Connectivity and Fear

What is it that makes people fear each other or not get along with each other or even get along yet not try to understand each other?

I have seen many conflicts between people recently and I am concerned that this level of fear that the country has been shoveled into is causing us to turn on ourselves.

Sure, it has always been an "us against them" mentality for the most part in this country but even now it is a huge blister ready to boil over into the streets.

And it is not just the mindless sheeple that this is happening to. It is happening to many of my friends. Many of them are cutting themselves off from the rest of us and it has a lot to do with the state of things.

Now, what to do?

Love.

Yes, this is one of those kinds of posts.

We are ALL connected, regardless of how you feel about it or how much you deny it. If something bad happens to someone it happens to all of us. Deny it if you will but it is this fundamental idea that makes it imperative that you do something good to someone else.

Love your neighbor better than you would love yourself.

Start small. Start with your immediate family and friends. Do a kind thing for a stranger, like hold the door open for them. Acknowledge their existence.

The easiest thing you can do is smile. It is infectious. Smile at the check out person, the bagger, someone who just cut you off in traffic. Let a pedestrian cross the street even if you are in a rush. Let someone out at the busy intersection even if the person behind you protests, then smile and wave nicely to them and keep going. Love your friends and family with conviction and passion. It is what makes us human.

It takes very little time to be courteous or pleasant or even civil to another person.

So the next time you have fear or are angry, just remember that your fear and anger is projected out to the rest of us. Try to absorb the good energies that I and many people like me are sending out.

Fear not, anger not, worry not.

Just know that those things happen and let them go and absorb the good that is out there.

Ok, that was pretty happy-go-lucky of me but it is important to me that people understand that we can change the world around us in a positive way if only we recognize ways to do it.

Cheers.

Freakwitch

As some of you may or may not know, I joined a band a few weeks ago as the drummer and I am having a blast. :)

It is really important to me that I not only enjoy the music but also the people I make the music with, and I think I have that in this group.

I am still in the learning process as far as the songs that they already have established but I am making up the drum parts for the songs myself.

Anyway, we have practice twice a week and I am really starting to find the pocket, or the focus or the zone or whatever you call getting into the groove of playing.

Any musician knows that the best way to play is when you aren't thinking about what you are playing but rather letting your body do it itself. It is essentially muscle memory but you are definitely directing it based on what everyone else is playing.

So there it is. :)

You can find some information at Freakwitch.net and also about Jim, the guitarist.

I will definitely let everyone know when we have gigs. :)

And you WILL go! ;)

Good Things

Good Things

There are good things
In my life
I can't explain them
I can't hope to let you know
It is impossible
But I can share it with you
If you like

The good things have me
In their warm embrace
And I am gladdened
As I should be
And I will embrace you
And be a good thing for you

Just let me know
And I will be here
I will stand by your side
I will be all that
And better than before
Because you know I love to share
And I want to share it with you

The good things give me
A joie de vive
A je ne sais quoi
And other French words
That make me feel warm
The kind of warmth
That make you a good thing for me

All you have to do
Is be here with me
And you will give me
All that I need
And all that I want
Is to be a good thing for all
A good thing for all who want
Good things

What I did for my summer vacation/conference

So I was in New Orleans for much of the week this week. Let me share:

So I arrive on Saturday afternoon last weekend and settle in nicely to the hotel. I decide to head out to find Bourbon street because I was only a few blocks from the French Quarter.

Going with no map was interesting, but I figured I would explore. Plus it was 6pm or so no big deal as far as dangerous but I did stick to the major streets. :)

So I went down Canal and took in the heat and the humidity and the people. I was wearing black so my sweating wasn't unsightly as if I wore something lighter colored. Plus the sun was hidden on occasion from the buildings.

Anyway, I wander around some and finally find a place on the corner of Conti and Bourbon. Actually I didn't know it was on Bourbon except for the fact that every building on the street had bright neon signs and creepy people trying to solicit money in front of many of them.

Well, I decided to wet my whistle (aka get some drinkage) and found some lovely wait staff. Needless to say, this was my downfall for the evening.

Now, this was not a nude bar or anything, just cleavage and tight clothing kind of place. Anyway, the deal was $3 shots and 2 for 1 beers. So I started off with shots and a pair of beers.

The problem was, that being sexy and persuasive, these waitresses got me to start on body shots rather early. I am, of course, male and vulnerable to sticking my mouth between women's breasts for fun. Of course, also sticking my mouth near their waist was also involved later on.

Needless to say, I got too drunk that night. I did have fun (as much as I can remember) and basically dry humped at least 2 waitresses in the process of my drunken demise. They were involved in this willingly of course but it mainly felt like them selling themselves for my cash. In retrospect, I got fucked over pretty good and spent way more money then I intended or actually could afford to spend.

So somehow, which I found out later was thanks to one of the non-attacking waitresses that I was hanging out with before my drinking fest began in earnest, I found myself in my hotel room bed, fully clothed and alone at noon on Sunday.

I was a hurting unit and basically lounged all day drinking water trying to recover.

Lesson learned: Don't drink alcohol from the chests of strange women. At least not without backup. :)

Anyway, so I took it easy for the rest of the week. I went out a few times and checked out Cafe du Monde, House of Blues, Hard Rock Cafe, Preservation Hall and walked around the French Quarter. Didn't get to see as much as I wanted to but I had to go to seminars most of the day anyways.

I am a bit disappointed of New Orleans for two reasons. One, I was alone and was kinda bored after the 4th night of going out and not knowing anybody or really getting to know any one (except for their cleavage). And Two, it felt very much about greed and commercialism.

Basically, I am not a big fan of the commercial, touristy type things. I really would prefer to find places that the locals hang out at and find interesting people. I did get that in Preservation Hall and really enjoyed the atmosphere and the jazz music. The band was very tight and they were having fun and it was conveyed to the crowd.

I like jazz on occasion but I much prefer rock or progressive rock or alternative rock or other interesting styles. And I am sad that I couldn't find it, eventhough there most likely is a big "vampire" cult thing in the home of Anne Rice's vampires.

Moving on, I went to the Great Northeastern War this weekend and had fun with my friends. Not all of them were there but enough to satisfy my need for familiarity but also in an environment that is new to me.

Anyway, I got to practice a lot of drumming this weekend to keep the bellydancers dancing. And believe me, there were several that I wanted to keep dancing. :)

If only I could get my tent up in a reasonable amount of time AND by myself, I would feel more comfortable about the Pennsic thing coming up in a few weeks.

Plus I have to concentrate on garb again and get it all done by then.

Ok, so I have rambled more than I intended but that was a taste of my week.

So I am recovering from my injured pride in NO after returning as a BFL.

But having a good weekend with friends did help of course. :)

Thanks!

SIAM

Have to be quick.

I am at SIAM in New Orleans.

I got totally wasted on Saturday night thanks tomixing too many body shots off of very cute waitresses. Mostly they took my money but I got some nice dirty dancing in. :)

Unfortunately (and fortunately) I woke up in my own hotel room.

I am here til Thursday afternoon.

Em, you are more then welcome to join me on my trips, but you never take me up on the offers. :)

And DH8, I care, just not angry about it. :) So I will keep my Reiki thanks!

TTFN!

Where from here?

So as you can tell I have not been updating my blog very often recently.

Mostly for the reasons I mentioned in the last post but I haven't really been interested in sitting in front of the computer and spewing thoughts.

I am much preferring to think about music and drumming or hanging with friends (or both) and also making more garb and getting ready for my New Orleans trip.

Ever since Reiki my whole "worry" thing which wasn't that big to begin with has melted away nicely.

I haven't had anything to bitch and complain about which is mostly what I have been doing these past months. Sure I have some humorous or educational posts on occasion but for the most part they are emotional outbursts.

Anyway, I am sure no one is really that interested anyways so I will just move on unless something strikes my urge to write.

Update

Hi everyone )

I know you have all been anxiously waiting to know what is happening in my life.

Of course it is crazy and exciting and interesting. :)

Or not. :)

Anyway, here is what has been happening in the past week.

I got a promotion. I joined a band (I am a drummer). I danced a lot. I hung out with friends. I drank alcohol. I didn't smoke anything (still). I bought some camping stuff for Pennsic. I still need to get a tent (doing that this afternoon). I have garb! :) I still have fabric for garb! Thanks for "Tunics for Taco"! :) I have been drinking more water. I worked out (and yes I did level 12 but couldn't do the last 3 minutes out of 24 :/). I have been doing level 10 with no issues (with some Reiki).

Futurescape:

Going to a party tonight. Going camping tomorrow and partying. Going to a party on the 4th. Relaxing on Tuesday then band practice. Short week at work then off to New Orleans for a conference. Then getting back and going to Great North Eastern. Fun fun. :)

Did you want me to hang out at my computer and write about how things are going as they happen? Or should I live life and then talk about it later?

Anyway, I am off to live life more. :)

Sorry for leaving the blog in a state of anger. I only have moments of negative emotions and so I write about it. So I guess you see my negative side here rather than my real self out here.

Oh well, it happens. :)