Movie Music Monday will return next week. Every now and then you have to celebrate your accomplishments, so I will do that today.
I have a tendency to get sidetracked. I often start things and stop before they are finished. I have come to understand that goes along with my ADHD.
I suppose it was a year or two ago that there was some sort of “Blog for 30 days” challenge. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d be able to do it, but I did. At some point within the last year, I was looking at stats and realized that I had blogged every day for over a month. I decided to see if I could go an entire year with a blog post every day. Today, I have my answer.
This blog marks the 365th day that I have posted at least one blog a day. I know many of the folks I follow will post two to three a day. I don’t have that kind of time or things to write about I suppose.
The various features I write certainly helped me get there. I hope that you haven’t found them boring or stale. I truly hope that you enjoy the posts here. No one has reached out to say, “That’s enough of the music (or movies, or whatever),” so that is probably a positive, right?
Gratitude is something that should be shared often. So with that in mind, I thank you for making this little blog a part of your day. Thank you for following and reading. If there is anything you feel I can do to make this better, I would love to hear from you.
I can’t promise another 365 days in a row … but I promise to try to keep the posts worth reading.
I don’t often share things of a religious nature. I realize that not everyone believes what I believe. Feel free to skip today’s post your beliefs and mine don’t line up.
Today, I am celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That event is so important to my faith. It is THE most important thing to my faith.
A pastor friend of mine posted this on his blog/social media page. I found it so good, I wanted to share it. By doing so, others can read it and I will be able to find it at a later date if needed.
From Pastor Bryon Ross:
As we reflect on the cornerstone of Christian faith – the resurrection of Jesus Christ – we are confronted with a profound truth that has shaped history and continues to transform lives today. The empty tomb stands as a testament to the power of God and the fulfillment of His promises.
The apostle Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, emphasizes the critical importance of the resurrection. He states unequivocally, “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:17). This bold declaration underscores the centrality of the resurrection to Christian belief. It’s not merely an add-on to the crucifixion; it’s the very foundation upon which our hope rests.
But what evidence do we have for this extraordinary claim? Paul provides a compelling list of eyewitnesses: Peter, the twelve disciples, over 500 believers at once, James, and finally Paul himself (1 Corinthians 15:5-8). These weren’t isolated incidents or individual hallucinations. These were multiple appearances to various groups over an extended period.
Yet, from the very beginning, there have been attempts to explain away the resurrection. The earliest “hoax theory” comes from the Gospel of Matthew, where the chief priests bribed the Roman guards to spread a false narrative that the disciples had stolen Jesus’ body (Matthew 27:62-66). This account reveals that even in the first century, there were efforts to discredit the resurrection story.
Over the centuries, skeptics have proposed various theories to explain the empty tomb without acknowledging a miraculous resurrection. Let’s examine a few:
The Hallucination Theory: This suggests that the disciples were all deceived by hallucinations. However, hallucinations are individual experiences, not shared by large groups. The varied nature of Jesus’ appearances – to individuals, small groups, and crowds of 500 – makes this theory implausible.
The Wrong Tomb Theory: Some propose that the disciples simply went to the wrong tomb. But this ignores the fact that both the Jewish authorities and the Romans knew exactly where Jesus was buried. If the disciples had claimed a resurrection from the wrong tomb, it would have been easily disproven.
The Swoon Theory: This theory suggests Jesus didn’t actually die on the cross but merely fainted and later revived. However, this ignores the brutal reality of Roman crucifixion and the professional expertise of Roman executioners. Moreover, a battered and weakened Jesus could hardly have overcome the guards and rolled away the stone.
The Stolen Body Theory: As mentioned earlier, this was the first attempt to explain away the resurrection. But it fails to account for the transformation of the disciples from fearful deserters to bold proclaimers of the risen Christ.
When we examine these theories critically, we find they all fall short of providing a satisfactory explanation for the empty tomb and the subsequent spread of Christianity.
The reality is that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not just a historical claim – it’s a life-changing truth with profound implications for every person. As Paul argues, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (1 Corinthians 15:19). Our hope extends beyond this earthly existence because of the resurrection.
The empty tomb is more than just an absence of a body; it’s a powerful symbol of victory over death. Jesus becomes the “firstfruits of them that slept.” (1 Corinthians 15:20), paving the way for all who put their faith in Him. This is why Paul can confidently declare that just as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive (1 Corinthians 15:22).
This resurrection hope transforms how we view our mortality. Our bodies, described by Paul as “vile” or perishable, will one day be changed. In his letter to the Philippians, he writes that Christ “who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body” (Philippians 3:21). The resurrection of Jesus is the guarantee of our own future resurrection.
As we contemplate the empty tomb, we’re faced with a decision. Either Jesus rose from the dead, marking it the greatest miracle in history, or it’s the biggest hoax ever perpetrated on humanity. There is no middle ground. The evidence, both biblical and historical, points strongly to the reality of the resurrection.
This truth isn’t just for intellectual assent; it’s an invitation to a transformed life. When we put our faith in the finished work of Christ – His death on the cross for our sins, His burial, and His resurrection – we receive the free gift of eternal life. This isn’t based on our own efforts or religious performance, but solely on what Christ has done for us.
The empty tomb stands as a silent witness to the power of God. It proclaims that death has been defeated, sin has been conquered, and a new life is available to all who believe. As we reflect on this incredible truth, may we be filled with hope, joy, and a renewed commitment to live in light of the resurrection.
In a world often filled with despair and uncertainty, the message of the empty tomb rings out with clarity and power. It’s not a “fool’s hope” but a living, blessed hope that has the power to change lives and destinies. As we embrace this truth, may we, like those first disciples, be transformed from fearful followers into bold witnesses of the risen Christ.
The empty tomb invites us to step into a story bigger than ourselves – a story of redemption, hope, and eternal life. It challenges us to examine our own beliefs and to consider the implications of a risen Savior. What difference does the resurrection make in your life today? How does it shape your view of the future?
As we close, let’s remember that the power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power available to us today (Ephesians 1:20). May we live in the light of the resurrection, filled with hope, empowered for service, and looking forward to the day when we, too, will experience the fullness of resurrection life.
“You’ll never regret being kind even when people aren’t kind to you.”
The truth quoted above is just one of many I found inside my latest read. I added it to my “Want to read” list after seeing the title. “Borrowed life” intrigued me. Author Anna Johnston was new to me as well. I wasn’t sure what to expect.
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife began to show up in blogs I follow, on a list of books whose titles all follow the “The _________ _______ of Character Name” format, and then as a Goodreads suggestion. The suggestion read: “For readers of Remarkably Bright Creatures and A Man Called Ove,” both of which I really enjoyed.
The book had me laughing and crying at times. There are so many things in the book that I could relate to. Despite the main character, Frederick, doing some pretty unbelievably insane things, he is very likable. You understand why he is doing what he is doing, and pull for him. I’m jumping ahead here. Before I go further, let me give you the Goodreads synopsis:
For readers of Remarkably Bright Creatures and A Man Called Ove, a warm, life-affirming debut about a zany case of mistaken identity that allows a lonely old man one last chance to be part of a family.
‘Would you mind terribly, old boy, if I borrowed the rest of your life? I promise I’ll take excellent care of it.’
Frederick Fife was born with an extra helping of kindness in his heart. If he borrowed your car, he’d return it washed with a full tank of gas. The problem is there’s nobody left in Fred’s life to borrow from. At eighty-two, he’s desperately lonely, broke, and on the brink of homelessness. But Fred’s luck changes when, in a bizarre case of mistaken identity, he takes the place of grumpy Bernard Greer at the local nursing home. Now he has warm meals in his belly and a roof over his head—as long as his poker face is in better shape than his prostate and that his look-alike never turns up.
Denise Simms is stuck breathing the same disappointing air again and again. A middle-aged mom and caregiver at Bernard’s facility, her crumbling marriage and daughter’s health concerns are suffocating her joy for life. Wounded by her two-faced husband, she vows never to let a man deceive her again.
As Fred walks in Bernard’s shoes, he leaves a trail of kindness behind him, fueling Denise’s suspicions about his true identity. When unexpected truths are revealed, Fred and Denise rediscover their sense of purpose and learn how to return a broken life to mint condition.
Bittersweet and remarkably perceptive, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is a hilarious, feel-good, clever novel about grief, forgiveness, redemption, and finding family.
Through a series of mishaps and misunderstandings, lonely Frederick suddenly finds himself amongst some very unique people at the nursing home. He is quick to be nice to everyone he meets there. He befriends patients and staff, many of whom cannot believe the change in personality of “Bernard.”
Many of the situations he finds himself in will have you laughing out loud. The kindness and compassion Fred extends to everyone will warm your heart. The struggle and guilt Frederick feels inside with each day at the nursing home will break your heart. Then there are situations that make you wonder just how he’s going to get out of the mess he’s created.
I don’t want to give too much away, so I will just say that this book is simply wonderful! It is definitely one of the best books I have read this year. I was surprised that this is Anna Johnston’s debut novel. She did such an amazing job of expressing the various feelings that characters were experiencing. I felt the anger, the grief, the disbelief, and the happiness right along with them. That doesn’t happen very often for me.
This incredible story is one that I will remember for a very long time.
I suppose every state (or country for that matter) has their own weather quirks. Here in Michigan, the weather is a subject of humor almost daily. There is a plethora of funny cartoons/memes about that very subject. Here are a few of my favorites:
Alas, Spring is trying to get here. We had a few nice days this week, but it was still a bit chilly. All the kids had to see was that it was sunny and they wanted outside.
Before they went out, they had been playing in the “dress-up” bin. Ella was in her Skye from Paw Patrol outfit, while Andrew was Cat Boy from PJ Masks. They wanted to go out and ride their bikes, scooters and electric car. They didn’t even take off their outfits. Instead, they played out in the front of the house in them. One can only imagine what folks thought as they drove by.
Ella as Skye
The Cat Boy mask has a see through blue plastic window. I am almost positive that Andrew had it twisted upside down because the mask didn’t look like it fit him properly.
Andrew as Cat Boy
Another sign that spring and summer are coming is that the baseball teams are practicing out on the field behind our house. I love when they practice. The kids usually play on the swings or in the sandbox while I watch the practice.
I don’t remember seeing it last year, but they actually have a pitching machine this year. It’s kind of funny to watch because the coach acts like he is going to throw the ball and when his arm comes down, he drops the ball in the machine. I thought this was weird until I heard him tell the batter “When my arm get’s up here, that’s when you gear up to swing.” Ok, makes sense now.
In all the years I have watched the practices, the batters have always used the aluminum bats. Summer is full of the “Tink” sounds of the ball hitting the bat. At this particular practice, I was surprised to hear the sound of the ball hitting a wooden bat. Oh, how I know that sound!
When we would play ball every day in the summer as kids, we never used aluminum bats. We’d have 10-12 wooden bats of different lengths and with different players autographs etched into the bat. When the ball would hit the sweet spot, it made such a glorious sound!
Detroit Tiger legend and announcer George Kell
There were about 4-5 kids out of 15-16 on the field that used a wooden bat to hit with. When they connected, that ball would launch over the fielder’s heads. I am anxious to see just how many use them in games this spring/summer.
Whether we decide to take a trip out of town or just sit in lawn chairs watching high school baseball, I am SO looking forward to nice weather.
Tomorrow marks the 31st anniversary of my paternal grandfather’s passing. My maternal grandfather passed away 13 years earlier and taught me that those near and dear to me won’t be here forever. Because of that, I became very close to my paternal grandfather.
I have blogged about him and the special relationship we had in the past. I was devastated when he passed away. I find myself quoting him and thinking of him a lot.
My dad posted a picture of him on social media last week. He said he was thinking about his dad. He had posted a picture of him, my grandma, my great aunt and my great grandma. I went to a folder on my hard drive looking for that picture to post, but instead I stumbled on another photo.
The photo is of my grandpa and my dad when he was younger. They are sitting on a couch together. My dad and I look a lot alike today, but there are photos of him as a kid where he looks like me, too. The picture of him and my grandpa reminded me that there was a similar picture of me and him together. Coincidentally, it is also taken while we sit on a couch.
I found each of these separate, and seeing them side by side for the first time is really neat. There is no doubt that big eyebrows run in the family!
One day I will have to go back and dig deeper into these pictures and talk about the stuff in the background. For now, it is all about “Pops.” I truly miss him.
Last week social media was flooded with AI generated pictures of people’s “action figures.” You basically upload a picture of yourself and ask AI to generate it with whatever accessories you want. And while there were memes making fun of everyone doing this, I had to try it for myself.
This made me laugh out loud. It also got me wondering what else it could do. I asked it to make me and Larry from the Three Stooges doctors.
They got Larry’s hair right, but not so much the face.
Then I asked it to make me and Moe from the Three Stooges mechanics.
This was a bit closer. The face is a bit off, and I have no idea why they have my name as Chris here. I figured they’d get better as I kept going.
So I asked it to make me and Dean Martin singing a duet.
This is actually pretty good. Dean’s eyes are a bit off, but I was impressed. The best one of them all though was when I asked it to make me having a nice pasta dinner with Frank Sinatra.
All that’s missing are the pinky rings! I was totally blown away by this one. I have a few more ideas I want to try with a few other celebrities. If they are worth posting, I’ll share them.
Last May I began this feature. Today, I will finish it off by looking at 2020 through the present. As I got closer to the end, it became difficult for me to pick ten songs from each year. Proof of this will be evident from this post.
The songs that I featured each year had to connect with me in some way. It was attached to a core memory. Maybe it reminded me of one of my kids or a friend. Maybe it was a song from my years DJing. Maybe it was just a song that I liked a lot. The only real rule was that it had to be released in the year featured. With that in mind, let’s see how the last five years of music connects with me….
2020
There were no songs that really hit me in 2020. Thank you, Covid
2021
The world was still reeling from the pandemic. There was so much uncertainty. Many folks reconnected with their faith, as I did. I went back and watched the Bible classes I had taken. There I found comfort and the strength to get through things.
I want to say that a friend of mine asked if I had ever heard the song “My Jesus” before. I hadn’t and I found it online. It hit me immediately and I shared it with my wife. It is a powerful song, but even more powerful when you hear the story behind it.
Anne Wilson’s life changed in more ways than one when her older brother, Jacob, died in a car accident at 23. She told songfacts.com: “It was so tragic. He was my best friend. That’s actually how I started singing and how I got into music and that’s why I wrote the song ‘My Jesus.'”
After losing her brother, Wilson processed her emotions through journal entries. As she flicked through her entries before a writing session with Matthew West and Jeff Pardo, the young singer had an idea for a song. She told Billboard: “I walked through a really tough season of grief. I remember having this moment where I wanted to give up on life. When I looked back at my journals, I saw how God pulled me through. I also realized I never referred to God as anything else, except ‘My Jesus.'”
When she brought the title into the writing room, it turned out that the two others had that same exact title as an idea. None of the three had spoken about it, so it must have been “a total God thing.”
My Jesus
2022
No songs
2023
When I heard that they were releasing a new Beatles song, I hoped it would be better than Free As a Bird. When they released that for the Anthology stuff, the technology wasn’t as good as it was in 2023. Because of this, Lennon’s vocal sounds tinty.
Songfacts tells the story:
“Now and Then” was originally written and recorded by John Lennon around 1977 as a solo piano track. After his death in 1980, the unfinished demo floated in limbo until 1994 when his widow, Yoko Ono Lennon, gave the recording to the three surviving Beatles, along with Lennon’s demos for “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love.”
Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr considered “Now and Then” as the third Beatles reunion single for their 1995–1996 retrospective project The Beatles Anthology, following “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love.” After two days of recording, it was scrapped, largely because Harrison’s didn’t like it.
In 2022, using advanced technology and a curatorial touch, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr completed the track. The same AI restoration technology Peter Jackson used on the Beatles documentary Get Back was applied to Lennon’s vocal take.
“Back in 1995, after several days in the studio working on the track, George felt the technical issues with the demo were insurmountable and concluded that it was not possible to finish the track to a high enough standard,” Harrison’s widow, Olivia, said. “If he were here today, Dhani and I know he would have whole-heartedly joined Paul and Ringo in completing the recording of ‘Now And Then.'”
Besides Lennon’s John’s vocals, “Now And Then” includes electric and acoustic guitar recorded from the scrapped 1995 sessions by Harrison, a new drum part by Starr, and bass, guitar and piano from McCartney that matches Lennon’s original playing. McCartney added a slide guitar solo in Harrison’s style “as a tribute to George.”
“Now And Then” became the first AI-assisted song to earn a Grammy nomination, and the first to win, when it took the award for Best Rock Performance at the 2025 ceremony.
As a life long Beatles fan, I was impressed with just how good this one turned out.
Now and Then
2024
My wife will often listen to Pandora as she gets ready for work. The next song seemed to play on there at lot. It also seemed to play on her Sirius XM station when we went anywhere. It sort of had a catchy hook, but it wasn’t so good that I’d buy it.
One day I was driving with the kids in the back of the car and my daughter started singing “Excuse me, you look like you love me…” over and over again. It made me chuckle.
You Look Like You Love Me
2025
There has not been any songs from this year that connect with me. I tend to listen to audio books or songs from my iPod when I drive, so I don’t really get to hear anything new anyway. I’m ok with that.
Wow. Five years and only three songs. What a way to wrap up a feature, huh? Well, technically, I had wanted to wrap this up in May. So I have an idea on how to fill a couple Wednesdays and still keep it musical. Tune in next week to find out more….
On this day in 1994, the great Tony Bennett recorded his MTV Unplugged special. It would be released in June of the same year.
Think about this for a minute. It is 1994. It was the year of dance music like Another Night by Real McCoy. It was the year of rap music like Tootsee Roll by the 69 Boyz and Regulate by Warren G. It was the year of rock like Closer by Oasis and Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden.
The Unplugged appearance by Tony Bennett consisted of songs from the Great American Songbook. Tony on MTV?? How could this possibly work?! Would the MTV generation even consider watching this old crooner? You bet they did! Unplugged helped introduce some classics to an entirely new audience.
The show itself was like any other Tony Bennett show. It was Tony and a small group. This time he was backed by the Ralph Sharon Trio. The show also included guest appearances by Elvis Costello and k.d. lang. The audience was mesmerized by Tony and the album went platinum. It also won Grammy Awards in 1995 for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance and Album of the Year!
The set list included It Had to Be You, Fly Me To The Moon, and A Foggy Day. It also featured some of Tony’s big hits. He sang I Left My Heart In San Francisco, Rags to Riches, I Wanna Be Around and Steppin’ Out With My Baby.
For me, the highlight was Tony and k.d. lang singing Moonglow together. The harmony is not an easy one, yet k.d. nails it. She said this about Tony, “He asked me to perform on his MTV Unplugged album in 1994 and the sparks started flying when we sang together. I felt elevated, comfortable and just in sync with him when we were doing Moonglow – as if I was with a teacher but also a friend. It was like an opening. It just felt right.”
As you watch the clip, you can see the mutual love that these two have for each other. Eight years later, the two would get together for an entire album called “A Wonderful World.”
Tony was a legend. His performances were pure magic!
Loretta Lynn was born on this day in 1932. She really was born a coal miner’s daughter and the song is autobiographical. It reflects on the hardships her family faced growing up in rural Kentucky, where there was little money but a lot of love.
She called her autobiography “Coal Miner’s Daughter” and that was adapted into the movie of the same name in 1980. Sissy Spacek was cast as Lynn. Originally, she was supposed to lip synch with the songs for the film. However, it is Spacek who does all the singing in the movie. As a matter of fact, her version of the title song went to #23 on the country charts.
According to songfacts.com, the song had an extra four verses to it. Her producer, Owen Bradley, told her to remove them because the song was too long. “He said, ‘There’s already been one ‘El Paso,” and there’s never going to be another one,’ referring to the 4 minute song by Marty Robbins. Lynn said, “So I fiddled around and fiddled around, and finally I got four verses that I took off of ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter.’ I wished I hadn’t, but I did.”
Loretta had been releasing music since 1960. She released almost 20 albums before she released Coal Miner’s Daughter. The song was different for her because had gained popularity with tough-talking, assertive country classics like “Don’t Come Home A’ Drinkin (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)” and “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)”
She continued to make music through 2021. She passed away October 4, 2022.
I wanted to share this story last week, but time got away from me. I love to hear positive news stories because it seems there is a plethora of negative ones. This one happened in my home state.
The story begins with every parent’s worst nightmare. A two-year old toddler was watching TV when his parents left the room. When they returned, they found the apartment door open and the child missing. This was about 8:45pm.
A search effort, including two K-9 units and an Michigan State police helicopter, was launched. Law enforcement officers and volunteer community members also participated in the search. The mission was critical since temperatures dropped into the 40s that night and the parents said their toddler was only wearing a diaper at the time.
The helicopter was already in the air when the call came in. It was piloted by Michigan State Police Sgt. Cole Martin and Tactical Flight Officer Brandon Franklin.
“En route, we said, ‘We got to find this baby as soon as possible.’ We have children of our own,” Franklin recalled. “We weren’t leaving until we found that child,” Martin added.
The two were using “Heat-seeking technology” to locate the child. After searching for 15 minutes, Martin and Franklin said they saw something moving in a ditch, just off a highway. It was about 11:30pm.
The helicopter began tracking a heat signal in a wooded area. The signal was detected about 15 minutes after entering the area. “It’s in a ditch. I can’t tell if it’s an animal or the child,” a Michigan State Police trooper can be heard saying during the two-minute video. Then one of the troopers can be heard saying, “We got him!” What a relief that must have been. The two hovered over the area and directed the police on the ground to the child.
The toddler was found conscious and alert and taken to an area hospital before reuniting with his parents.
The Department of Public Safety said the “incident would have undoubtedly ended in tragedy” without the use of technology and the dedicated people who were searching for the child.
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 