The new site, or, "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Leave the bone"

http://www.four-thirty-three.net/

RSS feed: feed://www.four-thirty-three.net/?feed=rss

I still need to set up LiveJournal syndication, but probably won't get to it for a few days. I'll send out a post from my little-use LJ when I get it done.

Thanks to everyone who has followed this site over the past six years. Catch you on the other side.

Love,

Bone

Site Update

Well, I think this blog may be officially defunct.

This isn't to say that I'm going to stop blogging... it just feels like this site/project has run its course. The urge to write again has been strong for a while now. I've secured a domain name and hosting, and am trying to find a Wordpress theme that I can live with. The new site will go live sometime over winter break. Peace.

Prop. 8 Rematch

Holy crap. Jerry Brown versus Ken Starr? Awesome. Game on, motherfuckers.

Via my friend Lauren, one of my all-time favorite poems (by Langston Hughes):

Let America be America again

Let America be America again.
Let it be the dream it used to be.
Let it be the pioneer on the plain
Seeking a home where he himself is free.

(America never was America to me.)

Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed–
Let it be that great strong land of love
Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme
That any man be crushed by one above.

(It never was America to me.)

O, let my land be a land where Liberty
Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath,
But opportunity is real, and life is free,
Equality is in the air we breathe.

(There's never been equality for me,
Nor freedom in this "homeland of the free.")

Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark?
And who are you that draws your veil across the stars?

I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart,
I am the Negro bearing slavery's scars.
I am the red man driven from the land,
I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek–
And finding only the same old stupid plan
Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.

I am the young man, full of strength and hope,
Tangled in that ancient endless chain
Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land!
Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need!
Of work the men! Of take the pay!
Of owning everything for one's own greed!

I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil.
I am the worker sold to the machine.
I am the Negro, servant to you all.
I am the people, humble, hungry, mean–
Hungry yet today despite the dream.
Beaten yet today–O, Pioneers!
I am the man who never got ahead,
The poorest worker bartered through the years.

Yet I'm the one who dreamt our basic dream
In the Old World while still a serf of kings,
Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true,
That even yet its mighty daring sings
In every brick and stone, in every furrow turned
That's made America the land it has become.
O, I'm the man who sailed those early seas
In search of what I meant to be my home–
For I'm the one who left dark Ireland's shore,
And Poland's plain, and England's grassy lea,
And torn from Black Africa's strand I came
To build a "homeland of the free."

The free?

Who said the free? Not me?
Surely not me? The millions on relief today?
The millions shot down when we strike?
The millions who have nothing for our pay?
For all the dreams we've dreamed
And all the songs we've sung
And all the hopes we've held
And all the flags we've hung,
The millions who have nothing for our pay–
Except the dream that's almost dead today.

O, let America be America again–
The land that never has been yet–
And yet must be–the land where every man is free.
The land that's mine–the poor man's, Indian's, Negro's, ME–
Who made America,
Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain,
Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain,
Must bring back our mighty dream again.

Sure, call me any ugly name you choose–
The steel of freedom does not stain.
From those who live like leeches on the people's lives,
We must take back our land again,
America!

O, yes,
I say it plain,
America never was America to me,
And yet I swear this oath–
America will be!

Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death,
The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies,
We, the people, must redeem
The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers.
The mountains and the endless plain–
All, all the stretch of these great green states–
And make America again!

From The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes, published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Copyright (c) 1994

ELECTION DAY, NOVEMBER, 1884

If I should need to name, O Western World, your powerfulest scene and show,

'Twould not be you, Niagara - nor you, ye limitless prairies - nor your huge rifts of canyons, Colorado,

Nor you, Yosemite - nor Yellowstone, with all its spasmic geyserloops ascending to the skies, appearing and disappearing,

Nor Oregon's white cones - nor Huron's belt of mighty lakes - nor Mississippi's stream:

This seething hemisphere's humanity, as now, I'd name - the still small voice vibrating -America's choosing day,

(The heart of it not in the chosen - the act itself the main, the quadrennial choosing,)

The stretch of North and South arous'd - sea-board and inland - Texas to Maine - the Prairie States - Vermont, Virginia, California,

The final ballot-shower from East to West - the paradox and conflict,

The countless snow-flakes falling - (a swordless conflict,

Yet more than all Rome's wars of old, or modern Napoleon's): the peaceful choice of all,

Or good or ill humanity - welcoming the darker odds, the dross:

- Foams and ferments the wine? it serves to purify - while the heart pants, life glows:

These stormy gusts and winds waft precious ships,

Swell'd Washington's, Jefferson's, Lincoln's sails.

Walt Whitman [1819-1892], via the Boston Globe

Words And Phrases Of Which I Am Sick Unto Death And Never Want To Hear Again, 2008 Election Cycle Edition

Maverick

Game changer

[$NAME] the [$OCCUPATION] (Joe the Plumber, Tito the Builder, Jimmy Bob the Pron Shop Clerk, John the Senator from Arizona, and so forth)

Arugala

Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory

Swiftboat

PUMA

Ground game

Pallin' around

God damn America

Drill baby drill

Surge

In the tank

Redistribution

Mooseburger

Going rogue

Gaffe

Sarah Palin

Endorsements

Yeah, I'm a crap blogger. I'm coming out of my defacto pseudo-retirement to tell you who/what you should vote for (assuming you live in California, home of trees and the people who hug them).

PRESIDENT: BARACK HUSSEIN SHABAZZ OBAMA X (OUR NATION'S HISTORIC FIRST "TERRORIST-AMERICAN" CANDIDATE), APPEASER PARTY

If Clinton had been nominated, this space would have read "Cynthia McKinney." But the more I hear from him the more impressed I am, and he'll probably be as good a president as we've had since FDR (assuming that he can eschew blowjobs and the like). Joe Biden, for all of his car-salesman smarm, is totally acceptable as well.

An excellent article about Obama's middle name can be found here. (warning: it's Salon, so you'll have to watch an ad)

US REP: DIANE WATSON

The National Journal called her the most liberal member of Congress in 2006. Good enough for me. It's awesome that the only person the Republicans could field against her is a fricking college student. I'll bet money that it's a community college.

STATE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY: GENERIC DEMOCRATS

I'd vote for Green or Peace & Freedom candidates, but there aren't any on the ballot. There's a Libertarian running for state senate, but Libertarians are goofy.

JUDICIAL: PEOPLE WHO AREN'T PROSECUTORS

PROP. 1: HIGH SPEED RAIL BONDS. YES

I initially was going to vote "no," but that's when I thought it read "high speed bail bonds." Then I realized that if we had this I could basically go to San Francisco any time I wanted, so put me down for "hell to the yes."

PROP. 2: STANDARDS FOR CONFINING FARM ANIMALS. YES

I kind of think this is a no-brainer. I'll check with an epidemiologist friend first, though: the folks arguing against it say that it'll potentially expose hens to avian flu, and I'm enough of a hypochondriac already without having to deal with that. But I'm all in favor of this in principle.

PROP. 3: SOMETHING ABOUT CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS. YES

Bitch-ass anti-tax people are turds.

PROP. 4: WAITING PERIOD AND PARENTAL CONSENT BEFORE TERMINATION OF MINOR'S PREGNANCY. FUCK YOUUUUUUUU

I was born the day of the Roe V. Wade decision in 1973, so the country has been arguing about that ruling for exactly as long as I've been alive. It's incredible that we live in 2008 and we're still forced to have a debate about parental notification. I'm voting "no," in case that wasn't clear.

PROP. 5: NONVIOLENT DRUG OFFENSES. YES

This is the most amazing you haven't heard about until now. Changes parole terms for nonviolent drug ofenders, gets people into treatment instead of prison, and largely decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana.

PROP. 6: POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNDING. LEANING NO.

I need to do more research. But if it comes down to funding this or schools, I'm picking schools.

PROP. 7: RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION: LEANING NO

On first glance, it looks like a shit law.

PROP. 8: ELIMINATES RIGHT OF SAME-SEX COUPLE TO MARRY. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

It's heartbreaking that we even need to have this conversation in 2008. I'm voting no.

PROP. 9: SOME PAROLE THING. LEANING NO.

PROP. 10: ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLES AND RENEWABLE ENERGY. NO

Yeah, I know. It's got a great title. But it's a horrible law and is opposed by everyone who is not T. Boone Pickens (who I guess was instrumental in getting this on the ballot).

PROP. 11: REDISTRICTING. LEANING NO

PROP. 12: VETERAN'S BOND OF 2006: LEANING YES

The guy who wrote both "rebuttal" pieces in the voter information guide seems like a whiny and Grinch-hearted little man. I imagine him looking like Carrie Fisher's boyfriend in When Harry Met Sally. (Having said that, he's probably some R. Lee Ermey lookalike who was a special forces guy in The 'Nam, who will kick my ass after reading this.)


That's it. Have fun voting, you crazy kids.

I think my blog is jumping the shark

OMG, EVERYONE GO OUT AND BUY/DOWNLOAD/STEAL THE BIRD AND THE BEE NOW!!!!!!!!!

Or, fuck it, just watch it on Youtube:

Again and Again

Polite Dance Song

I Hate Camera

Fucking Boyfriend (maybe not at work, though)

How Deep Is Your Love

If you've read House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, you'll probably get a kick out of this.

Man, the Sarah Palin fiasco has almost totally captured my attention for the past several days. I'd laugh if it weren't such a potentially dangerous misstep.

OK, that's not entirely accurate. I've laughed at it some. I can only be me!

I love how every time a new fact about Palin comes out, it undercuts a Republican argument about Obama.

Barack isn't experienced? Sarah Palin ran a tiny city into debt, and has governed a tiny state for only a year and a half. Obama is less ready to be Commander-in-Chief than Palin? She has no authority when it comes to national security affairs that involve the Alaska National Guard, despite the McCain camp's claims. Michelle Obama supposedly "hates America"? Todd Palin belonged to a fringe-right secessionist group for years! Reverend Wright said some wacky shit at church that one time? A guest speaker at Palin's church said, in her presence, that terrorist attacks on Israelis are God's "judgment of unbelief" against the Jews!

I'd agree with this post at Jezebel which breaks it down regarding the bullshittyness of trash-talking about the pregnancies of any given Palin. But my objection is practical as well: Why talk about that when there's all kinds of other stuff that can be brought up instead?

I dropped a benjamin on the Obama campaign after his acceptance speech last Thursday. And, keeping in line with an earlier post here, I donated $50 more today because of McCain's cynical and dangerous selection of Palin as the Veep nominee. I went over my self-imposed $25 limit because of McCain's sheer stupidity in this case, and I'm pretty thankful that I'm not donating money after every Palin debacle... I suspect that if I were to do so, I'd rapidly go broke.

This is what happens, Larry

The f-word* appears 281 times in The Big Lebowski. Listen to all of them.

If you eschew profanity, then check out this hilarious "redubbed for cable TV" version of the "This is what happens, Larry" scene.


* "Fuck"

Obama's VP Pick?

I want this to be true so badly

UPDATE: Courtesy of M, the duo's first campaign ad

On Obama

OK, the standard disclaimer: I'm not a Democrat, and have been dismayed about American politics ever since watching the Iran-Contra hearings in junior high school. While I think one could argue that the American electorate is further to the left than the media would have us believe, I'm confident in saying that I'm to the left of most people I know. In 2006 I was considering not voting because I didn't want to participate in a broken system anymore (I did ultimately vote, but given how ineffectual Congress has been under Democratic control I don't think I'd be too bummed now if I hadn't). A year ago, I was fully prepared to sit 2008 out.

So, here are some thoughts about Barack Obama.

I like the guy. Seriously. And I can't say I've ever thought that about a Democratic presidential contender in my lifetime. The fact that he started out as a community organizer is deeply impressive, as is the fact that he repeatedly comes off as thoughtful and authentic. The thing I'm most excited about, though, is the national organization he's building (props should probably go to Howard Dean for that as well). The fact that he's building his campaign around ideas of voter empowerment by tapping into a yearning for grassroots involvement is amazing. Even if he turns out to be a typical douchey politician, he'll have helped to crate a more activist progressive movement, and that's no small deal.

Conversely, I was never so ashamed of the political discourse in this country as I was when I saw this McCain ad. Absolutely appalling. I wish that disaffected Clinton voters who are considering voting for McCain would take note of the stunning amount of disrespect for women that saturates that ad.

I ranted up and down about that advertisement to a couple of people, pissed as hell that I couldn't do anything more effective than that... when I realized that there was something I could do, that would be both cathartic and helpful.

So, here's the plan: Every time McCain releases an ad that insults my intelligence or ethics, tries to co-opt a Democratic position, lies about his record (especially concerning his enthusiastic support for the Iraq war), or says anything mendacious or stomach-churningly boneheaded... I'm writing a check for $25 to the Obama campaign.

Every time. Starting today. I've budgeted a total of $400 for this, although I may do more if I'm doing all right financially in October or so. And the best thing about this plan: it's productive anger.

So, the European currency is caled the "Euro," right? If there were a pan-African currency, would it be called the "Afro?"

Hey, they can't all be deep thoughts.

I realized today that somehow, when I wasn't looking, I've become exactly the person I've always wanted to be.

It's been a weird week. Travel, multiple job interviews, lots of big decisions revolving around whether I'm going to stick it out in LA or move to the Bay Area, two potentially fraught interpersonal situations (that ended up not being too complicated at all)... and I've really been able to see the extent to which I've grown over the past several years.

I'm calm. Gracious. Compassionate. Kind. Flexible. Graceful under extreme pressure. Accepting. Aware. Self-examined. More invested in actions than results, if that makes any sense. Generous. Not inferno. Forgiving. Wise.

I'm not perfect... I'm still crap with money, and find it hard to be in touch with significant people in my life who live outside LA. And I'm wary of being too back-patty about all of this, because I may very well do something dickheaded tomorrow and mess it all up. But that's a lot of why I'm writing this: as a reminder to some dispirited future self that I like who I'm becoming, and that these are all traits worth developing further.

Yeah, I was really disappointed by the FISA thing. And I haven't wasted much time investing hope in the Democratic party and Democratic politicians since I was 19 or so.

But seriously. If we can have this guy as our President, I would be incredibly stoked. I guess this means I should donate some money.

I blew it. The sixth anniversary of this blog was Sunday. Break out the streamers and party hats.

Cheerful topics of conversation

While driving around Los Feliz today, kaiserin asked, "If you were to die, what would you want us to do with the body?"

My immediate answer was "Just dump it in the woods," but this is obviously infeasible for legal reasons.

The non-snarky answer: Whatever is cheapest. I'd like to be cremated after my organs are harvested (thus ensuring that I'll wander around Aaru for all eternity with no eyes and one lung), but beyond that I'm not going to care. I'm still pissed that I had to put $4,000 worth of burial expenses on my credit card when my mom died (don't fret, I was paid back), and I'd like for the grief industry to get as little of my loved ones' cash as possible. Put me in a Folger's can, take me to Malibu, and inadvertantly toss me in someone's face for all I care... preferably Jeff Bridges's face, but any of my childhood friends would do in a pinch.

But seriously... keep it cheap and meaningful. I'd like my junk scattered someplace that my survivors would find significant, as long as I'm not buried in a specific location where people can show up and tend the grass once a month. My family, partner and friends can make the call. Keep it as lighthearted and joyous as possible.

If money permits, though... I'd love the Hunter S. Thompson treatment. Specifically, I'd love to have my ashes shot out of a cannon. Not original, true, but some ideas are too good to only be used once. When I made this suggestion to kaiserin, she asked if there should be music. I replied "Circus music, probably", but the more I think about it, the more I realize that a PA system would have to play "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake during the ceremony. Crank up the volume, and try to time the fusillade so that my mortal remains are fired right as the first chorus starts. That would make death worthwhile.

four temperaments

Choler
Very, very stressed about job-related stuff. There are a ton of people in my field out looking for work at the moment, and an all-too-finite amount of vocal music jobs in places I would actually want to live, so it's been a rough summer.

Melancholia
Teaching is one of those gigs that really ends up defining your life. And for the first time ever, I'm actively looking for work outside of the field. It's a scary prospect, and has provoked one of the more significant identity crises of my adulthood.

Phlegma
My voice... is getting better. I'm kind of amazed, actually. Not perfect by any means... I'm at about 75-80% of what I could do five or so years ago. But, at the risk of sounding arrogant, my 80% is pretty damned good. An unexpected side effect: I've been reworking my whole concept of how to breathe for singing, and this reconnection with my breath has been an enormous blessing in dealing with stress. I'll put up a longer voice-related post soon(ish).

Sanguineus
My friends continue to amaze. My homegirl Kaiserin has exhibited an exceptional amount of rockstardom, but the whole team has been a bottomless reservoir of win. And last night, randomly enough, ended up being one of the best, most perfect nights of my life.

"You were supposed to sing or dance while the music was being played."

Life and Music, from the recordings of Alan Watts. Amazing.