So... When I was in grade school, I ran for Treasurer.  I ran a good, clean campaign.  But, when the day to vote rolled around, I voted for the other kid...  I don't know why, but I couldn't bring myself to vote for me.  I wanted to win, but I guess I just wanted the other kids' votes, and not my own, to bring me victory.

I won, and for the next year I was in charge of the lockbox that held all the money from the fundraising popsicles that were sold during lunch.  Exciting, I know.

Fast forward to today:  The day to vote has arrived again.  Only, this time, it's about music (much better than popsicles, if you ask me).

Click on the links below to listen to my tunes.  I have several songs in on diferent channels.  Visit: http://www.ourstage.com then click on JUDGE and go to one of the channels that I have a song in, so you can have a chance to vote for me.  A couple of random songs will face off and you'll get to vote on which one you like better.  I would urge you to vote for me.  But, of course, in the spirit of democracy, if you prefer the other song over mine, vote for them instead.

Any way you slice it, good music comes out on top.  And that's worth all the popsicles in the world...

Brion Riborn's fan page (you can find out what channels I'm in here):  http://www.ourstage.com/profile/brionriborn

Main Judging page (change channel to genre):  http://www.ourstage.com/judge/

Intersections are curious things.  We travel through them everyday, without giving it a second thought.  Our confidence securely placed in our green light and our fellow driver's ability to use eyesight and common sense to keep them in their lane or behind the crosswalk.

Yet we trust that green light.  It has certain connotations that go along with it:  GO.  Safe.  It's my turn, and my lane, and everyone will stop for me.  I do have the right of way, after all.

Then comes the moment when all the rules of the intersection are broken: In a split-second of slow motion you see the car turn directly in front of you.  How could he do that?  Doesn't he see you?  Does he want to get killed?  You swerve to avoid a head on collision and his front end smashes into your driver's side wheel, ripping it from the car and snapping your axel.  Smoke fills the car--you're on fire!--no, wait, it's only the air-bag.

Still in denial, you emerge from the wreckage in one piece.  The other driver seems to be okay too.  Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about your respective vehicles.  They no longer function, and important components of each litter the road and sidewalk.

The intersection has been violated.  No one stops to mention it though.  They all steer around the useless heaps of metal and go along with their confidence still intact.  The almighty green light has frowned upon you, but certainly this won't happen to them.  They are far better drivers than you are, and they continue to place their confidence in the green light.

As for you and your new acquaintance, both in one piece and breathing the crisp, December air, green lights don't have much meaning anymore.  You both smile, happy to be breathing the fresh air, even if it came at the price of your transportation.

Everyone makes mistakes and intersections are all about interdependence.

If you're looking to climb a mountain, there's often a valley to cross.

You strap on your boots, throw your pack over your shoulder, and prepare yourself for the journey as best you can.  For a while, it's a great adventure: new, exciting, with breath-taking geography, and the promise of success.  But the trek through the valley is taking longer than expected.  Surely, you should have reached the mountain by now.

As the thorns cut through your jeans and into your legs, as that annoying stone that somehow wormed its way into your boot digs into your heel yet again, and as the sun disappears behind the dark clouds, you contemplate giving up.  Perhaps it's time to turn back... No one would blame you, plenty of others have quit at this point, and the vultures circling overhead are starting to creep you out.

But you press on, taking a swig of water from your canteen and keeping a steady pace.  Each step you take builds the strength of your muscles and refines your focus.  In fact, you barely even remember the actual climb.  It seems you were in the valley for eons, but the climb was hardly memorable. 

Looking down upon the dreaded valley that you crossed, you shake your head in disbelief at how small it seems.  Ah... perspective.

To quote Lewis, "What you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing; it also depends on what sort of person you are."

Press on.

Another year older, another year wiser?

It is said that with age comes wisdom, but I find that wisdom tends to come with a proper perspective on one's own foolishness.  Take me, for example:  I went through life for a number of years having thought I had it all figured out.  I was wise beyond my years...  I had most of the answers, and those I didn't have I could easily look up on wikipedia.  As I got older--and yes, it's an inevitable fact that happens to us all: aging--I began to realize what little wisdom I possessed.

With age comes many things:  experience, gray hair, wrinkles, and hopefully old friends and great memories; but wisdom only comes through humility, and I could really use a much smaller ego.

"S'pose you had to sit out here an' read books?  Sure you could play horseshoes till it got dark, but then you got to read books.  Books ain't no good. A guy needs somebody--to be near him."  He whined, "A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody.  Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you.  I tell ya," he cried, "I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick."  -- John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men

I like to read.  I have quite a few books.  I prefer classics, written by authors who are no longer living on this planet.  Perhaps it's because I'm impatient, and wouldn't want to wait for the sequel--assuming one was written.  Perhaps it's because the past generation had thoughts that intrigued me more than most of the thoughts the current generation has.  Perhaps I think too much.

But I digress, for I was not focusing on reading books when I first began to type this out.  Books are great for knowledge and for introspection, but not good for combating loneliness.  Neither are they good for healing.  There is no balm like that of a close friend who is right there with you through thick and thin.  I'd burn all the books that I'd ever read if it'd gain me just one friend.

Every fact, figure, creative thought and inspiration is worthless without someone to share it with.  The greatest Book ever written is very clear on the fact that relationships are the point of life; that the purpose of life is to live a life of purpose.  Books are great, but a guy needs somebody--to be near him.  Otherwise, he gets too lonely and he gets sick.  Perhaps that's why I'm so healthy.  For that, I am thankful.

Now that you're done reading this, go find your friend and tell them how much that friendship means to you.  Books and blogs aren't "somebody".  And a guy needs somebody.

Why is it that as children, we never want to go to bed, and as adults we complain that we never have enough "down time"?  A child will stay up for hours, telling stories to his siblings, building tents out of old blankets, and just daydreaming--at night, none the less.  His parents tuck him in for the 5th time and then he decides that he needs a sip of water…  anything to stay up for just a few moments more.  He's full of energy and excitement, as if he has insomnia induced by the inevitable trip to Disney World that is promised at sunrise.

We "adults" pack our lives so full of junk that we wonder where all the time went.  We go to sleep only because our body won't go on; and often dread the day ahead, and the junk we'll have to deal with.

I don't want to live that way.  I want the mystery of a new day to capture my heart in the same way it does a child's.  I want to live a life full of endless, childlike energy.  Tomorrow, I'm going to Disney World.

The only thing better than 4 free songs is a whole album.  And you don't have to do anything illegal.  Derek Webb is giving his latest record away for free.  Groovy.  Pretty good stuff too.

www.freederekwebb.com

www.myspace.com/derekwebb

My hip is healing.  I am awake and getting more alive every day.

I just uploaded a new version of "The Longing".  I believe it will be the final mix.  It's not mastered yet, but download it if you like it.

Until later,

Brion

I just posted a first mix version of "The Longing".  It'll be on the upcoming CD.  Enjoy.

Until later,
Brion