Musick

PRINCE, The SuperBowl and the Watchtower

2007-02-06T09:39:00.000-05:00

I missed the Superbowl...but Jeneane caught the most important moments and blogged about Prince's halftime show.
The question we have is this: Is Prince still one of Jehovah's Witnesses? Rick Fairen [forgive me Rick on the spelling] investigates and actually calls the Society for the answer.

Nation plans 5 days of mourning for Gerald Ford, and 2 more for James Brown

2006-12-28T23:14:00.000-05:00

So I open the Yahoo front page, and see this news:
AP
Nation plans 5 days of mourning for Ford

That's a little presumptuous, isn't it? I mean, all due respects for Gerald Ford [and to his surviving family, please accept our sincere condolences] but I don't remember getting the memo to grieve 5 days for the man. I'm still grieving the loss of The Godfather of Soul, James Brown! After all, he was the Funky President!

Actually, I've been grieving other losses [We've lost some friends and some acquaintances this past year] and I'm having to realize that I could be grieving my own life away if I don't move to the next level of grief which is to leave it after awhile and go on. This trauma recovery stuff is something else, I tells ya!
I will be writing more [now that it's become somewhat lucrative] and making a weekly appearance here. That is my New Year's Resolution! Now if I could only do that with smoking...toodles!

I'm Sorry Pluto...You've been Demoted

2006-08-24T13:14:00.000-04:00

pluto?

Mandarin Design Daily:The MEG Blog

2006-07-10T02:08:00.000-04:00

Mandarin Design Daily:The MEG Blog: "

Orlando, Florida
Food Not Bombs
City Commissioner

Meg...

2006-06-26T16:18:00.000-04:00

Oh, Meg...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENEANE!!!!

2006-06-09T23:13:00.000-04:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, Presenting the M Set

2006-06-06T20:58:00.000-04:00

Fractal Geometry

06-06-06

2006-06-06T20:57:00.000-04:00

I'm wondering if this ever happened before in history...?

A Bunch of Geminis

2006-06-01T16:43:00.000-04:00

So I was wandering around the web looking for some info on Geminis and found this site.
The Gemini Information, complete information on this zodiac sun sign.:

I started to highlight the Geminis I knew of but, it turned out that I'm familiar with all but three of these people, much to my surprise. There are a couple of names I read that made me gag. Is it too late to switch birth months?
Here it is:

"June 1, 1801 - Brigham Young - Religious Leader
June 1, 1926 - Andy Griffith - Actor
June 1, 1926 - Marilyn Monroe - Actress
June 1, 1934 - Pat Boone - Singer
June 2, 1743 - Ales. di Cagliostro - Rogue
June 2, 1890 - Hedda Hopper - Celebrity Columnist
June 2, 1904 - Johnny Weissmuller - Actor
June 2, 1937 - Sally Kellerman - Actress
June 2, 1941 - Stacy Keach - Actor
June 2, 1948 - Jerry Mathers - Child Actor
June 3, 1865 - George V - England Royalty
June 3, 1925 - Tony Curtis - Actor
June 3, 1926 - Allen Ginsberg - Poet
June 3, 1906 - Josephine Baker - Entertainer
June 4, 1910 - Rosalind Russell - Actress
June 4, 1924 - Dennis Weaver - Actor
June 4, 1936 - Bruce Dern - Actor
June 5, 1934 - Bill Moyers - Journalist
June 5, 1956 - Kenny G. - Musician
June 6, 1755 - Nathan Hale - Patriot
June 6, 1875 - Thomas Mann - Writer
June 6, 1955 - Sandra Bernhard - Comedienne
June 6, 1907 - Jessica Tandy - Actress
June 7, 1848 - Paul Gauguin - Artist
June 7, 1940 - Tom Jones - Singer
June 7, 1952 - Liam Neeson - Actor
June 7, 1958 - Prince - Musician
June 8, 1810 - Robert Shumann - Composer
June 8, 1902 - Grant Lewi - Astrologer
June 8, 1925 - Barbara Bush - First Lady
June 8, 1933 - Joan Rivers - Comdienne
June 8, 1940 - Nancy Sinatra - Singer
June 8, 1944 - Boz Scaggs - Musician
June 9, 1910 - Robert Cummings - Actor
June 9, 1893 - Cole Porter - Song Writer
June 9, 1963 - Johnny Depp - Actor
June 10, 1895 - I. Velikovsky - Writer
June 10, 1922 - Judy Garland - Actress/Singer
June 10, 1928 - Maurice Sendak - Children's Author
June 10, 1933 - F. Lee Bailey - Attorney

June 11, 1910 - Jacques-Yves Costeau - Ocean Explorer
June 11, 1934 -Gene Wilder - Actor
June 11, 1956 - Joe Montana - Sports Figure
June 12, 1897 - Anthony Eden - Statesmen
June 12, 1929 - Anne Frank - Writer
June 12, 1924 - George Bush American President
June 12, 1932 - Jim Nabors - Actor
June 13, 1865 - William Butler Yeats - Writer
June 13, 1892 - Basil Rathbone - Actor
June 13, 1926 - Paul Lynde - Actor
June 13, 1951 - Richard Thomas - Actor
June 13, 1962 - Ally Sheedy - Actress
June 14, 1811 - Hariette B. Stowe - Writer
June 14, 1906 - Margaret Bourke-White - Photographer
June 14, 1946 - Donald Trump - Entrepreneur
June 14, 1961 - Boy George - Musician
June 14, 1969 - Steffi Graf - Athlete
June 15, 1922 - Morris Udall - Politician
June 15, 1932 - Mario Cuomo - Politician
June 15, 1954 - Jim Belushi - Actor
June 16, 1938 - Joyce Carol Oates - Writer
June 17, 1832 - Sir William Crooks - Scientist
June 17, 1878 - M.C. Esher - Artist
June 17, 1882 - Igor Stravinsky - Composer
June 17, 1917 - Dean Martin - Singer
June 17, 1946 - Barry Manilow - Singer
June 17, 1904 - Ralph Belemy - Actor
June 18, 1910 - E. G. Marshall - Actor
June 18, 1918 - Sylvia Porter - Economist
June 18, 1942 - Paul McCartney - Singer
June 18, 1952 - Isalla Rosselini - Actress
June 19, 1856 - Elbert Hubbard - Writer
June 19, 1896 - Wallis Simpson - Royalty
June 19, 1902 - Guy Lombardo - Band Leader
June 19, 1936 - Gina Rowlands - Actress
June 19, 1947 - Salman Rushdie - Writer
June 19, 1954 - Kathleen Turner - Actor
June 19, 1963 - Paula Abdul - Singer
June 20, 1909 - Errol Flynn - Actor
June 20, 1924 - Chet Atkins - Musician
June 20, 1924 - Audie Murphy - Actor
June 20, 1949 - Lionel Richie - Singer
June 20, 1972 - Nichole Kidman - Actress
June 21, 1921 - Jane Russell - Actress
June 21, 1925 - Maureen Stapleton - Actress
June 21, 1927 - Carl B. Stokes - Politician
June 21, 1940 - Mariette Hartley - Actress
June 21, 1947 - Meredith Baxter Birney - Actress
June 21, 1982 - Prince William - Royalty

I've been a bad blogger...

2006-06-01T16:03:00.000-04:00

Hi folks!!!
Hope everybody's doing well.
It's been horribly busy here and I'm hoping to post some pictures of rehearsals next week of the new project. It's coming together little by little but I guess building something of substance is never a 'quick-build'.
Birthdays are upon us this month; Jeneane is June 9th and mine is June 14th...yeah I know...two Geminis living in the same house equals 20 people. It's true!
Jenna doesn't have a chance! She's a Libra and according to one astrological chart, the traditional traits say she is:
Diplomaitic and urbane
Romantic and charming
Easygoing and sociable
Idealistic and peaceable

On the Dark side, she is:
Indecisive and changeable
Gullible and easily infuenced
Flirtatious and self-indulgent

I'm now reading the rest of the description here

Maybe I should avoid reading the Gemini chart even though I [ahem] don't give any weight to this sort of thing...If I want a good scare, I'll go watch a horror flick!
laters...

Jeneane Get's Quoted In Businessweek

2006-05-18T22:38:00.000-04:00

...and all I got was this t-shirt
The ABC's of Beginning Your Blog

Another Podcast Coming Very Soon...

2006-05-06T02:16:00.000-04:00

courtesy of Dean'DeanLand'Landsman,
Doc Searls and myself. We had a GREAT conversation starting with pop culture and pop music and then we started twisting around a bit. I had a lot of fun talking with these guys and we hope to make it a habit. Stay tuned. Dean should have part one up soon.
[Doc- we will definitely hang out next time I see you in person. My traveling chops were way down at SXSW. I only looked like I was standing up!]

WOW!! We Made The SXSW TOP 20!!!

2006-05-03T19:09:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to our fellow Bloggers In Love panelists, hosts and organizers!
We made the South By Southwest Highly-Rated Panels In 2006 [their verbiage, not mine...] list scoring a 4.45 out of 5. I'm told that our buds at Blogging While Black [scoring 4.76 and #8 on the list] will be podcasting the whole discussion starting tomorrow....BRB

I Forgot

2006-05-02T03:06:00.000-04:00

...how much fun it is to listen to Weather Report!!! I'm listening to Elegant People right now...
This is the music that I would spend most of my time as a teenager listening to and analyzing and not just as a bass player but from a total musicians view as a study in melody, harmony and rhythm. I play different music for other people. This is the music played for me and others like me. So, if you're looking for something that is [musically] spelled out for you, DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS MUSIC. If you want your mind played with, yes, indeed, LISTEN TO THIS MUSIC...and don't ask me any stupid questions like why does the sun shine...
Only kidding, folks . There is alot of great music out there that will give you a charge.
This holds alot of memories for me. This is my pop music.

Jazz Fest ?

2006-04-28T02:16:00.000-04:00

New Orleans Gears Up for Jazz Fest

Wow! Bruce Springsteen, Fats Domino, Paul Simon even Bob Dylan. Nothing against any of these guys but......I didn't know they played Jazz?
I guess this gives new meaning to the New Orleans Jazz Festival website name: http://www.nojazzfest.com
Or maybe this is the new jazz...Jazz redefined maybe? This reminds me of some of the R&B singers from the 90's doing jazz festivals in the carribean. Granted, there's always been diversity at the jazz festivals as far back as I can recall [I even participated in bringing a diverse type of jazz to a jazz festival many times] but THIS is not making a lick of sense to hear 'Born To Run' after hearing 'What A Difference A Day Makes'...
This is like changing a Eb11 into a Cmajor triad!
But, hey, these guys are willing to put on a show for a city that's more or less stranded. I wouldn't refuse the help. Instead of rebranding Jazz as something for musicians who've had a career in another music genre how about calling this The Great Amercan Heritage Music Festival instead of completely wiping away a music heritage that has been steadily
diminishing.
Eh, I've ranted on enough about something I'm a small fraction of. What I'm in control of is passing on my own little musical legacy to the next generation by documenting it.
Now, how about that solo album uh, excuse me, solo CD that I've been slowly working on...?

It's Official

2006-04-27T13:20:00.000-04:00

2 million people make the worlds' decisions on important issues. I've got proof from Reuters [by way of Yahoo news] from an article entitled And the world's sexiest woman is...

The poll, which British magazine FHM said was based on two million votes...
British actress Keira Knightley was voted the world's sexiest woman in a magazine poll on Thursday...

Well, how about that.

Tired, tired, tired

2006-04-23T01:22:00.000-04:00

Just checking in to say hello to you folks out there.
I'm trying to build a business with trusted folks and I'm exhausted. Even the littlest thing is taken to heart when you really believe in something and hope your partners feel the same. You try not to read too much into the minor descensions that will naturally arise when you have many personalities involved and you press forward with your team's common goal to achieve success.
It's all new to me, this understanding of group dynamics. I thought I knew it all and had all of the answers. At least that's what my family of origin made me believe. I hold the high control, authoritarian cult I was born into responsible for the anomalies that I've carried most of my life.
It's a new day for me. It's been a five year journey to arrive to the conclusions I've come to.
At some point I hope to be less cryptic about my last few years and speak up about some lifelong nonsense I've endured that was contrary to what was pure and natural.
At some point I will go into my explanation and be done with it for good but, tonight I'm tired...

TAX DAY!!!!

2006-04-17T13:31:00.000-04:00

Ow! My ass!

Georges' Little known Facts

2006-04-13T05:36:00.000-04:00

...or Facts Unkown to George.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the biggest supplier of sushi is run by the Moonies! Heavy, man.I seen it! True World Foods

Ah Yes, GM

2006-04-12T03:59:00.000-04:00

I've been tempted to talk about an ordeal we had with GM ten years ago but, it was trauma that I wanted to forget. This was a nightmare for me and Jeneane could probably relate the different angles better than I could because I was so far inside of the nightmare, I can't remember or don't want to.
It's about a brand new car I bought from GM and the flaws this particular POS possessed. It's about a dealer who had been beaten down on a price and got his revenge by sticking me with not only said POS but a high interest rate car loan that would make any person with a credit rating of 750 say 'What the f...?'
This POS vehicle I had purchased had a design flaw:it would hydroplane at the drop of a hat. I complained to the dealer and he told me to put a bag of cement on the floor of the front passenger side. I would have thought this totally absurd if I hadn't already done this!
Have you ever been blown off of a highway by passing trucks? I was blown off the road to the shoulder a couple of times...not a pleasant feeling.
The dealer or GM would not take this POS back no matter how hard we tried.
The POS is no longer with us in a coincidence that only a higher power could make happen...THAT was an amazing story in itself.

Tonight I see that GM announces an agreement to sell a majority stake in GMAC for $14B to help bail them out of their situation. A couple of images come to mind.

HEY?! Where'd Ya Go?

2006-04-12T03:42:00.000-04:00

I'm here...I've been busy being a bachelor for a few days and now everyone is back home safe and sound.
The house was quiet until a tornado blew into our neighborhood last week that snapped me out of my five day meditative bliss. It was incredible to hear this thing approach - it was like a distant train. More like a distant subway and then in seconds, the wind just whipped up and you could hear tree branches banging the rooftop. And within seconds it was calm and quiet again. Nothing actually touched down to my knowledge but I immediately turned the tv on to see that sure enough there were funnels lined up north to south that roared through and people to the east were in for a rougher night of it.
Wow. I'm so sound oriented that I was frozen just checking out the incredible sound instead of hightailing it to the basement. I know what to do in the future...
It's 4am...okay now I'm awake...

I Missed It!!!!

2006-04-03T17:16:00.000-04:00

April fools day, that is.
I always looked forward to the day when the unsuspecting and unaware would get bombarded with pranks and I would try to remember the most clever pranks so that I could perhaps catch someone else off guard the following year but I would always forget.
I completely forgot this year but my eight year old Jenna was hiding in ambush and got me. It's like she spends the rest of the year setting me up by handing me her projects and crafts to examine [and of course praise her for her skills be it a drawing or a clay figure].
She hands me two popsicle sticks and tells me to hold them together and of course they have some sort of glue/paint/nail polish or something that won't come off my hands with ease. Got me.
A work mate told me she is going to be comedian.
It's started.
The next level of her development has started.
She's taking advantage of her old Dad. She's testing to see how gullible I am so in 8 more years she'll be able to talk me out of my car or negotiate a contract. I'm pretty confident she's on the right track getting her survival skills together on multiple levels.
All I know is whatever direction she puts her energies towards, the results are going to be exceptional.

Okay...I'm swamped...

2006-03-30T20:30:00.000-05:00

My favorite description of being overloaded with stuff to do;
I'm busier than a one legged man in an a** kicking contest. It is a terrible saying but, it's crazy around here.
I guess I've been going through a little separation anxiety as well. After SXSW, there was the let down period when one has to readjust to not being around hoards of people with alot to say. Their input stimulates my brain and then...silence. When I do theatre, I go through it in a big way,. At the end of a run, I get sad so to avoid it I pack my 'goodies' and leave the theatre as quickly as possible. It might come from being left alone alot when I was a kid.
The emptiness of sitting in an empty house was too much for my brain at an early age. It really did something to me in my development...what, I don't quite know exactly but, maybe it's the abandonment issues I've had and how I respond to any relationship with anyone.
Ah, yes, abandonment. I can associate rejection with that as well. Loneliness is another part of thins feeling, even when one is in a crowd of people. Depression is a helluva thing.
I guess I'll go read now...

THANKS QUMANA!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-03-23T02:04:00.000-05:00

Check them out

Hello To Everyone At SXSW Interactive

2006-03-22T23:49:00.000-05:00

It was a blast meeting so many of these online personalities. When I read these blogs now, I'll be able to actually hear their voices and see their mannerisms, making it a much more fulfilling experience.
Hmmm, maybe video-podcasting will happen sooner I mean, why not have the total experience of a person since we are already talking to the world. Technology is here right now! I guess we're waiting for someone else to implement it, make it user friendly and inexpensive[not to mention getting DSL for everyone!]
Well, until then I will get typing...
First it was a blast doing the panels. Thanks to our moderator and conceptualist Lisa Williams and Julie Leung our fellow panelists:
Chris Pirillo and Ponzi Indharasophang
Heather Powazek Champ and Derek Powazek

I saw Tony Pierce all over the place! Well, it was a Buzznet party...
Finally met Doc Searls! I really needed to see Doc and RageBoy together in the same place to prove that they are indeed NOT the same person. And speaking of UncleRage, he got snowed in well, his flight got snowed in before it got to CO. We missed you, Bro...
I'm bummed I didn't get a chance to hang with Jory DesJardins but I did hang for a moment with Liz Henry [Liz, rest assured, I was laughing with you!!!] and of course talking to my twin Tish G. I can best describe her as someone who was watching the same parade of life I saw except from across the street and we're able to laugh about the stuff that happened from our vantage points.
I can't possibly forget George Kelly and again I am bummed we didn't have a sit down and I completely missed BWB. But hey, I know the plan: we're supposed to spread out and infiltrate society. DOH! I've said too much...
I know I've missed a few folks tonight but I'llwork on this tomorrow. Besides, I'm getting giddy...

Back From SxSW and Dallas...

2006-03-20T00:07:00.000-05:00

Hey everybody! Flew in from Dallas tonight and [insert very old joke here]. It's been a long week. I've met so many great people -most being Bloggers that I now can attach a voice to as I read their blogs. It's more personal and real and your written words will carry even more meaning to me.
Tomorrow I will post links...tonight I will pass out....
g

Pre-SXSW Stuff

2006-03-10T18:36:00.000-05:00

So the anxieties of travel, crowds and stuff is catching up to me the day before we go to the BIG show in Austin.
It would have been nice to get their a day sooner to get acclimated but a very important awards ceremony and dinner for our superstar basketball playing daughter, Jenna is happening Saturday...and speaking of basketball..
When Jenna and I were out playing basketball yesterday, I didn't realize how aggressive she can be; even talking smack about her old man's technique! Saying stuff like 'Are trying to let me win or something?' As a kid, I never had a desire to play ball. I guess I was a late bloomer because while the kids were playing ball, I was playing on one of many instruments I had at my disposal. Now I see what I was missing...
I'm very proud of Jenna because she starting out with the healthy balance I couldn't have at her age...
So we're out there playing ball and she's right in my face trying to steal the ball, I go to break away from her just as she leaps forward. My finger is jammed and I look at her she is holding her head.
Homer says DOH!
I look to see what happened and ask her if she's alright. No scratch. I tell her games over and we need to go in to check head for damage. She grabs the ball out of my hands and makes another basket! She's something else and keeps playing. She doesn't care cause she's winning this game then I see her eyebrow. I little droplet of blood...GREAT! I say game is OVER!
The irony is that I have the same mark on my eyebrow from walking [full body force actually...okay, it was a running leap to get back onto a very tall stage and my head got in the way] into a speaker cabinet hanging from the ceiling on stage. So now, we match...Hell of a way to start a trip.
Jenna calls herself a tomboy. Now she'll look like one. Hmmmmm, doesn't Muhammed Ali's daughter box professionally?

Yanni's Hair Arrested

2006-03-07T13:58:00.000-05:00

For the real story, go here

It's just all too tragic...

2006-03-07T13:06:00.000-05:00

A couple of years ago my daughter was looking through the day's mail delivery and found a Christopher Reeve Foundation newsletter. At six years old, this child could understand and pleaded with us saying we need to help this man get better and is there anything we can do.
Needless to say, I was touched by her genuine concern and thought how wonderful that we have a sensitive child.
About two months later, October 2004, Christopher Reeve died. I couldn't bring myself to tell Jenna what happened.
And now his widow, Dana Reeve, has died. This is so sad. It's just all too tragic...

Bits of Wisdom...

2006-03-04T22:30:00.000-05:00

from other creative people can definitely help carry me through another week of not performing.
It's a drag being dorment. I tend to go silent with my writing and as well as verbal communication because I am silent in my music. Basically, I get into a foul mood because [Jeneane has just interrupted my train of thought...now I'm really in a foul mode...!] my expression is stifled, know what I'm mean?
It's as if I'm bound and gagged because I don't have my hands on an instrument performimg [not practicing, even though that helps a lot].
I'll stop there because I just read what Jennifer Warnes has to say about frustration in this business of music. here's a bit of a teaser:
If you are finding it difficult to bloom in this time of change, let me encourage you with a story from my own life:I've been listening to my library of unreleased recordings, the ones rejected by labels in the 80's and 90's. What I hear in these old recordings makes me smile. Some are gems and some are not gems, but the music is in full bloom.When something blooms, there isn't much additional comment needed.

Career At-A-Glance

2006-03-01T19:02:00.000-05:00

It's a bitch to discover why depression is so prevalent with so many artists. As pointed out to me by Jeneane, those of us who try to do this for a living find it hard to deal with the downtime that is bound to occur at any given moment. This is probably the single thing that has driven me insane in my career in music along with rejection, fear of success, fear of failure, critics who don't know the difference between a Db major or a D minor but have the gift to make or break a career, but I digress...
Laugh at the Career-At-A-Glance...I command you!

Sonic Pollutions

2006-03-01T15:36:00.000-05:00

Sonic Pollutions is a music site I stumbled onto through Wasa Express. Their description :
The 1960s and early 1970s were the most exciting times in popular music history. This site attempts to relive and bring to life these extraordinary times via video performances and historical essays
I thought it was pretty cool. It brought back a lot of memories. And yes I do remember 1968 like it was yesterday...oh man...that's nearly 40 years!!!
Gonna go be sick now...

WOW!! SXSW!! 12 Days To Go...

2006-03-01T01:34:00.000-05:00

...can't believe it! I guess I should make my self look more presentable but, I don't think I could lose 60lbs in 12 days...sigh...I betcha I could gain 60lbs in less than a week! Place your bets!

Dean, We should at least give these folks a transcript...

2006-02-26T23:59:00.000-05:00

...or something from our conversation about the music biz. It was great talking to you and I hope to maybe add a discussion group to my blog so we could invite others to participate.

GES has been a bad blogger and I neglected my blog for a few days. The good news is that I've been practicing alot the past few days on a new 5 string bass! My natural love for playing has returned!!!!
I wish I could say that a few wealthy people swooped in and bought me a $7500 Ritter bass but, noooooooooooo! I will now have to resort to running Ads on my blog in order to fund my expensive tastes.

See? See what I've been driven to do? If this blog were music, the equivilant would be leaving a steady gig with Freddie Hubbard to go work with Brittany Spears! Hey... that wouldn't be such a bad idea right about now...

Different Tunes...Okay, I'll talk about music

2006-02-21T18:25:00.000-05:00

Hundreds of Radio Stations in Payola Probe scream the headlines.
I was at the peak of my recording career when this happened in the late 1980's. The results of that particular 'house cleaning' resulted in a lot of independant labels getting their products on the charts.
The playing field was made level for indies that didn't have the deep corporate ahem, um, 'connections' the majors had so there were a bunch of new acts as well as name acts[no longer the sweetheart of a major] on indy labels that got through the door and received some airplay. [I'm inviting any music industry folks out there to kindly correct me about any of this stuff like payola].

So based on what happened in the late 80's I predict a slight shift in the current musical trends and within the next six months you'll hear different tunes and see different 'players' getting their 15 minutes. Then a year from that time expect business as usual after the correct palms have been greased and everyone plays nice-nice until the next batch of politicians have nothing better to do...but I digress.
-- I hope it's for the better.
Hmmm, the timing might be perfect for Sly Stone...

Future Of Music Coalition Urges FCC To Investigate Allegations Of Radio Payola

2006-02-21T14:53:00.001-05:00

Mi2N - Music Industry News Network

All sorts of goodies on this page from The FMC

George Washington Carver

2006-02-21T14:52:00.000-05:00

My hero. Anyone who can be industrious enough to figure out how to utilize a peanut is my hero. In general I'm a big fan of inventors and inventing.
Did you know that George Washington Carver and Henry Ford worked together on an alternative fuel made from soybean? [We sure could use that formula now...]

I'm thinking Sushi...

2006-02-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

...or fried calamari. I really am. I'll be back...

Water for Gas?

2006-02-18T13:56:00.000-05:00

Water powered cars? Who's going to be the first to drop $40 to see if this is a hoax? I'm willing to give it a shot...
If anyone knows anything about hydrogen power, please tell us about it... PLEASE!

The Latest SXSW News

2006-02-17T14:01:00.000-05:00

Well, it's even more official. We are going to be participating at the south by southwest conferences
with a panel of our fellow bloggers Joey DeVilla, Ponzi Indharasophang, Wendy Koslow, Chris Pirillo, and Lisa Williams.
If Joey brings his accordian, I'll bring my bass...

I Love Yahoo News

2006-02-13T23:13:00.000-05:00

This was their headline for the recent mishap: Cheney Apparently Breaks Key Hunting Rule
Don't you love it?! I've already said too much. I think this headline alone says it ALL...

US Mint trip

2006-02-12T13:24:00.000-05:00

Kids narration of their trip to the U.S.Mint. This goes under the category of very bitter humour. I laughed, I cried, fell on the floor, rolled around, got into the in the fetal position and passed out...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAMAR

2006-02-12T00:59:00.000-05:00

And Speaking of Emo...

2006-02-11T13:03:00.000-05:00

Emo Philips, that is, I had heard a rumour to that affect that he was Mr Judy Tenuda but he stated in an interview 'I wouldn't go so far to say it is an urban legend, but once i did drive off with Judy's hand stuck to my car door handle.' Yep, that pretty much confirms it...

The Google Images Storyteller

2006-02-09T14:01:00.000-05:00

Allied has a neat link to The Google Images Storyteller. <<Emo Philips [I've been a major fan of this crazy like a fox fool like Einstein...well sort of...for years] Here's a link to the main page to see how this thing is supposed to work AND you can make your on picture story! How 'bout that! LOL!

While Wandering Around CraigsList...

2006-02-08T15:40:00.000-05:00

I came across this Ad: Bass player w/ big ego and drug problem wanted! Reverse psychology at its best.

This is so wrong on so many levels...

I Don't Usually Talk About Household Dissension

2006-02-08T02:01:00.000-05:00

...but I just have to. You see earlier today, Jeneane told me about the results of a federally funded 8 year study on woman 50 to 79 yrs [to the tune of $415 MILLION] that concluded that a low fat diet won't have an effect in stopping cancer or heart disease [ALLIED by Jeneane Sessum: Mini-Size Me]. So she concludes she can eat anything she wants as long as it's a reasonable amount.
50 to 79 years of age.
Hmmm...the brain says. I'm thinking by the time we're 50, what we put in our bodies in the past pretty much establishes what our health will be and we could have declining health if we're not doing battle against a sedentary lifestyle which, according to another study, causes more deaths than smoking. So the key might be to keep active. But we knew this!...well, I knew this...[I might not be doing this...let's not talk about that...okay, I need a personal trainer...volunteers welcome...]
I'm thinking this study was a waste of lives and money. Maybe they should have tests going on for the 18 to 45 range to see if a low fat diet will avert problems when women are 50 to 79. Or maybe adapting some Eastern medicine methods. What? The AMA? Bite your brain for having such a thought!

I'm told that Blogger will be going down

2006-02-06T21:23:00.000-05:00

...at ten [in 40 minutes] In theory, this means I have time to post this. But just in case this note gets cut off in the middle, you'll understa

Real Pancake Syrup Vs. Imitation Pancake Syrup

2006-02-05T14:51:00.000-05:00

Here's a great place for condiment packets [...huh?]. That's right!
I stumbled into The Condiment Packet Museum today. When I was a kid, I used to try to collect stuff like this...I would've gone nuts if I had seen this back then.
And when you're done looking at the various packets of ketchup and vinegar, check out the Sugar Packet Collector.

Awwww Maan!!!!!!!!

2006-02-04T19:13:00.000-05:00

My blog is worth $5,080.86.
How much is your blog worth?

Coretta Scott King 1928-2006

2006-02-01T12:43:00.000-05:00

"Many despair at all the evil and unrest and disorder in the world today," she preached, "but I see a new social order and I see the dawn of a new day.

My Blog Has Gone Bizerk...

2006-01-22T14:54:00.000-05:00

If you are viewing with IE, all of the images to the right may
be at the bottom of this page.
The FireFox browser might view this page correctly.
Please let me know what you may or may not be seeing...

I'm working on it...

The original post was a 'this day in history' post. I copied it but forgot to paste it...DOH!

So, I admit watching American Idol...

2006-01-19T15:15:00.000-05:00

Hey, there's a bassplaying judge on there...
My youngest loves this show so I will watch it as well, as I cringe watching the 'talent'[a very loose term in this case] audition. We were all impressed by the twins Derrell [and his other Darryl] and Terrell Brittenum. Unfortunately, Terrell got tossed into jail a week before the show aired and their waiting for his twin to turn himself in. I'm giving these guys deserve a big Homer Simpson Salute. Altogether now:
DOH!!'Idol' Twins Charged With Forgery, Theft

Why do I torture myself...?

2006-01-18T15:44:00.000-05:00

Wishful Thinking...

2006-01-18T03:00:00.000-05:00

Been looking at these basses for a long time and I've even 'talked' online with the luthier.

Ritter Basses are some of the most gorgeous basses I've ever seen.

I've studied their construction and I'm just imagining what they could sound like. I've wanted to go visit the workshop in Germany just to play on them for a few days. However, it would be cheaper to do that than to buy one. They start at 4300Euro...sigh...

The one pictured here isn't the prettiest one but, it's the most expensive. Yes, that's 24-karat gold plating for 20000Euro. I'd be happy with the one for 4300Euro [5 string, fretless or fretted...hint hint]. It could revitalize my desire to play all the time...so how about it, huh?...pleeeze? PLEASE?!

The insurance company wouldn't let her be readmitted to the hospital

2006-01-18T01:59:00.000-05:00

Texas Firefighter Gives Birth, Takes Promotion Exam 12 hours later

I love the insurance companies. Okay, I loathe health insurance companies...The new parents have to visit the child in the hospital every 4-5 hours to nurse and bond. Well, that confirms it; we're not living in the kinder, gentler America.
In other news- Mayor Nagin wants to rebuild Chocolate City...

A New Addition to my Blogroll

2006-01-15T01:29:00.000-05:00

I would like to welcome fellow musician, recording engineer, and ranter Tony Korologos who operates a very fine blog AND a forum [that is something I think is very cool to have in addition to a blog...the wheels are turning over here...]

Please give him a visit here at Pro Sound Blog

I need to laugh...

2006-01-14T17:59:00.000-05:00

...so I'm posting another interview absurdity. With SXSW quickly coming upon us, I keep looking at videos of all the odd things that can happen during any kind of public speaking...sort of a prep of what could happen to me at any public event. This is an example of a tv interview going wrong in the background but, the interviewee [is that a word?] keeps his composure in the foreground...

As seen on Break.com

George...It's only 1000tags...

2006-01-13T14:34:00.000-05:00

I guess you could say I had too much coffee today...
One of my readers had this to say about the 1000tags concept:

menzies said...
A very interesting concept - it's the milliondollarhomepage meets tagging. Still, I can't see this being as effective as tagging on sites such as Flickr and Rogue Connect. I don't think tagging has a financial viability in the form of a webpage completely devoted to it. It's not just interesting enough to behold. Implemented into another site, however, it's probably more viable.
5:20 PM

If we could clone you I'm sure you'd be, without a doubt, correct. But that's the beauty of variables and opinions; like the stock market [and Las Vegas], the internet is fickle and a hypothesis is as close as we can get to predicting the future of any given concept.
Who knew rock'n'roll was going to last...who knew 'rap' was going to last? Truth be said, concerning business, if we understood the wants and needs of every individual in the masses, you and I would be trillionaires!
We've learned from the last web goldrush that being first on something new will pay off [providing we get out before it crashes or, in some cases, hang in there for the long haul]. If it doesn't pay off, I won't lose my shirt...this time.

[Thanks Menzies for writing!]

1000tags--Jeneane Said So

2006-01-11T21:52:00.000-05:00

Jeneane's always watching out for the oddities on the net. Okay you freaks--here's this new site called 1000tags. She says it's about tagging and tag clouds and folksonomies. I say, FOLKSONOMY? Reminds me of the old F-Troop joke...

One Banana is Worth $25,300

2006-01-07T00:48:00.000-05:00

...seems it's more like $20 is worth a banana after taxes. I couldn't help but to think this when I saw Yahoo news this morning. '$20 Bill Printed Over Sticker Nets $25,300 ', screams the headline. I'm thinking someone at the Treasury Department is:
a) asleep at the job
b) has a sense of humour or,
c) was canned shortly after this thing went into circulation!

You'll Never Find Another Voice Like Mine...

2006-01-06T15:43:00.000-05:00

AP Wire 01/06/2006 Singer Lou Rawls dies of cancer at 72 in LA

And speaking of Ernst Mach...

2006-01-05T01:50:00.000-05:00

Here's an update on being able to see the photo below as it truly is.

With practice I've been able to veer in and out of the reality and the illusion of the photo and by looking at the top speaker and changing it's position by concentrating on the left line and telling myself that the speaker is sitting on top, pointing upward...does that make sense?

The Analysis of Sensations, Ernst Mach: "No point of view has absolute, permanent validity*. Each has importance only for some given end..."

I've been trying to tell people this* since I was 8 years old!!!

Perception And Illusion

2006-01-04T02:34:00.000-05:00

This is something I don't talk about too much and yet this is something I've always wanted to talk about -whew- Whatyoo smokin' over there Uncle George? Well, I've always wanted to express on this Weblog how the creative mind [my mind, especially] works. This may take a few hundred posts so please bare with me.

Let's start with this photo I found on an Ebay auction. These are the innards [okay, it's the inside of a bass cabinet] of a Fender speaker cabinet [that's what I said... Readers, take note: I'm a Gemini; I can have this conversation with myself in parentheses...]

When I first looked at the photo I couldn't see it for what it was. My eyes told me that the center cones were poking outwardly. Then I saw the bottom speaker. This started correcting my perception of what I thought I was seeing. It took me five minutes to see correct angles and when I did, the optical illusion was over. So, I tried to get it back to see the protruding center cones...I've lost it. I can't can't get the illusion back.

I've done the same thing when listening to music where I thought the top of the measure [or,1] was in an entirely different place. So, 1 becomes 2 [or 3 and a half] and I'm grooving to a different song altogether. And when I find '1' I'm amazed to hear a completely different song, sometimes shocked to think that one tick of the meter opens up something entirely different, sometimes disparaged to know that my perception is off...

...and sometimes the actual song sounds, often times, not as good as when I heard it with the displacement of '1'. Have you ever done that? Stay with me now...

...which leads me to life and one of the reasons why I haven't been writing often this past year. I was hearing the song wrong for so many years and one day I heard where '1' was supposed to be- where everyone else was hearing the '1'...and I was shocked. Life can be like that.

This Gendankenexperiment is brought to you by Ernst Mach...

Thousands in Times Square Ring in 2006 - Yahoo! News

2006-01-01T01:04:00.000-05:00

Thousands in Times Square Ring in 2006 - Yahoo! News

Ah yes, I rushed home from my theatre gig to spend the last remaining minutes of 2005 with my family. Couldn't find a channel that was carrying the Times Square ball until we switched to Univision...other stations were running their last minute commercials at 11:58 and a half.

Finally found ABC AFTER the ball dropped and thought I heard Dick Clark. I thought it was Dick Clark by default but it didn't sound quite like Dick. I heard he was coming back this year but I'm thinking maybe another year in speech therapy would be in order...

What really got me was right before commercial break he started talking about how New Years got its start in Babylonia 12,000 years ago...I'm thinkin 'Dick, you must've been there,' and I'm not being mean spirited! We were just in shock seeing this man we've watched since we were in our single digits [coming up in the 'old days'] sounding like a drunken grandfather... I must say he looks younger than he sounds.

I have to express these things because we're aghast watching this whole thing take place in front of our eyes: Our own aging. Hilary Duff comes on after DC singing some lame tune that would be humanly impossible if she wasn't track singing and I watch my daughter in front of the TV singing the song in unison with Hilary. I didn't know Jenna even knew this song but she sang the whole thing. She's in tune with what's going on. We've let go of the hype years ago along with Santa...

I'm looking at Dick Clark in disbelief. If he's aged, what's happened to me? Having this scene in front of me is teaching acceptance of where I am and where I'm going.

PS.I'm looking at Hilary Duff. I'm thinking Disney put a curse on her. Can you see that contract? "If you leave us, we will turn you into a praying mantis."

I'm sorry...not trying to be evil here...but, to me HD looked different when she was on Disney.
Okay, enough of my New Years rant...

I guess I'm just now realizing time waits for no one. It's a new year...

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY.

Laughing Interview

2005-12-31T13:49:00.000-05:00

Perhaps the funniest video clip I've seen in 2005...

Could some of our Icelandic bloggers translate what is actually going on?...PLEASE?

Yahoo!!!

2005-12-30T14:23:00.000-05:00

This boy's a GENIUS!

The Million Dollar Homepage - Own a piece of internet history!

2005-12-30T13:15:00.000-05:00

So, I'm reading YAHOO news again and saw this article about the ingenious pixelboy who sells ad space $1 per pixel. What a great idea from this industrious 21 year-old!! I guess we're seeing the results of the original dotcom era. Those youngsters who observed that era are now the pacesetters in web2.0

The Million Dollar Homepage - Own a piece of internet history!

Something that seems so simple that makes a million dollars?! Maybe we've been thinking too hard. I'm playing the Forex market 'til all hours of the morning trying to make 5 pips and this guy has figured it out!
Don't know ya but, proud of ya...

Ah, yes the imitators have already begun but along with imitation comes innovation, improvement and possibly a competitive pricing...well kinda sorta... Take a look:

http://www.onecentads.com/

http://www.thebestpixel.com/

http://www.pixel-mart.com/

add-a-thon

2005-12-22T01:48:00.000-05:00

I don't know if you've been watching the news this year but it seems like there's a pattern of the absurd that occurs periodically on any given day. Like three semi weird news items in a row, like the writers have been listening to SNL Larry King spoofs and thinking this should be their model for reporting to an AADD world. World. Rock my world...uh...where was I...

Here's my experience today:

Letterman Lawyers Fight Restraining Order - Yahoo! News
Dave has been caught sending cryptic messages to a woman in SantaFe 'who contends the CBS late-night host used code words to show he wanted to marry her and train her as his co-host.

Okay then...
Here's an article on the Notorious B.I.G.
posthumas record [OH- 'scuse me...CD]
release party where four people are stabbed and shot in the tradition of any really great rappers CD release party.

I had just missed posting about the death of an influential ex-gang leader who had seemed to turn over a new leaf long before his execution, influencing youths to seek a peaceful solution rather than gang violence...

Oh! there's more but I have to run. Oh yeah, Merry Christmas to Charlie Mansion* and his clan who continue to influence the youth as well...

sxsw & bad blogger

2005-12-22T00:09:00.000-05:00

SXSW 2006

SHE SAYS:You've been a baaaaad blogger. Bad Blogger! Five months for a new post? You should be stripped of your blogger badge! If you promise to blog again and consistently, I'll take you to Austin to see the Big Show at SXSW and maybe let you talk on a panel, k?

HE SAYS[full of rue]:Oookay...I promise.
Yes you've heard it here first folks; I'm going to blog consistently from now on, onward, you know, onwardly, consistently onwardly, onwardly consistent...oh nevermind.

But you know something, I don't feel a bit bad about riding Jeneane's coattails to "blogger fame".

Afterall in 1985 I got her voice and an album credit on an internationally released album/record [LP/cassette remember those?/CD a NEW recorded medium]. Boy, I tell you, we ALL made a killing off of that record!

Checks in the mail...20 years later she's more than returned the favour.

THANKS HONEY and heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeee's the LINK

2005-12-21T18:58:00.000-05:00

Hi Everybody
I've been told that I NEED to blog. I've been meaning to, believe me! Reading Yahoo News takes up alot of my time. Just look at some of these headlines:

In the News 6:38pm, Wed Dec 21
• Senate blocks oil drilling in Alaska refuge [Those bastards! Who needs a refuge?!]
• Jail threat ups ante for NYC union leaders [Now, you KNOW this isn't the AFofM putting their neck on the line...]
• Annan slams media, outlines U.N. goals [Let's have some fun and play word twist with this: Annan outlines media goals to slam UN...]
• Court ruling won't stop evolution row - experts
• New gov't center to focus on bioterror threats [This is great news! You guys can start with the AIDS virus, k?]
• Abbas' aides talk of postponing elections [I didn't know ABBA had that kind of political power, did you?]
• Christmas supplies headed to space station [Even the supplies got disgusted with the commercialism and decided to un-ass the earth...]
• 3 stabbed at Notorious B.I.G. record party [Now tell the truth: what would a rapper's CD release party be if there wasn't a stabbing, huh?]
Markets:
Dow +0.3% · Nasdaq +0.4% Stock Quotes: You lost your investment. Jump like it's 1929...

2005-07-20T15:54:00.000-04:00

I'm actually answering emails of people inquiring about my brief encounter with Jaco Pastorius [and an audio tape tape of us playing together with Kenwood Dennard on electronic drums].

Thomas from Austria writes [edited]

Dear Mr. Sessum,

Doing a web search for Jaco Pastorius I found out about your weblog and
really enjoyed reading your thoughts on Jaco Pastorius. Thanks very much
for sharing this. Bummer that the "Jaco on congas" didn't work out.

I was just thinking about that the other day, when Jaco offered to play congas on my tune. That whole experience gets replayed in my mind especially the significance of this man making such an offer. I've gone through many changes thinking about Jaco and the price that is paid for being of prodigious talent. I've often wondered if it is worth it...
I've known others with that intense gift and more often times than not, their lives end up in tragedy. There is a pattern with most prodigies that needs to be documented and analyzed and shown to the general public [especially here in the States, because of the abundance of linear thinking...]

I will post an audio snippet of that encounter very shortly...

2005-07-18T21:00:00.000-04:00

I've been silent a long time...I know. So many fun things happening since last time I blogged and I will docublog that in a minute [A minute is a thousand days to some...]
An acquaintance on a discussion group inspired me to rant today concerning the music business:

This is just my opinion based on 33 years of seeing it up close:
As long as it's fun, keep doing what your doing [this applies especially to the artists]. It's a big money making industry, almost like any other business.I say almost because there are two sides: there's the artistic side and there's the business side. For either side to survive, there's a forced marriage of the two it seems.
The more you can detach yourself from the artistic side, the better because music in the business world is considered simply a product. On the other hand, the artist is a sensitive creator of a vision. This a beautiful thing to behold; the process of creating.
Now my dilemma has always been,'How do I switch roles and become a business-minded person to 'sell' my artform [so I can keep creating and keep the bills paid] and maintain a creative veiwpoint at the same time. It can't be done...not by me anyway.
Let's look at this: There's the Artist(s) on one side and then there's the a non-artistic related team on the other. Manager,road manager, promoter, agent, executive producer/investor, record company etc. are the team the artist depends on to make the 'dream' a reality and the reality is 'business'.
Your team has to work together flawlessly to pull this off. And more times than not, things can go very, very wrong on both sides of the camp. Oh there's room for error but if enough of the pieces of the team run into trouble, business can get fouled up swiftly. Sometimes a domino effect can be triggered by something going wrong on either side.

I was in the middle of a domino effect. It wasn't very pretty. Something was going on with the record label, management was acting funny, guys in the band weren't taking care of business and things were going into a 'me first' mode like never before. The band probably could've overcome the problem with flying colors but there was so much dis-unity [is THAT a word?] it was doomed -with or without me. I got tired and angry, but I knew that one piece off of the group wouldn't hurt it so, I decided to leave before a) I hurt someone [in the band...and I don't mean feelings...] or b) hurt myself and in turn hurting the people I love. But, digress...

I've been playing alot of musicalS the last 2 years, getting my bearings straight and now I'm gearing up for the next career move. Is it possible....? A solo album...? Stay tuned

2005-02-26T15:47:00.000-05:00

Just let me say one thing here...

Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting
Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting
Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting
Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting
Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting
Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting
Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting
Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting
Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting
Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting
Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting
Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting
Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting
Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting
Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting
Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting Podcasting

Could this be the end of radio? I shiver [with glee] to think of the posibilities...

Odeo is the second thing I want to say.
There was a running joke in the early days of internet accessible music which was,'How do you make record execs nervous? Say Mp3 to them.' The industry has been turned on it's ear since those days and the smug 'business as usual' boat started picking up water. This could sink the industry as we know it if radio sleeps on this one. I could only hope...

2005-02-12T03:52:00.000-05:00

My first born,TAMAR NAOMI SESSUM was born 26 years ago today!!!
I wish I could talk to you and your sister again. It's been a long time. People do change for the better...even your Dad changes!! Your baby sister Jenna misses you and would love to see you, too!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

2004-11-18T04:39:00.000-05:00

I don't know...when I read the last entry, I found it odd...In the News 11:54am, Wed Nov 17• Armed group kidnaps 31 Iraqi policemen
• Iraqis angry, distraught at aid worker's murder
• Bush taps adviser Spellings for education post
• Afghan official: Criminals holding hostages
• Kmart, Sears to merge in $11 billion deal
• Abercrombie to settle discrimination lawsuit
• Group: Over 15,000 species face extinction
• TLC seeking replacement for 'Left Eye'

2004-11-15T02:56:00.000-05:00

Anti-Obesity Pill Might Fight Drug Abuse
By MALCOLM RITTER, AP Science Writer

NEW YORK - A pill that helps you lose weight and quit smoking? That was amazing enough to capture headlines last week. But scientists say the experimental drug might be even more versatile, providing a new tool to help people stop abusing drugs and alcohol, too.

Okay, let's stop the headline there.
Why don't we just call this the 'I've sunk so low in my pathetic life that I've lost the will to abuse my self let alone keep living' Pill!
And WHO is going to wrap their lips around this genocidic pill? What part of the population is going to eagerly suck this down? and does it come in orange flavour?

2004-11-08T19:18:00.000-05:00

Great! I spend half a year thinking about being 45 and now I'm 45 1/2!
Remind me to keep moving forward, will you please!? LOL! but seriously...

Saw the Ray Charles movie last night...it put me back a few steps in my trauma recovery because the story nailed it for me. It shows the truth about how an artist can be effected by childhood trauma and how we utilize the not so healthy coping mechanisms to get through life at the expense of not only our own mental/emotional/spiritual health but at the expense of others.
At the very end of the movie, if you haven't wept yet, you will. As they role credits Ray does a version of 'Georgia' that still echos in my minds ear. The bastard knows how to reach you. On the bridge of Georgia, Ray goes into a rubato that yanks the tears out of your eyes...I am totally devastated as I hear it in my head...
If you ever wanted to understand what makes an artist tick, SEE THIS MOVIE!!!

2004-06-14T14:43:00.000-04:00

WELL WE HAVEN'T TURNED GREEN FROM CHLORINE POISONING...

...YET. Well, it's that magical day. The day I thought I would see in a different time and space. Sometimes I felt I wouldn't see this day at all but, I'm here and it feels...different. I've reached the milestone that I thought about all of my life. A very significate age that for some reason marks real middle age. That's right:

TODAY I AM 45 YEARS OLD!

I cannot believe it still! I made it to that childhood created landmark. I never looked pass 35 when I was a kid. I thought 35 was the youth and wisdom combined and you can truly begin doing your life's work at 35 because the tools are gathered and you have wisdom and you still have energy...

I hadn't thought about 45 until last night. I'll need a couple of year to think about this one...

Until then

2004-05-25T11:01:00.000-04:00

GOOD MORNING ATLANTA!!!!!FIRE AT THE BIOLAB CHEMICAL PLANT
OH...Great! This is a picture of what happened 4:30 this morning. Five hours later, an implied [Read: mandatory] evacuation is finally suggested.

<
People with respiratory problems [Yeah- anyone with LUNGS] have now been advised to stay indoors. People without respiratory problems will soon have problems.
An eyewitness [nose witness?] report from 20 miles [as I was typing I heard the TV say 50 miles] away said there were no warnings to stay indoors. A few minutes outside with the children and noses were burning!
It is awesome to see this white billowing smoke come out of this place and just sit like it's a solid mass.
11:30 Finally a press conferenceThey are re-routing traffic because a major highway [I-20]passes by the factory.
They say this is a chlorine plant [for swimming pools etc]. A Fire chief is finally spelling out the reality: 'This is going to be an extended operation! We use water to put fires out. However, we are concerned with protecting the ground water from chlorine'.
DOH!
<
11:55 Just heard that they're going to to have to let this thing burn itself out. Less Now, More later...

2004-05-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

I'm beginning to understand where having a clone will make sense

2004-05-20T23:49:00.000-04:00

It's been warm down here in Atlanta and I have forgotten how much fun winter was when I was a kid. Along with building snowmen, I would love to catch the falling snowflake on my tongue which leads me to this picture...

2004-05-18T16:54:00.000-04:00

Ronald McDonald on his way to mcjail after committing mccrime

2004-05-11T02:06:00.000-04:00

Wow! A facelift for Blogger!?
When i opened the page for the fisrt time tonight, I was hoping to see an elaborate choice for as colours, font sizes, you know, the WORKS. Nada...Yahoo email has more options than this! Maybe the folks at Bloogle are planning on adding some exciting stuff in the near future....I'm waiting...still waiting...Well, anyway I think I'll just head over to Meg's place at Mandarin to grab some ideas...c'ya

2004-05-03T14:06:00.000-04:00

Well, Why Do You Think It's Called Cracker Barrel?

Yahoo! News - Cracker Barrel Announces Plan on Claims

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc., based in Lebanon, Tenn., has been the target of several lawsuits filed by black customers who say they received poor service compared with white patrons. Their claims include exceedingly long waits for tables and being segregated in restaurants.

If you ask me, I'd say the Cracker Barrel is just trying to recreate an authentic atmosphere resembling an earlier time period (some would say 1950's, others would say yesterday afternoon...)

2004-04-26T19:17:00.000-04:00

Such a good dog! A fisherman's dream...

2004-04-26T05:07:00.000-04:00

So Boogle has a Beta version of their new email service! WOW! Did we need another email server? Well, it's got a whole gig of storage space! I'm happy...

2004-04-20T14:30:00.000-04:00

Possibly the sickest thing I have ever seen...

2004-04-20T14:22:00.000-04:00

I saw this and just had to post it!

Hello: LOVE Technical Support.

Customer: I'm not very technical, can you help me install this Love
program I just purchased, I think I can do it if you talk me through. I
am ready to install now. What do I do first?

Rep: The first step is to open your HEART. Have you located your
HEART?

Customer: Yes I have, but there are several programs running right
now. Is it okay to install while they are running?

Rep: It depends. What programs are running?

Customer: Let me see....I have PAST-HURTS, LOW-ESTEEM, GRUDGES, and
RESENT-MENTS running right now.

Rep: No problem. LOVE will automatically erase PAST-HURTS from your
current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory, but it
will no longer disrupt other programs. LOVE will eventually overwrite
LOW-ESTEEM with a module of its own called HIGH-ESTEEM. However, you
have to completely turn off GRUDGES and RESENT-MENTS. Those programs will
prevent LOVE from being properly installed. Can you turn those off?

Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?

Rep: My pleasure. Go to your Start menu and invoke FORGIVE-NESS. Do
this as many times as necessary until GRUDGES and RESENT-MENTS have been
completely erased.

Customer: Okay, I'm done. LOVE has started installing itself
automatically. Is that normal?

Rep: Yes it is. You should see a message that says it will reinstall
for the life of your HEART. Do you see that message?

Customer: Yes I do. Is it completely installed now?

Rep: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need
to begin connecting to other HEART'S in order to get the upgrades.

Customer: Oops...I have an error message already. What should I do?

Rep: What does the message say?

Customer: It says "ERROR 412 - PROGRAM NOT RUN ON INTERNAL
COMPONENTS." What does that mean?

Rep: Don't worry, that's a common problem. It means that the LOVE
program is set up to run on external HEARTS but has not yet been run on
your HEART. It is one of those complicated programming things, but in non
technical terms it means you have to "LOVE" your own self before you
can "LOVE" others.

Customer: So what should I do?

Rep: Can you find the directory called "SELF-ACCEPTANCE"?

Customer: Yes, I have it.

Rep: Excellent, you are getting good at this.

Customer: Thank you.

Rep: You're welcome. Click on the following files and then copy them
to the "MY-HEART" directory: FORGIVE-SELF, SELF-ESTEEM, REALIZE-WORTH,
and GOODNESS. The system will overwrite any conflicting files and begin
patching any faulty programming. Also, you need to delete SELF-CRITIC
from all directories, and then empty your recycle bin afterwards to
make sure it is completely gone and never comes back.

Customer: Got it. Hey! My HEART is filling up with really neat files.
SMILE is playing on my monitor right now and it shows that WARMTH,
PEACE, and CONTENT-MENT, are copying themselves into my HEART!

Rep: Then LOVE is installed and running. You should be able to handle
it from here. One more thing before I go...

Customer: Yes?

Rep: LOVE is free ware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to
everybody you meet. They will in turn share it with other people and
return some really neat modules back to you.

Customer: I will. Thank you for your help!

2004-04-13T00:54:00.000-04:00

My computer is hosed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is what I would have written on Sunday but...MY COMPUTER WAS HOSED!!! The computer just faded like the gradual brain loss one could observe from reading Flowers For Algernon. When it stopped working, we tried to revive it but it went out quicker than HAL when it finally croaked.

I am typing on a brand new computer tonight. I just realized we have DSL here! And,oh, it's so fast.

I almost had to beat the child away from the computer today! She knew what was up. Oh no, baby...this is Papa's!

There are so many conveniences with this thing and ease of use I might actually, gulp, start writing again!

Jenna will very soon have her own computer and I will post a new link to her new and improved website very soon.

2004-04-10T02:18:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks!<BR>
Well, I'm still here and once in a great while, I'll actually blog something.

I've played music in many different situations for many different events. I need to write a book and include this evenings adventure.

We performed at a donut factory. I tried to mentally prepare myself for this evenings events because I knew; I would be drooling like Homer Simpson over the fresh hot donuts floating by me during our performance.

Playing in bars where alcohol flows freely isn't a temptation. Playing near a rather large donut spewing machine is a temptation! If there wasn't a plate glass window separating me from the Hot Doughnut Spewing Machine I could see myself diving into the large vat of glaze naked I tell you.

I was instructed to bring back a couple of donuts for Jenna. I did not...I brought her Three DOZEN! DO YOU HEAR ME? THREE DOZEN...

There will be enough for her in the morning...I am going into a diabetic shock now...will write more if I can get rid of this incessant shaking...okay, stomach hurts now...just...one...more... donut...

2004-04-04T22:35:00.000-04:00

Some people keep dogs, cats and birds. Others don't...

2004-04-03T11:32:00.000-05:00

"Come Hither and Get Your Culture..."

- Bob Marley

This is what happens when an online community (BLOGGERS) gets an idea:

On Thursday, March 25 2004, Lawrence Lessig's new book "Free Culture" was released to the world as a printed hardcover as well as a free download, under a Creative Commons license.
On Friday, A. K. M. Adam (AKMA) asked a simple question: "Anyone feel like recording a chapter of Lawrence Lessig's new book?"

Scott Matthews has posted the audio version at this great site [and I even got a chance to read a chapter]!

The entire audio book can be accessed via thelink below:

"Free Culture" popup audiobook

Check it out!!

2004-04-01T22:43:00.000-05:00

An April Fools Day Welcome to All Visitors From the JWD Board!!! Made Ya Look!!!!!

2004-03-30T14:59:00.000-05:00

Some recent thoughts rollingaround in my brain...

Bloggers blogging about blogging bloggers...In other news...Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers...I am a sheet slitter; I slit sheets...

For those Musicians who play clubs, parties, weddings, etc., you will know what my infamous quote(tm) means:

"Every band in the world becomes the best band in the world after the very last note of the evening is played."

Later MF's!*

*My Friends! What did you think I meant? LOL

2004-03-25T02:41:00.000-05:00

If You've Seen This Already...Skip It

1) Go to Google

2) Enter the phrase - weapons of mass destruction

3) Press the "I'm Feeling Luck" tab

4) Let me know if you guys laughed about this a year ago and I'm just now discovering it

2004-03-13T00:05:00.000-05:00

HEY! Are You Guys Following This One...

Suicide Not Ruled Out in Prosecutor Death

By BRIAN WITTE, Associated Press Writer

BALTIMORE - Investigators are exploring the possibility that the stabbing death of a federal prosecutor in December was a random act of violence or even a suicide, a police official said Friday.

Steven McDaniel, troop commander for the Pennsylvania State Police, said at a news conference that investigators are looking at every possible scenario in the death of Jonathan Luna, a 38-year-old assistant U.S. attorney.

Luna's body was found face-down in a creek near Lancaster, Pa., on Dec. 4. The married father of two had been stabbed 36 times with what was believed to be a penknife and was left to drown. His car was found idling nearby.

Let me think...if one were to commit suicide I guess one would stab oneself 36 times with a penknife! I remember back in the the day when this was called A HIT! But that's just me.

2004-03-12T01:17:00.000-05:00

2004-03-01T22:38:00.000-05:00

Well, I just joined Flickr...

...and the first message is from THE SYSTEM. Mr.Sessum, you have a message from THE SYSTEM. I felt important for a second. Most of my friends, the Poets and Prostitutes, etc. have already signed up (and that's just the guys...)

WHAT? No link! Next time, folks...

2004-02-28T16:07:00.000-05:00

I was just thinking about the time we had to get rid of our cat...BR