ONE, and, yes, I have many, but one of my pet peeves is Disney's musicians. They take cute teenage boys and girls who have almost no real talent and make super stars out of them.
We have worked in the music business for a very long time and we KNOW what it takes for a real musician to make it in this business. Not only do they have to have real talent, but they have to bust their ass playing in nasty honky tonks and biker bars, festivals and rallies. They have to work a day job just so they can afford to go play these horrible nasty gigs because they get paid next to nothing. Our bands are lucky if they get enough to pay for the gas it took to get there. They haul their own equipment and drive old vans that barely make it from one place to the next and are glad they aren't having to do it from the trunk of their car anymore.
In the music business there are dues that have to be paid. period.
It takes years to work your way to the top, years of hanging in and not letting go, years of hard work,having to not loose the dream even when your family and friends are telling you that you are crazy to keep trying. (you just wouldn't believe how many wives/girlfriends have put an end to a good musicians career)
To play in Nashville or Austin you are lucky to get in a bar to play and you do it for free because if you don't there are a hundred other bands that will.
To get radio play there are more than dues that have to be paid......
It is a hard world.
and, those no-talent little punk ass Disney musicians have not paid any dues. Disney chooses them, Disney promotes them, Disney makes them into super stars and they just do not deserve it.
Monday, February 08, 2010
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Death at my back door has once again brought me to this place of pondering that age old question .... what happens next?
It was so much easier when I was a mindless church going fanatic. I had it all figured out. If I just followed the three step plan... go to church, pay my tithes, and FOLLOW THE RULES God had no choice but to let me into heaven because you know that God has to follow the rules, too.
But, then the wild woman inside took over and I started thinking... dangerous thing thinking is.
Guess what? God doesn't follow the rules. In fact there seems to be no rules. You have to learn to follow your heart, listen to your instinct, you actually have to tap into the spirit inside of you to know what is right and what is wrong because having someone else make up the rules for you just doesn't always work.
Where there was once black and white and a (false) feeling of safety, now there are huge areas of gray. Where I once thought I understood God (wow, how arrogant is that?)now there are more questions than answers.
I have to believe based on my own experiences that there is something after death, I just have no idea what.
When my Dad died I was 18 and definitely not a fanatical Christian. I was devastated. A few nights after his funeral I was sitting outside in the parking lot of the trailer park where I lived, sitting on the bumper of my car, crying. I cried for six straight months after Daddy died. I offered up a request to the universe.. "please, just let me know he is okay" and almost immediately (at three o'clock in the morning) a little bird landed at my feet, hopped around chirping, and then flew away.
Draw your own conclusions to that.
On December 19, 2009 at 12:01am I walked outside headed home for the night from my office and observed as the universe held a moment of silence. My sister, the person I was closest to in the whole world, died on December 19, 1993.
There has to be something.
As the grandkids gather around and keep vigil as their Grandpa slowly and painfully leaves this world they are wondering what keeps him from just letting go? I do, too. Is he afraid? Is he afraid that the God he served for 60 years of his life isn't forgiving enough to allow him into the heaven he created in his mind? or can he just not leave behind all those people who depended on him for everything?
Let Go Pop, just let go. This will be your greatest leap of faith ever. Just let go.
It was so much easier when I was a mindless church going fanatic. I had it all figured out. If I just followed the three step plan... go to church, pay my tithes, and FOLLOW THE RULES God had no choice but to let me into heaven because you know that God has to follow the rules, too.
But, then the wild woman inside took over and I started thinking... dangerous thing thinking is.
Guess what? God doesn't follow the rules. In fact there seems to be no rules. You have to learn to follow your heart, listen to your instinct, you actually have to tap into the spirit inside of you to know what is right and what is wrong because having someone else make up the rules for you just doesn't always work.
Where there was once black and white and a (false) feeling of safety, now there are huge areas of gray. Where I once thought I understood God (wow, how arrogant is that?)now there are more questions than answers.
I have to believe based on my own experiences that there is something after death, I just have no idea what.
When my Dad died I was 18 and definitely not a fanatical Christian. I was devastated. A few nights after his funeral I was sitting outside in the parking lot of the trailer park where I lived, sitting on the bumper of my car, crying. I cried for six straight months after Daddy died. I offered up a request to the universe.. "please, just let me know he is okay" and almost immediately (at three o'clock in the morning) a little bird landed at my feet, hopped around chirping, and then flew away.
Draw your own conclusions to that.
On December 19, 2009 at 12:01am I walked outside headed home for the night from my office and observed as the universe held a moment of silence. My sister, the person I was closest to in the whole world, died on December 19, 1993.
There has to be something.
As the grandkids gather around and keep vigil as their Grandpa slowly and painfully leaves this world they are wondering what keeps him from just letting go? I do, too. Is he afraid? Is he afraid that the God he served for 60 years of his life isn't forgiving enough to allow him into the heaven he created in his mind? or can he just not leave behind all those people who depended on him for everything?
Let Go Pop, just let go. This will be your greatest leap of faith ever. Just let go.
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Monday, February 01, 2010
Charlie and Melissa rolled in this evening about 5:30. Hospice called in the family, again, about 3 or 4 days ago but I had talked Charlie into waiting until today because of the ice storm. He called his cousin, Bobby, when they got here and Pop was still alive so they ate supper with us and headed to town to see him. I know this is hard for Charlie, losing Pop. Granny is gone, his Dad has been dead a long time, and now Pop is going. All of his uncle's are dead and he has no siblings (he has 2 half brothers and two half sisters but they are not close) so I'm sure he feels as if he is losing all connection to his Dad. and he is.
I have no idea how long they will be here. I've determined in my mind to try to make the best of this and try to enjoy their visit. To be honest I don't do well with extended company... I just like my routine too much, I guess.
The snow is all gone and I am sooo happy for that. It left behind a muddy mess though.
I have no idea how long they will be here. I've determined in my mind to try to make the best of this and try to enjoy their visit. To be honest I don't do well with extended company... I just like my routine too much, I guess.
The snow is all gone and I am sooo happy for that. It left behind a muddy mess though.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
I went to bed at 1:30 this morning, woke back up at 5 o'clock which actually is pretty good for me to sleep 3.5 hours straight. I was wide awake so I got up and piddled around a little and called "time-and-temperature". At 5:30 it was raining and 40 degrees, by the time I got up this morning at 9:30 it was raining and 34 degrees. Don't know how cold it is now but the rain is starting to turn to a mushy sleet. We are expecting an ice storm.
In Oklahoma this is not unusual, we almost always have at least some ice during the winter and about every 3-5 years we have a killer ice storm. I remember two really bad ones in my lifetime. I've seen ice storms bad enough to devastate the landscape, it just splits trees in two, the weight of the ice becomes so heavy it literally rips the limbs off the trees... big limbs. Our tree lined city streets become impassable. During an ice storm at night you hear loud cracks and bangs echoing through the woods as trees give way to ice. It sounds like cannon shots. It gives me a sick feeling to hear it.
Of course, life comes to a stand still and the only people out and about are the ranchers in their big pick-up trucks with chains and four wheel drive and idiots. The local good ol' boys drive around to help the idiots out of the ditches or take them home to safety.
Every year at the beginning of fall I do a fall stock-up of batteries, candles, fill extra water bottles, buy a few extra canned goods for the pantry. Ten years ago after being without electricity for almost a week we invested in a generator, now we have two.
My biggest concern right now is that Levi is at work and will be driving home in this sometime today and the fact that Seth was supposed to leave for a three day trip to Dallas tomorrow morning. He is not a happy boy.
I will be home, close to the heater, drinking coffee and reading a book that Christi brought me.
In Oklahoma this is not unusual, we almost always have at least some ice during the winter and about every 3-5 years we have a killer ice storm. I remember two really bad ones in my lifetime. I've seen ice storms bad enough to devastate the landscape, it just splits trees in two, the weight of the ice becomes so heavy it literally rips the limbs off the trees... big limbs. Our tree lined city streets become impassable. During an ice storm at night you hear loud cracks and bangs echoing through the woods as trees give way to ice. It sounds like cannon shots. It gives me a sick feeling to hear it.
Of course, life comes to a stand still and the only people out and about are the ranchers in their big pick-up trucks with chains and four wheel drive and idiots. The local good ol' boys drive around to help the idiots out of the ditches or take them home to safety.
Every year at the beginning of fall I do a fall stock-up of batteries, candles, fill extra water bottles, buy a few extra canned goods for the pantry. Ten years ago after being without electricity for almost a week we invested in a generator, now we have two.
My biggest concern right now is that Levi is at work and will be driving home in this sometime today and the fact that Seth was supposed to leave for a three day trip to Dallas tomorrow morning. He is not a happy boy.
I will be home, close to the heater, drinking coffee and reading a book that Christi brought me.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Mark is working on a huge quote for a new church install, the biggest one he's ever done. Today he got a call for six bookings of our PA system all within about a 300 mile radius of home - Texas, Louisiana, Kansas, and Oklahoma. He was already booked for a two day show in Mississippi sometime this summer. The new place he went last weekend loved him and has asked to him to come back and run sound every time they have a national act come in.
Things are looking up.
We have told Seth to stop looking for a job, looks like we might make it after all.
And, oh yeah, our band Kevin Pickett & Southern Rain just keeps getting bigger and bigger. They are opening for Reckless Kelly (huge in the red dirt world) in March. We've been back to the Wormy Dog twice now, received the Wormy Dog "on the horizon" award for this year,and are getting calls for the bigger venues. Now, if they could just sell some CD's and make some money it would be all good.
They can have the fame, I just want our portion of the fortune.
The family, for the first time this winter, is all well at the same time... it is a miracle!! Let's hope we can stay that way.
We only have 14 weeks left in school and then Seth will be a Senior. We are going to really change things up next year. He is at the point where school is nothing but a bore for him, he still works hard and hardly ever complains but he isn't interested in most of what he is learning. So... I had an epiphany about next year. We are going to spend the first semester doing nothing but studying (and I have already found a program) to take the GED test. Mid-semester I am going to have him take the test (it's the best way for homeschoolers to get a diploma) and then he can start taking a few college courses which is what he wants to be doing. The music major he wants is pretty specific to what he WANTS to be learning. So, we have a plan.
He is such a great kid, he is so laid back and we can just talk about anything, every once in a while he has a stupid teenager moment but not often and not too extreme.
Things are looking up.
We have told Seth to stop looking for a job, looks like we might make it after all.
And, oh yeah, our band Kevin Pickett & Southern Rain just keeps getting bigger and bigger. They are opening for Reckless Kelly (huge in the red dirt world) in March. We've been back to the Wormy Dog twice now, received the Wormy Dog "on the horizon" award for this year,and are getting calls for the bigger venues. Now, if they could just sell some CD's and make some money it would be all good.
They can have the fame, I just want our portion of the fortune.
The family, for the first time this winter, is all well at the same time... it is a miracle!! Let's hope we can stay that way.
We only have 14 weeks left in school and then Seth will be a Senior. We are going to really change things up next year. He is at the point where school is nothing but a bore for him, he still works hard and hardly ever complains but he isn't interested in most of what he is learning. So... I had an epiphany about next year. We are going to spend the first semester doing nothing but studying (and I have already found a program) to take the GED test. Mid-semester I am going to have him take the test (it's the best way for homeschoolers to get a diploma) and then he can start taking a few college courses which is what he wants to be doing. The music major he wants is pretty specific to what he WANTS to be learning. So, we have a plan.
He is such a great kid, he is so laid back and we can just talk about anything, every once in a while he has a stupid teenager moment but not often and not too extreme.
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