Roger O Green

I need…slee…p

First night in the hotel: sleep about 3.5 hours, and never get back to sleep, though I tried desperately.

Late last month, I had to go to a work conference, the organization’s annual meeting. And I was looking forward to it, for a number of reasons. One was that I figured I’d sleep better. I’d been having trouble sleeping in our bedroom because some noisy creature seemed to be trapped somewhere between the ceiling of the attic and the roof. But it SOUNDS as though it were happening right in our room! The ceiling fan muffles the sound somewhat, but not adequately for my needs.

It’s not a constant noise. It seems to take place somewhere between midnight and 2 a.m. And I never hear it in the morning, so eventually, it stops. But it’s still distracting.

We’ve taken to sleeping in the guest room, where we can’t hear it at all, but the bed is smaller, my wife squeezes me to the edge of the mattress, and I’m not sleeping well there either.

First night in the hotel: sleep about 3.5 hours, and never get back to sleep, though I tried desperately. OK, it’s my first night in a different bed. Second night in the hotel: sleep about 3.5 hours and can’t return to sleep. Third night: ditto. I am running on fumes. I go home and have the best sleep I had had in a long time. Absence, and all that.

I’m really trying to avoid either stimulants or sleeping pills, although I felt that I NEEDED a Diet Coke after the third night on the road, especially since that was the morning we were doing the presentation! Thank goodness my role was minimal and I could stand there pretending I was awake.

What’s helped since I got back, unfortunately, are the painkillers, which I can take four times a day but opted for just before bed, and not every night, only the evenings when it’s REALLY WARM.

Drop a Flag on that Barkeep

I became so incensed that, had I access to a baseball bat, I am afraid I might have started smashing the drinking glasses that hung over the barkeep’s head.

When I went to that conference I mentioned, there was some free time on the first two evenings. So I went to the bar to get a glass of wine. Somehow neither of the bartenders saw me initially, and I waited a bit longer than I should have, but eventually got served.

This sent me to a flashback to June 14, 1991. My Significant Other and I were in Boston to visit her mother and her brother. For reasons too complicated to describe here, we couldn’t stay at their house but had to stay at a hotel.

Since we were in town, we decided to see if, somehow, there were tickets to that night’s Red Sox-California Angels game. We seriously doubted it; Roger Clemens, the Red Sox ace hurler was on the mound against the one-handed pitching phenom Jim Abbott. Somehow, there were not only seats available, but we got to sit right behind home plate!

The game itself, which you can read about in this box score, was great. The Red Sox fell behind twice but came back to win 9-4. The play I remember most was in the 6th inning when Clemens threw over to 1st base several times to keep Dave Winfield from stealing; I don’t think he’d stolen a base all season. A throw gets past the first basemen, Winfield gets to second and eventually scores an unearned run.

So afterward, the SO and I check into a Holiday Inn not far from Fenway Park. We decide to go down to the bar to get drinks; she sat at a table, and I stood at the bar. And stood. And stood.

At least three times while I was standing there, the bartender acknowledged my presence with an index finger suggesting “Just a minute.” But people who came to the bar well after I did get served. And I became so incensed that, had I access to a baseball bat, I am afraid I might have started smashing the drinking glasses that hung over the barkeep’s head. (Probably not, but I DID envision it.)

Instead, livid, I complained to hotel management and later to my credit card company, to no great satisfaction, since he never REFUSED to serve me. It was a very sour ending to what had been a great night.

It is why I HATE ordering drinks at a crowded bar to this day. It just doesn’t follow the queue.

V is for Venus

Speaking of which, author John Gray made a whole cottage industry of the notion that men are from Mars and women are from Venus.

Venus is a planet, the second one from our sun; it is roughly the same size as the Earth, with a diameter of 12,100km, about 1040km smaller in diameter than our planet. After the moon, it is generally the brightest object in the night sky.

The planet is named after a goddess, specifically the Roman goddess of love and beauty, who is the equivalent of the Greek goddess Aphrodite and whose myths are largely shared.

There are four songs that start with the word Venus that charted on the US pop charts between 1955 and 2000.

Venus by Frankie Avalon, which went to #1 in 1959. I did not know that a disco version of this same song by Avalon went to #46 in 1976.
Venus in Blue Jeans by Jimmy Clayton, which reached #7 in 1962.
Venus by Shocking Blue went to #1 in 1970; the cover version by Bananarama also went to #1, in 1986.
Finally, Venus & Mars Rock Show by Wings – that would be one of Paul McCartney’s groups – went to #12 in 1975.

Speaking of Venus and Mars, author John Gray made a whole cottage industry of the notion that men are from Mars and women are from Venus. “John’s books have sold over 50 million copies in 50 different languages. His groundbreaking book…was the best-selling book of the 1990s. It launched his Mars Venus book series that forever changed the way men and women view their relationships.” (Feel free to discuss; I thought Gray’s message was a bit oversimplistic.)

Finally, there is the Venus flytrap. Antithetical to the goddess’ message of love, it is a carnivorous plant – see it in action! – which is native only in the Carolinas in the United States, though transplanted elsewhere around the world. Audrey II is a giant Venus flytrap that starred in various iterations of Little Shop of Horrors.

Oddly, there was a fictional radio disc jockey on the TV show called WKRP in Cincinnati with the pseudonym of Venus Flytrap, played by Tim Reid. Watch Venus Explains the Atom.

ABC Wednesday – Round 8

The Marvel Comics Challenge

SF notes, “in a world where his entire relationship with Mary Jane has been magically erased, does any of it even matter anymore?”

This was another meme from SamuraiFrog. But first, a big caveat; I was only buying Marvel comic books from 1972 to 1994, and while I have looked retrospectively, through reprints and items such as Marvel Masterworks, my knowledge post-1995 is anecdotal at best.

1. Your favorite character.
Clearly Spider-Man, mostly because of Peter Parker. In fact, when Todd McFarlane did that Spider-book in the early 1990s, I hated it so much that I, an otherwise Spidey completist (Amazing, Peter Parker, Marvel Team-Up, guest appearances), refused to buy it.

2. Your favorite villain.
The Green Goblin.

3. Your favorite diva.
Wolverine.

4. Your favorite royal.
Namor, the Sub-Mariner.

5. Your favorite team.
The Defenders. Such an unlikely grouping: Doctor Strange, Namor, Hulk, plus Valkyrie and the Silver Surfer?

6. Your favorite organization.
Merry Marvel Marching Society. Oh, you mean in a comic? Probably SHIELD, more by default.

7. Your favorite creature.
If Howard the Duck counts, then it’s Howard. Does Man-Thing count?

8. Your favorite movie.
Spider-Man 2.

9. Your favorite classic character.
Spidey.

10. Your favorite costume.
I always liked Thor’s outfit.

11. Your favorite power.

If I could have one of the powers of the Marvel Universe, it would be Silver Surfer’s power cosmic.

12. Your favorite weapon.
Thor’s hammer.

13. Your least favorite character.
Never thought much of Ant-Man/Giant-Man/Henry Pym.

14. Your favorite romance.
Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson, back when it still existed.

15. The best rivalry.
Always thought Reed Richards and Doctor doom were two sides of the same coin.

16. The most powerful character.
Silver Surfer, I guess.

17. Your favorite god.
Loki.

18. Your favorite comic to screen character adaptation.
Rosemary Harris as Aunt May in the Spider-Man movies.

19. Your least favorite comic to screen character adaptation.
The first Fantastic Four film – I didn’t bother with the second one – was pretty awful.

20. Your best casting of a character (if you were casting).
Pass.

21. The most memorable death.
Gwen Stacy, since it was the first one I read. SF notes, “in a world where his entire relationship with Mary Jane has been magically erased, does any of it even matter anymore?” Fortunately, that erasure happened after I stopped reading comics, so I feign blissful ignorance.

22. Your favorite universe/dimension.
Wherever Warlock hung out.

23. The best form of transportation.
The Silver Surfer’s board.

24. Your favorite cartoon adaptation.
I liked the theme song of the old Spidey cartoon, but don’t much recall the stories. Pass.

25. Your favorite video game.
n/a

26: Your favorite elemental.
Storm, probably.

27. Your favorite non-human race.
Are Inhumans non-humans?

28. Your favorite comic time period.
When I first started reading.

29. Your favorite series you would suggest to read.
I always had affection for whatever the late Steve Gerber was writing (Defenders, Howard the Duck).

30. Your favorite Marvel Event.
That goofy Vermont Halloween schtick.

Summer Songs QUESTION

I HATE it when two or even three songs are counted as a song.

Entertainment Weekly did one of those lists of summer songs, again. Some radio station has the full 100 list, with video links to most of them.

The * indicates the ones that came to me on the list.

100. ”STAY (I MISSED YOU)” (1994)
Lisa Loeb
99. ”TENNESSEE” (1992)
Arrested Development
98. ”WE’RE AN AMERICAN BAND” (1973)
Grand Funk Railroad
97. ”RADAR LOVE” (1974)
Golden Earring
96. ”THE LOVE YOU SAVE” (1970)
The Jackson 5
95. ”DANCING IN THE DARK” (1984)
Bruce Springsteen
94. ”FUNKYTOWN” (1980)
Lipps Inc.
93. ”YAKETY YAK” (1958)
The Coasters
92. ”SUMMERTIME, SUMMERTIME” (1958)
The Jamies
91. ”GANGSTER’S PARADISE” (1995)
Coolio
90. ”KISS FROM A ROSE” (1995)
Seal
89. ”MACHO MAN” (1978)
The Village People
88. ”MY CHERIE AMOUR” (1969)
Stevie Wonder
87. ”WATERLOO” (1974)
ABBA
86. ”SUMMERTIME” (1991)
D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
85. ”THE END OF THE INNOCENCE” (1989)
Don Henley
84. ”SAN FRANCISCO (BE SURE TO WEAR FLOWERS IN YOUR HAIR)” (1967)
Scott McKenzie
83. ”MY LOVE” (2006)
Justin Timberlake
82. ”UNDER THE BRIDGE” (1992)
Red Hot Chili Peppers
81. ”HOT IN HERRE” (2002)
Nelly
80. ”WILD THING” (1966)
The Troggs
79. ”HOT BLOODED” (1978)
Foreigner
78. ”TAKIN’ CARE OF BUSINESS” (1974)
Bachman-Turner Overdrive
77. ”LIVIN LA VIDA LOCA” (1999)
Ricky Martin
76. ”DON’T YOU WANT ME” (1982)
Human League
75. ”TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD” (1974)
Rufus
74. ”WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT” (1984)
Tina Turner
73. ”THIS LOVE” (2004)
Maroon 5
72. ”(THEY LONG TO BE) CLOSE TO YOU” (1970)
The Carpenters
71. ”A WHITER SHADE OF PALE” (1967)
Procol Harum
70. ”LET’S GET IT ON” (1973)
Marvin Gaye
69. ”VACATION” (1982)
The Go-Go’s
68. ”MO MONEY, MO PROBLEMS” (1997)
Notorious B.I.G. (featuring Mase, Puff Daddy)
67. ”LITTLE RED CORVETTE” (1982)
Prince
66. ”WE ARE FAMILY” (1979)
Sister Sledge
65. ”FOOLED AROUND AND FELL IN LOVE” (1976)
Elvin Bishop
64 ”KODACHROME” (1973)
Paul Simon
63. ”WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO” (1964)
The Supremes
62. ”SEA OF LOVE” (1959)
Phil Phillips with the Twilights
61. ”THE LOCO-MOTION” (1962)
Little Eva
60. ”UMBRELLA” (2007)
Rihanna
59. ”CAN’T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU” (1967)
Frankie Valli
58. ”ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE” (1967)
The Beatles
57. ”YOU BELONG WITH ME” (2009)
Taylor Swift
56. ”SMOOTH” (1999)
Santana, featuring Rob Thomas
55. ”SEALED WITH A KISS” (1962)
Brian Hyland
54. ”PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM” (1975)
Elton John
53. ”THE LETTER” (1967)
The Box Tops
52. ”HOLLABACK GIRL” (2005)
Gwen Stefani
51. ”SLEDGEHAMMER” (1986)
Peter Gabriel
50. ”YOU SHOULD BE DANCING” (1976)
Bee Gees
49. ”TAKE IT EASY” (1972)
The Eagles
48. ”(WE’RE GONNA) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK” (1955)
Bill Haley & His Comets
47. ”CRAZY IN LOVE” (2003)
Beyoncé & Jay-Z
46. ”LIVE AND LET DIE” (1973)
Paul McCartney and Wings
45. ”I GOT YOU BABE” (1965)
Sonny and Cher
44. ”DON’T BE CRUEL”/”HOUND DOG” (1956)
Elvis Presley
43. ”GREEN ONIONS” (1962)
Booker T. & the MG’s
42. ”SUNSHINE SUPERMAN” (1966)
Donovan
41. ”GOOD TIMES” (1979)
Chic
40. ”GRAZING IN THE GRASS” (1968)
Hugh Masakela
39. ”GROOVIN”’ (1967)
The Rascals
38. ”FOREVER” (2008)
Chris Brown
37. ”STAND BY ME” (1961)
Ben E. King
36. ”RAMBLIN’ MAN” (1973)
The Allman Brothers Band
35. ”I DON’T WANT TO MISS A THING” (1998)
Aerosmith
34. ”MY SHARONA” (1979)
The Knack
33. ”MISS YOU” (1978)
Rolling Stones
32. ”WATERFALLS” (1995)
TLC
31. ”CRUEL SUMMER” (1984)
Bananarama
30. ”ALL I WANNA DO” (1994)
Sheryl Crow
29. ”THE TWIST”/”LET’S TWIST AGAIN” (1960/61)
Chubby Checker
28. ”BORN TO BE WILD” (1968)
Steppenwolf
27. ”YOU’RE THE ONE THAT I WANT”/”SUMMER NIGHTS” (1978)
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
”GREASE” (1978)
Frankie Valli
26. ”LIKE A ROLLING STONE” (1965)
Bob Dylan
25. ”DON’T GO BREAKING MY HEART” (1976)
Elton John and Kiki Dee
24. ”CALIFORNIA LOVE” (1996)
Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre
23. ”EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE” (1983)
The Police
22. ”WOULDN’T IT BE NICE” (1966)
The Beach Boys
21. ”WIPEOUT” (1963)
The Surfaris
20. ”CRAZY” (2006)
Gnarls Barkley
19. ”A HARD DAY’S NIGHT” (1964)
The Beatles
18. ”MAGGIE MAY” (1971)
Rod Stewart
17. ”IN THE SUMMERTIME” (1970)
Mungo Jerry
16. ”THE MESSAGE” (1982)
Grand Master Flash & the Furious Five
15. ”I GET AROUND” (1964)
The Beach Boys
14. ”HEY YA” (2003)
OutKast
13. ”ROCK THE BOAT” (1974)
The Hues Corporation
12. ”SUMMERTIME BLUES” (1958)
Eddie Cochran
11. ”(I CAN’T GET NO) SATISFACTION” (1965)
The Rolling Stones
10. ”HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME” (1969)
Sly & the Family Stone
9. ”BORDERLINE” (1984)
Madonna
8. ”DANCING IN THE STREET” (1964)
Martha and the Vandellas
7. ”CALIFORNIA GURLS” (2010)
Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg
6. ”LIGHT MY FIRE” (1967)
The Doors
5. ”UNDER THE BOARDWALK” (1964)
The Drifters
4. ”HEAT WAVE” (1963)
Martha and the Vandellas
3. ”SCHOOL’S OUT” (1972)
Alice Cooper
2. ”CALIFORNIA GIRLS” (1965)
The Beach Boys
*1. ”SUMMER IN THE CITY” (1966)
The Lovin’ Spoonful

Incidentally, I HATE it when two or even three songs are counted as a song.

Surely, some of the ones I didn’t think of should also be on the list. But there are some that just mystify me, even though they came out in the summer.

BEATLES: A Hard Day’s Night was a hit in the summer of ’64, but so were lots of other songs. All You Need Is Love ditto for ’67. Here Comes the Sun or Good Day Sunshine feels more thematically valid.
BEACH BOYS: I Get Around and California Girls are good choices, but Wouldn’t It Be Nice? All of those surf and cars songs seem more appropriate, such as Surfer Girl, 409, Surfin’ USA, even Good Vibrations.

Then there are the songs that were missed:

Summer Breeze-Seals & Crofts
Palisades Park- Freddie Cannon
Sunny Afternoon-the Kinks
A Summer Song-Chad & Jeremy
Walkin’ on Sunshine-Katrina & the Waves
Up on the Roof-the Drifters

Others made cases for Boys of Summer or All She Wants To Do Is Dance_Don Henley, Summer Fling-k.d. lang, Afternoon Delight-Starlight Vocal Band, Summer of ’69-Bryan Adams, some country and reggae songs, and the entire oeuvre of Jimmy Buffett.

What songs would you add to or delete from the list?