RIP - Steve The Mailman

I first met “Steve The Mailman” about 25 years at a local trivia night. He played with a small but very competitive team. We eventually got to know each other and found out that we had a mutual interest in local sports and rock music. We would have countless conversations as the years rolled on….

People sometimes ask why we called him “Steve The Mailman”. It’s simply because he worked as a mail carrier and would show up for trivia every week in his full USPS uniform. For those who didn’t know his name, they would just refer to him as “The Mailman”.

I had a lot of great discussions with Steve over the years. He was a really smart guy. He sat in with our trivia team several times over the years. I used to love the way he would frantically wave his hands and say, "No, No, No!" when we were debating an answer. If we decided to dismiss his answer, he would just shake his head and say something like, “Ok, whatever, You guys are crazy. But go ahead and turn it in.” And when Ray (our beloved trivia host) would announce the answer, Steve’s answer was often the right one. Like I said, he was pretty smart.

In more recent years, Steve would catch me after the Wednesday night trivia contest, usually outside of the restaurant. Walking to my car in almost empty parking lot, I'd hear a semi-distant "Hey, Ken". I would look around and see Steve sitting in his car like a character in a Batman movie. I’d walk over and Steve would say, “I want to get your opinion on something.” From there, the conversation would sometimes go on until 10 o’clock or later. We would talk about sports, music and general life. Sometimes, Tina would text me and ask if everything was ok because it was so late and I wasn’t home yet. I would explain that I was talking to Steve The Mailman and that I would be home shortly.

Steve was very generous too. Through the years, he would bring me random gifts. He might stop by the table before trivia, hand me a book and say, “I saw this and thought you might like it. I’d like to get your thoughts on it after you read it.”

One of the most unique items that Steve ever gave me was a large painting. He explained that he picked it up a recent yard sale and got it for practically nothing. Steve said that “the guy didn’t know what he had”. Honestly, that made two of us! It turns out that it was painted with drumsticks, of all things, by Black Sabbath drummer, Bill Ward. Steve said that he had nowhere to hang it so he wanted to give it to me. The look on Tina’s face was priceless as I walked into the house with the chaotic art piece. It eventually secured a spot in my mancave where it still hangs today. It kind of reminds me of the leg lamp in “A Christmas Story” except in this case, it’s a Bill Ward drum-stick painted “major award”.

Steve also loved live music. He would often go to see classic bands when they came to the Maryland area. One particular concert, attended by several mutual friends, brings back a chuckle. Steve often bought a solo ticket so he could secure a spot close to the stage. In this case, we were at Rams Head in Annapolis. With neatly-positioned tables throughout, the venue is set up more like a restaurant than a concert hall. Well, on this night, Geoff Tate (from the band, Queensryche) was the headliner. Steve was sitting at a table right in front of the stage, literally a few feet from the band. Well, for some reason, Steve decided to order a large salad right as the band was kicking into some of Queensryche’s classic songs. With his head buried in the large salad plate, the band tried their best to look past it. Meanwhile, my friends and I were sitting at a table a couple rows back and taking it all in.

Well, after the song ended, Geoff Tate in his deep signature voice said, "I've played countless shows all over the world. But this is probably the first time I've ever performed with someone eating a salad a few feet in front of me!"

After the show, we met up with Steve and busted his balls about it. Well, shortly afterward, the bass player from the band stopped by. He was a really nice British guy and asked if we enjoyed the show. As the conversation progressed, Steve eventually chimed in. The bass player responded with something like, “Hey, I remember you! You were the guy eating that big ass salad. You were really tearing that thing up!”

My friends and I were laughing so hard we could hardly breathe. Meanwhile, Steve just smiled and shook his head. He was a good sport and took the ribbing in stride.

Through the years, I always appreciated Steve’s generosity and thoughtfulness. But perhaps most of all, I appreciated that he valued my opinion. We didn’t always agree but the conversations were always enjoyable and interesting.

It’s obvious that Steve’s health had deteriorated rapidly over the past year. But he still continued to show up for trivia until the end.

Hopefully, there’s a trivia contest on the other side. If there is, I’m sure you’ll do just fine. Just don’t let them talk you out of your answer. I am going to miss you, brother.

kw

The Camden Yards Bobblehead Debate

This past Friday, the Baltimore Orioles hosted "Tupac Shukur Bobblehead Night" at Camden Yards. I know, you're probably wondering what initiated this. After all, Tupac has about as much in common with Orioles baseball as the World Series. But nonetheless, countless Tupac fans lined up before the game to secure their bobbling treasure.

To break down the significance of Tupac's ties to Baltimore, here's the way I understand it. He lived in Baltimore from 1984 to 1988. During that time, he spent 8th grade at Roland Park Middle School and 9th grade at Dunbar High School. He then transferred to the Baltimore School for the Performing Arts where he studied poetry, acting, jazz and ballet. So, there you have the Baltimore connection.

Now, you're probably asking, "So, what does this have to do with the Orioles?" Great question!

Major League Baseball started a "City Connect" promotion a couple of years ago. One of the highlights of this program is locally inspired jerseys worn by the home team on Friday nights. Since the Tupac bobblehead promotion occurred at a Friday game, it could legitimately fit the "city connect" criteria. 

"But why Tupac?", you ask.

That's another great question. After all, there are plenty of other people with Baltimore connections that are arguably more worthy. Let's take Dr. Ben Carson, for example. With as much as he's accomplished and as much good as he's done for humanity, he would seem like a worthy candidate for a Bobblehead Night in Baltimore. Or what about Thurogood Marshall? And isn't #1 selling author Tom Clancy part of the O's ownership team? Where's his bobblehead? And what about Balimore's own Michael Phelps? Sure, he has plenty of gold medals. But does he have an O's bobblehead?

But let's dig a little deeper...

Since we're talking Baltimore baseball and bobbleheads, what about Babe Ruth? Didn't his father own a bar at the site that is currently Camden Yards? And didn't Babe actually play for the Baltimore Orioles? Yes, I know it's not the same Orioles, but they were still from Baltimore! By the way, Babe went on to have quite the legendary baseball career with the Red Sox and Yankees. But it all began in Baltimore. Give the man a bobblehead!

And since Tupac is tied to the music world, it would be crazy not lobby for a Joan Jett Bobblehead Night. Yes, Joan is a rock and roll badass. But she is also a huge Oriole's fan. Similar to Tupac, she grew up in Maryland (Rockville) at a young age where she developed her interest in music. Through the years, she has been seen at Camden Yards in her Orioles colors, cheering on the team. And she's quite knowledgeable about the team. She talks the talk and walks the walk as an O's fan. She needs a bobblehead!

And we're not done with the O's music connection yet. Can we get a bobblehead for the late, great John Denver? For you youngsters, John Denver was massively successful artist with several #1 hits in the 70's. But the tie to the Orioles, of course, is his beloved 7th inning stretch anthem, "Thank God I'm A Country Boy". The song was first introduced by long-time O's shortstop, Mark Belanger in 1975. The song quickly caught on and has played at O's games for over 50 years. In 1983, John Denver was invited to sing the National Anthem to kick off Game 1 of the World Series. During the 7th inning stretch, he stepped atop the Oriole's dugout and led the crowd in a thunderous rendition of his song. The O's went on to win the '83 World Series in five games. And they haven't been back to the series since. Give John Denver a bobblehead!

So, am I upset that Tupac got his bobblehead? Absolutely not. Anything that brings a little fun to the ballpark is ok with me. While I'm not personally a Tupac fan, there are obviously plenty of people who are. Friday night's attendance was the highest since Opening Day. But I do wonder if Tupac was an O's fan. Or if he ever attended an O's game at Camden Yards. But that's neither here nor there.

If people want to wait in line for hours to get a bobblehead, more power to them. I'll be over at Pickles Pub having a pre-game Natty Boh. (That's actually how I missed out on getting a Adley Rutschman bobblehead last year, But that's another story).

kw

Powerball Dreams

With the current Powerball jackpot approaching the $2 billion mark, the scramble to secure that winning ticket is in full frenzy. People are lining up at gas stations and convenience stores in hopes of buying a significant lifestyle upgrade. The chances are of winning the jackpot are probably greater than getting hit twice by lightning after getting bit by a shark. But with these overwhelming odds against them, it does not discourage people...

A potential winner daydreams about driving his new Lombardini to his waterfront mansion. But for now, he pulls his weathered Chevy sedan into the parking lot of his local Royal Farms store. He quickly awakens to reality as he bangs his knee on the door frame as he exits the vehicle. Making his way inside, he totally ignores the savory scent of fried chicken and takes his place in line at the lottery kiosk. As he waits his turn, he toggles back to his daydream.....

We can all relate to this to some extent. I mean, who doesn't dream about becoming rich and debt-free overnight? 

So, let's dig into this. What would happen if you actually won the PowerBall jackpot?

The first big decision that you would have to make is whether to take a huge one-time payment or take your jackpot winnings over the next 29 years. While most people would probably opt to take the one-time payment, does it really make the most sense? You would certainly pocket more of the money if you took it over the long term. And many people don't realize that the taxes aren't factored into the lump payment. For example, if the jackpot is $1 billion, you might receive $400 million. So essentially, you're giving away the majority of your money in exchange for getting a big payout now.

And many people assume that the reason that the lump payout is so significantly reduced is because the taxman takes his cut at the time of the payout. No, sir! You will still have to pay tax on the $400 million which will likely reduce your winnings by another $100+ million. So, by the time it's all said and done, from a $1 billion jackpot, you might "only" pocket about $250 million. Yes folks, the state always wins!

So, why does the government shaft you for taking the lump payment, you ask? Essentially, it's because you're cutting into their capital. By screwing you out of hundreds of millions of dollars, they can now take "your" money and "invest" it in things that the government sees fit. 

But wait there's more!

The reduced lump sum that the state actually lets you keep is handed off to an insurance company. The annuity payments are paid to you by these companies, and they assume any risk. The state washes their hands and walks away to another lottery payday. So, you see, the lottery is basically a Paul Bunyan-size cash cow for the state in every way.

If you're financially savvy, you can always take a big chunk of your jackpot and invest it. If you play you cards right, you could eventually recoup all of the money that you gave back to the government. Of course, this would be over a long course of time and it's not guaranteed. Keep in mind, roughly 90% of the lump-sum lottery recipients blow through all of their money within a few years. Are you financially disciplined enough to gain entry to the 10% Club?

Taking the 29-year annuity on a huge jackpot makes more sense, especially if you're relatively young. In addition to having a yearly paycheck, you also get a 5% increase every year to adjust for inflation. Not a bad deal when you consider that most working-class folks are only getting about a 3% increase. 

Another huge advantage of taking the annuity is that you receive the full $1 billion jackpot (minus taxes). And as hard as it might seem to live off of $50 million a year, I have confidence that you can you. And think about it, with the 5% annual increase, you're going to get at least a $2.5 million bonus each year.

And some people have the notion that the annuity would stop if you passed away early. While it's not something you would need to worry about because you'd be dead, it's something to consider beforehand. If you pass away, the remaining payouts will go to your estate or your designated beneficiaries. 

From the time of winning, you have 60 days to choose the lump sum vs. the annuity option. But get a head start and start thinking about it now!

......the man awakes from his daydream as he gets nudged to move ahead by the impatient customer behind him. He tries to decide on how much cash to shove into the mouth of the lottery kiosk. In the end, he opts to play a single $2 ticket. His thought is that it only takes one ticket to win. Why couldn;t this be the one?

Best of luck to everyone. And even if you don't win, enjoy your current blessings. Remember, the best things in life can't be bought.

Wishing all of you a safe and Merry Christmas!

kw

Ace Frehley - The Spaceman

There have been many great decades of rock and roll. But my favorite was the 1970's. There were many reasons. But perhaps the most compelling was being introduced to the "hottest band in the land", Kiss. 

The theatrical element was what initially caught my eye. But I was also hypnotically drawn to their music. Without being overly sophisticated, their songs had catchy guitar riffs and infectious hooks that had all of their young fans singing along and playing air guitar. One of their biggest hits, "Rock and Roll All Night", became an instant rock and roll anthem.

While all of the band members were uniquely entertaining, the one that I found to be the "coolest" was Ace Frehley. The self-proclaimed "Spaceman" had a laid-back presence that emphasized his mystique. With his signature sunburst Les Paul, he would ultimately rip into a solo as smoke poured out of his humbucker pickups. As hordes of fans witnessed this every night, Ace rapidly solidified his status as a rock and roll icon.

Ace Frehley inspired countless youngsters to pick up the guitar. Many successful guitar players of today will give Ace credit for peaking their rock and roll interest. Back in the day, every aspiring young guitar had dreams of being Ace one day. Some achieved that goal while others had a hell of a time trying.

I had all of the Kiss albums when I was growing up. But the one that I found especially interesting was "Love Gun". While it was chock full of the signature Kiss sound, there was one song that stood out for me. Unlike the previous Kiss albums, "Love Gun" featured a song ("Shock Me") with Ace on lead vocals. Quite a bit different that Gene Simmons' deep demonic voice, Paul Stanley's power vocals or Peter Criss' raspiness, Ace Frehley's voice had a quirky tone to it. But I really liked it. It was a slightly different flavor on the traditional Kiss recipe.

"Shock Me", somewhat poetically, was written as a result of Ace being electrocuted at a 1976 concert in Florida. The short version of the story is that Ace touched an ungrounded metal staircase railing. Besides knocking the Kiss guitarist down, the shock also caused him to lose feeling in his hand for the rest of the concert. But as they say, the show must go on. And it did as well as inspiring Ace to write one of Kiss' most classic songs.

A short time later, the iconic Kiss solo albums were released. The first one that I bought was none other than Ace's. I loved the whole album but the most popular song on the album was "New York Groove". The song had a nice groove (no pun intended) to it and Ace's vocal style complimented it perfectly. The song was the popular of all of the Kiss solo songs, reaching #13 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1978. Unknown to even some of the diehard Kiss fans, Ace did not write "New York Groove" It's actually a cover song that was recorded a few years earlier by a glam band called Hello. The Ace solo record, not surprisingly, was the most successful of the four.

Ace left Kiss in the early 80's to pursue a solo career. He went on to release nine studio albums as a solo artist. While he had a following of loyal fans, he did not achieve the level of success that he had seen with Kiss. 

Ace reunited with the original members in 1996. I caught one of those shows at the old Capital Center in Largo, MD. And it was everything I had hoped for. Donned in full Kiss make-up, the energetic stage show brought back memories of those early concerts of the 70's. Of course, all good things must come to an end (again). A few years later, Ace left the band to resume his solo career.

Ace also wrote his autobiography ("No Regrets - A Rock and Roll Memoir") in 2011. It's a very interesting read, told in a true Ace-like way. I highly recommend it.

Sadly, Ace passed away yesterday at the age of 74. He was still performing right up until the very end. Ace was a rock and roll trooper. He made his carved his mark by becoming one of rock's most recognizable and influential guitar players. There will never be another like him. Rest easy, Spaceman. And thanks for the memories....

kw

My State of the Union (with a dash of Charlie Kirk)

Once upon time, there was a belief that we, the people, would grow stronger as a society. As we made our way through the years, we would correct the mistakes of past generations. Our differences would eventually be molded into amiable place for all sides. In the end, we would leave the world a little bit better than we found it.

That plan seemed to be working for many generations. But somewhere along the line, we found a fork in the road. And it appears that we took the wrong path....

Our country is now in a "us versus them" dilemma. The mentality is to pick your team and fight the other team until the clock runs out. Compromise seems to be a lost art that no one wants to even consider anymore.

The recent assignation of Charlie Kirk only poured gas on the fire. While there are many on "the other team" who vehemently disagreed with Kirk's views, I think we should all agree that killing someone over their political views is wrong. Period. Kirk's murder was horrific in itself. But what's also horrific is the number of people who actually celebrated it. This is a glaring example of what's wrong in America today.

The constant barrage of emotional posts on social media only increases the temperature on the political divide. And the news media is just as bad as they slant their reporting to support "their team". The goal is to ignite the powder keg in an effort to get more viewers or subscribers. And the American people are the collateral damage left in the rubble...

Cell phones and social media have done so much damage to our society. The problem is not only the biased news reports, but also the slew of misinformation and lies that infect our minds. Just scroll through Facebook and you'll find that half of the posts aren't even true. And the majority of people won't take to the time to verify it. 

Part of the issue today is that we spend way too much time on our electronic devices and not nearly enough time talking to each other. And this poison has infiltrated it's way into our kid's lives. Their young minds are being formed by so much of the nonsense that they are being fed through these devices. A few months ago, Charlie Kirk said, "Kids spell love T-I-M-E". Let that sink in for a moment....

I have mentioned Charlie Kirk because, yes, I am very upset about his senseless killing. In the aftermath, I was left furious (which I still am, by the way). I often let my emotions get the best of me and say things in the moment that I regret later. At 60 years old, I am still a work in progress. Just this morning, Tina, who is always my voice of reason, told me that anger and a knee-jerk reaction was exactly what the "other team" wanted. And she's right. 

I also ask myself, "What would Charlie do?"

I think that Charlie did things the right way. While you didn't have to agree with him, at least the man was willing to sit down and have a conversation with you. And what's wrong with that?

Most people know that I have mostly conservative views. But like Charlie, I have had my share of conversations with people who see things another way. In the end, we all found a way to get along and live/work together in a positive way. The key is to have a civil dialogue. While there will be times that we ultimately have to agree to disagree, we will at least know a little more about where people are coming from.

So, now we're at a crossroads....Do we double down and go even harder at each other? Or do we do a complete reset and try to move forward as a country?

Frankly, I am tired of the two-teamed country that we've become. My core beliefs and values, like most of you, will remain the same. But can't we find a way live in one America? At the very least, we should try. If not for ourselves, for our kids, grandkids and future generations. 

If you do one thing today, be nice someone. It might inspire someone else to do the same. Trust me, it does the soul good....

kw

Ozzy - Rock & Roll Legend

One of the first rock albums that I ever bought was Black Sabbath's "Paranoid". It's the band's most popular album and arguably their best. The heavy guitar riffs laid the foundation for countless hard rock bands that would follow. 

By the way, "Paranoid" was released 55 years ago. Think about that for a minute. An album, more than a half-century old, that is still very relevant today. That's some legendary stuff right there!

And speaking of legendary, the clever lyrics and high-octane vocals on the album were the perfect complement to the dark, heavy music. The person behind this was, of course, the one and only Ozzy Osbourne. And Ozzy was just getting warmed up. He would go onto to have a long career of success, with the band and as a solo artist.

When Ozzy left Black Sabbath, I don't think anyone was expecting what came next. The release of his first solo record, "Blizzard of Ozz", took the rock and roll world by storm. The album had more power than an Energizer bunny on steroids. Absolutely loaded from top to bottom, there was not a weak song on the whole record. The guitar riffs were quite different than the classic Sabbath stuff. And that was due to a young stud guitarist named Randy Rhodes. But similar to the Sabbath songs, Ozzy's vocals and intriguing lyrics brought them to life. Ozzy's debut album would be another one of his collaborations that would stand the test of time. Every bit as good as "Paranoid", in my opinion.

I can remember teenagers blaring Ozzy songs through their boomboxes at the local park. This was back in the day when cassettes were the popular media source. Everyone would get bummed out when the D-cell batteries began to wear down because the music would noticeably start to slow down. If you played your boombox at full volume, like most people did, you might get a couple hours before the batteries were completely drained. This was long before modern long-lasting Bluetooth speakers. 

The prolific songwriter would spend the next few decades creating a catalog of iconic rock and roll songs. They ranged from fist-pounding tunes like "Over The Mountain" to heartfelt tributes like "Mama I'm Coming Home". Interesting enough, the lyrics to "Mama, I'm Coming Home" were written by Motorhead's Lemmy, a good friend of Ozzy. It would make it to #28 on the Billboard Top 40. Ozzy also had some Top 40 success with "Close My Eyes Forever, a power-ballad duet with Lita Ford. My personal favorite Ozzy ballad is "Changes", one of Black Sabbath's early songs. And of course, there were rock and roll anthems like "Crazy Train" that were ultimately adopted by professional sports teams to pep up the stadium crowds. There was something for everyone.

The funny thing about Ozzy is that he often seemed almost unintelligible during conversations and interviews. And he would also rhythmically drop f-bombs between words. But when you eventually deciphered what he said, his responses were witty, accurate and downright hilarious. His mind worked in a unique way. His poignant lyrics are a testament to this. Ozzy was a genius when it came to penning the perfect words and delivering them with just the right amount attitude and conviction.

Ozzy' personality was larger than life. Someone eventually came up with the brilliant idea to capture this in the form of a reality TV show. "The Osbournes" premiered in March of 2002 and did not disappoint. Hearing Ozzy calling for his wife, Sharon, every time he ran into a dilemma was classic.

We often hear the overused expression "one of a kind". But I really think it applies perfectly to Ozzy. Sure, there loony musicians before and after him. But Ozzy was unique. From biting the heads off bats and doves to pissing on The Alamo, Ozzy carved out his special place in rock mayhem. Like some of the other "one name" superstars, when you hear "Ozzy", you know exactly who it is. 

It was great that Ozzy got to reunite with his old Black Sabbath bandmates a couple of weeks ago for the "Back to the Beginning" concert in Birmington, England. The concert was attended by 40,000 fans and a plethora of inspired musicians who played throughout the day. The main event was the four original members of Black Sabbath. They performed four of their well-known songs. Due to his physical decline in recent years, Ozzy sang the songs while seated in a throne. Although he was seated, the fire was still evident during his performance. This was indeed the perfect swan song. The event also raised nearly $200 million for children's hospitals and Parkinson's disease research. 

Sadly, Ozzy passed away on Tuesday. But he left behind an abundance of musical love for his countless fans around the world. He went out just the way he lived....BIG!

kw

Listening to Music with Dad

Since my Dad has passed on, it’s no longer possible to physically get together with him on Father’s Day anymore. However, there are other ways to connect. This evening, I sat out on my back porch with a glass of my favorite bourbon (purely to heighten the emotion) and played some of Dad’s favorite music.

I’ve always found something magical about music. When you hear that certain song, it can instantly take you back to an earlier time in life. And no matter how years have passed, you remember everything as if you were experiencing it all over again.

As John Denver’s “Country Roads” played through my Bluetooth speaker, I felt like I was walking through the “Field of Dreams” cornfield. As I came out of the other side, I found my 8-year-old self in the passenger side of my Dad’s pick-up truck……

“What do you think of this song, Dad?,” I asked.

He replied, “It’s a pretty good song, but that singer needs a haircut.”

This would be about the time the haircut wars began between my Dad and me. You see, I had huge ears as a child, and I was very self-conscious about it. So, I would look for any excuse to escape a haircut. But that is a story for another day….

My Dad was a frequent flyer at the area flea markets and yard sales. And in his travels, he would pick up an abundance of 8-track tapes. For you youngsters out there, 8-tracks were the first portable form of music for the everyday person. If you were driving in the early 70’s, an 8-track player was a must for any music lover. Anyway….

After an afternoon at the local flea market, Dad would come home with 8-tracks of Fats Domino, Neil Diamond, Johnny Cash, The Beach Boys, etc. And this is what we would listen to when we were driving together.

By the time I was 12 years old, I practically knew the entire catalog of some of these artists. Of all my Dad’s 8-Track stars, I would probably say that Neil Diamond was my favorite. The command that Neil had over a song and audience was quite impressive. Tonight, I played “I Am, I Said” to jump-start those old memories. Back in the day, while it was playing, my Dad and I did not talk. We just listened. And that’s what I did tonight…

Although my Dad was not a diehard Elvis fan, he did really like “Burning Love” when it hit the charts in the early 70's. I can remember him pushing the 8-track into the player and hearing Elvis coming to life through the lone speaker in the middle of the dashboard...

“Lord Almighy, I can feel my temperature rising.

Higher and higher, it’s burning through to my soul….”

The song was upbeat and full of energy. It was almost impossible to not dance to it. But my Dad was not a dancer, so he kept his eyes on the road and his hands up on the wheel while I nonchalantly got my groove on in the passenger’s seat.

We also listened to a lot of Beach Boys music. “Help Me Rhonda” was one of the songs that seemed to get the most play. And of course, “California Girls” was another popular selection. When David Lee Roth covered the song years later, it almost seemed like sacrilege to me. My Dad would have never approved of the Van Halen frontman’s version purely by the length of his hair.

I was also introduced to Merle Haggard at a young age. I can remember listening to “Okie From Muskogee” quite a few times. By 10 years old, I knew all the words by heart. It seems weird now. And although I have no idea where Muskogee is, I can still remember that it is the only place where squares can have a ball. So, maybe I should add a visit there to my bucket list.

And then there was Johnny Cash, the true southern music rebel. How could you not love this guy? I remember seeing my Dad holding back a laugh during “A Boy Named Sue”.  But when “Folsom Prison Blues” came on, the fun and games were over. It was time to get serious.

Whether it was fun or serious, it didn’t really matter. It was all about those rides in my Dad’s Ford pick-up truck listening to his second hand 8-track tapes. It was a long time ago, but it all comes back to life when I fire up those sentimental songs. And just like that, I'm 8-years-old again sitting next to my Dad as we roll down the highway....

kw