Everybody needs a bad example, for comparison and contrast.
We are all familiar with how that works; " Man, I'm a moron, but I'm not that bad," or "At least I don't look like that dude," or possibly even, "If I was that guy I'd off myself."
Somewhere on this planet there is the single best bad example of a procrastinating writer/aspiring artist/DIY repairman/racquetball player.
I need to stand next to that guy for awhile.
There is the fear, however, that that guy is looking to stand next to me...
This past year has been a tumultuous one in Colorado state politics. There have already been two State Senators recalled and replaced in special elections (Senators Morse and Giron were both recalled and replaced in a special election this past September 10th), with a ton of money being spent on both sides of the fence (about 3 million to prevent the recall, and a little over half a million to make it happen).
The big issue at hand is gun control. Colorado, specifically the Denver area, has experienced a number of mass killings at the hands of armed gunmen over the past 14 years, and after the Aurora Theater shootings in July of 2012 many politicians decided to introduce legislation to enact gun control laws.
Bad move. Colorado still very much embraces the spirit of the rugged individualist cowboy, and Coloradans aren't likely to cotton to Ivory Tower Academics tellin' 'em what they can or cannot do.
The reason for the recalls, however, and even the politicians being recalled, are not the topic of this little diatribe. Recalls are, or rather, the right of the people to enact a recall, is.
I am fascinated by the fact that recalls are at all possible, primarily because politicians being the self-serving scum they generally are (just my constitutionally-protected opinion, btw), it would seem they would have banded together and written up statutes that would make recalls illegal, or at the very least, incredibly difficult to implement.
But that's not the case, at least not here in Colorado. While seven of the fifty states require at least specific grounds for a recall, most do not. Colorado is one of those that do not.
Don't like the way your duly elected representative is performing their job in Colorado? Collect enough signatures and whamo! Recall city.
In other words, we the people can actually fire the people we hired to represent us if we feel they are not doing a good job representing us.
I like that, I really do. I only wish it did not require a huge expenditure of the people's cash to carry it out.
Veronica always wanted her fortune read
Convinced from childhood she would be better off
Dead
Everyone around her thought she was sick in the head
Nearly everyday she locked her doors and stayed in
Bed
Living off soda crackers, Diet Coke and pumpernickel bread
She had a peculiar fear
Of the public
Some called it
Dread
Worked for an insurance company crunching numbers
Kept to herself, lived her whole life in very close
Quarters
Sat on the sofa for hours listening to Johnny Thunders
Didn't have any friends, preferred the company of
Strangers
Had a distaste for religion but always made time for Vespers
She held a few truths dear
That were regarded as magic
When she felt melancholic
Red
All the liars in the world convened at dawn one Tuesday
And started whispering secret truths to each other
Every mechanic started turning wrenches lefty-tighty Righty loosey
The world started to fall
Together
Timekeepers were unwinding clocks
Sinners started throwing rocks
NASCAR drivers began making rights
Pacifists were picking fights
Cats got off counters and left screen doors alone
Dogs refused to shake hands and passed on hambones
Bankers reclaimed toasters while giving out interest free
Loans
The world started to fall
Together
Preachers read from the works of Marx
Lifeguards befriended sharks
New Yorkers were heard saying please
Insomniacs were catching Z's
Plumbers the world over pulled up their pants
Not one single radio host went off on a rant
Police officers pulled over good drivers to give them
Thanks
The world started to fall
Together
Up. Up and away
Scott Carpenter passed away yesterday, one of the original Mercury 7, and the second American to orbit the earth after John Glenn.
His spacecraft, Aurora 7, reached an altitude of 164 miles from the surface of our big blue marble on May 24th 1962.
That was 51 years ago, which is incredible to think about. It's one of those fantastic things that happened before I was even born, that still staggers me.
That human beings blasted off from this rock in metal tubes designed by men using slide rules and computers that filled huge rooms but had 1/100th the computational power and probably 1/1000 the speed of my cell phone, and then floated around the earth in tiny little capsules (I've seen a Mercury capsule up close and personal - the Ford Festiva is way roomier) is just beyond the keen.
Scott Carpenter lived in Denver, and passed away in a hospital less than 15 miles from my house. He was 88 years old and had not only orbited the planet and got that amazing view of earth as a pebble floating in space that only 538 other human beings have ever seen, he also spent 28 days living on the ocean floor as an Aquanaut for the U.S. Navy's SEALAB project (yes, that was real, not a television show).
Talk about your life well lived, his life should be the dictionary definition.
I cannot state that Commander Scott Carpenter was a childhood hero of mine - I was not intrigued by space exploration when I was young, and truth be told, am really not now. However, some years ago when I had first moved to the Denver area, I read a biographical sketch of his life and was stunned by the sheer number of his accomplishments.
He certainly has earned a spot in the Pantheon of all time great adventurers. Almost 5 hours in space in a rocketship built by the lowest bidder. Now that takes brass.
Cartwright Brandon, Adam Clayton, Jon Clayton, and Joey Lee getting ready to jam
Tonight I happened to stumble into meeting a little rock/blues/country band hailing from Asheville, North Carolina. The quartet consisted of twin brothers Adam and Jonathon Clayton (Adam sings and plays the piano organ, Jonathon is one of the two guitarists), Cartwright Brandon (Behind the drum kit) and Joseph Lee (the other guitarist) - they call themselves Freeway Revival.
They were in the middle of a cross country tour, and were getting ready to play a set at the Blitz Sports Bar in Westminster where I happened to be hosting a live trivia game. I introduced myself to the band after I had wrapped up the game, and visited with them for a bit.
All four of these guys were just great people, and I enjoyed the short talk we had. Unfortunately, I had to get going (have a very important obligation early in the morning), so I was not able to actually stay and enjoy their show.
And enjoy their show was pretty much what I'm sure I would have done had I stayed, as I bought the CD they had available before I left and listened to it as I made my way home.
The CD is titled Songs From Home, and it does indeed have a down home feel. There are twelve original tunes on the disc, and all of them are worth listening to. As I drove home I had to fight the urge to turn around and go back to watch them play - it took every bit of willpower I had.
The 12 original songs on the CD will remind most people of the Allman Brothers or maybe the Rounders. The lyrics speak of life as the average person lives it, and are fairly easy to relate to. The musicianship is impressive as well, with the two guitarists able to create pleasing harmonies on a number of the songs, and the work of Adam Clayton on the keyboards, whether piano or organ, is quite impressive.
Damn, I should have gone back to catch their set. Stupid responsibilities! Oh well, at least I've got a great CD to listen to.
Outside Ouray, Colorado
Everybody wants to be the hero for a moment
Everybody wants to save the day
Nobody wants to be told they can't do that
Nobody wants to be turned away
Still, that's how it goes
