Friday Fusion, Volume 4 - Judah & The Lion, "Back's Against the Wall"

It took me a total of 2 notes to figure out I like these guys.  Not kidding.

They were performing at the Storyline Conference in Nashville last October.  I noticed their merch stand out in the hall on the way in, but wanted to find a spot to sit.    

I went in, sat down, heard two notes, put my books down on the floor, got up, walked out and bought both EPs they were selling, then came back in and listened to the rest of their set. 

The woman next to me was all-like "Did you just buy both of those?!".  
And I was all-like "Hellllllz Yeah".  Or something like that.  

Today's song is called "Back's Against the Wall" and it's a hopeful southern anthem-like thing.  I listened to it very loudly (on repeat) on the drive home with the sunroof open. I hope you like it.  pba. 

Friday Fusion, Volume 3 - Steve Moakler, "Riser"

This week's tune is a brand-spankin'-new one from Nashville-based singer/song-writer, Steve Moakler.  You might remember him from such excellent adventures as the feeding of Buddy the Blue Beta Fish...

Steve Moakler following thru on his word.
And a very happy girl.
Steve is the one on the left.  (October of 2013)  

The tune is called "Riser" and it makes me think of my brother Dean. 
If I was a singer, I'd sing it to my wife.  

It's good.  Listen to it.  
And then go buy the album. www.SteveMoakler.com 


(Lyrics included below if you can't understand his thick accent.  Kidding.  He doesn't have a thick accent.  He's from Pittsburgh.)
   

Riser

Lay your pretty head down on my shoulder
You don't have to worry anymore
This old world is cold and getting colder
But I know how to lock and bolt the door

I'm strong enough to hold you through the winter
I'm mean enough to stare your demons down
Hard times put the shine into the diamond
But I won't let that keep us in the ground

'cause I'm a Riser
I'm a get up off the ground don't run and hider
When pushing comes to shove, hey, I'm a fighter
When darkness hits the town, I'm a lighter
A get out aliver, of the fire
Survivor

If we ain't got the money, I can make it
I ain't afraid of working to the bone
If I don't know what I'm doing, I can fake it
I'll pray 'til Jesus rolls away the stone

I'm a tryer
I'm a get down low so I can lift you higher
An army couldn't keep down my desire


******

An equally fabulous Moakler tune is Crooked Heart.  I think it's going to be in my playlist for a long time... Have a fabulous weekend.  pba.

Good Luck Topping My Mom's Story

I’m fortunate to work for an authentic leader.  She brings all of herself to bear, all of the time. 

She’s been at Target for 30+ years, she has climbed the ladder, and she’s finding herself in a season of reflection as her twin daughters graduate from college and move on to write their own stories. 

During a recent team meeting, while discussing the decisions she has made as a parent and as a leader, she said something that stuck with me:   “We have to make decisions and we can’t spend our time figuring out if they are all right or wrong.  They just are.”

As she spoke, thru tears, I couldn't help but draw parallels between her and my mom.    

They are both continual learners that ended up being pioneers in their areas of expertise.  They are both women that deliberately, and materially, changed gender perceptions within male-dominated environments.  They are both individuals that have created numerous opportunities for others.  And they’re both wondering how they've done as moms.    

Recent recognition for my mamasita.

My mom’s full story is a long one and a single blog post can’t possibly do the journey the justice it deserves.  So, instead of trying to re-tell it, I’m going to focus on the lessons I've learned from watching her live it:

•          If you want something, be tenacious.
•          If someone tells you that you can’t do something, don’t accept it at face value.
•          Fear is a bitch.  She’s mean, and she’s a liar.
•          Courage is taking action even when you doubt yourself.
•          Don’t ever stop learning.
•          If you have initiative, you are ahead of at least 80% of the population.
•          Enabling your kids to experience more is a cause worth fighting for.
•          Feeling deeply often hurts.  Do it anyway. 
•          Living with the mindset of a fighter makes Grace difficult to internalize.
•          Be comfortable in your own skin.
•          Redeem your hurts or they will haunt you.
•          Root for, and directly support, the underdog.

Good stories are marked by characters that know what they want and have to go thru conflict to get it.  They include grit, love, risk, and sacrifice.  They’re about something more than the main character.

She’s still working on it, but I’d stack my mom’s story up against just about any other story that has been written.   My hope and prayer is that she’s able to read it the same way, and finish writing it with no regrets.  That’s what she deserves.

I love you, mom.  Always yours, Peter.  (Mom’s the only one that gets to call me Peter.  So don't even think about it.)

Friday Fusion, Volume 2 - Tyrone Wells, "You Still Love Me"

Tyrone Wells' album "Where We Meet" has been dominating my playlist all week.  

Great voice, mellow acoustic feel, and great lyricism.  

"You Still Love Me" is a great example.  Enjoy.  

Passin' Notes

Both of my kids will be in double-digits by the time school is out this year.  12 & 10.  Crazy. 

They are, or soon to be, in the dreaded "Middle School Years" ...<gasp>... where most of us have many-an-awkward memory (if we haven’t figured out how to block them).

So… here we are, getting ready to coach our kids thru the chaos that is adolescence, and, ready or not, here it comes. Trish and I find ourselves starting to share stories of really embarrassing social interactions as well as some mountain-top-positive moments we experienced (the latter attempting to balance out the horror of the former). 

The current topic of sharing and reflection is the ever-so-adorable “Do-You-Like-Me?” note-passing process.  The first time we fumble through explaining our feelings for another and asking if they feel that way too has to rate right up there with the most nerve-wracking times of youth. 

But it’s also one of the most beautiful, and I think it’s one that we let go of too easily as we “grow up”.   As we get older, we start letting Hallmark talk for us.  We settle for innuendo because we understand adult humor.  We get all grown-up in our language describing love.  We stop asking if the other person reciprocates.  We take stuff for granted. 

I think I wanna start passing notes with Trish.  Wonderfully awkward and innocent notes that say stuff like, “I’ve been thinking about you for a super long time and I think you’re really neat.”  And that, “I have fun when we’re hangin’ out and I think we should do that more often.”   And ask her if she feels that way too. 

That’s the stuff that skips your head and just goes straight to your heart (and melts it).  The kind of stuff that says someone likes you no matter what you’re going thru at the time.   Really good stuff. 

Say a prayer for our kids (they’re gonna need it with the two of us as their parents), then get out there and get beautifully awkward with someone you “like” really soon.  You probably both need it more than you remember.   

Cheers.  pba. 

Friday Fusion, Volume 1 - The Vespers, "Lawdy"

Song of the Week:  The Vespers, "Lawdy"

This Nashville-based quartet consists of two sets of siblings.  They're part of a growing collection of Folk-Americana groups that have grabbed my fancy over the past couple of years.  They're young, creative, and pursuing a great story.  

"Lawdy" is simultaneously light and dark - a fragile voice pursuing guidance, comfort, and support.  It rings true as it builds.  I can relate and I love it.  Hope you do to.  

Why I'm sharing them:

Music has been a faithful companion of mine since I was a wee lad.  Many a great visual memory is backed by a soundtrack in my mind. 

• My brother's basement room in our townhome in Cudahy, WI - with Rush, Boston, and Van Halen 1984 spinnin' on the turntable.  
• A front-row balcony seat in a tiny chapel on the campus of Washington & Lee University to see a large portion of the Marsalis family (Branford & Ellis) perform amazing Jazz. 
• A decade dominated by R.E.M. and one-off alternative bands keeping me company in the Ceramics Studio during all-night artistic binges
• Newly married in a top-down, doors-off Jeep Wrangler, with Santana out-dueling the wind.
• Celebrating my brother's 35th at a Boston concert with some 50-year-old pot smokers in front of us.  ("What's that smell?", "Do you have any brownies on ya'?")
• Multiple opportunities to soak in the Civil Wars - from a tiny Minneapolis to a sold-out show at the State Theatre
• Date nights with friends for Third Day, David Crowder, The Lone Bellow 
• And many more....

Last October we hosted a night with Steve Moakler - a Nashville-based singer/songwriter. I absolutely loved the process of promoting the show, organizing the logistics, and pullin' off a great night with old friends and new.

If you weren't there, I wish you could've been.  It was a blast and we'll be doing similar events in the future.  

So, until we host another show, consider these soon-to-be-weekly posts as an invitation to experience some new tunes and connect as a virtual community around a song or two.  Let 'em soak in.   

  

I'm Better at Comparing Than You Are.

I've been practicing for years. 

I've only been un-practicing (totally a real word) for about 8 months.  

In the past, when I compared myself to others, my innards looked a little something like:

• a kid that felt really small.
• a very sarcastic and negative person.
• someone that didn't like who they were.
• an entitled soul waiting to spout off on God about how much they'd been wronged.
• a selfish and resentful spirit wallowing in what wasn't or what might have been.

Just recently, my un-practicing (still totally a real word) has resulted in what I'll call "positive comparisons" - times where I've been able to see a faint outline of the path He has me on so that I can use comparison in healthy ways like: 

• getting motivated toward growth when I see folks that are farther down the path than me.
• seeking God's direction as I observe others that inspire me and that I respect.
• celebrating the successes of those that I hold dear.

In order to carry off this healthier form of comparison, we need to:

• try to love ourselves like He loves us (emphasis on try)
• care about others a little more than we care about ourselves
• get a buzz off of seeing others be successful (it's addicting, I promise)
• like a little bit of whimsy in our lives
• be patient
• respect our own journey

In short, the only time that I am not diminished when others succeed is when I trust that my Creator has me on a path that matters.  The longer I un-practice comparing, the more I realize that my story doesn't even have to be in the middle of a fulfilling chapter for it to work.  As long as my frame of mind is that He loves me and He knows what He's doing with me, I can celebrate someone else's success.  

I don't have a 3-step process to stop comparing in unhealthy ways.  If I did, steps 1 and 2 would be 'fail trying', and step 3 would be repeat the first two steps until you finally do it right every now and again.  Trial and error at its finest.  Nothing magical about it.  I still flub it up as often as I do it in a productive way.  

What I do have is a growing confidence in the fact that your story matters, that it can stand on its own, and that it doesn't have to be diminished by the successes of those around you. 


He didn't put you here to compare yourselves against His other kids.  He put you here to write your story with all of your heart, mind, spirit, and strength.  And He wants you to have that story.  Just like you want your kids to have their dreams come true.   


Let's do it together and root for each other every step of the way. 

If you've taken a few steps toward your story and have something to celebrate, let me know. 
First round's on me.  Cheers.   pba.