Rhyme and Reason

Hey, I’m just kiddin around over hear. Fuggetaboudit. Can you pick up on my Brooklyn accent in that headline? Or is it the Bronx. I can never remember which one of those New Yorkers talks like dat. But I hope you at least can tell I’m just kiddin around. And I know I misspelled here. Because it’s a thinly stretched pun to illustrate what I’m talkin’ about. Knowhamsayi...

Restore my soul because I broke it If you’re a Christian (and if you’re not, you should be), you probably already know how trouble is always close at hand. You can’t swing a dead cornstalk (you thought I was gonna say something else, didn’t you) without trouble showing up. And I don’t know about you (well, I do a little bit because you’re human) but I’m my...

Pondering brotherly love on the longest day It’s Summer Solstice time. The longest daylight day of the year. And I know you’re probably out frantically buying your last minute Solstice gifts, the Solstice tree, and all your yummy Solstice treats. But relax. Because it’s the longest day. So, you’ll have plenty of time to pause and read my story of brotherly love that faded a...

Live up to your own dream Because I can’t live up to your dream for you. And 99.9% of the people who read my articles or listen to my podcast know this. I’d say 100%, but nothing, here on Earth, is perfect. But why do I even bring it up?   If I can’t live up to your dream for you, is it even worth mentioning? Short answer? No. Longer answer is…this is just basically about s...

It might’ve been Für Elise or Therese or Elizabeth As I opened up my laptop to write, just now, Für Elise started playing on my Pandora classical channel. And I love that piece of music. Of course, I don’t think I’ve kept it a secret that Beethoven is my favorite composer. And this piece of music is an example of why. But today, I decided to look up who Elise was. Turns out, sh...

Some positive words for the day I shared a few sections of positive words for the day on another website I used to have. And this is something from around 15 years ago. And it still applies. But read to the end. Because there’s a caveat to all this positivity.   Seven points of positive words you can bank on 1. Smile “Are you kidding me?! Did he just say smile?” Yeah. I did. When...

Your Cliché is as old as dirt It’s ironic how many people claim the moniker of “new age.” Because so much of what they say is just cliché. And worse than that, many of those clichés are almost as old as the Earth. But I know why they say what they say. Even if they don’t know. A new age cliché is just another rebellious act. And whether they know it or not, they’re ac...

Ah, there’s nothing like an uncloudy day And there’s nothing like rainy days and nights to make you appreciate an uncloudy day. Right? Of course, maybe it’s only the dreamers, poets, and songwriters who truly appreciate the ever-changing kaleidoscope floating above us all. But I’ll bet when I say that, plenty of other kinds of people beg to differ. Or maybe they don’t...

Ain’t it nice when stars collide? Yeah, usually that expression, when stars collide, brings on visions of falling in love. But what about when actual stars crash into each other? It’s all bliss and fun till somebody gets hurt. Right?   Fortunately it’s a rare event when stars collide. So rare that scientists had never seen it happen until recently. At least that’s what I fo...

The music and color connection No, it’s not the same thing as the rainbow connection, Kermit. Imagine your brain seeing music and color. Sounds a little odd, but very interesting to me. For the longest time I’ve connected music and other sounds to colors. And I always thought it was just my imagination. But, as it turns out, I might have my wires crossed.   Connecting music and colors...

Fight the good fight Do you fight the good fight? Or do you avoid it altogether? Or worse yet, do you allow yourself to be a punching bag for all those knuckleheads out there fighting the bad fight? And does it even matter?   By the way, you don’t have to be a Foreman or Tyson to fight the good fight. Because the “good fight” isn’t about your pugilistic prowess. And it&#821...

I like the sound of a music heartbeat I’ve shared, a few times here on the website, how music can be good for your brain . And I’ve also talked about how music is good for heart healing . And now I’d like to add a little bit of the benefits of what I’ll call your music heartbeat. So how can music help your heartbeat? Well according to something I read, “a study from W...

Freedom from oppression? Uh, no. What do China and Leavenworth federal penitentiary have in common? Answer”most everyone in each place would like to get out. Well, that’s probably true about China. But Leavenworth? Hmm…I’m not so sure the inmates feel the need for freedom from oppression in prisons anymore. In fact, I’m sure there are plenty of them who prefer the sec...

Hey hon, where’d I put my brain computer interface? Apparently there’s a way to connect a computer to your brain and possibly help control your feelings. I know what you’re saying right off. “Where can I get me one of those, Tony?” Right? Well, I know it sounds a little weird, but you can actually buy a brain computer interface. Yeah, I found a brain computer interfac...

Yeah, confidence is key There once was a guy who had everything a human being could want. At least as far what most people could see. He also had a lot of things nobody would want. Including enemies everywhere. But he focused on the good side of the equation. Even when he acknowledged all the bad. And he understood confidence is key. Because he knew this life isn’t all there is.   Confidence...

Every good boy does fine. Well… Not really. But if you ever studied music and how to remember the notes in a musical staff, you probably know what I’m talking about. Look at musical staff paper. And you’ll see it has 5 lines and 4 spaces. Music teachers used to share the mnemonic, Every Good Boy Does Fine, to help students remember the E, G, B, D, and F on the lines. Then there w...

Do music communications have to be complicated? So, this young woman wrote about the differences between a music therapist and a “glorified performer.” That was in the headline, so her bias showed from the very beginning. And there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, I appreciate her taking a stand. But after reading her article, I wondered why so many music therapists believe mu...

Is there such a thing as music immunity? It sort of depends on your definition of music immunity. But there appears to be quite a bit of significant research that backs up how beneficial it is to listen to and play music.   And I’m calling it music immunity because I like the sound of it. (See what I did there?) Anyway…there’s a peer reviewed journal, Brain Behavior and Immunity...

Human connection can be a healthy thing But human connection isn’t always healthy. Especially if and when it takes you away from logic and reason. I’ve been studying the potential healing effects of music, lately. And unfortunately I see too many music therapists and researchers emphasizing the power of self. And most of them only give a slight nod to design, calling it “spiritua...

Is Vibrational Sound Therapy Good For You? A sister-in-law of mine (I have 6 of them) is dealing with some serious cancer issues right this minute. She’s in a hospital, here in Colorado Springs. And she’s already gone through an extensive round of chemotherapy and radiation. You know how it goes. Hair loss. Ghostlike complexion, etc. She didn’t want to go the more holistic route...

Have you ever heard symphony number 9? But not just any symphony number 9. I’m talking, of course, about the one by Beethoven. My favorite composer. And this symphony is one of my favorites of his. “But what’s the big deal about symphony number 9?” you ask. And I’m glad you asked. Here’s the deal. I’m a singer/songwriter (just in case you didn’t alre...

Freedom or security? That’s the wrong question Lately I’ve been seeing that old freedom or security question and issue popping up. And it still makes me sad for America that so many people think that’s an either/or question. Because the words are actually bound together in their meaning. Free people should seek to remain free. Because there’s so much security in freedom. Wh...

 Love and logic – like oil and water? OK, here’s the million dollar question. What’s the number one thing love and logic have in common? (cue the Jeopardy music) No, it’s not that they both start with L. I said “number one thing.” Any other guesses? Alright Timmy, now you’re just being a smart-aleck. It’s not because they both start with LO either. O...

Heavy metals – no, not those long hair guys Cue up Iron Man, movie and song, and let’s rock some heavy metals. Wait. Wait!. Stop the music! No, not heavy metal music, dude. I’m talking about those elements found in the galaxies. Far, far away. And not all that far. So, go back to bed Ozzy. This ain’t gonna be any interest to you.   Heavy metals shouldn’t be there, I t...

And now for a little geography history Wait! Don’t leave! I know you might be thinking geography history sounds too boring. But I’m not talking about dried up dead stuff. Well, maybe a little dried up. But not dead. So, stick with me. Because I’m actually gonna talk a little bit about Sam Cooke first. Now, I know what you might be thinking. “Gosh, Tony. You just said you we...