I'm Baaack!

We're finally moving back into our townhouse. There are a few odds and ends to take care of as far as touch-ups and minor corrections, but we're back in thank God. I will post some pictures when I get my stuff out of storage. Man, it's good to be home.

Offline

Sorry I've been a bit incommunicado but I have been offline for the last few weeks. I am staying at my in-laws for the next week or so and hope to be back home and online before Christmas. The townhouse is looking brilliant and we can't wait to be settled in.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Ugh

I want my space back! Ok, I'm done ranting. If I feel just a bit displaced, I can only imagine what the hurricane and tornado victims are and have been going through. This thought brings me back to reality. I am very blessed indeed.

Further on Down The Road

Things are moving along nicely. I am beginning to capture the vision of my wife Betsy as things roll along. I begin to see where she's going with all this. I am , however, stressed out and exhausted. I'm sure It'll all be cool.

Happy New Month!

It's November already? Wow! Carpe Diem everyone.

It's early and the guys that are working on our house are here finishing up gutting the kitchen. The new cabinets are due to arrive sometime today so we're rolling along according to plan. So far.

I helped with some wallpaper removal yesterday. Wallpaper. What a concept. Looks nice but it's a bitch to remove. Surely there must be a better way to git'r done!

Have an excellent day and start the month in a positive way!

Uncomfy

I had to do it! I had to set up my PC in Katie's empty room. I'm too old to sit on the floor in my room with the pc by my side of the sleeping mat.

They gut the kitchen tomorrow. Yikes.

Also, Unforch... I must've packed away the HP specific usb cord for the bloody camera. I wanted to post the before pics of the kitchen. No worries, I'll do it later, but I'll get Kate to do some stuff with her good camera, although we'll have to put the pics off until later....

Hip to Podcasts?

Daylight savings is over and I woke up early anyway. I was up before seven, which is rare indeed, but it feels good. I went to bed relatively early after a nice grilled pork chop dinner.
Right now I’m catching up on some Daily Source Code Podcasts with Adam Curry and getting fired up about Podcasting. I can tell you now I’m gonna need some new gear like a new pc or Mac and either an Ipod or some other portable device. What a great excuse to upgrade huh?
Today is a beautiful day and I’m pumped up. We’re going to Hot Stacks for breakfast.

Progress

We have removed almost everything from our house in anticipation of major work to begin monday. Whew! I have set up a little communications/entertainment center upstairs in our bedroom for the time being. Katie has temporarily moved in with her grandparents while the work commences. I'll post a few pics over the weekend. It aint pretty...

Onward Towards Remodel

Talmadge, our contractor pulled up a huge 17 foot trailer in front of our townhouse this morning. We are going to move most everything out of the house to prep for the remodel. They are pretty much gutting the place. I'm planning on posting some photos pretty soon, for those of you who would like to take a gander.

Yikes, my back already hurts, and I shoulda been in training for this kind of schlepping! It'll be well worth it I hope!

Lorrie Morgan

Lorrie Morgan came into the store yesterday and I waited on her. I was pretty sure it was her and when I rang her up I knew it for sure. She was very nice. She was in town to play a show yesterday. I didn't talk music with her; I'm sure she didn't want to be bothered, but it was a pretty interesting moment. My daughter was there at the time and of course she had no idea who she was, being the little rocker that she is. I myself was unaware of how famous she really is and how many music awards she has recieved over the years. I would have loved to pitch her a song then and there but you know what they say about hindsight being 20/20 and all. Such is life...

Good Morning

It is almost indescribably beautiful here this morning. About seventy degrees and clear as a bell. I like the way the air feels on days like this. It's like the sky is more expansive. I am energized. I am also grateful to God for such a fantastic morning. Mornings are among the litany of things I usually take for granted. Not today. Not anymore. Betsy and her Dad are off to Charlotte today, so I'll be working alone this morning (Betsy and I usually work together at the store). This time of year it's pretty quiet in the retail gig. I wouldn't wish a solo stint on anyone in the summer! Yeah, this time of year you have your regular customers and friends popping in. Nothing I can't handle. On a good day. When I am feeling anti-social, I don't want to know anybody. But I'm a good actor. I always have been. I really need to get a handle on things from an interior standpoint, because sometimes I am my worst enemy. Well, about all the time I guess.

Today is a good day.

Cabinets

We're actually moving forward with the remodeling plans. Betsy ordered the new kitchen cabinets this afternoon. They should be here in four weeks, and then we begin the home makeover....

I'll keep you posted.

Happy New Month

4:53 AM
I am up very early with the girls. Katie has got a swim meet in Columbia today and Betsy is making biscuits and gravy. I’m up for moral support and, of course, to sample some of the biscuits and gravy! It's awesome this time of day, but usually I see it at the end of a day, not a beginning, but I'm probably going to take a little lie down before I go to work at ten. Right now, though, is a perfect opportunity to read the Bible and commune with the One who wraps light around Himself as a garment, and who , despite our imperfections, wraps us in a blanket of grace every moment, and speaks love into our hearts.

God is amazingly proactive regarding our redemption, which makes a ragamuffin like me leap for joy. There is absolutely nothing I can do to deserve this great love, and that in itself is quite a liberating truth!

A Saturday Off!

I can't even remember when I last had a Saturday off with my family. Betsy and I both took the day off (we work together at her father's store, the Tinder Box). Katie, our daughter, has a swim meet this afternoon and we thought it the perfect excuse to bow out. We have both been working six days a week through the summer which is our busiest time of year. I almost don't know what to do with myself! Almost, that is. Here's an idea....chill.

Early

I love the morning. The sunlight has a special quality to it. It's almost like it's filled with promise. If I would just take off my spectacles of gloom once in a while I'd see more of this...

I am learning to focus not on what I lack, but what I have already been blessed with. Sometimes, for me, it's not natural, as I have always seemed to have had a bent towards discontent and longing. I need to learn to truly embrace the now, and not some distant ideal of a future or past perfection. This is a major stumbling block for me. Life would be tremendously easier if I didn't get in the way of the flow and question everything.

Rainy Sunday Evening

What started out as a sunny day has become a rainy afternoon and evening. Betsy and I walked her parent's dogs just now because they are up in Charlotte at the Panthers/Patriots game. I don't follow football, I just like the sound of a game on TV in the fall, especially around Thanksgiving. Don't ask me why, I just dig the ambience.

There was a little let up in the weather and off we went. We had a nice walk around their neighborhood. It was quite relaxing. I wouldn't have minded walking in the rain. It clears my head to walk. Perhaps I should make a habit out of it. It recharges the mental brownies.

Ophelia

Sheesh, we are in a hurricane watch now. That's all we need. Get thee to a Nunnery, Ophelia honey, you're never gonna make it as a Playboy Bunny!

Seeds of Something Cool

It's a nice morning in Myrtle Beach. My favorite time of year around here. I'm pottering around the house this morning.

My brother Roger and I jammed a bit last night mostly on my songs, but we did a few fun covers as well. We are going to be playing together a whole lot more these days. eventually we will get out and play live again. It's been a long time since Rog and I have played out together, and I'm looking forward to it, but we've got a lot of ground to cover in rehearsal. I see the seeds of something cool starting to happen...

Up Early

I was up early for no particular reason, so I stayed up. I read the Bible a bit and wrote in my journal. I like everything about the early morning except dragging my lazy butt out of bed. Once I'm up it's all cool. I liked the experience so much, I may repeat it again real soon!

Betsy and I have decided to hold off on moving into a new house and just tough it out in our townhouse for the time being. We put a lot of thought into moving, and actually had paperwork drawn up for construction to begin soon, but it is not to be. I have concluded that doing so would plunge us into a huge financial black hole, even though it would be a good investment. I could see myself going ballistic when the first power bill comes in or anything unexpected comes up. This townhouse is paid for and it just makes more sense to stay put, even though we are a little tight on space. There is just the three of us, and in a couple years Katie will be going to college, so I'm thinking stay put and sock as much dinero away for her as possible. Lord knows she's going to need it.

A mortgage is something I really don't want to be tied down to. I sure don't miss one at all.

PEOPLE ARE CRAZY

Generally speaking, I'd have to say that people are off their rockers! I am amazed daily. Hell, I amaze myself daily.

Expansive Pondering

It’s not cooler yet but there’s something about this time of year that I can actually feel. Somehow I feel the sky opening up and a heaviness dissolving in my spirit. At times like this I dream of a place that has more of this feel of expansiveness of the horizon. What a great day to be alive.

GAS!

Unbelieveable!
Playing into the hands of the greedy again! Where are the alternative energy sources? Bought out or squelched by the corporate oil giants. The same ones who you can blame for the demise of the red electric streetcars that once graced Los angeles. Assholes! I realize the situation in the gulf, but gimme a break! Now I suppose we have a great excuse to steal some oil from Iraq. Yep. As if W really needed an excuse. He's only profiting from this mess anyway, at our expense.
Tirade over.

De-Junking

I'm going through some old vinyl records and having a wonderful time. I'm going through the old collection with a mind to archiving them on cd. Betsy and Katie are out doing a bit of back to school wardrobe shopping for Katie and I'm listening to the Brandenburg Concertos by J.S. Bach. Right this minute I'm into Concerto #1. I'm loving it and almost caught up in a reverie. I could swear even the cats are into it. I have tons of old vinyl and cassettes and have only begun doing some format conversion with an eye to further de-cluttering of my life. There was a time when I wouldn't even consider getting rid of the precious old outmoded mediums, but I guess you could say I am a changed man. I just don't want stuff to tie me down. I am evaluating just about everything of a material nature and questioning its worth or the purpose it serves in my life. Is it a weight or is it a joy? Is it a burden or is it a tool for increasing the quality of life? Sure, I love music, but I also value organization up to a point, and getting rid of stuff and simplifying life has become a bit of an obsession for me, not only on the material plane, but on the spiritual and mental as well. Boy is this fun! Let the games begin!

The End Of Myself

Sometimes the darkness overtakes me
Like a long lost lover or a friend
Unlike the daylight that forsakes me
At the journey’s end

I am seeking transparency
I delight in the truth
And I want it to motivate me
To higher pursuits

Idealism vs Reality

I get so sick of myself. I am amazed by my inability to turn ideal into reality, the sound in my head to the sound on record; the ideals of my life into reality. I am constantly disappointed with reality but maybe I’m being too subjective.

I’m listening to “Devils and Dust”, Bruce’s new record. It’s good. He has a way of totally inspiring me to write and record. He usually restores my faith in the power of Rock n Roll. He is a huge influence on me. He always has been, even before I could stand on my own as a writer. That was a long time ago, but I am still grateful for the lessons learned.

The record came on a dual disc. It has CD on one side and DVD on the other. Now I need to think about getting with the program and actually buying a DVD player. Yes, I’m still in the dark ages with a VHS machine that’s twenty years old. Oh, and 5.1 surround would be cool to get familiar with as well. It’s high time!

I saw Alejandro Escovedo on Austin City Limits last night. It was very cool to see him playing and writing so very well. I’m glad he’s feeling better.

I have my ups and downs, but I’d rather have these then the in-betweens.

Martin

I got my Martin back from the repair shop today. Eight new frets and it feels and plays like a brand new guitar, only better, because it's got some years on it and it's aging well and sounding great. It's amazing to me how an instrument that is in great playable condition inspires one to pick it up and spend a whole lot of time wearing down the frets again! Put me in, coach!

Sunday Hangin'

I woke up at 8:00, which is odd for me on a Sunday or any day for that matter. Had a wonderful quiet time with the Lord. Betsy brought us some McDonalds breakfast sandwiches in lieu of going to Hot Stacks today. I threw out a lot of crap in our bedroom. I’m talking about tons of stuff. It’s amazing what you can cram into a room. I must have thrown out ten big bags of trash. We have tons more to go as we are in de-cluttering mode.

My Martin has finally been re-fretted and it’s ready to be picked up from Chestnut Mandolins in Conway, the local factory authorized Martin repair facility. I am giddy about having my “baby” back and I’m looking forward to fondling and cradling her once again! I have been out of sorts lately and haven’t played much music at all. Then again, when your axe aint right it’s hard to get motivated.

I must be so high strung. I’ve been anxious about so many things. I do cast my cares on the Lord, but I need to learn how to leave my cares with him. I always seem to take them back and work myself up into a lather. I don’t know why…things have a way of working out in spite of myself, and I thank God for that daily.

We’re having Mom and Wes and Taylor over for our weekly dinner. Off we go…

Unchained

Certain things don’t apply anymore. I am different somehow; not so much evolved, but no longer poured into the world’s mold. Not so much transformed but transforming. I am no longer a people pleaser. I am no longer hungry for approval from anyone. This feels good to me. Breathing the air of freedom gives me even more clarity to lose more shackles. Unchained and free to be me.

Mom Betsy and Me

Two of my beloved girls. My daughter Katie was not home for this shot.

BIG FISH

I just saw Big Fish on HBO in its entirety. I had never seen the whole film before. Something about it really got me. I loved it.

BIRTHDAY

Today is me and my brother's birthday. 42! Wow. I'm just kind of in awe of how fast this little dance around the planet goes by. I aint skeered or nothin'. Just ruminatin'! We're all going to Miyabi for din-din, which is my all time fave in this town anyway. When I'm in Hollywood I prefer the Yamashiro or, of all places The Old Spaghetti Factory!. But I've got a feeling I'm not in Kansas anymore my pretties. Later!

Hmmmm....Interesting. Don't Fence Me In...

You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan. You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavly by John Wesley and the Methodists. Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 82% Reformed Evangelical 82% Neo orthodox 68% Fundamentalist 61% Emergent/Postmodern 57% Roman Catholic 50% Charismatic/Pentecostal 36% Modern Liberal 36% Classical Liberal 32% What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.

Beautiful Surrender

I have a need to take the focus off of myself. I have a need to step out in beautiful surrender to what my Lord and King wants for me. I want to learn to let go.

I get so caught up in the mundane, and so stressed out about what amounts to nothing in the eternal scheme of things.

It's so easy to forget He holds me under the shadow of His wings, and securely in the hollow of His hand, so that I, in turn, can be a blessing to others.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Moving Update

My mother Lois, my twin brother Roger, his kids Wesley and Taylor, and Roger's girlfriend Brenda are on their way to Myrtle Beach as I write this. They are moving here. This is certainly a new era for us and lots of change is in the air for all of us. They should be here within the next couple of hours or so, and I'm going to help them load in to their rental house tonight or tomorrow depending on how they feel after a six hour road trip with Rog driving the truck with my nephew Wes as a passenger, and Brenda driving the car with my Mom and my neice Taylor as passengers. Big change, big change. I am hopeful for all of us to be one big happy family, albeit in two different houses! I am looking forward to Rog and I putting the duo together in the next few weeks.

Bob and Willie

The Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson show was great. Bob didn't play any older material, choosing to focus on newer stuff I guess. With such a large catalog it must be next to impossible to please everyone. Bob played keyboard the whole show and was seated off to the side. I enjoyed the show.

DAY OFF

I'm enjoying a quiet Sunday morning. Katie, Betsy and I are going to be able to relax today. We're going to church
and then afterwards it's off to our favorite breakfast spot in Myrtle Beach, Hot Stacks.

There are a lot of interesting things going on and it has been a whirlwind of activity. My brother is moving down and we are totally psyched about doing some music together again. It's been quite a while. My solo cd project is on hiatus (although it's about done) so I can focus on getting some Yale Brothers stuff together.

My buddy Jim has decided to buy the townhouse from us, which is cool because now we don't have to put it on the market, and we don't have to move out until out new house is ready. That , I must say, sounds like a win/win to me, and a blessing for which I am thankful.

We are opening another Tinder Box store and it's going to be a busy couple of weeks as we put the finishing touches on it, stock it, and get everything dialed in. We are also entering the busiest time of the year, so it's time to hang tough.

BIKE RALLY RUMINATIONS

This year's bike rally was purported to be the biggest and best for Myrtle Beach yet. My day gig as a tobacconist for the Tinder Box put me in the thick of things this year. We worked in tandem with Zippo and had a tent set up over at Club Kryptonite next to the Orange County Choppers set-up. It was quite chaotic but quite frankly it was a lot of fun. The bikers are always way cool to deal with and we had the Zippo Car next to the tent which is always an attraction. I did it again. I've got a hankering for a bike again! Also Acid Cigars had a very successful promo event at the store. They had a bike sent down for display (see pic below). The Macanudo bus was here at the store last wednesday which was a hit as well. Thanks to everyone who helped put it all together. I think we all deserve a nap!

View from the tent.  

The tent. 

The awesome Zippo Car. 

Taj Mahal  

Firefighter's chopper 

Air Force 

This bike is for the Lance Armstrong Foundation

Some of OCC's cool but uncomfortable looking choppers.

Cool stroller, Kid. Got ink? 

My Daughter Katie Behind The Wheel!

I'm driving now....NYAAAAAAAAH!

OCC Thinking they're rockstars! 

Me on the Yankee Bike from Acid Cigars 

The Zippo car . 

Zippo Booth

We are setting up a booth over by the Orange County Chopper guys with our local Zippo Distributor. I'll be there all week. Hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures later. Also the Macanudo Bus will be at the store this evening from 6 to 9. I may or may not make it over there.

PRE-APPROVAL

Betsy and I got our pre-approval for the mortgage loan yesterday and we are moving forward on the new house. So far so good, thank God. I'm pretty much allergic to hassle, and I'm glad to say things are relatively smooth.This is a huge step for us, and we really need the space, so away we go...

Rog

My brother Rog was in town on an exploratory trip to look at rentals. We also got to jam a bit, which was cool. I am looking forward to our musical adventures as a duo. We've got quite a bit of rehearsals ahead of us and song selection and arguing about song selection as far as covers go. The core of the material will be our own originals.

SO BEGINS BIKE WEEK

Going Forward

We have signed on a house and decided to move forward with the purchase plans. I've been stressed out for WEEKS as all this is new to me. The loan looks to be in place as far as I can see. The whole thing is contingent upon selling our townhome before the start date of construction. No one sees a problem with our little house selling quickly once it is on the market, but the daunting thing is de-cluttering and cleaning and getting it ready to move. The thought of it all is always worse than the reality. Inch by inch it's a cinch! How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!

Random Thoughts

I live in Myrtle Beach which is primarily a resort town, but it is growing at an incredibly rapid rate. Things have changed here tremendously during the last decade or so. We are on the cusp of another summer season which really begins with the spring bike rally which is just about to get underway. I can't tell you how I see these things roll in and out and I use them as chronological landmarks, marking my one and only time on this planet and the lost years they represent. When I say lost I mean spent for good. There are no do-overs. Now is all we have.

What we really lack here is a thriving musical community. There are some incredibly talented folks here but there is no urgency that I see. There is no unifying principle, and you damn sure can't manufacture a scene. Perhaps it's just a matter of time. Perhaps not.

Hats off to the Homegrown local music show on The Sound 107.1 for at least showcasing some of the original unsigned material that is out there. They have been totally supportive of local artists and I must commend them. While visiting Myrtle Beach, why not tune in to the Sound 101.7 in general and the Homegrown Show Sunday evenings from 8-9PM.

My twin brother Roger is coming to town this week, and we are discussing a musical endeavor, as well as his upcoming move to MB! Look out!

PostSecret

PostSecret
This is just amazing! I stumbled across this site from a link on a blog. Kinda cool, dontcha think?

sometimes

Sometimes I sink into a funk for no reason whatsoever that I can think of.
Sometimes life gets me down.
Sometimes I wonder if the sun will shine again.
Sometimes I need the smile of a good friend.

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in ennui that I cannot bear to face the day.

Sometimes I question my motives.

Sometimes I have an overpowering need to get away from myself.

HOUSE HUNTING

We have been nosing around for a house as we have absolutely outgrown our townhouse which is under 1000 square feet. My music gear is strewn everywhere and I don't have a dedicated studio space per se. Closet space is just overflowing and we are quite hemmed in. I believe it's time, if we can find a nice place with enough room at a reasonable price. Real estate in Myrtle Beach has gone nuts, and if we don't act soon we'll be locked out of the market at our income level.

MIXING

I have spent the afternoon mixing Famous Last Words. It's a tedious process but it's coming along. Just me and the cats around the house today. I have decided to record a few more songs before I commit to track selection on the CD. I am not playing out at the moment which gives me the freedom to create at this time with no worries. The music will tell me when it's ready.

Cell phone post.

SMOKERS AND DEPRESSION

This is interesting. Click on the title link. Oh man. I think all you cigar smokers are exempt unless you inhale compulsively like a fiend, in which case you are abusing the leaf and not in it for the flavor. This may just be anti-smoking propaganda, or it may be the case. Decide for yourselves objectively...as you enjoy a smoke or not. Or, just smoke pot (or nothing) and avoid this tobacco bullshit entirely. And brood about it! Besides, I'd rather get in a car with a stoner driving (if I must) Than a lush behind the wheel anytime. Actually, I would piss test anyone before I say, Baby You Can Drive My Car. Beep beep m beep beep hell yeah! Me? I'm only sleeping, but I'll take a chain-smoking London cabbie to a drunken friend in any scenario. If they are one in the same....get outta tha cab!
Besides, I'll take a Chateau Fuente over a Marlboro Light (or Bud Light or anything light) any day!

Got Tix!

I got tickets to the Dylan/Nelson show! I was going to get them online but there was, of course, a problem with the server. I took a chance and drove down to the box office and to my surprise I walked right up to a cashier window just like that! They had already worked the crowd down by 10:30! amazing. I had visions of a restless yet excited sea of humanity in front of me but not so.

Boy am I stoked. I have seen Dylan once before at the Greek Theatre in Hollywood. I was right up front and though I was pleased to be there the show was lackluster. It seemed Mr. Dylan didn't want to be there. Hey, I can dig it, but c'mon Bob, show a little enthusiasm. From what I understand the fire's back, as evidenced in his new Book Chronicles vol 1. He seems to be excited again and I truly hope that's the case.

I've never had the pleasure of seeing Willie before and I have missed him the few times he has played in the area.

These are two icons of mine and I'm thrilled.

BOB DYLAN/WILLIE NELSON COMING TO TOWN!

I can't believe what I found out the other day. Dylan and Willie Nelson are coming to town in June! They will be playing the Coastal Federal Field here in Myrtle Beach. Icons rarely used to pass through here but I guess things are changing. It's about bloody time! I tried to win tickets three times on two different radio stations, one rock, the other country (both owned by the same corporate giant of course) but crapped out.

I guess I'm gonna have to buy!

Audio Test

The Tyranny Of Self

I am so tired of the tyranny of self. It starts off innocently enough; simple wants and perhaps the desire for creature comforts, but ever so subtly it encroaches on more and more of the heart and crowds out any inclination for selflessness, until one is so bound up in one's own mean little cage, isolation and separateness become one's lot. But the cage is comfortable and oh so familiar. In time one forgets there was any life outside it at all.

wasteland

Snaking through a spiritual wasteland of broken dreams and promises, and disillusionment with things as they are.

Don't think that I'm a fool
if I don't believe the way you do
I just can't reconcile
what you take for granted
with what bears itself out
in my heart-life;
in what I have seen.

This endless struggle is wearing me thin

The big picture is there on the horizon, over that next hill.

It's wide, like letterbox; one struggles to take it all in.

Its majesty and scope are practically incomprehensible unless we back up off of it and observe it from a distance.

Outside the realm of selfish ambition is a pleasant place where freedon dwells, but in my self-absorbtion I don't see it very well.

God help my unbelief.

Now I've Seen It All

Ok, now I've seen it all. Limited edition celebrity ketchup?
Gimme a break!
Here's one to consider,
A special John Kerry loser's edition!

or,

A George W. Bush deficit maker's special edition, with proceeds going to build more bombs for a war we didn't need, and obviously can't afford.

Roger in da house!

My twin brother Roger was here for a couple days and we had a great time playing music and discussing the possibilities of a musical reunion. The man rocks and it would be very cool to be doing music with him again. My brother can play the piano like nobody's business! I look forward to continue dialog with him when he gets back from a business trip to Los Angeles. If he moves to Myrtle Beach and we team up it would be awesome.

18th Anniversary!

Today Betsy and I celebrate our 18th anniversary. Man. The years just tripped on by but it has been a wonderful journey so far. Betsy, Katie and I are going to dinner at Miyabi, our favorite Japanese steakhouse. Yum! I have been blessed beyond measure.

JOHN PAUL II HAS DIED

John Paul II has died. Gone on to his reward. My prayers are with him among the prayers of the faithful.

PAUL HESTER R.I.P.

I found out today that Paul Hester, the drummer for Crowded House has died. Saddened and shocked, I am. As I write there is an amazing sun shower going on outside. Strange life. Strange days.

Friggin' Flu!

I've been sick since last Tuesday with the flu. Laid up in the bedroom with a fever-clouded brain with nothing to do but watch bad TV and think, and overthink. This coming from a guy who thinks entirely too much to begin with. I'm over it now as far as being up and about but I still feel like crap. Ugh. What a way to start the week.

HAPPY EASTER!

Happy Easter everybody! May the Spirit of the risen Christ empower us all to live our best lives now, where we are, with what we have. May we have the strength to show kindness to the least of our brothers from this day forward.

Love is bigger than justice. Mercy beats legalism!

Judge not!

CHARLESTON RUMINATIONS

3/10/05

Betsy and I are in Charleston. I’m sitting on a bench outside of a little shop on King street, scribbling. King Street is one of the major shopping streets and is full of quaint antique shops and small boutiques. Of course there are the corporate nightmares as well.

We just ducked down a little alley with some stores at the back. What a pleasant city this is. I could live here. I have always thought that. Betsy’s having a look in a little shop called Decorator’s Alley. I am sitting in their courtyard/hallway looking at a leaf of grass through a lattice, watching it blow in the wind, and listening to the AC fan run with it’s shrill hum next door. I am glad for this moment. It will live in my heart forever.

Charleston Bound

Betsy and I are off to Charleston for a couple of days on an early anniversary trip, as we will be too busy when our anniversary hits April 4. Eighteen years already? No way! We went there on our honeymoon thinking that we'd be back in Hollywood forever and that it would be cool to see this historic city before we left. As it turns out, we've been living in Myrtle Beach for the last 13 years and get to go down there quite regularly. I love roaming around there, digging the old graves (sic) and history, and looking at all the antique shops on King street. Also there's great dining down there, and we will do our share. Perhaps I'll remember to take a few pictures and post them here later....Later!

Life is Odd

The more I know the less I think I've really learned after all. It's the age old story. Rarely is anything what it seems to be. My male cat, Buddy, is relaxing on the floor by me as I write these words. I wonder what he's thinking about. Ahh. Simplicity itself. You know where you stand with a pet. Nothing is obtuse with an animal. An animal is always real. I could learn from that. I could learn a lot. Life has a way of completely blowing me away occasionally. The way we think has the greatest impact on the outcomes of our one and only lives. It is imperative to think as clearly as possible and to see the you that you want to be in your mind's eye with clarity and concentration at leat a couple of times a day. What you think you become. Barring acts of God or circumstances beyond our control, our lives are the sum total of the choices we have made. If we don't live our lives on purpose we are living someone elses purpose and reading from a worn out script. A cold and empty facade. A shadow.

Hit A Snag

I've hit a snag the last couple of days. I've been working on a tune called "Cuttin' Me Loose". It doesn't seem to be either sitting right or fleshing out decently so far, no matter what I try. I've decided to shelve it for the time being. I recall this is actually one I had doubts about even when doing the drum tracks. Maybe I'm just too darn close to this project and I need to step back a bit. Who knows. Oh well...NEXT !!! I don't want to waste inordinate amounts of time on one song, when I have quite a few more prospects at this point. I'll keep you posted. You know that's true!

FAMOUS LAST WORDS

I did massive work on Famous Last Words today. I put a nice electric part on that includes a little solo. It works nicely. I added tambourine and what I thought would be guide vocals and harmonies. The more I hear them the more I think they might be keepers. The song is really rocking now, and it’s close to being done. I do have room for some keys. I’d like Rog (my brother) to play on this and a couple more songs so we’ll have to see. Momentum is really gaining steam now and I’m ready to do some more quality work tomorrow on another tune. I’ll let the music decide where to start. I imagine it’ll be either guitar or bass work tomorrow. Let’s get these songs fleshed out. It’s amazing how the songs take on lives of their own at an indiscernible moment in time. The magic moment when it all comes to fruition.

Bang A Gong

I did some more drumming last night. Recorded tracks for "Cuttin' Me Loose" and "Roll Away The Stone". I think they both will work, and it remains to be seen if they make the final cut or not. It's been fun doing a bit of drumming and, silly as it may sound, I feel like the pump's been primed for even more. I have several other songs on the short list for possibilities to try on the next go-round. It wouldn't hurt to have a few more songs than necessary in the can, so to speak. .

ALBUM PROGRESS

I've got two more drum tracks done. I went over to my buddy Ed Dennis' studio Atlantic Coast Recording to do the tracks. I am capable of doing all the other tracking from my home studio. I'll be going back in this evening and hope to knock out two more at the very least. If I nail at least two I'll be done with drum tracks and will be on schedule to completing this album by early June. I need to learn to not overthink too much; to know when things are the best they're gonna get and roll with it!

Strange how I'm already thinking ahead to my next one, which I hope to do in Hollywood with some very dear friends, unless my twin brother Roger and I get one together before then.

DSL!

I'm finally off of dial up and into DSL! Man what a difference, even with the old machine I have. Talk about greater productivity. Or greater potential to completely waste away in front of the pc with information overload! NEVER! This is totally a good thing. I can upload my music that much quicker! COOL! Plus I'm actually saving money. I get to cancel two Juno accounts ( one for me and one for my daughter Katie), her land line, and my Callwave service now that the phone is freed up. Go figure. Saving about $25.00 a month for FASTER internet! Amazing.

ebay

I'm an Ebay newbie. I've been tinkering with it since mid-november, and I have to say it's been fun. Like a cyber yard sale, one item at a time. I have to ask myself why it took so long for me to get involved, as I signed up in 2000! I think I thought it might be daunting. Fact is, it's absurdly simple. What a blast. I am covinced as I am wiith life itself that you get out of it what you put in. I consider this a growth issue with me. I have met many great people and tackled some technical hurdles that I probably would have shied away from in the past. I tend to be insular when left to my own devices. That's unhealthy I think. This little ongoing adventure has some good potential to bring in a little cabbage and also in it's own way it is preparing me for other online endeavors as far as marketing my upcoming CD online, as well as participating in a global community of like minded folks. I've been loving it!

Goodbye, Johnny

Johnny Carson has died at 79. The old guard is dying off. Sad. All the tremendous talents and characters I have grown up watching are going away. Roger (my twin brother) and I once wrote a song for Johnny at the urging of dad and uncle Roger. We had hoped to get on the show. I’m guessing we were fifteen at the time. It’s amazing to think that I have a fifteen-year-old daughter. Katie is certainly growing up.

Tracking

I spent the early afternoon tracking a vocal on my song "Go". It seems to be taking shape and I think it's got the right vibe. I think the work done today will be a keeper for the most part. All that's left to track on this song are some sparse keyboards and a so far undecided solo instrument. I can safely say that things are moving along nicely.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year!
I hope this year's the best ever for everyone.