From BudoViking...man, I need to rethink my priorities.
Let's Resolve to...
1) End homelessness in the U.S. This is the richest society ever in recorded history and we have people living on the streets. Unbelievable. This is a solvable problem. Let's do it.
2) Provide basic health insurance for every U.S. citizen. Again, solvable. There is no excuse that 30% + of the population in this country can't/won't get adequate health care because of the lack insurance.
3) Simplify the tax code and make it fair for everyone. Eliminate the loopholes. Everyone from Bill Gates to you and me pays their fair share. Corporations in particular, should be motivated to willingly pay their taxes in the U.S. and not to expatriate their operations and profits to Bermuda or some other tax haven.
4) Preserve and protect the environment for this and future generations. With the current adminstration this is a toughie, but the next generation is incredibly environmentally sensitive and politcally astute. They know bullshit when they smell it. There hasn't been a Bushie environmental proposal yet that wasn't a transparent ploy to benefit industry or other political interests. Gale Norton is a travesty. Refusing to sign the Kyoto protocol is absurd.
5) Drive a modest car. Does it really matter what you commute in? Put the money you save on buying a $20,000 (or cheaper) car versus a $40,000 car to work on one of the above. Put the money you save on gas and maintenance to work as well. Even better, get rid of your car if you can. Donate your car to charity and walk, bike or ride public transit. Live in a community where these are options.
6) Don't do sprawl. See # 5. Live in a rich, diverse, urban area instead of a cookie-cutter subdivision miles outside of town and spend 2 hours + of your life each day sitting in traffic. Put our collective minds and energies to work.
7) Play a role in the life of a child. Give a child a real role model besides a pro athlete, rock star or movie star. Listen to them. Pay attention to them. Give them what you can. Help them understand the value in living a life with integrity and grace.
8) Make a difference. If you are short on time, give money to a worthy cause. If you are short on money, give your time. If you are short on both, examine your priorities.
That's it for this Christmas. Wishing peace, happiness, health and prosperity to you all.
Seems like a heavy new year bang time explosion...sorry to hear about the troubles ...alas the world moves on regardless of our desires. on that band...I have been hearing little snatches of info from my other noisehead peers...and then I read this:
Whitehouse received a series of death threats (phone calls & letters) originating from San Francisco. Basically, the threats stated that if Whitehouse came to SF they would be approached on a violent level, or in other words, they would be illustrated violence comparable to Whitehouse's own musically violent tendencies.
seems like they are now moved up in priority level.....that is the kind of music I need to hear...thanks for the ever pleasent thoughts aimed at me and my tribe....it took a long time to get here...and we worked are asses off to make it happen.....glad you are around brother...
You are so awesome. I haven't been around in ages either... life's needed some heavy lifting lately...
*cracks back*
And I'm contemplating my hopes for 2005 as I read your journal today...
It seems we all have a lot on our plates lately...
The phone message from mr. stapleton was a super cool moment... Even though I was really sad to have missed the nww events, I would never have left my friend to languish at home sick... so it was just cool to feel like I was giving my love and support to that event by getting the artists to phone me when I can't go... GO FIGURE>
me and mr. le clovesbud have been playing all kinds of amazing records tonight with our pal andy, you are with us in spirit. trust me.
I hope everything is okay with... well, everything. Man. I'm not exactly ms. eloquent tonight, sorry.
hee - just wack about the holidays, huh? that is an awesome question, because it acknowledges that i roll street style. ummm, except the opposite. actually, my holidays were shockingly begnin, which was a nice, refreshing change from the usual family madness. and thus far, 2005 is oooooooookay.
oh my GOD - yr month is INSANE! i hope yr feeling better now. and yes, you deserve a plaque, a cookie, and a ringside seat for hot girls making naked pyramids in your worshipful honor. what a bunch of yuck to sort through - good luck with everything! if it isn't a sore spot, what do you want to go to school for?
omg - to peel the fur off a platapus? funniest mental image of the week, my friend.
Yes man, yes. Vacations and loving women. Or wild women. Or all of the above.
Sounds like a job for Old Grandad with a Wild Turkey back.
-
Hope you feel better, brother.
oh its a great
The spotted owl lip syncs
I go sane , tell everyone I'm quitting the video game
never mind the dropped frames
then they all tell me I'd be crazy to quit
its about getting paid
I'm stalking scam artists ripped off
people aint me
with all honesty I can say
thats the fucking truth
protect your body, student loan apps are biotch. I'm going to have a beer
dont worry
"if theres hell below, we're all going to go"
I love the phrase 'KABLAMMO trying', but jeez, what a shitty month, I extend my sympathies, for what they're worth. It makes me feel kind of sheepish for wittering on ungratefully about a month of cheesecake and drinking (you nailed that one right enough!).
Thank you for your very kind comment in my journal comparing me to 730A_trixel_fem and arachne. I consider this one of the most flattering compliments I have had in a long time since Ms Trix and Ms 'Rach are two of the smartiest, sassiest, sexiest, most switched on ladies I have ever come across and making their virtual acquaintance was one of the great highlights of my 2004.
Glad to hear that you managed a three-day booze fest for New Year. Personally, one of my resolutions was to cut right down on the booze, but then I read this book (Mammiferes by Pierre Merot) which someone gave me for my birthday and which is a sort of tragi-comic story about this ne'er-do-well alcoholic, and I realised just how much the life of a compulsive boozer continues to appeal to me... The descriptions of these warm, late booze-soaked bars scattered with the ugly detritus of creatures of the night had me salivating...
My brother's an alcoholic too, maybe it's in the blood somewhere...
As you say, you cannot stop a Bukowski disciple...
And it's appropriate you should mention Bukowski cos once again I am awed by your ability to take horrific events and turn them into a comic narrative. I thought paragraph 4) was particularly funny!
Yup, I'm glad to have met you too in '004.
yes - i've been feeling more verbal than written lately, and even oddly quieter than usual in that realm. i'm sure the usual verbosity will return shortly.
well, yr pursuits sound most intriguing!! creative writing and improv are a marvelous combination ~ mututally beneficial in any number of ways, i imagine. i love doing improv exercises with my students - always so enlightening and FUNNY. now, the advertising makes pragmatic sense, but do you actually want to pursue it, or just find it interesting? i actually dabbled in development, which is actually just marketing with a twist, and find the whole advert thing quite interesting. i will look forward to watching your career unfold.