In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

I recently had my hair done.  My friend and stylist was telling me about an interesting woman that she had just met. She prefaced the story by asking me if I was okay with ‘woo-hoo’ hippy vibe stuff. I said, “Sure, I am a little woo-hoo myself.” So anyway this woman was very interesting and they had a great visit. As she was leaving she told her “Ask the Universe, and the Universe will answer.”  Hmmm…okay.

So we talked about what that meant and basically concluded that you have to be aware of stuff to figure stuff out. I know, super deep! At which point we made funny jokes about the people or things in our life that require answers from the Universe.

Yesterday I received my answer from the Universe.

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.

It started like this.

I was hanging out with my sister listening to a great band and having a few beers. It was the Wing-Ding-Fling-Thing at the Wheelhouse.  All of the usual suspects were there.  We laughed, sang, danced a little (not as much as usual because it was raining and I was wearing a white shirt and was trying to not become obscene.) The last song played as an encore was Helter Skelter. One of the guys we were hanging out with asked me if I knew what/who that song was about.  I said, “Charles Manson!” I got it right, Yay! Then I was asked if I knew what In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida was about.  No clue. Hmm, let me think about this.  They said it real, real slow.  In…A…Gadda…Da…Vida.  In my Corona Light enlightened state I said, “Something to do with Good vs. Evil.” They said, “You are so close, but nope that’s not it.” They told me it is an Iron Butterfly song famous for two things, it is super long and it was supposed to be titled In the Garden of Eden but the guy who wrote it was smashed and was a little slurry and it came out In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida instead. The band liked it that way better and kept it.

I can see how that could happen.  I sometimes say things differently after a few beers too, and sometimes I get an accent.  Anyway…

For the large part I have given up on daytime television of any sort.  Too depressing! But I do sometimes watch the Dan Patrick Show.  It was a busy week and I didn’t get to tune in as much as usual.  But as I was puttering around my house and getting ready for work I heard Dan Patrick mention In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. Then they cut to a commercial and I missed finding out whether it was a reference to the length of the song or about the happy accident of making something fabulous while being hammered. Still, it got my attention.

I am Facebook friends with Anthony Bourdain.  Well, let me clarify.  I am Facebook friends with Anthony Bourdain, he is not Facebook friends with me. He recently posted some tunes that were his faves and gave a shout out to his dad for dutifully taking him to an Iron Butterfly Concert. There you have it again…In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.

Anthony Bourdain is living the life I wish I had…traveling, writing, eating and meeting interesting people. His book Kitchen Confidential is a great read.

All of a sudden it struck me as weird and possibly relevant. I had never even heard of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida and now it is everywhere.  Is it a sign? What does it mean?

It’s the Universe.

I am actually fairly content right now and am not aware that I have been asking the Universe any questions. What do you do when the Universe answers anyway? I feel compelled to listen.

In a gadda da vida, honey Don’t you know that I’m lovin’ you In a gadda da vida, baby Don’t you know that I’ll always be true         

-Iron Butterfly

I kind of like having the answer before I know the question. That leaves it open to interpretation.  Here is my question. “What’s next?”

It’s time to let go! It’s time to get out there and live with passion and see what happens…the spontaneous version may end up way better that the original plan.

In a gadda da vida baby, in a gadda da vida.