Rock the Garden

What a great day. :) I am going to be so sunburned...

It was about 80 and sunny (which was nice when moving around alternating sun and shade, but not so great at 4PM with the sun beating down hard on a line of people which never seemed to move as we crawwwwwled toward the entrance.)




What a lovely place - a beautiful venue (the sculpture garden at the Walker Art Center). At times it was idyllic.



Like when sitting in the shade on a park bench reading a good book, with good music being played just a little way away.



It was a nice way to celebrate the solstice, too - be out in it, get some on your face, neck, arms, legs. Sandals weather!

I sure got plenty of sun. Thankfully I could retreat to the indoors of the museum for a break from it, or sit on a bench in the shade and eat dinner or sip a cool drink.

Between bands I finished up "Founding Mothers" by Cokie Roberts, and am ready to start a couple of new books now (since I had finished up Silence by Sushaku Endo the week before.) Both these were good. Now I'm on to Come Be My Light by Mother Theresa, and The Road by Cormac McCarthy. They should last me through July. :)

Next year I don't think I'll worry about getting tickets. The sculpture garden was free admission, and there was hardly anyone there. Everybody was in by the bands, but... you didn't need to be.

In there it was shoulder-to-sweaty-shoulder or chest-to-sticky-back, and more than a little ... aromatic. And I don't mean that in a good way, like a pleasant fragance on a shock of long hair, or a charcoal grill cooking nearby. But that's summer at an outdoor concert, right? You take the bad with the good.

Still, you couldn't see much anyway for the crowd (7,500 people was the sellout limit, and they hit it.) Really, the sound was great in the walkway through the garden, and you could bring in whatever you wanted to for eats and drinks, which you couldn't do in the band area.



Essentially, they closed off the street that separates the museum and the Garden, and everyone was packed in there



or on the hillside beside the museum,



next to the goofy mini-golf course the museum has there for the summer. They think of it as outdoor art. Hm. Looks dopey to me. :)



From inside the museum you could see the crowds, but not hear the bands, except on the patios just outside.



They have patios on almost every floor. The upper ones were reserved for VIPs, whoever they were. Nobody I saw looked important. ;) Or, put more positively... everyone did. :)



The museum buildings are interesting, with striking facades and great skyline views.





In addition to the main views, the stairwells have itty-bitty trapezoidal windows (for peeking out at the crowd.)



From the outside they look like little finger holes on the walls.



Inside the lobby area, they were featuring an exhibit by some outfit called "Design for the other 90%" (of the world, that means), who were showing inexpensive things from housing to laptops, internet access packs and solar panel purses. Aww... aren't they cute?





Outside, there were lots of food and beer vendors, plus the usual merchandise table. I picked up a couple of things that were pretty reasonable - event specials.



They were also giving away green pin buttons with iconic images on them of some of the most famous items from the sculpture garden (like the elevated picture frame on three legs.
















































or the spoon and cherry. An example of such a button can been seen affixed to the shorts of the reader on the bench seen earlier.) ;)






In the gift shop they were a buck a pop, so... they lost some revenue there. But I think they made it up on other sales.

The whole event was a fundraiser for the museum and 89.3 FM, The Current (a local public radio affiliate that plays alternative and eclectic music, sort of like 88.9 FM in Milwaukee.)

The bike racks were packed, as people were encouraged to not drive if they lived within walking or biking distance.



And naturally, there was a section of the grounds devoted to "toilet world", as one guy yelled out when he saw it. :) Some people are easily amused.



So... the bands. Guess I should talk about them. :)

Bon Iver (pronounced bohn eevehr - French for good winter, I think), opened. He had a lot in common with the headliner, Andrew Bird, acoustically. While he didn't loop electronically like Bird loves to do, and was not nearly as layered, he used a wailing falsetto which became as ethereal-sounding as Bird's creepy whistling. Neither one were favorites, but weren't too bad, either. I don't think I'll buy any Bon Iver, but will borrow some from the library eventually. :)

Cloud Cult was a pleasant surprise. They are sooo off-the-dial "green" (not that being envionmentally conscious is off the dial - it's not, but they are a bit over the top in their... vociferocity about it), that I expected their sound to be stylistically unapproachable, too. But not at all! They were great. :) They might actually be nice people, too. ;) I'll have to rethink their advocacy stance...

They hooked me with "Pretty Voice" - what a great song, sung well, with lyrics I like. So I picked up a CD of theirs, and will review it soon. (Hm. It's "made of 100% postconsumer recycled paper, nontoxic soyink, and nontoxic shrinkwrap. Ten trees are planted for every 1,000 albums manufactured. All energy consumed in the process of manufacturing and shipping is compensated for with the purchase of an equivalent amount of wind energy from NativeEnergy.com. All energy consumed by Cloud Cult in the touring process is greened in a similar manner.")

Greened? (sigh) Yet another verb from a noun, and a co-opted noun at that. Breathe, Bob. Think centering thoughts.

Ooops. Centering? Now I'm doing it. :P

The highlight of the night for me was The New Pornographers (seen exiting the stage from the back.)




Even without Neko Case (out with a broken foot), they were still great. Love their harmonies and good song hooks. I've reviewed both their CDs and Andrew Bird's elsewhere in this blog, so I won't talk about songs here. You can search for them if you like. :)

Bird came on at about 8:30. I planned on staying for about 3 songs, since he is so quirky, and I can only take so much of him. As it was I stayed for a good 40 minutes. He behaved himself, and played nice. :) His stage equipment is sure colorful. Big orange and red megaphones!



The smaller two-headed one reminded me of what Dr. Doolittle's pushmi-pullu would have looked like if it were a musical instrument. :P Plus, the thing whirls around and produces a leslie-like effect. It fits with his other oddball sounds. He *would* use something like that.

Another odd thing. All the bands used violins at some point. It seems to be the hot new alt-rock instrument. Especially when you run it through a looping machine or a fuzz box. Sarah Beam did that - ran hers through a distortion box. Really peculiar sounding; gives these bands the ethereal sound they are all looking for. :)



So, as the sun was setting and darkness falling,



so was the rain and lightning. :( I took that as my cue to head home.



Or rather to pick up J2 (who decided not to come) and go to Coldstone Creamery to finish off the night. Orange dreamsicle ice cream blended with lemon sorbet and pineapple chunks. Yeah. :) A good day.

Poetry Swap

My friend SQ and I had coffee yesterday and, since we both toy with words, he brought along for me to read a few old poems he'd written.

Here's a snippet from one:

Will you be my mind's reflection
My soul's biography?
Will you be my heart's protection,
Love's physicality?



Nice.



So, I guess that makes it my turn. What to share?

Maybe I'll start with my takeoff on Dr. Suess...

(Time of Your Life)

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time

It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial
For what it's worth it was worth all the while

It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.



----- Green Day

(I like this alternate title to the song much better than the other one.) :)

It's hot

outside. (finally! some of you are saying...)

I'm so glad that this town has a workout facility with an indoor track that's air conditioned. :)

Another personal best yesterday, this time at the 2.5 mile distance. Of course, that's not so remarkable since I've only run that distance 3 times in my entire life. ;)

But, the per mile pace was muuuuch more like my pace at 2 and 1.5, so - it's a nice improvement.

And, I found that running to "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" by the Propellerheads was really helpful. It's over 9 minutes long and uptempo, so it really pushed me along. Two plays of that, plus one of CCR's "Travelin' Band", and ... done.

I'm thinking I'm almost ready to try a 5K run, in public even. Hm. Wonder if there's one where they air condition the entire outdoor route? :P

aroma

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joy is flowering
there's a fragrance in the air
can you smell it, too?


.

A Fool and His Money

... are quickly parted. We all know this.

But what about a fool and his... therapist?

Are they.. *not* quickly parted? Hm.

The Scripture tells us that a wise man seeks counsel. Okay, but for how long? ;)

Maybe the wise man seeks counsel and then knows when he's reached the point of having gotten enough, and just needs to get on with what he's learned.

As of today, I have one more session left, in early July, after the first of the month has come... and gone.

I think.. I'll be ready after that to get on with what I've learned.

Hope so. :)

Seize life!

Seize life! Eat bread with gusto,
Drink wine with a robust heart.
Oh yes—God takes pleasure in your pleasure!
Dress festively every morning.
Don't skimp on colors and fragrance.
Relish life with the one you love
Each and every day of your precarious life.
Each day is God's gift. It's all you get in exchange
For the hard work of staying alive.
Make the most of each one!
Whatever turns up, grab it and do it. And heartily!
This is your last and only chance at it,
For there's neither work to do nor thoughts to think
In the company of the dead, where you're most certainly headed.

----- Eccl. 9:7-10

Music Reviews: Coldplay, The Ugly Suit, Flight of the Conchords, Prince

Coldplay - "Viva La Vida": Finally! A long time coming on this one. I liked X&Y so well, I hoped this new one would live up to that standard. It's... um, different. I'd have to agree with the reviewer, except that I happen to like it when Chris Martin does the dreamy romantic stuff. :) So sue me.

It's much more of an experimental album, and musically sort of themeless. They are all over the map with style and influence. But it's worth a buy. I think it may grow on me with each listening, like Radiohead's "In Rainbows" did.

Favorites so far: Life In Technicolor, Cemeteries of London (6/8 time. Yeah.), Lost!, Yes, Strawberry Swing, Lovers in Japan, Death And All His Friends (the last two being two-part songs, with a slight break between "movements". The last part of "DAAHF" is a reprise of the opening instrumental track, Life In Technicolor - if you put it on continuous play, it'll just roll right around to the start again. Nice.)


The Ugly Suit (self titled CD): This was the opening act for Iron & Wine. They had the most peculiar mannerisms. One of the guys had hair about 3 feet long, and he snapped his body back and forth to the beat, so that his hair almost looked like a metronome. :)

Plus, no one faced the audience unless they had to sing. If there were no mic stands and they were using headset mics... I'm sure we would have never seen their faces. Weird. They must play this way in someone's basement or garage and haven't adjusted their act yet.

But the music is good. :) It's another one of these bands where the vocals are really unimportant as a focus; they become another one of the instruments making up a constantly moving wall of sound. Also, unlike the classic rock I grew up with, not only are there no discernible vocals, there is no lead guitar riff per se, and no noticeable bass line, either.

Each guitar blends with the others into a pulsating strum pattern that almost takes on the feel of a heartbeat. The song sounds... organic, alive. Like a ruffed grouse that thrums its wings, but has no distinctive "call." This is one modern style of music that is truly new, I think. I like it. :) Sort of.

Okay, so .. their new CD is not yet out, although the merch table at the concert was selling them. I think they said it would be like August or something for general sales. But when it comes out, and gets up on iTunes, I'd recommend downloading: Chicago, Brad's House, And We Became Sunshine, Anthem of the Arctic Birds, Let It Be Known.


Flight of the Conchords Soundtrack Album: I guess you would have had to see it to understand. :) (I haven't; no HBO.) The songs are pretty funny just as they are, but to have seen them in context would make them a whole lot better, I don't doubt.

Ladies of the World is pretty hilarious just as it is; so is Foux de Fafa. And "It's Business Time" is soooo Barry White. Ohhh, baby. You gotta let me tell you just how Barry White is it, baby, yeahhh:

You see tonight's the night we make looove, because... it's Wednesday night, yeahhh. And you know we always make looove on Wednesday night, 'cause it's.. *our* night. So you see it doesn't matter if we're doing laundry together.. or just brushing our teeth together, baby, 'cause it's all.. foreplay.. and it's all.. beautifulllll. mmmmmm.

(but only if you brush in circles...) ;)

Well, I definitely want to see it now! Maybe I'll rent the first season this weekend. :) Either that or... Arrested Development. So many cultural phenomenae to catch up on...


Oh, and... ha. Speaking of cultural phenomena, I finally broke down and bought some Prince. :)

Amazon had a "best of" CD for $4.99, so I thought.. how can I resist? I really knew nothing about his music except his appearance on stage. When asked, I could not recall the tune to one single song of his! So, as I listened to the CD, I expected it all to be unfamiliar. It wasn't!

And sure, now that I hear some.. of course I've heard this before! I just never associated it with Prince. Not sure why, just never did. Maybe it's because his voice is so unremarkable. He sounds pretty generic sometimes. I think I prefer someone who can get funky like he does, but with a more distinctive voice, like Stevie or Gnarls.

So, Prince favorites: 7, I Wanna To Be Your Lover (the long version), 1999, I Would Die 4 U, Kiss, Sign O' The Times, Thieves in the Temple.

And no more pounding! Yay! The roof is done. I can hear myself think. :D

Shingles are flying!

For a while there, I was almost afraid to set foot outside for fear I'd get knocked on the head by a chunk of asphalt frisbee sailing across the yard.



Finally a stretch of nice days where the roofers can do their thing. :) But what a mess. And the pounding! This is one time where being a telecommuter is not so great. Bang, bang, bang all day long, and into the evening.



I mean, jeepers! I could hardly hear the television. ;)

Oh, don't worry, I was only watching on my lunch hour, and only then because of the 18-hole playoff in the U.S. Open between Tiger and Rocco. (sounds like a couple of names for mobsters, not golfers...)

So it goes 18 extra holes, and Tiger ties it on the 18th to force sudden death at about 3:00 and.. I have a teleconference! Arghh! Why do they schedule these things during the work day?? (playoffs, I mean, not meetings.)

But thankfully there is streaming video from the USGA, and I could see bits of it on my Mac while discussing the exhibits we were screensharing on my work PC.

Gosh, the things a guy has to do these days to stay wired in...

success

.


looking past yourself
losing so another gains
upside down kingdom


.

Iron & Wine

I'm late on this, but what a nice Wednesday night out this was. :)



It was also a mixture of the expected and the unexpected.

For instance, I didn't expect to find a parking ramp that did valet parking... for 6 bucks.

I did expect a reasonably priced dinner (given that I checked out the menu on line first) at the Loon Cafe two blocks from the concert venue. But I didn't expect such great food & atmosphere, so cheap.




In an effort to keep the cost in line, I opted for whatever beer was on special. It happened to be Grain Belt Premium, which was new to me - wow. Very smooth and drinkable. I forced myself to stick to one, although it tasted like it should be 3 or 4.

And the ubiquitous Wild Rice Soup that most restaurants have around here was fantastic! I can see why it was featured in Bon Appetit Magazine. Terrific. Of course when I got home I pulled up the recipe. Maybe I'll make that next week! :)

I did expect rain, and we got a little, but carrying the umbrella served as insurance, and we were mostly dry.

I didn't expect that the Sightline Seating (reserved table) would really be worth it. But it was! For D, it made a big difference in her enjoyment level. :) And, of course... in mine, then, too.

I expected to like the opening act better than the headliner, since it's been my pattern. Not this time. :( They were getting their first big break, and it showed. They had a big sound but no stage presence. They pretty much stood in a circle and faced each other, only turning to the audience when one of them had to sing. But they were preselling a CD for cheap, so.. review to follow in a future blog post.



The headliner I expected to just love. And yes, they played familiar songs, but in a very unfamiliar style. They started out as I expected, just Sam and Sarah and Sam's acoustic. Wonderful. :)



But then after the first 5 songs, they brought on 2 percussionists, another guitar and a bass, and a keyboardist. They switched styles completely to something... Caribbean?? So the songs were the same, all right, but - not the same.



But at least on the merchandise table they kept their focus. Hand knit hats and mittens by Sarah Beam. Aww...



The audience liked them well enough to bring them back for an encore. I expected them to play my favorite song (Such Great Heights.) But they didn't. :( Which, in retrospect, was okay, I guess... I didn't really feel like crying.

one from two

.


mirror images
puzzle pieces from the clay
corresponding shapes


.









(adapted from Such Great Heights)

Find Your Wings

It was only for a moment
You were mine to hold
The plans that heaven has for you
Will all too soon unfold

So many different prayers I'll pray
For all that you might do
But most of all I'll want to know
You're walking in the truth

And If I never told you
I want you to know
As I watch you grow

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

May passion be the wind
That leads you through your days
And may conviction keep you strong
Guide you on your way

May there be many moments
That make your life so sweet
Oh, but more than memories

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

It's not living if you don't reach for the sky
I'll have tears as you take off
But I'll cheer as you fly

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings



----- Mark Harris

Just say no to drugs

or at least ask your doctor if she'll let you. :)

My blood test numbers looked so good again that I had to ask "doc, can we consider stopping the use of some of these prescriptions?"

So, sure enough, the thought had crossed her mind, too, and - all of a sudden we went from 6 prescriptions to 3. I can completely stop taking the meds for diabetes, cholesterol, and blood pressure. Yay!

I'll then only be dealing with the endocrine stuff, and those are life-long anyway.

Of course, we'll look at blood tests again soon (in two months when I'm in Milwaukee again for State Fair), and determine if the levels are all still holding properly. But - wow. That would be great to be essentially cured of those three potential killers, and off those drugs.

So she was pretty happy with how I was doing, including weight/muscle management, and if she's happy... so am I. :)

It was kind of a relief after the unnerving drive through tornados the night before. And it helped me be able to enjoy the afternoon of shopping with D, the dinner out with old friends, and the ballgame at Miller Park later that night.

What a great night for baseball! Balmy, breezy, great seats, good company. (Yeah, lousy game, but - you can't have everything - at least not at the price we were paying.) ;)



As a little added bonus, I wound up being interviewed on Radio Milwaukee (88.9 FM) while driving around in Wauwatosa Friday on my way to the doctor. :) Okay, it was only about 3 minutes worth, but...

Anyway, I had called in about Black Artist Month and wanted to give a shout to the black artist named k-os (reviewed elsewhere on this website.) The DJ seemed intrigued by my take on k-os's music, also by the fact that I was not a local guy but still listened to their station sometimes, when I was in town, or as a streaming station in iTunes.

We had a nice conversation, just jawing about stuff, and.. after I hung up - here was the whole conversation on the air! Gee, I'm glad I was reasonably polite. :)

And on Saturday, what a difference a day made on the ride home! Wow. Much calmer, less nerve-racking, and faster. Even had time to stop at Trader Joe's on the way back to pick up some red pepper & eggplant spread (to mix with cream cheese for dip), some of their frozen "Soycoutash" veggies, a black olive/red pepper/feta cheese frozen pizza, and a bag of those great soy and flaxseed oil tortilla chips. Mmm. Nice.

To top it off, turned on the TV just in time to see Tiger hurt his knee on no. 15 in the U.S. Open, and despite a noticeable wince and limp, go birdie-eagle on the last two holes to grab the lead going into the final round. Great day. :)

Music Reviews: R.E.M., Eagles, Marie' Digby, Ingrid Michaelson, Greg Laswell

Lots of new music this time around. (I mean.. fairly recent releases, not just new to me.)

R.E.M. - "Accelerate": Everyone says it's a welcome return to form, energetic and driving. But I *liked* the albums they did that weren't so hard-rocking! :(

I thought their best stuff was on Around The Sun, and Automatic For The People, which the critics panned. Huh. Shows how much they know. :) Well, the lead vocal hasn't changed, anyway. They still sound the same in that respect, and that helps. It's really not all *that* hard-driving; maybe 4 songs are. It's kind of moderate pop now, less focused on mood-setting.

This CD happened to be on sale on Amazon for 5 bucks, and I guess it was worth that much. Favorites: Living Well is the Best Revenge, Supernatural Superserious, Hollow Man, Houston (a nice one in 3/4 time), Until the Day is Done (another lilting one in 6/8 time.)

Eagles - "Long Road Out Of Eden": First studio album in.. a loooong time. Still sounds like them, though. Those characteristic tight, sparkling harmonies come through, from the opening track (the acapella "No More Walks in the Wood"), through the 10+ minute title track in the middle, to the final track "Hole in the World." Nice to hear that sound again.

And while the vocals may not soar anymore like they did once on Lyin' Eyes, they're still tight, and the band still has that quasi-country sound, even on mushy ballads like What Do I Do With My Heart (which could have been done better by an R&B artist.) Other favorites: Waiting in the Weeds, No More Cloudy Days, It's Your World Now, Hold On, I Don't Want to Hear Anymore, Do Something (the last three being throwbacks to their early stuff.) Not a great CD... but not bad, either.

Marie' Digby - "Unfold": Not bad for a $1.99 special on Amazon. :) I'm tempted to say "just another young girl singer doing songs well beyond her experience", but.. I'll be kinder. She *sounds* a little older, and capable of handling the material (even though it probably still *is* beyond her experience. You probably have to be at least 25 before you can say you've fully experienced the heartache and the beauty of love. Don't you think?)

This is straight pop, with a little country twang here and there, a'la Leigh Nash. Pretty nice; kinda grows on you. Favorites: Spell, Say It Again, Beauty in Walking Away, Better Off Alone.

Ingrid Michaelson - "Boys and Girls": She's funny. A real character in concert. :) While maybe best known for the Old Navy sweater commercial (featuring The Way That I Am), the whole album is nice. You could say "yeah, another girl singer", etc.. but she does things her own way. You can hear some Feist in the lightness of her voice, some Imogen Heap in the intensity of some of her songs, and a little Fiona Apple in her quirkyness (lots of ukelele...) Still, she's her own girl.

Really a good CD all around, no bad tracks. Favorites: The Way That I Am, Breakable, Die Alone, Glass. Plus, I like a couple from her Slow Rain debut album (I'll See You In My Dreams, Morning Lullabies) and a single from Grey's Anatomy, Keep Breathing.

Greg Laswell - "Through Toledo", "How the Day Sounds" (EP): He opened for Ingrid Michaelson last week. Local act, but pretty solid singer and player. He sounds like everyone you know, kind of. You can hear some Snow Patrol in this guy, and some Chris Martin (Coldplay), and some Keane. Easy to listen to, and at the same time, kind of unremarkable. Favorites: I liked all the tracks from the EP. It's definitely worth the $6. Favorites from TT: Sing Theresa Says, High and Low, Do What I Can, Amazed.

Tornadic Activity

Just the phrase sounds so ominous: "conditions are right for the possibility of tornadic activity; please be prepared to take shelter."

Tornadic activity seems... sinister and unamercian.

I prefer funnel clouds. :)

They sound kind of friendly. Like those things you buy at the State Fair in the same booth where you get the elephant ears. Funnel cakes. Aww.. soft and fluffy!

Well, either way, we drove through them last night and, ai ai ai! I've driven through downpours before but *this* was pretty scary.

We wound up driving from overpass to overpass, and cowering under the bridges while the sky roared around above us. No visible funnels, but you knew conditions were right for "tornadic activity."

After we left the area where we were hiding out from the angry elements, and turned the radio to WTMJ, we heard that "a tornado has just touched down in Haven, Wisconsin, near Whistling Straits."

And we had just passed the exit to Kohler! Yikes! No wonder it was so scary. Later they said that 6 of those fluffy, freindly funnel clouds had been sighted in Sheboygan county (where we were driving from overpass to overpass.)

I don't care what you call it, tornadic activity or funnel clouds... I'm glad we got to Milwaukee, got the blood draw done and made it to the hotel safe and sound.

Now this morning I can see my doctor, poke around Wauwatosa a bit on the way back, see some old familiar sights, and read until the baseball game tonight.

Home tomorrow (by the same route we took to get here - north and around all the closed roads in the middle of the state.)

Texted J2 this morning as he was driving to Chicago for a wedding this weekend (his first as a groomsman - it's that time of his life now where they start to happen rapid fire...)

Asked him if he was underwater yet. :) He said "lol. no - but kinda lost. I just keep heading south and east hoping I'll get there." They're diverting traffic on the interstate, I guess. Gee whiz, boy. Stop and buy a map! ;)

So if you're not wet today... be grateful! And if you are wet or stranded... you're not alone. Hope you're all right, wherever you are.

Maybe You'll Be There

Another one of those gorgeous ballads that Sinatra did so very well (his is again the definitive version I think, though Diana Krall's is great, too. I suppose which one you identify with depends on if you're male or female.) :)

The melody is so endearing, and fits the words so well, I often find myself singing it when driving or walking alone. It's an alone song.

Usually I skip the bridge (3rd stanza), for good reason. I can't relate (for which I'm grateful.) :) But the rest is not so much of a stretch to understand, whenever I'm alone.



Each time I see a crowd of people
Just like a fool I stop and stare
It's really not the proper thing to do
But maybe you'll be there

I go out walking after midnight
Along the lonely thoroughfare
It's not the time or place to look for you
But maybe you'll be there

You said your arms would always hold me
You said you lips were mine alone to kiss
Now after all those things you told me
How can it end like this

Someday if all my prayers are answered
I'll hear a footstep on the stair
With anxious heart I'll hurry to the door
And maybe you'll be there


----- as sung by Frank Sinatra (or Diana Krall.. both are lovely.)

Happiness vs Joy

Off to see the endocrine doctor in Milwaukee for my semi-annual poke, prod and analyze session. Hopefully no lecture this time, since I followed orders! :) More on that when I get back. And more on last night's show, as well. For now, on to another topic that has sat for a couple of days.



Monday was one of those days where so many nice things happened, it was hard not to be happy. :)

I mean, I was down to goal weight again (after getting sloppy with my eating habits last week.) That made me happy.

Then, I found out that I won tickets to a sold-out concert! That made me happy.

When I went for a run at noon, I set a new personal best for a mile, and felt like I could easily keep going (and might have, but also had walked down to the track for another mile round trip, so.. saved a little for the next day.) That made me happy.

Plus, on the way home, it was a perfect Spring day after loads of rainy stormy weather - 74 degrees and sunny, with a nice breeze and clouds that looked like tufts of cotton poking through an azure pillow. That made me happy.

So I started wondering..

If I had to differentiate between happiness and joy, how would I do it? (without resorting to a dictionary...)

I guess I'd say that happiness is a positive, heart-lifting emotion that is very reactive to, and dependent on, the circumstances of the moment.

Joy, on the other hand, is a positive, heart-lifting emotional *state* that persists regardless of the circumstances of the moment.

Or at least that's how they seem to me. Not so different in feel, but in.. duration? Happiness is a disposable good, but joy a durable good, maybe. Like bags of ice in a cooler, versus a refrigerator. Hm.

I was aware on Monday of the presence of happiness. But I also was aware of the fleeting, temporal nature of it. And, as I walked, I inquired within as to whether or not I was aware of joy. I was not. They really are different.

But I also got the distinct impression that if this happiness continued long enough... it might codify into joy. Maybe.

Does it work like that, I wonder? Is happiness like gelatin or like pudding that, if you stop stirring it, will "set up" after a while and turn into joy?

If you have a preponderance of happy circumstances and events in your life, for a long enough stretch of time... if life is really, really good for quite a while... can that create a joyful state? A state that will persist when the circumstances take a turn for the worse, and sustain you until they turn back again?

Maybe it's like repeated applications of fertilizer to a field or a lawn. Can treatments change the essential soil chemistry if done often enough and long enough? I don't know.

So I think back on when circumstances in my life turned for the worse several years ago. There was no enduring state of joy to sustain me, so I crumbled.

Does that mean that before the "turn", there were not enough truly happy moments strung together for me to build into joy? Perhaps so.

Or maybe.. joy comes from some place else. And I hadn't discovered where. I don't have an answer to that. I would think that I might have learned it after all this time on earth.

But then again, it's listed as a "fruit of the Spirit" in Galatians 5:22-23. Hm. I wrote about that not long ago, didn't I?

Maybe there's a clue there. ;)

And maybe something's different now than it was before. :)

It sure feels like joy is at least within the realm of possibility now. But time (and the next downturn in circumstances) will tell the tale.

Mindless Drivel

J2 & I went out to see the latest Adam Sandler movie last night. It definitely falls in the above category. :)

Parts were pretty funny, other parts were tasteless, and on the whole.. it was worth the price we paid to see it. Which was nothing. (I had a couple of passes left over from a show that started really late a month or so ago. Otherwise I think I would have regretted spending $17 on it for the two of us.)

But it was fun to hang out with him for a while, and laugh some. And the Coldstone Creamery ice cream afterwards was pretty good, too. That was *almost* worth the money, given the discount coupon I had. (You can get a whole pint of Culver's frozen custard for about the same cost - and sometimes... I do!)

So not a bad father/son night out for a total expenditure of $5.33 - if you like Adam Sandler and ice cream.

Hm. And a darn sight less than I'll be spending tonight for a night out with D. Parking, dinner, concert tix, reserved table... I don't even want to add it up. But then again, it's Iron & Wine! So it'll be worth it. :)

Where Have You Gone?

My newish friend and sometime fellow concert-goer (eels and ingrid michaelson so far), S, is also a guitarist/singer. When I saw him play at a cafe' a couple of weeks ago, he did mostly covers, many of which I knew.

But there was one song I never heard before that really grabbed my attention. So I bugged him about it afterwards. Turns out he wrote it. Here's the lyrics - wish I had a way of sharing the tune, too, but it's unrecorded at present. It's one of those songs that, along with the music, paints a picture - this one of heartbreak.



These dreams I've been dreaming, they haunt my mind
I wake up and call your name
These streets I've been walking, they're cold and unkind
My footprints are etched in shame

Where have you gone, my beautiful girl
I'm calling your name out loud
Where have you run to, my mystery girl
I'm calling your name out loud

With pain as my shadow, the tears stain my face
Your memory chokes my brain
Regret and remorse keep me trapped in this place
Played over and over again

Where have you gone, my beautiful girl
I'm calling your name out loud
Where have you run to, my mystery girl
I'm calling your name out loud

A numbing denial from an eighty-proof sea
Keeps me safely away from the shore
The rocks, they stand as reminders to me
Of a past which I try to ignore

Where have you gone, my beautiful girl
I'm calling your name out loud
Where have you run to, my mystery girl
I'm calling your name out loud

I'm calling your name out loud
I'm calling your name out loud



----- by SQ.

Can you take a joke?

On June 21 Bon Iver, Cloud Cult, Andrew Bird, and The New Pornographers (incl. A.C. Newman and my favorite alt-country singer, Neko Case) play at the sculpture garden at the Walker Art Center. I tried to get tickets, but... it's sold out.

And yet - I'm going! Not crashing it, not scalping tickets - walking in the gate legitimately. Any fans out there a little jealous? ;) Perhaps..)

How did I get into this sold-out show, you ask?

I, um.. wrote a joke?

Yeah, for real. I wrote a joke. Ha.

When I heard about the Rock The Garden concert, I went out on the Walker Art Center website to find out about it. Fabulous lineup, but.. they said it was sold-out. :(

Rats! Now I'll have to try to scalp tickets on the street, and probably not get in. Craigslist had dozens - dozens! - of posts of people wanting tickets, even willing to trade their Death Cab For Cutie tix for this show. Not me! So scoring one that way didn't seem likely.

Then I saw this little link that said "win two free tickets by telling us a joke." Huh?

Yup, they were running a joke contest, and it was my only way to get in. Like the old saying goes, if you don't play... you can't win. So, all right, here goes nothing.

But what do I know from jokes? Especially original ones? I'm no good at that. And the judge is an acknowledged expert, actor, and lecturer on humor? Forget about it, man. I didn't even think that what I came up with was all that funny. But I sent it anyway.

And yayayay!! Score!!

I told the joke at home and got about the same reaction as you probably got from reading it at this link. Um... okaaaay. But who am I to critique the judge? (especially when I win...)

So, no need to go the the Basilica Block Party this year. This show is way cooler, anyway. Imagine - me (and maybe J2, if he's a good boy and does all his lawn chores!) - at one of the hottest tickets in town. All from a half-baked joke, effectively a half-court desperation shot at the buzzer. Hm.

Now that.... is funny. :)

yielding

.


giving up my place
i decrease so he may grow
there where he belongs


.



(Jn. 3:30)

Going Shrinkless

Almost done with Dr. Shrink-wrap. Two more visits, and... arrivederci, il doctore. Grazie.

He's been very helpful, and I told him so last time. (But of course, he's not the only person who's been helpful. He's just the one who is probably the most ... dispassionate ... about it.)

I'm finding that I am now at a place in this emotional/mental health situation sort of like where I am in golf or tennis: when I find myself messing up, I can mostly diagnose what I'm doing wrong, and make some corrections to fix it. And I play well enough that I enjoy myself - it doesn't frustrate me anymore. I still mess up, sure, but they're small mistakes, and not so bad that I just... give up.

Good analogy? ;)

He said last visit that he agrees that it's time to modify this to an "as needed" situation. If something happens in my life that is traumatic or disappointing, or I find my thought patterns are slipping back into the old ones, I can call and get an "adjustment" (sort of like at the chiropractor, I guess - except that he's messing around inside your head, not with your back.)

So with that encouragement from him, I said: it must feel good to you to see the seeds that you planted and watered take root and flourish. And he said "Absolutely. This is what you go into practice for, cases like yours."

Aww... :) I'm glad I helped make you feel better, Doc. ;)

Grow, grow, grow!

They're in the ground!

Finally a nice (though warm and humid) day - a Saturday, no less - with no big commitments. And some other workers to lend a hand. :)

Good thing, too. I wound up renting a sod cutter (not the powered version, but the hand tool) from the hardware store for 5 bucks, and I sure needed the extra help. :(



It worked pretty good, although I felt like a horse (or an Amish farmer) tilling the soil by hand. I got an idea of what it was like when farm labor was like that. Oof. Thank God it had rained and the soil was moist. I can't imagine how tough it would have been to do if it was bone dry.

As it was, with J2 & I taking turns grunting and shoving it through the dirt while the other one rolled up the sod and loaded it into the wheelbarrow, we were both dripping wet afterward, and puffing. Yes, even the 20 year old. :)

And while I measured the distances and lined up the spots, he dug some holes for the plants.



Then D, the master-gardener-in-training ;) , had mercy on me and did the actual planting. Aww.. thanks! Don't they look nice?



Finally, I set up the protective "grow tubes", put the bamboo stakes in, and tied the stakes to the tubes. (Some assembly required!) You can see the vines neatly tucked inside where the deer can't get at them.



The tubes come off in late August, so the new trunks have a chance to harden up before the cold weather comes. They will take their permanent shape then, so I have to straighten and retie them to the stakes when I take off the tubes.

I was afraid it would be a bit of an eyesore in our side yard, but.. they don't look so bad. :)




And I have a whole year now to think about sinking the big posts next Spring that will form the trellising. Oof. That will be an ordeal. Hope J2 is still around to lend a hand. He's right helpful, he is. :)

Next year, after the posts go in, so do the rosebushes on the end of each row. D will be picking out the winter-hardy varieties to plant. Since the vines are the new Marquette varietal... can you get roses in blue and gold? ;) Oh, I suppose I'll settle for yellow...

There will never be another you

This song (both the lyrics and the music, of course), from Julie London's version to Michael Feinstein's (and, of course, Sinatra's), creates such a simultaneously melancholy and sweet atmosphere - you can almost put yourself in the picture it paints (or at least I can..)



This is our last night together,
Tonight soon will be long ago.
And in our moment of parting,
This is all I want you to know...


There will be many other nights like this,
And you'll be standing there with someone new.
There will be other songs to sing,
Another fall...another spring...
But there will never be another you.


There will be other lips that I may kiss,
But they won't thrill me like yours used to do.
Yes, I may dream a million dreams,
But how can they come true,
If there will never, ever be another you?


Yes, I may dream a million dreams,
But how can they come true,
If there will never, ever be...

Another you?



----- by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon (1942)

Fine Line Cafe

Very nice venue. :)



One of the many old brick office and warehouse buildings on the north end of downtown, where new (and old) clubs are so popular. The night life on the street (the people living it, that is) was worth watching after the show let out. Hm. The clothes. Some you'd have to see to believe.

I didn't think they still made dresses that tight and short. Yikes! How do you sit? Same question I asked myself in the 70's when mini-skirts were the fashion. There were girls then who somehow knew how to pull it off (a certain one whom I still know.. ;) ), and girls who didn't.

Same thing today. Some can and some can't. And fair or not, the men didn't have the same issues with exposed flesh - just issues with good or bad style. Some get it.. some don't.

Inside the cafe', it was up a notch from some venues, but not as glitzy as others. You could reserve a table for $50 (which my buddy S and I did NOT do), or find a bar stool on the balcony rail (which we DID do), or stand (which a lot of people did.) It was crowded but not so much so that you couldn't move.



Even though the pictures from the balcony make it look a long way off, the club was more intimate than this.




If you were standing on the lower level, you were much, much closer to the artist.



In fact, from the artist's perspective - the audience was kind of in your face. And that lent itself to a very casual atmosphere with the performer acting more like they were playing some songs for friends in someone's garage. :) It kind of rattled Ingrid Michaelson now and then. I can see why.



She did great, though. Her concert was kind of a stream of consciousness thing - constant and random chatter, plus singing. And she seemed comfortable with herself. Her biggest hit, The Way I Am, she horsed around with, had fun assigning audience parts (which they all knew - she had quite a following.) Then she sang it straight - to great applause. Watch for a review of her CD "Boys and Girls" in a future post. :)

The opener was Greg Laswell, local boy. He sounds a lot like ... everyone. ;) You could hear Keane, and Snow Patrol, and Chris Martin and... lots of different people in him. He was fine for background, an easy style to warm up to, and not one who would overpower the minimalist approach of the headliner.



I'll review some of his stuff in a later post, too. For once, I preferred the headliner to the warmup band. :) But not by a ton. They are both nice to listen to. But neither were so compelling in their performances that S & I had to stop talking very often. ;) We had fun. Nice night.

Music Reviews: Rogue Wave, Tori Amos, Amalgams, Augustana, Jimmy Eat World

Rogue Wave - "Asleep At Heaven's Gate": The opening act for Death Cab For Cutie. Very, very nice. Liked them better than DCFC (which seems to be normal for me - preferring the opener to the headliner.)

This is a great CD, full of sound, with soaring vocals (which blend with the band so well they become another instrument at times), although less intense than the concert version of the same songs. Favorites: Harmonious, Chicago x 12, Like I Needed, Lake Michigan, Christians in Black (these two both rare rock songs in 6/8 time!) Really swell band and good music.

Tori Amos - "Under The Pink": Yes, her again. I know, I know, I already reviewed her. But J1 sent a CD of hers home with D from California that she was ready to part with, so.. once more for Tori. This CD is a little mellower than some of her others, less quirky and more approachable in general. Favorites: Pretty Good Year, Cornflake Girl (a big hit for her), Bells For Her, Past The Mission, Baker Baker, Icicle, Space Dog, Yes Anastasia (which is almost symphonic at nearly 10 minutes.) Nice CD all around.

And, from the J2 collection...

Amalgams - "Closer", "Play The Man" (7 song EP): Closer is mediocre at best. Makes you wonder how they got a recording contract. It's mostly Christian Emo which I don't think works at all. At least not when it's done this unremarkably. They also dabble with reggae, punk, hip-hop, etc. - but do none of them well.

I don't doubt the band's sincerity, but they sound like they should be playing for high school dances. Eh. Play The Man is better, a step up, but... still not ready for prime time. A few tracks here are worth a listen: Last In Line, Blinded Castle, Pathetic Me. I'd skip Closer and go straight to the Play The Man EP. :)

Augustana - "All the Stars and Boulevards": Better. Way better. Still Christian emo-rock, but more sophisticated songs and better played. iTunes thinks they're a midwestern version of Keane or Coldplay. I wouldn't go *that* far. Maybe after more road and studio time, perhaps, but not just yet. Tracks I enjoyed: Boston (this one got some solid radio play), Hotel Roosevelt, Stars and Boulevards, Wasteland, Sunday Best, Coffee and Cigarettes. Good CD from a band on the verge of breakout.

Jimmy Eat World - "Chase This Light": Um... iTunes says they're a melodic punk band embraced by the emo community before being accepted into the alt-rock mainstream. What the heck is that supposed to mean? This CD is Power Pop if I've ever heard it. :)

Big sound, catchy songs, decent vocals, strong playing, mostly uptempo, pounding tunes. Good, good. Favorites: Big Casino, Let It Happen, Always Be, Carry You, ... well - I kind of like them all. Worth having in a collection. Thanks, J2 - now they're in mine. ;)

There. Now I'm caught up with recent events. Back to working my way through the stack of stuff I've tagged for exploration. :) Sort of like my summer reading pile. This might be slow going, but I'll keep at it. One chapter at a time, one CD at a time.

Hm. Maybe I need to start doing book reviews! Currently in process: "Founding Mothers" by Cokie Roberts, and "Silence" by Shushaku Endo. Both are good so far. Mother Teresa's "Come Be My Light" will follow next. Stay tuned...

And tonight! Ingrid Michaelson at the FineLine, with her friend Greg Laswell. So you can guess what I'll write about tomorrow. ;)

Stanzas

Could Love for ever
Run like a river,
And Time's endeavor
Be tried in vain -
No other pleasure
With this could measure,
And like a treasure
We'd hug the chain.

But since our sighing
Ends not in dying,
And, formed for flying,
Love plumes his wing;
Then for this reason
Let's love a season;
But let that season
Be only Spring.



When lovers parted
Feel broken-hearted,
And, all hopes thwarted,
Expect to die;
A few years older,
Ah! how much colder
They might behold her
For whom they sigh!

When linked together,
In every weather,
They pluck Love's feather
From out his wing -
He'll stay for ever,
But sadly shiver
Without his plumage,
When past the Spring.



Wait not, fond lover!
Till years are over,
And then recover,
As from a dream.
While each bewailing
The other's failing,
With wrath and railing,
All hideous seem -

While first decreasing,
Yet not quite ceasing,
Wait not till teasing
All passion blight:
If once diminished
Love's reign is finished -
Then part in friendship, -
And bid good-night.



So shall Affection
To recollection
The dear connection
Bring back with joy:
You had not waited
Till, tired or hated,
Your passions sated
Began to cloy.

Your last embraces
Leave no cold traces -
The same fond faces
As through the past;
And eyes, the mirrors
Of your sweet errors,
Reflect but rapture -
Not least though last.



True, separations
Ask more than patience;
What desperations
From such have risen!
But yet remaining,
What is't but chaining
Hearts which, once waning,
Beat 'gainst their prison?

Time can but cloy love,
And use destroy love:
The winged boy, Love,
Is but for boys -
You'll find it torture
Though sharper, shorter,
To wean and not
Wear out your joys.



----- George Gordon, Lord Byron [1788-1824]

The Barbeque School of Theology

We sort of created it in a prof's backyard last night. It's as close as an Evangelical school can get to a "theology of the pub."

It was the kickoff of a summer reading & book discussion group, and some 20-odd (emphasis on odd) students, professors and alumni from the Seminary gathered for picnic food and (non-alcoholic) drink. It was less than a mile away, and a nice night, so I just walked over. And man, I love those salt and vinegar potato chips, but... they realllllly make you thirsty!

They brought in a guest speaker of sorts - a professor of historic Christianity (or some such thing) from the U. He had done his doctoral thesis on Karl Barth and the influence of some 19th century German pietists on his writing. And since Barth was a strong influence on the two authors we'll be reading this summer... it sort of laid the background for some of the threads of pietism we'll maybe see in the book. I think.

The book is "Disavowing Contsantine", a collection of essays by Juergen Moltmann and John Howard Yoder, on the apppropriate roles of church and state. Great fodder for a relevant theological discussion in an election year.

Should be a fun group - if you like making connections between the eschatology of the anabaptists and the ecclesiology of Barth (who, being a Reformed theologian, held to many of the classical positions of John Calvin, but also was open to the lively experiential faith of the pietists.)

Me, I'd rather discuss Karl Rahner's influence on Vatican II, and the overlap of that with Moltmann's strong pneumatological emphasis in his "Theology of Hope". We might be able to relate all that to the theology of the Obama campaign (versus that of McCain's.) But I'm not the host, so.. I'll take what's offered. :)

Oooh, doesn't that sound all just soooo very geeky? And to think I actually grasp a bit of this now. :) Maybe I did learn something this academic year.

Caught in love

If you find yourself caught in love
Say a prayer to the man above
Thank Him for everything you know
You should thank him for every breath you blow

If you find yourself caught in love
Say a prayer to the man above
You should thank Him for every day you pass
Thank Him for saving your sorry ass

If you’re single, but looking out
You must raise your prayer to a shout
Another partner must be found
Someone to take your life beyond
Another TV “I Love 1999”
Just one more box of cheapo wine

If you find yourself caught in love
You should say a prayer to the man above
If you don’t listen to the voices
Then my friend you’ll soon run out of choices

What a pity it would be
You talk of freedom don’t you see
The only freedom that you’ll ever really know
Is written in books from long ago

Give up your will to Him that loves you
Things will change, I’m not saying overnight
But something has to give
You’re too good looking not to live



----- Belle & Sebastian

Yes We Can!

"O-BA-MA!" "O-BA-MA!" "O-BA-MA!"



It wasn't quite as loud as the DCFC concert, and he only spoke for a half-hour, but... the recorded music was great. I want the soundtrack album to the Obama campaign. :) While waiting for the candidate, they even played the music video of "Yes We Can" by will.i.am.

The whole thing had the feel of a rock concert, all the way to the end of the night when Barack walked off the stage arm in arm with Michelle, to the music of Springsteen's "The Rising". Yeah, baby. :)

Speaking of Michelle, ooh, that girl is tall. They really looked like bookends standing up there, both slender, both sharp. And mmm.. affectionate. :) The kiss before his speech looked to me like the genuine article (you know, his arms around her waist, her hands on his chest.. that kind. She stopped short of lifting one heel up behind her, though. Decorum.) Then a little dap to each other for luck, and a little pat from him on her fanny as she walked off. (Nice walk, I might add. Jumbotrons help in assessing such things.)

And just like any good rock concert, there was a bit of waiting on line to do as well. Doors were set to open at 7PM. So I think to myself, oh, I'll leave the house about 5:20 and get to the arena before 6. That should give me plenty of time. Hahahaha.



By the time I got there, the line was already 5 blocks long. So, I get to the back of the line by 6. The line begins to move at 6:30, I'm actually in the hall by 7:15, seated by 8:15 (yes, really - an hour to get seated), and by 9:15 the big O speaks. On my way out by 9:45.

Yes, a lot of waiting for a short speech, but man, oh man - I saw history being made tonight. Free for nothin', too. :) Is this a great country, or what?



I couldn't help but look around me at the demographics of the crowd, and think... "this looks like America to me. Young, old, white, black, brown, male, female, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, immigrant, native-born. This is us."

The media was there, of course,



as were the activists (at a respectful distance),



and the street vendors. Cheesy stuff, but - it sold.

I still need a window cling. Something for the car that's, um... removable. ;)



Word was passed that they were not letting umbrellas in the arena.



So people were stashing their umbrellas under every stray bush they could find. I wonder how many got their own back. I'll bet you some people traded up. :P



Everyone went through a metal detector, so there was quite a crush at the gates. And no outside food was allowed in. :( Too bad. So I was forced to buy deluxe nachos and a premium hot dog. Try getting that at a rock concert. (And to all you vegans out there, yes I know, I know - that last food item is really an oxymoron.)



But the crowd was by and large very pleasant - we minded each others seats while going off to the food stands, and had congenial conversations all about how new we were to political support, and how this crowd is bigger than it was for Springsteen and so on. Probably about a third of us had our Obama gear on.



The picture below doesn't really do it justice, just too far away for the lens to show what the eye could observe, but - he really is a compelling speaker. Great themes, and such a positive, uplifting message without coming off as preachy. No wonder he's bringing new voters out of the woodwork, as well as converting a few conservatives and republicans. He's got a little hope for them to share.



And speaking of hope, I read an article in the Sunday paper last weekend about the "New Evangelicals" - ones who are not so partisan about their politics but are still passionate about their faith. This kind of evangelical I think I can be. :)

So tonight, I'll get right on that. My summer theological reading and discussion group starts tonight with a kickoff BBQ. I'm sure the Obama rally will come up in conversation. I'll bet I wasn't the only Seminarian (evangelical or Catholic - take your pick) in attendance. :)

courage

.


when you're feeling loved
nothing ever seems too hard
strength is close at hand


.

DCFC: emo no longer

You know you've been at a real concert when your ears don't stop ringing until you wake up the next morning. :)



Their sound has changed. Definitely harder, bigger, more guitar-focused. The vocals are barely audible sometimes. I think they need to be taken out of the Alternative genre now, and placed in Rock. Either that.. or Power Pop at the very least.



The audience was quite young, on average, compared to the crowd for The Swell Season and The Eels, say. I guess that's to be expected. But even with the change in style to something more hard-edged, the audience still went ballistic at the opening chord progression to "I Will Follow You Into The Dark", and sang along through the whole thing.

Me, too, in spots. :) Hey, it's a great song, and yes, I know - just as emo as it can be. Oh well. I remain unapologetic about that. :P



But, as in the past, the opening act, Rogue Wave, appealed to me more than the headliner. These guys were terrific. So I picked up their latest CD "Asleep At Heaven's Gate". Expect a glowing review on this one in a future post.



Not ever having heard of them before tonight, I asked the merchtable clerk at intermission what were the first four songs they opened with, and the one they closed with - I wanted *that* CD. She was clueless.

But there was a very kind girl (of.. 16 or so?) next to me who was a fan and overheard my question - she willingly reviewed songs with me, and advised me on my selection of a CD. I'm sure she felt sorry for the old guy who didn't know squat about her favorite band, and was happy to make a new disciple.

Naturally I didn't have the heart to tell her that for a boy who grew up on Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk RR, and Black Sabbath, this was more like "easy listening" music to my classic rock-trained ears. ;) But then, my tastes *have* mellowed a bit since the old days. No need for Robert Plant or Ozzy to wail for me anymore.

Anyway, overall some decent music, and a nice night out. :)

And the next outing should be even cooler! My first political rally - Barack Obama at the Xcel Center. Review on that to follow tomorrow. :)

Spring Planting

Grapevines!!  

I have grapevines!!  :D

The grape I'll be trying to grow is this one, "Marquette", developed by the University of Minnesota as a cold-hardy grape, but still from the vitis vinifera lineage, from which come Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Zinfandel, etc. - the traditional wine grape family.  

Though cross-bred with northern varieties for hardiness, Marquette's grandfather is Pinot Noir, a fine old vine to have in your lineage.

And no, mine don't look like those. Not yet. Mine look like this:




Picked them up yesterday afternoon, and they look nice and healthy, don't they? :) I got 16 plants, which I'll double up on either side of a bamboo stake and, after a couple of years, prune off the weaker of the two (assuming they both survive). So, I ordered the protective grow tubes, and will try to plant them within a week or two.

This is where they'll go:



I'll plant them in two rows, about 10 feet apart, running parallel to the end wall of the house. I figured I'd take a picture from two vantage points, the trellis and the fire hydrant, and then take new ones each year in Spring and Fall, to show the progress of the vines.



Yay! I'm so excited! :) Only 5 years now until drinkable wine. Maybe for my graduation party from Seminary. Somehow that would be appropriate, I think, on lots of levels. After all, the Scripture teaches in Psalm 104 that God is the giver of wine:

"14 He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for man to cultivate—
bringing forth food from the earth:

15 wine that gladdens the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine,
and bread that sustains his heart."

Amen to that, brother Psalmist.

You Don't Know What Love Is

You don't know what love is
‘Til you’ve learned the meaning of the blues
Until you’ve loved a love you've had to lose
You don't know what love is

You don't know how lips hurt
Until you've kissed and had to pay the cost
Until you've flipped your heart and you have lost
You don't know what love is

Do you know how lost I've been
At the thought of reminiscing
And how lips that taste of tears
Lose their taste for kissing

You don't know how hearts burn
For love that cannot live yet never dies
Until you've faced each dawn with sleepless eyes
You don't know what love is

----- Billie Holiday

healing

.

lost and found for hearts

if you find one wandering

show it the way home

.

You are there

In the evening
When the kettle's on for tea
An old familiar feeling settles over me
And it's your face I see
And I believe that you are there

In a garden
When I stop to touch a rose
And feel the petal soft and sweet against my nose
I smile and I suppose
That somehow.. maybe.. you are there

When I'm dreaming
And I find myself awake without a warning
Then I rub my eyes 

And fantasize
And all at once I realize

It's morning
And my fantasy is fading like a distant star at dawn
My dearest dream is gone
I often think there's just one thing to do
Pretend that dream is true

And tell myself that you are there



----- as sung by Stacey Kent