Dancing in the Park in Chico on Summer Friday Nights - Working at WREX Plastics Factory - Part of My Autobiography - Gregory Vanderlaan

The concerts in the Park were my highlight of Summers in Chico. In general there are more guitar players per square mile there and the best play in the town square. People from AA and WREX plastics went every week and we had a good time dancing. Chico is famous for being a party town and every great party needs a "Keggar" Band. My favorite was the Jeff Pershing Band. He plays Positive Worldbeat Music.

The Train Station in Chico, California
I Dined at Food Not Bombs in Train Depot Park
on the Left Hand Side of this Picture

I was working at a plastics factory and that was a great job for me to do while I was getting sober. My boss was a member of AA also. The work was simple. They trained you how to make a plastic part in about 10 minutes and then you had 8 hours to relax and do your work. My favorite part was the wheelchair wheels for a "Smarty" brand named wheelchair. This was satisfying work because people all over the world used our products... Those wheelchairs were loved by those who rode in them. 

I was eating at the Jesus Center while I was a homeless person but the lady that ran the place told me that since I had started a JOB and could buy my own food, it was no longer Right for me to accept charity. Makes sense... 

Years Later I visited Chico after I Had Moved to Eureka and they had replaced the Central Park Lawn and Trees with Concrete and a Fountain... The Music was still wonderful and The Children Loved Splashing in the Fountain... I guess they had to remove the trees because they were in Danger of Falling Down. 

Bear Hole in Upper Bidwell Park
Black Lava Basalt Rock from Mount Lassen.

I wrote a song about my experiences called "Simple Treasures". My time Dancing in the Mud at RFK Stadium at a Grateful Dead Concert... We had a torrential rainstorm with thunder and lightning... Here is a Link to my Music Video singing the Song and Playing my Guitar... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLWIRyF0YnQ

Thank God for simple treasures
Thank God for rock and roll
An arena full of singing people...
a blessed time to ease my soul
Chorus:
Dancing in the MUD
in a stadium
when I hear the drums
I know that I belong
the hammer on the gong
and the momentum
will reveal the truth
hidden for so long

Thank God for simple treasures
Thank God for my guitar
it has a magic healing power
PARA VIVIR, YO CANTAR
(in order to live, I sing)
Chorus:
Dancing in the MUD
in a stadium
when I hear the drums
I know that I belong
the hammer on the gong
and the momentum
will reveal the truth
hidden for so long

Thank God for simple treasures
Thank God for my machine
I make another 30 wheels then,
take a rag and wipe it clean
Chorus:
In the factory
working all night long
making plastic wheels
until the break of dawn
.......................
"God bless this wheel
and all who ride upon it"

JUST ANOTHER MIRACLE

This lyric is about my time working at the WREX plastic factory in Chico. We made wheels for wheelchairs. One day after work I was extremely stressed out about the miserable conditions I was working in and a wise lady suggested that I have Jesus bless each wheel and all that ride. I was handling hot plastic and working extremely quickly to fit tiny nuts into the wheel before the plastic cooled and the wheel shrank in size to be too small to fit the nuts. This basically meant that I was frantically rushing to fit 9 nuts into a wheel that was burning my fingers. She suggested the blessing as a stress reliever for me. Fortunately, my boss came to the realization that I was the wrong person for this particular product and never made me make that type of wheel again. I did become THE wheel maker of another type. I did continue to bless the wheels. I am an atheist but... WHY NOT BLESS THE WHEEL... Eventually I made thousands of wheels. A useful way to spend my time... *

Fountain that I Loved to Soak my Feet in
Right Across from Central Plaza Where the Bands Play.
I walked a Lot in Chico and Had Many Blisters
The WATER in this Fountain has a LOT of Chlorine...
Good for Healing, NOT for Drinking.

Dancing in Central Park in Chico to live music. and Murals

Sounded like the Grateful Dead

Chico is Famous for Beautiful Women

On the Street during Friday Night in the Park Concert

Mural Downtown

Another Mural

Read more of my Autobiography at: http://gvan42.blogspot.com/2018/03/growing-up-in-los-gatos-california-in.html

Music Video: "Simple Treasures" written and sung by Greg Vanderlaan

https://youtu.be/CLWIRyF0YnQ  

This song is about Dancing in the Mud in RFK Stadium at a Grateful Dead Concert. AND Working at WREX Plastics Factory making wheelchair wheels... on the Graveyard Shift. 

It includes two of my Favorite Chords. 

E*=e0,B0,G6,D7,A7,E0

E**=e0,B0,G4,D5,A5,E0

(NC)=No Chord=eBGDAE

E     G       D       A

Thank God for simple treasures

E     G       D        A

Thank God for rock and roll

E        G       D       A

An arena full of singing people...

D                         A

a blessed time to ease my soul

Chorus:

E              E* E**

Dancing in the MUD

E**        A (NC) E

in a stadium

E               E*

when I hear the drums

E**           A (NC) E

I know that I belong

E                 E*  E**

the hammer on the gong

E**          A (NC) E

and the momentum

E               E*  E**

will reveal the truth

E**           A (NC) E

hidden for so long

Thank God for simple treasures

Thank God for my guitar

it has a magic healing power

PARA VIVIR, YO CANTAR

Chorus:

Thank God for simple treasures

Thank God for my machine

I make another 30 wheels then,

take a rag and wipe it clean

Chorus:

In the factory

working all night long

making plastic wheels

until the break of dawn

Simple Treasures - Lyrics and backstory - Dancing in the Mud at RFK Stadium Grateful Dead Concert

E*=e0,B0,G6,D7,A7,E0
E**=e0,B0,G4,D5,A5,E0
(NC)=No Chord=eBGDAE

E     G       D       A
Thank God for simple treasures
E     G       D        A
Thank God for rock and roll
E        G       D       A
An arena full of singing people...
D                         A
a blessed time to ease my soul
Chorus:
E              E* E**
Dancing in the MUD
E**        A (NC) E
in a stadium
E               E*
when I hear the drums
E**           A (NC) E
I know that I belong
E                 E*  E**
the hammer on the gong
E**          A (NC) E
and the momentum
E               E*  E**
will reveal the truth
E**           A (NC) E
hidden for so long

Thank God for simple treasures
Thank God for my guitar
it has a magic healing power
PARA VIVIR, YO CANTAR

Chorus:

Thank God for simple treasures
Thank God for my machine
I make another 30 wheels then,
take a rag and wipe it clean
Chorus:
In the factory
working all night long
making plastic wheels
until the break of dawn

.......................
"God bless this wheel
and all who ride upon it"

JUST ANOTHER MIRACLE

This lyric is about my time working at the plastic factory in Chico. We made wheels for wheelchairs. One day after work I was extremely stressed out about the miserable conditions I was working in and a wise lady suggested that I have Jesus bless each wheel and all that ride. I was handling hot plastic and working extremely quickly to fit tiny nuts into the wheel before the plastic cooled and the wheel shrank in size to be too small to fit the nuts. This basically meant that I was franticly rushing to fit 9 nuts into a wheel that was burning my fingers. She suggested the blessing as a stress reliever for me. Fortunetly, my boss came to the realization that I was the wrong person for this particular product and never made me make that type of wheel again. I did become THE wheel maker of another type. I did continue to bless the wheels. I am an atheist but... WHY NOT BLESS THE WHEEL... Eventually I made thousands of wheels. A useful way to spend my time... *