Deep End

rain, a winter's rain
smears the neon window pane
the corner table is in the dark
just like me
black, all i can see is black

i'm in the deep end
thrown into the deep end
don't pull the plug while
i'm in the deep end

fade, you won't fade
from my memory for one day
double-edged memories
hover around my broken heart
dead, sometimes i feel so dead

i'm in the deep end
thrown into the deep end
don't pull the plug while
i'm in the deep end

time, soothing time
take this misery from my mind

i'm in the deep end
thrown into the deep end
don't pull the plug while
i'm in the deep end

time, soothing time

The 77's from the album "Pray Naked"
© 1992 Fools Of The World, LTD. (ASCAP)

Wilderness

everybody drinks the water from the murky pool
surely as you think you're well
you know your belly aches
everybody learns religion at the blind man's school
will you reach for heaven
when the preacher charms the snake

is your faith so right
are you so blessed
everybody wanders in the forest
is your heart so true

count the butts and bottles
in the morning when we're gone
fools agree reality is more than we should bare
how do you gaze into the sun from dusk to dawn
we love the truth enough to die but we won't swear

is your faith so right
are you so blessed
everybody wanders in the forest
is your heart so true
are you so good
everybody wanders in the woods

everybody begs the juror be more than merciful
for the crime we celebrate for bigotry we learn
everybody drinks the water from the murky pool
surely as it heals your soul you feel your body burn

is your faith so right
are you so blessed
everybody wanders in the forest
is your heart so true
are you so good
everybody wanders in the woods
everybody wanders in the forest
everybody wanders in the wilderness

- The Choir (1993)

UT 30 LSU 27

HOW 'BOUT THEM VOLS!!!!! WOO HOO!!

Since I don't have cable, I didn't watch the game (watched part one of No Direction Home instead). I did catch some of the 1st half on the radio, but after the score was 14-0, I became a bit despondent.

After the Dylan documentary finished I flipped over to the news for a score and found out that UT had tied the ballgame. I then flipped on the radio to hear the winning touchdown. Very exciting!!!

One thing I love about the Vols is that they don't quit, and that they can surprise you even when you think they are down for the count.

Now I hope they have something left in the tank for Ole Miss on Saturday.

Week Four Underdogs

Total Score: 11

this weeks picks:
Michigan State 10.5 ILLINOIS
(a big win last week means their ripe for an upset)
CLEMSON 3 Boston College
(Clemson let me down this week so i'll go against them)
LSU 6.5 Tennessee
(I pick with my heart not my head sometimes - Go Vols!)

The "ipod game"

Over on the 77's listserve we've been playing the "ipod game" where you list 15 songs that are in your randomly generated playlist. While Janell has an ipod shuffle, I don't have one yet. But I did burn a cd from a playlist randomly generated in itunes. My musical tastes have been described as eclectic and obscure. Take a look at this list of 30 songs and tell me if you agree:

walk between the raindrops - adam again
the lord is my shepherd 23rd psalm - keith green
feels like rain - dime store prophets
here comes the sun - the beatles
i can't take it - the choir
Yahweh - u2
shape of air - daniel amos
75 grains of sand - sarah masen
divine instant - daniel amos
the grape prophet speaks - l.s.underground
diamonds to coal - lost dogs
simple gifts - phil keaggy
Who's gonna ride your wild horses - u2
posse in the sky - daniel amos
driving in england - swirling eddies
blame - 5 o'clock people
revolution 1 - Beatles
comfort zone - Everyday Sunday
bright red carpet - All Star United
dancing at the policeman's ball - Mark Heard
you make my heart beat too fast - Buddy & Julie Miller
hold me now - Thompson Twins
personal jesus - Johnny Cash
state of love and trust - Pearl Jam
everybody hurts - R.E.M.
It's so wonderful - The Choir
pregnant pause - Daniel Amos
memphis - Chuck Berry
soul refreshing - Robert Randolph
deep end - 77's

And you can play too. Just leave your list in the comments section.

Political Identity

Not that it's a big surprise to me or most of you, but according to this test, I'm a Republican. And my suggested law: "I would dictate that the artificial notion of race be expunged from our society - its just pigment people!!!"

You are a Social Conservative (30% permissive) and an... Economic Conservative (66% permissive) You are best described as a: Republican Link: The Politics Test on OkCupid Free Online Dating

Week 3 Underdog picks

Current Point Total: 4

This week's picks:
NOTRE DAME 7 Michigan State (The magic has to end some time.)
Miami 7 CLEMSON (I love to see Florida teams have down years.)
FLORIDA 5 Tennessee (The annual SEC East Championship game - Go Vols!)

Underdogs

Here are my picks for this week:

Kansas State 10 MARSHALL
AUBURN 16 Mississippi State
MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE 4 North Texas

Playing the Race Card...

On my way in to work, I was listening to NPR's coverage of Katrina's aftermath, particularly regarding the ongoing search & rescue efforts and the Federal response. I was livid over the accusations of racism and how the media seems to encourage this mindset.

I'm very tired of the blame game being played on Capitol Hill - this is the time when we as a people should put aside our differences, roll up our sleeves, and work together.

During my lunch break, I read several articles today on the race issue - Here are some excerpts:

Bumblers, Not Bigots by Deroy Murdock

. . . . Like New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, and FEMA director Michael Brown, President Bush must explain why, for three to four days, no one could manage at least to air drop bottled water and granola bars on thousands of Katrina survivors who baked under temperatures exceeding 90 degrees at the Crescent City’s Superdome, its convention center, and freeway overpasses in the central business district.

While he must answer for that and other badly dropped balls, Bush need not apologize for being fueled by bigotry during last week’s “unacceptable” federal response, as he described it.

This charge crumbles on first inspection. . . .

Wanna Be Starting Something? By Mark Goldblatt

One of the more despicable motifs sounded by left-of-center commentators in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina took the form of a question: If the majority of the victims in New Orleans had been white rather than black, would the federal response have been swifter and more decisive? This isn’t a real question, of course, but a rhetorical question, a cheap attempt to score political points, since the person doing the asking already knows, or thinks he knows, the correct answer: Well, obviously, the federal response would have been more efficient if the majority of the victims had been white . . . because President Bush is a closet racist who doesn’t mind watching black people suffering and dying. . . .

For $.50 a day you can sponsor this child

My in-laws recently filled in a dilapidated swimming pool and they have a field of dirt that has entertained my girls better than any toy.

Have no fear . . . Underdog is here.

It's time once again for gridiron action under the guise of student athletics and that means that 104.5 The Zone's Stupid Underdog contest is back as well. Speaking of underdogs, perennial losers Vanderbilt won its first season opener in eight years last night against Wake Forest. They might achieve the ever elusive 3-win season this year.

So here are my opening picks:

GEORGIA 7 Boise State (UGA has a lot to prove this year and BSU is certainly capable of pulling the upset)
MARYLAND 9 Navy (I picked this instate rivalry because I'm still sore over UM's thrashing of UT in the Peach Bowl a couple years back)
FLORIDA 22 Wyoming (I may be the only one who thinks the hype over Urban Meyer's transfer to UF is way over hyped. Wyoming is a team on the rise and they are very familiar with Meyer's coaching. Go Buffalos!)

Think you can do better? Sign up, get your picks in today and play along.

notes from the road

Well I have nothing to complain about in comparison to those folks on the Gulf Coast. Katrina passed over Nashville, but left little impact on the area. The biggest impact is being felt at the gas pump. We certainly picked the wrong time of year to take a road trip.

So here I am in Monrovia, Maryland at my in-laws place. Gas prices along our route varied by as much as $0.30 a gallon (the highest we paid was $3.09 per gal.) and we are now facing much higher prices now that we've hit the metro Baltimore/D.C. area.

Seeing all the images from Katrina's aftermath have evoked a wide variety of emotions ranging from compassion for the victims and amazement at the destruction to anger at those who turn this horrific event into means for personal gain. I can't begin to get a true handle on the scope of the devastation, much less gather my thoughts into some sort of intelligent response. I guess that will come later.

I have a few days of rest and relaxation, so I hope to blog more regularly for the next few days. See you around.