Posted on October 7, 2012 by russtowne

A beautiful day indeed! Thank you, Appliedalliance, for the reminder.
Russ

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Enjoy your life today because yesterday had gone and tomorrow may never come

Alan Coren

A beautiful day begins with a beautiful mindset. When you wake up take a second to think about what a privilege it is to simply be alive.

The moment you start acting like life is a blessing, I assure you that it will start to feel like one. Time spent living is time worth appreciating.

Every day is my best day; this is my life; I am not going to have this moment again.

Bernie Siegel

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The Life I’ve Needed To Live

Posted on October 5, 2012 by russtowne

“There is no need to reach high for the stars. They are already within you. Just reach deep into yourself!” ~Unknown

I saw the above quote at http://tinybuddha.com/blog/the-message-your-higher-self-wants-you-to-hear/

That concept, combined with the others below have freed me to live the life I’ve always needed to live. I’m grateful to have discovered them in time to make a major positive difference in my life. My wish for you is that you too have already discovered and benefitted from them, but if not, I recommend that you consider incorporating them into your life. Ideally, you have or will have learned them at a much younger age than I so that you will hopefully have much longer than I to enjoy the delicious fruits of them:

Surrounding myself with supportive, kind, loving people by focusing on being supportive, kind, and loving.

Finding my own creative voice and sharing it.

Understanding that no matter how good or bad something is there will always be people who like it and those who don’t.

Knowing that if it’s from one’s heart it is beautiful.

Realizing that if I’m having fun I’ve already won.

Russ

Posted in Creativity, Following Your Passion, Gratitude, Growth/Learning, Joy & Happiness, Quotes I Love | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

More People Than You Can Imagine

Posted on October 2, 2012 by russtowne

“Think you can’t change the world? Too late, you already have. It was changed the moment you were born. There are more people than you can imagine who will never be the same because they came into contact with you, if only for a fleeting moment.”
–Gail Purcell Elliott

I believe in the truth and wisdom of this saying, and know how much each of you have made a positive difference in my life.

Russ

Posted in Making the World a Better Place, Quotes I Love | Tagged , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

A Beautiful Tapestry

Posted on October 2, 2012 by russtowne

“An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break. May you be open to each thread that comes into your life ~ the golden ones and the course ones ~ and may you weave them into a brilliant and beautiful life.”
Old Chinese Proverb

What a beautiful tapestry my life has become from the many threads in it, including the ones that brought each of you into my life.

russ

Posted in Beauty, Friendship, Quotes I Love | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Power to Wither or Heal

Posted on October 2, 2012 by russtowne

“We seldom know the influence of the words we speak, for we cannot see into the hearts of those who hear them. But language has power to wither or heal; and, if we are to avoid victimizing others, the manner in which we address them must be guided by our respect for their humanity…

“If each of us would only try to be aware of the influence of what we say, I believe all of us might find our paths more brightly-lit.”

–Robert Sexton

—

“Kindness requires so little. It is composed of a gentleness, tolerance, and a respect for the dignity of others. It costs nothing. But when a person chooses to exercise it, they reveal their own belief in the value of life itself. And when they rest their heads at night, the rewards of having lived another day must be evident in the peace that comes to them.
–Robert Sexton

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Posted on September 30, 2012 by russtowne

I loved this post from Jolyn. It is fun and has an important message.
Russ

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Whitney Krop’s Big Night

Posted on September 30, 2012 by russtowne

As most of you know, I love a happy ending. Awhile back I posted about a high school girl who had been voted onto her high school’s homecoming court but found out it had all been a big prank and bullying tactic. She got the last laugh when the town–and even the people from the opposing crowd rallied around and supported her. Below are some snippets of an article which is linked or attached about nher big night at the Homecoming Game.

Russ

Orange T-shirts — Kropp’s favorite color — have been sold with the slogan “It’s not cool to be cruel.”

“It’s just so much right now for me,” Kropp said Friday night. “I had thoughts about not coming but I actually changed my mind and came out. I just thought maybe I won’t have fun. But I’m having a lot of fun right now.”

Her gown, jewelry, shoes, hair styling and makeup were donated.

“The kids that are bullying, do not let them bring you down,” Kropp told reporters. “Stand up for what you believe in, and go with your heart and go with your gut. That’s what I did, and look at me now. I’m just as happy as can be.”

Many in the stands, even students from visiting Cadillac, wore orange, as did Kropp.

http://news.yahoo.com/community-lauds-victim-apparent-school-prank-153458422.html

Posted in Bullying, Compassion, Courage, Stories That Touched Me, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

“Katie Sue”

Posted on September 30, 2012 by russtowne

Some long-time readers of this blog may recall reading an earlier post about a song called “Katie Sue”. It started out to be a song about a man’s first love that the listeners learned late in the song was actually about my first car. It then morphed into a love song about a truck to better appeal to the country market.

Then when my co-writer’s wife and my Beloved both said that women didn’t want to hear a love song turn into a song about a truck (I believe the term “you lug nuts!” was used).

By then we had run out of time to prep the song for last year’s songwriters conference, so we made a quick and small change that no one was pleased with by changing the key line in the bridge from something like, “You were my very frst great ol’ pickup truck” to “I loved you even more than my great ol’ pickup truck” (I know, I’m a lug nut!)

Anyway, since then “Katie Sue” has been in a song coma for about a year, but I decided today to see if I could fix the fatal flaw and tonight re-wrote the last three lines of the bridge. I think they improved the song a lot, and emailed my co-writer Bryan Cumming–he was also the vocalist and producer of the song–and mentioned that I plan to list some songs on one or more songwriting sales sites. I sent the revised lyric of “Katie Sue” to him and am waiting to hear back from him. Hopefully he’ll be willing and able to just sing the revised three lines and lay them over the earlier three lines.

By the way, if you’d like to hear the version of the song that the music industry execs heard last year, please request it in a comment below and I’ll send an email to you with it attached.

Russ

“Katie Sue”
By Russ Towne & Bryan Cumming © 2011

Your beauty stopped me in my tracks
Like a young buck in your lights
You had more curves than a river road
And I was breathless at your sight.

Chorus:
Katie Sue my magic carpet ride
The first I ever flew
You took me to places that I’d never been
And I couldn’t help but fall for you!

We pierced the night and chased the stars
The moonlight lit our way
I howled with joy and the wind joined in
As you carried me a-way.

(Repeat Chorus):

Bridge:
Many years have come and gone
And I still feel your tender touch
Every time I close my eyes
Girl I loved you oh so much!

(Repeat Chorus)

Fall for you!

Posted in Love, Song Lyrics I've Written or Co-Written, Song Updates, Songs I've Written or Co-Written, Songwriting Adventure | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Songwriting Adventure Updates

Posted on September 29, 2012 by russtowne

Three song updates:

The Hollywood executive who is pitching “No More Secrets/No More Lies” to the new TV show “Nashville” may also be pitching it as background for a bar scene in a Fox TV show.

I plan to put several songs on song-selling sites by the end of the month.

I shared my first draft of “My Old Friend” in an earlier post and said I planned to give updates to you as it progressed. It is the first of several projects on which I’m working that are focused on evoking a simpler, calmer, kinder, and perhaps happier way of life. Below is the third draft of the same song. It has been shortened by 8 lines (a whole verse) and many of the remaining lines have been changed. I plan to discuss the changes with my co-writer Kevin Harris on Monday, and hopefully he’ll begin to create the music for it.

“My Old Friend”
(C) 2012 Russ Towne, Kevin Harris

You picked me the moment we met
And you knew right from the start
We were supposed to be together
You ran straight into my arms and deep into my heart.
I couldn’t ask for a more loyal companion
You’d risk your life to save mine.
When I was sick in bed for a week
You stayed right by my side the whole time.

Chorus
My Old Friend, My Old Friend
Life with you is so much better, My Old Friend
It’s always an adventure that I wish would never end,
I’m glad we have each other, My Old Friend!

You once ruined our brand new carpet
When you ate my whole birthday cake.
My wife forgave us because you’re cute
Though getting sick is no excuse for the mess you made!
But I’m aware that I’m far from perfect too
I can be cranky for days
When I growl ‘n bark and snap at you
You still always love me anyways.

My Old Friend, My Old Friend
Life with you is so much better, My Old Friend
It’s always an adventure that I wish would never end,
I’m glad we have each other, My Old Friend!

Bridge:
Your face is growing whiter and your pace is off a step
Let’s make the most of whatever time we have left.

My Old Friend, My Old Friend
Life with you is so much better, My Old Friend
It’s always an adventure that I wish would never end,
I’m glad we have each other, My Old Friend!

I’m glad that we’re together, My Old Friend!

Posted in Dogs & Other Wonderful Creatures, Friendship, Song Lyrics I've Written or Co-Written, Songs I've Written or Co-Written, Songwriting Adventure | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Posted on September 29, 2012 by russtowne

There is much wisdom in this short post.
Russ

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“A simple life is not seeing how little we can get by with—that’s poverty—but how efficiently we can put first things first. . . . When you’re clear about your purpose and your priorities, you can painlessly discard whatever does not support these, whether it’s clutter in your cabinets or commitments on your calendar.” 
Victoria Mora

Good priorities are a powerful thing. Priorities have the power to shape our whole life, and good priorities will shape our days and weeks and years into the kind of life we truly want. Even if we don’t think that we have priorities, we do, so ensure they are good ones.

Good priorities, priorities that are really right for us change the way we approach every aspect of our life

Those who have their priorities in the right order are hard workers, but their jobs do not rule their lives and neither does their

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