Denied.

Once upon a time (okay, just last week), I applied to land the Best Job in the World. I was on my deathbed when I made my little video application, but I was determined to have my shot. Sent it in an entire week early. Then, less than two days before the deadline, I was e-mailed and told they only received 29 seconds of it, so they were rejecting it. Told me to take heart and re-send it. And I tried, oh, about 50 more times. Even woke up every hour the final night to try, try again. By this time, however, their site was so busy, I ended up being shut out. I never really got to apply.

Funny thing, though ... I was a little relieved. I had done all I could do and now I didn't have to think about it anymore. There will be another journey for me, but it won't be this one.

This blurb was in an article in the news this morning, which does give me some solace.

"Anthony Hayes, Tourism Queensland's chief executive, said a wave of 7,500 applications hit the Web site in the 72 hours before Monday's deadline.

"This massive amount of traffic understandably slowed the site down and regretfully some people weren't able to get their video application in on time," he said. "It has been frankly heartbreaking because people have gone to so much trouble, and we have lost some fantastic applications. But to be fair to everyone, we have to be consistent."

No real way around that, right? Anyway, my application is a little silly, but if you want to see my 58 seconds that were never seen in their entirety, go HERE and enjoy. I'm pretty positive I'd have been a contender, especially if they'd have got to the part with the monkey on the couch.

One Love.

I've been intermittently intrigued (okay, more like moderately-to-completely obsessed) with this project called Playing For Change, which seeks to unite people all over the world. Easy enough, right? According to its web site, it is a "multimedia movement created to inspire, connect and bring peace to the world through music." Like this new hopeful nation of ours, I can get behind that kind of ideology. Especially if good music is involved. It's why I watch the smattering of videos they've posted over yonder on YouTube over and over again, trying not to get all choked up. Hey, I'm a man with emotions. This stuff just lifts you to another place, honestly.

Anyway, the documentary/movie and accompanying CD are set to be released in April, so watch for 'em both. You can even find a couple of vids on iTunes right now if you're anxious. And, yes, while I've posted a song from this project before, why not have another taste? Two tastes are so much better than one, after all.

Take this job.

I was talking for a minute to my good friend/co-worker/son Clint today about the way my job life has gone the past number of years. Working at the city library before I landed here seemed like some kind of accident at the time, yet I was still there for a good long while, placing random holds on my friends' library accounts and enjoying copious amounts of chocolates with the disgruntled divorcees. I wasn't paid much, but it took me four years to leave. Today I came to the realization that I landed here about four years ago, which sorta puts me at unease. I've had a good run thus far, but I can't help but wonder if the Next Great Thing waits for me, just around the corner. I guess I'll see.

My job isn't what it once was, but change is inevitable, right? Still. I am quite glad to still be around here when certain legends are brought up, things I was lucky enough to be part of once upon a time. Things like what happened in the below video, which took place at work one sleepy Friday afternoon. The guy swimming is the same Clint I spoke to earlier; he walked away at least $50 richer for what he did. I'll stop short of being a sentimental old sap, but it's nice that, while some things change, some people never really do. There's comfort in that.

I'm like a bird.

There were a brief few seconds in time this weekend when I thought I could fly.

I reverted back into my childhood beliefs for a moment, the very ones that once urged me to believe I could climb any tree of any height with the right number of properly placed ladder branches ... the same ones that absolutely stripped fear from my jumping from one group of rocks and across a crevasse to another. For a short while, buoyed by that late afternoon sunshine and in that Colorado thicket, my heart swelled within my chest and left me feeling completely indestructible. And, all at once, I acted on that impulse. I decided to fly.

What came next, I guess, was the dose of reality I hadn't planned on. An arm hit a tree on my way down, a sleeve on my newish thermal was good and ripped and, well, this cat didn't end up quite landing on his feet. Still. I had flown. That was enough for the bloody gashes left in my forearm to make me more happy than sad. Besides, it's nice to have a reminder.

Weekend muzak.

Best. Festival. Ever.

Make your Memorial Day weekend plans now. Right meow.

But, don't take my word for it. Just look at this lineup and try to talk yourself out of going. It's just not possible. And, oh yeah, I've gone ahead and bolded the ones I really want to see. I just can't believe there will be others still added to this list. I mean, who'd they leave out? I guess it couldn't kill them to add Pearl Jam or Wilco to the list. Maybe even both? A brother can dream, right?

Jane’s Addiction (feat. all four original members), Kings of Leon, Nine Inch Nails, Ben Harper & Relentless7, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Erykah Badu, The Decemberists, Fleet Foxes, TV On The Radio, Animal Collective, Silversun Pickups, Bon Iver, Santigold, Of Montreal, Explosions In The Sky, Devotchka, Peter Bjorn & John, Gogol Bordello, M. Ward, The Avett Brothers, Doves, Calexico, Grizzly Bear, M83, Girl Talk, The Gaslight Anthem, The Walkmen, Chromeo (dj set), Deadmau5, Mugison, Sun Kil Moon, Airborne Toxic Event, Blitzen Trapper, Shearwater, BLK JKS, The Wrens, Tobacco, Monotonix, King Khan & The Shrines, St. Vincent, Passion Pit, John Vanderslice, Bishop Allen, Blind Pilot, AA Bondy, Black Moth Super Rainbow, The Knux, Ra Ra Riot, The Dodos, Beach House, Arthur & Yu, The Submarines, Owl City, Viva Voce, James Pants, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, The Builders & The Butchers, The Dutchess & The Duke, Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head, Dent May & His Magnificent Ukelele, Fences, School of Seven Bells, Death Vessel, Horse Feathers, Hockey, Point Juncture, WA, The Pica Beats, Loch Lomond, Vince Mira & more to come.

I gotta fever.

Today I am grateful there are people in this world who don't listen to me.

I've learned to be independent. I've learned to make my own way in this old world. But, when it comes to being sick, it's not easy to reach out and ask for help when it's very much needed. And, when help was offered today by a couple of friends only to have me repeatedly refuse their kindness, it took just one who wouldn't listen to what my mouth was saying to come over with the soup and the popsicles and the pills.

I feel lots better now. I'm not 100% by any means, but I'm coming outta the dark.

15 Steps.

Truth be told, I'm not sure how I lasted through the entirety of the Grammys last night. It certainly helped that I had five friends along for the ride to offer their company, commentary and cuisine. Seriously, that baked ziti and that beet salad and that pumpkin cheesecake? So many good things in my mouth just hours ago. But that self-proclaimed Rap Pack (Kanye, T.I., Jay-Z and Lil Wayne) didn't sound like it knew what it was doing, some of those collaborations made little to no sense (Al Green and Keith Urban, wha?) and more than half of the perfomers appeared to have Disney beginnings. I mean, I'm still not convinced that the Jonas Brothers deserve even half the adulation they currently receive. What was up with that sound, too? Couldn't they mic even one band properly? Sound nightmare, that's what it was.

I only braved the storm for one band's performance. It was the only one to write home about, too, just as I thought it would be. I only wanted to see Radiohead. And now? Well, I want more than ever to see them in concert. It actually hurts me in a very real way that I haven't yet. There is pain here. Real, physical pain. Watching this a few thousand times in a row ought to help, but I'm not sure how long it'll last. Some of the only true musicianship I saw all night, true story.

Thought for today.

I am quite convinced that one of the best things on this planet is having a baby fall asleep in your arms. You parents who get to experience this over and over again in your lives are some incredibly lucky people.

Wordless Wednesday.

Song off: I want your love.

UPDATE: This competition is now over. I won ... 21 votes to Heather's 17. Thanks for voting!

I’ve done a couple of these so far and it’s really pretty easy to play along so, once I’ve explained myself real quick-like for the new kids, I hope you’ll do so. I picked a song that made me all weak in the knees and Heather over at FuelFriends did as well. Neither of us knows what the other picked. Please give a listen to ‘em both and tell us which one you like the best and why (and don’t forget that last part … no matter which one you choose, it’s the most fun/interesting thing for these ears to hear, honestly). Just leave your thoughts in the comments section.

Because we’re less than two weeks away from Valentine’s Day, it made sense to go with that whole romance theme this go-round. It’s usually a bit of a mixed bag, you know, but that’s not the case today. Today it’s all about candy hearts that taste like Pepto-Bismol and cheap mystery chocolates and cupid, wielding his bow and arrow.

That said, I’m not so much for love songs. Not usually. However, that’s not the case here. This tune, in its simplicity and honest profession straight from the heart, never fails to hit me. And it hits hard, too. I have to stop all I am doing and listen to what Roberta has to share. I simply have no choice.

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – Roberta Flack
(and, just for fun) The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – George Michael

The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the end of the skies

Now, tell me who you picked in the comments section and why. Ready aaaaand GO.

Times they are a-changin'.

The best thing of note to report is that I’ve started to dream again. This goes far beyond waking up because I think I have a baby alligator biting down hard on my thumb, causing blood to get all over everything (though I did conjure that one up last week.)

This is so much more than my subconscious. There seemed to be a dry spell there for too long a while, but my mind is back to doing that forward thinking again. I am seeing my life as much, much more than it is at present. I see incredible possibilities laid out in a new path. It is not enough to think and consider and wonder. That is all well and good—and I get incredible satisfaction out of that pondering stage—but there must be doing involved at this point. I sound pretty self-motivational, I guess, but there must be dreaming, tackling and seizing if that new beginning is to take place. Sometimes life needs a big, fat overhaul. I’ve reached that point. What comes next will be exciting, whatever and whenever and wherever it is.

My theme this year has been change. No real resolutions ... just that. I seek after it and crave it like crazy. This whole dreaming thing is attached to this, yes. The two go hand in hand.

And, if it isn’t obvious enough already, there is happiness in this. There is hope. I may even start writing poetry again. I’ll have to dust that book off, but it’ll be worth it in the end. My eyes are new, too. Maybe they’ve been dusted off as well?

I wonder if I can put this on the hint of Spring outside? Maybe. Just maybe.