Thursday, April 26, 2007

Release Me

So I'm trying something a little different with the Paper Arrows record... as of today I'm releasing the song Look Alive! as an email only single... if you want it emailed to you for free as an MP3 file, drop an email to paper_arrows@yahoo.com...

We're having a little release party tonight at my place... some wine, some music... it's small but fun. Things are... okay. And that's pretty good.

XO
j

Sunday, April 22, 2007

How the Heart Moves On

Slowly With hesitation Slipping away Trying In silent spaces What can be saved? And while we're sleeping Something is leaving Someone is breathing In and out and in and out Sinking Into the hollow That swallows us here in the dark Fighting With desparation To hold on, hold on to the spark And while we're sleeping Something is leaving Someone is breathing In and out and in and out

jbg

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Down Down Down (Redux)

Chewed up the sky, spit out the stars Never told anyone I was scared of the dark All of my love just fades away I lose a piece of myself almost every day I can see your face Hanging 'round this place Hanging like a weight Pulling me down down down I'll run with the river in dreams of gold I'll fly with wings been bought and sold To touch the birds that sing your name In the ruby blue I'll do the same I can see your face Hanging 'round this place Hanging like a weight Pulling me down down down The last night that you were there I watched your eyes and smelled your hair And fixed your arm and dried your tears And touched your hand and counted years I can see your face Hanging 'round this place Hanging like a weight Pulling me down down down Pulling me down down down

jbg

Monday, April 16, 2007

Little Victories

Sometimes, it's easy to get overwhelmed (or even just -whelmed) by grand visions. Frustrated by the slow pace of progress. In knots about failures or perceived failures. Fed up with your inability to execute on your dreams. Paralyzed by the genius of your own ideas.

Okay, that last one never really happens to me. But still...

Most of the time it's better to break the world into small, manageable tasks and take pride in accomplishing them one at a time.

For instance: I fixed the venting system on my dryer this weekend. I know, I know... it's not selling a million copies of a record, or recording an album, fighting famine in Africa, or buying a car... but it did involve the following: 1. Identifying the problem: namely that a bird had built a nest in the old vent/tube, which was causing the dryer to vent into my house, not to the outside... which is not a good situation. 2. Plugging said venting hole to insure that in the absence of the tubing, the bird did not return and take up residence in my actual house. 3. Continuing to identify the problem: namely that once I scared the bird off, I realized the tubing for the vent was irreparably damaged and needed to be replaced. 4. Going to Home Depot and buying the correct part, namely an 8 foot flexible venting tube with clamps. 5. Moving the washer/dryer combo just enough so I could squeeze my not-so-small frame behind it for access to the back of the dryer. 6. Identifying that I need to remove a part (a metal tube) from the old flexible tube and attach it to the new tube, also flipping it around to fit properly. 7. Executing said replacement, fitting the clamps around both the dryer back and the wall vent. 8. Realizing in my maneuvers I had poked a small hole in the tubing, and fixing it with the greatest repair tool known to man... that's right, duct tape. 9. Turning on the dryer and smiling as the tube filled with exhaust and piped said exhaust to the outside. 10. Smiling even broader when I realized that I managed to spend $10 on a new part, rather than $150 on a service call to a Maytag technician.

So there you go... I did not get any notice on Sunday about receiving a gold or platinum record. I did not record or write a song. I did not buy a car. I did not adopt an African orphan (as far as I remember). But I did triumph over a small, inanimate object and bested an animal with a brain roughly the size of a mouse turd.

And some days, that's all you can ask for.

jbg