Jackson Browne, Sleep's Dark And Silent Gate, 4-19-08

Sleeps Dark and Silent Night

I've been home sick for few days, so I have been doing a lot of looking at the world of "Greener Living" blogs,  the plastic pollution coalition, and trying to take in what I have been learning.



This is a picture of all of the plastic that was found in a juvenile sea turtle off the cost of Argentina.  Poor dude!  The less we use, the less chance of things like this continuing to occur.

I also found that in some places in Hawaii they have banned the plastic bag.  People bring a reusable shopping bag, or they can purchase paper bag with out handles.  

Sea World in San Diego is also banning the plastic bag from their shops and restaurants.  While other cities are doing events such as non plastic Wednesdays, or another single day during the week.  This promotes some thought for consumers, which may alert them to changing their way of thinking and what choices are made on a daily basis.

Things I have learned through trial and error.  The powdered laundry soap, housed in a box works great!  My clothes have never looked cleaner, I love it!  Still questionable on the bar shampoo, not totally satisfied with the results of any that I have chosen.  Love the produce bags, and my reusable shopping bags, they are really strong, and work well for schlepping anything, not just groceries.

Love the refillable soap dispensers, my husband, not so much!  Biodegradable trash bags have mixed results.  The Green Genius are great, and reasonably priced.  The next kind I bought, I discovered didn't have a tie on the top, so when my husband asked me what was with the current kitchen trash bag, I replied, "they are won't buy agains!"

While my husband is continuing his running, staying young by challenging himself to be healthier and active.  I will continue to go forward in my quest to learn how to better our environment, slowly, but learning and researching each step of the way.

I do not see an electric car in my near future, but maybe a hybrid....a used hybrid!

Sometimes I lie awake at night and wonder
Where my life will lead me
Waiting to pass under Sleep's dark and silent gate

 

I really like this passage of Sleeps Dark and Silent Night.  It of course is out of context, but that is what is so special about using music to inspire and understand oneself.  One can take the smallest portion of a song, and use it out of context, for a totally different purpose. 

 

To me, out of context, it means just what it says.  While lying in bed waiting for sleep, we have the time and ability to imagine what is going to come next.  After all no one really knows, life takes many twists and turns, and it is what we do with those that really counts.  Every twist is a learning experience, and every turn is a new opportunity. 

 

Life is really an incredible journey!

 

 

Jackson Browne - Poor Poor Pitiful Me

Poor, Poor Pitiful Me

This is Howdy!  He came to live at work last year, when he was donated to our garage sale.  Weeks before the sale various people were already trying to buy him, and for some reason we couldn't part with him, and he is a permanent resident at our school.  He has traveled on various vacations with some of the kids and their families.  He has had sun screen applied, lipstick, and has had many a pretend meal made for him to eat.  He has even be given a mail order wife, Howdita, to keep him company.

Howdy at Myrtle Beach, hoping to not get caught in the condo!

Howdy and Howdita enjoy a tasty meal!

The other day I walked into work on my way out of town to drop a few things off, and there was a group of kids playing in the large motor room, and on one of the mats, on his side, looking a bit dirtier than I remember, and a little deflated, was Howdy.  I realized that I had forgotten about him, and hadn't known where he had been living the past few months, and even if he was still around. 

My mind wandered back a year ago, when he joined our staff, became an important member of our school, and a cow who everyone loved, young and not so young.  How could I have forgotten him?  His mail order bride is safely stored upstairs, while Howdy takes the brunt of the "love" from the kids. 

At this point I realized that it is time for me to stop feeling sorry for myself.  I too feel that I have been forgotten, and that I am a bit dirtier, and definitely deflated!  It is time for me to move on with a positive attitude, which will be the ticket to any successful change and transition occurring in my life, I get to choose what happens next.  I am pretty lucky.  I have options, I have a husband, kids, dogs, cats, and Howdita to help me begin my next journey in life.  I realized that Howdy wasn't really forgotten, maybe by me, but he had taken up residence is a classroom, living a spectacular life of love and interaction with the children in the class, getting bounced on, hugs, and kisses.  He may be older, but his life is good. He has yet to be put out to pasture!

I'd lay my head on the railroad tracks
And wait for the Double "E"
But the railroad don't run no more
Poor, poor pitiful me

I chose this song, which is really a Warren Zevon song, covered by Jackson, because it always makes me laugh.  When I feel like a failure there is humor, however, twisted, in the idea that one could be so unlucky that they couldn't even successfully end their life, choosing a railroad track that doesn't have a train!  It often helps for me to journey in my head to the point of total ridiculousness to see reality, and jump back and join the world again.  It also brings me back to my son, who loved every song with the word train in it, and didn't have to know or care what it was really about!

My daughter and I saw Jackson Browne on Thursday night.  He was really good, and as usual I liked hearing him sing, and talk about his life.  He always reminds me that I still have time to do lots of different things in my life!  We had never been to Grand Rapids before so we drove downtown to find the venue, to see how long it would take, and where to park, etc.  My daughter, who was born with the ability to spellcheck anything on the fly, quickly says that his name is spelled wrong on the marquee!  Sure enough, check it out!  When your last name is LaPointe, those silent vowels are imperative!  So we rounded the corner of the theater, and low and behold there is the bus!

On the windshield of the bus, is the parking permit, with the name Browne correctly spelled!  



Being a preschool teacher, I had a sharpie, note card, and scotch tape in the car!  We attached a note to the window which said:

Mr. Browne:  Your name is spelled incorrectly on the marquee.  It says Brown, not Browne. 

From the LaPointes not LaPoints!

When we returned for the show the marquee had been corrected, with the happy e in it's proper place.  I'd like to believe we had something to do with the correction which occurred, but even if we didn't, we sure had fun writing the note, and taping it to the bus.  I love going places with my daughter, she makes me feel young, she is really enjoyable, and she has a fabulous sense of humor.  I brings me back to the days, when I would have left a note on the bands, bus.....oh.....I guess I still would.

Now for some reflections on my plastic free, environmentally friendly life I am trying my best to live, or learn to live.  I learned something at this concert, regarding this quest.  I was trying my best to take these new ways of living into all aspects of my life, and for everything that I purchase, even if it wasn't for me.  Although, I enjoyed taking my quest for new habits to that length, I realized at the concert, even Jackson Browne himself doesn't do that!

What do I mean???  The bar and snack area outside the theater, was a virtual shrine to single use plastic.  There were tiny, and I mean tiny, wine glasses, single use plastic.  No one individual could consume only one, they were at most 1.5 ounces, and not reusable, water bottles, soft drinks poured out of 2 L plastic bottles, plastic lids on the cups, straws, larger plastic cups for mixed drinks.  The only non plastic item were the aluminum beer bottles!  So much for a plastic free tour!

My point is, that Jackson and his crew don't use single use plastic, however, he still performs at a venue that is using single use plastic, and going out of the way to use as much as possible, not just when necessary for safety!

What does this mean?  Even Jackson Browne has to make a living, and he does that by singing, so, he performs in venues which use single use plastic, rather freely!  Therefore, it is not necessary for me to carry my quest of the lines of my personal life, unless I am asked to!  I guess, that won't make me a hypocrite....It is a process of attraction, not promotion.





Teach your Children

Teach Your Children

Teach your children well,
Their father's hell did slowly go by,
And feed them on your
dreams
The one they picks, the one you'll know by.

This is my daughter, Katie, on her first Christmas, way back in 1991.  Seems like yesterday, and seems like a life time away at the same time!  When Katie was first interested in music, and coming into her own as a pre-teen, among other favorites she developed a strong affinity for country music. I found myself at a crossroads, I had NO, and I repeat, NO interest what so ever in that genre of music.  I have to admit it that I never really listened to it, nor did I think of this as something I would ever take the time to try out.

I wanted to continue to understand my children, and I wanted to be able to continue to relate to them, so I took the leap.  I took her to a Kenny Chesney concert, and after wondering how he actually got into his pants, I realized that I did know some of the songs.  I also realized that he put on quite a show, unlike Jackson who as Bruce Springsteen describes it, stands in his t-shirt and baggie jeans and pours it heart out on stage.  Besides Elton John and his changing costumes, in the 70's, it was the most choreographed concert I had ever seen.

Soon, because I respected the likes and dislikes of my young daughter, and was willing to step into her world, I discovered that I liked country music, not just when I was with my daughter.  I let her teach me something new. 

In many ways the trip I am on over these few days, is probably similar to my wanting to connect with Katie, through the music that she enjoys.  This is her turn to connect to me, her mother, with the music I enjoy.  Since I am someone who shares memories of my younger years in very limited quantities, Jackson is the one who can allow me to open those boxes, which are often sealed tight, and awaken a story, which allows others to get a glimpse of where I came from.  Something I think my children are curious about.  I really believe she likes and appreciates Jackson's songwriting talent, and his way of writing every one's life, while documenting his own.  She never seems uncomfortable being the youngest person in the seats.  I am so happy that she has chosen to spend this time with me. 

I am finding that these trips, are journeys, times when we can spend time together, talking, laughing, sharing, and getting to know each other on a real level.  Last night after dinner, the bill was paid, the food was gone, and I realized we were still sitting at the restaurant table, talking, in no hurry to leave.  We were acting like friends!

I am excited to continue on this new journey with my daughter, sharing time, sharing stories, and continuing to learn and appreciate the incredible individual she has become, while still getting the privilege of being her mother.


 



Jackson Browne - Looking Into You - 1974