JUST YOUR AVERAGE PARROT HEAD

A few weeks ago, I was at the Employee's store at the L'Oreal/Maybelline Manufacturing & Distribution Center in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Since leaving my employment there in December, 2003, I guess this was the first time I had been back to the store. As a "retiree" from the company, I had received a letter "inviting me" to visit & get a free gift.

"FREE" ??? Works for me !!

I spent about two hours there, mostly sitting in the back room visiting with Deb & Kay. I was surprised hearing a familiar voice come into the store asking "Where's Burnett ?? Where's Tortuga ?? Where's the Parrot Head ??" It was my friend -- & former co-worker -- "Chucker Cheese". [Every one has a nickname.] It was good to see & visit with him too.

To explain:
(1) Tortuga is Spanish for turtle. It is the vanity license plate name on my truck.
(2) Parrot Head is the plate on the front of my truck.

Seeing my truck in the parking lot, with both unique indicators, it was clear to "The Chucker", I was in the building.

Being a "PARROT HEAD" is to be a fan of singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett. I've been such a fan since the 1970's.

JIMMY BUFFETT -- Circa 1970's

I've have just about all of Jimmy's albums, which includes vinyl, tapes & CD's. My iPod is loaded with all the same songs. I've got a couple videos & have attended about a half a dozen of his live concerts -- in Memphis & Nashville -- when I lived in Tennessee.

JIMMY BUFFETT -- Circa 2009

I do admit I like Jimmy's "older songs" ... back in the days when he had a FULL head of hair. The good thing is a LOT of the songs of his I like so well, are always a part of his current concerts. He ALWAYS puts on a GREAT SHOW.

Looking on my iPod, I realize there are several tunes I ALWAYS enjoy listening to. They are "favorites", but then, a LOT of his tunes are "favorites" ... some, just a bit more than others.

MY TOP FIVE JIMMY BUFFETT SONGS ... (for this posting)

1 -- CHANGES IN LATITUDE ... CHANGES IN ATTITUDE ... My all time favorite, off the album of the same name. Several hit songs on that album

2 -- MIGRATION ... Catchy & I never get tired of listening to it. It's the first song on my iPod's "Best of Buffett".

3 -- BANANA REPUBLICS ... This is a tune written by the late Steve Goodman, who I also have about a dozen of his albums loaded into the iPod, including Steve's version of this song. Both are good renditions.

4 -- MARGARITAVILLE ... Everyone has to "salute" when this song is played. It's the National Anthum of Margaritaville.

5 -- HAVANA DAYDREAMIN' ... Maybe once Castro is gone, we will be able to travel again to Cuba. This song makes me want to go. [Plus, remembering vacation pictures I saw when I worked in Canada, since Canadians are free to go to Cuba for vacations/travel.]

There is never a trip I make -- be it down the road to WalMart, or visits to Florida -- in which I do not always have my "Buffett Tunes" to listen to ... as I'm one of hundreds of thousands of PARROT HEADS.