Monday, June 30, 2008

Democrats dot com Disappointment

Just to note...

Today I received an email from Democrats dot com.

First: It asked if Monticello should allow George Bush to speak there on July 4th.

Second: It called him a war criminal, and cited that statement to support their protest.

Third: They are staging a protest at Monticello.

How odd, I thought.

They ask if one of the most basic rights, that of freely addressing the public, should be afforded our President.

I am not even sure how to characterize the "war criminal" thing. Huh? When did that come down? Isn't there something about due process as the basis of taking away a civil right?

What is in that kool-aid over at Democrat dot com Headquarters?

Finally, they are going to go fight the fighter, and try to holler louder and close their ears to "his side" tighter than he closes his to theirs.

I am not defending Bush. I was thinking today if they ever let me play him at chess or cards or something, he might be the only guy I would ever sucker punch - wait 'til he was focused on something, then just haul off and punch the crap out of him. Just because. I mean really, if anyone deserves it, maybe it's him. Maybe. Anyway. That was violent wasn't it? But in a spirit warrior kind of way? Maybe? I mean, who wouldn't have punched Hitler, given the chance? I would've.

Anyway, I already thought the Democrats were a sorry alternative to what we have now - best chance I know, and I am wearing my Mr NOvember shirt with Barrack on it - but jeez, y'all.

What kind of wrong crap is that - denying basic rights and presuming guilt on a non-existent legal charge.

Grow up kids.

No wonder this country is such a freakin' mess.

Go make love kids - go engage each other in the "Joy Loves Company" game.

Please.

Best of NOW, Always!

Greg and Alice

Grasping At the Law of Attraction

I am somehow amused that their is today a link at the Oprah website that asks Can the Law of Attraction Work for You?.

As though it is not already working for you.

As though your deepest ideas about Life, and your Life, have not manifested exactly the way you think they will.

As though you have not attracted every single thing you have ever known.

I always wonder if they really don't know that, the gurus who keep picking people's pockets then selling them back their watches? Do they really think there is a Law that people need to buckle down and begin applying, and then they will begin to "attract" their deepest known desire?

Or do they pretend to be asleep, to sell mo' books and such?

Alice says it might be both, and some in between...

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily...

Peace y'all,

Greg & Alice

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Socks and Tiptoes

It just struck me.

I was responding to someone at the Oprah board who said that they are waking up, and their friends are not awakening.

I was reminded of childhood vacations at Va Beach, in a huge house full of people - three or four families.

And some mornings I would wake up, and everyone else would still be sleeping.

And I would smile as I looked at them, and feel that warm feeling in my heart.

And I would think of how much fun we will be having when they wake up too.

Then....

I would put on my socks, and very very quietly tiptoe out of the room, and allow them to sleep, and dream, and wake up when they were ready, and then come play with me.

I would never ever start hollering things like "Hey. Yo! I am awake now! You all better wake the heck up right NOW and come play with me"...

Suddenly I feel a bit silly.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Pinkies Out Liberalism

Pinkies out liberalism...

That's the phrase the editor of the C-ville used regarding the town of C-ville in this week's issue She was writing about the closing of a privately run homeless shelter that the city forced. Said she is tired of C-ville's pinkies out liberalism.

I wrote to say that she could count me in - only in my case, I have had enough from C-ville musicians and their inability to find Time in ten years for the first Community Venue audience. Ten years, not one hour. I've offered pay, promotion, and more. I've found crazy ways to get folks like Billy Joel, Dolly Parton and REM/Athens involved to help fundraise. But very few have found even one hour, in ten years of Opportunity. Nor has community support in general been impressive. Very few folks or businesses in our community consider seniors and "challenged" folks to be worthy of much attention, consideration or concern.

Most certainly we cannot consider them equals, as in Golden Rule sort of equals... The Golden Rule is just one of those things we know about and vaguely advocate, then sigh and comment on how sad it is that we cannot Live from It's perspective Now.

It's sort of amusing, considering that C-ville is supposed to be some big haven for folks to retire to and grow old in...

Editor Ms. Harding wants the city of C-ville to walk the walk, as homelessness is on the rise. She wants them to do something, Now. Not just jabber on and on about the problem/Opportunity and never get 'round to addressing it.

Alice and I have been wondering for awhile why C-ville musicians won't live the lyrics they write, lyrics of getting along, caring and sharing. The senior population is on the rise, and the population of developmentally challenged folks and kids at places like Kluge Children's Rehabilitation Center are not dwindling, to my knowledge. Community Venue audiences abound in a town with a small handful of traditional venues.

Of course we know why - same reason C-ville's populace won't get off it's ass and do something substantive for homeless people. They believe that Time will take them from where they were, through the undesirability of the moment, to a place where finally things are made right and all is well. But that will always be later. For now, we have other things to study, or tend to, or become. Later we can actually experience this ideal of which we speak.

Likewise the musicians believe they were not musicians in the past, and really aren't successful musicians yet, but one day when they are successful musicians they will indeed have Time for these audiences.

The truth is, stereotype. These audiences, like homeless people, are considered to be charity cases. Not equals. Not brethren.

Anyway, thanks to Editor Ms. Harding for her cool phrase pinkies out liberalism. I picture a horde of C-ville love and peace musicians strumming away with visions of DMB-hood dancing in their heads, and their pinkies held out, just so...

You should see the van - Alice's pic plastered all over the back of it! Got the windows tinted so we can go travelin' down south. Goin' for a remote start/security system so I can leave it running with A/C on if need be...

Peace y'all,

Greg

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

REM at Walnut Creek

Wow.

What a show! Modest Mouse and The National opened things up. I wandered around mostly during their sets, and drank the requisite $12 beer. Oh boy, was it $12 good...

REM kicked off just before 9:00.

Energy, energy, enthusiasm, love.

I had a great seat, right on the end of a row in Section 4, I stood there for the first set, then walked back to the lawn for the second set.

What night.

Bad Day
Fall On Me
Welcome to the Occupation
Man Sized Wreath
Houston
Accelerate

Those were a few of the highlights.

What a night.

What a show.

Gotta get an Atlanta ticket...

Peace,

Greg, and Alice

Audience Inclusion Tour - Raleigh Day 2

Alice was a huge hit!

We started the day at Brighton Gardens of Raleigh where Alice received a warm welcome. The receptionist at Brighton Gardens is named Alice, so when I told her my dog's name was Alice she said "She better be cute." The ladies were all laughing when Alice told them the dog's name was Alice.

Well, then the princess made her entrance... Within minutes Miss Alice the receptionist is bopping around telling everyone proudly "Her name is Alice." :^)

I brought her soft crate in and set her up next to my performance spot, and we launched into a great show. The folks were wonderful, as was the show.

The afternoon affair was at Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities. They had graduation that morning, so I was afforded the honor of playing for an audience of graduates! The children were fantastic - sweet, quiet, and most clearly having fun. A few went to sleep, which is always a good sign to me. We started with about 8 kids and staff, and when we were finished the crowd was easily 25 or 30.

It's so much fun to think back on the songs I chose, and how they went over. REM's Fall on Me worked well, as usual, and I even had a request for another REM song toward the end. I saved It's the End of the World As We Know It for the next to last number. Jolene had 'em singing along, and I Will Survive - the disco classic - had some feet tapping and shuffling, and more singing along.

I am so fortunate. I love my Life. I love Alice.

Dance In the Moment,

Greg

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Audience Inclusion Tour - Raleigh

The Raleigh NC leg began yesterday afternoon. Alice and I arrived in Raleigh around 1:00, got some lunch and checked into the LaQuinta in Cary. Our first floor room was not ready, so we thanked them for having a second floor room ready for us, and I got Alice inside and comfy. I wasn't sure about taking her with me to Sunrise at North Hills, but I do wish that I would have. Today she'll go with me to the shows.

Sunrise at North Hills was a blast! The assisted living folks were having Happy Hour with wine and beer and snacks while I entertained. What a fantastic group of folks, and what a wonderful Time we had - I played for about 35 minutes. I told them a bit about the Audience Inclusion Tour and Time Overthrown. They got a big kick out of the Dooly Parton story, and they were singing along on Jolene. I have the washboard with me - I think today I'll take it into the shows with me.

I headed down the hall at Sunrise of North Hills and played for 35 minutes in the Reminisces section, for the Alzheimer's folks. This was unbelievable. The 2 ladies working in that section were so sweet, so full of Life and fun - we had an absoulute blast! They were clapping and carrying on, getting the residents dancing, clapping and singing. I thought they might get worn out, they danced to nearly every song!

I have the most incredible existence, I gotta tell ya! I'm so grateful for my Life, and my friends and family.

Today we visit Brighton Gardens and the Tammy Lynn Center for Developmentally Disabled. I'm looking forward to both shows. The folks at Tammy Lynn are really geared up for the event - I've gotten email from them every day sinmce we arranged the show!

Peace y'all!

Greg and Alice

Saturday, June 7, 2008

The You-Man Experience

Alice told me today that Life is like the You-Man Experience. Says that's where the word Human came from. Hyou mon, yuman, are some of the word origins that pre-date the ones we know about.

There is only The Self, Gregory. There is No Other. Only Perceived Other, which is how The Self Experiences ItSelf. The quickest way to this experience is to recall that whatever you see, or hear, or enounter in any form is You Man! That's You - it's The Self, and YourSelf is observing and interacting with ItSelf.

She's a wise little girl. Wise beyond her ears, I say.

Enjoy the You Man Experience today!

Best of Now, always,

Greg & Alice

Friday, June 6, 2008

TIME OVERTHROWN AUDIENCE INCLUSION TOUR


Upcoming Private Performances for Residents & Staff


Monday June 9 - Raleigh, NC: Sunrise Senior Living at North Hills
Tuesday June 10 - Raleigh, NC: Brighton Gardens and Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities
Wednesday June 11 - Raleigh, NC: Morningside Assisted Living

Sunday June 22 - Athens (GA) Heritage Home
Monday June 23 - Athens, GA TBA
Tuesday June 24 - Athens, GA TBA
Wednesday June 25 - Athens, GA TBA

**

Alice and I are leaving Monday morning for two nights in Raleigh, NC. I'm going to play four Community Venue shows and also attend an R.E.M. performance at Walnut Creek Amphitheater - they're supporting the Accelerate record - a great CD! I'm psyched for that. Alice traveled to Athens and Nashville with me two weeks ago and had a blast - she wants to travel more and really get the Audience Inclusion Tour in high gear - she says It's Time...

We'll see about bringing her to each Community Venue - not sure if I'll have a handler for her - she tends to get preoccupied with the shadows and be kind of distractingly silly sometimes, so we'll see... I'll bring her in afterwards maybe to meet the audience.

The whole simple idea is to practice while I share - no preaching - only something to offer to musicians, and anyone that would like to find more Time for the things they love at the deepest level. Alice says many musicians, and folks in general, are caught up in Relative Time - Time that will one day get them to where they want to be. She says Time IS where we want to Be. "Now, what are you Being?", she asks me alot.

The idea of Audience Inclusion seems so basic - to music I mean, and the visionary musicians. As REM says in Man Sized Wreath, "I would've thought by now we would be ready to proceed". I apply that line to the musically propagated ideas of equality, caring, sharing, living a golden rule sort of existence.

The music business model however has little Time for an aging or challenged population that cannot come to traditional venues. They are considered charity audiences. Our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, brothers, sisters, neighbors. Charity. We are doing them a favor to interrupt our busy scheule to share an hour with them once in awhile, and not think we should be exalted as high-value folk stars. What is a folk star anyway? I don't get fok starness.

"I'll get around to it." "I am too busy trying to be a musician to play music for those audiences." "I do not have Time for that sort of music." "I am trying to become a succesful musician. I'll share later, when I can give your organization a big check." I have heard it all. Not an hour in ten years, some of them. Wow. They really believe they do not have Time.

We suggest that Life is about being what one is and has been all along, and growing into Professional Childhood. That is definitely what folk/rock musicians are aiming for.

We also advocate a focus shift back to Soul Currency, which is truly why we play. It's truly why we Live. Music has become about other forms of reward, ones that define success as a future thing, not a Now thing.

We are about Now. Live the lyrics. We know there are lots of cool musicians waiting to hear that Dolly Parton, REM, and Billy Joel support this idea & behavior and have supported our fundraising with autographed items. This is a market with infinite potential, waiting to be tapped, not stereotyped.

Our book is coming along nicely - trying to keep it short and to the point right now. Something to supplement the shows and share some of Alice's insights. Of course the CD booklet has some of her wisdom and stories. Hopefully we'll finish it up in the next few weeks and get a few self-published online to travel with. People have expressed a great deal of interest in the CD, the lyrics (which will be in the book), and The Now Exspirientuality(tm), and An Absoulute Attitude (tm).

Below is a press release I sent out today - am looking forward to the trip and to meeting some great new audiences.

SongSharing On Tour and Time Overthrown Visit Raleigh, NC

(Ruckersville, VA June 5, 2008) Alice, the canine messiah, and Virginia based singer-songwriter, writer, and “Now Exspirientuality”™ DO-ru (not guru) Greg Allen bring the Time Overthrown Audience Inclusion Tour to Raleigh, NC June 9 – 11 with private performances for residents and staff at the Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities, Morningside of Raleigh, Sunrise at North Hills, and Brighton Gardens of Raleigh.

Allen has been personally advocating Audience Inclusion for nearly 14 years and is the founder of SongSharing, a VA based 501c3 non-profit dedicated to Making Music More Accessible™. Allen encourages musicians to go beyond traditional acoustic and light electric music venues and perform at Community Venues such as those he’ll visit in Raleigh. “These are some of the most attentive, enthusiastic and appreciative audiences one can interact with. They continue to be stereotyped. Musicians simply do not know what they are missing,” says Allen. “The traditional model for musicians is overlooking a huge, growing opportunity. The U.S. population is aging, yet musicians and the music business model seem to have precious little Time for them. It’s Time that Time Was Overthrown.”

SongSharing has enjoyed participation from a number of dedicated local musicians in Central VA, and touring musicians including David Wilcox, Slaid Cleaves, Rishell & Raines, and Dana & Susan Robinson among others – each of whom have taken an hour out of their Charlottesville day to share an unplugged set in a nearby Community Venue. Notable artists such as Billy Joel (autographed piano), Dolly Parton (autographed washboard) and R.E.M. (autographed items and CD’s for the Troops contributors) have provided in-kind support for SongSharing in support of Audience Inclusion. SongSharing On Tour began to move beyond the Charlottesville area in 2006.

The Time Overthrown Tour promotes Allen’s new CD “It’s Time That Time Was Overthrown” as well as promoting Audience Inclusion to the musicians in each area he visits. “It’s an incredibly simple idea whose Time has come,” he says. “Audience Inclusion is a basic for so many musicians that sing about a better way to Live; caring and sharing and treating each other as equals. This is about living the lyrics.” Allen is finishing a book with Alice (Dog is my Co-Writer) about his experiences with Audience Inclusion, which he plans to release this summer.

The Time Overthrown visit coincides with R.E.M.’s performance at Raleigh’s Walnut Creek Amphitheater Tuesday June 10th, to show SongSharing’s gratitude for the past support of the R.E.M./Athens organization. The Time overthrown Tour will visit Athens, GA June 22 thru 25, coinciding with R.E.M.’s June 21st Atlanta show. (Please Note: there is no affiliation with R.E.M./Athens – this is an independent effort on SongSharing and Greg Allen’s part.)

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Tornado Watch Alley

Welcome to Tornado Watch Alley - here in the foothills of the Blue Ridge.

A snowstorm can barely make it over the mountains to our west. But they call them all the Time, for grins I guess. Brought to you by the Bread and Milk Council - don't get snowed in hungry, I reckon.

Now, every time there are thunderstorms on the horizon, we are under a tornado watch. No kidding, like the last 5 weather forecasts.

The one night it actually rained and carried on with lightning and such, I had the local station on, and of course they had pre-emped programming to cover this non-life-threatening non-event. At one point weather guy has police guy on the phone, discussing the imminent threat, and evacuation plans for people at the downtown pavilion - and the weather guy says to police guy "Have you been outside lately? I've been in the newsroom." And cop guy says "No, I have been on the phone with news reporters and weather guys for the last few hours.

It could've been sunny and warm and they wouldn't have known it...

So now we are under a tornado watch - we had one last night, as rain fell gently and lightning flashed dimly out back, distant over the woods. The thunder was soft peals in the distance. It had stopped by 5 am, but the watch went until 10 a.m. Now the birds are chirping and every now and then a gust of a breeze swishes the trees.

"We aren't out of the woods yet", they like to say. It's their new phrase to ensure extra bread and milk sales I think. Must be something George Bush says, or Scott McLellan?

What a funny media we have here.

Dance In the Moment,

Greg