We have been through some interesting changes since I last posted regularly. (All the pics in this post are thumbnails. Click on them for the full size version)



That picture was taken about 3 weeks ago in our new house near my duty station, Fort Lewis, Washington. I've lost the goatee since then. The Army frowns on most facial hair in uniform.

Let's start with the blog:

I ditched the TagBoard. It appears that spammers were the only ones using it.

I've updated the "Reading" section to the book that Amy and I are reading together. I read the series a few years back, and now we are reading it aloud to each other. It's really good, and pseudo-historical. Kind of like the Arthur and Robin Hood legends from England. This story pre-dates both and takes place, mostly, on the most western tip of France. I've been reading a lot of other stuff, but it's either been military history magazines/journals or political magazine articles. Lots of short stuff that I have torn through, and no covers to post.

As for "Listening": I've been on what I will call a "fringe" Country: Cross Canadian Ragweed, Los Lonely Boys (I have their latest CD, just not the album art.), Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, and Big and Rich.

Cross Canadian Ragweed has moments where they sound real country, but, in general, they are a "Southern Rock" power trio. At times they remind of me of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and 38 Special, and then, just when I think I have them pigeonholed, they sound like Creed. Here is a sample.

Los Lonely Boys is another power trio that is being marketed as a Country group. They refer to their music as "Texican rock'n'roll" on their website. The group is three brothers from West Texas. At times, they remind me of VERY early ZZTop. The REAL early stuff, like "Mexican Blackbird", and "Pan Am Highway Blues". Mostly, however, they remind me of post-Woodstock Santana ... you know, late 60's and early 70's. Sweet stuff. Most vocals are in two, if not three, part harmony, and just pure clean Fender guitar sounds. The latest album, Sacred, also, features a full horn section through most of it. So, you get kind of a "Texican rock'n'roll" big band thing going on with 2 and 3 part vocals. (Who is the "genius" who heard this and thought, "THIS is country music!"? ... It's not exactly Willy, Waylon, George Jones, ... or even Randy Travis, or Kenny Rogers.) This is what I mean by guitar sounds and vocal harmonies.

Then, there is Big and Rich.

A duo.

"Big Kenny" and John Rich.

They strike me as two good ol' southern boys that are just trying to make a living making music. Vocally, they are incredible together. Their harmonies are great. Not only harmonies, they take turns on lead vocal. So, the sound is not always the same. With that said, they are just ... fun. I have not heard a group that sounded like they wanted their audience to have fun, and were having that much fun making music since pre-"1984" Van Halen. However, they have a serious side. If you saw the CMA awards show this year, then you know. Some time ago they met a man named Niles Harris. One of Big Kenny's signature things is his Top Hat. Niles gave Big Kenny his Top Hat. The song "8th of November" is Niles' story. Niles joined the Army in the mid 1960's. He was, eventually, assigned as a paratrooper in the 173rd Airborne Brigade (the "Sky Soldiers"(remember that, it will come up later)). During what was called "Operation Hump" (a few days before the operation that would become the movie "We Were Soldiers"), Niles, and 29 other soldiers of the 173rd faced what were, eventually, 1,200 NVA soldiers. Niles survived, and still lives in his hometown of Deadwood, SD. (There are multiple key facts here that will be tested later, BTW.) The video is moving, and the guys' writing, and singing is serious, and heartfelt. Niles, himself, appears in the video. (The link above is to the video.)

Then, there is Darryl Worley.

Darryl Worley has some nice, and some fun tunes. But, that can be said about a lot of artists that I have not bothered to talk about here.

Darryl went to High School at the same school that Amy did.

big deal.

However, Darryl did a tune called "Awful, Beautiful Life".

I LOVE this song. Don't analyze. Just click the link, listen, WATCH, and come back.

Are You back?

Good.

Don't get too wrapped up in the "Iraq" thing. I came back. Most of the, now, over 400,000, soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines that go there, come back. Less than 3,000 of us, over 4 years, now, have died. Unlike the 43,000 people that died on AMERICAN roads because of traffic accidents in 2005 (a single calendar year).

I would like you to watch it again ... NOT YET! Pay attention to the lines about "Cousin Michael" ...

"We said a prayer for Cousin Michael in Iraq
We're all aware that he may never make it back
We talked about the way we missed his stupid jokes
And how he loved to be a soldier more than most"

MOST soldiers do not stay in the Army beyond their first 2-4 year contract. Most NCO's (Sergeants, of whatever grade) do not stay in beyond 10 years.

IF you stay in, you have to love it.

THIS month makes 17 YEARS in service for me.

I love being a military musician. I love being a noncommissioned officer in the Army. Pick your "military" movie of recent years. ... "Men of Honor"? Carl Brashear died last month, and he was the Navy equivalent of 3 enlisted grades above me ... if he had been in the Army, he, still, would have been a "Sergeant" of some type ... "We Were Soldiers"? SGT Savage is one grade lower than me, and Sergeant Major Plumley is three above me, like Carl Brashear, but WE are still NCO's.

You can even get "John Wayne" on me ...

but, I digress.

I love being: a child, a husband, a brother, a cousin, a soldier, an NCO, a musician, a "Dad" to 3 dogs, an uncle, ... etc.

It's not always fun ("Awful"), but it is precious ("Beautiful") ... but I love this life.


Hmmm ... I have heard that before. Maybe here.

Watch it again, from that perspective.

Next, the "Sacred Cowburgers" button is gone. Jay Dyson, who was the author there, decided to call it quits. Jay has done some great, thought provoking things on the web. He has decided that he needs to spend some more time with his family. Unfortunately, he killed the entire site, as opposed to leaving it up as an archive. As a memorial to the site, I will re-post my favorite pic that Jay ever did:



The huge Fort Lewis weather sticker at the bottom of the right hand column is gone. For good reason. You will notice that my profile shows that (Fort Lewis) as my location, and the little weather sticker under that is now reflecting the weather at this location.

Well, enough for tonight.

The sad part is that tonight's post covered the easy part.