I love living on the ranch...I work at the Lodges as waitress, bartender, cook and pumper of gas..I got so good at this job, I could toss an egg on the grill, slam a beer down for a customer, run out on the docks, pump a bucks worth of gas in a ratty old boat and rush back in time to flip the egg...But I was looking for something more....don't know what the more is..and I think I'm still looking for it..My boss also ran a construction company and he said he would recommend me to the boss at Calco Lumber company..Said cool..also said to myself(what the fuck?..I know jackshit about lumber, nails, and any of that other stuff they might sell)But I have never let that slow me down before and wasn't about to start now..So off I went..and the boss was a very ambitious woman who liked to give a step up to other women..so I lied like a mother fucker and said I could do it and she wouldn't be sorry if she gave me a chance..and you know what? I didn't lie...I took home every single pamplet on products they had in the store..I went home and in 3 days had memorized everything..I started off Monday with some knowledge but not enough..I was in love with the tool department..they had stud finders, studs, and bastard files. They had screws too.If someone asked for..lets say..indoor paint..I would run like a crazy person to the indoor paint and would start reading the cans..by the time they caught up with me I would have figured out what they needed..(knew my ability to speed read would pay off)During my breaks and my lunch hour I would go from dept to dept memorizing where everything was and what it did.. I checked books out of the library..I studied like I was in school...I won't say that I was good at it...but in 6 months when the manager and her assistant moved to another store, they made me assistant manager.I was working with contractors and getting a commission from their sales..I rocked...I also loved the job..loved customer's (yeah, even the assholes as they gave me great stories to tell)I had made some great friends, loved living on Lake Austin,was close enough to see my Daddy as often as I wanted and Lane and I were having a great time fucking with the neighbors, cowboys and deer hunters...But I had this itch on the bottom of my feet..so when Chuck called and said he was working at Paramount Studio in Hollywood and could get me a job making up to $17 an hour....I thought it might not be a bad deal(that is what I get for thinking) so the kids and I talked it over and they were all for it..so we tossed our stuff in the back of the truck and off we went...
This turned out to be a big ass mistake...I worked at Paramount Studio as a prop maker..yes, I made great money..but the smog was making MJ ill, as she had asthma, and I couln't find a house or apt that I would put my kids in so we lived in Mira Loma on a 15 acre farm which is down by Riverside..So I'm working in Hollywood and living damn half way down the state.Then my boss gave me a key one day with directions on a peice of paper with directions on it to his place.Said this job was over and if I wanted to keep my job...well..you get the idea...I would have been able to take my choice between working on Popeye in Malta or Urban Cowboy in Houston...but to get the job some sex was involved...so...no more job..I stuck around long enough to start doing speed again, but finally knew I had to go back to Texas...and this time I didn't need Daddy's help...just moved to West...so another year pissed away...hey..I was getting really good at being a fuckup....While I was prefecting assholeism President Carter pardoned the draft evaders.Scientists were making insulin with bacteria,the Supreme Court ruled that states are not required to spend medicaid funds on elective abortions. South African Stephen Biko was savagely beaten and killed by police while in custody..bastids..Nuclear-prolification pact, curbing spread of nuclear weapons, was signed by 15 countries, including U.S. and USSR.While you all were rocking and rolling, I was country swinging to Willie, Waylon, Crystal Gayle and Emmylou Harris. I was cultivating my country roots by falling in love with Ernest Tubb, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Bob Wills(yes he is still the king),Jimmy Rogers, bluegrass and much more...(this process from rock and roller to country galm just cracked my Daddy up as he had been trying to convert me since I was 11)Rock was becoming something I was not all that fond of but some of it was pretty fucking great..like'Lay Down Sally' by Eric Clapton,'She's Not There'by Santana, 'Smoke on the Water' by Deep Purple and 'Tumbling Dice' by Linda Ronstadt.But some of this shit was not my thing... "Disco Inferno' by The Trammps, 'Do anything you Wanna Do'by Rods, 'Don't Belive a Word'by Thin Lizzy,'Smile'by Pussycat, 'You and Me'by Alice Cooper, and 'Sheena's a Punk Rocker'by the Romones.'Fanfare for the Common Man'by Emerson Lake and Palmer,'First thing in the Morning'by Kiki Dee,'Give a Little Bit'by Supertramp, 'Hereos by David Bowie, 'High Rollin'by Sherbert, 'Holidays in the Sun'by Sex Pistols, 'In the City'by the Jam, and 'It takes all night long'by Gary Glitter.Who could forget(???)Jamming/Punky Reggea Party by Bob Marley and the Wailers,'Let there be Rock'by AC/DC,and 'Mary of the Fourth Form'by Boomtown Rats.I loved 'Lay Down Sally'by Eric Clapton,'Live in the Fast Lane'by the Eagles, and 'Margaretaville'by Jimmy Buffett.'We are the Champions'by Queen, 'White Riot'by the Clash, 'Tear Me Apart'by Susie Quatro,'Peg'by Steely Dan, 'Pretty Vacant'by Sex Pistols. 'No body does it Better'by Carley Simon. Oh and that great classic..'White Punks on Dope'by the Tubes..'Psycho Killers'by Talking Heads,'You're in my Heart'by Rod Stewart,'American Gir'by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers,'Darlin'Darlin'Baby'by the O'Jays, and one of my allllll time favorites "Black Betty(bamdebam) by Ram.and loved 'Handy Man'by James Taylor, 'Tonights the Night'by Rod Stewart,'You Don't Have to be a Star(to be in my show)by Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis,jr.,'You Make Me Feel Like Dancing'by Leo Sayer, 'Cat Scratch Fever'by Ted(asshole)Neugent,'Car Wash'by Rose Royce, 'Torn Between Two Lovers'by Mary MacGregor,and two great songs by the Eagles...'Hotel California and New Kid in Town'..'Evergreen by Barbara Streisand, 'Rich Girl'by Hall and Oates, 'Dancing Queen,Knowing Me, Knowing You by ABBA.'Southern Lights'by Glen Campbell,'Going your own way and Don't Stop'by Fleetwood Mac,'Gonna Fly Now(theme from Rocky)by Bill Conti, 'Undercover Angel'by Alan O'day,'Do Da Ron Run'by Shaun Cassidy(I babysat for him one day when his nurse was sick..long story..I was 14).'Looks like we made it'by Barry Manilow, 'I just want to be your everything'by Andy Gibb,'Best of my love'by The Emotions,and that song that still makes me want to go beserk and maim people'You light up my life'by Debby Boone.'How deep is your love'by the Bee Gees,'Boogie Nights'by Heatwave,'Carry on my wayward son'by Kansas,and another favorite by Commodores.'BrickHouse''Complete Control'by the Clash,and the anthem for rockandroll...'We Will Rock You'by Queen.'Chanson O'amour'(great sing along song)by The Manhattan Transfer, 'Deacon Blue'by Steely Dan, 'I Feel Love'by Donna Summer,'Way Down'by Elvis,and ole Kenny Rogers made enough to support 5 wives off of this song'Lucille'....and last but not least..a song that I not only love, but try to live each night by..."Dancing in the Moonlight'by Thin Lizzy...
I have gone from New Mexico to California, to Texas, to California, back to Texas...Why didn't some one write a 'traveling woman'song for me...
fuckme till I say you all, ya'll......
Blogger is fucking with me..can't down load (up load??) my pictures..so will either do them later or just say fuck it and not put them in at all..take that ya bastids...
15 comments:
Jeez...I wish some of the people I've worked with would show that kind of initiative.
Now Iv'e gotta go through my Gary Glitter collection and see if I can find "It Takes All Night Long." LOL! I thought I had most of his stuff! Suzi Quatro too.
JS, thanks for being there for Nancy. Makes me feel good to know she has you. :-)
I enjoyed this new chapter of your life. I didn't recognize as many of the songs this post..I guess my taste in music was changing..
You leave me in the dust.
I don't recognize as much of the music as I did at the beginning. Not surprising; I was a little older by then.
Black Betty is having a revival over here by one of our bands Spiderbait and I have to admit I'm liking their cover of it.
I loved Gary Glitter pity he is such a scumbucket now.
Definitely entering a dark period in music by the late 1970s....love reading every year of your life!
I couldn't get photos on blogger yesterday either; kept timing out. Works today though.
I remember the music and some of the women and that night in Waco - oops. :)
I remember that year! I was so bored with my job in the Air Force thet I started working in a Restruant Lounge called the Jolly Lobster. I became bartender after awhile and then I'm ashamed to say that it was converted to a Disco bar with lighted dance floore and all. I was the only person in the place that didn't dance. Kinda became a challenge to the regular ladies.
I didn't need to dance though, he who controls the booze is popular no matter what.
Wow, you coulda been in pictures!
As always a great read. :)
I love reading your posts. A history by music. It's become one of my favorite sites because that is a lot of how my mind works too - landmarks by music. (And sometimes smell). Thanks - continue it - it's great!!
i guess there's no sexual harassment in the workplace then.
the sounds in this year was a mix , i think .but i still like j.t. and eric .
I have to say, once again, that I enjoy reading your biographical work on this blog. I will never agree with you on most political issues, we are nearly opposites on that, but at least we can keep our discussions friendly.
I love your ingenuity, shame more shopworkers don't show that initiative , instead of just brushing you off with a shrug of the shoulders.
I was 12 then and just getting into music in a big way , my pride & joy was my Goodmans record player that was so big it doubled as a seat in my bedroom :)
I find with many types of music some years are better than others.
Wow...so you've been in West, TX ever since?
It's usually easier to see a mistake AFTER it's done, unfortunately. I guess that's how we get to be wise YDG's?
You are not a fuck up ydg, everyone makes a mistake once in a while.
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