Hell F'n Yes

I’ve been obsessed with the Democratic primary for the last two weeks. Tonight, on SNL, Tracy Morgan hit the nail on the head. Stick a turkey in it. This fork is done.

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And here is a nice little informative vid, if you have the time. It lays out a few of the reasons I feel the way I do, in a far more articulate manner than I could ever achieve. Of course, it’s a little old, so I’ll leave it to you to factor in all of the nasty shit from the last few weeks. Suffice to say: every time she shifts her strategy, it gets dirtier and dirtier and I like her less and less.

Obsessed, Banned

I have forbid myself from surfing the web when I get home from work. Until further notice, I cannot casully click the hours away looking at music gear.

I have become fixated on researching micro-watt amps for a new setup I'm designing. I'm cutting my self off, however, as I've been losing sleep over this new passtime. I look up at my clock and suddenly it's 2 am... oops.

I have things to do! Short films to finish, scripts to revise, songs to write, recoding projects to finish, wedding stuff to plan...

I'm going cold turkey. I can feel the withdrawl symptoms already.

Hitting the Wall

I feel like I'm at a tipping point, creatively. Things are happening everywhere I look, musically, directorially, artistically...

So why do I feel like I'm slogging through quicksand? I have the suspicion that "making it" as a musician or filmmaker is akin to approaching the speed of light: the closer you get, the more energy you have to expend to get that next little bit closer.

The theory of relativity says that reaching lightspeed is an impossibility, unless you're able to change reality.

I have an interview tomorrow. Gonna change my reality. Wish me luck.

It was Father's day last Sunday. My dad gave me the gift of a musical life, and for that I am eternally grateful.

My father is a bass player, and even though his instruments had always been around growing up, I'd never played bass before with any seriousness. This had to change abruptly last week.


Our most recent Hollywood Trash show saw me playing bass due to an emergency scheduling conflict on the part of our bassist. With only one day's notice, I had to learn a whole set of material on an instrument with which I had little to no experience.


I rehearsed all day. In the end, it felt quite natural. Could it be genetic? Upbringing? I can't say. I can say that even singing proved doable, and I managed to sing half of the set without too many honker mistakes.

Could this mean a change in lineup? Don't hold your breath. Bass is a different animal. Being tied so hard to the rhythm made it harder to sing syncopated lines. It's much easier to whack at the guitar and be impulsive. As the lead singer, it lets me push the energy harder. Just trying it really made me appreciate my dad's skill and style that much more.


Still, in the moments where I didn't have to sing, I found it to be uniquely engaging. I'd do it again. Hopefully with more time to prepare.


Like father like son?

Lustful

And here it is... proof that I am a male human:


The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Second Level of Hell!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	Very Low
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	Moderate
Level 2 (Lustful)	Very High
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	Low
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Very Low
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	Low
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Very Low
Level 7 (Violent)	Moderate
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	High
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	Low

Take the Dante Inferno Hell Test

Elysium, The Last Bounty

My friend & writing partner and I made a short while I was home for Christmas. The film itself isn't finished yet, but here's a taste of what is yet to come...

The Corporation

I saw the documentary film "The Corporation" last week. Highly recommended! I found it to be a highly balanced film, considering it's progressive origins and intent. "The Corporation" makes a well supported case for limiting the power of the institution from which it gains its title, and paints an ominous picture of a future in which no such action is taken. I encourage you to check it out!





Also, a bonus! Jim Hightower is a cool dude, and a popular progressive radio muckraker. And now he posts his spots with flash cartoons attached! I chose one that fit with the theme of the film. Good stuff. Go to his website to see more.


Edit: I've been prompted to take the animation down, as it auto starts and is loud and aggravating, but you should check out Hightower's website. for this and more animations.