trekker1
CERTIFIED SILVER MEMBER
"Once Below Time"
Posts: 47
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Post by trekker1 on Dec 10, 2007 21:44:10 GMT -5
HELLO, ALL. I JUST RETURNED FROM MY TRIP TO L.A., VISITING COUSINS. WHILE THERE, I VISITED CSULB FOR A "CARRIBEAN CHRISTMAS" PERFORMANCE-AND OF COURSE, THE EXHIBIT. ALL I CAN SAY IS "WOW!!!" IT WAS AN OVERWHELMING EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY SEEING KAREN'S DRUM KIT. I'D ALWAYS WANTED TO PLAY THE DRUMS-I'D GIVEN IT A WHIRL FOR A TIME, BUT DIDN'T STICK W/IT, SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS REGRETTED! I WAS A BIT TEARY-EYED BY THE TIME I LEFT. I ALSO PAYED RESPECTS @ THE FAMILY CRYPT IN WESTLAKE VILLAGE. I MET A COUPLE THERE-THE WIFE, AS A CHILD IN HOUSTON, WAS SELECTED FROM HER SCHOOL TO BE PART OF THE CARPENTERS APPEARANCE ON TOUR THERE FOR THE SONG, "SING".....ONE OF MY FAVORITE CARPENTERS HITS. WHAT A THING TO BE ABLE TO TELL THEIR KIDS @ THAT! ANOTHER OF MY FAVORITES IS "WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN"-MY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION SONG. ONE OTHER THAT ALWAYS 'GETS TO ME' IS "NOW", NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT WAS THE LAST SONG KAREN RECORDED ( IN ONE TAKE, NO LESS), BUT BECAUSE IT REMINDS ME SO MUCH OF MY FIANCE, WHO DIED IN 1994-6 MONTHS BEFORE OUR WEDDING. WHEN I HEAR THAT SONG, I'M SAD & HAPPY AT THE SAME TIME-AND AM REMINDED OF HOW MUCH LOVE WE SHARED, NOT JUST BETWEEN US, BUT FOR OUR SHARED LOVE OF THE CARPENTERS. I'D LIKE TO THINK SHE SINGS THIS SONG IN ETERNITY, UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN. AM GLAD TO BE HOME AGAIN & LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TOGETHER AGAIN HERE WITH EVERYONE
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Post by ps11932 on Dec 11, 2007 16:26:03 GMT -5
Thanks, trekker1, for telling us a bit about your trip. It must have been a great experience to see/feel Carpenters related things and to interact with one of the children from "Sing" (my favorite C's song.) Indeed, associations of The Carpenters have helped me with rough times as well.
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Post by YesterdayOnceMore on Dec 11, 2007 17:55:20 GMT -5
HELLO, ALL. I JUST RETURNED FROM MY TRIP TO L.A., VISITING COUSINS. WHILE THERE, I VISITED CSULB FOR A "CARRIBEAN CHRISTMAS" PERFORMANCE-AND OF COURSE, THE EXHIBIT. ALL I CAN SAY IS "WOW!!!" IT WAS AN OVERWHELMING EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY SEEING KAREN'S DRUM KIT. I'D ALWAYS WANTED TO PLAY THE DRUMS-I'D GIVEN IT A WHIRL FOR A TIME, BUT DIDN'T STICK W/IT, SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS REGRETTED! I WAS A BIT TEARY-EYED BY THE TIME I LEFT. I ALSO PAYED RESPECTS @ THE FAMILY CRYPT IN WESTLAKE VILLAGE. I MET A COUPLE THERE-THE WIFE, AS A CHILD IN HOUSTON, WAS SELECTED FROM HER SCHOOL TO BE PART OF THE CARPENTERS APPEARANCE ON TOUR THERE FOR THE SONG, "SING".....ONE OF MY FAVORITE CARPENTERS HITS. WHAT A THING TO BE ABLE TO TELL THEIR KIDS @ THAT! ANOTHER OF MY FAVORITES IS "WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN"-MY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION SONG. Yes, Thanks Trekker1 for coming back and letting us know about your trip...I remember you mentioned it at the most recent basement party. I told you, didn't I, that you'd feel exactly like you did - teary-eyed, and a bit overwhelmed?!? I felt exactly the same way. From the moment I saw Richard and Karen's name upon the building, glistening in the beautiful California sun....I was struck with an all consuming sensation like Karen and Richard were there with me. I feel certain that Karen was, for a time. Her drums were a treat, as were the grammys, and the gold records, and Richard's piano - but what I was NOT expecting, and what really brought that tear to MY eye was the Lead Sister Tee. I suppose, because I wasn't expecting it. And of course, I got terribly nostalgic for Karen, and wished at that moment that she was here stil, with us. So, it's really neat for me to hear you reacted with much the same feelings. I know Rick has also been to this exibit. It was quite sad to read about your fiance and the song "Now." Hopefully, with each passing day, your grief gets a bit less and the bittersweetness of "Now" can, one day, be replaced with all sweetness as you look back without that feeling of "loss" and instead remember only having been so "loved." Wj7, I cant' recall if we had a thread or not about where people were when they learned the news about Karen, but I think that's quite an interesting topic....perhaps we should discuss it some more in a new thread? Just a suggestion.... I was thinking about this thread the other day as I was driving, and I was reminded of another fond memory about the Now and Then album. It was during this time period and shortly thereafter that I met my wife of 32 years, now. I recall being at her apartment with her roommates, and my brother (who married one of those roommates). We were playing charrades. Each of us were Carpenter fans, as well, and, though I don't remember exactly the WHY of it, I recall that we made up charrade gestures for the entire section of The Night Has a Thousand Eyes. The four of us could do the gestures in sinc to the song, and even after we were all married and years had gone by, when we got together, the four of us had taught other members of my extended family, and there was time or two we got it on video....all of us doing charrade gestures to The Night Has a Thousand Eyes. For some reason, it remained one of those "things" that everyone just got a kick out of -----for many years, in fact. .....it's fun to remember!
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trekker1
CERTIFIED SILVER MEMBER
"Once Below Time"
Posts: 47
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Post by trekker1 on Dec 11, 2007 19:43:34 GMT -5
YES, I DO REMEMBER YOU TELLING ME TO BE PREPARED FOR THE EXHIBIT. I, TOO, FELT A LUMP IN MY THROAT WHEN I SAW THE "LEAD SISTER" SHIRT-I DIDN'T EXPECT TO SEE THAT, EITHER. IF MY GIRLFRIEND HAD BEEN THERE ( SHE WASN'T ABLE TO GET OFF FROM WORK ), BOTH OF US WOULD'VE BEEN CRYING.....I FEEL A LITTLE SILLY CRYING BY MYSELF ( LOL ), THOUGH IT HAS HAPPENED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS @ MY FIANCE-IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. ALL OF US KNOW THE PAIN OF LOSING SOMEONE, AND THOUGH WE NEVER REALLY "GET OVER IT"-NOT SUPPOSED TO, REALLY-TIME DOES EASE PAIN & THERE ARE MORE HAPPY MEMORIES OVER THE YEARS. I REMEMBER WHERE I WAS & WHAT I WAS DOING WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS OF KAREN'S DEATH. I WAS IN A CAB, ON THE WAY TO A DR.'S APPOINTMENT, AND FOR THE REST OF THE DAY, WAS IN A STATE OF SHOCK-LIKE ALL OF US. IT IS SOBERING TO REALIZE THAT ALMOST 25 YRS. HAVE PASSED SINCE THAT DAY. AS I WAS PAYING RESPECTS @ THE CARPENTER FAMILY CRYPT, I THOUGHT OF THAT & GAVE THANKS TO GOD FOR KAREN'S GRACING OUR LIVES W/HER VOICE, AND FOR HER PARENTS BRINGING HER INTO THE WORLD-MAKING IT A BETTER PLACE.........."ONCE BELOW TIME".
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Post by wisejester7 on Dec 11, 2007 22:01:47 GMT -5
trekker1-
As traumatic/intense as your Carpenters experience seems, I still think you are very fortunate to be able to actually visit real Carpenters sites.
Thanks for your comments - they help me to understand a little of what it is all about.
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Post by wisejester7 on Dec 11, 2007 22:12:39 GMT -5
Wj7, I cant' recall if we had a thread or not about where people were when they learned the news about Karen, but I think that's quite an interesting topic....perhaps we should discuss it some more in a new thread? Just a suggestion.... I don't think we actually started a thread. It could be an interesting read, though, if we all wrote our memories of our where's, who's, what we were doing, etc. when we each heard of Karen's passing.
I was thinking about this thread the other day as I was driving, and I was reminded of another fond memory about the Now and Then album. It was during this time period and shortly thereafter that I met my wife of 32 years, now. I recall being at her apartment with her roommates, and my brother (who married one of those roommates). We were playing charrades. Each of us were Carpenter fans, as well, and, though I don't remember exactly the WHY of it, I recall that we made up charrade gestures for the entire section of The Night Has a Thousand Eyes. The four of us could do the gestures in sinc to the song, and even after we were all married and years had gone by, when we got together, the four of us had taught other members of my extended family, and there was time or two we got it on video....all of us doing charrade gestures to The Night Has a Thousand Eyes. For some reason, it remained one of those "things" that everyone just got a kick out of -----for many years, in fact. .....it's fun to remember! I bet you can still do it to this day and still have lots of fun in the process! The fact that it was videoed points to the goofy/fun factor. :(
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Post by Rick Henry on Dec 11, 2007 22:45:20 GMT -5
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trekker1
CERTIFIED SILVER MEMBER
"Once Below Time"
Posts: 47
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Post by trekker1 on Dec 11, 2007 23:38:32 GMT -5
HI, RICK. I REMEMBER YOU TELLING ME THAT YOU LIVED PRETTY CLOSE TO CSULB. I ENJOYED THE SHOW THERE LAST WKND. VERY MUCH-A TALENTED GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE MUSIC PROGRAM. I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED, THOUGH, THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO TAKE ANY PICTURES OF THE EXHIBIT-EVEN WITH MY CELL CAMERA. I UNDERSTAND THE REASONS FOR THAT, THOUGH. KAREN'S DRUM KIT WAS AN EYEFUL, AND AGAIN, MAKES ME WISH I'D STUCK WITH THE DRUMS IN MY YOUNGER, MORE CAPRICIOUS DAYS. AND, SINCE KAREN, I DON'T THINK THERE HAVE BEEN ANY REALLY TALENTED FEMALE DRUMMERS/SINGERS OF HER CALIBER.
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Post by Rick Henry on Dec 12, 2007 0:45:19 GMT -5
HI, RICK. I REMEMBER YOU TELLING ME THAT YOU LIVED PRETTY CLOSE TO CSULB. I ENJOYED THE SHOW THERE LAST WKND. VERY MUCH-A TALENTED GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE MUSIC PROGRAM. I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED, THOUGH, THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO TAKE ANY PICTURES OF THE EXHIBIT-EVEN WITH MY CELL CAMERA. I UNDERSTAND THE REASONS FOR THAT, THOUGH. KAREN'S DRUM KIT WAS AN EYEFUL, AND AGAIN, MAKES ME WISH I'D STUCK WITH THE DRUMS IN MY YOUNGER, MORE CAPRICIOUS DAYS. AND, SINCE KAREN, I DON'T THINK THERE HAVE BEEN ANY REALLY TALENTED FEMALE DRUMMERS/SINGERS OF HER CALIBER.
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Post by smoothie2 on Dec 15, 2007 21:51:42 GMT -5
HELLO, ALL. I JUST RETURNED FROM MY TRIP TO L.A., VISITING COUSINS. WHILE THERE, I VISITED CSULB FOR A "CARRIBEAN CHRISTMAS" PERFORMANCE-AND OF COURSE, THE EXHIBIT. ALL I CAN SAY IS "WOW!!!" IT WAS AN OVERWHELMING EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY SEEING KAREN'S DRUM KIT. I'D ALWAYS WANTED TO PLAY THE DRUMS-I'D GIVEN IT A WHIRL FOR A TIME, BUT DIDN'T STICK W/IT, SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS REGRETTED! I WAS A BIT TEARY-EYED BY THE TIME I LEFT. I ALSO PAYED RESPECTS @ THE FAMILY CRYPT IN WESTLAKE VILLAGE. I MET A COUPLE THERE-THE WIFE, AS A CHILD IN HOUSTON, WAS SELECTED FROM HER SCHOOL TO BE PART OF THE CARPENTERS APPEARANCE ON TOUR THERE FOR THE SONG, "SING".....ONE OF MY FAVORITE CARPENTERS HITS. WHAT A THING TO BE ABLE TO TELL THEIR KIDS @ THAT! ANOTHER OF MY FAVORITES IS "WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN"-MY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION SONG. ONE OTHER THAT ALWAYS 'GETS TO ME' IS "NOW", NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT WAS THE LAST SONG KAREN RECORDED ( IN ONE TAKE, NO LESS), BUT BECAUSE IT REMINDS ME SO MUCH OF MY FIANCE, WHO DIED IN 1994-6 MONTHS BEFORE OUR WEDDING. WHEN I HEAR THAT SONG, I'M SAD & HAPPY AT THE SAME TIME-AND AM REMINDED OF HOW MUCH LOVE WE SHARED, NOT JUST BETWEEN US, BUT FOR OUR SHARED LOVE OF THE CARPENTERS. I'D LIKE TO THINK SHE SINGS THIS SONG IN ETERNITY, UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN. AM GLAD TO BE HOME AGAIN & LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TOGETHER AGAIN HERE WITH EVERYONE ???ahhh wow trekker1...First of all, what a tragic thing to have happened losing your fiance along with a lot of hopes and plans. That will always be a big part of your heart missing only there are good memories. Several yrs. ago my husband died, so our experiences are similar as far as that goes. Oddly enough, I seem to recall more good memories than bad. ..... Yay that u got to go to L.A. and see all the dear things I hope to see some day also. I have a feeling that unless I find another someone special who appreciates the Carps. as I do, that I'll be the one most affected by those memorial scenes. More than ever, I love them and miss The Carpenters. I think perhaps it is because of this site and having access to more of their videos and etc., that I'm even more of a fan than ever. >>>><<<< Thanks everyone for sharing thoughts. ................................................................. ALSO WHEN I think of our Dynamic Duo...and those long ago days in the 70's ....THEIR MUSIC...Carpenters....the overall SOUND I think of HARMONY and WEDDINGS... A friend of mine I believe she had W. Only J. Begun sung at her wedding.. I don't recall seeing or listening to the C's records at her house, but her name was (is) Randa and I idolized her. She reminds me of Karen in looks in some ways too. She was popular in school (we went to different schools) was in plays and played some kind of instrument in a band. She was soooo COOL in everything she said or did. She always was in love with some guy it seemed and I loved watching her be so dramatic sometimes.... Even though we're not talking about J. Denver, I will mention that the first time I heard Denver was on a record at her house.
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trekker1
CERTIFIED SILVER MEMBER
"Once Below Time"
Posts: 47
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Post by trekker1 on Dec 15, 2007 23:17:30 GMT -5
HI THERE, SMOOTHIE 2. YES, I TOO HAVE MORE HAPPY MEMORIES THAN SAD ONES. IT KEEPS US GOING, AND IF IT WERE ME BEING GONE & NOT HER, I WOULD WANT HER TO BE HAPPY MORE THAN SAD. AS EACH YR. PASSES, I MISS THE CARPENTERS MORE, AS WELL. THANK GOODNESS FOR THIS SITE, AND OTHER THINGS-LIKE THE VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE-MANY OF WHICH I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE, OR HAVEN'T SEEN IN A LONG, LONG TIME!!! I HAVE 2 MORE MEMORIES TO SHARE. ONE IS OF THE TIME WHEN I HAD TO ATTEND SUMMER SCHOOL, AND AS I WAS WALKING IN THE HALLWAY, I HEARD "CLOSE TO YOU" BEING PIPED OVER THE SCHOOL'S P.A. SYSTEM. IT WAS AROUND THE TIME WHEN THE SONG CAME OUT. THE ACOUSTICS MADE KAREN'S VOICE SOUND ETHEREAL-LIKE IT WAS COMING AT ME FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE. THE 2ND MEMORY IS OF MY WINNING A 'DJ'S COPY' OF "MADE IN AMERICA" DURING A PHONE-IN CONTEST WHEN THAT ALBUM WAS RELEASED. I STILL HAVE IT-ONE OF ONLY A FEW LP'S IN MY COLLECTION. WELL, THANX AGAIN FOR SHARING, SMOOTHIE!! HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN HERE SOON!!!
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Post by Rick Henry on Dec 16, 2007 1:51:14 GMT -5
Some very very nice memories. Thanks all for sharing. I also have another High School memory of Carpenters... this one was in May 1974... I was walking from one class to another as I was in the hallway outside my Spanish class the song "I Won't Last A Day Without You" came on over the loud speakers. It sounded great. I was so taken at hearing Carpenters in the hall that I actually froze for a milisecond. It was great to hear Karen's lovely voice at school... and I really loved the newly remixed version of "i Won't Last A Day without You" with Tony Peluso's extra guitar parts added to the song. Earlier I shared another Carpenters memory which I have quoted below.
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trekker1
CERTIFIED SILVER MEMBER
"Once Below Time"
Posts: 47
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Post by trekker1 on Dec 16, 2007 15:51:44 GMT -5
THANX, RICK FOR SHARING YET ANOTHER GREAT MEMORY FROM WAY BACK WHEN. I HAVE NOW COME TO CALL THAT PERIOD-NOT JUST HERE, MIND YOU- "ONCE BELOW TIME". THAT PHRASE HAS NOW EMBEDDED ITSELF INTO MY CONSCIOUSNESS. IT'S FUNNY....NOW EVERY TIME I HEAR "YESTERDAY ONCE MORE", THE SONGS KAREN REFERS TO ARE NOW-TO ME, ANYWAY-THE SONGS SHE & RICHARD MADE TOGETHER. I THINK SHE'D LIKE THAT!
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trekker1
CERTIFIED SILVER MEMBER
"Once Below Time"
Posts: 47
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Post by trekker1 on Dec 16, 2007 15:55:09 GMT -5
HI, SMOOTHIE2.....AM SORRY I MISSED U HERE 2DAY. I NOTICED U WERE ONLINE WHEN I WAS COMPOSING THE ABOVE POST, AND WANTED TO CATCH U----BUT U SIGNED OFF B4 I WAS DONE TYPING. HOPE 2 C U HERE LATER ON. HAVE A NICE DAY!!
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