Errant Ghost

(Source: industrialfire)

Newspapers are dying.  Cable news channels are propaganda and gossip mills.  Politicians seem less and less able to help anyone, perhaps even just less inclined.  People are poor, hungry, and some dying in the streets from both.  That is just the general case for our world, we are not even talking specifics.

So, why write?  Because it is the only fight we have left.  This weekend, Dan Harmon was fired from one of my favorite TV Shows, Community.  It left me spinning.  If a guy that created a show can be run off, well, what hope does anyone starting out have?  It felt like the giants of the world had single handedly wiped all us new creators off the map.  It was the sound of thousand sighs. 

So, why write?  Because if we give up, that is it.  If we don’t all continue to create what ever weirdness pops from our brains, then the world is doomed and we are all the worse for it.

So, why write?  After all, the wave is to big.  Surely, I alone cannot stop it.  Bullshit.  Whose wave is it?  That wave of money first, advertising first, fame first belongs to them. The suits, the ass-kissers, the wanna-be’s, the star-fuckers.  This, this whatever it is we all make in our spare time, this is ours.  We don’t need to check and see if we are insulting someone.  We don’t need to insure our works produced fit in a tidy package with an animal mascot that resembles a whore more than a cute cartoon.  We don’t need anyone’s approval.  We need our own.

So, why write?  To quote Coach Taylor from Friday Night Lights, because we are champions.  Yeah, it is scary putting yourself out there.  This past Monday, the first part of my short-story Dig Doug was published.  Friends, I was terrified.  Like a child, I swaddled it in blankets I thought beautiful.  I dressed it up.  I then dumped it into the world.  Like a parent dropping their kid off for school the first day.  I just left it there.  On some website.  And it killed me.  Cause now, everyone could see it.  They could all form opinions, right and wrong.  Hell, they could even mis-read the entire thing.  Or, no one could say nothing at all about it.  Then I realized, it doesn’t even matter.  I strived, I worked, I hurt for that story.  So, who am I to worry about perception? 

So, why write?  Because some of us have to.  Despite the pain and anxiety of loosing the story into the greater world, I still felt like a champion.  I did it.  My first.  And whatever flaws people may see in it, well, flaws are opinions as my friend Bill told me.  Yeah, you can get better.  Yeah, you can keep evolving.  But give yourself the chance to get better, to evolve.  Don’t change.  Don’t try to be someone else.  Be you, doing this one thing as best you can.  And if it sucks.  Well, there is always tomorrow and you will be better the next day for having done this thing today. 

I write not because I want to be famous.  Not because I need to be rich.  I write because it is my gift and my vulnerability.  I write to write.  It is the same for you who is reading this.  Go do this thing today so you can do it again tomorrow.  And even if it is washing dishes.  Wash those dishes with the same care you would a creation you are making.  Wash a dish with the same care Faulkner put into A Light in August or David Simon put into The Wire. 

Go out, now, make something.  Break the world apart with your heart, so it can be rebuilt into something better. 

Go.  Make.  Breathe. 

This is why I write. 

Thank you for reading this. 

I finally finished the multi-week epic storyThe Many Lives of Yelena Moulinby Julian Darius posted up on the upstart Martian Lit.com.  What starts as a seemingly satirical take on the amount of sex in our completely sex saturated society instead becomes a statement on the idea of mistakes and grief.  About who we are when we get bored and what we do to placate ourselves and never face the truth, even if it should be obvious to us.  I am being purposely vague as I don’t want to spoil some reveals that are unabashedly fun, if not a little cruel.  Also, let me not forget the art in it.  Artist Doug Smock has created something truly special in his illustrations that capture the fear and uncertainty in us all and these characters. 

Below, please find the links toThe Many Lives of Yelena Moulinby Julian Darius. 

Be warned, this is not safe for work.  But don’t be worried.  You are walking into a fascinating future.

http://www.martianlit.com/magazine/85/the-many-lives-of-yelena-moulin-chapter-1/

http://www.martianlit.com/magazine/88/the-many-lives-of-yelena-moulin-chapter-2/

http://www.martianlit.com/magazine/90/the-many-lives-of-yelena-moulin-chapter-3/

http://www.martianlit.com/magazine/92/the-many-lives-of-yelena-moulin-chapter-4/

http://www.martianlit.com/magazine/161/the-many-lives-of-yelena-moulin-chapter-5/

http://www.martianlit.com/magazine/190/the-many-lives-of-yelena-moulin-chapter-6/

http://www.martianlit.com/magazine/208/the-many-lives-of-yelena-moulin-chapter-7/

http://www.martianlit.com/magazine/227/the-many-lives-of-yelena-moulin-chapter-8/

http://www.martianlit.com/magazine/213/the-many-lives-of-yelena-moulin-chapter-9/

http://www.martianlit.com/magazine/397/the-many-lives-of-yelena-moulin-chapter-10/

My wife is a far more eloquent philosopher than any I have ever read. 

paperschemes:

Read More

I know it is cliche to say “I live on music” and create some meme that loops through 4 pastel colors that ironic hipsters love to soak in and reblog here on ole Tumblr.  No, I love music, but I equally hate it.  I do.  Why?  Because music is a scandelous dick that just changes it’s mind at a whim. 

So, while fads and fashions change, my taste really don’t.  I know that makes me sound like a crumdgeon, but I really don’t like things like dubstep.  I have attempted several times to listen to artists like Skrillex and what not and I found it to be grating and devoid of melody.  And while this may make me sound worse, I really love melodic music.  Now, that doesn’t mean it all has to be pop songs.  No, I love bands like Califone which sounds like 20 hillbillies beating on shit in their house to make creepy, beautiful songs.  But I love that.  Don’t try to sell me weird for weirds sake.  BUT, don’t also drape your shitty song in ironic 80’s colors and hyper color shirts and try to sell it as music as well.  Because to be honest, I couldn’t give a fuck less if LMFAO feels no remorse for their party-rockin. 

With that all said, I am today doing a survey of the modern American underground music scene.  So far, as of this morning, it has bore unnaturally great fruit.  Here is the growing list of bands that range on the scale from just interesting to awesome. 

Cloud Control - There’s Nothing In The Water We Can’t Fight

Dead Snares - The Language

Peter Wolf Crier - Setting It Off (this song is a little too long I feel)

Yellow Ostrich - Whale (this song, this fucking song.  This song could have easily have come out along side anything by Pavement or Built To Spill back in the 90’s!)

The Skies Revolt - It’s All In The Reflexes

The Great Book of John - Simple Things

Now, these were all found using my Roku box which has a lovely channel called Roxwel that has on demand music videos.  You can choose between hip-hop, indie, rock and some channel I never bother to even look through. 

Now, as far as internet searches go, I never use Pitchfork or any of those sites.  They tend to be rather elitist and effete in their choices.  I tend to find either under rated music blogs or go on somethingawful.com’s music recommendation of bands no one has ever heard of. 

I never go out to hunt for the most obscure band.  I just happen to find the most talent and interesting music being made. 

Now, here is the current list of interesting indie bands I have found thanks to the internet.

We Are Augustines- Rise Ye Sunken Ships

Sun Glitters (this is more electronica, but more DJ Shadow than Skrillex or anything)

Creepoid (If you are looking for a 90’s style band, then this band will make you smile)

More to come…

(Source: )