Well, summer vacation got shorter by one day today.

Sounds like a good time for adventures with the BFF!

As soon as I could get out of my driveway, we met at her abode and then traveled to the fine Goodwill in the central district near her house. I was skeptical of any awesomeness there, but the BFF assured me that awesome lurked around the corner. We probably spent about 2 hours there and I saw some people I know that don’t know I know them and she saw her friend Transitman. I broke a picture frame by accident, but took responsibility and told a worker. Good kid! I wandered around aimlessly for a while and then found the record rack. The best thrift store record rack I have ever seen. I only made it through half of the rack and bought 10 records. So awesome!!!!! Here’s what I got:

• A record of Irish folk songs from 1955 field recordings. I might give this to Chunk.
• The 1977 soundtrack to Annie, starring the original cast, in awesome condition. Tomorrow!
• Pat Benetar – In the Heart of the Night (1979). I might give this to my sister.
• Grieg: Concerto in A Minor for Piano and Orchestra and Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini by Phillippe Entremont and The Philadelphia Orchestra (c. 1958). I’m trying to get more Russian composers. I’d love some Shostakovich, actually.
• Maynard Ferguson – Conquistador (1977). Has the theme from Star Trek on it. I was curious.
• John Denver’s Greatest Hits Volume 1 and 2 (1977). My parents had this on 8-track. I think it is required listening for white people.
• Paul Simon’s Greatest Hits (1977). Paul frickin’ Simon.
• Captain and Tennille – Come in From the Rain (1977). Seriously? You should check out the cover of this beast. Ridiculous.
• Vladimir Visotsky (1980). A Russian folk singer of some kind. From the height of the cold war. How could I pass this up? After doing some research tonight, He was apparently huge in Russia (this is a Russian release), plays 7-string guitar, had horrible drug problems, and this is a collection of songs released shortly after his conspicuous death. RAD! (Read more on wikipedia)
• The Ray Charles Singers – Spring, Spring, Spring (1965) YES! NO! Oops. Check out this quote: “THIS Ray Charles mastered his craft in support of that inimitable performer of the Eisenhower 50s, Perry Como. Beginning on Decca in the mid-1950s, Ray Charles took the finely-honed chorus he led behind Como on television through a staggering number of albums. Virtually none is distinguishable from another except by the artwork on the cover, and few are worth plucking from your local thrift store bin.”

Did I mention that each of these records was only $0.10? SO AWESOME!!! And then, as if it couldn’t get any better, I was wandering around and found the most beautiful typewriter I have ever seen. I picked it up and carried it around until I found a piece of paper. All the keys work except “A”, and “H” is sticky. It could use an ink ribbon, but it types ok. Anybody know a good typewriter repair shop?

What a great morning!

BFF and I went out for Pho after that and then back to her house to do her taxes like I promised I would. We got some progress made but not done yet. I watched Rick Steve’s videos about countries on my impending trip to Europe for several hours. Then we went to the new Twilight Exit and talked some deep conversations about life, the universe, and everything. My BFF is a wonderful and insightful person and I’m lucky to know her.

Successes today:

yes.