Monday, August 31, 2009

Obscure Musical Lyric for the week of Aug. 31/09

One week to go, no not to the end of my holidays, but to all the kids from kindergarten to gr.12 (and victory lap as gr.13 is now referred to) who have to return to school in 8 days. Happy Monday everyone. ,OK so I had this post already written when I ran into some old stuff that reminded me of school. Not my school mind you a fictitious school in Pennsylvania. So I had to rewrite the entire blog, cause if I didn't I would be all mad at myself, this is supposed to be fun right?

The song appears in an amazing movie from 1978 and the movie was apparently completed for 2.7 million American dollars. The film has since been deemed "culturally significant" whatever that means. The song was written by a group of brothers and sung by someone else in the movie, sort of.

Here are some of the lyrics:

I want you to know
I said I want you to know right now, yeah!
You been good to me baby
Better than I been to myself

Here are some hints:

Otis Redding had nothing to do with this song, my man! The current singer is named Dewayne Jessie who "starred" in the movie, but didn't sing it in the movie. Many of you will have seen this movie in high school or just after high school depending on your age. Mashed potatoes have never been the same since this movie, never mind other kitchen aids. This song should make you want to .............oops almost gave it away there.

I would like to know:

The name of the song:
The brothers who wrote it:
The name of the movie:
The name of the band from the movie:
Who produced Dewaynes album in 1989:

Have a great week. I trust that you and yours will enjoy the last days of freedom. I hope that this little foray into school music has brought a smile to your face. Last week it was "Sesame Street" this week is slightly different. A place of higher education and fraternal fun is the setting.

Friday, August 28, 2009

The big reveal for the week of Aug.24/09

Hello there and welcome to Friday. For what would a week be without a Friday, short maybe, but who does not enjoy Friday? I like Fridays because they seem like the last push to the finish line when I can say, I made it! Since I am vacation this week, Friday doesn't have the same appeal, although I am having lunch with a 7 and 9 year old, so that will be fun.

I had one guess this week. he was correct, and honestly stated that he needed "a little help from his friends" to get all the answers. Honesty is the best, isn't it, even when it comes from a syrupy Billy Joel song. Congratulations to Gary D. who gave me two of the correct answers from memory and the other two probably from google.

Here are your answers:

The name of the song: Me and Julio down by the Schoolyard
The writer: Paul Simon
Whose mother sang back-up on another song: Whitney Houston's (Cicely Houston)
Who played on the former duos famous song: Bridge over Troubled Water, played by Larry Knechtel

There are a few versions of this song available on YouTube, but I like this one the best, kinda brings childhood, music, silly songs(or is it?) and memories all together in one wonderful video, enjoy:


Have a great weekend. Enjoy the latest Hurricane (that might be tough). No matter what occurs, take some time to rest and reflect and for those of you who will be shopping for back to school stuff next week, have fun, enjoy the last week of summer and the wonderful anticipation of kids going back to school, or the dreaded first day of school that comes for some (kids and parents).

"Often, when I am reading a good book, I stop and thank my teacher. That is, I used to, until she got an unlisted number."

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Tuesday Musings # 49

Happy Tuesday everyone

I had an early morning appointment today and as often as I can, I listen to the satellite radio in the car particularly to hear a preacher/speaker by the name of Chuck Swindoll. Since I was in and out of the car I was only able to listen to some of hat he said.

One quote, regarding maturity, went something like this: "we need to move from thin skinned and hard hearts to thick skinned and soft hearts". The path to maturity is more than just the passage of years. It is more than just an external experience, it includes the changes that are required in the heart of every person, including me and you.

I was raised to respect my elders for they have had more life experiences than I have and when I was a youngster. Those elders remembered the first and second world wars as well as the Irish civil war and the English occupation. They had many shared memories but were they mature?

I recall the vitriolic hatred of anything British or related to the crown because of the behaviour of the members of the occupying forces which included the death of my grandfather and other atrocities. I still see no forgiveness and that too is a lack of maturity.

The wonderful thing about "Tuesday musing" is that I never plan where I will go , I hear or think something and I "allow" the keys to take me where my thoughts are to go. Maturity is eternally linked with forgiveness. If we cannot forgive, then no matter how much we posture about our so called intelligence, we are not mature and if the definition above is correct then our existence remains of thin skins and hard hearts. Now where is the love in all that?

Happy Tuesday everyone

Monday, August 24, 2009

So much to Say #2

"Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter"


I went to the Dr. the other day with a few questions hoping to get some answers and I think that I now have more questions and less answers. Out of that appointment and doing some time with a phlebotomist, it's all come to this: they tell me I have Andropause. I asked, "is this for real" or is it just another bad joke, unfortunately, the Dr.(who I trust and appreciate) advised me that it really is what it sounds like and trust me it does what they say it will do.

So, I get to deal with andropause. Less humanely referred to as male menopause. I now have the pleasure of getting regular shots of testosterone to try to fight off the symptoms, most of which mirror the symptoms of menopause. There were other methods of delivery, but the shot every two weeks at least allows me to drop my drawers in front of a nurse with a sharp object filled with thick serum that's supposed to hurt. So far(three shots down) the anticipated pain has not arrived.

Why am I writing about this? I wonder how many men out there have experienced this and have no one to talk to about it. I would love to chat with someone who has gone through this so that I can speak to someone who understands the male perspective on this mostly hidden affliction.

I live in an community where the "learned" refrain to any adversity is either is "suck it up" or it's "the Lord's will" based on a complete misunderstanding of scripture and a lack of compassion. I need to state that not everyone abides by the refrain and not everyone agrees with the refrain, but, too many of the people that I have been able to rub shoulders with subscribe to the approach. There are some who do not and I appreciate them for their reality. Unfortunately, there are too few like Mrs C. and the Mechanic who are so real and who care deeply no matter what and will always be there to lend a hand(or bring a tractor) when needed.
I have started to read a book called mid-life manual for men and wonder of this tome has any comments about Andropause. I have begun to develop a new friendship with a man who also sees the hardness in the "suck it up" crowd and we intend to be compassionate to each other and to others as we walk this walk.

Obscure Musical Lyric for the week of Aug. 24/09

So you think your schoolin's phony? Well that's the theme for the next two weeks. Something to do with school. From that intro you can be assured that I will not be using "School" from Supertramps amazing album, "Crime of the Century". Did you know that this was their third album? Most people I know thought it was their first. More trivia to come.

Welcome to the new week. I am resting, reading and doing lots of listening. I have never used this writer/singer in the blog, not really a fan of the majority of the work this person did. There was a time when the work he did was quite artful. Oops now you know it's a man.

In a couple of days
they come and take me away
but the press let the story leak
and when the radical priest
come to get me released

Wow, after reading some things about this song, I am completely confused and even the author doesn't seem to have a straight answer about the genesis of the song(not a hint). The album was released in January 1972 and was the first solo album by this artist. The album was self titled and achieved first position on the charts in Japan, Norway, the U.S. and the United Kingdom. As noted I have never owned a solo album of this artist, but somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind I recall owning an lp of him and his former musical partner, I recall being entranced by a song about fisticuffs or something.

here's what I would like to know:

The name of the song:
The writer of the song:
Whose mother sang back-up on another song from this album:
Who played piano on the former duos most famous song(and what is the song):

Have a great week. I am enjoying the rest, reading, relaxation(a different three "r"s). Feel free to write to me here with your answers. I look forward to hearing from you as tales from the school yard are only two weeks away, but not for me cause my kids are almost done.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

A quiet saturday morning

The most noise I can hear this morning is my untrained typing on my keyboard and the kettle boiling for my tea. It's funny, I love my cup of tea in the morning on weekends, I always have a coffee on workdays, but the weekends are for my cup of Irish tea. I can also hear the goldfinches roller-coasting through the air as fly back and forth, I love their call.

There's a plane on its' way somewhere but it is miles up there. I am alone with my thoughts as I am the only one up at this time. It looks like my beloved had a rough night, it is only a few nights after surgery. She is still asleep and I am glad that she is getting some rest, it's no fun when pain affects most parts of life. The kids are gone, Josh is in the south and Alex is camping. Sure made for a quiet dinner last night, I made homemade French Onion Soup, would Rick eat that Sharon?

Unfortunately, it sounds like the neighborhood is finally coming to life. The Jays are squawking noisily and the procession of cars that often seems like the Indy 500 or Talladega have begun their migration down our street. It's odd for it to be this quiet at this time of day, I'll take it. though.

Friday, August 21, 2009

The big reveal for the week of Aug.17/09

Good morning music fans and I pray that the folks in Durham are ok after the crazy weather up there yesterday. I have friends that live there and was thankful to hear they are all ok. Funny though, I was through there on Wednesday on a beautiful day in Grey County. Life brings ups and downs no matter who we are. Some bring great opportunities to grow, some just to kvetch and some to teach lessons, my difficulty is determining which is for what reason.

The Woodstock obscure lyric is officially done with this weeks blog. I had no guesses this week. I think, based on my return mail, that most of you are on vacation. Some of you picked a good week. I start vacation (yes again) this afternoon for two weeks. We had planned to go to Virginia to visit Josh, but we have several trips (3) to Sunnybrook planned, so the trip to the good old U.S. is on hold until the fall. We will be spending our Thanksgiving with him.

Here are your answers to this weeks questions:

The name of the song: "With" A Little Help from My Friends
Who wrote it: Lennon and McCartney
Who sang it at Woodstock: Joe Cocker
What exactly was he saying: arrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh (see below)

They took the video off youtube! When I tried to find it on the popular video sharing site the following message showed up: "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by WMG." We all know that the "w" stands for warner and we're not talking Kurt the QB.

Now, I am all for copyright and maintaining the financial integrity of an artist, the writer, singer and even the current owners of the Woodstock film rights. But this is crazy, if you submit this song by Joe Cocker and include Woodstock in the youtube search engine, loads and loads of videos show up, but not the one that tries to have a bit of fun. Oh well, censorship is alive and well on the internet, NOT! If I chose to, I could see just about every depravity known to man and yet, I can't have a laugh at a 40 year old version (not virgin) of a song written 42 years ago. What a bunch of white washed sepulchres, oops that line was from someone else and about someone else, I just couldn't deny myself. Here is a sanitized version, it's still one of the "pictures" of Woodstock that comes to my mind when I think about the fair.



Oh well, I'm off as of about 3:00 pm today for two weeks of rest. The blog will continue and I'll probably tease you with some end of summer related tunes, prior to the school year beginning the second week of September. Have an awesome weekend, enjoy the cooler temperatures, your family, friends and loved ones. Remember to take time to see the world, not just the blur as it flies by.

"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope"

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Tuesday Musings # 48

Happy Tuesday everyone

A short one today. I am in the middle of driving back and forth to Hamilton as my beloved was supposed to have surgery yesterday, but it was postponed and "may" happen today.

This is a day that I better not say what I think because the truth will really come out. I am finishing this much later in the day happy to say that my beloved has had her surgery, she is well and everything that was planned has been accomplished.

Sometimes little diversions are placed before us so we can watch the bigger picture unfold. Others benefited and lived as we were experiencing a small level of discomfort. Rhetorically speaking, would I rather have the absence of my discomfort at the expense of significant loss and even death to another, of course not! A woman and mother of two small boys and a new infant is alive today because she was in a position to be treated in the operating room that was set aside for my beloved

And so, the big picture rules, as always. We have learned more lessons again, we have learned to wait and trust, to place others before ourselves and to manage our own fears in the light of the One who loves us and asks us to "cast your cares upon Me".

Come unto me and I will give you rest, and we did and He did!

Happy Tuesday everyone. and Peace to all of you!

Monday, August 17, 2009

obscure Musical Lyric for the week of Aug. 17/09

Good morning music fans, forty years ago, the final acts at Woodstock were still playing. At approximately 9:00 a.m. on Monday Aug.18, 1969, a left handed guitarist took the stage to a dwindling crowd. In 13 month this impressario was already dead, so sad. In addition to his passing, another participant Janis Joplin, died weeks after the festival. And so the three days of the "Woodstock Music & Art Fair was over. I wonder how many realized that this event would be a significant gatepost in musical history.

Some Woodstock trivia:

Joni Mitchell (who wrote the song Woodstock) was signed to be on the Dick Cavett instead of attending Woodstock, Iron Butterfly was stuck at the airport, Jethro Tull turned it down because they thought it wouldn't be a big deal(and apparently Ian Anderson didn't want to perform in front of a "bunch of unwashed hippies). Carlos Santana was paid $1,500.00 for playing. The event was actually held at Bethel NY at Max Yasgur's 600 acre farm. Jefferson Airplane was the first band to confirm they would attend, Ravi Shankar is the father of Norah Jones and The Grateful Dead were shocked (literally) whenever they touched their microphones..............and no Joe Cocker was not stoned or drunk at Woodstock, at least when he was performing................ now you know some of the rest of the story (with apologies to the late great Paul Harvey).

I wanted to end this journey to Woodstock on a fun note, so huge props to my friend Perry, who sent me the video you will see at the end of the week. I hope that you will enjoy it. Here are the lyrics and the questions:

Do you need anybody?
I need somebody to love
Could it be anybody?
I want somebody to love

I would like to know the following

The name the song:
Who wrote it:
Who sang it at Woodstock:
What exactly was he saying anyway(watch the video closely):

I hope you have a great week. I'm off today. My beloved has surgery in Hamilton this afternoon, so this was prepared ahead of time. In five days I will be on vacation (yes again), we need the time to rest and recuperate and we are going to do that. I hope you have enjoyed this little foray into the past and particularly the music of Woodstock. Feel free to drop me a line if you have any suggestions for the blog.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Tuesday's with Morrie (no spoilers)

Just finished reading this little book by Mitch Albom. A good story of Mitch going back to meet with his former college(it's American) professor as the professor teaches him life lessons as he(the professor) is dying of ALS.

Mitch learns lots of life lessons and so does Morrie. It's well writer and has sold lots of copies. It was pretty light and yet deep, one particular quote that stands out for me is stated while the professor, a life long agnostic says in response to a question about the after life: "I have not settled on one yet, however, this is too harmonious, grand, and overwhelming a universe to believe that it's all an accident".

Sad that a death bed is where the realization that all of this is not an accident, better late than never. Thankfully, more and more so called educated people have begun to accept that coming from monkeys, primordial slime or some accidental cosmic experience is not the genesis of our universe

Friday, August 14, 2009

Tenebras expellit et hostes


I wish I had paid more attention to my Latin in high school. The above saying is on my family coat of arms. I remember my Dad saying that it means that the light will dispel the darkness. Quite an honour don't you think. The darkness stands for all that is wrong in the world. Darkness is not inherently wrong, but things that are wrong are often done in secret, in darkness or held away from the clarity of light giving truth.

I took this photo on Friday morning Aug.14/09 at 8:08 a.m. as the sun was pushing through the trees across the street from our house. I saw the streaming light come through the branches and thought of the streaming light of truth as it is guided through my feeble defenses by a loving God who wants to bring all of me to the light.
I hope you like it. I certainly do and love that circle of light that can be seen in the bottom right hand corner of the photo.

Blogging anniversary 1 year completed and more to come

I was sitting and thinking and looking at changing the blog this morning and realized that I have been doing this for some time now. I started to blog July 28/08 as a means to stay in touch with you after my back surgery July 3/08.

I can't believe that a year has already passed since I started to put my toes into the ocean of blogging. I am not a literal swimmer and in this pool I have barely begun to paddle even after this first year. I have recently begun to write about being honest with myself and you and this new year of sorts will be a different challenge, and those of you who know me well, know that I like to challenge people to change mindsets, get out of self created prisons and to reach out to others so they are not alone in this journey.

A year, that is: 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8760 hours, 525600 minutes, 31536000 seconds that I have not used to my potential to do the best for others. My new year challenge to myself and to you, take every second captive to do my (your) best for others. If done, this place will be better for all. Never mind all the political wrangling, care for your neighbour, look out for those who are hurting(they are probably working right beside you(or even living in your home) and reach out and make this existence better for someone else.

The big reveal for the week of Aug.10/09

Hello out there it's Friday and once again your musical tour guide has the day off again. Beauty eh! Summer is here and that lovely sound you are hearing is the gentle hum of air conditioners keeping us cool. They didn't need air con (as my American family says) at Woodstock, they had rain, mud, rivers to skinny dip in and they had each other.

I heard from several of you this week. I received another interesting story about one of the players that you may see on this weeks video. My friend Perry D. hung out with the conga player from Richie Havens band in the 80's, cool eh. he(Perry) is a really cool friend, you should see him when he plays bass, he makes that thing sing.

Although a number of you mentioned parts of the answers, no one "rang in", so.......

Here are your answers:

The name of the song: Strawberry Fields Forever
Who wrote it: John Lennon
Who performed it at Woodstock: Richie Havens
Time he started: 5:07 pm
Place named after this song: Strawberry Fields, Central Park, NY, NY


Have an awesome weekend. Mine started last night when I turned off the alarm for this morning, man I love getting up early and I really like the extra sleep too. It's going to be really warm (apparently) this weekend so make sure you stay well hydrated. And no matter what you do this weekend try to spend some of it with those you love and cherish. As some one said, yesterday is the past, tomorrow has not yet arrived and today is all we have, that's why they call it the present, cheesie I know and probably paraphrased incorrectly, but the feeling is there.

Dreams have only one owner at a time. That's why dreamers are lonely.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Time for a change

I decided the blog needed a little changing.

So I did, I hope you like it, it's a little stark, maybe even severe in the look, but I wanted it to be different, and it is. Let me know what you think.

Rob

Coffee with a friend

Wow, two in a week. I received an email recently(see Tuesday's musing) and I had coffee with a friend this week. We have known each other for several years, but have not yet had the opportunity to just sit and chat 'til last night.

It's funny how similar life experiences create such a bond and so quickly. I had the privilege to just sit and listen and be listened to, it's been a long time. There was no diminishing of expression, no magnification of the good stuff, just real open conversation. Wow and Thanks!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Tuesday Musing (#47)

Happy Tuesday everyone

It was a dark and stormy night, sounds like the beginning of a children's story, but it's just the way the weather has been now that summer has arrived. Sometimes things arrive as they were expected, some things arrive unexpectedly and some come right out of the blue, which is an appropriate colour, since it is supposed to be summer and the sky is supposed to be blue.

I sent an e-mail yesterday to an old friend on the occasion of his birthday. We don't see each other nearly as often as we should and we are trying to remedy that. In fact, there were years of famine in our friendship, no one knows the reason for the famine, but it was there. And all of a sudden, he called and said that he heard a song that was from a time when we travelled together and felt he needed to reconnect. Since then we have remained in contact usually by e-mail, and I think that we have gathered with the entirety of both of our families on at least one occasion.

What came out of the blue was his response to my e-mail. I will spare you the details but generally he spoke of the depth of our friendship even though it has been rare in the last 20-25 years that we have been together physically. What an encouragement he provided to me in that short missal, or is it epistle?

I wonder why we don't invest in friends enough, or maybe it's me. I have few people that I would consider friends and I have not taken the time to visit upon them the blessings of appreciation that were visited upon me yesterday. I need to spend some time thinking and more than that doing some things with the people I consider friends. One in particular needs to apologised to as I had hoped to spend time with him a couple of weeks ago and my "schedule" got in the way.

How about you. Have many friends? If so, consider yourself blessed. I believe that most of us don't have many that we are completely open to. And if we have any, we have probably have not developed real intimacy (you know what I mean) where we have been transparent and open in those deep friendships. Once again, the words of Harry ring in my head, "we'll get together then "friend" you know we'll have a good time then. Don't have any friends? You are not alone, although this is probably closest to what and how you may feel. If you are reading this because you know me, write me and we can chat, if you don't know me and want someone to chat with send a comment and I will reach out to you. If you are female, my wife will do the reaching.

Thanks Reg, you made my day, and it was your birthday, now that's a friend!

Happy Tuesday everyone

Monday, August 10, 2009

Obscure Lyric for the week of Aug.10/09

Good morning and welcome to another week in August. Looks like real summer weather this week, hot, humid and steamy. The old air conditioner is going to get used this week. I wonder how hot it was at Woodstock 40 years ago? We all know they had rain, no matter how hard the chanted "no rain". That was at least one thing they had no control over.

This weeks song was sung by the very first performer at Woodstock 1969. he did not write the song, but I will ask you who did. It's not that tough when you see the words. But I know then answer. The song does not necessarily sound like the original, but covers are often different as one person noted.

Living is easy with eyes closed
misunderstanding all you see
it's getting hard to be someone but it all works out
it doesn't matter much to me
I would like to know the following:
The name of the song:
Who wrote it:
Who performed it at Woodstock:
What time the first act(this person) started at Woodstock:
Where is there a place named after this song:
Have a great week, enjoy the heat and the summer that has arrived. I will be away on Friday, but will send out the big reveal on Friday morning anyway. I wonder how many of you will get this one. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

So much to Say #1

Here begins a new journey in my blogging experience. To date I have qualified everything I have said with a fine personal editing tool. I need to move beyond that for my sake, not yours. It all stated with a date with my girls, my beloved and my darling daughter. More about that a little later.

Since this will become something that it has not been, I intend to be more open, creative (as much as I can) introspective, and even honest with you and with me. Please feel free to make your comments in the medium that is provided. I do not wish to spend time discussing with anyone with the exception of my beloved and my children (ands if necessary a trained professional). If that changes I will tell you, or ask you personally for your input. I know you understand.

So here goes.

I went to the movies the other night with my girls. We went to see Julie and Julia or is it Julia and Julie? The name wasn't that important, the details are. O by the way, There are no spoilers in this post.

Interesting, funny, apparently real situations, blogging, the current required anti republican political comments and more filled the screen. I was most impressed with the blog stuff though. The heart of the blogger is shown (not a part of the film I anticipated). They (the writer Julie and the filmmakers) seemed to express what I want. I want to say things that I think are important and sometimes what I have to say either is going to (unintentionally) hurt, offend or tick someone off and then I don't write it. I was unimpressed with the political rhetoric which is a mainstay of American film making these days. At least they didn't get into the latest on the snitch requests, health care bill (tax money paying for abortions) and so much more drivel, oops I'm off course.

Sometimes I am afraid to say what I want because it might upset people. I want to scream when I am hurting, I want to cry out when I am sad, I want to shout from the rooftops when I am so happy that I could %&$#. But I can't or have not until this point. I have this editorial board in my head that says "you can't say that" because you will hurt someone, or it will be misread or who knows what. Or maybe my employer will not like it and try to fire me.

Maybe, just maybe, I need to say what I think. I have this strange compulsion to be honest to break from the "don't let someone see you crying" because it will hurt some someone else, message. I heard that so many times in my childhood that it has become a tape constantly playing in my head and I need to stop it, soon.

Look for some interesting posts in the future, whenever that is!

Friday, August 7, 2009

The big reveal for the week of Aug.3/09

Good morning music fans and welcome to Friday, what a beautiful week it was this week. Wow, so much sunshine, very little rain, summer is here and the livin' is easy, fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high. Man that Gershwin dude could write. C'mon, can't ya hear Janis singing that one? Another wasted talent gone to the stupid club. OK I didn't start out to write about that now did I?
This is not from Woodstock, but it is Janis!


No one guessed this week, either you are all on holidays, I stumped you, the hints were awful or all of the above. I don't know, didn't anyone get the "fortunate son" hint? yikes! Oh well there's always next weeks trivia.

OK here are your answers:

The name of the song: Born on the Bayou
What was on the A side: Proud Mary
The original name of the band: technically the original name was Blue Velvet, but I was looking for Creedence Clearwater Revival, who are now known as Creedence Clearwater Revisited
What time did they get on stage: 3:00 a.m.
Who wrote the sing: John Fogerty
Which "Wilbury" was at Woodstock: none of them were at Woodstock (I think)

Here is a great clip of "Born on the Bayou" that is not from Woodstock, apparently John Fogerty didn't like the sound from the Woodstock sound and it didn't make it to the movie . This one sounds pretty good to me.



Have an awesome weekend. The weather man says that there's a mixed bag for the weekend, rain etc. oh well ya gotta take what comes to you right? Whatever you are doing, enjoy it with family, friends or whatever other forms of loved ones you are with along with something nice for sipping.

Believe nothing against another but on good authority; and never report what may hurt another, unless it be a greater hurt to some other to conceal it.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Tuesday musing # 47

Happy Tuesday everyone

Man it feels like a Monday. I've been off since Friday and feel like I've been away for a while, that's a good thing. Certainly didn't miss the grind for many reasons.

Harry Chapin, in Cats in the Cradle, says: "I want to be like you Dad". It's a song that haunts me because being a Dad is not the easiest thing in the world. It is an amazing opportunity to be a Dad and to watch your kids grow, but it's not easy because kids take on the good and bad qualities that we have and I know more than most of you that I am not perfect and never will be.

My kids are pretty well grown up now and the eldest is pretty much on his own and my youngest is just about to leave the nest and fly on her own. In Chapin's song, he bemoans the fact that he didn't make time for his son when he needed to and now his son has no time for his Dad.

I made the time for my kids, saw almost all their games in every sport that they participated in, went with them on grade 8 trips, got involved in their activities as much as I could and yet I am scared that maybe I missed something. I lead them to the paths and then they must choose which one to follow. Both my (I should say our) kids have decided that they will be of service to others in some way and I guess that's my answer. They want to serve God as best as they can given the gifts and skills that they have.

If that's being like me, I guess I did alright and that's a pretty good deal. I am not perfect, I did what I have always expected from them in everything they did: I did my best.

Happy Tuesday everyone

Monday, August 3, 2009

obscure lyric for the week of Aug.3/09

August is here. August as an adjective means inspiring reverence or admiration of supreme dignity or grandeur or majestic. Now that has nothing to do with this weeks song, I just wanted to throw it in.

This weeks song was sung by a band at Woodstock on day 2. They were the 7th of 10 performers that day and were surrounded by such luminaries as Sly and the family Stone, Janis, some guy named Carlos Santana and Keef Hartley Band. The band (not The band, they did not play on day 2) has broken up members have left and then reunited with a slightly different name and have been known to play at Casino Rama. There may have been some brothers involved at some time and I do recall (this is a giveaway) that one of my first purchased albums has something to do with a factory. What I do recall about that was the traveling involved (and it's not the Wilburys, cause most of them didn't attend). This song was on the B side of a 45. There are lots of questions to answer this week so get your thinking hats on and a few fortunate ones will get some of them right.

Here are some of the lyrics:

I can remember the 4th of July
runnin through the backwood bare
and I can still hear my hound dog barkin
chasin down a hoodoo there

Here is what I would like to know:

The name of the song:
What was on the A side of the 45:
The original name of the band (and the current name):
What time did they get on stage at Woodstock:
Who wrote the song:
Which of the Wilbury's was at Woodstock:

Have a great week. It's a short one. Yes, I know that short weeks mean doing 5 days work in 4 days, but as the Eagles say (not a hint) "get over it". Looks like summer finally arrived, we just had an awesome weekend. I am now humming this song so much it's driving me crazy.