Spitball Army

I work on the window while the cat chases dried chips of glazing and paint, falling like unexpected Greenies and not to her taste.

Today’s fun spam comment comes from a user by the name of Viagra:

hello everyone. i doubt that the author is right but i can not get rid of the feeling that no person in this world is perfect.

Sure enough. Perhaps perfection is just one little blue pill away.

Card is titled: “Aerial View of Sheboygan, Wis. – 27.”

Printed on back of postcard:

Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Sheboygan is a constantly growing city whose industries are varied and where home owners are proportionately greater than any other cities of its size.  Its parks and public playgrounds are the pride of its citizens.

Publishing information:  Pub. by Mau’s News Agency, Sheboygan, Wis.  Natural Color Post Card Made in U.S.A. by E.C. Knopp Co., Milwaukee, Wis. (DBL).

Approximate playing time: 78 minutes.

1. The Young Rascals  “How Can I Be Sure”  (1967)
2. The Tornados  “Dreaming on a Cloud”  (1962)
3. The Collins Kid  “Just Because”  (1958)
4. Greyboy with Sharon Jones  “Got to Be a Love”  (2004)
5. Joseph Arthur  “Sunrise Dolls”  (2008)
6. Radiohead  “Sail to the Moon”  (2003)
7. Ellis Paul  “Bring Me Backwards”  (1998)
8. Band of Horses  “For Annabelle”  (2010)
9. Daniel Lanois  “Lotta Love to Give”  (1993)
10. The Isley Brothers  “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)”  (1966)
11. Jesse Harris  “How?”  (2003)
12. Paul Simon  “I Know What I Know”  (1986)
13. Omara Portuondo  “Juramento”  (2004)
14. Graham Central Station  “It Ain’t No Fun to Me”  (1973)
15. Neil Young  “No More”  (1989)
16. The Vessels  “See You Home Straight”  (2002)
17. Warren Zevon  “Porcelain Monkey” [acoustic]  (2000)
18. Whiskeytown  “Dancing with the Women at the Bar” [early version]  (1997)
19. Donovan  “Writer in the Sun” [demo]  (1967)
20. Justin Townes Earle  “What I Meant to You”  (2009)
21. Lindsey Buckingham  “I Am Waiting”  (2006)
22. Shelby Lynne  “How Can I Be Sure”  (2008)

Some notes on the songs:

• There are two covers today, and they are only by coincidence tacked onto the end of the playlist: Lindsey Buckingham covers The Rolling Stones’ “I Am Waiting” and Shelby Lynne bookends with her version of The Young Rascals’ “How Can I Be Sure.”
• By the way, that bookended pair of “How Can I Be Sure”s is the only thing resembling a theme this week. No overall theme, then, just a mix that I thought moved well. And no apologies.
• Greyboy & Sharon Jones kick Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” butt, in my opinion.
• NPR recently offered a complete stream of Neil Young’s newest album Le Noise on their website.  In tone, it harkens back to Neil’s Freedom, released in 1989, and of which I am very fond. I’ve been listening to Freedom a fair bit lately as a result, and that’s where “No More” popped in from. Just so you know.

[Written to Alice in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Return addressed: Richard, Ward 11, U.S.N.H., St. Albans, L.I., N.Y.  Postmarked at Jamaica, N.Y., on 6 Feb 1946 at 6:30 P.M.]

Feb. 6, 1946

Hi Sweetheart,

     This really seems strange for me to be writing a letter.  It’s even stranger that the letter is to you.  But I guess I’ll be able to get used to it again.  Guess whose stationery I’m using.  I’m going to get some when I go down to mail this.  I just couldn’t see any sense in walking all the way down there twice so I just borrowed this and here we go.

     I got here O.K., naturally, a half hour ahead of time.  I’m really sold on the New York Central R.R.  For the first half of the trip I was watching the time-table with one eye and my watch with the other.  You could set your watch by that train. – – – all except it’s arriving time.  It was usually early getting into a station and left right on the dot.  Alf After I got in N.Y. City though it wasn’t quite as convenient as the Jeffersonian.  I took a subway from the station called “The Shuttle” and shuttled over to Times Square then I had to go up on the street and walk one block to catch the “E” train at the 42nd street station.  Then it was just a matter of time and the bus.  It seems to me there should be a better way to come so I wouldn’t have to give that second nickle to the subway and I wouldn’t have to walk that block outside.  Maybe I’ll find out before I have to go to the Grand Central Station again.  I had a swell ride considering.  The train was exceptionally clean and it was the smoothest ride I’ve ever had.  I did too much thinking though.  I missed you so much Sweetheart.  From my seat I could see 2 “doggies” and a “swabbie” with their wives, and there I was all by myself.  I don’t suppose I’m any more lonely than you are though.  I love you so much Sweetheart.  We can manage though, can’t we Sweetheart?  It isn’t that we exactly have to I’m sure it is best for both our futures.  I saw Dr. Anderson about a half-hour after I got here believe it or not.  I told him about Dr. Cox opening it.  He looked at me and punched around a little bit.  He said it was a good thing that I had it taken care of and that it looked very good.  However, he said that we had better wait about a week and get rid of the scab and let it soften up a little bit.  He also talked as if they would operate next Thursday if everything went as it should with the wound.  I think he will do the operation himself.  I’ll write again soon Sweetheart but I have to go now or the PX will be closed before I get there.  I hope they are still open.

     Good-night Sweetheart
          I love you with all my heart
               Pleasant dreams
                    Good-night Sweetheart
                             x x
                                  ‘Nite

(photo: spitballarmy.com)

I laughed, knowing that the India-born owner of this Subway sandwich shop near my home does struggle with his English, and wondering whether he knew about “mange.”  Later, I Googled the word “mangment,” and discovered over 70,000 entries. It seems he’s not the only person with such difficulties (though many of the “mangment”s delivered by Google were abbreviations of “management,” on the order of “addy” for “address” and “puter” for “computer,” but that’s another story for another day).

The coming storm whips a plastic bag past me, dancing. “Seen that movie?” I ask her. “Yeah, American Pie!” My inner Ebert cringes.

[Written to Alice in St. Albans, Long Island, New York.  Return addressed: Richard, U.S.N.H., New York.  Postmarked at Jamaica, N.Y. on 20 Dec 1945 at 7 P.M.]

Text printed on the front of the Christmas card:

A Christmas Note for You, Sweetheart

Text printed on the inside of the card:

Sweetheart dear, I love you,
     And I always, always will.
For in my heart you hold a place
     That no one else can fill.
And at Christmas time I wish you
     A joy that long endures,
And I’ll end my note, dear Sweetheart,
     With the words,
                    Forever yours.

Handwritten inside:

All my love
     is yours
          Sweetheart
                    x x

They rush with the wind, for cover. “It never rains here,” I divine, pointing out the cloudbank. It drives NNE and leaves us dry.

Card is titled: “Firehole Falls.”

Printed on back of postcard:

FIREHOLE FALLS in Yellowstone National Park.

Publishing information:

B1964-Color Photo by Wyoming Travel Commission.
Published by Yellowstone Park Co., Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190