Attention- blog moved to my website!

I know it's not like I have a million blog followers or anything, but just thought I'd let you know I've moved my blog to my new website:

htpp://www.lindsaywhitemusic.com

Hope you check it out!

July is Fly - True Story No Lie

So we meet again. Since I last left you, I have experienced my first legitimate road trip. We spent 6 days driving through the American southwest. It was so great to have some time off work and head out on the open road. Our destination was Vail, Colorado, which just may be one of the prettiest places I've ever seen. On the way there, we saw the most beautiful red moon nestled above a stunning plateau as dusk crept up on New Mexico. It looked like a painting. (I can also now relay about 700 locations where you can purchase Native American rugs, if you're in the market.) On the way back, we spent a morning hiking/climbing the huge red rocks all around Pioneer Park in St. George Utah. (I also got stopped there for speeding, but was let off with a warning...thanks, dimples.) It was a wonderful, relaxing, much-needed vacation and I hope to make road-trippin' with V an annual event.

pretending i actually do yoga in St. George Utah...the meditation part was real though.

And then the madness began. From the minute we got home, we have been working our arses off. The good news is it's all fun. My day job is going through some transitions with branding and marketing and I am so happy that I get to put my creative skills to use. That is when I love my job the most! With music, V and I are finally in the studio together recording our first album as The Lovebirds. We are fortunate to be working with Jeff Berkley of Berkley Sound - we're doing a great job of having loads of fun but staying productive. I'm very excited to announce that we might even find a way for my grandparents to be on the record (Nat King Cole - style). Stay tuned for that!

Continuing with The Lovebirds theme, I have a few shows lined up this month with V...one is Berkley Hart's CD Release party...I am so honored to share a bill with such incredible songwriters. We're also playing SD Pride on Day 2 at the Rainbow Stage. Don't forget to check out the calendar for details and come get your gay on. Speaking of gay, I think I'm going to be featured in the July issue of Curve Magazine, so be on the lookout for that!

All in all, I'm having a lovely summer. I'm trying to keep my ears open and hear the voice of the universe no matter how busy I get...I know its always saying something, I just gotta keep listening. (Sometimes I amaze myself with the hippie sentences that come out of my brain...don't judge me). I hope you're making time for yourself this summer, but if you have any spare time, I hope you pencil me in! See you at a show!

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Why Obama should Come Out of the Closet

Yo Pres-

I get it. You can't just come out and say the words "I support gay marriage"- even though you essentially said it back in Chicago over a decade ago. For now, we have to wait until your opinions on the matter "evolve." You expect us to understand that you need to get re-elected before it's safe enough to fight for us. First, you want our money and our support - THEN you'll step in the ring. Wink, wink. Scratch, scratch.

Back in 2008, I looked around and all I saw was a sea of slimy spineless politicians. I thought you were different. You were doing the yes-we-can-can, mopping the floor with McCain, brushin' your shoulders off, and pretty much just shitting inspiration everywhere you went. Not only did you have a spine - you had balls, and I (a lesbian) liked that (for a change). So I voted for your ass. Now I just feel like I have to vote for your ass again since no one better has come along. And you're counting on that, you sly little fox.

A small part of me feels sorry for you. It can't be easy or comfortable to go to sleep every night on a tightrope. It can't be easy sitting up there on that tiny fence.

A large part of me is rolling my eyes at you. Let me break down each side of that fence for you, dummy. One side is overflowing with people who not only believe that "God hates fags", but also believe that this is a sound political argument. They may not all be shouting it on the street corner, but to varying degrees, that's their position. Oh yeah- most of them hate your guts. On the other side of the fence stand a whole bunch of people who just want to be given equal treatment & protection under the law (and yes, even the terminology needs to be equal, not separate). These people understand the beauty of religion but also recognize the dangers of using it as a political weapon. These are my peeps, and they're your peeps too. No matter what you do (cough, like kill Osama bin Laden) those other kids are never gonna think you're cool. Stop agreeing to buy them beer.

which side of the fence are you on?

Another little part of me is...well, it's my middle finger. Tonight at your fundraiser in

NYC, you said "New York is doing exactly what democracies are supposed to do. There's a debate; there's a deliberation about what it means here in New York to treat people fairly in the eyes of the law." You are essentially saying you KNOW as the leader of our country that allowing same-sex marriages would be considered fair treatment in the eyes of the law, but whew, good thing they're voting on it so you don't have to take an official stance! Are you mental? Get the net! If you KNOW this, then SAY you know this! We want the first black president, not the umpteenth yellow one! I voted for Yes-We-Can, not I-Might-Try

You could learn a thing a two about courage from the LGBTQ community! It's not easy being honest with yourself but it always pays off and you know it gets better. Come down off that fence, step out of that political closet, speak your heart, stop trying to be all things to everyone and start being true to yourself. Winning an election is not worth losing yourself.

tell me we wouldn't be the most kick-ass married couple in the world

Just keep swimming...in circles?

Most of the time I try to display a postive attitude, especially in my blogging. No one likes a whiner. But it's not always Tony the Tiger Grrrrrreeeeaat in Lindsay Land. Sometimes it's just Grrr. So hopefully you will forgive me for the following rant. I'm going to write it exactly as it's coming out of my brain, no filter. Maybe at least then you will find humor in my frustration. Thank God I do.

I got my hair cut bright and early in Pacific Beach. Every time I drive there it's like the Ghost of Lindsay-Past is riding shotgun in my honda. I'm half-terrified of running into my ex-husband but also half-wishing he will emerge out of the CVS by my bank so we can share in the heartfelt forgiveness festival I so desperately crave. I imagine the reunion in my head until I finally run the red light at Ingraham & Grand and snap out of it. Never gonna happen Lindsay.

Alright so haircut came and went without incident. I went full on lesbian with a cute little bob. Saturday morning is always my work-on-the-business-side-of-music time. I high-tail it out of PB (still terrified) and into Bird Rock. My efforts to support mom-n-pop at Bird Rock Cafe are thwarted by overpopulation so I end up in an iceberg called Starbucks across the street.

Commence frustration.

I update my one-sheet to include new promo pics and new press (like next month's feature in Curve Magazine...yea bitches!). Then I initiate the terrible game of musical prostitution, I mean promotion. What music supervisors will actually give me a listen? Google, google, google. How do I find their contact info? Google, google, google. What do I say that will make them even remotely interested in listening to my music? How bout- heyyyyyy, I'm super gay! Please put my music in your super gay tv show or movie so people can stop associating lesbians with terrible music. Do I really need to learn all this legal bullshit...why do I have to have my own publishing company? I need an assistant. Or manager. Or assistant manager. Aaughhghgh how is it 3pm all of a sudden? Why does the guy next to me want to sit so close to me when there are plenty of other places to sit in Starbucks? What mother let that pre-teen leave the house in shorts that short? My thighs would demolish those shorts. I should work out.

Ok focus Lindsay. Let's try a different direction for now. How can I generate some reviews/articles/interviews for the album? Google, google, google. Who do I contact? Google google google. What can I say to make myself sound interesting? How bout- check out my music I am an awesome songwriter. I write the best fucking lyrics if you would just listen to them for one goddamn second. Probably not the best approach.

Then I do the worst. I resort to name-dropping my own girlfriend out of this wicked insecurity that people think I'm completely untalented and insignificant without her. I know it's not true but it's all about other people's perception in this biz. Does San Diego see me as Lindsay White or Veronica May's girlfriend? I'm proud to be both but I work so fucking hard by myself for myself. Bueller? Wah, wah, self-pity.

Whew. Ok it actually felt pretty good to get that out. At this exact moment Joy Ride by The Killers came on my iTunes and made everything better. Hopefully my music does that for somebody out there. That's what it's all about after all. Everything else I just whined about doesn't even matter. I just turned my own frown upside down by blogging. Now I'm wondering if I should even post this. Eh, why not?

There's another 11 year old trying to slut it up. For the love of God, San Diego mothers, get it together.

where your daughter will end up in shorts like that.

Chuck E Cheese - Where a 28 year old can be a kid!

Just wanted to write a quick note to say thanks to everyone who came to my birthday party at Chuck E Cheese on Wednesday! It was a blast and reminded me that age ain't nothin' but a number. Highlights of the night were:

1. They served 2 types of wine out of a tap- chardonnay and blush.

2. Kristine Vandenberg went to TOWN on one of those pop-up smash games. Hilarity.

3. Chocolate-hazelnut cake. YUM! V had to call a "cake finder" to find such a cake. Apparently there are people in the world who provide this service for free.

4. This picture. If we ever send Christmas Cards, this will be the photo we choose:

V put so much thought into this birthday and made it really special for the entire day. She gave me the best present ever, which you can watch below. You may not understand a lot of the little inside jokes but in a nutshell it is the story of us. Every little detail is an important memory we share together. Who would have thought that a hula hoop and hairless polar bear could find love? I still can't read/listen to it without crying. I love that woman and I love my life.

Prop 8 Reflections...

I was sorting through old documents and found this little note I wrote in response to the ruling on Prop 8, while I was still married, before I had even come to terms with the fact that I was gay. Thought I'd repost and ask for your thoughts:

I feel I need to speak out on this marriage nonsense. (I may ramble, but I think I should write everything I’m feeling about this)

As someone who was raised for many years in a Baptist church, I understand why some people think that marriage should be between a man and a woman. Christians, just like any other group of people, can’t be pigeonholed into one belief system. Some Christians choose to believe every single word in the bible as fact (right down to the rib of Adam). Some Christians choose to focus on the “fire and brimstone” message of eternal punishment for sins. Some choose to believe that being gay is one of those punishable sins. Some choose to believe that judging other people’s sins is a sin. Some choose to believe in the message of God=Love and nothing else matters. You know what’s awesome about Christianity, and any other religion (or non-religion) practiced in the U.S.? People have the choice to believe what they want to believe, as long as they do not harm others.

Now for many years, I just believed whatever authority figures told me (preachers, relatives, etc.). I didn’t really question much, and I didn’t really think about people outside of my little world who had other beliefs. I thought marriage should be between a man and a woman because a handful of people told me this is what I had to believe, and I was afraid I’d go to hell if I believed otherwise. (As a side note, I also thought I’d go to hell if I had sex before marriage, which resulted in HUGE trauma that I still struggle with today). I was never taught to hate gay people (some people do, and I just can’t figure that one out…hating is frowned upon in the bible), but I was supposed to think of their lifestyle as a correctable error. I was constantly reminded by this at every holiday function as I’d view my family virtually ignore my cousin and the “friend” that she’d bring over to family dinners.

When I finally got out of the little town I’d been raised in, I realized there was more. More everything. More culture, more religions, more races, more political parties, more philosophies about life in general. My relatives like to think of this as the time I was “brainwashed by a liberal university.” True, my university (in its curriculum, but strangely not in its own policies) took a left stance on anything race, gender, justice-related. But I had grown up in my small town “absorbing” whatever my church and my family said, and when I went to college I was tired of just absorbing and ready to think for myself. To make a long story short, I don’t think I was brainwashed in college as much as I was given a good rinse. I think the balance of my upbringing combined with my college education made me a very open-minded person. I find it hard to judge groups as a whole, because there are well-intentioned, good-hearted people in every group. Conversely, I find it hard to identify solely with one group because there sure are a lot of idiots in every group too.

I was an American Studies major, and I think I find this country so interesting because it is (and always has been) such a hypocritical place to live. I think this gay marriage ban is just one more example in a long, long history of hypocrisy. People love the U.S.A. because we have a Constitution that guarantees every citizen equal rights, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and everyone’s favorite—the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness. There is also a separation of Church and State, which saves everyone from religious persecution. This is where I think some people lose focus. Some love to say that our country was founded by people who fled Europe to escape religious persecution. Then they love to say that’s why there should be no separation of Church and State… because we should be a Christian nation (“our forefathers were Christian!” they say). And as a Christian State, we should uphold marriage as a Christian tradition that can only be practiced by heterosexuals. Hmmmm… Let me get this straight. Religious persecution is bad, so let’s start a new country with laws that persecute people who don’t believe what our religion dictates? It don’t make no kinda sense! Let’s try imagining a U.S.A. where Christianity wasn’t the dominant religion. (And hold on to your hats, because we will probably see this U.S.A., if not our children.) Wouldn’t these people be glad to know they were protected by a separation of Church and State?

Now I want to talk about the word marriage. It seems to me that this word is the serious hang-up. The slogan for the Prop 8 Campaign (which had huge support and funding from the people I was talking about in the last paragraph) was “Protect Marriage.” They want to protect a religious belief. That’s awesome. Religious beliefs should be protected. You will find that many of these people do the “I have gay friends” dance and will swear up and down that they believe gay partners should have the same rights as married people, but that they just don’t think it’s right for them to “marry.” Marriage is too religious of a word. (Even though there’s a whole other discussion to be had on how “sacred” it is). Let marriage be a word used in churches, however each church feels they should use it. And let there be some other word used in a court that is blind to sexual orientation. Instead of a marriage license, it can be called a civil union contract, or something to that effect. “Marriage” will be protected, and yet everyone will still have equal rights. I understand it is a compromise, but meeting in the middle is a good start.

I know what’s coming next. The slippery-slope theory. What if a man wanted to marry a goat? This is stupid and I don’t think it should even be dignified with a response. All I’ll say is a goat can’t sign a freaking court document. We live in a country where people fake-marry their cats. Strange things happen every day.

I know what’s coming after that. This issue was voted on, and since we live in a democracy, we need to respect that this Proposition was passed by voters. To this I will say that CIVIL RIGHTS should not be put to a vote, especially not one that was decided by a very narrow margin.

To my friends and family who are happy that marriage has been “protected” in California, I want you to know that I am glad you have a right to choose what you want to believe. I would never want to take that away from you, and I’m not even mad that you feel the way you do, because that would make me a hypocrite. But I would ask you to put a face on this issue. GLBT people are your relatives, your friends, your co-workers, your neighbors. We’ve learned this lesson as a country a thousand times over: separate but equal is the real slippery slope.

What are your thoughts?

Ladies, come work out with me!

Yo peeps-

I've been going to Bootique Fitness in SD for the past month...I tried it via one of those online coupon thingies and I've decided to continue going. Here is why:

-You work to your own level of comfort, yet the trainers still provide motivation to push harder.
-The other peeps in the class are nice and everyone's around the same level of fitness so it's not intimidating.
-Trainers are motivating but not scary.
-They do free events every once in a while where you can bring your friends. For example, Veronica and I hiked Torrey Pines with them this weekend and it was beautiful!
-There is a flexible class schedule and a lot of different purchasing options. For example, my schedule is wacky so the unlimited monthly membership doesn't work for me, so I purchase "points" that never expire. That way I don't ever feel like I'm wasting money.

Here is me before. Hahahahaha


And here is me after. Even funnier.


I kid, I kid. But I do feel a lot healthier and have dropped some poundage. Would love to have some friends join me at the Hillcrest class! (But they have classes all over) If you do sign up, please write my name in the referral box so they give me some love for giving them new business! Forward this on to your peeps too! And if you have a second, please share on your FB since I'm on a little facebook hiatus :)

Here's the link:
Join the fun at female boot camp for just $89
For only $89, receive one month unlimited of outdoor fitness boot camp with San Diego’s most popular trainers for women at Bootique Fitness. Trim fat, firm your bottom, strengthen your core, and burn up to 800 calories per workout.

Accelerate your results with this FITNESS & NUTRITION package, you will receive

• 30 days Unlimited Bootique 4 Her Boot Camp classes (Value $227)
• A completely customizable nutrition plan (Value $50)
• 2 nutritional webinars (Value $100)
• 2 complete body assessments with body fat analysis to measure your results (Value $100)

Hope to see you there!

Lindsay

PS: Valid for first time clients only. Offer expires Friday, June 10th. Cannot be combined with other offers. May attend any Bootique 4 Her Boot Camp at any time and location (mix and match). You will receive a confirmation with instructions on how to redeem this offer immediately after you purchase. Certificate Expires 1/31/12.

Jump in the Moment - June News from Lindsay White

So I turn 28 on June 8th. I've always (since high school) felt like I was running out of time. Lots of people laugh at me when I say that since I'm still pretty young. But you can't help but feel what you feel. I am happy to announce that even though I still feel like I'm running out of time, it is a much better feeling than it used to be. I used to feel like I was not miserable, but not exactly happy either, and I was running out of time to find true joy. Now I feel like I've finally found happiness and there are only so many precious moments of it left. V and I started a new routine called "Jump in the Moment". Here's the rules if you want to play along: At some point in your day just stop what you're doing for about a minute. Close your eyes and picture yourself literally jumping into that moment. Don't think about anything behind you or anything ahead of you. In that very small amount of time, find yourself aware of that precise moment and decide what you appreciate about it. Say that thing (or things) out loud. The goal is to practice this awareness until it is with you always. My life consists of tirelessly trying to make things happen for my music career, which means I spend a lot of time ahead of the moment. This is my way to counter-balance and I hope you can find some use in it too. Hmmm, I just decided to write a song called Jump in the Moment. That means that you, readers, have inspired me to write a song today. That is what I'm thankful for in this moment.

On to business:

*The Forget Me Nots just had an awesome house concert last week. I have so much fun with that adorable little band of ours! Let me know if you ever want to host a FMN jamboree at your house! (Or spread the word to any hosts you know)

*The Lovebirds are playing TONIGHT at Belly Up Tavern. We've spent the last few days preparing an AWESOME rendition of Lisa Sanders' "Tell Me Daddy" - you don't wanna miss it! 8:30pm

*I have taken a 30 day break from Facebook. Good for the soul. It's time to go outside and play in the summer sunshine. I'll be back in July!

*Be on the lookout for a new Lindsay White website...it will feature new press photos and up-to-date blogs about my crazytown life. Basically an awesome way to stalk me.

*I will be featured in upcoming Music Issue of Curve Magazine! I'm super excited about that one...stay tuned for more details!

*Lindsay & the White Lies & The Lovebirds will be playing sets at this years SD Pride Festival...mark your calendars!

*and the best news yet...I am going back into the studio at the end of June to start recording my second album, as well an album with The Lovebirds. Forget Me Nots & White Lies albums will follow later this year...I am peeing-in-my-pants excited to be working with Jeff Berkley on all these projects.

You guys make my day for reading this every month. And thanks to those of you who respond with feedback- makes me feel like I'm not just sending this newsletter into a black hole of nothingness. Happy June!!

hope to see you tonight at the Belly Up! i probably won't be wearing this dress.

Creating the Visual

I'm dedicating this blog entry to my friends in the local music scene who are constantly documenting our little piece of history via photography or videography. It is a thankless job- especially now that it's so easy to copy & paste or crop out a photo credit. As musicians, we get all excited when we make a record every couple of years. But photographers and videographers are making records on a daily basis. Records that we love so much and often take for granted.

In the little free time I have, I work very hard trying to make a career out of music. And the more work I put in, the more I realize how important it is to create a visual when reaching out for new opportunities. So I am very appreciative to my photographer/videographer friends in the local music community who have provided such great documentation of my music career. I feel honored and grateful every time you allow me to be the subject of your art.

I want to highlight 2 of my faves who have helped me recently:

First, Richard Pollard. Richard takes video footage of lots of shows around town, and he recently filmed our last Forget Me Nots concert. We are finally uploading content on our Youtube page thanks to Richard. His videos are helping us share our music with people outside of San Diego, which is so crucial to our promotional efforts.

Second, Alfonso De Alba of I.Am.Lost. I've been friends with Alfonso for a couple years now and he's really been there for me. He is such a talented photographer, and I'm so stoked he was willing to help me on my recent photo shoot. He took a ton of great promo shots that I will be using for my new website...One of the shots will actually be featured in the upcoming issue of Curve magazine! Check out the below pic he took of "The Lovebirds" - on our front porch!

snapped by i.am.lost

There are so many other great visual artists out there that I am blessed to work with and be friends with...maybe I will make this a regular entry and highlight some of my favs! Who are some of your favs?

Working on my (Bootique) Fitness

I go to food when I'm __________. I could fill in that blank with anything. I envy people who are not constantly thinking about food. How much they want it or need it or hate it or love it, what they should or shouldn't have, how it will make them feel happy, guilty, etc. The only time I've ever had a decent relationship with food was when I was too depressed in my personal life to think about it at all. I looked amazing but I felt like poop.

I have spent a great deal of time since graduating college trying to sort out my food issues. I go back and forth between crazy spurts of binge eating to full-on raw food detox cleanses. Why? Because I'm fantastic at keeping that Gemini pendulum swinging. At this very moment, I feel okay about where I am. Trying to be cognizant of the food choices I make but also trying not to obsess about it. In the meantime, I've been trying to refocus on working out.

I know exercise is the other piece of the puzzle when it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle, but here are my awesome excuses for not making it a priority:
A) It's hard to find time to work out with my busy schedule
B) I'm really lazy
C) I'm kind of poor
D) My back/knees are effed after 20 years of basketball

Like it or not, I know I have to get back into working out. So I'm finding the time, the energy, the money, and the strength to do it. I bought a Groupon for a month of unlimited classes at Bootique Fitness. So far, I've been three times and I like it a lot. Specifically, I love that it's circuit training, and also that each circuit is always different. I have exercise ADD- I get bored so easily. I've decided to tell you all about it because I could use the support to keep it up. (Or you could also try it! Strength in numbers).

We also just started a fat-off at my work because we were all getting overwhelmed by the delicious-but-fatty treats our vendors always bring us. The winning female gets $100 in fitness or health related products/services, so there's a little extra motivation there. I started at about 164lbs and I hope to lose 15-20lbs altogether. For me though, it's more about how I feel in my clothes than a number on a scale.

Mostly I wanted to post this and not only ask for your support but also ask for your advice. What do you guys do to stay healthy? How do you fit it into your schedule? Any tips/tricks to stay motivated? What songs do you like to work out to? I recently just learned that one of my friends lost 65lbs simply by hula hooping to an awesome playlist! I could get on board with that!

Share your thoughts/ideas below puh-lease :) I'll keep you posted on how I'm doing!

TZM: Response to Media; Death of Osama bin Laden

My friend shared the interesting article below with me today and I thought I'd repost. Something about this whole killing of Osama bin Laden makes me feel uneasy. I try not to get too involved in politics because the corruption depresses me. However, I did watch President Obama's speech a couple nights ago and I didn't like how he made it sound like this was an American victory in the name of revenge. I know we have to protect our country. I know lives will be lost in that process. Maybe bin Laden's death was crucial in that fight. Maybe it will only make matters worse. But the bottom line is, I am uncomfortable in the way this headhunting is being celebrated. What was the price for this man's death? How many years? How many lives? How much money? How many other national crises neglected in the name of homeland security? Part of me thinks it's some carefully orchestrated Illuminati plan- are they pulling one over on us? The other part of me thinks Yosemite Sam may as well be running this country. What are your thoughts?


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TZM: Response to Media; Death of Osama bin Laden

On May 1, 2011 Pres. Barack Obama appeared on national television with the spontaneous announcement that Osama bin Laden, the purported organizer of the tragic events of September 11th 2001, was killed by military forces in Pakistan.

Within moments, a media blitz ran across virtually all television networks in what could only be described as a grotesque celebratory display, reflective of a level of emotional immaturity that borders on cultural psychosis. Depictions of people running through the streets of New York and Washington chanting jingoistic American slogans, waving their flags like the members of some cult, praising the death of another human being, reveals yet another layer of this sickness we call modern society.

It is not the scope of this response to address the political usage of such an event or to illuminate the staged orchestration of how public perception was to be controlled by the mainstream media and the United States Government. Rather the point of this article is to express the gross irrationality apparent and how our culture becomes so easily fixed and emotionally charged with respect to surface symbology, rather than true root problems, solutions or rational considerations of circumstance.

The first and most obvious point is that the death of Osama bin Laden means nothing when it comes to the problem of international terrorism. His death simply serves as a catharsis for a culture that has a neurotic fixation on revenge and retribution. The very fact that the Government which, from a psychological standpoint, has always served as a paternal figure for it citizens, reinforces the idea that murdering people is a solution to anything should be enough for most of us to take pause and consider the quality of the values coming out of the zeitgeist itself.

However, beyond the emotional distortions and tragic, vindictive pattern of rewarding the continuation of human division and violence comes a more practical consideration regarding what the problem really is and the importance of that problem with respect to priority.

The death of any human being is of an immeasurable consequence in society. It is never just the death of the individual. It is the death of relationships, companionship, support and the integrity of familial and communal environments. The unnecessary deaths of 3000 people on September 11, 2001 is no more or no less important than the deaths of those during the World Wars, via cancer and disease, accidents or anything else.

As a society, it is safe to say that we seek a world that strategically limits all such unnecessary consequences through social approaches that allow for the greatest safety our ingenuity can create. It is in this context that the neurotic obsession with the events of September 11th, 2001 become gravely insulting and detrimental to progress. An environment has now been created where outrageous amounts of money, resources and energy is spent seeking and destroying very small subcultures of human beings that pose ideological differences and act on those differences through violence.

Yet, in the United States alone each year, roughly 30,000 people die from automobile accidents, the majority of which could be stopped by very simple structural changes. That’s ten 9/11′s each year… yet no one seems to pine over this epidemic. Likewise, over 1 million Americans die from heart disease and cancer annually – causes of which are now easily linked to environmental influences in the majority. Yet, regardless of the over 330 9/11′s occurring each year in this context, the governmental budget allocations for research on these illnesses is only a small fraction of the money spent on “anti-terrorism” operations.

Such a list could go on and on with regard to the perversion of priority when it comes to what it means to truly save and protect human life and I hope many out there can recognize the severe imbalance we have at hand with respect to our values.

So, coming back to the point of revenge and retribution, I will conclude this response with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., likely the most brilliant intuitive mind when it came to conflict and the power of non-violence. On September 15, 1963 a Birmingham Alabama church was bombed, killing four little girls attending Sunday school.

In a public address, Dr. King stated:

“What murdered these four girls? Look around. You will see that many people that you never thought about participated in this evil act. So tonight all of us must leave here with a new determination to struggle. God has a job for us to do. Maybe our mission is to save the soul of America. We can’t save the soul of this nation throwing bricks. We can’t save the soul of this nation getting our ammunitions and going out shooting physical weapons. We must know that we have something much more powerful. Just take up the ammunition of love.”

- Dr. Martin Luther King, 1963 -

~Peter Joseph

www.thezeitgeistmovement.com

Source: News Letter From The Zeitgeist Movement

Madonna had it right

Last night I had the opportunity to play a songwriter showcase downtown at the Ideal Hotel.

That venue is one of my favorite spots to play since it is a listening-room set up. (And as I've always maintained, no one will ever like my music unless they listen to it). It was a fantastic night and I'll tell you why. Any time there is a broad range of performers, I get overwhelmed with this feeling of purpose. Why do any of us choose to lug our gear downtown, pay $15 for parking and play two songs to a small crowd of people in a dark room? Answer: Expression.

We are overwhelmed with artistic energy that needs to be released in a positive way. We are like cannons shooting fiery balls of passion into the air (yes I just said fiery balls of passion). We don't care where they land, we just have to get them out of us so we can make room for more. It is our purpose.

Top 3 Highlights of my Night (in chronological order)

1. A pleasant conversation with Gregory Page. He told me how much he loves my album. He was honest that it took him a couple of listens to go from like to love. (Like I said earlier, you really have to listen to it). He gave me a copy of his new CD and he signed it. I could have gone home happy and show hadn't even started.

2. Veronica May & the CHS Glee Club. Words can not describe. I was beaming with pride. Like, illuminated. I laughed, I cried. I know how great V is working with youth and I had even heard some of their rehearsal recordings. But watching them live just hit it home. It was infinitely better than fireworks. Such energy and excitement and love for music. I don't understand people who don't understand the importance of arts education. This ten-minute performance probably taught these teens more about the human condition than they will ever learn via standardized testing. I am so in love with V's ability to teach huge concepts through music while simultaneously bringing out the best in people. It really brings out the best in her.

3. Growing real-life friendships. My online persona is not shy. But put me in a room full of real-life flesh and bones, and I get all verklempt. I'm not a chit-chatter. I just feel awkward around people for the most part. Really self-conscious. Like there's no way they will find anything I have to say remotely interesting. It's weird, I know. BUT, last night I kind of noticed a change. Because of my slow but steady progress in the music community, I feel like I am actually making some genuine friendships. People seemed happy to see me. That gave me a serious case of the warm n' fuzzies.

I love my life. I love expressing myself through art and words and music. I love watching other people do the same.

Express yourself. Hey hey hey hey.

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