1985, Game 3 National Playoffs @ the Forum, Lakers vs. Celtics. Lakers were even, 1-1, coming back to LA for Game 3.

I post this, one, because I liked Larry Bird, thought he had talent, but when you're watching players play in your era you kind of take them for granted unless they earn a name and accolades for themselves the way Bird did, the way Kareem did, the way Jamaal Wilkes did, the way Magic Johnson did, and the way that Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlin, Gail Goodrich, Happy Hairston, Earl Monroe, James Worthy, Doctor Julius Erving did.  I especially liked Norm Nixon of the early 80s and late 70s.  Such a great field commander as point guard.  The Lakers and Celtic went at it in 3 consecutive championship playoffs.  

The younger generation never got to see Larry Bird move like this.. pic.twitter.com/rfV2qTXTpT

— Larry Legend☘️ (@LarryBirdDaily) June 4, 2026

The Lakers and Celtic went at it in 2 consecutive championship playoffs, 1984, 1985, 

The 1983 NBA playoffs ended with the Philadelphia 76ers defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 4–0 in the NBA Finals, with Moses Malone named Finals MVP. The 1984 NBA playoffs concluded with the Boston Celtics defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 4–3 in the NBA Finals, with Larry Bird named Finals MVP. The 1985 NBA playoffs ended with the Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Boston Celtics 4–2 in the NBA Finals.

In 1982, the Lakers went to battle against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Magic Johnson was named Finals MVP in 1982 when the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Philadelphia 76ers 4–2.

But for the 1985 game, I went to game 3 at the Forum in the Lakers vs. Celtics. It was magical. I was invited to the game by a UPS coworker, Rick, who lived in Diamond Bar, lived in a nice townhome with his wife. It's odd. I recall one time during that season, he invited me over to his house to watch them, drink a few beer, and snack on chips and dip. I said yes. It was fun. Just the two of us. Not much conversation, but we were both avid Laker, Magic, Kareen, and Worthy fans that we couldn't have been happier watching the game with a coworker. It was a few weeks later that Rick asked me to a playoff game at the Forum, Game 3. I went. It was a thrill of a lifetime. Lakers won and took a 2-1 lead in the championship. But a few months later, I was gathering my things in the lockers at UPS, and I saw two plain clothed detectives come in and handcuff Rick, and they took him away. Apparently, he was selling cocaine.

"Everywhere" by Fleetwood Mac, sung by Christine McVie, 1987

"Everywhere" by Fleetwood Mac, sung by Christine McVie

Banning Street in the industrial section near downtown Los Angeles, 1980.

1980, Banning Street in the industrial section near downtown Los Angeles. (William Reagh Collection).  Thank you to LAPL.

The Carpenters, "Yesterday Once More," 1973

"Yesterday Once More," 1973.  "Only Yesterday," 1975, another Carpenters' song.  The Beatles' "Yesterday" was released in 1965.  Too many songs about yesterday to get people to give up the present and the future and wallow in the past. 

This is a mildly painful song because it reminds me of my Dad who loved the Carpenters' voices, TV performances, and melodies.  When I hear them today, I love them, and in 1973 they remind me of my growing pains.  I was in my purposeless junior year of high school.  And my Dad was readying for retirement.  So as to careers, skills, and social reputation, he wanted nothing of it anymore, and he thoroughly enjoyed retirement, traveling with friends and family to Colorado, to Palm Springs, to Arizona, to Chicago and Indiana to see in person and live a Notre Dame vs. USC game.  O, and he maintained Frank and Marilyn's home in Glendale, cleaning their pool, vacuuming, dusting, and keeping the kitchen clean.  

For me, goals would have helped a lot instead of just letting time drift and waiting for others to pick me up.

Patti Smith, "Because the Night," 1978

Wow, seeing this I've performance makes me like Patti Smith a lot.  The song was written by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith and was released in '77 and placed on her 1978 album.

Patti Smith - Because the Night (1978) pic.twitter.com/tFU049yf6M

— 🎼🌺Music Love♥️ (@ThoNg676733) May 19, 2026

Her song, "People Have the Power," from her 1988 album, Dream of Life, is pretty good.  Not great.  Maybe too melodic and not enough bite.  

Her better work comes when she goes full grunge or Lou Reed with a feminine twist, like her 1979 "Dancing Barefoot."

"Smell of Teen Spirit," released on April 17, 2007 as part of her album Twelve).  Patti Smith’s version of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” often searched as “Smell of Teen Spirit” is a cover track on her 2007 album Twelve.

The Boys from Baldwin Park, 1980-1983

Well, I was in Azusa this morning getting a cup of coffee with the McDonald's at Azusa Avenue and Cypress and I was thinking of a memory, was thinking of the guys from UPS in Baldwin Park.  Two guys I worked with at night there were Dave Grinnell, Marty [can't think of his last name], and Roy Becerra.  These guys were friendly enough to host weekend parties.  Dave enjoyed drinking.  I attended one of his parties where instead of serving Coke & Rum, Dave served Meyers's Rum & Dr. Pepper.  Dee-licious.  There was another guy I liked too.  These guys could drink.  One buddy downed too many Long Island iced teas one night up at the bar at the City of Industry.  But the main guys were Roy, Marty, and Dave.  Roy used to invite us over to his place in City Terrace off of City Terrace Drive.  He's the one who introduced me to El Tepeyac's monster plates in East LA.  Afterwards, we'd go to his house on Evergreen, smoke a little pot, listen to music.  Someone gifted him with a pitbull puppy, a little "pitty."  Roy was a great guy, generous and kind.  He had good taste in music.  He liked Santana, of course, but he liked Rickie Lee Jones, too, so he enjoyed listening to her 1979 song "Chucky E's in Love." 

Roy was also enamored by Stevie Nicks. "Landslide" is from Fleetwood Mac's 1975 album, so I am sure that Roy may have been referring to it or another song on that album.  

Their 1977 album, Rumours, contained the terrific hit, "Go Your Own Way," released in 1976 before compilation on the album.  

The other song I remember falling in love with back in those days was The Clash's 1980 song "Charlie Don't Surf" from their Sandanista! [Nicaraguan communists] album.  "Charlie don't surf" is a line from the 1979 Apocalypse Now movie, starring Martin Sheen, Robert Duval, and Marlon Brando. 

With Dave Grinnell also, he had a bad back and he used to ask me like at least once or twice a night to crack his back for him, which meant that I had to lift him up off the ground.  He'd present his back to me, and I'd rap my arms around him and he'd hold his arms to his side and I'd lift him up, and you could hear the crack and his spine kind of falling into some alignment.  When I first met Dave, he was a sorter at the foot of the ramp, which was like 5 to 6 feet above me. And he'd insult me to get my attention.  I ignored him long enough before I started calling him gay and fagot.    That's how we got to know each other.  The 4 of us had fun because at least once a week, sometimes twice a week, we'd either go eat at Manny's in East LA, with a pitcher of beer, of course, and then maybe golfing at a 3-par.  One summer morning, we drove up Highway 39 in Azusa to go swimming in West Fork River.  And I recall that we saw one a snake swimming at the surface of the water.  Nature is always fun to observe.  So that was cool.  And, of course, we brought beer with us.  Marty was the biggest drinker in the group.  He was unfazed by alcohol.  Marty and Dave were the big drinkers. Roy not so much, and me even less.  I was a lightweight.

Ken Hathaway who I went skiing with at Wrightwood one Sunday.  He bought peppermint schnapps, carried it in one of those deerskin wine bags.  He was a good skier too, so we had fun doing that.  And we skied all night from 9pm to midnight, then drove to Baldwin Park to start our graveyard shift  at 1 am. 

Who else was there?  Mark Peterson.  He asked me if he could get a job at UPS, so I gave him the contact's name, I think Danny Macias. Danny did ask me if Mark was reliable, and I said yes.  I remember that Mark worked at Toys R Us in Rosemead right off the 10 Freeway.  To say "I got Mark Peterson a job" might be overstating it.  I vouched for him.  I don't know that "I got him a job," but I told him who to get in touch with.  This must have been 1983 because I wasn't around at Baldwin Park long enough because in April 1983, I was assigned a driving position im the Beverly Hills Hub at the Olympic Warehouse where I would later meet and reconnect with John Simpson, and get to know my supervisor Bruce, a light-skinned black man from Diamond Bar who loved playing basketball and invited me because I was tall.  

Mark and I were buddies at one time.  We spent a weekend in Santa Barbara once, slept in in back of my truck

Heart's Ann and Nancy Wilson Pay Tribute to Led Zeppelin. What a Tribute!!!

December 2, 2012 (at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C.).  This is the widely shared, highly acclaimed performance by Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart (with Jason Bonham on drums and a choir), tributing Led Zeppelin. It was recorded that day and later aired on CBS (around December 26, 2012)

Here is "Stairway to Heaven."  And lyrics.

One of the most famous cover performances in rock music history💫 pic.twitter.com/P0AtJqIuTz

— 🎼🌺Music Love♥️ (@ThoNg676733) May 17, 2026

And "Black Dog."  And lyrics.