Steps.

“Since you turned the tables on me

I've been steady and learnin' lonely

Keepin' this turntable spinnin’

Everything from Jones to Jennings

Slowly plannin' my survival

In a three-foot stack of vinylSince you had to walk on outta here

I've been havin' a record year.”

This is a year where there will be many records set, shattered, and missed. Some are very good, some to be expected, and some leave you scratching your head wondering what and how is this happening?

In the coming weeks we will be glued to our TV’s, iPhones, and computer screens watching athletes perform some incredible feats. You can be sure there will be many records broken during the upcoming Olympics. Most will be on the field, track, gym, or wherever the event takes place, and unfortunately if Rio doesn’t get its act cleaned up fast, sickness and potential calamity could bring a record of athletes missing their performances. I certainly hope it goes smooth, but there are clouds overhead. (I am still a little peeved that Chicago didn’t win the Olympics, but I will likely be able to get downtown easier since they’re occurring thousands of miles away.)

Mix this with the Political Conventions on the horizon and we will again be glued to our various forms of communication. The two “Presumptive” candidates will be traveling to respective cities to be cheered and placed on a pedestal for about 100 days. That is until the election is over and one will remain. Regardless, it’s going to be a very interesting and dirty race (no doubt about that) of which we will hear once again some of the most outrageous comments that whether true or not, would get the normal person clocked in the face for saying. It should be great fun to watch, but after the show credits roll, someone is going to be at center stage.

There is little doubt we will live to see tomorrow once the Olympics and Presidential races are over. But if the uprising continues in various cities around the US and the world, with mass killings and senseless acts, this is going to be one record I do not want to see happen. The recent situation in Dallas is a reminder that no matter how safe we believe we are, there is a growing chance we’re not. That scares me—-as I am sure it does millions of others.

So, yes this is going to be a record year, but I really hope, pray, and whatever adjective sounds appropriate, we finally begin to see an end to all of the violence happening around the world. I know it’s wishful thinking, but if you can’t put your feelings out there, then we will continue to scratch our heads and wonder why? 

The photo above was taken at my daughter’s gymnastic event. I believe it’s appropriate for a number of reasons. We walk a very fine line “in this thing called life” (Thank You Prince) and if we take the small steps to get back on track, we can once again stand tall knowing we can end so much of this craziness and get back to making records—-the ones we enjoy seeing, hearing, and cheering about.

Thanks for stopping by.