service, teaching and learning, soulful music to be inspired by, jamming with fellow musicians in a garage, on stage or around the campfire, writing rhymes and making beats, yummy wholesome food which is always best when shared with family and friends, dancing for performance or simply grooving at a concert, festivals-both organizing and attending, creating rituals out of life, snowboarding, acting, gardening, swimming, biking, hiking, writing, reading, chilling out just watching a movie while pretending to be a movie critic, revelatory quotes, maps, chocolate and last but not least, Halloween. *****AS OF LATELY: enjoying the sunshine, gardening, dancing, listening to and playing music, and determined to learn Italian better.
There is a constant soundtrack to my life, whether it's in the car, tunes to clean the house, the ceaseless songs in my head or what I am playing on some various instrument...it is constant, I tell you. Music runs in phases for me so this section might change from time to time. I am open to soul and meaning. If it makes me dance, all the better. MY INFLUENCES AND INSPIRATION ARE AS FOLLOWS (we'll start around the junior high school age as I think I finally had some taste then): Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, the Cure, Violent Femmes, REM, Depeche Mode, 10,000 Maniacs, World Party, Crowded House, Talking Heads, Jane's Addiction, Smashing Pumpkins, Peter Gabriel, The Grateful Dead (probably the biggest influence by far), Bob Dylan (second), Beastie Boys, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley, Toots and the Matals, Bonnie Raitt, Ella Fitzgerald, Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone, Louis Armstrong, Maceo Parker, STS9, Moby, Shiela Chandra, Thievery Corporation, Michael Franti, Jack Johnson, G. Love, John Mayer (his live stuff with his trio, when his frickin' awesome guitar playing is really demonstrated), Wookie Foot, White Stripes*******RECENTLY: Groundation, Houses of the Holy-Led Zeppelin, Old Dead bootlegs from the 70's, To the 5 Boroughs-Beastie Boys, KDEC radio and Sunday night service with Reverend Ray on Radio Free Driftless.
I am pretty critical in this area. I don't like feeling like I wasted a few hours of my time so I try to pick them right. I like all movies by Kevin Smith: Clerks, Chasing Amy, etc. Rick Linklater's Before Sunrise and Sunset, Slacker. I am a huge fan of musicals both old and new: Chicago, Grease, Jesus Christ Superstar, Singing in the Rain, to name a few. The epics are a favorite as well: Star Wars, Lord of the Rings. I love old black and white films: Abbot and Costello, It's a Wonderful Life... I prefer movies that make me think. Metaphysics is up my alley. I don't mind going to the "dark side" either. People in the real world can be twisted so it's wise to take a look at it. I think it's great when you have "real" characters, not necessarily Hollywood glam but actors/actresses who can really act. ****FRESHLY-VIEWED RECOMMENDATIONS: (I am imagining this is the right category although I saw these on PBS) "A documentary on Marvin Gaye (not sure of actual title)"-Wow. What can I say? Saw this just a few days ago and it's still living in me. Painful yet triumphant and inspiring. "King Corn"-an independent 'short' film. Two guys decide to grow corn to follow its path to be sold, commercially. These two guys are comical and innocent as they make some surprising discoveries. Hits hard about the 'American Way.' My realization: Somehow, we humans can always manage to exploit things that are sacred.
This feels like a confessional...the only thing I watch regularly is the local news and weather (I am turning into my grandma). When I am not doing homework, I try to catch some shows such as: PBS specials (Masterpiece Theatre, Yan Can, Antique Roadshow, Austin City limits, late night movies. I am a true supporter), Scrubs, Survivor.
All books by Paulo Coelho (if you haven't checked him out, start with The Alchemist), Deepak Chopra's novels like The Way of the Wizard. I love reference books on crystals, finding bliss, herbs, dreams, health and palm reading. I have read a number of myths from all over the world, India being my favorite. *****CURRENTLY: The Witch of Portabello-Paulo Coelho, The Art of Oriental Face Reading, The Italian Dictionary and Eyewitness Atlas of the World (see, I wasn't kidding about maps).
As Bob Dylan said, "He not busy being born is busy dying." Or as Mike D. said, "Be true to yourself and you will never fall." I guess what I am trying to say is, my heroes are people who truly live life to the fullest and stand up for what they know in their hearts is truly the best thing for the whole. Ya dig?