I am who I was... a child of the "other" 1970s

I had trouble figuring out what to write today, and then this evening it all came into focus.  There's a part of me that's been dormant for far too long.

While making dinner tonight, I decided to plug into the Warren Zevon station on Pandora.  I rarely listen to music in the house--there's always too much going on downstairs and when I'm upstairs I usually have the TV on.  But the kids have been at their mom's house for the past few days, and I decided to listen to some tunes. 

At one point I caught myself dancing in the kitchen to the Dead's "Friend of the Devil," nearly stopping mid-twirl.  Wow, it's been so long since I danced around the house.  Too long.

Mike and I had a nice, quiet meal (low carb because I need to lose about 7 pounds before Thursday night) and then afterward I sat at my laptop in our office, scanning the selections on Netflix for something for the two of us to watch later on.  I came across a title, Jackson Browne: Going Home, and spent the next hour and a half mesmerized by "this chronicle of Jackson Browne's remarkable career containing interviews, performances and rare footage spanning 25 years featuring Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt, David Crosby, Graham Nash, The Eagles, David Lindley, Jennifer Warnes and many more.."

Watching the Netflix movie brought back a flood of memories, specifically from the years between 1976 - 1980.  I met my first husband, Chris Blackwell in 1976 and the babies were born in 1978 and 1979.  While most people might think of that as the disco era, it was anything but for us.   We were into singer-songwriters, many of whom emerged during the early part of the decade.  Our turntable played the names listed above, as well as the likes of Neil Young, J.D. Souther, John Prine, Leonard Cohen, Karla Bonoff, Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Rankin, Asleep at the Wheel, Joni Mitchell, the Grateful Dead, Tom Waits, Warren Zevon, and Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks. 

Jackson Browne was our ultimate favorite, and namesake for our son, Christopher Jackson.  If you're a fan, you will appreciate this YouTube video.



We had music in our house--well, apartment--all the time.  That's what our kids grew up with, and it certainly influenced the choice of music they play today.  Our friends--especially Tim, Susan, and Chuck--would come over to our house (we were the only ones with kids) and we'd have parties what seemed to be every weekend.  It would be only a matter of time until the guitars came out and we'd all start singing, though alas, even back then my voice sounded like the ironing board opening. 

One night in I want to say it was 1979, Susan and I decided to play dress up.  I dug out some old prom gowns and we vamped it up on the piano.

 

That denim wall hanging that in my 21-year-old mind passed for living room decor was one of the two things I ever sewed.  I remember saving my old jeans for ages to make that.

The second thing I ever sewed was these kitchen curtains, which were actually pillowcases from Sears.

 Cooking Jiffy Pop in a Danskin--those were the days!

I think that one, too, was taken shortly after Courtney was born--look at those boobs, and I bet I weighed all of 112 pounds!

I felt so nostalgic tonight.  God, how time goes by.  And to think that in a few days, these two and their dad will be opening for me on stage. 

"And the seasons, they go 'round and 'round..."

Hey, coincidentally, I happen to be wearing a 70s-inspired dress today.  It's pretty old--though not that old--and I often feel it's out of place here in Vegas.  But it's me, and it's the me I sometimes long for without even realizing it.  So here's my campy piano photo, 2012.

Thirty-three years later

Hope you're enjoying your weekend!