Singing Strangers

A couple of nights ago I was in the store grabbing some last minute things for supper.  An old, familiar song came over the speaker and I started to half sing, half hum quietly.  I’m browsing the shelves, singing and  minding my own business. I turn and head up the next aisle and that is when I hear it.  The man at the end of the aisle is also singing the song.  As I get closer to him he does not back off of his song or shy away from singing out loud.  Hmm.  What the heck?  I continue to sing too.  So here we are, looking for gravy mix and singing a duet.  We turn and go our separate ways, but I am sure we both sang the song until the end.  Isn’t there something strange about singing strangers?

Livin’ On A Prayer

 If you know me, you know I love music.  You also know I listen to a few things I wouldn’t let Chelsea listen to (Meatloaf, for example).  I know people have different musical tastes and as long as I don’t have to listen to Helmut Lotti, I’m OK if you do.   I’m not OK if you are not considerate about it.  I have an iPod and I don’t force you to listen to Bon Jovi, Meatloaf, Dr. Hook, Billy Joel, John Cougar or the B-52s (yes, all on my iPod).  Which brings me to the reason for this post.  

We attended a soccer game a couple of weeks ago and heard the raunchiest music ever.  The home team had an entire hour of trashy, foul language warm up music.  One of their team members climbed up to the press-box and palyed it for all of the world to hear.  It was so loud we couldn’t talk and the words were so filthy I can’t repeat them. 

After talking to some other soccer parents, I found out that this school was one of two private, Christian schools in town blasting this junk during warm up.  Now I know there are other songs out there.  Why can’t they use the theme from Rocky?  Or Eye of the Tiger?  I asked Chelsea if she had any ideas for warm up songs and after considering her team’s record, she said …

Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer”.     That’s my girl !!! 

Orientation

Last night we attended the “event” Chelsea has been waiting for since May.  Drumroll please … Junior High Orientation.  Some of us never want the summer to end and Chelsea cound not contain herself as she made list upon list about what she was going to do in junior high.  So, last night was the big night.  I made my own  list of the things I learned at orientation last night:

Level I Offenses include : chewing gum, eating outside of designated areas  and sleeping in class.  Level II Offenses include: holding hands during school hours, misbehaving in chapel, possission of a cigarette lighter and vulgar language.  Level III Offenses really shocked me!  Level III Offenses include :  fighting, occult practice and listening to, possessing or distributing rock music on or off campus.  They also include : being in an unathorized place off campus such as a bar or rock concert!  So, it seems to me that my love of rock music is more “offensive” than misbehaving in chapel.  Hmmm.  Also, my rock music is as “offensive” as occult practices.  Please people!  Some of the things in the Level IV catagory are: use of explosives, arson and gang participation.  Whew!  At least I’m not as bad as the gang members who set things on fire. 

I know we chose for her to go to a private school and all joking aside, I am very happy with CLA.  But I know there will be times when I laugh at the rules … and this is one of those times.

What Is That Sound ?

What is that sound, filling the air?  It’s the sound of open G.  That’s right ladies and gentlemen, the unmistakable sound of my little girl with a new clarinet.  “Teach me a song now, Mom,” she pleads.  “Not yet honey, just get comfortable with the instrument and making a sound,” I tell her.  And make sounds she does!  She is actually doing a great job considering she has only be “playing” for 2 days.  She has already asked me to explain how to make first chair in the band!    I hope the excitment continues.  I know I’m excited to have a working clarinet in the house.  I must confess that I put it together in my van right after leaving the music store and made an attempt at a chromatic scale.  Not too bad if I do say so myself. 

Ah, open G.  The beginning of so many possibilities …

Do you hear what I hear ?

If you’ve been reading very long, you know I like music.  I’m not as polished as my friend, Sandy though.  I can’t name many symphonies, but I can appreciate them.  I’m mostly a 70s / 80s music lover.  Some songs can make me really happy. 

Today, I was listening to “classic rock” and heard Big Ol’ Jet Airliner, don’t carry me to far away … and I immediately remembered an old friend who told me she used to think that song said Bingo jet had a light on … another person I know thought Take the Long Way Home said take the wrong way home … For a long time I wondered why Jimmy Buffett spent four lonely days in a Brown Nellie haze - I thought it must have been drug induced.  Once while chaperoning a youth trip, we heard one of the kids singing that famous Eagles tune You can’t hide your la dee das -We still can’t sing that song without laughing.  And then of course, there are church songs you change the words to.  Our God Reigns will always make me giggle as I think of Our Bob Raines - can’t help it!  When Scotty was little, he wondered why Jesus was laying in the gravy.

What are some of the words you hear ?

Birthday, iPod, Hurricane Katrina

Well, I have been absent from this blog for a while.  Last week I spent two and half days in bed sick, celebrated my birthday and drove back and forth to Lafayette for a soccer tournament.  I also spent one and a half days trying to get my stupid cell phone to work.  All of these things combined kept me from sitting down for a long block of time to blog.  As a result, I have a ton of things to say today!

My sister and her husband gave me an iPod for my birthday.  I mentioned to her that I would like to have one and use it while walking on my treadmill.  I already had a list of favorite songs in my mind and was eager to begin.  You should note here that I was eager to begin downloading songs, not walking on the treadmill. 

I consider myself to be pretty quick when it comes to computers, electronics and such.  I saw on the Today Show this morning that Mom’s who are technologically savvy and work and do the whole soccer mom thing are now called “Alpha Moms”.  Well, until last week I would have told you that I was surely and “Alpha Mom”.  After the cell phone, blue tooth, iPod week I had, I must admit that my technology “skills” are lacking in a few areas. 

Many friends told me I would love, love, love my iPod.  And I do.  Now.  The whole download iTunes and sync but don’t disconnect the iPod from the computer while it’s blinking orange.  WHEW!  OK – got the iPod all in sync and started to download.  And what did I download you might ask – sermons!  That’s right people.  I have yet to download any music.  If you know me very well, you might read this and check my temperature.  Enough of the blah, blah, blah and on to the sermons -

I downloaded a few of Jeff’s sermons, Rick Atchley’s series on marriage and John Dobb’s Hurricane message from Tulsa.  Let me tell you I have been tremendously uplifted by all of them.  Jeff’s and Rick’s were great reminders for me and I even learned a few things   John’s was the one that made the most impact though.  His thoughts on Jesus and Hurricane Katrina really affected my thinking on the whole Katrina issue.  I have not blogged about the hurricane very much because I have some very strong opinions about it.  I feel bad about some of those opinions because I was inconvenienced by Hurricane Katrina, but I wasn’t devastated by it like so many others were.  I will write more about Hurricane Katrina and John’s message in my next post.  What I learned from it will take a lot of words.  This post is already too long and I could not do it justice or expect you to keep reading this wordy post today.

I leave you with this.  Jan keeps a book list writes a book review on her post every now and then.  I have decided to start a “recommended listening” list.  So here are the first ones I encourage you to enjoy:  How to Chase and Overtake the Lions I & II , Lord of the Rings , and Jesus Came to My Town in a Hurricane .

And, I recommend this hilarious iPod post by Antique Mommy because I could really relate when I read it.  When you’re done with that one, read this one.

 Have a great weekend!

That Song

You know that song that keeps running through your brain?  The one that you surprise yourself by singing all day long?  Chelsea is having one of those songs today.  What cracks me up about it is that it is the song “Lowrider” by war.  Sing it with me now, “All my friends … “

Music has a powerful effect on me.  I can hear a song and be immediately reminded of good times and bad.  I can hear “Little Pink Houses” and it transforms my mood and reminds me of happy times.  It’s not the words to the song, it’s the memory of the summer I first heard the song.  It’s not Eddie and the Cruisers that make me happy; it’s the reminder that I have an awesome friend and I know she is reminded of me when she hears the same thing.  I can start thinking about the John Denver and the Muppets Christmas album and cry like a baby.  Lauri and I always listen to that one by ourselves at the beginning of the Christmas season just to get the tears out of the way and get over it.  “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” reminds me of Guy Grady.  “Uptown Girl” reminds me of someone who reads this blog.  “I’ve Got A Name” reminds me of Dad.  “Even Winds Whisper His Name” reminds me of Bob Carpenter.  There are countless hymns that remind me of my Mom.  Lauri and I always share a smile if we sing them on Sunday mornings.  A lot of songs remind me of Scotty, but the ones that may surprise people are “Smoke On the Water” , “Red, Red Wine”, “Carry On My Wayward Son” and “Word Up”.

What song brings back memories for you? 

“… take a little trip, take a little trip …”