Parade post mortem

15 pounds of candy later...I am a thrice decorated veteran of the St. Patty's Day parade wars. And trust me, this parade business is not for the faint of heart. We were lined up in our group by 1:17 pm and then had to wait until 3:21 pm before we could roll forth into the waiting hordes of candy-seeking rodents (kids).

And what was it I wrote? Why do we bother? And what do we get out of it? I'll tell you what I got out of it yesterday, 2 smiling people yelled something or other about "Wilkes-Barre Online," and 1 of the former mayor's myrmidons flashed me a smart-looking finger. Guess which finger.

The attendance was noticeably off, but there was no surprise in that considering that the meteorologists were warning us about a promised Katrina II. The wind was such that I am now stuck with approximately 235 coloring books until next we call for a parade. We did toss a few, but the steady and robust wind was blowing them back at the truck and the cops aren't too keen on giving the kiddies a reason to run out into the procession of moving vehicles.

Oh, yeah, thanks to the Citizens' Voice for providing 250 of the bags they use to protect the newspapers during periods of precipitation. We'll use 'em next time.

I need to respond to one of the comments left by a reader.

Kayak Dude is a proud, self-avowed tree hugger. And tree huggers do not eat Cheerios. And the way I hear it, I'd guess that Kayak Dude probably prefers Wheat Germies with hand-picked berries to any General Mills product.

But I could be mistaken.

And this one...

David Yonki said...
I was thinking the same thing last night as I drove home from, like you, a 6 day work week. Don't get me wrong, after 11 months of unemployment I wasn't complaining but I was looking at my Sunday edition (not yet posted yet) as a chore. I was wondering who was out there. When I got home I checked my e mail and found a note from a stranger/fan in Rochester, New York. Said he read LuLac because he grew up in WB and wanted a connection. That told me that someone is out there and Kman's comments notwithstanding, we do serve a purpose. As the kids used to say in Creative Writing class: WRITE ON.

When I was still at the old site, I used to get pounded with hits from people who had left the area in search of meaningful employment, but kept up on the latest news from the area. More often than not, they'd say that they read both of the daily newspapers, and then my site to get yet another perspective, especially the political goings-on in the city. And this was especially so during the McGroarty years and the immediate aftermath.

As far as the work vs. blogging thing goes, it was pointed out to me many, many moons ago by a friend that we could tell if I was severely agitated and the like just by the writing style of the posts. As he correctly pointed out, my vocabulary expands as my moods worsen. Not sure why, but he pointed to example after example.

So, if I'm in a killing mood, expect something like...fractional divisions thereof in pedal-depressed panchromatic resonance and other highly ambient domains you sons of Beechnut Gums!

Weird, I know.

Then again, a former Times Leader once told me it's probably not a good idea to post anything at all when I'm angry. Advice I have heeded many times over. Sorry, but I'm as mercurial as I am acerbic.

One...more...time...

frackmountain said...
Mark,I started my first blog (short poems, photos, essays)(qazse.com) for many reasons - some known to me, some not. One reason I did so was akin to an ancient ancestor drawing his take on life upon a cave wall - the will to express myself. I think that is a human need which has been factoried out of many. We all have talents but few venues. Another reason would be validation - to be regarded by other writers as legit. I have posted less and less at qazse over the past year. It is a lot of work even for the short pieces I do. My computer is slow, comments must be answered, visiting other blogs, commenting there, I type like a baboon, I read very slowly (dyslexic),... When I posted daily there was also ego involved. I attained a page rank of 5 and wanted to push it to a higher level. I'm rambling...

Anyhow, it has only been lately that I have come upon you, Dude and DB, as a reader. You are all talented and provide insights I would otherwise not glean. I think what you all have in common is you care. And maybe that is the bottom line.

(Don't feel it necessary to post daily. Few print media full-time people can put out a column each day. I just think it would be a shame to loose your take. I know you turned me around on Leighton.)

(PS to Sentinel, same goes out to you.)Probably overstepping my bounds,

Herb

I was not suggesting that anyone should consider walking away from their sites. I think my most pertinent questions (thinking out loud in text) were the ones about why we feel the need to do it, and what is it that we get out of it. Stuff that has to vary from person to person.

I think that collectively speaking, we all add some sorts of insights every now and again. Sadly, too many of them seem to be rejected or mocked along strict party or ideological lines.

I honestly wish all that blog would divulge, maybe not where they work, but what they do. I find it much more interesting when someone writes what they write based on their experiences in the workplace, rather than what they may have read on the Internet somewhere. It kind of fills in some of the blanks as to why they feel the way they do on a given issue.

And I agree, we do have some quality writers in these electronic parts who shall go nameless so as to not alienate everybody else not nominated.

I'm glad you came around on Tom Leighton. He's done a ton of good for this city in only 5 short years, and he is probably capable of much more. What I like the most about him is he is not given to pandering. He does not shy away from making unpopular decisions. And that's why he gets so much grief.

As for Kayak Dude's terse comments left here, the following arrived via the email inbox...

Mark:

Had some water problems in basement and was outside when you called. Was just bustin' your yayas with my comment to "Why bother". In the end...to sit by and do nothing is not an option. Plus...I am Kayak Dude. I do not take that role lightly.

BTW...I heard all this high water has reopened the Knox whirlpool (a little) near Pittston. Just letting you know ahead of time..could be a little tricky in June.

Yeah, I know, you're Kayak Dude, the only super hero with a Bedazzled cape.

To be honest, I'd prefer to go hard right around that island and stay well clear of that little whirlpool. Those box cars have been submerged in that mine for over fifty years. And with the couple still above ground reduced to piles of rusted rubble, I can only imagine how little is left of the box cars entombed just under the bottom of the river.

If and when the Knox Mine starts drinking water by the millions of gallons per minute again, I don't want to be sitting atop it idly discussing all things Chief Muckamucka, you know?

So, as that fateful and near forgotten pinprick on the map fast approaches, I say we go ramming speed and hard right.

Later