But, this is getting ridiculous! Well, it is a curse. And the shit has hit the fan. My mind is having difficulty assimilating recent events. It’s Canada First in my book but a Trump presidency is impossible to ignore. People are just getting over the shock of his victory and still arguing about how it happened. I keep thinking, the emperor has no clothes! Surely it’s obvious yet he gets away with corruption, despicable acts and unfathomable hubris, though I suppose we should be used to it by now. I realize I am not alone. Many people are having a difficult time, personal or political or both.

Perhaps 08 was the year all this crap started. My family lost our home and most of our savings. We’ve been forced to downsize three times since and are preparing to move yet again in an attempt to further cut living expenses. But, we persist. Somehow. Despite feeling discouraged or demoralized. Sometimes I think we all deserve a medal, for remaining civil, for refraining from conflict, for getting out of bed in the morning.

So, I think I will host an 80s themed party for my upcoming birthday March 8. Love ’em or hate ’em, the 80s were some of the happiest years of my life. I wrote verse and songs while fronting my band, articles and reviews for the LA Weekly while surrounded by the most loving, supportive, kooky and brilliant friends. Fortunately that hasn’t changed. (That’s me in the photo above with Suzy Gardner of L7 in her Silverlake bungalow, straight out of Day of the Locust.) I will take Polaroids with my beat up Sun 600 camera and remaining film while blasting 80s Underground on Soma FM in a valiant attempt to escape the present. Reality. Don’t the 80s seem innocent by contrast?

Rock on my pretties! Really, what choice is there?