Just got back, wow!  10 amazing guitarists from around the globe and Fripp heading the band.  There was an atmosphere of ritual and discipline as the 10 took to the stage.  All dressed in black, all carrying Ovation guitars, Fripp appeared to have a Gibson SG but I could be mistaken.  Fripp had his stack of devices placed between him and the audience.  He sat at his stool and worked the effects peddles and often would reach up mid-riff to tweak a setting or two.

Before the show began he had all of the guitarists read a message from him to the audience in their own tongue, the message was about respecting the performance and not taking pictures or making recordings.  Then they all walked up to the mic and read their individual statements at the same time and it sounded like an over-packed stadium, which I believe was the point.  Well someone must not of understood and tried to take a photo.  Mr. Fripp stopped the performance, went up and talked to the man and had his camera taken away, then he signaled to the others that they should walk off stage and they did.

Having a hard time putting together an essay?  Looking for ways to grow as a writer?  One exercise that I constantly return to is Thought Bubbles.  Take a piece of paper, consider your topic, then begin unloading charged words by writing important ones down in random places on the page, then think about descriptives, atmosphere, etc.  When you have your page filled with various bubbles, begin linking them, some of your words won’t relate to the others but most will.  Once you’ve linked all of them in a pattern that makes sense to you begin writing.

I think you’ll be surprised by the results if you haven’t tried this method before.  This method will bring you closer to your subconscious and give you some power and control associated with it.  There are websites that use this bubble concept to organize the web, perhaps you have stumbled across them.  You’ll see patterns emerging as you cluster certain bubbles together which is indeed a learning experience.

So I went looking for pumpkins today.  There is a nice farm a mile or two away that offers hay rides and pumpkin picking.  The farmer was very nice, he had moved here from out west and was trying his best at agri-tourism.  His farm is rather large, he rents acreage out to other farmers and grows his own veggies, corn, pumpkins etc.

One year the farmer decided he’d like to add a snow tube ride in the winter months to help him pay the mortgage.  He did his research and on the government’s website found that snow tubing was a certified agri-tourism business.  Enter Joe Bruno’s local thug, the existing town supervisor, Herrington.  Herrington also runs a large farm and has done his best to squeeze out other farmers, then sell their land to corporations like Wal*Mart.

An interesting discussion was started yesterday with Breathing Still’s My Personal Take On Why The Netroots Are Becoming Irrelevant.  Management techniques were discussed among other things and I mentioned that Goal-oriented management is a good way to go.  So let me expand on that idea a bit and perhaps we, as a group, can outline our goals. 

I had three simple goals this year.  I have accomplished two and the third should be wrapped up around the first of January.  It does not matter what they were it does matter that I thought about these goals every day this year, not out of fear, panic or anxiety, but with a positive can-do attitude.

California Wildfires

Governor George Bush toured the damage today in California popping up like Alfred E. Newman from one ruined dream to the next, smiling while walking on the remnants of people’s destroyed lives and livelihoods.  In his photo op he said that the Federal Government has every intention of helping out.  Once again leaving himself an out.  The man that will commit to nothing but illegal war and torture.

So what’s a burned out homeowner to do in these troubled times of global warming?  Luckily the White House was quick to respond with a hand written list.  Experts say the handwriting looks a lot like Barbara Bush’s style but will need at least three tv talking heads to confirm their hunch before coming forward.  Jump to see the list. 

Thinking back it is the objects that reflect America that inspired a real sense of patriotism.  My brother’s Camillus knife, given to him when he joined the Cub Scouts, a wooden kazoo hand made in Woodstock, NY, the large painting I saw being made by a cool neighbor which hung on the stairway, all lend themselves to giving meaning to a place and in turn give you a sense of place, no matter how small.

So, instead of griping about WalMart this year, I will instead offer alternatives.  The main theme being, well made American Products, sadly Schrade, the makers of Camillus knives is no longer with us, they are with the Chinese now. But luckily there is a strong custom knife-making business in America.  I’ll show off a few and then present some other items that instill a sense of pride.

Thinking out loud is what you’ll find here, along with some handy links and reference material.  If you’ve thought about starting your own small farm you may find the links handy. 

Cornell has started a Small Farms Program for New York.  There’s an upcoming goat and sheep symposium  next week at Morrison Hall.  Recently they posted a Guide to Farming in NYS which is aimed at newbies like me.

Find your own cooperative extension for information and cheap or even free plants and trees!

Agricultural Building Plans need to add a shed or hay loft?  Here’s how to do it.  No need to pay an architect and this way you’ll be sure to build it right.  Just bring the plans to the building department if required so they can look for discrepancies with local codes.

I had heard the word epiphany before but it wasn’t until I was reading a James Joyce passage that I internalized the meaning of the word.  The words as if spoken from a boy that was my age paralleled my own internal thoughts about want and lust.  Joyce’s writings, steeped in oral tradition, were able to transcend the written word and become spoken word and the spoken words related to my own emotional state.

Once you internalize the meaning of epiphany you can begin to recognize when they happen and sometimes why.  There was a girl on the beach in Maine that threw mud at me for no reason, that was the moment that Joyce wrote about when writing about his own life, real or imagined, so many years ago.  A connection was born between the past and present and those seeking knowledge and those providing wisdom or looking to inspire.

Much to my surprise Blackwater proudly exhibits itself online, and who can blame them what with the constant need for more itchy trigger fingers.  So, I got to thinking, if we can googlebomb corrupt politicians, we can googlebomb fascist businesses like Blackwater.

I need your help on this.  We need to find the most damning but true articles, blog entries, stories regarding Blackwater.  Everyone should take the time to visit the entries and tell the group which ones are the most effective.  I will then create the coding for the links and post them.  Anytime we mention Blackwater we include one of the coded links.

Howdy, I seem to be full of questions tonight so I figured I’s pose them to the group and see if anyone has practical knowledge or experience they’d like to share with the group.

1. How often should you change the oil in a farm tractor? 
1a. How do you test the hydraulics to know whether you need to add more fluid?
1b. How often should commercial sized mower blades be sharpened?

2. When establishing a driveway how far down should you dig before compacting and adding crusher run?

3. Besides pruning how does one revive old apple trees in a small orchard?

4. Any tips on growing grapes?  The vines are established but I don’t want to kill them by doing the wrong thing.

5. If you have added a sun room to your home recently did it involve pouring a pad, small foundation, or set posts?  How long did it take you?