Posted by Mike on March 25, 2009
The New Hampshire Legislature just shot down a bill that would make it illegal for parents to smoke while driving with their kids in the car. Some say 2nd hand smoke is deadly. Others say the law would have infringed on our civil liberties. I was thinking this story was somehow related.
A couple of days ago I was in the car with my 4 year old daughter. I’ve been slowly introducing her to various music and have been amused by her reactions. So far, she has been partial to salsa, opera, and a little bit of Van Morrison. Cripes, she has the musical taste of an NPR member. She has usually told me it was to “loud” or “Scary” when I tried to play ACDC, The Who, 
or The Rolling Stones. Although she does enjoy “Rockit” by Herbie Hancock and “Good Girls Don’t” by The Knack. I have tried playing the Ramones for her to no avail. Then, out of nowhere she asks, “Daddy, could you play the Ramones?”(pronounced: Ra-Moan-ez) I was thrilled. I immediately threw on the first album. She then asked me to turn it up. I was near tears I was so happy. She started chanting “Hey Ho, Let’s Go” and I just about peed myself. She asked about the “Sweet Little Girl” in “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” and told me eating glue was bad during “Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue”. I thought to myself, “YES! She’s finally starting to get it”. By the time we got to “Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World” she was bopping her head back and forth and making up words to go along with Joey Ramone’s. Then I thought about when I first heard The Ramones and how it made me feel. What other music it lead me to and the misadventures it inspired. Sneaking out of my house to drink beers and trashing mailboxes. Skipping a ton of school. Hitchhiking into Boston to hang out in Kenmore Sq. Road trips to shows and getting hassled by police while stoned out of my gord. Spray painting the wall behind Building 19. Various stupid and dangerous experiments with fireworks and sex. Replacing my Dad’s scotch with ice tea(very stupid and disrespectful to the scotch). Riding on the hood of my friend’s car from the parking lot of Fun And Games to the Zayers down rt. 9. Then I thought….oh shit.
Ahhh yes but we know the tricks and I dont think our parents did. Teach your children well.
Comment by Michael — March 25, 2009 @ 10:16 am
damn mike its been so long. no i dont know you personally, im an old aaf listener, and big fan. i happen to be stationed in korea…but im coming home in 10 days for a little r&r before i go to my next duty, ft bragg. your blog really struck some chords with me, i have a three year old and i also love the ramones, matter of fact i believe we share a lot of the same view in music, also in opinion. i dont think music will necessarily dictate the actions of a person, but we all know, it definitely influences people, and in different ways. i think subjecting a child to butt smoke is gastly. however , just as many others , growing up i was introduced to smoking long before the effects of the ramones. both changed my life for ever. but im sure, the smoking screwed me over, not the music. of course as a kid, i dabbled in the arts of stupidity, and im sure, most wasnt due to butts or music. and off course some was. then theres the other kind of smoke that isnt nearly as harmful too ya, but most likely did result(at times) in me being more of a jackass than my usual self.looking back, it was around the time i first heard the ramones. coincidence?…not sure. but, i wouldnt change any of my childhood or adolescent years, cause its the stuff that makes you who you are. i believe though that i’d have been better off smoking the buds and listening to the ramones than smokin the butts and listening to my parents music, (not great taste in either). there is a time and a place, for doing things. why it is, that buds are illegal and butts are not earks me to the core, im pretty sure, i understand, how and why(marijuana 101), but i cant help but think, if the roles were reversed, how different of a society we would be living in. sure people would still smoke butts, so prohibition, would still be a bad idea even for the cancer sticks. but, is it not the right to chose, wich is supposed to be a cornerstone of our great country? dude, this blog of yours, is way deeper than it appears on the surface. anyways, i quit smoking ciggarettes, and being in the army, have postponed my smoking of the blessed cheba. unfortunately, big business, and politics(among other things), are still in control, where we live, instead of a little common sense(not so common).as always, i appreciate your outlook on life, in all aspects, and its precisely the reason why, i feel, ive always been drawn to your radio personality.(no homo)thanks mike. i feel enlightened by the hsu experience, and will definitely be introducing little llamo to the ramones when i get home. peace bro.
Comment by Heath Mullett — March 25, 2009 @ 11:49 am
Kick ass! I immediately pictured her strapped to the roof in her car seat with a sippy cup of ice tea and her middle finger in the air and yelling “HEY HO, LET’S GO”, and then i thought who would do that to their children? Scary thought, great blog! Kid’s are great, full of surprises.
Comment by Hammer — March 25, 2009 @ 1:44 pm
This reminds me of when my son asked me to put “War Pigs” on his mp3 player. I was so proud. Then I remembered the time I told my dad about this new song by Scatterbrain called “Earache My Eye” lol
Comment by Pete — March 25, 2009 @ 2:54 pm