Well. I'm sitting in the sun outside of our walkout, listening to Chris Stapleton singing about "Tennessee Whiskey", and suddenly I have the urge to write down some stuff.
Why?
I've been thinking lately about why I've gone from listening to Eminem, Macklemore and classic rock, to country music. Dierks Bently, Kenny Chesney, Billy Currington... and some old shit as well, Waylon, Merle, even a little Hank Sr. Pretty stark contrast there. Fellow Law Society Bencher Derek Van Tassell scrolled through my iPhone playlist prior to a meeting a couple years ago, and he was surprised and maybe a little disturbed. Genres that have no business hanging out together were lumped into various playlists, suggestive of a broad appreciation of music or, perhaps, a slightly schizophrenic character. Or both.
Why is this?
I don't know. Well, maybe I do. Maybe that's why I started to write this today. Just an easy forum to start meandering about on my laptop. I've always loved music. From before I started school, to the present date, it's a constant companion.
And music, for me, is a metaphor for life. No, that's not quite right - it's a road map. If we listen and pay attention, we can find our way from the life of an infant to someone approaching their golden years (yes, 54 is not "middle-aged" unless you're thinking of living until you're 108. Which I'm not.)
When I say music is a road map, don't get me wrong. I don't think musicians have "answers" - as much as some of them, at their best, do express brilliance from time to time. Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Kris Kristofferson - when they find their groove, the can really hit the mark on imparting some wisdom.
But even at their best, they can't be relied upon to guide you through YOUR life. They can provide inspiration. They can set a spark to a fire in your soul, in your consciousness to help you live more aware of where you are, where you've been and where you're going.
Is this a novel concept? Is it worth anyone else reading? I'm not sure. But, here I go on a quest I suppose to try and tie together Life, Divorce and Stuff in some semblance of coherence - maybe to help others, maybe to just let my kids know a little more about who their dad was once I'm gone.
Whatever the reason, the journey starts here, today, April 3, 2016.
