Operation 365... Blog 344

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Archives - 350 Joe Khoroosi "The Torch Song" 1-21-2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy0jxRq34wo


I have been reviewing my Archives extensively in anticipation of the 365's grand finale coming soon here. I have been saving all the tunes from my new CD, "Gift To Be Alive," and will be focusing on them as we begin to wind things up here. Yesterday, I posted a song from Joe Khoroosi's old band Riddle the Roar as a shout out of sorts. Joe posted on Facebook yesterday that he's leaving California. I wish Joe the best. Joe plays violin on 3 songs on "Gift To Be Alive," and he's a good-hearted guy.

As I dug into the annals of the my hard drives, I found this. Here, Joe, accompanied by Rachel and Alan, covers his favorite Don Truesdail number, The Torch Song," at a commemorative concert we had in his honor, about a year after his passing, January 21, 2010. I thought this moment should be shared. Love to Joe, on and everyone else there, trying to get through the days, doing the best the can for everyone involved. Peace.

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Covers - 350 "We Come To Greet You In Peace" - Traditional
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0X-VMSYlkw


I remember "We Come To Greet You In Peace" from my stint in Hebrew School way back when. I like the melody. Maybe it's in my blood to like it. I don't know. Anyway, the covers are getting challenging 350 days in, so I'm glad I found one that was painless and more or less fun.

I first learned "We Come To Greet You In Peace" before from a music text book at one of the schools I worked at. A fun little refresher. I learned what the words meant in English from that text book, so I share that in here too. They mean "We come to greet you in peace, in case you were wondering. After further review, one of the first times around, I didn't enunciate well and it sounds like I am saying "We come to greet you in pee." Well, for the record, I most assuredly did not. Shalom.

Operation 365 - Jefferson Jay - Originals - 350 "Overwhelmed and Underpaid"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw-H260DhWg


I know I pledged back in June to be a whole bunch cheerier through the duration of this here 365. All in all, I think I've done a pretty good job. It's been a great year mostly. Sometimes though, you wake up in the morning, look at the long list of things to do and say "Why?" Most of the things that I have to do that feel most important pay the least. I dream of a day when my efforts to manifest positivity on a large scale in this world are complimented by a team or even one person so all the tasks at hand would feel less daunting.

As great as it is, playing music and connecting with people on my humble level, thoughts of needing to print CDs, post them online, hang posters, call everyone to come to the CD release, do these videos, and host Open Mic can lead to state of mental paralysis. I hate to complain. Even when I wrote, "Overwhelmed and Underpaid" about it just now, the answer I found was smile and be optimistic. There is not other answer. The world not gonna get done faster or easier just because it seems like a lot. Quite the opposite, actually. So I continue to drive myself, with the hopes and challenged faith that this all matters, that caring and trying swill take be where I need to be.

I have to have faith. It's the only way. What else am I gonna do? Change my mind and decide that none of this really matters anyway? Go and get some job that eats my soul? Nope. Record some videos. Hang some posters. Print some CDs. Host Open Mic. Sleep. Wake. Repeat. Hope someday my message finds its home. It's been living alone in my mind too long. It's crowded and its making me cranky.