Do you remember back to the days when you would leap from the pieces of furniture in your house to avoid the floor, which was made completely out of ‘hot lava’? It seems that everyone knows what you’re talking about when you say ‘hot lava,’ don’t they? We never played ‘cold lava,’ either; it always had to be hot. Of course, if it were ‘cold lava’ we'd simply call it rock jumping…or parkour.
I woke this morning to the strangest feeling—like back in the days when I’d played that game as a kid. It was hastened even further when my friend’s kids began to play ‘lava monster’ throughout their house. As their screams and laughter filled the air I was taken back.
I guess every boy (and probably girl) has played this game at one time; sometimes, I miss the days when you could play like this and not worry about breaking the furniture.
Images from toothpastefordinner.com & stories.mountainworkshops.org/
I thought about my mom and dad tonight, mostly because of the memories this band evokes every time I listen to them. I remember those long trips to visit my grandmother's house, or the trips out to Cloverleaf Beach on the Columbia River, during those sweltering days of summer amongst the pine-ridden mountains of Washington State.
The family would be piled in the car and dad would slip the cassette into the car stereo; we'd then drive the miles to either one destination or the other - the windows would be down as summer blew all around the vehicle, music spilling out into the world around us and left behind in our wake.
It was because of this that Fleetwood Mac, and more especially their album, Rumors, came to be somewhat a tether to my childhood and memories of the past.
Tonight I sat at laptop and fired up iTunes as I worked on various and sundry items. As I looked at the computer screen before me, I saw - staring back at me from the veritable smorgasbord of music - a Fleetwood Mac tune or two nestled in amongst all of the others. I clicked on one, and it wasn’t long before I was reminiscing back on those times – the simpler moments of life when it was others that made life’s major decisions for me - back in a day when I was dependent upon my parents - lodged back in a time when the greatest worries I had in life was whether or not Maye Clamm really liked me or not, and wonderings of if my goldfish was going to still be alive when I got home from school that day.
I also thought about my grandma....
I thought of her little house and the flowers she grew around it. I remembered the distinct smell of canned cat food and the red kitchen counters. I thought of her affinity for The Pink Panther, and the secret second drawer down in the kitchen that was always filled with candy – it was like a treasure chest of sugary goodness.
It’s funny that in the ensuring years from those moments the songs did not change. Oh, the medium changed – the mode of delivery – but not the songs themselves. Instead of cassettes or records we changed to CDs and mp3s; however, it is the music which has remained a constant throughout time.
The music is still the portal; it is the conduit into yesteryear; a lighthouse standing solidly as it shines its light into a troubled sea.
For quite some time I listened to my favorites from the album – some more than others – and thought of the times in my distant past.
Today, I am grateful for music; I am grateful for the journeys it can take us on; for the moments that it allows us to relive - if even just for a few few brief seconds...
This is a playlist of all the songs I could find online from the Rumors album, and I also added a few other Fleetwood Mac classics that I just couldn't seem to get enough of...I hope you enjoy this playlist as much as I do.
Goodnight my friends...
On a final note...while I’m not necessarily a huge fan of cover songs, I would have to say that this cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “You Make Loving Fun” by Dustin Christensen is one of those songs that simply defies the odds.
I hope you can make it a part of your memories…and better yet, it’s free...you can even download it directly from the link below.
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I’ve had several instances where people have sent me the “list these things about yourself” challenges, and while these may be fun at times, I find that they are not really my style…as Jaylee would say, “not my usual blog fodder.”
She is so right.
However, I was listening to a Howard Jones song the other day…perhaps you’ve heard of it. I love this song. Have for years; one of my favorites by him. So I figured that I would like to let you get to know me a little bit more well…but only through Howard.
Good old Howard…
Like to get to know you well… Really?
Like to get to know you well… Are you sure?
Like to get to know you well… Why?
So we can be one, we can be one together… Well, I guess that works for me. I mean, if you’re really serious about it…
Together we can cast away the fear… Fears? Well, I will admit that I am afraid of heights…however, when I stand at the brink of a canyon in the desert, I will not hide the fact that I would love to leap off of the edge and have the winds catch me, lifting me to new vistas. Flying would be the ultimate thrill. I would like to one day skydive—probably the closest I’ll ever come to truly flying…or rather, falling with style. I’d probably have a heart attack when I leapt from the plane, but such are the chances one takes when living life.
Together we can wipe away the tear… The last time I cried—I mean really cried—was when I was asked by a friend of mine to do a photo shoot of a family. I learned that the youngest boy in the family—who was only about 3—had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. About a week after I took their family photos, he died.
Together we can strip down the barriers and be one… Well, I will have to be honest and admit that I’m not ready to take down all of the barriers quite yet. I mean, I don’t really know you all that well, and would you want all of those protective barriers gone?
Me neither.
Don’t want to talk about the weather… I know that the weather is a topic we all discuss when there’s nothing else, and the conversation is going nowhere, but I’ll be honest, I really am longing for snow…but only for a week or so, then we can go back to good old summer again. Actually, another few months of autumn would have suited me just fine.
Don’t want to talk about the news… Most days, I’m pretty far behind the news. I don’t usually watch TV other than a few episodes of this or that which have been released on DVD. There’s a big difference between what you see with and without commercials, you know? I usually find out the news from the people around me…kind of sad when you find out about the recession from a fifth grader…
Just want to get to the real you inside… The real me inside? Hmmm…now that’s a spooky place. You might just not like what you’ll find in there; after all, locks are put on doors for reasons.
Don’t you think now is the time, we should be feeling? Right now I’m feeling pretty well…a bit tired, but nonetheless well. I do like my job, my current ‘status’ in life, and with Christmas around the corner, it’s kind of difficult to feel cheerless. I do have to admit that “Deep Inside of Me” by Jericho Road always gets me feeling something as does “Little Wonders” by Rob Thomas.
Just want to simply say, won’t let you slip away… Yes, now there is a word of thanks which needs to be spoken aloud…thanks for returning to my blog day after day—I’ll be honest, I love to read over your comments; and whilst I know that there remains many a lurker out there who chooses not to make themselves known, I appreciate your coming back from time to time. It makes me believe that I have something worthwhile to say every now and again…that, or you’re really bored and in desperate need of reading material. But whatever the reason, thanks for many a return.
People want to talk about the future… I am not sure where my future will take me. There are so many possibilities out there. I’d be comfortable in saying that I’m not quite ready to move schools again…and I absolutely love my house so that is out of the option world for just a bit longer. I think I’ll just plan on making it to Christmas break, and then see what direction the wind is blowing from there.
Don’t want to linger on the past… There is a bit too much in the past to talk about, however, I will blog about some of the better stuff from time to time. My dad would call them, “Rocking chair memories.” Aptly named, wouldn’t you say?
Just want to reach to the real you inside… Didn’t we talk about what a scary place this is already?
Forget cold glances and rejections… While I’ve gotten better at this, I still allow them to bother me from time to time…why? Not sure, really. Probably just because there’s something about feeling low sometimes which appeals to that dark side in each of us…those days when we just don’t get dressed, walk around in pajamas, and eat five bowls of cold cereal just because we don’t really care.
Leave the things that separate… These are various and sundry items, to be sure which do this. Far too many to mention in a blog post which is not all on its own.
Build on a trust that we can stand on… I usually find that when I trust someone, I really trust them unless they destroy it. Unfortunately, this has happened more times than I’d like to mention…good thing for cold cereal and pajamas.
Finding all are insecure… I have noticed that many people I encounter from day to day are pretty insecure about this, that, or the other. I’m amazed just how often we can ‘fake it’ and appear that this is not the case at all. We are truly master performers.
Opening the same door… I do tend to make the same mistakes more than once. Chalk that one up to human nature…or stupidity…whichever is more convenient or believable.
Leaving out a stubborn pride… Ah, that stubborn pride issue.
Seeing from another side… I love the song, “This Side” by Nickel Creek. It’s all about the foreignness of being in one place and not the other. There are times when I am in the other place because it’s where I belong. To quote Nickel Creek:
“You dream of colors that have never been made, You imagine songs that have never been played. They will try to buy you and your mind. Only the curious have something to find.”
Sometimes the other side is where find I need to be.
Well, that’s it for this post. While some may argue that they really didn’t get to know me all that well, just remember, “No One is to Blame.”
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There are things and people we encounter in life who inspire us… these little wonders grab us, shake us, and refuse to let go. Today I’d like to share one of these people who changed me. By viewing this, I hope it will change you and become a part of your life as much as it has now become a part of mine.
Meet, Professor Randy Pausch, a man who’s made a tremendous impact on the lives of millions of people, a man who lived his childhood dreams of meeting Captain James T. Kirk and experiencing zero gravity, a man who fathered three children, a man who died today of pancreatic cancer.
The wisdom Mr. Pausch…only, he’d want to be called Randy—left behind speaks long after he is physically able to do so.
His message will inspire you.
Randy Pausch - ABC Special.
A condensed version of Randy's Lecture recently given on Oprah.
Randy Pausch's Last Lecture.
“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us the chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.”
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I have a friend. I’ll choose to christen this friend as “Taylor” so as to protect their identity (also, this is a gender-neutral name which does well, and suits my purpose). Anyhow, I was recently visiting with my friend and realized that they were at a point of breaking; and many around them do not realize this…after all, Taylor wears a painted smile each day, and they lie…saying that everything is fine in their life.
However, I don’t believe that that is really the case.
I write this blog for Taylor, after all, Taylor you know who you are. However, since this is also a public forum, anyone else is welcome to read it as well.
Dear Taylor,
I am writing to let you know that it’s going to get better. The moments happening right now are just that—moments; before you know it these will be in the past, and you’ll wonder how you ever let them bother you at all. I also wanted to remind you that inside of all these terrible experiences there is not only hurting, but opportunities to be refined and to grow. Just think of how much wisdom you are cultivating because of these challenges you now face!
Do you remember when you were growing up and you felt that you were being punished for no reason? No matter what your parents said, you just couldn’t see how these were helping you or were to your benefit. I’m sure you realize now, just how much these were helping to shape you into the wonderful person you are. These “terrible” moments refined a person who may not have been so great otherwise.
Take advantage of these small moments of timespace, because once this day is over and done, it is gone forever. It will never return to you; this includes good times as well as the bad. Try to seize that which is good in each day, and let the bad things go. In the future you’ll cherish these memories, and will (for the most) only remember the good portions.
Also, never forget that whenever you are feeling low, you’ve got a Friend; One who cares about you and wants the best for you. He is always there, and you don’t need a cell phone plan to talk to him. He’s really a good listener. However, for those times which you just feel you need to talk to somebody else, just know that I’m always here as a backup.
I woke this morning to the strangest feeling—like back in the days when I’d played that game as a kid. It was hastened even further when my friend’s kids began to play ‘lava monster’ throughout their house. As their screams and laughter filled the air I was taken back.
