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Offline Antigen

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the seed song
« Reply #15 on: September 13, 2005, 04:54:00 PM »
I wonder if anyone remembers a guy, I think his name was John and I think he was from Boston. I remember coming in to open meeting seeing him standing on the side of group, wondering how in the world he could have graduated so quickly. He'd just arrived within the past couple of weeks. It turned out he was standing because he was unable to sit because of the way the cast on his leg was done.

That cast stayed on for ever! And I used to always look at him and make a mental note whenever we sang that line about "your leg'll break" (or, alternately, "your leg I'll break") Somehow, I got the impression that the guy's leg got broken during a take down when he tried to split.

Anybody remember that?

Oh, and did you guys also sing "I Am Straight" to the tune of Helen Ready's "I Am Woman"? I always thought that line about having been "down there on the floor" was particularly ironic.

What is a committee?  A group of the unwilling, picked from the unfit, to do the unnecessary.    
-- Richard Harkness, The New York Times, 1960

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"Don\'t let the past remind us of what we are not now."
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Offline Anonymous

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the seed song
« Reply #16 on: September 13, 2005, 05:44:00 PM »
John M, from Boston, was a staff member at the seed 1971, he left in 1972, returning to Boston  for awhile to see family, etc., returned sometime later on his own, after he had broken his leg in Boston.
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Offline GregFL

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the seed song
« Reply #17 on: September 14, 2005, 12:03:00 AM »
"I am seedling here me roar..in numbers too big to ignore"

 ::puke::  ::puke::  ::puke::  ::puke::  ::puke::  ::puke::  ::puke::

Yep, we did~!

 :grin:
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Offline Ft. Lauderdale

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the seed song
« Reply #18 on: September 14, 2005, 08:09:00 AM »
I always thought it was a little blonde haired girl that stuck her foot out at the open meeting "with an evil look in her eye" that tripped John M.  I think she was eating a peanut
butter & Jelly sandwich. :grin:
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Offline tom s.

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the seed song
« Reply #19 on: September 16, 2005, 11:44:00 PM »
I remember some of the group and staff members(Renee,Rick,Libby,Charley Oats I think) singing the seed song on national tv when Art was interviewed by the Today Show back in '70 possibly '71.I actually have it on cassette!Art did quote a rather high success rate.From where I sat and what I saw and heard in the meetings there was no way the numbers could match the persons achieving absolute sobriety.Too many of us were still evolving as youth to commit to an ideal that told us we were to struggle for something so adult in concept.That was not a kids' formula.Some of us couldn't grasp the concept because we hadn't reached the point where it would be a necessity to strive for clarity only due to the high energy of youth itself leading us goofily and smiling as our bodies and metabolisms unfolded into our personal futures.The numbers couldn't match for that reality;but we sang the song gleefully because what we COULD understand was that tiny joy in doing just that- as the event intersected the need to voice something that was chosen to represent something intelligible by the authority there.Hence the only way to feel a part of such an alien concept was to parrot it in the most acceptable manner,and a little song and dance appeased the 'gods'and then we were all acceptably absorbed and appreciated even if we didn't understand.
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Offline Anonymous

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the seed song
« Reply #20 on: September 17, 2005, 02:51:00 AM »
Rather confusing post Tom...but I think I get it!


welcome again. I am looking forward to your participation here, I believe we all may have something to learn from you.
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Offline Gutless Bastard

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the seed song
« Reply #21 on: September 24, 2005, 06:51:00 AM »
Quote
On 2005-09-13 13:20:00, Ft. Lauderdale wrote:

"What the hell are green sleeves anyway? :roll: "

That's what you get when you don't have a hankie
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Offline Anonymous

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the seed song
« Reply #22 on: October 12, 2005, 04:51:00 PM »
The joy I experienced in singing had everything to do with the fact that when we were singing we weren't rapping.  Never got told off for my song suggestion.
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Offline Anonymous

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the seed song
« Reply #23 on: October 12, 2005, 10:20:00 PM »
I did not go to one of these programs, but came across this site and remember a nice guy in my high school who went away to a program called Seed.  I remember he came back to school the following year and he would not talk to me.  It was devastating to me.  He tried to infer that I was a druggie for the simple reason I did not go to this program.  Could what I am describing be typical of Seed.  Were the kids not allowed to interact with other kids once out of the program?  Just curious.  This was back in the early 70's.
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Offline Antigen

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the seed song
« Reply #24 on: October 12, 2005, 10:52:00 PM »
Welcome anon. Yeah, that sounds about right. Was he the only seedling you ever heard of? Did he ever shake it off? What did you and your friends make of it at the time?

In war, the stronger overcomes the weaker. In business, the stronger imparts strength to the weaker.
--Frederic Bastiat

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"Don\'t let the past remind us of what we are not now."
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Offline Anonymous

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the seed song
« Reply #25 on: October 13, 2005, 01:57:00 PM »
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Offline Stripe

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the seed song
« Reply #26 on: October 13, 2005, 10:13:00 PM »
Quote
On 2005-10-12 19:20:00, Anonymous wrote:

"...  I remember he came back to school the following year and he would not talk to me.  It was devastating to me.  He tried to infer that I was a druggie for the simple reason I did not go to this program.  Could what I am describing be typical of Seed...."



Oh yeah.  That's the dogma alright. I'm sure your friend was, inside, just as confused by his behavior as you were.  Sorry you had to experience that kind of rejection.  But please understand, it was just as horrible, if not worse, on the other side of the equation.  

For a seed kid going back to his or her old school, especially where there were no other seed kids around, no one could have possibly been good enough, honest enough or "straight" enough to be a friend of a seedling.

Weighing the choice of keeping everyone away by whatever means necessary to remain "straight" in the druggie world of high school against getting sent back to the seed for talking to someone...that choice was fairly simple and excrutiatingly painful at the same time.  

Some would say it is a weak person's way out, and maybe they are right.  I erred on the side of NOT getting sent back just like your friend did.  Meaning I treated people who did me absolutely no harm as though they were "bad" people.  It made a lonely life for me, of that you can be sure.  

Sad to say, but your friend was most likely a pretty lonely guy till he got out of it. Hopefully he has reconciled his experience as best he could. [ This Message was edited by: Stripe on 2005-10-13 19:16 ][ This Message was edited by: Stripe on 2005-10-13 19:16 ]
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The person who stands up and says, ``This is stupid,\'\' either is asked to `behave\' or, worse, is greeted with a cheerful ``Yes, we know! Isn\'t it terrific ?\'\' -- Frank Zappa

Offline Anonymous

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the seed song
« Reply #27 on: October 14, 2005, 08:42:00 AM »
No one was good enough, no one.
When I went back to school I talked to one girl for about two weeks.  She was a new student that I approached to inform that there were lots of druggies at our school so she should be careful.
  This poor new girl was my friend for several weeks and would have continued to be despite the fact that it caused her to be ostracized by many kids but as the weeks passed I got more and more anxious-- sure I would get in trouble for talking to this girl at school.  Finally one day she came to school wearing a black denim jumper.
I don't know about the Florida seed but in the cleveland seed black clothing was highly frowned upon and denim was only worn by druggies.  I gave her the I can't talk to you anymore unless you go to the seed and get straight speach that day.
In retrospect, although I know I really hurt her feelings, her new life at school must have improved without me.  I couldn't share, laugh, talk about boys, problems at home. I was incapable of having a normal 8th grade conversation let alone friendship. I just spouted seed dogma at her and was so rigid you'd think I shit marble.  In short, I am sorry I hurt her feelings but the affection I remember her with makes me think she was better off without me.
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Offline cleveland

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the seed song
« Reply #28 on: October 14, 2005, 10:56:00 AM »
"I just spouted seed dogma at her and was so rigid you'd think I shit marble."

That's a funny quote!
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Offline Stripe

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the seed song
« Reply #29 on: October 14, 2005, 04:07:00 PM »
It's shameful, what we put ourselves through and what we put our peers through under the guise of being "straight".  

I'm guessing that maturity would have made the real world process much easier. Too bad I didn't have what I needed to successfully integrate myself back into society. Whose fault?  I don't know. I guess that depends on the tool, doesn't it?

Oh well, spills happen even inthe best of homes and families....

[ This Message was edited by: Stripe on 2005-10-14 13:07 ]
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The person who stands up and says, ``This is stupid,\'\' either is asked to `behave\' or, worse, is greeted with a cheerful ``Yes, we know! Isn\'t it terrific ?\'\' -- Frank Zappa
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