[/style> The Grateful Dead were one of the rock icons from the last part of the previous century. Which is odd, because, as a standard method – measure of success is the number of hits. Not really a hit-maker kind of a group. But the more I listen, the more I find “Americana” roots. A weird blend of country, and apparently, acid-influenced meandering material. The original hippie jam band. A rolling road show that had a true campaign quality with its camp followers. Plus, I doubt this was intentional, a following that taped the shows. First of the peer-to-peer file swapping?
“Red and White/Blue Suede shoes.
I’m Uncle Sam/How do you do?
Give me five/I’m still alive.
Ain;’t no luck/I learned to duck.”
(Hunter – Garcia, U.S. Blues)
I hit the “play” button while I was making morning coffee, and that song cycled up. To a certain point, it’s become an anthem for me, just one line, I’ve been using it for years. Some of the best advice I can hand out: duck.
If only I could follow my own advice.
I tied a little spoon on the end of some leader, then a heavy cork, and launched it out into the lake. I’ve had some success with arrangement. The problem I encountered – I can blame Mercury in apparent retrograde position – I had about seven feet of leader on a six-foot pole. As I started to whip the cork out, I felt something penetrate the back of my thigh. The rustle of shorts, a tiny pinprick, and tangled line falling down around my knee. Plus, right there, running through the shorts and into my leg? That tiny hook.
I clipped the line, and hobbled back into the trailer for surgery. In a flash, I had out the “diagonal wire cutters,” and I clipped the hook off, leaving a little bend and bard still buried.
So a piercing really doesn’t hurt. That one didn’t. I managed to pull the tiny barb all the way through. Swab with alcohol. Attach a new hook to the lure, and tie it all back together. With less leader.
“I’m on the edge of an empty highway/howling at the blood on the moon.”
(Hunter – Garcia, Pride of Cucamonga)
Two-meat Tuesday
Just random notes from a random day when Mercury is backwards, confounding everything, or so it would seem. My cure? Wind some new line on a fishing reel, give it a spin.
Geography quiz:
What state goes where?
Just one news item after another:
Arrest & deportation of suspicious people?
I was once interviewed by the FBI, while I was a part-time property manager. Some tenant had called in with a suspicious (something) about another tenant. The, I’m assuming, local FBI was following up. At my employer’s behest, I quickly ran copies of everything on file of the suspicious tenant, who wasn’t from an Arabic country, and was speaking Portugues, not an Arab dialect. The funniest part of the interaction, between me and the agents? I kept scanning the badge he flipped, looking for a birthday, like a driver’s license. I don’t remember the guy’s name, but they are just like on TV.
I also picked up a Dallas Morning News, in part, at the suggestion of a neighbor, and he claimed it was the best paper between the coasts. What I learned, around some ribs and brisket? “Seek help for suicidal thoughts.” “Fish is an excellent source of protein.” “Calcium builds better bones.”
“Sagittarius: set aside some time for a loved one. This is not an option.”
That last one? That’s why I brought some brisket home. Spoiled cat. Like I needed to be reminded of that one.
The DMN site requires registration, and I abhor that. Unless you want to comment here, but here that’s just to prevent bulk spam. I’m starting to think that the Houston paper is far more entertaining, plus I can easily link to the stories.
Cherchez le poisson:
“Kramer, you need pictures of bigger fish.” I agree, but the fish are less than willing to comply. Only get about two trophy fish here in the pond, maybe twice a year. But I do get to fish most days.
