A Little Escapade

I awake in a new place. A short stay with 3 little four-legged beasts; hairy, friendly, needy. They follow my every move. It is strange, to fall into a completely new reality. I bring all of my same old habits and foibles. “No matter where you are, there you are.” No escaping, even on this little escapade. 

I brought my books, my music, and my coffee-maker. The brew is powerful, robust, life- giving. Some addictions really pay. Listening to the radio this a.m. The words just fly by. Same stories, same worries, same hopes.

The sun is shining. The leaves are turning. Beautiful colors, fallen leaves litter the ground. Dazzling. No expectations, no appointments, just time, lots of time with the little beasts. Breathing, thinking, hanging out. Life.

Let's End the Shit-Show...

Feeling a Blue Wave Landslide brewing. But at the same time, I am counseling everyone I know to make sure they VOTE, and at this point in the drama, make sure you VOTE in-person on Tuesday, November 3rd. Don't make the mistake of trusting the mail.

Yes, the Political Data Scientists, such as Nate Silver, G. Elliott Morris and Nate Cohn are all running their sophisticated models and coming up with probabilities for winners and losers throughout the land. They run those models thousands of times, and tweak the data, test different assumptions and then come up with probabilities. 

Bottom line: basically, it looks very promising for the Democrats to sweep into the White House, to take back the Senate, and to add seats in the House. Going out on a limb, I'd say: MASSIVE BLUE WAVE! 

That would be so exciting and healing for the nation. It would be a fantastic validation for our little Democratic experiment. A new day. A better day. A way to reclaim the American Dream.  I do think it will happen. I don't think by saying that, that I am jinxing it.

Of course, the Universe only runs the model one time. It's a weird thing. We live in a probabilistic Universe, maybe this, maybe that, could be this, could be that, but when all is said and done, what happens is what actually happens.

Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda are all just spit-balling after the fact.  So anyway. What to do? VOTE. VOTE BLUE. VOTE BIDEN/HARRIS. I mean, come on, won't it be fun to be on the winning team? The Toxic Clown Prez is flailing, failing, spinning in his own whirlpool of vomit. Finally the definitive judgement is about to come down on his head: A LOSER! Ha! That is his greatest fear. The truth will finally rule. Yes, Toxic Clown Prez = Total Loser! Let's end this shit-show. Lot's of work to do to fix, remake, rebuild, and dream new dreams.

What is Going to Happen?

What is going to happen?

I consult a handful of Political Data Scientists. 

They have fancy graphs, they crunch loads of numbers. The numbers seem real, they have some hardness, not subject to emotion or desire. But, then,  you can't forget that those numbers come from conversations with people. People telling Pollsters who they are voting for, and those people are unreliable, full of emotion, desire, contradictory-ness. The Political Data Scientists weight and massage the data, then their models spit out the results. They make fancy, easy to digest graphs. I look at the graphs and think I have clear idea of what's going to happen.

Of course, there's "polling error." The numbers look good, but, you know, who knows?

I also consult my friends and family. 

I hear their opinions, I hear their stories, their hopes and desires. I listen to interviews of voters on the radio. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone has a story. The stories criss and cross, they contradict each other, sometimes it seems they cancel each other out. People tell you what they are going to do. 

I remember: People are Tricky.

I also consult the Tarot Deck. 

You know. I love my Tarot cards. Those pictures seem to hold information. Important information. I shuffle the deck and draw the cards, wondering what they will reveal, what stories, what insights. This is a little game I like to play. I make up narratives. I read the signs and make decisions and guesses based on the cards I just shuffled and picked from the deck. I go with the idea that my choices are somehow significant, prophetic.

Strange I would take advice from a Tarot card. But it is true, I sometimes do. What of my latest reading?

I foresee a period of turmoil, a bit of uncertainty. It's all out of my hands. I do what I think is right. I align my heart, head and soul, and act as if I am the one I want to be. So yes, turmoil, but eventually, things will work out. My desires, and my realities will converge. Hah!  That's the kind of story I like to tell myself. You can build a life on that kind of story. 

Better days ahead... no doubt...

The Most Consequential Election in our Lifetimes...

“Preacher man, don’t tell me, Heaven is under the earth, I know you don’t know, What life is really worth, It’s not all that glitters is gold, Alf the story has never been told, So now you see the light, eh Stand up for your rights, come on” – Bob Marley

“The Future is Unwritten.” – Joe Strummer

Tuesday, Nov. 3rd the most consequential election day in our lifetimes. 

No doubt. I mean, I know I am prone to exaggerate. Once I get on a roll, I can easily get carried away. But this election seems to be a deep existential crisis point for our Democracy. The Toxic Clown Prez has destroyed so much in his wake. He is a toxic wrecking ball. He really has turned the American Dream into an American Nightmare.

I mean, it is amazing that one loud, white, fat guy could wreak so much havoc. But President of the USA is a pretty powerful and important job. Having a reality TV show blowhard; lazy, ignorant, racist, will-fully divisive and inept was just was not a very savvy move.

We are all, worldwide, feeling the consequences of 4 years of totally willful corruption & ignorance. Time for a change.

We are doing our best to conjure up, in our little Progressive, Blue Bubble, a New Day, and Reclaim a New American Dream. “Stand up for Your Rights.” VOTE. Remember Election Day is next Tuesday, Nov. 3rd. Dare we say it? Let’s elect Joe & Kamala. The alternative is too gruesome and retrograde to even contemplate. 

What's More Real?

Yes...

Still thinking about that real/unreal dichotomy (see previous post).

Why does

depression

pain

suffering

death

seem MORE real than

happiness

joy

pleasure

life

?

I mean is that even true?

I don't know. My go-to mode is happiness. But, of course, my little castle, my little blue bubble of happiness, and progressive politics always seems totally under siege. 

It takes effort to be positive, optimistic, happy. 

It does help to be of a creative mind.

I think just the act of writing something down: play, poem, essay, blog post

or

painting, writing, playing & singing a song

is an act of affirmation.

Maybe some of this is just the luck of the draw: circumstance, DNA, happy or crappy childhood... you know... just basic character.

Do I choose to be happy & optimistic? Or does it choose me? What is "more real?" Is it my pain or my pleasure?

Real & Unreal...

My radio speaks to me often. You'll be happy to know that it is turned on and tuned in. Radio-waves. Sometimes words float into my head and resonate. This morning I hear a female voice say:

"It's getting real out there."

Yes. No doubt. 

I think she may have been referring to the expected raw conditions of the day: low temps, clouds, cold rain, maybe even some snow flurries. Oh yeah, and, of course, left unsaid, the nasty, contagious virus is spiking around here.

But you know I take the words to heart. That "real-ness" resonates on all levels: existential, psychological, philosophical, physical, social, political, etc. 

And I think to myself: "How much real-ness can I handle?" And at the same time, alternatively: "How much un-real-ness can I handle?" 

I suppose I will find out. And, I mean, you know, I think we all will find out too. It's that kind of universe.

"Taking it to the Streets."

The pandemic has changed everything. Especially in our R&R life.  Our band used to play some pretty nice clubs, to some pretty good-sized crowds. No more. Of course, it's not unique to us. Everyone in the R&R firmament has been knocked down by that nasty virus, Covid-19. No shows. No grand tours. No crowds. No intimate interactions.

So what to do? We have learned that over time that "playing is the thing." Still. Always. Even if you feel tired, not-into-it, dragging, reluctant, unsure, sort of wanting to cancel; actually getting together and playing with other musicians is always an amazing kick, a re-vitalizer, a savior, a soulful, and life-affirming thing.

So 2020 has been about playing in the park. Outside, masked, distant, in a large circle. Playing to the trees, the sky, the birds and bees. Sometimes passing strangers too.

Also we have played on the street, literally, "taking it to the streets." We filled a cart with our gear and schlepped down the street to a record store in our neighborhood yesterday. A little gypsy-caravan. I mean, we probably looked like homeless people carting our stuff around the hood. Making the effort.

We have played music on the sidewalk 3 times this year in honor of the slowly unfolding, 3-part Record Store Day Pandemic-Style.  There is something so real about playing a city street: buses, cars, people, dogs, vinyl-enthusiasts, lurkers and gawkers, folks stopping by for a listen, kids and dogs sitting mesmerized at our sounds and vibrations. Noisy. Distracting. Bad acoustics. Nothing special. Just folks playing music to the street.

It's a bit humbling. But essential too. No airs, no ego. Just setting up on a cold, dirty avenue and playing music. There is something so empowering about being able to perform on the street, and to really embody it. There were 4 of us yesterday. It was windy, chilly, our fingers getting a bit stiff from the low temps. We gave it our all, put all our energy into it, heart, head, soul. And it felt amazing. 

Don't need a big stage, or a big audience. Just kicking it in the street. In some ways maybe even more gratifying. To be able to get to some "transcendence" in the most humble, meager and homely way. It was great. Really. Playing in the raw elements. Nothing better. Satisfying. Gratifying. Playing really is the thing.

Funny & Tricky...

You think it's going to "all work out." But, of course, you're not sure. You've been sometimes wrong and sometimes right in your prognostications, and it's hard to tell how things are going to break this time. Even really, really smart people seem to be confused and unsure, which is a bit unsettling.

The Universe is a funny place. It's rolling out, expanding as I type these words. It unfolds. It's hard to discern what that unfolding entails and how it all comes together, or falls apart, or whatever it's doing.

And people, human beings, are tricky. Extremely tricky. Unpredictable. Contradictory. Although often-times people act in oh so predictable ways; irrational, acting as if they are completely rational in a totally irrational manner. It's a tricky, complicated game that humans play with themselves and others.

So yeah, we live in this Universe and it seems like it only runs one way. And people must find themselves in it somehow. And the Universe may be existing in some kind of infinity of time and space, but us human beings exist in a very limited time and space continuum. At least, that's how it seems to this human.

It's amazing anything can get done. Not surprising there is so much confusion, bad blood, division, pain and turmoil. Then again, sometimes things do work out. And there is love, joy, good cheer, a certain kind of happiness.

It's all a bit funny and tricky...

Message on a Wall...

NEVER GIVE UP

NEVER GIVE UP

NEVER GIVE UP

It was a strange "pandemic day" around here yesterday. Lots of errands, appointments, lots of to-ing & fro-ing in the neighborhood. I mean, there were lots of little chores to do. Trying to just get along. I avoided interacting with folks. Masked up, sanitized, gloved, focused on the tasks at hand. It was the same for my close companion. We were out of time and in the moment. Both of us.

Kicking down the street, under a viaduct and written on the dirty wall under the train track those words at the top of the post were stenciled in bold type. Three times is the charm. I took the words, the sentiment, to heart. Yes. NEVER GIVE UP. Until of course, you finally do.

In the meantime, we must carry on and do the best we can. Weird times. Weird days. Trying to keep our eyes on the ball, do everything we need to do, when we need to do it. I do think it helps not to think too far ahead, or too far behind. Look to the light.

The virus is surging everywhere. Scary. We are still covid-militant around here. It seems to be the smart way forward. Tuning out the noise, ignoring the nay-sayers. Listening to the science.  Keeping our feet on the ground, and doing our best to keep our heads clear. Clear-seeing...

People are Tricky...

It was a dark and stormy night here in the Heartland. Tossed and turned. Up early. It's still dead-dark, with a cold, hard rain banging off the windows. I am listening to Cream's "Wheels of Fire," a double-CD, on the stereo, it's an album from another place and time (1968). It does sound great. A 3-piece band of major substance abusers. Oh yeah, pretty much totally fabulous musicians too. But it wasn't long before they couldn't stand to be in the same room together. Drugs & Egos. Vibe-Killers, for sure. Funny.

Still the album is excellent. Eric Clapton on guitar, Jack Bruce bass and vocals, Ginger Baker on drums. A super-group. You wonder why they couldn't just play their music and leave the other shit alone? People are tricky. 

That is the never-ending story. Folks working against their own best interests. Choosing risky behaviors, making poor decisions, making complete wrecks of their lives. Makes you happy to still have your feet on the ground, all your fingers and toes.

I feel lucky to be here. I have had my own series of goofs and fuckups in my history. Nothing too serious. But a few close calls and supremely stupid decisions. Who knew?! Often you are making decisions with little or no insight. I mean, really, come on, life ain't easy.

Best to choose your vices wisely, Pilgrim. Lean to the light. Be humble, gentle and kind. "A fundamentally  decent human being," (someone describing Joe Biden). Now that's something to aspire to.

Everything Counts...

Maybe my own most important insight, (according to me), this time around...

Everything counts. Every moment, every breath, every step, every note, oh, yeah, and every VOTE too. 

My companion and I ventured across town to early-vote yesterday. Early-voting started in our district on Monday. We thought it best to bike over on Tuesday, mid-day, hopefully to miss a long wait in line. We masked up with double-masks, we gloved ourselves, and sanitized too. There was a line, we ended up waiting for about 20 mins to get to the voting booth, hell, it was well worth the time and effort.

We have been waiting, waiting, waiting to cast our vote for years. I mean this has been a long, 4 year struggle, dealing with the daily horror and hate of the Toxic Clown Prez. We both joyously cast our votes for Joe and Kamala. It was quite exciting and fun. Yes, indeed.

Dreaming of better days for this fragile Democracy. So happy to VOTE for Biden/Harris. Let’s reclaim the American Dream. There is something so r&r about Voting. It’s a small thing, but, really, just like every little thing we do, it has major consequences. Every breath, every step, every note & every vote counts.

You know it's "mystical" idea: every drop in the ocean is infinite. As above, so below. You may think you are a tiny thing in a grand Universe, and it is true. But, you know, EVERYTHING COUNTS!

Our little American experiment in Democracy only works if we all participate: pay attention, stick to the facts, engage fully; heart, head & soul. We voted. It was a celebration and a relief. I am not afraid to voice it: Blue Wave 2020 Coming. I do believe. It is important, and essential.

Better days ahead...

Reflections...

Reflections in a Golden Vibe...

Still in a reflective mood (see previous post)...

Where am I at? What have I learned on this Long & Winding Road?

Do the hard things first.

Never leave a sink full of dishes, 

always wash up after a meal.

Take the garbage out in a timely fashion.

Chores can be fun...

You can learn to Love to mop, wash & scrub, I mean, really.

Set your mind to any task and make it happen.

Don't procrastinate. Just do it. 

Always be moving.

Best to walk or bike.

Be nimble, be quick.

Yes, jump over a candle-stick.

Music, laughter, Love, creativity, flow activities.

Always, always, always be onto the next thing.

Find out what you Love to do, and spend lots of time doing it.

Don't think too far ahead, and rarely should you think too far behind.

Best to live in the moment. 

Take time to be silent. Listen. Watch.

Yes, smell the roses, watch the sun set, take in the crashing waves, 

and the trees swaying in the wind. 

Try to be gentle, humble & kind.

Embrace discipline. 

When looking at others think: "There but for the grace of God, go I..."

Grace, yes, grace...

Avoid drugs & alcohol at all costs. 

I learned the "hard way."

My thing is "Clear Consciousness." 

A certain clarity at all times.

Meditation!

Remember Lombardi: "When the going gets tough,

the tough get going."

Avoid the Medical Establishment.

Maybe try home-remedies? 

For instance: GingKo Biloba, Arnica, Cayenne Pepper, Garlic  

I do believe those special spices have made me healthier.

Who knows?!

Placebo effect?!

Eating clean, organic vegetables is smart strategy.

Avoid fast food, and meat.

Don't forget to laugh.

Don't take your self too seriously.

Make friends with animals.

Remember: Life is for the living.

Your life is not a job.

It truly is a gift.

Enjoy it while you can...

The Long and Winding Road...

Well, well, well...

Still here. It's been a "long and winding road." Suddenly, Sir Paul's sappy song seems just about right. There have been twists and turns, lots of cul-de-sacs, dead-ends, false starts, wrong turns. Pretty much nothing has turned out the way I thought it would turn out. Although, really, I've never been very good at making plans, so I can't really say my plans have been foiled. My life has been more of a case of feeling my way in the dark, living in a cloud, carrying on a sort of groggy, foggy existence.

I still have my Mojo...

There's that. I can still conjure up a dream. I do like to entertain and to chase dreams. The coffee still does it's thing. All "my parts" seem to be working.  I know some amazingly, cool & beautiful people; some I'm related to, and some I'm not.

I can get excited and enthused about the silliest things. I can easily get lost in a book or song or idea. I am the optimistic, hopeful sort. I'm also a bit argumentative, and recalcitrant. If I were to characterize my character, I'd say: "Love's to do what He Loves to do. Won't do what he doesn't want to do. Does not like to be told what to do. Works with others as long as they want to work with him. Otherwise, he'd rather be on his own." Not exactly an over-achiever.

I was a happy kid. Spent lots of time alone. I always enjoyed it. I carry that spirit, that Mojo, even today. I can live inside my head for long stretches. Entertain myself. I love to browse bookstores and record shops. I own tons of books, cds, vinyl records. There is a story to be told in the books and records I have lived with over these many years.

I am a life-long Democrat. A Liberal. Although, now we say Progressive. I live in a Progressive, Blue-Bubble, in one of the Bluest of Blue Bubbles in the USA. I am happy to be here. I do think I can see clearly. I spend lots of time making sure I am clear-headed, seeing the world as it is. I know I have biases. I do my best to be common-sensical, practical, gentle, kind and empathetic. I am getting better at being able to say, "I don't know." And, "Well, maybe I'm wrong." I am pretty sure that all knowledge is partial. And it's best to tackle pretty much anything with "Beginner's Mind." Starting with the idea that "I know nothing!"

I am a long-time meditator. I am a long-time vegetarian. I walk and bike nearly every day. I am a sometime musician, writer, actor, director, performance-artist. Most of my work has been on the margins. The margins of the margins. Marginal. That is my creative life. I have made $, spent $, and somehow, some way, (maybe it's just smoke and mirrors), I have been able to keep going.

Living on a wing and a prayer. Starting most days with the question: I wonder what today will bring?

Your Vote is Power...

The countdown to Voting Day, November 3rd. Yes. It's up front and personal now. How to reclaim our American Dream? We all need to care about our little Democratic Experiment. So important to wade thru the disinformation and try our best to see clearly. And then Vote! It's the best way to have our voices heard. Democracy will not work if folks don't take the time to care, to understand, to Vote. Ignore the ranting, ignore the loud-talkers, ignore the Toxic Bully in the W.H. It's time to clean house. Blue Wave coming. We put up a poster in our window. It's upfront and personal now. Biden/Harris 2020...

Not Abstract...

Heard this on the radio this A.M. - "Life and Death are not abstract concepts."

Right. I recently found out that a dear friend, an amazing visual artist that I have known for many, many years had passed away. Not sure the details. The news was so sad and shocking. I take it as a reminder that this happens all the time. It can happen to any of us, any time. It's just the reality of Life. One day here, the next day gone.

So, it's best to live every day to the fullest. What does that mean? Try to be Present. Fully-engaged in whatever you are doing. That's the best advice I can impart to myself. 

I also heard that someone we know has tested positive for Covid-19. A close to home reminder that this Pandemic is still raging. We all may have gotten complacent, tired of the new reality, but, you know the Virus just doesn't give a damn. The Virus is nasty, relentless, never sleeps.

Being a bit paranoid about the Virus is probably a good survival strategy. Around here we are still being quite militant about the Virus: washing hands, staying physically-distant, staying home,  avoiding being in enclosed spaces with other folks, wearing a mask at all times.

I do think the best "go-to" mind-set: figure everyone you know has Covid-19. Act accordingly. Weird times for sure. Taking one day at a time. Laying low, trying to hang in until the vaccine. 

Be Present. Be Safe. Oh yeah, be sure to Vote. It's time for a better day. Biden/Harris 2020.

Time is Precious...

Tom Petty sang about it so eloquently: "The Waiting is the Hardest Part."

Yes. Indeed. No doubt.

We know the clock is ticking. Only so much time. Contrary to the The Rolling Stones song, time really isn't "on our side." There's the biological clock ticking away. There's the vastness of time in the Universe. 

That fuzzy-haired genius, Albert Einstein told us "time is relative."  Time is fungible. It morphs. Maybe like some of those swamis & mystics say time is an illusion.

But, really, our human experience tells us there is a constant, "tick, tick, tick..." That's your life ticking away. And you are waiting. Waiting for the coffee to brew, waiting for the computer to boot up, waiting for the good guys to win, waiting for something exciting to happen, waiting for the check, waiting for a phone call, waiting for enlightenment, waiting for good news, waiting on a friend, waiting for the next shoe to drop. Waiting.

It's the hardest part because, really, we know it deep in our being, time is precious... 

A New Day, A New Era is On the Way... Sleeping Better...

I don't have any inside information. I don't have a crystal ball. I don't really know anything.  I mean, that's a good go-to attitude to tackle anything. "Beginner's Mind." It's certainly a great way to approach any kind of creative work, and well, I think it's helpful as a survival strategy in the grand journey of life too.

I have been sleeping better lately. Maybe it's because the weather is cooler. Days are shorter. Less sunlight early and late. The bed is comfy. The pillows are fluffy. I'm over my vertigo (see previous post), I listen to the radio a bit less, listen to music a bit more, reading a book about the great Sir Paul McCartney which is satisfying and inspiring,  but I also suspect that THE WORM HAS TURNED!

What do I mean? Well my friends don't want to verbalize it, we have been in shock for 4 years, I think we all suffer from PTSD. Living under the Daily Outrage, pummeled by the Daily Hate emanating from the W.H. but I do think we are in the End Days of our Toxic Clown Prez. He is totally imploding. He is like the Towering Inferno. His campaign in like the late stages of the Hindenburg, a gaseous flame-ball, or the Titanic after hitting the iceberg, sinking into the cold, dark abyss.

Finally, finally the ShitShow is coming to a close. I really, truly, madly, deeply believe that on November 3rd we will see a landslide Blue Wave of epic proportions. Sorry. Don't mean to jinx it. I understand if you are skeptical, worried, full of doubt. But I do believe. And I don't think it's a bad idea to float that bubble. I think it's a good idea to float that vision. Come on people, don't need no ticket. Just Vote.

Sleeping better. I do believe that's a hint. Yes. A new day, a new era is on the way. It's coming. Mark my words.

Thank You Dr. John Epley!

I recently experienced a multi-day episode of Vertigo. I woke up in the middle of the night, and found myself spinning out of control. It was almost like I was falling out of my body, and/or falling off the planet. So strange, weird, disorienting.

Yes. Spinning, feeling sick, a constant, persistent, motion-sickness. For a few days it was like I was riding in a fast car, or on a rickety train, or on a boat in choppy water.

I must admit I took this episode as some kind of symbol or prophetic sign:

 "Vertigo is a sensation of feeling off balance. If you have these dizzy spells, you might feel like you are spinning or that the world around you is spinning."

And really, if I look at the world around me with clear-seeing eyes, everything does seem like it is spinning madly out of control. So in that way, I sort of felt at one with the world.

Madly spinning.

Luckily, a close friend of mine is an old hand at dealing with Vertigo. She knows all the symptoms and all the home remedies. She explained what was happening to me. Knowing does help,  really, which also seems like an important idea that one can apply to every aspect of your life: Knowing does help!

Pretty sure the cause of my vertigo was BPPV. Which sounds weird and scary. It's actually kind of weird and funny...

BBPV: "These initials stand for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. BPPV occurs when tiny calcium particles (canaliths) clump up in canals of the inner ear. The inner ear sends signals to the brain about head and body movements relative to gravity. It helps you keep your balance."

Yeah. Weird. We have these little calcium particles in our inner ears that get misplaced, out of whack, and when they get misplaced, they pretty much send you reeling. What to do? Well, there is this amazing little exercise called the Epley Maneuver. 

You can go to YouTube and watch how it's done. It's a simple exercise you can do on your bed. So I got out an iPad and stepped thru the directions. It took a few times, but by the third try it worked.

"Dr. John Epley designed a series of movements to dislodge the crystals from the semicircular canals. These movements bring the crystals back to the utricle, where they belong. This treats the symptoms of vertigo."

Thank you Dr. John Epley! Amazing. No drugs, no doctors, no emergency visits. 

The crystals drifted back to their rightful place and I suddenly felt fine. I mean, better than fine. It's almost like I went thru the mirror, visited a land of constant spinning, and then emerged with a new-found balance. Straight. True. One with gravity and balance.

The last couple weeks I've felt better than ever. So yeah, the world may be spinning madly out of control, but I'm steady, and true, waiting for the next shoe to drop!

It Was an "Other Things" Kind of Monday...

Sometimes we refer to Mondays as "Meltdown Monday." You know the chickens come home to roost, and you have to look them squarely in the beak, count them, and reckon with them. A day of taking stock. Facing up.

Those persistent, always-looming, existential questions hover over the day: Who Am I? Where Am I Going? What's it All About Anyway? 

Usually, there are no answers, those questions just nag at you, they nip at your heels like a pesky pack of nasty little doggies. 

We decided to bury ourselves in "other things" yesterday. It was a very pandemic kind of day.  It was "cleanup time," which has actually become a jamboree of our favorite chores: sweeping, mopping, scrubbing. The smell of Meyers soap, floating in the air. Cleanliness, Godliness, everything made squeaky clean, orderly.

Then it was onto creative pursuits. One of us painted in the kitchen, one of us worked on music in the computer room. We both went down our own little rabbit holes, searching for that mythical rabbit. Both of us spent lots of time spinning and listening to a healthy portion of the Wilco discography on the music box. A word about Jeff Tweedy and Wilco. Amazing. Underrated. Pretty much every one of their records are exquisite. No false moves. No "phoning it in." No lazy efforts. Just the finest stuff. 

Yesterday we concluded Wilco is our favorite band of the moment. I wonder who it will be tomorrow? Anyway, we made it thru meltdown Monday without melting down. It was good day.

I'm with Greta! And Biden Too!

Greta Thunberg is a Hero/Heroine in our little Progressive Blue Bubble. Courageous. Inspiring. Her cause is saving the Interconnected Web of Life, Our Life-Supporting Ecosystem from the Looming Climate Catastrophe that we are full-on heading towards. 

You know, we are heading off a cliff as a species.  Greta asks us to get smart, change our ways and PRONTO! Come on Humans! We can do it! Anyway, Greta has now endorsed Joe Biden for President. Seems pretty damn significant.

"I never engage in party politics. But the upcoming US elections is above and beyond all that. From a climate perspective it’s very far from enough and many of you of course supported other candidates. But, I mean…you know…damn! Just get organized and get everyone to vote #Biden" - G. Thunberg

Let's Get Rid of the Toxic Clown Prez, and Move the Fuck On...

 

Yes. Listen to the wisdom of The Fly.  Let's vote the Super-Spreader in the W.H. out. Can you imagine the great healing for us all, if on November 3rd, Biden/Harris win in a popular vote and electoral college landslide? It is possible. For sure.

I am not afraid to float this idea. I mean, so many of my friends are afraid to voice it. We are all still in shock from the debacle of 2016. But, really, I think it's important to envision it; dare to say it. I mean, of course, let's not take anything for granted. Everyone needs to vote. And encourage our friends to vote too. 

Yes. Let Love Rule. Yes. Blue Wave 2020. Yes. Biden/Harris. Come on America. We deserve a new deal.  Let's get rid of the Toxic Clown and move the fuck on...

"The Superspreader in Chief: A Timeline."

Here is a handy little timeline from Mother Jones: "The Supersreader in Chief: A Timeline."  (The Ultimate Timeline of Trump's deadly coronavirus denial.) It is a "must-read." That is if you can read thru your tears.

Let us never forget. Of all the horror our Toxic Clown Prez has unleashed over the last 4 years, his response to Covid-19 has been the most mind-bogglingly incompetent and deadly. It didn't have to be this way. So reckless, irresponsible, stupid, senseless & inhumane. One might say Toxically Sociopathic and Corrosively Narcissistic to boot.

Oh Yeah, did I say tragically, horrifyingly idiotic too?!

Seeing with Eyes Like a Million Suns...

We have entered the "Lord of the Flies" phase of our Democratic Experiment. Darkness before the New Blue Wave Dawn. "The Fly" is my latest hero. "The meek shall inherit the earth & the Low shall smite the Mighty!" Yes, indeed...

Yes. Another day to celebrate The Fly. We were so giddy and tickled by the appearance of The Fly at the VP Debate. So good. So funny. So consequential. You know, VP Pence, the white-haired Ayatollah of the Right represents a decaying political movement, dead-ended, based on a mis-guided, muddle-headed reading of an old, musty biblical book. So yes, The Fly landed on the desiccating corpse of that dying politics: stinky, decaying, corrupt, shitty. Pence defending the indefensible. INDEFENSIBLE! The Fly = Clear Seeing with eyes like a million suns! Years from now, we will be celebrating The Fly!

The Great Fly Debate!

We skipped the VP debate last night. But then, we checked in on social media and found out that a fly had stolen the show. OMG. Hilarious. I mean, talk about a "metaphor." Seems that nature (via a virus & a fly), has made point to show that Trump & Pence are clueless, and "full of shit." A fly landed on the VP's head and sat there for awhile during the televised debate, and folks across the country went bat-shit crazy. I mean there is even now a Twitter page called: The Pence Fly.

Here is the fly sitting in "high cotton..."

One of our friends on social media pointed out that now the fly would have to quarantine itself for at least ten days...

And then the Joe Biden campaign had this to add to the conversation... ha, ha, ha...

Yes. The world is crazy. Getting crazier by the moment. We must rid ourselves of the GOP pestilence. Even the pests are helping the cause. Vote Biden/Harris 2020! 

BTW - Here's the "hot-take" from Nate Silver (the Mr. Spock of Political forecasting), last night.  "The fly sitting on Pence's head for a full 2 minutes may be the most remembered part of the night."  EXACTLY!!! 

Toxic, Super-Spreader in the W.H.

 

The cartoon pretty much says it all. Perfect.

Let's call the bat-shit craziness what it is:  bat-shit craziness! We watched this all unfold in real time and wondered, "What the fuck is happening?!" 

Craziness. Stupidity. Carelessness. "Worst President Ever," doesn't quite capture it.  It's beyond the beyond.

There is a Toxic, Super-Spreader in the W.H. and he has infected us all. Some directly with Covid-19, most of us with his Toxic Stupidity, His Prodigious Racism, His Corruption, His Callous Disregard for Humanity.

For the Love of God, let's all put an end to this craziness. Vote Biden/Harris. Let us leave the Infection, the Madness, the Bat-Shit Craziness far behind...

Only One Idiot in the Land thinks It's Cool to Get Covid-19...

Dear Sweet Jesus, Can You Stop this Freaking Madness?!

Latest Headlines from the World News...

CONTAGIOUS SUPER-SPREADER PREZ ESCAPES HOSPITAL

REINFESTS W.H. 

CLAIMS HE FEELS 20 YRS YOUNGER 

COVID-19 NOT SO BAD

MAYBE IMMUNE!  

There is only one person in the land who thinks it's cool to have Covid 19. He's blundering about, still contagious, trying to show that he's not sick, not crazy. Everything he is doing looks absolutely bat-shit crazy. He and his team are Covid-Positive. Being Covid-Positive is now the fashionable thing for the MAGA crowd and the GOP. How many people has this Super-Spreader infected? 

Inquiring minds want to know... Yikes...

Shocking, But Maybe Not Surprising...

A Close Friend - "It's so disturbing, the people supposed to be 'in charge,' are acting crazier, more reckless and stupider than us."

Yes. Indeed. Super-disturbing, and kind of funny too. I mean, our Toxic Clown Prez really is toxic, he is sick, in the hospital, and turns out that he knowingly exposed other folks to a deadly virus. 

I mean, shocking, but maybe not surprising. 

You wonder will the MAGA crowd now tell us that the virus is cool? You know, no big deal. "Come on, jump in the pool, the water is warm!"

So, yes, this all seems like a bad dream, or the improbable, badly-scripted, "jump the shark" season 5 of "True Blood," but no, this is our REALITY!

We struggle for equilibrium, balance, a simple, clear-seeing. Try to keep our feet on the ground, take one  step at a time. Steady. Eyes on the path forward. Yes, we still believe in common sense, honesty, clear-headedness, being smart and safe.

No, you don't want to get the virus. Yes, it is deadly and contagious. Anyone telling you different is seriously fucked.  You don't want to be fucked. Not in this way...

The a.m soundtrack - Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk"  (1979). Some call it "Lindsey's folly," but it is a fabulous record. Sounds fresh and amazing this morning. No hard edges. Great songs. Beautifully recorded & performed. Three great voices, a superb band of musicians. Simpler times? Yes, maybe. Although, the trajectory maybe was always heading to our present disasters. I mean you can imagine alternate scenarios, but it seems the Universe only runs the model one way. Could things be different today? Who knows?!

Move Away from the Darkness, the Sickness, the Crazy...

My fellow Human Beings are nuts. I'm nuts too. Let's get that out of the way. 

With that in mind, best to tread lightly and carefully, ready to alter course in a blink of an eye. Humility. Yes, being Humble is a good idea.

Maybe knowing you are nuts, and trying your best to track with reality is the best that we can do. Knowing that you are small-minded, and biased, knowing that you are essentially blind, bound by your senses five, maybe just taking that in, understanding that, is possibly, maybe, who knows, the first step to being able to see?! 

Is being able to see a pipe-dream, a chimera? Who knows? Let's assume, just for the sake of argument that sometimes we can see clearly. How to get there?

I'd suggest lots of silence, contemplation, meditation and soul-searching. I mean, probably, even if you don't believe in a soul, it's worthwhile to do some deep soul-searching. Being a Human means living with Questions. Lots and lots of questions. And very few answers. It's not easy. Swimming in a Universe of Questions.

And usually the Answers are partial, arbitrary, wrong, misguided, off the mark, tentative, and of the moment, up for analysis, subject to revision, correction and well, going back to the drawing board often and repeatedly. It's OK to be wrong, as long as you know it's possible and happens frequently. It's OK to change your mind, to admit you don't know, to have a rethink. 

I think it's the smart way forward, knowing you aren't that smart, trying to feel your way in the dark.

Anyway, thinking about the latest bombshell news, President gets Covid-19, some of my crazy friends think this is some great plan, another Evil-Genius plot to keep power and destroy USA. Like I said, crazy.

I see a Human Being, a Man, a deeply-flawed Man, A Racist, a Bully, a No-Nothing Loudmouth, blundering about the country, spreading his Lies, his Madness, his Sickness. Yes, I see an obese, old man sick with the virus. A Bully, weak and vulnerable. Will he emerge from the hospital on two feet, sentient, coherent? Who knows? 

He's just a Man. A very sick man.  We need to move on... Vote Biden/Harris, let's all try to make a move forward away from the darkness, the sickness and the crazy to a more humble, clear-seeing.  I mean, come on, am I totally nuts?!

We don't have to over-think the moment, this is simple: President Trump has been wrong about the virus every step of the way. He needlessly & stupidly infected himself and others around him. He is a Super-Spreader! The GOP's New Brand - Covid-19 Positive!

Let's ditch these Creeps on Nov. 3rd... Blue Wave...

Literally a Toxic-Bomb of Sickness...

“They were careless people…they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.” ~ The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

We  all watched it unfold in real time. Powerful Man blundering around defying Science, Reason, Common Sense & Intelligence. Those things just aren't in the kit-bag of this Powerful Man. He is known for lying, blustering, conning his way thru his life. Spinning his own twisted narrative. He is a fountain of  Hatred, Division: Anti-Elite, Anti-Immigrant, Anti-Black, Anti-Woman, Anti-Empathy, Compassion & Love. And he has an enthusiastic cult following. The Red-Hatted MAGA hordes. They also resist Science, Reason, Common Sense and Smarts. They are the "Anti-Crowd." 

So yes, Powerful Man and his Cult of Hate. We watched them over nearly 4 years now. We all wondered where this was going. It always did seem like a Nihilistic, Anti-Intellectual, Anti-Human, Death-Cult. 

Then Covid-19 appeared. And we watched the Powerful Man and His Cult defy, dismiss, deflect. They mocked the Science and the Scientists, the Doctors, anyone wearing a mask in public. 

"You can fool some of the people some of the time..."

Yes. Indeed. But you know what? You can't fool the Virus. You can't fool biology. You can't fool sickness. You can't fool death. The virus doesn't care if you are Red or Blue. Dumb or Smart. It is vicious, super-contagious, relentless, deadly. Sort of like that shark in "Jaws."

Turns out our President is a Toxic Bomb of sickness. That used to be a sort of metaphorical idea. Now it is literally true. Our President has Covid-19 circulating in his body, he has been blundering about infecting people all over the land, he is a Super-Spreader. The White House is now a hotspot of infection.

So strange, so surreal. So unnecessary. Maybe we can all do a bit of rethink now? How about a bit more Science, Reason, Common Sense, Intelligence, Grace, Humility, Compassion, Empathy? 

It time to change direction in the country. Turn from the Hate, the Sickness, the Unmitigaged Stupidity. Let's reclaim the American Dream: Vote Biden/Harris, Vote Blue. 

Oh Yeah, Reality Bites...

NY Times Headline: "Trump Tests Positive for the Coronavirus."

Reality does have a habit of catching up to you. Or, you know, "reality bites."

It is an interesting turn of events. 

Who would have guessed that the man in the USA most responsible for spreading disinformation about Covid-19, the man who told us the virus was a hoax, fake news, a democrat-led conspiracy, a man who told us the virus would just "go away," that a "miracle" would make it disappear, the man who made fun of others who took precautions, made fun of those wearing masks and social-distancing, the man who undermined the science and the doctors every step of the way, the man who when confronted with the death toll, of 200,000 Covid-19 deaths, and counting in the USA, said, "It is, what it is," yes, that man has now been tested and diagnosed as having Covid-19. Yes, you know, that guy, holding big rallies, no masks in sight, making fun of science and those being smart and careful, yes, that "Super-Spreader" is now Covid-19 positive.

I mean, well, whoever is writing this script is totally on fire. An election looms. The pandemic is alive in the land. The President is now in self-quarantine. Oh yeah, like, wow, man, reality bites.

Not Political Science, Pathology...

Hmmm...

This morning let's play "Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions" (hat tip: Mad Magazine late 1960's)...

I mean, I know this is like "shooting fish in a barrel," critiquing our Toxic Clown President's disgusting display at the 1st 2020 Presidential Debate, but, hell, it seems worth pointing out...

Stupid Question: Why doesn't our Toxic Clown Prez denounce "White Supremacists" and "White Supremacist Violence?"

Snappy Answer: Well, of course, because he is a cowardly bully and a cowering, blubbering White Supremacist himself.

Which is like, totally pernicious, toxic, irrational, soul-killing & ridiculous. 

That ignorant, loud, fat-headed racist is demonstrably not superior to anyone on the planet, instead he is undoubtably the lowest of the low, the dimmest of the dim, a toxic-waste-dump of a human being.

This is not politics. We don't need to check in with a Political Scientist to figure out what's going on. We need to check in with a Psychiatrist...

Our Toxic Clown Prez is a "sociopathic narcissist." I mean, shite, that's probably demeaning to the pathology. Notice how the current occupant of the White House cannot account for his own actions? He takes no responsibility? He can't stand on his record, and defend his actions? Instead he shouts and rants and interrupts.

What a pathetic display. Now, what to make of the folks who actually support the man? Hmmm...

Let's leave that for another day. Obviously, there is something deeply wrong in the psyche of all those MAGA-hatted folks for sure. Loud, Fat, Ignorant Racist, White Guy, hmmm... I mean, what kind of people would hold up that man as a Champion?

The question points to the the snappy answer...