New Boots

   What should I write about today? I could write about buying a panel van and converting it to an RV complete with solar panels, but I didn’t do that this week. I could write about new and exciting music prospects which have come into my lap, but none have. Oh, I could write about reading any new books, but I’m not finding time to read with all the goals I’ve set for myself. What if I wrote about those goals? Oh yes you’re right I already have.

I could and do wish you all a very merry unbirthday unless it’s your real birthday in which case eat some cake for the rest of us.

    We could and should talk about the weather.

    

    Today’s weather in Minnesota on the 28th of March (the day this is written is different then the day it’s published) is wonderfully pleasant. The temperature is 56 F or 13.333 C it’s mostly sunny and thankfully the planet is starting to angle correctly so our snow will melt. Soon the tree’s will be green and the water free to move.

    Well that was quick now what else to write about.

    Boots. I love boots. They are so cool and I always thought that it would be fun to have a pair of boots made just for me. Fitting my feet’s little quirks and weirdnesses. Now that’s not to say I don’t like the idea of having my feet bare naked in grass or squishing in the mud because I do love it. I also love boots. What kind of boots would you have made for you? Cowboy, hiking, the sexy ones with the zipper up the back, how about a Winter boot, my wife just had some handsome moccasin boots made for her. They fit her feet perfectly, and I am jealous. They did cost her a bunch though, but they fit her feet because they were made to. Wouldn’t that be cool? It would be super cool. What about other things like shirts. I’d love to have shirts made to fit, or how about underpants? Well, I guess that would just get weird.

Homework: Today, I suggest you take your shoes and socks off and step outside into the cold with your bare feet. Why? Well, just to feel alive that’s why.

99% A Song Explained

Today’s blog post is about one of my songs.
      I thought why not explain the lyrics and what they mean. I’m going to tell you about ‘99%’. I wrote this song just after protesting with the 99% and the Unions. There were a few thousand people and we shut down K street. Which is the place where all kinds of lobbyist and money grubbers do their thing. It was a powerful moment where we as a people stood up and exclaimed what we thought. Did it help?
Who’s to say.
Lot’s of things happened after word as a result both positive and negative.
Here's a player for you to listen to it while you read.



V1
Winds blowing fiercely Potatoes in the bin
I’ve got 9 to 5 to sit and think of the cold creeping in.
Winds blowing fiercely and the snows upon the grass
fire in the fireplace warming up my ass/cash.
     The winds of change are blowing and they aren’t coming nicely. Change can be either gentle or fierce. The nine to five bit is a day job, and sitting and thinking about change, about cold human attitudes towards humans and the warmth attitudes we have toward cash and people that have it.


V2
Beer in the fridge Wines on the counter
99% of folks say that color doesn’t matter.
Beer in the fridge my beards getting long
99% of folks say that gender doesn’t either.
Beer goes in the fridge Wine (red wine) goes on the counter.
     The majority of people believe that color and gender doesn’t matter. Whether we’re talking about women getting paid 70 cents to every dollar that a man makes or LGBT issues. Most people look at these things and know that it isn’t fair for a woman to make less for the same work, or for people of color or LGBT folks to be treated as second class humans. It’s only a very ugly and vocal minority of folks that think differently. A further examination of these first two lyrics will show something more about my personality. While the first verse shows myself not having much faith in my fellow humans the second verse shows just the opposite. Having faith in humanity to make the right choices given the proper information. What can I say? I go both ways on most issues.


V3
I bought myself a flower bought myself rose
Plant a seed of healing Let it grow and grow
bought myself a flower ah huh instead of pills
go round and round the world curing my ills
     The first two lines are talking about giving yourself joy. Buying myself flowers always gives me joy and healing. Then letting that joy grow. Flowers instead of pills is just my way of finding balance in western Pharma-culture. On the one hand the Pharma-culture has helped. I am grateful for some of western medicines pills and cures. However, I also think that there are other ways to heal. Plant a seed of healing let it grow and grow. Where would we be without insulin or penicillin, on the other hand where would we be without yoga, eating right, exercise, Reiki, meditation, laughter. I think you get my point. Balance. (This by no means makes me a Monsanto lover)


V4
Got a funny feeling deep inside
it says 1+1+1 is 3 and got enough to ride
Got a funny feeling coming round the bend
say’s 99% of folks ain’t got enough to win
     This last verse speaks to the growing divide of the ‘haves and the have nots’. Ninety-nine percent of people on this planet barely have enough to live while the other one percent live in King Midas like luxury. Here’s a for instance. Minimalism is fine when you choose it; however, when you just don’t have enough to eat then it sucks. Well, thank you for hanging out with me here and enjoying these moments.


Your homework: Walk around the block (or two) and count how many yellow things you see.

Snow Bound

Snow Bound
T.A.Marty

“It’s happened again. I mean I can understand this happening once. Everybody’s entitled to screw up once, but to do the same thing again and again. I mean what is this the 3rd time so far this Winter?”, Granola Gram was exasperated. Her partner Carrot Caryn was just as exasperated but was trying to put on a good face.
“No it’s the 2nd that other one in the super market doesn’t count cause we were looking for the illusive sock bird." They had been a couple for about as many years as the planet’s been circling around the sun. For you and me that’d be around 30 years. Every year they migrated to warmer climates when Winter came. Caryn loves Winter. Gram does not.
“Snow bound. We’re stuck in this crap again. I want to get out.” said Gram. The door to the Post Office banged closed as they stepped out into the cold. Cars were creeping by trying not to slip, people were trudging here and there. Everyone looked the same like big globes of coats, and hat's, boot's, and mitten's. There was no shape to anyone big or small everyone is equally round in Winter.

“We can go for a walk in it. It’s not that big a deal.”, said Caryn

“You know what I mean Caryn. I don’t like feeling trapped with in a 4 mile radius. I don’t like the smell of the snow coming down and further I can’t stand that pure innocent white on the tree’s any more. Blecky! To hell with it! I want the beach. I don’t like slipping tires, and sore shoveling muscles. I want a beer in my hand and my big belly hanging out of the way to small bikini I’d be wearing!” shouted an exasperated Gram as she threw up her hands in disgust at the whole thing.

Caryn being the worlds most optimistic woman countered her partner and said,
“Being snow bound is fun sweet lady. I mean there’s me and you a lot of wood for the fire, books, movies, smooches.” It was the last word that had Gram. She loved smooches, and movies but smooches were definitely better than movies. "Here's something I wrote about it this morning. Let me read it to you as we walk."

She began.

The world ended much as it has since you went to bed any other night, but on this one night it was different very different and ya didn’t even notice! You went to bed, and it was cold and gray and the leaves were all gone from the tree’s. You went to bed and so did the plump fat little squirrels. While everything was sleeping and everyone had there eye’s closed and were dreaming, it happened. That magical fluffy snowman making, fort making, snowball throwing white stuff came down, and boy did it ever.
Tons of it all over the place.
Snow!
So much of it in fact when you wake up you won’t have to go to school, your pa’s going to have to call in and so will your ma. No ones making it outside because the snow’s up past the door and everyone’s going to have to make tunnels.
Okay, probably not that much snow, but a fair amount of it did fall. You’ll still have to go to school, and no one’s staying home but the mice and the cat.
Snow
magical white rain
cold killing innocence
finger numbing, snow shoe making,
skiing, snow man making, white stuff everywhere
as far as the eye can see.

The first snow is wonderful in most every way possible, because the whole world goes from being gray, dry, and dead to being bright shiny white. It’s a crazy transition. Suddenly there’s more light than there was the day before. It’s bouncing all around, and people are in better moods. (A little)

She finished. Gram grabbed her mittened hand and they walked into the snow. Two globes of coats without a goal just plodded on.