Witt's End

I spoke in church today. About feeling the spirit and the hand of God in our lives. I included below links the source talk I was asked to reference and to a performance the hymn I quoted. It’s a pretty Sunday. Here’s my talk.  Good morning, my name is Witter Case and I was asked to speak about experiencing the spirit and hand of God in our lives. I'll be using Elder Bednar's most recent conference talk.  This was a subject I found I could use some reflection upon. I think that is part of why this portion of Elder Bednar’s recent talk really spoke to me.  “I asked our guests if they had any observations they wanted to share. One of the journalists said with great emotion, “I have never experienced anything like that in my entire life. I did not know quiet like that existed in the world; I simply did not believe such stillness was possible.” I was struck by both the sincerity and the starkness of this person’s statement. And the journalist’s reaction highlighted one important

  Some of my favorite people are now on the opposite side of the political aisle from me. Hell I’d argue we’re on opposite sides of the spectrum itself at this point. But I love them. And I’m trying to figure out how to navigate this time without alienating them (any more than what has already occurred). How do I stand for what I believe in? How do I be a perceived light without burning it all down? I think I found my path through this.  I am striving for things instead of just opposing things. And that mindset shift has been incredible. I didn’t do what I’ve done in my life to feel lost. It’s time to stand for things again. I believe in things. That should be the priority and take my time more than things I don’t believe in.  It's been an enlightening and emboldening. And it’s lead to three or so realizations.  First discussions and debates can only be had with people who are willing to participate in good faith who agree on essential facts. And personally I’m only advocating for

Make America great again. Make men great again. Catchy phrases. Easy to remember. They work well as slogans and rallying cries.  I understand the desire for nostalgia and aspiration. I do. But I don’t know if this is it: I remember when the make America great again started to get some steam. I asked what time period was America great. I was told repeatedly the 1950s. A time where there was no civil rights amendment. A time of economic prosperity, but women couldn’t open a bank account on their own.  That’s the problem with looking backward. We can get tunnel vision. We can focus on what benefitted us and who we are (or would be) and we miss how others would be affected.  I personally feel that America has always been great due to its potential, people, and perpetual progression. So I struggle with looking backward when we have so much ahead of us.  The same portions of society that truly believe that America needs redemption to a state of greatness also thing that we need to make men g

We as human’s ain’t logical. We just aren’t. And when it comes to picking equipment it becomes even more apparent. You might think cost, ergonomics, and efficiency would be the primary things we evaluate objects on. But that’s not always the case. Sometimes we’re illogical and that’s ok. We can pick objects for their aesthetics, familiarity, historicity, and nostalgia; all with good reason. I know I fall prey to illogical connections all the time.  For me I can see this in a few of the things I gravitate toward.  One, I like Telecasters  the most when it comes to electric guitar. Now that may not mean much to people who aren't gear heads but but a tele is literally a slab of wood with a cut out to reach the upper frets and some routing for pickups and controls. No contouring for ergonomics. It's all flat, with edges. It only has two pickups with a master tone and master volume control. The bridge only has three saddles that limit intonation.  But it's my favorite guitar.  D

  If you’re a bari-bass there’s not a lot of pop, rock, or alt artists to latch onto. So that’s what made hearing The National for the first time a revelation.   There was a few country artists at that time (Josh Turner of course comes to mind), Shaggy, and theCrash Test Dummies. But for a guy emerging from the emo/pop-punk scene into the alt indie (read early hipster) there wasn't a lot to turn to.  I remember walking through a record store right after graduation. It was 2007.  There was an album, black and white photo, bold all caps print in white and yellow. It just caught my eye.  This unassuming purchase has been in my top 10 rotation ever since.  I fell in love. I had no idea what this album was going to be. It just hit me.  This is one of the few albums I still play through from almost start to finish ever time I start it. From the opening organ swell into the piano chords of Fake Empire all the way to slow guitar strum of Gospel I'm hooked every time. First all of the v