I left my job in the fall and now I can set my life up around writing instead of squeezing writing into my day it's amazing to have that time and I feel very lucky.

It's amazing how fast generations lose sight of other generations. One of the first things the young composers who come to work with me say is that they want to write music people will like instead of gaining their credentials by being rejected by the audience.

But it seems that the judging maybe they shouldn't at least see the practices all week long. That can taint the way they go into the judging and the outlook of what's going to happen instead of just watching those four minutes and judging on those minutes alone.

Too many Christians have a commitment of convenience. They'll stay faithful as long as it's safe and doesn't involve risk rejection or criticism. Instead of standing alone in the face of challenge or temptation they check to see which way their friends are going.

Instead of being presented with stereotypes by age sex color class or religion children must have the opportunity to learn that within each range some people are loathsome and some are delightful.

A comfortable old age is the reward of a well-spent youth. Instead of its bringing sad and melancholy prospects of decay it would give us hopes of eternal youth in a better world.