Sleeping with Leonard

[Lilifyre]

I couldn't sleep last night for some reason so I spent the night with Leonard He sang song after song in my ears. I'm starting to get sleepy now. Good thing I'm retired and don't have to get up and go to a job. I'll just go off to bed shortly and perhaps dream of our Man!

G'nite, ladies.................

Lili

[QueenofSolitude]

And in this, as in a lot of things, I mentally recall a line from a Cohen song which matches my situation.

So walking my dog this morning, as usual with my headphones and Leonard, this song came on and caused me to recall this delectable thread:

Because of a few songs
Wherein I spoke of their mystery,
Women have been
Exceptionally kind
to my old age.
They make a secret place
In their busy lives
And they take me there.
They become naked
In their different ways



He knows all about us, doesn't he...

[GinaDCG]

Ohhhhhh yeah.

[LEONKA]

Oh,oh,oh Leonard what I do, I wriggle my body.
What if all this reading, Leonard? . Already I have the blush on his face.

[LEONKA]

If what we write, read only Leonard, so it's okay, but when reading Anjani!
But I do not know what will happen?

[Inne]

My (non-fiction) story has nothing to do with my sleeping or dreaming habits. Not quite funny either. It's about my mother.
She lives in a nursery home, she has Altzheimer disease in an advanced stage, she doesn't know anymore who I am.
Several months ago she started to get very anxious every time when she had to go to bed. I remembered she always liked to listen to classical music, so I brought her some Bach and some Chopin, but it didn't make much difference. One night a few weeks ago, I managed to put one of the earphones of my iPod in her ear, which wasn't easy at all, but after barely ten seconds she was completely calmed down. I knew of course which music she was listening to, It was Blue Alert. Some minutes later she fell asleep.
She never heard that music before and I'm sure she didn't understand a word of what she was hearing. Was it the piano music (my mother used to play the piano herself) or Anjani's soft voice or the quiet sound itself (it was The Mist she was hearing) ? I don't know, however, until now it works to calm her down before sleeping.
I used the earphone just once, it was much too stressful (for both of us) to put it in her ear again. So the next day I left my copy of Blue Alert in her room and I ordered myself a new one. It's been delivered today. I listen to The Mist at least once a day, but never before sleeping.

Please, go on with funny stories now !
Inne

[Lilifyre]

Inne, what a beautiful story. I'm sure the music from Blue Alert touched a special part of your mother's brain/mind and was able to give her peace in ways that words and actions can no longer do. That is the important part. Personally, I'm not a fan of Blue Alert, except for Nightingale. It's much too jazzy/bluezey for my tastes, but whatever works for your mother. Thank you so much for sharing that story with us. Some of the earliest of our memories are related to sounds and smells. There have been times when I've heard various pieces of music that just seem to touch my soul....they may bring tears to my eyes, or a smile to my face. They evoke feelings that cannot be spoken. I'm so glad your mother was able to be calmed by the sounds of that music.

Lili

[friscogrl]

Inne, that was very touching what you wrote about your mother and her response to Anjani's music. That song will always hold a special meaning for you. I don't think all the stories here need to be funny. Music can stir many emotions in all of us. Thanks for your post.

Marsha

[lightasabreeze]

mnkyface ... Love that picture too. Maybe a thread where we could all choose the picture or pictures of Leonard that turns us on most.

.

[SuzanneT]

For me, sleep with Leonard is like falling asleep in the soft arms of a lover ... not just that songs like democracy, Partysan, Future, etc., that works very, very ambitious text .. but not his voice, music and words carry away somewhere on a completely different planet full of love, understanding and certainty.

[GinaDCG]

In an act of kindness to Mom's nursing home staff, I think I'll try to give her the Anjani CD for Christmas. She has been enjoying a Galway Japanese flute tunes CD for the past 3 months. She never seems to tire of it, but I'm sure the staff is ready to tear her CD to bits! The Anjani has a certain Julie London flair which may appeal to Mom and those of a similar age (in addition to being a great CD!) I know that repitition is what her mind craves (and needs) but again, the staff on the hall must be ready to scream by now! (Even a Cohen CD played as often as that would drive any of us to distraction!) So, I'm trying to expand her playlists Thanks for the suggestion.

[friscogrl]

YEOW! Did someone slip some acid into my coffee?! I just noticed that picture of Leonard on the bed! What happened to "walls almost bare"? But of course HE looks good and now we know what age you prefer Esther, as if it comes as any surpirse.

Marsha

[LisaLCFan]

I, too, just noticed Esther's photographic contribution! Great pic of Leonard (thanks for that!). As for the room, I sure hope he's in a hotel! That matching decor is just too funny!

[LisaLCFan]

Oh, I also missed lillyfyre's question about preferred age (where've I been?).

I like Leonard the way he is now, for several reasons:

1) that's the way he is now, so if we want to inject any reality into these fantasies, we might as well have them exist in the present (well, that works for me, anyway!).

2) this year is the first time I ever saw Leonard live in concert (even though I've been hooked on him for about 20 years), and honestly, seeing his show changed my life, since I was, like many others, very deeply affected by it. So, his current self holds a very special place in my life since this year was so very incredible and memorable.

And, 3) Leonard seems so sweet now (maybe he always was, but he seems more so these days). So, I'd rather have happy, content, lovely Leonard over his previously more conflicted self.

Sweet dreams!

[SuzanneT]

Hi all,
a little while I start the night shift at work. I took him to music - fortunately, my job allows me to listen to music. And although I now "sleeping with Leonard", will be with him all night, then with his music, words, voice ...