Preface To Expectations: Stress Cold

This article - from 1998, in the New York times - though rather old - confirms what I expected - which seems apropos, since this week's show is about expectations.

I have had a cold brewing for a while now, & my stress levels have been high for a few weeks, & having to worry about & care for an old dog seem to have let the cold germs in.

It makes me want to ask, "Why haven't we cured the common cold?"

I was content, for the last twenty-four hours, to let it run its course - & was feeling that I'd just sleep for a day.  But the wife decided to get me medicine - including that strange concoction called NyQuil, which is about as old as I am, & which has been with me my entire life.  & when I take medicine - & by the way, I'm all for medicine over pseudoscientific potions & the like - when I take medicine, I forget how effective medicine is.

This hasn't been a terrible cold.  I don't (yet) have a runny nose or a terrible cough.  But I did sleep half the day & I have been sucking cough drops since yesterday, so my mouth feels like it's filled with vaguely cherry-tasting phlegm.

I'm working on my show, though.  My expectation is that I'll have it finished.  At least I expect to.

Pets

It's been a stressful day because the puppy whom I declared my undying love for yesterday had to have surgery.  It's the second surgery on the second beagle of ours this year.  George, it turned out, had cancer.  He's home now, minus a limb, but in less pain than when we took him to the vet.

The vet, by the way, is Metropolitan Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Services.  In particular, a Dr. Royals, who operated on both our sick doglings this year.  He was unflinchingly honest - perhaps a tad too modest about his own abilities - & did his very best, which was excellent.

I just wanted to give a shout-out to an amazing place.  Everyone there was so kind.  I wonder if, when I am as old in human years as George is in dog years, & when I have an ailment that puts me in a surgeon's care, if I'll meet a staff & doctor as good to me as they were to George.

I really doubt it.

George

I love this beagle so much.  I think I should start a blog that is just pictures of him.  It would be an internet sensation.

Jobs Jobs Jobs!

It's Labor Day.  I did a show about jobs.  Lazy, I know.  I had very little sleep.

The show has been uptheloaded to the Self Help Radio website.  It's in two job-creating parts: part one is job one & part two is job two.  Whatever that means.  The job list is below.

Enjoy your Labor Day as much as you despise your laboring!

(part one)

"Get A Job" Neil Young & Crazy Horse _Americana_
"I Don't Have A Job" The Majestic Twelve _Searching For The Elvis Knob_
"Job Centre" Denim _Denim On Ice_

"Senior Service" Elvis Costello & The Attractions _Armed Forces_
"The Ticket Puncher" Mick Harvey _Pink Elephants_
"The Complete Banker" The Divine Comedy _Bang Goes The Knighthood_
"The Painter" I'm From Barcelona _Sing!! With I'm From Barcelona_
"Hairdresser On Fire" Morrissey _Viva Hate_

"I'm Gonna Be An Engineer" Pete Seeger _Workers & The Workplace 1880 - 2000_
"Grandpa Was A Carpenter" John Prine _Sweet Revenge_
"Sixteen Tons" Tennessee Ernie Ford _Sixteen Tons_
"Homo Erectus" Kinky Friedman _Old Testaments & New Revelations_
"Lawyers & Truckers" Ed's Redeeming Qualities _It's All Good News_

"The Dirty Jobs" The Who _Quadrophenia_

(part two)

"Stupid Day Job" Wally Pleasant _Houses Of The Holy Moly_
"Summer Job" Art Brut _Art Brut Vs. Satan_
"Edward, Sandwich Hand" The Lucksmiths _Happy Secret_
"Lost My Job" Alex Chilton _19 Years: A Collection Of Alex Chilton_

"Mr. Pharmacist" The Other Half _Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era, Vol. 4_
"Highway Patrol" SWAT _Deep Inside A Cop's Mind_
"Mr. Reporter" The Kinks _Face To Face_
"The Model" Big Black _The Model 7"_
"Go-Go Dancer" The Wedding Present _Hit Parade 1_
"Travel Agent" Monty Python _Monty Python's Previous Record_

"The Singer" Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds _Kicking Against The Pricks_
"Finnegan The Folk Hero" Momus _Folktronic_
"Inflated Job Titles" George Carlin _When Will Jesus Bring The Pork Chops?_

"DJ" David Bowie _Lodger_
"Young Jobless" Martin Newell _Young Jobless_
"Job Fair" Archie Powell & The Exports _Great Ideas In Action_

Whither Jobs?

Like Valentine's Day & Halloween, where I try to choose different themes within the holiday context, so too I am trying the same thing with Labor Day.  Last year's show (which you can listen to here if you want) was about "work."  This show is about "jobs."  I am afraid I am not going to be able to do much better next year.

(I am having the same problem with Halloween this year.  I've done shows about vampires, werewolves, witches, graveyards, haunted houses, zombies, monsters, ghosts...  What else is there?)

In the spirit of the holiday - & frankly, because I am beat - I am not going to put a whole lot of work into the show tomorrow.  & why should I?  I have to work on Labor Day?!?  Preposterous!

You can listen to the half-assed Self Help Radio show about jobs tomorrow from 7 to 9am on 88.1 fm in Lexington, online at the WRFL website or, if you're smart, you'll sleep in & listen to it later on self help radio dot net.

I should never have taken a show on a morning when so many holidays happen!