Into Arkansas

Olive Branch, MS towards Memphis

Southeast 2, maybe Georgia

Southeast 1

Glad To Be Home

I am now home from California. It was a whirlwind of a trip. I drove Katie's car across the country, which was quite enjoyable; I had been wanting to get some alone time, and that trip pretty much provided that. I rolled into Los Angeles on August 18, and I met my wife and daughter on August 19th, which happened to be Betsy's Birthday. Our objective was to move Katie off campus (USC) and into an apartment with her roommate, Amanda. Mission accomplished. There was lots of schlepping and lots of shopping, but we got it together. Unfortunately I didn't have the time I would have liked to have had to visit friends, but that will have to wait until next time. Now that Katie is settled in, there will be lots more time for leisure on our next visit. I am kicking around the notion of going to the TAXI Road Rally in November.

We stayed at the Westin Bonaventure. I wasn't entirely happy with the hotel, as they seemed to hold an archaic business model, e.g., they charged for internet service which I thought was stupid, because even the most mom and pop motels across the country include that service for free. Plus, parking was $34.00 a night, which I suppose is the going rate for downtown, but it pissed me off anyway. The Bona Vista lounge at the top of the hotel was interesting. It is a rotating bar, offering you a 360 degree view of Los Angeles each hour. That was fun.

Next time, more time will be my own. But I knew that going in.

I also realized something on this trip. I need to get in shape....

In the Quiet

In the quiet of the morning before the brain starts racing you can sometimes catch a glimpse of the infinite. It comes sneaking in at the odd moment when you least expect it, and it is gone in a flash. But for that instant, the universe opens itself up to you and there is a joyful delight and a thoughtless knowing that you are in the presence of that which you emanated from and to which you will one day return. Eternal. Wordless. Indescribable. Holy.

The iPhone Ad You'll Never See

Test

This a test from my phone...

The joy of music.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!
My dad would have been 95 tomorrow.
He was the most youthful and alive person I have even known.
He died on my 21st birthday.
Rog and I are 45 now and we miss him every day.
Enjoy your dads while you can.
If you had or have a horrible dad, never mind.

Betsy's New Man

My wife has a new boyfriend. And if that wasn't enough, he's moved in! His name is Billy. She rescued him. Took three months, but she did it. He's been living here a couple months now, and is only just now approaching me. But he's crazy about Betsy.

Learning

I've been learning lots of things lately...

Like never paying in advance for work not completed...

Like never saying never...

Like doing the best I can with what I have...

Like excellence is its own reward...

Like taking the time to be still.

VACCINE

I medicate my pain
to put my soul at ease

My overloaded brain
is the cause of this disease

The choices I have made
have authored my affliction

A cold and selfish heart
within a walking contradiction

Starving

Your heart's in the right place
and I'm starving for the sight
of your face
But this old car
can't go that far
Aching for your love
about as gentle as a shove
from a strong man
at the right hand
of a tycoon
or a missile
in the hands of a baboon

Move In To Your Truth

This may not be what you imagined it would be, but it is all you've got in the present moment. Live it. If you don't want it, change it. You are the creator of your own reality. You are powerful. Move in to your truth.

Language and Identity

We are inexorably bound up in our primary language, and to a very large extent it sets the parameters of our reality. We are usually unconscious of what lies behind that language, which is the pure essence of who we really are.

City Of Pain

My buddy Richard Klotz put this video up of our old band Rogue Alley. He was the bass player in the band, and I was the singer. Roger, my brother was on keys, Mark Cerneka was lead guitar, Jim Alden on drums. This is a snapshot of the times, and I had the time of my life. Richard directed and produced this film. It would not have existed without him.

Thoughts From A Viewing

The mother of a friend of mine died on March 19. She was a lovely lady and I was quite fond of her. I went to her viewing last night and I began to think of the nature of things, knowing that one day I would be the one being laid to rest.

These were a few of my thoughts…

Don’t be so identified with present form that you forget what your true nature is. You are spirit. Go beyond language into deep knowing which words cannot express. It is impossible to put the infinite into words. Once we try to conceptualize the eternal nature we lose touch with it. The answer only comes when we’re not trying.

These forms are dynamic. All that we see will crumble. Energy remains but does not sustain structures perpetually. Energy is a creative force. It seems restless.

Always remember that there is more to life than what we can taste, touch, smell, hear and see. That life that pulses through us and programmed our brains to beat our hearts has no beginning and no end. Honor that life force in the stillness without words, and without thought. Peace, be still….

Today is CREATE South Donate/Social Media Day

CREATE South is coming to town for our second annual conference. It was a blast last year, and I highly recommend it. It'll be bigger and better this time....

This is recopied from an email from my buddy Dave Slusher, who is co-chair of CREATE South....

Thanks to everyone for expressing interest in the CREATE South
conference. This year it will be held April 25, 2009 in Myrtle Beach,
South Carolina. We are expanding from our first year in both
programming options and in the space we'll have available to us. The
conference will be held at the Horry-Georgetown Technical College
facilities on the old Air Force Base - a few blocks from Market
Commons and about half a mile from the beach. More information is
always available at http://www.createsouth.org/

The conference registration is free for the attendees and we plan to
always keep it that way. If you haven't already registered for this
year, please do at http://www.createsouth.org/register.php so that we
can accurately plan for the size of the turnout.

That said we have set aside today, March 19th 2009 as "Donate Day."
We are still looking for donors and sponsors to help us meet the costs
of presenting it. If you can spare a few dollars, there is a donate
button in the sidebar of every page on our website. If your company
would be interested in sponsoring the conference or you know of one
that might, please drop a note to sponsors@createsouth.org .

Also, today in honor of March Madness we are putting on the "full
court press" for getting the word out about the conference. If you
have a blog, we'd appreciate greatly if you'd post a short note
referencing the conference. Likewise, for those of you who are users
of Facebook, Twitter, FriendFeed or any other social media sites,
please make a quick post about the conference. Our goal is to get as
many interested people in the room for mutual education and
edification. We'd love it if no interested party misses out just
because they didn't know about it.

Thanks to everyone for making 2008 a great conference and we expect
even better for 2009. Over the next few days we'll be posting
information about our programming. Keep watching the main site and our
blog at http://blog.createsouth.org/ for more updated information.

Best to everyone in 2009.

Dave Slusher, co-chair, dslusher@gmail.com

CREATE South

The second annual CREATE South is coming up April 25th.

This is the official communication from Andre Pope of CREATE South....

Calling all friends of CREATE South – www.createsouth.org – Today is the day that you get to play a major part in CREATE South 2009! We are launching a donation drive and social media blitz for the continuing success of CREATE South. We are asking for you to take a moment and donate whatever you can towards preserving the tradition of our grassroots art and technology conference.

We have set-up a donation button on the front of the website ( www.createsouth.org ) to make it easy to donate! Whatever you can afford to give will be of great service. After your donation, if you could help spread the word that would be even better. Pass along this email to all your contacts in your address book. Blog, Twitter, FaceBook, FriendFeed whatever it is that you do to help get the word out. The more people we can get involved the better. To make it a little easier there is even a little Twitter donate button to help you pass the word!

If you haven’t done so take the time to register for this year’s conference. Just go to http://www.createsouth.org/register.php and fill out the form!

We look forward to seeing you April 25, 2009!