In 1788, 29-year old Scottish poet Robert Burns sat himself down and wrote a poem that he titled 'Auld Lang Syne', which would literally translate today into "old long since", "long long ago", or even "days gone by." It was similar in phrasing and verse to a 1711 work by James Watson, and Burns himself stated that his work was based on an older one. The song that is traditionally sang today as we ring out an old year and ring in a new one, as we will tonight at midnight, is attributed to Burns and includes the spirit of the older Watson work with Burns own work blended into it. The spirit being that in celebrating another 'auld lang syne' we are remembering days or times that have gone before. People in our lives, events, places that have been important to us. This has been the practice stretching back for a couple of hundred years now, as the Scots celebrated a new year with the song and spread this custom into England, then further on into America and around the world. It became a true New Year's Eve staple when in 1929 band leader Guy Lombardo began to use it in his radio and later his television broadcasts as his signature song to ring in the new year. In modern times we take the song to be a last look back at what has happened in our lives and in our world over the past year, and then look forward to a new start in a new year. In 1981, pop singer Dan Fogelberg released the song 'Same Old Lang Syne', which has become a popular radio staple here in America during the Christmas holidays. In the hauntingly melancholy Fogelberg song, the main character has a chance encounter in a grocery store on Christmas Eve with an old lover. They embark on a brief reunion over a few drinks and shared memories, but in the end must move away from that moment's reflection on 'the good old days' and back into the reality of their lives and their futures, which do not include one another. As I look back on my life, there are many similar people as in the Fogelberg song. People who still hold a solid place in my heart, who in fact will always hold that place. I look back on them in fondness from time to time, but then move forward again with my life as it is today. That those former friends and lovers are no longer an active part of that life makes most of them no less special to me. So as I look back on 2008 tonight, there are many people and events that I will remember with fondness that are particular to this past year. At the top of the list is a welcome to the world to my new grandson, Reznor Lydon Lloyd. Then there are the new co-workers whom I got to know in my first year at the police department's Advanced Training Unit. The classmates and teachers that I met during my final year at St. Joseph's University added to my year. On the big stage of local and world events there was the incredible Phillies World Series run, and in politics the emergence of a strong conservative woman in Sarah Palin. Those were the "hello's", there are always the goodbyes. This past year, fortunately for me, there were few family members in that category. However, four of my fellow Philly cops lost their lives this year in the line of duty. And so my 'auld lang syne' will include Steve Liczbinski, Isabel Nazario, Pat McDonald, and Tim Simpson. I look forward to 2009 with hope for better times for my children and grandchildren, and hope for continued health and happiness for myself and my wife Debbie. The new year will ultimately bring incredible drama across the world, stories that we cannot envision at this moment. I hope and pray that, for the most part, they bring positive developments for most of the world's inhabitants. Tonight as the ball drops and the countdown ends, we will celebrate another auld lang syne. I wish you all and all of your family members a very happy, healthy, safe, fun, prosperous New Year in 2009.
Showing posts with label Reznor Lydon Lloyd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reznor Lydon Lloyd. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Another Auld Lang Syne
In 1788, 29-year old Scottish poet Robert Burns sat himself down and wrote a poem that he titled 'Auld Lang Syne', which would literally translate today into "old long since", "long long ago", or even "days gone by." It was similar in phrasing and verse to a 1711 work by James Watson, and Burns himself stated that his work was based on an older one. The song that is traditionally sang today as we ring out an old year and ring in a new one, as we will tonight at midnight, is attributed to Burns and includes the spirit of the older Watson work with Burns own work blended into it. The spirit being that in celebrating another 'auld lang syne' we are remembering days or times that have gone before. People in our lives, events, places that have been important to us. This has been the practice stretching back for a couple of hundred years now, as the Scots celebrated a new year with the song and spread this custom into England, then further on into America and around the world. It became a true New Year's Eve staple when in 1929 band leader Guy Lombardo began to use it in his radio and later his television broadcasts as his signature song to ring in the new year. In modern times we take the song to be a last look back at what has happened in our lives and in our world over the past year, and then look forward to a new start in a new year. In 1981, pop singer Dan Fogelberg released the song 'Same Old Lang Syne', which has become a popular radio staple here in America during the Christmas holidays. In the hauntingly melancholy Fogelberg song, the main character has a chance encounter in a grocery store on Christmas Eve with an old lover. They embark on a brief reunion over a few drinks and shared memories, but in the end must move away from that moment's reflection on 'the good old days' and back into the reality of their lives and their futures, which do not include one another. As I look back on my life, there are many similar people as in the Fogelberg song. People who still hold a solid place in my heart, who in fact will always hold that place. I look back on them in fondness from time to time, but then move forward again with my life as it is today. That those former friends and lovers are no longer an active part of that life makes most of them no less special to me. So as I look back on 2008 tonight, there are many people and events that I will remember with fondness that are particular to this past year. At the top of the list is a welcome to the world to my new grandson, Reznor Lydon Lloyd. Then there are the new co-workers whom I got to know in my first year at the police department's Advanced Training Unit. The classmates and teachers that I met during my final year at St. Joseph's University added to my year. On the big stage of local and world events there was the incredible Phillies World Series run, and in politics the emergence of a strong conservative woman in Sarah Palin. Those were the "hello's", there are always the goodbyes. This past year, fortunately for me, there were few family members in that category. However, four of my fellow Philly cops lost their lives this year in the line of duty. And so my 'auld lang syne' will include Steve Liczbinski, Isabel Nazario, Pat McDonald, and Tim Simpson. I look forward to 2009 with hope for better times for my children and grandchildren, and hope for continued health and happiness for myself and my wife Debbie. The new year will ultimately bring incredible drama across the world, stories that we cannot envision at this moment. I hope and pray that, for the most part, they bring positive developments for most of the world's inhabitants. Tonight as the ball drops and the countdown ends, we will celebrate another auld lang syne. I wish you all and all of your family members a very happy, healthy, safe, fun, prosperous New Year in 2009.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Reznor Lydon Lloyd
Welcome to the world, little Reznor Lydon Lloyd, my second grandchild and first grandson. In fact, it is the first boy in the Veasey line since my brother Mike was born way back in 1963, breaking a 45-year old male offspring drought in the family. His dad, Bill Lloyd, and his Aunt Kelly were there in the delivery room at Hahnemann Hospital to help bring him into the world this afternoon at 12:11pm. Accepting the idea of such an unusual name was a bit of a challenge at first. As my own dad quizzically but lovingly and comically said to me today after informing him of the name: 'Gimme something that I can work with, Matty'. But as I sat in the waiting room at the hospital, the name wasn't the least bit important to me. I just wanted a healthy baby with all its parts where they belonged, and for my daughter to come through safely. All went well, and I was beaming when Bill came out and told me 'It's a boy!' They had intentionally not learned the sex beforehand, so we were all truly getting a surprise there. 'The Rez' as I have already taken to calling him, or 'Rez' for shorter, was named after his mom and dad's favorite rock star, Trent Reznor. Of course, having your grandson named after a rock star will get you doing a little research. I have heard of the guy, but I have absolutely zero clue about him or his music. At 43-years old, Trent Reznor is almost as old as me. He was born and raised in western Pennsylvania in a town called Mercer, which falls halfway between Erie and Pittsburgh. He was a synthesizer-band guy in the 1980's, and then in the 90's began to produce music which led to his forming the industrial/alternative rock band Nine Inch Nails. In 1997, Trent Reznor was described by SPIN magazine as 'the most vital artist in music', and was named by Time magazine as one of that year's most influential people. He began playing piano at the age of five, and quickly came to be considered a musical prodigy. One of his earliest musical inspirations was David Bowie, and he was able to later tour with Bowie after NIN gained popular and critical success. Starting with his earliest recordings, Reznor frequently played all of the instruments on his recordings, a habit that he continued throughout his career. Nine Inch Nails literally is all of Trent Reznor in it's studio work, though he does put together band members for touring purposes. The band is a Grammy Award winner, and Reznor has also worked as a producer and supporting performer for many alternative rock contemporary acts such as Marilyn Manson, Tori Amos, and Saul Williams. He has been hailed as one of the best producers working in rock music today. Hey, I am a baseball guy, not an alt-rock guy, so naming the grandson 'Michael Jack' after Phillies Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt would have been more my taste. And hey, Matthew does mean 'Gift of God'. But my daughter, Christine Veasey, and her fiancee' Bill are the parents of the boy, and the name was their choice to make. I am simply happy that he has ten fingers and ten toes, is healthy, and literally is one of the most beautiful babies that I have ever laid my eyes upon (his mom, aunt, and sister were pretty cute too, after all.) So welcome 'The Rez' to the world, and say a prayer along with me for him and his parents: that they might all be happy and healthy in their lives for a long time, find some measure of prosperity in this world, and open their hearts and lives to let God have a place with their family. Oh, and here's to many chances to spend fun family time with his and sister Elysia Bellina's 'pop'. That would be me. I love ya, Rez.
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