You've likely already read the latest news on the Bong Hits 4 Jesus free speech case.  If not, here's a way to get up to "speed":

http://www.mtv.com/news/art...

But though the court ruled against the student who displayed the sign with the "infamous" line, the song has not yet been banned.  And you can download it for free before it becomes a big "hit" right here, right now:

http://www.drblt.net/music/...

And, in the spirit of blog n roll, my newly established form of dual-media expression, you'll have your opportunity to respond to the court ruling in the comments section.

Do I think this is cause for conservatives to celebrate?  Uhh, no!  This is a blow to all of us.  But that's just my opinion.  Let me hear yours. 

"One More Sad Song"

One boy, one girl, two hearts, their world
Time goes by, secrets rise
One more, sad song, tears shed, she's gone
She'd take it back, if she only could

As time goes by, and a relationship grows, one might expect that each member of a given couple becomes increasingly transparent and disclosing.  Unfortunately, this is only for the case involving relationships built on mutual trust and the sense that one can be free to disclose and still not be rejected by the receiving party.  As the song suggests, secrets rise.  As secrets rise, the safety and security of the relationship becomes threatened. 

And all the perfect words they seem so wrong,
She's gone
You wish that you could learn to see,
The door is closed and you wish you could be

If there were only perfect people in this world, we would not become distrustful of perfect words.  But, with the knowledge that we are all imperfect, a display of perfect words indicates only one thing: An act. 

Why do people entering relationships go in blindly?  Why do they only wish to learn to see?  Seeing things the way they really are, often times means never getting into the relationship in the first place.  When we want to get into a relationship, and we want to for all the wrong reasons, sometimes we opt for blindness. 

Alone with you, alone with me
What can I do, I cannot breathe
My heart is torn, for all to see
Alone with you, alone with me.

This is the verse that brings out the subject's sense of being alone, whether with, or without the person.  It is the existential sense of being all alone in the world.  This sense can be so overwhelmingly threatening that a person is willing to enter relationships characterized by pseudo-mutuality. 

Best friend, worst thing, she's been, cheating
Friend deceives, she leaves
Last date. She cries, whispers, goodbye
She walks once more, out that door

When you cheat on somebody, and that person finds out about it, abandonment is accompanied by a profound sense of betrayal, and an overwhelming sense of anger turned inward, shame and inwardly-directed anger over trusting in somebody that proved not worthy of such trust. 

And all the perfect words they seem so wrong,
She's gone
You wish that you could learn to see,
The door is closed and you wish you could be

Alone with you, alone with me
What can I do, I cannot breathe
My heart is torn, for all to see
Alone with you, alone with me.

Please stay, don't go away
The hardest thing is letting go of you
Please stay, don't go away
The hardest thing is letting go of you
what can I do?

No matter how bad a person may treat you, or how profoundly a person you've trusted has betrayed you, if you've allowed your heart to become involved, letting go of the person can be profoundly difficult.  If it's somebody else that's been betrayed, it's easy to say, "He are she was no good, just let them go."  Easier said than done for the person whose been cheated on and betrayed. 

Alone with you, alone with me, what can I do?
I cannot see, alone with, alone with,
alone with you, alone with me, what can I do?
I cannot breathe, my heart is torn for all to see,
alone with you, alone with me

Alone, indeed.

How would I rate these lyrics in terms of cathartic or therapeutic value?

I'd give them a 3.8 out of 5. 

What are some of your own personal reflections on these lyrics? 

Try it, you'll like it.  What is it?  It's my very own recipe for Seafood Vegetable Crockpot Soup:

ingredients:

1 fresh catfish

a bag shrimp

one can tomato sause

one freshly chopped tomato

one bundle of freshly cut green onion

1/2-1 cup fresh button mushrooms

garlic salt

salt

pepper

Instructions:

Adjust amounts depending on how many mouths you're feeding.  Throw everything into a crockpot and cook for 4-8 hours. This dish is replete with multiple essential vitamins, protein and that unmistakable Dr BLT flavor.   

Finally, if you want to learn more about my entire dietary and fitness plan, hit this link:

 

http://people.bakersfield.c...

Today, my local, unauthorized Starbucks Talkin' it to the Street of Bakersfield Spring and Summer '07 Street Musician Tour moved to Coffee and Hagemen.  People were feeling good, as they are almost every Friday morning, and the music served as a catalyst for enhancing their already elevated moods. 

The event featured a string of Beatles covers, including Hard Days Night, Yellow Submarine, and Help!.  It was another good day for mothers with children, who took the time to stop with their little ones so that they could be adequately entertained.  And I recognized that same glee in their eyes that I had as a young child, when I was first exposed to the music of the Beatles.

I've added a rhythm section, but it's still just me in the One Man "Banned."  My foot plays the tambourine, my hand strums and picks the guitar, and my voice handles the lead vocals.  I haven't figured out yet how to do both lead and backup vocals outside of a recording studio. 

This is a mystery tour, so tomorrow's show, which begins at 7 am, will involve a location you'll have to figure out for yourself.  Here's the clue:  Think of  snow and Strawberry Fields Forever, and head south one block. 

And remember, I usually perform nearly Eight Days a Week, so if you miss a show, just show up for the next one.

Both acts are great acts, each in their/her own right.  Today modern folk and acoustic rock has stepped into the ring of fire.

This blog n roll game is easy to play.  Simply state your preference.  If you were stranded on a tropical island, and allowed to listen to only one Bakersfield artist, which artist would you prefer to have in your iPOD or CD player?   

Once you've made your selection, tell me why.  Let's blog n roll!   

Acoustic Diary:

http://www.bakotopia.com/ho...

and hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhere's Holly...

Holly Gomez:

http://www.bakotopia.com/ho...

Becoming Apparent (Parenting Series): Article 2

Murray Bowen is a family systems theorist.  His theory of human behavior involves a unique perspective in which the family is regarded as emotional unit.

Murray describes the complex, often dysfunctional interactions in terms of the the family unit, as a whole.   Changes, whether positive or negative, in one family member, affects all other family members, and the family unit, as a whole.   

Marital dyads, when they break down, also significantly disrupt the lives of children in the family unit.   Marital discord can raise the anxiety of children.  It can cause children to become depressed.  It can lead them to fail at school, and to begin exhibiting behavioral problems. 

Marital discord, and its sequlae can make it more tempting for pre-teens and teens to begin escaping through drugs, alcohol, and sex. 

That brings us to the "D" word.  It is commonly understood, and research supports the truism that in many, if not most cases, divorce produces a host of psychological problems and an intense sense of insecurity in children.  

That brings me to my question of the day.  Should parents stay together for the sake of the children?  How bad do things need to be in the home for a divorce to become the better of two evils?  Psychologists don't have all the answers, and that's where your feedback comes in. 

Feel free to listen to this admittedly low budget recording of my latest song.  Then feel free to chime in on this issue of the day.   

I've also included a link to Pink's Family Portrait.  She, and her record producer, quoted me, and linked to my article reviewing her song, so I just thought I'd return the favor.  Her song rocks.

Pink's Family Portrait
http://www.youthcrisisnetwo...

When: This morning, June 21, 2007: 7:30-8:30 am
Where: Starbucks (Rosedale Highway just of Calloway)
What: Beatles cover tunes and original songs about the life and music of the Beatles
Cost: It's free for a "Ticket to Ride"

Congratulations, World Wide Spies!  You've been randomly selected among a vast number of mostly local bands and artists to participate in my brand new U Interview series.  I'm the U Interview host, Dr BLT. 

In the comments section belong, members of the Bakotopia blog community will pose a number of questions to you.  In the comments section below, you will have the opportunity to answer those questions. 

Attntion World Wide Spies.  Are you in the house?  If so, please reply.  You are wanted right "hear" right now!   Are you ready?  Let's blog n roll!

PS: Readers, you'll find their profile here:

http://www.bakotopia.com/ho...

I only implement this plan a few weeks ago, and I'm seeing steady improvement.  The dietary aspect of my plan simply includes the application of common sense.  It means significant reductions in carb intake (mostly whole grains and fruit when carbs are ingested); dramatic reduction in sugar; lots of vegetables (mostly raw); plenty of healthy snacking (in the form of fruit and sugar-free trail mixes); plenty of protein, (especially in the form of chicken breasts and fish); and an overall reduction in portion size. 

I really mix it up when it comes to excercise.  I'll ride my bike to work 2-3 times per week; I'll swim laps 2-3 times per week; and I'll engage in weight training  (high reps,  relatively low weight); and finally, I will do various forms of sit-ups and other ab excercises with my weight training workout.  Apart from riding my bike (which can take from 45 minutes to an hour each way, all other excercise routines are only done for about 15-20 minutes.

Well, that's the plan.  I call it a "shrink-2-fit" workout because, first of all, I am a shrink, and, second, I plan to shrink 2 fit into clothing I haven't been able to wear for awhile. 

I'm not necessarily recommending this plan to others because I believe excercise and eating programs should be tailored to the individual, but, so far, this is working for me.

What about the rest of you?  Are any of you presently involved in excercise and/or dietary plans?  If so, what's your plan, and how is it working for you? 

BTW, that's not me in the photo.  Not even close.  But it doesn't hurt to dream, and then, as Howard Jones once said in a song, put a "dream into action." 

Experts suggest that the phenomenon of adolescence was born out of the industrial revolution.  Rural kids of yore knew who dad was and knew what his job was.  They knew who mom was and knew her place and her role within the family. 

The industrial revolution ushered in new developmental tasks for teens, mainly centering upon issues of identity, self-concept formation and self-esteem.  Added to the internal conflict produced by the struggle for identity are issues such as peer pressure; parental neglect; parental abuse; escalating conflicts between parents; the all-to-often painful separation and divorce of parents; divorced parents who use teens as pawns; pressures to achieve etc.  And for the socially conscious, politically aware teen, there are politics, the state of the city; the state of the state; the state of the county, the state of the world, and so on. 

There is so much for teens to be angry about.  Most teens have traditionally had a predilection towards anger and rage, but are today's teens more angry, as a whole, than generations that came before them?  What sort of role models are teens presented with on the home front and on the media that reinforce dysfunctional ways of handling their anger issues?  These are the sorts of questions I'm inviting all of you to comment on as we explore what I refer to as New Rage culture or the culture of teenRagers.

Beginning June 5, 2007, every Tuesday morning will be proclaimed Ruby Tuesday.  Every Tuesday morning I will be performing original Dr BLTunes about the life and music of the Rolling Stones, as well as Stones cover tunes such as the one posted here.

These songs are from the forthcoming CD: No Sympathy: A Bittersweet Tribute to the Rolling Stones by Dr BLT and the Rolling Scones.

Stay tuned for more tour dates, times and places.   This Takin' in to the Streets of Bakersfield Street Musicians Starbucks tour. aka the Dr BLTour,  is a mystery tour, so watch and listen for cues that will lead you to the specific locations of the morning performances!

The show must go on.  And it did, ban be damned.  The performance that was to have been banned at the Marketplace, went on as planned, on Sunday, June 3, 2007 on the patio at Starbucks, without a hitch.  Property managers saved themselves from would could have amounted to their 19th Nervous Breakdown. 

We played the song inspired by the initial ban, One Man Banned at the Marketplace, an unplugged edition of my new modern hard rock track, Live, a number of other original Dr BLTunes and several Stones covers like the one posted here. 

I say we because when local blues rock artist, Jerry Rothberg heard about the performance protesting a policy that inherently discriminates against street performers, he decided to join the gig.  He deftly executed every guitar run and sang backup, adding a rich dimension to the sound. 

Stay tuned for more tour dates, times and places.   This Takin' in to the Streets of Bakersfield Street Musicians Starbucks tour is a mystery tour, so watch and listen for cues that will lead you to the specific locations of the morning performances!

We all have a bright, sunny side, and a dark side.  Freud called the dark side "Thanatos" and Jung, his rebellious pupil, called it The Shadow.  The Shadow is an archetype that exists within the individual psyche as it does within the collective unconscious.  This Shadow represents all that is within each personality that is deemed unacceptable by adults while we are growing up as children.  So we dissociate from it and it becomes a detached, and, as such, a dangerous entity.

Why do religion and politics awaken such dark forces within us?  Why do these subjects awaken the hate and bring out the savage beast within?  Carl Jung said it's because when we debate such issues, these issues tap into our unresolved, individual and collective wounds.   These wounds produce complexes, which, for Jung, were simply once-neutral-now-emotionally-charged archetypal images and/or archetypes. 

When somebody threatens our views on religion and/or politics, they may be stepping on land mines.  They may be heedlessly treading on emotional territory where angels fear to tread.  The hate that often ensues is self-hatred, projected onto anybody who stand close enough to the fire to get burned. 

Clearly there is no room for hate in debate.  So how do we calm the beast within?  How do we prevent blog fires from getting started so that they don't burn out of control.  Well, it involves revisting those aspects of our personalities that were deemed unacceptable by prominent adult figures who raised us as children.  When you own and embrace those shadowy aspects of your personality rather than isolating, alienating and demonizing them, then they become tame, you render them benign, and you prepare them to be integrated them into the Gestalt of your personhood.

And how do we handle the hate others project onto us as we openly share views on potentially volitile subjects?  Well, for me, it involves taking lemons and making lemonade.  My "lemonade" is my music.  It may not sound sweet, and I may hit a few sour notes on the way, but it is lemonade to me, because it allows me a creative form of catharsis and it allows me to take the hate and create, rather than allowing it to breed more hate. 

I wrote this song between sets at one of my recent Sacramento gigs, as I reflected on the often rough road I have travelled right here at this blog community.  I hope you find meaning in it, but if you don't, then I hope you find your own way to tame the beast within.  I hope you find a way to take the hate, and create. 

Do you agree with Carl Jung or is this just a bunch of psychobabbling hogwash?  You tell me!

It's official!  Dr BLT will resume his tour Sunday, June 3, 2007 at a site where he's been officially banned.  Since Dr BLT's Takin' it to the Streets of Bakersfield Spring and Summer Starbucks Street Musician Tour is  a mystery tour, location details are embedded in the music or in other features of the blog post.

The show begins at about 7 am.  Attend at your own risk in the event that Dr BLT is blocked from performing, or authorities intervene to have him escorted out of the area.