J.R. Locke

Funny how the message of change becomes docile.

We are not shocked when a candidate moves to the center for the general election. But Mr. Obama’s shifts are striking because he was the candidate who proposed to change the face of politics, the man of passionate convictions who did not play old political games.

When you don’t have anything nice to say….I love this tagline by the NYT. Just what I would want my epitaph to read.

The former senator had a courtly manner and opposed civil rights, gay rights, foreign aid and modern art.

Drank a twelve pack of stroh’s today but learned a thing or two.

I don’t care who you are where you are or what you are (okay not the greatest line I have ever written but…) the only thing that matters in this world is finding the people you care about.

I admit I put up a front of the typical macho male bullshit but all I want is someone to look over at the end of the night and say hey sweet thing I love you. Yeah I need a partner.

The family of relatives, some I know others not so well, were at my parents place and the overriding theme of the day was how much family matters. My Uncle who I am the godfather to his youngest daughter, is a guy I probably have very little in common with and don’t agree with much of his world view. But the way he cares for his kids, his family, transcends all bitterness.

I guess it is times like these where all things become clear. The things I like to put in categorical boxes, right and left, liberal and conservative, are all thrown out the door. Politics, the macro, is non-existent and a certain sense of clarity is reached when I see the kind of familial bonds that grow. I admit it makes me feel very optimistic about the future of us humans…..

I listened to a few marines today telling stories…..definitely makes the red white and blue shine a little brighter, even for a peacenik!

Good article on El Rushbo. Used to listen to him and watch his short lived TV show back in the 90’s. Had a vast amount of influence on me.

Limbaugh’s audience is often underestimated by critics who don’t listen to the show (only 3 percent of his audience identity themselves as “liberal,” according to the nonpartisan Pew Research Center for the People and the Press). Recently, Pew reported that, on a series of “news knowledge questions,” Limbaugh’s “Dittoheads” — the defiantly self-mocking term for his faithful, supposedly brainwashed, audience — scored higher than NPR listeners. The study found that “readers of newsmagazines, political magazines and business magazines, listeners of Rush Limbaugh and NPR and viewers of the Daily Show and C-SPAN are also much more likely than the average person to have a college degree.”

My last few days have been not so spectacular. Waiting on things. Ideas are marinating. Some work and progress but no finished products to behold.

I did however get a sports yoga DVD and a new jumpr rope and starting July 1st I hope to make some serious changes to my diet. Just to try something new. But until Tuesday it is Stroh’s and hot wings for me. Yummy!

Something bad is going on around here. No one says a word about it, just disheveled faces and curt mysterious responses. Don’t know what it is but I have a feeling it isn’t a good thing.

Sleeping wierd hours. I ended up falling asleep at 7:30pm last night woke up at midnight. I guess that is enough sleep for me. Now I will just wait on the big fat sun.

Strange last couple of days. We had really bad storms in the area with tornados and all that. Then my grandma called because she had a bird in her house. My brother Jacob and I went over and chased it out.

Then today I had to take my other brother J.D. to get a root canal. I went to a Mexican Resturant to kill some time while he was in surgery. I drank a few Dos Equis and read the paper when this older lady (late 40’s) sat down at the bar. She obviously knew all of the Spanish speaking staff as they were very friendly with each other. After a few minutes I started to notice that the conversation had turned to me, the mention of el hombre and sombrero was the key. After introductions (in which she literally asked me if I come here often, made my day) she began to talk about needing a man that looked and sang like El Gringo, who appartently is some white Latin singer (http://www.myspace.com/elgringo7) she showed me his CD liner picture and I found it all very amusing. That is when I finished the last of my beer rose up, tipped my hat and said a very movie like line “Everybody’s looking for someone.”

I bought miscellanous things to put together my portfolio and other “work” related things. Haven’t been to the gym yet this week which is always the trade off when it comes to being solely kept in the guise of music. I have been eating a lot of crap too.

Because of a bunch of different factors I decided to wait to go up to the Northeast. I have family visiting next week, then I have classes starting up on the 9th and it was all too much congestion. I don’t think I would have enjoyed myself. I feel bad about the job interview but it is something that I hope is still available in the future. Plus I really question my desire to live in an expensive city like Boston. I am such a homebody that there is really no reason to want to spend that kind of money to do my usual routine.

I did get all my stuff out of the pawn shop and it has been great making up for lost times. My fingertips are still like marshmallows but I am having so much fun. Finding the joy again. Skills are noticeably sloppier…gulp!

I am starting to record things too. My process is kind of convoluted but it is the only way I know how since I have no band to just do it live like I would like (live music is better bumper stickers should be issued).

First I write the song in my head, it stews night and day. I write notes on various parchments and computer documents, which usually just get lost. Then when I have an idea about instrumentation I go into a program called Finale and “compose” the song. Then I import those files into Protools and proceed to add the instrument parts that I can play. Then I attempt vocals and usually go insane trying to make my voice do anything but fuck up everything I previously have done to this point. This is usually when I scrap the song and move on to the next or cry inconsolably while I fight the urge to just write instrumentals. During the constant mood swings of liking and disliking the song I then try to “mix” the fucker until I really go crazy and remove myself before my hand goes through the computer screen. Good times.

I don’t know what songs I am going to do, really don’t have a plan. Whatever feels good that day I guess. I have been scouring the area for cheap instruments. I almost bought a cello the other day. But I think I am saving up for a sitar. I was watching these videos of sitar players and I was like my hands can do that! But I got me a banjo, mando and thinking about buying a chord harp along with some new harmonicas. I would like to get an accoustic bass soon but I will likely have to sell off some of my excess equipment first.

So this is my summer, about the same as last year except replace coaching football with making music. At least I am happy, last couple of days have been splendid, almost perfect. Summer has its way.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/23/opinion/23lovenheim.html?em&ex=1214452800&en=3ecfbd76199cbb3c&ei=5087%0A

Good article.

Our political leaders speak of crossing party lines to achieve greater unity. Maybe we should all cross the invisible lines between our homes and achieve greater unity in the places we live. Probably we don’t need to sleep over; all it might take is to make a phone call, send a note, or ring a bell. Why not try it today?

Talkin’ Environmentalism

Last few nights I have been reading through the internets and inevitably I came across the two “real” sites about our two big party ticket candidates. http://therealmccain.com http://exposeobama.com/

These sites are particularly great in the fear tactics category. A complete oversimplification of the issues but hey this is what works in America, right? John McCain “Less Jobs. More War” Barack Hussein Obama “a secret Muslim” (why can’t a Muslim be the President of the USA? Oh yeah same reason a Catholic couldn’t times 10).

Anyway there is much debate about this energy issue. Otherwise known as “America built its whole economy and lifestyle around a finite resource and now is confused about how the market economy works (sshhh don’t tell the Washington Consensus). The debate of the high oil prices is hilarious and full of hypocrisies on both ends. “On Point” had a good feature on this which is well worth listening to. Tom Ashbrook who did his best to show all sides of the debate. http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2008/06/20080619_a_main.asp

Now the debate seems to focus on whether this is just the corporate greed of oil companies (price gouging, wanting to drill everywhere etc). The left focuses on how the oil companies penchants of profits over the environment. The rights focus is usually on the economy and the national defense, standard trump cards.

Everyone seems to be pointing their fingers at some evil intention by some mysterious element but the real culprits of this energy crisis are the habits of everyday Americans. The people who drive everyday everywhere (the people that go to Target all the way across town instead of the Walmart right by their house for other political reasons get special mention here), the people who live in the suburbs driving in circles to their gated cul de sacs, into their homes big enough to shelter an orphanage but instead just a family of four, with all kinds of electronic devices sucking up energy at an enormous rate.

Even the artist who puts on rock concerts in grandiose stadiums with 6 super screens of video flashing and all the fans and wannabes watching it on you tube with their IMacs and super duper gaming machines are also contributing. Everyone is at some point accountable for all that is going on. But the chorus of accusations lingers at evil oil companies; blame them for what they did to Africa and South America but in this debate they are just the supply side of a society addicted to oil.

The problem when coming up with a solution is, everyone has a rationale for their own consumption use, whether it is the American Dream or intellectual artism(so not a word). Someday everyone is going to realize how great we have had it for these last 50 years in the grand old USA. The golden age where conspicuous consumption ruled the day. Moderation was only controlled by ones access to capital which was enhanced oh so greatly by the credit card. But this easy way of life can’t last folks, not without an intelligent budget of our resources and maybe even a little sacrifice.

Everyone who knows me knows I don’t like driving. I would be completely happy never owning an automobile. I love public transportation and don’t understand why anyone would actively drive a car in traffic everyday for 30 minutes instead of reading a book for 30 minutes or flirting with a friendly face on the bus or train.

So I give a hearty ha ha to this whole gas price crisis. I am hardly mad at oil companies for wanting to get more oil. I am not mad at the government for inaction. I am just thoroughly amused by the fact that the people who are so outraged are the same mother fuckers who bought 3500 sq ft homes, gas guzzling SUV’s or drove around smoking weed because they were bored back in high school. All I hear is that the government should do something. Please look in that big vanity mirror of yours if you want to know why gas prices are so damn high.

And to all you environmental hypocrites, the world will be fine. If you have ever seen concrete being ripped apart by fresh growth you know what I am talking about. I think “environmentalism” is really just a bunch of people who put too much emphasis on us humans, ego driven paternalists. Ol’ mother nature is going to outlive us, new life and species will evolve and flourish, this industrial age is but a scratch on her surface that will heal with time. Never underestimate the human’s ability to eradicate oneself.

Now don’t get me wrong I am mostly a nature loving hippie who can quote Frost and Emerson on the love of natural things. But until everyone get serious and starts to talk about the real problems this is just bullshit posturing on all ends.

Just because you want to use your computer to draw artistic anime porn doesn’t make you anymore correct than the jackass who is buying and selling stock of companies who import lead based toys even if you canvass for a green non-profit during the day. Even if you put on a rock concert to promote environmentalism by having everyone drive to the show, destroy an acre or two of land and consume highly marketable products in plastic and Styrofoam you ain’t helping. I still think that all these bleeding heart rock stars are the biggest hypocrites (thanks for trying Thom York).

Like all things though sooner or later we will all be forced to change and we will look back as a society and wonder if we could have made it a lot simpler on ourselves like higher fuel efficiency rates on cars, better city planning, restrictive housing and commercial zones, public transportation initiatives, mandatory restrictions on energy use, taxes based on energy consumption, hippies who actually bought land instead of just drugs.

Oh and did anyone get the memo that China and India are industrializing? Ouch!

In related news my parents finally stopped buying bottled water. My brother Gene and I have harped on it for years and it finally paid off! Drink tap water, otherwise we dug up the ground for nothing.