Tagliatelle Bolognese

Angie, Marie, Chris and I celebrated Angie's birthday at Lorna's Italian Kitchen tonight. Lorna's is a great family owned neighborhood restaurant that serves generous portions of delicious Italian food. I used to work at Lorna's some 10 years ago. Delivered pizza for them and had a lot of fun doing it. This place is always packed - andbutofcourse. I remembered a particular dish called Tagliatelle Bolognese that I used to have back in the day when I was still eating meat. Angie had it tonight and she absolutely loved it. We all enjoyed a bottle of Chianti and chatted the pleasant evening away. Stuffed with good food and buzzing with good jokes, we were leaving the place when I ran into Adam The Gimbel. I keep running into him at the most random places. Anyhow, Adam's band, Rookie Card, have put together a CD and he handed me a copy asking for a dollar back. Maybe he should've given it to Angie instead as a birthday gift. Anyhow, I haven't heard the CD yet, but am curious to see what's on it.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "I'm Free" by Soup Dragons

Happiest Place To Rock

Chris is a huge fan of Butch Walker's music. I like to be part of other people's excitement, so when invited to join Chris and the crew for a drive up to The House of Blues in Anaheim, I was ready with no hesitation. Roadtrip! The said venue happens to be located in the heart of Downtown Disneyland, so Lorin, Chris, Mike, Amber, Kevin and I, all felt like we had to be happy. Couldn't help it. Or maybe didn't want to get kicked out, so we all put on smiling faces. This place demands happiness. It feels like even the air is scented with perfume "Be Happy!"


Had a nice dinner at the House of Blues restaurant and then headed inside the venue to check out Butch Walker. No cameras allowed. OK - a challenge. Where there's a will, there's a way, so I asked the waitress to sneak the camera inside for us. I knew how much Chris would appreciate a shot or two from the live show. The waitress was game. The plan was on. Lorin and Amber met her in the restroom so the exchange can take place. Done.

The next challenge was to actually take the photos in a too-bright-for-a-rock-show place where there is a security eye watching from every corner. Clicked 3 times and a minute later the dude with yellow jacket was in front of me. "Do you have a camera?", he asked. "Nope", I answered quickly, holding my camera behind my back and leaning against the bar. What a liar I am, I thought to myself. "You sure?", square face asked next, looking down at me. "Yup", I said, knowing it was too late to change my one-word storyline. He walked away, and I reached with my free hand behind my back to find my drink. I must've looked like an armless manikin challenging to a staring contest the security guy who was back at his post. I was multitasking, but damn it - I grabbed someone else's empty glass behind my back. Mike was standing next to me laughing. I burst out laughing too and was surprised the security guy didn't come back. Maybe he was happy that he won the staring contest. Silly times.

Butch Walker finally took the stage and played a varied set of songs - some electric, others acoustic, some with piano, most without...And even though not my cup of tea, I could respect and appreciate his efforts and have to admit his show was entertaining.

After the concert the crew was feeling buzzed, silly and humorous. The rock'n'roll attitude must've rubbed off on everyone, as the photos below show:





(does this last photo look like a band photo, or what? The next ABBA? ABBBA maybes?)

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Crazy in Love" (Featuring Jay-Z) by Beyonce

Let's Play "Heaven Blesses Hard Work"

Can you name the company?

1. A company named after the Buddhist god of mercy. The name was slightly modified to avoid offending religious groups.

2. A company name that means "sunrise".

3. A company name that means "three diamonds".

4. A company name with a translation that reads "Heaven blesses hard work".

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Perfect Day" by Lou Reed

Catfight Entertainment

You know a party is a good party when either a fight breaks out or a cop shows up. Or both. Not!

Jerry is off to the Art Center College of Design, so tonight he threw a going away party at his house. Good food, good drink, good people, good music - it was an overall fun party. It became even more fun when a catfight broke out. I have to admit - it was pretty entertaining. Nobody got hurt. It was actually very funny. Makes me laugh just thinking about it again...Can't girls just get along?

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Fool's Gold" by Stone Roses

Sky Rats On Acid

Looking for the meaning of a word or expression? Anagrams give the answers:

Mother-in-law - Woman Hitler

Eleven plus two - Twelve plus one

Jim Morrison - Mr. Mojo Risin'

Dormitory - Dirty room

The Morse Code - Here come dots

Elvis - Lives

A decimal point - I'm a dot in place

David Lee Roth - The road devil

Clinton, president of the USA - To copulate, he finds interns

Krassy Can Do It - Sky rats on acid, Kansas City rod, I OK candy stars, Dark noisy cats

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by The Byrds

Screen On The Green

The San Diego Museum of Art hosted an outdoor film festival this summer, with movies projected every Thursday night on the museum's east wall, between the museum and the Botanical Building in Balboa Park. Tonight Marie and I, and a crowd of about 3,000, made ourselves comfortable on the lawn in front of the very big screen to see one of the best films ever made - "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark"



Loved the experience! Too bad the festival is over...This event sure is spmething to look forward to next summer!

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Paranoid" by Black Sabbath

Band Name Generator

Coming up with a cool band name could be one of the most difficult tasks. Captcha to the rescue. Captcha is is a program that can generate words that most humans can read and current computer programs can't. Ticketmaster uses Captcha's program to generate words that a user enters before purchasing tickets. Here are some cool words I came across recently when buying tickets for various upcoming shows:

abature
brisure
dewless
earpick
fyllot
gittith
parsnip
streen
unwist
woorali

Krassy Can Listen To It: "When You're Drifting" by Mojave 3

Cured

Tonight I saw The Cure. Again. And I loved it.

Robert Smith's Curiosa Festival brought to town some of his favorite hand-picked bands of today - Mogwai, The Rapture, Cursive, Cooper Temple Clause and Interpol. Mogwai we missed because of traffic. I was so bummed out and I can't believe they had them scheduled to play at 5pm. That is just plain wrong! Was really looking forward to seeing them. Caught the tail end of the Rapture's disco-punk. The guys from Cooper Temple Clause were drunk and pretty good. Cursive were not bad, and Interpol could be much better with a different singer and if they were to stop copying Bauhaus and Joy Division. Anyway.

Ok. The Cure!

After 25 years of playing music, Robert Smith looks as if he is just getting started. Inspired. Enthusiastic. Emotional. His voice is full. His guitar playing flawless. His hair - a mess. And the rest of the band, all dressed in black of course, provide his perfect support.

I grew up listening to The Cure. Knew every song, every lyric, every interview, every photo, and [only used to read about] every show. In the 80s I could only dream of having the opportunity to see live my then favorite band. I used to think The Cure and Robert Smith were from out of this world. I was young. I used to even think that these weird guys didn't eat food at all, that they slept all day, and that they spoke a secret language between them. I was a kid. And they were my entertainment - superheroes from a comic book. I used to listen to the music and I used to watch super low quality music videos (copies of copies of copies of copies made by someone using a camera pointed at a TV screen somewhere in Germany). So the Cure used to be an enigma. Different. Very non-human, but their music always spoke to me on some very human level. And there was no inbetween. The look and physical existence of the band were very unreal, fictional, almost alien-like. The music on the other hand was very personal, real and moving.

So tonight I experience The Cure live for the 9th time. I saw them for the first time back in 1992 during the Wish Tour. That was one incredibly surreal experience - I could not believe the band actually existed and that they were playing my favorite music live before my eyes. I saw them the next night. Drove up to LA to see them the following night. Since that first concert I have made any and all effort to see the band live whenever they come to Southern California. I saw them with Radiohead, The Chemical Brothers, Blur, and Oasis back in 1997. Then saw them play for 5 hours in 2000. I even met Robert Smith. During a 2-hour sound check I was right up against the stage when he came down to sign autographs and take requests for songs from the fans. He stood before me, looking at me, probably waiting for my song request or to hand him a CD cover to sign, and I was truly starstruck. "Hi. My Name is Krassy..." I said, to which he responded with "Hi. My Name is Robert." His response was met by an outburst of laughter all around us, which muffled the sound of my reply "Really?" And I probably meant it. I was probably in disbelief.

I saw the band a couple more times in LA and a couple more times in San Diego through the years, and then most recently at Coachella, just 4 months ago.

Tonight they play yet another inspired show before a crowd of 20,000 at the Coors Amphitheater. I barely ever listen to the Cure anymore. It's not that I've grown out of them, but I've discovered so much more new music that I am excited about, that only on occasion I would throw on Three Imaginary Boys, or The Head on the Door, or Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, or Disintegration, and float on that comfy Cure boat. Tonight they play for 2 hours, pleasing the crowd with anything from their biggest hits, such as Lovesong and Just Like Heaven, to obscure jams, such as Disintegration and From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea. I am in my comfort zone. Marie next to me. The music all around us. And it's not just music - it's a whole experience. With every song I remember an episode of my life. I associate every song with an emotional stage, a person, or an event in my past. And any goosebumps? Sure got them...during Lovesong, A Night Like This, Disintegration and A Forest.

Good 'ol Cure! People say nothing lasts forever, but this band has been frozen in time for 25 years and going strong. Isn't quarter of a century close to being forever? They constantly reinvented themselves, but they never really changed. And they never sold out. Always stayed true to their music and their fans.

On the parking lot before the show, Marie and I saw a goth mom holding a 1 year old baby that was dressed in a black lace dress. The husband looked like a priest in a black robe. Interesting. "I wish I could've seen the Cure when I was 1 year old" I jokingly said. "I did" the comic book character said. "And I want to give the same experience to my daugther." Wow! Now I know I wasn't nearly as crazy as I thought I was about the Cure. Maybe I was just really into their music. Am glad.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "M" by The Cure

Armed And Dangerous

Watch out! Marie's got a digital camera and she is ready to shoot:



That's it! The photography competition is on!

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Les Jours Tristes" by Yann Tiersen

Breakfast With Champions

After an hour long wait, we were seated at the corner booth in the back. Nice. Perry's Cafe has become a Sunday tradition - for the past 5 years or so, at least twice a month Marie and I have our breakfast, usually after 12 noon, at this old school greasy spoon diner. The food is delicious. Period. And the service is something that I find entertaining - with the waitresses carrying up to 7 heavy plates, running around like champions, never letting your coffee cup be less than half filled. And the cook with the headphones on, rocking out while preparing my grilled cheese with mayo, lettuce, tomato and avocado, is quiet a spectacle on his own.

Many of the patrons frequenting this place might seem like they just stepped out of a Quentin Tarantino movie. Perry's Cafe has character. And it's real. It is a place you might find in the heartland of America somewhere, so every time we eat here, Marie and I feel like we're taking a trip out of town. Brian and Mayte had taken a trip out of their town to come and visit San Diego once again, and Marie and I were excited to introduce them to our favorite breakfast house. Lorin, Chris and Mike seem to enjoy this place too - spinning their heads and commenting on the atmosphere and then becoming totally quiet once the food is served and they have their hands and mouths busy. We had been telling them about this place for a while, and they always thought we were talking about a Paris Cafe. Nope. Nowhere near Paris. This is some classic American breakfast place that will take care of your late late Sunday morning cravings after a late late Saturday night.

Stuffed. Happy. And in need to digest. Headed over to the movie theatres to check out Without a Paddle. Without a doubt, this movie has it's classic moments. Funny.

I wish Perry's Cafe were serving dinner.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Our World" by LTJ Bukem

Dinner With A Future Cop

Greg is stationed in LA during his training at the Police Academy. He will make a good cop - tough on the troublemakers; fair with the general public. I believe. He really will protect and serve. I am not sure what they are protecting, but the portions being served at Il Fornaio Restaurant in Del Mar are for people on a diet. I am here to enjoy the company of Jackie, Ken, Selene, Greg and Marie, of course, and not to stuff my face. Anyhow. Delicious food. Worth trying at least once.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Blue Pepper (Far East Of The Blues)" by Duke Ellington

Tarte à La Tomate

Marie prepared a great dinner for me. Tonight's specialty was a delicious Tarte à la tomate. Loved it. Was stuffed but able drive up north to Lorin's house for another fine evening spent outside in the fun company of Lorin, Chris, Amber, Kevin, Mayte, Brian, Mark and Mike. Chillin'...being loud and silly, buzzed and merry.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Sacre Francais" by Dimitri From Paris

Fridge Poetry

Don't have the magnets?...or the fridge? Try Fridge Poetry online.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Hell Is Round The Corner" by Tricky

Happy Birthday To Me

Today I turn 14 - fourteen years living my second life. On August 18, 1990, on the fourth birthday of my then pet dog, Charra, I arrived to the US. I say it is my second life because as I think about it - it really has been as if I was reborn once I moved to America. I came into a brand new world, crying and screaming, and feeling lost and insecure, just like a newborn baby does. I then had to learn how to speak a language, adapt to my surroundings, meet new people, find my place in society, and grow up. Again. And being just 14, I feel the teen spirit in me. I feel young. I feel energy and hunger for life...and I am ready for what the years ahead of me will bring.

It is some kind of a crazy coincidence that I happen to be picking up Marie at that same Airport on the same date that I arrived from Bulgaria 14 years ago. Of course my mind is racing back and forth through the past 14 years, as I race up north to LA and back south to San Diego. I am rewinding, playing, stopping, fastforwarding, pausing, playing in slow motion, and then fastforwarding again memory scenes from the past 14 years of my life. It's a strange great feeling remembering everything I've been through. And I feel overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions...It's been a crazy ride so far...and I feel good.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "I Got You ( I Feel Good )" by James Brown

Holy Cow

This is pretty amazing - check out the Matrix Cow video. (4.56 MB)

Krassy Can Listen To It: "It Just Won't Do" by Tim Deluxe

Harold and Kumar Go To Red Robbin

Had such crazy laughs at Red Robin tonight. Too many inside jokes. Funny. Enjoyed some top shelf Long Island Iced Tea and then headed over to the movies to see Harold and Kumar go to White Castle. Walking out of the theater, instead of discussing the funny parts in the movie we just saw, Mike, Chris and I were still buzzing about the true comedy that was at Red Robin. What happens at Red Robin stays at Red Robin.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Horror Show" by The Libertines

A Different Top Gun

Saw Collateral. Didn't know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. Tom Cruise does a good job as Vincent - a gray haired ruthless psycho hitman. Starring opposite Cruise is Jaime Foxx as Max - a taxicab driver who knows where his dreams are, but tonight finds himself stuck in a nightmare. The complexity of the situation in which Max is trapped allows Jaime Foxx to steal the show. Good acting. Decent storyline. Great cinematography. This movie might put you at the edge of your seat in the last 20 minutes. But it's a rental.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Dooms Night" by Azzido Da Bass

New Beginnings

Today is a day of leisure. Time to reflect on the past and dream about the future. Time to just be. I spend quality time with my awesome nephew Jacob, and I feel his youth. A child's energy is refreshing and inspiring.

My sister and her husband Jason are proud owners of a new home. We gather for a delicious seafood feast, some tasty Pinot Grigio, and relaxed conversation. Here is to new beginnings! Cheers! The evening is fresh. The right ambiance. The right company. The right place...These are the good times.

But we miss Marie.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Silver" by Bonobo

Citius, Altius, Fortius

The Athens 2004 Olympics are here! So how about that opening ceremony? Heh? Classy! Sensational! Grand! If they had Bjork's outfit on David Letterman's Is This Anything game, I bet both Dave and Paul will agree that this is REALLY something:

(Photograph from the Opening Ceremony of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games © ATHOC / GETTY IMAGES)

My childhood friend Mihail Popov, or Misho as I called him, who I used to play Badminton with almost every day some 16 years ago, is competing in the Olympics. Way to go! Let's get a medal, Misho! I also remember Neli Boteva and Petya Nedeltcheva from back in the day. They are already playing Round of 32 in Women doubles and Petya has already reached a quarterfinal in Women Singles. Nice!

My favorite athlete at this year's Olympics besides Misho? It's got be Francisco Picasso. Just for his last name.

Ok, an interesting little question for you, working out "gym" people: Do you know what the word Gymnasium really means?

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Human Behavior" by Bjork

Mission Possible

I met Brandon, Annette and some of their friends at RA Sushi Bar. Wasn't really hungry so enjoyed some sake and some fine Japanese beers.

Headed over to Osetra for a cocktail or two, where I tried an Espresso Martini. Sounds weird; tastes great! This place has this cool giant freezer, 2 or 3 stories tall, and as you look up, you see this girl dressed in all black, with black gloves and all, suspended on ropes moving up and down on the sides of it. Mission Impossible live. She slides glass doors and pulls out wine bottles and such. Piniz! This guy seating next to me is wearing shades inside and is playing with his food like he's 3 years old. Alright!

We finally make our way down to the Side Bar, where the party is kicking big time. Thursday night is when you want to hit this place and you better shake it, or you'll stand out as the only one who doesn't. Get your groove on!

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Regulators" by Warren G

Paper Plane

I drove the miles to LAX so Marie can fly back home to France and see her family and especially her 6-month pregnant sister. It's a beautiful thing. It's great. And I am happy for her!

This time is not like other times when I would let a plane take Marie away to a place where she would stay away from me for months. I know that. But I have been scarred and still feel uneasy every time I am left at the airport and she is up in the skies.

I speed. I drive straight through the toll booth on Toll Road 73 forgetting to stop and pay. I drink way too much Red Bull and Rockstar. I eat too many bags of sunflower seeds. I forget to shave for work. I forget to have lunch. I beat the drums like a maniac as if the drums are the bundle of time and distance that is separating me from her. I feel somewhat thrown off balance. But it's a beautiful thing. I know.

And I just can't wait for her return.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Love Burns" by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Tiger Who?

So I finally got to meet Chris's friend, Pat Perez. By chance.

I invited Chris and JC for another traditional quick lunch at Fidel's, and Pat and his friend Ali showed up out of the blue. I've been hearing so much about Pat and apparently he is a very talented golfer, so it was an honor to finally meet the guy. Hats off to his talent and long years of training. Talent is half the game, if even that much, and obviously Pat has put in the required time and effort to become successful. Respect.

Are Fidel's fish tacos getting better and better, or is it just me?

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Godless" by The Dandy Warhols

Magic Hands

By now I am convinced that Marie has magic hands. Another fine oil painting creation of hers leaves me seeing music:

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Take Five" by Dave Brubeck

Soulphonic Ventanas Machine

It's been a long musical day and night. After seeing Cake live at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, I headed over to Ventanas at close to 10:30pm last night. CultivateLife.org, MergeEvents and OceanLiner Records put on a great event under the name Broadcast Sessions.

The warm, loungey, organic ambiance of the front room of Ventanas was highly contrasted by the cold, dark, industrial feel of the back room, which was basically one huge warehouse space - the perfect setting for the live act Soul in the Machine. This live performance was truly mind-blowing. Experiencing Soul in the Machine's show, one could feel like being in a scene from the science fiction musical that Stanley Kubrick could have, and should have, but never made.

Soul in the Machine are exactly that - 3 human souls, battling electronic sounds and industrial themes inside this installation of giant drums, xylophones, harps, synthesizers, and other I-don't-know-what-to-call-them instruments. What a trip! The future is here:







(Check out CultivateLife.org's Broadcast Sessions Photo Gallery for more of the photos I took at the event)

After Soul in the Machine's amazing performance, I checked out Nominal's set, and then moved back to the front room, where Soulphonic Soundsystem were serving up some organic fresh Afro-Cuban and Latin mixes over delicious vibrant beats. The shuffled rhythms were augmented by Thievery Corporation's own El John.

Good vibes all around, this event sure is a memorable night and a big win for San Diego's underground music scene.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Memphis Bells" by Prodigy

Piece Of Cake

I love the horse races. The season opened more than a week ago and Marie and I finally made it to the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.


It was nice to run into Mark - a huge fan of the races. Last year, Mark gave me the inside scoop on a great Argentinian horse called Candy Ride that won us big at the 2003 Pacific Classic. I didn't have the inside info like last year's, so was betting on horses based on their names or the colors of the jockey uniforms. Marie kept winning and I kept losing. Until the 9th race, when I picked a horse named Hendrix and dedicated my bet to my mom, whose birthday is today (Happy Birthday to Jason and Angie too!). Hendrix rocked my world. Go figure. Happy Birthday Mom! I love you!!



After the last race, Cake performed in the infield. My mom's birthday cake perhaps? That's where my mind was - across the world back in Bulgaria where my mom was celebrating her birthday.

I am not a fan of Cake's music, but have to admit that I enjoyed their live set. Marie and I made our way to the front of the stage. We turn to the side, and we see Harriet. Small town. Apparently Jeff was at the races too, but we didn't synch up.



So Cake were rockin'. It was strange to see Xan McCurdy on stage playing in a big band in front of thousands, when several years back he came over to the house I was living in and partied the night away. Xan used to be in a band called The Loved Ones that was pretty big in the bay area back in the day when Cake were just starting out. As a matter of fact, Cake used to open for The Loved Ones. Xan later joined The Kinetics and my band, Serahtonic, opened for them back in 1997. After our show, Xan and the singer, Bart Davenport, came over to congratulate us and to let us know that they loved our show and our music. They came to our house and partied all night long with us. A couple years and a couple hits later, The Loved Ones broke up, Cake became big, and Xan became the guitarist for Cake. There. From playing The Casbah in front of 80 people, to rocking the Del Mar Fairgrounds in front of 8,000 (and making eye contact with me as I take his picture):

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Highway Chile" by Jimi Hendrix

Funny, But My Stomach Didn't Hurt

I enjoyed both Napoleon Dynamite and Anchorman, but neither one made me laugh so hard that my stomach hurt. And that's OK.

Actually, I really enjoyed Napoleon Dynamite - I'll probably rent that one and see it again when it comes out on DVD. I can see this film becoming a cult classic. It has plenty of memorable scenes, unique characters, and interesting dialogues. "Ha ha" Funny!

Anchorman was good, but not great. Will Ferrell is of course funny, but the plot of the movie lacks classic moments where he can truly shine and make you crack up big time. The funniest scenes are the one from the trailer, the one of Jack Black kicking a dog over the bridge, and pretty much any scene with Steve Carell in it. Steve Carell had the funniest scene in Bruce Almighty and is pretty close to stealing the spotlight in Anchorman.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "I Think I'm In Love" by Spiritualized

Fives

The Del Mar Brigantine is a great happy-hour spot. The terrace offers a beautiful 270-degree view of the Pacific Ocean, La Jolla Cove, Torrey Pines hills, the railroad tracks, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Interstate 5, hot air balloons, and some of Del Mar's residential area. Oh, and that Denny's sign in the distance. This incredible view is both hypnotic and inspiring.

Bello, Rod, Mark, a friend of Mark's, a random stranger, and I are enjoying a drink and a silly chat. Rod taught us a cool drinking game called "Fives". The player whose turn it is has to guess how many fingers there will be in the center of the drinking game circle. The instant the player calls out the guessed total number of fingers, all other players have to act immediately on instinct and either grasp their fingers together into a fist(for a zero-count), or outstretch them(for a count of five). If the player has guessed the right number of fingers, they are out of the game and safe from drinking. This continues until only one player is left, and this slow-reaction loser has to drink a shot. Ouch. One could imagine how difficult this game becomes once the players are pretty faded and both, reaction and simple addition, have become incredibly challenging.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "One Armed Scissor" by At The Drive-In

More Than Meets The Eye

The New VW Beetle has a reputation for being appealing mostly to girls. The genius work of Michael Smith shows us that there's more than meets the eye, tough guy.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "A Thousand Words" by Northern State

Cultivate Music

Was chillin' with CultivateLife.org's music-lovers Chuck and Joe tonight. Making plans. Cultivating dreams. Cross-pollinating music tastes. Was exposed to a 20Gig library of music. That's something like over 200 albums, many by artists I've never heard of. Can't wait to enrich myself with some new beats, melodies, and vibes. I am ready to percolificate! Rock on!

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Rome Wasn't Built In A Day" by Morcheeba

Armageddon Days (Are Here Again)

The war is as real as the air that we breathe. When you see footage on TV or read the latest newspaper news, you might feel that since it all takes place elsewhere, it is far from your life. On TV you watch movies and scripted unrealistic "reality" TV shows. Even the evening news reporting a crime in your neighborhood may feel distant. The article in the newspaper is a column positioned next to an ad for weight loss, so again, in your subconsciousness you are taken to some fictional place. You often may feel like an observer. You may feel like you are away from it all in some safety zone - an observatory above it all looking down on the events like you are a fly on the wall. But we're all in it. We are all weapons and we're all targets.

When the attacks of 9/11 took place, I was sick to my stomach. I met people who lost immediate family and friends. Horror stories told not on the tube or printed in the newspaper that gets recycled in the evening...horror stories told to my face by people who suffered the terror attacks.

The recent beheading of a Bulgarian truck driver pulls me closer yet into the vortex of terror. It's real. It's here. It's now.

And tonight, we send a friend to Iraq. Tim is leaving at midnight on a 7-month deployment - his 3rd time in Iraq, having served during the Gulf War and then again last year. He has an amazing attitude - is in high spirits and ready to go and serve his country. He believes in the cause and feels committed to do his part. Brave. Strong. Determined.

As I talk to Tim about his deployment, I can picture his upcoming 7 months as if I am replaying scenes of memories from the past. History repeating. The endless struggle for right and wrong. Since the beginning of time there have been wars. As much as I would like to be optimistic for human nature, it seems like until the dawn of human existence there will always be wars...different kinds of wars. We are no longer throwing stones and arrows at each other, we're no longer sending legions of soldiers clashing in a battle on a rolling hill, we are no longer leveling cities with tanks and airplanes...today we fight economic, terrorist, and intelligence wars. The future holds real threats of bio-chemical, cyber and hopefully-not-but-eventually-probably-yes Nuclear attacks. And we're all soldiers or victims in our own or someone else's war. Believe it. Live with it.

The current war did not start with the US overthrowing Saddam's regime. The current war did not start with the attacks on American soil on 9/11. The current war started a long long time ago and is here to stay for a long long time.

The events of recent years remind me of the frighteningly prophetic lyrics to a song from 1989 called "Armageddon Days (Are Here Again)" penned by the genius Matt Johnson also known as The The:

They're 5 miles high
As the crow flies
Leavin' vapour trails
Across a blood red sky

Movin' in from the East
Towards the West
With balaclava helmets
Over their heads...

Islam is rising
The Christians mobilising
The world is on it's elbows and knees
It's forgotten the message
And worships the creeds

We live on the edge of uncertainty. Every morning you wake living your next life. Embrace it. Celebrate it. Live it like you love it!

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Live It Like You Love It" by The Charlatans

Honest Album Titles

If album titles were as honest as the desire for wealth that most "artists" are driven by, I believe the world would be a better place. Just imagine:

Honest Album Titles

Krassy Can Listen To It: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by Rolling Stones