Tuesday Wrap, Early Wednesday

Well, I’m still startling myself every time I walk into the bathroom and catch my reflection in the mirror. I performed radical surgery on the beard this morning, which is to say: it’s gone. Beards come, beards go. I’ve been wearing one off and on since around 1992, the (approximate) year Electronic Data Systems relaxed its dress code and finally allowed men to wear beards. I could go off on a long tangent here, but won’t. I’ll give you the Readers Digest version, instead.

Beards are a no-no in the military; you just don’t do that. And since I was in the AF from ’63 until ’85 I never got the chance to flaunt my facial hair until I retired, other than growing a beard while on leave. Which I did…every time I took leave that lasted longer than, say, a week. My beard used to be flaming red back in the day, and Boy! did I ever love myself in a beard (and yeah, that is narcissistic). Predictably, one of the first things I did when I retired from the AF in March of 1985 was to grow a full set. And then you know what happened? I fly up to Detroit six months later, interview with EDS, and was offered the job...on the condition the beard goes, coz, you know, we have this dress code. Arrgh! I took the job. I lost the beard. By the time EDS relaxed the dress code and allowed beards, the red was gone…replaced by what I’ll call euphemistically “light blond.” No matter. I grew a beard, and like I said in the beginning, have worn one ever since off and on, but mostly on. These days it’s nearly all white, so losing it is probably an improvement.

Too much info? Probably!

Today was a good day, weather wise. Air conditioning season is back, and it’s back a bit earlier than usual. I ran the AC yesterday when it got to 85 degrees, ran it again today, and will run it tomorrow. We’ll be in the 80s and 90s all week. If That Ol’ Debbil Wind ever subsides I won’t have to run the AC, I’ll be able to open the windows and revel in the warmth! Which is my wont…unless there’s dust.

Lou posted her Tailhook story today, and it’s a good one. She also posted a pic of her Tailhook souvenir, a tee shirt with a cool photo and legend printed on the back of the shirt. Go see!

And that brings us to…The Song of the Day!

Song of the Day

Song: Don’t Try to Lay No Boogie Woogie on the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll! (mp3)
Artist: Long John Baldry
Album: It Ain’t Easy
Year: 1971
Source: My Stuff (and the wonderful world wide web!)

Makes Me Think of & etc.: Today: Lou’s Tailhook story. In the past: Lots and LOTS of stuff. I first heard LJB on Alexis Korner’s (bio here and here) Sunday evening BBC radio show sometime in 1981 or 1982. I bought It Ain’t Easy on my lunch break the following day and the album has remained a fave ever since. I don’t know just what it is about Brit White Boys singing the blues, but Thank God for them! Sometimes I think if it wasn’t for those guys, and by “those guys” I mean people like Alexis Korner, LJB, John Mayall, Clapton, the Stones, Savoy Brown, Fleetwood Mac (in their original incarnation), and so on, I’d never have gotten into the blues. That statement is probably hyperbolic because I would have come around eventually, but much later rather than sooner. By the way…be sure to listen to the mp3 of “It Ain’t Easy” at the album link, above. Great stuff. I bought a Maggie Bell album or two because of that song…

Lyrics:

Don't you tell me n-n-n-no lies woman 'cause all you know I've told
Don't sell me no alibi sister 'cause all you've got I've sold
You better leave that midnight sneakin' to the one who worked it out
I don't wanna hear no back talk speakin' go on and shut yer mouth
And everything's gonna work out tight if you act like you been told
So don't try to lay no boogie woogie on the king of rock and roll.

Don't you feed me no TV dinners when you know I'm used to steak
I don't need no rank beginners when it's time to shake that shake
You better pull your Thing together, reach in and dust it out
And if ya feel that yer ass can't dig it then I guess you know the route
It ain't a matter of pork 'n beans gonna justify your soul
Just don't try to lay no boogie woogie on the king of rock and roll.

You weren't alive when I started to drive, so don't put none on me
You didn't arrive 'til late '45 but your head's in '53.
You got what it takes to keep the heads a-spinnin' down by the old rim shack
And you come across just like a fool grinnin' in the back of a red Cadillac.
You can't come across the astral bridge until you pay the toll
So don't try to lay no boogie woogie on the king of rock and roll.