Virtually all of the music that I listen to today on the radio is from artists that I had never heard of prior to the start of this 1,000+ day journey during the Summer of 2006. In fact they are all from a music genre that I didn’t really know existed until my Rebirthing. It’s the Christian Rock genre, and it’s hit music produced, written, and performed by followers of Jesus Christ. Their music can be louder, harder, and rougher than that of their secular counterparts, but this is music with a positive message – a Godly message. Even in music – it is all about Him.
Here’s one such hard rocker. It’s one of my all-time favourite songs of my fantastic journey thus far. It’s “Fading Away” from Demon Hunter, and it’s in the lyrics:
As I begin this post it’s barely after 7 AM on a Saturday morning, but I’m ready to go all ‘Retro’ on you right now ! The fact of the matter is that I’m leaving for the Florida Keys with a buddy in a couple of hours, and we may head all the way down to the end of the road – Mile Marker Zero – in the heart of Key West. If we reach the end then we probably won’t be back until late tonight, so I wanted to get this posted now in that event.
About 21 years ago during the Spring of 1988 my Mom, Dad, and Brother visited me here in America’s Riviera for the first time ever. We actually stayed at a popular hotel resort in Key Largo (bayside), and we drove all the way down to Key West in our rental car. (I didn’t even own a car at the time.) I think it was the very first visit for all of us into the Florida Keys.
I’ve actually visited Key West via cruise ship more so than via automobile. In fact I’ll be there again on the Tuesday after Labor Day in September as part of another short Carnival cruise that I’ll be on. Key West is a fun town. It’s a nice place to visit every now and then. It seems so far away from Homestead and points north – besides its geographic location. It’s like a whole different world down there.
21 years ago in 1988 when we were discovering the Florida Keys for the first time this tropical song was emerging as a megasmash on the radio. As it turns out it became the biggest-selling (platinum) and longest-running single of their long historic careers. I’m talking of course of the legendary Beach Boys. Here’s their ENORMOUS 1988 smash “Kokomo”.
This is one of my favourite songs of my 1,000+ day journey. It’s Columbus Ohio dude John Reuben hangin’ out with one of his good buddies – fellow Ohioan Matt Thiessen (of Relient K fame). This is their 2005 Christian Rock smash “Nuisance”.
John Reuben is currently touring the Great U.S. Midwest. Relient K are currently wrapping-up production of their new studio album titled “Forget And Not Slow Down”. It is expected to be released this October.
My old (and well-preserved) checkbook registers reveal a lot about the storied history of my life.
19 years ago in May of 1990 my take-home pay from the base was less than one-fifth of what it is today. Things were much cheaper back then !
Back then I drank Coca Cola Classic and I used Plax and Act in conjunction with brushing my teeth. I also washed my clothes with Tide. I know this because I wrote these items down within the ‘description’ lines of the checkbook register. Some things just never change !
My cable bill was $40.12 and my long distance carrier was MCI. It cost $20.60 to register my vehicle for another year. That’s almost exactly half of what it just cost me to do it again this past month.
One last thing. I was buying cat food at the HAFB Commissary. I didn’t ‘own’ a cat at the time. Oh yeah – there was however that mangy yellowish cat that essentially lived underneath my car in the parking lot of my dormitory on base for a few years. I suppose that it picked my car as its ‘roof’ because it (allegedly) continued to find miscellaneous food laying there.
Back in May of 1990 this was one of the hottest songs in the entire free nation. It’s the U.S. TOP 10 megasmash “I Remember You” from heavy metal glam rock band Skid Row (featuring then lead singer Sebastian Bach). It’s from their self-titled multi-platinum debut album, and it was one of the top high school prom songs in the nation in May of 1990. So all you 37-year-olds out there from the ‘Class Of 1990’ – this one is for you !
That’s my long distance dedication from Chris in Homestead to the entire ‘Class Of 1990’. Keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for God. Oh yeah – and keep your web browser tuned – right where it is !
CountUp 