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.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
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!!!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
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
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
Saturday, May 8, 2010
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.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
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
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!!!
Friday, January 8, 2010
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!!!
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!!!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
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.
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.
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