Reach Out and Distract Someone

From time to time I get confused in mid-sentence. Do you ever feel this way? Just rockin’ along, thoughts clearly organized, precisely expressed, getting good feedback…and BAM! Like a John Madden hit—I go blank.

It’s not “old timer’s disease.”
Yet.

It can come from a number of external and internal stimuli.

Like Charles Dickens’ character in “A Christmas Carol,” Ebenezer Scrooge, thinking his nocturnal jousts with the spirit world are the result of a morsel of cheese or a bite of something from supper, I can, and often do get thrown off by a scrap of paper with a handwritten note, an instruction manual for a piece of new equipment, or in Friday’s case, an IM screen flashing just inside my range of peripheral vision.

As you can see, some of this distraction is unavoidable. Many mornings my IM screen looks like the tiled splashboard behind the kitchen sink…and when they’re all flashing at once, demanding my attention, they can look like an airport runway nighttime landing guidance system…

Not that I mind.

It’s great to be in touch.

But sometimes, too much touchiness will throw you out of touch with where you need to be.

Wouldn't Mr. Bell be amazed?

"Watson...never mind. I'll IM you."

No Words to Express

Okay, I’ve been a slug this week, I admit it.

This was the first week to head back into the office after my operation, one month ago. And while I have done surprisingly well, it’s been exhausting.
Hopefully I will be better (and stronger) next week.

I am still stunned into silence when I contemplate the mining tragedy in West Virginia.
Twelve miners trapped by an unexplained explosion and poisoned air, huddled behind a thin layer of plastic sheeting, and waited for the end to come.

Some of them wrote notes to loved one’s telling of their pending passing…examples of courage and strength borne by their faith.

“It wasn’t bad.”
“I just went to sleep.”

…in the cold, dark bowels of the earth.

Contemplation of all the aspects of this story are mind numbing.

Box Office Bonanza

The week between Christmas and New Year’s has traditionally been vacation week at The Clanton Hacienda. Not so this year, given my history in December. Still, even with doing the show live from The Studio at The Clanton Hacienda, it was a fairly light week.

The normal activity of choice during our vacations is to hit a movie theater at least once a day. Again, could not do that this year, but we did watch copious amounts of our favorite DVD’s on the laptop on a bed tray on my lap.

"What did Santa bring you?"
"Great lap muscles this year."

We did go see one movie on New Year’s Eve; Rumor Has It. Very clever film with Jennifer Aniston and Kevin Costner that picks up with “the rest of the story” from “The Graduate.” The star who steals the show is Shirley McClaine. I’ve always thought a little Shirley goes a long way, and that’s true here. But the little dabs that do ya are priceless in the film. So the Clanton Movie Watcher guide gives “Rumor Has It” three thumbs up.

It’s important to know the content of the films that are in theaters today. When you shell out serious coinage for tickets and a snack—which might as well be a three course meal after the expense—you want to know you’re getting your money’s worth. Or at least have a clue what you’re in for…

So my Bride and our young, single and attractive 20-something daughter were getting our tickets at the box office, and we noticed an older couple in line behind us. They went to the next available window, and I heard the man ask for two tickets for “Brokeback Mountain.”

And I looked over at this couple—he was sporting a flat-top hair cut and wearing dark blue jeans and a western shirt, and she was wearing something rather non-descript, but they were clearly not aware of what they were getting themselves into.

The box office attendant snickered when she overheard the man comment to his wife, “I really want to see a COWBOY movie.”

I really hate to see people waste money, so as we walked past, I tapped the couple on the arm and told them they really didn’t want to see “Brokeback Mountain.”

“What? Why not?” they demanded.

I leaned in closer, and said—“It’s about Gay Cowboys.”

You should have seen their faces.
You should have seen the faces of the box office attendants, too…

I don’t know what this intrepid couple ended up seeing…but it sure as shootin’ wasn’t a cowboy movie New Years eve.