The Happy Ending

Some people believe in happy endings, others don't.  It's very arrogant.  I happen to not believe in endings at all, personally.  It seems to me that there's no real conclusion to life, but only continuation.  Sure, things and people come and go, but who are we to assume that things that have already passed us by once will never return to haunt us again?  We have only a little control over our time; there is always some chaos, some fate, some predestination that governs us.  Like Kansas sang:  "All we are is dust in the wind."  And the wind, if not here, will always blow somewhere else, and find its way back to where we have temporarily and inevitably settled.  It unifies us, and at the same time, it makes us feel alone.

Merry Christmas, Mom (I know you're the only one who reads this).  See you in a few.

The Two of Me

I think there's a very metaphysical duplicity to who we are.  You know, what you see versus what you don't see.  Not to say that these two sides of me are always at conflict.  In fact, I think living life with both sides in continuous perspective is what keeps both sides at peace and balance.  But there is only worldly credibility to the physical side of who I am.  The things I do and say in this life are but consumption of air and space, and when I am gone, they will slowly fade with my rotting corpse.  And then I see only the spirit of who I am, the angel, the demon, the aura, living on in a universe much more vast than what we know in terrestrial existence.  As far as I can tell, when I move on I will have little concern for whatever took place in this lifetime.  Now is the only time that I can even consider the purpose for my earthly presence.  And because the conscious seems to be connected to the sub-conscious, I have to believe that what I choose in this life will have permanent repercussions on the next, whether good or bad.

I'm done.  Maybe more later.

The Hermit

Maybe my mother's right.  Maybe I'm just taking my time.  I need to use this opportunity to explore life.  Nothing is tying me down, nothing is holding me back, aside from myself.  It's time to break some cycles.  And if I don't get to Austin by next summer, it's okay; so long as I don't take what I have for granted.  I just need to get out.

Me, a hermit?  It just doesn't fit.  I don't know what I've been thinking.

The Opportunity

I hope we all understand what a huge opportunity we have here.  The President-elect is calling upon us to throw aside more than partisanship in the government; Mr. Obama is calling upon us as a nation to disregard our differences as people and work together to rebuild a prosperous country.  I appreciate hearing people that voted for McCain say: "I will support my President although I did not vote for him."  It is a testament to the power of the hope that our new President-elect has spoken about time and time again.

He's not perfect.  But I don't believe that he is corrupt.  I believe the darkest and brightest times are on the horizon, and he will be a trust-worthy and dedicated usher through the next 4, or perhaps 8, years.

One thing is certain:  we cannot allow an opportunity to be united pass us by.  Pay attention, keep a keen eye and an open mind, and make yourself available to serve your nation.  These are the things we need to do to support our new leader.

The 44th

Just my thoughts.

I'm trying to figure out why so many people are still terrified of this man.  I have so many close friends and family that are so afraid of the change this democratic government is going to bring.  Just because you have some moral value that doesn't line up with what legislation may be put forth in the coming months, you assume this is the beginning of the end.  But the America that I remembered studying in grade school was always called the "land of the free."  

This guy is classic, poised, sophisticated, well-spoken, loyal.  He loves his family more than anything in the world.  He promised his little girls a puppy in the White House.  His acceptance speech was delivered not with pride and zeal, but humility and grace and thankfulness.  His eyes are already focused on the future, and he will assuredly work very hard to do what he sees as best for the nation.  He promised sincerely to listen, and I believe him.

As for me, I am again proud of my nation, proud to be an American.  I think underlying everything this administration will stand for will be the genuine hope in the goodness of people.  And, if called upon, I would be proud to serve in the military under this administration, for the record.

And even still, we should all be proud to be part of such a great moment in history.  He's been handed a nation in distress, and it's the great presidents that have before faced such hard times and persevered.

Congratulations to Barack Obama, President-elect of the United States.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you as you turn yours to challenging road ahead.

On a different note, I played a really lame open-mic tonight (tore it up, by the way), and the guy that announced my name called me "Jose;"  I just went with it.  I might keep it as a stage name.

The Plan

All I needed was a plan.  If I have something specific towards which I can dedicate myself, then I stop being a lazy-ass.  I mean it's true.

I'm taking my lazy-ass to Austin.  Going back to school to get a degree in Philosophy.  I'll probably go ahead and learn to speak Chinese, too, since they will be our overlords soon.  And I'm going to put a band together down there.  So Austin, prepare thyself.  I'll be done with this town soon enough.

The Vice President

You messed up, McCain.  She's a fire-cracker.

Pre-emptive strikes?  It makes me afraid.

The community organizer doesn't make me afraid.

The Caution

Here it comes.  I suppose I am on the verge of one of two possible scenarios:  (1) I am about to rise from average, where I've remained idle for some months now, and take strong action toward my true goals and potentials, becoming a man, or (2) I am about to plunge into the bleakest, loneliest night of my days, facing obstacles with defeat as my expectation, fating myself to a life of loss.  I'm cautious today.

Perhaps I need her to get through this, and without her I will crumble to the darker fate.  Or perhaps it is without her that I should walk my road, and she can only hold me down.  I truly have no perception here.  What I do perceive is that I am about to shed some skin, to reform with a bit more color to my life.

The Disappointment

You know when you're parents say, "I'm not mad at you; I'm just disappointed."  It's the worst.  I've trained myself one way, and now I have to change.  And every day, I fail at that change, at least a little.  Like a walking, talking, personification of the word "disappointment."  It's not a good way to live.

The White Rock

It really tastes like they just roasted the coffee beans.  But the place is a ghost-town.  There's an old lady with a dulcimer, singing hymns 40 years gone by and songs she wrote about her sons.  And then she played "Forever Young."  After I showed her the way, she wrote down my name.  I had to correct her on the spelling.  But seriously, that dulcimer is cool.

You win some, you lose some.  Maybe I'll try a different town tomorrow.

The Number 23

Like the movie.  Well, not actually.  But there's something different about 23.  It's a mixed feeling of foreboding and anticipation.  I don't know whether to be scared or excited.  But I feel like my life's going to change, and soon.  And still so many questions about the right now...

The First Rice Stick

Just a little worthless musing.  What is ever mine?  I have a lot of things that I own.  I have nice things.  It makes me thankful to think of them now.  But tomorrow all these things could be gone, just as quickly as they came to be "mine."  It makes me feel like there's something or someone else that really and truthfully has the pink slips.  Call it fate, call it good and bad luck, call it God, or Nature, or Time.  But there's something bigger than me.