And I quote:  "Yu Nakajima has mighty fast fingers for a 16-year-old.  They helped him win the Rubik's Cube world championship in Budapest, Hungary.  He solved the puzzle five times in an average 12 1/2 seconds each.  ....  More than 300 million Rubik's Cubes have been sold since 1974."

 

Signed,

Whish I. Hadd Stokk

 

 

 

My kids are into the Rubik's Cube.  Not only can they solve it, but now they're speeding up their times.   (de ja vu)

 

And if they get bored with that?  Maybe they can try some of the newer versions out there - like the one that is FOUR cubes in every direction.  Or the one that's entirely black with white numbers - numbering 1-9 on each side.

 

Uh.  Right.

 

Signed,

Brane Damm Idge

 

 

 

 

This was a welcome dose of perspective from my latest issue of American Songwriter magazine, tucked away in a lengthy but wonderful interview with JT.

 

JT:  The other day my kids were asking me what jobs are important. I said, "Parent is probably the most important job, and after that teacher, and then after that maybe farmer, and then maybe carpenter, and then doctor and policeman."  Those are things that contribute in the present to the quality of other people's lives. Those are jobs that do service.

 

AS:  That says a lot about who you are - that you wouldn't put musician or songwriter up near the top.

 

JT:  Well, you need a meal before you need a song.

 

Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying a songwriter doesn't serve mankind.  And JT isn't saying that either.  But I felt happy and "renewed" somehow to discover that he's so level-headed and generous in his assessment of others.

 

There are many incredibly valuable people in this world who write songs but will never be famous.  They'll never "arrive", whatever that means.  And so they teach our children, grow food for us to eat, build our homes, heal us when we're sick, and keep order - and maybe write songs in the few spare minutes inbetween.  I thank God for each and every one of them.

 

Signed,

Wee Awl Maddr

 

 

 

This past weekend I attended a songwriting workshop here in Denver that featured guests Wayne Kirkpatrick and Gordon Kennedy (of Eric Clapton's "Change the World" fame, and much more).  Cool!  It was put on by a local church where the worship guy is Billy Sprague.  Another well-known name.  //  I'd say it was worth the $30.00 - but at the same time I couldn't help but compare it to Write About Jesus.  (Sue and friends - y'all certainly have your act together!!  And yes, I did some advertising for you...both via my clothing and by giving out the website info!)

 

Two high points for me:

 

1.  Billy, Gordon and Wayne critiqued songs (as a three-some) for something like 2 1/2 hours in the afternoon - and Billy warned us right out the chute that they weren't going to be able to get to everyone's songs.  Too many!  But in an effort to get to as many as possible, they would be cutting the songs short.  So my song was one of those chosen at random (yay!).  Here's the "warm fuzzy moment" - and I wouldn't have even noticed if a couple of friends hadn't pointed it out - but it ended up being the only song they listened to all the way through - right to the very final note!  So here's a big "shout out" to Twila LaBar for the fantastic demo she did for me!  In fact, Gordon Kennedy's only comment was, "Great demo."  (I rest my case.  Twila, you're awesome.)

 

2.  After the event was over, someone from a local ministry talked to me about using the song in their outreach efforts - including a possible compilation CD in the future.  I think this would end up being a freebie, but if the song is ministering to people and helping set them free...then the freebie is doing its job, right?  Changing the world.  Me and Eric Clapton.

 

Hey!  The Denver Broncos are playing the Tennessee Titans tonight - and Billy announced that both Wayne and Gordon were going to be guests at the game.  Yes, I know.  The Broncos have a miserable record this year.  But "at the moment" we're ahead 14 - 0!  (Sending condolences to Gordon, Wayne, and all my friends in Nashville.......and I'm obviously simply "enjoying the moment", cuz I may have to eat my words later this evening!)

 

Signed,

Gho Brah Ngkoz

 

 

 

a.m. - The melody I talked about starting in my last blog?  It arrived. 

 

after lunch - I recorded a worktape.  Loved it.  It's en route, ladies and gentlemen.

 

evening - I listened and...well...I'm not so sure anymore.  Made some crucial changes.  Definitely delayed.  Maybe even re-routed to another destination.

 

tomorrow - One way or another, it's scheduled for final arrival.  (I hope.)

 

Signed,

Tra Vull A. Jent

 

 

 

I had a really busy "music" day yesterday.   Writing and responding to emails, listening to an NSAI webcast, studying some famous melodies, checking MySpace, printing  out the CD liner notes and front labels for the school choral concert we recorded, making an invoice & reconciling the money, etc.  All in all, a productive "music" day.  Right?

 

But it wasn't until 3 p.m., just 20 minutes or so before the kids were going to get dropped off from carpool, that I finally decided I needed to sit down at the piano and write something.  Write anything!!  It was now or never.  And so I did.

 

Those were the best 20 minutes of my day.  For the rest of the day I felt "filled up".  I had a melody in my mind...and in my heart.

 

It takes so little sometimes....

 

Signed,

Awl Beh Dur

 

 

 

I'm reading through the Bible right now using The Message.  Truth - in layman's terms.  Stories I've read before - some of them many times - but never noticed the angles...the details.  In fact, if I saw some of these stories enacted in a "Bible" movie, I would probably swear that the screenwriters had made up a few juicy tidbits just to boost sales!  (I've raised my eyebrows quite a few times recently.  My goodness!)

 

Okay, folks.  Am I so dense that I couldn't understand these stories the first time?  No.  But maybe I didn't care - or more likely the version I was reading wasn't "speaking my language". 

 

And THAT, ladies and gentleman, is exactly why we seek to be conversational in our song lyrics.  We want to COM-MU-NI-CATE!  Stir things up a bit.  Raise a few eyebrows.  Pull those heartstrings.  !!!  There is absolutely no point in our songs being dull or unclear.  There's plenty of that to go around.

 

I'm just sayin'....

 

Signed,

Sae Wutt?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S.  Actually, this linked story in The Tennessean is quite comforting:  http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071109/BUSINESS01/711090444

 

 

"In a world that celebrates bigger and better, how do you handle obscurity?  Do you chafe under it?"  --  Chafe?  Who me?  Never!  (Excellent question, don't you think?)

 

Maybe I'm a one-note musician.     "She inspected her violin, took her seat in the orchestra, arranged her music and tuned up her instrument.  As the concert proceeded the conductor cued one group of musicians after another until finally the crucial moment arrived.  It was time for her one note to be played!  The conductor signaled, she sounded her note - and the moment was over.  Just like that!  The orchestra played on and the one-note player sat there quietly for the rest of the concert; not disappointed that she'd played only one note, but with a sense of fulfillment that she'd played it in tune, on time, and with great gusto!"

 

Do I have just one note to play in this life?  Then I want to play it with gusto!  I have friends and family who went to Heaven early.  I watched them play their notes during their lifetimes with enthusiasm...in tune and on time...and then God took them home.  It's exactly what they were created for.   Such terribly short songs, but beautiful beyond description. 

 

So whether I have one note to play, or one verse, or one song, or an entire catalog of songs, I'm determined more than ever to play everything with gusto.  To write music that moves people emotionally.  To give my best.  And to point to God. 

 

"To one He gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one."  (Matthew 25:15 NAS)  Thank you, God, for making me "me"!!

 

Signed,

Plae Yur Noht - Whith Gus Toe

 

 

 

Monday - Spent half the day making accompaniment trax for a women's group singing at the Holly-Day tea.

 

Tuesday - The field trip, remember?

 

Wednesday - Cleaned up the house for the arrival of a new cowriter.  Cowriting session.  Shopped for a birthday present for my poor college freshman who is feeling down.

 

 

High school soccer is over...just in time for 5th grade basketball, 8th grade basketball, guitar lessons and high school weight-lifting to kick in.

 

 

Those are just the bigger pieces, folks.  You don't want to hear the nitty-gritty.

 

Somehow I don't feel like I'm in control of my life these days.  I want to be organized.  I want to be available.  I want to answer God's various calls, no matter how each one is disguised.  I want to be creative.  I want to WRITE!  ...  I know, I know.  One of those pieces up there was a cowriting session.  But in the bigger scope of things, I sometimes feel like a salmon desperately s - w - i - m - m - i - n - g upstream.  Can't relax.  Struggling against the current.  And just what IS my destination anyway?  Is it SAFE? 

 

When it comes right down to it, I'm convinced I'm headed in the right direction (just like those silly salmon), but sometimes I get tired.

 

So ... I can't change the past.  Gotta start with the here and now.  I'm at my son's drum lessons right now, after which I'll pick up 5 kids from youth group, drop them off, and head home to drop into my comfy bed.  And starting tomorrow??  I'm going to get it right!  Or at least I'm gonna try. 

 

Signed,

Aye Wil Knot Kwitt!

 

 

 

I'm tired.  I almost fell asleep on today's 5th grade field trip, right in the middle of a fully-lighted room watching an actor/astronaut repair a weather balloon on Mars.  (One of the other moms poked me as my head was jerking and nodding.)  And during the movie in the planetarium?  Well, thankfully it's safe to close your eyes in there.  And it's a shame, because I really do love space.

 

Signed,

Zee

 

 

 

They won!  State Champs!  This is only the 2nd time in the history of Denver Christian that the boys' soccer team won the State Championship!  My son is a sophomore, and actually the majority of the team is made up of sophomores - most of them the very same players Austin has been playing with the last few years competitively.  So predictably the boys are hoping for a couple more good years, with perhaps further championships.  That may happen and it may not.  "Life" takes over, and what makes perfect sense in 2007 doesn't always come to pass in 2008 or 2009.  As a few people noted last night - "Enjoy this moment."

 

It reminded me of songwriting.  Sometimes we spend so much time looking to what "might be" in the future, that we forget to celebrate and give thanks for what is "now".  And usually "now" is filled to overflowing with things to be grateful for!

 

Last night was a wonderful victory and we certainly celebrated with our boys (although I'm not sure getting to bed at 2 a.m. was necessary - still paying for that).  May the celebration continue!  Unabated!  With enthusiasm!  On all fronts....

 

Signed,

Vick Tree