More than a lot

To say my taste in music is eclectic, would be an understatement. Schizophrenic is more like it. iTunes has a nifty feature called party shuffle that will randomly shuffle through a designated playlists or your total library. I usually let it work through my library (currently at 2,541 songs) which often sounds like a Vinita party mix (For you non-Okies: Vinita is/was home of Oklahoma's main nervous hospital (PC version: Mental Institution.))

Don't believe me. Dig this: I'm currently listening to Crash on the Barrelhead by the Old 97's. On deck is Fallen Angel by Poison, followed by I Got A Feeling by Ricky Neslon, followed by Wheel in the Sky by Journey, followed by Foggy Mountain Breakdown by Scruggs and Flatts.

I listen to this mad mix each and everyday at work. Crazy. Yes. Interesting. Always. But, the big benefit of listening this way is getting turned onto songs that have never been on my radar.

Take Charley Pride. I got his greatest hits cd, for the bigger hits (Kiss An Angel Good Morning, Is Anyone Goin' to San Antone.) But still, I burned the entire album, some of which I'd never even heard. Then one fine day, listening to my maniacal mix, Charley Pride's I'm Just Me was playing, and the lyrics caught my fancy, got me a listening to it, and well, it quickly became one of my (if not my) favorite Charley Pride song(s).

Right about now (funk show brother), you're thinking, Charley Pride? Stu listens to, and likes Charley Pride?

That would be an affimative. I'm a closet C&W (old school) fan. I also had the pleasure of playing golf with Mr. Pride. Not once, twice, but three times. Cantoni (where I work) did a donation thing to a tournament that used to be in his name, and well, I got put on his team. Nice guy. Doesn't drink, I think because he has a brother who is an alcoholic. He didn't say that, but sort of did a charade thingy, where he put his thumb up to his mouth and held his hand in the air (like he's drinking from his thumb) and made a glug - glug - glug sound effect. No shit. Charley Pride on a golf cart with a Boy Named Stu, eating a hot dog with mayo doing that. He called me Red. Talked about being in the Army and Minor League baseball more than about being a Country Music legend.

Now, you're probably thinking, OK, cool Stu, but why are you telling us this? What does it have to do with the Boy(s) and/or Team Tinsley. Read on, dear Reader. Read on.

Sitting on the floor of my bedroom a few weeks in the rearview, windows open to a beautiful day, watching the final holes of the 2005 Masters. Tiger Woods and Chris DiMarco battling for a green jacket. It was glorious. So much so, that I was getting swept up in the drama. So much so that my ruckus drew the Boy(s) back to the bedroom. Normally, the Boy(s) would promptly commandeer the TV, wanting to watch some kiddie fare. Ethan would do a loop tape of: "Watch something else please" while the Little Warrior would grab a DVD or VHS case, hold it up and grunt at me, then at the tv, then me, then the tv, and keep repeating until I caved and put it on something they dig, like Hi-5 (which deserves it very own BLOG entry at some point.)

Not this Sunday. For some reason (probably my excitement) the Boy(s) decided to watch golf with me in the bedroom. By the time Tiger chipped it into the hole on 16 we were each, in our way, sucked into the action. The Elder Boy was jumping on the bed hooping and hollering, I was up off the floor yelling at the TV, as the Little Warrior did laps aroud my feet doing his one and only war cry. I'm suprised the neighbors didn't report us (remember the windows were wide open.)

Right in the middle of all of this, I paused, and had the realization that this was a great moment. The kind you always remember. It was strange. I won't be so goofy as to say that time stood still. Still, in my stillness, the moment was pure. Anyone who knows me or has read this here BLOG know I'm all about trying to be in the now. I try hard. I also try like heck not to chase the wrong things on the safari of life. I often fail, but every once in awhile I succeed, like this time. I get my monkey brain to slow down enough to pay attention and to truly appreciate the moment.

Now, remember this all started with my Music/Charley Pride/I'm Just Me riff. That very song sums up how I felt that Sunday, as well as most days I'm thankful to say: Some are wantin' more and more's gettin' less I just want what I've got.

Amen Brother Pride. AMEN.

Until I BLOG again...Glug - Glug - Glug