All His Shadowy Enemies Dancing in His Empty Cavity of a Head...

Folk #1: Good Lord. Last night our porcine, super-corrupt, rotting from the inside President, hauled his ballooning carcass to South Dakota, and gave a speech railing against the Communists. Sheesh. Add them to the growing list of all the shadowy enemies dancing around in his yawning cavity of a head: Antifa, Woke Algae, Sandwich Guy,  Trans folks, Garden-Variety Woke-Folks, Reflecting Pool Vandals, Common Hard-Working Americans, Barack Obama, any Democrat, our favorite Marxists - Groucho, Chico, Harpo, & of course Karl, all Blue Staters, The Pope, Common Sense, Immigrants, Gravity, The Poor, Windmills, Bruce Springsteen, Solar Panels, Hilary Clinton, Bad Bunny, Truth, Integrity, Taylor Swift, Honesty, Anyone Willing to stand up & call out his idiocy, and all the aimless, scrambled ramblings of a Mad, Wanna-Be Dictator & King. 

Nice way to celebrate the American dream with visions of American Nightmare. Ha. WTF! Of course, we stand with those in opposition to this corrupt & corrupting Bigot & Idiot. To say this man is out of tune & out of time, is a grand understatement. A bumbling, quacking, super-dangerous, Lame Duck wasting our precious time. Yikes! Happy 4th of July. Something tells me, "this too shall pass."

Snakes on the Loose...

 

Folk #1: Yes. Of course. A snake eating it's own tail. A perfect symbol for our present, lawless, totally unhinged era. Actually the "Orobourus is often interpreted as a symbol for eternal cyclic renewal or a cycle of life, death and rebirth; the snake's skin sloughing symbolises the transmigration of souls. The snake biting its own tail is a fertility symbol in some religions: the tail is a phallic symbol and the mouth is a yonic or womb-like symbol." 

But I am repurposing, reframing it this morning: a snake eating it's own tail, an act of self-immolation, a symbol of self-consumption, feeding off our own entrails; unbridled, unhinged, deeply corrupt & corrupting. A vicious loop of blatant consumerism. 

Hell, it's my blog, I get to pick my definitions, symbols & meanings. 

The latest news tells us that our rotund, porcine, rotting from the inside, super-corrupt  & corrupting President is blatantly profitting off of his office.  Trump & his family have made billions on Crypto since his election in 2024, which is frankly balls-out corruption beyond belief, bribery on steroids. Of course, he should be impeached, prosecuted, and imprisoned, I mean, if we had any intergrity, grit, and fair-dealing here in the USA. Might have to wait for the Mid-term Blue Wave to sweep in a new Congress. It's totally disgusting, but not really surprising that the porcine one is feasting on us all. Will anyone do anything about this? Who knows? Seems we are all too busy chomping on our own tails, betting on our phones, riding the AI bubble, cashing in our chips. Fuck that shite.

The Positive Tools of Negativity...

Folk #1: I used to be a "Yes," Person. You know, living under the banner, idea & code, that every "Yes," would open a door, lead to a new experience, & a positive way forward. Embracing that Long-Form Improvisation idea of "Yes... and..." It keeps the scene going, & can lead to unexpected detours & hilarity.  One solid "No," and the whole thing comes crashing to a halt. I must say lately, I have become a a very positive "No," person. It seems sort of radical and out of synch with the bigger cultural, global, trend, and kind of contrary to my usually quite "positive nature."  Is it just me? Out of sorts?! The whole world seems to be deleriously unhinged; every day seems to take us farther down the rabbit-hole of lunacy, we all seem to be getting a little madder, strangely-bizarre, crazier, & deeply-unmoored from reality. It has pushed me in the other direction. Clinging to reality, gravity, levity, and swimming towards some kind of solid Truth. Feet on the ground, "touching grass," spinning vinyl, staying off my phone as much as possible, being much more discerning about my every day choices. Committing to living in the analog world. Maybe I'm doing more determined goofing off? Playing my guitar, sitting on benches on the lakefront, staring at the lake, chatting with all the folks passing by on the path. More disciplined meditating, and finding myself in long rambling conversations with my partner. I resort to all my happy tools of negativity, reaching for those powerful words, you know, all those easily conjured magic spells & incantations: "No,"  "Nope," "Not gonna do it," "I prefer not to," "No fucking way," or even, "Fuck no," & "Fuck that," and yes, for sure, "Fuck these lame-ass, corrupt people..."

The Golden Calf President & His Racist-Creep Bootlickers...

Folk #1: "racial grievance + scapegoating immigrants."Right. Not the America we Love over here. As we see it, America is a land of immigrants who have come here from all over the world. We welcome the immigrants. They are our Brothers & Sisters, Fathers & Mothers. Except for the Native Americans, the First Nation's peoples all of our ancestors were immigrants. They helped build this country and make it the wildly diverse, and thriving place we know and Love. We still think of America as the Land of Hope & Promise. And being "Born in the USA," is a happy circumstance, a privilege, a burden, a responsibility & an opportunity. The America Dream is under attack from the Golden Calf President, and his nihilistic, racist-creep bootlickers. They want to fundamentally change the character of our country. This attempt to sort through the human population and declare certain people are not welcome is a dastardly terrible moment & movement. Fuck these people. I still have Hope for a better day & a better way, but that Hope is under relentless attack every damn day. Who will these creeps oppress, assault, imprison, deport, demean, today? All of us are under assault. It's pretty pathetic, and terrible. I suppose the upside is that we see so very clearly what we are up against.

Once Woke, It is Impossible to Be Un-Woke...

Folk #1: It's odd. Being totally Woke, and realizing there are people, movements, political parties, Supreme Courts, who want to crush us. I find it impossible to be Un-Woke. Once you do awake, there really is no turning back. You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. I watch the neo-Nazis, the White Supremacists, the Christian Nationalists, the MAGA hordes and just shake my head. WTF?!  My day to day is an affirmation of Woke-ness. Living in a Progressive Blue Bubble town, just North of Chicago, one the great cities in the world, a thriving megalopolis with an abundance of energy, diversity, and a melting pot of multi-culturalism; it is a total eye-opener, a demonstration and bold experiment in a multi-ethnic, culturally-rich, Democracy, and a lesson in getting along with my fellow Human Beings. It is a magnificent place to live. These retrograde forces seem so contrary and out of touch, and yes, frankly, Evil, so dissonant and at war with Reality, and Humanity. Yes. Being totally Woke. Alive, Aware, Awake. Really, I can't imagine any other way to live, truly, madly, deeply...

Hustle & Flow...

 

Folk #1: Yes. Matt Groening's Life in Hell. Perfect pitch. Bullseye. Constant ebb & flow of existence. Makes me think of that great quote: "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."  I do think one thing I inherited from my Father, this failure/success idea, a particular cross to bear. It's a dichotomy & a crossroad. We just happen to live in the middle of it.

Radical Qualities...

Folk #1: Just simple competence, integrity, honesty & realism. Yikes. Those are radical qualities in this befuddling muddle of an era. We all seem to be unmoored from the real. It is a time that tests one's sanity, clarity and judgement. Lots of worry, anxiety and uncertainty floating around in the Heartland. You can walk around town and find beautiful folks from all races, creeds & colors willing to open their heads & hearts. Folks that know that the shit going down is soul-killing, inhumane and a complete dead-end. We are being lied to every day & we know better. When all this terrible racist trash, corruption and idiocy recedes, we are going to have to roll our sleeves up and get to work.

To Be Crazy, or Not to be Crazy?

Folk #1: You watch everyone else gladly, enthusiastically go over the cliff. You wonder what is so appealing? You start to think maybe it's cool, it's necessary, it's the new thing? Maybe you are missing out? Hmmm... you know... maybe it'll be fun? If everyone around you chooses to go crazy, maybe going crazy is the way forward? You take a deep breath, you count to ten, you take another sip of coffee, you stare wistfully and meaningfully, into the dark abyss. Moments tick by. Finally your verdict, you go with Bartelby the Scrivener's "I prefer not to." And,  maybe the more delightfully empathic: "Nope, fuck that shit."

We are those People...

Folk #1: Another beautiful day in the Heartland yesterday. We spent most of the day navigating thru the streets of our neighborhood on our bikes, putting up posters and handing out postcards for our r&r show in July. Funny. You know, we don't have "people" to do that kind of thing, we are those people! We live in the DIY space, where nothing gets done, unless we roll up our sleeves and do it ourselves. It's a way of life, a code for living. Sometimes, it feels like we are just spinning our wheels, and maybe we are, but there really is no alternative. We must do the things we must do. That's the only way we can imagine getting things done. It was all actually quite fun. There is a certain pleasure in walking the sidewalks, conversing with folks, imagining a great show with a full house. You know, living the dream...

Temporary...

Folk #1: We live in the flux and the flow. We learn that nothing, including us, lasts. This is both joy, and pain, liberating & defeating. The only way forward is complete, total, unworried, stoic acceptance. A certain surrender to the temporary nature of all things. Sure. There are moments of enlightenment, epiphany, transformation, but these moments are fleeting, & they easily & quickly evaporate right before our eyes.

Open Head-Space...

Folk #1: Yesterday afternoon we rode our bikes over to our "sun-spot." A little oasis off the lakefront path. It was a totally gorgeous day. All of our problems seemed as tiny as the city buildings way off in the distance, a tiny Emerald City, looking like a child's toys on the far horizon. I suppose it's all about perspective, how you frame things for yourself, & for your friends, getting distance & an open head-space.  That's where you can find clarity & clear-headed-ness. It was magnificent, healing, and fun in a low-impact kind of way.

Stay Tuned for More Idiocy...

Folk #1: One has to wonder: "Have we finally hit bottom on the idiocy of this Idiot President?!" You may think it's a loaded question, or maybe it is an impossible question, with an unknowable answer. We are swimming in a vast sea of idiocy, how will we ever know if he, & we, have sunk to the absolute lowest level? How will we know if there is a bottom and an end to this idiot & his madness? I think his new war on Algae, and imaginary vandals is a signal event. Really. Yes. So, so stupid. So, so idiotic. So representative of one man's steep cognitive decline. You can't fake this kind of stupid. Funny as hell too. Yes. All our thoughts and prayers are with the Algae. This fascist creep is just flopping around like a dying fish out of water. Yikes. Finally, I suppose there is an answer: "No, there is no bottom to this Idiot's Idiocy!"  I mean, stay tuned, our timeline probably can & will, get much, much stupider, & idiotic. No limits, no bottom, pure, deep in the bone, stupid.

The Saga...

Folk #1: Don't underestimate a Human Being's desire to push around & beat down other Human Beings. Seems like it's  a tendency buried deep in our genetic architecture & psyches. The Bully Complex. Also, it is clear that the voracious desire to accumulate money & power, and then to use this money & power as weapons against those less monied & powerful, is upfront and central to our present circumstances. The In-group always beats up on the Out-groups. Big vs Little. Rich vs Poor. Powerful vs the Powerless. The Haves vs. the Have Nots. What to do? Try to navigate around these powerful, monied forces. First: see clearly & diagnose the problem. Second: Organize, Unite, Be fucking Woke to the Max. Human Rights, Human Equality for all. Sure, Tax the Rich, feed the Poor, take care of each other. Better Angels, and all that. But, for sure, realize this is an ongoing saga & battle. The forces of Enlightement vs. the forces of Darkness. The war is never won, it's always morphing, evolving, in various stages of The Latest Chapter: Humans being Human.

Signs of Catastrophic Failure...

Folk #1: Signs that you are fighting a losing battle: 

When the algae  just turns against you.

When they start taking your name off of buildings.

When plague & pestilence descend upon the land.

When the Screw-worm feasts on cattle.

When a small country brings a big country to it's knees with drones & mines. 

When the Ayatollahs suddenly own the Strait of Hormuz.

When the President dicovers there is a "b" in the word "dumb."

When even the farmers in Iowa start wondering "WTF?!"

When the only people supporting your idiocies are in on the grift.

When everyone in your administration is stabbing someone else in the back.

When your rage, hate, whim & fury are totally useless and funny.

When you are the lamest of lame ducks, flailing & failing, and everyone is laughing at you.

When Truth, Reality, Common Sense, Science & Math are at war with you and your administration.

When you are barely more popular than Ebola virus and testicular cancer.

Rocking in the Free World with Algae!

Folk #1: Of course, when it comes to the cage match between the bullying, flailing & flailing President vs Algae definitely put us on Team Algae! Ha. You might think this is a trivial issue, (although 14 million bucks ain't chump change), but, oh man, the symbolism is just perfectly, gorgeously-rendered karma. "Rust Never Sleeps, Sucker!"  To watch as the Pretend Strongman rages against Algae, well, you couldn't find a better metaphor for this totally fucked up time. Trump is claiming that vandals, Antifa, Democracy-loving sabateurs & shady, dark, left-wing forces are conspiring against him, aiding and abetting the Algae. Ha. It's Nature, baby! Nature is a hard Mother. Time & Nature is turning Trump's brain to mush. Shit Happens! Rock on Team Algae, the Nation's Lonely Eyes turn to you!

Help Each Other...

Folk #1: On the road yesterday. A journey to the West to take care of some very sad business. It was quiet in the car, no small talk, just feeling-very-sad vibes. We were on our way to do something that had to be done.  Being responsible Human Beings means sometimes doing the hard things without complaint. Stiff upper lips and all that. Although, must say, copious tears were shed. Neither of us were looking forward to the coming event, Life & Death for one of our little flock; a beautiful, resiliant, tough little bird dangling at the end of her rope. She had lived a life of steep challenge every step of the way. The difficult decision had finally been made, the last day for our little friend. She had been living with an icreasing number of life-threatening maladies and it was getting quite dire for all of us. Riding down a shady street, big, beautiful leafy green trees looming over us. A gorgeous blue sky winking overhead.  Just one of those days. Memorable. I casually turned to look out the car window, and there on the lawn, in front a of friendly, rickety-looking home, a stark, black, wooden sign, decidedly homemade, with words written out in luminous, glowing white:

Help 

Each Other

Yes. Sometimes it is all quite simple. Heartbreaking too...

The Era of the Sharp Blade...

Folk #1: Reality. It is a hard teacher. We seem to be living in the world of Bubbles. Bubbles of Ignorance. Bubbles of  Unconscionable Wealth. Bubbles of Great Inequality. Bubbles of Lies. Bubbles of Corruption. Bubbles of Disinformation. Bubbles of Cruelty. Bubbles of Racism. Bubbles of White Supremacy. Bubbles of Silliness. Bubbles of Irresponsiblity. 

The Bubbles seems to emerge & rule with no worries about Common Sense, Truth or Gravity. Folks start thinking it will be Bubbles Forever. Then one day The Sharp Blade of Reality rears it's gnarly, ugly, but very Enlightened Head. The Sharp Blade starts doing it's pointy, nasty work, popping Bubbles left & right. We have come to the Era of The Sharp Blade. 

The Conman is exposed as a Fraud & a Loser. Declaring a Win, when Everyone can see it is a humilating Loss. We all knew, in our Heart of Hearts how this would all begin to end. Humiliation & Failure. Over & Over, & Over. It is refreshing when Folks start speaking Truth to Power. A big Bubble popped! Expect many more to come...

I mean. Ha. Ha. Ha. Even a Republican Senator can smell the stink of failure & defeat from a mile away...

Stoic, Skeptic, Zen Warrior...

Folk #1: "You are a Good Man, Charlie Brown."  Thinking good thoughts for a better future. Over here I am doing my best to be a stoic, a sunny-fried skeptic, and a totally dispassionate, Zen Warrior. I have been recalibrating & refocusing my daily meditation practice: visualizing death in a million ways. Oh, no, not what you are thinking. Ok. Yes. Maybe it is what you are thinking; it's understandable, it's the question on everyone's lips in my little progressive, blue-bubble town, but that is not the only thing I'm thinking. I have been conjuring up scenes of my own death in a thousand, quite dramatic ways. Falling off a mountain, attacked by a murder of crows, drowned in a raging river, arrows in the back, torn apart by a pack wolves, struck down in an epic Captain Blood-type sword fight, trampled underfoot by a herd of wild-ass buffalo. Funny. It's all quite liberating. A deep cleanse. I have found a certain icy-calm center, deep in the murky depths of my own being. Think classic Ego Death. The craziness of the moment to moment seems like silly, pointless, easily-dismissed & ignored white noise, super-easy to overlook & to tune out. This over-amped, ridiculous, comedic-tragedy channeled through our deeply corrupt, toxic clown? Vapor. Mist. Fog. 

Simple Formula...

 Folk #1: America in 2026: Decadance, Rot & Weakness. Thank You President Trump & GOP!  What is the Trump brand?! It has always been the same - Failing & Flailing!

Fallen Off the Mark...

Folk #1: Early thoughts this a.m. Maybe we are well & truly doomed? UFC fight on the White House Lawn? So epically stupid, disgraceful. Hard to be  totally outraged though, my outrage meter is broken, it's all too mind-numbingly idiotic to get twisted over. Fuck that shit. And what brought on this sordid spectacle? Laziness. Stupidity. Racism. Selfishness. The constant need to lie to others & to ourselves. Catering to the crazy idiots amongst us. Seems everyone is out to make an easy buck. Folks are willing to sell their souls and fuck over their fellow Human Beings for a chance at the silver cup, the golden goblet, the big score. It's is easy see the betrayal, the disgusting display of needing, wanting, grasping that is trumping all that is right & good. Yikes. I feel like a character from another story, another time, another place completely.  I never considered myself a moral paragon. But I recoil in horror at the state of the state. What the fuck happened?! How did we all go so wrong? I know there are others like me, folks who still value truth, grace, intelligence, kindness, love, honor, discipline, hard work, courage, a fiery commitment to a better world. I saw video of folks celebrating the New York Knicks finals win in New York City, and I am reminded of the beauty of a multicultural, radically, racially diverse community of souls living side by side in harmony. Still living the promise of a melting pot America. So yeah, my sense of doom is bounded by my sense of possibility, resiliance, imagination & creativity. Fuck it. We can reclaim the dream. I still believe. But it helps to also see clearly just how far we have fallen off the mark. And yes, we have really, really fallen...