I did this for a photoshop contest on Flickr two years ago. Going back to some oldies, I’m spent.
All posts by Bob Keller
RIP Captain Lou
OK, I didn’t even know who Captain Lou Arbano was until today, but this has always been one of my favorite NRBQ songs. It all comes together now.
Today I feel like the victim of a Captain Lou pile driver. I’ve pretty much slept all day, my body is possessed by some foul demon.
Different
I haven’t been behind a retail counter for 31 years. Until today. Last time I was slinging drinks, the cash register had real buttons with numbers on them. You rang up the prices, took the cash and made change. God forbid someone gave you a credit card, you had to get out that crazy slider thing. Change jumped into my hands, I didn’t even have to think about it, and a lot of the math I did in my head. Now each product  has a menu button and the array of buttons is mind boggling.
But that’s not the interesting part of my new job experience. Maybe I’m just self conscious but I think I noticed a little bit of reaction among the customers to the new guy. Which of these does not belong. The old person! I fancy myself as being pretty good at reading people and I definitely saw a range of interesting responses. There was, “This poor old fart is having to work behind a counter, must have gotten laid off somewhere,” to “We need to be extra nice and encouraging to this poor old man who has to do a young person’s job.”
It doesn’t bother me. I know what I left behind, which was for me insanity. I know it’s an opportunity to get out among people and make some extra dough to take some of the pressure off as I try to get my graphics gig up and running. But I think I get a little bit of insight into what it must be like for people who constantly see that “you don’t belong here” look on peoples faces.
You know what hasn’t changed though? You still have to smile and say, “Thanks for comin’ in!”
Brand New
New snow, new job, new carpet. There’s a theme here. It looks like a day of cleansing. As much as I hate to see snow in mid October, a new snowfall, one with “big hunky flakes,” is a beautiful thing. It looks clean, and even smells clean. New carpet, well it probably will smell like a chemical spill for a couple of weeks, but even that beats the cat pee stench that we’ve been living with for months. If we’ve entertained you at our house in the last three months, it means we are very comfortable in our friendship, or we don’t give a dam about impressing you, or both. And then there’s the other smell of newness, fresh brewed coffee! I start my new career behind the coffee shop counter today. I’m not going to make any comparisons  to my old job and cat pee though.
Sunday Art
Progressive manipulation of a photograph. This one started out as a dead woodpecker found on a trail.
sNOOOOOOOOOOOOw
Too early.
A little art, a little name dropping
Yesterday’s StarTribune featured some personal connections of note. In the OP-ED section, long time friend Susan Cushman wonders about the role doctors play in the last days of life, if they need to be more forthright with families and patients when confronting the inevitable. Based on recent personal experience Susan, a Doctor herself, inspires us to give thought to what we least like to think about.
Lucia Watson, chef and proprietor of Lucia’s, who I’ve swapped Walleye recipes with and named a daughter after, is being awarded the prestigious Chevalier du Merite Agricole. “…one of the highest honors from the French Ministry of Agriculture. It’s akin to a knighthood, and recognizes her culinary expertise and focus on locally grown, sustainable food products.” Congrats, Lucia. Oh and if  you’ve haven’t been to the restaurant, you must. You might just name your firstborn after it as well.
Finally may Alma Mater, Carleton College was written up for it’s new sparely appointed student housing. Apparently they’re bucking a trend of schools attracting students by building very posh accommodations. They feel that the more draconian digs will attract a greener thinking matriculate. Although in Minnesota, not having air conditioning between September in May doesn’t sound like a huge sacrifice. Anyway, what’s the big deal? Musser Hall has been there since the sixties!
In the name of science
Here comes the sun!
Finally, sunshine. I was beginning to think that I had somehow tripped up the weather patterns with my retirement new career adventure and put us into a permanent chilly monsoon. This turn of meteorological events gave me the impetus to start working on one of my primary Post-Dex goals, getting in shape.
One of these days I’ll post the whole sad story in detail, but the short background story is that, in 2007 I had my right knee, ravaged by a too long pick-up basketball career, replaced. A strep infection lead to a nightmarish sequence of complications that included 6 weeks with no knee at all, a broken hip and a total of five surgeries. Basically I was off my feet for most of six months. Not conducive to physical fitness. Continue reading Here comes the sun!
Doubtless
Updating today’s earlier post. I’ve been hired. I start next week. Do you think there’s time to get a hearing aid and pick up some shreddies?