I'm back

Yes - I'm still alive.

I've been a little out of the loop for the last two weeks. It started out innocently enough - I bought a new surge protector that is supposed to consolidate and hide all the many cords to my computer. So, early last week, I unplugged everything and cleaned my desk from top to bottom. But then I got tired and figured that I'd put the computer back together the following day. Two weeks later, following several busy days at work, multiple power outages caused by thunderstorms, a dead mouse (computer mouse, not the Mickey kind) and then finally, a kidney stone. (Yeah - cause what I really needed in the midst of all of the intermittent numbness, tingling, and nerve pain is a freakin' kidney stone.)

Since we are blocked from using Internet email and MySpace from our work computers, when I finally got plugged back in last night, I had a lot to catch up on. However, instead of doing that, I ended up spending the rest of the evening and way into the wee early morning hours on YouTube looking at 80s music videos and half of the Live Aid concert. This was exceptionally silly of me since I have the whole concert on VHS (from where I taped it live back in 1985) as well as the official DVD version. But, you know how it is with YouTube, you go look up one little Adam and the Ants video and then one related video leads to another and next thing you know, it is 3:45 am and you're bopping through the house to Wake Me Up Before you Go-Go and trying to remember where you stored your Choose Life t-shirt.

The bulk of what I ended up watching were selected individual performances from the 1985 Live Aid Concert. Here are a few things that came to mind as dawn approached...

**Ahhh - 1985. Back when I still thought that George Michael, Freddie Mercury and Elton John were all straight.

**I forgot that Bono use to have a mullet. Yeah - it was a cool Irish rebel mullet, but it was a mullet none the less.

**I had also forgotten how much I was in love with U2's bassist Adam Clayton back in the day. (I had a thing for bass players.) Also forgot how much the drummer looked like my best friend's then boyfriend (now husband) Mark.

**Man, that Bono mullet was really popular in the UK in 85. I've counted at least 7 so far and we haven't even gotten to the US portion of the concert yet.

**Was Elvis Costello ever really young?

**The CSIs have pretty much ruined The Who for me forever.

**I thought that Bananarama performed at this concert. Guess I was wrong.

**No matter how old I get, I can not see Thomas Dolby without shouting "Science!"

**Dang, along with my crushes on Bono and Adam C, we had John Taylor of Duran Duran (see - another bass player) Sting (bass player), David Bowie, Adam Ant, Paul Young, Nik Kershaw, Rick Springfield, Bryan Adams, Adam Ant, and Michael Hutchence. I was in love with them all - no wonder I got up at 6:30 a.m. and camped out in front of the TV for 17 hours that day.

**In 1985, when you talked about the Hooters, you weren't talking about boobs. (Also, more Bono mullets)

**Say what you will about Madonna, but she was able to perform outdoors, in the middle of a hot July day, in a long sleeved brocade jacket and pants (most clothes on Madonna ever!), while dancing her ass off in a choreographed routine where she never misses a step, and she still managed to actually SING! LIVE! IN HER OWN VOICE! and sounded pretty good too. All of today's so called 'artists' who need 'guiding vocals' or have to lip sync a taped, 2 minute, indoor performance - please take note - it can really be done. Well, at least if you have an ounce of singing talent to begin with it can.

**Damnit! No matter how many times I listen to In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins, I screw up air drumming the cool part every frickin time.

**Ooohh - Power Station. A double dose of John Taylor!

**Oh, but forgot that this was the "touring" version of Power Station, featuring Michael Des Barres instead of Robert Palmer. So demerit points for that.

**Hold Me Now by the Thompson Twins remains one of my most favorite songs of all time. Alannah Currie on the xylophone - nuff said!

**Do They Know its Christmas kicks We Are the World in the butt every time.

**I remember being so unbelievably inspired by all that went on that year, and knowing in my heart that I could go out an change the world. I made a good stab at it for several years. And then suddenly, I didn't. I don't know where I went wrong along the way, but maybe this detour into the past didn't happen by accident. Maybe I needed to be reminded of who I was and what my dreams were in order to get back on that road.

**God bless Bob Geldof and Midge Ure's little hearts.