u/Hairy-Jellyfish-1361

Long before I developed epilepsy I had some back issues and arthritis was getting worse, my pain dr suggested that I try floating. I read a little about the procedure and looked for a place near me. I found a float spa around 40 minutes from me, almost to Center City, Philly. I tried it and was hooked. It's similar to what I knew growing up as sensory deprivation tanks, except those were actual enclosed metal tubes that divers used to treat the bends. The spas now have private rooms, with a large tub.

Floating is a process where you fill the tub with a great amount of Epsom salts,in the case of the one I'm currently using, 1000lbs and water. The salt will keep you afloat, and in a weightless

I was away for almost a year and forgot how much good it had done for me. The following year, I was away for 3 months and there was a spa there and I would go every week.

Fast forward a few years and the seizures started.

Just recently a float spa opened in the town I live in. My wife made a deal with the owner for half price, and I'm going almost every week now.

But aside from pain relief, there's many other benefits including relieving stress and better sleep.

I have had a few week period where I am feeling a lot of stress. During every float the stress floats away, your entire body is engulfed with relaxation.

Try it if you can. It's great for your body.

Martha Reeves

I talked with my ex earlier, unusually we are friendly and we talk & text all the time and our conversations usually get around to music. Today we talked mostly about the times that we saw, either together or separately, the woman from Port Arthur, Texas who was best known either by her first name, Janis, or the title of her album released after her death, Pearl.

Her greatest hit "Me and Bobby McGee" had been recorded 3 times previously by different people. The songwriter, Kris Kristofferson had no idea that she was recording it. She also changed the words to suit her. Bobby McGee was originally a female, plus a few more changes. Kristofferson would sing it everytime after as her version.

When Janice was growing up in Port Arthur her classmates made fun of her and at college she was voted ugliest MAN on campus.

She listened to the blues growing up while everyone around her sang country or gospel. Her mother always would ask her if she had to scream when she sang.

Together, or individually, we each saw Janis 3 different ways, with Big Brother and the Holding Co, a physcadelic band out of SF, with the Kozmic Blues Band, a blues band, and of course solo.

She was a woman of fierce standards and determination. There are many stories that we heard regarding her. One took place in Texas, either Houston or Dallas, with the Kozmic Blues Band. The band had an all Black horn section and someone from the audience yelled something as she stood by one of them that was not nice. She supposedly stopped singing and said she wouldn't start again until the racist bastard left and any others that feel like him are free to leave. A few left, the majority cheered and she went on.

Probably the best story that I ever heard about her was she was at a party with other artists and musicians in Laurel Canyon. Being in Laurel Canyon it was probably either at Mama Cass's or Joni Mitchell's house. This night Jim Morrison yells out to Janis "I bet you can't sing anything softly" Janis told him to give her a few minutes, left the room, came back and sang a beautiful, soft, hymn. Morrison was flabbergasted. Told her he had a poem he had written that he wanted to record with her. They recorded it and Morrison gave her a copy and kept one for himself. They were both dead shortly.

Janice died 3 days after recording Bobby McGee and never got to see her biggest success.

After her death, when the Pearl album was released, many of us that knew her simply as Janice would soon be referring to her as Pearl.

I've seen many very forgettable acts with a hit record or 2. But Janice is in a very small grouping as unforgettable

I spoke with a very old friend last night and he reminded me of this night which I instantly remembered.

It was March 1968 and my friend and his girlfriend had introduced me to one of her friends. It was going well and our 3rd date was going to be March 14, the day MLK Jr was killed on a terrace in Memphis. I called to cancel the date which is what she was going to do. We decided to put it off for 3 days to try and get over the shock. We, and a great many others, were still in shock and anger. 3 days were not nearly enough to have gotten through it.

We went to Greenwich Village to hear some music, which is where I was regularly. We went to a club that I had gone many times but didn't remember but my friend said it was the generation bar. It was a place where musicians gathered.

That particular night a lot of musicians gathered and performed. B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Joni Mitchell, and two others, Jimi Hendrix and Janice Joplin. What a night that must've been. After speaking with him it sounded somewhat back there in my memory bank, but I trust the person who told me the story because he's as much a music lover and historian as I am.

He insisted, although it's never been confirmed that Janice & Jimi performed together and it was magical.

I had seen both of them, but together had to be quite special.

When I called my ex to wish her a happy mothers day, we were talking and she asked me if I remembered a concert that we went to on Thanksgiving 1969 at Madison Square Garden. After much searching, I just couldn't come up with it so she told me.

We went to see The Rolling Stones and opening for them was Ike & Tina Turner. I had seen Ike & Tina a few times and knew what to expect. Tina was pure energy similar to Janice.

Interestingly, Janice was in the audience, drunk as usual and after a song or 2 she ran up on the stage to sing with Tina. I was told that half the audience expected Tina to deck her for taking her time and the other half, which apparently counted us, wanted to hear them together, which we did. I was told that it was amazing.

Separately I remember seeing both, but for whatever reason I can't remember this at all, as there are others, famous ones, that just aren't there. Fortunately, there are still more that are remembered.

I heard a story the other day that if I knew about previously I had forgotten, but because of the individuals involved hit me real hard.

In 1960 The Rat Pack were appearing at the Sands in Vegas, a show that I had seen one night.

Apparently, they did some relaxing with friends backstage in a private room. One night they were relaxing and Elvis was one of their gusts.

One of the powerful casino owners came in and while complimenting the performance used a racial slur to Sammy Davis Jr, one of the most talented individuals in the country. While Sammy was reacting with shock and anger and Sinatra started to get up to confront him, there was Elvis calling Harold Beckman out for being a racist and throwing him verbally out of their private area. Beckman owned parts of 6 casinos and it could've been an issue for The King as he wasn't yet on the level of The Rat Pack.

Elvis was never someone that I was a huge fan of. In 1960 I considered, and still do, Buddy Holly to be the King, but this story has increased my respect for the man greatly.

I realize that this happened before any of you were born. I was 12. But the lesson from that night is as important today as it was then, Don't back down to power. Stick to your principles no matter the cost.

If anyone is interested I am told there is a retelling of the story on utube.