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Life is Elastic


Fibre Art by Lea Sheldan

If you feel like you're bouncing around on the pogo stick of life, you are not alone! First you're up and then you're down, you're in the money and then you're broke; you never know what's around the bend. With this song, I let my imagination flow, getting sucked into the swirling colours and cracks of my mind like this fibre art painting I call 'Psycho Babble'. 'Life is Elastic', begins with my first ever drum solo! It's a swing-time, big-band era tune with a bopping beat behind some cool, country-jazz guitar. Shawn Stewart and Steve Horvat are both featured in this brilliant mixture of western, swing, jazz and blues with sweet harmonies and a big descending dissonant finish that’s one for the books. It's got the right kind of vibe for dancing and tells a tragic familiar story in a very pleasing way.

It shows the beauty and the ugly of our greedy world. Like this wisteria that keeps coming back no matter how much poison we pour on it, we have the capability to bounce back from almost anything. It's like the time we were in Vegas. I put money into the machine and it hungrily ate it up. Mark put money in the machine next to mine and he won oodles of coins. I went to the bathroom, came out and heard the bells ringing again. He had won another mini jackpot! It was awesome back when real money came pouring out.


Our second honeymoon in 1997, we had won the free trip from entering a contest in a Greek Restaurant in Vancouver. We stayed at the Stratosphere and walked the long, hot strip; getting blisters on my feet from the 121 degree weather and stupidly wearing new sandals. (mole skin saved my life) We limited our gambling to $20 dollars per day, per person and we stuck to that; mainly playing the penny slots and a bit of roulette. We didn't get rich, but we didn't lose our shirts either. We heard that some folks had to walk the few miles to the airport because they didn't have enough money for a cab out of town. Thank goodness my parents taught me to have restraint when it comes to spending and gambling.


Here are my mom and dad, the most frugal, thrifty, money-saving, prudent people I know. I learned about buyer's remorse very early on and even though my mom is gone, I still hear her voice in my head asking, "Do you really need it?" Most of the time, the answer is no, but then, my enabling husband usually replies, "But you want it and you deserve it. It's only money and we can get more..." Oh, what am I to do? Someone told me recently when I revealed that I was born in the year of the OX, "Too bad, you'll never be rich." How do they know? Because I was born in a certain time I am predestined to be poor? I hope that is rubbish because I'm sick of not having enough! But then again, what is enough? I can say I am grateful for what I have, even if it isn't much. And because of what my parents taught me, I can certainly whip up a fancy dinner or party on a pauper's wallet. If things turn around and we happen to get in the black again, the lesson is that life is indeed elastic. Until next time, love, laugh and dance no matter how much money you have! ~*.*~ Lea Sheldan


To listen to 'Life is Elastic' right now, click here:

https://twistedgitarco.wixsite.com/leasheldan-1/songs

To hear Mark Sheldan's new release click here:

https://twistedgitarco.wixsite.com/marksheldan/my-songs

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Download on Spotify here:

https://open.spotify.com/album/1D56lzEKmjQAJyq9HxXwzh?si=nsz7p6JYRQidNRL5KSOxcw


Sing along with the lyrics below:


Life Is Elastic


Life is elastic, it swings you up then it brings you down

Ain’t it fantastic? Until you’re back in trouble town

Just when you think that your bad luck’s gonna change

Life builds you up and kicks you down again


We thought we had it nice, we were living in paradise

Saving for a sunny holiday

Then the roof started leaking and the pipes started squeaking

Then the car broke down and our nest egg flew away


Life is elastic, it swings you up then it brings you down

Ain’t it fantastic? Until you’re back in trouble town

Just when you think that your bad luck’s gonna change

Life builds you up and kicks you down again


I was on a winning streak, hitting jackpots once a week

Making friends was easy in those days

Then the boxcars and snake eyes came, unlucky seven was my game

I lost my shirt, now nobody knows my name


Life is elastic, it swings you up then it brings you down

Ain’t it fantastic? Until you’re back in trouble town

Just when you think that your bad luck’s gonna change

Life builds you up and it kicks you down again


It lifts you up and throws you down

You’re inside out and upside down

It builds you up and it kicks you right back down


written by Lea Sheldan

copyright 2014 Socan




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