Lets end this B.S. called cancer.

http://seattle2010.livestrong.org/obie

There are so many reasons why this fund raiser is important to me, but first and foremost, personally, I am doing this in support of my sister Shelly who is currently fighting Stage 4 Melanoma. Melanoma is an extremely difficult form of cancer to fight where traditional chemotherapy treatment doesn't easily apply. We need more clinical trials and more experimental treatments - we can only get there through personal donations such as these. You really can make a difference in funding these efforts.

The list below, is a portion of all the ways Cancer has touched my life directly
- and its only a portion. You all have your lists of how it has affected someone in your life too. Cancer is horrible and its everywhere and we can find a cure. We can also support those living with the disease. Please support me in this cause. Donate here: http://seattle2010.livestrong.org/obie, and add your list as a comment to this note. I'll be riding 70 miles in the LiveStrong Challenge on June 20th in support of the cause.

* My sister Shelly- Fighting Melanoma
* My aunt Marcella - Passed away
* My sister-in-law Stephani's best friend - Passed away (age 33 - Melanona)
* My good friend Bryan's Dad - Passed away
* My good friend Todd's Dad - Passed away
* My good friend Ruth's Mom - Passed away
* My former Father-in-law - Passed away
* My brother-in-law Tre's Mom - Passed away
* My old friends Brad and Stuart's mother- Passed away
* My good friend Helen's mom - Passed away
* My good friend Janette's dad - fighting cancer
* My good friend Regina's Dad - fighting cancer
* My good friend Leah's aunt - fighting cancer
* My good friend Kyle - cancer survivor
* My mother-in-law - cancer survivor
* My step-father - cancer survivor
* My aunt Lois - cancer survivor
* My uncle Hayden - cancer survivor
* My friend Kim - cancer survivor

This is in support of the Lance Armstrong Foundation

Here is their Manifesto:

THE LIVESTRONG MANIFESTO
We believe in life.
Your life.
We believe in living every minute of it with every ounce of your being.
And that you must not let cancer take control of it.
We believe in energy: channeled and fierce.
We believe in focus: getting smart and living strong.
Unity is strength. Knowledge is power. Attitude is everything.
This is LIVESTRONG.

We kick in the moment you’re diagnosed.
We help you accept the tears. Acknowledge the rage.
We believe in your right to live without pain.
We believe in information. Not pity.
And in straight, open talk about cancer.
With husbands, wives and partners. With kids, friends and neighbors. Your health care team.
And the people you live with, work with, cry and laugh with.
This is no time to pull punches.
You’re in the fight of your life.

We’re about the hard stuff.
Like finding the nerve to ask for a second opinion.
And a third, or a fourth, if that’s what it takes.
We’re about preventing cancer. Finding it early. Getting smart about clinical trials.
And if it comes to it, being in control of how your life ends.
It’s your life. You will have it your way.

We’re about the practical stuff.
Planning for surviving. Banking your sperm. Preserving your fertility. Organizing your finances. Dealing with hospitals, specialists, insurance companies and employers.
It’s knowing your rights.
It’s your life.
Take no prisoners.

We’re about the fight.
We're your advocate before policymakers. Your champion within the health care system. Your sponsor in the research labs.
And we know the fight never ends.
Cancer may leave your body, but it never leaves your life.
This is LIVESTRONG.
Founded and inspired by Lance Armstrong, one of the toughest cancer survivors on the planet.

Start 2010 with a vow of non-violence

Lets start 2010 with the first entrance of the year being a conscious vow for peace.

The love reflected from another person has its source in your own heart. -Deepak Chopra

My Top 10 Albums of 2009

2009 was a decent year for new new music- decent, not great. My top 6 albums were unquestionable for me - albums where at numerous points I used the words "F%# I love this album", but then it gets a little murky which is usually not the case. And the list after 10 is short this year. The big names put out some big records - U2, Bruce, DMB, Pearl Jam. As usual, nothing critical, no-nonsense approach to the ranking which is simply what I played most throughout the year. Ok, I'll just get right into it.

1. Dave Matthews Band - Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King
Ok, it doesn't hurt that I am a huge fan of DMB, however, I think this album stands out on its own as easily best album of the year regardless. It is so so good. I will listen to it for years to come. I raved earlier about it earlier in the year in this post. To recap what I wrote there: "I challenge any other album to try to stand up to this album in both its appeal musically, its diversity, its talent, its style. There's no other band on the planet quite like DMB - where a violin, saxophone, acoustic guitar, drums and bass comprise the band. This album adds a new twist of more electric guitar with the re-addition of Tim Reynolds. Which just makes it rock all the more."

2. The Decemberists - The Hazzards of Love This album is brilliant. I didn't know much about The Decemberists, when someone on Facebook recommended this album to me after lamenting earlier in the year about the slow music year. Not only did this album make me an instant fan - as in, they are now one of my favorite bands, but it was one that I had to listen to start to finish, over and over. Its

a rock opera filled with mid-evil imagery and lyrics and tells just an amazing story. You get more and more of the story with each listen. Its spans so many music genres too - there's pop, heavy metal, country, bluegrass - its just brilliant. I was subsequently blown away when I saw The Decemberists in concert do the entire album start to finish. Wow. Organs, accordians, upright bass, and like 5 different types of drumsets all at once. The lyrical trade-offs between each vocalist who has a part in the story is just cool.

3. Pearl Jam - Backspacer I didn't have big expectations for this one. I figured, it would be another good Pearl Jam album as usual, but just another one to throw into the mix. I was so wrong. I couldn't stop listening to it. This is one of those albums, where every song is great. Its fun, it rocks, lots of great riffs and hooks. Just one you

want to crank the stereo up and have a great time. Pearl Jam

shows that they truly can just keep getting better and better, when it doesn't seem possible.




4. U2 - No Line On the Horizon

And, another band that just proves to get better and better even after decades of music. This album is no

exception.







5. Miranda Lambert - Revolution

Out of nowhere, this album shows up in my top 5. While I do like country music as much as any genre, I didn't expect this or any country release to be on my favorites list this year - then I heard this, and I couldn't stop listening. Check out "Me and Your Cigarettes", "Only Prettier", "Virginia Bluebell", and "Sin for A Sin" - all great songs.

6. Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown - Another rock opera for t

he year and simply fun and joyful to listen to. I took many a bike ride with this album on my iPod

.

7. Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg - Wolfmother rocks. They define rocks. You can't help but think of Sabbath, Zeppelin, Floyd, Hendricks, and the Beatles when you listen to this album. Australia has once again provided us with a hard rock gift.

8. Silversun Pickups - Swoon
The Silversun Pickups were new to me this year. A great new band that has flavors of 80's and 90's - feels like the Smashing Pumpkins but more of a pop sound. Good stuff.










9. The Derek Trucks Band - Already Free
Another pleasant surprise. Derek Trucks is one of the best guitarists out there. This is classic blues-rock from the young guitarist playing with the Allman Brothers Band. The opening cover of Bob Dylan's "Down in the Flood" will get you immediately hooked as it did me.









10. Diane Birch - Bible Belt
Diane Birch is a newcomer and somehow I came across her by clicking on an iLike ad on Facebook - one of those "if you like such and such, then try this" - I did, and just loved what I found. She has a gospel, soul, pop thing going on. I'm already looking forward to more.






Here's the other ones I liked this year:

• She Ain't Me - Carrie Rodriguez (debated on top-10 for this one)
• Mark Knopfler - Get Lucky
• Bruce Springsteen - Working on a Dream
• Lyle Lovett - Natural Forces
• Tori Amos - Abnormally Attracted to Sin
• Bare Bones - Madeleine Peyroux
• Sonic Youth - The Eternal
• Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

Thinking about Nobel Peace Prizes. Thank you President Obama.

There's certainly a lot of controversy in the last couple days over President Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize. To this I say: Congratulations President Obama - you deserve this most prestigious award! To the nay-sayers - I say show me a man in the last year who has united more people around the planet and brought a new hope in the name of peace to all of us? When I think back to the election year of 2008 - I know I've never experienced a more profound connectedness of people from all over the planet - through the hope and inspiration of Barack Obama.

One man does not create world peace, or even make strides towards a more peaceful planet on his own - not even close. It is one man's ability to inspire us all to show love and compassion globally and then up to us to change through *our* actions. To the nay-sayers - what have you done to help President Obama in the last year to make this world one step closer to peace? What have you changed in your actions to show more compassion towards your neighbors and the world out there? What have I done? What has anyone done? Its clear what Obama is doing - he's out there trying to bring us together. All of us. He's leading us towards dreams and hopes of a more peaceful planet and trying. He's warming international waters that have been cold and angry for years. I can't think of anyone else trying to inspire us to the depths that he is. This award is about leading Peace. I wonder what it would look like if instead of the anger and controversy and bashing about how much it sucks that he was given this award, if instead we all stopped and said, yeah - what a great man for wanting a better, more peaceful planet, how can we help?

Agile Hitler

I just became an Agile Coach at work. This is pretty much how I feel :)

Big Whiskey: The Dave Matthews Band in Perpsective

I started to write

this article as a reflection of The Dave Matthews Band after watching "The Road to Big Whiskey" on Fuse and its turning out to be both a reflection on the amazing band of DMB and man himself intertwined with a full review of the the DMB's new release: Big

Whiskey and the

GrooGrux King".

I need to start with some general thoughts on Dave Matthews and the band. The band - An acoustic guitar, a violin, a saxophone, drums, and a bass - nowhere in history has that combination been put together before - they really created their own genre - and the music is all such joyful music. Its no sound that you've heard before - all their own.

Dave is an enlightened human being - I wonder how much he even knows how in touch with inner human spirit he is. He is full of love and compassion and it comes out throughout all his music - both in the instruments and his lyrics. Sprinkled throughout his lyrics, you'll continually find spiritual references about life, love, presence, and goodness - but its everyday lyrics - not intended to be spiritual - which is what makes his songs so special. Its no wonder he was chosen to interview the Dalai Lama when he was in town in Seattle last year - That was an amazing experience by the way. Dave of all people selected to be the local interviewer of the Dalai Lama when he was here in Seattle. When he writes, his songs are all about love, humanity, joy, and being real.

Ok - On to Big Whiskey. This is going to be the album of the year. I challenge any other album to try to stand up to this album in both its appeal musically, its diversity, its talent, its style. There's no other band on the planet quite like DMB - where a violin, saxophone, acoustic guitar, drums and bass comprise the band. This album adds a new twist of more electric guitar with the re-addition of Tim Reynolds. Which just makes it rock all the more.

It was scary to wonder what a studio album without LeRoi Moore on Sax would be like - but it worked. The album integrates stuff recorded from Roi, prior to his passing, accompanied with the amazing talent of Jeff Coffin as his replacement. The album opens and closes with LeRoi solo in quiet reminder of how amazing that man was.

Then the album blasts right into classic DMB sound in "Shake Me Like a Monkey" with big horns, guitars, violin in a way that just makes you want to dance right away. And in this case, the funny side of Dave comes out in the lyrics - How can you not love these:

"I like my coffee with toast and Jelly but I'd rather be licking from your back to your belly"

What Dave? Love it.

Then its on to "Funny The Way it Is" - the album's first single. Just another great platform for the big sound of the band with small instruments.

Dave can be contemplative. His lyrics make you think:

"Funny the way it is, if you think about it

Somebody’s going hungry and someone else is eating out
Funny the way it is, not right or wrong
Somebody’s heart is broken and it becomes your favorite song"

The next track, "Lying in the Hands of God" - This is one of those songs that exhibit the spiritual side of Dave. This is one of my favorite songs on the album - well, I say that about each song really - which is why it is such a great album - but this is on top. There's just something I really really love about this line and its nothing I can explain:

"Save your sermons for someone that's afraid to love
If you knew what I feel then you couldn't be so sure
I'll be right here lying in the hands of God "

"Why I Am" - Great tribute to LeRoi. Roi liked his Big Whiskey. He is the GrooGrux King. Just a fun, happy, joyful tribute to a great man.

Then its back to contemplative. Holy crap. Dive In is depressing - but one of the best lyrical songs on the album! The amazing song writing makes you think - so refreshing. Self serving, unaware human nature, global warming - is all there -
but there is also a glimmer of hope intertwined - you have to listen to understand.

"I saw a man on the side of the road
With a sign that read
"Will work for food"
I tried to look busy 'til the light turned green

I saw a bear on TV
And his friends were all drowning
'Cause their homes were turning to water

Wake up sleepy head I think the sun's a little brighter today
Smile and watch the icicles melt away and see the waters rising
Summer's here to stay and all those summer games will last forever

Along comes "Squirm" - Another favorite on the album and definitely going to be a live favorite with fans. Squirm is powerful in sound with Dave's beautiful and complex voice coming out in all tones accompanied with the strongest showcase of Boyd's violin on the album. Boyd just rocks here. I can't wait to see this in concert. Lyrically, the song is complex - but its basically another intricate song about life, love, and spirituality in the present told only as Dave can. In this single verse, Dave hits on the golden rule of kindness and good, accompanied with the spiritual message that heaven is yours to make while living. I just love this:

"Above all things

If kindness is your king

Then heaven will be yours

Before you meet your end "

Now comes the one and only song on the album I don't really think fits. Alligator Pie is a sort of a noisy New Orleans blues-rock-jam that seems more in line with the Stand Up album. Its sort of all over the place musically but not in a way that works. However... I notice a lyric - "Stella said Daddy when you gonna put me in a song" - and I realized he must be talking about his daughter. Listen closer and note that he mentions Grace as well - Stella and Grace - his twin daughters. The lyrics are sort of nonsense to us, but bonus points to Dave for adding a humanistic nod to his girls. Just another case of his total down-to earth style.

Dave can be dirty. "Seven". Nuff said. Just listen to it. Actually, this song showcases Tim Reynolds with some of the best guitar riffs accompanied by an amazing tenor from Dave.

Dave is a romantic. In the Fuse documentary, he mentioned how Crash - written in 1995 was totally inspired by the love of his life, his wife. All of his subsequent songs that refer to love are about her. He writes a ton of love songs and really really projects just true love - In this album, check out Spaceman, My Baby Blue, and You and Me. That is like a magnet for people. He is such a romantic, loving, family guy who is this big rock star.

Then there's the insecure side of Dave that he puts out there. The words from Rhyme & Reason are still some of my favorite: "My head won't leave my head alone And I don't believe it will until I'm dead and gone." Similarly, here, he writes :

"I'm a ticking time bomb

Waiting to blow my top

No one would ever know

Not until I blew up

No one would believe it

He was such a normal man

Shake their heads and wonder why "

I just love how he can make you feel ok to have problems. We all do.

And just to wrap up, a word on the bands live shows. The concerts - Thousands of people singing and dancing together just loving life, the music, and each other - ok - I guess thats the hippie side of me coming out. Dave is funny - great sense of humor - dorky, dances funny, but not afraid to dance like crazy in a funny way in front of 20,000 people. The whole band is just completely down to earth.

Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King is by far the best DMB album since Crash. There is something for everyone and I think I read a quote from Dave that said "If you don't like this album, you don't like music" - or something along those lines - and I'd have to say that is the best summary there is. Its stellar. I am so grateful that DMB continues to make music that touches our soul, makes us happy, makes us want to dance, is real, and that the band just continues to get closer, and better, in the wake of such tragedies such as the loss of LeRoi Moore.

Please help make ending Cancer a global priority!

Dear friends and family,

Every one of us has been affected in some way by cancer. We all have friends and family that are either living with it now, or have sadly passed away from this terribly disease. Cancer has been a household name with no cure in the 40+ years that I've been around. I'm asking that you help me join the Lance Armstrong Foundation to make eliminating Cancer a global priority.

President Obama has made a commitment to find a cure for cancer in our lifetime. This is an amazing goal but it will take help from all of us.

Personally, I have had family members be affected by Prostate Cancer, Melanoma, Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, and the list goes on. Some have passed away. You all have similar lists I'm sure.

So one thing I am doing for it, is I am raising money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation by riding in the LIVESTRONG Challenge in Seattle on June 21st. I am doing a 45 mile bike ride.

I am asking for the support of friends and family by making a small contribution to this incredibly important cause. If all of my Facebook friends donated just $10 I would reach my personal goal of raising $2000 for the cause.


You can donate directly by following this link:http://seattle09.livestrong.org/obie66 

You can learn more about the Lance Armstrong foundation and its global committment to finding a cure for cancer below:

Global Commitment
More than 28 million people are living with cancer and this year, eight million will die from it. We are asking for commitments from NGO's, world leaders and individuals to make cancer a global priority. Learn more in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DwUStroX8A

My sister Shelly and her family who is diagnosed with Stage III Melanoma