Author’s Note July 11, 2021: This was a stream of consciousness from 2014, and being such, I will not edit it (overmuch). Here it is, in all of its naked, unpolished bullshit rawness.
“Uh, Mister God… Could you slow the world down just for a moment? I wanna get off. Thanks.”
–Lance
***
Now there is a good term from the Cold War, i.e., ‘Le Space Race.’ However, it still rings true today; rings true as something, almost… unattainable, yet so very much coveted. “Escape Velocity”
Cal Gone! Take me away! (sic) Yeah: sick.
Point is, I have spent the better part of my life ‘playing’ computer games. Some might be tempted to label them ‘video’ games. (“They are NOT video games Love: they are the ways I increase my mental, mental…”)
Old Story warning here:
That guy. That guy, who used to write about distance running, what was his name? Oh Yeah! Joe Henderson; I read all of his books… Oh yeah! He died of a heart-attack… Just details… He wrote a bit. His bit went something like this:
He was ‘runnin’ down a road. Some kid says, “Hey, Hi! Mister Jogger!” He replied, “Hey Kid! I am not a jogger; I am a runner! A ‘Runner!’ Get it right!” The kid replied, “Well then, why are you jogging?”
I had to laugh; been there, et etcetera…
This is the part where I get pissed. (And when I get pissed… well, you won’t like me) The worst thing one (amongst the uninitiated) can say, proclaim: “Are you still playin’ that damn stupid video game?!!” Perfect retort: “Yes Madame. I am.” “Oh. Well, be a good boy and don’t go downtown, protesting’ and such…” “Yessum. I won’t” “Good boy there then…” “Yes, Ma’am.” (“Now Fuck Off” This is what I did truly think)
But, SHE did have a point, but MY ‘point’ swerved into something else, which I really do not wanna talk about.
But I will. My point it thus: Kids that played computer games in the Eighties are now in charge of our world. And to loosely quote Forrest Gump: “That is all I am gonna say about that.”
Some thoughts?
And P.S., Yes! I have, recently, been spending some quality time with some of my computer games. They know me there, and I don’t have to get too creative (actually, I do, but most…) Well, I don’t have to watch my language at least.
My blogging experience is failing me of late. Not to say that I do not appreciate The Community. Just to say… that I am between gigs and this is beginning to weigh upon me.
Certainly, I will be about, but please do not chastise me for not visiting your respective blogs on a respective basis. (My intent is to intentionally do so, albeit, tomorrow), yet… I am real tired.
And my health is no good.
I will catch up…
mañana,
I Promise.
“For Love or Money”
And yeah! In case you missed my ‘subliminal’ bullshit: (The Joni song) I still miss
When Haight-Ashbury was in full bloom, she would not shut up about it until we ventured there.
(Just the two of us. By Ourselves. Mother and Child–You could do that in ’67–No Worries. Don’t try it today. Please Don’t try it today.)
I knew a little of the ‘Hippy Culture’ back then, yet had no desire to experience it ‘up close an’ personal.’
Mom did.
I MISS HER. I Miss My Mother I MISS HER FREE SPIRIT
So one bright sunny Saturday morning we packed up the Ol’ Rusty Rambler and headed off to ‘Frisco and Haight-Ashbury.
Okay. Not Really Our ACTUAL Car
But close.Damn close.
To say that trip opened my eyes would be an understatement bordering on felonious. I was shocked, awed, amazed, bothered, bewildered, enlightened, enchanted, enthralled, and all at the same time.
The whole day was a ‘Whirling Dervish’ of attacks on my senses and emotions. I remember clearly all the people with their long hair, colorful clothing, love beads, head bands, peace signs, guitars, laughter, and smoke coming from everywhere and not smelling at all like the smoke from the cigarettes my mother used to light up.
Music was ubiquitous and oh how I did love the music.
We walked up and down those streets for hours and I do believe my mother stopped and purchased some trinket from every single hippy-trinket-seller she visited, which by my estimation, would have been all of two hundred of them.
Not really being a trinkets-man myself, I purchased a pair of small green turtles that I wanted to rescue from a hippy life I was certain they were not well suited for.
I actually remember telling the turtles during the ride home not to worry; that they were safe now, and also apologizing to them if I had left any of their family members behind due to the fact that my meager allowance did not afford me the luxury of benevolence to purchase freedom for the whole lot of them–Even though I did beg mom for an advance to do just that.
The turtles ended up having a fine long Turtle – Life and were probably the only two green turtles to ever migrate from
Jack Ruby (born Jacob Leon Rubenstein; MAR 25, 1911 – JAN 3, 1967)
Why Jack? Oh Why?!
Of course if you want the answer to that
Burning Behind the Grassy Knoll
question, all you need do is listen to Lenny.
Look no further.
Lenny Has This One Covered Y’all:
Before We Proceed, here is a ‘Disclaimer’ by way of an Author’s Note:
‘Slightly’ re-worked, but I left in all the ‘Incoherent Bullshit’
(For ‘Hysterical / Historical Purposes of Course.)
***
Or, if you ain’t ‘into’ Lenny, I suppose you could just ask Lance, as his erstwhile step-mom, Gloria, had worked for Jack during the Sixties in his
‘Carousel Club’.
Carousel Club, Dallas; owned and managed by Jack Ruby, 11/24/1963
According to Gloria, Jack was very, very proud of his Club and always referred to it as, wait for it…
“A Real First Class Joint.”
She never told me precisely what it was that she did there for Jack, by way of gainful employment. And in truth, I really didn’t wanna know.
Whatever it was that she did do for Jack, it was probably not what these girls did.
(For ‘Their Jack’)
She, Gloria… er… was not ‘qualified’
The ‘REAL‘Gloria
She prob’ly sold cigarettes or sumthin’.
The ‘Fake’ Gloria
(Sorry. But there never was any love lost between me and Gloria. This paralyzed fact is well-documented and may easily be discovered in the pages of my blog.)
And if you, any of you, breath, yeah ‘breath’. A single word of this to my also erstwhile step-sister…Whom I love dearly, well, that breath, will, yes will, be your last…
Yeah, I always considered ‘Throwback Thursdays’ somewhat of a ‘gift.’ I mean, if I had nothing to write I could always dig down into those old archives, et voila!There ya go!Instant Post!Keep Feedin’ Them Fishes! Yada, Yada, Yaaaa Duh!
(In Some Truth: I just wanted to put up some Lenny Bruce–for ‘Old Time’s Sake’)
And it kind of goes along with that Brother Dave post from a day or two ago.
I generally spend about ten minutes ‘writing a post’. Then three minutes waiting on ‘spell check’ to remind me that I cannot spell ‘cat.’ Then two minutes (except for the upload wait) to upload photos/videos. One minute at the ‘final’ look.
Then: Click that ‘sucker’.
That ‘Publish’ button.
And pray.
Done!
Rinse and repeat the next day. This bothers me. Why? Because, as all of us (may) feel, we can write so much better.
Alas, I am lazy. I just want to get it out there… Catch the likes; catch the comments. Fuck the quality! “They” know what I mean… Don’t they? I mean, they read me! Not too much need for exposition, ya? ‘They git it, eh?’
(Lance removes tongue-from-cheek)
Just some musings from an amusing, dazed and confusing, wanna-be writer/blogger. Take with however many grains of salt you require.
(And Comment),
If you’re of a mind to, and/or have an opinion on the ‘writing/blogging’ process.
Cheers, Lancers
***
Well, I do not seem capable of shutting the hell up…
“I had the right to remain silent, but I didn’t have theability.”
“I have never had an original thought; I don’t live in a vacuum.”
–Lenny Bruce
And if this ain’t poignant for today… Well then. I do not know what is, or could be ‘is.’
Take a listen: All ‘Policemans’ in NYC might even appreciate. If they can read, that is…
(Just Kidding!)
And I wanna be ‘Your Lenny‘
There is a vid credit, but I lost it. His lawyers will surely contact mine…Right here on TT&H
****
Moving on…
Now, this is some strange form of Serendipitous Bullshit.But I didn’t look it in the mouth; I appreciated my opportunity.
This was yet another ancient post marked for ‘Make-Over.’
Now this has been accomplished, albeit with a ‘soft’, ‘light’ finger on that ‘delete key.’
It was not my intent to change much about the original post in general, nor the ‘message’ in particular. My desire was mainly to bring it up to speed vis-à-vis my 2021 ‘Higher Production Standards’.
(That’s ‘tongue-in-cheek’, by the way, as if Y’all don’t already know this! Hahaha!)
This next is Not ‘tongue-in-cheek,’ however. It is sincerely serious.
When I originally ‘penned’ the post I was a little frustrated over ‘Bot’ likes and also, as I called them, ‘Drive-By Likers’ You know the breed (Even If you have been blogging only a short while).
The ‘Drive-By Liker’ surfs the WP Reader page and likes damn near everything, in an attempt, I surmise, to generate interest and traffic in His/Hers/Other’s blog site.
This used to piss me off.
Now it doesn’t.
Because I am more and more maturely humble these days as I find myself on ‘The Back Nine of Life’
And so now I give all the ‘Likes’ the benefit of my doubt and just appreciate them for what they are.
Long lost AbusiveMuse sent me this email. (Rememberher? I’ll drop her in at the end as an ‘Added Value Bonus Bit’.)
“Lance! Someone took the time to drop a ‘like’on your dumb ass. Be Happy with it! Never look a ‘Gift Like’ in the Mouth. Print it out and fuckin’ frame it. Put it on your “I Like Me Wall” along with all the other ‘Real-Life’ bullshit accolades and awards you have dragged around with you over all these years. Fer Chrissakes! Get over yourself!”
“Love Ya. Mean it.”
–Ms Muse
***
Not everyone has time, nor even inclination to comment on every bloody post they ‘like’. I understand this now. That is just how some folks roll.
On the other hand, I will, ninety-nine percent of the time, leave a comment on every post I have liked.
This certainly does not mean I am the ‘better, kinder, gentler blogger.’ It just means that That is How I choose to Roll.
We are all different, unique, and worthy-of-respect individuals, and we approach blogging each to our own ends, and according to own philosophies (I have written extensively on this of late. See attached below: “Worthy Writers”)
I wanted it to be a fun, light-hearted, whimsical way for me to bitch, moan, and complain about a personal ‘Pet Peeve’ of mine.
I think I came close to accomplishing my goal back then. I have copy-pasta’d the comments from the original post at the bottom of this one.
But I had also posted some other posts related to the subject, which were a little more, shall we say, ‘direct-to-the meat’ of the matter.
“More matter, less art” as Gertrude said to Polonius in “Hamlet”.
I’d skip those old posts if I were you. I am certainly not proud of them.
Okay, there may be one or two exceptions to what I just wrote above. This below might be one of them. I had forgotten about it. I find it kind of endearing. You may too.
I have a lot of opinions about a lot of things, reading and writing and commenting being very close to the top of my ‘Opinion Hit Parade.’ Not always have I expressed these opinions in a respectful way.
I am working more and more toward the ‘respectful way’ of expressing my opinions these days. Lord knows, we have too much vitriol in our world to deal with already.
I do Not wish to contribute to That and if you catch me ‘back-sliding’, please call me out on it.
Respectfully,
Mister Lance ‘Eddie’ Marcom
***
Alright!After All That ‘Preamble’and if You-Are-Still-Here…
Here is the post I have been trying to post:
“A like is a like of course of course
“And everyone loves a like of course
“Unless of course
“The like is from the Famous Mister Ed…
(Who is just a horse and not a real person)
“Go right to the source and ask the horse…
“Do you read before you enforce
“That this is a post that you’d endorse?
“He’s always on a steady course…
“Talk to Mister Ed.”
Readers!
Readers!
“My Kingdom! For Readers!”
This rant is certainly not directed at those of you who actually read my scribblings. It is directed at those few, those happy few who… Never mind:
Y’all catch my drift, as I am certainly not the only one who experiences this.
And in Closing, Allow Me To Say This About That:
Please Don’t Hesitate To “Like” A Post Of Mine Now Because You Mistakenly Assume I Will Be Wondering,
“Where Is The Frickin’ Comment?”
I No Longer Think That Way
So ‘Like’ Away!!
Cheers To All My Good Friends Out There in ‘Radio Land’.
****
Comments from the original post below. (Best to start at the bottom and read your way up. Makes more sense that way.)
***
LAMarcom June 18, 2014 at 18:37 Edit
And likewise.
🙂
janeybgood June 18, 2014 at 15:53 Edit
No problem Lance, I’m glad to “meet” you 🙂
LAMarcom June 18, 2014 at 15:46 Edit
Bona-fide speed reader!
Awesome (I read fast too and sometimes I also out-type my brain, which can have unfortunate consequences….at times)
😉
Thank you very much for your visits and commentary.
Always makes my day to have feedback.
Cheers,
-Lance
janeybgood June 18, 2014 at 15:41 Edit
Believe if or not, I did read it that quickly because I’m just that good 🙂
Succinct and brilliant! I,like, totally liked it.
Teela Hart June 7, 2014 at 03:24 Edit
🙂
LAMarcom June 6, 2014 at 08:29 Edit
Of course.
😉
Teela Hart June 6, 2014 at 06:40 Edit
I’ve always loved Mr. Ed.
And a comment is a comment of course of course. 😀
LAMarcom June 6, 2014 at 00:18 Edit
Funny paradox, ain’t it? Catch 22?
LAMarcom June 6, 2014 at 00:15 Edit
Exactly how my mind works!
Hahahaha
Yep
Thanks for not being a ‘bot’.
Laughing. See? You made me laugh.
Now here is your token for a free Lone Star Beer redeemable at Lackland O Club only.
😉
happierheathen June 6, 2014 at 00:08 Edit
So, then, you’re writing for those who never read your stuff so won’t know of it anyway. It makes perfect sense to me.
We are, each of us, all of us, complicated, worthy people, full of brightly brilliant ideas, passionate passions, boundless potentials and infinite possibilities.
We are “Writers,” which makes us just a little bit different, special, andweird.
(In a very good way)
We each have our own personal foibles, strengths, weaknesses, levels of humanity, quirks, degrees of sanity, degrees of insanity, levels of intelligence, variancesof meanness,variancesof kindness, oscillatingmagnitudes of mood, cascades of creativity, brilliance of brevities, vacillating verbosities, and on and on…
In short we are all individuals possessing something unique that only each unique one amongst us can share.
And THAT, My Dear “Special Writer-Friends” is whatmakes this vocation so Magical.
And so very fulfilling and so very rewarding.
***
Ninety-Nine Percent of my Writing is Autobiographical.
And I know from visiting the Blogs, that most of my Fellow Writers, at the very least, Write a good deal of same.
For me, I find it healthy and cathartic.
Your mileage may vary.
But remember Socrates’ renowned statement,
“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
Content Credit: “School of Life”
***
Some of us have our own personal agendas.
Some of us do not.
Yet,We, each and every one of us, is worthy: Agenda Full, orAgendaEmpty.
Honestly, I am fresh out (of agendas)currently, but I am shopping for one to rent.
***
Upon ‘Sober’ Reflection…
(Yes! I have Quit for Good, The Drinking–Having Chosen Life Over Death Because I still have years and years and years worth of shit I want, need, to write and to share.)
Yes!Upon sober reflection, I realize I DO have an agenda after all: My ‘agenda’, modest as it may appear, is to spread a little joy and deliver a bit of enrichment into the people’s lives who honor me by investing some of that most valuable, finite commodity we ALL share:
“Time”
I work very diligently not to waste even one single moment of yours, because there is no such thing as a ‘Money-Back-Time-Guarantee’.
“Love It, Or We’ll Refund All Your Time Spent. With Interest. No Questions Asked! Guaranteed!”
Sorry.Don’t work that way.
Some of us are Brilliant, Talented Writers.
Some us are just getting started and may need advice from time to time. Just ask; you will most likely get an inbox overflowing full.
“So, You Want To Be A Writer?”
Street Cred for Vid: Shea, Et al.
***
Some of us are polished, published, poets, prose-writers, playwright professionals, some of us are copywriters, some of us are even journalists, some of us are a combination ofa few or of them all.
Some of us have genetic talent.
Some of us must work harder at it.
Most of us sufferWriter’s Block from time to time:
Content Credit: “Ivan Kander”
***
But the fact that we are all here,grinding out word after word,
Proves our worth and our respect for our craft.
And the Fact that you are reading these words right now proves you have respect for your fellow writers in Our Wonderful Writer’s Community
I think what my ‘message’ is trying (and most likely failing) to eloquently say… is that I love the writers in my fellow writer community.
We all have worth.
(Well except for that worthless schmuck who don’t like Lenny Bruce… and Y’all know I am even just kidding on that.)
“Thank You Mask Man”
Video Share Credit: ThankYouMaskedMan1
Kinda
Not Really!
Neverkid About Comedy; Comedy is SeriousBusiness!
Never Joke About Lenny; Lenny is Serious Business!
And if Y’all Think I’m a Serious Person, and not joking, I am gonna purchase you a one-way ticket to ‘The Re-Education, Never-Take-Lance-Too-Seriously Gulag Facility’, recently re-modeled and up-graded–it has running water now.
And Gulag Goulash Every Saturday Night.
–Lance, Your Humble & Worthy Servant, Who Loves, and Respects, All of ‘Y’alls’.
