Dancing for Miles and Miles

My hero, Oprah, is on a campaign to stop people from texting and using a cell phone while driving.  I have yet to figure out how the bluetooth works in my five-year-old car and I only know how to text one person, my friend Shawn.  Use of technology while driving isn't going to be a hard habit for me to break.  I'm hoping that Oprah won't get any more ideas for safe driving that would be more difficult for me to comply with.

Living in Eastern Oregon we're used to wide open spaces and nearly empty highways.  I grew up in Southern California and learned to drive in grid-lock.  I know how to dart in and out of traffic.  In Eastern Oregon  we do a lot of driving on long straight nearly empty highways.  It can be tricky in the winter when we have ice and snow, but most months we're driving in a straight line at speeds never seen in Southern California.

Today I drove north to Tri-Cities, Washington to do some shopping.  I was listening to NPR and found myself singing along with a snappy gospel song.  I'm not a regular church goer and gospel is not my usual musical genre, but it was a catchy tune and I couldn't resist.  I flipped the channel to a classic rock station and listened to "Beat It."  I couldn't help myself...I was singing and car dancing.  When they played Neil Young's "Rockin in the Free World,"  I turned the radio way up and sang along. I love those long stretches of open highway, good tunes, and no audience,

I hope Oprah doesn't get anymore safe driving ideas.  There's no way I want to give up car dancing and belting out show tunes.  I'm grateful for music.  Life is good.

Dancing Into Retirement

As I update my blog I’m watching the Grammy awards. I love the music. I love hip hop, and the Black Eyed Peas, and Pink and especially Lady Gaga. I can sing along with Beyonce and I wish I knew all the moves to her “Single Ladies” dance. Uh Uh Oh!

I listen to this music on my ipod when I’m cleaning the house. I dance around with abandon…when no one else is home. I sometimes listen to my ipod when I’m shopping and I have to remember to restrain myself from dancing. I’m too old to be cool dancing, but not old enough to be eccentric.

I love the poetry in the lyrics. Can't you hear the pain when Pink sings "Please don't leave me" or the longing in Eminem's "Lose Yourself." It's raw emotion.

There’s so much good music and not enough time to dance. I’m grateful for for the music. Life is good.