Friday, June 29, 2012

June 29, 2012



I have been listening to so much Tom Petty lately I feel like I'm constantly starring in at Tom Petty video. I've also read all I can find on wiki sources and studied lyrics and from what I can tell I think I might be developing a crush on Thomas Earl Petty. I also think I might be going crazy (this morning in particular) but that might be because I've been listening to so much Tom Petty.

This is of course all in the name of research for our next Rooftop Concert Show a week from today. It's a Tom Petty show called Heartbreakers & American Girls: The Songs of Tom Petty and the stage includes members of Neon Trees, Fictionist, The Moth & The Flame, The Devil Whale, Book On Tapeworm, The Lower Lights, Paul Jacobsen and the Madison Arm, The Blue Aces and includes Sarah Sample and Ryan Tanner.


There was this moment I had, while driving an incredibly beautiful Highway 12 with my children, when we reached a stretch of highway where both sides dropped off to thousands of feet below to a red rock canyon. My fingers were sweating on the steering wheel and my speed slowed to a near crawl, when I diverted my eyes off the road to see the almost-unbelievable scenery my stomach would jump inside my throat. 


"I've got a room on top of the world tonight and I ain't coming down." Tom sang through our stereo.


And this song combined with the wild landscape and the intensity of the situation made for such a thrill inside of me I will never forget. I felt fueled by love--for my children, for this world, for overcoming fear, for independence and yes, for Thomas Earl Petty himself.


I sped the car up (just a bit) and started screaming with joy. 

And my kids clapped like they were watching the best show ever.


15 comments:

leigh said...

I love you.

Jennifer said...

*swoon* I Love Tom Petty. If I liked the name Tom, I would have named my kid after him.

This may actually inspire me to go to my first rooftop concert!

Rachel said...

I had a moment with that exact song. My husband and I are huge TP fans and when my son was born and we were in the hospital, my husband held him--our second child--and looked out the window over San Francisco and Tom sang "I've got a room at the top of the world tonight..." and I marked it in my mind forever.

mwoodall said...

You look so beautiful in that pic!

MMM&M said...

Love love LOVE Tom Petty!!!

Leisha Mareth said...

Tom Petty is badass. Do him proud.

Sierra said...

I am pissed I am missing this.
xo,
Sierra
Oh, Just Living the Dream

the warrens said...

I'm a southern gal (SC) transplanted to Ogden via rexburg and Logan. Tom petty is the bomb. Yer so bad is a killer song. The topper for me is called southern accents. Fills me with tears every time. We may have to journey south for this happy valley show. :)

Geo said...

Hey, you seriously look like Tom Petty's girl in this photo. Watch out, Chup.

We're really excited about the concert—not only do we love Tom, but we'll have most of our tribe gathered that night for dance-walking and rooftop partying. Our Hawaiians are flying in that morning, and the Utah gang's converging. It's gonna be a most excellent night.

melodie said...

Ohhh I want to come! Alas, i'm on the other side of the world. (or just the country);)

Shelly Cunningham said...

I just adore your blog. You are so beautiful, and I love your freckles. I feel like if we could just live next door to each other we would be besties!

Pat Stika said...

A road trip is not complete without Tom Petty, and the trip through Escalante area is not complete without complete awe of nature. So here's a question for you, would you mind if I suggest the name Forever for my son and his wife to name their new little boy who they haven't come up with a name for yet? Then when he grows up, he could be a fine suitor for Ever and they could be Forever and Ever and man would that be cool. It would have to be kinda French, admittedly cuz' he'd be a bit younger, but still...do you think my mind is Freefalling while I think up stuff like this? So glad you're having a great summer.

Leslie said...

Tom really does it for me, too. I went to a few of his pot-laden concerts in high school, the Hollywood Bowl being the most memorable. My friend, Kara, and I used to hang in her room reading People magazine and staring up at her Tom Petty poster. It's so good to be a teenager, isn't it? Thanks for the flashback.
Wish I could be in town for the concert. I will miss it by a few days. :(

Jon, Meghan, and Emory said...

Love scenic byway 12. We had our worst parent moment ever after the very spot you spoke of... We realized our 2-month-old's carseat was not strapped into the car! Thank goodness all was well, and the scenery breathtaking so we could thank our blessings that nothing bad came of it all.

Angee said...

Highway 12 is amazing! I think every should drive that scenic beauty. It inspires me as well...