Keeping the faith...

Tonight I had dinner with my friend Apple. A delicious dinner I might add which was capped off with tasty and long overdue conversation. I felt better after that dinner than I have felt in weeks. I don't know if it was Apple's smile or the fact that I actually went to the gym before dinner and put in some good cardio without having a heart attack. And believe it or not, the cherry didn't hit the sundae until I began my drive home from Hollywood.

I have always been a fan of Bon Jovi. I have followed every hair-do and hair don't since Slippery When Wet. I can even tell you which pair of spandex pants best show off JBJ's ass-ets. But it was really in 1993, when my obsession with the man reached an all time high. I couldn't get enough Bon Jovi. So much so that I even got my first tattoo- on my right shoulder, just like him. I had to talk myself out of his Superman logo because I didn't want to be a copycat (although I adopted the Superman logo for myself ever since then- contrary to thoughts that it had anything to do with Joey Fatone). To this day I am proud of myself that I had enough foresight to not get Aladdin's face (yes the Disney cartoon that I also had a crush on) and opted for a sun.

That year, the band released Keep The Faith. It was their big return after everyone thought JBJ would pull a Justin Timberlake after his success with the Young Guns II Soundtrack. I couldn't get enough of Jon with his new frosted and cut hair and the new tight jeans that had replaced the spandex. And what I really couldn't get enough of was the song, Keep The Faith. Everytime he would sing it live, he always had his moraccas in hand and bounced around the stage singing about hope and salvation. Like the faux rocker I was, I opted for my fake moraccas in lieu of the air guitar. I should also mention, I came out of the closet shortly there after.

Everywhere I went, I would sing that song, shaking my air moracca's until finally a few years later, my little sister Daphne bought me a pair of my very own egg shakers. They were small enough to fit in my glove compartment and satisfying enough to shake while I drove. As you can imagine, 13 years later I outgrew my egg shakers.... Or so I thought.

Tonight, my Ipod was choosing songs from my library at random when those opening bass licks started up for Keep The Faith. I hadn't heard the song in forever and I immediately thought of the summer of '93 and Daphne and my egg shakers. Then I also remembered that on Cynco De Mayo, we went to see my friend Sid's band play. They have a song called Moracca and while they were performing it, they threw moraccas out into the audience. Brad is always making fun of me because I never throw anything out of my car. Tonight, as I reached back into my back seat and grabbed my Morocca and blared the song, my state of euphoria was so thankful that I am a pack rat. I played the song twice. I sang the song as loud as I could. My right arm hurts. But it is a good kind of pain. No. It is a great kind of pain. It was the best kind of memory to have... and in these trying times, it was even good to remember the importance to always keep the faith...

Mother mother tell your children
That their time has just begun
I have suffered for my anger
There are wars that cant be won

Father father please believe me
I am laying down my guns
I am broken like an arrow
Forgive me
Forgive your wayward son

Everybody needs somebody to love
(mother, mother)
Everybody needs somebody to hate
(please believe me)
Everybodys bitching
cause they cant get enough
And its hard to hold on
When theres no one to lean on

Faith: you know youre gonna live thru the rain
Lord you got to keep the faith
Faith: dont let your love turn to hate
Right now we got to
Keep the faith
Keep the faith
Keep the faith
Lord we got to keep the faith

Tell me baby when I hurt you
Do you keep it all inside
Do you tell me als forgiven
And just hide behind your pride

Everybody needs somebody to love
(mother, father)
Everybody needs somebody to hate
(please dont leave me)
Everybodys bleeding
cause the times are tough
Well its hard to be strong
When theres no one to dream on

Faith: you know youre gonna live thru the rain
Lord you got to keep the faith
Now you know is not too late
Oh you got to keep the faith
Faith: dont let your love turn to hate
Right now we got to
Keep the faith
Keep the faith
Keep the faith
Lord we got to keep the faith

Walking in the footsteps
Of societys lies
I dont like what I see no more
Sometimes I wish that I was blind
Sometimes I wait forever

To stand out in the rain
So no one sees me cryin
Trying to wash away the pain
Mother father

Theres things Ive done I cant erase
Every night we fall from grace

Its hard with the world in yours face
Trying to hold on, trying to hold on

Faith: you know youre gonna live thru the rain
Lord you got to keep the faith
Faith: dont let your love turn to hate
Right now we got to keep the faith
Faith: now its not too late
Try to hold on, trying to hold on
Keep the faith