Am Samstag ist es endlich soweit: Wir spielen den School of Rock-Auftritt in Schwalmtal!

Wir sind so gut vorbereitet, dass Benny sogar die Generalprobe abgesagt hat. Wir haben auch einiges vorbereitet, um euch einen unvergesslichen Auftritt zu liefern. Um eventuell aufkommenden Fragen vorzubeugen, gibt es jetzt alles Wissenswerte zu diesem monumentalen Ereignis.

Was ist School of Rock?

School of Rock ist ein Konzert zu Gunsten der Jugendförderung der Schwalmtalzupfer. Alle Einnahmen kommen den Schwalmtalzupfern zu Gute und deshalb kann das Event auch nur aufgrund zahlreicher Sponsoren stattfinden. Mit anderen Worten: Je mehr Leute kommen, desto mehr Geld kann die Jugendförderung Schwalmtalzupfer e. V. einnehmen. Plan B versucht durch die Organisation des Events und durch eine einzigartige Show viele Leute zum Konzert zu bringen und unterstützt damit die Schwalmtalzupfer.

Wer sind die Schwalmtalzupfer?

Die Schwalmtalzupfer bezeichnen sich selbst als “Europas größtes Gitarrenorchester” und bestehen aus Gitarrenspielern aus unterschiedlichen Generationen. Das Logo auf dem Plakat, das zwei Gitarrenspieler zeigt, gehört ihnen. Sie haben schon mehrere CDs aufgenommen, viele Auftritte gespielt und einige Ausflüge unternommen. Auch mehrere Bandmitglieder von Plan B haben die Schwalmtalzupfer schon musikalisch unterstützt. Mehr Infos zu den Schwalmtalzupfern gibt es auf ihrer Website:

http://www.schwalmtalzupfer.de/

Warum steht auf dem Plakat “Plan B & Friends”?

Wir werden auf diesem Auftritt Nachwuchstalenten aus Schwalmtal und Umgebung die Chance geben, sich zu präsentieren. Aus diesem Grund haben sich ein paar Sänger bei uns beworben, die ihr am Samstag zum ersten und wahrscheinlich auch einzigen Mal mit musikalischer Begleitung von Plan B hören und sehen könnt. An dieser Stelle wird auch verraten, wer alles auftritt und von welchem Künstler die Songs stammen. Allerdings werden wir euch nicht verraten, welches Nachwuchstalent welchen Song singt, damit es trotzdem eine Überraschung für euch wird.

Diese Gastsänger werden auftreten:
Golo Jansen, Jan Vander, Jennifer Dohmen, Jule Kühl, Olivia, Sylvia Schlenter, Timo Tiggeler

Songs von diesen Künstlern werdet ihr von den Gastsängern hören:
Amanda Marshall, Jason Mraz, Melanie Fiona, Nena, Razorlight, Sportfreunde Stiller

Warum sollte man zu School of Rock kommen?

Dafür sprechen wohl mehr als 1.000 Gründe. Hier mal eine kleine Auswahl:

• Ihr unterstützt mit eurem Kommen die Jugendförderung Schwalmtalzupfer e. V. und tut damit etwas für die Jugend von Schwalmtal. Wenn ihr Teil der Schwalmtalzupfer seid, könnt ihr euch quasi selbst unterstützen.
• Ihr seht einen Auftritt von Plan B für nur 4 €, der durch die vielen Gastsänger zu einem unvergesslichen und einzigartigen Erlebnis wird.
• Ihr könnt auf unsere DVD kommen. Denn der ganze Auftritt wird von sechs Kameras gefilmt. Oh ja, das ist auch ein Grund.
• Bier kostet nur 1 €.
• Wollt ihr nicht auch Teil dieses großen Hypes sein?

Und wie gesagt: Es gibt noch Millionen Gründe mehr. Wie z. B. Tobis neue Frisur (ich nenne ihn nur noch Pinkie), der einmaligen Gelegenheit in einer Schule nicht zu lernen, sondern Party zu machen und dem Phänomen nachzugehen, warum sich die Haare von Jens immer mehr in meine Haare verwandeln.

Solltet ihr noch mehr Fragen haben, stehe ich gerne für Antworten zur Verfügung.

Man sieht sich Samstag!

Der Peter

Thiks pic doesnt do that mane of hair justice!

Amanda Marshall really was someone I listened to A LOT in the late 90’s. Alanis came out pretty much around the time I was growing weary of MTV and their LACK of substantial music videos. Everyone was popular and over played and thats admittedly yet another of my many pet peeves. Its stupid I know, but when a musician that I like becomes overplayed, I lose interest.

So I found myself blaming Mtv a lot and found salvation in a Canadian based music channel called Much Music. Sadly this channel has become Fuse and I dont watch that channel either anymore but back in the mid to late 90s it was my salvation for some good music. I ended up become huge fans of many female singer songwriters in the folk/rock scene. People like Alanis Morissette, Jann Arden, Bif Naked, and of course, Amanda Marshall.

That voice is an amazing one to listen to. I mean its raspy, soulful, alternative, and folky. It turned me on. No joke.

Amanda Marshall is this tiny little woman with this HUGE main of blonde hair I envy to this very day! You see this tiny little thing and hear that voice and you think “Wha?? Nahh …. did that noise just come out of her mouth???Whoaaa!”

I am a fan of cheesiness, I dont deny it. At least to a respectable level, and yes she too has crossed the borders at times HOWEVER her songs are powerful and epic. Let it Rain was what sold me. Beautiful Goodbye I heard when I was a figure skating freak and Rosalyn Sumners skated to it. The powerful ending where she says the lines “Sometimes I cryyyyyy, Its a fools lullaby” to this day sticks with me. Her hit that crossed the Canadian border was Birmingham which was about a woman leaving an abusive relationship and not looking back. Around this time Elton John was really bitchy about musicians that were coming out and he praised Amanda Marshall which I thought was cool cuz I didnt realize how respected she was in the business but I mean, with that talent and voice, I guess it was just supposed to happen.

After that album (which was self titled) she came out with one called Tuesday’s Child. I really only liked one song from it because she hit that snag of sounding great but EVERY song pretty much sounded the same to me. If I Didnt Have You was an awesome song, but ask me what the other songs were on that album, and pshh… damned if I remember!

What I love about Amanda is shes not fucking stupid and blinded by record execs and fame. She KNEW she needed to switch it up and she did. Everybody’s Got a Story was her 3rd album and she changed it around a bit. There were more dancey and pop like but didnt lose her folkish heart. Songs like Sunday Morning After were AWESOME. “Its the sunday morning after and baby who the hell are you?!?!”, she was having fun with this album and it showed. She also was giving it to the people that pissed her off like in the song Double Agent. In this song she is expressing her disgust at people who use racial stereotypes and dont realize that they insult her when they do. “Im a double agent on my momma’s side…” refers to her bi racial upbringing (father Caucasian, mother Carribean-Canadian) and how people would say things that were derogatory in her presence not realizing how it made THEM look. This was probably her most biographical album out of them all.

Since then Amanda hasn’t really done anything. She kinda disappeared. I mean shes around but she hasnt released a cd since. There is an expectation for her to have a new one next year but its not verified. Shes never been one for the celebrity status and has kept a low profile so who knows when we shall be honored by her presence in the music business again. Here’s hoping!

This is the video to Sunday Morning After. I find the song itself really funny and wish it was on a karaoke list somewhere!! Haha!

Never seen a sky so blue
I’ve never been happy with anyone
Like I am when I’m with you
Look at the sun shining up in the sky
I feel a little closer to heaven, baby
When I’m looking into your eyes

Chorus:
And as long as we’re together, boy
I’m sitting on top of the world
Wanna feel this way forever, boy
I’m sitting on top of the world

Last night I lay in the dark
Tryin’ to figure it out
Tryin’ to talk to my heart
But now it’s morning and I still don’t know why
All I know is that you got me feeling so good
All I know is that it feels the way that true love should
Ain’t no one luckier than you and I

Chorus

And everybody’s got an opinion ’bout how this should be
But they don’t understand it
No, no they just can’t see
That I belong with you and baby, baby,
Baby, you belong with me

Hi There, didn’t see you come in.

My name is Jeff Hawker.

I like long walks on the beach and listening to people’s feelings.

Also, Amanda Marshall still rocks

The End

Sooooo, I’m going out shooting later, but in the mean time lets have some more Jeff pictures. I like them. He’s really photogenic, which doesn’t happen often, so he’s fun to shoot.

In other news.

Where did the sun go? I wore jeans for the first time today thinking I would be too hot. Now… way too cold!

lame

Anyway, if you know where the sun went, or have an in with God, maybe you could do something about that. JJ Bean is getting cold.

Love Always

Adam

Come take my hand
We can walk to the light
And without fear
We can see through the darkest night

Let it rain, Amanda Marshall

Wisst ihr, manchmal versteh ich die Welt nicht. Das ganze Geschrei seit Jahren, um vermeintliche “Stars” und so genannte “Künstler” (wie ich das Wort  hasse…). Es ist zu 99% nichts als “Luft und Biswind” – wie mein Grossvater zu sagen pflegte.

Dabei gäbe es sie haufenweise, die Leute, die wirklich was drauf haben, die wirklich gute Songs schreiben und die’s wirklich verdient hätten. Nicht nur in unserem Lande wurden und werden sie ignoriert – wahrscheinlich deshalb, weil zu viele Leute zu faul waren (und nach wie vor zu faul sind), ihr Radio-Display anzugucken, während einer ihrer Songs läuft bzw. lief… oder weil sie nicht im Trend, nicht “hip”, nicht “angesagt”, nicht “cool” genug waren. Und wahrscheinlich auch, weil sie keine Goodies, keine Gratis-Tix, keine Gratis-CD’s, keine Gratis-Downloads, keine “Gratis-was-auch-immer” wem auch immer angeboten, sondern einfach nur gute Musik gemacht haben. Scheint offenbar nicht zu reichen.

Na ja, ich geb mich nicht der Illusion hin, damit etwas zu verändern – aber egal. Ich rufe hier also eine neue Reihe mit dem unglaublich kreativen Namen “The Real Stars” ins Leben, wo ich euch in unregelmässigen Abständen (also schön so, wie ihr’s euch schon gewohnt seid ) jene talentierten Menschen vorstellen möchte, die meiner Meinung nach absolut zu Unrecht von der Welt vergessen oder von vornherein ignoriert worden sind.

Den Anfang macht – und darauf hab ich mich hinsichtlich eines eigenen Blogs schon ewig gefreut (tärätätätäää: Tusch!)   –   Amanda Marshall.

Ihre Alben müssten in jedem CD-Regal stehen.

Die Frau ist ohne Worte.

(Und wenn jetzt gleich hier unten kein Video erscheint, ist was an eurem Compi falsch… )

.

Okay, dang… just when I get to thinking I am a serious blog hack, someone comes along and declares I need reform.  Perhaps it is time for an overhaul, after all… this month marks three years of AMRFP!

In the past three years we have talked about politics, love, religion, music, books, and movies.  There has been social injustice, chaos  and anarchy.   We seem to teeter on the brink of disaster yet all in good humor and forced optimism because… what else is there?  We obviously cannot pack up our things and relocate to another planet because no one would have us.  We know we are the root problem and reason for disunity in the world but we cannot seem to eradicate this self-destructive urge.  We are constantly bombarded with information, yet how can we decipher it, knowing which is accurate and which is merely bunk?  Here’s another controversy…

arctic-non-warming-since-1958

My life has turned dramatically since I first fostered this blog on a whim three years ago.  I set out to discover if there was any use in my attempting to write, wondering if I  “had the goods”.  I found my audience to be somewhat sporadic and the subjects I held near and dear to my heart less popular than the ones I thought to be frivolous, so therein lies the paradox.  What I enjoy writing may not be what I am good at, what I am good at may be drudgery.

My most popular post to date has been;  Songs to Play at Your Funeral from April, 2008, which I wrote based on what had actually transpired between my business partner and I one day during a light conversation on death.  It has garnished twice the hits of the runner up;  The Illegal Immigration Solution Conclusion, from June, 2007.  While the latter post has had twice the exposure it has fostered less activity.  I have posted poetry, short stories, a screenplay and the rough draft of my story, Shades of Hemingway. I have progressed (slowly) in my ability to add pictures and video (thanks YouTube) to my posts while trying not to use them in place of good (?) writing.  And after three years, 340 posts, 333 tags, 96 categories, 1004 comments, 37,045 hits and 28,496 spam I am virtually right back where I started from, questioning my validity as a writer.

There has been one bright spot.  Actually, the greatest reward I can think of has come on to me while doing this experiment.  Like most things that we find to make life worthwhile it came unexpectedly, yet has been the difference between merely existing and living.  She sits at my side right now, not realizing I am writing about her.  My beautiful wife, Chantal.

I have proven myself by winning her attention,  admiration and love.  She has faith in my ability and confidence that one day, the world will see what she sees in me, though that confidence in myself wanes and falters.  Through our love of writing; whether via our blogs, to each other publicly or privately, or in our imaginations,  we have accomplished something that would not have materialized otherwise.  We have become each others hero and fan club.  We have become kindred spirits.  Chantal and I are glorious.  I have not failed as a writer, I have acquired a following of one, as she has found in me.

I am living in Canada now, which is quite the contrast from spending most of my life in Florida.  The economy has put a strain on my ability to make a living through my trade and I am still struggling to adapt to life as a foreigner.  But my beautiful girl has the utmost confidence in me so that is a hurdle I will easily overcome with patience.  I am learning to accept that I cannot always have things my way.  But I need to concentrate on making a living and right now it does not look like writing is the way of prosperity for me, at least not financially.

I started this blog in May of 2006 not sure of where it would go, how I would do or how long it would last.  But I feel it has served it’s purpose, at least for a while.  The archives will remain and comments will still be directed to me via e-mail, but I plan on taking a little hiatus.

This month, May 2009, is heading towards being my most active month ever, with seven days left it will easily accomplish this.   The second most active month was back in November of 2007.

I’d like to think that on that note, it is a good time to bow out gracefully.

Thanks for reading  Advantages of Mutual Respect and Fair Play…

there definitely are,  you know.

peace.

Work, school, weather, life…that’s all I’m gonna say.

Saturday was an amazing day for me, as I got a ton of things done, got out and ran errands, and also embraced my inner geek by celebrating Record Store Day. A few folks have already blogged about it, but I wanted to provide my perspective from the ground. (Shock, I know. I never have opinions on the music industry.)

Store #1 was Bart’s CD Cellar, located in Boulder. You may recall that I mentioned them a few months ago during the Guns N Roses/Best Buy debacle (not by name, but have corrected that). Just getting there had been in question a few hours earlier, as we were still experiencing the tail end of a late-season snowstorm, but the snow turned into rain (ah, Dan Fogelberg) long enough to clear the slush from the roads, and I ventured up to Boulder. The store wasn’t exactly jamming, although there was a pretty steady stream of folks at the register. I’m thinking there would have been more folks if the weather had been a bit more hospitable, but who knows. Bart’s had sales galore (including buy 2, get the third free on used CDs and vinyl), giveaways, and live entertainment in the back of the store. I was fortunate enough to be there when Giddyup Kitty, a local bluegrass/country/folk trio, played, although there were bands scheduled every hour through the afternoon.

Bart’s does a great job of straddling the line between remaining independent and catering to the more mainstream audience that they need to stay in business. By being on the Pearl Street Mall, a lot of their traffic is from tourists just wandering through, so they have to at least have a smattering of the mainstream stuff, but their listening stations leaned toward the alternative and up-and-coming artists (including the Decemberists and Ida Maria, whose single is still available for free from iTunes through Monday night…blasphemy much?). They traffic in both new and used CDs, vinyl, tapes, DVDs, and games, and all sections had at least some activity. Saturday’s used CD and vinyl special had folks pouring through the vinyl bins like prospectors panning for gold upstairs, but my only find there was a book from Fred Bronson about the hottest Hot 100 singles from the Rock Era. All in all, I didn’t find much that I really needed, although I found a few discs in the used bin that somehow had disappeared from my collection. Having to buy at least one full-length new CD, I grabbed the Kings of Leon disc, whose singles “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody” have been in heavy rotation for me lately.

So there’s an independent that seems to be doing all the things they need to do. They have strong roots in the community that help as well, but how long can those roots serve them in an instant gratification society where iTunes and Amazon can be accessed 24/7? Tough to say…I hope they’re around a while, and don’t go the way of Virgin Records, which I visited Saturday evening. Talk about a shell of it’s former self. The back of the store was already cleared out, the listening stations were bare, and the remaining bins were probably 1/2 full at best.

Flipping through the CDs brought a mix of emotions to me, because I realize that it is time-consuming to just wander through the bins, but I also miss HAVING the time to just flip through the bins. There may be some nostalgia in all of this, but there’s also a loss of the tangible. Picking up an interesting CD that you’ve never heard before, reading the credits, maybe checking out the listening posts to hear some new stuff…it’s all part of a ritual, and we humans are drawn to them, whether we recognize it or not. “Record Store Day”, for all of its financial implications, is also about keeping a ritual alive, and I get that.

After 45 minutes of combing through some pretty well-picked-over CD bins, I grabbed more oldies in the forms of Rick Astley, Til Tuesday, and Mary Chapin Carpenter, along with the cast recording from “In the Heights”. Not a bad haul, and at $35, it was a good price, but at what cost? Another dedicated music store down the drain.

She’s a Canadian “pop star” of the late 90s and early 2000s with an incredible voice and real star power. Unfortunately, I had a professional relationship with her, and it didn’t go well.

It started in 1995 or so, when she was opening for Tom Cochrane on a tour of Canada. Her publicist called me to arrange an interview; I did so, and was kind of blown away by how this young, untried singer was acting like a megastar. “Wow, she’s confident,” I remember thinking. Later, I realized it wasn’t confidence; she really did think she was a superstar, and she was treating me like I was lucky to be able to speak to her. This attitude has never impressed me, especially among young musicians who haven’t paid their dues. To put things in contrast, I also interviewed Tom for that show — he’s an actual Canadian rock legend — and he was genuine, down-to-earth and the real deal.

A year or two later, she had a hit record, and she headlined her own tour. This time, the publicist didn’t call, so I did, and was told “Amanda does not feel it necessary to do interviews at this time.” Okay. That makes sense. You’re just starting out, you want butts in seats, so you … don’t do press. The only other person who had ever refused an interview with me, at that point, was Bob Dylan, and Dylan can damned well do that if he wants, in my book.

So super-photographer Sammy and I went to the show. We were told we could shoot with flash for the first three songs, then without for three more. This is pretty standard at concerts; flash is necessary for good photos in low light, but it can really distract the performers. Problem, though: Amanda, for whatever reason, thought there would be no flash photography. When the flashes went off, she got mad.

Sammy caught this sweet picture of Amanda Marshall berating him from the stage. It has held a place of honour in my home ever since.

If you’re not Canadian and have never heard of Amanda Marshall, I understand. If you are Canadian and haven’t heard of her, I also understand. Amanda Marshall has been silent and absent for years. She even has her photo on a milk carton, sort of.

The moral of this story is: Don’t mess with Sammy.

Another year has passed and what have we learned? As AMRFP enjoys it’s 304th post we begin to realize this blog will not take no for an answer! (what was the question?) Some people just have more audacity than others and will not go away!

2008 will be happily placed in our rear view mirror as we look with infertile optimism to a new Democratic majority across the board in American politics. Has there been another year in recent memory that has been as foul as this one? Most people would be hard pressed to find one that was, causing them to look back with disdain and relief at 2008 passing.

But in reflection, there have been some fine posts for one and all to enjoy on this site (humbly submitted by yours truly) and I’d be remiss not to mention the fact that my life changed dramatically (and for the better) this past year because of this little blog. For that reason alone it shall continue… not to mention the sheer joy I get at ranting on like I do and of course, the pleasure I derive from the remote possibility of your company.

Despite the difficult time I had at being regular the past three months because of my move to Canada and the fact that I posted a short story, a screenplay and the continuation of the Shades of Hemingway series,… my readership actually increased. AMRFP approaches the 32,ooo hits mark which made it the best year to date as far as averages go. Akismet has blocked over 25,000 spam comments (mostly porn but some insurance quotes are trying to muscle in as well) While some friends have faded into the depths of the black hole of the blogosphere, new friends have risen up which makes this site a pure joy each time I acquaint myself with a different prospective on life.

I met my lovely wife through the postings of our blogs, and while some may view the online relationship with trepidation I must say it has been the most exhilarating experience I have ever known. We were married in March of this past year and I was finally able to relocate here in Canada in October. But future posts will address our relationship as it progresses, suffice it to say I am thrilled by her love each and every day. That in itself should provide some interesting fodder…

So without further ado and for your discerning review, from the latest entry to the first of the year… Advantages of Mutual Respect and Fair Play 2008.

Scroll back… ya varmints!

.

1) 12-23-08 - A Sand Road Christmas Card. Remembering the holidays of my youth back in Iowa. In the good ol’ days, when times were bad.

2) 12-20-08 – It’s Been a Long, Long, Long Time. Having just come off three months of creating and posting the third installment of the Shades of Hemingway series along with moving and adjusting to the climate of the North and making my excuses for being preoccupied with life in general and love in particular.

3) 12-16-08 thru 9-17-08 – Shades of Hemingway / Deja’ Voodoo. Parts 1 – 12 and Epilogue. My readership plummeted through the time I took to post this, which I knew it would. But I feel it also was because it generally takes about six weeks for the series to run through it’s entirety. When my circumstances dictated otherwise it took me 12 weeks and I feel I alienated myself from some of the faithful readers (both of them!) of AMRFP. But my own true love assured me from the beginning that it was MY blog and I should be able to go in the direction of my choosing, so I am glad I saw it through to the end. Now is the time to recapture our imaginations and I will do that to the best of my ability in the coming weeks… I promise.

4) 9-14-08 – Prelude to Shades of Hemingway / Deja’ Voodoo. You can’t say I didn’t warn ya. One day I’ll finish this story… and yes, post it here! Some people just will never learn… sigh.

5) 9-13-08 – Video. Elvis Presley Hound Dog, the complete performance. One of three videos I inserted for the post, Politics and the Billboard Top 100 Hits of All Time… pathetic.

6) 9-13-08 – Video. Elvis Jailhouse Rock. The second of three videos for the same post.

7) 9-13-08 – Video. Elvis Twist with Elvis. The third of three videos for the same post.

9-13-08 – Politics and the Billboard Top 100 Hits of All Time… pathetic. You know the cool thing about these best of lists is that it gets our dander up. But picking The Twist because of the insertion some formula instead of just counting airtime play and sales smacks of favoritism. Too bad.

9) 9-11-08 – Born Laughing Out Loud. A little review I did of Steve Martin’s book, Born Standing Up, which I throughly enjoyed.

10) 8-29-08 – McCain/Palin? Bravo! (oh! bomb awed). I’m not much on politics, obviously. My beautiful girl and I go round and round about American politics (good naturedly) and it is an eye opener to think that we may be our own worst enemy. But I thought the picking of Palin was a good thing for McCain’s candidacy. While Obama landslided McCain in the electoral college, he only received 52% of the total vote per population input. Popular opinion not withstanding, I was sure nothing short of a miracle would put another Republican in the White House… and I was right.

11) 8-29-08 – return of the dreaded sequel, part 1. I had thought Deja’ Voodoo would have been up and presented way before this time, but you know… life gets in the way.

12) 8-19-08 – Spending the day with Tropical Storm Fay. Gosh I had fun with this one. I have lived in S.W. Florida for the better part of 36 years and you never get used to the weather in paradise.

13) 8-17-08 – you must remember this. Memorable movie kisses, what are yours?

14) 8-16-08 – Video. 1984. A funny thing happened on youTube… I meant this vid for another post and it somehow got crossed up in cyberspace then appeared sometime later on my blog. I don’t remember the subject or even if I posted it, but I liked the premise of 1984 knocking on your door (from Spirit) so I left it in… hm.

15) 8-16-08 – Video. Shawn Colvin – Catch the Wind. I chose this as one of two vids for the post, Catch the Wind, but it got lost in cyberspace at the same time I was foolin’ around with 1984. And since I am not all that great at shifting things around on my blog (lazy brained) I just left it in at the time it appeared. Yes, sometimes this blog takes on a life of it’s own.

16) 8-11-08 – Not your favorite cover. Another one of those “best of” lists and my opinion which you all hold your breath for.

17) 8-7-08 – don’t know much about the Hadron Collider. A little parody that just conjured itself up when I read of this multi- billion dollar effort to smash things together. Scientists on a controlled hissy fit.

18) 8-4-08 – oh the humanity! and the cost of celebrity… Paris Hilton’s mom decrying the media for it’s portrayal of her talented daughter.

19) 8-02-08 – Choosing a running mate. McCain can win if… Hey! he may or may not have listened to me on this one but you gotta admit McCain’s choice made the race interesting.

20) 7-29-08 – Hey… told you so! Senator Ted Stevens and his exploits have been discussed several times on this blog, glad justice was served on the jerk.

21) 7-26-08 – Catch the Wind. The things we can and cannot control cause me to wax on, wax off in contempt and sentiment… my favorite forms of expression.

22) 7-23-08 – Video. Donovan-Catch the Wind. The original that was meant to be accompanied by Shawn Colvin’s rendition, but perhaps better as a stand alone vid.

23) 7-12-08 – Let My Gonads Go! a.k.a. nuts to you, Jesse Jackson. Gosh, I loved doing this little parody considering the riff comes from a freedom song sung by the oppressed slaves during the Civil War. Jesse Jackson and his infamous utterance deserved to be ridiculed loud and long.

24) 7-7-08 – Where the light is, John Mayer. Occasionally cool things happen and I was thrilled to see this DVD/CD released. I bought it the very first day.

25) 7-5-08 – Quick Draw (Tim) McGraw and his rootin’, tootin’ wild west outlaw show. Got some negativity on this post but you know…

26) 6-29-08 – throw mama (and junior) from the plane! If any post could divide my sweetheart and I… this one could. I’ve looked at flight from both sides now.

27) 6-28-08 – the hippie dippy weatherman no longer sweats the ICBMs. The death of George Carlin caused a wee bit of reflection in my heart.

28) 6-28-08 – Video. Religion is bullshit. The late George Carlin expressing his opinion in true comedic form.

29) 6-28-08 – Video. the hippy dippy weatherman. George Carlin in less sarcastic form.

30) 6-17-08 – inner-mission. Left you to your own devices for a few days, did you break anything?

31) 6-15-08 – Happy Father’s Birthday. A slip of the tongue by my French speaking step-son tugs at my heart.

32) 6-15-08 – Video. Eric Clapton – My Father’s Eyes. Selected to go along with, Happy Father’s Birthday, I feel this is a song Eric did that could have gotten a little more acclaim but seems to be coming around again… which is cool, you can’t keep a good song down.

33) 6-12-08 – that’s right, you’re what’s left (screwed, blued and anti-socially tattooed). Gee, folks… just learn to live with it. Our government is not accountable.

34) 6-12-08 – Video. water as energy. We have the technology, we need the direction.

35) 6-8-08 – It was/is a Wonderful Life. The death of young “George Baily,” Bob Anderson, inspired this post. It was one of my favorites from the 2008 year simply because I got to review one of my favorite characters in one of my favorite movies of all time. “… you really had a wonderful life. Don’t you see what a shame it would be to throw it all away?”

36) 6-6-08 – Public Displays of Effection. What effect does PDA have on you? This post was inspired by a case of supposed discrimination… you be the judge.

37) 6-4-08 – Obama Surrender (Hillary concedes). I love these little parodies that just pop into mind. Funny how the resilient Ms. Clinton still has a place in her opponent’s heart.

38) 6-3-08 – Video. Jemima Surrender. Try as I might I couldn’t find a vid by the Band performing this song, but this rendition is still good.. in case you couldn’t catch the riff in Obama Surrender.

39) 5-31-08 – what goes around Karmas around? I’m not that sure of Karma. I mean… if it were true, why do the wicked seem to prosper while the good suffer? Sharon Stone is a dunce.

40) 5-28-08 – double checking reality bounce. One cannot be too careful, or so I thought…

41) 5-21-08 – Blogging for Dummies (what was Scarlett Johansson thinking?) Sometimes you just gotta wonder…

42) 5-21-08 – Video. Falling Down by Scarlett Johansson. You decide…

43) 5-16-08 – “Jawbone” George Bush and the Saudi Oil Shriek a.k.a. the Blame Game. Hey George, just tell them to open up the spigot a little…

44) 5-16-08 – Video. Shirley Ellis – the Name Game. Bush, Bush, bo-shush, sittin’ on his tush.

45) 5-16-08 – creative foreplay. I find that looking for inspiration comes with no effort at all… really.

46) 5-10-08 – they are dumbing down our Rock and Roll! Who is the greatest recording artist of all time? The answer may surprise you.

47) 5-10-08 – Video. Mariah Carey – touch my body. For your comparison.

48) 5-10-08 – Video. Eric Clapton – Layla (live). For your enjoyment.

49) 5-7-08 – God’s Yard Sale. The world is in chaos… does God really care about us?

50) 5-5-08 – Waiting for Zed. An expose’ on why the term “zed” was removed from the American lexicon. A real eye opener… or perhaps not.

51) 4-30-08 – friends. There are many forms of friendship and those we choose as best.

52) 4-30-08 – Video. The Hollies – He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother. Chosen to accompany the post, friends.

53) 4-20-08 – How to Succeed in Business Without Really Lying. One of my favorite posts of 2008.

54) 4-17-08 – The Great American Boycott. I think we as consumers deserve better.

55) 4-12-08 – Why Obama? Sometimes these little parodies play so well in my mind…

56) 4-12-08 – Video. The Knack – My Sharona. For those of you who could not catch the riff in Why Obama?

57) 4-11-08 – Cheney’s Sunglasses – Not a Rosy Reflection. Your imagination runs wild.

58) 4-8-08 – Video. The Beatles – And I Love Her. Follows the post, Songs to Play At Your Funeral because I do.

59) 4-7-08 – Songs to Play At Your Funeral. This post has been on my blog for less than 9 months but it has become a runaway best topic since it’s inception and continues to pull away from the rest of the crowd at a rapid pace. I realize it is more the topic than the content, but even so it has become an easy #1 post for 2008 and the all time winner for top post so far at AMRFP. A distance second is, Let me call you sweetheart, posted on 1-6-07. Bringing up the rear at 7th is, the Rock and Roll Conspiracy, posted on 8-26-06. So it is quite the accomplishment in comparison. The fact that the conversation actually happened in the way I recorded it makes it all the more enjoyable for me because it is real life and that is the best sort of living.

60) 4-7-08 – Video. Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman – Time to Say Goodbye. For my fair Chantal.

61) 4-6-08 – Goodbye / Charlton Heston. 2008 saw many great stars passing, this was one of them.

62) 4-1-08 – Why are we here? The question of the ages, I found my reason.

63) 3-29-08 thru 2-20-08 – Indiana Jones and the Dance of Aldebaran. I had written this screenplay ages ago, but when the new film Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was about to be released I thought perhaps Indy might enjoy a sort of renaissance and an interest might be piqued in this tale. Too bad their story didn’t live up to the hype while mine didn’t live up to expectations… but oh well. It is preserved for prosperity.

64) 2-17-08 – Free Indy. The story behind my writing, Indiana Jones and the Dance of Aldebaran. I liked my story better than theirs, didn’t you? (please say yes)

65) 2-13-08 – Economic Stimulus Plan. You know, I still think my idea would work and I have not met any opposition to it.

66) 2-9-08 thru 1-20-08 – My Dog Sam. I don’t remember what caused me to write about that dog of mine, but I’m glad I did. I have thought about taking several of my recollections and compiling them into one story. Funny how things work in my mind, but I began the year with thoughts of Sand Road and my dog, Sam… then concluded the year with A Sand Road Christmas Card. They say you can never go home, but I think home never goes.

67) 1-18-08 – An Evaluation of the Bush Administration (2000-2008). Not too favorable to ol’ King George and my apologies for that. Will history be kind to him? With the worst rating of any sitting president… it is difficult to say.

68) 1-15-08 – …so you wanna be a Rock and Roll star? Rethinking some music and impressions of artists.

69) 1-15-08 – Video. The Byrds-So You Wanna Be A Rock And Roll Star. To accompany the post of the same name.

70) 1-7-08 – New Year… knew you. I met my own true love twice in a lifetime.

.

So there you have it. 70 different topics posted in 103 segments. While we may have had some bumps in the road of 2008, it has been a year that I have realized it is not the miles but the destination that makes the journey tolerable. It is not the smoothness of the pavement but the direction we are headed in that make the traveling light. It is not the degree of difficulty to proceed, it is the strength of our resolve to begin. It is not the complexity of the task but the undertaking with the commitment to see it through. Life indeed goes on…

And it is my sincere hope that whatever you may have had to endure, whatever your losses may have been, whatever your disappointments and fears… and we live in a world governed by and propagandized with fear, that you may face 2009 with optimism and hope. We may never understand the powers that be, but the power to be you and me holds the key to our happiness… it all comes from within.

Have a joyous and safe 2009… and thanks for reading.

peace.

I don’t know about ya’ll but I need all the inspiration I can get these days. With the economy, the state of the world, life’s frenetic pace, I need to have every single word in my arsenal.

I know you dial up folks are cursing me right now. I hope you can listen to a few of them.

1. Amanda Marshall “I Believe In You” (Thanks to Kaige for introducing me to this artist)

2. Busta Rhymes and Linkin Park with “We Made It”

3. Eminem’s “Lose Yourself”

4. Martina McBride’s “Anyway”

5. Meredith Brook’s “Crazy” (set to some very cute home videos)

6. Celine Dion’s “That’s The Way It Is”

7. Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush singing “Don’t Give Up”

8. Incognito’s “Don’t You Worry About A Thing” (I first heard Manhattan Transfer do this song. I love it)

9. Nickelback’s “Savin’ Me”

10. Sarah McLachlan’s “Ordinary Miracle”

11. 3 Doors Down “Pages”

12. Avril Lavigne “Keep Holding On” (with awesome pics from “Eragon”. I love that movie.)

13. “I Will Survive” by (of all people) CAKE!!!

Bon, une dernière note de nostalgie, ensuite on passe à autre chose ! Faut bien se relever un moment donné…

Et j’suis pas du genre à m’éterniser dans les remords et les regrets. Je déteste tomber, mais ça nous rend plus forts y paraît…

Je m’en tiendrai à ça

BEAUTIFUL GOODBYE – Amanda Marshall

Fed up with my destiny 
And this place of no return
Think I’ll take another day 
And slowly watch it burn
It doesn’t really matter how the time goes by
Cause I still remember you and I
And that beautiful goodbye

We staggered through these empty streets
Laughing arm in arm
The night had made a mess of me 
Your confessions kept me warm
And I don’t really miss you 
I just need to know
Do you ever think of you and I
And that beautiful goodbye

When I see you now I wonder how
I could’ve watched you walk away
If I let you down please forgive me now
For that beautiful goodbye

In these days of no regrets
I keep mine to myself
And all the things we never said
I can say for someone else
And nothing last forever but we always try
And I just can’t help but wonder why
We let it pass us by

When I see you now I wonder how
I could’ve watched you walk away
If I let you down please forgive me now
For that beautiful goodbye

Baby what can I do 
Oh to get through to you
And sometimes I cry
It’s a fool’s lullaby
Sometime’s I cry
It’s just a fool’s lullaby
I’m dying inside
Hey

Recevez les Chroniques d’une nouvelle célibataire par Email !!

As of today I’ll be out for a while… but fear not, I shall return.

There are distant voices calling me,

there is a heart I yearn to have

beating in unison with my own…

up close, in sync… beautiful harmony.

So I will travel to the Great White North…

we will wine and dine 

cram as much living as we can

into the next few days.

There are always the archives…

even I check them out once in a while

just to see where I was

and if I still am.

You’ll be fine… trust me.

peace.

I just happened to notice I have exactly thirteen videos “Favorited” on YouTube. There’s no rhyme or reason why I press the “Favorite” button, but these are the ones I’ve got so far.

1. Deadliest Catch Video

2. Wayward One

3. Underneath

4. This Is For The Soldiers

5. Remember Me

6. Tilling Passions

7. Nothing

8. I Hate Men

9. All I Need

10. Sunday Morning After

11. Does Anybody Hear Her?

12. Tea Partay

13. Taken