Some of you may know already, but every now and then I dabble in some song lyrics and poetry. This is one that I have been working on lately and I am sure it only makes sense to me. Now if I can get the bass line down for it I'd be cool.
In fields where nothing grew but weeds, I found a flower at my feet, bending there in my direction. I wrapped a hand around its stem and pulled until the roots gave in, finding there what I've been missing. And I know....
So I tell myself, I tell myself, it's wrong. There's a point we pass from which we can't return. I felt the cold rain of the coming storm...
All because of you, I haven't slept in so long. When I do I dream of drowning in the ocean; reaching for the shore where I can lay my head down. I'll follow your voice; all you have to do is shout it out!
Inside my hands the petals browned; Dried up falling to the ground, Was it was already too late? I pushed my fingers into the earth, Returned this flower to the dirt; So it could maybe live & I walked away. But I know...
Not a day goes by when I don't feel this burn. There's a point we pass from which we can't return. I felt the cold rain of the coming storm...
All because of you, I haven't slept in so long. When I do I dream of drowning in the ocean; reaching for the shore where I can lay my head down. I'll follow your voice; all you have to do is shout it out!
All because of you. All because of you.
All because of you, I haven't slept in so long. When I do I dream of drowning in the ocean; reaching for the shore where I can lay my head down. Inside these arms of yours.
All because of you I believe in angels. Not the kind with wings, Not the kind with halos; The kind that bring you home when home becomes a strange place. I'll follow your voice; all you have to do is shout it out!
I just saw this story and was amazed. The way my brain works, I apply stuff like this to my life and what is around me. After seeing this, I almost feel that sometimes we screw ourselves by "knowing" the difficulties behind something. Check out this story;
Okay, so I admit I have been a bit out of it as of late; Maybe I have been more than slightly selfish in my not caring about “Political correctness”; I may have even been blatantly callous in my lack of attention to others about their personal feelings of being left out or being offended at my actions in regards to the holidays. Did I miss something? When did we get so sensitive? So, what am I getting at you may wonder? Well a while back I was e-mailed something I thought was a joke. Upon further research I found out this shit was real!
Check this out:
A Festivus Pole? C’mon Guys!! Really? Have we become so fucking politically correct that we can’t have a Christmas tree? Or say “Merry Christmas” and if YOU don’t celebrate Christmas YOU actually become offended at the statement or the sight of a Christmas tree rather than understand the thought and feeling behind it? WTF? I find it ironic that these are usually same people that get offended are usually the ones that forget that people have fought and died for the right to practice, display and hold whatever religeous belief you want. It is like compassion; everyone wants it, but few give it. Or, Respect for that matter; everyone wants their religion respected, but few want to respect other’s beliefs or practices. Why is that?
Well, here is a list of Christmas Wishes and non Christmas wishes from around the world. I hope that no one is left out. If anyone can explain this phenom, I would really appreciate it.
Christmas Wishes (Non-English) • Mīlād Majīd ميلاد مجيد - Arabic for "Merry Christmas" as used in Lebanon and several other countries • Bon Nadal - Catalan for Happy Christmas • Bon Carnaval - A French, Creole, or Cajun carnival greeting often used for Mardi Gras. • Sretan Božić - Croatian for Happy Christmas • Veselé Vánoce a šťastný nový rok - Czech language, "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" • Glædelig jul - Danish • God jul - Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, lit. "Good Yule" • Vrolijk Kerstfeest en Gelukkig Nieuwjaar - Dutch, "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" • Häid jõule - Estonian • Maligayang Pasko - Filipino word, a Common Christmas Greeting in the Philippines which was Merry Christmas in English Translation. • Hyvää joulua - Finnish • Joyeux Noël - French for "Happy Christmas" used in France, French Canada, Belgium, Luxembourg, Louisiana, Switzerland, the Lebanon and Francophone Africa • Frohe Weihnachten/Fröhliche Weihnachten - German for Merry Christmas • Kala Christouyenna - Greek for Merry Christmas • Selamat Natal: "Christmas best wishes" Indonesian • Buon Natale - Italian for Happy Christmas • Boldog karácsonyt/Kellemes karácsonyi ünnepeket : Merry Christmas/Pleasant Christmas Holidays in Hungarian • Nollaig Shona Duit - Ireland, (Irish Language), Gaeilge, lit. "You have a happy Christmas". • Linksmų Šv. Kalėdų ir Naujųjų Metų - Lithuanian "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" • Среќен Божиќ, (Sreḱen Božiḱ) - Macedonian for Happy Christmas • Il-Milied u s-Sena t-Tajba - Malta - "Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year" • کریسمس مبارک - Persian "Merry Christmas" • Crăciun Fericit! Romanian for Merry Christmas • S'Rozhdestvom Kristovym! (С Рождеством Христовым!) or, more commonly, simply S Rozhdestvom! for the informal Christmas greeting, while the traditional religious greeting is Khrystos razhdayetsya! (Христос рождается, meaning "Christ is born!") and the traditional response is Slavite! (Cлавите!, meaning "Let us glorify him!"). • "Христос се роди!" answer: "Воистину се роди!" or: "Srećan Božić" (Serbian) "Merry Christmas" • Veselé Vianoce a Šťastný Nový rok - Slovak language, "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" • Feliz Navidad - Castilian lit. "Happy Nativity" • Mutlu Noeller - Turkish - "Happy Christmas" • Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda - Wales (by Welsh speakers), "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" • Gëzuar Krishtëlindjen dhe Vitin e Ri - Albanian, "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year"
Non-English, Non-Christmas • Geseënde Kersfees en 'n voorspoedige nuwe jaar - Blessed Christmas and a prosperous New Year - Afrikaans speaking South Africans • Kull 'ām wa 'antum bikhair كل عام وأنتم بخير - Arabic for "May every year find you (plural) in good health" • 'A'yād Sa'īdah أعياد سعيدة - Arabic for "Happy Holidays" • Īd mubārak عيد مبارك - Arabic for "Blessed Eid" is used to greet at the end of Ramadan on Eid ul-Fitr • Taqabbala Allāhu minnā wa minkum تقبل الله منا ومنكم - Arabic for "May God accept from us, and from you" • 'Īd sa‘īd عيد سعيد - Arabic for "Happy Eid" or "Happy Holiday" • Ramaḍān Karīm رمضان كريم - Arabic for "Blessed Ramadan" is used to greet at the beginning of Ramadan • Prettige Kerstdagen en een gelukkig nieuwjaar - Dutch • Jour de l'An- French for Happy New Year used in French Canada • Joyeuses Fêtes - French for Happy Holidays used in French Canada • Boas Festas - Galician for Happy Holidays • Kales yortes Greek for Happy Holidays • Mele Kalikimaka - Hawaiian, is preferred over the traditional American "Merry Christmas" in the U.S. state of Hawaii; made popular worldwide by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters in 1950 in song • Gmar Chatimah Tovah ("May you be sealed for good") or Tzom Kal ("Have an easy fast") - solemn greetings for Yom Kippur. • Mo-ād-īm L'sim-chā מועדים לשמחה - Hebrew language for "Happy Holidays" is the proper greeting for the Jewish Pilgrimage Festivals (Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot). The response is "Chāg-īm Uz'mān-īm L'sā-son חגים וזמנים לששון" • L'Shanah Tovah - Hebrew, Lit. "a good year". Common greeting during Rosh Hashanah and Days of Awe. It is derived from L'shanah tovah tikatev v'taihatem, lit. "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year". • Chag Sameach - Hebrew for "Joyous festival", used for most Jewish festivals. • Mohon maaf lahir dan batin: Please forgive my trespasses (sins) Indonesian • Selamat Tahun Baru: "Happy New Year" Indonesian • Selamat Hari Raya, Selamat Idul Fitri or Salam Aidilfitri - Indonesia and Malaysia • Buone Feste - Italian for Happy Holidays • 明けましておめでとうございます。(Akemashite Omedetō-gozaimasu.), in Japanese, literally: "Opening congratulations." but is used as "Happy New Year." • 새해 복 많이 받으세요 Saehae Bok Mani baduseyo - Korean "Happy New Year" • Kellemes húsvéti ünnepeket: Pleasant Easter Holidays-- in Hungarian(Magyar) • maaf zahir dan batin - Malaysian Lit. "Forgive my physical and emotional (wrongdoings)" • gōng xǐ fā cái - Chinese (Mandarin), "Congratulations and Prosperity" • "Шинэ жилийн мэнд хүргэе" Shini jiliin mend hurgie, -Mongolian,- Happy New Year • Shin Jileen Mend Khurgey - Mongolian for Happy New Year • Wesołych Świąt - Polish greeting used before Christmas (literally 'Happy Holidays'). • Feliz Natal - Portuguese for Happy Christmas • Boas Festas - Portuguese for Happy Holidays • С Новым Годом (S Novim Godom) - Russian, - Happy New Year Lit. "With a New Year" • Felices Fiestas - Castilian for Happy Holidays • Habari Gani - Swahili for "What's the news?" is the daily greeting for each of the seven days of Kwanzaa. • Yeni yılınız kutlu olsun - Turkish - "Happy New Year" • Phát tài phát lộc Tấn tài tấn lộc - Vietnamese language, "Luck and Prosperity" • Chúc mừng năm mới - Vietnamese language, "Celebrate the New Year" • Joyous Yule - Usually a Wiccan or Neopagan greeting for the Winter solstice • Gut Yontiff - Yiddish for "good holiday" used for non festival holidays. • Vạn sự như ý - Vietnamese language, "All things are as expected"
I love this time of the year. Sure it can be a pain in the ass with all the people that forget the "spitit" of things, the people that get offended at the sight of a Christmas tree, or want to cut you off in the parking lot so they might park their fat ass 20 feet closer to the door of the mall, but if you don't get caught up in the Black Friday rush or or buy into the hype that Walmart pushes to get your Christmas stuff up now!, it really is a nice time. Especially if we keep in mind what the various days actually represent regardless of your belief structure.
Where I live, we get beautiful fall colors and as we move towrds winter, the colors fade to the various shades of gray with bright blue skies coming into play. It is fabulous! It is almost impossible to look around and not be thankful. For me, having made it through my second brain surgery (with no residual side effects! woot!!) I can't help but be thankful almost everyday despite the crap that happens to all of us. Life is good.
Below, I have posted two artist doing te same song. I really like this song and it translates to how I feel. I like both versions and must admit, love playing them too. Enjoy!
Well, I just got bcak from OHSU last night and I wanted to thank you guys for the good thoughts, prayers and well wishes. They seemed to have paid off. I made it through the surgery (with a real bad hair cut) and I am having minimum to zero side effects from them fella's messin' with my brain with an ice cream scoop and a set of ginsu knives.I guess they got (they hope) the bulk of the tumor, but with these kinds of things, you just never know, but hey - it is all part of the gig and sometimes you have to roll with the punches; know what I mean? I figure there are people out there with it way worse than me, so I just try to keep them in my prayers to keep things in perspective.
I have much to blog about, rant about and laugh about, so hopefully, I will be on more often.
Thanks again guys - love you all more than you know.
For those of you that want to see, here are some pics the day after the surgery. Also there is a pic of one of the slices of the pre-op MRI scan.
Sorry I haven't been around as of late; I have been going through some stuff that has taken much of my time and energy. For some that have read some of my past posts may know, I have a brain tumor. No big; almost two years ago they peeled my scalp, took out the Makita hole saw, drilled a big ass hole in my skull and scooped most of the bad stuff out. The screwed and superglued me back together and for the last two years I have been doing very well. You can't even really see the scar. Physically, I am great. I swim 1000 to 1500 meters almost every morning and run 3 or 4 miles a day as well. It took me a while to get back to that after the surgery, but I did because I never gave up.
A week ago or so, I went in to get my quarterly check up and MRI. Up to that point the week was going great - I actually got hit on by two very hot guys and that really made me feel good. But, when I got the results from my MRI I found that I had a new "spot" that is showing bad signs. Bad enough that come Monday I will be back in the Hospital and on Wednesday I will be getting my head popped open again. I guess it is all part of the gig - what are you going to do? Give up? I can't do that, but I can be frustrated. But you know I have to be thankful that my Docs are doing all those extra tests on me - the ones that the government say are not needed and causing the cost of healthcare to go up. Yeah, those. Because of those test, they caught this early and they may be able to nip it in the bud and quite litterally save my life.
In the mean time, you may not hear from me for a bit and I will ask forgiveness in advance if any of my posts in the near future come off negative or in rants - the drugs they put you on for this sort of thing do funny things to you for a while. But again, it is all part of the gig.
I hope to "see" you all again real soon and whatever you do or are going through, keep your chin up and don't give up. It could always be worse.
Hugs
Friday, October 16, 2009
Last night I went to bed regretting some of the relationships I have been in. I was thinking what a freaking' waste of time. I mean, what was the worth of it all? I guess I was feeling sorry for myself and a bit lonely - who knows?
When I woke up this morning and was getting ready for my run, I decided to put in some Janis Joplin. Some of you may not know who she is, its cool, she was even before my time. But as a musician, I learned about her and really dig her.
Like many of us, she had a lot of shit going on in her life and just didn't know how to deal with it. She was in a lot of pain and expressed it through her music. She showed us that we are never alone in our pains.
Here is one of my favorite songs by her. I hope you enjoy it.
In this world, if you read the papers, lord, You know everybody's fighting on with each other. You got no one you can count on, baby, Not even your own brother. So if someone comes along, He's gonna give you some love and affection I'd say get it while you can, yeah! Honey, get it while you can, Hey, hey, get it while you can, Don't you turn your back on love, no, no!
Don't you know when you're loving anybody, baby, You're taking a gamble on a little sorrow, But then who cares, baby, 'cause we may not be here tomorrow, no. And if anybody should come along, He gonna give you any love and affection, I'd say get it while you can, yeah! Hey, hey, get it while you can, Hey, hey, get it while you can. Don't you turn your back on love, No no no, no no no no no.
Oh, get it while you can, Honey get it when you're gonna wanna need it dear, yeah yeah, Hey hey, get it while you can, Don't you turn your back on love, No no no, no no no no, get it while you can, I said hold on to somebody when you get a little lonely, dear, Hey hey, hold on to that man's heart, Yeah, get it, want it, hold it, need it, Get it, want it, need it, hold it, Get it while you can, yeah, Honey get it while you can, baby, yeah, Hey hey, get it while you can!
Born & Raised in Southern California and now living Near the North-West Coast, I have been lucky enough to travel much of the world. I am gay, a cancer survivor, a closet philosopher, bad poet, bass player and currently play in a bar/garage band. I also love to surf, ride motocross, do judo, run in the rain, hike, walk on beaches and generally enjoy the outdoors and nature.
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