Willie Nelson & Emmylou Harris - The Maker

Here are my two most favorite musicians singing a divine song with two drummers!

I'll see you in my dreams

I love the melody of this song so much! She sings it so sweet; priceless.

Eva Cassidy - Somewhere over the Rainbow

This is my most favorite version of this classic song. I love and miss you Eva; you are over the rainbow and I hope to find you there someday. Your voice makes my heart cry.

Media release

To view my recent media release, go to http://www.freepublicitygroup.com/release_rob_rideout.html It is loaded with key search words and branding to hopefully draw potential readers to my book and website @ http://www.stillsingingsomehow.com/ It will be interesting to see the results; pray for me! I really do like the professional level of this release. It has to catch the reader's attention within 5 seconds.

Miracle of the heart

Last night, at minus 17 degrees, my beloved young cat Olive is not to be found. The other cats, Baba and Maya, feel my concern and are looking out the windows for her. I have a gut level feeling that either the coyotes or the bald eagles took my Olive. Then, I breakdown crying over just how very much I love this small spirit cat. I have had many cats in my 61 years and none come close to Olive! I felt like a person had just died and I began to cry out to God, asking why I had to lose her? I realized how attached I'd become to this fur soul. Attachment is the cause of all suffering, to quote the Buddha. How true! I lay in bed still praying and still crying, and thanking God for my time with Olive. Then, she suddenly appears on my pillow, letting me hold and pet her, as the reality set in that she is alive, back in my arms again. The miracle here was the intense opening of my heart that occurred from this "near fatal" happening. Boy, I have a lot of love for my cats but I'm more aware now that they are only on loan from God and must go back at some point; all things must pass away.

The inmate and the mantra

I recently had a very rewarding experience, as an author. After the release of my book "Still Singing, Somehow", which can be viewed at http://www.stillsingingsomehow.com/ , I gave a copy to our local county jail, hoping to reach some inmate with my story of hope and redemption. Well, it happened at the bank the other day, when a recently released inmate recognized me in line. He had actually read my book, liked it and asked me, "How do you pronounce the mantra?" I slowly said "Om Na-ma-ha Shiv-i-ya". This soul got more out of my book than many readers, I feel. He found the hidden bottom line message of my book. Then he requested to become a friend on FaceBook. Cool!

Leaving home

I recently witnessed something truly touching; two adult bald eagles were swooping together right off my back porch, chasing away their immature offspring in mid-flight as if to say "it's time to leave the nest and go find your own home". Even in the animal kingdom, leaving home can be sad.

Branding

I was unaware of the term "branding" in regards to marketing a self-published book. I have chosen to brand myself as a very good inspirational writer, with the wit and self-honesty of John Lennon. Most people know that Lennon was honest to the point of being naked on an album cover and very honest in all of his interviews with nothing to hide. Many of his later songs reflected this honesty too. When people hear his name it creates an image in your mind. I want readers to know that I too have that same kind of honesty in my writing and song lyrics. Still Singing, Somehow , which can be seen @ http://www.stillsingingsomehow.com/, is a testament to exactly that. I am naked on the front cover to symbolize that I'm naked on the inside pages too, in my self-honesty.

Still Singing, Somehow

Thanks to my geek friend Bob, my book website @ http://www.wix.com/rrideout/still-singing-somehow is now a completed dream come true. I've hopefully taken it to the next level by using key search words and branding on the home page. My best short radio interview off "The Authors Show" can also be easily heard from the home page too.And of course there is a link to this blog there too. Give me some feedback!