Responsibility

“Character - the willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life - is the source from which self-respect springs.”
~ Joan Didion, Contemporary American writer

The Quazatoli Connection

Thanks to The Quazatoli Connection Podcast for featuring my music in the lastest show.

Check out the site.

Journey Inside My Mind

Thanks to Dan at the Journey Inside My Mind Podcast for featuring my music in his latest show.

Check out his site.

Buying a Business

Thanks to Greg at the Buying a Business Podcast (from Canada) for featuring my music in his latest show.

Check out his site.

Shorties FM Podcast

Thanks to the Shorties FM Podcast (from the Netherlands) for featuring my music in the latest show.

Check out the site.

Very True

“Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”
~ Malachy McCourt, Irish-American writer, actor, gadabout

Unforgettable

This great story was passed on to me today.

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The Most Unforgettable Cleaning Lady I've Ever Known
by Jack Carroll

Twenty years ago—in what seems now like a previous lifetime—I had a cleaning lady by the name of Carrie Ford. Carrie was one of the most inspiring people I've ever known. She taught me something that I have treasured all of my life that I am moved to share with you here today.

Carrie was the daughter of sharecroppers, born and raised in the great state of Mississippi during the bleak Depression years. She had experienced about as many deeply painful events in her life as anyone I have ever met, including the death of three of her children in Vietnam and assorted street wars in Gary, Indiana.

In spite of these wounds she remained unflaggingly positive, optimistic, and of good cheer. A person who made you feel good because she obviously felt good, herself. I needed to know her secret so one day I asked her over lunch why she was so happy.

"My minister taught me and it's true," she said. "You must be happy with what you have. 'Cause you'll never have anything, except what you have."

The wisdom of her words deepens every year of my life. Every time I see or hear of another "successful" technology entrepreneur or six-figure-a-year salesperson complaining about their circumstances or the difficulties in their lives, a big piece of me remembers Carrie Ford. And the ear-to-ear smile that broke out on her face as she shared her simple wisdom with me, and then hummed a sweet song for the rest of the afternoon as she went about her work.

I thought you might like to know about Carrie as you go about your work this month.

Hope

“Hoping means seeing that the outcome you want is possible and then working for it.”
~ Bernie S. Siegel, M.D., Contemporary American holistic physician, author.

The Daily Purge

Thank to J. Michael Haas at the The Daily Purge Podcast for featuring my music in his latest show.

Check out his site.

Moms Brag Vlog

Thanks to Erin at the Moms Brag Vlog (video blog) for featuring my music in her latest video.

Check out her site.

NavelCast

Thanks to James at the NavelCast Podcast for featuring my music in show #7.

Check out his site.

Beta ain't Bad

Check out my friends over at zaadz.com. Still in beta, but things are starting to take shape. Be sure to join the zaadzters community and make some cool new friends (click "sign up" link in upper right).

Holiday

People are really on edge this year with all the hype around what 'holiday' items to display in stores, what to say to people, etc. I find it quite pathetic.

I was so happy the Capitol's 'Holiday Tree' was recently changed back to the 'Capitol Christmas Tree.' That's what it is.

If someone doesn't celbrate a specific holiday, they shouldn't make comments. Have respect for those that do and move on.

I celebrate Christmas. So, I'm going to make some comments. It's not 'X-mas.' This term is blatantly offensive and should be banned from use. Christmas is a religious holiday, whether people want to accept it or not. It’s truly based on religion, but has been overshadowed with commercialism the past couple centuries. Even people that don’t regularly go to mass or church services show up for Christmas Eve services. I always find this very interesting. Churches are always jam packed. As much as people want to resist what Christmas is about, many still recognize the truth when it comes down to it.

A lot of people don't know that Christmas and the legend of Santa Claus (aka St. Nick) started from the efforts of Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th century Christian bishop.

Should Hanukkah be changed to another name? Should we all celebrate Hanukkah? Should anyone tell the Jewish popluation how to celebrate their holiday? Of course not. It would be very wrong and offensive.

There are two sides to 'all-inclusive.' A respect for all holidays is a must. But, trying to change the meaning and ideals behind any holiday to be an all-inclusive celebration just sets a course for disaster and ignorance. However, we can be all-inclusive in our wishes and respect to those celebrating a specific holiday.

So, Happy Holidays! Celebrate your specific holiday with sincerity and meaning.

Unity

“We must all hang together or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
~ Benjamin Franklin, American statesman, inventor, philosopher (1706 - 1790)

The dkgemini Podcast

Thanks to The dkgemini Podcast (from the UK) for featuring my music in show #2, 5, 8 and 13.

Check out the site.

Positivity

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
~ Winston Churchill, English leader, wartime Prime Minister, (1874 - 1965)

Winter

Winter has arrived in full. It's a whopping 5 degrees this morning. So excited (sarcastic grimace). Snow is on it's way tonight/tomorrow.

However bleak I believe the winter is, there is a lot of beauty to the season. It's a good inspiration for new music compositions. I think it's about time I do a winter/holiday album. Perhaps for the 2006 holiday season.

Mistakes

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent in doing nothing.”
~ George Bernard Shaw, Irish dramatist, critic, social commentator, (1856 - 1950)

Life

“The purpose of life is a life of purpose. ”

~ Robert Byrne

The Bondtekoe Podcast

Thanks to The Bondtekoe Podcast (from the Netherlands) for featuring my music in show #17.

Check out the site.

Thought

“Life does not consist mainly, or even largely, of facts and happenings. It consists mainly of the storm of thought that is forever flowing through one's head. ”
~ Mark Twain, aka, Samuel Clemens, American Writer, humorist (1835-1910)