Post  #2603.   Teens.     Listening to a little Oldies music tonight. As often happens, it took me away. Like "Teen Angel" .. oh my. Did you know that 31 girls committed suicide after that song was released? Did you know that you can make up any number of teenage girls' suicides during that time and have it accepted? Did you know that there is actually a field of study on this subject? They bring Durkheim in. Furthermore, did you know that Wikipedia even has a list,

Teen Angel - Mark Dinning (1959) #1

Tell Laura I Love Her - Ray Peterson (1960) #7

Moody River - Pat Boone (1961) #1

Patches - Dickey Lee (1962) #6

Leader of the Pack - Shangri-Las (1964) #1

Dead Man's Curve - Jan & Dean (1964) #8

Last Kiss - J. Frank Wilson & the Cavaliers (1964) #2

Honey - Bobby Goldsboro (1968) #1

I've Gotta Get a Message to You - Bee Gees (1968) #8

Indiana Wants Me - R. Dean Taylor (1970) #5

Patches - Clarence Carter (1970) #4

Billy, Don't Be a Hero - Bo Donaldson (1974) #1

Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks (1974) #1

Rocky - Austin Roberts (1975) #9

Run Joey Run - David Geddes (1975) #4

Wildfire - Michael Murphey (1975) #3

Shannon - Henry Gross (1976) #6

I don't mean to make light of this subject, because it really is serious and tragic. But when Wikipedia has a list, well, what's the use of having a blog anymore, huh?

One thing I did notice is that the oldies music sounds a LOT better now than it did on a portable radio 45 years ago, and the people singing had much better voices than those presenting what passes for music today. There, I typed it and I'm not one bit sorry either.Rick Macherat Rick M. In the day.
posted by Rick at 2:19 AM

Post  #2602.   My latest book.     This will be my 45th book. You haven't seen any of them in the stores because I never finish one. I never even get beyond

You have to start with a typical Texas summer morning that is going to get hot, hot like it doesn’t get anywhere else. Anywhere? Please. How about Africa? Delhi before the monsoon. Just wait, hang around San Antone, Waco for awhile, you’ll see. He was doing the most ordinary thing possible, walking into the Safeway, squinting to see at all for the blazing monster reflecting off everything, after an awful, terrible, the worst week, just wanting to buy any drink that was relatively cool and cheap. That’s all. But no, it wasn’t going to be that simple, was it? Getting fucking shot at 7:30 in the morning and having that not even be the worst of it.

Don't say it. I know. It's just that I bought a book today and it started off so fine and I so want to be able to do that. Dang. I should take out that word. Too soon. My dad told me always to be spare with the curse. Rick Macherat Rick M. In the day.
posted by Rick at 1:38 AM

Post  #2601.   Cut/Paste.     .. went on to provide details of the program. Initially, teams of cyclists from Seattle would collect the water from rain barrels of participating families, then transport it in relays across the Cascade mountains. Upon arrival in the Boise area a day or two later, the water would be collected at a central distribution center. Plans have yet to be worked out on the means of delivering it to local property owners as there are not large numbers of cyclists in this area. Once this is finalized however, the water can be applied to the designated growths of sagebrush in the hopes of renewing ..

some real strange and filthy searches with speling errors - I typed that in Google just for any bored guys working late night and watching the scroll. Rick Macherat Rick M. In the day.
posted by Rick at 1:31 AM

Post  #2600.   Technology.      It seems much easier to get annoyed with people on the telephone these days. Maybe because you get an image of a sullen, disinterested loser sitting in a soulless call center, dreaming of another job, just about any job but this one. I can't fault them for that, but I want to know what time my new washing machine is going to be delivered tomorrow. Took me about 32 seconds to start raising my voice and getting sarcastic. Yes sir. It says here that your washing machine delivery was changed to Monday because it was out of stock. Yes, I knew that; if it had already been delivered I would have it and we wouldn't be talking about deliveries, right?

Okay, out of line, I admit it. But I was only getting ahead for once. I knew where this call was going. The same way I could "see" him in his cubicle, I could "hear" him after hanging up from my call and before answering the next one: Asshole. Rick Macherat Rick M. In the day.
posted by Rick at 11:12 PM