The Taylor Swift Connection

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Maybe something is trying to let me know something...just lost a whole lot of something in my last post!

Anyway this song is a real downer...but some of the greatest songs are.

youtu.be/eJlN9jdQFSc

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Dec 9, 2014 9:31:14 GMT -5 nashviller said:

Maybe something is trying to let me know something...just lost a whole lot of something in my last post!

Anyway this song is a real downer...but some of the greatest songs are.

youtu.be/eJlN9jdQFSc

Michael,

I have so many emotions connected with Johnny singing this song.

In my own personal take on Johnny Cash, throughout his life, he chose love. Again and again, he chose love. IMHO, it was his way to try and bring people to a better place and closer to God. He struggled with his own personal demons and because he did, he saw others through the same lens of struggling with their own personal demons. IMHO, it's why he identified with the poor and the downtrodden. We all know about how hard he worked to get to do those prison concerts and how much they meant to so many. We all know that he cared about the plight of the American Indian. We all know that he toured for years with Billy Graham.

Which is why this video has always seemed a contradiction of who Johnny was to me. If you listen to the actual vocals....Johnny's singing, I can hear and feel the Johnny who sees the struggle of man and knows the inevitability that we all run into our own personal brick walls, that humility will find us, no matter how hard we struggle against it (and I always struggle hard, hard, hard against humility). I hear all of that.

The video though...it was done by Rick Rubin after Johnny died and it has always seemed to divert away from where I believe Johnny lived. I never felt that Johnny was a vengeful man, using God as a way to tell those who believed differently that they were going to be struck down.

I've always thought Johnny was singing about each of our own personal struggles and how we, like Johnny himself, would find our way back to our knees knowing our mistakes.

Like I said though, I could very well be wrong. Maybe Johnny was more vengeful that I ever believed him to be.

Jolene

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Dec 9, 2014 11:35:53 GMT -5 @jolene said:

Dec 9, 2014 9:31:14 GMT -5 nashviller said:

Maybe something is trying to let me know something...just lost a whole lot of something in my last post!

Anyway this song is a real downer...but some of the greatest songs are.

youtu.be/eJlN9jdQFSc

Michael,

I have so many emotions connected with Johnny singing this song.

In my own personal take on Johnny Cash, throughout his life, he chose love. Again and again, he chose love. IMHO, it was his way to try and bring people to a better place and closer to God. He struggled with his own personal demons and because he did, he saw others through the same lens of struggling with their own personal demons. IMHO, it's why he identified with the poor and the downtrodden. We all know about how hard he worked to get to do those prison concerts and how much they meant to so many. We all know that he cared about the plight of the American Indian. We all know that he toured for years with Billy Graham.

Which is why this video has always seemed a contradiction of who Johnny was to me. If you listen to the actual vocals....Johnny's singing, I can hear and feel the Johnny who sees the struggle of man and knows the inevitability that we all run into our own personal brick walls, that humility will find us, no matter how hard we struggle against it (and I always struggle hard, hard, hard against humility). I hear all of that.

The video though...it was done by Rick Rubin after Johnny died and it has always seemed to divert away from where I believe Johnny lived. I never felt that Johnny was a vengeful man, using God as a way to tell those who believed differently that they were going to be struck down.

I've always thought Johnny was singing about each of our own personal struggles and how we, like Johnny himself, would find our way back to our knees knowing our mistakes.

Like I said though, I could very well be wrong. Maybe Johnny was more vengeful that I ever believed him to be.

Jolene

See how much I have learned so far? I did not know 87% of what you said...but it was spot on...so was your personal observations...tear jerking in a way. I do not deserve to have Johnny's autographed photos

in my possession. Jackson Taylor would slap me silly because of my ignorance...I need to become more informed. I thought that I knew that stuff...but I feel my memory slipping...I run into a room now looking

for something...I run because if I walk I still forget it...and still forget it<<<see what I mean? So now I carry a piece of paper and pen to write it down immediately so I won't forget...then I stroll into

the room and lose the freakin paper. It may be some condition that I should speak with my doctor about...maybe it was years of living in the moment...savoring this meal while we eat...letting my imagination

run away. I want to talk about you and your poor momma and music and artists you posted here...or there. May God bless us all...may we all find peace...may we find our friends again...may we all feel

loved...may we all learn to live in this moment.....

[Deleted]

Well I just have to squeeze in a little news...The Victoria Secret Show was last night with Taylor as a special guest....for the second year in a row!

It is strange to see Taylor looking up to so many females. As you may not know is that her and Karlee Kloss is shacking out...what they do in their place is their business. She seems to be happy but beneath

that glow...that facade... there is something missing....maybe trust issues. I know that her and Karlee are in love...it is obvious...this will be one for the record books...or one for the next record.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/09/taylor-swift-victorias-secret-fashion-show_n_6298798.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

Oh I reread this post and am leaving it as it is...but when I talk about "love" I am talking about the good kind like grandma love...not the physical kind.

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Today we celebrate Time magazines Person Of The Year...the nominees are: Apple CEO Tim Cook, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, acting Iraqi Kurdish Region President Masoud Barzani, Worldwide Ambassador Taylor

Swift, Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Ebola caregivers and the Ferguson protesters. I honestly think that she would win this if it wasn't for the Ebola Fighters...Taylor herself would vote for

them...whom ever wins this should give it to team Ebola!

www.cmt.com/news/1746538/will-taylor-swift-be-times-person-of-the-year/

But to even be considered award for this is amazing... really it is. There are a lot of things that is being done with her money that the average street bum may not know...probably for tax write off purposes

but still great nonetheless...IMO. It would be nice if she founded a school for underprivileged musicians at her home in Rhode Island.

Whatever...no one has that many bricks to throw at her castle anymore...that's nice!

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Captain...

Captain...we are listing badly to the Swiftboard side...we need some ballast to level this baby out!

It must be something special...quick...to the point...and chock full of good thoughts!

youtu.be/2Ccjjt5OihM

Before I forget!!!!!!!

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Now Michael, I was quite enjoying the Swiftboard side. : ) I ask you, how would I know what's going on in Taylorville unless you keep me up to date?

On the link you posted of Taylor's interview on the View, she talked about having such great girlfriends. It's a great thing to have friends.

It's enough that you mention my mama Michael. She's doing well again. She's more frail than she used to be but she's stabilizing again. Each time she has surgery she has a few months where her blood sugar just dives and she goes down again and again and again but we seem to be past that again and she's stable. No recent blood sugars for her in the 20's and 30's. And my walking helps ....by the time I'm starting on mile three each day I hit my zen stage where stress goes away.

Sorry I missed replying yesterday. Got busy with Christmas and never made it back to my computer like I thought I would.

Love the Kid Rock video. : )

I'll keep reading this thread each day to see what your posting and so I can comment : ) ...got an idea for a thread for my own muse that I hope to start later today. Gotta get out the door for allergy shots.

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"I could build a castle out of all the bricks they threw at me."

I think that ^^^ is a perfect line...I mean that this one hooks somewhere in my cranium and wont let go.

Oh I must also have Detroit on my mind...it seems as a bunch of old folks are going to meet at Ford Field in Detroit for The Taylor show. I mean most of these folks are in their 50's and 60's with the

exception of my buddy who is 27 and has bad Cerebral Palsy...he is an extremely talented man. He was whining about not being able to go so I told him I would go to Michigan and push him to Detroit

which is 4 hours away by car...I figured that in 5 days we would make the concert. I suppose that his family saw it and bought him tickets and are giving him a ride...and it's his birthday too!

I really should go!

I suppose that I could relay all the news that she makes in the world...which is a lot...but I would prefer writing about the personal ...the untold stories ...the truth.

I relate to the aforementioned line about bricks as I betcha we all do. Why do people always feed their hate when it is already full to the brim whilst their love is literally drying up?

We all have a conscience...no matter what religion that you follow ...what you believe...what people tell you to believe...the answer is so simple...it is right there...can you hear it?

I think that it is inherent in all of us...we know the truth...we know right from wrong...only if you listen to that voice inside.

I bet that I have shared this video before...but I find it touching at this time of the year...when so many are hurting...so many tears...I just want to reach out and say that everything will be

alright...because someday it will...I just know it!

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Oh I forgot to include the link...did I ever mention anything about my memory...I can't remember.

I had better do it before it is too late...what was I going to do? Jo please give your mamma a warm fuzzy hug for me...I miss my folks so bad it hurts...especially this time of year.

I am glad for the few people left in my life...even if they don't come around ever...when we do meet it is like time never passed at all...kinda like this.

I need to make some more coffee and maybe listen to a little Christmas Music while I continue to fortify my Castle!

youtu.be/AfsS3pIDBfw

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How long have your parents been gone Michael? I know you miss them so much.

You know, we both grew up with lots of family around and it wasn't something I ever gave thought to at the time. Being part of the whole was just how things were. Maybe because there were so many of us, I don't have any memories of bricks being thrown at me. I've always had a big, messy family but nobody ever acted shocked about whatever life brought along. It was a very calm way to grow up.

I hadn't thought about it in years but when my just found cousin contacted me a while back, I started thinking back so I could give her a visual picture of things. I was telling son that we used to all go visit some of my cousins in jail or at the prison and then have a picnic in the park afterward...make it a nice trip.

Son says, that actually sounds nice. I said, it was.

I'm a big fan of nice. : )

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Adding in Darryl Worley's "Family Tree" : )

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnZwhRobXf0

...when I said large family, while there were only 4 of us kids, my mom came from a family of 7 kids, my dad from a family of 6 kids. Then the generation before, which were all around when I was growing up...my mom's mom came from a family of 11 kids. My mom's dad came from a family of 12 kids. Then they just all multiply and spread out. That's not even counting my dad's side.

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Dec 11, 2014 17:09:26 GMT -5 @jolene said:

Adding in Darryl Worley's "Family Tree" : )

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnZwhRobXf0

...when I said large family, while there were only 4 of us kids, my mom came from a family of 7 kids, my dad from a family of 6 kids. Then the generation before, which were all around when I was growing up...my mom's mom came from a family of 11 kids. My mom's dad came from a family of 12 kids. Then they just all multiply and spread out. That's not even counting my dad's side.

Darryl is spot on in his video...at 1:35... I saw a patch on the female leads belly...they focused on that...I was wondering what that meant.

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Dec 11, 2014 16:54:20 GMT -5 @jolene said:

How long have your parents been gone Michael? I know you miss them so much.

You know, we both grew up with lots of family around and it wasn't something I ever gave thought to at the time. Being part of the whole was just how things were. Maybe because there were so many of us, I don't have any memories of bricks being thrown at me. I've always had a big, messy family but nobody ever acted shocked about whatever life brought along. It was a very calm way to grow up.

I hadn't thought about it in years but when my just found cousin contacted me a while back, I started thinking back so I could give her a visual picture of things. I was telling son that we used to all go visit some of my cousins in jail or at the prison and then have a picnic in the park afterward...make it a nice trip.

Son says, that actually sounds nice. I said, it was.

I'm a big fan of nice. : )

We should all be a bigger fan of nice I suppose!

My moms folks landed in Jasper, Arkansas in 1820's...at our last family reunion in the 1990's everyone pitched in and bought stones for a lot of relatives that died in the 1840's...something bad must have

happened then...their cemetery is in a pasture...forgotten and alone. Most of the towns around Jasper are named after my ancestors...mom said once that you could knock on any door in Newton county and they

would be related in some way...you know ...by George... she was right...she is right.

She passed away in my arms 10 years ago on a beautiful September morning...actually she was just hanging on when the ambulance arrived...it was my call. When we got into the sunshine ...she loved the

mornings so much...the hummingbirds were all over...her favorite. I told them to stop...and told ma that it was O.K. to go...tell dad and everyone hi for me and I'll see you real soon...then she smiled.

She had 12 siblings with a couple being buried in the cemetery as babies... she was the youngest in her line as am I in mine. Those people are still the salt of the Earth...I am almost positive that if the

economy crashes...or the lights go out... that they would never miss a beat...and keep on living just fine.

"I need to back to Mount Judy" note a new song title for me! Where the genesis of her side of my family was at a place called Mount Judea...beautiful if you want to check it out.

My dads side was very, very, very interesting...he was an Orphan in the depression.

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Now I am thinking about one of Arkansas heros...not Levon Helm...not Johnny Cash...not that guy who plays the saw...but the guy who plays the washboard!

It sounds kinda silly now how proud we were of Black Oak Arkansas...and still are. They were our answer to the rock scene of the early 70's along with the Ozark Mountain Daredevils...long haired hippy folks

running around barefoot screaming about not having electricity and diggin it...hence the first song on this video...please don't think too highly of up here in the hills!

youtu.be/TBnUC8p2wgw

Though I got to talk with the band and Jim a few years ago I found out that they are still the rebels that they always were...but Jim Dandy Boy gets awful preachy...he has found himself.

I like this guys teeth! lol He would get it..I love stories...Oh...he said that we are related...I suppose that we all are.

youtu.be/CJuXLn487k0

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Michael,

I love hearing about your family and your mom. You come from such lovely people. Must be why you are such a lovely person yourself.

I'm so glad you were there when your mom passed and that she was there in the sunshine with you. It's so hard when we lose the ones we love and they always stay with us in their own ways. I know what you mean about missing them though. I still miss my dad and it was especially acute last month when they auctioned off my mom and dad's house. It's all gone now. As well the last of my grandmother's sisters who died last month too. The bigger your family, the more people you've seen pass.

It's lovely that you all go together and bought stones. I wonder what did happen in the 1840's to your family.

I absolutely adore salt of the earth people. They are the blessings in our lives.

Jolene