January 15, 2020: Hard to Imagine

January 15, 2020: Hard to Imagine - Part 3

Hi Brad and Brad,

Tonight will mark the 2nd anniversary of an event that drastically changed my wife and I’s lives. It’s been 2 years of constant adjustment and contemplating what could have been if so many different things did or did not occur that night. In late 2018, I reflected on Hard To Imagine as a song that i gravitated toward, because the chorus bluntly cries out how I was feeling about how much things have changed because of what happened to my wife.

Things were different then. All is different now.

I tried to explain. Somehow.

Things were different then. All is different now.

I tried to explain. Somehow.

At that time it still was surreal and I was having trouble moving forward. The thought of having so much taken away from her constantly occupied my thoughts and most of the time I kept wishing this had not happened to her at all. By this time she would have already had her law degree, and we would have moved onto the next stage in our lives. Instead, she is still working hard to try to finish what she started at Marquette Law School.

This year we are not going to lament upon what occurred 2 years ago. We actually have dinner reservations and my wife wants to celebrate this as a new beginning for her. An opportunity to look forward and consider that what may have happened was tragic, however it also presents a chance at reinventing one’s self. There are probably several Pearl Jam songs I could dedicate to this type of thought (Alive first comes to mind in some sense), but no longer do I find this situation “Hard to Imagine.” For the first time in a while, I am starting to let this move behind me (Rearviewmirror) and am embracing a new normal.

Forced to endure, what I could not forgive,

Chris

Comments

October 17, 2010: RIP Mozart for Guitar

Hi Brad and Brad, I first want to mention that I can't remember the last time I laughed as hard as I did while listening to you two and Clint Wells go on about spoonfuls of flour and uncooked spaghetti. I almost had to pull my car over as I was driving home during that part of the episode! Since Eddie Van Halen passed away on October 6th, I've been listening to a lot of Van Halen. I didn't really get into them until 10-15 years ago, but I consider them to be one of my favorite bands of all-time. Eddie was truly an innovator on shredding guitar solos and may be my favorite lead guitarist ever. I saw Mike's comment on Pearl Jam's Twitter feed referencing how he began playing guitar shortly after their first record came out. He goes so far to say "it sounded like Eddie was from another planet" and "Eddie was like Mozart for guitar. Changed everything and he played with Soul." I know the guys have covered Van Halen here-and-there and I looked

December 26, 2020: Someday at Christmas

Hi Brad and Brad, First, I hope you guys have had a Happy Holidays. Secondly, I really enjoy your solo episodes. They have a deejay format to them which also feels personable in getting to know each of your lives and what has influenced you to be who you are now. I hadn't taken the time to get to know Someday at Christmas until after listening to BradB's recent episode. Pearl Jam does a great job in covering the song, and I prefer Stevie Wonder's version over the Jackson 5. Especially, after reading the lyrics and reading some interpretations of the song. At the time the song was released, the Vietnam War was still underway. The lyrics seem to voice opposition to the war itself, but also express the hope for racial and economic equality. Unfortunately, that message still resonates strongly. Stevie Wonder was one of the artists that shaped my musical interests when I was a teenager. I'm very glad the guys chose to cover this song for a Christmas single and have

December 31, 2020: Low Light

Hi Jessi and Kate, I have been way behind on my podcasts the last several weeks. The main reason is because myself and a friend started our own podcast! It's not Pearl Jam themed , however it's consumed a decent amount of my week preparing for each recording. So we now have a hit on the Dink-O-Meter for both of you. First Jessi and now Kate! I can't remember if I have proposed the Dink-O-Meter to you yet, but I have it as a three-tiered system: Dinky: Just your average dinky, will only skip if streaming Rinky-Dinky: Automatic skipper, even when listening to vinyl Stinky-Dinky: It's like nails on a chalkboard to you Based on Jessi's response to Parachutes, I have that somewhere between Rinky-Dinky and Stinky-Dinky. I would have to let Jessi be the final judge on that. For Kate's remarks to Low Light, I have it somewhere between Dinky and Rinky-Dinky, however I'm inclined to believe it's closer to Dinky because I wasn't able to note as many hot

Search This Blog