Author: Michael Seidel

Science fiction, fantasy, and mystery writer. Singer (sorry, no shows) & nudist (in my home). Beer, cat, cheese, coffee, pie and wine friend. Left IBM and Silicon Valley for the southern Oregon life but I miss the ocean. We're too far inland. Gotta move.

Monday’s Theme Music

Spread the alarm. Monday has breached the walls. Save yerselves.

Dawn came in a bit before seven. Sunrise came after the way was cleared, arriving to clear blue skies at 7:42 this morning. The temperature has sprinted up to 45 degrees F and will go all the way to 62 F. The Cedar Creek fire is now in its third month but it’s 68% contained. We don’t smell the fire in our sector any longer but I’m sure others are still enduring it, and I feel for them. Sunset will be at 6:06 PM, so set your alarms. It’ll be October’s last.

We used to go trick or treating after dark when I was a child. In fact, that was one of Mom’s stipulations for when we could begin: “It’s not even dark yet.” These days, darkness is an enemy of the event. Most trick or treating is done in more controlled environments. Schools, stores, and malls have joined the Halloween proceedings. We didn’t buy any treats this year. We’ve bought in the past and generally ate it ourselves in the nights after the goblins and monsters’ cries have faded into November. So we don’t do that no more. Kind of miss it but also, c’est le vie.

After reading emails and the mail last night, The Neurons started playing “Money (That’s What I Want)” by The Flying Lizards (1979). Totally understandable. Almost every entity sending emails and missives in my direction are asking for money. Subscribe to this or that. Buy more of this. Get a new one of that, and replace that other. You need more! Donate to me — we need money to stay free. So, yeah, no surprise that Der Neurons brought up “Money (That’s What I Want)”. Les Neurons could have gone multiple directions with this. Could’ve just fired up Pink Floyd’s song, “Money.” “Money (That’s What I Want)” has been released as a Motown hit, a moneymaker by the Beatles, a cover by the Stones, and, of course, The Flying Lizards.

The Flying Lizards’ rendition is a twist against the others, throwing out a simple tune with a bald, straightforward delivery: “Give me money. That’s what I want.” They’re not truly singing it, just deadpan presenting it. That’s why it works so well for all these money requests that inundate my existence. Take Pfizer, for example. They were heroes, one of several, coming up with COVID-19 vaccines. Now they want money so shots will be over one hundred dollars each. Don’t worry, insurance will cover it. No insurance? Oh, no, that’s not good. But Prizer is a corporation. They exist to make money, right?

BTW, has anyone done a new cover of this song recently? Seems like it’s overdue.

Well, you know the routine. Holds even for Mondays, even on October’s final effort. Stay positive, test neggy, etc. Coffee is in the morning’s collection plate. I’m gonna help meself to some. That’s what I want.

Have a good one. Here’s the tune. Cheers

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Floofcontent

Floofcontent (floofinition) 1. An animal who helps others relax or become less anxious or nervous.

In use: “Maurice is a big dog with a huge bark and an even bark. The floofcontent knows the power of his voice, though, and often softens it to a gentle sound, and loves nothing more than laying down and letting people and animals sleep on and with him.”

2. State achieved from being with an animal, especially a pet, and letting go of fears, worries, depression, and anxiety.

In use: “Aster was the best rescue ever in Karla’s mind. Whenever anything got her down, a visit with her pet made her floofcontent. Without her fur buddy, she was certain that she would have lost her mind or killed herself or someone else by now.”

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Sunday’s Wandering Thought

He was at a coffee shop yesterday. Three women came in and rearranged a section of furniture. They didn’t put it back when they left. He wondered, though, is it their job to put it back?

Of course not. But it seemed like it’d be courteous to the staff and other patrons. It’s what he would do. But is there a ‘right and wrong’ in this?

Not really. It’s furniture in a coffee shop. It’s there for people’s use and comfort, right? Sure. It just annoys him when people don’t put things back, whether it’s shopping carts or tables and chairs in a coffee shop.

It’s just one of his foibles.

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Sunday’s Theme Music

T’was the day before the last day of October and all through the yard, everyone was watching, and staying on guard. Wizards and witches and princesses were coming soon, and monsters and zombies might be around, too. Candy and treats can be offered to still their noise, but you know how it is with young girls and boys.

It’s Sunday, October 30, 2022. Gadzooks but yesterday was a beautiful prototypical autumn day. Today is using the leftovers to bake us another the same way. With the sun cracking the whip at 7:41, the cool night air – 40 F – was pleased with the sun. It’s since gone to 44, a small but welcomed increase, and will hit 64 F before sunset comes at 6:07 this evening and the temperature decrease.

Yesterday afternoon was spent at a concert. The Rogue Valley Symphonic Band always does a Halloween concert which we attend. It was another fun success this year. Many adults and all children dressed up in costumers. One of my favorites was a little girl costumed as Hermione from Harry Potter’s world. She was about perfect. I asked her as we were leaving if she knew any spells. The four-year-old looked at me like I was an idiot. Nothing else was said. Okay, message received.

I have “The Warrior” by Scandal (1984). The Neurons claim they aren’t behind the song’s rise in the morning mental music stream. It could be a series of dreams behind it. I think Dream Neurons are in a different industry than The Neurons. Not sure of The Neurons’ job description. I guess they sometimes help Memory Neurons. Don’t know if they do anything for the Goofing Around Neurons. Although I’m in my sixties, the GANs are very lively while the MNs (that’s said as mins) often decline engagements these days.

Back to the band, Scandal. I was always sorry they broke up so fast. A friend was in love with Patty Smyth. He was always talking about how great she sang and how gorgeous she looked, looking up information about her and sharing it with us. So out of character for him that it was fascinating. He was generally sort of listless and mute until he began gushing about Patty Smyth. We always worried that he had the makings of a stalker. Don’t know what happened to him, as I rotated back to the US at the end year’s end. This is one of those songs which I hear pretty regularly on classic rock stations when I tune into them.

Don your positive energy and keep it flowing. Test negative. Meanwhile, it’s coffee time. Here’s the song. Cheers

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Saturday’s Theme Music

The end is nigh! We’re discussing October of 2022, of course. The next flotilla of days, led by November 1st, are cresting the horizon and coming our way as October’s last days pack up the gear, tidy up, and prepare to send October off.

Yes, it’s Saturday, October 29, 2022. Beautiful fall morning here, sunshine, trees sparkling with wet leaves in hues of merlots and reds, golds and lemons, salads and oranges. Sunset cut down the night at 7:40 this morning. Clouds send a fog squad in, but the sunshine quickly dispatched it. Some clouds now roam the higher reaches, calculating approaches. The temperature has perked up to 51 F and will hit 20 C later today. Sunshine will be cut off at 6:08 PM.

BTW, happy birthday to Mom! As she proudly proclaims, she’s a tough old toboggan. That’s our joke, found when her phone corrected her voice text from ‘tough old broad’ to toboggan. I also refer her to a tough old bird, which she enjoys. She’s roving her upper eighties now, and if she likes being called a tough old bird or a tough old broad, I give it to her, especially in the shadow of her September health crises.

The Neurons uploaded The Offspring and “Coming for You” from 2015 into the morning mental music stream. I haven’t heard the song in a few years but the cats were relentless this morning. They kept coming for me through the night, snuggling up for some head scratches, interrupting dreams, breaking REM, knocking on the cat door to go out and come in. I told them, “Guys, I need some sleep. You keep coming for me.” The Neurons tortured that sentiment into The Offspring lyrics, “Well no, hell no, they keep coming for you.” It’s a solid punk anthem heavy on distorted guitar sounds and in-your-visage with their lyrics and delivery.

Time to move on to coffee island, where the brew is hot, pure, and strong. Stay positive, test negative, and do what’s needed to see the pandemic’s end. Here’s the music. Never seen the video before today, but that was fascinating. I can see the song done with cats, though, eyeing you, walking and stalking the night, you know, coming for you…

Cheers

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Floofee Break

Floofee Break (floofinition) – A short break to visit with an animal.

In use: “After doing chores, a floofee break with the cat and dog always restored Marc’s spirits. Sometimes he’d take two or three floofbreaks a day. Rainy days could tun into a day-long floofee break.”

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