This reading, from a book by The Dalai Lama, concerns mental activity and what it means to have awareness. He is fascinating because his wealth of ancient learning and his interest in modern technology help him stand astride two worlds, and he is comfortable being that bridge.

I'm not a big fan of using the pity card to get loot. That, and I have a demented sense of humor.

Wow. I've become one of those people who wander the streets talking to themselves out loud.

It had better pay off by making me say something interesting eventually.

Betcha thought we'd vanished, dincha? You oughta know we can't quit this crazy business. It's in our blood. Once you've had a tast of the Big Time yer hooked, and even when yer taking yer last breath you'll check to see if the mic is on and the levels are set right....

Here is some silliness in the tradition of The Dusty Show on WFMU.org.

 

Such a big delay between new podcasts--not sure why, except people just haven't been very funny or profound lately. And that definitely includes me most of all....

Thank heavens for Tina, coming to the rescue with this story about lying to children. It has drama, repentence, and even a moral for the ages. For comparison, listen to the Dec. 2007 piece called Terrible Babysitters!

(Music by Solana from the album Shaka Island.)

Seems like some of those old-timers really knew a thing or two. Here's a dinner-table of people recalling some of the good old-timers and their good old ways. Kerosene, anyone?

(I'm Still Here by John Hartford.)

Kathy & Fred go walking on Halloween night and realize there's nothing to be scared of. Even zombies are just ordinary folks trying to get by.

(Music from Zombie Dance by The Cramps.)

Jean Parker is an independent radio journalist who lives in India. She told this great story about visiting Libya while sitting in our kitchen this summer.

File this one under "It's a big, strange world," I guess.

Okay, the title is a little misleading. This is really just some musing about the kinds of people I like to think I'm not really one of, and some thoughts to steady myself for the upcoming election, whatever the outcome.

(Music by The 747s.)

A kitchen table chat between childhood friends--Listen to realize how very very very lucky young people are when their adults regard them as real people and have real expectations of them.

Ahh, technology. Is there anything it can't improve?

Here we have some madness as our pal Rachel adds pal Jack to her list of cell phone contacts using the miracle that is "voice recognition." It turns the process of dialing someone who is sitting in the same room into something like an international incident. It also shows that New Yorkers don't back down from a fight!

My sister Nance and I got the chance to take a weekend trip together recently. During the middle of it, we were thrown back in time to another, far more fateful, trip we'd taken long ago. To this day, the mention of Rolla, Missouri sends an icy chill up our spines--for reasons you will see!

Another drum extravaganza caught live. Dude, this guy is awesome!! And the crowd is crazy!!

This is from the song Air Dry, No Heat, available only in our laundry room.

You can flop down on a sofa in a department store and wait it out, or you can go the the street and get out among 'em! Here's a clip from Chicago's Michigan Avenue.

The Going Process is a universal constant and is expressed like this: Whether you are going out for the afternoon to run errands...

or going away for one night...

or going on a week-long trip...

it's a process.

Riffin' out on the street at the bus stop. Some people are just in the flow, you know? When you're lucky enough to run into one of them, play along....

 

(With some Life courtesy of Sly Stone)

We had the pleasure to sit with this gentleman, Mr. Roberts, on a flight last spring. He is a WWII veteran who had been visiting old friends and, like us, was flying home.

 

[Musical interlude by Yes]

Taken from a recorded call with Gene Gollogly, this conversation is about the kind of practice that can help cultivate a connection with the Earth and with the part we play here. As you will hear, Gene has a warm and inviting way about him. He is president and CEO of SteinerBooks, which offers an enormous number of titles covering spirituality, education, arts, nature, health, psychology, and practically everything else. (www.steinerbooks.org) What a job!

 

In which our lovable heroes un-wholesomely wish for a global military crisis, in order to restore a bit of quiet to their personal airspace.

Destined to be this summer's first blockbuster hit, it's the hair-rinsing, spine-chingling sequel to last year's Toilet Repair Trilogy! Introducing rising star Aaron McGurk as the young youth who learns the hard way that it's not all glamour at the handle end of a toilet plunger, and that snake handling is no business for nice guys....