Jenn McKinlay: Never during any of the years since the movie Groundhog Day was released (1993) have I felt like I was actually living the Groundhog Day time loop until this year. Mercy! Also, Happy Groundhog Day!!!
While I haven't woken up to the same song every day nor have I learned a new skill, unless doom scrolling counts, it still feels as if one day has bled into the next with nothing to break up the rinse and repeat of the day in day out quarantine lifestyle.
So, it got me to thinking, if we were actually stuck in a time loop like the movie, what would our extras be? For example Bill Murray's character, weatherman Phil Connors, wakes up to Sonny and Cher's I've Got You Babe every morning on his radio alarm clock. What song would you wake up to every day if you had your pick?
Jenn: Here Comes the Sun by George Harrison, the Beatles
Hallie: Feel Better When I’m Dancin’, Meghan Trainor
Lucy: I would be listening to Luciano Pavarotti and Eric Clapton singing Holy Mother
Rhys: the first thing that came to mind was Morning from Grier’s Peer Gynt suite. I don’t think I handle voices well in the early hours!
Hank: Maybe I Got A Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas? Or The song from West Side Story —Something’s Coming. (Could be, who knows…)
Debs: I think Good Day, Sunshine by the Beatles
Julia: Daydream Believer by the Monkees - it's the perfect morning song, and I'm guessing something the local radio station, which must have been an oldies one, right? would play.
Once Phil realizes he's stuck, he decides to use the time to learn new skills - playing piano, speaking French, and ice sculpting.
Jenn: I would learn to paint landscapes on huge canvases.
Hallie: Cake icing (So mesmerizing, and I’m addicted to The Great British Baking Show)
Lucy: I have been dreaming about a walking and music tour in northern Scotland, and wouldn’t it be fun to know how to play an instrument to join in with the musicians? The fiddle would be amazing, but I’m afraid it’s out of reach.
Rhys: I thought I might do this with my pandemic time Sourdough bread? Perfecting the harp? Uh no.
Maybe learning Chinese
Hank: Playing the piano. Oh I would love to be able to play the piano. I watch people playing, and I think— I can’t even imagine how you could do that. But wouldn’t that be so much fun?
Debs: I really really want to learn to paint with watercolors, and to paint and draw in my journals. Things I thought I might make a tiny bit of progress on in the lockdown, but, no.
Julia: I'd learn to sew beautiful clothes with fine dressmaker details and haute couture style.
Phil is stuck on repeat in Punxsutawney, PA, on Groundhog Day, probably not the place or holiday he would have chosen. If you could pick any holiday to repeat over and over again, which one would it be?
Jenn: Halloween. Spooky costumes and copious amounts of candy win hands down every time.
Hallie: Thanksgiving, because we’re with the kids and grands, though I’d probably get well and truly sick of turkey.
Lucy: I do love Christmas, but if I had to do Christmas cards and shopping and traveling over and over, I bet I would get pretty darn crabby
Rhys: I agree, Lucy. Christmas but without the hassle. Just family together laughing and playing silly games.
Hank: Passover, weirdly. It’s so family centric, and so justice centric, and there’s fabulous food and lots of wine, and profoundly important themes.
Debs: I love Thanksgiving and Christmas but am horrified by the idea of doing either of them over and over! Maybe Guy Fawkes Day. I love November in England, the bonfires, the fireworks. And who wouldn’t want to celebrate a failed insurrection?
Julia: Easter! Like Passover, it's centered on family and food, and you don't need to decorate the house. Plus it's at the end of winter/beginning of spring, and who wouldn't want to experience that hopeful time of the year again and again?
Jenn: Of course, I have done none of these things, but that's beside the point. Books got written and that feels like achievement enough!
Okay, Readers, how about you? What's your time loop song, skill, and holiday on repeat?
Song: “Fly Me to the Moon” sung by Julie London . . . just because she sings it so well . . . .
ReplyDeleteSkill: Learn to play the piano . . . my grandmother played the piano and I’ve always wished I’d learned to play . . . .
Holiday: Easter . . . good food and spring flowers make this the perfect choice for repeating . . . .
What a wonderful song choice! Xxx
DeleteExcellent choices, Joan!
DeleteThe song would probably be Sonny Landreth's instrumental, "Port of Calling," although insomnia has Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne" on constant repeat for me just now.
ReplyDeleteThe skill? I always wanted to learn to play the piano, or just get better on my harp. Or kick my quilting skills up a notch or two. Take voice lessons. Finish my damn mystery novel.
By the way, Lucy, you could learn to play the pennywhistle and fit right in with those Scottish and Irish bands. That's how James Galway got started, and he did pretty well for himself.
But what holiday to repeat? Hmmmm . . . I have always been partial to the Winter Solstice, but I often have to work that night, so a Solstice celebration alone or with the companion of my choice would be a good day to repeat. Or I could piggyback on Deb's choice and go with Guy Fawkes Day in England. Crisp fall weather, fireworks, birthday cake . . . I could enjoy that.
Pennywhistle--I'm off to look that up!
DeleteI want to see Lucy play the pennywhistle. Guy Fawkes is an excellent choice - especially, if in London.
DeleteWhen I took my daughter's family to Universal in Florida for Harry Potter World (mainly, did other things there, too), every morning I'd wake up my granddaughters with Justin Timberlake's Can't Stop the Feeling. It was a great song to get us going, so that is my song choice. Here's the Youtube link so you can enjoy it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBTpl8vnOO0
ReplyDeleteThe skill is a little harder. I can play the piano, but I'd like to get better. Going back to playing the bassoon, relearning it, would be something I know I'd enjoy. I took painting lessons when I was twelve, but I didn't continue with it. I've always been amazed at how many people I know can draw and/or paint and do it so well. My sister who was ten years my senior was an artist, who did some lovely work, but she didn't stay with it. So, I think I would probably choose the bassoon but maybe throw in some art lessons, too.
Now, what holiday? I agree that I wouldn't want to do a lot of work on it, so I might choose something other than Thanksgiving or Christmas. Halloween is a huge favorite of mine, so I think I'd go with that.
Yes yes love that song!
DeleteWe'll enjoy Halloween together, Kathy!
DeleteKathy, I brought up your idea of going back to playing the bassoon in staff meeting today. The Dallas Winds might--just might--look into a new program to help adult former-musicians pick up that instrument again. So, thank you for that!
DeleteGigi, what a wonderful program that would be! I am honored that I played (pun intended, hahaha) a small part in your idea.
DeleteHank, that song really does energize one.
Jenn, isn't Halloween a great holiday!
Time Loop Song: I'm So Happy by Jackson 5 <-- wake up to that now
ReplyDeleteTime Loop Skill: Learn conversational Spanish
Time Loop Holiday: Thanksgiving - just being with family and friends
Ooooh, I love all of those choices, Dru. Pumpkin pie would make Thanksgiving an a-okay choice for me.
DeleteTime Loop Song: Ordinary Day by Great Big Sea. It's an upbeat tune and the lyrics are so relevant now in these pandemic times. Most of you probably have never heard this great Newfoundland band.
ReplyDeleteHere's a video which also shows this band's quirky humour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wcjBU8zbdY
Time Loop Skill: Learn how to drive a car without killing myself or anyone else!
Time Loop Holiday:: Canada Day (July 1). Ottawa has the biggest celebration and I would love to see a sea of people wearing red and white and showing how happy and proud they are to live in Canada.
Driving in a way that doesn't kill yourself or others is a good skill to have, time loop or not, Grace. Good luck!
DeleteGIGI: Well, I have lived 55 years without learning how to drive but I do acknowledge there are places that I would like to travel where public transit or taxis are no readily available, so behind the wheel I would go!
DeleteAnd The Canada Day holiday loop would include a potluck meal shared with my Ottawa walking group followed by going back downtown to watch the biggest fireworks display of the year at Parliament Hill.
Grace, I only went to Ottawa in the winter once, decades ago but I watched the celebrations on TV. I can understand that you find this very appealing.
DeleteDANIELLE:I usually do not like big crowds but Canada Day at Parliament Hill is the exception.. And sharing the space with 20,000-30,000 people would be us going back to "normal" on July 1. A deserted Parliament Hill and downtown on Canada Day 2020 was so disturbing.
DeleteCanada Day would be awesome!!!
DeleteThese are fun!
ReplyDeleteSong: Morning is Breaking, by Cat Stevens.
Skill: Playing the cello (which I abandoned in ninth grade in favor of miniskirts)
Holiday: I'm with Julia on Easter. Family, food, longer days, regrowth, hope.
I love that Edith, I think a lot was sacrificed on the altar of miniskirts!
DeleteLove Cat Stevens!
DeleteOne of the soundtracks of my college days!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThese are such great choices! Wouldn’t it be fun to have a playlist of the songs?
ReplyDeleteYes!!!
DeleteYes!
Deletesong: "Our House" Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
ReplyDeletenew skill: successfully growing dahlias
holiday: Easter. Minimal work for maximum happiness
Dahlias - lovely!
DeleteI love the meme about re-releasing Groundhog Day!
ReplyDeleteSong - Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens
Skill - Languages. I spoke three as a child, four if you count English, now I'm lucky if I can stumble through one!
Holiday - Hard one, torn between Easter and Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving by a nose. As for the turkey thing, Hallie, my mom always made turkey and ham so at least there would be variety if the holiday was on an endless loop.
I have a friend who makes prime rib on Thanksgiving. I'd sign up for that!
DeleteKait, I'm with you--the meme made me laugh this morning.
ReplyDeleteSong--something by Joni Mitchell--hearing that voice every morning would not get old.
Skill--drive a stick shift, then swimming
Holiday--I think I'll actually go with Groundhog Day--that music and learning something new would get me through those last few weeks until spring.
Agree about Joni!
DeleteHow very meta of you to choose Groundhog Day - I love it!
DeleteYeah, I'm with you on the turkey, Hallie. I can eat it two or three times a year, max. But if we could switch up the menu every day, Thanksgiving is my choice to revisit endlessly. Especially if my whole family was here, as they usually are. It would not do to repeat a quarantine anything!
ReplyDeleteSong: Suddenly I See, from KT Tunstall.
New skill: woodworking, I think. Last year I learned how to use a jigsaw to cut PVC pipe, and now I'm not so intimidated by power tools. It's something that has always intrigued me.
Woodworking. I love it. I am a power tool junkie. I do all the home maintenance as Hub is not handy and nothing makes me happier than hitting Harbor Freight for new-to-me tools.
DeleteI know! And you are my hero! I was in awe at your work on your kitchen, Jenn.
DeleteSong: Imagine of John Lennon
ReplyDeleteSkill: learn to recognize every plant and flower and bird
Holiday: Easter to celebrate with family. It announces spring and warmer weather. It symbolizes the renewal and hope.
That's a daunting skill but I love it!
DeleteSong: Oh, What a Beautiful Morning from Oklahoma. And I'd be happy to have the music loop switch back and forth between Gordon MacRae and Hugh Jackman.
ReplyDeleteSkill: I have to agree with those who say play the piano. My mother played beautifully even as dementia took her memories and I'd like to play in her memory. The problem is that my mind and fingers don't seem to work well together.
Holiday: Thanksgiving, hands down. It's a lot of work and our family is pretty adamant about the menu so I might eventually get tired of the food. But it is our biggest gathering of the year and I can't think of anything I want more these days.
Chris, youngest nephew starred in his high school production of Oklahoma! I have it on tape and can listen to him singing that song any time the mood strikes me.
DeleteChris, learning an instrument and playing can help hold dementia back a little. Not a cure, but a helpful therapy.
DeleteAgreed - a whole family gathering would be divine.
DeleteSong; Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens
ReplyDeleteSkill: trapeze!
Holiday: any holiday when there isn't more than a foot of snow to shovel just to let the dog out! So maybe Fourth of July
Trapeze? You are so brave!
DeleteI have this urge to hang by my knees! I could do it 65 years ago, why not in my fantasy now?
DeleteTrapeze!!!! Fantastic!!!
DeleteWell as I look at the snow outside I'm glad that the weather at least, has not been in a loop for the past year. Can't remember what the weather was on 2/2/2020, but I do not that in 20 days it will be one year since Victor and I went into lockdown during which time I have visited a supermarket 4 times, 3 of which were before the formal lockdown in Maine, and one after. I really, really want the vaccine. Yesterday our daughter arrived ahead of the storm bringing sushi for dinner. Oh SUSHI, oh what a delight, oh Victor's face when he learned what was for dinner. But not to get distracted, your challenge Jen. OK, I want to wake to Chelsea Morning by Joni Mitchell. Many eons ago I lived in Chelsea, London that is, so sweet memories of waking up with the sound of the Thames in my ears. I was living on a houseboat then.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50LAFfIcL1Q
Woke up, it was a Chelsea morning
And the first thing that I knew
There was milk and toast and honey
And a bowl of oranges, too
And the sun poured in like butterscotch
And stuck to all my senses
So evocative, breakfast in summer, sitting in a puddle of butterscotch.
A skill, I feel I need the sorting hat for this one, but I have always wanted to play the piano. Why haven't I? Well that is another story.
Holiday - forgetting that a holiday in England means ones vacation, not a special day in the year, I was immediately transported to an island beach. But I think I will go with Julia. For me Easter touches all the senses. It meets my need spiritually through the Vigil, joyfully with the family and friends, the taste of food, the feel of new clothes (though not done so much nowadays), the uplifting of Spring, flowers, plants, birds, oh and chocolate.
You have pierced my heart with this post, Celia. So lovely and beautiful. I will think of you on a houseboat in Chelsea with butterscotch sunshine pouring down on you all day. Thank you for that.
DeleteCelia, I love that song, and the images it engenders. I might have to steal that one from you!
DeleteSong: Walkin' on Sunshine by KC and the Sunshine Band - it's just so happy
ReplyDeleteSkill: bread from hand (not just from the bread machine)
Holiday: Christmas, but as others have said, without the hassle. Just the beautiful Midnight Mass and then time with family.
Oh, yes, to all of the above!
DeleteMy song would be Build Me Up Buttercup, my skill would be speaking multiple languages, and my holiday would be Christmas Day ~
ReplyDeleteLovely!
DeleteI like the idea of Cat Stevens, Joni Mitchell or CSN/Y to wake up to, nothing loud or way too peppy for me. My skill would be returning to painting (even with my carpal tunnel glove on!) Or perfecting my poor tambourine playing; and my holiday would perhaps be continuing to celebrate Mardi Gras at home with hubby and friends, eating Jambalaya, fried chicken or shrimp po-boys, and good King Cake, with my beads and tasty drinks!
ReplyDeleteOooh! Mardi Gras - FTW! Brilliant.
DeleteWhat a fun topic! I'm just through dealing with snow-related issues and able to visit.
ReplyDeleteThe song is the toughest choice for me. There are a few others have mentioned that have great appeal -- Here Comes the Sun and Morning Has Broken are both strong. But I have a particular affinity for Vincent by Don McLean, so it leaps to mind. And though it talks about night instead of morning, I like the gentleness of it. I HATE waking to anything loud or raucous.
Skill would probably be piano, like so many others. And I think my holiday would be Independence Day. Columbus, Ohio, where I live, has the largest fireworks show in Ohio and I think one of the largest in the region, attracting half a million people into the center city in a festival atmosphere that I thoroughly enjoy. I have no family responsibilities around it, no responsibilities at all, for that matter. I just show up, have fun, and amble slowly home after the show. I'm not even usually a fan of big crowds, but there is something so festive and joyous about this tradition that I would happily relive it.
Oh, that sounds lovely, Susan. You can't go wrong with fireworks.
DeleteSong: Here Comes the Sun works perfectly for me in the morning.
ReplyDeleteSkill: Interesting that so many people choose playing the piano. Me too. I took lessons for several years as a child. I liked it a lot even though I have absolutely zero musical talent. I stopped in jr. high when my teacher passed away, and I've always thought I would go back to it someday.
Holiday: Honestly? I love several but don't want them on repeat. Once a year is enough and in fact, part of what makes them special
Very wise, Triss. I suspect even Halloween would get boring every day...but candy!
DeleteI love the movie Groundhog Day. I love how Bill Murray's character changes over the course of the film. It is so hopeful.
ReplyDeleteThe competition for a song is daunting. I guess Something by the Beetles, but I could be swayed. On Sunday mornings around here, we usually start with Beethoven's Pastorale, perfect with coffee.
Skill, yeah language. What is stopping me from taking another language course? Nothing. So, Spanish.
Holiday. (Hank, Passover? Really. Way, way too much work. It's mandated spring cleaning for the Jewish wife. And matzoh? Tummy torture. Oy.) 4th of July. So many happy memories of my childhood and my kids and cookouts and fireworks, and my cousins and my dad and sunshine and long days. Yep.
Another 4th celebrator! That's fabulous.
DeleteSong: Ravel's Bolero. It starts slow and builds to a wondrous joyous noise. Bring it on!
ReplyDeleteSkill: learn to play the trumpet (inspired by Kay Kendall in the movie Genevieve: wow!)
Holiday: May Long Weekend in Canada, which is the third weekend in May and the official beginning of summer with all that it brings with it...long, lazy days of being outdoors at the cottage. Lovely!
Long weekend holiday - that's brilliant!
DeleteMy maternal grandfather used to play Bolero at top volume on Sundays when my mom was a child. :) It's a great song that builds and builds.
DeleteI'd find it challenging to WEAR THE SAME CLOTHES day after day. And I'd pick a challenging pounding piece or I'd never leave bed, like Beethoven's Waldstein sonata. Or Here Comes the Sun as mentioned!
ReplyDeleteOh, I never even thought of the clothes - see that makes Halloween perfect - new costume every day.
DeleteJenn, I can answer two out of three questions. LOL
ReplyDeleteTime loop song? This is very iffy since I am still learning how to hear again after years of not hearing and right now my cochlear implant speech processors are broken.
Which skills would I like to learn during the time loop?
1) Auditory training - listening to books on tape and reading the book at the same time for auditory training WHEN my speech processors are working!
2) Lessons in the Norwegian language - learning to read and write in another language
Which holiday?
Christmas! I love the spirit of Christmas though I am not religious. I just love everything about Christmas, even the religious part. I love the tradition of giving and receiving books at Christmas. I love the drinks and the food. I love the happy feelings associated with the holiday.
Diana
I could definitely do the happy feelings of the holiday on repeat, Diana! Good pick.
DeleteThanks, Jenn!
DeleteThinking of Groundhog Day, I can only be thankful that in the past neverending 11 months, I have not been made to
ReplyDeletea) wake up to the same song every morning
b) wake up to the same weather everyone morning
c) have to watch the same episode of Jeopardy every day. (arrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhh!)
We're doing okay, I think.
LOL - excellent outlook!
DeleteSong-if it's meant to get me up and moving I have to go with the Stones' Paint It Black. Who can resist that rhythm?
ReplyDeleteSkill-learn another language. It would be nice to converse in Spanish without freezing up when my vocabulary fails.
Holiday-Halloween works for me. We can do as little or as much as we want and it is all about fun!
"Yo no se" is my fallback Spanish when the words evaporate. Yay! Another Halloweener!
DeleteI hadn't realized this, but the Maine Millennial had never seen GROUNDHOG DAY! It's a great movie to watch during a snowstorm, so we watched it together last night in front of a roaring woodstove. It's such a great flick, well deserving of all the recognition it's gotten. And I had forgotten how many places would make you weep to see it if not for Bill Murray's ability to conjure laughter out of tragedy.
ReplyDeleteWhen I wrote the post I read up on the movie - I didn't realize it was the end of the working relationship between Murray and Ramis because they had a deep creative divide about the movie. Murray wanted to be more philosophical and Ramis wanted to push the comedy. They didn't speak for 20+ years, until just before Ramis died, after it was done. And what's tragic to me is that I really feel as if they struck the perfect balance between pathos and comedy.
DeleteOh Jenn, that makes me so sad! I agree that it strikes the perfect balance. I don't think I could bear this had they not at least reconciled before time ran out!
DeleteSame. They did so many great films together.
DeleteJenn, now I'm going to have to watch the film again. It's been years. Thanks for posting this!
ReplyDeleteWe're watching tonight!
DeleteI want to watch it tonight, too.
DeleteLet's see...
ReplyDeleteSong: "Life is a Highway" by Rascal Flatts - I use that now to get up and moving in the morning.
Time Loop Skill: Learning Spanish and Mandarin.
Holiday: Christmas Eve. That's when we celebrate Christmas with my brother and his family. Christmas Day is pretty low-key and quiet at our house.
Song: Pacabel's cannon.. soothing way to start my day
ReplyDeleteSkill Learn to fly an airplane won't die in a crash
Holiday Summer Solstice - Plenty of time to find the perfect beach