Gotta Recognize...

So I've been ungrateful to my Creator lately. The one who made me, who stitched me together, who holds me in His hand and guides me through this life so that one day I can be home with Him on high. Gotta recognize allllllll the blessings:

-how easily yahoo and MelbourneIT let me unlock my domain and transfer control to my webmaster Mark Stringfellow (this guy and his partner Ouida were angels sent by God to make my life better)
-he guided us to a championship at Todd Miller last weekend
-he gave us rain Tuesday and led me through the funnest rugby practice of my life
-gave me an amazing job I love
-gave me music!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-allows me to be physically active and good at athletics with properly working hands, legs, arms, feet (even though I have to tape each individual toe and ankle now...), eyes, ears, and INSTINCTS
-the best friends in the whole world who make real life better than TV
-an amazing family who has always supported me and let me do my thing
-Gator football!!
-Gator basketball!!!
-GATOR RUGBY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-the ability to telescope ideas and pen cool lines that sum it all up and match with a catchy melody
-all that sweet wisdom in the Good Book
-an incredibly loving church family at University City Church of Christ in Gainesville
-the 12 Steps
-those years I lived away from home up in North Carolina...pure gold
-Bob Dylan
-magazines by the toilet!! :)
-my Aunt Ann, the sweetest lady in the wide world. I was created to be her baby.
-my stellar seasons playing in the back row for the Raleigh Venom
-playing all 80 minutes of the national championship match down in Naples when we defeated defending-champions Detroit 8-6 (8-6!!!!!!!!!)
-that summer I worked watermelons
-my turntable and vinyl collection
-fishing with Daddy on Salt Creek
-the years I had with my weimaraner angel Kay Kay
-how he waited until precisely the exact moment when I truly gave up, broken and defeated, to give me everything I asked for and more

.........I'll be adding to this list for the rest of my life but this is good for now... :)



PSALM 46
1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
4There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
5God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
6The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
7The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
8Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.
9He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.
10Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
11The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Punk Song for Dmitriy

So last night after my show, Dmitriy and his girl and buds stuck around and helped me take my equipment to my car. We went over to Nate's place where I continued to play guitar (In Dreams from the UGH (self-titled) album came out, sigh!). We ordered pizza (Dmitriy thought he was getting Hungry Howie's but accidentally called Five Star instead, HAHA) I tried to throw money in but he said I could help myself if I'd write a song for him.

So here it is! I wrote it this morning during Sunday School! Hey, God knows I was paying attention to the lesson too! Let me tell you, this song ROCKS - I'm soooooooo playing it at Satchel's. :)



Dmitriy!
Dmitriy!
Dmitriy!
Dmitriy!

He's the coolest kid around
I'm so glad he stayed in town
He's gotta be my favorite clown.
He was there when it allllll went down.

Dmitiry!
Dmitiry!
Dmitriy!
Dmitriy!

He helped carry stuff to my car
He cheered for me like I'm a star
Three car bombs and then Five-Star!
Dmitriy is a Russian tsar!

Now he's got a foxy girl
Coolest chick in the frickin' world
They see fun and give it a whirl
Dmitriy and his foxy girl

Dmitriy!
Dmitriy!
Dmitriy!
Dmitriy!

He goes to jail
In underwear
He jumps off the roof
He doesn't care

He's about hooliganism
But he don't do no communism
This kid rocks neoclassicism
And now for the apocalypticism:

I LOVE THE SMELL OF NAPALM IN THE MORNING!!!!!!!!!

Dmitriy!
Dmitriy!
Dmitriy!
Dmitriy!
Dmitriy!
Dmitriy!
Dmitriy!
Dmitriy!!!


Lyrics and Music by Haylee Brooke Slaughter
c2008 Haylee Slaughter Music
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

JULY 5 2008 BROPHY'S SET LIST

Set One:
COME ON BABY
SPLIT MY TIME
FAITH (George Michael)
BLACKBIRD (Beatles)
SHADOWBOXER (Fiona Apple)
NATURAL WOMAN (Carol King/Aretha)
THE FIRST TIME
TRUE LOVE WILL FIND YOU IN THE END (Daniel Johnston)
GO (Daniel Johnston)
SCARLETT
STRONG ENOUGH (Sheryl Crow)
JUST LEAVE ME BE
was gonna play a new mandolin song, CHANGE MY NAME, but left the paper towel I wrote the lyrics on at home
HAIRSHIRT (REM)
IF YOU DON'T MIND
CAN'T EVER GET ENOUGH
HEY JUDE (Beatles)

Set Two:
OPTIMISM
OVER
HEMINGWAY
WHERE ARE YOU GOING (Dave Matthews Band)
L-O-V-E (Nat King Cole)
SLOW DANCING IN A BURNING ROOM (John Mayer - impromptu - sung to my rugby ball to express undying devotion)
COMFORTABLE (John Mayer)
SAVANNAH
HOW LONG
I HAVEN'T HAD SEX
COLORBLIND (Counting Crows)
THE LOWS

Here's where I think I diverted from the set set list: (I was being filmed!)

IF I AIN'T GOT YOU (Alicia Keys)
YOU'VE LOST THAT LOVIN' FEELIN' (Righteous Brothers)
THE FIRST TIME
MEN OF MY LIFE
OPTIMISM
something something something
I WALK THE LINE (Johnny Cash)

Thanks to everyone who came, you made it a great show. I've decided three-hour sets aren't long enough.

Set List!

So I'm crafting the set list for the first gig I've had since May of 2007. I'd forgotten how hard it is! Gotta balance enough covers (ugh) with originals, which originals to play, the proper order, playing certain songs of a certain tuning together, etc. Then it's about what you're going to say. It can be a diary that you're opening up for everyone there to hear you read word for word. If they're reading between the lines, anyway. I don't mind playing covers, but I don't really play ones everyone wants to hear because I like deep album cuts (Hairshirt from Green by REM, Breakaway by John Mayer, Planet Telex by Radiohead, Pale September by Fiona Apple - not that any of these are necessarily on the set list!) It's one thing when you're singing in a romantic restaurant filled with old people you're hoping will tip you so you sing what you think they want to hear (what I refer to as "whoring"). Industry rule number 4,081 (4,080 is record company people are shadyyyy!) - if you want to make it, you have to compromise your heart, soul, mind, strength, and (of course) body. Ugh. But I say screw it, I'm going to play what I feel like playing for my own reasons and if that's good enough for you bring $2 and prepare to have your mind covered in Napalm.

One thing that is FO SHO FACT - if you plan on singing to someone in particular, they aren't going to com. Like Nuke Laloosh said, "Sometimes you win; sometimes you lose; sometimes it rains." I mean I guess you could say "hey dude, I'm gonna serenade you Saturday night so I suggest you show up" but jeez boys scare easier than bunnies with a heart condition! So planning to sing songs thinking Mr. Inspiration will be in the audience and planning to use the force of that chemical reaction between you to propel the set is kind of pointless. I reckon it's like most everything else - better left to fate to decide. Good ol' fate.

That's another thing - the element of surprise. There's nothing greater than dedicating a song to someone who loves it and never saw it coming. I did that to Jess Elf a few years ago when I played 32 Flavors (but then of course Drunk Jodi went over and was all blablabla during the song she could barely enjoy it, but whatev. Drunk obnoxious show go-ers is another blog entirely). I can't tell anyone what I'm going to play! That would totally take away my powerful position up there! And boy is it powerful! Heh heh heh.

So once I finish the set list I'm gonna try to find some body guards, a la Kevin Costner. I was actually telling a couple guys (Gabe and Serge) after church this morning that I need a few big guys I can trust to keep my stalkers away from me that night. Gabe was all, "you have stalkers? that's awesome!" and I said "man I can't even tell you how NOT awesome it is". And they laughed. They've obviously never had a stalker! UGH! :(

But! Be there Saturday night! It's a surprise! With shiny wrapping paper and bows and it smells like home and true love and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on game day, all in one perfect little package.

Audrey said just the other day...

"Oh Haylee! Don't overthink it!"

Man she knows me! My dawg! Hey remember when we were at the John Mayer show and we stopped and peed in that dirt-road, forest-y driveway and the people came home and we were still mid-stream with our pants down?!?!?? ... and he played Not Myself and we had arms intwined in one of the greatest friendship moments of all time! You're my favorite artist, by the way. And my favorite herpetologist! :)

But yes, as I was saying, don't over think it, especially the future. Focus on now. Right now. That breath you just took, the light of the sun reflecting off those trees coming into your eyes, your muscles sore and ready for some rugby action!

They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. Jonah 2:8 (KJV)

And hey Audrey, remember when I was with you and Michelle (Cohen) in downtown Athens shopping a couple years ago and I came across that magnet that said,
“Be happy for this moment is your life” – Omar Khayyam
but I was too cheap to spend $5 on it and I've thought about it almost every day ever since? Oh the irony!

But yes, I must remember to Be Happy For This Moment (RIGHT STINKING NOW), This Moment Is My Life.


(so I'm going to get off the computer now and do something vintage)

I Am Truly An Artist:

I was just so focused I forgot to eat the dinner I'd just cooked!

Telescope

I think God made me a songwriter to give me a way to figure out what I'm feeling. It wasn't until recently that I accepted that I possess these feeling things and it's perfectly normal, even if I'm not. Funneling and filtering all these experiences, observations and imaginings down into something catchy and clever is the creative focus of each present moment I remember to truly live.

There's no way I could say it better than Bob Dylan did in his book, Chronicles, Volume 1:

"If anything, I wanted to understand things and then be free of them. Things were too big to see all at once, like all the books in the library - everything laying around on all the tables. I needed to learn how to telescope things, ideas. You might be able to put it all into one paragraph or into one verse of a song if you could get it right." ... "A song is like a dream, and you try to make it come true."

My college-years journals have lately been opened more and more in my quiet time and it's funny - all the lines I wrote back when I thought I had no clue what was going on were pretty accurate descriptions of that particular reality.

I look at what I'm writing today, which I'm now able to do from different perspectives or from outside myself entirely, and maybe I can draw the same conclusion -

There's my self-deprecating side:
This is such a metaphor/deja vu, seen it before/such ironic play on words/white and black come back for thirds/here I go but I digress/it's so silly but I must confess/it's my quest to impress someone else without sounding like I'm pleased myself.

My old guy sitting in a rocking chair outside the barber shop chewing bahaya grass with his hat tipped and arms crossed side:
Sow your oats before you come back home cause oats don't grow down here.

And I have my cynical, defeated side:
I don't care/but I could/I'm willing to see/if I would/but in all likelihood/he won't be anything to me.


?

Label Whore

Hi my name's Haylee, and I'm a Label Whore. ("Hi, Haylee")...

Was practicing (on my Martin D-18) guitar last night and decided to upgrade my yellow guitar-string-and-body Fender fleece wiper rag up to Gucci (the big one with the fabulous colorful bugs design I bought on sale, 40% off, at Saks last year for $97.50 in white - and just HAD to buy Audrey the one in black) Then thought, or maybe Pucci (a blue and yellow classic pattern bandana that Dennis bought me for my birthday). Went and got the Gucci.

This is coming from the same person who cut things off with a guy because his driveway went Porsche, Tahoe, Mercedes and he had too many fireplaces. That kind of materialism really turns me off. :)