Work is Hard...

Shocked. Brokenhearted. Humbled. Devastated. Infuriated. Confused. Just some of the words I’ve seen used to describe the events at my workplace yesterday. We were all directly or indirectly impacted by the change in direction. No one left yesterday unscathed. Those who left employed felt almost guilty for having a job. They wondered how the work would get done. They worried about those in their work family who left with a box filled with family photos, “job well done” certificates and Newton’s cradles. They wondered how folks with decades of achievement and demonstrated competency could end up in this position.

Those who weren’t so fortunate left with much weightier thoughts. Starting over somewhere else. Paying bills. College savings for the kids. The thousands of loving friends and family that will be asking “What happened???” and knowing that you’ll have to recount this heart-wrenching story over and over. If not sooner, I’m sure many woke up this morning with anger, hatred and loathing in their hearts. They painted smiles on their faces before dropping the kids off at school because they don’t want them to worry.

By profession and by nature, I’m a troubleshooter. I diagnose, then I fix. It’s what I do. In scenarios like I saw played out yesterday, I realize I can’t fix what, in many cases, was broken. This puts me on unsteady ground.

To those folks who suffered terribly yesterday, there is little I can do to ease that pain. For those who found themselves unemployed, I pray that peace, comfort and opportunity comes to you quickly. I pray that your support system kicks in and much of the weight is lifted from tired shoulders. I pray that you grow closer to things of importance and that you allow this temporary struggle to transform you into an even stronger servant going forward. I pray that you don’t settle into a mindset of victim-hood that haunts you for years to come.

I’m sure it will be wildly unpopular, but I also pray for those tasked with making the decisions acted upon yesterday. It’s easy to vilify those whose position is counter to our own, but I know some of these people to be genuinely good, kindhearted souls. I pray that they sought guidance from God before making such difficult decisions. I pray that they did everything in their power to impact as few as possible. I pray that they made wise decisions that they can live with. I pray that, going forward, they redouble their efforts to serve the communities negatively impacted before moving opportunities elsewhere.

May God’s blessings shower over you all! 

George!!!

From his son's wedding!

Remembering Wade (or as I knew him: Dad)

I love this time of year; Fathers everywhere being appreciated by the families they love and help support. I get a big kick out of checking out Facebook and Twitter on Father’s Day afternoon to see how the masses thank their fathers for all of the many things given and sacrifices made. It’s one of the few groups left on the planet I’m proud to affiliate myself with: The League of Extraordinary Dads. As one of the many who spend a portion of Father’s Day remembering their father, I wanted to share a few insights and memories that lead me to believe that my dad was the best ever…for me, anyway.

My dad was not perfect; not even close. He made mistakes (sometimes the same one over and over), but they always bothered him, and I have no doubt he sincerely tried to limit those. While he did graduate high school, he often said that he was only promoted because none of his teachers wanted to separate him and his twin brother (another fantastic father: Uncle Wayne). In his early adulthood, Dad married Mom, held several jobs and eventually joined the Army. The Army had a huge impact on his life; many skills, traits and habits acquired during his military tenure were carried on until his untimely death in January 2005.

Those pesky Phillips Boys

(Left to right: Wade, Jim, Wayne)

So what made him stand out from a crowded field of great dads? I've never met a man who worked harder (professionally or for his neighbors), cherished family and friends more or loved to share laughter the way he did. His old-fashioned beliefs regarding religion, family and politics were passed down lovingly to his children; children who, as they grew up and saw how the world worked and behaved, appreciated such a simple and insightful foundation.

Some anecdotal evidence of his greatness:

• Devotion to neighbors: During my dad’s early adulthood, he spent time as a furnace repairman. He didn’t do this job very long, but as it turned out, he was really good at it. I can remember many bitter-cold mornings (long after he stopped working on furnaces professionally) that the phone would ring before the sun was up because a neighbor, family member or friend was without heat due to a furnace problem. Dad would always get dressed, get his tools, and head out to the rescue. I never saw him charge anyone for this. He always stopped if someone was parked on the side of the road just to make sure they didn’t need anything, and he spent tons of Saturdays providing firewood to those who couldn’t get it themselves.
•  Hard work: I can’t remember too many days that Dad didn’t work at least 12 hours driving a truck. When he got home, he didn’t kick back on the couch. After a bite to eat, he was out the door to work in the garden, help his brother with something or just tinker. The man was never idle. To this day I firmly believe that his body rejected more than 4 ½ hours’ sleep.  
• Laughter: I’ll never forget people telling me about Dad’s trips to receive radiation/chemo after he was diagnosed with cancer. Folks still walk up to me on occasion and share with me how he walked into a very somber waiting room full of terminal cancer patients and had the room full of laughter within minutes. He was always telling jokes (some more family-friendly than others; he was a truck driver!) and picking on people just to get a smile or laugh.

I could share stories until my fingers ached from typing, but the greatest testament to my dad’s immense “awesomeness” was, unfortunately, after he lost his battle with cancer. When I walked out of the funeral held at a small Baptist church in Purlear, the parking lot was completely filled and cars lined the road as far as the eye could see. People (black and white) had crowded into that little sanctuary to pay respects to the family and my dad. I can’t express how a person feels after losing a father; some combination of complete sadness and loneliness, seasoned with a very distinct sense of…fear. The reality of the loss was fresh, and the tears barely kept in check at that point, but I couldn’t help but smile when I gazed upon the endless line of cars framing that winding, country road. It was a truly humbling experience; I couldn’t help but be proud of the impact Dad had in so many people’s lives. A better measure of a man’s greatness I’ve never since witnessed. Sure, he was never president, a famous ballplayer, philosopher or musician. He was, however, the best father for me and probably the biggest influence in who I am today (good or bad).

I hope everyone has a great Father’s Day and finds some time to spend with your ole man. Cherish the time you get and make sure he understands how much he means to you. Just keep in mind: Wade was the best!

“Gatemouth” Brown – America’s Unknown Musical Treasure

I think most folks that know me are aware that I went to college to pursue a career as a band teacher. Of course, those same people would also know that I never completed that course of study and moved on to focus on technology. Computers seemed to fit better with my aptitudes, and my disgust with what we call an education system would never have allowed me to contribute to what I didn’t believe in. Despite my drastic change in plans, I’ve always maintained a great interest in all things music. I listen to a wide variety of music (basically, anything that requires talent; no country or rap since I’ve not seen much there that would require talent) and change it up every now and then when I start getting worn out on any particular genre.

About a year ago, I caught a show on the Smithsonian Channel (hosted by Morgan Freeman) that outlined a history of blues music. I’ve always loved the blues so I watched most of the hour-long show. I thought I was familiar with most well-known blues musicians, but I then saw this old, black man on the show that forever changed how I looked at the blues: Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown. I was blown away.

I’m pretty sure you’ve never heard of the guy unless you’re a true blues aficionado. He was born in Louisiana in 1924, but, as he was wont to sing, he was raised on the Texas side. Sadly, he went to the great delta in the sky shortly after Katrina destroyed his home in 2005. Gatemouth had an amazing career spanning roughly 65 years as a master of both the guitar and fiddle. He was offended when labeled as a blues musician, stating that he played “American Music”. While he could play the blues with the best of them, it’s easy to pick out influences from country-western, Cajun and jazz. His extensive use of a horn line in the ensemble really makes him stand out from much more traditional blues artists, and as a horn player, I can appreciate that!

I’ll keep this review short, because I don’t want to write too much that might sway someone from developing their own opinion regarding Gatemouth. Here are a few things that really impress me about the guy as a person and musician:

1.       The hands on this guy remind me of Michael Jordan! I swear this guy could palm a pumpkin. When you watch him play guitar it’s amazing how far he can reach, but when you watch him play fiddle, he looks like a true freak of nature. The guy almost never has to move his left hand to reach some of those screaming high notes. Amazing!

2.       In the late 60’s he left the music industry to be a deputy sheriff in New Mexico.

3.       He has the most unique method of playing guitar I’ve ever seen. He basically picks with a pinching motion with his pointer finger and thumb. Most good guitar players I know can’t emulate that style.

4.       Even in the latter years of his life, he toured extensively world-wide. He was known to tour in areas experiencing political unrest, stating “People can’t come to me, so I go to them.”

5.       Frank Zappa named Gatemouth as his all-time favorite guitar player.

For my friends who only listen to a couple of types of music and think Nickelback or Miranda Lambert are the bomb, I challenge you to listen to some Gatemouth tunes. Lots of his songs are available on YouTube and the Amazon Music Store and it’s a certainty that at least one of his songs will strike a chord with you. I feel compelled to warn you, however, to brace yourself. You probably aren’t used to hearing music that requires skill, coordination and grace. And you may find it hard to believe that music can be generated by someone unfit to be a cover model for GQ or Playboy. If you recently attended a Jason Aldean concert and enjoyed it…well, do us all a favor and turn in your iPod to the local authorities. You’re unfit and unworthy to enjoy anything that resembles true, American music.

- Jake

Watch Out for that Jesus Fish!

While this is far from a scientific study, I've noticed that a significant number of those who perform some of the most unsafe maneuvers behind the wheel are the same ones that are sporting the “Jesus Fish” on the backs of their cars. As with most of the topics I waste everyone’s time in contemplating, the irony of this is too good to pass up.

Disclaimer: I am a Christian, so I feel entitled to complain about this! I know; I know…you’re not perfect; just forgiven. I understand all that. I guess my gripe is that most of what we Christians learn in Sunday school or during the church service is a fleeting memory between visits to the sanctuary.

I’m aware of the fact that I’m not an expert on transportation, but I do commute to and from work 140 miles per day. This gives me plenty of opportunity to witness my brothers and sisters in Christ make a mockery of His teachings while cutting me off, pulling out in front of loaded semis and basically doing everything but focus on being courteous.

Courtesy…to me that’s a big part of being a Christian. Amazingly, it’s also a big part of being a safe driver. Consider the simple act of using your turn signal. Consistent use of a turn signal when changing lanes is a simple act that alerts others to one’s intentions.

How many times have you waited to turn onto the street and the car you waited on unexpectedly turns off the road? A big deal? Of course not. But wouldn’t it have been nice to turn onto the road before having to wait on 10,000 cars that were lined up behind the twit? I firmly believe the installation of the Jesus fish emblem or bumper sticker must immediately render turn signals unusable (the exact opposite behavior to what is experienced when following an elderly couple in a Seville with Florida plates). And just because you have that emblem slapped on a new BMW 5 series does not entitle you to pull out in front of me. I’m sympathetic to the need to beat the Methodists to KFC after church dismisses, but come on!

One final thing that bothers me about this – I’m somewhat skeptical of those I see in public making a show of their religious beliefs. I was always taught to pray in private and to beware those who were overly demonstrative with religion in public (Luke 20:46-47 is a good place to start). Do you really think God needs to read your bumper to see where your allegiance lies?

Oddly enough, I saw another bumper sticker that got my attention: “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ.  – Gandhi”.  As a Christian, that stings! But think about it. Maybe that’s how we come across to "outsiders" due to many things…driving habits being but one!

"Jake's Musings" Preamble

I wanted to start off by explaining who I am, why you may (or may not) care to read this blog and give an overview of the types of blogs you may see in the future.

For those who have known me for any period of time, it will come as no surprise when I state that I am blessed (plagued?) with a mind that rarely shuts down. I often wake in the middle of the night with some random thought that gets added to a list of things to ponder when time allows. I try not to offend folks with these tidbits, but my quest for understanding oftentimes outweighs my concern for the gentle sensitivities of those around me. I consider myself a devout Christian and Protestant, despite the fact that I don't regularly attend church services. I should probably do better with that, but I've yet to find a congregation that I consider truly uplifting. When that day comes, they'll have to bar the doors to keep me out!

I'm fortunate enough to work in a field that has held my interest for 15 years (Information Technology). I've worked for a couple of companies during this period, and I've met numerous people who I regard as some of the most intelligent people in the world. Of course, the flip side to that coin is that I've also worked around some of the most insanely useless people in the world, too. I'm sure most working stiffs can relate to that!

My interests are varied: Spending time with my family and small circle of close friends (I'll try to leave them out of my blog-o-rrhea as much as possible), Music (metal, blues, jazz, and even small doses of bluegrass on occasion), NBA basketball (GO LAKERS!) and to a lesser degree NCAA basketball (GO HEELS!), technology, Other sports (football and baseball), Reading (mostly fiction of the fantasy genre), Politics (as it relates to Christianity) and last/least work.

What types of entries might one find here? Well...it could be related to any of my interest outlined above, or it could be anything that has held my attention for a period of time. One day I may complain about how Christians forget all about Christianity when they drive (coming soon!), why the Lakers will not have a 3-peat, why the iPad is the most overrated piece of technology ever thrust upon the public, or possibly some info on a movie I caught on TV. In short...you can expect to find most anything. I hope the two or three visitors will enjoy my musings and will provide feedback (when warranted) and return often!

- Jake