Monday, March 31

Enjoying the Journey

While we were in Ireland last week (did I mention I was in Ireland?) we took the kids to a mall to do some shopping for souvenirs and the like. They each had money burning a hole in their respective pockets and a deep desire to bring something home to remember the trip by.

So, a mall.

Dividing to conquer, the big kids took off to search and spend while Andrew, Don and I wandered the mall together. Okay, really, we manhandled this ridiculously awkward car-cart which we rented to make the transportation of he-with-little-legs more manageable as we navigated the shops, but certainly meandered all the same.

As part of the bribery inspired motivational learning parenting we do, Andrew was in search of a "prize" which was being rewarded for having tried scrambled eggs for breakfast (trust me, this is a VERY big deal). His search led him to the video shop, which in turn led him to finding not one, but two DVD's of his latest children's show obsession: FIREMAN SAM. (don't ask, I won't tell)

Upon approach to the counter, Don and I were distracted by not one but two impulse purchases. The first being a CD of Irish ballads (Emma queried later: "So, are they all about beer?") and the second being, wait for it, a discovery of throw-back memories-- of the make you feel 17 years old again, arms wrapped around your deep crush at the prom, memorizing lyrics by heart kind-- in a JOURNEY'S GREATEST HITS CD. Because, really, what's not to bring back some sweet, sweet memories if not a vision of this:

And being able to belt out (without mistake) every word to the quintessential love-me-as-I-am-my-heart-bleeds-for-you ballad of the 80's while driving the roads of Ireland?

Lying beside you, here in the dark
Feeling your heart beat with mine
Softly you whisper, you're so sincere
How could our live be so blind?
We sailed on together
We drifted apart
And here you are by my side

So now I come to you, with open arms
Nothing to hide, believe what I say
So here I am with open arms
Hoping you'll see what your love means to me
Open arms.

That, friends? Is an impulse worth following.

*****************************************

SMID's Music Monday

Belt it out with us. Come on, you know you want to.

16 comments:

  1. Ahhhh, Journey. Who doesn't love Journey.

    happy Monday

    ReplyDelete
  2. Okay, now I'm singing it in my cube. Nothing like Journey to bring back that time period. Bad hair and all.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love Journey...and Love Open Arms...and now I'm singing it in my head! Happy MM!

    ReplyDelete
  4. OK, I won't say that I'm immune to Journey. I also won't say that the last three CDs I bought were "Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits", "Jimi Hendrix's Greatest Hits" and "Heart's Greatest Hits".

    ReplyDelete
  5. jami-
    And I won't say that I adore you all the more, with each passing confession. But I do.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love you too, you know. Save a little adoration for my kids. My 12-year-old son is a Hendrix fan, my 6-year-old daughter loves Dylan and they both know all the words to about half of Heart's songs. Although my daughter is also a Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus fan, so maybe her love of Bob Dylan and Heart is an aberration.

    ReplyDelete
  7. My eldest and his father had a discussion the other day over "I shot the sherriff" and whose version came first (the chicken or the egg kind of thing, I think) Clapton's or Marley's. That Ian could identify both artists was an amazing point of pride for these old fogie parents. Seriously, couldn't be prouder. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I was just singing a Journey song this morning, driving the kids to school. Great minds, Jenn.

    ReplyDelete
  9. You can't go wrong with Journey. We actually have three, yes three, copies of that cd sitting around our house: Dave's, my mom's and mine. We'd each bought it for ourselves before we all moved in together.

    Best Journey-related Julia quote (said to her piano teacher): After Twinkle Twinkle, will you teach me to play Don't Stop Believin? It's a piano song.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm also not immune to the charms of Journey... and just picked this very album up off iTunes a couple of weeks ago.

    In fact, I'm more than likely going to a Journey (with a new, Steve Perry-sound-alike lead singer)/Heart/Cheap Trick concert later this summer. And I'm proud to admit that. Kinda ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Don't know them...must be something for older people ;)

    ReplyDelete
  12. That is very funny. Right about the time you posted this I was confessing to a friend that my six year old has become a hardcore Journey fan. He's had "Separate Ways" on repeat for days now. it's too bad he's too young to play with a cigarette lighter because that would be the perfect gift to top it all off... :-)

    (So you see, Ellen, one is never too young to love Journey. They never made it big in Europe for some reason. M had never heard of them either.)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Bringin' back memories of slow dances past...love it.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love some good Journey songs. oh the memories.

    I also love Heart, and Chicago.

    High School homecoming, last song, At This Moment by Billy Vera and the Beaters.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow that brings back the memories.

    ReplyDelete