Perhaps the Trinity is more an invention of the Catholic Church than an evolution from knowledge to higher understanding.

Perhaps Jesus evolved to the level of a Christ as a result of his efforts which began as a man.

Perhaps Christ refers to the highest level of consciousness a man can achieve on this earthly plane.

There was a splintering among followers of Jesus’s teaching over this very issue into those that still believed that there is only 1 God and those that believe there are 3. (the Trinity)

We have had a 1000 years of bloodshed between Muslims and some sects of Christianity as a result.

Maybe God is not religious and finds religion irrelevant. Maybe a mans level of consciousness is the relevant attribute. Maybe consciousness is a result of making continuous efforts during ones waking state rather than a free gift requiring no effort.

Just some stray thoughts on what I see as more real and less real.

Fun! It was fun thinking/chatting with you about that stuff. Thanks.

I was just thinking: the first record I ever bought was James Brown's "Make It Funky."

Anyway, as to today's rap. I mean, if I had a kid, I'd be seriously talking to them about rap: what it is, where it comes from, why it is what it is, what's good about it; what's not.

But, you know: For myself, I'm good with it. It's just about SONGS with me (and everyone else, of course). I don't like or dislike any GENRE of music. I like SONGS in every genre. I think 95% of rap is crap. I think 95% of indie rock is crap. I think 95% — no, wait, make that 99.99% — of "smooth jazz" is crap. I think 95% of movies are crap. 95% of TV shows are crap.

Bottom line is that good art is about as rare as rare gets.

I really, REALLY like Ella Fitzgerald. Verve has a three-disc set of Ella singing Duke Ellington that I think I'd grab in a fire.

You know: Quality is quality. Sometimes it's Joni Mitchell nailing something. Sometimes is Coltrane or Gillespie or Miles. I'm a huge George Clinton fan. I'm huge on the Dixie Chicks. I LOVE Macy Gray. There's a Hindu-chant singer guy named Krishna Das I think a LOT of. I'm crazy massive on Bob Marley.

Anyway. It's all about individual songs, of course.

You've been down with rap since '80. So you must have been listened to Run DMC, Grand Master Flash, Sugar Hill Gang, and possibly a few others, but there wasn't much more than that that a 23 year old white dude from No. Cal could have been listening to.

My question is, how do you tolerate modern rap with it's cheesy rhymes or lack of rhyme altogether as compared to the former rap artists who actually told a tale with a beat that rhymed. And somehow they were able to do it without mention of booty, hoes, Ak-47's, etc.

Cheryl: Thanks! I sure appreciate this very kind thought.

Sam: “Humor as survival technique.” That’s such an interesting notion. I think it’s more like humor as a survival MODE, you know? But of course I know what you’re saying. And of course it’s true.

Get Cat something nice? Why? She got me something nice. We all know it’s better to give than to receive. I think the TRULY loving thing for me to do is to allow her to buy me something else that’s great. Don’t you agree?

Hey, man. I didn't write the rules. I just live with them. (har. your comment cracked me up.)

(You might care to see this piece I wrote a little while back. Or not. But it's here: http://johnshore.wordpress.com/2007/09/24/top-10-… )

4given: How sweet! But, I mean … no. My list will grow longer I suppose–but it won't change. Chronological-wise, them first 10 will of course stay forever.

Is your every day really full of new meaning and purpose? Cool! I pretty much have the same purpose every day: Don't get arrested, and try not to die. If, at the end of the day, I'm not incarcerated or dead, I figure I'm ahead of the game.

But I jest.

Well, kind of.

Anyway, thanks for the kind words.

Wait. Four teens with 4 teens a'comin? So your life DOES have new meaning and purpose every day!! Man. Every MOMENT, I would think.