Random Thoughts on Friday

 I am getting to the age where some of my friends from childhood have passed away.  Not many, but a few.

One of my best friends through middle school and high school was Daphne.  We hung out in the same circles and did a lot together.  She was one of those people I felt like I truly grew up with.  Almost everything that happened during that period of my life- she was there.

We had a falling out at one point.  I have forgotten what it was about, but we didn't talk for several months.

During that time, I got a job that was pretty easy, the hours were not great though.  Basically, I had to keep a casual eye on a few things, but it was a midnight until 8am gig.  They literally told me to bring in some movies to watch while I was doing the job to keep from getting too bored.

I went to a local video rental place (remember those) and I discovered that my old friend Daphne was working there.  Again, we had our falling out....  but we could be civil.  I was going to at least ask her how she was doing as I rented my tapes.

I remember she didn't charge me, and she gave me a ton of "free rental" coupons.  I think it was her way of apologizing.  It was very kind and very appreciated at the time.

We were friends again, and it was good hanging out here and there after that.  

Later in life, she would move to Tennessee, but we would still get together with her here on the road.

I was devastated in 2018 when I found out she had passed away.... but I was glad that we got passed our differences years earlier.

Jackson Lake and Teton Mountains, Wyoming

This is the region of historic Jackson Hole, hide-out of frontier day outlaws, now the location of many fine modern Dude Ranches. Grand Teton National Park includes the soaring Teton Range.

The Automat- as famous as the New York Skylineitself

This unused postcard shows the Automat.  it says-

One hundred and fifty-six HORN & HARDART Automat-Cafeterias, Restaurants and Retail Shops in New York and Philadelphia serving over half a million patrons a day."

It also gives a brief promo for the New York World's Fair, so I am thinking this one came out in 1939.

Random Thoughts on Friday: September 11th

 I know I have mentioned it before, but I am in the mood to talk about it again.....  9/11.

We were living in Cleveland Ohio at the time, and I was still doing social work.  I was downtown helping a client apply for some benefits.  I had a lot of clients, and this was one that was only on my caseload a couple of weeks.  They were pretty high functioning and really didn't need my help.  I can't even remember their first name as I think about it.

We were in an office, and I kept hearing about planes crashing.  People around me were talking about it.  I asked a staff person at the office what was going on.  He told me that a couple of planes had crashed into the World Trade Center.  My brain totally didn't get it at the time.  I just assumed someone in the military or at a tower screwed up and told two planes the wrong information, causing the crashes.

I talked to another staff person there and they explained that two planes had crashed, and at least a couple more had been hijacked and were still in the sky.  I do remember someone mentioning that military fighter jets were following one, and they may possibly shoot it down.  By then, I understood roughly what was going on.

A couple of local DJs were talking to someone they knew in NYC and they were giving updates.  I listened to them through the day.  I still kept my appointments and did my job, though everything that day was kind of edited down.

We had our British friends staying at our house too.  They started watching coverage after the first plane hit, and they saw the second one hit the second tower on live TV.

Since then, I have been to the crash sites and have mentioned them on this blog.

Random Thoughts on Friday: Music Clubs

 I heard on the radio that Columbia House was finally going out of business.  I honestly wasn't aware that they were still in business.  If you told me they folded 10 years ago, or 20 years ago, I would have believed you.

Most people remember their deal- you could get something like a dozen albums, tapes or CDs for a penny, but you had to agree to buy a few more later at regular price plus shipping.    BMG had a similar club/deal.

Most people got the initial batch of albums then quickly forgot about the club and ignored future mailings.

I remember one kid in middle school saying that he had some albums sent to the address of a vacant home on his street, which he claimed when they were delivered.

I joined these clubs several times and completed my membership honestly each time.  Even if you were honest, it was a great deal back in the day.  Also, if you referred a friend, you got an extra 4 or so albums.  I literally referred myself and got the extra albums more than once.

Even for those of us who have always loved physical media, there was a point where this stopped being a good deal.

When I moved to Cleveland in the late 90s, I found used CD shops everywhere.  EVERYWHERE.  Of course, the big hit albums that everyone had were plentiful, and they were marked down quickly.  For several years, rarely did I pay more than a couple of bucks for a standard CD.  It was great.

It still kind of is.  

I still scavenge used book and music stores for CDs, but I have most of what I want.

Those days of getting excited about your box full of CDs from Columbia House are long gone.

I will occasionally pay up for a CD or album, if I am buying it directly from an artist, or if there is something special about it.

Suspension Bridge and View from the Kentucky side of the Ohio, Covington, KY

This old postcard shows Ohio from Covington.  Its is very old, but unused.