We went camping this past weekend. Oswald West state park was our main destination. Suffice it to say, it was awesome. Snagging a campsite was a bit of a chore and my foot was giving me some problems, but the surfing was fun, the area is beautiful (next time i want to do a lot more exploring). Had some really fun jams with my good buddies, and we actually played for a couple audiences who were really cool. We, well, Chris dubbed us the 'minstrel cycles' and we started walking through camp playing and at the next site, they asked us to play, so we played 'off to sea once more' and they liked it and gave us water! then we walked along and the first girl we ran into wanted to hear us play and was saying how she didn't bring her guitar, but she wished she had, and so we went up to her camp and played a few songs. she joined in on a couple. then a guy said they were having a bonfire at the beach so we went down there and sat and played a little bit. People drank a lot of alcohol. we ended up having to drag our fearless leader back from the beach.
the weekend almost ended on a sour note, with rain Sat. night, early sunday morning. but by the time we got up, it had quit and we packed up all our wet stuff and packed everything back up to the cars, which left us time for one more surf session which was great because the crowd had yet to come out, although the waves were a lot smaller. but it was fun and after an hour or so, i'd had enough and we left.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Sunday, July 22, 2007
house resolution 676
I'm guessing most of you have already seen this. but if you haven't then click on this link to send a message to your US representatives to tell them to support the bill for universal health care.
The grid has been energized
I learned about FTG only about a week in advance. However, I did my best to spread the word.
The idea and energy behind Fire The Grid were and are exciting to me. I went into it with no expecations and yet, unimaginable expectations. That is, i hoped for a supernatural experience as percieved by my everyday senses, to communicate with the beings that communicate with Shelley, perhaps?, who knows, but didn't want to be too disappointed if nothing happened. Here on the west coast of the US, the time for firing the grid was 4:11am. I was up by 3:50.
I'm not an experienced meditator, but that is how we passed the hour, by meditation. We didn't listen to Bradfield, although I had downloaded it a few days prior. I had a really hard time emptying and "stilling" my mind. I thought about sending positive vibrations and energy into the ground, into the core of the planet. I thought about doubts and fears of what if this collective intention somehow backfires and does damage because we don't really know what we're messing with, and then that those kinds of negative thoughts are the ones that need to be banished. I thought about all the people I know and love. I thought about the oneness of all things, about how we share the same dna as plants. I thought about what could be, if only... I thought about our little project Corvallis Open Forum and whether it could become a part of mainstream culture...interspersed with trying to simply still the mind. I thought about Wayne Dyer and Ilchi Lee and other visionaries like Marianne Williamson and Barbara Marx Hubbard, and whether they were participating. And I wondered what my wife was thinking, or experiencing.
Nothing supernatural happened. I went back to bed after 5:11 sleepy and tired. I didn't feel energized, personally. In fact the whole rest of the week I felt tired. We celebrated a birthday, worked and watched korean tv on the internet as usual. I checked my blog and emailed as usual. I checked the global consciousness project to see if anything registered there, but couldn't find anything. A summer rainstorm settled in for the week.
On the upside, the next day, Sunday, we went to the coast and I caught some the best waves surfing that I ever have. It was perfect being back in the lineup (where the swells just begin to break) riding the rhythm of the ocean, in the primordial element, water, enveloped and yet a distinct part of the great singularity. Yesterdays (7/21) Corvallis Open Forum was well attended and included a number of new speakers, and this year's DaVinci Days festival has been a beautiful, inspiring event.
I'm finally getting around to checking out what has happened since. And whether project cause has been "launched", etc.
I'm very curious to know about other's experience.
I should close by saying that even though my greatest expectations were not met during the fire the grid moment, I'm nevertheless committed to creating a better world, one where everyone has a seat at the table, where everyone is taken care of, as in the tribal mentality that Shelley spoke of. And I realize that its going to take a lot of effort and change for that to happen. I also realize that the mainstream is reluctant to change, especially when it comes to consumption patterns, which i see as a large part of the problem. I am also cognizant of the colossal powers that be and have no illusions that the current rulers of our society have not only the means but also the motivation to crush any kind of people's movement.
Having said this, I believe in our collective capacity for creativity to pull off the necessary changes, the mechanisms, as it were, for the transformation to happen peacefully and quickly.
In peace and solidarity I submit this testimony.
The idea and energy behind Fire The Grid were and are exciting to me. I went into it with no expecations and yet, unimaginable expectations. That is, i hoped for a supernatural experience as percieved by my everyday senses, to communicate with the beings that communicate with Shelley, perhaps?, who knows, but didn't want to be too disappointed if nothing happened. Here on the west coast of the US, the time for firing the grid was 4:11am. I was up by 3:50.
I'm not an experienced meditator, but that is how we passed the hour, by meditation. We didn't listen to Bradfield, although I had downloaded it a few days prior. I had a really hard time emptying and "stilling" my mind. I thought about sending positive vibrations and energy into the ground, into the core of the planet. I thought about doubts and fears of what if this collective intention somehow backfires and does damage because we don't really know what we're messing with, and then that those kinds of negative thoughts are the ones that need to be banished. I thought about all the people I know and love. I thought about the oneness of all things, about how we share the same dna as plants. I thought about what could be, if only... I thought about our little project Corvallis Open Forum and whether it could become a part of mainstream culture...interspersed with trying to simply still the mind. I thought about Wayne Dyer and Ilchi Lee and other visionaries like Marianne Williamson and Barbara Marx Hubbard, and whether they were participating. And I wondered what my wife was thinking, or experiencing.
Nothing supernatural happened. I went back to bed after 5:11 sleepy and tired. I didn't feel energized, personally. In fact the whole rest of the week I felt tired. We celebrated a birthday, worked and watched korean tv on the internet as usual. I checked my blog and emailed as usual. I checked the global consciousness project to see if anything registered there, but couldn't find anything. A summer rainstorm settled in for the week.
On the upside, the next day, Sunday, we went to the coast and I caught some the best waves surfing that I ever have. It was perfect being back in the lineup (where the swells just begin to break) riding the rhythm of the ocean, in the primordial element, water, enveloped and yet a distinct part of the great singularity. Yesterdays (7/21) Corvallis Open Forum was well attended and included a number of new speakers, and this year's DaVinci Days festival has been a beautiful, inspiring event.
I'm finally getting around to checking out what has happened since. And whether project cause has been "launched", etc.
I'm very curious to know about other's experience.
I should close by saying that even though my greatest expectations were not met during the fire the grid moment, I'm nevertheless committed to creating a better world, one where everyone has a seat at the table, where everyone is taken care of, as in the tribal mentality that Shelley spoke of. And I realize that its going to take a lot of effort and change for that to happen. I also realize that the mainstream is reluctant to change, especially when it comes to consumption patterns, which i see as a large part of the problem. I am also cognizant of the colossal powers that be and have no illusions that the current rulers of our society have not only the means but also the motivation to crush any kind of people's movement.
Having said this, I believe in our collective capacity for creativity to pull off the necessary changes, the mechanisms, as it were, for the transformation to happen peacefully and quickly.
In peace and solidarity I submit this testimony.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Simultaneous Meditation, Healing
my friend dan sent this along and it looks interesting. if you have a free hour, as i'm sure you do, at 4:11am pacific time (11:11 greenwich mean time) on the 17th of july, then take an hour to contribute to the healing of the planet.
check out the website
http://www.firethegrid.org/eng/home-fr-eng.htm
the way i see it, its kind of like the scam about bill gates giving you 10G for forwarding to everyone on your email list, only its not a scam its positive, possible, and you've got nothing to lose. i do think its possible and as you can tell from my link list, wherein i have linked to the global consciousness project, i'm not coming at this lightly.
what's an hour for real global healing?
lets do it!!
check out the website
http://www.firethegrid.org/eng/home-fr-eng.htm
the way i see it, its kind of like the scam about bill gates giving you 10G for forwarding to everyone on your email list, only its not a scam its positive, possible, and you've got nothing to lose. i do think its possible and as you can tell from my link list, wherein i have linked to the global consciousness project, i'm not coming at this lightly.
what's an hour for real global healing?
lets do it!!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
family ties
i received an email from my cousin recently who is also struggling with disgust with the status quo and the challenge of affecting real social change.
i wondered earlier about the mystery of the People's lack of outrage, he replied questioning the existence of democracy and whether people believe it does anymore. indeed, the (il)logic of this blatant fact is readily apparent. i say illogic because to any rational person it doesn't seem logical.
-
yes, after working our ass off all day, the last thing we want to do is educate ourselves about the world we live in. if its not tv then its beer, liquor, name your addiction. i think we can minimize the instability by careful, "faith"ful planning. We need to ask ourselves, what are we working so damn hard for?
Cousin goes on to illustrate the seeming impossibility of changing the system without a massive collapse. i think that's why it needs to be a numbers game. it simply won't happen without enough people. but thats going to require a lot of people waking up and smelling the coffee. The movements typified by MLK and Gandhi still represent a positive step, imho.
I'm trying to protect your identity, so i edited alot, but its really good to know we're not alone. thanks for a great email.
i wondered earlier about the mystery of the People's lack of outrage, he replied questioning the existence of democracy and whether people believe it does anymore. indeed, the (il)logic of this blatant fact is readily apparent. i say illogic because to any rational person it doesn't seem logical.
"if there is a democracy, then why would there be a social elite? why would the top 1% of our country control a third of our national wealth, and the top 10% control over 70% of all disposable income? the thing is, to me it all comes down to money..."Absolutely. it doesn't have to be this way is our point and that of many others. us bottom feeders can simply rise up and claim our slice of the pie, at least for our own healthcare. i'm really interested to see what happens post "sicko".
-
and when people are so busy just trying to make it through another day, they just don't seem to have time, energy, much less the knowledge, to start making some changes - because with each new change comes another period of instability that must one must get used to, at least until it stabilizes.
yes, after working our ass off all day, the last thing we want to do is educate ourselves about the world we live in. if its not tv then its beer, liquor, name your addiction. i think we can minimize the instability by careful, "faith"ful planning. We need to ask ourselves, what are we working so damn hard for?
Cousin goes on to illustrate the seeming impossibility of changing the system without a massive collapse. i think that's why it needs to be a numbers game. it simply won't happen without enough people. but thats going to require a lot of people waking up and smelling the coffee. The movements typified by MLK and Gandhi still represent a positive step, imho.
coincidentally, i'm reading a fantastic book... by howard zinn, a people's history of the united states: 1492 - present, that, if accurate in its accounts, reveals our country's history to be very different from the way it has been taught to us from a young age. much more importantly, though i can't say for certain, not having finished the book, but if our origin is truly different from the way we believed it to be, then the chances of our country functioning like we believe it to be is very slim as well.first of all, that not a coincidence at all. this book is a milestone in my personal "awakening". and lets face it, you don't just stumble onto h. zinn. i think we're on the right path. if memory serves me, zinn wraps up the book on a very hopeful note, which i hope you'll get to soon. maybe i got this from him, but as long as we have the... hallucination (call it what you will) that the country is founded on the lofty ideals we've been taught, then we still have ground to stand on. Indeed, i think our best bet is to wrap ourselves in the constitution, the declaration of independence and yes, the flag, to create not only a better nation, but a better world.
I'm trying to protect your identity, so i edited alot, but its really good to know we're not alone. thanks for a great email.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
sicko
go watch this movie. we just watched it and i think it is high time we have universal, free health care, just like canada, britain, france and yes, cuba.
this is not a new position for me, but hopefully it will be for many many americans.
this is not a new position for me, but hopefully it will be for many many americans.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
reclaiming our sovereignty
national initiative for democracy
did a quick net search on mike gravel after seeing him on the pbs debate of a few days ago, and ended up at this project/proposal. i think its a brilliant idea and i hope it works.
check it out.
did a quick net search on mike gravel after seeing him on the pbs debate of a few days ago, and ended up at this project/proposal. i think its a brilliant idea and i hope it works.
check it out.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
osu/corvallis nuke
another article from tom
its bullshit that insurance companies will not cover damages due to a nuclear incident.
if its so safe then why is our local law enforcement practicing for some such event?
the only absolute guarantee to be safe around this stuff is to shut it down.
i wrote a letter to the barometer many years ago describing how vulnerable the building is to an attack. if you drive by it on 35th you will see what i mean. a couple chainlink fences, one with barbed wire. yeah, like that's going to stop someone with nefarious plans. give me a break. barometer never printed the letter.
anyone know the history of how the reactor came to be?
living so close to the damn thing, i'd absolutely rather it not be there at all. lets get rid of it and put up one of those giant wind turbines. we might not have the greatest wind resource, but we have SOME wind resource that we waste all the time.
and whats the deal with the new energy center?
Nevin, K.S., OSU's "Nuke" a Local Cause for Concern, CorvallisI've visited the reactor before in a science class. Everyone i've spoke with says "trust me" its very safe. well, i'm no nuclear physicist, so i guess i'll take their word for it. right? WRONG!
Gazette-Times, 7'3'07.
http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2007/07/03/news/opinion/6edi02_nevin0703.prt
its bullshit that insurance companies will not cover damages due to a nuclear incident.
if its so safe then why is our local law enforcement practicing for some such event?
the only absolute guarantee to be safe around this stuff is to shut it down.
i wrote a letter to the barometer many years ago describing how vulnerable the building is to an attack. if you drive by it on 35th you will see what i mean. a couple chainlink fences, one with barbed wire. yeah, like that's going to stop someone with nefarious plans. give me a break. barometer never printed the letter.
anyone know the history of how the reactor came to be?
living so close to the damn thing, i'd absolutely rather it not be there at all. lets get rid of it and put up one of those giant wind turbines. we might not have the greatest wind resource, but we have SOME wind resource that we waste all the time.
and whats the deal with the new energy center?
Monday, July 02, 2007
right to free speech
some passersby at the forum mentioned that speech calling for the overthrow of the government is not protected by the first amendment, is this true? didn't jefferson say that it is the people's responsibility to create a new government if the present one isn't working on their behalf?
libby granted royal mercy
who am i to question the almighty emperor of the world?
well, for starters i'm a citizen of this country and if this isn't proof positive that the system is broke, that the country is run by a bunch of good ol boys who have a very narrow definition of "we" which certainly doesn't include the lot of us, i don't know what is.
meanwhile, the people who leaked v.plame's identity are still doing their thing. plotting to take over the world. and i'm not exaggerating or kidding. that's precisely what they're doing. i don't blame them. the fact is, the opportunity is theirs for the taking, thanks to a somnabulent population of sheeple and a brainwashed base. but that doesn't make it right. america has become an empire ruled by elites in which there is a guise of democracy. america has veered off course and it is up to We the people to correct our collective course. where is the rule of law?
impeach bush now
well, for starters i'm a citizen of this country and if this isn't proof positive that the system is broke, that the country is run by a bunch of good ol boys who have a very narrow definition of "we" which certainly doesn't include the lot of us, i don't know what is.
meanwhile, the people who leaked v.plame's identity are still doing their thing. plotting to take over the world. and i'm not exaggerating or kidding. that's precisely what they're doing. i don't blame them. the fact is, the opportunity is theirs for the taking, thanks to a somnabulent population of sheeple and a brainwashed base. but that doesn't make it right. america has become an empire ruled by elites in which there is a guise of democracy. america has veered off course and it is up to We the people to correct our collective course. where is the rule of law?
impeach bush now
Sunday, July 01, 2007
michael moore on NOW
the "must see tv" link in my list will take you to the NOW website. this past week, Brancaccio interviewed Moore. This episode is a great example of why i call it must see tv. Moore is brilliant. say what you want about him, but imho, he nails it on the head.
America has a "me" mentality, whereas just about every other civilized nation, the people have a "we" mentality.
i can't wait to see sicko. even if i have to give carmike my money.
bill moyers journal was excellent this week as well.
America has a "me" mentality, whereas just about every other civilized nation, the people have a "we" mentality.
i can't wait to see sicko. even if i have to give carmike my money.
bill moyers journal was excellent this week as well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)