5 People I remember from the classes of 1973 and 1974.

Bruce Dugdale

Cindy Hiller

Kim Nutting

Vicki Shear

Tim Losaco

I went to two high schools in two states between 1971 and 1975.  I started at a four year high school in Carmel, CA and finished at a three year high school in Eugene, OR.  I started at Carmel High School and finished at South Eugene High School.  My class from South is having a reunion this Saturday and I will be unable to attend due to attendance at a wedding in Portland that day.  This week I will be featuring list from both schools as a way to the very un reunion I will be having on Saturday.

Five random things

Carmel High School                                                                        South Eugene High

1.red and gray                                                                                  1. purple and white

2. The Padres                                                                                    2.  The Axemen

3. 30 mile bus ride (each way)                                                   3.  rode my bike to school

4. John Stein went undefeated in wrestling, he only        4.  chair races down the hallways

weighed 93 pounds

5.   saw Clint Eastwood on the way to school                    5.  saw the red devil streak

Tomorrow is the annual baseball All Star game.  Tomorrow is a day that I take off every year to spend the day getting ready to watch the game, hoping each year that the National League wins.  This year it is special because if the National League wins that may mean the Padres will have home field advantage in the World Series.  One of the best things about watching the Cubs on TV was watching the late Harry Caray lead the crowd during the seventh inning stretch sing along.  Click on the sheet music to watch a clip.

click here to listen

Today is the 5th of July and I am off to celebrate the 4th since it was my normal day off.  When I think about songs that express to me what America is really about, my first thought is John Mellencamp’s Pink Houses.

One of my favorites on LOST was the amiable con man Sawyer.  I was amazed about the amount of books that he read during the six seasons of the show, but his ability (the writer’s actually) to find nicknames for everyone.  Here is a compilation of them.

Way back in the day, this was one of my favorite songs.  I really like the lyrics and hope this is how my relationship is with Ruth Ann.  At one point I bought the 12 inch single of this song on vinyl and used to play it on our turntable.  click on the album cover to hear the song.

Click here to hear Cheeseburger in Paradise

On the first day of summer(although you would not know it by the weather here) what better music to highlight than the man whose music just screams summer.  Jimmy Buffett, a man whose music refuse to be easily categorized into a genre.  I first heard Jimmy way back in 1977 as I headed to Mexico for a mission trip.  I have been a Parrothead ever since, I finally attended my first Jimmy Buffett concert the last time he was in Portland.  It was a pretty good concert, but I am not going this year, cause it will just be the same songs again.  I had the t shirt at left until it wore out, now the design is in an embroidery hoop on the wall of my den.  When the boys were growing up we would always turn the song up and everyone would sing along.  It is a fun song, if you want to hear it click on the logo.  I like mine with lettuce and tomato, Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes, big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer.

Every so often David and I get in this conversation about bands where the name of the band, the name of an album and the name of a song are all the same.  The first one I ever remember was in high school Bad Company performing their hit Bad Company from their album Bad Country.

Today is the first day of the rest of my life.  A different life I hope in some ways.  Today I weigh in at about 333 pounds.  My doctors tell me I need to be around 200 pounds.  I got up at 5AM today and went walking from 5:22-5:55.  Usually when I was walking before I observed my surroundings, today it was all about just getting through the walk, today the only time I paid attention to details was when there was something in my way, or I crossed the street.  I think in all that time I took I walked about a mile and a half.  I want to get up every morning and walk (eventually run) and get down to 200 pounds.  It will help my body feel better, give me more energy and allow me to be around to annoy my sons for many years to come.  I want to be able to run a 5K and pretend that I am running with Pre, Shorter and Wottle.  Usain Bolt is way too fast for me too even pretend to run with.

Good morning, I got up and walked this morning for the first time in a couple of months, I only went a mile, but it’s a start. I saw a cardiologist awhile back and she told me I needed to lose 130 pounds, so I am starting that journey.

I must say that the world will be a slightly less funny place from now on. George Carlin had a heart attack and died. If you haven’t heard his comedy, make an effort to somehow hear what he has to say.

Now for the music.

Hold Me/Laura McGreevey/EP. I originally downloaded this because I knew Laura when she was in high school. She sang in high school but she really has come into her own. I really liked the songs, but this morning after reading Lamentations 1, this song really spoke to me. My only refuge is in my Lord. Laura has a wonderful voice and is a great songwriter. Check her out at lauramcgreevey.com

Immigrant Song/Led Zeppelin/The Best of Led Zeppelin, Vol 1. The last time I reloaded my ipod I resolved that I would only have one song per band and Stairway is so overdone. Immigrant Song has a classic riff and listening to Robert Plant sing is always great. Watch the DVD extra’s on School of rock to see Jack Black beg Zep for permission to use it in School of Rock.

American Woman/Lenny Kravitz/Austin Powers 2. Lenny takes an old Guess Who tune and definitely makes it his own. His guitar work is truly great and his voice has just the right balance between polish and rough for this song.  Haven’t heard much from Lenny lately, I need to go look for more music and see what he is doing.

Bleeding Love/Leona Lewis/Bleeding Love. I know nothing about this artist and this is only the second time I have heard the song. I kind of like her voice, and it has a nice hook. When I refilled my ipod I asked my son, David, to add some music that he thought I would like and this is one of the songs.

Get Rhytm/Little Richard/Kindred Spirits, A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash. Here is a pairing that is very inspired, I never would have thought to ask Little Richard to sing a Johnny Cash song. But man does it work, it is a flat out rock and roll song as Little Richard pounds it out on the piano. It rivals Johnny’s version as an original.

See ya later.