. . . Conversation flowing from food preservatives to the cuts of meat possessed by pigs to the efficient usage of animal parts (buffalo and camel) to the origin, domestication and populations of both the bactrian and dromedary the the number of humps on the camel ridden by Huey, Dewey, and Louie in Treasure of the Lost Lamp . . .
. . . the the library of sources residing in our own pocket and tabletop . . .
Like a rousing, intellectually stimulating conversation, thoughts (like mine right now) shift from one topic to another, not always related, and many times without any logical connecting thread.
Suffice to say, I have suffered some back pain and have recently learned of back pain being suffered by friends and relations, some relieved and some not.
But 'Pain' is also a word in the title 'Pain and Gain' which is a movie released in 2013 based upon a series of articles and, now I have learned is also a book written by one victim (not related to the making other motion picture) of the horrible crimes portrayed in the movie which by the ways features one of my favorite actors Tony Shaloub. This film, like others I have viewed, is somewhat disturbing, especially when you consider it is based (loosely, some say) upon fact and makes me well appreciate that I live a relatively mundane life when compared and well intend to keep it that way.
Following this? The gain part (see, I told you many times without any logical connecting thread) is what I get from making music. As discussed recently with Oho band-mates, the gain realized from making original music is not necessarily monetary but is very personal and very . . . spiritual (for present lack of a better description).
Which leads me to tell you what's going on-
Monday, June 23, 2014
at 7:15PM Ray Jozwiak-Gonzo Piano Opens This Week's Brewer's Alley Songwriters' Showcase, Monday @ Brewer's Alley Restaurant
124 North Market Street, Frederick, MD 21701 (United States) -
(301) 631-0089
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Jay Graboski of OHO Live at Johnny's Pizza & Pub in Ocean City, MD @ Johnny's Pizza & Pub
5601 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 21842 (United States) -
410-524-7499 Set: 10:00 PM
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Warrens Park Annual Block Party @ Warrens Park
5101 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 21842 (United States) -
Set: 4:00 PM
Friday, August 15, 2014
OHO Live at Johnny's Pizza & Pub in Ocean City, MD @ Johnny's Pizza & Pub
5601 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 21842 (United States) -
410-524-7499 Set: 10:00 PM
Saturday, September 13, 2014
OHO Live at Johnny's Pizza & Pub in Ocean City, MD @ Johnny's Pizza & Pub
5601 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 21842 (United States) -
410-524-7499 Set: 10:00 PM
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Sippin' Sunday at Elk Run Vineyard with OHO @ Elk Run Vineyard
15113 Liberty Road, Mt. Airy, MD 21771 (United States) -
410-775-2513 Set: 3:00 PM
OHO's
"Ocean City Ditty," the
CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if
you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD)
My latest solo release, '2014', can be downloaded digitally at:
(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)
We hope your Thanksgiving was great -- and that your conversation with your Tea Party uncle went ok. :)
Today is Black Friday, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. So we wanted to make sure you saw our progressive holiday gifts.
Click here to check out our limited-edition Elizabeth Warren hoodies, stickers, and more!
Thanks! -- The Bold Progressive PCCC Team
Earlier email:
Due to popular demand, progressive holiday gifts are here!
Give the gift of Elizabeth Warren this season (although we feel like it's Christmas every day she's in office). We've also brainstormed some other gifts -- progressive media, books, and more.
1) Give the gift of Elizabeth Warren. Our limited edition T-shirts, hoodies, bumper stickers, magnets, and onesies are American made and union printed. Shop here. . .
As far back as I can remember, I have always possessed a great appreciation for humor. I don't just mean the telling of jokes good or bad, or listening to jokes per se. Even though all kids, myself included, go through the 'knock knock" stage. (I remember when our youngest did. He would concoct the most nonsensical knock knock jokes which evoked the most hilarious laughter from himself, non-stop at the dinner table.) And I certainly enjoy certain stand-up comedians as well as humorists in literature.
Maybe I should more specifically say that the appreciation to which I am referring was (and is) for individuals possessing a natural, innate quality in their ability to inject a humorous element in ordinary conversation to the degree that they become, for lack of a better word, humorous.
I have personally encountered several of such personalities throughout the years. In the past I even enjoyed them so much that I wanted to be like them. But this mysterious, humorous quality is not something that can be taught or learned. It appears to be a genetic trait and a natural characteristic that one either has or does not, such as blue eyes or the ability to curl your tongue.
A friend recently commented to me that he wished the President had not made those recent comments about race relations to which I, naturally, responded, "Why?" He said that among all of the problems we as a people, society and world currently face, the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman situation should not be monopolizing our attention. In short, like a popular song on a top 40 radio station, he was just sick and tired of hearing about it.
Like many other conversations with many people, I was quickly distracted from this one and on to other things. But later that day, after contemplating our short interchange further, I realized what I could have, should have, and hope to tell my friend upon our next encounter. And, in brief, that is: the President's remarks were spot-on. They were NOT political, they were not platitudinous or pompous blather, trite heard-it-alreadies or scolding. They were simply a from-the-heart reflection and plea for US to reflect on how we treat each other. Reflect- probably something very few of us do during our busy, self-absorbed days. He also described how it feels (and felt to him) being a young black man and some of the racist behaviors with which young black men must cope everyday. He mentioned the history of mistreatment to which black people have been subjected and alluded to the anger that results. So many things which white people know, but have somehow tucked away and choose not to think about too much. . . BUT SHOULD!
These are things that middle-aged white men such as my friend and myself do not now, nor have in the past, encountered. If we have a country, and a world, where people must live together, we must, at the very least, be empathetic to these things. This is every bit as important as the economy, the environment, budgets and spending, foreign policy, drones and (do-nothing)politicos. This is our world. It's the only one we've got. We can, and should, certainly make time to help resolve such such relevant and important issues as THE WAY WE GET ALONG!
. . . again. On the crest of another Monday morning.
A dear friend fighting for life. . . want to help
A respite from a dull, cursory week was welcome, and now over
Hot, steamy conditions with which to cope, and with which I have little problem. (No shovels required)
Good conversation with my west-coast son
Exhilarating workouts at the keyboard
Stressful coping with the 'critical' element
Progress made in the creative direction
Another future opportunity to make some joyful noise for friends and their family
Wonderful meals and time with my loved one (and ones)
But here comes that Monday again. . .
What
do YOU think?
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AMBIENCE & WINE
She: So now we can get the day started. You go girl!
He: Did that look like a girl getting dressed with you for work this morning?
She: No, it did not. But if we can use term 'guy' in a generic sense to encompass all genders, I believe that it is not a stretch to likewise utilize the word 'girl' to capture the spirit of oneness of all humanity. See where I'm going here?
He: That's the longest text I've ever seen.
She: Respond to the merits and not the size although, size does matter.
He: I see your point but 'guys' is infused with culturally acceptable unisexuality while 'girls' is used unisexually by only drill sergeants and drag queens.
She: And Oprah. Good retort.
He: She doesn't use it unisexually 'cause no men are watching.
She: Don't you mean she does use it unisexually?
He: No. She's only talking to real girls.
She: This is getting a little too deep for me now. I was only being cute and you're being too technical. My girly brain can't take all this.
He: I probably should have said omni, not uni- sexually.
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Download
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ANOTHER SHOT
by Ray
Jozwiak
. . . While attending coed Catholic grade school, grades 1 through 8, one of my male classmates in particular, was always a favorite with the girls. No, I don't mean ONLY the 'popular' girls. Yes, those girls loved him also, but everyone loved this guy. Why, you may wonder? Well, he was tall (for his age, at least), handsome, athletically built (and inclined), charming, articulate and quite gregarious. My male classmates and I were truly impressed with his ability to engage so many of the coeds in apparently meaningful and entertaining conversation for extended periods of time. I, on the other hand at this age, found it very difficult to talk with GIRLS at a meaningful level for the most part, and for that reason found his skills to be particularly remarkable and admirable. At the same time, he had a comparable amount of male friends also as he was quite simply, very personable.
On one occasion, he volunteered (I did not even ask) his formula for being popular with the 'cool' girls. He told me that he, in effect, rehearsed with the uncool girls quite intentionally. The overweight, the homely, the shy and the unattractive were sought out by him quite intentionally yet unbeknownst to them, to be the recipients of this bon vivant's joie de vivre. And by adhering to the timeless principle that 'practice makes perfect', he developed the confidence to transfer his socializing techniques to the more attractive members of the student body. This, I and my less demonstrative friends thought at the time, was a marvelous thing, yet never actually made any serious attempt to implement his modus operandi ourselves. Incidentally, he did later marry a very jealous (justifiably?) woman and I've lost track of him.
Not sure why this whole thing occurred to me recently but it did and it also reminded me of bigotry, the connection being basic respect that each and every human being deserves from another. While I thought my friend's socializing pointers were pretty practical at the time, I now realize how self-serving and insensitive they were to the unsuspecting that he 'used' for his own gain. Personally, it seems like all I have to do is look another human being in the eye and I find it very difficult NOT to treat him/her with basic, human respect. There is something inexplicable in the eyes that conveys humanity. True bigotry is the inability to accord basic human respect to another. And EVERYONE deserves that respect no matter what they look like, whether they have as much material wealth as you or belong to the same social, religious or recreational 'clubs' as you, no matter what they weigh, how tall or short, color of their skin, sexual orientation, hair color, profession or lack thereof, taste in food, drink or music. Seems like a very simple thing. I don't believe that I am particularly commendable for doing it and I don't know why I do, but I just can't help it. It's in the eyes. That doesn't mean that I give money to every street/bag-person who asks me or that I have to strike up a meaningful conversation with anyone (or everyone). It simply means that I look them in the eye, and they generally look me in the eye as well with few exceptions, and I do feel something when confronting their gaze and I believe I owe them the courtesy of a civil, humane and hopefully a pleasant response.
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