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All posts for the month July, 2014

Just Another Day at the Office

Posted by Bud Weiser, WTIT on July 25, 2014

Posted in: Saturday 9. 16 Comments

Thanks to Gal for authoring this meme. Click on the Sat-9 header directly below to play.

Saturday 9: Summerfling

(recommended by Kwizgiver)

If you’re not familiar with today’s song, you can hear it here.

Is it me or did they get older?

1) This song refers to the summer breezes and winds of mid-July. Now that July is almost over, how would you describe this month’s weather where you are? Hotter than the French Twins in a shower. Today, however, is terrific.

2) The lyrics mention the “perfect plans.” Do you have plans for today? Or will you just let this summer Saturday unfold? As I write this it is Friday. Tonight WTIT records. Whether we do comedy or not, it’s always a great time. Saturday, I will probably be hung over.

3) This week’s artist, k. d. lang, attended Red Deer Community College in Alberta. Red Deer’s school colors are green, black and silver. What were your school colors? Emerson College was blue and gold. I did varsity sailing one week when they were desperate. Now that I think of it, so did Galloping Gary. He didn’t even go to the school. Gary was up for the weekend and my roommate was on the team. My roommate and I came in last. Even Gary beat us.

RIP Lee Thompson Young (far left).

4) She had a bit part in the 2006 murder mystery The Black Dahlia. Do you enjoy murder mysteries? For the most part I am a fan. My mom is a big “Murder She Wrote” fan. I got into the Agatha Christie shit for a short time a couple of marriages ago. Now I just enjoy police/crime dramas like “NCIS” or “Rizzolli & Isles”.

5) Ms. lang is a vegetarian. What’s the last beef, chicken, pork or fish you ate? Oh, you want a diary of the food I ate? When? Had I had Chinese last night, I would have probably hit them all. Although, you didn’t mention “cat”. Why doesn’t k.d. land use caps? And why does our friend “Cat.” Always use a period in her name? (I actually figured that out long ago. Did you know…that when I authored Sat-9 that I stole a tone of questions from her archive? She didn’t notice at the time but I ‘fessed up after Gal took over.)

6) In 2000, when this song was released, California suffered a series of blackouts. Has your power gone out this summer? Once. It was just my street and don’t think we ever found out why. You care SO much when they are out. Was it lightning? A sudden July snow event? A accident because of sex in the car? But the moment the power comes on, you could not care less about any of what had turned it off.

7) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire also came out in 2000. Did you read it? No.

8) Which would you rather have on your hot dog: sauerkraut, ketchup/mustard/relish or chili? While I love dogs any which way, chili dogs are my favorite.

9) If you had your choice, which would you prefer: new shoes or a new wallet? Ha! Guys hate shopping. Mostly we have a couple of dress shoes and our work shoes. I have had a problem lately with wallets. I’ve bought several that fell apart. I’m getting a new one this coming week.
Tough week for my family. My dad is getting tossed from his assisted living place. He has both dementia and psych issues. He slams his door for a half hour when he’s frustrated. I firmly believe his doctor doesn’t have a clue on his meds. However, he picks and chooses which ones he takes and since it is not a skilled nursing facility, they don’t force the issue. I was going to see him yesterday, but just couldn’t. I decided I’d go Sunday. We need a psych evaluation. He told my sister-in-law that he knows he doesn’t have much time and he wants to do a lot. The hardest part for me is that he isn’t physically in good shape either. With my back (ten operations) I can’t move him around. Yesterday my sister texted me and I replied that at the meeting (when we found out he was being thrown out) our medical specialist (hired by my brother at a very high rate) was worthless. It was at that moment I noticed that it was a group text that went to that specialist. I tried to cover it, but really, what could I add? Before the meeting she asked us not to talk and that they wouldn’t toss him. She never is out front, and seldom correct when guesses wrong on what will happen next correctly.

On a brighter note, it is a WTIT recording night as I mentioned. We never have a bad time. We expect Johnnie Walker, Bouncing Billy & Rock Rolling. In the 60s & 70s we recorded multiple times a week. In the 80s it was weekly. We were raising our kids so we went weekly because we need a “boy’s night out”. The wives loved it, since we weren’t in bars. From 1999 to 2011 we only recorded a couple of times a year. We now are doing it every other month now, which is perfect.

My granddaughter Zoey.

I spent last weekend with my son Ben & his family. I got some good pics with my granddaughter Zoey. On Sunday we saw the Yankees beat the Cincinnati Reds. It was a walk off win, which I don’t think I’ve seen in person before. I’ll be here again. Same time, same blog.

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It’s Not Over Because It’s Too Much Fun

Posted by Bud Weiser, WTIT on July 13, 2014

Posted in: sunday stealing. 16 Comments

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Thank you Allison for hosting Sunday Stealing. to join in click here.

Sunday Stealing: One Thing Meme

With my three granddaughters. From left: Zoey 3, Lindsay 8 & Lauren 12. I do also have a newborn grandson, James. We have not met.

One Thing …

that makes you smile: My grandchildren always bring joy. I don’t see them nearly enough. Next weekend, I will spend a day with my 3 year old. I’ve only been with her at family events and she tends to gravitate toward her mother and other children. This time I’ll get a full day with just my son and her.

that makes you cry: Running out of Smirnoff.

that you love to do on the weekends: I’m all about TV. My mom used to use it to baby sit me. It’s been a love affair ever since.

that you do for only yourself: This blog comes to mind. We are all a bit narcissistic here. But I’ve made great friends and as The Gal once wrote me, we can say things that are only going to read by our blog friends. On Facebook you have to be SO careful. It’s what drew me back. I really thought I could just walk away a couple of years ago. After a few weeks I sorely missed you guys…

that you have in your underwear drawer that’s NOT underwear: Socks. You’re a creepy sort.

The current crew of WTIT: (from left) Bouncing Billy, Johnnie Walker, Midnight Plowboy, Rock Rolling and me.

that you do before going to sleep: Take my meds and set up my WTIT iPod. When my first marriage was crashing(the one to my 4 children’s mother) I was so depressed that I started listening to master tapes of WTIT Comedy. I used a Walkman. (It was the late eighties). I’m not depressed any more. My kids so need me to stay but with the constant fighting, I knew it was the right thing. Both my oldest children have often said that they were relieved at the time that the noise stopped. But I never stopped listen to comedy as I drift.

that you do within the first 15 minutes after waking: After the usual stuff I go online.

that’s in your purse: that you actually LIKE to clean: Allison, I know you do a better job than I did. But I did edit out or change sexist questions…

that you DETEST cleaning: My mind, so I generally don’t.

The last Tape Radio show: Ken Kolt, Johnnie Walker, me, Galloping Gary & Gregarious Greg. It was Ken & Gary’s final appearance.

that other people would find odd about you: People who I try to explain WTIT to. Now with work people I say we’re playing cards and the like. Although now it is a bit different with our website and blog. My senior year college roommate who recorded briefly in the mid 70s recently wrote me to say he is in awe on how I kept it together. There were years we did not record. In 1982, I wanted to record again that I decided to throw a “Fifteenth Anniversary Last Tape Show”. It had been a few years since our previous recording session and I want to “tie a bow” on it and of course get one last night as “Bud Weiser, WTIT”. Johnnie Walker (The only other one of the original 5 who has been with us since the begining) signed off and said to me, it’s not over you know Bud. It’s too much fun…” By 1985 we returned to weekly recording. We invite Bouncing Billy to it (He had not recorded since 1974) and we were thrilled that he joined us after an 11-year hiatus. So we had three of the original 5 to train the new guy, The Cosmic Commando, whom we immediately just called Cos, was trained by Billy and essentially took his seat because Billy never returned. As I’ve mentioned before, Bouncing Billy’s return in 2013 could never have been expected.

that you would buy if I handed you a $100 bill: As I said Bill has returned and he did not cost $100.

that you feel you HAVE to do before you die: Nothing that I’d share here.

I just love my Rocu. Rocu is one of the devices that allow you to watch streaming videos of your TV. Now I set up channels on my you tube page and can watch the TV shows whenever I like. I started doing it for Star Trek web series, but now have many channels of my own. If you don’t have such a device email e and I’ll further explain. It costs about $60 bucks and their no further charges! I will probably not return here till August. See you then. Right here. Same time, same blog.

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How Could I Know Your Sensitive Areas?

Posted by Bud Weiser, WTIT on July 11, 2014

Posted in: Saturday 9. 16 Comments

Thanks to Gal for authoring this meme. Click on the Sat-9 header directly below to play.

Saturday 9: Already Gone

(recommended by Diana)

If you’re not familiar with today’s song, you can hear it here.

1) Eagles lead singer Glenn Frey proclaims that he’s “feeling strong.” How would you describe yourself this fine Saturday? Connected. By that I mean about coincidence. My old friend, (and the first to join me recording our nonsense) Bouncing Billy, and I recently renewed our high school & college friendship that had ended in 1985. The reason I know the year is by looking up that he last recorded with us. When we spoke to set up this month’s recording date, we spoke about the new documentary Billy saw about The Eagles. It was a Showtime special. Billy like it so much that, since I don’t get Showtime was to buy a used copy on Amazon. With my credit card points I got it for nothing. That was Wednesday. And on this fine Saturday The Eagles fly again…

2) The song begins with a rumor: “I heard some people talking just the other other day …” Have you heard anything juicy/interesting lately? Please share! OK, you probably have not heard yet, but (shhhhhhhh) LeBron’s going back to Ohio.

3) When “Already Gone” was popular, the news was dominated by Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal. What do you consider today’s top news story? Where do I start? The bad economy. People are fighting wars over the way Europe divided the middle east after WWI. The US can’t stop getting into war. Both the Democrats & The Republicans both suck moose. Hillary. Enough said. I hate people saying “I want my country back.” It means essentially, “Get that black guy out of The WHITE House.”

Our original starting five. From left: Bouncing Billy, Gypsy, Galloping Gary, Bud Weiser & Johnnie Walker (From our first photo shoot in 1970. Shot by a guy named Chuck. © 1970-2014 by WTIT. All rights reserved.

4) In the 1970s, Eagles Glenn Frey and Don Henley were at the center of a social circle of very creative people, including singer Linda Ronstadt, singer-songwriter Jackson Browne and actor-comedian Steve Martin. How do you express your creativity? For the last 47 years I have recorded comedy and telling the stories of our lives from high school through grandchildren. I’ve recorded every conversation, every song we liked, who our wives were, who are girlfriends were and stories of our kids, our fears and our jobs.

5) Even though they broke up in 1980, the Eagles are currently on a reunion tour, and after knowing each other more than 40 years, Frey and Henley still consider each other friends. What quality to do you value most in a friendship? I think from everything I’ve said here today and if you make time for a relatively crazy thing that tells the story of what we do – check out our website WTIT.net, because then you’d realize that it’s all about friends and family to me.

6) Are there any mirrors in the room you’re in right now? I’m in our radio studio. I could listen back to this year’s recordings to get a few, but that would be beyond the scope of what WTIT is. When Billy rejoined us last year he asked why we didn’t post our entire sessions on the internet. I replied, “Would you want me to decide what stories of yours would be posted?” Someone suggested that if I edited the sessions, it would be fine. But I said, “How could I know your sensitive areas?” Billy replied, “You’re a smart man.” I stated, “No, but I’ve thought about this…”

7) What’s the last beverage you drank with ice? Smirnoff on this Friday night.

8) Whole, skim, 2%, half-and-half, almond or soy … what kind of milk is in your refrigerator right now? 1%. Kathy hates anything but cream in her coffe, but I love milk, and 1% is my choice.

9) Sam likes to mix sliced almonds into her salad. What do you think makes a good salad? Give me a classic Caesar salad with anchovies and I’m good. I mean until the appetizers come…

I saw my dad today. He’s back at the assisted living place after his hospital & rehab stints. He’s only 10 miles from me so that’s great. But visits with a guy who thinks that he won billions on the stock market and tells you he’s filed a law suit against me & a zillion others (But don’t worry about it son…) can bring you down. When we talk Cubbies’ baseball or UConn basketball all is good in the world. Sorry that I haven’t been around much, but my world is a bit crazy. This weekend I can will chill. Next weekend I spend time with my son Ben, wife Maria and my youngest granddaughter, Zoey. On Sunday we will go to THE house of baseball, Yankee Stadium. We know the team sucks, but what team wouldn’t if four of their five starters were out for the season? And that doesn’t even touch about letting Robbie leave for Seattle and thinking McCann & Beltran could fit the void. Hope things I your life are swell! And don’t forget out Facebook page at Facebook.com/WTITRadio. If you haven’t “liked” it by now, exactly what are you thinking? Right, I could just “shut up & go away”. In fact fifty seven words from now then, I’ll be on my way. There might be something more important for you to do, but for the life of me, I cannot think about what. Love, peace & rock ‘n roll! Catch you down the long and winding road, my friends. At this Same Tape Radio blog. And as always, at the same time.

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Have a Great 4th!

Posted by Bud Weiser, WTIT on July 4, 2014

Posted in: holiday. Leave a comment

(not pictured Billy)

I have been in the process of writing a book on WTIT. It’s not so much about the comedy, although we are funny and offered a professional gig in 1989 which we turned down, it’s about friends. They come and go in your life. As an example, if you asked me even a year ago what was the likelihood of every seeing Billy & Gypsy again I would have said “Zero.” But if you read the previous post, that is what I did a week ago. Hey, you never know. The interesting thing about now organizing the chapters is that a lot of it was written before Billy’s return. So now if I want perspective on a point I can just call and ask him. He certain answered the “who picked the WTIT call letters debate.” I didn’t have time to put Billy in this pic, which I wouldn’t have done if Billy actually went on the internet. I had this pic from last year and got lazy…

The Night When Gypsy Reappeared

Posted by Bud Weiser, WTIT on July 1, 2014

Posted in: WTIT folklore. 2 Comments

A selfie. From left: Bud, Gypsy, Johnnie & Billy

“So where did you keep getting the guys to replace the guys who left?” Gypsy asked me. I explained that just as friends pass through your life, our DJs kept changing. The scene was surreal to me. We were at Gypsy’s apartment for a visit. Bouncing Billy had not seen him for forty years, Johnnie Walker and I for over twenty. The last recording he did (not including his call-in to our 45th Anniversary show) was with Bouncing Billy and me in 1974.

What was the shot of four of the original guys being together again? I always thought “zero”. And not for any nefarious reason, Gypsy lived in Texas and Johnnie and I had last seen Billy in 1985. He had been invited to my 60th birthday party but declined. He had sent Kathy an email suggesting that he and I get together for drinks. I didn’t contact him because I thought he was just being polite. It was 2011 and 1985 was a long time ago. The most of our post college era the most original WTIT DJs together photographed or recorded were three. Johnnie Walker and I have seen Galloping Gary over the years (most recently at my wedding to Kathy in 2012), but the last time the three of us recorded was in 1982. Now with Billy’s return, we have recorded with three of the original five since October of 2013.

But for some reason, last fall I did email Billy. We went to TGI Fridays and got pretty hammered. We realized how much we still enjoyed each other’s company. I suggested that Billy record with WTIT again, which he did. Since October of 2013 he has been to every session. When Gypsy retired he developed COPD stage four. He returned to the area and contacted me via Facebook and we chatted via its IM system quite a bit. He had invited me to a Young Rascals concert in October, but my back was out and I had arranged my 10th spine surgery.

Now that Billy was back he kept suggesting we go see Gypsy. The night of Friday night June 27, 2014 at his apartment was where we saw Gypsy once again. We sat and laughed; his food was excellent and only surpassed by his graciousness and hospitality. It was as though time had stood still and it was back in the day. Gypsy turned to me, “Remember all those nights chasing girls in cars?” as he let out a big laugh. He said he had told PGA golfers about our chases all over the country.

The time went way too quickly. He wrote me the next day to thank me for making it happened. On the way there, (Billy drove me) Billy thanked me too. I said “I just made phone calls…” Billy shook his head and stated, “You were always the ringleader. It happened then and now again because of you.” I smiled. To me friends was always what WTIT was about. We didn’t do it because we were great Tape Radio DJs, we did it as an excuse to get together. That was what happened in 1967 and it is what happened on that Friday night.