Chiblago is white on the outside

Waiting for more legit praise for Jacksonville's own Black Kids? Well while you wait, NY Post lists "I'm not going to teach your boyfriend how to dance" at number two behind some random song called Rehab.

Uncle Zach's Award Winning Routine

Here is a bonus video of my lil bro Zachary and his soccer teammates winning a pep rally dance contest. I guess he got all the moves in the family.

Live from Chiblogo

If you are in Actionville tonight I suggest checking out the PIE Studio show at 1827 Pearl. Just north of 8th. Its 5 until. So you can blend it in to your plan. See the sculpture and cameraless photography of Jay Shoots. Cameraless photography? You did what in what? It is good to see Last Friday shows back on the west side (of springy).

Also for the 32206ers a progressive New Years starts at Dan & Renee's at 1951 Market. Promptly at 7pm on New Years eve. I won't see you at either but my heart is in warm Florida. My toes are in Chiblogo where its snowing sideways. 7 inches this morning. Doh! Also stay tuned because I intend live blog the black kids show new years at the empty bottle.

Rabbitohs 4 Life

I heard that Russell Crowe was on Leno last night. I think it was a strike induced rerun. He mentioned Jacksonville no less than 4 times and was pumping up the January 26th game where his rabbitohs will be taking on the lads from Leeds.

UNF and Jax will surely be rocking and the world will be watching. The rest of country? Bust out your rabbits foot.

Its a bet he won't be wagering on the game.

Resolution 08!

From the East Hollywood Opinion Page

Looks like Recount will air in May. If you are a democrat in Jacksonville, I give you yet another reason to rub your eyes, pour a stiff drink, and try like hell to think about anything but politics. Recount is going to hurt. On the Florida level and probably on the local level. It just seems to me that not much good can come from it and maybe there will be backlash because of it. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed spinning for Spacey and it makes my day to know that Ed Begley Jr. likes his burritos meatless and extra spicey. He drives an electric car for fsakes. And I'm glad we got all that hollywood money for the home town. However, I think the timing of a story about a stolen election is just going to motivate the right leaning, talk radio swallowing, insiders-for-no-change, to get out the vote.

Because all they need is a reason. The dems in this town, we'll we've only had a million reasons to get out the vote, and well, we don't. And yes, there are more of us than republicans. So is it good to find more polarizing things about us? I'm not sure. And I don't dislike republicans because I am not one and have never been one. I'm not partisan. I think I'm a conservative on local issues. I'm conservative about the river we are totally ignoring. Its ours stay away. I like Charlie Crist. If I could figure out our tax and fee consequences here I'd probably give him an endorsement. I grew up in a conservative town and nearly all my friends are conservative. I have a partner from freaking Dallas.

But when it comes down to it voting is local. And local partisanship makes me puke in my mouth a little bit because a. the republicans control everything and have an organized and powerful reaction to every move even without much to show for progress in the last 10 years (please don't mention the super blow or before 97, I wasn't here) and b. democrats in this town are hard to follow, crazy, disorganized, dormant, or otherwise occupied. Probably watching HBO, like me.

The Wire final season starts Jan 6!

Warm your hearts

from cartoonstock

With this recent yule-tide email I received. Better get sick quick, my symphony. Only 6 more days of health insurance.

In 2008, may all your emails be transparent and all your deeds be benevolent.

On with the show this is it:

Below is an insight into the prejudice and ugliness of the symphony board in the current lockout of its musicians. This heinous email was found in Mayor Peyton's public record email, from which one can only assume his complicity. The dyke reference is to a musician in the orchestra; Alan (Hopper) is the JSO executive director and Jim (Van Vleck) the chairman of the board. The actual posting of the email is on the symphony musicians' website www.jsomusicians.org/guestbook
which is now being read nationally, a tragedy for Jacksonville. Mr. Beames email address was included for those who wish to write him directly; the email addresses of the entire symphony board may be found on the musicians' website.

Feel free to pass this along to interested parties and let the sun shine in.

<<
This was copied from our JSPA (Jacksonville Symphony Players' Association) website: http://www.jsomusicians.org/guestbook/.

And here is Tom Beames' email: tom.beames (at) wachovia.com

Name: Steven Kruer

Comments:
Below I reproduce verbatim an e-mail from JSA Executive Board member Tom Beames to the other members of the Board (found in Mayor Peyton's public e-mails):

"Alan and Jim, we're receiving word from the musicians that we're "only" $60m a year away from agreement. Congratulations on standing firm and showing strength.

I think we may start to see some crack in the dyke [sic] on this "only $x" issue, and the heartstrings of kids at Christmas with no presents certainly will have an impact.

I would like you to know that I again stand by our proposal and agree we must remain firm to ensure the viability of the Symphony.

Good luck, and Happy Holidays."

Sunday, December 23 2007 - 12:41 AM>>

I report (or copy and paste) you decide. Very interesting reading at the musicians site. There is a point for point rebuttal to the managements stance. I'd like to see management rebutt that but I guess if you are dealing the cards, you don't have to show them. I'm still hopeful for a holiday miracle. Maybe Wachovia will sponsor the $60m bridge? That would be touching.

The Hiatus is Back on

I wheel be doing sporadic postings this holidaze. Mark your calendar for the show above on Jany 17 at TSI.

Look for a new years announcementz if I can get to a computer.

Hope you had a Merry Christmas or whatever you celebrate was merry.

Christmas Party Tonight!

As my friend O says, prepare to be underwhelmed. Except by the art. The art of Steve Forster is timeless and can bring a tear to your gift receiver's eye. Start your clock at 5pm sharp and see how long before they tell me to turn the music down. Big thanks to NLL for pumping it up.


The party is at Gallery L which is up the escalator in the Modis building. Which is downtown and frankly if you need help finding it this may not be the show for you. Sounds so insider. 5-7pm. Bring your check book.

DAY 37

I got a call from one of those money grubbing liberal symphony snobs the other day. You know the kind, subscribes to the New Yorker, $100k in student loans, an '84 prelude with a trashbag window, and "loves" to play the classics that our granchildren probably won't get to hear. You know they want it ALL. Like a decent wage, and gasp, insurance.

Obviously I am kidding and we need to do all we can to keep these great people in this great city, mostly because they WANT to be here and play for you. There isn't many more things as important as the JSO anthropologically speaking. Architecture maybe. The museum's collections perhaps. Will the symphony go the way of the Lampru? Are we going to let them fade while we camp outside of best buy? Are more orgs and festivals going to join in this hot steaming pile of political malaise?

Well this particular fella asked if I had any sway over the mayor, and if so, could I put in a call. Because the mayor needs to get involved, much like the City Council did with their resolution to urge management to work it out.

Don't laugh, the mayor might know who I am. I DID work for him once. Well ok, I threw parties on the river for him. And they ROCKED. But he only came once and well, I got moved to Parks and Rec and threw another rocking river jam, but lets chalk that up to history. Waxing nostalgic won't motivate anyone.

So if you'd like a perspective on this lock out from the uncultured and uncivilized and what do they know about arts city of Charleston, read this. I'm kidding of course. Here is a quote in case your not sure if you have time:

In my brief time in Jacksonville I found an orchestra ready for growth in a city of seemingly endless opportunity. For the city, my view has been confirmed. In these 20 years, the downtown has grown to become one of the most beautiful cities of the South, with its riverwalk, shopping districts, and, yes, the beautiful home of the Jacksonville Symphony, the Times-Union Performing Arts Center. I have read reports that speak of a 36% growth in the economy there in just the past five years.

Bruce Ridge, chair of the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians

Lets talk all about it at my Christmas Party at the Modis building at 5pm tomorrow, second level. More on that soon. Maybe a bassoonist will show up. Or maybe my laptop. Either way there is beer, wine, good art, and always, a lively conversation. Stay human.

Downtown This Week

photo Jacksonville Historical Society

Tomorrow night it is on. You can go over to Shanty and FIGHT! or if you are a pacifist like me you can come see me at Mark's. Can't spell pacifist without FIST! Mark's was so packed on Saturday I heard it was one in one out. A lot of folks went to the UJ blog party too, what a treat. Bay street is bumping. Springfield is bumping. How was the Nightmare Before Christmas show at 5 points? Bumping. Or so I heard. I was riding around Avondale luminaria in the back of a horse drawn hay trailer. OLD SCHOOL.

So tomorrow night you should make the rounds. Then, THURSDAY! Don't forget Biggie Tea's Christmas party at Gallery L in the Modis Building 5-7pm (second level), Sponsored by the art of Steve Forster and the new beastie boys, the mix up.

and thats right!

BONUS: Check out the Community Garden update over at RADOs green on green blog YO!

BONUS BONUS:

Bowser from Shanana?

Here is the latest from our friend Keith in Tel Aviv. Every time I hear the word hanukkah I think of Auther Fonzarelli and David Lee Roth. Happy Hanukkah!

Sitting at my computer, stuffed on Hanukkah donuts. You read correctly, Hanukkah donuts. I'm not trying to be funny. The customary food to eat in Israel for the holiday of Hanukkah is donuts. The original was jelly-filled, and now they come in all shapes and sizes. Chocolate, pistachio, creme, etc.

Tonight is the second night of Hanukkah, and so begins my first Hanukkah break from school. It's bizarre getting used to a Jewish calendar. It's only now, after more than 3 months of being here, that my weekends being on Friday and Saturday are beginning to feel regular. It is interesting to see the whole week actually come to a close on Shabbat. Friday night everything shuts down. Since Friday is the beginning of the weekend, and everything shuts down from Friday night to Saturday night, it's a scramble to get everything you need for the week on Friday morning when everyone else in the country is too.

I don't ever shop at the supermarkets, so I am always in the markets buying my hummus, olives, salads, spreads, vegetables, etc. It's an interesting process to watch, and a nightmare to shop in. Old women walk the markets with suitcases on wheels, picking up fruit, inspecting it, yelling for plastic bags, screaming at the men to weigh and sell them their produce.

The vegetables are amazing here. Everything is so fresh. The amount of olives I eat can get ridiculous, at times.

I'm starting to really feel like a local. There's a small group of locals who hang out in front of Oren's juice shop. It's a small juice stand on the facade of my building. He juices and makes smoothies from fresh fruits and veggies (Best juice in town). Amit, the guy who owns the curtain shop near my house, Yaniv who works at the deli/restaurant, Olive, Tshurit, the computer programmer who also keeps our building clean, the hummus shop owner, and some other locals can always be found sitting outside of Oren's juice shop.

I was just downstairs at Olive, eating a salad. The manager (dark-skinned guy with long dread locks) came in with two boxes of donuts. The chanukiah (Menorah) was on the counter. Amit, Tsurit, Yaniv, Oren, the Olive staff all got together by the chanukiah. The guys took napkins and to-go cup lids and wore make-shift yomikas (caps Jews put on their heads). I complied and put a napkin on my head. They lit the candles, recited the blessings, and sang Hanukah songs. Then everyone grabbed a donut and left.

I should be doing reading for school, but the donut is sitting so heavy in my stomach I just decided to write you instead.

Speaking of school....
School has kicked into high gear. It's been a few years since I've been in a formal school setting, and, honestly, it took me by a bit of a surprise. My full-time job is reading articles for school. My classes include qualitative research, linguistic models, teaching methods, teaching practical observation and a research forum. Not every single thing is valuable, but I do notice that my brain is starting to really process things differently. I remember a friend, who went through law school, telling me that it was as if someone went into his brain and rewired everything. I think law school has to be much more intense than this, but I'm really starting to process things much differently.

I also think that has something to do with my age, moving to Israel, studying a new language, experiencing a new culture, having to deal with political and historical information. My brain is overloaded with new information, new stimulus, that the system (my brain) is bound to react to the new information. There is a lot to try to understand here. You've got thousands of years of history, no shortage of languages, cultures and ethnicities mixing together, political stress, and THEN there's the normal din of everyday life.

Speaking of everyday life, the world's longest teacher's strike is still in progression. It's been almost 3 months that the high school teachers have been on strike. I've been reassigned to another school (one that I don't want to leave). The court has ordered the teachers back to school next week. I'll be returning to my high school when the strike is over.

I'm currently teaching at an elementary/middle school. The school is interesting because it is run like a kibbutz. The students organize themselves into committees. They choose everything. They choose what they will eat in the cafeteria, a schedule for cleaning the cafeteria, what the school bell will be, etc. There are peace groups that meet with Arab students once a week. They have delegations that go to visit different countries (It's a high socio-economic area). There was a delegation from Los Angeles that came to visit last month. They were Jewish students from the states to see what life is like in Israel.

I quit Hebrew school for a couple weeks. I'm restarting the basic class. The class was moving too quickly for me. There were people in the class who were fluent, and just needed help reading and writing. The teacher went at their pace, and a few of us were lost. I am starting oer, and waited for the class to finish learning their alphabet. I will go back after Hanukkah holidays. However, quiting Hebrew school has really increased my motivation for studying the language again. I was drowning in new vocabulary and grammatic structures. I've had a few weeks to digest everything, and I'm ready to start learning again.

I was victimized! My bike got stolen. I spent 450 shekels on a bike, 200 shekels on this thick lock of steel. Somewhere in the middle of the night, someone came into the building with the proper tools, and cut the lock. I woke up late for work, decided not to go, came downstairs to find my bike gone, and my lock cut in half. I went to Oren, had a juice and Oren made fun of me and we laughed it off. Thankfully, a friend in my program has let me borrow her bike while I look for a new one. I feel like a real Tel Avivian now. Apparently, a bike gets stolen every 8 minutes in Tel Aviv. My mistake was laziness. I didn't bring my bike upstairs with me. The next one I get, I will be more careful with where I leave it parked for the night.

We're coming up with some crazy ideas. Some extremely useful, some just funny. For a time we were relating chess to all aspects of life, "Marriage and chess: You're always going for the stalemate."

Another friend from the program, and myself, are in the process of getting a master's thesis approved. We don't have to do a thesis, but we came up with an idea we love, and we are going to push forward with it. If we can get approved, our master's thesis would be to teach English through chess. It's called content-based instruction. Teaching a subject matter through another medium. I've developed a teaching method for chess, and Michael is helping me build on it, and eventually we'll write a curriculum for English and chess. Then we'll do research on the effectiveness of the program. That's the idea. I think we'll get approved. If you would have asked me last year if I thought I would be in Israel, writing a master's thesis about chess.....well, I'm not quite sure what my actual response what have been, but it wouldn't be a definitive yes. I know that much.

My yoga studio is 2 blocks from my house. It was an expensive venture, but my practice is deepening. I think the trick is having the studio so close to my house. I've been making a strong effort to go on a regular basis. The interesting thing is that I can notice HUGE changes in my body. A couple months back I had a vertebrae slip back into place. I had been having low back pain for years. It only got really bad if I was under a lot of stress, but when this vertebrae slipped back into place during a yoga posture, I went back in time, physically, 4 years.

And my massage business is picking up. I'm having more and more people book appointments and buy packages from me. Hopefully, I'll be totally reliant on massage for income, and not have to keep drawing money off of the loans I took out.

So here's an interesting story. I came out of my friend's house one morning to find a police officer yelling at a group of people in front of me. The main road was blocked off from all traffic. NO cars, no buses, no pedestrians. Everyone was speaking in Hebrew, and I asked (in Hebrew) if anyone spoke English. One woman explained the situation to me. She told me to look across the street. There was a 6-wheeled robot rolling up the street. Someone had left a package on a street corner. The robot was being guided from afar. It approached the package, and the robot arm picked it up. I called my work partner to let her know I would be a bit late to school. As we were talking, the robot fired a gun several times into the back, and an officer in full blast gear then approached the package. Everything turned out to be fine, and I rode my bike to school. I started teaching my first lesson not so far from where a potential bomb could have been. All the Israelis laughed when I told them about my morning. They've grown up with this so it's nothing new. I suppose Americans can relate to different forms of violence we see in the media, but potential bombs aren't in the news too much.

Now the ironic thing about that is that the next morning, I came out of my apartment to go to work only to find them shooting a movie outside my house. I laughed at the juxtaposition of the two mornings. One morning is a bomb scare and the next is a movie.

Israeli culture is beginning to become clearer. American culture places so much emphasis on courtesy. So much to the point that we place courtesy higher on the importance list than genuineness. "Hey sugar, have yourself a super day!" "Hello, Welcome to Wal-Mart." "Folks, how was everything? Ya'll need anything else?" Using those polite cues in Israel doesn't get interpreted in the same way. It's seen as phony. Israeli culture has a great word to explain its style and approach for inter-personal communication: doogri. It's hard to translate directly, but it's directness. It gives me a much more clear understanding of how to work my way through this culture. When I went into restaurants I would always try to be friendly and not be direct. By trying to use inter-personal cues that work in another culture, I was missing my mark. "Excuse me, is it possible to get.....?" Israelis appreciate directness and assertiveness in conversation. So I've been actively trying to be more decisive and direct with my approach. It's working wonders when I go into a shopping situation.

And the last thing I'll leave you with (trying to make it shorter than the last chapter) is a road trip I took at the beginning of school. Three friends and I rented a car and drove south into and through The Negev Desert. We drove to the southernmost tip of the country. There's a resort city called Eilat. We stopped at Machtesh Ramon, one of the largest craters in the world. The desert scenery, air and climate made us travel back in time. We left Tel Aviv way behind. Tel AViv is a modern, westernized city, and, at times, it can feel like a bubble. Like not really living in Israel. WHen we got into the desert, saw Arab villages, camels, and the desert on the horizon, it gave us all a bit more perspective on the place we were living. We stopped at an environmental Kibbutz to see a friend, went hiking through the desert, stayed a night in the old city of Jerusalem, got a flat tire and had to miss the second day of class, lost the keys to the car and searched for 30 minutes only to find them in one of the guys' pants pocket.

Being able to go down to the tip of the country gave me an opportunity to compare teh south of the country (desert) with the north. There is an obvious difference. Israel is where the African desert meets with European landscape. I learned about an ancient map that shows Israel as the center of a three-petaled flower. One petal represents Africa, one represents Asia, and the last represents Europe. Israel is abundant with a diverse ecosystem (that man is systematically destroying). The desert in the south, forests in the north, The Mediterranean to the west. It's a beautiful country with so much diversity, and it's slightly smaller than New Jersey.

Everything is going well. I'm happy and healthy. Just dealing with the routine that life has become. I've posted pictures on a Flickr account. If you want to see some of the photos:

www.flickr.com/photos/thepassingstrange

And if anyone wants to send me any pictures, goodies, post cards, letters:

Keith Marks
Hertzel 16, #7
Tel Aviv 66884
Israel

Hope all is happy, healthy and smiling....

Keith

Send Keith a dradle would ya?

Art is love, Nightmare before Christmas and Save the DANG DATE FOR BIGGIE TEAS EXCLUSIVE CHRISTMAS PARTY

Speaking of things to do. Leave the end of your weekend to the fine folks of 5 points. 8th day and damn near everyone in Riverside is sponsoring a Nightmare Before Christmas Charity Masquerade with silent auction, live music, film, comedy, masquerade (costumes recommended), raffle prizes, more than 30 artists (click flyer to see a partial list, then hit print, then pass out, the flyers, not you), lets see what else, tons of raffle prizes, massages, jeez, food AND Drinks, for only $10 and $5 with a toy for toys for tots. I might be willing to say this is the party of the damn year. What makes it so special, to me, to my heart, is that I don't have to do anything but show up with a toy. I wish I had money because there are a LOT of great artists in the house.

Speaking of great artists. I thought the TU might do a story on my bud Jason Wright who had the opening with the pigs feet and whatnot last art walk upstairs. This is the last time we'll do an art walk upstairs until the restaurant is complete. Jason did very well, thank you actionville. The TU took photos even and interviewed but I haven't seen anything. I owed Jason a favor because I booked him shittily. When apologizing I told him that I would have a show for him upstairs at the December art walk and provide PBRs and pigs feet. Trying to be funny by demonstrating the lengths to which I would go. Well, he put pigsfeet on the flyer and so I had to get some. And then after a couple ok a few PBRs I asked Jason if someone ate a whole pigsfoot would he be willing to give that person one of his character paintings. I just want to get all that off my chest because it was an idea that sort of evolved, rather devolved, and needed to be discussed. Someone (name redacted) ate one so that was special and a something I won't forget. Actually the smell and the sound it made when it bounced off the floor is what is burned into my memory. Oh and how the guy said he could feel the pores where the hair came out of the pigs toes. Nice. I digress. The great news is that my friend Ed actually wanted the pigsfeet and has eaten two already. Don't tell Ed about the art deal, its over. The feet are available at Quality Foods, formerly Premiere at 7th and Hubbard if your mouth is watering. Just saying.


On the great artist great people tip, Biggie Tea is throwing a Christmas Party on the 20th (NEXT THURSDAY WRITE IT DOWN) at Gallery L in the Modis building. I thought it would be extra classy to throw a party where you have to take an escalator. They make you want to buy things, thats why they are all over the malls, right? And I want you to buy some Steve Forster paintings. Steve was trained in Florence and has returned to the Florence of the South (Jacksonville, go with it). His work is strong. Its beautiful, and its priced right at this show.



Carlous-Duran (copy after Sargent) by Steve Forster

An example of a paiting I should have bought but did not. Oh Carl.

I'll tell you a little story from last Christmas. I commissioned Steve to paint my children as a gift to my wife. Well he did a study based on a photo I gave him and left it on my desk right before I left for Pco. It was so awesome because I just wrapped it and gave it to my wife. On Christmas morning she unwrapped it and she and my entire family were in tears. Tears. It was so beautiful and unexpected combined with the fact that it was such a great snapshot of my kids at the time, it was proof that art can be greater than waffle iron, wii, or some other meaningless mall bought tripe.

Well I can't end it like that. I'll have cheery Christmas muzick, lots of beets, and good cheer. I'll update again with some photos of Steve's new work but remember December 20th 5 to 7 pm. Modis building second level. Follow the really loud music (its my calling card).

I meant to mention Joey is having a blog party Saturday at TSI. AND my favorite DJ and NBBFF Nicoli Longlunch is having a very Gotham Christmas, on, well, Christmas.

PEACE ON EARTH!

Move to Springfield

photo SarahG at 1951 Market

Tips to Mark for sending this article about the pending suburban ghetto crisis we'll be looking at soon. Makes you want to move into the urburbs and bike everywhere. Maybe you'd like a loft in a gated school compound. There are 276 homes and condos for sale in 32206. All within biking distance to downtown. Maybe riverside is more your speed. Just when you think the market has totally run out of gas. The world will probably run out of gas. And you might want your bike.

At least there is a lot going on down here. You can probably ditch the cable too.

A River Ran Threw it.

Which is what our kids will be telling their kids if we don't take care of our most precious resource. The MIGHTY MIGHTY St. Johns! Here is a great way to get involved AND have FUN!

FAMILY “RIVER RIDE” BOAT TRIPS



Take a ride on the river with Riverkeeper. Enjoy the outdoors, learn about local history & ecology, and have fun with hands-on activities!



Date: Saturday, December 15



Time: 10:00 AM - Noon

Boat will depart promptly at 10:00 AM.



Location: Friendship Park & Fountain

1015 Museum Circle

Jacksonville, FL 32207 (Next to Museum of Science and History)


What to Bring: Camera, binoculars, & a positive attitude. Light snacks & water will be provided.

(Please, leave toys & video games at home.)


Attire: Comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing


Suggested Donation: $25 per family


Reservations: Email name & contact information with number of participants to Danielle Dolan at danielle.dolan@gmail.com


*Activities & information geared toward children 8 and up, but all ages are welcome to attend.

Not Work Safe

I'm loving my new YouMail. I get about a million calls a day and can only take so many so voicemail becomes a chore to say the least. But with YouMail I can listen from my desk and don't need an hour and won't get the hot ear pains like you read about. Sadly I don't return calls any faster or more frequent but at least I passed on this cool site, so we're even.

Anyway here is a fan of my new greeting. Sorry for the curse words.

	Voicemail You'll Love Share this ...

Oh yeah and let the buzz on the fashion week start.....NOW

Won't you be, my neighbor?

I'm asked about the Library project about twice a day. Now, I have a website to send folks to so they can sign up for updates. Its TheLibraryJax.com.

Now I'll have to use my line less. "It will be done before the courthouse."

I was having a discussion about retail downtown last night at the shitkickinest honky tonk on the northbank and one person who ought to know said we didn't have more retail because the rents keep going up. I disagree. Downtown has got to be one of the cheapest retail rent neighborhoods in the city. Especially considering the density between 9 and 5 and all that delicious free parking after 6 and on the weekends. The Library has space for less than $10 and there are new buildings with the same type deals. Make it happen. Lets be neighbors.

Inner peace

My new client has me really reflective lately. Then I got this email which I think really sums it all up.

CALMNESS IN OUR LIVES

I am passing this on to you because it definitely works and we could all use a little more calmness in our lives. By following simple advice heard on the Dr. Phil show, you too can find inner peace.

Dr. Phil proclaimed, 'The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started and have never finished.'

So, I looked around my house to see all the things I started and hadn't finished, and before leaving the house this morning, I finished off a bottle of Merlot, a bottle of Zinfandel, a package of Oreos, a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream, a bottle of Kaluha, the remainder of my old Prozac prescription, the rest of the cheesecake, some Doritos and a box of chocolates. You have no idea how freaking good I feel right now.

Please pass this on to those whom you think might be in need of inner peace.

CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY IS BIGGIE TUESDAY!

WHo is getting Scrooged!? It seems your favorite symphony is friends. Listen to this message I got today.

	Voicemail You'll Love Share this ...

Symphony fans, musicians, and industry execs all over the world are looking at our symphony and the state of affairs it is in. And believe me, they don't make a ton. Especially when you consider they are mostly multiple degreed ivy league types. And I don't think they even demanded a raise. So what are they getting for Christmas? Not health insurance! Merry Christmas! From the folks who brought you the NUT CRACKERS. On that, ahem, note.

HOLIDAY POPS CONCERT

For the Health and Welfare Fund of the Locked-Out Musicians
of the Jacksonville Symphony Players’ Association

Members of the Jacksonville Symphony
Vernon Humbert, conductor
Rhonda Hambright, soprano

NEW LIFE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
2701 Hodges Boulevard
Jacksonville, Florida

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 7:30 P.M.
ADMISSION FREE; TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS ACCEPTED

“KEEP THE MUSIC ALIVE!”
WWW.JSOMUSICIANS.ORG

If you like your beer cold, your seat red, and your viola loud, head on down to the City Council and let them know we need our symphony.

Fill me in if you have more info, I know people are just catching up on this and the hot new executive airport coming to a nieghborhood very near you, if you live near craig. Probably another hot topic tonight at council. You can watch it live here.

Better yet, you should go, and then come see me at Mark's spinning the hizzits. Drown your aviation and symphony woes in JET FUEL. Just kidding, cold beer perhaps... We've been having good crowds but recount has left the building so quit asking me where Spacey is and also no more requests please. Its like asking Chez Guy to fix you a burger. I invented the blog party.

Take one day off and I get hate mail from Colorado. You have the internets in Colorado? Weird.

Instructions for Life

photo boston.com


Instructions for Life.

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three R’s: Respect for self Respect for others and Responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Thinking of these rules today. I always did like these, from the man, the 14th. Like Franti said, if not his words, then your momma. Stay human.

Thats the spirit!

Tonight at the First Friday in 5pts! Christmas Vacation. $5. BYOB. Where else in America can you bring a six pack and re-enact cousin Eddie. All you have to do is ask your friend if he would like a cold one. Then hand a 75% drank beer can to your pal. Then pop one of your own open and swill. Be sure to leave the plastic ring on for effect. White patent leather shoes score extra points.

Flip over to Urban Jacksonville for the line up of stuff to do this weekend. You know you need this weekend.

Come see me at El Gato Grande at the other end of the stadium from the BudZone on game day. There may be a re-route of traffic due to the rescue operation at Berkman 2. Almost certainly tonight for some guy named Keith Urban.

While we're on the subject. I'm saying prayers for LB Edwards. If he makes it out of that alive it will be a Christmas miracle for sure.

Keep the faith.

Don't forget the historic church tour on Saturday. The Times Union's headline? Seven older churches open for tour Older? Jeez, the youngest whipper snapper in there was built in 1924. Makes 37 seem downright spring chickeny.

Jason Wright in the HOUSE

This will definitely be the last chance to see the upstairs at BG. Plus, bring your wallet and buy cool ass Jason Wright art for all your good little elves!

whoa

2 dolla holla! Immigrant song. I don't like requests ecen with tips. Somebody save me

this may be the end

Beyonce, lil jon, gorilla zo, I'm not mede for the request circuit I wish the led zeporlin guy would come back. Wait, here he is. These people should talk.

Liveblogging the Women of Springfield

Tonight at Mark's. Don't miss an opportunity to buy a calendar for charity..

David Luckin spins from a signal sent from SPACE!

Tonight, Tomorrow Night, Wednesday Night! DOWNTOWN!

Tonight



Preview Happy Hour tonight at The Library. 5:30 to 7:30. Invite only, so make sure you rsvp at 396-9601.

Tomorrow Night



Meet the Women of Springfield calendar girls with an extra special night at Mark's Downtown. It will be our first Electro Lounge, listening lounge from 9pm to 11pm, featuring tracks selected by the WOS, who will be on hand to sign your freshly purchased calendar. All proceeds go to charity. Biggie Tea takes back over at 11pm. Come see what Kevin Spacey and the Kings of Leon have in common. Biggie Tea Tuesdays. What.

Wednesday Night



This is a must not miss show. You can probably knock out half your Christmas list at this show alone. Bring money. PBR and pigs feet, in the house. Check out Jason Wright's work in a rare upstairs opening above Burrito Gallery.

See you out!