Take A Note

 Notes and such .....

• There ought to be a law that of the first five packs of baseball cards purchased for a new season, if you get any duplicates, you should be allowed to exchange the card(s) for a card (Yankee) of your choosing. After five packs, everything is fair game but for those first five, only singles.
• I sometimes walk around in a daze, oblivious to most things around me, but I am always watching the sky. Alert for an image to be presented. That's what falling in love with photography has caused.
• If I'm ever asked for something I know to be true ...... It's that you eventually reach a point in life where the sad thing is, wishing that you could do something to slow down and even reverse time. To feel things again, as they used to be. Try not to get obsessed with it. 
• Is this considered biblical lust? Always wanting the vinyl album that someone else has? If so, than I have sinned. 

More Note Taking .... Baseball Edition

• Heard a local talking head, broadcasting the lower than Single A, Rookie league, baseball game make reference to "Bob" Longborg pitching a near no-hitter in the 1967 world series, and I badly wanted to call in and correct him. It was Jim Longborg of the Red Sox. And I don't recall a near no hitter but that's not to say it didn't happen.
• I only know one or two of the names in their lineups today, but I can still recite the lineups of the 1967 Tigers, Red Sox and Orioles. 
• Heard the same announcer talking about how his mom taught him to score a baseball game. I have that skill as well and now want to go out and buy a scorebook and fill it with: K's, 4-3's, F8's, E9Th's and 4-6-3's. 
• Each season, I purchase a few packs of baseball cards and peruse all the statistics on the back of the cards. I marvel at all the players these days who have hit 30-plus home runs in a season and who I've never heard of. I used to know all that shit and would carefully follow all the statistical categories.  
• I doubt anything has gone through more inflation than baseball cards. I recall the days where a pack of five cards would cost a shiny nickel. Tonight, I purchased a pack of seven for $3.99. AND thought that was a great price. 

Just Dreamt

Wow!! This is certainly different than my usual bizzarro, weirdo, unexplainable dreams .... 

A dream where my friend walked up, put her arms around me, kissed me on the lips (twice) and whispered: "I love you." Upon awakening, I was left feeling quite dazed. And I would pay for it to last longer and be stuck on replay. 

I am tempted to say that it was all that I ever imagined ..... but then, I've never dared imagine it.

Maybe I should fall asleep more often, on the couch, after eating fish tacos?

Places Ventured

Things heard and overheard, while strolling about the local outdoor Saturday Market and the public library used book sale ....

• "I know your face, but I don't remember your name." .... Turned out it was a guy that I used to play city league basketball with or against (I think). Old veterans of pickup games and city league games always eventually remember each other. 
• "She's friendly with people.: ..... I couldn't see who was being spoken of so favorably. I assumed it was a small puppy. I angled myself into a better viewing position and saw that it was a big assed hairy spider being handed to a lady. For a second or two, I thought about claiming: "Next!" But that questionable moment was the quickest second ever.

I guess I really didn't hear much.

The first used book sale since covid started. Like most indoor places in the last two years, I just couldn't stay more than five minutes. And judging from the attendance, either quite a few others feel the same way or the word of the event didn't get around. I just happened to be driving by when I noticed the banner or else I wouldn't have known. I told myself if there was a line to get in, like in the past, that I'd turn around and get on with whatever was next in my day.

A New Life

 I feel like the last one standing. 

A longtime co-worker retired yesterday. She walked away quietly. I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few that fail to realize that she's gone. We started about the same time and have known each other for forty-five years. Everyone from the earliest days is gone now. Except me. I hope she enjoys her new life. With all the hours and weekends, we've worked on every shift over the years, a new life is what it will feel like. 

Her final shift was swing shift. 3:00pm to 11:00pm. That doesn't feel proper to me. Maybe she wanted it that way? I happened to catch her, sitting alone in the office, as I was going home. It had been a minor mystery when her last day would be, and she had been using up her vacation time. I was surprised to see her as I thought she was on vacation. The wall calendar even said so. But there she was. I asked her when her last day was? "Today," she replied. Feeling near speechless, I attempted to utter congratulations and well wishes. I've always felt uncomfortable with final goodbyes. I've always felt strange about endings. Even if they are supposed to be happy.

Sleepy Notes

Eyes filling up with tears from yawning while celebrating an upcoming day off from work. A few random notes from 3am .... or whatever the hell time it is.

• Good to discover .... I'm not one of those guys that's going to pay $75 for a vinyl record. Even if it is an original copy. And even if it's a third of the price of one that sold on Discogs. At least so far, I'm not one of those guys.
• Suddenly remembering through the groggy, foggy haze of my yawns, a dream from last night, or the night before that, where I was in the office at work when several strangers entered and though they seemed nice enough initially, it was becoming obvious that they were not about to let me leave. Mobsters and thugs I assume.  Paying me a visit. I woke up before discovering their mission. 

Hours and hours later .....

• That $75 record? Well I'm already having second thoughts. I could charge it and justify it as a mean of keeping my credit rating in good standing. I sure do love owing nothing but I read somewhere, long ago, that it's good to make occasional charges. Someone should just show up and put me out of this misery. I mean, a original printing of an Elvin Jones record on Impulse!, has got to upgrade the coolness factor of .... well maybe not of me but surely my record collection.

The Longest Winter

What's the date? May 12th? If you had suddenly awakened today from a prolonged sleep and bravely stepped outside, you would have thought it was February 12th. Forty-five degrees, wind blowing, and pretty much a constant rain falling. It was f'...ing cold!! I should be feeling my first hints of seasonal allergies about now but not this year so I'm trying not to complain. Really, I am. There will most likely be a day in July or August where I will be pining for a day like this. 

Late Night Note Taking

A late-night note or two ....

•  I'm officially excited and filled with anticipation!! Nail clippers ordered for thick toenails. Should arrive tomorrow. If they are easy to handle and comfortable clipping, I'll be giddy and ecstatic. Opposing big toes beware. 
• Survived my doctor visit yesterday. The first with this new doctor. Noticed on the post visit, My Chart, doctor notes that I am "well developed." That certainly is good to know. There was a recommendation or two made but his parting words were: "You look good to go." 
• Hope to hear those same, good to go words about my car which is due for its own routine maintenance.
• I'm an admitted baseball statistic nerd. I used to be one of those guys that would calculate my updated batting average as I was running to first base. That said, I need to do some research as I don't understand many of these new-age statistical abbreviations and what number ranges are considered good, average, etc..

Random Notes From the Edge of the World

I've always wanted to use "edge of the world" in something. So, for tonight, I am residing on the edge ..... of the world or time.

• I seem incapable of pulling small items like socks and facemasks out of the dryer without one or the other, eventually ending up on the floor. And if it's a facemask, I always feel like I have to put it right back in the washing machine.
• You always seemed to think that I had a hidden agenda or ulterior motive in mind but I never did. The only agenda was you. 
• Over and over, I watch these episodes of the 1960's television program, Green Acres and never tire of it. The greatest sitcom of all-time. Some of the bits are comedy genius.
• I get a little paranoid when walking by my boss's office. Even though he can't see me, I worry that my sniffles and throat clearing are instantly recognizable.
• The ultimate struggle in decision making: Do I go to the record store or stay home and watch NBA playoffs live? Amazon Prime makes the decision easier. I can wait until Wednesday for the new Arcade Fire.