How much of what happens is pure luck (good or bad), blind, random chance and circumstance, or the pure dumb luck of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or, alternatively, being in the right place at the right time?
We live in a world of uncertainty. Supposedly every breath we take, every step we make, every cake we bake is subject to the forces of chaos & entropy. It's sort of amazing we have any sense of normality, and security at all.
I mean that feeling of normality and security is pretty much just a state of mind. Maybe sort of delusional? Subject to change at a moment's notice. Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't. Sometimes happens all the time.
If you are alive and relatively healthy, consider yourself lucky. Truly, madly, deeply. Thank your lucky stars, or the gods, or the fates, or the moment. Yes. Put your faith in the moment. There is so much chaos, suffering, pain, unhappiness in the world. There is also joy, pleasure, enthusiasm, right feeling, right-working, maybe these forces are always contending, and we are just the playground?
Who knows. Lean to the light. That's about as good as it gets.
The a.m. soundtrack U2's "The Joshua Tree" (1987). No surprise. If I am looking for an "energy kick," I put this one on. It is truly a fabulous record. One of the best-sounding recordings of all time. Credit Daniel Lanois, Brian Eno & Flood. Three geniuses who know how to make compelling, layered, incredible sounding recordings. I've been listening lately to the 2017 remaster (overseen by Edge) of this record on CD. Am I the only one who has discovered that CDs have just gotten so much better over the last decade or so, now that most folks are streaming? The latest studio tools makes for richer, subtler, warmer, more layered sound-scapes. If you truly want to experience music at it's best you should be spinning CDs or vinyl. Amazing quality. Anyway, listening to this record on headphones is such a joy and pleasure. So many great little details are revealed. It is a certain masterpiece. U2 at their peak, a tremendous band, each musician carves out their own sonic territory, they work together for a transcendent, shimmering, enlightening sound. Over-powering. Bono sings with heart, the Edge provides an incredible landscape of guitars. No wonder this record sold over 25 million copies. It truly does stand up. A monster creative statement. Life-affirming.
