You have a problem

Well we all do. In fact Jesus said, "You will have troubles."
So as my Pastor once said. "Let me give you a seven day forecast."
"Trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble trouble, trouble, trouble."

I have some good news for you.

I can also tell you what you do for a living,

That is because we are all problem solvers.

The human race has become what it is by overcoming and solving, Yes thats right, PROBLEMS.

Can't find a job,? Well no one whats to give you a job. What they do want is someone that can solve their problem, or even better problems.

I had an HR director call me into the office once and ask me what I did at their company. I told her I solved problems. She asked me which one's I told her to ask the President of the company. She said she had. "What was his response" I asked?
She said he had told her he was unsure what exactly I did but whenever I worked there no one else had to work as hard. I was freelance and would work on and off a few months a year for about 6 years.
It really bugged her because there was no place to categorize me. So to solve her problem I quit. I was told later they had hired 5 different people to replace me before they finally fired her. Lol

Now think about this. Our species has very little hair for the elements. We have small teeth, We are not the best climbers or even close to the fastest runners, or the strongest. So how did we survive? We solved problems.
Have a problem. Well that's great. Just think about 10 years ago. You had one then also. You solved that one and you will solve this one also.

My son Lance told me once his view on suicide. "Suicide." he said, "doesn't solve your problems it just guarantees that your problems won't be solved, while giving greater problems to the ones you think won't miss you."

Thats why people say its selfish.

So next time you are faced with a problem, smile and realize that you where created, evolved, trained, bred, or became self aware to solve it.

If your problems are really overwhelming I have 3 things to do.

1. Pray. I know you know God already knows your life and problems but sometime our greatest problems are just not talking enough to Him. 
2. Meditate. If prayer is us talking to God meditation is him talking back. So sometimes it is a good idea to just shut up and listen. What if God doesn't speak back?
1. Read His word. For 4000 years people have been solving their problems by going to the Bible. It just may work for you
2. Listen to others. God will speak through others and they might not even know it. Maybe even through this blog. One can only hope.
3.  A still small voice, Pray for discernment. You will hear 3 voices in your head, Your, Gods, and Satans, A test I have always used is to go back to the Bible. If you get a scripture number look it up. Why do I believe it is God speaking? First I don't know the Bible well enough to quote it and Satan will never, ever, use it. So if you get a verse in your head and look it up and it seems to have been written for your specific situation. That's God and it was...
3. Do something. You cannot steer a parked car, boat, or life. Do something. Fail forward. Fail often, but definitely do something. I have to admit I believe more in blessings than I do in luck but I have seen to many miracles to think that it is just coincidence. One thing they all have in common. They happened while someone was doing something else. Key word, Doing.

Well that takes care of the problem I had today. What to Blog about.

Merry Christmas.  -Art

Yeah, that's something I probably would still do.

A few years ago I was working as a stagehand at what is now Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. One of the shows coming through was the American Idol Tour. After a few hours they gave us a break or it may have been that I came back to run spot or backline for the show call, anyway we went into catering and fixed dinner. This year they had two lines one for vegetarians and a normal one. I think it was because Sanjaya Malakar, Jordan Sparks and Melinda Doolittle were all vegetarians.

I got into line and noticed I was standing behind Jordan and Melinda. They were chatting.

Melinda turns to me and say "Oh hey, How are you doing?"

I replied. "Great, Thank you."

She then asked If I was still working at Belmont.

Strange question. I told her that Yes I still worked out there occasionally, but I work everywhere.

Then I asked "Melinda, Do I know you?"

She laughed and said I must not have remembered her and it had been a few years. We had met at a Mercy Me concert held at the Belmont Gym. I had walked outside for some reason and found her and a friend of hers by the stage door. She had been the Mascot for the Belmont teams and didn't have tickets to get into the show. She was hoping to meet the band and maybe get a autograph on their way to their bus. She said I walked both of them in and introduced them to the singer, Bart Millard, and the lead guitar, Barry Graul, players in Mercy Me. Both of which I had known for a while. She said I had made such a great impression on her because of my "this is just a normal thing to do" attitude. She was totally blown away because it was her first real backstage experience. She was trying to be so cool and we were all so nice. Not what she had expected us to be.

Now I laughed. I told her I was sorry because I didn't remember doing that at all, but Bart and Berry were friends and after all, that is something I would have totally done.

I forget that mine is a world of wonder to those on the other side of the barricade.

It also always amazes me how a simple kindness is returned and remembered.

Love your Neighbor

Jesus said to Love your Neighbor. 

Practical app: 

So if you go to your neighbors house because they have a 6 month old and offer to babysit so they can have a much needed date night and you see pipe bombs, dozens of assault riffles, and thousands of round of Ammo. You might want to alert the authorities. Not because you're "terrified" but because you love the neighbors on the other side too. BTW offering to babysit is just one of dozens of things you can do to love your neighbors. I have always made it a task to know people on all sides of my house. Like 4-6 neighbors wide. When I see them working I always make it a point to find a way to help.

Love is also a action.  

Here's a little something, something all terrorist should know.

I know you hear a lot about the terrible great power of the USA. I know we have this huge Armed Force that you think you are circumventing by going into safe and gun free zones and shooting innocent people. But you should know something about one of these people of the USA.

I for one was raised on Rambo, Terminator and Bruce Willis movies, I have watched my 18 year old countrymen storm the beaches of Normandy, and throw themselves on grenades to protect others. Heck I have even seen a 9 year old girl defend her family from dinosaurs.  

So before you leave your dirt road, broke ass truck, country where you eat skinny ass goats and nasty ass figs. By the way I have seen your women I know why you make them wear covers on their faces. Have you ever realized that the reason you have 70 virgins even after 1000 years in heaven is because you ARE dickless. That some of us American Infidels will not be running for a safe zone. We will be looking for something to clock your ass with, stab you in the eyes with, or just run over your ass in our well maintained SUV’s.

Just in case you haven’t realized this either. YOU ALWAYS DIE… You have a 0 percent survival rate. Welcome to the home of Toby Keith were we have a boot for your dumb uneducated cowardly ass!!! 

Oh and don't worry about finding me. There are 350,000,000 of us that will find you. Please notice 0% survival rate above.

My First Orphan Thanksgiving

I know I have told you about being alone on most of my birthdays. Not really alone just celebrating with strangers. No family or friends.

This is a story about my first Thanksgiving without the traditional family. Funny thing is as I look at my last 57 turns around the sun. I have only had 26 with a biological family.

This story happened when I was about 17. I had been touring for a couple years and discovered that of all the holidays one of two that NEVER have paid music gigs are Thanksgiving. No one goes to shows. No one books shows. Maybe no one but me is available to do shows.

Anyway I was outside of Dallas TX in a city called Farmers Branch. It was Thanksgiving. Feeling all lonesome and sad since it was my first one without a family, I decided to go to a Arby's and have a turkey sandwich. I got there right after dark and ordered one with a couple potato pancakes.

I sat by myself and started to eat. Looking around the restaurant I had a moment that I have now realized was a awakening of the heart of God.

Across from me to the left was a young woman with two children. A boy and a girl. On their right was a couple about in their 70's. On the right side was a man with his son. Across from him was a young woman. There was another single guy eating a couple stalls from me. I realized we were all eating the same things.

Turkey Sandwiches.

Like me they had no where else to go on Thanksgiving but also like me they were determined to have Turkey. Determined to have a Thanksgiving.

I got up and went to the counter. I asked if the manager could come up. After he did I told him my plan. I wanted 25 Turkey sandwiches kick up the fryer and bring out 20 potato pancakes and also what ever deserts they had at the time.

Oh by the way, he and the 2 other people behind the counter were invited. They were working on Thanksgiving and if any one came through the drive through tell them to come on in because the food was on me.

We we had a feast. They brought out food, trays and trays of food. I couldn't believe how much food. I was mind blowing.

I don't remember the names, I do remember the stories. The reasons we were all alone, but we weren't alone we became a family on that one Thanksgiving. A dozen complete strangers. We laughed and created so much love.

Since then I have had over 30 Thanksgivings with total strangers. Some us us have stayed in touch but most have not. One single day where people can come together and feast and laugh and be a family even if we have never met before.

Tomorrow I get to do it again. I know that most of you will be with family or friends. I will to. I can't wait to see who they are this year. I know one thing, I will walk in and not know most of them. I will walk out loving every one.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

A little story about my honeymoon night with God.

I had been a Christian for about 10 years. I had been baptized and at the time had read both the New Testiment in a year and the entire Bible in a year. 

I believe there are 3 parts to a marriage.

1. Popping the Question
2. The Wedding
3. The Consummation (Wedding Night)

My second wife had asked me to leave the family over a year before. I had set up 2 dates with my son Lance. One was at a conference called East/West and the other was Spirit West Coast. E/W was a training for kids entering High School to hold on to their faith and the other was a Christian Rock concert. My ex said he could only go to one so I got his passes for East/West and he went alone. I had mentioned this to a friend of mine during a meeting at the Melting Pot in La Jolla, Ca. 

She mentioned that she had a campground and an extra pass because a friend of hers had backed out of SWC. I asked her if I could get it and we arranged to meet at her church between services. 

The Church met in Coronado and I drove down on a Sunday afternoon. She had left the passes with a friend in the church office.

When I walked in it was dark but,,, the best way I can describe what I felt was, have you ever walked into a house during Thanksgiving and even though you don't see the food you know there is a feast there somewhere?

I could just feel that the spirit of God was there. This was a holy place, a place of worship. I picked up the ticket but just walking through the sanctuary, even in the dark, I felt drawn to come back. 

I called my friend and asked her if I could come to her church. She said yes. I think she thought it was funny that I asked. I was pretty well known as a Christian and could go to any church I wanted to. 

I have to admit the worship was off the hook. I had been to Pentecostal and other Charismatic churches before and I had always felt that God may have touched them (called revival) and they were repeating the reaction as a way to bring his presents back. Laughing, waving flags and arms, dancing. etc...

Anyway for some reason this didn't bother me here. It seemed right to do it. After about the 3rd or 4th song the guitarist came to the mic and started speaking in tongues. 

Now I had heard of speaking in tongues. It was in the Bible so I believed that it had happened in the past. It may have happened during revival. It had never happened to me and as I understood it there was to always be a interpreter. I had seen it before but had felt they were faking it. Making up gibberish.

This time I understood him. I knew what he was saying, I realized I was the interpreter. 

The man standing next to me had his hands in the air and he started to also speak in tongues. 

I under stood him also. I grabbed his arm to tell him that I understood what he was saying 

and,,,

I was speaking in tongues!!!

It totally freaked me out and I sat down. 

It was to get more twilight zonish. Way more

I had sat in the second row of the the house left side. I was pretty freaked out about what had just happened. God revealed that like a marriage there is 3 parts of becoming a saint.

1. Saying yes to the question. Romans 10:9 Confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord.
2. The public demonstration of your commitment. Baptism
3. The consummation. The anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Anyway I was completely self adsorbed with what had just happened. When I heard the Pastor apologizing the the congregation. 

"Folks,  I had been your Pastor for over 11 years and I know that what I about to do I have never done before." He continued "During this sermon I have had God give me the same message 3 times and I have to deliver it." He closed his Bible and walked off the stage he came to the second row and walked past a few people to get to me. He put his hand on my shoulder, bent over and whispered,

"You DO know it will never be the same?"

I looked up in his eyes and said, still in shock,  "Yeah, I pretty much got that."

He went back up to the stage and continued with the service. 

To say it has "never been the same" was maybe the biggest understatement ever said. I now understand what Paul meant by praying in the tongues of Angels, and Praying the the Spirit. I also know that it is not a salvation issue. You are saved with Roman 10:9 "Confess with you mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in you heart the God has raised him from the dead and you are saved." Period. Like when you except the proposal. Your are now off the market. We still have the public demonstration(wedding/Baptism) and I have to tell you the Honeymoon night is amazingly awesome, but I know not all who are saved get to experience those. I do want to inspire you that if you have not had the anointing of the Holt Spirit, just continue on the journey. I do not know if it happens to everyone but I have no doubt it has happened to me. 

What is the greatest Love you can give?

I went to a Catholic boys school growing up.
I also lived about 4 blocks from my Grandparents.
I think I was about in 4th Grade.
It was spring.
We were celebrating a Catholic holiday that public schools didn't.
We lived in Flourssant MO.
My Grandparents lived behind a Grade School I had to cut through to get to their house.
It had been raining super hard.
Round ice had been falling from the sky.
I remember being very scared.
I was not normally scared with storms but this one did scare me.
I was alone in the house.
My mom worked nights in the ER and may have been there, but I tried never to wake her.
Super thunder.
All of a sudden the rain stopped.
I thought it would be better to be at my Grandparents house.
I think that was where my brother was.
He was in 1st grade.
I left the house and walked/ran to my grandparents.
I remember how fast the clouds where moving.
I wanted to get there as fast as I could.

As I was cutting though the baseball field that separated the school from my Grandparents back yard. I remember two men standing by the double doors of the school. It was so windy. I was trying to tell them that I did not go to their school. They were yelling and looking up in the air. They looked so frantic and scared. They were waving their arms and holding onto the doors.
It was so windy.
I could not hear them because of this loud sound.
I remember thinking it sounded like a train.
I was trying to yell that I didn't go to the school.
I turned to run away from them and to my Grandparents house and saw my Grandpa.
About 10 feet from me.
He was running through the field.
He looked so scared.
He picked me up and that is all I remember.
I was told that was about the time we were picked up by the tornado. He held me in his body and shielded me as we were thrown into a hill on the side of the ball field. He went head first into the hill.
I do not remember anything after the sight of him running to me.
I was told he received a concussion and lost the use of his left side and was in and out of a coma for the next two weeks of his life. I do not remember the hospital. I do not even remember the funeral. My last memory of him was of him running with that totally scared look on his face.
As he saved my life.
The life of a 9 year old kid.

TBT this one is for Kathy...

It is about time that I begin to tell my music story. I was, like so many others, always around music growing up. My dad was a pianist and organist for the Catholic church. His dad, my Grandfather was part of the formation of the Seabees in World War II and helped start the VFW bands on his return. He also was an artist and painted for the St Louis Sign company the makers of the first billboards and I still have a number of his paintings. His Father, it was always told to me, was a member and co-writer with John Philip Sousa.

I remember taking piano lesions at 3 and rehearsal was just part of my daily activities. Like breakfast and potty. I had a baby sitter who lived next door named Kathy Boose. Kathy being cool enough to babysit me allowed me to stay up and watch TV on the weekends. We use to jump around on the furniture whenever someone fun would be on “In Concert,” the show she watched every Friday. People like the Monkeys and Partridge Family. I remember one night Alice Cooper was on. I was 7. I thought he was crazy but his guitar players where the coolest people I had ever seen.

I started that year asking for a guitar for Christmas. I didn’t get it. I then asked for my 8^th Birthday, and that Christmas still was deigned. My 9^th birthday came with only asking for one thing. I should give my parents a break and say I was always sent away for the summers. Either the East Coast or West Coast, to stay with relatives. My birthday is in July so I never had close family or friends only distant family and strangers to celebrate with. A guitar in retrospect would have been difficult to provide.

I have no way of remembering this but I am willing to bet I wasn’t the nicest of children when Christmas rolled around that next year. I had been asking for a guitar for 3 years. A third of my life at that time. Never getting one. So imagine my surprise when that year, under the tree, there was no escaping the shape. 

A guitar.

Now you might think I was excited about it. But it was a plastic guitar with plastic strings. My brother who didn’t even want a guitar got an eclectic guitar and a 5 watt amp. We both got a 32 page Mel Bay How to Play Guitar book and I got a song book with 12 Christmas songs in it.

By 5:00 that afternoon I had gone through every page in the Mel Bay book and had learned every song and was having my first sing-a-long at my Grandmas house. I am really am glad that was before video camera.

I know I was a little snot about the electric thing but by spring I had connived the electric from my brother and had somehow wired speakers all over one of the walls in my room and powered them all with that little amp. I remember my dad also yelling at me not to remove the speaker from the TV. I always had to make sure to have it back in by the time he got home. I mostly did.

I would play to the radio for hours and hours. Most kids at that time where outside or in sports. I was by the radio every chance I got, playing.

I do have one other cool memory from that time. I had stayed the night at my Grandmas one weekend that spring and had watched the movie Kissing Cousins with Elvis. My dad came to pick me up and he asked me what I had been playing downstairs in their basement. I told him it was the title song from the movie. He asked me to play it for him. Which I did. He was amazed and I remember him asking “You learned that song by watching the movie only once?” I said yes, and would he like to hear any others? He asked “What others?”

I said the other songs in the movie.

I had learned them all.

Fifty years later I still remember the look on my dads face as I busted into the soundtrack of the movie I had heard the previous night.

As a side note. 15 years ago I was able to run spotlight at the San Diego County Fair for Alice Cooper. It was about third 3rd song when I realized that watching this band was what started me in the music business. I was now part of the show and couldn't jump around,,, Till Later.,

This won't hurt at all.

Since we are coming into the Halloween season I thought I would tell a couple funny horror stories that actually happened to me.

I worked once at an animation company in Carlsbad California off and on for a few years. Once after they had started to develop video games they hired a young lady as a front desk person who said she was a vampire.

I do have to mention that out of over 70 people that worked their I was, for most of the time I worked there, the only Christian.

Now this was before vampires where all sparkly and helped save people. They worked her. She could only come in before the sun rose and had to stay till after it went down, San Diego country has this thing called marine layer so it helped her a lot. The paid her hourly in the winter and put her on salary in the summer,

Now about a month after they hired her I was called into HR. The lady who ran the department said I had had a complaint filed against me from the receptionist. I wore a cross at the time and I was told that because I wore a cross I was causing the receptionist physical pain since we had to interact though out the day. I should mention that she had never said anything about it to me. I was told that they could not make me remove my jewelry but the company hoped I would be sensitive to her needs and remove it.

I was like "she says she drinks blood!"

I could tell that this was a serious concern even though I thought it may have been the stupidest reason for a meeting I had ever been involved in. Could I be sensitive to the needs of the blood drinking, vampire, un-errand running receptionist?

My jewelry was causing pain? How could she even type a lower case t?

The HR lady said she understood my viewpoint but since the complaint had been officially lodged she had to call me in and address it.

I said I had a idea and that I had to run out and get something that I thought would take care of it.

I went down to Encinitas to a store called Chronicles. It was a Christian Bookstore and other gifts. I asked if they had any dove necklaces. They did and I bought it. After all if you have been following my blog you will know the relationship I have always had with doves.

So I put in on and went straight to the receptionist and asked if THIS jewelry was upsetting her. She said it was fine. so I have since then and continue now to only wear doves.

The last thing I want is to cause anyone discomfort. Happy Halloween...

The first thing is the end in music today.

I am currently reading Clive Davis's newest book "The Soundtrack of My Life." One of the things he started was Arista Records. Arista was merged with RCA. RCA this week closed Arista. That and Jive also. I loved the performers on Jive in the 1990's and 2000's. RCA is part of Sony records. Clive was president of Sony for a while also. I am friends with the current and last couple presidents of Sony. I think it would be a tough spot to be in. 

See record companies use to do 6 things

• Find new performers
• Record music for the performers
• Manufacture in solid form the music. Records/Tapes/CD's
• Market the music
• Promote the music to radio
• Protect the music from infringement. 

The first thing I noticed a few years ago was the trend for labels to fire their A&R departments. They stopped looking for new performers. They concentrated all their efforts in their heritage performers. In one way it made sense. Labels use to have a saying 7 out of 10 performers lose money. 2 break even and one will make enough money to pay for the other 9 and the next 10. So why not just spend all your time one the proven performers. 

Maybe because for the past 40 years you have trained the public to expect new emerging performers and trends. 

Record music for the performers. They use to have there own studios, Producers, and Engineers. That may be why in the past producers where so sought out. Now you still have a few high profile but their records are so hit or miss they have become hired guns. It was great when musicians played music and you didn't have systems that people could build music in their bedrooms. Yes build. It has now become move this track or stem over a beat and create songs and loops that you,,,

Release on iTunes, and CD Baby. Manufacturing is gone. In fact Sony as an example use to have 11 dedicated manufacturing plants in the US alone. Now they share the same one that UMG and WB use.  Here is the major reason that the music industry is dead. No matter what else 

if you do not have a PRODUCT to sell you are out of business.

And why market music when everyone who can record can sell their product at the same outlets. iTunes. 

The next thing I noticed was that the FTC had for years blocked Labels from radio. In the old days the term was payola. Labels would pay and gift DJ's to get their music on the radio. Why, because people would hear new music and buy the music and that was somehow unfair. 

Today, the touring companies have bought the radio stations. Yeppers LiveNation and AEG now own a large share of radio. Who do they play? Why the bands that are touring with LiveNation and AEG. I guess the FTC was right. Not very fair to the Labels though. BTW they also own the ticketing companies, promotion, and have vested interests in production. I should mention also that they now have a management arm for the artist that sign LiveNation deals. I think it is funny that LiveNation festivals are 100% paid for before they ever sell a ticket (Sponsorship) and that a large number of their festivals are sold out before they ever release the performers line up. There goes the notion that its all about the music. 

Last I guess I should mention protecting the music, Why? If you post it on Youtube and Vemeo and someone infringes, well you get paid. That is why Bieber was making a million a week with every little girl in the would posting her singing his songs. He gets 50% of the ad at the bottom of the post. Now he is having lip syncing contests. The best part of this is that all the lawyers that had been chasing people for infringement are now looking for other forms of income. It has changed so much that most of the performers I work with use Creative Commons so that others WILL use their tracks and stems. Even the Federal protection laws so restrictive for this new environment have had to create another for of looser protection. Of course the only reason for copywrite was for litigation.

So bottom line. It looks like Labels may soon be a thing of the past. I BTW have had 4 label deals. None of them really good. The biggest problem I think people have had with them was that they didn't know what a label did. I wish I had a buck for every performer I have met that said his label wasn't booking them and they had no shows. I, for years, would argue that the labels didn't do booking, that was a agent which on most cases wouldn't book you without a label deal. Now that people are getting LiveNation deals could agents be a thing of the past also? I know I am not applying to any agency's.

You might want to keep quiet and come with me.

In 2010 I was able to something even I find extraordinary. I was able to be on and work on every continent of the Earth that people live on. The only place I didn't go was Antarctica. I was called to work in October with the Country Gold Tour and we were going to go to Japan and China. We were in the Southern most island of Japan and visited Mt Aso which if you have ever toured with a bunch of country musicians could be a blog in itself,

We flew from Nashville to Detroit and were suppose to go over the Pacific but because of a Typhoon we had to re route over the Arctic the Russia and China. Our route had to take us 400 miles from North Korea but we were changing planes in Seoul. We were about 2 hours into the flight when I realized that when we had left the sun was shining into the left side of the plane. Now it was coming in on the right. It had never gone down, we just met it on the other side of the planet. Well kind of,,,

I opened the sliding blind to see that the sun was shining through the ice. It was at a level on the horizon that caused the ice to be blue and orange, red, teal, and purple. Imagine a sunset, all mixed up, laying underneath you. It was as if Picasso had pained a sunset. Like as far as you can see. With the Arctic blue sky and the sun on the horizon. It was so amazing. I had to yell to the band behind me. "Guys look out your window."

The guys kind of sleeping yelled back, "Art's shut up."

"No really, look out the window."

No really, SHUT UP!!!

"Guy's,,, LOOK OUT the freaken window."

"ART, SHUT THE F*&^ UP!!!"

By this time other passengers on the plane were opening their windows and you heard gasp's and OMG's. Photos were being taken and everyone was up by this time. It was quite spectacular. One of the many things in nature you only get one chance at ever seeing. I apologize because there is no way to describe it here, that would in anyway, accurately do it justice.

About 2 hours later one of the flight attendants came over to me and said, "Excuse me Mr Wasem you might want to be quiet and come with me."

Always up for a adventure (especially with a flight attendant) I followed. We went to the back of the plane and ALL the attendants were there waiting for me. The one that came to get me said that I might want to look out the window on the door. She knew I would appreciate it but that I might not want to share it with the other guest on the flight. I knew she was meaning the band. I looked out the window and there it was.

The Great Wall of China.

From 32,000 Feet.

It was really awesome. I kind of felt sorry for the other 250 people on the plane but I understood not wanting to cause a scene about it.

I took a couple pictures, thanked them for their thoughtfulness and returned quietly to my seat feeling quite blessed. Again!!!

Two creams and no sugar please.

Something happened when I was in 3rd grade. I don't remember what it was. I was pulled out of the school I was going to and put into a new school where they tested me every day and had me sit with a counselor. I have been going to a private boys school called Mount Providence in Normandy MO. The new school had the name Grace in it but I do not think it was a normal school. I only went there for a few months. I remember they had atomically correct dolls to play with. Naked dolls. They also had big mirrors in the classrooms. If the light was right you could see through them and there was a room with people on the other side. I liked to see if I could jump over to them and cup my hands around my eyes and watch them try to hide. I realize now that teachers do not all wear white smocks like they did there. One of the last meetings I had there was with my counselor and my parents I remember him saying that in his opinion I could live in normal society but never really be a part of normal society. Now when you had a self image with that label you might just have a different life than every one else you know.

It was also in my 3rd grade year that my teacher at Mt. Providence told us that we all had to be individuals. If you have ever seen a group of 8 year old boys with their shirts untucked, shoes untied and zippers down you will know what she was trying to do. It was the colors of our time...

Anyway I thought, if every one is trying to be different, to really be different, I should try to be the same. I should try to be like everyone else and that would make me the only one doing that so I would be the different one. I guess it worked I got thrown in a stupid school where I was told I could kind of fit in.

Now here's the good part. I read. I read a lot. I read about people that change the world. People don't write a lot about people that don't change the world. These people are different. They seem to operate in society but are never really part of it. They change it. There is also a real big revolution of everyday people protesting the top 1% here in the US. I have to laugh at them because I know they never go outside of the US and they don't realize they are all part of the top 3% of the world. I wonder if the top 1% have ever been told that they can operate in society but never be part of it. I believe the protesters would have been called "the Mob" in Rome.

To wrap up this morning I was told once there are 2 types of people and the same water that hardens a egg will soften a carrot. Meaning in a boiling situation some hearts will harden against the world and some will soften. I believe there is a 3rd type. A coffee bean. They just change the water.

So in summery, I have tried to be like everyone else only to be different, I can survive in Society but will never be a part. I might actually be in the top 1% of the world and I may also be a coffee bean,

My self image is pretty secure and it is time for a refill.

Once a Day

I guess it was about 20 years ago it started. For even a while before that I would use New Years Eve as a time to create resolutions to do throughout the year. These where always different from others resolutions where other people seem to want to give something up or start a new habit. My resolution were things I was going to do sometime in the up coming year. This particular year I was going to read the Bible. I didn't want to take to big a jump so I got the New Testiment only Bible in in Year. It's about a third the size of the whole Bible. It started me on a regiment of reading every day. I remember how excited I was when on December 31 a year later When I actually finished it.

The next year it was the entire Bible and once again I finished it in a year.

The next year I heard that there were 31 Proverbs and 31 day in certain months so I started reading a Proverb a month. I did that every day for that year.

The next year I started reading a chapter a month. I have been doing that now for about 20 years. Mostly business books and Biographies. Once or twice a year I will pick up a fictional story. I guess I have read 20-30 books a year for about 20 years.

A few months ago I reread Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz. I have decided that I will reread a chapter a day till the end of the year. I will supplement it with bio's only. One of the things in PS is that you need to remind yourself of past success's and not failures so in my journal I have ended each daily entry with a positive reminded from my past.

This morning my ASM, (read all about it) suggested that I blog my success's. I think that's a good idea. I really would not like to be remembered for my failure's. Beside's there might not be enough space on the web for those. So.

I  was on the set of Nashville last week and I received a text from a client Julie S. at the Monroe Harding Foster Care center. I had done their Summer Carnival a couple weeks earlier. While there she had said they were having trouble finding Faster Families. I mentioned that I was on the board at MADD and since these are parents that have lost kids to drunk divers maybe they could set up a table at the MADD walk in a few weeks? I am on the logistics team for that event also. She said in her text that she had been accepted as a table for the Upcoming MADD event.

The next text was from the Chair at MADD and the text thanked me for recommending Monroe Harding. She said it may be a great way to bring healing to the Parents who have suffered such a great loss.

As I read the text I said in my outer voice "Wow, I'm so cool." That was overheard by a couple people who didn't know me. When I realized how arrogant that sounded I had to tell them the whole story. After I did told them I said I was saying it because of the way things where working out and that I was not cool but this event I was orchestrating was. One lady stopped me and said, "No I agree. You are cool."

Well Okay if you must think so?