Music - The Great Time Machine

If you want some instant magic - do this. Think of a year that you want to go back to. Go to iTunes and type in that year in the Search field. You will probably see a collection of songs from that year. Then, sit back and relive the year in 30 second snippets. I just took a tour of the early 1980s - back to high school and first years of college. It's amazing how music can take you right back to moments you had buried deep in your mind.

• Summer concerts at Blossom - Pat Benatar, Loverboy, Michael Stanley Band . . .
• Dancing to "Rock Lobster" and "What I Like About You"
• Feeling "alternative" - Adam Ant, Yaz, Oingo Boingo, The Clash, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Modern English,
• Nursing a broken heart - Total Eclipe of the Heart, Waiting for a Girl Like You, Open Arms
• Crushes - Rick Springfield - Jessie's Girl
• Cruisin around Medina in Shelly or Jana's car rocking to "The Cars," AC/DC (Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap!), My Sharona
• Depression Songs
• Freshman year of college - Rock the Casbah, Beat It, Billy Jean (or anything by white-gloved Michael Jackson), anything by the Police - Synchronicity . . .
• Going to see Footloose with Amy and Mary and playing the songs over and over and over again
• Anything from 1984 reminds me of Spain - Wham!- Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, Careless Whisper, Carribean Queen, I Just Called to Say I Love You . . .

It's amazing the happy and not-so-happy memories just 30 seconds of music can evoke. It seems like every sense of the moment comes flooding back. Music is the ultimate time machine! Where do you want to go?

Different Sports for Different Folks

I can't believe June is over. The summer is passing me by, it seems. I haven't been paying too much attention to anything but work. I need to get refocused on looking for the good and the magic every day. I can tell the difference when I don't.

Probably the most "magical" thing I've experienced lately was over the weekend when I saw three sporting events I have never seen before. One was fencing. Luanne's son was attending a fencing camp at OSU. I'd never seen a fencing match(?) before. It's strange watching something that you have no clue about the strategy or how it is scored. But, it was very interesting -- and interesting to know that a lot of kids are interested in this ancient sport. While looking for the place where the fencing camp was being held, I went into the wrong building and came upon the Special Olympics girls gymnastics competition. I had never seen a Special Olympics event. I was amazed at the determination and sheer joy exhibited by the girls as they competed in front of hundreds of people. It was also moving to see the pride on the faces of their families. Then, leaving the OSU campus I drove past a competitive tree climbing competition! I didn't know there was such a sport! Even though I'm not fond of heights I love climbing trees! I used to spend my days climbing the many fruit trees in my yard in Copley and sit for hours high up in the boughs eating apples and cherries! Seeing that competition brought back some great tree climbing memories!

Thanks, Delilah!

This was a really long week. I think worked 60+ hours to get this project done -- and that's just this week. The last few have been pretty similar. I'm pretty close to being done -- finally! My shoulder hurts so bad I can hardly type this but I wanted to get it down! I got in the car tonight after another 12 hour day. I flipped through stations and found a song I liked. When the DJ came on it was Delilah. She said, "Happy Friday! What did you accomplish this week? Did you finish a big project? Did you make it through to the other side? If so, brag a little. Pat yourself on the back. Good job!" Wow! How did she know? Thanks, Delilah! I needed that!

Summer Breeze

I experienced magic today before I even got out of bed! OK - not THAT - get your mind out of the gutter! What I'm talking about ranks right up there in the simple pleasures of life - right behind falling asleep to the sound of rain on the roof. I'm talking about waking up with the windows wide open and a cool breeze blowing through the window. It's warm enough to have the windows open but cool enough to need a bunch of covers - not that hot, sweaty feeling that summer is usually about. It's for this simple pleasure that I would never want a first floor master bedroom because I would hate to not be able to sleep with the windows wide open on a summer night with a cool summer breeze.

Lucky?

I haven't found too much magic in my days lately. There's just too much "adultness" going on. Work, work, work. My hands ache, my shoulders ache, my hips ache from sitting for 12 hours at at time . . . but enought whining. This too will pass (maybe??).

I did see something today that really made me laugh. A flatbed tow truck passed me with a wrecked car on the back. The vanity license plate read - LUCKY. Lucky? The car certainly wasn't. Hopefully the driver and passengers were.

Sweater Connections

I usually go through my day rushing to get things done and not making making many connections with people. The idea of this blog and looking for "every day magic" was to force me to notice things more - things that make you smile or stop to think. A side effect, it turns out, is making more connections. Yesterday AM on my way to work I stopped a Target for a few things. As I was checking out, I noticed the lady behind me was buying a really pretty lime green sweater with white dots. I really liked it and kept thinking I needed to come back later to get one. A while later, I was at Jo Ann. While waiting in the checkout line at Jo Ann, I noticed a lady in front of me with the same sweater! Turns out it was the same lady! We started talking and I asked her if she just bought the sweater at Target. She thought I asked because she left the tag on! I assured her that she didn't -- I just had noticed the sweater as she was buying it and really liked it. We had a nice conversation and then we both moved on -- but instead of rushing through my day, a connection was made!

Phoenix Rose

There is a huge rosebush outside the front door that must have at least 40 roses or soon-t0-bloom roses! It's really beautiful and even more so to me because the rose bush was a mother's day present to me a few years ago. The thing is . . . it shouldn't be here blooming like it is. Last fall the bush looked really dead. It was very small and mainly brown - brown, hard stem, brown leaves. I decided that I needed to dig up what remained and throw it away. But, somehow, I never got around to it. Winter came and then spring. In April I noticed some growth earlier so decided to spare its life. Mainly again I was just too busy to do anything with it. I got busy and didn't really look at it until a few days ago. Now, you can't miss it as you come up the front walk! It's at least 4 ft tall and weighted down by all the blooms and buds! I have never seen a rose bush with so many blossoms! Like a Phoenix it rose from the ashes and a close call with the trash can! When I look at it, it's more than a beautiful rose bush, it's evidence of the magic that come spring, we can bloom and grow again no matter how down we've been.

Facebook Friends

The big thing with teenagers right now is Facebook, a social networking site. Teenagers consider it their social domain and are appalled that parents and even grandparents are infiltrating their territory. I know my daughter is very put off by us adults being on Facebook. But, like it or not, we are invading. I signed up awhile ago, asked my kids to be my friends and was politely(?) declined! I have to admit that I really haven't gone onto it very much and really didn't see much use for it -- until today. Well, really yesterday. Yesterday's magic was that a friend of mine from high school, Heather, found me on Facebook and got back in touch! It was so great to hear from her! I love being in touch with old friends. I think about my high school friends a lot lately. Maybe it's because having a daughter in high school takes me back. If I only knew then what I know now . . . Some of this wisdom I share with my daughter, some of it I don't because some things you have to learn for yourself! Anyhow, thanks Facebook for providing another way to experience everyday magic -reconnections with old friends.

Giving Back To Your "Roots"

This example of "everyday magic" didn't happen to me directly - but relates to my "roots." My brother, Kenny, is the head boys lacrosse coach at Medina Senior High. One of his players actually lives in the house on Red Oak Circle where Kenny and I grew up in Medina. My parents lived there for about 25 years but moved to a new house about 10 years ago. The boy's father has leukemia and has been in the hospital for most of the spring. The boy's mother has been unable to keep up with yardwork, etc. so Kenny and the rest of the team went over to his house - our old house - last Saturday to plant flowers, cut grass, and spread mulch. Kenny said it was weird to be doing all those things for another family at the house he lived in for most of his growing up years! I wonder what memories were going through his head as he was making "new" an "old" part of his life?!

Da Da Da Dum

I just noticed that the bird chirping outside the door is chirping the opening bars to Beethoven's 5th! --- Da Da Da Dum! Da Da Da Dum!

Cloud Burst

Yesterday Alex had a soccer game in Hilliard. It was a beautiful day - blue skies and big white clouds. As we left and got on 270 we drove from beautiful blue sky right under one dark cloud. All of sudden the cloud burst and it starting pouring-big fat rain drops.Ther was still saw blue sky all around us but we were directly under the rain cloud. I even looked for a rainbow - there had to be one - but there wasn't. As we drove back to Westerville the cloud seemed to chase us. I'd get out from under it and the rain would stop. The pavement was dry and cars we passed didn't have a spot of wet. Then, a minute or two later - it started back up again. Start, stop, start, stop, we played cat and mouse with the cloud all the way back to Westerville. Finally, the cloud had enough of this game and decided to let me have it. It gathered more dark cloud friends and they let loose with about 10 minutes of torrential rain -- just when I reached the restaurant for the team lunch!