Just over this past year, once in a great while I’d notice a squirrel running about Downtown that didn’t look like our resident squirrels. It was smaller and had long almost white fur growing above its ears. Having seen Nordic squirrels with their long ears when on vacation once, it crossed my mind that they’ve somehow managed to emigrate to North America. Late this afternoon I happened to see another one, and since I had my camera with me, I was able to get a picture of it before it scurried off. The above photo is yet another one, but its hairy ears aren’t as long as what I’ve seen elsewhere in the Downtown. Even though I’m not a fan of squirrels, these long hairy-eared ones I’d at least consider cute.
Upon walking outside early this morning and getting a good sniff of the air I thought to myself, “This is going to be a beautiful day.” For the strangest reason it felt filled with life. After walking out of my public open house and finding the temperature at 75 degrees, I couldn’t help but look to make sure I was reading it correctly. Sure enough, as I was bobbing back and forth across the City with afternoon errands, I was not surprised to find young women pushing strollers bubbling over with babies and different groups of two or three young men and women sauntering down the City sidewalks with as little on as our weather permitted. Several of the shirtless men appeared to have already had too much of today’s sun as they looked a little more red than pink. Of course the motorcycles are back at it Downtown again with their very annoying vroom at their start off when the traffic lights turn green. I’ve come to the conclusion the main reason many do that is because they want to be seen and heard. I personally know a man who likes doing it around our City, and certainly gloats over being noticed. I once said to him, “Can’t you get your Harley any quieter?” I was not surprised by his response of, “That’s part of the package of owning one.” All I can say is there’s going to be big money to be made by the hearing aide manufacturers in the future. I read a scientific article some years ago where it had predicted a huge rise in the percentages of the general public who’ll require hearing aides more sooner than later due to the volume levels of machinery and electronics they’re freely and willingly exposing themselves to on a daily basis. Most don’t realize that when one has music plugs in their ears for a long period of time, they become more quickly hard of hearing because they’re un-knowingly increasing the volume to get more of a “high” from the music they’re playing. Fortunately for me, I absolutely detest any type of loud noises. There’ve been many a concerts I walked out of over the years simply because of that. And then of course there’s the squealing high pitched voices of cheering and yelling after each performance to where one feels half deafened while walking out. There’ve been tickets given to me for concerts and when after doing a little prior reviewing of the shows to be held, I’d quickly and quietly re-gift them to someone who’d be all the more liking of a screaming performance. Yes, I said screaming because that’s what I believe many of the popular singers do instead of sing with normal voices. I’m certainly glad we all have our likes and dislikes which makes living in America all the more unique. We live in such a diverse country where just about anyone can find like-minded people who enjoy the same type of entertainment.
Having a little time to kill later last evening, I happened to watch a documentary on Roller Derbies. I’d almost forgotten about them and how they used to be so eagerly watched back in the 1960’s and 70’s. What I remember most were the Roller Derby Babies who were rough and tough women who’d do anything to be at the head of the pack. Being so young and impressionable at the time when I first watched one, I was mortified to see grown women battling it out on television. I’d likely forgotten about the Roller Derby mania because I thought it to be too crass for my taste at the time—especially on prime time television. As with every arena of business and pleasure, we find the rainbow of ideological cohorts who’re out there promoting their like-minded groups. See if you can find a clip from YouTube of one of the Roller Derby Babies television programs and judge for yourself.
