Darkness & Light...

To see the darkness in every ray of light...

Oops. No. I mean NOOOOOOO! That's not it.

To see the light in every ray of darkness...

Yes. That's more like it. Lean to the light. Become a keeper, a connoisseur of light in all its gradations. Sometimes there are only glimmers, little sparks or tiny fragments of light. Try to focus on, to hold onto those. Lean to the light.  It's always there. No doubt.

To Create, To Play, Always...

I just finished reading this wonderful little book. I wrote TWO songs during the time I cracked this book open. So, yes, it really clicks! It is a great book. It's about more than writing a song, it's also about the  creative enterprise, it's a "how-to"manual for tapping into, and unleashing, your own creativity in many realms.

Just about every line in this book totally resonated with me. I mean, Jeff, basically wrote down and lives, my personal manifesto of creativity. I too believe that we are all creative souls. Some of us are better at getting in touch with that creativity than others, but all of us have the ability. This book reveals some tricks and disciplines, that helps us get to that sacred creative space.

Jeff reminds us this isn't an "ego thing." It's about dropping the ego, trying to fool yourself, to bypass your critical, judging mind, trying to "get out of the way," and cultivating a mind-set of pure fun, discovery, and play. This book is pretty much aligned with my own creative credo. I realize I have been doing many of the things Jeff has honed as a "process" that works for him. I came to these same realizations by trial, error and accident.

It is so validating. Brilliant too.

Jeff Tweedy is an incredibly accomplished songwriter. Prolific. Disciplined. Dedicated. He has an incredible work ethic. The evidence? Check out the incredible Wilco discography, also his solo records and his recording with his son as the band Tweedy. Amazing. Overwhelming. Just a fabulous body of work. I get so much pleasure from this man's creativity.

Jeff also is hilarious. This is a fun book. Important too. Everyone should tap into their creative selves. It will make you a better, happier, more well-rounded human being. And the more people in touch with their creativity, the better it will be for the planet too. So, yes, this is the good, necessary, soulful & inspiring work. No doubt. 

The key, the mission, the dream: To create, to play, always...

Bad Ideas & Viruses...

Friday morning.

What's on my mind? Bad ideas and viruses. 

Yes. Bad ideas are floating around in my fellow human's heads all over the planet. Nasty, anti-human, ignorant, retrograde ideas. And there is a nasty, deadly virus still running rampant around the world.

The ideas and the virus are passed from one human to another. One breath at a time. It's important to protect yourself. Keep safe. Be smart. Try your best not to get infected.

It can be done. Think. Stop. Breathe. Take precautions. Figure everyone you encounter is a potential source of infection.  Act accordingly. Might sound a bit paranoid, but really, no, it's just a smart way to try to stay safe and healthy.

Lean to the light. There are good ideas floating around too. Not too hard to discern the difference between the good and the bad.  There are ways to maximize your potential for staying healthy and safe. Indulge in those behaviors. A bit of common sense and clarity will come in handy. Be aware, awake & alive, Dear Pilgrim.

Random Access Memory in Action...

Yes. Some random thoughts...

1. These two words, emanating from my radio in the a.m, "President Biden," just sound so good, hopeful, wholesome. Kind of puts a different spin on the day.

2. The last President we had, quoting the former head of the FBI, was "a very bad man." Good riddance. 

3. Sleep during the pandemic: rolling & tumbling, hurly-burly in action, a flurry of concentrated moves, an elaborate dance with pillows and blankets, not exactly restful, more of an adventure between the covers. The bed in the morning looks like a war-zone. 

4. Covid Dreams: In one dream, I am the only soul on the planet wearing a mask.  Odd Human Being out. In another dream, I am the only soul not wearing a mask.  Sort of like being naked at the pool party. 

5. The pandemic has stripped us down to the essentials. Not just what's important, but what's pandemic important: Sleeping. Walking. Talking. Eating. Listening to music. Playing music. Reading. Thinking. Laughing. Dreaming. Crying. Streaming. Wondering. 

6. A good pair of headphones can make ALL the difference in the world. Yesterday, I listened to some records, I mean two of my all-time favorite records, that I have heard many, many (uncountable) times, with my companion's Grado Labs Prestige Series 80 headphones.  This was a REVELATION! I listened to two Rolling Stones records: "Goats Head Soup," (1973) & "Exile on Main Street." (1972). I listened to the Virgin Remasters, by the sonic mastering wizard Bob Ludwig. Amazing to discover that with the Grados there was another layer of sonic texture. I even heard a guitar part and a horn part, buried in the mix, that I never heard before. Wow. Subtle. Exquisite. Sonic wonder. Total knockout! It was sort of like having a new set of ears. Yes. Grado Labs headphones, recommended!

A Sonic Manifesto!

I didn't realize...

I mean, I am slow on the uptake. I purchased this a few months ago. It is a revelation. A sonic-theater-piece.

Daft Punk's "Random Access Memories" (2013) is a sonic manifesto of Love, Dancing, Partying, "no pre-conceptions," "the Future," and the vast sea of possibilities. It is one of the most optimistic, fun and overwhelmingly beautiful records I have come across. It helps to really listen, let it sink in. It's a "concept album." Makes me so happy. One of the few recent recordings that totally cleanses your consciousness, opens you up to a vivid journey.  

It is not what I thought it was... 

There are no drum machines. No samples. Instead, live musicians. Live drums; organic, perfectly recorded. Fabulous bass playing. Beautiful synths. A handful of guest vocalists including: Panda Bear, Julian Casablancas from the Strokes, and Paul Williams (?) who sings on "Touch." So brilliant, vivid and yes, touching. The album sounds like "a million bucks." And, yes, reportedly, it cost about a million bucks to make.  Epic.

Who knew that those French-Robot-Heads singing thru vocoders could sound so human & harmonically gorgeous? There is also a full orchestra on some tracks. And a couple great spoken word moments. Every note, every frequency, every sound-wave is luxurious. A total sonic bath of Love for your ears. Put your headphones on and enjoy the trip. Every sound brings joy.

Oh yeah, and don't forget Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers on "Get Lucky." It was THE song of the Summer of 2013. I remember walking thru the neighborhood hearing it from backyards all across town. But the record is so much more than that great party song. Who knew?! Those French Robot-Dudes have soul! Highly recommended.

The Beautiful Way of Living...

Beauty. 

It is all around us. It is in every shaft of light, it's in the air, it's in every molecule, every particle, every wave, in every grain of sand, every raindrop, every snowflake, every breath we take. I think we greatly underrate beauty, we seriously take it for granted. It is so ubiquitous, at times it almost becomes invisible. Sometimes we don't even perceive it.  We are seriously lost when we lose touch with the beauty in all things. 

We can cultivate beauty by surrounding ourselves with beautiful things, beautiful people, beautiful thoughts, actions, words and deeds. Beautiful sounds. Beautiful vibrations. It isn't hard to do. All it takes is an open mind, deciding to be a being open to the reality of the beautiful.

A cleansing of our senses five.  Clear seeing. Clear hearing. Clear tasting. Clear smelling. Clear touching. 

Clarity.

We can see the beautiful in the " things" ugly too. It is all just a "way of seeing," a tuning in to a certain frequency. The beauty frequency. Maybe the Universe is a wide-spectrum channel of beauty? I think once we open ourselves to the beautiful, we are transformed and the Universe is transformed too.

Once we see the beauty in all things, there is no retreat, no going back. We must seek it out. Celebrate it. Luxuriate in it. We must totally submerge and live with the embedded, integrated knowledge and reality of the beautiful in all things.  

It's almost like a God-like thing to do.  But of course, we, as human beings are too fallible, too fragile, too arbitrary, tentative, unknowing, and ephemeral to pretend to be Gods. We are left with being witnesses, appreciators, and cultivators,  of beauty. That's a worthy enterprise.

"Bernie Needs a Hat..."

When we watched the inauguration last week, my companion and I couldn't help remarking on Bernie Sanders, the progressive and or liberal, (or is it progressively-liberal or liberally-progressive?), and lovable curmudgeon of the Senate, sitting all alone, bundled up against the cold. He was socially & physically distant (good Covid behavior, Bernie!). He looked a bit lonely. My friend remarked: "Bernie needs a hat." The next day there was a flurry across social media of Bernie sightings. It is remarkable how many folks decided to Photoshop Bernie into every scene imaginable. These are my favorites...

"Bernie found a hat!"

"Bernie found a friend." 

"Bernie reminds us: All we are is dust in the wind."

A Sparrow Falls...

A sparrow falls...

There are the inside birds (we live with a flock of four little birdies), and there are the outside birds (my companion puts out seeds and bread every other day for a flock, about sixty or so birds, of sparrows, doves and starlings).

One of our joys is to go out into the backyard of our building to see a little colony of birds flying in, gathering around a large tree, and feasting on the seeds and bread scattered on the ground. It appears to us as if they recognize us, they see us as allies, or at least, not enemies. They hang around on the fences, the roofs and the trees around our backyard. An oasis. I think it is safe to say my companion and I are truly are "bird people." 

Yesterday a little sparrow died right before my eyes.

I don't want to make out like this was a grand message or metaphor. I don't read it as an omen or secret sign. It is just something that happened in my life. A life and death moment. 

Out of the corner of my eye I could see a bird fall at high speed. It was a sparrow, it fell out of the sky like a rock, or a missile and crashed to the snow-covered ground. I saw it exhale its last breath and watched a trickle of blood pool around its beak. It seems it must have died in mid-air, and came crashing in a heap.

It was shocking. Sad. Almost hard to believe. A precise moment. A little death. I pointed out the dead bird to my companion. We hovered over the dead bird. She asked me to pick it up and move it to a sheltered place in the garden. I did so. The other birds all fluttered around, waiting for us to leave so they could get back to their feast on the ground.

We took a brief moment. A silence. We acknowledged a life, a death, then off we went for our a walk on the lakefront. 

The Authentic Elixir of Life!

 "To thine own self be true." Poloinus dispenses this advice to the young Danish Prince, in Shakespeare's fabulous, play "Hamlet."

Yes, this is go-to advice we should all take to heart. I take it to mean we should live in our authenticity as fully-rounded human beings. We must live with the truth of all our flaws, foibles, abilities, capabilities, potentialities, and limits.

The goal: to refrain from self-deception, to be a truthful actor in the world. To live authentically, as ourselves. If we are to wear a mask, we must wear one of our own making. Refuse to don the masks demanded by others, including the demands from friends, family, enemies, authorities.

If we can be true to ourselves, we can then be fully-authentic beings who engage with all the phenomena we encounter in our lives with clear heads and eyes. Clear-thinking. Clear-seeing.

To be truthful and authentic would demand that we be humble, kind, gentle; to realize we are fallible, fragile, mortal, human beings.  We would also realize that fear, envy, pride, racism, cruelty, misogyny, homophobia, hate of all kinds, are actually "lies in our spaces."  These lies lead to sickness of the mind, the soul, the spirit.

All the maladies of our lives are the result of basic self-deceptions; poor thinking, cloudy judgements. Love, Light, Beauty and our Authentic Selves; these are the elements that make up the Authentic Elixir of a well-rounded, well-lived, Life!

Bubble-Lucious Mood: Light Everywhere!

"For there is always light, if only we are brave enough to see it, if only we are brave enough to be it." - Amanda Gorman  (the youngest ever inaugural poet, 2021)

Yesterday. Sky blue sky. And light, glorious, enriching, enchanting light. We went for a super-long, rambling walk. Everything seemed brighter and more alive. Amazing what a new day can bring (see two previous posts).

We were in a totally bubble-licious mood. Or maybe it was bubble-luscious mood. 

I was totally loquacious. Talking off the top of my head. Energized. A bit wild. Funny, unexpected things kept leaping out of my mouth. My companion was laughing, shaking her head in wonder. 

Change. Yes. I do think change is life. Life is change. People change too. I can testify. Yes. It's true. I blurted out some ridiculous sentences yesterday. I said things my younger self, and people I grew up with, folks who knew my young jadedness would have totally laughed at, considered dumb, preposterous that I was speaking these words.

But, you know, new day, new me. Here are a few sentences that even I was surprised speaking yesterday:

"Garth Brooks singing Amazing Grace brought me to tears."

"Jay-Lo singing This Land is Your Land & America the Beautiful totally knocked me out."

Also I broke into song at one point on our walk, bathing in the sunshine I shouted: "Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy."  

And then: "You know, there's nothing wrong with John Denver."

Finally, rounding home, both of us tiring a bit from such a long ramble, I pulled out my favorite Vince Lombardi quote, I mean, maybe my second favorite quote, the first is probably, "Run to daylight."

My second favorite quote, and one I go to often, which is hilarious, because as a young lad, I absolutely hated Lombardi, I loathed the man, I loathed all that power of positive thinking philosophy, now, it's embedded in my DNA: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." 

Yes. Indeed. No doubt. Call me crazy!

The a.m soundtrack - Wilco's "Sky Blue Sky"  (2007) - A total knockout album. Gorgeous, exuberant.  There is nothing wrong with beauty. Can't argue with it, or diminish it. Nels Cline, Pat Sansone make huge contributions. Jeff Tweedy sings with total confidence and control. Brilliant guitar work throughout. A great way to start a day. I do see the light...

Change...

What happened yesterday (see previous post)?

Change. A seismic change. 

Earth-shattering. Planet-cracking. Soul-stirring. Head-opening.  

One event (a Presidential Inauguration),  changes everything. Maybe it's sort of like emptying an aquarium that is filled with dark, muddy, toxic water, and replacing it with clear, fresh, totally-renewed and transparent water.  All accomplished without killing the life in the aquarium. A Houdini-like act of transformation. Magic.

Okay, not really magic, just the normal process & result of a democratic election. In this case, I think we can rephrase that Who song: Meet the New Boss, Nothing Like the Old Boss.  

I think of the Biden/Harris combo as an antidote, a cure, a vaccine, a tonic, a booster shot, an energy drink, a truth-telling potion. Words that came to my mind while I was listening to Joe Biden's speech: authentic, truthful, common-sensical, inspiring, artful, compassionate, soulful, real, American.

What was it like in my orbit, amongst my little Progressive Blue Bubble folks? Euphoric. Grateful. Enthusiastic. Excited. Hopeful. Relieved. So damn happy. 

I did a little Irish jig in the kitchen. We had a pizza party. We laughed, we cried. We loved every minute of the inauguration. Joe & Kamala, the young poet, Amanda Gordon, the oaths, the speeches, the pomp and circumstance. The singing of the National Anthem (Lady Gaga), the singing of This Land is Your Land/America the Beautiful (J-Lo), and the singing of Amazing Grace (Garth Brooks). It was a pop culture success too. So real-world American.

Certainly yesterday represented the best of us.  It was a triumph for our democracy, and for USA. A new day. New dawn. America Renewed. 

Suddenly there is: Hope. Love. Compassion. Empathy. Common Sense. 

What a beautiful, necessary, healing change...

Joy & Relief...

The Joy:
Inauguration Day 2021. Celebration Day. Swearing in Joe Biden & Kamala Harris as President and Vice President today. A victory for Joe & Kamala. A victory for Democracy. An overwhelming win in the Popular Vote, and the Electoral College Vote. A Free and Fair Election. A win for USA. A win for the World. A New Day, a New Era of Hope and Possibility. The new President will be facing lots of problems, there are lots of big issues to tackle, but we are so excited that a new team will now be in charge.

The Relief:

The Gaseous Little Baby Man Dirigible drifts off leaking toxic fumes on his way to Mar a Lago. The reign of the Toxic Clown is over. How did the Munchkins feel when the Wicked Witch was crushed by a house? That's what we are feeling right now this a.m. It has been a long, a very, very long four years. Four years of the Daily Hate. Our outrage meter has been over-loaded, smoking and not working anymore. Too many outrages to process. Finally, finally this sad and maddening chapter is over. Dancing in the streets. Or at least Dancing in the Kitchen! 

Finally, that toxic reality TV show, "The Daily Hate and Outrage" has been canceled. Oh, sweet, JOY! New Day. New Era. Pizza Party Today!

A Time for Greatness...

I turn my Blog Over to Professor Timothy Snyder...

He is the author of the great little pamphlet "On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century."

Essential reading material. Know your history. Know your facts. Know the truth. If we don't learn from the past we are fools. Maybe history doesn't repeat, but it certainly rhymes. We are at a pivot point in the long snaking narrative of our country. USA's little democratic experiment is on the ropes.

Here's hoping Joe Biden & Kamala Harris can rise to the occasion.  Sworn in tomorrow. And a shit-storm of work to do. Major heavy-lifting.  Maybe Joe can be an FDR-type figure? You can only be a great President in dire circumstances, facing great problems. That's Joe's mission. And I do believe he is the right man for the job. A thoughtful, intelligent, compassionate, empathetic human being who has endured lots of tragedy and loss in his life of public service. His job? Pulling us from the brink and heralding a new era of cooperation, responsibility, integrity, truth, justice, and better days. Here's hoping. I mean why the fuck not?!

Back to Professor Snyder.  Keep these thoughts in mind:

And then this...

Where we are in this moment...

I do believe USA can rise to the task. In my lifetime there is a pattern: Republicans ALWAYS fuck things up. Democrats always have to do the clean-up, they have to roll their sleeves up and tackle problems.  2021 is gonna be that kind of year... the next 4 years are going to be a lesson and a test. I hope we can all rise to the occasion.

He Opened Heads & Hearts...

 

MLK Jr Day 2021...

MLK Jr is one of the few Southern Baptist Preachers who speaks to me, even these many, many years later. His voice always brings me to tears.  I see that my companion has brought out our prized multi-cd set of his greatest speeches. It is waiting expectantly on the kitchen table. I believe we will spin it later today. Always a powerful, compelling listening event.

Why does this Preacher, and his words, so deeply connect with me? Aspiration. The beauty of the words, the cadence, and the music & the meaning of his words; a perfect melding of "form and content."  MLK always seemed to be appealing to the best of us. Our "Better Angels."  Of course, we always fall short. We are just Human Beings. We are complicated. We are tricky. Some of us really want to be and do good, really, we try, but then we fall short.  

MLK Jr not only "talked the talk," he "walked the walk." He braved the hurled insults and hurled bricks. He stood up against hate, indifference, deep-seated racism and injustice. He spoke for the downtrodden, the oppressed, he spoke against the Vietnam War, and violence of all kinds. He was a bit of a shit-stirrer,  the best kind, a practitioner of "good trouble," a benevolent agent of change, he was trying to change and improve America; the good work: creating the "Beloved Community." Not everyone welcomed him. He was loved, he was hated.

An assassin's bullet brought him down. He was martyred by the haters. But his words of love and aspiration were propelled forward by his murder. His words, his example of peaceful protest grew in power and resonance, and the world listened. He opened heads and hearts. Amazing. Inspiring. 

Question of the Day...

Question of the day...

How to destroy Toxic Fascist Macho Right Wing Supremacist Bullshit?

I'm White...

"It takes strength to be gentle and kind." - Morrissey

I'm white. A white guy. I mean, if you are gonna put me in a racial category, you'd put me in "white." Kind of a Heinz 57 mix of genetic material. I think I have a bit of Irish, German, French, Polish, maybe other various Eastern European flavors. I mean, if we go back far enough, we all come from the same source, "Mithochondrial Eve."  All the colors of the rainbow emanate from one mother, one source. Still, I'm pretty damn white. I don't tan, I burn. I have freckles. When I was a kid my hair was so blond it was sort of white, and I had freckles all over my body. Some folks called me "Rusty."

Why do I bring this up?

Turns out it's the white folks amongst us who have emerged as the greatest threat to our Democracy. Who knew? For years some folks worried about Muslim folks, Black folks, people of color. But no, it's those burly white supremacists, cops, ex-cops, military, ex-military, the right-wing militias who have totally gone off the ranch militant. Full Authoritarian Trump-ist.

Freaky. I'm an older white guy, calling out my fellow white folk. WTF?

I'm not racist. I just don't live with racist thoughts or actions.   I subscribe to the Dalai Lama's idea: We are all Human Beings first. I may have some undetected biases, I am sure we all do, but I do my best to transcend them. All my problems over the years have been with white people. If has always been other white folks who bullied me, cheated me, undermined me, battled me, or tried to knock me down a peg or two. Still I don't hate white people. I am not a self-hating white guy. I am a human being, humble, open-minded.

I have learned not to take the slings and arrows from my fellow humans personally. I mean, there are unhappy people in the world. They come in all creeds and colors. There are people who hate. People who want to burn the world down. People who want to make other folks suffer. They are bitter, they are cynical, they are willing to hurt and bully other people. I try my best to avoid them.

I think we should all choose wisely when it comes to who we hang with, who we play with, who we work with, who we work for, who we look up to, who we listen to, who we believe, who we follow. Some of this is just easy, simple, logical.  I try to be a good person. I am inspired by creative, kind, generous, funny, intelligent, compassionate, loving, beautiful people of all races and creeds. I believe in Love & Spirit & Heart. Yes. Human Beings First.

Don't be blinded by the whiteness. Hate is hate. Domestic Terrorism is Terrorism. Stupidity is stupidity. We come in all flavors, but we are all essentially the same. Human Beings. Truly, madly, deeply, related. Brothers & Sisters. All.

I Think I'm Fine...

I think I'm fine... 

I feel confident that I am able to process all the craziness. I refuse to succumb to the doom & gloom. I am still positive. I think it's a choice. A choice I always come to naturally. I always, always, always lean to the light, I try to take the "long view," putting a positive spin on things, seeing the silver lining to any dark cloud.

You know, I think of Charles Dickens great line form "A Tale of Two Cities" - “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

That is life. Always.

I think I'm just wired to see the glass half-full. I can be stubborn that way. And if I am confronted by worry, doubt, fear, sadness; my natural tendency is to find reasons to be cheerful, happy, calm and assured. That can be super-annoying for some of the people with whom I converse. I know lots of very cool, engaged, intelligent & sensitive folks. Recent events have been quite overwhelming.

So much worry, doubt, sadness, fear.

It get it. Still, I think, it could be worse, we will make it thru, lots of positive things happening, the world is turning, change is in the air, planet spinning. What looks bleak may actually be the beginning of a new reality, a new vision, a new day.  Who knows?!

I also wonder if the people have gotten soft. Whatever happened to toughness of mind & spirit? Discipline?  Whatever happened to the old Vince Lombardi maxim: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."

But then, my dreams. What about my dreams?

Yikes. Lately my dreams have been super-disturbing. Last night I was lugging big bags, over-burdened with lots of baggage. Running late. Time running out. Looking for one of my prized guitars. It was lost in an airport lounge, overburdened and frantic that I have lost something valuable.  A woman was fishing off the balcony of a building, catching perch. Fat little perch were flopping around on the tile floor. I picked one up and put it in my mouth (don't know why), and tried to chew it. It was gross. Flopping around in my mouth. I chewed furiously, trying to digest the undigestible. I found myself choking on a live fish in my mouth. I started to retch. I began pulling fish parts of out of my mouth. And then, inexplicably, on the street, I see Richard Nixon. The ex-President. The crook, the disgraced one. The Dark Prince of USA. He's old. Back from the dead with a long, white beard. Sort of a Zombie Nixon. But yes, it's Nixon, the same nose, the same slouching walk. He is walking past me, holds his fingers up, flashes the peace sign*, as I choke on a fish. 

*Now that I think of it, it was Nixon's customary two-fingered "victory sign."

SCENE!

Disturbing. Yes. No doubt. I think I'm fine. The coffee is good. It's Friday. Still breathing. Head full of ideas. Wonder what today will bring. But still there's that  residue of horror: A live perch in my mouth and Richard Nixon back from the dead... Yikes... worst of times, best of times...

What is the Future for Gaseous?

Impeachment #2 for our Gaseous Little Baby Man Dirigible!

Yes. Impeachment. Very good. Well deserved. No doubt.  If he can be impeached one last time before he departs (a few days left),  I think he qualifies for a fully paid scholarship to Trump U. and a life-time supply of Trump steaks.  Yummy.

What does the future look like for Gaseous Dirigible? I'd say bleak. Dark. Lots of shame. Lots of shunning. Lots of humiliation. Lots of time huddled with lawyers, lots of time in courtrooms, lots of time to consider how he will look in an orange jump-suit. Maybe he can get the same shade of orange as the pancake makeup glommed all over his fat face? 

It's all such a gruesome reality at the moment. But better days ahead. I think/hope.  The country will move on from this debacle. We will survive.  6 days to to a new reality: The Biden/Harris era is on its way!

Deal-Breakers. Crush the Tyrant.

Political/Personal. The Political is Personal. The Personal is Political. It is time to purge your "friends list." It is time for USA to purge the Domestic Terrorists amongst us.

I don't know about you, but I have no problem crossing folks off my friends list. I am a "New Age Guy," I am always talking about positive vibes, peace, love, understanding, but, of course, there are some deal-breakers for me. I adhere to the "asshole theory:" Life is too short to waste my time hanging with, or working with, or working for assholes.

I try to my best to be tolerant of my fellow human beings. I realize people are complicated, human beings are tricky, but there are some ideas and some human beings I just can't tolerate. Like Dylan once sang: "I don't hate nothing except hatred." We must treat toxic ideas, just like we treat toxic, killer viruses. We must isolate & inoculate, work to educate and rehabilitate, if possible.

Identify. Prosecute. Convict. Jail. Shame. Shun. 

My Deal-breakers...

Trump

Trump-ism

Hate speech

Domestic terrorism

Mob rule

Insurrection

White Supremacy

Anti-semitism

Racism of all types

Public lying and propaganda

Religious Fundamentalism of all kinds

Authoritarianism

Fascism

Totalitarianism

Misogyny 

Xenophobia

Homophobia

Idiocy

Madness

Conspiracy Theory Nonsense

You espouse any of this shit, I shun you, I shame you, I tune you out. I hope you see the light, if not, I hope (as my father used to say), that you get what you deserve. Today they are starting the process of impeaching our Gaseous Little Baby Man Dirigible for the 2nd time.  History in the making. We must totally crush the Dirigible. Impeach. Convict. Imprison. Shame. Shun. Strip him of his company, his finances, his dignity. The same goes with his enablers, and co-conspirators.

Sometimes the only way to defeat a bad idea, is to totally destroy and discredit the leader, to crush the tyrant, and those who follow him. That time is now...

Democracy in Action...

These calls for "healing & unity" from some in the GOP is pretty rich. You know, the folks who lied to their constituents about the results of a free and fair election and those who did all they could to try to overturn & "decertify" it? Trumpers lost over 60 cases in court trying to nullify votes. They lost. Over and over. Epic failure.

Those folks failed America. They failed Democracy. This is so basic. The candidate with the most votes wins. Biden won by a sizable margin in both the Popular and Electoral College vote. Simple math. Simple logic. Common sense.

Those "crazy Trumpers" need to grow up. Sometimes you lose. Sometimes you lose big. That's just the way Democracy works. You don't like it? Find candidates, back a party, that offers policies that can attract a majority of voters.

Healing and Unity? Hah! TRUTH AND JUSTICE FIRST!

Accountability & the rule of law.  If someone incites a violent mob, a white supremacist insurrection, and that mob attacks the Capitol building in D.C. (people died!),  with the intent of disrupting and stopping the certification of a free & fair election in USA, expect some pretty heavy legal consequences for all.  

Sure, once the perpetrators are hunted down, jailed, charged and convicted, we can move forward with arms linked singing "Kumbaya." But let's let the long arm of the law reach out and touch those insurrectionists first. Just seems the smart and logical way forward.

And yes, of course, our Toxic Little Baby Man Dirigible should be impeached, removed from office and charged with high crimes and misdemeanors. It's the only "American" thing to do.

Words and actions do have consequences. Anyone defending that "mob inciter" and that "violent mob" are anti-democratic, anti-America, anti-patriots. 

Come on people. This is elementary shit. It's simple, easy to follow along. Didn't you take civics in school? Rule of law. American Constitution. Democracy in action.

The a.m soundtrack - The Velvet Underground (1969). No John Cale or Nico on this one. Lou Reed was notoriously difficult to work with. Lou is in full control here. Melodic. Beautiful. Some of Lou Reed's finest songwriting including the gorgeous "Pale Blue Eyes." Put on your dark shades this morning and dig New York r&r at it's elementally beautiful best. Superb. Influential.

A Doozy...

Looks like this week is going to be a doozy. What's a Humble Pilgrim to do?

I think, first: Chill. Keep a cool-head.

If you are like me, you are sensitive to everything. It's easy to get overwhelmed with emotion. Let it flow. In and out. Don't hold it in, don't let it animate you.

Ride the waves. Head to the calm shore.

It is easy to give in to anger, fear, sadness, despair. Try another way. Breathe. I recommend meditation. It can be as simple as sitting quietly in a chair, closing your eyes, concentrating on your breathing. One breath: deep inhale, deep exhale. And again. Try it. Remember you are more than your emotions, more than your thoughts. 

Lean to the light and to clear-seeing.

Ignore the madness swirling around. Put your faith in: Common sense. Gravity. Honesty. Truth. Responsibility. Rule of Law. Accountability. Common decency. 

There is hard work ahead. Hang with the people who still live in reality. Conspiracy-thinking is crazy! I mean it is a form of mental illness, a psychological malady.

Some of this is really, really simple: Violent Insurrection & mob rule? BAD! Impeachment #2, invoking the 25th & 14 Amendments? GOOD.

The a.m. soundtrack - D'Angelo's "Black Messiah" (2014) - Slinky, sexy, groovy, slippery. Hard to get a handle on it. It's like liquid mercury. Just fabulous. Some kind of soul/funk/groove masterpiece. Nothing quite like it. Gorgeous. Mysterious. Inspiring.

Over-Stimulated? Yes! How About You?

Over-stimulated by recent events?

Yeah. Me too. Wow.

A clear and simple sentence summing up our current political situation: The President of the USA is a clear & present existential threat to the USA.  

And anyone defending or making excuses for that threat and danger is complicit on an attack on our country and constitution. 

The Biden inauguration is in 10 days. Amen!

Freaky times. Hard to process. Best to let the smoke clear, roll up our sleeves, and let the law and justice roll forward.  Impeachment #2? Yes! Of course!

The a.m. soundtrack - Wilco's "Ode to Joy"   (2019). Another fabulous record from a fabulous band. So many great records. This one is a blast of joy & pure pleasure. I do know why Jeff Tweedy is joyful, he has a great band that can pretty much do anything; they are creative, bold, and unique. Jeff also  has great recording the studio (the Loft), where he can do his thing pretty much any day, any time.  Not a bad setup. Also Jeff has an uncommon work ethic and a bottomless creative will and spirit.  Joy Oh Joy!

Shunned by Social Media & Impeachment Coming: Karma!

Just a general question: What ever happened to trying to be a good person?

More madness from our Gaseous Little Baby Man Dirigible. Yes. Still gaseous. Still imploding. Still inciting mobs, still encouraging insurrection. 11 days until Joe Biden is sworn in as President. Seems like a lifetime away.

The Toxic Fat Man is not tweeting anymore. Finally Twitter bans the man. Long over-due. How many lies, how much disinformation and how many idiocies has emanated from the Toxic Clown's account? Uncountable. Unconscionable damage to our nation.

Finally shunned by social media. Perfect. Should have been done long ago.  The torpedoes are coming from all directions. Calls for resignation, calls to invoke the 25th amendment and from the House of Representatives... 

Coming on Monday: Articles of Impeachment 

Including: Article I: INCITEMENT OF INSURRECTION

RESOLUTION

Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the UnitedStates, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

 Resolved,

That Donald John Trump, President of the

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United States, is impeached for high crimes and mis-

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demeanors and that the following article of impeachment

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 be exhibited to the United States Senate:

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 Article of impeachment exhibited by the House of

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Representatives of the United States of America in the

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name of itself and of the people of the United States of

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 America, against Donald John Trump, President of the

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United States of America, in maintenance and support of

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2its impeachment against him for high crimes and mis-

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demeanors.

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 ARTICLE I

:

INCITEMENT OF INSURRECTION

 

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The Constitution provides that the House of Rep-

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resentatives ‘‘shall have the sole Power of Impeachment’’

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and that the President ‘‘shall be removed from Office on

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Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or

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other high Crimes and Misdemeanors’’. In his conduct of

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the office of President of the United States—and in viola-

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tion of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the of-

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fice of President of the United States and, to the best of

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his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution

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of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional

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duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed—

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Donald John Trump engaged in high Crimes and Mis-

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demeanors by willfully inciting violence against the Gov-

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ernment of the United States, in that:

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On January 6, 2021, pursuant to the Twelfth

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 Amendment of the United States Constitution, the Vice

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President of the United States, the House of Representa-

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tives, and the Senate met at the United States Capitol

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for a Joint Session of Congress to count the votes of the

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Electoral College. Shortly before the Joint Session com-

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menced, President Trump addressed a crowd of his polit-

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ical supporters nearby. There, he reiterated false claims

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that ‘‘we won this election, and we won it by a landslide’’.

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3He also willfully made statements that encouraged—and

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foreseeably resulted in—imminent lawless action at the

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Capitol. Incited by President Trump, a mob unlawfully

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 breached the Capitol, injured law enforcement personnel,

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menaced Members of Congress and the Vice President,

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interfered with the Joint Session’s solemn constitutional

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duty to certify the election results, and engaged in violent,

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deadly, destructive, and seditious acts.

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President Trump’s conduct on January 6, 2021 was

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consistent with his prior efforts to subvert and obstruct

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the certification of the results of the 2020 presidential

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election. Those prior efforts include, but are not limited

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to, a phone call on January 2, 2021, in which President

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Trump urged Georgia Secretary of State Brad

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Raffensperger to ‘‘find’’ enough votes to overturn the

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Georgia presidential election results and threatened Mr.

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Raffensperger if he failed to do so.

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In all of this, President Trump gravely endangered

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the security of the United States and its institutions of

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government. He threatened the integrity of the democratic

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system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power,

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and imperiled a coordinate branch of government. He

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thereby betrayed his trust as President, to the manifest

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injury of the people of the United States.

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4 Wherefore President Trump, by such conduct, has

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demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national se-

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curity, democracy, and the Constitution if allowed to re-

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main in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incom-

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patible with self-governance and the rule of law. President

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Trump thus warrants impeachment and trial, removal

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from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any of-

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fice of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.