Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Captain America and the Falcon. September 1972.
One of the notable things about this cover is the Falc's new costume. While originally clad in green and gold, he now wears red and white. The other is - yep, that's an impostor Cap. There's a barely visible clue, alluding to this , that is more evident inside this issue. (Well, to the faithful, anyway...) 
Captain America and the Falcon. August 1971.
This is the first Cap and Falcon comic I bought. It's one of the earliest appearances of the Falcon, who is one of the first 2 black super heroes in comicdom (the first one being Marvel's T'challa, the Black Panther).
Monday, September 20, 2010
Introduction to "In the Hub of the Fiery Force," by Harold Norse.
"The Fiery Force is nothing more than the life force as we know it. It is the flame of desire and love, of sex and beauty, of pleasure and joy as we consume and are consumed, as we burn with pleasure and burn out in time."
(Harold Norse, pioneering gay writer and friend of the Beats, died in 2009, at the age of 92.)
(Harold Norse, pioneering gay writer and friend of the Beats, died in 2009, at the age of 92.)
R.I.P. Roy.
I just found out that Roy Hollingworth, the great British rock writer, critic, musician and mate of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, died in 2002. His madcap tales, which often featured wonderfully silly illustrations, helped make my childhood a little less bleak - and for that I thank him.
I just want my job back.
I probably shouldn't even be blogging this. I am so fucking angry!
My boss laid me off, the day after my 50th birthday, because of my medical condition. He thinks I'm a lawsuit waiting to happen.
Yeah, this has been a great week...
I can't understand this. Of my co-workers, one has had a heart attack and all kinds of other serious problems, another had a stroke earlier this year and nearly died (she has an artificial valve in her heart), another has had a heart attack and open heart surgery, and the last one has cancer. Two of my co-workers in the past 2 years have died of cancer. He let those two (R.I.P. Tommy and Gordon) work until they couldn't work anymore. He specifically told me to let them come in and "count pencils," if that's all they could do. My point is, why am I more of a liability than any of those people?
I applied for unemployment benefits today. Boy, did that suck. I guess I'm pretty dumb, because I don't even understand the process. Here's a random sample of the claimant information (and believe me, it's all like this):
"What is a benefit year?
Normally a benefit year is a 52 week period which begins the effective date of a valid claim. There are two exceptions to the 52 week benefit year: (1) when the benefit year begins on the first day of a calendar quarter, and (2) when the benefit year begins on the second day of a calendar quarter followed by a February 29th within that benefit year. In those two instances, the benefit year must extend for 365 or 366 days respectively. Therefore these exceptional benefit years end either on a Sunday or Monday of the 53rd week. Since the next succeeding benefit year must begin on a Sunday, the net effect of these exceptions is a 53 week benefit year."
AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!
Trust me, the rules go on and on like that. They're supposed to be helpful! And the web site won't let you fill in boxes. You get halfway through the stupid form and it won't let you go any further. AND, the number I got from the ESC this morning, which, supposedly, I should call if I need any assistance, HAS BEEN CHANGED OR IS NO LONGER IN SERVICE!!
I just want to go back to work.
I don't think my boss has been honest with me. He claims he loves the work I've done, but it feels like I'm being punished for something I have no control over.
My boss laid me off, the day after my 50th birthday, because of my medical condition. He thinks I'm a lawsuit waiting to happen.
Yeah, this has been a great week...
I can't understand this. Of my co-workers, one has had a heart attack and all kinds of other serious problems, another had a stroke earlier this year and nearly died (she has an artificial valve in her heart), another has had a heart attack and open heart surgery, and the last one has cancer. Two of my co-workers in the past 2 years have died of cancer. He let those two (R.I.P. Tommy and Gordon) work until they couldn't work anymore. He specifically told me to let them come in and "count pencils," if that's all they could do. My point is, why am I more of a liability than any of those people?
I applied for unemployment benefits today. Boy, did that suck. I guess I'm pretty dumb, because I don't even understand the process. Here's a random sample of the claimant information (and believe me, it's all like this):
"What is a benefit year?
Normally a benefit year is a 52 week period which begins the effective date of a valid claim. There are two exceptions to the 52 week benefit year: (1) when the benefit year begins on the first day of a calendar quarter, and (2) when the benefit year begins on the second day of a calendar quarter followed by a February 29th within that benefit year. In those two instances, the benefit year must extend for 365 or 366 days respectively. Therefore these exceptional benefit years end either on a Sunday or Monday of the 53rd week. Since the next succeeding benefit year must begin on a Sunday, the net effect of these exceptions is a 53 week benefit year."
AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!
Trust me, the rules go on and on like that. They're supposed to be helpful! And the web site won't let you fill in boxes. You get halfway through the stupid form and it won't let you go any further. AND, the number I got from the ESC this morning, which, supposedly, I should call if I need any assistance, HAS BEEN CHANGED OR IS NO LONGER IN SERVICE!!
I just want to go back to work.
I don't think my boss has been honest with me. He claims he loves the work I've done, but it feels like I'm being punished for something I have no control over.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Can you say "From left field?"
I went to work yesterday, worked all day, did the things I do: repaired equipment, ran errands, edged some bunkers, etc. At the end of the day, my boss comes by and says he needs to talk with me. I ask him if I've done anything wrong. "No, no, no" was his reply, "but I have to tell you something that you're not going to like."
He laid me off.
Apparently his lawyer told him I was a huge risk. If my heart stopped on the course, he could, hypothetically, be sued, by "someone" (it wouldn't be me, I assured him. "Yeah, I know, because you would be dead", he said...) and lose everything he's worked his whole life to have.
My life gets better and better every day. (That last sentence should be viewed as "dripping with sarcasm"...) Things are happening to me that I have no control over. I thought I was regaining some sort of "normalcy" by being back at work. Now I don't have a job. I worked long and hard to get to where I was. Now it's gone. Just like that.
He swore that after I take some time off (a month, 6 months, a year, 2 years...), he would hire me back, in my same position, with my same pay. How long is he really going to wait, realistically? Meanwhile, what am I going to do now?
I have to go to the unemployment office today, for one thing. I should be there right now, but I'm having a hard time facing it.
He laid me off.
Apparently his lawyer told him I was a huge risk. If my heart stopped on the course, he could, hypothetically, be sued, by "someone" (it wouldn't be me, I assured him. "Yeah, I know, because you would be dead", he said...) and lose everything he's worked his whole life to have.
My life gets better and better every day. (That last sentence should be viewed as "dripping with sarcasm"...) Things are happening to me that I have no control over. I thought I was regaining some sort of "normalcy" by being back at work. Now I don't have a job. I worked long and hard to get to where I was. Now it's gone. Just like that.
He swore that after I take some time off (a month, 6 months, a year, 2 years...), he would hire me back, in my same position, with my same pay. How long is he really going to wait, realistically? Meanwhile, what am I going to do now?
I have to go to the unemployment office today, for one thing. I should be there right now, but I'm having a hard time facing it.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Goodbye 40s...
Well, this is it. I've reached a monumental milestone. After midnight tonight, I'll no longer be "in my 40s."
I had to renew my driver's license this morning. I just scraped by on the eye test. That DMV guy really cut me some slack. I'd read some numbers on the chart and he would ask "What was that second number?" If I had said 8, I would guess 3. You know, because they look alike. I was so happy to pass. I don't have to renew them for 8 years, and the way I'm looking at it, I probably don't have to worry about that because I'll more than likely be dead (not to sound overly morbid). If I am still living, I know I'll have to get glasses...
I had to renew my driver's license this morning. I just scraped by on the eye test. That DMV guy really cut me some slack. I'd read some numbers on the chart and he would ask "What was that second number?" If I had said 8, I would guess 3. You know, because they look alike. I was so happy to pass. I don't have to renew them for 8 years, and the way I'm looking at it, I probably don't have to worry about that because I'll more than likely be dead (not to sound overly morbid). If I am still living, I know I'll have to get glasses...
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Some mo' of my stuff.
I took these 4 paintings (4 previous posts) outside to photograph them, but today was cloudy, so the result was less than stellar. They lack sharpness and clarity, and the colors are off. I'll probably re-shoot them at a later date.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Preparing to exit my 40s.
I'm turning 50 next Wednesday. Fifty. Fifty years old. One half of a century.
I never thought I would make it to 50, not with the way I lived my life. I didn't think I would make it to 40.
I'll be 14 years older than my brother when he died, at 36. And he was 12 years older than me. My dad died at 54. That's just 4 years away for me.
I can't get my mind around these facts. Being alive seems to be an especially tenuous and fragile experience these days.
I'm trying to get some of my friends together next Saturday to hang out and grill. Maybe TALK about playing some music. That's what us old guys do... The thing is, with my health, I'm up one day and down the next. I really hope I feel up to it next weekend, because hanging with my best friends is the greatest thing in the world to me. We don't get to see each other much anymore. And I would really love a nice cold beer. Mmmm, beeeerrr...
I never thought I would make it to 50, not with the way I lived my life. I didn't think I would make it to 40.
I'll be 14 years older than my brother when he died, at 36. And he was 12 years older than me. My dad died at 54. That's just 4 years away for me.
I can't get my mind around these facts. Being alive seems to be an especially tenuous and fragile experience these days.
I'm trying to get some of my friends together next Saturday to hang out and grill. Maybe TALK about playing some music. That's what us old guys do... The thing is, with my health, I'm up one day and down the next. I really hope I feel up to it next weekend, because hanging with my best friends is the greatest thing in the world to me. We don't get to see each other much anymore. And I would really love a nice cold beer. Mmmm, beeeerrr...
Divine.
This is my cat, Divine.
First, let me say that it's really hard to photograph a cat without help. It may look like I'm strangling him, but I'm just trying to get him to be still and look up.
I named him Divine when he was too small for me to determine his gender. In fact, I thought he was a girl for a long time. Nope, he's a he. As I named him after Glenn Milstead's alter ego, the star of "Pink Flamingos," I figured it didn't much matter if he was a boy or a girl...
When he was a kitten, he was the only one in the litter that I couldn't catch. He was so scared. When I finally did get my hands on him, he ripped into me good! Now, he is the only cat I have and he is extremely affectionate. I love him. He's a good cat.
First, let me say that it's really hard to photograph a cat without help. It may look like I'm strangling him, but I'm just trying to get him to be still and look up.
I named him Divine when he was too small for me to determine his gender. In fact, I thought he was a girl for a long time. Nope, he's a he. As I named him after Glenn Milstead's alter ego, the star of "Pink Flamingos," I figured it didn't much matter if he was a boy or a girl...
When he was a kitten, he was the only one in the litter that I couldn't catch. He was so scared. When I finally did get my hands on him, he ripped into me good! Now, he is the only cat I have and he is extremely affectionate. I love him. He's a good cat.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Stuff and Nonsense.
I went to work today. I felt a little better than yesterday, even though I only slept a few hours last night. That seems to be all the sleep I get anymore.
I was talking about music, yesterday, with this old Vietnam veteran that works with us now. He was telling me about a band one of his army buddies was in called Bull Angus. When I got home, I Googled them. They were a hard rock band from the early 70s that recorded 2 albums and opened for a lot of big name groups. But, here's the interesting part: One of the guys from Bull Angus co-wrote "The Time of Our Lives" from "Dirty Dancing." That song won a Golden Globe, a Grammy and an Oscar!
When I got home today, I saw a bit on "Entertainment Tonight" that said Jennifer Grey was going to be doing "Dancing with the Stars" - the first dance thing she's done since "Dirty Dancing." Of course, they were playing "The Time of My Life" during the segment.
Nobody puts Baby in the corner!
I was talking about music, yesterday, with this old Vietnam veteran that works with us now. He was telling me about a band one of his army buddies was in called Bull Angus. When I got home, I Googled them. They were a hard rock band from the early 70s that recorded 2 albums and opened for a lot of big name groups. But, here's the interesting part: One of the guys from Bull Angus co-wrote "The Time of Our Lives" from "Dirty Dancing." That song won a Golden Globe, a Grammy and an Oscar!
When I got home today, I saw a bit on "Entertainment Tonight" that said Jennifer Grey was going to be doing "Dancing with the Stars" - the first dance thing she's done since "Dirty Dancing." Of course, they were playing "The Time of My Life" during the segment.
Nobody puts Baby in the corner!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
My health.
I came home early from work today.
I had been working on a large broken irrigation line in a huge hole full of mud and water. The sun was beating down on me, black flies were biting and I was on my knees in water up to my waist. I had everything together except for one end of a particularly obstinate compression coupler. I tried and tried to tighten it, working by feel in the clay and water, but it would not cooperate. The threads were stripped. All at once I began to feel awful. It's hard to explain my symptoms, but I had over done it.
I crawled out of the hole, soaking wet, and sat on the grass for a while. I then got in my cart and drove to the maintenance building.
I left a note saying I was going home and would be back tomorrow. I left the back hoe and all of my tools and things at the hole. I didn't even rope it off. This is not the way I am under normal circumstances.
I came home, took a shower (hot - I had chills) and laid down on my bed. After a while, I figured I had better go into town and try to find a compression coupler so I can get the water going before the weekend. I didn't feel like it and I had no luck locating one, anyway.
I'm going to rest up and start all over again in the morning.
One day at a time...
I had been working on a large broken irrigation line in a huge hole full of mud and water. The sun was beating down on me, black flies were biting and I was on my knees in water up to my waist. I had everything together except for one end of a particularly obstinate compression coupler. I tried and tried to tighten it, working by feel in the clay and water, but it would not cooperate. The threads were stripped. All at once I began to feel awful. It's hard to explain my symptoms, but I had over done it.
I crawled out of the hole, soaking wet, and sat on the grass for a while. I then got in my cart and drove to the maintenance building.
I left a note saying I was going home and would be back tomorrow. I left the back hoe and all of my tools and things at the hole. I didn't even rope it off. This is not the way I am under normal circumstances.
I came home, took a shower (hot - I had chills) and laid down on my bed. After a while, I figured I had better go into town and try to find a compression coupler so I can get the water going before the weekend. I didn't feel like it and I had no luck locating one, anyway.
I'm going to rest up and start all over again in the morning.
One day at a time...
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
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