I was enjoying my morning coffee in Bryant Park. It’s the best part of my day. I sit and read a book or the newspaper. Sometimes, I stare off into space or watch the leaves flashing in the sun. I watch the city awake from its slumber. It slowly, quietly, unfolds itself like a beautiful flower. After that, it’s one unpleasant episode after another until 5:00. It’s my daily dose of Zen.
Usually.
The other morning, unbeknownst to me, I sat near an outlet. A thoughtless prig decided he needed to charge his cell phone. Instead of sitting quietly in my meditative bliss, I was treated to this:
No ‘excuse me, do you mind if I sit here?’ Not a word. I was treated to his theories on the merits of feeding his cat dry food vs. wet food. I wanted to pick up my chair and bash him over his head with it but the thought of explaining why I was in jail to my daughters (not to mention my mother-in-law) stayed my hand. I seethed with a mad hatred that was disproportionate to the offense. Zen Archer fail.
I walked to my office, sat at my desk and soon thereafter, the baby gorilla with the insatiable appetite who torments me arrived with this:
Why have just one iced coffee when you can have as many as you’re able to pour down your gullet in an 8-hour day? They’re free. He makes two at a time because he doesn’t want to have to get out of his chair and walk to the kitchen when he finishes the first one. The morning feeding consisted of:
1 smelly omelet
1 large oatmeal
3 apples
1 peach
1 pear
1 banana
1 raspberry yogurt
This was me by 9:30.
~~~~~~~~
My Bride and Daughters saw Taylor Swift at Giants Stadium. I paid $460 for three tickets plus $91 for two Taylor Nation gift bags that contained TS logo t-shirts and tchotchkes. That “S” in the logo should be “$”. That’s an extraordinary sum of money for me to spend. I’m just regular. I was steamed because you’d think that for $460, you’d be sitting in decent seats. The decent seats are $460 EACH. Why, Taylor? Why? Most of the men’s lavatories were converted to women’s restrooms. [Clever.]
Then I got the concert report from My Bride.
The stadium was packed with every 10-17 year-old girl in New Jersey. Girls in that demographic are constantly bombarded with negative body-type images that stick for life. That stage is hard enough to navigate without social media and the entertainment industry pointing out all your faults and inadequacies.
My Bride said that Ms. Swift made all those young girls feel better about themselves. It was an old fashioned tent revival for their souls. The songs were affirmations of girl empowerment. Her message is: Don’t take crap from anyone–ESPECIALLY men. At one point, she spoke to each young girl, telling them to [I’m paraphrasing] go home tonight, look in the mirror and say, “I’m beautiful,” because THAT’S WHAT YOU ARE. 60,000 smiling, laughing faces.
Low self-esteem and self-loathing didn’t stand a chance. Shake it off, indeed. I love Taylor Swift.
Everyone who entered the stadium was given a rubber wrist band that had an LED light inside. Kids played with them but when the concert started they took on a life of their own. They obeyed the music.
[Caveat: My Bride is a Cracker Jack wife and mother, but her photography and videography skills need improvement. Hang in there for all :27 seconds.]
This went on all night. Complicated sequences mirrored the beats. At one point, every bracelet glowed the same shade of red. The stadium was a sea of bright roses. If I’d know about this I would’ve gone. [And snuck off to smoke a big fatty.]
There you have it, bitches. The best and worst of humanity, all within 48 hours.
Exile on Pain Street 
Ha! Those bracelets look more fun than waving a lighter.
As for your colleague…. if he carries on with his unhealthy ways then he’ll probably drop dead soon.
Sx
Why didn’t they have those bracelets when I was a kid?! Some modern contrivances, like social media and cell phones, are a nuisance but some things I can really embrace.
That guy thinks he’s eating healthy with all that fruit but VOLUME will be the death of him.
You are the best dad ever. Period.
Thanks. I don’t mind shelling out the money but I’m kind of glad they didn’t insist I go with them. My wife said she saw very few men there. And very few men’s restrooms.
Bless them for converting, but at a stadium? How do you turn a urinal trough into something lady friendly? And hope they used industrial strength disinfectant prior…
I think someone with incredible foresight saw long, long. loooooong lines of little girls standing cross-legged. It’s the best solution they had. I’ll bet it was the first time many of them saw a urinal. I’ll be it opened some discussions.
I would like to say that was how I first saw a urinal but that would be a lie…
They probably just covered them up with cardboard cutouts of Taylor Swift.
Now, THERE’S a blog post. What do young girls think when they first lay eyes on a urinal? How strange they must seem.
I wonder if the really little ones wondered how they were supposed to sit in there.
Consultant dude is sounding like ever more and more of a douchebag. Can’t you concoct a scheme to get him terminated? I guess he will then just move on to the next host. Consultants are like diseases. I know whereof I speak.
I will admit to kind of loving Taylor Swift. Not my normal music but 1989 is basically a modern masterpiece and I admire what she says. Plus she stood up to Apple and while it’s not hard to do that when you’ve got absolutely nothing to lose, you still have to muster the mustard. And she did.
You’re angry face reminds me of Jacob’s Ladder. Thanks for bringing back that disturbing image…
My colleague at work says I’ve developed an unhealthy obsession with the consultant. But I can’t help myself! He sits in my peripheral vision eight hours a day! It’s impossible to ignore. His contract runs through August and I’m pretty sure that’ll be it for him.
Did you see Swift’s video for Bad Blood? It’s fantastic! Super-high production values, an interesting, linear plot and a good hook, to boot. And…yeah…that’s the other thing. She brought Apple to their knees and for a damn good reason. I just love her.
I’m going to make this my mission today: listen to 1989 all the way through with an open mind. Because I’m Ross Fucking Murray.
If you leave your pretentious self at the door and watch that video, you’ll have a nice time. 100% entertainment.
No, no. No smoke-and-mirrors videos, just the music. Videos are flashing wristbands of distraction.
I don’t know. I think you have to take it all in. They all tie in to one another and work in concert. It’s like ordering a burger but passing on the fries. You can do it, but why would you want to?
You mean, Happy Meal without the toy.
It’s pick-your-metaphor Wednesday here at EoPS.
What I’ve learned so far: she has powerful, all-seeing lawyers. Can’t even stream the damn thing on YouTube.
WHAT?! That’s not possible. I just checked and it has over 332 million views. That’s a lot. Try this:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QcIy9NiNbmo
Yeah, yeah, I meant the whole album start to finish without the distraction of beautiful women in form-fitting S&M fantasy costumes (talk about body image…!).
I WANT MY FREE THING! AND ALL-YOU-CAN-DRINK ICED COFFEES!
Ross Fucking Murray! I know this guy! Good chap, a bit hairy in the face, nice teeth. Now that Mark’s made this okay and basically enabled my guilty pleasure, I’m going to splooge Taylor Swift love all over the place. Unashamedly love her. I never felt comfortable admitting that before except to my wife, and that was an awkward conversation. Quality quality music and great attitude. Let me know what you think of 1989 when you get a hold of it.
I listened to three songs and couldn’t do it anymore. Not the songs — catchy pop — it’s that voice, the way it goes nasal up in the higher register. You can take the girl out of the country music but…
Sorry, dude. But you be you, as the kids say.
Did you watch the video for Bad Blood like Mark suggested? That might change your mind. Awesome video, like a movie. That’s a bunch of other pop princesses in there too, I think Selema Gomez and Ellie Goulding… and yeah, I’m not entirely sure I’m a man anymore. I have two girls, so sue me!
I can’t stand country either… but T-Swift rocks, dude. She rocks. I can’t believe I’m saying this out loud. It’s like I’m coming out of a long-hidden closet, but feels very liberating.
If you do watch the video for Bad Blood, go download Sucker Punch, the movie by Zach Snyder. It was laughed at by critics but is one of the most compelling pieces of steampunk action fluff I have ever seen… with a dynamite ending that actually provides a pseudo-meaning in a few very quick words. Plus the music… that movie knows how to use music.
I did watch the video and the goddamn song’s been stuck in my head all day. Nice piece of work though. But it’s a separate thing from the song. It’s an entertainment, and that’s fine.
You know, you’re going to like what you’re going to like. Brittany Spears’ “Toxic”? Love that song.
Listen to the music you want, read the books you want, see the films you want. Except Adam Sandler films. He needs to be stopped.
Sigh. I feel totally emasculated. Yes, I love Toxic. I also love Criminal by her. I think I am going to burn in hell.
Hey, Sandler made Punchdrunk Love. I give him respect for that gem.
And for your viewing pleasure… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQsSOkc0j3g
That’s no Taylor Swift.
Indeed not. I think we both feel better now,
Hey! You don’t like Sandler? Me either. I find very little or none of what he does funny. I thought I was the only one, so i’ve been harbouring this secret dislike, afraid to mention it in public for fear of being lynched. I think we should start an anti-Sandler club. 😀
No, I’m pretty sure it’s quite widespread.
There are lots of bad things about being as old as I am. I won’t bore anyone with the details. But one of the nice things is that you really and truly stop caring what anyone thinks. I love Taylor Swift and don’t give a damn how that sounds. I like Rush, too. I’m through defending my taste.
A few weekends ago I pulled out my old vinyl copy of Don Henley’s Building the Perfect Beast and it was marvellous. Dig what you dig, man.
I don’t know “Toxic” but I’m going to find out what it is. Hopefully, it’ll add to my secret shame and emasculation.
I don’t recall ever watching a Sandler movie. It don’t get him. We should form a support group.
Oh. That.
One man’s distraction is another man’s reason for getting out of bed in the morning.
The first Friday of each month we get a free pizza lunch, too. He walks into the kitchen to behold a dozen pies all laid out and his eyes glaze over. I think I detected a tear once.
Now I love Taylor Swift, too. Every little girl needs to hear that and believe. Damn good for her.
She’s the anti-Miley Cyrus. I forgive Taylor for the excessive overcharging.
And really, it’s much cheaper than therapy.
It’s cheaper but your costs are all up-front vs. spread out over time. That’s kind of hard to take.
Of your examples today, I’d take the first two over the last. Or rather, I’d do what you did: pay an exorbitant amount if it meant I could stay home. The wristbands are cool though. Unless they’re for mind control. Ever see Josey & the Pussycats? It’s a terrible movie. Or maybe it’s brilliant, hard to say. Mind control for merchandising, that’s the basic premise.
Re your colleague: at least he’s eating fruit.
I never thought of the mind control angle! Ross, you’re brilliant. I’ll bet that’s EXACTLY what’s going on. Staying home was fantastic. I walked around the house in my skivvies. Just like old times.
I don’t recall a Josie + Pussycats movie, but I remember the cartoon. Yes, I’m that old.
I think he believes he’s eating “healthy” but he doesn’t take volume into account. Too much of ANYTHING is bad.
The video your wife took of the concert was pretty amazing Mark. I’ve never been that close to 60,000 teen girls before – the thought makes me shudder. Ha! Sounds like the girls had a great time – i am impressed. I watched Taylor’s Bad Blood – some interesting images there. Yikes – I didn’t know you could do all that in high heels.
I was surprised that the city puts and maintains and pays for electric outlets in public places. I’ve never seen that. Is there any place in the park where you can sit that there are no outlets? I think live and let live may be the best philosophy in dealing with cell users in the park. You could always get one of those shoulder fired missiles marked “X” – like in Bad Blood – and eliminate all cell users in your park. That may have consequences. When I was driving tractor trailer, there were days that I fantasized that the sides of the hood slide back and a missile launcher came out of each side. That was fun to think about. Ha!
You know it might be to your advantage to feed your consultant. John Cleese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXH_12QWWg8
Bwahaha! Warning- don’t watch this while you are eating.
Paul—can you imagine the screaming that went on?! You have to wonder if anyone heard the music. The video IS impressive. That’s why I posted it. But I wonder what it looked like in person? I’ll bet it was a site to behold. I’m a sucker for those big-room special effects. It’s almost like performance art.
Bryant Park has outlets scattered along the perimeter and let me tell you something—the tables by those outlets are PRIME location. People set up camp there and never leave. Electricity = life. I used to carry a cell phone signal jamming device but it was too weak for outdoor use. It was effective mainly in trains. I need a human being jamming device.
I should send that video to my neighbor as a cautionary tale. Gruesome + funny.
Wow, the best of humanity sure don’t come cheap these days.
I guess if your parents can’t afford the $400 price of admission, you don’t get to hear Swift tell you you’re beautiful and get stuck using the ladies room, you loser.
Don’t think I hadn’t thought about that angle. It’s bad enough to sit in crappy seats for that kind of money but what of the families who can’t make it inside? That’s why I ask—why so expensive, Taylor? I admire Springsteen because he keeps his ticket prices fairly modest by industry standards. I wonder if the little girls sitting up front whose parents shelled out $800+ for a premium seat feel EXTRA special?
I’m sure you’ve thought of that angle from the moment you’ve learned how much the tickets would cost.
But I guess she thinks that as long as she can fill a stadium at $200 and up ticket prices, she thinks it’s okay. And her feud with Apple over Apple’s trying to get artists (including Swift) to give out their music for free, is probably just another prong of the plan to try to squeeze out as much money as she can for her work.
Music is a fickle business. The public moves on. I don’t know that I have a problem with her maximizing her profits while she’s still relevant. Why should Apple get to make money off her songs via a subscription service without paying her? Like she said, we’re not asking for free iPhones.
I can’t believe the price of those tickets. She may be empowering girls, but she’s not empowering those on a tight budget. Yikes.
I was recently in your fine city with my teen son. Attended a large writers’ conference at the Grand Hyatt. Loved the city, but I got to experience those high prices first hand. And I also saw the Naked Cowboy. And the Sexy Babies, which are more scary than sexy.
Hi Carrie! It’s nice to see you! Hope you enjoyed your time off.
Yes…it makes me wonder just how sincere Swift is being by charging those prices. Feel good if you can afford it. The rest of you…buy the album, I guess.
I hope you enjoyed your stay here, high prices notwithstanding. The Hyatt is a nice joint. Just a few minutes’ walk from where I’m typing these words right now. The Naked Cowboy has been doing that gig a long, long time and is in pretty amazing shape. He protects that brand, too. M&Ms dressed one of their characters like him and he sued. And won! And I agree…they should call them the Scary Babies.
We also saw the Naked Grandma. I think my 15-year-old is permanently scarred now.
WHAT?! I never heard of her. Thank God. And I’m not being sexist. I don’t want to see Naked Grandpa, either.
A shame about your shy ways. I’d have bought you a tony cocktail (and a soda for your son).
Even if I had he money when my kids were growing up, I would not have gone with them to a concert of any kind. There was enough screaming at home – why multiply it by 60,000 or so?
Your work stories make me especially glad I don’t have to share my work space with anyone. I’d be too tempted to tip those iced coffees over into my colleague’s lap.
My daughters got home at 2:30 in the morning! I’m serious! So there’s another reason you might not want to go. But they seemed awfully happy the next morning. So there’s that to embrace.
My work stories make me question the wisdom of a career in office work instead of construction. But I’ll bet those guys have their own horror stories to tell. There’s no escape except for retirement.
I think my current contractor could certainly tell you some construction nightmare stories. Heaven knows, it was a nightmare for me (post coming tomorrow – hint, hint).
Him, too?! Is there no escape?! No matter which way you turn, sooner or later, you’ll have to deal with conflict. It’s exhausting.
What an emotional roller coaster of emotions from this post. Well done once again!
I laughed! I wept! Especially when I bought the tickets. We bought those last December and put them in their Christmas stockings. Most expensive stocking stuffer EVER.
I don’t blame you seething over Mr soooo annoying consultant, I would go nuts too. As for the concert, well as long as they enjoyed it, can you imagine spending that much and they hated it? Speaking of girls and urinals, a friend of mine was telling me that when she was little and was out with her Dad, he was forced to take her into the men’s lavs because he needed to go and she was too little to leave outside alone, and apparently before he was able to stop her, she had pulled a piece of chewed gum off the side of a urinal and popped it in her mouth! Oh the horror! I think it’s my favourite urinal story though.
That’s exactly the point my wife made—for all that money it’s a damn good thing it was entertaining. They pulled out all the stop but for that kind of scratch, they pretty much owed it to the audience. $30 to park, by the way. Grr-grr.
Typically I’m grateful for comments and fun asides but I think I could have done without the gum story. Particularly because it’s lunchtime around these parts.
Perhaps that guy you sit next to has a blog about you, and your stealth-videos of him. Now wouldn’t that be like meta-weird? At the WP blogger conference I attended in Portland this year, one of the WP people shared a story about a co-worker who was fantasizing about killing him, writing about it, and it was discovered to be an actual disorder of some kind (everything has a name for it): fantasizing about killing people, but like without actually doing it. I like your story about the concert. We need more positive messages, especially our girls.
I’m sure I’m far too dull to report on. When he sat down with those two glasses I asked him if he was expecting company and he glared at me. I couldn’t resist.
That disorder you describe sounds like an accident waiting to happen. Glad this dude next to me doesn’t have it. I wouldn’t get a thing done from the worry.
Girls that age do have it rough, don’t you think? They need all the help they can get. I’m doing my part but they don’t really listen to me. They’ll listen to TS. Or T$.
Your workmate eats a lot of fruit, I’ll give him that. Has he farted in your presence yet? As for Taylor Swift, I bet she never farts. And if she did, they’d smell of roses!
The ticket pricing must reflect the high demand – if they were priced lower, touts would buy and re-sell them. Does she ever give free concerts in Central Park or somewhere?
The problem with the part of the country I live in is that there’s a tremendous concentration of wealth. That’s why houses cost so much and why T$ can get $800 for a concert seat. I’ll bet they’re cheaper in Omaha or Detroit.
I really like Taylor Swift. I feel a bit leery of her ‘sweet girl’ look though. She’s very nice to her fans, granted. And she hangs out with Ed Sheeran, Lorde and Calvin Harris. But I just wonder, for someone who’s making buckets of money due to that very innocent impression, how is she in real life? Guess will never know. Loved your description of the concert though. Fat chance Swift will ever come to India. She’ll be mobbed in a heartbeat.
Hey! You’re new! Thank you very much for taking the time to read and comment.
I’ll take Swift’s sweet girl look over Miley Cyrus’s slutty whore any day of the week and twice on Sunday. ESPECIALLY when my daughters are involved. They’re young and impressionable.
In real life I’m betting she’s a lethal combination of crazy, happy, beautiful, wealthy and needy, which is exactly what every man wants.
She toured Europe and was mobbed. She’s mobbed here in the U.S. Are you implying she’d be in actual danger in India? Do you have crazy mobs?
Lol. I agree. I’ve been off Miley Cyrus ever since I saw her instagram pictures (Ever seen them? They’ll take your disgust to a WHOLE new level). Well yeah, she’d be in more danger. Plus she can’t wear too many revealing outfits or people might start complaining. India isn’t a very safe place for women in general. With her security guards though I doubt she’s in any actual danger. When I say mobbed I mean we don’t have the kind of crowd-control measures to ensure decorum.
You should see some of the things I read about India in the New York Times. They’re not all flattering. It looks like a tough place to be a woman. It seems to be a country with one foot in the modern world and the other still in the past, especially when it comes to its attitudes about women. I looks like the men want women to remain subservient and beholden to them. The good old days for them; the bad old days for you.
I was in public and laughed out loud reading this. The comments are as good as the post.
I’m sorry, but I’m not jumping on the “I love Taylor Swift” bandwagon. And not just because her music is dumb. She tells girls to have a positive image, and then throws up everything she eats? She’s emaciated. Self actualization begins at home.
Then the co worker, the opposite extreme. I laughed hysterically at your comment that he tears up looking at pizza!
When he finally goes on a diet and needs a food journal, he can just reference your blog.
I have the best comment section in WordPress. I don’t know why I’m so lucky to have so many smart, funny people chiming in but I’m GRATEFUL.
Look…if you had daughters and your choice for a role model was Swift or Cyrus, who would you be happier to see them embrace? Eh? My 13-year old loves Fall Out Boy, so she’s already moving past that stuff, anyway.
I fear I’m becoming overly-obsessed with my neighbor. Sometimes, he does the head-bob falling asleep at your desk thing. No doubt it’s from all the overeating. I’m trying to capture it on film. If I do, I’ll post it. That dude will NEVER go on a diet. He ain’t got the game to rise above his food addiction.
If I had to choose between Miley and Taylor I’d shot myself.
Of course he falls asleep! He eats 5 breakfasts!
Your video clips made me laugh like a hyena. I may post some from BlogHer. We’ll see
Did you see the one of him digging the wax out of his ear with a pen cap? Hideous.
Do you know why my vids look crystal clear on my iPhone but pixilated blurry shite when I post them?
Are you quizzing me, or do you really want to know?
Yes I watched him dig out his earwax. He’s nauseating, but he’s providing you with so much blog fodder.
Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
The fact that you didn’t strangle that man with his own phone chord and paid all that money for your family to enjoy their awful music shows that you are a nice man. Keep doing what you’re doing.
I really did want to kick that guy as hard as I could. Afterwards, I was furious with myself because I said and did NOTHING. I just sat there like a lump and seethed. The least I could have done was unplug the damn phone.
I saw a great video where a guy pretends to be talking to someone on his own phone when he encounters someone talking too loudly on their own phone, and he responds to what the annoying person is saying. Dude is great at staying in character. Too hard to explain. Here you go. For next time it happens to you. Do this and you’ll have no regrets.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2524943/Prankster-trolls-loud-talkers-private-phone-conversations.html
I hate being interrupted when I am introverting, by anything or anyone. Ugh.
Here’s something I wasn’t going to admit…one of the reasons I didn’t say anything was because he was black and I was afraid he might turn it into something racial. That had nothing to do with it. I assure you, my hatred would have burned just as hot if he’d been Caucasian. But I thought about it.
I must have seen the name Taylor Swift somewhere, but thought it was probably a big player in a sport I don’t follow.Baseball or grid-iron, maybe. And I’m now waaay past wanting to be jammed in a theatre with all that bloody noise! But you are a goody daddy to buy the tickets.Mad, but good.:-)
Your colleague is headed for a diabetic episode, if he’s not already diabetic all that fat and sugar will help him along.I feel for you, having to look at and smell that crap every day.
She’s an awfully big deal with a certain segment of society. It’s fine you’re not familiar. I’ll bet those kids don’t have a clue who those people are you’re listening to. I’ll bet Taylor Swift doesn’t know either!
His contract will end sooner or later. All I’ve got to do is hang in there.
Another very entertaining blog. Nice work Mark. I thought ‘ONE DIRECTION’ packed in the little girls. That video content was impressive. You’re a great dad for that stocking stuffer.
Cell phone rudeness never ends. I learned not to say anything after that shooting in our cinema.
Your office consultant just keeps reminding me of what it was like working. Like you said the only escape is retiring. I feel so much better all the way around after my retirement.
She did better than sell out a stadium. She did it TWICE. There was another show the next night. If I keep this up I’ll be a great broke dad.
How can I rid the world of cell phones? Is there a red button I can push to detonate cell phone signal repeaters?
I will continue to work long past retirement so I can provide content for you. I want to feed your retirement happiness with more sad tales.
37 years ago I saw the Rolling Stones at Anaheim Stadium when they were on the Some Girls tour. Mick Jagger was turning 35 so I knew this might be the last chance I’d ever get to see those guys play live reasoning there was no way he’d be singing “Satisfaction” at 40 … So, I bought my $15 face value ticket from a scalper and vowed that I would never reveal what I paid for it … The big reveal: I paid $20. According the the US Inflation Calculator, in today’s dollars that face value $15 ticket would cost $54.71 and what I paid the scalper would equal $72.95. Considering that you shelled out over $150 per ticket, someone is making a shedload more moolah off these stadium concerts in 2015. Probably someone with the initials TS. If you insist that her message is positive, okay, that’s something good. I’m glad that my niece is pushing 21 and she’s outgrown her.
Oh, to have seen Mick when he was a spry 35. And ‘Some Girls’ is such a good album. Maybe one of their last relevant.
I have no rational for paying that kind of cash for those tickets except the chemical change that happens in my brain whenever I look at my daughters. I’ll do pretty much anything for them, including driving myself to bankruptcy for some stupid concert tickets.
For what your kids will be paying for tickets like when they’re our age (I think that you and I are the same age, [redacted]), you probably could have bought a car for that amount when we were their age back in our day. You are one super swell sugar daddy … But come to think of it, my dad was a very generous guy, too.
I agree with you about the Some Girls album. It’s been a downhill slide into self parody ever since but if Mick or Keith die before me, I will suffer psychic pain. I love the Glimmer Twins.
I think Tattoo You came after Some Girls and that’s probably one of their best. After that…pffbbt. Did you read Keef’s bio? It’s fantastic Wait…did we already have this conversation.
Other than the omelet your co-worker is eating pretty healthy, lol, i’m just waiting for the day i get dragged to a concert like that one, the I-mac has told me he wants to see Morrissey or the Flaming Lips as his first show but he says that for me i believe, he’d much rather see Fall Out Boy or Imagine Dragons (both almost as expensive to see as Miss Swift), Nick Disaster is dead set on Kiss, i told him that if they play into their 70’s it’s a deal… as for the humans, i’ll paraphrase Hank, “it’s not that i hate them i just like it better when they’re not around.”
Yup. He’s eating healthy. It’s going to be death by VOLUME. It’s all good for him but it never stops or even slows down. It’s actually pretty impressive.
My daughter loves Fall Out Boy, too. They recently played a Blossom-like venue here but she said no-thanks because she didn’t like the other two bands. I tried to explain that this might be an opportunity to discover something new but she wasn’t buying it. As far as Swift, she claims she’s just too cool for her but I know for a fact that she loved it. What a phony.
I will never miss Kiss again. I learned my lesson last year. I PRAY they come around again so I can show my daughters HOW IT’S DONE.
I just gotta finish looking in the mirror with my dark sunglasses on and telling myself I’m beautiful. I also have to try and keep a straight face while I do it. If I’m not too tired after that then I’ll get back to you. 😉
Hey Gibber! When are you moving? It must be getting close. Also, I mentioned Pickles to Phil over at Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge – what kind of snake is Pickles?
Hey Paul good question. Gotta get the house rented out first and then find a place to live there. Mr. Gibber is already there. I think I’ll have the house rented by early next week. I found two great prospects. Sept. 1 is the goal.
As far as Pickles..She’s a red tail boa with some albino in her. She’s 6 feet now and will grow to between 10-12 feet.
Awesome, you must be getting excited. 😀
Well I will be happy to get there that’s for sure but there hasn’t been much time to think about it. Packing, cleaning, showing the house, doing all the stuff Hubby did and balancing my crappy health.
I’m away on a holiday. That’s why there’s been no reading, commenting or responding activity from my quarters for a few days now. Did anyone even notice? No matter! Carry on in my absence as though I were still around. I left the door unlocked and the kettle on the boil.
Bwahaha! I didn’t see you anywhere in the gathering here at your blog Mark. We’re just amusing ourselves. The tea is made and we are even serving some adult beverages. We’ll clean up when we are done – I never leave a blog unless it’s cleaner than when I arrived – except for Art’s blog. of course.
You are plagued by insensitive oiks.
I hear good things about Taylor Swift. Seems like a nice young woman.
The oiks are only at work, thankfully. All are respectful, proper ladies at home.
I had to Google oik. I love when you comment here.
Well hello! I’m back and “shake it off, shake it off” I do love Taylor Swift melodies but she pisses me off not putting her songs to Spotify. However, she has been top bird to the young and impressionable so brownie points are won. You know what you need? A megaphone. When people sit near you like ‘mobile phone man’ or ‘greedy, slurping troglodyte’ you just whoop, whee-up it on and shout “FUCK OFF”
Hello to you! I’m away on a holiday visiting my family and am late in responding to comments and catching up on my posts. It’s a vacation!
More Power to TS. It’s her music and if she doesn’t want to put it on Spotify, that’s okay with me. I’m sick of seeing artists screwed over by the internet. Bands can’t make a living anymore because they’re EXPECTED to just give it all away. Good on her.
To each his own. My mother used to say that everyone can not be the same or the world would be boring as all get out. I’m glad you like T. Swift and I’m glad that I think the woman’s voice is the pits but at least she has, thus far, maintained a relative wholesome image and that’s a good thing for young girls.
Now about the man next to you at work. He is rude, crude and a glutton.
I love that you describe her voice as ‘the pits.’ You happen to be right. But I’m a Taylor fan through thick, thin and squeaky high notes. A lot of it is about visuals, as illustrated above, and about attitude. She’s a force for good. That might sound like hyperbole but I believe it.
Yes, I think she is “thus far” clean cut and that bodes well for young girls. I would consider that as a force for the good as well. Now I can only say I hope that she does not become tainted by some of the company that she keeps, meaning her female friends.
I know all this high-tech stuff is expensive to stage, Mark, and the Taylor machine has a lot of mouths to feed, and I’m on old fogey living in the past, but I agree with you that the tickets were twice as expensive as they should have been, at least. Too many mouths at the trough.
And I truly love Taylor’s message, too. Great time for you family. Good dad and hubby you are, my friend.
I wonder if actually GOING WITH THEM would have made me an even better dad? Did they need me there? Because I have to be honest with you, I’m damn glad it wasn’t a requirement. I walked around the house all night in my underwear. Seemed like old times.
You didn’t have to go. I hope you listened with interest when they talked about it, though, with some shorts on, Mark.
Did you watch that video? A little piece of me wishes I’d gone with them. I love a big spectacle.
I love Taylor and was sad when she moved up there full-time. I know lots of folks who ran into her around Nashville and she was evidently always gracious and never played the diva card. Nashville had a terrible flood five years ago and thousands of businesses and homes were destroyed. The music community came together and had a live telethon. Lots of the biggest stars participated. Taylor wasn’t there, but she called in and pledged $500,000. Pretty remarkable for a teenager.
My, what a terrible thing to only want to take one break away from work to get drinks
And yes a peach a pear an apple whatever the fruit may be and some eggs
What a fatty.
Though if he left his desk three times for more substantial food and iced coffees, I’m sure he would get judged even harsher for that.
I think three iced coffees and a bunch of fruit evens up to ribs and spaghetti dinners. 😉 I think we all have our demon foods/ drinks.
Listen…he can eat himself into oblivion for all I care as long as it’s on his own time. Sitting next to him and listening to him attack his food like he’s mad at it negatively impacts my productivity. The unending loud chawing, slurping and munching is torture. He sticks his finger in his mouth and swirls it around to clear the food particles caught in his teeth. He’s rude.