24 Jun, 2008
Right now I’m at the Dispatch desk, working a 11pm – 7am shift.
I thought i was working this later in the week and had planed accordingly. I found out by chance that it was tonight and the new kinda threw my week for a loop.
It’s ok though, it’s 0230 and I’m not dragging too badly. Batman (the one with Jim Carey) is on TV and I have a can of Red Bull left and some Rice stuff to eat.
There’s something about early, early mornings. The still and the general….lifelessness of the peace and quiet that comes, at times, in the small hours of a morning.
It doesn’t seem to matter where I am or what I’m doing, there always seems to be times, at this time of day that remind me of overnight Ferry Crossings.
As a child I would travel to Liverpool (UK) regularly for various things and, more often than not, the most convenient crossing to board back to the Island was the late night crossing, leaving Liverpool (or Heysham) at around 11pm (or after) and getting to the Island around 6am.
Maybe those crossings have been my earliest experiences of very early mornings, thus my association with everything thereafter.
Maybe it’s the pleasant thought of being on a Ferry, on the Irish sea, with the hum of the engines, the sound of the sea and the still and quiet of everyone around you either quietly going about their business or trying to sleep.
Still, I’m not complaining, it’s not a bad thing and it’s sometimes nice to reminisce.
17 Jun, 2008
So, here’s the plan.
Tomorrow I’ll go get my hair (all of them) cut at my local barber shop.
I’ve not had it cut anywhere else in years.
It’s a small, Italian type place, where, for $10 you get a haircut and the barber (Carmine himself) gets a $2 tip.
It’s more about entertainment than anything. At any time of day (4 or 5 am through 4 or 5 pm, Tuesday – Saturday) you’ll find all kinds of characters.
It’s a good cut too. Shaving cream and cut-throat razor included. Suckers for the kids and dog biscuits for the local dogs.
Yes, I know – you’d think that this post was is a sponsored one. Wrong. I’ll pay my $10 tomorrow and Carmine likely wouldn’t know a blog if it bit him.
Need a hair cut? in the area? Check it out.
9 Apr, 2008
Munhall, Pennsylvania. Just outside Pittsburgh (bordering on the City limits) home to about 10,000 people, 5 fire companies, part of the Waterfront, a large cemetery, and ummm well, it’s Munhall. It’s nice because it’s close to all the necessities. There’s the Waterfront, Mall, Sandcastle, Downtown, Kennywood and all that fun stuff.
Even on a more local level, on Main Street for example (yes, Main Street) there is a gas station, fire station, grocery store, pharmacy, card store, numerous tanning salons and numerous pizza companies.
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8 Apr, 2008
When I’m not at my computer (rare) I’ve been finding myself at the local real estate office.
Two doors down the street is an office that has been a part of Munhall for about…. ever. The fact that it’s a Real Estate office and occasionally some real estate is bought, sold or whatever is really only a technicality.
During the work week at 10 am and 4pm (and before 10, between 10 and 4, and after 4) a group of local men of varying ages gather there to put the world, and each other to rights.
It’s like a daily roast for all involved. There are no holds barred.
It’s too bad that so few of the ideas born in the back of that office make it out of the door, surely the World would be a better place for it.
Oh, there is coffee too. Lots and lots of coffee, half as many do-nuts as there can be, a third of the muffins there should be and never enough creamer.
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