Went to see ZooStation (U2 tribute band) yesterday for a night of good entertainment. To my surprise there was a group of 4th graders bouncing up and down. Adults had them all wear ear plugs, and they played ‘following the leader’ to stage right, stage left, then right up to the toes of the singer, skipping in a line like a flock of ducklings.

This was the first song of the opening band;

a little before the children became receptacles for a full blown musical experience,

and later, tired flowers ready to sleep. 

Feels like a month has gone by in just 2 days; the time has been rich with happiness, challenges and tainted by one occurrence of shocking sorrow.

A few best friends, Paul and I went a party at a warehouse that was dressed with warm coloured patchwork of artistic expression. The four story warehouse that served as a home for 5 people were vibrant with paintings, costumes, plants, rugs, cushions, guitars, easy going talking and happy music.

Just past midnight a girl read a poem, while 2 others enacted the poem in a dance to the beat of a bongo. Californian Beatnic flower children are staying true to their hippie ancestry. The culture’s still kickin’ and alive in 2009!

In the wee hours of near-morn, three of us, Paul, Hana and I, walked to Fruitvale BART station where it serviced to run until 3 am. We noticed police cars with sirens going toward the station. When we got there, the station was closed off with yellow tape.

4 police officers escorted a man in hand cuffs through the ticket gate. The man eerily stopped, looked our way, and spoke for a good minute while the police fumbled with his cuffs.

“I need to see a specialist, I’m traumatized bra’, I killed my cousin, shot him in the back bra’, I love you cousin, I need to see a specialist”. His eyes were dilated and his face looked blank, like a shell of a man, staring without blinking into an unconscious void. He looked and felt evil. Hana pulled on my sleeve to get away.

Another man came through on a stretcher, as fast as the officers could move him through the gate. “Hang on boy, you can do it, just hang on” an officer repeated. He was taken into an ambulance.

We got on a taxi, shocked at the scene. We could hear girls screaming “the police shot him!” We spoke very little on the taxi ride to the next BART station. On the platform, some were wondering why the trains were delayed. Drunken ladies with high heeled shoes in their hands were escorted by men who watched for glass on the ground.

The next morning the man was reported dead. He was 22. It said that a police officer shot him in the back while he was handcuffed and laying on the ground. It didn’t mention his cousin. It said the case is being investigated.

I suddenly remembered to remember my first dream of the year. Were there any Japanese luck symbols? Blur was all I recalled. But that’s okay.

So I have a vision, to live in a self sustainable peaceful community. I watched the whole Crash Course (highly recommended) that helped explain the state of the world in clear terms. We’re lucky enough to be informed, and to be prepared. 2009 may be a rough year, but I am hopeful to protect the kindness of humanity, and strive to make a better place, one realistic step at a time.

Remnants of documents and a glass of half empty water stand still on a desk.

Twenty people got laid off yesterday, by noon the company looked empty. There were tears and shock and a very difficult speech by the boss (difficult for him as well as for everybody else). He talked about numbers and stats and said to save this ship, it was an inevitable last resort (financially speaking).

I wrote this 3 weeks ago but never came to publishing it. The ergonomic chairs that were left behind quickly found new homes, and the sudden surplus of work has been rationed out. Facebook became more important as a means of keeping in touch, and some of us go to your desk out of habit.

http://www.chrismartenson.com/crashcourse

My coworker Chinelo grabbed my attention today, in a different way. She was serious this time, not about her very many affairs of the heart, but about money.

“Huh?” I thought. But as I listened to her talk intently about the current direction of economy, energy and environment, it gave me the chills.

An excerpt:  “Oil consumption, the US money supply, world population, worldwide water use, species extinction, and other critical areas all follow an exponential curve in their growth, and all have turned or will soon turn that critical corner.”

No joke about building a self sustainable future, after listening to a few chapters of the Crash Course, I can only think of living green, simple lives as a way out.

Went to a party a few days back, organized by a graffitti artist who’s designing our band logo. Photographs decorated the walls. I stopped and stared for a while. The first 3 photos below are by June Zandona , the last 3 by Amanda Durbin.

 June Zandona

Amanda Durbin:

Wishing you a magical holiday season.

Recordings of O Holy Night, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Rudolf and more here.

Paul, me, Paul’s sister Mia (opera singer), her huband Joshua (sings as Bono in a U2 tribute band) and thier 5 year old son Deucalion did Chrismas recordings with piano accompanyment by my favourite teacher Duane. Hope you enjoy the recordings!

Bush has passed a feverish amount of laws in the last weeks, and is accelerating it’s pace to pass more. 

Midnight Regulations are last-spurt efforts by outgoing presidents to pass as many laws as possible before they leave, to pay off debts and promises, and to etch a lasting legacy.

Here are a few exapmles of what laws have been passed.

“Among the many new regulations—or, rather, deregulations—the Administration has proposed are rules that would: make it harder for the government to limit workers’ exposure to toxins, eliminate environmental review from decisions affecting fisheries, and ease restrictions on companies that blow up mountains to get at the coal underneath them. Other midnight regulations in the works include rules to allow “factory farms” to ignore the Clean Water Act, rules making it tougher for employees to take family or medical leave, and rules that would effectively gut the Endangered Species Act.” (Read more here)

Plain and simple, the Bush Administration is evil. 

I don’t understand how they have gotten away with so much. 

How could Clinton go through impeachment trials for havinig an affair, and Bush and his administration not be dragged under the light of judgement for any one of thier crimes? (Read here) (Watch here)

Sorry, it’s not a happy post for the holiday season, but just couldn’t swipe it under the carpet.

I met Brent Shuklin on the way to work today yesterday, waiting for the same train that’s always delayed. His project CarrotMob’s found a new office, (click here!) near my favourite sandwich cafe. We walked in the same direction for a bit, until we waved a friendly good bye.

There’s a certain shine to those who’re doing what they love. He’s brilliant, sure, and so is his girlfriend Noor.

Which reminds me of a man in Blackpool who served tea and coffee at a tourist motel. He was another brilliant man, he gleefully told us how happy he was doing what he did, and his happiness poured out of his words and into our cups.

Brilliant people know what they love.*

*If it’s a selfless kind of love.

Door bell.

Black fingers?

Victory to the prankser!

Photo from Blog Anything.net 

Photo from Defence Devices.com

“Ink pen allows police to detect, identify, and return stolen property fast in the event of a burglary. You simply mark your valuables with your name and phone number. This pen will mark all surfaces including glass, paper, wood, plastic, and cloth with permanent, invisible ink. Under ultraviolet light the marks become clearly visible to police, detectives, and pawn shops owners. One pen will mark over 1,200 valuables. Can also be used to write personal messages that will only be readable under a UV light. Although invisible to the naked eye the ink becomes visible under black or ultraviolet light.” - Defence Devices.com

I didn’t know that Police used UV light to identify stolen goods (until Craig mentioned it here). Invisible ink pens, what a great invention! I wonder if it’s tattooable?