Warren looked into the envelope and saw Emma Stone on the card, then looked at the envelope and saw Best Actress. He looked up confused as no actor's name would've been on the card for Best Picture. My guess is he started to look around as if he had just been pranked. I think he told Faye to look at it. She just grabbed it from him and blurted out La La Land without reading it. I read mentioned in another thread that there were two sides that actors could enter the stage from, and if actors are anything like musicians, ya just never know which direction they're going to be coming from, explaining why there was another card out there loose.
#JimmyFallon , #JimmyKimmel , #WarrenBeatty , #FayeDunaway , #La#LaLand , Moonshine , #Oscars
Monday, February 27, 2017
Monday, November 14, 2016
I only look illegal*
'Illegal' and 'illegals' are not nouns, and a human being cannot be an 'illegal' or an 'illegal person' thereby rendering the phrase 'illegal immigrant(s)' as illogical. Whether you like it or not, 'undocumented immigrants' is the only phrase that makes grammatical sense.
Trump (🍊😱) will start off by rounding up violent undocumented criminals. They would be the first to get deported. After that, I would expect the deportation rate of undocumented immigrants
would start to tail off.
Trump himself uses undocumented workers to save himself a couple of bucks. (His lines of clothing are made in CHI-na.) Can you say 'hypocrite'?
An undocumented immigrant cannot simultaneously be stealing someone else's job AND be too lazy to work a job. Search for 'Schrödinger's Immigrant.'
Working undocumented immigrants do pay taxes- payroll taxes and sales taxes for starters. They do not receive income tax refunds since they have no social security number in order to pay into a SS account.
They almost always take the jobs that no one else wants, mostly seasonal and manual labor, i.e. late night bussing jobs, field workers picking produce in the hot sun, etc.
Immigration by Europeans to this continent started in the early 17th century. While there may not have been any 'immigration laws' on any North American books when they started arriving on these shores, they certainly were familiar with the concept of immigration. The ensuing slaughter of these native peoples certainly qualifies as illegal acts. While American history books whitewash these atrocities and call the conflicts 'wars,' they were so lopsided that the only words to truly describe them appropriately would be slaughter, massacre, murder, and genocide. Early pre-European estimates put their population at about 50 million. Today, post genocide, their numbers are below 3 million. Please tell me who you think the real savages were/are. To this day, the United States continues to steal their remaining lands despite signed treaties that designate those few remaining acres as Native.
Today, international crises are fueling mass emigration from war torn countries on various continents. The immigration process we have now is slow at best and not able to process these people at a timely rate. In the meantime, their children are being killed and their homes bombed. If you were in a similar situation, homeless, hungry, all possessions lost, and left scrambling for your own existence, what would you do?
Most undocumented immigrants only want a chance to rebuild their lives. Former middle class citizens with careers and houses are now living lawful and legal lives (with immigration status being their only offense) in urban slum apartment complexes and working the lowest of jobs in fear that they may be deported at any minute. The vast majority of them struggle with language and culture shock. Many attempt to learn English as fast as possible in order to survive here. Yet, when they continue to speak their native language in order to communicate better amongst themselves, some hick would invariably yell out, "Speak English!"
There are many exceptions to these scenarios, but none so egregious to send them back. Remember that the earliest immigrants were also fleeing persecution from their country of origin, and gave up much in order to start a new life here.
I grew up just outside of Providence and left 30+ years ago. My work back then brought me in close contact with many Portuguese, Azorean, and Cape Verdean immigrants. My own grandparents immigrated to the US in the late 19th century. My family did much to help these people get settled here by extending them credit for their purchases, doing their income taxes, and teaching ESL. Immigrants, documented or not, are not to be feared or vilified. They eat, sleep, and bathe. They sing and dance. They work or look for work. Just like the rest of us.
There is much racism, hatred, and bigotry across the whole of this country, but I have found a mostly peaceful area, not without its faults, to call home. After reading the vile, hateful comments in this thread, my move west has been completely justified. I sincerely hope that you learn to stop hating and start loving. Life really is much better if you can do that. You were born with no knowledge of hate. You learned hate from someone, and you can unlearn it, too. Good luck.
*"I only look illegal" was on a t-shirt worn by San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Sergio Romo during the 2012 World Series parade. Three Twins Ice Cream now has a flavor of ice cream called Sergio Romo's Mexican Chocolate (chocolate and cinnamon), with the subtitle "It only tastes illegal."
Trump (🍊😱) will start off by rounding up violent undocumented criminals. They would be the first to get deported. After that, I would expect the deportation rate of undocumented immigrants
would start to tail off.
Trump himself uses undocumented workers to save himself a couple of bucks. (His lines of clothing are made in CHI-na.) Can you say 'hypocrite'?
An undocumented immigrant cannot simultaneously be stealing someone else's job AND be too lazy to work a job. Search for 'Schrödinger's Immigrant.'
Working undocumented immigrants do pay taxes- payroll taxes and sales taxes for starters. They do not receive income tax refunds since they have no social security number in order to pay into a SS account.
They almost always take the jobs that no one else wants, mostly seasonal and manual labor, i.e. late night bussing jobs, field workers picking produce in the hot sun, etc.
Immigration by Europeans to this continent started in the early 17th century. While there may not have been any 'immigration laws' on any North American books when they started arriving on these shores, they certainly were familiar with the concept of immigration. The ensuing slaughter of these native peoples certainly qualifies as illegal acts. While American history books whitewash these atrocities and call the conflicts 'wars,' they were so lopsided that the only words to truly describe them appropriately would be slaughter, massacre, murder, and genocide. Early pre-European estimates put their population at about 50 million. Today, post genocide, their numbers are below 3 million. Please tell me who you think the real savages were/are. To this day, the United States continues to steal their remaining lands despite signed treaties that designate those few remaining acres as Native.
Today, international crises are fueling mass emigration from war torn countries on various continents. The immigration process we have now is slow at best and not able to process these people at a timely rate. In the meantime, their children are being killed and their homes bombed. If you were in a similar situation, homeless, hungry, all possessions lost, and left scrambling for your own existence, what would you do?
Most undocumented immigrants only want a chance to rebuild their lives. Former middle class citizens with careers and houses are now living lawful and legal lives (with immigration status being their only offense) in urban slum apartment complexes and working the lowest of jobs in fear that they may be deported at any minute. The vast majority of them struggle with language and culture shock. Many attempt to learn English as fast as possible in order to survive here. Yet, when they continue to speak their native language in order to communicate better amongst themselves, some hick would invariably yell out, "Speak English!"
There are many exceptions to these scenarios, but none so egregious to send them back. Remember that the earliest immigrants were also fleeing persecution from their country of origin, and gave up much in order to start a new life here.
I grew up just outside of Providence and left 30+ years ago. My work back then brought me in close contact with many Portuguese, Azorean, and Cape Verdean immigrants. My own grandparents immigrated to the US in the late 19th century. My family did much to help these people get settled here by extending them credit for their purchases, doing their income taxes, and teaching ESL. Immigrants, documented or not, are not to be feared or vilified. They eat, sleep, and bathe. They sing and dance. They work or look for work. Just like the rest of us.
There is much racism, hatred, and bigotry across the whole of this country, but I have found a mostly peaceful area, not without its faults, to call home. After reading the vile, hateful comments in this thread, my move west has been completely justified. I sincerely hope that you learn to stop hating and start loving. Life really is much better if you can do that. You were born with no knowledge of hate. You learned hate from someone, and you can unlearn it, too. Good luck.
*"I only look illegal" was on a t-shirt worn by San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Sergio Romo during the 2012 World Series parade. Three Twins Ice Cream now has a flavor of ice cream called Sergio Romo's Mexican Chocolate (chocolate and cinnamon), with the subtitle "It only tastes illegal."
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Radical Environmentalists
"radical environmentals."
I suppose you mean 'environmentalists.'
A radical environmentalist is one who makes no compromise in defense of Mother Earth, one who understands that without clean air, water, and land, we have nothing. What water would you drink, what air would you breathe, and what land would you till to grow food? Guns and weapons are of no importance to us. We have no desire to be wasting our precious short time on Earth to be engaging in wasteful conflict when we would rather be engaged in meaningful employment, or tending to our gardens. Yet when unarmed we must face oppression that lusts only the for dollars, dollars to buy more useless trinkets and chachkis, both small and large. Your women have closets the size of tiny houses stuffed full of shoes, purses, and clothing that get worn once or twice a year and tossed away like cheap rags because they cannot be seen wearing the same out fit more than that. Men who have their own toy stores with boats, ATVs, motorcycles, jet skis, and every brand new electronic gadget ever made, even though they purchased the previous model a mere 6 months ago. Houses and garages get bigger and bigger in order to keep all this junk, or else to house the latest humongous SUV.
Radical environmentalists care more for the things that are necessary for the survival of Mother Earth. Without us, the planet will die, but I fear that the white mans lust for leisure, power and money may have already doomed the planet. Seas are rising, foul winds blow with increasing velocity and frequency, carrying poisoned air and water from plastic, oil, and industry to every last remote corner of our home, our Earth, the only one we have.
I suppose you mean 'environmentalists.'
A radical environmentalist is one who makes no compromise in defense of Mother Earth, one who understands that without clean air, water, and land, we have nothing. What water would you drink, what air would you breathe, and what land would you till to grow food? Guns and weapons are of no importance to us. We have no desire to be wasting our precious short time on Earth to be engaging in wasteful conflict when we would rather be engaged in meaningful employment, or tending to our gardens. Yet when unarmed we must face oppression that lusts only the for dollars, dollars to buy more useless trinkets and chachkis, both small and large. Your women have closets the size of tiny houses stuffed full of shoes, purses, and clothing that get worn once or twice a year and tossed away like cheap rags because they cannot be seen wearing the same out fit more than that. Men who have their own toy stores with boats, ATVs, motorcycles, jet skis, and every brand new electronic gadget ever made, even though they purchased the previous model a mere 6 months ago. Houses and garages get bigger and bigger in order to keep all this junk, or else to house the latest humongous SUV.
Radical environmentalists care more for the things that are necessary for the survival of Mother Earth. Without us, the planet will die, but I fear that the white mans lust for leisure, power and money may have already doomed the planet. Seas are rising, foul winds blow with increasing velocity and frequency, carrying poisoned air and water from plastic, oil, and industry to every last remote corner of our home, our Earth, the only one we have.
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Vote NO on California Prop. 64 AUMA (Adult Use Marijuana Act)
Vote No on AUMA Prop. 64. This massive poorly written 62 page piece of legislation was intentionally written that way so that the common man (who has very little time to spare to begin with) would not bother to attempt to read it in favor of reading bullet points, headlines, and bumper sticker slogans. (Legal pot! YEAAHHH!!!) The millionaires who wrote it are counting on it.
Cannabis possession is already virtually decriminalized in this state, medicinal and rec. Prop. 64 introduces a whole slateful of new offenses, while imposing harsh restrictions on how much one can grow or carry at any given point in time. It guts Prop. 215 and will draw medicinal users into the higher priced rec program. And in five years the doors will open to Big Corporations who will swallow up our small and midsize single and multigenerational growers who have been doing this as their primary source of income for years and decades. These people take this income and spend it in their own communities while you can be certain that the money Big Corporations will make will be going to fund some CEO's third vacation home or second yacht somewhere else.
Before you vote on this millionaire's boondoggle, please read it first, or at least this thorough summary. Some who have tried to read the entire text took long a weekend to do it, while this post below may take perhaps an hour.
Cannabis possession is already virtually decriminalized in this state, medicinal and rec. Prop. 64 introduces a whole slateful of new offenses, while imposing harsh restrictions on how much one can grow or carry at any given point in time. It guts Prop. 215 and will draw medicinal users into the higher priced rec program. And in five years the doors will open to Big Corporations who will swallow up our small and midsize single and multigenerational growers who have been doing this as their primary source of income for years and decades. These people take this income and spend it in their own communities while you can be certain that the money Big Corporations will make will be going to fund some CEO's third vacation home or second yacht somewhere else.
Before you vote on this millionaire's boondoggle, please read it first, or at least this thorough summary. Some who have tried to read the entire text took long a weekend to do it, while this post below may take perhaps an hour.
Monday, June 20, 2016
Facebook rants and raves
Facebook has taken over my life. I try to keep it real, fr'instance, I rarely accept friend requests from Fb users whom I have not met in person, and I don't play mindless, silly Mafia Wars and Candy whatever games. I get news, sports, and weather info via my newsfeed. I don't follow casual acquaintances, I don't even follow most of my friends. I would be in bed all day! I do follow some close friends and avoid following friends who post incessantly.
I do read a lot- socio-economic and geo-political articles from established, sane, leftist outlets, as well as centrist outlets such as CNN and MSNBC. Every once in a while I will peruse Fox News or some other rwnj* outlet, but I always feel like I need a shower when I'm done.
I've become much more politically aware from having all this progressive information landing in my celaphone in one place. The more I read, the more I write. I finally realized that I've written some quality comments in civilized threads that could have been published here all along. I started cross posting them here today in my previous entry, Facebook 2016.06.20. The title format may evolve, and I may post some comments from Fb that I had the wherewithal to copy and save. (Now if I could only remember where I saved them.)
I do read a lot- socio-economic and geo-political articles from established, sane, leftist outlets, as well as centrist outlets such as CNN and MSNBC. Every once in a while I will peruse Fox News or some other rwnj* outlet, but I always feel like I need a shower when I'm done.
I've become much more politically aware from having all this progressive information landing in my celaphone in one place. The more I read, the more I write. I finally realized that I've written some quality comments in civilized threads that could have been published here all along. I started cross posting them here today in my previous entry, Facebook 2016.06.20. The title format may evolve, and I may post some comments from Fb that I had the wherewithal to copy and save. (Now if I could only remember where I saved them.)
Facebook 2016.06.20
John Smith writes like a paid Drumpf shill all the while he has blinders on regarding HRC's golden balls and chains, i.e., Big Pharma, Big Oil, etc., as well as her hawkish tendencies, and endlessly questionable actions regarding emails, Benghazi, Clinton Foundation money, etc.
Oh, she's smart, experienced, and cool as a cucumber under pressure, and would be better than Drumpf as dictator, but we've had 8 years of Obama, and while he's been better than McCain or Rmoney, are we as a country all that much better for it?
Wall Street still owns the USG, we still have a hugely over bloated defense budget, while the less fortunate among us still face endless hardships and roadblocks on our uphill climb through our existences, modest, meager, meek, and wretched as they may be. Corporate welfare in the form of tax breaks, subsidies, loopholes, and favorable legislation will continue while the working poor, retired, elderly, and infirm will face reduced benefits and services. Big banks are still way too big, profiting on the foreclosed homes of good, hardworking people who are still trying to rebuild their lives while living in shoddier buildings in poorer neighborhoods. Education budgets will remain drastically underfunded, libraries and after school programs will close earlier and more often, and despite a skyrocketing population, teachers will be laid off. Police departments will continue to arm themselves like the military with overstocked weapons that should never have been manufactured in the first place. Infrastructure will continue to crumble while rebuilding continues at a snail's pace. Big oil will continue to suck every last drop of oil it can out of the earth, to the point of creating huge sinkholes that will soon swallow up two small towns in Texas, with surely more to follow. Addresses towards dealing with global climate destabilitization will not do much, her Big Oil friends won't allow that. Safety and environmental protection and regulations will always remain available as trading chips, jobs will still be shipped overseas en masse. Big Money will remain in politics. Cannabis and hemp will remain illegal. Gotta make sure all those hippie stoners and urban black males remain eligible for incarceration in the for profit Big Prison Industry affordable housing program.
No doubt that HRC will be a better president than Drumpf, but once you eliminate big Mexican walls, Muslim witch hunts, and every other preposterous, over the top and off the charts proposal that the Orange Nightmare has made, there are not too many differences between the two. The rich will continue to get richer and the poor will continue to get poorer. She'll have her thumb on the scale behind her back in favor of Big Money.
Bernie will be working from day #1 to eliminate Big Money from politics. He'll work tirelessly to change this country from an oligarchy back to a democracy. He will keep the interests of all the people higher than Big Corporations, 1%ers, and 1%er wannabes.
What's so bad about universal free health care? Why should a lying, cheating, criminal with lots of money get infinitely better health care than a good, hardworking poor person? Health care is knowledge and knowledge is free. The MediCare infrastructure is already in place. A small tax rate hike in exchange for free health care will result in a net savings for middle America.
Free college? We already get 12-13 years of free, yet underfunded education. The education infrastructure is already in place as well. Not everyone who enters high school will graduate, not everyone who graduates from high school will enter college, and of those who do, not all will graduate or finish with a two year degree. Today's youth don't give a fiddler's fuck about Elizabethan poetry, if they've even ever heard of it. They have seen the hardships their parents have endured ever since Reagan implemented republicant fiduciary policies that have been stabbing middle class Americans in the back and leaving us for dead ever since. They know to find concentrations that will land them rewarding positions in a world that is changing at an exponential rate. They know that the world's resources are finite and that unbridled vulture capitalism cannot continue without human civilization eventually crumbling to pieces. They know that without implementing strict environmental regulations that the oceans will continue to rise and eventually swallow up islands and coastlines.
While HRC will not do damage to this country to the extent that Drumpf would, life for 98% of Americans will likely be more of the same. With Bernie in charge, this country will have a real chance at improving our world standings in many quality of life categories.
Oh, she's smart, experienced, and cool as a cucumber under pressure, and would be better than Drumpf as dictator, but we've had 8 years of Obama, and while he's been better than McCain or Rmoney, are we as a country all that much better for it?
Wall Street still owns the USG, we still have a hugely over bloated defense budget, while the less fortunate among us still face endless hardships and roadblocks on our uphill climb through our existences, modest, meager, meek, and wretched as they may be. Corporate welfare in the form of tax breaks, subsidies, loopholes, and favorable legislation will continue while the working poor, retired, elderly, and infirm will face reduced benefits and services. Big banks are still way too big, profiting on the foreclosed homes of good, hardworking people who are still trying to rebuild their lives while living in shoddier buildings in poorer neighborhoods. Education budgets will remain drastically underfunded, libraries and after school programs will close earlier and more often, and despite a skyrocketing population, teachers will be laid off. Police departments will continue to arm themselves like the military with overstocked weapons that should never have been manufactured in the first place. Infrastructure will continue to crumble while rebuilding continues at a snail's pace. Big oil will continue to suck every last drop of oil it can out of the earth, to the point of creating huge sinkholes that will soon swallow up two small towns in Texas, with surely more to follow. Addresses towards dealing with global climate destabilitization will not do much, her Big Oil friends won't allow that. Safety and environmental protection and regulations will always remain available as trading chips, jobs will still be shipped overseas en masse. Big Money will remain in politics. Cannabis and hemp will remain illegal. Gotta make sure all those hippie stoners and urban black males remain eligible for incarceration in the for profit Big Prison Industry affordable housing program.
No doubt that HRC will be a better president than Drumpf, but once you eliminate big Mexican walls, Muslim witch hunts, and every other preposterous, over the top and off the charts proposal that the Orange Nightmare has made, there are not too many differences between the two. The rich will continue to get richer and the poor will continue to get poorer. She'll have her thumb on the scale behind her back in favor of Big Money.
Bernie will be working from day #1 to eliminate Big Money from politics. He'll work tirelessly to change this country from an oligarchy back to a democracy. He will keep the interests of all the people higher than Big Corporations, 1%ers, and 1%er wannabes.
What's so bad about universal free health care? Why should a lying, cheating, criminal with lots of money get infinitely better health care than a good, hardworking poor person? Health care is knowledge and knowledge is free. The MediCare infrastructure is already in place. A small tax rate hike in exchange for free health care will result in a net savings for middle America.
Free college? We already get 12-13 years of free, yet underfunded education. The education infrastructure is already in place as well. Not everyone who enters high school will graduate, not everyone who graduates from high school will enter college, and of those who do, not all will graduate or finish with a two year degree. Today's youth don't give a fiddler's fuck about Elizabethan poetry, if they've even ever heard of it. They have seen the hardships their parents have endured ever since Reagan implemented republicant fiduciary policies that have been stabbing middle class Americans in the back and leaving us for dead ever since. They know to find concentrations that will land them rewarding positions in a world that is changing at an exponential rate. They know that the world's resources are finite and that unbridled vulture capitalism cannot continue without human civilization eventually crumbling to pieces. They know that without implementing strict environmental regulations that the oceans will continue to rise and eventually swallow up islands and coastlines.
While HRC will not do damage to this country to the extent that Drumpf would, life for 98% of Americans will likely be more of the same. With Bernie in charge, this country will have a real chance at improving our world standings in many quality of life categories.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Capitalistic karma is a bitch, eh?
Used to be landlords would charge just enough rent to cover their maintenance, expenses, and major improvements, as the profit would be made when the rental property was sold. Then somewhere around the early '80s (the Regan era) landlords started charging what the market would bear. Next thing you know, people start moving every time the rent went up. Witness destruction of close knit neighborhoods, and witness children moving far away from their parents, as they can no longer afford to remain in the hoods they called home.
Well, 40 years later, retailers are scared shitless as this generation of new renters doesn't buy shit the way their parents did after growing up moving several times in their youth.
Capitalistic karma is a bitch, eh?
Well, 40 years later, retailers are scared shitless as this generation of new renters doesn't buy shit the way their parents did after growing up moving several times in their youth.
Capitalistic karma is a bitch, eh?
Friday, December 5, 2014
Merry Capitalismas
Christmas is no longer a religious holiday, it is now a day, nay, a season to worship capitalism. No longer do we make spending time with family a priority, unless of course, you are without blood family and your circle of friends is your family. Back to school sales in July, Halloween sales by Labor Day, and Christmas arrives by the 31st of October. The day after Thanksgiving, when we express thanks for all that we do have, hoards of vicious, evil, hungry shoppers descend upon the big box stores to spend money they don't have, for people they don't like, buying shit they don't want. We've seen the pictures and videos of the WalMart crew beating the shit out of each other, crowd surfing out the front door with that aforementioned shit in boxes beat to hell. That's Christmas?
Goddess forbid that retail stores don't meet their sales targets for the season. The financial experts then declare that the season has been a disaster. A disaster? Really? Because the CEO can't buy that 3rd vacation home, the bonuses are smaller for senior management? That's a disaster? Puh-leeze. Merry Capitalismas.
Goddess forbid that retail stores don't meet their sales targets for the season. The financial experts then declare that the season has been a disaster. A disaster? Really? Because the CEO can't buy that 3rd vacation home, the bonuses are smaller for senior management? That's a disaster? Puh-leeze. Merry Capitalismas.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Alternative godly musings
Time and Universe have no beginning and have no end. They are the definition of infinity. No god necessary. End of discussion.
Just as the universe has no outward end, so it is the same going smaller and inward. What is in the inside of the tiniest ion or proton or neutron? And then what is inside that? Ad infinitum...
We just are not able to measure that small. Who's to say that another universe doesn't exist inside that tiny particle? Who's to say that our universe is not inside one of those tiny particles?
Time is 3D, we just don't know it yet. We wouldn't know how to navigate it once it's been discovered. Accidents would happen, just ask the captain and crew of the Starship Enterprise. They got lucky in getting back to their original time.
These musings might well be endless.
Just as the universe has no outward end, so it is the same going smaller and inward. What is in the inside of the tiniest ion or proton or neutron? And then what is inside that? Ad infinitum...
We just are not able to measure that small. Who's to say that another universe doesn't exist inside that tiny particle? Who's to say that our universe is not inside one of those tiny particles?
Time is 3D, we just don't know it yet. We wouldn't know how to navigate it once it's been discovered. Accidents would happen, just ask the captain and crew of the Starship Enterprise. They got lucky in getting back to their original time.
These musings might well be endless.
God?
God is not up there listening to all these prayers that religious folk send by the billions every day. He's not keeping tabs on everyone, no nice list, no naughty list. God is not out there pullin' strings...
"OK, you've prayed enough, I'll make you better now. Next. You need a job? OK, you're hired. Next. Now Jane, I know you've been praying a whole lot, but I'm sorry, I just can't give your husband a bigger package."
Nope. that's not how it works, folks. He's done. Ciao. Sayonara. Adios. The Gone Surfin' sign is up.
"Do you have any idea how many fucking hours I put in to code all that?! You don't even know 1/1,000,000,000,000,000,000 of it all, and you're wasting your unbelievably short time on that playground I built for you by fighting with each other non-stop? And you let those rich fucks just shit all over the place? War, pollution, asphalt, capitalism... Is that the best you could do? I mean, I gave you everything you needed to get by. I gave you science and compassion, but do you use them? No-o-o-o-o-o.... Well, ya know what? If you don't figure it out fast, I mean really fucking fast, you are gonna find out the hard way what evolution is really all about! Someone or something will figure it out after you're long gone.
Now go! I gave you everything you need. I coded it that way. Now, I've got some Waves to catch.
Peace, Out."
"OK, you've prayed enough, I'll make you better now. Next. You need a job? OK, you're hired. Next. Now Jane, I know you've been praying a whole lot, but I'm sorry, I just can't give your husband a bigger package."
Nope. that's not how it works, folks. He's done. Ciao. Sayonara. Adios. The Gone Surfin' sign is up.
"Do you have any idea how many fucking hours I put in to code all that?! You don't even know 1/1,000,000,000,000,000,000 of it all, and you're wasting your unbelievably short time on that playground I built for you by fighting with each other non-stop? And you let those rich fucks just shit all over the place? War, pollution, asphalt, capitalism... Is that the best you could do? I mean, I gave you everything you needed to get by. I gave you science and compassion, but do you use them? No-o-o-o-o-o.... Well, ya know what? If you don't figure it out fast, I mean really fucking fast, you are gonna find out the hard way what evolution is really all about! Someone or something will figure it out after you're long gone.
Now go! I gave you everything you need. I coded it that way. Now, I've got some Waves to catch.
Peace, Out."
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Backbeater!
This little iPhone app has been working wonders for my timekeeping in just a few short weeks that I have been using it. Backbeater is a tempo monitor, it is not a metronome (although there is a metronome function in it.) It does not tell me what to play, rather it tells me what I am playing.
I've been using the app at home and in the rehearsal studio. Last night was the first time I used it at a show, which I am listening to while I write this. I can now control tempos to within a range of 4 bpm (beats per minute) over the course of a whole song, some over 10 minutes in length.
When listening to older recordings of myself, I can now hear all the radical fluctuations in my tempos that I could never hear before. Not only am I able to hear those wild changes in the past, I can also hear fluctuations of 2-3 bpm from last night's show.
Absolutely Sweet Marie is one of the more difficult songs for me to play, not because it is complex, but because of it's extremely fast tempo, so fast that my arm sometimes feels like it's going to fall off. Two weeks ago at rehearsal without the Backbeater, the song was a complete trainwreck, My tempo was all over the map. Forget zip codes, I'm talking area codes, state lines and time zones! (I was having a rough night before the session started. Damn neuro symptoms.) What makes this transformation even more notable is that the app dropped out on me half way through the song. It was VFR for the rest of the song and I can't detect any tempo changes. The next song had a cajun/zydeco type of rhythm to it and again the Backbeater dropped out, but my timekeeping didn't. I didn't notice any tempo changes, while I could hear 2-3 bpm changes in other songs. This is huge for me. HUGE I tell you!
My inner time clock is now getting the major maintenance that has been needed for way too long (LOF, timing chain, belts, hoses, fluids, brakes, battery, fuel pump, and even wiper blades, too.) Next will be to slowly work back in color and fills that I used to play before without the benefit of practicing with a metronome. (Bad David, BAD David!) This has been long overdue. My clock will still need constant monitoring and frequent maintenance.
While I truly love what this Backbeater app is doing for my timekeeping, it is not without its faults. It does not have a detailed user manual. What media that is available only gives a very brief description of what each setting control does. I would have preferred a user manual that told me specifically what each setting does and what changes I would need to make for the different rhythms, tempos, and time signatures I am attempting to play.
The app has one other annoying tic that I haven't completely figured out, even with the aid of the manufacturer. When I first started using the Backbeater, it dropped out constantly. That is, I would be playing only the snare only on the 2 while listening to my recordings, and then all of a sudden all I see are the icons and wallpaper on my iPhone. I first installed it just under the bottom hi-hat cymbal. I moved the mount and the iPhone to the lower, thicker tube of the stand and noticed the dropouts were much less frequent. So I decided to mount it on a separate cymbal stand that was not being used and placed it adjacent to my hi-hat stand. That helped, but the dropouts still continue. I would venture to say that it happened about 6 times total during our two sets, a little over one hour each. Perhaps changing the settings will help even more, but that will be a longer than necessary process without the aid of a detailed user manual.
The app has one other annoying tic that I haven't completely figured out, even with the aid of the manufacturer. When I first started using the Backbeater, it dropped out constantly. That is, I would be playing only the snare only on the 2 while listening to my recordings, and then all of a sudden all I see are the icons and wallpaper on my iPhone. I first installed it just under the bottom hi-hat cymbal. I moved the mount and the iPhone to the lower, thicker tube of the stand and noticed the dropouts were much less frequent. So I decided to mount it on a separate cymbal stand that was not being used and placed it adjacent to my hi-hat stand. That helped, but the dropouts still continue. I would venture to say that it happened about 6 times total during our two sets, a little over one hour each. Perhaps changing the settings will help even more, but that will be a longer than necessary process without the aid of a detailed user manual.
Despite those two negatives out of the box, the Backbeater app still gets two thumbs up from this once sloppy but passionate drummer.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Music from 2001
In 2000, I met Mark Gigliotti (lead guitar) and Sean Horton
(bass guitar.) None of us had any extensive band experience, so it was a good
fit for all of us. Those 2 were heavily into Phish, and also the Dead. None of
us wrote, but we did like to jam, so we would learn songs as a platform for
jamming. Hunter Pipes (guitar) joined in 2001.
We had a rehearsal the day after 911. I distinctly recall an
outstanding session, but unfortunately the tape wasn’t rolling that night. We
used to jam in my basement in Fairfax, but moved out to Marin Headlands in
November of 2001 after playing at a rather large Samhain party. 911 tension was
still heavy, and it showed on the night of 11.07.01. This time the tape was rolling.
We set up in a circle with a single mic in the middle of us connected to a Sony
DAT deck. We started noodling around, one joining in after the other, and next
thing you know, at least 35 minutes had passed before we stopped playing. Then
we did it again.
Headlands Jam
https://soundcloud.com/mysky-music/headlands-jam
https://soundcloud.com/mysky-music/headlands-jam
Headlands Jam came first. Headlands Jam, the name we
attached to it, was completely unscripted from start to finish, with the
exception of the ‘parts’ we had previously rehearsed. But, when we started, we
had no idea when or where or even if we would be using those parts. I have
edited it down to 26 minutes. I took off most of the noodling and loose jamming
from the front end of it. D Jam came just moments after Headlands Jam ended.
We wrote these ‘parts’ and would insert them into these jams
when we felt there was a good place for them. It involved a lot of listening.
Someone might insert a riff somewhere and repeat it, while the rest of us would
look at each other and think, ‘I know where this is going.”
D Jam was based on something that Mark had been working on,
but never finished to that point. Except for the central theme at the onset,
it's all total improvisation, not knowing where we as a band would be going
with the jams. Half way through, we abandoned that theme and took off for parts
unknown before returning to the theme to resolve the jam.
You can’t really listen to these as you would a 4 or 5
minute song. You listen to them as you would the Allman’s ‘Mountain Jam’, or ‘Dark
Side of the Moon’, or ‘Thick As A Brick.’ I described it as Phish meets the
Allmans, but it has recently been suggested that it also sounds like Seattle
grunge.
Mistakes were made, to be sure, but we played right on
through them never skipping a beat. The sound quality is certainly better than
listening to a CD in a car with the top down or all the windows open. I find
them to be very listenable. If anyone gets a quarter of the enjoyment out of
these that I get, then I'm really happy. I've often dreamed of adding a 2nd
drum track, percussion, keyboards, lyrics and vocals to this. Or possibly
rerecording the whole thing.
I found Mark and Hunter on Facebook last year.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on these two works.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on these two works.
Checking in, 2014
I've been away, yes, I know. 2013 was a very difficult year, one I'm sure to review in my blog. I plan to write more in 2014. Yeah, I know, I've said this before. I try again, starting with my next post.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Helping David w/neurological disorders
In 2006, weird things started to happen to my body. I couldn't tell you
if these involuntary leg movements lasted 30 seconds or 5 minutes. They
started off infrequently, but eventually became a nightly occurrence.
Both my legs continue to shake uncontrollably 7+ years later.
Involuntary movements- shakes, shivers, stutters, twitches, tremors,
trembling, tingling; insomnia, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, headaches,
numbness- have become a regular, daily and debilitating part of my
life. There is so much more to tell regarding my symptoms and syndromes.
My doctors won't even say the word Fibromyalgia, and they tell me that
is not Parkinson's, but they won't tell me, or they don't know, what it is. I would like to try Eastern therapies, but they are generally not covered by MediCare or MediCal.
I've been living on a disability check (about 60% of my former meager paycheck) for over 5 years now. I've downsized, culled, sold, given away. I no longer have a storage unit. Everything I own fits into this one bedroom apartment. I used to buy a dozen fresh bagels a week, with cream cheese. I switched to store bought bagels and butter. Now it's sliced wheat bread. I go to the Redwood Empire Food Bank 2x/month. I don't go to movies, I have no premium cable packages. I haven't paid for any organic meds in over 2 years. I rarely drink alcohol anymore. It's cold in this apartment in the winter, and I am bundled up. Some weeks I only start my van up once for a trip into town. I have been waiting for 4+ years for my Section 8 voucher. They told me there was a 4-6 year waiting list.
I have very little left to sell. I peruse on-line selling emporiums to check on the demand for similar items to what I own, and there are very few bids, if any, on them. I have no savings left. I've worked for neighbors a bit here, a bit there. I have a sporadic, part-time contract job that helped me scrape by, but my contact there was laid off after 17+ years. By merger or acquisition, I suppose my tenure as an independent contractor there is now suspect. My father would kick down for me once in a while, but he has little left to give now.
I was without health coverage for 2.5 years before my MediCare finally kicked in, only to find out that it doesn't cover everything. I have been living as frugally as I can, and look for more ways to cut expenses, yet I found myself in over $3000 of debt. All medical bills finally went to collections agencies and ruined my rebuilt credit rating. I am also late on my rent payment each month and am behind in my PGnE bill as well, and will fall even more behind. (It's been cold this winter!) I also need new glasses as my vision is deteriorating and it's difficult to read this screen most of the time, and we all know how much glasses cost.
One of my bands, the Cancer Sucks Band, is a not-for-profit organization that only performs at fundraisers for the Jimmy Fund, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and American Cancer Society. My main band, Planet Waves~ A Tribute to Bob Dylan, doesn't make enough to cover gas money, never mind enough for sticks, heads, and rehearsal studio time.
Drumming and walking are the only physical activities in which I still partake. Drumming is almost, if not downright, spiritual. It is an aerobic physical activity. It gives me tremendous satisfaction to provide happiness for others through the music we make. But the symptoms and syndromes aforementioned above have exacerbated in 2013 to the point that it has greatly interfered with my timing. But this is not a good thing for the timekeeper in a band.
I see organizations and web sites such as Sweet Relief, but I do not meet their qualifications. With dwindling options and resources, I turn to my community of friends, musicians and baseball associates, as well as any other kind, benevolent and/or philanthropic person who may be reading this. If you can spare anything- $10, $5 or even $1, please click on this button which leads to my PayPal account which I created when I started selling my stuff on eBay. Anyone who donates at least $10 will receive a CD of live recordings on which I play drums or congas. I have played with some very notable Bay Area and nationally known players. I will be grateful to the end of my days.
Click here to help:
I've been living on a disability check (about 60% of my former meager paycheck) for over 5 years now. I've downsized, culled, sold, given away. I no longer have a storage unit. Everything I own fits into this one bedroom apartment. I used to buy a dozen fresh bagels a week, with cream cheese. I switched to store bought bagels and butter. Now it's sliced wheat bread. I go to the Redwood Empire Food Bank 2x/month. I don't go to movies, I have no premium cable packages. I haven't paid for any organic meds in over 2 years. I rarely drink alcohol anymore. It's cold in this apartment in the winter, and I am bundled up. Some weeks I only start my van up once for a trip into town. I have been waiting for 4+ years for my Section 8 voucher. They told me there was a 4-6 year waiting list.
I have very little left to sell. I peruse on-line selling emporiums to check on the demand for similar items to what I own, and there are very few bids, if any, on them. I have no savings left. I've worked for neighbors a bit here, a bit there. I have a sporadic, part-time contract job that helped me scrape by, but my contact there was laid off after 17+ years. By merger or acquisition, I suppose my tenure as an independent contractor there is now suspect. My father would kick down for me once in a while, but he has little left to give now.
I was without health coverage for 2.5 years before my MediCare finally kicked in, only to find out that it doesn't cover everything. I have been living as frugally as I can, and look for more ways to cut expenses, yet I found myself in over $3000 of debt. All medical bills finally went to collections agencies and ruined my rebuilt credit rating. I am also late on my rent payment each month and am behind in my PGnE bill as well, and will fall even more behind. (It's been cold this winter!) I also need new glasses as my vision is deteriorating and it's difficult to read this screen most of the time, and we all know how much glasses cost.
One of my bands, the Cancer Sucks Band, is a not-for-profit organization that only performs at fundraisers for the Jimmy Fund, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and American Cancer Society. My main band, Planet Waves~ A Tribute to Bob Dylan, doesn't make enough to cover gas money, never mind enough for sticks, heads, and rehearsal studio time.
Drumming and walking are the only physical activities in which I still partake. Drumming is almost, if not downright, spiritual. It is an aerobic physical activity. It gives me tremendous satisfaction to provide happiness for others through the music we make. But the symptoms and syndromes aforementioned above have exacerbated in 2013 to the point that it has greatly interfered with my timing. But this is not a good thing for the timekeeper in a band.
I see organizations and web sites such as Sweet Relief, but I do not meet their qualifications. With dwindling options and resources, I turn to my community of friends, musicians and baseball associates, as well as any other kind, benevolent and/or philanthropic person who may be reading this. If you can spare anything- $10, $5 or even $1, please click on this button which leads to my PayPal account which I created when I started selling my stuff on eBay. Anyone who donates at least $10 will receive a CD of live recordings on which I play drums or congas. I have played with some very notable Bay Area and nationally known players. I will be grateful to the end of my days.
Click here to help:
http://www.gofundme.com/1upmhs
Thank you for reading this.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Marconi Union "Weightless"
According to scientists, This is the most relaxing tune ever recorded.
This eight minute song is a beautiful combination of arranged harmonies, rhythms and bass lines and thus helps to slow the heart rate, reduce blood pressure and lower levels of the stress. The song features guitar, piano and electronic samples of natural soundscapes.
A study was conducted on 40 women, who were connected to sensors and had been given challenging puzzles to complete against the clock in order to induce a level of stress. Different songs were then played, to test their heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and brain activity. The results showed that the song Weightless was 11 per cent more relaxing than any other song and even caused drowsiness among women in the lab. It induced a 65 per cent reduction in overall anxiety and brought them to a level 35 per cent lower than their usual resting rates.
According to Lyz Cooper, founder of the British Academy of Sound Therapy, the song has been created using various scientific theories and make use of musical principles that are known to have individually calming effects. Hence these elements have been combined together by Marconi Union to make the perfect relaxing song ever. The song comprises of a sustaining rhythm that starts at 60 beats per minute and gradually slows to around 50. Thus, while listening to the song, your heartbeat automatically comes to match that beat. She even adds that it is necessary for the song to be eight minutes long because it takes about five minutes for entertainment to occur. The gaps between the notes have been chosen to create a feeling of euphoria and comfort. In addition, there are no repetitive melodies in the song which allows one’s brain to completely switch off since one is no longer trying to predict what is next. The random chimes in the song help induce a deeper sense of relaxation and the final element in the song is the low, whooshing sounds and hums, those like the Buddhist chants.
Moreover, sound therapies have been used for thousands of years to help people relax and improve health and well-being. Among indigenous cultures, music has been the heart of healing and worship. The song, weightless is ideal for unwinding and putting an end to a stressful day.
According to Dr David Lewis-Hodgson, from Mindlab International, which conducted the research, this song induced the greatest relaxation, higher than any other music tested till date. In accordance to the Brain imaging studies, music works at a very deep level within the brain, stimulating not only those regions responsible for processing sound but also ones associated with emotions. The song Weightless can make one drowsy and hence should not be heard while driving.
Richard Talbot, from Marconi Union, was fascinated to work with a therapist to learn how and why certain sounds affect people’s mood. Though he always knew the power of music, they had previously written songs using only their gut feeling.
The study conducted by bubble bath and shower gel firm, Radox Spa found the song was even more relaxing than a massage, walk or cup of tea. According to Cassie Shuttlewood, from Radox Spa, it is understandable not to spend hundreds of pounds on massages, spa weekends and yoga retreats to reduce stress levels.
This eight minute song is a beautiful combination of arranged harmonies, rhythms and bass lines and thus helps to slow the heart rate, reduce blood pressure and lower levels of the stress. The song features guitar, piano and electronic samples of natural soundscapes.
A study was conducted on 40 women, who were connected to sensors and had been given challenging puzzles to complete against the clock in order to induce a level of stress. Different songs were then played, to test their heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and brain activity. The results showed that the song Weightless was 11 per cent more relaxing than any other song and even caused drowsiness among women in the lab. It induced a 65 per cent reduction in overall anxiety and brought them to a level 35 per cent lower than their usual resting rates.
According to Lyz Cooper, founder of the British Academy of Sound Therapy, the song has been created using various scientific theories and make use of musical principles that are known to have individually calming effects. Hence these elements have been combined together by Marconi Union to make the perfect relaxing song ever. The song comprises of a sustaining rhythm that starts at 60 beats per minute and gradually slows to around 50. Thus, while listening to the song, your heartbeat automatically comes to match that beat. She even adds that it is necessary for the song to be eight minutes long because it takes about five minutes for entertainment to occur. The gaps between the notes have been chosen to create a feeling of euphoria and comfort. In addition, there are no repetitive melodies in the song which allows one’s brain to completely switch off since one is no longer trying to predict what is next. The random chimes in the song help induce a deeper sense of relaxation and the final element in the song is the low, whooshing sounds and hums, those like the Buddhist chants.
Moreover, sound therapies have been used for thousands of years to help people relax and improve health and well-being. Among indigenous cultures, music has been the heart of healing and worship. The song, weightless is ideal for unwinding and putting an end to a stressful day.
According to Dr David Lewis-Hodgson, from Mindlab International, which conducted the research, this song induced the greatest relaxation, higher than any other music tested till date. In accordance to the Brain imaging studies, music works at a very deep level within the brain, stimulating not only those regions responsible for processing sound but also ones associated with emotions. The song Weightless can make one drowsy and hence should not be heard while driving.
Richard Talbot, from Marconi Union, was fascinated to work with a therapist to learn how and why certain sounds affect people’s mood. Though he always knew the power of music, they had previously written songs using only their gut feeling.
The study conducted by bubble bath and shower gel firm, Radox Spa found the song was even more relaxing than a massage, walk or cup of tea. According to Cassie Shuttlewood, from Radox Spa, it is understandable not to spend hundreds of pounds on massages, spa weekends and yoga retreats to reduce stress levels.
Monday, January 28, 2013
I LOVE THE INTERNET!
The Internet is the perfect forum. The dissemination of information by the people and not just the few corporations who once had a stranglehold on the industry has been facilitated by the explosion of Internet traffic. For years upon years, news was presented to us by 3 television networks. Your nearest city had 1, maybe 2 newspapers. There may have been a few more radio stations, but the fact of the matter is that all the news in the world and your town, good, bad or indifferent, was selectively filtered, spun and sugar-coated before being broadcast wrapped in fancy paper, ribbon and bow.
There has been a refreshing influx of alternative news outlets bringing us tawdry details conveniently left out by the mainstream media. These writers and reporters don't get paid the big bucks that the glamorous big network stars make, yet they do the same work, usually harder, for far less compensation and less protections. I applaud Amber Lyon for stepping down from a high profile position at CNN for ethical reasons. These people do this work because of their love of the truth, not simply because they are a cog in the gear of some big media corporation.
Millions of people are receiving and forwarding uncensored news from a plethora of news outlets. Here is an abbreviated list: Addicting Info, AlterNet, Daily Kos, Daily Beast, CNN, MSNBC, Salon, Bloomberg Report, Mother
Jones. The writers and reporters: Rachel
Maddow, Bill Moyers, Anderson Cooper, Robert Reich, Michael Moore, Keith Olberman, Lawrence O'Donnell, Andrea Mitchell.
(To be fair, the right has their talking heads at Faux Noise and elsewhere- Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Laura Ingraham, George Will, Andrew Breitbart, Matt Drudge, Michelle Malkin, and Bill O'Reilly. That is, if you can stand the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard...)
We now receive the unfiltered and uncensored versions of events in real time, from these new outlets, in print, audio and video formats. Big news corporations don't want us to know all the details! They don't want us educated. They only want us to learn enough "to operate the machinery and do the paperwork." (Thanks to George Carlin.) Suppression of information would be a better description of that industry! We don't pay Big News to bring us information on TV or radio. CORPORATIONS pay Big News Big Money in the form of advertising revenue to bring and retain customers (the general public), not to present the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
That stereotypical nerdy blogger in his mother's basement so easily dismissed by Big News is probably more responsible for change in this world than the POTUS, y'think?
Owed to Pain
Pain, my trusty alarm clock, awaits me once again this morning.
"Be gone!", as I hurl insult after insult at the demon to no avail. Paralyzed by my adversary, I slowly collect an allegiance of muscles, bones and nerves, only made possible by the lure of local organic herbs and an onslaught of Big Pharma chemicals.
I call out their names!
Paroxetine! Zolpidem!
Omeprazole! Ropinirole!
Baclofen! Gabapentin!
Buspirone! Hydrocodone!
Help me! Help me slay this beast called pain that feasts upon my sanity.
Oh, Tamulosen, you're back. Spring a leak?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BIG PHARMA to the resue!
Pain comes charging, pummeling hard and relentless. Meds lay still in the corner.
Finally Meds come alive and fight back! Dulling the Pain, Meds get more reinforcements in the form of more doses. Pain relents, but always returns, always, and stronger.
The match ends in a draw.
Stay tuned for scenes from tomorrow's episode, my next 15 rounds of knock-down drag-out.
"Be gone!", as I hurl insult after insult at the demon to no avail. Paralyzed by my adversary, I slowly collect an allegiance of muscles, bones and nerves, only made possible by the lure of local organic herbs and an onslaught of Big Pharma chemicals.
I call out their names!
Paroxetine! Zolpidem!
Omeprazole! Ropinirole!
Baclofen! Gabapentin!
Buspirone! Hydrocodone!
Help me! Help me slay this beast called pain that feasts upon my sanity.
Oh, Tamulosen, you're back. Spring a leak?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My legs are on fire. A giant stake several centimeters in diameter has been driven through my chest and pins me to the bed. A lead chain has been attached to that pesky bulging disc. When able to break free, no easy feat, I feel an 18 # anvil hanging by chain from the inside of my sternum. Brain cells drip down the chain from the heat of the demon's blue flame.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BIG PHARMA to the resue!
Today's Superheavyweight division Bout:
PAIN v. MEDS
Pain comes charging, pummeling hard and relentless. Meds lay still in the corner.
Finally Meds come alive and fight back! Dulling the Pain, Meds get more reinforcements in the form of more doses. Pain relents, but always returns, always, and stronger.
The match ends in a draw.
Stay tuned for scenes from tomorrow's episode, my next 15 rounds of knock-down drag-out.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Planet Waves~ A Tribute to Bob Dylan
Planet Waves is a jam band tribute to Bob Dylan formed in 2009.
Our friends:
Music Spectrum
Connecticut Yankee
Ashkenaz
Starry Plough
Cancer Sucks Band
3rd Annual Benefit for The Jimmy Fund & The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Pearl Drums
Sabian Cymbals
CLICK HERE FOR THE PLANET WAVES MUSIC PLAYER
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Health Update
I have not been writing much since I moved to the Russian River area 3.5 years ago. The 3 main reasons for that are that my eyesight is deteriorating and I don't have money for new glasses (not covered by Medicare TYVM), I can't bear to sit still for very long, and my fingers do get numb on occasion. I am still having a very hard time prioritizing. My 'household administrative chores' as I like to call them, which includes paying bills, usually takes a back seat to yard work or playing drums.
Originally diagnosed as Parkinson's Disease, this affliction I am saddled with is now described as an undiagnosed motor disorder. Although my general physician and neurologist don't say it, I suspect the culprit might be Fibromyalgia. My sleep study doctor in 2007 and a back specialist in 2011 both stated that this mostly likely is indeed Fibromyalgia.
Originally diagnosed as Parkinson's Disease, this affliction I am saddled with is now described as an undiagnosed motor disorder. Although my general physician and neurologist don't say it, I suspect the culprit might be Fibromyalgia. My sleep study doctor in 2007 and a back specialist in 2011 both stated that this mostly likely is indeed Fibromyalgia.
But disabled and doing yard work and playing drums? WT...?
I really do not like being still. I go out and do yard work, sometimes rigorous activity because I cannot stand to be still. If I perform 8 hours of rigorous yard work in 1 week, I am wasted! Same thing goes for playing drums. If I have too many rehearsals and/or shows in a short period of time, I get wasted really fast. When I say wasted, I will spend a couple of days doing next to nothing while trying to rest up.
I have constant, nearly 24/7 sharp leg pain in my thighs. If you have ever had a nasty flu, then you know what I feel like almost every day, but without the nausea. I display many of the symptoms for Fibromyalgia and Parkinson's. Because of these symptoms, I find myself sleeping/in bed for 10-12 hours every night.
OK, the complete list:
ALL THIS:
Near Drowning, age 6 (start of depression?)
Family moved when I was 12 yo (was a bad move for me, I was bullied big time in high school)
Played like a royal fool in relationships
Missing Regionals & Nationals due to untimely major water ski crash
Cocaine addiction
Homelessness
Divorce
In-laws from hell
Bankruptcy
More than 25 jobs in 23 years
Several jobs and bosses from hell
More than 25 homes in 27 years
Housemates from hell
Head on car wreck (not my fault)
0 meaningful relationships lasting >1 year
AND THIS:
Fractured collarbone (age 10)
Numerous water ski injuries (stretched ligaments, torn cartilage, destroyed ACL)
Both lungs have collapsed 2x each, resulting in surgery the 2nd time (in summer, no less. I still have the scars)
Huge shiner from getting cold-cocked resulting in optic nerve damage not discovered until very recently
Epic yard sale on 2x black diamond trail at Alpine Meadows (about .25 mile uncontrollable free fall bouncing off of huge moguls resulting in head injury)
Epic 25' flight over handlebars while mountain biking on Bolinas Ridge Trail resulting in dislocated shoulder and stretched ligaments. I still have the bump. No frequent flyer miles were received.
Fractured sternum from a head-on car wreck that was not my fault
RESULTED IN ALL THIS:
Depression
Anxiety
Tinitis
Insomnia
Sleep Apnea
Bulging Disc
Psiatica
Chronic recurring shoulder pains, easily injured
AND THIS:
Involuntary Muscle Movements (twitches, tremors, shakes, including painful leg spasms from hell)
Chronic Pain (nerve pain)
Chronic Fatigue
Essential Tremors
Blurry & Double Vision (most likely from getting cold cocked about 30 years ago)
Occasional loss of balance
Occasional unexplained nausea
It's not cancer, it's not MS, but it still sucks. Anyone wanna trade their normal health and job for a Social Security check, MediCare, MediCal, Section 8, IHSS and the blue parking card?