"Livin' Like a Lusty Flower" ~ SCROLL DOWN!!! Share Some Life With Me!

"Livin' Like a Lusty Flower" ~ SCROLL DOWN!!! Share Some Life With Me!
"Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right"

Soulshine

Soulshine

DOSE

DOSE

Thursday, January 13, 2011

In Praise of the Bright Things Inside Us. By Patti Smith

When I was young, everything seemed so simple. I felt the calling toward art and literature, so I decided I would be a writer and pen a magical book like Peter Pan or Alice in Wonderland. But no matter how I fixed I was on my path, something always drew me away and I trampled unexpected roads with great twists and turns. And what I learned is that we are all Pinocchio: We begin our life, waving to our mother and father with our schoolbooks in hand, hoping to do well. But we are turned this way and that. We make mistakes, we move from our course, we falter, flounder, and may suffer remorse, rebellion, or a sense of defeat. We seem to lose our way. But no matter! If we keep our little flame alive, our first feeling of enthusiasm of who we are, without the influence or intervention of others, we will prevail. And like Pinocchio, despite all his transgressions, find the courage to reunite with our little flame and be rewarded. And the reward is this: We become ourselves.

In my life I have made many mistakes. Sometimes I was careless and inconsiderate of others. Fate drew me to singing and performing around the world, and yet this was not what I dreamed of for myself - sometimes I felt it took me from my true path, that of a writer. But I found performing brought me closer to the people. It gave me an opportunity to travel, to explore, to communicate, and concern myself with my fellow man.

In 1979 I gave up my life in the arena of rock'n'roll to marry and raise a family, another divergence from my pursuit as a solitary artist. But through my family I learned the final lesson of Pinocchio-what it is like to be human. And always through everything, through sacrifice and success, I have tried to stay close to my little flame, reminding me who I am.

The cricket tells Pinocchio, "Always let your conscience be your guide." these words, by a small, insignificant insect, give us all we need. The best person to tell you who you are, what you should be, is ultimately yourself."

Thursday, January 06, 2011

Beyond Immortality

When Leonard Bernstein describes Beethoven's
  "Ode to Joy" he offers it as a 
"A Universality of Thought, of Human Brotherhood, Freedom and Love..." but how does Beethoven move beyond what  Shakespeare describes as Life? How does Beethoven remove the rope of what Mr. Shakespeare calls a "Mortal Coil?"

"Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,"
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And, by opposing, end them. To die, to sleep
To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub,
 
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil..."

"For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of disprized love, the law's delay,
and yet Mr. Shakespeare offers...
"Must give us pause. There's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life."

"Just like every night has it's dawn
Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song
Every rose has it's thorn"
 
That's the MAGIC that Beethoven shares with us. 
He gives us "Hope" and "Innocence" 
gives us back our "Grace" and 
our "Trust"  because when you really "HEAR" 
the "Ode to Joy" what Leonard Bernstein says rings true...Beethoven's
9th symphony has a "Purity and Directness" that reminds us 
of what The Honor of being Human really means!
Homer said it best...
  “The Gods envy us. They envy us because we’re mortal, because any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we’re doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again.”The Illiad




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Sunday, January 02, 2011

Shine On You Crazy Diamond-Beyond Ego!


Jake Green: There is something about yourself that you don't know.

Something that you will deny even exists, until its too late to do
anything about it. Its the only reason you get up in the morning.
The only reason you suffer the shitty puss, the blood, the sweat
and the tears. This is because you want people to know how good,
attractive, generous, funny, wild and clever you really are. Fear
or revere me, but please, think Im special. We share an addiction.
Were approval junkies. Were all in it for the slap on the back
and the gold watch. The hip-hip-hoo-fuckin rah. Look at the clever
boy with the badge, polishing his trophy. Shine on you crazy
diamond, because were just monkeys wrapped in suits, begging for
the approval of others.