According to Sam and Jim Commenting on things that irk us off, make us laugh out loud or just seem too weird too believe According to Sam and Jim: Royalty Check Makes Me Think I Landed In the Right Dream

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Royalty Check Makes Me Think I Landed In the Right Dream

Woo-hoo! Got the check in the mail yesterday - the royalty check for $2.98 from Westbow Press, publisher of my book The Wine Red Road. Now, not only am I published author, I’m a paid author. Oh dancing on tippy toes giddiness! This may totally go to my head. I don’t care if I become famous though. I just want to be rich. The cool thing about this is that maybe I finally managed to pick the right dream to come true. Maybe.

One of the dreams of my life early on was to become a famous singer. I was reminded of that dream twice this week, first by watching an old Hullabaloo show on Public Broadcasting, then by watching Andrea Bocelli sing love songs at an outdoor concert in Porto Fina, Italy - also on PBS.

Remember Hullabaloo? It was big during the 60s and featured artists and bands of the day. The show on PBS was hosted by Herman of Herman’s Hermits. Herman sure looks a lot different now. Maturity has been kind to him. So many of the artists of the 60s were skinny bean pole, acne scarred, HOMELY people and they’re even uglier now. But the girls all loved them. Go figure. I remember seeing a rock concert contract one time where the performing group demanded - besides money - lots of booze and lots of condoms.

I figured I had the voice to make it big in the music world. I could carry a tune, give a song the subtle nuances it demanded, but even though I sang in choirs and soloed and sang with a group for a short time, I didn’t chase my music dream. Luck and timing would have played a large part too I’m sure. I read recently that when Paul McCartney wrote the song, World Without Love, he didn’t consider it good enough for the Beatles, so he gave it to Peter and Gordon who took it Number 1 in both Britain and the U.S. But bottom line, I just didn’t want to be a singer badly enough to leave home and follow the music road. Occasionally, I daydream about renting a hall someplace, practicing like crazy and hiring a band and giving a concert. Just once it would be fun.

Another of my dreams was to become a major league baseball player. I could whack the horsehide off a baseball when I was younger. Trouble is, I couldn’t field very well and my parents didn’t let me play Little League ball to learn the fielding skills I needed. I look back now and think I should have tried to walk on at one of the universities in Arizona where I might have been discovered. But I didn’t.

I’ve come to realize that our true calling in life is not necessarily what we dream about and long for. A lot of people have been severely disappointed that way. Forget that “Just Believe,” crap. What I believe now is that your true calling in life is that thing you just can’t NOT do. You know, like you’re compelled to do it whether you initially wanted to or not.

I would have loved the adulation that might have come with being a famous singer or baseball player. I think that’s why these old geezer singers keep showing up at the Native American casinos. It isn’t the money, it’s the adulation. But my early dream occupations didn’t pull me hard enough. For many years, however, writing did pull me. No matter what job I worked at, no matter what I did, writing called out to me.

Three bags of poop on chasing dreams and ignoring our true callings eh? But you’ll have to excuse me now I think Sam wants to spend my royalty check on treats. You may applaud if you like.

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