I was working for most of the last week and I think that was the cause of the return of Normal Erica. You can't be nautical while sitting behind a desk in the lobby of an apartment building. But doing this reminded me of one of the things I've always been interested in for as long as I can remember. The radio. Does anyone even listen to the radio anymore? I can't even say that I've listened to an actual radio in a long time, mostly because there are so few good radio stations anymore. But during work I could listen to my favorite radio station on my phone while sitting in this lobby. If this station were available over actual radio waves in my area I would love that, but since I don't live within a 1/2 mile of this guys antenna, I listen on the Internet. Click here to listen to this amazing radio station, Radio Antioch. It's old radio shows from the 20s to the 60s. There are even original ads during the shows which really make you feel like you're in 1950 something while you're cleaning up from last nights cocktail party or dusting the hi-fi.
Not only do these old radio shows have really good plots, but everyone has that hard to describe old-timey accent that exists only in media from this time period. What is that accent anyway?
There's something really neat about the radio, (even though I'm listening to it on the Internet, lets talk about actual radio for a minute.) It's waves flying through the air. They're everywhere! They're probably smacking into you right now, unless you live in a lead house or something. And then you turn on your radio, and the sound appears from thin air. This is what I loved about antenna TV too, but alas, they did away with that. Is radio next? I hope not.
Besides actual radio, there are various shortwave radio bands, 5 meter and 10 meter ham bands, and weather radio that are all zooming around. You can't even hear these on a regular radio, which is why I bought a scanner when I was 18, so I could hear all the radio. Not only are there police conversations and truckers to listen to, but radio enthusiasts talking about radio on the radio. And weather radio is the best. The other day I heard a marine report telling boaters to avoid a certain area because a group of Right Whales was coming though. All this is just floating around out there, waiting for you to tune in.
I can't really explain what it is I love so much about the radio. Maybe that it's free, and you don't have to look at anything while you're listening. I know that part of it is that you get surprised by whats next, unlike TV today, where you can search anything or see whats on next just using the remote. There's excitement in the unknown! We all used to listen to the radio when we were in high school, and would wait excitedly for our favorite song to come on, and we never knew when it would. But when it did, it was the best. Now everyone has iPods and iPhones with every song they could ever want to hear right in their hand, and nothing they don't want to hear, and nothing new and interesting that might be their next favorite song. I really don't know how people now find out about music. I can't picture teenagers sitting in their room listening to the radio. And if they were watching MTV, it's not like they would hear any actual music. How does this happen without radio?
I could be way off, maybe the teens do listen to the radio. I have no idea. But I know that I love it, and I wish it was as popular now as it was in previous decades. There's something so comforting about it. It seems so much more friendly than TV.
Well, I better get back to other Normal Erica stuff, like cleaning and dishes and defrosting some kind of meat. But fear not! It will be fun to do, since I have radio to entertain me.
Hello everyone, Midwest Erica here. I've had quite a busy few weeks. First, I got sick, which is usually what happens during finals week. Not only that, but my finals were stretched out over 2 weeks which gave me extra time to worry. Thankfully, everything went well and I still have an excellent GPA. The last day of class I was so excited for summer to begin. Then the next morning at 7a.m. my pal Vinny called me to see if I could work. And that's what I've been doing every day since Friday. It's really not bad, besides the fact that I got home from work at 1:00 a.m. this morning and I'm back sitting at this desk at 8:00 a.m. I like money, though. Money is nice. But all this work has caused a longing within me.
What is this longing you ask? What's it for? Coffee? Booze? Well, yes, but they are separate from this longing. The worst part is, there's no fix for me any time soon, and it happens to me about this time every year. Stop trying to guess what I'm wanting because you won't be able to. Want a hint? It involves bright orange cheddar popcorn in a bag, Vernors Ginger Ale, a pontoon boat, and Bob Seger. You already guessed? Wow! You're good! For those of you who didn't get it, don't feel bad. This is not an easy one.
This time of year, after a long winter full of cold and frosty landscapes, heavy coats and the death of 3 very wonderful people I had the pleasure of knowing, my mind constantly wanders off to distant lands. So distant in fact, that these lands go by some strange sounding names, like Dowagiac and Cassopolis. Alright, I won't keep you wondering about this wonderful and mysterious land any longer. Let me whisk you away to a place called southern Michigan.
Isn't it beautiful? Walk with me, if you will, down the pier to the pontoon boat. We can sit there and I will tell you about this place. This is Diamond Lake, in Cass County, Michigan. My dad used to come here with his parents and brother and sister when they were younger, and we started having our very small family reunion here about 6 years ago. This is my one of my favorite places on earth.
Look at that water! It's like Hawaii! And a pontoon boat is the best kind of boat there is. It's like a floating front porch. I love all the lake things we do, like when our family friends come over and we all go out on the boat for a picnic, or the time my dad ran the boat into his friends pier, swimming, watching people get pulled behind the boat on inner tubes because I'm still afraid of them for no reason, and at some point someone always forgets about the rocky shallow part on the north side of the lake and drives into it. I also like our night time boat trips, which are so beautiful and quiet because no one else is out. My step mom, who will be known as Steppie from this point on, saw her first shooting star last year and it was so exciting. There was a meteor shower that night. Imagine, being out on a boat, with completely still water and a clear sky, and seeing a meteor shower. Perfect.
My family has noticed my obsession with this place. I think they think it's a little odd. I know the depths of the lake and where the shallow parts are. I know which homes are for sale and how much they cost. And which ones are vacation rentals and what they look like inside. Now if only I could be so excited about things I actually need to know. It's ok though, it helps me feel like I'm closer to the lake when I'm really in Queens.
Above: Diamond lake. It has an island! Below: Forest Hills Queens. We also have a lake but it's different.
Of course there are other things about Diamond lake and Cassopolis that make it wonderful besides the lake activities. So lets get off the pontoon and walk up to the house and I'll tell you.
Ahh the porch. This is our favorite house to rent for our vacations. There have been others, and not all Diamond Lake houses are created equal.We've stayed in a double wide with plastic sheets, and a very large and very updated house. I liked them all but this one is the best.
Mike likes to point at things. Mostly he points towards the future.
Come on in. Lets avoid all the nicely remodeled areas of this place and go down to the basement. It's my favorite part.
Time warp! If I ever own a house, I would purposely create an outdated wood paneled avocado green vinyl bar in my basement. It's so not hip. I love it.
Ok, enough basements for now, lets go out! Lets get out on the town! And let's pretend that Robyn is here and she's driving, because that will make it so much better. She is also a fan of this area and came to stay overnight last year. I'll tell you more about that later. Hey Robyn, put on some tunes!
Now that we've got on some Bob Seger System, lets go check out downtown Cassopolis. Hey, whats that over there? It's the thrift store where I bought that Burberry coat for .50c! And a t-shirt for the same price. And Robyn scored a whole bag of nice kids clothes for a dollar. Really? Yes! Still want to go to Hawaii for your vacation? No!
Onward. Robyn, what should we do? There's Vlasicak's Meat Market,but I think we already bought everything we need. That place is the best. It smells like awesomeness when you walk in. I think the guy always remembers us as the people who buy all his wine. Maybe next year we should warn them that we're coming. I always imagine they're thinking, "Here come those crazy city people again, buyin' all the wine!" I hope they like us. We spend lots of money there. So if we don't need to get thrift store clothes or meat and booze, what are we going to do? What does any person such as ourselves do? Come on, it's not that hard. Bowling! Robyn, aim thy vehicle towards Dowagiac and lets put on our bowling shoes!
Now this bowling alley isn't just any bowling alley. And it's not really in Dowagiac, but I guess technically it is. It out between two lakes on a narrow strip of land. And like places with bars in Michigan, it still smells like stale cigarettes and beer, which reminds me of the bars I used to go to in Arizona before everywhere banned smoking in bars, besides Michigan I guess. I don't like how I smell when I get home, but it seems so homey and familiar. Anyway, let's bowl!
Robyn, you're always such a good bowler. It takes me so long to get in the groove. But this place helped. Just look at it! Another time warp! Does anyone else think that the flux capacitor was working? Or maybe we have somehow transported ourselves into the movie "Buffalo '66"?
Spanning time. Spanning time.
Well that was fun. It's getting to be late afternoon and I think we should get back home so we can cook up some various meats and corn on the cob. That was fun bowling, we should do that again soon. Oh, look! does anyone want some ice cream?
No? Ok. Maybe tomorrow. But if you leave without having any, you must promise not to forget the chicken in a hat and tie, with either two fat legs or three really skinny ones. Home we go.
Everyone is in the kitchen making dinner. Tonight is my aunt and uncles turn, and tomorrow my aunt and I will cook. but everyone still helps out. We got some vegetables from the farm stand up the road earlier. How is it that tomatoes can be so good? As a city kid I never liked them until I had home grown ones. Now I'm obsessed and I wish I had a yard. Oh New York, you are wonderful but I have other needs. Tomato needs. Hand me that corn! Everyone always shares their personal preferences for cooking corn on the cob. I still think mine works the best. We sit down to dinner, everyone enjoying the local foods and beverages. At some point there is always singing or dancing to some kind of funk or soul music. Last year we all did a riveting version of Tina Turners' "Rollin' on the River". We are avid backup dancers. Are you tired yet? Yes? Too bad. We must go back on the boat and enjoy the serenity that is Diamond Lake after 9:00 p.m. Put some beers in your pockets and lets go.
I'll drive now, because it's my favorite time to drive the boat. It's dark but I know where I am so we won't run into the sand bar. I always think of the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland when I'm on the lake at night. Maybe because it seems so foreign and mysterious. And I'm on a boat. Maybe I'll turn off the engine for a while and just float here in the quiet. The radio is on and the sound drifts off across the water, like classic rock mist. It disappears into the night. Now can you see why I love this place so much?
As we go back toward the house I slow down and pull into the dock perfectly. I like driving a boat much more than a car. It takes a little manuvering forethought and there aren't lanes or traffic lights. As we tie the boat to the dock it gets colder out and I'm glad we're going back in. Everyone goes back to their rooms and Robyn and I go to the guest house where we have decided to stay so we can talk and not bother people.
It's morning! Let's get up and see what the world has to offer us. Hey Robyn, Whats this funny thing in the bathroom of this old guest house we love so much?
Why it's an old Dixie Cup box circa 1970 something! OLIVER with guitar DAZZLES THE YOUNG! Have you ever seen something so amazing? I haven't. And thus began our momentary obsession with Oliver. He was really sweaty, with an invisible upper lip, and he was really digging on some girl called Jean. Totally groovy fellow, he was. I think he ended up selling real estate in the valley or something.
Here is Robyn's spectacular rendering of him:
Unfortunately, our holiday is over now and we have to leave Diamond Lake. Everyone get in your cars and drive to South Bend, or Indianapolis or Batavia. This is the horrible part of such a great vacation. You have to leave. If you lived here all the time it would just be where you live. Then again, that wouldn't be so bad. I've got some houses in mind that I would buy if I had a good job. Let me change that to when I have a good job. I will buy a reasonably priced house on Diamond Lake so my family can visit every summer, and any other time they want. Robyn can come with her family when she wants. Forget Hawaii, forget Bora Bora, when you want to have the best time, go to Cassopolis. You already know the language, and you'll feel like you belong there instantly. And it's only a domestic flight away. (Or a scenic drive.)
Note: If you loved reading about Diamond Lake, and are unsure of what to do with yourself now that this story has ended, fret not. For I have many other adventures to take you on. There are turkeys to visit, fields of goldenrod to admire, stories of a shipwreck, visits to the feed store, more thrift stores, very long walks through fields of corn past abandoned farm houses, a candy store where the egg salad sandwich will take you back to 1920, an organic farm run by a lovely woman who loves cats, stories of my grandma, and various other things that make Cass County what it is. Oh, and fried pork tenderloin sandwiches.
I briefly touched on the whole idea behind this blog in my last post, but I was on a roll and kept going with Nautical Erica since that's who I am right now, or was two days ago. I thought I should explain a little more about what I'm doing so you'll get it.
Like I said before, I seem to get really into different things at different times, but they're mostly the same things over and over depending on the time of year or what I'm missing in my life, or maybe what foods I'm craving at the moment. I think everyone probably does this to some extent, like when you're sad or lonely you want to eat something your mom or dad used to cook for you when you were little. It's like that. I get these cravings for places and things when I miss them, or when I'm reading about them, or any old thing that sets them off.
Let me lay it out for you. These are the Ericas that you will most likely see this year:
Old Ivy League Erica: Bonfires. Lots of
rooms covered in dark wood and hunter green. Ancient tomes. Men who put
their arms around each other. Might be somewhere in the north east.
Wood paneled dorm room with pennants and a nice collection of mens
finery, like coats, a flask, hats, shoes that are properly taken care
of, (leather of course) and books. Warm musty smells. Hallowed halls.
Letters to and from people. Classes that are challenging and
interesting. Teachers with elbow patches and interesting hair styles.
Rowdy Dining halls. Smokey bars without the modern douche bag.
This Erica likes to come out in September, when school begins.
1980s Midwest Erica:
Macaroni and cheese from a box. Comfortable brown furniture. Meatloaf, potatoes, BLT. No cellphones, Internet, complicated
things. Friendly people, stretchy pants. The 80's I remember in Indiana
mixed with Roseanne. Making up dance routines, watching movies over and
over on VHS, side ponytails with scrunchies, hot pink, muggy nights and firefly's, Dairy Queen, no cable. Phones with long stretchy cords. Less
worrying, more friends. Board games
This Erica appears when I'm missing my family, or when I need some Indiana time, or when I watch too much Roseanne. Which is all the time. And also August.
New Age Hippie Erica:
Dr Bronners soap, books for traveling to hot springs and other new age hippie places with addresses and pictures instead of
websites. Cleaning products that smell like plants and have non fancy
labels. Green before green was something other than a color. Eastern
thought, no bra, no makeup, soft clothes, mesh grocery bags, Aware of
the earth.
I am you, you are me, we are we.
This Erica will appear when she gets tired of plastic bags and people drinking bottled water.
Chef:
Recipes, food, when I'm obsessed with cooking. Like most of the time.
This Erica will emerge when dinner is to be made.
Nautical:
Sporty on the ocean. More of a summer personality. Slight overlap
with Ivy league Erica. Capable, adventurous, smart, smartly dressed.
Melvillian. Aware of the weather and thoroughly enjoying it.
Summer is the best time to find Nautical Erica.
History Erica: Nunney Castle, genealogy, sewing cloaks, researching things like I will die if I stop researching some obscure time period, etc.
History Erica shows herself between other Ericas, when reading too much or becoming obsessed with time periods. One can never know when it will happen.
Regular Erica:
Doing way too many dishes, cleaning, taking care of cats, Mike, mid-century furniture, funky things, and being me. Oh, and Ophthalmic Dispensing.
There are more Ericas, and there will be new ones too, which is what makes this whole thing so exciting. It's partly just so I can try to understand myself, but also so everyone who reads it can understand the different parts that make them who they are. Maybe some people don't have their parts so separate like I do, and maybe they do and they don't know yet. But Having all these different sides of myself makes life more fun and gives me new perspectives from which to view everyday things.
Let's start here, since this seems to be the best place to start since
its the beginning. For about a year I've been thinking about how my
brain works. Not the scientific part with chemicals and electricity or
the id or anything Freudian like that. It's more the day to day and
month to month patterns that I started paying attention to because there
is definitely a pattern. It changes with the weather, which from what I
can tell is the main factor though there are exceptions, like what I'm
reading or watching on Netflix.
These things are what I like to call my current obsessions, though
they're more like states of mind because I'm not actively thinking about
them all the time. Its more like there are multiple versions of myself
inside my brain and they take turns doin' their thing. But its not like I
act differently. Let me explain.
For the last few weeks I've been Nautical Erica. I want to be on a boat all
the time. I want to wear navy blue and white. I want to read books about
traveling the sea and visiting tropical islands. This Nautical Erica
usually comes out in early spring, when the anticipation of summer is
too much and I start reading my Herman Melville books again. And
anything about people sailing around big empty oceans on the hunt for
something. Anything. After a long winter I think anyone has some sort of
longing for more temperate climes. My longing works it's way into my
imagination so much that as I lay in bed at night, I imagine that I'm on
a sailboat anchored near the coast of some island with coconut palms
leaning toward the sea, swaying in a warm breeze, with small waves
lapping against the hull of my floating home.
Because I'm actually in Queens, it takes some meditating to imagine
this, but I do and I believe it for the few minutes before I fall
asleep. When I get up I make a smoothie (sorry Robyn) with mango, banana
and coconut milk that I have in my kitchen because Nautical Erica went
to the grocery store the other day. I get dressed in my Diamond Lake
sailing club T-shirt and go to class, where I'm a 9 minute walk to the
ocean, but I never see it. I live on an island, but besides the fact
that I take a train beneath the "tidal estuary" (the east river) between
this island and another one 4 times a day, I never see the water. Yes, I
like to call it what it is. The east tidal estuary.
Today I went outside and it was the most beautiful day yet this year. It
smelled like fresh cut grass and the ocean. (And dog pee). But I could
smell the ocean and as I walked down the street I was really glad that I
happen to be Nautical Erica right now because if I was any other Erica
(that I'll soon tell you about), it wouldn't have been so perfect.
I'm glad that Nautical Erica is here, and I'm sure I'll be Nautical
Erica until August, when Midwest Erica usually appears. It only makes
sense, because I'll get to do so many more Nautical Erica things in the
next few months. And don't worry, I'll take you with me when I do.
