I was about to call it a night and a mash of things took place. I was brushing my teeth and thinking; “when he arrives, should I tell him that the evening news is downloaded and watched at 9:30pm, the living room lights go off at 9:45pm, video streaming and computers start to shut off at 10pm, the hallway lights comes at 9:55pm and off by 10:15pm and then things start up automatically again in the morning with the computers waking up at 6am, the lights in the bedroom by 6:20 and in the office at 6:45am so on”. Then there is the fact that the drafty old farmhouse thermostat is set at 62 because much more is like watching money fly out the windows.

In the midst of all of this, something else hit me, a Beatles tune. I couldn’t even figure out which one. So I scrolled through the few Beatles songs on the iPod …because it’s obviously after 10pm and the majority of computer systems have already shut down. I didn’t find the one that I was thinking of but I hit “Dear Prudence” followed by “Eleanor Rigby”, “I am the Walrus”, and so on. It was cool.

Are we getting old ?

My routine is more routine and yet I don’t really mind it. My taste in music may be all over the map and yet I have discovered that the music of the 60’s was actually pretty good and there are even a bunch of stuff from the 70’s to discover. (I am still sane enough to not talk about the 80’s). Freddy Mercury was talented. Early Stones had less wrinkles. Frank actually could sing before he got the aura of a high class mob king pin.

Houses were stamped from cookies cutters. Fences where white. and streets were safe for playing stick ball and riding bikes. The president got in trouble. NASA went up in flames. Peace was in jeopardy. Politics became a chess (or pawn) game. Gas prices went through the roof. The war was unpopular. Japanese cars were king. The divide grew between the haves and the have nots. New drugs were highly desirable and the makers were criminal. TV was flexing its control over the ever more malliable consumer. There was talk of [the] U2 . The power of equality was spoken of in small towns across America.

They say everything that is old is new again. Are we getting old ? You tell me. I’m having a senior moment and don’t really care.

“I served 40 years in government and I’m not looking forward to a position or an assignment. Of course, I have always said if a president asks you to do something, you have to consider it.” – Colin L. Powell

Then …

“If asked if he wants to be Prime Minister, the generally acceptable answer for a politician is that while he does not seek the office, he has pledged himself to the service of his country, and that should his colleagues persuade him that that is the best way he can serve, he might reluctantly have to accept the responsibility, whatever his personal wishes might be.” – Sir Humphrey Appleby (character from Yes Minister TV series)

.. the move .. packing .. stressing if it will actually all fit in the truck and trailer .. the heat (which fortunately broke last night) .. Zen’s unrest because she knows something is up .. the ’should it stay or should it go’ debate as I cull thru every drawer, closet, box and bin .. shredding old bills / keeping old love letters (thanks Mary Schmich) .. budgets and bills .. knowing I’ve forgotten something and not having a clue what it is .. trying to align the 101 steps between now and the 15th .. the mess that seems to be growing all around me .. no TV / only one old radio left unpacked .. I’m already yawning ..

I realized the “No TV” decision has repercussions beyond just me. Zen watches TV (actually *watches* it) and now she is a bit lost in the evening because she wants to settle in on the comfy chair with me – that activity will likely get resurrected once I find some books I want to read in the evenings but for now, evenings are the time of “packing” and “processing” for the move.

Even with all the stress of “getting it done” I know it’s just a short term thing and then I will have a routine back. In the meantime, don’t be surprised if the blog becomes a strange surreal stomping ground of mythical theories and the ramblings of a tone deaf minstrel (sorry about that Doug).

Footnote: When I went to find Mary Schmich’s name I stumbled across Mark Ehrmann’s “Desiderata”. It has a line that has been my philosophy since arriving at college (as a matter of fact it’s probably what helped me get through college) …

.. for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Source: Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, (c) 1952

I took a bit less eloquent track (some may say more cynical one) but it serves me well for both what I achieve externally and what I strive for internally …

there will always be those further up the food chain that you and those further down the food chain than you so be happy with what you’ve got

Source: me

This evening I packed the media PC. Hence, the “no TV” clock has started. Anyone taking bets on how long I will last ?

I’ve made the tentative decision to not resurrect the media computer once I move. It seems this is not a unique choice …

I have made the decision to go sans boob tube, although some have had odd reactions to such a decision, and that has been one of the more freeing decisions of my life. Once you undertake to reduce the amount of ?stuff? in your life, it?s cleansing.
Source: Chris, The Great Purge at Pensieri di un lunatico minore

a month it has indeed been since I arrived here in Maine, and I have yet to connect the DirecTV tuner I brought out with me up to one of the basic TVs we have up here. All that?s required is a $2 coax cable, but it simply hasn?t been a priority for me.
Source: Stephen, Kill Your Television at tecosystems

I want to use the time lost in front of the TV for a bunch of “personal growth” projects. I have a lot of old 35mm film and slides I want to digitally archive; I want to get more exercise and lose some weight; and I want to learn guitar. Time will tell if any or all of these get accomplished <pondering>.