Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2014 18:55:23 GMT -5
Okay, so to pick up on this thread, recently I was visiting my parents house for a holiday, and I happened to sneak off to my sister's old room where they have their computer, to check and/or post something on the Board. Sure enough, even though I was only online for a few short minutes, my mother comes marching by the room, looks in, and contemptuously sneers "Oh, you're doing TULL BOARD again" as an opening jab, and before I can even respond in protest, she lands this knockout punch: "Jethro Tull.....the ruination of your life."
It's hard to answer that, because when I think about it rationally, there is some truth to the things she says. bash-head
Jeff
This coming from a much younger person with much less life experience, but albeit heartfelt and not without a bit of solid perspective:
Don't listen to that stuff, and don't show her that you take it seriously! One of the most depressing scenes I have ever witnessed is my full grown mother trying to put out her cigarette when she heard my grandmother coming downstairs in fear of being caught--only she was caught and my grandmother scolded her. I was there smoking with her (yes, a stupid habit I learned from my parents) and my grandmother tried to scold me for being a bad influence on my mother to which I told her "she's grown up enough to think and act for herself" meanwhile my mother tried to apologize and explain herself. This is just one of many occasions of this odd illness I have observed of this continued learned guilt from my mother's parents.
For whatever reason you have been very attracted to Jethro Tull. From my talks with you I do not get the impression that your "obsession" is unhealthy--it is a intriguing hobby--some people build tons of model airplanes, some people collect comic books, some people sink tens of thousands of dollars into the front yard garden, some people become whizzes on the civil war, some people join amatuer theater groups and spend much of their spare time reciting shakespeare, some people are total movie buffs who memorizes every upcoming release date of any significant movie they are looking forward to seeing--and buy every one when it comes out on DVD so they can watch the bonus features and commentary, some people smoke tons of pot and watch old 70s horror movies all afternoon, some people spend tons of their money following the festival-circuit when festivals are in season, some people become bible-thumpers and associate every moment of their lives with the word of God, some people seek out and buy into every conspiracy theory that might pass as feasible to their logical minds, you happen to have seen tons of Tull shows, met with many Tull fans, bought exchanged and sought out numerous recordings, and have helped create a Tull community online--really doesn't seem that unhealthy to me.
You and I and all of us can easily judge any of the hobbies/passions that I have just mentioned and paint it in a light which makes it seem very unhealthy and a block to achieving things--I suppose it's all about rhetoric and perspective. But then again you have people who are unhindered by most of these types of things and severely focused on their health, careers, money, etc. resulting in huge achievements yet they still feel empty and unhappy (sounds like they could use a dose of Tull).
My mother will tell me all sorts of ways I'm not living my life correctly. Sure she may be partially right about some of it--but it's always in the worst light you can look at it with, and when you really put things into perspective it's not nearly as bad as she says it is.
It sounds like you have a solid job, a good family, a social life, and a fulfilling hobby. Things like this keep you sane. Don't listen to mom-guilt--that stuff will drive you insane and usually for no good reason.
Sorry for the long posts where I act like a know-it-all I think perhaps your comments have struck a chord with me because I can relate and in the past five years I've achieved much on my own (my own money, my own decisions, my own discipline) despite the constant criticisms of my family. Come to think of it the beginning of that journey coincides with me joining TULL BOARD--and now I'm back on it--AGAIN. Honestly I think having listened to the messages of Tull music has helped my perspective in life much more than if my favorite band / hobby were the Grateful Dead or Jimi Hendrix--Tull made me cut my hair (figure of speech--nothing wrong with long hair) and see clearly the blatant romanticism of the quasi-spiritual hippie sheep, and led me to realize the value of independent thinking and self-improvement.
Okay okay, I'll stop