CLOSE, CLOSER, GONE, BUT STILL IN MY HEART.

I have told my siblings for years,
for years :

Be where you need to be. 

Even if we go through periods of being geographically distant from one another, I would rather have physical distance than emotionally distance. 

The two don't have to be related. Geographic distance with emotional distance. But you gotta fight, ya gotta fight for what's important. A little fight goes a long ways.

Of course there's a certain amount - a lot - that you lose with not seeing someone regularly. But I would rather support people I care about being where they need to be and doing what they need to do, even if it means giving them up, then have them stay geographically close just to stay safe and secure.

But man, man, man oh man it's hard some days.

Some days, some days are just harder than others when you miss someone.

That's circa 1994. Jonny's bigger and buffer and smarter and a whole long ways away now.

But we are still connected.

Forever.

RID OF ME / I'LL STAND BY YOU (P.J. HARVEY, THE PRETENDERS).

I ran across an old mix CD I made a decade ago that featured some intriguing sequencing; not least of which was my possibly enlightened choice to place PJ Harvey's Rid of Me directly next to The Pretenders' Stand by You. Gotta say, pretty killer 1-2 punch. Fierce, fierce, and everything in between. I got a thing for fierce-spirited women; I heart rock and roll. ____ #44music #thepretenders #pjharvey #vancouverwa #motorcycles #chrissiehynde

A photo posted by Joseph Long (@josephivanlong) on Mar 30, 2016 at 8:23am PDT

PJ Harvey
Rid of Me
Rid of Me
2001



the Pretenders
I'll Stand By You
Last of the Independents
1994



ALSO, PATIENCE IS...

...taking two months to finish the last five episodes of the final season of Breaking Bad.

Shhh!

RIP CITY VIOLET.

I miss the days when I would wrestle with the children and my wife would be concerned for their safety, as I strategically used my high percentage of muscle fat to gently pin them to the ground until they surrendered and acknowledged my superiority:

"Careful with the kids, Josie!"

Now, it is them she gives the admonishment to, as I am piledrived by at least eight knees and elbows flying at my face from nine feet in the air:

"Careful, kids - he's fragile!"

Which is not entirely true or untrue.

Another thing I miss is seeing the Blazers win. If they can take the intensity with which my children annihilate my body into submission and direct it at the Spurs, then tonight should not be a problem. Victory is assured. Also, my wife has been playing basketball with the children all afternoon, and thus I was excited to join in when I returned.

I was greeted by my wife:

"I am VERY good at basketball,"

as she flippantly tossed the ball toward the hoop six feet away, where she pulled off the stunning feat of missing by approximately seven meters.

I disagreed publicly with this statement, and was assaulted with shouts of: "Mama's a way better basketball player than you, so we're not going to play with you!"

Which made me long for the days when I was better than her at basketball, and better than them at everything. Let's go back to last week, please.

Go Portland.

Also, if they really want to win, they need to be cranking Hole's "Violet" from 1994 in the locker room, which was also a good year.

Hole
Violet
Live Through This
1994

FROM THERE TO HERE AND THEN TO NOW, AND NOW THERE ARE ELVES.

I pressed Go and Luna's This Time Around rolled out of our speakers. Immediately I was transported back to 2002's Southern California freeway soundtrack with Becca. Jammed up with six miles of automobiles between us and our exit, motorcycles whizzing between lanes. But who cares, with good music and good conversation and maybe an Americano in the beverage slot.

Turn it up!

My wife bossed me around as she whipped up a breakfast smoothie for a table full of little elves. So I cranked it up, and the pajama-clad crew rolled their eyes as the morning sun illuminated their AWESOME (oh yes, we are awesome) parents dancing to Manic Street Preachers rendition of 'You're Just too Good to be True.' Incidentally, also the song we skipped down the aisle to a decade-and-change ago. MSP left a little of their arena bombast behind for their sweet, vaguely edgy version.

Then: the next track rolled around on a 2011 playlist I had assembled and - this is the part I love - my daughter came running up with grin.

"Daddy, I know who this is!"

You do?
I said.

"It's Jason Lytle!"

Wow.
I said.
No...but that is an excellent guess, and Jason Lytle is one of the greatest American musicians of the last quarter century, so that is so cool that you thought of him!

Countess Becca chimed in - and before I say more, you must know that she has an uncanny ear for melody, and for readily identifying the menagerie of music I spin and try to stump her with. "Is it...Snow Patrol?"

Nope.
I said.
Nada Surf.
____

Why am I writing this? Because every day is better with good music in it.

And sometimes it helps to enjoy the Now by reminiscing about the Then.

Happy Dienstag, world.

ONE OF THESE IS THE GREATEST SONG EVER, BUT I CANNOT REMEMBER WHICH.
Luna

This Time Around

Bewitched

1994

Manic Street Preachers 
You're Just too Good to be True
Lipstick Traces: A Secret History of Manic Street Preachers
2003

Nada Surf
Inside of Love
Let Go
2002