"I've got a word or two.."

The following is an excerpt of my life.
Perhaps my best defense is to get my life right out here and as much as I can.
With that in mind, this was originally posted on an internet forum to which I belong.

(forum post start)
The Beatles (forum topic)
The Beatles are to me clearly the best group and creators of the best music of all time. They are also alot more than that to me.

For many years and most of my life they were the ONLY music in the world to me. I couldn't tolerate any other, any other music was an offense and an affront to me, the very worst being other people's 'cover versions' of any of The Beatles.'
I used to be very rigid and unbending about things regarding them, no one could put any non-Beatles things atop of any of my Beatles things (no other music albums or any other items could be placed over my albums or any of my Beatles' books etc) as I saw this as a huge insult to The Beatles. I couldn't stand to have the radio or a turntable interrupting during a song of theirs, it had to go until the very last note. People talking over their music was really horrible to me too. I really couldn't understand that anyone else could possibly NOT like The Beatles that was completely impossible and inconceivable to me and I thought surely that anyone saying such things must just be doing it just to be mean.
All of the above is written in the past tense because while I still do love The Beatles very much I have relaxed considerably about such things at this point in my life.
If somebody tells me "I don't like the Beatles" of the many more reasonable responses I have now (rather then having a meltdown or something) I might say something back instead like "well maybe The Beatles wouldn't like you so much either." (that's been known at times to effectively stop that sort of conversation right there).
I still tend to be very 'territorial' over The Beatles and I don't know how much that will ever subside.

The very day I was born The Beatles held 8 of the top 10 Billboard slots, the top 5 consecutively. They 'saturated the airwaves' precisely the very year and duration my mother carried me to term (even if you know nothing of The Beatles, if I gave my exact birth date here this fact would be stunningly clear). My mother said she 'was already sick of I Want to Hold Your Hand" well before I arrived (and little did she know that having me she'd be hearing it alot more for years to come).
I took my first steps in order to port myself over to my sister's toy record player and scream until she played her 45 rpm records. They were Beatles' singles.

The Beatles were 'all you heard' on the radio and when I was having my eyes patched and so many operations/eye surgeries during my early childhood until just before I was 2 years old. A transistor radio was kept in the hospital crib with me as listening to it was the only thing that calmed me. The year was 1966.

Beatles' fans (neurotypical and otherwise) often tend to equate the level of knowledge with the level of admiration/appreciation or love for/of The Beatles. I've encountered this over the years that I used to run a #Beatles and #JohnLennon chat channel on an IRC server for years.
If that be the defining factor (and I'm not so sure it is) then I have also demonstrated myself to be The World's Number 1 Beatles' fan in this manner as well, as no one so far has been able to compete with me as of yet regarding knowledge and trivia about them and their music.

When I first typed something other than a scramble of letters, it was to type lists first of Beatles' songs in order of (US) album release, then of "Beatles people" (the Beatles themselves, session players, family members, producers, etc). I was 29 days short of being 30 years old, and that event was a catalyst for all that has followed. During the course of my typing progression, along with becoming adept at dictating things spoken around me I typed the lyrics to Beatles songs either as heard while listened to or from recollection, often keeping up at or near speed as they are sang.

I am very crowd/new places/travel phobic but my love of The Beatles inspired me to do two things very out of the norm for me and that took alot of courage for me: I've attended the BeatleFests in Chicago (where I won the door prize for being the only one to give the correct and full answer to what seems to be the Ultimate Beatles' Trivia Question as I've asked many since and no one else has of yet given the full and proper answer) and I've seen Sir James Paul McCartney in concert (the only convert I've ever been to or feel I ever need go to). Going to see him and being in the same room with him just a few feet from him is one of the two biggest and best days of my life.

I have the fortunate and unique ability (which isn't surprising as its part my aural recall abilities) to cull up on demand (and to switch at will), songs complete and full (not to be confused with the fractured involuntary unfortunate bits 'stuck in their heads' that other people refer to as 'listening to songs in their heads'). In this way I can mentally listen to a song by The Beatles as they sounded originally on vinyl record albums vs the comparative 'digital remix' that is CDs and tell where the tracks channels are misplaced, what's been changed and incorrectly copied to the CD format. I suppose it helps that I have exceptional hearing "could have a career in sonics" with the alleged capacity to tell one whale dolphin or submarine from one another and the aural recall to match, plus The Beatles are decidedly and clearly a life long 'obsession; or 'fixation' or a 'perseverance' to me and one that has had a huge and helpful impact on my life in many important stages throughout.

My sister used to say I could "hear the Beatles playing at half a decimal 3 miles away" and while I think she was exaggerating to be funny, I definitely do hear them. Another thing she has said and I like to say myself is that I am like the RCA "victrola dog" who is "listening to His Master's Voice" (In particular to John Lennon's voice).
I am also the only person she says she's ever know to "headbang to the Beatles" (she is referring to the behavior of intensive rocking that usually goes with 'heavy metal music' not the literal act of banging one's head).

Droopy
(forum post end)



I've got a word or two
To say about the things that you do
You're telling all those lies
About the good things that we can have
if we close our eyes

Do what you want to do
And go where you're going to
Think for yourself
'cause I won't be there with you

I left you far behind
The ruins of the life that you had in mind
And though you still can't see
I know your mind's made up
You're gonna cause more misery

Do what you want to do
And go where you're going to
Think for yourself
'cause I won't be there with you

Although your mind's opaque
Try thinking more if just for your own sake
The future still looks good
And you've got time to rectify
All the things that you should

Do what you want to do
And go where you're going to
Think for yourself
'cause I won't be there with you

Do what you want to do
And go where you're going to
Think for yourself
'cause I won't be there with you
Think for yourself
'cause I won't be there with you

("Think For Yourself"
Harrison 1966, RubberSoul)



I'm looking through you
Where did you go
I thought I knew you
What did I know
You don't look different
But you have changed
I'm looking through you
You're not the same

Your lips are moving
I cannot hear
You voice is soothing
But the words aren't clear
You don't sound different
I've learned the game
I'm looking through you
You're not the same

Why, tell me why
Did you not treat me right
Love has a nasty habit
Of disappearing overnight

You're thinking of me
The same old way
You were above me
But not today
The only difference
Is you're down there
I'm looking though you
And you're nowhere

Why, tell me why
Did you not treat me right
Love has a nasty habit
Of disappearing overnight

I'm looking through you
Where did you go
I thought I knew you
What did I know
You don't look different
But you have changed
I'm looking through you
You're not the same

("I'm Looking Through You"
Lennon/McCartney 1966, RubberSoul)


EDIT
I don't "memorize lyrics" as I fail to see a point to doing that as what I do is simply recall for playback that which I have heard.

As it happened all of my rechargeable batteries were dead last night and as they sat recharging and my never having figured out why sound doesn't come through headphones hooked to my computer -- and seeing as it happens that this is just one of the many varied aspects of me she stakes claim to, I 'did my thing' and listened to "Rubbersoul" complete in the manner which I do -- in my head -- and from there typed these lyrics, only going back over them after to correct typos.
I then put the appropriate credit information for authorship (Harrison and Lennon/McCartney song, album and the year.

Giving credit where credit is due ironically is one attribute of mine that I would actually wish people would copy. It would certainly solve a lot of problems if they did.