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in the presence of...
Last week was above and beyond the usual. I had the opportunity to be around or interact with two inspiring artists.
saw sting and his killer band from the fourth row. dominic miller is such a killer guitarist, and josh freese proves again that having a big hitter on the kit is always a good thing.
as for sting -- what can you say? i was so glad to see him in the stripped down form. no keyboards, no shmaltzy lounge versions of his better songs. i've witnessed this guy screw up more of his own music than other people have so i truly appreciated a back to basics approach. he sounded great and was obviously having a good time.
i also got to witness saul williams in the creative space vs the performance space. hanging out in the studio with saul while he put his stamp on a stuart davis song was a lot of fun...especially when several lines of lyrical beauty were delivered where they hadn't appeared moments earlier.
thanks for the opportunity to be there, guys.
and stu's new record is going to be really cool. stay tuned. btw...he hit a 39 on the back nine last thursday -- from the ladies' tees.
Humor & Shadow
We're having to say goodbye to Mitch Hedberg today. I love comedy and Mitch was one of my favorites. It's no secret he had his problems with drugs, but i felt that his heart was always right there -- check out "Strategic Grill Locations" for an example.
This reminds me of the last post I wrote, the one about artists being stereotypically fucked up. Out of all of the lines of development that get thrown around in integral discussions, it's weird that humor hasn't found a way into the spotlight. I believe humor and the ability to make others laugh is an amazing gift to our existence. Just think about how laughing connects us, helps us learn, opens our minds and busts through barriers of all kinds.
But it seems that Mitch's gift fell short of reciprocation.
So long, Mitch. Thanks for the laughs.
Are artists doomed to be fuck-ups?
I've had this topic sitting around for a while...this notion of raising the bar for our potential as humans and then creating art from this space.
It seems to challenge what most of us actually want from art.
A while back I rented and watched Metallica's Some Kind of Monster which is a documentary of the band as they struggle through demons, etc. Most notably we get to watch lead singer, James Hetfield battle his alcoholism. I grew up with Metallica and appreciated Hetfield's candor and rigor through his process. This guy flew up the spiral and it was inspiring to watch.
But then they had to write an album from this place. And well, let's just say it's not my favorite Metallica album. Could it be that these guys are getting older, having kids and buying expensive toys while trying to capture the angst of youth? Or maybe it's that their development has taken some of the spark out of their creation? Maybe this new balance has seemingly robbed them of their edge.
But I have to admit I haven't really connected to Metallica's music in years. Hell, this is probably all projection because I've lost my own desire to make hard rock.
So tonight I watched David Deida speak about Art & Therapy (and sex, of course) and he makes this point that the best art usually comes from a great imbalance...from the greatest of the fuck-ups. And he's right. Otherwise John Tesh might end up being the voice of our endless questions, our finger pointing to God. That's fucked up.
And so...what is Integral Art? I've heard this question asked so many times and usually it made me want to puke. Why? Because it was usually asked from a headspace that thought it could conveniently define and file away something that was too big for the drawer.
Perhaps it was because my favorite art professor (and one of the most powerful personalities I've ever encountered), Ed Love refused to define art by saying, "If you can't define some shit, then don't use the word. As far as I know Art is some guy from Wisconsin who sells soap." He was way more into Being and I could buy into that. I still do.
But here I am, part of this wonderful movement to bring the best and brightest and latest and greatest to the table for artists to use. All of the practices, the awarenesses, the therapies, the wisdom, the tools to help us get out of the way for God to shine through and I can't help but think...
I like watching artists fall down.
Do I really want them to get back up?
you know you're a redneck if...
...you're in an obscure video of various off-road vehicles tearing up a mudhole.
i'm in the passenger seat of that yellow jeep ("yella jeep" to be exact) on the right. the year is 1993 and i'm with a few of my buddies ripping it up at our hometown culture-fest, the 12 Hours of Sebring.
Never mind the fact that it's a prestigious car race where high culture and cutting edge technology bask in the warm Florida sun...no sir, it's really about rednecks getting drunk and doing crazy shit they didn't get to work out as a teenager. The link? Endurance.
You try to run a car a top speed for 12 hours without breaking down OR being the spectator that spends three days drinking and eating fair food with the bottom end of the human food chain. It's tough.
Getting caught on video is a pretty common, almost admirable occurance these days.
So, yeah...I'm a redneck. And I'm even proud I got caught being one.
Yella Jeep Forever!
whatcha listening to?
Just thought i'd share some of the songs that keep getting played around here lately and some remarks in ()...enjoy:
Bent "Beautiful Otherness" (just sounds cool)
Cassandra Wilson "Fragile" (what a voice)
Chris Cornell "Sweet Euphoria" (what a lyric and performance. he has so much more to offer than Audioslave)
Curandero "Prayer" (this will induce an altered state)
David Bowie "Blue Jean" (check out the over the top chorus. what a star)
Elbow "Any Day Now" (driving through italy)
Failure "Another Space Song" (orbiting earth)
Fleetwood Mac "Hypnotized" (another spacey one)
Fu Manchu "Eatin' Dust" (this should be in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame - it will blow your ass off)
The Go Find "Over the Edge" (i might be gay, so what?)
Helmet "In the Meantime" (bow to Helmet -- the greatest riff ever)
Incubus "Sick Sad Little World" (love the chorus)
The Joy Circuit "X's" (new band that sounds like old U2)
The Mars Volta "The Widow" (finally a song from MV at a human tempo)
Miles Davis "Flamenco Sketches" (makes me want to play piano)
Nine Inch Nails "La Mer" (makes me want to drift down a river)
Notorious BIG "Big Poppa" (makes me want to be a pimp)
Pantera "I'm Broken" (makes me want to break something)
Patton Oswalt's 'Feelin' Kinda Patton' Album (a hilarious rising star)
Radio 4 "Dance to the Underground" (shake it)
Red Hot Chili Peppers "Suck my Kiss" (brilliant cock rock)
Robert Plant "Little by Little" (such a fun bass line)
Rush "Xanadu" (live from Exit...Stage Left -- takes me back to high school)
Ryan Adams "Monsters" (brilliant. makes me think i should quit writing songs.)
Seal "Fly Like an Eagle" (makes me think of his wife Heidi Klum)
Snoop Dogg "Drop it like it's hot" (you get the beer, i'll fire up the grill!)
Stevie Wonder "Lately" (it breaks my heart to hear Stevie's heart break. someone needs to whoop her ass. you can't do that to Stevie!)
Sting "When the Angels Fall" (it's like flying -- i hope Sting returns to this "place" sometime)
coins vs footballs
don't ask me why i was thinking of this during meditation this morning, but i wondered if it will ever be possible to look at our political system as a football vs a coin.
right now it's like a coin, right? flat, polarized with little room or depth to take a stand in the middle.
a football, on the other hand, puts the wacko extremists out on the little tiny edges and gives plenty of room for growth and depth as you move towards the "middle".
i think it'll be possible for this to happen whenever both "sides" own their own pathologies and blind spots.
i'm off the soap-box now.
what's new & good
the lack of words from me is disproportionate to the amount of stuff happening in my life as of late.
since most of it is too personal to share here, i am excited to write about other things. for the last month and a half i've been in colorado -- denver to be specific. and although i'm growing to miss my friends and extended family back home, i am more aware of what it means to live one's life closer to his edge.
(click to read more...)
on the drive out here, i was fielding calls from my buddy Alex (co-conspirator in Screaming Witness) concerning some feedback on our new record. this was coming from a major label and basically we had our pants down. they loved the record, and wanted to see the band -- to see us live.
shit. we don't have a band and we haven't played live. on top of that we were still building our "team."
so since then we've had to climb this hill while maintaining our integrity. our hope is to play some shows in LA over the summer so stay tuned. in the meantime, visit the site and enjoy the music and visuals.
as a florida boy in winter colorado i've had to get used to a few things. up until yesterday the weather has been pretty tame (meaning no snow). but the gods invited the white stuff and i actually appreciate the new look.
after brunch in boulder, i looked up at the flatirons and imagined the perspective from there -- cold, windy and with that soft, quiet sound. perhaps a low rumble from the town activity below. i like to play that "what does it look like from *there*?" game. its a stretch for the self to take on a perspective beyond the norm.
on the inside i'm aware of lots of emotional stuff...the hurt of leaving people and comforts behind, the confusion of where the next steps will land, and the excitement of living a life of created opportunities.
my body is getting used to the altitude but i've been sick twice in a very short time. i rarely get sick so it's a little weird. i think part of it is from choosing to step up my fitness activity in this new environment and not being ready for the challenge. who the hell knows?
another great thing about being here is being invited into community. this is easily the most rewarding part. its great to see old friends and be able to spend regular time with them (instead of hurried visits) and i've also loved the opportunities to meet and hear people like Father Thomas Keating.
i saw him speak a few weeks ago and just fell in love. my first thought was, "okay, George Lucas didn't go too far when he needed character inspiration for Yoda" but this tall saint inspired much more in me -- and i hope for many Christians, too. it seems so many folks have abandoned the more common forms of Chrisitanity and its inherent limitations for a tradition from the East. this can certainly be positive, but Father Keating is a living example of how a solid contemplative tradition can grow and love in the West. perhaps more will "stick to their tradition" -- transcend and include, so to speak -- as Chrisitanity continues to reveal itself here.
i think this would be great for many reasons -- probably more so because the cultural aspects remain intact. there's very little to "translate". who knows how much is getting lost in the translation from east to west? i've been to chanting sessions where participants chanted scriptures for hours and they had no real connection to the words. wouldn't it be nice to have both?
perhaps a growing western tradition could offer that.
i'm humbled by this opportunity to share in this forum and my wish is to make more of an effort to do so. stay tuned!
a quick note...
the screaming witness website is up and running at:
ScreamingWitness.com
watch videos, listen to samples from the record and be sure to sign up for our email newsletters. do it!
more stuff soon...
long time...
someone wrote me and mentioned there were cobwebs on my blog. 'tis true.
lots of stuff going on in my life but not much of it is appropriate to share here. sorry to be a snob, but after reading ottmar's journals i'm inspired to write some more.
along with stu davis, matt rentschler and alex gibson, i've been named a co-director of the Integral University Art Domain. (read more...)
i now get at least 400,000 emails a day and i'm blown away by the sheer force and talent moving through this endeavor. i'm certainly proud to chip in my efforts.
my practice is strengthening after the holidays (i didn't slip that bad actually), and recently i've been working on a way to enhance my mental focus. it's simple...i just count my breaths up to 30 and back which may sound kind of easy -- go ahead and try it...for an hour. how'd YOU do?
i'm wondering what the significance of the number 16 is for me. i seem to get slipped up there and then i'm back to "one" again.
holiday, what?
it's been a whirlwind for me and i hope to share more *real* stuff very soon. i'm shedding layers and moving forward at lightning speed. did i mention i hope to share some *real* stuff soon? yes, indeed.
but i want to welcome my brother in crime, alex gibson to the blog world. be sure to visit his journal.
in case you're wondering, alex is my creative partner in Screaming Witness, and we both look forward to sharing our new record with the public soon.
the fear game
Last night's men's meeting we tried something different. We decided to cook up a bit of trouble...
Armed with plenty of paper, some pens and a bar-b-que grill we decided to air out -- to ourselves and each other -- the fears and concerns that define our edges.
The goal was to provide a safe area for those little demon, irrational fears to have their say. Based on what we'd learned from the Big Mind Process, we accepted the idea that there are aspects of the "smaller self" that need to be integrated into the Whole Enchilada. Some of these voices aren't very pleasant, and being out of touch with your fear is dangerous business. The pros call it denial.
We addressed several areas -- career, practice/purpose, relationship/family, and the Whole Self. I asked questions designed to provoke these voices, and each of us wrote privately what came up. Some of it is rather difficult -- admitting that there's a part of you that resents people you love, admitting to yourself that you're scared to take your practice deeper, afraid to lose your career in order to live a life with more purpose, etc.
The original plan was that we'd write our stuff, throw it away and burn it all at the end of the evening (that's what the bar-b-que was for). To my surprise, we all felt comfortable sharing these fears and the level of trust in the group benefitted greatly.
We weren't there to fix one another, we were just there to listen. We each understood how irrational, selfish or silly some of these fears may seem -- however valid. This was the safe place to give them acknowledgement without judgement.
And it felt like taking a bath. We enjoyed the little cleansing and fired up the grill -- watching the ashes scatter upward, and knowing we'd helped one another find a bit more clarity and confidence.
itp group update
i have to brag on my boys...while i was away in LA, my men's group took the initiative to dive into the lower left by donating time with our local Habitat for Humanity. we're set to do some more work next week.
also, we've updated our "currency" for staying on task with our practices. let me explain...
recently we decided, with the help of the group, what our essential practices should be and their frequency throughout the week. to ensure that we honored our commitment, we agreed that for each missed task the man would pay the group $5 (to be given to charity, etc.).
well, it seems that money is cheaper than time -- we weren't sticking to our practices with this structure. sooooo, the next step was to revisit our agreed practices and now, for each missed task each man must donate 30 minutes of his time to the group (or community service). this could include car washing, tiolet cleaning, or dog grooming -- you get the picture.
i must say that there's a much higher success rate this time around.
a not-so-traditional holiday
Normally for Thanksgiving, my family gathers out in the middle of the woods and has a huge meal -- Southern-style. Eighty or so people are usually in attendance, but this year we were forced to do something new because our gathering spot had been destroyed by Hurricane Charley -- this year we went to the Keys...
The Florida Keys are located at the very southern tip of the peninsula, and they're basically a string of islands linked by a buttload of bridges.
My immediate family has been living down there for a while and we decided to do the turkey day in the sun -- with lots of seafood and absolutely no turkey.
It was great to be around the family because they keep me grounded. They really don't have much interest in my music or integral activities or whatever. It's usually just about us having some laughs and drinking a bit of rum. Okay, maybe a lot of rum.
Highlights include:
- Riding on the tuna tower of my folks' 31' Blackfin mesmerized by the magnificent color of the water.
- Eating a lot of great food -- seafood.
- Visiting the Dry Tortugas for the first time. It was a 140 mile roundtrip boat ride in 4-6 ft seas and I didn't throw up on one person. Sweet.
- Meeting my new "sister" -- my parents adopted a new kitty appropriately named Chum.
- Going for walks with my Dad.
- Coming home to my pup.
Hope the holiday went well for you, too.
Metta
whew...
wow, it's been a while since i've written, but i'll do my best to catch you up on what now seems like a blur...
stu davis finally made it to LA but he was just a few hours late of his show. who would've thought? we still had a great time over the weekend doing what we do best -- laugh. laugh at each other, at other people, and at each other some more. its amazing just how inappropriate and insensitive and FUN the three of us can be.
on saturday we had a mini-listening party. just alex, phe (alex's girl), stu and myself. it was a dark room and the music was loud enough and we just listened, start to finish, to our latest creation. and for the second time i became deeply moved. i haven't quite figured out what it is or why, but some of these songs really tap into a raw place inside me. probably more so than any music i've written in a while.
a bit more fun with davis on sunday and then alex and i went back to the studio to tweak a mix for "killer". we dashed out to catch phe's last night in a one act play based on sam shepard's poems. i'd only seen phe in action on the big screen in some small parts, but this time on the stage i could really see her shine. and she did. it was weird seeing this other side of her but a good thing. she rocks. period.
monday we did some video shooting/interviews with Vasco Lucas Nunes. he's one of the primary people behind the film "Dig" and he was a treat to work with. we basically captured some stuff of us in the studio, and phe tried to get some interesting sound bites in an interview setting. it didn't take me long to figure out that doing interviews can get old quickly.
and of course monday evening a few of us managed to get a little rowdy, hollywood-style. and i'll just leave it at that.
tuesday = ouch. i came down with a cold but we managed to get a thai massage. the last one i'd had, this little woman had walked all over me and well, it sucked to be honest. when i came in this time, i had a, uh, heftier lady and i got really nervous. but she was kind, didn't walk on me, and was sensitive to my cold. she gave me some much needed mothering. thank you, small but hefty thai woman.
wednesday i woke up and my cold was in full effect. good news is that we were set to do a photo shoot with aaron farley in the early afternoon. a bunch of thera-flu and a few laughs from listening to patton oswalt later, i was ready for the big time. my face felt huge. my nose even bigger. let's take pictures!
thursday i flew home and somehow managed to get into first class (yay!). watched will ferrell in 'anchorman' and laughed out loud in between hacks. the guy next to me was coming back from china. and now HE'S got a cold. as dr. phil would say, i'm a contaminator.
so now we enter the next phase(s) of the screaming witness project: shop the disk to get a deal and put together a band.
stay posted.
comments
i had to do it...i had to kill the "comments" option on the posts 'cause the spam-jerks had seized control and insisted on selling me large quantities of ambien, viagara and real estate.
so, let's keep our exchanges flowing the old fashioned way -- with telepathy -- until i come up with something new.
a little closer...
closing in on the final song which is a cover of the police's "bed's too big without you." we're diving in tonight with some more production and i'm psyched cause i just found out that my favorite sting album (soul cages) was mixed in this room.
tomorrow stuart davis enters the picture and he's already pissed because:
(a) he just figured out he was fired from the band and
(b) we're not picking him up at the airport.
so if you're in LA and you see a tall bald guy walking along the freeway towards hollywood, pick him up and take him to the knitting factory. thanks.
becoming fabulous
in the studio -- again. if you wanna see where we're camped out it's at:
http://www.hensonrecording.com
today it's studio d and i'm diggin' this one.
but i'm a little confused -- my polar essence/type/sexual whatever is gettin' tossed around like a baby seal at an orca party...
we're playing A LOT of Halo -- this combat video game that i didn't even know EXISTED a few days ago and now it consumes my dreams. so we yell and scream and shoot and blow each other up -- i freakin' love the red meme. i want that -- i'm takin' it.
and THEN, i'm working with Faryal Russell who's a dear (gorgeous) stylist friend and she's dressing us for the photos next week. so we go shopping yesterday and, uh, well -- it gets confusing when you become the princess. really.
"try this on, try this on, too -- you know, you'll want to go low-carb a few days before the shoot to make your skin tighter and your ass looks great in those $500 jeans..."
"WHAT?!"
we dropped a ton of cash on some duds and RAN. i needed some Halo to try and balance me out again, but i found a trace of a little saucy lisp showing up.
oh god! could it be? am i becoming FABULOUS?!
the mixes are coming along great -- Alex is a primo mixer/engineer/producer/lunch buyer. it's so nice to have these skills in our quiver.
he's just sooooo fabulous.
The City of Helicopters
So, I'm out in LA to mix the Screaming Witness record with Alex (Gibson). While I'm here we'll hopefully manage to get some press stuff done, too -- still photos and some pieces for a video, etc. But we'll have to contend with some distractions like karaoke bars and fashion show after parties. That was just YESTERDAY.
Read on...
After getting the room set up at the studio it was time to dine with some friends at the nearby mexican/karaoke bar.
Now, there's a lot to be considered in the karaoke world. First, you'll find those that take it WAAAY to seriously. It's no fun. It's about getting appreciation, and here in LA it might, it could just possibly lead to fame and fortune. These folks usually sing ballads or old standards or Creed songs. You know 'em -- they didn't get enough from high school.
Then there's the drunk types -- no style, no class -- the f*ck ups.
And finally there's the artful karaoke club. The ones that consider the room, consider the vibe and then fist it. We've got several variations on this game -- there's celebrity sound alike karaoke (pick a singer and then emulate that person singing someone ELSE'S song -- imagine Thom Yorke of Radiohead singing "Freebird"). It's gorgeous.
And then there's "surprise" karaoke -- that's when your friends secretly choose a song for you and, like it or not, you gotta belt it. But you don't know what the tune is until you're on stage, mic in hand and you see those crappy graphics hit the screen.
For me it was "wake me up before you go, go" by Wham! (i always thought it was cool that they used punctuation in their name, but that was about all that was cool about 'em). I was a sport, I owned it, and now Screaming Witness has some new fans in the 18-34 year old gay male demographic.
Alex cleaned house with his rendition of Frank doing "night & day" which actually appears on our new record, too.
After the karaoke, we were invited to a fashion show party of some sort. All i know is that there were lights outside in case someone wanted to take our picture going in, there were goons in suits to make sure we were worthy (we were, of course) and $10 drinks.
But we didn't mind. The party was for Rock & Republic and apparently they make really tight jeans and really, REALLY small skirts. I didn't try on either, but i have a feeling the smaller it is, the more expensive it is. A lady could wear these skirts to the OBGYN and not have to take 'em off.
But I digress. We enjoyed the scenery and amazing conversation for a while and retired early.
So far I've managed to maintain my sitting and movement practices which I desperately need out here. And if I don't, I'll be washing cars and doing chores for my fellow men/ITP practicioners (part of our new "motivation" experiments).
Today we're in the studio (hopefully) mixing (soon) -- there's a ton of denying forces like perfect weather and college football. Will our heroes prevail?
Stay tuned...
flyin' high
Today (thursday) i'm flying to LA for several weeks to (hopefully) complete the Screaming Witness record.
We've got some serious issues to contend with:
(1) songs that need some magic
(2) golf courses that need some divots
(3) a guy named Stuart Davis
(4) snowy hills that need to be ridden
Holy Voter Turnout, Batman!
For the second day in a row, I've driven by the "early voting" precinct here in Tallahassee and it's been SLAMMED. I mean, a huge line coming out with supporters of this candidate and that amendment all out in the sun waiting for their chance to VOTE. How cool.
You'd think it was 1986 and they were selling Bon Jovi tickets or something.
ITP
Several of you have given some feedback on ITP. For those of you that are interested, check out the 'comments' links under the appropriate subjects on this page.
And for those of you withholding your ITP info or questions -- whatcha waitin' for?
I heard it on the radio...
There's nothing like hearing your song on the radio -- in my case, satellite radio. This morning I was driving along, minding my own business and suddenly, "heeeey...i know THIS song!"
So, I gotta plug the fine folks at XM Satellite Radio. Tired of the same old Clear Channel crap?! Tired of the same playlists wherever you go?! Wish you could dial in and hear GREAT music regardless of how many "units" the artist has moved?! Want to be excited about music again?!
http://www.xmradio.com
Done. Problem solved.
Genpo Roshi and U2
Riding along, listening to the new single by U2, "Vertigo" and I'm struck by the last lines -- "your love is teaching me how to kneel".
Flashback to August -- we're at the Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Genpo Roshi is speaking...
(photo taken at Upaya Zen Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico)
After doing some Big Mind sessions, Genpo Roshi is diving in; discussing the process of experiencing *that glimpse* and then moving forward to finding a teacher.
Feathers throughout the room were ruffling as he spoke about SUBMISSION and how, at least in his lineage, you HAD to have a teacher -- a real person. Not a tree, a statue or "the wall". But a real, live imperfect yet perfect human being.
This relationship and all of its inherent pitfalls is THE VEHICLE for transformation, and no matter what, if you were seriously walking this path you were going to have to get down, give it up and prepare to LOSE IT ALL.
And throughout the room there was this sense that just having the glimpse was IT -- we just experienced Big Mind; we just need to stabilize that right?
You could almost hear the little inner voices, "It doesn't make sense that I have to let go of the very thing I'm trying to enhance -- ME."
Your Love is teaching me how to kneel.
More on ITP/Men's Groups
I thought i should respond to the few questions on this subject of ITP/Men's Groups. First -- we're not experts. We're having to figure this out as we go along. But I'll just lay out the basics of what we're learning/doing.
Our Men's Group/ITP Group is small and nimble -- five of us meet weekly (but it could be just TWO of us). There are many men's groups and circles out there, but ours isn't officially associated with anybody or any particular philosophy.
Our group uses David Deida's 'Way of the Superior Man' as a sort of curriculum (along with its companion Challenge Deck by Rob Biagini), and for ITP purposes we're using the information available on Integral Naked as a guideline. We decided to use the approach based on "modules", and Ken outlines these really well in his Integral Naked videos w/Stu Davis at Dharmapalooza (aka "Where Bald People Speak!").
We felt it was important to use the modules as a way to see where everybody was and where we'd all like to be. And the first phase of the process was to get the basic vehicle -- mainly the body and mind -- up and running.
So for most of us we're just concentrating on a couple or three modules at this point -- namely maintaining a meditation practice and staying fit. After a while we'll tack some more stuff on if/when its appropriate (shadow work, community service, etc.). Most of us are already doing activities that, when done consciously would satisfy a module or two.
None of our ITPs are identical. We're all finding our edge and pushing it in some way, and having a group to help guide you is essential -- 'cause there's a point where it won't be fun, it won't be exciting anymore. And the group will help you keep on keepin' on.
If you're the Batman type (and having success on your own) I would encourage you to step up and help OTHERS. Start a group and let your success feed it. BANG! Get your Lower-Left rocking! Spread the Love!
Why wait? I never really thought I would find a group of people to practice with until I ASKED AROUND. I was surprised to find that not only were there others out there that were interested, but they were also EXCITED to finally do this work.
men's group = itp group
I'm part of a men's group that meets weekly, and recently we've "officially" become an ITP group. The format of a men's group with it's emphasis on challenges and accountability has made the inclusion of ITP a natural fit.
Over the past year, we'd been learning/sharing all kinds of practices -- everything from Tai Chi/Qi Gong to Reevaluative Counseling. And ITP finally gave us the format to *individually* pick and choose the practices that resonated most.
Of course, the group is there to keep you honest and give you feedback on what you REALLY need (usually interpersonal stuff), but it's been a big help to have the support of trustable men and the desire to be accountable to the group. We all need help staying on track.
So if anyone out there is also in an ITP group, let me know what's working for you.
the reluctant political mercenary
i have to come clean -- my media production business makes a large portion of its revenue by making campaign commercials for, well, republicans. i enjoy the perspective of being "behind the lines", watching the spin doctors do their thing (and actually believing some of it).
maybe i'll write a book someday -- it would be juicy enough. a tale of power, money, "friendships" built around accessibility and IOUs. it's like high school for grown-ups and billions of dollars. voters really mean nothing since it's all about the lobby once their candidate is in office.
so, today, the "other" war starts for us. we'll be diving in, producing a number of spots to be aired ad nauseum across both florida and georgia. first the "puff" spots -- the candidate smiling with children, senior citizens and if he's desperate, a puppy. then the guns come out -- the "hit" spots manifest in the closest races. there's blood, careers are placed on life support.
i just tell myself, "remember, i don't write 'em -- i just put pictures on 'em."
after the election, i'll go surfing or snowboarding, take the cash and finish the screaming witness record -- one form of propaganda feeding another.
but you're right (sigh) some nights it's hard to sleep.
this morning's movie
in/one, in/two, in/three, in/one
what am i gonna write about on the blog? what have i gotten myself into?
oh, shit -- in/one, in/two
note to my neighbor -- pick up the pinecones BEFORE you mow that way you don't have a mess of improvised conifer bombs interrupting my medita -- damn
in/one, in/two, in/thr--
how long have i been here? ooh, i need to get beer before the game -- shit
in/one, in/two, in/three, in/one, in/two, what is it about mexican food anyway?
in/one, in/two, in/three, in/one, in/two, in/three, in/one, in/two, in/three, in/one, in/two -- my arms are made of light
Welcome
Welcome to my blog/journal. I'm pretty new to the phenomenon of blogging but I hope to create a cool outlet for the various stuff i get dipped into LIKE: making music, art, ITP, men's group, running a media production company, screwing up, surviving hurricanes (i live in florida), etc.
Most importantly i'm looking forward to the possible discussions that could arise. i think IN's readers and listeners have to be some of the more interesting people on the planet. So speak up!
If you'd like some more info 'bout me you can check out the following
links:
http://www.ScreamingWitness.com -- my current music project with alex gibson. we're hoping to release a record in the early part of 2005.
http://www.HankMadison.com -- my big, fat badass rock trio. we're not active at the moment but there's lots of music to explore -- for FREE.
http://www.z1dm.com -- my media production company. this is the mothership that funds all of the endeavors.
so i'm truly FREAKING honored to be given this opportunity -- here we go!
