Take A Knee In Front Of The TV

 

TA-DA. This is the cover for our podcast, Brian White's According To. I thought it was going to be an impossible task but it wasn't bad. Now, I am no graphic designer and it is probably flawed but you know what, it's the flaws that give it character.

Now I am going to get to work on one for this blog. Yup, I'm going to do a podcast. I am going full video on this one so I am practicing my style. Which I don't have HA. I'll get it. You know, it's not so easy to talk while being recorded. It's not live so I don't know why I care when I make a mistake, I just get pissed. Then I start over. I know. I've got to get used to working with the editing department.

Here's today's post. Thanks for reading.

Take A Knee In Front Of The TV

I'm on strike. I take a knee in front of the television. I noticed that I was angry all the time. Just pissed at life. Things haven't gone so well for most of us in the last 8-9 months: sickness, virus, politics, losing jobs, you get it.

I finally looked at the issue. It wasn't hard to pin down the culprit. The people who report the "news," which is no longer really news, but an opinion rendered by someone who uses their skew to tell the story, need to take a lesson from the likes of Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather. I am a huge fan of Dan's and love his interview show, but we are on opposite ends of the political spectrum, which I don't mind but I don't know if he will ever have lunch with me. Call me Dan. They reported the news. This is what happened. Not this is what happened, this is why this is who is to blame.

I was being influenced by a vehicle that was designed to keep me informed, not brainwash me. I tried an experiment and sure enough, it was the tv news shows. Nothing scientific, I just stopped watching the fear mongers and flipped over to AXS for some cool music and stories about musicians. I felt great. I wasn't yelling at people on the tv. I was singing along with some great music and totally enjoying myself.

I am not a high drama girl although my daughter accuses me of being one. Whatev.

I enjoy peace and love and kumbaya. I hate drama.

I can't imagine how these other folks feel, those who had a busy life, with a job, kids, etc. They are stuck at home with the whole family for who knows how long. They are listening to the tv. All they hear is hate and voila, here starts the cycle.

My suggestion, don't watch any news or opinion channels. There are great shows on tv these days, we have more than 3 channels now ya know. Read a book, write a book. Just stay away from the poisonous rhetoric that inhabits any show with "news" in the title.

Kumbaya my friends.

Lucy

This is the first poem in a series of four that I wrote with Jim Morrison, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Isaac Hayes, and John Lennon. See if you can pick out the lines they wrote.

Lucy 

If you keep your creative thoughts

Inside of your mind,

You will block out life.

You will live inside a place

That is sometimes hard to find.

Lucy in the sky is

The cure for that.

If you have diamonds

You can get you some.

We all have talent,

Some obvious,

Some not.

It is only the ones

Among us who choose

To let go of the

Brain of the lizard,

King that is.

Step into Neverland

A place where there

Is no “life” in your mind

Only love.

Turn The Page

Turn The Page

Most of us have had the experience of something just "popping" into your head. A song, a book, a tv show, something from our lives. I had a saying pop into mine that I really liked and wanted to share.

"Every Flip of the Page of My Calendar Brings Me Closer to the End of the Book."

It reminds me that this journey isn't forever. Someday I'm leaving here. For something better but still, there are things that I will miss.

In preparation for this event, I have been collecting things to leave to my loved ones. I have them in a box, a big box, with their name on the items. I think though, that the most important thing I can leave them is the gift of their heritage. 

I came from a very large family on my mom's side. She had 12 brothers and sisters and a family tree worthy of a movie of the week. I have discovered that George Soule, who was one of the Mayflower travelers, was a relation by marriage. That branch of the tree settled the east coast of America and owned much of the property from New York to Virginia. Chevy Chase, Maryland, was owned by a relation who named it, but the property was later used as payment for a gambling debt. Damn. Several of my ancestors fought in the Revolution as well as the Civil War. Priests, Irish and Scottish Lords as well as English gentlemen, sheriff, and wealthy landowners, slaves who were used by my relatives that owned them, are in my DNA.

I had no idea. We didn't really talk about that kind of stuff on either side of the family. I grew up believing that I was of Hungarian descent on my dad's side and German on my mom's. No mention of the heroes and patriots and no stories about the people who make up part of who I am.

During a reading with Myrna, before I was able to contact the other side myself, I was contacted by many female relations who asked me to write their stories. They were not able to freely write like I am, but their sacrifices enabled me to be able to be their voice.

I will honor them and tell their stories before I leave this world. I will try to complete my family tree to be as accurate as I am able without much documentation. These are the important things in life. I am so proud now knowing that my relations were involved in not only settling this country but defending it for me. They wanted their descendants to benefit from their sacrifice.

I want my descendants to know where they came from in this carnation. Our soul has a story but so does our human-ness.

Instead of giving "gifts" for presents, take the time to do the research on your family. It isn't that hard and you get what you put into it. Someday your family members will appreciate knowing where they came from. I know I would've had a better feeling about who I was in my life, had I known some of the facts I have discovered.

Ralph Waldo Emerson stated, "The apple doesn't fall far from the stem." We now say tree. I want to know about the tree that I fell from.

Milk And Life Have An Expiration Date

Milk And Life Have An Expiration Date

Death. We really don't like to talk about it, even though we all face it when our time is up. You see, we start to die when we are born. We have an expiration date. Just like milk.

My whole life, I have believed that death was a bad thing, boom, you're dead. I can say I feared death for a while but for the most part, I just ignored it. I had things to think about, like sex.

As you age, things change. Your beliefs, your goals, what you have learned in life. My eye-opener was about a year ago when I became able to talk to dead people. After speaking to those souls, I realized that death is not a punishment or a bad thing. It is the end of the journey here in this realm. I am looking forward to this homecoming called death.

I am sharing some of the things I have been told about death from the souls I have spoken with. They ask to be heard.

PigPen from the Grateful Dead "I never felt more alive until I actually died"

Whitney Houston "I just wanted out from all of it, I was done. I didn't plan it but I finished it. What a relief, I woke up here and there is no confusion, no questions, I am me, plain and simple."

Syd Barrett "Syd was dead but the body was still alive. Just had to wait until the body gave up, then I was able to come here."

David Bowie "I had a great life. Then I got sick. I knew I was dying, I just let go."

Cass Elliot "It felt like the world was slowing down. And then I realized I am really sick. I'm really, really sick here. And then I must've fallen unconscious because the next thing I knew, I was out of my body."

Elvis Presley "You don't just walk away from this life, you have to reconcile the experience. Did I accomplish what I set out to do? What went right, what went wrong, what did I learn? You don't just die and that's it. We learn, that's our goal, our mission, to learn and grow."

Janis Joplin "I was getting high, too high, I guess. Woke up here. I am happy here so I guess it's not a bad thing."

Jim Morrison "I knew there was a risk by taking so many drugs and drinking but like so many others, I thought I was invincible. Fell asleep in the tub, woke up on the other side. Trippy."

Now you can see why I feel the way I do about death. My own life and death, well I believe in the Universe and try to turn myself over to what will be. Sometimes the human part of me steps in and tries to make me feel human. I don't like feeling human, it is misery that is self-inflicted.

I find that having a good cry, a glass of wine, and a chat with Jim Morrison or one of my other soul friends set me right. I have to finish this experience so I will do the best I can.

And I hope that just one person benefits from the wisdom that is being shared, a true gift from the "otherside", from souls we adored when they were here.

If you are seeking and believe, if you are open and have intent, you can get help. All you have to do is ask.

Glass Houses

Glass Houses

You know, I am so sick and tired of hypocritical people. 

There's a proverb: "Those Who Live In Glass Houses Should Not Throw Stones."

These days every move anyone who is even semi-famous makes is criticized, a person's clothing was ugly, a person lied, a person's friends are thugs so they must be too, a person made a wrong judgment.

Have you ever said something someone was wearing is ugly? I have.
Have you ever lied? I have.
Have you ever lied to protect someone? I have.
Have you ever had questionable friends? I have.
Have you ever made a wrong judgment? I have.

Is it the mindset of rational human beings to judge others for things they have said and done that we have said and done ourselves?

Is it right to criticize others when you are doing the same? I don't think so. Instead of looking for "glass house moments" we should be looking for a way to try to solve the horrible shit we are in right now.

The critical judgment that is out of control is meant to tear down, not build up. Yes, right now our world is bizarro, but that doesn't excuse us. Instead of saying negative things aimed at others, let's focus on the positive things about ourselves.

Unfortunately, most people are now so influenced by the various communication sources that they believe what they hear. The seeds of hate grow deep and when they are tended, will grow into what we have now in this beautiful country, "The land of the free, home of the brave." Blind hatred.

 
There is a word for people who blindly follow, Sheeple. Our country is being torn apart by Sheeple who are claiming discrimination when they are the ones who are spewing hate-filled rhetoric against segments of our population. Glass Houses.

How in the HELL can you look at yourself in the mirror and believe your own twisted thoughts?

Something needs to happen. I don't know exactly what but I can say for right now, September 2020, we are poisoning not only our generation but the ones who are coming up behind. They are counting on us to show them how to live.

Is this what we want for our future generations?

Put down your stone. Pick up your desire to have a better life, for us and them.

Never Forget, Let's Roll, September 11, 2001

Never Forget, Let's Roll, September 11, 2001

On this solemn day, I hope everyone, regardless of race, color or creed, takes a moment to remember what is important in this life. Those of you who witnessed this horrible massacre of innocents at the Twin Tower, Shanksville, and The Pentagon, should remember the feeling of unity, of brotherhood, that we all felt in those moments, that have lasted for years. 

Alas, that feeling is no longer visible in our current society.

What a shame.

I hope it doesn't take another national disaster to unite us.

Pray for us.

#neverforget

#letsroll

#september112001