Shannon’s Perspective:
“I understand about indecision, but I don’t care if I get behind. People livin in competition, all I want is to have my peace of mind.”
Boston has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. That’s what happens when you have a stepfather who loves music and creates an environment for his kids to listen to and learn to love music as well. My mother was only 17 when she had me and my stepdad Chuck is only 15 years older than I am, so when he and my mom married, I was 6 and he was 21. It was the late 70’s and since he was still a young man he listened to a lot of rock and roll from that time period, which is why to this day I love so much of the 70’s music. Although their marriage didn’t last, the love he gave me for music did and that has been one of the greatest gifts he could have given me. Now if I could only find my peace of mind.
Where to begin with this one. Boston has been in my personal rotation since the mid-80's. My best friend Aaron in high school was obsessed with them and you don't have to listen long before you admit these guys are unbelievable.
Being the 1980's nerd I was, I found it inspirational that the founder of the band wrote songs while attending M.I.T. (yes, THAT M.I.T.). And he really only worked so he could fund building a studio in his own basement. And he grew up in Toledo, OH. Oh, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention he (Tom Scholz) invented some of his own instruments and holds several patents. Nerd inspiring, indeed.
So even though I've listened to them over 40 years, the cynical side of me, and this song in particular, started to shine over the last 10+.
I don't brag about myself often - but I will tonight. In a previous post I described how I quit college, made boxes at work and decided I better make boxes better or work toward something better. That was 23 year old me.
So over the next 29 years, I went from box maker to Senior Operations Manager. There were only four more rungs on my "company ladder" I could have achieved. Director. Associate Vice-President. Vice-President. President. And this is in a multi-billion dollar company. Without a college degree.
But 40+ year old me really started to key in on these lyrics:
"Now you're climbin' to the top of the company ladder
Hope it doesn't take too long
Can't cha see there'll come a day when it won't matter
Come a day when you'll be gone"
I started to come to terms that my "life" at Lbrands was no longer the "life" I wanted. I had achieved a lot personally, supported my family as best I could and wanted something different.
Peace Of Mind.
Ghost of a Chance 