NEW MONTH, OLD PRAYERS

A new month is upon us.., September was filled with excitement. How in the world will October ever top it??! Frankly, I could do with a little less drama in the weather.., a lot less scandal in politics and far more spiritually in religion. Oh yeah, and more Love and Forgiveness from my fellow brothers, especially when it's appropriate, which is, ALL THE TIME !!

If you're in need of a pick-me-up.., link over to my page at MySpace and check out some of the new artists I've discovered in my 'friends' section. (Above or to the right, in links)

So much talent, and so few places to really showcase it, properly. I've got to do something about that...,

Stay tuned...

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"Never discourage anyone...who continually makes progress,

no matter how slow." - Plato

Oprah's Katrina Homes

Oprah's back and at it again !!

Her 20th Anniversary Season began today and she had a major announcement about her personal contribution to those victims of Hurricane Katrina. She's personally donating $10 Million dollars of her own money that's specifically being earmarked to build new homes and lives and she's also launching a 'registry' for others to help furnish those homes, at the level of their personal ability. Translation; you can go online and buy a toaster.., or a sofa.., or the whole house, if you roll like that !! In the end, we are seeing a lot of support finally coming to an area of our country that's been long neglected. But don't fool yourselves into believing that for one minute, that's the only area of poor people in these United States of America that need our support. We can only pray that our eyes have been opened, collectively, to the suffering of the 'Least of US' and that our collective hearts, finally, can make a difference in those whose voices have been muffled for so long. Link through the subject title to make a contribution. ~~BD

MESSAGES for the SOUL

HIS HOLINESS, THE DALAI LAMA


Forming a new world religion is difficult and not particularly desirable. However, in that love is essential to all religions, one could speak of the universal religion of love.

~:~

As long as there is a lack of the inner discipline that brings calmness of mind, no matter what external facilities or conditions you have, they will never give you the feeling of joy and happiness that you are seeking. On the other hand, if you possess this inner quality of calmness of mind, a degree of stability within, then even if you lack various external facilities that you would normally consider necessary for happiness, it is still possible to live a happy and joyful life.

~:~

Nature’s Law dictates that, in order to survive, bees must work together. As a result, they instinctively possess a sense of social responsibility. They have no constitution, no law, no police, no religion or moral training, but because of their nature, they labor faithfully together. Occasionally, they may fight, but in general, based on cooperation, the whole colony survives. We human beings have a constitution, laws and a police force. We have religion, remarkable intelligence and a heart with a great capacity for love. We have many extraordinary qualities, but in actual practice, I think we are lagging behind those small insects. In some respects, I feel we are poorer than the bees.

~:~

Generally speaking, even if money brings us happiness, it tends to be the kind which money can buy: material things and sensory experiences. And these, we discover, become a source of suffering themselves. As far as actual possessions are concerned, we must admit that they often cause us more, not less, difficulty in life. The car breaks down, we lose our money, our most precious belongings are stolen, our house is damaged by fire.
Or we worry about these things happening.

~:~

I believe there is an important distinction to be made between religion and spirituality. Religion I take to be concerned with belief in the claims to salvation of one faith tradition or another--an aspect of which is acceptance of some form of meta-physical or philosophical reality, including perhaps an idea of heaven or hell. Connected with this are religious teachings or dogma, ritual, prayers and so on. Spirituality I take to be concerned with those qualities of the human spirit--such as love and compassion, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, contentment, a sense of responsibility, a sense of harmony, which bring happiness to both self and others.

~:~

The threshold between right and wrong is pain.

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Imagine All the People

In these times, we need guidance. Stay tuned for more Messages for the Soul from our treasury of Spiritual Teachers. If you grow impatient, link through the subject line to a site that's totally about inspiration. ~~ BD

H E R O

African-Americans have many so-called heros, mostly athletes and certainly actors and musicians, especially if they're rich and successful. We seldom make heros of common folks, you know, like scientists or scholars.., laborers or teachers. We pay lip-service to how much those lesser gods have blessed us, taught us values and guided us in the midst of trouble, but we purchase posters of Jordan or Tiger and hang them proudly as if these few have deposited the most into our lives.., or hearts. No one has more admiration for those that are certainly doing a good job with their celebrity and have proven time and again to be benevolent creatures with incredible pressures and opportunities to be much less most of the time. But admiration alone does not make a hero.

I've seen heros on my tele recently and they weren't camera ready. They were forced into roles of super human patience and compassion in the midst of almost insurmontable odds. Uneducated and uncultured 'tho spectacularly heroic, each and every one. I don't have a list of names to applaud, nor will there be any promotional merchandise for their heroism, but they will be recorded in the annals of Heaven for being selfless and generous.

Hurricane Katrina has been a great litmus test for HEROS. Perhaps you're one, reading this now. If so, I'm applauding you for being courageous and caring in these trying times. Next time you pass by a mirror, take a mental picture of yourself and remember from this day forward what a real HERO looks like.


However, if you still need another image of Heroism, here's my personal Hero, our future President of America, Senator Barack Obama. He's taking on the old Republican guard concerning their views and values toward those that have historically been less forturnate. He's about to 'rise to the occasion' in a very significant way. Remember you read it here, first.


BePEACE.

Brokeback Mountain

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN

Well, it's about to get 'hot in here' !! I can feel the heat from the bible belt, gearing up their scriptures and holy water and preparing to camp out, if necessary, in the parking lots of the first theatres daring to show the most anticipated love story, since Love Story! Ang Lee's tale of the homosexual love between two cowboys set in the conservative West of the 1960s won the Venice Film Festival's top award Saturday (the 10th).

"Brokeback Mountain", starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, topped 19 other competitors, including favorite "Good Night, and Good Luck," George Clooney's black-and-white movie set in the McCarthy era of the early 1950s.

Receiving the Golden Lion award, Lee described his movie as a "great American love story" that is unique and so universal. "I'm so glad it's prevailed here and was received so warmly here," he said. Based on a novella by "The Shipping News" author E. Annie Proulx, the movie has sweeping vistas, lonesome men, bucking broncos and smoldering campfires. It also has sex scenes between two men whose lives are changed, disturbed and entwined after being hired to tend sheep for a summer in Wyoming. I think, hands down, this film could become a classic if the first trailers are any indication. (The trailer is in the link of the title, above.) Stay tune for a full review after I've had the honor and pleasure of getting to preview it, soon.

Lee's other films include "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Hulk," "The Ice Storm" and "Sense and Sensibility."


More blogs about Brokeback Mountain.

I Wrote a Book

Wholiness: A Spiritual Journey of Discovery

Yes, after reading all these other's words, it was time to write down some of my own. This is a short, self-published booklet about a special period of change in my life. I learned to love myself after years of self-loathing and denial: a period of darkness that ended in glorious LIGHT. The booklet is available through the subject link above for a small donation, or linked through the title for those that cannot support financially, but still would like to read about my journey.

Published in 2003 by EdenDust and Lulu Publishing.

Are You Watching, The First 48?

A&E: The FIRST 48


When a couple is found shot to death, Kansas City investigators track down two suspects and must convince one of them to give up the other--his own father; and detectives must rely on inhabitants of a drug-ridden area to help solve a murder, hoping that the word on the street will crack the case. Join the detective teams as they race the clock in The First 48.

This series on A&E might seem like an unlikely review for the spirit of this page. But, before you so easily prematurely judge my eclectic taste in programming, consider this: We are a very violent society and every day we endure countless newscasts about the state of our world and it's lack of love or respect for it's neighbors. We violate as many of the ten commandments on a daily basis as we can, it would appear, and we often find our greatest success or notoreity when we do. So along comes a show that is as raw as it gets and in it's rawness is the most honest protrait of real evil on the networks. The First 48 shows us our sins in technicolor detail and if we heed the advice and warnings of the detectives, we might learn not only how to view our neighborhoods but our neighbors, differently. We learn a measure of patience and grace while seeing these admirable men and women performing tasks that many of us would find distasteful no matter how necessary. And, they do it with a combination of grace and peace that's uncanny and extremely humane. These detectives are mothers and fathers, often, with families that need them in the same time period they're away dealing with the worst of mankind. How do they do it? WHY do they do it? Questions such as these will be conversations for the proverbial water coolers as many are tuning in more and more to this crime drama, that's ultimately not a drama at all, but a real horrific tragedy that a show like this could even exist in primetime. Not for the subject matter, mind you, but that there's such a depth of material available for it's creation in the first place! It would appear that this world we're living in is bent on self-destruction, one neighbor and one neighborhood at a time. ~~BD

UnSpoken UnDiscovered

MATT MORRIS: UnSpoken

I suspect I'm one of the last to hear this release from December of 2002 by Matt Morris, incredibly talented son of singer-songwriter Gary Morris that many might remember from being on Broadway in '87 in Les Miserables, but who also had a number of successful releases for several critical years in the evolution of contemporary country music. I mention this pedigree quickly to only say that genetically, Matt certainly comes by his talent honestly. But I would do a disservice to give the impression that genetics is totally responsible for this level of gift. No, this is something beyond anything that might be passed from father to son, unless you mean to reference the Heavenly Father. If so, then you might be quite accurate for this young man is simply Touched by God. He produced, wrote, arranged and sang this auspicious release and played all the key instruments and nothing suffers.., not one note is out of place, or out of tune, or out of time. If I could dare use the word perfect, it would still be an understatement. What we have here is nothing short of a divine visitation, manifested in flesh and blood in the mind, body, soul and voice of Matt Morris.

He seems to have friends in interesting places: Justin Timberlake, Christian Aguilera have all co-written with him and he gives thanks on his CD to many other incredible musicians and writers that leads me to think that although the public might not be totally aware of the magnitude of his talent, many in the industry do seem to know his name.

ETERNITY is the first complete song on the CD, but there're UnSpoken interludes that open the CD and occur throughout the long play that bridge these musical expressions that seem to honor the mind, body and soul, lyrically. In Eternity, he writes an homage to God that only can come from a serious walk and intimate knowledge and experience of The Infinite. Just listening to WATCHING OVER YOU you'll soon discover that he literally writes (and performs) from an anointed place that will move you in places you've forgotten needed caressing. BE MY LOVE is the best of the sensual songs. The co-penned Timberlake tune, GO AWAY, is heartachingly sublime. Socially conscious, THE WORLD I'M LIVING IN is Matt at his most creative musically and inspirationally.

Do seek out this CD (linked in the subject title) and give yourself a belated gift. Do try and listen straight through with your heart and mind open and prepare to be elevated into the presence of The Beloved. Yes, this CD is that good. Thank you, Matt for being the best example I've heard in a very long time of a willing and committed 'vessel' for all that God had available uniquely for you in this moment. This was the best 44:19 minutes I've ever spent. ~~ BD

IDOL American

BO BICE


I didn't write about Mister Bice when he was on American Idol last season, mainly because I wanted to see what kind of artist he would become once faced with fame and fortune. Seems Bo hasn't changed and if it's possible to become even more humble, well he has. He married his live in girlfriend.., and rumor has it, they're expecting a child. He breaks his foot, on stage, but continues the tour, only to be sidelined in the end by a bowel obstruction! Now he's about to return to the Idol Tour with his fellow cast mates with not one, but two new songs inspired by the recent Katrina troubles. At the show Sunday (the 11th) at the Oncenter in Syracuse, New York, Bo will debut the song he wrote after the hurricane struck called "We Can't Change This World." He's even starting a new site to raise money for diaster relief: www.BoBiceRelief.com

"The chorus is, 'We can't change this world.., If we can't change our minds,'" Bice said of the song, which, like Kanye West's recent controversial remarks, questions whether the nation's delayed response to the tragedy correlates with the race of the majority of the victims. "The only way to curb discrimination and belligerent ignorance is to educate, and the way to educate is to go down there and identify. When you pick up an old black man out of a mud pile, then it's not just something on TV anymore."

The rocker even offered his empty home in Helena to a homeless family of five from Grand Isle, Louisiana.
Bice, who now lives in Nashville, Tennessee tells MTV News, "We're going to get that house furnished and check their kids into school. I don't know them but I know they need help. They're human beings. That's the smallest thing I can do is let my empty house go to them. The biggest thing we can do is go down there and help out. This is our chance to shine, to do something with life."

This inforced break in Bo's schedule was just what was needed in order for this man to get ready for the time in his life. The foundation is there: he writes, sings, plays and thoroughly enjoys his time in front of his band, SugarMoney. All that's been missing are consistent audiences that will allow him to become all that he's destined to become.

Enjoy this calm before the storm 'cause it's possibly the last break you'll get before you're thrusted into the spotlight, forever! I'll be Prayin' for ya, Bo!! ~~BD

This just in: Bo Bice's Baby
E! Online
Mon, 26 Sep 2005 - No more idle time for this Idol. Bo Bice and his wife, Caroline Fisher, welcomed son Aidan Bice into the world Saturday, Bice's RCA rep, Roger Widynowski, confirms. It's the first child for both.

ANGEL BROTHERS

AngelBrother
(c) EdenDust Publishing

There's some incredibly talented individuals out there, now, with serious musical skill and intense lyrical depth. Here's a link where you can be introduced to many of them. Check out www.TaoBrothers.net and come back here and let me know who moves you.

~~BD

All My Musical Friends

AMOS LEE

Amos Lee is a star in the making..., and, an unusual one, to boot. He's going to be compared to Norah Jones and rightfully so, as he has that same tenderness of style in his lyric delivery and writing. But, unlike Norah, there's a little grit in Amos and he's going to be a hard artist to categorize. Opening for Bob Dylan and Merle Haggard, he's obviously got a following that's certainly not the predictable demographic, but, beyond all the obvious misconceptions, the one that matters most, is the music. "Keep it Loose, Keep it Tight" reminds us to never forget that we have the power to make things right in this world we're living in, with a most ingenious hook. Jump from that to the end tune, "All My Friends" is a haunting song about grief, lost, fear.., and Hope. He sings it as a man who can be depended on to stand by his friends through thick and thin. All his arrangements are sparse and leave room for the band to shine. Amos is a man who is equally in love with the music, the lyric and the voice. This is an artist that's really paid his dues.., and it's time for his due. ~~BD