It's a chance to reflect on what you're listening to and where you are in life.
My recounts of events of this week-of-high-drama (the title of the next popular reality show!) have irked some wise and some foolish people. When I went back with the tail more or less between my legs and asked still others if indeed I had been so annoying as to be insufferable and vile, they were baffled.
But truth is, it takes one wise person to discover that the earth is round. So I must go with the sage and leave the rest rubbing their chins in puzzlement.
I apologize.
To those who thought I was coming down hard against them: I am sorry. [Caveat: I am not sorry for coming down hard against those who in their lives do not treat their past, present or future loved ones with kindness and compassion.]
To those who thought I was batty at the least and about to jump into an abyss of neuro-psychotic illness (is it a disease? it sounds scary, hence the choice of words): I am sorry.
To those who hated the choice of instrument of torture for the home buyer ( a cannonball) --and there were many of you! --I am sorry.
Most of all, to the buyers who came back with a reasonable counter offer just five minutes ago, leading us to contemplate small sums of money instead of big cataclysmic outcomes: I am so so sorry. I know you love the house. Your letter is eloquent and genuine. May you have as many happy memories in this place as I did.
P.S. Yo, you home buyers: did you or did you not read this blog? fess up!
UPDATE: Coincidentally, today a friend sent me this image of an instrument of torture (had it been in my files earlier, I may have bypassed the cannonball idea):
WQXR is the classic music radio station in NY.
ReplyDeleteMy question to you is -- did you watch Wonderama on TV when you were a child growing up in NY? If so, who was the host of that show?
And congrats on getting the house sale resolved. What a relief!! Hope you have a peaceful night's sleep and wake up in a better place tomorrow.
Ah yes: WQXR, the news and classical music station of the New York Times. Childhood memories.
ReplyDeleteI swear, I did not put Tonya up to her question though! Not only did I watch Wonderama, but I was ON it, winning a bunch of useless plastic toys and all sorts of sponsor-generated freebies. There was a snowstorm. The carefully selected children did not show up. My friend's father was some lowly TV person and so there I was, through connections, acting stupid on morning TV.
At least I think it was Wonderama.
And yes, I am in a better place. Bricks topple, castles fall, but a smile is possible when people (anxious home buyers would have to be included in this) are nice to you.
I'm quite glad everything worked out with the buyers, Nina.
ReplyDeleteOn the Wonderama nugget:
You've lived the dream!!! Sweet!
You have no idea how dedicated I was to my own preparation for my eventual appearance on The Bozo Show's Grand Prize Game. (WGN, Chicago) Empty coffee cans, ping pong balls, pure skill...
Of course, they knew of my gifts, and conspired accordingly.
jlp: so you understand! The thing is, I knew it then! Just as I remember with complete clarity the eight words I got to say in the third grade school spring play (“grandpa, please tell sunny bunny to stay home!”), so, too, I remember the winning Wonderama words (“you’re the big bad wolf!”) that netted me the frog that went in all directions across your bedroom floor, with the help of four strong batteries.
ReplyDeleteBut no connection in years hence, no matter how important, felt as significant as the one with the lowly TV personality/father of my friend when he managed to get me a real live (so to speak) Pebbles doll. She had a plastic bone in her hair and I could never quite play with her with wild abandon because she was better, finer, classier than I was: she was a star.
Later, when I sailed back to Poland on the QE and I was told that I could return with only one doll, I chose Pebbles, the TV celebrity, over the beat up twins. Can’t even remember the names of the twins. Pebbles ruled.
Yay!
ReplyDeleteIf it's any consolation at all, I was not thinking any bad thoughts to/for/about you over your last few days' posts. Having been through very nearly the same things you are now going through (at least from the hints you are giving here), I am completely sympathetic to you.
Even more than that, I admire your ability to be witty and wryly amusing throughout your ordeals. I certainly couldn't have done it. Although perhaps if I had had a blog as an outlet during that time I would have been able to handle it with the same charm and grace you have. Really, I mean that. Because even when your tone approaches ranting, it never quite gets there. There's too much lucidity and warmth underlying it all.
I paid Joan $855 to say that. To be paid once I realized some clear revenue from the sale of the house (= never, given all the others in line waiting for their handout).
ReplyDeleteSo thank you, Joan. We should talk about our real deep and hostile and unbloggable feelings over a latte some winter night (preferably not in Wisconsin).
Hey there, Tadpole! Your frog and Pebbles story rocks!!!
ReplyDeleteNow I need to thank you too. I was feeling super old... until I read the comments to this post. I grew up watching kids throw ping pong balls into buckets with a scary clown named Bozo cheering them on.
ReplyDeleteWonderama is way past me. Good to know I'm still a spry chicken in some respects. :)
Congrats on the anesthesia wearing off on the numnuts.
The Wonderama host was Sonny Fox.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course we don't read your blog; we have lives and are not professors with infinite free time to kill.
The buyers.
Anon 11:27: actually you just blew your joke as one of the buyers sort of kind of verges on being an academic.
ReplyDeleteAs to the profs with free time -- I know, I know, we're not entitled to any. I feel guilty, back off already! Most of us are lazy social parasites who use taxpayer money to indulge our blogging addiction. That's how we got where we are -- by indulging our inner lazy.
(... like hanging on the tail of a kite, reading all this)
ReplyDeleteOK, caught - not the buyers. Just another professor using the Net to avoid working.
ReplyDeleteDidn't say anything about lazy parasites, just about time to kill. Don't introduce a straw man, Nina. Here's how a real academic wastes time:
Sandy Becker was the first host/performer of"Wonderama". When the series was first seen on WABD TV Ch.5 in NYC as a Sunday afternoon kids comedy/variety tv show. Becker hosted the show from Sunday September 25,1955 to Sunday August 13,1956.Herb Sheldon was the series second host and mc'd the show on Sunday mornings from Sunday September 16,1956 to Sunday August 3,1958.Bill Britten hosted the Show From Sunday August 10,1958 to Sunday December 28,1958.Britten's version of "Wonderama" was the first kids tv show on WABD/WNEW TV Ch.5 in NYC to be taped before a live studio audience on Sunday Mornings. Sonny Fox joined the show on Sunday January 4,1959. He would mc the show until Sunday August 6,1967. Bob McCallister would become the fifth and last adult host/performer of the show. He would host the show from Sunday August 13,1967 to Sunday December 25,1977.
so many apologies to others, but none to yourself.
ReplyDelete(i think you're coping splendidly and outbursts are to be expected now and then)
of course, i'm not one that needed an apology so maybe that's easy for me to say.
anyway, nina, keep up the good blogging, it's good for all our souls!
sadly i'm too young for Wonderama..
sep(who's back from Japan and has so many stories to tell you!)
Sep: welcome back! You left at a good time (the beginning of weeks of TRAUMA) and came back at a good time (weeks of TRAUMA about to end. I am an optimist.)
ReplyDeleteI just left a comment on one of the other "house trouble" posts wishing you good luck. I'm glad things ended up working out. Enjoy the new place, it looks pretty sweet.
ReplyDeleteA couple weeks ago, I had a reunion with some fellow UW alumni who I lived in the Chruch (on N Hamilton & Butler) with & we were talking about going in on a place like yours so that we can have a home base in Madison.
Anyways, congratuations!