Indigo Girls Concert

My twin sister Melissa recommended that I check out the Indigo Girls as part of my music quest. Over the past month I have enjoyed their music on my iPod and was excited to hear they were performing in Virginia this fall. Last night Maranda and I dropped Kieran off at some friends house and got out for a rare night on the town where our conversation is not interrupted by constant interaction with our wonderful, but busy little boy.

We watched the Indigo Girls in concert at the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. It was our first time to visit Wolf Trap and we really enjoyed the laid back atmosphere in an outdoor setting.


The Indigo Girls are a folk music duo with punk rock and blue grass influences. They are very active politcally and particularly support environmental and gay rights issues. It was a wonderful experience to see them in person, they are amazing musicians and full of life and personality! It was also very good to be surrounded by lots of folks from the gay subculture, a reminder that I need to get out of the suburbs more often! The most poignant moment of the night for me was when they stopped singing and allowed the crowd to sing full voice. The entire place swelled with voices and the hair on my back tingled, it felt like church!

Here are the lyrics from Pendulum Swinger (Maranda's favorite so far), which is on their newest album. It is a powerful and pertinent message.

Indigo Girls - Pendulum Swinger Lyrics
I meet you for coffee
We get together periodically
I got a bad case I can't shake off of me
The fevered walking round wondering how it ought to be
You work in the system
You see possibilities and your glistening
Eyes show the hell you're gonna give 'em
When they back off the mic for once and give it to a woman

I dream like a mad one
Brutal fantasies I catch as catch can
I'm a psychic and a laywoman
I see love and I like to make it happen
What we get from your war walk
Ticker of the nation breaking down like a bad clock
I want the pendulum to swing again
So that all your mighty mandate was just spitting in the wind

It doesn't come by the bullwhip
It's not persuaded with your hands on your hips
Not the company of gunslingers
The epicenter love is the pendulum swinger
She is she is she is

It's fine about the old scroll Sanskrit
Gnostic gospels the da vinci code a smash hit
Aren't we dying just to read it and relate
Too hard just to go by a blind faith
But they left out the sisters
Praying to a father god so long I really missed her
The goddess of benevolence
You should listen to your mama if you have a lick of sense left

Pushed under by the main press, buried under a code of dress
Relegated by the Vatican
But you can't keep a spirit down that wants to get up again

If we're a drop in the bucket
With just enough science to keep from saying fuck it
Until the last drop of sun burns its sweet light
Plenty revolutions left until we get this thing right

My personal favorite is Closer to Fine, which has a message that resonates with my place in life right now. I will let the lyrics speak for themselves.

Closer To Fine

I'm trying to tell you something about my life
Maybe give me insight between black and white
The best thing you've ever done for me
Is to help me take my life less seriously, it's only life after all
Well darkness has a hunger that's insatiable
And lightness has a call that's hard to hear
I wrap my fear around me like a blanket
I sailed my ship of safety till I sank it, I'm crawling on your shore.

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountain
There's more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in crooked line
The less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine.

I went to see the doctor of philosophy
With a poster of Rasputin and a beard down to his knee
He never did marry or see a B-grade movie
He graded my performance, he said he could see through me
I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind, got my paper
And I was free.

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountain
There's more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in crooked line
The less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine.

I stopped by the bar at 3 a.m.
To seek solace in a bottle or possibly a friend
I woke up with a headache like my head against a board
Twice as cloudy as I'd been the night before
I went in seeking clarity.


I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountain
There's more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in crooked line
The less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine.

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountain
There's more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in crooked line
The less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine.

We go to the bible, we go through the workout
We read up on revival and we stand up for the lookout
There's more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in a crooked line
The less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine
The closer I am to fine
The closer I am to fine

Vic's Offspring

Over a month has passed now since our male German Shorthaired Pointer was killed by a car after escaping our back yard. It is still very difficult when I think of his life cut so terribly short, but it does offer me some consolation to know that Vic's has some beautiful offspring, some of which we plan to meet now that they are no longer puppies.

Vic's son, Chocolate Chip is owned by a friend in Virginia (Culpeper), and has turned into a stunningly gorgeous dog. We are excited to meet him a week from tomorrow. Based on his owner's feedback, he has Vic's amazing personality, so it will be a very special reunion.



I have shown this picture before, but it bears repeating as Sadie is a beautiful girl and shows influence from both Vic and Alexa.

Back to our Roots

The Tennyson's had a fun Friday night painting the town red. Check out the clip to share a little of our fun (and watch a little of the amazing indestructible yellow station wagon!!). Needless to say, Kieran has been saying "crash crash" all day...

Breaking a Sweat

Kieran and Daddy clearing some limbs from a tree that was felled in our back yard. Kieran was a great helper, including mimicking Daddies grunts as we picked up heavy branches!

Adventures in Parenting - Part II

So the other morning Kieran and Daddy were in the office playing on our "computers" (Daddy has a dual processor AMD screaming machine, Kieran has an old keyboard) when we heard a commotion in the bedroom. Maranda was getting Grandma Kathy's opinion of how a blouse matched a couple different skirts and had ran into some difficulty in retrieving a skirt from its hanger. In a moment of frustration she yanked the hanger free and flopped the skirt onto the bed, exclaiming "flippin closet!." Kieran had wandered in and not recognizing the need for a Grandma filter, quickly translated "f@cking closet!" It is moments like these that you wish you had the ability to instantly turn into a gnat and crawl under the floor boards for a while. Really not much you can say to redeem the situation, as I doubt G-Ma would buy my mutterings about "kids programs these days...."

Grandma, in case you read this we are aggressively addressing the situation. I am installing quick release hangers in all of our closets!

Karunesh

I am completely thrilled with new age world music artist Karunesh. Every song on his album Global Spirit is a thrilling experience. These are not songs to listen to, but rather experience! He blends international sounds, especially native and tribal sounds and instruments, with an electronica rythym (this is my uneducated take, so I may be wrong!). If you are into something a little different, with sounds that transport you across the world, check out this album. He has a number of other albums that I have not listened to, but they come highly reviewed, check them out on his web site, where you can also listen to clips from each album.

My favorite songs from this album are Native Rituals, Punjab, Kubula Ma, and Earthsong. If you liked Sting's "Desert Rose," be sure to check out Punjab, the haunting vocals are amazing. If you are interested, I recommend the entire album as there is not a single "filler" song, they are all amazing.

If you happen to listen to any of his music, or are already a fan, please post your responses here, would love to hear your perspective.

Puppy Coming in 4 Weeks

Maranda, Kieran, and I are anxiously awaiting the arrival of a male puppy in four weeks! We don't know which puppy for sure, but it will be either the puppy on the left or the puppy on the right in this picture. Aren't they cute!!

Tay Zonday revisted

This song is very good, I like it even better than Chocolate Rain. Check it out, the lyrics are powerful!

Imagine by A Perfect Circle

In my musical forays, I have started to come across some wonderful new musicians and songs. When I find an artist or song that I feel is truly exceptional, I will blog about it here so others can share in my findings (or clue me in to new ones!). Of course for some of you this is not "news," so bear with me as I fumble around in the world of music.

A song that has really piqued my interest is called Imagine by A Perfect Circle on their album eMOTIVe. It has a haunting composition, with lyrics that capture your attention as they explore the possibilities of living in a very different world from today. It strikes me as both a bit melancholic (which suites me just fine) with a thread of hope running through the song. As soon as I have the funds, I plan to download the entire album, lemme know if you have already heard this album and what you thought of it?

Here are the lyrics:

Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people
living for today...

Imagine there's no countries,
It isn't hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people
living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer,
but I'm not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.

Imagine all the people sharing all the world

You may say I'm a dreamer,
but I'm not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.

Imagine no possessions,
I wonder if you can,
No need for greed or hunger,
A brotherhood of man,
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer,
but I'm not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.


And here is the song on Rhapsody. If you download their free player you can listen to the song for free (after 25 songs you have to start paying for the service).

eMOTIVe by A Perfect Circle

Update: See the comments section, this song is actually a cover of John Lennon, which probably explains why it was vaguely familiar! I will check out more of their stuff and see if they have some equally compelling original content.

The Wonderful Twos

Kieran is quickly approaching two years old (9/22) and is already showing signs of strong desires, mini tantrums and fits, and an overall more commanding tone. Despite what you might think, the title is neither intended to be tongue in cheek or sarcastic. Surprising as it may be, I am loving Kieran's newly discovered sense of autonomy and will! It makes me smile (sometimes only on the inside as I don't want him to be offended) when Kieran throws a fit over our refusal to give him chocolate chips instead of dinner, or his sudden collapse when I insist he go to the bedroom and get his clothes on.

Why do I enjoy such behavior, I must be sick in the head to be such a parental annomaly? Well, perhaps in a way I understand being misunderstood, as I extended my "terrible twos" well into my teens (or perhaps adult years if you ask my wife). Or perhaps I am just please to see my son entering a new stage of life and self-awareness. Perhaps it is a little of both. Whatever the reason the truth is that so far I really relish this "negative" behavior. Indeed, I don't see it as negative at all, instead it is the result of a growing awareness that he has opinions, desires, and needs, that may or may not line up with those of his parents. This is a good thing! I would be far more frustrated with a super passive child who mirrored every desire and behavior of Maranda and I.

This ability to start asserting his desires is really quite beautiful, if a times a little noisy. We are in the process of watching an individual be born! Not to say that he wasn't an individual before now, but in a certain way I do think that by asserting some level of difference and autonomy from his parents, he is claiming his individuality in very real ways.

Of course, this process includes learning not only desires and opinions, but also boundaries and limits. This is a very important part of this process of self-discovery, as a child that never encounters boundaries or limits will learn a false sense of what is possible and normal in life, leading them to harmful behaviors. On the flip side, a child that experiences articially restrictive boundaries and limits will learn that life can only be experienced in a very narrow and limited fashion. Indeed, their own sense of individuality will likely be harmed in such a scenario.

So it is a delicate balancing act, this freedom to express and individuate, balanced with healthy limits and boundaries. I certainly don't claim to know what it takes to stay balanced, and I think the task is different for every child! What I can say with clarity, is that I have one of the most amazing, patient, and understanding partners in this challenge, my wife Maranda. My hope is that her yin to my yang will provide a healthy atmosphere for my son to claim his personhood.

Insulted by my son

Several times recently I have been walking down our creaky hallway to Kieran's bedroom to peek in on him, and he has given me a cheerful "hi Daddy" without turning around to look at the door. Apparently he can tell if it is Mommy or Daddy based on the sound of our approach. I would like to think he recognizes my purposeful stride instead of the floor joists straining under my bulk!

Chocolate Rain

The singer of this clip on YouTube has become an internet phenomenon. Maranda actually heard about the song on the radio. It is a very interesting song, and an amazing, unique voice. The lyrics are great, I could do with a bit more variation in the tempo though... This really demonstrates the power of the internet as a forum for everyone, we live in a different kind of world these days...