A World View

Story by Norm Richards

I'm amazed on how things are in the world. Some countries overspend, on what? I don't know. We consume to excess. What does anyone have to show for it? Does it make our life better? Can we show our friends and be proud. Does prosperity bring pride in who we are. Do we always want to do better? How can life be made better?

Through her book "The Right to Write" Julia Cameron says to have an artist day. Spend the day doing something artistic. I do, but right when I'm enjoying it, I notice the mess people leave behind. How can people be like that? After seeing a movie, I collect my popcorn bag, napkins and drink cup. I place them in the trash as I leave. Many still don't. Patrons have been encouraged to do so for some time. I did theater cleanup when I was a kid. One of my first jobs was cleaning up after people. Eventually I hired others to do that job. The workers often found money on the floor during cleanup. I reminded them they would. It was a bonus of the job. I was still flummoxed by the mess people make. In those days drinks were not sold with popcorn and candy.

Today, while I venture out in search of my artist day I see things people leave behind. The bus is full of trash, so are the streets where people gather. The city places trash cans everywhere, so why does half of it never hit the can? I don't know. When I go somewhere. I go. I don't stop in the middle, eat, make a mess and move on. When you're going somewhere, just go, get there, spend some energy and move on. On the way home, buy your food, go home and make a mess but at least feel responsible to clean up after yourself. We wonder why half the population is overweight, well?

Maybe I'm to much of a Virgo or a neat freak but good God! What will it take? I don't know. I understand economics. We have to spend and we have to consume to make our economy grow and prosper. Some people take it literally. I've been to Disneyland several times. You'd think that would be the place of ultimate consumption in the world. No! It isn't. Sure everybody who goes there loves the experience and it's a fair price to get in however I was surprised how clean the place is and remains that way all day long.

Jamie stays dry.

This is Jamie. Jamie is my grandson. He just turned three years old in June 2011. He sure is fun! He had his Birthday Party while I visited him just yesterday.

My Holiday Marked by High Water

Story by Norm Richards

Jack, Paddy and I were going to rehearse on July 1st week in preparation for our upcoming concert. Jack called me and said the band and studio equipment is moved to town for safe keeping.  The Saskatchewan River is spilling over it's banks. Ralls Island residents are under threat of flooding. This is where we rehearse under normal circumstances. Sandbagging is at an all time high. In addition, Paddy may not be home until late August. "Plans are halted." Jack said. I wondered what my holidays might be like without making music. Oh well, better times will come. My prayers are with the residents of Ralls Island road and the Island people itself. I've always had a connection to the place. Archie Jackson and his family were the first people out there.

Mom and dad were friends with Archie and Babs. She was a Rall. I remember getting freaked out having to cross Rall Creek on a skiff, if you could call it that, to get over to the other side. You'd stand on the thing and pull yourself across by just a rope. Not bad enough, we got there by model T. Archie had the oldest car in town. But once we got over the creek it was great food and warm company. I always felt a bit detached from the experience. I preferred trips to the lake instead.

The Jackson kids were rough and tough types. Since I never had a brother in my daily life. I was gentle compared to them. I grew up with a big sister and her two room mates Olive and Lilian. My grandma took them in, loved and housed them. Their own family came from Moose Lake and Camperville. So rough housing with the Jackson's was a bit off my game. They loved music and that's what they shared with my folks. I loved that.

From the days of only Rall family living on that Island, today many modern homes are situated out there. Gary Joyal and my cousin Cathy live in a beautiful home out there. The river is so swift right now it's really scary. The authorities are building a major dike to protect residents. The Saskatchewan River will not crest until July 7th this year. Houses along the north side of town in The Pas are being sandbagged in unprecedented manner. Where once gravel and mud roads existed on Ralls Island, today two major streets hold modern homes of substantial size and value. Re-routing has changes the place where you wouldn't recognize the place. The strength of a river is massive. Those residents of Minot, North Dakota can attest to that. We pray no lives are taken in the swell.         

Symbols of Sound band members wrote about musical history.

 

North for Visit & Hometown Rock Rehearsals

story by Norm Richards

I return home with my drums for the first time in forty three years. It's a bright sunny afternoon as I roll by the town welcome sign.  I drive past the Dutch Drive In and A&W on into town. The place seems vital today with people out and about. To make time we used to leave late and arrive late. Today, I drive to my sister's house where I will stay for the weekend. In prior years my wife and I went north to visit our folks. I never stopped to jam except once. My musical life was kept to the city. 

My wife's folks lived in Flin Flon which today is a bit over eighty miles further north. The distance was shortened in the last forty years with curves reduced to just a few. The old road swung around lakes and rock formations. It was an obstacle course of curves before ever seeing the town's edge. People lost their lives rushing the trip to and from Flin Flon. We used to think of the distance between towns as one hundred miles. 

Today, my children are grown, have their own families and we all live separate lives. 

The guys I played in a band with in the sixties have been invited to reform and return home to play the town's Centennial Birthday Bash next August long weekend. This is the reason I find myself pulling into The Pas with a car load of drums. I'm intrigued by the possibility of this happening. A full year ahead of the planned event we start rehearsals. By six PM my DW 'Performance Series' drums are set up in a garage studio, mic'd as we begin. Over three days we hammer out the best of our sixties set list.

We played top forty radio hits of the day when I lived at home. The best of the best! Two guys sang, two guitars, keyboard and drums were our makeup. We rose to the top of our egos by playing for hundreds of kids in a low ceiling dance hall made for rock music like no other. Next summer we will try to replace that experience with an arena size performance under hot lights and the biggest sound to hit town. For me, I can't wait. I've made an investment in the experience and I'm committed. others may think of it as just another gig but I don't. It's a milestone for the four of us. Tickets will go on sale for this event. I'll let you know when.   

I missed Three Hairs and a Hat but I did see Out of the Blue get together in past years. Now, it's our turn. Symbols of Sound will live again. Other groups will be on stage before us. The prior night will feature folk and country acts. The show will be professionally recorded. No doubt, low grade recordings will show up on You Tube before we see a finished product of our own.                          

Rehearsal May 2011, Can we still do it?

Jack Hebert and I started on Friday night not long after I drove seven hours to get there. Cal came in and played bass with us on Saturday night. I looked at the old home town in a different way this time. It's joyful arriving here this time. I'll write a separate blog story about that in the next couple days.

We set up the drums and got levels for recording our sessions. It felt good to play the old library of songs we used to play. After three days of solid rehearsal things began to come easier. I still need to brush up and practise fills and rudiments but the meter beat I layed out was entirely satisfactory for this trip. I should go back maybe once more before next summer final rehearsals for the The Pas Centennial Year Birthday Party and Concert on August long weekend. It's being held in the Roy Johnson Arena. Gonna see a big stage, big lights and big sound! Should be a smash. Biggest Social you'll ever attend and hook up with many old friends and ex's too, I imagine. If anyone remembers those Elks Hall dances we used to perform for and how loud they were in those sixties years, then come on back with us! I'm looking forward to it. Hope to see many people from far and wide to come home for this event. Guests are welcome and being invited with tickets being printed. The organizing committee takes care of that.

So, Symbols of Sound will live again loud and proud.  Sure we'll do it! Cheers!  Norm.
 

War no more.

Canadian soldiers need to come home, now. What purpose is served with them staying any longer in a foreign land? To stop poppy seed growth? I don't think so. That's not a proper or certain reason to remain in a country where we shouldn't be. Did we need to prove we can fight if we had to? We have. Allies have had their say. Bring the boys home, now, before anyone else is killed. We are better peace keepers and peace makers than we are warriors or at least we should be thought of that way. We have nothing to prove. It's been done. We should serve and protect within our own borders. We will never forget those who gave their lives and the heartbreak suffered by their families. God bless all those committed to peace and harmony in the world. Find love, not war.