Enforced Freedom.
That's a contradiction. The Weather Gods dictated that it would be insanely cold yesterday. Everything was canceled. No appointments. Nowhere to go. We never left our warm little humble abode.
It was a strange bonus day. No plans. No worries. No guilt. The Weather Gods demanded we just unplug. We made the best of it. We read books, we watched movies, we streamed a bunch of travel shows to warmer climes with the great, recently departed, Anthony Bourdain.
It was a brilliant day. In every way. Crazy cold outside, warm and comfortable inside. We can probably blame this all on our Climate Catastrophe. Things will continue to get crazy hot and crazy cold. We are wreaking havoc on our ecosystem. So I guess we should all expect more of this "enforced freedom." Which in the bigger picture is really no freedom at all.
But this one day. It was delightful.
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Answering Machine...
It's insanely cold here in the Midwest. The radio tells me all-time record cold. So we are all hunkered in today. The plan is to stay in, amuse ourselves anyway we can.
I was just sipping coffee, randomly paging thru Jay Farrar's book "Falling Cars and Junkyard Dogs." There's a brief paragraph about one of his musical mentors Doug Sahm of the Sir Douglas Quintet leaving messages on Jay's answering machine. Jay kept those messages.
Made me think of my own answering machine in the late 90's and early 2000's. Filled with messages from my father, now long gone. I didn't keep those messages. Stupidly erased. It kills me that they are gone. The machine is gone now too. Don't even have a landline anymore. Time.
I recall long rambling messages. Monologues. Funny, insightful, ridiculous. My father was a fabulous talker, a great story-teller. I loved listening to his voice. Maybe those messages on the tape were some of the best moments. I mean, lots of our conversations were actually monologues. The tape gave him a free range. I just took those messages for granted, right? He'd fill the tapes. I'd erase them, knowing that he would fill them up again. I never thought of buying a box of tapes, keeping them all, like the precious cargo they actually really were.
Now. Just a fading memory in my head. Time.
I was just sipping coffee, randomly paging thru Jay Farrar's book "Falling Cars and Junkyard Dogs." There's a brief paragraph about one of his musical mentors Doug Sahm of the Sir Douglas Quintet leaving messages on Jay's answering machine. Jay kept those messages.
Made me think of my own answering machine in the late 90's and early 2000's. Filled with messages from my father, now long gone. I didn't keep those messages. Stupidly erased. It kills me that they are gone. The machine is gone now too. Don't even have a landline anymore. Time.
I recall long rambling messages. Monologues. Funny, insightful, ridiculous. My father was a fabulous talker, a great story-teller. I loved listening to his voice. Maybe those messages on the tape were some of the best moments. I mean, lots of our conversations were actually monologues. The tape gave him a free range. I just took those messages for granted, right? He'd fill the tapes. I'd erase them, knowing that he would fill them up again. I never thought of buying a box of tapes, keeping them all, like the precious cargo they actually really were.
Now. Just a fading memory in my head. Time.
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Junun. Sound. Vision. Extraordinary.
Searching for other things, I found this little buried treasure of a movie. One of my favorite directors, PT Anderson, made a documentary of the making of a record at Mehrangarh Fort in Rajasthan, India. A collaboration between the Israeli composer She Ben Tzur, Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood and the Indian ensemble the Rajasthan Express. Music recorded and produced by longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Goodrich.
What to say? See it. It is beautiful. Extraordinary. Sound. Vision. Gorgeous. An extraordinary collaboration between an amazing collection of human beings in one of the most breath-taking places on earth. Some of the most glorious, stunning shots are filmed outside the fort, but the scenes in the music-room, with all of the musicians working together, is entrancing and inspiring. These unique human beings, in this unique place, making this unique sound. Fabulous.
Monday, January 28, 2019
Time Tripping with Sergio Leone!
What a great way to spend a wintry Sunday afternoon. I time-traveled to 1969's Sergio Leone movie, "Once Upon a Time in the West." 3 hours long. Maybe that's why, up to now, I've never seen this film. Check out Roger Ebert's review from '69 here.
What to add?
The movie is a myth of a myth of a myth... you finally peel back the layers of the onion and you get down to Jack Elam's scowling mug; eyes drifting in two wildly off-kilter directions at once. This movie isn't from another time and place, it's a missile from another planet, another galaxy. Or really just a rumor of a rumored missile from a rumor of a distant galaxy. It's figment of an over-boiled imagination. A deep and captivating fever dream from an Italian eccentric exploring the mythical West first conjured up by John Ford, Howard Hawks & John Huston.
It's about Death. Basically. And dirt. And sun. Mountain. Desert. Cruelty. Bad blood. Revenge. Greed. Progress. Das Kapital. Human Beings in a hard reality. The men are basically all Killers. The One Woman in the West is a Whore and a Saint. Of course. Faces. Hands. Guns. Stony hearts. Human beings scrambling around in the dust. The Noble Ones suffer, and slave, without complaint.
Oh yeah, and it's about Death in another way too. This film is so old, most, if not all, of the folks you see on screen are long gone. Which gives the movie another level of profundity, and a specialness to it. A lost time. There is even more gravity and meaning watching these actors play their parts to the hilt, knowing they are now long dead and buried. Weird too.
Loved the over the top stylization. Loved the Ennio Morricone score: Jew's harps and whistling. The spaghetti-ist of Spaghetti Westerns. Loved those long lingering shots of faces: Jack Elam, Jason Robards, Charles Bronson, Henry Fonda. The craggy, burned-out, sweating, dirty faces themselves are like stony landscapes. Rock-faces. The camera just lingers, and lingers and lingers. Fonda plays the heaviest of heavies. He walks and talks with such menace and such grace. The blackest of blackhearts. I'm sure Fonda loved the role.
Funny. Trashy. Brilliant. Absorbing. It's got a weird, convoluted plot. It takes a bit of effort to track with it. Highly recommended!
Sunday, January 27, 2019
You Do Not Want to Be This Idiot in Chief!
What happens when the "strongman" stumbles, when the big, overstuffed Idiot in Chief suddenly appears weak, ineffective, ridiculous, over-matched, in over his head, above his pay-grade, defeated by an intelligent and effective Woman? What happens when the big tough-talking clown turns out to be a hollow pathetic wimp? How does it end for such a fool? Right now there are 17 investigations bearing down on this clown's administration. You do not want to trade places with this Idiot in Chief. Karma is a runaway train.
Saturday, January 26, 2019
Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, has Found the Dragon's Eggs!
Really? You mean to tell me that the Big Bad Bully got out-played by a Woman?
Ha, ha, ha!
Best way to win against a Bully? As a wee lad, I learned, one sharp (and lucky) punch in the nose will do it. I mean, I am not advocating violence, but my own personal experience tells me that sometimes you have to stand up to the Bully terrorizing you; you have to call his bluff, especially if you are finally tired of having that Fat Little Kid knocking you to the ground, sitting on your chest, making you eat dirt. I remember one glorious, lucky punch that just accidentally landed on the Bully's nose. Blood flowed. Tears were shed, and that Bully never messed with me again. Almost seems like a Myth. But it really did happen. I know, I was there.
So yes, turns out Nancy Pelosi has found the Dragon's Eggs. And our Big Bad Bully Man Prez got his head handed to him. So, so sweet. And now, that the Bully is down licking his wounds, what does she do? She goes for the jugular...
First this: “In the face of 37 indictments, the President’s continued actions to undermine the Special Counsel investigation raise the questions: what does Putin have on the President, politically, personally or financially?” - Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House
And then this...
Ha, ha, ha!
Best way to win against a Bully? As a wee lad, I learned, one sharp (and lucky) punch in the nose will do it. I mean, I am not advocating violence, but my own personal experience tells me that sometimes you have to stand up to the Bully terrorizing you; you have to call his bluff, especially if you are finally tired of having that Fat Little Kid knocking you to the ground, sitting on your chest, making you eat dirt. I remember one glorious, lucky punch that just accidentally landed on the Bully's nose. Blood flowed. Tears were shed, and that Bully never messed with me again. Almost seems like a Myth. But it really did happen. I know, I was there.
So yes, turns out Nancy Pelosi has found the Dragon's Eggs. And our Big Bad Bully Man Prez got his head handed to him. So, so sweet. And now, that the Bully is down licking his wounds, what does she do? She goes for the jugular...
First this: “In the face of 37 indictments, the President’s continued actions to undermine the Special Counsel investigation raise the questions: what does Putin have on the President, politically, personally or financially?” - Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House
And then this...
Friday, January 25, 2019
Death. The Big Enchilada!
Death is the Big Enchilada. Even if you don't eat Mexican food. Doesn't matter. Death.
I was talking to a friend yesterday. We are both advancing in the age thing. There is a point in your life, when it dawns on you that Death isn't just for other people. Nope. It's pretty much for everyone. Old, young, rich, poor. Whatever. Everyone.
We talked about how we each have different strategies for dealing with this unfortunate circumstance. My friend counts. He counts the days, the years. He banks $. He plans. He frets. He tries to think about how to prepare for the inevitable.
I take a totally different approach. I don't think about it. I mean, I have always been "death-haunted," but I work hard on pushing those kinds of thoughts out of my head. It's full time job just trying to not think about Death. I don't count days or years. I don't bank $. I don't plan. I don't fret. I do not think about how to prepare for the inevitable.
I try to live by the Wisdom of the Yogi: BE HERE NOW. There is an upside. I don't PANIC! The downside? I have no plan. None. I don't keep track of the years. I try to pretty much think about just about anything else. All the time.
Still that Big Enchilada is always looming out there. Think about it or not. Doesn't really matter.
I was talking to a friend yesterday. We are both advancing in the age thing. There is a point in your life, when it dawns on you that Death isn't just for other people. Nope. It's pretty much for everyone. Old, young, rich, poor. Whatever. Everyone.
We talked about how we each have different strategies for dealing with this unfortunate circumstance. My friend counts. He counts the days, the years. He banks $. He plans. He frets. He tries to think about how to prepare for the inevitable.
I take a totally different approach. I don't think about it. I mean, I have always been "death-haunted," but I work hard on pushing those kinds of thoughts out of my head. It's full time job just trying to not think about Death. I don't count days or years. I don't bank $. I don't plan. I don't fret. I do not think about how to prepare for the inevitable.
I try to live by the Wisdom of the Yogi: BE HERE NOW. There is an upside. I don't PANIC! The downside? I have no plan. None. I don't keep track of the years. I try to pretty much think about just about anything else. All the time.
Still that Big Enchilada is always looming out there. Think about it or not. Doesn't really matter.
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Motion-Sickness on the Planet!
The earth is always spinning, right? We are on this little blue planet spinning in space. Weird, right? It's funny that we aren't always motion-sick. Or maybe we are, and we just don't even notice, because, well, it's always the case that we are spinning in the void, and we have, as a species, just adjusted accordingly.
Then again, sometimes human beings do spin out, right? And maybe we are entering that phase where human beings, as a species, are, you know, getting loopy, I mean, species-wide?! I think we are in that loopy phase right now. Maybe it's because we are globally connected and that never happened before, and we are tuned in to so much more information across the human spectrum. Never had that before either. And there are so many more of us than ever before. And resources are finite and beginning to dwindle, and the planet is heating up because of all the carbon dioxide we throw into the atmosphere is trapping the heat from the sun, creating a frying pan effect, and maybe we are starting to cook our brains and choking on the carbon dioxide too? Some of us are so damn afraid. Some of us are so damn hopeful. It's a mixed up ball of confusion, which is a crazy-ass recipe for adventure. But we are spinning. And spinning. I do believe that motion-sickness is seeping into our consciousness. That's a thing. Yes. I do believe.
Then again, sometimes human beings do spin out, right? And maybe we are entering that phase where human beings, as a species, are, you know, getting loopy, I mean, species-wide?! I think we are in that loopy phase right now. Maybe it's because we are globally connected and that never happened before, and we are tuned in to so much more information across the human spectrum. Never had that before either. And there are so many more of us than ever before. And resources are finite and beginning to dwindle, and the planet is heating up because of all the carbon dioxide we throw into the atmosphere is trapping the heat from the sun, creating a frying pan effect, and maybe we are starting to cook our brains and choking on the carbon dioxide too? Some of us are so damn afraid. Some of us are so damn hopeful. It's a mixed up ball of confusion, which is a crazy-ass recipe for adventure. But we are spinning. And spinning. I do believe that motion-sickness is seeping into our consciousness. That's a thing. Yes. I do believe.
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
Build a Wall Around the Idiot in Chief?!
Can we build a wall around the Idiot in Chief? Please? When Nixon resigned in the wake of Watergate his approval rating was at 22%. Come on America, the reckoning is coming! Let's get those disapproval numbers up, and those approval ratings down, we can do it!
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
A Worrying Problem!
You know, it's probably best to only worry about the things you can control. But, of course, it turns out, you really can't control anything. So maybe best not to worry about anything. Not easy to do, and not worrying sort of feels like an abdication of responsibility. So then, maybe instead, we all should worry about everything. Every. Last. Thing. That sounds exhausting. And probably impossible. There isn't enough worry in us to encompass the entire universe of things to worry about. So we worry along as best we can. And we worry that our worrying capability just doesn't quite measure up. Oh well. What's the worry?
Monday, January 21, 2019
MLK, Jeff & Brian
MLK Jr. ---
Yes, one can hope. As Jeff Tweedy of Wilco puts it: "Where would we be without wishful thinking?"
Can we expect the Moral Universe to validate Dr. King's words? Sometimes it seems like we are just little cogs in a big wheel. That wheel keeps on turning. What was up is down, what was last is first. It just depends on the spin of the wheel. Time and Place.
Justice, Truth, Love. "Wouldn't it be nice?" - Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys
Sunday, January 20, 2019
"Thoughts of a Madman: Russian Agent, or Useful Idiot?!"
Is the world crazy, or is it me? Both? Have I fallen into some weird, conspiracy-minded madness? Has the Idiot in Chief driven me mad? Am I chasing shadows, inventing enemies, and bad actors who are working behind the scenes causing all the problems in the world?
What the hell is happening? What has happened to the country and all of the people in it? Are we all totally off the rails? Is all this in my head? Is everything actually fine? Is all of this chaos, madness, uncertainty some sort of delusion or hallucination?
Not sure. I have my doubts about the world, and myself too. Ok. Maybe I am crazy. But I was so happy to find this article, these words in print from Garrett Graff author of a biography of Robert Mueller III and a columnist in Wired Magazine...
"Trump Must Be A Russian Agent, the Alternative is Too Awful." - G. Graff
I may be mad, but it's good to see that someone else, someone seemingly more together, more sane, less distracted, than I am, who seems to be on the same thought-train, the thought-train that is driving me freaking nuts (emphasis added).
"THE PATTERN OF his pro-Putin, pro-Russia, anti-FBI, anti-intelligence community actions are so one-sided, and the lies and obfuscation surrounding every single Russian meeting and conversation are so consistent, that if this president isn’t actually hiding a massive conspiracy, it means the alternative is worse: America elected a chief executive so oblivious to geopolitics, so self-centered and personally insecure, so naturally predisposed to undermine democratic institutions and coddle authoritarians, and so terrible a manager and leader, that he cluelessly surrounded himself with crooks, grifters, and agents of foreign powers, compromising the national security of the US government and undermining 75 years of critical foreign alliances, just to satiate his own ego.
In short, we’ve reached a point in the Mueller probe where there are only two scenarios left: Either the president is compromised by the Russian government and has been working covertly to cooperate with Vladimir Putin after Russia helped win him the 2016 election—or Trump will go down in history as the world’s most famous “useful idiot,” as communists used to call those who could be co-opted to the cause without realizing it."
What the hell is happening? What has happened to the country and all of the people in it? Are we all totally off the rails? Is all this in my head? Is everything actually fine? Is all of this chaos, madness, uncertainty some sort of delusion or hallucination?
Not sure. I have my doubts about the world, and myself too. Ok. Maybe I am crazy. But I was so happy to find this article, these words in print from Garrett Graff author of a biography of Robert Mueller III and a columnist in Wired Magazine...
"Trump Must Be A Russian Agent, the Alternative is Too Awful." - G. Graff
I may be mad, but it's good to see that someone else, someone seemingly more together, more sane, less distracted, than I am, who seems to be on the same thought-train, the thought-train that is driving me freaking nuts (emphasis added).
"THE PATTERN OF his pro-Putin, pro-Russia, anti-FBI, anti-intelligence community actions are so one-sided, and the lies and obfuscation surrounding every single Russian meeting and conversation are so consistent, that if this president isn’t actually hiding a massive conspiracy, it means the alternative is worse: America elected a chief executive so oblivious to geopolitics, so self-centered and personally insecure, so naturally predisposed to undermine democratic institutions and coddle authoritarians, and so terrible a manager and leader, that he cluelessly surrounded himself with crooks, grifters, and agents of foreign powers, compromising the national security of the US government and undermining 75 years of critical foreign alliances, just to satiate his own ego.
In short, we’ve reached a point in the Mueller probe where there are only two scenarios left: Either the president is compromised by the Russian government and has been working covertly to cooperate with Vladimir Putin after Russia helped win him the 2016 election—or Trump will go down in history as the world’s most famous “useful idiot,” as communists used to call those who could be co-opted to the cause without realizing it."
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Hold Your Horses!
Hold your horses, maybe it's too soon, a bit premature, to think of Cormier and Leopold as the new Woodward and Bernstein, and Buzzfeed as the new Washington Post (see previous post). I do not want to be a purveyor of fake news. Reports are confusing. And not really sure what's going on. I will leave up yesterday's post, just because, it reflects the confusing nature of our reality. It seemed well-sourced, But it appears that there is some dispute to the facts...
The real Washington Post reports that the Special Counsel denies details of the BuzzFeed report.
The real Washington Post reports that the Special Counsel denies details of the BuzzFeed report.
“BuzzFeed’s description of specific statements to the special counsel’s office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen’s congressional testimony are not accurate,” said Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller.
What does it all mean? It may be that the "gist" of the story is correct, but some of the details about the evidence are not... we just don't know... maybe these BuzzFeed guys are a bit over their skis, but then again, once in awhile Woodward and Bernstein appeared to be well ahead of their story too, and in the end, their scoops and sources were proven to be journalistic gold. I surmise, we will find out the truth, about BuzzFeed, about the reporters, about their sources and about the Idiot in Chief and his henchmen, all the fabulously gory details, in due time. Stay tuned!
Friday, January 18, 2019
The Liar Lied to the Other Liar and they agreed to Lie to Everyone Else...
Turns out Jason Leopold and Anthony Cormier reporters for Buzz Feed News may be the Woodward and Bernstein of our era. You know, "the Idiot in Chief Era." That would make Buzz Feed the new Washington Post. These two reporters have really owned the Moscow Tower Project story.
They have a new major scoop (President Trump Directed His Attorney to Lie To Congress About the Moscow Tower Project), Posted on January 17, 2019, at 10:11 p.m. ET...
Remember that date and time. I am no law enforcement expert, or constitutional scholar, but I do know "suborning perjury" is a major no-no. Children of America, pay attention! Shocking, right? No, not really, it's not surprising, that the liar lied to the other liar and they agreed to lie to everyone else. Still it's starting to get a bit "Nixonian" for our Idiot in Chief.
According to Buzz Feed:
Mueller has the details -- "The special counsel’s office learned about Trump’s directive for Cohen to lie to Congress through interviews with multiple witnesses from the Trump Org and internal company emails, text messages, and a cache of other documents."
They have a new major scoop (President Trump Directed His Attorney to Lie To Congress About the Moscow Tower Project), Posted on January 17, 2019, at 10:11 p.m. ET...
Remember that date and time. I am no law enforcement expert, or constitutional scholar, but I do know "suborning perjury" is a major no-no. Children of America, pay attention! Shocking, right? No, not really, it's not surprising, that the liar lied to the other liar and they agreed to lie to everyone else. Still it's starting to get a bit "Nixonian" for our Idiot in Chief.
According to Buzz Feed:
Mueller has the details -- "The special counsel’s office learned about Trump’s directive for Cohen to lie to Congress through interviews with multiple witnesses from the Trump Org and internal company emails, text messages, and a cache of other documents."
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Everything is Fragile!
We live in the material world. Sometimes we think that material is solid. Really, everything is in flux, everything is fluid, everything can fall apart, morph, change, in an instant. Even solids aren't really solid. Everything is fragile. Probably best to keep that in mind. Always. Everything is fragile, and can fall apart at any moment. It's a weird way to think. But probably helps when things really do blow apart on us.
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Get Your Head Together!
Oh well.
Sometimes it pays to tune out the world. Tune out the madness, the noise, the toil & trouble, the hurly-burly. Tend to your garden. Get your head together. Gather your strength and resources. Take a break. Times like these, I like to sink into the music of Sigur Ros. Symphonic, chamber pop/rock. I mean, since music really is my life, I always need a soundtrack, no matter what I am doing. If I need deep, profound, exhilarating, and meditative music, nothing better, soothing, stimulating, engulfing, enrapturing than the sounds from that Icelandic band. So, yes, I sink in deep, then, of course, I get myself ready to face another day.
Sometimes it pays to tune out the world. Tune out the madness, the noise, the toil & trouble, the hurly-burly. Tend to your garden. Get your head together. Gather your strength and resources. Take a break. Times like these, I like to sink into the music of Sigur Ros. Symphonic, chamber pop/rock. I mean, since music really is my life, I always need a soundtrack, no matter what I am doing. If I need deep, profound, exhilarating, and meditative music, nothing better, soothing, stimulating, engulfing, enrapturing than the sounds from that Icelandic band. So, yes, I sink in deep, then, of course, I get myself ready to face another day.
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Garbage In, Garbage Out...
He mainly (only?) eats fast food...
Maybe that explains it all? As they say, you are what you eat. Sometimes a photo truly is priceless. Honest Abe looming above a very unhealthy human, standing in front of a table of lots of really shitty food... words are inadequate... I mean, why does this make me think of Kubrick's "The Shining?"
Maybe that explains it all? As they say, you are what you eat. Sometimes a photo truly is priceless. Honest Abe looming above a very unhealthy human, standing in front of a table of lots of really shitty food... words are inadequate... I mean, why does this make me think of Kubrick's "The Shining?"
Monday, January 14, 2019
One of the Greatest Mistakes in the History of Fatal Mistakes!
Carl Berstein, Political Analyst, Journalistic Hero: “This is about the most serious counterintelligence people we have in the US government saying, ‘Oh my god, the President’s words and actions lead us to conclude that somehow he has become a witting, unwitting or half-witting pawn...to Vladimir Putin.'”
Sympathy for this President? Sympathy for the devil? Nope.
No sympathy for this particular devil. It's not because he's colossally ignorant. It's not because he's a bloated, hollow husk of a human being and a shitty salesman to boot. It's not because he's an epic blowhard, a pathological liar, a clueless, tasteless, no-nothing. It's not because he's a coward and a phony, a wanna be strongman hiding behind his gaudy facade of Dictator kitsch, sticking his stupid name on everything. It's not his lifetime of corruption, money-laundering, his mobbed-up real estate empire. It's not because he inherited his wealth from his daddy.
All of that could probably be overlooked. I mean who cares?
No, there's no sympathy for this particular devil because of his stone-cold racism, his white supremacy, his race-baiting, his deep in-grained misogyny. His casual and constant degradation of other human beings: women, African Americans, Mexicans, brown and black people around the world. And of course his degradation of our Laws, our Constitution, our Norms, our Democratic system.
No sympathy because he fucked with all of us, probably initially as a misguided, ridiculous brand-building exercise. And kicked into gear by his deep hatred for the first African American President in American History.
No, no sympathy for this wreck of a human being. He isn't an evil genius. He's an idiot who blundered into a hilariously bad situation that went seriously off the rails. Running for President? Accepting the nomination? Accidentally winning?
Stupidity in Spades.
All the time he was fucking with us, he was also playing patty cakes with a murderous strongman from a hostile foreign country. That was playing with fire. That was a fatal fucking mistake. One of the greatest mistakes in the history of fatal mistakes. Now, he's in a vise. Caught between the Law Man and the murderous, Oil-Can, Autocratic, wanna-be Dictator. And it's all gonna come out. The betrayal of his country for $. Such a cheap, tawdry, treasonous-flavored treat. What a completely odious and toxic fool. Let it come down!
Sympathy for this President? Sympathy for the devil? Nope.
No sympathy for this particular devil. It's not because he's colossally ignorant. It's not because he's a bloated, hollow husk of a human being and a shitty salesman to boot. It's not because he's an epic blowhard, a pathological liar, a clueless, tasteless, no-nothing. It's not because he's a coward and a phony, a wanna be strongman hiding behind his gaudy facade of Dictator kitsch, sticking his stupid name on everything. It's not his lifetime of corruption, money-laundering, his mobbed-up real estate empire. It's not because he inherited his wealth from his daddy.
All of that could probably be overlooked. I mean who cares?
No, there's no sympathy for this particular devil because of his stone-cold racism, his white supremacy, his race-baiting, his deep in-grained misogyny. His casual and constant degradation of other human beings: women, African Americans, Mexicans, brown and black people around the world. And of course his degradation of our Laws, our Constitution, our Norms, our Democratic system.
No sympathy because he fucked with all of us, probably initially as a misguided, ridiculous brand-building exercise. And kicked into gear by his deep hatred for the first African American President in American History.
No, no sympathy for this wreck of a human being. He isn't an evil genius. He's an idiot who blundered into a hilariously bad situation that went seriously off the rails. Running for President? Accepting the nomination? Accidentally winning?
Stupidity in Spades.
All the time he was fucking with us, he was also playing patty cakes with a murderous strongman from a hostile foreign country. That was playing with fire. That was a fatal fucking mistake. One of the greatest mistakes in the history of fatal mistakes. Now, he's in a vise. Caught between the Law Man and the murderous, Oil-Can, Autocratic, wanna-be Dictator. And it's all gonna come out. The betrayal of his country for $. Such a cheap, tawdry, treasonous-flavored treat. What a completely odious and toxic fool. Let it come down!
Sunday, January 13, 2019
The Obvious Questions.
Yes, the damning stories keep coming. Maybe the most damning yet, in a long list of the damned... the questions basically answer themselves... there are no good, rational, or innocent explanations. Why would the President hide and destroy records of his conversations with Putin? What exactly did they talk about? What is he hiding from his W.H aides, his lawyers & the American People? Inquiring Minds want to know!
Additional Leading Questions:
"So when exactly did you become a Russian Dupe & Asset?"
How does it feel to sell out your country for $?
Do you consider yourself a chump or a traitor?
What the fuck were you thinking?
Did you really think you were gonna get away with it?
Are you sleeping well?
Do you like wearing orange jumpsuits?
Make America Great Again? Come on, really?
Let me make things clear, he knows, that they know, that he knows, that they know, what he did, and it was a very, very bad thing... let it come down...
Additional Leading Questions:
"So when exactly did you become a Russian Dupe & Asset?"
How does it feel to sell out your country for $?
Do you consider yourself a chump or a traitor?
What the fuck were you thinking?
Did you really think you were gonna get away with it?
Are you sleeping well?
Do you like wearing orange jumpsuits?
Make America Great Again? Come on, really?
Let me make things clear, he knows, that they know, that he knows, that they know, what he did, and it was a very, very bad thing... let it come down...
Saturday, January 12, 2019
Painfully, Blindingly, Ridiculously Obvious for a Long Time Now.
NYTimes reports:
Right. This has been painfully, blindingly, ridiculously obvious for a long time now. I mean, no shite Sherlock. The 45th President of the United States has been working for Russia, either willingly or unwillingly since before he took office.
It's been an "open secret." Almost seems too crazy, too improbable, too brazen, too ridiculous, but there it is... wonder what happens now?
This man sold his country out. He betrayed good old USA. Once it dawns on everyone what really happened, well, betraying your country... we aren't all going to take kindly to that are we? That isn't gonna sit well... I say let the Law & Justice come down. With extreme prejudice!
F.B.I. Opened Inquiry Into Whether Trump Was Secretly Working on Behalf of Russia
Right. This has been painfully, blindingly, ridiculously obvious for a long time now. I mean, no shite Sherlock. The 45th President of the United States has been working for Russia, either willingly or unwillingly since before he took office.
It's been an "open secret." Almost seems too crazy, too improbable, too brazen, too ridiculous, but there it is... wonder what happens now?
This man sold his country out. He betrayed good old USA. Once it dawns on everyone what really happened, well, betraying your country... we aren't all going to take kindly to that are we? That isn't gonna sit well... I say let the Law & Justice come down. With extreme prejudice!
Friday, January 11, 2019
Know Your History, Know Yourself.
Leaders. Right? If you are to choose a leader, be sure to choose wisely (see previous post). Leaders can lead us over a cliff. Or into a wall, or into an oven, or an unmarked grave. Just brush up on your history. It's amazing how gullible people are, how willing they are to commit atrocities, just to show they are good followers, just to please the leader. Folks in the mode of following are quick to give up any sense of morality, any sense of humanity, or individuality. There is something about us human beings, maybe we are essentially herd animals, or hierarchical creatures? Why are we so willing to give it up to a leader? Some of seem to want a Big Daddy. Big Monkey Man. A Strongman. It's a flaw. A problem. Know your history. Know yourself.
Thursday, January 10, 2019
A Leader, With No Followers!
"Don’t follow leaders Watch the parkin’ meters..." - Bob Dylan
Yes. I have incorporated that line into my own personal code for most of my life. I don't really want to be a follower. I am not looking for a leader to follow. I pay the meter when I have to, I don't try to draw any attention from the "powers that be."
I prefer to be my own leader, a leader with with no followers, ok, maybe a leader with one follower. Me. It's a lonely road, but I'm okay with being alone.
"If my thought-dreams could be seen, they'd probably put my head in a guilotine..." - Bob Dylan
I am interested in the idea of leaders. I think of folks who lead by example. Usually they have suffered at the hands of some injustice, or indignity, and have carried on with grace and courage, or maybe they have always just been gifted with grace and courage and have no problem standing alone. There are very few folks who could qualify. I think of Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Martin Luther King Jr, Gandhi, Dorothy Day, Cesar Chavez, Thomas Merton, Ho Chi Minh, Dali Lama.
I mean, there are plenty of folks who we never hear of that show these qualities. The common decent folk. I know they are out there somewhere. I look for wisdom and courage where I can. Mostly, human beings are pretty much a disappointment. So many of us come up short. I mean, hell, it's okay, it's only life, it's a struggle! But we should struggle. Fight our worst instincts, and listen to our better angels. That's an idea!
Yes. I have incorporated that line into my own personal code for most of my life. I don't really want to be a follower. I am not looking for a leader to follow. I pay the meter when I have to, I don't try to draw any attention from the "powers that be."
I prefer to be my own leader, a leader with with no followers, ok, maybe a leader with one follower. Me. It's a lonely road, but I'm okay with being alone.
"If my thought-dreams could be seen, they'd probably put my head in a guilotine..." - Bob Dylan
I am interested in the idea of leaders. I think of folks who lead by example. Usually they have suffered at the hands of some injustice, or indignity, and have carried on with grace and courage, or maybe they have always just been gifted with grace and courage and have no problem standing alone. There are very few folks who could qualify. I think of Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Martin Luther King Jr, Gandhi, Dorothy Day, Cesar Chavez, Thomas Merton, Ho Chi Minh, Dali Lama.
I mean, there are plenty of folks who we never hear of that show these qualities. The common decent folk. I know they are out there somewhere. I look for wisdom and courage where I can. Mostly, human beings are pretty much a disappointment. So many of us come up short. I mean, hell, it's okay, it's only life, it's a struggle! But we should struggle. Fight our worst instincts, and listen to our better angels. That's an idea!
Wednesday, January 09, 2019
It's Not Often You Get to Express the Zeitgeist of Our Times!
Yes, my band and I are big fans of the author, poet and professor, Liam Heneghan and his extraordinary book, Beasts at Bedtime... brilliant, mind-expanding, essential reading. I wrote about my impressions of his book in this post. We were delighted when Liam agreed to listen to our new album "The Alternate Boot: Vols 1&2" and to share his impressions and insights...
https://whitewolfsonicprincess.com/new-music/
whitewolfsonicprincess: The Alternate Boot: Vols. 1&2: An Album that Expresses the Zeitgeist of our Times
There is a tension—anxious and beautiful—at the heart of “The Alternate Boot Vols. 1&2” (The 2-CD version of the album available 01.08.19 on Bandcamp!), whitewolfsonicprincess’ new album that is hard, at first, to put your finger on.
On the one hand, the lyrics of several of the songs manifest our apprehensive times. For example, “There’s a sadness in the world/there’s a madness in the world/is no bottom to the well/is no answer you can tell” are the opening lines of Sadness In The World (Hayden/Moeller). Thematically, the roster of songs in this double album runs the gamut from pure fun (Surfer Boy From Illinois), spiritual reflection (So Clear), and love, desire, and reminisces are scattered throughout like jewels on a pathway, but it’s the somber tones that line the route.
Other examples: “The fear is big, my beauty fast and fading…” (I Close My Eyes), “Tell me about that Morning Dove/How the Darkness Bleeds into the Light” (in Your Shining Eyes, a shimmering standout track). Vol. 2 closes on this somber tone with Carla Hayden singing “Sometimes the light turns into shadows/Even angels can’t hide the face of fear” (Hand Of Grace). Undoubtedly, sober reflection and an acknowledgment of our fearful times are part of the role of artists in vertiginous times. Thus, the sensibility of this album is poetic and responsible.
For all of that, one rarely attends to art as an act of duty. So why despite the ostensible glumness of theme is this album so listenenable… (and I have had it on repeat for several days now)? After these repeated listens, I suspect that what “The Alternate Boot Vols. 1&2” has achieved is to put its lyrical and honest arc of truth-telling into fruitful at times tense conversation with music that is so driving, surging, muscular and vivacious that these songs become magnetic and unforgettable.
The Alternate Boot performs the small miracle of both calling out our times while raising us up. It is hard to come away from this music without feeling emboldened and up to the task of both resisting, and just as importantly, of living gracefully. The album is at its surging best on the previously mentioned Your Shining Eyes, as well as Dance a Wave, So Clear, the psychedelically tinged Hand in Hand, and the swelling and heaving Brown Eyes.
I have been a fan of whitewolfsonicprincess since I first saw them perform an intimate gig in Evanston, IL a decade or so ago. But this new offering is undeniably special. The album will have all the elements that fans expect from this band: it is lyrically interesting rock-and-roll, but this is something delicious and not to be missed. – Liam Heneghan
Liam Heneghan – Author of “Beasts at Bedtime,” Professor of Environmental Science and Studies at De Paul University. He is a Dubliner, an occasional poet, and a father of two grown children.
https://whitewolfsonicprincess.com/new-music/
whitewolfsonicprincess: The Alternate Boot: Vols. 1&2: An Album that Expresses the Zeitgeist of our Times
There is a tension—anxious and beautiful—at the heart of “The Alternate Boot Vols. 1&2” (The 2-CD version of the album available 01.08.19 on Bandcamp!), whitewolfsonicprincess’ new album that is hard, at first, to put your finger on.
On the one hand, the lyrics of several of the songs manifest our apprehensive times. For example, “There’s a sadness in the world/there’s a madness in the world/is no bottom to the well/is no answer you can tell” are the opening lines of Sadness In The World (Hayden/Moeller). Thematically, the roster of songs in this double album runs the gamut from pure fun (Surfer Boy From Illinois), spiritual reflection (So Clear), and love, desire, and reminisces are scattered throughout like jewels on a pathway, but it’s the somber tones that line the route.
Other examples: “The fear is big, my beauty fast and fading…” (I Close My Eyes), “Tell me about that Morning Dove/How the Darkness Bleeds into the Light” (in Your Shining Eyes, a shimmering standout track). Vol. 2 closes on this somber tone with Carla Hayden singing “Sometimes the light turns into shadows/Even angels can’t hide the face of fear” (Hand Of Grace). Undoubtedly, sober reflection and an acknowledgment of our fearful times are part of the role of artists in vertiginous times. Thus, the sensibility of this album is poetic and responsible.
For all of that, one rarely attends to art as an act of duty. So why despite the ostensible glumness of theme is this album so listenenable… (and I have had it on repeat for several days now)? After these repeated listens, I suspect that what “The Alternate Boot Vols. 1&2” has achieved is to put its lyrical and honest arc of truth-telling into fruitful at times tense conversation with music that is so driving, surging, muscular and vivacious that these songs become magnetic and unforgettable.
The Alternate Boot performs the small miracle of both calling out our times while raising us up. It is hard to come away from this music without feeling emboldened and up to the task of both resisting, and just as importantly, of living gracefully. The album is at its surging best on the previously mentioned Your Shining Eyes, as well as Dance a Wave, So Clear, the psychedelically tinged Hand in Hand, and the swelling and heaving Brown Eyes.
I have been a fan of whitewolfsonicprincess since I first saw them perform an intimate gig in Evanston, IL a decade or so ago. But this new offering is undeniably special. The album will have all the elements that fans expect from this band: it is lyrically interesting rock-and-roll, but this is something delicious and not to be missed. – Liam Heneghan
Tuesday, January 08, 2019
"The Alternate Boot: Vols. 1&2" is Here!
Hello Universe...
whitewolfsonicprincess' new album, "The Alternate Boot: Vols. 1&2" releases today on all digital music platforms including: Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, etc. But we really, really encourage you to consider buying the 2-CD version of the album via Bandcamp - cool packaging, an 8 page booklet with lyrics and production notes, AND high-quality digital downloads and unlimited streaming included for $15.00. It's a fantastic deal! If you prefer living in the material world of bricks and mortar, be sure to visit Vintage Vinyl in Evanston our CD is in stock now!
We want to share the first review of our new album. It comes from an extraordinary Writer, & Poet, Liam Heneghan, Professor of Environmental Science & Author of the beautiful & amazing book "Beasts at Bedtime." It is so gratifying and humbling to read his words. He writes with deep knowledge, and pure poetic insight:
"... Music that is so driving, surging, muscular and vivacious that these songs become magnetic and unforgettable." - Liam Heneghan
Fire up your stereo systems, put your headphones on "The Alternate Boot" is here!
Also check out Pat Mcdonald's interview & profile of the band over at HollywoodChicago.com
"To travel with whitewolfsonicprincess in “The Alternate Boot” is to float in a dream and destiny of magical thinking, ethereal musicality and images of promise… and we all arrive together." - Patrick McDonald
whitewolfsonicprincess' new album, "The Alternate Boot: Vols. 1&2" releases today on all digital music platforms including: Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, etc. But we really, really encourage you to consider buying the 2-CD version of the album via Bandcamp - cool packaging, an 8 page booklet with lyrics and production notes, AND high-quality digital downloads and unlimited streaming included for $15.00. It's a fantastic deal! If you prefer living in the material world of bricks and mortar, be sure to visit Vintage Vinyl in Evanston our CD is in stock now!
We want to share the first review of our new album. It comes from an extraordinary Writer, & Poet, Liam Heneghan, Professor of Environmental Science & Author of the beautiful & amazing book "Beasts at Bedtime." It is so gratifying and humbling to read his words. He writes with deep knowledge, and pure poetic insight:
"... Music that is so driving, surging, muscular and vivacious that these songs become magnetic and unforgettable." - Liam Heneghan
Fire up your stereo systems, put your headphones on "The Alternate Boot" is here!
Also check out Pat Mcdonald's interview & profile of the band over at HollywoodChicago.com
"To travel with whitewolfsonicprincess in “The Alternate Boot” is to float in a dream and destiny of magical thinking, ethereal musicality and images of promise… and we all arrive together." - Patrick McDonald
Monday, January 07, 2019
It's A "No-Brainer!
David Leonhardt of the NYTimes spends a bit more time and effort, and devotes more words to the "Impeach the Motherfucker" idea, than I. What a capital idea!
Everyone with a handful of working brain cells can see that this man is not qualified to be President. He should be in jail. No doubt. How many ways is this dude corrupt? You will run out of fingers when you try to count.
From Leonhardt:
Everyone with a handful of working brain cells can see that this man is not qualified to be President. He should be in jail. No doubt. How many ways is this dude corrupt? You will run out of fingers when you try to count.
From Leonhardt:
"Consider the following descriptions of Trump: “terribly unfit;” “erratic;” “reckless;” “impetuous;” “unstable;” “a pathological liar;” “dangerous to a democracy;” a concern to “anyone who cares about our nation.” Every one of these descriptions comes from a Republican member of Congress or of Trump’s own administration.
They know. They know he is unfit for office. They do not need to be persuaded of the truth. They need to be persuaded to act on it."
Sunday, January 06, 2019
Let's Make America Equitable Again!
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is creating quite the exciting storm, the new house member from New York is a darling of the left. I am energized by her energy!
She is floating the idea of setting the top marginal tax rate at 70%. This seems so necessary. It is refreshing that someone is pushing this idea. She would use the revenue stream to drastically curb America's carbon dioxide emissions.
This is just common sense. The wealthy, a small portion of the ultra-rich, should pay their fair share to help keep America strong, and to address our greatest existential crisis. It's not a ridiculous idea. It is not crazy or onerous. Don't let those rich folks confuse you with jibber-jabber.
Remember the ultra-rich benefit greatly from living in America. They would not be ultra-rich if it wasn't for the rest of us. Our schools, our roads, our police departments, our fire brigades, our well-financed military, our consumers, our workers. Our blood, sweat & tears.
In earlier times the ultra-rich were taxed at a much higher rate: "Under Eisenhower, the top earners paid a 91 percent marginal rate, falling to Ocasio-Cortez’s proposed 70 percent under Kennedy and Johnson..."
Yeah. Eisenhower. Not exactly a socialist icon. Come on America, wake up! It is past due time that the ultra-rich ponied up. Let's make America equitable again!
She is floating the idea of setting the top marginal tax rate at 70%. This seems so necessary. It is refreshing that someone is pushing this idea. She would use the revenue stream to drastically curb America's carbon dioxide emissions.
This is just common sense. The wealthy, a small portion of the ultra-rich, should pay their fair share to help keep America strong, and to address our greatest existential crisis. It's not a ridiculous idea. It is not crazy or onerous. Don't let those rich folks confuse you with jibber-jabber.
Remember the ultra-rich benefit greatly from living in America. They would not be ultra-rich if it wasn't for the rest of us. Our schools, our roads, our police departments, our fire brigades, our well-financed military, our consumers, our workers. Our blood, sweat & tears.
In earlier times the ultra-rich were taxed at a much higher rate: "Under Eisenhower, the top earners paid a 91 percent marginal rate, falling to Ocasio-Cortez’s proposed 70 percent under Kennedy and Johnson..."
Yeah. Eisenhower. Not exactly a socialist icon. Come on America, wake up! It is past due time that the ultra-rich ponied up. Let's make America equitable again!
Saturday, January 05, 2019
Yep. Of Course.
"We are going to impeach the motherfucker..." Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan
Hah. Maybe it's a bit impolite, but I think Rashida is just saying out loud what most of us Democrats hope and expect. Of course, let's have Mueller finish his work, let's see the list of indictments, the list of co-conspirators, the catalog of unconstitutional acts. Let's see all of the "high crimes and misdemeanors" detailed in stark black and white print. It is so obvious that is where this is all headed. It's been clear for a long time that we have a Russian-backed Stooge in the White House. Let's get the truth out into the light of day... AND THEN... let's impeach the motherfucker!
P.S. Of course, not to be remiss, as Rashida points out, we already have a list of particulars now, even before Mueller lowers the boom, that make a great case for impeachment RIGHT NOW!
Hah. Maybe it's a bit impolite, but I think Rashida is just saying out loud what most of us Democrats hope and expect. Of course, let's have Mueller finish his work, let's see the list of indictments, the list of co-conspirators, the catalog of unconstitutional acts. Let's see all of the "high crimes and misdemeanors" detailed in stark black and white print. It is so obvious that is where this is all headed. It's been clear for a long time that we have a Russian-backed Stooge in the White House. Let's get the truth out into the light of day... AND THEN... let's impeach the motherfucker!
P.S. Of course, not to be remiss, as Rashida points out, we already have a list of particulars now, even before Mueller lowers the boom, that make a great case for impeachment RIGHT NOW!
Friday, January 04, 2019
No Walls.
Walls. Let me just say this about walls: I am against them. Everything I love about this country is intimately related to the idea that we don't have walls. We don't try to keep people out. Instead, we are that unique country that welcomes people from all over the world to come to our shores, to try to make a life here. Just check out the best places: New York, Chicago, L.A., San Francisco, Austin. They are all thriving, seething, over-stuffed melting pots. That's the great American experiment. And it's beautiful, wonderful, something to celebrate.
Thursday, January 03, 2019
Sometimes You Just Do the Day.
January in the Midwest - darkness to darkness. Daylight hours are short. You wake up in darkness, there are brief periods of light, or periods of illuminated gloom, and then darkness descends before dinner time. It's hard not to reflect the weather. It's hard not to absorb the darkness. If you are a sensitive type, and who isn't, you can't help resembling the day. It must be like that the world over, right?
Why do we choose to live in a place like this? Probably born here, and then you just don't travel too far from the places of your ancestors, or you meet someone who has ties here too. And then there's random circumstance, you didn't get that one job on the coast, and you got one closer to home, and you made the decision, after the decision was made for you, that this is your home. There's a point where you think you belong here. Even though the sense of belonging is thinner than an invisible string.
So no good explanation. You are here.
And you reflect the days. And maybe they reflect you. What is outside is inside too. And the other way around too. Dark days. Sunny Days. Whatever. There is a darkness in you too. An illuminated gloom too. Waiting, expecting sunnier days. Longer days. Warmer days. But dealing with the day at hand. That's the trick. Sometimes you just do the day.
Why do we choose to live in a place like this? Probably born here, and then you just don't travel too far from the places of your ancestors, or you meet someone who has ties here too. And then there's random circumstance, you didn't get that one job on the coast, and you got one closer to home, and you made the decision, after the decision was made for you, that this is your home. There's a point where you think you belong here. Even though the sense of belonging is thinner than an invisible string.
So no good explanation. You are here.
And you reflect the days. And maybe they reflect you. What is outside is inside too. And the other way around too. Dark days. Sunny Days. Whatever. There is a darkness in you too. An illuminated gloom too. Waiting, expecting sunnier days. Longer days. Warmer days. But dealing with the day at hand. That's the trick. Sometimes you just do the day.
Wednesday, January 02, 2019
Burning Question...
"Once upon a time, in a land far away..."
You wonder how the story ends...
Did Love, Brotherhood, Poetry, Art, Beauty, the Connectedness of All Things, a Universal Mind, an Ethic of Responsibility, Empathy & Compassion, Human Beings working together towards a Better Day and A Brighter Future, where Heart, Intelligence & Grace were traits valued above all others, rule the day?
Or...
Did those death-seeking, money-grubbing, greedy, sleazy, small-minded, power-hungry, racists & Fascists who excel at dividing the people into warring tribes, take over the show world-wide, and continue to burn the whole freaking planet to a crisp?
Inquiring Minds want to know.
You wonder how the story ends...
Did Love, Brotherhood, Poetry, Art, Beauty, the Connectedness of All Things, a Universal Mind, an Ethic of Responsibility, Empathy & Compassion, Human Beings working together towards a Better Day and A Brighter Future, where Heart, Intelligence & Grace were traits valued above all others, rule the day?
Or...
Did those death-seeking, money-grubbing, greedy, sleazy, small-minded, power-hungry, racists & Fascists who excel at dividing the people into warring tribes, take over the show world-wide, and continue to burn the whole freaking planet to a crisp?
Inquiring Minds want to know.
Tuesday, January 01, 2019
I'm Bad with Numbers.
First morning of 2019.
I'm not big on numbers. Actually, I'm bad with numbers. I'm so happy calculators were invented. Math is not my thing. I really, really stumbled in school when we got to Algebra and Geometry. Seemed like another language where I just could not find my footing. Also, of course, I am the kind of human being who really doesn't want to do what I don't want to do. I have always had problems applying myself to things I don't want to apply myself to.
The flip-side to that, I really love to do what I love to do. And early on in my life I did find things I loved to do: kicking around alone in the world, in my head, reading books, playing guitar, writing things down on paper. I love the world of words, images, ideas. I love the world of music, the songs, the melodies, the harmonies, the great music, the great bands, the great artists, those human beings who have done the good work.
My life continues to unspool. Still running out that string. Not sure how long it goes. Still trying to figure things out. It seems like an ever-continuing saga: who am I, why am I here, what's going on, what have I done, what will I do? Is there some higher purpose or meaning that I'm missing? Is it like Algebra or Geometry? Some other language I should know that would help me navigate this strange and forbidding world?
It's welcoming too, right? Sometimes you just want to embrace the day. Breathe in the air, hold the sun and moon in your arms. 2019. Another year. A number. I'm bad with numbers. But life, I'm trying to get the hang of it. It keeps changing, morphing, growing, unspooling before me. That's the thing, right?! Happy New Year!
I'm not big on numbers. Actually, I'm bad with numbers. I'm so happy calculators were invented. Math is not my thing. I really, really stumbled in school when we got to Algebra and Geometry. Seemed like another language where I just could not find my footing. Also, of course, I am the kind of human being who really doesn't want to do what I don't want to do. I have always had problems applying myself to things I don't want to apply myself to.
The flip-side to that, I really love to do what I love to do. And early on in my life I did find things I loved to do: kicking around alone in the world, in my head, reading books, playing guitar, writing things down on paper. I love the world of words, images, ideas. I love the world of music, the songs, the melodies, the harmonies, the great music, the great bands, the great artists, those human beings who have done the good work.
My life continues to unspool. Still running out that string. Not sure how long it goes. Still trying to figure things out. It seems like an ever-continuing saga: who am I, why am I here, what's going on, what have I done, what will I do? Is there some higher purpose or meaning that I'm missing? Is it like Algebra or Geometry? Some other language I should know that would help me navigate this strange and forbidding world?
It's welcoming too, right? Sometimes you just want to embrace the day. Breathe in the air, hold the sun and moon in your arms. 2019. Another year. A number. I'm bad with numbers. But life, I'm trying to get the hang of it. It keeps changing, morphing, growing, unspooling before me. That's the thing, right?! Happy New Year!