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.