I've been writing like a fool this week.  It takes me back to the days when I first started writing.  Because my kids are home for the summer, I don't have large chunks of time to spare.  So, I weave the writing around dropping kids off, changing wash, vacuuming the stairs, picking kids up, yadda yadda.  The similarity to years ago is that my mind isn't on all the stuff to do during the day.  My mind is how I can get the stuff done so I can write.  Even while I was planning my set for worship this week, (my favorite job besides band practice) my mind was on a lyric.

 

It feels good.  I was starting to wonder if I would ever hunger to write like this again.  Next week, I may not feel this way. 

 

But for today, I'm thankful, and enjoying being pre-occupied with how to make the most out of  four syllable lines in a verse melody one of my co-writers has sent me. 

 

 "Subculture:  a social group within a national culture that has distinctive patterns of behavior and beliefs" 

 

 

A few months ago I blogged about people who collect ferrets.  The entire time I was watching this program about ferret collectors, I was experiencing this duality of being grossed out and impressed at the same time.  They were so passionate (impressive) about rodents. (gross...and I don't want to hear about how they're not rodents but part of the weasel family...it doesn't help...i'm still grossed out)  They were so loving (impressive) towards their weasels, (again..gross...) and they were willing to give up huge amounts of time, energy,  money and space in their houses (impressive, well, maybe morbidly fascinating) so that these animals could frolic and cavort without boundaries. Ferrets stink. They stink a lot, even if you bathe them.  (I don't even need to say gross here...oh wait....i just did)  Some of these people had dozens of them.  There were moments that I thought I could actually smell those ferrets through the television.  And don't tell me they don't stink.  My friend Corey was a part of that subculture and he said that no matter what anyone tells you, they stink.  He defected from the subculture because of the smell.  But apparently, to ferret lovers, the smell of a ferret is the smell of love in a little furry package. 

 

The point of this blog is not to rip on ferret collectors.  It should have been, because I've probably made that point better than I'm going to make my other point.  Sorry for that.  I don't mean any harm to them.  I just don't get them.  And, this certainly isn't a my-subculture-against-your-subculture kind of blog.  There's room for all of us (unless you're harmful or dangerous)

 

My real point is this:   I'm a part of a sub-culture or ten.  Some, I'm a part of because of reasons I can't help.  Others, I'm a part of by choice.  It's the "by choice" subcultures that fascinate me.  One of the things that struck me as I was hanging out with songwriters, is that they are one of my favorite subcultures.   These creative, passionate, sensitive, generous, intense, talented, hilarious, insecure, self-deprecating, random, a-d-d  people are my people.  And to someone who doesn't share the love of songwriting, we may appear to be very...well.....weird.  A ferret collector may not get me.  That's cool.  I like my subculture, and I'm sticking with it.  To all you ferret folk out there....more power to ya.  You're not hurting anyone, so enjoy the company of your animals and their owners, and I shall enjoy the company of songwriters and their songs.  Who knows, some of the songwriters I know may own ferrets.

 

 One of the ferret collectors on the show wrote a song about her ferret.  She's got her toes dipped in both subculture pools. 

One of those toes doesn't smell as bad as the other toe, I can bet you that much anyway.   

 

Ok.  So here are a few subcultures I belong to:

 

1.    Songwriters/musicians

 

2.    Gardeners

 

3.    Bloggers. 

 

4.    Shutterbugs

 

5.    Seinfeldaholics

 

6.    Coffee drinkers

 

7.    Stay at home moms

 

8.   Christians

 

9.    Pasty cornfield dwellers

 

10.  Ellipses abusers...      ...     ...   

 

Your turn.  I want to hear a few of the subcultures you belong to!

I'm headed to a writer's retreat this weekend.  I've heard amazing things about this retreat.  It's my first time.  I'm terrified and excited, but mostly terrified.

 

Here's my To Do List:

 

 

 

 

4.  Plan worship set

 

5.  Run rehearsal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saw The Police last night.

 

Sting is too cool for cool. 

 

The guy is UH-MAY-ZING, and every bit as good as he ever was.

 

I had a crush on Stuart Copeland in jr. high.  Seriously, I barely noticed Sting back then.  It was all about Stuart,

 

who hasn't changed much, except the hair is gray.

 

I didn't even have a glimmer of the old crush last night.  Bart was relieved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did I mention that Sting is too cool for cool?......