When I was in the later days of my teens and rode my way in to my early twenties I wasn't just some young stud that thought he was impervious to bullets or death.  The fact is I was wiser than my years.  But I think most teens are.  They just have too much energy to harness.

I wanted to sing in a band and one day I achieved it.  But as I prepared for stage I lived life.  I paid my dues.  I fell in love, I lost love, I learned how people use you and abuse you in business.  I learned what the real world was about. 

And from this I wrote countless songs.  I zeroed in on  music or musicians that shared my vision.  One comes to mind tonight.  And I thought of them after recalling how my last teen romance ended with a young girl named Noel.  This band called the Rainmakers had a song called: Small Circles.

There were two devastating stanzas of lyrics I held onto for years....

Then she grew up and I grew up
And she got tough and I got tough
So much for love, so much for love
As we move in small circles

Now we make money and we're all right
And we drive cars and wield our might
We make love to people that we don't even like
As we move in small circles

So read those words friends.  I suspect anyone reading this is not some twenty-something.  You are a grown adult that has seen what life is about.  You must admit those words have some punch.  And think of it... some young gun wrote them.  A young musician with wisdom beyond his years wrote them as he felt them. He had to have encountered them.   ...   more »

We all have our vices.  Mine is chocolate and sometimes doughnuts, oh... and sex.  I also really love sex.  But that is another topic.  Today I want to talk about my lust for doughnuts.  I suppose if these are my worst traits, I'll take them, but of all of them, the one I've been trying to beat is my lust for doughnuts, specifically chocolate iced. 

I've been at it for the better part of a year now. My goal?  To not desire them.

Today I believe was the day I crossed that threshold.  As I dropped the kids at school and pre-school as I do everyday, I drove past the doughnut shop.  Over the past year it was as simple as if I have the lust, I'll hit the drive through and buy two, or maybe just one.  Eating a deep fried ring of dough is not exactly what the doctor ordered.  I'll make this stop sometimes while running an errand right after drinking a glass of pomegranate juice or even eating a salad.  Knowing this, I've been working on the problem of driving by the doughnut shop for the past year. Slowly I've worked by way down from two doughnuts to one.  At a point I was able to drive by the shop eight out of ten times.    In the past month I've been able to drive by it entirely.

Today however was much different.  I drove by and didn't even have the desire.   I believe I've conquered my lust for dough nuts.   And frankly, you should know... ever since I was a boy if a girl and I were getting carried away kissing or more and she said stop, I could stop.  I was always proud of myself in knowing I could turn off my sexual drive.   Having this salient ...   more »