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For the Good Times
Last week I was feeling kind of down in a stagnated sort of way. The cool and rainy weather here in Los Angeles didn't help my mood much. Likewise, writing my posts for my President Trump Acclimation Series contributed to a more somber contemplative mood. I've had some serious topics and the readership drastically declined on my post Does Trump's Muslim Ban Make Sense?, which might have been due to nature of the topic (maybe too scary or sensitive to some?) or maybe it was an overall decline in readership across the blogosphere.
I do know that I had quite a number of hits, but not the normal ratio of actual comments. As is often said, never discuss politics or religion and this topic really broke those rules. The subject of Islam is very important, yet most people seem to want to avoid this discussion. I think that's why we have the problems about this in the world that we have. You're still free to go back to comment on that post, but today I want to move a little further on down the track.
Thursday morning I was particularly feeling down, but then when afternoon came there was something that really lifted me up. I happened to tune into the Make America Great Inaugural Concert, an event that I had no idea was scheduled until I flipped on the television at lunchtime to see that this event would be starting soon. I kept the television on and I'm so glad I did.
The assortment of military bands was rousing and stirred a sense of patriotism within me. When Sam Moore (he of the great soul duo Sam and Dave, now 82 years old) lit into his version of "America the Beautiful" with a choir backing him, my eyes watered and something inside of me swelled with pride for my country. Great acts followed including the Frontmen of Country, Lee Greenwood, 3 Doors Down, the Piano Guys, and a rocking performance by Toby Keith. After that concert any thoughts of gloom were behind me.
Later that night I watched a documentary about the band Chicago who was one of my featured groups in the Battle of the Bands that I'll be announcing the winner of shortly. Somehow I thought that I'd stopped keeping track of Chicago after their second album and then watching the documentary I realized how much great music they'd put out over the years and that actually I do have some of their other albums on cassette tape. Seeing their story in this documentary shed new light on this great band which eventually found its earned place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Throughout Friday I was on a high with the Presidential Inauguration and all of the accompanying events. It was raining like crazy throughout the day where I live so it made it ideal for just sitting on the couch all day covered in blankets and watching television. Donald J Trump is now officially President of the United States and I and plenty of other people are happy about that. Others are not and I'll have a few more things to say about that in upcoming posts.
Over the past weeks of posting I've lost 22 followers I guess and I would probably have lost more if more of those "following" the blog actually were reading my posts. And you know what--I don't particularly care. People who stop following you on a blog, or Facebook, or Twitter, or wherever are insincere intolerant people who are not worth having as followers. The people I like to call friends are those who accept me even if we don't agree and who are willing to have civil exchanges without being rude.
Tell other people the truth about what you think and you can find out a lot about the integrity of those people in how they respond.
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Battle of the Bands Results
My Battle featuring versions of "Take the A Train" by the Delta Rhythm Boys and Chicago was almost unfair in my view. I'd have rather just called my vote a tie because I liked both of them equally. Actually I was hoping the final tally would have been such that I could have cast my vote to make the outcome a tie, but alas this did not happen. But it came close, so I'll cast a vote for Chicago to make it closer to a tie.
Final Vote Tally
Delta Rhythm Boys 14
Chicago 12
Next Battle on Wednesday February 1st
I'll have some more posts before the next Battle--and there are going to be a few more posts concerning some issues about the election. I have so much to discuss and I want to say it even if some folks don't want to hear it. But I guess it's about as good as talking about anything else. I suppose...
My next Battle of the Bands is one that is partially shaded by elements of what I've been talking about in some recent posts and what has been on my mind not just recently, but for a long long time. Hope you'll at least check out that Battle to come which is among many things that are or might be coming soon. And that's my hint for the next song.
Did you happen to see the Inauguration Concert on Thursday or any of the events on Friday? Did anyone reading this participate in the protests on Saturday? Were you among those who visited my previous post on Islam and did not comment and if so, why?
