Too long…too long I say.  I have been away from these pages way too long.  It is time to catch up.

I am back to work.  Have been since July 18th.  My work as a school counselor at the local high school up the road has me busy and my head in that mode right now.  I try to give it all I have.  Hence, speaktherights.com has been a bit silent…even this past weekend.  I can tell you that I heard Brad Paisley singing on Saturday night.  I was not at his concert, but my dear wife, Carrie, and I were within earshot of what we used to call Deer Creek Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana and could hear him playing.  The hotel where we were staying is about five good tee shots from the music venue….depending on the bounce.  I have seen the Moody Blues there six times.  Five of those were orchestra shows.  Hearing Paisley was reminiscent of a day when Carrie and I were visiting some relatives in Mississippi some twenty or so years ago and Brad Paisley was playing a festival of some kind there and it was all quite simple.

On Monday after school, Carrie and I stopped by to see my folks.  Earlier that morning on my way to work, I dropped off a cooler full of burgers, hot dogs, and chicken I had grilled the evening before.  I picked up the empty cooler that evening.  Empty cooler aside, I can tell you I so enjoyed the hour we spent, Carrie and my folks and I, just sitting in the living room talking and telling stories and enjoying each other’s company.  It was almost like a throwback moment.  We told stories and laughed.  Time flew away.  Not the minutes we spent that went by so quickly, but time in the relative sense.  We were somewhere else enjoying our speaks and our laugh.  It was 2016.  It could have been 2006.  It could have been 1996.  That is when you know you have caught lightning in a bottle.  These times are most defined by laughter.  On this day, we laughed and had a great time doing so.

Football season is approaching.  Thank you, Lord!  I mean that.  It may sound a bit unrealistic.  I do believe that the Good Lord doesn’t care if the receiver or the corner back catches the ball, no matter how much credit the receiver may give the Good Lord.  I do, however, believe that the Good Lord doesn’t mind that we enjoy and revel in our football.  We were made for joy in this crazy world.  Joy is not a bad thing.  I find great joy in watching football and rooting for my team.  Is it brain surgery?  No.  Is it important?  Well, it is important.  More important to folks in Alabama than in New Hampshire, I can attest.  But know there are a few fans rooting for the New Hampshire Wildcats just as hard as millions of Tide fans root for Alabama.  It is relative.  It is not a bad thing.

I cam across the following pictures recently.

Carrie took these as I was writing songs for my current project.  It is a work in progress.  I am glad she took these, even though she was being a bit stealth about it.  I have never seen a photo of me writing a song before.  I don’t mind a bit.

Did I say I was looking forward to football season?  The speaktherights.com College Football Preview is on its way.  I did a little studying this summer.  I discovered one thing for sure.  I believe there will be a team come on the scene and we’ll ask…where did they come from?  Kind of like when Wake Forest made some noise a few years ago with Riley Skinner playing quarterback.  He was fun to watch.

We’ll get there.  Hey, at least we are here!

Speaking the rights….

Danny Johnson