Julie A. Wallace

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An August Weekend In Bay City, Michigan

I met up with friends for a weekend in Bay City, Michigan at the very end of August. Last year in August I was at my first every Bay City Rollers fan gathering to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the band visiting Bay City. This year, there was a casual get together with a handful of people.

We stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Bay City Riverfront – right downtown and right by the water. I paid a little extra for a river view and would do it again without hesitation.

Friday Night

Friday evening we met up and went to The Wanigan Eatery for dinner. We had two-fisted sandwiches, sat on the outside porch, listened to acoustic music, and caught up on life and old times.

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at a We Love Bay City mural. Thank you, Paula, for telling us about this mural and snapping a bunch of pix.

If you’re in Bay City, the mural is at the cross streets of Lafayette Avenue and Broadway Streets in the parking lot of Bud Brothers Cannibis Co.

We had to get a few photos of ourselves in, too

My friend Jan thinks this one looks like a 1960s album cover.

Saturday we walked to the Historical Museum of Bay County to visit the Bay City Rollers display with photos, Derek Longmuir’s key to the city, and the legendary handprints.

The museum is the home of the Michigan Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. We watched a twenty-minute excerpt from a documentary still being produced called, “We’re Going To Rock! The Birth of Michigan Rock & Roll.”

Some of the group went off to ride the Bay Boat Lines guided cruise. I stuck around to look at the other exhibits and to watch “Smelly Little Town” another twenty-minute film that details Bay City’s complicated relationship with pop-star Madonna who was born in the city. And then I went shopping!

My Secret Garden

The weekend in Bay City wouldn’t be complete without stopping at two of my favorite stores.

I love My Secret Garden because it’s so eclectic that it’s hard to describe. And if you’re not in the area, they have a website, an app, and Facebook live sales.

In late August there were already Halloween decorations. I loved the Addams Family display.

Here are some more quick shots from inside the store.

This coaster made me laugh out loud.

To be fair, once I got to the clearance clothing rack, I stopped taking pictures and started digging. I left with a nice haul and some *very* tasty chocolate.

I didn’t take pictures of my next stop because again, there was too much looking to be bothered.

Another store I stop at is Uptown Girl. The women’s clothing store has beautiful clothes and quite a nice clearance rack. You’d better believe I left with some things from there, too.

Saturday Night

Saturday night we caught an early dinner at Retro Rocks. The restaurant has a “retro” theme with black and white photos of rock musicians on the walls and music videos playing. After dinner some of the group went to Wenonah Park to see Tommy Tutone, Paul Young, and Rick Springfield. I was exhausted and hung out in the hotel room.

The hotel was tremendously busy all weekend with two or three weddings going on during the weekend and one quinceanera. This is what I saw outside of the room: both a wedding and a quinceanera photoshoot happening simultaneously.

Additionally, the concert was happening just to the right of that parking lot. So even in the hotel, I got to listen to the music. Thank goodness I was a big music fan in the 80s because I knew most of the songs.

I relaxed, listened to the music, read a book, and watched the sun go down on another wonderful weekend in Bay City.

If you’re in the area, we’re planning to meet up again – same weekend, same hotel.

Mission 2023 September

A woman stares at a paper map. She is sitting on a suitcase. The suitcase is in the middle of a deserted country road. The woman is contemplating where she will go next.

Last year I set forth on a quest, a journey, a mission: that for which I am destined. I conquered a few things last year, like the back yard. In 2023, I’m on a different quest.

It’s been tricky to narrow down what missions I want to make public. So in 2023 there are a few public goals, a few more secret goals, and some other odds and ends like a word for the year.

On to the 2023 missions!

Move More Sit Less

It’s September and I’m stunned…how did it get to be September already? Where did August go?

July was like a hurricane for me: I felt great and was moving and shaking and stuff. August was off to a good start but then WHAM! All of that stopped for a couple of weeks as I wasn’t feeling good. My energy is back to normal now so here we go.

I finished virtually walking around London in July and started walking around New York City with the Conqueror Virtual Challenges. Still, because I didn’t feel good, August was very slow with only 20 miles.

  • Yearly Goal: 320 miles (nearly double the original goal of 175 miles.) I’ve got to revamp this goal because I’m already at 310 miles for the year!
  • For the virtual New York City walk, I’m at 23.53 miles with 47.49 to go.
  • Trees plants for the year: 8

All Things Writing

Last year I finished the first draft of a novel. This year I want to finish the second draft. I also enjoyed posting twice a month here, so let’s see if I can meet or exceed that one in 2023.

  • Sad: There was minimal writing on personal projects and no blog posts at all.
  • Glad: I managed to eek out a newsletter.
  • Glad: My job shifted slightly so I now am writing more during work hours… work stuff, but still, it’s writing.

At least I got to go see Steel Magnolias with a friend…but that was in late July.

Finish All The Projects

If you’ve owned a home, you know that the list of projects never ends. And to be honest, I don’t think I’ll finish ALL of the projects. But this year, I’d like to knock a few of those things that I’ve been thinking about for a long time right off the list.

This part of the mission is more about consistently making an effort to do the things…all the things…even the little things like take that pile of things to the thrift store or break down the boxes and put them in the car and haul them off to the recycling center.

  • Projects? What projects? It’s time to buy all the things do all the things I haven’t done yet in the garden!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • I put some wood down around the garden beds and threw a few hostas into the ground – including one called Captain Kirk. And as a Star Trek fan, I’m happy to have the Captain aboard. Does anyone know of other plants named after Star Trek things?

Secret Things

I don’t know what the next secret thing will be but boy, it’s already been an awesome year, right?

  • In April I was in New York City and marched in the New York City Tartan Week parade with a huge group of Bay City Roller fans.
  • In May I was a guest DJ on Dedication: Fans Remember The Bay City Rollers.
  • In August I was back in Bay City, Michigan for the weekend to meet up with friends. More on that in a post later this month.
  • In late September there’s another little getaway weekend planned.
  • Oh! Oh my! There’s already a super secret thing scheduled for next year. (And if you already KNOW what it is, please don’t give it away in the comments.)

Year In Books

This year I’m a Bookshop affiliate. Bookshop actively supports local, independent bookstores and has even given more than 80% of their profit margin to independent bookstores. I even have my own store on Bookshop! (Thank you to those who’ve bought something from Bookshop through my affiliate link!)

I’m making an effort to buy some books from Bookshop, and others from Sleepy Dog Books, my local independent bookstore.

(Disclosure: All of the links to books are Bookshop.org affiliate links. If you click through the link and finalize a purchase, I earn a commission.)

Here’s what I’ve read in the last six weeks or so…note that when I don’t feel good, I read a lot and boy, I’ve been busy reading!

Word of the Year

Action is the word of the year. I want to accomplish, do, go, make things happen.

Guiding Thought

As I went through the process of thinking about my mission for the year, the one thing that I kept returning to was: what was life like before the internet? Do more of that!

Forget about it. I use the internet every single day.

Quote of the Month

Did you know there is a collection of thought-provoking quotes up at the top of the blog? Once that page displays and you’ve absorbed the words, click “Next Quote” to see another and another and another.

A thousand secrets are hidden in simply sitting still.

Karlfried Graf Durkheim

Your Turn

Tell me how your “missions” are going this year. Read any good books lately?

Summer Hodgepodge

A “hodgepodge” is a confused mixture or jumble, and today I’ve got a hodgepodge of summer things for you. There’s a little about life, something about writing, and plenty about the garden.

Life Hodgepodge

In a lot of ways June and early July was a time of endings and beginnings.

  • I let go of a car load of houseplants at a local plant swap. It was pretty amazing to pull up to the plant swap, drop off a ton of plants, and see them leaving with different people – even before I’d finished unloading the car. And if you can believe it, I didn’t walk away with any new plants: that’s a first!
  • I let go of stuff by taking a couple of car loads of things to the thrift store.
  • I even let go of some people because they moved on to new adventures.
  • I let go of HelloFresh for the summer because the community supported agriculture (CSA) has started up again. You pay up front for 18 weeks of local, organic veggies; this year the cost was just over $300.

I get a half share, which is almost more than this one person can eat every week. Here is some basil, beets, spring mix, bok choy, zucchini, green onions, and the sweetest carrots I’ve ever tasted in my life.

The weekly share is enough to stuff a typical grocery bag full to the brim. Here is a different week with cherry tomatoes, cabbage, green onions, potatoes, zucchini, carrots, and – not in the picture – more basil.

I’ve never priced out how much it would be to buy these at the store on a weekly basis. I know the cost averages out around $20/week. It’s still a deal to me.

The first week was bok choy, green onions, enoki mushrooms, spring mix, cucumbers, and more carrots.

Writing Hodgepodge

On the writing side of life, my book is finally moving forward. It took a long, puzzling time to understand how to go about telling the story I wanted to tell.

I thought that the first draft I wrote last year was the direction. correct thing. But the characters had something else in mind and, turns out, that first draft was back story for one of the characters. Sigh. So my second draft is kind of like writing a first draft. Fingers crossed it’s done by the end of September.

I also attended a virtual writing retreat and did my first ever “pitch” to agents. The retreat was through Writing Away Refuge and was worth every penny: there was solid writing advice given throughout and the attendees were very experienced. Even though I’ve been writing my whole life, I was one of the attendees who had the least experience in fiction.

“Pitching” to agents is a fast five minute time alone with the agent to sell them on your story. I literally wrote my pitch, gave a practice pitch, adjusted, and then was pitching to actual agents during the weekend.

Of the three agents I pitched to, two are interested in seeing more work. Which is totally amazing…and means I need to get going!

Garden Hodgepodge

I can’t believe I haven’t shared any garden pictures. We did have a slow, dry start to the season, and those rain barrels I had installed last year probably paid for themselves. I was able to get water from them for some time before needing to water by hand. And now, the weather has turned and the rain barrels are all full again.

I’ve been snapping pictures all along, so here are some of my favorites.

This photo is from spring: sometime in late April or May, I’d guess. The tulips are up. You can just make out white blossoms on the Nanking cherry bushes in the background; I can see the fading daffodil flowers, too.

Meet the neighbor/ cat, Princess Leah. She’s decided I’m OK to hang out with and visits to supervise my puttering in the garden.

She slinks around the yard… and makes sure she gets the amount of rubbies and scritches she deserves.

Her brother cat Casey also visits. He usually throws himself at my feet (or into my lap) and insists on rubbies and scritches, too. Naturally, I comply every time.

More from spring with chives, iris, and alliums.

The climbing rose was brilliant this year – and climbed as high as the eaves of the house. It’s pretty, but vicious with evil thorns.

I picked a bunch of Nanking cherries. They’re tiny, tart, and excellent for eating out of hand. I’ve heard you can make jams or liqueurs, but I haven’t gotten there yet.

The phlox are always outstanding.

As you can see, Princess supervises. In this case, she is supervising me sitting in a chair enjoying the back yard as the sun slowly sinks.

I even added four little metallic cats this year. I’ll use them as grave markers when I bury the cremated remains of my four cats.

Summer. It’s always too far away in the middle of winter. And now it’s almost gone again – only a few months remaining. What are your plans?

Mission 2023 July

A woman stares at a paper map. She is sitting on a suitcase. The suitcase is in the middle of a deserted country road. The woman is contemplating where she will go next.

Last year I set forth on a quest, a journey, a mission: that for which I am destined. I conquered a few things last year, like the back yard. In 2023, I’m on a different quest.

It’s been tricky to narrow down what missions I want to make public. So in 2023 there are a few public goals, a few more secret goals, and some other odds and ends like a word for the year.

On to the 2023 missions!

Move More Sit Less

Is it almost the middle of July already? Where did June go? I know I’ve been outside futzing around with plants and dirt and somehow managed to walk 37 miles.

I’m still virtually walking around London with the Conqueror Virtual Challenges.

  • Yearly Goal: 320 miles (nearly double the original goal of 175 miles.)
  • Total walked this year: 253 miles.
  • Trees planted through Conqueror this year: 6.

All Things Writing

Last year I finished the first draft of a novel. This year I want to finish the second draft. I also enjoyed posting twice a month here, so let’s see if I can meet or exceed that one in 2023.

  • In June there was only one post on this blog – the Mission update.
  • I published another newsletter in June – yeah me!
  • And in June the second draft of the novel was churning…meaning, I was thinking about the plot and characters. By the first week of July, I started writing.

Finish All The Projects

If you’ve owned a home, you know that the list of projects never ends. And to be honest, I don’t think I’ll finish ALL of the projects. But this year, I’d like to knock a few of those things that I’ve been thinking about for a long time right off the list.

This part of the mission is more about consistently making an effort to do the things…all the things…even the little things like take that pile of things to the thrift store or break down the boxes and put them in the car and haul them off to the recycling center.

  • Projects? What projects? It’s time to buy all the things for gardening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • I did let go of a lot of house plants in June through a local plant swap.
  • And I took a load of things to the thrift store…or was that in July?

Secret Things

I don’t know what the next secret thing will be but boy, it’s already been an awesome year, right?

  • In April I was in New York City and marched in the New York City Tartan Week parade with a huge group of Bay City Roller fans.
  • In May I was a guest DJ on Dedication: Fans Remember The Bay City Rollers.
  • Oh! Oh my! There’s already a super secret thing scheduled for next year. (And if you already KNOW what it is, please don’t give it away in the comments.)

Year In Books

This year I’m a Bookshop affiliate. Bookshop actively supports local, independent bookstores and has even given more than 80% of their profit margin to independent bookstores. I even have my own store on Bookshop!

I’m making an effort to buy some books from Bookshop, and others from Sleepy Dog Books, my local independent bookstore.

(Disclosure: All of the links to books are Bookshop.org affiliate links. If you click through the link and finalize a purchase, I earn a commission.)

Here’s what I read last month:

Word of the Year

Action is the word of the year. I want to accomplish, do, go, make things happen.

Guiding Thought

As I went through the process of thinking about my mission for the year, the one thing that I kept returning to was: what was life like before the internet? Do more of that!

Forget about it. I use the internet every single day.

Quote of the Month

Did you know there is a collection of thought-provoking quotes up at the top of the blog? Once that page displays and you’ve absorbed the words, click “Next Quote” to see another and another and another.

I’m always surprised when friends apologize for being in a bad mood, or for sharing their life challenges when I bump into them, as though there is something wrong with sharing our difficulties with each other. This is yet another example of the bullshit positivity world we have created in western life, where we are only acceptable to each other if we share good news. I wonder if we have communicated the message that someone else’s bad news is unacceptable because we are trying to bypass our own difficulties. Whatever it is, it has to stop. We aren’t going to co-create a genuinely positive world until we can hold the space for each other’s shadow. Better an authentic frown than an inauthentic smile any day. A smile that is built on a pretentious foundation isn’t a smile at all.

Jeff Brown

Your Turn

Tell me how your “missions” are going this year. Read any good books lately?

Unboxing Times Two: Bookshop and Thrifters Anonymous

I recently received two packages in the mail and so let’s unbox them together. First we’ll look at a recent Bookshop purchase, and then we’ll look at Thrifters Anonymous.

Bookshop

This year I am a Bookshop affiliate and am making an effort to buy books from Bookshop or from my local, independent bookstore: Sleepy Dog Books. Let me walk you through the process from purchase to package.

If you’re not familiar, Bookshop actively supports local, independent bookstores and has even given more than 80% of their profit margin to independent bookstores. I even have my own store on Bookshop!

Checkout was smooth and easy. Here’s the thank you for shopping page:

To compare pricing, I looked at what the same paperback books would cost on Amazon.

  • Behind Closed Doors $18.95
  • Tea Set and Match $14.99
  • Royal Tea Service $16.99
  • Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments $16.78
  • That’s $67.71 – only $5.28 more than on Amazon.

So yes, paperbacks do cost a little more on Bookshop – but not by much. And I love that Bookshop tells you how much you’ve raised for local bookstores.

A little further down the order acknowledgement, they listed nearby bookstores. I didn’t know about Ballyhoo or Leopard Print so may need to go check those out one of these days.

I like the tracking page, too – it’s colorful and invites you to shop for more books.

The package arrived safely. Nice box!

Definitely seems like more care was taken with the packaging of these books compared to Amazon. And yep, I’ve already read one of those books.

I will be ordering more from Bookshop!! Have you tried them yet?

Thrifters Anonymous

Thrifters Anonymous is the seemingly unstoppable duo of Shana and Edwina from Las Vegas. They’ve been filming their thrifting antics and adventures on YouTube for years, and I’ve been following them a long time.

I even “stalked” them in Las Vegas years ago. Or rather, I stalked their favorite thrifting places. Not them personally – that’s creepy.

Still, as I was wandering around the Goodwill boutique, I couldn’t help but think that they would be in the dressing room or walking in the store any minute. Then I remembered that it was the middle of the work week and that they both have job jobs.

Anyway, I was delighted to see them launch not only an online store, but also their own clothing line. And you’d better believe I snapped up two things ASAP.

Opening the package was as delightful as watching their weekly thrifting adventures, but you’d never guess that from the simple package.

Still not very exciting, but there seems to be a stack here. And I only ordered two things…

A handwritten note! Wow!

And a free tote? Cool beans.

The tote is for the brand name of their original designed clothing Mes Deux Amis. That means the two friends. That’s perfect for long-time friends Shana and Edwina. And perfect, too, for the relationships they’ve created through their YouTube channel.

The packaging was eco-friendly and high class all the way. And there’s another card with hand writing!

I love the ‘official, members only’ Thrifters Anonymous t-shirt. The lettering is puffy and fun to touch. The shirt is also oversized, which I really like.

And, just like I saw Shana and Edwina do in videos years ago, if I decide to cut the t-shirt, I’m good to go. I mean, I did that with my BCR t-shirts and sweatshirt, so… Anyway, this is a good quality t-shirt, so it may take awhile for me to cut into it.

I also bought the “Tie Me Up” sweatshirt. It’s black and hard to photograph, so no picture from or on me.

It is also oversized and, because it was chilly the day the package arrived, I put it on immediately. I loved the ties at the wrists and waist. And I was warm all day.

The package also had sparkles, a couple of stickers, and another hand-written note. Talk about feeling pampered and appreciated!!

Overall a great experience from both online shops. I love buying from small, independent shops in person or online. There’s just nothing like that personal, pampered touch.

Mission 2023 June

A woman stares at a paper map. She is sitting on a suitcase. The suitcase is in the middle of a deserted country road. The woman is contemplating where she will go next.

Last year I set forth on a quest, a journey, a mission: that for which I am destined. I conquered a few things last year, like the back yard. In 2023, I’m on a different quest.

It’s been tricky to narrow down what missions I want to make public. So in 2023 there are a few public goals, a few more secret goals, and some other odds and ends like a word for the year.

On to the 2023 missions!

Move More Sit Less

I took it easy in May. Some days I didn’t even hit 3,000 steps in one day. I finished the Paris Conqueror Virtual Challenges and just started the London challenge.

  • Yearly Goal: 320 miles (nearly double the original goal of 175 miles.)
  • Total walked this year: 216 miles.
  • Trees planted through Conqueror this year: 5.

All Things Writing

Last year I finished the first draft of a novel. This year I want to finish the second draft. I also enjoyed posting twice a month here, so let’s see if I can meet or exceed that one in 2023.

  • I wrote several posts in May: Mission update for May, all about walking in the NYC Tartan Week parade, all the other things I did in NYC, and My Top 10 Bay City Roller songs.
  • I published another newsletter in May – yeah me!

Finish All The Projects

If you’ve owned a home, you know that the list of projects never ends. And to be honest, I don’t think I’ll finish ALL of the projects. But this year, I’d like to knock a few of those things that I’ve been thinking about for a long time right off the list.

This part of the mission is more about consistently making an effort to do the things…all the things…even the little things like take that pile of things to the thrift store or break down the boxes and put them in the car and haul them off to the recycling center.

  • Projects? What projects? It’s time to buy all the things for gardening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • And once those garden things are bought, you have to do things with them! Which counts as projects, right?

Secret Things

I don’t know what the next secret thing will be but boy, it’s already been an awesome year, right?

  • In April I was in New York City and marched in the New York City Tartan Week parade with a huge group of Bay City Roller fans.
  • In May I was a guest DJ on Dedication: Fans Remember The Bay City Rollers.
  • Oh! Oh my! There’s already a super secret thing scheduled for next year. (And if you already KNOW what it is, please don’t give it away in the comments.)

Year In Books

This year I’m a Bookshop affiliate. Bookshop actively supports local, independent bookstores and has even given more than 80% of their profit margin to independent bookstores. I even have my own store on Bookshop!

I’m making an effort to buy some books from Bookshop, and others from Sleepy Dog Books, my local independent bookstore.

(Disclosure: All of the links to books are Bookshop.org affiliate links. If you click through the link and finalize a purchase, I earn a commission.)

Here’s what I read in February and March:

Word of the Year

Action is the word of the year. I want to accomplish, do, go, make things happen.

Guiding Thought

As I went through the process of thinking about my mission for the year, the one thing that I kept returning to was: what was life like before the internet? Do more of that!

I am so failing with this that it’s kind of funny. The internet is soooooo pervasive in my life. I can remember life before the internet, but it’s hard to remember to “do more” of life before the internet when there is internet. It’s like the chicken and the egg, the chicken and the egg!

Quote of the Month

Did you know there is a collection of thought-provoking quotes up at the top of the blog? Once that page displays and you’ve absorbed the words, click “Next Quote” to see another and another and another.

If the seeds

in the dark earth

can turn into such beautiful flowers,

what can the heart

of a woman become

in her long journey

to the stars?

Renee Locks

Your Turn

Tell me how your “missions” are going this year. Read any good books lately?

My Top 10 Bay City Rollers Songs

Rarely does an opportunity come along that just makes me giddy with excitement. So when Suz and Laura from Bay City Rollers Fan Events reached out and asked me to be a guest DJ on their weekly radio show on May 12th, I jumped at the chance.

And then I had to decide on ten songs that bring up amazing memories for me.. After infinite hemming and hawing and checking to see what was allowed to be played on the radio, I settled on my Top 10.

TD1Radio and Bay City Rollers Fan Events

Bay City Rollers Fan Events is the fan-driven, fan-produced organization that puts on amazing events (just like the event I went to in NYC in April.) This is also the same team responsible for Bay City Rollers Archives, for a fun YouTube channel, and for this four-hour radio show I guest DJ’d on. The organization has donated thousands over the years to a variety of philanthropic causes.

Dedication: Fans Remember The Bay City Rollers is broadcast on TD1Radio out of Galashiels, Scotland, every Friday night from 7p-11p Eastern. The station is entirely community supported and all of the DJs are volunteers. They rely entirely on donations and advertising revenue to survive. If you love community radio and are able, please donate.

Listen to the show!

The links for hours 1-3 will eventually expire. If you want to hear me, listen to hour 4!

I had a huge crush on lead singer Les McKeown, so these selections are heavy on Les songs. Not that I don’t appreciate the others who sang, but man, Les can put it down like no one else.

By the time the Kroft Saturday morning show came around in ’78, I was almost done with the Rollers. I was getting older, and so were they. I watched that Saturday morning show and felt embarrassed – first for me as a fan, and second for the band. They really deserved so much better.

And when Les left the band , I pretty much left, too, though I continued to have pen pals for a few more years. I can’t recall hearing any of the music the band made with Duncan until that other radio station started their BCR show…and then I was blown away by the depth and breadth of the catalog.

And oh – one of the best things about listening to Dedication: Fans Remember The Bay City Rollers is the live listening party every Friday night in the Facebook group.

What To Do In Athens On A Monday Night

I mention the poem “What To Do In Athens On A Monday Night” from my poetry book The Wordstorm: Collected Poetry 1976-2006. Here’s a video of me reading and then talking about the poem. The poetry form is a Ghazal (pronounced guzzle) which is an Arabic/Persian love / heartbreak poem with some rhyming.

LINK TO MY POETRY BOOK https://amzn.to/3T3gS8d (This is an affiliate link. I’m running a sale on both the Kindle and paperback versions right now.)

Let’s Go

First, the cheerleaders at my school had a cheer – Let’s Go, L-E-T-S-G-O. I spent an awful lot of time as a kid going to football and basketball games and this super simple cheer stuck in my head.

Fortunately, there’s Let’s Go by the Rollers. It’s all about hugging and kissing in the moonlight. It’s such an upbeat, poppy romp through teenage love.

And so, whenever I am dragging my feet, I chant either one of those to get myself going! Most of the time it’s Let’s Go, and that fantastic guitar riff over and over and over. And, eventually, I do get going.

Here’s Let’s Go from the Rollers show Shang-A-Lang

Life On The Radio

This just gives me all the feels…

Growing up in a small rural town, life often did revolve around radio. If I didn’t have a record playing, I had radio on, or it was quiet and I was reading a book.

Radio was comfort, radio was a sign that there was life out there somewhere that maybe someday I could have a life beyond that tiny town.

I even won contests calling in the football scores…we got home pretty fast after games so I called the station as fast as I could. In fact, that’s how I got my copy of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours.

Magic

Not a Rollers song, but rather by Scottish pop-rock band Pilot. What’s the Rollers connection?

The last couple of years have been a real revelation in terms of BCR things for me: I’d lurked in online communities for years. And when that other radio station started playing BCR my ears got a true BCR education. I’d never heard Duncan sing until a couple of years ago.

And back in the 70s I had no idea that members of Pilot were former BCR members. This song is upbeat, happy, and makes me feel hopeful about the future – even the future I’ve found thus far with the BCR community – it’s just like magic to me!

Les McKeown’s version of Saturday Night

One of the things I’ve loved about this show is hearing the different covers and originals. The first time I heard Les’s version of Saturday Night, I think I about fell off my chair. It’s a ska and punk and I just love it! And psssst, I’ve heard there is a live Green Day cover of Saturday Night out there somewhere.

Les introduces the song by saying that it inspired the “Hey, ho, let’s go” chant in The Ramones Blitzkreig Bop. That’s actually true – or, at least that’s what Tommy Ramone says in this interview.

Loch Lomond

It represents to many things… Scotland, the BCRs, reunion and redemption, and the difficulty in breaking old patterns, the the promise of a new future.

Interesting thing about this song, though, it’s not a romantic song. It’s actually written from the perspective of a Jacobite soldier choosing the low road of death to allow his soul to return to Scotland. The ‘high’ road required the soldier to renounce his loyalty to King Bonnie Prince Charlie and spend the rest of his life in prison in London – far from Scotland.

Unchain My Soul

The next two songs speak volumes for how we grow as we age and I’m excited to hear them back-to-back. Listen carefully and you hear the wisdom of the ages pouring out in both of these. Both bring chills.

There is no video of Unchain My Soul by Eric Faulkner. But much of his music is available for free at faulknermusic.net. Add a “tip” in the jar if you enjoy the song as much as I do.

Listen to Unchain My Soul by Eric Faulkner

Danny Boy

This version of Danny Boy is one of the last things Les recorded. It is as haunting as ever.

Marlena

There’s no video for this song, so here’s the original audio.

Rock N Roller

Here’s a video clip from a Japan tour in the 80s. This is the video that blew me away…such a tight band, having so much fun onstage despite the well-documented personal difficulties.

Champion

There’s no video for this song, either, but man, there should be. This is a Les McKeown solo song from The Lost Songs release.

I think we all need reminders that we write our own stories, and that we are the heroes and heroines of our own lives. Sometimes you’re the heroine in someone else’s story. This song remind us all to get up, stand up, today – you’re a champion!

Some Alternates

Of course, when you make a list of your favorite songs from a band that has a nearly 50-year career, there are bound to be others that fall just off that list. Here are a few of mine.

There’s Angel Angel – a classic boy meets girl love story with a twist. It’s the working title of my novel in progress.

Strangers In The Wind is another favorite. There are a few live versions out there, but I really like the original recording. Here it is paired with a fan-made video compilation.

Where Will I Be Now is a perfect late 1970s disco’d pop song. There’s no official video, so here’s the song. It was originally on the Strangers In The Wind album.

La Belle Jeane is the perfect picture of a date in Paris. There’s a mandolin (which I’d never heard of as a kid in the 70’s. Who is this Jeane, and why does she get to spend the night with a Roller?

Listen On Spotify

Last year at this time, I had no idea that I’d end up marching in parade in New York and talking about the Bay City Rollers on the radio in Scotland this year. And it all happened because I said yes to one little event happening in Bay City in August of 2022.

I was so out of my comfort zone. I even talk about that a little in hour four…about how I was worried about being accepted. And then I went and got a big hug, and that feeling of love hasn’t stopped. And my life changed more than I even dreamed it could have.

What kind of little thing can you do to step outside of your comfort zone this summer? In your wildest dreams, what would you like to see happen in your life?

Mission 2023 May

A woman stares at a paper map. She is sitting on a suitcase. The suitcase is in the middle of a deserted country road. The woman is contemplating where she will go next.

Last year I set forth on a quest, a journey, a mission: that for which I am destined. I conquered a few things last year, like the back yard. In 2023, I’m on a different quest.

It’s been tricky to narrow down what missions I want to make public. So in 2023 there are a few public goals, a few more secret goals, and some other odds and ends like a word for the year.

On to the 2023 missions!

Move More Sit Less

I crushed this mission in April!!! So much so that after I came home from NYC, I have deliberately taken it easy.

In April I wrapped up The Cotswold Way Conqueror Virtual Challenges and started the Rome challenge. I finished Rome at the very beginning of May and am already working on Paris. There was even that one day in New York where I walked darn close to six miles.

I also increased my yearly goal to 320 miles, nearly double my original goal of 175 miles! And I’ve saved four trees this year because of all this walking.

All Things Writing

Last year I finished the first draft of a novel. This year I want to finish the second draft. I also enjoyed posting twice a month here, so let’s see if I can meet or exceed that one in 2023.

Finish All The Projects

If you’ve owned a home, you know that the list of projects never end. And to be honest, I don’t think I’ll finish ALL of the projects. But this year, I’d like to knock a few of those things that I’ve been thinking about for a long time right off the list.

This part of the mission is more about consistently making an effort to do the things…all the things…even the little things like take that pile of things to the thrift store or break down the boxes and put them in the car and haul them off to the recycling center.

Not much activity on this one in April. The weather was more like March…sigh.

My niece, Chloe, on the other hand, finished her senior art project at Central Michigan University and was part of an exhibit on campus.

The president of CMU even stopped by the exhibit opening and talked with all of the artists. Here he is talking with Chloe about her painting.
My mom resting and looking at Chloe’s exhibit.

Secret Things

There are a handful of other things I’m hoping will happen, and this is the month that one of the secret things happens:

I march in the New York City Tartan Week parade with a huge group from Bay City Rollers Fan Events!!!!!! And I wrote three blog posts about the experience:

I’m not done with all things Bay City Rollers yet this year, either.

This FRIDAY, MAY 12, I am the GUEST DJ on the BCR Fan Events radio show on TD1Radio out of Scotland!!!!

  • Dedication: Fans Remember The Bay City Rollers is a weekly show that runs from 7p-11p Eastern.
  • The first two hours of the show are listener requests. The third hour is cover songs. And the fourth and final hour is the guest DJ spot.
  • That means you can hear me from 10p-11p.
  • Listen Live at TD1Radio.scot.
  • Join the live listening party group on Facebook.
  • There will be a recording available, and I have a post ready to roll about the experience, too.

Year In Books

This year I’m a Bookshop affiliate. Bookshop actively supports local, independent bookstores and has even given more than 80% of their profit margin to independent bookstores. I even have my own store on Bookshop!

I’m making an effort to buy some books from Bookshop, and others from Sleepy Dog Books, my local independent bookstore.

(Disclosure: All of the links to books are Bookshop.org affiliate links. If you click through the link and finalize a purchase, I earn a commission.)

Here’s what I read in February and March:

Word of the Year

Action is the word of the year. I want to accomplish, do, go, make things happen.

Guiding Thought

As I went through the process of thinking about my mission for the year, the one thing that I kept returning to was: what was life like before the internet? Do more of that!

I am so failing with this that it’s kind of funny. The internet is soooooo pervasive in my life. I can remember life before the internet, but it’s hard to remember to “do more” of life before the internet when there is internet. It’s like the chicken and the egg, the chicken and the egg!

Quote of the Month

Did you know there is a collection of thought-provoking quotes up at the top of the blog? Once that page displays and you’ve absorbed the words, click “Next Quote” to see another and another and another.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in the moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Martin Luther King, Jr.s

Your Turn

Tell me how your “missions” are going this year. Read any good books lately?