Hey, Hey We're the Monkees

Yesterday, I laughed at my unusual walk with Einstein. A few wispy clouds danced through the skies on a pretty summer day. If you had taken a quick snapshot of my stroll, all things would have appeared appropriate. You might even have doubted why I would be entitled to time off work for disability. The movie shot provided all of the information.

My concentration was not on the manicured lawns, busy birds, or dogs barking in territorial greeting to my pooch. Instead, my focus was staying within the boundaries laid by the sidewalk. My goals were to avoid walking on the grass, wandering out in the street, or landing on my tush. That seems all well and good until you place my vertigo squarely on top of my mission.

The top half of me resembled a robotic face staring in the distance. I avoid turning my head as much as possible for such twists only heighten the vertigo. By staring at an object in the distance, my vision tricks my body into thinking that all things are staying static. Meanwhile, I’m tripping over cracks and even my dog when he slows to closely examine anything.

The interesting aspect of my walk is below my waist. A doctor at Mayo even videotaped me to record this interesting gait. A remarkable new friend from the PRC dubbed it “The Monkees” walk and would loudly sing the words as I stumbled through the halls. We would soon be giggling away making others wonder the content of our dangling water bottles.

I’ll try my best to transfer the walk to a written description but worry that you will be more confused than when you started reading. Stand up and do the steps as I illustrate the moves.

1. Step forward with your left foot.
2. Take your right foot forward but cross it over your left foot.
3. Step forward
4. Now take your left foot and cross it over your right foot
5. Step forward
6. Continue in this pattern
7. Start singing the theme song to The Monkees

The words seem pretty appropriate. For those of you to young to remember this classic television program, I’ve included the first verse and refrain.

Here we come
Walking down the street
We get the funniest looks from
Everyone we meet.

Hey, hey we're the Monkees,
and people say we monkey around.
But we're too busy singing,
to put anybody down.

Here’s even a link so you watch and listen to this unique introductory theme song. http://vodpod.com/watch/1311915-the-monkees-intro-tv-theme-song

I must also mention that my musical skills are severely lacking. I admit to singing off key and off beat, but loudly enjoying it. People either look in horror or decide to join the fun. My congregation has asked me to lip sync. Could there be a correlation? I can’t imagine the faces of world-renowned surgeons as our voices reverberated off the walls of Mayo, but I personally think that many wanted to join us. (Thanks Linda S. You helped me fight through some tough days up at Mayo!)

The whole basis for today’s post is to try to bring some humor into your everyday tasks to brighten up your tasks. Although this can’t be used as an avoidance technique on a continual basis, it sure brightens up some pretty dark days.

So cars looking on my walk could at a glance assume all was well with the world. At closer inspection, my steps could frighten or alarm those concerned copilots. If they slowed and rolled down their windows, they would be even more shocked for they could hear those famous words, “Hey, hey we’re the Monkees.”

Ways God uses Chronic Pain to Show Life is Good:
- It lets you sing long forgotten TV theme songs as you laugh through your journeys.