The Holy Trinity

In my speech to the academy I will thank the holy trinity for making this blog possible. Linda for gifting me the new exercise bike, Kaila for reminding/inspiring me to blog, and Kristin for donating her old iPhone 5 to the cause. Aha, you may ask, how did these 3 occurrences intersect to make this blog  happen? 

This simple formula shows the relationship:

 (Exertion on the bike + desire to blog) * music from Iphone = creative result 

For me the creative energy starts to percolate as my heart rate increases, especially as the sweat starts to flow (bringing me closer to God),  as exertion creates relaxation and some type of portal opens. Unfortunately I do not lay pen to paper regarding my thoughts until much later. The primary ideas are now created with some details, but the fleshing out is a future activity.  Another formula pertaining to the efficiency of the final creative result:

Quality of music * (100 - days between workout and blog completion) = blog quality.   

Now that you know the mechanics, let's get to the subject matter:

U2's album (I use that term in a nostalgic, sarcastic way, protesting the fact that current musical media has no cohesive or logical quality) "How to dismantle an atomic bomb" is the value of the 

 

music from iPhone 

 

variable In above equation.   On to the review of the album and my life so far:

Vertigo: great starting track, when I heard it on the radio so many years ago  I thought it was "a band trying to sound like early U2"

Miracle drug: it exists, but you must make it yourself, not with a chemistry set, but by determination and a keen sense of perception and trust. Sometimes though it has no effect and that is why you need your coffeemaker.  

Sometimes you can't make it on your own: so simple and so difficult for many to learn.  In the midst of doing the right thing and making your loved ones proud, you may forget this.  Don't worry, we (and Bono) will remind you. 

Love  and Peace or else: ah yes irony at play here.  This song came on 10 years ago when Bob Denk and I were riding in the car and  I advised him that this was U2.  "I'm not that old. I know it's U2". You go Bob ! Given the state of the world where, in fact, is Love and Peace? 

City of Blinding Lights: anthemic, cascsding, innocent, you can't fool

us though Bono you ain't so sensitive and vulnerable are you?  And that group "ooh, ooh,ooh, ooh,ooh actually reminds me of the end of Born to Run.  

All Because of You: Very simply, we can interpret this to mean that we are a product of our environment. The collective "you" has made we who I am and created my frame of reference and my world view. But in more personal terms we all have important people in our lives that have made us what we are. Thank those people every day.  

A Man and a Woman: Is that high-pitched vocal at the end Bono or The Edge ? My money is on The Edge. "When the soul needs, the soul waits". What is so magical and important about waiting? Don Juan emphasized this with Castanada: "A man of knowledge waits, because that is all he can do. He waits and he sees. "

Crumbs from your Table: Bono's range takes us to "The Edge".  What does the song mean ? Who cares, this is the quintessence of U2 and cannot fail.  

One Step Closer: "to knowing". Hanging out to dry in my old clothes.  Does Bono have old clothes? Yes we are all searching for knowledge, often in dumb places.  

Original of the Species: apologies to Chuck for the title. A typically simple U2 diddy, with Bono's great voice and clever lyrics making it all work in a way that makes you think that things come way too easily to that Irish lad.  

Yahweh: yes yes Bono is spiritual and any Christian must trace his roots back to Yahweh, Hebrew for "I am who am".  Just as you think it's boring The Edge wakes up and chimes in.  Sufficiently religious sounding that it makes you feel guilty about not liking it.  

David Bowie RIP: wow he is gone.  A key contributor to the soundtrack of my youth. When they open the Ziggy Stardust exhibit at the Smithsonian in 5 years, Bowie will have written, produced, performed, or influenced 50% of the music being listened to on the personal  headphones by the attendees, and perhaps people around the world.  Ziggy....played....guitar !  

Basil Update: To plant seeds now or just buy plants then, that is the question ! Please help me decide. 

Keep the Faith, and pray for Trump's barber !