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John Y’s Musings from the Middle: Concerts by Generation

By John Y. Brown III, on Wed May 23, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET

Generational changes, concert-wise.

My first rock concert I was 14 and went to see the band Chicago with my mother and two younger sisters.

It was held at Freedom Hall. We didn’t pose for pictures beforehand. And I wasn’t sure why we even went.

I think my mom wanted to go because she Chicago was her favorite band at the time.

Fast forward 30+ years and my daughter, age 14, is attending her, like, third or fourth concert. At the new Yum Center.

Back when I went to my first concert mention of an “antebellum lady” conjured images of a Southern belle in a hoop dress.

Today talk of Lady Antebellum conjures a very different image. Still a Southern gal but without hoop dresses ….and who is more likely to give the vapors to others than get them herself.

And pictures are taken before the concert. And the 14 year olds don’t go because their parents make them go see the parents favorite group. I think all in all, that’s probably progress. Mostly.

 
John Y. Brown, III, Musings from the Middle   , ,  

Afternoon Music Break: Gotye’s Somebody that I Used to Know…in Hebrew

By Jonathan Miller, on Mon May 14, 2012 at 3:00 PM ET

 
The RP    

John Y’s Musings from the Middle: My Night As An Outlaw

By John Y. Brown III, on Mon May 14, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET

My night as an outlaw.

Some people aren’t good at being bad….but the important thing is to not focus so much on the mischievous act itself as much as on how loved ones should react–proportionately and appropriately.

I’m convinced that one of life’s most difficult to learn lessons is this timeless truth.

30 years ago while a freshman at Transy, I had a friend with two tickets for us to go to the Rolling Stones concert at Rupp Arena.

I also secured two last minute tickets myself. My friend asked what should we do and I said, “Let me handle this. I know what I’m doing.”

Arriving at the concert I overheard a gentlemen with a buzz haircut and wearing an army flak jacket asking about needing tickets. I offered two and named the price, $75.

He said, “I’m going to have to take your tickets and write you up a citation for ‘scalping tickets’ which is against the law in KY.” And he flashed his badge.

“Uhhhhh” I said.

And added, “Uhhhhh”

And finally, “Uhhhh” again.

He took the concert tickets and my license and handed me a $52.50 citation and wished me well. My friend had bolted with my ticket and was enjoying the concert. I went to our car which was blocked in for the night. This was pre-cell phone days so I went to a phone booth and called my mother.

“Some friends heard on the radio you’d gotten arrested for scalping tickets. Is that true?” She asked.

“I was cited. Not arrested! And I’m stuck without my car until after the concert. And they took the concert tickets too!” I responded.

“Well, as my friends said, it’s kinda funny and not that big a deal.”

That was my mom.

As for my dad, a few weeks later we had a family dinner and during the prayer before dinner my dad jokingly thanked the Lord that I was safe and not in prison. But added he was personally disappointed I only asked $75 per ticket when I could have gotten much more.

And finally, after dinner, my grandfather Brown, the renowned criminal lawyer age 81, offered to represent me pro bono and suggested we plead “temporary insanity.”

I was so relieved….and had learned my lesson.

The whole awful episode ended for me with my family supporting and laughing off what was a dumb thing to do–but not much more than that. Just a dumb kid being a dumb kid. But not being a “bad kid.”

And I’ll always be grateful for that.

 
John Y. Brown, III, Musings from the Middle   , ,  

The RP: A Tale of Two TV Shows

By Jonathan Miller, on Thu May 3, 2012 at 3:24 PM ET

This video represents the intersection of my favorite TV show and my favorite new TV show.

What the heck do I mean?  Guess below in the comments:

 
The RP   ,  

John Y’s Musings from the Middle: Over Analyzing

By John Y. Brown III, on Thu Apr 26, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET

When I was in my early 20s a friend and priest told me that I had a tendancy to over-analyze thing.

He said I am the type person who has to “understand first” before I will experience life.

He said I had it backward.

That with life, we experience it first and, if we’re lucky, we understand a little of it.

He was right.

I just listened to the song Kodachrome by Paul Simon. I didn’t understand ut but thoroughly enjoyed it.

I’m not sure that Paul Simon understood what he was singing about–but glad he sang it anyway.

Today I will try to experience more and worry less about understanding it.

 
John Y. Brown, III, Musings from the Middle   , ,  

John Y’s Musings from the Middle: Break On Through

By John Y. Brown III, on Mon Apr 23, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET

Leave trail of bread crumbs

I used to love the message of this song as a young man. It seemed inspired.

I thought I even tried admirably to break on through to the other side. But after awhile I quit trying. And even forgot I ever tried.

Then one day I woke up on the “other side” and have no idea how I got there. It just happened. And now all I want to do is get back to where I started from.

Even if I have to break through something to get there. But I don’t know how to get back.

And Jim Morrison isn’t around to tell us how “get back to the other side.”

 
John Y. Brown, III, Musings from the Middle   , ,  

John Y’s Musings from the Middle: Life Advice

By John Y. Brown III, on Thu Apr 5, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET

Life advice at 11:30pm on a Monday when no one has asked for it.

Wishing I knew more answers at this point in life but glad I have so many left to try to figure out.

It’s nice to go through life feeling you have the answers to most everything important question and that those answers need not be questioned.

It’s secure and seductive.

And there are parts of life that aren’t complicated and where plain truths are all we need to know—and simply stick to them.

But life, to me, is a mystery and we can only see through a glass, darkly for now. But we should, in my view, look and think and imagine anyway.

If I hold all the same opinions at age 50 that I had at age 25, I can’t help but feel that I haven’t asked enough of myself. And if I hold the same opinions at age 75 I held at 25,

I’m afraid I’ll feel I learned nothing in this life. And maybe even insulted God by not paying closer attention.

Does this mean go buy some self-help books or CDs? If you want. Maybe take a course. Or talk to a friend who you haven’t met yet because they are too different and may challenge your beliefs.

Or do what I’m doing now, watch and listen to The Who’s “The Seeker”. And pretend you are being deep when you are really just relaxing and unwinding. And maybe preparing to imagine something new.

Whatever you choose. I do recommend being a seeker. It’s not as scary as it seems. Each day is as mysterious as it is predictable. You can come up with rambling Facebook posts. And, best of all, the music is awesome! ; )

 
John Y. Brown, III, Musings from the Middle   ,  

John Y’s Musings from the Middle: Parts of Speech

By John Y. Brown III, on Tue Apr 3, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET

Which part of speech best characterizes you?

A video by Grammar Rock got me thinking, each part of speech has a certain personality– verbs, nouns, pronouns, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

I would like to say I’m most like a verb—a person of action and activity.

I don’t want to be a preposition. They are sneaky trying to go over, under and around things. You can’t trust ’em.

Maybe I’m most like an conjunction today. I try to bring people together to do more than they can do separately.

OK, really I just want to post the video of Conjunction Junction. It was my favorite song by Grammar Rock. And is still pretty cool all these years later.

 
John Y. Brown, III, Musings from the Middle   , ,  

Jeff Smith: O’Malley Says The Boss is “Born to Run” for Governor

By Jeff Smith, on Fri Mar 30, 2012 at 10:00 AM ET

Race of the decade in ’13: 

Governor Martin O’Malley says Bruce Springsteen is born to run for governor of New Jersey:

Click here to read the full article from Politico.

 
Jeff Smith   ,  

John Y’s Musings in the Middle: “Stuck in the Middle with You”

By John Y. Brown III, on Mon Mar 5, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET

Always liked this song, wondered what the meaning was….and felt I could somehow relate. In some profound way.

You know what I mean? You feel you can related to a song without having any idea what the meaning is?

I speculated it could be stuck in the middle of life or middle of an important metaphorical dilemma or just stuck and waiting for some existential meaning or spiritual breakthough and learning to make the most of it (and grateful to have the person next to you to help make the journey worthwhile, a sort of Waiting for Godot)

Well, turns out the lyrics are based on an actual negotiation at a restaurant where the singer/songwriter was stuck between two others who were part of the negotiation.

Much like the video.

Oh well. I can relate to that too.

Was just hoping the song, and my life, had more profound meaning that this. But the older I get, the more I’m beginning to realize it may not.

And that I better enjoy the music, the good food, the conversation with the joker and the clown.

And even the annoying negotations.

 
John Y. Brown, III, Musings from the Middle    
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