Rhyme and Reason

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...

And the hate goes on Sing it to the tune of the old Sonny and Cher song. And The Hate Goes On. “ Drums keep poundin’ rhythm to the brain. La de da de de, la de da de da .” And I’m not talkin’ about just any hate. I mean the vitriolic kind so many people have for God.   Hate for God goes on from schmucks whose brains are gone. I’ll freely admit (and I have, more...

Poetry in motion Back in the 80’s music took a sharp, electronic turn. Synthesizers were ubiquitous in top 40. And even drums were digitized. A lot of it was cheesy. But there were plenty of songs I enjoyed, too. One of them popped into my head, early this morning. And I think it was because of one short line in it. “ She’s poetry in motion .”   I’ve always loved that...

Hard work and dedication It’s not the same thing to everyone. For example, farmers need a lot of physically demanding hard work and dedication to grow food. And there are guys who somehow manage to wrestle steel, glass, and concrete into skyscrapers. But it’s not just the guys. There are plenty of women doing amazing work every day. And let’s not forget the nose-to-the-grindstone...

Beware the Back Stabbers “ They smile in your face…All the time they want to take your place…The back stabbers .” Yeah, the Ojays song was telling guys to watch out. Because there are other guys out there who wanna take your woman. And they’ll act like your friend. But they’ve got sinister plans. So, you best beware.   And there a lots of different kinds of back...

Maybe it’s time to stir it up Back in days of musicians getting paid like they were actually providing a good service, I used to sing that song. A Bob Marley song called, Stir It Up. And it was real crowd pleaser. Other songs of his were, too. Jammin’ – Is This Love – No Woman No Cry – and the list goes on. The cool reggae beats, the easy lyrics. What’s not to l...

“There is no God” Says the fool. Only a fool could or would dare to make the claim that there is no God. Because it’s a self-refuting assertion. In order to say it so absolutely, you’d have to know everything there is to know about everything in and around the universe. And in order to know all that, you’d have to BE God. Which would mean your argument would sound foo...

Hmm…can music change your mood? Spoiler, and short answer…no. Apparently a lot of people use that search phase, can music change your mood, on Google. Because Google serves up a lot of results for the question. But it’s really simple. Music cannot truly change your mood. And I’m not just saying this to start an argument, by the way.   If you ask, can music change your mood,...

Why do I write rhymes for you? Well, first off…maybe I don’t. After all, you might not like my style of writing. Or rhyming. And you almost certainly won’t like what I write about. At least not all (or most) of the time. But the reason I bring it up is because somebody recently asked me why I write so many rhymes for you, my readers and listeners. Simple…   Yeah, I write lo...

Redshift ideas have consequences If you’ve never heard of or looked into the redshift of light from distant stars, or the cosmic microwave background radiation (aka CMB), and the amount of helium in the universe, don’t feel bad. Because it’s not exactly typical dinner conversation. But it’s all pretty important…since it all contradicts the big bang theory.   Redshift...

What advantage do fear and worry give you? Spoiler. It’s a trick question. Because typical fear and worry, the kind you see all around you right now, give you absolutely no advantage. In business, creative endeavors, or any other part of life for that matter. But maybe you say you just “can’t help it.” With all the doubt and misinformation floating around, what’s a po...

Get your free money fast And get it “while the gittin’s good.” Because if you’ve got any sense left in your brain, heart, and soul, you know it can’t last. Right? Or can it? Maybe I’m just an aging, yet naive, so-n-so who don’t understand the powers of higher economics. (And I know it’s doesn’t instead of don’t…but I’m waxing...

Yeah, challenges people face are real Who knew? I can’t remember where I read it. But I recently saw where somebody wrote that as a headline. Or subhead, or something like that. Anyway…they probably thought they were saying something profound. But, of course, challenges people face are real. At least…until they’re not.   Yeah, and some challenges people face are fake. Or th...

Is the rising sun essential? As I was doing a little research for my daily writing idea, I looked up how essential sunlight is for good health. Keep in mind, I don’t always use keywords the typical way. Because I’m also looking for poetic, creative solutions and ideas. So, I typed in my keyword choice and came up with a “rising sun essential”suggestion, from Google. And, of...

Catch The Moon You can’t actually catch the moon. You might catch it or capture it in a photograph or video. But you might have noticed, in TV shows and other videos…the moon is big. And mighty far away. Oh yeah, it’s also not falling or being tossed. So you can’t catch it. All that being said, I wrote a song called “Catch The Moon”. Here it is…   Catch Th...

How long? More than just a question One day, back in 1975, I was driving on a small highway in Kansas with my radio on. I know…what are the odds? And I remember a song started playing, and I liked it before it got past the first couple of measures. Because it started with a simple bass line, added a simple drumbeat, and then added an electric piano. And then, one of my favorite vocalists (di...

Morning Lullaby What? Whoever heard of a morning lullaby? And who wants to go to sleep in the morning anyway? No, it’s not actually like that at all. You know me. I get these silly notions in my head, and I’m just liable to write ’em down. And most of the time it’s just excuses to stay in touch with you and let you in on some of the things I’ve been working on. Or wha...

Sing along songs for little buckaroos Way back in history…all the way back to the early 2000’s…there lived a seasoned songwriter. And he wrote whole collections of sing along songs for kids. Parents from far and near would buy those songs on little pieces of round plastic called CD’s. And their kids loved ’em. The songwriter sang lots of sing along songs, personalized...

Be careful…wishes might come true I talked about this about five years ago. But it’s still just as true as ever. You might be wishing for things to happen. Or not happen. And you might be wishing and hoping for things you’d be much better without. So, it’s mighty important to be careful with your wishes. And when I say careful, I mean full of care. A woman I know, who will...