Freshness Factor Five Thousand

Wet Wednesdays are here.

2009-09-02T10:49:00.000-07:00

Wednesday’s Water Conservation Tip
Brought to you in Partnership with SuperForest.Org

Being as I’m such a huge fan of water - for surfing, chugging, bathing, farming, etc. I’ve decided to share with you a water conservation tip every Wednesday. This is good news on many levels, for humanity of course, but also because it promises a blog-entry every Wednesday! As an activist, poet and blogger, how can I possibly pass up persistent proactive alliteration for the people?

Today I address the obvious Water Conservation Tips that are always worthy of being re-addressed.

- Don’t leave the faucets running! Brush your teeth and wash the dishes conservatively.
- When washing clothes, use full loads. Get in with your housemates on this one. It means you’ll ultimately have to use the machine less. That’s less water AND less energy.
- Stop washing your car. Save it for a rainy day. I mean, really. It’s only a car. Let your dusty driving machine be a symbol of your conservatism.
- Collect rainwater for your garden and houseplants. Use gallon buckets and drums to collect and store water for hydrating your hydrangeas.
- Stop buying plastic water bottles. Every bottle you purchase is a vote for more waste. Fix your tap at home with a filter if the drinking water makes you nervous.

Tune in next Wednesday for an extra special kinky conservation tip that’s sure to spark some controversial conservation conversation.

12 Questions: Part 7, with Poetry & Pictures

2009-09-01T13:17:00.000-07:00

oscilatewildely: Who was your favorite teacher and why? (I just finished week 1 with my new wonderful class of 25 engaging and brilliant minds!)

First and foremost, I’d like to acknowledge you for being a champion of those brilliant young minds. You seeing them as engaging and brilliant will be a most effective and powerful way to create success in the classroom while providing a positive contribution to the general population growth.

How information gets through to a human is one thing, and how they interpret that information is another. Teachers not only have a responsibility to make their material sound interesting, they also have to make learning interesting. Teachers have to hold the attention of twenty plus teenagers for hours and hours almost everyday, for most of an entire year, year after year. Now that’s an occupation worth admiring.

My favorite teacher was Meg Switzer. She led my Communications and Drama courses. I likely sat in her classrooms the most, sometimes twice a day, for three years. Rather than dwell on where I missed certain points, she taught in a way that showcased my potential. I can still hear her very unsympathetic voice saying, “You got what it takes, kiddo,” as she rarely took no for an answer. Her seeing my best before I did allowed me to grow into the very space she held for me.

rosecharlie: If you could pick any color that best described you what would it be?

I once had the pleasure of asking Raul Midon, a phenomenal singer/songwriter in the jazz/soul/rhythm genre, who has been blind since birth, what came to mind when colors are mentioned. How do you describe Red? I asked. His answer was one of association. He thought of loud and dominant things. Red related to fast cars and firey moods.

So if a color could be put on my mood, perhaps I’d be a spectrum of blues, from periwinkle to deep cerulean. To me, those colors resonate peace, childhood, and contemplation.

NomadicQuill: What is one poem you can rattle off the top of your head at will? One that sticks with you to this day?  

A Dream Deferred, By Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore
And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

iDiedTomorrow: Do you find old people interesting or annoying? Have you ever heard a really neat story from an older person, or a boring one?   

This is a very funny question and my answer is the former. To me, my elders are the most interesting people in the community. It is they who inadvertently laid the foundation for our current mission, good or bad. And while our elders may be slow to accept/practice new ideas, or be unable/uninterested in keeping up with technology’s advancement, this is no new problem. It’s evolution at work, generation by generation. Before you know it, you’ll someday be old and annoying to the newcomers – so be kind and interested now, for your own karma’s sake.

Last week I discovered an awesome group of Citizens from a Senior Center near my home. They are up to great things musically. I paid a surprise visit to the “Sunset Strummers” (An all ukulele orchestra aside from an upright bass and a washboard.) They recently returned from Maui where they performed in the International Ukulele Festival. My friend Andy, who builds beautiful custom Ukuleles (and all things stringed practically) had dropped off some instruments to the group and overheard them practicing I’m Yours, so he invited me over to hear it performed live by this peculiar group of musicians. Check 'em out!

I was moved to hear my work in the context of their repertoire that includes, Surfing USA, Hanalei Moon, and Jambalaya, to name a few. “I’m Yours” was new to many of them, and the verses seemed to be a mouthful, but they didn’t mind running it a few times in my presence. It was rehearsal after all.

NAKEDdmblauren: If your cat could talk what would he say about you?

This is not a hypothetical answer. I actually think about this on a daily basis. First of all, I can’t get my Cat to make eye contact with me. Not even if I’m making a chirping noise or dangling something. So getting a read on his thoughts is pretty difficult. It is said that Helen Keller had no memory of her life before she got language at 8 or 9 years old. My Cat, all of 2 and a half, so far makes no concerted effort to speak to me, let alone acknowledge that he can hear me. This is demonstrated by his little effort to compose voiceless questions about the hurried man who smells like salt water and old suitcase.

But I do wonder why there is cat piss on my bed every time I strap on my tour laminate and head out the door for a few weeks. I think he plays hard to get. Perhaps if the Cat could ask anything, as an anglophile I’d imagine him asking with a crass accent, “Where are you off to now?”

samanthacad: How is your family coping with your success? How often do you see them?

Well, I don’t think they’re “Coping” per say. Where I come from, success isn’t viewed as an annoyance. As I’ve been blessed to understand recently, a parent just wants to see their child grow up to be healthy and happy, and the only reward they can ask for, is to know they did their best as a parent.

When I left home 10 years ago to pursue music, I didn’t say goodbye to anyone. I was afraid I would be talked out of making the bold journey to a scene of no promises, crossing the US by myself. I feared my leaving college again would be a disappointment, creating unease in either parents’ household.

Leaving home in that manner meant living many years of life withholding certain truths. For a while I only wanted to show up healthy, happy, and perfect, which meant leaving out certain hardships and struggles from conversation, which was most of the time, while hiding the bad habits my health was handicapped by, pretty much all of the time.

These days I’m a lot more open and inviting with my family. It took me a while to come around and realize that they’d prefer to see and hear the REAL me. Being real in their presence might mean using curse words, as I tend to do when I’m relaxed. It also means being truthful about how I live my life; sharing the profound details, not just the to-do lists and my thoughts on the weather.

It’s important to know we are all already perfect in our own way. The life we have lived up to now, we have lived out Perfectly! So acting any different for someone else is really quite limiting and foolish. Inauthenticity is the backward slope on the righteous road of progress.

I see more of my family these days and do speak to them often. Luckily, being a touring artist gives you access to anywhere in the world, including home.

mrazandmyself: r u a hugger? bootay bumper? or a fist knocker? (i'm a hugger *creepy smile*)

I’ll admit I am one of many non-committed engagers. Sometimes I’ll come at you with a high-five and depart with a fist-bump and other times I’ll be right there squeezing your palm with my forefingers and thumb.

The worst is going-in for a handshake that becomes a hug. I end up putting too much attention on what-to-do with the reaching right arm, instead of being wide open, preparing for the final embrace of your generous hug.

With some, I hug to the right, rather than going typical left. We call it heart-to-heart and we do it without question.

I wish the US could adopt a greeting that became of cultural significance to our region. The British have a light kiss of cheeks (as well as a very practical understanding of how-to-use escalators. They are still stairs after all! Those that wish to climb may do so on the left. Always. Here in the US, you’re lucky if you don’t get caught behind a group of stopped shoppers enjoying the ride like golly-gawkers at the World’s Fair.)

Back to greetings… Y’know, in France, you get two kisses! In Holland, they do Three! Left, Right, and Left again!

I’d love it if the US could adopt the kiss as the common greeting. It speaks volumes about trust, saying, “I welcome you in my space. Here’s what I smell like. And no I’m not carrying a weapon.”

I think our country could benefit from the intimacy. And we could make a proud statement with it too. Imagine. “Hi, I’m Jason, nice to meet you.” Then we’d lean in and give each other 50 kisses back and forth, one for each state in the Union.

jammin_jenna: since you're home now, what do you love about your community?

When I arrived home last week, I had informed my roommates that I didn’t want to host a gathering of any kind, at least not the first night back. Gatherings are contagious in our community, and they have a habit of growing. What I love about my community as that when I think I need them less, they practically fall out of the sky and inspire me in all kinds of new ways. I had the chance to acknowledge nearly 30 people for crashing into my kitchen, creating a spontaneous thanksgiving feast and evening I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Which is pretty exceptional for a night where I wasn’t anticipating the arrival of any guests. I love my community because they continue to live for my being super-awesome. They see me as that, so it calls me into being that.

What a great for you to be in your community!
Go live for others being extraordinary!

notsosuperkate: What music are you listening to at the moment? Are you reading any books?

I seem to have misplaced my handy cassette tape gadget that allows me to play my ipod thru the cassette drive. So I’ve been rocking the following compact discs on repeat for the last week and a half.

Slot 1: An unmixed, up and coming lively live release from the Makepeace Brothers, which I know you’re going to love.

Slot 2: A unmixed, rough mix of the next album to come from Two Spot Gobi.

Slot 3: Empty

Slot 4: A delightful new disco filled superforest soundtrack.

Slot 5: A bizarre mix by Devandra Bernhardt, that includes his hit, “I got Chinese Children.”

Slot 6: Sadly Empty

Readingwise: I’m currently dog-earing “Franny & Zooey,” a Classic by J.D. Salinger, which I’d never read until now. The book was a generous gift from my friend Superforester Chris, who is a very caring and compassionate blogger/activist/poet and is obviously a reliable resource for a good read. See my hang with Chris and company here, where the grass IS greener. You’ll even find a recent Q & A with me documented in several lengthy episodes.

honeycoverheart: if u could be a fruit or veggie which would u be and why?

I’d probably be a banana because like a hammock they just hang around and people find them appealing.

Steph_da_do: Who are you?

Who am I, By Jason Mraz

I am not my face. I am not my hair.
I am not my family. I am not my care.

I am not my upbringing. I am not my mole.
I am not my receding gum. I am not my cold.

I am not my money. And I’m not my fame.
I’m not my hat. I’m not even my name.

I’m just an idea that happened upon love.
I am that I am and that I am is enough.

hannahmilov: Could you draw a picture of yourself having a super awesome day, please?  

No Problem. Here I am having a super awesome day. Literally.

Suffering from Typistgitis...

2009-08-31T13:22:00.000-07:00

Due to awkward and unfortunate circumstances of travel, I will be posting the answers to the latest Tweeters’ Questions tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy this clip crafted by a good friend and crew-buddy from the first leg of the Gratitude Café Tour. The clip sums up life on the road for many of us. Thanks for sharing Rex.

Open Up and Say High

2009-08-20T10:01:00.000-07:00

Living in Shelbyville, Indiana, my friend, Ms Batz said it’s sometimes difficult to find things to be in awe of. The landscape is pretty much grass and trees and it’s easy to get numb to it. But the sky is in constant flux as fatty clouds billow by and the upper atmospheric colors spin through every shade of awesome, from almond to razzmatazz. As an earthling, living here on the surface at the edge of space, how can you not be impressed with what’s going on around us?

To salute Deborah Batz yet again, I thought I’d post some of my favorite shots inspired simply by looking up.

Enjoy,
Jason

Question of the moment:
Who or what are you looking up to?
(And have you acknowledged them lately?)

Ordinary Tale of Travel. Extraordinary Tale of Good Deed. Thank You, Deborah Batz.

2009-08-19T14:49:00.000-07:00

Performing shows night after night, circumnavigating the globe, resting eyes on city sights, spotting famous landmarks, and flirting with gorgeous crowds are just some of the perks that come with the job title: touring artist.

But sometimes I forget my flip-flops for the after-show shower. I wonder how many bands before mine made their mark in that flimsy, soiled shower, leaving remnants of past celebration clogged in the drain as the dishwater fills up around my ankles, flooding a dressing room barricaded with wet towels. We sometimes bath in makeshift showers that resemble portable toilets, forgoing hot water and volunteering to smell of eggs, while contracting athlete’s foot and an HPV, all for the love of music and this raw chance at seeing the world. Health and Safety make touring the art that it is.

You also never know what parking lot you’re going to wake up in or what the facilities are going to be like until you step off the bus in the morning. I compare this kind of lifestyle to camping, being a Paskowitz, or a joining a circus. Yesterday was the perfect example. The gig was the Indiana State Fair. Our convoy and canopy was pitched and set up within the dusty pill-shape of the horseracing track. Our dressing rooms were underground, where I assume the jockeys’ suit up or suit down, showering the fertile dust and poop from their sweaty post-race faces.

I’ve been all over the world and marveled at some of the most magnificent things man has crafted. The Eiffel Tower. The Synchronic Victoria Harbor Light Show over Hong Kong. The gorgeous twin towers of Kuala Lumpur. The Temple of Hanuman the Monkey-King in Hampi, India. The Roman Coliseum. Disneyland. Yet nothing moves me more than watching the crank of the midway rides at a good old-fashioned county fair.

Won over by the smell of corn dogs, cotton candy and candy apples, I woke up to all that and the crow of the contesting roosters. In the heart of America, progression happily reared its curious head in as soy-biodiesel farming-tractors gave 75cent shuttle rides around the fairgrounds, making stops along the way at the FFA pavilion, the biggest tomato contest, and the livestock barns. It’s not everyday you get to sit nose to nose with the world’s largest boar.

Just before show time, the band huddles. We make a promise to each other to not let the evening’s performance be the world’s 2nd largest bore.

Around 11pm, at the end of the show, I jumped on the microphone one last time and said goodnight, requesting,"...to carry out whatever you may have brought in – to leave the world looking better than you found it (and that includes people” I say, “if you come upon someone who is down, pick em up!”)

About 20 minutes after the show, I was leaving the dressing room, fresh from my shower in the jockey’s lounge wondering if I could be brave enough to the leave the drain working better than I found it, when Glen, a yellow-shirted security guard pointed out a young woman who stayed behind, taking my words to heart, cleaning up the whole of the concerted standing area where the audience had gathered for most of the afternoon. I was moved. And I jumped at the chance to acknowledge her!

Meet Deborah Batz, concert goer, mother of four, good deed doer. Turns out she already has a good sense about environmentalism. She told me about a time when she visited her sister in Florida, she couldn’t help but tidy up the beach to make it more enjoyable (and safer) for herself and her family. Her sister even rescued a pelican from its unfortunate entanglement in plastic. She reminds us that beautification is just a day at the beach.

As I’ve mentioned before. Environmentalism isn’t a giant task. It is simply about caring for your immediate surroundings, i.e. your room, yard, office, etc... That’s your true environment and the most practical place to put your attention.

Thank you Deborah for being a good deed doer! And thanks for letting me share your story and photo. I know your action will inspire others to leave their environment and all of its inhabitants looking and feeling their best. Check out these before and after photos of the concert. You can imagine what Deborah was up against.

Thanks again to Deborah and all attendees who transformed the Indiana State Fair into the Indiana State Great.

-Jason

12 Tweeters Questions: Part Six.

2009-08-17T16:44:00.000-07:00

For more than a month now, Tricia – The Tweeter has been graciously taking in hundreds of questions each Friday on Twitter and I - The Blogger have been posting 12 answers of my choice, right here, each Monday. It’s been a real joy reading what’s on your mind and even more of a pleasure sharing with you what on mine.

Next weekend we will be away on holiday so there will be no Q&A. We will resume this activity when tour picks up again in September. Thank you for your loving participation and thanks in advance for your patience.

Stay Fresh,
Jason

The Q&A:
thejamachine: i know you like The Notebook. What other chick flick has the best kissing scene or romantic climax, in your opinion?

My immediate response is the film, Microcosmos, an extraordinary documentary about insects. Scanning the net for footage of the hottest kissing scene ever, I stumble onto the fantastic coincidence that both Microcosmos and The Notebook have music composed by David Sun. I guess this guy brings out the best in our salivary glands. Though I couldn’t find any clips of the snails having sex, you can click here to watch the trailer to one of the most adored movies in my collection. Microcosmos.

iamthailand: What was your favorite Disney movie growing up?

The Little Mermaid was the last Disney film to be hand-drawn/painted from start to finish. They’ve been making them with computers ever since. Not to say that’s a bad thing. I’m a sucker for a good cartoon. But I miss the good old days of artists hiding penises in the artwork. Remember this goodie?

Cidfox: What was ur favorite cartoon growing up?

I really loved the Garfield comics for the dry humor and slapstick comedy. As a kid, I related to Garfield. I wanted to sleep in and eat everything my parents had in the house. Nowadays I feel more like Jon, an awkward do-nothing adult with too much time on his hands. Check out this fascinating version of Garfield minus Garfield. See how revealing of a cartoon it is when Garfield and his comments are erased.

fluffmc: Out of all the polaroids you have taken, do you have a favorite?

This regal beagle is my favorite shot from my book, A Thousand Things. Just as the sight of a sleeping cat calms my nerves, so does patience demonstrated by a dog.

New_Invention: In your opinion, what is man's greatest invention?

Not only is a banana carrying case a great invention, Tokyo has a variety of styles to choose from.

pochaccopnai: What contribution do you think something like twitter provides to our society?

To me, the obvious contribution is community. Instant access to thoughts, words, and actions bring twitter practitioners together. If someone posts a question or an idea, it only takes a few seconds now to get a response. This also means that the message writer’s integrity is at stake. If you say you’re going to do something, it’s easier now for the world to check up on you. Good Deed Doers Unite!

cathieyuri: Who were you most excited to meet on sesame street?

You can’t have favorites when you’re on Sesame Street. Every man, woman, and monster is so excited to have you as their guest. The sunny day I stopped by I hung out and sang with Elmo, Big Bird, Baby Bear, Abby Cadabby, & Rosita. And though we never shared a scene, I spent most of my time with Cookie Monster at the craft services cart. Seems he enjoys vegan cookies too.

deedles24: How would you spend a Sunday morning????

That depends on whether or not it’s a day off or a show day or whether or not I’m home. Today as I type this, it happens to be a Sunday and I’m between shows in Cleveland. I’ll just tell you what surrounds my waking hours on this day. Brunch with Mom. Yes, Mom’s been out to visit for a few days, riding the bus, flirting with the band, drinking all the wine. She even signed (with sharpee) the sleeping face of our departing lighting director. We all did in fact. So we had a good laugh about that this morning.

Then, I flip thru Plenty of Time (click here to get hip to my inspiring day planner) to catch any reminders I may have penciled-in the night before. Oh yes. It’s time to update my passport! That means a new passport photo. Finally! To honor the taking of the 10-year photo, I give myself a stylin’ mustache. Mom is proud.

iamchelseaa: is Smooth-E really your assistant?

Yes, Eric Schwartz, aka Smooth-E, the suburban homeboy is my assistant. He likes wearing a charming little mini-tux and a smile to all occasions. I adopted him from a nice family in Thousand Oaks. He is a well-behaved Butler and came house-trained. More info on Eric can be found here.

klneville2004: What advice do you have for the commitment-phobes?

Assuming your talking about being in a dedicated relationship, if commitment is an issue, odds are there is something you aren’t admitting to yourself. You might have hang-ups or further adventures elsewhere that need attention first. You should talk about EVERYTHING with your partner and see how they handle the REAL truth. He or She will either support you, send you off on your journey, or you two will become even closer and realize that commitment is easy when sharing what’s on your mind. Commitment is listening. Not committing is possessive. To honor your word is to be of good service. Shying away from the truth is to carry a belly full of poison. Flush it out and let freedom ring.

whimzical22: If you can speak an entirely new & different language, what would it be and why?

Estoy trabajando en mi español para mi aventuras en Sur America pronto. Pardon mis errors.

“When I read some of the rules for speaking and writing the English language correctly, I think any fool can make a rule, and every fool will mind it.” – Henry David Thoreau

jollyjeep: Where in the world do u find all the cool links u post here and how do u find time to look?

My Answer is a haiku for JollyJeep,

Sharing the Secrets:
My Computer is Magic.
Time is a fool’s game.

Waking up, For Peace

2009-08-13T15:40:00.000-07:00

I wake up, 35 floors high. An altitude I am used to. It’s any given Thursday and the city below is Chicago. Systematically, I stretch, yawn, and stumble towards the window. I first catch my breathe on the glass, then the dirt and dust that’s obvious for a skyrise to collect. A little spider in the corner is busy repairing a wind blown web. There are lots of spiders here.

Catching my reflection, I begin to wonder what my hair would look like if my altitude had remained at sea level all year. Long and stringy perhaps, as it was before I set sail on the wind of the last recordings. Living high like this on mighty winds, community hopping, keeps me well groomed, rubbed down, on a diet of strict and simple tasks. My public life looks as easy as the breeze, what with song, a wave and a smile and all. Then I wonder what will come of me when this ends on October 10th. How far will I run? Will I ever return to this height? Will I even want to?

Tonight we will record our performance for posterity. The working title is Jason Mraz’s Beautiful Mess and it might be available to you sometime before Christmas. Whatever it is, the show footage will bit be of this day.

Last night we rehearsed the songs we play every day so the sound and light team can be in sync with us when we hit the stage. Adding cameras to a setting somehow changes the way the mind approaches the material. Everyone, especially me, was messing up. Technical issues were more prevalent. And there was no audience in the house but the cameras were already running to garner extra footage. So our energy was being broadcast to no one we could see. Creating action meant acting, which felt forced and altogether fake. Feeling like my soul was being washed away into the mysterious current of Lake Michigan, I eventually pulled the plug on the practice. Let this be a testament to what an audience brings to the occasion. Real people mean real energy.

So in looking forward to tonight, am I nervous? Heck no. I’ve never been more excited to see 5000 people in my life. I’m just wondering what I should wear for the recording.
Is this appropriate? I dunno. It has a stain on it.

12 Questions: Part 5

2009-08-10T14:21:00.000-07:00

From the Editor - before I continue with the questions I apologize to readers for not keeping up with the usual blog last week. Due to travel, tight schedules, sleeping-in and other priorities for where words go, I was unable to dive in with my usual vigor. I promise FreshnessFactorFiveThousand will return to its regularly opinionated schedule shortly. - Jason

An Unhurried Sense of Time Is In Itself a Form of Wealth
-Bonnie Friedman

Q&A: Part 5.
SarahGrace1968: I would absolutely DIE if you told me what your favorite movie was and why. What does it mean to you?

“May I be Frank” is a documentary about transformation produced and directed by my friends at Café Gratitude. It is currently hitting the film festival circuit and receiving great reviews. I had the pleasure of writing a song for the movie after seeing an early cut and I still cry, laugh, and levitate each time I view it. This film has had a powerful effect on my life and the lives of many in my family. It is easy to see a little Frank in all of us. For the full story, clips and info on where to see it and even how to get involved, click here, or log on to www.mayibefrankmovie.com

prihjones: everything cool?

Yea. Pretty much. Though I was recently diagnosed with Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (and Cobblestone Nasopharynx) – a bummer of an ailment that causes a tired, scratchy and hoarse voice with some hearing loss. So all apologies to those I don’t get to speak with in the coming weeks. The good doctor at the Voice Institute of New York has asked that I refrain from chatting and using the phone for a while as I’ve basically got one glass of voice to use per day – and with the amount of shows ahead, I’ve got to save up, rest up, and drink of that voice sparingly.

Donna (The Clogger): Do you not like to sing some songs because who they are about or what was happening in your life when you wrote them?

Song selection is the most difficult part of my afternoon when it comes to putting a show together. I start with a batch of songs that mean something to me in the present moment. Then I consider big melodies that I know people are going to want to sing along to. But I can never assume I’m going to know exactly what the collective audience is hoping for. It’s hit and miss. When I retire a song it is usually because I just grow out of it. I no longer feel like the “look at me” characters in “I’ll do anything” or “Wordplay.” Nor do I remember what I was feeling when I adapted “On Love, In Sadness” from Jenny Keene’s beautiful poem of the same name. I seldom retire a song because of who. If anything, it’s the people who inspire a song that keep that song alive for me.

tarasays: Is there an instrument that you wished you knew how to play?

The Hang Drum – while I’m completely in love with this instrument, I’m more impressed with the protective cover that I could wear as a hat.

That’s All Fine.

RosieAndNala: Who exactly is Mr. Curiosity?

Mr Curiosity is a name I assigned to my general curiousness. The song is about writer’s block and getting over it by inviting this spirited character to return to my patient mind and body. Even in the darkest and blankest of spaces, there is always plenty to write about.

abartelski: will u write a haiku about me?

To Abartelski,
This is a haiku for you.
Love, Jason Mraz

sorayabarakbah: whats the weirdest thing u have ever done while u were high?

I once wrote a haiku about writing a haiku to someone named abartelski.

CadysCorner: What exactly does the phrase "dynamo of volition" mean?

Volition is the ability to make conscious choices. It is an extraordinary gift we are given as conscious minded human beings. By my own volition I raise my hand and ask questions. By my own volition I lean in for a kiss. These are not involuntary acts like the blinking of the eye or the beat of the heart. By my own volition I remain mindful of my life-fulfilling dreams. Therefore, I’ve got the Dynamo of Volition – the freedom of choice.

CarolinaGirl21: What's the habit you're proudest of breaking?

Smoking Cigarettes.
From 18 to 28 I foolishly puffed away thinking I was looking cool and feeling great. Having been free of smoke for almost 4 years now I look back and see how my life has transformed in every aspect from my physical and emotional state to how much I now participate and feel accepted by my community. Every smoker I know dreams of quitting and says they will stop SOMEDAY. Why not get it over with right now? Stop suffocating your body with harmful poisons. As far as I know, they’re still not making cigarettes with vitamins, minerals, or anti-aging agents. If you love yourself (and for the sake of those who love you,) just walk away from it. Inspire others with your powerful demonstration of volition.

The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.
If you or someone you know wants to quit, Click here and order this book. It worked for me and about 20 other people I know.
Seriously.

neillee2008: what do you want to be remembered for?

When it's over, I want to say: all my life I was a bride married to amazement. I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.
– From “When Death Comes” By Mary Oliver

thomeg: My question a la James Lipton: If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

I hope God in her flowing robes says, "Welcome to the Castle Anthrax."

TYRA @ Blogspot: “What is the meaning of life for you?"

I am that I am.

This sentence has been repeated again and again from the wisest of sages throughout the ages. It encompasses all meaning, yet it is about accepting that there very well could be NO meaning. Quite simply, you are here and that is that for now.

You are that you are. And he is the way he is because he is the way he is. Just as your friends are the way they are because that’s the way they are.

Understanding meaning can be mind-numbing.

Meaning to life (or anything) is whatever story you make up about it. Otherwise, Life just is. And without your made up stories, Life is empty and meaningless. AND – it’s empty and meaningless that it’s empty and meaningless. Even me - especially me saying that this is empty and meaningless, is empty and meaningless. But, I digress. I am that I am. That is all. That is the only fact for me at this moment.

Just be you. Be dreamy and respond to whatever makes you happy.

I asked this same question to my step-dad, an outspoken fellow, resigned to his bliss at 73, and he basically said the same thing. “It’s when you can walk down the street and say, I AM ME, Motherfucker.”

12 Tweeters Seek 12 Answers: Part IV

2009-08-03T13:43:00.000-07:00

pi_pi ponders: What are your 5 favorite non-musical sounds?

- The Multidimensional Harmonies in a Vacuum Cleaner
- The VitaMix5200 (on Variable Speed Medium-Low)
- VCR gears slowly spinning and slurping up celluloid
- Cracking my back
- and Two Talking Cats

relkendall is a caregiver at heart and asks: what do you miss most at home when on tour?

Duh, that would be my own two fluffy lovers: Boyfriend and Girlfriend.

bringitsouthpaw wants to know: when u bet ur checking account on ur future what did u do to get started big time in music J mraaaaaz? Yousa tight mothaflucka   

Dear bringitsouthpaw, the best way to start is to start. Make realistic goals for yourself that allow you to play music or perform your skill, whatever it is you dream of doing. Create that playing music IS THE BIG TIME. You don’t need record sales or a million fans to be successful. Music is it’s own reward. I found solace in the coffee shops in San Diego. It was an actual place I could go to share my songs and celebrate music in my life while earning a few bucks on the side. Everything that’s happened since, every invite and acknowledgment is all based around the fun I created when I first walked into that café.

Remember: No one is going to hand you anything. In all businesses of the creative, you have to create it. Once you do that, others will see your passion and want to be a part of it. I promise. Just Be You.

JoshGines is keen, wondering: how did you find yourself in becoming so green and spiritual?

It doesn’t take much to see that the material side of life has an expiration date. Being Spirited is free and likely lasts forever. Being Green is also cost effective, creative and has a positive impact on the community. To me, it’s a no-brainer.

TLaf18 dreams me in transgendervision and asks: if you were a female, what would you want your name to be?

Michelle Obama or Vanessa Paradis. Both seem to lead interesting lives beside their leading males. But what’s in a name? The Kabalarians seem to think EVERYTHING. Check out their philosophical website and analyze your name, or use it to help select a baby name.

PLove143 prefers my side-projects: I love you and Bushwalla together? How did you guys meet?

  Bushwalla and I met in July of 1995 in New York City. I was on roller blades. He was making balloon animals. We were both enrolled at the same school and were both equally ambitious to drop out and entertain on the street. He got me a job painting faces in the park. I’d never painted on three year olds before so I took great pride in ruining kids’ day with my splotchy technique. It’s been nothing but yucks since then.

notmydog is boldly going: Question: 3 mos. till my first surfing lesson, and I'm old--what conditioning exercises do you recommend for a newbie? Thanks!

Step One: Don’t worry about how you’re going to look. Think about how you want to feel - which is - strong in your whole body.

You’re most certainly going to want to strengthen your shoulders, back, and core. Get yourself into a Yoga class or grab a DVD. “Yoga for Surfers” is a good one if you’re new to both. Get flexible and let your body know that it’s about to take on something extraordinary.

It will also help to watch some surf films, studying the logistics of the take-off and how/where to position your self on the wave. I go three months sometimes without surfing due to being on the road, and I do all of these things to stay in shape for the next paddle out.

Maybe I’ll see you out there.

flake86 shouldn’t try this at home: what five things are you glad you tried?

1. This gig. It wasn’t promised. I just tried it.

2. Kissing a man. It’s the only way to know.

3. Juggling 5 balls. That shit is hard. But I’m working on it.

4. I once drove straight from San Diego to Mechanicsville without stopping. 45 hours without sleep. It was the only way I could get home in time for the holidays since I didn’t have the means or money to fly back then. My record for no sleep is 4 days. What a truly weird experience that is. I won’t lie. You lose a part of yourself when you push it like that. But I’m glad I tried it. I spent one afternoon staring into a mirror, deep inside the blankness of my pupils until the rest of my reflection disappeared. My thesis being about how reality is actually based on what we think it is. Our thoughts make life what it is. Think otherwise, see otherwise, and it will all go away.

5. Vitamineral Green! Which reminds me; my brother sent me this message the other day talking about the magical green stuff. Check it.

“...it turns out the superfood smoothies make an awesome counter-top cleaner. I was putting cherries in my smoothie this morning and as it turns out cherries are very messy and I got red cherry juice all over the counter which stains it immediately, usually I have to use a very harsh abrasive like Comet to get stuff like that off the counter. Well, through juggling a 3 year old child and my phone ringing I spilled part of my shake on the counter...upon wiping my shake up with only a paper towel, the cherry stains were all gone..so though a complete accident I have found yet another amazing use for this wonderful concoction. Not to say i'm going to clean my house with my breakfast, but it was pretty cool that this totally organic material had the power of one of the harshest cleaners on the market.”

goodfairyofny is hungry: If you were a flavor, what would you taste like?

If I had a choice, I would choose to be an alluring combination of Baby Powder, Pumpkin Pie, Lavender, Cucumber and good old fashioned Good and Plenty. A recent study suggests those scents get women into bed. Full story here.

macrow03 is in for a treat: What is your favorite dish made by Tricia? Would you share a recipe?

Hell Yes! Behold, Tricia’s Delicious and Nutritious Kick Ass Kale Salad

2 heads of kale
1/4 cup sesame oil
3T olive oil
1/4 cup Nama-Shoyu, Tamari, or Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar
3-10 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup sesame seeds or hemp seeds

She adds:
“I am bad with measurements and do it mostly to taste, so you may need a little more Nama-Shoyu for a saltier taste and use as much garlic as you wish…

…Wash kale and break it into bite size pieces. Place dry kale in a large bowl and add oils. Now this is the most important part! Massage the oils into the kale. You will see the kale breaking down. Do this for at least a full minute. Then, add the Nama-Shoyu and massage again. Then toss in garlic and seeds. Mix it all up. It is ready to be served. Although, it sometimes tastes better on its second day!

…Enjoy! People even have been known to use this on their non-raw tacos and burgers. I love it with Mary's crackers and sunflower seed cheese.”

workNprogress88 points and shoots: What does the symbol on your Be Love tattoo mean?

The Circle represents the Whole. The triangle, perfection, is made of equal parts Mind, Body, and Soul. Therefore, the symbol is there to inspire “Being Whole in Mind, Body, and Soul.” I strive to do something each day to satisfy each side of the triangle, such as yoga, writing, running, singing, shaking my ass, or simply sending love to someone. There is also space to consider outside of the circle, that which is none of what’s represented as or inside the symbol. I am inspired to feel, see, and believe I am a part of all and none of it simultaneously.

Random note: I love the word simultaneously. It includes all the vowels, even Y.

alandis2 shoots and scores: (it may be morbid but an interesting question all the same) what song would you want played at your funeral?

Puccini's “O Mio Babbino Caro” from Gianni Schicchi – Performed by Maria Callas, Philharmonia Orchestra & Tullio Serafin. Whenever hear it, I imagine it sung by my one true love, a siren, somewhere over the curve of the earth, and all loneliness is erased by the love I feel in this beautiful song.

Looking Up

2009-08-02T22:10:00.000-07:00

Sunday night
Things are looking up
Though the smile I wear heavy
Is just the art of the deadpan
Don’t let it fool you
I’m still as grateful as ever
Grounding into the soles of my feet
Strengthening my roots
Becoming the tree I’m meant to be
Looking up
Reaching for the sky with my eyes
Touching the sun with my tongue tip
Marking the clouds with my fingerprints
Calling stars what they are
Explosions in the sky
Enjoying this flash of success
In time for another wonderful moment

-jason

(Polaroid Courtesy of Jessica Schroeder)
Digital shots captured on various flights this year
The song stuck in my head is courtesy of Gregory Page,
Click here to buy, "And I Look Up"
Possibly my favorite album of all time.

You Are Worthy! UPDATE.

2009-07-27T21:37:00.000-07:00

The Gratitude Café Tour is Looking for Volunteers!

The whole point of the Gratitude Café Tour is to strengthen community everywhere we go. We’re looking for conscious minded individuals willing to share their lives with others, to come work and play with us, serving up Gratitude in one of our Gratitude Tents throughout the venue.

Spend the day with us preparing for ten thousand visitors, playing our game, and spreading the positive power of Gratitude to all. There’s never been an easier way to be of extraordinary service to your community! Not to mention, you’ll get in for free, probably hear/see some of soundcheck as well as catch some of the big show that night.

If you’re serious about playing, sweating, spreading love, and volunteering, write to us, and tell us what inspires you and what it is you love about your community. And tell us: How does Love express as You in the world?

Send your answers, along with the city and show date you'd be grateful to support to:

GratitudeCafeVolunteer@gmail.com

PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR PHONE NUMBER!!!

We're excited about the possibility of working with you soon.
In Joy,

Jason Mraz & Alysse Fischer

The Further Adventures of: 12 Answers to 12 Tweeters' Questions: In Bold Type

2009-07-27T09:32:00.000-07:00

jose_martinez asks: What artists would you be interested in pursuing duets with?

Tori Amos is checked-in to the same hotel here in Atlanta. I’m pretty sure she’s next door to my room. I can hear her warming-up, bellowing like a siren through the scales. I’ll wait here naked hoping she comes knocking and needs to borrow some butter.

DanielvdW strikes a chord with: What guitar are you using most of the time? Which on do you prefer on stage?

Since 2001 I’ve been lucky enough to play Taylor Guitars. I have a 714, a 612, a rare J-15, and many Classical guitars – their NS-series: 52’s and 72’s with cutaways. My primary guitar for the show is the NS-72ce. I have named it “Freshness.”

Despite Taylor’s A-list clientele, massive distribution and worldwide outreach, they are still a family company based in San Diego, California. They back each instrument and truly do care for the artists, players and pickers. I love my Taylor Team.

I also play an Ukulele and Electric Guitar made by Andy Powers’ Instruments. Andy has a gift for crafting an instrument specifically for a player’s style and interest. He’s also a soulful surfing buddy. Click here to check out his website. Even if you’re not a player, you’ll trip over the artistry of his inlays! He makes museum quality instruments.

jean_derby wonders: What is your favorite yoga pose?

It isn’t obvious? I’d rather be in Savasana.

Kazumizatkin has concerns about my health: Is there a tale to tell about the scar in your right cheek?

While my nutritionist tells me to get at least 15 minutes of unprotected sunlight everyday for pure Vitamin D to reduce the risk of skin cancer, it is also important to wear sunscreen during the remaining 11 hours and 45 approximate minutes of sunlight. The portion removed from my face two years ago is a testament to the sun’s powerful ray.

familiargleam: If you were to meet your ten-year-old self, what would you tell him?

You can do anything your heart dreams of doing. Living your life doing something you love is to have a life free of having to work. And wherever it is your dreams are calling you to, take your time and arrive safely… My Dad told me those things and I’m thankful for that. A father’s words are a son’s inheritance.

justmyfish wants to crossbreed my clone and asks: Would you rather be a cloud or a bird a lion or lamb?

Wow. Each sounds like a lovely and unique thing to be in the food chain, but I prefer to be all four at once. You actually guessed my favorite creature on the planet, the Bliound, made of equal parts cloud, bird, lion and lamb. This lovable zenimal lives peacefully on the nose of a surfboard and eats wild blue-green algae.

RozzPetals is welcome in my kitchen: Have you ever attempted to make a smoothie out of your avocados?

I thought it was mandatory. Avocados are a must in any smoothie. It doesn’t take much to change the flavor of an avocado. Whether you’re adding Chocolate, Honey, Bananas, Milk, Juice, etc – most other flavors are going to dominate over the lowly avocado. BUT, the benefits are apparent in oil, texture and nutritional awesomeness. And as the smoothie thickens, so does the plot.

essiesnagra asks: where do you get your shirts?

I’ve been supporting Blend Apparel for three years since I first discovered the amazing shirts in my roommates mind. I am happily enrolled in the company so that the world now has access to the messages printed on awesomely soft shirts that are a blend of organic cotton and sustainable bamboo. Working with this company has also taught me ways to improve our very own Mraz T-Shirts, making them all 100% organic!

jess_belgium is on a quest: If you had to advise us only one book to read and change our life, which one would it be?

Yikes, this is a tough one. Each of us has such a different taste and attention span when it comes to reading. The most unique book I’ve ever read actually requires you to write it. It’s called, The Artist’s Way, By Julia Cameron. If you follow the wisdom and suggestion of the book, it most definitely will change your life. By being an author of a book yourself, you’ll begin to see your dream life unfold before you on paper. Your inner dialogue will change drastically from fearful questioner to powerful storyteller. Realizing that your life is in constant flux, happening at every moment, you’ll discover that you have what it takes to rewrite your life’s story at any given moment.

rastamooni goes for it: my ? is the following : what would Jason do , if he could be a girl for one day?

I guess I would have to kiss Katy Perry. After that I’d start working on my album of cover songs. I have a dream of making a record of songs originally written, recorded or made famous by women. I’d call it Cover Girls! Such songs would include: Caught a Lite Sneeze by Tori Amos, All is Full of Love by Bjork, and Tammy Wynette's lengendary Stand By Your Man.

freespiritlove flatters and asks: Since you're a brilliant scat singer yourself, what JAZZ vocalist has influenced you or impressed you the MOST?

Thanks for that. The first thing I ever tripped over was Ella Fitzgerald’s “Air Mail Special.” It’s 3 minutes of story-telling scat; somewhat manic and improvisational though the band sounds like they know where she’s headed. I was impressed by how much she sounded like a horn. From there I fell in love with horn players. I too wanted to mimic the colorful brass. John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Sonny Stitt were just some of the players that caught my ear. Then came the voices of Mel Torme, Chet Baker, and Shooby Taylor. Each had their sexy or jaunty delivery, which inspires me to cast out, explore and create my own.

fondofhats is looking for love: Would you be so kind to share an inspiring, motivating quote with me? I'm in need of a good one & you're the man to go to.

For me, when I need motivation, it often means I’ve been putting something off and the time has come to get it done. To do that, I know I’ll have to lean into the discomfort somewhere. Here’s a powerful quote that expresses just that.

“Feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, anger, jealousy, and fear, Instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we are holding back…

…Usually, we think that brave people have no fear. The truth is that they are intimate with fear.” - Pema Chodron

A Day Out of Time

2009-07-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

Something Interesting about July 25th.

Today is the 365th day of the 13 moon calendar, a Mayan system that measures the years in thirteen months of 28 days each: a perpetual calendar of 52 perfect weeks, with a total of 364 days. The 365th Day, the “Day Out Of Time,” is not a day of the week or a month at all, but truly a day out of time. This day of artistic celebration is an opportunity to cancel debts, to pardon and forgive, and to celebrate life, purification, community, love, and universal forgiveness of all beings.

- Excerpt from my creative day planner, “Plenty of Time” by Terces Engelhart

And what a great day to start the tour. I pardon and forgive the pouring rain for washing us off the lawn. I love my community for sticking it out.

This is what my day looks like sketched out in this inspiring planner. although, i should add: Post Blog at 8pm.

So... On this Day Out of Time:
Who can you forgive today?
And what would you like to be forgiven for?

...On Being Love

2009-07-24T18:09:00.000-07:00

Cult :n – 1. a person, philosophy, or activity regarded with extreme admiration; 2. an informal and transient belief system regarded by others as misguided or unorthodox.

To me, that sounds like a group of people whose shared beliefs and practices identify the particular place, class, or time to which they belong, which is the definition of the word, Culture, also credited for the enlightenment and sophistication acquired through education and exposure to the arts.

In Summation: Cult = Culture = Totally Awesome.

Throughout my travels I’ve used every resource imaginable to inspire my journey. As a kid I grew up thanking Jesus for food and protective sleep. At various times I enrolled in the Baptist Church and went on many summer vacations with devout families and their loving children. In my late teens I started experimenting, first with alcohol and tobacco (the REAL gateway drugs) and then with sex, pills, pot, Hunter S. Thompson, and the Church of Scientology. I took one of L. Ron Hubbard’s life-improvement courses in effort to better organize my daily routine and it worked for me. I cleaned myself up, got a job, and started believing in my own dreams. At 18 I worked at a bookstore dog-ear-alphabetizing New Age books which opened even more doors to fantastic realms of new thought, metaphysics, and astrology. Every door offered new insight and a wicked perspective, therefore I doubt I’ll ever settle on one single brand of philosophy. As a writer especially, I find it’s important to practice this kind of cafeteria-religion, picking and choosing the ingredients that best suit my adventurous diet.

These days I draw Runes. I carry a lunar calendar and monitor planetary transits. I read from a daily spiritual diary written by a beloved Hindu Swami. Some days I pray to God, other days I feel I AM God. The Buddha in me believes in no God at all, while the romantic in me begs to find purpose in everything. Between tours I sign up to sit with Shamans and drink their natural medicine. I practice Yoga of many varieties. I love science and surfing, embracing the mysteries of the sky and the seas. I love believing in a soul mate, even though sometimes I feel I have no soul to share. But other times I feel my soul IS the entire universe already being absorbed by all. From that vast and expansive galaxy view, to be human is to be in a cult. So I can be in yours too if you’ll have me.

To say something is a cult (negatively) is just another story you’re telling yourself in order to protect what you already know; to save what makes you feel safe. To call someone else’s interests a Cult is to make them wrong and you right; to keep you separate from them. A Cult is formed around what’s being worshipped. Being a Baltimore Orioles Fan is a Cult. Having a certain fandom for vampire movies makes you part of a Cult. The underground success of “I’m Yours” was even garnered as a Cult phenomenon. So it isn’t always bad. But it is separate.

The next time you don’t understand someone’s style, language, or way of being, I invite you to pause and be grateful for having eyes and ears to see and hear them. Then take a moment to celebrate their interests the way you would hope they celebrate yours. You don’t have to share their beliefs to be genuinely stoked for them. The world is a party waiting to happen. All you have to do is shout Surprise and give them some applause for doing their best with what they’ve been given.

I am grateful to have traveled far and wide, living high and low. I’ve crawled across North America many times by car, van, and bus. I’ve seen it all connect from the Atlantic to the Pacific by air. I’ve portrayed the Zig-Zag man over Europe and Asia, jumping rails, tunneling under channels and mountains, hovering past castles, temples, and cathedrals. Harbors in Sydney, Honk Kong, New York, and San Francisco have all held-up my welling heart. Manmade and natural bridges have yet to collapse under my tracks. Authors of memoirs are my pioneers, granting me permission to live this peripatetic lifestyle. Authors of fiction, fantasy, and spirit have become my companions, my teachers, my remedies for lonely. And there are other seekers, other journeymen whose paths cross my own, leaving a profound impression on me - And if not forever, then certainly for specific legs of our long walk through life.

Toca Rivera is one of those people. His beautiful voice, wheezy laugh, loving spirit and colorful costume always leave me feeling like I’m sitting at the base of a Mythical Totem pole, listening to stories about past generations, being passed a preverbal torch – sometimes literally.

Billy Galewood, aka Bushwalla, is another one of those people. He and I shared a space in college, realizing a similar dream and sponsoring the other in a wild, no promises ride. If I ever had to choose a musical influence, he would be it. His spontaneity and capacity for giving is greater than any wattage put out by the biggest boom-box imaginable. Also, he spits fire.

I also acknowledge my manager Bill Silva for being a dream keeper, understanding true freedom, mentoring me through the business, and sitting up strong like a guru while spinning his eyes thru 500 emails a day to keep the journey open to all. He lives for artists and their world audience, and has for more than 30 inspiring years. This is NOT a picture of him, but it IS a picture of a guy named Bill Silva. It came up while searching Google Images and it suits me fine to post it on both Bills’ behalf. Nice grabble Bill.

Matthew and Terces Englehart are the founders of Café Gratitude, which is a school of transformation disguised as a raw/vegan/organic restaurant & game parlor. In addition to the flourishing nourishment of their cuisine, they’ve created a space that enhances the lives of their employees as well as their customers simply by being real, open-minded and lovingly clear with everyone. I admire them for what they take on; how they feed, nurture and source a massive community.

…Which is a perfect segue to tell you about the family tour that starts NOW.

The goal of the Gratitude Café tour is similar to that of the actual Café Gratitude in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is to wake up audiences from feeling stuck in their seats. Think of this as a metaphor for feeling stuck in a job or thinking you’re trapped in a lower class, or caught in a relationship, etc. This show is a chance to sing, dance, and steal your life back. We’re going to invite you to participate with us and everyone else in the audience, to feel the powerful role you play in a community, to lift others up with your own voice. We’re going to remind you that you are indeed the most worthy expression of love, singing loudly and dreaming proudly what it is you want to create for yourself in this lifetime. (Is that too bold a claim for a pop-show?) There are also fog machines, video screens and sparkly lights to entice you too.

Today, I am grateful for every mile that wears my footprint, for the many cultures I have been exposed to, and for my many teachers who show up in many forms. I am as grateful to those who listen to me as I am for those who don’t. I am grateful to those who return my own words with harsher ones since they present me with challenges that strengthen my own beliefs, giving me reasons to lean into the discomfort, building the muscles required to “Be Love,” expanding my consciousness, ultimately extending my journey.

This week, I joined yet another Cult by having the words “Be Love” etched permanently into my forearm. I first saw the words written on the arms of many people in the Café Gratitude community, including author/founder/farmer Matthew and his extraordinary son, Ryland. To say I’m a part of their tribe is true, but I mean to include you when I say, we all are. “Be Love” is a bold declaration. It’s about choosing kindness over being right. It’s about cutting out the conditions in which you might think are required for love and going straight to the source, or rather, being the source yourself, that which is Love, unconditional.

So… Question of the moment:
What conditions are you willing to let go of today?

See you soon.
In love,
-jason

Let’s play: Name my Super Band!

2009-07-22T01:10:00.000-07:00

We’ve done this before. Use your comments to submit a silly name I can call upon when I introduce my Super Band in the grand arena of the upcoming shows. Drop in the city and/or show-date where/when you’ll be attending and listen out for your creation. I’ll do my best to keep a tight list of your nomenclimatic-selections when referring to my similarly-tight, uber-suave, and undoubtedly-sweaty backing band. Deem us. Declare us. Do us.

I already try my damndest to come up with fresh new names on the fly but within the whimsy of show, I always fall-back on my reliable favorites; Llavese Los Manos & His Orchestra, The Wayne King Orchestra, Rascas Cielos Y Los Chanchos, and/or Debonair. Those names should give you a clue as to the kind of classy band we strive to be, as the band name sets the tone for all. It actually calls that band into being! Now give it up for my Super Band, Los Labios Majoros!

I think a great name for a band is The Gents. A killer band like The Gents could use the already famous logo posted on the door of every public toilet in the world, a door everyone passes thru to post advertisements of their own band. Go straight to the top. Be the band on the door, dudes! I wonder; does someone own the trademark on that little man? Anyway, if you’re just starting a band, even/especially an all-girl band, you should consider my badillion dollar idea. Love live The Gents.

In my book, a band worthy of being deemed The Gents is my friends’ from Brighton, UK. They already have a name, Two Spot Gobi, which is inspired from a kind of fish local to the region from wherest they dwell. My 3 guesses as to why Two Spot Gobi is a band named after a fish:

1. I once knocked out an entire bucket of whitebait with them. These are tiny fish, used to bait bigger ones. The Brits have resigned to eat them fried. They look like French Fries and are best eaten with fistwads of mayonnaise and pints of lager.

2. Two Spot Gobi perform their music Swimmingly.

3. It’s backwards for Ibog Tops Owt – which is probably some nerdy Star Trek Deep Space 9 reference that no one knows.

The poly-rhythmic-cello-trumpet-funkocity that is Two Spot Gobi can currently be enjoyed here in the US, with shows this week in Southern California. That’s right San Diegans! Don’t miss a chance to boogie with Brighton’s Beach Boys at the Belly Up this Friday!

Wednesday 22nd July..
Zanzibar , Los Angeles
Stage time - 10.15pm

Friday 24th July..
Belly Up , San Diego
Stage Time - 9pm

Touch here to taste their music.

Lick here to sample their Vids.

12 more Answers to 12 Twitters' Questions

2009-07-20T08:19:00.000-07:00

Jenny aka I Choose To BE Happy asks: "Who are you going to be tomorrow?"

I ask myself that a lot. What am I going to be when I grow up? On my vision board I dream I am an author, a father, a farmer, a ballroom dancer, an opera singer, and a beach-bum-barista-owner-manager of a sandy music hall in southern California.

ReneeGabriela has style concerns: Why Mr. Toca Rivera always wear sunglasses? Same reason you always wear hats?

Toca’s attention to singing is so solid that he loses the ability to blink his eyes, much less close them. Since we began our journey together in 2000, he’s worn sunglasses so as not to scare the children. As for me keeping it always tucked under a hat, I should mention that it isn’t hair under there. It’s nerve endings. Please don’t touch.

CadysCorner wants to know: What's the "phonecall check" all about in the beginning of If It Kills Me?

It’s an actual message from an area hospital I had visited a few months prior to recording the album. They were relentlessly trying to track me down to pay my medical bill since my insurance didn’t cover the barbaric procedure of stapling my ankle back together. I found it flattering to hear my name spoken by the robot woman, but also funny that the collectors would use an automaton to reach me. And while I always selected option 2, I eventually had to call the hospital and ask permission to put the message on the record. I thought the medical reference made a nice segue into a song about being wounded and/or potentially killed by lust.

halleyrad wonders: Do you ever drive down a street in your home town and try to view if like a tourist might? What would they be thinking?

I’ve only been living in San Diego for 10 years now, and the last few years especially have been spent on the road. So every time I pull into my little beach community I find myself wide-eyed, wowing at the palm trees lining Pacific Coast Highway, in awe of the ocean seen between the salty houses. Having grown up in flat, central Virginia, I’m not used to seeing green rolling hills and snowcapped mountains on the short drive inland from the beach. Being a tourist is quite possibly the best outlook you can have not matter where you are - no matter where you live. When I sign autographs, I often write – Stay Fresh. This is a reminder to not grow numb to the beauty in your own community.

I do my best to admire everything around me. I marvel at what men and women have designed and created. I aim to see everything in my sights as love. People do what they do, build what they build, and paint what they paint because they love it. Out of love they have developed a talent for what it is they do. From the guy who builds pyramids of apples in the produce section, to the guy who runs wires behind walls supplying you with electricity and Internet. Even the graceful gate of the mailman happens because he loves his family and cares to provide for them. He also knows the livelihood of many other families depends on his delivery of important checks, packages, and letters.

In every town around the world, Love happens simultaneously. You don’t have to be on holiday to send someone a postcard. Where you are is a wonderful tourist destination.

highhopehana asks: how did you meet tricia... and how did she become your "joyologist"...

Tricia originally came to us as a monitor technician courtesy of Sound Image, our phenomenal audio team behind every live show. She used to create the mix of sounds we hear onstage. More than a year ago she handed in her crew shirt and left the road to deepen her Yoga practice, learn the art of Raw Cuisine, and be free to see whatever came up for her. It wasn’t long before Tricia with the already infectious laugh REALLY exploded with Joy. The first side effect from following her heart was making incredible raw desserts in my kitchen at home. (Oh yea, we became roommates.) The food and overall energy at home was so good, I suggested to Tricia that she join us again on tour – But not doing sound. Instead, I thought it would be sweet to have her bring her delightful creations and inspirations to all. Calling her our “Joyologist” is the way we acknowledge her for the extraordinary job she’s created. Her knowledge of the road, raw food, and rowdy men, partnered with the practice of yoga and patience empowers her to bring so much peace, love, and joy to everyone in our touring community and the extended families (including you) affected by our travels.

 APOBuddha wants me to rub his belly for luck: Any plans on doing another live album?

I certainly hope so. Live albums allow us to share more authentically what it is we do with most of our time. Live recordings embrace the big room, those without walls and ceilings. They welcome thousands of participants to the session where all the songs are played only ONCE! Audiences and great halls bring something out in a performer that a studio or its patient engineer simply can’t. I would love to take a picture of this current tour to hear how the songs have grown since we recorded them nearly two years ago. And I’d love for us to be able to share this audio-keepsake-a-la-musical-time-capsule with our grandchildren someday in remembrance of our 22-month musical journey around the world. (I do hope Atlantic Records is hearing this.)

Lushtful has concerns about my finances: How much did you put down when you bet your whole checking account?

March, 1999. Farmville, Virginia. I was in college; one of those periods where all you can do is look at your 18 dollars thru the glass of an ATM screen because it’s too small to withdraw. I applied for extra money in my student loan so I could buy food and gas after tuition was paid. I told the bank that I didn’t want a job. I only wanted to focus on my studies. They bought it, and I was rewarded $1700.00. The very same day I received that check I cashed it in, closed my account, and starting driving to California. This is the only job I’ve had since then. It was a good bet.

wilko777 is in a debacle with: What's more important, the melody or the message?

Well… obviously they are both crucial and need to be heavily and heartily considered. If you’re stingy in either area, not giving it much thought, the song is likely to have a short life. This question of message and melody can also be applied to general conversation. The way we speak, the things we say, especially our humor or our beliefs, often flow enthusiastically, other times dry, sometimes lovingly and other times, mistakenly hurtful. We must be conscious of our message and the way we deliver it. You are responsible for how your words land in someone else’s ear.

AlleeDee is already confused, going: Who sings that little opera part in "Mr. Curiosity"?
When the mood catches me right, my inner mezzo-soprano is known to make an appearance.

Danielletx has a question about the afterlife: If you were reincarnated as any type of animal what would you want to be?

Whenever I see a house cat, I see a wise soul paying its last few pence of karmic debt. The domestic cat is a soul emerged to love, lying grateful in a sun filled window, worshipped by humans. If I’m due back on earth for another round, I want to be free of clothes and sleep 18 hours a day.

Cybercutie can’t hold it any longer: What does your "Beginner" tattoo mean?

When I started surfing, I had to let go of the fact that I wasn’t going to look as cool as everyone else - that I wasn’t going to catch every wave, and if I did, it wasn’t going to be graceful. I found myself paddling-out next to pros wishing I were wearing a sign that said “beginner” just so they would know that I was cool being at this level. I began to notice that beginners had more fun anyway. They don’t get uptight when someone else scores the wave, nor do they know the conditions well enough to say it’s a good or bad day for waves; therefore, Beginners love regardless of condition, or shall I say, Beginners Love UNCONDITIONALLY. In Zen it is said, The Beginner’s mind a great place to come from. Getting the tattoo was my way of seriously adopting this motto for the rest of my life to be applied to all subjects. It also gave me the label I love to wear when paddling-out next to the pros. In time I’ll find my grace and serious face in the water, but until then, I’ll be the humble beginner just happy to be wet.

From lindsaygee: I am 28. hard age. what worries you the most about your own life; not the world; not the environment. what keeps you up @ night.

I often ask myself: Am I doing enough? What contributions have I made today? If my list is short I will get out of bed and start typing something - often a letter or a journal entry, as if my own journal will someday amount to something (which it usually does, allowing me sort out the garbage from the recycling in my head.) Otherwise, I waste little energy on worry. What’s there to be anxious about? Missing a flight or not making a phone payment can be an inconvenience, just as someone you know getting sick or even dying can be very unfortunate. But Worry is what happens when you take those misfortunes on and think you have control over them. You tell yourself that you are responsible in some way for these situations. Or worse, you’ve decided if the outcome isn’t pleasant, there could be even more trouble for yourself and others.

Worry is a story you tell yourself and nothing more. Sometimes we do it to over-express our care in a matter. Other times we’re looking for sympathy. We’ll even go so far as to tell all about our worries in hopes that someone else will share the responsibility with us. There are plenty of reasons we create for Worry to creep its little head in.

But the real fact is, you are responsible for nothing to begin with.

Let’s say you send some love to someone, but they don’t reciprocate the way you expected. That’s nothing to worry about. It doesn’t mean they don’t love you. Besides, if they don’t, why worry about that? If that mattered, you’d be creating that as a condition for having love in your life. Unconditional love is what we practiced when we came into this world in the first place – so it’s best we get back to being that.

Our economy-based society doesn’t make it easy for us to live worry-free lives. Somewhere between the ages of 6 and 16 we pick up all kinds of story and baggage that sit with us our whole lives. Is my job a cool job? Are my clothes cool or appropriate for this place? Do I read the right books? Do I hang with the right crowd? Whatever the answer, it’s just one interpretation of how you THINK life should be. There’s nothing in this Universe that can support the way something SHOULD be other than the honesty and your joyous reaction to it being whole.

Life itself is empty and meaningless. Truly. It’s you who give meaning to something. The world you see before you is entirely defined by your interpretation of it. Otherwise, life just is.

Some people don’t care for sports. They see the game as meaningless. Others see it as the most important activity on the planet. Some people really love fancy cars while others can go their whole lives not caring what kind of box they’re transported around in. You see what I’m saying? Go easy on yourself. Love yourself at 28. Tell the world that it is a peaceful and playful age, not a hard one, and watch it transform around you.

You’ve asked a very serious question and hopefully this brief answer shines some light on the power you have to create endless, beautiful possibility for yourself. Nothing is wrong in your world unless you tell yourself it is wrong. There are no wrong questions. There are no wrong answers.

There is only Love. Everything else is our resistance to it. -Terces Englehart

Namaste.

Re:Evolution

2009-07-18T22:54:00.000-07:00

I knew it wouldn’t take long for Twittering to come around. As the novelty of celebrity access wears off, communities emerge using this technology as a powerful tool for making meaningful connections. The more we show-up as our true selves, in any network, the more we inspire others to do the same. Add this to a worldwide reach with a lightning-fast connection speed, and welcome greater experiences of synchronicity for ALL.

Let’s not forget that humans are still evolving. Though our history on earth portrays us to look more like bacteria than anything else, I am grateful to be here, 6 senses enhanced, however limited that may be on a universal scale. Technology is playing a major role in our development. Some believe this mastery of technology will inspire children to be born with telepathy in a few short generations.

60,000 years ago, just as the Earth was thawing out from being its latest snowball, the human population was reduced to just 2,000 people. Somehow, in this great thawing came a dramatic shift as the human recovered remarkably with language and conceptual thinking. Roughly 30,000 years later, another shift occurred when humans figured out how to farm the soil and store food. This introduced them to an abundant lifestyle, which in turn created a heck of a lot more people. This new means of relying on agricultural also created starvation and eventually, enemies. No one wants animals eating your food supply, so if there be coyotes eating the corn, the coyotes need be killed. The same goes for other humans if they’re imposing on our land, our livelihood, our labor, etc.

Here we are 30,000 years later and we’re still jockeying for position. And while we think we’re getting comfortable and solving life’s final equations, billions of more people are on their way. Do you think there’s a tipping point? Of course there is. Something is coming that will inspire another dramatic shift. It could be quite catastrophic as in the world changing its comfortable temperature back into something barely suitable for human life (as science has indicated it does every so many thousands of years.) It is also possible the humans could miscalculate the safe keeping of any one of the thousands of nuclear weapons, changing the global environment indefinitely. It’s no accident that people are getting conscious about the environment, the food industry, going green, choosing organic, reading more into new thought and redefining the meaning of spirituality. It’s no secret that books like The Secret are best sellers these days. Humans are intuitive creatures of Earth. We are forms of life evolving and evolving, fine-tuning our conceptual thinking, going deeper inside thru science, and getting smaller and more condensed thru technology. My senses lead me to believe a shift IS happening. Obviously, it is always happening. But just in case another snowball or great flood is to follow the extreme heat I’m practicing mindfulness for Mother Earth and all of her gorgeous inhabitants. I am grateful to tour and feed atop her body. And I am grateful to have this means of expression to connect quite literally with you. Whether you receive these posts or not, they are my message in a bottle and I am uplifted every time I chuck one into the rising sea.

I find it ironic how on December 21st, 2012 the Earth will pass thru the center of our galaxy causing our magnetic fields to flip, quite possibly flipping the earth on it’s axis. I don’t think it’s anything to be alarmed about. It only happens every 30,000 years. Then again, it’s never happened with 8 billion people standing around.

Could we be nearing the next dramatic evolution of man? Why not? The Incas believed that after 2012, children would be born with telepathy. Where Homosapiens came crawling out of the ice as men of the mind – the next version could be our own children, expanding their minds on higher wavelengths, eventually declaring us The Homoluminous; men of light.

I could go on and get crazy with math, alchemy, and many versions of the Jesus story, but I actually didn’t sit down to write this tonight. But sometimes I can’t help myself as every religion I read into, every history book, and every science magazine I find in the airport leads me back to this theory. It’s a story that has the power to both motivate and induce fear. It’s the Universe’s Globe Theatre; a comedy and tragedy in a billion acts. That’s why I think the best we can do is practice kindness and of course gratitude for these great seats we’ve got.

So here’s what I really wanted to share with today’s blog-post. It’s a righteous Twitter link along with a message from a friend, Superforester Jackie.

“Not being content with the self-celebrity expose style of twittering, I opted for a different approach…

Why not tweet about the things that you are grateful for whenever it occurs to you during the course of your daily life? For me, it’s as though by announcing it to the world, I affirm it and salute it!

An easy way to start is to look and observe around you the things that make you happy and grateful. Go on and tweet your gratitude to @iamgrateful4 and see what other people are saying!”

Right on Jackie! I am grateful for your powerful choice to use Twitter as a tool to touch, move, and inspire people.

Abre Los Ojos

2009-07-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

If someone is thinking of you does that make your nose itch?
If they’re talking about you does that make your ears burn?
What about jock-itch? Or rug-burn?
What’s happening elsewhere in the universe to prompt that?

When another tour is nearing its finale, my eyes feel full, generating their own kind of static electricity. It’s a tired feeling. Focus goes in and out. I can no longer make sense of foreign road signs that I can’t make sense of anyway.

For this, I toss my contacts when tours are over. Of course it has everything to do with the lenses being exhausted, but I see it as a way of saying goodbye to the things I’ve seen. A closing ceremony to honor point B. And while two contact lenses don’t amount to much, I prefer to drop some weight from the suitcase before the long flight home. Every ounce counts when your bringing home books y besos for the best friends.

Y’know, sometimes the generosity of another can be quite overwhelming, but it is a good thing to practice receiving. Without people on the receiving end, there would be no givers. Every person is vital to the flow. A friend in need is a friend indeed. If this confuses your humble self, just say thank you and take the present without telling yourself you don’t deserve it. Society has a way of fooling you into feeling small or less-than if you find yourself at the receiving end of someone’s kindness. I have friends that hate when I pay for things. But I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for the kindness of those friends through the years; those who loaned me their cars, allowing me to sleep on their couch for years without paying rent, taking me to movies, feeding me, smoking me out, etc. These days, supporting someone else’s journey is more than my karmic duty. It is my greatest pleasure. Even if my contribution is just one meal, it uplifts me to fill the belly of another to fuel their continued travels. If we all Give what we Get then there will always be plenty for everyone to enjoy at just the right time.

These days I’m still at the gaping end of a horn-o-plenty so it’s easy to share the wealth. The goods just keep falling into my lap. But, while every gift has a good intention it’s hard to accept “stuff” when on the move. I rarely buy “things” on the road. Words and pictures make the best souvenirs for any adventure. Just press a flower into a notebook and call it a day.

Nothing could weigh more than the memory of Bailando con Barcelona, or cold-rocking our music over Madrid, transforming into a spit-sweaty mess to the tune of Olé. No trippy snowglobe could out-satisfy the stains of sold out shows in my shorts. Welcome to Spain. No gift shop required.

Check out the Story of Stuff at StoryofStuff.com. It’s an insightful presentation about how and why “stuff” is made and sold to us over and over again and why we think we need so much of it.

Keep this story in mind come shopping season. Maybe it’ll inspire you to invest your money in friends’ businesses or travels, in community arts programs, local charities, etc. Do it always in the name of those you love and let everyone live a clutter free life, light, and radiating with generosity from all sides of the practice.

Prepared, my eyes are off to Portugal to face off with perhaps the wildest audience this side of the Euphrates.

Question of the Moment:
Does your nose itch?

12 Answers to 12 Tweeters Questions

2009-07-13T04:01:00.000-07:00

From RecycleOrBurn@: Whats in the mug you’re always sipping from during concerts? Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa is oral demulcent sore throat syrup. It’s like tea, but more like molasses from the China Sea.

Better than what’s in the mug is how I have adorned it with two very special stickers. One is a snazzy headshot of Sathya Sai Baba throwing a high five. You probably know him for his most famous incense, Nag Champa. But in India, Sai Baba is a great Fakir, a holy man who uplifts and inspires, feeds and houses people for free. Some say is merely a master of sleight of hand as he often performs miracles conjuring up jewelry from thin air to give to his devotees as solid proof of God’s ability to provide for all. To many, Sai Baba is an avatar, an incarnation of God himself. His is a pretty trippy story.

The other sticker reps 2hip bikes, a homegrown bmx bike company in Santa Cruz, California founded by ron w. Ron is a pioneer of the vert-ramp and has been riding since before the sport was even acknowledged as a sport. He is one of the key philosophers and mentors that introduced me to the very life I have now. Pura Vida Ron. Stay Rad.

VivaLaCarlZ Asks: what does the line “taste these teeth please” in “Plane” mean?
If you don’t brush your teeth for a while they tend to get fuzzy like they’re wearing sweaters. “Taste these teeth” is an invitation to kiss; ergo, undress me from the sweaters…

ColbertGal5 is curious to know: How many hats do you own?
It’s taken me years to find a system to travel with more than one hat. In the past I would just wear my hat constantly to avoid it getting smooshed in my bag. But on this tour I came up with the perfect storage solution. I now keep four hats stacked upon each other in a cardboard box in my suitcase, well stuffed and padded, inside and out, with my socks and underwear. Not to pat myself on the ass or anything, but I thought that was a rather keen way of using supplies I already had to cushion the hats and keep them company. Hopefully this doesn’t make you think twice before asking if you can have my hat.

Mry13 wonders: How or why did you choose those clothes to perform "Shower me with your love" in 1991? Spell Check tells me this is how you spell Cummerbund. I do as I’m told. And in the 8th grade, I was told to wear one. A good way to know whether you have it on correctly is if you can catch crumbs in the pleats or if girls are not speaking to you.

A good question from Cocoa3C: Why did you decide to change your lyric “God Forsaken” to “God intended right?” Songs don’t have to be written in one sitting. I allow lyrics to evolve, or rather, reveal themselves naturally. The term “God Forsaken” is simply turning a phrase, but in fact the phrase means to withdraw or remove the right. A “God Intended right” is a more powerful suggestion implying that Love is meant for all by all and it gives us more of a lift when we shout it.

The_littlest@ poses a big question: hugs or kisses?
Besos.

07Kje07 wants to know: I’ve been a fan of your blog since 2007. Why did you start writing your blog? Since 2002, long before anyone ever uttered the word blog, I’ve been maintaining a journal on my website. I do so as a way of extending love beyond my capacity in music and for writing directly to my expansive family and friend-base.

Our official message board, RKOP, has an extraordinary archive of posts from days of old. I started freshnessfactorfivethousand in 2007 because blogspot offers a layout that’s familiar to read and easy to use, welcoming pictures, video and comments. FF5000 is where I post my blog first, followed by Myspace, and from there it is syndicated to every other network including Facebook and JasonMraz.com

PaulCulliFord@ is perplexed: Yeah, why don’t you do your own tweeting? Two main reasons for not twittering myself are A) I’m a blogger and B) I don’t have a personal relationship with a handheld device.

But I do choose to use Twitter as a powerful medium to inspire people and connect, just as I do with music. Tricia Huffman, our resident Joyologist (Yoga Instructor, Raw Food Chef, Life Support, Etc) is at my side every step of the tour. I ask her to post affirmations, thought provoking questions, and clever insights. She is NOT pretending to be me. She is however, the ultimate tour insider and we are all grateful for her commitment to this circus and her fondness for Tweets. Without her, we may not have a Twitter account at all. Take this answer for example. 140 characters just don’t fit into my realm of typing.

DaisyClvr is a strange girl who asks a strange question: Would you like to be kissed by 10,000 ladybugs simultaneously?
Heck Yes. That sounds much more pleasant than being kissed by 10,000 Lady GaGas.

Eckie Asks Politely: How do your band compositions come together? Do you write them or does the band figure it out? How does it work? I write and arrange most of the songs at home where I do a silly job playing the drums and bass too. Eric Hinojosa, our keyboard player lives just around the corner so he and I are known to stay up all night blazing on sounds, synths, and reverbs, which determine the required layers. Toca Rivera is our harmony finder for all the vocal parts. When I bring in the rest of the band for tour rehearsals, new rhythms are created and applied by Drummer Michael Bram and Bassist Bruce Hughes with hits and segues suggested by all, especially Grooveline (Carlos Sosa, Reggie Watkins and Fernando Castillo.) The horn section has written every one of their brass arrangements for both album and stage. Come show time, all band members are vital to the expansion of the arrangements and overall sound. Also, we do not advocate the use of backing tracks and in fact have never played along with a pre-recorded song. What you hear at a show are real guys playing real parts. I can’t speak for their clothing however. Give it up for my Super Band!

kaywynn@ says: My friend Chulo is coming to your concert on 9-16 in TX. Are you still ok with fans taping favorite song at ur concert? What about your record company?
Yes. We still encourage taping at the concerts. This is a tradition I’ll never turn my back on. I grew up listening to Bob Dylan, Grateful Dead and DMB bootlegs among others. Thru this art form I get to sit-in on extended jams with special guests, hear the banter between songs, all from many concerts I wasn’t even alive for. I’d like to think that a recording of our show in TX could be heard seven generations from now in Chulo’s Great-great-great-grandson’s flying car.

MintsOnPillows@ dives in with: Whats the deepest philosophical belief that’s helped you the most?
Row, Row, Row your Boat
Gently, down the stream
Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily
Life is But a Dream

...If you missed the philosophy in that, I encourage you to slow your boat and read it again.

Thanks for the inquiries. We'll take more questions on Twitter this Friday for more answers next Monday. Meanwhile, answer this one for yourself:

Who are you grateful for?

Easy Being Green

2009-07-10T15:06:00.000-07:00

To some, breakfast is just a Poptart. That’s a plastic food product and an American English term for Danish. To the Danish people, a Danish is called Vienerbrod, which actually translates into Bread from Vienna, a city in an entirely different country. In France they call it a croissant, also known as coffee and a cigarette. While an English breakfast consist of baked beans and blood sausage or is sometimes just a tea referred to as English Breakfast. The guys in our crew think breakfast comes in a Red Bull can. But then again, some people eat nothing at all. and I marvel at this.

When you wake up, you have an extraordinary opportunity to put something powerful inside of you that will energize, nourish and sustain your being for the whole day. Ordinary breakfasts don’t usually cut it. The body spends an exhausting amount of time digesting the food you eat in search of nutrients, but by the time the top coating of sugar has faded from your blood flow you’re fast asleep at your desk. I can attest from years of snoozing thru first and second period in high school and college.

Therefore, I would like to take this time to formally apologize to Ms. Lohr. My failing was caused not by you or your boring algebra course after all. It was indeed the Frosted Flakes. For this, Tony and I are very sorry.

Come to think of it, I slept thru many jobs once I got out of high school. When I worked for my dad on construction sites I would slip into the cab of the truck for a siesta. When I managed a tobacco store, I made sure the door had clanging bells that would alarm me whenever a customer came in. When I was a stock clerk at the craft store there were more than enough cardboard boxes for me to build my own private hideaway, Fort Slumber.

For years I thought I was just naturally tired, lazy, and/or disinterested in working. But I’ve proven that case wrong over the past 17 months playing and promoting the current album, We Sing We Dance We Steal Things (still available far and wide btw!)

The secret to a great day is how you start your day. And for the past year and a half I’ve avoided eating a heavy traditional breakfast. Instead, I merrily jumpstart my day with the ever-so-awesome Vitamineral Green from Healthforce Nutritionals.

One heaping scoop of this stuff in the morning provides an insane amount of goodness for the body. The powdered greens (from dehydrated plants and algae among other things) taken by itself is enough to live on. It goes straight to the blood and straight to the brain and stays with you all day. I stir mine every morning with ONE-Brand Coconut Water, but I prefer to blend it also with some Flax Oil, Freelife Goji Juice, Avocados, Maca Spice (the Peruvian Viagra) and a few dates. I even do Cayenne pepper on mornings that I want something savory. The flavor options are unlimited and there’s no way you can overdose on the stuff.

Award winning Author and Marathon Runner Haruki Murakami writes, “…(a) condition for being a gentleman would be keeping quiet about what you do to stay healthy. A gentleman shouldn’t go on and on about what he does to stay fit.”

But I’m no gentleman and I practice unconditional love, which is why I don't mind mentioning it. Perhaps Vitamineral Green can simplify your morning and amplify your days as it has mine. I constantly face the challenges of appearing in new time zones, performing late shows followed by early morning flights and repeat workdays, trying on new languages and meeting all kinds of new people that I care to be present for. Traditional breakfast doesn’t help me rise to the occasion. The delicious green shakes do.

Think about it for a second, would you rather start your day with something fattening and/or sugary that ends up around your waist or deep in your ass, or would you rather feel light and energized with a glow that people can recognize? Remember, you are what you eat.

This is not an advertisement. It’s just a friendly traveler’s tip about health and vitality. And if I can still be enjoying it on the road, you and your loved ones will certainly enjoy its benefits in your own home.

Click here for more information and order some today!

Have a great weekend!

Mmmmusic

2009-07-09T05:31:00.001-07:00

I am grateful to have music in my life. My mom was the first person to turn me on to it. She sat me at the piano, shaped my fingers to help me make sense of chords, and we would play chopsticks over and over again. My step-dad, an incredible drummer, gave me a drum kit for my 10th birthday. That gift taught me the essential rock/rap beat, a cross-stick over the hi-hat and snare while the foot slams the kick on the 1 and 3. Even if I never pursued music as a career, those few musical moments introduced me to an organized and expressive way of being that would carry over into friendships and academics, improving my attitude and overall performance at school.

I am so grateful for the many, many amazing music teachers in the public schools who kept me enrolled in the power of self-expression and group participation. I am thankful for that extraordinary study of sound and the opportunity to play when the age was most appropriate for playing.

Please support arts programs in your community, especially in the schools. At the very least, it’ll give the graffiti on the overpass some depth.

I am also thankful to Rick Alvey and everyone at Mechanicsville Music for being such a generous supplier of instruments and instruction for the Richmond and Hanover County communities in Virginia. Here's a pic of Me & Rick.

I am thankful for the music of Bushwalla, and Eric Hutchinson. I am grateful for John Gonzalez, a keyboard wizard, who turned me onto the music of G. Love & Special Sauce way back in 1994. I am grateful to G. Love and his Philadelphia Special Sauce for simmering for so long and still tastin’ oh so good.

I am grateful for K’naan for sharing his life experiences, joy and wisdom with us thru his powerful music.

I look forward to seeing all of the above at the upcoming Gratitude Café Tour, kicking off in 2 weeks! All Aboard. This circus is coming to town.

More Gratitude Posts to come. What are you Grateful for?

789…10

2009-07-08T05:29:00.000-07:00

On this, July 8th, 2009 I offer up ten things I’m grateful for today, for summer, for love, and for reasons that don’t need explaining.

1.) Beautiful Sunshine & Warm Running Water
2.) Summer Dresses. Hello legs.
3.) Freedom and ability to play music all over the world
4.) Freedom too, as in loving whomever I choose, regardless of race, religion or gender.
5.) Kittens
6.) Scooters!
7.) Café Gratitude and the question of the day.
8.) My Loving Families far and wide from Mechanicsville to San Diego.
9.) Bob Marley: Live at the Roxy (great record!)
10.) You reading this. (a great person!)

In Joy as Always,
Jason

Where mindful children trek through the wetgrass is a fine community faire.

2009-06-29T17:42:00.000-07:00

At the tent poled city of Glastonbury, (population 200,000) I witnessed only a fraction of the humble madness. Should I wake up tomorrow transformed, believing life’s purpose is a Papier-mâché balloon rising on a single candle of love’s light, I will not be surprised.

From this view I can see resonating vividly over tangled and knotty hairs, halos bright enough to sunburn. A merry many dress in a very natural way of being, neither a dusty nor a muddy one per se, but certainly in a style responsive to or inspired by dance, considerate of five plus days of bare moon on flesh, bare foot in boot, and bare back on the hillfronts. Already a memory from this height, the code of dress comes together; a patchwork where the sum of colors are the non-colors of incense. Ash. Smoke. Vibe.

Flown are flags of the festival poetics, the proud, as if to say here we are. We send ours with theirs. Happinesses postmarked. Love from the breezes. Everyone is pollinating. Everyone is seeding and sowing and singing to their green or golden fields. We pick from the best of the bands we’d love to see. We pick flowers we are grateful to eat. We pick up Lisa Hannigan. We pick of the freshest habits, higher and mightier than before. We are in communion with the healing artist. This is Home to All.

We pick up hitchhikers.

We become the hitchhikers, coasting on the fumes of music, the melodies of the minstrel near, far and farther still away. Every sound is heard suggesting that Rock and Roll for yet another year goes undisturbed.

And
May God Bless Michael Jackson, his family, and the many surviving friends and fans. His entire life was everyone’s story to follow. Let us create the ending as one of peace. He leaves behind so much music that everyone you know has at least one favorite Michael Jackson song, something that really gets them dancing or singing, forgetting all else. That’s a tremendous accomplishment. All I can say about his extraordinarily generous and gifted life is Bravo.

all aglow at glastonbury

2009-06-27T09:10:00.001-07:00

Enjoying the trip.
Stories to come.

Love from Grasstonbury,
-jason

How does sleep go again?

2009-06-24T09:12:00.000-07:00

What Sleep?
Everyday a fly day
From a plane seat into promo into show
Into another late night made new.
Cases about, bag unpacked in a way that words fall out.
And then as it is, it is past 3am and
The Scandinavian nightshade is drawn loose.
The day is long and full of light.
The day is long and I am hardly full.
On this day, I am kept alive on love alone.
Seen often as the beauty that so many wonderful souls dare share,
A light cast in hoopshine as it spins around friends,
My community of Saturns.
A light not unlike moonglow
Seen from space as a safe and familiar place.
A soft spell cast from a montage of faces.
A light like hers radiates from parted lips.
Though I have not witnessed its welcome dip in more than a month
She is burned into my mind
Better than any shape or song I could memorize.
What light!

Fondness rode the swings over Tivoli and I was elated
Sincerity slipped another sunrise into watery eyes
Train stations spit citizens back onto the streets
And I am still not asleep

Life has my attention
Undivided.

I am thankful to everyone for the enormous gifts you’ve given me.
You give me my life.

Pictured over Copenhagen,
-Jason