The daily prompt asks – If you could go back and witness any historical event, which one would you pick?
I would like to have been at Woodstock. I loved concerts in my early days, but Woodstock was a year or two before I started to attend shows.
As usual I started the day with some music and set it on random tunes I have. Boy what a contrast. It began with a live recording of a Judas Priest concert and boy do they get the crowd involved in the song You Got Another Thing Comin. The epitome of hard rock.
The next selection was a series of songs by Crosby Stills and Nash from an unplugged concert. A single acoustic guitar and harmonies. Both left me smiling and thinking I’m going to incorporate music into my entire day.
I think I’ll search for contrasting styles all day. Time to charge up the cameras.
The darkness outside right now is soon to be replaced by a day of great sunshine. And being my better half has other plans today I’m free to explore.
The cover on the car will soon be removed and the top put down in preparation for the day’s cruise. Of course, I’ll wait till the morning rush hour is past to venture out.
This is what retirement is about. A free day to pursue whatever my heart desires. But first to some body maintenance and the treadmill.
Hopefully some new images to share later today.
Here’s a contrast to start the day with. A pot dispensary and what looks like a 1941 Cadilac convertible Series 62. Car enthusiast, please feel free to correct me on model and date.
Baltimore’s Classic Rock Station 100.7 The Bay is taking a bow today having its last day on the air. I’m going to miss them because they are my car and home radio station. Nothing else comes close to my taste than they did. Just like local newspapers the local radio station market has consolidated or gone by the wayside.
I guess a lot of people don’t even listen to car radios anymore. Being that is all we had I grew up listening to the radio. AM at first and then FM stations. Yes, I had 8 tracks in the car and CD players and now my phone connects my playlist to the car system. But I still listen to the radio.
And I’ve enjoyed this station and DJs for decades. A religious broadcasting station has purchased it so I will be changing my radio preset for that one. The trouble is nobody comes close to the playlist they provided.
My son’s old car is my beater car. It has a CD player but I’m not even sure it works. I guess I’ll be finding out soon.
I just remembered I would listen online in my later years at the job at night. It was someone talking to me during the long periods of just myself there in between the songs.
We supported some of their advertisers, but I guess it wasn’t enough. Pretty much what happened to the local newspaper market.
One unique thing about it is they have known they are out of work after today. They have known for over a month now I believe and it’s been public and they continue to do great shows. This morning has been special, and I’ll listen this afternoon and evening till they go off the air at midnight.
Another end of an era for me and apparently many more in the area from the outpouring online I’m seeing. I think it has touched those at the station and I’m glad of that. So many people don’t get to say goodbye at jobs they have loved. Especially in the media.
I wish all of the employee’s good luck looking for work and maybe career changes because as they said there is a ton of unemployed talent out there and few stations left to work.
Goodbye old friend. The drives won’t be the same.
I heard the line “Playing with Fire” in the song One More Time from the Street Survivors album this morning, so I looked for an appropriate image in my archive for the song. I thought about removing the flame like they did for the cover of that album after the plane crash.
There is something about that original version of Lynyrd Skynyrd that connected with me.
I also love the title of that album. Street Survivors is kind of a description of a lot of lives. And at least part of mine. I’ve survived a lot of near misses on the road and a few nasty accidents from people who did not pay attention to the function of driving. I’ve survived a few bouts with the big C.
I’ve survived the professional world and came out whole. Being married a long time, I’ve survived because she must be a bad shot.
Surviving today is my goal. As they say, one day at a time.
The daily prompt has a good question today. – What’s a song lyric that has stuck with you forever?
I guess the song from my youth that has stuck with me the most is from the band Lynyrd Skynyrd and the song Simple Man.
“Simple Man”
Mama told me when I was young
“Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this it’ll help you some sunny day”
“Oh, take your time, don’t live too fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
You’ll find a woman and you’ll find love
And don’t forget, son, there is someone up above”
“And be a simple kind of man
Be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man
Oh, won’t you do this for me, son, if you can”
“Forget your lust for the rich man’s gold
All that you need is in your soul
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied”
“And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man
Oh, won’t you do this for me, son, if you can”
Oh, yes, I will
“Boy, don’t you worry, you’ll find yourself
Follow your heart and nothing else
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied”
“And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man
Oh, won’t you do this for me, son, if you can?”
“Baby, be a simple, be a simple man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of simple man
Oh, won’t you do this for me, son, if you can?”
What’s a song that always puts you in a good mood? – Now there is a good question from the daily prompt.
I’ve been listening to music this morning as I’ve been working on several things. And I’m in a good mood so the group that has put a pep in my step this morning has been The Doobie Brothers. Here are some songs from them that have been filling my headphones.
This summer I’m going to fill each day with so much music that I can’t fail to have a good day. I’ve been smiling ear to ear this morning with music filling my office. Well maybe the basement also and some of the upstairs.
I know Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start to summer but this one looks far from summerlike. That’s fine, music can warm my soul. And the whole day and night will be filled with it.
And every friggin day this summer. Music makes me happy. It pumps me up. Music and driving have always been one of the great joys in life to me. I like to dance to music, even though I’m not too good at it. I don’t care; music makes me move. Sitting here tapping my feet to Rock of Ages now as I type.
Today I’m flipping back and forth between my favorites on YouTube and the local radio station 100.7 The Bay doing the Memorial Day 500 countdown.
So, turn it up, blow your own horn or bang a drum or sing out LOUD. Get out of that chair and duck walk. Chances are you will feel better.
Oh, Gimme Shelter from the Stones just came on, I have to get up and do my Mick Jagger strut. Have a nice afternoon.
Random Thoughts of the Day
Have you ever been part of a crowd where everyone was moving in beat with the music and everyone’s arms were in the air together in unison, the crowd singing louder than the lead vocalist to the lyrics. Like those concerts in the 60s and 70s. No cell phones, nobody trying to impress anyone. Just absorbed by the music.
I can still get that feeling now even when I’m alone. Memories of those concerts and times make the hair on my neck tingle when certain songs come on at certain times.
That was such a powerful feeling and rush. 20, 30, 40 thousand people in sync and all focused on the band. The only pause in the energy is the seconds or minute or two between songs. Concerts seemed longer in the days I went frequently. Which is a long time ago.
A friend is going to a show this evening of a big star and an old one. The disappointing thing I see now is a lot of people sitting on their butts with phones in the air in the video and clips I see.
Recapturing that magic is tough, I guess. That and the fact that a lot of popular acts have aged. Some have lost members and it doesn’t sound or feel the same.
I experienced that a long time ago. When I followed The Who and Keith Moon passed. When they got Zack Starkey, it was close but never the same. I had the same thought when I thought about seeing Rush again but without Neil Peart, I’m sure it would be different. I’m not saying different isn’t good or maybe in a few cases better, but it’s changed.
Though for me when I see some of these groups I feel like I’m back in time and inhibitions fade. Even when I hear the songs at home or in the car it takes me to that special seat at a concert. Sometimes right up front. Yeah, we slept out overnight for seats from a ticket office window.
But the number of concerts I’m willing to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on is 0 because it’s been a few years since seeing a big show. We might start looking at smaller shows and venues.
From some of the stubs I have from the 70s the average price seemed to be around $8 a seat. That inflation adjusted to today’s dollars in 2026 is around $45-$50. Most of the tickets for nosebleed sections are $150 or more. I just checked a show I was interested in Roger Daltrey playing at the MGM in National Harbor. $155 cheapest seat.
Such is life. I guess if you still have a lot of people paying that price, go for it. That could be about to change though.
What movies or TV series have you watched more than 5 times? – Asks the daily prompt.
I answered this question a few years ago in a post called Watched. And I don’t like being redundant and have nothing new to add.
So, what else entertainment wise have I done more than 5x?
Ah, – What groups live, have I seen more than 5 times? Well, most of this is going to date back to some older decades but here it goes.
I know I’ve seen The Who at least 5x. Also used to go to a lot of Jethro Tull and Bad Company shows, at least 5 for them. Maybe RUSH and The Doobie Brothers also.
Bands I’ve seen at least once that I would have loved to see 5 or more times. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eagles, Santana, Aerosmith, Yes, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Van Halen, Little Feat, Kansas,
Bands I’ve never seen but would love to see 5x – The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, Genesis, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, The Allman Brothers, The Blues Brothers, The Grateful Dead, AC/DC, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, Queen, and Metallica.
My Garden is my family and friends.
I was listening to a song this morning called The Garden by RUSH and I really loved the song’s lyrics. In addition to being a great drummer he wrote some wonderful lyrics.
In this one of many possible worlds
All for the best, or some bizarre test
It is what it is, and whatever
Time is still the infinite jest
The arrow flies when you dream
The hours tick away
The cells take away
The Watchmaker keeps to his schemes
The hours tick away
They tick away
The measure of a life is a measure of love and respect
So hard to earn, so easily burned
The measure of a life is a measure of love and respect
So hard to earn, so easily burned
In the fullness of time
A garden to nurture and protect
In the rise and the set of the sun
‘Til the stars go spinning, spinning round the night
Oh, it is what is it is, and forever
Each moment, a memory in flight
The arrow flies while you dream
The hours tick away
The cells tick away
The Watchmaker has time up his sleeve
The hours tick away
They tick away
The measure of a life is a measure of love and respect
So hard to earn, so easily burned
In the fullness of time
A garden to nurture and protect (it’s a measure of a life)
The measure of a life is a measure of love and respect
The way you live, the gifts that you give
In the fullness of time is the only return that you expect
The future disappears into memory
With only a moment between
Forever dwells in that moment
Hope is what remains to be seen
Forever dwells in that moment
Hope is what remains to be seen
In the fullness of time a garden to nurture and protect (it’s a measure of a life)
In the fullness of time a garden to nurture and protect (it’s a measure of a life)
In the fullness of time a garden to nurture and protect (it’s a measure of a life)
In the fullness of time a garden to nurture and protect
It’s a measure of a life
It’s a measure of a life
It’s a measure of a life
It’s a measure of a life
