Emotional Earthquake Wrapup

I just returned to Nashville after presenting the seminar in Decatur last night. We had about 20 people and I knew about half of them.
It was an interesting experience for me. The nature of the topic does not lend itself to a lot of freewheeling discussion. People are typically not too crazy about sharing the very reasons why they attended.
So I felt a lot of burden to "carry the show" so to speak for almost 4 hours but over time people loosened up a bit and I felt like we ended on a very positive note for everyone.
I was surprised by the return of some of my own anxiety as I approached the city limits yesterday morning. I didn't expect it. It didn't rock me but but it brought back some names and circumstances that I hadn't thought about for awhile. It passed.
As it turns out the very location I chose for the seminar had some powerfully negative emotion attached to it for one of the attendees which I didn't know until an email arrived today explaining the reasons for the person's attendance.
It's remarkable how geography can connect us to emotions, both for good and for bad.
About a week ago I also sent an optional behavioral assessment out to the attendees and we spent some time discussing the results. Our base genetic wiring for certain personality traits will also have a potent effect on how we respond to emotional trauma. It was good to use the assessment results to further understand how and why we behave certain ways.
I have already received some great, very personal notes back from people who were there last night. I am truly grateful for those.
I don't know if or when I will do this seminar again. I don't feel a burning need to promote it.
I feel a burning need to do it only if there is a group of people somewhere who feel it would help.
KS

Crazyass Passion Part Two

We got free tickets to a tribute concert to Kris Kristofferson tonight. Willie Nelson, Emmy Lou Harris, Allison Kraus, Martina McBride, and a bunch of other stars.
We left at the intermission and walked a couple of blocks to Roberts Western World on Broadway.
The Don Kelley Band has played there for many years. A friend of mine named Joe Fick plays bass. There is always some interchangeability in the members of the band but the quality of the music is always top drawer. I love listening to them.
These guys play for tips every night and I have yet to see them not play their hearts out on every song. Maybe their hearts aren't always in it but you would never know by watching them.
I'm pretty sure that the stars I saw in the first half of the night at the Bridgestone Arena are passionate about their music.
But I KNOW that the 4 guys I watched at Robert's are crazyass passionate.
It's why there's something about the Broadway scene in Nashville that always pulls me in.
It's a little crass, a little commercial, pretty touristy, but the musicians are crazyass passionate.
I can't resist it. It pulls me in. I will take it over the polish of the big names any day.
KS

Crazyass Passion

"Crazyass passion is the staple of life and persistence its nourishing force. Without them, you cannot cross the trail."
This is the last sentence off the last page of The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey, by Rinker Buck.
I just finished it and I LOVE this book.
You will like it if you enjoy any or all of the following:
Mules
American History
Dysfunctional families
Crazy ideas
Pioneer lore
More crazy ideas.
Basically Rinker and his brother Buck decide to do a modern day, 2000 mile Oregon Trail trek in a covered wagon. Yes. True.
If you have read any of Bill Bryson's books the style will feel familiar. Buck is a great writer and did a tremendous amount of historical research prior to setting off on this trip.
Read it, you won't regret it.
But that's not my point.
I love people with crazyass passion about almost anything. It happens to me a lot, and I get elated by the ups and paralyzed by the downs. And then go back for more.
I hope you have crazyass passion about something. I don't care what it is. Maybe it's God (He probably doesn't care for my phrasing so I will ask forgiveness now), animals, sports, food, cigars, kids, trees, flowers, work, play, or any of about a billion different subjects.
You pick it, I don't care. But somewhere you have to have something that burns at your core and consumes you with a desire to just keep at it, day after day.
It might not work. It might not last. It might not turn out exactly like you imagined.
But remember this quote from Robert Frost:
"Happiness makes up in height for what it lacks in length."
Go crazy, folks. Go crazy.
KS

Nashville Tourists

Spring is arriving (70 here today) and the tourist activity is really picking up here, you can see it and feel it.
My son has entered the Air BNB world with his house and has put together a very nice set of information that helps visitors find the neighborhood spots that wouldn't be found otherwise.
I know many of you have been down here and perhaps others have trips planned so I thought I would include Kenny's document for your own vacation planning.
He is an expert at learning a city. No dive is too divey for him to walk into and no chain is ever likely to see his shadow. This is the kind of list that will be ever changing but it's a fantastic start for anybody coming to town.
Kenny might also be able to help you find a driver if you need one. :))
We are happy to give advice or answer questions if we can help.

Restaurants, Bars, Breweries, Music, Sites

West Nashville/Sylvan Park (Host neighborhood):

a.       M.L Rose (Address: 2535 Franklin Pike, Nashville, TN 37204) – Great craft brews and excellent patio. Very much within walking distance.

b.      The Beer Pale (Address: 4109 Charlotte Avenue, 42nd Ave N, Nashville, TN 37209) – Steamed sandwiches, great gourmet hot dogs and an excellent selection of rotating craft brews, most of which are locally made.

c.       Flip Burger (Address: 4111 Charlotte Ave, Nashville, TN 37209) – Gourmet burgers.

d.      Hattie B’s (Address: 5209 Charlotte Pike, Nashville, TN 37209) – Famous Nashville Hot Chicken joint. Personal favorite of mine. Careful on the level of hotness. Grab a cold beer to help it down along with southern side dishes. Right down the street!

e.      Wendell Smith Restaurant (Address: 407 53rd Ave N, Nashville, TN 37209) – An old school, southern diner that serves up great breakfast, burgers and sweet tea.

f.        Betty’s Grill (Address: 407 49th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37209) – Dive bar, nuff said. No liquor here, just cold beer. Good burger and wings.

g.       Cool Stuff Weird Things (Address: 4900 Charlotte Pike, Nashville, TN 37209) – The name of the store explains the place. Grab some Nashville paraphernalia in this store which offers a widespread selection of vintage items and accessories. Right next to Betty’s.

h.      Centennial Bar and Grill (Address: 5113 Centennial Blvd, Nashville, TN 37209) – New, neighborhood dive bar. Awesome craft beer selection and sandwiches. They serve Coors Original on tap which is rare and a favorite of mine.

i.         Fifty First Kitchen and Bar (Address: 5104 Illinois Ave, Nashville, TN 37209) – Small plate food, farm to table, wines. Very new to the area and great atmosphere.

j.        Star Bagel Café (Address: 4504 Murphy Rd, Nashville, TN 37209) – Locally owned and operated. Bagels, wraps, healthy eating. Grab a fruit tea or a coffee in the morning.

k.       The Local Taco (Address: 4501 Murphy Rd, Nashville, TN 37209) – Local taco joint with a great patio.

l.         Neighbors Bar of Sylvan Park (Address: 4425 Murphy Rd, Nashville, TN 37209) – Personal favorite of mine. Neighborhood bar always filled with locals. Great bartenders, good specials and the best chicken wings in Nashville. Grab a bar stool and enjoy their smoked meats. A D.J. or band will play weekend nights.

m.    Café Nonna (Address: 4427 Murphy Rd, Nashville, TN 37209) – Locally owned and operated Italian food. Featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

n.      Bros Cajun Cuisine (Address: 3214 Charlotte Ave, Nashville, TN 37209) – Laid back Cajun joint. Great jambalaya, po’ boys and crawfish. Another hole in the wall favorite of mine. 

o.      Climb Nashville (Address: 3600 Charlotte Ave, Nashville, TN 37209) – If you’re wanting some group exercise, visit Climb Nashville and their indoor rock climbing facilities. Very close to home.

p.      Jimmy Kelly’s (Address: 217 Louise Ave, Nashville, TN 37203) – Family-run steakhouse with old, southern charm. Some of these waiters have been serving up steaks and wine since mid-1900! Cozy atmosphere.

Downtown/Midtown/The Gulch

q.      Broadway (Downtown) – Hard to make a Nashville trip complete without visiting Broadway in downtown Nashville. Uber to Broadway, walk down the street, bar hop and listen to great county music. Remember, musicians play for tips!

                                                               i.      Favorites: Tootsies, Roberts Western World, The Stage, Acme

r.        Printers Alley (Downtown) – An alley downtown which offers various bars and blues joints. Just ask any local downtown and they’ll let you know where it is. Easy walk from Broadway.

s.       John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge (Downtown near Broadway) – Don’t leave Nashville until you take a stroll over the Pedestrian Bridge downtown over the Cumberland River. Great views of the city.

t.        The Johnny Cash Museum and Café (Downtown, Address: 119 3rd Ave S, Nashville, TN 37201). Great museum of the iconic, Johnny Cash!

u.      Yazoo Brewing Company (Address: 910 Division St, Nashville, TN 37203) – Local brewery, great taproom and tour.

v.       Jackalope Brewing Company (Address: 701 8th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203) – Another great local brewery and taproom near downtown. Very close to Yazoo.

w.     Peg Leg Porker (Address: 903 Gleaves St, Nashville, TN 37203) – Best ribs in Nashville as far as I’m concerned. Located right by Yazoo Brewing, this joint is locally owned and has fantastic pork BBQ.

x.       3^rd & Lindsley Bar and Grill (Address: 818 3rd Ave S, Nashville, TN 37210) – One of the great Nashville spots to stop in to hear live music. Famous acts have been known to show up unexpectedly.

y.       Husk (Address: 37 Rutledge St, Nashville, TN 37210) – Farm to table. Exceptional brunch and dinner.

z.       Virago (Address: 1126 McGavock St, Nashville, TN 37203) – Hip hangout near downtown known for exceptional Asian fusion cuisine and cocktails.

aa.   Whiskey Kitchen (Address: 118 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203) – Rustic bar/restaurant which a great bourbon selection and grub.

bb.  Kayne Prime Steakhouse (Address: 1103 McGavock St, Nashville, TN 37203) – Best steak in town, hands down. Reservations needed. Dress code.

cc.    Nashville Farmer’s Market (Address: 900 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208) – A gem for our city. Each weekend local farmers, producers and merchants gather to bring their goods, arts and crafts to this establishment. Highly recommend a visit for a couple hours.

East Nashville

dd.  Rumours East (Address: 1112 Woodland St, Nashville, TN 37206)

ee.  The Pharmacy Burger Parlor and Beer Garden (Address: 731 Mcferrin Ave, Nashville, TN 37206) – One of the best burgers in Nashville. Be prepared to wait if you go at lunch.

ff.     3 Crow Bar (Address: 1024 Woodland St, Nashville, TN 37206) – Dive bar that defines East Nashville. Very local, little hipster, good beer bar and music.

gg.   The Treehouse (Address: 1011 Clearview Ave, Nashville, TN 37206)

hh.  Five Points Pizza (Address: 1012 Woodland St, Nashville, TN 37206) – Voted one of the best pizza joints in the city.

ii.       Mas Tacos (Address: 732 Mcferrin Ave, Nashville, TN 37206) – Small Mexican joint offering amazing Mexican street food with a twist. Featured on Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives.

jj.      Barista Parlor (Address: 519 Gallatin Ave, Nashville, TN 37206) – Hip coffee parlor. One of my favorite places to visit on a nice morning.

Germantown

kk.   Germantown Café (Address: 1200 5th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37208) – In the heart of Germantown which is within walking distance of downtown. Great upscale café offering southern cuisine.

ll.       312 Pizza Company (Address: 371 Monroe St, Nashville, TN 37208) – I’m originally from Chicago so this place is near and dear. Great brews and deep dish pizza.

mm.                      Butchertown Hall (Address: 1416 4th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37208) – Great beer garden and smoked meats.

nn.  5^th and Taylor (Address: 1411 5th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37208) – Unbelievable atmosphere and food. One of the hottest places to eat in town. Try the quail.

oo.  Silo (Address: 1121 5th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37208) – Upscale southern bistro. A favorite of mine. Try to deviled egg appetizer.

pp.  Nashville Sounds AAA Baseball (Address: 19, Jr Gilliam Way, Nashville, TN 37219) – Nashville is home to the Athletic A’s AAA baseball club. They play at First Tennessee Park which is between Germantown and Downtown. Cheap tickets, great beer and ball game grub, and a perfect way to spend an afternoon.

12 South Avenue

qq.  12 South Taproom (Address: 2318 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204) – Local beers and great bar grub. Perfect on a sunny day.

rr.     Burger Up (Address: 2901 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204)

ss.    Bartaco (Address: 2526 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204) – New joint in the 12 South neighborhood offering great tacos and small plates.

tt.     Edley’s Bar-B-Que (Address: 2706 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204) – Great brisket!

uu.  Epice (Address: 2902 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204) – A favorite of mine. This small bistro offers a twist on Lebanese cuisine.

vv.   Josephine (Address: 2316 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204)

ww.                       Mafiaoza’s (Address: 2400 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204) – Neighborhood pizza joint. Grab a slice and a pitcher of beer.

Other Places of Interest

xx.   Arrington Vineyards (Address: 6211 Patton Rd, Arrington, TN 37014) – Our very own vineyard south of the city. Decent drive to get there but with great weather it’s an enjoyable afternoon to taste wine.

yy.   Downtown Franklin, TN (Franklin, TN) – Old southern square with a variety of boutiques, vintage shops, bars and restaurants. About a 30 minute drive south of the house. 

zz.    Hillsboro Village (Near Belmont University) – Park the car and walk the street. Great restaurants include Belcourt Taps and Tapas, Double Dogs, McDougal’s and The Villager Tavern (dive bar with darts).

aaa.                        International Market and Restaurant (Address: 2010 Belmont Blvd, Nashville, TN 37212) – Authentic Thai grocery and restaurant. You won’t find this unless you’re a local. Great Pad Thai and the owners are wonderful people. PT’s and BLVD are across the street which are also great places to stop in for a drink or snack.

bbb.                      McCabe Golf Course (Address: 4601 Murphy Rd, Nashville, TN 37209) – Public course, 18 and 9 hold options. Fairly easy course and would be fun for a group that doesn’t take the sport that seriously. Also next to Neighbors Bar in Sylvan Park.

               

Wick-It Part II

I got my piece posted by Wick-It on his FB page. I love the comments and thought you might like reading them too.
https://m.facebook.com/DJWickit/posts/10153318771661817

Wick-It the Instigator

The first DJ I remember was Johnny Rabbitt. He was on KXOK, a typical 1960's AM Top 40 station in St. Louis. Every week they put out some kind of a yellow sheet that showed the rankings of the records and a bullet to the side indicating the trend line of sales. It was a world of 45s.
The along came FM and suddenly that's where all the cool DJs were.
The real hippie station in St. Louis was KSHE 95 in the late 60s and early 70s. The DJs spoke in hushed, "like wow, far out man", tones and they played long songs, not limited by the AM demands for songs in the 2 minute mode. It was the only place you could hear the entire drum solo from In a Gadda da Vida if you didn't own the record. It came out in 1968 and was 17 minutes and 2 seconds long.
Then radio stations started being bought up and playlists were set and suddenly radio all sounded the same again. Tom Petty wrote about it in The Last DJ.
All of these DJs played music but regardless of the era the music was from a band, written and performed by that band, and produced and marketed by a music company.
Then along came the world of electronics.
Suddenly you could sample, mix, remix, mashup. Words that never even existed before suddenly described what some guy was doing in the privacy of his own home.
Welcome to the world of Andrew Owsley, otherwise know as Wick-It the Instigator, the guy with 20 million hits on SoundCloud.
Wick-It is 36. I met him while driving him to the airport to do a show in Iowa City last week. I thought, 'Ok, DJ, dance party, white wannabe rapper.' He casually mentioned his grandma 'was a Helm.' For the uninitiated that is Helm as in Levon Helm, the extraordinary drummer/singer from The Band. That is a musical root par excellence. My curiosity was piqued,. so this week we found some time for the education of Ken in regard to some of today's music scene. Boy, did I get an education.
He doesn't do dances, he does concerts. People buy tickets and sit and watch and listen. I know this must sound terribly old of me but I had to sit and digest that for a minute. He's on stage with a computer, a mixer and maybe some lights and stuff. He IS the band. No Jimi setting his guitar on fire. No Townsend smashing his amp. No Joe Walsh too screwed up to remember his lyrics.
 It's Wick-It and his computer.
In concert.
So now my head is spinning, total cognitive dissonance, simultaneously rejecting and reaching for the new concept in front of me. Ok, keep talking Andrew, or Wick-It, or whatever I am actually supposed to call you while having coffee. I have to gain an understanding of this, I suddenly feel like too much of some world is not only passing me by but I'm not even aware of its existence.
It's vaguely reminiscent of the first time I heard the White Album. I said what is this? I don't understand these songs. Where in the world did this come from? Give me more.
Well you need to start by listening. He tells me he has this Johnny Cash Walk the Line remix. I'm listening to it as I type. Were it a record I would be reaching for it to stop the skips. Here it is for your listening pleasure. Be advised some of you are going to hate it. I didn't care for it at first listening. I like it more and more.

https://soundcloud.com/wick-it/johhny-cash-i-walk-the-line

A couple of points here. If you strip out the Johnny Cash part all of the other music was created by Wick-It sitting at home with a keyboard and a computer. He can't play Walk the Line to 20 somethings at a concert. But he says when he plays it his way the crowd loves it and he feels like he exposes the classic Cash to a whole new crowd. And of course for me it's in reverse, he exposes me to Wick-It World by using Cash as the hook.
Here's some Pink Floyd for you.

https://soundcloud.com/wick-it/pink-floyd-have-a-cigar-wick

This is his career and full time job. He has a booking agent and performs 100-120 shows per year across the country. He has original music for sale on ITunes. He has fans who follow him. He obviously is a musician, you can't do what he does without musical talent. He plays a guitar and I suspect plays it better than he lets on. He has a sound in his head and he puts it together electronically instead of using a band.
I'm still trying to make sense of this, it's just so new to me. I need to learn more.
So, if you're looking for me on April 30 you will likely find me in Murfreesboro, TN, at the Wick-It the Instigator concert. Far out man.
KS

Friday Musings

I drove this morning. The riders were sickeningly normal. We can't continue this way Uber Rider Nation. Don't you know I need your odd jobs, odd lives, and odd personalities in order to find my own normality?
I need the mad, the bad, the sad, and the ide rich.
Bring me your weirdness, your dysfunction, your muddled asses. The warmth and comfort of the Big Red Truck await you where you can spill your guts to Big Ken. Don't worry, he will only tell a few thousand of his closest acquaintances about you on Facebook and Twitter.
But I digress.
What I really meant to write about today is something that has bothered me for a long time.
Who is it, after all, that writes those sayings inside Chinese fortune cookies? Doesn't that bother you, not knowing? These strangers who purport to know our future after selling us a couple of servings of fried rice?
For a long time it was apparently Donald Lau, an accountant for God's sake.
Here's a link if you need a lot of detail:

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/06/06/cookie-master

(And by the way if you need a lot of detail on this topic I would love to be your Uber driver a couple of times.)

I can see Donald's face on the Mt. Rushmore of Chinese restaurants. Maybe along with the inventor of MSG, the person who thought of putting sweet and sour together in a way you can never taste the sour, and of course, the person who came up with Moo Goo Gai Pan.
Isn't that so lyrical? I love saying it. It makes me feel fashionably international, like I'm getting ready to do a Most Interesting Man in the World commercial.
I don't really like the dish but sometimes order it just so I can say it out loud. Moo. Goo. Gai. Pan.
Just savor the beauty of that phrase. Roll it around in your mouth like a steamed wonton.
Well, enough of that. I'm off to have lunch with DJ Andrew, who when asked by me if he wanted to get together famously replied:
"I be down to meet up."
So, if you're ever in Nashville, I Be Down To Meet Up.
KS

Update

Greetings. Sorry for the gap between posts, I've been busy with a lot of things.
1. First, the Emotional Earthquake seminar on Tuesday March 22, 2016.
This will start at 430PM and is intended to finish by 830PM.
I have reserved the Scovill Garden House at the Scovill Zoo for the event. I remember having meetings there before and I think it has an ambience that works well for our session.
I will be there between 330 and 4 to get setup and we will start promptly at 430.
I only have about 4-6 spaces left. Some of you have indicated that you might be bringing another person, if so please let me know ASAP. If you have not signed up but are intending to I encourage you to do so soon. The cost is $40 and you may pay me that night in cash or check.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
2. I am officially incorporated now as Nashville Thinker, LLC. Ta da! I have a bank account and a credit card and everything. I have slowed down working on the website for now. The blog seems to suit my needs at this point so I think I will let things play out before devoting more time and energy to the website.
3. I leave next Tuesday for Arizona. I will spend three days in training with a firm that specializes in human resource assessment tools intended to help both individuals and businesses. Those of you that are familiar with Gallup Strengthsfinder would find these assessments to be far deeper and comprehesive. This is going to be my area of focus from a business development point of view and I have a couple of different avenues to explore here in Nashville. More details to follow.
4. I had to put on slacks, a dress shirt, and a sport coat TWICE last week! I think I'll avoid that as much as possible.
5.  I walked with the 48 pound weight vest in work boots yesterday for the first time in a while, I'm feeling it today. I'm looking for tires and a sledgehammer. Flip, push, pull, jump, hit, carry, it ain't complicated folks.
Later
KS