You may have noticed me getting REALLY upset in the mornings. Listening to the news and hearing what our new president (I won't even capitalize it) is up to is like someone standing right in front of me giving me one swift punch in the stomach after another (ugh). I'm so upset I can't even catch my breath before another piece of news knocks the wind out of me (UGH). I try really hard to stay positive and focus on doing things that will help me feel better:
Praying, ALOT
Exercising, ALOT
Giving to charities, ALOT
And something I need to much more of, writing to my Congressman/Senators
Do you get the idea?
I just signed up for ongoing monthly donations to the World Wildlife Fund and to the Humane Society of North Texas, and I'm amazed at how much better it made me feel.
I have read that people like me, who do not support Trump, should try to reach out more to people who voted for him to figure out our differences and be better people for it. It sounds like a good idea on paper.
But the problem with that theory is that my beliefs about what I want this country to be like are pretty opposite of what they want it to be like. I love the diversity of different races and languages. I want all cultures to succeed at the "American Dream" of having good employment, good schools for all kids, good jobs for everyone. There is a term called "white privilege" that unfortunately has come to define most (but not all) of the Trump supporters. This means that people who were born white and have had many opportunities in the U.S. either can't or choose not to try and EMPATHIZE with people of color/immigrants, or both. I think on some level these people actually feel threatened by the fact that an African American was able to rise to the highest position in our country, and feel threatened by anyone with different skin color from their own succeeding in life. They seem to believe that only whites should be successful.
But our country was founded by immigrants, people from many other countries coming to the US to pursue that American Dream. ALL of us with the exception of Native Americans came from somewhere other than America. That's what I don't get - why should any of us feel threatened by people who are different from us? All of those backgrounds and languages and customs come together to make one very special America.
Also, the most important issue facing our country right now (in my opinion) is global warming and the damage we as humans are doing to the planet. But very few people that voted for Trump find this concerning. In fact they laugh and don't believe human-caused global warming even exists. The Scientific community is almost united in believing this theory, so once again, I just don't get it.
With such different points of view I find it almost impossible to try and come together to make the U.S. a better place. But I must keep trying, because I otherwise I fear for what our country will turn into. I'm sorry if I get a little down about it sometimes, or if I get to where I want to throw things and shout at the top of my lungs. I want a good, strong, diverse, healthy country for you boys as you grow up. More than anything else, that's why it all means so much to me.
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Best bass lines...The Ear...and musical nerdiness
Gabriel, you have been studying that rock book Joel bought you for your bday in a very impressive and slightly crazy way. And so has Joel. Which makes perfect sense in our musical nerdy family. We do not just listen to music, we study it. We breath it in and out until it becomes a part of our soul. Mamaw may not like rock music, but she started this trend by being a music major. When you're a music major you hear and notice things that other regular people don't. Poppy is also very musical and has one of the best voices I've heard, but he chooses to whistle instead of sing. Normal people listen and enjoy melody and rhythm. Music nerds expand on that to include pitch, patterns, mood, and even colors. Your grandparents have passed down the ability to notice these things to me and Uncle Philip, and now we are passing it on to our kids.
Rolling Stone compiles the "Best Guitarist, Vocalist, Bass Player and Drummer.." lists, which are too subjective for me to take too seriously. But it does introduce you to people you may never have heard of or never experienced their music before, and that's a good thing. So now you've seen this list of "best bass lines"on You Tube and we are all into the discussion.
Your vote for first would be Geddy Lee playing Freewill. I agree that it is a great song but the first song that popped into my head was And Your Bird Can Sing by the Beatles. I have to tell you the back story about how that song came to be one of my favorites, because it's the first time I realized about the gift of The Ear.
I was never a huge Beatles fan growing up. My parents thought their songs were wonderful but only when performed by other artists. I only heard the hits that were played on the radio over and over. That's why even to this day I am not a huge fan of Come Together or Hey Jude. Back when I was in my late teens, maybe early 20's, one of the local rock stations used to do The Beatles A to Z a couple of Saturdays a year. Every single Beatles recording was played alphabetically from 7 am to 10 pm or something like that. I decided to make a day of it and kept pad and pencil handy to write down the songs I really liked. (Clue #1 that I have musical nerdiness). I was blown away. I heard harmonies and melody like never before. I noticed drum beats and how well they went with the overall song. I noticed bass lines and catchy guitar riffs. I could analyze why a song that I just heard for the first time got into my head and stayed there. It was like someone had come along and finally explained to me that I have inherited The Ear.
I remember a friend in high school laughing at me one night while all us girls were out, just driving around and listening to music. She said "you always have favorite parts of songs, like the middle or the end. Why not just like the whole thing?" So I guess I had been noticing the details even in high school without really realizing it. Some of the Beatles songs I discovered on my first A to Z day: Another Girl, Baby's in Black, Dear Prudence, Here There and Everywhere, I Don't Want to Spoil the Party, I'm Only Sleeping (one you already know well), Rocky Raccoon, Two of Us, and You Won't See Me...and the list goes on and on. Wham Bam, Beatles fan for life after one day. But my favorite song I heard that day was And Your Bird Can Sing. The chord progression in the middle part, and that funky crazy bass line was love at first listen. More importantly I figured out that I heard things in songs that other people didn't seem to notice, and began to appreciate that gift.
We tell the story all the time of the Guess Who song She's Come Undone that you (Gabriel) intently listened to as a 2-3 year old, so you could play the drum riff just right on your diaper pail. Then in you, Joel, also super early. But your talent was a bit different - you not only noticed melody and song lyrics but could remember them perfectly at the age of 3. The Ear showed up very early in both of you boys.
So back to best bass lines. I texted your Uncle Phil to get his opinion. He of course had some great ones. Any song by Sly and the Family Stone, James Brown or Earth Wind and Fire. Under Pressure by Queen/David Bowie, Walk on the Wild Side by Lou Reed, Billy Jean by Michael Jackson. I thought of Did You Stand By Me by the Clash, he thought of John Paul Jones on What Is and What Should Never Be. And after you showed me the You Tube list, I have to also add Give it Away by the Chili Peppers. There are some great B-52 bass lines, and a few REM songs I'm thinking of now too. I guess it all depends on which bands you listen to. And that's the beauty of music. It's SO personal as to what gives us the good goose bumps.
Study what gives you the good goosebumps. And then tell me about it. I may not agree, but that's totally cool. Both of you boys have inherited The Ear. Be happy, go forth and listen.
Your vote for first would be Geddy Lee playing Freewill. I agree that it is a great song but the first song that popped into my head was And Your Bird Can Sing by the Beatles. I have to tell you the back story about how that song came to be one of my favorites, because it's the first time I realized about the gift of The Ear.
I was never a huge Beatles fan growing up. My parents thought their songs were wonderful but only when performed by other artists. I only heard the hits that were played on the radio over and over. That's why even to this day I am not a huge fan of Come Together or Hey Jude. Back when I was in my late teens, maybe early 20's, one of the local rock stations used to do The Beatles A to Z a couple of Saturdays a year. Every single Beatles recording was played alphabetically from 7 am to 10 pm or something like that. I decided to make a day of it and kept pad and pencil handy to write down the songs I really liked. (Clue #1 that I have musical nerdiness). I was blown away. I heard harmonies and melody like never before. I noticed drum beats and how well they went with the overall song. I noticed bass lines and catchy guitar riffs. I could analyze why a song that I just heard for the first time got into my head and stayed there. It was like someone had come along and finally explained to me that I have inherited The Ear.
I remember a friend in high school laughing at me one night while all us girls were out, just driving around and listening to music. She said "you always have favorite parts of songs, like the middle or the end. Why not just like the whole thing?" So I guess I had been noticing the details even in high school without really realizing it. Some of the Beatles songs I discovered on my first A to Z day: Another Girl, Baby's in Black, Dear Prudence, Here There and Everywhere, I Don't Want to Spoil the Party, I'm Only Sleeping (one you already know well), Rocky Raccoon, Two of Us, and You Won't See Me...and the list goes on and on. Wham Bam, Beatles fan for life after one day. But my favorite song I heard that day was And Your Bird Can Sing. The chord progression in the middle part, and that funky crazy bass line was love at first listen. More importantly I figured out that I heard things in songs that other people didn't seem to notice, and began to appreciate that gift.
We tell the story all the time of the Guess Who song She's Come Undone that you (Gabriel) intently listened to as a 2-3 year old, so you could play the drum riff just right on your diaper pail. Then in you, Joel, also super early. But your talent was a bit different - you not only noticed melody and song lyrics but could remember them perfectly at the age of 3. The Ear showed up very early in both of you boys.
So back to best bass lines. I texted your Uncle Phil to get his opinion. He of course had some great ones. Any song by Sly and the Family Stone, James Brown or Earth Wind and Fire. Under Pressure by Queen/David Bowie, Walk on the Wild Side by Lou Reed, Billy Jean by Michael Jackson. I thought of Did You Stand By Me by the Clash, he thought of John Paul Jones on What Is and What Should Never Be. And after you showed me the You Tube list, I have to also add Give it Away by the Chili Peppers. There are some great B-52 bass lines, and a few REM songs I'm thinking of now too. I guess it all depends on which bands you listen to. And that's the beauty of music. It's SO personal as to what gives us the good goose bumps.
Study what gives you the good goosebumps. And then tell me about it. I may not agree, but that's totally cool. Both of you boys have inherited The Ear. Be happy, go forth and listen.
Thursday, December 29, 2016
As 2016 ends... (thank goodness)
This has been a good and bad year. When you look at our immediate family and friends, work and school, we have had a good year. Your dad and I both have good jobs with good companies. Your school seems to be doing well for now, although we have a new principal and much transition. Your grandparents are hanging in there with no major health problems, and you two are making close friends at school with good kids who have good parents.
And now for the bad parts.
Numero Uno, is that someone unqualified and who turns out is not a nice person AT ALL ran for President. We thought there would be no way on Earth he could get elected. He is someone who's been rich all his life and therefore has no way of knowing what it's like to be poor. He threatens certain groups of people, like immigrants and especially Muslims. He talks of making cuts to all kinds of government programs that help poor people, he is disrespectful towards women (to say the least), and has been seen on camera making fun of disabled people. And on my biggest issue of concern, Global Warming, where we are already years behind on slowing down greenhouse gases and working on conserving endangered animals and plants, he doesn't even believe it's a real threat.
Until this year, I always thought of the President of the US being someone I would want my kids to strive to be like, it didn't matter if they were Republican or Democratic. Even though I do not agree with certain Republican ideals I still have respected past Republican presidents. Now that this person has actually been elected I am shocked, saddened, disgusted and really haven't been able to make myself recognize him as my President. No. Just no. There are many reasons people are throwing around as to why he managed to get elected - some I agree with and some I don't. It doesn't really matter HOW THIS HAPPENED now as much as what do we do during the next four years to not go insane and give up on life.
Here's my PLAN FOR SANITY:
1. Stop listening to news except in the mornings while getting ready for school/work.
2. Start to limit social media to once or twice a week. Stay in touch with friends by actually talking to them, writing letters and sending pics.
3. Pick some sites I like and check articles every now and then. (Momastry, Upworthy, Rolling Stone)
4. Sign up for updates from favorite charities - IEAS, Humane Society, Nature Conservancy of TX, Ocean Conservancy, WWF, National Parks and Wildlife. Give to them as often as possible and try to spread the word about good things they are doing.
5. Try to get lots more exercise - we need all the good endorphins we can get.
6. Spend lots of time with family and friends, cook together, play games, have a joke contest, talent show, etc...
7. Keep giving donations of food and clothes to Eastside Ministries or other local charities, pay attention in Mass for coat drives or other ways to help the needy.
8. (this is hard one) Keep up with what is going on in the Presidency, write letters regarding issues you are for or against, send emails, make phone calls to anyone holding office. DON'T JUST SIT AND STEW. BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD (awesome quote from Mahatma Ghandi - sometime in your teens watch the movie Ghandi, it will change you).
We also lost SO MANY great artists this year - it was like a plague descended upon the music that was my soundtrack in high school:
Music is such a big part of our lives that I have to list those losses first:
Prince and David Bowie, Glenn Frey (of the Eagles and solo work), and now George Michael. Maurice White of Earth, Wind and Fire ("OUR song - September); Leonard Cohen, Canadian artist whose song lyrics read like poetry (look them up, then listen to his songs); Leon Russell, who wrote and sang one of my top 3 songs: A Song for You (read lyrics and listen). Also music legend Merle Haggard (get to know his music, this is REAL country), and Guy Clark (even more REAL country than Merle Haggard, and a Texan), and Ralph Stanley, bluegrass music king (the most REAL of them all).
Actors: Alan Rickman (who so excellently portrayed Snape in the Harry Potter movies); Gene Wilder (Willie Wonka and many other wonderful movies); Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia in the Star Wars movies); her mother Debbie Reynolds (Singing in the Rain star).
Politics: Shimon Perez, who was an advocate for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and a light that the world needs right now; Janet Reno, 1st female attorney general; Fidel Castro (Cuban leader - read up on him and human rights atrocities in Cuba and all throughout communist countries);
Sports: Muhammed Ali, one of your dad's favorites
And many, many others.
And time to realize that the reason so many of these hit us so hard is that we are also getting older and have to start thinking about how much time we've been here and how much time we have left, and make the absolute best of it.
So we will welcome 2017, hope for the best and keep living our lives full of love.
And now for the bad parts.
Numero Uno, is that someone unqualified and who turns out is not a nice person AT ALL ran for President. We thought there would be no way on Earth he could get elected. He is someone who's been rich all his life and therefore has no way of knowing what it's like to be poor. He threatens certain groups of people, like immigrants and especially Muslims. He talks of making cuts to all kinds of government programs that help poor people, he is disrespectful towards women (to say the least), and has been seen on camera making fun of disabled people. And on my biggest issue of concern, Global Warming, where we are already years behind on slowing down greenhouse gases and working on conserving endangered animals and plants, he doesn't even believe it's a real threat.
Until this year, I always thought of the President of the US being someone I would want my kids to strive to be like, it didn't matter if they were Republican or Democratic. Even though I do not agree with certain Republican ideals I still have respected past Republican presidents. Now that this person has actually been elected I am shocked, saddened, disgusted and really haven't been able to make myself recognize him as my President. No. Just no. There are many reasons people are throwing around as to why he managed to get elected - some I agree with and some I don't. It doesn't really matter HOW THIS HAPPENED now as much as what do we do during the next four years to not go insane and give up on life.
Here's my PLAN FOR SANITY:
1. Stop listening to news except in the mornings while getting ready for school/work.
2. Start to limit social media to once or twice a week. Stay in touch with friends by actually talking to them, writing letters and sending pics.
3. Pick some sites I like and check articles every now and then. (Momastry, Upworthy, Rolling Stone)
4. Sign up for updates from favorite charities - IEAS, Humane Society, Nature Conservancy of TX, Ocean Conservancy, WWF, National Parks and Wildlife. Give to them as often as possible and try to spread the word about good things they are doing.
5. Try to get lots more exercise - we need all the good endorphins we can get.
6. Spend lots of time with family and friends, cook together, play games, have a joke contest, talent show, etc...
7. Keep giving donations of food and clothes to Eastside Ministries or other local charities, pay attention in Mass for coat drives or other ways to help the needy.
8. (this is hard one) Keep up with what is going on in the Presidency, write letters regarding issues you are for or against, send emails, make phone calls to anyone holding office. DON'T JUST SIT AND STEW. BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD (awesome quote from Mahatma Ghandi - sometime in your teens watch the movie Ghandi, it will change you).
We also lost SO MANY great artists this year - it was like a plague descended upon the music that was my soundtrack in high school:
Music is such a big part of our lives that I have to list those losses first:
Prince and David Bowie, Glenn Frey (of the Eagles and solo work), and now George Michael. Maurice White of Earth, Wind and Fire ("OUR song - September); Leonard Cohen, Canadian artist whose song lyrics read like poetry (look them up, then listen to his songs); Leon Russell, who wrote and sang one of my top 3 songs: A Song for You (read lyrics and listen). Also music legend Merle Haggard (get to know his music, this is REAL country), and Guy Clark (even more REAL country than Merle Haggard, and a Texan), and Ralph Stanley, bluegrass music king (the most REAL of them all).
Actors: Alan Rickman (who so excellently portrayed Snape in the Harry Potter movies); Gene Wilder (Willie Wonka and many other wonderful movies); Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia in the Star Wars movies); her mother Debbie Reynolds (Singing in the Rain star).
Politics: Shimon Perez, who was an advocate for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and a light that the world needs right now; Janet Reno, 1st female attorney general; Fidel Castro (Cuban leader - read up on him and human rights atrocities in Cuba and all throughout communist countries);
Sports: Muhammed Ali, one of your dad's favorites
And many, many others.
And time to realize that the reason so many of these hit us so hard is that we are also getting older and have to start thinking about how much time we've been here and how much time we have left, and make the absolute best of it.
So we will welcome 2017, hope for the best and keep living our lives full of love.
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