Dear Barscene, I'm afraid our relationship has reached it's inevitable conclusion. Please don't take it personally. You had your moments and at times our encounters were worthwhile. However, I'm realizing now, after all of these years that I clearly loved you much more than you loved me. While, I know that I may occasionally think about you in the future, I am sure that you will quickly forget about me. I want to thank you for the evenings and late nights that you spent with me when I had nowhere else to turn. The buzz I had when we were together was quite intoxicating. There were some great impetuous romps that were usually fun and always interesting. In the long run, however, those good times were not worth all of the time and money I spent on you. I've finally concluded that I'd rather be lonely at home, than lonely in a room full of people. Thanks for the memories. Thanks for your time. Now please leave me the fuck alone. Sincerely, Ben L. Costa

The Reluctance of Jason Lytle

To say Jason Lytle shies away from the spotlight would be an understatement. The former lead singer of Grandaddy is one of many artists who produce art because they love doing so and not because they desire fame and fortune. His indifference towards fans and the media make him one of the more mercurial musicians who are currently in the business. His show last night at the new Seattle venue Barboza was interesting and in typical Lytle style - considerably awkward. He spaced on the first line of the second song in his set which wouldn't have been a huge deal except that he let the drum beat play for about 3 minutes while he scoured his brain for the lyrics. This brings me to my next point about Jason Lytle. It's clear to me after being a fan of his for over the last 10 years that he has less of a connection to his songwriting than his average fan does. He made a joke last night about this not being "slacker rock" and while the off-the-cuff remark was made very much tongue-in-cheek you get the feeling that there were a million other things he'd rather be doing. This was reinforced by his comment later in the night where he said that he released his new album and he likes making albums but he hates touring. He actually admitted more or less to not wanting to be there calling it "weird" (which he repeated several times throughout the show). The folks in the crowd who knew the lyrics to his songs better than he did and payed $18 a ticket on a Tuesday night probably did not want to hear that. The demise of Grandaddy was a result of beautiful misunderstood albums being released during a time when the commercial music industry was dying a painful death. CD sales never reached the necessary number for the entire band to live comfortably (according to Lytle). Shamefully, this was music that eclipsed that of Grandaddy's peers in songwriting, creativity and melody. His loyal and devoted fans have moved on to his solo work with the same kind of fervent passion. Part of what makes Lytle so loved by his followers is his reluctance to give in to others' ideas of what his music should be. This of course made him an outsider in the mainstream music industry. While I respect him for standing by his principles in spite of missing out on more money and a larger audience, I would urge him to not take for granted the people who HAVE enabled him to produce many albums and to enjoy a better than modest lifestyle. We are not reluctant to buy your music and attend your shows. Your fans on your side Jason.

Was it a Dream?

Love has become a vague memory, like trying to remember the details of a dream in the moments after waking. Before long, I won't even recall having had it and only THEN will the pain subside.

Faith Over Fear

So, Osama Bin Laden is finally dead. Where has he been hiding all of this time? How was he surviving diabetes while hiding in caves for all of these years? What exactly was Bin Laden's role in 9/11? These are many of the questions that smart Americans are asking today. It is not patriotic to blindly accept the official story without asking questions or doing research. We as Americans have become programmed to care more about what our friends think of us than knowing the real truth.

Okay, so if we believe what the government-run media outlets are saying, then I guess we should be happy that we got revenge for 9/11. Right? I'm sorry folks but that really makes no sense at all. The families of the WTC victims know that there were many evil and treasonous people involved with the 9/11 false flag attack. Why were the fighter jet pilots ordered to "Stand down" rather than shoot down the terrorists? How did the twin towers fall from a little bit of jet fuel that was not hot enough to melt the beams? Why was Building 7, which was miles away from Ground Zero, imploded?

Well, I would be remiss to leave out the inevitable results of Osama's "death". #1. This will most likely boost Obama's sagging approval ratings, especially after showing the 2nd "real" birth certificate just before his re-election campaign. #2. This will also distract Americans from the most important issue facing all of us - Dollar Devaluation. #3. Muslim extremists may see this as the perfect excuse to attack Americans at home or abroad. A major terrorist attack will be the tool that our government will use to usher in a true police state.

So, what do we do in light of the lies, distraction, propaganda and power grabs? Here's what I suggest: Prayer. My faith gives me power over fear and the Scriptures tell us that God loves us and will take care of us. We must seek his wisdom, peace and guidance. The government will not save humanity. Only God can save us and we must seek Him, now, more than ever.

Prodigy Firestarter

I really wanna go to a club that plays remixes of 90's alternative and electronica. Please lemme know if this place really exists. Thanks!

Periscope

We are all on the verge of something great. Terrifying and terrific is the future on which we reluctantly embark. The sun is setting, but we know the moon and stars will soon guide our way. Don't fret or be bewildered. Be empowered. Know that you carry amazing power and possibility. The end of one age, the beginning of a better one.

Embarking on this journey we must be sane. In order to be sane, we must be grounded and that takes love. Love will see us through the dark adventurous times in our periscope. This is the time to hug our friends and cherish the good times and the bad. These are the days where the cooler heads prevail.

Don't fear the future, rather love each other. Life is cyclical and what goes down must come up.

You have tremendous authority over negativity. And most importantly, Remember to brush your teeth.

Happy New Ear

everybody feelin funny,
havin fun on this 4-20,
party party all night long,
jammin to some kickass song,
a couple shots, a few more beers,
what is happenin' to my ears?
guitar wailin, rockstar singin,
mornin after, ears a ringin,
it doesn't hurt, but what I'm fearin,
is I don't wanna lose my hearin,
fuck the gold, yeah fuck off Midas,
someone cure this damned tinnitus,
make the ringin go away,
so I can hear the words you say,
whatever happens, this I know,
Neon Nights - they killed the show.