 Testosterone driven 1970’s Hard rock and roll. I love it. I loved it then and I love it now. The 1970’s had a lot of that to offer. Like every generation since the 1950’s does, of course; and every generations rock and roll is a little different. But they all have some things in common that speak to the backseat lover in all of us. Hard driving simple chord changes, a slim and sexy lead singer with nice hair and a great voice (well, not always), ripping guitar solos, lyrics about girls, sex, rock and roll, mind altering substances and all that the dark side of our teenage years was all about. Experienced in our youth it can seem to many like the ultimate physical and emotional release of raw energy. The Nirvana of the number that your body is doing on you throughout your teenage years. (Well, outside of sex that is; and let’s be honest; when this music was at the top of our personal charts the majority of us had yet to experienced carnal worldly pleasures) It is the music of youth, frustration, dreams, little responsibility and reckless abandon. Not everyone succumbs to its power and is left to deal with the consequences of a misspent youth, but many do. (And don’t kid yourself, it IS powerful) Some outgrow it and leave it in their closet along with their high school memories and college annuals. Some try to hold onto it for their entire adult lives. Some make the biggest mistake and make it their entire career. Thus, forever stuck in Teenage Rock and Roll Limbo. Traveling down a path that usually does not have a happy ending. Then there are the lucky ones, who as they age ,regardless of their career path, take with them the memories, melodies and mystical madness of the dreams Rock and Roll o"ered to us in our youth and use it to keep a tiny flame and vigil alive in their souls. Just enough to keep burning the excitement, adventure and possibilities of life that our Rock and Roll youth gave us, while actually growing up and learning how to be functional, successful, healthy and happy aging adults.
As for me you may ask? Well, I have always known and felt inside since I was a young boy that I had no choice. Music chose me and I was stuck with it. For better or for worse. Couldn’t get rid of it if I tried. What some people may not be aware of is that I have seriously tried on a handful of occasions to make a career change – It was hard and painful and I was unable to win that !ght. Can’t shake it. I was meant to be a musician and God is taking no other option. Well, at least at this time. After all, he is in charge. I have been extremely blessed (or cursed some may say) with an unexplainable passion (Ok..obsession...I give in) and love for many genres and styles of music. The Good Lord also blessed me with ample musical talent; enough so that I have been lucky enough to be able to make a living with it for the past 30 years. That is a long time on the road playing rock and roll. So, am I where I thought I would be with rock and roll at age 52? No, not by a light years long shot. But then I wonder, who is? Life is about choices and your life becomes the choices you make. Almost like flipping a coin. As much as I cherish, love, respect, and will forever wave it’s flag high, rock and roll taken too seriously can lead one to make many, many irresponsible mistakes and choices. It can put you in unexpected arrested development. It can take you down a realistic road of no return, much worse than some nightmares you have experienced in your darkest night’s sleep – and leave you alone in Limbo. I know, I have been there. While I have been very lucky and blessed to have a great career, it took me almost the entire length of it to !nally get my “real” life straight (and it still needs a lot of work). But on the other hand, taken in good moderation ( I know... real rock and roll is not about moderation, but go with me here for the sake of argument and age) it can give you some of the best memories, dreams, fantasies, passions, physical and emotional pleasures you can have on earth. Even if only available for a limited amount of time, and not always in the back seat of your 1974 Chevy Monte Carlo. I choose that side of the coin. I choose the happy life I have now. I choose sobriety. I choose God. I choose love. I choose to be a loving parent. I choose life. But I still choose Rock and Roll. I choose the flame. July 13, 2013 marks my 52nd Birthday and I would like to take some time this month reviewing some of my favorite rock and roll albums of my youth. For your enjoyment and for mine. I look forward to your comments, thoughts and insights. Keep the fire burning. Jeff Pike  Well, I am sitting here today, snowbound in my domicile of residence in Lawrenceville, Georgia. While staring out the window just now at the white stillness, a long awaited peace came over me. Here is what caused it. Through years of hope and positive thinking I have !nally given up. I !nally consent to the reality and accept the fact that the state of Georgia will never be prepared for snowfall. Regardless of how much or how little, it really is quite laughable. But be that as it may, I suppose that I should not complain too loud for there is still a bit of childhood fun that my soul receives from being “snowed in.” I do believe though it is only a feeling that we Southerners, who are not blessed (or cursed) with snow on a regular basis, feel and occasionally enjoy. So with that said, and having a little more free time on my hands today than originally intended, I thought I would just update you a little on what has been going on this month in my world.
First, I would like to share with you the fact that I am still reelin’ and rockin’ from attending the 2014 Annual APAP Convention in New York City earlier this month. My manager, Kathy Mullen and I were up there in the thick of it for 4 days. We met so many people, made some really useful contacts and saw some tremendous showcases. It was our !rst time attending this annual worldwide convention and I must say we were awed and overwhelmed. It was a tremendous experience and I hope that we have the chance to be a part of it next year. On another note but a related one, I am just now learning how to use Word Press and am having some problems with it. This is why I have not had a lot of updated material here on Je#Pike.com since launching the new website recently. But when I do, I will have a lot of recent pictures from the convention posted for you to enjoy. Speaking of the website, (www.je#pike.com) here is a little more current information that may be useful for you. While the main purpose of this website is to promote my original work there will also be a small part of it that I will use to promote cover gigs. (Restaurants, clubs, corporate work, private parties, etc.) Today I posted a quick impromptu promotional video that I recorded at Bahama Breeze this past week. It came out a lot better than I thought it would so I put it up on the video page for you to enjoy. Feel free to pass it along to anyone you know who books entertainment, for as you may or may not know, I am always looking for work and networking is never done. Thank you for your time today, but before you leave be sure to sign up for my mailing list, read my blogs and check out my concert calendar. ( Assuming of course that you are snowed in and have a lot of time on your hands today ) Anyway, I hope to see you on the road (or in the snow) sometime soon! If you are on the road, travel safe. If you are at home, lounge aggressively. Jeff Pike I was very saddened to hear about the passing of Dave Madden yesterday. Most people who are familiar with Dave Madden remember him best as the stressed out and lovable manager of The Partridge Family, a television series about a !ctitious Pop Group starring David Cassidy and Shirley Jones which ran from 1970-1974. Through all of the days of my youth, the music of David Cassidy and The Partridge Family were an enormous and moving in"uence on me, my music and my spirit. They were in fact, a very large part of why I chose my career as a musician. Those who are very familiar with my life and my original music are aware of the enormous amount of real estate the music of David Cassidy and The Partridge Family hold in my heart. For various reasons I have been badgered about this by many people for my entire adult life. In response, I wish it to be known that I am of the mindset that sometimes real talent gets a stereotypical bad rap for all the wrong reasons. More often than not artists in this situation are never given the respect they are due. I have always felt that way about David Cassidy.
As for Dave Madden, his character of Reuben Kincaid and the relationship he shared with Danny Partridge ( played by Danny Bonoduce ) was a very large part of the comedic humor of the show. He was a !ne actor, a kind and good man, and a wonderful comedian. He might not have been the best !ctitious agent in the world, but he was warm, loving and hilarious. It is funny to think back on my childhood when I used to watch The Partridge Family and believe that what Reuben and The Partridge Family went through was how show business really worked. Today, after being in the business for 30 years, what a joyous and jaded laugh I get out of that. I occasionally scratch my head in disbelief when I realize how long ago that was. My how life, society, culture, innocence, youth, the world and music have changed since 1970 was a new year. I am constantly reminded by my girlfriend on how I spend too much time looking back and that I should only look forward. I know she is right, but on days like today I !nd myself thinking back with concentration and energy. What I would not give to go back to those times – if only for a day – a good day. A day where music, youth, innocence and hope !lled my world; where days of wonder and imagination would always leave a huge smile on my face and a strong dream in my heart. A good bit of my youth went with Dave yesterday. He was the !rst Partridge to leave us. Come on Get Happy? No, not today...in time. That vacant seat on the bus looks pretty lonely....My condolences to the Madden family, Danny Bonaduce, David Cassidy and Shirley Jones. Jeff Pike  Good Morning Friends and Welcome to 2014
About this time every year I post a newsletter expressing ideals and opinions of life as I know it as judged from all that I have experienced in the previous year. Since the theme this past year for me has been “Back To Basics” I would simply like to tell you what I have been up to in 2013 and where I stand today. I hope you do not !nd this too self indulgent and that those who genuinely do care and want to know enjoy todays blog. So here we go... In looking back at 2013, I !nd myself with the feeling that I am starting a journey of which I should have begun decades ago; one of self awareness, maturity, discovery, chances, honesty and growth. As I have shared with you previously, I am 3 years and 8 months sober from alcohol. This is an accomplishment and is a life changing event in itself. For me; however, it is all I have learned since I chose to face my demons sober that has e#ected my life the most. Many times I scratch my head and wonder how I made it this far. I don’t spend time much on those thoughts these days, rather I do my best now to look to the future. I want to thank from the bottom of my heart all of my friends at Celebrate Recovery at Hebron Church in Dacula, Georgia for starting my learning experience on this long road of recovery. More than anything I want to thank my girlfriend, Marti Woodward, and my very good friend Ken Mercer for their help, support and extensive knowledge of recovery which has helped tremendously with my growth. Marti, thank you for loving me – "aws and all. Ken, thank you for the kind of friendship that happens once in a lifetime. I look forward to moving further into my recovery in 2014, both as a student and as a teacher. My own original music was a big priority for me in 2013 and I feel that I accomplished a lot. With the never ending help of my manager, very good friend and business partner in Je# Pike Music, Kathy Mullen, I was able to make a lot of fundamental business, marketing and musical headway preparing me for 2014 and beyond. Kathy’s energetic drive, persistence, patience and quest for our goal has kept me going at times when I thought I was down for the count. So to Kathy Mullen, a huge world of thanks. We ended the year on a joyous note following the release of my !rst solo acoustic CD of my career, “Back To Basics” and the launch of my brand new website, www.Je#Pike.com. It has felt good to get back to my own music, and to the piano I might add. Looking forward, I hope to release a new CD in late fall of 2014. I also hope to travel more bringing my music to as many people as possible. With that said, if you would like to book a show or know of any venus that would enjoy my music please do not hesitate to contact me. Teaming up with my good friends Hugo Duarte and recording engineer Henry Jordan, we !nally released our debut CD as The Frozen Gringos, “Chill Before Use.” Traveling with Hugo gave me some of the most memorable moments on the road and onstage that I have ever had. I thank him for that and so much more that he has given me throughout our 8 year friendship. Life with A1A is still rolling along and looking quite bright for 2014. I owe all of the guys in the band a huge amount of thanks for what they bring to the band, both on and o#stage. Most of all, I want to thank Chaz McDonald for continuing to go above and beyond the call of duty. Without Chaz the A1A bus would stop, and I mean that both !guratively and literally. Chaz takes care of all the business within the band and is the unsung hero. Along with running the band he has also written a lot of great songs this year and we are looking forward to possibly releasing a new CD in 2014. Things are looking good and I am excited about that possibility. Of course, all of the success in the world would mean nothing without family and friends. I am grateful to have more close and loving friends than I could ever have imagined. I am beyond blessed to still have my Parents and Carol Hildebrand ( my daughters Grandmother and caregiver ) with me and I thank the Lord for them every day. With my family on the Pike side, my daughter’s family on the Hildebrand side and my extended family with Martha on the Woodward side, I have more love around me than some people get in an entire lifetime – and I do not take it for granted. Speaking of the two loves of my life, my daughter Ashton and my girlfriend Martha continue to amaze me and make me proud. Ashton is in her freshman year at The University of Georgia and Martha is returning to Psychotherapy as her primary profession. So when it comes down to it, 2013 was a year full of celebrations for me. For the !rst time in what might be my entire life I feel a sense of true peace and happiness in every aspect, and yet, there is still a lot unknown and there are still many opportunities for growth. Sometimes it is quite scary. I am doing my best to face these unknowns with my eyes wide open, my body healthy, and trusting completely in God and in those who love and care for me. I wish the same for you in 2014. Happy New Year and may God bless all that you do. Jeff  Ever since I can remember I have been forever moved by this Christmas classic from the television Christmas Special, ” “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer.” As a child I would patiently and anxiously wait all year long for that one part during the show when Clarice would sing this song to Rudolph. It never failed to moved me to tears and was always over to soon. You must remember that this was long before VCR’s, CD’s, DVDs’s, personal computers, i-Pads, cell phones and I-phones were even a dream in the minds of the people that created them. These special moments came around once a year on television, and if you missed them, then you missed them. People would plan their daily lives to make sure that they were in front of the TV Set when their favorite annual Christmas Special came on. For me, mine was and always has been “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer.”
The message in this song coupled with the beautiful and haunting melody sparks hope, love and dreams in every man, woman and child, regardless of their age. It has always been a dream of mine to record it and I am very pleased and honored to o#er it to you during this Holiday Season. Always keep your dreams and hope alive in your heart and may you and your loved ones have a very Merry Christmas full of love and joy. Jeff Pike  By Jeff Pike Change is eminent. Resistance to change is futile and time keeps marching on. You can run as fast as you can, and you can bury your head in the sand, but you will never be able to outrun change - or Father Time. Like many of us I have never been too keen on change. Up until just a few short years ago (4 Years in January to be exact) I had a lifelong habit of burying my head in the sand. Ignore something and either it does not exist or it will go away. That was the way my head worked and the way my actions played out for many years.
For those of you who do not know (though most do) I was once a drinking man. So it should come as no surprise when I say that my life was about denial. Though I no longer drink alcohol and have been completely sober for almost 4 years, I am not going to sit here and tell you that I have completely overcome and beaten that nasty little praxis. Despite my constant vigil it still pops up now and then, though not quite as often as it used too. Yet I am still not a big fan of change even though I have done quite a bit of it over the past few years. So, imagine my surprise that for the first time in my life I find myself welcoming change, seeking it out, excited as to what new lessons, experiences, growth, and adventures lie ahead for me now that I am able to live and think outside of my box of false security and denial. Of course stepping outside of the box and seeking out change does not always mean that things willgothewayIwantthemtoo.No,notatall. ButifIam going to grow I DO have to take chances and make changes. For me, along with all of the wonderful gifts of my recovery and my late blooming self- awareness, there are also new fears and worries. All brought on by the changes and the choices I have made in my life. But unlike I did for so many years, this time "I will not go quietly into that dark night." I am looking forward with great anticipation to what 2014 has in store for me. As 2013 comes to a close I am reminded of just how short life really is. I think for the first time in my life that is really hitting me. I have lost many friends this year, my daughter is in College, my band (A1A) is almost 23 years old, and I am over half a century old... But instead of whining and complaining I am going to do my best to live a healthy life of adventure and change. I am not going down without a good fight, and I am going to make the second half of my life twice as interesting as the first half. But most importantly, I am going to let God lead the way. In closing I hope that everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving. For those of you who have been with me through thick and thin, and you know who you are, I love you. Life would not be what it is today without you. Follow your star. Follow your heart. Follow your dream...but let God blaze the trail. I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a New Year of Change! With the spirit of the season, Jeff  By Amy Petty Repost by Jeff Pike I sat down at my computer yesterday to write a new blog when just in time I read someone else's blog that my girlfriend had sent me. The blog in question resounded deeply with my beliefs and other peoples myths surrounding my chosen career as a musician in today's social media and TV driven world. So much so that she knew I would want to read it and possibly repost it, which I immediately did. As they day wore on I kept thinking more and more about this young woman's blog and the desire to blog about the same subject was growing stronger within me. After much thought I came to my own realization. This realization firmly awakened me to the fact that I did not feel I could improve on what Singer/Songwriter Amy Petty posted about Media, TV, Music and Fame vs. what being a happy, honest and successful musician is really all about. So with all hats off and respect to Amy Petty, here is her blog in its entirety. Please, please read belwo, enjoy and share with all your friends. This message is extremely important. Jeff Pike Why I Won't Be Auditioning For The Voice ( Or Any Other Televised Talent Competition) Amy Petty November 2013  Tonight, I'm standing in a stranger's living room, singing at a house concert. I'm far from home and I don't know anyone here but you've given me your time, your ear and your heart for two hours and by the end of the night, we know each other. We are fulfilled and changed by the experiences of the evening and life is good. We are moved, unexpectedly. You approached me with tears in your eyes. I was standing near the tissue box so I had the honor of handing one to you. You told me what that one song meant to you, how it spoke exactly of an experience you'd had and that it meant the world to hear someone else felt the same way. After a few moments of each of us trying to find the words, you said, "And you should audition for the The Voice!" I smiled and laughed a bit and said thank you. "I mean it," you said, "you're good enough! You could win! You could be famous! Someday, you'll make it and we'll say we knew you when." I've come to realize that this is a huge compliment, maybe the biggest compliment that you could possibly offer. You have just placed me in the company of some of the best singers you know of. You believe in me. You want me to have success and you want others to experience what you've experienced here tonight. I'm flattered and humbled and grateful. For many people, watching one of the myriad singing competitions on TV is a huge deal, like a cross between a soap opera and football, exciting and dramatic and entertaining, an epic battle with a winner declared at the end. And you can be directly involved in the outcome. After all, it's up to you to vote your favorite into the next round. And seriously, there is some pretty incredible talent on those shows, especially The Voice. So I'm flattered that you consider me talented enough to vocally rumble in the ring on your favorite TV show. But I'm absolutely not going to do that. Here's why: 1) I'm not interested in 'winning' at singing. I sing for a living so in all honesty, I ALREADY win at singing. How strange it would be to have a celebrity judge (who probably knows less about singing than I do) listen to me for 30 seconds and decide if I'm 'good enough'. I AM good enough to sing for a living because I'm doing it right now. I sing for people, on purpose, at concerts and festivals and weddings and churches and bars. I studied music in college and have a degree in classical voice. I'm a singer/songwriter and I'm signed to a small and awesome record label. I sing for a living and I sing for people and I sing for myself. I totally win. 2) I'm not really interested in being famous. Now don't get me wrong. I'm not opposed to being well known or to my songs being heard by the masses or to making enough money to buy my mom a decent washer and dryer. But I have never been interested in achieving fame. Fame usually has nothing to do with the music and it almost certainly has nothing to do with talent. It's hard to judge the success of a musician without using fame as a measuring stick. But it can be pretty simple. Am I singing? Check. Are people hearing it? Check. Is everyone happy/moved/inspired/dancing/thinking at the end? Check. Do Iwant to do it again tomorrow night? Check. That, my friend, is success. 3) I don't want to compete with other singers. There are plenty of people out there taking advantage of musicians. They want us to perform for free. They want us to give them the rights to our music. They want us to 'pay to play'. They want $2000 for introducing us to the guy who might use a song in a TV show. We have enough obstacles out there. We don't need to be stumbling over each other, too. One of the greatest joys in my life has been meeting and performing and collaborating with other singers and musicians around the country. They are my tribe. I love them and I want them to survive and thrive and make more of their amazing music. I want to share the stage with them. I want to high five the guy who is trying out a new song, even if he knows his performance wasn't perfect. I want to be blown away by that girl with the amazing voice and not worry that she might be better than me. I want all of us to try new things, play new instruments and write new songs without wondering if the audience is going to vote us off. I have had the pleasure of finding my tribe, some ships that have passed in the night and some who are docked in the same harbor. There are hundreds of us. Thousands of us. And life is better when we're for each other, not against. 4) I want to help write a new definition of success for musicians. I will admit, it's pretty awesome to flip on the TV and see someone you know singing their hearts out for the world to see. I've had friends audition for almost every major singing competition, some making it to the finals, others not making it through the first round. And just because that's not the path for me doesn't mean that's not the path for them, so I support them whole-heartedly. But on many occasions, I've seen them give up when they get home. They didn't win the singing competition so they decide to go to bar-tending school. Looks like they won't skyrocket to fame, so they change their course all together. Some of the best singers I've ever heard are deflated because they lost out to a juggling dog. All the eggs, one basket. It takes time and hard work to achieve whatever it is that you consider success but you won't regret it. My life is full of music because I made choices along the way to ensure that it is. I could have given up when I wasn't a famous singer by the time I was 21 years old. Oh, the things I would have missed. Even if fame is the ultimate goal...take the road less traveled and enjoy the ride. As my friend and executive producer Lauren Markow always says: "Even a bad day making music is better than a good day doing anything else". Right. On. 5) Because tonight was PERFECT. Who says that the best music in the world is made in front of a huge audience? It's not. It's made in small rooms. It's made by people you've never heard of. It's made when a musician is alone, writing a song, practicing, trying something new. It's made when a french horn and it's player become one entity. It's made when your choir is rehearsing a week before the scheduled performance and everyone just clicks. It's made at the Saturday matinee performance when the lead soprano finally understands and fully becomes her character. It's made when I am singing one of my songs and I look up to see you, crying, nodding, completely present and I realize that I don't even know what this song is about anymore.
So no, I'm not going to be auditioning for The Voice. Because I would much rather be standing right here, singing in a stranger's living room, seeing your face as I sing, handing you a tissue as you tell me how my songs moved you. I am part of your experience and you are part of mine. I am fulfilled and I am changed and I am moved that you are moved. And this is what I want my life to be. Welcome to the tribe. I will forever treasure the compliment.  Greetings friends and listeners,
The last time I touched base with you about a month ago, I was sitting in the French Quarter in New Orleans. Well, New Orleans, along with all of the other stops I made before I arrived home just yesterday were very kind to me. Sitting here in the warmth of my home this morning I feel very blessed. As you may know, I have been on tour with my musical com-padre Hugo Duarte as The Frozen Gringos since February; and as I mentioned in the previous paragraph I made it safely home from the road just yesterday. Our tour was very successful and it was a joy to get back out on the open road again. The audiences were quite heavenly; and while traveling at it’s best is quite taxing, I do so enjoy seeing our country through a windshield as opposed to #ying. I have always enjoyed the road – still do – and it may come as no surprise to some that much more than a smidgen of wander lust has always held court around the clock in my semi restless soul. But as time goes by there has remained a small part of me that feels like staying put, settling down, and leaving the ways of the road and the single wayward minstrel behind. As you can see it has not won me over yet, but I do !nd that piece of me growing larger upon each return from the repetitious, and dare I say it, shallow world of rock and roll on the road. But let’s be realistic. I am a musician and the road is part of that life. So in reality I just need to suck it up and remember that moderation is the key; and speaking of moderation I would like to take this opportunity to wish myself a Happy Birthday..... Three years ago today I made a decision and started my new life – a God driven life without alcohol. It has turned out to be the best decision I have ever made for myself, my family, my friends, and for my life. Upon making this decision I immediately joined a Celebrate Recovery Group in Duluth, Georgia which has been my home every Monday evening when I am in town. The impact of following a sober and God driven path has impacted my life, my spirit, my career and those close to me in ways I never, ever, ever could have imagined. Today I want to thank God, Celebrate Recovery, Amanda Ferreira, Ken Mercer, Hugo Duarte, Vance Kelly, Marti Woodward, Kathy Mullen, Chaz and Angela McDonald, my family, very close friends, band mates and listeners for supporting me – even when they may not agree or understand my life choices. Today is a day of re#ection and celebration for me, in many ways that only I will understand. I am just glad I am still here to do it and was given a second chance. God is good. Life is good. Love is good. Family, friends and fans are good, and music is still amazing. I will close now for I have new music to make and miles to go before I sleep.... From the heart, Jeff Pike  Greetings friends and listeners,
At this exact moment I am sitting in The French Quarter in New Orleans at the Community Co"ee house watching the city move. No, this is not a vacation, unfortunately. As I write this I am on tour with Hugo Duarte as The Frozen Gringos. This weeks stop – The Big Easy. Ahhhhh....New Orleans. She and I have had a tumultuous, yet satisfying love a"air for many, many years, and it is always a pleasure to return. I have been on the road with The Frozen Gringos since February 19 and it has been hectic, eventful and successful. Given all the good times; however, taking care of ones life let alone on the road can be very di$cult, to say the least. So, before I go any further I want to apologize to some of you who have written in regard to my lack of personal updates, album reviews, etc., on my Facebook page. This time of year it does prove di$cult for me not to make all things “Frozen Gringo,” especially since we spend so little time during the year performing together. Having said that, I am going to try my best to keep up for the rest of the tour, and things will de!nitely be back in full swing when I return home. As I just mentioned, The Frozen Gringo tour is moving along successfully. What I failed to mention however, is that our !rst CD is almost !nished. A couple of more long visits to the studio and we should have it completely thawed out for public consumption. Just so you know, Jeff Pike Music is still in full swing with a new acoustic CD scheduled for release by the !rst of summer. Recording has also started for my !rst Christmas CD, and, another all original acoustic CD scheduled for release during the !rst quarter of 2014. So needless to say, I am very busy. On a personal note, my lovely daughter turns 18 next month and graduates high school in May. In the fall she will be attending The University of Georgia where she will be studying Journalism and Finance. All of us in her life are over the moon proud of the amazing young woman she has become and cannot believe how quickly the time has #own. I never thought this day would arrive, but it has...with many, many mixed emotions. But overall, I am excited, happy, grateful and blessed with the new season of life which is about to start for both of us. Well, Tropical Isle is calling my name so I need to bolt....Thanks to everyone for listening and having faith in me, personally and professionally. Let the good times roll! Jeff Pike  Greetings friends, followers and listeners,
My apologies for being a little late here with my Christmas and New Years greeting. In fact, heck, now that I look at my blog post’s I realize that I need to apologize for being late for my Thanksgiving greeting too! Jeez!!! You would think that it was the holiday season or something and that I had a good excuse to slu" o"! Uh...hold on...hey...wait a minute... The holiday season is over...crap!.. Oh well, I am all out of excuses. All kidding aside, it has been a little over 2 months since my last blog, so for those of you who were wondering, yes I am alive and all is well. Christmas and New Years Eve have come and gone and here we are at the dawn of a New Year. I do hope that those of you who are reading this did have a warm, loving, safe, happy Christmas and New Year’s celebration with your loved ones. I realize that with all of the political and economic upheaval in our country right now, coupled with the pain and fear of the recent fatal and tragic school shootings, an unfortunate and frightening event which seems to be occurring more frequent in our country, that it can be quite hard to focus on the good things that DO surround us on a day to day basis, especially during the Holiday Season. I am no stranger to that feeling at all. In fact, I have always been prone to seeing the glass half empty. Keeping a positive attitude about problems in my life has been a struggle for me ever since I can remember. However, I have made some personal progress in that department over the past couple of years. Yes, I do slip, but I am blessed to have loved ones and friends around me who will call me out on it, remind me of the destructive power of attitude, and who are not afraid to pull me into serious conversation about it. We all have problems in our lives. Big problems and small problems. Sometimes it is hard to come to terms with the fact that to some extent problems will always be a constant in our life, and in our world. But how we feel and how we let problems a"ect us is mostly up to us. It is a personal choice. It takes a constant awareness and practice to concentrate, recognize and appreciate all of the good things that happen in your life every day. For every one thing that goes wrong in your life on any given day, there is probably a very long list of things in your life that have gone well. Things that you should stop recognize and give thanks for – every day. One of my New Year’s Resolutions is to do my absolute damndest to think POSITIVE and to always see the good possibilities in every situation, no matter how harsh it may seem. This is not easy for me and it may not be easy for you. But it is worth a try and it does work. You do not have to let the actions of others, and possible circumstances beyond your control get you down. They do not have to seriously a"ect your life, emotions and attitude. It is a choice. Your choice. So as you embark on this New Year make a serious conscious e"ort every day to CHOOSE to be happy and to be extraordinarily grateful for all that you do have and all that does go right in your world. The trickledown e"ect this will have on those in and around your life will astound you. Happy New Year! Jeff Pike |
ABOUT"Ramblings From Jeff" - is a dedicated personal blog page within JeffPike.com written and posted by Jeff Pike. 
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