Category Archives: Free Spirit

The Pinball Machine

Comedy, Free Spirit, Inspiration, Life, Memoirs, Opinion, personal, , , , ,

I gotta admit, I’m already tired of all the politics, and it’s just really gearing up. Tonight, there’s a Democratic Town Hall Meeting with Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. I’m recording it to watch later. Right now, I am waiting on my husband to get home with our tortilla soup from our favorite Mexican restaurant. We’ll watch Richard Dreyfuss as he portrays that scumbag Bernie Madoff, while we eat.

While I was looking for something on YouTube today, I ran across a video about my pinball machine. I have mentioned that I love pinball a time or two on here. My husband surprised me with it for Christmas in 2006.

He told me he was going to be spending a little money on my present, and when I asked how much and he vaguely told me, I was like – that sounds like a lot of money we probably didn’t need to be spending, and since we had recently lost our beloved dog of over thirteen years (and my husband and daughter kept saying we needed to get another dog, though I wasn’t ready) I was worried that’s what he wanted all that money for. So, I told him I had transferred the money he needed from savings and that he best not be bringing anything home that breathed, ate, or peed. He laughed . . .

Fast forward to Christmas Eve – he had been storing the pinball machine at my sister’s house, and he brought it home that day. I have to admit, I was surprised as hell, happy and honored that he had put so much thought into my surprise gift, and excited to start banging balls.

Once he got it in the house and all set up, I noticed the images on the machine. After doing some research on it, I found references like the porn of pinball machines at the time. I couldn’t help but laugh at that one, and when I asked my husband about it, he said of the four machines the guy had for sale, this one was the cheapest nice one he had – and it was $600 – the next nicest one was over $2000. So, the porn of pinball machines was the one.

Anyway, I LOVE the machine, though it is old and is starting to show a little wear (fading a little on the wooden deck and the cabinet). It was fun finding new rubber gaskets and bulbs and a few other parts I had to order – okay so now I had invested another $300 or so in it.

BUT, it is an excellent stress reliever, I can tell you that, and often I play so hard, my aging wrists, finger joints and shoulders ache. It’s a good kind of ache, though – especially when I score high. I keep a list of my highest scores taped to the side and my goal is always to beat my highest score to date. And when you score high – it makes a lot of noise!!!

So, getting back to the video – I found this video today and it cracked me up! I felt like we all might need a little comic relief, so thought I’d share it.

Here’s a shout out to Wyrd Smythe over at Logos con carne – I was looking to ensure the date was right (1979) when I ran across this video 🙂

So here’s the Bally 1979 Future Spa pinball machine I work out my frustrations on!

(Laughing – my husband said this woman’s  big cheesy grin reminds him of Olivia Caridi from The Bachelor . . . )

Just something I was thinking about . . .

Some FLUFF is always good

Appreciation, Free Spirit, Inspiration, Memoirs, Music, Opinion, Thinking Independently, , ,

I don’t know about y’all, but I need a break from the news.

I love all kinds of music – though not head-banging or rap so much – rock and roll, blues, jazz, R&B, some pop, some country, and even a small amount of classical. Growing up in the 1970s , I was a huge Black Sabbath fan! My first real boyfriend turned me on to them – they were his FAV band, and his room was covered in their posters. As we listened together, I fell in love with the driving beats, and what I considered at the time as rebellious, independent, free-spirited, anti-establishment, beautiful, truthful lyrical compositions. BUT my favorite compositions were their instrumental pieces. They are just beautiful and soul-touching.

My very favorite of these instrumental pieces & one of my all time favorite songs is Fluff.

Then there’s Laguna Sunrise, a very peaceful, introspective piece.

Black Sabbath did a few other instrumental pieces, as well, but these were my favs.

Feeling nostalgic and working on feeling peaceful this evening . . .

Got some interesting stuff coming soon, a few new topics I have been probing around in – hope you’ll stick around and check it out!

Just something I was thinking about . . . ☮

Young Fearless Free Spirit

Free Spirit, Opinion, Reality, Stream of Consciousness Saturday, Writing Prompts, , , , ,

Today’s prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: young, old, or anything to do with age. 

When I was young I was fearless! I mean really truly fearless and as wild and free-spirited as an unbroken pony. As I got older, and had my child, my mindset changed. I was now responsible for another life, one that was helpless and knew nothing. I was also responsible for ensuring that I kept myself healthy and safe, as this new little person was dependent on me for everything.

As she got older, I must admit, I got even more cautious, as the world became a scarier place than when I was a child. I had a great many fears and concerns about the world and how it might affect my child.

Now my child is an adult, and she has two little girls, and I am even more concerned about their future as the world continues to change in ways I do not feel comfortable with. There are way too many bad things and bad people out there, especially for two little innocent babies.

Being unemployed and having no health insurance has made me even more vigilant and cautious about the things I do and the places and situations I put myself in. I have a lot more to lose than I did in my 20s and 30s.

My husband and I laugh sometimes because my daughter thinks I am so over-protective. She has no idea what a free spirit I used to be! I think she would be shocked, if she had any idea!

I’m also getting weary of holding my tongue, something I never did when I was younger, but once I hit my 40s, realized it was better not to say everything I was thinking – some people don’t appreciate honesty and bluntness. But after so many years of holding my tongue, sometimes I feel like there’s a rug on my back and people are just wiping their feet on it . . . (Maybe one of the many reasons I started blogging!!)

Next month, in a couple weeks as a matter of fact, I will have a birthday – turning 53 this year. I can honestly say that I certainly am feeling the years. Things creak and crack a lot, and some of my hand strength has diminished. I have been so cautious for so long, I feel a wild hair burning in my soul and I am chomping at the bit to do something a little crazy, a little wild, a bit spontaneous. I can feel that fire burning inside me.

Something’s coming – maybe something unexpected, maybe not, who knows, but . . . I can feel it!!

Just something I was thinking about  (unedited 😉 ) . . . ☮

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