Facebook Game

       Like most people, I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook.  I hate the lack of security, but I agreed to that.  If I'm going to be on the internet, a high-speed highway for information, I'd better understand what I'm getting into, and I do love the ease of reaching a wide audience.  I hate when it sucks too much of my time, but I get to choose what I spend my time on and, because it's so addictive, I've had to learn to manage my time better.  That's been a huge gift.  I love being in contact with a lot of my community, however, I hate the distance Facebook fosters, too.  When I say distance, I'm talking about the reduced effort on all of our parts to maintain our connections.  We've gotten lazy.  We don't bother to pick up the phone and call a friend to make plans or see how they've been.  We get regular updates.  We can create events on Facebook with no need to extend a personal invitation to friends or family.  It's a disturbing reality to me.  The only voices I hear anymore are the people I encounter in a day.  Although I do get phone calls from my kids, grand-kids and an old friend who lives a long distance away.  We message each other and even have a new written slang complete with emojis.  :-)
      Now that I've gotten that off my chest, I also love some of the games.  Not the quizzes, though they are definitely interesting, but the games that people start.  Some of them are not that appealing, but once in a while, one will grab me.  Currently, I'm posting 10 albums, one a day and tagging someone each day to play along.  I know, I know.  It's a waste of time.  But, is it?  It's gotten me thinking about music that I don't always think about.  The game rules say there is no need to explain.  I find myself wanting to say something about why I picked each one, what was their significance?  Do I cover any of the songs on the albums?  Do I want to?  Did they help me through a rough patch?  Do I still listen to them?  I'm on day 7 of this game and find myself wanting to just keep posting without tagging anyone.  It's been really inspirational and fun.  So, I'm going to share them with you here as a blog series.  Feel free to comment and tell me what albums you would choose.

Day 1:  Tarkio Road - Brewer & Shipley
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        I was given this album by my dad before it was released.  He was the editor-in-chief for our local newspaper and often brought home music, books or other things sent for review.  He was a staunch Conservative Republican and huge supporter of Richard Nixon.  One of his prized possessions was a photo of him shaking hands with then president Nixon.  Imagine my surprise when I started listening to this album.  My mom and dad, disdainful of the rock & roll of the day, probably never listened to the lyrics in "One Toke​ Over the Line" or maybe weren't as familiar with the term "toke" as I was.  They certainly didn't listen to the lyrics in "Oh, Mommy."  They would ahve been appalled!

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Oh mommy
I ain't no commie
I'm just doing what I can to live the good all American...Way
It says right there in the constitution
It's really A ok to have a revolution
When the leaders that you choose
Really don't fit the shoes

Oh mister
I ain't no sister
I believe in the bill of rights come on don't you start a fight...Please
I like to wear my hair long
How can there be anything wrong
When you already 'cused me twice
Of looking like Jesus Christ Hallelujah

I'm only gettin' tired of playing Punch and Judy
I'm really half a mind to go and do my duty
Like Mr. Patrick Henry said
I got to be free or dead

Mr. Nixon
I ain't a fixin'
To speak Spanish on a plane or polish off the liberty...Bell
I just want to sit here on the shelf
And watch you finish off the place by yourself
Please let me do what I wanna
I'll just lay around the house and smoke Marijuana oohoo

It says right there in the constitution
It's really A ok to have a revolution
When the leader that you made
Just don't make the grade
Oh mommy
I ain't no commie
But I hate to bust your bubble cause there's gonna be some trouble...Soon
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       That song said it all to me.  I was already climbing over onto the left side of the fence, and this song and others nailed it.  I felt like I getting away with something important ... a covert musical operation within my ultra-conservative home.  I wore this album out and bought one or two more over the course of my life.  Then, my dad gave me another copy when I got an 8-track player component for my stereo.  He's probably turning over in his grave now.  Thanks, Dad.