A Carousel Ride Through My Childhood’s Nostalgia

Dear Wonderful Reader,Lets talk carousel, ferris wheels, and teacups. I don’t know about you but I have this growing obsession with carousels, ferris wheels, and anything carnival/circus/fair themed. I just find them so nostalgic, sentimental and meaningful.

There is just something about them that reminds me of childhood, innocence, and lost time. They take me back to a place that I long to go to. Maybe its their fantastical designs and whimsical colors that take me to fairy lands and revive the sense of wonder I enjoyed as a child.

“Nostalgia – it’s delicate, but potent. In Greek, “nostalgia” literally means “the pain from an old wound.” It’s a twinge in your heart far more powerful than memory alone. This device isn’t a spaceship, it’s a time machine. It goes backwards, and forwards… it takes us to a place where we ache to go again. It’s not called the wheel, it’s called the carousel. It let’s us travel the way a child travels – around and around, and back home again, to a place where we know are loved.”

―Don Draper, Mad Men“

“I felt so damn happy, . . . I don’t know why. It was just that she looked so damn nice, the way she kept going around and around, in her blue coat and all.”

―J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

Maybe it has something to do with how they spin round and round, and up and down. I find their movement patterns so metaphorical and representative of life, and aging. 

“And the seasons they go ’round and ’round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We’re captive on the carousel of time
We can’t return we can only look behind
From where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game.”
― Joni Mitchell, The Circle Game

Life goes on…

Fun Fact: The original Ferris Wheel was designed and constructed by George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. as a landmark for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

Works that I like that feature carousels and ferris wheels and all that good stuff: (Click on each link for more information!)

Uptown Girls (2003)- movie

The Notebook (2004)- movie

Mad Men- The Wheel, Season 1, Episode 13 (2007)- TV Show

Merry Go ‘Round by Kacey Musgraves- music video

Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy- music video

Hurt by Christina Aguilera- music video

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (1951)- novel (highly recommend it!)

Ferris Wheel by Marie Digby- song

The Following three music albums don’t explicitly mention carousels or ferris wheels but they’re so nostalgic in this way…

a. Lenka by Lenka (2008)

b. Made of Bricks by Kate Nash (2007)

C. Electra Heart by Marina and the Diamonds (2012) (Love this album, but be warned it’s a little dark!)

P.S. Please share with me any works that feature the aforementioned entities.

Enjoy…

Bits of Childhood…

Man I wish I could rap
So please bear with me in that crap
I’m writing here trying to run away from my real assignments
I know am fooling myself but fuck it I feel enlightenment
And I’ll be working on that shit till I get the alignment
And I’ll be my own muse, sorry this ain’t no literature
I’ll just sit here reminisce, reflect, and enjoy my nature
Always hated school, man it felt like a prison
Those cold mornings, endless winters, ahhh unwanted season
Let me start by saying,  I felt like a dude
Just a skinny kid with no interest in food
My father dragged me out of bed and throw me at the gate with no supplies
I was the only chick who sat in the back with the guys
Never did my homework, was always late
Felt like like a boy but still with them couldnt communicate
Had no choice but to get embarrassed
But hell, I gained That courage

I remember i used to look at them chicks with such admiration
Wanting to be like them, feeling despiration, no exagerration
Wondered if i’ll ever be that girly
Ha ain’t life funny
Fast forward some years later, wait hold up pause
Do I hear a round of a  aplause haha
Alright, I was the chick that them chicks would look up to
They’d be like christina “Your eyes“, “Your hair“, “Your style”
Their appreciation made my prison worthwhile
Gotta say thank you to my old classmates
I miss you guys, ha miss them dates
Shout out to Andrew, my very first crush
Me and Mina Foad sending them notes, ha young lover
Went from feeling like a boy to being the most popular girl in my class
I swear I’m not saying that to shove my conidence up your ass
I just wanna tell you to pray, ask, and dream
Ain’t no way around cause He’s the supreme