SkyWatch Friday Five

I love Autumn; the crisp air, the beautiful colors of nature, the chance to break out the sweatshirts & jackets, the realization that the holiday season is quickly approaching…

Wait a minute. The holiday season is quickly approaching?

Holy crap!

I better start Christmas shopping!

How about a few FALL songs in the meantime?

1. I Fall Down – U2
2. Fall Line – Jack Johnson
3. I Fall to Pieces – Patsy Cline
4. Falling Slowly – Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
5. I Hope That I Don’t Fall In Love With You – Tom Waits

And as an added bonus, the song that Michael Stipe has referred to as his favorite REM song (and definitely one of mine too)…

 

Friday Five – Paraskevidekatriaphobia

Paraskevidekatriaphobia: from the Greek words Paraskeví (Friday), dekatreís (thirteen), and phobia (fear) – in other words, it’s the fear of Friday the 13th!

A persistent superstition based on the belief that Friday is an unlucky day combined with the belief that 13 is an unlucky number. It’s kind of like a double kick in the “you-know-whats”.

1. Superstition – Stevie Wonder
2. Bad Luck – Bruce Springsteen & Mike Ness (Social Distortion)
3. Thirteen – Big Star
4. Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye – Black Crowes
5. Mr. Lucky - John Lee Hooker (w/ Robert Cray)

 

SkyWatch Friday

An early morning moon, still visible in the sunlight.

SkyWatch Friday Five

The sky was blue & cloudless on Sunday afternoon, but I was able to snap this picture of a little bird in the tree by our garage. I think it’s a starling, but I’m not sure.

1. Three Little Birds – Bob Marley & the Wailers
2. Maybe Sparrow – Neko Case
3. When Doves Cry – Prince & the Revolution
4. Swan Swan Hummingbird – R.E.M.
5. Roadrunner – Bo Diddley (One of my favorite versions of this song was made for the Backbeat soundtrack, which was actually a cover of a cover… Dave Grohl, Dave Pirner, Thurston Moore, Mike Mills, Greg Dulli and Don Fleming as the very young Beatles covering Bo Diddley – sounds weird, but it’s awesome.)

And, just in case you hadn’t heard…

Dona Nobis Pacem

Blogging For Peace

Click my peace globe to read Mimi's fantastic BlogBlast post as well as links to hundreds more from around the world

 

In a world that is ravaged by chaos, war, tragedy, conflict and hatred, it is difficult to look around and be optimistic.

I’ve been thinking about this for a while, ever since I listened to a podcast episode of NPR’s RadioLab called “New Normal”. It opened with a short piece in which a reporter followed around a guy, John Horgan, through the streets of Hoboken conducting an informal, one question survey. “Will humans ever stop fighting wars?”

It’s a question he has been asking people ever since the United Stated invaded Iraq in 2003.

Its one of life’s unanswerable questions. And as John explains, it’s not just a question about war. It’s a question about whether or not humans possess the ability to change who and what we are.

An overwhelming majority, 9 out of 10, answered quickly and adamantly, “NO”. Many of the explanations involved the term “Human Nature”.

Can we change?

Is peace possible?

As a Christian, I try to live my life in a way that embraces hope and love. I have to believe that peace on earth is a worthwhile and attainable goal. It is still hard to be optimistic, but I have to believe that it’s possible.

However, as a human, the best I can do is to change me.

Which is why, like Mother Theresa, I want the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi to be my prayer every day. Because it’s not about assigning blame or responsibility; it’s about taking it.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

It’s also why I am participating in today’s BlogBlast for Peace; a day when bloggers around the world unite in a moment of solidarity, regardless of our differences, to embrace the hope of Peace on Earth.

Dona Nobis Pacem

This Is Halloween

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

FREEZE!

As for mustache halloween costumes in the office this year; how about some 70’s vice-squad action?

And don’t forget; the winner of the American Mustache Institute’s 2009 Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year award will be announced tonight at their annual Stache Bash at the Orpheum Theater in St. Louis (featuring John Oates!). If I didn’t already have plans…

Have a Hairy Halloween!

SkyWatch Friday Five

Special Halloween Eve Edition!

The skies were almost orange that morning – but I LOVE those clouds. I tried to take some pictures of a full moon, which seemed more appropriate for this weekend, but they just didn’t turn out. Going to have to play with the settings & figure out how to get a good one.

And how about the Friday Five portion of this post? It’s not as fun as last year’s - but it’s still pretty good!

1. Halloween Head – Ryan Adams & the Cardinals
2. Dr. Bones – Cherry Poppin’ Daddies
3. The Invisible Man – Queen
4. Speak of the Devil – Chris Isaak
5. I’m Your Boogie Man – KC & the Sunshine Band

And one more thing…  leave that no-account Oogie-Boogie out of this!

Day of Passing Playlist

(via SoulPancake;)

“Amazing tradition. They throw a great party for you on the one day they know you can’t come.” — Jeff Goldblum (as Michael Gold in The Big Chill)

Eight college friends search for lost ideals following the death of their mate Alex in Lawrence Kasdan’s The Big Chill, and brilliantly setting the stage is Kasdan’s iconic opening scene, where JoBeth Williams (as Karen Bowens) starts playing “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by the Stones on a booming church organ. Each of the characters knowingly smiles at the first chords of the song. And a minute later, Mick Jagger’s rendition joins the soundtrack. In an instant, you’re thinking about love and life, memories and friendships, as well as your own death. So, thinking about the group of people that will likely come together over you one day, what songs sum up your life and would bring smiles to those left behind?

List 5 songs you would add to the playlist for your funeral.

Okay, so it’s kind of a dark, depressing subject. But it is Halloween week after all.  So here is my list:

1. Iron & Wine – the Trapeze Swinger
2. U2 – Love Rescue Me
3. Lyle Lovett – Don’t Cry a Tear
4. Norah Jones – The Long Day is Over
5. Louis Armstrong – What a Wonderful World

SkyWatch Friday Five

I thought this morning I would combine SkyWatch Friday with Friday Five, which I haven’t done in a while. The songs in this case are inspired by the picture; a gorgeous sunrise that I was watching in my rear-view mirror on my way to work Tuesday morning.

1. Sun Comes Up, It’s Tuesday Morning – Cowboy Junkies
2. Sunrise – Norah Jones
3. Morning Has Broken – Cat Stevens
4. Sunshine – G. Love (with Jack Johnson & Zach Gill)
5. Why Does the Sun Really Shine – They Might Be Giants (the answer song to their own original, scientifically incorrect, Why Does the Sun Shine)

Have a great weekend!