Tommy Emmanuel: You Gotto Go See This Guy
Jan/27/2006 05:06 PM Filed in: Balcony
People
There are so
many musicians out there. So many shows you can go
and see. But, I've got one for you, and I need to
tell you that I rarely, rarely pass along an artist
to say "You need to go see this guy." But in this
case, everyone who loves the guitar needs to go see
this guy. It's Tommy Emmanuel, and he's coming to the
McNair Studio of Bass Hall in Fort Worth, on Friday,
February 10th. (Read
the rest. Click here)
Uncle Tom Mays
Jan/20/2006 05:07 PM Filed in: Balcony
People
In the
weeks leading up to Christmas, the insanity of my
schedule was compounded by sad family news: the death
of my Great Uncle, Tom Mays. Tom was my grandfather's
younger brother; my mother's youngest uncle. He died
late in the evening on the Wednesday before
Christmas. The family's wish was to have me come out
to be a part of the service, and they also wanted to
do it before Christmas. So, with about a day's
notice, I drove out to East Texas, to
Atlanta,
to eulogize my great uncle, Tom.
What's worth noting about this is that Tom was the last of an entire generation. The youngest of eleven children, he outlived all his siblings by over a decade. For Mom, his passing means the last of her biological Aunts and Uncles (on both sides) are now gone. (Something that's still a little hard to fathom...) Trips to Atlanta always meant many trips around town, to pay homage to all these aunts and uncles in their homes. But, over the years, there's been fewer and fewer of them, and fewer and fewer trips back to East Texas.
So, from this generational view alone, it would be worth remembering the life of Tom Mays. But the truth is, Tom was a fascinating man, who lived a fascinating life. And the eulogy that follows, I hope, will interest even the most distant of friends of mine. It was an honor to be asked to be a part of this important family time. What follows is the gist of my remarks from the day... (Read the rest. Click here)
What's worth noting about this is that Tom was the last of an entire generation. The youngest of eleven children, he outlived all his siblings by over a decade. For Mom, his passing means the last of her biological Aunts and Uncles (on both sides) are now gone. (Something that's still a little hard to fathom...) Trips to Atlanta always meant many trips around town, to pay homage to all these aunts and uncles in their homes. But, over the years, there's been fewer and fewer of them, and fewer and fewer trips back to East Texas.
So, from this generational view alone, it would be worth remembering the life of Tom Mays. But the truth is, Tom was a fascinating man, who lived a fascinating life. And the eulogy that follows, I hope, will interest even the most distant of friends of mine. It was an honor to be asked to be a part of this important family time. What follows is the gist of my remarks from the day... (Read the rest. Click here)
Sunday in the Park (How quickly the time passes...)
Jan/09/2006 11:40 AM Filed in: Life Happens
Sunday
afternoon, Maria and I went down to the park at the
end of our block. It's a small city
park, with a nice little playground. She rode her new "Razor" scooter down there. She wanted to go so she could do the monkey bars. I can remember when I had to help her with the monkey bars...when she didn't have the strength to do them alone. Now, she zips through them, effortlessly, like she's skipping across on her hands.
She's also FAST on that scooter. She got well ahead of me at several points in our trip, and I had to yell at her to get her to slow down and wait for me. I read a book on fatherhood when she was first born that said that toddlers run away from their parents, and then always come back... enjoying the game itself, and gaining trust by the ever-longer distances they travel.
It's stunning how quickly it passes and how much she's changed. I know people have told me this my whole life. But like much of the other good advice I've gotten in life, I just asssumed it would be different for me...
As she scooted down the hill, so fast that it took my breath away, I thought about the incredible Sally Fingerett song, "The Return":
"Promise me, promise me, you will outlive me,
It's the natural order, the way it should be.
Break from me, take from me, all you can carry,
It's nature, it's nuture, and then it's your turn.
The things that I teach you I learn.
Tossed in the air, your baby goes flying,
Into the sun, under wide open skies,
Bright blue and shining
She's earthbound and she's running,
There in her eyes, it's your love that will
Always return."
While we were there, I sat wordlessly next to a couple from somewhere in South Asia. Vietnaam, perhaps? It was clear they spoke almost no English, because they didn't respond to my severalattempts to engage them. They grinned kindly, and smiled at Maria.
They were probably in their early sixties, and were there with a small baby in a stroller that I can only assume is a grandchild.
Was this their first visit? Had they come all the way from somehwhere like Vietnaam to see her? What did they think of North Dallas, or of Maria and I? What incredible things had they seen inlife? Did they know anyone caught up in the Tsunami?
So many unanswered questions. And instead, they just grinned and smiled and me, and I at them. And as they shuffled back up the street, I thought about what an amazing and small world we live in.
park, with a nice little playground. She rode her new "Razor" scooter down there. She wanted to go so she could do the monkey bars. I can remember when I had to help her with the monkey bars...when she didn't have the strength to do them alone. Now, she zips through them, effortlessly, like she's skipping across on her hands.
She's also FAST on that scooter. She got well ahead of me at several points in our trip, and I had to yell at her to get her to slow down and wait for me. I read a book on fatherhood when she was first born that said that toddlers run away from their parents, and then always come back... enjoying the game itself, and gaining trust by the ever-longer distances they travel.
It's stunning how quickly it passes and how much she's changed. I know people have told me this my whole life. But like much of the other good advice I've gotten in life, I just asssumed it would be different for me...
As she scooted down the hill, so fast that it took my breath away, I thought about the incredible Sally Fingerett song, "The Return":
"Promise me, promise me, you will outlive me,
It's the natural order, the way it should be.
Break from me, take from me, all you can carry,
It's nature, it's nuture, and then it's your turn.
The things that I teach you I learn.
Tossed in the air, your baby goes flying,
Into the sun, under wide open skies,
Bright blue and shining
She's earthbound and she's running,
There in her eyes, it's your love that will
Always return."
While we were there, I sat wordlessly next to a couple from somewhere in South Asia. Vietnaam, perhaps? It was clear they spoke almost no English, because they didn't respond to my severalattempts to engage them. They grinned kindly, and smiled at Maria.
They were probably in their early sixties, and were there with a small baby in a stroller that I can only assume is a grandchild.
Was this their first visit? Had they come all the way from somehwhere like Vietnaam to see her? What did they think of North Dallas, or of Maria and I? What incredible things had they seen inlife? Did they know anyone caught up in the Tsunami?
So many unanswered questions. And instead, they just grinned and smiled and me, and I at them. And as they shuffled back up the street, I thought about what an amazing and small world we live in.
--30--
Jesse Dyen Plays Prairie Chapel Road
Jan/09/2006 07:57 AM
A few
Christmases ago, I covered my favorite
Bill Nash song,
"Come Home." After I sent him a
copy of it, he wrote back saying that there was
nothing quite so cool as hearing somebody else do
your own song. I now know what that's like....
Jesse Dyen is a great songwriter and social activist from California. During Camp Casey, he fell into the job of head sound engineer and emcee of the Camp Casey II stage. (Most folks fell into their jobs there...it was that organic an experience) Jesse wrote the other great song to actually come out of Camp Casey. (There may be more than two, but that's all I know of...) It's called "Sons and Daughters." It's been called "a catchy and moving song that has the potential to be an anthem for the peace movement." And that it is. You can hear it here.
Some of the original Camp Casey folks gathered back down there over Thanksgiving. I considered going but: a) I had no voice (something that's happened again this weekend...) and b) I really needed time with my family.
While back down there, Jesse became one of the Prairie Chapel Twelve, folks arrested for their non-violent protest of a new law that restricts camping on the public access to Bush's ranch...along Prairie Chapel Road.
Anyway, sometime in the midst of all that, Jesse was sitting around Camp Casey II, one night around midnight. Zac Barton pulled out a stereo mic and mini-recorder, and Jesse pulled out his cover of my song "Prairie Chapel Road." I have to say, I like it quite a bit. I really love it.
And, like Bill says, it is quite an honor to have somebody cover your song.
Listen to it here:
Stream
Download
Jesse Dyen is a great songwriter and social activist from California. During Camp Casey, he fell into the job of head sound engineer and emcee of the Camp Casey II stage. (Most folks fell into their jobs there...it was that organic an experience) Jesse wrote the other great song to actually come out of Camp Casey. (There may be more than two, but that's all I know of...) It's called "Sons and Daughters." It's been called "a catchy and moving song that has the potential to be an anthem for the peace movement." And that it is. You can hear it here.
Some of the original Camp Casey folks gathered back down there over Thanksgiving. I considered going but: a) I had no voice (something that's happened again this weekend...) and b) I really needed time with my family.
While back down there, Jesse became one of the Prairie Chapel Twelve, folks arrested for their non-violent protest of a new law that restricts camping on the public access to Bush's ranch...along Prairie Chapel Road.
Anyway, sometime in the midst of all that, Jesse was sitting around Camp Casey II, one night around midnight. Zac Barton pulled out a stereo mic and mini-recorder, and Jesse pulled out his cover of my song "Prairie Chapel Road." I have to say, I like it quite a bit. I really love it.
And, like Bill says, it is quite an honor to have somebody cover your song.
Listen to it here:
Stream
Download
Aw Vince...what's your hurry? Couldn't you give us a week to gloat?
Jan/08/2006 12:05 PM Filed in: HSOs from a
Bitter P1
So, the news
comes out this afternoon that Vince Young will go
pro.
I'm already here sick at home with no voice, and so this does not help my mood.
So now, all the Aggies, Sooners, Red Raiders, etc are leaping for joy believing that they'll have a shot next year. Couldn't we have had a whole week to gloat about it?
Yes, Texas will be a different team without Vince Young. But, two little things to remind you of:
a) you'll be surprised at how good the quarterbacks are that we'll put out there, and
b) just two more little words: Jamaal Charles.
(Remember those words...)
I have to say, for a few hours today I thought Vince Young might come back to Texas. Because the word came out today that Houston really wants Reggie Bush. Personally, I still think that's a mistake for them. I'd ditch David Carr in a moment to have the chance to get a hometown guy who'll probably put tens of thousands of butts more in my stands. Any loss they take on Carr they would more than make up, over the long haul, on Vince Young. But then, maybe that's why I'm not an owner.
So, New Orleans has the second pick, and up to now we've been told they were leaning toward Matt Leinart. The thing is, though, I am sure they assumed there was no Vince Young out there. I'd pick Young over Leinart, if I was them. And if that happens I will be really depressed. I say this in all love and respect for the truly beleaguered Saints --and there is no team more so-- but the Saints are a black hole for famous UT players.
Two words: Ricky Williams.
Jeez, what a horrible situation that was for him and for them. I really don't want to see that happen again. And something tells me that's exactly where we'd end up.
The third pick is Tennessee, and that's a real interesting one. Their current quarterback, Steve McNair, has been a mentor to Young since he was in high school. McNair probably only has a few years left in the NFL, realistically. How cool would it be for Young to go and play for a man he already knows and respects as a mentor? BUT! The Titan's new offensive coordinator is the old coordinator for none other than USC!!
So, the plot there thickens.
I know this will sound horrible for a lot of reason, but it mostly has nothing to do with what's going on in NOLA right now, and everything about who the Saints are and what they've done to former UT greats:
I really hope he doesn't end up there.
Houston or Tennessee...I'd be happy to see either one of those, and even a little glad for Vince's sake.
I'm already here sick at home with no voice, and so this does not help my mood.
So now, all the Aggies, Sooners, Red Raiders, etc are leaping for joy believing that they'll have a shot next year. Couldn't we have had a whole week to gloat about it?
Yes, Texas will be a different team without Vince Young. But, two little things to remind you of:
a) you'll be surprised at how good the quarterbacks are that we'll put out there, and
b) just two more little words: Jamaal Charles.
(Remember those words...)
I have to say, for a few hours today I thought Vince Young might come back to Texas. Because the word came out today that Houston really wants Reggie Bush. Personally, I still think that's a mistake for them. I'd ditch David Carr in a moment to have the chance to get a hometown guy who'll probably put tens of thousands of butts more in my stands. Any loss they take on Carr they would more than make up, over the long haul, on Vince Young. But then, maybe that's why I'm not an owner.
So, New Orleans has the second pick, and up to now we've been told they were leaning toward Matt Leinart. The thing is, though, I am sure they assumed there was no Vince Young out there. I'd pick Young over Leinart, if I was them. And if that happens I will be really depressed. I say this in all love and respect for the truly beleaguered Saints --and there is no team more so-- but the Saints are a black hole for famous UT players.
Two words: Ricky Williams.
Jeez, what a horrible situation that was for him and for them. I really don't want to see that happen again. And something tells me that's exactly where we'd end up.
The third pick is Tennessee, and that's a real interesting one. Their current quarterback, Steve McNair, has been a mentor to Young since he was in high school. McNair probably only has a few years left in the NFL, realistically. How cool would it be for Young to go and play for a man he already knows and respects as a mentor? BUT! The Titan's new offensive coordinator is the old coordinator for none other than USC!!
So, the plot there thickens.
I know this will sound horrible for a lot of reason, but it mostly has nothing to do with what's going on in NOLA right now, and everything about who the Saints are and what they've done to former UT greats:
I really hope he doesn't end up there.
Houston or Tennessee...I'd be happy to see either one of those, and even a little glad for Vince's sake.
Told ya: Time to Gloat a Little Orange
Jan/05/2006 12:04 PM Filed in: HSOs from a
Bitter P1
Told ya: Time to Gloat a Little Orange
Every now and then, a sporting event actually lives up to its hype. Every now and then, you can actually tell that you're watching something historic. Every now and then, there are games that folks will talk about for YEARS. That happened last night.
And if you missed it, I pity you.
I have no voice this morning. Yelled at the TV until about 1:30 am. Listened to sports radio this morning, and everyone is talking about this being...
... the greatest national championship game in history
... the greatest single performance by any player, in Vince Young.
My Longhorns are National Champions. And, like most of us Texas fans, we've been a little cautious about getting too excited until now. But, this morning, it's time for a little gloating....
First personal-gloat of the day: The final score
I will refer you first to yesterday's completely unedited post.
I will remind you that my prediction was:
Texas: 42
USC: 35
I will remind you that, if not for a missed Texas extra-point and an extra USC field goal, I would have nailed the score to the number. As it is, I came just about as close as you could possible come.
Second gloat of the day: Vince Young
Now, they (the national media) are all saying Vince Young should have won the Heisman. Now they are complaining that that voting comes before the bowl games. (I actually agree with this....) But, from a Texas perspective, the media is always an incredible bunch of second-guessers. I mean heck, yesterday on ESPN they were trying to compare the USC offense to great PRO teams of all-time. That's when you know the hype's gotten out of hand. (That's when you know that USC is ready for a fall...)
Third gloat of the day: My three game keys
My three keys of the game were:
-- The depth of both teams: I gave the edge to Texas
-- The fact that both offenses were about even
-- The fact that the Texas defense was better.
When you look at the game as whole, you have to say that all these things bore out. Texas had a deeper team. USC had Leinart and little else. Sure, LenDale White and that one receiver did OK.
But where was Reggie Bush?
Seriously. Where was he? Mr. Heisman? Hello..... 82 yards?
Puleeease...
The offenses WERE about even. And the Texas defense was clearly better than USC's. "Better" means exactly what I told you yesterday it would mean: they would bend, but not break. When it counted, they held USC on that crucial fourth down play.
I actually did expect that we'd see more offense from the rest of the Longhorn team than we actually saw. Jamaal Charles showed a little brilliance, but fumbled twice. But the bottom line is that it really was the Vince Young show. A Rose Bowl record for a single game performance 467 total yards. And now, all the experts are calling him the best player in college football. Maybe the best ever.
Excuse me, but where were all yall when it was time to cast Heisman ballots a few weeks back? Reggie Bush has one amazing 500-yard game against a no-name team, and suddenly you give the trophy to him?!
Puleease...
All apologies, Mr. Young...
So, world, you all owe Vince Young a huge apology. Because Vince Young is capable of the kind of performance he turned in last night in EVERY game. You can't even really write or speak about how he plays, which is part of why I think he lost the Heisman race. The statistics never quite tell you what you need to know about him. You have to actually SEE him do it to believe it. I believe that's one of the huge reasons Vince didn't win the HT...because not enough folks actually saw him play.
And everyone forgets this important factor: in almost half the games this year, Young was sitting on the sideline by the middle of the third quarter. His numbers aren't nearly as impressive as the other finalists, because he didn't get to work as much. USC was falling behind all season, and coming back in the second half. That meant that Leinart, Bush and Co. were bringing them back...they played almost every down of every game.
Vince Young effectively sat out almost a game and a half this year.
But this, and the fact that people just weren't paying enough attention, meant that Young didn't nearly get the press and acolades he richly deserves.
So, I'm telling you the truth here. For any non-Texas fans out there who just saw the guy for the first time yesterday: the dude does that every game. All of it. The running. The passing. The plays. The coming-from-behind. Welcome to Vince Young football.
World: Vince
Vince: World
You're gonna like each other...
By the way, what was Pete Carroll thinking, going for it on fourth down with two minutes left?!!! At least make it a little challenging for Young. Make him drive eighty yards. I mean, Texas had already stopped them on 4th down once in this game. Everyone is defending his call this morning, but I think he lost USC the game in that moment because, again, he underestimated Vince Young. Everyone does.
Please come back, Vince!!! (I know you probably won't...)
And now, the buzz this am is that he won't come back for his senior year. That would be heartbreaking. But given last night's performance, could his pro-stock ever be any higher? So, can you blame him for leaving? Can he afford to take the chance of playing next year? Or, can he skip out on the chance to repeat, and be an absolute football god/legend in the State of Texas?
Well, one consolation thought (and it's a crazy one). If I were the Houston Texans, I seriously consider drafting him. Sound crazy? You kidding me? Hometown boy? State hero? He'd draw 20-30,000 fans each week just from that. That might make you feel a little better. Please, God, just don't let him end up with the Saints, like Ricky....ugh...
"Eric, quit thinking ahead....just enjoy this...."
You're right. I do need to enjoy it. I am enjoying it.
Good Lord, what a game.
What an incredible game.
Every now and then, a sporting event actually lives up to its hype. Every now and then, you can actually tell that you're watching something historic. Every now and then, there are games that folks will talk about for YEARS. That happened last night.
And if you missed it, I pity you.
I have no voice this morning. Yelled at the TV until about 1:30 am. Listened to sports radio this morning, and everyone is talking about this being...
... the greatest national championship game in history
... the greatest single performance by any player, in Vince Young.
My Longhorns are National Champions. And, like most of us Texas fans, we've been a little cautious about getting too excited until now. But, this morning, it's time for a little gloating....
First personal-gloat of the day: The final score
I will refer you first to yesterday's completely unedited post.
I will remind you that my prediction was:
Texas: 42
USC: 35
I will remind you that, if not for a missed Texas extra-point and an extra USC field goal, I would have nailed the score to the number. As it is, I came just about as close as you could possible come.
Second gloat of the day: Vince Young
Now, they (the national media) are all saying Vince Young should have won the Heisman. Now they are complaining that that voting comes before the bowl games. (I actually agree with this....) But, from a Texas perspective, the media is always an incredible bunch of second-guessers. I mean heck, yesterday on ESPN they were trying to compare the USC offense to great PRO teams of all-time. That's when you know the hype's gotten out of hand. (That's when you know that USC is ready for a fall...)
Third gloat of the day: My three game keys
My three keys of the game were:
-- The depth of both teams: I gave the edge to Texas
-- The fact that both offenses were about even
-- The fact that the Texas defense was better.
When you look at the game as whole, you have to say that all these things bore out. Texas had a deeper team. USC had Leinart and little else. Sure, LenDale White and that one receiver did OK.
But where was Reggie Bush?
Seriously. Where was he? Mr. Heisman? Hello..... 82 yards?
Puleeease...
The offenses WERE about even. And the Texas defense was clearly better than USC's. "Better" means exactly what I told you yesterday it would mean: they would bend, but not break. When it counted, they held USC on that crucial fourth down play.
I actually did expect that we'd see more offense from the rest of the Longhorn team than we actually saw. Jamaal Charles showed a little brilliance, but fumbled twice. But the bottom line is that it really was the Vince Young show. A Rose Bowl record for a single game performance 467 total yards. And now, all the experts are calling him the best player in college football. Maybe the best ever.
Excuse me, but where were all yall when it was time to cast Heisman ballots a few weeks back? Reggie Bush has one amazing 500-yard game against a no-name team, and suddenly you give the trophy to him?!
Puleease...
All apologies, Mr. Young...
So, world, you all owe Vince Young a huge apology. Because Vince Young is capable of the kind of performance he turned in last night in EVERY game. You can't even really write or speak about how he plays, which is part of why I think he lost the Heisman race. The statistics never quite tell you what you need to know about him. You have to actually SEE him do it to believe it. I believe that's one of the huge reasons Vince didn't win the HT...because not enough folks actually saw him play.
And everyone forgets this important factor: in almost half the games this year, Young was sitting on the sideline by the middle of the third quarter. His numbers aren't nearly as impressive as the other finalists, because he didn't get to work as much. USC was falling behind all season, and coming back in the second half. That meant that Leinart, Bush and Co. were bringing them back...they played almost every down of every game.
Vince Young effectively sat out almost a game and a half this year.
But this, and the fact that people just weren't paying enough attention, meant that Young didn't nearly get the press and acolades he richly deserves.
So, I'm telling you the truth here. For any non-Texas fans out there who just saw the guy for the first time yesterday: the dude does that every game. All of it. The running. The passing. The plays. The coming-from-behind. Welcome to Vince Young football.
World: Vince
Vince: World
You're gonna like each other...
By the way, what was Pete Carroll thinking, going for it on fourth down with two minutes left?!!! At least make it a little challenging for Young. Make him drive eighty yards. I mean, Texas had already stopped them on 4th down once in this game. Everyone is defending his call this morning, but I think he lost USC the game in that moment because, again, he underestimated Vince Young. Everyone does.
Please come back, Vince!!! (I know you probably won't...)
And now, the buzz this am is that he won't come back for his senior year. That would be heartbreaking. But given last night's performance, could his pro-stock ever be any higher? So, can you blame him for leaving? Can he afford to take the chance of playing next year? Or, can he skip out on the chance to repeat, and be an absolute football god/legend in the State of Texas?
Well, one consolation thought (and it's a crazy one). If I were the Houston Texans, I seriously consider drafting him. Sound crazy? You kidding me? Hometown boy? State hero? He'd draw 20-30,000 fans each week just from that. That might make you feel a little better. Please, God, just don't let him end up with the Saints, like Ricky....ugh...
"Eric, quit thinking ahead....just enjoy this...."
You're right. I do need to enjoy it. I am enjoying it.
Good Lord, what a game.
What an incredible game.
2005: A Look Back at the Year Behind
Jan/02/2006 11:57 AM Filed in: Life Happens
2005: A Look Back at the Year Behind
Yesterday was a work day, and so today is the day that feels like New Year's to me personally. It's always funny when New Year's falls on a Sunday. A lot of the Sunday stuff gets pushed to Monday. So, I'm half-watching the Cotton Bowl right now, dong this writing, and looking forward even more to Wednesday night.
This extra holi-day has given me time to look back at the year a little. You can, of course, read a lot about the year Dennise and I had by going here. Last year, I wrote a blog at the end of the year which was pretty negative, in retrospect. And this year doesn't feel like it's ended much more positively for the world.
Nevertheless, I thought I'd look back at the year that was...
But before I do my personal reflection, here's the year in review, from the funny folks at JibJab.
Seems to me the first big story of 2005 actually happened in 2004: the Tsunami. I read recently that 179,000 people are confirmed dead, tens of thousdans still missing, and tens of thousands more still living in tents and other temporary housing. Hard to imagine still now terribly devastating this event was. But, it was gratifying to see the response of the world community, wasn't it? And it made Bill Clinton and GHW Bush good friends...so miracles do happen, don't they?
In March, we were obsessed with the case of a woman in Florida. Everyone in America, including me, seemed to have an opinion about whether or not she should live or die. Even Congress had an opinion. She finally was allowed the die the good death that she and her husband had agreed on years earlier.
During the late Spring, there seemed to be a lot of silly celebrity news that obsessed folks....Martha Stewart got released from prison. Michael Jackson avoided going. Prince Charles got remarried.
In the late Spring, the Pope died and a new, more conservative one, was elected in his place. I happened to be in El Salvador at the time. And it was fascinating to see a mostly-Catholic country respond to the news. We were actually there to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero. We took part in a huge march through San Salvador that featured probably in excess of 40,000 people from all over the world. The atmosphere was so peaceful and optimistic. It was so amazing to see so many people from so many parts of the world coming together in peace and solidarity.
Summer brought more terrorism...this time in the London "Tube." What it showed more than anything, of course, is that the "first world" is by no means immune to terrorism, and that the question for our country is not "if" by "when" it will happen again.
Sometime in August, my personal year got incredibly busy and never slowed down again. (This can been seen in the dramatic drop off in blog entries around the time...)
What happened first was the Camp Casey movement just down the road in Crawford, Texas. It was truly an amazing thing, and I was grateful for the chance to play a small part in that movement. Although lots of folks say they don't agree with Cindy Sheehan, more than half the country clearly agrees with her, and her main question remains unanswered to this day. ("What is the noble cause of this war?")
I happen to believe that a just war needs a noble cause. And so I did support her asking that question. Lots of folks criticized her and the groups around her, and I certainly don't find myself in total agreement with everything every person or group stands for within the peace movement. I never have, frankly. There are always groups with side-causes and agendas that distract from the main message.
But, to this day, I still cannot see the "just" nature of this war, according to what I understand "just war" theory to be. And Cindy was right in asking the questions about the "noble cause."
Speaking of the war, sometime during the Fall, America passed the 2,000 mark in casualties for the year. At the end of the year, we find ourselves having lost over 2100 service men and women, with tens of thousands more injured and wounded.
Quite literally on the heels of the the three-weeks of Camp Casey ending, Hurricane Katrina hit along the Gulf Coast. As of this writing, much of the Gulf Coast is still in shambles. Questions are still being asked about the government's response at every level. And more than a hundred thousand people have permanently moved to Texas...in what is probably the largest single migration to this state ever.
Still weary from Camp Casey, I jumped right into Katrina....through our church, I had the chance to work downtown at Dallas' main emergency center. I heard first-hand heart-wrentching stories of how people literally walked out through the water. I saw folks with looks of shock on their face...folks who'd been staying for days in the Superdome, Baton-Rouge, and finally the Convention Center in Dallas. What was most heart-breaking to me was to know that no matter what aid we could give these folks, we still could not give them back what they had lost.
Along the way, our church got involved with a particular family called the Lees. We helped set them up in a rent house, over on Abrams, furnished the house, and paid for some supplies for them. It was certainly not enough, but again I was really moved by the stories they told us of their escape from New Orleans. I had promised myself all Fall that I would blog about them, but simply haven't had the time. But I carry all their stories in my heart, and hopefully one day I will share them with their permission.
As September flew by, dominated by Katrina, October brought preparations for our church's move into our new building. This is what totally dominated my October and November. I don't think I can ever remember being quite so busy in the church as I was those two months. Again, the absence of my blog entries tells you all you need to know about how busy I was.
The new building move is another of the great personal highlights of my year. We've been dreaming/planning this move ever since I came to Northaven in 2001. And to actually finally be in the new building is a great joy. Architecturally, it's truly a stunning place. Attendance is way up. The attitude of everyone is good and filled with excitement. There have already been plenty of new challenges, and plenty more on the way, I am sure....but it's been a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Then, came the Christmas season. As you might imagine, it's also always an incredibly busy time of year too. Piled on top of the joy of the holiday were two back-to-back funerals, in the days just before Christmas Eve. Once again, a busy, busy time.
So, that's pretty much my year in review. Makes me tired to think about it. Although I've been sleeping a lot the past few days, to just try and clear my mind a little and get ready to get at 2006. It's been really, really good to get a little break here these past few days.
---------------------------
Another interesting thing to review for this year is the growth of my website. According to my year-end statistics, I had almost 20,000 visitors to my site, and more than 10,000 "unique" visitors this year.
To put that in some perspective, I've this website for more than five years, and in that time I'd only ever accumulated about 20,000 visitors. In one month alone (August) I had over 2,000 visitors, as folks downloaded "Prairie Chapel Road." (More than 6 gigs of downloads that month alone....for a song that's only 3.5 megs...you do the math...) The song was played on radio stations around the country, and has been used in two documentary films, and in a story on BBC radio.
So, that's been terribly gratifying. But the growth in website visits has continued. Ever since August I've averaged almost 900 visitors a month!! I am sure that some of you are stopping by to see if there's anything new posted to the blog, or any new music news. So, I will promise to be a better correspondent from now on.
I probably will not surprise you that the most popular blog entry is the "Prairie Chapel Road" entry. What might surprise you is to know that the second-most popular blog entry is the one I wrote on Father's Day last year.
---------------------
Well, with a little rest these last days, I feel like I'm recovering a sense of "normal" again. And this morning, I spend about thirty minutes going through old emails. I had over 600 messages in my "read" mail folder that needed to be filed. Did that.
Then, I cleaned out my "file attachments" folder too. It's the place where I send all the file attachments folk send my via email. And it's interesting to look back at the stuff that accumulates in that folder. Most junk, really.
...Tons of embedded jpgs.
...Lots of pdf folks thought I'd like to see.
...Assorted "vcf" cards.
...A movie someone sent me about a dog running around with a lit Roman candle in his mouth.
...A bunch of doc files from work.
...A ton of useless html spam files.
When I got done clearing it out, and deleting it from the trash, it turned out to be about 2/3rds of a GIG of information. That's right, 2/3rds of ONE GIG. And that appeared to only be six month's worth....
The average file attachment folder, and the average human life, accumulates a lot of junk in the span of a year. One of the blessings of a New Year is the chance to start again. As the grown-up children we are, we adults get to call "do over" every January 1st. Perhaps that's why folks jump and yell and scream in Time Square....it's thrilling to imagine wiping the slate clean, and starting over.
Of course, we never forget the experiences of joy, pain, sorrow, love, that we were touched by in any one year. Like jpegs in an html spam file, those experiences stay embedded in us for a long time. But life moves on. I will be forever grateful this year for the move to the new church....for the chance to be involved in the epic history of Camp Casey...for the chance to do a little for Katrina victims...for the chance to march in El Salvador. But mostly, I am grateful for every day with my family. And I mean that sincerely.
Some years, I have made huge lists of resolutions. I have only one general one for this year. That's to get back to music with a vengeance. I really want to get the CD done and out for public consumption. I really want to play more live shows than I've been playing. Many of you are kind to write me and ask me when I'll be playing and when the CD will be done, and I appreciate your gentle prodding.
I need music for balance in my life and I find that life is not nearly as full when I get busy with so many other demands on my time. So, somehow, I'm resolving to work music back in much more directly and powerfully than it's been these past few months.
In the meantime, I'm praying for peace, working for peace, and hoping that whatever comes in this next year will be full of new adventure and excitement.
Hope the New Year brings you adventure and excitement too.
Yesterday was a work day, and so today is the day that feels like New Year's to me personally. It's always funny when New Year's falls on a Sunday. A lot of the Sunday stuff gets pushed to Monday. So, I'm half-watching the Cotton Bowl right now, dong this writing, and looking forward even more to Wednesday night.
This extra holi-day has given me time to look back at the year a little. You can, of course, read a lot about the year Dennise and I had by going here. Last year, I wrote a blog at the end of the year which was pretty negative, in retrospect. And this year doesn't feel like it's ended much more positively for the world.
Nevertheless, I thought I'd look back at the year that was...
But before I do my personal reflection, here's the year in review, from the funny folks at JibJab.
Seems to me the first big story of 2005 actually happened in 2004: the Tsunami. I read recently that 179,000 people are confirmed dead, tens of thousdans still missing, and tens of thousands more still living in tents and other temporary housing. Hard to imagine still now terribly devastating this event was. But, it was gratifying to see the response of the world community, wasn't it? And it made Bill Clinton and GHW Bush good friends...so miracles do happen, don't they?
In March, we were obsessed with the case of a woman in Florida. Everyone in America, including me, seemed to have an opinion about whether or not she should live or die. Even Congress had an opinion. She finally was allowed the die the good death that she and her husband had agreed on years earlier.
During the late Spring, there seemed to be a lot of silly celebrity news that obsessed folks....Martha Stewart got released from prison. Michael Jackson avoided going. Prince Charles got remarried.
In the late Spring, the Pope died and a new, more conservative one, was elected in his place. I happened to be in El Salvador at the time. And it was fascinating to see a mostly-Catholic country respond to the news. We were actually there to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero. We took part in a huge march through San Salvador that featured probably in excess of 40,000 people from all over the world. The atmosphere was so peaceful and optimistic. It was so amazing to see so many people from so many parts of the world coming together in peace and solidarity.
Summer brought more terrorism...this time in the London "Tube." What it showed more than anything, of course, is that the "first world" is by no means immune to terrorism, and that the question for our country is not "if" by "when" it will happen again.
Sometime in August, my personal year got incredibly busy and never slowed down again. (This can been seen in the dramatic drop off in blog entries around the time...)
What happened first was the Camp Casey movement just down the road in Crawford, Texas. It was truly an amazing thing, and I was grateful for the chance to play a small part in that movement. Although lots of folks say they don't agree with Cindy Sheehan, more than half the country clearly agrees with her, and her main question remains unanswered to this day. ("What is the noble cause of this war?")
I happen to believe that a just war needs a noble cause. And so I did support her asking that question. Lots of folks criticized her and the groups around her, and I certainly don't find myself in total agreement with everything every person or group stands for within the peace movement. I never have, frankly. There are always groups with side-causes and agendas that distract from the main message.
But, to this day, I still cannot see the "just" nature of this war, according to what I understand "just war" theory to be. And Cindy was right in asking the questions about the "noble cause."
Speaking of the war, sometime during the Fall, America passed the 2,000 mark in casualties for the year. At the end of the year, we find ourselves having lost over 2100 service men and women, with tens of thousands more injured and wounded.
Quite literally on the heels of the the three-weeks of Camp Casey ending, Hurricane Katrina hit along the Gulf Coast. As of this writing, much of the Gulf Coast is still in shambles. Questions are still being asked about the government's response at every level. And more than a hundred thousand people have permanently moved to Texas...in what is probably the largest single migration to this state ever.
Still weary from Camp Casey, I jumped right into Katrina....through our church, I had the chance to work downtown at Dallas' main emergency center. I heard first-hand heart-wrentching stories of how people literally walked out through the water. I saw folks with looks of shock on their face...folks who'd been staying for days in the Superdome, Baton-Rouge, and finally the Convention Center in Dallas. What was most heart-breaking to me was to know that no matter what aid we could give these folks, we still could not give them back what they had lost.
Along the way, our church got involved with a particular family called the Lees. We helped set them up in a rent house, over on Abrams, furnished the house, and paid for some supplies for them. It was certainly not enough, but again I was really moved by the stories they told us of their escape from New Orleans. I had promised myself all Fall that I would blog about them, but simply haven't had the time. But I carry all their stories in my heart, and hopefully one day I will share them with their permission.
As September flew by, dominated by Katrina, October brought preparations for our church's move into our new building. This is what totally dominated my October and November. I don't think I can ever remember being quite so busy in the church as I was those two months. Again, the absence of my blog entries tells you all you need to know about how busy I was.
The new building move is another of the great personal highlights of my year. We've been dreaming/planning this move ever since I came to Northaven in 2001. And to actually finally be in the new building is a great joy. Architecturally, it's truly a stunning place. Attendance is way up. The attitude of everyone is good and filled with excitement. There have already been plenty of new challenges, and plenty more on the way, I am sure....but it's been a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Then, came the Christmas season. As you might imagine, it's also always an incredibly busy time of year too. Piled on top of the joy of the holiday were two back-to-back funerals, in the days just before Christmas Eve. Once again, a busy, busy time.
So, that's pretty much my year in review. Makes me tired to think about it. Although I've been sleeping a lot the past few days, to just try and clear my mind a little and get ready to get at 2006. It's been really, really good to get a little break here these past few days.
---------------------------
Another interesting thing to review for this year is the growth of my website. According to my year-end statistics, I had almost 20,000 visitors to my site, and more than 10,000 "unique" visitors this year.
To put that in some perspective, I've this website for more than five years, and in that time I'd only ever accumulated about 20,000 visitors. In one month alone (August) I had over 2,000 visitors, as folks downloaded "Prairie Chapel Road." (More than 6 gigs of downloads that month alone....for a song that's only 3.5 megs...you do the math...) The song was played on radio stations around the country, and has been used in two documentary films, and in a story on BBC radio.
So, that's been terribly gratifying. But the growth in website visits has continued. Ever since August I've averaged almost 900 visitors a month!! I am sure that some of you are stopping by to see if there's anything new posted to the blog, or any new music news. So, I will promise to be a better correspondent from now on.
I probably will not surprise you that the most popular blog entry is the "Prairie Chapel Road" entry. What might surprise you is to know that the second-most popular blog entry is the one I wrote on Father's Day last year.
---------------------
Well, with a little rest these last days, I feel like I'm recovering a sense of "normal" again. And this morning, I spend about thirty minutes going through old emails. I had over 600 messages in my "read" mail folder that needed to be filed. Did that.
Then, I cleaned out my "file attachments" folder too. It's the place where I send all the file attachments folk send my via email. And it's interesting to look back at the stuff that accumulates in that folder. Most junk, really.
...Tons of embedded jpgs.
...Lots of pdf folks thought I'd like to see.
...Assorted "vcf" cards.
...A movie someone sent me about a dog running around with a lit Roman candle in his mouth.
...A bunch of doc files from work.
...A ton of useless html spam files.
When I got done clearing it out, and deleting it from the trash, it turned out to be about 2/3rds of a GIG of information. That's right, 2/3rds of ONE GIG. And that appeared to only be six month's worth....
The average file attachment folder, and the average human life, accumulates a lot of junk in the span of a year. One of the blessings of a New Year is the chance to start again. As the grown-up children we are, we adults get to call "do over" every January 1st. Perhaps that's why folks jump and yell and scream in Time Square....it's thrilling to imagine wiping the slate clean, and starting over.
Of course, we never forget the experiences of joy, pain, sorrow, love, that we were touched by in any one year. Like jpegs in an html spam file, those experiences stay embedded in us for a long time. But life moves on. I will be forever grateful this year for the move to the new church....for the chance to be involved in the epic history of Camp Casey...for the chance to do a little for Katrina victims...for the chance to march in El Salvador. But mostly, I am grateful for every day with my family. And I mean that sincerely.
Some years, I have made huge lists of resolutions. I have only one general one for this year. That's to get back to music with a vengeance. I really want to get the CD done and out for public consumption. I really want to play more live shows than I've been playing. Many of you are kind to write me and ask me when I'll be playing and when the CD will be done, and I appreciate your gentle prodding.
I need music for balance in my life and I find that life is not nearly as full when I get busy with so many other demands on my time. So, somehow, I'm resolving to work music back in much more directly and powerfully than it's been these past few months.
In the meantime, I'm praying for peace, working for peace, and hoping that whatever comes in this next year will be full of new adventure and excitement.
Hope the New Year brings you adventure and excitement too.