Friday, July 29, 2016

Show #220

Hello Friends of the Garden,

Wow! The whole political scene is crazy! The next hundred days will be intolerable! Between Russia and every other tabloid/news agency every last bit of dirt is going to be dug up and disseminated faster than ever in history! We will all have the specifics on why the other half of our country is misguided and lacking common sense.

Surely there must be some way to take advantage of this uncertain time economically! I wish I had thought of "go-bags"  because I expect their sales to go up as we get closer and closer to election time. Nice! Nothing like having an economy being driven by fear! Mark my words here, I would guess that gun and ammunition sales and the price of gold will go up in the days leading to the election. Fear of the uncertain will drive us to do this and many other things!

There is a silver lining in all this however! What ever horrible outcome occurs the devastation will not be as widespread as expected. Only half of the country will be doomed to certain Hell! The other half of the country can then assume a parental-like attitude that exudes a "Eat your vegetables, I know you don't like them but they're good for you!" mentality! Well, I guess it's not really much of an up-side.

I'm trying to think of an example other than our military/service people that we all as Americans agree is outstanding about our country. No doubt that we have a military unparalleled by any other with a rich history of sacrifice, service and pride. It just seems to me that as the greatest, most powerful, most innovative nation in the world we would have something else to hang our collective hats on. Of course that infers the ridiculous notion that we as Americans are working on ANYTHING together! 

Whichever half of the country is destined for certain Hell take heart! We have had systems in place for years to slow the descent! Bureaucracy will slow, stunt, stifle, stagnate any effort good or bad!

I wish I was smarter, then I could figure out why I want to be in one party because I fear what the other party will do to me! Or why I should do all I can to thwart ANY effort made by anyone other than those with my own political persuasion. Sure seems like a hard way to move forward! Like I said, I wish I was smarter! 

The next hundred days will be a rollercoaster ride of media! Should be interesting!

Here's show 220! I don't really understand it myself. I get a "mood" or "feel" stuck in my head. I felt like that's what happened when I put this together. The first set features the latest from Tom Petty and a timely Ry Cooder tune. There's also more brand new stuff from Colvin and Earle and also Billy Gibbons and the BFG's. You know I love the silliness of Antsy McClain & the Trailerpark Troubadours, The Austin Lounge Lizards and Chuck Wagon & the Wheels (it's good to laugh), I've got some Waybacks going out to my buddy Rick and some Johnny "Guitar" Watson going to my buddy Mike (look for the Tower of Power next week!). Lots of stuff in this show! Enjoy!

Thank you Jerry and Robin for all your support!

Thank you listeners as well! Your encouragement is so greatly appreciated! Please comment on my blog page or call me at the studio! I'd love to hear from you!

Peace and love,

Mike 

Friday, July 22, 2016

Show #219


First, I'd like to say thank you to my wife! Today was our 38th anniversary! Everything good in my life has had her touch on it! Having you in my life has given me the confidence to do what otherwise I would have thought impossible! I love you!



Twenty-two years ago my wife and I bought a tiny little one bedroom house Cambria. Tiny is perfect for me! I'd rather not have to do anything here if I can help it! Unfortunately, owning an older home always comes with it's issues. That's fine, I don't mind so much, I've always had a knack for doing things and being handy. 

I think I've been working on the roof since we've owned the place. The old plumbing is the real issue. Water is really expensive here and even a small leak can be devastating to your bill. I can testify to this via a $400.00 bill for water we had one month. Now we have a very small house here, about 500 sq. ft., one bathroom, no laundry, so, we don't even have enough house to use water conspicuously. 

Like I said before our old plumbing is an issue and the diverter valve that diverts water from the tub to the shower has been acting up. When you turn the valve a lot of water still runs in to the tub, even though it's turned all the way. Taking a shower and watching all that water run straight from the tub spout to the drain feels like ordering two beers at a bar and pouring out one and drinking the other. 

Well, I finally had enough time to attend to the plumbing this week. No matter what it is I do at the coast house it requires a trip to the hardware store!
The running joke I have with my wife, myself and the employees down at the hardware store is how many trips to the hardware store will it take to get the job done. I'm really glad the folks there are friendly! I'm also glad they don't know me well enough to kid me yet. I've seen when some locals have been in for their second time in a day and they can be tough on you in a nice way if you know what I mean.

The worst part (or best part however you look at it) about going to the hardware store is checking out! Their "impulse buy" stuff at the counter might as well be heroin! They have had an assortment of every handy gadget you can imagine over the twenty years I've been going there! I'm telling you it is irresistible! I bought yet another flashlight this time. I'm a sucker!

I'd say my A.T.H P.J. (Average Trips to Hardware store Per Job) rating is in the 2.1 area. I think it's been steadily going down over time (it's like golf, you want a low score). I've had several 3 trip days and that third trip can be humbling let me tell you! This time it was another 3 trip but not all in the same day so, it's not as bad but not good either!

In the end it got fixed and I know it was a lot cheaper than calling a "real" plumber cause all it cost was a flashlight from the impulse section and a few parts! Feels good to have it done! Now back to relaxing! Tomorrow I'll hunt for sea glass again. Here's a piece I found today AP (after plumbing).
Here's show #219! I had fun putting this together. I did it all from my deck at the coast house. There's no doubt if you've ever listened to KPIG out of Santa Cruz and simulcast as KPYG in Cambria you'll notice a similarity in my show. It's the only station I've ever heard Widespread Panic, Jerry Jeff Walker and James Mcmurtry on! So, while listening and doing research. I crafted a show. I love the message from first timer Sam Bush. Joining Sam Bush as first timers on the SGP are Chuck Brodsky and Peter Wolf (J. Geils). Fresh off the Panic show I had to play Blackout Blues (via Scooter enjoy buddy). Got a Jamey Johnson tune for my buddy Kurt (you'll like the follow up too). The Brothers Comatose tune I could only find on You-Tube (Jerry you're gonna love it and thanks John). I have some Jackie Greene to finish the first hour. Jackie will be at Fulton 55 Sunday August 7th. I'll be there! I'll record my show to do it! He's worth it! If you're in the area you should go! In the second hour I have brand new stuff from Joe Bonamassa, The Rides, Bonnie Raitt, and he Sam Chase. As usual there's good stuff sprinkled through it all! I hope you like it!


Thanks Jerry and Robin! Always in debt to you two! I'll just keep on keepin' on!

Thanks to you listeners out there! It's always good to hear from you! Please take a second and drop me note or text or whatever! You'd be shocked how good it is to hear from you. I get excited when I think I'm making someone happy somewhere!

Peace and love to you!

Mike 


Saturday, July 16, 2016

Show #218

Hello Friends of the Garden!

Well this is fun and different! I'm sitting in a Peet's Coffee shop in Berkeley on Shattuck Avenue as I write this! Like a swallow returns to San Juan Capistrano, like muslims going to Mecca, the Gardener must make a trip to see Widespread Panic! I'm certain I have seen WSP at least twenty times which isn't all that hard to do when see them in two and three day chunks each time! And this time was really, really good! I feel satiated!

I love Berkeley! It's got it's problems like anywhere else but it seems so vibrant and alive. Sure, separated by only a few feet and a big piece of glass, homeless people are begging right in front of me. In the exact same moment I get a sense of great creativity at a multitude of levels that connote a feeling of hope and purpose. I feel like this would be a place that artists, writers, and musicians would congregate like during the Bohemian period in Paris.

I guess it sounds glamorous to talk about artists, writers and musicians while a homeless person rummages through the garbage right in front of the window in my safe little franchised coffee shop. It's so hard to reconcile my feelings about the homeless! It's overwhelming when your mind tries to conceive a solution to this pervasive issue that confronts not just our society but the world! How did they get where they got to? What circumstances led them to this? Is there fault that needs to placed on the homeless and does that even matter? Harder still is, how can I make a difference on this issue?

I believe fear has a lot to do with the way we deal with the homeless. When we see what we ascertain as pitiful we forget about our blessings and instead covet them. We fear that the homeless will somehow take them from us as we encounter them. Worse still we judge them against our own success not taking in to account the hurdles they face and discounting our own safety nets of security that we take for granted! We recognize the homeless as lazy, shifty, dirty, helpless, drug addicted and generally a nuisance.

Trouble is that we don't really have a good track record for dealing with nuisances! We tend to deal with them as we do pests, like bugs and rodents, eradication is easier than a real solution. It feels like an insidious subtle way of unconsciously dehumanizing a problem to make ourselves feel better about "our" way of reconciling their plight. I know I get caught feeling this way all the time! Dealing with the issue of homelessness as someone who isn't feels like a real conundrum.

I know it's an overly simplistic notion but, it seems to me that in order to be of any help to your family and friends you need to have your "own house" in order. At a personal level, if you intend to help someone you need to have your own act together first. We should figure out how to take care of our own first, the aged, the in-firmed, the veterans, the poor and the homeless!  I think we would be a better nation if looked at our issues at home more than the world.

And yes, it's important to address terrorism and world issues but if you consider our best solution is to indiscriminately bomb people with remote drones you have to admit it's not a very enlightened solution! Seems to me that people that develop a true sense of community are the foundation of the solution. Our answers to these and other dilemmas we face are all rooted in our ability to come together and truly seek common ground with a dedication to forging the most adequate solution for all parties! 

Still, it's a frustrating thing to witness! I love Berkeley but this town just doesn't have enough quarters because everybody here seems to need one! I don't have an answer, I just know I want one and I'd like to talk with more people that feel like I do. Maybe then we can figure something out together, that'd be good!

On to Show # 218! This is the first time I've ever put together a show in a relatively unfamiliar place, from my hotel room, kinda weird really! There's a lot here though, new stuff from The Rides, more from Black Pistol Fire, brand new stuff from a new Shawn Colvin and Steve Earle cd, The Shelters brand new to the SGP, and Shinyribs, There's a nice reggae set. Everything else is cemented together with your standard SGP melange of the ridiculous to the sublime, fun!

Robin, I think I'm on my way after the show! Jerry, I'll see you soon buddy! Thanks for hanging with me in the studio last week! I can't wait to tell you both about the Panic show, IT WAS AWESOME!

Thanks to all you listeners! I appreciate each and every one of you! Please feel free to contact me in any way you can to give me your take on things or if you'd like to request anything!

Peace and love to you all!

Mike

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Show #217

Hello Friends of the Garden!

First and foremost I want to express my sorrow and sympathy for the victims of the Dallas shootings. I grew up in Dallas and still have several friends there. Texans are typically a proud group of people (sometimes to the point of annoyance) and while they can seem to show a blind eye to the shortcomings of the state, I know that today their pride is collectively wounded! My heart goes out to all who are hurting and facing a new future that doesn't include their loved ones.

Lately, one of my favorite activities when I'm at the coast is to go to the beach and look for sea glass. I decided I would take some time to think after I heard about the events in Dallas. It has become an excellent opportunity to gather my thoughts and center myself as I search for the proverbial needle in the haystack that sea glass is! Sometimes the pieces of sea glass that I find are infinitesimally small and easily overlooked. As I always do, while my eyes search for glass, my mind searches for answers to everything and anything.

The beautiful blue of the ocean in the bright sun, the crisp breeze that came off the water and the rainbow of colors from the rocks and pebbles all served as a trigger to allow my mind to wander. Many of my friends have made little jokes about me having ADHD because of the way my mind leaps from one seemingly disconnected idea to another! Something kept coming to mind as I thought, movies and my Mom!

My Mom loved to watch "get even" movies! She always loved to see the bad guys get their comeuppance. Worse still she was always asking questions during the movie as if she could talk to the actors. She'd say things like, "Why are you doing that you dummy?"
Ooh, and when it was payback time, she liked it a LOT when things were made square! If it didn't end with the "good guys" ending up on top it wasn't a very good movie! Most of my family, my son in particular, were always entertained by the animated way my Mom got into her movies!

I was a TV kid growing up. At the time TV was our equivalent to the internet. T.V. wasn't even in color yet. I watched all kinds of shows like Rawhide, The Lone Ranger, The Cisco Kid, The Rifleman, Lassie, Dragnet, I Spy, The Man from UNCLE, Bonanza, Have Gun Will Travel and many others. One thing that was almost always clear in all of those shows was that there was a clear "good guy" and a definite "bad guy".

While I searched for sea glass, I also searched for answers. I realized that during that simple, naive time of my youth that the distinction between the "good guys" and the "bad guys" had blurred over time! Like water on a sidewalk in Fresno during July it seems like the "good guys" have evaporated in to the atmosphere! Where did the "good guys" go? We basically mistrust everyone now and their intentions, the police, the government, schools, you name it! By proxy, they all have become the "bad guys" because we don't agree.

So, it's simple, we just need the "good guys" to come back! Unfortunately, some of these "bad guys" are so clouded by their disappointment that they think they are doing the work of the "good guys"! So, where the heck did the "good guys" go?

I think I know where the "good guys" are. They are your good friends, the ones you share you deepest hurts and hopes with! They are the ones that take care of their families and their friends. They are the ones that love you enough to see past your shortcomings and still value your friendship. Basically, they the ones at arms reach, someone you have interaction with at some level.

If we can grow those relationships at a local level we can prepare ourselves to make the next step. That next step will be to take our collective faith, love and compassion beyond our immediate sphere of influence to a community level. If every circle of friends bound together to do this in each and every community across America we would have an opportunity to find the new "good guys"! We could trust again! We could have faith in goodness again! WE COULD DO ANYTHING!

Will Rogers said, "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." I know my ideas may sound overly simplistic but, we have to do something! We can't just sit and watch any more! I've always joked with my friend John about using my radio show as "a bully pulpit for pacifism"! It makes me laugh because of the dichotomy of the statement, as if you could "bully" someone into being nice! It's time though to restore trust and faith to our society for ALL!

My heart hurts for how we are killing each other!

On to Show #217! Well, I was definitely inspired to put together a show that conveyed the way I am feeling! The greater part of this show is all about positivity, goodness and valuing each other! In and amongst the message for this show are Greg Trooper, Jerry Douglass (awesome), The Red Dirt Rangers are all first timers to the SGP! The Cracker tune may offend some but try to think of how my mind works and you'll laugh with me at it! I really felt good putting this show together and hope you get the vibe I was focussed on!

Thanks Robin and Jerry! Both of you do a great job of helping me see and understand myself with your patience and tenderness! You two have done a great job of building my confidence to do the things I do! What more could you ask for?

Thank you listeners! I hope you know that I'm happy if you enjoy the music and I don't expect you to agree with me on what I write about. I'm just trying to do my best and assure you that my heart is in the right place! 

Peace and love to you all!

Mike

Saturday, July 2, 2016

Show #216

Hello Friends of the Garden!

For some reason my mind is stuck on technology right now. Along with the myriad of other things/ideologies/beliefs that divide us into neat little groups, technology does the exact same thing. Just think of how many older people you know that have no inclination to learn anything to do with the "modern" conveniences afforded to us by technology. We're not just divided by age with technology. We're unwittingly divided by our own choices and it's gone way beyond Mac vs. PC. Think about it, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, My Space, AOL, Kik, Pintrest, ancestry.com, Ebay, Craigslist more and more choices of how and where you invest your time.

"This will make your life simpler and easier!', it's always been the mantra for technology. If you ask my father-in-law if working his iPad is simpler and easier, I don't think I'd get a resounding affirmation! I'm every bit as certain that the youth of today will face the exact same issues as those of us overwhelmed by the flood of ideas designed to make our lives "simpler and easier". How many of you remember saying something to effect of, "Well, I just let my 10 year old figure it out. They are much quicker than I am at figuring this stuff out!" One day, that youth will be old too and then they will turn to the "new youth" to keep pace!

Faster, simpler, easier, why? On the surface the argument seems to be that the whole, "faster, simpler. easier" thing is about time. Saving time and exerting as little mental energy seem to be the big selling points. But saving time to do what? The average Facebook user spends just under an hour a day on just Facebook. The other day I was having a beer with Jerry and I looked across at three friends sitting at the bar. All three of them had their phones out, studying them intently. In all the time I watched them they never said much to each other.

I wonder what Joshua Brown did with the time he saved? Joshua Brown earned his distinction in history by being the first to die in an auto-pilot/self-driven car. Of course there will be all sorts of "Monday morning quarterbacking" regarding the incident. I guess I'm stuck on what did he do with the time he saved not giving his attention to driving? 

Believe me, I'm no Luddite! Technology isn't any more bad or good than guns or alcohol! It's more how you use them and the balance of that and the "other" important things in life. My balance has been gardening, music, Tiki carving, learning string art, collecting sea glass and creating as many memories with my friends and family as I can! So much of technology is "vapor" and pales in comparison to the "other" important things!

Sorry, I was subconsciously thinking of harmony and balance.

On to Show# 216! I think I may done this before! Yes, I'm sure I have! Count on hearing Timbuk 3 every Memorial Day and Fourth of July! There are three songs about the 4th to finish that set. From that point I cover several themes of 4th of July activities; having the day off, fireworks, drinking, fishing, and moonlight! I cover a request from last week for J.J. Cale from Chad to his beautiful wife Jennifer. It should be perfect barbecue music, enjoy!

Thanks as always Jerry and Robin, we're zipping along on our way to show 300, one show at a time!

Thank you listeners, please feel free to call the studio during the show or leave a note at my blog site. You could even make a request there if you like!

Peace and love!

Mike