Overheard Conversations and other stuff

Yesterday I was hiding in the back of the coffee shop trying to get some writing done when one of the girls who works there (she can’t be more than a year or two out of high school), came into the back corner talking on her cell phone. I couldn’t help but be intrigued and drawn into the conversation.

Girl: “Grandma, I wanted to call and tell you that I’m doing something really exciting tonight.”

Me (thinking), “If she’s telling Grandma, this can’t be too exciting,”

Grandma: (conjecture something up here since I have no idea what she said)

Girl: I’m going with (insert name) and (insert name) to (insert city) tonight. We’re going to protest sending more troops over to Iraq.

Me (thinking): “You’re calling your grandma to tell her you’re going to a protest? Who’s your grandma, ‘Mother Jones’?”

Grandma: (you’ll have to conjecture something else up here)

Girl: “This is so exciting and important and I thought you’d want to know.”

Me (thinking): “My family about disowned me when they saw me on TV, directing the picketing at the North Carolina Republican Convention where James Watt (who makes Georgie Boy almost look like an environmentalist) was giving the keynote address. I’m pretty sure this girl wasn’t born then! Gee, I am an Old Fart.
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Ever since Bone told us about his new girlfriend Nan, I’ve been noticing how many other folks are also involved with her. This girl gets around! This is my Nan, clad in leather, getting a recharge. In an attempt to act younger than my age, I’ll let you into some of the secrets Nan and I share:

Audiobooks: David Maranis, They Marched into Sunlight: War and Peace in Vietnam and America, October 1967. I also still have Moby Dick and In the Heart of the Sea loaded, but have already listened to them (parts of them more than once)

Music: Bob Dylan, "Blood on the Tracks"
Brahms, "Requiem"
"The Best of Leonard Cohen"
Eric Clapton: "The Cream of Clapton"
Cowboy Junkies, "The Trinity Session"
Pink Floyd, "Wishing You Were Here"
Steely Dan, "Aja"
The Very Best of Sheryl Crow
(I need to update these, but since I seldom listen to music on Nan, it don’t matter)

Podcasts: BBC “All Things Considered”
“Grammar Girls Quick Guide and Dirty Tips for Better Writing”
Coffee Break Spanish
NPR Satire, “The Unger Report”
Renewing Your Mind with R.C. Sproul
Peachtree Presbyterian Church Sermons
The Philosophy Podcast
(now if I just had time to listen to them all)

Pictures: She has lots of pictures of the kids (since I don’t carry photos in my wallet, this comes in handy)

Calendar: I use to have Nan keep my calendar too, but I haven't been able to download it from Outlook since her recent update (have I ever said anything about how I’m always leery of updates and am no longer fooled by the “new and improved” slogan?)