1992 was all about motion. A stop in Chicago to visit Elyse on the train to Denver. Spending January thru April working as a ski check girl and living in base housing for employees at Keystone Mountain in Summit County, Colorado. A trip to Atlanta to see Kerry for a visit. Continued that trip on to Englewood, Florida to pick up Grams and help her drive back to Michigan. Of course, there was at least one trip UpNorth to the Cottage, an early 50th birthday party for Mom and a wedding shower. Another visit to Chicago and a quick trip back to Denver to see a person of interest that I met before I left Keystone. A trip up to the UP. And then it was all about living the Peace Corps life. A couple of days for Staging in Miami. Pre-Service Training on St. Lucia. Beginning my service on Antigua. A special weekend on Barbuda.

Listening to Chicago’s 93xrt radio station last weekend, Saturday Morning Flashback was stacked with songs from 1992. Granted I’ve been spending this March dusting off many of my cobwebs and reflecting on my life, but this was definitely a trip down memory lane. Such a year it was!

What’s interesting is that many of these songs didn’t become part of my playlist until later. In 1992, with all of the moving around I did, I actually have very different memories of other bands and songs playing in my memory bank. During my Colorado adventure, I remember Bonnie Raitt’s version of “You Don’t Love Me” one night while I was working at Keystone and being introduced to the Colorado band Big Head Todd and the Monsters. I remember finding out, when visiting super cool sister friend Kerry in Atlanta, that she liked Garth Brooks, as if that was such a novelty. I also remember that trip going to see Kenny Loggins play at this really wonderful outdoor venue with Kerry and a couple of her friends and being so surprised at how much we enjoyed the music and the evening. I remember being surrounded by dance hall and reggae music for the first time during our Peace Corps Pre-Service Training on St. Lucia and then on Antigua. I remember going out with other volunteers to do karaoke at the A Pub and/or the Triangle Pub in the community of Gros Islet many evenings after long days of training. I remember my first taste of clubbing West Indian style at a local establishment with everyone dancing and grinding to the music pounding artists I didn’t yet know, but I would come to soon enough: Chaka Demus & Pliers; Barrington Levy; Maxi Priest; Shaba Ranks; Crystal Waters. I remember our Peace Corps talent show which was done to celebrate our wrapping up training on St. Lucia. I remember going to a number of outings early in our time on Antigua with my homestay family siblings. I also remember attending a big concert festival at Nelson’s Dockyard and Shirley Heights to celebrate Antigua’s Independence Day–and seeing Bob Marley’s widow Rita Marley perform. 

Such a different playlist than the one I listened to last weekend on 93xrt!

So, what is playing on your 1992 playlist–or another year that made a difference in your life?