Road Trip

Are there still people out there who sing songs on a road trip?

Some time ago technology brought us mix tapes, then recordable music CDs (another version of mix tapes), now MP3 players the digital mix tape. When I was a kid, even up until I went to college, when you went on a trip and the radio spit out more static than music the Road Trip Song Book would be brought out.

Many Road Trip Song Books are not printed. Being a good Road Trip Song, nearly everyone knows the words (or at least what they think are the words) to the song. The Freshman Camp Road Trips Song Book was included in my most recent memorabilia find.  Let's see how many songs I can get stuck in your head...

Follow Me...At first I didn't recall this song until I read the words...trust me you know it....Follow me where I go, What I do, Who I know...Make it part of you to be a part of me.....

John Denver, almost any song but my fave is Country Roads. The Carpenters...Close to You and Leaving on a Jet Plane. Where Have All the Flowers Gone...One Tin Soldier...Joy to the World (Jeremiah was a bullfrog...), Feeling Groovy...  Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head.

Then there were the school songs...Minnesota Rouser, come on everyone remembers this one...Minnesota hats off to you...To thy colors true we shall ever be, Firm and strong united are we, Rah!Rah!Rah! for ski-u-mah! Rah!Rah!Rah!Rah! Rah! for the U of M!
Let's here the Minnesota March and Hail Minnesota!!!!  Sing it friends!

What is your favorite Road Trip Song???

First Chat

We are working on moving. It is so fun going through boxes and finding all kinds of memorabilia. Today was a pack of papers from my first University of Minnesota event. I am not sure I was really considered a freshman because, although I had been accepted into The U, I had not actually started classes.

I have spoken of Freshman Camp frequently in this blog and if you want more info, scan away in my archived posts.

Today I want to talk about 'today' not 'yesterday'. Remembering the past is fun especially when you can remember the past with a friend. When I discovered these first FC papers I skimmed them with a smile on my face. I sent through a second time and picked out a couple of names and entered them into Facebook. Bingo. my first try I hit pay dirt.

It is quite a hurdle to leap over to message someone you think you know. Many times you have to go through an extended list of people. This time, Paul was the only one on the list (thanks to his name!). And luckily, he remembered me. We spent a while on Facebook chatting.

It is a bit hard to decide how much, how fast and how specific you should be on your first outing. You don't want to overwhelm your new old friend with facts and figures or to tell everything so that there isn't anything to talk about later. So the question is, How far should you go on your 'first chat'???

Decisions

Have you ever thought about your past decisions? What would have been if...?  

I have thought of this quite a lot.  One decision that changed my personality was the decision to buy into a direct sales company. Pampered Chef sold cooking utensils, bakeware and other kitchen gear to its users through Kitchen Consultants. When I saw the Pampered Chef demonstration I knew I could sell the product better than the demonstrator that I watched. Amazing thought considering I could not speak to a group of more than three people. But, I did it. I signed up, I set up and I sold this great cookware. 

The other important decision that pops into my mind is one that I made the first semester of college at The U of M. I had participated in a summer weekend orientation called Freshman Camp. After the weekend, I thought it would be fun to become a 'counselor' and help other incoming freshmen. I applied and was accepted. I spent the two years studying and working with this orientation group. I still am in contact with many of them and frequently wonder where the rest of them are and what they are doing.

Each decision that a person makes changes who that person is and who they will become in the future. All decisions are important and they do change your life in one way or another even the decision on which way to drive home after work. 

What is one of the best decisions you have made in your life?