Thought-Dreams

Leys Web and Graphic Design

2011-01-04T15:25:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't been blogging in a long while (a long LONG while, actually). As you all know, life has a way of taking up quite a lot of time. Most of my recent time has been taken up with a web design business I started last year, Leys Web and Graphic Design, and another long term project that I can't really talk about at the moment.
I intend on updating the layout of this blog soon as well as actively blogging more. Hopefully you will hear more from me soon! You can also follow my Web Design blog over at the Leys Web Design Blog!

St James Ukulele Blues

2009-06-26T21:12:00.000-07:00

Its nice to know I'm not the only one who plays classic blues songs on a ukulele :)

George on the Walk of Fame

2009-04-21T11:41:00.000-07:00

George Harrison was recently honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Video courtesy of Ukulelia:

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Now playing: George Harrison - Beware of Darkness
via FoxyTunes

Amazon Censorship

2009-04-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

I just ran across this @ Rich's ComixBlog and thought it worth quoting here:

Due to Amazon’s apparent new censorship policy, which includes de-listing books with LBGT content as “adult” and inappropriate, we have temporarily disabled our affiliate links. We ask that you read up on the issue and think before making any purchases from Amazon, through us or otherwise, until the rankings and search capabilities are restored and an apology is tendered to the authors affected.

A company which censors non-explicit LBGT content, including academic histories and biographies (”Heather Has Two Mommies” is suddenly erotica?) while continuing to openly promote explicit heterosexual pornography (Playboy Centerfolds isn’t erotica?) is a company that we cannot morally support.

You can read more here: Open Letter To Amazon

And here: Ed Rants

And here: Mark Probst: “Amazon Follies”

Thank you.

I know I'll be thinking twice before supporting Amazon again

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Now playing: The Traveling Wilburys - End of the Line
via FoxyTunes

Update: Neil Gaiman is also blogging about this and Amazon has said that it is due to a "glitch" in the system.

Our Wedding Song

2009-04-07T11:55:00.000-07:00

This is a piece that I've been working on for some time now. The current plan is to perform it at my upcoming wedding in July. A demo recording should be following in the not too distant future:

Our Wedding Song
For Justine
Lyrics by John W. Leys, Music by Elijah K Wilbury

E7
Tongue tied and stuttering
A7
Looking for the words to say
E7
To tell how much I love you
D G
Gotta keep from spitting up cliches

E7
You opened a door, shone a light
A7
And made my life complete
E7
No more lonely nights spent
D G
Wandering like a hobo in the street

E7-A7-D

E7
I was a man of constant sorrow
A7
Knowin' nothing but trouble all my days
E7
Now reborn like a flower
D G
Touched by the spring sun rays

E7
I followed my footsteps
A7
Ramblin' down a lost highway
E7
'til your love found me at that truck stop
D G
Finally giving me a reason to stay

E7-A7-D

E7
The prospect, it chilled my soul
A7
Can life really be this way?
E7
All my years on the road
D G
Love was just another way to betray

E7
But you made me a father; gave me a son
A7
Created a new family
E7
The light you shown opened by eyes
D G
Finally allowing me to see

E7
With your love in my heart
A7
And your pillow for my head
E7
There's really nothing left to fear
D G
For the past is truly dead

E7-A7-D

Self Preservation Blues

2009-03-11T15:03:00.001-07:00

This is a set of lyrics I've been working on lately. Not 100% satisfied with them, but close enough to show them in public ;)

Self Preservation Blues
by John W. Leys

I've seen this movie before and never liked the ending.
So why would I sit through it again?
I can see the plot twists all a comin'
I know what'll happen, its just a matter of when.

The lead is a self absorbed princess
Living in a run down trailer tent
All the other actors are there to serve her
Displease her and be prepared to repent

“What happened, where're you goin'?”
Words have no meaning if you don't listen.
“I don't understand what you're doin'”
Your eyes must be open to see the sky

She fancies herself a high class princess
Though she's just a burned out trailer tramp
Using people like disposable needles
She'll jump a thousand cars using you as the ramp

Like a newborn baby, she's blameless in every situation
Though her dress is scarlet red.
Kindly, she'll show you your every misstep
Though it was you down this path she led.

“What happened, where're you goin'?”
Words have no meaning if you don't listen.
“I don't understand what you're doin'”
Your eyes must be open to see the sky

So, without a word, I left the theater
Not stopping for a refund, nor to complain
Behind me the projector screened the second act
While I slept in comfort on an outbound train.

“What happened, where're you goin'?”
Words have no meaning if you don't listen.
“I don't understand what you're doin'”
Your eyes must be open to see the sky

Happy Birthday, Mr President!

2009-02-12T16:05:00.000-08:00

Abraham Lincoln
(February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865)
16th President of the United States of America
(March 4, 1861 – April 15, 1865)

A New Life

2008-12-24T19:05:00.000-08:00

New Life
For Justine

As I traveled, the path ahead seemed clear
I walked alone searching, yet not finding
A companion within the road windings.
Someone in the darkness to fight the fear
That wrapped my heart and drained me of my tears.
Many promises made; few still binding.
A mask pretends a heart is not minding
Liars and thieves, though the cost is so dear

But the moment before all hope is lost,
A hand offered to dust away the strife.
A soul so warm to thaw a frozen heart,

Ne'er asking what, to her, would be the cost
To risk her soul to save my broken life
So a new life together we can start

14 Dec 2008

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Now playing: The Beatles - Something
via FoxyTunes

Ukulele Player Magazine

2008-12-04T17:52:00.000-08:00

I found this via Ukulelia. A Free Ukulele enthusiasts magazine in pdf format! And its FREE!

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Now playing: Bob Dylan - Blind Willie McTell
via FoxyTunes

St Jame Infirmary Blues

2008-12-02T14:24:00.000-08:00

I recently found this article vis a link over at Expecting Rain.com. It is an article about Robert R Harwood's new book on the history of the St James Infirmary Blues, which has long been one of my all time favorite blues songs (I've even recorded it myself!). Harwood says of the song:

There is something mythical about St. James Infirmary. It seems to have always been here, although in its present state it is perhaps a hundred years old. The late American trombonist Jack Teagarden called it "the oldest blues song I know," but it's also jazz, country, pop . . . it even migrated to modern classical music. A number of people claimed authorship in the early days, but when blues singer Mattie Hite released her interpretation in 1930, the composer credit was to "Everybody" -- and that's about as accurate as it gets.

More information about the book can be found on Harwood's website, from which I found a great blog on Pre-War Blues called 'Honey, Where You Been So Long?' Not only does the blog post mp3s of hard to find blues tunes, they've recently posted a huge anthology of virtually every version of St James ever recorded: So Young So Cold So Fair & Standing Pat

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Now playing: Blind Willie McTell - Dying Crapshooter's Blues
via FoxyTunes

History in the Making

2008-11-04T21:37:00.001-08:00

Barack H. Obama
44th President of the United States of America

An interesting historical note: Obama is the 3rd US President from Illinois. The first two: Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses Grant.

Good-Bye, David

2008-07-01T14:46:00.000-07:00

David Wayne Stevens
(28 January 1968 - 30 June 2008)

וְעַתָּ֣ה׀ מֵ֗ת לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ אֲנִ֣י צָ֔ם הַאוּכַ֥ל לַהֲשִׁיב֖וֹ ע֑וֹד אֲנִי֙ הֹלֵ֣ךְ אֵלָ֔יו וְה֖וּא לֹֽא־יָשׁ֥וּב אֵלָֽי׃
"I shall go to him, but he will not return to me..."
2 Samuel 12.23

From Fisher Funeral Home:

David Stevens, 40, of Albany lost his long battle with diabetes and died Monday at his home. He was born in Albany and lived his whole life in Albany.

He leaves behind a family who loves him dearly and will miss him more than words can express. He loved everyone and always tried to make everyone happy. He was happiest when he was outdoors - dirt bike riding, skiing, or any outdoor sports. He had a great time singing Karaoke at JP's. He loved to draw, sing, and write poems and songs. He loved to sing because it made everyone so happy.

David is survived by his mother, Charlote Bridges and step-father, Dave Bridges, who David always said was the best dad he ever had; son Keegan, sisters Michaelle Williams and her daughter Miranda Williams, Tami Butler and her daughters, Tonya & Tiffany; step-brother, Kyle Bridges: grandmother, Virginia Stevens; uncles, John Wood & Tom Leys; aunts, Karen Leys, Ruth Wood, Elizabeth Smarr & Roselyn Stowell, and many cousins. David will join his grandparents in heaven: his Grammy, Dorothy Couch who was his best friend and roommate for many years, and his grandfathers: Willis Wood and Jim Stevens.

Memorial services will be held at the Albany Eagles Club, 127 Broadalbin St NW, at 2:00pm, Saturday, July 5, 2008.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be given to any Central Willamette Community Credit Union or to Fisher Funeral Home, 306 SW Washington, Albany, Oregon 97321 to help with his final arrangements.

First Fish of the Season

2008-06-13T12:42:00.000-07:00

To celebrate Tristyn's last day of Second Grade we took him out to Shevlin Pond to go fishing. We all had a great time and both Tristyn and his mom got two fish each, which we then grilled up for dinner!

The first fish of the season!

Tristyn learns to clean his first fish!

The Big Catch!

Three Generations on the Butte

2008-06-09T23:25:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my folks came up to visit for the weekend. While they were here we got this great shot of me, Dad and Tristyn up on Pilot Butte:

The Quotable Grant

2008-06-01T22:59:00.000-07:00

I found this video while surfing YouTube:

Mystified

2008-05-28T19:13:00.001-07:00

"When you feel in your gut what you are and then dynamically pursue it - don't back down and don't give up - then you're going to mystify a lot of folks."
- Bob Dylan

Sherman's Lament

2008-05-21T13:39:00.000-07:00

This is a piece I've been working on for a while. It was inspired by several quotes I've read by General Sherman concerning war.

Sherman's Lament
by John W. Leys

For General William Tecumseh Sherman
and soldiers everywhere.

The day over, the battle won.
No joy rests in the victory.
The home front questions tactics,
I'm a soldier accused of barbary

Looking out o'er the battlefield
I see the bodies of fathers, sons and brothers.
Their blood cried out to me from the mud
Like the weeping of wives, sisters and mothers.

I'm but a humble soldier
With a job that must be done.
A country that needs healing,
A war that must be won.

We fight for freedom and glory,
Or so the politicians tell.
But their reasons are all moonshine
This war—all war—is Hell.
18 May 2008

She Said Yes!

2008-05-16T00:04:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday I asked my girlfriend, Justine, to marry me and--of course--she said Yes! We're planning a Summer 09 wedding in one of the local parks :)

Haircut Day!

2008-05-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

A few days ago Tristyn had his first haircut in quite a long time:

Before

During

The Mohawk!

Still some left, Mom!

The HAIR!!

Finished! Isn't he cute?

Love According to Adama

2008-04-30T02:50:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite quotes from the new Battlestar Galactica. Commander Adama and Chief Tyrol discuss the nature of Love in the episode The Farm:

Adama: Did you love her, Chief?

Tyrol: 'Scuse me?

Adama: Boomer. Did you love her?

Tyrol: Thought I did.

Adama: Well, when you think you love somebody, you love them. That's what love is. Thoughts

Note: The transcription of this dialog was found on the Battlestar Wiki.

Tangled Up In Blue: Ukulele Arrangement

2008-04-27T01:51:00.001-07:00

I just posted my ukulele arrangement of Bob Dylan's Tangled Up in Blue to Uker Tabs:

Tangled Up In Blue

I've likely posted it before, but those interested can watch a video of me playing this song:

A moment of fame

2008-04-23T01:14:00.000-07:00

Recently Bill Miller of JohnnyCash.com has been running a Johnny Cash song contest on the his on-line radio show. I entered with my ukulele rendition of "Delia" and was happy to hear a clip of it played on the show this week! There are a lot of other very good entries, so I don't know what my chances of winning are, but I do know that I am the only entry with a ukulele in it :D

Update:Since the show I was on is no longer current I thought I'd provide a direct link to the archived episode (all past episodes are listed on the bottom of the main Radio Show page. The one my song clip was played on is Show #44

Artists Beware!

2008-04-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

From Animation World Magazine, Re: Congress' Orphan Works Legislation
I usually don't quote so extensively from articles, but this one is important!

An Orphaned Work is any creative work of art where the artist or copyright owner has released their copyright, whether on purpose, by passage of time, or by lack of proper registration. In the same way that an orphaned child loses the protection of his or her parents, your creative work can become an orphan for others to use without your permission...
Currently, you don't have to register your artwork to own the copyright. You own a copyright as soon as you create something. International law also supports this. Right now, registration allows you to sue for damages, in addition to fair value.
What makes me so MAD about this new legislation is that it legalizes THEFT! The only people who benefit from this are those who want to make use of our creative works without paying for them and large companies who will run the new private copyright registries.
These registries are companies that you would be forced to pay in order to register every single image, photo, sketch or creative work.
It is currently against international law to coerce people to register their work for copyright because there are so many inherent problems with it. But because big business can push through laws in the United States, our country is about to break with the rest of the world, again, and take your rights away.
With the tens of millions of photos and pieces of artwork created each year, the bounty for forcing everyone to pay a registration fee would be enormous. We lose our rights and our creations, and someone else makes money at our expense.
This includes every sketch, painting, photo, sculpture, drawing, video, song and every other type of creative endeavor. All of it is at risk!
If the Orphan Works legislation passes, you and I and all creatives will lose virtually all the rights to not only our future work but to everything we've created over the past 34 years, unless we register it with the new, untested and privately run (by the friends and cronies of the U.S. government) registries. Even then, there is no guarantee that someone wishing to steal your personal creations won't successfully call your work an orphan work, and then legally use it for free.
In short, if Congress passes this law, YOU WILL LOSE THE RIGHT TO MAKE MONEY FROM YOUR OWN CREATIONS!
Why is this allowed to happen? APATHY and MONEY.
Artists have apathy and corporations have money.
We need to be heard in order to protect our incomes, our creations and our careers. GET OFF YOUR ASS!
That means writing letters to our congressmen and representatives. That means voicing your opinion about how we need copyright protection, as we've had since 1976, that protects everything we create from the moment we create it. This is the case around the world.
...
Two proponents of this new legislation are Corbis and Getty Images. They are large stock photo and stock art companies. They sell art and photos inexpensively and are trying to build giant royalty-free databases. Do you see how they could benefit from considering most works of art in the world orphans?
Do you know who owns Corbis? Bill Gates. He doesn't do anything unless it can make a huge amount of money. Helping you lose the copyright to your art is big business for Gates.
For years we've heard of Hollywood fighting with China to protect copyrights and stop the pirating of DVDs. Our government has worked with the studios to protect their investment.
Our government is NOW WORKING AGAINST US by allowing our own fellow citizens TO STEAL OUR CREATIVE WORKS.
It will be easy for them to get away with it unless we make ourselves heard.
Your calls and letters do work. I've seen many instances in which a single letter made a difference in public policy. Tens of thousands of calls and letters help even more.
This is not empty talk. I have written letters to my congressmen and I will do so again. I do what I can to let every creator know about terrible legislation like this... thus you are reading articles like this one and you can listen to interviews I've posted online.
CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR:
Go to http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml to quickly find the phone number, address and e-mail of every U.S. senator, U.S. representative, governor and state legislator.
Forward this article to every creator you know and urge them to take a moment to protect their very livelihood. I am giving everyone the right to reprint this article in any form to help spread the word to protect our creative rights.
Instead of sitting around watching TV tonight, TiVo that show, write a letter and make yourself heard.
Letters to our government officials don't have to be long, but they should be heartfelt. A good story helps. Tell them who you are, how this legislation negatively affects you and that you want them to vote against the Orphan Works legislation. It's that easy!
If you don't, you will have only yourself to blame when you see other people making money from your art and you don't see a dime.
...

Photos on the internet could be orphaned. With tens of millions of photos shared online with services like Flickr, Shutterfly and Snapfish, there is a huge opportunity for unauthorized use of your photos... legally.

You could see photos you take of your family and kids, or of a family vacation, used in a magazine or newspaper without your permission or payment to you. You would have to pay to register your photos, all of them, in every new registry in order to protect them. Say the average person takes 300 photos per year (I take a lot more than that). If a registry only charges $5 per image, that is a whopping $1,500 to protect your photos that are protected automatically under the current laws. If there are three registries, protecting your images could cost an amazing $4,500. Not to mention the time it would take to register every photo you take. Plus, you will also have to place your copyright sign on every photo.
That's not including all your art, sketches, paintings, 3D models, animations, etc. Do you really have all that extra time and money? Plus, even if you do register, the people stealing your work can still claim it was orphaned and, unless you fight them, they win. Even if you win, you may not make back your legal fees.
It gets even better. Anyone can submit images, including your images. They would then be excused from any liability for infringement (also known as THEFT) unless the legitimate rights owner (you) responds within a certain period of time to grant or deny permission to use your work.
That means you will also have to look through every image in every registry all the time to make sure someone is not stealing and registering your art. You could actually end up illegally using your own artwork if someone else registers it. DOES ANYONE SEE A PROBLEM WITH THIS?
Do you think the U.S. Copyright Office is here to protect you from this legislation? Think again.
Brad Holland of the Illustrators' Partnership shares his notes from a recent meeting with David O. Carson, general counsel of the Copyright Office.
Brad Holland: If a user can't find a registered work at the Copyright Office, hasn't the Copyright Office facilitated the creation of an orphaned work?
David O. Carson: Copyright owners will have to register their images with private registries.
BH: But what if I exercise my exclusive right of copyright and choose not to register?
DOC: If you want to go ahead and create an orphan work, be my guest!
This cavalier and disrespectful dialogue should have you seeing red. Who the hell does he think he is? Carson should be fired and RUN OUT OF WASHINGTON!
None of this could happen with our current laws. Our current laws work and they protect us and our creations.
The only people who will benefit from the copyright law change are those who can't create work on their own or companies who stand to make a lot of money from using our works of art. They make contributions to congressmen, which is why they get what they want. We need to stand up and be heard. Every one of you need to write your senators and representatives. We have to protect our livelihoods. It's that serious.
For additional information on Orphan Works developments, go to the IPA Orphan Works Resource Page for Artists.
This is not something that is going to go away easily. We need to be vocal NOW!
This legislation has been beaten or delayed for the past two years and they will keep trying until it passes. This is no time to be quiet and see what happens. What will happen depends on you. Send e-mails and call your congressmen. Ownership of your own creations depends on it.
Roger Dean sums this up well. "Where are the colleges and universities in all this? Has the whole world gone to sleep?"
GET ON ORPHAN WORKS E-MAIL LIST
To be notified of the latest information on the Orphan Works bill and when to contact your legislators, send an e-mail and ask to be added to the Orphan Works list.
AUDIO INTERVIEW LINK
I have recorded a fantastic interview with Brad Holland of the Illustrators' Partnership regarding this bill and what it means to us as artists. Please listen and learn more about how you may lose ownership of all your art and photos. This article and the recorded interview are available for anyone to use in print or online. Please forward this information to every person and group you know so that we can work together and protect our creations and livelihoods.

Read the full article @ http://mag.awn.com/?article_no=3605 and pass it on to any Artist, Writers and Photographers you know!

My Boy, the Baseball Star!

2008-04-10T13:47:00.000-07:00

Spring is here, which means baseball is back. But for once I'm excited about a player that isn't on the Yankees roster (yet!).

Bob Gets Pulitzer!

2008-04-07T22:31:00.000-07:00

It was announced today that Bob Dylan has been awarded a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation:

SPECIAL CITATION

A Special Citation to Bob Dylan for his profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power.

Congrats, Bob!!