When I was a boy, everything was right

My wife took this photo while we were out on a walk in a forest preserve here in prairieland (let me tell you, there aren't too many forests here). I don't have an explanation for what exactly is in the center of this knothole. It looks cool, though.

I wish I could remember the first album I ever bought. I do recall distinctly the first album any one gave to me. I was a big Beatles fan from 7th grade on. We had those two famous collections of their music, the red and blue albums with their picture taken looking down from a balcony. I listened to those incessantly. For Christmas in 8th grade my parents gave me Revolver. I still have the album. It was really kind of magical to first listen to an actual Beatles album instead of a collection of their hits. I didn't realize it then, but I was developing a love of the "album" as an art form. Sure, I still like to listen to single songs--sometimes there's only one song on an album that is worth listening to--but if I am listening to a good CD, I balk at the idea of putting it on shuffle and listening to songs in random order. The artist put it in that order for a reason, man.

But back to artifacts. I think the ones from previous relationships are sort of hard to let go of, for sure, but I've made an effort since I got married. I don't think I have any items of clothing given to me by exes. I do have some books. I actually ripped out dedication pages in some of them--you know, the page where she wrote "To my honey" or some such. It hurts somewhat to do that, and every time I pick up a book and see the little rough edge of the ripped out page, I feel a little sorry, like the exgirlfriend who gave it to me can feel it.

Fortunately, there haven't been that many women in my life. And only a few gave me books.

Anyway, I better start working. You have a good one, Toe.
E-word