No Man's Land

Feeling mildly disoriented and bloated just days after the widely-observed feasting occasion. Had a case of cold guitar fingers at a cozy event last night highlighting US political prisoners in Little Tokyo, just a lead-up to the gathering this Saturday at Southern California Library where the full band will be performing. Aside from the better-known cases such as Mumia Abu-Jamal and Leonard Peltier, I learned about Puerto Rican independista Oscar Lopez Rivera, Marilyn Buck and Japanese national Yu Kikumura...The targeted repression illustrated by these cases is chilling and eye-opening for anyone harboring illusions that such injustice does not exist here in the U.S.

Just found out that the guys at Axis of Justice host a regular show on KPFK...is an interview imminent in the future perhaps?? About to send out another major press mailing, keeping fingers crossed while I somewhat half-heartedly mull the ongoing day job search.

New Day Rising

Everywhere I turn, it's a ball of confusion...that's all the world is today. We become a monster so the monster will not overtake us. The best of times, the worst of times, hope you have the time of your life.

Apparently one of the signs of impending madness is heightened narcissism and increased self-absorption. Not a very comforting thought. Yet lately I've been discovering new sources of strength and inspiration. Daily meditation is helping with maintaining some mental clarity, as well as balancing vision and practical focus. Looking for a "day" techie job lately is reminding me of so many reasons I left that scene in the first place...bureaucracy, conformity, boredom, stifling of free expression. I think it's the same kind of environment that breeds the attitudes behind road rage, domestic violence, mindless consumerism, might=right.

How many people know about the pending execution of Stanley "Tookie" Williams? This man, who helped found the notorious Crips gang in the early 70's, is facing imminent death at the hands of the State of California even though his life story (featured in the film "Redemption" starring Jamie Foxx) vividly illustrates the ability of individuals to consciously change patterned behavior. Though approached by several major publishers to write exploitative stories glorifying gang violence, he instead authored a series of childrens' books warning of the perils of the "thug" lifestyle so to speak, saving countless lives in the process, and was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. This Thanksgiving, sign the petition and pray that Gov. Schwarzenegger does the right thing and grants Stanley Williams clemency.

On a lighter note, the weather right now in Los Angeles reminds me of why I dragged my butt here in the first place...just phenomenal! I've been too busy to even notice that the latest Harry Potter movie (my favorite story in the series) just came out. Do You Believe in Magic??

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

Lately I feel over-committed to my musical project, and embarassingly in need of encouragement and support from many directions, familiar and strange. Months of time and effort invested somehow don't add up to the paltry material returns so far, and while that was hardly the initial motivation, we musicians have to pay rent and bills too. It would certainly be a boring and quiet world without us. My energy level is flagging but should return shortly...planning an updated press release, finishing new songs with an unstable band lineup, and finally preparing to return to the recording studio have got this Korean American gypsy bard momentarily exhausted.

Once more, with feeling
It's more than a feeling
Are we fillin it yet
Head full of steam
I could be forever
Staid
To act without decision or care
Is time on my side?

Drawn Back Into the Whirlwind

This sudden wave of balmy SoCal weather has my senses thinking it's back to summer, but confused about the time change. Everywhere I look there's chaos, in the midst of change I am getting back into regular meditation for mental clarity and solid judgment.

Many of us, especially blogging instapundits, try to forecast trends and see the future for so many reasons. This recent article from the LA Times has me wondering anew about the prospects for political change in North Korea, especially what shape they will take and in what timeframe. It goes without saying that I've become much more self-conscious and thoughtful with my statements on this particula subject with the increasing visibility of my musical project...DMZ//38 is even being nominated for "Best Political Awareness" award by Rock City News, not bad for a band not even a full year old. Am also coming to the realization that broadening my involvement with entertainment, specifically into film or TV, may be another key to moving forward and developing a self-supporting artistic career.