– Let’s do this thing called the ‘Thursday Night Mini Thoughts’.
– These are my totally spontaneous thoughts at this time and in this space.
– Last night I found a couple of light bathroom items moved around.
– Right after that I heard a strange moving sound in my master bedroom.
– I didn’t know what it was, but I was looking for it.
– I decided that I had totally imagined the strange moving sound.
– I went back to my bathroom to brush my teeth.
– I brush my teeth nightly.
– Everyone should do that for a cleaner and healthier smile.
– Everyone should also bathe first thing in the morning.
– Cologne and perfume should be used after bathing – not in lieu of it.
– But anyway – but anyway – are ya ready for this – are ya ready for this.
– I’m sitting right here at my computer workstation after brushing my teeth.
– Suddenly I hear the vertical blinds behind me get tussled.
– I look down – and I see a little baby frog (or toad) down there.
– Everything made sense after that.
– I grabbed the frog and threw it out the front door.
– That’s what he gets for breaking in to my home and making me wonder.
– May he live happily ever after – outside.
– I think that’s the first frog that I’ve ever found in my home in nearly 15 years.
– This morning I seriously considered scheduling a Dr. Appt. for tomorrow.
– I looked up the symptoms of strep throat, but I ruled that out.
– This was one of the most painful sore throats I’ve felt in awhile.
– It’s slowly subsiding now, but now I have other cold symptoms.
– My eyes hurt, and in fact my whole face hurts.
– I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.
– My buddy Cold-EEZE is supporting me through this ordeal.
– I refuse to take cold medications.
– They do more damage than good.
– I prefer homeopathic remedies.
– Americans are hooked on drugs, and I prefer to be an outlier.
– I’ve got Life Group tonight – which I’m looking forward to (as always).
– Tomorrow is a non-blogging day.
– It’s also a self-imposed day off for me.
– That’s right – the weekend has already started for me !
– This Saturday night on the ‘Retro’ I’m rockin’ The KLF from 1992.
– Then on Sunday it’s ‘My Fantastic Journey’ on its new day.
– I’ve got the latest hip hop jam from my man B. Reith.
– Be sure to get back here this weekend for that kool music fun.
– You won’t regret it pal.
– Check you out laterzzz.
Category: Music
I was a TOP 40 radio music fanatic for over 30 years through the entirety of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. I invested a lot of time in it as a hobby, and it built a once popular web site that eventually evolved into this blog.
As I look back at the past decade – the first decade of the new millennium – I look back at how I strayed from the mainstream TOP 40 music genre. For two years from the start of 2002 through the start of 2004 I was heavily into the ‘pure dance’ scene (European-style trance, techno, and house music). It was all about the beats-per-minute and going faster. Following a 2½-year stint back with my TOP 40 roots from the Spring of 2004 until the Summer of 2006 I discovered another fringe genre of music – Christian Rock. It coincides with my continuing (and everlasting) 43½-month fantastic journey thus far. This music is all about my Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ.
But I’m not listening to the Christian Rock music 24-7. Over the past year or so I’ve really taken this ‘Retro’ concept to the extreme. I’m now a 1970s music fanatic. I listen to ‘70s On 7‘ exclusively on Sirius | XM at home, and I’ve also been known to crank-up my car stereo as loud as can be to South Florida’s Majic-102.7 and Big-105.9. I’ve really developed quite a liking for the music that I grew up to as a 2-year-old toddler to a 12-year-old pre-teenager. It is the music of my life, and it brings back memories of a much more simpler time of my life. While I had a lot of fun during the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s my most vivid memories (good and bad) remain with the 1970s. The music of the times help me to look back at where I came from – and compare it to where I am today.
I’m really developing a fresh new appreciation for some of the greatest artists and acts of the 1970s including some that I didn’t really care too much for back then as a kid. One such act is the Electric Light Orchestra. They were a hit music producing machine back in the day, and they are frequently played on the aforementioned ’70s On 7′. Here’s one of their hits from 1976 that sounds so awesome 34 years later that it’s on my iPod Shuffle that I play daily in the background at work. It’s “Livin’ Thing”, and it could possibly be a song that celebrates Life – particularly Life in the mother’s womb. It’s unborn to the world, but it’s a livin’ thing. It’s a terrible thing to lose.
This concludes another week of blogging for me. I’m taking the next couple of days off, but you can always follow me on Twitter. I’ll be back on Tuesday night with an all-new edition of my weekly ‘Grab Bag O’ Thoughts’. Until then my friends – keep your feet on the ground – and keep reaching for the stars. (Thank You Casey Kasem for all of your contributions through the years.)
On this week we commemorate Passion Week. It’s the week in time that Our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ rode in to Jerusalem, was anointed, was betrayed, sat down for the Last Supper, was crucified on that bloody hunk of wood high atop that putrid garbage dump, died a brutal death, was buried, and then … (get ready for the miracle) … was resurrected to the Heavens above. He conquered death, and He did it for us !
Jesus Christ died on that cross so that we could live. He proved that death creates Life. When we die to this world – to our pride – to our self-righteousness – we begin to live a brand new Life. It’s a rebirthing that is quite simply a miracle from up above. No matter where we’ve come from. No matter what we’ve been through. Jesus Christ forgives us. He gives us a second chance at Life. If we believe. If we trust. If we Love.
1 Peter 1:3 (NLT, 2ND Ed.)
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,
1 Peter 1:23
For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new Life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.
There’s a ‘Fantastic Journey’ that’s been created especially for you ! You in ?
May a fascinating new week of blogging begin … NOW !
I. House Of Heroes / Skillet / Toby Mac – Last Friday night I saw my first rock concert in a major sports arena (non church setting) in over 3 years. This was over at the 7,000+ seat Germain Arena in Estero Florida (halfway between Fort Myers and Naples right alongside I-75). I’ve been to a lot of rock concerts over the past 25 years, and this was probably the first one ever in which there was no drinking, smoking, or drug use occurring during the show. It was a fairly young crowd. At nearly 43 I was surely at the upper tier of the demographics observed. Of course just becuase I’m approaching 43 doesn’t mean that I have to act like I’m so. I stood and sang and danced for virtually the entire show – and so did everyone around me. I had to blend in with the young and energetic crowd. House Of Heroes performed 4 songs during their short 15-minute set including two of their big hits from 2008 “Lose Control” and “In The Valley Of The Dying Sun”. Surprisingly they didn’t perform their last two hits “Code Name: Raven” or “Field Of Daggers”. Skillet were up next, and based on the crowd attendance and reaction they were the unofficial headlining act of the show. Their explosive set lasted for a little over an hour, and they churned through over a decade of hard rockin’ hits. Their music was awesomely loud, and their pyrotechnics was impressively bright. The pyro was bigger than your typical WWE show on television ! It was definitely a vivid spectacle that was so fun to experience. Toby Mac was all over the arena for his 1 hour and 20 minute show. There was no pyro for his show – just powerful lyrics, kool melodies, and lots of singing, rapping, and dancing to God Almighty. I knew most of his material – but not all of it – particularly the older stuff. He did however perform “Jesus Freak” from 15 years ago. I knew that dc Talk rocker because of Chasing Victory‘s cover version of it from a few years ago. It was a great 4-hour experience at the arena from start to finish. It was a pleasure to spend it with all of those around me who love Jesus Christ and His hard rockin’ jamz !
II. Naples Florida – After a relaxing night in a nice and peaceful and quiet Estero hotel I spent the next morning into the afternoon playing the role of tourist / future resident in and around Naples. I visited the Naples Pier (and the adjacent beach), the Naples Zoo At Caribbean Gardens, and the Collier County Museum in East Naples. I was particularly impressed with my first ever visit to the museum, as it was far more expansive than I ever imagined. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to visit another Collier County Museum branch right after that – the Museum Of The Everglades – in secluded Everglades City. I had tried to visit that particular museum on a previous visit to Everglades City last October, but it was allegedly closed at the time. This time it was open and nearly packed. It’s always good to see lots of people getting a historical education at the museum. While I took I-75 over to the Naples area on Friday afternoon (to get over there quicker) I took U.S. 41 on the return trip back home on Saturday afternoon. Both coast-to-coast routes have their obvious advantages and disadvantages, and I shall continue to utilize them both on many future visits to the Southwest Florida area.
III. Next Stop – Lake Okeechobee & Florida’s Treasure Coast – In about 3½ weeks I embark on a brand new road trip adventure of a lifetime. I’ve got a detailed itinerary already planned out for bright and early on a Saturday morning through real late on a Sunday night. My trek will take me up to rural Palm Beach County – and all along the entire eastern perimeter of Lake Okeechobee. I don’t believe that I have ever seen the Big Lake ‘O’ before in my lifetime (aside from up above in an airplane). After spending the night at an undisclosed location in Fort Pierce (where Florida’s Turnpike and I-95 come together) I’ll be taking a nice and slow and scenic drive back southbound along the A1A and the U.S. 1 (for the most part) with scheduled pit stops at various tourist attractions in Stuart, Jupiter, and Palm Beach before I attend a LIVE concert at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood. It should be a lot of fun visiting a slice of Florida that I’ve never really seen before up close.
Well my friends those are my ‘Grab Bag O’ Thoughts’ on this Tuesday night. I’m headed to Toastmasters in just a little while, so I need to go and get ready for the fun there. Be sure to check out my ‘Thursday Night Mini Thoughts’ in just about 48 hours. Until I blog again (tomorrow night) – REMEMBER THIS !
CountUp 