DJ's Detritus

A Creative Writing Class Dropout's Last Refuge

Friday, August 28, 2009

Wingnuts

I caught a bit of Rep. Michelle Bachmann's town hall on HuffPo this morning. One of her constituents had a concern, after affirming that he was not a racist, right wing extremist or a nut, that the current administration would not leave power after its term ended. First off, I think this man is clearly misidentifying himself, or he has self image issues. Where do people come up with this crap!? If we had to worry about such a possibility, it was with former President Dick Cheney. But he clearly no longer wielded power as he was wheeled onto the inauguration platform in January.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/28/bachmann-heckled-at-healt_n_271075.html

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Zero Hits

What the hell is going on? I check in with my friends at Statcounter this afternoon and I got nothing. Am I writing for my health? Its like it was a couple weeks back, when half my readership was incommunicado, floating down the Upper Missouri River. They said my name came up then, but badmouthing me in the wilderness doesn't count.

I read in one of Ted Kennedy's obits today that he introduced universal healthcare almost forty years ago. Forty years and we're still arguing about it. Pitiful. If I didn't have the insurance I did ten years ago, and my wife and doctor buddy leaning hard on the industry bureaucrats, I'd be dead. Absolutely pitiful.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

DJ's Vacation

I should have kept better notes if I had wanted to create a realistic portrayal of my early August family vacation. Absent that, I'll just riff on what I remember.

The beginnings were inauspicious. Sonny Boy One was out playing cards the night before. I suggested he get in around midnight since we had an early start planned. I heard something around 3am and got up. He had just gotten in and told me he won $40. I congratulated him by telling him to turn out the light. A few hours later I banged on his door and said “Its go time punk!”. Anyone can be a parent.

We hopped in Unc's borrowed mini-van, which saved us some dough. We made pretty good time to LA, with only about 20 minutes of traffic snarl somewhere along I5. It looks pretty much the same to me. Around Bakersfield SB1 realized we were spending the second half of the vacation in Oxnard, which he was excited about. He's a good kid, just not very focused.

We spent the first night in Hollywood, where I felt right at home. We did the standard tourist routine, checking out the Walk of Fame and Graumann's Chinese Theater. I high fived Spiderman and got a pic taken with Tigger. I saw Regis Philbin's star and wanted to snap a shot but forgot my phone.

We dined at Trastevere that evening. We enjoyed the patio seating and the food. My bud TK would be happy to know that our calamari were served with the feet. The only down side was that we were interrupted a few times by the kid at the next table with a hacking cough. I eventually walked over and said, “I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV, and you could be tubercular.”

The next day my wife led us on a unfruitful search for the homes of stars. We invested in a $10 map and were off to find George Clooney's house. The place was for sale for about $800K so perhaps his staff lived there. We did have a chance to go by Carl Reiner's house though. That was a thrill. I wanted to do some shopping on Rodeo Drive but my wife talked me down.

We spent the next three days of my vacation in Carlsbad at the in-laws. We did some swimming in the pool and also went to the beach a few times. I got pounded by the waves at Cardiff by the Sea and lost my trunks a few times. Nothing to see here folks, move along. I served as chief cook at a beach gathering the next evening with some family friends. We were not supposed to have alcohol there so my wife put a bottle of wine into an orange juice container. She's always thinking.

We wrapped up our trip at the home of some friends in Ventura County. We got a great boat ride and the kids loved being pulled behind the boat on the “bum buster”. I stayed off it as I was concerned about the ability of my trunks to stay in place. We also had one of the finest Mexican meals ever, but I can't remember the name of the joint.

Stay tuned. Maybe the next post will be more interesting.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

I'm Pissed

Let me say this unequivocally. I do not want the government messing with my death panel. I'd write more but I have to go shout down some politicians now.

Saturday, August 01, 2009

Hit the Deck

My Kirkwood tour with The UK, TK and 4M was successful, meaning we're still friends. We spent some time on the deck with Wayne and Garth last Friday night. We talked about the good old days and communicated via Facebook with some high school chums. At one point, I asked TK to handle the interaction with 4M, as he was being obtuse and argumentative. 4M and I have had a rocky 40 year acquaintance, whereas TK and I make an effort to work on our relationship. TK whipped up a short order breakfast Saturday morning. He still has the skills he acquired at Middletown Lanes, which we noted, is conveniently located across the street from the Shortline bus station. I took to calling it Shitline back when I rode it to school in Binghamton. I was so immature.

We rented a motor boat and toured Caples Lake Saturday afternoon. We made sure to load up on the sunscreen as, at that altitude, we'd be crisp after a two hour tour. The UK was The Skipper and I was Little Buddy. I think the other guys were Thurston Howell III and The Professor. Or maybe Ginger and Maryann. I don't recall exactly.

We had an delectable dinner at Cafe Fiore in South Lake Saturday night. 4M brought a magnum of 2003 Karl Lawrence Cabernet, that he opened earlier in the day to breath. We started out with a Trefethen Riesling, calamari, and fried green tomatoes. TK pointed out there were no “feet” in the calamari. He was right. They are the best part, but they were tasty nonetheless. Everyone agreed that their entrees were excellent and that the staff was top notch. Eight thumbs up from the boys.

http://www.cafefiore.com/

Afterward we hit the casinos and waded into a mass of middle America. I got a few hands of blackjack in before some dipshit joined the table to throw off my rhythm. I broke even and walked away. Our last stop was the bar to deposit a few bucks in the video poker machines. We headed home Sunday, with a pit stop at Mel's Diner in Jackson, the home of the Moo Burger. Here's a shout out to our genteel host, The UK. Thanks Bro!

I don't often have to publish a retraction. Actually I never do, since no one gives a damn. However, I feel compelled to do so today. My last statement on my last post was uncalled for. TCG is a friend, and I expect that he will be one for some time, for at least the better part of the next two months.

They had CNBC on again at the gym yesterday. I caught a little of Jim Cramer. I cannot take too much of his schtick; investment advice as raucous lowbrow entertainment. After a swim and a steam, I caught one guy hawking bank stocks while his ideas were poo pooed by others on the panel. Should I go short or long on Bank of America? Who knows? But B of A was one of the stops on my Friday afternoon tour. I went to deposit a check. The greeter – when the hell did banks start having greeters? – asked me if I had an ATM card. I could have said I got my first ATM card in Binghamton, NY I n the late 70s, from Marine Midland Bank, before you were in swaddling clothes, but that would either have confused him or gotten me kicked out of the bank.

I received an email from my brother this morning. He said it was time for a new blog post and that I should write about him. I have to admit, he's right. My brother is a handsome, affable middle-aged attorney. He lives in the East Bay. He is quite fit, a lean 170 pounds or so, and has delusions of grandeur. Sometimes, as when we were children, he frightens me, but for different reasons.

We just got a new mattress delivered this morning We've had the old one for several years but my wife got us a new one on warranty since the old one was defective. The mattress inspector had to come over to confirm that , which he did. How do you get a gig like that? I'd probably be good at it. Anyway, as we were frolicking on our new bed this morning, I called my wife a geezer. I immediately realized that geezer is a male term, and that crone would be a better word, especially if I wanted to get my ass kicked.