Reverend Gonzo's Dark and Depraved Mind

Hey gang!

I'll have to start by apologizing, since I’m getting to be pretty good at taking the journal sabbaticals, it seems. I have not, however, forgotten or forsaken any one of you I will admit, that this is a hastily written entry, just to get me back in the habit of doing so and to check on all of my little gonz-ites out there in LJ land, so I haven’t even started reading all of your entries to catch me up on how you all are, but I hope you are all doing smashingly, and that all of your little LJ dreams are coming true.

I will say that I have been keeping myself busy, buried in mountains of tobacco, it seems, but I'm hoping to see some new life endeavors in the weeks and months to come and, incidentally, some new things to journal about. Hopefully it won't be 8 months this time. :0)

Take care of yourselves, you freaks and geeks and lovers and losers, all of ya! I have missed it here and hope to be back for some time to come.
 

 

Rev. G

 

Knowing there are a few comic fans in LJ land, and even more movie fans, I'm sure, I think it's safe to say that "The Watchmen"  is likely on many of your respective radars, and while I would like to say that I had some witty, geekery filled, yea if somewhat vulgar diatribe about the movie, and the legal issues that have been casting a long shadow over this highly anticipated, and oh so long overdue adaptation of the most significant graphic novel of all time, I do not. He does...

http://www.cracked.com/blog/fox-can-eat-several-dicks/

Kinda weak posting someone else's post when I haven't really posted in months, but it was something I wanted to share with my LJ mates, and frankly would have just stumbled you all if I would have any of you on my friends list  (good point.... Any stumblers out there?).

Hopefully I'll get back to something of merit on here soon enough. I hearken back to my earliest posts and kinda miss my odd little tirades. Soon, I hope. Soon.

Hi Guys.

Sorry I've been gone a while. Guess I got gobbled up by all the holiday retail madness making sure that everyone had all their fine tobacco to put under the tree this year. I have to say it was pretty remarkable to see how many people are enjoying good cigars in this town. It's something I just never saw taking off like it has. In the eyes of this cigar geek, a welcome sight to see.

So how is everyone? I do hope tjhat everyones Christmas / Hanukkah / Kwanzaa /etc...  was of the highest measure, and that your respective loved ones / over-sized magical elves / other misc. magical gift bringing entities got you all exactly what your little hearts desired. If so, let me know. Uncle Gonz would love to hear all about it. In fact, I'll start. I was lucky enough to receive a big fancy limited edition Crown Royal Cask No 16 250 count cigar humidor that I have been eyeballing for the last 8 to 10 months (supreme cigar geekery), and (oh my heart leaps with joy) all the necessary (and some not so necessary) repairs and modifications for my long since mortally wounded guitar. (Insert a Stimpy-esque squeal of glee, here. Wait no, actually....................................here. Yeah. That's much better).

I guess that's enough of my silliness for now. Just wanted to let everybody know that I still love you all, that you all may come home now, and that all is forgiven. It just wouldn't be the holiday's otherwise.

Merry (late) Christmas, and Happy New Year.

Rev. G.

I met the day today in the gaze of the October sun

 With a cool breath of wind on my neck

And the soft touch of the grass on my feet

The dew clinging desperately to my skin before it finally falls away

Falls like sweat in our lovers embrace

Touches me like your hands so gentle

Breathes like you with your lips against my body

And watches over me like the warm shadow of your love

But all I have are the sun, the wind, the grass and the dew

Now reminding me of the joy of you

A love so natural and raw, it can only be replicated by nature itself

And as comforting as it is to see your face in the clouds

And to hear you whisper to me through the rustling trees

And to feel you and smell you and sense you in all of God’s creation

It still serves as a stark reminder of the fact that you’re not there

And for a moment replaces the hope of the beautiful day with a familiar sadness

And a longing that I hope soon will be nothing but a memory

But for now, I’ll bask in the sunlight, soak up the breeze, roll in the grass, and bathe in the dew

And in it, find a reason to smile for one more day,

Knowing that I’d trade them all for another day with you.

Well, it's another damn hurricane. I started the day in New Orleans yesterday, until they shut down all hotels at 8am. Made it to Dallas last night. I'll be checking back in with everyone as the evacu-cation plays out. to those of you staying at home through this thing, I wish you all the best. Be safe, and keep me posted.

Cheers,

Rev. G.

I just sat in my living room and played Crosby Stills and Nash's "Helplessly Hoping" with a pick that five hours ago played the same song in the hands of Steven Stills, himself. Color me mindblown. I live for moments like this.

Every now and again the human creature is faced with the type of conflict that one can only describe as, probably,  esoteric or existential. It's not so much one of those day to day trials that we all face as much as it ends up being those fringe, out of the way conflicts whose outcomes eventually end up defining us at the end of the day.  It's the character defining questions, the principal challenging questions, and usually the questions that are hardest to answer, that really show us what kind we goods are truly made of. Rarely are these kind of questions presented just once, rather, posed repeatedly over time until one finally complete's that particular puzzle. One of those question's that continues to find interesting ways of presenting itself has now made it's way into the subject line of a journal entry. Yet it,  far too often, in far to many circumstances, finds itself an every pertainent ponderance.

To pose it simply, to each of you: What are you waiting for? As vague as it may seem, is a question that spans countless aspects of our lives, and one that we are all likey to face on a daily basis. In it, however, I have found, for myself, an interesting dichotimy. "What am I waiting for?" Off the cuff, it feels like the push to make haste. "What are you waitng for? You goal is at hand. You can achieve what you desire. There it is. Go get it, etc..." It's the "What are you waiting for " in the Hamlet sense. Act IV Scene IV, contains Hamlet's final soliloquy begining with the line "How all occasions do inform against me and spur my dull revenge." The passage represents Hamlet's confrontation with all the evidence he has been presented concerning the death of his father, followed later by the lines " I do not know why yet I live to say, "This thing’s to do. Sith I have cause, and will, and strength, and means to do ’t. Examples gross as earth exhort me."  This particular passage has always held me in a particular way. In fact. as a theater student, it was my classical audition piece, partially becase Hamlet, as a character was brilliantly complex and lush. but it was the reality of that exposition that slew me. It was this singular man facing a slain father , a stolen kingdom,  the disgrace of his mother, and the loss of his love, while facing an army of tens of thousands marching towards his home, his kingdom, knowing why it has all happened and what must be done to make it right and he still has to ask himself a question that, even today, each and every one of us has to ask ourselves on some level.  "What am I waiting for?" Be it love. life, career's, goals, heath, education, we all will see the goal, see the reason's why we should or should not, yet, often, we don't have an answer. Human nature, or human flaw, it's true for each and every one of us. It's the point where potential and reality collide , leaving that human creature to make, usually, a very difficult decision.

Another side of the coin presents the dichotimy. As much as that question can be compelling and motivating, another side of that phrase can be equally profound. When considering the varied things one may want out of life, sometimes the "go get it"  attitude should be substituted for "slow down long enough to accept it" one. While I fully appreciate the motivated method, the latter has actually made more sense to me and been a very present and real thing in my life. Often, while struggling and fighting to obtain all the things one thinks they want in life, they overlook all the little things that make each day a joy and give you a little more reason each day to keep going. Are they just waiting to get everything in place before they can worry about those things? Knowing that we are promised this moment, and no more, that simply sounds follish, doesn't it? If you are waiting for tomorrow to revel in the the joys that life hands us everyday, it could be an empty envestment, and it eventually it will be, that day that your tomorrow suddenly doesn't arrive.

I guess that's the trick. Here I sit facing, the hardest incarnation of this question ever I've faced in this lifetime and both ways sound so perfect,, so right, yet at the same time so monumentally wrong, and the trouble is that indecisiveness, this time, is a loss. I've got to make a call and I'm not sure which side of my heart to follow, much less,  how. I don't know if this one is supposed to be the completion of this puzzle, or just the next piece, but the one thing that has surely implanting itself into my spirit and my psyche is the importance of asking the question. What are you waiting for? In any and all aspects of your life, what are you waiting for? What does it mean to you? If it means stopping to smell the flowers, do it. If it means knuckling down to get the job done, do it. If it means getting real, in your job, your relationship, your education, DO IT. What ever it is your waiting for, make sure your doing everything to make it happen. Life is too full of promise and possibility to be on the wrong side of the waiting game, no matter which side it may be.

So, what are you waiting for?

Time is short and words are few, but I would feel grossly remiss for not tipping the literary hat upon news of the passing of George Carlin. Despite the bombastic and often scathing nature of his rants and diatribes, he was surprising humble about any kind of great impact that he may have been making in this world. Whether or not he liked the idea, a great impact has been made indeed, on myself and the countless of dozens of scores of hundreds of thousands that not only laughed at his words, but at moments found genuine insight, wisdom, and inspiration in the ravings of this madman. He helped define, and made himself a footnote in the pages of history describing what one "couldn't say " on television, he fervently challenged conventional thinking and, furthermore, challenged others to think differently, while all the while bringing one of the simplest gifts of all, the gift of laughter. Now as the chuckles and chortles and guffaw's and giggles fade into a sad refrain. we take a moment to remember , and mourn the loss of the last of a very rare breed. The laughter will return. It is the legacy he leaves, but for now, don't be afraid to shed a tear and raise a glass for one of the few. One who's made us all laugh so many times before.


Farewell Mr.Carlin. You will be sorely missed.

 I am free, no matter what rules surround me.  If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them.  I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do. 
~Robert A. Heinlein

Being a resident of the unusual place what is Southwest Louisiana, I don't often find grand musical experiences falling on my doorstep, but a few years ago,we were fortunate enough have this little downtown spot known as Breezy's, that, nondescript as the bar may have been, the music it hosted was some of the most exciting stuff I'd seen. One band of note was a Madison, Wisconsin based crew of Irish Rock miscreants known as The Kissers, that paired their fun, lively rollicking sound, with the kind of dark compelling political statements that are of the truest definition of what is real Irish music. Though not of any Irish descent myself, I've always had some kind of draw to the old Celtic world, and it's relative musical sound, traditional, folk and modern, and aside from Shane McGowan and the Pogues, there's no other Irish rock I want to hear like The Kissers. 

A second place to Shane, I think, would be a place that Kissers front man and father Ken Fitzsimmons would be pretty happy with, citing him as"The Man" on the band's website, but it was something else that I picked on from Ken today that has me writing this post. In an open letter to Madison's Isthmus Daily Page, Fitsimmons announced that after 10 well spent years on the road, that it was time to call it quits and allow the respective members to pursue other fulfilling ventures. As much as it saddens me to know that I will not get to enjoy another Kisser's show, it does appear as if all of them have very promising and exciting ventures presenting themselves, and while I don't like it, I understand, and wish all of them absolute best as a solemn thanks, for the music and unspeakable amounts of enjoyment they've brought me.

I sent Ken an email today, sending my best and venting some of my sadness at the news, and shared a really funny memory that I though you all might enjoy.

To :  Ken
Subject :  Re: The Kissers Bid Farewell to Madison: An Open Letter from Ken Fitzsimmons

- - - - - -

I hate to have to get all political again, but a fellow member of the blogosphere threw something out that I have to bite on. He speaks of this new "movement" amongst pot smokers uniting to protest laws and treatment of convicted smokers by NOT voting in the upcoming presidential race, to send a message to the establishment. While I fully support their ideals, I have to firmly disagree with their methodology.

I fail to see the effectiveness of pushing any large scale social and political ideal by removing yourself from the political process. One of the biggest stumbling blocks I've seen in the path towards a reasonable and sensible pot policy in America is the lack of  dialog amongst those who have the law making power. By removing the, or even the idea of  a "pot vote", you give candidates one less issue to make a point of while crafting their policy, and carving their path towards office, and while I agree that not many are doing this to begin with,  the lack of open and vocal support for this issue will only bury it more so in the minds of the politico than it already is, and make any hopes of change in the matter that much more of an unattainable goal.

I would really like to think that an organized shot at voter turnout would send a strong message, but I haven't seen any real efforts on the federal level to fight statistically waning voter rolls and and often paltry voter turnout as it is. I, frankly, don't think this would even be a blip on any political radar, or even halfway spark the interest of any talking head. It doesn't sound to me like what attention may be garnered from this movement is going to justify not having a voice in a very important election. As much as I support these ideals, we're in too risky a place to allow the wrong person in the Oval Office, and while I don't think any of the big three are really the spot on, "right" man/woman for the job, I do believe that two of them are frighteningly "wrong", indeed.

As I've posted earlier, I take issue with one-issue voters. While I know that folks do tend to have one issue that outshines the rest, I think any responsible voter should really take the effort to examine all the issues and make a decision that's best for this country as a whole, not just for themselves. Is this a pipe dream? Maybe so, but then again so may be legalized / decriminalized pot in the United States. That doesn't mean one  should stop hoping and working towards the goal, right?

Apathy does not promote change. It takes diligence, determination, vision, and leadership. It takes a voice, a great many, in fact, to create real change. I encourage all of you, no matter what your call or cause, to keep those voices ringing through the rafters, and making sure that everybody knows you are there, and that you are there to stay.  
 

Lifestyle Entrepreneur....


Personally, I think I've found a calling. Let me know what you think?

I'd certainly like to know...

 

Also, today is the 65th anniversary of the creation of L.S.D. Does anyone really care anymore, or are psychedelic dreams still alive? Hard to tell. It's just been so long, hasn't it?

Why exactly do we do this whole "blog" thing, anyway?"

Some of us are just looking for an outlet for the things that don't seem appropriate to share anywhere else. Others are looking for a voice, or like minded people, and a chance to write and get feedback on our thoughts and musings,while others may do it for any number of the myriad of reasons that have made blogging as widespread and popular as it is today.

An earlier post ( for those who missed it) included an image of two dogs, one saying to the other " I had my own blog for a while, but I decided to go back to just pointless, incessant barking". This image made me stop to think about exactly what I'm doing out here, and why it often does feel like I'm shouting at the rafters just for my own gratification, it appears. My impulse for starting the blog came from our good friend 

celamowari, when he suggested I join the journal after I mentioned that I wanted to get down to some serious writing. To be honest I don't know how legitimately serious any of it has been, and, I don't seem any closer to making any money off of the words that I write unless you count two years of scratching off news copy all day long ( which as a newsman, I'll take that for what it's worth. As a writer, no).  Looking back, now, just over three years deep into this dark and depraved mind, I really have to stop and ask myself  If I'm just barking for no good reason, and if I have room in my life for such trifling things anymore?

It's amazing the answers we find for ourselves, sometimes.

I have watched many of you, (and many others, for that matter, that do not even read my journal) rally around an incredible young woman fighting a battle that most of us couldn't fathom, much less handle with the grace, tenacity, and mindset that she somehow manages to do. The love and concern you all show is so compellingly genuine, almost tangible. Though you've never met, I see love and support, kindness compassion and caring, all through the written word of a diverse many scattered about the globe. My goal was to give myself a reason to write regularly and get feedback to help me be a better writer. And, whereas, I've gotten a good deal of that, I've found friendship, human compassion, truly amazing people (pentapuss, you are an inspiration), challenging and motivating ideas,  many laughs, and many tears. You sometimes forget just how hard it is to find many of these things, even in the "real" world, these days. People with substance, character, and depth of spirit are just too rare a creature anymore, I guess. I commend you all for being amongst the few.

Let this be my thank you to any and all I may have missed over the years. I've found myself more in the writing mindset again, and have put a renewed effort in to it. You all have, in many ways, been your own inspiration to me, and I am in your debt. I could write volumes...

So, Woof, woof. And I'll "woof" as loud and as long as it takes. Even if only a few are listening.

 

 

I have stumbled across something that I thought the readers might enjoy, certainly my international fans. (Sorry Ivy, I couldn't resist)

Prove me wrong on this. I challenge all of you to submit a post on just how, why and what this image brings to you. I'll post one myself, but I'll save mine for now. This one is your show.

And they're off...

The few faithful (and I love you all) , are familiar with my 60's hangup by now. I have just found out that one of my all time favs is launching a tour, and I'll be sweet bejesused if they're not coming to Louisiana. For anyone who who somehow missed Crosby Stills, and Nash, (and lest we forget Neil Young) my condolences for lost time. They are just one of the most remarkable vocal triumphs of recorded music. Their flawless harmonies are what drew me in and incidently what caused former members of The Byrds, the Hollies, and The Buffalo Springfield to form, likely, the first real "supergroup" during a jam session at Joni Mitchells house in Woodstock, New York. in the late 60's.

Most of you would probably know Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, Teach Your Children, Our House, but if you haven't  heard Helplessly Hoping, Guinnevere, 4 & 20, or Helpless, among many others, do yourself a favor on pick up some CSN.

They play Shreveport in August, and, hell or be damned, I'll be sitting in the front row.

 

As a self proclaimed beer and cigar geek, I've been trying to think of ways to incorporate more of that in our local private cigar club (Do see our lovely place...)  . I've been starting to write up some reviews, and figured I would share some of my hard earned experience with the masses (By hard earned I mean sitting around smoking fist full’s of great cigars and pouring over many a pint of fine brew, and by masses I mean, well...) . I guess I'll start with the beer, since more of you are likely to drink beer than smoke cigars, I would say..

I'll have to precede with a story of my Beaumont bound bas-ass, bargain, booze blitz run across state lines yesterday. As often goes the way of many fine brews from domestic shores and abroad, distribution is key. I used to work for a local micro brewery that was struggling to get its distribution back on track after relocating the brewery from SE Louisiana, to Southwesterly Lake Charles. Locals could enjoy the very well crafted brews locally, but, sadly no one else could. This after the Jackson, Louisiana based brewery saw success, certainly in cities like Baton Rouge and New Orleans, where a demand still remains (my favorite tap room in BR still has a Rikenjaks Beer sign hanging on the wall). But, it was all a matter of getting a distributer (only 2 in all of LA) to pick the beer up. The local brewery saw many a change of hand over the few years it was online, and even with bringing one of the founders of the beer in as brew master, it never got back out of Lake Charles. After further management shifts, the brewery eventually shut down. The adjacent pub still bears the name Rikenjaks, but the kettles and mash tins lay cold and quiet in the building next door, the brew master now teaches engineering at the local university, and I sit sipping a pint of bootleg beer I had to drive an hour away to get.

Mind you we do have a great deal of spectacular beers available in the state of Louisiana, but some that are not, are well worth the drive to Spec's in Beaumont, TX. Spec's is an AA programs worst frikkin nightmare. Every beer, liquor, wine, and spirit under the sun, with superstore prices (Bliss, I tell you, bliss). I made a trip to stock up on a few favs that I far too rarely get to enjoy.  Amongst the treasured finds were 4 treasures from the Ft. Collin's New Belgium Brewery  : Fat Tire amber ale, Abbey Belgian style ale, Trippel Belgian style, and 1554 enlightened black ale. I also picked up the aptly named “The Reverend” quadruple Belgian style ale from Boulder, Co’s Avery Brewing (gotta love it), Old Speckled Hen, an amber colored English fine ale from Oxfordshire, England, Mardesous 10 trippel Belgian abbey amber ale, from the Abbaye de Mardesous, Denée, Belgium, a quirky Mississippi Mud Black and Tan, from Mississippi Brewing Co. in (surprise) Utica New York (no web site. Srry.), Stone Breweries Arrogant Bastard Strong Ale, from Escondido, CA, and today’s focus, Bedford, UK’s, Young’s Double Chocolate Stout.

I’ll start by saying that I hate sweet and/or flavored beers, as a general rule. This is one of the few marked exceptions. A smooth well balanced cream stout, brewed with pale ale, crystal, and chocolate malts, and Golding and Fuggle hops, with real chocolate in the mix, that with the creaminess of the stout, starts with a subtle milk chocolate essence, and leaves with a semi-sweet coco finish on the palate. What really knocks me out is the balance of all these distinct characteristics. It does not get too sweet, nor does the chocolate overpower the beer (see: Rogue Chocolate Stout). It’s a notable stout in its own right, but the subtle presence of the chocolate, makes this a truly remarkable beer. Originally brewed at the longstanding Young’s Brewery in London, production has now moved to Bedford after the October ’06 merger of brewing operations with Charles Well’s of Bedford, making quite the force in the U.K. brewing industry.

Sadly, availability on the beers may be limited some places (Louisiana, for one), but if you find yourself lucky enough to be able to pick up a pint or package of any of these, there are worth a try. Mind you, as far as legitimate recommendations goes, the jury is still out on some of these, but stay tuned. More reviews are in the oven, and I hope to get them out to you soon.

 

Cheers!

Rev. G.

Not that my endorsement is a blip on anybodies radar, but I think it's about time I picked which way I am going to go, and start making some noise for one candidate or the other. 

In my earlier "presidential" post, I said that I knew who I was voting for in the primaries, but apparently I was wrong, and I wouldn't learn that until the day of the primaries, in fact, not even until I got to the polls. My drivers license is expired, so the only valid ID I had was my passport, which I have used for voting purposes in the past. Upon arrival, the commissioner tells me that a new rule states that you have to have your address on your ID. She apologized, handed me my passport, and all but sent me on my way. I was not a happy voter.

I made a call to the voters registrar, whom I've worked with regularly over the past couple years, and explained my plight. She, clearly, was not happy either. I was told to march back in there, have that commissioner call her directly, fill out a little affidavit, and cast my vote. After the commissioner got, what I imagined to be a rather impassioned talking to by the registrar, I turned in the short little form, and was handed a card showing party registration to take to the booth.

I'll stop for a second, and hit the pertinent background,here. My primary pick was Barak Obama. It was a defensive vote against Hills, but, again, I hadn't decided on who I actually wanted. Being a registered Democrat, I knew I could vote for Obama, and wouldn't need to worry about changing party affiliations if I wanted to vote Republican in November.

Anyway, I look down at this yellow piece of paper with a rather angry looking "R" that I had just been handed and ask the Commissioner if I was registered Republican. A peak at the voters rolls confirmed, I was a member of the GOP.

First and foremost, I'm trying to figure out how this happened. Now I really don't align with either party, and am particularly miffed of those who pick candidates strictly along party lines, but my personal philosophy is rather liberal, so I have stayed registered Democrat. Or so I thought.

After all that nonsense, my primary vote went to Huckabee, a defensive vote against McCain (which, even then was only symbolic, with McCain so far ahead. That, and Huckabee did kind of amuse me. The whole "who created Huckabee" ordeal between Stephen Colbert, Conan O'Brien and John Stewart was priceless (and a great way to fill air time during the writers strike. Genius). Huckabee himself got involved here and there, having a laugh along with the rest of us. Since I couldn't vote as I intended, I figured I'd let mine go to Huckabee. Chuck Norris would be proud.

Ironically enough, Obama soundly won Louisiana, and Huckabee eeked out a narrow victory over McCain. Suddenly, I didn't feel so bad about election day.

Or at least primary election day. The big dance is yet to come, and I guess I still haven't told you who I'm courting, have I? I start by saying, it's clearly not McCain, tough it's with some disdain that I say that. I used to have a lot of respect for the Arizona Senator as, kind of, the anti-Bush republican,  for his military background and service, and for some sage calls in the execution of his job as Senator, but, what made this one an easy call for me is that this "anti-Bush republican", has spent the last couple of years aligning himself more and more with the Administration, I feel, mostly as a result of party pressure. Not only that, but McCain, now on the campaign trail, says let start bringing troops home, while he was probably the most vocal person in support of the troop surge, other than the President himself. Pick a policy and stick to it, please and thank you. I strongly feel, that the last thing we need in office after the last 8 years is a wishy-washy party puppet, and a GOP puppet, nonetheless. 

So, leaving only Hills and Obama, I'll have to stick with my initial impulse for the primaries, and fully support Barak Obama in his bid for the White House. Many may talk about "lack of experience", but in all honesty, none of the candidates have ever sat in the hot seat before. None of them have had to do that job,  under that pressure, and making those kind of decisions. And please, don't give the whole "Well, Hillary was First Lady, she has White House experience". That's like saying that Deanna Favre has Lambeau Field experience and would be the best choice for the new quarterback or coach of the Green Bay Packers. These candidates have be be judged on their own merit, no coat-tail riding, please and thank you. We've had enough of that in politics (certainly in the presidency) for far too long, now.

Right now I feel it's about the type of person we elect to lead the free world. Our reputation abroad is probably the worst it's ever been, our dollar is probably at it's weakest point a half century, and we've had questionalable diplomacy and scarcely a legitimate foreign policy over the last 8 years. We need a leader that Americans support and the rest of the world respects. The difference between Hilalry and Obama I think comes down to that, and a simple thing called integrity. I think Barak has it. It's the difference between someone who has to say something, and someone who has something to say.  Hillary is too much a political machine, and I, frankly, just don't trust her, nor do I think she is really what this country needs right now.

So there you have it. The Rev has spoken (whether or not anyone cares, well....). I felt like it was time to go on the record, and start urging others to make the right call in November. Either way, it's a hell of a race, and promises to be quite the convention in August.

 A somber farewell to one of my musical heroes. 

In my teens, my stepfather opened me up to a lot of musicians, namely those "rock /blues gods' of his day. Among them were names like Joe Cocker, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jeff Healy. Now many of you might not know the latter name, but you have likely heard his music at one time or another.Swayzee fans should remember him from the movie "Road House" ( Ladies more likely remember that one for the "epic Swayzee butt shot", but whatever), as the blind front man for the house band. However Healy had plenty to take notice of off screen with the hits "Angel Eyes" from the 1988 Arista release "See the Light",  and a well respected cover of the George Harrison masterpiece "While my Guitar Gently Weeps", and some of my favorites "Let It All Go", "Bluejean Blues", "How Long Can A Man Be Strong", and "The River of No Return", and while many of you may find a few you recognize, the fact that he died yesterday may not even be a blip on your radar.

It's tough for me as an obsessive music fan. Unlike many others my age, I almost have this "deathwatch" clock running down, being that most of my favorite musicians had chart toppers before I was even born. For example. I need to see Bob Dylan live before he dies. I just fulfilled my Van Morrison requirement in that regard last year, and I assure you there are countless more that I want to see, and am chasing the reaper for each and every one. There are comparatively few bands my age that I really find myself not getting enough of, and, honestly, Healy hit the scene when I was about 8 years old, so I can't say that it was before my time, but it's one race were the reaper won, and so many of use were left the worse for it.

Jeff Healy suffered from a rare cancer, retino blastoma as an infant, and lost his eyes by the age of one. At the age of three he picked up guitar, teaching himself to play, laying the guitar on his lap to make it easier with no eyesight. The sun set on Toronto, yesterday,  loosing a native son to the same cancer that took his eyes as a child. Jeff Healy, dead at the age of 41.

But boy, did he play. For a man with no eyes, he had a hell of a lot of  vision, and did remarkable things with that instrument he picked up so young. Now's left a great many who admired and revered a great talent, and many others who just may have shared a dance with that someone they never saw again, or knew a guy was mad at his best friend, or just couldn't stand to see her walk away. I, for one, am all of the above, and I raise a glass, and curse that damn reaper, for wining out one more time. It's more than the guitars a-weepin' now.

See the Light, and Rest in Peace. 

Have a listen, won't you?

 Okay, we'll hit this quickly...

- Super Tuesday come and gone and Republicans prove that they have either been asleep for the last 8 years, or they are so partisan they would vote against their own mother if her name was followed by a " (D) ". 

- Interesting for me, in that the three that really seem to be in race are all current U.S. Senators, and It looks like I might be moving to Washington soon to go to work for another member of the Senate (one, who happens to be buddy buddy with Hills). -I've got a conference call with senior staff on Friday. Wish me luck.

- The recent release of "Cloverfield" and the season premier of "Lost" prove that J.J. Abrams is indeed from another planet, and has also been catapulted to a new level of film making acumen with David Lynch's exclamatory " Okay, what the FUCK is going on, here?" 

- "Be very,very wary the 10th of February"   Discuss.

All of these probably warrant a post in their own right, but time is short, and I really wouldn't know where to start. So I'm encouraging some feedback, and do hope to get some more detailed posting on each of these topics. I know that I have a couple of readers from north of the 49th, and would love their take on this debacled media orgy what is our Presidential race, who they would like to see win, and why the average Canadian citizen would have a vested interest  in American politics. Could be interesting.

Until then...

Stephen Colbert on John McCain: "I don't like him, I don't like him. I don't like him, and I don't even know why.... I hate that guy."

Next time don't hold back, Steve. Tell us how you really feel.