You know that cheesy song that Garth Brooks sang back in the early-199os, “Unanswered Prayers?” Well all I can say is that, it might be cheesy, but it is also dead on.

Seriously, dead on. Have you ever taken a moment to think about all the heartbreak that you have experienced? Heartbreak that was in fact a huge blessing in disguise? For some reason on my drive back from Birmingham, this is exactly what I was thinking about.

I came up with a long list full of unexpected “blessings.” Here’s a very short sampling -  job promotions deserved but not attained, relationships that ended too abruptly, loyalties betrayed. (more…)

Can we talk about Glee for a minute? Just for a minute?

Oh my gosh…it is the cutest thing ever. I watched it for the premiere for the first time last night and fell in love with it. Combining the all-to-identifiable high school angst, a passionate teacher, soulful song and dance combos, a blooming romance, some pitiful underdogs with incredible talent, Glee might just be THE PERFECT TELEVISION SHOW. My cheeks are hurting this morning from all the smiling I did last night as I was glued to the TV. (more…)

Tuesday was a great day, full of wonderful surprises.

First, I got to sit in while Michael Hyatt interviewed New York Times bestselling author Don Miller about his new book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. You have probably heard me say this before, but I am going to go ahead and say it again.

A Million Miles is a GREAT book. It is the kind of book that sticks with you for days, months, possibly/probably years. It makes you think, think about who you are and what you were put here to do. And so it was incredible to have the opportunity to hear Don and Mike’s intriguing dialog about Don’s journey from the publication of Blue Like Jazz to publication of A Million Miles. (Don’t worry, the video will be posted at www.michealhyatt.com as we get closer to the book’s September release so you can all enjoy this fascinating conversation.)

I know, I know. I have a really cool job and this is stacking up to be a great day for me.  And I’m just getting started. (more…)

Last Saturday night, ColdPlay was in Nashville. And I went to see them perform at The Sommet Center.

Yellow

And as Michael Hyatt, would say it was a “wow experience.”

And it was not just a “wow experience” because I had low expectations. My Birmingham friends had certainly built the experience up during long play-by-play recaps on the phone and on Facebook. (more…)

It is really starting to feel like summer. (If it would only stop raining here in Nashville? I swear you’d think we live in a rainforest with the way the weather has been.) I love summer. I don’t love the heat. But I love summer.

Here are 10 of my favorite things about summer:

1. Road Trips – trips to the lake, the beach, neighboring cities. For some reason, no place seems to far to drive in the summer. I need to start making some playlists on Itunes right now! (Some of my twitter buddies, helped me start a wish list. Now I just need to find some time to download.)

Macon and Anne Shelton - Lake Texoma 2008

2. Music Festivals – City Stages, Bonnaroo. One of my first jobs out of college was planning music festivals. And I love them. There is nothing better than being outside (when the weather’s nice), listening to good music, drinking a cold beer, and hanging out with your closest friends. This summer I plan on hitting CityStages (my personal favorite) and Bonnaroo (to see what all the fuss is about). I am excited because for the first time in several years, they don’t fall on the same weekend. (more…)

This morning on the way to work, I rediscovered Joshua Radin. (I have been a fan for several years, but recently took a break because I went through a period I where was listening excessively, and I do mean excessively.) He is so talented. This song is so beautiful. And the lyrics are POWERFUL.

Here are the lyrics (so you don’t have to listen four times like I did to catch all the goodness): (more…)

Actually not probably, this is definitely not politically incorrect but I used to joke and say I have “Singing Tourette’s.” (Tourette Syndrome is a medical condition that causes uncontrollable and repetitive motor or vocal tics.) But what I was really (poorly) trying to say is that, there are times when I get random and uncontrollable urges to belt out a song’s lyrics. The urge builds until I sing a line or two (who am I kidding, a chorus or two) which causes those around me to wince at the sound of my not-so-angelic voice.

I enjoy a wide range of musical genres — folk, country, rock, r&b, and alternative — mostly because I pay more attention to the lyrics than the melody. To me a well-crafted song tells a story, takes me on an adventure, reminds me of days past, or emits raw emotion.

Here is a list of few songs I love:

Drive-In Movies and Dashboard Lights by Nanci Griffith

Landed by Ben Folds

(more…)