--The youngest Secret has, as the doctor describes it, a mild
case of the flu. He told us to keep him home from school for the rest
of the week, give him Motrin for the fever, and let him ride it out.By the weekend, we’re told, he’ll be good as new.
Ten years ago people would say they have the flu, and everyone would
just shrug it off and go about their business.But now it’s a scary thing.I don’t know if it’s hysteria, I’m not knowledgeable
enough on the subject, but the partial-word “flu” now strikes fear
in the hearts of parents.When
Toney told me the diagnosis, my heart sank.
But he seems fine.A little
uncomfortable, but no puking or assplosions or anything...He’s upstairs right now playing “Rock You Like a
Hurricane” on Guitar Hero, and hitting every note like a miniature
kraut-metal hero.So, it
can’t be too bad, right?
Toney asked the doctor about the rest of us, with our Big Trip just
three weeks away.He told her
we’ve all been exposed by now, and the best advice he can offer is
“hope for the best.”Simply
excellent.
Needless to say, I can already feel the disease taking hold…I felt fine until Toney called from the parking lot of the
doctor’s office.But now I
can sense the complete and systematic collapse of my immune system.
And so it goes.
--I have exciting news for you
folks:I ordered my new camera
today!Yes, that means no more
serial hemming and hawing, and droning on like an oscillating fan, and
boring the varnish off doors within a full one-mile radius of our
home.
Toney was about to commit one of the two most popular cides,
I could tell by the look in her eyes, and you guys got a big dose of
it as well.I apologize for
putting you through such an ordeal.
But it’s necessary, I believe.A
person can’t just jump into such a decision all willy-nilly.Exhaustive research must take place.
I can remember my grandfather doing the same thing; everyone around
him wanted to say, “Just buy one already!For the love of the savior Jesus Christ, buy one!”And this was in the early 1970s, when information was harder to
come by.If he’d had access
to the internet, I think his head might’ve exploded Scanners-style.
But, I’m proud to announce, the dark period is finally behind us.Now it’s time to start tracking the package on a twice-hourly
basis…
--Is it a problem to leave
your PC on, all the time?I
usually turn mine off at night, before climbing atop the dormancy
platform, but recently I’ve been leaving it on.And it’s so much better that way.
The automatic back-up of my hard drive happens when I’m not around,
and the various anti-spyware/virus/whatever the crap scans apparently
take place while I’m sleeping.So,
by the time I get to my machine, it’s running normally, and not
bogging down on me.
What do you think?Is it a bad
idea to never turn your computer off?I
suspect it is, but I’m no expert.
--Check it
out, we’ve got
additional information on the upcoming release of the Mannix
Season 1 DVD box set.And some
of it’s freakin’ bizarre. NormanFell?Neil Young?!
Man, I can’t wait for this!Do
Neil and Mr. Roper appear in the same episode?And do they
assist Mannix in solving a crime?!I’m sorry, I’m getting a little lightheaded…
--Do any of my fellow music
geeks out there remember an obscure “band” called Blanket of
Secrecy?
They released one album in 1982, and the record company attempted to
fan the flames of speculation by keeping the members a secret.They were photographed in deep shadow for the back cover, and
listed with obviously fake names.
I remember some people believed it was the Attractions without
Elvis Costello, but I don’t think many folks gave a crap one way or
the other.Much to the
disappointment of Warner Bros., of course.
In any case, I had the album and really liked it.It was definitely a product of the so-called New Wave era, but
the songs were really good, and the entire album had a certain vibe I
enjoyed.I have no doubt it
went out of print in 1983 or so, and was certainly never issued on CD.
I don’t know too many people who’ve even heard of it, but every
few months I get a wild hair up my ass (what does that phrase mean??),
and go searching for mp3s.Never
did I find even a single song.
Long story a little less long…A
couple of days ago I hit the motherlode, and now have the entire album
plus
a 12-inch single.I can’t
believe it; I’m almost giddy with excitement.
And before I leave for work today I’m going to move the whole thing
to my iPod, then listen to Blanket of Secrecy for the first time in
probably twenty years.
Think it’ll suck?I’ll let
you know tomorrow.
--And I’ll leave you now
with a Question of the Day that occurred to me while I was eating my
daily Marie Callendar’s frozen meal.I’d like to get your help in creating a collection of
plausible, but completely fabricated, celebrity rumors.
The one I came up with, over beef and potatoes, is that Little Richard
has been living a lie for the past several decades.He’s actually been married to a woman since 1981, the couple raised
three children together (two boys and a girl), and live in a
fashionable ranch-style home in Orange County,
California,
where Richard often served as soccer coach for his son's youth team.
Maybe, with any luck, we can create a lie or two that actually make it
into the public consciousness.And
how cool would that be?Very
cool, I say.
So, that’s the Question for ya.Use
the comments link below.And
I’ll see you guys tomorrow.
