Big Leather Couch

Another long travel day comes to an end...

The flight from Chicago and Atlanta was not without an incident, and I would like to congratulate the two flight attendants for Trans Air for their total professionalism.

But back to the beginning. We boarded and plugged in the earphones to listen to the free XM Radio they have on board. We read the latest Rolling Stone for a while and then closed our eyes. At one point we felt a presence in the aisle and opened our eyes.

In the aisle, two of the seat occupants from across from us are standing and the third, a male is bent over and obviously in pain. One of the flight attendants and one of the two passengers are wearing latex gloves and we then see that the ill passenger has obviously gotten sick.

We hear them talking and the sick passenger mentions kidney stones. Well we know all about them. They find a nurse on board and a gastroenteroligist who come to help. The man says he does not have his pain meds and we curse under my breath. We do have my pain meds with us, but for like the first time in years, we have checked our bags and the meds are below in stowage.

The two flight attendants then talk to the captain and they are speaking to the ground, whether to divert and land. The doctor informs them it is not life threatening, so we continue on to Atlanta. The two flight attendants were patient, kind, attentive while they needed to toss the seat cushions from the row, and try and clean up the mess. As we deplaned, we told them both exactly that.

When the flight lands, of course they ask everyone to remain seated when we get to the gate. OF COURSE four or five people stand immediately upon hearing the ding and have to be told to sit - what the frick is wrong with people? The doctor, nurse and sick passenger all move quickly off the plane.

We finally deplane and we go to one of the smoking lounges in the Atlanta airport...one of the few that still have them (they also still have lockers, which - if you fly frequently - you know that most airports no longer have lockers for you to store your luggage...)

While sitting there we notice a young soldier in fatigues standing against the wall. We watch his face. It is pained, no doubt about it. As I leave,we walk around toward him and ask, "On your way home?" (We needed to ask that way).

He replies, our eyes locked, "No Sir, on my way back, second tour." His eyes are so sad and there is a fear in them also. We put our hand on his shoulder and grabbed his hand in a firm shake "Sir, you be safe, God bless you and thank you for your bravery." He took a breathe and replied "Thank you Sir, second tour." Like he was disbelieving he had to return again.

We can see this young man's face in our mind right now, and do not know if we will ever forget it.

Thankfully, Atlanta to Memphis was a short, uneventful flight.

We pray for every single one of our young men and women each night...

Satellite radio. Nope don’t have it…have wanted it, but, dang…no money.

Then the thought comes, well which would we select?

Sirius Radio with Howard Stern, the NFL, NASCAR, the NHL and the NBA?




Or would THE COUCH select XM Radio with Major League Baseball, the Grateful Dead, Oprah, and the PGA?

Decisions…decisions…decisions…

Well, now all of your decisions are made. On Monday Gary Parsons, Chairman of XM Radio and Mel Karmazin, CEO of Sirius Satellite Radio announced the two services would be merging.

Will the FCC, which has a rule against a satellite radio network buying another, allow this to happen? We wait with baited breath to see.

They haven’t decided what to call the new company but stated, during the announcement, that it would be a merger of equals.

If it does happen, do you get all the services for a new price point or will you still have to decide between Howard and Oprah…the NFL or MLB?

Oh the decisions we must make in our lives…


Britney shaved her head and ended up in the hospital where a spokesperson was quoted as saying she seemed “disturbed and distant, acting like she wasn’t there and was almost zombie-like.”

Ah good ole Brit… OK, all of you who think Walt Disney is rolling over in his grave over the insanity of Ms. Spears please move to the right side of the boat.

OMG, we’re gonna Tump!


LOL…Tump. Yesterday at lunch one of our co-workers introduced me to this word. It seems it is part of the lexicon of this general area. It was confirmed by three Memphians and someone who grew up in Alabama.

Tump is the combination of Tip and Dump…as in, if we all rush to the right side of the ship, we may tump it!

Y'all just gotta love the South!


The murder trial of producer Phil Spector will be televised ordered California Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler. Think this member of the court is excited to have all those cameras focused on him?

Now to find a way to get sick and stay home. This should be almost as entertaining/sickening as the O.J. spectacle.

The hair alone is worth the video cameras! Is he hiding the revolver in there?


The five former members of the pop act Boyzone were spotted leaving the London based record offices of Universal,starting rumors of a reunion.

Ummmmmm… THE COUCH has no idea who these guys are ….we just thought the name was hysterical, and wondered when they broke up??? DOH!

Sound effect of young girls screaming…barf.


So tomorrow the public voting begins for American Idol.

THE COUCH will begin a weekly review, coming full circle from where we began last year at this time.

It might even be easier as we have no feelings for any of the contestants.

So, come back tomorrow, take a seat on THE COUCH and play MID-WEEK MUSICAL MEME and get a complete review of the 12 men of American Idol.


CREDIT:
MUSIC CODES: Best Audio Codes

ON THE RADIO: Cheap Trick; Composer: Rick Neilsen