Some slow walking. Stretching. Albuquerque.
Unless otherwise noted, all songs by The Smothers Brothers.
Rest in peace, Tommy. Thank you.
Give Peace a Chance – The Plastic Ono Band
Pretoria
Tom Dooley
Chocolate
Laredo
Daniel Boone
Gnus
Crabs Walk Straight
Jenny Brown
The Military Lovers
Mediocre Fred
Mom Always Liked You Best
You Can Call Me Stupid
I Talk to the Trees
Hangman
Cabbage
Michael, Row the Boat Ashore
You Didn’t Come In
Tag Archives: John Lennon
27 December 2023
Filed under Current Events, Exercise, Music, New Mexico, playlist
9 October 2022
Walking. Gym in the Apartment.
Imagine – John Lennon
Do Not Fight the Storm – Allegiance
New York Town – Black 47 feat. Suzy Roche
Rainbow’s Cadillac – Bruce Hornsby
Something Real – Indigo Girls
Care for the Land – Eric Bogle
Carnival in Harlem – Tito Puente
Wait for It – Usher
Bad as a Mutha – Queen Latifah
String Quartet No. 2: IV. Adagio-Allegro – Son Sonora String Quartet
Crazy – Seal
New York City Serenade – Bruce Springsteen
Filed under Exercise, Louisville, Music, playlist
8 December 2021
Stretching. Gym in the Apartment. NK Body Philosophy.
Happy Christmas – John Lennon
O Holy Night – Musiq Soulchild
Once in Royal David’s City – david m. bailey
Silent Night – Oscar Pederson
The First Noel – BeBe & CeCe Winans
The Holly and the Ivy – The Boys of the County Bucks
Christmas Canon Rock – Trans Siberian Orchestra
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing – Holiday Traditions
Of the Father’s Love Begotten – Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
In the Bleak Midwinter – Julie Andrews
O Holy Night – Trace Bundy
The Twelve Days of Christmas – Harry Belafonte
Simple Gifts – Liz Story
O Come All Ye Faithful – Amy Grant
Noel – Black Violin
Filed under Advent, Exercise, Louisville, Music, playlist
9 October 2021
Stretching. Gym in the Apartment. NK Body Philosophy.
Imagine – John Lennon
Distburbia – Rihanna
Turtle Dove – Ranky Tanky
Rocky Road to Dublin – Gaelic Storm
Interludings – Rod Stewart
The Wooden Shoe – John McCutcheon
Trespass Shoes – Mary Black
Country Comfort – Elton John
When It Come to Love – Fleetwood Mac
Patriot Act – Heems
On Raglan Road – The Dubliners
Falling Down and Falling Apart – Annie Humphrey
Duncan (Demo) – Paul Simon
Wondering Where the Lions Are – Bruce Cockburn
Still within the Sound of My Voice – Linda Ronstadt
Filed under Exercise, Louisville, Music, playlist
The Until We Meet Again Tour – 3 July 2016
The Until We Meet Again Tour had an easy day. It started at Strawberry Fields and then Tricia and I walked to the New York Historical Society. There we saw Hamilton memorabilia and a statue. Not quite the same as the show. But our efforts to win the lottery have fallen short. So far.
See you along the Trail.
Tonight I wept
There are places I remember all my life
Lennon and McCartney got that right.
But there are also people I remember. And moments.
Moments I will remember as long as memory lasts. Moments that not only fill my mind as memories. Moments that fill my soul and spirit as the sights, sounds, feelings wash over me as though the moment had never ended.
The births of my sons.
The death of my father.
The murders of John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Bobby Kennedy.
The fall of the Berlin Wall.
The release of Nelson Mandela.
And more.
Tonight I wept as I relieved such a moment.
I finally watched Lee Daniels’ The Butler. I had not seen it in the theater, but I added it to my Netflix list and it arrived this week.
The film provides much to ponder. Alan Rickman as Ronald Reagan? Seriously?
The scene that touched me came near the end.
Cecil Gaines, played by Forest Whitaker, has retired from his position as a butler at the White House. He has reconciled with his son, Louis, played by David Oyelowo. His wife, Gloria, played by Oprah Winfrey, has died.
Cecil and Louis are in his house on November 4, 2008. The votes in the Presidential election are being counted. As the moment nears when the media will declare a winner, Cecil calls his son to come to the living room and watch. Louis arrives in time to see history happen.
As the newscaster in the film announces Barack Obama’s election as President of the United States of America, I found myself transported back to the night it happened. And I wept.
I wept in joy at Barack Obama’s victory. At progress made. At hopes realized. At the possibilities before us then and now.
I wept in sorrow at how much work remains to achieve racial justice. At the oppression, discrimination, and injustices my sisters and brothers endure.
I wept in frustration at shortcomings and failings of President Obama’s administration to meet the expectations of the moment. At potential unfulfilled.
But most of all, I wept remembering my friend Merdine T. Morris. Shortly after the media announced Barack Obama’s election, I called Merdine T. Together we laughed and cried and prayed.
The film scene transported me through space and time and as I heard again the joy and hope and pride and concern Merdine T. expressed that night.
Merdine T. recognized the historic significance of President Obama’s election. She also understood the arduous work that lay ahead for him and for our country as we continue to come to terms with the racism and other systems of oppression and discrimination dividing us. Merdine T. knew first-hand racism’s bitter sting and enduring power. She knew Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. personally as our mutual friend Carol reminded me. She knew hopes shattered and dreams, not only deferred, but devastated. She knew the tears that water and the blood that mark the road to justice.
But Merdine T. Morris never gave up. She held to faith. She held to hope. She held to love.
And so I wept tonight because Merdine T. and her husband Luke trusted me and were my friends, because Merdine T. and Luke welcomed me with grace, because Merdine T. and Luke accompany me in the Communion of Saints, because, to paraphrase Bruce Springsteen, writing about another unforgettable moment:
Her strength gives me strength
Her faith gives me faith
Her hope gives me hope
Her love gives me love
Tonight I wept in gratitude. And my tears were good.
See you along the Trail.
Strawberry Fields. Forever.
Tricia chose to spend a couple of days in New York before returning to Cleveland – in part to take advantage of the Tuesday air fares. We spent the day seeing some of the city and hanging with friends.
The day began with a walk-by of the apartment where our son will live when he soon moves to New York. Then we walked to Central Park where, as an acoustic guitar gently played, we viewed Strawberry Fields. We journeyed through the park to the Central Park Zoo which proved a challenge to find, which seemed odd considering how big it is. After the zoo, we made our way to the 9/11 Memorial Area. We had no tickets, so we simply walked by the outside.
Headed back uptown, we stopped for dinner at Vnyl in Hell’s Kitchen. Then on to Max Caffe where a number of good folks joined us for conversation, food and drink, and the simple joy of being together.
A day to remember, to learn, to mourn, and to give thanks. A good day.
See you along the Trail.
Along the Graybeard Trail 