As an artist, musician and teacher of the Arts I am in the same position as many in mourning the passing of Whitney Houston. As a teacher of children at their most vulnerable, where a single phrase can affect them for a lifetime, I see her death and those artists of the past who suffered the same fate, see this as a teachable, albeit tragic moment.
Drugs and alcohol are the cancer which affects not only the creative process of artists but the lives of millions of Americans. No matter which political party has been in power, all parties have tried and failed to change America's appetite for mind affecting drugs, for either escape from the present or for the mistaken notion that the drugs will enhance the creative process. From the "Dare" programs to the "Just Say No" campaigns we as a people have failed in our attempt to impress on a large number of our young people the dangers in the use of mind altering drugs.
We are fighting a losing battle. It is no wonder. We glorify the entertainment icons for the frequency in which they inhabit rehab facilities. We name such facilities after a former First Lady even. We allow accomplished athletes myriad "second chances" when alcohol and other drugs are found to affect their performance. The phrase "Better living through chemistry" has taken on new meaning when on television our young people are bombarded with ways to improve their lives from body odor to enhanced sexual prowess to being a better person to quiting other forms of addiction. Take this pill and you will quit smoking, take this pill and you will be ready for love, take this pill and you will be a happy person again. It is no wonder that we are losing this battle.
We haven't built in the proper attitude to the use of the science of enhancing our lives, making our lives more endurable, more comfortable, better in some way or overcome some personal malady. I'm not sure we can. How can you tell a teenager not to drink alcohol when as adults we come home from work and relax with that martini, glass of wine or beer. Is it enough to ban all alcohol from the home or scream "Do as I say, not as I do."? Is it better to teach the appropriate use of alcohol by providing the proper example or forbid it altogether? I wish I knew the answer. What I do know, what I do believe, is that great artist from Gene Krupa, Jimmy Hendriks, Janis Joplin, others and most recently Whitney Houston ravaged their bodies with drugs and alcohol, wasted their talents and died too soon. The list is long and tragic and it didn't need to be this way.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Sunday, February 5, 2012
The super bowl and other thoughts
Yes, I am going to watch the super bowl even though it is an east coast contest. Why? Because there is nothing else on T.V. due to football being a national religion, it is another reason to party and it signifies the end of the football season and indicates that shortly Baseball Season is about to begin!
I am a Baseball fan. In fact like the movie "Bull Durham" I believe in the religion of Baseball and salivate at the mention of pitchers and catchers report day. I shiver at the thought that when I retire I will be able to attend Spring Training, I quake at the thought of getting to sit in my cathedral on Opening Day, I swoon at hearing the names of team members called out during pregame and I become orgasmic at the first pitch.
Ok, maybe I don't get that excited about baseball, but I will tell you that during Baseball Season aside from the rest of our busy lives we add that as one of our consuming activities. We attempt to make as many High School games and professional games as possible. We go to the the high school games to support our local team and go to the Angel games as that is our local professional team that we have been following since 1961. As a family, we are obsessed with baseball. In fact my son is a walking encyclopedia of baseball. Many have tried to trip him up in the trivia of the sport and failed. So, Baseball Season is upon us and and maybe it will kick the election campaign stuff off the news, if ever so briefly.
A few thoughts about the campaign. It seems we are using the tact that if you say it often enough and loud enough it must be true. I wish both parties would quit bickering and get some work done. I was a staunch supporter of the "Occupy" movement but radicals and thugs within their ranks have weakened their position and those people seem to think that copying the protests in the Arab nations will provide the desired result. They should look to Tom Hayden. He was a radical protester but soon discovered that change could only come by working inside the system not bucking up against it. And it worked. He did more to change the way we do things by being on the inside than he did by marching in San Francisco.
And lastly today, just to let you know customer service is still alive and well. I recently had some medical problems explored(My Dad used to be fond of saying"Getting old ain't for sissies."). I had to get some specialized food and went to my local Trader Joe's to find the food for my diet. Not knowing where some of this new food was in the store and wondering around aimlessly 2 employees offered to help and did a great job enthusiastically assisting my wife and I with smiles and the kind of attitude that they truly were interested in helping us. Kudos to Trader Joe's!
Until next time--Go (the underdog) Giants!!
I am a Baseball fan. In fact like the movie "Bull Durham" I believe in the religion of Baseball and salivate at the mention of pitchers and catchers report day. I shiver at the thought that when I retire I will be able to attend Spring Training, I quake at the thought of getting to sit in my cathedral on Opening Day, I swoon at hearing the names of team members called out during pregame and I become orgasmic at the first pitch.
Ok, maybe I don't get that excited about baseball, but I will tell you that during Baseball Season aside from the rest of our busy lives we add that as one of our consuming activities. We attempt to make as many High School games and professional games as possible. We go to the the high school games to support our local team and go to the Angel games as that is our local professional team that we have been following since 1961. As a family, we are obsessed with baseball. In fact my son is a walking encyclopedia of baseball. Many have tried to trip him up in the trivia of the sport and failed. So, Baseball Season is upon us and and maybe it will kick the election campaign stuff off the news, if ever so briefly.
A few thoughts about the campaign. It seems we are using the tact that if you say it often enough and loud enough it must be true. I wish both parties would quit bickering and get some work done. I was a staunch supporter of the "Occupy" movement but radicals and thugs within their ranks have weakened their position and those people seem to think that copying the protests in the Arab nations will provide the desired result. They should look to Tom Hayden. He was a radical protester but soon discovered that change could only come by working inside the system not bucking up against it. And it worked. He did more to change the way we do things by being on the inside than he did by marching in San Francisco.
And lastly today, just to let you know customer service is still alive and well. I recently had some medical problems explored(My Dad used to be fond of saying"Getting old ain't for sissies."). I had to get some specialized food and went to my local Trader Joe's to find the food for my diet. Not knowing where some of this new food was in the store and wondering around aimlessly 2 employees offered to help and did a great job enthusiastically assisting my wife and I with smiles and the kind of attitude that they truly were interested in helping us. Kudos to Trader Joe's!
Until next time--Go (the underdog) Giants!!
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