Last night we drove to Hendersonville.  According to 'Google maps', our destination was exactly 18.9 miles from my house. 

'Google Maps' is a crock.  Half the roads listed on the directions were either non-existent or the names had been changed.  I finally had to call for directions and we made it. We had a nice visit, blah, blah, blah.  And you know what?   We then couldn't find our way back to the main road. 

 

It's this peninsula around the lake and all the roads are circled over each other.  No matter what road you turned on, you ended back up in the same place.  It was like the movie "Groundhog Day."  The same thing kept happening over and over and over.  Our friends finally had to come and find us and lead us out.  NO kidding.

 

You know why we couldn't get out?  As it turns out, the road we needed to turn on had a big orange sign which read "Road Out in 1000 ft."  What normal person would drive down the road with that sign in the dark?  Well, the SIGN IS WRONG.  People who live there know this, I suppose.  It took us a little over an hour to get home. 

 

I'm bitter. 

 

-b

I just haven't had much to say lately.  It's nothing personal.  So stop YELLING!!!!

 

-b

I flipped on a Christian music station the other day.  I don't do that as often as people probably suspect.  Actually, I don't listen to music as often as you would probably guess, either.

 

Anyway, I turned on the radio when this song started.  It was a voice I couldn't place but the more I listened, I knew I could place at least one of the songwriters on it.  My friend Tony Wood has an unmistakable voice when he gets into an idea like this.  I can't explain it, but there's just some type of imprint which screams "TONY WOOD LYRIC."

 

I got home and fired up the computer to find out who was singing the song and to confirm my guess on the songwriting.  Gang, it has gotten so difficult to find out who writers are anymore.  I found the artist, Chris Sligh, and finally just emailed Tony to ask if he was on the song.  I was right.  And, I'm not sure that I've ever recommended that you seek out a particular CCM song and listen to it, but today I am. 

 

For your consideration:  "Empty Me" by Chris Sligh.  Go to iTunes and get it.  It's worth the .99. 

 

-b

 

p.s.  Huge congrats to Tony and Terri's beautiful daughter Meredith who officially survived high school!!!!!  Great adventures are in store, girl!

I can't give you many details about this because I don't want to put my friend in any danger, but I have a friend right now who is singing in schools and hospitals in the country whose death toll from the earthquakes has hit 51,000.  He's in the heart of it.  The trip was scheduled before the quakes and he wasn't sure how things were to go with so many dead and injured.  Just before he left, he came into our writing session and said, "Guys, I hate to hijack the session, but I've got to write something for these people.  I've got to have something to sing to them that is timely." 

 

We were writing in the Christ Church choir room (my friend, myself and Maurice), and I just stared at the wall for a minute. 

What do you say?  I can't even wrap my head around those kinds of numbers--I don't know what that looks like or how that feels.  How can these people process so much grief?  And, since one isn't allowed to sing about God in that country, we had to say it all without saying it.  And, we most certainly didn't want to say something like, "You'll be fine in time."  My thoughts, though, kept going to the word 'peace.' 

 

We finished "Peace Will Find You Here" as honestly as we could.  I felt like we said the truest things we could say as transparently as we could. 

 

Our friend emailed us today to tell us that our little song is being used in ways we couldn't even have imagined.  Maybe once his trip is over and he's back home safe I'll be able to share.

 

In the meantime, I'm wonderfully reminded why I write in the first place.  The statistics, the metal, the certificates are just that--statistics, metal and certificates.  But this?  Yeah, this is the real stuff.

 

-b

I don't watch American Idol.  I flipped it on just a second ago, though, and caught David Cook's song with ZZ Top.  Yeah, I don't care what happens, David Cook should win. 

 

...and as I'm flipping off the TV, I just have to wonder, why is that girl sitting there singing with no shoes on?

 

-b

 

5/22/08 UPDATE:  ...and America agreed.

Saw her at the Ryman last night.  Those of you who know me know that I have a soft spot for the really talented people.  After the ACM's, I desperately needed to know that someone who is out there producing hit songs can actually sing.  Ms. Tunstall can...and then some.  I know, I know, there's that whole "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree," thing.  So many people I know loathe that song.  But, when you sit down for a couple hours in the Ryman and you listen to the whole body of work, you get it.  It fits within the entire picture very well, but it most certainly doesn't define her.  An added bonus was that she was great with the audience--very interactive.  You almost felt like you were at an intimate writer's night rather than a staged show.  Gang, it was time (and money) well spent.  She was really terrific.

 

We all went camping over the weekend.

 

A youth group from a church in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, came and took the two group sites on either end of our little street.  So, we were blessed with the pitter patter of adolescent feet, adolescent giggling, adolescent dog-harrassers and adolescent quiet-hours-don't-really-start-at-ten screaming for the weekend.  It was frustrating because we had a lot of stuff to tear down and move had we chosen to do so.  We were kind of stuck.  It was also frustrating because it was a church group with the name of the church on the van and by the end of the weekend, I despised that church (yes, the whole church regardless of who was there) for being so hugely inconsiderate of any one else at the campground.  Down the road and around the corner, there were sites reserved for only groups which were all side by side.  Instead, they came and took up the only two group sites in the campground (which were not at all side by side) and ruined everyone else's weekend.  And they did it all in the name of church.  That's about as bad as driving like a maniac in traffic with the big Jesus fish stuck proudly on your bumper.  Just another opportunity for someone to see God negatively because of the people who follow Him.

 

 

Then, in a stroke a great fortune, a couple pulled in next to us and set up...and they proceeded to open their minivan and blast classic rock and country music on the radio.  So much for the sounds of nature and the rushing creek close by.  Who needs that when you can have SKYNYRD!!!  Woo Hoo. 

 

While all of the noise was happening at the campsite, we did do a hike on Saturday afternoon that was just beautiful.  It went right along the water and was shaded by huge trees and it was really lovely.  Pete and Bernice both hopped in.  Dogs are fun.  And, I'm humbled to report that even Bernice walks faster than I do in the woods.  Proud times.

 

I will also tell you that should you choose to camp, you'd do well to have someone like Jim in the mix.  We had steak, mashed potatoes and vegetables for one meal and we had Shepherd's pie for the other.  His camping meals are better than those I make at home.  Of course, he is a professional camper.  You shouldn't try that on your own. 

 

Hope your weekend was great.

 

-b

As one who has no interest in nor plans for switching to MAC, I was wondering if any of you could recommend a program that would be like Garage Band but that is for a PC?  A simple recording program would be fine.  I'm working with windows Vista here on the laptop--yes, Vista stinks, but I'm still not buying a new MAC.

 

Thanks!

-b

Bernice is now up to a whopping 5 lbs., 13 oz.  She's officially three months old now and the vet says she in perfect health.  She's becoming an excellent helper. 

 

I have been working to get the garden planted over the past week.  I usually grow my vegetables from seeds.  It's a lot cheaper and I get a lot more.  Well, a couple days ago, Jim and I were out back and he was planting radishes.  I'm not a radish eater so I told him to just plant as many as he wanted.  He had placed all the seeds in two nice rows on one end of the garden and was finished while I was planting peppers on the other end.  I was almost finished planting my 14th pepper plant (yes, 14th) when I saw Bernice running by me at full speed through the garden with a package of seeds in her mouth. 

 

As it turns out, she had grabbed the open package of the remaining radish seeds.

She proceeded to spread radish seeds ALL OVER the yard.  By the time Jim caught her, the package was completely empty.  Apparently, radishes grow pretty easily, "like weeds" as one person said. 

 

Looking forward to this.

-b

I played a show Saturday night which was really a lot of fun.  It was a beautiful outdoor setting under the trees and we had great weather and a really lovely crowd.  I've played the series twice and it's becoming one of my favorite things that I do...or have done, at least.  No guarantees I'll get invited back.

 

Anyway, another guy in the round was set to close it out and so he set the final song up by telling us we were in for a really special moment.  At that, he called a friend of his up to the microphone and they launched into a rendition of "Desperado."  About 3/4 of the way into the song, the guy stopped singing "Desperado" and the fellow at the piano starting singing "Amazing Grace."  It was like, "Amazing Grace," was the bridge, and then "Desperado" picked back up.  To finish the tune out, both men sang their respective songs over each other--"Desperado" and "Amazing Grace" intertwined. 

 

I can honestly tell you that I would've never thought of that combination in a million years.

 

-b

A long time ago, I read that loud music can put you in a better mood.  I've found this to be true.  If I'm stressed, I'll turn the radio up really loud and drive.  Lately, I've needed loud music in big ways.

 

Well, the CD I'm playing the loudest currently is Sara Bareilles' "Little Voice."  Here's the funny thing--I've been listening to her since last summer, long before her hit took off.  You say, "Wow, Belinda.  You were so ahead of the curve."  But, no.  I cannot take credit.  There is one who is even more cutting edge than I:  Marty Funderburk.  Last summer Marty sent me the song that we all now know off this record and told me I might like it.  I love that my friends know me.  And, playing this record really loud has saved me all kinds of money in therapy.

Enjoy.

-b

I was all set to write with this guy yesterday who I've only met on a couple occasions.  I was actually enroute to the session when I found out he wasn't coming.  Then, he proceeded to tell me that his wife isn't comfortable with him writing with women unless the session is in a public place. 

 

See, the thing is, I don't think I'm secure enough to co-write in a public place.  I just picture myself sitting in the middle of the Green Hills Mall, laptop out, him with his guitar, exchanging ideas.  People are walking by with their packages, the soothing mall music playing overhead, and I'm trying to say something clever and meaningful. 

 

Or, wait, can you picture walking into Wendy's for lunch and there I sit belting out a half written tune with a co-writer?  Actually, that would be kind of funny...

 

I don't know.  When someone drops something like that on you ten minutes before you're supposed to write (he hadn't even left his house), it makes you feel awfully gross.  I'm not saying that things like that don't go on, but they do NOT go on my watch.  I'm grateful that the guys I write with introduce me to their wives and families and that all of these awkward conversations, if they go on at all, go on in the conversations between the husbands and wives and not with me in the middle.  I understand that there are waters to navigate, but I am a professional.  Just as I try to handle whatever my issues might be privately, I appreciate my co-writers handling theirs with the same respect.  Given that and given how gross I felt after that conversation yesterday, I'd like to give a HUGE shout out to the beautiful women who are the wives of some of my favorite co-writers.  You have made my life much easier and I truly, deeply and greatly appreciate it. 

 

-b

 

 

 

 

 

I'm in the process of tiling my floor.  Well, I should more honestly say that Jim is in the process of tiling my floor while I stand close by supportively.  It really is looking amazing.  I said to him the other day while he was working, "This reminds me of places I visited in Italy," and that's when he pointed out that it is Italian tile.  Neat-o!

 

The difficult part is that we have to move everything to one place in the room, and then tile.  Then we have to block it off so the dogs don't get on it.  Then, once its set, we remove the spacers and do it all over again.  The entire house is in complete disarray.  We really are sociological studies at this point.  With each passing day we become more and more discombobulated.  I won't tell you that I'm opposed to a pile of papers here and there, but to have home chaos so profoundly pronounced is making me crazy.  And, really, that's interesting to know.  I've been told that my personality type will do better if I have order and I've never bought into it until now.  Now that we have exaggerated the DISorder, I realize that the suggestions were correct.  I MUST continue on throughout the rest of the house forcing order and organization.  I can't even imagine how much I'll be able to accomplish creatively once I'm done.  My novel could get even get finished!

 

Interestingly, we were at Lowe's the other other buying tile.  (We have to buy it in sets because my car can't hold the weight of all of it at once.)  The cashier made some mistake and asked for some help from another cashier.  The next thing I knew, the total amount owed on the little screen read $22,000.  Hmmm... Interesting.  I appreciated the confidence, but my little debit card wasn't going to be able to cover that one.  Then today, we went to buy more tile and the grand total was $120. We stepped away from the register and I was examining the receipt.  The manager happened by as I realized that I'd paid for one box of tile rather than six.

 

Manager:  Folks, is there a problem?

Me:  Well, I don't think I paid enough.

Manager:  What? 

Me:  Yeah, I think I only paid for one box.

We examine the receipt.

Manager:  Well, this is rare.  I can't believe you're offering to pay for this.  This kind of thing just doesn't happen.

 

As the cashier rang up the rest of the boxes for me, the manager actually came over and shook Jim's hand telling him 'thank you' for being honest.

 

Gang, that's just sad.  How could anyone walk out of that store with five boxes of tile that they didn't pay for?  I just know that everytime I would've stepped into my house, I would've felt guilty.  You just don't do that.  But, judging by the way the Lowe's people went on and on, I guess there are people who would've just left. 

I remain a little stunned!  ...and I accept the Nobel Peace Prize that I apparently deserve.

 

Cheers--

-b

...stayed home Friday night typing in the titles of songs I've written into YouTube.  It's been a long time since I've been that entertained.

 

-b

My postman went to war with me.  He cancelled my mail.  And, further, he informed me when I went to the post office to find out what was going on that henceforth, if I did not check my box daily, then he was going to cancel it again.  In his defense, I only check my mail about once a week.  But, that's a whole lot better than it used to be. 

 

However, when he copped his 'tude with me and threatened to stop my mail with one missed day of checking, I told him that we just solve this through congressional channels.  Funny thing...agencies who are funded by the federal government don't enjoy being checked up on by their congress people. 

 

I have my congressman's name and phone number saved in my cell phone now.

 

All of this to say, if you've sent me something over the past month or two, I may or may not have gotten it.  Apparently he has been returning mail at will for several weeks. 

 

-b