Saturday, June 13, 2009

Day -5: Celebrating with the Rolling Stones

One of the most effective weapons in the mighty arsenal of the US Armed Forces isn't a weapon at all. It's music. Every once in a while you'd hear this story about the Army or Marines ready to do battle somewhere and they'd blast music through their loud speakers. They aren't be psychic-ing themselves up. They're playing it for their enemies. 

Don't think it's a Miley Cyrus song either. No, when you're about to commit unbelievable terror on a bunch of strangers with guns, what is the appropriate tunage? From what I heard, it usually has something to do with Ronnie James Dio. A scared Arab fella might have heard a Miley Cyrus song or two or at least one of the millions like it. But he's never heard the horrific noise of a Dio song. Forget "Arab fella". It can scare the crap out of any of us. 

So at about three o'clock today, right at the time when this not-going-outside-the-floor, body-withering, nausea-and-crappiness cocktail thing is starting to get to me, I decide it's time to inflict pain on someone else. Now, the nurses here are very nice. At least that's what I can tell when I understand them. Many are from another country. And while my doctor doesn't really say more than three sentences to me and just the other day was so annoyed at my questions that he literally walked out of the room while I was in mid-sentence, he is saving my life. So they're all out. 

I couldn't go outside to find a stranger. I was left with one choice--the cancer. Yep, the nodes were gonna get it. But I had no Ronnie James Dio. Most of you would consider that a welcome trait, especially if you've ever heard him. I don't think he'll be coming out a Christmas album soon. Some of you (okay, only Glenn), may disagree. So I did the next best thing. I pressed shuffle on the iPod and what would you know, Sympathy for the Devil came up. This was the live version. Enough noise to disturb the cancer especially when you turn it up to eleven, which I did. It was a beautiful moment. Take a little of this. 

Other than that, life here is the same. It's the same because it is as controlled an environment as anyone can create without a revolt from the inmates. A hurricane came through Houston last year. You would think it was sprinkling outside if you were in here. In the meantime, my own body is purposely heading south. At least I'm humming. 



7 comments:

  1. Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ_FgL5l1og

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  2. When you can't sleep at night and don't want to turn on the lights, let Ronnie James Dio give you a Rainbow in the Dark. At least he likes beer...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyGMcI5b408

    http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/6c54e5f297/strikeforce-delta-5059-from-ryanmcg

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  3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZELjIqHQlUY&feature=related

    http://blog.limewire.com/posts/9044-lookout-ronnie-james-dio-records-christmas-song/

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  4. I try to comment on most postings that Michael puts on here, but the Ronnie James Dio subject matter is tough. First of all, my knowledge of RJD is limited to 2 songs and that he was the lead guy for Black Sabbath after Ozzie. Not exactly a background with subject matter that gives one fertile ground upon which to comment. Secondly, the fact that Michael discusses the Rolling Stones in the same posting with Ronnie James Dio and Miley Cyrus indicates to me that the brain must really be scrambled at the moment. That being said, I have often believed that those whose brains are scrambled along with those who have receive lobotomies are those who are most likely to find my musings entertaining.

    We leave for the land of cheese, brats and beer in a few hours for a weekend baseball tournament. It's been quite some time since I have been in my home state. The last trip I made up north was sadly educational for me. We had gone up for a soccer tournament and after watching games in the pouring rain on Sat, we had gone out for a pizza and beer and then planned on heading back to the hotel so the real drinking could begin with no concerns about driving. Since the hotel did not have a bar, it was necessary to stop for package goods on the way. To my sheer horror, you can no longer purchase package goods in Wiscy after 9:00pm. I must say that I am impressed with the power of the bar lobby in Wisconsin, but it made for some desperate times at the hotel as everyone pooled what they had left in their coolers and we drew straws to see who would drink and who would not. I remember the cold sweat on my face as my first turn came and I pulled out a straw that allowed me to continue drinking. Or perhaps it was the cold sweat on the beer that I pulled out of the cooler that I am remembering. I am quite sure that the trembling of my hand as I reached for that first beer from the cooler had everything to do with my facing down of death from thirst and not from anything to do with the "need" to keep drinking.

    Like a boyscout I am much better prepared for this weekend in terms of full coolers and where and when to restock. This is good, because tonight's weather does not look real promising for baseball. The nice thing about baseball over soccer is that at least they have the good sense to quit playing baseball in a driving rain storm. Quite honestly the list of good things about baseball versus soccer is endless so I will not bother to continue with said list here, other than to say that perhaps the single best thing about baseball is that it is not soccer.

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  5. Miguel,

    Next time you feel the need to open up a can of RJD whoopass:

    http://drop.io/DioLockUpTheWolves

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  6. Michael,

    It's either Day 0 or Day 1 - or somewhere around there - and hopefully some of your stem cells made it back home to you. Best wishes and here's to better health in the days, weeks and months to come. Cheers.

    Glenn

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  7. Thinking about you Michael.
    XOXO.

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