I grew up on rap music.
I remember the first time that I heard Run-DMC's first album.
I hadn't heard anything like it before.
You can ask anybody that I went to high school or hung out with then, I knew of just about everybody that was in the rap game at that time.
And that was all I listened to.
The madre and padre listened to country (which I used to call "anti-music" but lately have begun to appreciate much of the genre).
But after I gave my life back to Christ in the early 90's, I went through a period of time where I only listened to Christian music.
I feel like I needed some time to simply focus on Him...to recenter.
During that time I also abstained from any alcoholic beverages and R-rated movies. It was a healing process.
This took about 10 years.
So one day at Lifeway, after purchasing a book or CD or something, they gave me a compilation CD for free.
There was an artist named T-Bone with a song on it called "Psychowestcoastridermuzic".
Gospel rap.
I never knew such a thing existed.
Over the next few years, artists like T-Bone, Ill Harmonics, KJ-52, Pigeon John, and John Reuben gave me what I needed for my hip-hop fix.
Obviously, since then, I have lifted my ban.
I feel like I am in a stronger place of self-control and have realized that evidences of the sacred can be found many times in the "secular".
I still love me some Christian hip-hop, though.
And Lecrae's latest release, "Rehab:The Overdose" does not disappoint.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Ray Lamontagne and the Pariah Dogs- Beg Steal or Borrow
"What would you dare to dream for your life if you knew that you could not fail?"
I listened to this question again recently as I was contemplating the new year.
The question came from Brian Tracy, a time management and success "guru".
It was during a lesson that he was teaching on goal-setting.
Why do so many people drift through life, without purpose or intention?
Tracy says, "If you are not working toward your own set of goals, you are doomed forever to be working toward the goals of someone else."
He says that everyone is working on goals. But sometimes the goals you are working on are not your own.
I sat down before the new year started and followed his advice.
I wrote down on a sheet of paper everything that I would like to do, have, or be in the next 5 years.
Then, I broke them down into A, B, and C goals, with A goals being the most important.
I then listed all the A goals on a separate sheet of paper and listed them in the order of priority.
The A1 goal is your "major definite purpose" for the year.
Finally, I wrote down several action steps under my A1 goal that would lead me to completion.
Then, I review my goal sheet every day and ask myself, "What are you going to do today to help you reach your goal?"
It's not too late.
January is not even half over.
Write down some goals and get after them.
"Young man, full of big plans,
You thinkin' about tomorrow."
I listened to this question again recently as I was contemplating the new year.
The question came from Brian Tracy, a time management and success "guru".
It was during a lesson that he was teaching on goal-setting.
Why do so many people drift through life, without purpose or intention?
Tracy says, "If you are not working toward your own set of goals, you are doomed forever to be working toward the goals of someone else."
He says that everyone is working on goals. But sometimes the goals you are working on are not your own.
I sat down before the new year started and followed his advice.
I wrote down on a sheet of paper everything that I would like to do, have, or be in the next 5 years.
Then, I broke them down into A, B, and C goals, with A goals being the most important.
I then listed all the A goals on a separate sheet of paper and listed them in the order of priority.
The A1 goal is your "major definite purpose" for the year.
Finally, I wrote down several action steps under my A1 goal that would lead me to completion.
Then, I review my goal sheet every day and ask myself, "What are you going to do today to help you reach your goal?"
It's not too late.
January is not even half over.
Write down some goals and get after them.
"Young man, full of big plans,
You thinkin' about tomorrow."
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Brian Eno-Emerald and Lime
My morning started off like an improvised episode of Hee-Haw when all the characters are talking at once.
Not that my kids are the least bit country but that is the first loud and obnoxious show I thought of.
Wifey has the weekend off, and boy does she deserve it.
The last month of the year for her was spent following behind the kids with a puke bucket, or washing puke sheets, or scrubbing puke floors.
Not necessarily the most memorable of holidays this year.
Although the snow we got on Christmas was nice; and everybody, at least at some point, felt well enough to go out and play in it.
That was short-lived because as soon as we thought it was over, it returned and we canceled our New Year's Disney trip.
So...to say that my wife needs some time off is an understatement.
At this point, I'm just hoping she comes back.
I've mentioned our weekends off before, but I've got to say again how healthy this is for our relationship and our family life.
It's great to be able to sleep when you want, eat when and what you want, and do whatever the heck you want.
I know she will come back refreshed and be able to give from a full tank instead of a physically and emotionally drained one.
But for now, it's me and the kiddos.
Which is cool. I don't get this time very often.
I just wished kids eased into morning instead of being human roosters that all need something first thing in the morning.
In a perfect world, they would quietly float downstairs at about 10:30 to the sounds of Brian Eno's "Emerald and Lime".
But, I'll be OK.
There's coffee made.
Not that my kids are the least bit country but that is the first loud and obnoxious show I thought of.
Wifey has the weekend off, and boy does she deserve it.
The last month of the year for her was spent following behind the kids with a puke bucket, or washing puke sheets, or scrubbing puke floors.
Not necessarily the most memorable of holidays this year.
Although the snow we got on Christmas was nice; and everybody, at least at some point, felt well enough to go out and play in it.
That was short-lived because as soon as we thought it was over, it returned and we canceled our New Year's Disney trip.
So...to say that my wife needs some time off is an understatement.
At this point, I'm just hoping she comes back.
I've mentioned our weekends off before, but I've got to say again how healthy this is for our relationship and our family life.
It's great to be able to sleep when you want, eat when and what you want, and do whatever the heck you want.
I know she will come back refreshed and be able to give from a full tank instead of a physically and emotionally drained one.
But for now, it's me and the kiddos.
Which is cool. I don't get this time very often.
I just wished kids eased into morning instead of being human roosters that all need something first thing in the morning.
In a perfect world, they would quietly float downstairs at about 10:30 to the sounds of Brian Eno's "Emerald and Lime".
But, I'll be OK.
There's coffee made.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Steve Martin-Pretty Flowers
Wifey (I'm taking suggestions for a more endearing title for the queen) and I are going on a date tomorrow night. Yee-hah!!!
Actually, she is taking the weekend off and she invited me to be a small part of it and thankfully her mom hasn't started back to school yet so she can watch the kiddos.
So, after work I'm going to meet her for dinner at Maggiano's and then later on we're going to The Punchline.
The Punchline is a comedy club in Sandy Springs, just outside the Atlanta perimeter.
"Last Comic Standing" winner from a few years back, John Heffron is performing.
This dude is a riot.
One year for her birthday, I gave Wifey a "comedy weekend". We went to see John one night, and then we saw Bill Cosby the next night.
She married me so she must like funny.
Anyways, we're both looking forward to the night out tomorrow sans chirdren.
Speaking of funny, I never would have guessed that funnyman Steve Martin would ever have a number one album anywhere except the comedy charts.
But his album, "The Crow: New Songs For The Five-String Banjo" has topped the US Bluegrass charts.
Martin used to play the banjo in some of his comedic routines, so I guess it shouldn't be a far stretch.
It just kind of caught me off guard.
I mean, I would dance around and sing to "King Tut" when I was a kid.
"When I die, now don't think I'm a nut,
Don't want no fancy funeral, just one like old King Tut."
Best wishes to an obviously, very talented individual.
Actually, she is taking the weekend off and she invited me to be a small part of it and thankfully her mom hasn't started back to school yet so she can watch the kiddos.
So, after work I'm going to meet her for dinner at Maggiano's and then later on we're going to The Punchline.
The Punchline is a comedy club in Sandy Springs, just outside the Atlanta perimeter.
"Last Comic Standing" winner from a few years back, John Heffron is performing.
This dude is a riot.
One year for her birthday, I gave Wifey a "comedy weekend". We went to see John one night, and then we saw Bill Cosby the next night.
She married me so she must like funny.
Anyways, we're both looking forward to the night out tomorrow sans chirdren.
Speaking of funny, I never would have guessed that funnyman Steve Martin would ever have a number one album anywhere except the comedy charts.
But his album, "The Crow: New Songs For The Five-String Banjo" has topped the US Bluegrass charts.
Martin used to play the banjo in some of his comedic routines, so I guess it shouldn't be a far stretch.
It just kind of caught me off guard.
I mean, I would dance around and sing to "King Tut" when I was a kid.
"When I die, now don't think I'm a nut,
Don't want no fancy funeral, just one like old King Tut."
Best wishes to an obviously, very talented individual.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Bruce Springsteen- Because The Night
In 1989 MTV aired the very first MTV Unplugged show.
The first show featured the group Squeeze, singer-songwriter Syd Straw, and former lead guitarist for The Cars, Elliot Easton.
Since then, anybody that's somebody has been featured on the popular show.
It has been said that the inspiration for the show came from the popularity informal musical performances as was documented on The Beatles' "Let it Be" film as well as Elvis Presley's televised 1968 Comeback Special.
Over 100 performances have been filmed and, unfortunately, I have seen only a few.
My most memorable are Eric Clapton, Nirvana, and 10,000 Maniacs. The 10K Maniacs version of "Because the Night" reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, which was the first time the group broke the top forty.
This song, however, was first written by Bruce Springsteen (another Unplugged alumnus).
In 1977 and 1978 he was writing material for his album, "Darkness on the Edge of Town". There were several songs that was written during that time that didn't make the album..."Because the Night" being one of them.
The Patti Smith group was in the studio next door and engineer/producer Jimmy Iovine was working on both albums. He gave her a tape of the song and it ended up becoming the first single released on their "Easter" album.
Although the song was never released on any of Springsteen's studio albums, he would perform it live, even during the "Darkness" tour in the late 70's.
Until the recent release of "The Promise" box set, the only commercially-released Springsteen version was found on the "Live 1975-1985" album.
The first show featured the group Squeeze, singer-songwriter Syd Straw, and former lead guitarist for The Cars, Elliot Easton.
Since then, anybody that's somebody has been featured on the popular show.
It has been said that the inspiration for the show came from the popularity informal musical performances as was documented on The Beatles' "Let it Be" film as well as Elvis Presley's televised 1968 Comeback Special.
Over 100 performances have been filmed and, unfortunately, I have seen only a few.
My most memorable are Eric Clapton, Nirvana, and 10,000 Maniacs. The 10K Maniacs version of "Because the Night" reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, which was the first time the group broke the top forty.
This song, however, was first written by Bruce Springsteen (another Unplugged alumnus).
In 1977 and 1978 he was writing material for his album, "Darkness on the Edge of Town". There were several songs that was written during that time that didn't make the album..."Because the Night" being one of them.
The Patti Smith group was in the studio next door and engineer/producer Jimmy Iovine was working on both albums. He gave her a tape of the song and it ended up becoming the first single released on their "Easter" album.
Although the song was never released on any of Springsteen's studio albums, he would perform it live, even during the "Darkness" tour in the late 70's.
Until the recent release of "The Promise" box set, the only commercially-released Springsteen version was found on the "Live 1975-1985" album.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Henryk Gorecki- Symphony No. 3- Lento Y Largo- Tranquillissimo
On September 25, 1944, a young girl of 18 years old named Helena Wanda Błażusiakówna, was incarcerated.
Her jail cell was located in the town of Zakopane, which lies at the foot of the Tatra Mountains in southern Poland-a Nazi prison.
Her prison cell was shared with many.
In this particular prison, there were later found several inscriptions on the wall.
"The whole wall was covered with inscriptions screaming out loud: 'I'm innocent', 'Murderers', 'Executioners', 'Free me', 'You have to save me'."
Young Helena left an inscription, too.
However, a seemingly different tone was felt in hers.
It was almost an apology for having been captured.
It said, "Oh Mamma do not cry—Immaculate Queen of Heaven support me always."
When composer Henryk Gorecki, also from southern Poland, learned of this he stated, "She does not despair, does not cry, does not scream for revenge. She does not think about herself; whether she deserves her fate or not. Instead, she only thinks about her mother: because it is her mother who will experience true despair. This inscription was something extraordinary. And it really fascinated me."
I'm not sure how I would respond in the face of such terror, but the story definitely inspires me, as does the music, featured here, that came from it.
Her jail cell was located in the town of Zakopane, which lies at the foot of the Tatra Mountains in southern Poland-a Nazi prison.
Her prison cell was shared with many.
In this particular prison, there were later found several inscriptions on the wall.
"The whole wall was covered with inscriptions screaming out loud: 'I'm innocent', 'Murderers', 'Executioners', 'Free me', 'You have to save me'."
Young Helena left an inscription, too.
However, a seemingly different tone was felt in hers.
It was almost an apology for having been captured.
It said, "Oh Mamma do not cry—Immaculate Queen of Heaven support me always."
When composer Henryk Gorecki, also from southern Poland, learned of this he stated, "She does not despair, does not cry, does not scream for revenge. She does not think about herself; whether she deserves her fate or not. Instead, she only thinks about her mother: because it is her mother who will experience true despair. This inscription was something extraordinary. And it really fascinated me."
I'm not sure how I would respond in the face of such terror, but the story definitely inspires me, as does the music, featured here, that came from it.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Cedarmont Kids- Deep and Wide
If you've been reading this blog, you know that Wifey and I recently celebrated 13 awesome years of marriage.
To celebrate, we took a cheap Spirit Air flight to Myrtle Beach.
We got a great deal on a waterfront room and stayed 3 nights.
The first two days were pretty chilly, but days 3 and 4 were very nice.
We enjoyed the time away, the peace and quiet, and just enjoying each other's company.
Oh...did I mention the good food?
The word "calabash" is now part of my vocabulary.
The last time that I had been to Myrtle Beach was just before my Pop (grandfather) died.
We spent many a summer camping at Lakewood Family Campground with my grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins.
Pop passed when I was a junior in high school so we're talking about 25 years since I had been there.
It was neat going to the newly renovated Boardwalk and going in the arcade that I stayed and played in so many summers ago.
One afternoon while we were there, I asked Wifey if she cared if we drove by the old campground.
She didn't care so we headed that way.
We got there and they said that we could drive through.
Wow...so many memories.
The pool with the waterfall, the smelly bathhouses, and the pavilion.
Lakewood was a Christian-run organization and in the summertime, they had church services on Sunday and many times weekly Bible school for the kids.
I walked through the room, which was empty at this time of year, and gazed around.
Suddenly, emotions got the best of me, and tears sprang up in my eyes...
For it was here, in this very room, that I gave my life to the Lord at the age of 7.
I looked out one of the windows at the surf coming in and whispered a simple "thank you".
I regained my composure (I don't think Wifey even noticed I had lost it), and made my way to the door.
One of the songs that we sang back then was "You are the vine and we are the branches, His banner over me is love."
Another is this one, "Deep and Wide".
To celebrate, we took a cheap Spirit Air flight to Myrtle Beach.
We got a great deal on a waterfront room and stayed 3 nights.
The first two days were pretty chilly, but days 3 and 4 were very nice.
We enjoyed the time away, the peace and quiet, and just enjoying each other's company.
Oh...did I mention the good food?
The word "calabash" is now part of my vocabulary.
The last time that I had been to Myrtle Beach was just before my Pop (grandfather) died.
We spent many a summer camping at Lakewood Family Campground with my grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins.
Pop passed when I was a junior in high school so we're talking about 25 years since I had been there.
It was neat going to the newly renovated Boardwalk and going in the arcade that I stayed and played in so many summers ago.
One afternoon while we were there, I asked Wifey if she cared if we drove by the old campground.
She didn't care so we headed that way.
We got there and they said that we could drive through.
Wow...so many memories.
The pool with the waterfall, the smelly bathhouses, and the pavilion.
Lakewood was a Christian-run organization and in the summertime, they had church services on Sunday and many times weekly Bible school for the kids.
I walked through the room, which was empty at this time of year, and gazed around.
Suddenly, emotions got the best of me, and tears sprang up in my eyes...
For it was here, in this very room, that I gave my life to the Lord at the age of 7.
I looked out one of the windows at the surf coming in and whispered a simple "thank you".
I regained my composure (I don't think Wifey even noticed I had lost it), and made my way to the door.
One of the songs that we sang back then was "You are the vine and we are the branches, His banner over me is love."
Another is this one, "Deep and Wide".
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