I'll remember you

Winter’s day in north Mississippi, early 1935,

came two boys but only one was to be

poor but well loved and nurtured.

he carried an amazing voice, a rare gift,

in the church choir he would sing

the glory of the Lord.

With that passion of song and inflection of emotion

he would change music

and deeply touch us all.

America was hurting, the lines were white and black

and the white young man sang the black man’s blues

from Texas to Georgia, he travelled through towns of all sizes

girls would swarm, boys, with eyes wide open, would dream

of what they, too, could be

like that poor boy from Tupelo with the golden voice..

And the world fell in love

with a gritty but velvet young man

with southern politeness spiked with raw sensuality.
An angel with a pompadour of black hair and
a snarling upper lip that crescendos into the killer smile.

A man to become King.

Decades have passed since the King left this world

but he has never lost his crown.

The legend of rock-n-roll music still rules.

From almost every country in the world, men dress like

the king to play homage to old and new fans

as everyone sings the words they’ll always know.

And his loyal fans still pilgrimage to Memphis

to absorb the atmosphere of the famous jungle room

and to look up that white carpeted staircase

envisioning him walking down to greet his guests.

They walk through the buildings and along the grounds because

his belongings are the only connection to the physical man.

And behind the house, they lay tearful eyes on the spot

where his body lays in eternal slumber.
A king who still rules, with grace, his musical kingdom.

http://youtu.be/Zf-fORxQvW0

Gone but not forgotten

I miss the sound of a percolator
and watching the black liquid jump into the crystal top.
Most of all, I miss dunking plain cake donuts into that cooled down coffee with my grandma.

I miss the smell of baking bread in the house
and time moving so slow, bitterly slow, waiting for it to set and cool.
So rewarded while watching the butter melt over the top before savoring the taste.

And the sound of a rotary phone blaring throughout the house
running to answer because there's no voicemail
but when you press the receiver to you ear in excitement...disappointment.
Mom, it's for you!

I miss feeling the static emitting from an old television console then touching your nose. Zap!
The sound of click click click, turning the TV dial from number to number. 2...4...7...9..
ugh! every channel is the President talking about boring stuff.
I guess I'll read a book or listen to a record.

I miss those summer mornings running, full speed, from the kitchen table to the bicycle.
I'll be home later mom. And you did come back in time for your next meal.
And the kids would all gather at a favorite park or friend's house.
Eating 5 cent candies from the drug store
and enjoying the refreshing taste of very cold hose water.

Going to the drive-in and sitting in the middle of the front bench seat.
Right between mom and dad. Getting up for the umpteenth time
to use the bathroom. An excuse to mill around the cars or
hang by the concession stand drooling for some popcorn or Jordan Almonds.
Not needing the very poorly hidden subliminal messages during the movie break.

I miss number 2 pencils and standing in line at the pencil sharpener giggling.
And recess...flipping and twirling on the monkey bars or bashing the tether ball.
And when it would rain or snow, going into the gym and to find the parachute set up,
complete with spotlight creating shadows of goofy, spastic children as they danced behind it.
Or dancing the Virginia Reel fearful of which member of the opposite sex you would reel with.
I don't miss that past me who would toss school papers out along the sidewalks
while walking home on the last day of school.

Vinyl records you were so careful not to scratch.
Barbie dolls whose hair got cut and faces were marked by permanent pens.
And pennies that could buy you a piece of gum
and horse fields in city centers that eventually disappear in lieu of houses and progress.
Paper masks on Halloween with heavy winter coats covering the outfit that let everyone know exactly who you were suppose to be. And swimming in the creeks or tubing on semi-truck tubes.
I miss these all but am so blessed to have tasted those sweet days.

And every generation will have bittersweet memories that the eras will shape
but, regardless of decade and diversion, will have the same longing and love
for those special times that eventually become a soft nod and a wistful smile.

Eat this, no eat that!!

About 2 years ago, I started to really regulate what I ate. Organic food was my first choice as well as local farm goods but I was also very interested in non-GMO foods. Any company that carried the No-GMO label was always my first choice as well as companies out of Colorado. I also started buying top-shelf vitamins from highly rated companies. I felt better, had more energy and lost some unwanted pounds.
I have ran the gammet fully and now have a more sage opinion of healthy food than I did 2 years ago. I learned that most of these bloggers and healthly lifestyle sources are ignorant frauds. This is how I came to this understanding. When I started my health kick, I joined many Facebook pages that centered on organic eating, nutritional advice and environmental/social impact. I would read each article like some people read the bible and would finish each reading with an intent to mimic the advice in order to reap the health rewards. I was a sheep. I ate spinach every day for months whether in a salad or in a green drink. After spinich was out, Kale was the new thing that would make you run fast and jump high. Again, I consumed large quantities of kale breakfast and lunch. Then there was go vegan but then they changed their mind and told us to go paleo. Now Paleo is out and I really don't care what is in.
I read about the superfoods and the must have antioxidants and I systematically ate them all. Avocados, blueberries, broccolli, ginger, flax, chia, quinoa, honey, almond butter, teas...you name it, I consumed it in my quest for youth and health. I will admit I loved it all. The only thing I ever ate that I disliked (I actually spit it out and scrubbed by tongue to the point of bleeding) was when I ate these seaweed snacks. Salty, nasty and shocking because I am sure their marking dept did taste trials with this crap. If you say you like them, you lie!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The reason for my distrust of these health sites and food blogs is because their information is redundant and spreads like a forest fire. Very superfiicial. If today the European Health Council's latest study finds that red peppers are way more healthy than the green, yellow and orange ones, you'll find varying but similar reaccounts of this information on every organic, nutrition and vegan website on the planet and there will be not one new idea about the subject. It's rehash and repeat the latest fads. No original thoughts.
I'm going to give you my advice: keep fast food to a serious minimum as well as processed food. Learn to or continue to cook your own meals. It saves money and doesn't have the junk that processed food has and it is cheaper than eating out. Limit your soda, sugar and salt intake. Read labels for sugar and salt and, if you do, you'll be shocked and a little disgusted by the gram counts. Drink lots of water, eat a meal with your family and enjoy what you eat during and afterwards (no indigestion!!)
Enjoy!!