New Mexico, Steve McNair, Top 30, Laws, St. Louis
So we’re on the way to Albuquerque and of course there’s a few crying babies on the flight, which has stops in both Birmingham and Dallas along the way. .... With EJ to my left and Ward across the aisle to my right, I feel a little calmer flying today. I’m also listening the Ray LaMontagne’s latest record (thanks to Tom Lord), which I’m sure is easing the nerves a bit as well. .... So in the past week I’ve taken up a new hobby. I’ve never been much of a golfer. I bought clubs when I signed my first record deal, and played a lot that first year, but I was mainly the one to two times a year golfer until recently. After getting married, I knew I needed to find something to help me get out of the house. When you marry your best friend, it’s hard to take part in many activities either alone or with other friends, so I had begun pondering taking up the game again for a few weeks. This past weekend I played over 30 holes in Catherine’s hometown of Collierville, TN. I played again yesterday in Nashville with some friends from the label, and I think I’m most likely hooked. I’ll be playing the Sandia Resort and Casino tomorrow in Albuquerque, and I hope to play somewhere in Nashville this weekend when I return home. .... So Nashville is in mourning this week. I was in Memphis Saturday when I caught word of the terrible tragedy involving Steve McNair. I can’t fathom what his family must be feeling. Death is hard enough when it’s expected, and yet the circumstances surrounding McNair have to make it even more impossible. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, as I’ve grown older, it’s that there is no one perfect enough to judge, with the exception of God of course. I’m not here to condone McNair’s dating outside his marriage, but I will say there is no sin whatsoever horrific enough for another human to take a life. He deserved the chance to repent, and ask for forgiveness in the ways we all have and will continue to do so. You can’t hide the impact Steve McNair had on our community. No one act makes a man a great one, and no sin makes a man a bad one. There were far more amazing things McNair did that should eventually outshine the obvious mistake that unfortunately lead to his death. The more we chastise his memory with questions of “how could he be a role model”, the more we run from the real lessons to be learned. The reality of this horrifically sad story is that we are all humans, and no sin is more tolerable in the eyes of the Lord. My prayers go out to his wife, children, family and friends. I have friends and family who all have their share of demons, and there was a time when I lost sight of the path the good Lord laid out for me 30 years ago, but if we all were subject to the wrath of another human being, we would all have surely been murdered multiple times over throughout this journey that is life. .... Blake Shelton is the greatest Twitter-er of all-time. He can get a bit vulgar at times, but it’s usually pretty hilarious. .... If I could do two things in this world! #1 dunk a basketball, and #2 is sleep on a plane! .... I bet we’re flying over Mississippi right now! I like Mississippi a lot, mainly because my wife went to school there, and like I often say, it makes my “quality of life” much better to support the wife’s alma mater! Go Rebels! .... It’s getting a bit bumpy now, which is causing my calm demeanor to lessen by the millisecond! .... Ward is watching the movie about the Dixie Chicks called “Shut Up and Sing”. I really miss the Dixie Chicks, and I feel sad for the two sisters in the group! We lead singers tend to talk a little too much! .... So I’ve been married a month now, and I must say it’s the best feeling in the world. I got real lucky, and I hope all of you out there find what I finally found after so many years of misses. .... We’re almost a month away from the record being released, and now that we’re in the Top 30 at radio, I can’t say how excited I am. I have made many hopeful long lasting friendships with radio stations all over the country. It is so detrimental to have those relationships, otherwise so many of you wouldn’t have the slightest idea who I am! .... I love music, and I love sports, and I hope that doesn’t make me boring. I’ve never been a guy who wants to tour art museums, travel abroad, or see the Grand Canyon. I want to watch Glen Campbell play Dodger Stadium, seeing as I’ve never seen either, I could kill two birds with that ever-popular one stone. .... I’m slowly growing addictive to coffee… .... I’m ready to start writing again! .... If Britney Spears can return, surely the Dixie Chicks can make a comeback. .... So the video for “Red Light” should be out shortly! Just saw a rough version this morning before boarding the plane, and I think it’ll be really cool, and far edgier and real than “I’m About To Come Alive”! .... I used to really have a crush on that dark haired Dixie Chick! .... I’m really into this old song from Boz Skaggs from the Urban Cowboy movie! .... I enjoy working out only when my entire day can revolve around it. .... Jason Whitlock from the Kansas City-Star is an absolute idiot! I’ve never heard a bigger shock-jock in my life. If I were an African-American, I would denounce him from my race. He’s simply a bitter ex-college player who quite simply wasn’t good enough to be among those he critics on a daily basis. His article on Steve McNair was not only insensitive, but also plain ridiculous, and offensive to any male OR female! His grammar use was a poor attempt at referencing a lingo he knows nothing about, and I would venture to say the majority of his readers had zero clues to what point the article hoped to make. Amos Lee is as smooth as Reelfoot Lake at 5am in April, just before the hardcore crappie fishermen start scurrying across the water! .... I may never have children as long as my weeks are spent flying with them. .... If you want to prevent teenage pregnancy, make it mandatory for all teens to make a cross-country flight with 5 or 6 babies on the plane. They may never crave a single kiss again!!! .... Ward is REALLY something! EJ is simply indescribable! If there were ever two people you didn’t want to be on a three-day trip with, EJ and Ward would be near the top. .... Okay, getting yelled at to turn power off, check in later!!! .... So we’re back up above the clouds on our way to New Mexico! .... How about a little Patty Griffin anyone? .... I’m about to watch the rough video real quick, be back soon! .... K, that’s just weird watching me on film! Plain weird!!! .... I think Chuck Taylor’s should be a staple in everyone’s closet, both male and female. .... I think I’d like to live somewhere a little cooler in the summer. .... I think it can’t be comfortable the way Ward has his legs crossed. .... I think EJ laughing at Slap Shot on his IPOD is funnier than the movie itself. .... I think I’d love to go to the homerun derby on Monday night! .... I think the fact that Men’s Health magazine gave St. Louis a D- as a sports town is absurd. .... I wonder how many math classes you must pass to be a pilot? .... I think the seats should be an inch wider on both sides; two inches would help so much! .... I think “don’t form a line in the front of the airplane” includes not lining up on the third row as well. .... I think I’m going to watch Ward’s movie! Peace out! Red Lighters!!!! .... .... I’ve possibly never been less excited to go to St. Louis in my life. Okay, I’m slightly kidding. I always love being back in my home state, even when my Cardinals are on the road. We’re going to be shooting some stuff for MLB.com, which should be really cool. I check out their website weekly. I may have the chance to go to the Futures Game Sunday before returning home. I’m pretty sure Pedro Alvarez from Vandy is playing in the game, which would be great to see. .... Nelly Furtado is both a beautiful singer and lady. .... So we had a great show in Albuquerque last night at the County Line. The crowd was really into it, and I’d like to thank KRST for playing Red Light enough that people really knew the words and sang along. We had a great time visiting with the locals, and the folks at County Line treated us amazing. If you get a chance to eat there, it’s certainly worth the time. The BBQ is quite special… .... Speaking of BBQ, is there anything better in the world? I could eat it everyday, and did so last week. I had mustard based in Columbia, SC, vinegar in Lexington, SC, tomato based in Alcoa, TN and Memphis, TN. .... Speaking of Alcoa, I had the chance to hang with Micah and Ashley Marsh in Alcoa. They are arguably the most famous couple from Arkansas State University. Micah and I had a three-point shootout that he dominated me in quite humorously. Ashley was the first person to ever interview me when she was still in radio in Jonesboro, AR. .... Kings of Leon, I think so! .... I have to quit eating ice; my teeth are going all break apart someday… .... Are you bored yet, well I am too, so that’s why I’m going to continue rambling? .... I hope it’s not crazy hot today in St. Louis! .... I hope Red Light goes Top 20 in the next few weeks… .... I am beyond excited for my record to be out in stores next month. .... I’m still very interested in how this big huge metal thing climbs 35,000 feet in the air. .... I’m flying to St. Louis alone today, and I actually miss the guys. .... I’m quite sure Catherine wishes I were home today. .... I’m quite possibly the most easily biased person in the world. If you are my friend, I will champion you to the highest degree, even when you necessarily don’t call for it. .... I’m still very bothered by Steve McNair’s death. I met him a few times. Never conversed beyond something short and simple, but I felt like I knew him. I feel like we had a lot in common for some reason. He always seemed very real, and never rehearsed, and I think that’s simply the only way to be. .... I don’t have the ability to be fake, and sometimes that rubs people a little iffy, but I just don’t know how to act that well, so what you see is what you get. I love what I do, and doing what I do allows me to see so many wonderful people and places. .... I just ordered coffee again. Oh my!!! .... I love the Kings of Leon. This CD should win a Grammy! .... Okay, I’m starting to get excited, and I haven’t even had my coffee yet. I love Missouri, and I’m so proud to have grown up there. I love so many places in this fine country, but Missouri is home, and it’s where I they will spread my ashes! .... How about a list? .... My number one thing these days is Whole Foods! Catherine and I enjoy shopping there more than anything we do together. .... My number two these days in Ben Sherman vests! It’s kind of becoming my thing I guess! .... My number three these days is the boldest/darkest/blackest coffee I can find. If I have food in my stomach, I could drink it all day… .... My number four these days is actually a fictitious law I’m considering, which would be no children under the age of 5 on airplanes! Ha! You got to admit, that was funny!!! .... I bet we’re flying over Missouri right now, and that has me bubbling with excitement! This blog is done guys, I don’t want to ever randomly random for the sake of being random! Good afternoon, and goodbye to all you Red Lighters!!! .... .... .... .... ....
Comments
I love all of these one-liners!! Keep the blogging up! lol
Hi David, Bought your CD a week ago. In a word: Amazing. Phenominal effort! I love each and every song on the CD. "Red Light", while it certainly gets the most airplay and is an excellent song, isn't my favorite. It's "Mississippi". I've always loved blues, and that song is just blusey-enough to grab me. Your comments about flying on a regular basis were pretty stinkin' hilarious. However, having been a soldier most of my life, I might be able to offer a unique perspective on flying that might make you appreciate the crying babies and other inconvienences: I flew military airlift command a lot. I spent 16 hours on a C5A flying from Germany to Central America. The C5 is just a big, flying container. It's noisy. There's almost no soundproofing. You enter the tail section and climb up a *very* skinny ladder to the upper section of the plane. It's a very tall ladder. Grey painted steel and aluminum surround you. Heat? What's heat? I've heard a rumor that something called 'heat' exists, but not on this plane... You're given a seat that faces the wrong way (towards the back end of the plane) that has very little padding and doesn't lean back. If you're a savvy military passenger, and VERY lucky, you grab the seat closest to the pilot's cabin- THEY got heat- and it leaks out from under the door, which gives you a *small* comfort. Food? Try either packing your own or settling for the brown bags the flight crew comes by and tosses at you ONCE during the 16 hour fight. I opened the bag. Since I couldn't identify what, exactly, was in the bag, I took a pass. You're given a blanket at some point, and your greatfulness turns to anger as you realize the blankets are *just* warm enough to keep frostbite at bay, not thick enough to actually provide enough insulation for you to sleep. At altitude, you can literally see your breath plume out in front of you. You dig in your bags for your arctic gear, being glad that you were smart enough to pack something warm. Windows? Good luck seeing through them. Or should I say "The" window... I don't remember there being many more than one. It provides just enough light to let you see your surroundings: Grey... grey seats, grey floor, grey ribs of the plane above your head, grey rivets holding the plane together to your left and right... I imagine if I were in the engine room of a flying battleship, this would be a close match. Movies? You're.... kidding, right? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Phone? Guess again. Finally, after an eternity, the plane descends. Your relief turns to a small fear in the pit of your stomach as your realize that the plane is dropping- FAST. No worries, it's just the pilots having fun. You look out the window and see a world of green... Thank GOD! GREEN! People, plants, animals, WARMTH! The C5 touches down: a thunderous FOOM! echoes through the plane and it shudders and groans like the wooden ship of the Ancient Mariner... "not to worry", says the grey-haired Master Sergeat to your left, "this happens all the time". The plane comes to a stop, eventually, at the terminal. The tail opens and, astonishingly, a RAIN CLOUD forms INSIDE the aircraft! It's so cold inside the plane, and so warm and humid outside, the two air masses collide and it starts raining in the plane! No WAY! You make your way through the mini-clouds towards the hole in the steel deck- remember the ladder? That's your way out. Down the ladder you go on numb legs. The outside humidity hits you like a sledgehammer... you went from 20-something and no humidity to 99 degrees and 100% humidity in 6 steps.... The polish on your shoes begins to melt as you cross the tarmac to the terminal... What did I get myself into? Welcome to Central America. Next time you fly anywhere, think of the hundreds of thousands of us soldiers, old and young, who fly in these things every day... we would gladly trade flying in these grey garbage cans for a nice comfy seat, a movie, hot food, internet and the ability to hear what the person next to you is saying... :) Looking forward to your next release! Oh, and congratulations on your marriage... I got married at 28. I'm 42 now, and it only gets better.
Also, thanks for the Dixie Chicks shout out-what a fantastic band they were. Go Cardinals-hopefully next year will be our season! ~Natalie
America is my country but Missouri is my home! Thanks for being proud of our state David!