The Senses of Life: Through My Eyes and Ears

I woke up early this morning and my internet was down, so I put a DVD in my computer and sat and watched for a little bit.  I watched some of Rent and started to think about the past and realized that my life (most likely unlike others) connects lots of memories to things like movies and songs.  I tried to put together the specifics in my head as I sat:

1.    I remember when I was little I loved the movie Forest Gump and would always do little impressions of it.  As I have gotten older, I have found more and more that can be gained from the movie.  I don’t know if it would really be a stretch to say it is my favorite movie of all time.  The movie has taught me about history, drugs, sex, war, and a lot more even if that isn’t why I started watching it (I thought Forest was really cool the first couple times I watched it and watched to see his story and watch him run).
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWRvo66ljnE&hl=en&fs=1&border=1]

2.    Rent brings back a lot of memories as well.  My first date in one high school relationship was to go see that movie.  The girl knew every word to every song and to this day I think about her every time I hear the words from any of the songs from the film version or the musical versions of the songs.  I know pretty much every word to them as well.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODDS-aCk9XQ&hl=en&fs=1&]

3.    Styx is one of those bands that I’ve liked for a pretty long time, but it all goes back to sleep away camp.  I had never really listened to Styx until I went to Camp Coleman, but my bunkmates were sort of obsessed, so we continually listened to them.  Every time I hear “Come Sail Away”  I feel like making a big circle with my friends and swaying.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVilH8Djb7o&hl=en&fs=1&border=1]

4.    Alkaline Trio reminds me of the summer after Junior Year of high school.  I went through a phase where I started listening to a lot more punk rock.  I got into ska a bit and started listening to a band called Taj Motel Trio.  I went to a couple shows and Swayze’s and saw some pretty cool ska shows with this girl I had liked at the time and ended up meeting some cool people at the show.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpPKhelNZGQ&hl=en&fs=1&border=1]

5.    The Lion King reminds me of going to a YMCA camp when I was little.  All of my friends back at camp there all bragged about seeing the Lion King and how cool it was.  We went to an arcade once on a field trip and afterwards I remember singing, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”.  A couple months ago I watched the movie again and saw a lot more in the movie than I had ever before, especially the little bit of adult humor that is hidden in there.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCebAa9qKz8&hl=en&fs=1&border=1]

These are only a couple examples, but I feel like music and movies are two things that bring back the memories of long ago.  Sometimes things seem like we won’t be able to “recover” them from our memory, when in reality they are back there hiding.  We are just waiting to find the right cues to remember it all.  It’s the year 2009 and I can remember a lot of my child hood just fine.

Ross

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