As I watched "CBS Sunday Morning", there were several stories that touched me.
The first of these concerned Justin Peck, a young ballet dancer and choreographer. It wasn't so much his dancing, it was his enthrallment with dance. "[Dancing is] like one of the few moments where you're not conscious of anything in the past or anything in the future," he said. "It's like you're totally caught up in the present moment. And that's a really rare experience to have in life in general."
Honestly, it's as if he was telling the world my truth.
How very nice that he took that public moment to discuss something so very personal.
(smile)
The next story was centered on the 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback from the same-year movei, "Bullitt". Six years after becoming a "star", the car was purchased by the Kiernan family... and has been part of the family for fifty years. Now, it's restored by the son, Stan, and on the street again, but not as the car from the movie. No. He never knew it as anything other than "his dad's car".
How very nice that the car transitioned from the public eye into something so very personal.
Then there was the story about Ben and Joel. Ben, in Utah, knew the facebook message was a scam, but decided to teach Joel of Liberia a lesson - an he did, but not as he had intended. Now, they are in business together, making life better for the children of Monrovia, both having learned that it is better to teach a man to fish - with a camera - than to simply give cash to buy fish. Ben also learned that giving Joel a chance allowed Joel to pay that opportunity forward.
How very nice that they took that public moment to discuss something so very personal.
One part of the episode this morning that resonated greatly with me featured Pauley Perrette. After 15 years on "NCIS", she's shedding the neck tattoo - and character - of Abby. The 49-year-old says this about the loss. "I'm still grieving. And it's sad. I, like, usually cry in my car every single day when I drive to work. And I usually cry on my way home at some point. And then I take a deep breath, and I go, 'All right,' you know?"
I do know.
(I also know the loss of my 'role' as a chemistry professor will hit me in the fall.)
How reassuring that she is having the same reaction as I have been having.
How very nice that she took that public moment to discuss something so very personal.
How very good that I was in the right place, at the right time today.
i thank You, God, for this Sunday morning at home.
But what does any of that have to do with the title of the post?
Well, after the show, I set about solving a crossword puzzle. One of the clues was "a tune that's tough to get out of your head". Quite naturally, that led my thoughts to my default whistling song of late.
Here's what I mean by that.
Ever since I was a teen, my go-to song has been the Beatles' "Octopus's Garden".
Interestingly, that song is the same age as Pauley Perrette.
(smile)
I'm not saying that I've been whistling the song for that many years... but probably pretty close. A girl close to my age, Brenda Miller, had moved to our Forest Hills subdivision and befriended me. She had the cassette of "Abbey Road" and we would walk around the neighborhood, playing it and singing along to all of the songs. My love of the ocean was strong even then, so naturally I gravitated toward the song about sea-life!
(smile)
Ringo's happy, peaceful tune became my earworm, long before that term existed.
Every time I found myself whistling a song apropo of nothing, I would listen and realize that the melody was of "Octopus's Garden".
No need for me to ever hear it on the radio! Any time my subconscious mind wanted to 'hear' the tune, my lips would pucker and air would pass out of my mouth in just the right way. Marvelous!
That has not been the case this year.
Now, when I listen in to see what song I'm whistling, it is not "Octopus's Garden".
Instead, I have a Christmas classic: "The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy".
Seriously.
I think I've been overexposed to nutcrackers.
Seriously.
Until 2015, I had not seen "The Nutcracker" since the 1970's when Mikhail Baryshnikov danced so stunningly in it. Even so, had it not been televised, I probably would not have seen it then. I simply did not grow up with that as part of our Christmas tradition.
Like I said, though, that lack of nutcracker in my life changed in 2015. That year, I ushered at the Lucas for the local version by the Savannah Ballet Theatre. Moreover, I was there for both the matinee and the evening performances... and gained a new appreciation of the European fairy tale.
The very next year, I was at it again! With two performances bookending the month of December, one locally produced and the other a Russian professional dance troupe, I was able to renew my familiarity with the story... and the music.
Last year, I upped the ante. What do I mean by that? In 2017's Christmas month, I ushered for both performances by the SBT, as well as the one by the Madeleine Walker Coastal Ballet Theater. (Shout out to Francie Norman!)
I must have overplayed my hand.
Now, one of the songs persists in my subconscious, pushing aside my classic and ushering, instead, from my pursed lips.
Why that particular song?
Who knows?
Seriously, folks, I welcome any insights.
I'm just hoping it isn't a sign of palinacousis.
Maybe I need to have my temporal lobe checked at my upcoming physical.
Maybe?
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