Sunday, June 19, 2016

Hanginaround

Posy, 2016 

I was waking up differently than I had just a month or two earlier. It was easier. I started to think some miraculous transformation had taken place in me, then I realized there was simply more daylight earlier in the morning, so I sighed, felt foolish, and moved on.

I went downstairs, washed a few dishes, and made a few notes on this and that. I did these things while listening to Counting Crows. I began to wonder if they named their band after the behavior of one of their members. Was Duritz a crow counter? I hadn’t thought about the origin of their name before that day, never noticed a bird in their band name. Yet I’d listened to them for years. 

Some things just get passed by, not purposefully ignored, but still overlooked. It’s not like I don’t ponder a variety of unimportant matters on a regular basis. I don’t know why some things stick in the mind for further exploration and others don’t. 

Was I paying attention to these crows because I was on vacation and spending much of my time outside with insects and skunks and foxes and birds? Maybe.

Anyway, I found myself particularly tuned in to the song Hanginaround, and listening to the part about long days with nothing to do, and I thought back to telling my dad, "There’s nothing to do here!" This is a thought that no longer occurs to me. The last time I whined such a thing I was probably in my early teens. It must be a mindset that recedes with age.

My 13-year-old self would have filled her long nothing-to-do days diligently rewinding songs such as Hanginaround on her cassette tape over and over again until she heard each word, writing them all down, and memorizing them so she could sing along with the tape in front of her friends, appearing as though it all came to her naturally, as if those words had never been rewound, written down, or memorized. Yes, it is true.

If I find I have a stretch of time with nothing to do now, I don’t mind. I don’t blame Dad. I no longer write down the words to songs, but I do still think about them, and band names, and birds.

Origin of band name (I had to look it up…)

14 comments:

  1. Our perspective surely changes as we get older,sometimes wishing for and enjoying nothing to do.

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    1. Absolutely. Wishing you some of that pleasure today.

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  2. I do think perspective changes with age...I embrace days with nothing to do and fill that time doing what I like: daydreaming, reading, coffee and a crossword.

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    1. Daydreaming, reading, and coffee are a few of my favorite things. I've never really gotten into crossword puzzles. Perhaps it's time to pick one up again and see how it feels. I hope your summer is starting off well. :)

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  3. I have been away too long from your space on the internet. Reading your words was just what I needed tonight. You are so very wise. I won't leave it so long next time. K x

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  4. yes it is true. all of it. glad i wasn't the only one doing this. maybe we all do at some point.
    beautiful piece.
    n♥

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  5. Thanks, n. I hope you enjoyed the Strawberry Moon. ;)

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  6. Yes. So beautifully expressed. Thank you.

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  7. I find myself chuckling at the 13-year-old self. I must admit to feeling a twinge of envy while watching James Corden's carpool karaoke sessions on YouTube. He and his celebrity buddies sing so fluently. I wonder if, behind the scenes, there is a rewind or two.

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    1. Thank you for the introduction to carpool karaoke. So much fun!

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  8. It's been so long since I've listened to Counting Crows...thanks for the reminder! The issues of having CD's versus always listening to digital... I'm trying to remember if I was ever bored when I was a kid. I spent all my time in our woods and with a book so I don't think so...though now, I often dream of the days when I had that luxury sans guilt. And I do the same thing...up north, I'll all of a sudden realize I'm sleeping better and it still takes me awhile to realize it's because daylight is decreasing and it's actually dark!

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    1. Mom did a much better job of making sure we had books around. She organized all library outings. I was pretty good at entertaining myself, even when books weren't around, but sometimes I'd complain for a while first. ;)

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