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 denial of reality. That is the way of madness, lunacy, self-sabotage & self-harm. If a society, a culture, a politics is founded on 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.