My Morning in Exile

As I’m winding up work this morning, a law student who has worked in my office as a clerk since the beginning of summer left me a mix CD entitled “Music that Craig Likes?” She and I have been friendly enough, but we’ve never talked about music or pop culture or anything like that. Certainly not about anything of enough substance that would give anyone a sufficient lead to go and pick out 15 songs that are likely to be up my alley. Skeptical, I put the CD in. The results: fabulous. Mostly old school punk — Richard Hell and the Voidoids, Stiff Little Fingers, The Damned, and more mainstream stuff like the Ramones and the Clash — but also some nice 80s and 90s flavor like Billy Bragg, Nick Cave and the Pixies. To top it off, she ended it all with “The Breaks” by Kurtis Blow because, hell, just because. All stuff I love, but mostly stuff I last had on Memorex tapes circa 1990 and lost somewhere between then and real adulthood. If she had merely parroted my current record collection she would have gotten points for coming up with a good profile. Putting together stuff I (a) love; and (b) have lost turned what merely could have been a fabulous mix CD into a transcendent one.

Is this law clerk some sort of mind reader or, as another coworker said a few minutes ago, do I merely give off super obvious aging hipster vibe? I don’t think it’s the latter. In fact, I’ve always assumed most people who meet me figure that I’m an old fart who generally wants people off his lawn. Which is true, of course, but either way doesn’t lead anyone to think that I’d actually enjoy a CD full of punk. I dunno, the lesson here, such as there is one, is that you just never know, ya know?

Anyway: I wrote seven posts for CTB this morning. Right now they’re missing for some technical reason, but I assume they’ll come back soon. Stuff about Roy Halladay and the Red Sox, stuff about Johnny Damon begging the media to ask the Yankees if they’ll sign him (quite an endorsement of Scott Boras) stuff about poor Frank McCourt only having a million bucks to his name. A post about Billy Wagner being a good fit for the Braves. Tim Lincecum’s arbitration demand. Something about Adrian Gonzalez being off limits. There’s another one in there, too, but I can’t remember it. Click here. If it works, great. If not, click again later. We’re reaching the point of my legal career where I feel comfortable drinking bourbon in the office, so I’m not gonna check back a whole lot.


14 Comments
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michael standish
14 years ago

When I saw “aging hipster vibe,” my immediate thought was that in your pictures (asssuming that’s really you) you look more like a plain vanilla troublemaker.

The bourbon in the office comment explained a lot.

Craig Calcaterra
14 years ago

I’ll definitely buy “plain vanilla troublemaker” before “aging hipster.”

Chris
14 years ago

Got to think she’s angling for some extra curricular activity.

Craig Calcaterra
14 years ago

Heavan forefend, Chris. Heavan forefend.

Wells
14 years ago

I’m not seeing any mention of Big Black.

(Not That) Tom
14 years ago

I think if you were truly an aging hipster, your first response to the CD would have been to complain that she didn’t include anything from side three of Sandinista!…or, maybe she did, and maybe you are.

In any regard, have a Happy Thanksgiving. Just try not to spill any PBR on those new vintage Chuck Taylors.

Craig Calcaterra
14 years ago

I think that settles it: I’m no hipster. I had to Google Big Black, the last time I had a PBR it gave me such a stomach ache that I vowed to never touch the vile stuff again, and when I tried on a pair of Chuck Taylors a few months ago I thought “A clown. I look like a circus clown.”

I’m just not cut out, mentally or physically, to be a hipster.

Wells
14 years ago

Craig! You’re ordered to legally obtain a copy of The Rich Man’s Eight Track Tape immediately, good sir.

YankeesfanLen
14 years ago

You are a fraud! How can you be from WV if PBR causes abdominal distress?
Anyway, from one who has much to be thankful for, regardless of Red Sox ruses (to me, a bigger red herring than you’ll find in an Italian fish market on Good Friday) and Johnny Damon defections (he’ll have to stay on the Yankees if that’s a recent photo with the $500 haircut complete with highlights) I wish the Shyster family and all Shysterites-
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! (Apologies to EvilEpirE2009 or nom de plume du jour)

Mode
14 years ago

Hey can I give this a shot?

Red Sox – Halladay – Basketball Metaphor

Should Damon give Boras the A-Rod treatment?

Rich Man, Poor Man

Desperatly seeking.. Scutaro?

Maybe now you’ll be able to afford a hair cut, ya darn hippie!

I would be thankful, and so would the Braves.

A-Gone not going anywhere.

Okay, maybe this why I’m a reader and not a writer.

Craig, I am thankful for the entertainment you provide on a daily basis.  Hope you and yours enjoy a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Craig Calcaterra
14 years ago

Hey, I like it, Mode!

(Not That) Tom
14 years ago

“I’m just not cut out, mentally or physically, to be a hipster.”

That’s a shame because I’d love to have seen a “Shypsterball” spinoff where you talk about the latest Decemberists release.

Stefan Kuhn
14 years ago

Dear Craig, Hello from Germany. What an extraordinary good taste in music: Richard Hell – fabulous! And, I am just back from my rope-skipping workout in an empty gym. Last song today on my Ipod: Mr Blow—“The Breaks”. How incredibly cosmic is that?!? Until then—Stefan. (Even knowing these songs tell a lot about the age, isn´t it…? // you borrowed money from the mob, and yesterday you´ve lost your job…).

Chris W
14 years ago

Who says it’s ggggggood to be a blog?