BMI Songwriter's Showcase @ the Bing Lounge-9-26-12

Taking a good look at the above photo, can you name all three men shown?  If not, don't feel bad; even the most diehard country fans don't always recognize songwriters.  Most likely, you recognized singer/songwriter Luke Bryan, but probably not the other two, right?

As can be expected, Bryan is recognizable mainly because he's a singer as well; having had several hits on the country charts. The others though are the "behind the scenes" people.  The ones that make it possible for singers to do the job they do.  Unless a singer is also a songwriter, they're dependent on others for the material they perform.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012, the Bing Lounge had a "BMI Songwriter's Showcase" featuring Bryan, as well as songwriters, Dallas Davidson and Jeff Stevens.

Like everyone else, I knew who Bryan was, and I knew of Davidson, though I'd never heard of Stevens. Throughout the evening of stories and singing though, it became obvious that though I didn't know his name, I did know the hits Stevens has written for others. The same was true of Davidson.

The three have been friends for years, with Bryan and Davidson going back as far as their school days.  In addtion to songwriting, Stevens is a producer for Bryan.

Each took turns singing songs they'd written or co-written, telling how each came to be. In between songs and stories there was a lot of joking around and interaction with the audience.

For this post I'll list each person individually, starting with Luke Bryan.

As stated earlier, Luke Bryan is the most recognizable of the three songwriters showcased that evening.  He was the foundation of the show, playing some of his hits as well as joining in with Davidson and Stevens at times.  You could tell that Bryan was having a great time playing, telling stories and interacting with the audience.  Not only is he a great singer, he's a really funny, nice guy also.

Dallas Davidson is best known as one of the "Georgia Peach Pickers".  The Peach Pickers are songwriters Davidson, Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip, who write together on a regular basis, and have had several hits together as well as separately.

Davidson is also the first winner of the  "ACM Songwriter of the Year" award; winning the title in 2011.

Fans of Lady Antebellum, Montgomery Gentry, or Trace Adkins have heard  at least some of Davidson's tunes:  "Just A Kiss",  "Where I Come From", and Honky-Tonk Badonkadonk", respectively, to name a few.

Davidson performed each of those songs, as well as this hit he wrote for Jake Owen.

Jeff Stevens is a name I hadn't heard until the Bing Lounge Showcase.

Though his name wasn't familiar to me, it was obvious immediately that Stevens' songwriting talent was.  The first song Stevens performed that evening was one he wrote for Tim McGraw;  "Back When".
Like with Bryan and Davidson, it was fun not only to hear the songwriter sing what he'd written, but tell how the song came to life in the first place.

Tim McGraw isn't the only country artist Stevens has had hits with though.  He's had at least two with the king of country, George Strait; "Carried Away", and one of my favorite Strait hits, "Carrying Your Love With Me."

   
One song Luke Bryan and Dallas Davidson performed together hasn't ever been recorded.  The song is called "Buddies", and judging from the audience reaction, I'm pretty sure it could be a hit if it was recorded.

Once the showcase was done, all three men stayed to sign autographs and have photos taken with anyone wanting to do so.  Just like on stage, the three joked around, shook hands, and spoke to each person, in addition to signing and posing for photos.

This is the second songwriter showcase KUPL has hosted in the Bing Lounge; and as fun as they both have been, I hope they have more in the future.

Kristy Lee Cook--"Airborne Infantry Ranger"

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)

A few weeks ago, Oregon native, and "American Idol" alumnus, Kristy Lee Cook performed in the Bing Lounge.  As part of that performance, Cook performed her current single, "Airborne Infantry Ranger". 

When I wrote a post about Cook's show, I included video of her singing this song.  Since that time, the video has had more views than any other I've put on YouTube.  I also checked KUPL's video from the same show, and they've had even more views than mine.  

 I know KUPL has been playing this song during it's overnights; however, with so many people viewing, and commenting on the song, maybe "Airborne Infantry Ranger" will start being played in other time slots as well.  It's definitely a song worthy of being a hit.

I Think I Get It Now

It's inevitable that up and coming artists, in any genre, will be compared to those who've gone before them.   Right now, Easton Corbin is that person in country music; from the first time he hit radio airwaves, he's been compared to George Strait.

While most artists enjoy themselves being compared to well known singers, Corbin has never been happy being identified with Strait; I never really understood that, until now.

This morning I heard a song on KUPL called "Hello, Goodbye".  I came in on the chorus of the song, and my first thought was, "that sounds like Vince Gill".  Listening to the rest of the song, I realized it wasn't Vince; though I did have to look up who the artist was.  As it turns out, it's newcomer, Tyler Farr.

Tyler is one of the artists I missed seeing in the Bing Lounge.  I did go to YouTube and listen to Farr doing "Hello, Goodbye", during that performance; to me he still has that Vince Gill sound.

When I first heard Farr on the radio, a light went off in my head.  I think I finally get why Easton Corbin doesn't like being compared to George Strait. Though Corbin has his own sound and style, as a newcomer, being compared to an icon like Strait can be daunting.

People expect him to do as well as Strait, right from the start, rather than giving him the chance to evolve on his own.  I especially realized this when I thought Farr sounded like Vince Gill.  I had put this new artist in the shoes of an icon, because I thought he sounded like Gill.  When enough people do comparisons like that, an artist will most likely be held to those expectations.

I still feel Easton Corbin should be proud to be named in the same company as George Strait; though now I understand why it also frustrates him.

Summer Song Summary

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)


In July I had two posts listing my top ten current songs I'd been hearing on the radio.  At the time I wrote about my hopes and predictions of how each song would fare against other tunes being played.

Now that summer's over, it's time to revisit the music and see how each artist did in the heat of the moment.  As with the other posts, I'll list each performer alphabetically.

For those wanting to hear these songs, here's the links to the two previous posts:

 http://kuplramblings.blogspot.com/2012/07/five-of-my-ten-favorite-current-country.html

http://kuplramblings.blogspot.com/2012/07/five-of-my-ten-favorite-current-country_05.htm

Aaron Lewis debuted "Endless Summer" just before the season got into full swing.  This is a great song, and I thought for sure it would be one of this year's summer anthems.  Unfortunately, Lewis never made it past the overnight rotation.

At the time I wrote the previous post I said that there was no doubt Carrie Underwood's "Blown Away" would be a hit; I was right.  What I wondered about more was whether or not this song would stay one of my favorites; or be played so much I'd be sick of it.

The song has been in heavy rotation all summer; I'm happy to say though, I've yet to tire of hearing it.

 Chris Young had been on a hot streak of  four #1 singles when "Neon" was released.  It's such a cool tune, I thought for sure Chris would be scoring his fifth #1.  Sadly, this song never made it very far out of the overnight rotation.  Once in a while it could be heard at other times of the day, but rarely.

Craig Morgan's "Corn Star" was probably the shortest lived single of the summer.  The song was a quirky, tongue in cheek tune filled with puns.  I liked the song, though I wondered if it would wear thin with time.  I never really got the chance to find out.  The song was rarely played; and almost as soon as it hit the airwaves, it was pulled, and Craig's current single "More Trucks Than Cars" was released to radio.

Of my top ten summer songs, David Nail's "The Sound of a Million Dreams" tied with another tune as my very favorite.

I'm not really a fan of David Nail, however this song had me from the first time I heard it.  I was just sure this would be his biggest hit yet; I was wrong.  Sadly, this tune was yet another that didn't make it too far from overnight plays.  Sometimes I wonder how such great music can fail so much at radio.

Due West had a couple of songs on the radio with their old record label.  Since then, the band has changed labels and released a new single to radio, "Things You Can't Do In A Car".

Though this song is still only being played during the wee hours of the morning, it's at least still getting airplay. I'm still holding hope it will catch on and be played more in the coming days and weeks.

The Eli Young Band had just come off their #1 single, "Crazy Girl" when their current single, "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" was released.  I predicted at the time that the band had another hit with this song; and I was actually right about this one.  "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" is the Eli Young Band's second consecutive #1 song on the Billboard Country charts.

George Strait is known inside and outside of country music as "King George". Over the span of his career, Strait has had fifty-nine #1 songs.  There's nothing he touches that doesn't turn to gold; except "Drinkin' Man".

This is one of my favorite George Strait songs of all time; yet somehow it never made if very far from overnight status.  I honestly can't remember the last time George Strait didn't have a hit, until now.  Another great song that never got the chance at seeing the light of day.

Gwen Sebastian is best known for her stint on "The Voice" as part of Team Blake.  Since that time, Gwen has been on tour, and has also done back up for Blake during his tour.

Gwen's first radio single is, "Met Him In A Motel Room".  The song is slightly complicated, and really needs to be listened to for the full impact.  So far this song hasn't made it past KUPL's overnights, though it is getting good rotation during that time.

The final song on my list is the one that's tied with David Nail's tune as one of my favorites; Phil Vassar's "Don't Miss Your Life".

I've always felt  Phil Vassar is one of the most underrated, singer/songwriters in the business; "Don't Miss Your Life", is more proof of that.  Arguably one of the best songs released to radio, Phil hasn't been getting the airplay he deserves; yet, the song hasn't faded away totally.  Just about the time I think it's going to silently fade away, I'll hear it again on the overnight show.  I'm still holding hope that if it hangs on a bit longer, it will catch on enough to make it into other radio time slots; it definitely deserves to be heard by more listeners.

And there you have it, a recap of what I've been hearing on the radio this past season.  Now that fall is here, I'm wondering what new tunes are on the horizon.  I guess time will tell.

The Turning Tides of Taylor

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)


I'll be the first to admit, when 16 year-old  Taylor Swift caught the attention of country music listeners in 2006, I steadfastly avoided her.  My first thought was, "oh no, here we go again, another LeAnn Rimes".  I felt like LeAnn, Taylor would soon be making headlines about outbursts, firing her parents; the things that seem to follow most child/teen stars.

Every time Taylor would win an award, or was given the opportunity to do things her way, (like performances on awards shows), I thought, "your time is limited, you're young, you're new, this isn't going to last".  I was sure Taylor would burn out too fast, because she was always doing something; that those around her were catering to her, until her time was up.

I have to say that I did like her music, no matter how much I tried not to, or denied it.  I was so wrapped up in not wanting to like her, I rejected everything about her; at least outwardly.  As the years went by though, Taylor's star still shined brightly.  Even then, however, I was still waiting for the gloom and doom; my theory was, the media left her alone for the most part, because she was under 18 years-old.

It's been six years now and Taylor will turn 23 years-old in December.  In that time she's had her ups and downs; and I've noticed that since she's past 21 years-old, the media does try to find the seedier stories about her.  Funny thing though, now that some are trying to tear Taylor Swift down, I've finally come around to the fact that Taylor is just who she is.

Yes, she has her ups and downs; she's had some bad relationships; she expresses her feelings about these things in her music. When she was 16, the world saw it as cute, and would go on and on about how mature Taylor was.

Now that Taylor is almost 23, more and more people seem to snipe about her and her music.  They attack her for writing about her relationships, and even go so far as to call her immature for doing so.  My question is, why?

Just because Taylor Swift has been around for six years, it doesn't mean she's experienced everything there is to experience in this world.  It also doesn't mean that she knows how to deal with certain situations.  To put it simply, even at her current age, she's still young enough to not truly know how to react in certain situations.

Yes, I've come full circle; while others are starting to turn one way about Taylor Swift, I now fully admit, I think she's pretty cool.  Where I once thought she'd burn out, I now feel she's very level headed and good at pacing herself.

As far as her writing goes, let her still write about her relationships.  By now, those who date her know that happens; if they choose to date her anyway, well then, it comes with the territory.

In regards to her maturity, Taylor is 22 years-old, I think she's very mature for her age.  Give her writing time; the more she experiences in this world, the more her music will grow with her.

Six years ago I was waiting for a burn out; now however, I'm interested in seeing if this young woman becomes a true legend over time.

Little Towns Aren't Always What They Seem

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)



There have been plenty of songs written about littlel towns; not just in country music, but other genres as well.

The majority of these songs tell of quiet living, fresh air, freedom, close-knit communities and the like.  Even songs that aren't so idealistic about little towns still stress how nice they are to live in over other places.  Recently however, I heard a song on KUPL's overnights that took me by surprise.

Nothing about this song is all sunshine and roses.  Instead, it's about all the secrets a little town can hide from everyone, even those living there.  Yet, the song isn't morbid, or depressing really; it's just more realistic about what may or may not go on in a little town.

The song I'm speaking about is called "Sleepy Little Town", the third single from country newcomer, JT Hodges.  According to reports, JT's fans chose the song as his latest single.

"Sleepy Little Town" is one of those songs that grabbed my attention the first time I heard it, and had me looking up more information about the song.

Unfortunately for me, JT is one of the Bing Lounge shows I was unable to attend.  He did the song at that time, so I've included the video from that evening here.

I really think this song could catch on with country radio listeners.  If you like what you hear, be sure to request  it on KUPL.

Diamond Rio Helps Jubitz Celebrate 60 Years

In 1952 Jubitz Truck Stop opened in Portland, Oregon. It was a place for truck drivers to fill their rigs while on the road and have a quick bite to eat.

Over the past sixty years, Jubitz has grown from that small fuel stop to a world renowned travel center with all the amenities a truck driver, or traveler could want, or need.

On September 15, 2012, to honor their sixty years, Jubitz held a concert on the back part of their twenty-six acre complex.

Inside the gates of the concert area beer and food stands had been set up, as well as a merchandise table, and other things of interest to concertgoers.

Held outside, the concert line-up started with local artist, Carrie Cunningham, culminating with a performance by headliner, Diamond Rio.

Though at first there was only a small crowd, Carrie Cunningham performed as though she were in front of thousands of people.  

Whether singing songs she'd written, or covering others, like Martina McBride, Cunningham showed the crowd why she's such a local favorite.  Though she definitely has her own style and sound, I couldn't help being reminded of Pam Tillis while watching and listening to Cunningham sing; she's a truly talented woman.

Following Carrie Cunningham, one of Portland's favorite bands, Lock, Stock & Barrel hit the stage.

Like Cunningham, Lock, Stock & Barrel kept the crowd's attention with their mix of original and cover tunes.  From start to finish, these five guys hit the stage running, never slowing down until their set was done.

Throughout the day, KUPL's Danny Dwyer had been emceeing the concert from both the sound board, and the stage; introducing the first two local acts.  Before Restless Heart was to take the stage, Danny brought middayer, Lola Montgomery onstage as well.

Restless Heart was then introduced.  What memories these guys brought back!

These guys have been together for twenty-nine years, with no band changes.  Sometimes after that long, you'd expect the quality of the music to diminish; not so with Restless Heart.  Their sound, style, everything, is just as clean and fresh as the first time the world had heard of them.

One song in particular during their performance was something they've never recorded.  However, there is a YouTube video, which bass player, (and singer of the song), Paul Gregg, let the audience know how to find.  The song is called "Home".

 When Paul Gregg sang this live, it was just him, and keyboard player, Dave Innis onstage; it was a very powerful and memorable moment.

Throwing in a side note here, I honestly don't know how many people noticed what I did while this song was being performed.  As I was sitting, listening to the song, I saw a bald eagle flying towards the stage.  Earlier, I'd seen a nest atop one of the light poles; the occupant of that nest decided to arrive home just as Gregg and Innis were playing.  There was no way it was planned or scripted; which made it even more cool that it happened.

Once Restless Heart ended their set, it was time for more announcements, and t-shirt tosses from the KUPL staff.  It was during this time that Jubitz brought out mini cupcakes for everyone in attendance; to celebrate their sixty years of business.

Then it was time for headliners, Diamond Rio.  Talk about memories!

This was my first time seeing Diamond Rio live; for some reason, every time they've been here, I've missed seeing them.  Believe me, they were well worth the wait!  Like Restless Heart, there's nothing about this band's performance that has diminished over the years.  These guys have it all, rhythm, harmonies, talent, you name it!  And so many hits! 

As lead singer, Marty Roe, put it, in twenty-one years, the band has had so many hits, they've had to leave some out of their shows.  Finding that audiences didn't like it, they've now incoportated melodies of their hits into their show.  This way attendees can hear their favorite tunes, and still hear new music from Diamond Rio as well.

At one point, early on in their set, Diamond Rio asked the guys of Restless Heart back onstage.  Together the bands sang happy birthday to Jubitz; it was a cool moment.

The Jubitz Corporation definitely knows a thing or two about throwing a party!  Instead of waiting for the "milestone" years to celebrate though, I really think they should throw themselves a birthday party every year; this year was definitely a blast!

"Stars & Guitars" @ Alderbrook Park-9-9-12

Sunday, September 9, 2012, KUPL held it's first "Stars & Guitars" concert at Alderbrook Park in Brush Prairie, Washington.

The concert was to honor all military personnel, veterans and first responders.  Tickets were given free to any of these people.

Alderbrook Park is a beautiful place, and an excellent venue for an all day event like "Stars & Guitars".  Plenty of room for concert goers, and those looking for other things to do as well.  Even the weather was perfect; not too hot, or too cold the entire time.

KUPL's inaugural "Stars & Guitars" concert featured a mix of new and established, local and national country acts.

Ben Rue, from Sliverton, Oregon got things started with a short set of tunes he'd written, as well as a few cover songs; like David Lee Murphy's "Dust On the Bottle".

Rue's voice complimented each song he performed, and judging from the people gathered to meet him after his set, he was a definite crowd pleaser.

Next up was local favorite, Kurt Van Meter.  As always, Kurt was the ultimate professional, and kept concertgoers entertained throughout his set.  From slow songs, to uptempo, and everything in between, Kurt had the audience's attention the whole time.

Unlike some concerts, very little time was spent between acts.  Almost as soon as one artist was done, the next was onstage.  In this case, "next" was another local act, Cloverdayle.

Like Kurt Van Meter, Cloverdayle has been a local favorite for quite awhile; though recently the duo, (Chad and Rachel), has spent some time in Nashville, recording their music.  Among the songs Cloverdayle played was their current single, "Like We Were Kids Again".  KUPL has been playing the song during it's overnights, and you could tell, there were those in the crowd who had heard the song before.

During their set, Cloverdayle played other music from their new CD, and even brought Ben Rue back onstage to sing a duet he'd recorded with them.  Once again, another great set was performed during "Stars & Guitars".

There was a longer pause in the action after Cloverdayle, as the stage was set for that day's first national act, Lonestar.

 When it came time to introduce the band, Earthquake Jake, from "Simon in the Morning", was the man for the job.  As Jake told the crowd, he begged to be able to introduce the band, because they're his all-time favorite group.

Despite some technical difficulties during their set, Lonestar still managed to put on a stellar performance.  They played many of their most popular hits, as well as some new tunes from their latest CD.  Watching them perform, it makes one wonder why these guys aren't still having hits on the radio; they definitely still have the talent for country radio.

Another short break, then it was time for newcomer Andy Gibson.

Though Gibson is new to radio as a singer, ("Wanna Make You Love Me" and "Summer Back"), many have already heard a song of his.  Gibson wrote the Jason Aldean/Kelly Clarkson #1 hit, "Don't You Want To Stay".

Gibson did all of these songs, and more he's written and recorded for his upcoming CD.  Andy Gibson is someone to be watching for on the horizon; this  talented young man deserves to make it big in country music.

Following Andy Gibson was Dustin Lynch.  From the crowd reaction, Lynch was who the majority was there to see.

During the other performances, concertgoers were sitting listening to the music, or wandering Alderbrook Park.  As soon as Lynch hit the stage however, a swarm of people, (mostly teenage girls),  gathered at the front of the stage, singing and rocking along during Lynch's entire set; and he didn't disappoint either.  Lynch proved to be an ultimate entertainer, playing and singing his best, and interacting with the crowd.  You could tell he was having fun, and that fun was rubbing off on the crowd as well.

After Dustin Lynch was through, quite a few in the crowd left the concert; which was too bad, because more great music was in store.

Following Dustin Lynch, the Mavericks took the stage.

 Though the Mavericks have just recently reunited and are working on a new project out this month; it seems lead singer, Raul Malo was the only original member in attendance this day.  No worries though, Malo played many of the Mavericks early hits, as well as new music the band has been working on.  The only real letdown to the Mavericks' performance was that it seemed much shorter than the other acts, and it seemed most people weren't really paying attention to the music.

Once the Mavericks were through, it was time for the day's headliner, Craig Morgan.

Morgan proved to be the perfect artist to wrap up an incredible day of music.  He was funny, very interactive with the audience, and poured his heart and soul in to every song he sang; which he sang perfectly as well.

From his signature hit, "That's What I Love About Sunday", through all his hits and including his current radio single, "More Trucks Than Cars", Morgan kept the crowd on their feet, clapping cheering and laughing along with him.

All too soon however the show was over.  What a day it had been though! There aren't many concerts like this, where you can see so many great acts for only $20; well worth it for sure!

 During the concert there had been talk about possibly holding KUPL's "Countryfest" at Alderbrook Park.  After "Stars & Guitars, at the venue, I'd have to agree, it would be an excellent place for that event.  Can't wait to see if it happens; and also can't wait to see if there will be another "Stars & Guitars" concert next year.  I sure hope so! 

Kristy Lee Cook @ the Bing Lounge-9-10-12

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)


On Monday, September 10, 2012, Oregon native, Kristy Lee Cook took to the stage of the Bing Lounge; most probably remember Cook from her stint on "American Idol".

Listening to Cook sing, it's clear why she made it onto the show; she's personable, with an excellent voice capable of singing all types of music.  While some may shudder at covering classic country, Cook tackled Patsy Cline's "Crazy"; doing a fabulous job of keeping true to the song, yet making it her own at the same time.

At the end of her short set, Cook told the story behind her current radio single, "Airborne Ranger Infantry", before launching into the song.  It's a beautiful tune, which hopefully will catch on with listeners and become the hit it deserves to be.

If you have a chance to see Kristy Lee Cook in concert, don't hesitate to do so; it will be well worth your time.

(A side note here; some may have noticed that I've posted about a show from September 10th, yet, have posted nothing about "Stars & Guitars", which was September 9th.  No worries, that post will be coming soon.  I'll have a full recap of the days events; from local opener, Ben Rue, to headliner, Craig Morgan, and everything in between.)

Eleven Years Ago

(Today's word is in the post just below this one.)


Eleven years ago the world was a much different place.

Eleven years ago people could go to the airport, just to watch planes land and take off.  They could just go to the airport, park, go inside, pick somewhere to sit down and watch planes as long as they wanted.

Eleven years ago family and friends could take people to the airport and go all the way to the terminal gates with them to say goodbye; or be waiting at those same gates to pick them up when they arrived.

Eleven years ago the only lines at the airport were people checking in, then lining up to board their flights.

Eleven years ago today all of this, and more was changed forever.  Eleven years ago today the U.S. was sucker-punched by terrorists plotting America's defeat.

Eleven years ago those terrorists hijacked a plane in New York, commanding it be flown into the World Trade Center.  While people were still reeling, wondering how this accident could have happened, another jet hit the second tower. At that moment it was clear neither of these plane crashes had been accidents.

Eleven years ago today, two jets crashing into the twin towers was only the beginning of the horror of that day.

Eleven years ago people watched TV live as the second plane hit the towers.  Then came reports that a plane had hit the Pentagon; but that wasn't the end of the chaos.

Eleven years ago today, United Flight 93 went down in a Pennsylvania field.  Did it have any connection with the other plane crashes that day?  As it turns out, yes, it did.  The difference with Flight 93 was, passengers took things into their own hands.  They knew they were in trouble,  they knew they were probably going to die; yet, rather than let the hijackers win, those passengers fought back, causing the plane to go down in that field, rather than hit it's intended target, which would have meant even more death and destruction.

Eleven years ago America's confidence was rattled; our country had been shaken to it's core.  We may not have been blinded by our own innocence; though in a sense, any innocence we did have was stripped away that day.

Eleven years ago terrorists learned, while they could attack us, shake and wound us, they couldn't break us. As a country we stood up and fought back.

Eleven years ago we lost things we can never have back; friends, loved ones, a life not filled with strict security measures designed to keep bad things from happening to people. Instead of standing back, wondering what to do, America showed it's strength by dusting itself off, banding together and working to rebuild what others had destroyed.

For these reasons, and many more, what happened eleven years ago today should never be forgotten.  Please take a moment today to reflect on the events of 9-11-2001, and be thankful for what you have in life, and remember those who lost their lives that fateful day.

A New Week Has Begun

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)


Sometimes short work weeks can be the longest ones; that's what last week was like for me.  Yet at the same time, I had so much I HAD to get done, the week also seemed to fly by.

It's another week though, and the pace has slowed at least a bit for me.  Still no real chance to write a decent post for the word of the day; however, I do have a couple of things waiting to be written, so be looking for those upcoming posts sometime the rest of this week.

On this date last year, I wrote a post remembering 9/11.  For today, in lieu of a post, I ask that everyone reading this take a moment and remember all those that were lost that fateful day.

This Weekend

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)

This Sunday, September 9, 2012 is the big day!  The day country comes to the country near Hockinson, Washington!

By now, anyone who listens to KUPL knows that I'm talking about the station's "Stars & Guitars" concert at Alderbrook Park.  The show features artists, Andy Gibson, Dustin Lynch, The Mavericks, Lonestar and headliner, Craig Morgan.  In addition to this stellar line up, local artists, Kurt Van Meter and Cloverdayle are also on the bill.

I'm excited, not only for the concert, but for other reasons also.  One, a friend of mine is coming from Idaho to see Craig Morgan; and two, the concert is only six miles from where I live!  Never had a concert that close before.

"Stars & Guitars" is a concert in honor of military members and first responders, and several tickets were given free to these people, which is really cool.

At this writing there are still a few tickets left, for those interested in going.  The price is $20 in advance, or $25 the day of the show.

All details of what can and can't be brought to the show, etc., can be found on KUPL's website:  www.kupl.com; just click on the "Stars & Guitars" pic on their home page.

Hope to see everyone there!

I'm Totally Kidding!!!

Wow!  I just had an eye opener today!

Right now there's a lot going on, there's some stress, etc., and it's made me a bit cranky.  I know it, I know why, and I know by the end of the weekend a lot of things will be taken care of and I'll be fine.

Until then however, I'm trying my best NOT to be cranky; though it's not always working...sigh...

I have a great lead/co-worker though, Greg Baker, who tells things as they are.  He said it's okay to be cranky; however, if I keep it up, he'll start making fun of me, and he will!  Not in a mean way, but he will.

I replied back, "that's okay, I'll just write a blog about you", and smiled.  Greg's comeback was, "make fun of Nola, she'll write a blog about you"!

In that split second I had a thought and repeated it:  Yeah, I'm the Taylor Swift of blogging; cross me and I'll write about you!

It made Greg laugh, and me too; though not necessarily for the same reason.  *My* laughter was due to the second thought I had; which I kept to myself until now:  Yep, Taylor, tall,  long blonde hair, thin and young, writing about romance gone bad.  Me, short, short brown hair, very round and old, blogging about co-workers giving me a bad time!

Thank you Greg, without either of us knowing it, you helped the crankiness some.

Oh, Good Grief!

(Today's word will be in red and bold.)


This has got to stop!  Last week, twice, I almost didn't remember to get a post out for the word of the day.  Now, as I sit here writing this post, I must confess, I almost didn't get one written again!  Good grief!  Change my routine just a little, and I throw myself all out of whack!

So, once again, I do apologize for the post for today.  Once holidays, summer hours and vacations are done, maybe I won't forget that I have posts to write!

Thank you all for your patience!