Thursday, March 2, 2017

"Triumph"

Blogging Friends.... To quote Bruce Springsteen.... Is there anybody alive out there?! Have you, my dear Blogging Friends, ever wondered about me, about this little Blog, about where I've been all this time? Seriously.... Is there anybody alive out there?! I am now awaiting an eruption of thunderous cheering from all across the Internet.... Well.... It works for Bruce's fanatics at his shows, anyway!! Nah.... You, Blogging Friends, have probably no doubt forgotten all about me.... About my fictional stories.... And walked on, moving forward with your lives. Which is all my fault. Yes, yes, I have dropped off the face of the Internet planet, become a loner and I've gone into hiding. I also took an unplanned break from creating fictional stories.... For the most part. So.... Where have I been all this time? Well.... On January 16th, 2016, I went down to The River.... Yeah.... It was only going to be one day, one The River-themed Bruce Springsteen Workout {in an effort to avoid Self-Pity} not about ten months {in total}, not 89 The River Challenges {in total}!! Well.... On February 25th, 2017, I tackled my very last The River Challenge.... And.... Yesterday, I relived The River Challenge by tackling a Born In The USA/The River-themed Bruce Springsteen Workout!! Anyway.... This deeply personal, metaphor/analogy-filled emotionally autobiographical fictional story will explain everything.... It is The River Challenge 2016 'in a nutshell'!! Stay hard, stay hungry, stay alive, Raelyn

Note Number One.... You know what? Comebacks can be a funny thing. Oh, 'Triumph'.... I have worked on, edited and 'tinkered' with this 'comeback story', like, ten thousand times.... Or more. It's not exaggerating in any way, shape or form to say that 'Triumph' is my most edited fictional story.... Ever!! This is actually my second completely different version of 'Triumph'!! Well.... Not counting my 'Blog version'!! You know.... Like Bruce has twain completely different recorded versions of 'The River', for example? And I've never done that before!! I have even since set 'Triumph' aside and I've since written four--going on five--fictional stories!! More to come!! Because, yes, I am creating fictional stories again!!

Note Number Two.... This story was completely unplanned.... Just like The River Challenge!! Actually.... I somehow managed to write it during The River Challenge last year. This is basically a true story.... Bruce did arrive in 'my hometown' for a show.... Then, on February 20th, 2016, after Reality hit--hard--that I could not attend his concert, I finally crashed and burned {emotionally, mentally, spiritually} and then I was suddenly in the mood for a Born To Run-themed Bruce Springsteen Workout!! Honestly? I cried, like, the entire time. Weirdest. Bruce. Springsteen. Workout. Ever. And that is saying a hell of a lot!! However. It was also one of my most healing--one of my most unforgettable--Bruce Springsteen Workouts ever!! And that is saying a hell of a lot, too!! I felt everything--each word, each verse, each song lyric--like I'd never, ever, done before. Lookin' back now? I absolutely realize that I was in the mood for Born To Run {yes, yes, on an impulsive whim} because I needed to escape, I needed to get away, I needed to hightail it out of here..... Emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Enjoy....

Note Number Three.... Yes, I know that 'Lucky Town' has absolutely nothing none whatsoever to do with 'The River'. However. On February 16th, 2016, I chose 'Lucky Town' as my closing song for that day's The River Challenge!! Little did I know? That 'Lucky Town' would be such a sentimental, symbolic, therapeutic and healing song!!

Note Number Four.... I just learned that today is #WorldBookDay!! It's actually trending on Twitter!! So here is a shout-out to Bruce, whose memoir, Born To Run--the biggest damn book that I ever read in my entire Life--officially made this self-proclaimed non-reader a reader!! Ah.... I think he would like to hear that!! Now will you excuse me.... I have some reading to do on #WorldBookDay!!

"Triumph"

Lucky Town. I went down to that emotional, mental, psychological place {on Tuesday, February 16th, 2016} my one month anniversary of when I started this wild, crazy, insane, unplanned, adventure, journey, quest and time travel to 1980!! Let me explain. See, I had recently learned {on January 27th, 2016} that Bruce Springsteen was potentially adding 'my hometown'--also known as our beautiful, oft rainy, green Pacific Northwest--to his The River 2016 Tour dates. And it had officially been confirmed just four days ago {on February 12th, 2016} when concert tickets were being sold Online for $150.00 that I would be unable to afford any, amongst other obstacles. Sadly. Meanwhile, I have been hip swaying, dancing and cutting loose to epic, marathon, five hour-long The River-themed Bruce Springsteen Workouts every single time when he performs a show.... Which in total lasted about ten months!!

This is always an intimidating, arduous, exciting 'mountain climb'!!

The River Challenge. That is what I affectingly call these Bruce Springsteen Workouts. But.... What is The River Challenge, exactly? Well.... It is my self-serving mission trip, because somewhere along this journey, God has taught me {through Bruce's beautiful, profound, poetic, brilliant, well-written songwriting} that I possess a heart of stone which definitely needs softened. Such as comparing myself to others, and, as resulted, feeling envious/jealous toward particular people. Yes, yes, I am a sinner with faults, with flaws, with character defects. But I also suffer from what I call 'mood swing-infused pity parties'. It will be an actual clinical diagnosis someday. Just wait. I can suffer from Self-Pity issues. I am sometimes a moody, irritable, agitated, brooding, edgy jerk.

For Bruce--based on my own observation--writes about characters who possess hearts of stones in his songs an awful lot!!

The River Challenge is.... Well.... Challenging.... In every single sense of the word!! Physically challenging? Check!! Mentally challenging? Check!! Emotionally challenging? Check!! Spiritually challenging? Check!! The River Challenge is my ultimate therapy session.... Which happen regularly. For, in an effort to avoid 'mood swing-infused pity parties' {as best as humanly possible} because I cannot attend even one The River Tour 2016 show {which will eventually all add up to seventy-five concerts!! Eighty-nine, if you include 2017!!} I dance!! Because, that much is within my control!!

For to quote Bruce from his song, 'Thundercrack'.... Dance with me, partner, dance with me, partner, dance with me, partner, all night; All night; All night; All night....

Lucky Town. It is not an actual, literal, real place. I can't find 'Lucky Town' on the map. No, it is not a city in New Jersey!! Or anywhere on the East coast, for that matter!! Because Lucky Town is a state of mind. In my own deeply personal experience? There is always forgiveness, there are always second chances, there is always redemption!! But I have to work on it. In Lucky Town, there are happy endings, new beginnings and lots of love!! But I have to work on it. Lucky Town is a place where I can find happiness and contentment.... Right here, right now, right where I am!! But I have to work on it. Lucky Town is eternally within my heart, within my soul, within my mind. It's beautiful, it's healing, it's welcoming!! Lucky Town is like a community {it's obviously an imaginary, creative place} where this learning disabled, misfit, different, freak, obsessed 'Bruce Springsteen lover'--I mean, fangirl--finally belongs!!

And I saw Lucky Town, because I traveled there!!

But then.... I crashed and burned my beautiful sky blue-painted motorcycle--I named her 'Triumph'--on 2-20. Yes, in Lucky Town. Saturday, February 20th, 2016 just so happens to be the date of when I crashed and burned 'Triumph'. Oh yeah.... 2-20 is also a dangerous, germ-infested, busy, litter-covered, noisy, graffiti-decorated, potholed, homeless people-residing, filthy highway. Yikes!! My sky blue-painted motorcycle crash left me severely, emotionally, and mentally injured, with psychological bruises, with an incredibly broken heart, with a bloodied soul. But I never fractured any bones. Why? Because I am impossible to break!! Therefore, I did not even bother driving toward emergency, urgent care or my doctor's office. Oh yeah....

I am also still alive--somehow--because I'm hard to kill!!
 
 "What happened?!" I thought aloud, "I do not know. It happened so fast, so sudden, so unexpectedly!!"

I had been riding on one long, cosmic The River Challenge high to another. It could be scheduled for two {or, quite often, three} days a week. Now, this can feel quite emotional, mental and psychological. Some in good, positive ways.... Others in bad, negative ways. I had been riding 'Triumph' at an extremely risky one hundred miles per hour. So it was completely inevitable that I would eventually crash and burn. Right? It was totally expected. Right? I probably should not have felt shocked, surprised or blindsided by it at all. Right?

But I did.

"What happened?!" I repeated, "I have no idea. I was handling being unable to afford attending Bruce's show in the Pacific Northwest--which would have been my very first time--so well!! Seriously?! I had even impressed myself!!"

I was uncharacteristically mature, I was uncharacteristically grown up, I was uncharacteristically rational.... None of which comes easily--or naturally--to this self-proclaimed Drama Queen!! I was doing so good!! And what shocked me the most? This hopeful optimist--this delusional daydreamer--was even uncharacteristically thinking, acting and being realistic!! Me!! Wait a minute. I went down to Lucky Town on February 16th, 2016.... But then I crashed and burned 'Triumph' just four days later?!

What on Earth happened?!

"I wish I knew...." I said, "I thought that in Lucky Town, there would always be warm sunshine, clear blue skies and beautiful multi-colored rainbows!! I guess I was wrong about this extremely dirty, shabby, unpleasant place...."

However. Beautiful, multi-colored rainbows do not happen without dark, gloomy clouds. Clear blue skies don't occur sans loud, incredible, somewhat frightening thunder and lightning shows. Warm sunshine doesn't happen without pouring rain or hailstorms. Not from where I was born and raised--the Pacific Northwest--anyway. And in order to be resilient--truly resilient--you have to fall first. I absolutely, wholeheartedly, one-hundred percent believe that!! For resilience doesn't come sans crashing and burning 'Triumph' first.

I absolutely, wholeheartedly, one-hundred percent believe that!!

For Life is a combination of both happiness and sorrow. This existence has its share of broken, shattered, unobtainable dreams. Life is a combination of good times and bad. This existence is filled to the maximum with disappointments, missed opportunities, chances. But it is how you deal with Life's dark, gloomy clouds.... This existence's thunder and lightning storms.... Life's rain. With courage, with strength, with resilience. It is how you handle Life's happiness and sorrow.... This existence's broken, shattered, unobtainable dreams.... Life's disappointments, missed opportunities, chances.

You triumph over them and move forward as best as humanly possible!!

"What happened?!" I said once more.

I gingerly lie poor, busted up 'Triumph' into the bed of my 'old' 1970's baby blue-painted Ford pickup truck. I then drove her toward a mechanic shop so that she could--hopefully--be repaired. Yes, in Lucky Town. I gave the mechanics my cell-phone number--575-7575--to call me after they fixed 'Triumph'. I was frightened.... I felt completely confused.... I was all alone. So I hopped back into my 'old' 1970's baby blue-painted Ford pickup truck and I left Lucky Town.

I completely abandoned that dreadful, terrible, extremely dirty, shabby, unpleasant place.

"I am busting out of here!!" I declared, as I rolled down the window and let the wind blow back my hair, "I'm breaking free!!"

"Wendy, let me in, I wanna be your friend, I wanna guard your dreams and visions; Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims and strap your hands 'cross my engines!!" I sang, {on the top of my vocal chords, my lungs, my heart, my soul} as I blasted Bruce's album, Born To Run in a portable CD player, "Whoo!! ....Tramps like us, baby we were born to run!!"
 
Then the uncontrollable, wet, hot tears freely streamed down my face. I tried very hard to stop them, but I couldn't. For I was emotionally and mentally injured, with psychological bruises, with an incredibly broken heart, with a bloodied soul because of my sky blue-painted motorcycle crash. Remember? Honestly, I was one hot mess, as 'mood swing-infused pity parties' knocked on my heart and soul's door. Which 'he' very well owns a key to. Who? My 'mood swing-infused pity parties'. How? Because I gave 'him' a key several years ago when I was either thirteen or fourteen years old. From 'Thunder Road' to 'Jungleland', I kept on driving--running aimlessly away from Lucky Town--in that 'old' 1970's baby blue-painted Ford pickup truck.

But I could not regain my composure.

"Where am I going....?" I asked myself, as wet, hot tears continued to freely fall and blur my vision, "I do not know.... I am going anywhere but Lucky Town.... I do not have a map.... I don't own an electronic GPS system.... I do not have a compass.... I don't know where I am.... I'm lost.... All I know for certain is.... I am never returning to Lucky Town ever again...."

Ring!! Ring!! Ring!! Ring!! Ring!!

It was my cell-phone. I jumped and, as a reaction, I screamed. Meanwhile, I had been maintaining radio silence in nothing but my head, with complex thoughts, with mixed-up feelings, with complex emotions. So obviously, that cell-phone's ringtone scared me!! I pulled my 'old' 1970's baby blue-painted Ford pickup truck over and I answered it. A friendly, talkative, bubbly, swearword-speaking mechanic--named Shelton--was on the other telephone.

Yes, in Lucky Town.

"Damn, you sure did some major wreckage to your bike!!" Shelton said in a deep voice, "I mean, she was badly messed up!! Your bike lost some real important parts in that crash!! But, don't worry, we fixed her!! Your bike was all twisted up, man!! But, don't worry, we fixed her!! Your bike's scratched paint needed a major touch-up job!! But, don't worry, we fixed her!! It ain't nothin' but a miracle that you survived that nasty crash with no broken bones or serious visible injuries!! Because, damn!! In my twenty years of workin' here as a motorcycle mechanic, I ain't never seen no one with his or her bike this badly messed up walk in here.... Alive!! And I mean no one. You sure as hell were lucky!! Anyway, she's all repaired now and ready for pick-up!!"

Shelton has never seen anybody with his or her motorcycle this busted up walk into his shop alive? I thought gloomily, I'm 'lucky', huh? Oh, if only he knew how emotionally and mentally injured I truly am....

I hung up my cell-phone. Wow. That was seemingly quick!! I thought for a second. How long have I been driving, forty-five minutes to an hour? I have no idea. For when I'm listening to Bruce, I lose complete track of time!! Honestly? I did not think that the mechanics in Lucky Town could possibly repair 'Triumph' so soon. For, like Shelton said, she was badly busted up!! Besides, in my own personal experience? Workers--such as mechanics, plumbers, electricians--are highly unreliable people. They will show up at your house several hours late. Workers--such as mechanics, plumbers, electricians--never call you back. That, or they do not come to your house at all. Now, I absolutely understand being busy and forgetful. I, myself, have premature short-term memory loss like Dory from Disney/Pixar's animated film, Finding Dory. But.... How do these workers--who were employed for so-called 'reputable' companies--ever keep themselves from getting fired?!

I cannot help but wonder.

"Great...." I sarcastically said after hanging up my cell-phone, "Now I must return to that dreaded place called 'Lucky' Town!! But I do want 'Triumph' back. Right? So what choice do I have?"

The tears had finally dried up. Born To Run was no longer blasting in my portable CD player. I looked out the windows. I read weathered, green-colored, reflective street signs, trying very, very hard to figure out where on Earth I was.

Shermann Road? No. Cane Street? No. Depaw Road? No.

"Where am I?" I said, "Let's see.... I am on Heartbreak Avenue.... Alright...."

I immediately turned my 'old' 1970's baby blue-painted Ford pickup truck around. I then drove north, west, east and south. I knew that I obviously had to locate Lucky Town again, but since I was lost without any maps, an electronic GPS system or a compass as my guide, I had no idea how that would even be humanly possible. Oh well.... I am a self-proclaimed 'landmark person'!! Translation? I simply observed familiar-looking billboards, houses, apartment buildings, barns, stores. I read weathered, green-colored, reflective street signs. That served as my trusty map, electronic GPS system and compass all rolled into one!!

So I simply drove on.

"I just need to find Lucky Town," I thought aloud, "Then I'll pick up 'Triumph' from the mechanics shop, pay them some money, and as soon as I do, I'm out of there!!"

That was my plan. I would arrive in Lucky Town, pick up 'Triumph' and leave that dreadful, terrible, extremely dirty, shabby, unpleasant place as quickly as humanly possible. It made sense to me!! The problem? That was my one and only plan!! Because I had absolutely nowhere to go after I entered Lucky Town. Yes, I was lost, lost in this cosmic world. I still felt utterly alone. Then, suddenly--completely out of nowhere--this verse, these words, this lyric from Bruce's song, 'Better Days' resurfaced within my heart, within my soul, within my mind like an amazing lifeline!! It spoke a direct message to me, loud and clear!! Because this verse, these words, this line felt so very poetic!!

Every fool's got a reason to feelin' sorry for himself and turnin' his heart to stone; Tonight this fool's halfway to heaven and just a mile outta hell and I feel like I'm comin' home....

I inhaled one long deep breath.

"Alright," I told myself, "I will drive to 'Lucky' Town.... Pick up 'Triumph' from the mechanic's shop.... Then I will hightail it out of there!! Stick to the plan!! Gabeesh?"

The only problem was that my heart and soul absolutely, positively disagreed with this plan. Because once I finally arrived in Lucky Town? There was so much more in that dreadful, terrible, extremely dirty, unpleasant place than just 'Triumph', Shelton, or the other motorcycle mechanics waiting for me!! So much more.... For Lucky Town feels like home!! And even if I leave, {I feel sorry for myself.... I suffer from yet another 'mood swing-infused pity party'.... I crash and burn 'Triumph'}, I can still come back home!! Always. Maybe Lucky Town truly is a good place!! Where there's always forgiveness, always second chances, always redemption, always happy endings, new beginnings and love!!

For Lucky Town has promise.... Lucky Town is definitely home!!

"I am on a soul-searchin', rock 'n roll healin', The River Challenge journey!!" I announced, with determination, happiness {and a triumph over this particular 'mood swing-infused pity party'} within my voice, within my heart, within my soul.

For to quote Bruce from his song, 'Open All Night'.... Hey ho rock 'n roll, deliver me from nowhere....


12 comments:

  1. What a coincidence, I was just thinking about you the other day and wondering how you are. It's lovely to see you back Raelyn with another brilliant story too! Wonderful ending and I especially like the paragraph where you wrote about life being a mixture of sorrow and happiness and all the chances you miss that you should have taken.
    So true!
    Lynne x

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    1. Lynne....
      Thank-you for the comment, Friend!! Wow.... My first comment on my 'comeback story'!! So there really is 'anybody alive out there'!! ;-D
      'What a coincidence, I was just thinking about you the other day and wondering how you are. It's lovely to see you back Raelyn with another brilliant story too!' Ah, thanks!! I am doing good. I'm older, more mature.... The River Challenge was truly quite a journey!! Well.... I needed to take a break from writing fictional stories, anyway, but, of course, I did not expect my hiatus to be so long!! ;)
      'Wonderful ending and I especially like the paragraph where you wrote about life being a mixture of sorrow and happiness and all the chances you miss that you should have taken. So true!' Thank-you!! That is my very favorite part of 'Triumph'!! Originally {in my first version} those were the wise words of her therapist.... However. I eventually decided to take Dr. Downey out and make my character introspective.... Like me!! Because I feel way too much, I possess a crazy never-shuts-down brain and.... To quote Bruce from 1980, 'I'm a thinkin' fool'!! ;-D
      'Stay hard, stay hungry, stay alive', Raelyn

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  2. Realyn
    Thank you for your sweet comments on my blog. I can't believe it has been a year and three months since you last posted! Where does the time go? I know exactly what you mean, people who create things sometimes don't like to share and keep their creations for themselves. And why shouldn't we? They are our babies right?
    It is sometimes good to show the world too and let people enjoy what you did.
    Thank you for your comment about my metal objects drawing, I like to play around with different art supplies and see what they can do.
    Take care dear friend.
    Lynne xx

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    1. Lynne....
      Thank-you for the comment, Friend!!
      'Your welcome!! I can't believe it has been a year and three months since you last posted! Where does the time go?' Well, you know, I went down to the river.... You have no idea how many times I hip swayed/danced/cut loose to that song!! And yet, I am not sick and tired of it!! Just sentimental.... ;)
      'I know exactly what you mean, people who create things sometimes don't like to share and keep their creations for themselves. And why shouldn't we? They are our babies right? It is sometimes good to show the world too and let people enjoy what you did.' I absolutely agree!! My fictional stories, my characters, they are my babies, my kids, my creations!! So why shouldn't I share them with the world? From one artist to another, you 'get' me!! ;-D
      However. Occasionally, my fictional stories are too personal for sharing with the world.... Even Bruce has songs like that!! 'Triumph' was the most personal emotionally autobiographical fictional story that I have posted on 'Minuscule is good!'!! Thus far.... ;)
      'Thank you for your comment about my metal objects drawing, I like to play around with different art supplies and see what they can do.' You're welcome!! playing around as an artist is called experimenting!! I do it all the time with my fictional writing!! ;-D
      'Stay hard, stay hungry, stay alive', Raelyn

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  3. Good to hear from you!

    Nuk & Famliy

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    1. Nuk & Family....
      Thanks for the comment, Friend!!
      'Good to hear from you!' Thanks!! I am back and I'm already thinking about April's fictional story!! However. When you've been away for as long as I have, I've got--to quote Bruce from 1981--'a pocketful of ideas'!! Yeah.... A HUGE pocketful!! Ha!! ;-D
      Stay tuned.... ;)

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  4. Hi, Raelyn:

    I found TRIUMPH a week ago.

    Really glad you have that introspective character.

    And I like the repetitions of phrases involved - very poetic.

    The way you pointed out the Challenge was a "self-serving missions trip" was very insightful and sharp.

    Did you enjoy #WorldBookDay?

    If Lucky Town changed every time you imagined it, landmark navigation would be a lot harder.

    It made me think of my own Lucky Town and Lucky Places. And the way they feel like home, hope and redemption when we are there. Or when we remember them.

    Shelton is a great character - very gruff and eccentric.

    I've been looking at various schools and clinics and seeing what they say about resilience - it's a core value for lots of people.

    That observation about the workers. They would be "lucky" to have a job inside or outside Lucky Town.

    Yeah - green-coloured signs are characteristic of the Pacific Northwest. That was one of my navigation points into TRIUMPH.

    Finally - I'd like to say I printed it out so I can read it again and again. And read it to other people too.

    And if you had never known Triumph - so cool to have it as a motorbike by the way - you would never try to get it back.

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    1. Adelaide....
      Thank-you for the comment--and for giving 'Triumph' a +1 count--Friend!!
      'I like the repetitions of phrases involved - very poetic.' Thanks!! ;)
      'The way you pointed out the Challenge was a "self-serving missions trip" was very insightful and sharp.' Thanks!! At church last Spring, they talked about missionaries who were far away serving in foreign countries. That was when I came up with the idea.... I was--I still am, really--on a 'self-serving missions trip'.... To 1980!! ;-D
      'If Lucky Town changed every time you imagined it, landmark navigation would be a lot harder. It made me think of my own Lucky Town and Lucky Places. And the way they feel like home, hope and redemption when we are there. Or when we remember them.' I believe that Lucky Town is within everybody's heart, soul and mind.... You just have to search for it.... Or crash and burn your metaphorical motorcycle there.... I think that Bruce would agree!! ;)
      'Shelton is a great character - very gruff and eccentric.' Thanks!! I absolutely loved creating Shelton!! ;-D
      'That observation about the workers. They would be "lucky" to have a job inside or outside Lucky Town.' I absolutely agree.... My Dad--for example--would show up at your house on time and do his job right if he were, say, a plummer, an electrician or a repairman.... However. Based on my own observation and experience--as I expressed in 'Triumph'--that is seldom ever the case, unfortunately!! :-(
      'Finally - I'd like to say I printed it out so I can read it again and again. And read it to other people too.' Really?! You did?! 'Triumph' is good enough for rereading it and sharing it with others?! That blessed my heart, Friend!! ;-D
      'And if you had never known Triumph - so cool to have it as a motorbike by the way - you would never try to get it back.' Yeah.... Triumph is actually a motorcycle company.... You know, like Harley Davidson? Bruce has actually ridden on Triumph motorcycles!! I may--or may not--have done that on purpose!! But.... My key word 'Triumph', is also deeply metaphorical.... As in, I triumphed over being unable to attend Bruce's show on March 22nd, 2016!!
      PS. I'm writing this reply with a First Day Of Spring head cold, so if my words seem as foggy as my brain, I apologize!!

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    2. The first day of Spring does do things to people.

      Your words are very clear.

      Maybe these workers don't take a single woman seriously or her home caring needs?

      Countries can be far away in time as well as in place. That is why we say: "The past is a foreign country".

      I thought Triumph might have been a company for motor vehicles. It might have performed in a few rallies.

      Certainly good enough for re-reading.

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    3. Adelaide....
      'The first day of Spring does do things to people.' I love, love, love this season.... Despite suffering from mild seasonal allergies every single year!! But we have had a cold going around over here for several weeks now, at least.... Mom had it.... Michael has it.... My nieces, 'Amethyst' and 'Opal' had it.... Hopefully their baby brother 'Capricorn' {my new nephew!!} did not catch it.... And now.... It is apparently my turn.... Ugh.... I actually caught this head cold on Sunday evening. :-(
      'Your words are very clear. Maybe these workers don't take a single woman seriously or her home caring needs?' What an interesting point!! Maybe so.... ;)
      'Countries can be far away in time as well as in place. That is why we say: "The past is a foreign country".' I have never heard of that saying!! 'The past is a foreign country'.... I absolutely love it!! ;-D
      'I thought Triumph might have been a company for motor vehicles. It might have performed in a few rallies.' Huh. I do not know about any rallies. Triumph is a British motorcycle company. Google-search it.... I did!! I have a picture {two of them, actually} of Bruce from 1974--beard-faced and curly-haired--wearing a Triumph motorcycle T-shirt!! It is easily one of my very favorite pictures of Bruce young, because, that smile!! Also.... I have several pictures of Bruce sitting on/riding a Triumph motorcycle from the late 1970's!! ;)
      'Certainly good enough for re-reading.' Wow.... Thanks, Friend!! ;-D

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    4. Congratulations for 'Capricorn', or 'Capri' as some people might call him.

      Colds...

      Think I searched Triumph a lot during the past 5 years. There was a schoolteacher in my life who was very keen on that car or that motorbike.

      WOW! Young Bruce! He does have a smile!

      Hope Michael gets better soon.

      Here are some Triumphant companies according to Wikipedia - it originally came from the Roman soldier's victory parade:

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_Motor_Company [the car company which stopped in 1984 after a hundred years of production].

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_Motorcycles_Ltd [the motorcycle company which came out in the 1980s and is still very much around].

      [I don't think Springsteen is mentioned though some other celebrities like Elvis and Berry are].

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norton_Villiers_Triumph [this company was around for 6 years in the 1970s - established by the British Government].

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_(TWN) [German factory]

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_Engineering

      Glad you love Spring still.

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    5. Adelaide....
      Thank-you for the reply, Friend!! Again!! ;)
      'Congratulations for 'Capricorn', or 'Capri' as some people might call him.' Thank-you!! 'Capricorn' is not my nephew's real name.... It's his star sign, you know? What is 'Capricorn's' real name? I will never say!! 'Capri'!! I love that!! He already has a 'nickname'!! ;-D
      'Colds...' Yeah.... My poor sore throat.... Ugh.... My throbbing head.... Sigh.... my runny nose.... But this too shall pass, right?! ;)
      'Hope Michael gets better soon.' Yeah.... Michael was one of the first in our family to catch this head cold, so.... Yeah.... He is currently 'on the road to recovery', as they say!! ;-D
      'Think I searched Triumph a lot during the past 5 years. There was a schoolteacher in my life who was very keen on that car or that motorbike.' Cool!! I had never heard of Triumph motorcycles before Bruce!! He got me to Google-search the company!! I guess when you are in love with somebody {or you're obsessed!! Whatever.} You intentionally Google-search the motorcycle that he rides!! ;)
      'WOW! Young Bruce! He does have a smile!' Yeah.... Speaking of Bruce's smile.... Which we were.... Did you know that Bruce's youngest son, Sam is, like, the spitting image of his Dad?! Seriously.... Compare pictures of Bruce from, like, 1978, 1980.... Or even 1984.... To recently taken pictures of Sam!! It will obviously not work if Bruce was beard-faced, because Sam is a clean-shaven fireman!! But that smile!! Sam Ryan Springsteen definitely inherited it!! ;-D
      Wait. Did Elvis {Presley, right?} ride Triumph motorcycles?! Cool!! Why am I not surprised?! Elvis is Bruce's idol, his hero!! ;)
      Rest in peace, Chuck Berry.... Great, gifted, talented musicians never truly die. Their legacy, their music, their records, their memory.... Lives on forever!! Clarence--whose powerful saxophone I never go a day without--taught me that.... Several years after he died. And you know what? Speaking of Elvis.... Which we were.... I have recently discovered Elvis' song called 'Blue Suede Shoes'--less than four decades after he died--and I absolutely love it!! So, in a deeply spiritual sense, Elvis--just like Clarence--IS alive!! ;-D






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