So, I have run the gambit of employment possibilities in the DFW area. I cannot seem to locate a job/career that not only suits my needs, but also is compatible enough with my attitude.
So, with that in mind, I have made a very difficult decision. I am moving up to Oklahoma to live close to my family and my grandmother. Incidentally, I will be caring for my granny and living right next to her on a nice piece of property. The property I lived on when I was a child. the same property that my papa built their house on before I was born. So, not only am I going to be close to my family on land that I am so connected to, but I'll also be fulfilling a desire to move back to the country I grew up in.
How appropriate is that?
About Me
- Toby
- I am 35, divorced, 1 son 7 years old. I live with my family. I lead a spiritual life within a Native American Medicine and Shamanism realm. I am an active solo musician as well as a part of "The Baghdad String Benders". I currently live and work in Baghdad, Iraq as a civilian contractor. I am versed in Middle Eastern, West African and Native American rhythms etc. I am also a "Trance Dancer" Perhaps also referred to as Totem Dancing, (not affiliated with Traditional Pow Wow dancing.) I also love the outdoors, camping, hiking, chasing storms (not for profit, more for personal pleasure). I am a diverse character to be sure.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
So, I'm fully immersed thus far, in some kind of sick universal game. One whee most of us have been the players at one time or he other.
It happens like this.
First, you geto to search for a job.
Second, you get to finally find one that you might like.
Thirdly, after finding out that you don't think you like the job, you quit and now have o start all over again. This whole beginning thing I am encountering is getting boorish. And it's not even like it's any one else's fault but my own. I have yet to find a job that I really like to work at. (besides music, and that job really doesn't pay unless you're a recorded artist)
So, this year has been about allot of quitting. Quitting smoking, good choice, so I can live a healthier and prosperous life. Well, so far I feel physically better, but this whole prosperous thing is really taking aim at me. I know, my 5th seven year cycle is about to begin...for those that are aware of what I am speaking of...See, things start to change from what a person is familiar with at the passing of each 7 years of life. I have referred to it as a rite of passage, which it is, but why should my life take on such drastic changes? The changes don't reserve themselves to every 7 years, but now it seems as seven times per year! LOL! Some joke this turned out to be. :(
Oh well, I know that spring is drawing closer to our time frame. The earth is warming up a bit at a time. Soon, it will be summer again. Time to fry in the Texas heat. Thanks to HUMANITY, we a re all drawing closer to another 7 year cycle beginning. (talking politics here, but I won't start a soapbox rant at the moment) ;)
Now that the earth is getting ready to be planted, we should remember that the seeds we plant now, may not all make it to the first harvest. We have one last cold spell that has yet to arrive on our weather scene. Mark my words, we WILL see another cold spell before March 22, 2007. (also the date of the Spring Equinox)
Also in the news: Daylight Saving Time. We got to move our clocks forward later this year. Thanks to our illustrious government. I am SO pleased about that one. It was so smart too. To cause the mass of it's citizens to ask, "How does that affect us?" Like we care when the time changes! Most don't have a clue as to why we observe daylight saving time anyhow!
The main purpose of Daylight Saving Time (called "Summer Time" in many places in the world) is to make better use of daylight. We change our clocks during the summer months to move an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. Daylight Saving Time gives us the opportunity to enjoy sunny summer evenings by moving our clocks an hour forward in the spring. Yet, the implementation of Daylight Saving Time has been fraught with controversy since Benjamin Franklin first conceived of the idea. The idea of daylight saving was first conceived by Benjamin Franklin (portrait at right) during his sojourn as an American delegate in Paris in 1784, in an essay, "An Economical Project." Read more about Franklin's essay.
Some of Franklin's friends, inventors of a new kind of oil lamp, were so taken by the scheme that they continued corresponding with Franklin even after he returned to America.
The idea was first advocated seriously by London builder William Willett (1857-1915) in the pamphlet, "Waste of Daylight" (1907), that proposed advancing clocks 20 minutes on each of four Sundays in April, and retarding them by the same amount on four Sundays in September. As he was taking an early morning a ride through Petts Wood, near Croydon, Willett was struck by the fact that the blinds of nearby houses were closed, even though the sun was fully risen. When questioned as to why he didn't simply get up an hour earlier, Willett replied with typical British humor, "What?" In his pamphlet "The Waste of Daylight" he wrote:
"Everyone appreciates the long, light evenings. Everyone laments their shortage as Autumn approaches; and everyone has given utterance to regret that the clear, bright light of an early morning during Spring and Summer months is so seldom seen or used."
Early British laws and lax observance
About one year after Willett began to advocate daylight saving (he spent a fortune lobbying), he attracted the attention of the authorities. Robert Pearce - later Sir Robert Pearce - introduced a bill in the House of Commons to make it compulsory to adjust the clocks. The bill was drafted in 1909 and introduced in Parliament several times, but it met with ridicule and opposition, especially from farming interests. Generally lampooned at the time, Willett died on March 4, 1915.
Following Germany’s lead, Britain passed an act on May 17, 1916, and Willett’s scheme of adding 80 minutes, in four separate movements was put in operation on the following Sunday, May 21, 1916. There was a storm of opposition, confusion, and prejudice. The Royal Meteorological Society insisted that Greenwich time would still be used to measure tides. The parks belonging to the Office of Works and the London County Council decided to close at dusk, which meant that they would be open an extra hour in the evening. Kew Gardens, on the other hand, ignored the daylight saving scheme and decided to close by the clock.
In Edinburgh, the confusion was even more marked, for the gun at the Castle was fired at 1:00 p.m. Summer Time, while the ball on the top of the Nelson monument on Calton Hill fell at 1:00 Greenwich Time. That arrangement was carried on for the benefit of seamen who could see it from the Firth of Forth. The time fixed for changing clocks was 2:00 a.m. on a Sunday.There was a fair bit of opposition from the general public and from agricultural interests who wanted daylight in the morning, but Lord Balfour came forward with a unique concern:
"Supposing some unfortunate lady was confined with twins and one child was born 10 minutes before 1 o'clock. ... the time of birth of the two children would be reversed. ... Such an alteration might conceivably affect the property and titles in that House."
After World War I, Parliament passed several acts relating to Summer Time. In 1925, a law was enacted that Summer Time should begin on the day following the third Saturday in April (or one week earlier if that day was Easter Day). The date for closing of Summer Time was fixed for the day after the first Saturday in October.
The energy saving benefits of Summer Time were recognized during World War II, when clocks in Britain were put two hours ahead of GMT during the summer. This became known as Double Summer Time. During the war, clocks remained one hour ahead of GMT throughout the winter.
A writer in 1947 noted, "I don't really care how time is reckoned so long as there is some agreement about it, but I object to being told that I am saving daylight when my reason tells me that I am doing nothing of the kind. I even object to the implication that I am wasting something valuable if I stay in bed after the sun has risen. As an admirer of moonlight I resent the bossy insistence of those who want to reduce my time for enjoying it. At the back of the Daylight Saving scheme I detect the bony, blue-fingered hand of Puritanism, eager to push people into bed earlier, and get them up earlier, to make them healthy, wealthy and wise in spite of themselves." (Robertson Davies, The Diary of Samuel Marchbanks, 1947, XIX, Sunday.)
As if us "saving" the hour during the summer is going to somehow give it back to us in the fall...umm, no. AND, we have to go to bed an hour later in the "fall back" time, thereby losing an hour of the same hour we saved! Dee, dee, dee!
Okay, okay, I am finished for tonight.
Peace!
It happens like this.
First, you geto to search for a job.
Second, you get to finally find one that you might like.
Thirdly, after finding out that you don't think you like the job, you quit and now have o start all over again. This whole beginning thing I am encountering is getting boorish. And it's not even like it's any one else's fault but my own. I have yet to find a job that I really like to work at. (besides music, and that job really doesn't pay unless you're a recorded artist)
So, this year has been about allot of quitting. Quitting smoking, good choice, so I can live a healthier and prosperous life. Well, so far I feel physically better, but this whole prosperous thing is really taking aim at me. I know, my 5th seven year cycle is about to begin...for those that are aware of what I am speaking of...See, things start to change from what a person is familiar with at the passing of each 7 years of life. I have referred to it as a rite of passage, which it is, but why should my life take on such drastic changes? The changes don't reserve themselves to every 7 years, but now it seems as seven times per year! LOL! Some joke this turned out to be. :(
Oh well, I know that spring is drawing closer to our time frame. The earth is warming up a bit at a time. Soon, it will be summer again. Time to fry in the Texas heat. Thanks to HUMANITY, we a re all drawing closer to another 7 year cycle beginning. (talking politics here, but I won't start a soapbox rant at the moment) ;)
Now that the earth is getting ready to be planted, we should remember that the seeds we plant now, may not all make it to the first harvest. We have one last cold spell that has yet to arrive on our weather scene. Mark my words, we WILL see another cold spell before March 22, 2007. (also the date of the Spring Equinox)
Also in the news: Daylight Saving Time. We got to move our clocks forward later this year. Thanks to our illustrious government. I am SO pleased about that one. It was so smart too. To cause the mass of it's citizens to ask, "How does that affect us?" Like we care when the time changes! Most don't have a clue as to why we observe daylight saving time anyhow!
The main purpose of Daylight Saving Time (called "Summer Time" in many places in the world) is to make better use of daylight. We change our clocks during the summer months to move an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. Daylight Saving Time gives us the opportunity to enjoy sunny summer evenings by moving our clocks an hour forward in the spring. Yet, the implementation of Daylight Saving Time has been fraught with controversy since Benjamin Franklin first conceived of the idea. The idea of daylight saving was first conceived by Benjamin Franklin (portrait at right) during his sojourn as an American delegate in Paris in 1784, in an essay, "An Economical Project." Read more about Franklin's essay.
Some of Franklin's friends, inventors of a new kind of oil lamp, were so taken by the scheme that they continued corresponding with Franklin even after he returned to America.
The idea was first advocated seriously by London builder William Willett (1857-1915) in the pamphlet, "Waste of Daylight" (1907), that proposed advancing clocks 20 minutes on each of four Sundays in April, and retarding them by the same amount on four Sundays in September. As he was taking an early morning a ride through Petts Wood, near Croydon, Willett was struck by the fact that the blinds of nearby houses were closed, even though the sun was fully risen. When questioned as to why he didn't simply get up an hour earlier, Willett replied with typical British humor, "What?" In his pamphlet "The Waste of Daylight" he wrote:
"Everyone appreciates the long, light evenings. Everyone laments their shortage as Autumn approaches; and everyone has given utterance to regret that the clear, bright light of an early morning during Spring and Summer months is so seldom seen or used."
Early British laws and lax observance
About one year after Willett began to advocate daylight saving (he spent a fortune lobbying), he attracted the attention of the authorities. Robert Pearce - later Sir Robert Pearce - introduced a bill in the House of Commons to make it compulsory to adjust the clocks. The bill was drafted in 1909 and introduced in Parliament several times, but it met with ridicule and opposition, especially from farming interests. Generally lampooned at the time, Willett died on March 4, 1915.
Following Germany’s lead, Britain passed an act on May 17, 1916, and Willett’s scheme of adding 80 minutes, in four separate movements was put in operation on the following Sunday, May 21, 1916. There was a storm of opposition, confusion, and prejudice. The Royal Meteorological Society insisted that Greenwich time would still be used to measure tides. The parks belonging to the Office of Works and the London County Council decided to close at dusk, which meant that they would be open an extra hour in the evening. Kew Gardens, on the other hand, ignored the daylight saving scheme and decided to close by the clock.
In Edinburgh, the confusion was even more marked, for the gun at the Castle was fired at 1:00 p.m. Summer Time, while the ball on the top of the Nelson monument on Calton Hill fell at 1:00 Greenwich Time. That arrangement was carried on for the benefit of seamen who could see it from the Firth of Forth. The time fixed for changing clocks was 2:00 a.m. on a Sunday.There was a fair bit of opposition from the general public and from agricultural interests who wanted daylight in the morning, but Lord Balfour came forward with a unique concern:
"Supposing some unfortunate lady was confined with twins and one child was born 10 minutes before 1 o'clock. ... the time of birth of the two children would be reversed. ... Such an alteration might conceivably affect the property and titles in that House."
After World War I, Parliament passed several acts relating to Summer Time. In 1925, a law was enacted that Summer Time should begin on the day following the third Saturday in April (or one week earlier if that day was Easter Day). The date for closing of Summer Time was fixed for the day after the first Saturday in October.
The energy saving benefits of Summer Time were recognized during World War II, when clocks in Britain were put two hours ahead of GMT during the summer. This became known as Double Summer Time. During the war, clocks remained one hour ahead of GMT throughout the winter.
A writer in 1947 noted, "I don't really care how time is reckoned so long as there is some agreement about it, but I object to being told that I am saving daylight when my reason tells me that I am doing nothing of the kind. I even object to the implication that I am wasting something valuable if I stay in bed after the sun has risen. As an admirer of moonlight I resent the bossy insistence of those who want to reduce my time for enjoying it. At the back of the Daylight Saving scheme I detect the bony, blue-fingered hand of Puritanism, eager to push people into bed earlier, and get them up earlier, to make them healthy, wealthy and wise in spite of themselves." (Robertson Davies, The Diary of Samuel Marchbanks, 1947, XIX, Sunday.)
As if us "saving" the hour during the summer is going to somehow give it back to us in the fall...umm, no. AND, we have to go to bed an hour later in the "fall back" time, thereby losing an hour of the same hour we saved! Dee, dee, dee!
Okay, okay, I am finished for tonight.
Peace!
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
63 days, no smoking!
Almost 2 weeks without work...
Almost 1 week without a band...
Geez, wonder what's next?
I figure, if it's really supposed to happen, me being found, discovered, signed etc, it will have to happen in my dreams because it seems I am not cut out to be in a band, at least not one that plays rock and roll. Seems that my sound is too clean, too smooth, too un rock-n-roll. So I should "not be in a metal band" if I am going to be a frontman vocalist. Seems that I "should stick to coffe shops and places where the girls can swoon at my sounds". I should not stop playing the music I have, cause it's great, I just can't "front a metal band". Those quotes are directly from one of the members of the band I WAS in. They liked all my originals, even liked the words to the songs that I penned for them on other songs even. They like the fact that I can pen a song lyric with an idea in front of me and not too much time spent. Hmmm, I seem to have all the stuff together to make it in rock, just not the sound of a scratchy, smoked out, coarse sounding voice. I have been likened unto Queensryche, The Cult, Bad Company and a few others, but I am not new enough to front a metal band. I guess that makes me talented enough to sing, but too talented to be involved with a band that wants to make it? That doesn't make a lick of sense to me personally, but maybe I'm not seeing the whole picture.
Maybe I should focus on other things, like career, family, social life, community...Maybe I should just be a hobby musician in my spare time. Play the coffee houses, open mics for the rest of my life. Maybe it's about tenacity, maybe it's about my ego, maybe I should be more forceful with band mates in the future, if I so choose to be a part of another band that is.
Oh well, guess I'll see how it goes.
Peace.
Almost 2 weeks without work...
Almost 1 week without a band...
Geez, wonder what's next?
I figure, if it's really supposed to happen, me being found, discovered, signed etc, it will have to happen in my dreams because it seems I am not cut out to be in a band, at least not one that plays rock and roll. Seems that my sound is too clean, too smooth, too un rock-n-roll. So I should "not be in a metal band" if I am going to be a frontman vocalist. Seems that I "should stick to coffe shops and places where the girls can swoon at my sounds". I should not stop playing the music I have, cause it's great, I just can't "front a metal band". Those quotes are directly from one of the members of the band I WAS in. They liked all my originals, even liked the words to the songs that I penned for them on other songs even. They like the fact that I can pen a song lyric with an idea in front of me and not too much time spent. Hmmm, I seem to have all the stuff together to make it in rock, just not the sound of a scratchy, smoked out, coarse sounding voice. I have been likened unto Queensryche, The Cult, Bad Company and a few others, but I am not new enough to front a metal band. I guess that makes me talented enough to sing, but too talented to be involved with a band that wants to make it? That doesn't make a lick of sense to me personally, but maybe I'm not seeing the whole picture.
Maybe I should focus on other things, like career, family, social life, community...Maybe I should just be a hobby musician in my spare time. Play the coffee houses, open mics for the rest of my life. Maybe it's about tenacity, maybe it's about my ego, maybe I should be more forceful with band mates in the future, if I so choose to be a part of another band that is.
Oh well, guess I'll see how it goes.
Peace.
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