Serene September...

I'd like to think that my affinity for September is not because my birthday and the birthdays of several friends fall within this month, rather that September is just the dusk of the year. The crisp air that bears each day and rolls off the bed sheets upon your face to rouse memories of youth and it's rise. And although it's the beginning of the end, the commencement of Fall, the Autumnal tumble into the white powder, post-pile o' leaves, fallen and crunchy, it still casts it's spirit into the air and incites the sneeze of life out of you. It still is the perfect time for a walk down the road, into the park, around a pool, and it leaves me to drift into sleep as I dance upon the wafture of a gentle breeze that swallows night.

This month is also a beautiful reminder that Summer has gone from evanescing to evaporating leaving just another month to hold on to the health and wealth of weather. Which inspires me to look for work in New Zealand as I did just a year ago after finishing in SKorea to venture into the mistique of South Eastern Asia. I've thrown several dates around, but I will probably manage to plow through October and reach November/December allowing for some time out in the midwest to see fam b4 I'm off to doff my blue collar.

Music: I've been off my head listening to riotous music; consuming copious compilations and brandishing band beyond band to buddies. It took me awhile to get to them, but Death Cab For Cutie is enormous entertainment for me; ya gotta get to the album "Plans". "Summer Skin" has this snare that marches memories of pep band onto the grasses that were undergrowth to my summers, marking the fleeting nature of the season we seem to seek. "Into the Dark" is just a great lyrical melody conjuring images of the afterworld. (Catholic School, as vicious as Roman Rule, I got my knuckles bruised...by a lady in black. I held my tongue, as she told me son, fear is the heart of love...so I never went back. If Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied...illuminate the nos on their vacancy signs...if there's no one beside you when your soul embarks...I'll follow you into the dark) is just a lil' tidbit of lyric for ya ta gobble up. "Soul Meets Body" is a great starter to introduce you to this amazing album. Pine-am (Playing Intense Neutral Electronica ad-nauseAM, a band I went to see with The Features is a japanese trio that kick ass with computer game bleeps and other addictive random noises, a power chord sliding distorted guitar with vocals, and the beauty on bass that has back-up...I loved them live and their album touches me accordingly. I'll just mention a few more that you'll have to pick and choose to get into, but I highly recommend them all: Tom Vek, Nine Black Alps, Bloc Party(although a bit comercial and poppy), as well as The New Pornographers.

I guess I've still been reading, although it doesn't seem like I've really taken in as much as in recent posts. I did finish "Brave New World" and found it as great as I had upon initiation, and followed it up with a couple other works by Aldous Huxley; "Antic Hay" I didn't really get into, and "Jacob's Hands" was written to be made into a play...I rather enjoyed this short that highlighted the adage, "Be careful what you wish for." I've now started on an author I've never heard anything about, just picked him up...or rather, the book just kinda siezed me, "Thirst" by Ken Kalfus. I've quickly looked for Hornby Stig, but couldn't locate him...I'll get to it.

I will say that I loved to see Kyle, Loreto, and trying Stig n' Cassie to respond to certain things. I'd love to read more of you responding and thus communicate upon the web...lemme know if any of you have set up a blog or site of your own; I'd love to visit it.

I'll just end with a note on Katrina. I hate how it took so long to respond to people's basic needs...so long that people actually treaded water for 3-4 days and ended up drowning in their attics. I feel terrible that the community that embodies penury was the community to be lashed. I am completely confounded that as the richest nation in the world, we reacted as a Third World Nation might have and that we are ostensibly without sufficient troops, adequate funds, and efficacious strategies to deal with the aftermath...it seems to be a perpetual problem for US. I do realize that this was a natural disaster and it had to run its course in destructive nature, but it seems that we were just so insouciant in regard to the warnings and the immediate rescue and supplying of provisions. I am happy that we as a country have choired our voices of disconent; it seems that it was only this that got people moving with a purpose.

I see today what was so irrating in "Atlas Shrugged" or in its destructive world; that being people afraid to take the reins for fear of being blamed...be a leader damnit and rise up to the challenge, heed not to criticism for those who critique are those who would not act, and their opinion should be valued proportionate to their contribution. Please enlighten me if I've been blind to any real success in the Federal Government's response to this tragedy for I feel that it's as lucid as is the serene September sky.

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same.

Rudyard Kipling