Forgive Someone

                                                               Kelly Gissendaner

The State of Georgia executed a female prisoner yesterday.  Kelly Gissendaner was convicted of hatching a plot to murder her then husband.  Her boyfriend actually committed the murder, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.  She refused a plea deal at the time and was convicted and sentenced to death.

After seeing this on the news last night and reading about it today, I have an overwhelming sense of sadness.  Of course murder is wrong, but do we have the right to kill someone that has been convicted of murder?  Does that make us any better than the murderer?  When does the cycle end?

Apparently Kelly had become a model prisoner.  She earned a degree in theology.  She helped other inmates.  She repented and asked for forgiveness for her crime.  Did she genuinely feel remorse or was it just a ploy to live.  I have no way of judging that as I cannot read her mind.  I give her the benefit of the doubt and say yes she truly felt sorrow for what she did.  What did they accomplish by killing her?  Nothing.  If she would been allowed to live, she could have helped other inmates.  She may have made a difference in someones life that could have made the world a better place.  The neanderthals that are judges and executioners must feel satisfied with themselves for their vengeance.
But I seem to remember a little quote "Vengeance is mine saith the Lord".

The death penalty is an antiquated statute that should have been shelved many years ago.  It is a relic of a past time that a modern society should have no parts of.  I am not saying we should not punish criminals.  A convicted murderer should face the full force of the law.  That should be life in prison with no possible parole.  We should not be killing people who are convicted of crimes.  Can people in society have a little self reflection?  The holier than thou folks who have never done anything wrong or made a mistake.  Let he who has no sin cast the first stone.

I am incredibly sad for Kelly Gissendaner and her family.  My heart aches for her deceased husband and his family.  It is a horrible conundrum for all involved.  Again my question is:  What did we gain by killing this lady?  The stark answer is nothing.  Can we forgive someone?

                                                                   Forgive Someone

Such A Little Thing

Makes Such A Big Difference

“In their secrecy, Harri does not like Tracey’s knotted banana toes, and Tracey finds the manly central issue too slight to grip, and although such things ought not to count in the adult mind, somehow they do yet they don’t yet they do yet they don’t.”

                                         Such A Little Thing Makes Such A Big Difference

                                              It's Hard To Walk Tall When You're Small

This Is The End, Beautiful Friend

                                                                          The End

This is and has been a gloomy, disheartening week.  Two factors have contributed to my melancholy.
The end of summer and Morrissey announcing he is no longer going to tour in the UK because of a lack of a record deal.

The end of summer is always a distressing time.  The end of tennis season and the end of warm weather, both of which I love immensely.  What's next is the wicked witch of winter.  Which means nothing but cold and death.  Summer is truly my beautiful friend.  I eagerly welcome my my balmy companion every year and I mourn when my compatriot so hastily leaves me all alone and chilled.
The fact is, there is nothing I can do but accept the situation and move forward.  It doesn't mean I have to be happy about it.  I dread lacing up my skates for Ice Hockey.  A head full of dread.

                                                         The Summer's Out of Reach

My second source of anguish is the announcement Morrissey will no longer tour The UK.  He played 2 amazing shows at the Eventim Apollo and that was that.  He covered an Elvis Presley song called "You'll Be Gone", which Elvis actually wrote.  He also sang "Boxers", which hasn't been played live since 1995.  His tour will continue in Europe, then on to South America.  After those dates are over could that be it?  I certainly hope not!  He apparently has songs for several albums.  I want to hear those songs.  I don't begin to know what goes on in the music business.  Today's music industry is not the same as the past, it has changed forever with the digital age.  The bottom line in any business is to make money.  There has to be a place for Morrissey somewhere in music.  He does have another gig as a writer.  His "Autobiography" was a huge success.  His first novel "List Of The Lost" is coming out this week.  Could he retire from music and become a full time writer?  Possibly.  I just can't imagine Morrissey not on the stage, singing and performing his incredible music.  I believe Morrissey said the only place he feels truly alive is on stage.  This is so true, you can see it in his eyes, his mannerisms, how much he loves being on the stage.  I will continue to hope this is not the end.  I feel there is so much more left in the journey.  Only time will tell.

                                                                      You'll Be Gone

                                                                             Boxers

                                                                     Oboe Concerto

Are You Sure

Hank done it this way?

Its been a week now since Morrissey sang "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way" at his final U.S. Concert stop in Visalia CA.  I have waited a week in an attempt to digest the meaning.  I can't really figure out why Morrissey chose to sing this song.  Waylon Jennings wrote it and sang it as a protest and a move to change from the regular old ways of Nashville,  I know Morrissey feels he is an outsider to the current music scene, so I can definitely see that side of it.  It's just crazy because this song is actually one of my favorite songs.  I do not like Country music at all.  But I have always liked and respected Waylon because of his past with Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash and his outsider status.  Regardless of why he sang it, I think it is a marvelous version of the song.  Morrissey did Waylon proud.

Here is Waylon's version as a comparison to Morrissey.  One thing that sticks out to me is how good Waylon's steel guitar player is.  Another is Waylon's finger picking at the end is super duper.  I absolutely love both versions of the song.

Another amazing thing happened at Morrissey's Visalia concert.  He played "Oboe Concerto".  Oboe is absolutely my favorite song on "World Peace Is None of Your Business".  Oboe is one of my all time Morrissey faves and one of my all time favorite songs.  He played Oboe and Hank back to back.  Unbelievable!  Also, this was the first time he ever played Oboe live.  Geez, 2 of my all time faves back to back.  When I saw the set list, I thought I had died and gone to heaven.  So, thanks Morrissey for giving a nobody from nowhere a small piece of happiness.