Precious Time

One of the best ways to GET OUT and do something can be accomplished by a good, old-fashioned road trip.

For those who require a better definition of this type of outing, suffice to say that a visit to Whole Foods in North Naples would not qualify. Plus, for Marco Island residents, a "road trip" is not possible without crossing to the other side of the Jolley Bridge.

Derek and I are guilty, too. Sometimes it's just easier to sit in our quaint Verona Walk townhouse and embrace a seemingly endless staycation. It's alarming how much of our precious time gets earmarked for HGTV. Even dog Alexander has become obsessed with Ben and Erin Napier.

Nonetheless, let's say you've made the bold decision to travel outside of Southwest Florida. There are risks; we know. Miami is only two hours away by car, but it always seems to end in a five-hour return trip. Siri is often mischievous or just plain mean when it comes to guiding us back home.

But we always push forward; skeptical of the value of modern technology yet driven by our desire to reunite with the dog.

So me, Derek, Sue, Dave, Melissa, and Jon point our vehicles in the direction of Orlando's Kia Center for the INVINCIBLE Pat Benatar + Neil Giraldo and Canada's rock and roll pride and joy, Bryan Adams.

True, a lot of ink has already been devoted to the exploration of true love. Despite our 30 years together, my husband Derek has long accepted that he comes in a solid number two, having graciously surrendered the top spot to the legendary Patricia Mae Andrzejewski Benatar Giraldo.

Pat gets me All Fired Up every single time.

Orlando may be home to Disney World, aka the Most Magical Place on Earth, but my preferred abracadabra-adjacent hot spots are wherever Pat Benatar happens to be.

It's at this point that Derek screams from across the room: "Please tell me you're not going to write the entire I-did-a-singing-telegram-for-Pat-Benatar-in-1982-story again! Haven't we suffered enough?"

To be fair, there's not really enough room here to do it justice. It's epic. But considering Pat was recently a guest on my podcast, you can go to ontheknows.com and hear it firsthand.

Score: Randy = 1; Derek = 0

Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Pat and her supremely talented husband/collaborator Neil "Spyder" Giraldo have amassed a musical catalog that runs the thematic gamut from power to longing and obsession, from love to abuse and redemption. But right now, I can't stop thinking of the title track of the pair's early '80s album, Precious Time.

I measured time quite differently in 1981. Today, the unrelenting passage of time forces me to carefully consider how I use it; who is worthy of it; when to save it for myself, and how much of it is left to give.

None of this entered my late-teenage mindset, nor was it supposed to.

As time has marched on, Pat has become increasingly dear to me, but not because of "We Belong," the highly acclaimed Benatar/Giraldo song; it's because she makes me feel like I belong. I matter. She consistently supports and encourages me and has committed her valuable time to our mutual friendship.

So yes, Derek and I were thrilled to GET OUT of town and see this remarkable duo showcase their impeccable talents again. Still, we were equally happy to be in their company, just as we were lucky to spend some precious time with Sue, Dave, Melissa and Jon.

As the song says, "life is too short. So why waste precious time?"

Gotta love it when art so accurately reflects life.

Of course, artists like Pat and Spyder also take us back in time. They provide us a sense of déjà vu that often comes along when we least expect it but need it the most. Florida is nothing if not a haven for nostalgia.

It will never be my goal to be a reviewer, as no one opinion is ever that important; however, I must tip my hat to '80s hitmaker Bryan Adams. At 66, he is in great physical shape and can still sing his face off.

Although the tireless Mr. Adams proved to be the Energizer Bunny of pop music, there's a chance that Derek nodded off somewhere during "The Summer of '69."

Yes, we still believe it's important to GET OUT and do stuff; however, a lot of us also want to GET IN before nine o'clock or so.

Precious or not, no one messes with bedtime.