I'm about to start packing everything up for the gig at Baker Peter's tonight. We're starting at the usual 9:00 pm, so I expect to arrive around 8 or so. Tonight should be interesting. Doug Sneed is in town and will be paying guitar, plus, Doug Harris just called and told me Robert Higgenbotham (I hope I spelled his name right) will be sitting in with us for part of the night as well. The bass player used to play with Robert in a band called Groove Salad, and he's supposed to be really good. I think Doug said his name is Paul Curry. Sometimes I miss having a core group of players to interact with every week, but having a different bass player (and sometimes guitar, too) every week keeps things fresh. Regardless, Doug always finds good players, so I always have a good time.
After the gig is over tonight, Christmas officially begins for me. No more work or anything between now and getting together with the family. My brother, Larry, got in to town around 6 tonight, and we'll be hanging out most of the day tomorrow. Unfortunately, Leslie has to work during the morning so Larry and I will probably end up playing World of Warcraft because we are both hopelessly addicted.
Anyway, I hope everyone has a great Holiday weekend, filled with lots of good food, family interaction, and alcohol (if you're so inclined). And now, I must load the van.
Sorry, but I have to rant for a moment…
I’m sure most of you have read or heard by now that our President has been spying on Americans. To hear him and his supporters tell it, he is doing only what is necessary to keep us safe during a time of war. Now, I have to ask, does this mean the war in Iraq that was supposed to be “accomplished” more than two years ago, or the never-ending “War on Terror?”
This is an important question. If it has to do with the Iraq war, then why are we spying on Americans? Are the actions of our citizens here at home actually doing anything to help those forces that are still engaged in combat with our troops abroad? Does monitoring our phone calls in any way make our troops safer? I suppose it’s possible, but it just seems very unlikely to me that any phone conversation an ordinary citizen might be having with someone overseas could in any way hinder our troops’ performance or endanger their safety. If Bush really wants to keep our soldiers safe, why doesn’t he bring them home?
So, then, it must be meant that because of the “War on Terror” he has to have us monitored. Right? Let’s examine this for a minute. First, how in the world can you possibly be at war with terror? Or even terrorism? Last time I checked terror was – depending on how you want to define it – either an emotion or a concept. Terrorism, on the other hand, is merely a tactic used by certain political factions to disrupt and frighten. How can you wage war on either of these?
Is it not more correct to think that this “War on Terror” is nothing more than a political strategy used by the Bush Administration (and let’s not forget Fox News) to keep people scared and in the frame of mind that we need to be protected? Doesn’t this make it easier for Bush to justify more military spending? What about this unwarranted surveillance? Doesn’t having a “War” on Terror make it easy to justify that, too?
So, really, isn’t it just that the Bush Administration wants to be the foremost power in the world? Isn’t it just that they want us to believe we’re in a never-ending war so they can continue to oppress our civil liberties and give more money to the already super rich?
Shouldn’t we insist that our political leaders start speaking to us in terminology that actually means something instead of using all of this double-speak? Am I alone in this?
Cameron Gray is, as far as I'm concerned, one of the best artists alive and working today. He's done the cover for the next Citizen X album (which should be out sometime early in 2006) and has done a few pieces for the Iluvian Cycle. He has a new book out called Parable Visions which is available for order through his website and Lulu.com. His artwork is stunning and I plan on picking up a copy of this myself as soon as the holidays are over. You'll want to take advantage of this while you can, as one day these are going to be viewed as collector's items. Trust me.
I just finished up the last Biology Unit Test of the semester. All that stands in my way now is the final and then I'm done. While that's a really great feeling, I'm starting to feel a little lost, actually. I know I need to get back to writing, but I'm having a really hard time motivating myself. Partly that has to do with the fact that Leslie and I went out with some friends last night and I had a bit too much to drink. I'm not so hungover that I can't function, I'm just hungover enough that I don't want to.
Maybe I'll go play World of Warcraft for a few hours. It's been a few days since I've fed the addiction and it doesn't require much energy expenditure on my part...
Not too much new to report right now. I'm almost finished with school (Monday is my absolute last day) and I'm just praying I can squeeze out a C in both my classes. I feel pretty good about Political Science, but I'm a little worried about Biology. Especially the final that I have to take on Monday. Oh well. If I can just pull off a C in both of these classes, I will be awarded a wonderfully useless degree. Sure it'll be nice to have the sense of accomplishment that comes with a piece of paper, but most important is the fact that I don't ever have to take another class if I don't want to.
Don't get me wrong. The pursuit of knowledge is a wonderful thing - maybe the best of things. I just don't like having so many constraints on my time anymore. It will be nice to actually get back to writing again. I've barely done anything in weeks that wasn't for school or work, and it's starting to get to me.
Oh well, less than a week left and then the holidays can really get started for me. Lots of gigs coming up, too, so life should be extra-special fun in the coming weeks.
Well, that's all I've got for now. Later.