Jesus Believes in us ... Happy Easter!

Reflecting upon Easter this year, I find myself thinking that perhaps Easter means that Jesus believes in us … Believes in us so much that He was willing to lay His life on the line for our salvation. With that kind of backing:  how we can we not keep hope?  So count your blessings, find happiness in the moment unfolding at hand and May God's Blessing be upon you and yours this Easter, or as my kids would say "Happy Easter!"

The next progression ....

What's in a song?  ... And what happens when the music stops?  Ends?

Perhaps in Fiction ...

"Dazed and Confused:  A Rhapsody Beyond Pink"

@Copyrighted Photograph, February 2013.  All Rights Reserved: Isabelle Black Smith.

"Perhaps in fiction, we writers can unleash the demons
that lurk within the dark shadows of our subconscious minds. 
Giving them voice to freely untwist and unfold,
with sincerest hopes of achieving
a long-held wanting of release
and a final peace, as we ourselves are at last
with pen to written words set free."  
~Isabelle Black Smith

For I seem to be discovering, these days, that the words I am most in need of hearing seem to be coming --most unexpectedly-- not from without, but rather from deep within in a booming voice of subconscious release.  … And as I write, I see now that there are some wounds that cut too deeply to ever heal completely.

“Tick, tick, tick …”

 
 

"The wise man speaks when and where his opinions are
likely to have greatest impact."
~Me, Isabelle Black Smith

 

“The wise man also pauses to listen.” …

 

I've noticed --especially lately, since joining Twitter-- that people have a tendency gravitate towards those who are of a similar mind. You see this sort of behavior most often in subject matter pertaining to religion and politics. And once people are in this ‘comfort zone’ of like-mindedness they seem to find they like speaking at those who readily approve of their opinions/message ... though not everyone has an actual --or meaningful-- message I have found.  I say speaking “at” because of those speaking, those who actually pause for a moment to listen appear to be in lop-sided minority. There are, however, occasionally a few brave –or crazy as the case may be-- souls who will step up to the plate and openly embrace the posing of a counter viewpoint, and when the discussions that follow this posing are conducted in a civil manner, with fact-based truth and non-partisan speak, the potential for meaningful dialogue and enlightenment (the consideration of a previously unconsidered approach to the viewing of a problem) exists.  More often than not, from what I have witnessed thus far, these sorts of opposing viewpoint discussions rapidly degrade into worthless shouting matches and name hurling … which makes me wonder if everyone having a social media pulpit right at their fingertips is truly such a wonderful thing? With everyone shouting the likelihood of making meaningful progress towards solving the real problems facing our nation seems to be lost in the Echo … Echo … Echo ….

 
Respect works both ways.  Perhaps if people would exercise just a modicum of restraint, resisting the initial temptation to shout back when someone hurls a verbal blow their direction, and then stick to the facts, with the ultimate goal being an open and honest expression of opinion married with a willingness to truly hear the other side: then we would finally begin to make some headway in moving forward with the fixing of the multitude of problems plaguing our nation.  The way I see it right now, we have been seriously derailed as a nation. We’ve completely lost the far-sighted vision that once made America so great and are at present sitting in the ditch alongside the main road, merely spinning our myopic wheels while a multitude of highly significant clocks are tick, tick, ticking … Tick, tick, tick: the obvious national debt clock. Tick, tick, tick: Obmacare funding & unleashing … And the clock that should be ticking loudest right now: losing the Keystone Pipeline --our chance for immediate full-scale Energy Independence*, coupled with thousands++ of long-term jobs to stimulate our national economy without long-term government funding-- for failure to act while conveniently being distracted with sifting through the sands of Sequestration.

 
The clocks are ticking where do you stand? But more importantly, perhaps: when and where and how will you speak to effect change? And when was the last time that you stopped to truly listen?

@Copyrighted Essay, March 11, 2013: Isabelle Black Smith.  All Rights Reserved.

 * Energy Independence, meaning freedom from whims of Middle Eastern oil cartels.  Immediate and full-scale meaning a readily translatable into useable energy product, with existing technology and infrastructure to support immediate use on a large scale.

"People, Hell and Angels", New Jimi Hendrix Album

A new Jimi Hendrix album, compiled from various archival tape footage, is being released by Experience Hendrix -- the corporate entity run by Janie Hendrix, Jimi's younger step-sister.  This new album is scheduled for release this upcoming, Tuesday, March 5th.  The "People, Hell and Angels" album reveals a bluesier side of this rock legend.  You can have a listen and preview of the album for yourself at NPR.   Two of my personal favorite songs on the new album are "Izabella" and  "Hear My Train  A Comin'."  Enjoy!



"People, Hell and Angels" New Jimi Hendrix Album Preview

Image Source

I love this photo of Jimi!  The thoughtful look in his eyes, holding his beloved source of escape and inspiration: inspiration for the muse himself.  Click on the image source link to visit the site of  a record collector who actually owns a group of 21 albums from Jimi's personal record collection, as sold by Kathy Etchingham at auction in, in the UK in 2001. Cool to see some of the music that Jimi listened to ... his source of personal inspiration from fellow musicians. I wasn't surprised to see Dylan in his collection, another of my favorites.  Does make me pause and wonder how many of today's musicians don't have a tangible (can be held sans electronics) collection of their musical inspiration, a collection that can be physically perused, contemplated  ... collections now-a-days reside in the sphere of digital ones and zeros for the most part.  I still collect my favorites on vinyl though --whenever possible. I'm partial to the analog range and subtle nuances?

Here's a link to a USA interview with Janie Hendrix that shares her personal insights and reflections on her brother's music, found in this new release, as well as the parting bit of wisdom that he left her with.


3/5/2013  FYI:  Just checked and the new album "People, Hell and Angels" is now available on Spotify as well. 

Inoculation ....

Yahhhh .... Crowd Following, pretty certain I received that inoculation.  Would that this inoculation were more widely available????