Can you hear us sprout?

The lovely wife has been feeling the sprout wriggle around quite a bit as of late. At first, she wasn't sure what the ticklish fluttering within her was-but now she knows that it's the baby. What's interesting is, she feels movement at very specific times. On her way to and from work she blasts a Keane CD, (Under The Iron Sea) and sings (yells) the lyrics along with the tunes. She said the baby will usually respond to this by flipping & rolling around inside. This is great, because as important as music is to me, it's cool that the little one is getting a jump start on her/his appreciation of music. Soon I will be compiling a bunch of songs for baby's first CD. I'm gonna collect songs from different genres that evoke different moods and feelings & play them constantly while he/she is still inside mom. Hopefully that will help the kid be more receptive to varying types of music, and hopefully mom will be able to tolerate my taste in music.
The wife has also noticed that when she doesn't speak, and just relaxes and settles in, she feels the sprout moving around. She thinks I should spend that time talking to the baby. I thought the idea was weird, so she suggested I READ to the baby. Now that's right up my alley! I get to hear myself talk, and I'm doing some good for the kid. One of the million books, manuals, articles, and journals we have been reading said that it's good if the babe hears dad's voice on a more regular basis, in order to get him/her accustomed to his voice as well as mom's. I say Good Idea. Now to confer with the wife and determine what books she thinks the sprout and she would like to hear.
I think those may be my first parental responsibilities that can affect my kid in the long run...
Wow.
I can't believe I am somebody's DAD.
Heh, heh. Pretty cool.

Watch and be happy like me

Last night I cheated and watched a movie and a music video compilation, rather than fulfilling a promise to myself to write daily in this blog. To be truthful, I'm glad I did. The movie was a 1948 Film noir gem called Naked City. It had everything a great detective movie needs-stark black and white cinematography, Hard boiled cops and killers, grotesque caricatures of people seemingly out of Charles Burns' comics, or Weegie's forensics photos, and a slightly fetishistic feel that seemed to be a precursor to the sweaty, and lusty films of the same genre made in the 50's. There was an obvious attempt to set this film apart from all other detective films made at the time and the most evident examples of this were 1. The fact that the ENTIRE film was made on location in New York, and 2. They wanted to express the "8 million stories" concept by giving the audience glimpses of the multicultural makeup of the city. Unfortunately, the ethnic characters shown were overtly stereotypical. (Thank God they didn't go to Harlem) This didn't hinder the movie, but it was certainly noticeable.
Another thing I thought was cool about the film was the interconnectedness of virtually all of the characters. Each situation bled into another-creating seamless and fluid detective work, and each tidbit revealed left me with an "aha!" sort of feeling. By the way, the film featured a young Baron Von Zipper from all those Frankie Avalon/Annette Funicello Beach Blanket movies!
As I watched, it was TOTALLY evident that Frank Miller's Sin City stories were HEAVILY influenced by elements of this film, and being such a big fan of Miller's work, it made me appreciate the film as much as Miller obviously did.
The film's climax takes place at the Williamsburg Bridge and there are lots of decent gratuitous cityscape views to accompany the crazy gun battle between the cops and bad guys. Worth checking out.
Oh yeah, the ONLY drawback was the cheesy narrator who was incredibly annoying. His presence made it seem like a glorified Ed Wood directed film. But it was definitely not enough to ruin the movie as a whole.
I also watched Fatboy Slim's "Why Make Videos" greatest hits dvd. There were a plethora of good music videos included, but the standouts were 1. (again with the numbers?) Weapon Of Choice, with Christopher Walken wearily sitting on a hotel chair one minute, and breaking into a pretty highly choreographed dance number the next. Don't sleep on it, Mr. Walken can seriously cut a rug, as well as FLY apparently. 2. Don't Let The Man Get You Down which tells the story about a racist man, and the fate that befalls him for being so. 3. Slash Dot Dash is a video that features a man and woman defacing a bathroom and then each other with graffiti while running, jumping, rolling around, and smashing into each other on the floor, ceiling, and the walls. Very sexy video indeed. and finally, 4.Ya Mama, which happens to be one of the funniest and original music videos I have seen in a long time. In a nutshell, three guys try to make a buck off something they randomly receive in the mail, and end up in jail because of it. But not before the inhabitants of the small village in which they live are affected by their entrepreneurial venture. Two words, Total Hilarity. See this video at all cost. Unless you happen to be a huge Slim fan, downloading it from the web or renting the dvd will probably be your best bet, but I definitely recommend seeing it if you are a fan of creative and imaginative films.
Well, there you have it. Two dvds for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy.
Peace.

...Can't... Stay... A-Awake... (Snore) (Snore)....

Well, I had about 1/2 a page of stuff written out about something I witnessed today at work, but came to the conclusion that it was pretty slanderous and libel. It had to do with viewing an older man hitting on a much MUCH younger woman.
Not the way Roger Moore did as James Bond where you felt kinda gross after watching, but then figured what the hell, it's James BOND-
(for the record, in my book, Moore was Bond like Adam West was Batman. Limburger! Cheesy AND it Stinks friends.)
but nasty, in a Hugh Heffner TODAY kind of way. You know, shuffling around on dance floors ogling and tongue-kissing three bottle blonde floatation worthy women-younger I'm sure, than his grandchildren would be; trying to maintain a facade of virility for those who still deem him "cool" in the MCL set. Catch my drift?
Anyway, I realized that the pathetic droolings over a young lady nary in her 20's by this guy were pointless to try and document, not to mention uninteresting, so I left my post to watch a movie (and a Fatboy Slim music video collection) because it's been a while since I've seen something I actually WANTED to watch on t.v, & not felt obligated to just because it was on t.v.
Which leads me to my point.
Alas, because I had a long day at work, and because I am now writing at-what time is it anyway? 1:14 a.m., I will be cheating. I'm not really going to be writing about much of anything because I spent the evening watching the film "The Naked City", and Fatboy Slim's video compilation "Why Make Videos". I plan on doing a full review of both bits of dvd goodness on tomorrow's post, and will NOT be sparse in any of the details I will divulge.
I apologize dear Blog Gods, and I swear upon all that I hold dear and true that I will most assuredly appease you come the morrow.
Peace.

Duhhhhhhh...

Television, in my case, is a drone maker friends. When the t.v. is on, nothing else occurs around me. When a show is on, ANY show mind you, (and the less intelligent the better) my eyes cloud over, and slobber hangs lazily from the corners of my mouth. I blame this behavior on the AWESOME programming of the mid 70's to late 80's. During this time period the Golden Age of Television was in full effect. Countless hours of my young life were spent watching all my favorites-Electric Company, Battle of the Planets, Fat Albert, The Monkees & Star Trek reruns, Different strokes, S.W.A.T., Dukes of Hazzard (despite the big ass confederate flag on the top of the GENERAL LEE [!] why I watched that show, I will never fully understand ), and MTV!!!!!!!
Because the shows back then had crazy entertainment value, and imagination, I was unable to move from in front of the t.v., until my wise parents made me ( and later my brother) turn it off and go outside. Those shows fueled my imagination and creativity when I was away from t.v. My friends and I watched the same shows, and acted out situations which occurred on them. All those games were fun, but Star Trek was my least favorite. Because of Lt. Uhuru's and my similar complexions, I always had to be her. Oh well, Ce la vie.
Unfortunately, now I can't pretend to be Alf, or Thundarr the Barbarian. I would have to emulate the more age-appropriate people and situations that I now see on on t.v., and with modern programming overrun with (hardly) "reality" programs and seriously lacking in the smarts department, the only people I would WANT to pretend to be are those that appear on PBS,C-SPAN, and the Daily Show. Jon Stewart is cool, but I don't see him jumping on top of a bomb threatening to explode like G.I. Joe would.
So I guess in order to stop being a zombie, I have to pull away from the t.v. a little more, utilize a LOT more of the percentage of my brain than I'm currently using, and express more creativity.
Although, what I'm doing now kinda helps...
Peace.

Your heart makes me happy

The lovely wife was in for her 20 week checkup, and we were able to listen in on our sprout's heart again. I can't begin to explain the feelings of joy that go along with hearing those beats, man. As she again placed the jelly covered microphone on my wife's stomach, we again heard the beat almost instantly. Just like last time, I was extremely proud to have created a human being. Overcome by happiness, I could only express my feelings by emitting the low chuckles of a dullard, coupled with a glassy eyed stare and the grin of a simpleton. I was sure the Doc had seen and heard these same expressions many times before, so I didn't feel any reason to be embarrassed. So I kept on smiling my big goofy-ass smile. The wife was all smiles too, and seemed to be on the verge of tears of happiness. I'm glad she didn't start bawling, I don't know how I would make up for crying TWICE in front of the doc.
It's such an Amazing feeling to realize just what is happening within my Lady. Incredibly, we have produced someone who will look, act, and have the same personality traits (GOOD & BAD) that we do. Boy, do we have some serious responsibility ahead of us. I have a feeling it is going to be Damn Hard being parents.
(At least the kind we want to be)
Parents that have it easy are the ones who administer discipline from the couch, don't monitor what it is their kids are being exposed to, and the ones who's wills have been conditioned to crumble against loud shrieks in the toy aisle when the word "no" is used.
I don't want easy, I want to produce good people.
Time is moving at a rocket's pace and there is so much for us to still do, but we are keeping up with the program, and doing what we need to stay on top. I guess that's called discipline. I guess that's what being an ADULT is. I guess if we just keep the mindset that we have, and keep our nasty habits of procrastination to a minimum we'll be alright.
Peace.

With onions and cheese on a warm toasted bun...

Tomorrow night is the big Ohio State/Texas football game and I am Stoked! I have been excited for about two and a half weeks. I'm gonna dress up in OSU clothing, wear OSU buttons, put on a foam OSU #1 finger, and hell, my eyes may even well up when the Alma Mater is played by TBDBITL. This is funny, considering I'm not even a football fan. Come to think of it, I'm even less of an OSU fan. My biggest reason for not being a fan of OSU, AND their football program is, the fact that just about the ENTIRE city is crazy about game day saturday, but because of politics, and the corporate machine, the average joe (who happens to be OSU football's biggest proponent) can't even purchase a ticket to view the team he loves and supports so much.
Then why am I so hyped about the game?
Well, my lovely wife & I have a tradition, and that's eating chili and Frito's Scoops for at least one game. I usually get the ingredients together the friday nite before, start it the next morning, and let the chili slow simmer all day while we're at work. That way, when we get home we've got some bomb-ass chili waiting for us. I'm sure our dogs go nuts smelling the stuff all day. But, dear friend, the chili alone is not the reason for MY anticipation for the game either.
At least twice a year, I get an unnatural craving for CHILI-DOGS. Coneys if you will. I don't know what it is, but I'm unable to function properly until I get a coney when the desire for one sets in. I've thought about coneys nonstop for two days straight. I've thought of multitudes of topping combinations. I've thought about how many I would attempt to eat. (I'm gonna try for 3/4ths of an eight pack of hot dogs) I've even thought about how many I'd be willing to share. I plan on eating chili dogs until I get sick, because I love 'em so much.
Yeah I know, I'm a pig. But hey, if I have to endure an OSU game, I may as well do it while in a coney coma, right?
GO BUCKS!!!

Fulfilling an obligation...

Awright. The ONLY reason I'm at this computer is, I made a promise to write from Mon. thru Fri., giving myself weekends off.
So I plan on just describing my evening. That way, I won't break my re-promise of the promise I made to myself to write every night. (I've been backsliding) About 2 weeks ago, a co-worker invited all her co-workers out to a concert. She then burned us all cd's to help us become acquainted with their sound. I must admit, I listened to one song on the disk, and was indifferent. So, I put it in a stack of cds that I don't really listen to. That weekend, she made mention of the band again at work. When I got home, I grabbed the cd again, and listened to the whole thing while checking emails, writing bills, and other kinds of crap. I thought it was o.k. I mean, it had nice melodies, and the guitars and bass were nice, but I wasn't sure what to make of the band. Oh, by the way, the bands name is Criteria. I will admit, that I didn't get the full effect of the band's music, because I listened to it with computer speakers which sound a bit like transistor radio speakers. So, needless to say, I had no clue as to what they really sounded like. There was also a band there called Smoking Popes. I have a song by them on a compilation tape made by Mr. Nick Action, (1/4 of the band The Rackets) so I felt being there was slightly predestined. My co-worker and her brother met me there, and were completely AMPED. They were ready to get started. When Criteria came on, I was blasted in the face by a wall of sound. The band had two guitars, a bass and drummer, and as per their request, the sound guy made sure that each of their amps were LOUD. So much so, that I had to back out of the pit in front of the stage. They played punchy, melodic, songs that were guitar driven, but each tune had a heavy rhythmic bass line. The musicians were on point, and I didn't hear any flubs as they played. Criteria had a beautiful layered guitar effect that rippled on some songs, and the two guitars smashed heads on others. The Bass and drum layered underneath the battling guitars, forcing you to nod slowly as they carried you through each tune. I did mention that my co-worker and her brother were amped, right? Well, the two of them rocked out, screaming
and thrashing their bodies, and singing along with Every song except for the new ones. They let themselves become immersed in the music, and had a Hell of a time. Their energy was palpable, and contagious, so I found myself rocking out with them-although only at about 3% of their energy level. The show they put on was great, and I am really happy for the invite to hear an exceptional band.
The smoking popes had a nice sound as well. I only knew one song of theirs, (Before I'm Gone) and it was an excellent rendition, complete with improvisation and witty banter. They did earnest, almost pleading songs about love-both lost, and found, rallying cries, and failure. The guitars seemed to be there to pick them up and dust them off, like good friends are supposed to. Each tune sounded weather-worn, and the audience seemed to relate to the lyrics. About 3/4ths of the crowd knew the songs and sang along, making the atmosphere kinda familiar. By that, I mean, I sang along with them, even though I knew none of the lyrics.
Criteria and Smoking Popes are two bands that I now have the pleasure of saying I got to see.
(Pay no attention to the posting time listed at the bottom of this post, it is now 1:13 a.m., and so I gotta go to bed now.)
Peace.

We wanna be 1/2 full glass people

Self awareness can either be ego swelling, or crushing, depending on what you let it do to you. Becoming more aware of who you are can either make you more aware of who you DON'T want to be (or become), or proud of the individual you are (or are becoming). Self awareness can prompt individuals to notice the positive and/or negative aspects of their lives, and can create a desire to retain that positive energy, or cue the acceptance and perpetuation of predominant negative actions, and/or emotions.
My beautiful wife and I feel it's our responsibility as intelligent beings and parents to make a conscious effort to become as full as possible with positive energy, thus moving us closer toward actualizing the desire to become "better people" by shedding our negative "personality quirks".
We've decided to devote small amounts of time to achieving positive self actualization by using meditation, conversation, and verbal expression of gratitude, and positivity directed at each other. I feel that if we do these every day, gradually increasing the time spent doing them, we will continually exude positivity and maybe pass it on to each individual we happen to encounter.
We know it will be a long, long road to travel, Hell-it's hard to be impervious to negative energy.
But I have faith in the fact that we will accomplish what we set forth to do because we recognize the good it will do us as individuals, as well as the fact that it will establish a greater sense of connectedness between the two of us.
Peace. (To us)

Here's to good friends, tonight is kinda special...

So, tonight the wife and I were visited by 1/2 of our favorite couple. Jess of Matt-n-Jess, our "L.A." friends came for a visit. (I hope I sounded as pretentious as you're supposed to sound when saying you have friends in Los Angeles) It was great to see her again, because she is such a beautiful person, she always exudes positivity, and she always gives my wife and I food for thought.
I must say, I am quite disappointed by the fact that Matt could not accompany her. His creative intellect inspires me to expand past the boundaries of my own. Next time friend.
Jess, my lovely wife, and I simply sat and talked over some wine (fake wine for mom to be) and it was great. We discussed self-awareness, ways we can try to achieve it, bringing order to the chaos that is life, creating a magical room for our coming little one, mutual marital bliss, downsizing the clutter that accumulates in our closets and minds, and techniques which might make meditation easier. It was nice to come home, and use our brains for a change rather than turn on the t.v. and veg out-not speaking to each other till bedtime. (Or rather, not paying attention to what my wife is saying until the breaks and only if there are no good commercials-and she, getting pissed off and not talking to me until she decides to go up to bed) That's one I really have to work on. That though, is an entirely different blog entry to be written in the near future.
I love seeing Jess, because her excitement about living a life full of mental, physical, and spiritual PEACE is always so infectious. Thanks for gracing us with your presence, the stimulating conversation, and prompting the two of us to perpetuate this type of evening friend.
Matt, we miss you, and look forward to hearing from and seeing you soon, slick!

You wanna supersize those vows?

Well, I guess Nevada-specifically Las Vegas has become a little less hypocritical. Recently, the city ruled that marriage licenses were now unattainable during the hours of 12a.m. to 8a.m.. That doesn't sound like much to cheer about, but for a state that supposedly considers the act of marriage a serious, and sacred ritual between a man and woman in love I guess that's good news. Good news indeed, because those specific hours are PRIME times that drunk assed folks pull up to the drive-thru window and place an order with elvis for a marriage certificate and fries. How's that for serious and sacred?
Why do I even care you ask? Well, I care because the state has very clear views on the sanctity of marriage, and what makes one "valid". Fine and dandy, but when inebriated weddings like Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton, Carmen Electra and Dennis Rodman, and Britney Spears, and whoever that guy was, constitute as valid in the eyes of Nevada's governing body, but mike and james' or sharon and debbie's marriages do not, well now we have some serious hypocrisy. Now, I'm not saying that all same-sex unions are gonna be peachy keen, continuing until death do they part but c'mon- don't gays deserve the chance to get drunk, wake up married, and divorce just like celebrities and the rest of us do?
What I'm trying to say is who cares about WHO gets married and HOW they do so. What matters is WHY they want to get married. If two people claim to love each other (no matter how close or far from sobriety) and want to get hitched, then so be it. As a married man, I have no problem with it. I don't feel as if I'd be cheated out of something just because a couple of guys or ladies want to be legally considered a couple. Hell, misery loves company. Besides, it's one of the last civil rights issues, and I cannot ignore anything to do with civil rights given who I am and where I come from.
Just pass the bill approving same sex unions Nevada. Personally, I don't think the rest of the country would be too surprised if you did. It's not like we consider you to be the pillar of morality. For God's sake, you have an ad campaign that promotes the old "hush-hush" in terms of questionable behavior that occurs within your borders. And do I even need to bring up the legalized prostitution?
Buck up Nevada. You're one of the cool states. Other states want to be just like you. Legalize same sex unions, and you might just prompt a few states to follow suit.(including mine) Maybe with your help, the whole nation can come to accept people for who they are, and who they want to be with will be a non-issue.
Peace?

Wadya' say yer name was?

This is an apology. I wish to direct this apology to _______ . It has been 18 weeks into my lovely wife's pregnancy, and I haven't got a clue-not one grain of an iota of a clue as to what I want to call the person I will be periodically yelling at, bragging about, frustrated by, hugging almost as hard as I can, and emptying my wallet for, for the next...
Jesus Christ.
There's no time limit for being a dad.
I'm going to be a dad forever.
...
Alright, alright. I'm cool, I'm cool.
Despite the fact that any and all semblance to my life as a "cool guy" is coming to an end-

(for God's sake man, when has anyone EVER said that someone's dad was "cool" and meant the COOL cool?)

-it's gonna be GREAT. This is just the next stage of development. What is about to occur will be the biggest challenge I have had to face. I mean, I have risen to the occasion and OVERCOME many an obstacle set before me! (SURVIVED may be more fitting a description of many of those many obstacles)
This will certainly be a difficult undertaking, but by devoting no less than 100% of my time, energy, common sense, and unconditional love-coupled with my lovely wife's 100%s, we will be in the catbird seat.
Anyway _______, we made an early promise to not give you, or sanction a name which would create an opportunity for ridicule, or even the slight raising of an eyebrow.
Our family tree will NOT bear a Shaneequa, Bobbi-jo, or Jimbob.
You will have a name which has familial, historical, or cultural significance. Anything less would be less than you deserve.
I guess all that pressure is what is causing our indecision, kiddo. I really am gonna push the gas pedal closer to the floor and do my part to come up with a name befitting of our clan. So, try and be patient. We will keep up the search, and we'll let you know as soon as we do.
Peace lil' guy/gal.

For he's a jolly good fellow...

I just wanted to take some time to give some props to one of the most important people in my life. This individual has influenced me in more ways than he will possibly ever know. My Philosophical, Musical, Social, and Moral being has been based on the life and teachings of this person. I'm speaking about a man who has dedicated his life to self improvement, and self discipline. This is a guy who recognized that two aspects of his biological makeup were damaging his mental and physical health, and had the fortitude to just say, "fuck it I'm done", and before we knew it, he was COMPLETELY done with these things. Totally impressive. I mean WHO has the discipline to just STOP doing something they have been accustomed to doing daily for years simply because they felt it was time to stop that day? I swear, this guy is made of iron.
I would hear this guy say something like, "The decisions you make today will effect you tomorrow" on a regular basis, and I sometimes thought: "If I hear that bullshit one more time, I'm gonna yell what the HELL do you know old man?" Well apparently, he knew a shitload. This is a philosophy that unfortunately has taken me 30+ years to adopt, but I guess better late than never huh? (not really) On a daily basis, I'm reminded of this altruism. Damn, If I only listened 15-20 years ago...
Musically, This man was beyond all his peers. We would hear EVERYTHING blasting out of the speakers of his hi-fi stereo growing up. I would hear the music of War, Pink Floyd, New Birth, Jimi Hendrix, Edgar Winter, Funkadelic, Mandrill, Koko Taylor, and Carlos Santana, just to name a few. The diversity, and boldness of this guy's musical tastes continues to influence, and helps to expand my musical boundaries to this day. Thanx a Hell of a lot for that, man.
Maintaining one's honor has always seemed paramount in his eyes. Fortunately for me, I have become aware of the importance of being considered an honorable person, and his behavior, and actions have been used as exemplary models for projecting the necessary qualities of honor. Thanx for that too.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, thanks for all the stuff you have done to help make me the person that I am, and I can only hope that when It comes time for me to influence the ones that I'm responsible for-I have the fortitude it takes to stick with them and see beyond the bullshit, hard-headed, stubbornness and continue drilling life lessons into their heads that you had the patience to drill into mine. As I said before, you are truly an Iron Man, and I love you for that dad.
Peace.

Dr. Frankenstein, paging Dr. Frankenstein...

Just watched an incredibly disheartening documentary called "The Future of Food". It gave info on genetically engineered foods, like corn, canola, soy, and wheat products. It claimed that, the majority of foods found in the grocery store contain some form of genetically altered content even after it has been proven that some of these have been found to kill, cause gastrointestinal lesions, slow the growth rate, and cause violent allergic reactions in test subjects (rodents, varying types of insects). The documentary also stated that the U.S. government is the biggest supporter of this technology, and several members of governmental positions have occupied positions, or have received substantial contributions from companies that produce genetically enhanced seeds. (Clarence Thomas, John Ashcroft, Donald Rumsfeld, and Dan Quayle to name a few)
Apparently, several years ago, thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court these companies were able to receive patents on these seeds. This is outrageous for the simple fact that the ability to patent life forms has previously been unheard of. I guess anything is possible when the ability to make copious amounts of $ is involved. Where there's a will (and a dollar to be made) there's a way eh?
Anyway, all it takes is for farmers to purchase and plant one bag of genetic seeds, and they will eventually begin cross-pollinating and overtaking organic seeds. This has been the case in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Fortunately, some countries have banned the exportation, and distribution of these seeds. Here is the real problem though. After a certain time period say, a couple of seasons, these companies began hitting up farmers claiming to have conducted extensive tests on their crops. (Which they did not) They then accused the farmers of copyright infringement because the seeds used to produce new crops were the offspring of the original seeds used for crops a season or two ago. So, according to copyright law, these farmers are using the property of the seed producing companies to generate money without providing compensation. The companies then began pressing charges against the farmers in order to scare them into paying settlement amounts, and destroying their inventory of seeds collected from the past two seasons. It seems that the goal of these companies is to force farmers to become dependent on their seeds in order to maintain their livelihood. And that situation is what generates more moolah for the companies. Farmers are unfortunately stymied because as I said, the government is fully backing the idea. The Bush administration wanted to create subsidies in foreign countries based on the notion that these foods would be used to help end global famine.
Methinks there's something rotten in denmark. Opening the floodgates and providing the world with this potentially contaminated food could quite possibly promote the health problems related to food we have here in the states, and it doesn't seem likely to me that these efforts really would make a dent in famine, because the people who are starving are poor, and probably don't have the money to buy seeds right? Well obviously these companies aren't Giving away these seeds.
Hell, they're subpoenaing individuals who might unknowingly have these patented seeds growing on their farms! This is just a front for creating business opportunities in markets abroad. C'mon guys, we are smarter than that! (Aren't we?)
There was a bright side to all this. Due to disenfranchisement with unfair treatment, and a growing health consciousness, farmers have begun to produce organic vegetables for consumers. This isn't the most cost effective choice, but hey, at least farmers now have a CHOICE. Coupled with that knowledge, and the fact that they now have a better chance of keeping the lights on looks much better than being "legally extorted".
I have only scratched the surface of what "The Future of Food" has to offer, so rent it and see what you think.
I will leave you with this, Don't eat any partially hydrogenated anything, soya products, canola based foods, and most definitely, no high fructose corn syrup! This stuff can/will potentially hurt you.
Peace.

Came loving one, but left in love with somebody else...

Tonite, I had the EXTREME pleasure in seeing what will be considered one of my favorite concerts I have EVER been to. For weeks prior to the show, I had been listening to Various songs in Sonic Youth's library. The whole time I had been getting hyped!!! I could be seen SCREAMING along with Thurston Moore while driving on the freeway heading to and from work, on jogs, and just about any time I had access to their music. I imagined a dozen different playlists they would use, all of which containing my favorites old and new. (Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style/Candle/Sunday/Dirty Boots/Disappearer/Stones the list goes on)
But alas, none of these from my fantasy set list were to reach my ears this night.
Don't get me wrong though, they had a pretty good set, just relaxed and cool. I got into more songs than not, especially the super-popular radio-friendly Incinerate, my favorite new song Pink Steam, and the very pretty Turquoise boy. They sounded good, and Kim Gordon's vocals were even on point. But, They seemed affected by the bad weather (impending storm/tornado), and they just didn't seem to have any real energy for the people who braved the elements just to see them. I'm really NOT bitter, just a little let down.
That's when I took notice of just how many balloon creatures this guy to our right was making. He made a Dragonfly, a Spider, a Butterfly (worn like a backpack), a Stick Man holding a pair of Red Lips, and a Giant Pink Robot. All these balloons were as big as I am. Completely Awesome. He would make them, and give them to other people in the audience to walk around with.
Soon after, the rain totally let up, and it was time for the Flaming Lips to take stage. When they did, we saw Wayne Coyner stand in front of a mic which was outfitted with a camera for closeups, and his image was projected onto a huge screen which would show footage from japanese game shows, topless karate go-go dancers, snippets from their videos, outer space, and finally teletubbies. The concert started and Wayne climbed into a bubble inflated to twice his size, and rolled into
the audience that supported he and the bubble he was in while Race For The Prize played. People went nuts. Confetti streamers, bubbles, and big balloons were shot toward the audience, and I swear this is the truth, my lovely wife and best friend and I were at least 100 yards away and got hit with all this. By this time, the crowd was so amped! They had volunteer backup Santa and Alien dancers, Captain America was the stage hand, and one of homeboy's balloons made it to the stage.
After doing a couple of newer songs, they did Yoshimi, and Do you Realize, which were spot on, and further enhanced by all the theatrics. The audience felt a wide range of emotions- political frustration (Yeah Yeah Yeah Song), positivity (W.A.N.D.)
friendship, love, and hope (My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion) We even got to travel through space when Vein of stars played.
Throughout the show the Lips thanked us graciously, not just a "We love you" with Columbus pasted on the end, but a sincere thanks for listening, support, and willingness to try something different. They also Felt what they were singing, and prompted us to exhibit the same passion when singing the lyrics projected on the screen. It's rare that a band makes me and the rest of the audience for that matter, feel so included in what they were doing onstage. It was like he was speaking to each individual in the audience when pleading for us to think about what we were singing about. (The HUGE closeup of his face also helped)
The even crazier thing, is I felt a little more positive and considerate when I left the concert. Thanks to Wayne thanking us for not being too hip and cool to smile with them, and others in the crowd, I left feeling like I was a little cooler.
Man, they were super-tight, and I felt great when I left. I WILL be seeing them again, and hopefully so will you.
Peace

...And You Don't Stop

I grew up during, was molded by, contributed to, and sadly witnessed the commercialization and bastardization of one of the most (if not THE most) globally influential cultural revolutions ever to exist.
HIP-HOP CULTURE.
I stress the word culture, because hip-hop is so much more than baggy pants and misogynistic party anthems. Hip-hop is most certainly a way of life. Hip-hop culture has helped people express disenfranchisement with financial, social and political oppression and given B-Boys and B-Girls a sense of pride, bravado, and a desire to be themselves.
Once you choose hip-hop as a way of life, you are a part of a huge like-minded collective, but you are praised for and prompted to be an INDIVIDUAL. Because so much time and effort is spent developing a unique style, once established it is considered sacred and imitation could be met with verbal scrutiny, or a beatdown. Either way, getting caught "biting" or stealing someone else's style can lead to shame and loss of credibility.
Unfortunately, that drive to be different has tapered off, and I believe this is the main reason for Hip-hop culture's slow demise. Personally I blame record companies who, in their desire to make copious amounts of money, continuously churn out rehashes of whatever "R&B/Urban" or "Top 40" hit song that is slightly, or grossly influenced by hip-hop music currently at the top of the Billboard charts. The general public is then spoon fed this "music" and told to like it. And they do. Songs are requested on the radio and in clubs, and CDs are snatched up as quick as that, and the snowball is on the roll. The funny thing is, these songs are not even considered hip-hop by people who consider themselves part of hip-hop culture. These are RAP songs. (I'll explain the difference between hip-hop and rap during another of my tirades)
All that said, if you are at all interested in experiencing, and preserving hip-hop in it's purest form, pick up Boogie Down Productions' Criminal Minded (grandfather of Gangsta Rap), Eric B & Rakim's Paid in full (some of the best lyrics, and delivery ever), Tribe called Quest's People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (innovative delivery style, precursor to "backpack" or alternative hip-hop), most definitely Grand Master Flash and the furious Five's The message (raw, gritty reality-based lyrics, excellent delivery, and one of the greatest DJ's of all time), and last, but definitely not least is Organized Konfusion's Stress: The Extinction Agenda (crazy, crazy metaphors, and deft use of vocal tones, and harmonies- my favorite {slightly} contemporary hip-hop album). My list of music could go on and on, but again, I'll save it for another time.
Also pick up the book, or do a web search of "Back in the Days" photographs by Jamel Shabazz. Within the pages of this book, you will see the pride, individuality and creativity of each individual photographed as they pose in their best B-boy/B-Girl "Stance". Also check out the movie "Wild Style", and the documentary "Style Wars" For the most authentic representations of hip-hop on film.
It's up to the members of hip-hop culture to EXPECT that very culture to grow and change, continuously pushing the envelope and moving beyond all preexisting parameters.
LONG LIVE HIP-HOP!!!

Dead As A Dinosaur

Good customer service seems to be facing extinction. Businesses are doing less and less to make consumers feel appreciated for selecting THEM as opposed to other places of business that can supply their demands. These places of business are in my eyes, completely at fault for the actions of their employees. For instance, if an employee was concerned about losing his/her job because of misconduct, then it would seem the likelihood of misconduct would be greatly lessened. Am I being naive, or am I on to something?
It's simple.
"You disrespect the customers who keep my lights on, you're fired."
"I have to pay off a mortgage loan, and if you are hindering that goal from being met, you're fired."
"This business has a name and a reputation to uphold. If either of those are threatened, you're fired."
Any business owners out there who may be reading this, please feel free to use these quotes within your establishment and I'm pretty sure the bullshit bad habits will decrease. Hell, with luck maybe they will disappear altogether-
and I'll have one less complaint concerning the the negative aspects of commercialism.
O.k., maybe I AM just a little naive...

Hai-who?

Gentle breeze blows change
soon I will be a father
a life I must mold
exude positivity
and perpetuate honor

Buh-Bump Buh-Bump Buh-Bump...

So, my lovely wife and I got to hear our little sprout's heartbeat today. Top notch man. I had a few unnecessary worries bouncing around in my head this whole week, like: will there not even be a beat? Will the beat be terribly weak? Will there be a beat that doesn't sound quite right? You know, IRREGULAR? Crazy questions were filling my head making me worry. Worrying for the sake of worrying worrying. So we go into the office, and I am trying to be COOL.
INSIDE I AM A WRECK.
The doc eventually comes in, has a small conversation with us, and tells the wife to prepare for her pap test. By this time, I am ready for the BEAT man! When the doc finished the exam, (I must admit that I am stunned, humbled, and honored to have been privy to one of the most sacred and secret rituals women have to go through on a yearly basis) she squirted some kind of gel on the tip of a listening device, kinda shaped like a microphone connected to a small speaker. The device was then placed face down on top of the wife's stomach, about where the it was assumed the baby was hanging out. As she was placing the device, the doc explained to us that it may take a minute to hear the baby's heartbeat. Before she finished her statement, we heard a fast thumping. Quick, loud, steady and strong. Amazing. It was all I needed to hear. No more worries.
The doc then moved the mic to the left maybe about an inch, and the wife's heartbeat could be heard. They were in tandem for a moment, and we could hear that her beat was almost half the speed of the baby's. Just hearing the baby's heartbeat and then both my wife's and the baby's together did MY heart a lot of good.
I am so very proud and completely overjoyed to know that my baby is alive, well, and completely safe within the womb of my number 1 lady.
Thanks for the gift my love.

Me Gronk!!!

Today my lovely wife came to me with a look of surprise and said, "Look you can see where the baby is!" (Or something to that effect) She then caressed the gentle roundness her stomach has slowly been growing into. "My pooch is gone" she then said, with her bottom lip poking out. Then she proceeded to show me the top of the pair of pants she wore to work that day. I was familiar with this particular pair, as I had seen them on several prior occasions, but today they were a little different. They were unfastened, and held together by a black elastic hair thing. "Well, my pants don't fit me anymore she said holding up her blouse with both hands. My response to all of this- as I remember it was "good".
I don't think that was quite the response she was looking for.
What I thought was a legit answer was merely a grunt. Unfortunately for me I happen to have an uncanny talent for understatement. "good" was what came out of my mouth, but in my head was, "good- I think it's great that we're seeing evidence of our little one growing inside you."
Cheers to Gronk the monosyllabic neanderthal man who can't properly express himself to his wife. Nice going jw.
Realizing that the wife likely wanted more than just a one word grunt, I recovered from my fumble and walked over to her, rubbed where I supposed the baby was hanging out and told her exactly what I had been thinking. I then inquired about how she was feeling, what emotional & physical changes she's been going through, and her general health. I think that made a difference. Just taking the time to try and understand (though I never will) all the crazy things her mind and body are going through helped me understand how nice it must be to every so often be asked by others and your HUSBAND "hey, how are you doing?"
I don't think the wife is bothered by the fact that I'm tight lipped, I just think she wants a little more in the way of verbal support. Hopefully now that I've come to this realization, I can continue to give her the attention I know I am capable of giving. Just try to be a little quicker on the draw next time Gronk.

Avengers Assemble!

A few evenings ago, I decided to sift through my box of old comics. "Books" as I refer to them- trying to sound a little less like a geek in response to my wife's questions as to what I'm looking for. You see, I keep them in the back of the crawl space leading to the attic. In order to reach this veritable treasure trove of nostalgic bliss, I have to complete an obstacle course by climbing over three "winter clothes" bins, a plethora of purses, and a multitude of luggage.
As I inch closer to the coveted cardboard cube, I'm making a LOT of noise, and my wife never fails to notice all the racket.
"What are you looking for in there?"
"Ummmmmm... Books" I answer, thinking that the response given would be sufficient.
Not so.
She then hits me with "What kind?" Then I answer her query feeling slightly like a geek, but kinda tickled by the fact that she's kinda tickled by my attempts to be covert. We play this game about once or twice a year, and I swear it never gets old or any less ticklish.
But I digress.
Upon perusal, I find within the musty box four of what I consider The best issues of the Avengers comic. Immediately I was nine again. Issues 183 and 184 featured the Absorbing Man Crusher Creel (I love saying his name) whuppin' ass! He pretty much just smacks 'em all around until the coolest Avenger-the Vision steps in to put an end to all that nonsense. Issues 190 and 191 were also pretty tight. The Grey Gargoyle is in the house and his knuckles are having their way with various Avengers. Daredevil(!) even gets smacked up in issue 190! There is no shortage of action, and they are pretty solid in terms of artwork.
John Byrne did the pencils, and its no secret that he was in top form. These are great books, even though the dialogue was sort of wack. The covers- though not illustrated by Byrne were works of art, giving readers a glimpse of the chaos about to occur within. This was a time period (late 70's) when the Avengers were top-notch in my book. I mean, there was a gang of heroes included in these issues, and all of them were bad-ass! Look, you had Hawkeye, Wasp, Beast (Obviously taking a break from the Xmen) Ms. Marvel (HOT), Iron Man, Black Falcon, (known as the Falcon at that point), Captain America, Scarlet Witch (Super Hot), and the Vision! Nine cats in one comic every month! Are you kidding me!?! It was enough to blow a nine year olds' mind! John Byrne managed to cram so much action into his run on the Avengers that after being exposed to these books, I became spoiled and expected ALL comics to be comparable in creativity and caliber.
By all means, if you are a fan of the Avengers and /or John Byrne's artwork, then you must check out these issues.
Peace.