On the South Side

OK, I'll comment. I haven't seen The Passion of the Christ yet, but I'm very glad it's making an impact. I have to admit I'm kind of squeamish, and the thought of watching the torture and execution scares me. As far as all the conversations that are happening all across the country right now, I think that in general it's a good thing though I can not stomach much of it. It seems to sway between banality and hyperbole. Typically, I stay away from conversations like those. I heard Mel Gibson in answer to a question on the violence say that's it's like Saving Private Ryan in that it's an integral part of the story. It is the story in fact. I see his point. No use making the movie at all otherwise. But I felt the same way about Saving Private Ryan as I do about this one, I can't watch. I close my eyes. There is something to be gained from comparing these two movies. Both of them highlight the sacrifice made by another on your behalf. The boys...

Well, today I turn 45. I figure I'll live to about 90, so that puts me at the top of the mountain looking down the other side. I turn around to look the other way and I see the past stretched out. Half of me on one side; half of me on the other side. Ah, screw the poetry; I'm a very happy man. I theorized a long time ago that happy people don't write much. I don't know if that's really true. Wait a minute...I'm writing right now! Does that mean my theory was wrong or does that mean I'm actually unhappy? OR, if my theory was wrong, would that make me unhappy? And then, would I turn out happy because I'd be writing more now that I'd become unhappy? I think maybe I spent too much time watching Three Stooges growing up. Anyway, that is what this blog is all about. Just to get to the writing. I had an English teacher in high school that was trying to teach us how to write. An exercise during class was to simply not lift your pen off the paper until...

I know, I know. I haven't written since last Thursday. Would you believe I've been very busy? Would you believe I've had the stomach flu? Well, both are true. Anyway, while I was moaning and groaning in bed yesterday I started thinking about this gentleman at church who has the same birthday as me (Feb. 27). He's 35 years older than I am. He has been my role model for many years at church. When I first became active about 10 years ago, it was in the midst of a bit of a controversy surrounding the pastor. I went from not being active at all to being the chair of the two most important committees in a Methodist Church. One, the Administrative Council, is the central council that everything else must go through and two, what's called the Pastor/Parish Relation committee which is responsible for setting standards for the performance and pay of the Pastor. I don't know why God put me there, but I do know that he put a certain William "Bus" Styles there ...

I've been thinking about my dad a lot lately. For various reasons. My brother-in-law Tom Brown just lost his dad and had written a very moving eulogy. And this from a guy who used to complain about his dad. It's sort of cliche now; you know, when the father is aging and the son anticipates his dad's death, there's the thought that it's going to be too late to bond. So, the son worries himself sick about this, but being the son of a man that can't communicate emotions, he won't talk to dad about these feelings. See how that works? I guess there's no hope for me and dad. Really though, I'm very thankful to have a dad that, at age 70, is still healthy. (My mom, soon to be 74, is very healthy.) Most guys would envy the relationship I enjoy with my dad. We see each other quite frequently. We sit at Steak N Shake two or three times a month mulling over the world and its problems. Our topics are exclusively Politics, Religion and Religion in Politics. Wi...

I was browsing through books at Borders. "How-to" books on Rock guitar. The more I stared at them the more confused I became. "What am I looking at?" I thought. I've studied classical guitar, you know; I know the fretboard intimately. I know all my scales. I know Rock N Roll. What am I looking for? I don't know. I think I'm looking for something to say. ...Na, that's not it. I love pop music. I love the Monkees and Beatles. I just want the song to sound good; to have a good melody. I just wanna have fun! Is that so wrong?!

I realized what I'm really trying to do is start a new habit. A writing habit. I've got plenty of bad ones, now I'm going to start a good one. Good as in constructive instead of destructive. Verbal communication has always been a challenge for me. Few people other than Annette would believe this. In fact, I said this in front of a group of about twenty people that I was teaching the other day and they said, "huh?" As we talked more about it though, I think most of us understood it better. Sandy Thompson said it like this: "We extroverts say whatever's on our mind all the time. It doesn't get processed first like with a typical introvert." She's right. When I stand before a group to talk, it's measured, reserved and careful. This comes off as being thoughtful and intelligent. I've learned through experience that my relationships with people are more intimate (and therefore more fulfilling) if I can be "more extroverted." In o...

I know, I know...Now that I've got my Mexican Strat, I really want a real one. One made in America that is. It's ironic that in the Classical Guitar world guitars made in America are looked down on. Segovia once said, "They do not make guitars in America." In the Rock N Roll world, its got to be American made. Gibson or Fender. Oh well. The quality just isn't there on this guitar. It's good enough for now. I've never owned a cheap electric guitar. The only other electric I've had was a very nice Gibson SG. I can't believe I let that one go.

We just saw the School of Rock with Jack Black. We both loved it. It was just a great little movie. Annette and I talked all the way home about how much fun it would be to play and sing in a band. I couldn't help but reckon back to yesteryear when I was going to "change the world with one rock concert." (Dewey/Ned's dream in the movie.) The scene in the movie when the kids challenge him to sing his song the he's "not quite done with" is a scene I played over and over in my head when I was 18 or 19 years old. I could hear entire rock songs and solos and concerts in my head. But, as I stated in a previous blog entry, I was naive and there was no "School of Rock" to speak of. We all just saw the Beatles up there and said "I wanna do that." How much time and energy wasted on inefficient methods and no-talent people? Here's my School of Rock lesson for today: Rock Music is a sub-category of Popular Music (Pop Music). As such, it is ...

OK, I guess I should get back real life now. I got up this morning, went to the bathroom and then straight to the Strat. Been playing all day. It's a lot of fun. Anyway, today is Valentine's Day and we're actually going out tonight. I don't think we've ever done that. Our big plans include a cheap movie and maybe Steak N Shake. We may go see School of Rock with Jack Black. How appropriate, eh? School of Rock and me with a new electric guitar. Annette and I rarely do things for special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, etc. We lucked out finding each other; neither one caring much for retail sentiments. Enough chit-chat. I'm going back to practice.

I'm home now with my new guitar. It is beautiful. I got a nice little amp to go with. I'm ready to learn how to play the electric guitar now. Annette said, "What are you talking about? You already know how to play the guitar." She's right, of course, I was in a rock band when I first met her. But, I never really learned to play the electric guitar. It's a whole different instrument. Like the difference between a piano and a pipe organ. The notes are the same, but it's just a different instrument. It takes a different set of skills to make it work. I'm looking forward to learning it.

OK, the salesman I'm working with wasn't there last night so I going tonight. I had a conversation with a young guy there before I left. I asked him if I get a brand new guitar or do they think I'm taking the one off the wall that I'd been playing. He says, "Oh, you gotta take the one you playing. It's like a girl, you want a virgin or one that knows what she's doin?" I just smiled and said, "I want a new guitar!" Then I left. Annette asked me this morning if I could buy a used amp. I knew her support of my rock n roll career was slipping and I'd better act fast. I'm not going home without the guitar tonight. Wish me luck.

I received another good bonus from work yesterday. I'm going out to the Guitar Center tonight to pick up an Ivory Strat and a small amp. I'm very exicited. I'm also very happy that Annette is happy for me. I wasn't sure she would be. But it's a very good thing when after 20 years of marriage your spouse still smiles because she knows your happy.

I just got back from teaching a music lesson for a friend's 11-year-old boy. He bought a recorder at Toy-R-Us with a little book and his mom thought he should get a lesson or two. Possibly move on to the guitar at a later time. This kid was smart. Daniel is his name. I mean really smart. He had already memorized the first one or two music lessons that I would have given him. He had all the rudiments down. Of course the one time I needed a recorder I couldn't find ours. Annette, (my wife, named after THE Annette - Funicello ) says she gave it away. My daughter says I can use her flute or clarinet if I need too. I mentioned that I don't play the flute or clarinet and she seemed surprised. Anyway, it was a fulfilling experience. I don't know why I don't try to teach more music. That's all I ever wanted to do when I was growing up. Now I have the time to do it, so maybe I'll do more of it. Maybe.

As I read through these entries I'm struck with just how boring I am. Am I really? Actually, I'm holding back on these blog entries because I have no idea what or how to write on good blog. I really want to talk about politics and current events but there are so many of these out there already. Some of them are really good too. Some of them are really bad though. I'm not going to add to them. I guess I lead a pretty uneventful life. My heart is torn though with thoughts of so many people across this world who lead ugly brutal lives. They would sacrifice anything for a boring life.

I've been thinking a lot about the Beatles lately. They've been in the news of course because of the anniversary of the Ed Sullivan Show. I got out a copy of the movie Help! This afternoon and fast-forwarded to Hey! You've Got to Hide Your Love Away. I was practically in tears. I almost instinctively focused on John's mouth as he's singing as I imitated every inflection of every phrase. I still think he was one of the great Rock N Roll voices ever. But the biggest thing that hits you is the 40 years! 40 years! Bush, Clinton, Bush, Reagan, Carter, Ford, Nixon, Johnson. And if you really want perspective think about 40 years before that! Kennedy, Eisenhower, Truman, Roosevelt, Hoover, Coolidge, Harding and Wilson. Of course, real perspective comes when ever I think that there's only two of the Beatles left alive. I guess that means I'm getting old too. I'll be 45 in a couple of weeks. As I mentioned earlier, I'm buying a Stratocaster. I've...

A friend asked me today if I would be willing to teach their 11 year old son music appreciation and possibly guitar. I said sure. The kid is playing the recorder now and apparently reading some music. I've taught a lot of guitar over the years and I always try to sneak in a little music appreciation with it. So it was nice to have someone ask me straight out to teach it. Isn't that funny, now I'm a little nervous. I jumped on the web real quick and started reading everything I could on the recorder. Then I remembered she also wanted me to teach him some theory. I can do that.

I remember watching the Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder when I was young. I was still at home, so I'm thinking this was around 1975. I don't remember the guest on this occassion but he was a pop/rock recording artist of some kind. (It might have been Harry Nilsson - if anybody remembers, let me know .) Tom asked this guy what he thought of the Beatles and he responded, "I hate them." He went on say something to the effect of "they ruined pop/rock music." At the time I'm thinking the guy is just crazy or jealous or both. Later in my life though, I developed a theory concerning pop music that sounds a lot like the guy's rant. It goes something like this: Before the Beatles, pop stars were people who looked good and sounded good. One of the reasons they sounded so good was that the songs they chose (or that were chosen for them) were good songs. By that I mean they were constructed well. For my generation these are songs of Goffin and King, Boyce and Hart...

40 years ago today. Wow. The Beatles landed in America. I was not quite 5 years old. They had a profound effect on my life. I'm not sure it was a positive effect, but effect it they did. Allow me to tell the story briefly. I didn't pay much attention to the Beatles until well after they had stopped recording as a group. I was awash with sixties bubble-gum thanks to my older sister Becky. The Monkees topped the list. So, in 1977 I was a college freshman at the University of Missouri Columbia. I discovered a long lost childhood friend, Chris, who also attended so we got together one night to go see "Let It Be" the movie. I was totally blown away. I simply said to myself, "I want to do that." I was a young and stupid guitar player. I had no concept of real life. I certainly didn't catch the not so subtle fact that by the time the Beatles filmed Let It Be, they were already filthy rich and could afford to buy time at a world class studio, turn the cam...

I guess the challenge/question is simply "who am I writing to?" I this a diary? No, I don't think so. In case you didn't know (I didn't before I started this), "blog" is short for web-log. A log on the web. A log of what? I DON'T KNOW!

I really have so many different interests, I find it difficult to start writing. Stream of conscience is hard. I always want to know why. I always need to know what the effects of my words will be before I say them. I'm a careful, tight man. Why "On the South Side of Saint Louis"? Because my neighborhood is a part of me. I am it and it is me. Like my father and his father. If I'm not at work or at home, you'll find me at the church around the corner. That's where I was baptized, and that's where I plan and dream about making life better for those who live around me. I thought I might ramble a bit as to how I arrived at this spot. Zillions of ideas flying through my brain at the same time as to how best to put borders on the one idea. Maybe I shouldn't try. Maybe that's what blogging is all about. I don't know.

Well, there's just something interesting and alluring about a public log.