Tune Tuesday – I’m On My Way

For Tune Tuesday we celebrate the 62nd birthday of the Reid Brothers (Charlie and Craig) of The Proclaimers. The group was formed in 1983, but it wasn’t until 1987 that their song “Letter from America” was a top 5 hit in the UK.

In 1988, the group released their best known album, Sunshine on Leith, which included their smash hit I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) and the song I want to feature today. In 1989, Rolling Stone magazine called it “a wonderfully guileless treasure of an album.”

I admit that I only stumbled onto “I’m On My Way” because it was featured in the first Shrek movie. I was familiar with I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), but did not realize that it was the same band. My oldest son loved the Shrek movie, so I bought the soundtrack to play in the car on car trips. The more that song played, the more I liked it. The song was released as a follow up to I’m Gonna Be, but it never charted in the US, even though there were some pop stations that played it.

When I was going through my divorce, I was driving to work with my iPod plugged into the car. I was feeling very depressed and music always seemed to help. When the song began and the first line of the song was sung, it really hit me. “I’m on my way from misery to happiness today,” they proclaimed (pun intended)! It was just what I needed to be reminded of. I was in a miserable situation and so unhappy! I was in the process of moving forward from misery to happiness.

This song still brings a smile to my face every time I hear it. Happy Birthday, Charlie and Craig!

I’m On My Way

I’m on my way from misery to happiness today
I’m on my way from misery to happiness today
I’m on my way to what I want from this world
And years from now you’ll make it to the next world
And everything that you receive up yonder
Is what you gave to me the day I wandered

I took a right, I took a right turning yesterday
I took a right, I took a right turning yesterday
I took the road that brought me to your home town
I took the bus to streets that I could walk down
I walked the streets to find the one I’d looked for
I climbed the stair that led me to your front door

And now that I don’t want for anything
I’d have Al Jolson sing “I’m sitting on top of the world”

I’ll do my best, I’ll do my best to do the best I can
I’ll do my best, I’ll do my best to do the best I can
To keep my feet, from jumping from the ground dear
To keep my heart, from jumping through my mouth dear
To keep the past, the past and not the present
To try and learn when you teach me a lesson

And now that I don’t want for anything
I’d have Al Jolson sing “I’m sitting on top of the world”

I’m on my way to what I want from this world
And years from now you’ll make it to the next world
And everything that you receive up yonder
Is what you gave to me the day I wandered

I’m on my way, I’m on my way,
I’m on my way, I’m on my way,
I’m on my way, I’m on my way,

“Seasonal” Favorite

As the “Nostalgic Italian,” I would be wrong to not mention that today is the 346th birthday of Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi. He (along with GF Handel and JS Bach) is considered to be one of the greatest Baroque composers of all time. His work consisted of many concertos for violin, choral works, and even operas. To me, he will forever be known for one amazing work of music – The Four Seasons.

He was born in Venice, one of six children. He had some issues with his health, which many say was what we’d call asthma today. While this prevented him from playing wind instruments, it did not stop him from becoming a virtuoso violinist. It also did not stop him from composing music.

It is estimated that he wrote The Four Seasons somewhere between 1717-1720. The entire piece features 4 concertos featuring 3 movements each. It begins with the season of Spring, then Summer, Autumn and finally Winter. Wikipedia describes the piece:

They were a revolution in musical conception: Vivaldi represented flowing creeks, singing birds (of different species, each specifically characterized), a shepherd and his barking dog, buzzing flies, storms, drunken dancers, hunting parties from both the hunters’ and the prey’s point of view, frozen landscapes, and warm winter fires.

Unusually for the period, Vivaldi published the concerti with accompanying sonnets (possibly written by the composer himself) that elucidated what it was in the spirit of each season that his music was intended to evoke. The concerti therefore stand as one of the earliest and most detailed examples of what would come to be called program music—in other words, music with a narrative element. Vivaldi took great pains to relate his music to the texts of the poems, translating the poetic lines themselves directly into the music on the page. For example, in the middle section of “Spring”, when the goatherd sleeps, his barking dog can be heard in the viola section. The music is elsewhere similarly evocative of other natural sounds. Vivaldi divided each concerto into three movements (fast–slow–fast), and, likewise, each linked sonnet into three sections.

The Four Seasons is one of the best known pieces of classical music. It truly is an amazing work. I had heard it hundreds of times before, but it wasn’t until I set aside about an hour one day and listened to it in headphones that I truly gained a real appreciation for the piece. I recall sitting with my eyes closed and envisioning what season the movement was about. The images that the music conjured up in my mind was something I cannot begin to describe. It really was an amazing experience.

Here is one of MANY recordings of the entire piece:

There is a lot of debate as to whether the concerto was written to go with the sonnets that were written or the other way around. No one knows for sure who wrote the sonnets, but it is believed that Vivaldi wrote them.

As you listen to each concerto, read the sonnets and see if you can picture the things alluded to in them.

Spring

Allegro
Springtime is upon us.
The birds celebrate her return with festive song,
and murmuring streams are
softly caressed by the breezes.
Thunderstorms, those heralds of Spring, roar,
casting their dark mantle over heaven,
Then they die away to silence,
and the birds take up their charming songs once more.

Largo
On the flower-strewn meadow, with leafy branches
rustling overhead, the goat-herd sleeps,
his faithful dog beside him.

Allegro
Led by the festive sound of rustic bagpipes,
nymphs and shepherds lightly dance
beneath spring’s beautiful canopy.

Summer

Allegro non molto
Under a hard season, fired up by the sun
Languishes man, languishes the flock and burns the pine
We hear the cuckoo’s voice;
then sweet songs of the turtledove and finch are heard.
Soft breezes stir the air, but threatening
the North Wind sweeps them suddenly aside.
The shepherd trembles,
fearing violent storms and his fate.

Adagio e piano – Presto e forte
The fear of lightning and fierce thunder
Robs his tired limbs of rest
As gnats and flies buzz furiously around.

Presto
Alas, his fears were justified
The Heavens thunder and roar and with hail
Cut the head off the wheat and damages the grain.

Autumn

Allegro
Celebrates the peasant, with songs and dances,
The pleasure of a bountiful harvest.
And fired up by Bacchus’ liquor,
many end their revelry in sleep.

Adagio molto
Everyone is made to forget their cares and to sing and dance
By the air which is tempered with pleasure
And (by) the season that invites so many, many
Out of their sweetest slumber to fine enjoyment

Allegro
The hunters emerge at the new dawn,
And with horns and dogs and guns depart upon their hunting
The beast flees and they follow its trail;
Terrified and tired of the great noise
Of guns and dogs, the beast, wounded, threatens
Languidly to flee, but harried, dies.

Winter

Allegro non molto
To tremble from cold in the icy snow,
In the harsh breath of a horrid wind;
To run, stamping one’s feet every moment,
Our teeth chattering in the extreme cold

Largo
Before the fire to pass peaceful,
Contented days while the rain outside pours down.

Allegro
We tread the icy path slowly and cautiously,
for fear of tripping and falling.
Then turn abruptly, slip, crash on the ground and,
rising, hasten on across the ice lest it cracks up.
We feel the chill north winds course through the home
despite the locked and bolted doors…
this is winter, which nonetheless
brings its own delights.

Happy Birthday, Antonio Vivaldi!!

Book Recommendation: Ghosts of Honolulu

I just finished reading this book and loved it. I love Historical Non-Fiction stuff and there was so much in here that I didn’t know. For example, did you know that Pearl Harbor had a hand in the creation of NCIS?

Speaking of NCIS, if you are wondering, Mark Harmon is THAT Mark Harmon from the TV show! He reads the audio book, too.

Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

“A fast-paced debut…Espionage buffs will savor this vibrant account.” — Publishers Weekly

A U.S. naval counterintelligence officer working to safeguard Pearl Harbor; a Japanese spy ordered to Hawaii to gather information on the American fleet. On December 7, 1941, their hidden stories are exposed by a morning of bloodshed that would change the world forever. Scrutinizing long-buried historical documents, NCIS star Mark Harmon and co-author Leon Carroll, a former NCIS Special Agent, have brought forth a true-life NCIS story of deception, discovery, and danger.

Hawaii, 1941. War clouds with Japan are gathering and the islands of Hawaii have become battlegrounds of spies, intelligence agents, and military officials – with the island’s residents caught between them. Toiling in the shadows are Douglas Wada, the only Japanese American agent in naval intelligence, and Takeo Yoshikawa, a Japanese spy sent to Pearl Harbor to gather information on the U.S. fleet.

Douglas Wada’s experiences in his native Honolulu include posing undercover as a newspaper reporter, translating wiretaps on the Japanese Consulate, and interrogating America’s first captured POW of World War II, a submarine officer found on the beach. Takeo Yoshikawa is a Japanese spy operating as a junior diplomat with the consulate who is collecting vital information that goes straight to Admiral Yamamoto. Their dueling stories anchor Ghosts of Honolulu’s gripping depiction of the world-changing cat and mouse games played between Japanese and US military intelligence agents (and a mercenary Nazi) in Hawaii before the outbreak of the second world war.

Also caught in the upheaval are Honolulu’s innocent residents – including Douglas Wada’s father – who endure the war’s anti-Japanese fervor and a cadre of intelligence professionals who must prevent Hawaii from adopting the same destructive mass internments as California.

Ghosts of Honolulu depicts the incredible high stakes game of naval intelligence and the need to define what is real and what only appears to be real.

I have read many books and watched many movies on Pearl Harbor, but was unaware of so much of the stuff contained in this book. If you love history, check this out!

See You Later, Gigi

We woke up this morning to the news that Sam’s grandma had passed away. It was not a surprise, as she’d been in hospice for a short time. She was 94 years old.

After Sam and I were married, I got to meet Gigi for the first time. She welcomed me into the family with open arms, literally. She told me, “In this family, we hug!” Sam and I visited her often and she always had stories to share with us. I loved listening to her. She was like my bonus grandma.

When the kids came along, she loved on them a lot! My kids loved seeing their Gigi. It is not often that a child gets to meet and interact with the great grandparents. Both of our kids were lucky enough to do that!

Gigi was all smiles holding Ella when she was only 6 days old.

She was just as happy to hold 13 day old Andrew.

Despite the noise they made when we went over to visit, she loved watching and listening to them. Every once in a while, Sam would visit and I wouldn’t be there because of work or something. She’d tell Sam to make sure I stop by with her the next time she went.

One of my favorite pictures of Gigi is with Sam at her baby shower.

When visits were over, I always made sure to give Gigi a hug and tell her that I loved her. She always told me she loved me too. Sam and I both had the chance to stop and see her before she passed. We went separately so one of us could keep the kids.

When I went to see her, it was difficult. It took me back to those final hours before my mother passed away. Gigi was more alert, though. She was talking, but much of it I couldn’t make out. I told her that the kids sent their love and wanted her to know how much they were going to miss her. I talked about Ella and she said clear as a bell, “She’s smart!” I agreed with her.

I thanked her for all she has done for us. She then said that Sam and I were “lucky to have each other.” I told her that I was the lucky one and how I couldn’t live with out Sam. She smiled. I asked her if I could pray with her. She took my hand without me asking and I prayed.

Afterward, she started to doze off. Sam’s Aunt Tana came in and sat next to me. We talked a bit and Gigi would occasionally start to say something to us. As I got ready to leave, I again told her that I loved her and told her to say hello to my mom and the rest of the family when she arrived in heaven. She clearly said, “Bye bye” and I kissed her on the forehead. I hugged Tana and chatted a bit with Sam’s Uncle before I left to go to work.

If you would be so kind as to keep my father-in-law, my wife, and her family in your prayers in the days and weeks ahead, I’d appreciate it.

Obviously, this is a pre-hug photo with Aunt Tana and me,

Gigi had a very strong faith and I know that we will be reunited in the future.

See you later, Gigi.

No! Just, No!

If you had a dollar for every time I have ranted about this, you could get yourself a really nice seven course meal! I wish that this didn’t aggravate me so much, but it does! So, please let me rant and you can get on with your regular scrolling….

It is all over the internet and on social media that Liam Neeson will be starring in a Naked Gun “reboot.” Before I go any further, I want to say that I REALLY like Liam Neeson! He is a great actor. I enjoy a lot of his movies and I think he has an amazing voice.

That being said, I continue to get angry and frustrated that Hollywood cannot come up with an original story! WHY? Why do we need a reboot or remake or whatever the heck they want to call it of the Naked Gun? The only answer I can come up with is money. But can’t they come up with an original money making idea?!

I understand that the original creators aren’t even a part of this. Paramount Pictures owns it and they can do whatever they want. I heard that Seth MacFarlane is the guy behind it. I’m not a huge fan of his TV and movie work, so perhaps I am biased. I just see this as being something that will be crap.

If you don’t agree with me, that’s ok. I will offer up my reasoning: Airplane 2. Yep. While there are some funny scenes in it, and has a lot of returning cast (and William Shatner), it lacked the original creators and was a lot less funny.

Another lame argument from me is that Leslie Neilson will ALWAYS be Lt. Frank Drebin! Just like Peter Falk will ALWAYS be Columbo and Raymond Burr will ALWAYS be Perry Mason. Why is the argument lame? James Bond and other big characters have been played by other actors or actresses, however, some people just own the role. I can’t see anyone else playing Archie Bunker or Fred Sanford, for example.

I know that Liam Neeson can do comedy. A good actor can do it. I have seen him do comedy in bit parts in movies, on SNL, and such. He will probably be great, but why reboot an old premise or series? Write him a new police comedy. Come up with something new!

A buddy on Facebook said that the Hollywood sign should be changed to read “Lazywood.” I agree. I feel like the ones that are getting all the talk (Killers of the Flower Moon, Oppenheimer, etc…) are based on books. Rightfully so! I think there are thousands of great stories in books that are ready to be adapted into a movie. Why isn’t this happening? I don’t know. Maybe the folks in Hollywood can’t read?

I will wrap up by stating once again – STOP WITH THE REMAKES!!!! Please!

Crazy Day or Two

So Tuesday night, we headed down to the hotel near the hospital where I prepped for my colonoscopy. I was up the majority of the night for obvious reasons.

When I finally did fall asleep, I was awakened by noises from a huge thunderstorm. Debris was hitting the hotel windows, the thunder was loud and lightning was bright. I was able to fall back to sleep, but had to be up at 3am to finish the rest of the prep.

When I woke up, I was surprised to see that a tornado had touched down where I used to live. As a matter of fact, I learned that it actually went through the back yard of my sister-in-law’s house! It destroyed one of the parks in the area among other things.

Needless to say, many people lost power. At last check, there were no fatalities, but there was plenty of damage. One Facebook post read, “Ok, who had February tornadoes on their 2024 Bingo card?!”

When they called me back to get ready, the staff I worked with was top notch. The first nurse and I could have been twins, and one of his coworkers told us that! The nurses kept me laughing and before I knew it, I was coming out of the anesthesia.

I guess my procedure went well. I was happy that the doctor’s report noted that “The quality of
the bowel preparation was excellent.” Good Job, Keith!! LOL They removed something that they are looking at and I will have results soon. Praying all is good.

Looks like I’ll be going in for an upper GI scope soon. They want to check out something else. At least the prep for that scope is a whole lot easier!!

This morning, I had my eyes examined. I guess it has been two years. My prescription is about the same, but needed tweaking. I’ll have new specs in a couple weeks. I did take advantage of grabbing some prescription sunglasses because they had a good deal on them.

You know, I got out of radio because I was sick of management changes and such. Every time that happened, everyone got fired or shuffled around. I thought I was done worrying about things. Not so.

Since I have moved to afternoons, my demeanor is happier, my blood pressure is down, and the stress levels are manageable. However, while I was off yesterday, I found out that there were major changes in our company. There were many people in big positions let go. There will be new job postings and many of us are worried as to what might happen.

I guess that is the natural thing to do – worry. I also know that worry can make things worse. I just hope and pray that whatever happens, I still have a position and that things here remain as pleasant as they have been. Sending up many prayers about this ….

Leap Day #1 Songs!

When I thought about what to do for the year’s “bonus” day, my first thought was to list a bunch bunch of songs about “leaping” and “jumping.” Then I thought that was just too easy. So I decided to take another musical look at February 29th.

I present to you a look at songs that have the honor of being number one on Leap Day. So let’s leap back to 1940 …

2/29/40 – Glenn Miller and his Orchestra had the number one song with their best known song. In the Mood.

2/29/44 it was Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra with My Heart Tells Me

2/29/48 – Art Mooney was feeling lucky with I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover

2/29/52 – Johnny Ray was shedding tears with his number one – Cry.

2/29/56 – The Nelson Riddle Orchestra took us to Lisbon Antigua

2/29/60 – It was Percy Faith and his orchestra with The Theme From a Summer Place.

2/29/64 – Of course, in 64 it had to be a Beatles song – I Want to Hold Your Hand was on top of the charts.

2/29/68 Yet another instrumental was number one. This time, Love is Blue from Paul Mauriat

2/29/72 – Harry Nilsson lamented about living Without You

2/29/76 – A TV Tune was number one. The Theme from S.W.A.T. from Rhythm Heritage

2/29/80 – Classic Queen! Freddy Mercury and the boys sat at number one with Crazy Little Thing Called Love.

2/29/84 – A song about leaping/jumping …. Jump from Van Halen

2/29/88 – George Michael took the top spot with Father Figure

2/29/92 – The is some confusion as to this particular year, however, the chart is dated 2/29/92 and it says the number one was held by Mr. Big – To Be With You (some people say Right Said Fred – I’m Too Sexy)

2/29/96 – It was the amazing pairing of Boys II Men and Mariah Carey on One Sweet Day

2/29/2000 the group Savage Garden hit number one with a forgotten favorite – I Knew I Loved You

2/29/04 Usher said “Yeah!” about having the number one tune. Any time I think of Lil Jon, I think of that sketch on the Dave Chappelle Show … LOL

2/29/08 – Flo-Rida hit number one with a song that still makes people dance – Low

2/29/12 Kelly Clarkston held the number one spot with Stronger

2/29/16 Justin Beiber was sitting at number one with Love Yourself

2/29/20 it was a song that I find to be a total piece of garbage. The lyrics disgust me and the fact that it was a number one song really makes me sick. I’ll just mention it, but I certainly will not be posting it here. The Box by Roddy Ricch.

As for today, it seems that Beyonce is at number one with something called Texas Hold ‘Em. I read the lyrics. Never heard it. I don’t care to.

Final thoughts? There were a lot of instrumentals on Leap Day! There were certainly some good tunes, some long forgotten, and some crap. Music is subjective. Any stick out for you?

Happy Leap Day!

Tune Tuesday – You Raise Me Up

I thought I’d do something a bit different today. Rather than scroll through my iPod or my hard drive to see what song I felt like writing about, I thought I would check out the celebrity birthdays to see if any artist jumped out at me. One did. Josh Groban turns 43 today and while I like his voice a lot, I may not have ever chosen to write about him.

I have a few of his albums and there are some really fantastic songs that he sings, but one has always stood out to me – You Raise Me Up. The song was originally done by the Norwegian band Secret Garden in 2001. It has been recorded by many others, but Groban released his version in 2004.

David Foster produced the song and Josh’s version went to number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart and held that spot for 6 weeks. In 2005, the song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. He performed the song at Super Bowl 38 in honor of the Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster.

The song itself has been inspiring to millions of people with its message of overcoming, strength, and hope. Personally, I can see this as a Christian song. I know that I lean on God when I am down, when I am struggling, when I am stressed and in rough times. I have always found that in Him I find comfort and strength. At the same time, I can see where folks would apply it to a loved one, a parent, or a partner. However you look it it, Josh’s vocal and the arrangement are simply beautiful.

You Raise Me Up

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary
When troubles come and my heart burdened be
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence
Until You come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be.

You raise me up to more than I can be.

Too Much Information! (Sorry)

It is purely coincidence that the last blog I wrote was entitled “Always the Butt of Jokes.” Today’s blog could have also had “Butt” in the title, however, I decided against it.

I will never have to doubt that my wife loves me. She has always proven that on a daily basis. This week, she proved it once again, speaking all of the infamous 5 Love Languages! Let me explain.

It has been 5 years and it is once again time for that dreaded colonoscopy. If you have never had one, rejoice! Yes, it is completely necessary, but the prep and all that leads up to it is a special kind of torture/hell.

Since we live over an hour away from where the procedure is happening, I certainly did not want to be stuck in a car in traffic with the possibility of having to go and having nowhere to go! We decided to stay somewhere close to where we needed to be.

By doing so, my wife took care of those five Love Languages:

First, “Words of Affirmation,” by saying that she would gladly stay with me during the prep and calling me “baby.” Ok, maybe she called me “a big baby,” but I can’t remember.
She took care of Love Language “Physical Touch,” by holding my hand as she did the above.
“Acts of Service,” was taken care of by getting us a hotel room to stay in the night before the procedure.
“Quality Time,” will happen on the drive down to the hotel and while we stay at the hotel, although there may be frequent bathroom breaks.
Finally, “Gifts,” will be that we are taking extra soft toilet paper with us to the hotel.

I love my wife, dearly. I know she loves me because she told me that she would only “get a hotel room for a night for someone to poop in” because she loved them (i.e. ME!)

Always The Butt of Jokes

Reading is always fun here …

Saturday morning reading time. Sam reads this “That’s not my monkey. His eyebrows are too hairy!”. She asks the kids “Who else has hairy eyebrows?”

The answer was a unanimous “Daddy!”

Then there was a book about 5 stinky pigs … you can only imagine what happened when Sam read, “Four stinky piglets are farty as can be, one gets lost in smelly clouds and that leaves three.”

Sam asked, “Who do you know that is farty?”

No need for me to tell you their answer …