Just a chime....or??

[westgrandboulevard]

They must flock to hear that track....

[Jerry Oz]

They're big on Motown in their Bleats headphones because they think the line is "summer's here and the time is right for dancing in the fleece." So, it's kind of their song...

[westgrandboulevard]

Soon it will be midsummer,"...and the time is right for dancing with the sheep"

[Jerry Oz]

Check any sheep's iPod and you'll find an mp3 of Michael Jackson's "Baaaaa-aaaaaa-d".

[[Well, that one's funnier to say than it is to read...)

[westgrandboulevard]

I have a fertile imagination, so "baaaa haaaaaaaa'

So, does your last day at the old work place beckon?

[Jerry Oz]

Yes. And they're not going to make it easy on me. I'm going to personally say goodbye to everyone but there are a few that will make for bittersweet goodbyes. After that, I was hoping to slip out of a door a couple of hours before the end of the shift, but now they've scheduled a ton of work; enough that might take overtime to accomplish. My last memory to those that I care for will not be ducking carelessly out the door with a smile, leaving them in a bit of a mess.

To make it worse, my boss gave me an assignment that he knows I'm most likely to do the best. So, instead of emptying my desk, deleting my computer files, cutting up my corporate credit card, and shaking hands for the last day, I have to actually work. On one hand, I'm kind of miffed. But on the other hand, I want people to know that I actually did my best until it was time to clock out.

It's Mom and Dad's fault.

[arr&bee]

NOW IF I TYPED IN SMALL YOU WOULDN'T KNOW WHO I WAS[i'm not sure I know]SO I GOTTA STAY IN CHARACTER.

[westgrandboulevard]

Yes Jerry, doing your best right to the end, and enabling you always to look back with satisfaction on that, is best in the long run.

When it's past the point of walking out the door, it's too late and probably doesn't matter too much except, that in your own head, it always will. So that's the right thing to do.

Arr&bee....of course you have to stay in character, as we know your 'type' [[!). Anyway, we're all getting older, so maybe large print will become essential for all of us.

[144man]

It's always best to leave with people thinking well of you, especially if you want a good reference. Also in one job in which I took redundancy, I was later rehired by a different part of the organisation to complete a special project which lasted almost a year.

[westgrandboulevard]

You never know your luck until a dead horse kicks you.

[Jerry Oz]

I never understand burnt bridges on the way out of a job. I had a guy who quit a couple of months ago. He put in his notice but called on the first day to leave a message saying "I'm calling off because I'm sick. I'm also calling to let you know that I'm starting my new job tomorrow." Very rude.

Well, we earn our yearly alotment of vacation per quarter, meaning that for his 160 hours, he had earned 40 by the time that he quit at the end of March. Because he called off so freely in the first three months, he had used 151 of his hours already, so the company sent him a dunning notice to remit payment for the 111 hours that he took that were not earned [[over $1,000). He called the human resources number and left a message that cursed them all out and promised that he'd never pay.

To make things worse, I told him his situation in that regard the previous week, so he knew that they were going to collect. And from what I've heard, they are very good at collecting money from former employees.

[westgrandboulevard]

Another one who is absolutely sure he knows what he is doing...and that he is so much more accomplished at it than everyone else.

He will soon discover the truth - when he takes the trouble to study what everyone else is doing in another world from his....

[144man]

NOW IF I TYPED IN SMALL YOU WOULDN'T KNOW WHO I WAS[i'm not sure I know]SO I GOTTA STAY IN CHARACTER.

In Terry Pratchett's Discworld books, the character Death always talks in capital letters.

[westgrandboulevard]

Suddenly, this thread has found its own level.......

[Jerry Oz]

It would kill me if I found out that Death spoke in all caps.

[westgrandboulevard]

I'll go with Life sometimes speaking to me in capitals, while Death has nothing to say at all, simply peace.

[144man]

Suddenly, this thread has found its own level.......

Because "Death is the great leveller."???

[westgrandboulevard]

When it happens. someone will need to get what was once me, downstairs....

[144man]

I'll be happy with a black bag and a wheelie bin.

[westgrandboulevard]

A large wheelie bin, for recycling?

[Jerry Oz]

Is it me or has the place taken a turn for the morbid lately...

[westgrandboulevard]

No, it's not just you. For my answer, I'll just quietly refer you to post #2863, and my own response which immediately followed....

The Devil made him do it....

[Jerry Oz]

Now I'm going to read arr&bee's dichotomous posts with a new appreciation for who is writing in all caps. I'm thinking it would be wise to agree with him when possible...

[westgrandboulevard]

Some of the angels have mischief within them

[Jerry Oz]

And some of them have fallen. To much hooch makes you lose your balance, you know...

[westgrandboulevard]

Fallen angels who have erred are always in our midst. You would know them as counsellors.

[Jerry Oz]

Question: What would you call a swimming pool with 40 dead lawyers at the bottom of it?

Answer: A great way to start.

[arr&bee]

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa,you guys kill me...opps bad choice of words..hehehe.

[westgrandboulevard]

Well, it has to come sometime. Best do it in style. I think I'll have plumed horses....

[Jerry Oz]

I'd prefer to be more like Eleanor Rigby. If you have something better to do that day, do it. I'll be okay...

[westgrandboulevard]

I'm kinda hoping the reviews will be good.

[Jerry Oz]

If you did your best, does it matter? And if your answer is "yes", then perhaps your best wasn't really the best that you could do.

[westgrandboulevard]

I was being facetious with my response...but it is also absolutely true that there will be no difference in viewpoint of me shortly after I pass, from when I was alive.

That is : while I might like to think I did my best, some others may possibly differ, and which they have every right to do.

So yes, while I'm still alive, I do hope my final reviews will be good.

[Jerry Oz]

If you go before me, I'll bump up the curve for you. We all have people who don't like us for whatever reason. But that's more on them than us. If your posts are at all reflective of who you truly are, the world will be sadder and lonelier once you are gone.

Whoops, we've gone dark again. In a sort of positive way...

[westgrandboulevard]

No problem, Jerry, I don't feel 'dark' at all, and I thank you for the compliment, which is returned in equal measure.

If I suddenly predecease my partner, and he is aware that I'm still communicating here, he knows what to do, if he is able, to quietly advise that the last post has been made.

In reality, some people can find me rather exacting to be around, but not, I trust, in a competitive or superior way. Mind you, if they try to provoke a reaction, I can and do 'up my game' just a little LOL

I follow the example of my Mum and Dad, who were all about the truth. I just try quietly to get things right, and go for the best, without asking for too much help. That makes me just a tad 'worthy' in some people's eyes. Even though I'm just ordinary, I think they'd really like a few more obvious flaws on show LOLOL

And no, I'm not joking. It's been said to my face, many times.

I'm on good terms with almost everyone, and who do seem to like me quite enough for me to feel secure...but I strongly feel [[and with a lot of humour in that feeling) that some secretly wish they could even love me a little more...if only I didn't seem QUITE so darned proper, so that they could relate a bit more to me - which is understood, even if there is little or nothing I can do about it.

So, anyone who is a friend of mine knows the deal. They just have to get on with their own life, we'll keep in touch with each other, and I'll understand them to the best of my ability, ...but they don't have to understand me, and I'm not expecting it. It's quite simple, really

[Jerry Oz]

Who really knows anybody? We all have secrets and there are facets to everybody that nobody knows exist. Things that we privately adore or detest. Things that we are ashamed to have done. People whom we admire for qualities that we wish that we possessed that others would be shocked to hear. The only shame to death is the fact that every life is so unique and bears a story worth sharing, but must ultimately be known only to one.

[westgrandboulevard]

The greatest mystery to life is that we don't even know ourselves, what will happen in the future or how we shall deal with it.

What may be thought by someone to be a personal secret one day, may not be so the next day.

Yes, death does bring each particular journey to an end, and many of the circumstances of each life are common to many others. Some individuals are more notable for their achievements on a broader scale, but they would be in the minority.

In the meantime, what we get is a living, What we give, is life.

Here in the UK, it's 7.50am, and another day beckons

[Jerry Oz]

I would say "good morning" but it's now afternoon for you. I pray that you will add a wonderful brick [[memory) to the wall of your life by end of day.

[westgrandboulevard]

It's going OK so far.

I get frustrated with all the 'maintenance' tasks to deal with [[so leaving no creative time, let alone any for daydreaming) plus the unexpected, spontaneous conversations with people who present themselves in front of me, which need attention right there, right then, because of their nature [[ to cry "we must do coffee sometime!!" in the flight forward through the day just doesn't seem adequate..)

Our mobile mechanic colleague visited our business premises, and took the car away for its MOT [[Ministry of Transport) annual test. It passed without further work required, and then was given a full annual service. That cost in excess of £230, so I need to keep working....

[Jerry Oz]

Ahhh... Be thankful for having the means to take care of necessary things. Although I hate paying for car service, which takes a lot of money just to return you to your expected state of being. Usually I'd prefer to come out ahead if I'm dropping so much loot.

[westgrandboulevard]

The time will likely come when I simply cannot drive a car, no matter how much I would like to do so.

In the meantime, I'll keep paying, and driving.

As a rehearsal, I also have a concessionary bus pass in my wallet....

[Jerry Oz]

So, putting it into perspective, do you look at your life now with appreciation for what you have, knowing that in some regards such mundane things will be denied you in the [[hopefully distant) future? Many people don't know that they should only look ahead if they remember to look at today. It's the best way to avoid regretting what you didn't permit yourself to do.

[arr&bee]

They say that death rides a pale horse...but the last time i saw him he was in a electra 225[big in the seam with a ganster lean,tv antenna in the back]red of course.

[westgrandboulevard]

Jerry, part of me recognises that many routine activities are mundane, and that too much emphasis should not be placed on them. They keep coming around, which can be viewed as boring and tedious, but also reassuring.

Now that my parents have both gone, and the long-haul of administration of their estates has been completed, I enjoy my days with more clarity, as the experience means I can more closely identify with becoming of more senior years. I describe myself as 'early elderly', and that's how I'd like it to stay for the duration!

There is also the temptation to take it a little easier....but now is the time of life not only to appreciate it more, but to try new activities, or give more time to some of the old ones.

I'm quite a balanced person in outlook, so maintaining that balance is the biggest challenge.

So far, no regrets and if I find concerns for the future drifting into my mind, I tend now to address them full-on. It would seem rather foolish to hit the silver years, and not to do so...but it's more important to be positive. There will come a time when I don't have a future, simply a succession [[very long, I hope!) of 'todays'.

[westgrandboulevard]

Arr&bee...that wasn't Death in the Electra 225, that was one of The Temptations.

You didn't spot a name written on the side?

[Jerry Oz]

The writing on the side of the Electra 225 said [[in very fine print) "Contrary to the occupant's understanding, this car was not presented as a gift, but in lieu of royalties by Mr. Berry Gordy. Signed documentation on file."

[westgrandboulevard]

And on the other side, I suspect, were the faint, barely decipherable words, 'David Ruffin'.

i wonder if his estate is still paying for session fees applicable to tracks only recently released, or even still languishing within the vaults....

I've never fully understood how that works. Maybe when someone passes away, that system is terminated.

[Jerry Oz]

It won't be. One of the immutable laws of the universe is that record executives are the embodiment of good and evil. Without them, some of our favorite artists would never have been heard on wax. But by the same token, the devil will take his due and that typically is a hard lesson in life and/or finances.

Question: If you were Little Richard/James Brown/Chuck Berry/The Primes/[[or nearly every other music legend of the '50s and '60s), would it have been worth it to become internationally famous, even though someone else took the money? If you can't have money AND renown, would you have gone for fame only? Few look at it this way, but I submit that as nasty as the record people are, it's absolutely worth it to the artists who would otherwise be unheard.

[westgrandboulevard]

I can never be sure if the deductions were, with exceptions, generally legitimate - or unduly excessive.

If the deductions are ruled as fair, it would seem that maybe the financial advice given to the artists was inadequate - or they were not prepared to listen, and did not consider ring-fencing income for tax purposes.

I can understand that the artists, [[young, in those days) who became successful probably took all the support they received for granted - and didn't give a thought to the cost of the operation, of which they were a part.

They only had attention for just doing what they loved, and for seeing their names on the record labels, appearing on TV and on stage.

For some, the underlying situation became darker when, feeling under pressure, they signed away their royalties.

[Jerry Oz]

Here's my thought: If you told James Brown that he'd receive $10,000 in 1964 but travel the world and, as you state, do the thing that he loved the most, then without other consideration, he'd sign immediately. He'd be happy just for what he agreed to accept and what he agreed to do. It's only when he looks over and sees someone else has earned 20 times the amount that he did that he becomes resentful. This resentment becomes greater when he's spent his $10K with the thought that he'd always make more and things dry up creatively. At this point, the manager/record label executive becomes a villain, a snake.

Now, there should always be transparency in financial transactions and agreements. Perhaps the label exec didn't know how well the artist would take off. However, if it was his seed money that started the career, who is to say that he should not reap the heftier reward? His backing was no less crucial to the artist's success than the artist's talent.

It amazes me when people are more than happy until they look over and see that someone else has something that they don't have. I've had people become upset when I've asked them to sweep floors because I didn't ask someone else to do it. Forget the fact that they aren't busy and they're being paid for 7.5 working hours each day, they shouldn't have to work if [[in their opinion) someone else is not.

All the while, I used to think that if "I told you that there'd be slow periods that you'd be ask to perform SMP [[sweep/mop/polish), would you have accepted the job or walked away?" I know the answer to that question. So, why take your eye off of your happiness because someone else has something else to be happy about?

BTW: I'm not excusing the weasels who ripped off all of those artists back in the day; weasels do weaselly things. But, without respect to their motivations, I still am amazed at how artists blame others for financial failure when they would otherwise have been bagging groceries at the corner store.