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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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    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

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    Maiden Against The Wind

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    Nostalgic Music Month Day 27

    Bob Segar by Jon Hilton

    In my musical history, there are several chapters that have been punctuated by the music of Bob Segar. From the time I was a hormonal high school kid to becoming a “responsible” adult, there are messages in these songs which are relatable to my life situations.  From trying to lose those awkward teenage blues to realizing we need to have beliefs that stick with us like a rock. Life is a constant pattern of change and development. The music of Bob Segar has helped a generation or two become more aware of these patterns and to be the best they can be.

    1. Night Moves– The biggest focus of a young man is young ladies. In my early life, winning the affection of girls was one of the most important goals of all activities. I liked sports because they were fun, but also a good way to meet girls. So from an early age, I was working on my “night moves”. This song allows you the chance to look back and idealize those times and the people that you knew. Everyone is young in your memory and none are touched with the harsh pains that reality and loss can bring. Some days it is enough to be able to remember the times before we had so much experience.  I awoke last night to the sound of thunder. How far off I sat and wondered. Started humming a song from 1962. Ain’t it funny how the night moves. When you just don’t seem to have as much to lose
      Strange how the night moves. With autumn closing in. 
    2. Still the Same– Aging is a process that nobody is really prepared for. For much of life we just ignore the fact that we will get older, it will be something that will happen later on. It isn’t relevant now. I am only 20. I am only 30. I am only 40.  It stops there. Nobody ever said I am only 50.  No, at that point you realize that you getting old is happening. Like it or not. But inside, people feel exactly the same. The essence that is you does remain the same. It has more experience and hopefully has figured a few things out about life. But inside we are still the same you. And you’re still the same. I caught up with you yesterday. Moving game to game. No one standing in your way. Turning on the charm. Long enough to get you by
      You’re still the same. You still aim high. 
    3. Mainstreet– There have been a few main streets that have been a part of my life. One for sure is in Damariscotta, Maine. We had nothing better to do than to cruise around town. Ride from one end to the other, to see what is happening? Then to continue on our way to that happening.  Were these wasted times or were they great memories I am not sure. But today if I go to that town, that is what I think of. Cruising around Damariscotta/Newcastle, looking for trouble. I guess we all had to find it somewhere. Through the long lonely nights she filled my sleep. Her body softly swaying to that smoky beat. Down on Mainstreet.
    4. Against the Wind– In any life of substance, there are going to be times that you take a wrong turn, or make a poor decision. That is what happens. These are the moments when we are running against the wind. We will either learn how to adjust our sails and use the wind to our advantage. Or we will allow that wind to blow us under.  There is nothing wrong with the experience of taking a wrong turn because, in the broad tapestry of life, you may gain a skill you need to reach your success. A broken heart today, can lead you to find the person who will allow you to become your best self.  There is no point in regret because the past can’t change and nobody is perfect. Understanding this is one of the first steps to happiness in life.  Well those drifter’s days are past me now. I’ve got so much more to think about. Deadlines and commitments. What to leave in, what to leave out. Against the wind. I’m still runnin’ against the wind I’m older now but still runnin’ against the wind.
    5. Like a Rock– If you take some time and listen to Bob Segar you will feel like you did back in the summertime of your youth. I don’t care who you are, there were moments when you felt like you were indestructible. Life can systematically dismantle this confidence if you let it. The fears and doubts that come into your mind, slowly chip away at your confidence because you know that you can be hurt and you can lose things and people. The fear of losing these things can become worse than the actual experience of loss.  We all still have that strength inside of us, that will allow you to try again, start over and build something totally new. This is courage and it is in you, standing there just like a rock.  I also have the urge to buy a Chevy truck when I hear this song for some reason. My hands were steady. My eyes were clear and bright. My walk had purpose
      My steps were quick and light. And I held firmly To what I felt was right,
      Like a rock. 

     Iron Maiden by  Mike Martin

     

    Iron Maiden is an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter, Steve Harris. The band has produced thirty-eight albums, including sixteen studio albums, eleven live albums, four EPs, and seven compilations.

    I swear that I have seen Iron Maiden in concert twice both times at the San Diego Sports Arena accompanied by Michael Lally, a longtime friend, and Jolly J shipmate. I got to see Mike the last time I was In Vegas. I met his wife and soul mate, Bonnie and got to watch his youngest child and only son. David, play baseball.

    It is a great thing when you see someone that you haven’t seen in 26 years and it feels like you saw them yesterday. Of course, Mike looked a little older and seem a bit more mature, but the bond that share was unchanged and exactly as it was back in the 1980s.

    The funny thing about memories is that they are often skewed-the human mind is complicated to understand. I researched Iron Maiden’s 1985-1987 tour dates, and they appeared twice in San Diego during this time frame, on March 23, 1985, their World Slavery Tour and on February 24, 1987, their Somewhere On Tour.

    Well, I know for a fact that Mike and I saw the 1987 Iron Maiden show and I know for a fact that I wasn’t welcomed aboard the USS Jouett CG-29 until the early fall of 1985, so there is no way that I saw the 1985 Iron Maiden show in San Diego. I am just wondering where that memory comes from, maybe Mike’s accounts of the World Slavery Tour were so descriptive that I have mentally decided to share his memories, which works perfectly fine for me.

    Pioneers of the new wave of British heavy metal, Iron Maiden achieved initial success during the early 1980s. After several line-up changes, the band went on to release a series of platinum and gold albums, Since the return of lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith in 1999, the band has undergone a resurgence in popularity and released their sixteenth studio album, The Book of Souls, on 4 September 2015.

    I don’t listen to Iron Maiden much anymore and don’t believe that I have even heard one song on their 2015 studio album. But, what I do know for sure is, if my old pal Michael Lally asked me to see Iron Maiden with him for a “third” time, I would be there with bells on!

    Iron Maiden – The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Full Length

    The mariner kills the bird of good omen
    His shipmates cry against what he’s done
    But when the fog clears, they justify him
    And make themselves a part of the crime.

    Sailing on and on and north across the sea
    Sailing on and on and north ’til all is calm.

    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

    Life Lessons

    The Climb to Fame

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    Nostalgic Music Month Day 26

    David Bowie by Jon Hilton

    It would be hard to have a nostalgic music month and not include the decades of creative power the late great David Bowie has provided to the soundtrack of our lives. He had a shock value in the 70’s, which was really before my time, but in the 1980’s he was a part of the MTV video era that introduced me to his music and made me pay attention to his music in more depth. Like with all of these artists it is difficult to choose just a few songs, so I did the best that I could.

    1. Fame– Who didn’t think at a young age that they would be famous someday. I know I always thought I would be a famous athlete. Unfortunately, that plan didn’t pan out. But this song makes you wonder if the price is worth the reward of fame for sure.  We should always be careful what we ask for because we just might get it.  In our society today, they love to build people up, just to tear them down and then if they can build them back up again.  It is a crazy game where celebrity is more important than substance.  Fame is probably not worth the cost. Fame makes a man take things over. Fame lets him loose, hard to swallow. Fame puts you there where things are hollow (fame). Fame, it’s not your brain, it’s just the flame. That burns your change to keep you insane.
    2. Let’s Dance– When you are young, dancing is a natural part of your expression. As I got older, dancing became a much harder thing to do. Letting yourself go, for all to see. It was difficult to do. This song takes me back to a time when I was young and danced with a passion because it was fun. As I have got even older, I realize that the only reason we don’t dance is that we are worried about what others think. Since what others think of you is irrelevant there is no reason you shouldn’t give your best dance at every opportunity. Let’s dance. Let’s dance. For fear, your grace should fall
      Let’s dance. For fear tonight is all. Let’s sway. You could look into my eyes
      Let’s sway. Under the moonlight, this serious moonlight.
    3. China Girl– This song always reminds me of how fickle a young man’s affections can be. This song came out around 1983. There were many different young ladies that I was “in love” with at that time.  I had no more idea of what love was then than I do now apparently. But the memories of all of those experiences make me smile when I think of a young man trying to figure out life, in a school full of a bunch of other young people trying to do the same.  All I can say for sure today is that I did the best I could.   I could escape this feeling, with my China girl
      I feel a wreck without my, little China girl. I hear her heart beating, loud as thunder. Saw they stars crashing. I’m a mess without my, little China girl.
    4. Changes– It is a consistent and inevitable force in life that all people seem to have a difficult time dealing with. Looking at your own life you can see the changes that have happened to you physically, emotionally, and in experience. But inside there is still that same person that you always have been. That essence of you never gets old but collects experience. Change is going to happen, enjoy the good things because they won’t last forever. Know that the bad things won’t last forever. Life is change. I watch the ripples change their size. But never leave the stream. Of warm, impermanence and So the days float through my eyes, But still the days seem the same.
    5. Golden Years– This song typifies what this whole Nostalgic Music Month was conceived for. We look back at the past and idealize certain parts of it. Forgetting the negative and building up the positive. To some, there was no better time. To me, I think I am realistic and I try to remember the true past. There was a lot of good but also nothing was easy all the time. There were lessons learned that came at a hard price. There were tough times of loss and sadness.  But for today and the purpose of this song, we are looking at the days of our youth as the golden years, where life was all before us and we could do anything. Even though there are fewer sunsets in front of us than there are behind. The value of our days are still golden. Don’t let me hear you say life’s taking you nowhere, angel. Come get up my baby. Look at that sky, life’s begun. Nights are warm and the days are young.Come get up my baby.

    Miley Cyrus by Mike Martin October 26, 2017

    Today my daughter, Kyera Ripley, turns sweet sixteen. Kyera is an amazing person, smart as they come, and already has a job.

    Miley Ray Cyrus, an American singer, songwriter, and actress, also had a job as a teenager. She became a teen idol starring as the character Miley Stewart in the Disney Channel television series Hannah Montana in 2006, starring alongside her daddy Billy Ray Cyrus, who became famous with his – Achy Breaky Heart 

    Mike Martin’s favorite show

    Kyera is not a Miley Cyrus fan, but she and I must have watched a few hundred of episodes of Hannah Montana together. Don’t tell anyone, but I really liked the show. Though a little racy at times, the family show is filled with life lessons and provided great topics for conversations during Kyera’s Hannah Montana years.

    I can’t imagine growing up in the public spotlight, the pressures and judgments must be unbearable. Miley has been overly securitized and condemned. With all that nonsense, she has remained confident and is still adored by many.

    Billy Joel, a famous American singer-songwriter, and pianist seems to have much admiration for Miley Cyrus when they performed New York State of Mind together at Madison Square Garden

    Billy Ray must be as proud as Miley as I am of Kyera. Being a young person in 2017 is a challenge. Because of Social Media and generations of overly critical adults, the young people of today are experiencing hate, jealousy, and loathing, on a scale that has never been seen before.

    My advice to all you overly critical Asshats. Take a good long look in the mirror and fix your own house before trying to condemn a generation, that basic biology says, are a heck of a lot shrewder than yourself

    My advice for Kyera on her 16th birthday. Don’t listen to the hate honey, trust in your instincts, and always remember it is not where you are going but how you get there.

    Happy Birthday, Kyera-I love you!

    Miley Cyrus – The Climb

    The struggles I’m facing
    The chances I’m taking
    Sometimes might knock me down
    But no, I’m not breaking

    I may not know it
    But these are the moments that
    I’m gonna remember most, yeah
    Just gotta keep going

    And I, I got to be strong
    Just keep pushing on

    ‘Cause there’s always gonna be another mountain
    I’m always gonna wanna make it move
    Always gonna be an uphill battle
    Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose

    Ain’t about how fast I get there
    Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
    It’s the climb, yeah!

    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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    Running on American Pie

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    Nostalgic Music Month Day 25

    Jackson Browne by Jon Hilton

    Jackson Browne has been an icon for several generations of people. In my life, he has provided comfort in times when things didn’t go so well. But also his songs remind me of the way we live life in the United States. Much of what we have is unprecedented in the history of mankind. We are tremendously fortunate to live the way we do, but we seem unaware of our good luck.  People spend time separating themselves from others, rather than enjoying all we have together.  Jackson Browne reminds me of times in my life where I have had experiences with people who were caring, real and helped me out for no reason other than their own innate goodness.  All people are capable of great goodness and also great evil. We choose where we fall, and the music of Jackson Browne will make sure you fall on the side of goodness.

    1. The Pretender–  There is a dream that we were all taught from a young age. Go to school, get an education, get a good job, be a responsible consumer, retire and wait to die. This is the life of a pretender I think. In my life, I didn’t fit into that plan too well.  Although I tried, it still didn’t fit. Like I was playing a part. Just pretending. There is a calling in all of us to do something bigger than ourselves. I envy all people who understand immediately what that calling is for them. I am still trying to figure this all out for myself.  We are all pretenders to some degree, playing roles throughout life. If we try hard enough we might not even see that they are not who we are.   I want to know what became of the changes, We waited for love to bring. Were they only the fitful dreams. Of some greater awakening? I’ve been aware of the time going by They say in the end it’s the wink of an eye. When the morning light comes streaming in, You’ll get up and do it again Amen.
    2. Running on Empty– Who hasn’t felt like this. Life can take a lot out of you. There are times when you have all you can do to put your feet on the floor every morning. The tank is low and you are just hoping that you can make it to the next chance to get filled up. We are filled up with the love and kindness of other people. Then things change, a new job, a new relationship, or some other circumstance comes to you and life moves easier.  But you should never forget the times you were running on empty and the lessons born from those moments. Hopefully, one time is enough to learn all you need to know.  For anyone who is running on empty today, it will get better. Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels. I don’t know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels
      Look around for the friends that I used to turn to to pull me through
      Looking into their eyes I see them running too.
    3. Doctor My Eyes– Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose. This simple phrase from Friday Night Lights says all you need to know about life. This song seems to express the desire I have had about looking at life. We all choose to see the world in a certain way. Some choose to see it as a world full of danger and fear. This leads to a heart that is not so full, because you are always trying to protect what you have, rather than share it with others.  I see the world as an opportunity to find happiness and to become a better version of myself. The good news is that you don’t need a doctor to clear up your vision of the world, just the ability to make different choices. How you look at things determines much of what you see.  Doctor, my eyes have seen the years, And the slow parade of fears without crying, Now I want to understand. I have done all that I could. To see the evil and the good without hiding. You must help me if you can.
    4. These Days– All that we have is the time that we are given. It could all be over in a second. As a young person, I never thought about how soon it could be over. You just take this life for granted and assume that it will get better on its own. It won’t. If you don’t take responsibility for your part and take action toward what you desire, nothing will happen. These days we all are living the life our choices has created over the years. The circumstances may be out of our control, but our reactions and actions are all ours. We are 100% in control of the choices we make in every moment. If we are of sound mind, then there is no reason to blame anything or anyone from our past. You are responsible for you! Today is up to you. That is what Jackson Browne taught me in this song. Things are bound to be improving these days. One of these days. These days I sit on cornerstones. And count the time in quarter tones to ten, my friend. Don’t confront me with my failures. I have not forgotten them.
    5. Your Bright Baby Blues– There have been people I have known who have helped me in my journey. Some do not know how much they have assisted me. They may have only been in my life for a short time, but it was a vital short time. It is amazing that people don’t know the positive effect they can have on another in their journey. My path has taken me on many roads, and on each, I have learned something of value, even though the experience hasn’t always been pleasant. There have always been pleasant things and people sent my way to assist me along the way. This song reminds me of all of those who have helped me survive the difficult times of change and loss. Hopefully, I have been there for those who need me in their times of challenge and change.  I am grateful to the bright baby blues that pulled me through.  ‘Cause I’ve been up and down this highway
      Far as my eyes can see. No matter how fast I run. I can never seem to get away from me. No matter where I am. I can’t help thinkin’ I’m just a day away From where I want to be. Now I’m running home baby. Like a river to the sea. 

    Don McLean by Mike Martin

    #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth is going splendidly. I must admit that it is incredibly challenging to produce some kind of nostalgic music feeling and put it to words daily during the month of October.

    I’ve had some successful productions, some so-so productions, and one complete failure when I failed to save my Day 22 submission (a big thank you to U2 for saving my bloody Sunday.)

    Today, thanks to my old pal and shipmate, Roger Alston. I am celebrating the West Pac of 86-87 and the “day the music died”

    American Pie is a song by American folk-rock singer and songwriter Don McLean. Recorded and released on the American Pie album in 1971, the single was a number-one hit for four weeks in 1972 and refers to the 1959 plane crash which killed three young rock and roll stars Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens.

    Roger remained me yesterday that we listened to American Pie often on

    American Pie

    the USS Jouett CG-29. During my first West Pac, Roger along with our fellow shipmate Audraft Alfonso Young were my tour guides. Roger and Audraft had complete a cruise before I arrived on the Jolly J and each was full of knowledge about how to get the most from visiting the countries of the Pacific.

    We had much much fun while on the cruise of 86-87, and I am very thankful for the wisdom shared from my fellow shipmates. But, the most memorable parts (outside of the fortunate car wreck that brought Bill Spillman and I a little extra time on the beach in Australia) are from the

    Polly wog to Shellback

    time that we spent “Haze Grey and Underway.”

    Without going into great detail, we spent our time painting just about everything we could get our hands on, laughing incessantly at a slew of practical jokes that we played on anyone and everyone, while I grew from a mere “Polly Wog” to a seasoned “Shellback”.

    Crossing the equator on naval vessels is a religious experience. For Shellbacks like Rog and Draft, you get to beat your fellow shipmates with a firehose as you direct “Polly Wogs” such as myself through garbage pits and other disgusting and painful exercises.

    The highlight of the ceremony is a beauty contest and getting your face shoved into a fat man’s belly. I survived and lived to share the experience with others, but I swear that the 12 hours that we, the Ploy Wogs of the Jolly J during the cruise of 86-87, endured more than I was ever allowed

    A different American Pie

    to inflict on any Polly Wog that I helped initiate.

    Don McLean now lives in Rockland, Maine, the town that host the World famous Maine Lobster Festival, which is about an hour from my house. There is controversy around where American Pie was written and what the lyrics represent.

    When asked what American Pie meant, McLean jokingly replied, “It means I don’t ever have to work again if I don’t want to.”

    Later, Mclean stated, “You will find many interpretations of my lyrics but none of them by me … Sorry to leave you all on your own like this but long ago I realized that songwriters should make their statements and move on, maintaining a dignified silence

    I am not sure if I really care what kind of statement Maclean was trying to make through the lyrics of America Pie. What I do know is that this song will forever remind me of three people: Roger Alston, my longtime friend and shipmate 2. Adam Peterson, my longtime friend, a bar patron, former roommate, and candlepin bowling teammate. 3. Danny Daigle, my lifelong friend, a childhood neighbor, and former paperboy.

    Don McLean- American Pie (with Lyrics)

    But February made me shiver
    With every     paper, I’d deliver
    Bad news on the doorstep
    I couldn’t take one more step

    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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    Gimme Shelter from Bruno Mars

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    Nostalgic Music Month Day 23

    Rolling Stones by Jon Hilton

    The Rolling Stones have been rocking for decades and the fact that they are older than my parents and still doing it is a credit to them, their music and the effect it has on millions of people. I am one of those millions of people because at certain times of my life the soundtrack was punctuated by the music of The Stones.  The catalog of music is so large that there is something for everyone. Choosing the specific songs was a difficult task but I managed to break the list out to correspond with my life. The Rolling Stones have done alright. I mean, they’re no Bruno Mars but they have done alright.

    1. Gimme Shelter– There is going to be a time in all lives when they feel under siege. When we are indeed in need of shelter from the storm that is entering our lives. In times of stress, it is natural to pull back into yourself. These are the times that friends and loved ones can pull you through. When you listen to this song you can feel the turmoil of the years that it was written in. War, fire, and flood are all mentioned as threats we face. In the end, the cure is love. That is the real story of this song. When I hear this song, I think of a winter day, the snow is just starting to fall, but the storm is coming.  Oh, a storm is threat’ning, My very life today. If I don’t get some shelter. Oh yeah, I’m gonna fade away.
    2. Sympathy for the Devil– I have always been fascinated with the lies of life that people tell. I was raised as a Christian but was constantly faced with the hypocrisy of the institution.  I learned that God is love as long as you fit into the very strict categories the church approves of. It didn’t take long for me to recognize the evil that exists in separating people into groups. Pleased to meet you, hope you guessed my name.  I have learned that all people without exception are capable of great good and great evil, depending on circumstance and issues of self-preservation.  We can only choose where we fall on that chart through the decisions we make and the actions we take. Just as every cop is a criminal, And all the sinners saints, As heads is tails, Just call me Lucifer. ‘Cause I’m in need of some restraint.
    3. You Can’t Always Get What You Want– Regret is an emotion that we would be better off living without. But it is still going to rise up from time to time. It is only a thought and a fantastical one at that. The love you lost, the job you should have taken, the financial decision you should have made are all just creations of your mind.  Regret is a waste of time because no matter where your life would have been if you did things differently, your life now is all you have. So focus on that and make it the best you can. Feel the regret, acknowledge it, let it go and move on. You never know what is going to be ultimately good for you in the long run. Often times the things we want, are not the best for our long-term health and success.  I saw her today at the reception. In her glass was a bleeding man
      She was practiced at the art of deception. Well, I could tell by her blood-stained hands. You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes you just might find, You just might find, You get what you need.
    4. Paint It Black– Everyone at some point has felt this way because of the loss and suffering in their life. When love or something else is taken from you, your whole world can seem black.  All relationships will cause some degree of suffering, so you need to make sure that you are in a relationship with someone who is worth suffering for.  Until then you can go through life wanting to paint things black, black as night. I see a line of cars and they’re all painted black. With flowers and my love both never to come back. I see people turn their heads and quickly look away. Like a newborn baby, it just happens every day.
    5. Memory Motel– I have spent a lot of time at the Memory Motel in my life. The funny thing about memories is that we can color them any way we want. The value and emotions that we feel about them are supplied by our own thoughts. Two people can look at the same memory and have two distinct reactions to the same thing. Our minds are intricate tools, but they are only tools of thought. Memories are bittersweet. They allow you to visit events that happened long ago and see people that you haven’t seen in years. This song always brings back those memories of loves lost and things I could have done better, but in the end, it probably has worked out for the best. Hannah baby was a honey of a girl, Her eyes were hazel 
      And her teeth were slightly curved, She took my guitar and she began to play, She sang a song to me, Stuck right in my brain, You’re just a memory of a love That used to be. You’re just a memory of a love That used to mean so much to me.

    Wild Horses, Angie, Satisfaction, Brown Sugar, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Beast of Burden, Start Me Up, Tumblin’ Dice, Let’s Spend the Night Together, She’s a Rainbow, Ruby Tuesday, Waiting on a Friend, Under My Thumb, Midnight Rambler, Get Off of My Cloud, Fool to Cry

    Bruno Mars by Mike Martin

    In 2012, Madelyn was 4 and thought Google was her grandfather.  Today, I am tired because I stayed up late watching the Patriots finally play a little defense. So, today I am going to pretend that I have all the time in the world to be lazy.

    Peter Gene Hernandez professionally as Bruno Mars was born October 8, 1985. He is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and choreographer. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age and performed in his hometown throughout his childhood.
    My favorite Bruno Mars son is The Lazy Song. It spent a total of 27 weeks

    Lazy

    on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and peaked at number 4. The single sold over 1 million digital copies in the United States and it sold 3,262,000 digital copies in the United States by September 2012.

    The Lazy Song 

    Today I don’t feel like doing anything
    I just wanna lay in my bed
    Don’t feel like picking up my phone
    So leave a message at the tone
    ‘Cause today I swear I’m not doing anything

    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