You never just how to look through other people's eyes

So my administrator was sitting in my office today. It was awesome. She was talking about the Olympics in 1996. She talked about college football and how she liked to watch Michigan Alums in the pros. She likes UGA as well. she called her husband to find out where Mario Manningham is playing in the NFL. She said the f-word too. that was awesome. She admired my Sopranos poster on the wall. She missed Skip Caray. she helped me do my job. She was supportive in me going to school. Good day. Good times.

An end of an era.

It didn't really hit me right away when I heard the news, but the more I think about the sadder I become. I was perusing the message board that I have an unhealthy obsession with on Sunday night when I saw that Skip Caray, longtime Atlanta Braves play-by-play man, died. The initial reports were that he died in his sleep were untrue. He died in his yard, but that really doesn't matter in the end. What matters is that he's gone. His voice is one that has a firm place in the soundtrack of my life. Thomas and I and sometimes Rachel and David would be outside shooting baskets in the early evening in Stone Mountain, GA. We might be doing something else like playing two man baseball or possibly some hideous forced yard work like pulling weeds just because we had to or it could have some sort of punishment. Invariably we would drag out the Sanyo boombox and turn on the Braves game. Skip Caray calling Otis Nixon's catch to save a game late in the season against the Pirates in 1991 was heard this way. We didn't have TV then so if we were witnesses to it, we usually witnessed it on the radio. Sometimes we would sneak the games in bed. We were only allowed to listen to 2 games a week which later was reduced to one. I don't think that that rule was ever properly enforced and why should it have been? It was an unjust rule. Thank you for indulging my digression.
I have heard Caray's call of Sid Bream sliding into home to beat the Pirates in the 92 NLCS hundreds of times, but it still sends chills up my spine. I guess there's not really much else to say about it. It's just sad to see part of your childhood go and makes you wish you could enjoyed it more you got older.

It's me

Landed"

We'd hit the bottom,
I thought it was my fault
And in a way I guess it was
I'm just now finding out
What it was all about

Moved to the west coast away from everyone
She never told me that you called
Back when I was still, I was still in love

Till I opened my eyes and walked out the door
And the clouds came tumbling down
And it's bye-bye, goodbye, I tried
And I twisted it wrong just to make it right
Had to leave myself behind
I've been flying high all night
So come pick me up...I've landed

The daily dramas she made from nothing
So nothing ever made them right
She liked to push me and talk me back down
Until I believed I was the crazy one,
and in a way
I guess I was...

But I opened my eyes and walked out the door
And the clouds came tumbling down
And it's bye-bye, goodbye I tried
Treading a sea of a troubled mind
Had to leave myself behind
Singing bye-bye, goodbye I tried

If you wrote me off I'd understand it
Because I've been on some other planet
So come pick me up...
I've landed

And you will be so
happy to know
I've come alone,
it's over

But I opened my eyes and walked out the door
And the clouds came tumbling down
And it's by my goodbye I tried
Down comes the reign of the telephone czar
It's OK to call
Now I'll answer for myself

Come pick me up,
...I've landed

Quick hits

Is it me or some of the devices in Hollywood movies ask quite a lot of us? Example: small women throwing punches that knock out big men. I'm not talking about movies like Kill Bill where girls just going around kicking ass. Really just talking about specific scenes.
The Celtics won the championship and I'm sure that Boston is excited about it. It was good to see someone that was genuinely joyful about the experience like I saw Kevin Garnett last night.
This presidential race is going to be interesting. It appears that the Republicans are beginning to create an Obama-Commie campaign. This would be to drive voters towards the candidate that they( assclowns O'Reilly, Hannity, Limbaugh) didn't think was Republican enough 3 months ago. The Dems are starting hitting back with McSame (I suppose as Bush). It's all a big maelstrom of asshattery while the candidates sit above it all.
Text messaging is a useful tool for passing along short bits of info, but attempting to connect with someone is enfuriating.
The hospital is horrible.
Don't buy trader Joe's brand beer. Everything else is fantastic from Trader Joe's. Also, Woody's Cheesesteaks are pretty tasty.

Why Jamaican Men are killing music

This post is an appreciation of a couple of classic albums from artists that I wish would return.

The first is The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by of course Lauryn Hill. This came out in the fall 1998 and it took a few years after that to get the full appreciation of it.
The first track Lost Ones is a diss of former Fugee frontman and bandmate Wyclef Jean. I believe what happened was that she and Mr. Jean had some sort of a dalliance and he admitted to it in a magazine interview. In the song she speaks of Mr. Jean "tarnishing her image in the conversation." She says his movements are "similar to a serpent." She also utilizes a kind of fake patois in order to make fun of him as well.
The one song that I liked immediately was Doo Wop(That Thing). It's just a great song and has great message. It pokes at the kind of people that are materialistic, misogynistic and that "give it up" too easily.
To Zion is just a fantastic song. It's an appreciation of her baby Zion. Carlos Santana plays the guitar and I still get chills sometimes when I listen to it.
She does a song with the uncredited Mary J. Blige called Now I Don't that is very powerful. Those are just a few of my favorites on the album. She has had 5 kids since 1998 by one of Bob Marley's sons and there is not a whiff of a new album. I even like the interludes between songs. it appears to be set in classroom with kids talking about love. if you listen hard, you can probably learn a thing or two.

The second one is an album by Sade called Lovers Rock. This came out in the fall of 2000 It's hard to pick out even a few songs because i really like every one. I think Slave Song might be my current favorite. There are also rumors that she has holed up somewhere in Jamaica with a reggae artist that i am not familiar with.

I have purchased both of these albums numerous times. I think Miseducation is the most requested album of mine that others have burnt off of me as well. Happy Listening.

The manager's special tonight is...

The other night I was in the grocery store and the Temptations' "Ain't too proud to Beg" comes on the Muzak. Of course the initial reaction is to start singing along. Then I began to dance a little as well. I wasn't shaking it too hard, but maybe enough to where passersby might wonder about my mental status. When the song was over I got to thinking. That is truly a song that everyone knows. Now of course everyone doesn't know the song, but i would say that enough people know it for me to safely say "everyone" in the United States knows the song. Now i will pander to the masses and list songs that everyone knows.



Lynyrd Skynyrd- Sweet Home Alabama

I used to enjoy this song alright and have used it to get everyone on the dance floor at a wedding before. Kentucky Fried Chicken bought the rights and have completely bastardized the song. First of all I'm not sure why Kentucky Fried would buy something about Alabama, but whatever(Kentucky Rain perhaps). I probably would have tired of the song no matter what. I think when your lead singer dies in a plane crash, and pretty much all of your original members have gone on to glory. It's time to let the memory live on. "Free Bird" is one of my most hated songs, but it might have a chance to go on this list as well. I know i've said this before but it's better in this case to burn out than slowly, painfully fade away.



James Taylor-Fire and Rain

I believe there are a few ways to go with a James Taylor song so debatably this is one that I would list. It is also one that would be played over the Muzak incessantly, but it's one that I'll keep. I believe it's about a friend that committed suicide, but I could be wrong about that. Who can really say no to JT's unique blend of folk-rock.



The Eagles- Hotel California

The line: "you can check out any time you want, but you can never leave" is certainly one of the best lines in a song ever. It relates to so many situations in life. As most of these songs are or will be, it's hard for me to find good things to say about them because they are so over exposed at this point, but i will do my best to look at them from the perspective of someone that has just heard them, but I digress. One song by the Eagles that makes me want to reach through the speakers and choke Don Henley is "Peaceful Easy Feeling". This is music at its gutless worst, in my humble opinion.

You are My Sunshine

This little simple song everyone knows. I believe it may be the start of popular music. Ray Charles adds some twists to it, but how can you ignore this song.


Isley Brothers- Shout

This is a very simple classic. It is one of the wedding reception traditions that I do not mind. Ones that i pretty much have no use for are : the Electric Slide, The Chicken Dance, The Cha Cha Slide is OK for others to do but i really can only watch. Look for Walking it Out to emerge sooner or later as the newest Theme dance at a party/wedding reception near you.

Gloria Gaynor- I Wil Survive
The lyrics to this song are pretty powerful, it's a shame that they are done to a disco beat. I think this would have been a hi1t in any era, however it was produced. My two best disco songs are "I Love the Nightlife" and "Don't leave me this Way" by Thelma Houston. The latter i am almost sure would be a hit in any era as well.

Billy Idol- White Wedding

I think everybody knows this song, but I'm not sure. Not much else to say about it. It was in the Eighties, it's a pretty good rock song.

Dolly Parton/Whitney Houston- I Will Always Love You
I believe the Whitney Houston version is still the #1 song of all time. I knew this song even when i really wasn't allowed to listen to popular music.

Coldplay-Clocks
When you're watching Coldplay live on TV at the hospital and the nurse who happens to be African-American and probably close to 50 comes while this song is being played and says she that she loves it, you figure everybody knows it. I have sort of a love/hate relationship with Coldplay myself. One one hand they are extremely boring, and all their songs sound nearly the same. On the other hand songs like Yellow, Politik, the Scientist and Fix You can not be ignored, and I'm not ashamed to say that I like these songs. They could stand to get a little more of an edge, however.

The Beatles- I Wanna Hold your Hand

Many people know everything that the Fab 4 have done, but in my experience this is the only song that everyone knows. This was when the Beatles were the Backstreet Boys. I heard it said once that the Beatles were the only band that went from being the Backstreet Boys to U2 to Radiohead. There is of course not much else to say about them.

Future Nominees: Smashing Pumpkins-Today; Gnarls Barkley-Crazy

Please if you have critiques of the examples i've given, i'd love a discussion. Feel free to add your picks and explanations of such. Or you can just enjoy mine, haha.

Two funerals and a wedding

Please note, the following events are meant to illustrate a theme. They in no way are meant to be portrayed as the most important events of my life. They are important events in the lives of many. Take it for what it is. It is just my view point on certain things. This is a creative space of mine that I value and attempt to entertain others and not intended to be a personal journal.

The year was 1999. Some of my college friends and myself were enjoying a Saturday in a state park in Western NY. We were driving along and up ahead there was what appeared to be a wedding and/or wedding reception occurring in one of the recreation areas. Now, mind you we were in college and we were therefore prone to to do or say inappropriate things in order to get laughs. I am reminded of my friend Jon pulling up his shorts past his belly button and acting "special" at the Baseball Hall of Fame. On this particular day someone suggested that we yell something along the lines of advice to utilize prophylactics to the wedding party. Us being all around 20 years old, this sounded like the most hilarious thing in the world. Jon also agreed that this would be really funny, but made a valid point. He felt like this was two people's special day and didn't want to be part of someone's memory of the event when they look back on it. We heeded his words and kept driving.

Flash to early 2001. I am attending my grandfather Amos' funeral in south GA. It is all very sad, but i don't really start crying until Mister Billy gets up and starts talking about Amos. Mister Billy was a neighbor who lived down the road and has known my Grandmother as long as they've been alive. He would come over to the house and visit nearly every morning. He would also take us kids for rides on his 4-wheeler when we would visit. Well anyway, Mister Billy was inconsolable even after the funeral was over. I was supposed to be one of the pallbearers. I first wanted to go over to Mr. Billy and see if I could be any comfort. I am however interrupted when one of the funeral home employees demands rather harshly that I come back over and assist with the proceedings. I know that was my duty, but I i just needed like 10 more seconds.

Now it's May of this year. My very good boyhood friend Michael Hullender was killed in Iraq while assisting his unit members who were wounded. I go to his funeral. There are rumors that the Westboro Baptist Church of Kansas will be picketing the graveside service. These are worst kind of hateful so-called Christians that celebrate soldier's deaths because they feel that this is God meting out his punishment on the US for allowing homosexuality etc.. Almost out of necessity comes the Patriot Guard. These are veterans and others that ride loud motorcycles and if necessary, provide a wall between protesters and the proceedings of a funeral. Wow there is a use for dirty, long haired bikers after all. No protesters showed, but the Patriot Guard was there just in case.

3 major events in life. 2 of them were able to avoid having their memory tainted. The incident at my grandfather's funeral did not ruin the memory, but it could have gone better. Who knows maybe at all of these events, something didn't go right for someone. Maybe the happy couple is divorced so it doesn't even matter what happened on that day. I guess the point of this post was to look at major life events and try to point out how they could be tainted by little or big actions.