"de de ding, ding, ding ding, ding-ding-diiiiinggg"

Imagine the dueling banjos from 'Deliverance'.

Well, off to a concert tonight. Those of you that have families will understand that sometimes you gotta do stuff to make them happy.

A motivational speaker that I saw years ago, taught me 'The Dry Turkey Concept'.

He told of a colleague of his that used to hate going to his in-laws for Thanksgiving because the turkey was always dry, her father-in-law was a Neo-Nazi Stromm Thurmann type Ultra-Conservative and he was tired of hearing racial slurs all night like "N" word and "Beaner" and other nasty shit.

So, this speaker said to him - "...well, if it is important to your wife and kids, then, go, pour as much gravy on the turkey as you can and suck it up -turn the conversation to other stuff so you don't have to listen to his drivel...or, just don't go...it is that simple."

Sometimes the latter is not really a wise option. So, today, I am going to see a big country act - Brooks And Dunn - whom I am not really crazy about. However, they are in my respectable category. If Ronnie Dunn and Kicks Brooks (yes that is his real name) can sell out stadiums all over the country, they must be doing something right. I don't see it, but my wife, kids and mother in law do. So, lots and lots of gravy for me today - what will the gravy be? Not sure yet, I will figure it out when I get there.

However, I will keep an open mind. I will not make anyone's life miserable and I will not do anything to ruin anyone's fun. I have always believed music has three categories:

1. Talent - I like it because it appeals to me.(Lou Reed, Zeppelin, Nick Cave, Scott Severin)
2. Respectable - talent, but not really something that you would find me listening to, but respect. (Brooks and Dunn, Metallica, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard)
3. Shit - there is way too much shit out there. No talent, no creativity, no substance and thrown together in a matter of hours with some second-rate bullshit.(Ke$ha, Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, and Justin Bieber - good God - I just found out he is Canadian - sorry - not going to renouncing my Citizenship because of it.)

I think 'Brooks & Dunn' are talented but I just don't 'feel' it - you know what I mean, Vern? I will make the best of it, I will look at is as exploring and observing. I will enjoy it because it will make my wife and children happy!

However, I will be happy to come back home!

Wish me luck. I have survived much, MUCH worse than this.

G