Back from the playa.... (Originally published on September 3, 2008)

I'm torn. August has been an amazing month. There is so much going on. I don't know what to write about first.

The condo fell through. I guess that would be upsetting if it hadn't turned out so well. I moved in with Liz in Ambler. The last Musick has left Philadelphia. The city did make one last attempt to kill one of us, but it looks like it will have to wait.

August redefined synchronicity for me. Atheists can find it difficult to talk about fate. But whether through random chance or human intervention, sometimes everything just falls into place. And so it was that a series of fortunate events led me to a place where synchronicity is almost common enough to be cliche: Black Rock City.

I camped with an amazing group of people. A group I barely knew that took me in and showed me the ropes. They have gone to the playa year after year and set up an outpost of civilization in a place where no life was meant to be. From the food, to the sound system, to the showers, to the bar, to the structures and organization, they allowed me to leave my concerns far behind. They are really an amazing group of people and I hope they know that. I just wanted to thank The Philadelphia Experiment and wish them all joy. I love you guys.

I could give a thousand examples of how the right set of circumstances led to magick. From the Root Society music leading me out of a dust storm to choosing the right time to go on walk-about to pass by Atomikamp when they were opening up the fallout shelter, to the amazing young woman that let me borrow a hand cart, to the amazing gentleman who needed to use it after me. I said many times during the week I was out there that "The playa provides.". Time and time again, it proved me right.

However, even in this place where the laws of physics and statistics seemed somehow skewed, I can not say I felt as one with the playa. That is until the man fell. There was something primal in that release of energy. There are traditions now and plans and performance pieces, but at the root of it, the destruction has a power all its own. I walked around the debris several times and then just kept walking. I walked wherever the mood struck me and eventually returned to my beloved PEXies. I revelled with them and found warmth as the night grew cold. We danced into the morning and gathered as the sun rose over the mountains that give the area its name. It was then, looking around at the smiles and joy that I realized that this place was a place of healing, of contact, of love. I praised the sun and the land and the joy that morning.

I was on breakfast crew a few hours later and stayed on the playa for another 30 or so hours, but right then I saw in the eyes of other a reflected light I sometimes forget is there. I hope that I was able to do the same for them.

Warning! The following may contain political opinions (sort of) (Originally published on September 19, 2008)

I will not go into parties, or platforms, or personalities. I wave a liberal flag but will not proselytize. I am always ready to debate a topic, but won't start the discussion. It can be a fine line sometimes, but you'll see me sitting across from someone who is losing his or her temper as I just smirk and respond to their points and counter-points.

There is one stand I will take openly though. As time goes on, I get more adamant about it. Simply put: vote. I don't want to hear about rigging of elections, or the Electoral College, or any other defeatist rhetoric. It is simply that defeatist.

First of all, the Electoral College was set up by our Constitution. It is not going anywhere anytime soon. Waiting until the system is revised to vote is a sure fire to make certain it never is. If you want it changed, make it an issue with Congress. There have been over 700 bills presented in Congress to change it. They have never had the votes.

Second of all, the Electoral College does not just appoint whoever they choose. Political parties win or lose states and you can guess that one party isn't going to just let the other carry the state. There is no federal law requiring electors to vote a certain way. But, 24 states have laws dictating that they must vote with their party and for everyone else it is political suicide. I am not saying it has never happened. However, in our 200+ year history over 99% of electors have voted as dictated by popular vote. There have been 156 "faithless electors" who have voted for a candidate other than their party's nomination. There names are listed here: www.fairvote.org/e_college...hless.htm. That's right. There names will be listed throughout history as party of a special breed of people that ignored the opinions of the citizens of their state.

Too many people fought too hard to secure votes for all citizens of the United States over the age of 18. I will not disgrace their legacy through apathy. I will not accept any argument that does. If you wish to let other people run your life, that's fine. That is your choice. You have every right to make it. But not that is the choice you are making. You are not standing up for anything. You are lying down. You are saying that you wish for people like myself to have a major influence over your life.

There is also the vague idea thrown around that it doesn't matter. That all politicians are the same. If you really believe that a decision made today can't influence the next, then you have given up. If you really think that the elections or John F. Kennedy, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, and George W. Bush did not have an effect on history and your life specifically, than you are delusional. I apologize if that seems strong, but that is the correct term for one who believes something that can not possibly be true.

Would Hubert Humphrey had had an enemies list? Would he have had a group of people break into the Watergate Hotel to spy on the Democrats?

Would Richard Nixon have misspoke in Berlin and yet brought hope to millions, would he have been assassinated, would he have given us a dream, could he have inspired a generation?

Would Herbert Hoover have enacted Social Security, would he have found a way to provide aid to the British until a fateful day in December changed the world, would he have commissioned the building of our infrastructure, would he have helped set the groundwork for what would become the United Nations?

Finally, do you honestly believe that Al Gore would have brought about the invasion of Iraq?

So, before you say "all politicians are the same" know what that statement encompasses.

Before you say "your vote doesn't count" know what you are giving up.

You can change the world. Believe in yourself. Don't give up your voice. Stand up. Vote.

And so it ends... (Originally published on November 6, 2008)

Tuesday saw a lot of transition for me. There are no endings or beginnings, only change. Some people fear change. I usually embrace it. On Tuesday, I embraced it whole heartedly. I would point to the actual events I,m speaking of rather than abstracts, but the truth is usually in the idea. I personally passed a milestone and our country did. The hope I never let go of has voice. The power that we have remains untapped. We always could change the world. We can make this planet whatever we want. Now, it's time to choose. The barriers have been lifted. The only thing stopping us now is ourselves.

Today is Thursday. The celebrating is over. It is time to get to work.