Not to give out too much information, but as good a time as any to change dietary habits is after a bout of  nausea-inducing flu. Which brings up the subject of Lent (this doesn't sound right). I'm way late for Lent this year (March 9 to April 23 - Luv Ya Sarah!) but it's never too late to get on board with a God thing right? But about a week ago I was joking that I was going to "reverse Lent" this year by starting to drink water instead of giving up something. Now that my tummy is tender and dark roast coffee seems a tad strong, drinking water instead of coffee seems easier now than before. 

We can't all be lucky enough to rely on the flu as emphasis for change, and giving up something usually implies sacrifice. When you are in the sacrifice mode, normally you're in for repercussions that may leave you worse off than before. The best way I've found to change is to love first, then change. Here's the best example that I personally have. I have terrible will power. I used to bite my nails and my mother all her life told me that that was a terrible habit. No change. Then I started playing guitar and found that those fingernails that I had been nastily chewing off came in quite handy. I quit chewing nails because the love of playing made that habit inconsistent with the action. So, I've developed an M.O.— if you want to take away, first add something you love. And for those of you who are losing weight or trying to, my hat's off to you. It's the hardest thing to do because you have to love yourself and have a vision of yourself that pulls you through. Loving is an action that can grow and grow. Sacrifice can only be maintained for a season. So the sacrifice has to be part of the loving. Check this pattern out:

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. -- Hebrews 12

Jeff Beck

We're in the musical age of this guy

Way back when about the time "Clapton is God" was painted on a wall in England, the white English boys, Peter Green, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, were involved in phrase "wars" where they were milking every chorus for the ultimate, dripping tone and note selection, and throwing their lines back out at the others to challenge and up the ante so to speak. Then along came Jimi.  I honestly believe Jimi Hendrix, a true bluesman himself, yet so charismatic, inadvertently ended this subtle search for blues phrasing, not just for the four mentioned, but for many others as well. But one guy's sound, even back then was different, and seemed on a different course altogether. That guy is Jeff Beck. Where some played blues, he played sound. This search for sound over idiom or technique, I believe caused Beck to lay aside the guitar pick and the speed that it can produce, for his finger only approach and the tones they can produce. And after 30 years he's opening the keg as it were, to a totally and unique mature sound. Here's what, Jon Newey, editor, Jazzwise magazine, a master wordsmith has to say on the liner notes of the DVD "Jeff Beck – Performing This Week".

Up close (at Ronnie Scott's club in London), every nuance of his unique picking technique and spellbinding signature sound seemed to be magnified. Each note shaped, contoured and emotionally charged by the passionate persuasion of fingertips, whammy bar, volume control and a whole heart full of soul. The sheer inventiveness, tonal color and power of his improvisation, harnessed to a daredevil sense of dynamics that will punch you hard in the face one minute while tugging at your heartstrings the next, was simply breathtaking.

I do witness to the breathtaking Jeff Beck. He has created a sound that is simply powerful. I recommend the DVD ( Live at Ronnie Scotts) over the cd. Seeing him play in a small venue is so cool. Check out his website: http://www.jeffbeck.com/

Charlie Sheen

My wife asked me last night, "Why draw attention to a guy like that?" It's a good question. I actually know very little about Charlie Sheen. I don't watch his show nor do I follow much of the news surrounding him of late. What I do know is that the guy has a breach of contract lawsuit with the producers of the show Two and a Half Men. I do know that Mr. Sheen has made some outlandish remarks, and some of those I agree with and some I laugh at. And I don't know how much of what he said was meant to be comedy. I do know that the networks will cut and paste words to suit their point of view — I witnessed this first hand. So the kernel of this whole story which I totally applaud, is that Sheen is taking his story on the road. And I think that the popularity of his tour is largely due to a growing, and healthy conceptualization in America, that we are not told the truth by our network journalists. I don't think it is necessarly in support of Mr. Sheen's lifestyle.  Anyone who stands up to the media like Mr. Sheen is doing, deserves a certain amount of respect, even if he may be someone you wouldn't want your daughter going out with. 

Dennis Jones

I subscribe to one blogsite – the blog of Dennis Jones, illustrator. On the top left is Dennis Jones' beautiful illustration and on the bottom right is my study – one learns a lot from copying. And I actually learned something about crosshatching after all these years. But... the "heads up" on this blog is for you to check out DJ's art. Signing up for his blog and receiving his periodic work, whether it be a sketch or a movie on his step-by-step approach is like Christmas to me. You and your kids will love it. Completely clean and always first class craftsmanship. Here's his blog address:

http://thedennisjones.wordpress.com/author/thedennisjones/

Raisin Paper & Teething

 20 some years ago I was sitting in an easy chair with maybe our third or fourth child, unsuccessfully trying to console a teething baby. Nothing they liked to chew on would keep their attention. So I thought about the key ingredients of the ultimate "Teether Reliever". 

1. It had to taste or at least feel good

2. It had to be bio indestructible, in that a piece couldn't come off and slide down the child's throat.

3. You had to be able to hold it easily.

My mind went around the house, into the cupboards, and there was a bag of raisins! I quickly cut up the bag into about 1" bands, putting the raisins in a container. When I put the raisin "paper" (it's really plastic) with the gooey residue of sweet raisins to the lips of our child, peace began to reign. Focused contentment. Volumes of slobber. Enthusiastic sucking. Quiet. 

Above is our granddaughter, 'Rory Shane. She has the raisin paper AND is finding how good it feels to bite my thumb at the same time! And look at her face. A second before she was crying her eyes out.

You may send your contributions to my Paypal account: rparsons@gci.net  :)

Fringe

Fringe, the increasingly popular TV series, I believe on Fox, has some fine actors, one of them is John Noble, who plays the eccentric Dr. Walter Bishop. Our family, the older 19 year old and Robin and I watch the show on Hulu, or some other online place of residence. Dr. Bishop has a myriad of problems—most of them guilt related, as he was somewhat of a Nazi-type experimenter on certain strangely gifted children. Although Dr. Bishop's motivation could be perceived as having a benevolent side to it, nevertheless he inflicted some psycho damage along the way. Add to that, Dr. Bishop's meddling science was responsible for the kidnapping of a child (in order to save his life) from a parallel universe. This crossing over between universes is destroying the other universe and bodes ill for ours as well. And you think you have guilt! Oh yeah, the kid he saved from the other universe, Peter, was the counterpart to his dead son in this universe. This brings up every permutation of the Star Wars, "You're not my father!", from the current living Peter. Peter, in these later episodes, now knows he was snatched from Universe B, and actually is growing to love his stand-in dad. 

We can sure forgive a lot of crappola. And John Noble's character, who is responsible for wrecked psyches, countless deaths, kidnapping etc. worms his way into our hearts, as he suffers for his wrongs and hides his pain with the use of medical marijuana. The character is honest and childlike. He actually needs a supervisor because he is slightly mentally incapacitated. But that incapacitation allows the writers to have Dr. Bishop blurt out what most of us think but never dare to say ourselves–this aspect of the character is why, along with John Noble's skill as an actor, has made him the center piece of the show.  I still play the guitar while watching the series, but find it a worthy distraction while I practice my scales.