Celtic Woman tour retrospective 2013

  Well, the previous blog was certainly a different one and I am still on the mend. The onset of gout has been stubborn and painful but we just deal with it and move on. Recovery from surgery is going fine and my digestive system seems reasonably normal now. But let's step back a few months and move forward.

    February began yet another long grinder tour for the artists and crew of Celtic Woman. I had planned on about a dozen shows though really had no financial business doing so! I would miss the opener for the first time in many years and the closer as well. I'd miss Máiréad's birthday too after four years being front and center for that. Things simply did not work out in the schedule and I had no desire to fight winter early on in the tour. Why the powers that be scheduled it that way I have no clue, and it looks like that won't be the case in 2014. My first shows would be around Paddy's day and my first ones in that area of the northeast with Newark, Wallingford, Boston, and Manchester. I had meet and greet for all except Boston which has not offered them since the 2007 debacle. I went in with a bit of reluctance due to the new format for the meetings. In some cases that was justified and in others it was not. Newark we had great seats and I met Kenn Craig for the first time who is the person assigned to run the show on the road along with Brett Miler. We were stacked in a hallway and entered a small room singly for a group photo. It was brief but fine and Kenn is a very personable gent. In Wallingford, though, CPTV did it right and the meeting was huge bang for the buck! The artists themselves and Kenn's tolerance about it all made it even better. THAT is how it should be done and we had front row seats to go with it. Most special was the warmth and care of all the artists with no shortage of hugs and I had this candid photo with the ever delightful Lisa Lambe. Boston was fine and the venue is amazing. We were blessed with a bit of face time with band, choir, and front four near the stage door. Plenty of security but they stood back and watched as things flowed naturally. I commend them and the CW staff and artists for that lovely interaction. Manchester was in an arena. Those that know me know I'm not fond of this group in an arena setting. Yet we had good seats thanks to Mike and even better ones after intermission. Lisa was wonderful in making sure we were included in spite of our location early on. The meet and greet was more what I had worried about and was not at all worth the money. PBS seats were mediocre and there were two stations involved. So, 40 or so people and a very rushed meeting was not at all the way things need to be. I said earlier on this page that meetings have to be limited to 20 or less regardless of the number of stations involved. Yet it was St. Patrick's Day and we did have a great time at the show. We had tried to set up lunch prior to the show across the street at an Irish pub with Máiréad's in laws. All looked fine but at the last minute it fell apart and we never connected with them at the show either. So, in the five shows (double-header in Boston) I had overall positive experiences with the artists and touring staff. Yes, some snags and some tweaking needed but I did feel as though things were going in the right direction.

  

      It would be until June 1st until my next show, so a long gap. In the interim I watched as other fans had their experiences and they too were mixed. While on my break I also connected with another Irish group, Celtic Nights, who some fan friends had seen in Austin due to former CW choir gal Una being one of the main artists. By all accounts it was a marvelous show though without the major production elements of Celtic Woman. Since then some of us have been in contact with their management and a couple of the artists and are very much encouraged in our input and support. They will tour again in early 2014 and I do plan to see a few shows. It is refreshing when artist management asks for fan input and embraces them rather than pushes them away. EMI, Madstone Productions, and CW LTD over the years have been inclined to push the avid fan community away rather than embrace it, although the artists do not seem so inclined at all. Over the years CW has certainly been paying attention to fans and adopted some of the ideas especially on stage, although they have never asked for input or acknowledged it. I also became connected with a lovely Canadian foursome called Naria. A bit different tack with opera combining with techno pop. But they have a lovely presence, and a nice sound. Each have been open to fan support and input and willing to connect on line both on Twitter and Facebook. I even have the odd chance of one of the songs Liv and I created being a Naria song. Their leader, Katya, even did a guide track of the song and sent it to me for approval. So, fingers crossed there.

     Celtic Woman learned along the course of my break that some things were not sitting very well. Oversized meetings at some locations and with very poor places within the venues chosen for photos was part of that. Fuzzy photos and too brief encounters combined with mediocre PBS seats were not going over well. The biggest bonehead move was the slap in the face to the avid fan communities and the short notice given for a DVD recording at South Bend. Three days notice and all the primo seats were long gone. It was a clear and intentional affront to the most loyal fans yet a handful were lucky enough to have gotten tickets for the show. I sent a message to one of the artists and to CW that while I supported the artists without question, I would NOT acquire that DVD due to the insult given to their most dedicated fans. It will be the first DVD or CD from them that I don't own. This was clearly a decision by Madstone and likely Maggie Seidel. I have no affection for her at all knowing the things I've heard her and Mr. Hochwald say over the years. I was not pleased when she received a promotion to essentially manage the group and suspected she would do something averse to the fan community at some point. She did. After Springfield in 2011 many of us had hopes she would be gone or at least disconnected from CW. EMI retains that company and it is not a positive. In any case, I still looked forward to a nice string of shows in June.

      In late May I had a major health crisis and so was unable to attend five shows in the northwest. That hurt almost as much as the infected gall bladder and the gout! I gave my seats to a fan from California who is in a wheelchair and struggles with life in general. Tony flew him to Portland and Glenn would occupy my seats. They did not have meet and greet but opted instead for great seats bought early on through Ticketmaster. Yet at three of the locations they did get some lovely face time with the artists after the shows and again that is thanks to the kind road staff and the artists themselves. Such things are not expected and are so very appreciated. But Tony had created a special gift for Lisa Lambe in the form of a personalized Lambe Crossing jacket. He found a way to link up with her hubby, Simon Morgan, who happened to be along with her for a few shows, and gave the jacket to him. Everyone in the fan community who has met Simon has found him friendly, warm, and a very nice gent. He saw to it Lisa received her gift and she very kindly tweeted a photo of herself wearing the jacket. I have to say that of all the girls past and present from this group that she is the most engaging and warm with her fans on stage, at meetings, on line, and out and about. Certainly Lisa Kelly was and is good at that too, and  Máiréad at times as well. Al of them are delightful at the formal meetings and Susan really came into her own this tour connecting with fans. But Lil Lambe is off the charts and Simon is a wonderful and fitting partner for her.

     Meanwhile, back here, I opted to go forward with Red Rocks and Omaha. I've not missed a Red Rocks show with them except the first one in 2006. The hiking would be misery for me and my gouty foot but I was not going to be denied. The gathering of fans was a good one again and we had made plans to celebrate Chloe's birthday by donning special pink birthday T-shirts. It was a special venue on her special day and we had to do what we could to make it more so for the girl we've watched grow up before our eyes. She has matured both vocally and in other ways and is a strikingly beautiful woman. She has always been so but she has trimmed down and simply looks marvelous. I was given a surprise meet and greet when someone backed out and managed to hide around a corner until the end to surprise them. Mike was celebrating his 150th show and bless his heart had sent to me a card he had the girls sign in Las Vegas wishing me well. I cannot thank him and the artists enough for that little treasure. The meeting went so very well and hair chap, Michael, was now taking photos. He is the one posting photos on the CWNAT Facebook page and is very generous at taking various shots. He's a fine gent and a good compliment to the touring team with Kenn, Brett, and Chloe's gorgeous sister, Naomi. After the wonderful show we made our way to the buses and were treated with some great chat time with band, choir, and the very grateful Chloe. Michael took and official photo of all of us with her and posted it later. Nice touch and it goes along with a group shot before the show taken by 303 Magazine. Next day I flew to Omaha to be with old friends. Half my life was spent in Nebraska and I had not been back since the CW show in November 2007. I had front row center and later picked up a meet and greet from another fan. My good friends were right next to me at the show and simply loved it. The meeting was a continuation of Red Rocks and a real delight. Most special was a photo I had longed for many years, a proper solo shot with Máiréad, my muse and inspiration for so many of my writings. It was a wonderful ending of this tour for me and again I had some chat time with band and choir afterwards. I really did have some warm and wonderful encounters with her this tour including a very kind first ever tweet that wished me well in my recovery. 

    All along the way the artists and touring staff have done the best they could to make fans feel welcome and embraced. At points along the way it was a bit rough but the tweaking made it better and perhaps they now have the proper formula. There are still bugs and those are not from the artists or touring staff but upper management. I do commend the organization for relaxing things a bit and not chasing the few fans away after the show who might gather near the stage door or buses. That is a far cry from the Rachel days and very welcome. Makes for good PR and more ticket sales. I was pleased with a positive attitude towards familiar faces from people like the merch dude all the way to the fine Bubba Dixon. The latter has been a positive ever since his expanded role in 2011. Sadly, for whatever reason. he is no longer with the group. He will be very much missed and he is the last of the original crew. The longest lived one left is Máiréad's hubby, Jim, and perhaps only because of that relationship, although he does his job well. Tour dates for the symphony tour and 2014 are already leaking out. I have no idea how things will work in 2014 but it appears it may be much like this year. EMI is working the artists hard and squeezing every dime out of it they can while there is still an economy to support it. Sales were down by about 1/3 from my reports and yet there is still a solid following. I encourage EMI to minimize the role of Madstone and keep a leash on Maggie regarding fans. It worked fine this year and I encourage EMI to retain this touring staff. I was not happy seeing the grumpy and fan hostile Mitch at Red Rocks. He needs to stick to counting beans and not be involved in any way with decisions about fan interactions. The team of he and Rachel in 2010 was not a good one.

     So, now time to devote to attempting to keep my financial head above water and look forward to symphony shows, Celtic Nights, Celtic Woman 2014, and perhaps a bit of Naria if I can swing it. That is if we can keep our country from descending into the dark abyss DC is attempting to force us in to. A lot can happen between now and then including currency collapse, civil war, or other things created by and forced upon the people from both parties in DC who seem more aligned with globalists and Muslims than their own citizens. Such allegiance runs counter to their oaths of office and does not serve the people of this nation at all. I pray things will change in a manner that upholds our constitution and permits us and the artist families to meet again and enjoy each other. Between now and then CW will be in Australia and Europe and doubtless to warm, though not by USA standards, supportive receptions. We're a bit more demonstrative here as they well know now after nine years. My thanks to the fan community, the artists, and the touring staff for an overall positive tour. Enjoy your break and thank you for being such bright beacons in an ever darkening world. God' blessings and peace.

                                  Scott  

Our medical system

Hello everyone,

       It has been awhile since the last post and some things have changed. But this post will focus on one thing important in my recent life, the medical system.

     On the 26th I went to the emergency room at Rio Grande Hospital in Del Norte Colorado. at about 5 that morning I awoke with an acute attack in the upper right abdomen and mid back. I had such an attack last year at the end of July but it trailed off after a couple of hours and I treated it with natural means. Not this time. I was admitted and kept under watch that day and night and into the next afternoon due to chest pains with it and other factors. Blood work showed an elevated white cell count and I had a low grade fever so the doctors decided to transfer me to where there was a surgeon. That would be the nearby San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center in Alamosa. I would have gone there first but just was wary based upon some rumors and other experiences from folks. So, the local ambulance loaded me up and off I went to Alamosa.

     I want to thank the doctors and staff of Rio Grande Hospital for their kindness and care during this initial part of diagnosis and treatment. Your caution proved to be the right thing and I thank you.

    So, I arrived on the evening of the 27th and was taken to the third floor surgical ward where I would remain overnight being tested and evaluated. I met the first of many on staff who were upbeat, professional, and caring. Both facilities knew up front that I had no insurance and no money as I told them. It mattered not and the focus was on diagnosis and treatment. The CT scan from Rio Grande and other tests were compared to what these folks had done and so I was visited by Surgeon Mike Liang. It was obvious that the gall bladder had to come out and so it was scheduled for in the morning.

   At 11 am on the 28th I went in for gall bladder removal. I was back in my room by 2. I would remain overnight and leave the next morning. The gall bladder was so bad it was infected with gangrene. So, we were looking at a serious event. The entire staff at SLVRMC was wonderful. That includes the folks in the business office who were very helpful in laying out what I needed to do to get this paid for in large part.

   I am now recovering and will start the process of getting help with payments either through medicaid or CICP, the state equivalent. Our system is not perfect, but it does work. Throughout this I met fine people whose goal was my health and comfort and nothing else. Yes, there are those who are bought and sold by drug companies. Yes, there are poor performers in the business. Yes, there are risks. Yet I received prompt and effective treatment regardless of my financial status. They were following their oath. I talked at times about the looming Obamacare debacle and found no one positive about it. In fact hospitals like the ones I used will likely close under the new regime. We hear all the time that folks under this system don't get treatment and we need government to fix it. The truth is the opposite. You WILL get treatment and government getting involved will make it much worse, not better.

      I have not been a fan of western medicine, but there are times that natural means simply are not going to work. Such was the case here. I am very grateful to all involved in my treatment and care and thank them for their efforts. I hope to NOT see you all again in that capacity any time soon, if you know what I mean! I paid into the system for many years so feel no guilt at having the system cover the bulk of my bills and I'll take care of the rest as best I can over time. I was impressed and would have no hesitation seeking treatment locally for most things should the need arise. BTW, while I was treated promptly, I have a friend in Australia under their socialized medicine who still has not had needed surgery after a heart attack in December. He is my age and thus keeps getting put down the list as care is rationed. I'll take our system over that any day! Were I in that system I could very well be dead right now. So now on with life and more usual challenges. Until next time, be well.

                                  Scott/Moscapoet  

An anniversary and persepctive

  Hello from the Rockies!

       April 15th brings a very special anniversary for me. It is the sixth anniversary of my first poem. Those words came to me in the middle of the night and were inspired by now former Celtic Woman artist, Lisa Kelly, singing Send Me A Song. It is called Celtic Woman Sing On. A few nights later after a vivid dream I wrote another. The flow picked up at a rapid pace and kept going all the way through 2011 at which time events took over and the pace slackened quite a bit. In recent months it began to pick up again in no small part thanks to the kindness of current Celtic Woman artist Lisa Lambe. The total now approaches 430, along with one novel, and eight songs.

      As I sit here in a pleasant little cafe in Crestone I am once again inspired. I wrote a fresh poem brought on by the weather and events in the cafe. I'm reminded of a parable that Jesus taught about the three men given money (called Talents) and what they did with them. One made what he was given grow. Another made his fortune grow even more. The other stuck his in the ground and that is what he had when he was asked. But that parable is not about money, it is about life. It is about the gift we are given and what we do with it. Do we stick it in the ground and hoard it, afraid to risk it? Or do we take a chance and live life and give as we've been given? We don't get all we ask for. Life is a mix of blessing and challenge. But we cannot stop living it, sharing it, and building upon each precious day.

      In this world we have a few ruling elite who want to control every aspect of our lives and inflict upon us slavery. They do not believe in freedom of the individual but in group think. They create a variety of issues they use to divide people against each other. Divide and conquer. Gun rights, abortion, homosexuality, and other issues are used as wedges to divide. No matter what side of those issues you fall on you can clearly see they are being used to keep citizens from being unified and strong. They are meant to keep our eye off the ball about what the small ruling elite are working so hard to do. We cannot allow ourselves to be distracted.  Yet we each have lives to live and contributions to make based upon our unique gifts.

    In 2007 it became clear to me that my unique gift was the one of words, written and spoken. I had always known that to a degree but not to the extent I did in my 50th year. With God sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes it is no, and at other times it is wait. I am not a man of any significant means. I have clawed and scratched to keep my head above water for years now. My own financial foolishness put me in that position yet it has always been about living life. The people, the moments, the inspirations simply transcend money. I simply cannot bury life and take no risk. At times the risk has paid off but not in financial ways but rather more important ones. Such is the case now or so it appears.

      In 2008 I met Kim in Australia and took a risk with the gift his daughter Olivia offered. It paid off in the creation of several songs. None of them have hit the mainstream and she has since changed her musical direction and associations to things more in line with her own peers. Yet the time spent and the things created are beautiful and those things will live on in some way for all time. The words over the years were inspired mainly by the artists of Celtic Woman and the journey they led me on to Ireland, and to other places and events I would have never experienced otherwise. I didn't travel this much when I worked in the airlines! Sure wish I still had those travel benefits as I'd have much less debt now! In any case, there have been moments so uplifting and others that felt like crushing darkness. Vain hopes and dreams and yet one must persevere through that and come out the other side stronger.

      In these years I have made a great many wonderful friends as a result of that Irish ensemble. Priceless memories, and treasured relationships that their upper management and middle men cannot take away. They too have made positive changes and that especially has come about the past year or so with the diminishing role of some road management and now the outright replacing of most of it. I credit a great part of that change to their now production manager, Bubba Dixon. EMI and Madstone have been dragged kicking and screaming into making changes whether they liked it or not. Those folks represent an old and dying industry model that must change or become extinct. They suck the life out of their artists by endless touring for which those artists receive scant compensation compared to the mediocre pop divas out there. Not a person on the road is truly paid what they are worth and I dare say the Madstone person now running the show probably is paid better than any of them. The 'business" of entertainment is filled with such vampires who care not a wit about artist or fan, only the bottom line. Yet at times they do listen or at least allow a bit more latitude. That is the case on this tour and the previous symphony tour. The barriers dropped and the fan family and artist family allowed to mingle as the artists saw fit and not as the powers that be dictated. It is healthy, it is normal, and it is positive, and I commend Celtic Woman management for allowing this to happen and the artists for embracing their avid fans in ways they are comfortable with. Some flies in the ointment are still there. The new meet & greet format is alright but happens far too close to show time. Good seats are not tied to the meetings as they should be and force folks who want both to buy extra tickets to get the good seats then sell off, if possible, the who knows what seats palmed off on PBS.  In my opinion you should buy your own seat and then simply pay PBS for a stand alone meet & greet and not the extra seat.So far I've had a mixed opinion of this experience. Wallingford and CT PBS was an off the charts winner. It was not cheap but had huge bang for the buck. Manchester was what I feared this would be, a rushed event certainly not worth the money on its own because there were too many people and not enough time. I like the before show thing as the artists want to get on the road and get rested and not get hung up with a formal meeting. That having been said, I had a wonderful post-show experience in Boston by the buses with band, choir, and front row artists that was carefully watched but not interfered with. Kudos go to tour manager Ken Craig and road manager Brett Miler for allowing that to happen in a natural way as dictated by the artists themselves. Every encounter was excellent. I'll see how much this remains in place later in the tour. The biggest issue this tour so far was the extreme short notice given regarding the recording of a live show in South Bend. I cannot say it was an intentional slap in the face at fans or simply a callous and careless attitude that reflects a typical focus on the bottom line with no respect to either artist or fan. But it was badly handled and I place full blame for it in the lap of Madstone. Many of us have known their thoughts about avid fans since a conversation overheard in NYC in 2009 between two of their principals. I'm not even certain the artists themselves had much more notice than we did! I get the impression, reading between the lines, that the China thing earlier this year blindsided the girls as well. When you are a salaried employee you do as the boss dictates when and where and the boss is under no obligation to give you any warning. While I dearly love Celtic Woman and its concept I find myself hoping the artists break away and follow a path more lucrative and freer for them. There is risk in that but I am here to tell them it is worth the risk.

       That brings us to some other artists and ensembles of note now on avid fan radar screens and for good reason. Some fan friends of mine were surprised earlier this year about a fairly new group called Celtic Nights. It is a mix of male and female, and not of the major production type as Celtic Woman. It has less staging and other frills and is more a focus on the artists. Some like that, and some don't. The main draw is former CW choir girl Una. The three avid fans who attended the show in Austin were universally pleased with the show, the interactions, and the overall feel of the event. They will go back again and again and I will sure give them a try when they tour again. It shows the power of the Celtic Woman exposure well beyond the time with that group. It shows the artists have legs beyond it and a following built while with CW. Orlagh, Amy, Meav, Deirdre, Alex, and now Una have found that, and any group that adopts these folks and others taps into the CW fan base. Smart move and especially so since great seats are available at much lower prices and meetings are generally free. No one is profiting financially from meetings at shows like this.

       That takes me now to an ensemble that is increasingly a personal thing for me. They are called Naria, and they are Canadian. The principals hail from mixed places and all are versatile and gifted sopranos and classically trained. They are not heavily toured. They have lives. They are not heavily promoted as they are not tied to a major label. This is the creation and brainchild of Katya and she has brought on board this concept three other sterling professionals. Is it Celtic Woman? No. They bill it as classical with an edge. It indeed is edgy in many respects. Perhaps not something granny or a little girl would feel easy at. But it is a dynamic concept that has a broad base appeal in age groups from teens to mid adult ranges. They are clearly smart, motivated women. No EMI, no middle men to speak of, just a concept and personal desires and dreams. So why is it personal for me? Because they are willing to take a chance on a virtual nobody in the business like me with songs and lyrics. I could never obtain that from a label-controlled group like CW whether the artists wish it or not. Unless you are also tied to the label you're an outsider with little if any chance of gaining entry. What's in it for them? Again, bottom line thinking. I see a good future for Naria in the different things they can bring to an event. Strictly classical arias and evening gowns for a more cultured crowd? They can do that. Heart pumping, hard driving techno pop with sex appeal? They can do that. Perhaps by the grace of  God I'll establish a professional relationship in the long term, perhaps it will not be. Perhaps I'll get a single shot, or none at all. But I do thank them for the opportunity and do want to be there if or when they perform any of my creations. Few people get the chance. But few people risk and persevere and dream. Many give up. Many never try. They bury their coin in the ground. So, as I sit here in my mountain cafe I think back on a blessing God has given me and thank Him for the gift. Perhaps I'll be just another poet "discovered" long after he is gone. But one must live life, give, love, and risk. We just never know when it ends. Until next time.

                                                  Scott/moscapoet

  Hello and Merry Christmas!

       It is Christmas Eve as I write this and reflect on the year that has been. In so many ways it has been a blessings and in others a challenge.

      I've had my share of health challenges from gallstones to a hiatal hernia. Both are lifestyle issues that tell me I have to change. They can be endured and moderated through natural means and not with western medicine. Such things are a risk and take more time but are better than the alternatives.

      Work at the solar site provided enough income  that for the first time in years I made enough to have to file taxes. I appreciate the income but am not at all please with giving a government that over spends and supports so many things I disagree with my hard earned money. It is the law, whether I like it or not, and so I will obey and pay my share.

     This year was a dismal year for politics and social issues. We saw once again how little actually separates Republicans and Democrats. Both are rife with CFR members whose desire is to end our constitution, sovereignty, and individual rights. Both are spending us into oblivion as both are controlled by the elites and central banks. None of their policies make sense and virtually all of them are harmful to the citizens. We will now have foisted upon us socialized medicine which is an abject failure around the world except for the elite. Notice when the elites in charge pass laws they exempt themselves. It is only a matter of time before society objects to the point of revolt. When and how many do so will depend upon additional measures taken by the elites.  It is certainly not something I wish upon our nation and world. Many in other countries do not understand how different and free we are here and how much we cherish the rights of the individual over the group. Such freedom has risks but is far better than living as a controlled slave of the states.

      Recently, including this very day, we have the issue of violence in the news. The media and the national government insist it is all the fault of guns. That is simplistic and foolish but used to strike at the emotions of those who are stunned by the events. Prohibition does not work. It never has. Millions of people in this nation own weapons and are responsible with them. The bigger question is the high rate of unstable people walking about loose. They're just given a pill if they are treated at all. It is an insane way to handle the mentally ill. It is bad for them and harmful to society. Yet the bleeding hearts insist that putting them in a safe institution is cruel. Really? How cruel is it upon them and society to let them run loose? We also have the incessant violence of Hollywood and the entertainment culture. Violent movies, TV shows, and horrid music especially in rap, smother young minds exposed to it and hard wire things into them as their brains knit together. Such things are no influence? Then how does advertising work? Why did protest songs work? Yeah, and yet the entertainment types go forward with their explicit violence and sex and profit from it. We have pop culture tramps dressings and gyrating like drunken prostitutes on stage and in videos and young girls are supposed to be looking to them as role models. Really? Not in my world.

      Which brings me to my musical and artistic world. Celtic Woman and the artists past and present are such bright lights in a dark world. We fans have had our rough patches over the years but 2012 for the most part was not among them. These artists behave properly on stage and off. They truly are role models any young girl could emulate. The others in the group are fine folks as well. It is a class operation more so now than in the past for a couple of reasons. Staffing changes brought us a very professional yet far more open road staff. Bubba, Dustin, and others were extremely courteous and kind and provided a pleasant atmosphere for the avid fans and the artists. I have never seen the artists more happy and relaxed than I have this year. The artists as well were more open and approachable off stage as well. Kudos go especially to Lisa Lambe. She is a joyful soul on stage and very engaging with her avid audience. She is wonderful at spreading the love among all of her fans as best she can at after show meetings and at times away from it all. She is even handed in her Twitter interactions with fans and not singling out just one or ignoring them altogether. She is to be commended for her talent as well as her attitude. The other three are far less willing in these regards, although Chloe and Mairead are very good at that from the stage. The latter is getting better on Twitter to a degree and I did have very pleasant encounters with her during the year and a surprise one in Pittsburgh that was very kind. Chloe and Susan have almost no interaction directly with fans on Twitter, though they do post a lot of photos and such. Sadly they both tend to speak too quickly on social issues and the latest gun issues are among them. While we are a nation of free speech, I caution them to not alienate the majority of their fans with such posts. Twitter likely does not attract the bulk of their fans and especially older ones. Yet word does get out, and I would encourage the entire organization to NOT post links to controversial and radical people like Michael Moore or even the President. Well over half the audience is conservative and Christian. We sure don't want Celtic Woman to go the way of the Dixie Chicks, and it would be beyond foolish to ever say such things from the stage at a show or in interviews. So far they have been very smart about it all and kept it to Twitter. They put on a great show and are genuinely nice people. I especially want to thank them all for the encounters this month in Pittsburgh.

      Celtic Woman is now without yet another of its former principals, Lisa Kelly. She has moved off to be a full time mom to her four children. Most important job there is and I hope she will be well rewarded by it. at some point she will likely return to the stage and her willingness to stay connected to her fans will help her with that when she does. She has always been good at that sort of caring. I had the great fortune to attend another show last week where another former Celtic Woman artist was performing. Alex Sharpe was in Alpine Utah with a very fine violinist, Jenny Oaks Baker. It was a wonderful show with a full orchestra and girls choir. It was a wonderful meeting afterwards with Alex and Jenny. I highly recommend Jenny's Christmas CD, Noel, if you want a great holiday treat. So, I look forward to 2013 with the usual mix of anxiety and hope. In this world there is no perfection. You take good with bad and hope the good outweighs the bad. May each of you approach this new year with love, peace, and energy to live each day as if it were the last. events this year prove it could be at any time.

                                       Shalom,            Scott

When darkness casts a shadow, there is still the music

   A week ago today a dark pall began to descend upon our nation and the world.  The saddest part of it all was that pall was invited and welcomed. We were warned in Scripture about the end times and that many would be blind and deaf to the evil that would come. It is true. God’s Word is always true. How did we come to this and what is the future? Only god truly knows the answer to the latter, but I’ll offer my opinion on it along with how we got here. After all, this is a blog and largely a matter of opinion.

   My degree is in history and geography. My understanding of past events, people, and where it all took place is by no means as full as some but certainly far ahead of most. We in the United States have allowed all that has happened to us. This is our own fault for being distracted, complacent, and apathetic. It is we who have allowed our schools, media, and entertainment to become instruments of the far left and a world view alien to our constitution. This past election cycle exposed that as never before. The sheer ignorance of the masses and the clear propaganda of the media were on parade. The election was rife with massive fraud and even to this day the ones who could address and challenge it have meekly steeped aside. Schools, media, and entertainment culture have been tools of division to assist the political elites of both parties in the undermining and destruction of the constitution and the foundations of our nation. Numerous wedge issues are used to put people in groups and then pit them against one another. We let that happen. Schools at every level have ceased being institutions of education and have become places of indoctrination. Simply look at the photos and posters of the O man at school polling places as a tiny tidbit of the truth in that. Such photos should have never been at a polling place yet they were. Children are used as political pawns and taught about the benefits of leftist ideology at a young age. The left are not stupid. They understand that a person’s brain does not finish wiring itself until the person is in their twenties. So, indoctrinate them young and reinforce it and by the time they are done with university they are totally hard wired with leftist thought. This is also why the left puts such a premium on education and fights alternatives so hard. Story after story has come out of teachers reprimanding students for anything that does not fit leftist ideology and forcing upon them that which their parents may find objectionable. Recently a judge just decided that parents do not have the right to know what their children are taught. Fine then, perhaps we the people should refrain from paying the property taxes that support the schools. Maybe take the child out of that school and go somewhere else. No kids, no funding. This is the same crowd that says parents of a minor girl have no right to know if their daughter has an abortion. Remember “It takes a village”? That’s what that was all about, removing the power of the parent and replacing it with government. This past weekend Ireland voted to place an amendment in their constitution that is essentially a UN law. That law states that government can remove a child from the home if it feels it is in the “best interests” of the child. What is the definition of best interest? So, we now have at least a couple generations indoctrinated into the left and now voting all over western nations. We’ve let our courts rule against our own national best interests in favor of outside laws and thoughts. Islam has invaded the west and is bent on forcing Sharia law on the people. The weak west does nothing to stop it. The entire west needs to be placed on suicide watch as they are in the process of committing national suicide from The States to Australia to Western Europe. It is not only suicidal but insane.  We have ignored Rome, and the history of 20^th century despotism. But they no longer teach any meaningful history in schools. So when the election came upon us why did it go the way it did?

   The mass of the people are now conditioned to government being the answer to everything. They ignore that government actually created the problems to begin with. In this country we have two main political parties. They are nothing like what they used to be. The democrats have gone so far left they are virtually indistinguishable from socialists or even communists. Not a chance JFK could have ever received the nomination for President in this day and age from that party. They have embraced every radical leftist agenda and group they can in an effort to keep the nation divided. They have a complicit media fully on board with that. Yet while these folks are evil they are not dumb. They are devious, deceitful, dishonest, vulgar, and hateful. They have their cult followers believing it is the other side who are like that. The majority of the entertainment culture fully supports it all. There are some exceptions but they are in a minority by a large percentage. Then there are the Republicans. They are fence-straddling, cowardly, and weak. They are as corrupt as the other party. That could clearly be seen from the nonsense that took place in the primary and the evaporation of the truth that Ron Paul had won several states. They cooked the books. They then ignored and alienated all of Paul’s delegates and himself at the convention. They put forward a nice man but the weakest in the entire field that could have been chosen. I warned folks early on he would lose if he was the nominee as the conservative base would not turn out. They did not and he lost. Ronald Reagan could not get the nomination for that party today. Had the base turned out then no amount of fraud could have overcome the result. I blame the republicans every bit as much as the fraud and radical left. It is why I removed my name from any party rolls years ago. It is more of the same and divisive.

   So now the left will reap what they have sown. They will own what is coming this next four years. They will own higher unemployment, higher inflation, and an increasingly divided population. The O man is in no way a unifier. The end result of aggressive leftist policies will be the remainder of the middle class dissolving, more part time work than full time and the evaporation of the private sector under the burdens of taxes and regulations. The foolish energy policies will result in far higher prices and far less availability. The O man and his goon Mr. Chu are opposed to coal, petroleum, and anything else that is not “green”. There will be zero economy with the energy prices they want. But they don’t care. The agenda is to destroy nations and replace it with the UN or similar body. Then we have the poisonous O care that is already taking a toll on jobs. Our debt will grow as more and more stop earning enough to pay or have a job to pay any at all. The foolish central banks tell us printing more money will stimulate the economies of places like here and Western Europe. The only things they stimulate are interest payments to those banks and ever bloated government debt.  We are witnessing the decent of a very dark cloud that will likely end western civilization as we know it. Replacing it will be an ascendant Asia. We can hope it is East Asia and not West Asia. While I am no fan of the communists in China they are preferable to the radical Muslims if one had to choose. It is my opinion that the forcing upon us of UN laws and policies will in the end result in civil war here. The one thing that will set it off most certainly would be confiscation of weapons against our constitution. Folks forget that was actually the thing that stimulated our revolt and independence from the British. I hope these people who have been so bent on the rapid movement “forward” to the left have sense to stop their foolish aggression. But greed and the lust for power and control is a strong force. I doubt they have such restraint. They certainly have shown no fiscal restraint operating against the law for four years without a budget. Evil has run amok and the people have voted for it. They have picked their poison and so many innocent others will be forced to drink it with them. It is on a massive scale in government and business. It is not some obscure notion. It is real. The assaults on the people of the light by the forces of darkness are ongoing throughout the world. The light of Christianity is being attacked at every turn in the name of “tolerance”. Yet those who tell us Christians we are not tolerant are they themselves intolerant and even hostile. These radicals would kill us without hesitation yet we do not call for the same. Yet we are the intolerant ones. We speak out against embracing abortion and homosexuality yet we do not go around and seek the death of those who practice it. We pray for them. Yet neither group can be found protesting in front of an Islamic mosque against a culture that surely would kill them in nations ruled by that culture.

   So where do we go now? We are here for a reason, each of us. We are called to something and each has a gift to share. There may come a time when we must use that gift to defend freedom. We just celebrated Veterans Day. Yet those in the grave may have spilled their blood in vain as we give away the freedoms they fought for and become the very things they fought against. I say that about not just us here but many western nations. There may come a time when we must fight again. I believe currency collapse, hyper-inflation, and civil war are all possible. Are they certain? I hope not. But to avoid it all we must have rational leaders who honestly care about the nations and their people. I see none of that now. I encourage everyone to pray. I encourage everyone to love. Cherish the blessings you have now as they can vanish in an instant. Today I watched and listened to my favorite group, Celtic Woman, as they appeared on a daytime soap opera. They sang The Parting Glass. As I watched these beautiful women with their soulful sound, tears came to my eyes. All I could think about were all the fallen who died for Ireland, the United States, and other nations, who may have done so thinking their nations would remain free in part due to their sacrifice. I thought about all who may die in a possible coming conflict, and that the parting glass may be raised to freedom itself. In the eyes and voices of Lisa, Chloe, Mairead,  and Susan I saw hope and a connection to a spirit and a time long past. That happens a lot with them for me. They are part of what keeps me sane. They would likely disagree with my stance on most issues. It is up to each to choose our path and as long as they refrain from any overt politics I can and will continue to support them. After all, insanity is not an option. We have enough of that going around now! So, no matter how dark the shadow and foreboding the time, I will pray to the Lord and know that He is, and keep the melodies in my heart. May God bless us all as we enter further into this ever darkening time. I pray each of you come through it and into the light.

                              Until next time,        Scott

A week away

   Well, we are now one week away from the election in the United States. At least I think we are, barring any shenanigans by the current crop in charge.  It has been a very rocky four years for many people. Very little has gone right. Now, of course you won’t hear the leftist media say that. For them and so many of the indoctrinated it has been nothing but positives. Well, the facts don’t bear that out, but please don’t confuse the poor folks with the facts. On every front we are worse off now than four years ago. The economy, foreign relations, socially and culturally, and numerous smaller issues are each in play and we have seen some of that in the debates, though nowhere enough.

   In the economy we are told that we are having a “weak recovery” which is just plain silly as there is no recovery at all. By most measurements we are in a depression. Far more unemployed and actually more than posted as once you fall off the rolls of getting a check you are no longer counted. Where have those jobs gone? Largely overseas. Ross Perot warned us way back in 1992 and he was right. I knew I voted for him for a reason. As Mr. Obama said in one of the debates (he slipped up), some jobs we will never get back. Right, because even the machinery to produce was sold and went elsewhere. You cannot have a first world economy if you produce nothing. You cannot base an economy on retail spending. Can we get our productive capacity back? Yes, but it will take a combination of a deep reduction in corporate taxes and regulations as well as corporate America being willing to reduce their profit margins. It also means dumping unions that caused us to have higher costs that made us non-competitive in the market place. Frankly, I don’t see any will by any of the parties to do any that. We are told that “the wealthy must pay their fair share”. More class envy from the left and more division. Look, I am not wealthy, but what someone else makes is not my business as long as they aren’t stealing it from me and as long as it is done legally. Do I think some athletes and entertainers are making obscene amounts? Yes I do as are some corporate executives. What the DC elite don’t get is that the “wealthy” can take their money and go anywhere in the world. France will find that out soon enough. We need a flat tax, or better yet get rid of the income tax and just do a sales tax. Everyone pays that, including criminals and non-citizens. You do not tax food essentials at the store or basic toiletries. We also have the ridiculous notion that we can print our way into prosperity. That has never worked at any time in history anywhere in the world. It is awful policy by central banks and does nothing but increase the debt and cause inflation due to the loss of value in the dollar. Central banks PROFIT from printing money and creating debt. Their policies manipulate markets and create the boom and bust cycles. Central banks must end.

   Then we have our dismal foreign relations at the hands of our Muslim in chief and Ms. Clinton. None of the folks in power have yet to meet a terrorist, leftist, or dictator they didn’t like. It is very clear these people at every level do not like this country. They do not like individual freedom of the people or of our nation. They are all into group think and division. Divide and conquer works. Just read the Communist Manifesto and Saul Alinksy’s Rules for Radicals. The blueprints are right there. Lump people into this group or that then pit them against each other so the people cannot unite against their true enemy which is the ruling elite. Comments like the ones Mr. Obama made to the Russians make it very clear he is working behind the scenes to undermine our safety and sovereignty. These folks want the UN in charge of everything. It is an organization that is run essentially by people and ideology anathema to our own in the constitution. We then see countless executive orders like the NDAA which also show that the American people are the ones the elite view as their enemy, not radical Islam or other such ilk. We are viewed as weak by our enemies and Mr. Obama clearly is operating in great sympathy with radical Islam. Just read his book. “Should the political winds turn ugly I will side with the Muslims.” They certainly have turned ugly and he is doing just that. Nations around the world are allowing radical Islam to dictate terms and watching as western nations cower in fear. Yet we the people are giving countless billions to radicals like the Muslim Brotherhood. We would never do that if asked, and neither would we be throwing money willy nilly to every tin pot dictatorship around the world. It is like giving your lunch money to the school bully. Radical Muslims should be deported from every western nation including this one. If they want Sharia law let them live under it in the numerous Islamic nations in Asia and Africa. But it is not just Islam. I have friends in India who have fallen victim to radical Hindus simply for preaching and teaching peacefully the Christian Gospel. He was arrested for doing so, his 90 year old mother beaten, and his wife almost in hiding and no longer able to have the orphanage she operated. All around the world Christians are under assault and the UN does nothing, our DC elites do nothing, and even the Christian community sits meekly by weeping and praying while countless are slaughtered in places like Nigeria, Philippines, and Egypt. It is truly disgusting.

   Why the weakness? Try the indoctrination system that is our schools for one thing. Gone is actual education, replaced by political correctness and fluff. Don’t get me wrong, there are some fine teachers and professors still out there but they are fewer and fewer. There is story after story that shows up of teachers being totally out of line in promoting their own leftist political views in the classroom. Disagree and you are victimized. Wear a Cross and out you go, but Islamic studies is just fine. Really? Where is separation of mosque and state? A huge number of children get out of high school and have to take remedial everything to go forward in college. And what prospects for jobs do they have anyway at this point? They have poor spelling and writing skills and get almost no history or geography. They do not even tested for history on their precious tests which are largely only to get funding for the school and not about actual student learning. What they are tested on is very narrow and a broad education in a disciplined classroom would work better to assist them in passing any test.  No child left behind has left them all behind. But we care more about the student’s self-esteem than whether they actually know anything. So they feel good about themselves but are dumb as a post. It sounds a lot like a certain occupant of the White House. But it is not in the best interest of the leftists to have an educated population. They want them dependent, ignorant, and poor so they are easily controlled. It’s working, sad to say.

   Finally we get to social issues and cultural decline. Crude, vulgar, angry, hateful, intolerant, and close minded rule the day. Oh but the left thinks those are Christians and conservatives. Not even remotely true. We have an intense sense of right and wrong without grey areas. Yet when you disagree with the left they go on a vulgar and hateful scree that turns the air a deep midnight blue with profanity and threats of violence. There are two major cultural issues but many minor ones. Abortion and homosexuality are the two biggies. Frankly, neither of them are covered under our constitution. It is not for the Federal government to pay for sexual activity going in or coming out. War on women? Those that think they have a right to MY wallet to pay for THEIR indiscretions are out of line. You want a REAL war on women then take a look at Sharia law and radical Islam. I don’t see any Code Pink folks in front of mosques do you? Likewise I see no gay protests in front of mosques against a culture that would have them killed. Christians are not talking about killing them, at least not ones who know Scripture. If you don’t want a sexually transmitted disease or a pregnancy then guys need to keep it zipped and gals need to keep their legs together. Too simple? Too bad. Abstinence works every time. As for the whole “marriage” debate, that too is bogus. Government has no business in marriage except to protect minors. Find a religious person to say the words, Sign the appropriate legal documents then get on with it. It is not for government to endorse or interfere in the relationships of two consenting adults. Note that I said TWO, CONSENTING, ADULTS. Both the abortion and gay marriage issue are wedge issues created by the left to undermine the foundations of a stable society. If we were actually obeying our founding document then neither of those would be an issue. But the left must divide us or they cannot win. Same goes for race relations. I have zero issue voting for black candidates. I can think of a great many extremely qualified for a variety of posts including the top one, and I have done so in the past.

   We have a group in power which has scandal after scandal, secret after secret, and know only division and nothing about unity unless you want a socialist-communist or Islamic state. The man at the top is obviously a serious narcissist. Notice when he speaks that the good things are always I and me and bad things are always we, they, them, and you. He cannot be honest about who and what he is or his agenda and has not been at any time except when he got caught or slipped up. He, Biden, and Ms. Clinton laugh off serious issues. It is the laughter of Hell. The attorney general and the entire cabinet are totally incompetent and possibly even treasonous. And Mr. Chu, what kind of an economy do you think we’ll have with European fuel prices? What is happening to electricity prices as coal fired plants are shut down with nothing to replace them? At every turn they go around the constitution and Congress does nothing. There has not been a budget the entire time O has been in office yet they still spend and raise the debt ceiling. There is no restraint in DC, and lest you think I am Mr. Republican, I am not. They continue to foist upon us left of center and push away conservatives. I know JFK could not get the democrat nomination and he might not even get the republican one if he were still around. That is how far left we have gone. We are heading for a huge cliff and only we the people can stop it, and it will not be by voting party line. Both parties are bankrupt and most of the media nothing more than propaganda for the left. Goebbels would be proud.

   I voted early last week. I used a paper ballot as those machines are a huge potential for fraud. I showed my ID and was happy to do so. Those that protest it only wish to commit fraud by allowing multiple voting, dead people voting or for non-citizens to vote. You need an ID for almost everything and it does NOT disenfranchise anyone. Then there is the threat of violence by groups like the racist Black Panthers, La Raza, and other leftist groups. Now we have the UN coming to “observe” when they have zero authority to do so. It is a scenario primed for massive fraud, so we need a huge voter turnout to overcome it. I voted by conscience as an independent. I am informed on the issues and where the candidates stand. There was no emotion in my vote. I was voting with my brain and not some other body part. Our obligation is to the constitution and nothing else politically. If they voted for the NDAA I said no. If they voted for Obamacare I said no. We are the last remaining nation that is not socialist, communist, a dictatorship, or an Islamic Republic. And that is what all of those groups hate so much and why they are working so hard to end us as a constitutional, independent, republic.  Say no to them and yes to freedom for the individual and the nation. It is the most important election in our history. God’s blessings and peace to each of you. Many died to give you the right to vote. Don’t let that blood have been shed for nothing.  

A special anniversary amid troubled times

Hello everyone,

      One year ago I was on my way to Atlanta for my third Celtic Woman DVD recording. My first had been in 2007 in Dublin for the Christmas show. The second was in 2010 at the Pwoerscourt Songs From The Heart recording. This time the ensemble graced us with a recording here in the states to thank the American fans for their support. The fans turned out in record numbers to thank them back and juice the audience. I have been witness to a great many changes in the group over the years. The events that led to the changes weren't always positive, but the changes themselves were. Staff changes on the tour eventually made the American tours much more pleasant. Artist changes have been dramatic, yet in spite of them the ensemble has not skipped a beat. All of that in spite of ever declining economies and financial challenges for their fans, myself included. It has certainly been a strain at times to attend so many shows, meetings, recordings, and the associated travel costs. Were it not for some truly wonderful friends I could not have done that the past couple of years.

       In 2007 Meav and Hayley bowed out. Lynn was brought in. That was followed in 2009 by the departure of Orlagh and the full time addition of Alex Sharpe. But in 2010 both Alex and then Lynn along with several band and choir members departed. In came Lisa Lambe along with new band and choir members. At every step the selections have been great. just a short few weeks ago Lisa Kelly announced her desire to commit to being a full time mom. Susan McFadden had been standing in and one would suspect she will stay full time. All of the artists who have departed eventually began doing their own artistic thing to the delight of their fans and audiences. I suspect Lisa Kelly will follow suit in her own time perhaps on Broadway where she would do very well. Hayley already had a fine career and still does. Meav and Orlagh teamed up for a Christmas DVD. Lynn and Alex have been mildly active in Europe, Alex having just done a Mediterranean cruise. Orlagh has been the most active until her recent pregnancy and now birth of her first child. Many of the former band and choir have gigs of their own too.

       All of them have inspired me over the years to write song lyrics, poems, and a novel. They have been bright lights in an ever darkening world. For me, as a degree holder in history, I see a great many truly horrific things on the horizon both internationally and domestically. This comes from elements of radical Islam as well as the political radical left. Individual freedoms, thoughts, and traditional values are under constant attack by a worldwide ruling elite that believes in a mass of poor and a small ruling class. America is boiling under the surface and threatens to erupt if such radical forces push too hard. November is the most important election in the history of our nation. It will determine if we adhere to the constitution or throw it all away and become a socialist nightmare. The current leader is a narcissist and megalomaniac similar to other dictators of the past. The debt is now 16 trillion and growing with an out of control spending and no budget passed since the current regime was elected. The Federal Reserve, along with the European Central Bank foolishly think printing more money will stimulate economies when it has the reverse effect of saddling nations with enormous burdens they cannot possibly pay off. Who benefits?  The elites making the policies. Iceland saw this and threw out and arrested bankers and government. So far they appear to be the only smart ones in the west. Asia is on the ascent while the west implodes and commits political, cultural, and economic suicide. Thought police and one sided media aid governments in dividing the people against each other shifting their anger from where it should be and that is upon government itself who has sold the people out in almost every way.

        So, amid the gathering clouds of darkness there are things we can hold on to and cherish. Things that cannot be taken away. Our God, each other, experiences, and memories. Christians around the world are under assault as nations appease Islamic radicals. The economies suffer and even here in the states we now have 53% of the people who are now classified as low income and eligible for government aid. I am among them but refuse. Those figures come from a rapidly shrinking middle class. Schools are abominable in their indoctrination of socialism and poor overall education. It is in the government's best interest to create nations of compliant sheep. At least that is what the elite in charge think. They are threatened by an educated and independent middle class. They are threatened by an armed citizenry which is why the aggressive UN policies on gun control that our government wishes so much to sign on to. The socialized medicine scam is a boondoggle that is wholly beyond our means to pay for and benefits only the insurance and drug companies. While it may be cheap out of pocket, quality and promptness of care will suffer greatly as it has everywhere this has been tried. It has created mass retirement of quality health care professionals and will do so here too.

       I began this blog on a positive note. I will end it that way too. Since 2007 I have been blessed with a great deal of inspiration. I have come to know many great artists. For me it has been always been a focus on the amazing artistic gifts and presence of Mairead Nesbitt, the Celtic Woman violinist. She is married now and seemingly happily so. My prayer for her is that life remains a blessed, fulfilling, and happy one. Without her life would have been much different and certainly not a better one for me. While I still can I will attend shows in which she performs. I have a few scheduled. What happens in this nation will dictate whether I can actually be there for those. Most of the artists I know are well on the other side of the political spectrum from me. As long as they do not insult half their audiences by taking political or social stands on stage they will retain a solid following. A large part of their audience would take great issue with support for our current regime or for socialism in this nation in general. It is best they remain smart and not get caught up in it and stick with what endears them to so many, their music. I encourage everyone to vote, and to do so from conscience and not party loyalty. Be informed. We may or may not have another chance to do this through the electoral process. Let's cherish that right and use it to full effect.

                                 All the best,       Scott