I'd love to walk on the 59th Street Bridge.....(again)..

Slow down, you move too fast You got to make the morning last Just kicking down the cobblestones Looking for fun and feelin’ groovy Ba da da da da da da, feelin’ groovy

We go 80 in the 65 mph zone. We walk, fall off curbs, run into poles, miss out on so, so much because our heads are buried in our screens. We buy, hand kids tablets, phones, Ipads, because "here, take this, now go play (and leave me/us alone.)"

We don't lean back in the Lazy Boy because we're too anxious for the return text, the phone to ring, the email to come across. We cuss yellow lights, and dare drive thru in hopes there ain't a cop around. Hurry, we gotta get there. 2018 is all about "Are we there yet, are we, huh huh huh?"

Feelin' groovy is a lost art.

Hello, lamppost, what’cha knowin’? I’ve come to watch your flowers growin’ Ain’t’cha got no rhymes for me? Doot-in doo-doo, feelin’ groovy Ba da da da da da da, feelin’ groovy

Crap it's Monday. Hurry Friday. Retirement countdown. GD (Gosh darn) stock market! I hate Winter. Whereinthehell is our waitress? Whereinthehell is our food? Is she ever gonna bring me the tab? Yeah, I saw that guy/gal I went to school with in the Piggly Wiggly, but I turned down another aisle 'cause I was in a hurry. I can't wait until that (whateverinthehell they call it) phone comes out, my phone sucks. We'll watch that show later when we can go back and fast forward thru all the commercials.

I got no deeds to do No promises to keep I’m dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep Let the morning time drop all its petals on me Life, I love you All is groovy

The year was 1966 when this was written. Don't get me wrong, I love life, love today.

I miss..

Kids playing outside, inside, together. Sunday drives to nowhere. Going the speed limit, or just under. Conversing with family during the commercials. Dialing a memorized phone number. When the only F Bomb on TV happened on F-Troop.

Andy, Barney, Wally, Eddy, Clem Kadiddlehopper. Mom and Pop cafes with plenty of room so you could stay and yap with friends, family for an hour if ya wanted to. "Yes sir." "Yes ma'am." Media with no political ads, news being news allowing our own take. When real anger got so bad ya met in the parking lot after school - shook hands after getting that puffy eye, fatlip.

Time was taken for each to speak of what we're thankful for. One step forward, one step back wasn't "oh shit", it was the cha cha. When all there was for insomnia was a 'test pattern', so ya went back to sleep. My Pillow be damned.

Are we there yet, are we, are we, are we there yet? We were at one time, just ask Paul, Art.

Don't stand in the way of progress. PROGRESS?

Eh, nevermind. I'm hoppin' in the car to take the long, scenic way to DQ to get a Peanut Buster Parfait, $4.29 be damned.

Looking for fun and feelin’ groovy Ba da da da da da da, feelin’ groovy

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Oops, wrong group.

Looking for fun and feelin’ groovy Ba da da da da da da, feelin’ groovy

May you find fun and feel groovy, with whatever floats your boat, dinghy, pontoon, cabin cruiser, houseboat, yacht.

Life, I loveya. Watch the flowers growin'.

By Henry Gibson (Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, circa 1968)

Love, Victurd, Ba da da da da da da, feelin’ groovy