Atlantic City

I'm sitting here with our future, and contrary to popular belief it is not bleak.
Our future is very bright and very promising. But it is our duty to make sure that it happens.
My child is here with me in Atlantic City to make a speech about his camp experiences. He has on a vest and a tie and he blends in with all the posh people and he will be amazing with the support of the village that raises a child. Do what you must.

NewAge of Reason

My Age of Reason

What is reasonable to me you may not understand
Women have worked hard, too hard to be held down by a man
Abuse is unacceptable but its still tolerated
Many of us have prejudices and claim to be educated
The world is changing around us and we cant even see
That hating one another destroys who we are really meant to be
The movies, music and media, dictate what we should wear
They define beauty and no one seems to care
That kids are growing up lacking individuality
We tell them work hard so they can be all the can be
We don’t give them the tools to think for themselves
They hate who they are and want to be everybody else
That is behavior I consider immoral, to me
Not gays and lesbians trying to be free
Transgender, transsexuals most of us don’t understand
They have struggles everyday trying to fit the stereotype of a woman or a man
Who are we to protest and put down their beliefs
After all they are still people just looking for relief
People should question everything they are told
They will then be able to use all the knowledge that they hold
As far as religion, that choice is up to you
No one should force you to be a Buddhist or a Jew
Christianity is popular but popular isn’t always right
We seem to be at war with all Muslims, lets step in to the light
People change, ideas change and so do the seasons
Thanks very much Thomas Paine, but we need a new Age of Reason
Many things are wrong with society today
We cant turn our backs when we leave our children to play
Some needs to speak out against the wrongs of our time
Freedom of speech is legal its no longer a crime
But we are caught in TV and who has flashy clothes
We cant see the problems that lie beyond our own nose
Politically speaking, change seems to be in store
With the war that’s going on sorrow is knocking on our door
The environment is crying out and beginning to decay
Yet we still go to the gas pump, no matter the price we pay
Pollution and education, two things we control now
Will affect the future of kids, yet we worry about Nasdaq and Dow
Please find me some one, some one who understands
Thomas Paine set a foundation for us to take command
For us to begin
To take control of the world we live in
- Christine Shand

Advancement

I'm standing here amongst some of New York's and America's greatest songwriters and I feel no trepidation or intimidation. There's an eerie calmness, almost the feeling of being just where I should be.
Today I embark on the further advancement of my career. I'm at the ASCAP New York Sessions songwriters/publishers conference.

I'm here to be a sponge; to soak up all the information that I can, and to hit the ground running. I'll go as far as I can, and I guess God will have to do the rest.

Go Hard Always...

IceMan Cometh

Beside the winter's chill
Does my hear remain.
Thumping, beating, breaking
under the punishment of the others.
So, rather than declare defeat,
I turn my heart to blend as one.

My heart echos the whispy whispers
watchful freeze
Singing to loss, hurt, lack
Without relief.
A winter chill, sub zero feel
Encases my heart to never pump warm again.

-2009

The F-Words

Yesterday I was faced with a problem that I've never before been so heavily weighed down by. I was forced to practice what I preach.

Often times I preach the 2 F's, by which I live. Fix and Fight. Basically, if something is broken, Fix It, and if you love something and its going (or being taken) away, Fight For It.

Yesterday I was faced with the decision to both Fix something and to Fight for it. Something I love dearly was/is being STOLEN from me, in front of my face, but behind a proverbial glass window, through which I can see, but not pass. I did everything I could to thwart the thievery, but I lost.

I regrouped and rethought out the situation. My WHOLE life I've been telling people to fix things they've broken, and to fight for things they love. But here I was, beating myself up because I thought I had failed and had a huge part of my life torn away. Eureka! Fix it, but it's being stole, so FIGHT FOR IT, stupid.

So, that's where I am right now... Fighting for my heart. Fighting for my love. Fixing the things I've broken, patching up the holes and using prayer as the glue.

If you love something or someone, don't let it slip away, not lead pride hold you down and don't be too cavalier to step out on a limb. Make a DAMN fool of yourself, let them know everyday and GO HARD for it, and if you can't GO HARD then, simply, go home! Use your F-Words wisely.

I refuse to lose, either I win or I die. Pray for me as I continue this fight...