A Positive Attitude And Happy New Year

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

A Positive Attitude Is Great But…

There are plenty of reasons to be positive about things in this world and in your life.  Stil, it’s good to face reality and take it head on even if it doesn’t agree with your positive outlook. As a writer, it’s part of my job to observe how emotions, outlooks on life, and even major events in life are all components of actions, reactions, and habits. Don’t fall victim to these tactics.

For instance, there are three positions you can take on just about any issue:

  1. Pessimism
  2. Optimism
  3. Realism

Numbers 1 and 3 can mix together.

Numbers 2 and 3 can blend, too. But numbers 1 and 2 are total opposites. Now a hired gun content writer can take an issue like unemployment and report it from either of the first two positions. First, pessimism can say unemployment is up to 6%. Or optimism could say 94% of people who want to work are working. The numbers represent the same thing, but they sure don’t sound the same, do they?

The only reason I’m bringing this up is because it’s a new year. 2013 is brand new. And you’re gonna hear a lot of spin where the “fiscal cliff” is concerned. Watch carefully how the different parties on both sides of the issue portray the problems…and so-called solutions.

Don’t let your guard down. Keep working diligently on your personal economy, and don’t be swayed by good news or dismayed by bad news. Keep your eyes on the prize. Even if giant corporations crumble around you, it doesn’t mean the money vaporizes. It just means it changes hands. And that means it’s still available to you, too.

Focus is the watchword for me this year. I hope you’ll join me.

We can achieve what we focus on.

Stay tuned,

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Health Care Law For Baby Boomers Is Toxic

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I just read an article that said when the upcoming health care law goes into effect in 2014, baby boomers stand to benefit the most. Don’t believe it for a second!

Freelance content writer, singer songwriter, and children's writer Tony Funderburk on his SoapBoxTake Control Of Your Own Health

I remember way back when I was going to school in Pasadena, Texas. Our house was near a paper mill, not far from refineries, and the air and water looked and smelled awful.

That’s putting it mildly.

We’ve learned a lot about where we should and shouldn’t throw our waste products since then. We still need to improve, but at least we’re aware and working on it. However; something you may not be as aware of is how toxic and polluted your everyday products are”and how toxic and polluted you may be. Sorry”it’s weird but true.

You may be going along day-to-day thinking you’re doing your part for the environment, and yet you don’t realize what you’re doing to yourself. Your soft drinks, water, condiments, cookies, meats, and just about everything else you consume are found in plastic containers nowadays. While many plastic containers are getting better, research shows how a lot of them still leach pollutants into the products they contain.

And that means they’re getting into you, too.

Do you live in a house with carpet on the floor. More evidence shows carpets contain adhesives which give off toxic emissions. Still want to roll around on the floor?

OK”so you jump up from the floor, and as you’re leaning on the wall eyeing your carpet, think about this. Is your wall covered in paint loaded with high level VOC’s? (volatile organic compounds) Is the paint free from heavy metals? (cadmium or lead) Even if it doesn’t have these substances, it could still have formaldehyde, ammonia, acetone, or odor-masking agents.

Your daily exposure to all these toxins and pollutants can be detrimental. Don’t get me wrong. You may not be at risk, and you may have a great genetic make up which helps keep you immune to the effects of this type of environment. Then again”why just risk it? Why not clean up your personal environment? You won’t be of any good to any environmental issues if you’re too sick to care.

My recommendations are simple. Get back to basics and make your own health care law…

  • Move around more”in the sunshine and fresh air
  • Drink plenty of water”and please, go for filtered water in glass containers
  • Eat sensibly”don’t make this complicated. You know what sensible is.
  • Use glass; not plastic
  • Stay away from aluminum”containers and cookware
  • Make your own cleaning products”it’s easy, safer, and they smell great!

And whether you’re part of the baby boomers, GenX, or any other American generation, remember that a health care law won’t give you health or care. So, take responsibility for yourself and your family.

Remember it like this:  Be Basic”Be Better

Stay tuned,
Freelance content writer, singer Songwriter, and children's writer with words and music for business and life...

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

I like to bring levity to my blog as often as it makes sense to do so. The cartoon self portrait of me is proof.

But I would like to get serious for just a few seconds and remind you to be safe out there this New Year’s Eve. I don’t know if you’ve noticed how many violent deaths are happening, but the number rises at an alarming rate.

Couple that with drunk drivers and you’ve got a recipe for danger soup. Don’t be a statistic this year. Watch yourself, keep a sharp eye open for signs of trouble, and watch out for your friends.

All that being said…I’d like to wish you a very Happy (and prosperous) New Year. Let’s do everything we can to make next year Lucky Thirteen.

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk says cheers to a lucky thirteen

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A Writer Singer In The Wide Open Spaces

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Take a few minutes and let your brain loose. If you’re a writer singer like me, maybe you’ve done this before. Now, don’t reign in your brain”just let it run wild in the wide open spaces and let the wind rush through. (no one’s looking who can call you an airhead)

Write down everything you can see in your mind’s eye…as soon as you see it. Don’t stop yourself and think it over just yet. And don’t worry about “getting it right”.

See It And Say It

Whatever way you’d say it out loud, that’s the way you write it down. Nothing to be afraid of here. You’re just letting the waters flow. Your mind becomes a clear, “babbling” (no pun intended) brook. Words flow between quiet banks and bump over rounded rocks. Every so often a duck or goose drops in for a splash and a snack on some minnows.

Now; you jump out of the water, dry yourself off, and run through the meadows so fast your hair starts on fire. As you turn around you see the water’s all dried up, too. Now what do you do? Blazing hair and no water…yikes!
Hey”it’s your daydream. Put it out with that honey in that maple tree right over there. Duh.

OK, now wake up.

Alright. That was just an exercise in fantasy and make-believe. Your flights of fancy don’t have to go anywhere near that far. Or they can go farther. The point is”let your mind open up and flow. You’ll almost feel the blood cells expand and take in more oxygen. You’ll come back to your (once mundane) work with renewed vigor. And you’ll let yourself go on a project and get it done. And the best part is, you’ll also have some more original writing to put in your next creative ebook or whatever. Yep, you’ll be a bona fide writer.

Now, just in case all that’s not your cup of tea…and just in case you’d like someone else to do this wacky writing work for you…give me a call or shoot me an email. I’ll “make it so” for you.

Stay tuned,

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No-cost, low-cost, and premium ways you can help me spread the Word…

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Get digital Bible stuff from the same company I do.

My books are also on Amazon.com or Apple Books

Grab yourself an un-cool T-shirt

Or how about some music for believers, dreamers, and thinkers

 

Words And Music In The Analog Age

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The first “gadget” my brother and I used
to record our words and music…and silliness…

Combine a sleep-deprived night with a bevy of boxes and bouquets under a tree with trimmings and lights…and what do you have? An excited boy or girl who can’t wait to see if they got that Xbox or iPad or BB gun or doll they were hoping for.

When I was growing up, the BB gun and the doll were possibilities. But the Xbox and iPad would have only been found in the imagination…maybe as a science fiction space ship and the place where it landed. The most high tech gift I remember getting was a do-it-yourself diode transistor radio kit. And my brother and I marveled for hours at how something we could build ourselves would bring in radio stations from far away places.

No, wait! I remember a very special gift one year. My brother and I got a portable reel-to-reel recorder. If I remember correctly it was an AIWA model…similar to the picture above. Boys being boys we couldn’t just hit the record button and do plain ol’ boring recordings of words and music. No, we had to do things like put our finger on the spool to slow it down during the recording…then laugh at our chipmunk voices in the playback.

This was our first peek into the wonderful world of recording…way before walkmans and way, way before iPods and iPhones and iPads. But, in this day of gadgetry within the reach of just about anyone, I think the mystique of electronic experimentation is diminished. Back then we had to “see what it can do.” Nowadays we just expect it to do fantastic stuff with the tap of a thumb or finger. Don’t get me wrong…I like it both ways.

And that’s why I’d better quit writing this blog post on my MacBook and go see if there’s a BB gun waiting for me under the Christmas tree. Merry Christmas! And here’s one of my Christmas songs in a video I recorded using some of those science fiction gadgets.

(sorry, this video is no longer available)

Words And Music From Elvis And Golden

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So, you’re scratching your head and asking: “Words and music from Elvis and Golden?” Right?

Well, did you know that on December 20th in 1957 Elvis received his draft notice for the U.S. Army? Yep, the King wasn’t quite a superstar yet, but he was big enough for everyone to notice if he’d try to get out of it…or at least only do his hitch here in America.

But Elvis didn’t try to get out of being drafted. And he didn’t even ask to serve here in America. He just showed up for duty and served his full term. He did get a deferment to finish filming a movie, “King Creole” that he had already started. But other than that he was just a regular joe in da soivice.

So, now you’re saying: “OK, Tony…I get it about words and music from Elvis, but what about Golden?”

Well, I’m glad you asked…

I’ll be playing my own words and music (and some well-known hits from other songwriters) again this Saturday evening at the Golden Saddle in Golden, Colorado. A few people have let me know they’ll be there, and I’d love to see a bunch more. Bring the kids. I have some songs kids love, and DeAnn, the owner of the Windy Saddle, has a cupcake walk for them each week.

That’s all for now. Come on over to the “Saddle” this Saturday and help me get everyone in a festive mood for Christmas.

Stay tuned,
Tony Funderburk: singer songwriter and children's writer with words and music for business and life...

P.S. Get my children’s books on Amazon.com

Pictures From My eBooks For Kids

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Just wanted to share a few of the pictures I’ve drawn for some of my ebooks for kids…

"Henry Hippo's Heartbeat", the first one of singer songwriter and children's writer, Tony Funderburk's ebooks for kids.

…and give a quick story behind each one.

The first picture is the blue hippo named Henry. He’s the main character in the first one of my ebooks for kids called “Henry Hippo’s Heartbeat“. Henry wakes up from a nap in the cool river one day and realizes he can’t hear his heartbeat. He gets really worried about it, and the rest of the story is about his adventure to find some help. I wanted Henry to look cute and full of curiosity…so I drew him with wide open eyes and made him blue.

"The Code", one of singer songwriter and children's writer, Tony Funderburk's ebooks for kids.

The next picture is from my story about DNA called “The Code”. The main characters are Danny and Andy, the DNA twins. I figured I’d be real clever and use the names, Danny and Andy, and sort of make a play on the phrase D-N-A. What do you think? Amazing, huh? Anyway…the twins have to find part of “the code” in order to make the double helix for the protein to keep life going. And the
going gets tough when one of them meets up with Kolestor.

The third one of singer songwriter and author, Tony Funderburk's ebooks for kids "Till Mornin' Skies"

One of the lullaby songs I wrote for my “Bedtime Buckaroos” collection is called “Till Mornin’ Skies”. I made my Golden Labrador Retriever, Zazzo, the star of this ebook for kids. One night Zazzo can’t sleep, and he hears some pretty music outside the window. To his amazement there’s a band of crickets (no, not Buddy Holly), a bullfrog, an owl, and even a blue-eyed armadillo.

The 4th one of singer songwriter and children's writer, Tony Funderburk's ebooks for kids, "Music Pajamas". It's one of his "Bedtime Buckaroos" bedtime stories.

“Music Pajamas” is the story of a kid named Meep who couldn’t sleep. This is another story based on one of the lullaby songs in my “Bedtime Buckaroos” collection. Meep always thought that if he closed his eyes to sleep the whole world would just disappear forever. His mom tried everything. But nothing worked…until she made him some very special pajamas. I gotta find me some of those.

 

Book Cover to Singer songwriter and children's writer, Tony Funderburk's ebook for kids: "Don't"

 

Finally…there’s my book called “Don’t”. It’s loosely based on that age old word used countless times by countless kids in the back seats of countless cars for decades. I compiled a list of things no kid should ever do. The funny thing is…it’s a list of impossible things to do. Read the book, or listen to the song to find out what I mean.

Stay tuned,
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P.S. Get my children’s books on Amazon.com

Thanksgiving 2012

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

It’s a little hard to believe it’s already Thanksgiving 2012. And before you know it we may be saying “it’s a little hard to believe it’s already Thanksgiving 2013.” In honor of the holiday, I drew a special Thanksgiving self portrait. That way you’ll never forget this special day in 2012.

I wanted to take a little time to make a short list of things I’m thankful for this year…and it doesn’t start with politicians.  🙂

  1. I’m thankful that God saw fit to give me life and to make a way for me to have it forever.
  2. I’m thankful for a wife who loves me and encourages my artistic endeavors.
  3. I’m thankful for our health…it’s not perfect, but it’s far from as bad as it could be.
  4. I’m thankful for words and music…God’s sweetest personal gifts to me.
  5. I’m thankful for a beautiful place to live, Colorado, where there’s more sunshine than gloominess.
  6. I’m thankful for a nice house to live in…and for being in a neighborhood high atop Green Mountain.
  7. I’m thankful for the technology that allows me to quickly and readily share my thoughts with anyone interested.
  8. I’m thankful for a country that’s still free enough for me to voice an opinion that differs from the masses…and not be killed for it.
  9. I’m thankful for the support of thousands of people who’ve bought and shared my songs through the years.
  10. I’m thankful for the opportunities to continue to grow, be inspired, and connect.

Also, join the growing body of believers who signed up for the Tony’s Daily Devotional , if you haven’t already. And I’ll send you good stuff so you can focus on faith, hope, and love with me.

Stay tuned…

Tony

Entertainment News?

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

I just checked the top stories in entertainment news on Google News. And that’s why the title to this blog post has a question mark after it.

Singer songwriter and children's writer, Tony Funderburk, says Entertainment News isn't very entertaining

I mean…really? Does the top so-called entertainment news always have to be about “_____ is dating _____”? Or how about these other newsworthy items? So and so wore _____ pants to the awards. You should have seen how _________ lost 60 pounds. 

Or how about… ______ and ______ looked shimmery in their nude and pale gowns…

Another one said “__________ is all smiles before her court date.”

Still another talked about an expensive legal fight being an “obsession“.

And another talked about how a singer “spilled out” of her “questionable costume” during a certain contest show.

I love music. Where is the music in all this entertainment news? Again…I know I’m not an in-the-loop sort of singer songwriter. In fact, I’ve always been so far out of the loop that I couldn’t even see the loop from high atop the mountain I live on. But still…it’s very, very unfortunate that entertainment has become just another gossip mill…just another way to set ears and eyes on fire with just about anything but music.

I suppose every generation has had and will have their gossip columnists and rumor mills. It’s just sad that the music takes a back seat or becomes merely an afterthought. Personally I’ve never bought (or not bought) any music or paid for any movie because of some juicy gossip. But maybe that’s just me. What about you?

 

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In Your Face…Not In Your Ears

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I remember a day when music was purely for your listening enjoyment and entertainment. Now…so much of it is designed and marketed to be in your face…and shouldn’t be in your ears.

Don’t misunderstand me. I enjoy a good music video as much as the next person. But I want the video to be about the music or enhance the music or help the music tell a colorful story with images.

I don’t want the video to be about who can take off the most clothes. I don’t want a music video to show me how much profanity the “artist” knows. I don’t want a music video where the images are so in your face that the music doesn’t fit in your ears.

OK…I realize that makes me “old fashioned”. I’m fine with that if it means the music is more important than who’s hookin’ up with who and what band or singer is willing to push the moral envelope. C’mon, really? There’s nothing new under the sun, so you can’t come up with something really shocking that’s “never been done before”. Sad, but true.

I also realize I’m not music video genius. I’ve never made such a claim, nor will I ever. I’m just sayin’ that art (and music is art) isn’t merely in the eyes (and ears) of the beholder. Taste is…art isn’t. And slamming a bunch of curse words, scantily clad girls, and guys grabbing their inseams in your face won’t ever make it so.

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Don’t

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In the recent past I compiled a collection of songs I call “Kiddin’ Around”. (pun intended) I tried to think about goofy stuff kids think of and silly things they do. So I came up with titles like “Don’t” and “Stop Buggin’ Me” and “Be Nice”. 

There are 10 songs on the CD…and you can hear a demo (or get the CD). Just click or tap on the Singer Songwriter link at the top of this website. Or pretty much anywhere you see me talk about Music for Kids.

Warning: there’s a lot of doodling in the music. So, if you don’t like doodles…it may not be for you or your kids.  🙂 Anyway…as it turns out, one of the songs in that collection is gonna be the next of my ebooks for kids.

“Don’t” is a big list of things you should never, ever let your kid do. And I have to be firm about this. While they’re listening to this music, or while you’re reading the book together, they may be tempted to do some of the things the song is saying not to do…but…

Don’t let ’em!

For instance…the very first line must be obeyed or the rest of the lines may not matter.

Writer-singer-illustrator for kids and life: Tony Funderburk, says "don't grab a tiger by the tail".

The second line applies to adults, too. The third line could cause your kids a great deal of stress if they don’t heed the warning. The fourth line…well…let’s just say, if you don’t pay attention and take it to heart, you’ll start the day in a bad way and it’ll tailspin down from there.

OK…you get the idea. It’s important you get these children’s songs. And it’s equally important to get the ebook on Amazon.com  Their very future is at stake.

Tony Funderburk...the world's leading writer-singer-illustrator for kids and life.

Music Pajamas Ebook For Kids

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A few months back I shared the lyrics to one of my latest lullaby songs “Music Pajamas“. It’s part of the “Bedtime Buckaroos” collection of western themed lullaby songs. And now it’s a picture book…one of my latest ebooks for kids on the Kindle platform on Amazon.com  Here’s a picture of Meep, the lead character of the book…

Meep, the main character of "Music Pajamas" the latest one of singer songwriter & children's writer, Tony Funderburk's ebooks for kids

Meep’s a kid who couldn’t sleep because he thought the whole world would go away if he did. That’s why I drew him so wide-eyed. I really had a good time building a story around the song. And it was fun to see the characters come to “life” in living color. I never thought of myself as an illustrator. To me, I was always a singer…a songwriter…a writer who didn’t need or have time to draw.

Then, I decided to write books for kids, and I knew I wanted ’em to be picture books with short, whimsical stories. I figured the best place to start would be to write stories to go with my music for kids. And it seemed logical to have pictures to go with ’em. So, I decided picture books would be the ticket. Only thing was…I knew I wanted to get things moving along…and collaborating with an artist would most certainly take a lot more time. There’d be the initial discussion to convey my ideas, the first drawing, the follow-up evaluation and critique, the revisions, etc. etc. etc.

So…my solution? Why not get a digital drawing tablet, some software to go along with it, and give it a go myself.

That’s what happened. And now I have 4 ebooks for kids, with about 17 more in the pipeline. “Music Pajamas” is the the third one I’ve published on the Kindle platform on Amazon.com.  I hope you’ll check it out. If you do, would you please leave me a review there? Or leave me a comment here on my blog. It would help so much.

Stay tuned,
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Bedtime Stories For Kids

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I see bedtime stories for kids before I write them…

Bedtime stories come from images like this...

I don’t take credit for this image, though…

First of all, I’d like to say I’m not a “new age” kind of writer. I don’t go for the metaphysical being the answer to any of life’s questions. But I do like a lot of the art and music that’s been classified as “new age”. Like the picture above. It looks like a view of a planet from the high reaches of another planet. You can almost envision yourself standing on the ledge of some mountain above the clouds looking out at that awesome other orb…which, if it was that close would cause so much gravity havoc, you couldn’t possibly stand there for long.

But I digress..

I love the color combos and the whimsical perspective. And that brings me back to my bedtime stories for kids connection. Maybe it has something to do with the sparkling lights I’ve always seen since my migraine headaches started back in my early twenties…

…or maybe it’s some sort of heightened awareness of the neurons firing in my brain just after getting out of bed…

…but whatever it is…I’ve always had this visual connection to words. They’re not merely ideas. They’re pictures to me. And I do my best to describe those pictures. I never quite get there. It’s sort of like looking at a beautiful landscape when you’re on vacation. You think “hmm…I’m gonna take a picture of that to show to everyone who couldn’t be here with me.” But the picture is never quite as awesome as actually being there. Well, that’s my bedtime stories.

By the way…here’s a video of how that picture up there was created. Talk about a cool way to convey the pictures in your head…

(sorry, this video is no longer available)

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

I’ve been calling myself a children’s writer for years. Now, I have some official recognition of that label.

A while ago I completed a lengthy course on writing for kids by the Institute of Children’s Literature. And recently they sent me my official diploma. Here it is…

This was a great course, and I recommend it to anyone interested in being a children’s writer. My writing coach/teacher provided constructive criticism, encouragement, and even ideas for where to send my writing. I don’t get paid to say that. And I don’t make any commissions for links I provide to the Institute of Children’s Literature.

My preferred path, as a children’s writer is self-publishing.

Because I see so many opportunities. Kindle, iPads, Nooks, not to mention (but I will), all those smartphones out there that people can read books on the go with. I’ve already published two books on the Kindle self-publishing platform…with a third in the works. I’m doing my own illustrations, so it takes a bit longer, but I won’t have to wait to get picked by a “traditional publisher”. I’ll just upload the optimized files and boom! There’ll be the third one of my ebooks for kids on Kindle. And if you have the Kindle app on your iPhone, iPad, or other mobile device or computer, you’ll be able to read my books without having to buy another device.

OK…that’s all for now. Thanks for your support. My readers and followers are the best. Be sure and watch for the next one of my bedtime stories “Music Pajamas” coming to Kindle very soon. And if you haven’t already checked out “The Code” and “Till Mornin’ Skies”, they’re each only $3.00 to download at Amazon.com.

Your email address is all it takes to get encouraging, regular issues of my Tony’s Daily Devotional . It comes directly to your inbox so you spend your valuable time reading instead of searching. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to 2 of my Christian books for kids and 2 songs, right away, that grownups AND kids can enjoy.

The TRUTH

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A Singer Songwriter Masters The Lariat Loop

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A singer songwriter has it pretty easy these days. No…I don’t mean in the world of commerce; that’s a tangled web. I’m referring to the act of singing, songwriting, and recording.

When I first started writing songs, I used a pen, spiral notebooks, and an old upright piano that had about 2 octaves that actually sort of stayed in tune. At the time I didn’t really know how to play the piano, so I wasn’t upset that there weren’t more keys to work around on. I’d just bang out some awkward chords and wiggle my fingers around in a way that sounded acceptable to me. Then, I’d see if it fit with the words I’d already written. If it did…voila! I had a song.

Then…I’d commit it to memory because I didn’t have any way of recording. The only viable way to record, back then, was in a studio somewhere. And that was cost prohibitive. So…the songs stayed in my head…along with some written lyrics and scribbled chords above the words.

After I became a professional musician, some years later, I started working my way up the food chain of electronic keyboards. I started out with what I thought would be the perfect keyboard for a piano player…a road worthy portable piano. I bought a Helpinstill Roadmaster. (on a side note, I actually got to meet Charlie Helpinstill, the inventor…interesting guy) The Helpinstill was great for piano sounds, but there were no other sounds. So I played left handed bass lines on a synthesizer my brother had while playing chords and such on the portable piano.

Eventually digital keyboards came onto the scene, and I proudly got the “grandaddy of them all”…the Yamaha DX7. It was awesome. I could play all kinds of keyboards, strings, wind instruments, basses, etc. Trouble was; I could only play one sound at a time. I had to wait a while longer till they came out with multitimbral keyboards. Then midi followed. Then some multi-track cassette recorders, then some digital outboard recorders, and finally computer recording. Ahhhh-some! Now I can record with all the tools I used to use, but now they’re all in my MacBook Pro using Logic hooked into my Apogee Micro Studio.

I’m sorry…what was the question?

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G Rated

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

A young man is supposed to go to college. But he wants to be in showbiz. So he goes to college, but he sneaks to auditions and gets parts in small plays, bigger plays, and even movies.

His mom helps him sneak behind his dad’s back to go to rehearsals. His mom’s friends help out by trying to keep the dad busy so he won’t notice the young man’s comings and goings. However; what all of them don’t know is…the dad gets a phone call from the young man’s producer who tells the dad how well his son is doing in the movie.

What am I talking about? G-rated TV…not even PG.

An old black and white TV show starring George Burns and Gracie Allen. It’s playing in the background as I’m typing this. I enjoy the Burns family and their shenanigans late at night. Their show plays 11:00 to midnight Monday through Thursday. And they’re followed by Jack Benny. And they’ll be just about the only shows I miss when our TV service goes away at the end of this month. Yep, I canceled TV from our cable service. The only thing that’ll be coming through our TV will be internet content.

I won’t miss the 5 or 6 minutes of commercials between each of the shows. I won’t miss hearing all those lawyers talking about helping you get all the compensation you deserve from those dastardly drug dealers.

And I won’t miss hearing infomercials telling me how to build wealth whether the economy is bad or good. I won’t miss channel surfing trying to find a show where no one’s going on a killing rampage, having sex, making crude jokes, or turning into vampires and zombies.

But I will miss Gracie’s voice and mixed up perspective of the world…and George’s corny jokes. George and Gracie…good ol’ G rated TV…

Hey…wait…I’ll bet I can find ’em on YouTube.  🙂

Before you go, share this link with everybody you know. Tell ’em to jump on the The TRUTH AND get some music and other fun stuff, for Fa-Ree.

Stay tuned,

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Tax System Stifles Creativity

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Stick with me as I show you how our tax system stifles creativity.

Ok, I admit it…when it comes to taxes…I’m a procrastinator. I just finished my 2011 calculations to squeeze the filing in before the October 17 deadline…or is it October 15. Anyway, I spent hours and hours adding up receipts, gathering digital info along with paperwork, and filling in entirely too many blanks.

Then, I went back and forth on the phone and via email with my tax preparer to be sure all the info was where it needed to be. Of course, in addition to all the time I spent on paperwork and filling out forms, the tax guy also spent a bunch of time on it. So, at the very least, there were two lives focused on following all the stupid tax laws so that the government could have more money to spend on things I can’t stand.

Can you tell I’m not a fan of our tax system?

I just wish our government was a just and wise system. If we took enough from every tax payer (say about 5%) and spent it on only those things that benefit the country, we’d have beautiful bridges, smooth roads, strong defense against all enemies, and lots more time for creative endeavors and innovations.

Instead we have a tax system that only the trained professionals and lawyers can understand. And it makes for “class” envy, fraud, and political skimming. Not to mention that our tax system has become a Robin Hood money laundering machine. Take from those who work hard and give to those who don’t or can’t or won’t. You can call it whatever you want…but if a private citizen did that, it could only be called stealing. Just because the government has made laws and given the tax system involved and caring (yeah, right) names doesn’t change the fact that it’s stealing.

Now…don’t you wish I’d keep my mouth shut (or fingers away from the typing keys) and go write a song or something? Well, I probably would if I didn’t have all this 1040, 1099, Form 1A, Form J-1400 in triplicate to finish.

Stay tuned,

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Hear Your Heartbeat

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What would you do if you couldn’t hear your heartbeat?

I’m guessing you don’t think about that much because you just sort of take it for granted that it must be beating if you’re awake.

Right?

Well, one of the books for kids I wrote was about a young hippo who couldn’t hear his heartbeat. As you may already know…hippo’s are really big. And it’s a long distance from their tiny ears down to the bottom of their bellies. And if you’re a hippo, you might not have a lot of logic in your thinking. In fact, you probably wouldn’t do nearly as much talking or worrying as Henry, the young hippo in my ebook.

Henry realizes one day that he can’t hear his heartbeat. And he rightly figures if he can’t hear his heartbeat, then maybe he doesn’t have a heartbeat. And if he doesn’t have a heartbeat, then maybe he doesn’t have a heart. Or maybe it just stopped. Who knows what could happen if that’s true.

So Henry sets out to get some answers. But the answers he gets are less than satisfying. I’ll leave it at that. If you think you’d like to get the book and find out more about Henry’s dilemma…or if you’d like to get my other books for kids, I’d love to hear what you and/or your kids thought about ’em.

Stay tuned,
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P.S.  Get my children’s books on Amazon.com

Read My eBooks For Kids On Kindle Paperwhite

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If you like the Amazon Kindle platform for reading ebooks for kids, then you’ll probably really like the new Kindle Paperwhite. (watch the video review)

I’ve already published two ebooks for kids on the Kindle publishing platform, and I’m in the middle of illustrating my third, “Music Pajamas“. If you already have a Kindle or if you get the new Kindle Paperwhite, please check out my ebooks and let me know how they look and perform on your device.

(this product is no longer available) 

Get my Tony’s Daily Devotional . Because the flashes of light I share on my website come directly to your inbox. So you can spend your valuable time reading instead of searching. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to books and music, right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies.

The TRUTH

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Jazzy Lullaby Songs

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Singer songwriter, children's writer, Tony Funderburk shares the story behind the lyrics to his Lullabye Bye CD

I started writing lullaby songs for kids back in 2008, and they became a crowd favorite. So I wrote a whole CD of ’em in mostly a smooth jazz kind of feel. And I called it “Lullabye Bye”.

The first song was one of those nice moments when a song just pops out. The title “In Your Dreams” has been used so much to mean something besides a lullaby. I figured why not take it back to lullaby land. I envisioned the narrative of the song to be a mom singing her baby to sleep. (of course it could be a dad…hey, I’m a guy, and I sang it) Anyway…you can read more about the story behind the lyrics HERE.

The second song on the CD was a result of a lyrics collaborative effort I had on former website of mine: Ton-O-Fun Tunes. I asked readers to fill in blanks, or add lines, or suggest rhymes etc. And the final version became “Peppermint Pony“. In addition to a candy horse there’s a lemon star, watermelon mountain, and lots of chocolate and vanilla.

The third song is called “Feather Dance“. If you’ve ever seen the movie “Forrest Gump” you may remember the feather dancing. If you haven’t seen the movie and don’t know what I’m talking about, rent it and you’ll get a visual feel for this instrumental song.

Fourth song on the CD is “Rest Easy“. It talks about things a kid might do during a typical day of serious play. And then it brings the pace down to a calm, collected figurative pat on the back.

The fifth song, “Now I Lay Me Down” is a take on an old stand-by bedtime prayer…do you remember?
“Now I lay me down to sleep…I pray the Lord my soul to keep.” I wanted to capture how even when a kid is dog tired, he doesn’t want to go to bed. But I also wanted to add how good it feels to finally give in to sleep.

The sixth and seventh songs, “Lullabye Bye” and “Drifting Off” are instrumentals, and I put them in the middle of the mix to get the sleepy time mood moving along.

Eighth song of the collection is called “Fall Fast Asleep“. It’s my personal favorite of the bunch. I’m a sucker for songs in minor keys. And another thing I like about this song is that it could be sung to anyone…not just kids.

The ninth song is called “Blue Celtic Cloud“. If I asked you to guess how the title came to me, you might be able to if you watch PBS at all. Every so often they run a special on “Celtic Woman”. Those ladies are awesome vocalists, and they have beautiful, elaborate stage sets. One of their presentations had a theme in blue…so there was the title. Then I added a words that talked about spring and Autumn…the best seasons in Celtic lands. After that I composed a melody that had to include a recorde with an Irish lilt. You’ll have to listen to make up the rest of the story yourself.

Finally I finished the CD with another instrumental “Milky Way Bouquet“. I just put music together I thought would have a nice feeling of tumbling through space toward dreams and rest and peace. After I listened to it a few time and thought about it I could just imagine drifting through the Milky Way. And there you go.

OK…just thought I’d share how the lullaby songs of “Lullabye Bye” came about. By the way…you can listen to them FREE on my lullaby songs music players. Of course, you can always get a CD if you like, too.  🙂

Stay tuned,
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