Friday, November 14, 2008
A Parrothead Balances Life And Lifestyle
To most, Parrotheads look very similar to one another at first glance. However, if you dig beneath the straw hats, t-shirts and beer bottles you'll see that while Parrotheads may look similar, we are as unique as fingerprints.

Having been a Parrothead now for a number of years (I can still count those years on one hand, however), I've seen my level of Parrotheadism bounce on the charts like the stock markets after a Bush speech.

I started out as a Buffett newbie, cranked it up a notch to being a Buffett enthusiast, then turned it up two more notches to being a Buffett fanatic. After a while, I leveled off to become a Buffett lover, and later cruised along as a Buffett student, finally landing (I think) as a Buffett graduate. For those of you who have maintained such enthusiasm for many years, I am sure you understand.

Like the tides, my life as a Buffett fan has an ebb and flow... sometimes seasonal, sometimes situational, somtimes even hormonal. One day I love Jimmy Buffett's music, and the next day I may love it a little less. Some days I find myself bored with the old stuff, but other days my wife and I dance in the kitchen to the yellow album.

As summer ends, the days shorten and the temperature drops. School kicks in and my kids are busier. Our pool goes into hibernation. We don't grill outside as much. We eat less seafood and I stay home more often. I recently started a new job and my mental vacationist attitude had to come home to reality for a while while I focused on my new surroundings. Sounds kind of sad, doesn't it?

Some Parrotheads even debate whether it's acceptable to "winterize" their Buffett albums. The debate is truly a hot one, with supporters camped on both sides of the issue.

The approaching Winter and fading Summer doesn't get me too down. Sure... I complain to my wife about it and I ache to lounge in my back yard pool area. I am saddened to see my hibiscus, ginger lillies and banana trees go into hibernation. I hate leaving before sun-up and returning home after dark five days a week. Still, even with all this, I know and understand and accept that it's good for me to have a break from the intense Parrothead lifestyle for a season. Indeed, I get to focus on other things and pay attention to new ideas. I get to look forward to the Spring and make plans with friends for next Summer. Oh... and my enthusiasm for Buffett music doesn't go away. I just tend to listen to more Buffett ballads that focus less on Summer and fun and more on life and relationships.

In the end, how we Parrotheads balance our life and lifestyle is as unique as our own fingerprint. The best part for me is simply knowing that Summer is coming, bay-fishing is only a few months off and it's ok to hunker down by the fire with a guitar and sing instead of hosting an outdoor gumbo cookoff. Winter is good. After all, like a sailor's appreciation and adherance to seasonal tradewinds and tidal changes... it is the same predictable rhythmic, seasonal changes that add constance and comfort to our Parrothead lives. At least it does to mine.

Labels: ,

posted by Pat Lewis @ 6:03 AM   0 comments
Trop-Rock.com
Previous
Archives