ATF: Shattered Remains

This series will include as many of my all-time favorite (ATF) tunes as I can get my grubby little hands on (so to speak).  Now, each one included in each edition will have some connection with the other—albeit only as a figment of my imagination, but they will not be numbered.  For I just cannot bring myself to rate some higher than others.  So, this will not be a countdown, but if you are enjoying them as much as I do, it won’t matter.  Besides, with no countdown, this could go on forever and ever!  Oh, and despite the fact that there is absolutely no way your musical tastes could be as exquisite as mine, I welcome any suggestions you might dare to make.  For I am, after all, quite magnanimous by nature.

Link: [Janis Joplin]

Piece of My Heart

Janis Joplin

Oh

Come on

Come on

Come on

Come on

Didn't I make you feel

Like you were the only man

Yeah

And didn't I give you nearly everything

That a woman possibly can

Honey

You know I did

And

And each time I tell myself that I

Well

I think I've had enough

But I'm gonna show you baby

That a woman can be tough

I want you to

Come on

Come on

Come on

Come on

And take it

Take another little piece of my heart now baby

Oh

Oh

Break it

Break another little bit of my heart now darling

Yeah

Yeah

Yeah

Yeah

Oh

Oh

Have a

Have another little piece of my heart now baby

Well you know you got it

If it makes you feel good

Oh yes indeed

You're out on the streets lookin’ good

And baby deep down in your heart

I guess you know that it ain't right

Never

Never

Never

Never

Never

Never hear me when I cry at night

Babe

And I cry all the time

But each time I tell myself that I

Well

I can't stand the pain

But when you hold me in your arms

I'll sing it once again

I'll say

Come on

Come on

Come on

Come on

And take it

Take another little piece of my heart now baby

Oh

Oh

Break it

Break another little bit of my heart now darling

Yeah

Oh

Oh

Have a

Have another little piece of my heart now baby

Well you know you got it child

If it makes you feel good

I need you to

 Come on

Come on

Come on

Come on

And take it

Take another little piece of my heart now baby

Oh

Oh

Break it

Break another little bit of my heart now darling

Yeah

C'mon now

Oh

Oh

Have a

Have another little piece of my heart now baby

You know you got it

Take it

Take another little piece of my heart now baby

Oh

Oh

Break it

Break another little bit of my heart now darling

Yeah

Yeah

Yeah

Yeah

Oh

Oh

Have a

Have another little piece of my heart now baby

Hey

You know you got it child

If it makes you feel good

Link: [Larry Gatlin and The Gatlin Brothers]

Broken Lady

Larry Gatlin and The Gatlin Brothers

She’s a broken lady

Waiting to be mended

Like a potter would mend

A broken vase

A broken lady

Waiting to be mended

And have what’s left

Of the pieces

Put back in place

Her love was like a fortress

Around a man she would have died for

Taking care

To take care

Of all he needed

But the lady’s fortress

Slowly turned into a prison

And the warning signs he gave

She never heeded

She vowed every mornin’

That what God joined together

No one else in the world

Could pull apart

And then the walls came tumblin’ to the ground

And her world came crashin’ down

Around her heart

Now she’s a broken lady

Waiting to be mended

Like a potter would mend

A broken vase

A broken lady

Waiting to be mended

And have what’s left

Of the pieces

Put back in place

She’s a broken lady

Waiting to be mended

And have what’s left

Of the pieces

Put back in place

Lyrics From: [eLyrics.net]

Please Also Visit:

[Arlynda Lea]

[FishHawk Droppings]

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]

Self-Inflicted

Yeah, the plan was for this edition to be a continuation of what was started last week with [CableTelevision Ad-whacking], but after watching more common sense (naturally-speaking, of course) bleeding out on the streets in several locations around this country over the tragedy involving [Freddie Gray], the rest of the ad-whacking story will just have to wait.  Oh, and the title to this piece is indeed quite fitting.  For much of what I have been given to say will undoubtedly be considered unacceptable (if not downright outrageous) by most.  Subsequently, my popularity will surely take another hit from the opening of my mouth.

In regards to current and fairly recent events, another fitting title for this piece would be vicious cycles.  For police departments around this country are now finding themselves under direct attack because of their callous and brutal service to their respective communities while the brutalized act out in ways that seem to justify the way they have been treated for far too long.  Come on now, how can it be claimed that they should not be treated like a pack of dangerous animals when they go about burning businesses simply because they are there?

Wow, considerations concerning CNN being fairly left-leaning in their news coverage needs to be reevaluated.  For in one interview of a lady in Baltimore that made it on the air had her claiming that she did not understand why people were calling the police victims after several officers were injured by flying objects being hurled at them by a rampaging mob.  In another interview, a man in Philadelphia thought it was outrageous for the police to come at them in riot-gear and on horseback when they just wanted to march down I-95.

On the other hand, far too many police departments seem focused upon everything but keeping the peace.  For they refuse to apologize for doing their job after smashing in the wrong door, arresting the wrong person and generally treating far too many on their streets as potential suspects instead citizens they are supposed to be serving and protecting.

In one episode during the third season of [The Wire], the commander of a police district chides one of his officers for not fostering better relations with the people on his beat.  For those would be the people who could make his job much easier—both in regards to preventing and solving crimes.

By the way, if you have access to HBO programming and have never watched The Wire, you are really missing out on something special.  Ironically, the show is set in Baltimore, and it covers everything from illegal drugs to worthless policies being administered by corrupt politicians in a very realistic manner.  In fact, [Billy Murphy, Jr.] has been retained by the Freddie Gray family to represent their interests, and he actually appeared as a lawyer on [The Wire].

Our judicial system is not without their own share of self-inflicted wounds.  For when a United States Supreme Court justice can claim that indisputable evidence of innocence is not enough to overturn a wrongful conviction and not be shouted down by his peers, how can the downtrodden hope for a fair hearing before the courts?  How can any of us if justice is indeed blind?

Alas, our lives in this world are meant to be awful, but it does not have to be as bad as it can be.  Tragically, it is not going to get any better until it gets much, much worse.  For most with the means to do something about injustice (including people like you and me) have kept themselves far from the fray, and it is purely natural for one to not be concerned with what is not affecting them directly.

Please Also Visit:

[Arlynda Lea]

[FishHawk Droppings]

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]

Sites To See #437

The SOLE purpose of this series is to help call attention to sites that I think many would find most interesting—in one way or another.  Just to be clear, inclusion in this series is not necessarily meant as an endorsement, and I have included sites that I found rather disturbing.  The link below each image is to the site itself, and each image is linked to the particular post from which it was taken when applicable.  Please, go see for yourself.  Oh, and as of August 10, 2012, I will be no longer including sites that have auto-play and word verification engaged.

 Link: [A Home Grown Journal]

 Link: [Tracing Rainbows]

 Link: [Trainride of the Enigmas]

 Link: [Tried With Fire]

 Link: [Tuesday Stitchers]

 Link: [Tumbleweed]

 Link: [Under the Porch Light]

 Link: [Willow Cover Haunt]

 Link: [Wolves at the Door]

Link: [Writing Reality]

Please Also Visit:

[Arlynda Lea]

[FishHawk Droppings]

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]

ATF: Seriously Twisted

This series will include as many of my all-time favorite (ATF) tunes as I can get my grubby little hands on (so to speak).  Now, each one included in each edition will have some connection with the other—albeit only as a figment of my imagination, but they will not be numbered.  For I just cannot bring myself to rate some higher than others.  So, this will not be a countdown, but if you are enjoying them as much as I do, it won’t matter.  Besides, with no countdown, this could go on forever and ever!  Oh, and despite the fact that there is absolutely no way your musical tastes could be as exquisite as mine, I welcome any suggestions you might dare to make.  For I am, after all, quite magnanimous by nature.

Link: [Carrie Underwood]

Blown Away

Carrie Underwood

“What, that history?  I was always good at history.  I could help you.”

“I’m fine, thank you.”

“Really, I am.  What’s the subject?  Hey, hey.  Hey!  I am your father, young lady!”

Dry lightning cracks across the skies

Those storm clouds gather in her eyes

Her daddy was a mean old mister

Mama was an angel in the ground

The weather man called for a twister

She prayed blow it down

There’s not enough rain in Oklahoma

To wash the sins out of that house

There’s not enough wind in Oklahoma

To rip the nails out of the past

Shatter every window

‘Til it's all blown away

Every brick

Every board

Every slammin’ door

Blown away

‘Til there’s nothing left standin’

Nothing left to yesterday

Every tear-soaked whiskey memory

Blown away

Blown away

Blown away

She heard those sirens screamin’ out

Her daddy laid there passed out on the couch

She locked herself in the cellar

Listened to the screamin’ of the wind

Some people called it takin’ shelter

She called it sweet revenge

Shatter every window

‘Til it's all blown away

Blown away

Every brick

Every board

Every slammin’ door

Blown away

Blown away

‘Til there’s nothing left standin’

Nothing left to yesterday

Every tear-soaked whiskey memory

Blown away

Blown away

Blown away

There’s not enough rain in Oklahoma

To wash the sins out of that house

There’s not enough wind in Oklahoma

To rip the nails out of the past

Shatter every window

‘Til it's all blown away

Blown away

Blown away

Every brick

Every board

Every slammin’ door

Blown away

Blown away

Blown away

‘Til there’s nothing left standin’

Nothing left to yesterday

Blown away

Every tear-soaked whiskey memory

Blown away

Blown away

Blown away

Blown away

Blown away

Blown away

Blown away

Link: [Little Big Town]

Tornado

Little Big Town

Thought you'd change the weather

Start a little storm

Make a little rain

But I'm gonna do one better

Hide the sun until you pray

I'm a tornado

Lookin’ for a soul to take

You're gonna see me comin’

By the selfish things that you did

I'm gonna leave you guessin'

How this funnel is gonna hit

I'm a tornado

Lookin’ for a man to break

Yeah

I'm gonna lift this house

Spin it all around

Toss it in the air

And put it in the ground

Make sure you're never found

Thought you'd take a swing

Try another girl

Try another night

But it's the pain that brings

My force of nature back to life

I'm a tornado

More disturbed than an F5

Hey

I'm gonna lift this house

Spin it all around

Toss it in the air

And put it in the ground

I'm gonna lift this house

Spin it all around

Toss it in the air

And put it in the ground

Make sure you're never found

Oh yeah

I'm gonna lift this house

Spin it all around

Toss it in the air

And put it in the ground

Yeah

I'm gonna lift this house

Spin it all around

Toss it in the air

And put it in the ground

Make sure you're never found

The winds are gettin’ stronger

And the sky is fallin’ through

And you ain't got much longer

‘Til the rage rips off the roof

I'm a tornado

And I'm comin’ after you

Lyrics From: [eLyrics.net]

Please Also Visit:

[Arlynda Lea]

[FishHawk Droppings]

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]

A Sunday Drive

Back during our childhood, our parents would often load up my brother and me after Sunday morning church services for a leisurely drive around where we lived.  Even though we were seeing mostly familiar sights, it was still good to see them again, and this is why “A Sunday Drive” sounded about right for the name of a series revisiting familiar sites that are well worth seeing again and again.  The link below the image is to the site itself, and the image is linked to the post it was first included in here.

 Link: [Alex J. Cavanaugh]

 Link: [Altadena Hiker]

 Link: [American Honey Home]

 Link: [Annalee Blysse]

 Link: [Artist's Journal Home]

 Link: [ButterYum]

 Link: [Curious as a Cathy]

 Link: [Where Do I Go From Here?]

 Link: [Wildly Simple]

Link: [Writing in Wonderland]

Please Also Visit:

[Arlynda Lea]

[FishHawk Droppings]

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]

Sites To See #436

The SOLE purpose of this series is to help call attention to sites that I think many would find most interesting—in one way or another.  Just to be clear, inclusion in this series is not necessarily meant as an endorsement, and I have included sites that I found rather disturbing.  The link below each image is to the site itself, and each image is linked to the particular post from which it was taken when applicable.  Please, go see for yourself.  Oh, and as of August 10, 2012, I will be no longer including sites that have auto-play and word verification engaged.

 Link: [The Flying Tortoise]

 Link: [The Freedom of Nonbelief]

 Link: [The Nature Jotter]

 Link: [The Odd Essay]

 Link: [The Old Black Church]

 Link: [The Phoenix]

 Link: [The Wanderblogger]

 Link: [There's Nowhere like Nowhere]

 Link: [Thriving Nature in Photos]

Link: [To Discover Ice]

Please Also Visit:

[Arlynda Lea]

[FishHawk Droppings]

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]