I suppose, technically this is not hooky. My boss knows I am taking the day off and even the real reason why. I am not faking an illness or pretending I have to be somewhere else. Actually, I am not doing much of anything.
I was going to take off Good Friday, because I like to take the day for quiet reflection. A whole day got changed to a half-day, which turned into leaving an hour early. Doesn’t count. Then I was going to take today off, which turned into a half day… etc. Yesterday my boss said, “why bother with half a day; take the whole day off…” How can I refuse an offer like that? In spite of the reasons that kept me at work nearly the whole day last Friday (you know, the Good one), a.k.a. too damn much to do, I took today anyway.
The original reason for taking today off was to do something to honor the memory of my friend Jim (see blog “Adios”). Since he lived in California and his family is in New Jersey, the service is not until today. Today would also have been his 53rd birthday. I really wanted to go to the service in NJ, but after careful consideration and a very difficult decision, I chose not to go. Instead, I thought I would do a couple of things that would be appropriate to say goodbye and remember him in my own way.
I have done none of those things. I emailed, I read, I wasted time on Facebook… I played hooky on my own commitment to honor his memory.
But it is not too late.
I just bought a CD that arrived in the mail yesterday – “Quah” by Jorma Kaukonen. I know… what? By who? He was the lead guitarist from Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna. “Quah” was his first solo album and it is probably one of my top ten favorites of all time. It is all acoustic blues and showcases Jorma’s amazing guitar playing and songwriting skills. The timing of its arrival couldn’t be better. I bought the record (there used to be these things on vinyl….) when it first came out in 1974. That was also the year that Jim and I were rooming together. To say it was heavily played in our apartment would be an understatement. I just finished listening to it for the first time in nearly 30 years and aside from my amazement for how timeless it is, I was flooded with memories of Jim and I playing guitar together. I taught him to play, each with our 12 string guitars (I still have that guitar – it is behind me in my profile picture) and we would spend hours learning and playing songs.
Jim continued to play up until the end. I have not played my guitar very much, choosing instead to play keyboards. But recently, I have been hearing songs I used to play and I have been getting the itch to pick up the guitar and go through the painful process of getting my guitar calluses back. I was far more skilled on guitar than any other instrument I play, so it is really a crime that I let it go.
Then it occurred to me – what a fitting way to honor Jim’s memory.
I am re-stringing my guitar, cleaning it up, and I am going to play songs that I have not played for far too long. I can’t think of a better way to keep Jim alive in my heart.
This is your send-off, buddy. I hope you appreciate how much my fingers are going to hurt.
I was going to take off Good Friday, because I like to take the day for quiet reflection. A whole day got changed to a half-day, which turned into leaving an hour early. Doesn’t count. Then I was going to take today off, which turned into a half day… etc. Yesterday my boss said, “why bother with half a day; take the whole day off…” How can I refuse an offer like that? In spite of the reasons that kept me at work nearly the whole day last Friday (you know, the Good one), a.k.a. too damn much to do, I took today anyway.
The original reason for taking today off was to do something to honor the memory of my friend Jim (see blog “Adios”). Since he lived in California and his family is in New Jersey, the service is not until today. Today would also have been his 53rd birthday. I really wanted to go to the service in NJ, but after careful consideration and a very difficult decision, I chose not to go. Instead, I thought I would do a couple of things that would be appropriate to say goodbye and remember him in my own way.
I have done none of those things. I emailed, I read, I wasted time on Facebook… I played hooky on my own commitment to honor his memory.
But it is not too late.
I just bought a CD that arrived in the mail yesterday – “Quah” by Jorma Kaukonen. I know… what? By who? He was the lead guitarist from Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna. “Quah” was his first solo album and it is probably one of my top ten favorites of all time. It is all acoustic blues and showcases Jorma’s amazing guitar playing and songwriting skills. The timing of its arrival couldn’t be better. I bought the record (there used to be these things on vinyl….) when it first came out in 1974. That was also the year that Jim and I were rooming together. To say it was heavily played in our apartment would be an understatement. I just finished listening to it for the first time in nearly 30 years and aside from my amazement for how timeless it is, I was flooded with memories of Jim and I playing guitar together. I taught him to play, each with our 12 string guitars (I still have that guitar – it is behind me in my profile picture) and we would spend hours learning and playing songs.
Jim continued to play up until the end. I have not played my guitar very much, choosing instead to play keyboards. But recently, I have been hearing songs I used to play and I have been getting the itch to pick up the guitar and go through the painful process of getting my guitar calluses back. I was far more skilled on guitar than any other instrument I play, so it is really a crime that I let it go.
Then it occurred to me – what a fitting way to honor Jim’s memory.
I am re-stringing my guitar, cleaning it up, and I am going to play songs that I have not played for far too long. I can’t think of a better way to keep Jim alive in my heart.
This is your send-off, buddy. I hope you appreciate how much my fingers are going to hurt.
2 comments:
Thom, that is such a fitting tribute. Take care my blogger friend.
That's awesome Thom! And you better post a recording of how it sounds too - I would love to hear that.
Take care hon!
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