Tag Archives: jon hilton

Like It or Not

 

How I often approach change. It can be scary!
How I often approach change. It can be scary! I need to perfect the art of laughing!

There is little in life as frustrating as change. Whether we want it or not, it comes along in life and forces us to do something other than what we have been doing, whether we are ready to stop doing it.

Most people, if not all people, have at least a passing disdain for change, and I think there are good reasons for this, yet I think we also all are well aware that change provides positives we need. How to deal with this mystery of inevitable and painful movement from one phase of life to another? That is the inevitable question.

Why Change is Hard

As humans, I think it is natural that we find comfort in routine.  It is always safe to get up at the same time, follow the same patterns of life.  Depart for work at about the same time each morning and throughout whatever you do during the day.

accepted or changedWe do this because it is safe, we do this because it represents order, we do this because it is reassuring. If you don’t think so, disrupt someone’s routine, even for one day, and watch their reaction. It is all a perception and illusion of control. We control so little in reality that seeming in control of our routine gives us comfort.

Our minds are constantly seeking safety and the ability to know where our place in the world is.  The world will not end if you do something different, but sometimes it may just feel like it.

Choosing to Change

process not eventIf you are choosing to change, then something must be significantly amiss. In my life, these choices of change have been around wanting to get into shape or a different job, but deep down, they were because I was not happy with life as it was, and the only chance to find happiness was to change.

It could be a new workout routine, a new job, or a new relationship. New is a nice word for change and makes you feel better about what you are doing. It also gives confidence to the outcome, which is always unknown.

One of the great things about choosing to change is that you feel like you have some sort of power in the decision-making process. It may be an illusion, but it still provides you with a great chance to feel empowered.  Enjoy that kind of change because the other type isn’t so very nice.

The Other Kind of Change

change 1This is the change that comes on you from nowhere and doesn’t give you an option. It simply gives you change.  Death of a loved one, an accident, an illness, a spouse leaves you, or you are laid off from a job.

There are many examples of this, and these are the changes that can kick your teeth in and jump up and down on you until you don’t think you can take it another second. The great unwanted moments of life upsetting your nicely ordered life.

Unwanted change is like the tide, inevitably pouring in no matter how you try to stop it, and it leaves behind a clean landscape.  Often the changes required of us are so significant we get swallowed up by them for a time. There is an almost numb feeling like life is happening and you are there, but you are more observer than a participant. This is a temporary feeling.  Until you get your bearings back and can navigate through the new circumstances, be brave in times of change, and eventually, you will gain your bearings.

Hope of Change

change sailsEven though this change can be pretty awful to experience, it is not the end of the world.  It just seems like it.

When you can look at change from the experience of surviving it, you can start to appreciate the growth you have had.  The pain of loss or suffering has become a part of your history, faded a bit, and now is replaced with wisdom.  This is the learning that life will give you one way or another.

It is a frightening proposition. If things are going great, you should appreciate them for all of their nuances and uniqueness. The hope in change is that it will always bring us closer to where we should be, meaning to me, closer to our authentic selves. We have to be aware of what lesson is being taught.

In my journey, there were times I was satisfied yet unaware that I was many, many miles away from where I needed to get. To be the best version of myself. Whether I am any closer to that is yet to be determined, but I am hopeful.

My Choice of Change

I promise myself that I will go easy on my fear of change and realize that it is just a natural reaction and emotion. People often will stick with a job, relationship, or life that isn’t working because even though they may not be ideal, they are known and therefore less scary than the unknown coming down the road even though the unknown may be perfect.

Cast off your line and let your ship move into change seamlessly.  There is no avoiding the specter of change, and your only choice is to fight and resist it or to ride the wave like a surfer.

If there were no change, nothing terrible would ever get better!

Songs of change:

 

Who Am I?

what makes me me
What makes me, me?

Who Am I?

Today when I think about myself, I don’t feel different from the person I was at younger moments of my life.  Yet I know that when I look in the mirror, that person has seen some things, been quite a few miles, and hopefully gained some wisdom. I  think we all ponder what factors make us unique in a world that is constantly trying to make us as uniform as possible.

I think that it is kind of mind-boggling to think that of all of the billions and billions of people that have ever existed in the history of the earth, that there has never before been anyone who is exactly like me, and there never will be another again. The same is true for all of us, and there is something in that knowledge that forces us to take a little responsibility for our actions and the lives they create.

I am a one-of-a-kind original, as all people are, which is something powerful to think about.  But still, I want to express what makes me a unique individual.

My Power

The first thing that you have to look at is the attributes  I was born with, from my personality, which is uniquely my own,  to how I react to and interact with the world.  These actions are all mine and always have been.  I think that I have contained the same personality and been the same person since I

I am what I am
I am what I am………awesome!

I was able first to be aware of life around me. Sometimes, I take things too personally, and I don’t give up on others very easily. Even when they have given up on me. I love to learn, and that is my real superpower because it allows me to continually grow and become a better person simply by using my brain.  I have always put people into two categories. One is the sponges; these are people who soak up everything in their lives and learn from them. Taking the valuable and squeezing out the things which don’t matter.  The second is rocks, hard and impenetrable. These people are so busy being right in who they are; they don’t absorb anything new and valuable. Growth is impossible. Which type of person are you?

My personality has been influenced and cajoled by the experiences that life has given me. My upbringing programmed me, and although I don’t think anyone meant me any harm, I have been spending my life unraveling the limiting beliefs I was instilled with as a child, from money issues to relationship knowledge. But in essence, the person at the core of my being is the same one who started this journey, just a more complex version.

My History

The second reason I am me is my family and our history.  Each of the people of all relationships that touched my life, from my parents, grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and siblings, has all left a mark and helped mold me into the person I am today. Being brought up as the second child of four was the most influential portion of my childhood. The activities we participated in as a family were the first lessons in what is important.

Whether it was the direct lessons, they taught me, like be polite or don’t steal. Or the indirect lessons that they taught by showing kindness, compassion, and caring for others, I am indebted to my family for much of what I am today and for what I will become in the future. I often recall all of my grandparents; now they are all gone, those thoughts are all that is left.  What would my grandparents think about the world as it is today, I wonder?

You will choose who you are

learning from life
This was me at 5 years old. What advice I would give him.

Thirdly, I think that your life experiences make a big impact on who you are and, even more importantly, your reactions to the things that life throws at you. The past year has been a reminder to me about the yin and yang of life, how there always seems to be a dichotomy in all things. Where great good exists, there is the potential for great bad. I know this is true because that was my life in 2018.

There are circumstances you love, wishing they would last forever, and some which aren’t so nice to experience. With each experience, pleasant or difficult, you will always have the choice of what you take from it. In fact, often stressful, painful experiences are often the most educational, motivational, and ultimately valuable moves.  How to grow, heal and forgive are often the most valuable residues of the suffering we face.

You alone are responsible for deciding if you learn something and move forward or be so devastated that you can only look backward with regret.

This is a personal choice that nobody can make for you, but one has gone a long way in defining who I am today and why I am me.

Many factors will cause us to reevaluate our lives, the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or perhaps the ending of a relationship.

That new perspective can catapult you into one of two directions, forward to accomplishment or backward in regret and despair.  Sounds harsh, but there are only two ways you can go every day in the life: you are getting better, or you are getting worse, nobody stays the same.

Who am I in my own thoughts? To quote Lady Ga Ga, I was born this way, and there is really no other way I would rather be. I have spent too much time in my life worrying about what other people think of the actions I take and how they may look to them. The only person I really need to be concerned with is myself.  I choose to base my life choices on strong, positive values like kindness, compassion, understanding, honesty, and integrity.

In the words of Carly Simon, “Nobody does it better.” I am the best me I can be, and that will have to be alright with everyone. Welcome to August 2021!! It’s a pleasure to make it this far.

 

What I Like About People

What is the most desirable trait another person can possess?

What_I_Like_About_You_title_cardI think it is impossible to pick one trait another person can possess. So many factors contribute to a personality and allow you to get to know someone in a real and genuine way. So many people I have met don’t show you their true selves anyway because you would stay far away if they did.

 To narrow the multitude of traits to one would be much too difficult to do in the short time I have to write this to give five traits I think are desirable in others.  I could probably come up with twenty without working too hard, but the list of five will have to do. I am sure they are easy to find.

Be  Positive Or Go Home

Many people spend so much time worrying about the things they don’t have that they miss out on all of the great things right in front of them. The great thing 05d3a5f9a3a2203c98679a3a91b88b66is that this behavior is all choice.

 It is raining out.  One person complains incessantly and lets it ruin their day and everyone around them.  The other looks at it as a great opportunity to wear that colorful raincoat and those new rain boots.

 Being positive is a state of mind, and the negative person is always a chore to spend time with.  Being with a positive person makes the time fly by because it is enjoyable no matter what happens.

 Life is only going to give you a finite collection of experiences, and it is your decision if you want not to enjoy them.  I prefer to enjoy each of them to the best of my ability, and positive people make that happen. So you really have to choose your company well. If someone does not see the positive, think about finding someone who will.

Honesty Is The Best Policy

There are few people in the world that you can trust to be honest about important things. That doesn’t mean little white lies should always be frowned on because Honesty 22sometimes people don’t need to know your opinion. However, open and honest communication must build any type of relationship, romantic or friendship.

 The big things have to be dealt with honestly.  From your hopes and dreams to financial matters, honesty is not only the best policy but the only policy I think leads to long-term success in building a relationship that will last longer than a short six months.

Just because you haven’t been “caught” in a lie, once you lie, the relationship changes; usually, you are lying because you are hiding something. Whatever that is. Something you did or something about yourself: dishonesty is a hurtful, painful thing to impose on someone you theoretically care about.

 Once you start hiding things from someone you love, the list of things you are hiding will continue to grow.  Soon you won’t be able to remember which things you should be hiding.

When the truth comes out, and it will eventually, no explanation can work. So always be honest, stop doing things that you would have to lie about, and be much happier. But, more importantly, so will all the people in your life.

Laughing with Me Not At Me

222333Being able to laugh at life and, more specifically, at my sense of humor is one trait I look for. In addition, I enjoy laughing and sharing a laugh with someone else.

There is no way you can do that with someone sober in thought all the time.  Laughter is the best medicine for almost any problem.

 Some believe that laughter can lower your blood pressure and help you lose weight.  All I know is that laughter makes you happy and makes you feel good. Have you ever been mad when you have laughed uncontrollably? Of course not.  There is nothing to do but appreciate the humor of the situation.

 There are only so many moments in life, and it seems like we shouldn’t waste the funny ones spending time with people who have little to no sense of humor. Or spend too much time worrying about themselves to see the joy in many moments. So I don’t judge them, I prefer to leave them sitting in a quiet, dark house, and I will enjoy the laughter that comes naturally with life.

The Smart Choice

beauty-9Intelligence is another trait that I look for in others.  I do not know where I would rate myself on the scale of intelligence, but I know that I value the brains and want to spend time with these people. The intellect of the company you keep will determine how much you can gain from those interactions. Intelligence is one of the most attractive qualities I have seen in a woman. The ability to think, theorize, teach, and grow is the ultimate in individualism.

 Perhaps I hope it will rub off on me, but I know that intellect and intelligence are desirable.  There is something about a smart woman that makes my knees go weak.  I am not sure if intelligence is that way for everyone, but it is definitely for me.  There is always time for silliness in life, but also there is a time for serious discussion and thought. It is nice to have someone around who can share competently in both.

I could probably list many more traits like kind, caring, loving, punctual, accepting, tough, athletic, talented,  and that is without much thought. The fact of the matter is that there are many great people in the world, and they all have a unique set of traits that make them special, and I appreciate them all. But that still leaves the question for you:

What is the most desirable trait another person can possess?

One other trait must appreciate Dire Straits…

 

Tom Petty’s Last Dance

Day 3- Nostalgic Music Month

Tom Petty  and the Heartbreakers By Jon Hilton

If you owned this album, you understand the loss.

The news of the passing of Tom Petty made today’s nostalgia easy to choose. I never met Tom Petty in life, but we knew each other very well when I was young. He guided me through the confusing moments of adolescence and let me know that it was alright to not fit in like everyone seemed to want.  Petty provided a voice that resonated with millions of people and always will. Growing up would have been much more difficult without him and his music and I am one of the heartbroken today.

The five songs that were most influential to me are not the most popular Petty songs but the ones that related to a particular phase of my life and particular experiences. Where the lyrics are a guide inside of the moment and still transport me to that time and place.

  1. Don’t Do Me Like That– Hearing the first notes of this song, takes me back to middle school. A time when I didn’t know much about the world and imagined how people should treat others.  “And you know you better watch your step Or you’re gonna get hurt yourself, Someone’s gonna tell you lies, Cut you down to size”
  2. American Girl- I have known many of these girls in my 51 years. Some were more significant to me than others but all had an impact. It is amazing when you think about it, how much women and our thoughts about them dominate our lives and history.  “God it’s so painful, Something that’s so close, And still so far out of reach”

  3. Breakdown– One of my favorite songs to sing along with still to this day. Makes me happy to hear it and to remember the times when I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that a breakdown It’s alright.  Unique guitar riff, memorable feel and flow.  My “young self” loved this song and my “old self” does too.

 It’s alright if you love me
It’s alright if you don’t
I’m not afraid of you running away
Honey, I get the feeling you won’t

  1. The Waiting – Throughout my life, I have found these Tom Petty words to be absolutely true, the waiting is the hardest part. The sentiment of the song was true. Good relationships and other things don’t always happen in an instant and you have to be patient to reap the benefits of these things.

Baby you’re the only one that’s ever known how
To make me want to live like I want to live now

  1. Even the Losers– My number one anthem of youth. I think we all feel like we don’t fit in or are losers, but even in our awkwardness and self-doubt, there is a girl who can make you feel like it will all be ok in the end.  Even the losers get lucky sometimes. Baby time meant nothin’ anything seemed real, Yeah you could kiss like fire and you made me feel Like every word you said was meant to be. Babe, it couldn’t have been that easy to forget about me.

1a.  Mary Jane’s Last Dance– This is a classic with so many great messages that hit me in so many places. Listen to it and know that life is a fleeting group of experiences that we try to squeeze meaning out of, Tom Petty guided us. Change Indiana to Maine in the lyrics and I knew that girl.

Well I don’t know what I’ve been told
You never slow down, you never grow old
I’m tired of screwing up, I’m tired of goin’ down
I’m tired of myself, I’m tired of this town

We have all felt that way at some point and time.

honorable mention- Free Fallin’, Won’t Back Down, You Don’t Know How It Feels, Running Down A Dream, Learning to Fly, Refugee, You Got Lucky, Here Comes My Girl

Farewell Tom Petty, may you rest in peace and know that in the end

 Tom Petty Day 3- by Mike Martin

Tom Petty added some iconic sadness to #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth. He is on my short list of my favorite musician, and one of the few performers that Shannon and I both completely appreciate.

When I heard of his heart attack and almost certain death. As I right now 7:25. October 2, 2017-his status is unsubstantiated.  These circumstances reminded me of the passing of my uncle-Charles F. Martin. Unc, as he was fondly known by our family, was most surely a family Icon, to say the least.

My Uncle-like my grandfather- was a carpenter by trade and-like myself-a NAVY veteran. He served during WW II and didn’t get into much detail about his service.

I’m not sure if Unc convinced me to join the NAVY after my mother, Maxine Graham, invited the NAVY recruiter to our house-a true hoodwinking and ambush-I must say, but he didn’t stop me.

Unc’s only advice: “Don’t let anyone take advantage of you, you do know what NAVY stands for don’t you-Never Again Volunteer Yourself.”

My uncle and I were extremely close. He treated with respect and never kept me from a worksite-well unless the proprietor ran me off which only happened once. The last thing I remember Unc telling me was that he wished I was living in town, Greenville, Maine, because the opportunity was abundant, and with Scott Patrick and I working with him, we could win a lot of work.

We never got that chance, Unc passed and our family changed forever, but I never forgot the lessons he taught me. No Worries Unc, I Won’t Back Down -even at the End Of The Line,  I love you and miss you every day!

….. “Maybe somewhere down the road aways (end of the line)

You’ll think of me, wonder where I am these days (end of the line………..

…………….. “It don’t matter if you’re by my side (end of the line)

I’m satisfied”

If you have any questions, drop us a line and please partake in #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of year! #visitGreenville

#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville

 

Monday Won’t Get Fooled Again

Day Two Nostalgic Music Month- October 2, 2017

The Who by Jon Hilton

The Who were so cool!!!

In my life, there have been stages where I was all into one band or another. In 1983-84 I was all about The Who. I was listening to classic Who tracks and thinking that they had figured the whole confusing experience of life out.  The Who made you question the system and the things that people wanted you to accept without question. Follow the rules! Do what you are told!  These were exactly the things I was struggling with as a high school student in the 80’s.  Finding my own path began with The Who.

Top Five Who Songs

Age is a state of mind, not a chronological condition
  1. Behind Blue Eyes– Most people see themselves as the hero, but some circumstances can make you feel like the villain. Life is full of these two scenarios and we strive to make the choices of the hero, but what if those are not accepted? My dreams aren’t as empty as my conscience seems to be.
  2. Bargain –  When it came to love in my life, there were times I felt exactly like this. Giving up everything for the love of the right woman. I call that a bargain, the best I ever had. Life takes that passion away, there is no free ride to me, but there was once.

  3. Won’t Get Fooled Again– The way I looked at authority as a teenager was perfectly described in this song. In fact, it is much the way I feel today. The hypocrisy, lies, and greed I see in the world, make me get on my knees and pray, we don’t get fooled again. But it seems unlikely. I know that the hypnotized never lie.

  4. Baba O’Reilly– I can remember when teenage wasteland included me and now I am far removed from that group, I still think older people look at the young and see them wasting their lives. They don’t need to fight to prove their right and they don’t need to be forgiven.  Life is full of patterns and being young is one of them. It is critical to the development of thinkers and doers in the future.  Let’s get together before we get much older.

1.Who Are You?– The question that I am still answering today. I think all people are continually evolving and this is changing as you move through life. The choices that we make every day define us and tell us and the world who we are.  I really want to know, who are you?  Do you choose positively or negatively in your interactions with others and the world? Only you control the impact that you have. This song has always shown me that truth from the time I listened to it as a young man, to today.

Thank you to the who for providing all the guidance in the early 80’s. Roger Daltry is still the man, he is just a very old man.

Honorable mentions; Pinball Wizard, My Generation, Can’t Explain, Love Reign o’er Me, Squeeze Box, Join Together, The Seeker, Substitute, Magic Bus

Monday, Monday     by Mike Martin

Mondays are a gift from the Universe. At our house, Monday is a time to frantically search for backpacks, homework and sneakers, a time to get back into the routine of our busy lives.

Music is a History lesson. Music videos are often rich with the culture of the times in which the music was created. My children are blessed with a father that forces them to listen to music from many decades.

On Mondays, just to get the week off to a joyous start. I often turn to The Mamas & the Papas. This pleases my daughter Kyera very much.

Monday, Monday 

“Monday, Monday, so good to me

Monday mornin´, it was all I hoped it would be”

The Mamas & the Papas recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968.  I was born in 1966.  The group has four members: John Phillips, Denny Doherty, Cass Elliot, and Michelle Phillips née Gilliam.

Denny Doherty has the best tenor voice that I have ever heard. Joh Phillips claims that a wayward brick forever changed Cass Elliot’s voice allowing her to sign a few high notes that she could not hit prior to getting struck with the falling brick-Fascinating. Michelle Phillips née Gilliam is the only member still alive and still very beautiful.

They released five studio albums and seventeen singles, six of which made the Billboard top ten and have sold close to 40 million records. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

My favorite song by The Mamas & the Papas is California Dreamin’ —listening to it, is a– Spiritual Experience:

“Stopped into a church

I passed along the way

Well, I got down on my knees (got down on my knees)

And I pretend to pray (I pretend to pray)

You know the preacher like the cold (preacher like the cold)

He knows I’m gonna stay (knows I’m gonna stay)”

Even though I grew Catholic and was very connected to the Holy Family Catholic Church in Greenville, Maine. I am not religious; however, I truly believe we are all interconnected through omnipotent forces that defy descriptions!

The Mamas & the Papas’ music speaks to me in a way they no other music can. So, please, enjoy your Monday because I believe that you CAN trust that day.  If you have any doubts, drop us a line and please partake in #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of year! #visitGreenville

p.s. This is Dedicated to the One I Love

“Each night before you go to bed my baby

Whisper a little prayer for me my baby

And tell all the stars above

This is dedicated to the one I love”

#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville

 

Sultans of Sentiment

Nostalgic Music Month

Dire Straits  by Jon Hilton

dire straits
Nostalgic Music Month Day 1

It is the beginning of a month-long journey to delve into the music of our lives. In the fall of 1971, I attended kindergarten in Greenville, Maine. It was there that one of my intellectual equals was Mike Martin. From that day to this, music has provided the soundtrack of our lives. And I have been privy to all of his schemes.  We have not always been on the same path, but we both agree that music provides a connection to the past and the people who have shaped our lives.

There was little choice for me on the first day of nostalgic music month. It

You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they make

had to be Dire Straits. From the first time I heard the unique and iconic guitar, to the messages in the lyrics that seemed to capture the emotions of the experiences I was having, Dire Straits has been one of my favorite performers. Most important is the connection to many special people I have known over my life who have shared the music with me.

My top 5 Dire Straits songs are as follows:

  1. Down to the Waterline– It reminds me when I was a young man and was on my own for the first time. Living in South Portland, going to SMVTI. Hearing the foghorn at night, having fun and getting to know all
All of your dreams should come true, you deserve it

of those special people I knew from that time working at campus security.

4.On Every Street– This is a newer song but captures a lot of the old style, and it describes how I feel about so many people that I have lost over the years. Some more than others. When you walk down the street, and you see a crowd of people, “and it’s your face I am looking for on every street…..”   Someday we may meet again.  The guitar at the end……..classic Mark Knoffler.

  1. Sultans of Swing– A song with so many memories and different points in my life attached to it that I remember a different thing almost every time I hear the opening beat, I can’t stop listening because I get a shiver in the dark and it’s raining in the park, but meantime………….and I feel alright when I hear the music ring.

2. Romeo and Juliet– The top two songs are from the same album, Making Movies. This song is particular to the memories of a young man, being Romeo and the first real love that breaks your heart. Like a rite of passage, there are good things that end and in the end, it is best for all involved, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less at the time and the scars that are left are just as real. As we age, people tend to trivialize the past and diminish the importance of many events and the value of people. Deep in our hearts, those things still live and the value will always be there. “All I do is miss you and the way we used to be……….” Everyone feels like that at some point. This song reminds of a time I was young, naive and idealistic. A simpler time.

  1. Tunnel of Love– In my memory when places, people, and love are combined from my past, magic happens and this song reminds me of that magic. There are people that you meet and they are only meant to be in your life for a season, and then they are gone. It is up to you to understand the lesson and take the value from that relationship.  Even when it is clearly your fault that things didn’t work out, this song though sums it up.  We learn our lessons, remember those who mattered and rock away, rock away.   The final guitar solo rips my soul.

Honorable mention: Water of love, Money for Nothing, Telegraph Road, Lady Writer, Expresso Love, Skate Away

There is my half of day one of Nostalgic Music Month for Mike Martins half Read on Here.

Sentimental Street  by Mike Martin

I have a spiritual advisor. His name is Jon Hilton and I have known

Night Ranger
1984, a year of transitional memories. A sentimental street for sure.

him since kindergarten. We speak on the phone often and will argue
with each other even when we agree. We have much in common and are
complete opposites.

With all the negativity in the world, Jon has proclaimed October,
Nostalgic Music Month. He will want to share the credit because Jon is
a team player and one of the many things I appreciate about his
friendship.

Before I gave my word that I send him sentimental music selections each day for the month of October as a way to promote hope and
optimism, as we reflex on the music of our past, I demanded (big
smile) that we use this platform to encourage people to visit our
hometown of Greenville, Maine. (if you a reading this, I am happy to
say that my demand was accepted)

We invite everyone and anyone to join in October, Nostalgic Music
Month. There are many ways to participate including the radio,
cassette, record, DVD and if you post on Social media please use the
hashtag. #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and please feel free to share
Jon’s blog with your friends and enemies.

Night Ranger’s second album, Midnight Madness was released the summer
of 1984. The summer after I graduated from high school. The summer
before a memorable fall that included a miracle pass from Doug Flutie.
I have a memory of seeing Night Ranger in concert, but I am
unconfident that I really did because the memories are foggy. So I am
asking my favorite musician ever Born, Rich Daigle and his favorite sound
man, J Alan Grant-Did Night Ranger open for 38 Special when we saw
them the summer before I joined the Navy?

Now sit back, relax and take a walk down this Sentimental Street-Night
Ranger #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip
to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of
year!

Sentimental Street

Sister Christian

Do you Still Dream About Me

#OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville

It’s All About The Music

Music is a powerful force in life. It has the ability to take you outside of your current experience and transport you to another place, another time and help you to remember another you. Being fortunate enough to grow up when I did, there are literally hundreds of songs and artists that have touched my life.

I have known Mike Marting since we were 5 years old and in kindergarten in Greenville, Maine. We were talking the other day about songs and their connection to our memories and we decided to declare October 2017 as nostalgic music month.  What this means is that we will be choosing artists and songs each day and sharing them, along with the nostalgic connection to the past brought with them.  There are moments that happen to each of us that capture a mood, that we enjoy revisiting like an old friend.

This is our mission and we invite anyone who wants to make a suggestion or add their own nostalgic songs and experiences to send them to me or him through this page, Facebook, email or the post office if anyone remembers how to do that.  Enjoy the day and we will see you in October, Nostalgic Music Month sponsored by Jamos and Breton’s Store.

We will do our best to complete this task each day for ourselves more than anything to connect to those times that are gone but not forgotten of our well spent, and not so well spent younger days.

The Year I Learned to Write

 What can you do today that you were not capable of a few years ago?

Capable

When I think back to where exactly I was 365 days ago, it never ceases to amaze me the jagged artwork that change has woven into the tapestry of my life.  Each seemingly unconnected event has worked to put me exactly where I am supposed to be.

Many philosophies support the idea of a preconceived plan for everyone. I am not sure about that yet, but sometimes it seems like things fall into place in ways that you would never believe. So here are some of the things that I can do today that I was not capable of a few years ago.

Blogging

blog-cartoonThe first and most obvious is blogging. I had heard of it a year ago but had no conception of what a community stood behind WordPress.

 It was really an accident I ever found out about it at all. Or was it?  I had written a bit on my website but never participated in blogging.

 I was too busy or too afraid or both to write on a regular basis and then kind of call attention to it.  Reading other people’s thoughts and commenting on them.

 It is like reading a book and being able to initiate conversation with the author as you move through it.  I love that type of interaction. I encourage it and try hard to be grateful for each comment I get.  This has been a life changer and 365 days ago I was incapable of doing this.

Writing What I Think

For those who don't know this is a typewriter, it is a keyboard with no computer.
For those who don’t know this is a typewriter, it is a keyboard with no computer.

There was a time not that long ago when I wouldn’t dare to write something that I really thought down anywhere, let alone on a public blog.  I had many negative voices in my head telling me: Nobody cares what you think.  That makes no sense. You are the only one in the world who believes that.  Nobody could possibly understand that.   As you can see, I was a bundle of confidence when it came to writing.  It was as if the Universe were conspiring to push me into writing about my thoughts.  It started with freelance writing, which forced me to write a large quantity of posts last summer in a relatively short amount of time.  This forced me to publish many things anonymously which I found to be quite liberating. It removed the negative voices completely and I could look at my writing from a pretty unemotional and detached view.  Then after the summer I moved to a newer phase of writing at the urging of a friend I started to write about the things I thought about.   Like taking the smallest snowball and rolling it through the snow, I took my ideas and started to craft my thoughts into posts for my website.  It started with a project and ended with me becoming involved in the world of WordPress. A year ago I was incapable of writing this post it has been an expressive year.

Being a Coffee Shop Author

Any old coffee shop will do I hope I see you there!!
Any old coffee shop will do I hope I see you there!!

One of the best parts of writing for me is that some of the best thoughts I have are written in coffee shops and I was fortunate through fate to visit a number of them all over New England over that past year.

A year ago I might have felt awkward, and self-conscious about sitting and writing in a nice coffee shop. Today, all I need is electricity and the internet and I can write quite easily and comfortably.

This transformation was by necessity so I started to get used to going into new cities and towns and finding a place that offered free wi-fi and then writing my mind out.  It made me a bit of money but more importantly it allowed me to improve my writing and gave me many great ideas about topics I should be writing about.

I have my favorite chains of coffee shop to write in and it would be difficult to choose just one.  Coffee shop chains are designed to handle the writing kind.  Individually owned coffee shops are too worried about the space you are consuming to cater to you.  A year ago I never would have known this or cared. I can write in almost any Tim Horton’s, Starbucks, or Dunkin Donuts in the world.

 

Enjoying the Moment and Going with the Flow

marjorie-ray-hinckley-quote-about-enjoying-lifeI have been working on this for several years, but in the last year I have put it into practice as often as I can.  I have a good friend to thank for this because hanging around with them you never knew from one day to the next what was going to happen.  It allowed me to enjoy the moment that was happening right now.  The moment may be gone in an instant.  There was also an acceptance of whatever came and enjoying it no matter what. Or at least appreciating the experience even if it wasn’t the greatest and most fun.   Most things however can be enjoyed, and a year ago I wouldn’t have been capable of enjoying them.  The difference was that I learned to let go of what I thought should be happening and accept what was happening.   This was definitely not an easy process and I still work on it today, but a year ago, I was not even close to this.

 

Gratitude is the Attitude

gratitude-journa&#1I have written about this before but it is true, that adopting an attitude of gratitude and experiencing heart-felt gratitude for what you do have, rather than focusing and feeling bad about what you don’t have is a pathway to not only enjoying life but to having more of the things you like in it.

I have been true to my gratitude journal since I first wrote about it and there have been things happening that I never would have thought of.  I believe that positive energy we create translates to others and makes all experiences better.  This begins for me with gratitude for all that is happening in my life.  I never would have tried to keep a journal about it a year ago, or to share that I did this as well.  You can be critical all that you want, but if you are that way, you probably are more worried about what you don’t have than what you do.  I am glad I am not in that frame of mind anymore, this year has allowed that to disappear.

 

I could continue to write a small book about this topic and I am sure that I am not uniques in this.  A year is a long period of time for some and a short period of time for others but we all experience changes every year of our lives.  I hope that I notice and enjoy all of the changes that come my way in the year to come.

 What can you do today that you were not capable of a year ago?

Day 10

Who knows what this next trip around the sun will bring.

 

 

Nostalgic Music Month Success

Nostalgic Music Month a complete success

Nostalgic Music Month took place in October of 2017. Each day Mike Martin and I (Jon Hilton) chose nostalgic music and wrote about what they meant. Each attacked the subject differently and in the end, it was clear that music effects everyone in life. This is a reflection of that process.

What did I learn?  Music is a constant for people of many different backgrounds. I learned that creating something is important to the soul. We should all be looking for ways to create every day. I also learned that many memories of people and events can be brought back to mind by listening to a song. Even though those memories are gone, sometimes they seem real enough to reach out and touch. If only for a minute.

What was great? Remembering the music was great but better than that was to visit the person that I was throughout My life. At different points of my development, there were a lot of different versions of myself over time.  One thing I realized through this project is that the people that were a part of my life are still just as important today as they were then. Even though we are separated by time and circumstance the effects of those people are real. From childhood, high school, college, and adult life. All that affected me are still important.

What is missing? I think we could have actively involved more people if we had planned better. It was the nature of the project that we were not collaborating with each other about the daily productions. There were many artists that I didn’t include because there were only 31 days. I wrote about the ones that resonated with me on that day.  Elton John, Cat Stevens, The Beatles, The Police, Alice Cooper, ACDC, Meatloaf, Pearl Jam and Jimmy Buffett are just a few off the top of my head I wish could have been included. Most of all though, it was fun and that is the juice that made it happen.

What is this leading to? In the beginning, the project was done with no expectations and no set agenda. The results have made me appreciate the ability to create.  It is a powerful thing to create something that didn’t exist before you made it up in your mind.  It is good for your body, mind, and spirit. It has also led to ideas of creating things in other genres. Video, podcasts, and of course more writing. Even if nobody else read these pages, it’s alright. The purpose was for self-expression and growth and that occurred.

The complete list of Nostalgic Music Month with links to each. Feel free to visit each one that resonates with you.

Day 31- Halloween/Dr. Hook

Day 30-Michael Jackson/VanHalen

Day 29-Pink Floyd/Spin Doctors

Day 28-Journey/Loverboy

Day 27-Bob Segar/Iron Maiden

Day 26- David Bowie/Miley Cyrus-

Day 25- Jackson Browne/Don McLean

Day 24- Queen/Def Leppard

Day 23- Rolling Stones/ Bruno Mars

Day 22- Steve Miller Band/ U2

Day 21- Moody Blues/ Kenny Loggins

Day 20- Billy Joel/ Terry Jacks

Day 19- John Mellencamp/ Jack Johnson

Day 18- 1985/ Van Morrison

Day 17- Water/ Thin Lizzy

Day 16- Monday/ Bon Jovi

Day 15- Creedence Clearwater Revival/Micheal Martin Murphy

Day 14- Simon and Garfunkel/ Harry Chapin

Day 13- Bob Marley/ Jim Croce

Day 12- Peter Gabriel/ Ratt

Day 11- Phil Collins/ Depeche Mode

Day 10- Bruce Springsteen/ Alanis Morrisette

Day 9- Bob Dylan/ Nirvana

Day 8- James Taylor/ The Eagles

Day 7- Kiss/ George Thorogood

Day 6-John Denver/Gordon Lightfoot

Day 5- Guns’n’Roses/ Aerosmith

Day 4- The Kinks/ The Congos

Day 3- Tom Petty

Day 2- The Who/ Mamas and the Papas

Day 1- Dire Straits/ Night Ranger

That’s Where I Come From

Today I am expressing my gratitude for Growing up in Greenville, Maine.  There have been few influences on my life greater than this.  The foundation of who I am today was built on the streets, in the school, in my home and with the people I shared the experience with.

S

Winter is a long season in Greenville, it makes you tough. and you really like spring! the Katahdin is a iconic boat that cruises Moosehead Lake, and of course an image of Mt. Kineo. All images of home.
Winter is a long season in Greenville, it makes you tough and you really like spring! the Katahdin is an iconic boat that cruises Moosehead Lake, and of course an image of Mt. Kineo. All images of my youth and this wonderful place.

Small Town To Say the Least, Greenville, Maine

Greenville was and is a very small town, but it was the only town I knew as home as a child. There are two sides of the coin when you

My brother and I actually playing outside. That is what it looks like.
My brother and I actually playing outside. That is what it looks like.

live in a small town.  On one side people are supportive of you in all that you do.  On the other side, it is difficult to live your life without having everyone know your business.

That is the fate of a small town, for me, those issues were never a factor because I loved living there and growing up with the people I grew up with.  A small town gave me the foundation to think, create and write.  In  many ways, I have never felt as much like myself as when I was there.

Friends Forever

It is an odd thing about friendship that it often flows in and out of your life like the tides in the sea.  The shared experience that you

The Indian Store, a non- PC name for a non-PC town. But a one of a kind shopping experience.
The Indian Store, a non- PC name for a non-PC town. But a one of a kind shopping experience.

build your friendship around often determines the length of the friendship.  Believe it or not, the people that I went to elementary school with in Greenville, Maine are still some of the dearest friends I have.

There was something about working our way through the growth of our youth that allowed us to bond.  With very few exceptions, today when I see someone from that era, we can talk and carry on in a fashion like no time has passed.   I believe this is true because we knew each other before life taught us hard lessons, and gave us difficult things to deal with.  At the core of each of us is that person we were when we were young.  I think I look at those friends with the eyes of understanding, that I know who they are, and they know me.  There is no judgment on choices we have made, or what we have become, it is what each of us was that I remember.

When I hear from one of these people on Facebook, or should I see them in person, I am transported back to a time in the 1970’s before cell phones, computers, and video games, when we actually played outside, every day.  These were my brothers and sisters and still are today.  That is an experience I am extremely grateful for.

The Town Itself

If I took you on a tour of 1970’s Greenville, we would walk the mile

It was not a rare occurance to see a moose, a bear or any other Maine wildlife. It was a small town in the middle of nowhere!
It was not a rare occurrence to see a moose, a bear or any other Maine wildlife. It was a small town in the middle of nowhere!

from the school to my house in the Junction, and on the way there, most every car that passed we would recognize.  It seemed like I knew everyone.  We would walk to Breton’s store which is still there today and buy the candy treat of our choice with the quarter I had squirreled away for just such an occasion.  My parents never worried that I would be harmed or abducted. They told me to never talk to strangers and in Greenville, it was easy not to do, I knew everyone even as a kid.

If we went into the downtown area, there were a number of old haunts which still exist today at least enough to let you meet the ghost of my memories. It doesn’t matter if I went to Jamison’s Store or to Harris Drug Store, I always seemed to get what I was looking for.   I was always with a friend or my brother and we were always on the go, heading to a pickup game of some sort.

Moving, The End of That Life

As I was finishing the 7th grade, I found out my family was moving. I didn’t tell anyone because I  think I felt if I just ignored it then the move would never take place.  I did not want to move.  I loved my friends and my life there.  After moving I picked up the pieces of my shattered reality and moved forward, but in my heart, I will always carry that place, the people, and our experiences there in Greenville, Maine.  I am grateful for them all!