--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, doctordumbass@... <no_reply@...> wrote:
> And to Curtis, earlier I ridiculed your vocation as a musician and performer, > and lover of The Blues, and I apologize straight up for that. Shitty thing to > do. After the last three years of my life, I *get* the blues.:-) But this > isn't about me. Its about criticizing your love and dedication for something > that is a wonderful gift from you, to many.> Funny, I didn't feel as though you were criticizing me for that, but for a multitude of other things! But I may not have noticed because to survive as an artist you kind of have to listen to your own instincts and very few outside people whom I pick carefully. I am not as shitty as my detractors say (Nabby) nor as wonderful as the guy who handed me the fat corporate gig check at the end of the night of the video Nabby posted, made me out to be. I am just pursuing my musical interests as earnestly as I can. So far it has been enough to keep me living inside with health insurance, tenuously as that sometimes can be, and looking forward to each day. But speaking to the general friendly tone of your comments, I am always up for that side of our long relationship here. We have plenty of history high fiving each other, and I am always open to switching to that gear with you. I hope you are finding something in this holiday season that floats your boat (May I suggest Kwanza? they have the best music) cuz behind the myths are the reminder that we are stuck with each other on this rock (till we take our dirt nap) so we might as well enjoy each other. Along the lines of the attitude of gratitude I'll share a non snarky story with you. Last Tuesday I spent the day arts integrated co-teaching in a Title One school which means the lowest economic group in Maryland. They can't meet the academic standards for the state. The project I am a part of is to bring artist in for specific lesson plans from the state curriculum to help teachers by using art to get their kids to make the needed cognitive jumps so they can pass these tests. People's jobs and asses are on the line over this. It is not arts integration as icing on the cake, it is their Hail Mary pass (how did that reference slip in?) in a last ditch effort to help these kids. A lot of state money is being spent on this project and we have to meticulously document everything. If we succeed it is huge, this will go statewide. Now we are in one poor county. Let me define poor. Many of these kids have their only meals at school. They have to send them home with something they can prepare themselves to get through the weekend. These are the offspring of the welfare moms that republicans demonize. They have zero cultural capital or social capital to draw from because they do not exist in an enriching environment at home. This is the land of "mommy on the pipe again we better go over to Gramas house tonight". To me they are little angels that society is throwing away at a great loss. They are just as engaging as the rich kids I teach in other schools. We have no idea which one the them is gunna solve the energy problem or even get Twinkies back on the shelves again in the future. They, as good as ol' "on the crack pipe" Whitney Huston said, ARE our freak'n future. We either educate them now or incarcerate them later. I am writing blues songs with them to help them make distinctions between, for example, the emotions of a character in the story and their underlying character traits. They learn about the history of acoustic blues (from the mouths of babes: "Black people invented the blues? Really?" said one black 2nd grader innocently) and they learn about expressing their feelings in songs as well as their academic points. As I was questioning them about how we know from evidence in the reading what the characters were feeling emotionally, compared to their character traits, one little girl in 2nd grade had an example to share starting with the blues song prompt I gave them, "When I woke up in the morning". She said, "when my mom woke up in the morning she was smiling" (nice start) but when my Dad woke up this morning he was sad because he lost his job and he can't find a job because there aren't any jobs for him..." The teacher and I glanced at each other with a look that a person gives when their foot slips through the ice on a pond they are crossing, and their boot fills with cold water. "Sooooo" I tentatively start, "your dad may be feeling sad now but because of his character trait of persistence and determination, he wont stop looking till he finds another job. Then his feeling will change to happy but he will still have the deeper character trait of being persistent and determined." (I was not exactly feeling like one of those scrappy teachers in those inner city school movies, who magically uses the kids' hard lives to get the kids excited about learning, culminating with a dance scene in front or the school. I was just feeling kind of like a slice of Wonderbread with a prep school education.) Her head shook yes, (she knew what I wanted) but her eyes said "not so sure". And so this is Christmas. The only job I ever got fired from was right before Christmas. I didn't have kids, so it wasn't close to what this family is going trough. But it was one of the weirdest juxtaposition mind fucks of my life to be surrounded by the images of Christmas cheer in my desperation. I have a feeling that Christmas dinner is gunna turn to ashes in his mouth as he looks at his kids across the table. Maybe he will put up the front of optimism, "hey kids after New Years I'm gunna find another job, let's just enjoy this time together." Or maybe it will be the pipe thing instead, and it will be dinner at Grandmas. Again. I so want to stick this landing but I am totally caught up in speculating about this Christmas tort made of shit. OK, shake it off...Merry Christmas Jim. I hope you and your family enjoy the many blessings of NOT living in Harford County MD. Still too maudlin... Here's my Hail Mary pass to pull out of this. Help me out Earth "Cat Woman" Kitt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WUP44PBxl0 > > Hey Steve, > > You make me sound like a stick up my ass automaton here -lol. I think it was > Byron Katie who said she had no business knowing what other people thought of > her. It took me a while to recognize that, and to accept it (for myself, not > her - lol). > > So I enjoy responding to others here, and in my life, though I am no longer > reactive. In order to be so would mean that I am protecting myself against > what others think of me. > > Responding and reacting feel very differently. The first is for > clarification, the second, for protection. And please don't let my cursing be > mistaken for reacting - I just fucking enjoy it! > > However, I have been *very* reactive in the past. Insulted people's > professions, and just said some plainly shitty things. Waaaay over the top - > it was fun at the time, as many shortsighted activities are, but ultimately > not who I want myself to be. > > And to Curtis, earlier I ridiculed your vocation as a musician and performer, > and lover of The Blues, and I apologize straight up for that. Shitty thing to > do. After the last three years of my life, I *get* the blues.:-) But this > isn't about me. Its about criticizing your love and dedication for something > that is a wonderful gift from you, to many. > > Having said that, I really enjoy participating here, with all my quirks. I > adopted the name Doctor Dumbass for two reasons: > > 1. 'Doctor', because I far prefer a scalpel, now, to a grenade. > > 2. 'Dumbass', because I never stop learning, nor would want to. > > and on that basis, let's us all *Carpe Fucking Diem*!! > > Thanks, Steve > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "seventhray27" <steve.sundur@> wrote: > > > > > > Hey Jim, > > > > I take it that your response would not be an example of someone being > > "triggered" by something, which would then require the requisite self > > reflection, but rather, is an example of a clear eyed knower of reality > > "seeing things as they are", with no need to equivicate about it? > > > > I mean, I know that this is how you see it, but I'd like to hear you say > > it. I am not faulting you for it. I'd just like if you could stake out > > your position, (or correct me if I am mistaken). > > > > I noticed that you are now giving out "clean bills of health" > > > > Care to give me an evaluation? > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, doctordumbass@ <no_reply@> > > wrote: > > > > > > Right on, Wolf-Baiter (though in this case your subject, Curtis, is a > > pink little poodle baby, with apologies to poodles everywhere.) - Or, > > switching scenes, he reminds me of a guy my first wife told me about > > years ago, who was trying to ask the office babe out for lunch. > > > > > > He starts telling her a saucy little joke, but then inadvertently > > sneezed a rather large, um, booger, onto her desk. He blithely flicked > > it away with his finger, and continued with his humor. Lunch never, ever > > happened, though the story made the rounds. > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, awoelflebater no_reply@ wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" > > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Robin Carlsen" > > <maskedzebra@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "raunchydog" <raunchydog@> > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ME: I already responded to Dr Dumb Ass's snipped comments. I will > > accept Raunchy's as a writing prompt. > > > > > > > > > > RD: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I like what you say here, Doc. Just to guild your lily a > > little, I'd say that irreverence is a performance art of disaffected > > seekers. They indulge in tipping sacred cows hoping people will react in > > horror. > > > > > > > > > > ME: Let me stop you there. Can you name a single person who could > > be expected to react in horror from a satiric piece on Christianity > > here? Name one pearl-clutcher, to use you apt image. A single person > > whose identification with the ideas contained in the myths of > > Christianity, is so complete that anything I wrote could be expected to > > react in the way your are trying to project here. One. > > > > > > > > Hey Curtis, just some thoughts on your responses/questions here. > > Upon reading your post of yesterday I was carried along on that magic > > carpet ride only you here at FFL are capable of providing. Words come > > out of you as sleek as little seals and they squirm and splash around > > beautifully, effortlessly. And I find my eyes gliding along with these > > little creatures frolicking away and before I know it you have > > transported me someplace. That place includes twists and turns and drops > > and rolls. But then sometimes the little journey I am on strands me in a > > kind of bizarre place, an uncomfortable place. Your 'Christmas' spiel > > did just that. Not because I am religious, not because I am Christian, > > not because I am conservative or narrow. I think it was because in > > between all of those really fun little jumps and dives there were these > > other things too. > > > > > > > > I re-read your piece a few times to try and understand what I was > > feeling and why. I am still working it out but I realized, even though > > those slick, black agile little seals really performed, I was left > > feeling bereft. For some reason I didn't feel good after the post. I > > felt yucky in fact. Now I am not saying you are a yucky guy, just that > > the effect your writing in this instance had on me was to leave me > > feeling sort of besmirched (great word, "besmirched"). Anyway, I think > > it was because in what you wrote, what you said was essentially > > flattened something. Probably not across the board and certainly not in > > everyone's experience based on the kudos you received, but for me it > > annihilated something, momentarily. It was sort of like someone telling > > you Santa Claus never is or never was and anyone who believed > > differently needed to realize this and realize it but good. > > > > > > > > You see, there was no redeeming element that allowed for a happy > > ending, a reprieve, any hope. It was like so many things that I take joy > > in were smashed open and what was inside was just stuffing and sawdust. > > The wonder inherent in certain subjects you touched (stomped?) upon > > disappeared. The things you wrote about became, for me, less rich, less > > full, meaner. They lost their specialness, things, precious things, > > became less than ordinary when in fact they are not. > > > > > > > > I wish I could have enjoyed it like many others here did because, > > man oh man, can you write. You have experienced so much in your 57 years > > (or pretty close to that I think?) and there seems to be so much that > > wants to be expressed within your intelligence. Maybe I'll just wait for > > your next aquatic seal show and see if I like it any better. But boy > > those little devils can certainly swim. > > > > > > > > > > I argue that mine is exactly the opposite motivation than the one > > you propose here. I wrote it for people who share my sense of humor, I > > am an entertainer. I would never post it on a board of Christians > > because I do not have the motivation you ascribe to me. And at this > > point if anyone is offended by my perspective on Maharishi, after years > > of full disclosure of my POV, shame on them for reading it. They are > > going way out of their way for their offended buzz. > > > > > > > > > > An example of why I wrote it was Emily's response. That made me > > very happy and fulfilled my intentions for posting it. > > > > > > > > > > RD: > > > > > It's rather juvenile but they do it just to show how hip, they are > > and how hip you're not because they think you haven't rejected the > > beliefs that they have. > > > > > > > > > > ME: Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins and that > > maintaining this believe will somehow alter your disposition in the > > afterlife? Can you name one person who has that belief here that I could > > impose my hipness on by making a satire about Christianity? Since we all > > dissected Judith's book in detail here I could not reasonably expect my > > mention of the reality of Maharishi's hidden life would do more than > > elicit a ho hum from this jaded crew. You are imagining something to > > shame me for that doesn't even make sense. Name one belief concerning > > the Jesus myth that I have rejected and you have not. The unique > > divinity of Christ? His role as your personal savior through the > > mechanism of belief? His role as the fulfillment of the prophesies of > > the Old Testament? That he was required by God to suffer for our sins? > > You have to dismiss all the details of Christian theology to get to > > something we might disagree on, perhaps your conjectures about his state > > of mind. Maybe you think he was an enlightened guy and I don't. But we > > agree on a hundred things about the story to find the one we do not > > agree on. > > > > > > > > > > RD: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Even today, Barry thought it would be fun to post humorously > > irreverent road signs by MUM to see who smiled and see who didn't smile. > > I suspect he's more interested in pissing people off than in delighting > > them. I go for the latter. > > > > > > > > > > ME: I draw your attention to this post as counter evidence for > > that claim. > > > > > > > > > > RD: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Funny thing is, after awhile all the TMO, TM and Maharishi > > bashing, pissing on baby Jesus and exhibitionistic waggling of dicks > > gets to be so ho-hum that one hardly notices cries for attention fading > > into the distance. Sadly, when irreverent performance artists, shock > > jocks, don't get the negative reaction they hoped, they're just as happy > > to get applause for taking a public dump from people who don't know the > > difference between art and schlock. > > > > > > > > > > ME: I saw a great Curb Your Enthusiasm where Larry David was being > > subjected to his wife's family Christmas traditions. Alone in the > > kitchen Larry passes the time eating a cookie he found in a manger > > scene. To his chagrin and the horror of his in-laws, it turned out that > > he had eaten the baby Jesus cookie in an all cookie manger scene. > > Opening his mouth only to switch feet, he tried to pacify them all as > > they flocked around to shame him by saying "I thought it was a monkey > > cookie." They were not pacified. > > > > > > > > > > I share my sense of irreverent humor with Larry, and I wonder if > > you would project all these negative qualities on his intentions as you > > have on mine. A more broad minded perspective might allow that when it > > comes to humor, it is a personal thing and not feel the need to demonize > > someone making different choices than you. > > > > > > > > > > RD > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Irreverent art is really old school. Back in the day of the > > Dadaists: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > "Marcel Duchamp penciled a mustache and goatee on a print of > > Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa and inscribed the work "L.H.O.O.Q." > > Spelled out in French these letters form a risqué pun: Elle a chaud > > au cul, or "She has hot pants."... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Francis Picabia, once tacked a stuffed monkey to a board and > > called it a portrait of Cézanne... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Schoenberg's music was atonal, Mal-larmé's poems scrambled > > syntax and scattered words across the page and Picasso's Cubism made a > > hash of human anatomy... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > But, for all its zaniness, the Dada movement would prove to be > > one of the most influential in modern art, foreshadowing abstract and > > conceptual art, performance art, op, pop and installation art." > > > > > > > http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/dada.html > > > > > > > > > > ME: I appreciated your references and I think you are supporting a > > case more for its value. For me I believe it has tremendous > > philosophical value to examine myths in an original way. I am not only > > trying to entertain those who share my sense of humor, I am mapping out > > my perspective by sharing a unique approach to these myths. And finally > > I am sharing my actual throught process as I contemplate the images of > > my own nativity dredged up from my youth. > > > > > > > > > > For those who are friendly toward me here, it is sharing who I am > > my perspective. For those who feel the need to use this as proof of a > > personality or spiritual defect, they are welcome to that but I can't > > respect that POV. It seems unnecessarily uncharitable considering the > > fact that their own beliefs are not being called into question. > > > > > > > > > > RD: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > When all is said and done and irreverent spiritual performance > > artists have met the "Maker of Us All" that they poopoo, > > > > > > > > > > ME: So you are really that sure of yourself about this? I would > > like you to make a case to support such a belief, show us what you are > > basing it on as I have shared why I reject it. > > > > > > > > > > RD: > > > > > generations of unschooled idiots will pay homage to them by > > scouring the archives of FFLife for instructions on how to be an asshole > > while tipping sacred cows. > > > > > > > > > > ME: When I try to conjure up the reasons and motivations for your > > writing this insult, I can't come up with a single on that I respect. > > > > > > > > > > Robin > > > > > > > > > > > > I loved this, raunchy. You have the right credentials--all the > > way down. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ME: That strikes me as a bit disappointing to hear you say that. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
