tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36721792012-01-30T13:40:14.806-06:00From my cell, I bring you whatever is on my mind.Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.comBlogger3211100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-35218124887701853932012-01-30T13:37:00.001-06:002012-01-30T13:40:14.820-06:00

the guards trembled and became like dead men.As I read Matthew's narrative about Jesus' resurrection, my mind's eye is usually drawn to the followers of Christ and the effect that rising from the dead would have on them. How easily we can forget the other story.Maybe we look at the scene with an "of course" sort of attitude. An earthquake happens. A dazzling being appears, moves the heavy stone

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-48241297188950160652012-01-25T15:50:00.000-06:002012-01-25T15:50:00.532-06:00

Judas, who would betray him, answered, "Is it I, Rabbi?" One might argue that Judas was no more evil than the other disciples, and that he believed he was doing good in handing Jesus over to the chief priests. Sure, he had pilfered from the treasury of the group, but maybe he had convinced himself that doing good to himself was doing good for the group, and this was good for the Master. Note

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-39035391650254294892012-01-19T10:29:00.001-06:002012-01-19T10:29:34.400-06:00

Much of the following has been cobbled together from a few Facebook posts I have made in the last couple of days. My apologies if you have read it before. I have not looked long and hard at the legislation proposed in SOPA and PIPA, but I have mixed thoughts on what little I do know. What I have seen is a great deal of hysteria on both sides, which I am learning comes with pretty much all

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-71343398075940394892012-01-14T14:15:00.001-06:002012-01-14T14:25:44.937-06:00

When my doctor prescribed Cymbalta for my diabetic neuropathy, I shot him a confused look. I thought he was trying to pull one over one me. But he assured me that Cymbalta was first designed for just my problem: pain in the extremities due to diabetes, and that only later, after it was discovered that patients reported feeling better emotionally did they discover it benefits for those suffering

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-26720158598038116582012-01-10T09:38:00.001-06:002012-01-10T09:40:11.229-06:00

I am overweight myself, but wasn't as a kid. I have mixed feelings about ads such as those being produced in Georgia and written about in the NPR story “Controversy Swirls Around Harsh Anti-Obesity Ads.” I agree that we have to get people's attention, especially the overweight parents of these kids. On the other hand, I wonder how kids will use these ads as fodder for their abuse. I also know

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-87558027934591547142012-01-08T14:36:00.001-06:002012-01-08T14:36:58.757-06:00

Pieces like "A Hunger Artist," "In the Penal Colony," and the title story are absolutely brilliant and rich in themes. I also liked "The Stoker," though I am not sure why. But some of the other stories were incomprehensible to me. I must admit, however, that I read most of this book at night, often when I was very tired. The Introduction was rather useful. The translator's Afterword was not.

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-53044545574043294712012-01-08T02:10:00.001-06:002012-01-08T02:13:48.538-06:00

This afternoon, I watched the FCS championship game between Sam Houston State and North Dakota State University. I was rooting for a Bearkat win, almost entirely because my niece attends the school. But their 17-6 loss was not the only disappointment I encountered. During the game, the announcers got several facts wrong about the area, in particular confusing Frisco, where the game was played,

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-84501885023362843602012-01-06T21:17:00.001-06:002012-01-06T21:21:28.966-06:00

I've been listening to this album much of the day today (not all, because Spotify won't allow me access to the track "I Want to Talk About You" without me shelling out some money), and I must say the listening has been a welcome delight. John Scofield has always excelled at ballad and soulful blues guitar, but this disc provides a fine combination of the two that has me nodding my head much of

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-32377133561630941282012-01-04T13:08:00.001-06:002012-01-04T13:11:26.823-06:00

"Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." When Jesus said this to the disciples, they could not make sense of it because they were worried about having forgotten provisions for their journey. They had just witnessed, prior to setting out, a confrontation between those Pharisees and Sadducees and our Lord. But is clear they did not understand what He had said either. "And

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-37461944147045173612011-12-31T17:51:00.001-06:002011-12-31T17:52:05.798-06:00

Normally, I reserve my "Reading Responses" for articles I've come across and my "Bookmarks" for books I want to review/comment on. But as 2011 comes to a close (good riddance, I say), I will reverse that for the moment. Last night I finished re-reading Franz Kafka 's novella The Metamorphosis. This has been one of my favorite stories for some time, largely because I find something new about it

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-64022788949410682192011-12-21T11:24:00.000-06:002011-12-21T11:41:15.202-06:00

Those who know me, know that I once considered becoming a monk. I have always been interested in finding how to incorporate as much of monastic spirituality into modern life as possible, while living in a world that is, for now, where my calling lies. John Michael Talbot's The Universal Monk is not so much a how-to as it is what-is. This book serves as an excellent primer for what has been

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-89261655312559789492011-12-19T08:14:00.002-06:002011-12-19T08:15:21.066-06:00

He has told you, O man, what is good;   and what does the Lord require of youbut to do justice, and to love kindness,   and to walk humbly with your God?It occurred to me today that rarely in Scripture does God ever say to someone, "Do this one specific thing" or "Avoid doing this one specific thing." Even when Jesus told the rich young man to give everything he had to the poor and follow Him,

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-80922528629935229162011-12-16T09:12:00.001-06:002011-12-16T09:12:35.337-06:00

For some reason when I have tried listening to John Zorn, I've run into his more (for me) avant-garde recordings, which have been interesting and energetic, but not work I could listen to more than a couple of times at a sitting. But just in time for what is likely to be a crappy holiday is A Dreamer's Christmas, a real treasure that has me feeling good each time I listen to it. There are a

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-76909273660576361582011-12-13T15:59:00.000-06:002011-12-13T16:00:02.656-06:00

Some people, for a variety of reasons, struggle to get a good education. Some people choose stupidity as a way of life. Such is the case of Professor Paul Derengowski. Derengowski resigned, he says, under pressure when two of his students filed complaints about his teaching practices. Most specifically, the World Religions instructor told his class that Islam is a cult. Now before you go

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-47177816964365100692011-12-13T09:21:00.000-06:002011-12-13T09:21:53.268-06:00

"And the men marveled, saying, 'What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?'"These men might have asked themselves, "What sort of man is this that sleeps through storms?" or they might have asked "What sort of teacher rebukes his disciples for a lack of faith they didn't even know they were supposed to have?" But the disciples, still in awe at the miracle of their salvation, could

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-51591558930724705412011-12-12T13:24:00.002-06:002011-12-12T13:33:22.998-06:00

Richard Souther calls his nearly 50 minute, one track project The Burn "soaking music," which allows the "setting aside of oneself to focus and meditate on God for renewal of strength and peace." I've been listening to it for the past few days, and at least for me, it well achieves its goal. Souther improvises at the piano over an electronic soundscape, and the result is beautiful and calming

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-27452034101823991932011-12-08T07:12:00.001-06:002011-12-08T08:41:09.988-06:00

"on them a light has dawned."Mathew notes that John the Baptist had been arrested when Jesus began his preaching ministry. In a time when the powerful may seem to have quashed the voice of God, another voice seems to arise, one that says, "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand."But that voice was always there. It is always here. It will not be silenced, no matter what powers think

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-60216716943368437352011-12-01T14:46:00.001-06:002011-12-01T15:39:35.463-06:00

In a recent WFAA story, Vincente Fox, former president of Mexico, was quoted as saying that the drug problem in the United States is all the fault of the United States. He said, "If you don't consume drugs, our problem is solved. We're doing our part. We're paying with 50,000 dead." What Fox means by you is the entire United States. What he means by we is the entire country of Mexico. So of

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-35725838393597165742011-11-29T17:14:00.001-06:002011-11-29T18:04:09.016-06:00

The idea behind websites like Pandora is to help music lovers use technology to take more control of their listening experiences. One inputs the name of a favorite artist and the service then plays music that fits what appeals to someone who listens to that group or musician. This, one would assume, comes in the form of other music in the same genre. In other words, if I input Earl Scruggs, I

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-27052456988532454912011-11-29T16:10:00.001-06:002011-11-29T16:19:49.431-06:00

"having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you.""these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name"Perhaps because Jesus was a teacher and because he continues to teach us, we think of belief as something that can be learned as one learns a formula or a

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-81701678892700748222011-11-15T14:29:00.001-06:002011-11-15T14:43:34.376-06:00

When I received my Nook, I promised myself that I would use it and other devices (now my phone and an iPad) to read a number of classic works that have, for one reason or another, passed me by. The most recently completed of these, read almost entirely on my iPhone, is Tolstoy's Anna Karenina.One reason I think I waited so long to read Anna Karenina is because it is a story about adultery. Or so

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-89065504419014174562011-11-15T08:45:00.001-06:002011-11-15T09:29:06.005-06:00

George Benson’s latest album is called Guitar Man,  and it is a typical mix of Benson’s excellent playing  and his smooth singing on a couple of numbers. "Tenderly" opens the album with some gorgeous interplay of chords and melody. May be a little mellow for some, but I liked it quite a bit. The Coltrane standard "Naima" gets the same treatment, and I wonder if I might have liked the project

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-55630313927274239462011-11-07T13:26:00.001-06:002011-11-07T13:26:17.023-06:00

"And you know the way to where I am going." Thomas, ever faithful, but perhaps over-literal, asks Jesus, "How can we know the way?" For Thomas, like so many of us, is expecting a map, perhaps a formula, to get to Heaven. but if Christ had come to give us a map, he'd be no better than those who sought His demise; He would be less than even the prophets who told of his coming; He would not have

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-49918167142283702102011-11-07T13:19:00.001-06:002011-11-07T13:31:14.390-06:00

In piecing together the life of one of my literary heroes, one thing was always missing: a specific picture of Raymond Carver's first marriage, when poverty and alcoholism coincided (or perhaps collided) with his rising reputation. What It Used To Be Like begins to fill in this gap. Raymond Carver's first wife clearly loved and supported him long past the point he deserved it. Maryann Carver

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-14902231509510704312011-11-07T13:07:00.002-06:002011-11-07T13:26:31.105-06:00

You told Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Am I weak enough, Lord?We may not always seek pleasure, but we avoid pain as quickly as possible. I have heard, "No pain, no gain." When is it no longer pain or suffering for our own good (sacrifice), but oppression and/or self-mortification? Most would rather stay as they are, satisfied that they are as

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-1324153231537959172011-11-03T08:47:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:26:49.080-06:00

The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me.Not long after saying this, Jesus would ask, "I have show you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?" But the words (not deeds) that convicted them in their eyes were, "I and the Father are one." For Christ had already been charged and found guilty by those who did not want Him or support Him.

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-49841728457800289902011-10-25T14:38:00.000-05:002011-11-07T13:27:01.891-06:00

Be not wise in your own eyes;  fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.It will be healing to your flesh  and refreshment to your bones. Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,  and the one who gets understanding,for the gain from her is better than gain from silver  and her profit better than gold. I haven't silver or gold or wisdom; thus I am poor indeed. Circumstances befall me, hurts beyond my

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-20451973086535140692011-10-25T09:22:00.000-05:002011-11-07T13:31:27.742-06:00

Just re‑read a favorite story by Daniel Pinkawater called Uncle Melvin. I say it is a story, but there really is no narrative. The book is a sketch of a mental patient told through the eyes of a child. For me, it is beautiful and heartbreaking. I know that many who are mentally ill are not as docile or lively or as interesting as Melvin is. But here is a tender portrait of a gentle man with "

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-50341885156914504562011-10-18T16:53:00.002-05:002011-11-07T13:27:12.625-06:00

So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God. After railing against the unfaithful Israelites -- and by extension all of us who have been unfaithful to God, we are told this. God lets them off easy and also puts tough burdens on them (us). These are not so much rules and impossible formulas to salvation or righteousness. "Hold fast,"

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-80587836788537859802011-10-13T14:42:00.000-05:002011-11-07T13:32:25.867-06:00

As a young man, I ran across these two albums in a phase of life when I wanted to listen to anything recorded by and for Christians. Some time ago they were re-released as a single disc set. I ran across them recently through Slacker Radio, and was pleasantly surprised. While perhaps a little too slick and too close to smooth jazz (what I call safe jazz), for many, I think these projects still

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-63907304540964738812011-10-10T23:40:00.001-05:002011-10-11T00:09:31.536-05:00

Recently a Facebook friend not only complained about the slowness of some people, but deleted my response that for a few of us slow people there isn’t much worth rushing for. I don’t know what was offensive about my remark, but what made the incident even more interesting to me is that this person kept the post that made fun of the “abnormally obese” people who, I presume, are also slow, and

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-51258518592020167132011-10-01T00:58:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:31:44.836-06:00

Some months ago, my friend Glenn decided to retire and not take home all of the books he had in his office. And I’m glad he picked this one for me. The book is old in the sense that it covers the private eye subset of the mystery genre only to its publication in 1974. However, what William Ruehlman has to say here speaks to not only to books and movies in the United States, but to our culture of

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-31056790270799649002011-09-12T00:49:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:32:48.935-06:00

I don’t know why I let myself get sucked into these things. They never end well. But once again, I got caught up in a lengthy debate on Facebook over the worth of person . And once again, I wasted my time. It started with Sportsnation posting a question on Facebook about Cam Newton’s stellar first game. Anyone who knows me knows I do not like Mr. Newton. I believe he has cheated his way to the

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-61431780112085358462011-08-31T00:38:00.001-05:002011-11-15T09:41:09.127-06:00

Mr. Hitchens, in his Slate article “Rick Perry’s God,” is correct in saying that it is believers who should question Rick Perry’s religious statements, and I am surprised that they do not. I also understand and agree that Perry is only doing the prudent thing in getting himself elected by appealing to religion. It sickens me, but it is what he must do to appeal to those on his side of the

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-91861321829676109202011-08-26T11:49:00.001-05:002011-11-15T09:31:39.441-06:00

Alright, so it’s very likely that even among die hard fans of FC Dallas, I am in the minority of people who stayed up late Wednesday night to see if rain and lightening would let up in Toronto so that the Champions League game could resume, and I’m  likely in a smaller minority of fans that spent Thursday morning watching the replay of the washed out game via the internet. Okay, I get it. I love

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-31913667574050775992011-08-12T00:44:00.001-05:002011-11-15T09:41:32.030-06:00

You told me that I had wasted my vote by casting my ballot for the person I actually believed was best able to run the country. Because that person wasn’t from one of the two political parties, I had, you said, only helped someone else win. A little research proved you were right. So I stopped believing, stopped seeing a reason to vote. Before that I looked to political leaders who shared my

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-81786757950980502592011-08-07T10:02:00.001-05:002011-11-15T10:31:48.460-06:00

My other self said, “You shouldn’t use the F word so much.” My regular self asked, “Which F word? Fuck? Why not? It is a perfectly fine and useful word.” Other Self made a face and said, “There are other words you can use. Words that are not so offensive.” “There are other words,” Regular Self replied. “But what is offensive may be in the ear of the listener. I am offended, for example, at the

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-31276486577435142242011-07-26T19:31:00.001-05:002011-11-15T09:33:50.692-06:00

Newly married and newly employed, I once came here to pray, to strum my guitar, to find a bit of peace to start the day, to start what was my new life. The sun was usually just getting up and I was alone except for the joggers on the path behind me or the fishermen minding their business yards away. Sure there were cars not far away, with unhappy people going down Northwest Highway toward dreaded

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-84223678019670838692011-07-17T01:27:00.001-05:002011-11-15T09:33:18.168-06:00

1981 was a long time ago, but I have not forgotten several things. I have not forgotten what it was like to go to high school. I have not forgotten the things that happened to me there. I have not forgotten the few teachers who dared to make an impact on me. I have tried to forget the rest. I have not forgotten the "counselor" who told me I should not go to college. I have not forgotten not

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-27105921168708132062011-07-08T19:48:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:33:22.613-06:00

John Patitucci is one of the most gifted and expressive bassists I have ever heard, and lately I’ve been listening to a lot of bass players. In addition to his solo work, Patitucci has played with legends like Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker and Chick Corea. I recently found One More Angel in the clearance bin, and after listening to it several times, I am happy for the bargain,

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-16461803347386039352011-07-05T10:03:00.001-05:002011-11-15T09:33:02.791-06:00

I’m sure several of you out there are going to see me as anti-patriotic, and if so, so be it. However, I think something about what we say and what we do on Independence Day, a very important holiday, needs to be reconsidered. I keep wondering when July Fourth became a holiday to celebrate and honor only those who served in our military. I am not saying we should not honor them, should not be

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-39410193976370202252011-06-27T14:22:00.001-05:002011-11-07T14:45:37.631-06:00

I have often been drawn to the poetry of mystics, and my first foray into the world of St. John of the Cross came when I was writing about T.S. Eliot’s “Ash Wednesday” in my long ago undergraduate days. Then I found a handful of poems which were beautiful and nice, but was focused on the “teaching” and “theology” parts, as I was trying to get a paper done. A few years later, I came across John

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-32705394678411529172011-06-27T12:05:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:33:37.730-06:00

Pat Metheny’s One Quiet Night won the Grammy Award for Best New Age album the year it was released. While most people who listen to Metheny’s music, heck, most people who listen to music, would not see him as a New Age performer, I can see why the disc was classified there. The songs were, as many extended extemporary improvisations are, mostly reflective, meditative in mood. I say this to

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-20311873207903902462011-06-22T13:03:00.001-05:002011-11-15T09:36:10.310-06:00

From time to time, I have to answer this question from a student. It isn’t always worded this way. Sometimes the student is more polite; sometimes the student is not. And I do understand the oftentimes crippling desire to know, not whether one has done well or poorly, but just to know the results of a test or a paper. Few students really want my feedback. Many say they do, but most don’t. They

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-73373186661763276722011-06-03T13:13:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:33:48.975-06:00

I must take issue with Robert Weintraub and his article “Heat Sensitive: Why I’m rooting for LeBron James – and you should too,” published today at Slate. Mr. Weintraub seems to think he is going against most in America in trying to build a case for liking the Heat and the man most demonized during their run of success. But he’s not. He’s echoing what almost every broadcaster on the ESPN/Disney/

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-76264606465901828032011-05-22T11:48:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:34:03.243-06:00

Phil Keaggy is one of the finest guitar players most of you have never heard of, and Jeff Johnson is a keyboardist and producer extraordinaire. I have long found their music, particularly the instrumental albums, uplifting. When I found that they had collaborated on a project, I had to give it a listen. Frio Suite is a beautiful sounding album, meant  to evoke the wonder of the Frio River in

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-68882797650645423532011-05-22T02:28:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:34:17.864-06:00

Hopefully it is not insulting to say this project is perfect for times of prayer and meditation. Many albums designed for such are either dull and only fill dead space so that the pilgrim can avoid silence, or they are so overblown as to artificially heighten the experience. Richard Souther's phenomenal record, I think, brings listeners to a state where distractions melt away. That is not to say

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-37492982062590637192011-05-22T02:16:00.001-05:002011-05-22T02:16:59.820-05:00

Some people tell me that if I don’t like what is on the radio to just change the station. When it comes to Lady Gaga, that shouldn’t be a problem. I avoid any station that might play her music. At first it wasn’t so much about her controversies or her music. I simply wasn’t interested. To each his own, right? But I still get Ms. Gaga from time to time. It can’t be helped. She’s very popular. Now

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-21917623556415257242011-02-21T23:16:00.001-06:002011-11-15T10:11:58.309-06:00

People said it would never happen, but here it comes. You too will have to right to bring a gun on campus to “protect” yourself from those smarmy professors who give you assignments and to help heighten the culture of fear that drives America. Scott Lewis,Texas director of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, states that there won’t be many students who are of the right age and have clean

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-55838020029359996782011-02-03T12:25:00.001-06:002011-11-07T13:36:18.597-06:00

Recently found Stanley Jordan’s Bolero in the clearance bin at a Half Price bookstore. It does make me a little sad to see work by such a talent in the sit- on-the-floor-and-sift section of a store, but I suppose that is all to my gain. Well, mostly. Jordan’s take on the classic R&B song “Always and Forever” doesn’t work for me. The vocal chorus makes the tune sound too much like smooth jazz

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-58552112626885787292011-01-01T15:02:00.002-06:002011-11-07T13:37:09.989-06:00

HGTV's coverage of the Rose Bowl parade was pretty bad. The hosts talked over everything of interest. The goofball at street level was shown yapping with an inset taking up a quarter of the screen, often covering the float he was talking about. The camera rarely showed some of the most beautiful features of the floats. The only bright spot was the guy talking about some of the scientific and

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-80271481419464511582010-12-28T01:17:00.001-06:002011-11-07T13:37:30.426-06:00

 Imagine Pat Metheny, Robert Fripp, John Scofield, and Bill Frisell all had children and sent them to the University of North Texas to study. Then think about those kids meeting and deciding to form a band. Once they found a bassist and drummer and started to record, the L5 Electric Guitar Ensemble would be what it sounded like and The Quiltmaster would be the project they would create. Tunes

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-16120522189941393572010-12-14T23:48:00.001-06:002011-11-07T13:37:45.295-06:00

While the majority of my music time has been spent listening to jazz, I haven’t forgotten some of the rock bands that have shaped me in some way. So today, because on Facebook, I was able to find out about a special acoustic concert The Choir played online for their fans. The group’s core is drummer and lyricist Steve Hindalong and Derri Daughtery on guitars and lead vocals. In this set, long

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-128049905457841582010-10-09T11:03:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:38:07.989-06:00

If you have heard of Dean Evenson, it is probably because you have spent time listening to one of the more atmospheric new age satellite broadcasts like Moodscapes. On the other hand, you likely did not catch the name because you were too busy doing yoga or meditating or sleeping to see it. Healing Waters is the first album I have listened to with a warning that said one should not listen to it

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-5073008779536462882010-10-01T07:54:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:38:18.987-06:00

Mary Halvorson’s Saturn Sings is a little on the avant garde side for my tastes, but not so much so that it would turn off everyone. Some of it actually grew on me. Halvorson is a good player, and the group behind her is intriguing to me, if not so for the casual jazz listener. I think I prefer the trio pieces a little more than those with the full quintet, but maybe because I'm not used to as

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-28803138725154791002010-09-27T00:08:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:38:35.143-06:00

Ads for online dating services tend to bug me anyway, but in my best moments, I’d like to think that the use of technology to find love isn’t always a bad thing. For the website Zoosk, however, dating is not at all about love. Clearly it is about sex, disguised a women’s fantasy/romance. Watch any of the ads closely and you’ll see that the women hovering around the laptop are not only dreaming of

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-37433311939824912262010-09-25T11:28:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:38:47.509-06:00

Am I the only person who finds this commercial disturbing. The Volzwagon people, I presume, are trying to tap into a game that a number of people play where the first person to see a Volzwagon punches someone next to them, and shouts out the color of the vehicle. People in America have done this for years though only with the beetles, not other models from the company. And I guess the advertisers

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-43130939570311884022010-09-19T08:47:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:38:59.960-06:00

On one level, I think this is an interesting project to listen to. Medeski, Martin and Wood drummer Billy Martin (and sometimes a few others) uses percussion instruments that most listeners are not familiar with, and the result is often quite enjoyable. On the other hand, I  I would have liked this project more overall had I been able to see and hear it, say in a recital or as part of some

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-10487747689812138422010-09-09T23:48:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:39:15.466-06:00

The collection contains the first four books by a talented and insightful poet who has taken journeys of pain many cannot fathom, but many of us have trod before. Perhaps darker than the books Wright is best known for, we see struggles with alcoholism, intense loneliness, and sanity. Rorschach Test is probably the best of the four, but each book is thought provoking and painfully beautiful. Was

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-14383724048274410202010-09-03T08:02:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:39:32.240-06:00

Have really enjoyed this collection of funky jazz numbers by Dallas sax man Ron Jones. The last tune is an interesting cover of Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After All These Years," but the rest are originals. Some of the tunes may be a little too close smooth jazz for the tastes of a few, but that is may be the good production and accessibility of the material talking. Of course, this is also a

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-58176405486230771402010-08-21T13:43:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:39:51.080-06:00

Have been enjoying this 1999 release of Lee Konitz with Brad Mehldau on piano and Charlie Haden on bass. It is the kind of album that easily brings to mind a smoky bar or looking out the window on a lonely night, and yet nothing here strikes me as depressing. The disc was recorded at the Jazz Bakery in Culver City to a quiet, but appreciative audience. I only have one complaint about Another

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-87861196654608468872010-08-19T01:23:00.001-05:002011-11-15T09:37:47.156-06:00

With school starting soon, I thought I’d pass along a handful of ideas about how to get more from your education. Perhaps I’ll expand on some of these later, but for now, I present for your edification: 1. Read (and know) the Syllabus and course outline. 2. Read the assigned material. 3. Do the homework, lab work, or exercises even if they are not graded. 4. Don’t just check your grades. Read

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-90671953869603617832010-08-19T00:50:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:40:06.289-06:00

This 1990 project by Mickey Hart falls into the category of "World Music" for some reason. I suppose because it isn't jazz or new age and some songs have a tabla played on them. The pieces feature an interesting array of percussion instruments which blend so well with the electronic ones that I hardly notice the later except as adding to the texture. Thus the sound is not at all dated. I found

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-43873481956183409642010-08-18T01:20:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:40:24.784-06:00

Any lover of George Gershwin should love this lively and beautiful album recorded by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in 1997. In addition to favorites such as "Rhapsody in Blue and "An American in Paris," this disc features the rarely performed "Cuban Overture" and "Lullaby" (one of Gershwin's first classical compositions), and "Promenade," a piece of music first heard in the movie Shall We Dance.

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-89845970661742477872010-08-07T18:39:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:40:37.363-06:00

I am very glad I had a chance to read this collection of poems by Edgar Lee Masters. Each person buried in the Spoon River cemetery has a monologue of sorts, so readers often get a chance to look at events from a number of different angles. One of the stories that holds this narrative together is that of crooked and selfish men not only causing the failure of the town bank, but also allowing an

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-72100295343261234492010-08-07T11:44:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:41:05.013-06:00

This is a fine piece of Clint Eastwood entertainment. It is not a great work of art. There are almost too many Eastwood one-liners and some of the situations are a bit over the top for my tastes. Further, there are a few too many stories in a movie that might be a little too long. That said, I did find the movie enjoyable most of the time and even the over wild Mario Van Peebles made me laugh.

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-22075607416109954532010-08-05T02:13:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:41:19.928-06:00

Initiative, by Dallas area sax and flutist Ron Jones is a funky, soulful project that is made with a number of the area’s finest jazz musicians. One might expect a lack of continuity, but I found the whole disc very enjoyable. Initiative opens with “Crazy May,” a fun little number with nice solo work by Scott Bucklin on piano and one of my favorite drummers, Mike Drake. I do wish it didn’t fade

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-28790253491957649562010-08-03T22:53:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:41:34.580-06:00

This 2003 release by The John Taylor Trio sounds to me like a cross between Brad Mehldau (with fewer dark keys) and Keith Jarrett (minus the moaning and stomping). There are seven beautiful tunes on this disc. A few come across a little slow and moody, but never maudlin. I particularly liked their rendition of the Irving Berlin classic “How Deep Is The Ocean” and Taylor’s own “Between Moons” and

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-22372199845398460412010-08-01T01:06:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:41:57.108-06:00

This is one of John Grisham’s mainstream novels, a group of books I’ve been steadily reading and enjoying. Here, Rick Dockery, a washed up, perpetually third string quarterback finds himself playing professional football in Italy, hoping to salvage what is left of his career. After getting through the unusual setup, this is pretty much the book you probably expect it to be. It is not as much a

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-28904994470556817942010-07-27T13:06:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:42:11.556-06:00

The past few days have been stressful and difficult. Some changes have come to the Morris household, and while most of these will be positive, they have not been without their growing pains. Such is life. Stagnant we suffer. Changing we stretch to what we think may well beyond our capacity. Either way, we hurt. During this time, I have been listening to Michael Jones’ two disc Pianoscapes, as

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-71044647286246375022010-07-26T01:33:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:42:39.252-06:00

Yesterday, the first edition of Rubber Lemon appeared online and it contains my story “Promise” (page 21). This is something I composed many years ago, and while time usually cools any positive thoughts I have about my work, this is one story I’ve always been a bit proud of. It seems to have found a proper and interesting home. A couple of my haiku of found places in Ambrosia: Journal of Fine

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-87845293570784206392010-07-22T09:35:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:42:51.030-06:00

I've heard tunes by The Art of Noise off and on for years, but never listened to a whole album. I don't know how representative this little disc is, but I did find it pleasant and intriguing. The group is probably not for everybody, and as someone who does not listen to a lot of electronica, I don't have much to compare it to. That said, I know what I enjoy, and I found this enjoyable,

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-1340883036721320512010-07-22T01:12:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:43:06.496-06:00

I have start this little rant by mentioning that Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment is one of my favorite novels. If I had a top five, it would be there. But I also believe that a movie doesn’t have to be exactly like the book that serves as its source. I won’t go into that too much except that it is often not practical and to do so would deny the artistic vision of many people. Deviations don’t

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-72741347077428701732010-07-20T00:52:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:43:23.519-06:00

One of the first books I’ve read since getting a Nook has been this delightful collection of essays by G.K. Chesterton. I am not sure these are the kind of essays I should have students read as examples of good writing because Chesterton often starts with one subject and associates it with another, and yet he is so masterful at this, that I sit reading in awe. He seems to be writing off the cuff,

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-80778452681227370772010-07-19T11:08:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:43:39.532-06:00

Fast Lane (June 24) – I’ve thought of the Eagles as a rather laid back group, but this tribute band seemed at times to be laying down. I didn’t mind that they leaned mostly toward the country side of The Eagles’ repertoire, but that most every song was played and sung lethargically, as if the group was just going through the motions. And the fact that none of the singers sounded like any of the

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-76782860065221468952010-07-05T02:06:00.001-05:002011-11-08T13:52:51.331-06:00

There are many books on the subject of prayer. Outside the Bible itself, few are indispensable: This one is, by far, the best book on the subject I have ever come across. It is simple and insightful. Any spiritual person, no matter where she or he is in the walk of faith, can be edified by The Practice of the Presence of God, if by nothing other than Brother Lawrence's own devotion to God. The

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-55399886755908154422010-06-26T18:02:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:43:53.333-06:00

Now and then, little will do to calm me but good, emotive piano playing. Typically this means Mr. Jarrett, particularly the improvised concerts. Sometimes that means listening to George Winston (and some of the knock offs of his style). But a pianist I seem to return to over and over is Liz Story. Story does not seem, to my admittedly untrained ear, to be as creative as Jarrett (but who is,

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-63499872469133157892010-06-26T01:23:00.001-05:002011-11-15T10:41:30.836-06:00

Thomas Lux is not your roses is red poet of pretty little lines. He isn’t Shakespeare. There is a great deal that Lux isn’t. And even if his strange verses are a little hard for the overly expectant reader to take, they are darn good. Lux has been described by many critics as “surrealistic.” Poems in  The Cradle Place employ some odd images which seem to come from dreams, and what you expect to

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-62832903817418884672010-06-19T19:49:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:44:10.675-06:00

Took in a wonderful set on Thursday night by the Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute band Voodoo Blue. Even if you have never heard of Stevie Ray Vaughan (and if so, I feel very sorry for you), and have somehow missed his tunes on the radio, I dare anyone to sit and listen to this band play and not be impressed with how good they sound or how fun they are to watch. (I say that at the same time I was

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-15430908304477651162010-06-19T02:14:00.001-05:002011-11-07T14:43:36.747-06:00

Thank you for taking the time to apologize on my behalf to a very bad man working for a very bad company in an industry so evil that America is drowning under its influence. After all, as a grown man myself, I still have trouble appreciating a person who represents decades of abuse and oppression. You have confirmed for me that you are a consummate politician,  a word that I understand comes

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-5673910240292344902010-06-17T12:00:00.000-05:002011-11-07T13:44:25.341-06:00

Keith Jarrett just has to do things differently. And so when he and his band mates (bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette) make a tribute album, it just can't be for one person or even a composer. Here they pay tribute to the great performances of several people doing other people's great tunes. Now I am not familiar enough with the original recordings, so I can only focus on the music

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-17110263628445653892010-06-14T02:09:00.000-05:002011-11-07T13:44:38.972-06:00

When I see the words “Party Band” used to describe an act, I don’t have very high expectations that I am going to enjoy the music. Usually I end up listening to plodding and lethargic versions of songs I don’t really like, even by the original artists. Maybe I’m getting old, because that isn’t my idea of a party. But the Mars Hill Band surprised me in their set at the Harbor in Rockwall on

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-72971556671309634912010-06-12T01:26:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:44:53.394-06:00

I get more and more soured on sports, especially the so-called “student athlete.” There are some really fine athletes who do take their education seriously. I know this because many have graced my classes, working very hard both on the field, and and treating every morsel of knowledge like gold, happy for the privilege to learn. But the truth is that most athletes in college are like a group I

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-17914064849645936262010-06-11T04:48:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:45:03.838-06:00

Some have compared this project from guitar master John McLaughlin to Miles Davis’ Sketches Of Spain. It is not really as great as all that, but saying so isn’t really fair to McLaughlin. After all Sketches is one of the best albums by one of the greatest artists in music history. It has also has had longer to garner listeners and acclaim. But there are a number of similarities between the two

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-79255101901281815912010-06-10T03:44:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:45:16.910-06:00

Before I ever got into jazz (sort of), I was a rock and roller (sort of), a child of the 70s. And while some of the tunes on this disc I never actually heard during that decade, those that did come through my tiny radio speakers had me thinking there was more to music than folk tunes, disco, and the advent of heavy metal. So when I found this disc for cheap at a Half Price Bookstore, I had to

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-45925258885979324672010-06-10T01:50:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:45:35.197-06:00

 If you like Weather Report, this is good stuff. If you love Weather Report, you probably have already heard (and own) most of it. Still, it is a nice collection (the only box set) of the one of greatest of the jazz fusion groups. I enjoyed it mostly, but it is marred in that it is missing two of my favorite WR tunes: "A Remark You Made" and "Boogie Woogie Waltz."  (The former is found on the

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-34428570572225430182010-06-09T01:51:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:45:47.729-06:00

I had put off reading this novel because I found out a Hallmark movie was made from it. But I decided I needed to give it a try anyway, since I usually like Grisham's books, including the mainstream (non-thriller) ones.  I am glad I did. This was an enjoyable tale of about a young boy living on a farm in Arkansas with his parents and grandparents, and how much he grows up during one season of

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-15714842176285959112010-06-08T00:01:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:46:03.993-06:00

Brad Gooch has done a great deal of research on O'Connor (in my mind one of America's most important writers), and has produced a biography that should satisfy the scholar and the vaguely curious. The book reads sometimes like a novel and sometimes like the gossip page of a small town newspaper. It does shed a great of light on the writer's work and habits, and certainly the ideas behind her art.

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-47867071266859614852010-06-07T23:32:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:46:17.323-06:00

Since the summer has begun, I have, in greater earnest been sending material out, including some book length manuscripts. Have even collected a few rejections already. Wow! The Internet is speedy! However, a couple pieces have found homes. “The Dog Barked” has been published at sillymess. No payment,  but I’m glad to have my work out there. It is a flash fiction piece I think I wrote sometime

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-88768481759374520362010-05-29T15:01:00.003-05:002011-11-07T13:46:37.478-06:00

I have read Dave Ramsey’s book as part of a class I have been taking at my church, and though I do have some problems with the book, I do think Ramsey’s basics formula and principles are sound, very likely to work. I think I need to say upfront that for what he is trying to accomplish, he is on the right track. I don’t know this for a fact as of this writing, because it takes years to apply all

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-65407252449696355842010-05-25T09:03:00.004-05:002011-11-07T13:46:48.677-06:00

The Keith Jarrett Trio’s Changeless is a fine, reflective, album, one that finds Jarrett's trio is really good form. Unlike some of the free jazz that seems to go all over the place, each piece, though improvised completely, reads like a group meditation. This is one of those recordings that almost make me understand what jazz musicians mean by the spiritual element of the music. (I have no idea

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-75435307966266344162010-05-24T00:02:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:46:59.135-06:00

Almost every day, I read the following: “Thanks for your feedback. Over time, this information helps us deliver more relevant ads to you.” If you have been on Facebook any length of time, you have read it too. But I have come to the conclusion this statement is a lie. I do not make this accusation lightly or in jest. I think Facebook is lying, telling an untruth, being deceitful, speaking falsely

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-24662179613031289082010-05-22T12:55:00.002-05:002011-11-07T13:47:08.904-06:00

I'm guessing that Tomasz Stanko is not well known in America. I'm sure few of my friends have heard of him. But he is a giant in European jazz circles. On Soul of Things, the massively blessed trumpeter is 60, playing a wonderful suite, sounding as youthful as when Miles Davis recorded Kind Of Blue . Speaking of which, if you enjoy the mellower side of Miles without the irritation of smooth jazz

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-24818234331156426262010-05-15T00:27:00.003-05:002011-11-07T13:47:28.096-06:00

The three songs on this disc can be found on a really fine boxed set called Setting Standards: New York Sessions. The other two discs contain Jarrett's trio in their first forays interpreting standards from the Great American Songbook. This part, however, is all improvisation. Jarrett had already made quite a name for himself doing this as a solo act, and a couple listens through this disc will

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-48275099912714684582010-04-20T23:29:00.004-05:002011-11-07T13:47:39.524-06:00

I had read a couple other books in the late Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone series, but I clearly have missed a few things, such as Stone’s little affair with Sunny Randall (a character from another series). Some other events mentioned in Stranger in Paradise were news to me. In his Spenser stories, Parker does a pretty good job of giving the reader just enough information so one can keep up, but

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-73655445482378896832010-04-07T06:57:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:47:51.234-06:00

Have been following the story of several teenagers who have been charged in connection with the suicide of Phoebe Prince since running across this New York Times article. I find it troubling that any children in a country that presumes to value tolerance would be able to destroy their consciences enough to allow themselves to do the sort of things that were clearly done to this young girl. I am

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-57621592685239103832010-04-04T02:03:00.001-05:002011-11-08T13:55:02.883-06:00

This evening read an interesting article from the New York Times by Julie Just called, “The Parent Problem in Young Adult Lit.” Reminded me of something I wrote years ago about the dearth of positive parent figures, particularly fathers, in television and movies. Just’s article seems to focus mostly on mothers, and I found her look interesting. She doesn’t appear to have as big a problem as I do

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-55919007306431828992010-04-01T01:32:00.001-05:002011-11-07T13:48:02.450-06:00

I honestly could not, at first, believe what I was reading. I’d been following a story about football players at Texas A&M Commerce getting busted for possession of marijuana (and other things), when the story took an odd twist. Many of the members of the football team were implicated in stealing copies of school paper, The East Texan, in which the arrest was reported. Then head football coach

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-40559541116490288162010-03-30T01:46:00.000-05:002011-11-07T13:48:13.348-06:00

Watched the first two installments of Jaime Oliver’s Food Revolution tonight and I was struck by one serious problem. The adults here, most of them anyway, were not willing to even try. The bitchy little frown factory in the kitchen made me want to scream. She actually enjoyed when things went wrong, and actually believed that everything is just fine. That arse on the radio needs an attitude

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3672179.post-14920471541809548332010-03-24T06:32:00.002-05:002010-03-24T06:36:01.030-05:00

I took these pictures because my wife likes tulips, and these looked particularly bright today. Flowers, for me, are nice, but just decoration. Usually. Maybe the nice weather made me unusually romantic. This first photo was taken in the morning on my way to the division office. I walk by here often, but was suddenly struck by the vibrancy of the colors. I don’t know why I never paid attention

Michael Neal Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10108115040414359782noreply@blogger.com0