Spring 2014 June 8 Sunday

68 degrees this morning, cloudy.  

Aliene and I had a nice Anniversary (due to the date of the CMA Fest, we always say our Anniversary Party was attended by 45,000 people!)  Fortunately we are not responsible for organizing it!  It seems like the past 17 years have sped by, although there are many memories.

 Always amazing how a conference or festival finishes.  You wait for it, plan for it and then suddenly it happens and is over.  The CMA Festival was plagued by rain the entire time, although only one event was really affected by it (and it was delayed).  It was strange to watch (and be part of) 45,000 people (plus or minus 5,000 or so) sitting in ponchos in the rain watching music.  As long as it wasn't lightning or rain blowing on the electronics, the music continued.  The continuation of the rain over the past several weeks has really been amazing.  

Seeing all of the various music artists, I always wonder what makes the "edge" that brings stardom, fame and wealth, and just playing either making a living or even not making a living.  Of course, being in the right place at the right time is important, but it seems that there is a lot more too it at that.  Of course, marketing makes a difference, but you have to have talent to market.  

It is true in sports also, since as the Memphis Redbirds (AAA, just the level below Major League Baseball), many of the players are probably skilled enough to make it in Major League Baseball, where the difference in income and status is literally unimaginable and is based on either the (in this case) St. Louis Cardinals needing a certain position or having skills better than someone else, even if it is just slightly needed.  

We always say (and this is really somewhat true) that there are no servers etc. in  Nashville.  All servers  singers, songwriters or musicians!  They are all hoping the wheel of fortune will stop for them, in most cases it doesn't.  (Nashville has an amazing number of young homeless people). Some do make a good living at what they love, some don't, some hit the big time.  I try to see the difference, sometimes I can, sometimes I can't.

Another aspect I notice each year is the push to "change" County Music (or not change).   I realize any type of music is going to change, but at some point it becomes another type of music and should be played elsewhere.  It has really been evident the last few years, especially after ABC started televising the event, it has become a lot more commercialized.

I actually didn't care for Country Music until about 25 years ago, when I suddenly started liking it.  Not sure why, because I didn't like it up that point.  At least I was open to change!  

I can't change it so I'm not going to worry about it, as some point we will just stop coming.  I was surprised to realize this is probably our 10th straight year of attending.  I was thinking we had been attending for 6 years or so, but I did some research and realized it was been at least 10 years.  We have seen a lot of changes in that time, not all positive, some very positive.  \

Going to be a busy week. 

That's it for today, Sunday, June 8, 2014.

Spring 2014 April 8 Tuesday

41 degrees, actually down to 38 degrees not, but sun is coming out.  I am really ready for Spring and Summer!

Starting to take morning "where I am" pictures again as the grass, trees and flowers start to come to life.  It got too depressing during the winter.  I know winter is necessary, but it doesn't mean I enjoy it. 

For the most part, our lives have a Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter, either very long, or a large number of them depending on how you look at it.  I think I like to think of life in many cycles, maybe with a larger overall cycle, assuming ups and downs in our lives could be termed by the seasons.  On the other hand, it is depressing to think that our lives could be termed in a long term stage of "Winter" with no chance for another "Spring".  Eventually it does happen, but ....

I have been watching my weight (nothing new about that).  I seemed to have attracted two new pounds that seem to like me very well, I am having a more difficult time getting down to my "normal" weight.  My normal weight fluctuates about six pounds, but I am now two pounds over the "top" of the fluctuation cycle and I am having a difficult time getting back to my "normal cycle".  Actually I hope to reduce the "top" of the cycle by two or three pounds this Spring.  It (the extra pounds) came when we had our granddaughters visit.  It wasn't the visit from them, but the extra travel involved when I gained the weight, but I have stayed exactly  at the same weight for three weeks now.

One major problem with trying to maintain a healthy eating style is the restaurants.  There are normally "healthy" alternatives available, I just need to bear down and order the healthy items!  The "low carb" eating pattern has served me well, although it probably is more of a "low fast carb" eating pattern.  Anytime I deviate from that  I seem to get into trouble.  Peanut Butter is both my favorite as well as a problem!  I need to remember "balance".  

Seeing the AAA travel agent to finalize our China trip today.  While I love making plans, there are some things I just can't do or at least don't trust myself to do in a Country I am unfamiliar with.  There are a lot of choices.  Kind of like when you are in a City and don't know where to eat, and it is hard to make a choice because you don't want to make a bad choice, since you won't be in the city again!

That's it for now, may be more later today.