Merry Christmas 2014

Yeah, Merry Christmas Everyone !!!

Flag of Sudan (Africa)

In 1881, at the beginning of the Mahdist Revolt, the Mahdi Muhammad Ahmad appointed Abdallahi ibn Muhammad as one of his four caliphs (Khalifa) and handed him a black flag. Abdallahi used his black flag to recruit Baggara Arabs and other tribes from the west. The other caliphs used differently colored flags. The black horizontal stripe in the current Sudanese flag is a reference to this Mahdist-era black flag.

Between 1899 and 1956, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan was administered jointly as a condominium by Egypt and the United Kingdom. The condominium did not have its own flag; instead the flag of Egypt and the flag of the United Kingdom were always flown together, with the British flag taking precedence.

A flag did exist as a rank flag for the British Governor General of the Sudan. In common with the rank flags of governors and commissioners of other British overseas territories, it consisted of a Union Flag defaced with a white disk bearing the territory's badge or coat of arms, surrounded by a wreath of laurel. As no badge or coat of arms existed for Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, the disk instead contained the words "GOVERNOR GENERAL OF THE SUDAN.

Upon independence from Egypt and the United Kingdom on 1 January 1956, Sudan adopted a blue-yellow-green tricolor as its national flag. This flag remained in use until 1970, when the current flag was adopted. The colours of the flag represented the River Nile (blue), the Sahara Desert (yellow) and farmlands (green). They were chosen as they were neutral between ethnic groups and political parties.

The flag of Sudan (Arabic: علم السودان‎) was adopted on May 20, 1970, and consists of a horizontal red-white-black tricolor, with a green triangle at the hoist. The flag is based on the Arab Liberation Flag shared by Egypt, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, that uses a subset of the Pan-Arab colors in which green is less significant. Prior to the 1969 military coup of Gaafar Nimeiry, a blue-yellow-green tricolor design was used.

Red, white, black and green are called the pan-Arab colors and have been historically linked to the Arab people and Islamic religion for centuries. The colors stand for Arab unity and independence. The red stripe represents Sudan's struggle for independence and many other struggles, and the sacrifices of the country's martyrs. The white represents peace, light and optimism. It also represents the White Flag League which was a nationalist group that rose up against colonial rule in 1924. The black represents Sudan; in Arabic 'Sudan' means black. It also represents the black flag of nationalists who fought colonial rule during the Mahdist Revolution, late in 19th century. Green represents Islam, agriculture and the prosperity of the land.



Sources: Wikipedia

This work released through CC 3.0 BY-SA - Creative Commons

Greg Guidry: Influences

There's a lot of people out there who have never heard of Greg Guidry, I'm sure, but for a songwriter such as myself, I know exactly who Greg Guidry is. Or should I say, was?

Gregory M. Guidry was born January 23, 1950 and died July 28, 2003. He is better known as Greg Guidry and he was an American singer-songwriter.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he played piano and sang gospel as a child, and sang in a band with future Doobie Brother Michael McDonald as a teenager. He signed a publishing contract with CBS Records in 1977 and wrote songs for Climax Blues Band, Robbie Dupree, Exile, Johnny Taylor, Sawyer Brown, and Reba McEntire.

In 1981 he sang as a backing vocalist for the Allman Brothers Band on their 1981 album Brothers of the Road. He signed with Columbia in 1982 and released an album, Over the Line, which produced two hit singles, "Goin' Down" (US #17, US AC #11) and a duet with his sister Sandy, "Into My Love" (US #92).




While he continued to do songwriting work later in the 1980s, he did not issue a follow-up album until 2000, when Soul'd Out and Private Session were released, and his debut album was re-released.


On July 28, 2003, Guidry died in a fire at age 53. His charred body was found in a car parked in his garage in Fairview, Tennessee. His death was ruled a suicide.

It is in my opinion that his first album, "Over The Line" was highly underrated. I remember seeing it in the ship PX one day and without knowing who he really was at that time, I bought it. I played that cassette over and over until it couldn't be played anymore.

I then took it upon myself to learn more about him and before I knew it, I was a fan of Greg Guidry the songwriter more than I was of him as a singer or performer.

Truth be told, I always thought I would model my songwriting career pretty much like his, which was under the radar, but to this point, that hasn't been the case.

Still, I envy the soulful approach he took for all of his songs. After his debut album, "Over The Line", it was believed his career would take off like a rocket, but that never materialized. I think that is a shame because Greg Guidry could write.

While it's unclear why his songwriting / singing / music career never took off, I like to think it was his mental health issues that may have gotten in the way. It's easy to see that he suffered from depression. I don't know if he ever got officially diagnosed or if he even was aware of it, but suicide is a tell-tell sign of possible mental health issues.

What he does leave behind though is really good music. His potential may not have been reached, but what he did do was just freaking awesome. I can only hope that people will think as much about my music someday as they do about his.

It's also a reminder that we really need to take mental health more seriously. I know for myself, I have suffered from bi-polar depression and suicidal thoughts ever since my first suicide attempt when I was 17 years old. It took a long time before I was ever diagnosed. Perhaps if Greg was diagnosed and got treatment, he would still be with us, and writing more good songs. God knows we could use some good new songs these days. My head, heart and stomach can only tolerate so much of this crap that is getting stuffed down our throats anymore. Seriously, today's music, 90 percent of it I just don't get. The lyrics sound okay but the music is garbage. Only a handful of songs are worth the cost of downloading. At the risk of sounding like my grandfather but, today's music really lacks a lot of emotion and or meaning. It's just crap. Many tell no story. But this post isn't about that, it's about a songwriter that was instrumental in inspiring me to want to be a songwriter. It's about the legacy of Greg Guidry. A legacy that goes on practically unnoticed and unrealized.

Sources: Wikipedia

This work released through CC 3.0 BY-SA - Creative Commons

History of The Pump House Art Gallery

It sits on the South Eastern side of Yoctangee Park in historical Chillicothe, Ohio. The Pump House Art Gallery.

I have mentioned it plenty of times before, and even did an interview with the founder, and world renowned artist, Ted W. Fickisen.

But today, I wanted to share with you the history of The Pump House Art Gallery in Chillicothe, Ohio.



Even in 1882 the people of Chillicothe enjoyed this part of the city. Citizens came to Yoctangee Park in their horse-drawn carriages and had picnics. The park was becoming an integral part of the city's cultural life. When it was deemed necessary to build a pumping station for the city of Chillicothe, it was decided to be built in Yoctangee Park, and it was also decided that the building be both, functional and an architectural addition to the park.

The Pump House and Water Works, built in 1882 by the Chillicothe Gas, Light and Water Works once housed large, powerful, brass pumps used to fight fires that periodically destroyed parts of the city during Chillicothe's early history.

Engaged through a deep well (25 feet in diameter and 12 feet deep), located next to the pump house, the water was pumped from the Teays Aquifer beneath Yoctangee Park and propelled through 16 feet cast iron pipes to a reservoir located on Carlisle Hill. When needed, the water was released through the pipes back down the hill to 100 fire hydrants placed throughout the city. The spring from the ancient Teays that fed the aquifer was so powerful that the engines could pump over six thousand gallons of water per minute. Today, these same cast iron water pipes still carry water through the city.

As the city grew, inside water taps became the norm and The Pumping Station was deemed insufficient for the growing population. For a number of years the building was used by the city service department. Road equipment was stored in the building, as was salt for use on icy roads. By the mid 1970's, the building was in a state of disrepair. At this point, the city government felt that the building should be torn down. In their eyes, it had out served its purpose.

Preservationists and the Jaycees of Chillicothe pleaded with the city to keep the building and not destroy it, citing its historical value to the community as a primary reason to leave it standing, and to restore it. The Jaycees even used the building as a haunted house during this time in an attempt to raise money for restoration costs.

In 1984, the building was condemned.

Then, a group of artists, led by Mr. Ted William Fickisen, preservationists, and local attorney, Jim Barrington, formed a coalition to restore and preserve the building. The old pump house was leased to a board of trustees in 1986 as a historic center for the arts. Then came the daunting task of turning an old pump house into an art gallery. The roof was so rotted that major portions had to be rebuilt. The limestone foundation had crumbled. All the windows and doors were bricked in and nailed shut. There was no permanent floor and no electricity or water.

 This founding group, along with other interested residents, established a Board of Trustees and they raised the $160,000.00 dollars needed for the restoration part of the project. A philanthropist and builder, Wilbur Poole, took on the incredible task of restoring the building as it is today. Coursework had to be replaced, bricks repaired, floors poured, electricity and water installed, and the walls rebuilt. Slowly, but surely, the rooms were transformed into a place where exhibits could be hung and viewed.


THE PUMP HOUSE is a fine example of Victorian Gothic architecture. The building features a large central tower colorfully patterned with glazed ceramic tiles, eight Palladian windows, common-bond brick work on the interior that has piano key dentil design around the windows. The two cathedral galleries are ornately paneled in vaulted, dark, tongue and groove oak construction, similar to the treatment on a ship's interior.

In November 1979, the Pump House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Carroll's Journal: Already Spoken For

"Why are you not married?" The strange lady asked me. "You're not a bad looking fellow."

"Thank you." I replied. "But I am married." I glanced at the pen which was tucked inside my shirt pocket before looking back at the woman. "Not only that," I continued, "but we have hundreds and hundreds of children."

Her dazed and confused appearance was more than obvious on her face. I could tell she wanted to ask me another question, but she just couldn't seem to put a coherent sentence together to save her own life. Her feeble reaction to what I said left her a little speechless and so I spared her any further embarrassment. "You see," I went into full detail, "I am a writer. I'm married to my ink pen. When I 'make love' to it, it gives me a child in the form of a poem or a story, or a song. Believe me," I stipulated in the middle of her ironic gasp, "it's beautiful."

Our dialogue had concluded for all intent purposes, considering that she never again made it past her stumbling / mumbling behavior. I did hear her grumble something about me being crazy when she turned to make her way. Maybe she is right. Maybe I am nuts. I'm still not about to apologize to her, or to anybody, for my life choices. And no matter how you slice and dice it all, the end result will always remain the same.

I'm the father. The writer.

The pen is the mother. 

The story, poem or song is the child.

And I am happily married forever. 

Season's Greetings

SEASON'S GREETINGS - Written by Carroll Bryant 

There's a noise in the air

It sounds like Santa Claus 

Rudolph leads the reindeer 

Waving to Jack Frost 

Christmas day is coming

The hour's growing near 

Another merry holiday and happy new year 

Frosty's playing in the snow 

With all his young hearted friends 

The Scrooge wants to be left alone

But we know how that ends 

Christmas is approaching 

Place you hand upon your ear

Have a merry holiday and happy new year 

And on that night, that silent night 

Peace will fall onto all again 

Tomorrow the kids will play withtheir toys

Sounds of laughter all day long

From all the girls and boys 

And the angels will sing 

Of Christ, our king 

After good old Saint Nicholas brings happiness and things 

There's a noise in the air

It sounds like Santa Claus 

Rudolph leads the reindeer 

Waving to Jack Frost 

Christmas day is coming

The hour's growing near 

Another merry holiday and happy new year

Merry Christmas to all and to all ....... a wonderful night 

Be In My Christmas

BE IN MY CHRISTMAS - Written by Carroll Bryant 

Be in my Christmas

Be my loving thing

Be in my Christmas

And every love song I sing 

I need on you on Christmas

And all the joy that you bring 

So be in my Christmas

Be my holiday dream 

When the stocking hang over the fireplace 

I want to see that Mrs. Kringle look all over your face

When the sleigh bells start to ring and the snow falls onto the ground

I will show you my Santa Claus spirit, and I promise this year 

I won't let you down 

So be in my Christmas

Be my loving thing

Be in my Christmas

And every love song I sing 

I need on you on Christmas

And all the joy that you bring 

So be in my Christmas

Be my holiday dream

When the carolers start singing about God and of love 

With voices like angels from heaven above

I'll think of you that moment and every day in between 

But without you on Christmas

My warmth won't be seen 

So be in my Christmas

Be my loving thing

Be in my Christmas

And every love song I sing 

I need on you on Christmas

And all the joy that you bring 

So be in my Christmas

Be my holiday dream 

Just be in my Christmas and be - my - holiday - queen

A Christmas In Pictures