Operation 365 2... Blog 322

Operation 365 2 - Jefferson Jay - Originals – 322 “Dear Wylder”

There is a ton to be grateful for. So grateful. Each breath… way more things than lifetimes leaves the time to list. Many folks are mourning after this presidential election. I understand how they feel, but I think may have mourned too much already in this election cycle. My pessimism tank is empty and optimism is all I have left. So I’ll think positive thought and pray President Trump wants the history books to refer to him fondly. Anything is possible. If you didn’t know that before this November, you should surely know that now. Cubs, Trump…

There are a million reasons to celebrate, a million reasons to temper our tears of sadness with waterfalls of joy. My dear amigos Nate and Jade had a baby some weeks ago. I didn’t find out ‘til two months passed and that is why my song about their son, Wylder did not arrive sooner. It is probably not even entirely done right here, but I needed a cause, something inspirational to slap my focus on, so this was it. I played it for awhile today. I think it still needs some new words, but maybe these ones I made up on the fly for some of this, are gold. I’ll give them a chance. Kind of like my motto, for that other guy, the one who won the election.

Hail Nate, Jade and my newest friend, Wylder. I look forward to singing you this some time. Maybe even after I picked all the lyrics. It’s close. The music is there. Maybe it’s perfect. It must be.

CORRECTION: Nate, upon listening to this, assures me that Wylder is his daughter. Proof I have not been adequately included in the loop. Birth announcement anyone? Well, it doesn't change the song. Just the spelling of the word "son." Now it's "Sun," "won't you come out, Sun?"

Operation 365 2 - Jefferson Jay – Covers – 322 “Dear Prudence” by The Beatles

So a couple weeks ago, I learned my friends Nate and Jade had had a child. They had this child ten weeks ago now, but that is OK. When I did find out, it was tied into to some "please help us move" text that included a picture of this child. Happy to help them move, I picked up the moving gauntlet, knowing nothing about how old it was or even if it was a boy or a girl. It had pink pants in the picture so I thought it was a girl, a brand new baby girl named Wylder. 

Now, while Wylder is a risque name for a girl, if anyone would be unaffected by this, it would be Nate and Jade. They do things their way, "The Nate and Jade Way," but no, Wylder is a boy, an adorable, happy, bouncing, baby boy... named Wylder. In the course of all this talk of Wylder boys and girls, my brain began to ruminate on how to musically tribute this new being's existence. I thought about "Wylder" and his, at least relative to me, mysterious arrival. "Dear Prudence" popped into my brain. While not a straight antonym, I recognized some parallels between "Prudence" and "Wylder" so I allowed that Beatles classic to inspire me to write this lovely song about my baby boy friend, Wylder. 

For yuks, I offer both tracks here today, Day 322, two days after the election, a great day to celebrate a boy to young to know what's going on. Someone said "ignorance is bliss." I'm not sure how you'd argue with that. Hail Wylder, and for the heck of it, hail Gene Wilder too.

CORRECTION: Nate, upon listening to this, assures me that Wylder is his daughter. Proof I have not been adequately included in the loop. Birth announcement anyone? Well, it doesn't change the song. Just the spelling of the word "son." Now it's "Sun," "won't you come out, Sun?"

Operation 365 2 - Jefferson Jay - Words – 322 “73; A Great Time for Fun”

I must have more songs with the world "Time" in them than anyone else ever. Today, I was feeling the need for some optimism and I was feeling the need to to share some optimism as well. So, I wasn't feeling "Words" in the traditional definition as much...me sitting or standing, saying stuff, making points and that ilk, so instead I offer this. “73; A Great Time for Fun” easily meets our definition for an original song, but it has words and even if it didn't for me" Words" means communication and this is what I want to communicate here now. Optimism injection commence.

So, one of the ridiculously nice senior special needs ladies I work with is turning 73 on Sunday. She told me. we saluted, I sang, and we discussed how quickly time passes and I answered with how young she looked and seemed and how I would love to be 73 some day. I would. So here, I offer additional insight as to what that might be like and essentially effort to uplift my friends there, That is pretty much my job. I love it. That's what I do. Relate, connect, share joy, go home, do this, repeat. Life is grand. Don't be sad. There are too many mountains and mysteries for that. Everything will be alright. I promise. I believe.