Get off my LAWN! "Grumpy Old Farts"

[GwenOnBass]

Yep, if you're lucky, 1 out of 5 would be hot enough or even edible!

Here in 2020, agreed. Lucky to be tossed an ounce of pretzel rings.

On my Monday commute on the same 4 hour run I'd receive a hot omelette du fromage in economy class on the venerable MD-80. As in economy class-seated next to the engines in the last row economy class. Always save the upgrades for the return trip. The FAs saw me so often we're all friends now, right. No special treatment (until Friday), we're off to work again yay.

There's a lot to be said to travel with a reasonable level of comfort (given what all we're walking into the moment we deplane). Enough legroom and seat room that we don't risk deep vein thrombosis on top of everything else, yes? Now legroom is considered a luxury

 

[Jeff Scott]

View attachment 3796077

I hope that FSO in the background is your Stingray, or you have some 'splainin' to do, m'lady.

 

[GwenOnBass]

Well seen. That is indeed my Stingray! Also my coffee cup in the foreground.

 

[Jeff Scott]

That green bottle in the back on the counter/bar (?), is that the fabled Liquid Weed?

 

[Bobhmcs]

Well seen. That is indeed my Stingray! Also my coffee cup in the foreground.

Geez. And this is all I get.
Bob

 

[GwenOnBass]

That green bottle in the back on the counter/bar (?), is that the fabled Liquid Weed?

Feel better now?

The green one on the left is an empty inkwell, gifted me by Goddess Claire, keeper of the realms of arcane typography. All this analog stuff. People used to do that, you know? And we use QWERTY keyboards because the first keyboard designers needed a way to keep us from typing too quickly as the machine wasn't up to it. The Linotype machine - Wikipedia certainly could, and did match operators stroke for stroke with actual hot lead type. The first two columns of type are
e t a o i n
and
s h r d l u
which are the secret phrases for entrance to the after hours lemonade stand.

The pink analog wand is a Lamy Safari and sees first-line use. The other two are Sheaffer Imperials, circa 70? and cost way more new than I could afford new 50 years ago. Executive stuff.

 

[GwenOnBass]

Geez. And this is all I get.
Bob
View attachment 3796580

It's good stuff.

 

[Jeff Scott]

e t a o i n and s h r d l u

I used to date them; you never know what it's really like until you've done twins!

 

[beans-on-toast]

It's good stuff.

View attachment 3796651​

Never take a photo when you have been drinking, the image comes out unfocused.

 

[GwenOnBass]

There are times in life when nothing less than a Guinness will do.

 

[GwenOnBass]

A linotype is to typeheads what a tube bass amp is to [some people we may know]

 

[12BitSlab]

A linotype is to typeheads what a tube bass amp is to [some people we may know]

View attachment 3796714​

When I was a youngin', I went on a field trip to our local newspaper plant. I was amazed at how big and how loud the Linotype machines were. I wonder if the operators suffered hearing loss from doing that job day after day.

 

[GwenOnBass]

When I was a youngin', I went on a field trip to our local newspaper plant. I was amazed at how big and how loud the Linotype machines were. I wonder if the operators suffered hearing loss from doing that job day after day.

Oh yeah, totally they lost hearing, same as pressmen.

The way to spot a linotype operator is they don't wear their wedding ring. Because absolutely nobody wants to get their ring stuck in the keyboard.

A practical joker in the pressroom got fired for stuffing a pair of jeans and sneakers, and arranging it to appear a roll of newsprint fell on someone.

Rolls of newsprint:

 

[beans-on-toast]

Those machines had a musical cadence. A room full of them was more of a chaotic jumble of noise. Much like the typing pool room.

 

[GwenOnBass]

Those machines had a musical cadence. A room full of them was more of a chaotic jumble of noise. Much like the typing pool room.

All those machines have a musical cadence! .... some of it is burned in my memory, too.

 

[GonePlaid]

View attachment 3796616​

Feel better now?

The green one on the left is an empty inkwell, gifted me by Goddess Claire, keeper of the realms of arcane typography. All this analog stuff. People used to do that, you know? And we use QWERTY keyboards because the first keyboard designers needed a way to keep us from typing too quickly as the machine wasn't up to it. The Linotype machine - Wikipedia certainly could, and did match operators stroke for stroke with actual hot lead type. The first two columns of type are
e t a o i n
and
s h r d l u
which are the secret phrases for entrance to the after hours lemonade stand.

The pink analog wand is a Lamy Safari and sees first-line use. The other two are Sheaffer Imperials, circa 70? and cost way more new than I could afford new 50 years ago. Executive stuff.

Interesting. I've known etaoin shrdlu for 60 years, never knew(or forgot)wuttinahell it was.

 

[Bobhmcs]

It's good stuff.

View attachment 3796651​

Ooooh Yeah!
My late wife would ask if I would like a beer and I would say Thank You. She would show up about an hour later with said drink because it had become drinking temperature.
Bob

 

[GonePlaid]

Ooooh Yeah!
My late wife would ask if I would like a beer and I would say Thank You. She would show up about an hour later with said drink because it had become drinking temperature.
Bob

For me, drinking temp. is reached after removing beer from fridge and placing in freezer for 10+ minutes.

 

[Passinwind]

There are times in life when nothing less than a Guinness will do.

There are also times where nothing less than eleven will do.

 

[biguglyman]

because it had become drinking temperature.

For me, drinking temp. is reached after removing beer from fridge and placing in freezer for 10+ minutes.

In my "worldly" experiences gained while cruising the oceans on a (not so) big, grey, Naval vessel, I was able to sample beers all over the world and how other cultures enjoy them. Basically, I found beer drinking to fall into three categories which I will identify with what I think is their country of origin.

Brits: Drink their beer at room temperature. Don't know why, nor do I care. While I didn't really like it at that temp, when in Rome etc. They also have a unique phenomena that I did enjoy: the 'arf-n-'arf (half and half).
Basically a half pint of lager and a half pint of Guinness together in a pint glass.

Germans: Drink their beer at "cellar" temperature. I would guess that's around 45-55 degrees F. I REALLY enjoyed the beer in Germany and the temperature was palatable also. Most of the surrounding areas in Europe serve it at that temperature too. Works for me...

Yanks: For some reason seem to want their beer a few degrees above freezing. Perhaps this is because most popular American beers are "wind and water" as an Englishman once told me. I have to agree with this assessment. I simply can't bring myself to drink Budweiser (hate the taste), and most of the others are similar in their wimpyness. The "craft" beer boom has saved the American brewer in my eyes. Starting with Sam Adams, American breweries seem to be catering more and more to the refined taste buds. The varieties and different brewing processes available now bring me much joy. Now, if we Americans could just be convinced that freezing the tongue is not necessary to enjoying the brewmasters art...

All those machines have a musical cadence!

Writing a song years ago about my step-daughter who passed away at the age of 16 from something called "Batten Disease" (neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis). I suggest you do NOT research this unless you're ready for some heartbreaking reading. Anyway, I was stuck. Writers block big time. Christmas was coming and I really wanted this song on the CD to be released for the holidays. I'm working on a machine that gives a repetitive "thunk-thunk-thunk" as it runs. Maybe two "thunks" per second. Feeding this machine is mindless, repetitive work. As I'm standing there one night with the "thunk-thunk" going and my mind a blank, a bass line comes to me. As I hear it in my head it's synching up with the machine. It was like the sun suddenly appearing from behind the clouds. It all came together: rhythm, bass part, even the guitar part. I went home that morning and had the song roughed out, words and all, in about an hour. That machine is long gone but I'll never forget how it saved me, the CD, and made the song possible.