Who's Your Daddy?

Father Figure
Michael Shinafelt

Happy Father's Day!

While my Father passed away a while ago from Cancer, lung to be exact, this year I thought I would take a different approach to the designated day for Dad's. 

That's correct it's time to play "Who's Your Daddy!" Yay! Hooray! 

Now that it's out there, perhaps I could be yours. My name is Michael, I'll be your Daddy tonight. Hey, it wouldn't be the first (nor last) time I've ever been called that.

After all "I will be your preacher teacher, (Be your daddy)", Father Figure, ya know.

To all you Father's out there it's your day, celebrate. To all you Daddy's out there, keep doing you.

Michael has left the laptop...

Got Daddy?
https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/mshinafelt?lang=en    

Who's Your Daddy?

Call Me Daddy
Michael Shinafelt

Happy Father's Day Everyone! 

I was not really sure what to write about today since my father passed away from cancer quite a spell ago. 

Something a little cheeky perhaps, yeah I am sort of feeling that way thus the byline and accompanying image. Mixed with something a little reverent, yep, that's where this next part comes in.

F#ck Cancer! Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide. It has touched so many people's lives that I know, including mine, and is a hateful disease. It shows no mercy and leaves the host ravaged.

Sometimes it's a slow painful death in the case of my Father and other times it's quick and painful. Either way it's merciless.

Currently I can name off a few people who I know it is working it's voodoo on and I hope they beat it. This shit deserves to be put in it's f#cking place!

Me & My Dad

So, I am taking Father's Day and dedicating it to the memory of mine, Bill Shinafelt February 23, 2009 who passed away from lung cancer.

Visit the American Cancer Society for more information and to donate:
www.cancer.org/donate  

Happy Father's Day!

Me and My Dad, Bill Shinafelt
Photo: Jan Landburg-Shinafelt

Today is the day that we honor our Fathers, "yes" it's Father's Day people! I have a request of all of you, if your Dad is still living please let him know you love him today. Whether it be a phone call, card, Facebook post on his wall or some sort of gift.

A Father's love should be unconditional and I was lucky enough to have a Dad whose was.

My Father is deceased and I miss him all of the time. He passed away February 23, 2009. The cause of his death was lung cancer. His doctors gave him six months to live, he then decided to quit smoking his beloved pipe. He lived for three years and died two days after his 76th Birthday.

In honor of my Father I would like to take this moment to draw attention to two things. 

First smoking is directly related to cancer, if you think it isn't you are wrong. When my Dad went into a hospice and died two days later after his three year long battle he was next to a gentleman who had also been given six months to live, but did not quit smoking. Guess what? Unlike my Dad who gave it up and survived three years after his diagnosis, the other man passed within that given time frame.

In short, smoking blows, literally if you smoke please stop. 

Second cancer is the number one cause of death in the world and trust me, it's not a pretty one. Please let's never forget that, for more information about cancer and to donate towards fighting it please click on the link to The American Cancer Society below.

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

The American Cancer Society:

www.cancer.org/donate‎  

David Bowie Was My First

On Of The True Greats
David Bowie

So saddened to hear the news that one of the biggest influences in my life on many levels, David Bowie has passed away due to cancer.

Dear David,

This is an open letter to you to list the numerous ways you have impacted my life throughout the years.

My first exposure to you musically was the Ziggy Stardust personae and album. I was mesmerized by it. Favorite song: Suffragette City. I heard the album years before I owned it via a friend of my parents teenage son, yeah I was a mere kid then.

The first album I owned by you? Let's Dance. Favorite song? China Girl. 

"Yes" David you were my first. My first major rock show ever! The Tubes opened for you at the Tacoma Dome in Washington State. I will never forget the amazing show you gave a combination of theatricality and brilliant music! Oh, you were also another first for me. My first Rock God crush, yeah I thought you were sexy a fuck!

I met you when I worked at Tower Records Sunset. You were to only star I ever met that I was actually nervous about saying "Hello" to. I remember grabbing a vinyl LP copy of the Tin Machine album for you to sign, when myself and the other employees brought our things to the register, you were so gracious and kind. You signed everyone's treasure with true class. When we expressed our awe of you with regard to the legend you were your response was: "Oh please, I'm no big deal."

I managed to see you in concert a total of four times, each one a religious experience. 

You can never completely know the total depth of the impact you had on my life as a young gay man. But I will leave you with this. You made it easier, seeing someone out there who dared to be different, an innovator and mostly dared to be himself.

R.I.P. Thin White Duke 

 

                                                               China Girl


David Bowie on the web:

http://www.davidbowie.com/

Hit 72K For Cancer With The "Dear Jack" Foundation

ANDREW MCMAHON’S DEAR JACK FOUNDATION LAUNCHES THE 72K CHALLENGE

 

Celebrating 10 Years Cancer-Free DJF Founder Andrew McMahon starts initiative to raise $1 for every young adult diagnosed with cancer annually

Cancer has touched almost every one of our lives - Join musician and founder of "Dear Jack" Andrew McMahon in helping to kick cancer's ass!  

 The Dear Jack Foundation (DJF), the non-profit organization that advocates for and supports initiatives that directly benefit adolescents and young adults (AYA) diagnosed with cancer, and founder Andrew McMahon are launching “The 72K Challenge” – a fundraising campaign designated to raise $1 for each young adult that is diagnosed with cancer every year.
 
The 72K Challenge, open until Dec. 31 on DearJackFoundation.com, aims to aid the 72,000 newly-diagnosed AYA patients in the United States ranging from the ages of 15 to 39. While many consider these to be the most formative years of a person’s life, this population suffers a well-documented deficit in research and attention from the cancer community. This shortfall has led to a 30-year stagnation in the improvement of AYA survival rates compared to all other age demographics.
  

McMahon experienced this first hand at 22, when he was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia during the peak of his career as the lead singer of the alternative band Jack’s Mannequin.  This month marks the 10-year anniversary of the stem cell transplant that saved his life and since then he has dedicated himself to helping youths suffering from this illness. Currently, McMahon is using the success of his hit single, “Cecilia in the Satellite,” from his eponymous album Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness to help draw awareness to this massive effort. The song is an ode to his one and a half year old daughter Cecilia, a child he feared he wouldn’t be able to have after his diagnosis. 

 
“Ten years ago this August, I was transplanted with life-saving stem cells. When I first heard the words, ‘You have cancer,’ I never could have imagined what was to follow,” said McMahon. “The trajectory of a life is forever altered by those three loaded words. Unlike many friends I’ve met along the way, I survived to tell my story and use this new life to advocate for those who are hearing those difficult words for the first time.”
 
HOW YOU CAN HELP:

• Donate on DearJackFoundation.com – every dollar counts
• Spread the word with the hashtag, #DearJack72kChallenge 
• Lend your social media presence to DJF on Thunderclap.com –a tool that lets our message be heard when you and your friends say it together. Think of it as an "online flash mob.” We can share the same message at the same time spreading it through Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.  Once we reach 500 people supporting The 72K Challenge our message will launch together! Join the 72K Challenge on Thunderclap here: http://thndr.it/1NrxX3I 
• Look for more information on-site during The Wilderness Politics Tour – Andrew’s North-American fall co-headline tour with New Politics featuring special guests The Griswolds and LOLO

For almost a decade, The Dear Jack Foundation has been tending to the AYA community, successfully raising over $700K for this group. DJF has worked hand in hand with philanthropic organizations to advocate on behalf of this underserved community.  Through the efforts of DJF, the organization has funded college scholarships, signed up over 1,400 individuals to the National Bone Barrow Registry; 23 of which have been potentially life-saving matches, funded one of the first AYA-specific medical fellowships out of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and University of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, and provided AYA cancer patients and survivors with opportunities to attend adventure camps with their peers, to name a few. This year DJF will launch the first ever program wholly conceived, organized and funded by the organization - a series of one-day seminars targeting AYA cancer patients as they transition from treatment into survivorship.

The Dear Jack Foundation is a 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization. Tax ID 45-2219082. All donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
  

Cindy Alexander Is Some Kind Of "Wonderful"

Cindy Alexander

Award winning singer and songwriter, Cindy Alexander knows a thing or two about being "Wonderful".

Check out this wonderfully funny excerpt from her Bio:

"I’m a Mom of twin girls and my life is a whirlwind of pretend-play, Yo Gabba Gabba, toddler germs and MUSIC. I spend a lot of time at Target. I used to have my toe nails polished at all times but now they are on the back burner until Chip tells me I look “ghetto” and begs me to go to the salon. I love those days…at the salon, not being called “ghetto.” I crave guacamole, constantly (except when I was pregnant). I can turn any conversation into a song. I cry easily but I laugh even easier. I give everything away. I’m loyal to a fault. I’m moody. I clench my jaw when I sleep sometimes. I love my family. They love me too. My nickname is “pnut” (like peanut). I have the greatest friends on earth. I have very few socks that match. Somewhere there is a black hole with all my miscellaneous socks….and my guitar picks. I’m lucky and I’m blessed. I am passionate about cancer prevention, awareness and finding a cure. Add to that heart disease. I believe in Love. I Love. And I am Loved. And some people say that I’m a highly functioning dysfunctional, the most organized disorganized person you will ever meet but I manage to get stuff done…eventually. I agree with them. Oh, and I write songs and sing to say relatively sane"


Ha! Well in case you haven't guessed it the amazing Cindy has a new song out with the moniker "Wonderful"

So Cindy, define "Wonderful" for us...

"The song is about self acceptance and not needing anyone else's validation. Wonderful - that which embodies a sense of delight, joy, spirit and a little extra somethin'"

Right on! There's something to be said for self love, uh, does that sound weird? Whatever it doesn't matter, because hey I don't need your validation and I'm gonna go and express my sense of joy and check out the song and video for Cindy's "Wonderful" join me...by clicking on the link after the jump!

The Video for "Wonderful" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzZoMVqrV5g

Got Cindy? Log on to: http://www.cindyalexander.com/

R.I.P: Chrissy Amphlett "Pleasure and Pain"

Chrissy Amphlett

The 53-year-old Australian singer died at her home in New York City after a battle with breast cancer and multiple sclerosis.

My first exposure so to speak to the music of The Divinyls was a kinky little ditty bearing the title "Pleasure and Pain": 

"Please don't ask me how I've been getting off, No, Please don't ask me how I've been getting off ,It's a fine line between pleasure and pain, You've done it once, you can do it again"... 

Needless to say the Divinyls had me at the title. I rushed out and bought the "What A Life" album on, time to date my oldness, cassette, and loved it!

Of course that was sort of an indie/edgy/underground type of song, their biggest hit "I Touch Myself" a blatant ode to masturbation was huge...I guess because it did not involve the "Pain" part with the "Pleasure".

Chrissy had one of the best pop rock voices ever! Her delivery cut like a knife no matter what she was singing. 

Not to be crass, but from the sounds of her death she was living the title of my favorite Divinyls song "Pleasure and Pain" let's hope there was some of the former mixed in with the later, her body is now at rest. Hey Chrissy, I hope you are still kicking vocal ass in the great beyond...!

                                                  The Divinyls: "Pleasure and Pain"