A Culture Unhinged...

Folk #1: I am amazed, and super-surprised, that I appear (to myself), as more disciplined, more dignified, more circumspect, more level-headed, more gracious, more tempered, more even-keeled, more optimistic, more cultured, more full of good cheer, more grateful, more empathetic, more compassionate, & less fucked up than many, or even most, of the folks getting attention in the broader world; in politics, business, pop culture, social media, etc. I am thinking of folks who are supposedly more successful, smarter, more accomplished, powerful, influential, lauded & praised, than me. I mean, I know, that is a self-flattering, totally outrageous, unsupportable assertion & opening sentence; it is a bald-faced, over-arching generality. And it is not a statement I can back up with facts or proof. Also, I have usually thought of myself, observed myself, being a very sensitive, rambunctious, excitable boy, subject to the never-ending slings & arrows & hurly-burly of existence. But, over here, sitting in my own little bubble of silence, I am astounded by the sheer depravity of other people, those stupefying, noisy hordes who seem totally undisciplined, undignified, unhinged, and completely fucked up beyond any common sense, or semblance of reality. A noisy bubble of babel intent on getting attention, and saying, & doing, the most self-sabotaging, retrograde, idiotic, soul-killing things imaginable. It is gob-smackingly ridiculous. It's like watching and listening to a world gone mad, totally bonkers, watching other folks drive themselves, & each other, completely insane with idiocies, conspiracies, and disgusting trolleries. I am smart enough to know that I don't have all, or any, of the the answers, I don't always have my shit together, I have my foibles, & quirks, failures, blindnesses, and moments of total folly. As a result, I am humbled by my own deep human-ness. But I see a culture fantasitcally unhinged. And it is sort of shocking.

Partying with the Great Gatsby Crowd - Thoughts of A Better Way...

Folk #1: Post-party (see previous post), I think of William Blake's poem, Auguries of Innocence, the key passage:

Every night and every morn

Some to misery are born.

Every morn and every night

Some are born to sweet delight.

Some are born to sweet delight,

Some are born to endless night.

Hell. Not everyone can be a Hedge Fund Manager. Do we really need Hedge Fund Managers? Not sure. Not everyone can be a landscaper, dog-walker, or house-cleaner. Do we really need lanscapers, dog-walkers & house cleaners? Not sure.

Each of us are on singular paths. I suppose the question we all need to ask ourselves: Can each of us find sweet delight in moments of our days? Even if for some us our days are filled with toil & struggle.

Living in a Democracy, we are captivated with the idea that we can all thrive & prosper, we can use the tools of government to make sure that all people are treated equally & with dignity. As one of my favorite politicians, AOC put it: Every billionaire is a policy failure. You know, it's takes a village to create a billionaire. How many public programs went into the creation of the wealthy? There are no self-made men or women. There is plenty of money floating around. And remember, money is just a game we play. Can we build a society where no child goes hungry, no human is homeless, all of us get a basic education, and access to healthcare, no-one is left behind & treated like "garbage." Aren't social programs smart investments in the people?

If you are a billionaire I suppose being a Libertarian makes sense. They want to keep every last dime they ever made and really don't want to share. Alternatively, most of the rest us can see the value in Socialism, instead of just lionizing the rich and punishing the poor, we see that a more equitable distribution of resources would be better for all.

Is that common-sense? Utopia? A worthy goal?

I suppose, partying with the The Great Gatsby Crowd, reminded me of that French Revolutionary Motto: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. It's a balancing act. A continual working out, a striving forward to a better day for all.

In our capitalist economy there are winners & losers. It's true. There are those with so much, those with so little. The haves & the have nots. Maybe we can tilt the machine slightly? Redistribute the wealth a bit? In order to create a fair & just society? We set up the rules, we can use those rules to make the world a better place for the maximum amount of humans. Those with so much, give up a little, to help the those with so little. Not such a radical idea.  Seems like the humanistic way forward. Viva La Revolution!

American Variety Peasants...

Folk #1: It was instructive. Undeniable. A bit intimidating & deflating. We went to a party last night and were confronted with unfathomable, unimaginable wealth. The kind of in-your-face, over-amped wealth that you just can't get your head around. How does anyone make this much money to to be able to inhabit such extravagance & luxury? Not exactly dictator-chic, too classy for that ugly Mar A Lago type grossness, but absolutely maximum luxury fortified with Hedge-fund mad money. Yes. Hedge-fund $$. An astoundingly large, over-built, mansion, sitting in a prime spot, right on the shore of Lake Michigan, surrounded by, hidden behind, an enormous impenetrable stone wall, almost castle-like, a vast front yard, and Olympic sized, outdoor pool. The house itself was super-sized, as if  it was built for a extended family, or really, an unwieldy tribe of giants. You could comfortably fit our apartment in their living room. Gorgeous art on the walls, sculptures, a grand piano, a woman playing classical pieces, jazz pieces and show tunes too. Servants walked around with fancy bites of food, a well-stocked bar with a smiling bartender. We were surrounded by very accomplished, prestigious folks. The kind of folks who sit on boards of major companies, folks who work at places like the Federal Reserve. Architects, Hedge Fund folks, Economists, Corporate Executives. These are all made, solid-gold people. Definitely "the Haves." We did not belong there. My partner and I are folks from the margins, the working stiff class. We were welcomed with open arms, but, no doubt, we felt a bit like circus-people, you know fish out of water. These are our neighbors, we see them out on the streets and paths often, but this was a revelation, and a reminder, that the rich really do live in a different world. We think that in America we all somehow transcend class, and it is true, we were all in the same room together, speaking a common tongue but, for sure, economically, materially, worlds & realities apart. Some of our worries, you know, feeding, clothing, & housing ourselves, basic survival-type things, aren't really concerns for these folks.  In many ways we are in totally different galaxies, that just so happen to be situated side by side in our town. I mean, we live blocks away in the "apartment living" part of town. We didn't talk politics, or current events, we stuck to dogs, music & literature. Safe harbor topics. These folks belong in a Henry James novel, or you know The Great Gatsby, we belong in a Samuel Beckett play. The party could have, but didn't, send us into a deep existential crisis, ok, maybe a little hint of an existential crisis, I mean, wtf, we didn't feel any envy, or ill-will towards these folks but we also couldn't avoid the idea that we are not on the winning side of the equation, we are on the outside looking in, still walking, talking & breathing, but, for sure, holding the short end of the stick. You can't really fault these folks for being super-wealthy & super-accomplished. They are truly the economic winners in our capitalist fanstasy-land. But it was overwhelming, & quite humbling for us to see all of this up close & personal. My partner & I, we both come from a long line of working-stiffs, folks who were lucky to just make it day to day, often paycheck to paycheck. We are clingers to the moment;  common folk, not exactly have-nots, but, basically adequately-housed & fed peasants, American-variety lower-class, peasants, just one catastrophe from catastrophe. And, well, that's our reality, and it's ok. I mean, it has to be...

A Lab Project in Flux...

I am reminded again, we humans are basically chemistry sets. Little labs of chemicals. Getting the mix right is essential. What we ingest is consequential. The stresses, worries, anxieties of the day, the sheer physicality of getting through a day, all take their toll, and influence the chemical balance and/or imbalance in our bodies. We should all be smarter about chemistry. Everything counts. Get it right and you can flow & fly with the day. Get it wrong and you hit the wall, dead man walking. Doing research, it's a constant task and process. Experimenting on the fly. Life is a lab project in flux. 

The Reckoning Has Begun...

Folk #1: Ha. Trump is losing on many fronts now. Indiana didn't bend the knee, Kilmar walked out of detention a free man (for now),  Presidential approval ratings are diving to historically low levels, Americans are thinking they really fucked up by electing this old, very sick man. Funny how electing a toxic clown good at bankrupting casinos, and pretending to be a smart guy on TV, is really, really bad at politics. Trump soon will be as popular as testicular cancer. America's cut-rate, felononious, tin-pot, faux-gold-leaf, dyed in the wool deplorable-racist, wanna be authoritarian is flailing & failing. Everyone is starting to notice. Ok, maybe not the hard-core, zombie, MAGA hordes, or the retro-anti-human Nazis, but you know, every other sentient human being can see that this very bulbous, brain-fried man is out of his element, out to sea, drowning in his own hate-filled idiocy. The Reckoning is happening now. Expect lots of huffing & puffing, noise, and bad-action, but it's all for a losing cause. Sure, the guy gets to live in that very trashed and sullied White House, but he is the lamest of lame ducks, he is dead-man walking. Even folks in the Republican party realize that in order to survive, they need to turn away from that great white whale of failure. The blubbering words will still emanante from his greasy lips, but most of us will tune that shit out. America will move forward and leave that piece of shit in the dustbin of history. Mark it!

Teetering on the Brink...

Folk #1: I am no financial wizard. I don't invest in the market. I don't have any great insights. I do follow a few smart people, economists, & market-watchers, who do know how the economy and the markets work. I do tune into the vibes, & I do have my eyes wide open. I see all of these flim-flam folks; the grifters, the con-men, the scammers, the disrupters, the over-amped billionaires, the AI lunatics, all those filthy rich folks throwing around billions of dollars like confetti. They all think they are geniuses and they believe that they play by different rules, or no rules at all, unlike us common folk. They have turned the USA into some creepy, glitzy casino of bad faith and corruption. Some of us watch in wonder & awe. Some of us watch in horror. If, like me, you believe in gravity & reality & common sense, you begin to suspect that all of this furious hurly-burly, panicky spending and crazed-investment in a hazy, lazy future of robots, colonization of Mars, and an AI singularity, is just fever-dream, ketamine-driven, cocaine-hallucinating dribble. What is the sentence of the day? I am not making any dire predictions. Who knows what the future holds? But the phrase ping-ponging in my head: Teetering on the Brink of Bust & Bankruptcy. And as in Shakespeare's Macbeth, I say: Let it Come Down...

His Brain is an Exploding Jello-Mold...

Folk #1: Yes. Again, Paul Krugman gets it right. We all have PTSD now. What's the problem? It comes down to one very sick, corrupt, racist, deplorable man in a position of great power. It is pretty amazing that all of the flaws, sins, idiocies, and crimes of America are embodied in one man, but it is undoubtably true. Weird how that happened. We are assaulted every day by his actions, his words, his example. He is totally bonkers now, seems his brain is turning to mush, an exploding jello-mold, and he spouts vile words like a very toxic volcano. He has no discipline, no control. He is a raging, drooling abomination. He is unhinged, and out of touch. The American Dream is just a plaything for him. He has no idea how to do his job. Funny. We, at one time, were the envy of the world. A shining city on the hill. All that has evaporated under this fat-freak's thumb. Of course, most of the country is at odds with all of this madness. This very powerful man isn't powerful enough to crush the opposition. In fact, every word he utters now enegerizes the opposition. He isn't all there. Which is his fatal flaw, the flaw that will ultimately crush him. Which is some kind of beauty. The fatal flaw, the ultimate sabotage is actualized by his own cruelty, meaness, idiocy, and deep ignorance of America, the Constitution & the Rule of Law. Most of us know he is a sad excuse of a Human Being not worthy of our time. 

Full-Metal-Stoic...

Finally. You are left with just the day to day slogging through. You must draw upon your inner Stoic to make it. Whining, complaining, raging against your fate is just wasted energy, energy that you need to survive. "Living a well-reasoned Life;" a worthy goal. Even if sometimes the Universe doesn't appear to care a whit for one's reasoning. Is the Universe reasonable? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe beyond Human Reason? Still, even if things don't make sense, even if "bad things," happen, death lurks around every corner, innocent children die, the evil ones thrive & face no consequences, even if sometimes it seems that Chaos Rules, the honorable, admirable way forward is to be a fully-rounded, fully-engaged Human Being gravitating to, aspiring to, living a life of Stoic Virtue. Full-Metal-Stoic. No doubt.

The Moment...

Monday morning. Up early. Still dead-black-dark outside, no hint of the sun. The coffee is really good, and it's doing it's job, which is to fire up my synapses, get the brain waves rocking, fortifying myself to face a challenging day out on the very cold, snowy, icy, midwestern streets. The cold & snow makes everything a little bit harder.

Feeling sort of philosophical this morning. Thinking about the Past, it's sort of a strait-jacket, but it is malleable. You can't change what happened in your life, but you certainly can change how you feel and think about it. And, you can let it all go. Ease up, inhabit the moment, and surprisingly, that strait-jacket just falls to the floor.

It is the same trick with the Future. You know, supposedly there will be a Future. But you never quite get there. It's always just the moment to moment. The present is always with us. The Past & Future are just mind-games we play on ourselves.

So yeah, long way around to one of my essential life-lessons and core beliefs: Be Here Now. Everything is Now. It is actually quite a Hopeful & Powerful realization, it is all about living in the present moment. It is where things actually happen, shit gets done,  it is where you have agency, ability & capability; you control the horizontal and the vertical. You condense that vast spectrum of Life into the very essential Moment.

The Power of Reading & Writing...

Folk #1: Reading & writing. Might be a super-power. I mean, I am no Shakespeare, Faulkner or Hemingway but I love to read & write. It is a past-time that I swim in happily. Over the last few days I was implicated in a weird conspiracy. Falsely accused; which is one of my hot-button issues. Maybe there is some deep in the bone trauma from when I was a youngster? Injustice. It really fires me up, it goes along with my loathing of bullies of every stripe. So, anyway, maybe it was just a little innocent misunderstanding, but I took it as an deep existential blow to the core of my being. Overly-dramatic? Maybe, but, you know, I am just built that way. So, what to do? I composed a little missive, arguing my case, presenting my truth & reality, and I fired it off to a very important person in charge. Basically the judge & jury. My few well-chosen, well-composed words and sentences made the whole thing evaporate & vaporize. The field was totally cleared. The madness was exposed as folly. My perceived nemesis was revealed, vanquished, and their conspiracy-theory was dismissed as an overly-emotional and paranoid rant. Of course, as completely empathetic folks we took pity on the ranter, & have shown nothing but kindness to this person. I was pretty happy & surprised at the immediate result. You never know how the thud of truth will be received. Anyway, that is the power of words. Clarity. Clear-seeing. Reading & writing, yes, a super-power indeed.

Denial - Grave Peril...

Folk #1: Yeah. The thing is, denial  can be a powerful tool & maybe it's sort of like a drug. You use it in times of hardship, or distress. You use it to power through difficult circumstances, you know, like that Vince Lombardi line: when the going gets tough, the tough get going. But, then again, like any tool it is a double-edged sword. Denying reality is basically lying to your self. Do that enough, and you put yourself in grave danger. You put yourself in peril because of a deep, in the bone mismatch between your self and the world. That is the way of madness, lunacy, self-sabotage & self-harm. If a society, a culture, a politics is founded on deep denial of reality, it is a failed, and immoral society, culture and politics. Remember those old maps: YOU ARE HERE? We all here, now. "Danger Will Robinson!"

Do they admit that they murdered folks for no good reason? Nope.

Folk #1: "The tone has been set. Even if you are tone-deaf it is easy to grasp the tone. Can you grasp a tone? Ha. Messy, right. What is the tone of which I am writing? Lying. The tone is lying. Over & over & over. These folks lie about the little things, the middle things, the big things. Everything. You have video evidence of murder on the high seas? Do you trust your eyes? Your senses five? What do the liars do in the glare of a clear & present reality? Do they admit that they murdered folks for no good reason? Nope. They lie. Lie. Lie. They double, triple, quadruple down on the lies. What do the rest of us to do? Call out the lies, point out lies, look to other folks who are willing to look reality in the face. Does reality have a face? Let's imagine that is does. Reality. It's homespun. It's expansive. It is cold, hard, necessary, essential. Life is to be found in the real. These lying human beings now in power are not credible. They are hollow fools, and bad actors. They are swamping us. Destroying any shared sense of reality or truth. It is a deadly, stupid, corrupt game they are playing. The rest of can choose a different way forward & we must. What do we cling to? Clear-seeing. Sifting thru the evidence and the clues. Doing our best to establish the facts. Being brave in the face of contrary indications. You know reality is an unforgiving companion. We must be willing to admit that we are human and fallible and forge forward with a desire and an imperative to live honestly. It's a full-time job."

"Rotting Head Phase of the American Experience..."

Folk #1: "That fat, old, racist, extremely unhinged & unhealthy white guy ranting & raving in the oval office? Lying about a community of Somalis in Minnestoa? About 95% of them U.S. Citizens? Spouting, ugly racist idiocy? Yikes. There is no bottom to that man's despicable nature. Made me think of that phrase: "The Fish Rots from the Head." We are now in the "rotting head phase of the American Experience." And what of all those lickspittles, spineless lackeys, morally corrupt toadies standing around while that creep babbled such ugly nonsense? They all should be ashamed of themselves. Each & every one of them should have walked out in protest. They didn't, instead, they stood around like deer-in-the-headlights, racist zombies, grinning assholes, which tells you everything you need to know about these people."

State of the Union - "Laughable, Tragic, Unwell..."

Folk #1: Let me jump in with an early take on the State of the Union. Laughable, Tragic, & Unwell.  The only Hope for us all is to be found in the Oppostion. As they say, "we need fighters," the nation's lonely eyes turn to the Democratic Party. 

BTW - Please check out this speech & press conference from Arizona Senator Mark Kelly. If you are an engaged American Citizen, this is "must-watch." Mark Kelly absolutely destroys Trump and Hegseth. A complete, totally devastating takedown of those two very corrupt, ridiculous, dishonorable men. Kelly is a legit, real, American Hero. Fearless. Now that's the kind of smart, tough-minded, clarity we need in order to remake and renew the American Dream. 

Now for the Great Unraveling...

It might be hard to believe, but I think things are about to get even weirder. "Chaos Rules." You know, the case of murder on the high seas, may lead to some major consequences for all involved. That is the way it is supposed to work. But the folks in power are so corrupt, so distant from any sense of competency, decency, integrity, truth, and honor, that things may just go majorly tilt. Funny how reality, just won't give up. Figure lots of gnashing of teeth, pounding the table, rage-posts, crazy ass rants on cable TV, lots of hurly-burly, scapegoating, finger-pointing, gaslighting. The rats will turn on each other. It may quickly get really ugly. I can see lots of things devolving & unraveling on many fronts. It's a dangerous time to be in the USA. No-one in charge really knows "shit from shinola." Could get really scary. That seems to be the lay of the land at the moment.  Yikes.

Patti with Death On Her Shoulder...

I finished reading Patti Smith's "Bread of Angels" (2025). It is a beautiful, "death-haunted," memoir. I suppose if you live long enough you too will become "death-haunted." Death is sort of the mystery that envelops every life. Those of us still living must contend with the reality and finality of death in our own particular ways. Patti reaches out to the mystery & the poetry. It's admirable, inspiring and deeply sad too. I was happy to read the book, and also happy to finish it. Patti lost some of her most significant lovers, inspirers, and co-conspirators early on. And she lost many more significant & influential folks over the years. She pays tribute to all those who gifted her along the way. An extraordinary life. The r&r shaman & poet. I recently purchased the 50th Anniversary Edition of her debut album "Horses." (1975). The remaster CD sounds fantastic. One of the greatest debut albums of all time with probably, for me, the greatest opening lines of all time. Certainly lines that made this lasped-Catholic boy sit up and take notice. Yes. Head-opening. A glorious liberation: "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine..."  The lines that follow are epic too: "... my sins are my own... they belong to me... to me..." Very Jean Paul Satre "existentialist," don't you know?! And then throughout her rendition of the classic r&r song, "Gloria," Patti adopts the persona of a very insistent & aggressive rebellious-tomboy, on the hunt for a pretty young thing, "leaning on the parking meter, humping on the parking meter," or maybe she's imagining embodying a creative, rebellious, rambunctious boy, something along the lines of a young, surrealist-cowboy-mouth Dylan or an illminated Arthur Rimbaud? You know, totally, fucking extraordinary, mind-expanding r&r, right up there with Dylan's great album "Highway 61 Revisited" (1965).

Degradation Marathon...

Have we hit bottom in the degradation marathon? Murder. Blowing away fishing boats & fishermen in the Carribean. One humble, sort of optimistic pilgram wonders if, as Roger Waters once sang about a different topic: "The Tide Turning." Word is a Senate & a House Committee are calling for hearings. Now that is an interesting development. Folks are beginning to speak up. Questions are being asked. Cracks in the firmament. What looks like a solid, unstoppable fascist takeover, now seems shaky, stupid, unAmerican. Are the forces of opposition reaching ignition-point? Who knows?! One can hope. Seems plausible that this old, toxic, multiple-felon Prez is losing his shit & his mojo. Does the fall come in a rush? Slow at first, then all at once? I can see it, I can conjure up the picture. Of course I've been thinking & expecting a fall for a long, long time. I was godsmacked the first time, and double-gobsmacked since. Is there a bottom to the corruption, the crime-spree, the idiocy, the unapologetic racism and ill- will? Will we actually hit bottom and then rise up? Not sure. Wouldn't it be nice?

Oh yeah, and well, don't forget...

The Crimes of the Trump Administration...

If you are paying attention, you come to the grim realization that this administration is committing crimes in our names. Unfortunately, even those of us who are deeply opposed to this lawless cabal running the USA are implicated too. It was the same with the Bush/Cheney Torture Regime. All of us are slimed & stained by the crimes against humanity.

Let's just put a marker down. Sure, there are so many ways we are going wrong, but let's not ever forget these crimes:

1. Destroying USAID, leading to thousands (millions?) of deaths around the world.

2. Murdering fisherman in the Carribean.

3. Snatching, disappearing & abusing humans in streets of America. Day laborers, landscapers, teachers, food service workers, folks who have helped make America a thriving, wonderful place.

4. Destroying healthcare in America for millions. Taking health insurance away from common folk. Lying about vaccines. Unconscionable. Idiotic too.

Not acceptable. Those in the administration who are reponsible must face the consequences of their actions in a court of law. It will be an essential reckoning in the next administration.

Waiting on a Friend...

Waiting on a friend. That is me. Often. And when I am, I do hear and sing along with that Rolling Stones song. Yesterday my friend and I met up and had a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner at just around noon. It was fabulous, everything you could want or imagine. We filled ourselves up with food, and then hung out together. We chatted, tried to avoid talking about the fascist regime, and stuck to philosophy, music and our days of wonder together. We watched Spike Lee's amazing and dazzling new movie starring Denzel Washington, "Highest 2 Lowest," (2025). Is it a fucking great movie? Yes, indeed, it is.  My friend told me she had a "visionary dream," the night before. We often tell eachother, right before we go to sleep, "Let's get an answer," it seems the previous night she did. What was the answer? "Change Your Mind." We both thought that was brilliant advice. A message from the gods & angels. It can applied in so many ways, and in any situation. Sort of a superpower. We have the ability to transform ourselves & the world in a blink of an eye. The human mind is sort of an amazing thing, it should be used, it is flexible, strong, and open. But of course, it's left up to us to decide what is worthy of changing, and what is worth sticking to. I immediately ran thru many of my own personal beliefs & prejudices, lazy thoughts, and tentative answers. I imagined a menu sort of like a stone tablet. What will I chisel in stone? What will I erase? Maybe I could start over from scratch? Roll away the stone and instead write on the waves, or in the breeze with invisible ink. Yes. 

Fascinated by Terrible People = Not Good...

A culture fascinated by terrible people has it's downsides, like filling one's head with silly garbage, and over-amped deadly shite. We should all be better curators of information. There is only so much territory in our head-spaces. We are doing our well-being, our intelligence, and our good cheer, a major disservice when we wallow in the bullshit. Taking in vast quantities of terribleness is not healthy or good, or smart. The trick is to seek clarity. Sometimes that means turning away, shunning, and disregarding those stories and humans that don't deserve our attention. There are many, many of those. Too many of course, and these freaks and their freaky shite, are elevated, and broadcast to us obliterating our common sense & decency. A disciplined & studied avoidance, "serpentine, serpentine," is essential. You don't have to watch, to read, to listen to, all the petty, stupid, dangerous, ridiculous idiocy, floating in the air. Sure, stay aware, alive, awake, but sinking into the mire of terribleness is not a way to a better life. You can pick and choose what you pay attention to. I think best to adopt Melville's Bartelby the Scrivener credo: "I would prefer not to..." Much of this soul-killing hurly-burly & jet-trash does not merit our precious time or brain cells.

Following Your Bliss, Over the Cliff...

I am not really a "moralist" - I don't have a set of rules & forms that I think everyone should follow. You know, I am more of a "different strokes for different folks," type of philosopher. I suppose if I were to sum up my own personal credo, it would be something like: Be Good, Kind, Gracious. Lean to the light. Don't fuck over other people. Find the things you love to do, and try to fill your life with those things. You know, Joseph Campbell's great advice: "Follow Your Bliss."

It is very difficult and disturbing to watch folks who are clearly out to fuck over other people in positions of power and influence, running roughshod over everyone else. Watching distinctly bad people doing especially bad things for celebrity, dollars, power and kicks. And these decidedly corrupt, ugly-souled Humans getting away with shit, with no consequences. It's bad juju for all the rest of us. Sure, now that I think of it, these folks are probably following their bliss, it's just that their bliss comes out of dominating, cheating, and pummeling other folks. These are pathological cases elevated.

So it's a sick & twisted version of Campbell's directive. Aye there's the rub. Not everyone wants to just get along, not everyone wants to live and let live. That's the conundrum of being a Human Being in a very Human world. The evil-doers often win, and expect everyone to clap & bow.

And I am left with a very unkind, ungracious, response: Fuck that. Fuck them.

The Big Reveal...

What does social media tell us? Human Beings are not as smart as they pretend to be; they are impulsive, childish, cruel, snotty, bat-shit crazy, contradictory, self-sabotaging, raging, racist-forward, fascist-friendly, super-corrupted in their emotions and thinking. Very little common-sense, no impulse-control. I suppose its just the big reveal. Maybe not so surprising. You remember your lessons from the long-ago, deep misty mountain past; the bullies, the stupid ones, the cruelty, the meaness, the violence, bloody noses, broken-glasses laying on the playground. You always suspected there was a con-game going down, and well, it all seems so true & obvious, writ large on the internet, and in the pages of the news, all now dressed up in adulthood. And the wealthy ones, the powerful ones, those lording over the little ones, are no different, in fact, many of them (most of them?), are basically little needy creeps hiding behind their castle walls, tweeting, posting and shouting, total shite. Those talking loudest are, of course, the most broken, sick, touched & twisted.

That's How You Earn Your Wings...

"Obstacles are our wings." - Nikolay Gogol

Read the Universe as a Poem...

Yes. Reading Patti Smith's Bread of Angels (2025). Reminds me again that we live in a Universe of signs and wonders. It's best to read the Universe as a poem, and the trick is to manifest ourselves day to day, as working poets alive in the moment to moment. It's just the more soulful & inspiring way forward. I think it's a choice, and a discipline; an attitude & code for living we need to work on, and towards. Of course, this grand, epic poem is bounded, and founded upon, death, loss, disfigurement, dislocation, disappointment. That's just a Human Being being Human. We get to have it all, and lose it all too. That is the way the Universe rolls. 

Sometimes You Just Have to Laugh...

There were so many twists & turns, we just had to laugh. Deep belly laughs. So deep, so loud, so filled with untrammeled joy. Hard to explain. All the pain & tragedy unfolding around us, the streets full of danger, and under assault from an evil government agency. The Liars out in force to destroy our happy land. Then a couple unexpected, totally weird events popped up before our hungry eyes. Maybe we have been seeing things incorrectly? This really is an insane comedy. What to do? Sit back and laugh, so hard, so completely, a full body release. Exhilarating. Wild. Kooky. A sweet way to end a long & winding day.

Yes, Of Course, Refuse Illegal Orders...

“Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution. Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear: You can refuse illegal orders; you must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution. We know this is hard and that it’s a difficult time to be a public servant. But whether you’re serving in the CIA, the Army, our Navy, the Air Force, your vigilance is critical.”

You would think a video of U.S. Senators and U.S. House Reprenstatives who served in the military & intelligence services, reminding other active duty officers that they took an oath to the Constitution,  and the Law, and should, and must, refuse Illegal Orders, is obvious, common-sense, patriotic, and totally non-controversial.

Of course, this Administration immediately reacted like Fascist cry-babies. Which tells you everything you need to know about this lawless cabal in power. Everyone should watch this video. It is admirable & inspiring that these folks are speaking up. Of course, follow the Law & the Constitution. "Elementary, Dear Watson..."

Essential to Keep Our Heads, Hearts & Spirits Nurtured & Alive...

My long-time partner and co-conspirator are lucky. We write songs together. We have a band. We get to play our original songs with a group of extraordinary Human Beings and Musicians. We do it often. Our rehearsal studio is just few blocks away. We usually conduct rehearsals on Wednesdays & Saturdays. "The Band," is actually just an idea. For longest time I used to think it meant these people, now, in this room, but really, "our band," has always been a loose, and open collective of creative souls. Folks come & go. We have played with some of these folks for years, but then, if I peruse the historical record, the only constants within our band is my partner and I. You know, always be morphing, evolving, growing. Even the band concept is long-form improv. That is not to say, we are a "jam-band," we really are not. We don't jam. We always start with a song that we bring to the band pretty much fleshed-out and structured. Then we float it into room and let everyone contribute. It is a powerful, organic, method of creation. Everyone has a buy-in to the process. There is something otherworldly, and profoundly gratifying about being in a roomful of musicians all working together on one thing, at the top of their games. We give it our all, always. Our rehearsals can be an incredibly healing activity; losing ourselves in the moment of creation. There is a certain "transendence" that occurs when you no longer are conscious of your surroundings, you are lost in the vibrations of creation & collaboration. We did again yesterday, just three of us. We walked in to the room feeling a bit down, tired, frazzled  & fractured from the madness swirling around in the world, and we ended up dropping all that, once we started playing together. Instant Karma. Hard to explain. Words can't really convey the magic of it all. We almost always "get there." Drop the ego, lose consciouseness, emerge alive in the moment to moment. Just doing it. That is extraordinary. Sure, we then take our work out into the world, play shows for other folks. But it all starts & comes together in our rehearsals. Life-affirming. Healing. Really, the essential good work. I can't imagine not doing it. Keeps our heads, hearts & spirits, nurtured and alive. 

Yes. It's Epstein. Always Has Been...

Ok. That's funny. Unexpected. The House & Senate voted to RELEASE THE EPSTEIN files yesterday. Trump & his minions did everything they could think of to prevent that from happening, the Speaker of the House actually shutdown the government for 40 days to avoid the vote, but then, suddenly, everything changed. Seems no one wanted to be seen to be protecting Epstein and his friends & co-conspirators. Political Toxic Waste. No one wants to be on the Epstein white-wash team. What now?!

Reminds me of one of my go-to phrases: "A change of consciousness can happen in an instant."

A reason to believe, and to hope. Change, & Improv is built into the Universe.

Still, I can't help thinking that some fresh fuckery is a'foot. Trump really, really, really wants all of this to disappear. But he can't just wish it, or distract us, away. The political winds have shifted, suddenly the Big Bully is flailing, failing, and looking really weak, stupid, old, tired, and brain-fried. Even a few Republicans are shifting away from Trump. The Epstein Files have emerged as his kryptonite. Does he sign the bill? Does he try to sabotage, and fuck with the release?

If he signs the bill, the files, all of them, should be released. But I can't help thinking that won't happen. Trump's lackeys in the Justice Department, must be planning on pulling a fast one. Scrubbing the files of any mention of Trump, destroying evidence? Of course, destroying evidence is a crime. Funny if the original crime doesn't get you, often the conspiracy & coverup will. You must figure the cover-up will continue. But this kind of whacky conspiracy-theory never dies, it just morphs, evolves, and gets more toxic. More toxic, more prominent, and more deadly to the current Prez. Never forget Trump & Epstein were best buddies for a long time.

He is caught in a maze of his own doing. Every movement just tightens the trap around him. Where does this go next? Beats me. Inquiring Minds want to know...

Quick Hits...

1. AI Boom to go Bust? Yes. Slow at first, then in a rush.

2. The Tide is Turning from the bad to the good in America? Yes. Slow at first, then in a rush.

3. President Trump is cracking up over Epstein? Yes. Slow at first, then in a rush.

4. The Justice Department is being swallowed up by incompetence & corruption? Yes. Slow at first, then in a rush.

5. ICE & Border Control is flailing and failing and radicalizing Americans against them? Yes. Slow at first then in a rush.

6. The Lies are finally catching up to, and swamping over, the Liars? Yes. Slow at first, then in a rush.

7. Crypto is exposed as a fraud and collapses? Yes. Slow at first, then in a rush.

8. Sports gambling is exposed as a fraud and a scourge, impoverishing bettors, & major sports scandals coming? Yes. Slow at first, then in a rush.

9. Financial Market crash?! Yes. Slow at first, then in a rush.

10. Truth, Common Sense, Goodness, Kindness, Gravity, Reality will own the day? Yes. Slow at first, then in a rush.

Ha. The Great Seer sees! Mark my words!

The Fire Inside...

"The Fire Inside..."

I awoke this morning with that phrase on my lips. What does it mean? You might think just "random access memory,"  a simple phrase, bubbling up from my consciousness, signifying nothing, but if, like me, you live in a world of signs & wonders, you take those words as an insight, or maybe an encouragement, from the deep. Reminds me of that Grateful Dead song, "Fire on the Mountain," which always makes me think: get busy, time is burning.

So, yeah, yesterday, we stayed home. Never left the apartment, listened to music, I restrung my guitar, did a bit of computer troubleshooting, had a Mexican fiesta-style meal, & lots of good conversation & laughs with my partner in crime. 

We watched the latest "Frankenstein," (2025). My partner liked it, I thought it was drowning in CGI, and that the lead actor Oscar Issac was laughably miscast. I was laughing quite in bit in parts that I don't think were meant to be funny. But still, it was quite entertaining. Then I finished my day wading deep into Patti Smith's new memoir, "Bread of Angels,"  (2025). Patti is the ultimate poet. It is quite good. Totally captivating. Reminds me that the best writing is about what you put in, and what you leave out, and the best is when an author conjures up a singular vision.  Patti is not a historian, she is first and foremost an artist and poet. Very imagistic, super-inspiring read. Good food for the head.

So, yes, a day of renewal, recharging, refreshing. Feeding that fire inside, keeping the flame turned up high. Seeking the extraordinary, even in the ordinary.

Radicalized by Decency...

We saw a bumper sticker yesterday, we were on our bikes riding down the avenue. Sometimes a bumper sticker can really speak to you. This one clicked for both my partner & I: RADICALIZED BY DECENCY. Definitely. Yep. No doubt. That is where we are both at.

Of course, decency is a bit of a nebulous concept:

a: the quality or state of being decent : propriety
b: conformity to standards of taste, propriety, or quality

I suppose we know decency, when we see it, hear it, and feel it. And the opposite? We are now being swamped by indecency at every turn. What a total clusterfuck & shit-show. We are over-run by loud assholes, cretinous-Nazis, violent freaks, over-bearing-Idiots, flooded with creeps and degenerates, expounding on idiocies in every realm of our lives.

It is easy to feel overwhelmed. So yeah, radicalized into decency, silence, contemplation, simple kindness, cool-headed-ness, a cultivated, joyous demeanor, and a sunny hopeful attitude. We have been fucking radicalized into decency by the fucking deplorables, and they are legion...

A Delicious Karmic Consequence...

Ha. Who knew?! It really is all about the Epstein Files. It has always been about the Epstein Files. Whatever is in there must be extremely, totally, definitively, toxic to our totally toxic President. And they just won't go away. Sure, lots of juicy emails, but what we all really want to see are photos & videos. Release the Epstein Files! The more the President fails & flails, and as someone said, "He is drowning on every level now..." the more those files grow in power, & loom over him like a black, toxic, cloud. Super-funny. Hard to believe that it is true. For years Trump played footsie with the files, pretending he'd release them, and then, expose all the compromised folks who rubbed shoulders with Jeffery Epstein. That was at the heart and soul of all that ridiculous Q-Anon craziness. But of course, there is one person who looms larger in those files than anyone else, and it's Trump. He is not hero of the saga, but instead the cold, dark, black-hole of sin. And what of Epstein, close friend of Trump, co-conspirator, rival, albatross around Trump's neck? An interesting journey. Ha. Ha. Ha. Trump really, really, wants this scandal to disappear. The more he wishes it to go away, & tries to deflect, distract; the bigger it gets. Now, even MAGA is starting to crack up over it. Yes. MTG vs Trump: Earthquake in MAGALAND! You couldn't come up with a better fucking, totally delicious, Karmic Consequence. Jeffery Epstein, if he is watching from his prominent place in the flames of hell, must be laughing his ass off.

The Horror & the Horrible Ones are Only Going to Get Worse...

This morning I realize, and it's a scary thought, and I am not scared easily, the horror and horrible ones are only going to get worse. Yikes. That seems true. The Nazis are going to double-down on being Nazis. The rich elite are going to be more demanding & dominant. They want to rule over everyone & everything.  You think being exposed by the Jeffery Epstein Scandal will make them change their tunes? Nope. Think: Elite Impunity. They will double & triple down on their skullduggery. Being a billionaire or a trillionaire is there ticket to a cultivated terribleness. They want to be terrible, to be beyond any rules or morals. That's what they think their money & privilege means. They look at the rest of us as obstacles, as chum, as chumps, as servants. We common ones are the folks who are pushed around, abused and taken advantage of, without consequences. Holy Shite. We are in a bad place in our culture/society/politics at the moment. There are corporations, political parties, Judges, Senators, Reps all in on rallying around & protecting the Elite Scumbags. Surprising, but true. Sure. There are many more of us than them, but they hold all the levers of power and they have no decency. As Jeffery Epstein said about Donald Trump: "Not one decent cell in his body."  There are folks still clinging to that guy. Why? They want to be, or are, just like him...

A Totally Faux-Solid-Gold-Creep, Release the Epstein Files...

The redacted email above from February 2017. Jeffery Epstein emailing with Larry Summers talking about Trump.  "... not one decent cell in his body... so yes - dangerous..."  Yikes!

Well. It is funny. That dead guy, who either willingly committed suicide, or was helped in the process, just keeps coming back to haunt his old buddy. It must be maddening for our Wanna Be Authoritarian Prez. Jeffery Epstein must haunt his every waking moment, which admittedly is shrinking, lately, lots of sleeping in the middle of the day for the Prez. Every time his administration thinks they have put this story to bed it rises again. Major email dump yesterday. Lots of juicy bits. You'd have be a total idiot not to know that Mr. Wanna Be is deeply embedded in the Jeffery Epstein scandal. They were best buddies for a good chunk of time. This is one of those classic self-sabotage things. Remember how the Crazy Hard Right conjured up a vast, ugly conspiracy, a black-mail ring, hatched by Epstein, implicating rich folks around the world? And MAGA King, strangely fanned the flames?! Well, it turns out, surprise, surprise, it was true, and one those rich folks was their MAGA Beloved. Where does this go? Who knows. You'd think maybe the best thing would be to just release all the Epstein Files and lets the chips fall where they may. What is MAGA King so worried about? We know he is a creep, a totally faux-solid-gold-creep. Does it get worse? Inquiring Minds want to know!

Lies Vs. Truth...

I find myself to be a "spiritual" person, living in the material world. You know, keeping my head, gravitating to energy, spirit, creativity & navigating the real, gritty, streets every day. The last few days this has meant skating the days away on the fresh snow & ice. The real world around here is cold, hard, brittle, unforgiving; it's a bit tricky and dangerous too. Just getting around is a bit of a chore. Every step is an adventure. The goal is to stay healthy, not to fall, not to break a bone. Simple survival is front & center right now in the neo-cortex. Keeps one alert to every little thing. Making it thru in one piece is victory.

The broader picture? Lies. A blizzard of Lies. Folks (especially in the current government & in big business too), are spending lots of their time & energy Lying to us. They Lie about everything. Even the obvious, simple things, things we can easily disprove with one brain cell, one glance. It's bit mind-numbing. Totally disturbing.

Turns out the rich & powerful think their Lying to us, is essential to them. lt's their go-to tool to keep and grow their wealth & power. What a fucking, convoluted, soulless system we have created for ourselves. Rewarding the Liars. Encouraged, cajoled, brutalized to swallow the obvious Lies. We all are trained to join in; lying to ourselves, and to each other too, come on it's fun. It's way of Life, a Culture, an Industry.

Reminds me of that great John Lennon song: Gimmee Some Truth. (1971). There is the Way of Truth. Living with Truth. Seeking it out, embracing it, sending it forth into the world. Truth can be a hard, unforgiving teacher. But it's real. It is where intelligence, beauty, wisdom, poetry, & the Good Life are to be found & cultivated.

Living the Way of the Lie is total madness, a sickness, pathology, counter to Nature, a nihilistic dead-end. Seems our culture, maybe the entire species (?),  has driven itself into a mad frenzy of Lying? Are we heading to a species-wide cliff? Lying to ourselves with every forward step? Sounds apocalyptic, but rings true, just read the daily, unrelenting, onslaught of news.

Over here. One breath, one real step, at a time. Totally grounded in reality. It's not easy, but it's real, true. Very, very human. Sure, mortal, vulnerable, can fall & fail at any time. That's just the way it is... "Just Gimmee Some Truth..."

Reading the Vibes: The Vibes are Bad...

Sheesh. If you are into reading vibes, like I am, well, lately the vibes in America are reading a bit like Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian."  (1985). Yes. I powered through that difficult & extraordinary book to the end. It was not an easy read. What did I think of it? 

David Foster Wallace named it one of the five most underappreciated American novels since 1960 and "probably the most horrifying book of this century (20th), at least fiction."

I agree with David. Reading McCarthy's novel was sort an intellectual blood-letting. A reset. Gorgeous lines of descriptive, almost biblical-like prose, an unrelenting torrent of human-horror, unfolding in a hard, austere, mysterious, and  starkly wondrous landscape. Weird. 

Shit is going down in America at the moment and that is also not an easy read. A friend of mine who used to live in Turkey, said to me yesterday: "I used to think living in Turkey was bad, now here in the U.S. I think it's worse than Turkey." Yikes.

8 Democratic Senators Caved on the Shutdown and in my little Blue Bubble neighborhood, the natives are not fucking happy about it. Incandescent Rage? Yes. That's a real vibe. So surprising & so soon after a very good election result last Tuesday. A bit disheartening, no doubt.

Yikes. America used to be the place folks from all over the world wanted live. Maybe not so much anymore. We are under assault from our own very criminal government. The folks in charge seem totally detached from reality, they are swimming in their own squalid corruption and narcissism. It is so ugly. 

How to maintain? How not to be diminished or deranged by the daily assaults and outrages? 

Maybe think of it all as a reset; throwing us back on fundamentals. What is important? How to live with truth and reality? How to thrive in the midst of the shite? Maybe there are no good answers? We are stuck living with knotty questions with no clear answers. Still, we must move forward, one step at a time. That's it. All we got.

Disciplined Silence...

Sometimes silence is the best response to the latest shite. A disciplined silence. Bite your tongue, swallow your words, save your energy, stifle your zeal, your anger, your righteous opinion. Wait for another time, another place, another day.

How Best to Recharge, Regenerate, Renew?

"And now for something completely different..."

One the best ways to recharge, regenerate & renew? Spend an evening with a roomful of poets. My partner and I took that advice last night. We spent a few hours rubbing shoulders and chatting with creative, intelligent, soulful folks. A dazzling array of humanity alive in the room. It was a birthday celebration for one of the poets, in a friendly, well-lit storefront, with vinyl records playing on the box, located on a lively Chicago street, a private party, a pop-up food vendor, an amazing menu of items to eat and drink. And the poetry flowed. Funny poems, touching poems, inspiring poems, insightful poems. There was music too. A Dylan song, "She Belongs to Me" ,  was a certain highlight, it was a rousing, foot-stomping bluesy version of that great song. The whole evening was validating, inspiring, fun, essential, & healing. Yes. Hanging with poets. Highly Recommended.

Seeing What's Right in Front of our Noses: It's a Disaster...

 

Seems we have entered the FUBAR, (Fucked/Fouled Up Beyond All/Any Repair/Recognition/Reason), phase our current, lawless, clueless, flailing & failing, wanna-be authoritarian, dictator era in America. It is ugly.

There was the Great Gatsby-themed party at the dictator-chic, Mar A Lago, with a woman in a champagne glass. Maybe slightly "tone-deaf," to current political & economic realities?!

Then Trump administration has decided they need to take food from children and needy folks across the USA. Courts have ruled against them but they are taking this case to the Supreme Court, arguing that to take food from the mouths of children and the working poor is necessary. Really, not fucking kidding...

Seems that all this Fascism, and pretend tough-guy act is really hard work & oh so exhausting. Makes our wanna-be authoritarian very sleepy and tired.

It is all pretty much a disaster on every level right now for this administration. And all of us here in USA are paying the price. Shite. Who could have seen this coming?! 

Ha. And oh, yeah, don't forget about the Epstein Files.  Rumors are they contain info really, really bad for the well-being of one particular individual...

Ha, Ha, Ha, Sandwich Guy Walks!

 

Oh it's a beautiful thing. Oh happy day. Sandwich Guy, yes, Sandwich Guy, the unlikely Hero (the person not the sandwich), of the Resistance, walks!

Sandwich Guy took on Agents of Customs and Border Control, and well, he won. Trump's Justice Department, comically flailing and failing, whiffed on this one. The Justice Department at the moment is a super-corrupt, vindictive, vengeful, incompetent, and fucking ridiculous group of scoundrels. They tried  to make an example of Sandwich Guy, and they belly-flopped big-time.

They originally charged Sandwich Guy with Felony Assault, and a Jury refused to indict, a case of "no-billing." They then charged Sandwich Guy with Misdemeanor Assault, and ha, ha, ha, the Jury found him NOT GUILTY! 

Sandwich Guy admitted in court that he threw a wrapped salami sandwich at Federal Officer, but it was a "harmless gesture," an "exclamation point," not forcible assault. The jury agreed. Another sign that folks are not swallowing Trump's Authoritarian B. S. Seems the narrative is shifting. The Common Folk are showing a bit of common sense, and it's deadly, like newly-minted kryptonite, to this corrupt, Fascist regime. A beautiful thing, indeed.

A Brief Flash of Joy & Happiness

My neighborhood was alive & rocking with joy yesterday. Everyone I know was talking about the Democrat's big election night successes. Democrats won everything, everywhere (see previous post). Surprising. Gratifying. Pretty definitive. And made us all very happy. Maybe our belief in the American Dream isn't dead yet?! You have to embrace the happiness & joy, even if you don't know what's coming around the next corner. You know, I throw my lot in with gravity, common-sense, good cheer, empathy, compassion, democracy, and the common good. I am often disappointed, that's just part of it. The Human Thing is complicated and tricky. My species often excells at self-sabotage, & deep, in the bone stupidity. But, then, once in awhile a positive, life-affirming thing happens, and for a brief time, all seems to be clicking & working. Yes. Embrace the joy & happiness, enjoy it, then fortify yourself for the inevitable battles ahead.

Wow. Democrats WON Everything & Everywhere Last Night...

Yes. So we weren't hallucinating. We knew deep in our hearts, and we have been confirmed in our belief, that the Fascist turn in America is not sitting well with much of the country. Big time push-back last night. The roll-call of wins everywhere, at every level is fucking impressive...

Hope dies last. Hope is renewed. And, of course, maybe the most exciting race in the country, was for New York Mayor. Zohran Mamdani won convincingly. Zohran Mamdani:  "New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant."  What a beautiful validation of the American Dream.

I suggest you take the time to watch Mamdani's full victory speech. It is a good one. It will make you smile. And make you want to roll up your sleeves and get to work to take back our country from Trump, his ugly acolytes, & his corrupt billionaire buddies. Oh yeah, don't forget RELEASE the EPSTEIN FILES!

A Day in the Life...

Yes. Let me just say, "Doomerism is stupid." Maybe, "Blind Optimism is stupid too." The gold standard? Clarity. A Disciplined Clear-Seeing. 

Yesterday, was just another Day in the Life. I was surprised to find that the folks in my neighborhood are all clued in. We are all woke folks who are fully, completely, emphatically, epically WOKE. Yes. We are Aware, Alive, Awake. We are now all wearing whistles around our necks, ready to be blown if ICE is anywhere in the vicinity. We are rallying, and meeting, and contributing to Food Drives for folks who are hungry, since Trump  and GOP are playing games with SNAP. 

Helicopters were again flying over head. Not a good sign. Still, there is no doomerism on the streets. Instead, a fiery consciousness of resistance. Pretty impressive. All the conversations on the paths & streets were about actions folks are taking in response to the bullshit. One of my friends pulled up in his car wearing a bowler hat with the sign "ICE OUT." He also was wearing mirror-shades and a bright, red clown nose. He was driving around looking for ICE, ready to match them clown for clown.

Funny. This friend is not someone I ever thought of as super-political. But folks are rising to the occasion, and the occasion is Fascism in America. We are against it. Hearts, Heads, Souls. Turns out the common folk do seem to care. At least around here. It is a very good development in the face of the horror. No fear, no doomerism, a positive, can-do Spirit. Surprising. Real.

Doing the Things You Need to Do to Get to the Next Thing...

One breath, one step, at a time. Sometimes that needs to be enough. No great expectations. Doing the things you need to do to get to the next thing. Monday morning is a good time to reassess, to recharge, to renew, to revamp, to regenerate. The blows, the pricks & kicks come from all directions. Oh well. No worries. No fears. It is best to carry on despite the noise, the bad-juju, the thunder. That's the soulful way forward.

Dispatch from the Frontlines...

Folk #1: Fuck. Seems ICE & the Border Control have decided to invade and terrorize our little blue bubble community,  as well as other beautiful, serene neighborhoods dotted around and inside of Chicagoland. Helicopters have been flying overhead the last few days. It really does feel like a strangely weird war zone. These sleepy, happy streets are under attack. ICE & Border Control Agents are showing up, crashing cars, manhandling & snatching people off the streets. Uber drivers, landscapers, restaurant workers, people who work at the car wash. These are hard-working folks. They pay taxes, they are raising their kids, they are integral to our communities. Local schools have been on alert and lockdown, trying to avoid having parents abducted and leaving young children without their parents. This is total nightmare shite. The community is outraged. You will hear your friends and neighbors say "Fuck ICE," and you will nod your head and say, "Amen, this will not stand." Yes. They have brought their "Nazi-shite," to our little blue bubble world. These assholes aren't "keeping us safe," they are terrorizing and abusing us. It's disgusting, terrible, un-American. And they are lying to us all. They are are not targeting criminals, gang members, terrorists, they are going after common, hard-working folks. There was a big community rally yesterday, strategizing how to stand up & resist. Folks were handing out whistles to be used to warn folks when the ICE goons & thugs are near. We now all wear whistles around our necks. We, the citizens, the common folk,  are drawing closer together here. Folks who maybe were tuned out, are now totally tuned in. There is Hope in that development. If enough of us wake the fuck up, we can stop these atrocities. We don't want to live in this fucking Nazi Dystopia. These "brown people," being assaulted and whisked to some local gulag, are our friends, neighbors, co-workers. An attack on them is an attack on all of us.

Untethered From Reality...

Folk #1: That's what I would call this era we are living in now, the "Untethered From Reality," era. Oh, you know, reality, gravity, truth & consequences, the cycle of birth & death, these things actually all still exist, we live in a material, physical world, no doubt, but much of our culture, our politics, our collective consciousness, our head-space, the zeitgeist, is consumed with, and swimming in, the "unreal." There is a deep denial in our embrace of unreality. I guess it could explain how the richest, most envied Democracy on the planet elected a  Sexual Predator & Convicted Felon currently embarked on a revenge tour, a wanna-be dictator, who is dismantling our government and unleashing a war on everyday American Citizens. Madness. Idiocy. There is also the AI boom, the crazy, edge-lord Tech Bros, video game culture, the social media landscape. The world of business too seems to be smoking crack. The stock market is disconnected from anything tangible. Our brains are being pickled & fermented by the unreal. You know, it's kind of crazy-ass unreal. Makes one want to unplug, sit on a bench, breathe deeply, stare at the lake, the trees, the grasses. Be a Human Being, alive, aware, awake. Real. One thinks "this can't last." Every morning, looking for signs, seeking out the cracks in the firmament. "Isn't this all going to come crashing down on our heads, like, you know, some time soon?"

Learning from the Real...

Life it's a sticky-wicket. Being Human is not a dinner party...

My own powers of self-delusion are strong, but at the same time, I use these powers sparingly. Self-delusion can be an effective tool to propel yourself forward into a hostile world. You can use it to fortify yourself as you conjure up a positive vibe and jump into the breach. But, yes, it's important to know when, and how, you are deluding yourself.  You should only do it with purpose. And you must just as easily be able to drop that delusion in the blink of an eye.

I find great joy in surprising myself, in changing my mind, in being in touch with reality, and learning from the real. Clarity. It's a cool drug. And, of course, long-form improvisation is the best way forward. 

So yeah, I can go bleak when I see bleak. I can also find the Light in the Darkness. I don't mind trying on new ideas. I don't mind admitting being wrong. I don't mind being the Devil's Advocate. 

Being wrong, and changing my mind might have been a hard to do when I was younger, but not really anymore. I really try not to cling to falsities, or disproven theories & ideas. Dropping the bullshit can be a powerful and joyful experience.

What do I hate? Blind certainty. Racism. Cruelty. Bullies. Lies. Religious Hypocrisy, Rich & Powerful People Lording over the rest of us. I just vicerally hate that shite. These are essential touchstones in my life. Reacting to, and opposing those "sins," against an Enlightened Humanity. 

Always be morphing, evolving, open-minded, open-hearted, always seeking, and wondering, and yes, leaning to the Light. Sticking to the Real...

The ZEN, the Light, the Darkness, the Duality of the Human Thing...

Sure lots of turmoil and hurly-burly. But then little moments of ZEN every day. 

The above photo was taken on my ususal late morning jaunt in the hood. It's a beautiful neighborhood that I navigate. Gorgeous day. Beautiful Lake Michigan. What was totally weird and disconcerting, helicopters were passing overhead quite frequently. Coming and going from the Great Lakes Naval Station. Thinking those copters had something to do with the heavy hand of ICE and Immigration atrocities across Chicago.

So even in those moments of ZEN, the darkness flies past. Talk about the duality of the Human Thing.

Ah... well... sitting quietly in the kitchen this morning, typing into my Chromebook, wondering if any interesting, pithy, brilliant, or maybe decently pedestrian thoughts pop into my head. Nope. Not really. It feels like the Titanic is taking on water. The whole shebang is about to sink, but not sure if that's just an illusion, or a misreading of the tea leaves. I am all about uncertainty this morning. More of a phase of "wondering what's next?" But even that thought is just out of a certain habit, a sort casual impulse, pointing to "wondering." 

My fellow Human Beings, I just don't know what to think. I want to lean to the Light, but the Darkness never seems to go away. It's a complicated, tricky picture.

The Children's Crusade...

 

"Earlier in the day students from Little Village Lawndale High School held a walk out to protest recent immigration enforcement actions in the area."

This is happening in the streets of Chicago. Maybe the kids are gonna rise up and save us? Show us the way? That would a good and necessary development.

The Resistance Here is Strong...

Folk #1: Yes. It is outrageous that the U.S. Government is at war with Blue Cities (see previous post). Of course it is a war ginned up & based on lies, stone-cold right-wing propaganda. There is no crisis in Chicago. We are happy here. We know our city is a jewel, a beautiful congregation of humanity. We love our multi-racial and multi-cultural populations. The immigrants here are by and large hard-working families trying to live the American Dream. ICE is an abomination. This assault on our city is wrong-headed, immoral, and ultimately futile. The Hearts & Minds will not be conquered. The Resistance here is strong. It includes the Common Folk, The Governor, State Senators & Reps, The Mayor, The Alderman, The Clergy, The Unions, The Business Community, etc. Anyone here, on the streets knows, that this Fascist/Authoritarian Regime led by Trump & his Thugs is Anti-American. Their attacks on the populace is cruel, pointless, and disgusting. They will be defeated, no doubt. We expect things will get worse, we are prepared to stand and resist as the evil-doers get more desperate to prove they are all powerful. Of course, they are not; it's all a blizzard of lies, a horror-show, total bullshit. It just won't fly in our lovely City & State.

Turns Out the Guns, the Zip-ties, the Armour Can't Win the Hearts & Minds...

Folk #1: "Tentative, uncertain idea here. We are winning the vibes here in Chicagoland. Neighbors helping neighbors in the face of ICE assaults & terror. We love our city, our communities, the surrounding suburbs. This ugly adminstration, Trump's thugs, and their strong-arm tactics can't change the character of the folk.  Our hearts & minds cannot be easily swayed. We grew up in a much different America, and we won't easily or willingly give that up. We know that America and the American Dream is not just for White People, it is for all of us who have arrived here. That's what was affirmed at the No Kings rallies and protests on Oct 18. That joy, that positive affirmation, the disciplined determination was real, and we carry it with us now. Talk to the folk they will tell you they hate what is happening with these attacks on families. It doesn't matter what color skin these folks wear. An attack one of us, is an attack on all of us. We are united in our love for each other. We know that America is better than this lawless regime. They can't change the character of our America. We loom much larger than them. They may have tear-gas, zip ties, big guns, masked faces, the armour of war, but we have love, grace, kindness, our voices, and each other.  We also have truth and reality on our side. We will not break. We will stand up and oppose. We actually found out to our own surprise that we are not afraid, we won't be intimidated or derailed, or denied, we are BRAVE. Funny how that works. Yes. The people rising to the moment. Yes. We own the vibes, the good vibes. They are real, they connect us. We shall overcome..."

The Crimes of ICE: Cruelty, Pointless, Heartless, Nihilistic Cruelty...

Folk #1: "We know people, who know people, who are being terrorized & assaulted by ICE here in our beautiful town, and surrounding localities. ICE is acting like a lawless force, snatching folks off the streets: Mothers, Fathers, hard working folks, carried away to god knows what gulag-hell-hole, leaving young children Motherless & Fatherless, crying and alone. Totally ripping families apart. This is madness. It's happening out on streets blocks away from our home. It's happening in beautiful Chicago Neighborhoods like Little Village, Pilsen, Lakeview, and yes, our sleepy little Town, Evanston. Such cruelty, pointless, heartless, nihilistic cruelty, with no purpose. Really, just raw power imposed on the defenseless Humans. Very, very sick. 

ICE is an obscene abomination. Of course, it should be abolished. It is being used as a tool for this Facsist/Authoritarian regime. It is ugly, counter to everything we hold dear here in America.

We spent time at a little art-space last night. A shaggy, friendly room, well-lit, and comfortable, filled with creative, engaged, intelligent Human Beings. The Crimes Against Humanity out on the streets loomed over us all. We are the kind of people who see an attack on one of us as an attack on all of us. We see ourselves as part of a beloved community, a collection of beings that includes folks of all colors, creeds, & persuasions. We are diverse & inclusive. We open our arms and hearts to all. We talked of the pain, the sadness, the disgusting displays of power being inflicted upon our Brothers & Sisters, and how we are all deeply wounded, but at the same time absolutely firm in our opposition.  

Folks are rallying to help the children. Folks are out on the streets witnessing & filming the atrocities, and voicing their deep contempt of the actions & crimes of the ICE thugs. Last night we played music, we gathered together as a community of souls. We think of this creative pursuit as the good work, soul-work, enriching & life affirming, we think it is the antidote to the tragedies unfolding across our country. We are filled with sadness and righteous anger. We oppose this super-charged cruelty with all of our hearts and heads. A disciplined non-violence. and a dedicated, deep in the bone, opposition to this terrible shite."

Was that Joy and Unbridled Happiness Real? Can We Carry it Forward? Yes, We Can...

This conversation, published this morning, between Paul Krugman and Erica Chenoweth is just the tonic I needed: https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/talking-with-erica-chenoweth...

Maybe you need it too? 

Remember that Joy & Unbridled Happiness you felt standing in the middle of that NO KINGS rally & protest on October 18? That was "cognitive liberation," surging thru your body & consciousness. You and so many other folks could feel it. It is essential & important, and it is a pathway forward to throwing off the oppressors: 

"a few things happen at the same time; the first is that there’s a collective understanding that the situation can be changed. There’s a collective understanding that it’s intolerable and there’s a collective understanding that each individual must do something about it, but also can do something about it. Then there’s an understanding that now that we all know this information, there’s no going back to the previous status quo where it felt like the situation was permanent, only going to get worse, and there’s nothing we can do about it."

Yes. HOPE. It lives in the hearts and heads of the folks standing against Tyranny. Folks can throw off the shackles of Tyranny & Authorianism. How to do it? People Power. Really. Galvanizing folks to stand up and oppose, to demand change. If enough us gather together as a united front, we truly can change the world. There is history and data to back that up. Not a pipe-dream. 

The resistance is alive and well in America. From all walks of life. That is what NO KINGS showed us all. We need to continue, "disciplined nonviolence," yes. We change the world via peaceful protest! Yes. It can be done, it has been done all over the world many times in the history of humanity.

"Here’s something that will make you feel hopeful. We have more information, more history, more knowledge, more perspective, more manuals, more guide books, more research, into how people mobilize effectively against authoritarianism than anyone in human history has ever had."

Be sure to read the whole thing. My take: "A change of consciousness can happen in an instant." It is the first step in forging a new reality. Yes. Brothers & Sisters, we shall overcome...

Just Refuse to Give in or Give Up to this Sick Madness...

 Folk #1: I'm not a doomer or a fatalist. I just don't roll that way. Still all of this turmoil & destruction unleashed by the current adminstraiton is overwhelming. We spent yesterday warning folks in our neighborhood that ICE was roaming the streets, grabbing innocent people, hard-working people, and disappearing them into newly-constructed American gulags. Yes. This is happening in our bluest of blue bubble communities. Our Governor & Mayor and all of our U.S. Senators and Reps are against this assault on the citizens here. It is all ugly, very, very ugly. Hard to imagine that this new American Dystopia is real. Hope lies in the hearts & heads of our fellow Humans who know that that kind of thing is absolutely wrong, soul-killing & inhumane.  How are we going to stop all this sick madness? Not sure. I suppose it's important to just say, "We are against it." We should all stand up and say it.  Stand in opposition with every fibre of our beings. Then, march, protest, vote. Refuse to give in, or to give up. No time for doomerism or fatalism. We can defeat this illness in our country. I do believe we can, and will...

The Onslaught of Bad News...

 

Folk #1: Good Lord. I think of myself as strong-willed, strong-minded, not easily rattled. But I must admit that the unrelenting onslaught of bad news, one day after another, is taking it's toll on my well-being. This latest atrocity, Trump's destruction of the East Wing of the White House is not the worst story out there, it's not as life-threatening as kidnapping & disappearing hard-working folks off the streets of America and into gulags, or blowing up fishing boats & murdering fisherman in the Carribean, or dismantling American's healthcare for a large section of the populace, or taking food from needy children, or slapping tariffs on imports like a drunken idiot making everything more costly, or looting our government from the top down, but symbolically you couldn't come up with a better single image of the impact of this immoral, lawless administration on the traditions and well-being of the USA. You know. What the fuck...

Slim Pickings...

Well. The sky isn't falling on our heads. We have that going for us. Beyond that, yikes, things seem to be hurtling out of control. There are no steering wheels, or brakes. The momentum seems to be picking up speed, always going forward towards a brick wall, or a precipice. Can cooler heads prevail? Can we adjust trajectory before it's too late? An Imagined God only knows. There are no big daddies to save us. We are on our own, muddling about. Seriously, not sure what to think about it all. I look around for a bit of wisdom or insight, and it is all meager portions & "slim pickings." Be Here Now. One Step at a Time. Breathe. Don't forget to Breathe. Beyond that? Well. Your guess is as good as mine...