Distance...

Folk #1: Distance yourself from the madness.

Empty to the Wonder...

Folk #1: We've reached Friday over here. It is sort of a "fiction." Time; is it an illusion, fungible, relative, circular? We have made up these days of the week, and count them down, mark them off the calendar. Since we all do it, these days have their own reality. Earth rotating around the sun (365 days), sunrise/sunset. So, yes, anyway, a busy week, lots of trudging & slogging, happy it's Friday, looking forward to the weekend. Where is my head at this morning? That's my own personal question submitted to my own personal self. It's probably not your question. I am in the "I don't know and I don't have a clue," mode. My head is swirling with sentences like: "I know nothing." "What is it all about?" "What is going on?" "Who the fuck knows?" I suppose it's a way to clear my head. Empty it of any & all preconceived notions, expectations, predictions, judgements, lofty ideas, worries, concerns. Not exactly a blank page or a naked canvas, but maybe leaning towards that state. I wonder. I am filled with wonder. That's about it. Funny, it actually feels good.

The Pointlessness is Overwhelming...

Folk #1: Maybe the pointlessness is the point? Following the "doings" of my fellow Human Beings, means being swamped by the Bullshit. Man, oh, man. This internet/social media/AI Frenzy/MAGA Suicide-Cult-Shite is totally fricking dizzying. Tracking with this shite is gob-smackingly, stupefying. Whole sectors of our society, politics, business, culture have devolved into dazzling, hyper, over-amped bullshit. A weird feeding frenzy and feedback loop. It is easy to plunge in and get lost in the swamp of shite. If somehow you are able to extricate yourself, step back, take a breath, watch the madness unfold, you will be amazed by how willing Human Beings are with gladly fluffing themselves and others with bullshit, for profit, power and kicks. What's the alternative? "Surrender Dorothy!" Let go. I think of that great Firesign Theater line: "Everything you know is wrong." Start there. Go back to basics. Live in the real moment to moment. Fuck these grifters, conmen, hucksters & bullshitters. "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." No reason to give it all up to the worst fools amongst us. There is intellignet life in the Universe, somewhere, I do believe, although, I could be wrong...

State of the Union? The Coverup Continues...

Folk #1: My partner & I are all about mental well-being, positive energy, taking care of our bodies, spirits, leaning into the light, exploring the wonder & the beauty of a creative existence. You know, we are on a long-form improvisational, creative journey. We must carefully & wisely tend to our gardens, not let the b.s. & the bad action from all the bad actors swamp over us.

So, we skipped the State of the Union address last night. The only way we would have watched it, is if we had been kidnapped, strapped to chairs, and had our heads and eyes pinned open like Alex in A Clockwork Orange. Luckily none of that happened. Instead we occupied ourselves with other diversions.

But, really, fuck the State of Union, at least according to this criminal President. This is the big story of the moment:  Justice Department withheld and removed some Epstein files related to Trump

The coverup continues...

Hard Teachers, No Curve...

Folk #1: I am reminded, again, that Nature & Reality are hard teachers. They don't grade on a curve. They don't bend to one's whims, pleadings, excuses, hopes, dreams, wishes. Ignore these teachers at your own peril. Your job as Human Being is to listen, to observe, to experience, to adjust, evolve, reorient yourself based on the lessons of Nature & Reality. One learns very quickly, if one is paying attention at all, that you are connected to everything, a tiny, microscopic being in a vast sea, an infinite, always expanding ocean of beings, phenomena, & experiences. Yes. Humility. Attention to detail. Being open, alive, aware, awake. This is a Universe of wonder, beauty, & joy, mixed with chaos, disorder, destruction. You are "in it, and of it." You, your being, is part of it all & embodies it all. Being in sync, in tune with Nature & Reality; it's a job, a discipline, even if, and as, your conception of your self & life, are subject to radical change. The changes can come in a blink of an eye. Your every thought, belief, & idea can & will be challenged, often smashed to bits. One breath, one moment, and everything is suddenly different. Oh well. It's that kind of Universe, that kind of life. We are here to live it, fully, with eyes wide open. Damn the torpedoes.

The "All at Once Phase..."

Folk #1: Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha...

Something is in the air: "Good news, just not for them."  Think: "The Harder They Come, The Harder They Fall." Just reading the signs, taking in the vibes. Evidence is accumlating: a Fall, a Crash, a Collapse, a shifting balance, a new landscape, a new day.

Stupidity,  Corruption, Racism, Cruelty, Murder, Kidnapping, Concentration Camps. That shite will only get you so far. Reality Bites. Neil Young: "Sooner or later, it all gets real..."

"Try Harder: Actualize Collapse." 

Just pray the pieces don't fall on you or your loved ones. Take care, stay close to ground. It doesn't take "a Weatherman to know which way the wind blows." 

In the battle between the forces of Dark & Light, Fortunes seem to be slowly turning. As they say: "slowly at first, then all at once." Ptetty sure we are nearing the "all at once phase" of this era. I am no longer a betting man, but if I were, I'd be betting on the forces of Light, and the Glorious Days of Reckoning.

Random Phrases...

Folk #1: This early morning, still deep dark, a few random phrases are stirring around in my head. They seem sort of "relevant?"

"Things are not as they seem..."

"Looks deceive..."

"Everything is connected..."

"People are so damn disappointing..."

"I have issues..."

"WTF!"

The Glimmering Glimpse...

Folk #1: There's the slog, the mud, the muck, the mire, the hurly-burly of a life, well-lived, but then there are those moments of sweet transcendence, glimmering glimpses of "cosmic consciousness" - "the sacred aliveness of the world." Sure. I have had a few of those moments, fleeting, immediately retreating back into the murky void,  still, just the simple glimpse, the hint, the shimmering moment of enlightenment stays with you. You realize that higher consciousness is always there, hovering over and around your being, dancing above you.  Tantalizing, inviting, comforting. There are some simple paths one can take to open up the doors of transcendence. Getting lost in the moment, dropping your Ego, embodying the Silence, connecting with Nature, letting yourself go, losing your self into the vast interconnected web of Life. Riding the vibe of connection. Experience that once, and you really are transformed. I mean, not talking God here, instead it's about experiencing a connection to all things. Taking it in, sinking into that. A small thing, and everything...

Soul Searching...

Folk #1: Yes. "Grasping at straws." Trying to explain things to myself. And well, my self isn't buying it. I am a gnarly, recalcitrant, argumentative motherfucker. I can really annoy myself sometimes. Reflecting on my previous post, I realize, I have burned lots of my brain cells in the many decades of my time on the planet trying to understand Life, trying to figure out my place in the grand scheme of things, trying to take in, & do my best, to understand the grand scheme itself. Trying to figure out what can't really be figured, solving a puzzle that is ultimately unsolvable. But then again, I think, maybe understanding things is overrated, and besides the point? You know, finally, maybe I just have to get on with living, get on with experiencing the moment to moment, don't judge it,  just make it through day to day, without totally losing my shit, without becoming a callous, fucking, asshole, without lying to my self or others, without getting high on my own supply, without bullshitting myself and every last person in my orbit. Trying to be a "good person."  "A man of my word." Maybe too simple?  Not ambitious enough? But, you know, really, doing my best to not fuck up, not to hurt myself or other people, maybe that is the best this sometimes humble and sometimes not so humble pilgrim can hope to achieve in my own little lifetime? I mean, what the fuck?! And still, I wrestle with questions like: How do I get my head around living with all these cruel, stupid, soul-killing, energy-sucking creeps who live amongst us, and want to rule over us? I mean, it's a major fucking slog and vibe-killer watching, listening to & dealing with those zombie-ass, creeps. What to do with that burden? I don't rightly know. Tuning the assholes out, turning away from the carnage & mayhem, seems like a sensible & healthy thing, good for my mental health and well-being, but, then again, ignoring the over-amped, prodigiously ignorant, ravenous beast at the door doesn't seem all that smart either. It is a fucking, hairy, conundrum. How to tolerate the intolerable? How to co-exist with folks who don't give a flying fuck about anyone but themselves, folks who gladly harass, torture and kill other folks, often just for the living fuck of it?  A difficult question, no doubt about it.

Questions & Answers...

Folk #1: Asking questions. Looking for answers. Trying to figure things out. Trying to solve the Riddles, large & small, of Existence. It's a life-long quest. I have spent so much of my time on the planet occupied with this Don Quixote-like quest. Questioning everything. Battling windmills, battling the wind. What engages me? Whatever engages me.  Pretty much anything. Still, fairly quickly, I have learned there are hard limits to knowledge, the searching is endless, and any sense of "understanding," is often fruitless. I find myself lost in a cul de sac, or in a hall of mirrors; a confounding zone where the questions multiply, they bounce around, they collide with each other; bits & bites of knowledge slowly accumulate, but solid & clear answers refuse to offer themselves up. Life; it's complicated. Seems that the more you look, the more see, often, the less you know, there is the uncertainty principle, the more you explore a subject, any subject, the murkier things get when you delve deep enough into the dark nougat center. You end up with lots of knowledge, data, facts, kernels of truth, often contadictory, partial, arbitary. Understanding is a fleeting chimera, an always vanishing unicorn. Of course, silly me, I am not the greatest questioner. My limits are oh so obvious. Even, & especially, to me. Being fully Human demands a disciplined self-awareness & a hard-won humility. Mystery is everywhere. Yes. We are bound by Mystery. Or maybe bound & gagged by Mystery. I suppose that's ok, or, you know, it has to be ok, one learns to live with the limits of knowledge, the limits of understanding, the limits of reason, and the all-pervading reality of a nebulous Mystery at the heart of everything. Making sense of not making sense. There is a vast Cloud of Unknowing looming over us all. When you are at your wit's end, grasping, grappling, fumbling for answers, an all-purpose, very handy response comes to mind. Take a question, any question, one that starts with a simple, "Why...?" Ha.  Aye. Right?  Tricky. The Belfast Cowboy might say: "There is no why, it just is..." There's the rub. You may come up with million plausible-sounding reasons for certain phenomena. You do you best trying to be reasonable. Still, the cold, hard, funny & obvious response would be, could be, & often is: "Who knows? I mean, you know, shit happens."

Through Someone Else's Eyes...

Folk #1: Funny. I always knew I was an Excitable Boy (hat-tip to Warren Zevon). I bumped into an acquaintence yesterday on the path. I hadn't seen him for a few months, he had had an existential health crisis, and had been sidelined for awhile. I had no idea of the drama he had gone through, nor the impression I have made on this person over a number of random conversations on the lakefront. Sure. We've had some deep, philosophical exchanges, engaged in loopy dialogue about pretty much anything that happened to float into our heads. Some cool insights, book recommendations & laughter too. I was surprised to find that I touched this person deeply to the core. I seem to have inspired him, and challenged him, and our conversations were often on his mind, even when he was in hospital recovering from heart surgery. It was wild to hear him describe my character, to see myself through his eyes, his consciousness, & his very unique sensibility. He described me as person on "a mission," passionate, engaged, firey and energetic, maybe a bit of a creative evangelist. Ha. I thought some of that rang true, and some of that was illusion. Just so happens I was reeling yesterday, on the ropes, barely going through the motions of the day. questioning everything; my purpose, my being,  I mean I was reeling a bit, "Faking it to make it," through the day in one piece. We walked togeter, taking in the beautiful day. Our conversation brought me back to the moment, and I could feel energy flowing back into my body. Funny how that happens. We finally reached a point on the path where we were to go seperate ways, we hugged each other, two grown men, showing true emotion and comradery. It was a touching moment. Then, it was onto the next big thing, I knew it was out there somewhere, just around the next corner... I mean, you know, maybe...

Disassociate...

Yes. The smart play? Disassociate yourself from the Epstein/Asshole class that is permeating our culture. There is only one solution: vote all the assholes out. A total house-cleaning. The same with the out of touch elites trying to "overlord" us all.  Shame & shun them. Banish them from polite society. No mercy. Be bold & brave. Take to the streets. Stand up and be counted. Our day will come. No doubt. Then a thorough, merciless reckoning.

Multiculturalism is Good...

Folk #1: - Multiculturalism. Of course it is good. Go to any major American City (for instance: Chicago, New York, LA, San Fransciso, San Antonio, Atlanta, etc) and see the benefits of people from all corners of the planet co-existing.  Why are these cities such fabulous places to visit & to live in? Multiculturalism. Enjoy the food, the music, the vibrancy of humanity in all it's many forms and flavors. Cruise the streets of Chicago, a rainbow of peoples from everywhere: Latin American, South & North American, Thai, Indian, Polish, Irish, German, African, Russian, Ukrainian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, British, French, Native Americans, I mean, everything, all at once, you name it, you will find it here. If you are looking to get an education about the benefits, joys & wonders of multiculturalism, check out Anthony Bourdain's old series Parts Unknown. It's a fabulous glimpse of the splendiferous wonderment of humanity around the planet. Surprises everywhere. Anyone railing against multiculturalism is a fool, a creep, a white supremacist, a racist, a fascist, a cretin, an anti-humnanist sicko. Oh yeah, you know, prominent creeps like Rubio, Trump, Musk, Miller, Etc. Retrograde assholes all. They should be shamed, shunned & banished from society. Fuck them all.

People in the Streets Demanding a Better Way & Day...

 

Folk #1: Well the above chart is quite encouraging. Protests against the Trump Administration, and his policies of cruel and unusual punishment against the Citizens of the USA continue to grow in number. "Could be well over 15 million" Americans in over 40,000 protests across USA.

We are are supposed to be the fat & sassy ones, bored out of our skulls, stupid, unconcerned, snorting opioids and betting on sports on our smartphones, but, no, well ok, yes, there are lots of folks occupying their time like that, but still a sizable portion of us are also outraged, very deeply unhappy and concerned about the state of state. And willing to take to the streets to demonstrate our feelings.

Over here, my partner & I have participated in a few of these protest ourselves. It has been a very gratifying thing to do. A declaration that this is not acceptable, not the America we know & love. Our fellow common ones are showing  us all a better way. Fuck Trump. Fuck ICE. We need a reboot. Resistance in all it's many splendored forms is a beautiful thing indeed.

Where Will I Find the Wonder Today?

Folk #1: What to write about this morning? I have reached deeply into my own calm center. Zen, indeed. I switch on my Chromebook, and check in with the over-amped, raving, drooling, lunatic mob, those crazed folks running the U.S. Government, and those stilted cretins who are still cheering them on. I suppose I need to know what fresh fuckery now? It's admittedly a weird form of entertainment. Observing these cruel, stupid, corrupt, yes, evil people and their thrashings of idiocy. They seem desperate. The louder they cry, whine, gnash their teeth, the more they seem ineffective, clueless, out of touch with the real, seriously sick & twisted. Not healthy Humans. I sip my coffee, listening to Jason Molina and The Magnolia Electric Co. on the stereo. Jason was a troubled soul (I listen to him sing and it's a sad, beautiful, inspiring thing), who laid down some amazing music: "And I am proof that the heart is a risky fuel to burn, Yeah, we are proof that the heart is a risky fuel to burn..."

Yes, we are all that smart proof, and as Randy Newman sang in another context: "Burn river, Burn..."

I imagine the hammer coming down on these crazed folks, the hammer of Justice & Truth. Maybe it's a healthy fantasy of mine. I still believe. I can imagine a better world, a better iteration of Human. Is it a pipe dream? I don't think so, I'm not sucking on a pipe. Give me some cold, hard, facts, some grains of truth, and I can run down a new scenario. The cruel idiots may be the loudest voices at the moment, but I do believe it's all empty, hollow, soul-killing b.s. It won't last. It's really the death rattles of a dying movement.

The Zen in me means I am not attached to any one of my dreams or ideas. They all flow thru me like water. Still dark here, but I know the sun will soon peek over the horizon. Announcing a new day in Paradise. I wonder where I will find the wonder today?

"What if I Could be Totally ZEN & Totally Happy, Anyway?"

Folk #1: Let's say, for the sake of argument, that things just aren't going your way. You seem out of sync with your life, & with the times you find yourself living in. You feel like you are flailing & failing at every turn. And you see the corrupt, stupid & evil folks around you thriving, living it up like there is no tomorrow. It's a bit disheartening & frustrating. It feels like a sentence, a judgement is being imposed on you from an Angry God, a God that you don't even believe in. "Out of sorts," is one way of putting it. Alienated is another. What to do? Beats me, remember it is me who is flailing & failing. Still, for some unknown reason, I feel a bold, uncommon, frankly, ridiculous impulse of fire & defiance welling up from deep inside my being. I find myself declaring: "Fuck it." & "Fuck them." I vow to myself to have a rethink, to embark on a disciplined program of renewal. I play Devil's Advocate & ask myself:"What if I could be totally ZEN, and totally happy, anyway?"

Epstein Scandal, the Godzilla of Scandals...

 

A picture for the ages. Pam Bondi the Attorney General of the U.S. another Trump lackey, still covering up the Epstein scandal. Those folks with their hands raised are victims and witnesses who have never been deposed. Bondi is doing her best to cover things up for the rich and powerful folks implicated in the scandal. The is the conspiracy of conspiracies. It's vast, and ever-expanding. I don't think this is going away anytime soon. It is too big at this point, it is like the Godzilla of Conspiracies. Too many unanswered questions, too many victims, too many perpetrators who have still not faced any consequences. The more evidence comes out, the more folks implicated, the more dastardly and counter-productive the coverup becomes. Yes. Wealthy folks in every industry, and government officials in every office. The protection racket is crumbling. I was always a bit skeptical of this monster of conspiracies, but it just won't evaporate or die. It appears to consume anyone getting in it's way. The more you look, the more you see. It expands like a corrosive, deadly virus, a reptile like monster consuming all in it's way. A total cleanse and a day of reckoning is required. The cold blade of truth must have it's moment. Stay tuned.

Yes. Self-Care in the Face of the Bullshit...

 Folk #1: "Self-care." Very important. Especially if you are tuned in to the Global situation: a crazy-ass planet, populated, & over-run by a crazy-ass species. We think we are so goddamned smart, and privileged & entitled. What a joke. It's on us.

So, yes, we feel obligated to pay attention, it is part of the job of being a Human Being, but it is an energy-suck. We must be smart about using our energy wisely, it is not an infinite resource, often we must pull our energy back in, focus on clearing, cleansing, meditating, letting go of all the stupid, toxic, evil shite flowing past and over us.

A disciplined retreat & stepping back. It is important, and essential to occupy ourselves, to fortify ourselves with healthy food in it's various forms. Food for the body & the spirit. For us, it's always plant-based, organic food, plus, of course, the food for the spirit: music, literature, poetry, novels, engaging fictions, and an endless search for intelligent  life on the planet. 

Finding a spot of peace, gratitude, wonder, joy, despite the crazy-ass lunacy.

We are All Bad Bunny...

Folk #1: Thinking a bit more about the Bad Bunny moment (see previous post). 13 mins exactly. I do think it was an important event. Definitely better than the game. Could it be a tipping point, a sea change, a cultural marker, an event that alters the direction & spirit of the zeitgeist? I don't know. Maybe. "A change of consciousness can happen in an instant." Pop Culture can be quite the powerful force for change. Some say it was Levi's Blue Jeans and R&R that killed Communism in Russia.

Bad Bunny brought Puerto Rico to San Francisco, and to the wider world. He sang in Spanish, which totally flew past me, but his performance was powerful & undeniable. There was beauty, history, celebration, ingenuity, diversity, color, power, compassion, humor, vibrancy, in every move and gesture.

The symbolism was powerful and cleansing. A totally different idea of what it means to be alive on the planet right now. Since the words were just another element of the music, the performance actually gained in power and effect. It was a healing, a clearing, a blazing affirmation of humanity in all it's multiplicity. 

We all come from different places, we all have different faces and histories. But, we are here, together, right now, and our differences are a beautiful strength. Bad Bunny and his collaborators showed us how to live together, in the moment, embracing each other. Thriving on the beautiful, vibrant energy of being alive with heart, compassion, empathy.  You know, without saying it: Woke 2.0.

A powerful pop cultural moment, no doubt. Such a stark contrast in oppostition to the dark, ugly, divisive, corrosive, MAGA abomination. It is easy to choose sides. We are all Bad Bunny now! 

Bad Bunny: "Together We Are America."

 

Turns out Bad Bunny is Good Bunny. Funny. Singing in Spanish. Delicious. "Together We Are America." Who knew that would be a "radical" statement? When Bad Bunny says "America" it includes all of Latin America, & a North America that includes Canada too. Of course, it's a radically perfect contrast to MAGA's creepy dark vision. Yes. Puerto Ricans are U.S. Citizens. How refreshing to see happy, creative, beautiful people celebrating a vision of a joyously diverse America. Oh, yeah, that is the America most of us want to live in, the America that we all Love. What's super funny, & tragic too, our President is an old, racist, fuck who is living in the wrong country & the wrong century. Maybe he could do us all a favor and choke out on his own hate, bile, & racist-vomit?! That would be sweet karma, indeed.