The season finale of the ComposerDad Podcast picks up right where Episode seven left off. The entire gang is up at the top of Mt. Beacon. The ground opens up revealing an abandoned coal mine. They enter to see a lake of lava and a cast of wild characters! What a finale! This episode also features an interview with Mt. Beacon itself! Parents, be sure to visit www.ComposerDad.com and sign up for more info. Become a ComposerDad patron at www.patreon.com/composerDad to get access to THE VAULT! A full version of featured song in this episode, RUINED, is available via Bandcamp. There you can also see the entire credits. Text from the episode: Having just completed an intense hike, I stand at the peak of Mt. Beacon, surveying the Hudson Valley, and exploring the ruins of the hotel and incline railway that used to serve vacationers on this sainted peak. SquishyBaby and BuilderBoy are using stones to builds mini replicas of the hotel and incline railway. ProfessorMom effortlessly guides this moment to gently foster their development. ProfessorMom! As passionate as I am about early soviet theatre, I’m even more passionate about early childhood development. ProfessorMom! Suddenly, there’s a massive explosion. The cable from the old incline railway breaks free and slices through the hotel ruins, sending a wall flying toward SquishyBaby. BuilderBoy swoops in, bracing the wall and saving SquishyBaby from peril! “Phew that was a close one,” says BuilderBoy. I start to wonder. “How did BuilderBoy lift up that giant wall? He’s done a lot of incredible rescues , always preceded by a gear shifting sound. Can BuilderBoy… transform… into…a…” “BuilderBoy can transform into a forklift.” (Matter of factly) Oh. Yes. Of course, ProfessorMom. Yes. I feel embarrassed for missing that. For not cherishing the many gifts of my family members. Though I know I should, I do not speak honestly about my guilt. Instead, I bury my emotions. Suddenly, there’s another massive explosion! A huge chasm opens up revealing an abandoned coal mine. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from reading children’s books about cheeky train engines, if you see an abandoned coal mine, always go in. We enter. It’s dark. There’s a rumble. The ground in front of us gives way. We stand on a precipice overlooking a lake of lava! The mountain is really a volcano! Then I hear a voice. Hello, ComposerDad! Hello, Bible! I am not Bible. I am Mt. Beacon. This is usually the scenario where I meet a talking Bible with an intense compositional challenge. I sense you are sad. I am hear to remind you of the love that lifts you up. The mountain and I bust into the chorus of a timeless duet. “Love lift us up where we belong. Where the Eagles cry, on a mountain high.” Suddenly, a huge door opens up and out steps… “Bible, with another intense, compositional–” I’m not Bible, they call me Grandma. Hello, Grandma. Yes, I am guarding this vault. The most secure vault in the land. It’s in a volcano inside a mountain. Do you have anything of value to place into this vault for safe keeping? “Yes, here is me Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oatmeal recipe, the lyrics to my tick check song, and a couple CDs.” Inside I wonder if this is enough. What is my worth. Regrettably, I again bury my emotions. Sure, good enough. that’ll do. Here’s the key if you need to get into the vault and I’m not available. Farewell….” Suddenly, the ground shakes. Lava bubbles. Smoke fills the void. The walls of the old coal mine start caving in. “Woe to me!” I cry. “I am ruined!” Again I meditate on my inadequacies. Suddenly, out of the smoke appears a seraph. The radiant celestial being flies toward me with a live coal in its hands, then touches my lips with the coal. “See, this coal has touched your lips. Your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Relieved and bewildered, I stand, free. I hug my family. Suddenly, busting through a wall of lava, it’s BIBLE, with another intense compositional challenge for me, ComposerDad. Hello Bible, we meet again. I say, standing tall. Hello, ComposerDad, I see you are standing in an abandoned coal mine. Yes, a celestial being just touched coal to my lips, freeing me from guilt. This reminds me, the exact same thing happened to the prophet Isaiah. A seraph touched his lips with coal, freed him from guilt, then sent him out to the people. I want you to write a song about this account, as told in Isaiah 6. Also, include a jazz flute. Goodbye. I knew Bible wasn’t far away, when I saw that lake of lava open up inside this mountain. Also the seraphs. No problem, Bible, I say, but Bible is already gone. BuilderBoy, could you use your forklift power to bust through this coal wall? “No problem, Dad!” We rush past the vault and Grandma. “Stay safe on the road!” We continue out of the coal mine and down the mountain. On the way we meet an accomplished flautist on a day trip from the city. She agrees to play on my song about Isaiah chapter 6. At home we all check for Ticks. It’s time for a tick check! It’s time for a tick check! Follow along while I sing this song, It’s time for a tick check. Then we turn on the microphone in the ComposerDad underground and quickly lay down a track. As we sing, I think back upon the many adventures of the year, the verses and the family that I love.
