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STEVE CAMERON BLOG: If we couldn’t laugh...

| April 23, 2020 11:18 AM

Still here.

Still patient.

That’s why I’ve been surprised when talking to friends over the past few days.

People who I thought could chill out, stay calm and wait for the world to right itself have gotten...

Edgy.

Suddenly, the changes we’ve all come to understand are necessary seem to have made ordinary people want to howl at the moon – or ride a donkey to Patagonia.

Look, gang, I don’t like this, either.

I mean, I’m a sports columnist when doing my day job. So when will sports be back?

Maybe in a few months, but with no spectators.

Fans who want to see the Zags, or concerts, or festivals, or TED talks or anything else that really needs a crowd may have to wait for a vaccine.

It’s no fun.

Worse, it’s a MASSIVE change from the life we knew just two months ago.

So how do we keep from going nuts?

Laugh.

Simple as that.

Just to help you along, I’m including the lyrics to the song “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” released way back in 1977 by Caribbean crooner Jimmy Buffett.

You know, the guy who introduced “Margaritaville” – the concept, not the actual place – to a world that needed to relax.

I may tell you more about Jimmy in the coming days, because right now we need his particular look at life more than ever.

Plus, Jimmy and I (and his Coral Reefer band) once played on the same softball team in a grudge game against the Eagles.

Back to 2020...

The second half of this song, and certainly each chorus, were MADE for shelter-in-place.

Enjoy, and laugh a little.

C’mon...

CHANGES IN LATITUDES, CHANGES IN ATTITUDES

“I took off for a weekend last month

Just to try and recall the whole year

All of the faces and all of the places

Wonderin’ where they all disappeared

I didn’t ponder the question too long

I was hungry and went out for a bite

Ran into a chum with a bottle of rum

And we wound up drinkin’ all night

“It’s these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes

Nothing remains quite the same

With all of our running and all of our cunning

If we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane

“Reading departure signs in some big airport

Reminds me of the places I’ve been

Visions of good times that brought so much pleasure

Makes me want to go back again

If it suddenly ended tomorrow

I could somehow adjust to the fall

Good times and riches and son of a bitches

I’ve seen more than I can recall

“It’s these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes

Nothing remains quite the same

Through all of the islands and all of the highlands

If we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane

“I think about Paris when I’m high on red wine

I wish I could jump on a plane

So many nights I just dream of the ocean

God, I wish I was sailin’ again

Oh, yesterday’s over my shoulder

So I can’t look back for too long

There’s just too much to see waiting in front of me

And I know that I just can’t go wrong

“With these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes

Nothing remains quite the same

With all of my running and all of my cunning

If I couldn’t laugh I just would go insane

If we couldn’t laugh we just would go insane

If we weren’t all crazy we would go insane...”

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The blog appears each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. You’re welcome to join. Any time, on any subject. Or with any opinion that doesn’t get us sued.

scameron@cdapress.com

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