Martin Sexton

This week one of me and Amy's favorite musicians, Martin Sexton, released Seeds. This is his first new set of songs in seven years (not counting 2005's holiday-themed Camp Holiday) folkie extraordinaire is amazing, full of soul, original, and inspirational! We are very excited to be listening to this new album. Martin Sexton is in my opinion one of the greatest performers, singers, and song writers I have herd. His music soothes the soul. Sexton is committed to translating many American music forms into guitar-based folk; his influences include jazz, blues, rock, soul, gospel, doo-wop, and traditional country. His songs showcase his talents not only as a writer but also as a guitarist and vocalist

On the new album there is a little tribute to Tom Waits (Keep It Simple, the closing track) that breaks some new musical ground, without sounding to "experimental". Of course, for a renowned road warrior like Sexton recorded work isn't really the point, as this release like all the others is just more fodder for his famously blistering live sets (memorably captured on 2000's Live Wide Open). Still, it's a welcome dose of the man's music--a mix of broadly appealing jams, Van Morrison-esque drama and Sexton's earthy pipes, reminiscent of R&B greats like Otis Redding. "Happy" opens it up with a cheery, gospel-tinged vibe, with organs and guitars. A later vocal track is a hop-a-long tune "Marry Me" while guest Nils Lofgren's juke joint guitar vibe livens up "How Far I've Come." It's not always subtle but the guy has an absolute knack for classic roots music. With the energy of a true believer, Sexton manages to infuse a timeless appeal into every track. We have been hungry for a new studio CD from Martin for some years, and this is no disappointment. He may even expand the fan base a bit!

Here is a video of Martin Sexton:

To hear more of his music go to:
http://www.myspace.com/martinsexton
http://www.martinsexton.com/
Martin Sexton on NPR

Signs of Spring in Michigan

There are many signs that spring has come to Michigan once again; I could be the robins have returned, the buds on trees, to the maple sap being tapped. However the biggest sign that spring has come is the return of Bell's Oberon beer

Oberon is an American wheat ale brewed with Saaz hops. It is spicy and fruity, and is the color and scent of a summer afternoon. This is by far my favorite beer. Bell's Brewery is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan and sold its first beer in 1985. Bell's has become very much a main stay of many beer lovers in southern Michigan Hooray for Oberon for Spring is truly here.

Our New Diet

This week Amy and I are starting a new diet. It is Healthy Lifestyle Program by Dean Ornish, MD

Dr. Ornish counsels that we will find success not by restricting calories, but by watching the ones we eat. He breaks this down into foods that should be eaten all of the time, some of the time, and none of the time. The diet is a vegetarian diet, and should not be that hard for both of us to fallow. We have never been much in the way of being meat eaters, and the Atkins diet always seemed a little extreme to us

The following can be eaten whenever you are hungry, until you are full:
• Beans and legumes (lentils, split peas, beans; kidney, pinto, garbanzo, and black)
• Fruits -- anything from apples to watermelon, from raspberries to pineapples
• Grains (such as brown basmati rice, quick cooking brown rice, bulgur wheat, couscous, polenta, rolled oats, cornmeal, millet, and quinoa)
• Vegetables
• egg whites are permitted

These should be eaten in moderation:
• Nonfat dairy products -- skim milk, nonfat yogurt, nonfat cheeses, nonfat sour cream, and egg whites
• Nonfat or very low-fat commercially available products --from Life Choice frozen dinners to Haagen-Dazs frozen yogurt bars and Entenmann's fat-free desserts (but if sugar is among the first few ingredients listed, put it back on the shelf)

These should be avoided:
• Meat of all kinds -- red and white, fish and fowl (we aren’t giving up fish, however we will at least eat as low fat as possible)
• Oils and oil-containing products, such as margarine and most salad dressings
• Avocados
• Olives
• Nuts and seeds
• Dairy products (other than the nonfat ones above)
• Sugar and simple sugar derivatives -- honey, molasses, corn syrup, and high-fructose syrup
• Alcohol
• Anything commercially prepared that has more than two grams of fat per serving

That's it. If we stick to this plan, and we meet Ornish's recommendation of less than 10% of your calories from fat, without the need to count fat grams or calories. Ornish suggests eating a lot of little meals because this diet makes you feel hungry more often. You will feel full faster, and you'll eat more food without increasing the number of calories.

Our diets as Americans have become to high in fat over the past 50 years. The typical American diet is 45% fat, 25% protein and 30% carbohydrates. The Ornish diet is 10% fat, 20% protein, and 70% carbohydrates. This diet promotes complex carbohydrates (fruit, grains, etc.) and limits simple ones (sugars, honey, and alcohol.) The most controversial part of the diet is its prohibition on nuts and fish, which some researchers claim actually protect the heart.

So my starting weight for this diet is 295 lbs. My goal is to loose at least 65 lbs, but I really would like to loose about 90 lbs. Tonight Amy are taking out my parents for dinner for our last time on our old diet and starting tomorrow the diet will start.

This Aint No Soccer Mom Mobile

Today we bought a new car. We got a used 2007 Chevrolet Uplander with 24,000 miles on it and the color is Amethyest. We got a good deal on it and my dad help me look for the car. We most certainly will not call it a Soccer Mom mobile, maybe a Skater mom. We will have to get a Tony Hawk sticker for the bake widow. Both of the boys wont to get skateboards this summer.

Great Uncle Luke

It's been a little wile sence I posted a new blog here, so this is a old fun one form one of my other blogs.

For the past month or so I have been looking in to my family history. One of my favorite family members was my great uncle Luke on my mother's side. As a kid I wanted to be just like him. Even many of my friends wonted to be like him. We use to argue over who got to be him when we played on the playground. Here are some photos or this great man's life.

Here is uncle Luke at age 5 with his twin sister and their cousin

Here we see him just before he went of to fight in WWII

This is of Uncle Luke's WWII Battalion they called them self's the Big Red One. He loved that accordion and took it with him every ware. Until his Sergeant used it for target practice.

After the war Luke decided he needed to go find himself and spent some time in Mexico

After Mexico he decided to become quite a trail blazer and became Milwaukee's first male nurse. He is in the back row 2nd from the end

Years later he went on to be a teacher in a small collage in Ypsilanti Michigan.

Here he is with his great friend Martin.

At the Reading Festival 1974, he is the one playing the drums.

When Luke retired he moved up north to Yalven Michigan. He spent much of his time fishing in the worm months and blowing everyone's driveways in the winter.

great uncle Luke he was the greatest.

Fro-hawk

Today at Rodney and David’s school is crazy hair day. Rodney who never likes to change his appearance or have attention drawn to him, very much wanted a mo-hawk. So being the doting father I gave him the one thing I never would have got as a kid. Of course when one gets something the other must also get as well...

Super Bowl Sunday With My Best Buds…

On Super Bowl Sunday I got together with my best buds (Rodney and David) to watch the game. We had lots of snacks to eat and beer (root beer). We talked about the old days (last year) and how we use to ride through the hood (on our bicycles). Rodney rooted for his long time favorite the Bears (he decided that day) and David rooted for the Colts (also decided that day). We had lots of fun staying up late (8pm), tell jokes (fart and nock-nock jokes), and did much male bonding (nothing is better, for a young boy than hanging out with his dad)

Celebrating Black History Month

Being the parents of two African-Americans we really wont them to understand ware they came from and who they are. So for Black history month we took Rodney and David to The Henry Ford Museum. The Henry Ford trough out the month of February has all kinds of things going on to celebrate Black History. There are Arts and crafts for the kids to do, sing-a-longs, and presentations. At one of the presentations/sing-a-long one of the singers asked David to name something that the African-Americans were fighting for so they could make a song about it, and he said “school”! What a great answer and we told him so.

The biggest Civil Rights and Black history thing, at The Henry Ford, is their permanent exhibit called With Liberty and Justice for All. “With Liberty & Justice for All” is an exhibit that explores the proud and often painful evolution of America freedom: from the Revolutionary War through the struggle for civil rights. One of the best parts of this exhibit is the Rosa Parks Bus. We have been on this bus many times in the past and always gone to see the bus. One thing I have said many times in the past is, if it were not for Rosa Parks and her not giving up her seat on that bus, we would never have been able to adopt our wonderful children.

Hide and go seek

Some photos of the Boy’s playing Hide and go seek, on a cold winter day

Ware is David?

There he is!!!

That was a good spot David!

Has any one seen Rodney?