Music, Memory and Nature

We went to what I've been calling "city park" today. I learned its true name though, Jake Kuredjian Park. Evidently it is more of a County Park. I also found Jake's Story. Sad.

We did not got into the park and walk on those paths. Instead, we walked past the catch basin and along-side the canal/river. It was a whole different experience.

Views towards the Pico Incline and towards the park itself, each side of the overpass.

🎤

Lay Lady Lay - Bob Dylan Original 45 1969

LINK

17. Lay Lady Lay, Bob Dylan

Like so many, I love Dylan. This 45 is one of the first records of his I owned. I keep his 'Greatest Hits' in my car at all times. My funny memory of this song is in 1969, as I headed into 6th grade, I spent a lot of time at the local park, which was a long walking distance from my apartment. We mostly sat there on the grass, listening to music on a small transistor radio. Remember those? We'd walk down the street, radio right up to our ear - filling up on the top 40 music! This song, as I sat mindlessly picking grass, I thought (FOR YEARS) that he sang "lay on my funky grass bed". It made total sense in that moment, being heard on a scratchy am radio. The fact that I was too busy singing it my way for so long, that I didn't really notice just totally cracks me up. I still usually sing it my way, as that is the image embedded in my head.

1969 HITS ARCHIVE: A Boy Named Sue - Johnny Cash 

(a #1 record--‘bleeped’ mono 45 single version)

LINK

18. A Boy Named Sue, Johnny Cash

Yep, good old Johnny Cash and one of those beloved story songs! I loved the humor, the rough and tumble...and my 45 wasn't bleeped! haha Love Johnny Cash.

🎤

Today, I came across this video below and found it so fascinating. I've heard (and seen videos) of music having an impact on speech, cognition and memory before. This one showed the physical changes that can happen. Wow. From shuffling to dancing. The power of music.

Power Of Music On The Brain | Dementia & Parkinson's

LINK.  29:17 minutes

I took notice when one of the women said: "Music is a human right". I agree.

We walked along the side of the...concrete river (?). I'm not really sure what to call it, so I'm making it up as I go along. We could hear the water draining in from the sloped cement side, but it did not look like it moved much. There were so many butterflies and dragonflies. I bet there is a lot of mosquitoes down there too!!

An interesting combo of city life, with wildness off in the distance - commanding an outstanding view. Back by the road, we discovered more of these rose trees and a path that continues up the street. We decided to try going that way next time. I think that is where the memorial plaque for Jake is. We'll see. We sat by this bridge (above) for a little break. It is kind of amazing that right on the other side of the shrubs on the left is that big grassy park.

1969 HITS ARCHIVE: Green River - Creedence Clearwater Revival 

(a #2 record--mono 45)

LINK

1969 HITS ARCHIVE: Commotion - Creedence Clearwater Revival (mono 45)

LINK

19. Green River/Commotion, Creedence Clearwater Revival

This is a 'twofer'! CCR...love this band!  

1969 HITS ARCHIVE: Sugar, Sugar - Archies (a #1 record--mono 45)

LINK

20. Sugar Sugar, The Archies

Well, J. just shakes his head at this one...but, hey I was young...the perfect tween age for this stuff (back before 'tween' was a thing!). I remember taking a few favorite records over to my friends house in my bike basket. This was one of those. Young girls. Ha. Not quiet the stuff young girls of 2024 listen to! haha

Many (most) of you who come here, also read over at Grace's place. Over a year ago, she sent a call out to the universe and Wendy regarding starting a therapy group and well, it happened! She talked about it HERE. I chuckled at her speaking of Trust in this post as it remains current.  Many have been coming together, Gathering at The Well for all of these months. Some have drifted in and out, or just out for the time being and right now there are a couple of openings, so we wanted to send out an invitation to those who may be interested.

*Nuts & Bolts:

We meet (zoom) typically twice a month on Saturdays (time for each of us varies by timezone). Wendy is our facilitator. We come with listening and love in our hearts and at least 65ish Plus years on this planet.

 Please let us know if you'd like to join.

Here is a bit more about us:

We talk, laugh, cry

We circle our hands at the wrist

We count by the month, backwards from the present

We share learn, grow

   agree, or not

We breathe

Stories and healing

Metaphors, language and realness

Falling backwards, tiptoeing forwards

Making connections

We meet where we are, we walk together

May you walk in alone or in pairs 

May you walk with a dance in your step

May you walk in Love

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2024 

Somebody's Child ~ A prquel and a sequel

                                                         TASH SULTANA - JUNGLE (LIVE BEDROOM RECORDING)

Somebody's child

Somebody's child 

I stumbled onto her videos, while looking for another.

somebody's child 

As I have been reading the comments on the first post,

something reminded me that I'd forgotten the story that helped inspire me 

to write in the first place!  Then I saw a second FB post with the 

young man's face again and I knew I had to add his story here.

You see, I'd seen a post on the local FB emergency page.

A post containing one of those 'ring doorbell' type freeze frames 

of a young man's face at someone's door. A warning to others.

I remember feeling startled by his expression...

eyes so wide, cheeks hollowed and mouth ajar.

He was evidently up to no good, they posted.

But then as I read the comments for more information...

all I could think of was that he was 'somebody's child'.

He may still fall under the many other labels he was given by members of this town,

but he was still 'somebody's child'.

How would that family feel seeing this?

For, doing well or doing wrong...

Fulfilling expectations

Causing delight

or trauma

or trauma

...that young man is somebody's child.

That shooter

somebody's child 

The power company employees, not doing their job

somebody's child 

The emergency first responders, doing their job

somebody's child 

That neighbor one can't stand

somebody's child 

The co-workers you connect with, or don't

somebody's child 

The one doing well

 somebody's child 

The one having struggles
somebody's child 

Strong - Shine - Good times - Hard times

Same - Different

Everywhere in between
somebody's child

Yesterday, a Maserati  came racing up behind me, 

cutting over to the left, his engine roaring his manhood.

Yet, a moment later there we sat side-by-side at the stoplight.

I glanced over his way and there in the front seat sat a little boy.  His boy?

There where the air bag would explode, 

his little head leaning back against the fancy seat.

somebody's child 

Idiot!  I think.  Idiot!

Then I remember...

somebody's child 

somebody's child 

somebody's child  

 The boy and the man,

somebody's child 

  

This is what I have been pondering lately.

With so much wrong in the world,

causing concern, anger, despair.

I've been trying to remind myself,

somebody's child 

I think I need a lot more practice.

May your days be as peaceful as possible

As open and fulfilling as desired

May they be all that you need

~or at least, 'enough' of what you want.

xo

Photos by NAE ©2018 

 

"Jungle" Lyrics

[Instrumental Intro]

I see the way you move
It's so fluid
Be here by my side
Got nothing to hide

Know that you're hurting
I see the tears behind those eyes
And I can't wipe them clear
Your love is like gold to me

But you hold me closer to the light
Wouldn't find a bullet inside
Unless you magnify
But you throw me into the deep end
Expect me to know how to swim
And I, I put my faith inside my hands
Cause I will be just fine

Welcome to the jungle
Are you gonna dance with me?
Welcome to the jungle
You got to close your eyes and see
Welcome to the jungle
Are you gonna dance with me?
Real or not
Real or not

Suit and tie with my black jeans on
And I'm paralyzed thinkin' when or what to say
Think of ability you want a single daddy
And you might be the one
Suit and tie with my curly hair
When you're making your way when I look you stare
Said are you real, do you feel, are you there?

Ashes to ashes
And the embers are ablaze
Oh, I gotta rise amongst you, though
And I think about your face every day
But you pull me closer to the light
You wouldn't find the bullets inside
Only if you magnify

Welcome to the jungle
Are you gonna dance with me?
Welcome to the jungle
You got to close your eyes and see
Welcome to the jungle
Are you gonna dance with me?
Real or not
Real or not

30th Anniversary, well sort of

3-14

3-14-18

When you sign on to google, if you do...

you'll see the Google logo designed to celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Pi Day".

Around here we've taken note of this day ever since my 34 year old daughter was an 11 or 12 year old, somewhere around 5th or 6th grade.

6th grade, I think.

That was when her upper grade classroom pod (4 classes) studied Pi.

They learned about it through experiments, surveying those they knew - to learn What they knew about Pi and by having a contest.
All of this culminated on March 14th, Pi Day, 

with real pie from Marie Calendars!

3.14....

The contest involved what her teacher called a "bumper sticker" of Pi.  It was about the size and shape of a bumper sticker and held line after line of the numerals in Pi.

3.14...

176 digits in all.

The students were told 'whoever memorized the most Pi would 'win'.

What they would win I no longer remember.

But, my girl took on the challenge and went out to recess.

She came back with the first 4 lines memorized!

Her teacher couldn't believe it!

He told her the 'if you memorize the rest of it over night, I'll just die'.

There was her motivation.

Of course, not really...she liked this teacher.

But it was a challenge, so her being her...

she took it!

She came home that night with her 'bumper sticker' and

went back the next day with all 176 digits firm in her brain!

The four upper grade teachers went on the mad hunt for 'more Pi' for her.

They presented her with an 8.5 X 11 page of tiny printed Pi!

Off she went, to memorize!

Within two weeks, she memorized something like

470-something digits!!

Everyone was shocked and amazed and wowed!

I was proud.

What a memory!

She (of course) won the contest, hands down.

At the Pi Day celebration, she recited it in front of all the upper grade students 

and a few scattered parents.

She COULD NOT understand what all the fuss was about...

why I wanted to video tape her reciting it...

why everyone talked about it...

why I told her grandparents.

It was just something she did.

Years later, she understood our amazement better.

She explained to me that she memorized it in sets of three.

3.14...

add on 3 more digits...

add on 3 more digits...

add on 3 more digits...

add on 3 more digits...

and so on.

One year later on 3-14, I video-taped her again.

She still knew way over 200 digits.

Two years later, she still knew the original 176 digits! 

I have never been able to wrap my head around this
(and yes, I don't care for this phrase, but it fits here).

Other things I just couldn't get:

When watching the video of herself, she corrected a 

mistake somewhere within that 400+ digits! 

When getting in the car one night,

she looked at the digital clock saying, 

"Oh man!!"

When I asked her what was up, 

she said that it was 9:24.

Yeah??
"9-2-4"

And off she went into her memory of those numbers, carrying on from that point,

somewhere in Pi!

924...

Amazing!

Happy Pi Day to you all and to my girl the most,

because she brought Pi alive for all who knew her!

xo

May all of your memories be sweeping and sweet!

N~

Humor and Memory

 
Don Friesen: Forgot Password

This is pretty much my life lately!

Oh well, all the happiness experts claim that humor, laughter is an important component for happiness.

I'm grinnin' now, boy!

Enjoy :)