I Know Things:)

Two days a week I'm a janitor...I know things:) The preceding sentence brings to mind one of my favorite movie quotes; the movie: "High Heels and Low Lifes". The quote (as I remember it) was delivered by Minnie Driver to her boy friend as she was throwing him out of her apartment (n life); "Ray...you shouldn't have your head so far up your a--, I'm a nurse I know these things!".  Yes, I do know little dumb things; hopefully you will find at least one useful or interesting.

First up Spiders. One office I have been cleaning for almost nine years and depending on the season I know where the spiders show up at. For the most part mine are very tiny cob web spiders and seem to prefer the same spots...I'll vacumn them up and  next week others have moved in...like someone put up a for rent sign. The biggest spiders in your office you will never see. The live behind your bookcases and filing cabinets. Every now and then I manage to vacumn one up...but there are some that (probably another generation) I have never managed to get. These usually come out at nite or on the weekends. The exception is during mating season and they will wander farther from thier places of safety. This building has high walls, 18 -24 feet high. So at those times of the year there will be some really huge spiders up above. Most people never notice, but the world being as it is it could cause quit a distrubance. My solution: heavy duty rubber bands! I loop one end of the rubber band on the end of my right hand index finger and pull straight back with my left hand, sliding up my right arm...aim and if I'm real lucky I will knock the spider down on the first attemp. Generally it takes me a half dozen tries but this always works...good idea to have the vacumn hose attachment at the ready and machine on. The other office I clean is a dentist practice...needless to say I go to extremes to minimize the risk of a spider showing up...basically dusting high everyweek...the top edges of the wall and were the walls meet...and everything in between. No Webs No Spiders.

Some little things I've noticed. It seems once somebody starts using kleenex they are hooked. I may be way off base here but if you examine the area around a box of tissues that have been used all week on a dark desktop you will notice this really fine dust...nose...dust...??? Go figure.

At the dentist office I keep things dusted so well that at some point I just don't look at the flourecent light fixture lens (this what they call that the plastic: lens). So not very often I will find a note reminding me...which is good. Can you imagine using high speed equipment  on a tooth and a bug fearing patient notices the light above...for a janitor bug free lites equal job security.

Keeping ground coffee in the freezer is a common practice these days; both at home and work. I have one frig. I clean and found that if you use your vacumn hose attachment the grounds that might (or do) get spilt come right out. Try it.

Something to think about whether you have a cube in the basement or view on the 22nd floor...

there is something that can make a janitor really nervous....usb flashdrives. I'm talking about towers on the floor...this usb drive sticks out and the socket it is pluged into is hooked to a printed circuit board. Now if a vacumn cleaner just happened to hit it just right your whole mother board may need to be replaced...I haven't hit one yet but they do make me nervous. Anyway that is the janitor stuff.

Bed time again,

Jim

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BEYOND the RIBBON

A documentary by: Jennifer Welkker

Make it happen..donate if you can...pass it on if you can't
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Danni Rosner- Vocals/piano

Markus Huber- Bass

Bryan Dawley- Guitar

Rico Allen- Drums

 

Picture from "The Bitter End" 10/10/2009

UPDATE

DANNI ROSNER AT

THE BITTER END VIDEO!

An amazing live video ...Thankyou Danni n' Crew!

Follow Dani and band on Facebook

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BEYOND the RIBBON

A documentary by: Jennifer Welkker

Make it happen..donate if you can...pass it on if you can't


 =============================================

Danni Rosner
"and her kick ass band"

At the historic "The Bitter End"

Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009

Indie Music Examiner

October 5, 2009

I'm typed out this week but the above says it all...
Jim

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BEYOND the RIBBON

A documentary by: Jennifer Welkker

Make it happen..donate if you can...pass it on if you can't

 =============================================

"I sound like a housewife, I am a housewife"

from the song; Anchorage, by Michelle Shocked

"I sound like a groupie, I am a groupie!?

from a sudden realization, Via my brain, by Jim Crabb

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I remember the first time I heard Michelle Shockeds' Anchorage...it was on the David Letterman show. It was recorded on a walkman (seems like either France or England) and came out perfect! It is a story about a letter Michelle sent to a friend (partly fact n' partly fiction?) as she was out singing and traveling the world. She sent the letter to Texas and the reply came from Anchorage, Alaska. Her friend was describing her life and at one point remarks; "I sound like a housewife" and in a moment of self relization the next line is; "I am a housewife." I'm visual artist that has dabbled in writing...short rambling prose and song lyrics. In another land and time I was sixteen with an electric guitar and had an idea I would become the next Brian Jones (first rythm guitar with the Stones). I was in a three cord cover band in what is now the Silicon Valley and I loved it. As far as singing goes after the first year of not quite playing as a togeather group we hired a pro to listen and find out where and what we were doing wrong. We started playing and singing and before we really get started he yells; "STOP!". He then had each one of us sing alone...I got about three or four words out and he says; "that's it!". So I didn't sing backup anymore. Our lead guitar player was glad, we shared a mic and I had a habit of spitting...not glad just plain happy! Anyway I lasted two more years. got drafted...the band lasted a total of five. I wouldn't trade those years for anything. A little history there, opened for the Gollywogs (began Creadance Clearwater Rival), they were the second band. The headliner was the Count Five...they had one hit the now classic Phycotic Reaction. I was writing lyrics and had a song togeather but we never played it as a group. So over the years off and on I write, sometimes put some music to the storiies.Did one Album cover. But I suddenly realized I have become a groupie (I use the word losely-maybe avid fan?). The internet makes this possible and Twitter makes daily contact or just info. possible. Right now I'm following  Danni Rosner, and  Bess Rogers.  Danni Rosner  is playing somewhere and anywhere...this girl loves what she is doing and is also playing the Bitter End (NYC) only on Oct. 10th 2009. All are really down to earth and very real.  But what should I do...I might do an EP, my stuff...then I would at least be a wanna be...and of course every young singer would have a point of referance, "I'm better than that!"...who knows someone might see beyond the noise and do a cover. But Actually being a Fan is a GOOD thing...an IMPORTANT thing...being any kind of artist that chooses to do thier own thing, like the above, isn't always glamorous...it is a lot of hard hard (not a typo) work, raman noodles,strange motels, trying to sleep while driving all night to the next town and a little insanity and believe it or not isolation...so if you love someones work let them know![That EP idea, the seed has been planted...umm...SoundCloud...are you scared?]
Jim
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You can help make it happen:

BEYOUND THE RIBBON

Donate if you can-pass it on if you can't

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BEYOND the RIBBON

A documentary by Jennifer Welkker

Filmmaker, Writer, and Activist.

The film is about Soldiers, Refugees and the cost of War.

It also follows a homeless veteran to show just how war has forever
changed his life. more...

BEYOND the RIBBON is in production, and could use your support

in bringing this story to you and the world. I feel this is really important

and a little bit here and there adds and you can say "I helped pay for that!"

So do what you can...pass this along....

Jim