STEVE CAMERON BLOG: If we couldn’t laugh...
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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scameron@cdapress.com
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