Monday, March 09, 2020

The Momentum of Things...

My Bookmark

I am reading William Gibson's "All Tomorrow's Parties." It was a bit of a mind-fuck to finish Marlon James' novel "A Brief History of Seven Killings," and then jump into Gibson's world. It took me about 50 pages in to adjust to the flow. Gibson is a fabulous writer. He keeps you guessing about what's happening. He creates a powerful narrative thru-line that carries you along. You are off-kilter, unsure of where it's all going. Very true to life in the hurly-burly of the Present Moment.  Gibson creates a complete world, it's the "Present/Future/Now." "All Tomorrow's Parties" was published in 1999, before 9/11, but it seems so of the moment, so forward-thinking. Clairvoyant.

I came across this line in Gibson's book thinking it was a message just for me: "That is the result of maturation, you are less inclined now to move counter to the momentum of things." 

This morning I click on the radio, to see what's up with the momentum of things, seems like it's all fear and meltdown. I am up early, still completely dark outside, daylight savings time is such a head-trip.  These are words that jumped out at me while I brewed my coffee:



I have decided to stay in a contemplative/meditative state of mind. Find the calm center in my being. Stay there today.  I won't cling, won't try to swim upstream, I will just let go of all the "needing, wanting, grasping," and watch the river flow...

The a.m. soundtrack - Peter Gabriel's "So." (1986). This record is a heavyweight contender for best-sounding album in the 80's. I guess it's no surprise the legendary Producer Daniel Lanois had a hand in the making. It is a monster of a record. You heard it all over the radio. Some songs are still in heavy rotation today. It's a bit "clean-sounding," it's the synths, less organic, more synthetic, but if you want to really test out your sound system, crank it up, and bathe in the sound. It does sound fabulous. Every song. Pretty much perfectly realized. "Sledgehammer" is a bit annoying. It was so ubiquitous, but it is a catchy ear-worm. My favorite track, alone worth the price of admission is "Don't Give Up." It's pretty much an anthem to live by. An absolutely gorgeous song, a duet with Kate Bush, powerful, beautiful, inspiring.  Yes, the world is freaking melting down. It's a contagious world we live in... but... you know... "don't give up, 'cos you have friends, don't give up, you're not beaten yet, don't give up, I know you can make it good..."
at