Category: Making a better world

Did you think it or were you told it?

That might seem a slightly strange question as you probably think or believe that everything you think or believe was decided to be thought or believed by you… but it that the case?

So often we roll through life under the assumption that we have taken in various info, data, opinions, facts (or things masquerading as facts) and thought it over, maybe looked into whatever it is more and then formed a picture that we think or believe is true or what it is that we decided.

How often is that the reality of what’s going on in our heads?

Take any random thing you think is what it is and reflect upon it, look into it and… you may find that someone through advertising, malicious or non malicious, intentional or not intentional steering of your views or someone telling you what it is made the decision this that was a fact and you filed it away in your head and added a tag to it that tells you YOU came up with the conclusion, not someone else.

It’s worth checking yourself from time to time, it’s worth it for all of us, all of us to do that.

You could also go down the path of looking at what “believing” something is as opposed to “thinking” something is, but at the least just doing an audit of your beliefs and what you think is reality to see if you actually decided on your own is worth while and may give you a few surprises that hopefully will lead to being a bit more careful in what you see as fact and also may serve as a reminder to stay open minded and not have everything in your mind etched in stone as new pertinent data might now be available along with your evolving and growth may offer new insight changing things anywhere from subtly to drastically.

I hope you can see how important this is.

Peace.

What Is Art ?

Seems a simple question.

Or – maybe it seems un-answerable.

Feel free to ignore what I write below and only ask yourself that question if you’d like.

What Is Art ?

But, if you choose to continue into my view/feeling on the answer…

As for me, art is whatever is brought into being to express oneself or challenge thought patterns, assumptions or the status quo. To move others, to share experiences, dreams, hopes, fears. To celebrate life in all it’s beauty and ugliness, strength and weaknesses. To add a speck of yourself to the infinite.

So, if one looks at art as anything like or resembling my view of art, I would say one has to accept that virtual boundaries, borders, fences, rules and the like that are put around your thoughts, imagination, thinking and creations must not only be ignored, but treated as if they don’t exist at all.

Or how can one express oneself or challenge thought patterns, assumptions or the status quo. To move others, to share experiences, dreams, hopes, fears. To celebrate life in all it’s beauty and ugliness, strength and weaknesses. To add a speck of yourself to the infinite?

Just asking.

Peace.

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Abandon Preconceived Assumptions

I was watching a video the other day. It was a song reaction video where the person (I don’t recall who it was) mentioned that they had avoided music by a specific band because they didn’t like the artwork on the albums and they wished they hadn’t because they missed years of enjoying music that they had avoided for… no real reason at all.

We all probably do that to some degree and I’m asking everyone to try to abandon that shortsighted and limiting habit.

Just think of the music, books, movies… and people… that should have been in our lives for one reason or another that we avoid because of some surface thing that we may very easily be taking in the wrong way.

Now, that doesn’t mean we’ll like everything or should accept everything, but it does mean our lives and maybe the whole world will be better off if we (to use an old saying) “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”

Please feel free to reflect upon if you have done that and why you have and then adjust if you think it would be beneficial.

Thanks.

Peace.

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A couple new Eagles and maybe a 3rd!

Jackie and Shadow are an eagle pair that has a couple 24/7 cameras on them and as of today (3/6/25) they have 2 new baby eagles with a 3rd hopefully able to break out of it’s shell and make it!
You can get updates at YouTube by going to https://www.youtube.com/@FOBBVCAM

I have followed them and watched the cameras here and there for a while now and made a song and music video in tribute to them and all birds.
If you’d like to check out that song please go to
this link at the music site and scroll down to the 2nd song https://www.soundsgoodmanrecords.com/40th-batch-of-songs/
OR
check out the music video at YouTube https://youtu.be/d7bqMBhxOEc

And please everyone, connect with Earth and all life, teach your kids to connect and protect ok?

Thanks.

Peace.

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Know what you speak of

This may seem it would be obvious but in reality it’s not…

Please be informed and think about what a subject or issue is or what your opinion about something is.

So often people speak about something on anything from politics to science to whatever all else they speak of and they haven’t looked into it at all.
They either form their views and opinions (which they often label as fact, when it’s actually opinion) on a headline or something they heard which can obviously lead to a world that then supports or accepts something that should be rejected.
Very often that headline is intentionally misleading and plays upon partisanship or some sort of bias and actually harms that which the person speaking of wants or believes in.

If you haven’t read up from multiple sources, haven’t watched the video being cited, haven’t done any research from multiple sources then just don’t talk of it!

It’s simple.
If you ask me about a million subjects I simply say “I don’t know”
It’s ok to not know about something, whereas it is NOT ok to talk of things as if you know about them if you don’t.
There can be real consequences, one of which is a loss of your credibility.
Another is you may unknowingly be helping to steer our world and society into that which is opposite of what you want.
One term for that which is not the nicest but gets the point across is “useful idiot”— someone who is unwittingly working against their own interests or as a tool to spread lies or propaganda or a false narrative.

So, look at it any way you want, call it anything you want, but please folks, if you don’t know about something, then don’t talk about it.

Ok?

Thanks.

Peace.

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How to start writing a song

There are many ways to start writing a song.

You can start with a melody, chords, a riff, a drum rhythm, lyrics, anything.

Questions: Which way is right?

Answer: Whatever leads you to making a song.

Years ago I got every single book on songwriting, engineering, producing and mixing songs from the entire Ohio library system sent to my local library and then I read them all.
Some said you HAD to to do melody first, others said chords first, others said you HAD to do this or that in a specific order.

But one book interviewed well known artists and bands and there were examples of every approach you can imagine. Or many approaches I should say.

The lesson we can learn from that is there is no one way you “have” to follow.

I, for example, start with anything and then mainly improvise every track, instrument by instrument until the song is done.

You may find a way or 2 ways or a lot of ways, but don’t follow someone’s guidance as if they are talking math and not a creative effort.
Don’t bother arguing with them, just don’t follow their insistence that one way is THE way.
Be willing to try it out, but also be willing to set that aside and try other ways.

So, how about just start with anything in any way and go from there. Over time you’ll find a way or ways that works.
The important thing is to start a song and if nothing happens try something else.

Oh, and one last thing… don’t worry about if anyone will like it or get bogged down in the “perfect” guitar tone or whatever. You can always change elements of it later, just start one and move forward.

Ok?

Peace.

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What is wrong in the world and what can you do to help?

Quick simple question…

What is wrong in the world and what can you do to help?

Maybe not that simple of an answer.

How about taking just a few minutes (and maybe make a habit of doing this) where you sit and think, turn off your phone if possible, turn off the tv, the radio and think.
Actually think.
Reflect upon your day or what you see going on and ask yourself, what is wrong and….

… try to come up with something that will peacefully make things better.

Maybe it’s joining with others, maybe starting something on your own, maybe this, maybe that.

You can also help the world by seeing what is good, what is right and figuring out how to help it grow.

But either way, take a little time, take the input from your eyes and ears, then think about it, find good and/or bad and then figure out something that will help and implement it or start it or whatever.

Sitting and ignoring or waiting for others to notice and figure out what to do is NOT going to help.

Take the initiative and if you can’t figure out anything to do, then ask people what they would do, get it in the conversation.

Ok?

Thanks.

Peace,
Steve

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Do you know of any songs of protest, peace, rights, etc?

Do you know of any songs that speak various truths or call for positive change?

I have a list going on another site that I would like to add to that you can see by clicking here.  As of today there are 160 songs but there are probably a lot of others, so please drop me a line if you have anything that should be added.

And, of course, you and I can easily make songs that say something important nice and easy over the net and you can visit a different post at the same site I list above by clicking here that talks of how we can do a song, or feel free to just email me and we can get going (easy and quick) right away.

Peace

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How to speak up if you have stagefright

So, in a few posts I’ve mentioned the importance of speaking up and you may agree, but then you may say “Look, I understand but I’m scared of public speaking” and that’s a valid concern for sure.

The first time I spoke at a very large public meeting I was terrified. The meeting went on and on and I kept getting more and more nervous.
When I got up to speak I did get some of my points across and even was quoted in the newspaper, but when a lot of people of the public liked one of my points and applauded it threw me and I lost track of what I was saying and I guess I just slunk back out of the place looking for a dark place to hide.
WELL, slight exaggeration there, but while it could have been worse, it could have been better.

BUT I lived through it and it’s gotten much, much easier today.

I was watching a video the other day, unfortunate I don’t remember what it was or who made it and I will update this post if I do recall, but they were talking of stage fright and they mentioned something they had been taught to them to keep in mind and that is:

Your Message Is More Important Than Your Fear

“Your message is more important than your fear”

Which really impressed me as it’s not just saying to ignore the uncomfortable reality of being scared or nervous, but it reminds you that being scared might not be desirable, but it’s there… and so is your message which is more important and to go ahead and as has been said speak your truth if your voice shakes or not.

So just remember that and stand and speak and the world will be a better place. Even if what you speak of doesn’t change, it will be better because at the very least you did try and for all you know you planted a seed that will encourage others to stand and speak on this or that issue.

“Your message is more important than your fear”

Peace.

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One key thing for making this a better world…

If there’s one thing that we need to avoid overlooking when picturing and trying to make this a better world it is…

Not dividing ourselves.

Those with the most power that want things to stay the same have ALWAYS used the “divide and conquer” strategy.

They want to divide us by color, by religion, by political party and on and on and on.

Don’t let them do that. For them to succeed in that requires us to go along with it.

Talk with others even if you differ on something, even if it’s an important issue.

Talking with others, staying friendly and open does NOT mean you endorse everything that other says or believes in. It never did and never will, it just means you can talk and maybe even find common ground on things other than that one issue or whatever the differences.

… Or, you can refuse to talk to them and we will remain small groups that will never change anything including that which we ALL overlap on such as decent pay, safe jobs, healthy food and on and on.

Please be willing to talk to others.

Or just tell your kids your ego is more important than their country and planet and watch things get worse by the day.

I’d say choosing to talk is better than the alternative.

Hopefully you think the same too.

If not, I’ll still talk to you.

The question is, will you still talk to me?

🙂

Peace.

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