A to Z Challenge 2021 Theme Reveal

It is almost time once again for the A to Z Challenge to come out of it's den and cast it's shadow to the

blogging community.  It is now time for participants to reveal their 2021 theme to the world.

I had several ideas for this years a to z challenge, some more ambitious and some less ambitious.  I think this one is just right and hopefully, like Goldilocks you'll eat it all up.

My A to Z challenge is to write about people who were living 100 years ago in 1921.  For example 13 men who had been , were , or would become U.S. presidents were alive in 1921. These presidents lived between 1856 and 2006.  All 4 of my grandparents were living in 1921.  They ranged in ages from 9 to 19 at that time.  The 9 year old eventually married the 19 year old but that was some years later.  

In the past I have participated in the challenge from multiple  blogs.  This year I come back to HSD after doing the last challenges from Random Acts of Roller.  I currently have 4 active blogs and have found  a way to involve each blog into the extravaganza.  The way is by A to Z Easter Eggs

What are A to Z Easter eggs you ask.  It is my way of adding additional related content my from my  other blogs to my a to z posts.  I will do this in 2 different ways one if I create additional content on one of my blogs and then post it concurrently with the a to z post, I will call that an to A to Z extra.  If I have already created that content and posted it previous to this years challenge I will call it A to Z archive. 

 For today's post I only have one kind of Easter eggs but I have plenty of that kind.. Last week at my vlog, Dave Out Loud on my feature called Quick Random Takes the topic I picked out of my hat just happened to be A to Z challenge.  I put that topic idea last May, so it's interesting it would pop up a week before the topic reveal.   In addition,  all 4 of my blogs including this one have A to Z archives which are links to my previous A to Z Challenges.  

A TO Z Easter Eggs

A to Z Archives: 

 Quick Random Takes: A to Z Challenge at Dave Out Loud

Index for A to Z Challenge 2020: Capitals at Random Acts of Roller

Index for A to Z Challenge 2019: Music of the Sherman Brothers at Random Acts of Roller

Index for A to Z challenge 2016: Y is for YouTube at Dave Out Loud

Index for A to Z Challenge 2016 Cubs Home Run Hitters Aramis to Zimmerman at Crazy Uncle Dave's Sports Blog 

Index for A to Z Challenge 2015 Nouns at Home School Dad

Index for A to Z Challenge 2015 White Sox Home Runs Hitters AJ to Zeke at Crazy Uncle Dave's Sports Blog

Index for A to Z Challenge 2012 at Home School Dad

The challenge starts on Thursday April 1st and continues  every day but Sundays for the rest of the month. Click here to be redirected to the A to Z challenge.

Roller Time

 This week I finished a 6 week subbing assignment relieving a 1:1 aide who was on maternity leaveem.  I worked with the same student for 6 weeks which was new and very rewarding for me. Each morning I would pick the student up at the bus and bring them to the class room.  Each afternoon I would take the student back to the bus.  Usually by the end of the day, my student would start to get very excited about going home and would start repeating momma time over and over again.  Sometimes if the student was having a particularly difficult day they might start saying momma time before it was near to the time school ended.  I Kind of  saw it as a suggestion/protest. One day Momma Time was being chanted at about 8:30 a.m.  

One morning  3 or 4 weeks into the assignment as I was picking my student up from the bus, the bus driver asked me what my name was.  I said it was Mr. Roller. She said that explains it, your student has been repeating Roller time, Roller time for the last 15 minutes.  I hope that means that I made as much of an impression on my student as  they did to me.  

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Yesterday I almost went to a movie.  That's right I almost went to the movie theatre with my wife and watched a movie.  It's been almost a year since I've even thought of doing that.  The reason we didn't go was not because of any co-vid concerns, we e looked the movie up in my favorite ratings website, Plugged In, and realized that it might not be for us.  Our daughters went to the Disney dragon movie and both enjoyed it. 

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Speaking of Disney, my younger daughter and I have been watching Wandavision on the Disney App.  We have been watching it the Friday it drops and watched the 9th and final installment yesterday.  If I were reviewing the show, my review would be uneven.  I'm not reviewing, it though.  I will say this, it's been super fun having a little vestige of appointment television and the experience was well worth the effort.

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My Other Blogs

Besides this blog, I have 3 other active blogs.  Here are links to my most recent posts in each of them.

Crazy Uncle Dave's Sports Blog

Hall of Fame Voting Results 2021 - 2/13/21

Dave Out Loud

Quick Random Takes: A to Z Challenge 3/6/21 (currently now quickly becoming then)

Random Acts of Roller

Born on March 2nd 3/2/21

Quick Random Takes - A to Z Challenge

Head to A to Z challenge for more information on this years challenge.

Head to my blog HSD to follow me in the month of April. 

The Tonight Show: A History of Hosts

 

  Steve Allen 1954- 1957

  

  

Jack Paar 1857-1962

 

  Johnny Carson 1962 - 1992

 

  Jay Leno 1992 - 2009 and 2010 - 2014

Conan O'Brien 2009-2010

Jimmy Fallon 2014 - Present

 I like spotify. I only use it sporadically, but when I do, I go to town. I especially like creating playlists. I recently created a playlist entitled 40% Stonehill. Of the 25 songs I have on the playlist so far 10 have them are from Randy Stonehill. If you do the math that means 40% of the songs on the playlist are stonehill songs.

The other night I listened to 10 of the songs and am going to write a little bit about each one.

Photo by Anton Hooijdonk on Pexels.com

Song 1: In Jesus Name - Randy Stonehill from The Lazarus Heart (1994)

Thoughts: I love everything about the bridge in this song.

The Lyrics: Mercy is the miracle by which we stand. Mercy that comes pouring down from nail scarred hands. Mercy pouring out from nail scarred hands.

The Guest Artist: Stonehill employs Michael W Smith to sing the bridge and MWS nails it.

The Signature Move: The bridge hits it's powerful climax with the requisite yeah yeahs that Smitty is known for.

Song 2. If I Stand - Rich Mullins from Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth (1988)

Thoughts:

This album contains the song Awesome God that propelled Mullins to the top of contemporary Christian music at the time. However, it is the lyrics from If I Stand where the album derives it's title. Also this song is imbued with much more lyrical depth and sheer poetry than Awesome God. If I Stand is one of many fine songs on Winds O Stuff O (my nickname for the album) that along with Awesome God displays the passionate genius of Mullins.

Song 3: It's Now - Randy Stonehill from Can't Buy A Miracle (1988)

Thoughts: It had been quite a while since I had heard this song. Of all the Stonehill songs mentioned on these 10 songs it may be my least favorite. However, I do like this rocking anthem and was struck by how timely the lyrics are 1/3 of a century after it's original release.

Think about 2020 and consider these lyrics:

The world is spinning faster,
It's out of control, it's out of control,
In the air is the smell of disaster,
No running away, it's time to say who we're gonna choose to make our master.

Song 4: I'm A Punk - Alan Sherman

Thoughts: I'm a Punk is a song from the 1971 cartoon adaptation of the Cat in The Hat. Even though my family grew up listening to the music of Alan Sherman, I didn't realize until recently that Sherman had provided the voice for T Geisel's titular cat, This song reminds me of a first person version of you're a mean one Mr. Grinch,

Song 5:We Were All so Young - Randy Stonehill from Edge of the World 2002

This song about the beginning of the Jesus Music era features many of the pioneers of the Jesus Music era, which I guess is the point.

The Guest Artists: Larry Norman, Phil Keaggy, Annie Herring, Noel Paul Stookey Barry McGuire and Love Song.

Song 6 Deep Calling Deep - Margaret Becker from Grace 1995

I'm a big fan of Maggie B. Deep Calling Deep which opens her 1995 album Grace (The follow up to Soul and the end of her 1 word album phase) goes along way to explaining why. Soulful. wistful, haunting and rocking all in the same package. an

Song7: American Fast Food. Randy Stonehill Equator 1982

Have you ever had a moment that started as a dream come true and ended up a nightmare? Thia aong reminds me of one such time. A few years ago my family drove to Indinapolis to visit friends and watch Randy Stonehill in concert. It was an intimate gathering and Stonehill asked for a volunteer to belch during this song which is the high point of the song. I volunteered and totally biffed the belch. It took me a long time before I could appreciate this song again. Sorry Sir Stonehill. I'll tty not to bring it up again(belching humor).

Song 8: The Pirates Who Don't do Anything - Veggie Tales

I'm a big fan of Phil Vischer and all things Veggietales. I especially love silly songs with Larry. The song the Pirates who don't do anything really has had a life of it's own. I think it's the only song to have recurring parts in veggiedom. They came back to host the silly song countdown and were featured prominently in both veggie tales movies. Usually my favorite silly song is whatever I'm listening to at the time, but, this is the one I listen to the most. I still haven't been to Boston in the Fall.

Song 9: Finish Well - Randy Stonehill from Spirit Walk (2011)

The last Stonehill song of the 10 finishes well. Besides having a very similar melody as Randy's Stop the World it is a good song, My favorite line is chase the fickle butterfly of cool.

Song 10 Wind and Wave Jacob's Trouble from Door Into Summer (1989)

Jacob's Trouble is my favorite band to play ping pong to and Wind and Wave is one of my favorite songs of theirs. Instead of talking about them I'll just show a video of them performing it back in '91.

https://youtu.be/muMCzzuuaRw

I hope you enjoyed this special glimpse into my musical tastes. It is something I hope to do again.