Compact Disc Review
Skinny Dipping
Written, collected, and performed
by Martha Reed Johnson
Recorded by Jake
Dempsey for TreeHouse Artists
Available from
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/marthareedjohnson
$15.00 for CD;
$9.99 for download
Reviewed By Linda
Goodman
Life's
journey is full of surprises. When we take a look back at the cards
life has dealt us, we are often surprised by the lessons we
have learned. Those tense moments that made us cringe with embarrassment
often make us laugh when we look at them through the telescope of
time. Bratty siblings become our comforters; lessons are passed on
from generation to generation; and sometimes the impossible becomes
possible.
Skinny
Dipping,
this CD's title
story, examines the teen-age brain, which, as we all know, sometimes
does not work as it should. A quick dip in the cold New England ocean
is followed by an unpleasant surprise. Luckily Martha knows how to make good use of seaweed. A
kind policeman and a cool mom make this story a happy memory instead
of the proverbial mistake best left forgotten.
Brat
finds
Martha enjoying bribes from two young lovers who want to be alone.
Being ignored is bearable when candy and ice cream are substituted
for a brother's company. Years later, however, that brother's company
is the sweetest gift.
Martha's
younger sister is Blond,
Beautiful, and Bubbly
– a Barbie doll girl who commands attention wherever she goes.
Such charm is easy to envy and easy to resent, but Martha learns that
“you don't leave family behind.” Family loves you, no matter
what.
The
Watch is about Teddy,
whose father works for the Seth Thomas Watch Company. Teddy loves
tools, especially hammers. A hammer in the hand of a curious child,
however, can be a wrecking device. Teddy inherits the wreckage he
creates, and a lesson is passed along from one generation to the next.
Dr.
Timothy Johnson, a
bonus track, was recorded live by Blackwater Entertainment at the Storytelling Festival of the
Carolina's. This story of a very smart
German Shepherd with PTSD and a habit of wandering for long periods
of time takes a hilarious turn when his namesake comes into the
picture. Can dogs really make phone calls?
After
listening to this CD, I could not help but admire the dynamics of the
Johnson family. Every infraction becomes a blessing. That is the gift
that family members give to one another when love is at their core.
Martha's family stories are her gift to us.
