Friday, March 06, 2009
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Violence vs Non-violence
Do I have too much time on my hands?
Someone was asking about the Gita.
I dont think that the Gita or my interpretation of the Gita promotes violence. But I think that its saying that - to everything there is a season.- This is a part of the ongoing discussion. In particular the defence of Che and the Revolution.
Dismissing heroes who have used violence just because they have used violence dismisses a heck of a lot of heroes!
Gita refers to the war as Dharma Yuddha, meaning just war.
Commonly referred to as The Gita, it is a conversation between Krishna and Arjuna which takes place on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, just prior to the start of climactic war. Responding to Arjuna's confusion and moral dilemma, Krishna explains to Arjuna his duties and then elaborates on the Yogic teachings, with examples and analogies. During the discourse, Krishna reveals that he is the Supreme Being Himself , and blesses Arjuna with an awe-inspiring glimpse of His divine Absolute form.
“Valour, glory, firmness, skill, generosity, steadiness in battle and ability to rule - these constitute the duty of a soldier. They flow from his own nature.”
"Think thou also of thy duty and do not waver. There is a war that opens the doors of heaven Arjuna! Happy warriors whose fate is to fight such a war. But to forgo this fight for righteousness is to forgo thy duty and honour:is to fall into transgression."
"If any man thinks he slays and if any man thinks he is slain, neither knows the ways of truth. The Eternal in man cannot kill: the Eternal in man cannot die"
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Spring Journeying Workshop
Ill be passing through Pegtropolis at the end of this month with a new disc called:
Xlent Nu Styl
Ive got an interesting concept for how I will release this disc.
I would like to use my new Yoga training combined with my knowledge of shamanic journeying to run a workshop.
Im talking with Cyrus Smith about maybe using his space.
Format would be thus:
We gather and form a circle.
1. About an hour of yoga to get ourselves warmed up and bonded.
2. a guided drumming meditation where we will journey to the underworld astral realm where we shall encounter and bond with our power animals.
3. Art time where we bring our visions into the material realm through art.
4. We share our expereinces and eat some snacks!
The whole thing will last about two hours and Ill charge 25 dollars. this will cover rental of the space, cost of dainties, art supplies and of course a copy of the nu Smoketygr album.
Depending on interest I could run one on saturday and one on sunday.
what do you think?
Pome for a person with HIV, Mar '09
i wanted to
write the song that would
scar your heart about
sad afternoons and
bus trips through the rain
or the way
you might try for something and never
get it or tell you
something you could believe in
and instead all
i had was this sad gathering of
words to try to tell you about how
life is random and so
ugly too and that
you should come over later for
beer and we'll talk about the
weather or imagine what's
going to happen when it gets worse
for you or the
world finally collapses and
i'll ask if you
want more and you'll say: always, buddy,
that's why i'm here.
write the song that would
scar your heart about
sad afternoons and
bus trips through the rain
or the way
you might try for something and never
get it or tell you
something you could believe in
and instead all
i had was this sad gathering of
words to try to tell you about how
life is random and so
ugly too and that
you should come over later for
beer and we'll talk about the
weather or imagine what's
going to happen when it gets worse
for you or the
world finally collapses and
i'll ask if you
want more and you'll say: always, buddy,
that's why i'm here.
Pome for a heartbroken Montrealaise, March '08
if only it (fate,
i guess) hadn't pulled us a
part on a wintry
morning street with your
six friends and perfect
make up i just
needed to tell you about
the things you knew you
understood but didn't want to
tell me you
didn't know me how
could you you had nothing to
say you had nothing to do
with it but to
get on board i was
quiet in the shadow of the
Christ-like sunrise
of the yellow tile
mosiac at Place St. Henri
it wasn't the right moment yet you were
moving in the heat of it the
slow arrival at rosemount of the
orange line metro it was
the kind of
morning after the
kind of night where i had
smoked cigarettes and felt
half pie
eyed and i
wanted to tell you this it
wasn't romantic it was
stupid and awkward and
i envied the boyfriend of the
stranger in the red
coat with her beautiful
way of moving away like the
way you have of
moving
away forever just to
spite us all like a
star that
disappears before you can
wish on it and i
wish you'd gone away long
ago but maybe you do too
comme une etoile
filante and my
tired eyes
missed you before we got to
champs de mars and the
sky grew light and the
sun fought through to
dit que
col
lis mais t'
es
belle quand
meme.
sincerement, un etranger,
orange line metro, 06h18.
i guess) hadn't pulled us a
part on a wintry
morning street with your
six friends and perfect
make up i just
needed to tell you about
the things you knew you
understood but didn't want to
tell me you
didn't know me how
could you you had nothing to
say you had nothing to do
with it but to
get on board i was
quiet in the shadow of the
Christ-like sunrise
of the yellow tile
mosiac at Place St. Henri
it wasn't the right moment yet you were
moving in the heat of it the
slow arrival at rosemount of the
orange line metro it was
the kind of
morning after the
kind of night where i had
smoked cigarettes and felt
half pie
eyed and i
wanted to tell you this it
wasn't romantic it was
stupid and awkward and
i envied the boyfriend of the
stranger in the red
coat with her beautiful
way of moving away like the
way you have of
moving
away forever just to
spite us all like a
star that
disappears before you can
wish on it and i
wish you'd gone away long
ago but maybe you do too
comme une etoile
filante and my
tired eyes
missed you before we got to
champs de mars and the
sky grew light and the
sun fought through to
dit que
col
lis mais t'
es
belle quand
meme.
sincerement, un etranger,
orange line metro, 06h18.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Monday, March 02, 2009
Man of Steel
Oh no. CaptainGoldstar again.
People, let us return a bit to the forfront of what is happening right now.
Can you see yourself at you computer typing and reading what Ive written? this type of inquiry is what they call metaphysical. that which deals with the fundamental questions of knowing, doing, perceiving.
I have the jesters curse of unabling to exit from this type of perceiving.
I tell you. In some ways my disability is a blessing in that it disables me from the mainstream propoganda machine. When brittany comes on I simply cannot see her. She is invisible to me. Yet many proclaim that the Jonas Brothers are Gods.
How can they be such when as far as I know: I am god!
Hm. This brings me to a difficult issue which pertains especially to this blog. Perhaps we have broached this topic before:
I find more and more that my obsessive production of art and music is some kind of ejaculation of my essence. its like this: LOOK AT ME! IM AN ARTIST!!!
But wait a second. In this incarnation, arent I trying to destroy my ego in order to acheive liberation?
I dont know what Im saying. Let me return to where I started:
What are we doing here looking at these screens and ejaculating our egoes into this virtual space? Why? Is this the path of the bhuda?
This is where Im having trouble. Im trying to become enlightened along the lign of all these other wise dudes like jesus, che, muhamed, b marley, burton, bruce lee, etc. Yet this weird shite with the internet and all this is completely beyond any precedent that these bhodisatvas left.
Am I worshipping the devil (myself)? or am I worshipping god (myself)?
Is there an alternative?
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Flag Design Attempt #1
Here's one quick try at a new flag design. Given the harsh winters we are prone to the snowflakes were an obvious choice. The suns represent the open sky and also our immigrant population (notice that it's the same sun used on the Filipino flag). The bison represents the aboriginal population and our heritage. The yellow is for wheat (and canola). The blue is for water. The white is for the European folk (maybe).
Saturday, February 28, 2009
All the children say
Out of the ruins
Out from the wreckage
Can't make the same mistake this time
We are the children
The last generation
We are the ones they left behind
And i wonder when we are ever gonna change it
Living under the fear till nothing else remains
We don't need another hero
We don't need to know the way home
All we want is life beyond the thunderdome
Looking for something we can rely on
There's got to be something better out there
Love and compassion, their day is coming
All else are castles built in the air
And i wonder when we are ever gonna change it
Living under the fear till nothing else remains
All the children say
We don't need another hero
We don't need to know the way home
All we want is life beyond the thunderdome
What do we do with our lives
We leave only a mark
Will our story shine like a life
Or end in the dark
Give it all or nothing
Friday, February 27, 2009
Studio space
There's some new studio space available in my building at 75 Albert...anyone need any? call James at 997-1350
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
The World Wide Church of Whats happening now.
fundamental premise:
the reason for existence is enlightenment (love)
enlightenment (love) defined:
the accelorated vibration of the liberated NOW
Musings:
Its funny how the unheard of dynamics that are occurring in everyday existence in terms of technology, art, music, politics, relationships have very little precedent.
Thus being the case: how do we acheive enlightenment. (love)
=
We achieve enlightenment (love) thru unheard of and unprecedented GRACE that comes as a result of an ammalgomation of ancient knowledges and is guided and filtered by the fundemental principle of chaos.
RA
Here s some interesting tidbits I obtained from a reliable source:
Bruce Lee was a huge pothead! he died as a result of eating hash brownies. His extremely low-body fat body converted thc into poison.
Brandon Lee was executed by the Triad. The Triad assasinated Brandon by being shot by a fake bullet that was actually real, thus ironically mimicing the events that Bruce depicted in: Game of Death
GuerrilleroHeroico-56
My religion worships one tru Almighty!
My religion also worships idols.
Che had great styl!
also:
His experiences and observations during these trips led him to conclude that the region's ingrained economic inequalities were an intrinsic result of monopoly capitalism, neocolonialism, and imperialism, with the only remedy being world revolution.
I reckon if Louis Riel were alive today he would sing in the styl of Burton Cummings except rapping to raggae styl like Bob Marley with accompaanying blues driven rock and roll. He would rap about the following ideology:
The worlds ingrained economic inequalities are an intrinsic result of monopoly capitalism, neocolonialism, and imperialism, with the only remedy being world revolution.
sidenote:
I observe that all of these idols (save Burton) achieved martyrdom as a result of the expression of the preceding idiology.
the new age means a time that this ideolgy will:
REIGN
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Just to let go
He tried to
get with her
and him and her
and him
and emotions
cling to each
other and
just don't let go
She tried to
get with him
and her and him
and her
and emotions
cling to each
other and
just don't let go
He tried to
get with her
and him and her
and him
and emotions
cling to each other
just to let go
She tried to
get with him
and her and him
and her
and emotions
cling to each other
just to let go
get with her
and him and her
and him
and emotions
cling to each
other and
just don't let go
She tried to
get with him
and her and him
and her
and emotions
cling to each
other and
just don't let go
He tried to
get with her
and him and her
and him
and emotions
cling to each other
just to let go
She tried to
get with him
and her and him
and her
and emotions
cling to each other
just to let go
The Brycer - Burton Cummings
Back in the 90's, my friend and drummer Bryce lived next door to the Burt. He was evicted, then moved to the house on the other side of the Burt. Many fun times were had. Burton thought this was hilarious and recorded this demo as a result. (the burning seems to fit here).
Friday, February 20, 2009
I can smell you
I learned tonight
that there is a difference
between
love
sex
marriage
and friendship,
in that order
We're full
of it, as I care
for you, and you,
and you, and you,
and you, maybe three
There is
an odour
to the order
I can smell
you
that there is a difference
between
love
sex
marriage
and friendship,
in that order
We're full
of it, as I care
for you, and you,
and you, and you,
and you, maybe three
There is
an odour
to the order
I can smell
you
Three paragraphs about art
These artists meet every Thursday night to sip wine and Lucky lager, smoke, and talk about their latest endeavors. They talk with each other and they take turns going over each other’s processes and escapades, a little like a big confessional. “I can’t do any work before 6pm, but I usually work for 12 hours straight, until 6am. I created this last art show of mine in 6 weeks,” said one artist. They discuss other things like new jokes, politics, and an air of competition lingers in the air with the stale smoke.
********************************************************************
I remember when I used to make art as a kid, I would sit and draw for hours, copying images from comic books and from role playing games, imagining fantasy worlds with my pencil. As a kid, and later a teenager, this behavior, though indulgent, was acceptable, and was never about drugs or alcohol. Better than sitting and playing a video game for hours on end, right? And now, in my thirties, I question what art making is, specifically, it as a behavior. Why do humans feel this need, to create these objects/art? If it's to communicate, why aren’t the other animals doing it?(or maybe they are and I just haven't seen it). For most, making art is a very solitary pursuit. In some cases, an artist can sit for hours making a single object.
********************************************************************
Weirdly enough, I checked my email while writing this and there was an interesting letter from Robert Genn in my mailbox...here's a paragraph that relates.
Connecting Darwin's evolutionary theory to the making and appreciating of art, Dutton says that art had its origins as a display that might lure prospective mates. He views art-making as a skill that only an extraordinary individual could perform--a person who perhaps exhibited a degree of laid-back leisure and who didn't have to expend full resources on the basics. This evolved artistic character could also be seen as taking part in casual, exploratory pursuits, the outcome of which was often unknown. Dutton's idea is that art is a kind of specialized fitness display.
********************************************************************
I remember when I used to make art as a kid, I would sit and draw for hours, copying images from comic books and from role playing games, imagining fantasy worlds with my pencil. As a kid, and later a teenager, this behavior, though indulgent, was acceptable, and was never about drugs or alcohol. Better than sitting and playing a video game for hours on end, right? And now, in my thirties, I question what art making is, specifically, it as a behavior. Why do humans feel this need, to create these objects/art? If it's to communicate, why aren’t the other animals doing it?(or maybe they are and I just haven't seen it). For most, making art is a very solitary pursuit. In some cases, an artist can sit for hours making a single object.
********************************************************************
Weirdly enough, I checked my email while writing this and there was an interesting letter from Robert Genn in my mailbox...here's a paragraph that relates.
Connecting Darwin's evolutionary theory to the making and appreciating of art, Dutton says that art had its origins as a display that might lure prospective mates. He views art-making as a skill that only an extraordinary individual could perform--a person who perhaps exhibited a degree of laid-back leisure and who didn't have to expend full resources on the basics. This evolved artistic character could also be seen as taking part in casual, exploratory pursuits, the outcome of which was often unknown. Dutton's idea is that art is a kind of specialized fitness display.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
गंगा सागर
Ganga Sagar
This is one of the holiest sites in India. The confluence point of the Indian Ocean and the Ganga river, it's here where millions of pilgrims come to bathe, what's known as a holy dip. Many pilgrims will only come once in their lifetime, considering this geographic point so sacred that only one visit will absolve them of all their sins.
Millions of people dream of submerging themselves in these waters, believing that it is here where earth finds its most direct link to heaven.
I was here in mid-January. In short, it was an immense privilege.
The next day, I went to the Kali temple in Kolkata. In two short days, I had two of the most meaningful spiritual experiences of my life.
I know that I am lucky. I'm also grateful for the wisdom to have known that while I was there.
Metro Sectional
Video - Sean De Coste
Photos - Ditto fcuk
Audio - Foals- Big Big Love (fig.1)
A day in the Montreal metro system.
I love the constant flow of this city ....
Look at all those people.
Who are they?
Where they going?
Are they high?
Do they eat meat?
Do they ride the metro?
Yes! Yes they do.
Thank you Bebe Jayzoo!
Man vs. Cat
It is one of the oldest struggles known to mankind (sic):
Man vs. Cat.
In this scene, our hero attempts to groom the lady Frances, his cruel and heartless mistress. Disastrous results follow which include bloodletting, household disunity, and a poorly-made cream of broccoli soup.
Monday, February 16, 2009
The Transmutation of Species
2 aspects can affect this the change in an organism, the nature of the organism and the nature of its conditions
(the latter being more important)
Case study 1 - Wolfboy...feral organism living in Winnipeg(left) and now living Montreal(right).
changes? hat positioning, hair style, demeanor.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
neat
“At dawn on 14th February 2009 the day dedicated to St. Valentine, the patron saint of Love, the Moon in Libra enters the seventh house of relationships. And Jupiter and Mars are aligned in Aquarius in the twelfth house of spiritual transformation.
Forty years ago, the intuitive words of a song called Aquarius, brought the dawning of the new age into our collective awareness:
‘When the Moon is in the seventh house
and Jupiter aligns with Mars.
Then peace will guide the planets
and love will steer the stars’
At dawn on 14th February the Cosmos actually embodies this perfect alignment to support our collective manifestation of love and peace and dawning of the Age of Aquarius.”
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Moonflower (written for Krystal)
Emerge from a fan of sheets; azurelaid, china clay and rice paper,
spine broke and beautifully worn
with my hand spread in the rich curve of your back;
pressing you down, stretching, folding you close
as if this were the end of the world.
Fingers, laced together like clever roots,
one being; tall, naked, wrapped in ourself.
In the quiet you cling to me; like Ipomoea
you feed me Sweet Potato and Water Spinach
and I suck wine from your lips.
Drunk, we lapse back into the leaves,
bruising them red with our footprints
so we will always find our way back
to the beginning.
spine broke and beautifully worn
with my hand spread in the rich curve of your back;
pressing you down, stretching, folding you close
as if this were the end of the world.
Fingers, laced together like clever roots,
one being; tall, naked, wrapped in ourself.
In the quiet you cling to me; like Ipomoea
you feed me Sweet Potato and Water Spinach
and I suck wine from your lips.
Drunk, we lapse back into the leaves,
bruising them red with our footprints
so we will always find our way back
to the beginning.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Recul
Last March, I won a songwriting competition in St-Boniface called Musiklips, run by CKSB in partnership with Radio-Canada in the West. The prize was a studio recording of my submitted song as well as a video. My good friend Benoit Morier produced the track and I came up with the donkey concept for the video. The video was shot in Winnipeg in October 2008 and stars a very, very cute and friendly donkey named Maggie. Enjoy!
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Friday, February 06, 2009
Various Positions
The music was
washing me
of my self
And I laid back
to watch
the movie
play
on eyes--
in my soul
They were
all pink
the visions
and they too
washed me
over
Man o' man
I haven't hallucinated
like this in a long
time, when the feel
was fresh and new
And I enjoyed it
as it came
one by one
soul by soul
Then one last image:
a bald man's face
covered in cloth
so that only eyes
and up
were visible
And he said to me
he said to me
You know who
you are
And I looked back
and said, I know
I know
He was the devil
and I was confident
to see him
And that made me feel good
My confidence
A few days have passed now,
and I wonder
Was I confident because of
some inner strength?
Or was it because
I was in good company?
"I'm on the side that's always lost
Against the side of Heaven
I'm on the side of Snake-eyes tossed
Against the side of Seven.
And I've read the Bill of Human Rights
And some of it was true
But there wasn't any burden left
So I'm laying it on you."
washing me
of my self
And I laid back
to watch
the movie
play
on eyes--
in my soul
They were
all pink
the visions
and they too
washed me
over
Man o' man
I haven't hallucinated
like this in a long
time, when the feel
was fresh and new
And I enjoyed it
as it came
one by one
soul by soul
Then one last image:
a bald man's face
covered in cloth
so that only eyes
and up
were visible
And he said to me
he said to me
You know who
you are
And I looked back
and said, I know
I know
He was the devil
and I was confident
to see him
And that made me feel good
My confidence
A few days have passed now,
and I wonder
Was I confident because of
some inner strength?
Or was it because
I was in good company?
"I'm on the side that's always lost
Against the side of Heaven
I'm on the side of Snake-eyes tossed
Against the side of Seven.
And I've read the Bill of Human Rights
And some of it was true
But there wasn't any burden left
So I'm laying it on you."
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
BFF
That was weird.
You laughed as if to mock me.
And am I worthy of mocking?
Likely, but not with that laugh.
But there has been this built up frustration as of late between us, and it is so many things, but that is why you are one of my closest friends.
But the things now, are they different in quality?
We are deriders and scalpels of character, have we come to the derision and scalping of each other?
I'm fine with that.
You laughed as if to mock me.
And am I worthy of mocking?
Likely, but not with that laugh.
But there has been this built up frustration as of late between us, and it is so many things, but that is why you are one of my closest friends.
But the things now, are they different in quality?
We are deriders and scalpels of character, have we come to the derision and scalping of each other?
I'm fine with that.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Monday, February 02, 2009
gldstr
Hello Freindly People.
Im officially riding the Winnipegasus from february 8th to 22.
Im looking for fun and art in this time.
I will be at the Langside Lounge
Im making a new 2009 album called: X-lent Nu Stylz
Looking for contributions from all and some for this transcendentally fun musical project. Let me know if you have a voice, synthizizer, or shaker to offer in freindship: for fun!
Holding your hand
We were in a subwaycarfast through
the space
called dreams
Was it there that I held your hand? No.
There was an accident first
and it used to be vivid
taken by the duty of a lover
Then the accident
and it tore a metal rip
on the side of the
subwaycar we
called dreams
There was no hurt
no tragedy
just an opening
into a big green park
bounded by the city of limits
So green
So good
And then I held your hand
Yes
so light, so charged
and its limits
It's OK
Life is what it is
And is any of this even true
Or do I see it in my mind
chemicals transposing
their wishes into
songs for me to hear
Did you hold my hand
for me to hear?
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Montréal
So, I have now lived in Montéal for exactly one year and three hours.
What can I say about it? I love it here, it's beautiful, I'm pretty happy and in the course of one year I have become functional (though certainly not fluent) in written and oral French.
Also, I've re-written my novel over the past year, and it's literally DAYS away from completion. Or, like, two weeks, maybe.
I miss Winnipeg, I miss all my friends from there, and my family, and I miss the stability of "real" jobs (not to mention the paychecks).
But one year in, I'm still convinced that this was the right decision, and the right time.
***
Btw, January was one of the most productive months this blog has seen in the last 2.5 years.
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