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Childhood Magic: The Hill with the Rock
I grew up in a ranch style home in Bowie, Maryland. The yard was large, and contained a big hill in the back. In the winter, our family and neighbors would go sledding in our yard, until before long, the entire neighborhood was partaking in the fun. The toboggan was filled with adults and children as we would take the run down the hill and spill out into the street. Over and over we would ride the hill in the snow. Red plastic sleds packed with kids would spin down the slope, shoot between our house and the neighbor’s, and end up in the front yard. In the summers, the…
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My Precious 45 RPM Records (are in the box)
Last night my parents dropped off a box they found while cleaning out their basement. They brought it to me, and I was surprised to see what was inside. Obviously, if you either (a) follow my blog, or (b) know me personally, you know that I LOVE MUSIC and always have. As a kid, I would would listen to 8-track tapes, these babies pictured here on my record player, and I’d write down Casey Kasem’s Top 40 each week. Every song. Every week. I’ve always enjoyed the pleasure of music, play the piano a little, and spend money each year to see concerts and Broadway musicals. I love everyone from…
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Once Upon A Time, There Was Stevie Wonder and 8-Track Tapes
In my room as a teen, I had a stereo. It consisted of a receiver with a turntable, two speakers, and an 8-Track tape player. I’ve always loved music, and my weekends were often spent writing down each of the songs Casey Kasem played during the American Top 40 Countdown. And when that was over, I loved listening to my 8-Track tapes. I didn’t have a ton, but I had a handful of them. Soundtracks to some of my favorite movies were in my player, including those from “My Fair Lady,” “Camelot,” and “The Sound of Music.” For funk and rock, Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life” and…
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What Davy Jones Meant to My Childhood
*** Just as Marcia Brady had a crush on Davy Jones, so did I. Watching The Monkees on Saturday mornings was a big part of my days as a child; I loved all the members of the band, but none of them as much as Davy. Sadly, we lost our “Daydream Believer” today at the age of 66, the apparent victim of a heart attack. His death reflects the feelings I often have as I get older and watch people I was a fan of leave this world. I have difficulty connecting the fragments of time. Was I really eight years old when I would sit riveted watching The Monkees…
