Life ain't Nothin' but a Slow Jazz Dance: Summer 1966

ONE DAY IN 1965 a young man starting his senior year in high school began keeping a detailed record of his activities and encounters on an almost-daily basis a practice he will continue throughout his life.More than fifty years later the journals of DH Parsons comprise multiple volumes filled with memorable characters life-altering experiences spiritual epiphanies as well as observations and impressions of contemporary culture and societal trends. The entries describe his efforts to find his place in the world among his peers and mentors to find his way forward in a career that will provide not just a living but personal fulfillment and of course to navigate the perilous waters of love.Life Aint Nothin but a Slow Jazz Dance reaches back to almost the beginning the summer of 1966. With high school behind him and college on the horizon DH uses the interlude to expand the boundaries of his world. He is soon drawn to the Beats and Beat culture as he ponders: SOME BIG THINGSWhere do we come from?What if some of our DNA turns out to be remnants from people who arent even of this world but of worlds many light years away?Where are we going?Were all living books. We write about ourselves by what we do with our lives. One experience leads to another until they come together as an autobiography of a life well-lived.Why are we here?br/>One day we decided that wed like to come here to this planet and hang around for a few years kinda like a vacation.What am I going to be in life?I dont want to be mundane. I dont even want to be eccentric. Being eccentric is just an ego trip. I want to be me-the real me-whatever that is.SOME IMPORTANT THINGSArtThe energy of the art is like a drug. The more you come back to the museum the more of the drug you ingest. It builds up in your body and your soul. It keeps you wanting more art.strong>ScienceMan didnt invent the Law of Gravity he tripped over it one day.ReligionIts all just a big guessing game.SOME FUN AND INTERESTING THINGSFashion and CultureFaux Beats-the ones the real Beats call beatniks ... Theyre all working hard to look cool.Popular MusicPeople our age are into rock music and hippie stuff. Not exactly what Id call Beatnik material.Fine CuisineFruit bread cheese sardines wine and the occasional salami-The most artistic meal ever created.and of course LOVELooking for itJune completely naked now is on her hands and knees with her head just inside the shelter of the lean-to watching the storm. Im sitting directly behind her watching her wiggle with excitement at the display of Natures power.June: Its beautiful out there.DH: The views not so bad from here either.Finding itHere I am sitting on the beach on a stormy day in summer with this beautiful motorcycle-riding art-girl telling me she reads Beat poetry.strong>Losing itWill I ever get to hear her voice again in this life or in another? Will she really come back one day as someone else? Will I ever kiss her again? Will I go through my life constantly crying out Where are you? ... where are you?This would make a great movie.Join DH as he takes the first steps on the road to the rest of his life.Livin lifes a crazy wild song ... but we can slow down the tempo just by being who we are - poets lovers Beats. If you move like everybody else lifell wear you down so you gotta go slow.Go with the poetry. Go with the jazz.