An Interesting Way to Record Music

 This is great...I just got sent this out of the blue today. It's from a CD we recorded about a quarter century ago. The only reason I can remember the exact year it was recorded is because it was right after Blind-11 and one song, called Payday, was written about it. I can't believe I never saw this but better late than never. It was done by local artist and music historian Craig Legg. I've talked about this before but it was way on back, and as always, who cares? 

 It was the brainchild of "JB Heron," not his real name. He was a year or two older so I didn't really know him but I knew his brother. I knew all the other guys on the project and had played with them in various bands. 

 I remember getting the call from Mudd, seeing if I was interested in playing drums on it. When I heard that he, Trexel and Macey were going to be involved I jumped on it. I didn't even ask what kind of music it was...I didn't care. I knew it'd be fun no matter what the tunes were. 

 When I heard how we were going to go about figuring out how to record it I was intrigued. JB didn't play an instrument so he didn't know what chords he wanted or what key it was in or anything. He had one of the early digital voice recorders, and he'd hummed a melody line or two and a few vocals. We were tasked with trying to turn those snippets into songs. Well, I've always loved a challenge. 

 To say that it was an interesting way of doing things, not to mention about as bare bones as it gets, would be an understatement. I remember when JB first held the recorder up and played us a "song" I had to laugh...wondering how the heck that'd become a song, but not only did we figure it out but we rose to the occasion and made JB proud. I liked all the songs but I thought a few of them were as good as anything I've ever heard. I was happy to be playing on it. 

 JB and I hit it off right away. We both were already friends with the other guys so maybe that helped, but he was a friendly guy and he was hilarious to hang with. One thing it didn't take long to figure out was that he liked...make that loved to drink...a lot. 

 He'd get blistered every night but somehow it turned out okay. Luckily he was a happy drunk. He was also very intelligent, so he didn't ramble on with the usual stupid drunken bullshit the way most heavy drinkers do. The main problem as I saw it was that I'd be worried about him getting a DUI every night when he left the studio. 

 I can still perfectly picture having to hold him up to the mic about half the time he was doing vocals. He was bobbing and weaving and couldn't keep his mouth the same distance from the mic, so we had to hold him up and keep him somewhat still.

 That was a trip but it worked. You can hear him slurring his words here and there but overall the vocals were pretty tight and clean. Adrenaline goes a long way in those situations, and the end justifies the means. 

 I'd long since quit drinking even a drop of alcohol on or before a gig. Trexel didn't drink at all, and the other guys might have a beer or two, but JB was the only one who did any real drinking. After we'd done the basic tracks, I would have a drink or two before I sang backup vocals. 

 I didn't mind partying a touch after the drumming was done for the day, and a couple glasses of good bourbon added a note or two to my upper vocal range. I didn't get nearly drunk enough to slur my vocals, although it probably wouldn't have mattered.

  Trexel and Macey would make copies of the bits and pieces from JB's voice recorder and sit down with their guitars and first figure out what key it was in and chart it out. About half the songs we played live in the studio and the other half were semi-finished demos, where JB would then add vocals and I'd replace the drum machine part. It was basically like playing along to records, only without vocals. I prefer playing live as much as possible but both methods were fun. 

 I'd done several projects that Trexel produced, recorded and played on, and he gave me the nickname "First-Take Jake" because I usually nailed the drum track on the first try. I wanted it to be as spontaneous as possible and be able to react to the changes in real time, as opposed to being burnt from playing the same song fifty times in a row. 

 I took that idea a little too far on this recording. On the tunes where I replaced the drum machine I only listened to the beginning and ending of the songs, plus the bridge and any kicks or stops or anything different from the main groove. I didn't even listen to the tunes all the way through once. 

 It had the spontaneity alright but when I listened to the playback I'd hear spots where it'd have been cool to accent a guitar riff or played a counterpoint or something, but simple is always good. The drum parts had a lot of energy and propulsion but they didn't get in the way of the music and I didn't step on any toes. JB absolutely loved what I played. Overall I was happy enough with it. 

 To think that we turned some drunken lyrics and a few hummed notes into legit songs was pretty special. We were all pleased with the results...those guys are all mofo players, but JB was over the Moon. He was also over the legal driving limit by a good bit, but somehow it worked out fine. His voice sounded great. 

 He couldn't believe that we took his ideas and turned them into real songs. I was pretty impressed too. I can't take nearly as much credit as the guys who figured out the song structures but I put in my two cents. The drumming didn't suck. 

 For my money three or four of those tunes could've been hits. There were some serious rockers on there but oddly my favorite song of all was a Country tune, and except for Willie and Walon and the boys I'm not the biggest fan of Country music. It was so genuine and it had this cool but whack story line...the singing was excellent...it had everything. I want to hear it again. 

 I texted back and forth with Macey and it was great to hear from him. He said that the music is on Spotify, which I don't have, and I think it's on Prime, which I do have. He may be able to get me a CD. I'm old school, and just plain old, but I still play CDs. They're making a comeback you know. Hey, hopefully so am I. 

 I'm sure that lots of great records have been made from the sketchiest of ideas, but I've never been a part of anything like that before or since. I asked Macey how JB was doing but he didn't reply. Hopefully he's okay and it was just an oversight, but I always did worry about him drinking that much. 

 It worked out okay for the recording project but it doesn't always work the same for getting behind the wheel, relationships, health and such. I hope he's still kickin' but I do know that he got a kickass record out of the deal. 

 Come to think of it I was very well compensated for my time, although I'd have done it for free just because it was so unusual and so much fun. JB came from a very wealthy family and paying us a lot of money wasn't a problem. He payed me several grand, which was decent money back then. 

 It was a blast recording that project. I'd do it again if I could. I hope JB is okay. If so, then cheers buddy! I enjoyed being a Swampbyrd.

 

Dog Loves Cat

 This puppy just brought the cat his favorite toy. It's the best gift he has to give and it holds great meaning to him. He really does love that kitty. Animals don't have souls? I beg to differ.

Quote of the Day

 "Oh, my goddess...what a revelation, and I don't mean the last book of the Bible." - astronaut Katy Perry

Possible Exceptions to the 50-50 Idea

 For a while now I've been saying that no matter what we may believe, either God is real or He isn't, which is a 50-50 chance, and if God is real then so is eternity, and from a sheer survival standpoint I don't know if I'd gamble my eternal soul on those odds by not joining the good side. A one-in-two chance is fairly serious but easy to understand, although in theory anyway there are two other possibilities.

 One is reincarnation. I don't believe in it because the Good Book says that it is appointed for us to die but once. It could very well be true though, especially if God isn't real, and there's compelling evidence to support it. 

 There are no telling how many stories of so-called past-life regression, where people, often but not always under hypnosis, recall past events in great detail and know things that they shouldn't. It might seem like a slam-dunk to support the idea of reincarnation, except for the possible demon factor.

 Demons, if they're real, are true shapeshifters. They can appear as anything they want, animal, mineral or vegetable. They're vastly superior to humans in strength and intelligence. They're immortal and they remember everything. They can easily implant false memories and such. 

 It's just one possibility, but again there's a 50-50 chance it's real. If the Devil is real, he'll do everything he can to turn people away from the biblical narrative, and the idea of reincarnation is a perfect way to do it. It directly contradicts God's word.

 When I take the biblical thing away, the idea of reincarnation still seems weird. What, is there like a waiting room where people sit around reading magazines, or maybe on their phones as they wait for another life to begin? Then they're turned back into newborns? How does that work? 

 As I understand it the purpose of reincarnation is to come back better each time, and make up for the bad stuff we did in our last life, until eventually we come back as cows. I mean, I love cows, but it's kind of a weird idea. The problem is that probably 99.9% of us don't have memories of past lives, so what's the point? 

 Over the last decade or so people in general have become exponentially more heartless, selfish and even evil. We're becoming worse, not better. If reincarnation is real, it's certainly not working properly right now. I wonder if the cow population is decreasing. 

 It's like what I wonder about Karma...is there an official scorekeeper? I don't believe in reincarnation but it could absolutely be real. If there is an afterlife I think we'll get the answers to all these questions, but if there's no afterlife then we won't, and it won't matter anyway. 

 The other possibility is that we exist in a computer simulation and we're not real. This theory sounds out-to-lunch, but the people who propose it are MIT professors and such...the scientific elite, so the possibility has to at least be considered. 

 To think that a computer simulation could be so complex as to give us our own thoughts, make us able to create art and music but also able to hurt each other and everything else is mind-boggling, and as I've cleverly said before, they must have one hell of a buffering system. I don't believe it either but it's a fascinating idea and it could also very well be true. 

 If this theory is true then I'm sure they're able to inject different conditions into the game, good or bad. If we're really just a simulation on some Alien hard drive then they sure have thrown a monkey wrench into the program. Things on this planet have certainly been better. Maybe Peace on Earth is boring.

 These two possibilities exist, although they don't carry as much weight as the idea that God is real or not. If you include these two theories then you could say that there's only a one-in-four chance that God is real, but I wouldn't play those odds either. 

 In two of these theories nothing matters and there are no consequences for our actions. If there's no God or an afterlife then nothing extends after our biological lives. If we're a simulation then one day it'll be GAME OVER and nothing we did will matter either. With the other two theories, the things we do matter very much. 

 If reincarnation is real then I suppose I want to be a cow. If I do one day become a cow, I hope I'm reincarnated in India and not at a slaughterhouse in Texas. 

 If God is real then the choices we make will decide where we spend eternity. I choose to believe in God, and not just from a survival standpoint. I love Him and I believe that He's blessed me in many, many ways. I see evidence of His creation every day, and I also see evidence of an evil one who wants to destroy it. 

 Either A, God is real, or B, He's not, or C, we eventually become cows or D, we're just a computer simulation. Does one thing make more sense? Are we just ones and zeros? Are we just dust in the wind? Are we future cows? Are we children of God? I guess it depends on our beliefs and how we see things. I choose A. Have a nice day. Mooooooooooooooooooooo.

After a Walk

 My friend Champ always says that no matter how he feels before, he always feels better after a walk. He's right you know. My Beagle agrees.

 Walking him is an adventure. Half the time and when he's not sniffing something we power-walk, and sometimes run. He could leave me in the dust if he weren't on a leash. He's ultra-quick, but it's not his speed that I have to be concerned with; it's his ability to stop on a dime. 

 If a new scent catches his nose he'll instantly stop, even from a run. It's really impressive but if I'm not prepared at all times, if he stops I'll go a-tumblin'. If he wants to go in a direction he shouldn't I'll hold him back, but he'll get low to the ground and spread his paws and dig in, and he gets heavy as a boulder. He's a very determined animal. Everyone who's ever just held him for a minute comments on how strong he is.

 We do love our walks, and we talk about how fun it was when we get back. As I've said before, in the Beagle hierarchy I'm #3 behind food and w-a-l-k-s, but it's not a bad place to be. He's in his own world on our wal ks, but every now and then he'll notice me and remember that I'm there. He'll do a double-take and wag his tail, like "Oh yeah, my human." He's a trip. 

 He's sacked out and I'm probably not too far behind. Sweet dreams little dude. Champ was right...you always feel better after a walk.

The Numbers Game

 I had another chance to be the 666th like, this time on a comment. I took it.

True Blue?

 It's been several days since the "astronauts" in the Blue Origin capsule touched down, but the dust hasn't settled yet. With all the big deal that was made of this, including astronaut Katy Perry saying "Oh my goddess" and kissing the ground upon her return to Earth, the passionate speeches from the astronauts saying how much this flight meant to humanity (...?), Oprah crying after the mission and on and on, I keep waiting for someone...anyone to go on record saying how wonderful it was and the positive effect it had on...whatever it was, but so far there's nothing but criticism and even outright ridicule. Where's the love that astronaut Katy Perry talked about? 

 Everyone and their grandmother is putting in their two cents so I might as well too. What gets me is that while I doubt they expected the negative response they've gotten, surely they must have expected some backlash. Gayle King is harping on semantics and whether it was a ride or a flight, and basically saying "Don't knock it until you try it," apparently not considering that the cost of the 11 minute flight...or ride, is what it takes most people a decade or two to make.

  

 Astronaut Katy Perry said it showed her, or taught her, or infused her or whatever it was with love. I'm not sure how that works but okay. Love is the most powerful force in the Universe...IF it's genuine. 

 Of the two precious minutes that they were actually in space they spent most of it mugging for the camera. Astronaut Perry took the opportunity to give a sneak peek at the song list for her upcoming tour.

 The fact that she's displaying it on a butterfly is very significant, and covering one eye is a nice touch. Looks like she's filled with more self-promotion than love. Thank you for your service, Astronaut Perry. You may now kiss the ground. 

Some people think the whole thing was faked. I personally don't think it was faked but it certainly could've been. We know that many of the photos and videos that are supposedly filmed in outer space are fake. There are hundreds of videos that show bubbles rising, as seen in this screenshot. 

 You can see the bubbles rising as they do in water. Thete are no air bubbles in outer space. These videos were obviously filmed in the massive swimming pool they train in, but they're presented to us as being filmed in space. Still don't believe we've been lied to? 

There's the thing about the door opening prematurely (oops), before the official opening carried out by Jeff Bezos, and it was opened from the inside. That's odd because for safety reasons the door is designed to be opened from the outside only, and Mr. Bezos used a special tool to "unlock" the door, except that it'd already been opened. 

 After the door opened they realized their mistake and closed it for Jeff to reopen but it was too late. I don't know why he even bothered to pretend to unlock it after it'd already been opened, and they couldn't edit it out because it was live. That reeks of bullshittery. 

 The door looked a little flimsy to me, but I'm not a rocket scientist. Jeff proved the existence of gravity here on Earth by doing a serious face-plant as he walked around the capsule. I don't think that was faked. 

 The fact that they spent God knows how much money on hair and makeup, and bragged about it, plus the fact that the future Ms. B had designer outfits made...it reminds me of when we first moved into a wealthy neighborhood although we weren't wealthy, and seeing how fake most of those people were. They didn't care about very much but appearance, money, class and above all fitting in. I called them plastic people. 

 They spent way more time looking at the camera than looking out the window, and that boggles my mind. It really shouldn't though. It's the same old "ME ME ME!" shit. They can't help it. It was more important to look good for the camera than to marvel at being in freaking outer space. These people don't give a shit about much besides themselves, and if they do it's only because it's trendy and gets them attention. 

 One thing most people won't talk about, and that sounds crazy to most people is that this was a ritual. That's right. If you know what certain things represent, it's clear to see. It's no different than award shows, music videos, halftime shows and the like. If you know what you're seeing you know it's just another ritual. You may not believe it but if you compare it to known rituals, the words, gestures and everything else are the same. 

Maybe someone besides the "crew" will have something positive to say about this "mission," but for now it looks like this may go down as one of the great boners of all time...in more ways than one. Surely they must have seen this coming. Stop calling me Shirley...it's Astronaut Shirley. Give me a break. The moral of this story? Perhaps it's better sometimes to stay grounded. 

 

 

 

Random Funny #3,588,467,356,855

 I've skimmed over a good many articles and videos where people are talking about the Blue Origin mission that sent Gayle King, the future Ms. Bezos, Katy "astronaut" Perry and several other ladies into the threshold of outer space. So far I haven't heard one person say anything positive about it. 

 Even Wendy's weighed in. Regarding the astronaut Katy Perry they commented "Can we send her back?" That's brutal and I love it. I also read quite a few comments below the videos. There are some good ones but so far my favorite is from someone who said that they flew in a "rocket that looks like it should come with a safety word." That's hilarious, and clever. For my money most true comedy comes from people who aren't paid to be funny. Have an amusing day.

What will Rappers Flash in a Cashless Society?

 We've probably all seen photos of rappers holding stacks of cash. I care zero for rappers holding stacks of cash but in just the images I've stumbled across, the amount of cash is probably more than the GNP of several small countries. 

 Most people don't realize it yet but we'll be a totally cashless society before too long. Can you imagine a time when this guy's fan made out of 100s will be totally worthless? It's going to happen. When it does, what are these rappers going to flash...a Bitcoin voucher? I guess so. Get ready...it's coming. 

Quote of the Day (You Certainly Managed to Achieve Your Goal)

 "We are going to put the 'ass' in 'astronaut.'" - Katy "astronaut" Perry

What Will Power the Robots?

 I've mentioned Geordie Rose several times. He's the inventor of the D-Wave quantum computer, and he's moved on to robotics. I've talked about this before but I'll do it again, because it's really important, and vitally so to anyone searching for the truth.

 The truth is frowned upon by the "Official Narrative," but literally it is what it is. If you doubt the existence of other dimensions, and even the entities that live in them, I'd urge you to search Geordie Rose on YouTube and see what he has to say about how quantum computers work and how his AI robots will work. 

 Half an hour of your time will open your eyes. It's a paradigm shift, and maybe not for the faint of heart. I get that many people don't want to know the truth...it can be painful, but knowledge is power, and no truer words were ever spoken. Just remember that the truth ALWAYS wins in the end. Always.

 As I've said before, quantum computers get answers from "another dimension" according to Mr. Rose. Before I go any further, this isn't some crackhead, tinfoil-hat nutjob; he's computer designer. He's giving a lecture at a Ted Talk or something like that. This is real. See what he has to say about it...I dare you. 

 He says they don't know exactly how it works but that it does, and the problem solving is done in another dimension. You ever hear that truth is stranger than fiction? There you go. Read 'em and weep. Just for kicks, many of the problems are solved before they finish typing them in. That's some shit. It's nothing compared to the robots though. 

 Mr. Rose's robots...I'm not sure they sound like a good idea, but they're definitely on the way. AI, despite some questionable things, has done remarkable work to advance medicine, technology, learning and all kinds of stuff already, and robots are now doing everything from cooking french fries to brain surgery. Geordie says that his robots will be able to do things a million times better than humans. Let that sink in. He said we'll just have to "get over it." Can you say "Universal Basic Income?" It's coming.

 We've heard all our lives that one day the robots would take over, and it looks like maybe that's not too far off. There were two possible scenarios that were proposed...either humans would still be in control of things and the robots would do all our work for us, allowing us to enjoy a life of leisure, or the robots would 86 the entire human race. Either way there'd be robots.

 What's crazy is that they're going to summon/evoke "entities" to Inhabit these machines. Which entities specifically? He describes to a T the "Old Ones," a race of ancient beings/monsters who were here before humans, and that some say will return. 

 They were made famous by HP Lovecraft in the novel The Dunwich Horror, and supposedly resemble the creature above. The creature was featured in the movie based on the book, and although we only see flashes of it in the movie, they did a pretty good job of recreating it. I'm not sure I'd want a robot with one of those things inside of it but apparently that's what's going to happen. 

 BTW I have to put in a plug for the movie. I'm not a big fan of horror movies but I do like a few of the old classics, and The Dunwich Horror is a fantastic movie. Besides said creature it stars Dean Stockwell, and I love Dean Stockwell. 

 It also stars Ed Begley, the great Sam Jaffe and Sandra Dee (WOOF). My folks took my first BFF Jack Stephens and me to see it at the drive-in. It was our first time to ever see nudity. Since then I've probably watched it 250 times, and owned maybe a dozen copies on VHS and DVD. It's a classic. 

 But back to the bots. For one thing, why in God's Gray Earth would they need to have any kind of entity inhabiting robots? AI and microchips aren't enough? I'll have to go back and watch Geordie's talk again...I don't remember what the reason was, if there was one. 

 Maybe it's to make it more "human," but it's like they're trying to give it a "soul." When asked if these entities could be dangerous, Geordie basically shrugged it off. He said that basically these entities would ignore us. He said they regard us like we regard ants. Well, Mr. Rose, guess what...sometimes we stomp on ants. 

 This sounds like the one of the biggest "Conspiracy Theories" on Earth but it isn't. It's real. See for yourself. It's either that, or stay asleep. It's your choice and I support your right to believe whatever you wish. 

 This is NOT "fear mongering." Right now all this is unknown territory, and humans naturally fear the unknown. What's beautiful is that when something becomes known, it's no longer unknown, and there's nothing to be afraid of. Knowledge erases fear. I'll close by saying either wake up or don't, and when we have Geordie Rose, who needs Science Fiction? 

 

 

 

 

Drunken Origami

 This young lady was taken into custody for suspicion of DUI. Actually there was no suspicion about it...she was hammered. She'd managed to total three vehicles. To her credit she wasn't an angry, disrespectful or mean drunk. I'd knock one back with her.

 While she was waiting to be processed she tried her hand at Origami. She claimed to be an expert, and the cop indulged her. This was her attempt at making a swan. Sorry, sister...close but no cigar. Well, I doubt she has to rely on her Origami skills to get what she wants in life. You know what they say...you got to know when to fold 'em, know when to hold 'em.

More 66s

 Well, isn't this interesting...a couple hours after I did the post about the number 66, a guy on YouTube that I watch every day came on talking about the number 66. He was breaking down a TV series that showed or represented the number 66 several times, including the two sets of six pendants arranged in a circle, as seen above. 

 These syncronicities are popping up all the time. Either that or it's just another of many, many coincidences. Even the timestamp of 50:54 reduces to 6...5+5=11; 11+4=15; 1+5=6. Like I said, 66 is coming up all the time. Buckle-up...things are about to get crazy. BTW I posted this at 6:15...6 and 1+5=6, or 66. It's everywhere.

66

 Lately I've been seeing the number 66 everywhere. Yesterday I turned on my phone and saw that it was 66 degrees outside and my battery was changed to 66%. You have to account for "observational bias," where only the hits register and the misses are ignored, which makes it seem like there are more hits than there really are. 

 I know about that, and most of the time I don't see 66, but it's been happening almost daily for a while now. It's like the 11/11 thing, and I see that a lot too. I have a friend who's into it, and whenever we turn on our phone at 11:11 we'll send each other a screenshot. It happened last November 11th. I sent him a screenshot. It was 11:11 on 11/11.

 What's the deal with 66? It's a "master number" for one thing, and it can also be used to represent 666 with only two numerals. The number 666 is everywhere these days. I love it when there are 665 likes on a video and I can be the 666th. It's the Number of the Beast of course but it doesn't scare me, and neither does the Devil. God says "Be not afraid, for I am with you always." I might take that to heart.

 

Things We Don't Hear About: Doctors and NDEs

 Did you know that doctors are under a gag order not to talk about patients who have near-death experiences? It's true. You'll find a few nurses who'll talk about it and a few hospice nurses have YouTube channels, but you won't hear doctors talk about it. Why? Because it goes against the narrative of the Beast System, and the truth goes against the narrative. More on that in a minute.

 When we hear stories about NDEs it's usually associated with people who believe that they temporarily go to either Heaven or Hell, but there's more to it than that. People report floating above their bodies and being able to observe what's going on below them.

 NDEs most frequently occur on the operating table, as patients code, and are clinically "unalive" for several minutes before being revived. What blows everyone's mind is that they're able to describe in great detail what the doctors are doing to revive them, when they shouldn't be able to observe anything. Doctors can't ignore that but they won't talk about it. 

 Some of these people are completely convinced that they got to see a glimpse of either Heaven or Hell. Those that believe they saw Heaven come back elated, and never fear "unalivement" again, while those who believe they saw Hell come back utterly terrified. I'm guessing it's hard for doctors and others in the room not to be moved.

Many of the people who think they saw Heaven already believed in God, while those who think they saw Hell can't accept Jesus quickly enough. Many doctors have accepted Christ too after witnessing these incidents but we don't hear about that either.

 The thing is, the fact that they can perfectly describe what went on while they were coded basically proves that we do indeed have souls, and lends credibility to the idea that they really did visit Heaven or Hell, which is why they don't want doctors to talk about it. It leads many people to Christ, understandably so, and Satan of course doesn't want that.

 You could make the argument that the alleged visits to Heaven or Hell could be hallucinations, since we do know that at the moment of "unalivement" the brain releases all sorts of chemicals including DMT, one of the most powerful hallucinogens known, but that can't account for them being able to describe what went on while they were coded. 

 One woman came back and told people that there was a red sticker on the top of a ceiling fan blade, and when they climbed up a ladder to have a look, sure enough it was there. Unless she happened to be the one who installed the fan, which is danged unlikely, there's no other explanation except for the fact that she had an out-of-body experience. 

 There's no telling how many videos and articles there are that describe these alleged visits above and below, and there are tens of thousands of comments below the vids. As far as the YouTube videos go, the people who comment have nothing to gain or lose by telling their story. Unless you provide your real name and personal information on your channel like I do, you're anonymous. No one can give you attention or call you a whack job.

 If you don't believe in an afterlife, you might want to check out some of these videos. Around 80% of people do believe in some sort of existence after "unalivement," although many of them don't necessarily believe in a Heaven or Hell.

 There are differences in these stories but also many similarities. This isn't a fun thought but many people who think they saw Hell come back talking about a blackness that's "blacker than black." They say it's a blackness that you can feel. People from all over the world say the same thing, and they don't know each other. I'd just as soon not experience that. 

 Again you can say that the alleged visits are hallucinations but people being able to describe events that took place while they were coded is indisputable. It's living proof as it were. If you don't believe in God or the Devil, these stories just might change your mind. It's changed a lot of doctors' minds, but it's not exactly mainstream news. 

 I believe that the day will come when we'll have to choose whom we serve, directly or indirectly. Choose wisely my friend. Eternity is a long time. Have a blessed day.

 

Sasquatch Knocking?

 I've told this story before but it's been a while, and it still flips me out. This happened back in 2012. My ex was in the hospital and I was keeping her dog. Along with my dog we went for a walk. This was in our old neighborhood and it was around midnight. 

 We'd been out only a couple of minutes when we heard an incredibly loud knocking sound. As a percussionist and the son of an Architect who's been to many construction sites I knew that it was the unmistakable sound of wood on wood. What was unusual was the sheer volume. It was piercingly loud.

 It seemed to be coming from about two blocks away. At first I thought someone was freaking out and slamming a 2x4 against a fence or something, but they'd have had to have been incredibly jacked-up on something to be able to generate that much volume. I didn't think that even the strongest human could hit something hard enough to be that loud. It was loud enough to wake the neighbors, and several lights came on.

 What was unusual was the way the dogs reacted. They froze and didn't make a sound. They just stood there listening in the direction the sound came from. The only other times they did that were a couple of times we came up on a deer and once when we saw a Bobcat. If they heard a dog or a person they'd bark, but they were frozen in silence. They only reacted that way when a wild creature was involved. That was interesting. 

 After a dozen or so knocks it went quiet. I stood still, trying to figure out what the heck it was. About a minute later it started again, only now it was coming from several blocks to the right, and it was further away. It made no sense. How could something move several blocks in less than a minute? 

 It repeated the pattern a couple more times. It would stop and then start up again several more blocks away. It kept moving to our right until it finally stopped for good. We finished our walk and I lay awake for a while, wondering what we'd just experienced. 

 The next night we went for a walk, again around midnight. I was thinking how crazy it'd be to hear it again, and sure enough as soon as we went outside we heard it again. The dogs once again froze in silence, listening. We heard "KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK" and it was incredibly loud.

 This time it had drawn people's attention enough that they'd called the cops. A patrol car came up from the street below. He was going barely 5mph, with his windows down and his head poking out. He was obviously listening for something. I didn't want to yell and wake the neighbors, so I waved and tried to get his attention but he was focused on trying to locate the source of the sound and he didn't see me. I'd have loved to talk to him about it. 

 When something unusual happens you have to try and find a logical explanation. I thought it might be kids playing a prank...knocking on something, getting into a car, driving a few blocks away and knocking again, but they couldn't have driven several blocks, found another place to knock and gotten out of their car in under a minute, and again the sheer volume would be pretty much impossible for a person. I had to rule that theory out.

 Maybe there were several groups of people who knocked in sequence but that hardly seems plausible. Sure it'd freak people out but who'd go to that much trouble, or even think of doing it in the first place? I was just trying to think of every possibility whether it made sense or not. 

 It is said that Bigfoot will grab a branch and pound a tree, to communicate, mark territory or scare people off, and that's what the knocking sounded like. I've spent a lot of time in the woods, sometimes at night. I've been deep into the woods and I've heard knocking sounds where there shouldn't be people. I recorded it on an old phone and the playback was interesting, although it wouldn't have proven anything.

 I've also seen tall saplings snapped off about 6' up, with several all pointing in the same direction. It's said to be a sign of Bigfoot. I do know that it wasn't the wind, as nothing around the trees was disturbed, and it'd be extremely difficult for a person to do without a ladder and some sort of special equipment. Trees don't just snap over and line up in the  same direction on their own. 

 Some say Bigfoot is a supernatural being, possibly a relative of the Nephalim. They say the creatures can teleport at will, and move between dimensions. I know that sounds crazy, but several decades of research have told me that reality is truly stranger than fiction, and that you can't rule anything out. 

 As we know, sometimes the craziest explanation is the correct one. The notion of a Bigfoot knocking on a tree and teleporting a few blocks away and having another knock makes as much sense as anything else I could come up with. Plus I'd love to see a person who could generate enough volume to wake the neighbors. I'd sure want that person on my side. 

Like most of my stories that sound crazy, there were witnesses...in this case two dogs and a cop. Dang I wish I could've talked to the officer. I bet he'd have let me ride around with him. I wonder if he ever saw anything...something tells me he didn't. 

 So, what was responsible for the ear-splitting knocking? Why did the dogs behave like they only have when a wild creature is near? I'll never know. I'm not claiming that I heard Sasquatch those two nights but I can't rule it out. I do believe there's worlds we can't see but that are just as real as our world, and the String Theory guys would agree. Just because we don't believe something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. 

 Did we hear Bigfoot knocking? It makes as much sense as anything else I can think of. It really does. Whatever it was it was freaky, and strange enough to draw the attention of law enforcement. Once again it was loud...crazy loud. I don't see how a human could generate that much power. Life is strange, and these episodes of weirdness sure do make things interesting. Stay safe and have a nice day.

 

Tears of a Clown: TP Edition

 As I've said before, for most of my life I always thought that like music, there were only two kinds of people...good and bad, but I've refined it to think that the two kinds of people are narcissists and non-narcissists. Narcissists' brains aren't wired for things like empathy, remorse or guilt, so it doesn't matter to them what they do, and in their twisted way of thinking, if they hurt someone it's that person's fault. 

 If you see someone being charged for a violent crime, you can bet dollars to donuts they're a narcissist. The lies, denials, blaming everything else in the Universe for their shit, the condescending attitude, pathetic need for control, the false air of superiority...it's all there on full display. 

 One of the narcissist's trademark tactics is fake crying, with no tears. They know that only genuine crying produces tears, so it's a trip to see them do anything they can to get a little moisture. They'll rub their eyes vigorously, at least trying to make them red if not wet. They'll dab their eyes with their hand and then look at it to see if they've managed to squeeze out a tear, which of course they haven't. 

 You might not believe this but it's true...narcissists will literally practice "crying" in front of a mirror. They don't possess or understand the emotions that cause real crying but they know that it gets a response so they work on their technique. The sounds they make as they imitate crying are hilarious. It's a comedy show.

 An interrogator who understands narcissism can play them like a fiddle. They'll point out that there are no tears, which pisses the perps off. A couple of classic excuses I've heard for why there are no tears are "I'm all cried out" and "I'm beyond tears." What's beyond tears? Dry crying? 

 What I  really love is when they're in the interrogation room after committing some heinous crime and they're trying to lie their way out of it and pretending to cry. They ask for some Kleenex but are given a roll of toilet paper instead.

 It's perfect and totally appropriate. They might as well wipe themselves, because they're total pieces of shit. 

Drawing Your Soulmate?

Here's the latest thing in psychic bullshit. For a fee a "psychic" will draw a sketch of your supposed soulmate. From the sketch above you'd think they totally nailed it. I say they drew the sketch while looking straight at the guy, but what do I know? I clicked on it to see what up. 

Before I clicked on it I knew they'd ask questions to give them an idea of what kind of "soulmate" to draw. If they were truly psychic, they wouldn't need a bit of information telling them what gender, race, age group or anything else to use, right? If they're psychic they should just know. It's bullshit. 

Cellphones and Situational Awareness

It may be hard to tell what's going on in this screenshot from a hair-raising video but this is one dense but lucky kid. This car nearly plowed into him going at least 45mph. The kid had just gotten off the bus and was looking at his phone, totally obvious to the car headed straight for him. 

 You can see the puffs of smoke as the tires are barking from the car being slammed hard to the left and off the road. If the driver didn't have excellent reflexes that kid would've been playing the harp that evening. Another 12" and this video wouldn't be able to be shown. It was that close.

 Nothing much surprises me these days, although plummeting off a cliff to your "unalivement" or walking into traffic while playing Pokémon Go is a bit extreme. I wonder what the stats are on that...I know it's a fair amount. One's too many. Really it's just another form of population control I guess, like fent and tranq and stuff like that.

 There's a thing called "situational awareness." It means what it says- being aware of what's going on around you. It's a vestigal thing...back when we were still monkeys, situational awareness was a matter of survival. I guess if they'd had cellphones back then, a lot more sabertooth tigers would've gotten dinner. 

 Even though we're no longer monkeys, it could still save your life today. Muggers are pretty smart about picking out people to mug. They observe before they mug. Which person do you think they'd choose- one who's paying attention to their surroundings, or someone who's totally distracted by talking on their phone? 

 While most people thankfully won't walk out into traffic or walk off a cliff because they're staring at their phone, most people are addicted to them. Some years back I did an informal survey where I asked people what would happen if they lost their phone. Just thinking about it made them visibly distraught and uncomfortable. The look on their faces said it all.

For about the first six months or so after I got my first cellphone I kept it in my pocket like most people do, until I saw images like this, as well as ones taken below the belt, that showed what happens to the body after a 15-minute phone call. No thanks. I bet I'm the only person in America who doesn't have phantom vibration syndrome. I don't keep my phone in my pocket.

 Remember when they first came out and people were complaining about rude assholes talking on their cellphones in restaurants and movie theaters? It was about as inconsiderate as it gets.

 I was at a nice dinner party one evening when some clown's phone beeped. Rather than turn it off and wait until dinner was over, he got up from the table to go plug it in. Couldn't it wait? I told myself right then and there I'd never let my phone tell me what to do. 

 They actually have detox programs for cellphone addiction. Really. Try taking a phone away from a teenager and see what happens. I'd be willing to bet your phone remembers more phone numbers than you. Even when people are placed in handcuffs they almost universally ask for their phones, which is crazy, considering they can't use them while they're cuffed. 

 Well, this is funny. As I'm writing this a notification popped up for a YouTube video titled "We Need to Put Down our Phones and Get Prepared." That's funny, and true, and timing is everything. 

 One of the saddest things I've ever seen was one day when I was at Lakeshore Rehab with a friend who was recovering from an injury. We'd shoot hoops and walk laps and such. There was a guy in a wheelchair whose buddies wanted to take him to the Cahaba River, where they could wheel him right up to the water. He could've enjoyed Nature but instead he wanted to play games on his phone. I wanted to cry. 

 I won't let my phone tell me when to charge it and I'll be damned if I'll let it make me fall off a cliff, but hey, to each his own. If what's on your phone is more important than what's going on around you then be my guest. The cliff is thataway, and population control's a bitch. Watch out beloooooooooooooooooooooooow!

 
 

I Thought We were Supposed to be Getting Better

 All our lives we've heard that humans would continue to evolve and improve as time went on...we'd live longer, get smarter and figure things out. We were told that our parents worked hard so that we could have a better life (which was true back in the day), and their parents had worked hard so they could have a better life and so on. 

 I remember reading an article that said that if present trends continued, we'd begin to look like the Greys, with large heads to accommodate our bigger brains, and spindly limbs because robots did our work for us because we'd become too intelligent to have to work. Crazy.

 When I was briefly going to Auburn, Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, gave a talk. It was a pretty big deal. He screened the pilot episode of Star Trek with a different Kirk, and then showed a reel of bloopers. That was a treat, and it was before bloopers were a thing.

 I have to mention this: there was a scene where the Enterprise was under attack and was being tossed about. For those scenes they had a set that would tilt, and a bunch of guys would move it around. In this scene they tilted it too far and everybody started to fall.

 They were grabbing the console and trying not to fall down. Spock grabbed Nurse Chapel from behind, and his hands landed naturally on her breasts. As long as they were there he decided to give them a good squeeze. Everyone lost it laughing. I'll never forget that.

 Anyway Mr. Roddenberry talked about the future of humanity in the most glowing terms. He said that by the year 2000, which seemed like an eternity away at the time, we'd have gotten our collective shit together. We'd have solved hunger, ended wars and such and everybody would be holding hands and singing Kumbaya. Did we make it? Sorry Gene.

 Almost a decade ago I was talking to a friend about the future of humanity and where he thought it was going. He was optimistic, pointing out the fact that lifespans were increasing and such. It fit right along with what we've been told. 

 My view was a bit more pessimistic. It didn't please me to feel that way but I was being real, based on my looking into things over the past two decades-plus. I'd read things and even talked to two doctors who thought that lifespans were about to start getting shorter. I and others predicted that years ago, and it's come true. 

 What about our mental state? If you ask me it's getting bleak. Not only are people losing the ability to speak and write correctly, they're also losing their minds over nothing. Nobody has to tell us that. 

 Think back to the "Kol-emm-bine" bang-bang. Remember how shocked the whole world was? It was almost unimaginable back then. These days we have, what, about one a week? It's like, "Oh, another skule shuuting. It's a shame. What's for dinner?" It's empathy burnout. 

 These days we accept the most vile, dark, sick and Satanic movies, music videos and award shows as "just entertainment." People are getting away with things that a scant decade ago they'd have been strung up for. Think about it. 

 And don't get me started on how people think we can change our entire physiology by how we "identify," and how formerly rational people go along with it. Have Biology books been rewritten to include this new information? I guess so, since they're teaching it in schools, and even in preschool, where kids shouldn't be exposed to ANY of that blasphemy. It's a sin, and the people who perpetuate it know this. If there's an afterlife, good luck.

 We truly live in Clown World (insert Calliope music here). "Step right up and see the freak show...oh wait, it's normal now." Carnival barkers will soon be out of work. 

 Don't get me wrong...I wanted humanity to get better. I desperately wanted it. And there are still lots of beautiful, kind-hearted, loving and intelligent people but they're becoming the minority, and are mostly old-timers. Most young people today...forget it. Again just look around. If these kids are our future, we're scrod. Even drugs are more evil these days. It's incredible.

 So what's the deal? Why aren't we getting better as a species, as we were told would happen? I believe it's just a part of the bad guys' plan. Either it's only a series of incredible coincidences, or the Good Book predicted every bit of this. 

 Is there anything we can do? As unpopular as this will sound these days, my advice would be to get right with God, and I wouldn't dilly-dally. In the end, the good guys win, no matter what our antihero society tells us. Don't be left behind. Have a nice day! 

Rock Stars: The "Christian" Lie

 So many of these so-called "Rock Stars" have at one point or another come out and said that they're "Christian," and people believe them, but it's a lie. Why would they lie about it? Because it's just part of the plan...Satan's plan. It's to draw people in who actually are Christians, and get them to believe an altered version of the truth. The Devil is the father of lies according to the Good Book. Why wouldn't they lie is the question.

 Take Bono here as just one of many examples. He's professed to be a Christian, and I know someone who totally believes it. She goes on and on about how his songs are "spiritual," and I'll give her that...but "spiritual" doesn't always mean the good spirits.

 To get to the truth you have to go by what people do, not what they say. Bono's actions prove he's really anything but a Christian, yet my friend, and maybe millions of fans believe the lie. Sorry Bono but the Devil horns when you're playing the character of Mephisto are a dead giveaway. A true Christian wouldn't wear horns. 

Sorry, but the upside-down cross you're wearing around your neck and holding up for all to see doesn't support your lies either...FAIL.

Singing: "I stand with the sons of Cain" clearly shows whose side he's on. The sons of Cain is Satan's bloodline. In the song by Joni Mitchell called Shadows and Light, she sings about the "Mark of Cain." That's the Mark of the Beast, or 666. "Shadows and Light" isn't ironic at all for a title of the song. Evil operates in darkness.

Speaking of 666, flashing the Number of the Beast on a screen at U2 concerts doesn't do much to support the "Christian" narrative either. It's all a big joke, but people believe it. 

 I don't get how my friend can see all these things that are completely contrary to Christianity and still believe that Bono is a Christian. I think she went to one of the shows where he wore the horns but she was aware of it. I asked her about it and she said "Oh, he's just playing a character." 

 I asked her why he'd choose to play the Devil if he's a Christian. "Why the Devil?" I asked. "Why not Jesus?" She didn't have an answer. I guess not. How can people continue to believe the lies when the truth is right in front of their faces? Bono's a Christian? My white ass. Wake up. 

These Dreams: Semi-Lucid

 Last night I had what I'd have to call a "semi-lucid" dream. I realized that I was dreaming and I was able to control what I was doing but I couldn't really change what was going on around me. In a normal lucid dream you can control everything.

 You can change the scene in a snap. You become the director in your own movie. It's intense and a lot of fun. Wanna be a Rock Star? An astronaut? An action hero? Wanna doink some hot babe you've had your eye on? No problem. 

 The dream started with me going into a dimly-lit bar and ordering a drink. I'm sure it was based on reality...I played two gigs this past weekend and Friday night I had a glass of really nice bourbon. I forget the name but I'll find out. It may be the smoothest bourbon I've ever had. 

 In the dream I meant to order a small-batch bourbon but what came out of my mouth was "single malt scotch." I knew that was weird and at that point I realized I was dreaming. Cool. I told myself not to wake up. Since I don't have a problem with single malt I accepted it and took a sip. It wasn't bad. 

 The bartender showed me the bottle it came in. It was a large gallon-size glass bottle that was made to look like a whiskey barrel. Should I ever make a good single malt, that's how I'll package it. 

 It was odd that I couldn't control the entire dream like I normally can. I'd have changed the scotch to bourbon, and no telling what else. As it was though it was still extremely cool to know that I was dreaming, and at least be able to control myself. 

 I took my scotch and went to the also dimly-lit courtyard. It was like a jungle, and it reminded me of a line from the song Horse with No Name by America: "There were plants and birds and rocks and things..." it was nicely done. Then I realized that I was playing a gig there. Excellent. If I'd been able to control the entire dream I'd be gigging for sure, so it being in the dream anyway was nice. 

 I was about to go through the courtyard to where we were set up, but I was stopped by a very attractive woman. She had fairly short dark hair. I hope I don't sound "sexist" but usually I like longer hair on women, although once in a Blue Moon it doesn't matter at all, as is the case with the actress Janine Turner for example, and my all-time favorite close-cropped brunette, Candi Duke (real name) from the crazy restaurant. 

 Candi was even more beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside, and the outside was extraordinary. The sister in my dream was one of those. I got a vibe that she was really a genuine sweetheart too, and when I'm awake anyway, that vibe is right most of the time. Not always...but mostly.

 She said something like "Well...here goes" and she started kissing me. Again it was something I'd have done anyway if I'd had full control of the dream, but I was able to control the amount of time we kissed, and it lasted a while. I was taken by surprise but I went with it. 

 I don't mind showing a little affection in public, even a good kiss, but if it goes further than that it's like "get a room," at least in my waking hours, but nobody was paying attention and it wasn't a problem at all to make it a long kiss. It's dorky to say these days I guess but it was very romantic. I enjoyed it, especially since it was a lucid dream, and much more vivid and easy to remember than an ordinary dream. 

 I was enjoying my new friend. We started talking and were getting along fine. I was about to go play a set, and I was already looking forward to hanging out with her afterwards. Unfortunately things started to go a little astray, and although I still knew I was dreaming I couldn't keep it from happening. 

 I don't remember everything that happened, but like a lot of dreams I have, I'll somehow end up outside, and having to walk somewhere. Occasionally I'll be lost and have to try to find my way to wherever. Sometimes my shoes and socks will come off and I'll be barefoot, which happened in last night's dream. It's not exactly a nightmare but it's a pain in the arse. I'm sure Freud would have something to say about it.

 I was aware that this dream was similar to regular dreams where I ended up waking up anyway. I tried to change the situation like you can in a normal lucid dream but I couldn't, so I consciously pulled the plug on the dream and made myself wake up. 

 I was actually able to go back to sleep quickly and get back into the dream, which is extremely rare, only this time a different woman approached me. She was blonde with shoulder length hair and she was also very attractive. She didn't start kissing me like the first girl but she was very friendly. 

 The second part of the dream was also lucid, to about the same degree. I talked to the other girl and poked around in the dream for a bit but I couldn't find the first girl and I was bummed so I made myself wake up again. I was a bit disappointed but overall it was an extremely interesting experience. 

 This was a personal experience but anyone can have a lucid dream. If you've never had one you can't imagine how much fun and what a trip it is, especially if it's a normal one where you can fully control what happens. It's in my Top-5 coolest things to experience. 

 Among other things dreams are supposedly how our brains process things and figure out problems and such. Maybe lucid dreaming could help in those areas but I don't know for sure. I've never read anything about it. What I do know is that it's incredibly fun. You're in your own movie, and you can change the scene any time you like. 

 Back in the 80s or maybe the 70s they came out with these special glasses you wore to bed that would let you know when you were dreaming, so that you could have a lucid dream. It detected REM sleep when dreams occur, and it flashed a dim red light that wasn't bright enough to wake you up but bright enough to be noticed by your semi-conscious mind I guess, and let your brain know that you're dreaming. I'm sure those are still around. 

 If you don't want to wear REM-detecting glasses to bed there are other things you can do to help induce a lucid dream, such as repeating certain words before you go to sleep and things like that. It's easy to do. You're going to dream anyway...might as well enjoy it to the fullest. I wonder if it would be good therapy for people who tend to have more nightmares than usual. 

 The last lucid dream I had was pretty wild. It started out with a very basic layout of a grid for a city street, and it was like an early 8-bit video game, ready to be customized and brought up to date. There were stick people walking around.

 I played it like a video game for a while...rolling and knocking balls around and such, and then I turned it into a beautiful city street, with a cobblestone street and beautiful houses and all. I ended up changing the scene fifty times, to outdoor scenes and old carnival scenes and scenes I imagined from history and anything I could think of, and bringing anyone I wanted into the dream and finding something really fun to do. It was incredibly cool.

 I should do some of the things you can do to induce lucid dreaming, although I've had a good many of them without trying to. In my case sometimes my brain picks up on weird things in dreams and lets me know I'm dreaming, although as we know, the craziest things can happen in a dream but we don't usually question them. My stupid brain knew that it was weird that I ordered a scotch when I meant to order a bourbon, and it let me know that I must be dreaming. That's interesting. 

 What gets me though is the fact that I could only control myself in the dream and not the entire dream. As crazy as it sounds to people who haven't researched it, which is most people, it could be due to the intense solar radiation that's hitting Earth right now.

 Long story short the Sun affects everything on planet Earth, including humans. It affects us physically and mentally. It affects heart rate, brainwave patterns and even our mood. Look it up if you don't believe it. It's very possible that solar radiation could've interfered with the lucidity of my lucid dream. Maybe not, but I've never had a half-lucid dream. 

 I wish the dream had been fully lucid...I'd have hung out with the first girl and who knows what else...anything I could've imagined. In any case if you've never had a lucid dream you owe it to yourself to try. Sweet dreams.