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Very few songwriting duos have as much recognition power and songs that are hotwired into our own personal lives, as that of Lennon and McCartney.  While there have been some epic songwriting duos, such as Rodgers and Hart, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Lowe, Difford and Tilbrook, Gilbert and Sullivan, few of these teams have the backstory and the sheer drama that befell Lennon and McCartney.  Our experts on all things Beatles, Tim Goldich and Paul Schneider weigh in on the songwriting magic of the duo, the very different approaches they had to writing songs, and whether their individual songs come close to their collaborative accomplishments.  Lot's of raw meat here for the Beatles geek to consume on STRUNG OUT. 

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Let's talk Beatles!  For most of us, they are the soundtrack to our youth, or they became something to study when thinking about what influenced the bands that were the soundtrack of our youth.   Everyone has a memory associated with the band, one way or another and it might be another 50 years before people don't.  However, right now, fascination has again been sparked with Peter Jackson's documentary Get Back, which looks over the famous Twickenham studio recordings and films.  In this episode we talk with experts Tim Goldich and Paul Schneider about their theories on the band's breakup.  And whether or not Paul will be the one to write the final epitaph for the band. 

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A lot has been going on with the Beatles lately.  With the release of the movie Get Back, directed and produced by Peter Jackson, the fab four are once again put under the magnifying glass.   This time, unlike the move Let It Be, there seems to be a more kind and gentler approach to the film around the implosion of the band.  

Even if you haven't seen the "documentary of a documentary" as Jackson describes it, our podcast will delve into why this part of the Beatles career was tumultuous and was perhaps a blessing to have the band end on a high note as opposed to being seen late night on PBS doing a nostalgia concert.  
 
For Beatles Talk, we draw upon two Chicago "Beatle Aficionados."   Tim Goldich has been an avid student of the Beatles for decades, having amassed all the books, albums, movies and bootlegs there are on the lads.  He has researched the back stories on the band and is a trusted guide on the evolution of the Beatles from their skiffle days to Hamburg, to the Cavern, fame in the UK, then ultimately America and eventual implosion.  

Paul Schneider is a writer and as a journalist, has covered music for various publications.  An avid music lover, Schneider has seen first-hand many of the iconic bands and also has an extensive knowledge about the Beatles.   Schneider is a musician in writers clothing, having a musician-like understanding of the songwriting process and the pain that goes into the process of maintaining a band.  Together, both Goldich and Schneider offer a perspective on the Beatles that is at once analytical and emotional. 

We start this podcast noting the passing of the late, great Michael Nesmith.  Nesmith, who was part of the "pre-fab four" the Monkees, passed away at the age of 78 from heart failure.  He was a brilliant musician, envisioned the rise of MTV, was arguably one of the fathers of Americana music.   

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Marty and Sandeep, being banned from their respective homes by their wives, conduct the podcast from the "Mobile Unit" or Marty's minivan.  Parked on the street in Rogers Park, Illinois, the two muse about the end of the 20th-century style expectation of work in an office.  The two predict that we will see growth in two new industries: the mini-study or miniature office in a home, and office-on-the-go, a fleet of campervans that allow a "workation" of sorts, where an employee can visit beautiful spots, yet report into work in a timely and productive fashion.  Tune in and enjoy!

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We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links:

SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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Support the show

We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links:

SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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(note---you can get my weekly bulletin when you sign up on the list!)

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Welcome to a special Thanksgiving edition of Around The Campfire with Pastor Drew Jacques, the pastor of St. David's Presbyterian Church in Campbellsville, Ontario.  We look at taking the much touted idea of gratitude and turning it on its head. 
 
Pastor Drew starts by using the word Thanksgiving or Thankfulness. Thankfulness and not gratitude enables a complete surrender to a higher power in our lives.  

By replacing gratitude with Thankfulness, we can avoid some of the modern pitfalls associated with the former: expectation of reward for gratitude, gratitude without taking the time to center oneself and gratitude-platitudes or "dialing it in whenever convenient."

Thankfulness, argues Pastor Drew is a daily ritual of being in a state of awareness of the gift and the responsibility to share that gift.   It is an exercise in being centered in the presence of awe --what Christians would refer to as "the Holy Spirit." 

Starting with simply breathing, we can condition our human bodies to opening up to the presence of the spirit.   This requires a bit of work on our end, though, not merely writing down ideas on a notecard.  

By being the spiritual beings we are, sharing the human experience, Pastor Drew points out that Thankfulness allows us to maintain a state of Mindfulness.   Walking on that path helps channel the otherwise too human aspects of the "monkey-mind" or our more animal based responses to the world around us.   Prayerfulness then is the state of grace that takes both Thankfulness and Mindfulness and, if properly practiced, can help us walk through our lives aware of the gift, acknowledging the gift, sharing the gift and completely surrendering in the trust that the gift given is more than sufficient in our lives.  A deeply thought provoking podcast. 

To reach Pastor Drew, email [email protected] 

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We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links:

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According to Wikipedia, With a population of almost four million, Indian Americans make up 1.2% of the U.S. population and are the largest group of South Asian Americans and the second largest group[7] of Asian Americans after Chinese Americans. The New York metropolitan area comprises the largest population of Indian Americans among U.S. metropolitan areas.

A national population that is roughly larger than urban Chicago, Indian Americans are starting to make inroads onto the political landscape.  The election of Vice President Kamala Harris is symbolic, not only for having the first woman to hold that office, but the first person of Indian descent as well.  

But there are a lot of questions regarding this growing segment of the American people.  Are Indian Americans as aware of their power as a voting bloc as other groups?  And if so,  as they continue to grow as a bloc,  which way are they going to go?  Conservative or Progressive?  And what about the mother country?  Will Indian Americans draw India and the United States into a closer relationship?   Sandeep Gopal helps us navigate these waters as we witness Indian America Rising. 

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We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links:

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Marty and Annie pick up where they left off after now having their dog Capers, living with them for the past three months.  A lot of changes as well as surprises for these new pet owners.  Especially for Marty, who has made the adjustment from not wanting to have a pet, to now becoming a member of that secret society, the Dog Tribe.   

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We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links:

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In our third Around the Campfire with Pastor Drew, we follow up on last weeks exploration of the existence of evil or the Devil.  Reading M. Scott Peck's 1983 blockbuster, People of the Lie,
I wanted to ask Pastor Drew about the existence of evil in people.  One of the points Peck laid out in his book is that it seems that embracing  Evil/Devil is a choice that people make to come into their lives.  Evil people are narcissists who run unchecked, thus creating a loop of poisonous self-love.  They seek to destroy the good in others for their own perception of their moral superiority.  They do this through chronic scapegoating and lying.
 
Evil then becomes that being that blocks the true self from coming to the fore.  Evil people cannot tolerate self-introspection and Pastor Drew lays out a litmus test for the listener to help identify a truly evil person.  

1) Is the glass half empty or half full?  How does this person see the world?  If consistently half empty, there may be a need to ask further questions.

2) Is this person generous?  (Am I?)

3) Is this person humble? (Am I?)

4) Is this person judgmental? (Am I?)

5) Does this person have a thankful heart? (Do I?)

6) Are they transparent? Or are they secretive?  (Am I?)

Negative answers generate the need for further questioning. The second two provide tools for discerning ourselves and others in a clear light. 

AN INTERESTING SIDENOTE: As this podcast was being recorded, the lights flickered in my house, the conversation was interrupted and our Alexa turned itself on at one point to a kids cartoon.  I kept all this in the recording as it felt that Evil was determined to let Pastor Drew and myself know it wasn't happy with this podcast being made.  I never have had anything like that happen before during my podcasts and can't easily explain it. 

You can catch Pastor Drews sermons at the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjq9lwPmEzdMRFiI1dV25Dw/videos?view=0&sort=dd&flow=grid

The books recommended by Pastor Drew:

1) "Breath". James Nestor (Highly recommend)

2) "Surrounded by Idiots".   Thomas Erikson

3) Surrounded by Psychopaths".  Thomas Erikson.

Support the show

We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links:

SUPPORT THE SHOW:
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MARTIN'S WEBSITE:
http://www.MARTINMcCORMACK.COM 
(note---you can get my weekly bulletin when you sign up on the list!)

MARTIN'S MUSIC:
Music | Martin Laurence McCormack (bandcamp.com)
Martin McCormack | Spotify

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The late comedian Flip Wilson used to joke that "The Devil Made Me Do It."  Perhaps it was a more innocent time, when the notion of a Satan that could influence people to do bad things could be joked about.  But the idea that there is an evil spirit, a force that attempts to counter good in the world is as old as religion itself.   

Is the Devil real?  Marty and Anne de Courtenay draw upon the book Hostage To  The Devil, by the late Father Malachy Martin to discuss how evil is present in our world.  They also invite Father Larry McNally to relate his own experience as a parish priest with a case he considered possession.  

Support the show

We are always grateful to have you listening to STRUNG OUT.    Here are some important links:

SUPPORT THE SHOW:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MartyfineaK

MARTIN'S WEBSITE:
http://www.MARTINMcCORMACK.COM 
(note---you can get my weekly bulletin when you sign up on the list!)

MARTIN'S MUSIC:
Music | Martin Laurence McCormack (bandcamp.com)
Martin McCormack | Spotify

MARTIN'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Martin McCormack - YouTube

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