Arts and Lifestyle Wednesday Presented by Cinematic Visions-Just Riffin'....Random Thoughts Out of the Blue

I was recently out in the front yard doing some weeding and trimming, and isn’t that really a time where your mind wanders to various odd places? But first, right at hand is the random thought that even though I am not the biggest fan of getting my hands dirty, it is far more efficient to pull weeds with no gloves on. So that’s what I was doing. There is, to me, a great satisfaction in weeding, to a point. Clearing your garden area and making it more pristine is just enjoyable. It also has a bit of a competitive nature to it, since PROPERLY extricating the weed, root and all, is vital. Nothing triggers a quicker “Oh F#$K” from me, than having the root snap, leaving you with the knowledge that this particular annoyance will just return sooner.

I almost never wear headphones or earbuds while doing things like exercising or, well, weeding. So often not only are random thoughts rolling around in my noggin, but songs are. Most of the time it’s a good thing. Generally you are going to have songs you like in your brain, but isn’t it the worst when you have either heard a song you can’t stand recently, or it just happens, that some ultra-annoying tune traps you? Attempting to squeeze that out by forcing yourself think of another sometimes just doesn’t work, and you end up with an hour of some crap by Florida Georgia Line.

The previous night I had closed out my evening with the final quarter of the second game of the NBA Western Conference Finals between the Clippers and Suns. The plays made, and not made, down the stretch, and the final buzzer beating dunk that won the game for Phoenix were thrilling. But the whole experience was wildly compromised by the fact that the final minute and a half of the game took over a HALF HOUR. It was absurd. Virtually every play was reviewed, and the officials got far more screen time than the players themselves. I generally enjoy the small samples of NBA action I have time to cram into my busy world, but they are going to have to do something to address that situation. This was likely the worst end of game scenario, but it was hardly unusual.

One of my favorite odd little joys is putzing around in the kitchen for a bit in the evening. I often come home around 7 o’clock. My wife will have concluded dinner for herself (I don’t eat dinner), and I have told her often enough that I will take care of the dishes that she usually leaves part of of the chore for me. I will do that, and perhaps make lunch for the next day, and while doing that, consolidate things in the refrigerator, which in our house pretty much always needs doing. But my lovely bride knows she will be far happier sitting in the chair downstairs watching some TV than hanging out there with me, because I am in no hurry with what I am doing, have no structure, and it drives her crazy. What might take me fiddling around while watching a ball game, or some golf or soccer, ninety minutes, she likely could get done in twenty. But I just switch tasks, drink a beer or two, and generally have my own little party.

I don’t know if you have an article of clothing that is especially close to your heart that you keep around and wear even if it might be uncool and annoy others, but I do. Just before I took the solo driving trip in 2015 that served as the template for my book “Leaving Cancer for the Circus” I bought a pair of chap khaki cargo shorts. They were, and are, extremely comfortable, have multiple handy pockets, and easily wash and dry, and come out not needing ironing. I wore them on most of the days of the trip. They have great sentimental value, they have not lost any of their other attributes, and I still like to wear them, although I don’t that often. I make no claim that they are cool or look especially nice, and my wife confirms that lustily every time I wear them. She pretty much wishes I would serve them up to charity. No chance. They will be my little treasure until they completely fall apart, and they seem quite sturdy, so that may never happen.

Both my daughter, and a good friend, in the past couple of years have bought me nice sunglasses. Each pair is quite cool, and they are very effective as well. The problem is that I have never worn sunglasses previously my entire life, the sun just doesn’t bother my eyes basically at all. When I put them on, I do like the view and they look quite good on me, too. I vow each time to wear them more, and they have a nice safe spot in my glove compartment. Where unfortunately they often stay for weeks without being used. I just forget. Then I’ll go in there for the owner’s manual or a deposit slip and notice them. I put either pair on with a smile, wear them that time, make the same vow, and then break it.

Several years ago I had stopped drinking soda. It wasn’t any kind of serious thing, and it wasn’t hard, just seemed to make sense. But then I contracted cancer, which resulted in surgery that removed my salivary gland. I have recovered just fine, but one of the after effects has been that my mouth gets dry fairly easily. The carbonation of soda really cuts through that, especially in the middle of the night, so now I drink a couple of cokes a day. But it’s mostly in little increments, so often a 16 or 20 ounce bottle sits somewhat full in the fridge, and sometimes it’s more than one, since I really enjoy when I am super thirsty, the far superior snap of a freshly opened bottle. It’s more than just a step down when you have to return to an already opened one. Rather disappointing.

I not only have spent much of my life on the radio, I also have a love affair with it. One of my great pleasures in life is the time I spend in my car with the radio on. I can do silence, but there are so many damn things I enjoy consuming. I love old radio shows, talk shows sports or not, music, and live sporting events of all types. Hell, recently I discovered they actually do play-by-play of Wimbledon on the radio and it was darned entertaining. If I don’t have a real rooting interest in a baseball game, I pretty much would rather consume it on radio than on TV. With one caveat, the announcers. A quality announcer or radio team can make me listen when I wouldn’t otherwise. For instance, I listen to a lot of Tampa Bay Rays games because I like the two guys that do it very much, and I have no connection with the Rays whatsoever.

I can’t stand the word kiddos. Don’t know why. Perhaps because kids works just fine and we don’t have to cutesy it up with this silly lengthening. I imagine in some ways because the word is often used as part of the phrase “it’s all about the kiddos”. People who trot that out are often, to me, trying to make a show of the fact that they are completely selfless. Often I think they are trying to convince themselves as much as they are me. I’m sure this opinion is not a popular one, but all I know is the “kiddos” makes me cringe each and every time I hear it.

I don’t get out for golfing near as much as I like the last couple of years. Building up this business, creating content, Covid, some health challenges for my wife, etc. have made that the case. But at least when I do it is in my waking hours. However, a strange phenomenon has always been the case when I am dreaming, although I have come to find out in the last ten years that it is not that unusual, although it seems so. When I am asleep, and golf comes up in a dream, I virtually never can actually hit a shot. The tee box is in some impossible location, there is no place for the ball to go, it can’t be teed up, countless absurd things. It doesn’t quite reach the level of a nightmare, but it’s not far from it.

You now have reached the point where you have the chance to be rewarded for indulging me in these random thoughts. I hope you had fun with it. If you would like to actually tee it up in your waking hours with a couple of your friends and me, here’s your chance. I will do a drawing for a free foursome of golf, with food and beverages included. Just email me at danny@dannyclinkscale.com and you are entered!

Now I’ll go back to thinking about silly stuff…..