another set of building blocks

BUILDING PEACE AND JOY—YOUR TURN?

In keeping  with my commitment to toss out  these building blocks here comes the final couple for this  song/poem.  Yes , I feel a little sheepish just after celebrating the champ Dr. Seuss—however if you  compare yourself to others on a constant basis, peace and joy will almost always run slightly ahead of you and only now and then spit into the wind catching you  on your brand new T-shirt.  As it has always been, I write the new stuff fresh while  popping out the existing lines from memory or with changes that hit me in the moment.  So if I had some ado to spare I’d use it here but I think it’s upstairs in the drawer where I have 21 ties I’ll never wear, a sock I’ll never find the match to, and a couple of electronic adapters that I’ve used three times in the past quarter century.  So with no further ado here goes 

Working Title —Junkyard Wings

Galileo winks right at the pope

“We’re at the center?”  I’d say nope.”

If you weon’t hang me from a rope

I’ll show you with my telescope

Comes the warrior. Susan. B.

Till we  all can vot none can be free

Finally got the men to  nod and agree

One more stride toward liberty   (Chorus—sort f )

When will we learn to grasp new things

Hear what soulful wisdom sings 

Act like  servants even if we’re kings

Dawn  our fragile halo and junkyard wings?

**New and Final Block for now*

Bobby says. Be thankful for the stuff you’ve got

If they ask you “why?”  Ask back “Why Not?”

Add al little  stew to another’s pot

Do not forget  it means a lot

And

Chorus

I’ll try to record a tune with this  today...—If  not... Dare to breathe in  your values and share your feelings and ask Why Not?

Peace

BUILDING PEACE AND JOY—YOUR TURN?

In keeping  with my commitment to toss out  these building blocks here comes the final couple for this  song/poem.  Yes , I feel a little sheepish just after celebrating the champ Dr. Seuss—however if you  compare yourself to others on a constant basis, peace and joy will almost always run slightly ahead of you and only now and then spit into the wind catching you  on your brand new T-shirt.  As it has always been, I write the new stuff fresh while  popping out the existing lines from memory or with changes that hit me in the moment.  So if I had some ado to spare I’d use it here but I think it’s upstairs in the drawer where I have 21 ties I’ll never wear, a sock I’ll never find the match to, and a couple of electronic adapters that I’ve used three times in the past quarter century.  So with no further ado here goes 

Working Title —Junkyard Wings

Galileo winks right at the pope

“We’re at the center?”  I’d say nope.”

If you won’t  hang me from a rope

I’ll show you with my telescope

Comes the warrior. Susan. B.

Till we  all can vote none can be free

Finally got the men to  nod and agree

One more stride toward liberty   (Chorus—sort f )

When will we learn to grasp new things

Hear what soulful wisdom sings 

Act like  servants even if we’re kings

Dawn  our fragile halo and junkyard wings?

**New and Final Block for now*

Bobby says. Be thankful for the stuff you’ve got

If they ask you “why?”  Ask back “Why Not?”

Add a little  stew to another’s pot

Do not forget  it means a lot

And

Chorus

I’ll try to record a tune with this  today...—If  not... Dare to breathe in  your values and share your feelings and ask Why Not?

Peace 

“Belated Birthday Building Blocks

BUILDING BLOCKS 20202

Yesterday  marked the birthdays of  three important people.  The guy who wrote  “over the Rainbow” and Life’s only a paper moon —something. Arlin I think although I read that wasn’t  his real name Zimmerman.  He was maybe only the third most significant. Person. Born on that day... second and first are probably a tie for many and that’s an argument I don’t want to have, however, in seeking peace and joy I’ve found some people  like to run fast to the opposite corner and scream at almost any idea.  

The other two  people are Susan B. Anthony and Galileo.  Anthony, of course was. A leader in the women’s rights movement and the movement for  having little coin dollars that people  mistook for quarters.  To that  I say come on US mints and treasury what kind of discounted respect were you thinking about in that design?  That was an insult to all the hard work done by people seeking civil rights for so long and would be the same as putting a mustache on Washington and printing a paper half dollar.  Anyway Susan B. Was a driving force and women now share the blame for electing some of the people we have in office.  

then there is Galileo .  Now  he had a last name...but you’ve  got to respect a scientist who was known by a single name.  That means he was the  Cher, Madonna, or Prince of his time.  Here’s a guy that  pretty much invented the telescope so that he could  see heavenly objects or some cute Italian  chicks  a few blocks away...no to the contrary Galileo who was prosecuted by the church held fast to his religious.belief even though he was hauled up before the board of inquisition where he didn’t party like it was. 1999.  basically Anthony had a vision of a more equal society and Galileo made sure we could  have a clearer view of our cosmic sircumstance including. The fact that. We were not the center of the universe.  Both of these people were awesome.

So what does this have to. Do with “building” blocks?  These people  were there to lay the foundation for so much to follow and offered the ‘building blocks”  for many to follow.  If they can undertake these. Tasks then I can keep my promise to toss out a rhyme or a song lyric to be.  So with no further or prior. Ado... Enjoy... I’ll give you the story behind. These when  the blocks all fall together.  For now I end with. The building blocks below....have a great day

Block One Galileo winked and told the Pope

We’re the center? I’d. Say Nope

Please don’t  hang me from a rope

I’ll show you my telescope

There was the warrior. Susan  B.

Until all vote, none can be free

At last  enough men said  I agree

Came one more stride towards liberty

When will we learn to grasp new things

Accept what soulful wisdom brings

Hear the  bird of peace each time it sings 

Dawn our fragile halo and junkyard wings?

Peace,

More soon

A song of peace and joy?

 PEACE, JOY AND LEARNING  TO BE STILL

Twenty some years ago the Eagles of Hotel California fame not of  let’s say Boston. College or Philadelphia, released a song titled  “Learn to Be Still.”  Some mornings I wake up pretty still so to speak and others are like today.  I can’t wait to pick up my guitar or take out the trash or wipe a little flour  off the counter or even goodness me clean up a around the toilet.  So, before I sat down to write this I’ve already done  many of these things and now maybe, just maybe, I’m still enough to put some thoughts together in a way that reaches out from behind  all the noise.  

Here goes... 

So today is  a day for. Writing a song...some days I can just feel  that inside.  I have some lyrics bubbling. Up and a couple of chord combinations that have been waiting  for the lyrics of some kind to enhance.  Earlier in the week I read a quote about  songwriting.  Arlo Guthrie (mostly known for  Alice’s  Restaurant) Described song writing as if it were fishing.  Lyrics or words  go by. In a stream and  eventually , as long as your hook is in the water, you will catch the right ones.  He does, however, add that you shouldn’t fish downstream from Bob Dylan.  

That being said, I thought I’d offer up a few lyrics that have been rolling  through my mind this morning.  Of course, listen.to Learn to Be  Still from the Eagles and then maybe a song titled “Last Resort” that will let you know how  my state of mind was (not a very peaceful or joyful one)  first thing today.  Now I’m going to share  a verse from two. Songs I’ve been working. On  One is nearly finished but the melody or chord progression isn’t quite. There yet and the other one  is part of the song I’ll likely  work on most the rest of today until I record a podcast this afternoon.

Anyway here are those lyrics and they have to do with seeking peace and joy.

How much longer until we see some rain?

Will it wash away this dust that has settled on my brain

Is that light in the darkness. An oncoming train

Have the  dreams all vanished or do some remain

These are the questions that seep into my soul

Do I stand back and. Wait or crank it up, crank it  up let it roll?

A 

Other song... 

 And the sage said as  she  sighed

When’s the last time that  we’ve tried

To build together. Not divideAsk what others feel inside

Set your  bank account aside  and 

Let your souls decide

So it’s going to be a peace and joy roller coaster today...because  while. The lyrics come forth I will gain peace, yet joy might not come till the song is done and sometimes that’s a day and sometimes that’s. A bit longer...

Oh well my  soul is engaged now and that’s. Where the journey always  feels best to me.  

Find a song to sing... More Sooon

Peace Peace And Joy thank you Thursday is back

PEACE AND JOY—ANOTHER THANK YOU THURSDAY

Some months ago I had this bright idea that every other Thursday would be “Thank You  Thursday.”  After all, I have a lot of people and things to be thankful for and without these people and  circumstances seeking peace and joy would be more difficult if not impossible.  I think I made it  through a whole two cycles of thanks before I forgot I had made this commitment or Iforgot it was Thursday.  Either way that has to end and it has to end today.  

Or maybe it needs to begin again today depending on how much latitude you are willing to grant.  So on this thankful Thursday where would I like to direct my gratitude?  

Thank  you to the ARTISTS

That seems pretty  vague and general—I know, however clarity is coming....read on...

I am grateful for  the thousands of times you have sat alone with the pencil in your hand, or the paint brush.  Thanks for the  millions of  times  you have looked for a specific kind of light shining in a unique way and lifted your camera only to throw away  hundreds of efforts to find the one that captured a moment in time.  Thanks to the musician who plays scale after scale after scale after scale until the movement of  your hands is connected  directly to the song in your soul.  Thank you to the poet who is dedicated to saying as much as possible in as few words as I could imagine.  Thank you for the courage to share both the perfect efforts and those you have to release before they diminish your sanity.  Thank you all for spending the  first hour of practice so that the last ten minutes of performance, the last paragraph I read, and the last photo set before me let me see something new outside myself or inside myself.  

In short, I want. To thank. Everyone who takes a on the task of  giving. Me a choice of meanings to  my moments—

MEANING TO MY MOMENTS

Thank you for each line and curve that you draw for me to see

Thank you for the needed nerve to share the sketch with me

Thank you   For the lingering chord that’s in concert with your voice

For the  sweetness or the sadness in the expressions of your choice

Thanks for keeping on when the efforts felt like drudging

When you knew folks without knowledge would feel free to be quite judging

Thanks each and every one of you who take on this daunting duty

To bring meaning to  the moments of peace and. Joy and beauty

To everything turn turn turn the season of peace and joy

TO EVERY SEASON...TURN, TURN, TURN, AND SEEK PEACE AND JOY

Sure the Byrds made it a mildly successful folk tune in the viet Nam era.  However, just like Elvis did so often, these folks pinched the words from another source.  Now you can’t find  the “heartbreak Hotel” in Judea, but you only need take a peak at another King’s words to find Solomon cranked out this classic in Ecclesiastes.  Lo and as I recall the song mentions “gathering Stones together”.  Who knew Mick, Keith, and the lot would still be getting satisfaction after all these years?  

Okay this effort isn’t meant to be a snippet left on the cutting room floor from “The School of Rock”—it’s about being late. September (no I’m not launching into Maggie May). You see, we are rolling toward the first day of fall and the season that was summer is about to turn, turn, turn and I’m left here wondering (like many of you) what in the world happened to Summer?  Wasn’t it just the 4th of July?  I mean wasn’t it just yesterday I was watching the great hot dog eating contest sponsored by Nathan’s where this guy packed away 60+ hot dogs in 10 minutes?  

Holy  Mustard and relish Batman that’s a lot of tube steak.  Then again, Americans love their hot dogs.  In the summer, we eat an estimated 7 Billion hot dogs every year and spend 2.5 Billion dollars on hot dogs.  The unofficial  world’s record price for any given  hot dog was recorded  on the West Coast and rang up at $169.00Now, ballpark prices are out of control, but this wasn’t a Dodger dog thank goodness.  While that pushed the limits of price, the world record holder for size is a reported 668 pounder.  

Alright we’ve covered rock music and hot dogs..and they may have a lot do with summer and peace and joy, butI’ve been waiting for my internal control to come along and start writing about “seasons” because that’s the real topic here...and this is the season to make those thoughts clear.

One song lyric that emerged when  writing about the lessons Ive learned in life is that every dream has a season if you don’t let apathy win.  I believe that and yet I’m not sure I believe in the “norm” when it comes to seasons.  The norm is things are born, they experience a childhood full of growth and experimentation, they reach an adulthood where they are stable and “prosper”, and then they decline.  Another way to look at this is through the lens of  a fruit tree.  The tree grows from a seed, eventually grows into a state where  the tree produces fruit containing seeds, drops those  seeds by letting the fruit ripen and fall away to the ground and then the fruit rots away letting the seeds have a chance to start the growth of another tree.  The difference here is that the tree gives back and passes along the essence along.  Finally, I have  learned to look at seasons as not quite as inevitable  for people as they are for some other things.  If someone gets up each morning, meditate3s or prays or and  prays (or does anything that reflects  their beliefs, and then dedicates themzselves to the notion that today is a “new” day, then maybe each day becomes it’s own new season.  Each day contains a rebirth or dedication.  Each day includes experimentation and learning.  Each day. Has a part where. You pass things along or share your gifts.  At the end of the day, you lay down the remains of the day knowing that  if there is a tomorrow you will start anew.  

Yes what I’m suggesting is that every day has it’s seasons and that.every day has the potential to contain changes.  That’s what we can learn from  the actual seasons—that things will change and so will we.  as seasons pass in our lives we grow comfortable with the fact that winter will give way to spring and that summer rolls past into fall when leaves turn glorious colors and prepare to coat the ground thus producing the natural material to enrich the soil that will bring forth the next new tree.  For me, when I pay attention, andam seeking peace and joy I see a lot of new trees each day.  People get new jobs.  People move to new locatins.  People offer up artwork or things they have written.  People build things that inspire others.  You might argue that  these things are fruit not new trees and that’s just fine with me.  The point is, that if I look I see these things and that since the seasons have taught the  lessons of change, it brings a sense of peace and not fear when the changes come as they will.  

We all can see new trees every day—we can see growth in the trees—we see the fruit ripen and fall so  trees can come forth.  We experience all of. This in the  here and now and it is a full experience.  Again for me looking at daily seasons brings some peace and lessens the thoughts I havetyhat any given thing is happening out of season—for the feeling that things are.  Taking place out of season is a thief of peace and joy.  The reality is that everything happens in a season,but it is very hard to  see the whole season sometimes.  On the other hand, if I am intentional, I include elements of all the seasons in my day each day.  Then nothing seems quite as out of place.  

Wow who knew we could go from a 668 pound hot dog could find its way through to  a philosophic metaphor for living through the seasons of events in life?  Well... it happened and now it’s time to let the primary hot dog season go.  Bring on the bon fire season, the apple cider and a new school year because now and always the times they are a changin’

Peace and joy blowing in the wind and always in the air

Peace and joy is not blowin’ in the wind but is usually in the air

It is getting to that time of year when sunrise comes a little later thanI’d like.  Right now, we are only a few days shy of the Autumnal Equinox (a pretty sofisticated way of saying the first day of fall I’d say).  Given the fact I like to take my “longer” walk in the morning, I started thinking about finding my “safety” vest because it won’t be long before I will want it when I’m out w2alking.  Unfortunately, I didn’t find it this morning, and unfortunately, I don’t have the slightest notion where it is—though right now I know a lot of places it’s not—so that’s a win right?  

Not finding the vest means I’m going to wait a few more minutes before  hitting the walking path so it will be fairly light by the time I finish up.  It’s not like a few minutes can make that big of difference right?—-Wrong!  A few minutes before  8 o’clock in the mornings of March 3rd 2000 and April 15 1997 life was way different from what it was after the birth of my daughters just a few minutes later.  So what difference will I choose to make in these few minutes today?

Since it will be starting to get light and since I walk  on a trail that is fairly close to a busy  highway, I decided that it would be okay to make a little  noise this morning with “Richter’s Folly” better known as a harmonica.  

What in the world does a harmonica have to do with Peace and Joy?  for me it is something that makes music.  You really can’t technically hit a bad note on the “harp” and it’s easy to achieve harmony with almost any note or chord in a song.  With just a little practice you can play a lot of simple blues, make a train sound, a frog sound before you know it the opening  of “Love Me Do comes streaming out—-way cool!

By pure coincidence  when I just heard a duck out on the river... that’s one of nature harmonica sounds if I’ve ever heard one.  

Well here’s this few minutes and I’m going to play the harmonica in a few minutes because I thought “crap I’m frustrated and how am I going to go from here to a more peaceful spot?  Music almost always does it for me and unlike a guitar or a grand piano, I can carry this little. Metal music machine with me and practice a bit and have a great walk.  

Well it’s. About time for me to blow—so I’d better sum up.

first, welcome fall ifIforget in a couple days.  Second, Not finding what I think I wanted led to finding another source of peace and joy into my life today.  Maybe that famous philosopher who leads the “world’s  greatest rock band” was right—You can’t always get what  you want, but if you try some....you get what. You need.

Yes and will I get a little Dylan and Neil Young in somewhere near the Black River—yes.  Will there be a feeling of. Joy?  I’m thinking so.  

Well it’s time for me to blow so to speak—how many ways are there to seek peace and joy?   Well the answer  my friend is blowin’ in the wind—the answer is blowin’ in the wind.

Let’s go nuts the musical

Just a little Nuts (the Musical)

WARNING THIS SONG CONTAINS INUENDO THAT MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO SOME...IF YOU ARE  OFFENDED I AM BOTH SORRY AND A LITTLE SADDENED, HOWEVER, MY PURPOSE WAS TO TAKE A SHOT AT THE VANITY OF  SOME MEMBERS  IN OUR CULTURE.

Verses 1 & 2

Well you can have your Pecans in a pie

Your Almonds  Slightly Toasted

Of course there’s salty peanuts

And Chestnuts can be roasted

You can crush your peanuts up and make them into butter

Now listen very closely to what I’m about to utter

I will make a valiant effort not to stammer or to stutter

If you  vow to keep your mind from falling in the gutter

Chorus 

What I’m about to share,I hope you’ll keep between us

To write these little songs, it doesn’t take a genius

When they shout “hey you right there”it probably doesn’t mean us and 

No one really cares about the size of your peanuts—or cashews or hickories or macadamia —

Verse 3-4?

Take whatever nuts they give you because beggers can’t be pickers

Eat them  by the handful or crammed inside a Snickers

Eat those babies whole or chopped up into pieces

;oOr covered up in chocolate like in M&Ms or Reeces

Most all kinds of them are healthy

So let’s hear. No ifs, ands, or buts

Unless you are allergic I’m telling  you go nuts

If you have a chance share some with a friend

That’s it in a nutshell, this song is at an end

Chorus

Chase the blues away with peace and joy

YepSOME DAYS JUST DO  THIS—AND FILL  MY SOUL WITH A SONG—SORRY

So yesterday around  2 my time (as if I own a time lol) Idecided to run up  our small hill of a driveway to get the garbage can.  Given the forecast and how the weather seemed around sun up I didn’t. Expect what I found when I strolled out in my classic  black hoodie.  Now I have had this hoodie for 15 years and I hope to have it a few more... I guess it is one of those things that own me more than I own it.

Okay let’s get down to it.

The day  is freaking spectacular!!  Almost no breeze and the sun is shining brightly.  All of the sudden I’m feeling a rush of joy and peace  and  lo and behold my mind kicks into gear with the following set of lyrics.  For those of you not familiar with the flawed yet marvelous creative mind...this is the crap that happens.....

Anyway here are the words that came bubbling out and the video is below.  Enjoy

Chasing  the Blues. Away

The breeze it is light and 

The sun  it is shining

There’s no one around that. I can hear whining

These are the days that chase the blues away

There’s kids flying kites. And there’s kids blowing bubbles

Makes me forget  nearly all of my troubles

And makes me. Forget that there is any other way

Than how f I  can seek  peace and joy every day

These are the days that chase  all the blues away

I’m going to get my. Guitar and sit out in the sun

And I really don’t care if. My work’s not all done

I’m going to sing. Every song I ever learned how to play

Because these are the days that chase the blues. Away

I’m gonnna grab my guitar and sit  out in the sun

I don’t really care. If my work gets all done

I’m gonna sing every song I  know how to play

And these are the days, these are the days, these are the days that chase the blues away

And here’s a link to some products that will chase your blues away from one of my very first and new sponsors take a look great products for summer

https://whal3n.bigcartel.com/

Reflections on mirrors and peace and joy the musical

 Reflecting on mirrors pun  intended and peace and joy

 Just a short video about mirrors life peace and joy

The tribute song to the writing and reading communities

 This goes out to all the people who have been involved in my development as a writer and musician and basically as a person I hope you enjoy it if not we’ll try to listen through and will do a better job next time    Yes and the lyrics to the song or basically the rhyme from the page before

Create Your Own "Day"

CREATE YOUR OWN DAY

Sort of late in the evening (after the  Queen Movie which I am referring  to it by because I can’t spell the real title this early in the morning—-or anytime). I did a check of my social media eempire LOL.  You know my blogs,a quick look at twitter, and Facebook.

Well one of the marvelous  people who belong to “don’t Keep Your Day Job (a Facebook group)  has declared  tomorrow  as “International Sing in Public Day.”  

I know there are national holidays and several of these “international Days popping up all the time.  Like two or three Mondays ago was National Margarita  day and there was just the International Women’s  Day.   

I absolutely  believe  in ALL of these days.  I do want to apply to be on the selection committee because I think we are celebrating  some things too much and some too little.  For example  I would support  the International Day of laughing at yourself first thing in the morning when you look in the mirror day”,  and The National  Day of licking the cake batter  spoon or beater day.  I would  promote the  semi0annual  “give a hug to the person who just leaned over to tie their shoe and the string broke day.’  

Okay  back to the top.  This person who promoted her own day  is/was  a genius… first singing in public even if it’s  in your car with the window rolled down just  a  little sounds like a great way to bring some peace and joy into the world.  If you are a songwriter maybe you could think up just one new verse for tomorrow and post it to  youtube  or Facebook.

As for today make a list of “days” you’d like to celebrate and let’s see if everyday  can become the “intergalactic Day of Personal Peace and Joy featuring (insert your day).

Today  in my mind it is the National Day of getting my crap together  after being gone last week day…”  I might as well celebrate  the things I am doing no matter what they may be in the moment.

Okay get to work figuring out your  National or International Day and let’s share!!!!Hey 

Take a look in the mirror

 OK this is a little musical number about mirrors the key here is to just sit back and listen the lyrics are below


 Across this half lit empty room on the wall there is a mirror will the image be distorted or help you see things clearer
 Will it show the light inside or just sell imperfections will it show where you have been or where to go in which direction

 If I could share one lesson just on your behalf I would take a glance in the mirror and just stand there and laugh

  No these are the exact lyrics however for now they will do