Proud Podcast Participant, and reformed Pimple Person “Pistol Packin” Pete…sent me a list of why it’s so great to be a Louie- Louie Generation guy. For example: Chocolate is just another snack to us. We really don’t care if anyone notices our new haircut. Wrinkles add character. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds. A five day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can drop in to see a buddy without bringing a little gift. You don’t have to clean your house if the maid is coming. You don’t have to shave below your neck. You’re not expected to know the names of more than five colors. And perhaps best of all, you never have strap problems in public. It’s comfortable being a Louie-Louie Generation guy.

 I’m always amazed at how un-comfortable Pimple People guys are. This is no kidding. You can’t make this up. There is a National Coalition for Men. Their stated goal is to “Help emotionally adrift men.” They deal with big deal problems like should a man open a door for a woman ? Should he talk about his feelings ? And most amazing of all is their top topic: What is the role of the male in this increasingly complex society ? Louie-Louie Generation guys have a very simple answer to all those Pimple People Problems. Big Louie, his own bad self says, “Why waste time trying to figure out what it means to be a man…or a woman for that matter. Just don’t hurt any body, and do what makes you comfortable.”

 Dick’s Details Quiz. All answers are in the current podcast.

 1-    What pickiness is it that portents powerful pain in public.

2-    What does my Lady Wonder Wench’s gelding teach us about horsing around ?

3-    The question is “What is the sound of an exploding sheep?”

 Dick’s Details. They take your mind off your mind.

 If the National Coalition for Men wants to know how to figure out how to be a man in this increasingly complex world, they should listen to my Sister in Law Peggy. Peggy is also a Proud Podcast Participant. She has it broken down into blue jobs for guys  and pink jobs for non-guys. For example, hauling the laundry down to the washing machine…blue job. Using the washing machine… pink job. No confusion. Comfortable. Peggy is a Louie-Louie Generation lady. She also says a lot of non-living objects are actually either male or female. For example: Freezer bags are male, because they hold everything in, but you can see right through them. Photo copiers are female, because once turned off, it takes a while to warm them up again. Tires are male, because they go bald and are often over-inflated. Sponges are female, because they are soft, squeezable and retain water. Hot air balloons are male because to get them to go anywhere, you have to light a fire under their butts. Web pages are female because they’re constantly being looked at, and frequently getting hit on. Like Louie-Louie Generation Ladies every where, Peggy has it nailed. And speaking of nailed, Peggy says hammers are male, because they haven’t changed in thousands of years, but they are occasionally handy to have around. And TV remotes are female, because they give guys such pleasure, and they’re constantly changing the subject. Thank you Peggy.

 There’s a story in the Night Connections personal audio cd about one startling difference between men and women, that I hope never goes away. The story is called the Quick Change Artist. That woman got his complete attention without even trying. In fact if she HAD been trying, the magic might have been short-circuited. it might not have been nearly as good. And it WAS good. For both of them. The Quick Change Artist is from the Night Connections personal audio cd. If you like it, you can just keep the podcast. Or if you want a fresh copy, just download it from the Night Connections icon on the home page.

 It is so comfortable being a Louie-Louie Generation guy. If you want a weather forecast, all you have to do is pay attention to what your knee joints are telling you. You can sing along to elevator music…and you don’t care that you’re the only one in the elevator who remembers the songs. MEEESHELL, MA BELL…hell the Pimple People don’t even remember Ma Bell.

 We don’t need workshops or support groups to know you damn well should hold doors open for a woman…and it doesn’t even hurt to hold a door for the guy behind you. Why not ? If you feel competitive… go for it. Maybe you’ll win. Maybe not. The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. We know these things. Feel like talking about your feelings…fine. If you don’t… fine too.

 So, to avoid any confusion about what it means to be a man, just get yourself a nice, comfortable, big, black leather poppa chair, and remember what Big Louie said before…”Why waste time trying to figure out what it means to be a man…or a woman for that matter. As long as you don’t hurt any body, just do what makes you comfortable.

 We don’t belong to the National Nasty Negative Association of America. But on the other hand, we figure if you can’t say something nice about somebody…go ahead. Get if off your chest. We believe that wearing out is better than rusting away. We stay in close touch with our friends, partially because they know too much about us. And maybe that’s why I’m the masked man. I’m hiding my face from Face Book. And not only am I not a Face Book friend, I am a Twitter quitter, and painful as it may sound, I’ve lopped off my link at linkedin.

 I’m not anti-social. I just think some people take the word “friend” kinda lightly. Or maybe I take it too seriously. But I really love my friends. I don’t have very many of them, and you know who you are. You have my email address and my phone number. You can get in touch with me any time you feel like it. You know I look forward to hearing from you. And you don’t even have to call before you drop in.

 But just because I met someone in the supermarket check out doesn’t mean that person is my friend, regardless of how the Face Book folks see it. We all have to perform the ”How are you,””Have a nice day.””Let’s get together sometime soon” supermarket check out act sometimes. It’s ok. But I don’t want to perform all the time. It’s like the commercials for a movie that says, Charleton Heston IS Moses. The actor gets lost in the act. I don’t want to get lost.

 Dick’s Details Quiz. All answers are in the current podcast. 

 1-    What has being a member of the Louie-Louie Generation got to do with eating the frosting before you eat the cake ?

2-    What happens in a man’s head when he knows that his woman colors her hair ?

3-    What do divorce attorneys need to tell their clients about women’s make up ?

 Dick’s Details. They take your mind off your mind.

 It’s very easy to go on stage now. Just by posting on Twitter, or Facebook, the whole world can catch our performance. Of course, the problem is that by doing that, we’re mainly feeding our egos, and I guess mine is big enough without putting on any more weight. But think about it. It’s mostly about…hey…look how many people are following me on Twitter…look how many Facebook friends I have…it’s just like giving a brilliant performance on a world wide stage. But when we over do it…and I always over do anything…we run the risk of tearing down the curtain that gives us a place to go and hide…we lose the ability to sneak off back stage and hide.

 I need a place to hide sometimes. I need some time to be just who I am instead of who I want people to think I am. There’s not a big difference, but there is a difference.

 It’s a good thing…staying in touch. That’s the reason for this podcast… staying in touch with some good people. And Blackberries and I phones and gadgets and apps are a reasonable way of doing that. As long as we don’t over do it. And as long as we don’t confuse friends with just somebody we met in the supermarket line.

 Friendship can be a very tricky thing. There’s a story about that in the Night Connections 2 personal audio cd. It’s called Temporary Friends. It’s in the current podcast. The guy in the story is probably the biggest threat to a slightly worn relationship…and he doesn’t mean to be. He’s the guy who was always there for her…because he’s her friend. That’s the kind of friend who’s always close to being a lover. And just as lust sometimes turns to love, love often turns to lust.

 If you like the story, you can just keep the podcast. Or if you want a fresh copy, just download it from the Night Connections 2 icon on the home page.  

 I only have a few friends. They’re important to me. That’s why the word friend is important to me. I guess it’s all in how you define the word Friend. My friend, and Proud Podcast Participant Dick Stadlen sent me a bunch of words that have some interesting and strange definitions. For example, coff-ee is a person upon whom you cough. Flat-ulence is an emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steam roller. And a testicle is a humorous question on an exam.

 So what’s the non-Facebook definition of a friend? My Lady Wonder Wench has been my girlfriend for a long time. But she’s also my wife. Aside from family…because that’s a whole special class of friendship…what does being a friend mean ?

 A buddy of mine put his life on the line for me once…when we were both lifeguards at Coney Island, a long time ago. Another friend gave me a neck massage that I desperately needed while my Lady Wonder Wench was in a hospital. But how do you define the word ?

 I know the feeling…you never have to wear a mask around a friend. But I’m looking for a definition. How about, “A friend is a lover minus the lust.”

That works for me. What do you think ?

 A long time ago, when the kids were little, I always wished there were an early morning kids show called, “Let’s Go Back To Bed And Sleep A Little Longer.” It would be a puppet show like Howdy Doody. The Howdy puppet would say things like, “My it’s early.” Then he’d yawn and say “I’m still tired. Let’s all lie down and be very quiet till about 8 Am.” I think it would have been a smash hit with daddies. And daddies and mommies are where the commercial money is. But only until they hit 49 years old. Then they drop off the commercial cliff.

 There was a show that understood the value of bringing Louie-Louie Generation male viewers to kiddie shows for a while. It was called “Fun With Miss Jean.” It was a half hour with Miss Jean and a bunch of kids in the studio. They played lots of games together…many of which required Miss Jean to jump up and down a lot. The fact that Miss Jean was very obviously exceptionally very good at jumping up and down caused her show to be quite popular with daddies of all ages.   

 I do TV commercials for a living. Which means I’m one of those guys who have turned television into a pit of endless wants and needs. I only admit I do commercials to people I can trust. Most of the time when people ask what I do, I just tell them, “I’m in communications.” That statement of course communicates nothing. But I love to watch people nod as if they understand completely.

 That’s not to say I’m not grateful for what television commercials have done for me. For example, one of our daughters recently admitted that she was on a “sit at home and watch TV date” at her boyfriend’s house a number of years ago, and things were getting a little steamy, until all of a sudden a Hartford Insurance commercial, a Sony Handy-cam commercial, and a Pep Boys commercial came on…back to back…with my voice on all of them… which pretty much put an end to the proceedings. So there are some good things about doing commercials.

 It didn’t hurt that I had taken the guy aside a few weeks before, and reminded him that I was also a clinical hypnotist, and cheerfully asked how he’d feel about having a year of impotence if he put his hands on my daughter.

 I may be over possessive of my womenfolk. And I don’t care to share them, although I understand that’s a trend now with the Pimple People. My Lady Wonder Wench used to ride her horse at a stable where there were a couple of young guys whose hormones had obviously been seriously disturbed by seeing her in jodhpurs. I jokingly mentioned to them that I was working on a new aerobatic maneuver that was so precise that I could give a guy a vasectomy with a propeller. We all had a good laugh. Then the next day, I always buzzed the stable with a low fly by. That always got their attention.

 Dick’s Details Quiz. All answers are in the current podcast.

 1- What’s the only kitchen appliance that has a nick name ?

2- Why am I not having lunch today ?

3- What has Honey got to do with Caesar ?

 Dick’s Details. They take your mind off your mind.

 I like to tell you about flying my plane every once in a while. It’s a little four seat prop plane, very much like most of the small planes you see at little airports. It’s about as expensive as a good car. Not a fancy car. Just a good car. But it does a lot of things for me. It takes me for visits with family in other states, it has shown me the top of a rainbow, it helps me find Christmas with my Lady Wonder Wench on our traditional Christmas Eve flight. I can boldly go almost wherever I want to go in it. And that’s a big help in making my life too big to tumble down that flat screen 32 inch hole in my living room.

 I fly for fun. So if the weather is bad, or if I’m tired, I just don’t fly. There’s a story about a woman who met a guy who was flying for a living in the Night Connections 2 Personal Audio Cd. I think he was one of those guys you hear flying a single engine plane in the middle of the night…they’re usually carrying checks, or they’re on some kind of medical mission. It’s a tough and dangerous job. The story is called Just Enough. It’s about a woman, and a pilot, and a memory that will always be frozen in time. He’ll always be the first handsome young guy who ever shared her bed. He’ll never get old. They’ll never argue. She’ll never have to wonder if he really loved her. Because just that one time, he did. The story is called, Just Enough. It’s from the Night Connections 2 personal audio cd. If you like it, you can just go back to www.dicksummer.com  and download it from the Night Connections 2 icon on the home page.

 That 32 inch flat screen really can be a black hole that eats your life if you let it. So let me pass along a suggestion from Big Louie, his own bad self, The Chief Mustard Cutter of the Louie-Louie Generation. Louie says, “Be a doer, not a viewer. Stuff your life full of real everyday miracles…a friendly smile looking back at you over a couple of cups of coffee you didn’t have to make for yourself…a call you didn’t expect from an old friend you haven’t seen for a while…a bunch of green traffic lights on the way to work… picking the fastest line at the supermarket check out…a sing along with your favorite song on the radio…and finding your keys and your glasses right where you thought you left them.”

 Stuff, stuff like that into your life, and your life will get way too big for you to have to worry about falling into that 32 inch black hole, and boldly going nowhere.

 All the download winners are in the current podcast. (It’s always free.)

 As Big Louie, his own bad self, the Chief Mustard Cutter of the Louie-Louie Generation always says, “Nobody comes into the world laughing. You have to learn how to be happy. So, enlighten up.” And that’s a reasonable introduction to the very simple, very happy choice you’ve made for the story that’s tied with three other stories for the fourth most downloaded cut from the personal audio cds. It’s from The Lovin Touch cd. And it’s just called The Playground. It’s based on something that happened a very long time ago, with my Lady Wonder Wench.

 So’s another of the tied for number four stories, called I Miss You. It’s from the Bedime Stories Personal Audio cd. I Miss You was written about a time when my Lady Wonder Wench was in Boston, and I was in New York. It wasn’t a good time. For many reasons, my only connection with her was that she could hear me on the air at WNEW. I Miss You…was very real.

 Another of the tied for fourth place stories is from the Night Connections Personal Audio Cd. It’s called Second Chance. Second Chance is based on a middle of the night phone call I got while I was on the air at WNBC. I remember that the lady involved was so excited. And I remember thinking that lots of Louie-Louie Generation guys probably feel the same way the guy in the story feels. Which is basically…if she gives me another shot, I’m not going to blow it again.

 The last of the four stories that’s tied for number four in the survey is also from the Night Connections Cd. It’s last year’s number one story…called The Tiny Dancer. It’s based on something that happened one day when I was passing a Blockbuster Video shop. I noticed a guy looking in the window…but not really. He was watching the reflection of a pretty lady crossing the street. And he had the strangest look on his face. And for some reason, The Tiny Dancer story came pouring into my imagination.

 Number three on the list of the most downloaded stories from this fourth anniversary year, is one of my most favorite stories. It was written a long time ago. It’s from the Lovin Touch personal audio cd. It’s called Growing Up. I was beginning to give in to growing up when my Lady Wonder Wench came to grace my life. It was a narrow escape. But I think I’m ok now. But it brings to mind one of Big Louie’s most important sayings…”If we don’t change directions, we’ll land up where we’re going.” You might want to check that out yourself.

 Number two on the list of most downloaded stories is another oldie but goodie from the Lovin Touch Personal Audio cd. It was written at a time when I was seriously trying to get my Lady Wonder Wench to re-consider her fundamental principles of decency. It’s called, “Got A Minute?” I actually asked my Lady Wonder Wench that question. Got a Minute. That was lots of years ago.

 And that’s the second most downloaded story from the Personal Audio Cds this past year. The most downloaded story isn’t a story at all. And it’s coming up next.

 Dick’s Details Quiz. All the answers are in the current podcast.

 1-    Some twins were born as much as seven days apart. What do you think their mothers said about that ?2-    What should working girls do with the window shades in their bedrooms ?3-    How do we know that goldfish are afraid of the dark ?

 Dick’s Details. They take your mind off your mind.

 The number one download from the Personal Audio cds in this fourth anniversary year, is a total surprise to me. It’s not a story. It’s from the Quiet Hands cd, and it’s called the Navel Massage.

 The Quiet Hands personal audio cd is mostly devoted to one of Big Louie’s most important teachings. “Enjoy yourself. If you can’t enjoy yourself, enjoy somebody else.” And I’m proud of it. And if any of the members of the Forces For Good In The Community are shocked and outraged… let me warn you that under my jeans, I’m wearing boxer shorts. And I know how to use them.

 It’s hard to believe that it’s been four years. Some of you have been with me from the beginning. Thank you. Some of you have just jumped in. Thank you too. I hope you’ll stay. Some of the things we’ve talked about come from a time in my life when I was determined to dedicate my life to the temporary relief of Nymphomania in America. Some stuff came from what seemed to be a huge blank spot in my life…but it turns out it was just a time to change perspectives. Some stuff just happened today.

 I was honestly amazed at the results of the survey. There have been lots of surprising lessons like this from our time together. I think the most important lesson has been that Louie-Louie Generation love is a powerful medicine. And it has some amazing side effects.

Question: Even if he really loves the girl, which he does, he’s a dirty dog.  But how about her ? She really loves him. Is she guilty too ? If so, why ? I’m really interested in your thoughts. Please either add a comment at the bottom of this “Quickie,” or drop a note to dick@dicksummer.com

Thanks. Dick Summer

1-    What should American working girls be sure to do with the window shades in their bedrooms ? Pull them up –

2-    How do we know that goldfish are afraid of the dark ? They told me they are

3-    What can some sexy honey do for your hangover ? Make me feel xxxx better

 Anyway, the second most downloaded “personal experience” Good Night story from the past four years is an upset. This was the number one story for each of the first three years. Number two this year is about disguising myself, and giving my Lady Wonder Wench a big returning home kiss at the airport…AND SHE DIDN’T RECOGNIZE ME. After all these years…just a little mustache and she didn’t know who I was. The whole shameful story is in the current podcast.

 Looking back on it, given the current state of panic at our major airports, I guess I was lucky I didn’t get arrested for that one. There is some promise that calmer times are coming according to some recent surveys. I just saw one that said in some states, many people are returning to traditional values. I think that means beer.

 Ok, the pulse pounding excitement is over. Here’s the new champ. The number one most downloaded personal experience story from our first four years of the Good Night podcasts. It was about….such a time in the lives of my Lady Wonder Wench and me. She had just come home from the hospital…still wearing a medieval torture device called a halo. And our brown fuzzy chair was really the only place she could get to sleep. You sent lots of emails when you found out she’d had an accident. Some of you even sent cards and a couple of teddy bears. That was pretty warm of you. Thanks again. The story is called Underwear or Lingerie. And it’s in the current podcast.

 I was thinking maybe I should write a book for my fellow Louie-Louie Generation guys called “How to appear nonchalant while shopping for lingerie.” But I’ve got to figure it out for myself first.

 That’s it for the top four personal experience stories of the first four years of the Goodnight podcasts. I’d like to thank the Stitcher app for making Goodnight available on mobile devices. And thanks to CBS Radio’s www.Chataboutit.com   for adding it to their wonderful website.

 Next time, the top four downloads from the personal audio cds over the first four years.

 Let me wrap it up with my choice of one of the best quotes from Big Louie, his own bad self over these last four years. I remember he said once, “Courage isn’t always beating your chest and hollering I’m number one. Sometimes it’s just a small voice in your head at the end of the day that says, “I’ll try again tomorrow.” That’s hard. But Louie-Louie Generation folks have been through plenty. One more day…we can do. But if you need help, remember…therapy is expensive…snapping bubble wrap is cheap. You choose.

 “Hi Dick, Just wanted to wish you a Happy 4th Anniversary for your podcast! Glad you and LWW have a nice swing to enjoy the summer evenings.”  I don’t know if I just never saw them before, but I really like how all the podcasts are listed and easy to listen to, with a summary of what they’re about.  Maybe this is what you spoke of recently that Dave did.  

 So I did it again. I forgot our anniversary. As the Witch Doctor always said…”ooh ee ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang. More to the point I guess is the wisdom dripping from the words of Big Louie, the Chief Mustard Cutter of the Louie-Louie Generation. Louie says, “You worry too much about forgetting things. If you’re in a restaurant and you forget your glasses, and your arms are too short to read the menu, you can always just order from the menu of the people sitting at the next table” Big Louie is such a comfort.

 So, just a little late, in honor of our fourth anniversary, we’ll continue with our annoying habit of re-playing the real time story parts…the stuff that was going on in my life…from the most downloaded podcasts of the past four years, in the current podcast.  Since it’s the fourth anniversary, we’ll play the top four from our internet counter… numbers 4 and 3 this time, and numbers 2 and 1 next time, on the podcast. The number 4 most downloaded story was called “The Princess and the Frog.”

 I was thinking that it’s hard to find an opening line that would get you a kiss from a pretty girl, let alone an invitation to her bedroom. But if you believe what the princess told her mom about kissing that frog…Mr. Froggy came up with a winner. And from what I’m told by some single scenes women,  “ribbit” would be a distinct improvement over some of the opening lines they’ve heard.

 The third most downloaded mostly true personal life story from the counter is called “Mano a Mouse-o.” It’s about a middle of the night battle with a Mickey Mouse with Michael Jordan moves. He didn’t beat me. But I didn’t beat him either till I resorted to weapons of mouse destruction. I really had no choice if I wanted get my Lady Wonder Wench down from her perch on top of her dresser. But, I really did feel kind of sorry for that little guy. It’s in the current podcast.

The two most downloaded personal life stories from the past two years will be coming up next time. 

Dick’s Details Quiz – All the answers are in the current podcast.

1-    What should American working girls be sure to do with the window shades in their bedrooms ?

2-    How do we know that goldfish are afraid of the dark ?

3-    What can some sexy honey do for your hangover ?

Dick’s Details. They take your mind off your mind.

 Next time…the top two personal experience stories from the last four years of the Good Night podcasts. And I’ll tell you one thing… there’s a big upset involved.  One of your number one picks really floored me. I guess my brain cells are finally down to manageable size.

 But like most Louie-Louie Generation guys, I am somewhat maturity challenged. And when I was a kid growing up in Brooklyn, I used to love climbing the tree that grows there. I guess you could call me a tree hugger. But it’s ok. Because according to  Big Louie, his own bad self, the Chief Mustard Cutter of the Louie-Louie Generation  “It’s ok to hug a tree you love, just as long as the loving doesn’t go any further than just one quick hug. Anything more than that one quick hug, and you should go see a shrink to get to the root of your problems. ”

 And I still do like climbing trees, although these days I usually use a ladder to help. And that’s why I was sitting in my branch office, in my back yard today. I think it’s a dog wood tree, although I’m not sure. But I certainly learned something nasty about its bark today.

 Today’s job was to amputate a couple of its branches that have begun to whack the electric and telephone lines that come into the house. And I must confess, it wasn’t easy. The branches were kind of high up, but the height wasn’t the problem. It was the bark. For some reason, hordes of small, six legged soldiers, with red eyes and fangs, and claws have decided to live in the bark. So I guess you could say this dogwood’s bark was worse than its height. Sorry. Sometimes I can’t help myself.

 After all those years on the radio, I figure I have a license to carry a concealed pun. And that’s important. Because our son Eric lives just outside Washington D.C. and when we visit, we love to swap pun shots, and they have strict pun laws in Washington D.C. Carrying a pun without a license in D.C. is a capitol offence.

Dick’s Details Quiz. All answers are in the current podcast.

1- If you transplanted the Great Wall of China to the U.S., what would you have to do a half hour after you were finished ?

2- Where did the phone company get the idea of printing “Yellow Pages.”

3- What did Foyodor Vassilet and his wife do that should get him an endorsement contract with Wheaties ?

Dick’s Details. They take your mind off your mind.

 A little housekeeping here. My thanks to the Stitcher app, and CBS Radio’s Chatabout.com  for carrying the podcast. And a very big thanks to Harry Sandler, the former drummer of the very successful 60’s Boston rock group Orpheus for including a very generous bio of me on the Music Museum of New England web site. If you’d like to know more about the huge contribution that Boston area musicians made to American rock, check out www dot mmone dot org. It’s a terrific work in progress.

 I told you a little while ago that Louie-Louie guys are a bit maturity challenged. That’s not meant as a negative comment. It’s one of the reasons we are the bedmates of choice for super models, porn stars, and Catherine Zeta Jones impersonators. They like our boyish charm. They like the fact that we treat women with love, lust and respect. They like the fact that we wear our baseball hats facing front. And they like the fact that some of us, have paid off our nice cars and personal airplanes.

 Another thing they like about us, is that we are stylish lovers. We’re not over anxious. We don’t remove our sox by violently shaking our feet. On the other hand, when the moment seems right, we don’t hang up our trousers and insert shoe trees in our shoes either. We don’t feel used if a partner seems to lose interest after only four hours of love making. We don’t get distracted if she is wearing the wrong day of the week underwear. Louie-Louie Generation guys are gentlemen, We know that women need more enticement than lighting a cigar and ordering out for a pizza. We tie up, or blindfold pets first. 

 And Louie-Louie Generation ladies are magical midnight madonnas. They know how to love, they know how to laugh, they know how to cook, and how to care, and they try not to cry. They don’t carry baggage with them. They carry their life experiences…and they share them with us. They never use words like fiasco, catastrophe, botch, tragedy, or law suit.

 All this takes time. Some of the Pimple People who strive for Louie-Louie Generation membership will make it. Big Louie has advice for them too. He says, “If your partner can’t stop mummer-ing your name you’re probably a good lover. If she can’t remember your name…you’re probably not so good.”

 There’s a story in the Night Connections personal audio cd about a Pimple Person guy who has just had an experience that could… if he deals with it the right way… make him a genuine candidate for Louie-Louie Generation hood. It’s called The Tiny Dancer. She was just a little lady…just going about her life…but she gave the guy such a whack on the head…just her reflection…I wonder what she would have said if she noticed him watching. I wonder if she might have noticed the expression on his face…and said, “Hi…I miss you too.” The Tiny Dancer is from the Night Connections personal audio cd. If you like it you can just keep the podcast. Or if you want a fresh copy, you can just download it from the icon on the home page.

So…almost all day, I was sitting out there in my branch office, happily sawing away…loading my puns for this puncast…and it felt good. And physical. I like that. I’m still coming back from an operation, so I don’t have all my energy back. But it’s better than it was just a couple of weeks ago. I think my pulse rate must have been down around a four.

And I was sawing, and sawing…and thinking that trees must have been our first cheer leaders…with all that rooting that they do. And the branch I was working on started to groan. Then it slowly broke, and went crashing to the ground. And the tree shuddered a little. And all of a sudden, I had to put my puns away. Because I’ve always been a tree hugger…ever since I was a kid in Brooklyn. All of a sudden, this wasn’t my branch office. It was a living creature. It gives my Lady Wonder Wench and me shade in the summer. Squirrels play hide and seek in it. We sometimes put Christmas lights on it. It’s probably about my age. I found a heart and two names carved in it…lovers from a long time ago. They’re probably about my age now too.

 I guess the tree and I both have to get our energy back. I’m rooting for both of us. Because it would be a shame if it couldn’t turn my world all red and gold again this October.