T’ai Chi Ch’üan —
Sync the Chi.
Frequency Mix —
I compiled this audio clip in 2004.
The eerie background noise is sound from the planet Saturn that NASA had captured.
The clicking sound is RF frequency bleed-over from my (then current) cellphone into my bass guitar pickups, sounding over my amp.
Everything else was my mind trying to cope with the after-effects of 9/11. I had an idea of creating an audio compilation of things that concerned me about what was happening in the United States after 9/11/2001. This was the result, and I’d say it’s artistically accurate representation of what was stirring around in my brain for so long. Every voice, every sound means something to me regarding the slow and steady erosion of what my country was supposed to stand for.
Looking back 19 years, I remember it all. Waking up to a friend knocking on my bedroom door, telling me, “Dude, America is under attack”. My eyes still hazy, something jarred inside myself that never quite let go.
All the rest is what we’ve all experienced together.
The world changed, for the worse, in some ways we predicted and others we did not.
I remember not too long ago reading a question on r/AskReddit – something to the effect of, “Why are all young people so depressed?” and the top answer was: ‘9/11 happened and nothing got any better.’
In a lot of ways I concur with that sentiment. Though I was 21 years old in 2001, I can only imagine what kind of long term effect watching planes hit, and the twin towers collapse, over…and over… on the news, in a seemingly endless fucking loop… had on those younger than me at the time. Trauma is like mold; it just keeps growing unless you know how to get rid of it.
Unfortunately I can’t say that overall, things have gotten better
What I do know is that I have tried to stop obsessing over things that are largely out of my control. Not to say that I cannot make a difference, but it’s too difficult to hold that kind of weight on your shoulders, especially when I had nothing to do with it. I was an innocent bystander. The best thing for me to do is ensure my life is the happiest, productive and fruitful as possible – with my *own* endeavors, not the endeavors of those in power who wish to use the innocent people of the world as pawns in their sick game of chess.
Start Somewhere —
“You’ve got to start somewhere or you’ll never get anywhere.” –Me
“School Canceled” – LNU Lightning Complex Aftermath (Butts Canyon Rd.) —
“Contrast” – LNU Lightning Complex Aftermath – (Snell Valley Rd.) —
COVID-19 Masks: Declaration of Liberty vs. War —
“It’s not a personal choice. Your choice impacts the people you interact with. What you’re really saying is your choice should override their safety. That’s not a declaration of your liberty, it’s a declaration of war on those around you, that somehow you’re more important, and that your personal choice overrides their rights.“
Fall —
Tall
So tall
You stand and look so
Sure
Fall
When you fall
We will rule this
World
Don’t forget her
She’s so much better
You turn and she’s still
There
One day you know
They’ll put you below
And no one will even
Care
Love’s all you need
Love’s all you need
Love’s all you need to
Be
—
Tall
So tall
You think that you’re the
One
Fall
When you fall
They’ll be glad that it is
Done
Don’t forget her
She’s so much better
You turn and she’ll be
Gone
One day you’ll see
It’s all so easy
And you’re the one who’s
Conned
Reap what you sow, you
Reap what you sow
Reap what you sow, you’ll
Stay but they will
Go
… —
…
Abolishing Hate —
There are too many fingers pointing at too many discriminations.
We cannot play Whac-a-Mole any longer.
It’s time for people to understand that all of the injustices we are fighting to abolish have a common root: Hate.
We need to abolish hate. If we cut this poisonous weed off at the root we will kill all of the branches it is sprouting.
How do we do this? Emphasize love instead.
Is that so far-fetched in today’s world?
What if? (#1) —
What if when people die, they are able to “read” or somehow “teleport” into others’ minds that are still alive? Influence their decisions, give them little “clues” or whatever… I know, sounds like Schizophrenia, right? But seriously. What if?
Madrone and Pine —
I can draw a line through my spiral
It cuts through tension and liars, though
The points in my timeline may harmonize
The fading dissonance is beautiful
Your circle is an endless loop
You think it’s a line, fool
Broken records and needles don’t rise
I got out with smoke and voodoo
Learned me good, you says, but
I got nothing but depressed, then I
Found a tool to synchronize
Now I know I can be happy instead
I’m better than you
Yeah and you know it, too
My lines cut through Madrone and Pine
And now you’ve got no one else to fuck you
So fuck you
Grandmother’s Cigarette —
Memories are like feeding flies
Looking for a way inside, but
These days I get so high
I get so high
But your grandmother’s cigarette
She was an Elvis vet
Yeah, she was an Elvis vet
I’m still learning the ropes
Still trying to cope, and
Still on that dope, I’m
All wrapped in smoke
But your grandmother’s cigarette
She was an Elvis vet
Yeah, she was an Elvis vet
Ego is Like Gravity —
Ego is like gravity
Seducing me
Pulling on desires of
Infinity
Only Love Can Conquer Hate —
Only love can conquer hate.
Matador —
Your are
The matador
They don’t see you but
I do
Black Lives Matter —
I hate this term. It gives the impression that someone else’s perspective is at center stage and they’re feeling sympathetic toward the ‘poor little dark skinned people’, the ones who need to be stuck up for. “You matter too, sweetie!” ..makes me wanna wretch.
What I’m saying is, I’m sad that we have not evolved past this whole thing yet. We should have centuries ago. There should be no “Black Lives Matter” movement because OF COURSE THEY MATTER. It’s stupid to think that ANYONE’S life DOESN’T matter, ESPECIALLY because of their heritage or race. The fact that race inequality is a thing in 2020 is disgusting to me. Let one be judged by the content of their character.
Fuck those who believe otherwise, for THEY are the ones sustaining a rift between races.
Collective Consciousness —
Connected
We are
Intertwined
Reflected
See our
Own demise
I am not the only one
I am not the only one
I am not the only one
Connected
I am
Intertwined
Reflected
See your
Own demise
You are not the only one
You are not the only one
You are not the only one
Pawns —
Chris Cornell —
Today 3 years ago Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple of the Dog) left this wave.
His life story is synonymous with Seattle’s global grunge revolution in the 90’s and he continued his musical contributions until the very end. He is a true legend; the world is must more true because of him.
Thank you for your music, Chris.
Collective Consciousness and mood swings —
The odds were stacked against him.
Some days are just stacked so high, there’s no fighting it. Subconscious and unconscious cues and influences invade and infect your psyche and you are turned into a werewolf, a zombie.
Blame externals all you want but the singularity persists that it is YOU, through and through.
Coincidental mentions of almost identical thoughts and current situations by streaming radio DJs, observations of others with no contact…and simply the *feel* of dread envelopes an ego… it’s too much to dismiss.
An inevitable Epic Battle begins and it is simply too much for this warrior to fend off. He is already weary from the day’s gravity. He succumbs to the most intimate, in his own domain no less. Shameful. He dies, walking bloody into the creek.
But he’s safe, he brought his EDC and is ready for whatever comes next. Or at least that’s what may help bring hope, if nothing more than a physical representation of the will to go on.
Dear Oil and Coal Industries —
What are you going to do when you’re rich, but can’t afford to breathe?
Blissful Ignorance —
I remember
How long the sun was out
Fall, feather
And now I drown you out
I feel
Years past of today
I steal
Memories don’t go away
Amazing
The mind is a gift
I’m playing
It shines in the bliss
Of ignorance
Of ignorance
Of ignorance
This bliss
Is ignorance
Is ignorance
Is ignorance
Victim —
How did I forgive you
Every time
Now I rummage through
Just in time to find
You were the best, but
You were the worst, yeah
You ruined it, see
I’m not gonna pretend
Like you’re insane
But you’re always perfect in your own head
Your guises serve to hide your shame
You are the best, but
You are the worst, yeah
You ruin everything
You always passed me off
You wouldn’t get in your car
This is all just
Feathers on my tar
Yeah, you always piss us off
You always go too far
All of this is just
Everything you are
You’re the victim
Yeah, you’re the victim
Victim
You were the best, but
You are the worst, yeah
You are the best, but
You were the worst, yeah
You only care about yourself
You only care about yourself
You only care about yourself
Self
Stargazer —
If, in some parallel universe, there existed an 8-bit video game about Mother Love Bone‘s quest for stardom – Stargazer would be the music that plays on the continue screen when you “die” (no pun intended…ugh..sorry Andy lol).
I think this is because I feel it’s somewhat similar intro tune to what I remember was Target: Renegade‘s continue screen.
“Nature’s Responses” —
Kill me and I’ll
Kill you first
I’ve already rehearsed
You worried of fire and flood
Of tainted blood
Now buried in mud
But you kept hurting me
With white hot machines
Your toxic regimes
But now I can see
And now you can’t breathe
Ironic it seems
So how does it feel?
Now is it real?
EDIT 2021/06/04: Hmmmm.
Earth —
Earth is a living, intelligent and creative being – and it’s defending itself.
My Current EDC —
Positive Speed Sign —
I want to produce a radar speed sign that, instead of flashing and telling you to slow down if you are going over the speed limit (negative), shows an animation of balloons + dancing people when you are at or below speed limit (positive).
I’ve actually wanted for a long time to be able to change the wording on public signage everywhere (mostly speed limit signs
I know for sure that the seed for this kind of mentality was planted early in my life during a very specific scene of “Who’s the Boss?”. Who knew that me pondering this scene countless times throughout my life would produce an idea as AWESOME AS ^^^ !! =p~
Voting Machines —
“Michael I. Shamos, a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University who is a proponent of electronic voting and the examiner of electronic voting systems for Pennsylvania, stated “It’s the most severe security flaw ever discovered in a voting system.” Douglas W. Jones, a professor of computer science at the University of Iowa, stated “This is the barn door being wide open, while people were arguing over the lock on the front door.” Diebold spokesman David Bear played down the seriousness of the situation, asserting that “For there to be a problem here, you’re basically assuming a premise where you have some evil and nefarious election officials who would sneak in and introduce a piece of software. I don’t believe these evil elections people exist.“
TheDarkener’s Screenshot Series (#4, Debian + Gnome 2, 2004/06/27) —
TheDarkener’s Screenshot Series (#3, Debian + Fluxbox, 2000/08/22) —
Yay, I’m helping! (Folding @ Home + COVID-19 = My computer working toward a cure) —
Ye Darkener’s Olde School Screenshot Series (#1, Debian + Fluxbox, circa 2003) —
