Zadie Said
Saturday’s Theme Music
The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists’ summary noted that the Doomsday Clock was set to two minutes to midnight last January, 2018. I was thinking about that today as I streamed Aerosmith’s “Livin’ on the Edge”. The song, about the world’s sorry state, was written and released in 1993, after the 1992 Rodney King Riots, sometimes also called the LA Riots.
A quarter of century later, and I think we’re closer to the edge now then we were in 1993. Unfortunately, nobody has a tracking mechanism like the Doomsday Clock to declare how close we are to the edge. Is it a foot? A mile? A million miles? I suppose the edge is different for each of us, and varies by attitude and world events. On some days, I feel like I can stand on my toes, lean forward and look at over the edge. On other days, it’s a distant horizon.
Infloofenza
Infloofenza (catfinition) –
1. like rockin’ pneumonia and the kitty-cat flu, infloofenza is a fake illness that people use as an excuse to get out of work. The origins can be traced to people deciding that it would be more fun to stay at home with their cat than to go to work.
2. A chronic condition that afflicts some people, who become sick and tired of their cats and cleaning up after them.
In use: “Her cats snuggled up to her on the cold morning, pinning her under the bed covers. Nothing short of a catectomy would free her, but the sweet little felines looked so deeply asleep and peaceful, she decided she would call in sick. Yes, she had infloofenza. Those with cats would understand.”
Friday’s Theme Music
Today finds me streaming and humming “Tom Sawyer” by Rush. This is another, “WTF are they singing?” song. Here are the lyrics with purchase in my brain matter this morning:
What you say about his company
Is what you say about society
-Catch the mist – Catch the myth
-Catch the mystery – Catch the drift
The world is the world is
Love and life are deep
Maybe as his skies are wide
Today’s Tom Sawyer
He gets high on you
And the space he invades
He gets by on you
No, his mind is not for rent
To any god or government.
Always hopeful, yet discontent
He knows changes aren’t permanent –
But change is
It’s all part of a classic Rush presentation, along with the drumming and guitar work.
Although this song is from 1981, I became aware of Rush in 1974. They were opening for Uriah Heep and Manfred Mann at Pittsburgh’s Civic Arena that year. I knew Heep and Mann (I wore out “The Magician’s Birthday” and “Easy Livin'” by the first) but I had no idea who Rush was. I wanted to attend that concert, but I was living in West Virginia then. Having graduated from high school and feeling pessimistic about the future, I’d already enlisted in the Air Force and was awaiting the day to go onto active duty.
As it was, I was in the military, stationed in San Antonio, Texas, with orders for Okinawa when this song was released. Rush has had many hits and terrific albums, but I think “Tom Sawyer” remains my favorite.
Kindnesses
I suppose I’m not the only one with people in my life who remember every fault, often magnifying them, and hold them against you, and forget the kindnesses you did for them.
The kindnesses were in the past, and this is now, but their anger and resentment is eternal.
Floofsome
Floofsome (catfinition) – engaging and pleasing because of feline charm and friendliness.
In use: “A floofsome expression combined with a head-tilt to the left and large amber eyes to sell her on adopting the sixteen-year-old tabby, and she never regretted the decision.”
“Drop a dime.”
Talking with my nieces and nephews whose ages range from 18 to mid-thirties, I asked, “Do you know the expression, drop a dime?”
No. None of them knew it. They asked about it, and I explained it.
Drop me a dime and I’ll tell you what I said.
