My Lucky Day was the one new song that I was most interested in hearing... The title had caught my attention. What could/would Bruce consider to be his "lucky day?" I fully expected to be kept waiting for that answer (since it is his turn to be the god!)... Little did I know that this Thanksgiving morning would turn out to a my lucky day indeed... So as I snuck into the wild blue of my "cyber"world for a quick peek... the "you've got mail" icon flashed at the bottom of my screen. Such a nice surprise was waiting!! Thank you, Bruce, for another sweet holiday treat... How thoughtful!! If the rest of this song gives off even a fraction of the good feeling that this snippet gives to me... then it is My Lucky Day that will be my choice!! This one is guarenteed to ROCK live and I can just see us dancing in the pit!! Which is, by the way, just another reason why I am sitting on the edge of my seat awaiting each new song... imagining the live experience of each!! You can bet that with the anticipation of the announcement of the Working On A Dream Tour dates coming soon the excitement is high in the Bruce community!! I can hardly wait!! Until then, the #2 single, My Lucky Day, will be available in full @ Amazon on Dec.1 but tomorrow is the official release date... so keep your eyes open and your hopes high!! Please, keep in touch!! Have a happy happy Thanksgiving and remember that when I count my blessings I count you twice!!
I remember when I was a little girl my dad used to tell me, "If you don't dream then it can't come true." and so many of my "little dreams" came true... so many wishes granted... but there was one dream that was so great that I feared to dream it... so I hid it... and soon the adventures and challenges of life buried it... and without my dream life was missing the hope that it needed to inspire me to... dream... and I soon forgot what my dad had told me so many times before, "If you don't dream then it can't come true." Sometimes we need to be reminded to dream... and not only to be reminded but somehow inspired to continue to climb that ladder... and to not give up... to expect doors to open and seas to part... and for the heavens to make a way for our dreams to become real someday... and that is what Bruce's newest song, "Working On A Dream" does for me... It's simplistically beautiful melody is sweet... with a wonderfully uplifting baseline. This one leaves me smiling... and I think that it is enchanting to know that Bruce (who represents a man) is working on a dream and that he believes that the power of love can make that dream real. I don't know who decides whose dreams come true and whose get pushed aside... but I think that I will keep climbing... and keep dreaming.
If this is any sign of what the new CD will be...
then put on your dancing shoes and dip yourself in sugar!!
Anticipation grew as we gathered around our Television sets Sunday night for the world premiere of the studio version of Bruce's newest single Working On A Dream. My mouth dropped open to see this beautiful song cut to pieces and set to football clips I tried to look beyond the horrendous way that it was debuted to see the beauty of the song... not an easy task... but if you listen closely you can see it's beauty hidden behind the grunts of the football players.
"It's been extremely comfortable at night here in south Florida lately and we have been sleeping with the windows and doors open. Hitting the pillows just before midnight we giggled at the sound of a few cars driving by honking their horns and the drivers shouting "OBAMA"!!!! The 60 degree weather makes for sound sleeping here in the south .... minus the constant hum of the air conditioner ... in spite of our joint let down from the outcome of the election ... I slept like a baby. My eyes opened right at 4:30 this morning ... a slight breeze was blowing the shears my wife just put up last week .... palm fronds were lightly rustling from our patio. The only other sound was that of the crickets. My wife was sound asleep ... the dogs at our feet snuggled up on the comforter ... when a thought hit me, "buy a paper before they're all gone"! So I slid as quietly as I could to the side of the bed, dropped my feet to the tile floor ... one good one ... then the other with a cast still on it from reconstructive surgey last month ... reached for my crutches trying not to make a sound and successfully hobbled down the stairs. Pulling a pair of shorts and a shirt from the dryer I slipped on my clothes, found a left foot flip flop, scooped up about $3 in change on the kitchen counter, poured the coins into my pocket, reached for the car keys and began my early morning search for a newspaper box. Not a soul on the road .. didn't expect to see anyone anyway .. which was a good thing as I left my wallet on the nightstand and should I get stopped by a cop for any reason wasn't sure how I would explain driving without out it or what to say to convince the officer I really could drive a car with my right foot in a cast. Driving out of our developement I spotted a car pulled next to a newspaper box so I drove past it, made a u-turn and pulled up just behind the car. A door opened and a young black woman emerged with an arm full of newspapers. Wooohoo! Not only did I beat the rush ... but I get a fresh paper with the new paper smell ... sniffffff ahhh ... couldn't wait.
This was no ordinary morning paper ... it was history right there in a full page color spread! I opened the door, gathered both crutches and headed for the young lady just as she closed the door to the paper box. She looked up at me in the dark, the only light being a streetlight down the street about 40 yards. Guess her night vision was working well as she didn't seem startled ... she simply said, "oh .. sorry ... did you want a paper"? I responded, " yes I do .... especially this morning". She apologized for closing the box and for not giving me a paper for free ... but I assured her it was no problem, I didn't mind paying for a paper. She ducked into her car and handed me one of those fresh ... still warm newspapers and said " here .. take it ... it's free". I took it with one hand while handing her all the change from my pocket ... she smiled the biggest smile, thanked me and asked, Did you vote for Obama"? "Did you vote for Obama" ...... ? That question ran through my morning fogged noggin' again .... Like one of those moments we always hear about when someone slips close to death and their entire life flashes before them. A compilation of every noteable conversation .. every crossroad ... a seemingly endless fast forward view of defining moments in ones life. The entire lifespan of this campaign .. the last two years ... conversation with family and friends .. and of course the debate here at PW. It was all compressed in a moment when she asked, "did you vote for Obama"? In the early morning light ... I didn't see politics. It was a joyous and giddy black woman, standing there talking to a white man at 4:30 in the morning wanting to bubble. She was a bottle of carbonation someone shook endlessly and left on the side of the road to explode ..... it was not the time to answer her honestly. I was not going to slowly loosen the top and let all the pressure out. It was not the time for a political debate .... it was time for one human to feel the excitement of another and help facilitate an outburst that was begging to be let go. "Did you vote for Obama"? I took the paper from her and lied, "yes I did"!
She let loose a smile so large I though her face would crack then shouted at the top of her lungs .... at 4:30 in the morning on a quiet street with some strange white man holding a warm, fresh newspaper. "It's a great day in America"! She jumped into her car and drove off shouting something from her open window ... I couldn't quite make it out .... and didn't need to. Hobbling back to my car trying to hold on to the paper and operate my crutches I clumsily fell into the drivers seat .. tossed the damned metal contraptions into the back seat, layed the paper on the passenger seat, started the car and drove back home. All this time spent debating the candidates .... holding my nose while voting this tuesday and still holding a suspect eye toward the 44th elected President of the United States I remembered to keep this in perspective. No matter how this shakes out we are all Americans. We share equal emotion in that we all have dreams, experience great joy, suffer tragic loss, feel euphoric highs and devistating lows ..... and we are here together hopefully not judging each other by the color of our skin but by the content of our character. - vast out"
"When did selfishness become a virtue?" Barack Obama asked as we stood in the pouring rain while hope was poured into the hearts of so many of us once more. These words still echo loudly within me as I am one of those who Bruce has talked of in his message... one who has justifiably lost faith... but Sunday was just want I needed. I had been hoping to get to an Obama Rally to hear him speak, to see him and get a feel for him in person rather than on camera... and so I went to see Barack Obama speak Sunday in Cleveland... but it was Bruce who had motivated me to go. Why is that? It is because Bruce does not have to care... he is set, financially, and he could go to any land, making it his home, and his land of hope and dreams... he doesn't need America... or it's failed ways. As well, he is a very busy man... not only does he have plans to release a new album in the near future with a tour to follow soon after his Super Bowl halftime performance... but he is busy with his family as well. Having just spent the last few days before the Cleveland Rally with his family in Syracuse, NY supporting his daughter, Jessica's dream to become an Equestrian champion... whom I am sure can attest to the importance of having someone believe with you in your own potential, he still found time to support the candidate that he believes is the right person for president. So after Jessica took first place in the competition... the whole family came to Cleveland to give their support not only to Obama but to America. I felt that if they could give their time and support to those of us who the current administration could care less about... then I should at least try to care... or try to believe that someone else still cares. So I went.... and I went early hoping for a spot close enough that I could see into Obama's eyes. I was the 11th person in line at 8 am. To arrive there around 9 or 10 had been my goal but I forgot to change my clock back as did the 10 people in front of me... but by 2 the line stretched for blocks... thousands waited in the cold wind... I had decided to not take a bag or anything that would hold me up at the security scanners but silly me... the shirt that I chose to wear had a piece of metal in the neckline that I had forgotten about so I got held up in the metal detector and had to settle for a second row spot right in front of Bruce. (hehehe). As I watched Kevin (Bruce's guitar tech) set up the mics I noticed that there were 2 mic-stands so I asked him "Why 2... who's here?" He grinned and asked, "Two what?" before moving the mic to the back as to not spoil the surprise.
The sun came out as Bruce took the stage. Impressed by Bruce's ability to see inside my soul and sing about my issues and my pain... this time he was understanding my disconnection to America... yes I pay my taxes... but I feel so disconnected... barely even wanting to be here any longer... let alone give more to such a selfish society... a society that embraces the rich and turns it's back on the poor... But there stood Bruce... giving. Why does he care? What could he possibly gain from this? He has everything he needs... or could possibly want... but there he stood... singing... for us... for America... singing that he still believes in the Promised Land. Oh... and about that second mic... Patti joined Bruce for the debut of a very beautiful "Workin' On A Dream" dedicated to Senator Obama.
Workin' On A Dream
Out here the nights are long the days are lonely I think of you, and, I’m working on a dream I’m working on a dream Now the cards I’ve drawn is a rough hand darlin' A straight and I'm back in.... and I’m working on a dream I’m working on a dream, I’m working on a dream, Though sometimes it feels so far away I’m working on a dream, and I know it will be mine someday Rain pouring down I swing my hammer My hands are rough from… working on a dream I’m working on a dream I’m working on a dream, Though trouble can feel like it’s here to stay, I’m working on a dream, Well our love will chase the trouble away I’m working on a dream, Though it can feel so far away I’m working on a dream, Our love will make it real someday The sun rises up, I climb the ladder A new day breaks and… I’m working on a dream I’m working on a dream I’m working on a dream I’m working on a dream Come on.... I’m working on a dream, Though it can feel so far away I’m working on a dream, Our love will make it real someday I’m working on a dream, Oh it can feel so far away I’m working on a dream, And our love will make it real someday
Bruce's words rang true as he shared his views...
"All a nation has that keeps it from coming apart is the social contract between its' citizens. Whatever grace God has deemed to impart to us resides in our connections with one another, in honoring the life, the hopes, the dreams, of the man or woman up the street, or across town. That's where we make our small claim upon heaven. In recent years that contract has been shredded and as we look around today, it is shredding before our eyes. But today we are at the crossroads.I'm honored to be here on the same stage as Senator Obama. From the beginning, there has been something in Senator Obama that has called upon our better angels, I suspect, because he has had a life where he has so often had to call upon his. We're going to need all the angels we can get on the hard road ahead. Senator Obama'll help us rebuild our house big enough for the dreams of all our citizens. For how well we accomplish this task will tell us what it means to be an American in the new century, what's at stake, and what it means to live in a free society. So I don't know about you, but I want my country back, I want my dream back, I want my America back. Now is the time to stand together with Barack Obama and Joe Biden and the millions of Americans that are hungry for a new day, roll up our sleeves and come on up for the rising."
Personally, I have learned to question the honesty and integrity of anyone I choose to line up with... I've seen over the years that the people that Bruce surrounds himself with are good and honest... or at least seem to be... and I have learned that I can usually trust Bruce's judgement for the most part but still this decision of who I'd give my vote to for president was one that I made on my own... so as Barack Obama took the stage and I watched... looking for a reason to believe.
So what did I see? I saw a man with integrity... explaining precisely what he believed... what he would change and what he hoped to accomplish for Americans... He shared his plans and his goals... he spoke bluntly and honestly about America's future. All was good until he brought up the current administration and McCain and with just the mention of his name came a sudden downpour... and I hoped that it was a sign of a washing away of the old that would bring us a fresh new day! But still of all the great things that Barack said, the line that is still in my mind,
"When did selfishness become a virtue?"
As Senator Obama made his way around the front of the stage shaking hands, as he past by I reached my hand over the top of the lady's shoulder that was in front of me and waited hoping that he would take my hand which much to my surprise he took... he has a good handshake... then as we let go I gave him a little extra gentle squeeze and let go... he had been walking past but when I released his hand he turned back to me and looked me straight in the eyes... and at the exact same moment we both spoke the same two words to each other... looking directly into each other's eyes, we said, "Thank you."
In this massive world of the Internet... with multitudes of blogs to sort through... all reaching out to the masses... pouring out vast amounts of knowledge to literally thousands of readers... with site meters registering numbers as egos are fed... I have to stop myself from being sucked into the vacuum of blogging for numbers.
This was no ordinary morning paper ... it was history right there in a full page color spread! I opened the door, gathered both crutches and headed for the young lady just as she closed the door to the paper box. She looked up at me in the dark, the only light being a streetlight down the street about 40 yards. Guess her night vision was working well as she didn't seem startled ... she simply said, "oh .. sorry ... did you want a paper"? I responded, " yes I do .... especially this morning". She apologized for closing the box and for not giving me a paper for free ... but I assured her it was no problem
