8 Memories for 8 Days of Social Distancing
Social distancing is challenging for an uber-extrovert like me. I’ve organized a company wide virtual happy hour, a family FaceTime chat with 10+ people, 5th grade conference calls, and I had 52 separate text message strings yesterday alone. While I enjoy being home reading a book or watching a movie, I generally recharge and am ready to be out in the world quickly. This new normal of spending day after day after day home has been quite an adjustment.
In order to cope, I’ve turned my attentions to things I’ve not thought about in ages. It’s like I’ve been taking a walk back in time. I hope this isn’t a life flashing before my eyes before death phase. Well, if that’s case, I’ve enjoyed having an extended burst of nostalgia before the darkness takes over.
Either way, thinking about things from my childhood and just fond memories has been comforting over these last days of uncertainty. So, what have I been digging into you ask? Here’s an abbreviated list of 8, one for each day I’ve been social distancing.
1. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera - Original London Cast Recording - I must have listened to this 10,000 times between 1992 and 1996. My senior year of high school I got an electric blue Dodge Shadow with a cassette player. I figured out the The Music of the Night had the exact run time it took me to get Kenton Station Road to parking in our driveway. For at least 6 months I played that song every single time I drove home, fast forwarding and rewinding to get to the perfect starting point. Nonetheless, Michael Crawford’s Phantom performing this haunting ballad makes my heart beat faster and gives me goose bumps every time, even to this day.
2. Clue - While the boys and I play the game fairly often, and it’s actually the same game I’ve owned since about 1984, but it had been years since I watched the movie. Along with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, I rented Clue from the Grant’s Lick Market at least 100 times. A tub of Trauth Dairy’s french onion dip, some Ruffles and a movie from the GLM would make this social distancing more enjoyable.
3. George Straight - There is something about singing All My Ex’s Live in Texas that makes me forget about any problem that may exist in the world. Ocean Front Property, Amarillo By Morning, Fool Hearted Memory are all as country as county music gets and I love it.
4. The Brady Bunch - We haven’t had cable in years but our TV antenna picks up all kinds of digital channels. Me TV has old sitcoms playing all day. I caught three episodes of The Brady Bunch today and man it just made me feel great. I tried to convince Harry to watch with me but the cheese factor was just too much for his next millennium sensibilities. Seeing Alice in that blue dress and white apron made me think all was right with the world again.
5. The Muppets - I have listened to Kermit singing Rainbow Connection at least 27 times today alone. I can’t even being to describe how much I love the Muppets. I also recently learned that Jim Henson was in an air tight oxygenated chamber in the water beneath Kermit’s log while filming the opening sequence of The Muppet Movie. That man really committed to his work and brought joy to so many.
6. Carol Burnett Show - My parents loved Carol Burnett and so did my brother and I. Who says women weren’t badasses in the 70’s? From the opening monologue ear tug to Tim Conway and Harvey Korman cracking each other up, this show was pure family fun. I’ve rewatched the Went with the Wind sketch, Tim Conway’s Old Man Shuffle, and Mama’s Family. Comedy gold right there.
7. Campbell’s Soup - My boys love Campbell’s Chicken Noodle, but you’d be hard pressed to see me cracking open a can of soup over the last 10 years. However, I made chicken ala king for dinner tonight. I hadn’t had that in years. I doctored up the soup with some leftover rotisserie chicken and served it over toasted wheat bread. Campbell’s may be full of sodium and fat, but it’s also full of comfort. This dinner took me back to Saturday afternoon lunches in 1985 and it was mmm, mmm good.
8. Tuna in Oil - I accidentally bought cans of Starkist tuna in vegetable oil. Or more accurately, it was all that was on the shelf and I didn’t realize it was in oil and not water until I was making myself some tuna salad for lunch last week. Not one to waste food, or be very picky, I drained the oil, added a squirt of Hellmann’s and some relish and dug in. Damn, that shit was good. It reminded me of when my mom used to help Miss Dorothy clean her house (anybody from Grant’s Lick will know exactly who Miss Dorothy is and if you don’t, I’m sorry). I’d help her prepare lunch while my mom would dust the tchotchkes she had from every single student she ever taught. Miss Dorothy tuna salad tasted just like this concoction I made, and when I realized it I smiled. She also knew which student gave her every one of those tchotchkes and she taught for something like 700 years. What an awesome lady!
I’m pretty sure the reduction of activity and general distraction is allowing my brain to think about things I’ve not considered in decades. As this lock down continues, I’m sure I’ll find more stuff to dig into, but here’s a solid start.
So tell me, what have you been digging into while you have extra time? If you’re looking for someone to reminisce with or share something new and fun, I’m up for a FaceTime, Zoom, Teams Meeting, Skype, GoToMeeting or good old fashioned phone call, especially if you’re calling me from a rotary phone.
