Tuesday

Holeshots at Starting Lines


It is 2009 and we are all now going through The Change.

Barack Obama (the metaphor, not the person) was elected and the world is beginning to breathe with a little more ease, finally. Again. Not that Barack's (the person, not the metaphor) going to magically heal the planet of all its woes, but we can stop pressin' so much. Even though times are beat and will get beater, we can at least stop some of The Dread and get on with how we're going to finish this thing out. In style...with a gangster lean. [Note to Barack: chill on the emailings, son. You're making all that Hope 'n Change shit look scripted and small, seriously, dude. Stop beggin' like a bum at Union Station]

This, though, I do know, the creators are feeling it too. Something's happening. I said it just yesterday. This is, in fact, what I wrote, "Oh shit. A thing has begun. Shit just coming together. Art. Music. Words. Webs. Enlightened tymes." It's like a giant single-pole, single-throw toggle switch was flipped (hand of G-d?); everybody, those who matter anyhow, skidding to abrupt halts, looking into weird mirrors, and completely reevaluating all our art situations. I know this because it is all around me like scabies, like mopes. Like mopes with scabies. Like mopes on scabies.

Some recent observations:
  • Chris at Achewood stopped juggling and decided to reschedule the meeting rather than show up tardy and run out of time (metaphor, the sequel) [clicky]. Mad props.
  • The Blognigger shut the factory down at the turn of the new year. The creator of the most genius art arc of 2008 tied everything up in a huge red bow and hid that "everything" up in the attic only to be taken down years from now and cherished like the future gift it is. All apples and honey, whomever this mensch is.
  • Big Dave Wave went back to the archives for a much needed continuity check: [clicky]. Just so it's documented, Big Dave Wave has always been the fuel and one of the main engines that keeps this thing pushing forward.
  • Tribesman and webmaster, Ben, said, "Keeeep Producing, Man!"
  • Scharpling freshened up too [clicky].
  • Lily got a new camera.
  • Betsy said, "Be bold, and the mighty forces will come to your aid. Don't wait. Our time is short. Patience is different than waiting. Waiting is withholding, and hanging onto expectation. Do what matters now, say what matters now. Don't wait."
  • My good friend and reconciler, The FoOl, knocked it around in his latest Trainspotting post: [clicky] "The skin on your face looks aged, your teeth yellow and your hair thins out." A post I will definitely have comments for.
  • And finally, my primary collaborator, partner-in-the-crimes, spiritual advisor, and teacher, Richey Powell, said AFTER SENDING OVER SOME TRACKS AND INSTRUCTIONS:
"Like the half-black/half-white man said, 2009 is a time for shit to change (I'm paraphrasing). Onstad. BN. The myth of home equity. We're all sick and tired of the itchy, wet, wool covering our eyes. Mother of Christ, I'm so sick of it all.

Ty Hardaway, what say we monster the fuck out of 2009?

And I don't give a shit if anyone sees it or anyone notices or anyone gives a ratcrap. That's just how it's going to be with me this year."


Monster the fuck it shall be then. Did someone question how seriously I took yourself? I'll just say people sometimes process me as unserious because I disarm them with unseriousness. Vulcan-Jedi mindfuck. But as Elliot Aronson's popularly understood First Law dictates: "People who do crazy things are not necessarily crazy."

But, and here's where it gets middlespace, Elliot Aronson (thesis advisor and graduate school professor) is massive enough to have more than one First Law. Man's a genius, what laws do you have? Here's another Elliot Aronson First Law:

"People who are afraid to make mistakes are unlikely to make ANYTHING of great value."

We've paid the dues, we've made the mistakes, and the fears are now gone. Now, let's go the fuck alpha on America v.02. It's Game time. It became official yesterday when I pulled out the Jimi Hendrix "special" wah-wah pedal to work on "TRACKS AND INSTRUCTIONS" from Richey and on the very same day, and independently, Chris Onstad published a panel where a character said, "Say, you got one 'a those wah-wah crybaby guitar pedals?"

Consumption is the old. Production is the new. It's all beginnings. Doy.

at Tuesday, January 13, 2009