Among the other slightly unusual features for this week, the Monday evening community band is on hiatus for a few Monday's and in that spirit I decided to attend a different Monday morning group fitness class. This one had many more patrons and I knew the teacher from many years of different classes, the one from my blog about gym memberships. She does bring up topics to the class, especially music; this type of conversational content "under fire" is referred to as "chatty".

On one occasion when she was playing Bowie's "Little China Girl" for a spinning class I informed her the lead guitarist on it was none other than Stevie Ray Vaughn. She chilled me with a look which could also have been triggered if I told her the official spinning logo tat on her ankle reminded me of a Care Bear, thanked me in the same tone, and I said, "I bet I remind you of the kids back in high school who listened to Yes."

Perky nod.

Today she told us this was the 33rd anniversary of the Walk Man, and reminisced about the massive carry-around of batteries (and tapes) to feed this device which was one of those amazing pieces of techno we didn't realize how badly we were without before. Because much better things came along to make us forget.

I've always been late to the gadget games, as witnessed by VHS, but I believe I had two of these things. It feels as if they lasted a few minutes apiece, but one made it with me to a summer river rafting trip in Placerville where I fulfilled a vision of listening to beautiful music in scenic settings.

Two of the tunes were "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most" with Stan Getz, sax, and Albert Daily, piano, and worth all the long title. Then there was an ever so slightly commercialized version of "Play Me" (yes, you read it correctly) by another tenor sax giant, Gene Ammons. Both were on cassette tapes I made from used LP's purchased at actual record stores which used to dot the landscape---trust me!

So many things a-come and gone. But this posting may have a final chapter to which to look forward: the beginning of November will bring the thirty three and a third anniversary of the Walk Man. And then that will be behind.

And no, I never listened much to Yes.