This afternoon I spent a couple hours ironing and reacquainting myself with Tom Paxton, a folk singer from the sixties. I’ve ironed a gazillion times since then, but only listened to Paxton occasionally. It should have been the reverse.
I’m motivated to iron because I prefer to wear pressed clothing and not for the love of the activity itself. At the same time, I need to be in the mood to set up the board and fill the iron with water so it can make enough steam. I usually get motivated about once a month. But today I learned a new trick; and it is: Listen to your iPod while you iron. Pretend you’re at a concert and the time flies. This afternoon, I attended a Tom Paxton concert, and it had been a long time since we’d been together.
The particular album I listened to was recorded in 1994. In some ways, it had lost its edge, particularly the topical material about Lorena Bobbitt, Tonya Harding, and the 1994 election. But in other ways it brought back memories of that time and forced me to focus on where I was and what I was doing.
1994. I was two years divorced. It was the year my stepfather died. I moved into Chicago’s central city from the northern suburbs. I fell out of love. I changed jobs. I turned fifty. I learned to rollerblade and got a tattoo.
None of these memories would have revisited me, had I not chosen to listen to Tom Paxton; and had he not mentioned what year it was. I ironed with intent, but listened to Tom even more intently. It was a wonderful trip down Memory Lane. One I can recreate now that I know the trick. Next time the need to iron overcomes me, I think I’ll track down Rod Stewart.
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