Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Thanks For The Memories



It's a warm Saturday evening in July, I just got an ice cream cone from Foster Freeze and I'm waiting at the bus stop for the 57 MacArthur to pick me up and take me to High Street in East Oakland. I got a brand new boombox that Vida Blue gave me and I'm blasting Elton John's Benny and The Jets. I spin around a couple of times and I lip the lyrics. My plaid bell bottom pants and silk shirt give me that Hollywood player feeling.

The A's won their first world series last season (1972) and it looks like were headed for another pennant. My natural is looking good, my mother took the hot comb to it and gave me a blowout. I'm thinking about the dance tonite at the recreation center and about which young honey I'm going to hold tight on one of those slow jams. I can't wait. Al Green is playing now, and the sun is setting. What could be better than this. Good music, new boombox, fine threads and my team headed for the 1973 worldseries. In this city of Black Panthers, Hells Angels, war protesters, activist and hustlers you have pick your moments of joy. I knew at that moment the world was mine. I soaked it in and milked every second until that bus arrived. Life is good was all I was thinking. I was learning a very powerful and profound principle. Live in the moment. Tomorrow is not promised and today is all we got.

Over thirty years later, I still live my life that way and it has been a blessing for me. If we live in the moment, we can cherish the memories. Reggie, Vida, Catfish, Rollie, Charlie O, Joe Rudi,
Sal Bando, Campy, Herb Washington, Mike Edwards, Bill North, Paul Linblad, Matt Alexander, Ken Holtzman, and the entire A's teams of the 70's thank U.

18 comments:

Online Degree said...

Wow... I get to be the first to post today! Thanks for the thoughts... it helped me reminisce on some of my past memories...

Ava said...

"If we live in the moment, we can cherish the memories."

I totally agree with that. With my disease, Lupus, life is different every day.

Learning to live in the moment has helped me to stay happy and enjoy life!!!

Thanks for sharing that!

Ava

Andrew said...

Taking it day by day. That's the way to go man!

Check out my band! It's good!

myspace.com/backyardsympathy

Munchies said...

Each day is a gift and another chance to get it right. It's nice to reflect on the past, but today will soon be a memory too. So enjoy THIS MOMENT...this moment right here. SMILE. Great post, Hammer.

CRT Law Mama said...

Thanks for the kind words about my daughter in your email ;-)

ON the memory tip- I did want to share with you and your fans that "can't touch this" was my cousin and I's theme song when we were in our heyday! She passed a few days after her 33 birthday, (three years ago) but I will always treasure the memories- and your hit will always remind me of the good days (Smiling to self)! Thanks again! God Bless!

North said...

Dear MC< as I reflect with you back to the sixties and seventies era; I immediately am reminded of the peaceful state Canada and the USA were in.

Though there were lots of turbulance, as freedom movements enveloped our youth; and rights were granted and extended more, and more towards women's growth in the global social systems.

What I miss; is the innocence of those times; being able to keep a bedroom window open on a hot humid night... we had freedom back then; and didn't even know it... until they were taken post 9/11.

with you in vision for the NOW-space...the only place to exist.

North

The Rev said...

How could you talk about the A's, and not bring up names like Blue Moon Odom, Gene Tenace, Angel Mangual, Jesus Alou, Darold Knowles, and Ted Kubiak?

Just thought I'd throw in a few more smiles for you, Hammer!

North said...

Blank the noise from your mind, BakaGaijin; and you can be "there."

Focus on tranquility, fluidity, mute your thinking which will help disconnect the wires which make noise in the mind, that hang onto negative vibration via thought and action.

non-thought = NOW state of beingness = awareness = peace.

Meditate. BE a tree...

A tree, does not know it is a tree - but it becomes one with its own essence with the earth, by not doubting it. : )

North

Big Heavy said...

thank you Hammer!

Rikki said...

Hey Hammer. Just saying hey.

doubleknot said...

Your post reminded me of the most important thing - live in the day and find the good memories from the past. I was feeling a little down this morning but you cheered me right up. Liked your trip down memory lane. Thanks for posting it.

chico-robot said...

eres dios

Rainex said...

Just to say hi and good luck!

Nicole said...

Very nice post and very good point. Sometimes we forget to just appreciate what we have. :)

(SR71)Atomica said...

Hi buddy
I grew up on Foster Freeze and Al Green and Elton John myself

Sometimes I think about the area where I grew up which is about halfway down to LA from Oaktown and how much it has developed rapidly from a small farm town into a practical suburb of LA.

My mother used to enjoy watching Salvando play ball, liked looking at his backside >:-)

I bet it would have been exciting if I had been old enough to appreciate that particular time.

It is always important to get out and experience life, I have learned that living for today can have its advantages, and together with my job as an inventory auditor I can attest that some of the places where I have eaten lunch whilst on the job have helped me satisfy that.

Sometimes the greatest experiences can come from a sport season, I remember how the Raiders and LA Kings played in the 1990s when I was in college, and of course there was the MUSIC of that time...some of which you furnished.

For all you have done thank you.

Nicole said...

Hammer: thanks SO MUCH for commenting on my blog. GREATLY appreciated.

And please forgive me if I blog this moment. I'm just too psyched right now! :)

Love visiting your site. Keep up the good work!

Sbudah said...

youtube is a great move,focus on it redefine yourself and use your image as an internet venture capitalist,silicon valey company owner and ex rapper to market the company.

Enter into a new wave of Gods movement in your life and pioneer a new breed of technology company owners.

Wow Gold said...

Nice blog. I a also ardent player of WOW GOLD. I love this game. Nice posting about wow gold. Thanks