Proverbs: Quick Summary

This is a collection of quick bits of advice and wisdom. Tradition (and the text) state that most of what is in Proverbs was wisdom from Solomon. As I was making my way through Proverbs, I found myself wondering "how many different ways will this book essentially say 'wisdom is good, foolishness is bad' and 'following God is good, and not is bad'." Then, as I progressed, I recognized some as near exact copies:

16:2 - "All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit."
AND
21:2 - "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart."

The repetition of thought and the near repetition of wording mentally wore me down a little bit. I had several times where I was interrupted in my reading and took a while to find where I left off because each verse seemed so similar to what I had already read before.

At the same time, I could see King Solomon sitting on his throne providing wisdom to those that visited him. Occasionally, Solomon is pleased with the advice he gives and tells a scribe by his side to document what he just said. I'd imagine the problems of those that visited him would be repetitious or basically boil down to only a few core issues and that explains the redundancy of this book's contents.

396 - ZZ Top - Eliminator

As an MTV fan in the 80's, it was nearly impossible for me to not see the beautiful red Ford hot rod with its collection of females coming to save some poor fellow's day. *sigh* The videos are still great and this album is cemented in the 80's but still rocks. The big difference between Eliminator and Tres Hombres from a decade before are the use of synths, sequencers, and drum machines. Now, now...don't worry. This isn't ZZ Top trying to sound like Depeche Mode.

The synths are expertly disguised as another guitar on most of the tracks. That "chug-chug" or "budda-budda" fuzzy guitar rhythm that characterizes the sound of this era of ZZ Top isn't a bass strumming its highest notes or another guitar added to the rhythm section...it's a keyboard! The technology serves to add additional power and feel to the tracks. I'd love to know what all sounds were result of the sequencer. The guitar riffs can be so repetitious during portions of the song that you wonder if that's picking or sequencing in the studio.

One song that stood out to me was "I Got the Six." Take away the vocals and the song could be the instrumental mix for Devo's most rocking song ever. But you put Billy Gibbons behind the mic and it is undoubtedly a ZZ Top song.

Songs I knew I liked: "Gimme All Your Lovin," "Sharp Dressed Man," and "Legs"

Songs I didn't know but now like: "Got Me Under Pressure," "I Got the Six," "T.V. Dinners," and "If I Could Only Flag Her Down"

Songs I can go the rest of my life without hearing again: "Thug," "Dirty Dog," and "Bad Girl"