Self vs. Self

You've all heard that saying: you are you own worst enemy well, I would have to agree that it's entirely accurate. I believe this afflicts artists and creatives of all types the most. When you become your own enemy, doubt your work or decision, you begin setting up these peculiar obstacles when previously they never existed. These obstacles are usually set up out of fear or in other words: out of ego. When we walk this strange descent, and we all have, it then becomes an
extra mission to to find shortcuts or wonder if you should have have taken that last path. I'm sure this pounds down on all of us at one point or another and when it does bear it's weight,
being in the moment is destroyed and then comes the stumbling. So with that said, I have come up with a few guidelines to help improve us tripping over us:

1. Put something out there!
However extravagant or small it may be. If you are a photographer, writer, someone with an idea or plan, share it. The worst that can happen is that it won't be accepted by the majority or for the worst case, yourself. There is, however a good chance that someone out there, even if it just one person may like what you are trying to do or say. This will then in turn give you a great chance to look back at your work and critique it. I would have to agree this is especially important for musicians and recording. I believe that you simply can not hone your recordings or your style well enough, unless you hear
some thing back. Looking back is important with art of all facets, Look at Salvador Dali's first pieces: They were kind of heinous, nothing but scribbles of black. Now we have known
him as an extraordinary painter, light observer and realistically strange interpreter. The point is that he has came a hell of a long way from pen dabbles.

2. Be in the giving mode and not the receiving.
A piece should be something of an gift and not something we should expect praise from. When we hope fora certain response and do not get it, it's an automatic let down. Give it all you have and that's it, it's simple.

3.Be aware of how you react.
Being aware will break this pattern trap piece by piece. The more conscious we are of our ego, the less of it we have and the more our boundaries begin to crumble.

4. Take a look at other peoples ideas.
Although I don't condone calling those ideas your own. I'm sure james would agree with me that there are few new ones left, but don't be afraid to expand on them. It will probably take you in a direction you thought you wouldn't go. In fact I didn't even have anything to write about until I took this picture of myself. Then that inspired me to take another shot and combine the two.
Inspiration is all around us, in even the most unlikely times and places, you just have to notice it.
Once I noticed it in my own photograph, it got me thinking of self vs self, so here I am, putting my energy out there and saying our worst enemy can be destroyed, if we make him our friend buddy!

The Human Condition

As humans, we all have similar biological identities. We all need to breathe, drink, eat and sleep. We are all born, and we all die. Biologically, in these ways, we are all similar; not only similar as humans, but with all animals. I state the obvious, I know. What separates us is the knowledge that we exist. No other being on the planet knows that they exist, they just do. We are the only ones that realize that we are a being and that we exist, which opens up a whole host of ideas and implications. Again, I state the obvious, and again, I know. This is the broad definition of the human condition. We have the same basic needs that every other creature on the planet has, yet we are aware of those needs and have been finding ways to make our attainment of those needs as fast and easy as possible; and in almost every way, we have achieved. The only thing we haven't figured out is how to breathe more efficiently; don't worry, I'm working on it day and night.
Here's my question. What responsibility as humans do we have to figure out the how and why of life, rather than just the when and where? It seems to me that it should be the most important thing to each and every one of us. But the way I see it all go down, it's really on the back burner. I could spout for pages about how I feel people don't pay attention to what's important, or at least what I deem is important, but I won't. OK, maybe just a few. Global overpopulation, global lack of water, global lack of food, global warming, and global ignorance of all the basic global problems. Globe.
Perhaps it's because I can't possibly know everyone individually, and perhaps it's because I'm hyper judgemental, but it seems to me that 95% of people really don't get it, and more importantly, really don't want to. It's hip to be green. It's hip to drive hybrids and reuse bags. But at the end of the day, my reality tells me that we could run out of water, and somehow, even more disastrous, we could run out of oil. These things actually have nothing to do with anything aside from the fact that I consider them, think about them. It in no way solves, or even helps the problem. I meander for hours on end about topics that make no difference. But at least I'm meandering. It seems that we are surrounded by ignore-ence. Most people are perfectly capable of critical thinking; they simply choose not to, often with the defense that ignoring thought makes them "happier." This is actually my real issue. People would rather ignore than confront the idea of life. They would rather fill every moment of their time with some kind of stimuli to avoid the reality of being alive. It really has nothing to do with the nasty fact that we are running out of everything, which slowly we are; it has to do with the fact that they would rather not think about it, or anything else for that matter. It is futile to wonder when the world will end; but it is not futile to simply wonder, about anything and everything. If you don't want to think about the dismal shit of life, don't. I'm with you, I wish I didn't do it so much. But at least think. I used to be under the impression that everybody asks themselves certain questions, but I'm beginning to think that I may be wrong. So if you haven't yet, here are a few of my favorites:
Who am I?
Why am I here?
What is my purpose, or do I even have one?
What am I doing to improve myself?
Many believe that we are simply evolved animals, and I am inclined to agree with that assessment, but I really don't think it matters. That does not give us an excuse for our ignore-ent behavior, in fact it condemns it even further. We are the only animal that has the capability to assess what we are. So assess it. This life is a crazy thing, no other way to describe it. So consider it as such and take proper action. I am going to pretend for a moment that more people will read this aside from the followers and contributors to this blog, which at the time is just two (Pat, John, get on it), but the truth is that is probably the case. So when I talk to you dudes later, you can tell me what a self righteous asshole I am. This rant, this rave is just that... but that doesn't bother me, or at least I'll pretend it doesn't. Until next time...
-james

Landing

I spend a lot of time lost in thought, as many of us do. Thought is freedom, and every one is my own. However, I often struggle with the notion that there is virtually no such thing as an original thought. At times I dwell on the idea that perhaps nothing in my head is worth sharing at all (although it never stops me), because while it may be a new idea to myself or the person that I am speaking with, the chances of it being an altogether new idea are pretty slim. Well, alright, that's probably true; but then comes the next part of that truth. Who cares? Apparently I do. Writing this out makes me feel pretty self involved and over analytical, probably because it is, but this is my first blog entry ever, and if I'm going to be writing for just anyone to read, I feel I must qualify by stating the plain and simple fact that I am unoriginal. So there it is. I love to think, I love to write, and I am fully aware that anything I write on here is probably plagiarizing the idea or work of someone else, albeit ever unintentional. I guess if there's any real thought or question that arises from these meanderings it is this: Why is it so important for some of us to feel as though we're breaking new ground? What's wrong with improving the ground we're already on? Still, the flock goes one way, and I go another. It's always been that way for me, although it often turns out the flock knows where it's going, and even more often that I do not. The fact remains, however, that wherever I land is where I was headed all along; but there was no way of knowing it until I hit the ground. I really liked what Bo had to say on the previous post, you should probably read that if you haven't already, as I think it is a very important topic. It provoked much thought in me, perhaps I'll share them next time. Until then...

-james

We Are Boxing In Our Circles

Do you ever feel certain things seem a bit foreign to you at times? I have been thinking lately, of how automatic everything has become, something I can't quite put my finger on. I have to give credit to Eustace Conway by the way for this analogy and some of this is probably flat out plagiarism but, I thought I should share anyway. Today I woke up to a noisy little box, showered in a box, and got ready to drive my box to work in a box. Whoa, buddy what happened here? Well, we have fallen out of step in our modern culture with the natural cycles that have defined our existence for thousands of years. A vast crowd of mere sleep walkers, blind, almost roboticly living we are. It got me to thinking of boxes versus circles. We eat breakfast out of a box and throw it into another box. We keep our clothes in a box and when they are dirty: put them into: well, you get it... We seem so concerned to more efficiently box in our circles that it's damn over convenient! What are we saving time for? more boob tube hours of boxed up entertainment, seems like it. Even some of the most natural things have become completely unnatural: You may get a ticket if you are naked, In most cities I know, you might catch some hell for cooking your meal on that nice fire you built. And I would re think that land you would like to settle on: there may be a tinge of bureaucracy involved.
Then there is the natural world: where everything is connected and circular. The planet is a circle rotating in a circle around a circle. The path of water over the earth is circular. Life cycles of all plants and animals are circular. Ever notice how at peace we are when we sit in a circle around a circle of fire in the mountains and ponder the cycles of our circle? Of course, these are moments of peace and ease, in zen teaching it's called Satori: a brief moment of consciousness. When we are in sync with what we supposed to be in sync with.
These boxes may be a little disappointing sometimes and a bit distracting but, there is great a great sense of peace ( in my mind anyway) when you know it is possible to live naturally, without any devices of our modern planet-crushing ways, at least for a couple days here and there anyway. It would definitely be a lot of work and discipline to do it full time but rewarded indeed. There are so many tools the earth naturally has to offer, why can't we use those again? So lets stop boxing in the circles and at least know that the damage we are doing to this planet may even cause us to revert to this natural way again soon. We can live in sync with nature again, it has been done and there are people still doing it. Even if it would mean to part ways with these boxes with letters i'm pressing and this box you and I are staring into, then I'm there. One day, I tell you, one day... If you are reading this and you think you have no home: think again, travel on to the hills my friend, it doesn't take any money, any possessions, or any stress. The more you know the less you will need.
-I would have left my circles unboxed but, I think I might have hit the wrong box or something.

-Bo