For Shawna.. Same band different day!

Oh my...
My twenty thrown down in my fist of rage
And the man to my left just folded down
Johnny doubled up with a Royal Flush
I had three jacks and a pair of nines
My mind is turning just two shots more
There's not much left to play
Then dude walks in Black hat on top, what a mop
I'm lucky it wasn't a county cop, cause I'm just running out of time

Who's up for game two, what to do?
My wallets getting thin and I just lost my watch last night
I got a problem, just one answer got to throw it all down
And kiss it goodbye

That was a crazy game of poker
I lost it all
But someday I'll be back again
And I抣l never fold.
Never fold.

Who's up for game three?
I can barely see the bourbon drowning next to me
And I just lost it all
Well there's a man sitting next to me
Red with smiling eyes
It's funny I don't have no money tonight.
yeah...

That was a crazy game of poker
I lost it all
But someday I'll be back again
And I抣l never fold.
Never fold.

Bada biba... ... ...
I say now skitili dat dat dat well how bout that
I'm coming out the front never coming out the back
I walked into the bar yesterday
Cause I had something to do, something to say
And Johnny walked in right behind me and
I didn't turn around
Until I hear the sound of his feet falling
On the ground, looked over my shoulder
And I saw a clown
And I said what are you doing in the bar tonight?
And I said Johnny whatcha doing tonight?
He looked at me with a face full of fright
And I said how about a revolution?
And he said , right.

I say of, you say a, I say revolution, and you say die 2x

And I said what are you looking at?
He hit me across the face with a bat.
I grabbed my 45 and I said let's get out and go
Well so he opened the door, and said "now, whatcha here for?"
I said I'm wanderin' down the road 4.4
And I said I've been walking for about a thousand years
And my feet are growing tired
My eyes a little wired
Don't know what to do unless I retire
And he just said let's play some crazy poker
So I said Johnny whatcha doing tonight?
He looked at me with a face full of fright
And I said how about a revolution?
And he said right.

I say of, you say a, I say revolution, and you say die 2x

I said that was the craziest game of poker that I ever saw
I said that was the craziest game of poker that I ever saw
But Im not gonna quit and I'm not gonna stop
I don't give a shit cause I got the drop
Johnny just got two eyes just like mine
And I'm feeling kind of funky, kinda fine
Cause I drank a bottle of whiskey before I came
Came to the bar to see what's the same
I saw my man named Johnny sitting across the table from me
And to my left was a man who had no gin
He didn't even think about starting to sin
The man to my right, wasn't feeling very nice
He looked kinda mad and I felt bad
Because I took his money last night
It's kinda funny
Now I'm just struggling
I need a honey bunny
I don't know what to say anymore
So Im just going to go out the front door.

Wish I could take credit.. OAR u got this one exactly;)

I just heard the world is breaking down into bits again
Tell me what am I to do?
And you just want me to stay here
So I'm just gonna stay here

Home, the last resort
Build a castle with an iron door
Lock the window, pull the shades
The hazed out sun won't help anyway

If the world is crumbling down
I don't wanna be alone
No, locked up in this place

I heard the world up, late night
Holding my breath tight trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air, nobody could care
How you're caught up in the fight of your life

Fear, is holding me here
The television got me seeing unclear
Bravery, my neighbor moved away
'Cause I don't need to be courageous today

If the world was crumbling down
I don't wanna be alone
No, locked up in this place

I heard the world up, late night
Holding my breath tight trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air, nobody could care
How you're caught up in the fight of your life

I heard the world up, late night
Holding my breath tight trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air, nobody could care
How you're caught up in the fight of your life

Nothing is gonna save me
I'm hanging from the nearest tree
Nothing is gonna save me
I'm hanging from the nearest tree

I heard the world up, late night
Holding my breath tight trying to keep my head on right
There's a chill in the air, nobody could care
How you're caught up in the fight of your life

But tomorrow is a new day....

My NOLA

Well I think it's time I explained my New Orleans obsession... It's hard to put something like a city into words. I am well aware that when I say "I LOVE New Orleans" people automatically see Bourbon Street and drunks and crazy wild fun in their brains. Now while I have been on Bourbon several times after dark and I do agree that the sleazy nightlife could be a big draw for lots of people, that has absolutely nothing to do with my obsession. I'm afraid Joe Francis and his "Girls Gone Wild" crew have a very different philosophy than the most famous Krewes that the town is more appropriately known for starting..

My first experience with NOLA actually dates back to my preganacy with Keelie who is now almost 12. We had taken a company trip to this notorious city and especially considering my huge belly decided after the first night that the crowds and craziness of the nightlife forced us to explore a different part of the city. As we soon found out from carriage drivers and local store owners, NOLA has a rich and vast history. The architecture, the music, the art, the food, and the people are in my opinion more unique than in any other city I have ever visited in the United States.

Mardi Gras actually started in the late 1700s. Wealthy people held lavish balls in order to let loose and have fun before the start of Lent when it's customary to "do without" in observation for the upcoming Easter celebration. Today there are several Krewe's that make it their business to "put on" the parades leading up to Fat Tuesday. It is the ONLY American parade season, if you will, not put on by the city. The only thing that the city takes care of is the police presence. The 150-200 year old clubs are much like sororities or fraternities. You have to be a member and you have to pay dues to belong then you fundraise with things such as bingo in order to fund your parade floats, bands, and throws. It is the only time that a city conducts a party for itself. I'm quite certain that the shops and restaurants enjoy the travelers that attend for their profit margin but the parades and balls are NOT for the general public and in fact if you are not a native you may find it hard to even know where things a being held or what specifically is held.
What I love about it is the OVER THE TOPness of it. The crowns, septures, the ball gowns, the throws, all because the natives want to. No other reason, no other purpose. I love the idea of dressing up and naming Kings and Queens in lavish garb. I love the sense of pride that they must feel that another year has produced another season of fun and memories. As is the tradition when rushing in Greek life, there isn't a governing body other than the individual groups that put the parades on that decide the theme or the costumes for that year.
The city itself has culture steept in French/Spanish tradition that is apparent from the dialect to the food to the buildings. The balcony for instance was created for two reasons. One is so that the wealthy people could be outside and over look the city and yet be protected from the "commoners" as well as the sun on a super hot New Orleans day and there are many. That is also why the houses are made in the shotgun style to allow better airflow. Also, there are many courtyards in the middle of the homes for the same reasons.

The city has so many unique features and I haven't even talked about the food, the jazz, or most importantly the spirit of the city. It is just a really cool place that throws the biggest party in the United States for itself and unlike most people think it is VERY kid friendly when it comes to the parades and lifestyle of the "Big Easy". I really cannot think of a place that compares or a reason to want to try..and if I had my choice, I'd live there doing crawfish broils on the bayou and be riding on a parade float listening to people say "throw me something mister" every year...

My COREY

I am oddly very focused and centered today.. Life isn't exactly the way I thought it was going to be and a lot of changes in my life in months and years to come scare me so much but a friend sent me a video today that explained EXACTLY what I always believed about life and the questions I rustle with daily. Such as Why?? Why do we feel the way we feel about things? How do we get there? And of course what is the point anyway?? Just a simple look at something I already knew.

When I love something I LOVE it and I want YOU to LOVE it too.. For instance if I want to go to a concert....Say, oh I don't know (she says with a smirk) Corey Smith... I don't want you to go with me if you don't know anything about him.. In fact I don't want you to go with me just because you want to.. It's not enough for me for you to want to go. I want you...to want to go.. for YOU.. I want you to want to go because I know if you know Corey like I do you will want to because it will change your life.. No really, I believe that.. Every experience changes your life. Now you may think I'm "friends" with Corey Smith.. I am not.. Well he doesn't know me (tho he does follow me on twitter, lol).

You see, probably five years ago a friend did like he always did and sent me 5-7 "new" to me artist that I needed to listen to.. Whenever I was with this friend he and I would talk about music like we were in college talking about random life events because we had nothing else to discuss and that was enough for me.. So, at some point life got busy.. we had more and more kids and we never sat down with this couple as adults anymore... every once in awhile he would text me some singers or I would say "hey it's been awhile, you have anyone I need to know?" and sure enough to this day he aways has a couple that resonate with me.. This time it was Corey.. I quickly realized that I was NOT in high school and God wasn't messing with me and making me think "omg he wrote this song for me.."as I listened to song after song on youtube. I, at this point was mature enough to know (insert another smirk) that I "got him" because we had had the same life experiences though his demons are different than mine.. He is from the south, we go to the same beach, were close to the same age, had similar college experiences right down to the sports excitement and now we were trying to figure out how to take these experiences and live our adult lives.. WE did not know each other and our paths had never crossed except at the concerts I paid to see him sing (and I know those don't count).

Until one day our paths not only crossed but they intersected, my husband has a friend and got us into this meet and greet to meet this man that had so "understood" me. I was so excited. We had to take the kids, I mean by now they knew MOST of his songs.. Had to take some friends that did not have the want to.. want to go but did for me.. We are in the Hard Rock in Nashville and arguably the best writer (not to mention singer/guitarist but that is NOT exactly my pull to him even though I love it too).. THE BEST WRITER in my mind since John and Paul, or Bob, or Kurt walks very unassumingly into the room.. And we begin to chit chat. Talking about his soon to be released first video.. and his touring and random randomness.. I didn't want to seem like the stalker that I was so I refrained from asking things like.. "what makes you write the things you do? Why are you so real? Why do you share so much? How does your wife feel about all this?" I was playing it cool as we started talking about him buying his wife an Explorer because he wanted something bigger put wasn't ready for a van... Yeah I know the feeling.. And that's about the time my friend that had come with us and my most prized song writer started talking about the bathroom at the Hard Rock and which stall they liked to used.. Really?? Really? I am at this monumental moment in my mind and we are talking about vans and potties?? I so wanted to have a "sit down" and ask these "why" questions that I ask everyone I know and right at that moment I realized why.. The why is because THAT is what he knows about, what he believes, what he feels, the why is that we are all the same and we just want to find the people we are the same "with"...

I remember this special time that the same friend and his wife that went with us to meet Corey came to my house. My husband had been out of town all week, the kids were sick (shocker), it was just the worst week and suddenly before bedtime one night they show up. She says "go get your shoes my husband has a surprise for you, don't worry I'll watch your kids." So I go get some shoes, didn't bother to look at my pj pants and Corey Smith t-shirt that probably had lots of lovelies on it. I walked outside and he said "Get in your driving".. I was like "what"?? He works at the local luxury car dealership and had brought a convertible Mercedes to my house and told me to drive and he turned the radio up really loud and said, "nope go faster"... It was 10 minutes.. 10.. but it was one of the BEST gifts of my life.. THEY said in those 10 minutes.. "I know you, I care about you, I want to give you something you can never ever have..." (and no it wasn't the convertible tho that I cannot have either because I chose children) an experience in a $100,000 car just because I you matter...And he knew that the best feeling in the world to me was music, wind, and knowing ME... That's all I've ever wanted from anyone in my whole life.. 100% truth, honesty, and to do it in a way that "GETS ME".... Looking back, if I had had on my Louboutins and my Burberry bag (because that Hermes bag is kinda like that convertible, a nice thought but I chose children) I think that might well have been one of the top experiences of my bucket list that I didn't even know I wanted..

We often tease this friend that works at the dealership.. He gets more "gifts" than anyone I know.. Who takes their luxury car to get worked on and gives the guy a gift card, a pie that their grandmama made or an ipad?? Well I think I finally have it figured out.. That video this morning was right, they don't do it for him... They probably think they do.. But they don't.. They do it for themselves.. They like how he makes them feel when they are there. That is the ONLY reasonable explanation.. I don't know anyone who will part with money on something they didn't want to fix anyway then come baring gifts.. Something about being around certain people or places or things make you feel good about who you are and we all want more of that.. Much like the Corey song.. "Every Dawg" about the Georgia Bulldogs.. That song is NOT about a football team. It is about a feeling.. The feeling he got as a child watching them win (or lose) the feeling he still gets.. It's not something you can tangibly name but in a song you can "see" it..

He says:Just got my tickets in the mail, andSeptember's coming fast, and I can hardly waitThey say these guys, they might take us all the wayAnd, if they do I'll be flying highAnd, there'll probably a happy tear in my eyeRain or shine, I'll be yelling "GO DAWGS" from the twenty yard line
**** and that is how I feel when I see him sing....:) I like the way he makes me feel.. even on a bad day...