Up the Stream of Consciousness in a Small Rowing Boat

Moving to a New Location:

2011-02-27T11:03:00.000-08:00

Everyone,

Or, more accurately, all one of you (Hello, Martin!):

I'm moving my blog to my new Mobile Me-hosted domain, where it'll be featured as a part of my new personal home page here .

I'm working on getting domain hosting issues settled out,but for the time being I can promise you not one but TWO blogs: Up The Stream of Consciousness, and "My Life At Work: Further Adventures in the New Economy", an online journal of how my current job search is going. At 42 years of age, I realized that while this may be the new economy, I'm still putting up with a lot of the same old stuff. No Longer! Now I fight back using the patented power of Words!

And, if you're at all interested, I've also got a bunch of links to things like: my photography and multimedia portfolio, my Linked In profile, my Facebook and Twitter feeds, and more goodness of that kind as soon as I can get it coded.

Come by and check out the new digs! I'll be keeping this site up for another month or so and then will be shutting it down permanently, so I hope to see you (mainly Martin, unless someone else out there in cyberspace is reading any of this) at my new site shortly.

Cheers,
Michael

On Personal Power

2010-01-24T13:06:00.000-08:00

I've felt pretty disenchanted with American civic life in the light of the Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission decision this week, but I've been thinking about it more this morning and I remembered one important truth that I thought was worth passing on.

At the heart of the SCOTUS ruling is the role that money plays in securing a place for the spender in the public forum. I'll link to the court papers discussing the decision here. For a better layman's analysis than mine, I'd steer you here.

From my reading so far, corporations and unions alike are now freed from the restrictions imposed on them by current campaign finance law and may now contribute directly to campaigns without having to navigate the circuitous route of PAC's and other advocacy groups that we've grown used to, like the "Friends of Fred the Vole" or similar tags at the end of most campaign commercials. That's as far as I've gotten, and that's the takeaway I get from reading most news about this decision.

Naturally, this is depressing. A multi-national corporation or labor union has a great deal of money at its disposal. I currently do not and will not unless I'm extraordinarily good with investments or win the lottery or do something both brilliant and lucrative all at once. (It's more likely that I will wake up tomorrow speaking fluent Pashtun or French than to find that I have won the lottery, but I still have the odd hope now and then.) It is hard to believe that my ordinary voice, which speaks of ordinary concerns and deals with ordinary things, carries the same weight within the circles of the powerful that the voice of a richer person, with a wider range of means at their disposal to affect changes in society. In short, it seems that I am powerless.

I have often confused having the means to do X thing or Y thing with having the power to do either X or Y. The possession of money is often conflated in my mind, or has been in the past, with power. In reality, though, if I understand power as the will or determination to apply my efforts with discipline and focus in a chosen direction, then power becomes a personal quality that I have always possessed and can further develop, and which money can neither diminish or increase. Living life in the manner I want becomes a question of individual commitment. To quote the fencing master Aldo Nadi, "Well, nothing in fencing is really impossible, nor even exceedingly difficult. But everything requires work." ("On Fencing", Ch. 5, pg. 66. Emphasis mine) It is so in life as well.

Having a quantity of money in my hands only makes the application of my efforts easier in some ways, and if I so choose I could use those same means to impede the efforts of others for whatever reasons I see fit. I exist in a society that allows a certain class of people (those with the means) to to further their own interests at the expense of others (those without the means). There is a huge division, and we all can see it, between the rich and the powerful, and ordinary people. We're often encouraged to emulate or admire the wealthy, the fabulous and the beautiful. This just drives home the perceived differences between the powerful and the ordinary. Well, "ordinary people" are not without resources, although they may lack a particular means (money). We have personal power.

For example, I have the power to live as though the thoughts, experiences and voices of those who do not belong to my socio-economic or religious or ethnic background are just as important as my own. I do fail, but that does not excuse me from making the effort. This obliges me to use what means I have to help those who need it. It obliges me to pay attention, to be mindful, and to truly listen. It means I must follow the example of Christ, our advocate, and contribute to being an advocate for those who need one. I cannot depend on a President, or a Senator, or a Representative, or an Enlightened Celebrity to do this for me. Indeed, in light of recent political developments I'm convinced that I am a fool if I do. I am responsible for my own life. I must understand the power I have and use it effectively.

Road Test - 1969 Plymouth GTX

2010-01-24T12:28:00.001-08:00

This is one of my favorite muscle cars in a vintage road test. Be sure that you car buffs out there check out this guy's YouTube channel and his website, because he's got loads more and is obviously a devoted car fan. Big thanks!

Bass Angels

2009-12-31T17:05:00.000-08:00

One of my New Year's resolutions/projects/challenges - whatever you want to call it - is to become a better bassist. I really want to become more aware, more attuned to my instrument, and am working on a blog project that I'll get rolling in the next year.

Right now, here's my New Year's wish/advice to everybody out there, courtesy of one of the true angels of the bass, Willie Dixon, the undisputed heavyweight champ of rocking the upright bass.

If you want to hear Willie Dixon seriously work his upright over, listen to this:

Or this:

(Yeah, I know this last one doesn't show anyone playing, but listen to the bass. The sound's a little trebly but you can still hear Willie Dixon's bass nailing it every time. I love his playing on this part - he's working that upright like a heavy bag. Damn!)

A Boy and His Car

2009-12-27T19:30:00.000-08:00

Specifically, my brother Patrick and his '72 Dodge Charger. I just finished this video in time for what would have been his 39th birthday on the 28th. Enjoy!