Monthly Archives: October 2024

Just a reminder for you.

Musings

Everybody sells out eventually. A song from 6 years ago (2018). When we moved out of London after living there since I was born. An old song remastered. I don’t remember too much about recording it to be honest.


Its that time of year again. A time for remembering… Or perhaps just not forgetting.

Halloween, or Hallowe’en (less commonly known as All Halloween, All Hallows’ Eve, or All Saints’ Eve), is a celebration observed in many countries on October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day. It is at the beginning of the observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed. In popular culture, the day has become a celebration of horror, being associated with the macabre and supernatural.

One theory holds that many Halloween traditions were influenced by Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain, which are believed to have pagan roots. Some go further and suggest that Samhain may have been Christianized as All Hallow’s Day, along with its eve, by the early Church. Other academics believe Halloween began solely as a Christian holiday, being the vigil of All Hallow’s Day. Celebrated in Ireland and Scotland for centuries, Irish and Scottish immigrants took many Halloween customs to North America d then through American influence various Halloween customs spread to other countries.

Popular Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (or the related guising and souling), attending Halloween costume parties, carving pumpkins or turnips into jack-o’-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, and watching horror or Halloween-themed films. Some people practice the Christian observances of All Hallows’ Eve, including attending church services and lighting candles on the graves of the dead, although it is a secular celebration for others. Some Christians historically abstained from meat on All Hallows’ Eve, a tradition reflected in the eating of certain vegetarian foods on this vigil day, including apples, potato pancakes, and soul cakes.

Read more on the link below

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween

The Clocks Go Back, No No No

Musings

I hate the return of the earlier darkness (not the Essex band the other sort). And as I am not a farmer I don’t really do mornings either so for me it’s not terribly helpful to my general demeanor. Ho hum and lack a day. Still grinding out the tunes of course. Right shoulders been playing up a bit today after a lot of acoustic guitar playing but what can you do. “Do or do not, there is no try” is perhaps not bad advice. Just to confuse you though here is a solo piano tune.

Leaf On The Line

So it’s 5pm and it’s dark now. And weird. Perhaps there is magic about, perhaps not. Also I feel a little anxious too again. Maybe lack of activity. It’s the exercise bike season now as not so much walking will be done. But I have to be careful with my arthritis so striking a balance is hard at times.

A joyous meeting with Jon Bickley and the rest of the Invisible Folk Band for a rehearsal for recording session in a couple of weeks 🙂

In a few days the USA will elect a new president.

Here are some lessons from history:

Bishop William J. Barber II is president and senior lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival and a Kettering Foundation senior fellow. He is a bishop with the Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, and an executive board member and ordained minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He is also a professor in the practice of public theology and public policy and founding director of the Center for Public Theology and Public Policy at Yale Divinity School. He is the author of five books. His most recent book, White Poverty: How Exposing Myths about Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy, was released in June 2024. Barber served as senior pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, for 30 years. He was president of the North Carolina NAACP from 2006-2017 and served on the national NAACP board of directors from 2008-2020. He is the architect of the Forward Together Moral Movement that gained national acclaim in 2013 with its Moral Monday protests at the North Carolina General Assembly. In 2015, Barber established Repairers of the Breach to train communities in moral movement building. A highly sought-after speaker, Barber has given numerous keynote addresses and is regularly featured in media outlets such as MSNBC, CNN, NNPA, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. He has 12 honorary degrees and is the recipient of numerous honors, including a 2018 MacArthur Foundation Genius Award, one of the 2015 Roosevelt Institute Four Freedoms Awards (Freedom of Worship), and the 2015 Puffin Prize for Creative Citizenship. Barber earned a bachelor’s degree from North Carolina Central University, a master of divinity from Duke University, and a doctorate from Drew University.

The Nights Draw In Again

Musings

Short days will soon be upon us again. This week I have had disturbed sleep and car problems that have thrown me a little. Hopefully the car can be fixed (a plan is in motion), but the sleep disruption is a real nuisance. I had to miss a band rehearsal today due to my recalcitrant automobile, but perhaps it just needs a rest or is sulking as it has not had a holiday for years. I can’t really blame it to be fair. This week I have been playing a little bit of acoustic guitar for a potential idea that’s brewing up. I feel a little inertia creeping up though. Winter approaching?
Yes, that’s part of it I guess. At this time of year some believe the veil between worlds is thin or lifted and it always feels a little different for a while though I have no particular beliefs. Our bodys do sense the seasons change, so surely our minds must follow? Some days I feel more linked to the planet than others and at this time of year I often feel a little closer for a while.

Sometimes I wonder if I have made the right choices in putting so much effort in to music. I get personal satisfaction from it but maybe my life might have been easier if I have stayed in my lane. Much of what I have achieved is perhaps relatively unsung, but what else would I be doing.

Diana Stone Music 🎶