1 Year Down 2 to go (Bucket List update)

Well a little over a year ago I published my Bucket List in preparation for the world ending in 2012 (the whole December 2012 Myan calendar thing). I have given you periodic updates through this year. Now with a little under two years left, I am updating and revising my bucket list. The original post text will be blue, with revisions in red.

Steve's Bucket List:

1} Finish writing my novel and get it published. This is a long-time goal, and now the end of the world is just giving me motivation to work faster. I have some big plans in the works in this area, keep watching here and on facebook for more, and for how you can help make this dream come true.

2}Take a guitar lesson from Orianthi. She is the amazing guitarist from the Michael Jackson THIS IS IT movie, and to just spend an hour learning from her would be amazing. She is busy touring with Adam Lambert, but I'm sure she'll get back to me after the tour. I'll be checking in with her on Twitter after the holidays, sure she'll respond this time.

3} Spend a month traveling in England and Ireland. I figure it would take at least a month to find all the historical, but not touristy spots. Still waiting for financing...come on LOTTO!!!

4} Star in, or direct a movie with Zooey Deshanel. Maybe my friend Beau could produce it. She is one of my favorite actresses, and I'd love to work with her. Talks are still delayed by me having no way to contact Zooey, she doesn't Twitter enough...might need to switch to Rachel Nichols, she has responded to multiple tweets, and seems cool. Well, Zooey has started tweeting more, but has yet to respond to me, and Rachel is still responding, so I am hereby officially changing this to "Star in, or direct a movie with Rachel Nichols. Also to get bucket list down to 10 items, I am combining #8 in here, and adding have lunch/coffee with Rachel Nichols, since she responds more than Ashley Greene.

5} Spend a day at the park with just my kids and my parents. Sounds easy enough, but if you understood my family situation, you'd know this is probably the wildest thing on my list. Still no progress to report here.

6} Write a song with Taylor Swift. I'd let her sing it, since my voice would make people pray for the end of the world. plus with her singing it would be a sure hit. New album out, big huge world tour in the works for next year, plus Jake is kinda in the way now, so not looking good, but still hopeful.

7} Get together and hang out for at least part of a day catching up with as many of my Facebook friends as I can. Since my Toyota friends I can see any time, I won't count those, sorry. This is where I can report the most progress: In October I hooked up with my friend Beau who I hadn't seen since college, we hung out before the U2 concert. This month I have has lunch with my friends Adam, and John, both from my KLoRD days who I hadn't seen in 14 or 15 years. Very good time catching up on all accounts. Looking forward to more meetings soon. In a bit of a slump here, but will be making a New Years resolution on this front, keep a watch here for that.

#8 (becoming part of #4)} Have lunch or dinner with Ashley Greene (from Twilight). Her character is so sweet, and from what I hear, she is too. See #4 above (although I'd still keep the Ashley option open)

The new #8 (formerly 11)}To see a sunrise and sunset on every continent. Well, could probably skip Antarctica. Still stuck on North America...as with England trip, waiting on financing...Come on lotto!!!

9} Spend a month on tour with U2. Maybe get invited up onstage by Bono. U2 will be touring US again this year...hoping to get a chance to talk with them about the options.

10} Take a dance lesson from one of my favorite Dancing with the Stars pros, either Lacey Schwimmer, Chelsie Hightower, or Julianne Hough. Things not looking great here, Lacey hasn't been spending as much time in her dad's Redlands studio lately, or at least not tweeting about it.

A Christmas gift for you, my friends.

During the advent season in 1987 I wrote a Christmas story. For many years it has been hidden away in storage. I recently unearthed it, and have polished it up a little. I am now going to share it with you my friends. Read and enjoy:

Christmas Dreams

The snow blew in soft wisps against the oaken stable. The old cart horse slept on a bed of hay. A small light glowed in the window of a nearby house. Inside the house the cart driver sat in his chair rocking, trying his best to keep warm in the cold Pennsylvania winter.

Living alone in the country made it hard for the man to get wood for his fire. In past times he would travel to town with his horse, buy wood and haul it back in his cart. He would burn enough wood to keep warm, and the rest he would carve; he made toys for the children, salt and pepper shakers for the women or birdhouses for the men. He would then travel into town to sell his creations, and with the money he would buy more wood. Around the beginning of November he would start working on his Christmas ornaments. These always sold well, and made for large wood purchases. Each year, exactly three weeks before Christmas, he would begin work on the nativity scene for the church building in town. For two solid weeks he would work from sun-up until long after dark carving the figures of the holy family. Then a week before Christmas he would hook the horse up to the cart, load the nativity set in and head for the church. Everyone in town loved his work, and his nativity scene was the talk of the town.

But about a year ago his fingers began to feel the bite that so many older hands feel. As his joints hardened and the arthritis began to twist his fingers, his carving became less precise, and people began buying less and less of his work. Three weeks before Christmas, he went to town to buy the wood for the nativity scene, and the wood to keep him warm until Christmas. The money was short, and he was not able get enough wood.

He was determined to carve a nativity scene to better all his previous ones, so he cut back on his heating rations. He painfully worked on Joseph, stopping often to rest his stiff joints. Then he began work on the Virgin Mary. As he was putting thee finishing touches on the face, a spur of pain shot through his hand, causing his knife to slip and make a scar across the beautiful face.

The man knew he had to start over, so he took a large piece of wood off his heating wood pile, and began again on Mary. But the man could not bring himself to throw the scarred Madonna into the fireplace, and so his pile of wood dwindled rapidly. His mistake also cost him time, so he stayed up later and got up earlier to get the work done.

The next day was the day he was to bring his nativity scene in to town. Everyone would be waiting; for even though they knew his carving had gotten rougher, they also knew that the love he put into his nativity scene would make it a piece of beauty. He sat in his chair, rocking and holding the wooden baby Jesus in his lap. The wooden child was almost perfect, except the face remained uncarved. As the man rocked, he slowly fell asleep.

As he slept, he began dreaming. He saw himself as a child, running with the sheep on his farm. He saw a Christmas morning when he was ten and he had found a sheepdog puppy under the family Christmas tree. Next he saw his baptism into the church on a Christmas Eve when he was thirteen. Then he was shown a picture he had seen many times of Jesus standing at the door and knocking.

The man got up and opened the door in his dream, and Jesus came in. “My faithful follower,” the Lord said, “you have served me well, and it is your time to rest. Come unto me, and I will give you the rest you so richly deserve.”

“But Lord,” the man replied, holding up the unfinished carving of the Christ child, “My work is not done. The Church needs a nativity scene, and it is not yet finished.”

Love shone from the face of Christ as He drew the man to Himself and repeated the words He had said many years before, “It is finished.” And the man went to be with the Lord, leaving his carving behind.

The next morning the horse woke in the cold air, knowing somehow that he would not be making the planned trip into town.

In the town the crowds gathered around the church to wait for the man to bring his nativity scene. As time passed, and it became apparent that he was not coming, a group of men decided to ride out to the man’s house to see what was wrong.

When they reached his house they knocked, and after a few minutes with no answer, they tried the door. It wasn’t locked, so they walked in, and found the man sitting in his chair. In his cold, lifeless hands he grasped the most beautiful, perfectly carved statue of the baby Jesus they had ever seen. The face shown out with a love and power beyond anything ever before captured by an artist. The nativity seen was brought to the church, and became a permanent part of the church’s Christmas decorations. The man was buried on Christmas Eve, in the churchyard he had loved for so long.

Written during advent 1987

Copyright Stephen J. DeVries, 2010

Dino-Boy's Adventure

As you may or may not know, I have written a children's book. It was never a huge success and did not make me rich, but it is something I'm rather proud of. If you are interested in a copy, I now have figured out how to take money through paypal, and am offering copies for $6.00 including postage. If you are interested in a copy, click below to order. Copies will be autographed at your request.

Autographed to whom?

Please Help Save Jerry.

This is Jerry. 13 years ago Jerry was abandoned behind the athletic field at the high school where my father-in-law worked. My father-in-law called home and said he was bringing home a new kitty. At the time, with two cats already in the house, no one seemed to thrilled at the idea. But one look at the beautiful gray kitten and everyone was in love. We have watch this sweet, lovable cat grow in our home and in our hearts. As my own children were born, and have grown, Jerry has been a dear friend to all.

Recently we noticed a swelling on Jerry's front paw (photo at right). We took him to a vet, who diagnosed a spider's bite. We gave him medicine to fight off the infection and waited for the swelling to go down. It stayed the same for several weeks, then the swelling started to grow. We took him in recently to a different vet, and he has diagnosed it as a tumor,which may or may not be cancerous. The estimated bill to remove the tumor is $1500, which we just don't have right now. Are family is crushed by the possibility of losing the pet we have loved so long.

I know how though the economy is now, which is why I hate to ask this, but if there is any way any of you could donate in any amount, using the Paypal link below, to help save this beloved fur baby who has been in our family for 13 years, we would gratefully appreciate it. And if somehow we raise more than is needed we will donate the excess to Sidewalk Angels and the great work they do for Animal causes. Thank you from my whole family.

Music Review : Still Running-One

After downloading the album ONE from indie band Still Running, I set out with a critical ear. I was determined to find some problem in this release, so my review wouldn't sound like I was gushing over my college friends band just because my friend was in it. But after several listens my major complaint was that it was only 11 songs long. On a small indie release one might expect poor production quality, or a band where all the songs sound the same. Neither of these problems are evident here. Let's look track by track.

1. One-- The title track is an acoustic guitar driven number, sort of a political piece with an early Jackson Browne feel, Mike Mercatante handles the lead vocal, with Jenna Reed (my college friend) handling background vocals on this track. It is a moving number, with nice harmonica parts and a haunting electric guitar solo at the end.

2. Robert Immolation-- Jenna takes lead vocals on this hauntingly beautiful tune. Light acoustic guitar and piano move along the melody. Not sure of the story of the song, but it is a lovely song, ending with a portion from St. Patrick's Breast Plate (a tradition song written by St. Patrick in the 5th century).

3. Crazy-- The third track picks up the tempo a little. Jenna once again on lead vocals; drums and electric guitar drive along this look at the things that make us all a bit crazy at time; like relationships, religion and the injustice in the world. Love the chorus: "Crazy is as crazy does, We might be sane if we knew what that was." Probably my favorite track on the album.

4. Outside Blues-- A flat out blues track, with bass, percussion and great harmonica. Mike handles the lead vocal on this one, vocals remind me of Mike Roe on some of the bluesier 77's tracks, or T-Bone Burnett in his 80's alternative-blues stage.

5. I Wish You Could Hear Me-- This is a very lovely and emotional song about communication and loving even through hurting. Piano and guitar accompany Jenna in a song that is reminiscent of Jewel or Sarah McLachlen.

6. Box of Secrets-- An up tempo pop alternative number featuring Jenna on lead, but Mike sharing harmony vocals most of the way through. Guitar, drums and harmonica accompany. Not sure why, but this track reminds me of the group Barenaked Ladies. A very fun song that I think could fit in any current adult radio station.

7. The Mountain-- A very uptempo fun tune, with Mike taking lead vocals, accompanied by Banjo drums and a New Orleans sounding horn section. This song reminds me a lot of T-Bone Burnette's soundtrack for "Oh, Brother, Where art Thou".

8. Only Now-- The most beautiful song on the album, a slow tempo piano and guitar accompany Jenna's vocals. The song has a bit of a Zen feel to it. "You will go where I have been Make the landscape different and return again." This is my second favorite track on the album.

9. Heavy is the Heart-- Guitar and Mike's voice open up this track, with Jenna joining on duet vocals on this track that musically reminds me of early Simon and Garfunkel (not the tracks everyone knows by them, but their more edgy folk stuff). This is a probably the most political track on the album.

10. Merciless Sun-- Without a doubt the edgiest track on the album. Jenna's vocals are processed this time, and the effects are very cool. The song seems like an interpretation of parts of Ecclesiastes talking about how no matter how many times we do something we know is wrong, we do it again. "The merciless sun is laughing at me. She knows what an idiot I am." Very Alternative sound to it.

11. Speak Your Peace-- An amazing song, almost could fit into a modern liturgy. A bit of an eastern influence to the music, like some of George Harrison's more obscure tracks. musically edgy, and powerful vocally.

Overall, this is an exceptionally well produced indie album, and well worth the $10 to download. If you need the link to down load it, you can find it by clicking the title line of this blog or click here. Don't miss out on this great album. The download also include a PDF of the CD liner, including lyrics (a nice touch) .

How to fix Glee

Last year I was slow in discovering the television phenomena of the year. Glee was the talk of TV critics and fans everywhere. The music was catchy, the stories cute and smart, the stars also cute. Everyone was watching it and buzzing about it all over the social networks. And I must say, I was hooked. I started watching near the end of the first half of season one, and saw most of the second half. I thought (and still do) that the season finale was some of the most amazing television I'd seen in years.

Now we are six episodes in to season 2 (after tonight) and with the exception of the Rocky Horror Episode, I am not impressed. Seems that this High School hit has hit a sophomore slump. Let me tell you the problems I see. And for comparison I will refer to another favorite of mine that suffered the dreaded slump, Heroes. A few years back Heroes debuted as the hot property on NBC. After an amazing first year, it attempted to come back, bigger and better. It's first problem was adding too many new characters; Glee is doing the same thing. We don't need the new tough girl football coach, we don't need the bleached-blond new quarter back. We don't need the girl who was scared away by Rachel, but is sure to be back when they face Vocal Adrenaline in regionals. We liked the original cast, lets keep them.

A second problem Heroes had in season two is that they lost the individual episode appeal by aiming at too grand a climax of the season (unfortunately the writer's strike cut the season short before it could reach the grand climax). I feel Glee may be falling into the same trap, shooting for Nationals in New York; I think they need to get us interested in the kids again, or we (that is I) may tune out before NY.

The first season was filled with what I call "WoW" moments; things that made me say "That was amazing...haven't seen that before". And there were moments that brought goosebumps to my skin, this is something that has to be spontaneous, I can't make the goosebumps happen. So far this season I only got a tiny bit of goosebumps during the episode where Kurt's father is in the coma. You would think it would have been any of the pseudo-religious songs or sequences, but it was when Kurt sang "I want to hold your hand". That scene got to me. And as for "Wow" moments, I hold the Rocky Horror episode as a WOW episode, but no individual moments this season.

And the biggest thing that is plaguing Glee this season is the cast apparent lack of the ability to keep it's clothes on in magazines. A GQ spread featuring 3 of the very attractive stars in skimpy clothes stirred up a controversy, followed a few weeks later by a solo photo shoot of one of the stars topless (not really showing anything bad). But of course these photo shoots stirred up an uproar from family groups about the inappropriateness of "high school students" posing his way. The point was raised that the actors were not actually high school age. My view is, yes they had the right to pose this way, no big deal; but it has taken focus off the show, and any message the show may be putting out, and has put focus on the behavior of the cast. If the cast wanted to help the show, and get the message out the should have done a photo shoot of the whole cast, not just the hotties, showing what beautiful PEOPLE they are, not on the outside, but within. Ok, so I'm stretching the theme of the show, and trying to get it to spill over into real life, so shoot me.

Anyway, Glee cast and writers need to refocus on what they had first season and try to bring it back, or the magic is gonna fade. They will start losing viewers if season 2 doesn't pick it up soon. ...Oops, gotta run, almost time for GLEE!!!

Running to win

Just a short blog about a truth that came to me today. I was reading a news blurb about the New York City Marathon. It came to me that in this marathon, there are many runners, such as the Chilean miner who ran, who do it just so they can say they ran the race. Very few of the people in the NYC Marathon actually go in thinking they might win. For most people it is just finishing that is the accomplishment.

Then I thought, a lot of us live our lives that way. Just making it through is our goal. But in ! Corinthians 9:24 we are told, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. " We are told to run in such a way as to get the prize. We need to be in life to win. Victory can be ours if we set our eyes on the prize of Heaven, and trust Christ to lead us to the Finish Line.

THE FINISH LINE-- Lyrics by Steve Taylor

Once upon an average morn
An average boy was born for the second time
Prone upon the altar there
He whispered up the prayer he'd kept hid inside

The vision came
He saw the odds
A hundred little gods on a gilded wheel
"These will vie to take your place, but Father,
by your grace I will never kneel"

And I saw you, upright and proud
And I saw you wave to the crowd
And I saw you laughing out loud at the
And I saw you brush away rocks
And I saw you pull up your socks
And I saw you out of the blocks
For the finish line

Darkness falls
The devil stirs
And as your vision blurs you start stumbling
The heart is weak
The will is gone
And every strong conviction comes tumbling down

Malice rains
The acid guile is sucking at your shoes while the mud is fresh
It floods the trail
It bleeds you dry
As every little god buys its pound of flesh

And I saw you licking your wounds
And I saw you weave your cocoons
And I saw you changing your tunes for the party line
And I saw you welsh on old debts
I saw you and your comrades bum cigarettes
And you hemmed and you hawed
And you hedged all your bets
Waiting for a sign

Let's wash our hands as we throw little fits
Let's all wash our hands as we curse hypocrites
We're locked in the washroom turning old tricks
Deaf
And joyless
And full of it

The vision came
He saw the odds
A hundred little gods on a gilded wheel
"These have tried to take your place, but Father,
by your grace I will never kneel
I will never kneel..."

Off in the distance
Bloodied but wise
As you squint with the light of the truth in your eyes

And I saw you
Both hands were raised
And I saw your lips move in praise
And I saw you steady your gaze
For the finish line

Every idol like dust
A word scattered them all
And I rose to my feet when you scaled the last wall
And I gasped
When I saw you fall
In his arms
At the finish line

I miss real popcorn

As I prepare to hit my 45th birthday tomorrow, I have been thinking about things I miss from my younger days. Last night we watched Julie & Julia, which is a great movie, and part of the reason I started blogging in the first place. And seeing how much simpler life was in Julia Child's day made me start to think about my simpler times.
One thing I miss is sleep. I had a lot more time for that when I was younger, and didn't need it as much. But what I realized I missed most about my childhood was real popcorn. At home this meant breaking out the jar of Orville Redenbacher popping corn, and Orville's popping oil and breaking out mom's biggest sauce pan, and shaking the pan over the burner on the stove until the popping of the kernels slowed to a few pops every 20 seconds. And like the add said, Most Every Kernel Pops. And you had a huge bowl filled with popcorn, so everyone had at least two small bowls to munch as we watched TV. Now a days its all jiffypop or microwave in pre-measured bags that really never give you enough, and usually leave dozens of un-popped, wasted kernels.
And don't get me started on movie theatre popcorn. You used to be able to walk into the theatre and watch the popcorn being made in the huge machine. It was so hot and fresh tasting, and the butter oil would just soak in over top and be oh so good. Now you pay a fortune for stuff they have dumped out of a bag into the big dispenser that has been warmed under a high powered light, Where is all the real popcorn?
And you want to know what else I miss? I miss good comic strips. When I was young I would read the comic page top to bottom. Now I don't give it a second glance. Part of this is due to the fact that a lot of the best strips are gone. Calvin and Hobbes, Bloom County, The Far Side, is Doonesbury even still there? But I blame a lot of it on the papers for continually shrinking the comics. They are now so small in the LA Times that the art of making a comic strip can't been seen, and the words can barely be read by these old eye. And forget the good old colored funnies on Sunday, these are now ads, with a comic strip here or there.
Oh to be young again...oh well, I guess that will never happen. Just gotta hold the memories.

Steve's iPod Playlist (Vol. 3 --Break Up Songs)

My latest installment of my playlist series is my breakup song playlist. This is kind of funny because I've never really had a major break up. I just find these songs interesting, and I love the emotion some of them convey. Some of these songs are sad, some funny, and some down right nasty. Hope you enjoy the list. Watch for adult content warning on a few songs, avoid playing these songs for the kids.

1.) Should have Said No-- Taylor Swift: One of Taylor's less well know songs. I swear if you listen you can picture scenes from the Ross & Rachel break up episode of Friends (Season 3, episode 15 &16).

2.)H-A-T-R-E-D-- Tonio K.: ADULT CONTENT WARNING: It starts off like a folk lament and transitions to a punk rock rant at an ex calling her every name on the planet. How every guy would LIKE to handle their break-up. As the music fades though you hear him say, "but then again maybe with a little couples therapy we could work this out"

3.) One More Minute-- Weird Al Yankovic: Hilarious country sound song. "I'd rather spend eternity eating shards of broken glass than to spend one more minute with you." Breaking up has never been so harshly fun.

4.) Better Than I Thought It'd Be-- Trace Adkins: After his girl leaves, he finds that eating cold pizza and watching what you want on TV isn't as bad as he'd imagined. pretty funny.

5.) Ur So Gay (live acoustic version) --Katy Perry: ADULT CONTENT WARNING Katy disses on an ex boyfriend who was part of the metro-sexual crowd. Petty harsh. The version from her MTV unplugged album is classic, with audience participation. On the video she explained that she knew it was time to break up with him when he started wearing her jeans.

6.) In Pictures-- Alabama: Ok, I'm not sure if this is a song about a broken marriage, or just the hardship of a musician always on the road. But the sadness of watching a child grow only in pictures just makes me cry.

7.) What She's Doing Now-- Garth Brooks: A classic song about the girl who leaves your life, but never leaves your thoughts.

8.) Dontcha Want me now?-- Debbie Gibson: A scorned girlfriends asks her ex if he's missing her. If she isn't just what he'd wanted now that he's tried a few other choices.

9.) Knowing Me, Knowing You-- ABBA: Once comprised of two married couples, the supergroup was two divorced couples at the height of their fame. Amazing two me that the two girls so passionately sing these words, penned by their ex's.

10.) Ain't No Sunshine-- Adam Again: the classic Bill Withers tune, cover here in an amazing version by Gene Eugene and his band Adam Again. You know the song, check out this version.

11.) Tell Me on a Sunday-- Bernadette Peters: From the amazing one woman musically by Andrew LLoyd Webber (Song & Dance) A young British woman starting on her own in America tells her boyfriend exactly how she wants to break up, knowing it will happen sooner or later.

12.) Can't Be Really Gone-- Tim McGraw: Looking around the house he sees all the signs that she will come back. Half read books, favorite clothes, all the things she wouldn't leave behind.

13.) Hurting Each Other-- The Carpenters: We know we're in love, but we keep doing stupid things that hurt the other person. And Karen's voice can just make you melt.

14.) According To You-- Orianthi: Besides Orianthi's amazing guitar work, smart lyrics about a girl who is leaving a guy who doesn't appreciate her in favor of a guy who thinks she's amazing. changes keys and tone when going from one guy to the other in the lyrics.

15.) Gonna Get Along Without You Now-- She & Him: Actress Zooey Deschanel is so brilliant in her musical outing She & Him. This upbeat break up song from Volume 2 is catchy fun and smart. Yes, we were good, but I'll be moving on now.

16.) All Out of Love-- Air Supply: Pure 70's sap. You know the song, and as much as you hate to admit it, you love it too!

17.) Walls Of Silence-- Leslie Phillips: An amazingly smart and sharp look at divorce, and the communication break downs that usually lead there.

18.) Loving This Way-- CollinRaye: A painfully accurate picture of a relationship where both people know they are wrong for each other, and finally say "I'm tired of loving this way."

19.) What About The Love We Made-- Shelby Lynne: A divorced couple dividing their possessions, realizing how hard it is on their daughter, and how they can't divide her love in two.

20.) Jar of Hearts-- Christina Perri: Amazing emotional powerful song, about a guy who goes from girl to girl emotionally tearing them apart. And one girl who says, no, you can't come back and do that to me again. LOVE THIS SONG!!!

Steve's iPod Playlist (Vol.2.2 --Destress Music continued)

Today I will continue my look at my Destress Playlist. This list is a list of songs that help me when I get stressed out (which NEVER happens) I will try to explain what tunes I use for different situations, and how they help me, although the power of music is sometimes hard to explain.

11.) Hold Me, Jesus-- Rich Mullins: The late Rich Mullins is the only artist with multiple entries on this list, because he had a way of touching your heart and making the spiritual real in your everyday life. This song is a cry for Jesus to hold you through the hard times. My favorite line, "I'd rather fight You for something I don't really want than take what You give that I need". Ain't that the truth.

12.) Let the Waters Rise-- Mikeschair: A new song by a relatively new group. This song passed the goose bump test the first time I heard it. It basically says that there will be troubles in life, life isn't easy, but with God on your side, bring it on, "Let the Waters Rise".

13.) I Still Believe (The Great Design)-- The Call: This song was huge when I was in college. A version was featured in Lost Boys. It was covered by Russ Taff, Tony Vincent, and several others. But it is the original by The Call with the powerful voice of the late Michael Been that still gives me goose bumps and makes me sing along "I'll march this road, I'll climb this hill, upon my knees if I have to. I'll take my place upon this stage, I'll wait till the end of time for You, like everybody elses."

14.) No Place Closer to Heaven-- Charlie Peacock: My all time favorite singer/songwriter gives us a beautiful love song. Is it man to woman, friend to friend or creation to creator. I think this song covers all three. It is truly a haunting song I can hear again and again with out it ever growing old.

15.) Sanctuary-- Daniel Amos: Terry Taylor, front man of the enigmatic Daniel Amos (and several other groups) is annoying at his worst, but an utter genius at his best. Here you see the later as he describes Jesus as his Sanctuary...that place of strength and security you can run to when you don't have the strength to go on.

16.) Hold On-- Kansas: from the first of three albums from Kansas' Christian period (The time after Kerry Livgren and Dave Hope found Christianity, but before they left the band to form AD). This is the only album from this period to feature the trademark Steve Walsh vocals. And the vocals lift the listener to new heights. "Outside your door He is waiting, waiting for you. Sooner or later you know He's got to come through. No hesitation and no holding back. Just let it all go, and you'll know you're on the right track."

17.) Answers Don't Come Easy-- Leslie Phillips: From her final project for the Christian market Leslie (Sam) Phillips here does something that mainstream Christin music of the mid 80's rarely did. She deals with struggles of faith, and admits that answers don't come easy. This song really rips at my heart because a friend of mine from college, who really was not into Christian music told me how much this album touched him because of her openness and honesty. Shortly after this, he ended his own life. Obviously answers didn't come easy in this situation.

18.) Dare You to Move-- Switchfoot: Late one evening when I was feeling very depressed, I flipped on VH1 and the video for this song was on. I cried my eyes out, and fell instantly in love with this band. Jon foreman is SO amazing at expressing the frailty of life, and the importance of living every moment for God. A real life saving song.

19.) Somewhere-- Rich Mullins: Rich's fervent cry to be taken away "Somewhere beyond these reasons and feelings. Somewhere beyond the passion and fatigue" This song will lift me up when I feel the most spiritually and emotionally drained.

20.) Magnificent-- U2: From their latest album, No Line on the Horizon, Bono and the boys deliver the praise anthem with the most killer bass line. You can't help but get chills as you listen...full volume is best so you can feel the power pulsing in the bass.

21.) Hallelujah-- K.D. Lang: I have at least 10 versions of this song on my iPod. I think K.D.'s is probably the one that soothes me most. Her voice is so pure, and the arrangment just lifts me up.

THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS. Hope you can find a song or two here to relieve your stress as well.

Steve's iPod Playlist (Vol.2 --Destress Music)

Today I will be looking at another playlist from my iPod. This list is a list of songs that help me when I get stressed out (which happens from time to time) I will try to explain what tunes I use for different situations, and how they help me, although the power of music is sometimes hard to explain.

1.) Love, Reign O'er Me-- The Who: This song is filled with so much raw emotion. The piano part is just amazing. It is a cry out to be covered in love. This song must be played loud and just allowed to pound into your head, it will help wipe out whatever is stressing you out. It helps if you are alone and can sing along at the top of your lungs.

2.) Comfortably Numb-- Pink Floyd: Although Dark Side of the Moon is my favorite Pink Floyd album, this cut from The Wall is my favorite Floyd track. From the calm start to the "...there'll be no more...AARRRR" cry, it brings every emotion to the table. I use this song when something, or someone (usually at work) has gotten me frustrated beyond belief, I play it loud and just let the emotion and music numb me. Amazing guitar work here.

3.) Ready for the Storm-- Rich Mullins: I use this song when I am struggling with issues that are trying to tear away my faith in Jesus, Usually financial things especially, or when life feels like it is spinning out of control. It uses the metaphor of being out at see, and a storm is approaching, but if you have faith in Jesus then you will be ready for the storm.

4)Asleep in the Light-- Keith Green: When I first got the No Compromise album by Keith Green I went months with out hearing side 2. This song was the reason. It was at the end of side 1 and the message was so powerful I kept playing it over and over. "The world is sleeping in the dark, but the church just can"t fight 'cause it's asleep in the light." This call to spiritual action and awareness helps me to focus on God when everything around tries to distract me.

5.) Cry Out To Jesus-- Third Day: Third Day is one of my favorite bands, every album has at least one or two classic amazing songs, but this song tops them all. Just an amazing reminder that no matter what you're going through, just cry out to Jesus, and He is there for you.

6.) Captain Jack --Billy Joel: This song is about heroin addiction...not exactly an uplifting topic. The reason it is on my list is just the power and emotion it has can help me to release pent up emotions running around in my head. I put the live version from Songs in the Attic on my iPod playlist because you can just feel Joel's emotion so intensely. Not a bright cheerful song, but somehow it lifts me up when I'm depressed... or more likely now that I think about it, it helps me bottom out, so I can call out and be lifted up.

7.) Jar of Hearts-- Christina Perri: The newest song on my playlist. This is a break up song, which is not really something I relate to a lot, not ever having a major break up. But Christina's voice just has such power and emotion, it helps me release emotions as I sing along. This is the most played song on my iPod. Classic line, "You're gonna catch a cold from the ice inside your soul".

8.) Oh My God-- Jars of Clay: Another of my favorite bands that constantly put out amazing music. This track is about the universal need of man to cry out to God, no matter where they are, or who they are. Believers and non believers cry out to him in their time of need. When I first heard this song, and for the first several months every time I'd play it, I would get goose bumps and break out in tears. A very powerful song.

9.) The Finish Line-- Steve Taylor: Steve Taylor is a master of humorous, often sarcastic looks at issues that hinder us in our walks with Christ. This is not one of those songs. This is a serious and emotionally powerful look at the Christian walk as a race (an illustration Paul used in his writings). The song tells of a runner setting his sights on the finish line, but then facing all sorts of distractions along the way, but finally struggling past the obstacles to "fall in His arms at the finish line"

10.) What if Jesus Comes Back Like That-- Collin Raye: Country star Collin Raye presents the case for loving the least of these, by asking basically if we see Jesus in the face of those in need around us. This song is on my destress list because it helps me to focus and keep things in perspective. When I am having a bad day, or things aren't going right, the stories in this song help me take the focus off me and on people who have it so much worse than me. Then it reminds methat Jesus wants me to reach out to them.

This is the halfway point in this palylist, and I have gone quite long in this blog already, so I'll break off here for now and finish the Destress Music Playlist in a future blog...watch for it.

Of Magic, Spirtuality and the Like

I have come to realize that somewhere in history the Church (that is to say organized religion) has made an error. Growing up I was taught that all things magic are evil, and all things spiritual are good. The more I've lived and the more I've read, both in the Bible, and throughout literature, I see this as a horrible misconception.

Now I am not claiming to be an expert on this subject, and I am open to hearing any opposing views or opinions. I feel that magic, and the spiritual are two words to describe the same thing. A force or power out side of human experience or understanding. Something beyond what can be scientifically proven. Jesus turned water into wine, that was his first magic trick (or miracle, whichever you prefer). He did something which could not be scientifically explained. He did it because he operated on the spiritual plain, rather than the physical. The evil spirits that inhabited the man and were later cast be Jesus into the swine were using magic to control the man. Jesus used stronger magic to cast them out. These were spiritual things, and magic, one in the same.

You see what I'm getting at I hope. That Magic, or the spiritual world, can be used as a force of good, or a force of evil. Jesus could heal people just by touching them, he could raise the dead. I don't know how you can see that as anything but magic. Jesus, since he was God, and therefore fully spiritual he was/is the greatest worker of Magic ever. But he gave his followers the ability to do magic too. They could heal people, and cast out demons. I think a lot of the reason we do not see a lot of miracles within the Church in general today is that to many Christians are afraid of magic, afraid of the unknown.

God has given us a world full of wonders, both physical and spiritual. And throw Christ and the Holy Spirit He has given us the power to unlock the spiritual (magical) part of the universe. We just need to have faith in the power he has given us, and give up the fear of the unknown. Yes there is also evil magic, evil spirits that can lead you away from Christ and from God. We must call on the Holy Spirit to give us discernment to tell evil from good. But let's embrace the magic God has given us, and try and make the world a better place.

I think C.S. Lewis in his writings, in particular, the Chronicles of Narnia, expertly shows the good and evil of the magical/spiritual world. He shows that God created magic, and Satan twisted it to evil ends, but the good magic, the deeper magic was still in control, still more powerful. So lets embrace the deeper magic from before the dawn of time.

Steve's iPod Playlist (Vol.1)

If you spend a lot of time on iTunes, or love music a lot, you may have heard of the iTunes Celebrity Playlist podcast, where different celebrities (usually in pairs) sit down and talk about their favorite songs. Sometimes these lists center on a theme.

In my continuing effort to NOT grow old, and to be young and hip, I'm going tostart blogging some of my playlists. With the anniversary of 9-11, I thought i'd share a playlist of patriotic country music songs....I'm not sure if I can add audio to a blog, so you'll just have to look these songs up if you want to hear them.

1.) Have you Forgotten-- Darryl Woorley. This song was written and released I believe for the second Anniversary of 9-11. It is a wake up call for anyone who says we don't have to worry about terrorist, they aren't that bad. It says basically, remember those crack pots who flew into our towers...let's NOT let them get away wit hit again.

2.) Where were You when the World stopped turning-- Alan Jackson. This is an even more moving tridute to 9-11, written just a fw days after the attacks. A beautiful reminder to hold life dear.

3.) There's a Star Spangled Banner --Ray Stevens. Best known for his goofy spoof songs, Ray Stevens here takes a serious look at the Flag, and the service our troops have given around the world...If you haven't heard this song, look it up.

4.) Til The Last Shots Fired --Trace Adkins. One of the best Memorial Day songs about the commitment of the American soldier. A beautiful tune, with a chorus from West Point joining on the final chorus.

5.) If You're Reading This-- Tim McGraw. A real tear jerker in the form of a letter home from a soldier killed in duty. Originally performed live at one of the counry music award shows, with Tim flying in the widows and families of 20 or more soldiers who had been killed in action in Iraq and Afgahnistan, search for the video on YouTube.

6.) In America-- Charlie Daniels. This is a no holds barred, America kicks but song, originally released after the Irianian hostage situation in the late 70's or early 80's. It was rediscovered after 9-11 and is still a good rocker to this day.

7.) God Bless the USA -- Kristy Lee Crook. Not quite the Lee Greenwood original, but a very respectable cover by the American Idol Alumni. This song is a beautyiful classic.

8.) Our America-- Big & Rich. A classic reworking of the National Anthem and a few other patriotic songs. This wraps up a short playlist. More lists will be forth coming. But look up these tunes and give them a listen this September 11.

Bucket List update again

Back in November I posted my Bucket List. Of course, I'm not dying of anything terminal, other than Life itself, but since "they" are saying the world is going to end in 2012, I didn't want to miss the chance to make a bucket list. So I made one, and now that it is June and I only have 30 months left to finish the list I thought I'd update you again on progress, with new info in red.

Steve's Bucket List:

1} Finish writing my novel and get it published. This is a long-time goal, and now the end of the world is just giving me motivation to work faster. Have done a little writing, but mostly on my short story, not my novel.

2}Take a guitar lesson from Orianthi. She is the amazing guitarist from the Michael Jackson THIS IS IT movie, and to just spend an hour learning from her would be amazing. She is busy touring with Adam Lambert, but I'm sure she'll get back to me after the tour.

3} Spend a month traveling in England and Ireland. I figure it would take at least a month to find all the historical, but not touristy spots. Waiting for financing...come on LOTTO!!!

4} Star in, or direct a movie with Zooey Deshanel. Maybe my friend Beau could produce it. She is one of my favorite actresses, and I'd love to work with her. Talks are still delayed by me having no way to contact Zooey, she doesn't Twitter enough...might need to switch to Rachel Nichols, she has responded to multiple tweets, and seems cool.

5} Spend a day at the park with just my kids and my parents. Sounds easy enough, but if you understood my family situation, you'd know this is probably the wildest thing on my list. No progress to report here, not looking good since mom is now in nursing care for her broken pelvis.

6} Write a song with Taylor Swift. I'd let her sing it, since my voice would make people pray for the end of the world. plus with her singing it would be a sure hit. Her tour is wrapping up, hoping she will read my tweets now.

7} Get together and hang out for at least part of a day catching up with as many of my Facebook friends as I can. Since my Toyota friends I can see any time, I won't count those, sorry. This is where I can report the most progress: In October I hooked up with my friend Beau who I hadn't seen since college, we hung out before the U2 concert. This month I have has lunch with my friends Adam, and John, both from my KLoRD days who I hadn't seen in 14 or 15 years. Very good time catching up on all accounts. Looking forward to more meetings soon. Nothing new since last update.

8} Have lunch or dinner with Ashley Greene (from Twilight). Her character is so sweet, and from what I hear, she is too. Once again, still waiting on responses on Twitter...keeping fingers crossed.

9} Spend a month on tour with U2. Maybe get invited up onstage by Bono. On delay till BONO recovers from back surgery.

10} Take a dance lesson from one of my favorite Dancing with the Stars pros, either Lacey Schwimmer, Chelsie Hightower, or Julianne Hough. So far Lacey is stil looking like the best bet since her dad has a studio in Redlands. Trying to recover from embarrassment over not saving picture at last meeting and working up nerve to met her again.

OOPS I have a #11 too} To see a sunrise and sunset on every continent. Well, could probably skip Antarctica. Still stuck on North America...as with England trip, waiting on financing...Come on lotto!!!

Where's your Sign?

Bill Engvall is one of the redneck comedians. His signature routine is the "here's your sign" joke, which say that stupid people should be forced to carry a sign. I feel most of the time the stupid actions are enough of a sign on their own, and no real sign is needed.

And in the Bible followers of Christ are said to have a sign also, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35 NIV) As followers of Christ we are to love one another. And if you look at the early church you see this is very evident. They shared everything with their fellow believers. There was no welfare or government aid to help people in need. But if there was a need within the church, the believers helped fill that need.

My question is, where is your sign? If you are a Christian, can people watching you tell it by your actions. If someone in your congregation loses his job, do you reach out and help him and his family, and make sue all their needs are met until he is employed again? If a church member hasn't been to services in a few months, do you notice? Do you call and ask where they have been? If a homeless man comes to you church, do you greet him, do you find out his name? Or do you let him sit in the back pew, and hope he is gone before you finish "fellowshipping" with your friends.

When I was growing up, in very conservative Baptist church, we learned that Protestants (and especially Baptists) were the true followers of Christ, and Catholics, Mormans, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, etc. were all pagans, cultist or whatever, and most likely doomed to Hell. Now I am not an expert in Theology, and am certainly not one to say I know who are chosen by God; I make know claim to know anyone's heart, or their relation to Christ. But I want to make this observation, from what I have witnessed from friends and co-workers over the last several years. Take this for what its worth, but in my observation Mormans and JWs whom I know show a much greater amount of concern for each other than many of the Christians I know. They help each other out, the show deep concern for the health and spiritual well being of each other. Many Christians I know seem to try to keep their faith under cover, while these "cultist" seem to be holding the sign Jesus gave us in John 13. Again, I am not making any statements of theology, or belief...just observing. So Christians, if you haven't used it lately, break out your sign, and show some love. I Love you! --Steve

Long absence

Wow, haven't blogged in forever. I took some time away from my computer, or at least my social networking But now I'm back with a hopefully less cluttered and stressed mind. So, I will hopefully be back to blogging regularly. I am also planning to started a new blog, less general than this and possibly more political and controversial...hope I get even more followers on that one. Any way, not a lot to say here today, but stay tuned..more to come.

Bucket list update

Back in November I posted my Bucket List. Of course, I'm not dying of anything terminal, other than Life itself, but since "they" are saying the world is going to end in 2012, I didn't want to miss the chance to make a bucket list. So I made one, and thought today would be a good day to update you on how I'm doing on said list. So I'll reprint the list, with new updates in red:

Steve's Bucket List:

1} Finish writing my novel and get it published. This is a long-time goal, and now the end of the world is just giving me motivation to work faster. Have not worked on my writing yet this year...I will again soon...I hope.

2}Take a guitar lesson from Orianthi. She is the amazing guitarist from the Michael Jackson THIS IS IT movie, and to just spend an hour learning from her would be amazing. I've messaged her a few times on Twitter, and she even follows me there, but has not responded to me yet.

3} Spend a month traveling in England and Ireland. I figure it would take at least a month to find all the historical, but not touristy spots. Waiting for financing...

4} Star in, or direct a movie with Zooey Deshanel. Maybe my friend Beau could produce it. She is one of my favorite actresses, and I'd love to work with her. Talks are currently delayed by me having no way to contact Zooey, might have to see if Beau could get me in touch.

5} Spend a day at the park with just my kids and my parents. Sounds easy enough, but if you understood my family situation, you'd know this is probably the wildest thing on my list. No progress to report here.

6} Write a song with Taylor Swift. I'd let her sing it, since my voice would make people pray for the end of the world. plus with her singing it would be a sure hit. Taylor is currently hard at work recording album 3 and preparing for this years tour, and has not responded to my tweets.

7} Get together and hang out for at least part of a day catching up with as many of my Facebook friends as I can. Since my Toyota friends I can see any time, I won't count those, sorry. This is where I can report the most progress: In October I hooked up with my friend Beau who I hadn"t seen since college, we hung out before the U2 concert. This month I have has lunch with my friends Adam, and John, both from my KLoRD days who I hadn't seen in 14 or 15 years. Very good time catching up on all accounts. Looking forward to more meetings soon.

Me and Beau


Adam


John

8} Have lunch or dinner with Ashley Greene (from Twilight). Her character is so sweet, and from what I hear, she is too. Once again, waiting on responses on Twitter...keeping fingers crossed.

9} Spend a month on tour with U2. Maybe get invited up onstage by Bono. So far no luck contacting the band, may have to sneak in backstage when they come to Anahiem this spring.

10} Take a dance lesson from one of my favorite Dancing with the Stars pros, either Lacey Schwimmer, Chelsie Hightower, or Julianne Hough. So far Lacey is looking like the best bet since her dad has a studio in Redlands. I actually met her this week. I would show you a picture to prove it, but I forgot to hit save...dummy dummy!

OOPS I have a #11 too} To see a sunrise and sunset on every continent. Well, could probably skip Antarctica. Still stuck on North America...as with England trip, waiting on financing...Come on lotto!!!

Farewell to CDs

I know this may seem premature, but I am here to bid farewell to the Compact Disc. I grew up listening to LPs, those 12 inch round discs with grooves on each side that played music when touched with a diamond (or sapphire) needle. As I was growing up there was a brief coo in the status quo when the eight track tape showed up, but this wen away quickly, and the LP still reigned. As I was in high school a lot of people switched to cassette tapes. For the most part I held out, other than making taped copies of my records to play in my car. When I got to college some of my friends were switching to the perfect sound quality and indestructible composition of the Compact Disc. At the time the players were quite pricey, so I resisted technology.

As my college graduation approached, I found out my parents were planning on getting me a CD player, and I began buying CDs. My first was Michael W. Smith's The Big Picture followed by Vangelis' Chariots of Fire Soundtrack. I would listen on the CD players in the college library while I studied. The sound was so pure, so crisp and full. I knew music would never be the same. It had finally reached its full potential.

But as the CD aged it did not do so gracefully. The wonderfully built SONY player that I got for graduation lasted over 10 years before giving out. This kind of quality was replaced by $29 throw-aways from Walmart that may last a year if you're lucky. The booming sounds and subtle nuances of of the early CDs gave way to a barrage of mediocre music that in no way put the superior sound quality of CDs to the test (of course the blame for this lies not in the media, but in the music makers).

Then we were blessed with the internet, and mp3 files and pirated music. I knew CDs had nothing to fear, because the slow down load time and poor quality of these files. Music purists would never go for that. But then Apple invented this iPod and sound quality and storage size kept getting better. Now even my mom has an iPod (and I still don't and I'm dang envious). And so as the digital music age emerges we bid farewell to the CD. And in doing this I want to share a few things that tick me off about CDs before they go.

First of all I have always hated te CD for ruining album cover art. The 12 inch square that held an LP was the perfect canvas for amazing works of art (think Sgt Pepper's, or Kansas' Point of Know Return)

But the 5 inch size of a CD jewel box has stunted the art of album covers and reduced must covers to just a photo of the artist or band.

Another thing that bothers me about CD's especially in recent years is the compulsion to release several versions of the same CD. The way this works is an artist will release there CD with 10-13 songs. Fans will buy spend their hard earned money to rush out and buy the disc. Six to twelve months later the artist suddenly decides there were 5 or 6 more songs that should have been on that CD. So instead of giving us a new CD, they release a special deluxe edition with all the original cuts, plus a few new ones, tack an extra $3 on the price and resell to the same fans who of course must buy it to support their favorite artist. No wonder so many people just pirate music on line.

And along with the annoying special editions we have the "bonus tracks" and "Hidden tracks". Bonus tracks usually come when an older album is rereleased to CD, and some record executive decides instead of the classic "Dark Side of the Moon" you want a bunch of songs the band threw out when the released the classic, so they give you "Both Sides of the Moon" (note, so far this has NOT happened to the Pink Floyd classic, but it has to many other greats). I do not need alternate mixes or live versions tacked on to the front back or middle of a classic album. If you have extra songs, just save up enough to make a whole CD of extras. And most annoying are "hidden tracks" This is when some silly track or studio outtake is put on the end of a CD after 3 or more minutes of silence. This is supposed to be a nice surprise for listeners, but to me, I don"t want the silence. If I'm listening in my car and it goes to silence, I think something is wrong and I need to fix it. I probably have 20 or more CDs with "Hidden tracks" I've never heard because I just skip to the next track. I swear when I get an iPod I will not put any silence in, and will hide NO tracks.

Good bye CDs we'll miss you, go join theLP the cassette and the 8track in the music graveyard. NOW SOMEONE PLEASE GIVE ME AN iPOD!!!

New Year's Resolutions

OK, I know I'm a day late (and probably at least a dollar short), but here is a semi-complete list of the resolutions I am making (and of course will never succeed in keeping) for 2010.:

1) Blog more... if for no other reason than to keep the brain functioning.

2) spend a minimum of two hours a week working on my writitng, even if I'm experiencing major writer's block (which I am).

3) Spend time trying to actually communicate with the friends I have on facebook, rather than just sending them gifts on Mafia Wars.

4) Drink less soda...I don't need the caffiene, and I hear it helps you lose weight.

5) Focus more on work while at work, and more on play during my leisure time.

6) Read more. In detail to finish the book I am currently reading (which I got for Christmas 2008) along with the 4 books I got for Christmas 2009, and also the new book Princess of Landover, which I don't have yet.

7) Be more attentive to my wife's needs. (Her real needs, not just what she asks for).

8) Get closer to God.

There's probably more, but that's all I can come up with for now. (and 8 is enough)... oh wait...

9) Lose weight of course.