Hey everybody…go to this site: http://music.unt.edu/ – and you’ll learn that UNT has been nominated for 2 GRAMMYs in 2009!!! Time to update my “about” page – that’s 6 grammy nominations for North Texas, all other schools: 0. Yikes! Congratulations to all the players and the school itself…KUDOS!!!
WOW! It’s late Monday night (after midnight) – so on to the 15th of December!!! You’ve got 10 shopping days (inclusive!!!) left until Christmas…and if you’re celebrating Channukah…you’ve only got a couple of days left!!!
Now, what about shopping and gifts…everything is on sale. WHO CARES (?) …most everything is on sale all of the time! Well, that’s true – EXCEPT FOR ALL THE COOLEST STUFF YOU WANT…it’s NEVER on sale. What’s up with that? I’m “allergic to retail” – so, whatever I buy (all year round) is on sale anyway! Beyond that…what really matters, and from me and the Facts Of Music® folks to you…is…
“We wish you a Merry Christmas…We wish you a Merry Christmas…We wish you a Merry Christmas, – and a Happy New Year!”
It might sound “dated,” but IT’S TRUE! And, it’s the reason for the season (well, New Year’s is another, more “secondary reason,” but…)! Hey, I’m not even going to get into the discussion about Christmas music….and “what’s legit and what isn’t!!!
ANYWAY, I sincerely hope you get what you NEED…and need what you get. I have for years (decades, even) the most important thing I could want…and that has been my FAITH in the Lord Jesus Christ (it’s a Christian and Jewish thing…remember, the Messiah?). Before Christianity (proper), there was the “old story” – and that is what my faith is predicated on. THAT old story is what happened before all the history leading to our “Christmas and New Year’s holidays” (that just about everyone alive today knows (and so many of us celebrate)!
Everything else in my life seems related to what I know and think ABOUT THAT. Most my close friends are “hip” to my thoughts in that area (not that they know a whole lot about some of the details about what I think in my theology – it depends on HOW WELL they know me…and HOW LONG!!!).
One more thing…most of you who frequent this site play and/or sing. I hope you will do so with gusto during this FANTASTIC SEASON and time of celebration and reflection. It’s “year end” and I hope you will look back at all the things you’ve hopefully accomplished, and all the things you didn’t that are important to you – that you’ll put that/those HIGH on your list and LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING THOSE GOALS SOON! Plan and DO! Have a great one, and until the next time…KEEP ON LEARNING AND PLAYING… PW 
O.K. then, so what am I talking about?
Well, have any of you seen 2012 yet? As long as you don’t mind losing your “willful suspension of disbelief” at times during a movie…it’s fairly entertaining – especially if you like suspense/action-type drama with lots of “first class” special effects. The production values are quite good, actually. The writing seems “pretty good” (again, as long as you can be gracious about details that were somehow missed – like the fact that freezing water is not something you can avoid hypothermia in after very few, precious minutes). If I’m a bit too “intense about this,” it might be because my Navy training immediately kicks in when confronted with a “survival situation” (instinctively – now that’s good training!).
The story pace moves along at a good clip, so you don’t get bored – at least I didn’t. The only issue to consider is the movie’s length – 2 hrs 38 mins. – which means you might want to see it at the right time of day, I guess. Anyway, if you believe the Mayan calendar…this movie might be a cause of concern about the near future for you. Of course, I put my faith in the only place I know to be reliable…historically and exegetically.
I have put a considerable investment of time and money (as well as my faith – before I had any empirical or rational experience with “the facts,” AND SINCE) in the Holy Scriptures. The entire body of OT and NT (or Tanak and Berit Hadashah – for those who would prefer their “older designations”) explicitly refute the Mayan “account” – again, if you go by that calendar and the “date” set forthwith!
That is NOT possible according to all Scriptural accounts. SO, don’t sweat it, know that Dec. 21, 2012 is DEFINITELY WRONG (if you don’t believe me…let me know, and let’s plan a “date” to meet/talk about it on Dec. 22, 2012!!!). If you want specific documentation from me (i.e. citing chapter and verse), just ASK and I will be more than happy to accommodate such a request!!! Are you REALLY interested?
So…go ahead and enjoy the movie, anyway. I DID. It had some very “fun” parts, and I will even see it again – there’s plenty of “good stuff” to watch and study (forget all the erroneous details – IT’S JUST A MOVIE!!!)
NOW, onto one thing of musical import (the real purpose for this blog/site!)…
I hope you are getting plenty of practice these days – even if we are in the throes of “The Holidays.” It’s also hard for me to stay on track with the normal priorities at this time, and it always seems to take longer to do the normal things during this season – with traffic and all. But I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU WITH THE FOLLOWING THOUGHTS…
I DO still manage to get many things done despite the holiday mania. HOW? I rearrange my “hours” to later in the evening, so I can concentrate on things I can’t do during the day while all the “interruptions” occur. My friend, Earl Buffington mentioned (as we were having a very philosophical and “down to earth” discussion about the important things in life), that Michael Jackson commented in an interview…when asked, “If you had a chance to do it all over again…what would you do differently?”
Michael’s answer: “I would practice more.”
How’s that for “professional attitude” and unfortunately… “hind-sight?” One of the greatest entertainers of modern history (and maybe even all of history…definitely one of the greats…) had the “big picture” right…the thought that makes anyone GREAT…What matters, at all times and all seasons? “KEEP ON KEEPING ON.”
And with those sage words, I will now leave you to do the same as I am suggesting and following…it’s back to work for me…from the blog to the drawing board. It’s 1:30AM, and I will accomplish another thing or two before catching a good night’s REST!
I look forward to any comments from you and hope this finds you in PRIME CONDITION – making the most of another GREAT DAY in this whacky season, though maybe the “coolest” season (literally AND figuratively!). CARPE DIEM. Make the most of it and ENJOY!!! We’ll be in touch…PW