Everybody Wang Chung Tonight

For someone who soaks up emotions like a giant sponge, recent events have been a bit much.

Photo attribution below.

I won't go into the laundry list of awfuls – suffice to say, it's things like people blowing each other up in foreign lands, the climate going cattywampus and state leaders who won't stop trying to subvert the will of the people, even when it's clear what that will is.

It all makes me realize why it took me over 100 years to reincarnate. 

Now I know most of you don't believe in reincarnation, but I've gotta say, when I went to a psychic many years ago and she told me I was disillusioned in a prior life and that's why I was so reluctant to return, it made perfect sense to me.

But I digress.

My point is, when one feels like life has become a huge band-aid being ripped off again and again, how does one cope? 

I've done the following:

• Spent time in the park with Mr. Ginley, walking, talking and driving.
• Reduced my time on FB, except for keeping up with friends' personal posts, my "I Love Puffins" group, my puzzle group and several nature photography groups I follow.
• Worked jigsaw puzzles.
• Watched Hallmark movies and British mystery series.
• Read novels.
• Listened to musical favorites, old and new.

As to the last item on my list, it's been my mission to scour the libraries in search of new things to listen to. My success rate is meh, but I'd say overall, it's been worthwhile. I discovered a Mark Knopfler CD that I've listened to a bazillion times and am putting on my Christmas list. Also, I stumbled on Cat Stevens' remake of Tea for the Tillerman, which is also going on my list.

And sometimes it's about rediscovering a lost gem. Mr. Ginley watches a lot of YouTube, and one night a couple of weeks ago, he stumbled on the video for Everybody Wang Chung Tonight. The video was made at the height of MTVs innovative era and features funky stop-action techniques that could no doubt be accomplished by AI in a fraction of the time. But back in the day, it was state-of-the-art.

Anyhow, we both toe-tapped our way through the Wang Chung extravaganza and agreed it was a mood-lifter. A few nights later, I was working on a puzzle and Mr. was watching YouTube when he said, "Hey, we haven't heard this tune in awhile." And yes, you guessed it, we started to hum along once again to Jack Hues, Nick Feldman and their merry band of musicians. It's become a nightly ritual that hasn't gotten old just yet.

We all need coping mechanisms, and I figure Wang Chung is pretty harmless. Better than eating a pint of ice cream or getting lost in a bottle of schnaps. I suppose there are music critics would disagree, but then, they can be pretty disagreeable people, so there you go.

I hope y'all have equally effective (and tame) coping devices. Feel free to share.

In the meantime, let's all Wang Chung Tonight. 

Photo attribution: Bartolomeo Pinelli, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons