All posts by Jonathan Hilton

Gratitude

What a Year

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I learned people from Croatia are not good at hide and go seek
I learned people from Croatia are not good at hide and go seek

This is the end of the Super Gratitude Project on my website, it has been 31 days of nonstop gratitude.  I have looked for things to be grateful about and fortunately it hasn’t been all that hard.  For the final day I decided to express my gratitude for the entire year and all of the people I met. They changed my life!

Not the experience I expected

I learned people from Ireland drink and swear a lot!
I learned people from Ireland drink and swear a lot!

If you had told me a year ago that much of the following year would be spent helping to organize and promote a summer camp, I would have thought you were on drugs or crazy or both.  Yet here I am after a summer of learning at the Maine Golf and Tennis Academy.  Here is what I am grateful for in this experience.

First for the wide range of experiences I was able to have, from hiring people and crafting a staff I hoped would be great, to seeing that staff come into existence and watching them grow, struggle and ultimately succeed by any form of measurement.  There were also other organizational tasks I did not like.  There was a required meeting every morning at 7:15.  I am grateful I will never have to attend one again.   But overall the experience in helping to run the camp was a great learning experience.

I learned people from England, don't work well with rodents of any sort.
I learned people from England, don’t work well with rodents of any sort.

The most important thing I am grateful for though, it all of the great people that have entered my life this year.  I have become friends with people from England, Australia, Ireland, and even Hungary.  It was a true blessing to work with and build relationships with such great people.  Each has contributed to my understanding of life and other people and for that I am truly grateful.  Even though they are all gone home now, back to work, college and their “normal” lives, I think of them often.  I think many would be surprised of the impact they had on me, even if they were there for a short time.

 

Future is so Bright

I also met the next Tiger Woods. His name is Alejandro and this image is going to be something ten years from now!
I also met the next Tiger Woods. His name is Alejandro and this image is going to be something ten years from now!

I have to be grateful for this year because of what it has given me for the future.  I have developed an almost wanderlust to travel to different places in the country and across the world.  One of my friends at camp told me that I should, move to Germany and live there for a year.  Even though I don’t think I am ready for that yet, I now see it as an actual possibility in my life.  I owe this new vision of what life can be to all of the people I met this year.  I can only hope that the next year is filled with as many interesting characters.

I am truly blessed with friendship and experience and am grateful for it.

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Gratitude

Family First

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quotes-and-images-family-love-family-quotes-24132It is Day 30 of the Super Gratitude Challenge which means, only one more day to go.  Today I am going write about how grateful I am for the experience of having a great family.  Not everything in my life was perfect but there are a lot of things to be grateful for and I want to share just a few.

My Grandparents

I was fortunate to have a relationship with all of my grandparents, which was unique and I treasure.  I also had the great good fortune of knowing all but one of my great grandparents as  well.  This extended family connection allowed me to be spoiled and feel like I was the center of a lot of people’s lives.

This picture, four generations of Hilton's, taken in early 1970's. My father, grandfather and great grandfather in the back. My brothers and myself in the front. Guess which one is me.
This picture, four generations of Hilton’s, taken in early 1970’s. My father, grandfather and great grandfather in the back. My brothers and myself in the front. Guess which one is me.

There were so many things that I was taught by these people, from how to behave myself and be polite when company came to the value of honesty and doing what you say.   The greatest gift that each of them gave me in a different way was to tell me that to them, I was special and had the potential to do about anything.  One by one, they passed away over the years and are all gone now, but their lessons live on in my heart and will for my life.

The Parents

Like most people in adulthood, we look at our parents with a knowing understanding.  They were never going to be perfect, and Jimjoannejeffjonmy parents weren’t.  But they did give me a safe and happy childhood. I was never abused, or neglected and felt again like my life mattered significantly to them.  It still does today.

My father was a school teacher and coach and shared a love of sports with me and my siblings that still exists today.  It is a way that we can relate to each other.   My mother is a minister and she is still preaching every Sunday.  Even though I don’t agree with her religious beliefs, she doesn’t push them on me.  She is a thinker and writes and well, so do I.  I got great gifts from each of them.

Sibling Appreciation

Well these people are the ones who have shared the common experience of JonathanJeffreyswinggrowing up.  There aren’t many people who really know what that means, but they each do.

All relationships are formed over a common experience, school, work, a hobby or your family life and siblings are the ones who really know who you are.  I am grateful for  the experiences of childhood, even though they involved a lot of arguing and many disagreements, there were a lot of shared moments of special times that even today are fondly remembered.  I was one of four and that in itself made me part of a unique group.  All of my family have first names that begin with the letter J.

So there it is, on Day 30 of this gratitude challenge I am thankful for all of my family members, those who have passed on and those that are still around.

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Gratitude

Thank You Great Story Tellers

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ithinkthereforeiblog I have been fortunate enough to fall into this strange little world and it has truly been a wonderful rabbit hole experience. There are thousands of people out there writing their thoughts, hoping to connect with others in a more meaningful way. These connections have helped me become a more comprehensive thinker and a more dynamic writer.  There is no questioning that this experience has helped form my personal growth.

No Idea What I am Doing

It was several years ago that I first realized that there was a community of people who spent their time writing and diligently posting on their blogs each day. Providing know how thoughts and even motivation to the general population at large.  I remember feeling like Alice in Wonderland, stepping into a new world I didn’t know existed.   I had written on my website for a time, but really just did it for me, to express my feelings and thoughts.  Who else would want to hear them?  It must have been time to share.

The First Blogger got me Hooked

I had stumbled into this world because I installed Zemanta onto my site.  It’s a program that makes adding articles from other people to the end of your blog easy.  I actually got a note from one Raraof the people I had pinged back.  When I looked at their site, there was a green little dinosaur gravatar I couldn’t help clicking on.  It was called Rarasaur and it was one of the best blogs I ever saw.  It was there I left my first tentative comment and was blown away that I got a thoughtful response.  It was awesome and started me searching deeper into the world of blogs.

Mysteries Abound

One of my most naive thoughts was the everyone who blogged seemed to have developed interesting monikers and identities that symbolized who they were and what they meant.  It was too late for me at that point, I had already built my site years before. My name was no mystery, and I often wondered if I should start over with a secret identity.  I often wonder about the lives of the bloggers I read.  Do they have problems like me? How often does writer’s block affect them?  What are they grateful for? What motivates them?

Bloggers I Love to Read

There really are so many that to make a list would short change somebody but I am going to list five excluding Rara because she clearly is a favorite and should be read.  Many of these people I first read because they guest posted on her blog.

Mr. Tookles

This blogger from Holland is one of my favorite people in the world. She is a fantastic word artist and says more using fewer words than I could imagine possible.  We share a love of bacon and have a mutual hope that life is going to show us what we are supposed to do.  Don’t mess with her though, because she will hit you on the head with a frying pan. (her threat) Seriously, funny, intelligent and so very creative, she is one of my favorite people in the whole wide world.  Follow her and see what amazing things she creates.

matticus_Matticus-

He writes on his blog each day like it is a mission. I am often in awe of the number of posts he makes and the quality. He loves movies and movie dialogue and each Friday he leaves a post about it.  He has a great sense of humor, but his best quality to me is the friendship and feedback he has shared with me on my work.  He is a relatively new Dad, and with a young family I wonder how he finds the time, but I am glad he does.   Reading his blog is a trip to an enchanted land, I encourage you to make the trip.

sass_and_balderdashSass and Balderdash

Written by the witty, sarcastic and sometimes inappropriate Katie, this website has never met a topic it wouldn’t address.  Katie is funny and makes me laugh and usually think. I think she writes more to women than men, but I have honestly learned more about how women think about everything from shoes to working out in the gym.  This blog is one that I try to read every day because it is worth it, if you like intelligent, witty observations about life then this is the blog for you. Katie is awesome even though she lives in Chicago, which is known for…………wind.

camel_lifeThe Camel Life

This is a relatively new blog on my must-read list but Breezy K who writes this blog has won me over recently by writing on a regular basis and talking about her “dynamic” life in Canada.  She writes with a lot of funny images, but deep down her topics are interesting and even though she is from Nova Scotia, I think that it is very close to my experience in living in Maine.  She is funny, insightful and definitely doesn’t take herself very seriously.  The reason I feel this is a must read blog, is that it just entertains me. From the “witty” way she plays on words, to the perspective of diet and exercise. I always learn something and most often laugh as well.

tranquil_dreamsTranquil Dreams

This is kind of unfair because Kim who writes this blog is one of my favorite people.  She visited Maine this summer and I met her and her boyfriend and we had a lovely time.  Her blog is a combination of reviews, recipes, and thoughts but what wins me over is that Kim has always been so nice and supportive of me.  She leaves positive and supportive comments, and I like that.   This blog is well worth checking out and reading.

There are of course many other blogs and bloggers I love to read and learn from each and every day. I am certainly grateful to experience all that you do each day! Thank you for being so wonderful.

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  • Gratitude
Gratitude

That’s Where I Come From

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Today I am expressing my gratitude for Growing up in Greenville, Maine.  There have been few influences on my life greater than this.  The foundation of who I am today was built on the streets, in the school, in my home and with the people I shared the experience with.

S

Winter is a long season in Greenville, it makes you tough. and you really like spring! the Katahdin is a iconic boat that cruises Moosehead Lake, and of course an image of Mt. Kineo. All images of home.
Winter is a long season in Greenville, it makes you tough and you really like spring! the Katahdin is an iconic boat that cruises Moosehead Lake, and of course an image of Mt. Kineo. All images of my youth and this wonderful place.

Small Town To Say the Least, Greenville, Maine

Greenville was and is a very small town, but it was the only town I knew as home as a child. There are two sides of the coin when you

My brother and I actually playing outside. That is what it looks like.
My brother and I actually playing outside. That is what it looks like.

live in a small town.  On one side people are supportive of you in all that you do.  On the other side, it is difficult to live your life without having everyone know your business.

That is the fate of a small town, for me, those issues were never a factor because I loved living there and growing up with the people I grew up with.  A small town gave me the foundation to think, create and write.  In  many ways, I have never felt as much like myself as when I was there.

Friends Forever

It is an odd thing about friendship that it often flows in and out of your life like the tides in the sea.  The shared experience that you

The Indian Store, a non- PC name for a non-PC town. But a one of a kind shopping experience.
The Indian Store, a non- PC name for a non-PC town. But a one of a kind shopping experience.

build your friendship around often determines the length of the friendship.  Believe it or not, the people that I went to elementary school with in Greenville, Maine are still some of the dearest friends I have.

There was something about working our way through the growth of our youth that allowed us to bond.  With very few exceptions, today when I see someone from that era, we can talk and carry on in a fashion like no time has passed.   I believe this is true because we knew each other before life taught us hard lessons, and gave us difficult things to deal with.  At the core of each of us is that person we were when we were young.  I think I look at those friends with the eyes of understanding, that I know who they are, and they know me.  There is no judgment on choices we have made, or what we have become, it is what each of us was that I remember.

When I hear from one of these people on Facebook, or should I see them in person, I am transported back to a time in the 1970’s before cell phones, computers, and video games, when we actually played outside, every day.  These were my brothers and sisters and still are today.  That is an experience I am extremely grateful for.

The Town Itself

If I took you on a tour of 1970’s Greenville, we would walk the mile

It was not a rare occurance to see a moose, a bear or any other Maine wildlife. It was a small town in the middle of nowhere!
It was not a rare occurrence to see a moose, a bear or any other Maine wildlife. It was a small town in the middle of nowhere!

from the school to my house in the Junction, and on the way there, most every car that passed we would recognize.  It seemed like I knew everyone.  We would walk to Breton’s store which is still there today and buy the candy treat of our choice with the quarter I had squirreled away for just such an occasion.  My parents never worried that I would be harmed or abducted. They told me to never talk to strangers and in Greenville, it was easy not to do, I knew everyone even as a kid.

If we went into the downtown area, there were a number of old haunts which still exist today at least enough to let you meet the ghost of my memories. It doesn’t matter if I went to Jamison’s Store or to Harris Drug Store, I always seemed to get what I was looking for.   I was always with a friend or my brother and we were always on the go, heading to a pickup game of some sort.

Moving, The End of That Life

As I was finishing the 7th grade, I found out my family was moving. I didn’t tell anyone because I  think I felt if I just ignored it then the move would never take place.  I did not want to move.  I loved my friends and my life there.  After moving I picked up the pieces of my shattered reality and moved forward, but in my heart, I will always carry that place, the people, and our experiences there in Greenville, Maine.  I am grateful for them all!

Nostalgicmusicmonth

The Halloween Hook

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Nostalgic Music Month Day 31

HALLOWEEN by Jon Hilton

There is something about the 31st of October that is embedded in my soul. It probably has to do with the nights spent in my youth participating in organized begging for candy and taking in pillowcases full of candy.  It is the whole fall season that brings on a feeling of melancholy and joy all at once. It is a time to remember the happy times of Halloweens past, the joy of youthful adventure and the thrill of being scared, if only just a little bit. So for today, I am going to focus on the joy of this day in music.

  1. Sugar, Sugar by the Archies– Watching this video transports me back to being about 8 years old and all I wanted was candy for Halloween because of course, I loved getting the sugary treats.  In Greenville, trick or treating was a great experience. I know my Dad would pile us and our friends like Mike Martin into the car drive to a certain street, let us go and do our thing.  Thanks to the generous people in my town was a very lucrative experience in the candy department. We were never disappointed with the haul of sugary treats. It was a night of magic for a kid who loved candy and the memories of it still make me smile today.
  2. No More Mr. Nice Guy by Alice Cooper– As we got a little bit older, Mike Martin and I would cook up some mischief to participate on Halloween. We had been taught well by older kids on what to do. I had seen the messy carnage of November 1st with its smashed pumpkins in the road all over town. We were feeling like it was our turn. So after trick or treating one year we decided to smash as many pumpkins as we could find.  It was the most illegal thing I had ever done, but I liked to smash things. How high can you throw a pumpkin and totally destroy it? What if we threw it from the roof? What if we put it on a train track and let a train hit it?  All of these questions were answered that night.
  3. Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon– One of my passions as a kid was about monsters. There was something scary and interesting about the stories of Frankenstein, Dracula, werewolves, mummies, and creatures from black lagoons. I remember reading books about them and the makeup it took to make actors look like that.  It was all brought to a head on Halloween Night. Costumes are a great thing because they allow a person to become something else, if only for a short time. This type of escape is good for “kids” of all ages as they seek to be released from their everyday existence. This song is for the costumes we all wear, at Halloween and throughout the year.
  4. Leaves That are Green Simon and Garfunkel– One of the naturally amazing things that we get to enjoy in Maine is the changing of the leaves in the fall.  Changing leaves and Halloween go together as we all know. You pile them up and jump in them like Charlie Brown. You also use them to create the meat of a scarecrow.  There is a smell of the small that pictures of foliage can’t bring you. That smell and the feel of the crisp autumn air bring back memories of my life and all that is gone before. I have been blessed in my existence to have lived in so many wonderful fall days.
  5. Season of the Witch by Donovan– One of the iconic images from Halloween is that of the witch. Much like the Wizard of Oz, you have to be careful when dealing with witches, are they good? or are they bad? I have learned that sometimes the witches you meet on Halloween are not exactly what they appear to be. Some seem kind in the beginning, but in the end are not looking out for your best interest. Some which seem less nice in the beginning, show that they are truly good witches in the end. So my experience is that on Halloween, be wary of the witches that you meet promising candy and sunshine.  Judge all your witches by their actions, not their words. Actions show the true nature of a witch.

Happy Halloween!!!!!

Dr. Hook by Mike Martin

My last #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth post on my spiritual adviser’s blog. Jon Hilton is a wise man, a little naïve, but a wise man none the less.

When we were discussing this challenge, I selected the band that was on the radio first and I picked my day 31 choice second.

Thank you, Sean Bolen, for the introduction, you are off the “hook” because today I’m power challenged.

Dr. Hook is an American rock band, formed in Union City, New Jersey. They enjoyed considerable commercial success in the 1970s with hit singles including:

Sylvia’s Mother 

Sylvia’s mother says Sylvia’s busy, too busy to come to the phone

Cover Of The Rolling Stone–

Is the thrill that’ll gitcha when you get your picture
On the cover of the Rollin’ Stone

Sharing the Night Together

If I seem to come on too strong
I hope that you will understand

When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman 

When you’re in love with a beautiful woman, it’s hard

AND, one of the best October 31st songs ever recorded. Happy Halloween Folks!!!

Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show – At the freaker’s ball 1974
Please, have a great day, and if you have any questions, drop us a line and please partake in #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of year! #visitGreenville
#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville
 

Gratitude

Music Makes It Better

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My Top Ten Music Countdown
My Top Ten Music Countdown

Day 11 of my special gratitude project has me thinking of music.  Music plays such a big part in most peoples lives, it is no different to me.  The music sets the mood and can latch on to a memory and allow you to be transported to a particular place and time simply by hearing the notes.  I almost always put a song at the end of every post, not because they need it, but it makes it better to read if you listen to the song as you read.  Try it.

My favorite songs change each and every week depending on the randomness of what is happening in life.  Since I am feeling particularly grateful for music I will give you my top ten songs of the week.  They are random and not specific to genre.  A song can be number 1 one week and gone from the countdown the next.  Enjoy!! Be grateful.

(Click the title to SEE THE VIDEO)

  1. Wake Me Up- Avici-  This song just hits me right in the heart.  The message of looking for yourself, resonates.  Give it a listen and you will feel better!! Go ahead. Click it baby!
  2. Chillin’ It- Cole Swindell-  Any song that reminds me of my young self I can’t get enough of.  I am a country boy, I was raised in Maine, I had no choice.  This song reminds no music no lifeme of those those days a long time ago, spending time with that special someone, rollin’ with the music.
  3. A Message- Cold Play-  This song caught my mind this week and hasn’t let go.  I think we are all continually sending messages.  Some overtly like blog writing, and many more subtle ones.  I think we all want our message to be received and understood.  Get the message?  My song is love, is love unknown and I’ve got to get that message home!
  4. Radio- Darius Rucker- Not only am I a huge Darius fan, and have been for many years, this song, is one that again takes me back to my youth.  Really all we needed was a car with a radio to make us feel really cool.  It is great to feel cool. Even when you know you are not.  Go ahead go riding down that highway.
  5. Ships In The Night- Matt Kierney–  Aren’t we all just ships in the night, that pass without knowing anything about each other.  It is a waste of time to not connect, especially with someone you could be great friends with.  Don’t be a ship in the night.  Good song.
  6. Over You – Daughtry- This is an older song that I have been able to relate to lately. I never saw it coming, should have started running a long, long time ago, and I never thought I’d doubt you or be better off without you, more than you, more than you, more than you know!!   Give it a listen if you are trying to forget someone. It helps.
  7. Mine Would Be You- Blake Shelton-  Because we all have, guilty pleasures, and those that know us better than anyone else, and we don’t often say it when we have the chance. My finest hour, my wildest dream come true, mine would be you!

misic is safe8. Here I Stand- Sonny Rey–  I heard this song on an episode of touch, which is about how we are all connected.  I believe that for better or worse this is true and this song captures the essence of my feelings.  Here I am, I am just a man, here I stand.  I’m doing everything I can to show the world who I am.  Here I stand.

  1. A Drop in the Ocean- Ron Pope-  You never know why a song attaches to your mind, but this one grabbed mine probably because………it’s a drop in the ocean, a change in the weather. I was hopin’ that you and I would end up together!!  Whatever the reason, have a listen and be careful it will get in your head.
  • Sweet Annie- Zac Browne Band-  This is a beautiful song, that makes you want to know someone named Annie.  But haven’t we all known someone who makes us feel like this? Here’s to all the sweet, pretty, kind, beautiful women I have ever met.

    • There it is, take a listen and I hope you are as grateful for the music in your life as I am.

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    Nostalgic Music Month Day 30

    Micheal Jackson/The Jackson 5 by Jon Hilton

    One of the lessons I have learned in life is that the people that you grew up with have some of the biggest impacts on your life experience. That can be said for the life and music of Micheal Jackson. We watched him grow up from his beginnings in the Jackson 5 to becoming an iconic megastar of the 1980’s.  His talent is undeniable and his songs have punctuated many lives. In fact, the release of the thriller video on December 2, 1983 was an event.  It happened and now generations are blessed with the Thriller Dance.  His music is full of memories and people from the past. Even if you didn’t really like his music you still know the songs. They are woven into the fabric of our society.

    1. Never Can Say Goodbye– The Jackson Five was a part of my childhood. That childhood ended the day I moved from Greenville, Maine on June 15,
      Little Micheal during the Jackson Five days

      1979. this song reminds me of that time and what a hard time I had with the transition to a new town, school, and life. It was ultimately a good experience but at the time one of the most difficult experiences I faced. Leaving behind all of the people that I knew was tough. Life went on and I met plenty of wonderful people and had great experiences.  This song always reminds me of that time and those thoughts. Even though the pain and heartache. Seem to follow me wherever I go. Though I try and try to hide my feelings. They always seem to show, Then you try to say you’re leaving me, And I always have to say no. Tell me why is it so?

    2. Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough– To this day when I need a boost in my cardio workout, this song by Micheal Jackson puts some movement in my
      MJ and Eddie Murphy

      body. It is a reminder of those awkward junior high days. When half of you thought you were cool and the other half knew how lost you were.  We never knew how much we didn’t know, and through a process of trial and error we kind of figured it out. It was a long and intense struggle to win the affections of the fairer sex. All else was secondary to that.  Junior high dances were the places much of this took place.  Touch me and I feel on fire. Ain’t nothing like a love desire.  I’m melting I’m melting like hot candle wax. Sensation ah sensation, lovely where we’re at ooh So let love. take us through the hours, I won’t be complaining aw Cause this is love power.

    3. Billie Jean– This is the song that introduced the moonwalk to rural America. I could never do that, but it wasn’t a real priority for me.  Billie Jean was also one of the videos on MTV that I remember being played all the time and since it was played all the time was always present. In the culture of the early 80’s, what was being played on MTV influenced us in the things we thought were cool, the behavior that was acceptable, really in every way. It is hard to imagine today what an icon Micheal Jackson had become but he was probably the biggest star of the era.  She told me her name was Billie Jean, as she caused a scene. Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of being the one. Who will dance on the floor in the round.
    4. Thriller– As I mentioned before this video was a cultural happening in the lives of everyone alive in 1983. From the warning at the beginning that Micheal Jackson does not support or believe in the occult to the “Thriller Dance”, it was a video with a story. A silly story, but one just the same. It makes me laugh still today watching it. When MJ turns into a werewolf and then a zombie, it is a busy night for him.  If you have 13 spare minutes, give it a watch, it is very appropriate for the day before Halloween.  Vincent Price’s lines have become iconic in and of themselves. A cultural phenomenon for sure and any child of the 80’s knows it to be true. Darkness falls across the land. The midnight hour is close at hand. Creatures crawl in search of blood. To terrorize y’all’s neighborhood
      And whosoever shall be found. Without the soul for getting down. Must stand and face the hounds of hell. And rot inside a corpse’s shell. 
    5. Man in the Mirror– Change is a constant factor in life. It is an inevitable force that occurs constantly. People spend their lives in denial of this,
      His appearance changed over the years but the music remained the same

      because change can be scary. Since it is going to happen anyway, you had better learn how to deal with it. This song urges you to start by making positive changes within yourself and to make the world a better place from the changes that you undergo. Our attitudes of the judgment of others and constantly putting people into simple groups of “us” and “them” causes hate, prejudice, and conflict across the globe. Look at yourself and the thoughts that you entertain every day in an honest way and see what kind of changes you can make for the positive. I’m starting with the man in the mirror. I’m asking him to change his ways. And no message could have been any clearer. If you wanna make the world a better place, (If you wanna make the world a better place). Take a look at yourself, and then make a change. 

      Van Halen by Mike Martin

      There is no argument-Eddie Van Halen can play the guitar.

      I bought my first stereo in 1981 from a local Greenville, Maine pilot who was downsizing. It had a turntable, two cassette players, and a radio. The sound it produced was life-changing.

      The first cassette that I listened to the stereo play was Van Halen, a debut studio album from Van Halen, an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972.

      From 1974 until 1985, the band consisted of guitarist Eddie Van Halen, vocalist David Lee Roth, drummer Alex Van Halen, and bassist Michael Anthony. The band is one of the most successful rock acts of all time.

      The song that I most identified with, as a fifteen old Northern Maine boy with an Ego bigger the Mount Katahdin, was Runnin’ With the Devil 

      Yeah, yeah, ah, yeah
      I live my life like there’s no tomorrow
      And all I’ve got, I had to steal
      Least I don’t need to beg or borrow
      Yes I’m livin’ at a pace that kills
      Ooh, yeah
      (Ahh)
      Runnin’ with the devil
      (Ahh-hah, yeah)
      (Woo-hoo-oo)
      Runnin’ with the devil
      Yes I’m, yeah, hoo

      I graduated from high school in 1984. Van Halen produced a popular studio Album in 1984, called 1984. It was their most successful album.

      The signature was Jump Van Halen’s most successful single.
      I get up, and nothing gets me down.
      You got it tough. I’ve seen the toughest all around.
      And I know, baby, just how you feel.
      You’ve got to roll with the punches to get to what’s real

      My favorite song from 1984: Van Halen – “Hot For Teacher”

      Oh wow, man
      Wait a second man Whaddaya think the teacher’s gonna look like this year? (my butt, man)
      Oh yeah T-T-Teacher stop that screaming, teacher don’t you see?
      Don’t want to be no uptown fool
      Maybe I should go to hell, but I’m doin’ well,
      Teacher needs to see me after school

      In 1986, I spent a majority of my life at sea on the USS Jouett. The Jolly J was preparing for a West Pac cruise and we expended most of our time going through sea trials, inspections and eventually sailing around the

      What Mike Martin looked like with his first walkman

      Pacific.

      I bought a “Walkman” (a music listening device that will always remind me of Joel Wortman) to help me escape while serving aboard the Jolly J. The first cassette I bought was Van Halen’s OU812, released in 1986.

      Van Halen and Diamond Dave had broken up. Eddie met Valerie Bertinelli, hired Sammy Hagar, and Van Halen started producing love songs. I didn’t like Van Halen’s new sound a first, but it was the only cassette that I had so I eventually learned to appreciate the strange new Van Halen songs.

      Hey only fools rush in and only time will tell
      If we stand the test of time (FYI-they didn’t)

      Why Can’t This Be Love

      Please, have a great day, and if you have any questions, drop us a line and please partake in #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of year! #visitGreenville

      #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville

     

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    Wish You Were Here Can’t Be Wrong

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    Nostalgic Music Month Day 29

    Pink Floyd by Jon Hilton

    As I was developing as a human being, the music of Pink Floyd entered my life. I was first influenced by the album the Dark Side of the Moon and the music was thought-provoking and resonated with my experiences in life. There wasn’t a lot of media that addressed the feelings facing the teenage mind. This music provided an explanation for the way I felt back then. The Wall was an experience that provided a visceral punch in the senses. It was so far removed from anything I had ever seen, it provided a paradigm shift in my thinking.  I remember watching this movie in Brunswick, Maine and I remember the people I watched it with. D.H., E.C., and G.N.

    1. Comfortably Numb–  Suffering is a part of life. As young people, we aren’t quite sure of this. I think I was hoping the world would be a happy place all the time. But it isn’t and that is ok. Sometimes there is suffering to help you get to the next level of whatever you are experiencing in life.  Sometimes the pain of suffering is too much for all people and we need to feel comfortably numb. Life ads experience and value is added by the hard times we face. Those are the valuable lessons of life. They are not learned in books but through experience and thoughtful reflection.   Is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me. Is there anyone at home Come on now. I hear you’re feeling down. Well, I can ease your pain. Get you on your feet again.
    2. Another Brick in the Wall (part 2)– There is no more ironic song to the story of my life. This is about the brainwashing that takes place in western culture. Our system is designed to produce producers and consumers, not thinkers and creators.  I was listening to this while being brainwashed in that system. And I didn’t have any idea. A young mind is impressionable and moves in a thousand directions. It is easily influenced and manipulated. The problem has and will arise as the obvious reality of the world doesn’t match the story we are/were taught.  Beliefs change, personally and as a society. Accept the change. We don’t need no education . We don’t need no thought control. No dark sarcasm in the classroom. Teachers leave them kids alone. Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone. All in all, it’s just another brick in the wall. All in all, you’re just another brick in the wall. 
    3. Money– Iconic song which talks about greed which we all deal with to some degree. Our society labels us by how much money we make. In fact, when you meet someone, one of the first questions you ask is, what do you do for work? It allows them to be put into a box that you can understand and relate to.  Yet, I would argue that has very little to do with who a person really is. There are very rich people who are terrible people and very poor people who possess the highest moral character. How much money you have has a lot to do with your beliefs surrounding it.  You can have all the money in the world and it doesn’t guarantee you a thing.  Money, it’s a crime. Share it fairly but don’t take a slice of my pie
      Money, so they say. Is the root of all evil today. But if you ask for a rise
      It’s no surprise that they’re giving none away. 
    4. Time – Where does it go? Time is a concept that humans have created to mark our activities. It allows us to organize and for some determines the compensation for work performed.  In reality, we are only going to have so long in this experience of life. As you age, the uncomfortable truth that it is going to end becomes more and more of a reality. This physical body will give out and the ride will be over. We hope we will have freedom and stability of thought until the end. But that is not the case for thousands of people. Either their bodies or their minds give out before the end.  Making the most of the time that we have should be the highest priority in life. Enjoy every second you have. Don’t waste your time bitching and complaining. The ride is going to end, why dislike the experience so much. Focus on the good that is present in every moment, because it could be gone before you know it. And you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it’s sinking. Racing around to come up behind you again. The sun is the same in a relative way but you’re older. Shorter of breath and one day closer to death
      Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time. Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines. Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way. The time is gone, the song is over. Thought I’d something more to say.
    5. Wish You Were Here– A sentiment that everyone can relate to. No matter where you are in life there are people that you wish were around you more and sharing experiences with. From all of our past histories and stories, there are characters we miss, for all the elements they provided to our stories. Some moments were extremely happy, some were sad, but the shared experience is the thing that binds people. It provides the meaning of everything.  Life brings people into your life and whisks them away as well. All provide a lesson and a spice to your life.  I have been blessed in life to have experienced a lot of spice. And to all the people who provided them over the years, I wish you were here. We’re just two lost souls
      Swimming in a fish bowl. Year after year. Running over the same old ground. And how we found. The same old fears, Wish you were here.

    Spin Doctors by Mike Martin

    October 29, 2017- Nostalgic Music Month: Spin DoctorsMy brother Kevin Canders told me that I had hit the “bottom of the barrel” when announced to the family that I had decided to take a job selling vacuums. He was wrong.

    This is an abbreviate post. It’s Sunday, and thanks to an emergency brake job, a skylight repair, two hockey practices, and a Halloween skating party. I have all of 15 minutes to write this, I could use an entire day.

    My most productive period as a door to door vacuum cleaner salesman was from the spring to the fall of 1993. I was a “Van Master” working for Dan Wallace (DW)-a Kirby Vacuum Company legend. We had spent the spring recruiting college kids, out of work construction workers, and one trust fund baby.

    Frank Brophy was smart and could answer just every Jeopardy question correctly. Dependency issue got the best of him, and by the time I had met him 1992, he was a shell of his former self. He didn’t have a driver’s license and starting selling Kirby’s with help from the Bangor, Maine public transit.

    I think Frank worked for six months before he sold first Kirby, but by the fall of 1993, he was a door knocking machine and a staple on my Kirby sales van. Although several people accompanied Frank and me on our van, Josh Enman and Shawn Towne (after we drove to Milo, got Shawn out of bed, and force him to sell a Kirby to his neighbor on his very first demonstration) were the core of our sales crew.

    We sold several Kirby’s daily on the days that worked, but we also never passed up the chance to (Blank) Off as DW would say. One of those days when we decide that there were better things to do, we took the Kirby van to a Spin Doctors concert in Portland. Maine. I must say, it was well worth missing out on the money that I would have made otherwise.

    The Spin Doctors are a rock band from the USA that was formed in New York City. They are best known for two hit songs.

    Spin Doctors – Two Princes – YouTube

     

    This one, got a princely racket

    That’s what I said, now

    Got some big seal upon his jacket

    Ain’t in his head, now

    You marry him, your father will condone you

    How ’bout that, now

    You marry me, your father will disown you

    He’ll eat his hat, now

    Marry him or marry me

    I’m the one that loves you baby can’t you see?

    I ain’t got no future or a family tree

    But I know what a prince and lover ought to be

    I know what a prince and lover ought to be
    Spin Doctors – Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong – YouTube

     

    Little miss, little miss little miss can’t be wrong

    Ain’t no body gonna bow no more when you sound your gong

    Little miss, little miss little miss can’t be wrong

    Whatcha go’n do to get into another one of these here

    Rock ‘n’ roll songs

    Please, have a great day, and if you have any questions, drop us a line and please partake in #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of year! #visitGreenville

     

     

     

    #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville

     

    Gratitude

    Friendship Thing

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    grateful for friendship
    I have known this guy for over forty years and he still makes me laugh by ignoring signs and being funny. (he is trespassing)

    It should not be difficult to look at one’s friends and to feel an overwhelming gratitude.  For me, that is certainly the case.  Friendship isn’t a relationship that you can buy or force anyone to participate in, it is a connection over a shared experience that binds you to that other person in a positive way.   I think that the right positive friendships in life can enhance your life.  At this point, I have come to realize that all friends are not created equal, but all friendships are a valuable thing, and here are my thoughts on why.

    Laughter is the Best Medicine

    Life is too short to go without laughter, and a good friend can usually bring about a laughing fit about almost anything.  It doesn’t matter how long you have been friends, looking at life in a humorous way is going to allow your friendship to grow.   I have always been drawn toward the people who can snicker at the day to day events we are faced with.  If you can’t laugh about it then you are probably going to be spending a lot of time crying.  Think about your friends and how many have been centered around laughter.  I am having a hard time thinking of one person that I have enjoyed spending time with that didn’t involve laughter and joking of some kind.   I am sure it is possible to be friends if you don’t laugh but it would seem to me a much more dour prospect.

    Think about your friends and how many have been centered around laughter.  I am having a hard time thinking of one person that I have enjoyed spending time with that didn’t involve laughter and joking of some kind.   I am sure it is possible to be friends if you don’t laugh but it would seem to me a much more dour prospect.

    Old Friends, Always Friends

    grateful for friends
    All friends are valuable and don’t need to be labeled.

    I was blessed to grow up in a small town in Maine, where I went to school with the same group of kids until the seventh grade.  The neat thing about these people, is that now almost forty years later when I run into one of these people, the time that has passed does not matter at all.

    With some, it is as if no time has passed at all, the conversation is a bit different but the relationship is still the same as it was back in the old days.  The shared experience of growing up like that apparently builds a bond that isn’t easily broken or forgotten.

     I am grateful for these relationships because no matter what is happening in my life, those people know who you are and always accept you the way you are.  I am grateful for these connections.

    Some Come and Go and That is OK

    In life, I think friendship is often like the tide, inevitably moving in and out.  It has become a belief of mine, that people enter your life for a reason, most often to teach you something.  Friendship is no different.

    Maybe it is how to do something or how you look at things, but the more you allow people into your lives the greater your personal growth is.  Unfortunately once the lesson is learned, these people often move out of your life.

    This is OK because you will have to grow, be open to new experiences and new lessons that friends yet unmet will teach you.  The value of the old friends is not lessened by the fact that you have to move on for now.  You can keep in touch and when you see each other later in life, you will always have that shared experience.

    Since new friends are a great path to growth, you always have to be willing to greet and make new friends, which can be difficult.   My advice is to take them wherever you can get them from.  I have learned much more from the friends I have made over the past year than they could ever imagine.

    Toxic Friends

    Not everything in friendship is a bowl of cherries.  Sometimes, there are people you are drawn to who initially are great, but after awhile you realize that all they do is talk about other people in a derogatory manner.   Sometimes it is as blatant as making a comment as soon as someone is out of earshot.

    If they are doing this, what do they say when you are out of earshot?   Probably nothing good.  I am grateful that I haven’t had to deal with too many of these, but the ones I did have to deal with, taught me a lot.

    I think there are only two choices here, change the dynamic of the friendship or move away from it.  The people that you choose to spend your time with will not only define you to the world but will impact how you feel and how you react in it.

    Changing the dynamic is nearly impossible but give it a try.  When something negative is said about somebody, immediately say something nice about them.  I have done this twice and in both cases, the person found reasons not to discuss other people with me again.    Life is too short for negative thoughts and feelings, I am grateful to keep most negativity out of my life.

    Thank You Friends

    Friendship is one of the most important factors that makes this human experience worthwhile.  There is something about sharing, thoughts, ideas, laughs or good times that is bonding to all of us.   The educational experience, the work experience, the life experience, all of them are grounds for bonding through friendship and through friendship we are able to grow exponentially further than we could by ourselves.  Isn’t that the basis for blogging?  Putting your ideas out there and seeing if there are like minded people who can appreciate what you are thinking, feeling or doing?

    Personally I am grateful for all of the friends that have entered my life, either for a season or a lifetime and I look forward to meeting those that come into my life in the future.  Friends are the measuring stick of Your reality.

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    Turn Me Loose on the Midnight Train to Anywhere

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    Nostalgic Music Month Day 28

    Journey by Jon Hilton

    In the early 80’s the music of Steve Perry and the group Journey was a part of the fabric of my life. When I remember the high school freshman version of myself. I am sitting in an English class at Lincoln Academy, listening to my teacher Mr. Murphy rattle on about sentence structure. Staring out the window at the rain-soaked soccer field, watching the seagulls fly around and eat worms. My only thought was, “I have four more years of this? I’ll never make it through the boredom.”  The Journey song, Don’t Stop Believing always takes me back to that version of myself and the lessons I learned then. I did make it and it wasn’t all that bad. Now those days are just a random memory or two.  Thank you, Journey, for all the help along the way.

    1. Don’t Stop Believin’– From the opening notes, this song always makes me feel 15. Even though I have never been to Detroit, and I have never taken the midnight train to anywhere, I can relate to that feeling as a young man. We all have dreams, goals, and things we want to experience in life. I am still chasing my dreams and will continue until the day the game ends. This song was a motivation then and it still is today. There is always a chance to achieve success and get what you want in life.  Just Don’t Stop Believing. Working hard to get my fill.Everybody wants a thrill. Payin’ anything to roll the dice, Just one more time. Some will win, some will lose. Some were born to sing the blues. Oh, the movie never ends. It goes on and on and on and on.
    2. Lights– This song takes me to a visit of the 19-year-old version of me. I was living in South Portland, at SMVTI. It was located right on the ocean and at night you had the perfect view of Portland Harbor with all the lights of the city and the boats coming and going along with the lighthouse at Spring Point. It was a time of freedom and growth that only a young man can know. If I only knew how much more I needed to learn then. But youth doesn’t see life that way. It is protected by a lack of experience and a confidence life can take away from you. We were all golden then.  When the lights go down in the city. And the sun shines on the bay. I want to be there yeah, in my city. Ooh, ooh. So you think you’re lonely
      Well, my friend, I’m lonely too. I want to go back to my city by the bay.
    3. Wheel In the Sky– Most functional people set goals and have desires about the things they want to achieve. Sometimes we experience glitches in the system that appear to be setbacks toward our dreams. But when you look at any experience from the end back, you can see how that perceived bad luck actually pushed you toward success. You gained a valuable skill or learned a lesson you needed. That is how the game of life works. The wheel in the sky reminds me of this, to be hopeful in our down times that they will take you where you want to go. It is just not in the fashion you thought you would arrive there. Life is a growth game,  it serves people well to remember that. Oh the wheel in the sky keeps on turning
      I don’t’ know where I’ll be tomorrow.
    4. Feeling That Way– If you have any doubt that Steve Perry’s voice isn’t one of the greatest instruments in music, then listen to this song. When Perry sings his part it grabs you and makes you remember all the times that you were wondering if she was feeling that way about you, or not. This song is a memory of all of those summertime romances. Some were feeling that way and some weren’t. All of the lovely ones that I am thinking of had an impact on me in the best of ways. Take a trip to a memory and listen to this song and appreciate the talent that is and was Steve Perry.  When the summer’s gone. She’ll be there standing by the light. What she’s been to, where she’s gone to. She should know wrong from right. Is she feeling? Are you feeling, you feeling that way too?  Or am I just, am I just a fool?
    5. Still They Ride– Even though it has been over 30 years since I had my moments of growth at Lincoln Academy. There is still a part of me that is firmly rooted in that community. it takes a short trip to
      Midnight train going anywhere

      Damariscotta/Newcastle to be flooded with memories of those old times and the people that I shared that experience with. I still see Wright’s Store in my mind, the arcade at Laverdiere’s.  Yellowfront Grocery downtown, and a thousand other things that have changed. I don’t want them back because they could never be as good in reality as they seem in my memory.  But maybe just for a moment, we can still cruise through town and see those familiar faces one more time.  This ol’ town, ain’t the same
      Now nobody knows his name. Times have changed, still, he rides. Traffic lights, keepin’ time. Leading the wild and restless through the night.

      Loverboy  by Mike Martin

      Today is a good day to pick on my uncle Billy. I coached Madelyn’s softball team this year. I was somewhat hesitant to volunteer my serveries to the team.  Madelyn, like her father, is intense. She speaks her mind and is not scared to show her emotions.

      These facts left me hesitant to lead the team because I wasn’t sure how Maddy would respond to my leadership style. She responded well and the season was a success, concluding with a playoff victory and a sleepover birthday party.

      After our playoff win, the Superstars (the name the 9 and 10-year-old team members decided to call our team) were all recognized for a prominent trait they had shown over the course of the season.

      We, the coaches of the Belgrade Superstars, gave each team member a team photo with a certificate, an award thanking them for their commitment and dedication. Superstars were recognized for loyalty, leadership, dedication, confidence, courage, positive attitude, and other qualities that they brought to our team. Maddy was recognized for her passion.

      Passion is a Martin family tradition and every time I watched Maddy respond passionately to a circumstance created from her involvement on the team. I would think of my uncle Billy.

      Bill Martin is a passionate man. When I was young, I spent much time with my uncle. He is someone that can be counted on. He was always available for the loan of a car or a ride to the concert. (Or a ride home from California but that is a story for another day)

      Loverboy is a Canadian rock band formed in 1979 in Calgary, Alberta. Throughout the 1980s, Loverboy accumulated numerous hit songs in Canada and the United States, earning four multi-platinum albums and selling millions of records.

      In 1982, Loverboy was extremely popular, and when they were scheduled to play at the Augusta Maine Civic Center during the summer of 1982, all my friends wanted to go. I could have found another ride to the show, but my uncle Billy volunteered to be our chaperon, so I had to accept his offer

      I was thankful for the ride, but my uncle, my cousin Heidi and our friend Lisa Rowe were ready to leave long before I was. I am not sure how Heidi and Lisa found me during Loverboy’s performance, but they did, so I had to leave early. Just like I’m ending this post early because Jon Hilton is in a hurry because he is working this weekend vs Working For The Weekend.

      Everybody’s working for the weekend
      Everybody wants a little romance
      Everybody’s goin’ off the deep end
      Everybody needs a second chance, oh
      You want a piece of my heart
      You better start from start
      You wanna be in the show
      Come on baby lets go

       

      Loverboy – Turn Me Loose 
      I was born to run
      I was born to dream
      The craziest boy you ever seen
      I gotta do it my way
      Or no way at all

      Please, have a great day, and if you have any questions, drop us a line and please partake in #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of year! #visitGreenville

      #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville