Show #221

Hello Friends of the Garden!

Well, I don't really know how to start! This whole blog thing is actually still very new to me and I'm learning to become more comfortable with expressing my thoughts. I hope those of you that read this message understand that my intentions have never been to divide people in to neat little groups that believe one way or another. I have really made an effort to not polarize my audience with my opinions and thoughts (although, I'm certain that it happens any way with some people). 

​

Ok, I definitely am pushing a, "Peace, love and understanding" message but I can't imagine someone coming out in opposition and saying, "You know, I don't really want peace, love and understanding in my life!" It's hard to imagine that there are people that would be against having more peace, love and understanding in our world.......openly! Sure, I guess we definitely disagree on how that should come to fruition! As far as I can tell, there are still far too many people (all over the globe including us) that believe in order to achieve peace, love and understanding that certain entire groups of people need to killed! 

I've discovered through conversations with all kinds of people that rational people will listen, process and contemplate and irrational people will react with dogma and an extreme need to vocally express their personal views. Those irrational people usually feel the need to do some sort of overt act to get attention for their cause or belief. The rational people find a way to express themselves without causing harm, the irrational seem to feel the desperate need to consider extreme acts to push their agendas to the forefront. 

I'm not expecting that there are many irrational people in my listening audience so, I'm not misguided to the point that I think I'm going to change them! I also understand that simply being a listener of The Sunday Garden Party we already share a love of music and that gives us one point of commonality. I think the poem by Maya Angelou speaks more to the truth than what we perceive to be true. We are more alike than we are different. 

True, some of those differences can make us uncomfortable but consider the way we deal with our wives, husbands, family, friends and children. I know my wife and son don't always think the way I do. Killing them because they don't agree with me isn't even a fleeting notion (the news may suggest otherwise as to the prevalence of restraint in this regard).

I believe each of us have our own rational and irrational attitudes to degrees. Like me, I have an irrational need to see the morning weather while I'm at the coast. Much to the amusement of my wife I have an irrational attraction to the "weather-person" here at the coast. My wife even calls me when there is a weather update so I can give her a chance to laugh at my ridiculousness! Of course my irrationality has limits. I'm certainly not going to become a stalker to further satisfy my obsession. 

 
​

Believe me when I say I know I don't have the answers. I'm busy doing my own personal search for understanding myself as much as I'm trying to understand the world around me. I certainly don't want to sound like I'm "preaching". Honestly I'm searching, just like for sea-glass, and there's a lot to sort through to find the answers! It's a big beach out there!

Ok, here's Show #221! Well first off this show is recorded because I'm off to see Jackie Greene with my buddies Sunday evening. No way am I going to miss that if I can help it! I've missed the last four Super Bowls in lieu of doing my show live. That should give you an idea of how much I like being in the studio (of course it helps when my team has entered an era ineptitude). Here's the other crazy thing! I think I had more fun recording this show than I have any other. While I was recording this show I was disappointed that I wouldn't be there for all of it. So, yes, I like this show! First time to the SGP this week are Keith Greeninger & Dayan Kai, The Isley Bros. (nice editing too), The Damn Quails, and Carrie Rodriguez. There's new music from Eilen Jewell and Michael Franti. Another set of funkiness for my buddy Mike with Tower of Power. There's great classics from War and Junior Brown. I should have put the Jackie Greene tune earlier in the show but I'm sending it out to my buddy John anyway! The rest goes together better than the best pastry The Great British Baking Show could conceive of! Oh yeah, I think I've ended with John Mayall before but I'm sending it out to my good friend and Texas Connection, Chris! Love ya buddy!

Thanks Jerry and Robin! We've trudged our way through another summer together with more to come! It's a lot easier with you two behind me!

Thanks to you listeners too and please if you don't appreciate my letter, don't let that stop you from enjoying the music! Either way, I still like hearing from any of you!

Peace, love and understanding to you all!

Mike

​