A quick trip to Provo....

....... isn’t so bad if you take George Strait along and that’s just what I did yesterday. He was so good to cooperate with me and sing to me the whole way. I think someone should write a broadway play that incorporates all of his songs, kinda like the way they took the Abba songs and turned them into“Mama Mia”. George’s could start out being about “All His Ex’s “ that live in Texas….and intertwine their lives from Sweet Eilene from Abilene and Roxanna from Texarkana and weave the story around all their ups and downs in love…oh, you get the idea but I seriously got clear to Provo on my George Strait Playlist. Reminds me of the good ol’ days when we used to make it to Pine Valley on one “Judd’s, Sylvia, or Oakridge Boys” CD or even better, the old Buick tape that was a mix including some Pointer Sister’s songs and Spencer’s song “He’s So Shy” or Mason’s song “Kisses Like Fire” or something like that. Anyway, good ol’ "sing-a-long” songs make for good travel companions and on the way back home today, after talking for a bit with Gayle, she reminded me that a good book on tape is great too….but I’d already heard the ones I have downloaded so I went to my “Favorites” playlist and that got me clear on down the interstate…as I passed the old Columbia Motel there in Provo it was playing “….get me a ticket for an airoplane, ain’t got time to take a fast train, lonely days are gone, I’m a goin’ home, my baby wrote me a letter….(were you singing along?) which came out right when we were in the thick of State Tournament Playoffs and the Columbian was where all the partiers stayed….(I wasn't one of them, you know that don't you? I was over the way with the Pep Club, yes I was).....oh, the memories. Memories are also good travel companions and I had plenty of them all the way home. Pulling in to gas up was “Sweet Caroline” and I was whisked right back to Utah State........

......remembering those years rooming with Carol Ann and Phyllis….(and a blind date with Randall Hansen) wondering if any of us became “True Aggies” that year. ....(and wondering where Randall Hansen is now). I’m pretty sure Phyllis did and if I did, it wasn’t a kiss to remember ‘cause I sure don’t remember anything happening on this “A”. But I was really whisked back to the old Woodward Gym when “Bobbie’s Girl” came on….those days of learning to dance in P.E. and having to walk around the gym, boys in one circle, girls in the other and when the music stopped, that was yer dance partner. Then about Beaver, where Paul Thomas lives now whom I had a huge crush ‘round about the Neil Sedaka era, I found myself singing to the top of my lungs “Calendar Girl” remembering when Mary Phoenix instigated the “Calendar Girl” assembly and 12 girls had to stand up there on the stage in swim suits. Don’t remember much other than I thought it was “appalling” to say the least. I do know most of the words to Neil Sedaka’s songs though and he got me on to almost Parowan when I heard (sing along with me)..... “Children behave, that’s what they say when we’re together, watch how you play, they don’t understand and so we’re….runnin’ just as fast as we can, holdin’ on to one another’s hand….tryin’ to get away, into the night…and then you put your arms around me and we tumble to the ground and then you say…..I think we’re alone now, there doesn’t seem to be anyone around….I think we’re alone now, the beating of our hearts is the only sound” ….I guess that’s better than what the kids listen to now but really…. c’mon….I remember that one came out and Jill was the first to buy the “single” of it and we ended up at her house that was across the street from the track…..then that reminded me of the day Miss J made us run track in the rain….anyway, that song just reminds me of Jill. Then at the Joshua tree there just south of Leeds was.... “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to, cry if I want to….” and my thoughts turned to Shirlee and I have to admit, by now the memories were getting to me and I started to sob as that’s where she lost her life in a car accident so very many years ago. Then a few more cry songs, “It’s Judy’s Turn to Cry” and one that really took me back….”Sad Movies Make Me Cry”….oh, my….by now I’m almost home and what a fast trip. It was fun though to really “feel” as I listened to the various songs and it made me realize how powerful music is…..and I need to make sure I listen to the good stuff too. Next time I’ll stick to MoTab and Michael Dowdle and I may even listen to my scriptures once I get them loaded onto my Ipod…..or not.