Because I felt it I believe it

The concert at Waterfest was rained out last night. I had really wanted to check out Sonny Landreth. The Iguanas were on the bill, too, but I had no desire to hang out in the rain. It was the second show this season that was rained out. So it goes.

Ok. The thing of it is, while walking home in the rain a line from a song just jumped out of nowhere,

....gotta be careful, lyrics that hide behind bushes and jump out at you care be dangerous......

"And if it rains again tonight.."

and I was taken away by one of my favorite rock ballads, Hyperdrive by Jefferson Starship from the first Starship album in 74, Dragon Fly.

The album really kicks shit, but the song, Hyperdrive in my estimation, ranks right up there with Layla as a rock ballad. The band had reformed with Kantner and Slick adding Craig Chaquico on guitar with Papa John Creach doing electric violin. Their work on Hyperdrive still blows me away. The lyrics, though, are so evocative of a life in despair and the resiliency of the spirit to get through the despair. It is a poem that can stand by itself.

I haven't learned to make nifty links...and if you are not familiar with the song

http://www.lastfm.fr/music/Jefferson+Starship/_/Hyperdrive

Hyperdrive

Jefferson Starship

I never thought there were corners in time

Till I was told to stand in one

One straight line head on into the other

Maybe standing in the corner looks like where it's got to come.

But I pretend one wall is the past and one is the future

And I just stand here like the present looking for a Good place to run

Every fish that swims upstream now that's a catch

Because the full mouth never wants to stop cooking.

The map may be flat, the globe may be patched

But the long line keeps right on hooking

Circles in the ring of fire, where do you go

On a night that is clear and warm?

Oh where do you go?

I never thought there were corners in time

Till I was told to stand in one

I've heard circles moving right through corners

And they don't even know they've been around and around before

Ringing, ringing against each other on a singing chain

Like a flying magnet hyperdrive has never seen any reason

To remain the same.

Because I felt it I believe it

Because there are things I've never seen that I believe

So I'm going to place my face right in the triangle door

Till I can move right on through instead of just standing here

Looking at the floor.

And If it rains again tonight, I can think light years ahead

Or I could put myself back a thousand years ago

As if I'd always been here before or as if I am still to be born

I'm a slow loser, but I'm a fast learner

That much I know

Anyone can go

That much I know

Anyone can go

That much I know

Anyone can go.

Ok I need to get some work done before I leave this afternoon.

jimm

The Guys

From: John

Subject: Guy's Cottage Weekend
Boys

Let’s do a bit of planning for this weekend:
Please bring a sleeping bag/pillow and towel….Monica would love you for it. To make things easy, why not have everyone bring their favorite beer….and we can share whatever is cold.

1. When can you arrive Friday night? The earlier the better.
2. Do you want to go out for dinner both nights? We will definitely grill out at least once.
3. Any interest in rafting down the Wolf river? If the weather if nice could be fun. Or maybe a little hiking in the National forest? In any case BRING YOUR SWIMSUIT!
4. Ray….bring along some of your bass rods/tackle.

I am assuming that Tim, Jim and I will be driving together. I’ll send directions to Ray and Rosey….pretty easy to get there. I don’t mind doing the grocery shopping…..we can all split the $$$ with no surcharge for my efforts! Tim…please take the lead coordinating with Jim. Any other thoughts/questions?

John

From: Tim

RE: Guy's Cottage Weekend

First of all, thanks for the "no surcharge", Generous Johnny at his finest.

Jim says he works till 4:30 on Friday, but can leave earlier. I can leave at 3:00. He said Rosie probably can't get on the road till 4:00, so we'll have to get started w/o him.

I'd vote for a Man's cookout at least one night. Big slab of red meat, too many onions, etc.

I was going to bring the kayaks if I can fit them in the van. You didn't ask me to bring any extra fishing equipment, why? Bring golf clubs?

I'll look for beer, I think there is a sale on 6 packs somewhere. Maybe some old fashions, mojohito's?

Tim

We've known each other for twenty years, some of us pushing thirty. We have golfed, rafted, traveled to ball games, skied (not me!) went on trips, camping...been in each other's weddings...worked together, went to school together....... and surprisingly, still hang out. Things are a little more sedate these days. Good thing.

We were sort of a wild bunch. Almost tribal. Most of us were taxi drivers and room mates in college. Some of the things we did still scare me...... and some of it was so much fun I would do it again in half a heart beat.

Tim and Kid Curryand I stealing a fire truck and driving it in the Pecatonica Canoe Days parade. Rosie and I getting totally fucking lost in New Orleans,wandering into a bar and drinking with Jimmy Buffet. High diving at quarries. 'Body-Sledding' down toboggan runs wrapped only in garbage bags. Going down the Shotgun Eddy Falls in that beat-up raft ( I only had ten stitches and Pete had the cast off his arm by the end of summer). There were other things, too, but I think the statue of limitations has expired on most of them.

I still love those guys. We are a little more sedate these days. Somewhat. Maybe.

Word Verification

I know none dem foreign laguages, and my grasp of English is rudimentary at best and often, nonexistent. Hey, ain't no deal as far as I can figger, but the thing is I go to a blog, wanna leave a comment ana before I can, there is this "Word Verification" thingee. Now slow the boat down!!! Those are not words. Not that I recognize, anyways, and excuse me &stuff, I told you my linguistic capabilities have some rather strict limitations. I can only guess what some of those words that I am supposed to verify mean, but I'm gonna try.......

1. donrsf- the office idiot
2. icxem - firing the office idiot
3. mvtdeeds- adding a video to a blog
4. exeinyn- my corporate office is in New York
5. xflwp- I fucked up
6. vuwgyo- directions given to Japanese tourist
7. hsnap- my husband is sleeping
8. dxsiedo- what GWB wears to formal events
9. hgpuhdwp- I have a headache; do it yourself
10. mxlsu- inferior degree from a Southern University
11. knghyxy-a chess move in Romania

So maybe someone can tell me where in Shit -Happens-Idaho these words come from and why in hell I should verify them! Or maybe I have the wrong definition. I'm just Marion's little boy Jimm and I'm rghtyop to understand.

The easily perceptible linear thread through our lives causes a basic misunderstanding when we tend to give the same weight to years, months, and days. The briefest moments can have an explosive power that overwhelms the time around them including what preceded them.

Jim Harrison True North

Some mornings I wake to the feeling that I am fleeing the scene of a crime. I know I am guilty and repentance is not an issue.

But the guilt can't amount to much if it can be easily dispersed by a cup of tea and some toast with cherry jam.

Cheese on a stick

Ok. I checked out Cheese-Ona-Stick. The Carnie lady explained it to me. They take a big chunk of cheddar, put it on a stick, dip in in Corn Dog batter and deep fry it. Yuppers, Cheese-Ona-Stick.

Now if I had had the right amount of beer, it would have been a no-brainer and I woulda bought one of them suckers. But I hadn't. I get a quick glimpse of the bubbling vat of grease that she was gonna deep fry that sucker in and it sure as heck looked like some floating bits of squirrel floating in there and then I getta glance of the heft and girth of the the beauty in the purple tank top who was amourously sticking one of the culinary delights in her gaping maw. Gees, she was a cutie. I mean that there are various body parts sticking out of various places in this tank top that is about three sizes too small and three washes away from being clean. And she has 'Nicole' tatooed over what can only be called a perverse bovine protruberence I suppose to alert the beau of the day/husband what name he should moan during the blessed event and all. He could very well forget, as a blessing, I'm sure. Beats me. Kinda looks like a name tag at a Hooker's convention, "Hi My Name Is Nicole". And she frames this whole persona with dyed jet black-goddamed hair accentuated with really cute streaks of a pukey flourescent blue. And the cutest damn nose ring. And lips that looked like a newly waxed fire engine that could well suck the chrome off an exhaust pipe and she is practically fellating this deep fry cheese thingee.....gees.....

Well I am an intrepid kinda guy and I am still thinking of getting one, just so I can write about it and this could, ya know, be a once in a life time experience, after all, and maybe I should give it a try. Then the wind shifted to the north and washed me and all my olfactories with the essence of diesel fumes from the Carnie rides with a distinct under tone of Porta-Potties greatly in need of servicing on a hot afternoon......AND THEN...

Mr. I-gotta-remember-the-name-Nicole shows up and Shit&Whiskers! Wowsers! Just one look at him and a peek at his Budweiser washed eyes explains why ol Nicole felt the need for the name tag! Gees! And he orders one! And that's it. I'm done. I'm supposed to meet Billy Lang and the boat down by the docks and I remember that Billy likes to go real fast in the boat. Discretion IS the better part of valor.

I wish I could tell you what Cheese-Ona-Stick tastes like. I really do.

Red beans & Rice

It's really too nice to be inside. Mid 80's, a nice breeze, sunny. I'm down to the lake one last time.....The Zydeco music pulls out late this afternoon and I have to catch one last bowl of red beans and rice. (maybe two) Billy Lang and I are heading out on his boat a little later. Time to sunburn the legs. ............. and check out all the cute women on the boats...life can be good.