A good blues musician?Jul 14, 2006 6:57 AM PST
**transferred from AI profile
I just sat and listened to Taylor's version of Georgia. I mean, I SAT and LISTENED. Conc
entrated. And you know what? His musicality is so integral, so all-consuming, that it doesn't seem like he's even thinking about it. He lets it have free reign, and it just flows out of him. Effortlessly. It gave me chills, because lately, I haven't been really really hearing what Taylor has to offer. It's what grabbed my attention at his audition, and what kept me constant throughout the competition. So many things have been bombarding us, distracting from his music. All the other stuff - thighs and onions and negative publicity and good publicity ... and hardly a mention of the music that brought us to him (so many people have it the other way around). And that's what it's all about, after all. Taylor's musicality has got to be our lodestar right now. We need to remember that. His music - it's the ONLY thing that has remained constant throughout the competition, and through everything that has happened since. It's so easy to forget this is a musician who possesses that elusive and rare quality: artistic integrity. This is why I am still a fan, with all the crap that surrounds the AI machine. This is why I believe, down deep in my soul where truth lives, that I am going to be a fan of his music all my life. A good blues player? The man has all the qualities necessary to become a legend! I pray every day that the AI people will loosen their grip enough to allow it to happen. Because I don't think they quite understand exactly what it is they have uncovered. A star who has depth, feeling and staying power. Who people will look upon in the coming years with a mixture of respect and awe. Who will uphold his standards in the face of criticism and who will come out on the other side intact, and maybe even stronger, as a musician and a human being. This is Taylor Hicks: the past, the present and the future of music.
needed a safe place to keep this quote - it means a lot today ... and every day: A friend is one to whom one may pour out all the contents of one's heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away." ~Arabian Proverb
Today, fill your cup of life with sunshine and laughter.
~Dodinsky
29 August 2006
The Lawnmower Story
July 24 lawnmower story for DanaJul 24, 2006 7:37 PM PST
**transferred from AI profile
Originally posted by mamacoco
Ok, now, let's see ... hmmm. Not really in the mood right now, but if anybody can put me there, it'd be Taylor.Picture it: hot, sunny day. Taylor is mowing the lawn, wearing a billcap, teeshirt, shorts and sneakers. Out of the goodness of your heart, you take him a big jug of cool water. He thanks you, drinks a cup, removes his cap, then pours the rest over his head, soaking his clothes and causing them to stick to his skin.
Now, where was I? Oh yeah - he peels his shirt off and wipes his face with it. As he turns back to the mower, you notice that the water has soaked the back of his shorts, too, causing them to define the ... um ... globes of his onion ( ).He looks back at you, over his shoulder, with a wicked glint in his eyes and says "Wanna help me?" He takes your hands and places them on the mower then, wrapping his arms around you, and thumbing the switch on, he puts his hands over top of yours.You are completely surrounded by hot, damp, sweaty Taylor. His bare chest and belly are pressed against your back. His arms are laying against the outside of yours. His chin rests on your shoulder and the side of his head (read ear and cheek) are nestled against the side of your face.
Ok, now ... oh, right: hot, damp sweaty Taylor. Blah, blah, blah ...As you push the mower, his thighs gently bump you from behind, moving you forward, even though you seem to have forgotten how to walk. You don't even realize your eyes are shut until he chuckles in your ear, saying "We need to turn now, baby." and you realize you have reached the other side of the yard.As soon as you are pointed back in the other direction, your eyes close again, and you inhale his scent. Delicious. He starts to hum your favorite song in your ear, rubbing his cheek lightly against your hair.
After several more passes of the mower, Taylor lets the engine die. "All done, sugar," he murmurs, not yet releasing you from the cage of his arms. "and I could use a swim." He turns you to face him, wraps you in a big, sweat-slippery bear hug, then kisses you teasingly on the nose.Taylor picks you up, tosses you over his shoulder, turns and heads to the back yard. You have a perfect view of his backside and you watch in fascination as the muscles clench and release with every step. You are so occupied by the view, in fact, that you don't notice your arrival in the back yard. Taylor never misses a step, but walks off the edge of the patio into the deep end of the pool.
Splash! You hit the water face down to the sound of Taylor's gleeful laughter. He has a wicked sense of fun, and you never know what to expect when he gets in one of "those" moods. But you figure you're gonna need your wits about you if you hope to hold your own.
So, rather than struggling to the surface, as he was probably expecting, you relax all your muscles and sink toward the bottom. Feeling the concrete under your toes, you wait an additional few seconds, then push off, exploding out of the water beside him and blinding him momentarily with the force of the splash. Your momentum carries you halfway out of the water, and as you begin the downward arc, you grab him by the shoulders and PUSH, sending him deep under the water.
As soon as you do, you scramble to the side of the pool and cling to the edge, waiting for him to surface.As his silvery head breaks the surface, you pounce, but he is ready for you and wraps his arms around you You both sink once again. You continue your horseplay until your muscles are trembling with exhaustion. Then you lay, legs and arms entwined, on the cushiony lounge by the pool, watching the sun set over the neighbour's garage.
**transferred from AI profile
Originally posted by mamacoco
Ok, now, let's see ... hmmm. Not really in the mood right now, but if anybody can put me there, it'd be Taylor.Picture it: hot, sunny day. Taylor is mowing the lawn, wearing a billcap, teeshirt, shorts and sneakers. Out of the goodness of your heart, you take him a big jug of cool water. He thanks you, drinks a cup, removes his cap, then pours the rest over his head, soaking his clothes and causing them to stick to his skin.
Now, where was I? Oh yeah - he peels his shirt off and wipes his face with it. As he turns back to the mower, you notice that the water has soaked the back of his shorts, too, causing them to define the ... um ... globes of his onion ( ).He looks back at you, over his shoulder, with a wicked glint in his eyes and says "Wanna help me?" He takes your hands and places them on the mower then, wrapping his arms around you, and thumbing the switch on, he puts his hands over top of yours.You are completely surrounded by hot, damp, sweaty Taylor. His bare chest and belly are pressed against your back. His arms are laying against the outside of yours. His chin rests on your shoulder and the side of his head (read ear and cheek) are nestled against the side of your face.
Ok, now ... oh, right: hot, damp sweaty Taylor. Blah, blah, blah ...As you push the mower, his thighs gently bump you from behind, moving you forward, even though you seem to have forgotten how to walk. You don't even realize your eyes are shut until he chuckles in your ear, saying "We need to turn now, baby." and you realize you have reached the other side of the yard.As soon as you are pointed back in the other direction, your eyes close again, and you inhale his scent. Delicious. He starts to hum your favorite song in your ear, rubbing his cheek lightly against your hair.
After several more passes of the mower, Taylor lets the engine die. "All done, sugar," he murmurs, not yet releasing you from the cage of his arms. "and I could use a swim." He turns you to face him, wraps you in a big, sweat-slippery bear hug, then kisses you teasingly on the nose.Taylor picks you up, tosses you over his shoulder, turns and heads to the back yard. You have a perfect view of his backside and you watch in fascination as the muscles clench and release with every step. You are so occupied by the view, in fact, that you don't notice your arrival in the back yard. Taylor never misses a step, but walks off the edge of the patio into the deep end of the pool.
Splash! You hit the water face down to the sound of Taylor's gleeful laughter. He has a wicked sense of fun, and you never know what to expect when he gets in one of "those" moods. But you figure you're gonna need your wits about you if you hope to hold your own.
So, rather than struggling to the surface, as he was probably expecting, you relax all your muscles and sink toward the bottom. Feeling the concrete under your toes, you wait an additional few seconds, then push off, exploding out of the water beside him and blinding him momentarily with the force of the splash. Your momentum carries you halfway out of the water, and as you begin the downward arc, you grab him by the shoulders and PUSH, sending him deep under the water.
As soon as you do, you scramble to the side of the pool and cling to the edge, waiting for him to surface.As his silvery head breaks the surface, you pounce, but he is ready for you and wraps his arms around you You both sink once again. You continue your horseplay until your muscles are trembling with exhaustion. Then you lay, legs and arms entwined, on the cushiony lounge by the pool, watching the sun set over the neighbour's garage.
What I would say to Taylor
From the thread "if you could say one sentence to Taylor ..."Jul 27, 2006 11:48 AM PST
**transferred from AI profile
Posted: 7/27/2006 11:46:00 AM PST
Only one sentence, right? I would probably say:I remember the first time I heard you sing and what an impact it had on me at that instant and how glad I was that Randy and Paula heard what I heard even though Simon was being his usual self - a jerk - and didn't think you had the goods, but what did he know because here you are and all of us in the Soul Patrol voted our butts off for you as I'm sure you realize and I never even watched AI before this year because there was no reason to, at least for me, but this year I heard your audition, purely by accident, as it happens, and couldn't believe that voice - it just grabbed my heart and reeled me in and I couldn't imagine life without your music now because it just seems so real like when I first discovered the Beatles and fell in love with their music although it took longer with theirs than with yours and I'm not sure why but maybe it's because I have more defined taste now than I did in the 80's, which is when I was in high school, and I know now that blues and soul is the way to my heart and it was certainly obvious when I heard your music because it just slammed into me like a Mac truck and transported me and even just hearing you sing brings me such joy that I just had to tell you how much I am thankful for your music and how much I love you, so can I give you a hug?Ummmmmm ... I tend to talk a lot when I get nervous ...
**transferred from AI profile
Posted: 7/27/2006 11:46:00 AM PST
Only one sentence, right? I would probably say:I remember the first time I heard you sing and what an impact it had on me at that instant and how glad I was that Randy and Paula heard what I heard even though Simon was being his usual self - a jerk - and didn't think you had the goods, but what did he know because here you are and all of us in the Soul Patrol voted our butts off for you as I'm sure you realize and I never even watched AI before this year because there was no reason to, at least for me, but this year I heard your audition, purely by accident, as it happens, and couldn't believe that voice - it just grabbed my heart and reeled me in and I couldn't imagine life without your music now because it just seems so real like when I first discovered the Beatles and fell in love with their music although it took longer with theirs than with yours and I'm not sure why but maybe it's because I have more defined taste now than I did in the 80's, which is when I was in high school, and I know now that blues and soul is the way to my heart and it was certainly obvious when I heard your music because it just slammed into me like a Mac truck and transported me and even just hearing you sing brings me such joy that I just had to tell you how much I am thankful for your music and how much I love you, so can I give you a hug?Ummmmmm ... I tend to talk a lot when I get nervous ...
A Poem for taylor (and it rhymes!!)
A poem for Taylor (and it rhymes!!)Aug 10, 2006 8:42 PM PST
**transferred from AI profile
The Soul Patrol Experience
Musician with heart
You knew just where to start.
You said "Give me a chance"
And then started to dance.
Our eyes opened wide,
Our hearts let you inside.
An obsession in bud,
When we started to thud.
Your sweet voice made us weep.
We lost lots of sleep.
We could not stay away
From the boards, night or day.
We were all in a spin.
The votes flooded in.
Each time you sang a song
We proved Simon was wrong.
There were tears in our eyes,
And we all realized
We'd helped you reach your goal;
When you screamed "Soul Patrol!"
- love always from Coco (you had me at hello ...)
written today, right now, from the heart 8/10/2006
**transferred from AI profile
The Soul Patrol Experience
Musician with heart
You knew just where to start.
You said "Give me a chance"
And then started to dance.
Our eyes opened wide,
Our hearts let you inside.
An obsession in bud,
When we started to thud.
Your sweet voice made us weep.
We lost lots of sleep.
We could not stay away
From the boards, night or day.
We were all in a spin.
The votes flooded in.
Each time you sang a song
We proved Simon was wrong.
There were tears in our eyes,
And we all realized
We'd helped you reach your goal;
When you screamed "Soul Patrol!"
- love always from Coco (you had me at hello ...)
written today, right now, from the heart 8/10/2006
What is a friend??
What is a friend?Aug 12, 2006 12:57 PM PST
**transferred from AI profile
You know, I could write all sorts of pat responses to that question, and they'd all be true, to a certain extent. Things like: a friend celebrates your happiness with you, and comforts you in your sorrow. A friend supports you when you need someone to lean on, or shakes you up if you get stuck in a holding pattern. They let you rant, then come back the next day pretending ignorance. They love you. They forgive you. They talk to you, not about you. They listen. These are all things a friend does. And they are all things that I have observed in the relationships around me.
It was brought home to me today that I don't know a whole hell of a lot about being a friend. I've been so wrapped up in my own problems that I've been oblivious to the people who are very dear to me. It's not that I don't care. I love my friends very much. They have been my rock, when my world was crumbling. They've done all the above listed things, and then some. But where have I been as a friend to them? I'm ashamed to admit I didn't even know about some of the things they were going through. I haven't been there to listen, to give comfort, or to talk to them. I've pushed them away to protect them from the depths of my sadness, even though they expressed their dismay at this misguided decision. I've done nothing to BE a friend, but I've demanded much from their friendship.
So what can I do to make amends? How can I be the friend they deserve? And why should they trust me to be the friend that they want? Soul Patrol, I need your help. If you are one of the people I have failed in the past, tell me what I can do to be a better friend to you. If we've never met, please give your thoughts on this as well.
**transferred from AI profile
You know, I could write all sorts of pat responses to that question, and they'd all be true, to a certain extent. Things like: a friend celebrates your happiness with you, and comforts you in your sorrow. A friend supports you when you need someone to lean on, or shakes you up if you get stuck in a holding pattern. They let you rant, then come back the next day pretending ignorance. They love you. They forgive you. They talk to you, not about you. They listen. These are all things a friend does. And they are all things that I have observed in the relationships around me.
It was brought home to me today that I don't know a whole hell of a lot about being a friend. I've been so wrapped up in my own problems that I've been oblivious to the people who are very dear to me. It's not that I don't care. I love my friends very much. They have been my rock, when my world was crumbling. They've done all the above listed things, and then some. But where have I been as a friend to them? I'm ashamed to admit I didn't even know about some of the things they were going through. I haven't been there to listen, to give comfort, or to talk to them. I've pushed them away to protect them from the depths of my sadness, even though they expressed their dismay at this misguided decision. I've done nothing to BE a friend, but I've demanded much from their friendship.
So what can I do to make amends? How can I be the friend they deserve? And why should they trust me to be the friend that they want? Soul Patrol, I need your help. If you are one of the people I have failed in the past, tell me what I can do to be a better friend to you. If we've never met, please give your thoughts on this as well.
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