music

Hi, I am here to help and be helped. I am a good listener and am glad to try to help people with their problems, or just to listen.
What help do I need? Well as you may have read, I and my friend Bill are putting together a duo, but our material is so dated. Who can suggest current songs that would work for a duo? I play acoustic guitar and Bill plays the electric baritone guitar (That is kind of a cross between a bass guitar and a regular electric guitar).
Also, I have started putting together a website for the duo. We are called Out Of The Blue. The web address is http://www.geocities.com/dmac896/. It is bare bones as I am not yet an expert with HTML. Any suggestions for the page or suggestions for different host sites would be appreciated. Any HTML tips or learning resources would also be appreciated.
Hope to hear from someone!

It's been a...

It's been a while. Well I've finally landed a job after having been out of work since last August. It's only ten minutes from my home! It's also on the second shift, from 3:00 to 11:30. That's ok with me because I'll have time during the day to do things around the house that need doing and also to do some more rehearsing for the duo that my friend Bill and I have started.
I have been reading random journals for a while and there seem to be so many younger people writing journals full of venomous anger, confusion, self loathing, apathy, great beauty, brilliant writing, unique perspectives. I am so facinated by many of them. In so many cases I just want to reach out and hug these kids and tell them that it's going to be alright. I want to protect them from all the things that hurt them and make me afraid for them. I have raised three children and each of them have made me proud. I want to understand what makes these troubled kids troubled and try to help them.
If anyone reads this and would like to talk, I'm here for you.

Had an interview...

Had an interview today at a company close by...about 25 minute drive. It seems to be a good fit for me. The person interviewing me was very impressed with my credentials and we seemed to hit it off. I hope this one works out.
Yesterday was the Lifeteen Mass for Super Bowl Sunday so the congregation was comparatively small. But we played and sang very well. We got the people singing along with us. It feels so good to use my talent for the glory of God. I thank him for blessing me.
My mother's house is getting closer to the closing. She died in September and we are finally getting near the end of the process. Still have to finish the cleanout....broom clean they call it. Then when all is said and done, we should be able to pay off all our credit cards!! What a feeling that will be. Haven't been debt free since I was a young man. Of course now I have to manage the money and try to make it grow. Any good investment advice out there?

kids

I just finished saying bedtime prayers with my 13 year old son. What a joy it is! After prayers we talk about things. He reminded me about the bedtime stories I used to tell him and his older brother and sister when they were young. That was such fun. I would go in completely unprepared and make up a story on the spot. They still have almost photographic memories of them.
The bond of love between parent and child is a miracle. It is joyous, spontaneous, unconditional, sacred. It is heaven on earth. It is the garden of eden. I remember not wanting kids because I didn't want to invest my love in themonly to have themgrow up to think of me as old and in the way and not respect me as I had seen happen with my brother and my parents and in other families. I didn't understand the power of love. What you give you get. I remember their births, how I cried with joy as they took their first breaths and cried for the first time. How I held them for the first time and felt an overpowering wave of love fill me.
I love you God for you are love and I have tasted it and it is good.

Easy come easy g...

Easy come easy go. My new job lasted 4 days. A new record for me. It turns out that I should have acted on my first impression of the company and not accepted the job. I wasn't experienced enough in the areas they were looking for, so they let me go today. Their job interview process needs vast improvement. They never should have hired me. I am glad that it didn't work out, though,because I was very uncomfortable having to ask a lot of questions and getting exasperated, pained expressions with the answers. So now I move on to bigger and better things.
My passions are writing and performing music and teaching religious education. I'm sure that I need to combine these somehow in a way that will pay me a living wage, and keep me spiritually and emotionally balanced. Any ideas would be very welcome.

VATICAN CITY (J...

VATICAN CITY (Jan. 24) - Pope John Paul II criticized the media on Saturday, saying they often give a positive depiction of extramarital sex, contraception, abortion and homosexuality that is harmful to society....
"All communication has a moral dimension," his statement said. "People grow or diminish in moral stature by the words which they speak and the messages which they choose to hear."
Thank you your holiness.
My old band had a get together last night because our old drummer, who had moved to Ireland 12 years ago, was in the area and wanted to see us all. It was great fun, lots of laughs and reminicences. One of the things he talked about that stuck with me is that the spread of American culture is like a tidal wave from which there is no escape. When he comes back to America he finds it astonishing the amount of choices that we have here. You can go out at any time of the day or night and find just about anything you want or need. He said it is getting more and more like that in Galway and it is not necessarily a good thing. He went to Ireland to reduce his stress levels. The American culture that is rapidly expanding over the world is so loudand crass and manic and corrupt and overbearing and rude and greedy and sleazy.....The voices of moderation and peace and righteousness and simplicity and humility are drown out by the tidal wave.
So thank you Pope John Paul for your words of wisdom and your use of the new technology to spread the word.

OK fo...

OK four days on the job and I'm ready for a change. My boss is not exactly the most warm wonderful person. There are some things in this job that I need help in understanding since I have no experience in a few areas. When I ask him for help, he gives me a pained expression of exasperation that makes me feel like I am ruining his day. He treats people like they can never measure up to his standards. I have received not one word of encouragement or praise. I found out on the first day that there is a 30 day trial period that I was not told about. So my every move and action is being examined under a microscope. I do not feel at all comfortable working there. I am actually glad about the 39 day trial because I can hold on for a month and then when they let me go, I can find something else or finally get around to making music my vocation.
I had a gig tonight at a local club. It was great to let the tension of the week go through the music. Why am I hesitant to commit myself to music as a career? It's what I do best and love most.
Lord give me the courage and strength to follow my passion