Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Acoustic Version, Collective Soul, "Under Heaven's Skies"



I love this acoustic version of Collective Soul singing "Under Heaven's Skies". It is from their CD "Youth". It's not my favorite cd overall by Collective Soul, but I love this song. My favorite cd's by Collective Soul are Blender and Dosage. Both cd's are great from beginning to end if you are not familiar with them. I really want to catch them in concert sometime.

Their latest cd "Afterwards" I have yet to hear. If you have heard it please let me know your review of it and if it's worth spending $17 on. Cd's have become so expensive. I really like to know what I'm purchasing ahead of time, I've been burned before by mediocre cd's from groups I love, buying them without hearing them first, however, not yet with Collective Soul cd's. I hope you enjoy the video and song! Let me know in comments what you think.

Monday, January 26, 2009

A great song and video by U2, Yahweh

New York City, New Year's Eve 2006


Pictured above, C. Dylan and Barb, NYC, Times Square, New Year's Eve 2006

My friend Barb travelled all the way from St. Louis to see the ball drop. It was a great experience for both of us. A special event and great memory!


There is nothing quite like watching the ball drop in NYC on Times Square. How many people actually make it to this once-in-a-lifetime event? It is definetely worth doing. My good friend Barb and I saw it 2 years ago, on New Year's eve 2006 ringing in 2007. We were out in the early afternoon to make sure we got a good view and we sure did. We were right there in the middle of the action. The crowd was friendly and the energy of the experience was awesome. The music and energy flowed, the crowds roared and the streets were thronged with people from all over the world. The only downside was a lack of restrooms, once you got in the central viewing area they had major crowd control and gates in play and one could not leave the area to use a restroom after about 6pm. Needless to say by the time midnight came round' I was not a happy camper with this policy! Can you say add a port-o-pot next time please!


During this trip Barb and I also went down and explored Greenwich Village, one of my favorite places in the USA. We had pizza and stopped by Washington Square Park (I love that place, a must see) and went to my favorite whole bean coffee store on Bleecker Street, it's called Porto Rico Importing Company. It was established in 1907. My parents have been friends with the owner's family for many years. The Longo's are some of the nicest people. They have some of the best beans in the world and do quite a business, the line wrapped way around the store. They just sell beans and don't have a cafe to sit in. I just love that place. I bought some great beans to take home and enjoy.


Barb and I had been to NYC once before and took the Circle Line Tour around Manhattan that was quite a site. We also took a cool bus tour sitting on the top of a double decker bus. I was not used to being a "tourist" in NYC, since my parents grew up there, my brother lived there, and I'd been to NY so many times in my life. Barb just loved it and took many pictures. I still remember visiting my grandfather, who lived on the upper East Side, when I was a small child. He will always have a special place in my heart. I wish he were still here to tell me stories of his days in the merchant marines and working on tugboats in the New York Harbor.


We went to ground zero on our previous trip, I just had a sick feeling in my stomach seeing the forlorn scene of the great crime. But I'm glad I did, it brought some closure for me. I had been to the top of the World Trade Center twice in my life, once when I was about 9 and again in my early 20's. So sad and tragic what happened, an understatement. I loved seeing those Twin Towers in the skyline growing up. It still feels weird visiting NYC and not seeing those buildings. Creepy.


New York has a special, vibrant energy I have not experienced anywhere else in the world. I will forever remember that trip. Barb and I had a great lunch on New Year's Day, I had the best Rueben ever. New York has the world's best sandwiches too! I just love a hot pastrami sandwich on Rye bread and no where else can one be found so good as NYC. Great memories...

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Revere The Glorious Coffee Bean!


Behold, a roasted nugget of black gold! I bow to the spirit of natural Caffeine, delivered in its human altered form, the roasted bean. Ground, refined and brewed in hot water. Served in its myriad forms.


Dear Beans:
You have added so much joy to my life and to millions of others. We are not sure if lust for you is classified as an official addiction in the DSM-IV, but your beautiful existence brings joy, a heightened awareness and clarity of reality. Your aroma is better than any perfume. Millions awake to your taste each day. Many drink it all day, some all night to stay awake. Whether for utility or infatuation, you are loved the world over. Thank you for being you. And a shout out to our ancestors who nurtured you and cultivated you to be so varied and rich. Consumers of the Bean Unite!
Your Friend, a fan of the bean.

A Saturday chillin' out with some Java


I am chillin' out with some coffee today. I went to Starbucks with a friend yesterday and loe and behold, they were giving out free beans of their French Roast. They were small bags, but free nonetheless, so I won't complain! I ground those puppies up when I awoke at 5am this morning for my daily jog (and if you believe that I've got some ocean front property in Nebraska to offer you) So it was more like 11am. They are great smelling beans, I love to savor the aroma of fresh, ground beans, imagining I am getting a direct caffeine hit to my lungs sped to my brain in about 15 seconds flat! I imagine this is not possible but it sounds good. I just love the smell of fresh coffee beans, it is as godly as cleanliness in my book.
The photo attached I found free on the web, it's actually of a cappucino....I wish I had one....just cups of nice coffee today, but I love the photo and the warmth of a nice java drink on a cold winter day just makes me smile:)
I've realized how much of a novice I am to blogging the past week. I've learned a lot so far, I don't know how to do HTML code, but at least I know it stands for Hyper Text Markup Language. I learned what an RSS Feed stands for, Real Simple Syndication but have no idea how to use it! I'm learning about Tweets and Twitter, Flickr and others... I still don't know how to link a YouTube video to my blog, my friend is being gracious enough to show me how soon. I also want to learn how to add a site counter, for my own curiousity, I'm curious to see how many folks are checking out my thoughts, however few or many. I am glad for Any audience! I'll keep you up to date as I learn more about how to blog with more tools and how to raise my Web 2.0 IQ!
I am planning another entry for today...for now...I am enjoying my coffee and I wish you a great weekend of relaxation and peace. Peace about....and glory to the Java Bean

Monday, January 19, 2009

Here's to the success of our great new President


Restore America's Promise and Greatness, I wish much success to our New President and the much needed Hope and Change

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Letting Go : A Poem

Metaphysic-psycho-logotherapeutic-self-help-pseudo-spiritual-non-fictional,
t e x t s,
want the reader-consumer-patient-self-audience,
to
just let go.

Just, Let, Go. Arm-chair amateur therapists throw this advice around.

Not, Go! Not go here or there. But Go away, be gone, stop-holding-onto-attachment-emotional stuck/rut/caught in the moment-ness.

Tossed/thrown/placed/deposited/discarded,
into the trash bin of human suffering.

(Tis a rather large landfill presently)
Some speculate in the future world of some 10 billion beings, these dumps of tragic pain and loss will be shot into space by rockets to prophetic, stellar emotive-Space-fills. So much for composting of pain into hope plants.

Letting bygones be really gone. Be gone with past realities.

Anxiety
Fear
Paranoia
Anger
Disappointment
Loss
Regrets
Depression

Disenchantment
Say goodbye to these and more.

Believe in the cliché, in destruction there is creation.

Let go of the past, the pain.
Grab onto Hope.

Love. Compassion. Peace. Health.
Calm. Balance. Joy. Spiritual growth.
Purpose. Meaning. Grab onto hope.

Love God, humankind, self.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Yet Another Existential Crisis? Please..

An existential crisis is a crisis of meaning and purpose for an individual. It's roots come from the philosophies of Kierkegaard, Sartre among others. I have been through several of these in my lifetime. "Man is free yet everywhere he is in chains" unknown author. The idea that with extreme freedom and choice one is overwhelmed by this responsibility causing a state of dread and fear of death. I only have one life what the hell do I do with it? Which career to take, which relationship to be in, where to live, what to spend my time doing, and leaving a mark on the world or just along for the ride. All of these concerns come with existential choice.

I thought I had it figured out in my teens. First it was to be a famous politician known for doing great things to help people. This lead to studying Political Science at Rutgers University (along with a minor in Philosophy). Then came the disillusionment with politics and all its nastiness and the idea of becoming a lawyer no longer sat well with me. I loved learning about law and politics but did not want a career in that competitive cut-throat world.

Then came the hotel and travel industry for 4 years. I found myself in being in other places. I had a great job as a quasi meeting planner/tour guide/trip coordinator and I travelled the world literally. It was a great time and I learned so much. But it was not enough for me. I craved more and had been reading Entrepreneur magazine in my spare time. I dove into Wall Street for a chance to prove my mettle at running a business and with hopes of riches like any other young aspiring stockbroker. 12 years later I find myself confused, lost, afraid and unsure of what to do next in my life's journey. The late 30's existential crisis. It's not a midlife crisis, I'm not going to go out and buy a Harley or convertible..it's more troubling and unsettling. To not know what to become or do, amidst The Great Recession, a horrible job market.

I have been soul searching for several years about what I want to become on the career front. I've considered such disparate choices as inner city school teacher, social worker/therapist, nurse, pharmacy tech, bookstore clerk, getting a Masters in Political Science and teaching, doing Compliance work in the securities industry, truck driving and last but not least hotel management.
I've drawn t chart comparisons, pro/con lists, taken online career tests, personality tests, etc. I am still confused and don't know what to do. The clock is ticking, I am not growing any younger, my bank account is slipping, the competition for jobs is thickening and this confusion is not helping my self-esteem.

God, please provide me with guidance and direction as to what career path will lead to the most happiness and contribution to society of my talents. Please do it soon! Oh, and when you find this perfect job please let me get it.

Thank you. Amen. Praise Jah. Peace about.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

The Eclectic Neo-Bohemian Shares his Thoughts

I just know it is time to go public and web publish my ideas. My notebooks have been overflowing with random scriblings, poems, essays, ideas, commentaries, thoughts, ideas, inspirations. For years I have only shared my poems with my closest of friends. They are lifeless inside those dog-eared journals, notepads, and sometimes on plain yellow post-it notes.

I feel the need to share my thoughts. Share my poems. Open up some minds with fresh ideas. Explore the blogosphere as a participant, not just an observer. I want this blog to be an eclectic collection of textual artifacts of my post-modern American existenz.

I will be free to discuss my favorite books, coffees, political observations, social commentaries and any other creative juice that wants to flow out of me onto the virtual computer screen to be seen by the few or the many. Oh, and I take artistic license to add the occasional photo of my favorite dogs, photos of my abstract paintings, and links to places on the web that interest me and might be of interest to you.

So please, sit back, relax, pour yourself a nice hot cup of coffee or tea and explore the world seen from C. Dylan's vantage point. I'd love to hear what you think. Thank you for reading! Peace about.