You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm gone

It was one of those times. I had some time to kill before tickets went on sale before the Dead & Company Summer tour and I needed a box to send my son a few things (including his Valentine's Day candy).  I emptied a box that had been sitting full of papers since I don't know how long.

Old lesson plans.  Post-it notes. A few packets of Emergen-C.  Some spare change. An earring that had been missing for about 6 years. (It's lonely mate, has been sitting, waiting in my jewelry box. They were reunited on my head today, joyfully.)  Then at the bottom, some really old stuff.  A few report cards from middle school years (my kids are in their 20's).  A souvenir key chain from my parents trip to the Grand Canyon.  (WHEN was that, and who did they give it to??)  A deck of cards that was in perfect condition from a trip to Israel.  And, at the bottom of the box, this photo.

From the moment I saw it, I knew exactly when it was taken.

June 18, 1995.

That was the last time I saw Jerry Garcia play with the Grateful Dead.  At the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ.   I even know why it is not with the rest of the photos from that day, or in the album.

It's TERRIBLE!

My friend Patti doesn't look great, and yeesh... me with those high wasted shorts and a fanny pack. Worst of all, we've been captured on the port-a-potty line!  I clearly pulled the photo out from the rest when it was time to show off the pictures to everyone, and hid it in a box.

Memories are flooding back.  I remember saying to my husband not to take the picture!  I remember the two great batik t-shirts I got... I still have them... tho they are now relegated to the gym or to sleep-wear due to the holes.  I remember hanging out by our van, our beloved party van, drinking and eating and watching people play hacky-sack nearby.



The cops were pretty bad, but not as bad as they had been in years earlier.  We had a great time in that parking lot.  When we got in, our baby-sitter (the one who was NOT available, obviously) was sitting two rows ahead of us!   Unfortunately, the concert was not that great.  It had its moments, but Jerry was in a bad way, and if you listen to the show (the link is below) you can tell he's in rough shape.  After seeing hundreds of shows, I drove home (only twenty minutes away) and I'm sure I thought - "Oh well, the next one will be better."

Jerry, in his better days, 1990.

So, here I was, about to order (HOPEFULLY) tickets to see the boys, now known as Dead & Company, play one more summer tour, and in my hands, now getting shaky, were holding this relic. 

And. Just two days away from Patti's yahrtzeit (the anniversary of her death).

Karma is a crazy thing.

For the last two big "Grateful Dead" events, GD50 and Dead & Co. - I couldn't get tickets no matter how I tried.  Even for the upcoming Phil's birthday, for the first time I was SOL.

But somehow, this time, with this terrible picture of Patti and me, waiting on the porta-john line, goofing around and having a blast, I got lucky.  Looks like I'll be back on tour with Dead & Co.  I'll be with new friends and old, and Patti in spirit. 

The music never stops.  It changes, it twists and turns and I am thankful every single time I hear Bob, Phil, Mickey and Billy bring back the magic.  See you on tour!







This is the link to the last show I saw - 6/18/95 at the Meadowlands.
https://archive.org/details/gd95-06-18.aud.2543.sbeok.shnf

This is a link to the upcoming tour.  I think you all should go.  To Bonnaroo. :-)
http://www.deadandcompany.com/

I Can See Clearly Now...

click here to set the tone for this blog...


Well, it's been 15 years, maybe longer, but we are breaking up.

Actually, let me rephrase that.

We broke up today.

That wasn't my intention. 

But I had finally had enough.

Enough of the waiting.

The lies.

The expense... and then the disappointment.

LensCrafters - you and I are done.

I know you apologize every time you screw up.  And each time, it seems so heartfelt, that I have given you another chance.  I've wandered around that horrible mall for hours, when you've promised it would only be ONE HOUR.

I've left on vacation without glasses when you said, after 2 hours that you couldn't get them done after all. 

I've worn out-of-date styles because that's all you had that could accommodate my complicated prescription.  

But today, when I said I may take my business elsewhere, and you simply went and got me my prescription, I knew we were over.  It was as easy as that.  

No more driving to the mall and wasting my precious time.
No more sneak-eating the gay-hating Chik-fil-a and hoping no one will see me.
No more wandering into store upon store which offers nothing but horrible scented candles and creams, all destined to give me a head-ache that will last long into the evening. 
No more rushing by the kiosks  to avoid being badgered into having someone straighten my hair, trim my cuticles, or thread my eyebrows.

We're over, LensCrafters.  I stayed in this dysfunctional relationship long enough.  Next time you see me, which will be, um, never, my myopia will be fashionably and functionally fixed by a pro who won't make false promises and won't talk me into add-ons I don't want or need.

And if anyone has a recommendation for such a place... I could use a new optometrist right about now!


 

Ladies and Gentlemen- The Beatles

At the tender age of five, my parents gave me a record player and the 45 record of the Beatles "I Want to Hold Your Hand."   I was hooked from an early age at the perfect time - 1965 - and I have loved these four guys - John, Paul, George and Ringo ever since.

So of course I am thrilled about the recent news of their long-awaited reunion.

At this point, no one thought it would happen.  Newspapers, magazines and online sources stopped guessing and even hinting about it a long time ago.  I can't even think about the last time anyone suggested a collaboration.

But here it is, 2016 and the Fab Four have announced three stadium shows in Europe and plans are underway for at least four U.S. dates for the summer.  And naturally people here are going beserk. But with the recent passing of David Bowie, Glenn Frey, Paul Kantner, and Maurice White it seems that the time was right to bring the magic back.

WHAT HAVE THEY BEEN DOING:

John Lennon - Ever since the attempt on his life in the middle of New York City in 1980, John has focused his attention on his sons Julian and Sean, and his wife Yoko.  He occasionally shows up on other artists' albums (un-credited) but mostly spends his studio time helping his family with their projects.  He is rarely seen out and about, and keeps a very low profile.  Manhattan residents seem to understand that John wishes to remain private, and any recent photos of him almost never turn up on the Internet, including Instagram and Facebook.  And when they do, they seem to disappear immediately.

On the other hand Sir Paul McCartney has been seen everywhere over the last few years. He is a regular, both announced and unannounced on Saturday Night Live, most recently popping up alongside Bruce Springsteen this past December. Paul has done benefit concerts for causes he believes in here in the U.S. and in England, and has appeared on countless tv shows.  He has also collaborated with other artists, but unlike John, he does so with a bit of fanfare. It is rumored that this reunion was his idea, and that he has been all for it for years.

We all breathed a communal sigh of relief when George Harrison survived his terrible bout with lung cancer in 2001.  This left his voice a bit rough, but he is in good health now, crediting both alternative and modern therapies for his recovery.  "I sound a bit like a cross between Bobby Dylan and bullfrog," he was quoted as saying in 2010 when asked why he no longer tours.  But his son Dhani sounds remarkably like a young George and will be filling in the harmonies, and possibly some of the guitar work as well on the upcoming tour.  As for getting the rest of the band to adopt his vegan lifestyle, only Paul is on board with that.

"I finally have some actual stars in my all-star band!"  Ringo Starr has clearly been the most active of the four, touring constantly, and is thrilled about the reunion.  It's no secret that he has collaborated with each of the Beatles since they disbanded in 1970, and has pure, unbridled enthusiasm for this project. He is bringing some of the back up players to this band, though at this time, the line up is not set.

BEATLEMANIA:

For those who missed it the first time, you are experiencing real live Beatlemania  and it is great.  From middle school book bags and lunch boxes, to high school iPods.  From collectors paying exorbitant amounts of cash for original vinyl to record breaking numbers of Beatles downloads. Even club music, which was once the mindless thumping of sound-alike electronica has rediscovered the Beatles.  And those of us of a certain generation cannot stop smiling, hearing music that makes us feel joy when we recognize that song from the first two notes.  

I know that when we see these four "Lads from Liverpool" on stage, they will look like tiny specks, and we will have to watch them on the big screen from who knows where in a football stadium.  But I can't wait. I know all the Facebook groups will be guessing the set lists already, and getting tickets will be madhouse.  And lets not even start with the scalpers.  

For now, lets just enjoy the moment.  

By United Press International (UPI Telephoto)