Tuesday Musing (#33)

Rest

I have just returned from an amazing weekend in Niagara on the Lake with my beloved. We enjoyed the fabulous weather, even the wind and rain. We enjoyed time together without interruption and we enjoyed time with old friends at Applewood Hollow, here is the web address for one of the prettiest and most enjoyable places in this part of the world http://bbniagaraonthelake.com/

When we were there, our hosts, Brian and Jane told us about a restaurant that was having its name changed. Apparently, the new owners began scraping the paint on the word restaurant starting at the "t" and when they came to the letters "r - e - s - t" they stopped for some reason. The restaurant has been for some time and is now referred to "The Rest".

I spent considerable time thinking about what that meant to me. I thought about what is required to get me to rest. I usually need to remove some activities in order to get some rest because I am over scheduled. So what do I need to take from this little story? I need to begin scraping away things that interfere with my ability to rest. What those things are is really up to me. What is important is that I need to do it regularly.

I can become so busy with stuff that I do no take my rest. Most of that "stuff" is good stuff and what needs to happen is for me to choose what I will do and what needs to be set aside so I can rest. What about you? Do you need some rest? What is there in your life that needs to be scraped away so that you can get to that place of rest.

Interestingly, our culture does not recognise nor respect the need for rest. Sunday, for example is now an extra shopping day(I plead guilty). A day that was set apart for rest has now become another opportunity to buy meaningless stuff. I know, now I'm ranting! I am not one to follow the culture, I work really hard at following my faith, values and convictions and the need and command to rest will be a regular part of my life from now on.

Happy Tuesday Everyone

Obscure lyric for the week of Apr.27/09

Good Monday morning music fans. What an incredible weekend I just had. my beloved and I spent the weekend visiting wineries in the Niagara region and stayed with some old friends at the bed and breakfast. We had a truly restful weekend and tried some lovely wines along the way. Here is a view from one of the wineries. this one is from Fielding which is situated on the "Beamsville Bench". The view is looking north over the bench and towards lake Ontario.

On to this weeks song. The song was released on a double album in 1973. In the list of Rolling Stones best 500 albums ever, it was ranked at number 91. This has been one of my favourite albums of all time and I have never owned a copy, either in vinyl or on cd. I might just download it from itunes one of these day, but you never know.

Here are a few lyrics. This is not a tough one, it should be easily identifiable to any of you from the 70's or even the younger crowd.

I wonder if those changes

Have left a scar on you

Like all the burning hoops of fire

That you and I passed through

I would like to know the following:

The name of the song (and it's introduction):

The writer of the music (proper name):

The writer of the words:

The name of the album:

Who the song following this song was written about:

These should not be hard. All of you will have heard this song even in elevators. I have often thought that the intro would be a great piece for either Halloween or at my final goodbye (along with "The great gig in the sky" and "comfortably numb"). The previous sentence was a terrible attempt to give you some clues.

Have a great week. The big reveal will come out on Friday.

The big reveal for the week of April 20/09

What a beautiful Friday morning it is. Even more beautiful because I have the day off and am heading away for the weekend with my beloved to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I am so looking forward to being away, no distractions, not even a tv with cable, we'll just have to spend time talking and enjoying the company of one another.

I know some of you got this one, cause I heard that you were teaming up and trying to figure it out that way. Way to go. One of you even sang to me in the photo copier room at work(thanks Peter M.). In fact, I only had one guess submitted and that was from my son. So he gets the props this morning. Josh S. guessed the correct name of the band.

Here are your answers:

The name of the song: Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)

The original album: The Grand Illusion

The name of the band: Styx

The writer of the song: Tommy Shaw

Have an awesome weekend. Enjoy the warm sun and the rest from your normal labours. Take time just to sit and "relax, take it easy" just as the song says. Rest is an weapon in the battle of life so take some rest this weekend and win. Then, spend some time with loved ones and read something inspiring. Take that powerful message to someone who needs it.

"Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy. Music is the electric soil in which the spirit lives, thinks and invents"

Tuesday Musings (#32)

Happy Tuesday everyone.

I wondered how busy I was and then I checked my schedule and I realize that I am too busy. And then, I received a rude awakening today. I was going through my schedule and I saw that my daughter had put an appointment in my scheduler so that I would spend time with her and watch a movie we both want to watch. How busy am I that I cannot "make" the time to watch a movie with my daughter, I'll say it again, too busy.

How embarrassing is that? I have been so busy with work, life, church and a multitude of other things that I have not completed a promise to her that I would watch this movie with her. What a terrible example of a parent I am.

I know that she will be mortified if she sees this post. Why? Because in no way does she ever mean to be mean or hurtful. She is such a gentle spirit that her life is driven to be nice. I doubt she has a mean bone in her body and I'm not just saying that because she is my baby girl. I have let her down, again. I have done so before. I need to review my life so that I do not dismiss her needs as a daughter.

Life is interesting. I get to the point where I think I have the world working in tune and a colossal note of discord that just doesn't sound right brings me back to reality. What reality, a simple one, take time with those I love and make them the priority of my life and ensure that I listen to and attend to their interests.

My daughter will forgive me and will enjoy the time watching the movie. I on the other hand will be a little more considerate of her, her mother and brother from now on. Unless of course I get too busy to do things with them also.

A happy Tuesday? You bet it is, whenever I can identify an area of my life that needs improvement it is a good day. I know I am not perfect, I know that I have much to learn and I know that my family loves me, supports me and more importantly forgives me and gives me another chance to be husband and daddy. I am blessed more than I know.

Happy Tuesday everyone 

obscure lyric for the week of Apr.20/09

Hello out there we're on the air it's not hockey time at all. It's a rainy Monday morning and it's cold again too. It still is early spring we might still have snow. I trust you had a wonderful weekend. I rested and travelled to visit family to introduce some of them to the wonderful world of itunes and so on.

Lately my life currently is a mass of changes. One of the biggest is in my work world. I have joked for some time that I won't "drink the koolaid" and I won't do it no matter the demands. I have another short week this week, I am taking Friday off to take my beloved away to a beautiful B and b in NOTL called Applewood Hollow for a weekend of rest and relaxation. We are going away to celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary and to get away from all the stuff that we've been trying to manage over the past while.

I heard this song on the radio this weekend and I think the subtitle says a lot about where I am right now. I think it is also a comment on how I see where others may try to place me in their world and the title is my response to them. I realize that this a a little cryptic, but hey, it's my blog.

The song was released in 1977 on a album that went platinum 3 X's. The band was huge in the '70's and they sold loads and loads of albums. These guys were never up a river without a paddle. One sources states that the name of the band was chosen because it was the one that no one hated. It's interesting that not hating or detesting something makes it ok, kinda makes you want to go hmmmm, doesn't it?

Here are some of the lyrics:

you're the one they can't beat and you know it

come on let's see what you've got

I would like to know the following:

The name of the song (including sub title):

the name of the original album it was released on:

The name of the band:

the writer of the song:

have a great week, the sunshine is coming along with warmer weather. patience is a virtue, my mother always said. I'm not that virtuous, I just want this early spring stuff to be gone. I will try to get the big reveal out on Thursday.

The big reveal for the week of April 13/09

Good morning music fans and what a beautiful morning it already is. 

I had two guesses this week and welcome back to Steve B. who has been having a bit of a tough time with my obscurity over the last few weeks, or was it months?

The other guess was Brad F. who was way off course this week. Oh well, you can't be right all the time can you?

Here are the answers:

The name of the song: Strange magic

The name of the band: Electric Light Orchestra

The name of the lead singer: Jeff Lynne

The name of the album(trick question): it was released on Face the Music originally and then on a greatest hits album later(there you go Steve)

Have a great weekend, enjoy the sunshine and the eventual rain. With that rain comes the flowers that are beautiful and cause havoc to those of us with allergies.

Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness

obscure lyric for the week of Apr.13/09

Hello music fans and welcome to the week after Easter 2009. I have just experienced an amazing weekend of emotional highs and lows that are often associated with the events of Good Friday and Easter Sunday. In the midst of the experience I have had the privilege to spend time with awesome musicians and wonderful family. None of which has anything to do with this weeks choice for the obscure lyric of the week. I heard this song as my daughter and I spent some time in the car together, the version we heard was not the original that I plan on sharing with you on Friday. 

The song for this week was released on an album in 1975 (the year I was in grade 13) and the single was released in 1976. The band is often referred to by letters and not necessarily by their name. The band is somewhat progressive and symphonic in nature. Apparently the album cover was a joke but one of the members didn't agree and the back of the cover shows one of them looking the other way. I suppose that this is somewhat shocking noting the cover material. While Paul is not dead, backmasking made it to this album with the message that "music is reversible but time is not, turn back, turn back, turn back" is found on a track on the album. 

Here are some of the lyrics:

you're walking meadows in my mind

making waves across my time

oh I'm never gonna be the same again

now I've seen the way its got to end

I would like to know the following:

The name of the song:

The name of the band:

The name of the lead singer:

The name of the album:

Have a great week. Enjoy the week and the weather. It looks like there will be sunshine all week at least here is south western Ontario. If you have any guesses feel free to send them to me at either address. 

The big reveal for the week of April 6/09

Well this one is a little late. I was busy on Good Friday and didn't get the reveal completed. I have been singing in a Cantata aptly entitled 3:16 over the weekend and now that all the performances are completed i can take a few minutes to do this, before we head out to church this morning.

Happy Easter to one and all.  

Only one guess last week. Brad F got some of the answers correct. Here are all the correct answers:

The name of the song: Blackwater

The album it was released on: what were once vices are now habits

The writer of the song: Patrick Simmons

The name of the band: The Doobie Brothers

Here is a nice video offering of the song by the Doobie Brothers:

I hope you have a great week. I hope that the promises of spring and new life brought a new brightness to your life and to the lives that you touch.

"There is nothing in the world so much like prayer as music is"

Tuesday Musings (#30)

Good Tuesday morning to one and all. I can't believe that I have been musing for 30 weeks, actually I have been musing for a lot longer than that, I have just been blogging about musing for 30 weeks.

This blogging thing has been a real opportunity for me to get some things off my chest, so to speak. It's been a great cathartic experience for me. I often wonder what those of you who routinely read this think about my thoughts?

After coming through a weekend that was filled with almost every imaginable feeling and expression of feeling I am amazed at the human capacity to manage those feelings even when they are in conflict with each other. No other created being does this, I am sure, and there is no way to empirically prove that assertion, therefore I think I am correct.

To be able to feel anger, joy, happiness, sadness, love and even hate all inn the same being just makes me think of the awesome creations we are (yes I stand on the creation side of the coin, more on that in another post because to think or believe that I came from slime or a monkey is totally offensive to me).

This ability to have those and more emotions is awesome. To see a baby for the first time brings out such joy in me. I love babies, ask any of the young moms in our church. To see the wrongs in the human and natural world offends me and those who choose to take advantage of someone weaker than them makes me angry about their lack of sensitivity and the selfishness of that person. To watch someone like a Mother Teresa give her life to serve God by serving others inspires me to think more of others than myself.

In life, I hope that we are given the opportunity to experience most of these and more emotions. Without them we will be nothing but walking dead. What kind of world would that be with us walking around without any emotion. The joys and sadness that comes with life and death are part of this life we cannot get away from them. I must learn to cherish each emotion and express them so that I must learn that emotion is an outward expression of my heart and to know my heart is to know me.

Happy Tuesday Everyone

Obscure lyric for the week of Apr.6/09

Good Monday morning music fans. Welcome to the first full week of April. Who cares about the weather, spring just has to arrive some time soon. We have just come through a really difficult time and a really pleasant time all in one weekend. It's hard to harmonize all those feelings in one weekend, we did it, we got through the tears, the laughs, the anger, the sadness and the joy in a 72 hour period.

Here is this weeks lyric. It really isn't that obscure, it's a fun song by a bunch of crazy musicians. this one is from 1974, a year I remember quite well as I was still in high school enjoying life. The song was released by a band whose name doesn't describe who they really are. The band apparently spent a lot of their early years performing for the Hells Angels in Santa Cruz. I am only giving you the first two lines from the song cause I think this one is really easy.

Well I built me a raft and she's ready for floatin'

Ol mississippi, she's callin' my name

I would like to know the following:

the name of the song:

the album it was release on:

the writer of the song:

The name of the band:

Have a great week. I am preparing for Easter this week, I am singing in a Cantata on Friday and Saturday nights and we have two rehearsals this week one on Monday and one on Wednesday. As a Christ follower, this is the biggest week in our year. We will remember the sacrifice and the resurrection and will celebrate with great joy. Check out the flyer below for information and if you are interested in attending please speak with me directly. An offering of food to support the local food bank is requested for attendance but not necessary.

The big reveal for the week of Mar. 30/09

Hello music fans.

Here is the big reveal from last week. I needed to get through some things before I completed this post. Thanks for your patience.

The name of the song: Pieces of April

The writer: Dave Loggins

The name of the band: Three Dog Night

The meaning of the name: an Australian term for a cold night. They would sleep with their dogs in the outback and the term refers to a particularly cold night

Italian Canadian who also wrote for them: Domenic Troiano

Have a great week enjoy this blast from the past from 1975.

We celebrate our 28th anniversary

Today, my beloved and I celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary. It is a little colder today than when we wed all those years ago. It rained on our wedding day and my Mom said that this was a good sign that our marriage would last. As usual, Mom was right. She left us a few years ago but I'm sure that she is looking down on us from heaven and smiling and saying I told you so, as she has a nice cup of tea and awaits the start of the leaf game. It would be great just to spend some time with her and talk about how the last few years have gone. 

Our marriage, like all other marriages has had its' share of speed bumps. We have seen ups and downs and there have been days when I am sure my beloved did not like me very much. We pledged to "have and to hold from this day forward for richer or poorer in sickness and in health and forsaking all others". we didn't have a video made (there were no video cameras back then), we had or may still have a tape recording of the service and there are pictures hidden away in an album which were taken inside the studio because of the rain. We have numerous photos taken by family and friends and we have many memories from that day.

We made a commitment to God and to each other and we will not break that commitment. I have learned to love my beloved more and more as time has passed and she has likewise learned the same towards me. Over the years we have participated in marriage seminars, read books, listened to tapes, watched videos and have even led numerous small groups of couples wishing to improve their marriages.

Recently we have discovered a book entitled "Love and Respect" by Dr. Emmerson Eggerichs. The title finds its' beginnings in the book of Ephesians which was written by Saint Paul many years ago. The verse states that "husbands love your wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her and wives respect your husbands". The book and study reveals that women want to "be loved" more than anything else and that men want to "be respected" in a similar fashion and that since it is a commandment there are no options. It has been a great tool in helping me to better understand and love my wife. There is nothing more that I want to do than to demonstrate my love for my beloved.

And now where do we go? We have developed a terrific friendship and a deep love for each other that grows daily. We support each others interests and even put up with things that we don't like. We believe that with each gift received that the person on the receiving end must find a way to "pay it forward" as the movie proposed. Recently Jo and I have been contacted my people who need help in their marriage and have asked us to walk alongside them as they work to improve their marriage. We make it very clear that we are not counsellors, but rather that we are willing to be mentors. The term mentor comes from Greek mythology, in which Odysseus leaves for the Trojan war and places his son Telemachus in the charge of Mentor who becomes a trusted friend, a teacher and counsellor in life.

We celebrate our anniversary by spending time with those whom we can learn from, with our children (in person and on skype) and alone just enjoying the company of each other. 

The big reveal

The big reveal for this week will be posted next week.

Thanks for being there for me during the past year.

One year ago

It has been one year today since a friend left us so tragically.

The circumstances are before the courts and therefore I will make no comment on them.

I just spoke with her mother and children and this is already a very difficult day for them. It is also the celebration of the birthday of her son.

I suppose the question as to why and was there no other alternative ring heavily in my being. Yet, I cannot answer any questions at this time. I embrace the lives that are left behind and attempt to help others pick up the pieces little by little and assist them as they move through the fog of grieving.

Pain and sorrow are so real along with the multitude of other emotions that surprise with their appearance and then with their absence. I have come to the place where I am almost bereft of feelings except for anger.

I am angry with the decisions made and the resulting ripples that continue to flow away and "never come back". It's funny that in this dark post a song comes to mind appropriately called ripples.




May the remembrances of life and the passing of loved ones draw you closer to each other and to the One who knows everything and everyone and who holds the keys and authority for judgement.