Check out the musical group Sissy and the Hobos on Facebook, bandcamp and flavors.me!

Exploring their musical roots. 

Members

Juanita Bourque, vocals, guitar and banjo Sylvia Reentovich, vocals, guitar and fiddle Tony Scott, mandolin and guitar Shane Guitar, guitar and resonator Jamie Guitar, upright bass

Website

http://flavors.me/sissyandthehobos/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sissy-and-the-Hobos/242480895798121 The CD (and immediate downloads) can be found at:   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sissy-and-the-Hobos/242480895798121?id=242480895798121&sk=app_204974879526524

The Hobos pay tribute to their influences while forging ahead with their own voice.

Procrastination

We all do it.  None of us want to.  The big question is why?  It feels so much better when the task is done and out of the way ~ after all, all tasks are not created equal and not all are tooth extractions.   

I would like to think that I'm a 'doer'.  Yet ... here I am.  The 'to do list' is always a long one, because like some people my list encompasses activities that range from must do today, this week, this month, birthdays, Christmas, seasonal repairs (both at home and elsewhere) and the forsaken New Year resolutions - but more on that at a later date. 

Today's post will be my conscience to stop procrastinating. I'm going to put it in writing what needs to be done and post it on my refrigerator and a sticky in my vehicle ~ because quite frankly ~ enough is enough ~ right?  Yes.  So if you read this blog you can personally remind me. right?  

Boston Marathon 2013

Hurtful.  Murderous.  Innocent People -hurting or gone from this existence.

 Don't give the murderer(s) the attention they seek for their violence.  Think of the participants- those who won - those struggled - those who completed the marathon -those who didn't, 
the medical workers, the audience, and all those who helped when it was needed most.  
Think of the families hurting.  Give them all the above the attention THEY need....

If the murderer(s) had issues that needed addressing, this was not the way to go about it.  

If they had lost love ones, murdering others does not make things even.  

If they had been hurt, this doesn't take away the pain.

There are families with missing members this evening, people with missing body parts, 
a child that will never grow up or old.

They, the murderer(s), have just made themselves (for no one has done it for them)
 lesser in the eyes of all that know them and lesser still in the eyes of those who don't.  

So what could have been the point to this and what exactly did this accomplish? 

For those of us on the outside of these events... it's accomplished another sad ending to a day.  

For those on the inside of these events ... it's accomplished a new reason for hate in the world.  

When will we as one entire race stop hating in the name of forefathers and bad decisions.

It is time.

Every Upcoming New Year

Christmas Day has come, gone and New Year’s Eve/Day is soon upon us.  I really hope everyone had a truly wonderful Christmas filled with family and friends.  We did, the suspense, surprise and family time was beautiful.  For many though it is a difficult time, filled with loss and/or loneliness ~ it’s important to reach out to people around you to include them in your lives~ it doesn’t take much, does not cost much ~ just your time.  You never know sometimes it can turn a life around.  Think of someone and just reach out in some way.

    As for New Year’s…do any of us make resolutions and actually keep them?  Lose weight, quit smoking, eat better, recycle more, learn to spell, volunteer more, listen more (the list is endless) …  No one ever holds us accountable to our resolutions (otherwise we would be a much more cleaner, healthier, saner and peaceful world-what did I leave out?).  I would like to hear what everyone (children included) are endeavoring to change in their lives this year.    I, admittedly, used to be a more (can you believe it?) vocally opinionated person with a quick tongue and grudge activator.  Over the years I have greatly mellowed (thanks much to living with my significant other of 19 years) and have become much more tolerant.  Tolerance doesn’t mean that we have to accept, just that we acknowledge that others have a different view point.  The world could be just a little more tolerant of race, religion, culture, and politics.   Education, in as many of those aspects is needed worldwide, then perhaps we would have communication in the true sense of the word (because there are always many sides to an issue, some unseen or personal).  It’s not the sound bites on the news that will tell us the issues at hand, read as many stories on an issue to learn all sides before commenting (or admit you are not that familiar with the subject)… it could save an argument/keep a friend and be a really good conversation instead.  I’ll put myself on the hook this year and state two resolutions:  one-I need to lose weight to become healthier and two-learn more about other cultures (pros and cons).  There, I’ve said it and I plan to be accountable.  Best wishes to everyone for every upcoming year filled with understanding, happiness, family and friends.

The magic...

Today, my significant other gave our boys homework – they have to come up with four options that they really like that do not involve a LCD screen.  VOID… air space…. can you hear the silence….. 

Since this morning, we have not received any news.  We should be laying bets as to how long it’s going to take them to come up with something.  I am now listening to the turning pages of the Sears Christmas Wish Catalogue.  They’ve been told that their responses are going to shape the nature of Christmas morning.

Christmas morning is a suspenseful, magical time in which none of us wish to be disappointed ~ giving or receiving.  As time goes on and children get older, it becomes harder and harder to please or surprise them, taking that magic away.  Wants seem to exceed what should be the norm, blowing the budget out the window.  Little do they realize that often the happiness is short lived due to a fad, leaving a wake of stress and bills.  Can we not as a parental group slow this purchasing highway of madness?  We can’t buy their happiness, interest or love ~ so why do we try so hard?  There are so many in the world that goes without, here in our own country and abroad.  When I look at my Christmas shopping list, I think of the many that go without or even knew what they were missing ~ and it takes a little of the magic away.    Give a little of your time to someone that may be lonely, participate if you can in donations to the food banks, Christmas Angels or other organizations.  I know many donate whenever they can.  Many just take a pass.   You’d be surprised at how good it feels  to do something out of the box ~ the pay it forward scenario ~ if you can to it in places of need.  The rewards are all around us….

A Generation ...

We grew up with a generation so much different than our own.  You could actually tell the make and perhaps model of a car just by looking at it and the term ‘blog’ would have summoned a quizzical look on someone’s face.  The previous generation had different dollar values and shopped with cash.  Credit was a phrase that was shunned, only sometimes used at the local grocery store - if you had to.  Milk was delivered in glass bottles once a week and children ran free in each other’s yards, streets, amusement parks, beaches and parks ~ they checked in with parents a few times a day.  Those days had their hidden secrets, horrors and abuse much like today; but as children and the young adults that our parents were ~ we were, the most of us innocent, weren't we?  It’s hard to imagine what our children will feel when they think back on their innocence, with live news, war news,  internet, YouTube at any moment’s glance.  Street smarts are something we learn young as an interaction.  My question is how is it applied today when they actually have to deal with real people?  It’s not so easy to deal in human form…  how much practice do they actually get?

Comment Section

It’s late in the day, but I wanted to thank those of you that tried to post a comment on any of my posts.  I have finally figured out how to adjust the settings for the comment sections to show!  It was a case of my not finding the right setting to select.  Hopefully now I will be able to enjoy hearing from all of you and your thoughts on my ‘blogs’.  What a venue!  I’m so much tamer and sage ~ I can only imagine what I would have written 20 years ago.