Jeff Reiner/ Daily Nebraskan
I couldn’t review- a record this
week, because I’ve been having
too many problems with my Walk
man to listen to anything enough.
Actually, I should say Walkmen,
because there were two of them
involved My old one, and my new
one. The first problem came when
the old one died. Last Thursday
morning, just as 1 was starting to
listen to “Spike,” the new Flvis
Costello album, it suddenly kicked
down to about half speed, and
wouldn’t kick back up
I figured it might be the batteries,
so I bought some new ones and
put them in. Still way too slow. So
I resorted to the everyday person's
only method of Walkman repair —
I hit it and banged it around for a
while. Still halt-speed. Finally, at
approximately 8:45 am., Thursday
the l6th, I officially pronounced
my Walkman dead
I always used to think it was a
little silly that some new Sony models
come with “essential item for mod
ern life” printed right on them. But,
now that I’ve experienced the feel
ings of anxiety and displacement
that were involved with my time on
campus without a Walkman, Idon’t
think that way anymore.
The realization of my depend
ence on that thing struck me quickly.
Since I’m never at home or near any
other stereo,it’s the only way I can
ever gel any record reviews done.
It also serves to block out the
generally obnoxious chatter of the
student body.
Without my Walkman, I have no
good reason not to do my home
work.
Without my Walkman, what point
is there to skipping class?
So I went and bought a new one
as soon as possible. The two hours
or so that I spent without one were
among the most harrowing I’ve
ever experienced.
I saved the old one, of course,
and it now stands in my room as a
monument to both my love of music,
and my tendency towards destruc
tive klutziness.
If you could see it, you wouldn’t
exactly be surprised that it doesn’t
work anymore. It looks like its
been dropped into the garbage
disposal, which it almost was once.
But with a roll of masking tape, a
few rubber bands, and a little spe
cial user knowledge, it worked just
fine. Until last Thursday.
ine proDiem is, l drop tnmgs a
lot. And then after I drop them, 1
usually either trip over them, kick
them, or just step right on them.
Since my Walkman was always with
me, it was the main recipient of this
type of abuse, and it looks the part.
And although the brand new
Walkman still looks brand new,
even after a whole week with me,
it has had one adventure the likes
of which the dead Walkman never
saw.
It occurred in the third floor men’s
room in Burnett Hall. I walked in,
and set up shop at the furthest left
of three urinals. The two to the
right of me were occupied, and
further along the wall to the right
were the stalls I set my Walkman
on top of the urinal, leaving the
headphones on so that I could
have a little music while I was
taking care of my business.
Kverylhing was going just fine,
until my scarf began slipping down
off my right shoulder, threatening
to interrupt the ongoing transac
tion.
A couple of times I just gently
flicked the scarf away, but then I
get frustrated and viciously flung it
safely over my shoulder. Unfortu
nately, I caught the headphone
chord on my way up. and although
this pulled the plug out of the unit
immediately, it was enough to send
my brand new Walkman diving
towards the tiled floor.
Naturally, I attempted to catch it
with my right foot, but all I man
aged to do was to deliver it a pretty
sw ift drop-kick. Tl i is sent my brand
new Walkman skidding and bounc
ing along a miraculous course be
tween the urinals and their occu
pants, getting it neither wet, nor
slowed down. It finally spun to a
stop within the confines of the
nearest stall, which, of course, was
orruniod
The first thing I had to take care
of was to finish what I was already
doing. I had somehow, up to this
point, not sprayed any of my busi
ness on the walls, the floors, or the
self, and I didn’t want to lose con
trol of it now.
Moments later I was sort of
sheepishly approaching the stall,
debating various courses of action.
I decided to just get down there on
my knees, fish it out, and get out of
that bathroom as quickly as pos
sible.
I got no reaction from the pair of
legs I saw in the stall. 1 fe must have
either been loo frightened to say
anything, or too busy to notice
anything.
I was happy to see my new
Walkman come through this trauma
unscathed, but I don't entertain
any foolish hopes that it can sur
vive me any better than its prede
cessor. I didn’t want it to gel any
foolish hopes either, so I immedi
ately introduced it to the old one,
telling it that someday soon it would
look just like that, possibly worse.
They’re both just happy never to
have to play any Bon Jovi.
Redevelopment a loss
for all Lincolnites;
may be fatal error
LAVENDER from Page 9
less expensive development strat
egy that maintained some of the
history and charm of the city while
not compromising the modern needs
of the people.
Restoration is a viable alternative
to demolition. It’s too bad we didn’t
chose that option in downtown re
development in Lincoln. It may
have been a fatal error.
I just hope planners left some
room in the budget for more plaques.
Plaques to describe both the beau
tiful and the historic buildings in
downtown Lincoln destroyed to
give Lincoln the illusion of prog
, ress.
We could put them in the side
walk and kidMpould come and
look at them off field-trips to see
j what downtown Lincoln was like
when it was an integral part of life
in Lincoln. We’ll need them in the
I days to come when downtown
Lincoln more resembles a gold
, rush era ghost-town than the vigor
1 ous part of the community’s econ
omy that it once was.
Sorry, Luke.
Andy Manhart/ Daily Ncbraakan
RALPH MUELLER
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written and performed by
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