A Country Beginning!

My Dad is from the mid-west. A small town in North Western Nebraska called Crawford. The town has a grocery store, pharmacy, hardware store, a few churches and a bunch of bars. The most popular music out there is country and those folks love themselves a good country song. Thus I grew up listening to some of the best country singers of all time.

When we would get ready to head out to Crawford for visits there was not one time when the cassette of A Horse Called Music by Willie Nelson wasn't playing. When my Dad and I would go to the Nanuet Mall, Dunkin Doughnuts, The Wooden Indian, etc in the Miata we would listen to cassette tapes both new and old. Some favorites were Mary Chapin Carpenter, Kathy Mattea, Reba McEntire, John Denver, Roger Whittaker and Johnny Cash. Of course my favorites were John Denver's cassette Greatest Hits vol 1 and Kathy Mattea's Untasted Honey.

Of course whenever I think back to my childhood music this music is what i think to. Even though my tastes are different listening to Britney, Barbra, Cher and Josh Groban, i still cannot get over these artists and come back to them if i ever need to feel at home or just to enjoy the passing hours of a summer or winter day.

Today Aug 13 2011 I am in one of those Kathy Mattea moods. I just finished my first ever listening (all the way through) of her recent concept album Coal. The album deals with the telling of a story from the beginning of working at a Coal mine and ends with the acoustic and appropriate "Black Lung." The final song tells the story of that miner gasping for one last breath!

What all of these artists (along with another fav from my childhood Harry Chapin) tell stories in their songs. I don't know what it was about the music back in the day but I enjoy listening to a good story song with a beginning middle and end. Now I am on to Untasted Honey by Kathy Mattea and I am simply obsessed with this album i think it is just amazing. But it also reminds me of car rides with my dad when i was younger.

New York

When I was a little boy before I went to bed on Friday and Saturday nights, or during the summer if I had a nightmare or got a tummy ache, I would curl up in my parents bed with my dad and watch old TV programs on Nick @ Nite. At this time they showed episodes of Gilligans Island, Bewitched and my least favorite show Dragnet. One night, I had to have been no older then 4, We watched an episode of Dragnet. In the episode it there was an intense car crash, shown only in photos, from LA! I rationalized a fear of New York City that night. For years, until ironically October 2001, I hated going into the city. I was plagued with a fear that I would be mugged, murdered, beaten or even killed in a car accident. I vividly remember one instance probably in 97 or 98 when we went in to visit family friends from London. They were staying at a beautiful hotel right in the shadow of the World Trade Center and we decided to go to the South Street Seaport to have a meal and walk around. The Beautiful hotel with its financial district surroundings gave me a different view of New York and I became aware of the cities beauty.

Upon arrival to the SSS we ate a meal and then my dad and I went to the bathroom. The bathroom looked as though it had last been cleaned and renovated in the 20's and my fear gained more momentum. I couldn't speak my feelings because I was paralyzed with fear with every stranger coming into the restroom.

Fast Forward: I look at this experience and my views of NYC and think about what I think now. I am moving to the city that instilled the worst fear ever in me. I have lived in two cities (Chicago and LA) prior and living in Nyack the city is only a few miles away, or an hour by BUS! I am completely and utterly in love with NYC. The hustle and bustle, the culture, the people and the sidewalk hot dog vendors. Through friends I have discovered cool coffee shops, neighborhood bars, restaurants. I have learned for myself that TKTS, Broadway, MOMA, the Met and Central Park are only a subway ride away. The fear once had for the city that doesn't sleep has been replaced with an undying love for New York, NEW YORK!

Please and Thank You!

My Years Biggest Story

For my first entry I would like to explain a little about my URL name. The "God Father" Cometh... My year has been a whirl wind of different emotions and the moving from the West Coast back to my native East Coast. I wish not to bore you with tons of details about my grand move but understand that there are PLENTY of differences from East Coast and West Coast living!!!!

At the beginning of the year I was blessed to be informed, that out of many people in the world, I would be honored with the title of God Father. I am an only child and on my Dad's side there are only two boys myself and my cousin Travis. I honestly started to think that I might never have children or even a God Child. But I was blessed by being asked. I readily accepted this new responsibility and told everyone about my new God Child (unborn at the time). I created elaborate schemes in my mind like I would be mad cap Auntie Mame taking the little one around New York City and expose him/her to culture, FAO Schwartz and the New York Way! People who know me know that I do not do things without putting my all into it.

Fast forward to May 26th and I receive the first picture of my God Daughter, all plans briefly left and the love I never knew I would feel took over. I instantly was on the phone with family members and friends announcing the birth of the cutest baby known to MANKIND! I was no longer Fred the Little (more on that to come, just laugh cause its an inside joke thus you are on the inside) but I was one step closer to "adulthood."

Now how does this relate to this blog? Well my friends this is the first Random Thought!

Thank You and Goodnight!