http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/feed/atom/ 2011-04-06T21:25:15Z Green Oasis One Mormon boy's iconoclastic quest to remix and rectify his notions of truth, mind, myth, love, life, and transcendence. Copyright 2011 WordPress http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/?p=1622 <![CDATA[Five Things]]> 2009-05-18T18:35:29Z 2009-05-18T18:35:29Z Jonathan jonathan@blakeclan.org http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/ Today, I am thankful for…

  1. … having a good woman as my partner.
  2. … music and art. My life is infinitely richer because of them.
  3. … the time I’ve had recently with my daughters. I’ve been trying to focus more on the truly important things in life, and it has paid off with immediate returns.
  4. … homemade yogurt. It’s eerily simple to make. I feel like I’ve learned a secret art.
  5. … the philosophy of fire and motion.
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http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/?p=1601 <![CDATA[Stir It Up]]> 2009-05-04T16:17:55Z 2009-05-04T16:17:55Z Jonathan jonathan@blakeclan.org http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/ I listened this morning to an NPR segment discussing Playing For Change a project featuring the music of Bob Marley and the Wailers, such as Don’t Worry, rendered by musicians around the world. These musicians never met each other. Instead, they played and sung the songs while listening to the music of the others.

In a bit of synchronicity, I watched I Am Legend last night, which revolves in its way around Marley’s music and philosophy of One Love. Marley tried to inject his message into the consciousness of the people who heard his music to cure hatred. In the movie, the protagonist recounts how two days after Marley was gunned down by men trying to stop the One Love Peace concert, he got on stage to sing anyway. When asked why, he explained that the “people that are trying to make the world worse never take a day off, why should [he]? Light up the darkness.”

I may not share Bob Marley’s trust in a God, but that’s a trivial difference between us. It shouldn’t get in the way. We share something more important. Dale McGowan defines a humanist as “somebody who thinks that people should all take care of each other, and whether there is a god or there isn’t, we should spend our time making this life and this world better.” We can all rally around our shared humanity.

So let’s get out there and stir it up.

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http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/?p=1556 <![CDATA[Feeling a Little Nasty]]> 2009-04-17T17:44:03Z 2009-04-17T17:24:26Z Jonathan jonathan@blakeclan.org http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/ You should check out the Cigarettes and Fishnets album by the Sad Salamanders. If you feel inclined, you could also buy it at CD Baby.

Or if you’re feeling a little less skanky, you could try out a couple of albums by Crete Boom: Navy and Grey and Ne’er Do well. (via Free Albums Galore)

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http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/?p=1541 <![CDATA[Five Things]]> 2009-04-13T15:20:21Z 2009-04-13T15:20:21Z Jonathan jonathan@blakeclan.org http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/ I am grateful…

  1. … for birdsong and mown grass in the morning.
  2. … for music.
  3. … to be healthy and alive.
  4. … for culture, the vehicle of human nature, wisdom, and values.
  5. … to have a place in my little family.
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http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/?p=1500 <![CDATA[NIN|JA]]> 2009-03-27T18:10:48Z 2009-03-27T18:10:48Z Jonathan jonathan@blakeclan.org http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/ NIN has released a new EP—NIN|JA—for free download.

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http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/?p=1454 <![CDATA[Thru You]]> 2009-03-14T18:36:50Z 2009-03-14T18:36:50Z Jonathan jonathan@blakeclan.org http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/ Kutiman’s must-watch remixes of unrelated YouTube videos are a vindication of the Vulcan philosophers who believe that beauty is the result of infinite diversity in infinite combinations. Call me corny, but I truly believe that we achieve great things when we learn to make our differences an asset.

Make sure to watch all eight remixes.

(via 43Folders and Nina Paley’s Blog)

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http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/?p=1176 <![CDATA[Womanizer]]> 2009-01-29T17:43:21Z 2009-01-29T17:43:21Z Jonathan jonathan@blakeclan.org http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/ Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I like Womanizer by Britney Spears even if it’s overproduced. (You can tell how closely I follow pop music by the fact that today is the first time I heard this song.)

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http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/?p=935 <![CDATA[Artsier]]> 2008-12-15T05:47:14Z 2008-12-15T05:47:14Z Jonathan jonathan@blakeclan.org http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/ Artsy by The Grouch

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http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/?p=867 <![CDATA[GOSPROM Broadway]]> 2008-11-07T20:17:42Z 2008-11-07T19:20:28Z Jonathan jonathan@blakeclan.org http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/ The free album Broadway by GOSPROM is a perfect, driving, trippy accompaniment to mindless work. (via Free Albums Galore)

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http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/?p=862 <![CDATA[Sam Stone]]> 2008-11-07T00:11:36Z 2008-11-07T00:11:36Z Jonathan jonathan@blakeclan.org http://www.blakeclan.org/jon/greenoasis/ Why have I never heard of John Prine? His song, Sam Stone, breaks my heart.

There’s also a Johnny Cash cover.

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