A New Guitar

gabe with his shiny new kay guitar

I had a great little time in Cape Girardeau, MO with Debbie’s side of the family. Ate way too much food, but it felt so right. We opened gifts, and laughed at and with each other and partied until the sun began to peek through the clouds. However, I was definitely missing my side of the family. So it was with fantastic excitement that I heard my dad on the other line telling me he was driving up with my mom from San Antonio to hang out for a bit in Nashville. The point was to watch the Cowboys play the Eagles…ouch. That hurt. That was misery personified. I have some friends who are Eagles fans…and they better not mention the game around me if they want to enjoy the rest of their day. That’s all i’m gonna say about that.

But anyway, the reason I’m posting is because tonight my dad brought out a gift, which turned out to be a 1962 Kay Swingmaster Guitar with Gold “K” pickups.
The guys in the band can tell you…i’ve been really searching in every music store, in every city we’ve stopped in, looking for a guitar…craigslist, ebay…just really searching for an electric guitar that sounds great, and fits neatly into my snobby ‘it’s got to be vintage’ category. This guitar is a thing of beauty…and my dad bought it for $50. I know, I know…outrageous. I plugged it in and it sounds like a dream…a dream full of warm, beautiful tone.

I’m just really thankful and blessed to not only be able to spend some much needed time with my folks…but that they came with a much needed gift as well.

I wish my acoustic guitar wasn’t such a mess and still unrepaired…but this more than makes up for it.

thanks mom and dad…

"…I’m trying real hard to be the shepherd."

…that quote is from Jules Winfield aka Samuel L. Jackson in the ultra violent, drug fueled, film from Quentin Tarantino. Not a holiday tradition in our home. But, I have been thinking about shepherds lately. Particularly the ones who were visited by angels some 2000 years ago.
Who were they? We don’t know. We have no idea if they were righteous or pious, or if they had ever done something wicked or evil,…anything to deserve a whole host of angels to serenade them with ‘The First Noelle”. We do know they were going about their job. ‘watching their flocks by night’. At least in a moment when they least expected to be visited by heaven, they were found faithful to the task at hand…as inglorious as that task may seem.

They weren’t rich or powerful. That much is certain.
That’s pretty much it. That’s all the gospel of Luke will venture to say.
And I’m so grateful for it.

At the latest hollywood movie premiere, publicists work overtime to make sure A-listers are seen rolling down the red carpet. People are so bummed that Steve Jobs won’t be attending the latest MacWorld Expo. When the elite throw a party, it better have some ‘cool’ people, or you’re just not that big a deal.
But when God chose to give the biggest press release to the most historic happening ever, he sent his angels to a group of nobody’s who smelled like goat crap.
Why? Because this gift, the gift of Himself that he was giving…was not going to be something you could earn, or work hard for, it’s something anyone, ANYONE, could freely accept.

“Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known to us.”

That’s the correct response…it’s the response I want to have this year to the gift of God. I want to have the common sense to leave whatever it is I’m doing and see what God is up to this year. I want to run down whatever hill I’m occupying and bow my head inside a small cave to kneel before a King, perhaps the world won’t accept…but is dieing for.

I want to be the shepherd.

Top Ten Christmas Specials

Hello, and welcome. This is the new and improved Circleslide blog.
Maybe, you’ve been reading over at Myspace or Facebook. Well, now this is the place to find out what is really going on in the life and times our little band. It will eventually include posts from various band members dealing with life on the road, new songs, what we’re thinking, doing, etc.
In this first entry we are going to discuss my top 10 favorite Christmas Specials. Why? Because “why not?” thats why.

The only criteria to be in the top 10 is that they have to be my favorite things to watch on TV during the holidays and they have to be awesome. Got it? let’s begin:

10. the office special (uk)

This hilarious show always felt a bit cynical to me…probably why I liked it…but this is a satisfying conclusion to the groundbreaking, and now, copycatted series in which David Brent gets the last laugh, literally.

9. bing crosby and david bowie

Probably one of the weirdest pairings in any Christmas Special…and yet, it resonates for some reason. The awkwardness is palpable on screen…but the voices are so original, and let’s face it, the song is awesome…so it is something i have to youtube before i’m able to open presents. Speaking about that song…

8. the little drummer boy

In 1968 the people over at Rankin-Bass created a classic that used to air on NBC for many years. It’s one of the few specials on this list where the actual story of Christ’s birth is the backdrop for the story. I have to admit to having a few tears fall at the end…the idea of gift giving is turned on it’s head and i’m reminded that Christmas is about the amazing gift that God gave…and there’s nothing we can do to repay that gift except worship. A shame this doesn’t air anymore.

7. ’twas the night before christmas

I liked this cartoon (again from Rankin-Bass) as a kid, because it dealt with the idea of belief, cynicism, and redemption. I know it’s about Santa Claus…but it could be viewed as a kind of parable for a world that’s decided that faith, in general, is no longer needed. Cute songs too.

6. the grinch who stole christmas

Few classics hold a candle to this Dr. Seuss adaptation…and I wish we’d sing “Fah Who For-Aze welcome, welcome christmas day” in church…but i know i’d be thrown out for being a heretic…but still…it would be fun.

5. frosty the snowman

I thought it would be so cool to ride down a snowy hill the way Karen does, on Frosty’s back…not to mention illegally hopping on a train to the North Pole. On one of the rare occasions where it snowed in San Antonio, I admit to building a snow man with my brother and trying to make it come to life. Sadly, we weren’t able to achieve that feat…another blow to childhood innocence I’m afraid.

4. rudolph the red-nosed reindeer

So many classic characters, hermey the misfit elf, yukon cornelius, the awesome bumble (who scared the crap out of me as a kid) and you got Burl Ives as Sam the Snowman singing “Holly Jolly Christmas” which, in my humble opinion, is a gift from God to all of mankind. I love hearing that guy sing that song.

3. It’s a wonderful life

So many people dismiss this Capra film because of it’s perceived sentimentality and sugary-sweet message. What they sometimes miss is that this movie is DARK. Suicide, greed…a father who resents and verbally abuses his children and wife…a man who dreams of leaving a small town but is trapped because of death and debt….these are serious, dreary themes. Watch it again, and you’ll see why it’s stood the test of time…as people rediscover this amazing story of true redemption in the face of stark reality.

2. A charlie brown christmas

Why does every list about Christmas specials have this at or near the top? I think it’s the sublime surprise of watching such familiar and beloved characters so starkly and simply give us the true meaning of Christmas. The music is phenomenal, Vince Guaraldi’s jazz compositions are embedded into my dna…and I don’t believe it’s Christmas unless I’ve had the opportunity to watch this rare masterpiece of television.

1. A christmas story

Oh Fudge. You’ll shoot your eye out. It’s a Major Award! Drink Your Ovaltine. Fra-gee-lay. He looks like a deranged easter bunny.
Like a Christmas “Lebowski”…this movie is totally quotable, full of believable nostalgia, and one of those movies that gets better with multiple viewings. It’s my favorite…and I think it should be yours too. But then again, maybe you have some in mind that I’ve left off this list. Let me know.

I hope you enjoy the holidays…Merry Christmas from all of us in Circleslide.
now, where’s that blasted remote?

–gabe