On Breaking Hearts & Brian Wilson

I just love the day after a good show.....when the music keeps playing in your head. I see a lot of shows, so this happens to me a good bit. But after a reeeealllly good show, it is especially true.

This was the case last night after seeing Brian Wilson's 50th Anniversary of Pet Sounds. The music of this phenomenal record is brought to life by the 10 or so musicians surrounding Brian on stage recreating the entire Pet Sounds record as well as other Beach Boys hits of the 60's.

I was really looking forward to "Caroline No" which is my favorite cut from the album. Brian may not be able to hit all the high notes anymore, but Al Jardine's son, Matt, sure can. I wasn't let down, and the lyrics keep running through my head all day today.

"Where did your long hair go
Where is the girl I used to know
How could you lose that happy glow
Oh, Caroline no

Who took that look away
I remember how you used to say
You'd never change, but that's not true
Oh, Caroline you......"

Who ever wants to believe we're ever going to change and who ever thinks we really will? That is, until you look back years later and see that has happened without your notice.

"Break my heart
I want to go and cry
It's so sad to watch a sweet thing die
Oh, Caroline why....."

I don't think there is a stronger sentiment than to tell someone that they broke your heart. Michael says it to Fredo. Aiden screams it at Carrie. My mother-in-law once said it about my brother-in-law. I've said it to my husband. It tells you everything you need to know. It hurts to say it. It hurts to hear it.

"Could I ever find in you again
Things that made me love you so much then
Could we ever bring 'em back once they have gone
Oh, Caroline no......"

And the song played all the way out to the songs of the train whistles, the barking dog and the train riding on by with its throbbing engine. And then we're back on the street, out of the beautiful theatre to the gritty realities of life. The train rolls on. On and on.

Reclaiming Your Childhood: Priceless

This story might take a minute to tell. Bear with me. When my sister and I were little girls, my mother took us to a large baptist church in town. Even as a child, I never remember feeling welcome there. But I do remember the lovely older couple that kept my Sunday School class. They gave us saltines and kool-aid, and I remember thinking they would be nice grandparents to have. At Christmastime, the Sunday School class was set to have a random gift exchange. Every child was supposed to bring a gift that could be exchanged with any other child.....no specific gift designations. I received the gift of an Avon 7 bead necklace which was very popular at the time. I loved it so much and was thrilled to have it! I was somewhere between 5 and 7 at the time. (Back in the 1970's and 80's, Avon was a cosmetic company that was also known for it's inexpensive jewelry. I couldn't find a price on what this necklace would have cost back then, but apparently there is ...

My Week with Rumor

My dog Rumor was an experiment. A trial offer. And all parties knew that going in. Except for maybe Rumor. Rumor was an outdoor country dog. His given name was Ruger (named after a firearm if you don't know, I didn't) which made sense for a dog raised in hunting country. He was a stray that came to live with a loving family at about the age of 1. He lived outdoors, slept in a garage crate at night, frolicked with an older dog pack and had a lovely life. We think he was about 4 years old. He had been neutered, had vet care and was by no means a "rescue". His dad offered Ruger to me on a give-it-a-try basis. He knew I wanted a dog. He told me Ruger would be sweet to me and also be my protector. He was right on both counts. He told me if it didn't work out, I could bring Ruger back to him and his wife. I could tell they were a little sad when they dropped him off. It made me glad to see that Ruger came from such ...

NYE for $200, Alex

Can we all just agree that New Year's Eve is the worst of the string of winter holidays? I would even go so far as saying it's THE WORST of all the holidays. I loved when Stanford Blatch defined a party as feeling very "forced festive". To me, most NYE parties feel that way. The idea that this is a big year-end blow-out and we'd all damn well better make it awesome! The reason I hate NYE is because it combines two of things I most hate about celebrations: cold weather and crowds. Plus it's during a time of year when everyone has already spent all their money. AND you usually have to the leave the house. ADDITIONALLY, you have to stay up late. It's a big F.U. from me on all this. I would dare say that some of my happiest New Year's memories have been spent at home in my pajamas with either my child, an S.O. or happily alone. I remember one unforgettable year of moving into a 3rd floor apartment on NYE. I rememb...

Becky's Greatest Hits Vol. II

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