The civilized man has built a coach, but has lost the use of his feet. - R. W. Emerson
Radio
Saturday, June 30, 2007
The radio show I filled in on a week ago (to the minute) went well. Thanks, Mehmet, for asking and thanks to everyone who listened. It is actually archived (Friday Night Free Form - June 23rd) if you are interested in hearing it. But only for two weeks. There were a few little hiccups here and there, and I actually played a Leonard Cohen song without ever hearing it nor intending to play it. Regardless, I learned a lot. Before the show, I met Ron and Jean from Radio Rumpus Room and Ryan, the guy who subbed on Crap From the Past. They were really great about calming my nerves and showing me around - and warning me about CD deck #2. It could become a nemesis of mine.
All-in-all though it was a good time and a great learning experience. Which is good considering... The big news:
The radio station accepted my proposal for my show. I am going to have a 30-minute show on Sunday nights starting July 8th. I am pretty stoked and want to tell more, but I will wait until after I set up my page at the radio website. Stay tuned... literally.
Well, you will not be hearing my show on Friday nights, but there is still opportunity for the other time slots I am shooting for. I just await the program committee's review and decision and the feedback I have heard sounds like I have a shot. If you have been sending me good vibes, please continue to do so.
School: The second-to-last semester is over. In fact, I recently completed my final two-hours-of-sleep-after-completion project of my scholastic career (unless I eventually decide on grad-school). That is a comforting thought. One unexpected class remains and only offered in the fall. After which I will be a free man with all the world in front of me and no map to chart the course - only a ship, my crew of loves, and dreams of unknown shores...
Side note: I really been more appreciative lately of the indigenous Australian's concept of mythic place. There are locations which actually exist in their landscape (a mountain, a spring, etc.) , but no connections to/between them except through narrative. That is the way of fiction and the way an aging mind experiences life. For some reason I was thinking lately of my life in Des Moines, IA. I remember places in such great detail for the events which occurred there, but could not find my way from one to another... anyway...
Work: I am moving to a slightly later schedule and plan to begin biking to work. I have no excuses against in and so many reason to do it. I have a bike, a helmet (hear that Greg and Liz), a need for exercise, and a $60+/month savings in contract and gas incentive to give me a push start. Let's hope I don't need training wheels again.
I am finishing up the landscape project and should only take one or two more days to finish. So far it has pretty much been solo, but I am going to get some assistance soon from a guy who knows plants much better than I. As it shapes up I am really proud of it. Pictures forthcoming.
Radio: I am pitching my show demo for the radio station. I would explain it but want to wait until after I know if it makes it or not. Send me good vibes please. I may need them. I have already recorded a demo, but am going back into the studio to rerecord a (hopefully) better, longer cut.
Spirituality: I am still slowly reading through Huston Smith's "The World's Religions." The more I read and experience life and religion, the more I apply the evolutionary theory to everything. In biology it is pretty apparent, but one can also see it in political-, cultural-, and spiritual thought. And after taking a dozen or so classes which highlight ecology, I can see some elements of how they can mimic the behaviors and effects of invasive species. Which in-turn reinforces my admiration for traditional indigenous spirituality and how it is tied to "place." A local species (spiritual paradigm/culture) is right for the region/time where it was developed. When another enters which exploits conditions it can take over and cause great harm to native species/thought in the area which it invades. Now please understand that I don't mean this about any particular religion, pretty much all of them which overflow the bounds of their land/time. This makes me again want to readdress the problem with the written word instead of oral tradition, but I am going to shut up for now.
I think this is why the line from Marc Cohen's "Walking in Memphis" is such a great one: She said, 'Tell me are you a Christian, child,' and I said, 'Ma'am, I am tonight." And yeah, the rest of the song is pretty much overplayed pap.
Everything else: All else is pretty good. I am happier than I ever remember being that Spring is here. It was
one
long
Winter.
And in the spirit of mother's day:
Yeah this one right here goes out to all the baby's mamas, mamas... Mamas, mamas, baby mamas, mamas
Just kidding.
All you mamas and baby mamas, and baby mama's mamas, you do so much for the world. Take care of yourselves after taking such good care of everyone else.
