Unpredictable Joy

"It's midnight - at a liquor store in Texas
Beneath the neon - closing's just begun.
When a boy walks through the door and pulls a pistol
He can't find a job - but oh, he's found a gun.

He pulls it off no trace of confrontation -
He lets the old man run out in the street.
He knows that soon they'll come with guns ablazing
Already he can feel the sweet release.


Oh - How many travellers get weary
Bearing up their burdens and their scars.
Don't you think they'd love to just stop caring.
And fly like eagles up among the stars.

He hears the arrival of the cruisers
He sees that old familiar anger in their eyes.
He understands that when they shoot this loser
They'll be trying to kill the demons in their lives.

The evenning news carries all the details
He dies in every living room in town
And in his own a bottle's thrown in anger
His father cries ' "WE'll never live this down."

Oh - How many travellers get weary
Bearing up their burdens and their scars
Don't you think they'd like to just stop caring
And fly like eagles up among the stars. "

Chris Hillman and Steve Hill

About week ago I grabbed a stack of six assorted CD's from
my growing collection of re-releases - as I attempt to re-build
my once formidable fortress of vinyl.
The albums were Emmylous Harris and Mark Knopfler - a
neglected several year old recommendation from a friend,
Procol Harum - The Well's On Fire, Traffic - Far From Home,
A Hundred Miles Or More - Alison Krauss, An Introduction to
Stephen Bishop and Rice, Rice, Hillman and Pedersen...
The random mix from the Bose System in the Maxima was the
equivalent of a full body soul massage as smooth as a
luxurious vintage deep, red wine.
Stephen Bishop's a master of the emotionally searing ballad.
His voice and phrasing remind me of a friend and guy
I used to play and sing with Steve Kennedy...
Procol Harum is always A Whiter Shade of Pale cloaked in
lyrical disguise - audibly thick and rich.
Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi are the unmistakable ship's
Captains aboard Traffic.
Mark Knopler compliments Emmylous Harris in a unique,
unchallenging fashion.
Alison Krauss has been a favorite since I first heard
"I've Got That Old Feeling" although "Whiskey Lullaby"
with Brad Paisley never fails to reach deep and touch
even the deepest buried nerve...
Rice, Rice, Hillman and Pedersen represent Country/Bluegrass
on a most sincere, honest and unpretentious palate.
The lyrics above are from " Moment of Glory " which struck a
chord...

"Oh How many travellers get weary ...don't you think they'd
just to like to stop caring ? "

Harmony, artfully massaged strings of acoustic guitars, simple
lyrics that provoke thought and feeling...It amazes me how
the so varied, distinctive flavors of the albums I chose
that day created such a satisfying blend... doesn't take much
to make me happy and when the daily aggravations start to
churn music can usually provide safe haven...

Thoughts for the day...email your MP today ! It is time Canadians
enmasse began demanding some accountablility for the inexcusable
wastefull spending practices in Ottawa. At what point should we
expect our decision makers to start looking at how much money
it takes to provide Canadians with needed services.
Provincial governments are no better...we urgently need
representation with backbone looking out for our best interests -
not theirs !
Are you as tired as I am hearing about A-Rod ? Who cares that an
overpaid, pampered athlete at one point in his career used steroids
during a period in baseball's history when the use of performance
enhancing drugs was the norm ? Who cares that he lied to a bunch
of politicians ? Like congress and those who do business within
it's membership have ever been accused of operating in ethical,
forthright, transparency...the hypocracy is overwhelming !
Leafs fans are long suffering - and the suffering continues..
the biggest disappointment for me is the goaltending situation
in Toronto. Toscala's got to go ! Pogge's not ready and may never
be...
Mike Weir in position to win this week..he's four strokes behind
but in his favorite position....second place. Go Mike !
Hope you had a blissful Valentines Day...
Bless
Don

Bong !!!!!

Ice is blowing sideways - no point in trying to move.
Winter lingers..or more precisely, we're in the midst of
a seasonal muscle flex which reminds just how odd it is
that anyone in their right mind would choose to live in
this climate...Winter is - and February is a little early
to expect anything but wind, snow, ice and cold...On a
more positive note - I always start looking ahead to spring
and golf December 21st when the days start to get longer.
It makes it even more bearable with the speed with which
each season passes - the days whiz by dragging the weeks
in their wake and I know it won't be too much longer before
I'll be waking up early weekend mornings and heading for the
golf course.
I've only begun to allow myself to think about the golf
course, though...that despite the fact that I played
golf five consecutive days in Arizona...and that was
nothing short of a miracle.
The week before Christmas I was stricken with back problems.
After seven or so visits to two different chiropractors, and
weeks of religiously doing my stretching exercises and icing,
I actually thought I was over it. Then five hours in a plane
from Halifax to Calgary - and another hour from Calgary to
Fort MacMurray - and the pain returned. We had travelled to
northern Alberta to visit Matt, Eli, Kathy and our new grand-
daughter ( she's only the most beautiful baby ever )and I
arrived barely able to move. I tolerated the aggravation as
long as I could and finally sought relief. I went and got an
acupuncture massage the day before we left Fort Mac and headed
south to Arizona. Still uncomfortable, I improved the first day
after the massage...I played golf in a cart 48 hours after treatment,
and got better - and continued to play each subsequent day.
I wish I'd known how much better I was to feel. I would have gone
day one up North and could have been in a little better frame of mind -
and body to party a little. Oh well it was a nice visit none the less.
We've been back a week now and I feel as close to fully recovered
as I ever dreamed I could.
Is there an NHL franchose is worse condition than Ottawa ?
I predicted not long ago that Pat Quinn would be the next Sens
coach. I failed to factor into my prediction that the same
lack of insight would go into making another coaching change
as has gone into previous miscues...goaltending is shaky -
defense lacks mobility and is porous and the talent up front
is thin and more problematic - uninspired. Even Eugene Melnyk
must recognize that Brian Murray is not the guy and that his
next manager mut be someone with a better understanding of the
need for chemistry between players and coach...Melnyk was right -
there is no need to blow-up what they currently have...the Sens
have already blown themselves up over the past two seasons.
What a Super Bowl ! I would have been stunned if Arizona had
beaten the Steelers but the Cards did make it very interesting -
and entertaining. Pittsburgh - now there's a coach. Replaced a
giant - effectively managed his players and their need to adjust -
and two years into his tenure - a Super Bowl Champion.
As much as it would have been appropriate for a long hair to win
the Phoenix Open - I was really pulling for Kenny Perry. At 48
years old he's the oldest winner of the event - and from all
reports Perry is one of the PGA's real good guys.
So they got a picture of America's Olympic hero with his face in a
bong...So what...think for a second what this guy surrendered in
his efforts to reach peak performance...It's not like he's in
training right now - and for the first time in his life he has
time and the resources to relax and enjoy some of the things
that "normal" people his age enjoy...I think we should respect
him and admire him for his dedication and success - and cut him
some slack...the picture gave no indication he was hurting anyone -
and I really think its wrong that we hold young people in sports or
entertainment to a higher standard than our own kids...
Gotta Go...
Til next time - hittem long and straight..