My Favorite Things

This photography challenge of the week is: Object of Your Affection.  I struggled with this one a little because I didn’t want to post the obvious: pictures of the kids, Bernie, the dog, my extended family, etc. etc.  I decided to take a picture of something else that I truly love, and that makes me, well, me.

 

My inspiration came last night when I heard the sad news of Whitney Houston's untimely passing. My mother used to censor what I could listen to, or so she thought.  I had to tape early Madonna off the radio and listen to it quietly in my room, especially after "Like A Virgin" came out. For some reason Whitney Houston was allowed, maybe it was because she was a gospel singer, maybe it was because mom liked her too. I sang "How Will I Know," with a friend in a fourth grade talent show.  "The Greatest Love of All" was a popular selection of my choral directors.  We moved half way across the country to "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." I danced to "I'm Your Baby Tonight,” in one of my jazz classes. I thought even I, "miss ten minute mile" could win the Olympics when she sang "One Moment in Time" (I swear I was way faster then - LOL).  "I Will Always Love You," was my song for one of my high school boyfriends. When I was trying to go to college and juggle a myriad of responsibilities, "Step by Step" was inspirational. I was one of millions of girls around the world who would belt out her songs into a hairbrush in front of the mirror.  My range was never as good as hers, but unfortunately for my family, that didn't stop me from trying.

I love music. I love to sing, I love to dance, I love to listen to music.  Music has always been a big part of my life. It might have started with my grandmother teaching me the entire "Sound of Music" soundtrack by the time I was in preschool.  She has one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard.  No one can sing “My Favorite Things” like Grandma. My Dad loves music too, growing up he had a huge music collection, and there was always something playing through the house.  He would play guitar and we would sing along with him and dance.  My dance classes were an integral part of my life, and I can’t remember a single one of them that wasn’t set to music. There is a song for any significant or insignificant moment.  Maybe a future blog post will be all of the songs that I think define my experience, although it would probably go on forever.  My mom and Nick have both separately observed that when I am not singing whether its in the shower, along with the radio, or to Jack, it means something is bothering me.

 

I was running late for the the airport, and I wanted to take a picture that would represent "music" before I left, so that I could work on my blog on the plane.  I headed straight for my "golden treasure chest" of memories in the basement (not kidding, it really IS a gold treasure chest), hoping to find some old sheet music to photograph.  Although I know it is in the house somewhere, I could not find any of it fast enough. Instead, I found a 7" 45 rpm vinyl record of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling'" by The Righteous Brothers:

 

This is by no means an antique.  It is some sort of reprint I purchased following my first trip to Texas during the summer of 1991.  Your guess is as good as mine as to why I was purchasing vinyl in the 90s. Perhaps it was the only way I could find the song pre-iTunes. I had gone to an ELCA National Youth Gathering in Dallas.  In typical youth group fashion, we broke out in song on the bus on the way to the airport and this is one of the songs we sang.  I remember that I really didn't know many of the lyrics, which is probably why I felt the need to own the record. It is funny that I found it today, since Dallas is exactly where I am headed. The song represents another high note on the musical playlist of my life.

 

I'm likely to miss most of the Grammy Awards in flight, but Bernie is DVRing it for me, so I can see the Whitney Houston tribute when I get back. I regret that I never got to see her in concert, a mistake I won't make with Madonna. I am definitely going to see her on tour this summer.  Who wants to come?