Full Circle

I am not sure why, but lately I have been thinking about the music that played in my formative years. I suppose it may have something to do with Maegan’s impending marriage. She is embarking on a journey that will take her to the end of her life. Maybe I am reflecting on that journey and realizing that my journey has been a long and more or less happy one. I wish her all the happiness that I had and more.

 

What has that to do with music? Yeah, I don’t know. Right now I am listening to Elton John’s “Madman Across the Water” album in its entirety. Only nine songs, so I will still have some life left when it is over. I just had the thought that the song was written in 1971 and in 2017 there really is a madman across the water. This album resonated with me then as it does now, I would sit in a comfy bean bag chair with my Roots shoes, smoking a joint or two, having a cup of tea and reading Tolkien.

 

Next July, I will be able to smoke a joint while sitting on my couch with a coffee, orthopaedic shoes and a choice of a thousand books on my eReader. I will probably re-read Tolkien, but I find I like to play Carol King’s “Tapestry” album. I think it was written with the Lord of the Rings in mind. Carol doesn’t agree, but what does she know, she only wrote it.

 

I still have most of my albums collecting dust in boxes in the basement. My music listening now is done mostly with help from iTunes and Youtube. They say that vinyl has a better sound quality that MP3’s, but I can’t really tell the difference and if I can’t tell the difference, what does it matter. Besides, most of my albums have been badly mistreated over the years. Drunk and stoned people trying to place the needle on a particular track and dragging it over the rest of the side. I’m sure that some of the albums have a few burn marks from those same people. I remember coming home to find Rick Parker washing my albums in the kitchen sink because they were “dirty”. Surprisingly, they played at least as good after the cleaning as they did before.

 

I am missing some of my favourite albums of course. I would have taken them to a party and missed picking them up in a smoky haze. One of my roommates still has some of my albums that he insists were his. Who knows after forty years? I do! They are mine! A couple of the albums were lost when a good friend passed away suddenly. You can’t go to grieving parents and ask to go through their dead son’s record collection. I can and did live without them.

 

Like I said, they are in the basement and I am happy with pulling my music from the ether. That is where the inspiration for music comes from after all. It’s nice to see things come full circle.

Bring Socks

Okay, so it has been almost a week since the last blog. I am suffering from withdrawal from paradise. I miss that mellow cup of coffee the first thing every morning followed by a walk down the beach and back to another cup of coffee. Then maybe I would write the blog or perhaps a swim in the ocean and a walk along the beach to dry off. The rest of the day just flowed from there.

The weather here is pretty nice although so far there has been no need to turn on the A/C in the car. I have been unpacking and going over the vacation, wondering why I brought all of those pairs of socks with me. I suspect that I like to be prepared for the just-in-cases. Like if Hawaii were to all of a sudden get cold temperatures for the first time in ever. Maybe if I needed to put on my shoes to kick something for some reason then socks would be needed. Perhaps if I had to gag someone. I could fill a sock with sand and smack someone over the head with it. We all know people that could benefit by getting smacked in the side of the head with a sock full of sand. Well, I do.

It has been easy slipping back into my life. Too easy! I kind of wish that I could slowly work my way back by spending a month or so in Mexico or the Caribbean and then perhaps Florida, Vegas and finally home. That is not to be as we have a wedding in Toronto at the end of the month. My baby is getting married to a wonderful man and they are going to honeymoon in Oahu. It’s kind of like a vacation by proxy…kind of.

I am not sure which is better, seeing something for the first time or seeing it through someone else’s eyes for the first time. Both have merit, but the second has the added benefit that you have returned. I envy them visiting paradise so early in their lives, they will have many opportunities to return if they so desire. I just pray they enjoy themselves. I couldn’t bear it if they found it not to their liking. But, who doesn’t like paradise?

So, we need to get everything ready for our trip to Toronto in a week and a half. I must remember the things I am bringing for Maegan and Ryan. I must remember to be on my best behaviour. I must remember to bring the father-of-the-bride speech. I must remember to smile when people say stupid things. I must remember not to say stupid things (no chance there). I must remember to bring socks! I am not cool enough to wear dress shoes without socks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wmghI_vnYg