Nasty & Stupid?

Could it all get lots more nasty and stupid? 

Yes. Indeed. Expect it.

The Toxic Clown Prez will not go down easily. Expect the worst. The absolute worst. It's not hard, he is a bottom-feeder, a toxic-troller of great range and distinction. As his sister said on a secret recording: "He has no principles." He doesn't care if the country burns. In fact, he'd love to make it happen.

What to do? Be cool. Take it easy. Tune out the noise. Keep your head. Keep calm. Wear your mask. Avoid those MAGA-hat wearing hordes. They are Ignoramuses. The Barbarians at the Gate. How stupid can stupid be? Very, very stupid.

The antidote: Meditation. Silent contemplation. A good book. A great record. Play. Have fun. Take care. Sleep well, eat well. Go for a long walk. Smell the roses.

Stay positive. Vote Blue. Vote early. Main thing, vote: Biden/Harris 2020. Blue Wave America...

Looking for Signs of Intelligent Life on Planet Earth...

Planet burning up

Natives getting restless

Pickup trucks, Trump signs, rifles

Burly, young, men, ignoramuses

Looking for trouble

The rest of us need to chill out

Cooler heads unite

There are those fanning the flames

They are edgy, itchy trigger-fingers

They must be ignored

There are bigger fish to fry

Bigger problems to tackle

We need brain-power

Love, Compassion, Empathy

A bit of Human Intelligence

Looking for signs of Intelligent Life

on Planet Earth

We Must Never Forget...

We must never forget... 

Blame nature for the virus, blame our Toxic Clown Prez for his incompetence, corruption, ignorance, denial in response to the virus. The man is a total disgrace. We deserve so much better.

The Dog-Star Rages...

The Dog-Star Rages - I'm Sirius! 

"The dog days or dog days of summer are the hot, sultry days of summer. They were historically the period following the heliacal rising of the star system Sirius, which Hellenistic astrology connected with heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck. They are now taken to be the hottest, most uncomfortable part of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

The English name is a calque of the Latin dies caniculares (lit. "the puppy days"), itself a calque of the ancient Greek κυνάδες ἡμέραι.[1] The Greeks knew the star α Canis Majoris by several names, including Sirius "Scorcher" (Σείριος, Seírios), Sothis (Σῶθις, Sôthis, a transcription of Egyptian Spdt), and the Dog Star (Κῠ́ων, Kúōn).[2] The last name reflects the way Sirius follows the constellation Orion into the night sky.[3]"

Right. It's hot all over. Some parts of the country are totally on fire. I'd say that the "Dog-Star Rages!" 

What happens when the Dog-Star Rages? You become a Dog. Your tongue hangs out. Your ears droop. You are all teeth & fur. You are itchy, grouchy, you bark often. You just feel Doggy. Your tail doesn't wag, it hangs limp from your backside. You just don't feel up to it. The days are just too damn hot, too long, nothing happens, everything seems to come to a hot, sticky, standstill. Even sitting in the shade provides no relief. The breeze is hot. Tired. You are bone-tired. You have the A/C cranked at home, but it just doesn't do the trick. 

You wonder is this the FUTURE? Is this Climate Catastrophe in action? Your brain is too doggie to figure it out. You just roll over and play dead. You do have enough energy to click on the radio. You hear that "Sleepy Joe," is now "Joe, The Destroyer." This makes a smile come across your doggie face. Our little Toxic Clown Prez is now whining about "big, bad, Joe."

Hah! OK. Maybe there is some life in this old dog. "Joe, the Destroyer!" Good morning! Makes you want to sit up and bark! Woof, Woof!

We Have Work to Do...

Melania's Rose Garden. If we are going to kill the American Dream, it will be with bling, corruption, lies and Authoritarianism... 

One of the things required of an "intelligent" human being (is that an oxymoron?) - the ability to embrace contradiction. To hold opposing ideas in your head. 

For instance: America is a great country. A melting pot. A democracy. A fabulous experiment in melding peoples and cultures. A multi-cultural extravaganza. Born in Revolution. Land of the Free. Home of the Brave. Walk the streets of New York, Chicago, L.A. amazing. Think of the American characters that have inhabited the place, characters born and bred here (just a few names off the top of my head that inspire me): Mark Twain, Herman Melville, Patti Smith, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Lucinda Williams, Crazy Horse, MLK Jr. Barack Obama, JFK, Malcolm X, Spike Lee, Oprah Winfrey, Andy Warhol, Black Elk, Sam Shepard, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Tweedy, Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, James Baldwin, Jack Kerouac, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, David Foster Wallace, Gary Snyder, Allen Ginsberg, Ceasar Chavez, Otis Redding, RFK, Mahalia Jackson, Muddy Waters, FDR, Dorothy Day, Gloria Steinem, Howling Wolf, Sitting Bull, Thomas Merton, RZA, GZA, Wu-Tang Clan, D'Angelo, QuestLove, David Letterman, Georgia O'Keefe, Jerry Seinfeld,  Joe Biden, Aretha Franklin, Robert Johnson, Townes Van Zandt, Tom Petty, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, John Belushi, Wes Anderson, Bill Murray, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Bill Gates, etc.

On the other hand: No doubt, the country has deep, entrenched problems. It was birthed in revolution. And forged in Genocide. We totally wiped out the American Indians. We built our economy on Slavery. Human abomination. We built a society based on White Supremacy, and it is reflected in all of our institutions. It all may seem like ancient history, but it's not. You can see the results and the scars, and the pain & suffering in the streets today. We have a lot of work to do to get to that better ideal of a land of Truth, Justice, & Equality for all. We aren't there yet.

So yes, the contradiction. Wonderful ideal of a country with a bloody, sordid, unjust, unequal history. The goal: a more perfect union.

I was texting with a friend. He tells me he doesn't post about wearing masks, racism, Trump, BLM on social media. He thinks it destroys friendships. I pointed out "some friendships aren't worth the time." I prefer to weed out the racists. You know, life is short, no time for assholes. Also lately, I think "Silence = Complicity." Also, lately, getting my advice from PUSSY RIOT!

3 Things I Learned this A.M.

Things I've learned since my first cup of coffee this a.m. listening to the radio...

1. Racist people really, really don't like being told they are racist. It really, really pisses them off. They won't accept the idea of racism. They will do anything they can to deny, deflect & defend themselves. They will happily vote for a racist to prove they aren't racist, by pretending that the racist they are voting for isn't racist. They will happily support a racist America, because well, their racism is just fine and dandy, and actually doesn't even exist and even though America was founded on Slavery and Genocide, and the Constitution was written to exclude lots of human beings, that history is just fake news, right?! I mean, in their minds, racism isn't a thing. Even though institutional racism is deeply entrenched in all aspects of our society and has been since the founding of the country and every day, even up to today, racial justice and equality is not a given, it's a struggle, a vision, a way forward, the progressive ideal, but no, for them, anyone talking about Black Lives Matter is just a lying liberal who wants to take something from them. I mean, can't we just leave all those poor, god-fearing, racist people alone?!

2. The planet is on fire. We human beings have really fucked up the interconnected fabric of life, the ecosystem that allows our species, and all the other pretty creatures that live here, to live here. We humans will try to adapt: we will flee, move to higher ground, turn on the A/C, etc. But we are having a real hard time dealing with this issue. For instance we are still clinging to fossil fuels. We continue to burn, burn, burn thru our resources and damn the torpedos. Seems lots of fire, storms, flooding, & fleeing is in our future. Will be burn our pretty little blue planet to a crisp? Hmmm...

3. White Christian Evangelicals really do have their heads firmly up their asses. Seems their Jesus is a White Supremacist, he is also anti-Gay, anti-Abortion, and Pro-Trump. Holy Shite. I'd like to reclaim Jesus for the Peace-Loving Hippies. Jesus was a bit of a left-wing radical, he was most-certainly a "person of color," his parents were refugees, his mom was an unwed mother, impregnated by an Angel. Jesus was always on the margins of society, hanging with street people & prostitutes. He was a champion of the "little people." He was always preaching Love, and Forgiveness, and non-violent protest. He also raved against the money-changers, and he railed against rich people and powerful church-types. He lived in a commune (primarily with other men), turned water into wine, multiplied fishes and loaves (talk about "socialism" and a free lunch!!), walked on water and partied with the best of them. I mean, hell, whatever happened to Peace, Love & Understanding? 

Simple, Common, Decency...

Yes. Still thinking about Joe Biden. I think he will make a great President. Why? He's a common man. Decent. Empathetic. Genuine. When he said his campaign was about "Love, Light & Hope." I truly believed him.

USA 2020. We all chase the bling. 24/7. We crave attention. We want to be rich and famous. We all want our 15 mins. (Warhol knew). So many of us are loud, proud, opinionated, always chattering away, always consuming, always "be closing."

The loudest and the proudest are those who "know" the least. There is the constant, needing, wanting, grasping. We are insatiable. Gobbling up resources. Gobbling up the air. Gobbling up each other.

Maybe it's time for a little common decency? You know, maybe a little more humility, grace, silence, contemplation? A movement of Care. Caring for each other. Caring for the planet. Caring for all that lives. Hint: everything lives... everything is holy.

This is so "counter-cultural." Maybe it really is time to "live with less." Instead of acquiring things, we lose them? Let's get back to basics.

Simple, common, decency? That would be a start. Yes, let's say this is the new movement, the dawning of a new era. 

More About Words...

Words. Powerful or paltry? 

I believe in the power of words. It's probably why I start every morning writing in this blog. It helps me clear my head, find out what's on my mind. Try to make some sense out of the crazy reality that surrounds me, or to try to find some light and clarity in the darkness.

Writing words down. Can it change the world? Who knows? I tend to like to think so. I do think being a writer, or thinking of myself as a writer has been a defining thing for me. Even if the words I write down can't change the world, it may change me, and well, that's a start.

Taking the time to contemplate. Running thru the crazy thoughts in my head. Trying to "make sense."

Thinking/hoping a well-placed word can enlighten, can lead to understanding. Or at least maybe a cogently posed question can lead to further exploration?

Words.

Words & Images...

Yes. I do think we live in a world of "magic." Words have power (see previous post). The right word, whispered in the right ear, at the right time, can move mountains. We know words can enlighten and confuse. Words can open and close doors. You can conjure up incredibly beautiful worlds, and create incredibly dark dystopias with words.

Words. Double-edge sword. Use with careful discretion, Grasshopper. 

It's the same with "creative visualization." Conjuring pictures in your head. Very powerful. You can create images of incomparable beauty, and of complete darkness and ugliness. These images only reside in your head, but they are little bubbles of energy. They can change your being, from the inside out.

Funny. Some of our most powerful tools and weapons are just on the tip of our tongue, on the page, conjured up in our minds...

Of the Moment...

 Joe Biden gives the speech of his life, and the speech really does seem to be the perfect expression and response to the moment in which we find ourselves. I watched and listened, and was totally blown away. I wondered to myself, "Is this the best political speech I've ever heard?" Maybe. I mean, it ranks up there with pretty much any speech I have heard or read or remember. Maybe it seems like the greatest, because it is so "of the moment." And this moment seems so dire, so important, so defining. "Fighting for the Soul of America," indeed.

Makes me wonder about the power of words. The Poets and Magicians of old believed that words themselves had power. Power to conjure, power to animate, power to influence, power to change events, power to cloud men's minds, power to clarify, power to envision an outcome, and power to make an imagined outcome a reality.

Probably the greatest speech of all time starts with the words... "I have a dream..." You know, MLK, conjuring a vision. A vision that has slowly, oh so slowly been rolling out over the last few decades. The words are powerful. The vision is clear. People were inspired, animated, willing to march, to protest, to vote, to legislate, to live and dream, to back up those words with actions.

But you know, everything takes time. And it feels like we are running out of time. Today, time seems to be slipping away. Our American Dream seems to be morphing into a Toxic Nightmare. We really, really need to change course.  Yes. So, one simple action: Vote Blue, Vote Biden/Harris 2020.

Who knows, maybe it will be the first step in a new era? One can dream...

Toxic Clown vs. Decent Human Being - Not Hard...

 The American Election 2020.

Darkness, Division & Fear vs. Light, Love & Hope.

Not hard. Really. It's pretty damn simple.

Biden/Harris - Blue Wave 2020

A Better American Dream...

Black & White.

Maybe it really is that simple. A country birthed and built on the blood, sweat, tears and the untimely deaths wreaked by Slavery & Genocide. Yes. USA. That is our heritage. 

It seems like ancient history, but it's not. You can see the scars, the pain, the aftermath, the result in the streets across the land and in the faces and hearts of the people from all walks of life.

Some of us hope and strive for a "better union," a new day, a more equal America. Surprisingly, some of us just don't. 

I truly believe many of those in the GOP are the "basket of deplorables." They are the folks who just don't care. They don't like Black people. They don't like immigrants. They don't like Liberals. They don't want to care. They have no heart or empathy. And they just don't want to feel guilty about it either. They are also enemies of Democracy. They don't want folks to vote, because they are out-numbered.

And their not-caring, their blind hatred has led to deep bat-shit craziness. They are truly lost. They are unreachable. They are terrible people. They really, truly are. Haters. Racists. Folks who just refuse to care about themselves or others.

I mean, I suppose it's our duty to say, "Hey, if you'd drop the hate, you'd be welcome too." But it seems this is a deep unbridgeable divide.  LBJ famously said that when he signed the Civil Rights Act of 1965 that the Democrats would lose the South for generation. Maybe longer than that. It's true. That was when the GOP became the home of racists and they are welcome there today. 

We are still living in this deep divide. Last night Barack Obama gave a speech. It truly says everything that needs to be said. Do yourself a favor and watch it. Wake Up America. I mean WTF. Vote Biden/Harris 2020. We must reclaim our hearts and souls and a better American Dream.

Modeling Behavior...

We watch the little ducklings follow their mother swimming around in the pond. She never lets them stray too far. They do what she does. They duck their heads in the water, after she ducks her head in the water. They eat the kelp, when she eats the kelp. They go to shore, when she goes to shore.

The kids at the tennis court follow the tennis pro around on the court. He shows them where to stand on the court. He explains what the lines on the court are called. He shows them a backhand, they do a backhand. He shows them a forehand, they do a forehand. He shows them how to volley they volley. If they "mess up," He tells them, "Don't worry, stay positive." 

We ride our bikes on the path. The mom, wearing a mask is pushing a stroller, in the stroller the child is wearing a mask.  

Modeling. Right?! That's how we learn. "Monkey see, Monkey do." 

If you hang around with cool, classy, intelligent, creative, dynamic people, well, some of that might just rub off on you.

If you hang around with assholes... well, you know, I mean, you get my drift, right?!

I remember reading a Herman Melville book about life on a merchant ship. Choose your job, choose your friends wisely, Grasshopper. If you work in the hold, expect darkness, hard labor, sweating, straining, a confined, cramped existence. If you work in the crow's nest, (job for clear-seers, enlightened, aware, awake), it's light and sunshine, and stormy weather, and sometimes a scary ride, but a much more expansive view, lots of time to yourself.

Yeah. I consider myself "crow's nest" material. Head in the clouds, sun glimmering in my eye, sensitive to stormy weather, tossed and rocked, easily.

It's important who you hang with, what you choose to do with your time. It really does define you and your life and opens or closes opportunities accordingly.

Mulch for the Process...

Strange days, indeed. That would be an accurate description of our present circumstances. It feels like the planet is off-kilter, spinning madly, frantic, wobbly, or as the Temptations once sang in another contentious era: "Ball of Confusion."

Except now, more people, more madness, more confusion, more ignorance, more churn and burn, more hurly-burly. I mean, how much hurly-burly can human beings take on?

Uncertain times. Uncertain days. The Great Cloud of Unknowing descending across the planet. It has never felt quite like this before, I mean, I am speaking personally, now. Other times in my life there seemed to be an illusion of normalcy, of certainty, although, I think I always knew that was a false sense of security. 

My father used to say: "No one ever promised you a rose garden." Roger that. Whatever promises were made, or implied, never really materialized. Life is just an improvisation. Long-form. One step at a time.

Where is it all going? No one really knows. We just carry on. Do the best we can. Pray the pieces don't fall on us. I come up with the same cliches, the cliches that guide my life: Lean to the Light. Stay Humble. Find some Grace and Joy in the doing and the being.

Create. Oh yeah, I am big on the Creative Process. I live for Art. I believe that Art can change a life. How does it do it? Just by the doing. So yes, I think of myself as an Artist, doing his Art. The hurly-burly is just mulch for the process.

Time is Fluid...

Time. It is fluid, fungible. Relative.

"The days run away like wild horses..." (hat tip: Charles Bukowski). 

One day sort of schmears into another day. Woke up not knowing the name of the day. Just another one in a long line of days. Lately, thinking back to early days, some of my earliest days are my most vivid days. Alternatively, some decades just seem like a mist, a fog, a great cloud of unknowing. I mean, I know I lived thru some decades, but can't really grasp them. My memories don't really reside there.

Memories connect me to people, times and places that no longer exist. Times and places long ago, in a galaxy far away. So weird. 

What is alive in me today? I guess we shall see...

Rituals...

 I woke up early. Ok. It was more than early. It was still pitch-dark out there. I woke with a thought about "rituals." Thinking we need rituals.

I thought of my early church days, as a child, in catholic school. There was that amazing ritual of the communion host and the golden cup of wine. Somehow it was transformed before our eyes by the priest into the body and the blood.

I didn't totally buy it, but I did marvel at the theatrics. Add in that stinky incense the priest would spread around the place, and all your senses were captivated.

Now it's much more, simple, basic, maybe mundane, but still powerful rituals.

Of course the pot of coffee in the morning. Essential. Drink it down in big gulps listening to the radio, or reading the New Yorker, or playing CDs on the BOSE, or working on new tracks.

The daily shower. Cleanse yourself Pilgrim.

Daily meal. One meal a day. That works best for me. A varied diet. Vegetarian. No meat. Do not eat dead animals. Why take death into your body? Nonsensical. Barbaric.

A long bike ride. This is new for our pandemic summer 2020. We always ride. Every day. It's essential. Clears the head. Gets the blood pumping. Even if you are tired, it's worth it. Don't hesitate. Get on that bike!

Meditation. Deep contemplation. Short or long session, doesn't matter. Sit and breathe. Clear your head. Connect to the Universe. It's not hard.

Daily Kombucha. Yes. This is also new for our pandemic summer. Freshly-brewed, on-tap at our local micro-brewery. Zingy, zesty, refreshing. Takes the edge off. Good for your biome. No doubt.

Stream Netflix or Prime. Lately we are into Super-heroes. "The Umbrella Academy." Funny. Light. Engaging. Smart. A primary diversion. Necessary in these crazy times. Go to another time and place, with other problems. Problems that aren't really your problems.

Read a book in bed. Yes. Every night. I can blast thru books at an alarming rate. Lately reading about RZA and the Wu-Tang Clan. Funny. I'm not really into the music (I do love the "Ghost Dog" soundtrack), but RZA is interesting, enlightening, and, from another world. Engaging read. Lots of wisdom in the pages.

Sleep. Try. I mean, don't try. Just do it. 

Be That Kind of Garden...

I have read many, many books over the years. Uncountable. Lots of wisdom in those books. I have probably forgotten more than I remember, but maybe, everything counts, maybe every sentence, every word really was recorded somewhere in my consciousness? I mean, once in awhile that wisdom comes crashing back in.

We can't really "fix" the world, unless we "fix" ourselves first. Tend to your own garden, mister. This is not a selfish thing, it's practical, pragmatic way forward. You work on yourself; you cultivate a better you. And then you try to lead by example.

So act like the better person you'd like to be. I mean, if you have to, "fake it to make it." Yes. Gentleness, kindness, compassion, love, empathy. 

Be that kind of garden.

Tips for Better Living...

More tips for better living (you realize, I am primarily talking to myself):

Always best to be onto the next thing. 

Keep yourself occupied with projects. 

Lose yourself in the doing.

Dream of Better Days.

Do things you don't normally do.

There really is no normal.

You might find that you can do things you never knew you could do.

Better than you thought possible too.

Tune out the noise machine.

Tune out the nay-sayers.

They don't know shit.

Do.

Live.

Dream.

How To?

Yes... 

How to "fix" the world?

Encourage & Cultivate Better Human Beings...

Empathy, Compassion, Love, Intelligence, Justice, Equality, Diversity, Inclusiveness, Creativity, Heart, Spirit, Mind, Soul, Grace, Humility, Gentleness, Silence, Meditation, Contemplation, Mindfulness...

That would be a start...

Remake, Renew, Rebuild, Re-imagine A Better Day, A Better America, A New American Dream - Biden/Harris 2020!

If you've been following along over the years, this will be no surprise. I am wildly, totally, enthusiastically, supporting Joe Biden for President, and Kamala Harris for Vice President. I think it is a fabulous, exciting and inspiring ticket. Two really great people. Full of intelligence, great ideas, experience, empathy and compassion. All qualities sorely lacking for a long time now.

It is time to remake, renew, rebuild, re-imagine a better day, a better America, a new American Dream. Let's end the nightmare years on November 3rd 2020. Vote Blue 2020...