The Mighty Will Fall, the Meek Too...

Folk #1: Ah... well... when push comes to shove, I can drop my idealism & positivity & fall back on one of my foundational ideas: Human Beings, we are the "tricky monkeys," not as smart as we think we are, & we trick ourselves all the time.  I mean I can drop my idealism & positivity as a an exercise, and those qualities can sit side by side with cynicism, skepticism, & negativity. Sure. I can cope with all aspects of my own psyche. So, yeah, Human Beings will act badly, at the drop of a hat, any chance they get, they will lie, cheat & steal, and, for sure, "covet thy neighbor's wife." How many Commandments will they break? Pretty much any & all of them. What is on the tip of everyone's lips?  "Where's mine?!" & "Wonder what I can get away with today?" Are Human Beings equipped to be, and to act, with integrity, grit, compassion, empathy? Sure. Think: Angel on one shoulder, Devil on the other. We are all so capable. We have the full range of qualities. Laziness, selfishness, stupidity and self-sabotage are core components found in everyone's kit-bag. The mighty will fall, the meek too.

"Human Beings Acting Badly..."

Folk #1: Ha. Yes. That Nvidia scandal has legs. News, this morning, there is a "second mistress," and grumblings, mumblings of other scandals brewing. And as usual, there are the initial missteps & crimes of omission and commission, and then there are the conspracies and coverups. Could this scandal be the scandal that swallows lots of corrupt folks?!  How much wealth will vanish in the blink of an eye? Who knows? Will lots of folks get ensnared in the undertow? What did our super-corrupt President know? How about his corrupt boot-lickers? So many juicy questions. Consequences? One can hope.  Makes me think of that line about "History," you know, "one damn thing after another." And, also, of course, the other quite Universal theme that weaves and worms it's way throughout time? "Human Beings acting badly."  Seems the Humans just can't help themselves. They will see how much they can get away with, how far they can push it, and then push it even farther. Risky business. The mighty shall fall, fortunes shall vanish, once the smoke clears, lots of carnage & wreckage left in the cold light of day. Folks being shamed, shunned & maybe imprisoned?  Ha. Not so unusual. Happens, often. I say, Karma is a bitch, Let it Come Down...

The Long & Short of It...

Folk #1: And now for something completely different. What does it feel like to be a Human Being? It feels like a contradiction. The Reality: A Deeply Spiritual Being anchored, chained to, this Raggedy-Ass Bag of Bones. Makes for interesting Days & Nights. And don't forget we are all Moving Targets. Time is Change. Time is Short. Time is Yours for the Taking. Time waits for No One...

"Prosperity or Untold Doom..." Sex & $!

Folk #1: OK. This is a first-class scandal of epic proportions. Nvidia, the AI chip-maker is a powerhouse company propelling AI to stratospheric levels of market value. Their founder was ensnared in a Chinese Honey-Pot. Sleeping with a Chinese Spy, ha, interesting, you know, yes, that China, the great AI rival of the US. Seems Trump, who cares more about $ than the National Security of the USA, and many of  our over-amped, over-lord, Tech Bros want us to just ignore it all. Not sure that is going to work. Sure. The money-train wants to keep the money flowing, but espionage, secret sexual relationship, selling high-tech to a sanctioned country, lying, & a concerted cover-up? That's the kind of scandal, that can really kick up a fuss. Sex & $. Hubris, Arrogance, & Greed too. Of course, the Tech-Bros are the new super-villians. The rich folks amongst us really do think they play by different rules. Wonder where this story goes? Inquiring Minds want to know. "... depending on how you look at it, may usher in either prosperity or untold doom."

It Will Be Spicy...

Folk #1: The post-mid-term election fallout. I do think it will be spicy. Lots of blowback, new scandals bubbling up, the collapse of right-wing organizations, rats scurrying from a sinking ship,Trump drowning, flailing, failing, surrounded by a creepy crew of grifting boot-lickers. Seems, finally, maybe, good lord, why not (?), the fever has broken? Now lots of folks who were tuned out, seem suddenly tuned in, and they realize how completely broken Trump, his adminstration, & the Republican Party really is. MAGA has always been a fucking lie, a scourge & a plague on the land. I do not believe it will end well for Trump & his followers. Trump has turned out to be a weak, sniveling, loser; a bitter, rage-filled husk of a man. Finally, some of his followers  may be forced to face the truth. A newly empowered Democratic Party with a firm hold on the House & the Senate can definitely kick up a fuss. Lots of investigations, a decided turn to Reality, Woke-ness, & Good Government. That would be a refreshing change. I think it's gonna be a time of Accountability, and a Great Reckoning. A necessary cleanse. Probably lots of new surprises along the way too. How deep and far-ranging is the corruption of this cabal of crooks? Inquiring minds want to know. Hopefully the idea of a new Progressive future takes hold and spreads acorss the fruited plain.

Imagining Justice & Accountability...

Folk #1: Thinking about the "Duality of Man," or maybe the "Duality of Humanity." Some of us are quite good at holding two ideas in our heads at the same time. Living with contradiction. For instance, "What's So Funny About Peace, Love & Understanding?" & at the same time, "We must crush these Fascists, Racists, White Nationalists, Trumpers, MAGA Zombies, and Republicans, & grind them into the dirt,"  (see previous post).  Seems harsh, but it's just Karma. If you are a bully, if you attack the weak & defenseless, if you are cruel to others, you need to face the consequences of your actions. If you put folks in Concentraiton Camps, grab folks off the streets, shoot American Citizens down, you must be held to Account for all of your Crimes Against Humanity.

Funny. My partner and I were serving as drummers at a gathering of Shamans last night. It is one of our favorite yearly rituals, always around this time of year. We drum as the Shamans gather and dance around a cairn and journey to the Underworld. It is always quite exhilarating. The lead Shaman told me afterward that the Fomorians: "supernatural beings representing the wild or destructive powers of nature; personifications of chaos, darkness, death, blight and drought," now have the new White House Chief of Staff, Stephen Miller in their sights. She told my partner & I that the Fomorians were going to chase Stephen Miller to the ends of the World and deliver him to the Gates of Hell. Ha. Believe the Shaman or not. I mean, do we believe in Fomorians, the Underworld, the Fairies, and other dimensions? Let's just say we have open minds. Riding the Vibe. Embracing the Mystery. Certianly  my partner & I  loved the idea that Stephen Miller will be hounded to Hell; a very gratifying, satisfying and perfectly vivid picture & scenario. I dare say, yes, it was all quite enjoyable & delicious to imagine. 

No Mercy for the Nazis...

Folk #1: We are all celebrating a major Democratic win across the USA in the mid-terms. What is Trump's reaction? Doubling down on being a full blown Nazi. America's own "Dime-Store Goebbels" is now Trump's Chief of Staff. Think of Hitler and his closest collaborators in the Furher-Bunker. It's pretty wild. The country has rendered it's verdict on Trump and all his ugly racism, cruelty, and fascist b.s. and instead of taking the hint, instead of changing course, Trump turns decidedly uglier. Yikes. The Democrats must do all they can to resist, obstruct, and hold these fucking Nazis to account. They need to grind Trump, MAGA & the Republicans into the ground, & pulverize this movement. No mercy for these folks.

Something Happened...

Folk #1: Yes. What happened?! I think it's safe to say that the Voters decided to say "No, not gonna take it anymore, we are done with this shit," with all their hearts, heads and spirits aligned. No more of this B.S. The result?! A massive Blue Wave Election. Epically-Historic. Still riding high on the fumes of Euphoria. What happens next? Pretty sure it's gonna be the "Fuck around and Find Out," phase of American Politics. Think: A reckoning, a house-cleaning, a super-cleanse. Investigative Committees tasked with rooting out and exposing the corruption, the grifters, the self-dealing & the criming. It is wild that Democracy can actually "turn on dime." One day we are all drowning in the stupidity, the cruelty, the corruption, the idiocy, and the next, a new dawn, a new day, a new way. Suddenly, our government will be younger, bluer, more diverse, more progressive, more willing to serve the people. Lots of hard work ahead, but I think the folks we all just elected are up to the task. What of the Toxic, Idiot, Clown? Expect more failing & flailing.  The election was a stunning rebuke of our wanna be strongman and his craven, cowardly boot-lickers in his administration, and in the Republcan ranks, in the House & Senate. Turns out Trump & his brain-dead minions are now just pathetic losers. Judgement Day, & Redemption Day all wrapped in one glorious package.  Ha. Ha. Ha.

Still Savoring the Win...

 

Folk #1: Can't help it. Still celebrating and savoring the Mid-term electoral bloodbath. Over here in my orbit, all of the folks I know were wildly happy & relieved with the results of the elections. TEXAS WENT BLUE?! Ha. Gobsmackingly great. That seemed like a pipe dream. Funny how Politcal Gravity & Reality still exists. The news all across the USA was quite amazing. The Democratic Party just got a lot smarter, younger, more diverse, and more willing to fight. So gratifying. Sure. It's gonna be a battle, there is much work to do, and we still have a very unwell, corrupt asshole as President, but, no doubt, Trump, MAGA & the Republicans have been totally crushed across the fruited plain. A new day, a better way going forward? Yes. Indeed. Things are looking up. Let it come down. Damn the torpedoes...

"It's All Freaking, Incredibly Glorious, Sometimes Democracy ROCKS!"

Folk #1: Massive blowout. A total ass-whipping. A landslide for the Democrats across the USA. A major rejection of Trump, MAGA, and the Republicans. Glorious. The voting machines worked fine. The common folks came out to render their verdict on the B.S. Turns out most of us hated what Trump has been doing to our country over these last two very painful years.

I am a long-time "political junkie" over here. When I was a wee lad, it was Hunter S. Thomspon, writing about the dark days of Nixon, who hooked me on the stuff. Often I was mainlining really nasty stuff. I have learned Democracy is messy, and sometimes you win, and sometimes don't. Sometimes it's a grind, and it's always a battle.

Then, well, once in a great while, it's all freaking, incredibly glorious & gratifying. I actually hinted 2 days ago that I thought a historic blowout was coming. And yes, it happened. We are euphoric & celebrating over here in our Progressive Blue Bubble. Awesome high this a.m. Texas, Maine, Kansas, South Carloina, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, went Blue? I mean, Holy Shite! Democracy sometimes magnificently ROCKS!

Will the Opposition Rise Up?

Folk #1: Yes. Cognitive Dissonance. For instance, I am stuck on the conundrum, "People are the Problem, and People are the Solution." I also think Pogo's famous line: "We have met the Enemy and it is Us," rings oh so true. These ideas are floating in my head this morning. Midterm Election Day. I suspect we will see if the "fever has broken." Have the common folks had enough of this Fascist Shit Show? You know a party, a platform & administration of Racism, Nonsense & Corruption. Cruelty & Punishment too. Mass Deportations, Concentration Camps, Murders by ICE, prices sky-high, Billionaires on a crime spree, American Oligarchs crushing Democracy with their filthy lucre, & another pointless war in the Middle East. Pretty sure the answer is "Yes. It's All Too Much,"  for many of us, the majority of us. To the Opposition, it seems America is still a multi-cultural melting pot; wildly & proudly diverse. Black Folks, Hispanic Folks, Asian Folks, etc. Truly a Very Woke, Rainbow Coalition including every Race & Creed imaginable in a thriving stew of influences & inclinations. The Nazis & the "White Christian Nationalists" can't change the reality on the streets of America, and they are badly out-numbered, by a lot. Will all the various folks & factions Stand Up & Be Counted, united in oppostition  to the Shit-Show? The signs are very positive. We shall see. Damn the Torpedoes.

Could it Be a Historic Blow-Out?

Folk #1: I am writing from my safe place in my little Progressive Blue Bubble. I have been scanning the polls, seeking out a few "smart folks" who know Politics, reading their takes, taking it all in. Lots of uncertainty about what's gonna happen tomorrow, yes, it's the November 3rd Midterm Elections, finally. The leadership for the U.S. House & Senate on the line. We won't really know what's gonna happen until the votes are counted. Tomorrow is the first real test of the American People since the debacle of 2024. Pretty sure we will answer this thorny, knotty, question tomorrow: What do you think of this Fascist Shit-Show that Trump and his Minions have unleashed upon us all? 

Over here, my partner and I voted long ago,  & locally, we figure all of the Democractic Candidates we voted for will win tomorrow. That makes us feel good. Nationally? Who knows? If I try to read the Vibes, trust my experience, rely on my intuition, I'd say the Democrats are going to do amazingly well tomorrow. I don't mean to jinx it, and I don't want to get too confident or overly Hopeful. America can be a very disappointing place sometimes. Let's say, I am decidedly, cautiously, optimistic. You know, we shall see. Could it be a historic blow-out?  Will we be celebrating? Maybe? Who knows?! I mean, I sure Hope so...

Inspiring, Exhilarating: All that Jazz...

Folk #1: My partner and I went to a Master-Class performance by the fabulous guitarist Mike Stern and his quartet (guitar, bass, drums, sax), yesterday afternoon. These Master-Classes are featured at the little saxophone shop where are rehearsal studio resides. We have seen some incredible Jazz luminaries at these sessions, including performances and talks with Ernie Watts, Joe Lovano, Ravi Coltrane, Melissa Aldana. My partner & I are great fans of Jazz, (our CD shelves include John & Alice Coltrane, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Chet Baker, Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, Pharoah Sanders, Kamazi Washington, Mellissa Aldana) We love Jazz, although our own band is solidly in the folk-rock sphere. It always exciting & inspiring to see these amazingly-accomplished Jazz musicians, give it their all for a small audience, in our homely little rehearsal space. Mike Stern was just fabulous. He and his band play with such dedication and joy. Mike had a terrible fall a few years ago, broke both arms, and as a result his picking hand is very weak, he uses wig glue to help him hold a pick. He applies a bit of glue on the pick and on his thumb & forefinger. Mike has a very graceful, sweet & gentle touch. But he can conjure up a beautiful storm too. His band is totally up to the task too. They can go toe to toe with him on major improvisations. It was a totally exhilarating pefrormance & chat. So great to see incredible musicians dedicated to the music above all else. We went up to speak to Mike at the end of the session, and  thanked him for a fabulous afternoon of music. My partner & I were totally knocked out by the energy, joy and dedication of these musicians. We do our best to do the same with our band. There is something so thrilling & rewarding seeing such a no-ego, selfless pursuit of the perfect sound and open communication. This band embodied the ideal, no doubt. Just fabulous. Life-affirming. Beautiful.

A Joy in the Mystery...

Folk #1: Finished reading Michael Pollan's book on consciousness: A World Appears. Yes. It's very good. Turns out that consciousness is quite the "hard problem," and hard nut, to crack. The more we all focus on  the phenomena, and all it encompasses, the less we all seem to know. Consciousness is quite mysterious. I think it is safe to say we all sort of know what it is, we are living with it, experiencing it, manifesting it, but how it is, where does comes from, how does it work is all quite hazy, strange, & who knows, maybe unknowable? So, yes, just as Michael states towards the end of the book, you may finish reading this book and actually be less sure about what consciousness is and how it works. Which, I think, makes it a pretty damn interesting book. Funny, the early chapters spent with the Scientists are sort of a slog. Those studying & researching the mechanics of neurons and brainwaves, various lab experiments, come across as a bit mind-numbing, and often  these science folks and their many competing theories are just contradicting each other, and the AI folks building robots & models of consciousness, just seem over-amped, silly and out of their heads with their shiny new toys. For me, it's the Psychologists, the Philosophers, the Poets, the Novelists, the long-time meditators, the Zen Buddhists, the Psychedelic Explorers who resonate most deeply.  They represent our great explorers of consciousness. Also I loved when one of the "hard scientists," one devoted to the mechanics of the problem, was totally undone by a majorly-disorienting psychedelic experience. This scientist was brought to tears & an existential crisis, when he experienced a Universal Consciousness "out there." Mind-blown. Nice. Do you want to explore consciousness? Turn to LSD or the magic mushroom, or read a poem, or a great play or a fabulous novel. Spend time in deep meditation. It is in the realms of Psychology & the Humanities where we best highlight and amplify, the wonderous nature of consciousness. Of course, we are left with the hard problem of consciousness being explored by human beings using their own unique consciousness. How can we measure & quantify a shadow, cloud or dream?We all reside in a quaint little hall of mirrors. Yes,  a thorny, gnarly, field of inquiry, which leads to lots of theories, arguments & uncertainties. I think that's a good thing. It's ok. More than ok. And, well, I actually find pleasure in knowing that when it comes to the most important topics: Consciousness, Self, Life, Love, the mystery abides.

Corrupt Impunity Meeting a Day of Reckoning...

Folk #1: Taking the temperature, and reading the vibes this morning. You know it's all just my own impressions, feelings & deep-seated intuition. Seems the Republicans are scrambling, in frantic disarray, reeling from the reality of their dicey political standing in the USA as of today, October 30, 2026. All signs point to an Electoral Bloodbath for Republicans, MAGA & Trump across the land on November 3rd. Even supposedly Deep Red districts in decidedly Red States are looking shaky for them. Not surprising to us over here in our little Progressive Blue Bubble. Whatever these freaking Republicans intended with their over the top Fascistic Bullshit, they have woken up lots of folks to the dire state of the state. The corrupt assholes thought they could reign with impunity, and they have, but now comes a reckoning. I have never seen a political party totally implode like what's happening to Republicans now. Two years of Trump & a boot-licking, spineless, totally corrupt, Republican-led, House & Senate has pretty much destroyed the viability of the Republican Party. Their corruption and punishing policies are finally bearing fruit. Bitter Fruit for MAGA.  Riding a positive vibe this morning. But, of course, caution is in the wind. Best attitude going forward? Let's Vote, and then wait & See. Then, of course, Let it Come Down! Blue Wave on the radar!

Just a Reminder...

 

Folk #1: I for one find it maddening that people seem to forget that Joe Biden won the 2020 election by a substantial margin. When Trump starts ranting & whining about a rigged election, remember he just can't  admit he lost badly in 2020. He is just unable to face Reality. Trump lost both the Electoral College Vote, and the Popular Vote. He lost the Popuplar Vote by 7 million Votes. Joe Biden won the election with 81.2  Million Votes! Every time that Loser rants about 2020, folks should be shouting: "You lost by 7 million Votes, you Freaking Idiot!"

It Don't Come Easy...

Folk #1: Last evening, my partner & I had dinner with a couple from Europe. The man is a world traveller. He has been to China, Dubai, England, Croatia, Taiwan, Serbia, Ukraine, Poland, USA, Germany, Russia. To hear him talk about Trump & MAGA, one realizes that we here in the States are actually just dealing with a very familiar template: Pretend Strong-Man, totally corrupt, promising to take everyone back to a mythical past of greatness. A puffed-up Ceasar, a clown of corruption, always on the grift, working for the grifters amongst us, with his hand out, asking: "Where's mine?" I guess, the shock for us, my partner & I, long-time citizens of the USA, we have been living under the misguided idea that our country, our Democracy, was somehow better, more advanced, than the many corrupt, tin-pot dictator-type governments around the world. We, of course, have been proven gravelly, sorrowfully, wrong, and it has been very destabilizing & disorienting. We wonder, can we move past this ugly phase of the USA, and create a better Union going forward? It's kind of a murky thing.  Definitely a gnarly, knotty question with no clear answer.  It will take People Power. The battle between the forces of Light & Darkness seems never-ending. We root for the forces of Good, but we know we are in for a long slog. Nothing comes easy. Other peoples, in other countries, have fought these battles too, many times, many places, over & over again. The powerful ones lording over the less powerful ones. It's a grand theme. Change can come, consciousness can change in an instant. But nothing is guaranteed. 

Why Things Feel So Horribly Wrong...

Folk #1: Yes. As Paul Krugman writes:"Trump doesn't give a damn about your problems..." We have all taken a major step back with this President. Talk about a major fuck-up. The idiots amongst us helped with the self-sabotage, the calculated suicide, of the USA. It is a very sad situation. Sad for all of us Americans, and also very sad for the rest of the World. You know, the big, fat, racist, sexual predator, & fraudster turned out to be a deadly-stupid choice for one of the most powerful jobs in the world. When that overstuffed con-man & delusional-narrcistic head-case declared: "I alone can fix it," what he really meant was "I alone will deeply fuck things up for every last one of you." Wonder why things feel so horribly wrong at the moment? Even the idiots amongst are now victims of this creep & his policies. The answer is embodied in one very unwell, decaying, dementia-laced, failing & failing Human Being. It is well past time we change the channel. This ugly show has tragically, comically, irrevocably jumped the shark. How do we get out of this Hell? Voting on November 3rd for Democrats up and down the ballot would be a good first step.

Yes. People Power Works...

Folk #1: Good news this morning. Voters in Brazil & in Serbia rejected the right wing fascists. People Power works. Democracy works. Now it's up to the USA to show the world that we aren't fucking idiots. Punishing the MAGA movement with an enormous Blue Wave in elections across the land on November 3rd? That would be truly extraordinary & joyous!

Agents for Good...

Folk #1: Yes. It is easy to get overwhelmed. Sometimes it feels like we are all adrift in a hostile sea. It is easy to forget that we all have "agency." Every action, every choice, every decision we make totally matters. Every last thing counts. We are all players in this grand game. We each have a unique part & place in this elaborate Human Experiment. Kindness, Decency, Empathy, Compassion, Love. Best to fall back on those tried & true values. Think of yourself as an Agent for Good. It's ok. You will make mistakes, you will fall, you will fail, but you can also get back up, learn, adjust, evolve, recablibrate, & try again. You can do it. Don't listen to the doom & gloom crowd & the eternal naysayers. Carry on. Damn the torpedoes.

Talking Himself into Oblivion...

Folk #1: Ok. This is funny. The Toxic Fat Man keeps talking. He is convinced that if he keeps flapping his jaw, he can persuade folks to disregard the Truth, the Facts, the Data, the Vibes. It has worked in the past. It has been his super-power; to say totally crazy, stupid, ugly things and watch folks nod their heads in agreement. He is now saying crazier, stupider, uglier things thinking that will work even better. But, the worm has turned. Events have conspired. Now Truth & Reality have reared their gnarly heads. Every word now coming from this very sick, creepy human's mouth creates a counter-energy, a committed opposition and resistance. There is a counter-balancing movement alive in the land that strongly rejects this Toxic Fat Man, his policies, his adminstraiton, and all the folks running under his banner. We are hurtling towards November 3rd, the Midterm Elections. Seems we will see how this all goes over. Not predicting, but expecting, an Electoral Bloodbath for all things Trump & MAGA. Let the Toxic Fat Man talk. He is talking himself into a necessary oblivion. Everyone associated with this failure of a Human Being is forever slimed.

A Variable Nature...

Folk #1: I am by nature an excitable boy, but yesterday, a certain calm came over me. Not sure why or how that happened. I still think we are hurtling towards calamity, but at the same time, I feel strongly that the common folks will rise to the occasion and  elect representatives that will retake major parts (House & Senate), of our government. Expect more Chaos & Hurly-Burly, but also cooler, smarter heads emerging from the fray. Nothing is going to be easy. Looking for the fighters for our little Democratic Experience. Where is the Hope? I find it in the variable nature of our human nature.

A Distinct Vibe-Shift...

Folk #1: Over here, in my little corner, there is a distinct "vibe-shift," in the air. Is it something I'm plugging into out there, or is it generated from inside my own being? Am I perceiving something real, or conjuring up my very own Cloud of Unknowing? Not sure. That's the way it goes. Do I ride the vibe-shift, or dismiss it? Probably best to take a determined, disciplined, wait & see attitude. I like being Positive, Hopeful, Expectant, but I do know that often that attitude, and those kinds of feelings/ideas are easily crushed. Always have to be open to a re-think, a recalibration. Evolving, Improvising, Making It to the next day with my Integrity & Intelligence intact.  Don't get too attached or confident on outcomes. Yes. Being crushed is just part of the process too. Still, this "vibe-shift," seems be alive & even pervasive in my little corner of the world. Other folks, the common, sensible ones,  folks seemingly more mainstream than I, seem to be reflecting a profound Progressive vibe-shift, a radical-recoiling in horror at the on-going shit-show unfolding in USA. Hopefully we are witnessing the death-throes of a zombie movement, and an unveiling of a new way forward. Maybe? You know, who knows?!

The Simple, Clear-Eyed Caretakers...

Folk #1: You know it's The Lord of the Rings over here. It has always been The Lord the Rings. Forget all those other musty old books: Bible, Koran, Torah. Tolkien is the man, no doubt. He was writing in the shadow of the Nazis, Hitler, Mussolini, and full-blown authoritarianism on steroids. Tolkein's great saga is the great saga of the last century, and it's the great saga of this century too. It truly, madly, deeply resonates today. Hope & Goodness resides in the Hearts & Heads of the common folk, the little people, the ones closer to Nature, the ones with hair on their feet, the humble ones, the hard-workers, the simple, clear-eyed, caretakers. Sure, they are up against powerful, wealthy, forces of Evil. It surely looks like the Hobbits, the common-folk are completely over-matched, but those little folks roll up their sleeves and do the hard work. Their power resides in community, good works, kindness, gentleness, and a finely-honed empathy for all living things. Love for the Shire. Yes. How to take on, and to vaniquish the forces of darkness? Well, for instance, see previous post. "Frodo Lives!"

Early Voting, It Felt Oh, So, Good...

Folk #1: Yesterday, the early voting for the 2026 Mid-term election in Illinois commenced. My partner & I are lucky, we live in a Progressive Blue Bubble town, in a decidedly Blue Bubble State. Seems Illinois is pretty much the sensible State to live in. Chicagoland sets the trend. Progressive. Woke. Friendly. Our Governor, J.B. Pritzker is one of the finest Governors in the land. We were fired up and excited to Vote. It always feels good. It's a duty & a pleasure to Vote. We are lucky, it's a super-easy thing to do. Other times, other places, folks have battled and died just for the simple Right to fill out a ballot. We both Voted for all the Democrats on the ballot. I think it safe to say, a sure bet, that all of the folks we Voted for will Win. The polling place was busy. Lots of folks perfoming their civic duty. Anyway, so validating, even if our Votes are just tiny drops in the ocean. Pretty sure a solid Blue Illinois doesn't fix all the problems in the USA, but Voting for qualified Public Servants who promise to look out for us common folk, really feels like the necessary thing to do. Hoping for Better Days, Better Ways ahead. It was great to see lots of other folks doing the same thing. It all felt like a certain kind of celebration. Fuck it. We like living & thriving, in our little, fully-woke Blue Bubble. Damn the torpedoes.

Our Fabulousness...

Folk #1: Sipping my coffee this morning. The coffee mix is named "Mind, Body, Soul." Good reminder that we are more than the sum of our parts. I have been reading Michael Pollan's book "A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness." Yes. Indeed. Open your eyes in the morning and it's true, a world is there waiting expectantly. The book touches on, & confirms some of my own ideas. I want to be clear-eyed & cautious, I don't want to just amplify my own biases. I am a searcher, looking for, and trying to understand & interpret all the various signs & wonders. I want to live a full, rich, rewarding Life. Life isn't just Quantity it is also Quality. See "Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," for more. Pollan is exploring things that I have explored most of my life. I love the idea that Consciousness is still a freaking mystery to all those who are trying to pin it down, and my own very personal "transcendental" experience of being deeply connected to everything in the Universe actually has a name: "Panpyschism."  We Human Beings are still mysteries to ourselves. And consiousness trying to understand consciousness is really quite the conundrum. Any Universe with ideas and theories that include String Theory, Big Bang, Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and Wormholes, is gonna be totally mysterious and unfathomable.  Does consciousness emerge, or reside in every grain of sand, and every atom? Do sentient beings tap into consciousness, like tuning into radio waves? Does consciousness reside "out there?" Is it: "I think, therefore I am?" Or is it? "I feel therefore I am?" Or really is any division or duality, sort of a mistake, leading to a false view of what's happening? No one really knows. There are lots of theories. Humilty. Wonder. Imagination. Vibe. Spirit. Energy. Soul. Love. Grace. Curiosity. Music. Creativity. Beauty. Poetry. Humor. These are things that animate me. I don't understand it all, I mean, I am always experiencing, and not always understanding, but that's ok. I mean, it's actually, sort of freaking fabulous. Being Aware, Alive, Awake, is pretty damn glorious in itself. Maybe the experiencing, the observing, the living really is the thing? Damn the Torpedoes...

Yes. A Renewed Warrior-Spirit Alive in the Land...

Folk #1: Ok yes. I am Hopeful. No doubt. No surrender. Hope is a fuel that must be used to stand up and fight against the naysayers, doomsters, fraudsters & evil-doers. Fuck those people. There is a renewed warrior-spirit bubbling up, there are excellent candidates running as Democrats this year, all up & down tickets across the land. Do I see glimmers, sparks from a renewed, Progressive movement that could fundamentally change the direction of our beloved country? Yes. Indeed I do. Damn the torpedoes...

Under the Thumb of Stupid & Corrupt...

Folk #1: A Vision of Hell. Being under the thumb of really stupid, corrupt, people. You lean to the Light. You Hope for Better Days. You think: Reality, Truth & Justice will prevail. But it's all sort of dicey...

What Would I Tell My Younger Self?

Folk #1: Yes. I do have other things on my mind besides politics. I can juggle multiple things in my head. I think it comes naturally for a fully-engaged human being. Thinking about some of the things I have figured out for myself after a few decades on the planet. What would I tell my younger self, knowing that you can't really tell anyone anything? Fill your life up with things you love to do. Gravitate to simple things: dogs, birds, guitars, well-made devices like a toaster, coffee-bean-grinder, a good broom & mop, Concentrate on practice, process, discipline, chores, jobs. Always be working on projects, always be onto the next thing. Be in the moment as much as possible. Take up meditation, take up running, or biking, or something really physical. Take an acting class even if you don't intend to be an actor, because, basically you are an actor. Getting up on stage, memorizing text, and acting it out, is just a fabulous way to expand your being. Think of Life as Long-Form Improvisation. Music. Fill your life with music. Don't hang out with assholes. Eat well. Vegetables are your friends. Choose your drugs & poisons carefully. Remember we are chemistry labs. Over-indulging is not optimal. Discretion in all things. Quality over Quantity in all things. We are all in a grand conversation & relationship with Reality. Read books. Good books. Classical literature, plays, poetry, novels, non-fiction too. The creative arts are a doorway to a better, deeper, more expansive consciousness. Yes. Be Woke. Aware, alive, awake. Be open: open-minded, open-armed, to reality, and all the things in this Universe. Be humble. You will be brought low, you will fail, you will fall, you will disappoint yourself & others. That's ok, it's part of the human comedy. Do better. Don't be afraid to admit you are wrong, don't be afraid to change your mind. Don't be afraid. Find a quiet place, sit in a comfortable chair, close your eyes, imagine being connected to everything in the Universe. Breathe. Kindness. Humilty. Grace. Beauty, Love. Yes. 

The Worst Doing the Worst...

Folk #1: I do find it amazing & hilarious that the worst people amongst us, doing the worst things imaginable to us, are shocked to discover that the common ones want to hold them to account, and to make them answer for their actions. Seems the ultra-wealthy & powerful believe they play by other rules. And, maybe, unfortunately, they often do, But these elected representatives running to be re-elected now, are not royalty, they are supposed to be working for us. Seems  MAGA & the Republicans forgot how to govern. They have given tax cuts to the wealthy, and are fucking over pretty much everyone else. These people should be defeated, shamed & banished from the national scene. We need to renew our Democracy, one person, one vote at a time. Let's be sure to elect folks who want to do the good work: Government by, & for, the People. Blue Wave Mid-Term Election is the dream.

A Yearning for Justice...

Folk #1: One yearns for Justice, the Rule of Law, Truth & Reconciliation. The corruption of Trump & his minions/lackeys/enablers & co-conspirators in the House & Senate is a plague & a scourge on the land. There are too many lies & bad acts to count. But we must account for every last evil deed. And those responsible must face the music. A grand reckoning is a must.

Silent Simplicity...

Folk #1: Yesterday was all about being fully present, without worry, doubt, anxiety. Everything opened up and fell away. The day was oh, so pleasant. Sunny. Warm temps. Blue sky. The lakefront was alive with activity. Folks were on the beach. A free day. My partner & I made all our appointed rounds, and then spent a few hours sitting on a bench facing the lake, & the lakefront path, walkers, joggers, skaters, bikers flying past. Long, rambling conversation, & a lot of silent witnessing. It was glorious. Moments of simple euphoria. We didn't dwell on anything. We floated, flowed, lived fully in the moment to moment. We laughed, and marvelled at the scene. "This is it." A perfect afternoon. Consciousness expanding. Everything perfect, and in it's right place. Funny. You sometimes think the great moments will come like a lightening bolt of insight, but actually the feeling of perfection & euphoria just sort of sneaks up, decends upon you, with a silent simplicity.

MAGA Has Alwasy Been a Con, a Swindle, a Grift...

Folk #1: Funny. Leading up the mid-term elections in November, Trump & the Republicans have no good answers. They have discovered that their policies & positions on pretty much everything are deeply unpopular. Two years in power and they have made a mess of pretty much everything.  Their agenda of punishing the American People across all sectors of the population just hasn't gone over very well. It is gobsmacking how badly these folks have governed. What is their response? To lie, to deflect, to spread crazy conspiracy theories. Not sure if their B.S. still has any Mojo. Trump is still out there spouting idiocies to the teeming MAGA masses, but the masses seem to be shrinking. My take, yes, the common folk are finally fed up with this madness. This has all been a con, a swindle, a grift. Crimes have been committed. The corruption of the Trump family and his Republican Party enablers is endemic. It seems they are locked in a fatal embrace. One can only Hope clearer heads prevail. I expect an "Electoral Bloodbath" of epic proportions. Although, I am smart enough to know that any kind of prediction is iffy. Hope dies last. The MAGA plague & scourge that has over-run our land seems to have finally run it's course. Time for a reckoning. Democracy can turn on a dime. It is well past time. Vote. Vote Hard. Vote Harder. Vote Democrat!

Being Real. Truly.

Folk #1: The weirder it gets, and it's getting really weird out there, the more I lean towards truth, authenticity, & being truly genuine in everything I do & say. You know as the world goes weird, I tend to want to be un-weird, non-weird, weird-less. OK. I am not saying normal. There is no normal. There is no center, there is nothing to hold onto. Improvising in the moment to moment. The weirdness of everything forces me to fall back on my very own personal code: being honest, as honest as I can be to myself & others. Being, embodying, my Authentic Self. Seeing clearly. Knowing limits. Embracing discipline & humility. True to the the day, true to the moment. Let the world go tilt, watch it all fly off the handle, no worries. I am over here being as real as I can be. Ok. That forceful honesty might also be a bit weird, I suppose that a dogged contrariness is sort of it's own kind of weird. I suppose my own genuine weirdness is something I can get behind. Whatever. Everything is pretty confusing. I mean, fuck it. Damn the torpedoes.

The Zombies are Real...

Folk #1: I don't mean to be indelicate, or mean, but, I just watched some "highlights," of Trump's rally last night. He spent some time whining about not getting the Nobel Peace Prize. Ha. Ha. Ha. So funny. And then he blathered on about a bunch of topics like a seriously deranged dementia patient. The camera panned across the arena and displayed the teeming masses. What is wrong with these people? Did they all fall down and hit their heads? How can fully-grown Humans be so needy, gullible, & brain-dead? They clap and make mouth-noises like seals for the big-mouthed, toxic clown spouting idiocies; his rap & schitck is just so lame, & yes, seriously stupid. What is wrong with these folks? Are they just "sick in the head?" Do they share some kind of MAGA mental derangement? Yikes. The Zombies are real. 

Simple & Smart...

 

Folk #1: Yes. It's real. Patagonia has a new campaign, new tag on some of their clothes. Is this the kind of corporate activism that I can get behind? Oh, yes indeed, and just in case you are a "Low Information Voter," remember it is the Republicans who control the House, the Senate, the Presidency & have corrupted the Supreme Court. Republicans who have brought us a new forever War, higher prices, tariffs, concentration camps, murder in the streets, racism on steroids, deporting children & Grandmas, murder on the high seas, incompetence, public corruption beyond the pale, a war on  the Law, Science, Health, & Education, tax cuts for billionaires, etc. "Vote the Assholes Out." Simple. Come on, folks, I mean, what the fuck, we can do it.

Smack Dab in Middle of Two Opposing Ideas...

 “Before I go on with this short history, let me make a general observation– the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.

One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise. This philosophy fitted on to my early adult life, when I saw the improbable, the implausible, often the "impossible," come true.”

― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Crack-Up

Folk #1: Absolutely. For sure. Right on F. Scott. Let me give it a go:

Idea Number 1: "I live in a gorgeous Paradise. Blue Sky, beautiful lakefront, a kind, generous, progressive bubble neighborhood."

Idea Number 2: "I live in Hell, a dysfunctional Fascist Dystopia of greed, corruption, epic stupidity, bad blood, bad actors & bad actions. My fellow humans are an ugly, gnarly, untrustworthy lot."

So what's the way forward? Paradise or Hell? Good Times vs. Bad Times. Hopeful vs. Hopeless. Yes. Both. Let those ideas battle each other. I decide to carry on with a sunny glow, and a fierce "fuck those Evil-Doers" Spirit. Damn the torpedoes...

Eyes Wide Open...

Folk #1: Sure. The world seems to be on fire on many fronts. It is all a bit concerning. What's a Humble Pilgrim to do? Carry on, power thru, keep one's feet on the ground, keep one's head screwed on straight, be disciplined, pragmatic, and keep one's wits about them. Eyes Wide Open. Alive, Aware, Awake. Keep the Faith, don't give up believing in a Better Day, a Better Way. Oh, yeah, check your Voter Registration. Try not to get too high or low. Make sure all is in order. It will soon be time to bring the hammer down on these corrupt fucks. Democracy is a vehicle that can turn on a dime. Consciousness can change in an instant. Hope dies last. Let's all be Woke to Max, and Vote hard...

What to Believe In?

Folk #1: A few days ago, my companion & creative collaborator & I were engaged in a long conversation with a fellow musician & singer/songwriter. He was spinning out, stuck in an existential crisis, questioning everything about the creative process, writing songs, the grind of playing shows, & the unsatisfying nature of of having always having to hustle & promote. It's funny, it was a great exercise. Everything our friend said was in direct conflict with our own philosopy & attitude about the creative journey. So, yes, the conversation was very enlightening and contructive by what it revealed and exposed. Being creative, doing it, living it, is the main driver, the grand project for my partner & I. Essential to who we are, how we act and think, and go forth into the world. Writing songs, playing instruments, leading a band, rehearsing & performing in public is absolutely fundamental to us. We can't imagine carrying on without this core mission in our lives. It's a process, a discipline, an approach to Life, that fuels us, & feeds us, fires us up, suffuses us with Hope & Faith. Wanting to make a difference, recharging our belief in doing the "good work." One of our go-to phrases: You Must Believe.  What to believe in? A better day, a better way, the power of Art and Creativity. The possibility of transcendence & connection. We always want to put ourselves in situations where those amazing, enlightening, uncommon moments emerge, those moments when you totally lose yourself in the making & doing, and totally succumb to the glorious kick of performance, and connecting with an audience. These moments are fleeting & ephemeral, they are everything. It's important to drop the "thinking," focus on the process, intuition, the subconscious, and stick to the doing/being. What does all add up to, lead to, or mean, in the grander scheme? Who knows? We believe the creative journey is essential & mysterious, it changes us, just in the doing, the being, it feeds the spirit. This discipline & process carries us forward in all aspects of our lives. Yes. It's that important & powerful. We we were a bit amused & bemused, by the wrongheadness of our friend, we felt sorry for him; he really seems lost, floundering & alone. We tried our best to cheer him up, but really, you can't tell anyone, anything, it just doesn't work that way. We encouraged him to try to get back to basics, not sure if that landed with him or not. We are lucky. My partner & I, two of us on the same mission, we can pick each other up, when one of us falters. We too have had moments of disconnect, feelings of futility, there are times we need to take a break, renew, recharge, but that too seems to be just part of the process. Sure. None of this is easy. Every day is a challenge, and often, there are failures, side-tracks, fuck-ups, dissappointments, and "No's." Not everything is gonna pan out. That's just part of it. Not giving up when confronted with obstacles. Enduring the "pricks & kicks," and, well, fuck it, plowing forward anyway, damn the naysayers, & damn the torpedoes. Getting on with it. That is where the magic & the "reasons to believe," resides...

Small Moments of Bliss...

Folk #1: Space. Getting your space. Grounding yourself. Embracing the moment. Deep breathing. Ride the vibe. Makes for a very good, nurturing Sunday. It helps to have a long-time companion by your side, sharing the moments, the laughs, the wonder, the awe in experiencing a perfect blue sky day. The lake, gorgeous & tranquil. An abundance of folks out on the path, all smiles & kind words. Long, rambling conversations about music, creativity, "doing it," "being it." carrying on, and what it all means to be human. Thinking it's a day that is "as good as it gets." A day in the Life. Small moments of perfect bliss. Over-flowing with good vibes. Uncommon. Yes. It was an excellent Sunday.

Dream, Baby, Dream...

Folk #1: Dreams. No one wants to hear about your dreams. You know, no matter how dramatic or traumatic, someone will say, "Yeah, well, it's only a dream." And the drama & trauma is supposed to just vanish. End of story. You plow on and try to recount the details, to convey the gravity, the deep meanings of the dream, and folks eyes cloud over, they yawn, they give you that 10,000 yard stare. Whatever.

Did anyone ever read Kerouac's Book of Dreams?  Yeah, me neither. It's only a dream, Jack.

So you have to contend with your dreams on your own, unless you pay for a professional to listen. Does anyone do that any more? That Freudian or Jungian talk therapy seems to be out of favor & overwhelmed by the onslaught of drugs. Drug therapy. They have a drug for pretty much everything. Be careful not to mix your medicine. Synergistic action can be extremely deadly.

I figure I just have to figure out things on my own. Dreams: Attacked by Feral Cats? A surprise hair-cut at a party? Spooky-looking, ominous, fish swimming around in a pond? Car chases & crashes, guns drawn, intense episodes of some kind of Miami Vice- like series. Reliving ancient fuckups & calamities, reliving idiocies & episodes of expert self-sabotage. I really have been my own worst enemy. It's been a long & winding road.

I long-ago left behind the worst of my most self-sabotaging habits. Decades of living clean, exercising, eating well, meditating; happier for it. Living honestly, earning an honest buck. Living creatively with heart, head & spirit aligned with the folks I love. The most dramatic or traumatic episodes in my life were all basically instances of self-destruction. Sure, I never killed anyone, I just methodically marinated my own brain cells for kicks & laughs.

So yes, in the middle the night, alone, vulnerable, wrestling with a worried mind. Luckily it all vanishes in the a.m. Even if I awake before the light of day, the coffee immediately does it's work. All that hurly-burly and tumult & turmoil, just fades away. Still, there is a lingering wisp of uncertainty hanging over & within me. Maybe I'm not as together as I think I am? I suppose I have some unfinished business. Work to do on my self. Every day just trying to be, & to do, better. Do my best to be my best; an enthusiastic, fully-woke & fully-engaged Human Being. Alive, aware, awake. Damn the torpedoes. I mean, fuck it.

The Stink of a Loser...

Folk #1: Funny. Even when that guys wins, he has the stink of a loser about him. His wins are failures. No doubt. He knows it too. It drives him. Drives him mad. Fails & Flails. He rages, lashes out. He is always whining, blubbering, and complaining. He always feels like a victim, and then, victimizes as many folks as he can. He feels abused, so he abuses. A deeply unwell Human Being. This has been a grand experiment of failure, victimhood, & abuse. So damn ugly.

The Apotheosis of Stupiidity!

Folk #1: I ranted about the stupid ones in yesterday's post (see previous post), and then, this morning I find an article about Professor Carlo Cippola's treatise on The Basic Laws of Stupidity. Carlo was writing this treatise in the wake of Fascism and the Vietnam War, but of course, the Apotheosis of Stupidity is embodied in Trump & MAGA.  The Good Professor tells us that stupidity is... "one of the most powerful dark forces that hinder the growth of human welfare and happiness."

No kidding! Welcome to our Dystopia of Stupid here in the USA! Stupidity is a dark, malevolent force. Immune from argument, rationality, logic, and/or common sense. Ha. That's fucking Trump & MAGA in a nutshell. Bringing us all down in a grand heap of failure, incompetence, corruption and stupidity.

Cipolla divided people into four groups: the helpless, whose actions harm themselves but benefit others; the intelligent, whose actions benefit themselves and others; the bandits, who enrich themselves while harming others; and the stupid, whose actions harm others while producing no benefit to themselves. This latter group is Cipolla’s main concern. “No matter how high are one’s estimates of human stupidity,” he wrote, “one is repeatedly and recurrently startled by the fact that a) people whom one had once judged rational and intelligent turn out to be unashamedly stupid; b) day after day, with unceasing monotony, one is harassed in one’s activities by stupid individuals who appear suddenly and unexpectedly in the most inconvenient places and at the most improbable moments.”

Fuck. I mean Bingo! Seems the USA is flooded with the Stupid, the Helpless & the Bandits. Also, Artificial Intelligence is a misnomer. Think instead: Bullshit Machine! Searching for Intelligent Life on the Planet? Yikes. Dear Pilgrim, it would be easier to find a Needle in a Haystack!

Confederacy of Dunces...

Folk #1: Ok. My stupid questions this morning. How did vast quantities of Human Beings get so stupid? How did our Culture become a hot-bed of stupidity, rage, idiocy, quackery, consipiracy-minded foolishness? How did we end up elevating the proudly stupid ones to positions of great power across all the major sectors of our Global Communities? How did we end up lionizing & rewarding folks who should be shamed, shunned, and/or imprisoned? It is so damn strange to be around so many very, very stupid people. Comically-corrupt, totally-incompetant, & supremely-greedy folks who can't stop advertising & promoting themselves, and shamelessly grifting off the other very stupid ones. Yikes. I mean, it doesn't take a genius to see that something is seriously, hilariously, ridiculously wrong.

No Time for Dooming...

Folk #1: There is no point in "dooming." Things have gotten so fucked up, stupid & corrupt, I mean shit, save your energy for voting these assholes out. Our Criminal President, and his boot-licking lackeys in the Republican Party have looted, crashed & punished us enough.  We are hurtling towards the Mid-term elections and, well, it seems a reckoning is coming. Even the MAGA numbskulls seem to be aware that the incompetence, the corruption, lack of any morality, or code of honor, has brought us to a very sad state of affairs. Reality & Democracy are the friends of any, and all, concerned American Citizens. The Natives are restless. Obviously, we all seriously fucked up when we elevated one of the worst amongst us to a position of great power. Talk about self-sabotage. Democracy is a pretty good tool for "self-correcting." The time for cleaning up the mess in which we all find ourselves is barreling towards us like a runaway train. And that is a good, very necessary thing, indeed.

Present Moment: Liberation...

Folk #1:  It has been said a million times in a million ways. Yes. Living in the moment. It's a dicispline, a practice & a method for better living. It's easy to lose the thread. The Past is ever-expanding, and so much of one's experience is there. You can be overwhelmed and become a captive of the Past; experiences, memories, long chains of reasons, choices, detours. The Future looms over us too. Hopes, Dreams, Fears. The Future is a promise, a murky beckoning. Easy to fall into a worried funk, or into a sunny Dream-state that never quite materializes. We get shackled & imprisoned by the Past, and befuddled & confused by the Future. Liberation is in the moment. Life is to be found in the moment to moment. Alive. Aware. Awake. We have agency in the moment, and only in the moment. Fully engaged in the moment. Funny. It's so clearly the wise, Life-affirming choice. Choosing the Present. Living there fully, without any doubt, or restraint. The Present is where we reinterpret the Past, and where we recalibrate our expectations for an uncertain Future. Sure. Bad shit can happen in the moment. One has to deal with the deal. Why is it so hard to remember, or easy to forget, that the Present moment is everything? Inhabit the moment, let it fly, let it flow, ride the wind. Damn the torpedoes.

The Finer Things...

Folk #1: How to renew, reset, recharge? That has been the question, the topic, the desired mission looming over me & my partner, for awhile, especially after recovering from nasty colds. I came to the simple, maybe obvious, realization yesterday, it's all about seeking out the simple, genuine pleasures, gravitating to the finer things, the finer situations, the finer folks. Quality. Not quantity. Yesterday was a long, luxurious day of finer things. A good meal, a good book, good music, playing guitar in the secret garden, catching the rays of the sun, going to a backyard concert with super-engaged, enlightening, enlightened, kind, gentle, and fully-realized, Human Beings. Getting closer to the essence of the Good. My partner and I were greeted as fellow travellers, by folks who knew us, & who knew our band, & knew our music, at this amazing gathering of creative souls. To be seen and acknowledged, that was quite suprising and gratifying. A day of Mojo Rising.  We let everything, and everyone float over to us. There was no needing, wanting, grasping. We met the day and everything in it, fully awake & alive. It was good. Very good indeed. 

Mojo Killers, Essential Medicine, Fake it to Make It...

Folk #1: Sure. Ykes. The vibes are BAD. My partner & I listened to a radio program on Friday.  A few scientists were speaking about AI & Climate Catastrophe.  Two very knotty, gnarly topics. The gist? We are royally fucked. 

No kidding. Sounds like these are two existentially doomy areas of deep concern. You could almost hear the despair in the voices of these learned folks. The only hope that was offered? Maybe something so terribly bad will happen, the Humans will change course? Yikes. Talk about hanging by a thin reed. Seems the Humans are playing with fire in multiple ways, and well, we may end  up burning the whole house down.

Alternatively, the vibes are so fucking bad, maybe an electoral bloodbath, a blue wave of magnificent proportions could be brewing?  I mean, who knows?! Fingers crossed. Hope dies last.

So, yeah, let's punish the Republicans for punishing us. Sounds like a good idea. 

Still, talk about Mojo-killers. What to do? We didn't want to just stew in the pot of doom. We decamped to our rehearsal studio and played music. We ran thru an album's worth of unrecorded songs. Sounds like a new album. But we were struggling thru. Sometimes, you know, you have to fake it to make it. We faked it for a few hours. It was quite helpful. Fake it good enough, and suddenly you are not faking it.

We also made a visit to our local THC dispensery. Pick your poisons wisely, Grasshopper. "Sleep gummies." Yes. A good night's sleep is a necessary corrective for so much b.s. The "Stay Asleep" gummies are a new essential item in our survival kit. The young person at the counter processed our order and sent us off with these encouraging words: "Stay Stoned Out There..."  Yes. Indeed. Faking it. Making It. Rocking in the Free World...

What to Believe In? The Wonder...

Folk #1: I suppose I do live with this idea of being a Human Being, a hybrid of Body & Spirit, although, these two phenomena are intimately intertwined, and may actually be one. I inherited this framework from growing up in the Catholic Church. Sure. I was always a skeptic. Later, in my teens & twenties, I rejected all that heavy guilt & sin talk and adopted more of a Buddhist framework. Both frames & models emphasize that Life is Suffering.

And that's OK. I take what I need, and leave the rest. Is that coherent? Not sure. It's just my way forward.

I conclude, we must do our best to live well despite the trials & tribulations of a life. Living well includes being, & doing good in the face of many obstacles. I have fallen for the Great Mystery of Existence. I am ok with not knowing what the hell is going on. I do have a vague, but powerful sense, of being connected to everything in the Universe. This is based on a few experiences of transcendance and "elightenment" over the years. Full-blown body experiences, heart, head, spirit aligned. 

It is hard for me to argue with these events that happened to me. I experienced them completely & made them a part of my fundamental nature.

Can one stake one's Life on a few strange, seemingly other-worldly, mystical experiences? I think so. I don't make any great claims, this doesn't make me "special" in any way. I suppose it feeds me with a sense of Wonder. I gravitate to Beauty. I embrace being a Progressive Human Being, open to the Good, as well as embracing Kindness, Intelligence, & a Positive Affirmation of Life in it's many splendored forms.

But, I am more than ok with living inside the great Cloud of Unknowing. There is a deep in the bone humility baked in, I know nothing, I am here to experience, to observe, to witness, to make my way with heart, head, spirit aligned.

To steal from William Blake, Life here on the Planet, living with other Human Beings, is "The Marriage of Heaven & Hell." That is our cross to bear. Living with the dichotomy, the contradiction. Good & Evil side by side alive in us at all times. Imagine Heckle and Jeckle, Angels & Demons. They are useful. Navigating thru the straits as best we can. Free to choose. And these choices make us who we are. Failure & Success two sides of the same coin. Batten down the hatches, & Damn the Torpedoes. There is a Life to be Lived. Choose wisely, Grasshopper!

Making the God Machine...

Folk #1: Let me play dumb for a moment. Ha. I know you are thinking: Maybe it comes naturally for this dude?! So the Humans, the deeply-flawed creatures that we know so very well, have decided it's a good idea to make a God Machine, an AI, a Super-Intelligence, built on, nutured by, and cared for, by these very same flawed Humans. The God Machine is a mirror of Humanity without eyes, arms, heart, spirit, emotion. The God Machine resides on a vast network of computers. This simulated, virtual, digital, very, very, unreal God will have access (remember everything can be hacked), to all the data & all the "smart" devices  that Humans have collected & connected on & to, the Internet. All the books, all the Scientific papers, all the gossip, the lies, the disinformation, propaganda, conspiracy theories, all the phones, TVs, missiles, Nukes, etc. Anything that has been "digitized," including all the madness, the Pop Culture craziness, and the contradictory, gnarly shite of Human Life too. Some of the Humans tell us this is all a super, very good idea; it is inevitable, no sense asking questions, or being worried, & the way  & wave of the Future. We will create this God Machine, and then turn over all responsiblity to it. Maybe this has always been a secret desire of the Humans? Giving up their agency to something bigger? Leave all the messy, gnarly, hurly-burly, fretting over choices & decisions, to someone, or something else, the great, magnificent, all-knowing, God Machine? The Future will be a Promised Land of prosperity, wealth & leisure. A beautiful, lazy Utopia! We Humans will have more leisure time, sex parties, drug parties, sex & drug parties, more time to watch cat videos, you know, the essence of the Good Life?! This God Machine will make Life & Death decisions for us, it will give advice, decide who lives or dies, who gets care, or not, who gets blown up in a foreign land, and will implement fixes & plans all across the Globe. It will have access to all the information, all the Governments, and all of their armaments. Vast, un-Godly sums of money are being thrown into this grand mission (folly?). Money is being burned at a prodigious, alarming, astonishing rate. Enormous data centers are being built everywhere. All of our resources land, water, air, electricity, time, & money will be funneled to feed this glorious God Machine Beast. And, well, everyone is just sitting back, watching all this furious, frenzied, activity as it unfolds, waiting for the exciting results. Hmmm... Yikes. Like, what could possibly go wrong?! Did anyone ever hear the phrase: Unintended Consequences?! Do any of the Humans think this is like a really, really Super-BAD IDEA?!

Wild Ride for Us All...

Folk #1: No predictions. Just an acknowledgement of "what's happening now."

The man's brain is totally deteriorating right before our eyes. And, he is immensely, prodigiously, historically unpopular, except for his hardcore, brain-dead MAGA cult, and, well, even some of those racist, clueless, backward, retro folks seem to suddenly be pretty unhappy with prices of everything, the war, the tariffs, etc. Even some of the Nazi shite is turning out to be unpopular & has penetrated some of these numbskulls. An America of concentration camps, murder in the streets, ICE out of control, deportations of children & Grandmas, murder on the high seas, pretty damn ugly and soul-killing.

Plus, don't forget tax cuts for the fithly-rich, taking healthcare from folks, cutting food benefits for needy children, attacking Education & Science, punishing the American people, just for the fuck of it. Yikes. That's the Republican party's platform: Elect Us and we will punish you all some more!

Trump is sinking the Republican party, he is destroying them, and the USA, from the inside out. We all need to batten down the hatches and try to ride out this unfolding catastrophe. Hold on for dear life my friends. Vote for the Dems, hope for the best, and damn the torpedoes.

 What happens next? Who knows?! Wild ride for us all.

Fools Playing a Fool's Game...

Folk #1: Predicting the Future? Nah. That's a fool's game. Too many variables. Too many unknowns. Unintended consequences. Chaos looms. We don't know what we don't know, and what we know is limited, shaky, and totally fungible. Best way forward? Lean towards clarity, clear-seeing, being here, now, in the moment, taking things as they come. Seeing what is right before your eyes. Knowing that the way forward is murky & one's understanding is flawed & limited. We are often driven by our fears, worries, doubts, or our desires, hopes, dreams and plans. We impose our ideas & feelings on the Future and render it cloudy & confused. We cloud our own minds. There is a vast Cloud of Unknowing that engulfs & surrounds us. It is important to know that the unknown is just as important, decisive, and determinative, as the known. Our culture has become unhinged; creating simulated, virtual worlds, and then pretending that they are real. One can't bullshit their way past the real. We are watching vast sectors of society succumbing to fabulism, delusion & denial. Reality is a hard, gnarly, knotty, fucking teacher. The lessons of the real are rock-solid. Sure. One can speculate, guess, conjure up visions, but be assured these are only idle entertainments; it's like drawing invisible pictures in the air, and then, fabulating that they are real. A form of madness, & idiocy, no doubt. Foolish.

How to Digest the Craziness?

Folk #1: What is the best way to digest the craziness unfolding in our toxic dystopia? Being astonished, gobsmacked, appalled, full of questions & wonder, dizzy, disappointed, furious, hungry for truth & authenticity, ready & willing to stand for goodness, Justice & a better day, leaning on kindness, embracing diversity, getting angry, and channeling it into a fiery resistance, being opposed with all your heart & soul to corruption & idiocy, talking to your neighbors, reminding them that America is better than the creeps running the show at moment, pointing out the hypocrisy, noting the lies, and the bad actions, renewing your empathy for those who are suffering, laughing at the fools, and their wrong-headed-ness, sure, voting for the Democrat running in every office in the land, envisioning triumph for Democracy, leaning towards our better angels.

Little Nuggets...

Folk #1: Shite! I am left to my own devices. Loaded down with cliches. No unique, or great, insights this morning. But I feel compelled to write this shit down. Of course, according to David Foster Wallace, cliches are cliches because they are often true. Thinking I am no great thinker or philosopher. You could put these little nuggets on a Hallmark Card, and no one would be impressed. 

One step at a time. Take nothing for granted. Live in the moment. Admit that you know nothing. Be kind. Be careful. Listen. Learn from Nature. Don't be full of your self. Fill yourself with other things. Keep your feet on the ground, your head in the clouds, & watch your step! Take care of your self & others. Don't look too far back, or too far forward. You will be surprised. You will be wrong. You will carry on. Failure isn't a sin, it's a learning opportunity. Today is the first day of the rest of your Life. Life is an experiment. Improvise! Conjure up the next thing & watch it fly or crash. No worries. Damn the torpedoes. It's not about you. Thrive anyway. It's ok to dream. Don't take it personally. Embrace it all.

Hopes: The Ups & The Downs...

Folk #1: "Being a creative person," you know, writing, playing, performing, singing; creating things like poems, plays, short stories, songs, & then also, setting up a theater company, and a band or two to manifest these things in the world requires a bit of an imagination, and a positive attitude & discipline. 

What drives you? There is a need to express yourself. A desire to make something beautiful, challenging, well-made.

You know, making things is a fleeting act of Hope. It's sort of a big "What if?" And "Damn the Torpedoes." What happens when you send these things out into the Universe? Who knows? It is all a crapshoot. 

There's a tension between "getting your Hopes up," and "not getting your Hopes up." You fire yourself up, and then, often, you need to reel yourself back down. You are always bumping up against the real. You can imagine a better world, a better day, a better way, you try to live it too, and then you face the forces of reality. 

So often you are surprised. Some things land with great effect. And then there are those experiments, ideas, actions that crash & burn. The crashing & burning is just part of the process too. You learn. Yes. And then time for a new improvisation. It's a of life, a way of living & being.

"Long Past His Sell Date..."

Folk #1: Yes. Perfect. Fat, super-unwell, blowhard & con-man "long past his sell date..."  What is more useless & pathetic than a salesman who just can't get it up anymore? "Trump can’t sell it anymore — he’s hated, but not respected, let alone feared." Tough times for our wanna-be strong-man. 

Decoding the Human...

Folk #1: Once you see the rampant, pervasive evil of racism in action, you can't unsee it. It's pernicious, malevolent, ugly. A world-wide problem engulfing & consuming all people, all lands. Racism: a demon tool used to justify and empower human beings in their project of murdering, enslaving, dehumanizing, oppressing, other human beings. Why is this so obvious & appalling to some of us? And why are others so seemingly blind or indifferent, or actively particpating in the horror? Racism feeds the Fear & Hate. Evil flows from that well. "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad,; a cheat code for one kind of insight & understanding. Once you see, you really can't unsee. It's a liberation & a burden too. An explanation & a knotty, gnarly mystery. The Human Heart is an imperfect vessel.

Popular & Not Popular...

Folk #1: Pop Culture & Popularity. You know. Sort of like the "fickle finger of fate." A shaky hill to die on. Is popularity over-rated? What's popular today, is often forgotten tomorrow. Most of my Life, I have searched for quality over popularity. I was never in the popular crowd, always on the margins. I often dismissed the popular, thinking it was hollow, bland, lowest common denominator shit. Sure sometimes the popular has also resonated with me as really good too: The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, Barack Obama, Pizza, Sony Walkman, Levis, Timberland Boots, "Hamilton" (Hip-Hop Musical), "It's a Wonderful Life." 

Chuck Klosterman argued that the popular in culture is important, not necessarily good, but what is popular tells us something important about our culture and the people in it. Still, I can't shake that Mad Magazine Headline: "Eat shit. 50 Million Flies Can't Be Wrong." 

I suppose it is gratifying to see the mighty fall, to see that gravity & reality still do exist. These stories of popular people imploding before our very  eyes can be fun to watch. Turns of out so many of the popular people in our culture, our politics, high finance, etc. are totally corrupt, greedy shits. This seems to be the time of recknoning on so many levels.

Our current President is testing the theory beautifully. Popular with a large segment of folks, and then using his power by totally setting everything on fire. How quickly can the fickle finger of fate turn? Turns out electing one of the dumbest fucks on the planet is a sort of counterproductive move for pretty much everyone else. It seems that incompetence, corruption, stupidity, American Concentraiton Camps, ICE murdering Citizens, Deporting Grandmas & Children, crashing the economy, pointless wars, Tariffs on all our products &  allies, building monuments to himself, stealing money, trashing our government, punishing the common ones at every turn, NOT VERY POPULAR!

This November let the forces of Opposition Rise & Flourish!

Vibe-Casting: Breaking Bad...

Folk #1: Vibe-casting this morning. It's sort like mental spit-balling. My attenna are up and tuned into the wobbly state of everything here in the USA. Seems to me everything is breaking bad. Yes the vibe is decidedly putrid. I know, that may be an overly broad generalization. But, really, it seems very apt & on-target. The bottom is falling out. The sky is falling. Car-crashes around every corner. The Fat Lunatic's brain is dissembling at an accelerating pace. The ooze of corruption is a raging toxic river that has jumped the banks & is sliming vast sectors of our politics, finance and culture. Oil shocks. Forever Wars. The GOP, the Idiot Party, dismantling government by & for the people. The Creeps nominally in charge are acting very, very stupidly; super-greedy fucks totally out their league & out of control. The natives are getting restless. "Throw the bums out," is an impulse brewing across the land. Since we are supposedly still living in a Democracy (hanging on by a thread, on life-support), the common ones will soon be casting votes. The GOP & MAGA Cult have reached an end-point. They ran out of ideas long ago. Hate & Tax Cuts for the Wealthy can only go so far. They are colliding with a very real wall. Maybe an electoral bloodbath is brewing? The vibe reads in the affirmative on that front: Yes. Bloodbath. A cascade of failure. A certain kind of political death. And then, some kind of progressive movement of renewal? Yes. I see all the carnage clearly, and still, I can't help but conjure up a glimmer of spiky, gnarly, Hope...

Synching with the Times...

Folk #1: Yes. Still dealing with a nasty cold, and it has seemed to synch me with the times in which we live. I am feeling skeptical, gnarly, spiky, torn & frayed, recalcitrant, unruly, oppositional, pissed off, uncooperative, resistant, firey, revolutionary, porcupine-like, radical, open to change, fucking angry, flinty, lit up & ready to stir shit up. What is happening here? I am against it with extreme prejudice!

Football & Music...

Folk #1: Derailed by a bug, a germ. Being in close proximity to other Human Beings can be detrimental to one's health. People; they are the solution & the problem. Even if you take precautions, wash your hands frequently, eat well, sleep fairly well, etc, talking, and hanging out with, other Human Beings can be a crapshoot. I came down with a little garden-variety cold, but it really knocked me out. I spent most of yesterday afternoon in a comfy chair, watching the Chicago Bears Offense dominate the other team in North Carloina. Seems the Bears really have a Quarterback, a great Coach, a powerful Offense, and a fairly-lame Defense. It's gonna make for a spicy season. Football, I suppose, it's one my 'guilty pleasures." I know it's a violent game, "every play is a car crash," there's all the over-amped hoopla and hype, but I come from a long ancestral line of Chicago Bear fans. It almost seems like a familial duty to check in, keep the tradition alive.

I am a Zen Football fan. I don't bet on games, I don't have a Fantasy Football Team. I try to be clear-eyed, clear-headed. Not too emotionally over-wrought. One my tools for the Zen approach to a game, turn the sound down, and put on a mix of great albums. I ride the vibe of the music while I watch the game. It's a distancing techniquie. Super-enjoyable!

So, what the was the  soundtrack for the afternoon? A 5-CD mix set to "random play." Featuring a few of the greatest vocalists of any era: Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Jeff Tweedy & Wilco, Ray Charles, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. It really, really worked. The game was a kick, the music was a much needed booster shot. That's entertainment, folks...

"Perception is NOT Reality..."

Folk #1: Battles every day, or as PT Anderson's movie put it: One Battle After Another. 

There's "Perception is Reality" vs "Perception is Not Reality." Much of our culture,  social media, AI wants us to believe the former & not the latter, but really, reality trumps perception every time. "Can I believe my lying eyes & ears?" Often not. We now live in a land where everyone lies, and they do it for fun & fortune. Empires of Wealth & Power are built on major edifices of lies. One needs to spend an inordinate amount of time, parsing thru the lies, trying to get to the nub of things. Reality is out there for sure, sometimes you need to cut thru the fog, the glitter, the B.S. the hype, the PR, the smiling, glad-handing experts who excel at casting spells  & clouds of unknowing. Worlds of fantasy & whimsy. Some of this is just fucking entertainment, but there is a deadly serious side to it all too. An existential attack & a pernicious undermining of the real. 

How to fight it all? 

Discipline. Caution. A healthy skepticism. A determination to see clearly, and to know that your own perceptions are suspect, and can sometimes be wildly misleading. Question everything. Especially your self. Not as a contrarian asshole, but as a truth-seeker & truth-teller, knowing there are limits to everything, including your own understanding. Best to start from "Beginner's Mind - Shoshin," "I know nothing, I wonder what the fuck is going on here?" Also, one must be open to changing one's mind in the face of facts & evidence, anything that contradicts one's initial impressions and fundamental biases. I am not saying it's an easy way forward, but, I do believe it's really essential  to live up to a code of trying one's best to live in the real.

Death Cults & End Points...

 

Folk #1: MAGA is a death cult, just like all of the other death cults. Think of Jim Jones & Jonestown, drinking the Kool-aid. Hitler and his evil cabal. David Koresh in Waco Tx. Charles Manson and his Family. Often these cults end in suicide, or a confrontation that leads to a certain end. The rest of us can hope that the cult will get to the end-point before they reap too much chaos, death & idiocy. We are in the end-stages of MAGA. It's gonna be a car-crash, a break-up  a break-down. The rest of us must carry-on and try to rebuild, reset, reboot, remake. Leave the hate and death behind. Those dead-enders face a grim future. Accontability,  responsibility, & a reckoning with reaity.

Zen Caretaker...

Folk #1: Being caretaker of a stately manor in the Heartland. Actually a couple stately manors. One quite old, one quite new-ish, decidely modern. In charge of a big estate on a frequent schedule when the globe-trotting owners are away, and they are often away. Taking care, living with adorable, little furry beasts. It's a job. A responsibility. The key is to be super-Zen in everything. Thinking of The Way of the Samarai. Watch every step, every breath; be aware, step lightly, live gently. Sure, take charge when you are in charge. Still, every action, every step, is in service to one's retainer. All actions are a sacrifice, and a ritual of service. No lopping heads, think of a Peaceful, totally-woke, Samarai. A wielder of leashes, dancing thru the neighborhood with a pack of Zen-like dogs. Collect the mail, coordinate with the landscapers, the cleaning crew, the plant people, the compost guy, the garbageman, the pool guy. Trouble-shoot flooding, power outages, generator fails. There is a whole little ecosystem built around, and supporting, the manor. Then vanish into thin air. Leave no trace, no evidence, no hint, that you were ever there. Not a speck, not a hair, not a spot, nor a cushion out of place. Erase yourself from the picture completely. That's the Zen aspect. Being there when you are called on to be there, and vanishing, when you are not. This kind of Existence resonates with simple, sustained, authenticity. A job in which you must be your best self always, and then, let it all disappear, give it all up, with no regrets, no tears, no gripes, nothing in which to hold. No needing, wanting, grasping. You retreat back to your humble abode. And reset. 

Getting to "No..."

Folk #1: "Defiance." Yes. It comes naturally to me: recalcitrant, gnarly, spiky, willing to play Devil's Advocate.  Sometimes, being defiant, just for the fuck of it. Defying authority. Sure. That has been in my kit-bag from the beginning. These days, defiance is a sure-fire, go-to mode. So much of what's going down just doesn't sit right with me. I often feel out of place, out of time. You know, maybe living in a different time-line? Certainly in a different head-space. I tend to be open to new ideas, but can easily dismiss the raging tsunami of  B.S. ripping through the culture these days. Engaged in long-form improvisation day to day. Trying times for sure. I say fuck these people, and damn the torpedoes. Finding my self, my own gnarly way, alive, aware, awake, toiling away in the fields of opportunity. Declaring "No," with an unbridled enthusiasm; it can be a powerful, enabling choice, & oh, so very satisfying to employ in these dire times.

A Furious Dance...

Folk #1: Hell. I am not an alarmist, just a thinking person, stuck in the middle of a world of alarmists. Still, I have an unpeaceful, uneasy feeling that something major, major is gonna go down. Funny. I can't pinpoint it. Look around. and anyone can see there are many pressure points, hot-spots, bad actors, negative trends. There is bad shit going down every day. Still, that's not it. I have a vague premonition, one without a name or subject. Is it something expected or unexpected? I don't know. I surmise it's something world-changing, mind-blowing, maybe apocalyptic, catastrophic, or at least something that will be undeniable for anyone paying attention. Is anyone paying attention? I am not saying "the end is near,"  that seems foolish, but I do think we humans will be compelled to rethink much of what we take for granted. We have been hurtling thru our days at a super-fast, accelerating clip; the world is in a furious dance. There is a day a time sitting out there on the near horizon. I suppose it is a day of reckoning, or a day of chickens coming home to roost. I don't think it has anything to do with a god, or an extraterrestrial alien invasion. Although, who knows?!  I am more in the camp of this being something of our own doing, a major self-sabotage, a total fuck-up with consequences for many of us. Yikes. Is it gonna be fun? Depends on how you define fun.

Woke Working Folks...

Folk #1: My partner & I are working stiffs, and come from a long line of working stiffs. Woke working stiffs. Happy to have jobs, able to work, making an honest buck, happy to be woke too. You know, fully Alive, Aware, Awake. 

Labor Day 2026 we both had a day off. We did lots of goofing off. Riding bikes on the lakefront. Lazing on the grassy knoll, looking across the lake at the shimmering Emerald City a tiny city of toy skyscrapers way off in the distance. Eating vegetarian Beyond Meat sausages (no animals were sacrificed in preparation of  this meal) (yes, that's woke), and saueted potatoes for lunch. 

Then, we decamped to our secret garden, played CDs (Steely Dan, Mono, Fontaines D.C.)  on our amazingly great Sony boombox & left most of the drama & trauma behind. We marveled at the geese honking and flapping in the blue sky overhead. We watched a tiny little spider building a silky web, yes, we were entertained and amazed by that little spider tossing irredescent, silky threads, pool-side, from one metal handrail to another. The spider web was an intricate, complex, gorgeous thing. Talk about working for a living, working for the next meal. That spider showed us the value of the doing good work, one silky thread at a time. 

We sipped non-alchoholic drinks (yes, that's for sure woke), & sat in silence for long stretches of time. Time seemed to stand still. The day just elongated.

We were still talking about, & laughing at, that white, middle-aged, prosperous-looking woman who accosted my partner the day before. It was at the local Trader Joe's. My partner stopped to give some change to a young girl (from a marginalized segment of the population),  panhandling at the entrance of the store. My partner & I always give money to the panhandlers (men, woman, mothers with children, men with children). Sometimes it's quite the scene. It's part of our shopping routine. We are even casual friends with some of the needy folks, chatting, laughing, talking about the weather, and the spooky, uncertain ways of the world. 

The store is a popular location for down on their luck folks asking for money. The woman walking behind my partner shouted: "That's just like you woke people, rewarding bad behaviour." My partner was stunned, and firmly silent. She gave that woman a stern look in return. The woman then marched into the store, stormed over to the store manager and complained about the panhandler. The manager replied: "She has a right to be there."

Why were we laughing? 

We couldn't imagine the thought-train of being against lending a helping hand, reaching in a pocket for some small change, an easy gesture of kindness & care extended to one of our fellow human beings. Why was that young girl asking for money? Really? Who knows? Bad luck, unfortunate decisions, trying circumstances, self-sabotaging habits, accidents, trials & tribulations, the hurly-burly of life, difficult childhood, an inordinate amount of trauma & drama, you know, I mean, whatever. A person who appears to be in need. Treat them kindly. Not such a big ask, or heavy burden.

WTF?!

You know, we fall back on those two old Biblical-style ideas "There but for the Grace of God, Go I."  "Do unto others as would have them do unto you." And one we coined ourselves:  "We are all one catastrophe away from catastrophe." Empathy & compassion are good, necessary drugs. We see ourselves in the faces & places of other people. We aren't really even church-y people. Small acts of kindness, that just seems like a logical & rational way forward; we imagine a world of kindness, care, & generosity, I mean that is the world we certainly want & hope get to live & to thrive in.

Anyway, yes, it's good to know, and to live by, the ideas & actions you are aligned with, and to know & walk awary from what you don't really believe in at all. Embrace: Love, Kindness, Genrosity, Compassion, Empathy, Reject: Hate, Racism, Selfishness, Greed, Cruelty.  

It was a very good day. No labor, all casual goofing off. Good medicine for the headspace & the heart & spirit too.