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Whenever I write about 9-11, I always mention how John's music played a crucial role in making some sense of that day for me. I often find myself asking, "What would John Lennon do? What would he think about this or that?" I asked myself those question the day we declared war on Iraq, and, just recently, the day we re-elected George Bush. As I get older, I find my liberal bleeding heart more prominent on my shirt sleeve. Living is easy with eyes that close, but as life becomes more complex and challenging, I'm able to identify -- want to identify -- with a simple hippie philosophy, hell, a simple hippie mantra: love is all you need. Perhaps that philosophy is an unobtainable one. But I can't help but imagine how the world would be if more people at least tried. As I get older, being such a huge fan of music, John Lennon has become a great influence in my life. I remember going to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame a few years ago. There was a wall of nothing but Lennon's glasses which was a small part of an entire John Lennon display. Seeing my reflection in a pair of John's little round mirror sunglasses was a profound moment in my life. It's a pretty amazing thing, when I think that I barely knew who he was the day he was killed. The idea that this one man's life can have such a deep impact on my life and the lives of so many people, gives me hope that that silly little hippie mantra can live on. Hell, it's all over the place on the new U2 album; perhaps that's how love and peace can reach a new generation. John's love is like a drop in the ocean. If give peace a chance can somehow be effective, if all we truly need is love, then this world can come together and still has a chance. Love is real. War is over, if you want it. Wednesday's Playist: 1. U2 - How To Dismantle And Atomic Bomb 2. John Lennon - Acoustic |
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I find it extremely ironic that right about this time, I changed my approached to drawing, opening myself up to color. For as dark and dreary as life had felt, I was discovering a new vibrancy in my art. I was beginning a journey of renewed artistic self-discovery, uncovering new things about my art and talents. Artistically, I was reaching new heights, despite the depths I was facing in the other parts of my life. It was only through the colors that my art had to offer, that I could make it through the enveloping darkness. But now, with the onslaught of the Christmas season, all of the "to-do's" of the holidays are forcing me to pull myself out of the darkness and not let my art be my only excuse for happiness or reason to function in society. There's much to do with the holiday season approaching. Thanksgiving weekend kind of made me realize it was time to get my ass in gear and start living a normal life again. By keeping myself busy and creating tiny goals each night, I don't have time to ponder on some of the bad things that are going on. It's amazing how easy it is to not make time for house cleaning and laundry, especially when I'm in a bad funk. I noticed that just by keeping a clean household, my spirits are leaps and bounds better than before. When I sit in messy surroundings, in my own filth, if you will, I don't want to be in them. It builds on itself, though, creating a general "I don't care attitude." That makes it impossible to deal with the darker aspects of life. It's a nasty rut that I fall into once in awhile. But instead, these typical daily chores coupled with the all the various duties of holiday preparation, the daily grind somehow has a purpose again. It's as if I can't believe I let things get so bad and out of control. I shouldn't need Thursday night art class to come around and validate my existence. It's nice to have -- it's a godsend to have. But I have to be more than just my colorful drawings. With my approach to the holiday season, I feel like things are finally getting back in check, and the color of my drawings is spilling back into my everyday life. Just by picking up this house and getting it ready for the holidays, I've created a place that I like to be in again. I've created a warm enivornment that actually feels nurturing to me. If I keep up my current attitude towards the holidays of not getting overwhelmed and breaking the work into smaller manageable tasks, I think I'll even able to find a little joy and happiness out of this holiday season, despite my cynicism. That's all for now. Tuesday's Playist: 1. U2 - How To Dismantle And Atomic Bomb 2. Ray Charles - Genius Loves Company 3. Willie Nelson - Stardust |
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I try to get into the spirit of the season. I'm one of the biggest kids when it comes to Christmas. But this year, it just isn't here. It's been a rough fall. The past month or two have been especially dark. I'm doing all I can just to keep my spirits up, keep my head above water, and make it through the day-to-day grind. But to obtain the type of holiday cheer that I see on Old Navy commercials or at the end of every Christmas special on TV seems nearly impossible. When, after all, did the holidays become the 30 days before Christmas? In thinking about this, my mind started recalling some of my favorite Christmas specials of my youth, you know, the ones sponsored by Dolly Madison. Sure, the media may shout at us "Merry Christmas" as all the pretty models frolic around in the perfectly falling fake snow with toothy grins, wearing brightly colored sweaters and trendy new scarves, but the Christmas specials I remember, tell me something all together different. All the shows I hold near and dear to me actually portray Christmas as a very dark time. Yeah, there's usually some miracle at the end, but they still paint a pretty bleak picture. Think about it.
Merry Christmas Charlie Brown: Right from the very beginning of the show, the kids are all picking on poor ol' Chuck. None of his "friends" send him a Christmas card. He even resorts to visiting a therapist. When he finally does something in the spirit of Christmas and gets a tree, all the kids laugh at him. Even Snoopy laughed at Charlie Brown. His best isn't good enough for those selfish little pricks. Those fuckin' kids are evil! Pretty damn bleak. How The Grinch Stole Christmas: Once again, we have another misfit exiled from society. How fucked up do you have to be to be the oddball in Whoville? You might as well call this one Revenge of the Grinch. The entire show is about the Grinch's sinister plan of revenge. Pretty twisted, when you really think about it. A man of green, he looks so mean, he is just one, but packs a gun, Cindy Loo, watch you back, he's got a rope, with little slack... Now granted, all of these specials have a happy ending. But it's quite telling that it takes almost an entire show of pain, isolation, darkness, and suffering, before the message of peace on earth and good will towards men is portrayed. Maybe that's where our society is getting it wrong. We're forcing a plastic veneer, hell, an Ashlee Simspon approach to singing, on the holidays. There's an unrealistic portrayal of Christmas these days, an unobtainable one. No wonder people feel stressed and let down. It's getting harder to get excited about Christmas, when its being forced down our throats the day after Halloween in the form of deals, deals, DEALS! We're being spoon feed the idea that buying a $17 DVD player at 5:00 AM the day after Thanksgiving will somehow ring in a joy to the world and fulfill all of our Christmas wishes. Hark, the heard angels sing, "Everything's on sale!!!!" Maybe we need to see the return of Christmas being one day, but a day where love wins and overcomes all obstacles despite the darkness. Not a day about $17 DVD players. The true meaning of Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Christ, has been lost for years on our culture. Even the non-Christian meaning of the holiday -- that, for just one day, the spirit of Christmas will unite our friends, families, and the world through love and peace and shine as bright as those silver and gold ornaments on that plastic tree of mine that I haven't had time to put up yet -- is getting clouded and muddied in all of this commercialism. Good grief, now I'm sounding like Charlie Brown. People, we need to take Christmas back. That's all for now. Wednesday's Playist: 1. U2 - How To Dismantle And Atomic Bomb 2. Patty Loveless - Blue Grass And White Snow 3. Martina McBride - White Christmas P.S. To the November archives... When one door opens... |
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Love
Or Peace Or Else
'Tis
The Season
Good
Grief
Rudolph
The Red-Nosed Reindeer:
Two poor misfits run away from home after being picked on for
being different. Even Santa's an asshole to Hermie and Rudolph.
They run for their lives in the blistering North Pole from the
Abominable Snowman who wants to devour them alive. Think of how
dark this tale could be remade. Has anybody ever seen the spoof
on Mad TV called Raging Rudolph? Rudolph's pushed
to the limit and snaps. "You talkin' to me?"