Frank: It’s the same old story. Boy finds girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girls dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day.
Jane: Goodyear?
Frank: No, the worst.

And here we go again and it’s Day 3 of “Thirty Days of Dougie!”. Are you having fun yet? It’s way too early in the morning and I don’t have much time to play, not if I want to get this posted this morning before I have to head out to do people, places and things. I guess I’d better unpack my adjectives. (Obscure School House Rock reference!) Yesterday (Tuesday) was a long, long day. Did the Food Bank stuff that I do every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and then went to my sister’s house. The transmission on her car died a month ago and now it’s time to get it into gear and look for something new. Time was limited so I rode with her to three different car lots to look and see what was available in her price range. Not much, it seems. We listened to a country boy from hell throw his sales pitch at us at one place and he was cool enough, but really was more B.S. than substance. He just wanted a quick sale. Not gonna happen. The second place was just rude. And the third place was pretty cool and the guy who we spoke to is the same man who sold my Mom her car almost eight years ago. This is a small town. Nothing really accomplished, but at least it was a start.

And then, since my sister hates shopping alone and gets anxiety attacks inside crowded places, I went with her to the stores. Wal-Mart and Roses. I despise Wal-Mart with a passion, but it’s a necessary evil and sometimes, you just have to do it. Finished up with her and my head was pounding, so I went home for a quick power nap. Quick just about describes it because as soon as I lay down upon my bed, there goes that damn phone. My BFF and hetero-sexual life mate calling. We speak for a brief moment and after agreeing that I’ll come pick him up in about an hour, I try to lay down and get a moment of rest. The birds are chirping, the dogs are barking, kids outside are screaming and I can hear Mom talking to someone or something several rooms away. The mood is broken and I’m back up. No power nap today.

I go to Wal-Mart again (second time) to get oil for my Blazer and some extra-strength pain relief because my head is about to bust. And then to get my bro and his mini-me. It’s here and there and everywhere for the next several hours, including a birthday party for a relative of his. None of this do I mind because I love my bro, I love his mini-me, and they are two of the most important people and things in my crazy little world and life. But it just goes on and on and on. We go to Wal-Mart AGAIN and for me, it’s the third time today. I make a note and remind them that I need to leave relatively soon enough that I can go by Food Lion and pick up drinks before they close. That didn’t happen and it was 10:00 before I left. I was tired and ill and a little snappy by this point. My legs were hurting and my head was pounding again. And I had to go by Wal-Mart AGAIN to get drinks for today because it was now the only place open. That’s FOUR times. Have I mentioned that I hate that place.

I came home and thought about this. I was planning to do a Smackdown Live! review, but since I didn’t get to watch Smackdown Live!, that idea is kind of moot. My bro texted me and asked what I thought about the ending of the show. Ummmm, I didn’t get to watch it because I was with you. Oh vey! My head is still pounding and I couldn’t sleep for shit. And I have to be in Southern Pines in two hours. So how is your day going?

And now, here I am, ready to do Day 3 of this mess. Why am I doing this anyhow? Oh yeah, to enhance my creativity, generate traffic on my blog site and because I can. Just shoot me now… please! Let’s just reach into the box and find three topics to get this over with. Yes, Mr. Ray of Sunshine I am this morning. Don’t you love it?

And we reach into the Magic Box and my three topics for today are… (drum roll please)… Land of Confusion, Stray Cats and Memories of Age 10…Let’s do this…

Thirty Days of Dougie! (Day 3): Land Of Confusion, Stray Cats and Memories of Age 10…
February 22, 2017

Let’s start off with Land of Confusion. It’s the title of a song by Genesis that came out in the late 80’s. A great video with lots of puppets and it was pretty harsh with it’s mocking of then-President Ronald Reagan. And damn, those puppets were ugly. It was a great song though and I’ve always liked it, even to this day. There weren’t too many songs that Genesis and lead singer / drummer Phil Collins did that I didn’t much like to be honest. The man has talent. He’s ugly as hell, but so long as he can sing, who cares, right?

That term can also be used to describe my life at times. Why am I doing this? Who are these people? What day is it? Where’s my jello. My world! Welcome to it. Let’s move on.

Stray Cats! That can refer to a band from the 80’s who did such great tunes as “Stray Cat Strut” and “Rock This Town!”. Those boys, Brian Seltzer, Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom, could really get down and go. They had a Sha Na Na type gimmick with a 50’s look and sound, but were definitely a product of the 80’s as well. And they still perform and rock today.

It could also refer to all of these damn cats that my Mom started feeding, which have quickly grown in number and now come to our house each and every morning, acting as if they own the place. “Where my damn food at?”, they seem to say. Oh vey! I love cats though and they’re pretty cool so no worries here. They do eat too much, but at least they’re getting fed so it’s all good. And the rent is too damn high.

And finally, memories of Age 10. It was 1976 and I remember the big thing that year was the bicentenial celebration of our nation’s 200th birthday. Jimmy Carter was the President of the United States and we had lines at the gas pumps sometimes. We ccelebrated my birthday staying at the beach for a week. My Mom was dating a really cool man named Stuart, who always called me “George” for some reason. My sisters were teenagers in their primes, my oldest brother was dating a woman several years older than he was (cougar) and rarely came around much. It was a good year and I was a typical, oblivious to the world, 10 year old kid. And really, what more needs to be said.

And that’s it for now. Yes, it’s short and lame, but I never promised you a rose garden. And I have to go check my car and do my stuff so I can get this trip up the road over with and be back here in Laurinburg by 10:30 so I can go do Food Lion. And then… a nap (because that’s what I do!) Thank you for reading and don’t worry, it will get better. I’m Doug and you’re not. See you tomorrow with Day 4.

Ubuntu!