Lightning Bolt by Pearl Jam
Someone posed online this question: what Pearl Jam song empowers you? I participated in the poll and quickly I answered, “Lightning Bolt,” a track from their Lightning Bolt album. Here’s a live performance by Pearl Jam of the song. It’s a joy to watch this.
Doing it carefully
“Whatever you’re doing, don’t hurry, even if whatever it is, is time sensitive. Don’t hurry. Whatever it is you’re doing, focus on it, and focus on doing it carefully.”
~ Gerry Alanguilan
Hootie and the Blowfish
Because their music is part of me already, I yearned for the music of Hootie and the Blowfish, the band I have known back in the ’90s, one of my favorite bands up to this day. The band is comprised of Darius Rucker (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Dean Felber (bass guitar), Mark Bryan (lead guitar), and Jim Sonefeld (drums).
Since my copies of their albums are cassette tapes, and my cassette player is no longer working, I went to Facebook to check for any videos of their songs for me to listen to and watch and share with my Facebook friends. I did see a few titles of their famous songs, including their guesting in 2015 during the final season of the Late Show with David Letterman performing “Hold My Hand.” It was so enjoyable seeing them perform, with a new arrangement of the song. I shared that one in my Facebook timeline.
When I spent time to read about the band, watch an interview of Larry King with Darius Rucker (because it has been so long), that is how I have learned that they actually started in 1986. They have been playing in bars for eight years until one day they were asked to guest on the Late Show with David Letterman. The story was, according to Darius, David Letterman was on his way home, happened to hear their music, then requested the driver to stop so David could ask his booking agent to get Hootie and the Blowfish on the show. That was Tuesday and on Friday they were there on the show. Darius shared that David made their career because back in 1994, grunge music was the king.
Darius shared they can never thank him enough, David meant a lot to them, to their band, they just did not know how much they meant to him to David until that moment when they were called to perform one last time in the final season of the show.
In the final season of the Late Show with David Letterman in 2015, Hootie and the Blowfish were on a period of hiatus, with every member of the band pursuing solo careers and different interests. When they were asked to perform again one last time for the show as requested by the host himself, Mr. David Letterman, they reunited just for him.
In December 2018, they finally decided to make a comeback.
Path to serenity
Fill your bowl to the brim
and it will spill.
Keep sharpening your knife
and it will blunt.
Chase after money and security
and your heart will never unclench.
Care about people’s approval
and you will be their prisoner.
Do your work, then step back.
The only path to serenity.
~ Lao Tzu
The chance to be brave
“’What does it mean if I’m afraid? Does it mean something bad is going to happen?’ ‘No, it doesn’t mean something bad is going to happen. It just means that you have the chance to be brave.’”
~C. Joybell C.
Reminder for everyone
When someone I know re-shared this on Facebook (she knew the author), I couldn’t help sharing this also here in WordPress. The value of asking permission.
At 64, I understood the value of permission.
Feedback given without permission is Criticism.
Advice given without permission is Mere Opinion.
Affection given without permission is Sexual Advance.
Help given without permission is Interference.
Input given without permission is mere Kibitzing.
Personal Questions asked without permission is Investigation
Proximity given without permission is Invasion of Personal Space
Intimacy displayed without permission is Invasion of Emotional Space
I have learned to ask, “May I?”
Funny. I should have learned this lesson when I was in Kindergarten when we played “Mother, May I” and you get “punished” for making a move without asking that Question.
Well, it’s never too late to learn the things that matter in life.
~Archie P. Inlong
Note: Mr Inlong got a Facebook Page that you can check out, https://www.facebook.com/standout.communicator
Rhythm and blues 