Link: “idyll”, the Tuesday Picture Prompt at Flashy Fiction

idyll, the Tuesday Picture Prompt for 18 June 2013 is waiting for you at Flashy Fiction.

Slip off your shoes, feel the grass under foot, drift down the stream, and share a story about this idyllic scene.

Write Something!

Music Monday – Papa’s Day

For those who celebrate ‘relative days’, yesterday was Father’s Day.  As such, this Music Monday is father-themed.  Not all of these songs have great things to say about fathers, but not all fathers can be great.  Be thankful if you had a great father.  Strive to be great for your children if you are a father!

Papa Was A Rolling Stone by The Temptations

(released 1972; peaked #1 US Hot 100, #5 US R&B, #14 UK Singles)

Papa was a rollin’ stone.
Wherever he laid his head was his home.

My papa was a rolling stone.  The whole family was as we followed him from post to post around the world.  There are folks who think raising children as Army (and other services) brats is detrimental to their development.  I disagree completely.  I’ve written other posts about it and wouldn’t trade my experiences rolling around the world.

Papa Don’t Preach by Madonna

(released 1986; peaked #1 US, Australia, Canada, Italy & UK , #2 Germany & Switzerland, #3 France, #4 US Dance)

What I need right now is some good advice, please

As the father of two girls, this is one of my biggest fears…childhood pregnancy.  All the “preaching” in the world comes down to our daughters’ decisions and a little luck.  The best line in the song to me, is the one above, where the daughter realizes that as mad as Papa may be, he’s who she needs to talk to.  As mad as we may get at our children, we love them, and have their best interest at heart.

My Father’s Eyes by Eric Clapton

(released 1998; peaked #16 US Hot 100, #18 Austria)

Then the light begins to shine
And I hear those ancient lullabies.
And as I watch this seedling grow,
Feel my heart start to overflow.

Where do I find the words to say?
How do I teach him?
What do we play?
Bit by bit, I’ve realized
That’s when I need them,
That’s when I need my father’s eyes.

There’s no instruction book.  Well, there are many books written on how to raise kids, but none of them are solutions.  Each kid is different and it’s truly a learn-as-you-go endeavor.  Watching our children grow, teaching them, involves observing them and guiding them with what we learned from our fathers (and mothers) as well as what we’ve learned and bring to the table.  We can never have too much wisdom at our disposal when it comes to raising our children.

Leader of the Band by Dan Fogelberg

(released 1981; peaked #1 US and Canada Adult Contemporary, #9 US Hot 100)

I thank you for the music
And your stories of the road
I thank you for the freedom
When it came my time to go
I thank you for the kindness
And the times when you got tough
And, papa, I don’t think I
Said ‘I love you’ near enough

This is just a great song, and this last stanza captures, in a nutshell, my relationship with my dad.  While my father wasn’t a musician, his love of music and the variety he played was a major factor in my love of music.  My musical tastes are wider than his, but it’s because of him that I learned to listen to and appreciate music of different sounds and cultures.  His stories of the road aren’t of a traveling musician, but as a child moving around the world and his perspective on the moving that we did as a family.  The last four lines are pretty self-explanatory.  I love you, dad!  Thanks for all you taught me.  Happy Father’s Day!

Link: “What’s the story, morning glory?”, the Tuesday Picture Prompt at Flashy Fiction

What’s the story, morning glory?, the Tuesday Picture Prompt for 11 June 2013 is waiting for you at Flashy Fiction.

Picture your favorite flower, crank up those creative juices, and share a story about how the flower got its name.

Write Something!

Music Monday – Don’t Look Back

A friend of mine posted a quote today on Facebook that said “Don’t look back.  You’re not going that way.”  The first thing that popped into my head was the Fine Young Cannibals.  So, here we are…songs about not looking back because, as Rafiki says, “It doesn’t matter.  It’s in the past.”

Don’t Look Back by Fine Young Cannibals

(released 1989; peaked #10 Ireland, #10 Canada, #11 US Hot 100 )

Oh, I know these times are bad and it makes you wanna cry

Don’t be sad.
We’ll get by.

Baby
Baby
Don’t look back
It won’t do no good

I liked The Raw and The Cooked.  It had lots of cool songs.  I think I actually like “don’t Look Back” better than “She Drives Me Crazy”.

Don’t Turn Around by Ace of Base

(released 1994; peaked #1 Canada, #4 US Hot 100, #5 UK Singles)

Don’t turn around
‘Cause you’re gonna see my heart breaking
Don’t turn around
I don’t want you seeing me cry
Just walk away
It’s tearing me apart that you’re leaving
I’m letting you go
But I won’t let you know…

A hit for Ace of base, though not as big as “All That She Wants”.

Link: “Strike Up The Band”, the Tuesday Picture Prompt at Flashy Fiction

Strike Up The Band, the Tuesday Picture Prompt for 4 June 2013 is waiting for you at Flashy Fiction.

Grab your instrument, get your groove on, and share a story where music is a major player.

Write Something!

Music Monday – Closing Time

It’s a sad time for many generations of students who walked the halls of Heidelberg High School.  In drawing down the force levels in Germany, the Army relocated the functions of the Heidelberg community.  As such, Heidelberg High School is closing its doors for good.  The large majority of Lions (our mascot) have fond memories and strong bonds with our fellow pride members and are deeply saddened by the cl0sing of our school.  I wrote a post about the unusual bond the we Lions share last year:  The Pride of Lions.

Closing Time by Semisonic

(released 1998; peaked #1 US Alternative, #2 Canadian Alternative, #11 US Hot 100)

Closing time
Time for you to go out to the places you will be from
Closing time
This room won’t be open till your brothers or your sisters come
So gather up your jackets, move it to the exits
I hope you have found a friend
Closing time

Semisonic’s song may not be about the closing of a school, but taken out of context, a lot of the lines can be applied to the closing of our school.

 

…and since we’re talking about my high school closing, I’ll throw in one more.  At my senior prom after party, a couple of classmates sang this song.  It was the theme of our prom and they did a great job!

Always by Atlantic Starr

(released 1987; peaked #1 US Hot 100, #1 US R&B, #1 US Adult Contemporary, #3 UK Singles)

The Pride of Lions

Reblogged from Lorwynd's Thoughts:

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The strength of the pride is in the bonds of its members.

For members of the pride of Lions from Heidelberg High School, the bonds are strong.  Scattered around the world, we find other members and welcome them back into the group, typically through Facebook.  Our pride in our school and bonds with each other extend not only to fellow students and classmates in those grades with whom we may have shared classes, but to those Lions who came before and after us, as well as the faculty and staff of our beloved school.

Read more… 607 more words

The pride of the Lions has not waned, but Uncle Sam has closed the doors to our school forever. For almost 70 years, HHS served the Army, DOD, and the United States by educating the children of its service members and civilians...as well as children of a few other nations who had parents assigned to posts at Heidelberg. Auf Wiedersehen!, HHS!