SOS, by Straw Man Army, is a newborn, just released yesterday. There’s still an adolescent thrill in coming upon a brand new release like that, within 24 hours of coming out. It’s totally fresh. This one has only had 311 previous views on Youtube. That probably tickles me more than it should but whatever. It’s like that sometimes. Anyway, some punk rock to lead into a Saturday morning that feels otherwise nothing like punk rock. I needed this today, if for nothing else then as a reminder that punk rock is still punching straight through more than four decades after the first people said it wouldn’t last. It’s probably even more relevant than it was in the mid-70s. It’s funny that more people are listening and still, nobody is listening. Not ha-ha funny. Just ironic. Maybe ironic is the better word. Four decades deeper into denial and the warriors are still undeterred. You can’t kill the spirit that makes us human. Yes, I’m saying that the willingness to fight is what makes us human. To keep fighting no matter what. Whatever it takes and if you can’t win, just go down swinging. Just go down swinging.

Where am I today? Same place. I’m isolating. Quarantine. Today is the first day though that the symptoms are less than before. They’re not really gone and the rapid test yesterday afternoon still came up positive, but the symptoms have eased up. What’s left is some scratchiness and exhaustion. This virus requires a lot of energy. Requires is probably not the right word. This virus is ravenous though. It consumes a lot of energy. Still, it seems to be passing. We’ll take that.

Other news that seems to have slipped from the headlines after being knocked off the top of the heap by Will Smith slapping Chris Rock… My best guess at this point is that Russia is going to defeat Ukraine and occupy them permanently, insofar as anything is permanent. I don’t see any of our economic sanctions working. That could be entirely off base but it doesn’t seem to be working at all. The propaganda doesn’t seem to be working. We can’t try as we might (or rather other people can because I’m not involved) in trying to paint Russians as brutes and savages, or to hold up Ukrainians as paragons of democracy, but it’s all smoke and mirrors now. We know that democracy is an idea but not really a reality. We know that freedom is relative. We know that talk is cheap. You’re either fully in the game or you’re in the way… or worse… standing on the sidelines making a lot of noise. That’s where the popular support is now for Ukraine. Everyone is on the sidelines making noise. It’s like all the other nerds standing by an after school fight, exhorting their nerd buddy to keep fighting the bully. Hey Bro! Doing great! Keep going! Hey look at him go! He’s standing up to the meanest kid in school! Hey wow! Look at him. Glad it’s not me!

Glad it’s not me.

I don’t think most people really care about Ukraine or Ukrainians. Most people just needed something to care about and Ukraine happened to be right there next to us, suffering. Most of this is just a very crass example of virtue signaling. I’m sorry if you find that offensive, but really. What is anybody really doing? Everyone is just on the sidelines cheering and hoping Russian doesn’t turn it’s sights on them. They could be stopped if everyone truly cared, but that would require a much deeper risk, and absolutely a lot of sacrifice. Who is willing to go there? I don’t know that I am.

I needed to get that out… again. I’ve probably said it publicly already. It sounds familiar. Maybe I’ve just continued to think it. Compassion for Ukraine was just a new widget in the simulation. Or like when you’re at the grocery checkout at a big chain store and they ask you if you want to donate a dollar to hungry children. Sure, I’d love to piss straight into the wind. Thanks!

What is this space anyway? It’s not about music, is it? Maybe it’s just a space to be honest. A chance to say aloud the things that people hate me for thinking.