Hello Beautiful Awesome Amazing Cool People,
So it's been a while since I posted a blog. But it's not because I have been neglecting my Learning Adventures in Love and Revolution. Quite the opposite in fact, I have been in the studio, my lab, my basement my spaceship. I have a blog titled "Thinking about Feelings" That I hope to publish next week.
Big things are on the horizon. The learning adventures are in all likelihood going to become increasingly more profound and intense. Are ya ready? I think I am? There's no turning back...
Spring is here, summer is coming. It is once again the time for festivities, fun, friends, and joyous activism. Here in Eugene, we are re-starting the Kesey Square Revival, a project to create open space in the downtown square of Eugene, Oregon. Our goal, is to create culture, to allow for art and friendships to be created and cultivated. So Every Friday from noonish to darkish, come on down and hang out. In relation to this project is the Merry Pranksters Re-incarnated (working name), and our goal with this project is to go out and participate in joyous acts of rebellion- street theater, poetry, direct actions, flash mobs, guerilla gardening, acts of service, chalk art, performance arts, and other ideas that I have yet to be thought up. We will go out to unconventional and populated places- the mall, campuses, government offices, city hall, the bus station, bars, and other yet undiscovered places and shake up the status quo for that is the only way for a ego or collective conscious to grow. We hope that this community building, that this culture of service and love becomes more and more effective. It is time to broaden the tactics that Occupy uses in our movement.
I will also be participating with Garden Goat and others in Eugene to help raise awareness about Garden Goat getting their instruments stolen by the OLCC, which we call the Fun Police. Click here to read the story. Well We can't let the fun police ruin the party. A rock band entertains, that is their job, they use instruments to do their job. Imagine a cop trying to do their job without a gun or a trash collector doing their job without a garbage truck. So we are going out tonight to have fun, drink spirits, and find inspiration to demand justice. Garden Goat, like other independent musicians, work hard and save for a long time for their equipment and we can't let them lose their instruments because they were hired to play a party that might or might not be illegal. I encourage fellow Eugenians to make it out tonight to the first Fundraiser for Garden Goat. Click Here for more details.
There are also many cool artistic developments in my own personal career. Lets start with the big news, I got featured and placed on the cover of Punk Globe Zine. A well respected Zine that has been around since 1977. The interview was fantastic and I encourage y'all to read it by clicking HERE
And in other news, I have been working hard on both my album, which will be out in August (official album announcement will be coming shortly) and developing my website. Here is a link to my website.
I'm so excited for all of these developments. This is going to be epic, it's going to be like 1968, except with the wisdom learned from 1968. Anyway, I hope you check out my online projects and my music. And if our paths cross on the street, I hope we can kick it for a bit, maybe trade a rhyme or two.
Peace, Love, Joy, Wisdom...
-Plaedo
Showing posts with label Eugene Oregon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eugene Oregon. Show all posts
Friday, June 1, 2012
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Occupy Eugene-Watching Democracy in Action
Hello Comrades,
Like many of you, as of late, I have been pre-occupied with revolution, protest, and rebellion. The movement that began on Wall Street (or should we say it began in The Arab Spring?, or even with the World Social Forum?, Latin America?, Seattle WTO protest?) Whatever, wherever, this movement began, at this point it's hard to deny that something exciting is happening globally. People from diverse backgrounds are uniting through a shared feeling that something isn't right. The people are tired of feeling powerless and are beginning to exert their influence.
Currently, there have been 972 Occupy (insert city name) protest in the United States over the past few weeks. I have been participating in the Occupy Eugene movement. And I must say, it is quite a beautiful thing to watch a large group of people learn to debate and come to a consensus with each other. Part of the fun is the challenge of learning to think collectively while respecting the diversity that exist within the group. And also to avoid falling into a group think mentality. In this process we have to have patience and extreme focus, for example at a recent Occupy Eugene general assembly it took our group almost an hour to come to a consensus decision that we would make decisions using a consensus model. That means that for a decision to be made, we have decided that we need at least 90 percent of the room on board. And how do we conduct this debate? Through a moderately elaborate system of hand gestures. (It becomes even more fun if you dance while doing the gestures.)
Now I don't know what will come out of this wave of protest that has spread across our country (and the globe). I could tell you my hopes: I hope that this protest leads to a transfer of power, that it breaks up the global oligarchy to allow for more people and ideas to play a role in creating a more ethical and sustainable society. I would like to believe that this is the case, and that maybe it even is the enactment of ancient Mayan prophesies. I would like to think this is the case, but I don't know.
ONe thing I can tell you though, is after experiencing the Occupy Movement. I know that a lot of people are learning how to be more empowered, and how to collaborate and become more democratic in their ways of being.
And that, if nothing else, is a reason to cheer the movement on.
In Solidarity,
-Plaedo
Like many of you, as of late, I have been pre-occupied with revolution, protest, and rebellion. The movement that began on Wall Street (or should we say it began in The Arab Spring?, or even with the World Social Forum?, Latin America?, Seattle WTO protest?) Whatever, wherever, this movement began, at this point it's hard to deny that something exciting is happening globally. People from diverse backgrounds are uniting through a shared feeling that something isn't right. The people are tired of feeling powerless and are beginning to exert their influence.
Currently, there have been 972 Occupy (insert city name) protest in the United States over the past few weeks. I have been participating in the Occupy Eugene movement. And I must say, it is quite a beautiful thing to watch a large group of people learn to debate and come to a consensus with each other. Part of the fun is the challenge of learning to think collectively while respecting the diversity that exist within the group. And also to avoid falling into a group think mentality. In this process we have to have patience and extreme focus, for example at a recent Occupy Eugene general assembly it took our group almost an hour to come to a consensus decision that we would make decisions using a consensus model. That means that for a decision to be made, we have decided that we need at least 90 percent of the room on board. And how do we conduct this debate? Through a moderately elaborate system of hand gestures. (It becomes even more fun if you dance while doing the gestures.)
Now I don't know what will come out of this wave of protest that has spread across our country (and the globe). I could tell you my hopes: I hope that this protest leads to a transfer of power, that it breaks up the global oligarchy to allow for more people and ideas to play a role in creating a more ethical and sustainable society. I would like to believe that this is the case, and that maybe it even is the enactment of ancient Mayan prophesies. I would like to think this is the case, but I don't know.
ONe thing I can tell you though, is after experiencing the Occupy Movement. I know that a lot of people are learning how to be more empowered, and how to collaborate and become more democratic in their ways of being.
And that, if nothing else, is a reason to cheer the movement on.
In Solidarity,
-Plaedo
Thursday, September 29, 2011
I was supposed to go to work today...
But, I had a strange feeling. A little voice was calling me to abandon my responsibilities as a bill paying consumer so that I could explore my day and interact with my community. Outside it was sunny and I heard a little voice below the humdrum purr of car engines outside. Below the tv newscaster's drone and beyond the cell phone ringing, I heard a voice. Saying come and play. Live your revolution.
Maybe it was the echo's resounding from the WALL STREET PROTEST that are going on. As Revolution ripples across the globe, I feel like doing more than observing the great struggle from the comfort of my laptop, sweatpants and house.
So I talked with my partner. We talked about revolution, exciting and intensifying each others beliefs with each affirmation. Our talk bloomed into a short little manifesto. (Read Below)
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Why are there people standing on the corner begging for change when they could be on Wall Street Demanding Change. There are protests happening on Wall Street In New York City RIGHT NOW! They are protesting the greed that has lead to social inequality and the profiteering that is corrupting societies all over the globe. From the young informed revolutionaries in the Middle East to the Farming Families reclaiming their rights in Latin American countries, to the workers who have been claiming control of factories and their lives abroad and in our very own country; protests are spreading across the globe like wildfire. This is history happening. The people are demanding a transfer of power. They are saying NO MORE! No more will we let our schools go to ruin as the military spends billions on weapons of destruction. No More will we send our sons and daughters to do the killing for people who seek to proffit from pain. No more will we allow our brothers and sisters to be incarcerated because it pays to fill a jail. No More will we allow the planet and our environment to be exploited and destroyed for a quick $. NO MORE! WE are tired of working harder and getting paid less. Now is not the time to come to the government with our hands out, Now is the time to put the tools in our hands to build a better society. Our current economical and environmental crises is an opportunity to sustainably and morally redesign the world we live in. It is time to let our voices be heard, do not be afraid to say "REVOLUTION". Stand up for something or your downfall will be for nothing. WE ARE THE PEOPLE! It is time to wake up and realize we are the overwhelming majority. We have the power and the right to shut down corrupt systems, and more importantly, we have the power to create more fair, compassionate, and productive systems.
So we printed this little inspired manifesto out on pieces of paper and went down town. We tacked it to benches and placed it in front of the Wall Street Journal at newstands. We talked to the homeless and disenfranchised traveling street kids and handed them the manifesto to pass on. As we did this work, it was very empowering and healing in that we had to embrace and overcome our own fear to approach strangers and engage with them in political, revolutionary dialogues. Also, we did not inspire any outrageous or glorious moments of protest. Much work needs to be down to make this revolution omnipresent. However, it was a step in the right direction.
Thank your for reading this blog comrades. May the revolution grow from your heart and flourish all over this great globe we call home.
Peace, Love, Joy, Wisdom,
-Plaedo
Maybe it was the echo's resounding from the WALL STREET PROTEST that are going on. As Revolution ripples across the globe, I feel like doing more than observing the great struggle from the comfort of my laptop, sweatpants and house.
So I talked with my partner. We talked about revolution, exciting and intensifying each others beliefs with each affirmation. Our talk bloomed into a short little manifesto. (Read Below)
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Why are there people standing on the corner begging for change when they could be on Wall Street Demanding Change. There are protests happening on Wall Street In New York City RIGHT NOW! They are protesting the greed that has lead to social inequality and the profiteering that is corrupting societies all over the globe. From the young informed revolutionaries in the Middle East to the Farming Families reclaiming their rights in Latin American countries, to the workers who have been claiming control of factories and their lives abroad and in our very own country; protests are spreading across the globe like wildfire. This is history happening. The people are demanding a transfer of power. They are saying NO MORE! No more will we let our schools go to ruin as the military spends billions on weapons of destruction. No More will we send our sons and daughters to do the killing for people who seek to proffit from pain. No more will we allow our brothers and sisters to be incarcerated because it pays to fill a jail. No More will we allow the planet and our environment to be exploited and destroyed for a quick $. NO MORE! WE are tired of working harder and getting paid less. Now is not the time to come to the government with our hands out, Now is the time to put the tools in our hands to build a better society. Our current economical and environmental crises is an opportunity to sustainably and morally redesign the world we live in. It is time to let our voices be heard, do not be afraid to say "REVOLUTION". Stand up for something or your downfall will be for nothing. WE ARE THE PEOPLE! It is time to wake up and realize we are the overwhelming majority. We have the power and the right to shut down corrupt systems, and more importantly, we have the power to create more fair, compassionate, and productive systems.
So we printed this little inspired manifesto out on pieces of paper and went down town. We tacked it to benches and placed it in front of the Wall Street Journal at newstands. We talked to the homeless and disenfranchised traveling street kids and handed them the manifesto to pass on. As we did this work, it was very empowering and healing in that we had to embrace and overcome our own fear to approach strangers and engage with them in political, revolutionary dialogues. Also, we did not inspire any outrageous or glorious moments of protest. Much work needs to be down to make this revolution omnipresent. However, it was a step in the right direction.
Thank your for reading this blog comrades. May the revolution grow from your heart and flourish all over this great globe we call home.
Peace, Love, Joy, Wisdom,
-Plaedo
Monday, September 26, 2011
Poetry Is Dangerous
Chances are, you won't see any poetry in today's newspaper. Nor yesterdays, or even tomorrow's newspaper. You won't see poetry in the magazines that clutter your attention in grocery store lines. And poetry hardly ever, makes the New York Times Best Sellers list. Why?
Maybe it is because Poetry is difficult. Poetic language is packed with meaning and images. Poetry demands attention, it says, “look at me, remember the first time you got naked in front of the one you loved.” Or it asks us “to see a world in a grain of sand, and heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour.”
All that imagining, thinking and feeling is hard work. It burns calories. We are a busy people, a tired nation of peoples juggling work and family responsibilities. Therefore, poetry is difficult. I'm a poet and I shudder at the thought of sitting down and reading a whole book of poetry from cover to cover. Reading poem after poem is exhausting. The mind eventually wanders, disengages, and poetry is really boring, to the distracted mind.
Reading one poem at a time, however; can be like 'holding a shotgun to the head'. Yes poetry is dangerous to daily routines and scheduled thought patterns. Poetry poses questions that cannot be answered by the status quo's of our minds. The structure of society can be ruptured by such thoughts.
Maybe this is why we keep our poets poor. We keep our poets behind counters making sandwiches and selling pamphlets on the street so that they may speak for the nobodies. Which is to say the everybodies. The lot of us whose stories aren't pictured in celebrity gossip magazines or depicted on reality television. The culture industry does not want poetry. It's not profitable to an economy fueled by fear. Poetry asks us to love. “Even after all these years, the sun never says to the earth, “You owe me.” See what happens with a love like that: It lights up the whole sky.”
Poets ask us to look at that sky. These poets are often, “expelled from the academies for crazy and publishing obscene odes on the windows of the skull.” But the people do look up at the sky, they tell their friends and families about these visions.
Poetry preserves the history of the people. Not the history we read from books in high school. Not the history of wars, political hero's and corporate miracles. But rather a history of what it's like to be alive. There is a difference between chronicling the cold casualties of war and
“I saw the debris and debris of all the slain soldiers of war,
But I saw they were not as was thought,
They themselves were fully at rest, they suffer'd not,
the living remain'd and suffer'd, the mothers suffer'd
the wife and child and musing comrade suffer'd...”
The difference is passion, life lived, by people who breathe, bread, and bleed.
By facing the dark depths of death and despair poetry can help us remember what it's like to be alive. Langston Hughes once wrote,
'The rent was due.
The lights were out.
I said, “tell me, mama
What's it all about?”
“We're waiting on Roosevelt Son.
Roosevelt. Roosevelt...
Sound Familiar?
What if we replaced Roosevelt with Obama?
By describing the particulars, the unique artifacts of culture, the spoons, bruises, spider webs, first kisses, paychecks, underwear, and sheet stains of a people, poetry becomes universal.
Poetry asks us to face our fears and embrace our dreams. We forget that Martin Luthar King Jr's “I have a dream speech” was a poem. Yes, reading a poem can be difficult. It's also difficult to live with the one you love, or make a meaningful and positive change to society. Difficult challenges create deeply satisfying rewards. It is ironic that every city has a Martin Luthar King Jr Blvd. And most of these blvds are ghettos. Yet, poetry realizes this irony and asks forgiveness for it's limitations. Poetry will not save the world. But poetry just might inspire you to save yourself.
As it was said in the movie Dead Poets Society, “We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But Poetry beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”
Maybe it is because Poetry is difficult. Poetic language is packed with meaning and images. Poetry demands attention, it says, “look at me, remember the first time you got naked in front of the one you loved.” Or it asks us “to see a world in a grain of sand, and heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour.”
All that imagining, thinking and feeling is hard work. It burns calories. We are a busy people, a tired nation of peoples juggling work and family responsibilities. Therefore, poetry is difficult. I'm a poet and I shudder at the thought of sitting down and reading a whole book of poetry from cover to cover. Reading poem after poem is exhausting. The mind eventually wanders, disengages, and poetry is really boring, to the distracted mind.
Reading one poem at a time, however; can be like 'holding a shotgun to the head'. Yes poetry is dangerous to daily routines and scheduled thought patterns. Poetry poses questions that cannot be answered by the status quo's of our minds. The structure of society can be ruptured by such thoughts.
Maybe this is why we keep our poets poor. We keep our poets behind counters making sandwiches and selling pamphlets on the street so that they may speak for the nobodies. Which is to say the everybodies. The lot of us whose stories aren't pictured in celebrity gossip magazines or depicted on reality television. The culture industry does not want poetry. It's not profitable to an economy fueled by fear. Poetry asks us to love. “Even after all these years, the sun never says to the earth, “You owe me.” See what happens with a love like that: It lights up the whole sky.”
Poets ask us to look at that sky. These poets are often, “expelled from the academies for crazy and publishing obscene odes on the windows of the skull.” But the people do look up at the sky, they tell their friends and families about these visions.
Poetry preserves the history of the people. Not the history we read from books in high school. Not the history of wars, political hero's and corporate miracles. But rather a history of what it's like to be alive. There is a difference between chronicling the cold casualties of war and
“I saw the debris and debris of all the slain soldiers of war,
But I saw they were not as was thought,
They themselves were fully at rest, they suffer'd not,
the living remain'd and suffer'd, the mothers suffer'd
the wife and child and musing comrade suffer'd...”
The difference is passion, life lived, by people who breathe, bread, and bleed.
By facing the dark depths of death and despair poetry can help us remember what it's like to be alive. Langston Hughes once wrote,
'The rent was due.
The lights were out.
I said, “tell me, mama
What's it all about?”
“We're waiting on Roosevelt Son.
Roosevelt. Roosevelt...
Sound Familiar?
What if we replaced Roosevelt with Obama?
By describing the particulars, the unique artifacts of culture, the spoons, bruises, spider webs, first kisses, paychecks, underwear, and sheet stains of a people, poetry becomes universal.
Poetry asks us to face our fears and embrace our dreams. We forget that Martin Luthar King Jr's “I have a dream speech” was a poem. Yes, reading a poem can be difficult. It's also difficult to live with the one you love, or make a meaningful and positive change to society. Difficult challenges create deeply satisfying rewards. It is ironic that every city has a Martin Luthar King Jr Blvd. And most of these blvds are ghettos. Yet, poetry realizes this irony and asks forgiveness for it's limitations. Poetry will not save the world. But poetry just might inspire you to save yourself.
As it was said in the movie Dead Poets Society, “We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But Poetry beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”
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