Wondering why, playing go or any other mentally stimulating puzzle games, playing drums, dreaming, imagining I am a groundbreaking music producer, talking to plants, worrying about the world, teaching myself how stuff like electronics and sound and electromagnetic fields work, hating on my cell phone..(sorry), playing drums.
a dolphin
whale and bird songs, Shona Mbira music; Ivor Cutler; spontaneous naturally occurring urban mashups particularly when they involve preteens practicing string or wind instruments vs reggaeton or dancehall reggae selections blasting from car windows with a little doppler effect to boot; Charles Mingus, Hank Williams Sr, Tarif de Haidouks, The MONKS, the Troggs, the Shangri-La's, The Coasters, The Zombies, Fletcher Henderson, Anita O'Day, Sun Records, Small Island Pride, Old Calypso, western swing, the Raymond Scott Quintet, the elusive quicksilver sound I've encountered occasionally in fine and slightly zen but not in a california way burrito stands that I can only describe as psychedelic mariachi kraut desert surf rock, (if anyone knows more about this vibrant esoteric music please do tell); also Jeff and Jack Lewis, Misty's Big Adventure, Herman Dune, Stanley Brinks, Robotnika, The Leader, Cheese On Bread, Gogol Bordello, Jenny Lewis, Brazilian Girls; 60's & 70's Bollywood soundtracks. Also anything having to do with hunter gatherers, gypsies, burlesque cabaret carnival freaks, second line brass bands, Joe Meek, Serge Gainsbourg or Lee Hazlewood. The Most Serene Republic is the greatest live act I have seen in years. Isobel Campbell is my newest idol of worship. Beat the Devil destroys new york!
Sholay, Latcho Drom, Jesus Christ Superstar, Grizzly Man, Night of the Living Dead
PBS
I just heard some of the most mindblowing shiz on tape on the last Jeff Lewis cross country tour. It called "The Omnivore's Dilemma" but Michael Pollen. It is required reading for dumb americans. So is "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins. Some other very influential books for me in recent times have been "Keeping the Love You Find" by Harville Hendrix, PH.D. and "The Third Chimpanzee" by Jared Diamond, "Ida Rolf Talks: About Rolfing and Physical Reality", "The Soul Of Mbira" by Paul F. Berliner, and Bill Bryson's "Made in America: an informal history of the english language in the united states".
Neem Karoli Baba, Master Ueshiba Morihei, Tom Brown Jr, Ramana Maharishi, Buckminster Fuller, Sherlock Holmes, John Todd, Charles Darwin, Raymond Scott, Charlie Chaplin, and all mad scientists generally.