Greg Murat (mur-rah)
Singer-Songwriter Guitarist
Home Shows Bio Music Lyrics Poetry Video Audio
Journal April 2007
Kayden's
Creek
April 29, 2007
I am so grateful today. I got see my grand daughter Saria
taking some of her first steps all thanks to Josh, MySpace and video.
Sariah is an amazing little soul with the combined beauty of Josh
and Christina and the blend of their spirits and a heavy dose of Josh's
sense of humor. Here is a link up to the video. Saria
steps out. I have collected a large fortune in happy thoughts
via my family. There a ton of them captured on the videos Andie shot
when we were at Sun Mountain Lodge. We did all these skits that Andie
directed and they are still hilarious. Josh has a wicked wit. In one
scene he was singing the song from the movie Parenthood.
"When you're sliding into home and your pants begin to foam,
diarrhea, diarrhea diarrhea." He was standing in a boat and as
he began singing a verse a yellow jacket began flying around his face
and he so he sang something like "when you are sliding into third
and you drop juicy and there' s bee in your face." He screamed
and ran off camera." I remember Chani doing the bird dance at
her roller skating lessons flapping her little arms like wings with
a look of utter seriousness and determination on her face. Every time
I picture skating behind her and watching he little elbowed wings
working I get a huge grin. I am grateful for times Aaron and I sat
on river beds banging rocks together and chanting Native songs I learned
from Cree elders in Oregon. I remember how Sarah used to wake me up
when I was sleeping by pulling up one of me eyelids and asking me
if I was in there. She also liked to drag her thumb over my eyebrows
and push the hard backwards towards my nose. I remember Liz taking
a bath in the sink at Sun Mountain Lodge and being so serious as I
was interviewing her from behind the camera. Ever time she moved a
little bit water flooded onto the floor. She got a kick out of that.
It is hard to believe now that any of them were so little once. The
treasure of these happy memories help raise me up if I want to sink
down.
The human mind is an incredible thing and at the same time
simple. Our minds can't tell when we are making things up and that
is why stress, real or imagined,can be so hard on us. I have begun
the practice of going back over scenes that didn't play out very well
and playing them with a different ending. For now, just with little
things like, traffic, a disagreement. After I imagine a more pleasant
experience a funny thing happens. I feel better. Also I am better
prepared for the next time around and have set up a good out come.
Like Henry Ford said "whether you think you can or think you
can't you're right." This exercise works really good over memories
that hurt or haunt a person. Make a new one. The simplest thing for
peace of mind is being present and aware of life at this moment and
being grateful for what we have now. We draw into our lives what we
think about and dwell upon so it only figures that if we think about
happiness and abundance we will draw those things into our lives.
Since we get more of what we give our focus if we focus on health
rather than sickness we will heal faster and better. It makes sense
to me. God bless. Papa
April 20-21, 2007
These days it is more and more challenging to find the
time to write. I am on my way to Costco to pick up The Secret and
see if that will help us make a move. I am not hearing from any of
the people we spent last weekend with so quickly we come together
and are then swept back up into our separate lives. I waste a lot
of time with MySpace because there are so many friends and no organization
to where they are. I flip through and accidentally bump people off
my list, like I did with Josh's Johnny Suede page. I am going through
1200 people to find him and this is the 5th time. I decided to do
a page at a time but not look at it for about 5 minutes until everybody's
picture is there. I hate waiting. Still I am blessed with a lot of
very nice friends who are quite amazing people and artists. What a
great thing to be able to network and share with so many people all
over the world. I love it!
I am very excited to go to the theater tonight and see
and hear all the work Sarah Maria has done on this interactive dance
performance. She composed nearly an hour's worth of music and I am
so proud of her. We missed out on a long planned weekend together
last weekend so tonight is very special to me as we will get to hang
out with her for a bit after the show.
I did a lot of talking on the phone yesterday. I
talked to Freedom and he sounds very good. We talked about the fact
that when we are holding guitars and singing there are no questions
such as "why am I here?" or "what am I supposed to
be doing?" It is funny that works. It was good to hear his voice.
Then I talked to Natalie for a long time and that was nice. She is
doing good and says the new little one growing inside is very healthy
and fine. It was good to listen to her share her feelings about life,
love and the pursuit of happiness.
It is very important to think before acting or speaking.
It is early and that just popped into my head. Our thoughts are such
powerful magnets. I just learned that the subconscious does not know
negatives. Therefore what we focus on is what we get. In other words
it we say "I don't want to be late." Be late is the message
the brain gets. If we focus on debts we get more. Focus on having
abundance, then pay off the debts and don't worry about it.
It is so vital they way we perceive our world. We are shaping our
lives, our destinies with the things we place in our thoughts. These
are not new concepts, they are just taking on new life as Andie and
I reach out for the future we are creating together. A future that
includes loving and lifting Kayden into a space where he can be all
he can be. He blossoms a little more each and every day. In the past
we have been blessed with many lessons in patience and perseverance.
By the past I mean up until he went to sleep last night. And soon
his new day will begin. I love Saturdays because it is just us two
guys hanging out together. It is our time and I cherish it. It seems
like a blink ago and I was carrying Freedom in a backpack style baby
carrier through the woods on what is now the Nordstrom Farm. Back
then it was Sky Meadows. What a place to be born. He soaked up every
site and sound and loved being in the woods. And Sarah was just popping
out into the world a moment ago with her ancient and magnificent soul
all so keenly aware of everything. Josh was blessing us with his radiant
smile and beautiful baby face. Sariah looks so much like he did. He
came into the world sporting a unique sense of humor. Chani charged
into the world with "a gimme that spoon I can feed myself"
attitude accompanied by "sleep is for old people" philosophy,
all topped off with "I need a pen and paper please." Liz
was taking baths in the sink and practicing her freeze you where you
stand glare, tying strings around everything in the house and driving
us crazy playing hide and go seek. We almost never found her and we
were really looking. Now it begins again with this new amazing soul
in our care. Blessings continue to abound.
PS Fell asleep watching The Secret. I suspect that staying awake is
part of the key to successfully learning from the DVD. :)
April 13, 2007
Driving to the airport. Not picking up freedom though.
Rob and I are picking up his lead guitarist Al. Rob and I are cruising
down the road. Freedom said there was some fiasco on the plane and
everyone was asked to get off the plane. April 17, four days later.
Where do I begin? I will begin at the end. I drove Kestral, Al and
Freedom to the airport after we took the ferry back from Lopez. I
say I, what I mean is Kestral drove us in Rob's car and then I drove
that back to our house after dropping off the guys at the airport.
The weekend went by in a blink, a squint and a flutter. We picked
up Al without a hitch but Freedom for various and sundry reasons did
not get in at 11 PM as he was scheduled. Instead he arrived at 4 AM.
Jimmy Culler picked him up and they had a great visit on the ride
up. Jimmy is my spirit brother, bass player and long time friend.
He hadn't spent time with Freedom for decades so it was good for both
of them.
Jimmy looked illuminated when they arrived in Bellingham in the morning.
I missed having that time with Freedom but it was meant to be as it
came to be.
When Andie was getting ready to drive up on Friday night
she fell on the porch steps and really twisted her ankle bad. She
insisted on driving north anyway. We were all very anxious to see
Freedom. We hit a few bumps in the road with communications between
several of our family members but the view was worth it. It was great
to go to Lopez Island again. We love it up there and we were blessed
with beautiful weather. Kayden ran, hoped and jumped all the way over
on the ferry, just about the whole time we were on Lopez. Since this was a late in the game journey we were not prepared for
camping or we would have stayed at the cabin. Instead Andie headed
home with Kayden around his bed time and I stayed behind to play at
the benefit for Joules Graves. I wish Andie had stayed and Kayden
had gotten to watch the music and dancing happen. I missed her and
Kayden when they left.
The reason we were all gathered on Lopez was a benefit for singer
songwriter Joules Graves and for a CD release party for the Tribute
CD recorded with Northwest artists doing 17 tracks of her songs. There
was a local band playing and opening the show and they did nothing
but Joules songs. What an honor for her to loved and supported so
well. The band consisted of percussion, bass, lead guitar, vibes,
and rhythm guitar player who was also the vocalist. They really cooked.
The vibes player was wonderful and the hand percussionist very tasty.
When they were finished we slowly came on stage in stages. Stephen
and I were last and we attempted to play into SM57 mics. I was just
happy to be there. Ammishaddai played flute, Clarity played djimbe
and sang, Tani played djimbe, Brotherhood also played djimbe, Al played
lead guitar, Rob played his 12 string, Freedom sang and played acoustic
guitar. He poured his heart and soul into the performance. It was
all so good to be playing together.
Throughout the experience, perhaps to remind us of the
times in which we live, there were intermittent pot holes in the road,
the occasional small log to go around but as in all families who love
each other, acceptance, love, forgiveness and laughter prevailed.
I love this big family. We stayed up most all night after the concert
and played music in different rooms in the hotel. We were able to
migrate from rooms if anyone complained. Shockingly only one person
called the front desk. It was so good to have the time and make the
music and be close. I wish Josh could have been there with Sariah
and Christina. Tenzin and Clarity brought every pillow and blanket
from their house so we eventually all settled in like sardines on
the floor and slept a bit.
In the morning I took a shower and went for a walk
to enjoy the quiet and beauty of Lopez and Joules pulled in across
the street from me. I said what are you doing. She said looking for
you. So we had a nice visit and took Tani's son Raynan to breakfast.
I am out of time this morning. So the adventure continues. Peace and
prayers for my Uncle John who broke his pelvis when he fell off a
ladder trimming a tree branch. He is in his late 70's but still 18
at heart.
April 9, 2007 It's
not the answer that enlightens, it's the question. Eugene Inesco
I have a lot of questions. I can't think
of any just at this moment. But I have a lot. It snowed, rained and
hailed today while Andie was at the grocery store. You certainly can't
say we don't have a variety of weather. We have thirty different kinds
of rain: showers, sprinkles, intermittent, heavy, light, overcast,
drizzle, threatening ( we get a lot of that). My favorite is partly
sunny. They say you can find a half an hour of descent weather on
any given day to take a nice walk. So make pop corn and pull up a
chair near the window and have your coat, hat and gloves ready and
keep watch. Jump on the spatters of sunshine.
Freedom is coming up this weekend to play at a benefit for Joules
Graves on Lopez Island. I think we are going to go. Well we are at
least going to Bellingham to be with that part of our extended family,
stay up late and play some music. Al is flying in as well and I am
hoping to pick them up at the airport. It is a busy week as Sarah
is back in town before her trip to Paris and wants to hear her compositions
on the speaker in our recording studio and maybe do a little mastering.
And to give us some hugs and kisses too. We have missed her a lot.
We had a Mish, Tani, four young family
members and Rob, Kayden, Chani, Faith, Liz and Dj and me here yesterday.
We stayed up late (for me) and had an overall very good time. The
spirit of confusion danced through the house a few times and muddled
things now and then but the spirit of love prevailed and it was a
good time. We played a bit of music but not nearly enough. I have
to remember to teach Rob "Let's Stay Friends Forever". That
would be a very good family gathering song. "Melody and harmony,
I feel like I can fly, let's stay friends forever you and I. Bon Nuit.
April 4, 2007 I
always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific.
Lily Tomlin
Another brisk morning arrives. I could hardly believe
it Monday morning when I opened the door to let the kitty out and
saw everything covered in a couple of inches of snow. It is some crazy
weather we have had all year. Kayden loves the snow. But it is really
like a giant dish of ice cream to him and he is so busy eating it
that he hardly notices the vastness of it all. He started pitching
a fit to go outside when he saw the snow out the window. Andie was
saying "Kayden, it is too cold and wet." And it was bitingly
cold. Guess what he said? "No!" In pigeon sign language
I asked him if he would like me to get him a bowl of snow to eat.
He got a huge grin on his face and nodded vigorously. I had to do
a lot of careful clean surface skimming to fill a bowl for him. His
sign for thank you is a flat palm against his lips followed by what
resembles blowing a kiss and the sound "muwah". He was so
grateful that he used two hands and a very long "mmmmmmuuuwah."
Somehow and at some point we began a ritual of setting up a little
make shift snow snack table for him at the foot of the aquarium so
he can watch the fish and see through his little play gym to the TV
as well. Elmo was on and Kayden was in heaven. A bite of snow, a look
at the fish, a peek at Elmo and repeat; all accentuated by mmm's and
ahhhh's. He eats like I do with a lot of audio embellishment. Little
moments to remember and make me smile.
April 1, 2007 Part II
I finished up at the Winery
today. I learned a few new tricks experimenting with two loop pedals
and a mic. I got a little crazy experimenting but I discovered ways
to use both loop pedals for different things: play drums and voice on
one loop station and then record the whole thing on another. I guess
you had to be there. I am really writing this down so I will remember
that I learned something and can take it to the next level. I came
up with some song ideas while playing live too. It was a very good
day. I am aching in the back from standing and playing 16 hours this
week: the first time in ages and boy did it feel good.
After I packed everything up I headed out and stopped for some food
on the way home from Woodinville. At the Buzz Inn in Snohomish I ate
and read a little of the loop pedal manual. Nothing like a little
light reading with a snack. That was nothing like light reading either.
As soon as I arrived home and walked in the door Kayden looked up
and walked past me to the shoe rack and pointed up and said "boots".
So without even really getting in the door out we went. He wanted
to walk around in my sadly neglected Asian Garden so I began kicking
up weeds with the toe of my rubber boots while he gathered rocks.
He decided to throw the rocks in my pond instead of the creek. He
climbed on my Bleeding Heart Orchids so I carried him to the other
side over the pond. It is really a wading pool so it is more like
a puddle than a pond. He is in love with the word "no" and
he had already used it on me about thirteen times. I said "you
are getting to close get back."
" No!"
" Kayden get back please."
" No!." I looked down
and went to kick at a bunch of weeds when I heard splash. There he
was head first in the puddle pond, butt in the air. He pulled forward
to raise his head and then he was all the way in the water. Now this
water is maybe 5 or 6 inches deep but he scared the heck out of both
of us. He was in the water about half a second and I had scooped him
up as I was right behind him. He wasn't crying and I think his biggest
concern as I carried him through the door and called Andie to help
was that his outside time was being cut short. That and he was freezing
his butt off. We powered off his clothes while toweling him down and
me telling Andie "Kayden went splash in the pond!" I said
it with great fanfare and he nodded his head and began to laugh. He
then reached out in an attempt to put his boots back on. I showed
him his one boot was full of water by dipping his had in it. That
cured him of any interest in putting the boot on his foot. We both
hustled him off to the bathroom for a warm bath. While Andie cleaned
and warmed him up I ran out to the car and unloaded all my gear from
the shows. That is my story and I am sticking to it.
I did talk to Josh last night and today and he played
me sound bites and various ghastly farts. He has quite a sense of
humor. I could hear Sariah talking and giggling in the background.
Love those guys! I am tuckered out. I am going to bed now and get
some rest. God bless.
April 1, 2007 Part
I
The first day at the Columbia Winery went
great. I played Rob's Telecaster and my Hernandez Classical. It felt
so good to play again. We went up to the airport on Thursday for a
Hanger Party. Ended up playing with Jimmy Culler, Jimmy Wright, Mike
Daily and John Matthews. That was a great night. It just came together
like never before and in a different way. I didn't think I was even
going to play that one but it turned out in the end. Jimmy Wright
really kicked butt and we were a bunch of happy musicians. Jimmy called
us the silver topped daddy's. A bunch of good guys making music and
having fun. It was good for the heart. The young people were even
dancing. Jimmy plays lots of dance tunes but we were doing almost
all Murat tunes. I could hardly move when I woke up from jumping around
so much. Now today I played for 4 hours almost straight. It was fun
using the loop pedals and improvising on the guitar and singing too.
I have to get some rest now and Andie is making me business cards.
It is happy birthday to Christina's Mom Linda. Josh called tonight
and made me laugh until I cried. He is so darned funny. Happy April
Fool's Day. Keep your eyes peeled.