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I Swear This Has Something to Do with Music

...I'm just not sure how it has something to do with music. Maybe through the notion of writing what you feel. Here's the skinny:

The line from "Let That Be Enough" by Switchfoot is pretty close to accurate: "It's my birthday tomorrow, no one here would know." While my birthday is actually today, it's close enough. I don't make a big deal about birthdays in general, but especially mine. It's just another day, IMO. That being said, it still is my birthday, and that makes today a great day.

On a less-happy note, I'm a little frustrated right now. My parents and I have differing views on what direction I should take come my college graduation in 8 days. They want me to get a full time job with benefits and health care and all that. While that's great and I'd love to have all that, I don't think I want that JUST NOW.

Ideally, I'd love to sell my Pathfinder, buy a motorcycle, head down to Orlando and work at Disney or something for a few months. Then, I'd come home for Christmas, and start working full time at the place I am currently interning. Granted, that is the ideal. But it is highly possible and very feasible that this could work.

The icing on the cake (no pun intended...well, maybe just a little) is that my dad got upset when it was mentioned that someone was complaining that they didn't get to see their friends all summer. I replied with, "I'm working three jobs," to which my dad quickly responded, "I'm working three jobs, too!" However, I'm getting paid for only one of my jobs. Also, I am not trying to support a family; I am a college student and part of that JOB is to have fun and hang out with friends WHILE learning. Let me just say there's more emphasis on the learning part than the other two.

I'm done venting on my birthday. I'm glad to have that over with. On to a happy day!

Dead End or Three-Way Stop?

When trying to write a song, write what you feel. OK, but what about when you aren't even sure of what you're feeling? I try to write my feelings, but I don't know what is going on in my head. It seems to just be a hurricane of emotions and thoughts and dreams. The result is a lot of unfinished work and frustration in failing to be able to know myself. I've never been very good with emotions.

There are times that I get thrown into an emotional funk. I'm not quite sure what ends up pulling me out of it, but I always seem to come around. I can't wait until I do.

For now, I'm not sure if I'm at a dead end or a three-way stop. By that I mean, is my songwriting creativity over, or am I stopped while I determine whether to turn left or right?

3 for 3

I am very happy with the last 3 albums I have bought. They are: Brad Paisley's American Saturday Night, Darius Rucker's Learn to Live, and Jars of Clay's Long Fall Back to Earth.

Brad Paisley has done it again. A review I read in Billboard today said it well that Paisley knows what his fans want and how to give it to them. In my opinion, this album was toned-down slightly, much like Keith Urban's latest. However, it is still a great album. The songwriting is great - pondering who his son will grow up to be, the first meeting of BP and his wife, the blender bowl we know as America. There is even a guest appearance by his son, Huckleberry Paisley. There are a couple songs on the album that almost don't sound country, including the second track "Everybody's Here." Go buy this one.

The frontman for Hootie and the Blowfish has done what he has been trying to talk the band into for years. I heard on an interview a while back that Rucker tried to convince the Blowfish they needed to do a country album. But the Blowfish blew him off. Rucker showcases his songwriting skills, co-writing all but one track. Paisley even makes a guest appearance, playing guitar on one of the tracks. Paisley's producer, Frank Rodgers, also produced this album. You know it's got to be good.

Finally, the band that makes the music other Christian artists should be making. Jars of Clay upped themselves once again. While I have liked most everything they have done (partly because each album is so different), I thought Good Monsters was their best. Now I believe it is their second best. Musically, this album sounds like it could be played on mainstream radio. The musical creativity is there in abundance. They may not mention God explicitly in the lyrics, but should they have to? There are hints of Coldplay and Kings of Leon in the folds of these tracks. If you don't listen to any other Christian music, you should listen to this album. Check out "Closer" just for me.

It Really Is Therapy

I've heard writers say that songwriting is therapy.  I never understood what they really meant, but now I do.  With the last few songs (or partial songs) I've written, it's been some great therapy.

Keep on the look out for reviews of Darius Rucker and Jars of Clay in the near future.

This Thing Called Radio

I just got back from a road trip last night that took me about a week by myself visiting friends.  My trip took me from Nashville to Little Rock to Dallas to Houston to Waco back to Dallas and through Little Rock again on my way back home.  When I left, I took with me a large stack of CDs with me to keep me company (since I don't have the ability to connect an iPod to the stereo in this vehicle).

When I first pulled out of the driveway, like on most other road trips, I had the radio tuned to a local station.  However, instead of inserting a disc when the signal became weak, I simply hit the seek button.  I proceeded to do this anytime the signal got weak or a song that I didn't particularly like started playing.  Before I knew it, I had gotten all the way to Dallas without having a disc in the CD player.  By that time, I thought, "How cool would it be to finish the road trip without listening to a CD?"

While there were a couple times there were no songs I liked (or even knew), I got to listen to a very wide variety of songs.  I heard brand new songs, hits from a few years ago, 90s one-hit wonders, super (and not-so-super) singles from the 80s, and a load of classics.  All ingredients to a very eclectic collection for a road trip soundtrack.

So, for any of you heading out on a road trip, I challenge you to do what I did - forget the iPod or the road trip mix discs.  Take your pointer finger and point it towards the seek button.  And here's an idea: keep a list of some of your favorite songs that come on during your trip.  When you get home, make a mix of some or all of those songs.  It might also give you a chance to get to know your road trip buddy a little better by sharing stories of what the songs being transmitted through the airwaves mean to you.

Happy and safe travels!

I Want to Be A Rockstar

I have been asked this question several times lately: "What do you want to do after graduation?"

My response is simple - I want to be a rockstar.  Some have laughed until they realize I'm serious.  Others, especially those who know me best, know that I'm serious.

So, laugh if you want.  I know it sounds silly.  But I'm serious when I say it.  I want to play guitar, and maybe sing, for a living.  As a runner once put it, "When I run, I feel God's pleasure" (Chariots of Fire).  For me, I feel God's pleasure when I play guitar.