one of my avocational fields as a favor to someone else.

Some of my neighbors spent the afternoon drinking (heavily) out by the pool. Noisy, especially when they cranked up the boom-box, which was tuned to what bills itself as a "jazz" radio station. What I heard was some not-so-good blues and a bunch of "fusion" stuff that owed more to rap and bad hip-hop than jazz.

L.A. used to have a decent jazz station -- hard to believe a town this size could only support one -- until it was sold and the new owners went all-classical. It wasn't perfect, of course, as sometimes it would go into spasms where too much second-rate stuff was played (my idea of hell would be spending eternity listening to David Sanborn, Michael Franks, Kenny G. and their ilk) but then they'd dump the wimpy soprano-sax and "soft jazz" stuff and lay down some Basie, Ella or Charlie Parker and keep me tuned in.

I dug some of the commercials they played, too. Someone must have believed their listening area was centered in what used to be called South-Central (I knew dozens of people who listened in the "white" parts of town, too), and so had plenty of commercials for the Baldwin Hills Motel ("Your home away from home, for those special afternoons and evenings...") and Mr Jim's Bar-B-Q, which I later learned (while living in the 'hood only blocks away from it) was a damn fine rib joint.

Jesus, how do I get off on these tangents?

Anyway, my neighbors help keep me sober. They're all nice people, but I get uncomfortable being around those who are plastered by noon and keep beering it up through the evenings. I'll bet I was like them some years ago when I was lushing it up. Ugh.

Still, facing long, lonely evenings with a clear head isn't exactly wonderful. Especially with no jazz station to listen to. I could use some swinging sounds right about now....

And that was today as seen through my eyes.

I've put down more words than I thought I could. So it's time to stop.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry about the lack of jazz stations. You just need to pop in a few CDs Scribbs. :-) I hope tomorrow is better for you.

Gill

MrScribbler said...

Gill -- I need to buy more CDs! Don't have enough fresh sounds....

Anonymous said...

(((HUGS)))

John0 Juanderlust said...

I think there are specialized stations on the internet somewhere.
Of course there is always that satellite stuff, but I don't even know how that is doen, and I suspect we are now speaking of money.

I'm curious as hell about the avocation design work. I don't think any vocation I've ever had was more than an avocation. Certainly seemed so from the paychecks.

Here's to the day when nights aren't lonely---as I drink my non alcoholic coffee to the toast---yours or mine.

Keep the faith. We will kick the blues yet--and wimmins will bang the door down--hopefully to get in

Anonymous said...

Sure wish I had some words o' wisdom to spew upon you, but I too sit alone, wishing for some wonderful man to come knock knock knockin' on my door... ah well.... here's to tomorrow being a better day Scrib. Cheers!

Anonymous said...

It's cheaper to buy a low-end iPod and then download just those songs you really like for $.99 each, instead of buying a whole CD for $18 when you probably won't even like 2/3 of the songs. Then you could grab your sombrero, slip into your Speedo, and hang out at the pool, too, listening to your favorite tunes, coming inside only to grab another ginger ale. The "wimmins" would no doubt flock to you since you're style would be so refreshingly eccentric. No? :)