Warning - Listen at own risk No. 12

I am sitting with my husband listening to the radio. He is reading a book by Darcey Steinke called ‘Flash Count Diary - Menopause, and the Vindication of Natural Life’.

“This book is fascinating. It reads like a horror story.”

“O yeah?” That’s me. I’m just sitting, doing nothing and listening to Elvis on the radio. “The music is good too.”

My husband says,

“The man that hath no music in himself,
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils,
The motions of his spirit are dull as night,
And his affections dark as Erebus;
Let no such man be trusted.
Mark the music!”

He’s quoting Shakespeare because his father used to do it to him when he was young and it traumatised him for life.

“Sounds like you have a recommendation of a song for The Stuff Page, “ I say.

“Yes, but maybe we need a song of Unbridled Joy! Perhaps, we’ve had enough Songs of Devastation for a while. 

“Do you know any songs of Unbridled Joy?”

“Not really. Do you?”

“Not really.”

“I know a sad one though,” he says. “’I Threw It All Away,’ by Bob Dylan. Why do sad songs make us feel happier?”

“Because they acknowledge and bear away our own sorrows.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s right.”

He keeps reading. “This book is beautiful. It’s a total heartbreaker.”

I Threw It All Away

I once held her in my arms
She said she would always stay
But I was cruel
I treated her like a fool
I threw it all away

Once I had mountains in the palm of my hand
And rivers that ran through every day
I must have been mad
I never knew what I had
Until I threw it all away

Love is all there is, it makes the world go 'round
Love and only love, it can't be denied
No matter what you think about it
You just won't be able to do without it
Take a tip from one who's tried

So if you find someone that gives you all of her love
Take it to your heart, don't let it stray
For one thing that's certain
You will surely be a-hurtin'
If you throw it all away
If you throw it all away