Mike Washburn

About 10-12 years ago some friends were over at my house and we were all joking around and having fun. They then started critiquing my CD collection. They both have/had vastly different music taste than I, so needless to say their comments were not all that flattering. Well, in one of my rare moments of lost temper, I proceeded to go through and destroy a good portion of my CD collection - all the while quoting and expanding on their commentary (quite sarcasticlly I might add). It was an impulsive, and stupid thing to do (naturally   ) but at the time I was more easily…. shall we say, rattled than I am today.

Why bring this up? It’s just been on my mind recently. There were quite a few “hair band” CD’s in the destroyed selection, and lately I find myself thinking back on some of those songs and wanting to listen to them again. Of course now I have more options than then. If I’d decided to replace any of them at the time, I’d have to go and buy the CD. Now I can just go to Itunes or some similar service and just download the particular songs I want, and ignore the ones that I didn’t like or have bad memories of.

Speaking of old CD’s and bands and such, I did pick up Bat Out of Hell III last week. Meatloaf always has been and always will be one of my favorite singers. The power and emotion he can get into his voice just surpasses description. His collaborations with writer Jim Steinman have produced several memorable and moving pieces. BOH and BOH II will always have a good and strong place in my memory and in my collection. I’ve just started listening to BOH III, and I’m hoping I can add it in with the others.

This is bad timing I guess for getting back into blogging. I had a few ideas on stuff to write about but it just didn’t seem important when my appendix ruptured and I ended up going in for emergency surgery on the 12th. A week in the hospital and now a few days at home recouping and I’m up to about 72% efficiency and getting better every day. Getting back to work today is good, it’s amazing how much being around friends and co-workers makes me feel better than if I was just at home laying on the couch.

 Anyway, not much else to say now, I’ll be getting back into the swing of posting and having relevant posts soon.

I just read an article in the JC News Tribune stating that they expected a “heavy turnout” at the polls today. The article went on to state that they expected “Between 45 and 50 percent of eligible Cole County voters”.

When ever I read or hear something like that it just pisses me off to no end. I’m sorry, but 45-50% of eligible voters should be considered an poor turnout if not down right abysmal! I believe that it’s the DUTY of every eligible voter to participate, else we don’t have a democracy, we have a oligarchy - which I guess some could make an argument that we already do have an oligarchy.

But I guess, to be fair, I don’t blame some people, if they don’t vote because they don’t understand what they’re voting on. The politicians, lawyers, and others who specialize in ossification, make these laws and amendments so complex and confusing that by the time they reach the “blurb” on the ballot can not actually tell people what the law means. That and the continuing attempt to use the constitution to restrict people… arrrgggg, sorry, getting me irritated.

Anyway, let me just end it with a quote:

“The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.” - Patrick Henry

Yes, it’s been a long time (a little over a year) since I last posted. There have been a lot of things going on in my personal life, and to be honest, there wasn’t that much I wanted to say.

But now I’m back. I may not be as prolific or as interesting as some of my blogging friends, but I’ll try to make semi-regular post.

Since I just watched V for Vendetta last night, and since it was the 5^th of November I think I’ll just post this poem.

Remember, remember, the 5th of November
The Gunpowder Treason and plot ;
I know of no reason why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes,
‘Twas his intent.
To blow up the King and the Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below.
Poor old England to overthrow.
By God’s providence he was catch’d,
With a dark lantern and burning match

Holloa boys, Holloa boys, let the bells ring
Holloa boys, Holloa boys, God save the King!

Hip hip Hoorah !
Hip hip Hoorah !

A penny loaf to feed ol’Pope,
A farthing cheese to choke him.
A pint of beer to rinse it down,
A faggot of sticks to burn him.
Burn him in a tub of tar,’
Burn him like a blazing star.
Burn his body from his head,
Then we’ll say: ol’Pope is dead.