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Post by booklady on May 12, 2007 14:17:40 GMT -5
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Post by brutus on May 12, 2007 14:42:49 GMT -5
Why not?? ~B~
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Post by Gracie on Oct 23, 2019 17:21:33 GMT -5
Trusty, you've killed your own thread. No one could top that. Well, I might be able to myself. Did I ever post, here or on the CBox, when I was working in the yard and upset the nest of yellow jackets? Maybe I was going to, but forgot. Anyway, it was the ultimate religious experience. It was a hot summer Sunday, and our pastor had preached that morning about "taking authority" over circumstances - like the Bible says about us being created to have authority over all the beasts of the field, etc. That afternoon, I was working outside, and I was kind of sweaty. I moved my wheelbarrow over a small mound next to my house and heard this "ZZZZZZZZMMM". Then I felt something that I PRAY no one EVER experiences in their life. Nothing much really - I just pray that none of you ever have a swarm of angry yellow jackets fly up your shorts. You see, I started feeling something moving "down there" that I knew was not really - uh - invited. I instinctively reached down and then - "OW! OW! SH*T! WHAT THE --- JESUS!" I really don't know how hard it is to get a picture of a middle-aged guy running across the back yard - in severe pain - with his pants pulled down to his knees (so he can only run from his knees down like an uncontrolled "hopping") - trying to "swat" the unwelcome bugs that are hanging on by their stingers at the same time, but not "swat" too hard for obvious reasons - yelling words not normally used while trying to "take authority" over the little bastards that had already done their dirty deeds. I finally got them off of me and made my way inside the basement. I was hurting; GOD, I was hurting. I yelled to my wife upstairs, "Beverly! Help me!" "What's wrong?" "I ... uh ... got STUNG!" "Oh. Well, put some Sea Breeze on it, and I'll take a look at it when I come down." I was so out of it, I didn't know what to do, so I did what she said. Now, Sea Breeze is one of the strongest astringents you can get. I mean, if you want your face really cleaned of makeup or even pimples dried up, you can't beat it. The label on the bottle says, "... its refreshing tingle tells you your skin is being deep cleaned." I didn't read the label - just took a cotton ball and swabbed it all over the "affected area". "Deep Cleaned"? Deep? DAMN! Holy Crap! WHOAAAAA!!!! This was worse than the yellow jackets! I mean I felt like Jerry Lee Lewis - "Goodness Gracious ................................." Beverly tried to act serious when she was checking me out, but I've never been able to get the smile off her face. I mean - there are sometimes we will we get intimate, and the least little thought..... Oh, well, I guess I have to look at my "religious experience" as building character and making me stronger - in that area. Yes. I actually went in search of this, having been stung twice in the last two weeks. Now, I realize there are some um, structural differences, but there are some areas just not meant to be treated that way. I will say, though, that because I had laughed SO much at Trusty's storytelling when I first read this (and several times afterward) I knew not to use Sea Breeze. Well, I wouldn't have anyway because he wasn't kidding, THAT STUFF STINGS WHEREVER YOU PUT IT. I did the ol' meat tenderizer trick and it helped but I still did a heck of a lot of scratching and creative cursing. I miss him. I read every post on these two pages (and I see I weighed in once before) and laughed so hard my puppies are still looking at me quizzically.
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Post by slb2 on Oct 28, 2019 21:51:42 GMT -5
That story of Trusty's is GK-worthy. He could totally use that material.
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Post by booklady on May 12, 2021 8:27:50 GMT -5
Billy Preston singing "My Sweet Lord" at the 2002 Concert for George is a transporting religious experience for me. Sometimes I play it five or six times in a row when I'm in my car. It's just so full of joy. Here's another: Billy has finally been inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I'm so happy about this. www.rockhall.com/story-billy-preston
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Post by slb2 on May 12, 2021 14:43:45 GMT -5
Trusty, you've killed your own thread. No one could top that. Well, I might be able to myself. Did I ever post, here or on the CBox, when I was working in the yard and upset the nest of yellow jackets? Maybe I was going to, but forgot. Anyway, it was the ultimate religious experience. It was a hot summer Sunday, and our pastor had preached that morning about "taking authority" over circumstances - like the Bible says about us being created to have authority over all the beasts of the field, etc. That afternoon, I was working outside, and I was kind of sweaty. I moved my wheelbarrow over a small mound next to my house and heard this "ZZZZZZZZMMM". Then I felt something that I PRAY no one EVER experiences in their life. Nothing much really - I just pray that none of you ever have a swarm of angry yellow jackets fly up your shorts. You see, I started feeling something moving "down there" that I knew was not really - uh - invited. I instinctively reached down and then - "OW! OW! SH*T! WHAT THE --- JESUS!" I really don't know how hard it is to get a picture of a middle-aged guy running across the back yard - in severe pain - with his pants pulled down to his knees (so he can only run from his knees down like an uncontrolled "hopping") - trying to "swat" the unwelcome bugs that are hanging on by their stingers at the same time, but not "swat" too hard for obvious reasons - yelling words not normally used while trying to "take authority" over the little bastards that had already done their dirty deeds. I finally got them off of me and made my way inside the basement. I was hurting; GOD, I was hurting. I yelled to my wife upstairs, "Beverly! Help me!" "What's wrong?" "I ... uh ... got STUNG!" "Oh. Well, put some Sea Breeze on it, and I'll take a look at it when I come down." I was so out of it, I didn't know what to do, so I did what she said. Now, Sea Breeze is one of the strongest astringents you can get. I mean, if you want your face really cleaned of makeup or even pimples dried up, you can't beat it. The label on the bottle says, "... its refreshing tingle tells you your skin is being deep cleaned." I didn't read the label - just took a cotton ball and swabbed it all over the "affected area". "Deep Cleaned"? Deep? DAMN! Holy Crap! WHOAAAAA!!!! This was worse than the yellow jackets! I mean I felt like Jerry Lee Lewis - "Goodness Gracious ................................." Beverly tried to act serious when she was checking me out, but I've never been able to get the smile off her face. I mean - there are sometimes we will we get intimate, and the least little thought..... Oh, well, I guess I have to look at my "religious experience" as building character and making me stronger - in that area. This is a great story, still.
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Post by slb2 on May 12, 2021 14:56:23 GMT -5
Bookie, I haven't listened much to Billy Preston, but I will now.
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Post by booklady on May 15, 2021 12:27:08 GMT -5
I did not listen to much of Billy's music, either. Much like with Dylan, I knew about him and heard his songs played on the radio (for Billy, way back in the 70s, largely), but didn't go out of my way to purchase or study his music. I always loved "With You I'm Born Again," his duet with Syreeta Wright. But his organ music is a little too much for me -- it's not really my cup of tea.
But yes, much like with Dylan, he suddenly burst upon my consciousness one evening a few years ago when the local PBS station was airing the "Concert for George" during a pledge drive campaign. I was doing the dishes, listening/watching the concert. I heard "Isn't It a Pity" being performed and, at the end of the song, Eric Clapton call out, "Billy Preston!"
"Billy Preston!" I thought. "What's he doing at a concert of George Harrison music?"
A few songs later, Billy sang "My Sweet Lord," and I honestly was overcome by the joy of it. When you watch it, everyone on stage and everyone in the audience seems transported, too. I have played it over and over again almost daily for more than four years and I NEVER tire of it.
After watching that Concert on PBS, I purchased the DVD/CD combo pack. I started reading about Billy and his life, and learned of his contributions to Beatles music. I also purchased and read Eric Clapton's autobiography, two biographies of George Harrison, and a book about George's spiritual and musical "journey." It was honestly fascinating and very moving to learn about these men as human beings, not just performers. I had known lots of things "about" them -- I was a huge Beatles fan in my youth (I saw them in concert in San Francisco in 1964, when I was 12, and still have the ticket stub), I of course knew about George's spirituality and I knew "My Sweet Lord" very well (though, in my Baptist days, I disapproved of the Hare Krishna chanting; my spiritual world view has enlarge considerably in the last 20 years).
Clapton's autobiography is terrific, highly recommended; he is a remarkable man, very deep, has suffered much (as Billy did), led a fascinating life, and also has a spiritual side. His account of his addictions, his attempts at sobriety, his eventual success at beating alcoholism, is honest and unsparing. There is a lot of alcoholism in my family. One of my nephews was in its throes for years. After I read Clapton's book, and all he overcame, I purchased a second copy and sent it to my nephew with a long letter detailing my own dependence, and breaking that dependence. My nephew read the book, and he's been sober now several years. I believe Clapton's story had a small hand in his sobriety.
This is a short version of why Billy Preston singing "My Sweet Lord" is a religious experience for me. When you learn about Billy's life, it becomes clear that he literally gave his life for his music, beginning at a young age, and suffered much pain and loneliness behind the mask of exhilarating performance (watch him in clips of The Concert for Bangladesh). Wow, not a perfect man by a long shot, but an admitted Christian all his life. I don't know how to explain it. He's just an inspiration to me -- a saint. Not perfect -- just a man who endured much and never lost his faith. I am so, so happy he is being inducted into the RRHOF. About time.
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Post by booklady on May 15, 2021 13:18:09 GMT -5
Put up with the ad at the beginning. It's worth it.
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Post by slb2 on May 17, 2021 2:50:32 GMT -5
You ARE a writer, booklady. What a moving review of some musicians and their lives you've given us. I am not up to a similar post, but have read so much about Dan Fogelberg and some about John Denver, I listen to their music with a degree of obsession. I want to learn more about Dolly Parton. I think she's got an amazing story. And the Carter Family. Well, it just doesn't end, does it? Music is the spice of life.
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Post by booklady on May 17, 2021 9:05:30 GMT -5
I'm going to learn about Dan Fogelberg and John Denver! Music doesn't come from nowhere. It's inspiring to learn how musicians turned their lives into art.
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Post by booklady on May 17, 2021 9:22:43 GMT -5
You ARE a writer, booklady. What a moving review of some musicians and their lives you've given us. I am not up to a similar post, but have read so much about Dan Fogelberg and some about John Denver, I listen to their music with a degree of obsession. I want to learn more about Dolly Parton. I think she's got an amazing story. And the Carter Family. Well, it just doesn't end, does it? Music is the spice of life. P.S. Thank you for the compliment.
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Post by gailkate on May 17, 2021 19:35:56 GMT -5
THANK YOU for that link. THANK YOU! And again, THANK YOU!
I'm beyond gobsmacked. Of course, I'll have to get the DVD and have already started picking CDs on Amazon. This might actually prompt me to play some music again, so maybe it's a religious experience for me too.
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Post by BoatBabe on May 17, 2021 20:33:36 GMT -5
I've never seen this thread. Great stories, and thanks for the bump, Kiddos!
Look at that: It's the first time I've used the word "great" in, oh, about 5 years. Heheheh . . . It must be a Holy $h*t religious experience.
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Post by doctork on May 19, 2021 15:01:25 GMT -5
^^^What she said. I've been a Billy Preston fan since I first saw him when I was in college.
The politics of who gets inducted into the RnR HOF seem weird. There are some in there who I just think "Huh?" And others who aren't that make me think "What is taking fo long?"
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Post by booklady on May 19, 2021 18:10:14 GMT -5
I've written them letters in recent years, howling about those who got in, and yet leaving Billy out. Janet Jackson was one of the most egregious. Give me a flippin' break. Now, they are undoubtedly saying, whew, now we won't have to hear from that crazy lady in Massachusetts anymore.
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Post by booklady on Jul 22, 2021 8:12:39 GMT -5
I don't know where to put this, but want to recommend that everyone read it. It's amazing, touching, heartfelt, honest writing. The author is not necessarily "religious," though he has an "affiliation," but approaching the end of life clear-eyed and humble definitely has some "religion" in it, to my way of thinking. You should be able to access this article even if you do not have a Globe subscription, unless you've already read one of their articles in the past month. They give you one for free each month. www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/21/magazine/i-just-learned-i-only-have-months-live-this-is-what-i-want-say/?p1=HP_Feed_ContentQuery
The comments are worth a look, too.
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