Know the title? It’s an old Mamas and Papas song. From the 60’s from those who were alive then. ha
Happy Monday to you. Monday quarterbacking here – on a few issues.
Silly to use a football term when it’s the peak of NCAA college basketball! A big shout out to the University of South Carolina Lady Gamecocks for winning the title last night against UConn! It’s nice to have a ‘home team’ to root for – and it’s nice to have the team do so well at the biggest game on a national level for the women. Side note: When the game started I noted that coach Dawn Staley was wearing what looked like a retro letter jacket, in green, black, and white. Not the Carolina garnet and black. I said to my hubby that there must be some significance to it, and perhaps it’s a tribute to something from her playing years. Wrong. I read this morning it was a Louis Vuitton jacket priced at almost $5000. What’s up with that?
Are you rooting for a team in tonight’s big championship game for the mens title? Kansas or UNC? I feel like I need to root for the Carolina team. A different Carolina, but I have connections to it with both daughters and their families living in North Carolina. Kansas looked so good against Villanova though. So, I don’t know. I’m guessing it will be a nail biter, close to the end. Do I want Eric Church to watch his UNC team (by the way he is an App State grad) go all the way? Well, at this point – why not. He already did incredible PR damage.
How would I feel if Tim McGraw cancelled a concert to watch a sporting event? MAD! And – Extremely disappointed. Especially with all I have gone through to get the tickets transferred electronically!! For those who have not read my earlier posts and don’t know, I have had a battle going on with Ticketmaster for months now because I was receiving messages about being a Bot, and was ‘forbidden’ (the word they used on the screen) to go into My Accounts in Ticketmaster. After many calls and long waits on hold, and various efforts through the internet, I resorted to writing a snail mail letter and sent it to Ticketmaster headquarters in Wheeling, WV. I had given up after a few weeks of not hearing back from them, when lo & behold, a representative named Meredith emailed me back. Her first (of many) emails stated she was sorry it took awhile to respond – because the mail is only picked up from the post office a couple of times a month!! Yes, you read that right! Meredith turned out to be my savior though because she did not give up finding out what was wrong and why I could not electronically download the tickets. We even had some phone conversations. Guess what? She went to her boss, and others, and YES – I had been blocked. But, of course nobody knew why. They unblocked me. Meredith gave me a temporary password to get into My Accounts and I was able to get the tickets.
I had asked repeatedly to just print out tickets (you know, like the ‘good ole days’) and send them to me. They would not. Said they could not. Oh, and I had used a ‘third party’ seller which complicated it all. I told Meredith my hubby and I both were on our phones at the same time had gone online at the moment of ticket release to the public to buy them. So, question: How did a third party get early access and already was reselling tickets – for a profit? Guess what? I never got an answer on that either. Surprised? No, me neither.
So, on to happier things: It’s April and my garden is taking off like crazy now! All the perennials are getting taller every day. Spring has sprung – and it’s wonderful! We are having most days with highs in the 70s now. Sorry for my northern friends, and the ones that just got a bit of snow.
Speaking of seasons, I have been saying “to everything there is a season” a lot lately. Many of you know I have been a very active, devoted member of my church since moving here many years ago. I have stuck in there through changes in pastors, through the horrible ‘great divide’ when we voted on the gay marriage issue, and I have watched too many members pass on, or move away. My friend and Music Director then retired and remarried (and I am happy for her). Add in the full year of no in-person worship due to CoVid which was tough for everyone. Now, I sit in the pew and I feel immense sorrow. I can’t help but sit there and think about how it used to be – and who all is gone. I miss hearing and participating in the music there. I am just sad about it all. I feel like this season has ended for me. I’m not sure what to do.
So…
I get joy from other places. I get joy from my hubby and daughters & their families. I get joy from nature. And, yes I definitely get joy from music. Tomorrow evening is the community band spring concert and I look forward to it. If you are local, come on out! It’s free! 7:00pm at the Pawleys Island Community Church.. The theme is “Shall we dance?” All music connected to dancing. I will be tooting my flute. And, I love to dance to music – so Wednesday I will be at that again – come join me at the linedancing class! I’m also ringing handbells in two church handbell groups.
The CMA Festival is getting closer and closer – and that is the ultimate for a country music fan! OVer 4 days – and nights – of many venues in the area playing live music. From small acoustic groups and individuals in the honky tonks, to the river stage, to the big stadium night shows with the big names performing! It’s country music on overload! It’s not for the feint of heart – or those who can’t keep up with the long days and lots of walking.
In May I have the two Tim McGraw concerts. Raleigh and Charlotte. Get ready daughters!! Yee haw!!
Have I asked this before? Probably? Country music people have lots of tattoos. Rock music lovers do also. It seems to be a big thing these days. I am all for free expression AND I am also for freedom with your own body (hear that Congress?). But for the life of me I do not get 1. skulls, 2. dead people, 3. whole sleeves on arms and legs. Sometimes I think people pick something to put on ‘willy nilly’ and it’s there F.O.R.E.V.E.R. Bodies change. And what seemed cool now may be awful later. Right? Tats are not cheap. (And they are often done in shady places by people with no art degree.) So when I see sleeves I hear ka-ching and I wonder how else that money could be spent. That’s just me,
One thing I do know: that spending money on others, and giving time & talent to others, is never wrong. I know the majority of people give back something – and share what they can. There is an internal shift when you give without expecting anything back. When you give because you know someone is just like you, but needs a little something. Making someone else’s life easier or happier comes right back to you. It gives a reason to be. We see examples of it everyday and what we see is the tip of the iceberg.
So – to give is to love. Music is love. There is a lot of love around.
Marla’s Musings 