Author: Frank

Music…

One Way Ticket

4 Hits: Eruption

Eruption

and Words

Mmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Oh, oh, oh, oho
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

One way ticket, one way ticket
One way ticket, one way ticket
One way ticket, one way ticket to the blues

Choo, choo, train a-trackin’ down the track
Gotta travel on, ain’t never comin’ back
Ooh, ooh, got a one way ticket to the blues

Lyric excerpts from Musixmatch.

On a particularly hot night in the summer of 1979, my mom, sisters, and I arrive in Hong Kong.  My mom returns after being away for over a decade.  At the age of eleven, it’s my first time in Hong Kong.  We pile into a cab and make our way into the residence of my mom’s long-time friend, yet another friend who we’ll end up calling ‘aunt’.  We’re all collectively jetlagged, exhausted, and cranky.  Upon our arrival, the only thing I ask for before going to sleep is a glass of water.  They pour me a cup of hot water from a thermos; it still emits steam.  It wasn’t the refreshing beverage that I expected.  This should have been my first clue.

In 1979, the British still ran Hong Kong and would continue to do so until 1997.  In many respects, the British westernized Hong Kong compared to the rest of China.  As such, many places understood English.  However, at this stage in my life, my ability to speak English was comparable to Cantonese.  They composed many signs in English as well as Chinese, at least I may recognize words.

Continue reading “A stranger among family” →

Music…

Viva La Vida

Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends

Coldplay

and Words

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning, I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy’s eyes
Listened as the crowd would sing
“Now the old king is dead, long live the king”

Lyric excerpts from Musixmatch.

This particular blog aspires to be a whimsical account of music from my past and the attached memories to that music.  Those memories have ranged from the deeply emotional to the downright silly.  It started as a bit of a proxy for an online journal, which I kept many years ago.  These words on the page have taken me on a journey to many distinct moments in my life.  In order for me to bring you, the reader, along, I embed a player on the top of the page.  This player allows you to play a clip of that song and follow along.

Over a year ago, this website hosted a player from Spotify.  It worked well and did everything that I needed it to do.  Still, I elected to change it.  As I stated in that post, I normally try to keep politics off this particular blog, but occasionally when we make an abrupt change, it warrants a response.  My response was to extricate Spotify from my site.  I couldn’t promote a service that will fully turns a blind eye to the likes of Joe Rogan.

Continue reading “Prostituting my principles” →

Music…

Dust in the Wind

Point of Know Return

Kansas

and Words

I close my eyes
Only for a moment and the moment’s gone
All my dreams
Pass before my eyes, a curiosity

Dust in the wind
All they are is dust in the wind
Same old song
Just a drop of water in an endless sea

Lyric excerpts from Musixmatch.

Many years ago, I observed an e-mail conversation on a very large public distribution list.  I don’t quite remember the nature of the discussion.  I simply remember that it felt exceedingly noisy and pointless.  In a moment of protest, I expressed my opinion in an unconventional way.  I responded to everyone with a one-word response: “unsubscribe”.  Some archiving services will stop sending you any activity on that discussion upon seeing that response.  That wouldn’t work here, but it communicated that I wanted off this discussion.

Days later, I walked into my weekly status meeting with my new lead, Ted.  I had worked with him for a couple of years but only recently started to report to him.  He didn’t reprimand me for that stunt, nor did he even criticize me.  He simply asked me, “What did you want to achieve?”  He explained how my response might make me feel better, for perhaps a few minutes.  However, my rebellious one-word response was an ineffective way to affect change.  If I hoped to change this ridiculous policy, my rebellious reply would not help.

Continue reading “That ‘drop of water’ is a tear shed” →

Music…

Killing Time

Thunder Seven

Triumph

and Words

Hanging out on the corner
He’s got no place to go.
She sits in an empty bedroom
Playing the radio.
Every day they’re regretting
All the things never tried;
Every day they’re dyin’
Just a little bit more inside.

Lyric excerpts from Musixmatch.

I attended high school where I first discovered Triumph.  They played hard rock, but they felt different than other bands of the time.  Other bands had image or even some dirt.  They sounded cleaner.  I started with this album, Thunder Seven.  I imagine that I initially had it on cassette, though I only remember playing it on CD.  Subsequently, I attended two of their concerts, the tours for this album and The Sport of Kings.  The stage shows were phenomenal.

Since my teens, I listened to this band, mesmerized by the sound of their music.  These days predated the streaming applications and even digital music, in the form of MP3’s.  Playing music meant that you needed to carry the physical media, typically in the form of cassettes or CD, so I needed to be selective.  Triumph was a persistent part of that collection.  This continued through college and beyond.

Continue reading “Carpe Diem” →

Music…

Bicycle Race

Jazz

Queen

and Words

Bicycle, bicycle, bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle, bicycle, bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

Lyric excerpts from Musixmatch.

In my early days on the sunny isle of Puerto Rico, I really wanted a bicycle.  My parents ran a restaurant which doubled as our home.  We resided on the dividing line between San Juan and Rio Piedras, a busy street as far as Puerto Rican roads go.  Running the business also kept them occupied.  They could easily keep an eye on me if I were sitting around doing my homework or watching television, but once I wandered out onto the streets, all bets were off.  They vetoed the idea of a bicycle based on these two factors.

Once we moved to Fort Lauderdale, I got my first bike.  My mom found a Kent BMX bike that she could afford in one of the local department stores, like Jefferson’s.  I tolerated that bicycle for the first year or two; it would be that or nothing at all.  We were poor, and while my mom provided us with whatever we needed, what we wanted was entirely another discussion.

Continue reading “Endless summer days on two wheels” →

Music…

The Power Of Love

Back to the Future Soundtrack

Huey Lewis & The News

and Words

The power of love is a curious thing
Make a one man weep, make another man sing
Change a hawk to a little white dove
More than a feeling, that’s the power of love

Tougher than diamonds, rich like cream
Stronger and harder than a bad girl’s dream
Make a bad one good, make a wrong one right
Power of love will keep you home at night

Lyric excerpts from Musixmatch.

It’s just a typical Thanksgiving.  I’ve had the turkey thawing in the refrigerator for a few days; I will deal with any pockets that remain frozen when I take it out and examine it.  I baked the cheesecake last night; it remains the same recipe that I’ve baked for years.  I also have provisions for scalloped potatoes, it’s a microwave recipe that came with my microwave when I was in college.  Slicing the potatoes into the thin slices is a bit of work, but it’s all part of the ritual.  Yesterday, I also picked up a Honey Baked Ham because it’s delicious, and I want to give my guests options.

I moved to the Seattle area from Miami decades ago.  Upon arrival, I didn’t know anyone in the Seattle area, though I developed friends quickly.  I faced the dilemma that many people early in their professional careers face.  Do I travel to see family for Thanksgiving, or do I stay put and make plans with friends?  On most years, I would stay put for the long weekend, opting to spend a little more time during the winter holidays.

Continue reading “Giving thanks, twice a year” →

Music…

Burn

Halcyon Days

Ellie Goulding

and Words

We, we don’t have to worry ’bout nothing (nothing, nothing)
‘Cause we got the fire, and we’re burning one hell of a something (something, something)
They, they’re gonna see us from outer space, outer space
Light it up, like we’re the stars of the human race, human race

When the light started out, they don’t know what they heard
Strike the match, play it loud, giving love to the world
We’ll be raising our hands, shining up to the sky
‘Cause we got the fire, fire, fire
Yeah, we got the fire, fire, fire

Lyric excerpts from Musixmatch.

On an early Wednesday morning, I navigate the parking structure that dives down six stories from the ground level.  It’s relatively easy to reach the bottom level; ramps lead directly down only briefly opening on each level.  I choose the lowest level for consistency as I park close to the elevators.  Next, I ride this elevator up to the second floor.  I walk past Jerry’s shoeshine station, though it’s closed today.  Had he been there, I would’ve greeted him with a warm smile.

I cut through the courtyard that separates the Nordstrom Rack and the food court, none yet open.  I reach a bank of elevators just past that courtyard, I pick the set to the right.  After clicking through my badge, I ascend to the 26th floor where my desk resides at work (at Pokémon, or technically TPCi, a subsidiary).

Continue reading “A typical day at work… until it wasn’t” →

Music…

Closing Time

Feeling Strangely Fine

Semisonic

and Words

Closing time, open all the doors
And let you out into the world
Closing time, turn all of the lights on
Over every boy and every girl

Closing time, one last call for alcohol
So, finish your whiskey or beer
Closing time, you don’t have to go home
But you can’t stay here

Lyric excerpts from Musixmatch.

As a young child in Puerto Rico, my dad ran his own restaurant; the rear of that building was our home.  My parents ran the business, though different aspects of it.  However, I only got to spent time with my dad during the afternoon siestas and late at night, after our business closed and all the side work had been finished.  I think this was the start of my becoming a nocturnal creature.  I treasured those moments I spent with my dad, though he passed away shortly after I turned nine.

My mom tried her best to get us to bed at a sensible time.  The television stations played this annoyingly memorable song at a particular time at night; that would inform parents to put their kids to bed.  The first verse translates to “Let’s go to bed, since we have to get some rest.”  We eventually grew wise to this scheme and turned the channel in order to stay awake a bit later.

Continue reading “Carpe Noctem” →

Music…

Sentimental Street

7 Wishes

Night Ranger

and Words

Saw you walkin’ out on sentimental street
What you doin’ out there?
Who you tryin’ to be?
I know what you’re thinkin’
‘Cause I’ve been there myself
I’ve been kicked so many times
I don’t know nothin’ else

Lyric excerpts from Musixmatch.

On a typical winter day in South Florida, I start the moderately long drive from Palm Beach to Miami.  The forecast may be cloudy, but the sun still beams and casts hard shadows upon the hot pavement.  Well, I call it comparatively hot.  I now live in Washington where it is around 40 degrees Fahrenheit.  Florida’s 70’s seem downright balmy.  The southeast coast of Florida was my home during my late childhood, and in many ways, I still consider it my home.  This is not an account of a particular trip, but it is instead an amalgamated account of many such trips.

Beautiful beaches line the southeast coast of Florida, ones that I took for granted while growing up.  Uniformly along that coast, there’s a freeway, Interstate 95 (I-95 for short) that follows that coast.  It consistently runs around a 15-minute-drive from the actual coast.  It allowed for easy access to the beaches, but similarly it was far enough away to avoid many of the problems from being right on the beach.  If we were to follow it north, it’ll run all the way up the east coast to Maine; I’ve driven it to Connecticut.  If we were to drive it south, it eventually empties into Miami, directly onto South Dixie Highway (US1).

Continue reading “A drive down memory lane” →

Music…

The Logical Song

Breakfast in America

Supertramp

and Words

When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful
A miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical
And all the birds in the trees, well they’d be singing so happily
Oh joyfully, oh playfully watching me

But then they send me away to teach me how to be sensible
Logical, oh responsible, practical
And then they showed me a world where I could be so dependable
Oh clinical, oh intellectual, cynical

Lyric excerpts from Musixmatch.

On an especially vivid childhood memory of my dad, we built Legos.  My kid sister, dad, and I sat on the cold tile floor late at night.  Some bricks were scattered over the floor, though most remained in a bucket-like bin used for storage.  We built tall, colorful, symmetrical structures that resembled nothing in real-life.  It was long past our bedtime, and we struggled to stay awake.  My dad ran a restaurant; we didn’t get his uninterrupted time until after closing time.  These slivers of time oozed with anticipation and magic.

My older sister, four years my senior, did not join us in our brick-building activity.  I’m not sure if she felt she outgrew it, or perhaps it just wasn’t her thing.  She approached teen hood at the time, and maybe it was time for her to develop her independence.  The one observation about my younger sister and I, we both went on to become engineers.  We graduated on the same day, years later; she with a mechanical engineering degree and me with a computer engineering degree.

Continue reading “Logic, reason, and the journey of life” →