#questions | MidiMike

Posts Tagged ‘#questions’

Letter To City Planner Series #2

Posted: August 15, 2018 in Opinions and Observations, Uncategorized
Tags: #conversation, #driving, #life, #opinion, #personal, #politics, #question, #questions, #science, #travel, #work

Letter 306

Here are two little things that bug me about traffic patterns and planning. Maybe it is just me, but if I am driving in residential or even business areas where there are a lot of intersections, I think it is weird and dangerous when you come to an intersection but the traffic coming from a dead-end street does not have to stop. This seems to happen a lot where a main road ends in cul de sacs where the “dead-end” is only one block long. Not much traffic comes from there and it is easy to miss the fact that on-coming traffic has no stop sign.

The second minor thing is when you have multiple lanes of road or entry ramps to a highway where the lanes merge and signs say the left lane ends! Again this does not make logical sense. Merging traffic in the US comes in from the right lane the vast majority of the time. The right lane is the slow or merge/exit lane. Faster traffic is encouraged to use the left lanes, implying they have priority. Why tell a priority lane that the lane ends…… merge into the right lane……. and sometimes when you reach the end of the entry ramp you have to merge left again? These little things just bug me from time to time.

Letter To City Planner Series

Posted: August 7, 2018 in Opinions and Observations
Tags: #cars, #conversation, #driving, #family, #friends, #life, #opinion, #people, #personal, #political, #politics, #question, #questions, #science, #travel, #truth, #work

Letter # 305

I like to drive around cities and country sides. It becomes obvious after a bit of traveling that some cities are better planned and have more logical systems in place than others. I would love to have the ear of some city planners because it is clear they do not PLAN for growth and other transportation needs early enough. I would like to share some of my thoughts with you, and hopefully you will share yours here as well. Who knows, maybe we can get the attention of a few city planners while we are it!

One thing I would really like to see changed is the location of many schools. I know there are good reasons, but all too often they are located on the main strip through towns of all sizes. I thought about posting pictures as examples, but we have all seen them. My guess is this makes the land rather expensive for all tax payers. Or to look at it another way, the land is of commercial value and interest to local businesses. A number of businesses could pay fair price for the prime locations and exposure the real estate could provide and that would translate to higher tax collected and business success in the area.

Now consider if the schools would be located a few blocks away from “the main drag” going through town. Your children will be safer crossing the streets and playing in the area due to reduced traffic around the school. People that are not supposed to be there would be more obvious if they are loitering around the area. This would reduce risk to students.

Now that the school is not on the main road, traffic flow will be improved by not restricting speeds in school zones, reducing congestion in parts of town most people will have to travel through daily or at least quite often. I understand this might mean a loss of revenue by reducing speeding violations through school zones, but I think we can live with that!

What do you think? Do you see more reasons to adopt this policy? Do you think there are reasons or situations where this would not be beneficial?

Let me know what bothers you about travel through your city and in other locations. Who knows, maybe we can suggest changes that will help a lot of people.

“B4 We Fell in Love” Things Don’t Really Change

Posted: June 26, 2018 in My Tunes
Tags: #audio, #family, #guitar, #inspiration, #music, #musician, #opinion, #performance, #personal, #poetry, #question, #questions, #recording, #song, #songwriter, #studio, #studioengineer, #vocalist, #work, #writing

Some of you may notice right away that this song is a little different. The beat is not the same as many other songs. I enjoy playing in different time signatures. Not too weird, but I like different beats and even tempo changes if done right. This song is played in 3/4 time rather than the more traditional 4/4 time. It gives it more of a waltz kind of feel to the measures. This is a straight forward recording with me and my Ovation 12 string guitar. There is a hint of a long reverb.

Castles To me, this is a rather sad song. I have seen many relationships that should last forever crumble in front of me. People that were dedicated and adored each other turned to bitter enemies. Mutual friends and family stuck with unpleasant decisions. Broken hearts and lives. Sometimes there are innocent and guilty, but not as often as you would think. The rooms themselves seem to whisper a sad tale. Even the pictures are affected by the loneliness and help tell the tragic but all too familiar tale. Using common excuses as cliche’s the chorus sums it up fairly well while the verses bounce from past to present.

This is not about the relationships that start out with lies or Jekyll/Hyde waiting for you. This is more about someone wanting to mold you. Over powering or just with persistence. These extreme situations would quickly spin out of control. Some that begin with love turn vicious. And as a reminder these are people that professed they loved each other not long ago. I don’t know how that is possible, frankly. Best wishes to you if you have ever had to deal with this situation.

You’re In Love

Posted: May 1, 2018 in Poetry
Tags: #conversation, #creativity, #family, #friends, #inspiration, #life, #opinion, #people, #personal, #photography, #poetry, #questions, #truth, #work, #writing

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If in the back of your mind © MSK 5-1-2016

You just can’t’ stop thinking about it.

You’re In love.

If you would risk everything

For another five minutes.

You’re In love.

Their eyes hold the answers

It will take you years to learn.

You’re In love.

When the simplest touch

Sends tremors to your core.

You’re In love.

How do you know?

What’s only spoken of?

How long can you deny?

You’re In love.

Because all it takes is a look

And you can’t help but smile.

You’re In love.

The outside world ends

When they call your name.

You’re In love.

How do you know?

You’re In love.

When will I know?

You’re In love.

Can you still deny?

You’re In love.

Here are the reasons why

You’re In love.

Their eyes hold the answers

It will take you years to learn.

You’re In love.

When the simplest touch

Sends tremors to your core.

You’re In love.

Because all it takes is a look

And you can’t help but smile.

You’re In love.

The outside world ends

When they call your name.

You’re In love.

Unknown losses

Posted: April 17, 2018 in Opinions and Observations
Tags: #conversation, #family, #inspiration, #life, #opinion, #personal, #photography, #politics, #question, #questions, #science, #truth

I drift in thought again as I look out the home office window. I send my wife a text while she is at work. “… odd seeing daffodils and green grass with heavy snow fall mid-April ….”

For decades we have been feeding corn and seeds to the local white-tailed deer that live in an ever decreasing amount of free land near our house. They have flourished here for many, many years. I used to think they would be here long after I die. I fear now that they will soon be forced out or killed and will no longer stop by in the spring after giving birth to their young. Each generation bringing their new-born to our picnic tables. We recognize familiar ones and watch them grow: then disappear.

We have witnessed within the span of a generation urban sprawl and light pollution making stars all but invisible. My new grandson will probably have to travel many miles as a man to see constellations light up the night sky. So few in his generation will actually see the Milky Way – from Earth.

So much beauty and wonder reduced to vague dreams or myths heard only in old folk’s tales. How many wonderful things will will soon be gone forever? Maybe worse; people will not even know what has been lost.

A Billion Snowflakes

Posted: March 7, 2018 in Poetry
Tags: #family, #inspiration, #life, #opinion, #personal, #photography, #poetry, #questions, #truth, #writing

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There are thousands of things I haven’t done in my life

With a million reasons why.

If I haven’t gotten to all of them by now

I more than likely never will.

I could do so much today but I’ve been there before.

One more time but not sure what for.

A Billion Snowflakes so unlike any other

If truthful; exactly the same.

There are a Billion Snowflakes circling around you.

There are a Billion Snowflakes and one landed next to you.

In this place at the perfect time.

That is how I found you.

There are a Billion Snowflakes of magnificence and beauty.

There are a Billion Snowflakes and one landed next to me.

In this place and only this time.

That is how you found me.

Holding your hand the world that surrounds me is new

Music breaks my heart in two.

I knew all the words but now know their meaning

You stood there and just opened the door.

I kept thinking there was no one out there like me

So you surely could never be.

And if I completely lost myself in someone

Impossible they would feel the same.

There are a Billion Snowflakes of magnificence and beauty.

There are a Billion Snowflakes and one landed next to me.

In this place at the perfect time.

That is how I found you.

That is how I found me.

“From Start To Stop” – New Video

Posted: February 12, 2018 in Video
Tags: #audio, #computer, #conversation, #creativity, #friends, #inspiration, #life, #music, #people, #personal, #photo, #photography, #poetry, #question, #questions, #stories, #travel, #truth, #video, #writing

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I added a new original video for my song “From Start To Stop”. My wife Ellen does the vocals and Greg Stern wrote most of the music and plays guitar. Ellen and I wrote the lyrics.

I have mentioned Spring Grove Cemetery in past articles and posts and that is where I shot the video. There was very heavy fog that day and Ellen suggested we take some pictures there. I will post some of those in the near future, and I also shot a video using my phone that became the background for the video. There is a small mound with tombstones all around the center. You can drive all around it so I shot the video as Ellen drove around the mound. Most of the pictures in the video are mine, but I had a bit of help from my friends over the years!

The YouTube link is below. I hope you enjoy.

https://youtu.be/Xzp8QWqgeSY

“B4 We Fell In Love”

Posted: January 28, 2018 in Poetry
Tags: #conversation, #family, #friends, #inspiration, #life, #lyrics, #opinion, #people, #personal, #photography, #poetry, #question, #questions, #songwriter, #story, #truth, #writer, #writing

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“Before We Fell In Love” ^{(c)1-19-94 MSK}

The painting used to be stunning,

Now it is shallow and pale.

What was once strong and firm,

Stands undecided and frail.

Anxiously awaiting the feast

Doesn’t seem worth the hassle.

These rooms so dark and lonely,

Were once a mighty castle.

The pool is deep,

It goes on forever.

Things don’t really change,

Only how we wish to see.

She used to be so beautiful,

He was so gentle and kind.

They wish not to see each other now,

To leave all their past behind.

Summer seemed to last forever,

Years pass in the blink of an eye.

When old friends come to visit,

You can’t wait to say good-bye.

The pool is deep,

The grass is always greener.

I was who I am

Before we fell in love.

This Moment

Posted: January 15, 2018 in Poetry
Tags: #brother, #family, #inspiration, #life, #opinion, #personal, #photography, #poetry, #questions, #writing

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While you sleep

You will lay safely.

I will caress you

I will keep you warm.

When the world

Is beyond your touch

I will hold your hand

I will call your name.

There is pain

Lost behind the door.

‘Til then embrace it

And the good things in life.

This Moment

With all the others

I’ll remember you

And still hear your laugh.

Overwhelming

What if it’s not a dream?

I’ll tell you what’s real

As moments remain.

This Moment

With all the others

I’ll remember you

And still hear you laugh.

In memory of my brother Christopher.

The Negative Power in Force of Habit

Posted: January 12, 2018 in Opinions and Observations
Tags: #conversation, #inspiration, #life, #opinion, #people, #personal, #photography, #question, #questions, #truth, #work, #writing

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Recently I was thinking about a work incident. Not to go into details, but there were so many lessons to learn. A co-worker with some minor authority over me tried to get me to ‘sacrifice something’ so that they could ‘benefit’. There was no real reason that I could connect to this request – except that they thought they should get preferential treatment because they deserved it.

When I refused with a simple but unmistakable rejecting statement, the ‘bully’ came out. Intimidation, threatening, and harassing behavior flew rapidly in my direction.

I am a rather easy person to get along with. I do not get into gossip, rumors or status. I just want to do my job, have a little fun if I can, and go home. Sometimes that is not possible, and the occasional confrontation will creep in. If personal friction happens, I will usually smooth it over and try to let it affect me as little as possible. I would rather forget it and start fresh the next time I meet the other person. But this time I wondered about being that passive and easy-going. Was I improving things? Did it make the day or life in general better? Does it really help to let people take advantage of my flexible attitude and/or position in life?

I came to the conclusion that it did not help or improve things at all. If I let a bully succeed at threatening, intimidating and harassing me, they will take their successful strategy and slam it on the next guy or girl. As a friend of mine put it; I am more likely to speak up if someone else becomes a victim than if I do. In some way to connect to the #metoo movement without being insensitive to that real concern, I needed to find not just the ability but the benefit in raising my voice. I went to company admins and filed a formal complaint. Doing nothing and ‘rolling with the punches’ does not and should not always work. At some point I learned I needed to speak up and highlight an event that in my age I could brush off easily, knowing others might not have the ability to defend or endure the hostile environment.

Is there a reason they feel so privileged and deserving of what others are denied?

I wonder why so many people in power feel it is OK to mistreat others.

Why do they think they can get away with this kind of behavior?

Because historically: they can.

I would like to break from history and change the future.

MidiMike

Available on iTunes and CD Baby

Social Media

MSK original Songs

Posts Tagged ‘#questions’

Letter To City Planner Series #2

Letter To City Planner Series

“B4 We Fell in Love” Things Don’t Really Change

You’re In Love

Unknown losses

A Billion Snowflakes

“From Start To Stop” – New Video

“B4 We Fell In Love”

This Moment

The Negative Power in Force of Habit

Archives

Available on iTunes and CD Baby

Social Media

MSK original Songs

Posts Tagged ‘#questions’

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