Doing It In The Park Oh Yeah!

Remember the song by Donald Byrd and the Black Byrds? If you are over 30, you might. It went something like this: "Doing it the dark, doing it in the park oh yeah Rock Creek Park." I like the song and it has taken on new meaning. I am not talking about doing "it" in the park for all of you that have your minds in the gutter. I am talking about going to the park to unwind.

It is now fall and the leaves are turning and it is nice time to be outdoors. At least 3-4 times a week I am out in the park. There is a park that is not too far from where I live called Westwood Park. It is nice. They have just added a circular sidewalk. I use that to run and walk. During this time I reflect on my day or the the things that I want to accomplish during the day. I use this time to talk with God and tell him my concerns and give him thanks. I also use this time to read and reflect, and sometimes write. Let me tell you, I have gotten so many creative ideas from running in the park. I weed out everything else and just focus. It very freeing. I walk around, sometimes I run and do both.

I have definitely felt more at ease since I have started this process. I would highly suggest the park to anyone. It is definitely something worth while to help in our hectic days. Sometimes you may see other people in the park with their children, running, or playing. When you see the people, they are usually happy. The park is definitely a place to help you unwind. Every one of us has a park that we can go to that is nearby to help us. If you are looking for some creative energy or suffering from writers block, I suggest you go there. You never know what God will reveal to you during that time.

Try doing it in the park. (Again, get your mind out of the gutter). :-)

One Love. De stress! Go to the park!

Come On November!!

Enough With The Freaking Ads

My name is Chris Gilrath  and I approved this message:


Right about now, I cannot wait for November. No, not for Thanksgiving with Turkey, Sweet Potatoes, and my mamma's broccoli rice casserole, no not for the biggest shopping day of the year where I can get an I-pod for $15, but it will finally be the END OF THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN ADS.
Here I am trying to watch my favorite television show and every time a commercial comes on it is one of those ridiculous political ads. How much do these commercials cost? It is funny how all of the candidates talk about useless spending when they debut new campaign ad commercials every week like they are Kanye West or Lady GaGa. It makes me long for ESPN, HBO, Showtime, and FX where I do not have to be subjected to these annoying commercials. Here is why they are shameless:

• Focus Is Not On The Right Person: OK. You are are spending truckloads of money to not talk about you, and amazingly enough not even about the other candidate. A huge percentage of these commercials are about President Obama. Its funny I thought Obama was in the office until 2012? Yet all the commercials are "Obama This, Obama That." The candidate responsible for the ad spends little to no time at all taking about the issues at hand, their political record, and their position on particular hot button issues that interest me the voter.
• Mudslinging/Name Calling Propaganda: The candidate responsible for the ad or the organization responsible spends 90% of the commercial talking about or attacking the other candidate to a point where it is totally shameless. It is all about what they have done in their past or their association to the current or past presidents. After the commercial is over, I am confused as to what the message really is. The candidate said nothing about themselves. To me these commercials are a big insult to my intelligence as a voter. Most of us have a pretty good idea of the other candidates track record. The goal is to get me to vote for you based off what you can do for me, not for what the other person has done.
• Propaganda Using Fear: The candidate or organization responsible for the ad using some type of scare tactic such as using our fear of terrorism, unemployment, or something that hits close to home for most of us to try and scare us from voting for the other candidate. Then they sometimes finds some "Average Joe" hardworking American factory worker who is out of work and they use them to sphew the words instead of having some unknown narrator to do it. The person is really emotional and really trying hard to play on our sympathies and fears.

This is an issue I talk about quite often, and 9 of 10 times, the people I talk to on both sides of the coin agree that the ads have gotten to be a bit much. Does this mean that I will not vote? No of course not. People have fought and died for me to be able to vote, so I do not take that for granted. But what about those skeptics who always find an issue with voting and are very cynical about the process? These name-calling, fear propaganda commercials do not help.
At this stage in the game, it is time to stop all this "us" (democrats) vs. "them" (republicans). Is it too difficult to to try and figure out solutions together? Can we at least try? I am so tired of the constant criticism of our current government. Well, the critiques come with the territory but when we get to a point where we are insulting each other, it has gotten too far.
This is an appeal to all the people running for an elected office this year: FOCUS ON YOU! As Chaka Khan would say, "What Cha Gonna Do For Me?" Come on lets get it together.

Its Not A Playground

Parents, parents, parents. PLEASE PLEASE control your children while you in a public place. I have been in several stores where kids are running free, chasing each other, yelling loudly, and acting badly. Please remember that these stores are frequented by a lot of people who want to enjoy their shopping experience. If I cannot enjoy my experience because kids are running into me and yelling at each other, then I will choose not to shop there. It is not cute that your kids are running down the aisles, or screaming at each other. The grocery store or the department store is not a babysitter while you can get your shopping done. While I find it sometimes cute that your child wants to pay for their candy or toy with the $2.00 that you give them, it takes them forever to get their monies out and its very frustrating for those there to just shop.

Lesson for the day: WALMART, ALDIS, PRICE CHOPPER are not day care centers...watch your children!!

Back Again

Sorry it has been a while. I am really focused on getting this book out to the masses. I am very excited about the possibilities of this book and what it can do for people. I have a new calling. Writing, writing, writing. I already have ideas and framework for books #2 and #3. DREAM BIG... I am very excited at what is in store for me. It is hard to remember that sometimes when life's stresses and dramas get to you. I am thankful for this gift and am grateful to GOD for blessing me with creative energy when other areas in my life are in disarray. This book has given me joy and hope. I am very grateful for the process. I am thankful to all of those who have lifted me up and supported me through the process.

The Best Is Yet To Come....

Stevie Wonder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DclVLRhlX3g

I have watched this performance over and over and over again. Is there any "wonder' this man dominated the 70s? This is soaring, smokin version of his song You Haven't Done Nothing a "tribute" to Richard Nixon. Stevie had a lock on the Album of the Year Grammy three times in the 70s (1974 for Innervisions, 1975 for Fulligness First Finale, and 1977 for Songs In The Key of Life). The year in between at 1976 Grammy awards Paul Simon even joked and thanked Stevie for NOT releasing an album that year.


As I watch this performance, I am inspired but saddened at the state of music now. I give props to those such as Alicia Keys, John Legend, Erykah Badu, and countless others who keep soul going but its now about the bling bling and the partying. You think of Stevie and you think of his art not his money, not his love life. Lets remember our soul legends without them, there would be none of the ones out there now.

Greatest Soul Albums of All Time

Albums that changed soul music forever. These are the albums that you can listen to from start to finish. See if your favorite album made the cut. These are the albums that made superstars out of Anita Baker and Aretha Franklin. These are the albums that solidified the careers of already superstars Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson. These are the albums that brought funk into the mainstream and made people stand up and take notice (Parliament, Earth, Wind & Fire). These albums had a definite impact on my life.

Rapture - Anita Baker (1986 - Elektra)

This is Niecy -Deneice Williams (1976 Columbia)

This Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill (1998 Columbia)

Songs In The Key Of Life - Stevie Wonder (Motown/Tamla - 1976)

 

Innervisions - Stevie Wonder (1973 Motown/Tamla) 

 

 

 

Mothership Connection -Parliament (1975- Casablanca)

Gratitude - Earth, Wind & Fire - (1975 - Columbia)

Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye (1973 - Motown/Tamla)

I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You - Aretha Franklin (1967 - Atlantic)

Off The Wall  - Michael Jackson (1979 - Epic)  Thriller - Michael Jackson (1982 - Epic)

What's The 411 - Mary J. Blige (1992 - Uptown/MCA)

My Life - Mary J. Blige - (1994 - Uptown/MCA)

This is no way the end of the list. This is just the first half. What was my qualifications: 

1. You can play the album from start to finish without having to skip a song. 
2. The album was an artistic breakthrough for the artist/group. 
3. Other artists have tried to emulate the album in their recordings. 
4. You remember the big deal the album made upon its release. 
5. You have played the album so much it is basically on life support. :-)

Give The Man A Break.

As I am sitting out there on summer vacation I am subjected and tortured with the mass quantity of mudslinging commercials. Basically a lot of them are "I hate Obama" commercials or an outlet to diss our President. GIVE OBAMA a break. What has the man done that is so bad but try to help our country. I am sick of these "LOVE AMERICA" commercials like anyone who supports Obama is a "bad American". Please!! Obama has done more than our last president did in his 8 years. Seriously...Sarah Palin would be better? Enough!! The Tea Party is just an outlet to hate Obama. I am sick of it. Give this man a break. The Tea Party says they have a "love of God". Have they ever thought about coming together and praying for him that he leads the country in the right direction. I hate these mudslinging commercials because all they area are smokescreens to avoid talking about the REAL ISSUES. Why not focus on what YOU can do for the country not what others have done. All those commercials do is turn off voters at least it is for me. Its a waste of time and money that you could use to do other things for the people!

Its time we take the "me" and "I" out of politics. Enough about what this person does or not do. Are we so focused on "democrat" and "republican" that we can't see the big picture? Enough! We are all in this together. Nobody does stuff 100% that people agree with. Lets work together. Enough Already!!