Letter to the true sheeple:

I lost another friend to COVID today.  

He was a musician. One of the kindest souls on this planet. 

It breaks my heart to know that most likely his love of performing and loving on people was also his demise.  

This also makes me mad. 

Mad at the selfish people / person who stole him from us.

He was vulnerable. He wouldn’t have wanted you to feel uncomfortable or rejected. 

At his own risk, because he loved it and you, he performed, knowing he was at risk. 

And you showed up to his gig infected.  Denying facts. Rejecting masks and vaccines. Because that is about YOU not him. 

I don’t know what to do with that. 

Wearing a mask and taking the shots isn’t just about you not getting COVID, it’s really more about you not GIVING it to someone else. 

And now, my friend is gone. My friend who brought so much light and love into this world… after WEEKS of fighting it… lost his battle. 

How is that about YOU?!  Oh wait… I forgot… It’s ALL about you. You’re  selfish, gullible and a “patriot” who thinks the vulnerable are disposable.  

It doesn’t have to be like this.  My friend didn’t have to die. 

You CHOSE to believe misinformation because it is what you want to believe… rejecting truth because it helps you feel “safe”? 

Well, that is not safe. 

It’s actually the thing making you not safe. 

PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE SAND. WAKE UP. 

YOU are the sheeple you say you despise. 

How many more friends do I have to lose before you admit this shit is REAL? 

Until you admit that your selfish, unfounded beliefs are KILLING PEOPLE, I predict I’ll lose more friends because of you ENTITLED FUCKS. 

Countries with less access to vaccines have done better than the USA at stemming the spread because they wore masks, stayed home when they could and social distanced all masked up when they couldn’t stay home.  

They came together and did the best things they could for their communities. Hmmmm… what a cool concept?!

WHAT IS SO HARD ABOUT THAT? 

“You’re infringing on my freedoms,” you say. 

Well, YOU are infringing on MY freedoms. 

Your freedoms end where mine begin.  (from the constitution you pretend to support yet probably haven’t read)

And your denial of science in the name of God continues to KILL people I love.  #theirbloodisonyourhands

You aren’t “woke”. 

You are mislead and your pride keeps you believing the lies you want to believe. Not truth. LIES.

I’m over the extreme right, Q, Q-adjacent snowflakes pointing the finger at every one else.  

These people don’t represent conservatives.

They represent a failed candidate who is VACCINATED, took experimental treatments when he contracted COVID (expensive treatments not available to you and me) and helped expedite vaccine development.   You are aligned with him doing that but you won’t take the vaccine?! #SMH

Own your shit. We are STILL in this space because of YOU.

People are DYING because of YOU. 

COVID doesn’t see your political party, or your self-approved memes that you don’t take the time to validate with true research. This virus reaches across all party lines. 

My heart is sad for the loss of another beautiful human I’ve had the privilege to cross paths with… and it is even more sad for the people in my life who choose fear over faith while invoking God’s name to support a truth they want to believe instead of embracing facts / science.  (Also, from God.)

And, I doing so, they continue to perpetuate lies that harm themselves and the people they love. Frankly, the lies that harm and isolate them from the people they say they love… manipulating the truth… saying it’s our fault that they’ve lost friends and family because of their obsession with lies.

whatever

over-it

end of soapbox

Yo Trippin

Oh yah mamas and papas.
There is dancing at my desk at this very minute.

iTunes shuffle uncovered a little forgotten gem that I now have on repeat, repeat, REPEAT.

*uninhibited desk dancing*

Anastacia.

Mmm Mmm funky.

Yo Trippin.

Download.
Track 11.
REPEAT.

*she dances some more*



Seriously.
Stop reading... go get it.
The whole album.
And...
GO.

*she kicks her heels off and gets crazy*

DAY TEN: 10 Days of Gratitude

I'm thankful for laughter.

Nothing feels better than a good belly laugh. Or a baby laughing. Or laughing with someone.

I would laugh all day if I could. Even better, if I could make others laugh all day, I would.

The best part about laughter? It doesn't cost a thing and it gives so much.

On those days when laughter seems a long ways away, we've all got those people who know just what to do.  One of my favorite memories from this past year, was Denice and I reading the DamnYouAutocorrect text bubbles out loud as conversation over the phone.  I was sick of talking about all my crap... sick of everything... and she said, "Let's go look at DYAC." We proceeded to spend two hours laughing our asses off. (Thank you, Denice.)

Seriously, try it. You won't regret it.

Today, I'm thankful for laughter.

He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. (Job 8:21 NLT)

DAY NINE: 10 Days of Gratitude

Thankful for Nashville.

12 years... plus infinity. That's how long I'll be here.

In Nashville, I've pursued two careers.

During the day, I get to help come up with solutions for my clients that move the needle forward.  I get to work with teams of incredibly talented people who have a passion for marketing and serving. I'm just home from a meeting in Memphis where we're getting to make plans to move things forward. Strategically. It jacks me up. I hope I get to do this for a long long time. Not only does it afford me the life I lead, but it really helps me know that the last 25 years of my day gig career, I've learned a ton and have the experience to contribute in a way that will help propel things forward... I'm serving and making things happen. By the grace of God, I'm able to make a difference.

Musically, I've found myself in Nashville. From songwriting, to playing guitar, to sessions, to performing, to evolving as a BGV singer,  to meeting some of the most incredible people and friends... I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. By the grace of God, I am here... fulfilling all my dreams.

Day and night.

No matter what personal issues I'm working through, my career, music and amazing friends get me through. I'm a comin' out of the fog peeps... and it is good. Thank you for helping me live my dreams. No regrets.

Can't Nobody but God + more Jeanne vids...

AND, there's more to come. Music City is the place where I continue to evolve into myself and have found my voice.  This chapter is just the next step....

Can't wait.

Nashville is where I was meant to be. I hope I take my last breath here... among the good souls I've met, among the music that is in my soul.

Today, I'm thankful for Music City.

1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT
"That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”"

DAY EIGHT: 10 Days of Gratitude

I'm thankful for the one and only Tank Petersen.

Tanky Tankerton

Look at that face? You can totally see why, right?!

He's smart. He's funny. He thinks I'm the bomb dot com.

And, well, I think he is, too.

Tank's a little ham and provides hours of entertaining distraction with his antics. So many tricks and commands in his arsenal. "Sit." "Lay down." "Wait." "Ok." Those are the staples. He flips treats off his nose and catches them. He also plays dead if I point and shoot him with my finger, catches a frisbee like a badass (and pretty much anything I throw his way). When he gets in trouble, all I have to say is "go to your mat" and he goes. Stays there until I say, "OK".  He even rings a jingle bell hanging on the front door knob to let me know when he wants to go outside. When we go for walks, he heels on command and doesn't drag me all over the place. And, if I even say the word "ride" he goes out of his mind with excitement... He'll do anything for a ride in the car. Most of the time I have to spell it out to minimize the length of flippage. "Walk" in any context gets the same reaction.

Tanky Livn' Large @ the dog park

Tank is also my protector... my built in security guard.  I defy anyone to not be a little scared of his bark.  It's loud, assertive and I have no doubt he's freaked more than one visitor out. Sorry, peeps. But, I don't mind that he's that way. Tanky would totally have my back if anyone tried to bust in the house or hurt me. I'm okay with the occasional delivery person or maintenance person feeling a little uncomfortable. When I had my house alarm worked on last fall, the alarm dude said, "With him... you don't need an alarm." Pretty comforting.

If only they knew that he becomes a furry earthquake at the hint of a thunderstorm. He's chill most of the time... until someone comes to the door.  Tanky loves loves loves visitors. (Thank you friends who've had to work around the first 5 minutes of arriving here... and the obnoxious jealous bark that erupts if we hug goodbye.)

Not gonna lie, sometimes the responsibility of having a dog and three cats can be overwhelming as a single person with a day gig and active music life. (Parents... I seriously don't know how you do it. It's probably best that I never became a Mom. LOL)  But the benefits of having Tank, my loyal buddy, in my life way outweigh the occasional inconvenience.  And, I'm blessed to have Annette and Robin next door for those times when my day runs long or travel plans change.  They have helped me out in a pinch more than once... words can't express how much I appreciate it.

So, today is my Tanky day of Thanks.

GENESIS 9: 14-17
When I gather the clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, I shall recall the covenant between myself and you and every living creature, in a word all living things, and never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all living things. When the bow is in the clouds I shall see it and call to mind the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth, that is, all living things. `That' God told Noah, `is the sign of the covenant I have established between myself and all living things on earth.' 

DAY SEVEN: 10 days of Gratitude

Today... I'm thankful for Sundays.

Daryl. Crunchie on the outside. Soft on the inside.

Cross Point.
Cleaning. Purging my old life.
The Anderson's.
The Walking Dead.
Boardwalk Empire.

It doesn't get any better than this, folks.

Good times.
Good friends.
Hanging with Nashville peeps... Nashville family.

Freakin' good stuff.

I'm thankful for Sunday's.

Genesis 42:11 NLT: "We are all brothers—members of the same family."

DAY SIX: 10 Days of Gratitude

I'm thankful for songwriting.

Spent the afternoon "writing" with my brother in song, Jeff Anderson. We didn't finish a song, but we got some good stuff going on. And, among it all, shared our stories. Cause... well, that is what it is all about, right?!

Bluebird. Can't Nobody but God.

Writing has gotten me through the past 14 months. Some songs no one will ever hear, but the exercise helps me heal.  Here is Music City, we call it songwriting therapy. *smile*

God supplies the ideas... the words... and all I can do is channel them the best I can. It's the ultimate problem solving, writing a song. Figuring out the best way to say what you've got to say in 3 minutes or so. Finding the right melody, tempo, feel.

I'm so glad I live in Nashville. Where the words and the song are written best. I've learned so much... and still consider myself an amateur compared to most of my songwriting friends. But I'm here. And I'll keep writing. Hopefully until my last breath.

I'm grateful that God put songs in me. Hopefully, some of them will help others as much as they help me.

So today, I'm thankful for the gift of songwriting. 

Psalms 119:54 NLT
"Your decrees have been the theme of my songs wherever I have lived."