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Had a decade birthday yesterday. Those are tough getting past.
This one was my 7th! Yes, this old _ _ _ _ is 70 years old. Hard
to believe!

The best part of yesterday was getting the seed of an idea that I really like and I’m
excited about. Someone mentioned saving time in a bottle - well that brought a
whole raft of memories up around Jim Croce’s song, “Time In A Bottle”..

When it came out I really enjoyed it. However, not surprisingly, I had forgotten the
lyrics. (Never happens to you, I’m sure!) Aaah! Good ole Google. I looked it up and
was surprised at how different the lyriics were from what I had remembered. The
thoughts and emotions elicited by the lyrics were also much different. The intervening
years sure made a diifference - not so surprisingly. Now, to get to the point - I’ve
made a “Top Ten” list around the “big idea” that resulted from this experience of
searching for lyrics. I present the “Top Ten” to you in the form suggestions. Here goes …

The Suggestions …

Suggestion 1: The next time you think of a song or someone mentions
it and you can’t remember the words get on your computer and go to one of the lyric
sites (I’ve provided 3 for you at the bottom of this post). Wait, wait! please read the
post first!

SUGGESTION 2: Bookmark one of those free lyric sites so you have
easy access to it whenever you are on your computer.
Take the “time” (daily?) to look up one of your old favorites
for which you have forgotten at least some of the lyrics.
Go to the site and download a copy of the lyrics. Trust me, if
you start saying the words the melody will come back as well.
The mind stores that better than the words. (MOre on that another
time.)

SUGGESTION 3: Once you have downloaded the lyrics, print them
out and put them in a 3 ring binder (so you don’t have to look them up again on the
computer.) Hey, those lyrics are a nice “legacy” to share with your family - gives
them a better feel for you and your life. Which stimulates another idea …

SUGGESTION 4: Consider having a “Favorites Party” where each
person must bring the lyrics of at least one of their favorite songs for all to enjoy.
You can add all the other “requirements” for the evening you want (karaoke solos?).
All the better if you have the music (but not totally necessary).

Suggestion 5: Make music a part of your legacy - start with the
3 ring binder - then - well you think about whatever ways you can re-enrich your
life with music. Share those ideas and the music generated with your friends and
family. Get their ideas and favorites.

Suggestion 6: When you have quiet time to yourself or with your
mate - savor the experiences, memories and feelings that have been generated by
these “music time in a bottle” experiences. “Golden-Oldies”?

Suggestion 7: Tweet about your own “music time in a bottle”.

Suggestion 8: Follow me on Twitter- @SeniorTweet and the URL:
http://twitter.SeniorTweet/.

If we are going to seriously tweet about this, a new hashtag is in order…

Suggestion 9: Let’s make a “music time in a bottle” hashtag -> #musictib - (Pronounced music-tib.)

Suggestion 10: Thank me ( @SeniorTweet ) on Twitter for coming
up with this idea.

Now I like “top ten” lists so my suggestions stop there. However, I am going to make
a “request”: please email me your thoughts and emotional responses to any or all of
these suggestions. Please email me and put #musictib in the Subject
Line of your email. My email address: valspangler@gmail.com .
Please, Please NO SPAM!

Bonus Suggestion : Yah, I know there goes the Top TEN! - -
Start putting into practice #musictib ideas. And, yes you smarties, one more tweet
strategy for your arsenal. Do you focus on the older set at all? When do people
start to reminisce about the good ole days? When do they start to forget song lyrics?
Which decade of music is your favorite?

Many thanks for your time - I hope you have experienced as much enjoyment and
positive response to these ideas as I have experienced coming up with them.

- Val Spangler, Mister Senior Blogger @SeniorTweet on Twitter.

Please follow me at http://twitter.com/SeniorTweet/

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Here are three sites off the top of a Google search results list (no quality control here):
www.elyrics.net/
www.lyricsfree.com/

www.aaalyrics.com/

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Thanks for your contribution - participation increases the value of the blog for everyone.

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Grampa and his Good Buddy.

Truly one of the great joys in life is being a grampa. Until you become one, it’s
difficult to understand or appreciate the tremendous affection that can develop. When
they are babies they can’t tell why they are unhappy - only that they are. But what a
joy (and sense of pride) when you do well at comforting and quieting them. And, if its
rocking them, looking down at those angelic faces and enjoying the peace and
contentment you share at that moment.

And, later, when they are able to converse and enjoy shared interests and activities.
Helping them to feel secure in your presence. A sleepover at Grampa and Grandmas.
Art, photography and reading with Grandma. Computers, golf and building a fort with
Grampa. Enjoying the fun of playing the roles of Big and Little Spoofers - just kidding
around.

The biggest challenge: being prepared to respond well to the request, usually at bed
time, “Grampa, will you tell me a story?”

Now, she is not the critic that you may be - so, tell me how I did with this one? Or,
better yet, tell me a story about you and your Grampa. Or, you and your grand-
children. Set down somewhere and write. Build your human legacy.

They’ll appreciate it.

Yes, yes I know - it’s not all hearts and flowers. E.g., if I rock too long and don’t
change my dominant rocking foot, I will wake up with a cramp in my leg that night.
Hmmmh - yes, a pain - but a small price to pay. Remembering that angelic face
helps to work the cramp out.

One of the great joys in life …

Thanks for listening.

- Val Spangler, Mister Senior Blogger

Please follow me on Twitter (@Senior Tweet) and http://twitter.com/SeniorTweet/ .

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