Tangled in a World Wide Web

 I needed some time to process this one before I could form words, let alone coherent, cohesive thoughts. That doesn't necessarily mean that it will be better, but I hope it is taken with the respect intended.  We all have our own Kryptonite . Some of us know what it is. Some don't. This week, Brad Arnold of Three Doors Down " left [his] body lying somewhere in the sands of time ", and his words in the hearts and minds of at least one generation. His particular Kryptonite turned out to be a common one... Cancer.  There is, undoubtedly, not one among us who has not lost someone close to us, or at the very least watched someone close to us battle this beast. If the sickness isn't bad enough, the treatment is often as bad or worse. Patients are expected to Down Poison . It's a Dangerous Game . Not everyone wins, but that does not mean Loser . Brad Arnold did not Duck And Run . Just like with his music, he gave his best. Now, as he told us he would, he has passed...

The words are borrowed but the sentiment is mine... Yesterday, When I Was Young Yesterday, when I was young, The taste of life was sweet, as rain upon my tongue, I teased at life, as if it were a foolish game, The way the evening breeze may tease a candle flame The thousand dreams I dreamed, the splendid things I planned, I always built, alas, on weak and shifting sand, I lived by night, and shunned the naked light of day, And only now, I see, how the years ran away Yesterday, when I was young, So many happy songs were waiting to be sung, So many wild pleasures lay in store for me, And so much pain, my dazzled eyes refused to see I ran so fast that time, and youth at last ran out, I never stopped to think, what life, was all about, And every conversation, I can now recall, Concerned itself with me, and nothing else at all Yesterday, the moon was blue, And every crazy day, brought something new to do, I used my magic age, as if it were a wand, And never saw the worst, and the emptiness ...

I'm Moving On RASCAL FLATTS I've dealt with my ghosts and I've faced all my demons Finally content with a past I regret I've found you find strength in your moments of weakness For once I'm at peace with myself I've been burdened with blame, trapped in the past for too long I'm movin' on I've lived in this place and I know all the faces Each one is different but they're always the same They mean me no harm but it's time that I face it They'll never allow me to change But I never dreamed home would end up where I don't belong I'm movin' on I'm movin' on At last I can see life has been patiently waiting for me And I know there's no guarantees, but I'm not alone There comes a time in everyone's life When all you can see are the years passing by And I have made up my mind that those days are gone I sold what I could and packed what I couldn't Stopped to fill up on my way out of town I've loved like I...

It is rare that words fail me. Seldom am I speechless. Often, when I cannot find my own words, I find that someone has already penned my every thought, my deepest feelings, my darkest fears and my greatest triumphs. For every situation in life, there is a song, a lyric that fits. Better than Hallmark, I can always say what I want with the words of some poet. I'm rambling on so, of course, I don't have the words to express myself today. I've been feeling anxious and grumpy and discontent overall lately. Sometimes, when you think you're at the end of your rope and just barely hanging on, someone unties the other end. If you read this and it makes no sense to you, it's OK, it wasn't really meant for you. There are maybe 2 or 3 people who will understand a majority of this post. Some people may identify with something in here on a personal level, unrelated to my own struggles. That is the power of a good lyric or poem I think. For those few who know... Hey God - Tel...

Many of you may be aware that last weekend I went to Montgomery for the Jubilee CityFest. Essentially, two days of concerts on three different stages across downtown. There were all types of artists and groups and music represented. Just a few acts that were there: LL COOL J Hinder 3 Doors Down Montgomery Gentry Candlebox Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Darius Rucker (former lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish) Tone Loc Bow Wow Unfortunately, many of the concerts were happening at the same time. This means I didn't see everyone I wanted to and I had to choose in some cases. I missed LL Cool J and Hootie. I saw Hinder and Candlebox and 3 Doors Down. They were the main reasons we went anyway.  Friday night after the concerts ended, we went back to the hotel and discovered we had just missed LL COOL J, who was staying in the same hotel. We were a little bummed but it was cool to know that he was there.  Hinder was so awesome as was 3 Doors Down. Candlebox surprised me by doing a little mont...

I haven't been to a real concert in ages. I have seen some live performances, some very good ones, but I haven't actually gone to a serious ear-bleeding concert in more years than I can count. This was a choice I made consciously, a supposed informed decision. As of this moment, I cannot remember what logic I used to arrive at that decision. Last night (Monday), I went to a concert in Columbus, GA. (I know, right?) For just over forty dollars, I was privy to Papa Roach, BuckCherry and Avenged Sevenfold, along with newcomers Burn Halo. Now, I know that A7X was the headliner with BuckCherry but I was most looking forward to Papa Roach. Either way, for forty bucks, I couldn't miss. If it wasn't bad enough that I was the old guy at a concert definitely not targeted to my specific demographic, but I had to go alone. {collective awww} (I know, right?) My buddy had to back out because of some work entanglements. I almost didn't go myself because I wasn't sure I wanted ...