I've mentioned to you guys before that one of the things I do in my abundance of spare time is work with the Country Music Hall of Fame and their Words and Music program.  Basically, kids write lyrics, the Hall of Fame mails them to me, I put the lyrics to music and then perform them for the kids on their field trip to the Hall of Fame.  That's it in a simplified version, at least.

So, I'm working on two classes tonight, kind of under the wire.  One stack of lyrics is from 5th graders and another stack is from high school students who clearly listen to gangsta' rap (perfect match for me, wouldn't you say?) 

I was looking over one lyric and I noticed the credit.  I'm thinking I might start turning all my songs in like this.  It reads: 

Written and thought of by ___________.  Helped by ______.

...how does that sound?  Written and thought of by Belinda Smith, helped by Marty Funderburk.  Written and thought of by Belinda Smith, helped by Joel Lindsey.  Written and thought of by Belinda Smith, helped by Tony Wood.  Written and thought of by Sue Smith, helped by Belinda Smith--wait, that last one...not liking the sound of it so much...  ;-)

High school minds, gang.  High school minds.

-b

I'm going Christmas shopping today.  ...don't be too impressed--I know exactly what I'm going for in each place.  Nonetheless, people will be getting free stuff as a result of my day if all goes as planned.

Anyway, there are a couple of billboards around town advertising how two of our Christian music stations will begin playing "All Christmas Music, All Day Long."  I'll be honest--that doesn't appeal to me.  I put that in the overkill category.  BUT, I do like some Christmas CD's here and there and I was wondering if anyone was impressed enough with a collection to offer it up to the class?

I used to really enjoy The Talleys' "A Family Christmas"--the original Talleys, I think the cassette is dated 1988--and the Gaither Vocal Band's "Greatest Story Ever Told," but considering I only have them both on cassette, you'll understand why I can't hear them anymore. Wayne gave me Josh Groban's last year and that one has been nice to listen to, and probably my favorite has been Ella Fitzgerald's.  I'm looking forward to Mary Chapin Carpenter's collection this year as well.

So, what about it?  Anybody?

-b

-b

I'm a piler.  I have piles of papers hidden around my house. I get the piling thing from my Dad.  He once had a pile of magazines beside 'his chair' that scaled at least 4 feet.  He would deny it, but that's because he would be in denial.  The rest of us have seen it.

Anyway, I present here tonight some sort of vindication, some sort of affirmation to the pack rats and pilers everywhere.  

I have a filing system.  It's a very simple, easy to use one.  However, I don't use it--well, I do use it, only I save up all the filing for a day when I'm just forced to do it.  I know, it would be so much simpler just to file things as they come in.  I KNOW.  I just don't do it.  And, gang, I'm old enough to tell you that I'm not going to start.  I've mourned the dream and moved past it.

Well, for whatever reason, today was the day.  I took on seventeen months worth of filing and shredding this afternoon.  I had placed several piles in a trash bag back in the spring...I think Mom and Dad were coming to visit or something.  I was trying to pretend my place was way more clutter free than it is.  This afternoon, I stared at the trash bag and thought, "What would really happen if I threw that away?  How bad could it really be?"  But, alas, the better angels of my nature appealed to me and I didn't.  I sat down in the middle of floor with my shredder next to me and began to pull out all the royalty statements, bank statements and credit card offers from the envelopes. 

Here's the interesting part.  Apparently, along about last August (ummm...that would be August 2007), I had a brain aneurism or a multiple personality vacation or was abducted by aliens--something.  Why?  Because I am now staring at EIGHT uncashed royalty checks.  EIGHT.  I have no idea how this could happen.  It's not like I'm rolling in cash while jetting off to my private islands, here, but somehow, against all logic and reason, I overlooked EIGHT royalty checks.  And, they're not like five dollar checks, either--well, one of them is--but the other seven?  Okay, Merry Christmas.

So, as I prepare to call a few people and then trek to the bank and deal with these uncashed checks, I present myself as a good example of why sometimes, SOME people need to keep things.  Even if they are in four foot piles.

-b

I'm not even going to lie about it.  Today I went to the Y after the Saturday Zumba class was over.  It had been over for maybe 1/2 hour when I got there.  The Zumba instructor, however, was on the elliptical machine in front of me when I began my cardio extravaganza..  So, she had been working out since her 8:30 Pilates class began.  She taught Pilates at 8:30 and zumba at 9:30 am. ...and THEN got on the elliptical machine.

No wonder she weighs 80 pounds.

Tramp.

-b

I've sat at this computer all day long working, doing the actual business of music rather than the creating of it.  (I voted early so I didn't have to go today.)  It's now 5:11 and I'm done for today, but I have more to do tomorrow.  What happened to the hours?  Where do they go?
-b