Third Decade

Observation #19: Miscounted

I posted two Observations #16.  So maybe Observation #19 should deal with forgetfulness or laziness. 

No, I'm chalking it up to an honest oversight.  I'm back on count now.

Observation #17: With a Kick and a Twang Part II

Maybe I should write my own country song.  I might start to appreciate it a little more.

Observation #16: With a Kick and a Twang

Lately I've found thought creeping into my head that I've never experienced before.  I should say the thoughts I have experienced.  It's what motivated these particular thoughts that is new and somewhat confusing.  I'm talking about country music. 

From the time I was old enough to know what music is, the country and western variety has never appealed to me.  I've never liked the guitar sound, the lyrical content, the cowboy boots, the belt buckles - none of it really fit my interests.  I've never owned a pickup truck, I've never chewed tobacco, and I don't have any friends in low places.  Actually that last part isn't true.  But I can honestly say I have no idea what a Honky Tonk Badonkadonk is.

Over the the last few months, as I've heard various country songs on radio/tv/internet, I've had some reactions that I'm having trouble figuring out.  There have been internal thoughts such as:

• That's kind of catchy.
• She's got a good voice.
• That's not SO country.
• ...it's five o'clock somewhere...

Is it a function of getting older or just finally giving it a chance after all these years?  Is there something in country music that appeals to a person as they get older?  Am I just expanding my horizons, or am I just weakening? 

I haven't gone out and bought any country CD's.  I rarely listen to any song in its entirety.  All I know, I don't flee a radio country radio station quite as quickly as I used to.  And believe me, when I used to flip through the dial and hit on a country station, I would get away from that station as if it were broadcasting non-stop sounds of fingernails on chalkboards and farm animals being slaughtered.

I need to explore these feelings a little more and I'll blog again about it when I find some answers.

Observation #16: Salted Please

I'm suspicious of very large nuts.  There's something just not right about them.

Observation #15: Grammar

I like the word "coconspirator".

Observation #14: Duplicates

My latest observation is that I posted two Observation #12's.

My apologies.  Bad combination of late night and tall drinks.

Observation #13: Glastonbury 2008 Part II

C'mon.  Whatever kind of music you like, how can you not like this...!?

Observation #12: Glastonbury 2008

One of the best music festivals of any year.

Observation #12: International News

One pet peeve I have with the country in which I live is the puritanical avoidance and national hang-up over human anatomy and sexuality.  A blood-and-guts R-rated movie that includes 15 deaths is fine, but show one breast and suddenly it's 'dirty'.

For example, have you ever seen an article like this in your local paper?  Probably not.  My advice - check out some foreign newspapers online once in a while.  You will you get a flavor for what's going on outside your own borders, and you may even start to look at some things a little differently.

Observation #11: Much Respect

I blogged a few days ago about getting called 'sir' more often.  In some situations and some places, I enjoy being called 'sir'.  It's a sign of respect.  In a Ritz Carlton, it works.  When I'm handing my pass to a ticket-taker at a Vampire Weekend concert, I can live without it.  So it's not so much that I get called "sir", but it's the situation in which I'm called "sir". 

In some situations, I don't even mind "dude".  It's usually spoken by someone younger than me, and I interpret it as being accepted as cool, or that the other person recognizes that I'm young-at-heart.  There's a connection that he senses.  A connection between us dudes.  Never mind this dude's father probably has friends my age, and this dude's probably still buying beer for his underage friends.  I know he's thought to himself, even in our short interaction there in the Best Buy, "this guy knows what's up".

Either that or he calls everyone "dude".

I prefer to think it's because I'm a "dude", and it's not just some Big Lebowski knock-off.

"Sir" isn't all bad either, depending on the inflection.  If it's said in an always-respect-your-elders kind of way, it's sending the message that I'm old.  If it's said in a customer-is-most important kind of way, it's message is much more objective.

I can roll with either.  Just don't call me "bro".