It has been two or three years since TobyMac’s release of Portable Sounds, and I waited patiently for his new release. Okay, maybe ‘patiently’ doesn’t quite describe how I waited. But I waited, nonetheless. Some call me obsessed, but I like to think of myself as- dedicated. I am dedicated to listening to an artist’s music, I am dedicated to seeing that artist in concert, and I am dedicated to promoting the artist (i.e. a blog post). So when I heard about it’s release date, I was even more excited. So my sister picked it up for me when she saw it, and I immediately popped it into the cd player. Let me tell you something: some people get worse as they go (in my opinion), and some stay consistant, but TobyMac just gets better and better and better. He is able to transition his style to make keep it modern for the ‘modern’ crowd, but he also keeps some of his personal style, which is mainly found in the lyrics. In a way he is similar to the Newsboys who have been around for how long? Being able to change your style in little ways, I think, will keep you floating longer. Tonight is by far the best of TobyMac’s works. While some songs are mirror images of previous one (“Showstopper” is very much like “The Slam”), there are still some really good songs on the cd. Some of my favorites are ‘Tonight’, ‘City on our Knees’, ‘Hold On’, and ‘Get Back Up. And there are the so-so songs ‘Showstopper’ and ‘Funky Jesus Music’. But all in all this is an awesome cd. TobyMac’s Tonight gets a five star rating from me, hands down.

Fifty-one years ago today, Buddy Holly was killed in a plane crash. The inspiration for the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Don McLeon, Bob Dylan, and the Rolling Stones, he was the pioneer of Rock-n-Roll.

The Beatles are a band that everyone knows about. I knew their name and their popularity, but not much else. Like, what made them so great or even what their music style was. Some of you might think I am deprived for having never listened to the Beatles until now (It’s okay. I get that a lot). I really had no interest in finding out more about them until I saw a spoof of one of their songs (Hey Jude sung by Hugh Laurie). Why did I listen to a spoof before I listened to the original song? I don’t know, probably the same reason I watched Chicken Run before I watched The Great Escape, I didn’t know there was an original. So, the past week I have been hanging out with Grooveshark listening to the Beatles, and I have to say that they have/had something. With a great rock/pop/original style and cryptic lyrics, they quickly made my ‘Favorites’ list, topping it is ‘Blackbird’. Anyway, they will be getting some attention from me for awhile. Have you listened to any of the Beatles? If so, what is your favorite song? If you have not listened to them*, here is your chance. This play list features some of their songs, that will hopefully give you an idea about what they are like. Enjoy!

*Even if you have listened to them feel free to listen some more!

While it seems like this year just flew by, it also seems like it drug. It sounds crazy, but this is exactly how I feel. I have better hopes for completing more goals this year than in 2009. Writing a full list of most of the things I did last year is, to put it quite bluntly: embarrassing. I say it every year “I am going to create a list of goals, and I will complete those goals/projects before I pick up any more”. HA! Not only did I not stick to that plan, but I never wrote down that ‘list of goals’ in the first place. I hope, though, that this year, I will be more dedicated to completing my set goals (Don’t we all?). However, I did do some things in 2009 that were not goals at the beginning of the year. So, here are some highlights of 2009:

• Created The King’s Library
• Composed 5 instrumental pieces on guitar
• Saw Downhere in concert
• Read Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier
• Read Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
• Traveled to Washington DC to the Rebelution Conference
• Began interning at my county’s Information Technology Services division

See what I mean by embarrassing? I mean, it looks like I was busy doing, well, nothing. But mind you, I was heavily involved in my county 4H program until September of this year. So between items on this list I was milking my dairy project cow, giving a presentation at three different levels, milking, planning some county fundraisers, milking, helping sew a 4H Centennial quilt, taking rabbits to the State Fair, milking, volunteering at the county fair, and…I’m missing something. Oh! Milking. Other than the holidays, things have quieted down quite a bit. Giving me some down time to actually make that list =)

Now looking ahead to 2010. Yikes. I have a lot more planned than I did last year, I think. So here are some things I will be doing and HOPE to be doing this year:

Books to Read (Jan-June):

• Team of Rivals by Dorris Kearns Goodwin
• Heart of the West by O’Henry
• So Brave, Young and Handsome by Leif Enger
• Captain Blood, Captain Blood Returns, and The Fortunes of Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini
• Lord of the Flies by William Golding
• The Machine Stops by E M Forester

**Summer and Fall Reading to be announced**

Music Goals:

• Compose more instrumental pieces
• Write at LEAST 1 original song
• Record at least 2 songs by other authors/bands

Web and Graphics goals:

• Design my Family’s Farm Website
• Design 1-2 webpages
• Spice up this drab-of-a-blog
• Design some cool pics

MISC.:

• Graduate from high school
• Get more involved in the Rebelution movement
• Update this blog better

Well, easier said than done, unfortunately. But I am doing a lot of hoping. I’ll just need to keep to the grindstone to get it done. Any big plans for you this year? Do you have any secrets to completing some tough goals? I hope that whatever you have going on, you’ll have a good new year.

When I think of Christmas, I immediately think of the music. It is one of my favorite things about the holiday. It brings back a lot of memories from when I was little. The most memorable songs being from one of Alabama's Christmas tapes (cassette). When I hear those songs, it reminds me of driving to town to go Christmas shopping, going down to visit my grandparents in Georgia, and the excitement on Christmas eve. Not only do I like listening to old favorites, but new ones too. I have grown to like Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas', Downhere's 'How Many Kings', and many more new classics (I think that's an oxymoron). Does Christmas music bring back memories for you? What is your all-time favorite Christmas song?