He said, She Said.

You know what word really bothers me? Politics. That word puts my stomach in knots,spins my head in circles, and generally just confuses and nauseates me to a point where I can't even think about it anymore! Anyone else have this problem?

Sure, you could sit there and tell me that it's "Un-American" not to be involved in the political discussion or that I should be taking advantage of the fact that I live in what we Americans refer to as "the free world"(and believe me, I am!)...but more often than not, when I wake up to read the news and try and submerse myself in my
country, I often times am left with a whole lot more questions than answers....anyone else have this problem??

What i keep coming back to at the end of the day is this simple fact, there is NO WAY to truly believe what you see or read anymore. The media and its hold on the American psyche is so powerful that it can manipulate our minds as hard as it wants to, or as soft as a pile of play-doh!



When it comes down to it, the only truth out there in this media saturated world is that, there is TOO MUCH INFORMATION!!! And because of neat little inventions like TEH INTRAWEBS, globalization rocks on in the free world, one day at a time, in a MILLION different ways....and most people in this country, better still, in this world, have NO IDEA it's even happening at all!

I took a class my senior year of college with 7 other students (8 being the minimum to call it an actual "class"), called "Globalization". It was taught by Dr. Gita Rajan, still, one of the most incredible teachers I have ever had...and in this class I learned more about my country,myself,and my relationship to the world around me then I could have possibly imagined. Sounds crazy right? Four plus years of undergrad work and ONE CLASS made that big of an impact on me!? If you know anything about globalization, you know that it's complicated. There are lots of ins and outs and of course, lots of "what have yous"...but its roots and a basic understanding of how it works made me realize, that what is happening in our world in 2008 has been coming for a long, LONG time!

So maybe tonight, instead of watching the season premiere of Heroes, or Brett Favre in California, or spending a little too much time on Facebook, you can use your intrawebs portal to google, "globalization". I can't say you will learn that much from just "googling" it, but hey, it's a start, right?

See You In September

Yeah, yeah, yeah...You know where I'm going with this don't ya? Or maybe you don't?
Somewhere in the neighborhood of TEN weeks ago, most Americans decide they are going to let it all hang out, try out something new, travel somewhere, do something adventurous... live life to the fullest...



Well I applaud YOU!
After all, isn't the whole purpose of this existence to get rich or die trying?
Of course, then you would need a closer examination of the word "rich"...and just what constitutes "riches" in life...more on that on the next blog :P

As is customary in any good rant, or rave, digression is necessary...but again I digress...ok...


WAKE UP AMERICA!!

These ten glorious weeks of Summer have made me remember what I love about life and more specifically what I love about this country and I refuse to allow myself to get swept in to this cesspool of deceit and tomfoolery which passes, all too freely, through the veins of this country like the ketamine and crystal meth in Amy Winehouse's body.
(Amy's Flattering Concert Clip Here)



I know...it's terrifying...

Ok, so what is this all about?
The summer is a time when most people feel a sense of renewal and freshness. The feeling it conjures up and the vibrations through the air are unmatched, but I guess what I am asking is that, couldn't this be something we strive for all the time? Almost as if to bottle it up and sell it to society one bottle a time like a coors light or a coke.
I know its unreasonable to think that any moment, or any feeling, could last forever, because they, like all things in life are fleeting too. But what causes us to do things in the summer, that we wouldn't ordinarily do? Is it the temperature outside, or the vacation time most people have? Is it the convertible in the garage or is it something more?

What "IT" is, is the soul.

Whether you believe in having one or not is for a different time and place, but if you don't believe, then lets just play pretend, mmmkkay? SUPER!

The soul needs to breathe every once in awhile and when you suppress the appetites and desire that are so vital to your souls respiratory system, you run the risk of having an unhealthy soul.
Here is a prime candidate for healthy soul-->


Now take that and put it next to that Amy Winehouse clip, who lets not forget, CAN REALLY SING, when she wasn't high off her ass and on the brink of total self destruction.

The healthy soul vs. the unhealthy soul.

I use these clips not to glorify Marvin Gaye or to belittle Amy Winehouse, but instead to try and shed some light on an important belief of mine.

Every summer Americans explore their souls, and every September we start to explore less and less until the next summer comes and we do it all over again. Why not explore your soul everyday? I know it's not as simple as just saying it, nothing is, but simply recognizing it once a day goes a long way.

It is the exploration of your soul which is where the true riches in life come from. When you are true to your soul and thus true to yourself, the things in your life you have always wanted, happiness, love, friendships, etc.. begin to reveal themselves to you.

When you suppress the soul and its appetites you end up with a homogenized society of walking zombies, who trudge through life destroying themselves, their home, and the people around them. Unfortunately, I feel Americans want to be soul "searchers" but end up being more like soul "squeezers" in the long run!



The time is now America. I beg all of you to take a close look at your soul today. Talk to it, ask it questions. Make sure that its getting all the proper nutrients it needs to make it through the day.

And while I still got you here, please make sure you vote in the upcoming election...just don't vote for the other guy! :P


LISA SIMPSON: "You know Bart, Pablo Neruda always said laughter was the language of the soul."

BART SIMPSON: "I am familiar with the works of Pablo Neruda."

STRINGFINGERS

Well,well,well...It has been well over a fortnight since last I found myself writing on this blog...and as I stumbled across it this morning at "the day job", I said to myself, "why not utilize this rainy, Monday morning, to tell all of the blogging community out there, what I have been up to lately"...

To put it quite simply, Music has been life lately....other than "the day job"...

In April, Dan Tressler
and I finished our FIRST ALBUM TOGETHER under the name
String Fingers.
The album is available now and is titled:
STRUNG UP

In lieu of this recent effort, big Dan T and I have formed a band.

The current members of the band are:
ROB BONACCORSO-DRUMS AND PERCUSSION
RYAN McADAMS-BASS GUITAR
DAN TRESSLER-FIDDLE/MANDOLIN/GUITAR/BANJO/VOCALS
DAN CARLUCCI-GUITAR/MANDOLIN/VOCALS
SARAH NOVIA-VOCALS
MIKE QUATRELLA-HORNS

AND HERE IS A SMALL SAMPLE OF WHAT WE SOUND LIKE:



The band is about 2 months old as of right now and we are just getting the ball rolling. Learning new material, regular rehearsals, booking more gigs, and sometime this fall starting work on our second studio album is all part of the big picture right now.
We are currently hosting an open Acoustic/Bluegrass Exploration night at the Georgetown Saloon every first and third Wednesday of the month. Come on down and pick a bit or just enjoy the music, food, and great atmosphere!

We are also in the process of putting our website together, so be sure to stay tuned to www.stringfingers.com for more exciting developments!!

Parade Day

While most of the world waits for the 17th of March to celebrate the festival of st. Patrick, Scranton Pennsylvania gets down to business early.....really early....Every year in Scranton PA, the Saturday before the 17th means "parade day" and I was lucky enough to attend this years festivities...here's a brief synopsis of what went down...

Let me preface my ramblings by letting everyone know that I have a good number of friends who live or have lived in Scranton and although I haven't spent a lot of time there...I feel I can offer a glimpse into one of the craziest things I have ever experienced...

When the wake up call from the front desk of our hotel woke everyone up around 6 in the morning...I couldn't believe what I was about to embark on...getting in line at a bar called Farley's which opened at 7am....on the menu?? Eggs, Bagels, Some fruit perhaps??? a little granola or a spot of trail mix.....negative. Nothing but good ole Milwaukee's best light...that's right.. beer for breakfast! the way it goes down, you order 10 8 oz beers for 17 cents....that's $1.70 for all you math wizards...Even more astounding perhaps than the price of beer was the people in the bar....all rowdy and excitable...acting as if it was like any busy night at the bar...after three hours...many beers and a few spills on the sawdust coating the floor of Farleys we were out....


Post Farleys:
So it's now 11 am or so and after a quick bite we are enjoying 2 dollar Guinness and such...then off to the banshee for some more drinking...the funny thing about all this is that I walked through and around the parade, but never really saw a damn thing...at this point the haze was thick and the group was in need of a mid-afternoon siesta...so...back to the hotel for a get and a nap...for those who are unsure of what "a get" is, all i can say in response is that if you have to ask, you just don't know....

After we all got back into the swing of things around 7pm it was off to coopers for the second time in two nights....great food and more great beer...and a little bit of scotch whiskey as well...from there the group of about ten of us started to spread out and about..each of us choosing our paths for the remainder of what had been a very long day of alcoholic gestation....

So why the hell am I writing this??? Well for one it has been awhile since I wrote anything here and for another I am telling everyone if they get the chance to experience this day for yourself....DO IT! it is like nothing you have ever done...I promise.

Top Five Holiday Misconceptions

5.Holiday Work Parties are Fun.
Ok. I am not against parties during the holiday, not at all, in fact I happen to enjoy throwing back a few glasses of egg nog and some good eats. Yet we have all been to that holiday party for work, where even if you work with some of the raddest people in the world, you are bound to get cornered by that one person whom you have nothing to say to at all. The conversation usually drags on in a semantic filled rant in which you realize how drunk you are and now wish you were somewhere else.
4.If it's not cold and snowing, tis NOT the season!
Growing up in the northeast United States, I will be the first to admit, that I love snow during the holidays. That being said, there are plenty of people out there who hate snow and have a simply magnificent time with it absent from there holiday...So it really depends on where you are and what you like I guess. And as a side note here, global warming seems to be wreaking havoc on the planet....and that's just not good for anyone.
3.New Years Eve You Can Start All Over!
NO.NO.NO. This is all wrong. Everything bad about your previous year on this planet is still lingering, unfortunately...you are still going to face adversity, test your will power and question your choices..THIS IS LIFE! However, NYE is a good time to take the time to assess where you are, what you have accomplished, and where you are going...Doing these things are important in life and should be done more often then on the last day of the calendar year...But I suppose if you are doing it at all, then it is a good thing!
2.Tis better to GIVE than to RECEIVE!

This isn't really a misconception at all. Actually it IS better to give than to receive, however most people never really believe it or fully understand it, especially kids. I should know. Let's face it, when kids get excited for the holidays, it's not for the food, it's not for the family, it's not even for the days off from school....It's about one thing and one thing only, PRESENTS! Kids live for the holiday season when they know that someone is going to spoil them rotten and anyone who believes otherwise is just kidding themselves. Hopefully when most of us grow up we begin to realize that it's more gratifying making children and loved ones happy, but then again if you understand that principle then you are most certainly also receiving gifts from those who love you. Bottom line, gifts in any form kick ass, kids know it and so do you!
1.Holiday Accountability!!

Please!Please!PLEASE! If nothing else this holiday season, get over your problems with there being too many Christmas movies on television. Get over seeing too many stores and media outlets dance around offending one particular religious belief in their advertising campaigns. And get over yourself! Enjoy the holiday. Celebrate what you believe, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, it really doesn't matter. Teach our children what all of these holidays mean and that it all essentially means the same thing. You get presents and spend time with your family, friends, and loved ones. Period the end. This country has gotten way to P.C. in the last ten years and I for one can't stand it. The way i see it, you have to celebrate and recognize everything or nothing at all. Let's not get hung up on restrictions and things on what is and isn't right. It's either all fair game or none of it is!

So Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanzaa to all of my friends, families, and strangers who read this!

DRUGS: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Ah yes......drugs! What can I say about drugs?? What can't I say about drugs?? Which drugs are "ok" to talk about and which drugs are meant to be kept for closed door discussions ONLY?? Here is what I have recently discovered about drugs:

Let me start by saying that I believe drugs are impossible to avoid and I don't just mean the illegal ones. Pharmaceutical companies have made their livelihood off of prescription drugs, many of which I personally find, to be more harmful than the illegal ones on the black market. And all you alcohol consumers, cigarette smokers, and coffee drinkers, don't forget...YOU are also among the drug users on this planet! First off let me just give you my brief opinion about why we do drugs. It fits into the same cliche reasons you have probably already heard, but nonetheless, it must be stated. Drugs are an escape. Period the end. Depending up on the state of your mind and what you are looking to escape from, they can take on a variety of different forms and emotions. When you wake up in the morning, and can't shake the "sleepiness", you go for the caffeine. When you have had a long day and you want to "unwind", which is merely secret code for, escape, you reach for the bottle or perhaps something to smoke. When you have surgery and your body aches, you reach for the painkillers. When you have a headache, Tylenol. When you need to sleep, ambien perhaps. When you are having trouble with your partner, viagra. When you suffer from depression, pop a paxil......getting the point??



At this point I would like to make it known that while I think some drugs do serve a useful purpose, I also believe that unless the drugs are used to ease something which is of the greatest pain, like surgery or childbirth, OR to prevent something fatal, then they inevitably cause significant brain damage, body damage, and character decomposition. I have seen it in my life and in the lives of others around me...when the drugs become a crutch, when you can't sort out the hardships of your life and you continue to rely on substances rather than your own self, the results are painful to observe.

I only speak from my own experiences here and those of the people who i have discussed and/or shared this discussion with, so I am not preaching to stop taking drugs altogether. However, the purpose in me writing this, other than the obvious catharsis, is to allow you to take a look at yourself and decide where you stand with relation to drugs. Do they own you, or do you own them? And I mean that both literally and figuratively speaking. If they own you, then I invite you to explore the world of sobriety. Talk to people you trust about it, your friends and family are a good starting point. If you own them, I invite you to investigate just why you own them? What are your reasons and motivations for having them? How do they affect your body, your character, and your overall quality of life? Do you NEED them to make it through a day or a week? Again, if you are taking drugs to prevent fatality, clearly you are the exception and not the rule!




When talking about drugs, you obviously have to recognize that there are certain drugs that are more harmful than others. Someone who has a caffeine addiction is clearly in a better position than someone who habitually uses cocaine. However, there is one misconception floating around that I would like to address before I exit this blog and that is the one asscociated with pharmaceutical drugs. People seem to think that if the big companies and the FDA say its ok, then that makes it just swell! This couldn't be farther from the truth. In fact, many of these drugs: ritalin, aderoll, klonopin, vicodin, and others can have tremendous effects on the body and mind..some effects which are far worse than the illegal street drugs which everyone always assumes are the worst of the bunch. This being said, just make sure you do the research the next time you are about to take a prescription drug from anyone, including your doctor. Ask questions, read the literature, and do the footwork, because after all, it's you life!

As I stated in the beginning of this rant, drugs are an escape. The world is a cruel and cold place and doesn't appear to be getting any more compassionate, so naturally, we are always trying to escape, myself included. However, what we need is an open discussion about drugs among parents, friends, children, congressmen, doctors, pharmaceutical companies, and others if we wish to truly understand what drugs are doing to us as people and as a species. Unfortunately there is too much negativity in the world and too much money at stake, and the selfish desires of humans usually take precedence over any issues of character of moral righteousness. So I leave this blog with a quote from Tolkien for all to ponder:

"So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

the entitlement generation

Over the last month I have begun to do a lot of self assessment. Where am I in this world, where am I going??? You know, the usual things that most people cycle through in their own minds on a somewhat daily basis. During this month of reflection I have taken notice to the world as well as myself. Where is the world right now? Where is IT going? More specifically, I was investigating into the Unites States and why we seem to have this sense of "entitlement". I read an interesting article which you can read here.

You can take what you want away from that article, some of it I found to be valuable and some of it just seemed to be a bunch of crap. The bottom line is simple, Americans are spoiled fucking brats. Myself included. Pardon my bluntness in addressing this topic, but I felt it needed to be said. We all seem to think that somebody owes us something, which is a little different than the aforementioned article claims, they have labeled my generation (1979-1994) the "entitlement generation" and seem to think that it is just this new crop of youth who are this way. This is also a bunch of crap.

The truth of the matter is America, has been heading in this direction since its inception. Every war fought, every human rights movement marched, every bomb constructed, every technological breakthrough made, every world series won, every movement towards modernity which has led us to a seat at the head of the global dinner table has brought us to our current state of affairs. As a part of this generation labeled, "the entitlement generation" I find it to be slightly ignorant, although par for the course, that we have been labeled as such by the "intellectual hierarchy". Here we find ourselves at another interesting discussion, labels. Labels are nothing more than generalizations supported with some continually changing data which may or may not apply to one specific individual, let alone an entire generation, however, I digress and this is for another blog.

So what the hell am I rambling about here anyways? Is anybody even reading this? Does it even matter?? This world is a scary place and we as Americans have the ability to help change that in some way, but it must start at home! Look around this month, or this week, or just today and notice how many people cut you off on the road, how many people don't hold the door for you when you are walking into a building, and how many people simply don't care anymore about much of anything unless it somehow affects them. There is definitely a sense of entitlement in this country and it is growing everyday. Entitlement, however, is something which is predicated upon hard work, something which Americans have been running farther and farther away from as time marches on. So please....Stop complaining! Stop desiring everything all at once! Stop being so fucking selfish and get of your ass and look at how ridiculous you really are!