Grief: A West Side Story Story

TLDR: I burst into tears during “America” number in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story and it took me 30 minutes to write this and process what the hell just happened. … So, I’m watching Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story and we get to “America.” Somewhere as they were dancing in the streets, tears well up in my eyes. Just as my mouth moves to ask myself, “What the hell?” The memories flood my brain.West Side Story is one of my mom’s favorite musicals. You could sometimes catch her humming “Maria” or “Tonight” out of the blue. Around 14 or 15,...
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High Hopes

Had to have high, high hopes for a living Didn’t know how but I always had a feeling I was gonna be that one in a million Always had high, high hopes When “High Hopes” by Panic! At the Disco came on the radio one morning on the way to work, I thought, wow, that song is definitely going on my workout/running playlist. It’s such a positive song. I even added it to my public “Office Radio” playlist which my office actually plays through the PA to motivate my coworkers. Well, former office. I didn’t know at the time that...
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Life with the Beatles

I grew up on the Beatles. When your parents were both educated in England during the 1960s mod era, those would be the records they brought home. (Well, dad did.) There were also Elvis Presley and the Carpenters, but the mainstay was usually John, Paul, George, and Ringo. My parents were so Anglophile-posh with their musical choices that I didn’t know the hippie period of the Beatles until much later on in life. That also means that I also had no idea who the Rolling Stones or David Bowie was. Elton John was introduced into the pool just enough to get us...
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Office Music Hi-“Jack”

Jack FM is our office radio as it has been since I started working here 4 years ago. It’s a great station to have for white noise: classic rock on random rotation. After all, “playing what we want,” is Jack FM’s slogan. However, when it’s the only station you listen to 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, for four years, you’d notice that it’s the same damn catalog playing in different order. We lost count of all the times Hazel would whistle the intro to “Patience,” or I would break into basic “Beat It” moves in the middle of...
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Silver Fox Project

OakMonster - Silver Fox Project - Granny Hair

Guys, I’m going au naturel. With my hair color. You know, I’m low maintenance. I don’t really do much of anything, but I do have some beauty routines. Of all of those, the one I hate the most is spending hours at a salon to get my hair colored. I’m 40 years old. I have a house. I have something better to do with my money than coloring my hair. Well, I’m saying this now. This might just be “alternative facts” a few months down the road. We’ll just have to wait and see. Meanwhile, say hello to the Silver Fox...
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You’ve Gotta Have Faith

OakMonster - Flore Amore - To Have Faith - Deviant Art

I can’t help paying my respect to the late George Michael. But I am about to talk about faith. So it is appropriate, right? Well, people’s faith awes me. You see, I am not religious. If you ask me, I’d say I’m Buddhist. I can’t really say I’m a non-practicing Buddhist just because I don’t go to the temple. (Long story.) I am practicing Buddhism in my everyday life. I believe in karma. I try to be mindful. I seek balance and moderation. I want to treat others the way I want to be treated. I was raised in a...
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