Here we are again, day ten of Inktober! I am in Tokyo visiting family and have navigated the treacherous internet highways to get online and stick to a daily post for Inktober. East meets West from the perspective of whether technology will be friends with various online tools…whew! Not always fun. Sort of like this song, which highlights the hopes and dreams of a Hobo riding the rails.
I utilized a very large Sumi ink brush to write the large letters. Then a .05 gel pen to write the smaller text. I’ve brought my tools with me, so doing what I can with the poor hotel room lighting and the limited work areas. I like this one, the big and the small make it fun!
If you recognize this tune it was recorded for the soundtrack of the movie Oh, Brother Where Art Thou. Which is a fantastic allegory for The Odyssey, Homer’s Ancient Greek epic poem starring George Clooney and produced by the Cohen Brothers. It is worth a watch as the music, costumes, and language create a whimsical, modern adaptation. This song is featured in the soundtrack.
I love the fact that the words highlight the hopes and dreams of every Hobo riding the rails. It’s time to join me by channeling your inner free spirit and singing along…
In the Big Rock Candy Mountain
– Traditional Hobo Song
All the cops have wooden legs
The bulldogs all have rubber teeth
And the hens lay soft boiled eggs
The Farmer’s trees are full of fruit
And the barns are full of hay
Oh, I want to go where there ain’t no snow.
Where the sleet don’t fall
and the rain don’t blow
in the Big Rock Candy Mountain
Today It think about the people we meet, never knowing that their lives are truly like. Be it a Hobo or a Japanese family eating together. EVERYONE has a story. Something that is happening to them now, something that has happened to them in the past, or even the story of what is going to happen to them in the future, which is what helps them build their long term future. Because it is our story that makes us unique individuals. And it is how we react to what happens to us that creates the timeline of our lives. Every one of us has had triumphs and pitfalls, amazing adventures and deeply dark days. EVERYONE!
As we get our foot in the street to experience this amazing city called Tokyo, I am reminded that the hopes and dreams of every person I past is what makes life an adventure, an odyssey, maybe even a quest. Be it raising children, finding a new job, or just working hard to keep it all going. Let me encourage you to enjoy the ride, dream big dreams, and know that your future is what you make of it…so choose wisely!
