I have had Panda Bear’s album “Reset” in heavy rotation this week. (I am sure that 95% of the readers of this blog have no idea who Panda Bear is!) I’ve been playing it so much that Angela inevitably asked me what was up. I do that. Obsess over an album until it drives everyone in the house mad.
Panda Bear is a spinoff band from one of the members of Animal Collective. I was marveling at the sound of this album versus previous releases and explaining to Angela that I thought this had a “serious Pet Sounds vibe” to it. That’s how I talk when I am geeking out about music. Like a geek. Angela was humoring me, I could tell by her feigned interest.
I then said… “I would love to talk about this with Summer”. Angela instantly agreed. As if to say “You can stop talking to me about it now”.
Summer was definitely a muse of music appreciation. She and I would share music via text and bounce new stuff off of each other. More than most parents and kids do? If I had to guess? In the latter years at college, she was definitely off on a tangent of something modern that I have not fully embraced. She was hot on “Aries”. Aries sound is an amalgamation of a lot of styles. But it’s not my thing. It’s almost like what Big Audio Dynamite was to us in the 80’s. So different and new versus what were listening to that it was uncomfortable. Now I listen to “BAD” and wonder why I didn’t love it in 1989. Kinda like the way I was with “Dill” flavored anything as a teenager. I hated it. That reminds me of a Ben Folds song that Summer absolutely loved, “Do it Anyway”. I am doing that thing that happens when you talk about music… You head down a rabbit hole.
I will add the Ben Folds song at the bottom of this post. It was definitely a Summer anthem. ( I had no idea the Fraggles were involved with this video till I googled it just now!)
Over the past few years, Summer has been going to concerts in St. Louis with the Nate’s without dear old Dad… I have been working on my transition to Aiden over that time. He was not much for concerts early on… But I think we are figuring it out. His location at Kenosha is ideal for Chicago area shows as well. So that’s a win!
When we were down in Memphis. Someone… I still don’t know who because I never asked in the shuffle of our last days there.. Sent Summer a copy of the new Arcade Fire album “We”. It was on her Amazon list and unless you fill out the “gift message” tag, it comes in a box with no information.
Summer and I listened to that album a lot while in Memphis. We didn’t have a record player, but it was in heavy rotation on Spotify as we drove back and forth from Target House to St. Jude.
I remember when she opened the record, it had a poster and a sticker inside. She marveled at the poster when I unfolded it and held it up. I asked her if she wanted it hung and she said no. She wanted it all packed back up in the sleeve.
I think one of our last conversations about music was her saying “We is a really good record”. I agreed. Initially, we were both a bit taken aback by how moody this album is. But, it was very perfect for the time we were having together.
I made a deal with Aiden that he could drive our 1997 Celica to school after his initial move-in. I did this because I am wrapping up another project Celica that I bought all the way back in February 2022. Its a much nicer car than the 1997 and I will NEVER let Aiden drive the replacement.
Summer would be yelling “favoritism” so loudly right now. (I can hear her singing it to full effect) She was never allowed to drive that car overnight anywhere!
I am not superstitious and I don’t believe she is creeping around causing mischief… But it was quite ironic that the car Aiden was going to take to school on Monday had an alternator failure on Friday night coming back from my brother Don’s concert. Parts are not available for a week, but since I have a donor car… Aiden and I made a project to move a good one from the 1996 to the 1997 so he could take the car.
Hey, maybe it was Summer warning us of a potential problem that would have been hard to deal with while at college? Not likely… She would be so pissed if she knew he was taking that car to school! (It’s only for a month or so. I think we will be okay)
The total sales from the “tidbits and trinkets” have nearly reached $1000 in profit.
That’s with just stickers and keychains etc. The patches just arrived and they have been going out briskly. So… That is a massive win for the fund. I was nervous that I would be sitting on a bunch of this stuff. That will not be the case.
I just realized I had some VENMO donations that were outside of the ordering system, so that was a quick bump up this morning. Sorry for the delay VENMO people!
Nate came to town this weekend and we had him and his Mom’s fam a the house last night. Great time. So happy we can gather and have some laughs. We played a massive game of Telestrations. It’s a game where you draw a subject and pass it to the next person to guess what it means.
Summer, as the artist in the group, was brilliant at the game. Her name was coming out of everyone’s mouth last night.
It’s awesome that you and Aiden were able to switch alternators – and have some quality time before he left for school!
And great that your and Nate’s families could spend fun time together while remembering Summer!
Praying that God will keep everyone safe and continue to bring you comfort.
I love old country music so I know nothing about the music you and Summer shared with each other. Lol. Enjoy the music that brought you and Summer together. Sing for Summer !!
I continue to prayer for the entire family. Happy Trails to You which was sung by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. Ask Linda, if clarification is needed. Lol