o.k. another one bites the dust. Another year is behind us. so to speak. I guess that depends on which calendar you use. Nuclear bombs in north Korea, the apparent threat of terrorism everywhere, cloned babies popping up like mushrooms in a cow pasture, slumping economy and the possibility that our government is headed down the same dark path once walked by Rome, Egypt and many other now crumbled empires whose eyes got too wide and whose heart got too small [bush to Cheney: “now hold on there, you telling me Dick that we have to concern ourselves with the American people? My daddy never told me that. lets just bomb those fuckers.”] And God only knows what really happened to Albert Gore. Things took a turn for the worse when prince Albert conceded. Is it Armageddon? Someone told me they saw it in a dream last week. Would officially start on March 3^rd, 2003. germ warfare, more terrorist attacks and nuclear bombs going off. Maybe, maybe not. We’ll see. Things definitely feel funny right now. But none of that matters because we still have Eddie izzard, Cary grant movies, Sigur Ross, Air, the Strokes, Phoenix [from France, not Arizona], Roberto Begnini, Rufus wainright, and oh yes love. We need to focus more on art, more on music, more on love, and more on family. But there is a strong need more than ever for social and political activism in America at this time. so where's the balance? That's the million dollar question? 

Is it an individual or communal balance that is needed? In other words, if some in our community dedicate one hundred percent of their time to activism, initiating change for the common good of all of us, is it then o.k. for others to not dedicate any time to this activism? Less than 50% of the American people vote in national elections, let alone local or state. So what? Does it matter? Do we all need to get out there and do things to protect our environment? To feed and shelter the homeless? To improve education? To right social injustices? Or is it o.k. if some of us just kick back and do other things? [well if bush does indeed invade Iraq and this does eventually lead to more terrorist attacks on American soil down the road, then we will know the answer to this question. Then again, if because of influence from the American people he decides not to invade Iraq and this in turn leads to more terrorist attacks or even worse on American soil, then I don't know what the fuck all that will mean.] the question is how important is it for all the members of a community like America say, to be socially and politically active to steer the society into cleaner more healthier waters?

We are climbing up to 9000 feet elevation listening to the United album by Phoenix. If I die today I will be happy because I think it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard. Snow is all around us. Tall pine trees everywhere. The 12,000 foot San Francisco Peaks are up ahead. It is absolutely beautiful, like a Coors beer commercial. Lol.

New Years Eve was wonderful fulfilling evening. Phoenix symphony orchestra. Balloon drop and Champaign toast. Party with friends afterwards. Drove up to flagstaff and played in the snow, walked in the woods and there amongst the tall pines and whispering birches and aspens ankle deep in the snow in the dead silence we whispered our new years resolutions and desired results for 2003. You could hear a pin drop in the snow.