Monday, July 12, 2010

An Open Letter to David Bowie

Dear David Bowie:

Some people might not think that your music is an obvious choice for 4th of July, or for a day spent in a boat out on a lake. Those people would be wrong.

One of the best days I've had since moving to Austin was spent out on Lake Travis this past 4th of July--listening to you.

I was with my husband (who went by Captain Ron that day); my friend Alicia, who I have been friends with since I was eleven; Alicia's boyfriend Kevin (both in from BR); Alicia's college and post-college roommate, Liz; Liz's boyfriend, David (both in from Chicago); and finally, with my friends Leigh and Corey (also in from BR), who I became friends with while in graduate school--the first go round (circa 2002), but who Chris and I have known for much longer.

Someone among us, sleepy after having woken at the crack of dawn to drive an hour out to the lake, had the good fortune of being alert enough to notice--before we departed--that the boat we were renting had a CD player. Someone else made a mad dash from the dock back to the car for Kevin's CDs. On the boat, someone else had the inspiration to pick out Bowie. All Bowie. All day. I was not responsible for any of these actions, which makes me realize how important it is to have good and collectively sensible friends.

You rock, David Bowie. You rock in a car. You rock on a boat. I'm sure you rock in space too, and if I ever encounter any astronauts, I'll ask them to confirm that you rock the universe. I am a big fan. You probably don't know this, but we are both Capricorns.

Thank you for making music. I will listen to you with a blue sky above and blue water below on any 4th of July. Who needs firecrackers?

Yours, truly.

P.S. The person who keeps this blog, Pushing Ahead of the Dame, is probably a bigger fan of yours than I am (or crazier than I am), but I remain loyal.

P.P.S. If you have never listened to yourself while on a boat, take your protein pills, put your helmet on, click "play" below, close your eyes, and pretend the way that a five-year-old pretends. If you lack imagination (shame), but if you have time and access to a boat and a body of water, go out and try it for real.

4 comments:

  1. You wouldn't think Bowie would work on a boat or the 4th, but it just does. You've got to get Hunky Dory--I can't remember if I suggested it on the boat, but that album rules. What a great time!

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  2. It's true. You'd never think it would work. I'e listened to Hunky Dory; maybe we have it? Not sure.

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  3. I couldn't agree more. Bowie on the boat was incredible. I miss that boat, and everyone on it, including Bowie.

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  4. This sounds awesome. My main Bowie knowledge is Bowie as Jareth, King of the Goblins, so I might have to actually check out his music for real.

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