OK, I'm new to this myspace thing.

My wife's an old pro. She's been laughing her ass off at me over the last several days. Now she knows what it feels like to lose your partner to Al Gore's cyberworld ... I gotta get a life.

I've been listening to Ray LaMontagne. Wow. Soulful, sensual, takes his time, says beautiful things, doesn't need a hammer to show you he's got nails. One of the coolest albums I've heard in a long time.

Have you ever read Mary Oliver? It's hard to pick a favorite poem, but one that resonates so much with me these days is Why I Wake Early. Get the book though, you're going to want to take it with you everywhere you go, like I've done for the last half year.

Cary and I've been busy. That's why you haven't heard much from us. Getting married, buying a house, painting (ugh), teaching songwriting all over the country this summer, and getting the girls back to school doesn't leave much time for anything else except for the gigs and the travelling -- and all that trying to keep your head above water stuff. That's why Mary Oliver means so much to me -- she's my church, my way of getting in touch with who god was supposed to be.

My cousin Joy passed away this year, I mourn her, and I mourn Rachel Bissex more than ever. I talk to her when the moon's out and bright. It feels like she's smiling down on me. I'm sure I was thinking about Rachel's song "Royal Blues" on my most recent song ...

I ended up writing Angel Wings with Cary and our daughter Hannah Kate. I'm so proud of her. I wish I could be her -- to be so young, and confident, and capable. I'd bet a big pile of money she's going to be big 10 years from now. And if I play my cards right, I may even get to produce her debut CD.

But it's now now, and I do have a life. And it's good ...

"It's comin on Christmas" my old girl Lucy died (me and Crystal's yellow lab) and so I say farewell.
"It's comin on Christmas" next Tuesday we can stop the madness that is the Bush administration.
"It's comin on Christmas" I can hear Joni singing, and my river is my life. I'm rowing. I'm happy.

Namaste - Tom