Throwback Thursday Mixed Tapes in Everyday Ramblings

This is around the corner. It is still raining…they say until Monday. The bricks are the foundation of the old smithy part of the stables that were here. The two old men that have an office in this building are the descendants of the original non-indigenous landholders and they own a great deal of property in the area.

They have to be at least in their 70’s and keep to themselves. They wear dress shirts, no ties and drive very expensive cars. The iris and the roses are growing unattended.

My Wednesday class is developing its own signature personality. So far it has only been women that attended, all retired. Last night I learned (walking part of the way home with one of my students) that the mayor’s office has installed an earthquake preparedness node in the park across the street from those irises up there.

If I take a class that lasts about an hour I can get the code to the node. It has medical supplies and alternative communications equipment to let front line responders what our needs are. I need to work on my whole emergency plan. I have a number of things in place but there are big gaps.

Bernard here got me back watching Charlie Rose again. I watch online a few days after the shows air when I have time and I walk on an invisible treadmill while I do it. Helps me get in my steps for the day…

Anyway, there is a recent show, an hour interview with the amazing Lin-Manuel Miranda, the originator and star of the Broadway show Hamilton.

I knew he was Latino, talented and full of energy, but he is much more than that.

Of Puerto Rican stock born in New York he hit the jackpot and ended up going to very very good public schools. He has this incredible life force, this joy in being exactly who and how he is, which as far as I am concerned is a creative genius.

I am sure I would love the show. I hope they film it so I can see it someday. But the reason I am writing about this today is that he talked throughout the interview about how important making mixed tapes were for his friends and school mates and family coming up.

How he would pour the expression of his whole being into the arrangement of songs and comedy clips and how you had to listen to it in order to get the full effect.

After I first met Mr. POA he started giving me mixed tapes. He has great enthusiasm for the things he loves; say music by Bill Frisell or Iris Dement.

As we are renewing our communication lately the other day I got a package in the mail with 8 CDs. CDs! He is 72 so I guess he can be excused. I asked one of my young coworkers yesterday if she even had a CD player in her house. Nope.

There is the whole first season of the show Borgen, 5 hours of World Ballet Day from last year, a 2013 version of the ballet Cinderella by the Mariinsky Ballet and The Red Shoes from 1948. He then sent me a long email with viewing highlights!

He retired about 15 years ago. He was also in the demographic that was able to retire in his late 50’s.

It makes me laugh to even consider the possibility of having the time to watch this stuff but I better figure out a way before my DVD players stop functioning.

I wonder how young people are sharing their passions now? A download from the Cloud?

Last updated March 24, 2016