Lyrics

Are you disappointed?
Is this world a letdown
With your head in the clouds its time to get down
Head on collision crushed by dreams
So we leave our hearts at the accident scene
Shattered, pieces scattered
Who told us it was ok
To allow our thoughts to be flattered
And entertain with ideas that can't sustain
A future once so confidentaly proclaimed
So where do you go from here
When it all disappears
After he dries your tears til you don't care
Or you live and die occupied with disclaimers and
Reasons as to why
Realize: Life isn't lived in fantasies
No matter how much planning or strategy
Joy comes along with tragedy
I own them all glady sayin' now

I'm alright, I'm okay
I kinda like doin' things this way
All I have is what God gives
And thats all the life that I was meant to live

We're not taught trial and error
We're not taught nor are we prepared
So we fail against everyday opponents
All the while we're still living for glorious moments
And the media feeds the youth a false reality
Of what it takes to make yourself happy
Since they got about a 1 in billion shot
Why try to make 'em think that its something that its not
This ain't a movie this is real life
The spotlight don't shine quite as bright as some might like
But thats alright cause the starlight at night
Is more of a highlight than the highlife
The air I consume from the breath of creation
Renews my soul everyday I awaken
Ah man tell me who knew that
Simply being content was the dream come true.

- J. Reuben

"All I Have"

(The Boy vs. The Cynic)

Old Acquaintances

After deciding to take the summer semester off from school, I set a few small goals to fill my newly acquired "free time". One of these goals was to renew a relationship with an old friend I'd been neglecting; my piano. It was quite disturbing for me to realize that I could barely stumble through the same songs I had played with ease when I was barely a teenager. One specific song that was the hardest blow to my ego was Rich Mullins: 78 Eatonwood Green (Liturgy, Legacy, and a Ragamuffin Band/ personally my fav album of his). There I was clumsily falling over the keys, unable to control my fingers or produce anything near the stamina I used to exert, and finally gave up almost in tears. Could it be that I had perhaps lost what God-given talent I'd had as a child? I remember playing songs over and over until I finally felt that I had mastered them; it truly was one of my favorite pastimes growing up. Upon hearing my struggles through my favorite Rich song, even mom had to admit that I wasn't quite up to par, I'd become lazy and my hands just weren't as strong as they used to be. I guess I just hadn't noticed because I've played off and on over the past 5 years, but nothing challenging. Just Disney songs with Linds, or some J. Knapp from time to time. And it not only bothered me that I had let "real life" occupy so much of my time that I forgot about the things that used to be sooo important to me, but it made me wonder what other simple pleasures I had forgotten. As they say (even though I'm still not sure who "they" are) 'you have to start somewhere'. So I've been working at it, although I must be getting old because my back starts to hurt after a couple of hours. But I think I've come a long way over the summer. I can honestly and humbly say that even though I'm still not quite as fast and acccurate as I used to be, it is a work in progress.

2 Seconds Please....

My weekly show for the past few months had its finale last night, and the chef I liked from the very beginning won! If anyone has watched Hells Kitchen on Fox, you know who I'm talking about. Ralph was too much of a car salesman/smoothtalker/annoying guy for me. Michael was da bomb, I'm so happy he won. It cracked me up because Chef Ramsey would always say 2 seconds please, even at the very end to the crowd that was cheering Michael. Funny guy. My favorite was John Phillipe, or was it John Pierre?