Thursday, April 08, 2010

Awesome Things Volume XII

A beautiful Easter weekend. OK, it was pouring down rain when I got up last Saturday but it turned into a beautiful day and Easter Sunday was the same. I did spend part of last Saturday afternoon at the movies seeing "Clash of the Titans" and I had dinner with Chloe and her parents on Saturday night so my wife and I could give her an Easter basket since we didn't see her on Sunday. All in all, it was a gorgeous weekend with lots of family and little rest. Isn't this what life is all about? All the trees are now blooming, the yard fanatics have already mowed their lawns at least once, and out in our park workers are busy preparing for the annual spreading of mulch before Thunder over Louisville.

The music of Mozart in the morning. A great way to greet a new day.

Music. Whatever kind of music makes you happy. For me, it's mostly rock and roll although I also like jazz, blues, and classical. When I was about 12 years old the older sister of a neighborhood friend took us out to the State Fair to see the original Beach Boys. When I heard those electric guitars I was hooked for life. That was 47 years ago! I still love electric guitars. Gibson Les Paul's and Fender Stratocasters are two of mankind's greatest inventions. I cannot imagine an existence without music. I once told someone that if I die and get to Heaven, and I find out there's no music there, I may have to leave. Music makes me happy when I am sad and happier if I am already happy. Music is the common language that unites people. As the Rolling Stones once sang, "I know it's only rock and roll but I like it"!

Embracing technology. Most of the technology that young people take for granted did not exist for most of my life. I was in high school before I saw a color television. When I started working at my current employer there was no Internet and PC's had not been invented yet. I received an ipod for my birthday a couple of weeks ago. I'm sure this is no big deal for most of you. I am often slow to embrace new technology because I just get used to whatever I am using. I used to think that cassette tapes were state of the art technology, especially when they started selling blank tapes and I could make my own "mixes". It took me forever to buy my first CD after years of collecting LP's and tapes. For those that don't remember LP's, they are albums. Today some people refer to them as "vinyl". I still remember the day I bought my first CD back in the late 80's. It was "Revolver" by the Beatles and the sound quality blew me away. Anyway, I am loving this ipod and I have taken to it like a duck to water. I think I have already loaded a thousand songs on it. What's the point? Technology can be wonderful and it can greatly improve our lives. However, I still think we must use caution and not be slaves to it. Sometimes we need to turn off our cell phones, unplug our ipods, go outside to the park, sit on a bench, listen to the bubbling water, and feel the wind on our face.

Karma. I believe in Karma. Some people choose to believe in fate. Fate is basically the belief that whatever happens just happens. Karma is the belief that you get back what you put out. Although there are exceptions, I believe this is true. If you're a good person, and you put out good vibes, I believe you will be rewarded with good things. If you're a nasty or negative person, my belief is that eventually life will pay you back. Yes, there are exceptions to this and I can't explain them. Sometimes bad things happen to good people and sometimes bad people and bad behavior seem to be rewarded. Ultimately, though, I believe you get what you deserve. I try to put out good vibes and I am an eternal optimist. Although some bad things have happened to me, overall life has been very, very good to me and many good things and good people have come into my life. The bad stuff wasn't pleasant but it made me stronger and wiser.

My Granddaughter. Chloe is a never ending source of joy in my life. The other night she was at my house with her Dad. I can't remember what she was doing but I said, "Chloe, be careful with that". She looked at me very seriously and said, "Pa Paw, I'm in Kindergarten". Gee, what was I thinking? Children and grandchildren grow up so fast. On my desk is a picture of me holding Chloe the day she was born. This summer she will be six years old and next month her Dad will be 32 years old. Enjoy your children and grandchildren now. Before you know it they will be adults with their own lives, families, sorrows and joys.

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