Seriously, i won’t dwell on the maybes, nor will I wait with bated breath. Someone out there is observing quietly. And the only thing I can do now is perfect myself and go “Ah…that’s the one” when the time comes x)

Hoyas 3-0! Yeah, buddy.

Speaking of which, it was nice to see our old homeboy Jeff Green on the court against the Wizards last night…

…Looking for an act of devotion in honor of the Solemnity of Christ the King?

Consider adding your e-signature to the Manhattan Declaration…

…After I finished high school, I got a job typing the reports of a company of local archaeologists.

The company specialized in pre-historic archaeology–that is, the study of artifacts produced by people who did not have writing.

In our area, you can discover a pre-historic artifact while you are out for a walk. There are still Algonquian arrowheads and potsherds lying on the surface of the earth.

Contrast this with archaeology in the Old City of Jerusalem. On Monday evening, we walked down four flights of steps from street level. We emerged into a cistern that was built to hold water for use in the Temple in the fifth century B.C.

Chiesa Nuova in Rome

There are books written about the building of that temple–they can be found in the Old Testament. My point is: In Jerusalem, archaelogists have dug and dug and dug, and they still have not gotten to the pre-historic level.

And here is some more perspective: In our day and age, since the beginning of the Digital/Organic Era (which began when Bill Gates’ net worth reached $1 trillion), “new” refers to something that came into being in the last half-nanosecond.

In Rome, there is a beautiful church called Chiesa Nuova, the “New Church.” It was completed in 1606.

In Jerusalem, the Nea, the “new” church in honor of Mary the Mother of God, has lay buried beneath the rubble of earthquake and Persian destruction for 1200 years.

Today is the day the Nea was dedicated in A.D. 543.

Our Lady was born in Jerusalem. She was among the girls who cared for the Temple paraphernalia.

When Mary brought the newborn Jesus to the Temple to present Him to the Father, she encountered the priest Simeon and the prophetess Anna. The three of them may already have known each other.

The above is a mosaic map of Christian Jerusalem. It is not easy to read. The Cardo, or main street, runs left to right through the middle of the city. The huge ancient basilica of the Holy Sepulcher is below the main street, the Nea is above it, to the right. There was an annual procession between the two churches.

…I am sorry that I allowed the following “Bests” list to get as stale as five-year-old granola bars. It is retired. An exciting new edition is available behind the Bests tab above.

SPECIAL “MY iPOD” EDITION

Best Rob Thomas Song: “Real World” (Matchbox 20)

(“I wish the real world would just stop hassling me” is not a bad motto.)

Best Paul Simon Song:
The Obvious Child

Best Radiohead Song:
Talk Show Host

Best Bruce Springsteen Song since 1979: Radio Nowhere

Best K.D. Lang Song: Constant Craving

Best Rock Band Alive Today: Switchfoot

Best B–n–d Ladies Song: Falling for the First Time

Best Cover Ever: The Boys of Summer by the Ataris

Best Nineties Band that No One Has Ever Heard Of: World Party

Best Taylor Swift Song: Teardrops on My Guitar

by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website.
FOLLOW Gary on Twitter, for songwriting tips and news.
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Rob Thomas’ latest single, “Someday”, from his “Cradlesong” album, features at least a couple of techniques that will interest songwriters. One is the concept of introducing a new melody as a “replacement chorus” in the latter half of a song; another is the overlaying of a persistent melodic fragment that could be best described as a “melodic badge.”

First, here’s a look at the song’s formal design:

FORM

Let’s deal with the new melody introduced in the last minute of the song. It is introduced at the 2′ 50″ mark, and provides the song with a great variation on the typical verse – chorus – bridge format. It would be typical (and perhaps too predictable?) to simply repeat the chorus again. It’s likely that after three renditions of the song’s chorus, the writers felt there was nothing much new that could be done to it, and keeping the song fresh was a concern. In such a circumstance, developing a new melody based on the old harmonic progression was a small stroke of genius.

MELODY

The song uses a background melodic figure, first presented in the introduction, as a type of musical adhesive, drawing the various formal elements together. The figure plays on three notes of the Bbsus4 chord, never really resolving (you might expect to hear the Eb from that chord resolve downward to D, but doesn’t happen), and this lack of tonal resolution imbues it with a strong sense of forward motion. Because it does its work mostly in the background, it can be thought of as a kind of musical “badge” rather than a hook pre se. And because the figure never develops or changes in any way, it would not be proper to think of it as a motif.

HARMONY

Except for the bridge, the song uses the same I – IV – ii progression (Bb Eb Cm) throughout. Harmonic fatigue is a risk if you choose to use the same chords, but you can combat this by moving the melodic plateau higher for the chorus. The melody for the verse dwells on the 3rd of the key (the D in the key of Bb major), while the chorus constantly hits on the note F.

So the compositional devices that songwriters should make note of that make this song work are:

1. Use of a melodic badge that provides cohesion throughout the song, remaining constant regardless of the changing harmonies beneath it.
2. Use of a unique melody introduced in the latter half of a song that provides something novel and fresh, useful especially when the harmonic treatment of the verse and chorus are identical.
3. Use of plateau pitches that provide a foundation for the notes of the melody to focus on, moving upward as the song moves from the verse to the chorus.

The real beauty of “Someday”, and the techniques used, is the simplicity of the final product. It’s a reminder that great songs are measured in how individual elements support each other, and that most songs do quite well with just a touch of innovation and a healthy dose of predictable structure.
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Unleash the songwriter within you. Check out The Essential Secrets of Songwriting e-book bundle by clicking here!

But a couple of months ago I remember seeing something on the news or something about how Rob Thomas’s song Her Diamonds was written for his wife with auto immune disease.

So, being the geek that I am I decided to look up the lyrics. And this song pretty much describes to a “T” what these days feel like. Its so weird to me, and just by reading them I suppose unless you feel like this it’s hard to understand. But I am going to post them anyway, because it’s like a short version of how I feel most days, and maybe it can lead to more understanding for you guys and for myself to be honest. I think I need it.

Oh, and just on a side note, I have a neurologists appointment today, so fingers crossed by bloodwork, EEG, MRI’s etc show something so he can tell me!!

“Her Diamonds”

Oh what the hell she said
I just can’t win for losing
And she lays back down
Man there’s so many times
I don’t know what I’m doing
Like I don’t know now

By the light of the moon
She rubs her eyes
Says it’s funny how the night
Can make you blind
I can just imagine
And I don’t know what I’m supposed to do
But if she feels bad then i do too
So I let her be

And she says oh
I can’t take no more
Her tears like diamonds on the floor
And her diamonds bring me down
Cause I can’t help her now
She’s down in it
She tried her best but now she can’t win it
Hard to see them on the ground
Her diamonds falling down

She sits down and stares into the distance
And it takes all night
And i know i could break her concentration
But it don’t feel right

By the light of the moon
She rubs her eyes
Sits down on the bed and starts to cry
And there’s something less about her
And I don’t know what I’m supposed to do
So I sit down and I cry too
And don’t let her see

And she says oh
I can’t take no more
Her tears like diamonds on the floor
And her diamonds bring me down
Cause I can’t help her now
She’s down in it
She tried her best but now she can’t win it
Hard to see them on the ground
Her diamonds falling down

She shuts out the night
Tries to close her eyes
If she can find daylight
She’ll be alright
She’ll be alright
Just not tonight

And she says oh
I can’t take no more
Her tears like diamonds on the floor
And her diamonds bring me down
Cause I can’t help her now
She’s down in it
She tried her best but now she can’t win it
Hard to see them on the ground
Her diamonds falling down

I don’t even know where to start when describing this night. I haven’t seen Rob solo since the Summer of 2006 at PNC. It was absolutely amazing. Bought a ticket off of stub-hub mid week, and ended up in the 2nd row. I have  never been that close at one of his shows, minus the China Club stuff.  I love the new album and it was great to hear him play most of it live, as well as some of my favorites from Something to Be.  His energy on stage never ceases to amaze me and you feel such a positive vibe from him, no matter what he is going through, and he’s been through a lot recently.

you know i was close if i got this on my iphone

Massy Hall in, Toronto, is one of the best venues to see a concert, in my humble opinion. With its spectacularly charming character and vaudeville style architecture , it’s the jewel of old Toronto. One can feel the ghosts of the past performers that have graced that stage. With its intimate setting, the place just buzzes. I have seen so many fantastic artists there, Dallas Green , Hawskley Workman and Tori Amos. All AWESOME.

So, when I had the opportunity to see my Favorite artisit Rob Thomas there, of course I was all over that! I WAS THERE! My good friend agreed to go with me to the event. We have been there so many times we have a routine. We park at the Eaton Centre and got to Baton Rouge for a bite to eat before hand. Most of the time we do not know who will open the show, and we like the idea of being surprised and delightfully, always are.

Well, this night was no exception. We made our way over after eating dinner, and decided to go downstairs to check out the merchandise, when we got quite a surprise. What a thrill to see Carolina Liar! Such a great band! I had just given my niece my only cd of them, because I learned she liked them too. I had not yet gotten another copy for myself. Well, not only were they there but they were there signing autographs for the very same cd!

Talk about karma! Rob Thomas had brought my karma to Massey Hall! I was ecstatic!

Then, when we went to get our seats we realized that not only were Carolina Liar there, but One Republic was also there! WOW! What an awesome experience! One for the memory books! And of Course Rob Thomas’ performance was flawless!

Massey Hall never lets me down, and neither does Rob!

When was the last time you went to a rock concert? We hadn’t been in “too long to mention” and the experience certainly has changed.

We set out last might to see One Republic, Rob Thomas and Carolina Liar, at the beautiful landmark Beacon Theatre in New York City.

The show opened with a fairly new group called Carolina Liar. We had never heard of them before, but we did recognize “Show Me What I’m Looking For”, their current single.

The room was about 1/3 full at that point, but those of us that were there enjoyed their energetic performance.

We were struck by a group of  “50 somethings” swaying and dancing in front of the stage.  “Aww, how cute”, we remarked, ” They must be the band’s mothers!” It turned out they were not such an anomaly after all.

Soon after, One Republic came on, and truly rocked the house. The venue started to fill up, and by the time Rob Thomas stepped on the stage, the place was packed. What was shocking was the profile of those that were there.

Across the aisle, was a cute spectacle clad grey haired couple, on a big night out without the grandkids.

Gaggles of 40-ish woman wearing “mom jeans” and sipping Cosmos were on their feet, flabby arms in the air, swaying to the music. A well behaved but responsive crowd, singing along to the LITE FM hits.

As the show neared the end, a full 4 hours after it began, people were scampering for the door. Rushing home to relieve the babysitter, or just past their bedtimes?

We all enjoyed the show, (thanks, Walter!) and can’t wait to see another one. Apparently, we fit right in, although my jeans are way cooler, and my arms are much more toned!

“Just saying ……“

Photo: Indigo Jones

So, today is my birthday. In honor of such a wonderful day, I thought I’d go back in time and see what was on the charts on my birthday throughout the nineties.

1990: Love Takes Time – Mariah Carey    Hmmm… I was far too punk rock cool to have anything to do with Miss Glitter, so I don’t recall this song. I’m sure it was played heavily in shopping malls across the country, and I was probably subjected to it. I just don’t recognize the title.

1991: Cream – Prince & the New Power Generation    Hello? Does anyone remember this song? I don’t remember this song at all, which is weird, because I love Prince. I guess I wasn’t loving him much in 1991.

1992: End of the Road – Boyz II Men   Wow. I was out of touch with mainstream music in the early nineties. I remember the band, and the hoardes of teenage girls who loved them. But I wasn’t one of them.

1993:  I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) – Meat Loaf   Aha! I remember this one. Being a big Rocky Horror fan, I was on board with the man, plus, it was a great sing-along song at the bars.

1994: I’ll Make Love To You – Boyz II Men   Really? Them again? I can vaguely recall this one, probably because it was #1 from August 27 to December 3.

1995:  Fantasy – Mariah Carey    Was there a butterfly or short-shorts in this video? What? That was all her videos? Ok, I’m at a loss again.

1996: No Diggity – Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre    Yup. I remember this one. But I was working at the mall, managing an Express store, so I was becoming more mainstream. I’ve always been a Dr. Dre fan though.

1997: Candle In The Wind 1997 – Elton John    Good thing I kind of liked this song, because there was no getting away from it at the end of 1997.

1998: One Week – Barenaked Ladies   The boys from Canada. I love BNL, and in November of 1998 I was a newlywed.  My new husband and I would sing along with this whenever it came on the radio, trying to get all the words right. And we still do that today when we hear it.  Altogether now:  Awwwwwww…..

1999: Smooth – Santana featuring Rob Thomas  I still have this CD in my car. Of course, it is now a Honda minivan, and not my cute Honda coupe. Time goes by, but this is still a great song.

If this video has a lag, let it play first through.  The second time viewing should be just perfect.  It’s a great video for a great song. 

View Rob Thomas on your mobile.

I’ve been on Twitter since April, and in that time I’ve slowly found my groove with it, I think, or at least I hope. No matter what people might tell you, the majority join Twitter to follow their favorite celebrities. It’s human nature for us to want to peek into their daily life. That’s why reality shows about celebrities are such big hits. But, I’m here to tell you – not all celebrities are worth following. Everyone’s list will be different, but here’s my list of celebrities I follow and why:

1. Martina McBride – @martinamcbride – I’m a huge country-music fan. If Twitter (and me) had been around way back when, I would have followed Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn – can you imagine the conversations that would have gone on?!? Surprisingly (sorry Martina!), Martina is smart, witty, and just plain hilarious. She got off to a slow start (I suspect her first tweets were written by an assistant), but now it seems like you’re really getting to see a different side of her. The girl likes her wine! Sample tweets:

Oprah was fun. Glad they didn’t show the “crack house” where I used to live! Not literally a crack house..but it kinda looked like one!6:30 PM Nov 3rd from web

Clarification:The aforementioned “crack” house did NOT mean the house I grew up in!Was talking bout the house I lived in when 1st on my own!8:23 PM Nov 3rd from web

2. Rob Thomas – @ThisIsRobThomas – Another musician, Rob Thomas, the frontman for Matchbox 20 loves to debate. He likes respectful discourse, though some of his Twitter followers can get a bit out of hand. Seeing him chastise them and try to get them under control is worth it alone.  Sample tweet:

Had lunch at the HOTEL CONGRESS. It’s where dillinger was captured. It’s so bad ass. Great food and great vibe.6:10 PM Oct 25th from UberTwitter

3. Michael Ian Black – @michaelianblack – A comedian best-known for his dry take on the 80s, 90s and every other “I Love…” decade covered by VH1, Black lets the quips fly all day long. When he’s taping his current show Michael and Michael Have Issues, his twitter page is really just a promo tool, but other times, it’s like getting constant jokes sent to you. A sample tweet:

Can we change the word “addiction” to “enthusiasm?” As in: “I have an alcohol enthusiasm?” It just sounds nicer.6:08 PM Nov 6th from web

4. Maksim Chmerkovskiy – @MaksimC – The Bad Boy of the Ballroom, Maks tweets pictures of what he’s doing on an almost daily basis. One of the best things about his Twitter stream is that he tweets his new TVGuide blog posts, which are a hoot to read. Sample tweet:

Mya’s 30 should be a 40!!! AMAZING! And Carrianne is crazy to deduct a point from Joanna!!!!!!about 13 hours ago from UberTwitter

5. Eddie Izzard – @eddieizzard – England’s #1 crossdresser, Izzard has become a running machine. I started following him this summer when he was trying to break some crazy running record to raise money for Comic Relief. Reading his Tweets and looking at the pictures he posts, it’s like vicariously touring the UK. A sample tweet:

Did a 20 miler and would have done the full 26.2 but ran out of time. But the weather was wonderful until suddenly the heavens were peeing12:13 PM Nov 4th from Tweetie

6. Nathan Fillion – @NathanFillion – If you’re a Browncoat, I don’t need to tell you who Nathan Fillion is. He’s also making a name for himself on his current hit show, Castle. His tweets are sarcastic, witty and self-deprecating. Sample tweet:

Goodbye, London. You are a bitch for making me miss you. But a Lady for how I love you. But a bitch, too.3:48 AM Nov 8th from Tweetie

7. Wil Wheaton – @wilw – I grew up with Wil as Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation. And of course, who could forget him as Gordie in Stand by Me? Wil the real person is an actor, writer and avid Hockey fan. He has little patience for idiots, or mean people (“Don’t be a dick”, anyone?) A Sample tweet:

I am just thrilled that DirecTV and Versus haven’t resolved their dick-measuring contest, so I can’t watch The Kings and Blackhawks.about 14 hours ago from web

I really enjoy The Onion.  The content is a little colorful at times, but it’s ALWAYS funny.  They rarely do anything music related, so I felt like I had to post a link to this one…

1999 Carlos Santana Rob Thomas Collaboration Somehow Standing Test Of Time

Kings of Leon hold once again at the top of the chart, for a total of 9 weeks on top.  The next contender is Kelly Clarkson, who moves up to #4 with “Already Gone”. She is still several hundred spins behind the Kings. With the chart probably starting to slow down soon as we approach the holiday season, Kings may still have a few weeks to go on top.

Rob Thomas moves up to #10 with “Someday”. This is Rob’s 8th consecutive top 10 on Hot AC as a solo artist, starting with his appearance with Santana on “Smooth”. If you count Matchbox Twenty hits, “Someday” is Rob’s 20th top 10 on the Hot AC chart. That’s quite a feat, especially since most acts don’t even have 20 charted hits.

For those readers who’ve been following Bon Jovi, they inch up one more to #12 this week.

The biggest mover on the chart is a song that’s been around for 6 weeks now. “You & Me” by the Dave Matthews band jumps 9 notches to #30 this week.  In the previous 5 weeks, the song had risen no higher than #38.  Other songs making decent moves this week include Kris Allen’s “Live Like We’re Dying” (moving from 32 to 26) and OneRepublic’s “All the Right Moves” (moving from #29 to #24).

Lifehouse return to the chart this week after several months away. They have the highest debut of the week at #29 with “Halfway Gone”. It’s the group’s 10th top 40 hit on Hot AC. They first appeared in 2001 with “Hanging by a Moment”.  Michael Bublé comes back to the chart after a couple of years away with his third hit, “Haven’t Met You Yet”. The song is already top 10 on the AC chart. Rounding out this week’s debuts is Michelle Branch, who comes in with her first hit by herself  since 2004 with “Sooner or Later”.  It’s her 6th hit all by herself, and 9th hit overall counting hits with Santana and the Wreckers.

Idol Watch: Daughtry slips to #5, and Jordin Sparks falls to #31.

All chart data © Mediabase Research.

I love @replies

Yes… it’s another tweet about…ME. First it was Rob Thomas, and next? One of the stars of “Crash” on Starz Channel, Jocko Sims.

Jocko plays Anthony Adams aka Panic, Dennis Hopper’s right hand man in the show. There, he plays an aspiring hip hop artist. What’s kinda cool? Reality sort of imitates art. In fact, he actually recorded a single for the show called “Head Up,” which you can apparently purchase on iTunes.

Anyway. In real-life, he’s the producer behind this aspiring kid rapper, Kiowa Tucker – or “K.O.” as he likes to refer to himself (Yes, KO as in knock out. Yes, he’s like 13. But he’s got skills! Or is it, “skillz?”)

Future of hip-hop?

OK so I interview Jocko, desperately trying to not let my Trojan pride get in the way (unfortunately, he Bruin-ed his life and attended UCLA.)

Awkward moment? I’m giving him a “Crash” quiz and at the end he asks if there’s a question about him! Fail, there isn’t! But in my defense, I didn’t write the quiz, I just administered it.

To be real though, the interview was super fun… great banter, ESPECIALLY once we started talking Twitter.

I feel like Twitter really bridges the gap between celebrity (Jocko) and normal person (me.) Anyway, I call Jocko out on the fact that he never tweets. He says it’s hard for him to think of stuff to tweet, and to remember to tweet it. I tell him that I, too, used to be a hater…until I discovered Twitterfon. Since he has an iPhone, I suggested that he download “Twitterfon” (now known as Echofon) because well… once you have Twitter on a mobile device, you become addicted. It’s really not that cool when you have to like, log onto a computer just to write your 140-character-or-less thought.

Anyway…we now follow eachother on Twitter, and well it’s been over 2 month since our interview, and he’s only tweeted 13 times since then! Ridic. I’m definitely going to at least @reply him and send him this blog entry. Maybe he’ll tweet more after this?

Rob Thomas

Rob Thomas is one of my favorite music artists.  His recent album, Cradlesong,  is filled with wonderfully written tracks and today I am feeling his music.  Below is one of my favorite ones from his album ” Mockingbird.”

This is the audio

This is a live performance of the song

Here is a live performance of Cradlesong

His new video: Someday

…And the horseman roams the streets at night… restlessly searching for his missing head.

That of course, is from the Legend of Sleepy Hollow – one of my favorites, although no one knows how the ghostly Hessian soldier actually lost his head. I’m going to go out on a limb right now and say that maybe if he had known about all of the great concerts going on in November in his own backyard, he could have found some solace.

Segue!

Pete Yorn

November starts off with a bang – Pete Yorn, who performed live for the peak in 2006 will be playing at the Ridgefield Playhouse TOMORROW the 1st. He just released his fourth record Back and Fourth this past June and if you look at the fine print, you’ll notice that Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes helped produce it. What’s more, Yorn put out another album right after that, with Scarlett Johannson this past September – Relator. And coming off touring with Coldplay throughout the summer Mr. Yorn is doing quite well for himself – make sure to catch him in Connecticut!

Popper visiting the troops

On November 4th, Blues Traveler is rolling through town. They’ll be playing a show at the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza in the city. They’ve been going above and beyond recently in an effort to support the troops in any way they can. For instance they are offering a free download of “Forever Owed” – the first track of their 2008 record North Hollywood Shootout. This song was written for the troops, and they ask that in lieu of paying for the track you make a direct donation to the USO. Blues Traveler visited the troops in 2004, and in a letter to the men and women of the Armed Forces, John Popper writes,

In addition to the free download, they have been giving away free tickets to their shows for servicemen and women through the USO. So support this noble band by seeing them next wednesday.

The Monsters of Folk

Going back to Mike Mogis for a sec, the indie-folk supergroup, the Monsters of Folk, are playing at the United Palace Theater up in Washington Heights next friday, November 6th. These monsters include Mike Mogis and Connor Oberst, both prominent members of Bright Eyes; M. Ward - well known from his partnership with Zooey Deschanel called She & Him; and Jim James the singer from My Morning Jacket. I know, it’s a lot of names for one band. But it’s going to be a great performance. If you do miss them Friday, it wont be too late – they’re playing again at the Beacon Theater on Nov. 8th a week from this Sunday.

Bruce Springsteen with the E Street Band at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in 2003.

In the end, however, no one compares to the Boss. That’s right, Bruce Springsteen is blazing through town after his tour de force performance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last week. Brucie and the E Street Band will have two performances at Madison Square Garden on Saturday and Sunday, the 7th and the 8th.

Rob Thomas Peak Performance at ACME studios on Sept. 5th, 2009.

That should tide you over for a few days, at least. We return then to the Beacon Theatre, where Rob Thomas will be performing a series of three shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday the 12th, 13th, and 14th respectively.  You may know that Rob Thomas came into the studios this past September, and he’ll be one of the featured artists on the Peak Performances Vol. 2 that’s coming out this December.

And there’s so much more! The Cranberries will be playing at Nokia Theater on the 18th. After that, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones will be performing at the Community Theater at the Mayo Center for the Performing Arts on Friday the 20th, and the Smithereens will be following tham at the Community Theatre the on the 21st.

Also, Ani DiFranco will be playing at Town Hall on the 21st as well. New York’s backyard will also be graced with three shows from the Pixies on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

Guster's "Lost and Gone Forever" 1999

Then November goes out with a bang, too, with two sold-out shows from Guster on the 27th and 28th back at the Beacon Theater. They’re touring right now for the tenth anniversary of their ‘99 album Lost and Gone Forever. They’re playing two sets each with one set being the record in its entirety. That album has some truly great tracks like “Barrel of a Gun” and “Fa Fa”.

So happy concert-hunting, and if you do seem to have misplaced your head, then let some great world class rock steer you home.

—————————————

Peak Keyword: ICHABOD

I wish all the humans beings would behave ever the same with the people they love. To show support, love, affection has been missing in some hearts. Most of the times we take everything for granted and then start complaining and cursing the others, like if they were to blame.

Is it so hard to say i love you and really mean it?

Here I leave you this great video and beautiful song to reflect on…

You can go
You can start all over again
You can try to find a way to make another day go by
You can hide
Hold all your feelings inside
You can try to carry on when all you want to do is cry

[Chorus]
And maybe someday
We’ll figure all this out
Try to put an end to all our doubt
Try to find a way to make things better now and
Maybe someday we’ll live our lives out loud
We’ll be better off somehow
Someday

Now wait
And try to find another mistake
If you throw it all away then maybe you can change your mind
You can run, oh
And when everything is over and done
You can shine a little light on everything around you
Man it’s good to be someone

[Chorus]

And I don’t want to wait
I just want to know
I just want to hear you tell me so
Give it to me straight
Tell it to me slow

Cause maybe someday
We’ll figure all this out
We’ll put an end to all our doubt
Try to find a way to just feel better now and
Maybe someday we’ll live our lives out loud
We’ll be better off somehow
Someday

[x2]
Cause sometimes we don’t really notice
Just how good it can get
So maybe we should start all over
Start all over again

Scientology didn’t give Katie Holmes quite the career boost she was counting on, now did it?

So earlier in the week, film director Paul Haggis – a long, devoted Scientologist – disavowed himself from his pyramid scheme of a religion, mostly due to the organization’s lack of action against anti-gay legislative initiatives.  And my first reaction was “that’s what finally got him to jump ship and not all of the other bat-shit crazy stuff the cult  proclaims?” To each his own, I say. 

You know, I expect actors and directors to fall for the over-the-top declarations of a meglomaniacal science writer who’s been quoted as saying the best way to make some money is to start a religion…they live in Los Angeles for Christ’s sake…where even alien-inspired immortality is possible (L. Ron Hubbard’s words, not mine).  I’m not entirely convinced that some of them haven’t sold their souls to the Horned One/Tom Cruise in order to further their careers.  Beats having to blow Harvey Weinstein, that’s for sure.

So color me incredulous, but I expect more out of my rock stars/musicians than to fall for the likes of Scientology.  I guess I think of those in the music business as being a bit more jaded and savvy, and therefore not as likely to fall for L. Ron Hubbard’s dianetic debacle of a faith.  But I was wrong.  So wrong.  Take a look at the following in the music business who claim to be – gulp – Scientologists:

Ok, some of them you already know like…

Lisa Marie Presley (they can have her. No big loss)

Isaac Hayes (who’s dead and gone – guess he didn’t get high enough in

the organization to achieve Immortal Status, hmm?)

But did you know that Chaka Khan is one?

And Brandy?

Along with Dave Davies from The Kinks? THE KINKS???

Scientology can also lay claim to Rob Thomas, Doug E. Fresh

And last – and the one that breaks my heart the most….

Beck.

Sigh. You’re just too cool for Scientology. And supposedly, too intelligent and hip and funny to fall for a raging lunatic’s delusion of grandeur scheme. 

There were others before you, Beck, who had fallen for the Dianetic Diatribe, but came out the other side.  Here’s a list of former musician Scientologist who just….who just….stopped taking drugs long enough to realize what they’d gotten themselves into….they are:

Liz Phair

Leonard Cohen

Gloria Gaynor

Courtney Love (and psst, if you know that Scientology was too crazy for Courtney Love, then MAN, it must be WHACK)

Al Jarreau (what’s with all the black people in Scientology? Do they get a discount on auditing sessions or something?)

Lou Rawls

Van Morrison (yep. Really).

Hey Church of Scientology…you can keep all the rest of them, but please, not Beck.  And one last word on the subject…

Are you musical? Want to hang out and do the same work as artists like Seal, Carrie Underwood, John Mayer, Rob Thomas, Sheryl Crow, Taylor Swift, Jason Mraz, Kelly Rowland, Maroon 5, Daughtry, the Bacon Brothers, Brad Paisley, Avril Lavigne, and more? Musicians on Call is a charitable organization that brings the healing power of music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities. The one-on-one contact between musician and patient is intimate and does wonders for mood and energy. While some of the leaders of the music industry lend their time and talent, you don’t have to sell out stadium arenas to be a part of this. Volunteer musicians are needed in New York, Philadelphia, Nashville, and Miami. Non-musicians can also help as guides who accompany musicians at performances and act as a liaison between the musician and hospital staff. MOC is also expanding the programs to Veteran’s hospitals nationwide, so you can jump in by signing up here.

One Song at a Time

Aunque solo han pasado algunas semanas de la temporada actual, las cadenas ya están trabajando en sus programaciones para el año que viene, lo que se traduce en la producción de una gran cantidad de pilotos que luego serán desechados.

Una de las primeras cadenas en revelar sus potenciales proyectos ha sido The CW, que ha confirmado que se encuentra trabajando en ocho proyectos, curiosamente el mismo numero de series que actualmente la cadena cuenta en su programación.

Considerando los fracasos de Melrose Place y 90201, la cadena tendrá que encontrar varios proyectos interesantes para la próxima temporada, ya que también se rumorea que estas podrían ser las ultimas temporadas de Smallville y Supernatural.

Spy School for Girls
Creada por Mark Schwahn (One Tree Hill), esta serie se enfoca en un grupo de estudiantes en la CIA.

Nashville
Creada por Schwahn y Brad Paisley, es un drama sobre jóvenes cantantes de musica country.

Plymouth Rock
Creada por Rob Thomas (Veronica Mars), es una novela futurista sobre un grupo de jóvenes astronautas en una misión para encontrar un planeta habitable.

Confessions of a Backup Dancer
Del creador de The L Word, este drama es una mirada al detrás de escena de una exitosa estrella pop, mirada desde el punto de vista de uno de sus bailarines.

Cheer
Un drama sobre el competitivo mundo de las porristas, producido por Tom Welling (Smallville).

The March Sisters
Presentada como una versión moderna de Mujercitas.

Bitches in Britches
Una serie dramática enfocada en el exclusivo mundo de la competencia ecuestre.

Drama sin titulo
Enfocada en el mundo de la alta sociedad en Nueva York.