I wrote this blog post like a "Wrecking Ball...or Rainbow..."

I would like to first respond to the last blog entitled, “My Friend Mason.” I just recently finished my typical 12 to 14 hour work day which generally starts about 5am when I get up to find a new life lesson to post on my bus, yes I’m still doing that which I mentioned I was going to do several blogs ago…what can I say, I’m a man of my word! After trying to spread life lessons to tomorrow’s leaders, I hop back in my car and head over to my second job to landscape, drive truck, cut trees, plow snow, change oil or drain the rear ends of machines…and just a bunch or random work. Generally when I get home I have laundry, garbage, driveways to shovel, dogs to play with, cats to take care of, and beer/whiskey/wine to drink. So needless to say, my life has been plenty busy…but one of the things I’ve always truly wanted to do, a passion in my life, is to one day be a writer. So I read a ton, and I write very crappy blog posts so that I can get some practice and some day leave something behind that may make the world a better place…obviously my blogs about how much I drink and club may not be that, but it’s the practice that counts…and how many writers weren’t addicts of one sort or another?!

We always tried to talk my mom into writing a book about how she and my dad started our family business or just about anything at all, and I believe she really wanted to but never got the chance to because life got too busy and in the end, as with all of us, it was too short. If she were alive today, she would love this blog, she probably would have even written with us, and more than likely would have had more than one story about how she and I maybe had too much wine together and had to take naps at the kitchen table, or as in one Thanksgiving we spent together, how my dad had to carry her to bed! She was a character, and when I think about what I’d like to do with my spare time, more than anything it would to make her proud…I’d like to think that how I live my life, drunk or not, she’d be proud…but enough about how my friend Sadam…sorry, it just works…needs to realize how awesome this blog could be! Our topic is music…and so here it goes:

Why music? I guess I should say, why has it taken us this long to take on this subject?! Music is everything art should be. It moves us, can help us to relive moments in our lives and can connect us to our best friends, loved ones, and complete strangers. How many times have you been listening to the radio, a CD, or any music through any medium and have been transported back to a memory of something you did in the past? There may be memories of fantastic times with amazing friends/loved ones, and there may be songs that make you feel miserable because it instantly reminds you of a bad time in your life, and sometimes you just want to shut of the song, or maybe scream it at the top of your lungs and cry your lungs out. Music moves people, there is absolutely no doubt about it. If you spend your time in your car listening to public radio…fuck you. I get my news strictly from Ron Burgundy and he only makes a movie once every 8 years or so…

My buddy Mike and I were discussing this blog topic just last night and we started talking about Walkman, and Portable CD players with skip protection and some how we got on the topic of Ace of Base. I shouldn’t say, somehow, they’re one of the greatest bands of all time and their album “The Sign,” may have been one of the greatest albums of all time. I remember listening to one side on my Walkman, then flipping the tape over and listening to the other side…then repeating. It may have been the only tape I listened to enough times to actually burn out the tape. God, how I wish I was kidding…I swear I’m cooler in real life than I come across in this blog…

But AoB was da bomb. You just can’t argue with that logic.

As I’m writing this blog I’m currently drinking a nice glass of Bogle Cab. and it is amazing. I am also listening to a little Bob Dylan who always reminds me of two things, my brother-in-law Joe because he shares his hometown with one of the most amazing songwriters of our time, and my mom and brother and I watching the film, “No Direction Home,” about Dylan. Shortly before she passed away we watched the film together and its definitely one of those movies that really gives you a completely different perspective on a person…and his music transports me back to that time. I also had the pleasure of seeing him in concert…I’m not positive he wasn’t dead up the stage there, but he still sounded amazing!

Now here’s another amazing thing about music. I think we start loving it in the womb and don’t stop until we’re dead…maybe it’s even after that. Many of you know that I drive school bus, and every now and then, I allow the kids on my bus to dance in their seats (while seated) and I’m always open to them belting out songs at the top of their lungs and I even occasionally call upon them to play their band instruments for the bus…we have a pretty awesome bus, and I have some pretty awesome kids that ride it…but I subbed last year and got to know pretty much all the kids that ride the bus in Red Lake Falls, and I can safely say that they’re all pretty awesome. Anyone that tells you different just doesn’t have the patience to realize that sometimes kids just need to be kids.

But anyway, back to my bus…we recently switched up my afternoon route and one of the kindergartner kids on my bus wanted to create a list for herself so that she knew when everybody got off. She would ask me who got off, in order, and then I would spell out the last name for her…after about an hour of this exercise I believe she was able to correctly get four names onto her sheet. This same little girl, then proceeded to sing every word of the next three songs that came on the radio. Word-for-word. Music promotes memory, and definitely, without a doubt helps kids to learn. Also, it makes me love my kids even more when the Miley Cyrus song, “Wrecking Ball” comes on, because I told them all that I always thought she was saying, “Rainbow” and so now they all scream that out when that part comes on. I have awesome kids on my bus, the parents around Red Lake Falls have awesome kids all the time, and I’m awfully glad that music is obviously a big part of their lives.

I never learned to play an instrument, and that will always be one of my biggest regrets…until I finally figure out how to play one! I have a piano and guitar and I would love to learn how to play one before I no longer have the ability. You’re never too old to learn anything, and at 30, I still feel like a pup…maybe its all the wine!

If you ask me what my favorite music is, I wouldn’t be able to give you a definitive answer. It’s kind of like books for me, I really do enjoy just taking everything I can in and there are so many different types that just fit the different situations, even the stuff I’m not crazy about (country) definitely stirs some memories in me and I would still say Zac Brown Band is one of my favorites…not necessarily for all of their music, but every time I hear one of their songs, I have nothing but good memories come to mind. My favorite bands may be; The Foo Fighters, The Killers, and Jack Johnson, but these bands probably aren’t responsible for my favorite songs of all time, they just put together the most music that I enjoy. Again, the power of music!

Well, I’m onto my third glass of wine, and probably should fold some laundry…busy, busy, busy! But, remember to listen to a little music everyday. If you can play, then play. Everyone can sing, and I strongly suggest you do so…it’s hard to stay upset or be in a bad mood while you’re shouting out the wrong lyrics to yet another terrible Miley Cyrus song!