I was about to park at the venue tonight only to first see a sign outside the theater right across the street that informed me The Civil Wars were playing a sold out show there tonight as well.

I had no idea. I would’ve loved to see The Civil Wars. I’m a big fan. A huge fan.

But alas, it was too late. With my mouth agape I accepted my fate and continued on to previously scheduled non-Civil Wars show.

The opener had already started by the time I walked in. I don’t know who the band was but I was too distracted by the beautiful songs and magical harmonies that I was missing across the street that I couldn’t really enjoy their set.

I finally sucked it up when Tedeschi Trucks came out. And wow! They certainly made me forget my worries for the entire set! Great songs, great musicianship. I think the word that summed it all up best for me was “compelling.” They’re an incredibly compelling band.

Derek Trucks can play. Man, can he PLAY! He had this raw but polished, singing yet aggressive guitar tone. It was gorgeous. And he’s just a beast with that slide, too!

And Susan Tedeschi – what a voice! Talk about a compelling voice. The band would have these long moments of jamming and it’d be great and all but Susan would come back in with the vocals and just take everything to a whole new level. Killer.

And let’s not kid ourselves, that band can play. Each member of the 11 piece band is throwing down some serious goodness. They’re quite the impressive group, I must say.

So yeah.

No Civil Wars for me. But Tedeschi Trucks Band certainly proved inspirational tonight. I’d definitely wanna see them again. Really, I’m so motivated by Derek Trucks’ playing that I wanna dump all my pedals and learn how to carry a song with just some guitar chops. But I’m not that daring yet

Here’s a blurry picture of the band.

When the leadership of HYPF proposed the organization’s involvement in hosting a human trafficking awareness event, I was at first hesitant only because I hoped this wouldn’t be an outreach motivated by what was popular at the time. It’s not that helping out a cause because it’s a popular move is reason enough to not help at all. I didn’t want any positive effect of the event to simply end when the actual event ended. However, after much prayer and discussion, it was decided that this was the right direction for HYPF’s involvement.

The specifics of the awareness event evolved significantly over the course of a couple of months. What started as a plan to show the Sex and Money film turned into a night that involved a human trafficking presentation by Redeemed Ministries, a group here in Houston set on meeting the needs of human trafficking victims in the area.

We also planned to have a segment of the evening dedicated to hearing from a woman we met named Cat French whose work with a group called Exodus Cry also aims to end modern day slavery. She would share her involvement with the sex trafficking industry in the Houston area. However, since she was unavailable to be at the event, we decided to film her talking about her experiences as well as capture a taste of her “Van Tours,” a tour she offers showcasing existing brothels and institutions of commodified sex in the Houston area.

The first time I rode out on a tour with Cat I was deeply troubled to see how prevalent a problem this is in this city. It’s heartbreaking, in a very real way. I feel privileged to have been a part of helping bring Cat’s message to new audiences because this is a cause that needs all the support it can get. Some may argue it’s trendy to do human trafficking awareness events these days. Even still, this problem is real and it’s serious and it’s not too late to be involved in some form to see it come to an end.

Colbert’s great.

Brian Eno is killer.

And I love Michael Stipe.

(I’d have included the video here but it’s not uploaded yet. Sorry.)

The end.

If there’s one thing my father said when he was younger
To a kid with a mullet that looked like his son
To want and to try is the difference why
Some people will walk and some run

-Butch Walker, “Song for the Metalheads”

I’ve been a big, albeit late, fan of Butch’s work. I think his name pops up more often these days alongside the “producer” or “songwriter” title for a ton of other artists, but I became a fan of his solo album, Sycamore Meadows, a record that’s quite late in his storied, experienced career. I’ve loved his following two albums with The Black Widows and, thanks to Spotify, I’m getting better acquainted with all of his past work.

The book is Butch sharing the stories of his life and career, from his early days in a metal band trying to make it (and actually making it), then falling from rock graces only to climb back up to success again and again despite all sorts of adversities along the way.

He comes across as a kind-hearted person, an incredibly tenacious artist with some pretty legendary mettle, and, as the title would suggest, someone you could easily share a drink with. Do go check out his music if you’re not familiar with it already. Or if you check out his Wikipedia page you can see some of the records he’s had his hand in, just to list a few. For instance, he produced the song “Candy,” one of my favorites from the latest Gavin DeGraw album. This guy’s just all over the place.

This time of year, signified specifically by Halloween for me, always indicated the official arrival of Fall. Maybe it has to do with it not being convincingly autumnal here in Houston until this late in the year. But when the pumpkins start showing up in grocery stores and when crappy costumes make their way onto the shelves, I know cooler weather and longer evenings are finally here to stay (fingers crossed this year) – a very welcome change after our scorching summers.

I have fond memories of Ms. Chandler’s fourth grade class around this time of year. I remember the Halloween decorations and festivities but that wasn’t what got me particularly excited. I loved the need to wear a jacket to school every morning. On those certain days, I loved seeing the dark, gloomy sky from within the hearth that was our bustling elementary classroom, the moodiness of nature that I (maybe wrongly?) still associate with this time of year.

Yes, I love it all. So, I hope you enjoyed yourselves a nice Halloween. No trick-or-treaters came by here which was convenient since we had no candy that wasn’t already expired.

Avoid the gatherings of men as much as you can. The discussing of worldly affairs, even though engaged in with good intentions, is nevertheless a hindrance, for we quickly become tainted and charmed by trivia. I have often wished that I had remained silent and had not been in the company of men.

Why are we so fond of speaking and conversing with one another, though we rarely return to our silence without some injury to our consciences? The reason why we enjoy talking is because we seek solace in chatting with one another and desire to lighten our distracted hearts. Furthermore, we enjoy talking and thinking about the things we most want and desire, or those which we especially dislike.

2. But alas! It is often vain and to no purpose, for the consolation gained by talking greatly diminishes the internal consolation granted us by God. Therefore, we must watch and pray lest we spend our time in fruitless idleness.

If it is permitted and advisable to speak, then speak of those things that nourish the spiritual life. Negligence about our spiritual progress and yielding to bad habits are the reasons for our keeping so little control over our tongues. Godly conversation about spiritual matters very much helps spiritual advancement, especially when persons of like mind and heart are united in God.

-The Imitation of Christ, Book I, Chapter 10

It is a very excellent thing to be under obedience, that is, to live under a superior and not to be one’s own master. There is greater security in living a life of submission than there is in exercising authority. Many live under obedience, more out of necessity than out of love of God, and they murmur and complain in their discontent. These will never achieve spiritual freedom until, for the love of God, they submit themselves with all their heart.

No matter where you go, here or there, you will find no rest except in humbly subjecting yourself to the authority of a superior. Many have dreamed that it would be better for them to be in another monastery, but they have found they were deluded.

It is indeed true that everyone likes to have his own way and is partial to those who think the same as he does. But if God dwells among us then we must sometimes relinquish our own opinion for the sake of peace. Who is so wise as to be able to know all things? Therefore, rely not too heavily on your own opinion, but listen to the ideas of others as well. Your opinion may be a good one, but if, for God’s sake, you set it aside and follow that of another, you will profit the more.

3. I have often heard it said that it is safer to listen and to take advice than to offer it. It may well happen that each one’s opinion is good, but to refuse to go along with another’s opinion, when reason or a just cause demand it, is a sign of perverse pride.

-The Imitation of Christ, Book I, Chapter 9