Friday, May 01, 2009

Music Is Life

Last night, after a pizza dinner at a local restaurant, I went to my neighborhood Border's Book Store where they were having a 50% off sale on all music CD's. I was like an unsupervised child in an all you can eat candy store. Using some restraint but full of unbridled joy and enthusiasm, I went up and down the aisles with the eye of an eagle scooping up one great deal after another. I spent $75 but I walked out with $150 worth of CD's. I don't normally spend that much at one time on music purchases but I was rewarding myself for a cash bonus I received from my employer. The rest of the money will be saved for my next family vacation. Arriving home with my bag of goodies reminded me once again of the great joy that music gives me. As I have written before, music is more than just entertainment for me. Music is life. I know there are probably snobby and serious music aficionados who would question the talent and musical quality of many of the artists that I enjoy. Just for the record, I really like composers like Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart. However, the music that is the soundtrack to my life is rock and roll. Yesterday's purchases were by the Who, the Cream, the Band, Jethro Tull, the Jerry Garcia Band, and just because I am occasionally in a Key West, Margaritaville, Cheeseburger in Paradise frame of mind, some live Jimmy Buffet. I also bought a collection of 40 songs from the summer of 1967. If you were part of my gang in the "Summer of Love", these would be the songs blasting from my tinny little car radio as we drove around in my 1962 VW Beetle. I love my rock and roll and I make no apologies for it.

Due to the kindness of my boss, I unexpectedly got off work early today. I drove a few blocks away from my office, parked my car, and walked to 4th Street Live which is an entertainment section of downtown Louisville. There was lots of activity going on there. Roadies were setting up for a concert and scores of people were sitting in outdoor cafes having a drink. There's also a huge Border's Books there so I thought I would check that out. I succumbed to buying a couple more CD's...Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young plus one by the Grateful Dead. On my way out I bought a sugar free vanilla latte before finding a table out on the street. I love to watch people and 4th Street Live is a great place to do that with it's eclectic assortment of humanity. There was a Colonel Saunders look alike (think fried chicken), a heavily pierced Goth couple at the table next to me, and lots of beautiful women in town for the Derby. I am old, not dead, so I do notice beautiful women when they walk...or strut... pass me. I make a big deal sometimes about my love of solitude. The truth is, however, I also love being in a happening place with good vibes in the air and a wide assortment of colorful people.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Now that is one cheerful entry. Thank you, I needed that. :-)