WTIT: The Blog

Thanks to Gal for authoring this meme. Click on the Sat-9 title of song on the next line below to play.

Saturday 9: Cheerleader (2014)

Unfamiliar with this week’s tune? Hear it here.

1) Homecoming and football make this an important time of year for cheerleaders. Were you a cheerleader, or did you date one? Does a threesome behind the bleachers count? I thought it would. I mean had I had one. I had to settle for a blowjob after the game.

2) Beyond cheerleaders and the big game, homecoming is a time for parades. Have you ever ridden on a float? When I was on the morning show “Mike & the Hunter” (I was Gary Hunter) I was on a float in the Holyoke Mass. St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Other than NYC, it’s the biggest in the U.S. I wore my “I’m Hunter” shirt the station made for my appearances.

Harvey (left) and Rock in the Turnbull Studio in 1994.

3) OMI sings that his girl is always there when he needs her. Who do you know you can always count on? As my soon-to-be-ex said to me yesterday, I am very lucky to have both a strong family unit and friends that I’ve known most of my life. In that in the current incarnation of WTIT, Rock Rolling as been with us nearly thirty years since 1987. I call him “the newbie” since the rest of us started before he did. Although this last session included the return of Harvey Wallbanger who appeared mostly in the nineties. He lives in Atlanta and only records when he’s in town.

4) This video features a sandy beach, a rocky shore and palm trees. What do you see outside your window right now? The trampoline from hell. When the neighbor’s kids are on it, it sounds like a swimming pool with all the screaming.

5) In the lyrics we hear that his cheerleader girlfriend is “like a genie in a bottle.” Who would rather hang around with? Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie or Samantha from Bewitched? Back in the day I liked Samantha and used that name as part of Saturday 9 folklore.

6) OMI is from Jamaica. Have you ever visited that island country? No.

7) Christopher Columbus landed in Jamaica in 1494. Columbus Day will soon be upon us (October 12). Is it a big deal in your community? We have to work Monday so we got today (Friday) off. And I’ve never known anyone who gave a shit. Our whole “Columbus discovered America” is such nonsense. It’s the same with Marco Polo “discovering China”. What about the native people living there? It doesn’t count till “Whitey” finds it. Really?

8) Queen Elizabeth is Jamaica’s head of state. Her Majesty is now 89 years old and a great grandmother. Who is the oldest person in your life? My Mom turned 92 this week. She had an “Irish Twin” (born less than a year apart) in my Aunt Helen. Helen’s birthday was October 5 and my mother’s October 7th. Helen passed away in late September while I was holding her hand, just days before her 91st birthday.

9) Her Majesty was named Elizabeth Alexandra Mary after three of her relatives, who also were queens. Were you named after anyone? Yes. I’m a “Jr.”

My Aunt Helen’s last year was filled with pain. She was wonderful lady that never had kids. So, we nieces and nephews were very close to her. From my generation there were cousins representing most of her siblings kids. I had asked Harvey Wallbanger to just stop in with me when I heard she just had days left. Neither of us had seen a person die before. The next day he was so moved that he visited his Aunt Winnie who is in her late 80s. Harvey never knows when he’ll be in town again, so it was important to him.

Back left: Billy Back Right: Bud Front left: Harvey Front right: Greg 2015

When we recorded on Friday the 25th of September. Bouncing Billy and Gregarious Greg joined Harvey and me at session. Before rejoining us, Billy last show had been in 1985 (eight years before Harvey) and Greg in 1976. Greg joined us for all our big anniversaries. Our 20th in 1987, 30th in 1997, our 40th in 2007 included. In 2013 he joined us for Bouncing Billy’s first recording back and this year for Johnnie Walker’s last show in July. He has since become a regular again. Full circle and all that shit, I suppose. So Harvey hadn’t met either before. You’d never know it by hearing us joke around. I think that’s one of the amazing things about recording with WTIT. It doesn’t matter who is around the table. We all know the format and it’s immediately comfortable.

Harvey & me from New Year’s Eve 1995. Neither of us smoke anymore.

Harvey’s week here was also about the idea of him moving back and in with me. While we had a great 10 days, Harvey decided life in the ‘burbs in Connecticut was not for him. But since he lives with one girlfriend and is in love with another, he had other reason’s to pass. It worked out for the best. We were roommates in the early 90s. We had a blast. But we are not in our late 30s/early forties anymore. I also realized I like living alone.

My conversation with my soon-to-be-ex went well. I told her I was going to get around to filing soon and did not want to surprise her. She reiterated that we not use lawyers to save $$ since we’ve already divided possessions and I wrote a sizable check to aid in her exit. I told her I’d file because I can afford the fee’s and such better than she. She seems happy single and I’m happy for her. I’m not upset that I got married a third time. As Bouncing Billy (married 38 years) said, it made me an optimist. That said, there will not be a fourth “Mrs. Weiser”.

My three kids that live on the east coast all came to my Aunt Helen’s funeral. One I am estranged with and we both said “Hi, how’s it going” but since she was trying to avoid me, it was a bit awkward. But my oldest three kids I am very close to. I enjoyed spending the day mostly with them. My oldest, Heather drove through six hours of mostly NYC traffic the night before, stayed at a hotel to be there for me. My oldest son, Ben, who lives in Boston was there with his wife. My son James lives in San Diego and obviously didn’t make it.

I’ve been amazed that so many people have been very supportive to me since the split. Some ex-girlfriends, and one in particular have been very gratuitous. And no, I don’t mean in the physical sense. I’m just not ready. Perhaps by New Year’s I’ll feel differently. But whether I “smell snow” or not isn’t important. I think the thing I feel the most right now is in the possibilities going forward. I’m very optimistic.

No lobsters were killed during the writing and execution of this rant. We hope to see you for Stealing on Sunday. Join us. Right here on the Tape Radio blog. Same time. Same blog.

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