“In Memory”

Mommy died last year.  I cried and cried, but I couldn’t bring her back.

Daddy said she went to Heaven.  I hope she did.  I loved my Mommy.

This year had been very cold.  Me and my brother played in the snow, but mommy wasn’t here to watch us. 

This was going to be my first Christmas without her.  I had played in the snow, but I was still sad.

Last year’s Christmas had been good.  Mommy was very sick, but she still wanted to make it a good Christmas for me and my brother.  She put up decorations and cooked us Christmas cookies.   On Christmas morning the cookies we left for Santa were gone.

Daddy said Mommy would always love us and that we would always love her, she just wouldn’t be with us anymore.

I had asked Daddy, “Where is Mommy going?”

He told me that she was going to Heaven.  Still, I was very sad.

Mommy died a little while after Christmas last year.  Every year we cut down a Christmas tree and decorated it.  This year was going to be no different except that Mommy wouldn’t be with us.

This morning during breakfast Daddy said to me and my brother that we were going to get a Christmas tree just like we did last year.  I love getting Christmas trees almost as much as I like the presents that Daddy and Mommy always put under the tree.

Still, I was sad.  Mommy wasn’t with us anymore.  Sometimes I still cried.

We searched the Christmas tree farm.  As we looked, Daddy had said that Mommy had gone to Heaven to be with the angels and that she would want us to go on with our lives.’  I missed Mommy, but Daddy kept telling me that she was now in a better place.

It was very cold tonight.  Daddy had us put on mittens.   When we got to the Christmas tree farm, the snow was falling; not a lot, just enough to help me feel like it really was Christmas without Mommy.

Last year Mommy had been with us. 

Some of the trees had icicles falling from them.  We looked through the trees.  We wanted a big tree, but not too big because it had to fit in the house.

I loved Christmas time.  I loved cutting down and decorating the tree.  We looked through the Christmas tree farm and found one that we wanted.  Both me and my brother were much too little to cut down the tree, but Daddy was able to for us.  The cold air felt good to me and I smiled as the tree fell down.

Christmas trees to me were almost as fun as the rest of the holiday.  After Daddy cut down the tree, we tied it down to the back of the truck and drove it home. 

The decorations and the smell of the tree made me feel like it was Christmas time.

We had special decorations for everybody.  We wrapped the tree in garland and lights.  We put the decorations on the tree.  Daddy had bought each of us a special decoration this year; he did that every year.  I almost cried again when we put up one for Mommy.  I missed her.

We sprinkled tinsel on the tree and we were done.

Daddy said to the two of us,” This is our first Christmas without your Mother.  I know it is hard for you as it is for me.  It is still time to grieve on move on, but to never forget.” 

Daddy opened up a box and said to us, “This is ornament is to top the tree.  Every year when we celebrate Christmas we will also be celebrating your Mother’s life.”  He pulled out the ornament.  It was an angel draped in white. 

He said, “Every year we will place this on top of our Christmas tree to remember all the love she gave to us.”  

Mommy was now an angel in heaven.

"Country Music Artist of the Month ... Blake Shelton"

"Country Music Artist of the Month … Blake Shelton"

Blake Shelton’s Official Homepage

Blake Shelton was born June 18, 1976.  At the age of 17 he moved to Nashville to pursue a music career.  His first release, Austin reached number 1 and stayed there for 5 straight weeks.  The follow up songs on the album did not fare as well, but the album introduced Blake Shelton into the hearts’ of country music fans across the country.

Since his career began in late 2001 he has had fifteen number one hits and counting; including 10 straight number one hits to date, tying Brad Paisley’s mark set in 2007.  Other hit songs include Ol’ Red, The Baby, She wouldn’t be gone, and Home.   He is now at the peak of his career and stands as one of the most popular contemporary country singers.  His latest album release Based on a True Story, debuted in March of 2013 number 1 on the country charts and number 3 on the pop charts.  His latest single, Mine Would be You, reached number 1 on the country charts in November of 2013.  At this point in his career he has sold over 7 million albums.

In addition to being a favorite among fans of country music, Blake Shelton has received much critical acclaim.  He has received more than 50 nominations in a variety of music awards of which he was the winner of 18.  These include Grammy Nominations, Academy ofMusic Awards, Country Music Association Awards, and nearly other award giving body associated with country music.  He has received acknowledgement for categories such as Top Male Vocalist, Entertainer of the Year, and Vocal Event of the Year.

Blake Shelton has received crossover recognition as a judge on the singing competition The Voice.  His team, as they designate, has been the winner on 3 separate occasions.  In addition, 2 contestants on his team, Cassidee Pope and Danielle Bradbery, have gone on to begin their own country music career.  The songs by Cassidee Pope, Wasting all these Years and Over You have made it high onto the country charts.  Danielle Bradbery has recently released her 1^st song onto country music radio, The Heart of Dixie, which is quickly climbing the charts.  The television show remains popular and stands to be a venue to launch the careers of other country singers.

Blake Shelton is one of the country singers noted for not only their own singing career, but also for that of their spouse.  Other country singers such as Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, and, in the past, George Jones and Tammy Wynette share in this distinction.  In 2005, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert met at a Country Music Television event.  Four years later, Blake Shelton proposed and on May 11. 2011 the two were married.  Similarly to the other couples in country music, the songs of Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert have been both popular and critically acclaimed. 

These are some of my favorite songs from Blake Shelton.  He is very versatile in his singing ability, with a strong voice both in his renditions of ballads and in more upbeat party songs.  In the last few years he has become one of the top stars in country music and this list of songs demonstrates the reason for this fact.

• Austin Video Link

This debut song by Blake Shelton reached number 1 on the country music singles chart and remained there for 5 weeks.  It is a profession of a man’s undying love for a woman who thought that the relationship was over.  The song brought recognition to Blake Shelton on the country music scene.

• I’ll just hold on Video Link

This is perhaps my favorite Blake Shelton song.  The masterful lyrical styling and melodic structure serve to sooth the senses of its listeners.  The heart-wrenching mood of the song invokes the feelings of a man holding on to a relationship which he knows is not ever going to work.  Many country songs appeal to this message; this is one of the best in the genre.

• Hillbilly Bone Video Link

This song, featuring TraceAdkins, hit number 1 on the country music charts in 2009.  It exemplifies an upbeat, party song atmosphere.  This song professes the cross-over appeal of many country songs in an up-beat, party-orientated performance by these two country singers.

• The More I Drink Video Link

As Alcoholics Anonymous preaches, “the more I drink, the more I drink.”  Although not a number 1 hit, or even a top 10 hit, the song expresses the vitality and the liberation that the barroom atmosphere can bring.  It’s strong back-beat serves as a similar expression to fit the message.

• It’s all about tonight Video Link

This song reached number 1 on the US country charts for 2 weeks between August and September of 2010.  The song helped Blake Shelton cross the border from a country music singer to a perpetual country music hit maker.  The song depicts the fun, frivolity, and party atmosphere of the barroom.

I hope you enjoy this post of “Country Music Artist of the Month … Blake Shelton.”  Keep an eye open for other country music features.

Thank you.

Forgetting About You

• ·        Inspired by the song “Down to my last teardrop” by Tanya Tucker

The trees were beautiful this morning.  The sky was blue.  My coffee, coupled with the cool morning air, invigorated my senses.

Last night I went to the bar to hang out with my buddies, a couple of beers, not too much.

The women were plentiful and beautiful at the bar last night.  I was playing billiards most of the night as they looked at me and smiled.

Work has been good.  I just got a promotion.  I bought a new car last month.  It has all the modern gadgets.

Life’s been good.

I admit Michelle was very beautiful, but the ordeals that she put me through made for a miserable existence.

“How’s she doing?”  I don’t really care.

Driving to work this morning, I began listening to the radio.  My favorite song came on and I started singing along.  Well, right now it’s my favorite song.  Last week I had a different favorite song and next week I’ll probably have a new favorite song.

Christmastime is coming.  It will be in a little more than a month.  I don’t have a wife or any kids. Yet, I’m not crying.  I have friends and I have family.  Every weekend at the bar I see my friends and there are always beautiful girls. 

I’ll be spending the holidays with my family.  My brother has one son and my sister is married with no children.  Every year the family gathers at my parent’s house.  My mom cooks a Christmas dinner and my father watches whichever sports games that are on the television.

I was playing a game of billiards with a buddy of mine the other night.  It was at the bar that has become our hang out.  I had a couple of beers; not more than that.  The two of us must have played for three hours as we watched the game on the television.  The women were beautiful and plentiful.  A particularly beautiful brunette kept smiling at me.  Perhaps it would be the beginning of something new?  I had no idea.  I was simply enjoying the atmosphere and resting my eyes upon her.

Two weeks later, I took her on a date to Knott’s Berry Farm.  The triviality and frivolity of the venue facilitated for a light-hearted introduction.  As we walked through the park, I noticed families; fathers and mothers with their children mostly.

In the past, it had been a complete waste of time with Michelle.  She made my life miserable.  She always started fights and arguments.  She cheated on me; one time I even caught her at a bar with another guy. 

I always tried to make it work.  Yet, it was a waste of my time and whatever I did to make it work the more misery she would give me.

Hopefully this new relationship would work out better for me.  Tammy, like Michelle, was very beautiful.  Yet, she, in the short time that I had known her, didn’t seem the same.   She seemed to have a warm heart; not one to willfully make a man miserable.

Christmastime was always my favorite time of year.  Ever since my childhood the love of the season filled my heart with affection.  This year, as we would every year, my family gathered at my parents’ house.  My brother brought his wife and kid, my sister brought her husband, and I brought my new girlfriend, Tammy. 

Tammy was beautiful with an innocent demeanor.  Hopefully things would turn out better with her than they did with my previous relationship.   So far it was going well, however, I had only been seeing her for a couple of months.

The Christmas party began at my parents’ house.  My brother, my father, and I sat down to watch the game on television.  My mother, my sister, and my new girlfriend socialized while the three of them completed the Christmas dinner.

When I had met Tammy, earlier this year, I had hoped for something more significant than what I had before.  I had been playing billiards with a buddy that night.  I noticed her look upon my direction and smile.  

She was very beautiful, but I didn’t rush over there.  Instead, I played a few more games of billiards.

She walked up to me and asked me to dance.   I could manage myself on the dance floor, but still was happily surprised that she was the one to ask me.

We danced and it served as the beginning of our relationship which was still in its infancy.  We danced to the upbeat music and I marveled at the joy she invoked with light-hearted personality.   She, in a cute and demure manor, made it so I could not help but smile.

Life had been good for me the last year.  I was happy that I had broken up with Michelle and I no longer had to live with the misery that she had always given me.  No more arguments, no more fights, and no more of her vindictive cheating.

Work was good.  I got to work this morning around 8:00.    I went about my work.  It was a trial, or even a chore.  It was a nice way to spend the day and to keep myself busy.

After work I went to the bar to meet up with my buddies.  Typical for a Friday, I ordered a beer.  I got in line for the billiards table and sipped my beer.  As I enjoyed the relaxing environment I noticed the blondes, brunettes, and redheads file in.  One by one my friends started to show up and the party had begun.

I woke up this morning.  The sky was blue and the cool air felt brisk against my skin.  My warm cup of coffee invigorated my senses.

Life was good.