Thursday, September 9, 2010

Tunes from my walkman


Many, Many Moons ago, I would go walking every morning. It was right after I graduated from high school. My little sister was doing high school in 3 years and had to go to summer school every summer. So right after she graduated from 8th grade, she began summer school at Kofa. I would drive her to school, then park at Smuckers park and walk two miles everyday. I remember a blonde girl would walk two miles as well, going the opposite direction, and I always thought I should say hi and maybe we could walk together, but I was too chicken.
Anyway. I loved to walk because I could listen to music on my walkman......oh yes, a walkman. I think it was the same walkman I got when I was in 6th grade that I got for christmas to play my new Whitney Houston, Baby Tonight, cassette. Yup....pretty sure.
I think I only had a couple of cassettes that were actually mine. I would alternate the Spice Girls and the Wallflowers, but The Wallflowers cassette was my favorite. In particular, the song, "The Only Difference." That song, I remember, had the perfect beat to walking to. The tempo and speed motivated me and I knew when that song came on, I would step it up a notch.
So....I have started walking once again. I loaded my IPOD with a lot of my favorite songs, but I made sure to load that same Wallflowers album. On Monday, I skipped thru a bunch a songs hoping to quickly find "The Only Difference." And then I found it! I was so excited. I stepped it up a notch, feeling motivated. Then...quickly.....I found the beat was too fast. I couldn't keep up. Soon, I'm panting.....side's hurting.....I'm beginning to limp from the pain in my foot.
The Only Difference?.......what a difference 13 years makes.