Funny how history repeats itself. In 1995, while watching a late-night talk show, I fell in "love at first note," with the sound of a quirky and adorable singer/songwriter from South Africa. Seventeen years later, having evolved synchronistically with the music, it happened to me all over again.
Last night, Dave Matthews appeared on the Jimmy Fallon show to give fans a taste of DMB's new album. Dave performed an acoustic version of a song called "Mercy," with the help of the amazing guitarist, Captain Kirk, of "The Roots."
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the external messages that we receive as children, and how, even as adults, it is often extremely difficult to replace those messages with healthier ones; even when logically we believe the healthier ones to be true. What, doesn't everyone wake up in the middle of the night thinking of these things?
Blame it on the holiday season, but lately I’ve been thinking about the unparalleled power of kindness. Paradoxically, this wonderful quality sometimes eludes us, as we rush around, under the stress of a deadline, worried that our loved ones won’t be sufficiently delighted when they open their gifts. Add a tight budget to this mix, and we might understand why otherwise sane people find themselves fighting over plasma television sets at 3 in the morning on Black Friday, when their tryptophan-filled bodies would clearly prefer a good night’s sleep. In depth psychology, we say that very strong energies often bring up their opposite counterparts. For example, after the horrific events of 9/11, the city of New York saw compassionate connections forming between people who may otherwise have remained distant strangers. In that same way, I wonder if the positive dynamics surrounding Winter’s festivities can also activate some of our negative human traits, like impatience, selfishness, and greed.
Last night, I watched a fantastic documentary called “Music,” in which over 50 musicians from various genres discussed the subtle idiosyncrasies of their field. Bands such as Smashing Pumpkins, My Morning Jacket, Vampire Weekend, and Death Cab for Cutie were all represented, as well as, appearances from artists like Ani DiFranco, Lenny Kravitz, Ziggy Marley, Chrissie Hynde, Iggy Pop, and Fiona Apple. 
As promised, the Dave Matthews Band rocked Washington State last weekend for the 15th consecutive year. Just a few of the highlights from the group’s most recent stint at the Gorge Amphitheatre include, surprise fan favorites, such as: “American Baby Intro,” “Big Eyed Fish,” “#40,” “Loving Wings,” “Shotgun,” “Raven,” “Halloween,” “Seek Up,” and a killer “Lie In Our Graves,” which, amazingly, wrapped itself around seven unsuspecting tunes. But perhaps the biggest bombshell was dropped during the encore of night two, when the band busted out Blue Öyster Cult's 1976 hit, “Don’t Fear The Reaper.”
Just the other day, someone asked me to name my favorite Dave Matthews Band song. In truth, I have a love/hate relationship with this question. I love it because it gets me thinking about all of the amazing qualities of tunes like “Bartender,” “Seek Up,” “One Sweet World,” “Pig,” “#41,” “Lover Lay Down,” and “Two Step,” to name a few. But I hate it because it is nearly impossible for me to choose only one track. Many times, I reconcile my differing thoughts by finding the best option for my life at the moment, which in itself points to one reason why I love this band so much; their ever evolving, yet somehow consistent sound. But today, after much thought, I realized that of all the DMB works that I adore, “Granny,” is, and in some ways always has been, my best-loved.
On May 1st, President Obama announced that Osama bin Laden was killed in a battle with U.S. forces in Pakistan. Bin Laden had, of course, been in hiding since he notoriously masterminded the horrific events of September 11th, 2001. And while bringing down this most wanted terrorist marks an enormous achievement for the United States military, it seems to have left a feeling of unrest in it’s wake. 
Sometimes, as a psychologist, you get to do really cool things. In my case, I am honored to be speaking at a wonderful conference in Santa Fe this summer, called “Creativity and Madness.” A synthesis of health professionals and art lovers come together at this event to muse over the fine line that tends to divide intense genius from mania. We pore over the works of some of our favorite artists, noting the skill with which they use their crafts to transform their deepest passions into finished products. And, of course, the best part, is that for an entire hour, I will be talking to a captive audience about Dave Matthews!
The best kind of advice is honest, direct, and energizing. Luckily, Dave Matthew’s sister, Jane, must have known this when she strongly encouraged her brother to simply put down some lyrics after he complained to her of writer’s block. According to Dave, it was this suggestion that ultimately led to the song, “Sister,” which he commonly refers to as “the quietest thing in the room.” We already knew of Jane’s fabulous taste in music since she apparently prefers “The Song That Jane Likes,” and now we have her to thank for the inception of this beautiful arrangement as well.