Best of Music: Classic Rock Bands

Satisfaction-The Rolling Stones

I know that before I publish this post I would get arguments, about the Top 5 best Classic Rock Bands.  Please keep in mind that this is one man’s humble perspective.  I would welcome your comments, and names of your Top 3 favorites.  Growing up we didn’t have iPods or mp3 players.  We relied of transistor radios, or vinyl records to keep up with the music, eventually we progressed through to 4 track, 8 track, and then the big innovation cassettes!  I hope that you can see through my sarcasm, however, at the time it was the best we had.  I remember having 5 speaker surround stereo sound system in my 1968 AMX (two seat sports car) with 8 track, and a light bar on the dash. 

I would travel between Santa Cruz, California and Los Angeles, with my music at a proper (mind blowing) level, and the colors inside my car changing with light bar lights and the beat of the music.  The many cars I passed along the way would usually give me a look that combined bewilderment and approval at the same time.  Then as now I enjoyed being at the leading edge of technology.  At the time the only way to stay in the front end of technology was to visit Los Angeles regularly.  At the time it seems that the innovation would arrive at New York, and Los Angeles first.  Imagine Japan and Hong Kong were in the middle of the technology universe even then.

Back to the subject at hand.  The point I was making is that I not only enjoyed live and recorded music, but used the best possible delivery system I could get my hands on for listening to the recorded music.  It’s almost unfair to name my top five because depending on the circumstance and mood I could easily shuffle the 10 bands, and call them all number ones.

Satisfaction-performed live

Keep in mind that the positions in many instances are interchangeable: 

• #1 The Rolling Stones, during the 60’s and 70’s with Mick Jagger, and Keith Richards in charge of writing songs, the Rolling Stones produced hit after hit to become one of the most influential bands ever.  My favorite song is Satisfaction. 
• #2 AC/DC, I loved and still do love their riffs.  Even in modern times they continue to play as they did back then.  My favorite song is You Shook Me All Night Long. 
• #3 Journey, they have a unique style in making music.  My favorite song is Don’t Stop Believing. 
• #4 Led Zeppelin, had some of the greatest guitar solos of all time.  Jimmy Page re-defined the way the guitar should be played.  My favorite song is Stairway to Heaven. 
• #5 The Eagles, are one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time, having sold over 150 million records.   My favorite song is Hotel California.

You Shook Me All Night Long-AC/DC Live

I am going to try to quickly bring this post to a conclusion before I decide to make changes to the line-up.  Here is another disclaimer:  I have a very wide range of appreciation for music to include all genres from Classical Music to Outlaw Country, Heavy Metal and beyond.  I welcome your input regarding your top 3 favorites. The best is yet to come….

Remember When Songs Told a Story?

Those Were Truly the Good Old Days

 There was a time (our time-our generation) when you could find a song that would relay the exact message about how you felt about some person you loved or were interested in.  Some great examples are:  I Want To Hold Your Hand, PS I love you – The Beatles, I love How you Love me - Paris Sisters, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen - Neil Sedaka, Venus In Blue Jeans – Jimmy Clanton, There’s a Kind of a Hush - Barry Manilow, In The Misty Moonlight – Dean Martin.  Even something as basic and repetitious as The Twist – Chubby Checker, and Rock Around the Clock – Bill Haley and the Comets told a story.  I could go on for a month writing song titles.

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do - Neil Sedaka

Music beyond the 80’s took a direction where not only did music not tell a story, but even the songs titles were purposely misspelled.  When searching for a song, you didn’t (and still don’t) know if you should use proper grammar or slang for the title.  To this day I still listen to many songs for the melody, and many others for the message.  A great example of the message is the song Yesterday with Roy Clark.  That song always makes me sad, because even though I don’t have any regrets, in my life (not the same as I didn’t make any mistakes), I know that many of us ended up well, because of some force bigger than us.  I still like to use the old saying better lucky than good.

In The Misty Moonlight - Dean Martin

Another great song for the message as well as the melody is a newer song with Alan Jackson “Remember When.”  That song tells a story that fits the majority of us in our generation, and the appropriate music combined with the lyrics can bring you to tears if the moment is right.  We were very fortunate to have lived in a time where musicians (artists) were made humble by the environment they lived and worked in.  The artists of our times were not spoiled by the record companies with millions of dollars, and fake life styles, that today is the ruin of many performers.

Abraham, Martin and John - Dion

Whenever I need a mood adjustment, I can count on music from my era to put me in the right frame of mind.  The best is yet to come….

Road Trip Adventures

·       Today, modern road tripping is a fast growing hobby, and not just a means of vacationing. Groups dedicated to the art of the road trip, known either as professional road trippers or road enthusiasts, are becoming prevalent online.

·       Road tripping, to some, has indeed become an art. Road enthusiasts frequently debate on proper gear, attire, and electronics.

·       Other frequent debates include type of road trip (a ‘moseying’ road trip vs. a set schedule), use of in-vehicle DVD players to pacify young passengers, and, to a lesser extent, destinations.

Our Chariot of Choice

My wife and I enjoy taking a road trip, where it’s just the two of us, and we can decide to let each other ride in silence while listening to music, or enjoy a relaxing conversation.  We definitely never take a road trip so we can discuss problems or otherwise negative subjects.  I am usually in charge of preparing the music for the road.  In today’s wonderful world of digital music it’s a pleasure to take that particular task on.  I always make sure that the music is fairly equal in selection (her favorites, my favorites, and our favorites).  If by chance our grandchildren go along on a trip, than the effort is to get enough Educational and entertaining  DVD’s, and/or Apps for the iPads to keep them occupied.  They get to wear head phones so we can listen to our music.

My wife’s and my taste in music, is very similar, and when slightly different we still tolerate whatever that difference may be.  On a recent trip of ten hours (roundtrip) I prepared a thumb drive with over 500 songs and we never got to listen to all the songs.  Our music taste runs the gamut from Willie Nelson (On the Road Again), Beach Boys (Wouldn’t It Be Nice), Carrie Underwood, Julio Iglesias, and Pitbull, and everything else in between.  I can’t leave out a sprinkling of Tex-Mex.

On our most recent road trip we had a perfect experience except for a slight traffic bottle neck near the end of the trip; we traveled 60 miles in 3 hours, but I couldn’t have asked for better company.  I had my sweetheart with me and great music to keep us from getting frustrated.  We also planned ahead and had with us a small ice chest with ice cold water, and some soft drinks, plus cold fruit.

To Love Somebody-Michael Buble

I’ve never been in such bad traffic, and in such great and joyous spirit.  The best is yet to come….

Destiny or Chance

The Road of Life

The events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future. The hidden power believed to control what will happen in the future; fate. – Dictionary.com I have many favorite sayings that I find myself quoting regularly.  It seems that in researching the origins of some of those quotes I found that many of my favorite quotes are supported under Destiny: I often see postings on Facebook where people say things such as:  God must think I am a real bad ass, because he only gives you, what you can handle and my plate is always overflowing.   In fact and unfortunately for many he does test us all but he also gives us Free Agency (the power to make choices). Many bad choices lead to difficulty and handling the tasks we are given.   I have been quoted to claim a successful large franchise of lemonade stands from all the lemons life has given me along the way.  Always without exception I recommend that people try to look at the silver lining (bright side) from a bad situation. I was enjoying a conversation with a friend about destiny, and I mentioned that a person could be in a passenger plane that crashes and not be killed, if it wasn’t his destiny, he countered by saying that what I was saying was equal to:  he could aim a revolver to his head and pull the trigger, and that he wouldn’t be killed if it wasn’t his destiny.  I said to him that his statement was true to my belief, however, before he pulls the trigger to consider that, That very action could be the way he is destined to die.  If on the other hand he is not meant to die that way, He might he be destined to be a paraplegic for the rest of his days?  For me that falls under don’t temp fate (or destiny) with stupid and unnecessary challenges.  This also falls under the Free Agency (power to make choices). Every once in a while, I will come to a fork on the road (literally), and wonder what the outcome will be if I don’t take the regular path that I am used to taking.  I also wonder if I take the alternate path and something goes wrong, will I regret making the wrong choice.  Mind you I don’t spend too much time worrying about options.  The majority of my actions are well thought out in advance.

• Our destiny belongs to us and only ourselves. No one else owns it. In finding that destiny it is our responsibility. No one can give it to us, again it is ours. We have choice to go after it or not. Where fate is something that happens to us. Sometimes fate takes away our choices we have made. Yet it being something inside of us that leads us back to destiny or our choice to go after our destiny.  
• Fate can remind us to listen to our own intuition and show us the way back to our success we are searching for in life and the happiness in our hearts. Now destiny is something we have when start our life the path that we want to achieve. But we face the fact of, what is our destiny and how do we reach it or find it? This is where the fate comes in. Our inner being that nudges us in the right direction. In the long run destiny is our choice and fate helps us to reach it throughout our lives we have chosen to live. – Reference.com

Just because it is possible that our life is already mapped out, it doesn’t mean that we can’t make the most of what we are given.  Let’s prepare ourselves for the best possible outcomes.  I don’t believe that we can’t affect our lives by great effort, and faith in our own abilities and our children.  I am reminded of a joke about a situation where the town gets flooded and this very religious man, moves to the second floor of his house, to stay above water.  Eventually he ends up on the roof of his house again to stay dry.  First responders arrive in a power boat and offer to take him off the roof, and he says help the others, God will provide for me.  Next rescue arrives by way of the National Guard helicopter, and again he waves them off, by saying help the others, God will provide for me.  He unfortunately is swept away and drowns.  When he arrives in Heaven, he gets to ask God, why did you let me drown, and God answers, who do you think send the power boat, and the helicopter?  The best is yet to come…..

Dangers at Sea 3

Cruise Ship Fire

I can’t imagine ever finding myself stranded without transportation.  Whenever a winter windstorm knocks out our electrical power and television cable, I can’t tell you how many times I will walk into a room and try to turn on the power.  Seldom happens but whenever one of our vehicles is involved in a required repair where it has to be sent to the shop, I will always rent a car for the duration, I don’t like being without control.  Now picture yourself stranded on a cruise ship days out at sea, to say rudderless is not an exaggeration.

·       Mechanical difficulties and their consequences: Mechanical difficulties and fires on cruise ships have made headlines; thousands of passengers have been stranded for hours or even days at sea, often without power to support effective refrigeration, food preparation or sewage disposal. Backed-up toilets and leaking human waste can easily spread infections such as E. coli or norovirus. “Because of multiple routes of transmission, it is difficult to contain outbreaks,” Boctor says.

·       To reduce the risk of infections, Boctor advises that “special attention should be taken while removing vomitus and fecal material; surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected, and cleaners should be wearing protective equipment including, gloves, masks and gowns.” Norovirus can be resistant to common disinfectants. The CDC recommends that cruise-ship passengers wash their hands with anti-bacterial soap after using the toilet and before eating or drinking, in order to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses.

Now imagine yourself or a loved one getting a minor illness, and not being in the care of a physician that you know and trust, or that minimally came highly recommended.

·       Unqualified doctors: The ship’s infirmary may be staffed by an earnest health-care provider in a starched white coat, but there’s no guarantee that the “doctor” on duty is licensed to practice medicine in the United States – or anywhere at all.

·       “Historically, doctors were signed up to work for three to six months at a time, paid a salary and part of the proceeds of what was sold in the ships’ infirmaries,” attorney Lipcon says, “and they could be licensed anywhere, including in the country of the ship’s flag. The cruise line is not responsible for bad medical care as long as they hire a qualified physician.” Lipcon has even seen cases where the ship’s doctor didn’t have a license but was “just a graduate of a medical school in the Dominican Republic.”

Once again no one is really suggesting that cruise ships are all bad, but some have recently suffered from less than ideal PR.  A few too many incidences of illness, mechanical problems, and power failures speak volumes.  Do your due diligence if you are considering a cruise.  The best is yet to come…

Famous Car Chase Scenes

Bullitt starring Steve McQueen 1968

I have lived long enough to have seen many great car chase scenes in movies and even driven in a few myself on city streets, back in the day when I thought I was indestructible.  To be honest I have raced motorcycles, and cars, in Figure 8 Track, Oval Track, and Quarter mile eliminations, I have also raced Go-Carts with dual carburetors that burned Nitro for fuel.  So I have taken many a risk (safely of course), and the proof is that I am still in one piece.

 A new franchise of big screen movies (the Fast and the Furious) have come along and captured the imagination of teenagers and young adults.  However, when it comes to my generation, I know that we have seen better, at a time when we didn’t have all the technical and digital technology, where you can’t always be sure of what exactly you just witnessed.

I will only give you two great examples to consider; 

• Disputably the best is the chase scene from Bullitt, a Ford Mustang Fastback, against a Dodge Charger. A movie with Steve McQueen 1968.
• The second is the chase scene from the French Connection.  A 1971 thriller film, starred Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey and Roy Scheider

Scene From French Connection 

Do you have any other car chase scenes you can think of? 

·       Fast & Furious films: When "The Fast and the Furious" premiered in 2001, it was considered a dangerous movie to promote, given its gritty portrayal of illegal street racing. But as the sixth entry in the series hits the screen May 24, the Fast & Furious franchise has shed any sense of subcultural grit. F&F films are pure Hollywood action, with cars soaring through thin air, exploding out of planes and barely dodging shells from opportunistic tanks.

·       The pyrotechnics are half the appeal. The other half is the cars themselves — models that range from the ultra-obscure to the heartbreakingly iconic. Here are our 10 favorites: five from previous releases and five from the new film.- By Erik Sofge of MSN Autos

Two totally different styles of chase scenes, with very different types of cars, but definitely similar in the excitement they create.  Do you have any other car chase scenes you can think of?  The best is yet to come….

Dangers at Sea 2

Buffet Style Food Service

 Without much thought for quality control or consequences I am a big fan of buffet style restaurants.  Were it not for my wife who basically over sees my life for the sake of quality control, I might have already passed away or minimally be somehow incapacitated by now.  My wife is my conscience with regards to avoiding regrets.  She drops little hints and when that don’t work she gives me outright warnings to beware.  For the longest time I wanted to stop and order from a Taco Truck, but my wife wasn’t so sure it was a great idea, since we weren’t familiar with the company or its adherence to strict licensing and health requirements.

Now I hear that some of the worst problems with cruise ships may well be the food section:

• Unhealthy eating and drinking: Taking precautions is important to stay safe on a cruise — but also to stay healthy. “But health-conscious travelers face an environment filled with excess,” says Ellen Bauersfeld, a registered dietitian in Northridge, Calif.  “24/7 meals, hundreds of items on a buffet line – most of which are high in fat, salt and sugar. Even with good intentions, many fall prey to overeating.”
• Unhealthy foods trigger addictive changes in brain chemistry, Bauersfeld explains, adding: “Recent research has revealed the dopamine spike that sugar creates in our brains. Dopamine is a feel-good hormone that affects our reward/pleasure center a little like a drug. Unfortunately, it only feels good while we’re eating, which is why – as David Kessler, M.D., reported in his book, “The End of Overeating” – we want more and more and more.”  
• Additionally, Bauersfeld warns, “Mixed specialty drinks are in abundance on cruise ships. Not only are they high in calories, but, after a few drinks, impulse control and making good food choices become more challenging.”

Other than actually dying while on a cruise the next worst thing I can think of is getting sick from eating tainted food:

·       Food poisoning and norovirus: The Centers for Disease Control estimates that food poisoning affects about one in six Americans each year. “Symptoms of food poisoning include fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea,” says Dr. Samia Boctor, who has a certification in travelers’ health from the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. “If travelers consume contaminated food or water or touch surfaces contaminated by fecal material or vomitus, they can get infections with salmonella, shigella or E. coli. And norovirus needs special mention. These strains cause severe outbreaks that can send travelers to the hospital.”

·       According to the CDC, more than 90 percent of outbreaks of diarrhea on cruise ships are caused by norovirus. In 2012, 16 norovirus outbreaks were reported through the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program.  “Norovirus is easily spread, especially in crowded environments,” Boctor warns, “even by sharing food or eating utensils with someone who is ill.” 

No one is really suggesting that cruise ships are all bad, but some have recently suffered from less than ideal PR.  A few too many incidences of illness, mechanical problems, and power failures speak volumes.  Do your due diligence if you are considering a cruise.  The best is yet to come…

Dangers at Sea

Dangers at Sea

 I must admit (recent headlines aside) it has crossed my mind that a Ship Cruise to the high seas could be relaxing, and the ultimate fun.  In all honesty the only thing that has kept me in past years form booking a cruise is my wife’s dislike for them, and basically been stuck out to sea with minimal controls for getting out if you wanted to.  More information is now coming out by experts for why my wife may have been right all along:

• Summer break – no better time for a refreshing and relaxing cruise. Let the kids enjoy rock climbing, surfing, zip lining, ice skating and swimming while you savor crisp blue skies, warm sea mists and wine coolers on your balcony as you cuddle together and scan the whitecaps for a glimpse of an acrobatic whale. A lush buffet dinner awaits you all in a couple of hours; until then, there are many options for fun on your personal vacation menu. Unfortunately, although a cruise ship may seem like a getaway from daily life and its stressors, potential dangers lurk in every passageway and on every promenade. -- By Linda Reid for MSN Healthy Living

Think about it, even if you only fill a conference room with 50 people, you are bound to get a large mix of personalities, attitudes, and behaviors. Not everyone is “an open book.”  You don’t know what people’s backgrounds are, or even if they have a criminal background:

• Dangerous fellow passengers “People assume that a cruise ship is a safe cocoon and get a sense of overconfidence,” says Charles Lipcon, a cruise-line maritime attorney in Miami and author of “Unsafe on the High Seas.” “Their ‘antennas’ get turned off. But a cruise ship is like a big city. Would you let your 15-year-old run around New York City alone at 2 a.m.?”  Lipcon’s cases have included gang rapes of young girls and date-rape drug use. Reported sexual assaults on ships number in the dozens each year, and poorly trained or unqualified cruise-line security guards are often the only investigators after a crime has occurred.
• “Passengers think they’re in the United States, but they’re in the country of the vessel’s flag and under that country’s laws,” Lipcon adds. The FBI does have jurisdiction over crimes upon American citizens “on the high seas,” but it often has no evidence to work with. Cruise-line personnel, Lipcon says, typically “make no effort to preserve the crime scene. They vacuum the room and steam-clean the sheets.” The result: Many perpetrators remain unidentified – and unprosecuted.

The very last thing on my mind would be to try to direct your thinking or ideas of the ideal vacation, I do want to make sure that you are aware of some of the things that are going on in the industry.  Keep a look out for more posts on this subject coming your way.  The best is yet to come…

Independence Day

Happy Independence Day America

If we ever had anything to celebrate it should be our independence.  There are countries around the world where the government or lack thereof is so suffocating as make people desire death to living as they do.  The very fact that I can write this blog is a reason to celebrate our independence.  You are in such control of your future that you can decide how high you want to go with your success (social and economic).  Let’s not forget that with freedom comes responsibility; you decide how much you want to prepare for a job or career, you decide where you want to work, you decide if you want to work for someone or start a business, you decide where you or your children go to school, on and on, the choices and outcomes are all within your reach and control.  One major problem with independence and freedom; you quickly run out of people to blame for your lack of success.

Here is a fun fact about the fourth of July:

·       In a remarkable coincidence, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not a signer of the Declaration of Independence, but another Founding Father who became a President, James Monroe, died on July 4, 1831, thus becoming the third President in a row who died on this memorable day. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President, was born on July 4, 1872, and, so far, is the only President to have been born on Independence Day.-Wikipedia

And now for some history:

·       During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

·       The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

·       Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress. - Wikipedia

Historians have long disputed whether Congress actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, even though Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin all later wrote that they had signed it on that day. Most historians have concluded that the Declaration was signed nearly a month after its adoption, on August 2, 1776, and not on July 4 as is commonly believed. - Wikipedia

So as we celebrate this very significant event in our lives lets have fun and enjoy, our families, friends and neighbors with food drink and fireworks, but most importantly let’s celebrate our independence and freedom to do so.  Stay safe!  The best is yet to come….

She's A Lady (or Prince Charming)

She’s A Lady 

Just between you and me, is your partner your soul mate, your special lady (or for you lady readers; did you end up with your soul mate, your Prince Charming)?  Most of us won’t admit it openly for obvious reasons.  This is just offered as food for thought.  Nod to yourself once for yes, twice for no!

It obviously took me two tries to get it right, but I have no guilt in saying it, because after all, “it takes two to Tango,” and for all I know I am the one that didn’t measure up.  With maturity and success under my belt, I am comfortable not always being right.  Think about the many years that my generation has lived and the number of people that have passed through our lives.  I’m not talking about intimate relations, or even casual dating situations.

Prince Charming

I, personally was very reserved (cautious) with regard to exposing my feelings to be trampled or hurt.  I wasn’t a drinker or partier, so I guess I never had the courage (in a bottle) to take a risk.  I am referring to the very nice people around us that were always there when we needed a friend.  The people that always smiled and were extra friendly at the doctor’s office or the grocery store.  Some relationships actually start that way.  I always valued friendship above all else, and would never act forward and risk losing a friend.

Twice in my life, I’ve been told that the lady thought we could have dated, but I never asked, and another said that she thought we would grow up to get married.  I never knew how they felt, and I cared enough not to lose their friendship.  Yet, I lost contact with them over the years.  Fortunately they ended up happily married, and I know that I am.

One of my very good friends and I often talk about our lives and the twists and turns that we have maneuvered through.  As usual I don’t divulge names so he shall remain anonymous. We often get together just to share a meal, and sometimes to participate in sports tournaments.  My friend has been a recovering alcoholic for 29 years (I am very proud of him & since I don’t indulge we are the perfect friendship).  I don’t want to give a number but let’s just say that it takes more than one hand to count the number of times that he has been married.  Most if not all of those times can be accredited to the drinking problem.  He is a very good looking guy and I only hang out with him cause he is a chick magnate (just kidding, we are both way past that stage, we are already happily acquired).

My friend’s life would make a more exciting book than mine but he isn’t the reading or writing type.  As far as I know he never married bad looking or plain looking person.  I believe that his homelier wife was a Cowboy’s Cheerleader.  He blames himself for his marriage failures.  I, on the other hand (in baseball terms) only had one out followed by a Grand Slam!!

The original question might be; can you think of the one opportunity you allowed to go by, that might have been very special.  In my instance I feel that (and it applies to everyone as well), I captured the brass ring when I got married the second time so I am comfortable that I didn’t let the special one get away.  I do know for a fact that a number of very nice people that I admired have been in my circle of acquaintances, so there may have been ample opportunity for a keeper in the bunch.  Having said that, I firmly believe in destiny, and feel that what I have was meant to be.  The best is yet to come….