My Semi - Annual
Semi-Journal
November 25, 2003
Added a bunch of stuff which has been simmering on the back burners
(sometimes for several years! Yecch) to David's Black and White
World:
Raves & Peeves
Cover Letter Controversy Collapses
Countless Careers
Songs & Poems
911
Stories
Suddenly, Mysteriously the Toilet
Stopped Working
Catharsis
The Psychopath Down Below
November 23, 2003 - Minor updates
A friend wondered why Fleetwood Mac was not on my list of favorite
albums. And I remembered when I was about 11 or 12 my cousin Johnny
Glidewell said I just had to listen to this album by a new band
from England called Fleetwood Mac. The album was Future Games
- I still have a copy on vinyl (playing now).
I remember being skeptical but quickly formed a deep love for the
haunting sounds of that band. It was a slightly different band back
then (1971), with members John and Christine McVie, Bob Welch, Danny
Kirwin, and Mick Fleetwood. What surprised me then most of all was
that I could enjoy something melodic and less heavy than Led Zeppelin.
Being a drummer I really appreciate Mick Fleetwood's ability to
lay down a powerful rhythm but remain humbly in the background,
letting the melodic and vocal parts stand out in front. This is
incredibly difficult to do and most drummers never grasp the concept
that they are not the center of the show. :)
Mick had a major influence on my drumming as I played drums constantly
to the Fleetwood Mac (white album) and Rumors and
still do.
September 26,2003 - New Section Raves
and Peeves with a nice note to the
RIAA
I have been watching the news of the RIAA sneaking around acting
like they're John Ashcroft looking for terrorists. It must be an
exciting time for them as they seem to have suddenly discovered
how free and open the Internet is. Their behavior made me really
dig deep down and think about my relationship to the recording industry
- and Wow! I discovered how pissed I was - and had been - for a
long long time. And especially after reading some articles by artists
like Courney Love and others who have been screwed around and had
their lives turned upside down by what was until recently a creative
monopoly.
I'm listening to Indie and amature stuff now, and surprise! Since
I turned off televison and radio I find I have lots more time to
write my own music and do other creative things. I am hoping a primitive
studio is within my not too distant future.
I turned the television off in the 80's and the radio off in 2003
since it has become - like TV earlier - totally broken. All you
hear are the same songs and endless end less e n d l e s s stupid
commercials. It's national self-inflicted culturally homogenized
brain washing. I listen to NPR a lot but it's just too serious some
times. When I have a car passenger that is good because they can
flip the radio dials in search of music.
TV started losing me shortly after invention of the laugh track.
Those of you who do watch a lot of television probably don't know
what that is. That's what I'm talking about... :)
I do love movies. That's a different thing entirely.
August 12,2003 - I'm busy and having fun!
But I'm really really REALLY missing my nephew and sister who got
transferred to Texas. :(
Work is really fun - we have deployed a new CITRIX network system
and a new IBM SCO unix system and I am loving the speed and stability
of the new systems. I actually have time to think about things like
new databases and end-user training. Yeah!
Also have been very busy with a Christian rock band - Heaven's Addicts.
Got a couple of new songs to put up. Have been learning video editing
on Pinnacle Studio which is really fun and cool. My garden is productive
except the rabbits ate my string bean plants to the ground. Grrrr.
"Time to kill da Wabbit..."
March 12, 2003 - Hmm.. it's actually an annual / semi-annual
journal mebbe. :)
Some on-line journals are interesting but almost nobody ever reads
them. Journals are supposed to be private things, aren't they? And
when you find someone's private journal you ought to just pretend
you didn't see it and put it away back in whatever drawer in which
you happened to stumble upon this naughty thing in your hand.
A Person's Private Thoughts. Published and on-line on a network.
Hmm. In the community days of the Internet this was fun and interesting.
Now on the Totally Commercial, Totally Goverment Wired network filled
with Clueless People In A Hurry - it sometimes just feels crazy.
One woman dropped by Ruhamah and wrote: "I read your poems
and think you should not be so down about love. It's obvious your
heart got broken but love is great if you find the right person!"
Horror. That note sent horror shivering through my soul. She just
doesn't get it. She doesn't get Poetry. I don't sit around feeling
miserable since I've mostly forgotten what sinister things I may
have been feeling whiny about then. God knows I've probably experienced
some situations equally miserable - or worse in some cases - since
then. But even this misses the point: She doesn't get Life.
A poem crystalizes a moment. So does a journal. But it's not like
"David is what his journal describes." I'm not what I
write in a poem - thank God. I'm not even what I write today. A
Journal (even one that is well maintained) can only capture mebbe
0.00001 % of what is happening in any reasonably dynamic
person's life. The information is useful mostly in looking back.
"Hey, look where I was then. Oh yeah... I remember that guy!"
:)
david
April 16, 2002 - OK Mebbe it's merely a Semi-Daily Journal
A friend resigned from work today. He's a very good guy, going
through a very rough time in his journey through life. I wasn't
surprised that it happened. I'm not surprised because he's going
through a divorce.
There ought to be a law: anyone going through a divorce is not
responsible for their actions for at least six months. If they act
crazy = that's to be expected. In fact, it's amazing that people
going through divorce don't act weird constantly. The bubble bath
of love is spiraling down into the disgusting hair-clogged bathtub
drain of life - or something horrid like that. If kids are involved,
they should get a big bonus every day they function normally for
one half-hour.
My best wishes and prayers go out to my friend and former colleague.
I am grateful for all the good things he accomplished. I'm keeping
in touch and I think he's going to be ok.
April 14, 2002 - Where has David and Ruhamah.com been?
It's not all back up but I really made an effort to start getting
Ruhamah updated. In August of 2000 I was using a chain saw to trim
a massive tree branch for my sister, while standing about 25 feet
high on a ladder. Yes, I know it's NUTS to trim a large oak tree
using a ladder. Anyway - the branch kicked the ladder out from under
me, and I fell just about nearly to my death. I was in surgery almost
24 hours. My left shoulder and right wrist were shattered - they
absorbed the fall, undoubtedly saving my life. And these bodily
shock absorbers were replaced with stainless steel components with
great skill by my surgeon. For quite a long time I wasn't even able
to even walk - much less type. After a long convalescence I got
back on my feet. Lots of things I wondered if I would be able to
do ever again I can do - play guitar and drive and play my drums
and throw a frisbee. I feel great and greatful to be alive!
