Sunday, February 28, 2010

A New Song: "The Initiation"

The initiation  by  Carbon111


I think one of the most interesting Initiations is the "Walkabout" Rite Of Passage when one is forced to finally rely on no one else and accomplish a task that tests the limits of one's spirit. When the initiate gets home they are then full members of the society, having gone through the same trial as everyone else. A magical transformation through finding one's self in the wilderness.

My new song, The Initiation, is an echo of this.

Lead Drones are from the SCI Prophet 600, Piano is Nord Stage, Pads are provided by Nord Wave, and Metallic Stabs and Drums are Korg Oasys.

How can I say from where
Light just shines out of there
These eyes that wear no mask

There's nothing left to ask

And nothing left to hide
It's black up in the sky

The stars have all gone napping

Who can say just what's been happening?

I'm not your hero anymore

I'm just The Fool

You have to stand alone this time

Or be destroyed


As gentle as a dove

And with a serpent's love

You have to leave me here

There's nothing left to fear

Now find your own way home

All journeys made alone

Through darkness and cold air

You know I'll meet you there


I'm not your hero anymore

I'm just The Fool

You have to stand alone this time
Or be destroyed


Through darkness and cold air

You know I'll meet you there

Through darkness and cold air

You know I'll meet you there...

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Life is good!

No, really.

I think most of us in the "developed" world forget sometimes how good we have it, focusing on what we want rather than what we are lucky to have. Shattering cataclysms like the Haitian quake can really drive this home when you see people who had very little be reduced to people who have nothing.

Recently, a friend clued me in to Shelter Box, a nonprofit org supplying shelters and supplies to people in desperate need. Every $1000 they get buys one "Shelter Box", containing the following:



• One ten-person tent, including two fabric interior privacy partitions, outer fly-sheet and repair kit. These tents are considered ‘winter suitable’ by international relief standards.

• One 49 gallon box (The ShelterBox) initially the container for delivery of the materials listed below. Once delivered, the box takes an all kinds of uses and can be used as a water tank, food store, table, even a cot.

• Vinyl insulated sleeping mats and lightweight thermal blankets. More compact than sleeping bags, these mats and blankets have multiple uses. The blanket can also be fashioned to catch water, as a tarp, while the mat also serves as a ground ‘table’ for meals, or tent rugs.

• One pack of 180 water purification tablets or a water purification kit; and one 5 gallon flat-pack water container (Each tablet will purify a full container of water providing 1,800 gallons of clean drinking water which should be sufficient for a family of ten for up to three months).

• Two 2.1 gallon, collapsible, plastic water carriers.

• One collapsible trenching shovel

• Rope, 164 foot

• Repellant-treated mosquito netting

• Ten PVC Ponchos/ ten heavy duty plastic bags

• Tool kit in canvas bag: hachet, jack-knife, screwdriver, hammer, hoe head.

• Multi-fueled cook stove

• Eating utensils: plates and cups

• Children's activity kit-simple school supplies, stickers and coloring book.

A place to live and the means to provide some self-sufficiency amid devastation is a priceless thing.



In this day and age when people are afraid to give because so many so-called charities are skimming too much off the top for "administrative" purposes, it's refreshing to find a solid organization that takes a different tack.

Any size donation is acceptable and will help: http://www.shelterbox.org