so i know i missed another day of this, but i was busy. monday evening i chilled at my boo’s house (the iraq veteran i mentioned in the last post), he hasn’t officially asked me to be his girlfriend yet, so i’m just calling him my boo for right now. we had so much fun. his house has a wraparound enclosed screen porch, and we periodically chilled out there for cigarette breaks. there’s empty flower pots all over the porch that they use for ashtrays. he shares the house with three roommates, one of whom is a huge stoner. so me and him smoked a bowl together that was the SHIT. and of course me and my boo couldn’t keep our hands off each other for very long so we periodically made sweet sweet love in his room, which is conveniently right behind the porch, so if you open the windows in his room you can converse with people on the porch. one time after sex, i stayed in bed wrapped in his comforter naked, while he went out to the porch for a smoke, and he opened the window between us and let me have a few drags through the window. it was so romantic. then later, he made us chicken tenders and fish sticks and pizza bites, which were quite yummy and we watched austin powers with his buddies. then later, we were laying next to each other after sex and he was telling me how beautiful i was and i was telling him how sexy his voice was, and how i’m a sucker for sexy voices, and then i asked him if he could sing. and he started doing these corny raps, lol, which led us to me admitting to having the biggest crush on eminem when i was younger, which led to me pulling out my mp3 player and we shared the earplugs and listened to music together for a long time. the first song we listened to was “superman” by eminem cuz when i told him about my crush, the first lyrics he thought of was “we just met, and i just fucked you” from that song. it was so cute, we were sharing my earbuds, listening to that song, and i was doing the girl part and he was doing em’s part, and at the end, he was like “this should totally be our song” hahahaha.

i had class at 9:30 the next day, and it takes me about an hour to get back on the bus to my apartment from his house (5 minutes by car, how crazy is that?), but i hate rushing, so i woke up when he woke up, and while i was supposed to be in my first class, i was instead having morning sex with my boo. then he made me some coffee and sent me on my way so he could get ready for work, and while i was supposed to be in my second class, i was riding the city bus through downtown watching construction dudes put up christmas wreaths on the streetlights. now, i’m not one for being all “too cool for school”, but i definitely felt like a badass that morning.

when i got back from my last class of the day and was officially on thanksgiving break, i got something to eat and chilled on the couch, having a beer and watching a law and order svu marathon. later, i said goodbye to my roommate who was leaving that night. then, my buddy matt came over and we watched spaceballs, and yes, i let him fuck me again, i wasn’t sure how our friends-with-benefits relationship was gonna change now that i was seeing this other guy, but so far, not much has changed. i told him all about my boo, and he’s so kind and understanding, he thinks it’s great that i have someone like that. he said he’d totally be cool with us being just friends with no benefits, but that didn’t work out so well….

this morning, i met up with this guy named jay, whose mother works with my father and they arranged for us to carpool together when going home for thanksgiving break. he turned out to be a pretty cool dude and the four hour trip home went really smoothly for the most part. we mostly talked about music the whole way. he likes country and rock and jimmy buffett and tracy chapman, lol, and we bonded over our similar concert experiences. that’s what’s great about being well-versed in all different kinds of music–i can connect with pretty much anyone about their favorite music.

i don’t know if i’ll be able to blog for the next two days, cuz i’m not sure if i’ll have computer access. i’m traveling down a couple states to visit my mother’s side of the family and celebrate both my grandfather’s birthday and thanksgiving. i can’t say i’m looking forward to it, as i am by far the blackest sheep in the whitest family (personality-wise, not race-wise). plus, they don’t know that i have sex or smoke, so i’m gonna have to make it two whole days without either….phew, this is gonna be tough. god, i can’t wait for saturday.

Herbie Hancock is working on a new album due out in 2010, which takes from different cultures: Tracy Chapman will be part of the project with West African singer Oumou Sangare.

And check this out…..

Tracy Chapman will perform at the reception given at the returning of President Obama in San Francisco for the first time since his historic election…

Don’t you know
They’re talkin’ bout a revolution
It sounds like a whisper
Don’t you know
They’re talkin’ about a revolution
It sounds like a whisper

While they’re standing in the welfare lines
Crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation
Wasting time in the unemployment lines
Sitting around waiting for a promotion

Poor people gonna rise up
And get their share
Poor people gonna rise up
And take what’s theirs

Don’t you know
You better run, run, run…
Oh I said you better Run, run, run…
Finally the tables are starting to turn
Talkin’ bout a revolution

Don’t you know
They’re talkin’ bout a revolution
It sounds like a whisper
Don’t you know
They’re talkin’ about a revolution
It sounds like a whisper

Don’t you know
You better run, run, run…
Oh I said you better Run, run, run…
Finally the tables are starting to turn
Talkin’ bout a revolution

There was a game we used to play
We would hit the town on Friday night
And stay in bed until Sunday
We used to be so free
We were living for the love we had and
Living not for reality

There was a time I used to pray
I have always kept my faith in love
It’s the greatest thing from the man above
The game I used to play
I’ve always put my cards upon the table
Let it never be said that I’d be unstable

Just my imagination
Just my imagination
Just my imagination, it was

-Cranberries; Just My Imagination

Do you remember the days of the garden tables and black boxes? $1 bubble tea, climbing gates and jumping into oceans?

I don’t think I miss these activities much. It’s the person I was then that I miss. Things were light and happy and spirited and friendships and relationships were simple. We had all the time in the world and all the love to give and we didn’t think so much. We just did. We went straight into the mucky sea without a set of extra clothes.

I think I can do that again. I mean, I want to. Since I started working, I’ve met a few older people who seem to feel the need to impart “wisdom” to me. “You’re so young and naïve,” they would say. “Wait a few more years and you’ll change. It’ll all change. You’ll meet people who will do anything to get what they want. And you’ll understand what it means to be jaded.”

Somewhere down this road, I’d like to be able to do aid work. Something that tangibly helps other less fortunate people. But right now, I’m glad I’m where I am. It’s such a learning curve — learning to help in a way that is not tangible. Help brighten up someone’s day, help make someone’s load lighter, help make someone laugh. And it’s equally fulfilling, I think.

So…NEW GOAL! I hope at the end of this life, I will still believe that people are inherently good, that idealism is not naïveté. And then I will tell these people to SUCK IT.

And then I will buy an Airstream and take a roadtrip to anywhere, driving so fast we could fly away.

This week, we’re getting into our virtual car and stepping on the gas pedal in Songs About Driving. Read on to find out what tracks are accompanying the girls speeding through their work and all the way into the weekend…

Sostylistic selects: Tracy Chapman – Fast Car.

Sartoriology recommends: Chris Rea – Road To Hell.

A Work In Progress picks: Madness – Driving My Car.

Ellie chooses: Iggy Pop – The Passenger.

New Favourite Thing suggests: Prince – Little Red Corvette.

Frankie opts for double whammy as it’s her turn to own the phrase “BECAUSE I’M LEAVING!”: Cyndi Lauper – I Drove All Night.

And..

Chris Rea – Driving Home For Christmas.

Soldiersailor elects: AC/DC – Highway To Hell.

In tune with Battersea Park love themed fireworks, things got a bit slushy in the office last week. Find out what tracks we chose in Songs Inspired By Love.

Oggi va così. è tutto il giorno che sento canzoni e non riesco a trovare niente che mi vada a genio. Finalmente ho messo la scelta random sul mio ipod, e magicamente, come se mi avesse capito, ho finalmente trovato la musica adatta ad oggi.

All’alba dell 17, finalmente! Beh, questa giornata sarà ancora lunga…

Click’n'read!

Iti vorbesc oricat,oricand,oriunde,despre orice ti-ai putea dori vreodata.

Iti dezvolt intregi teorii despre nimicuri,te fac sa razi printr-o simpla ridicare din spranceana,iti ofer sentimentul de siguranta din 3 cuvinte si o imbratisare,te fac sa te simti ca apartii cuiva,desi libertatea e principiul dupa care iti conduci viata,te aduc inapoi si te fac sa ramai,si daca nu ma insel,as putea chiar sa te conving ca pixul ala rosu e de fapt albastru.As putea sa te tin treaz toata noaptea pentru ca sunt partenerul de discutii perfect cand vine vorba de gasit solutii la problemele pe care le ai,dar niciodata la problemele mele.Cand vine vorba de ele prefer linistea,chiar daca….

Linistea taie.
Taie din amintiri,taie din vorbe si mai ales din tine. Taie din ceea ce vrei sa devi si mai ales din ceea ce iti doresti sa fi. Taie totul.Linistea nu aduce nimic.Pana si timpul o ignora. Linistea nu e buna de nimic,aduce panica si nu creeaza nimic.Linistea provoaca suferinta ,mai ales cand e totala.Linistea si nodul din gat sunt combinatia perfecta pentru a-ti taia rasuflarea.Sparge ceva!rupe…sau taie.Taie linistea.Ai nevoie de ea?Cateodata…dar ea devine excesiva si te poate innebuni.Apoi,nu iti dai seama…si daca constientizezi,nu ai iesire….

Dar o prefer cand vine vorba de mine…

Imi place sa stiu ca te-am ajutat,ca ti-am pus zambetul pe buze,si ca toata starea ta de bine mi se datoreaza mie.E un fel de egoism pe care mi-l asum.Egoismul de a fi singura care poate face asta.Egoismul de a fi cea care te face sa intelegi lumea altfel,care iti ofera pace si liniste interioara,succes in dragoste, prietenie, protectie, bucurie, curaj, optimism , incredere de sine,poate chiar si castiguri financiare.As putea sa imi insusesc acest rol fara nicio problema,si poate ca mi-ar placea sa stau tot timpul la gatul tau,sa iti simt pulsul si sa jubilez de fericire in sufletul meu de “piatra”,pentru  ca eu sunt cea care iti pune sangele in miscare,eu sunt talismanul tau norocos…

Tu mi-ai fi dator vandut pentru toate astea,dar nu exista nicio lege scrisa care sa spuna ca  unui talisman ii sunt intoarse favorurile pe care  le-a facut propriatarului.

Tu mi-ai datora intreaga viata,dar nu o sa  primesc niciodata nimic,pentru ca…

Pentru tine am fost doar lapis lazuli…

A step back in history – I re-discovered this awesome voice just a few days ago and cannot stop listening since… Hope you like it, too!

James Taylor

As I tune my studying playlist to the placid yet boldly constructive sounds of Western Folk music, ranging as far back to the 1950s and as distant as the cool coasts of Ireland, I engage in my own discourse concerning this genre of music, what it means to me and the thoughts of others on this topic. Though the art form is based in rural styles of instrumentation and intonation that tell stories or folklores, folk music is generally associated with White youths from cities and suburbs seeking peaceful revolution. We see the greatest following of such music in the 1960s and1970s, primarily with American folk legends Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Carole King, and Harry Chapin. Their voices were that of reason in a very turbulent America; whether it was civil rights, war, domestic issues, or addiction, these pioneers fused country, rock, and blues to form an honest expression of man, his vices as well as his weaknesses.

James Taylor – Fire and Rain

Harry Chapin – Cats In the Cradle

Today, modern folk styles have clearly overlapped with pop, country, and soul genres. Irish artists, Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan as well as American country trio, Dixie Chicks have made clear Folk investments into their craft, while maintaining contemporary appeals. Nonetheless, artists like James Taylor and Bob Dylan remain exceedingly popular, crossing generational gaps with an ever-growing fan base. Mass culture has used the inspiring sounds of such legends to create a unified sense of consumerism, through commercials and still ads.

Dixie Chicks – Travelin’ Soldier

Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan – Volcano

But what about other artists who sang with the sinuous undertones of pain and the delicate kisses of joy? Within the unturned sides of sweet music is a tradition of exclusion and elitism. Grammy award winning singer/songwriter/musician, Tracy Chapman has been known by an underground market as a dreadlocked folk artist known for her graceful strumming, Bluesy tones, and pertinent lyrics. Her songs feature romance, politics, grief and a multitude of other expressions that illustrate the human experience without words, just sounds. These sounds were harmonic chants, narrative baselines, and stories free from social demarcation. Despite the undeniable talent, musicianship and dedication, she is often relegated to the misconstrued underworld of the alternative/other category. Even though she has been active for over 20 years, she has yet to fall among the ranks of other geniuses of her genre.

Tracy Chapman

Though her artistic success and personal integrity has gone unrecognized, this Black female has persisted in her musical pursuits despite the definitions of femininity and Blackness. Her music is not restrained by racial or feminine themes, making her a more transcendent artist. However, has the industry defined Black artists as excessively sexual or overly bitter? Whatever the case maybe, it is apparent that artists of color have been given a sole function; thankfully this songstress has made it even clearer that she will perfect her craft in spite of the critics and the throng of skeptics that tell her otherwise.

Tracy Chapman – Fast Car

To learn more about the history of folk music in America check out NPR music feature,  America’s Folk Music Anthology.

Oluwatosin Bosede

Ogni settimana, su Twitter, uno dei trending topics è.. #musicmonday. Copiando spudoratamente il suddetto social network, ecco una piccola playlist personale di questo lunedì.

• Tracy Chapman – Baby Can I Hold You
• Taryn Manning – So Talented
• Adam Lambert – Time For Miracles
• Britney Spears – 3
• John Mayer – Who Says
• Elisa – Ti Vorrei Sollevare (Con Giuliano Sangiorgi)
• Westlife – Flying Without Wings
• U2 – With Or Without You
• Whitney Houston – All The Man That I Need
• Lady Gaga – Bad Romance

Si, lo so, è un accozzaglia di generi/artisti. Ma io sono anche piuttosto random, è risaputo.

Ogni settimana, su Twitter, uno dei trending topics è.. #musicmonday. Copiando spudoratamente il suddetto social network, ecco una piccola playlist personale di questo lunedì.

• Tracy Chapman – Baby Can I Hold You
• Taryn Manning – So Talented
• Adam Lambert – Time For Miracles
• Britney Spears – 3
• John Mayer – Who Says
• Elisa – Ti Vorrei Sollevare (Con Giuliano Sangiorgi)
• Westlife – Flying Without Wings
• U2 – With Or Without You
• Whitney Houston – All The Man That I Need
• Lady Gaga – Bad Romance

Si, lo so, è un accozzaglia di generi/artisti. Ma io sono anche piuttosto random, è risaputo.

Cake and Eat it Too appears on Nice & Smooth’s second album Ain’t A Damn Thing Changed which was released back in 1992.  The group, composed of Greg Nice and Smooth B hence the duo’s name Nice & Smooth.  Ain’t A Damn Thing Changed is the groups most successful release which also featured the classic singles Hip Hop Junkies and the popular Sometimes I Rhyme Slow.Cake And Eat It Too – Nice & Smooth

Thursday nights, different people are sharing SONGS THAT SPEAK DEEP.  Tomorrow night, we get 2 songs that speak to our hopes in life, the dreams we chase, and how a new kingdom way could break in.  Justin shares on Switchfoot’s New Way to Be Human, and Cassie brings the soul of Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car to the table.  Don’t miss dessert, discussion, live performances of the songs, and more.  Want to listen ahead?  Videos here, and lyrics below…

fast car words

NEW WAY TO BE HUMAN words

I am venting here. It is better to write then to smash a hole in the wall though. I would like to think this is Jesus in the temple type anger, I don’t know. I’m just a guy. A simple guy who wants to see things done right, and in a just manner. All of what I am about to say is in the heat of the moment and so will probably be off base, not totally thought out and perhaps irrational. This is my problem; can you run a ministry, which on some level is a business and a brand name, without coming into constant conflict with the spiritual path Jesus calls us to walk? Is it possible that Jesus made it impossible to mix politics with spirituality? When you take the Gospel and package it beneath a logo and a mission statement and a box of business cards does it become something else? Something tainted and unable to work properly? I HATE POLITICS. I HATE HOW WE SAY ONE THING AND DO ANOTHER. I HATE HOW WE CAN PRESENT A SPIRITUAL MESSAGE IN A CHAPEL AND THEN TURN AROUND AND BLATANTLY MANIPULATE PEOPLE AND TREAT THEM AS THOUGH THEY ARE IDIOTS. To the politicians: we are not idiots. We have a passion, and that passion fuels and directs the ship that you are the Captain of. But you are burning us out with your rhetoric. You are dousing the flames of our God given dreams. You are standing in a line holding out plexi glass shields in front of the very entrepeneurs that are offering to rebuild the faith. Offering to rebuild the real faith, but you can’t have that. I understand. Your Church is built on the foundation of money and tradition. Your Church is built on the dreams of others, dreams you are shovelling like coal into the furnace of your charity steam engine. Your religiosity lies in the fact that you constantly speak against it. You speak against yourself behind the pew and you don’t even know it. You say one thing and do another. You somehow believe the sheep don’t see. You somehow believe that respect is unconditional. It isn’t. The sheep follow the shepard. What do you follow? Do you even see them? Do you even hear them? Let them with eyes see, and let them with ears hear. I am mad. I am very mad. Our culture has always been like that. We don’t want to truly do what we say, we want to buy it off a shelf. We want to look good. We want to build a bigger building, with nice windows and a patio with a great view, but we miss the disciples walking out the back door. We miss the point. We are looking in the wrong direction. We are abusing those that give their time and effort for the true cause. And YOU, YOU are slowly putting the fire out. YOU are slowly putting the fire out. YOU are slowly putting the fire out, with your yeah buts…… and your condescending ‘you just don’t understand’ monologues, and your speeches, your long speeches, always given at the wrong time. No one believes you anymore. Your walk doesn’t match your talk. You are choosing to go about it in the wrong way. I am mad. I don’t feel bad about it either, and I am not going to supress it because Christians aren’t supposed to be mad. I am not demon possessed or displaying the effects of a deeper rooted issue. No, I am loudly venting and disagreeing with politicians. POLITICIANS. POLITICIANS that take advantage of people and their passion for changing the world. PEOPLE that just treat people wrong. PEOPLE who wave the Gospel on a banner while stealing the wallet out of the back pocket of the guy walking in front of them. I am explaining why we get together all of the time to discuss what’s wrong. We know what’s wrong, but no one will say it. WE ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE LORD. We have been shown the truth and have decided to do it our way. We have been shown the way of faith but have chosen not to walk in it, only to say that we do. LETS NOT AND SAY WE DID. Problems will continue until there is change. Take a moment and think of how different things would be if Jesus never spent any time with his disciples. Think about what life would be like if Jesus just sent faxes to them one way and told them what to do without ever taking the time to find out how they were or who they were or what they needed. How much sense would it make to tell someone to make soup, and then leave with their stove? How different would things be if Jesus decided to build his name rather than fulfill his Father’s will? Why do we feel as though the Gospel is right beside us all the time, and yet we are never quite fully in it? Why, no matter how far we reach we feel as though we can almost touch it, but not quite? What is that wall? What is that veil? Have we raised the curtain again? ON OUR OWN? why would we want to do that. We don’t need a five year plan, we need freedom. We need freedom. We need truth. We need to start living the Gospel and stop selling it. WE NEED TO KILL RELIGION. We need to look the politicians in the eyes and say NO. WE NEED TO FOLLOW JESUS. We need to love one another. I cannot believe the bullshit we let get between us and the Gospel. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe how afraid we are of speaking truth. I can’t believe how afraid we are to walk into the temple and start overturning the tables of the money changers.

Mark 12: 38-40

As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

As I said, better than punching a hole in the wall. Anyway, don’t repress your rage at injustice. God gave you passion. God tipped tables in the temple. ‘That’s just the way it is’  is bullshit. That’s just you settling. That’s just you allowing. That just makes it easier to swallow. Maybe things won’t change. Maybe things will stay the same. Maybe they won’t change. Just don’t allow that to change who you are. Don’t let someone else tell you how you should feel and think. We don’t live in a communist country. We are allowed to think, and we are allowed to voice our opinions. We are allowed to follow Jesus. We are allowed to have a relationship with Jesus, a real one.

DISCLAIMER:

In closing, this is only a poem. An experiment in creative output and anger management. Any similarities to real life people or places are strictly coincidental. No animals were harmed in the creation of this rant and this poem contains no msg or trans fat. This message is organic, and on top of all that, it contains no nut products.

I wanted to put a Rage Against The Machine song in here, but that wouldn’t have been right. I went the other way, and I think the point is made stronger by the softness in the song. We can be angry without being destructive. Anger can be a gift. We need to ask questions, we need to stand up and be heard. If not now, then when.

Sorry
Is all that you cant say
Years gone by and still
Words dont come easily
Like sorry like sorry

Forgive me
Is all that you cant say
Years gone by and still
Words dont come easily
Like forgive me forgive me

But you can say baby
Baby can I hold you tonight
Maybe if I told you the right words
At the right time youd be mine

I love you
Is all that you cant say
Years gone by and still
Words dont come easily
Like I love you I love you

The best thing about small liberal arts colleges is that they collect people with particular, amazing talents who also have interests and curiosity too broad for the pursuit of directed, specialized study, such as they might get at a big university or a conservatory or a trade school. Small liberal arts colleges let the gifted clarinetist study psychology, the trail-breaking mountaineer major in political science, the Hollywood actress prepare for graduate school in East Asian history.

I knew all these people at my own small liberal arts college. And I also knew the dancer who could have gone straight into a professional company after graduating from high school, but chose to get a solid college education, and explore her many intellectual interests, instead.

She was — and is, to this day — an astonishing dancer. Dance was a big part of my college experience, and I don’t mean just jumping around (literally, to “Jump Around”) next to the keg. I mean there were a trillion student dance groups, many of them populated by my friends, and there was even a large “we take all comers, regardless of skill” group that performed wildly popular shows a couple of times a year, with routines choreographed and performed by students. (It is possible I once got on stage with this group, even though my days of ballet classes were a decade behind me.)

Several of my dancer friends were impressively talented. But the one who could have gone pro out of high school was something special. When she moved, the joy of the movement radiated off of her. It was in her beaming smile, in the careful (and yet, at the same time, unstudied) arc of her arm or kick of her leg. She thrilled to her ability, and made the experience of watching her thrilling as well.

One of the last dances she performed, in our senior year, was to Tracy Chapman’s “Give Me One Reason.” It was a solo, and it was electrifying. It was cool and defiant and exuberant all at the same time, and communicated, as my friend’s dances always did, a confidence and freedom that I envied deeply. 

After college, and a degree in religion, my friend did dance professionally, and continues to perform with modern dance companies and teach at universities in major U.S. cities. Life has gotten more complicated for her, as for all of us, since college, but I hope she still feels, and conveys, that sense of pure joy when she dances.