Friday, November 16, 2007

There’s no central theme to today’s post- just random thoughts I had as I ran a few errands. I mentioned yesterday that these next four days are all about writing. It has not gone as swimmingly as I had hoped. Yesterday I wrote 3,000 words and so far today 1,000. I realize that a word count doesn’t really mean anything- they could have been 3,000 of the exact wrong words to write- but I have to measure it somehow and I’d rather measure it by quantity as opposed to quality because…well I think you know why.

1. Went to the market and bought 8 Clementine oranges and 4 apples which was odd as I like apples more than Clementine (which should be your first clue that I have nothing of interest to write about)- but Kelly likes Clementine more so maybe it was one of those annoyingly cute things couples sometimes do for each other since she isn’t here the only why I can get kudos for being incredibly unselfish and cute is to write about it in a pathetic attempt to get you to like me.

2. I thought about the time I brought my niece to the Les Halles stores so she could buy jeans- a very rough crowd hangs out there at night. I dropped her off at the girl’s store and I went in search of ping-pong balls. (Note : As it turns out having ping-pong balls does not make you the “cool uncle”) For some reason I was holding a bunch of 1 euro coins in my hands and as I jumped off the escalator I accidentally dropped all of them (about 12 euros worth of coins) on the ground. There were 5 gang looking type guys at the bottom of the stairs and my coins scattered around their feet. I realized that I would have to preserve my fragile male-ego and battle for the money or do the smart thing and step away it if it got hairy- What I hadn’t counted on was the gang members helping me gather all the coins and wish me well as I went to buy ping pong balls- Perhaps they saw me as a man to be reckoned with- nothing says “danger” like a man intent on buying ping-pong balls.

3. While I was running errands I listened to Bob Dylan’s “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat” (very loudly) it then rolled into Leonard Cohen’s “Tower of Song”. Leonard Cohen is one of the most amazing songwriters ever and Bob Dylan isn’t too shabby either.

4. I have had a throbbing headache off and on for 2 weeks. Haven’t mentioned it because try not to burden others with my pain…that’s how I roll.

5. Kelly refuses to play ping-pong with me so I’m stuck rolling the balls at the cat. The cat is now getting tired of the game and wont play. So it’s, essentially, a grown man, on the floor rolling ping-pong balls from the living room to the kitchen. And that is what I’m doing instead of writing the great American novel.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I guess any true 'gangbanger' wouldn't want 12 euros in change.

Les Halles will test you though to see who's got the big cajones, and who's faking the funk. One night I was walking through there with my girlfriend and her husband when a drunken bum/sociopath came towards me out of a hidden corner. As he lurched at me, my girlfriend (not the husband) stepped up, and pushed his ass down so hard on the ground, it was a wrap for him for the rest of the night.

They're divorced now.

Misplaced said...

Kara-
A friend of mine was walking in a park with his wife when a crazy squirrel ran at them. My friend, in a panic, pushed his wife between himself and the squirrel- talk about faking the punk. They're still married but she's jumpy around wildlife.

Pelmo said...

After reading your useful information about ping pong balls. I will now carry them with me wherever I go.

So if I ever get in a volatile situation; all I have to do is show them, and it will thwart any danger I am in.

LDP said...

Misplaced, that friend of yours sounds like a real jerk. Unless, of course, the squirrel was Canadian, in which case I totally see his point.