“The Storyteller makes no choice, soon you will not hear his voice, his job is to shed light and not to master.” — John Mayer on the day of the start of The Dead and Company summer tour. That day would be today.
This is the most humbling quote that I’ve read in a long, long time. Especially in this day and age of terrible lies and false claims.
You know what I’m saying.
If you are a Deadhead, you still miss Jerry Garcia, even though he passed almost 24 years ago. You tend to compare every replacement guitarist to him. Most do just fine. But, they ain’t Garcia. Nor, is John Mayer. But, he is a helluva a guitar player who fills his role quite admirably. He knows his role. He isn’t there to make you forget Garcia. He’s there just to keep the music from being forgotten. Or, as Garcia once hoped and said, that “The music never stops.”
So, here I am off on another tangent.
What does this have to do with the storyteller that you are reading? Pretty much everything. Especially now. In this era. Of lies. Of deceit. Of greed. The art can’t stop. As my buddy in Memphis says, “Art harder.” It may be the only thing the comes near to the truth. For all of you on the cusp. On the cusp of growing, or killing, your blog… keep going. We need your voice. We don’t need to agree. We just need to listen.
So.
Maybe it’s just this.
Listen harder.
art harder…I appreciate that…and your frothy image is wonderful…water and life…beautiful Ray…have a happy day ☺️💫 smiles hedy
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Thank you. This is why I don’t think that I can write. “Art Harder” comes from Jennifer Balink (My Memphis buddy). She wrote it early 2017, after Trump was elected, on her blog http://www.Jennyslark.com
Right now, I am completely unmotivated to take pictures.
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Well I think I’m not reading Ray I’m exhausted…I’m on a different floor plan these days 🤓😜 but I look forward to seeing Jennifer’s work…today I shared a rumi piece I am here…it’s fitting to me 🤓 sending you movitvatio.
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motivation for creating more pictures…I’ve enjoyed your flora and water ☺️💫 I’m going to sleep 😴
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Thank you. It may just be to f&$#ing hot.
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Well perhaps you can start some nudeography l met a man who does runography 😜🤓 sending cool vibes from western Canada 💨💫
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I’ll leave that to Jada Dewitt. I’ll take pictures of the newly groomed spaniel girls.
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I love Mayer’s music.
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I never have. He was too “poppy” for my taste. I like him as part of this band.
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I liked his earlier acoustic stuff. I didn’t follow his pop stuff. I am not familiar with this new stuff, so I’ll check it out.
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It happens to us all at some point. External pressures or something better maybe ? I am going insane here. Suburbia wasting my time.
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Oh. I’m just not in the mood. I’ve been doing this for coming on to 46 years in one form or another.
I have what I call my other job, but we won’t do much with that until late July.
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He is touring starting tonight — up by you — with Dead and Company. The remaining Grateful Dead members minus Phil Lesh. You’ll have to find them on YouTube since they’ve not recorded as a band. The cry from old Deadheads is “he’s not Jerry.” Well, nobody is. But, JM holds his end up very well.
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Great word of wisdom, Ray! Art is the truth that cuts through the crap! Love your interesting shot for today!
Dwight
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Thank you, Dwight. I’m feeling a little uninspired today. Your words matter. 🙂
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Your comments on art stimulated my poem for my post today! Thanks!
dwight
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I saw that. 🙄 I’m glad that I could stimulate somebody’s creativity.
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You are on the ball!
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Or, under it. 🙂
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I like what you did with the photo, it looks like a painting.
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Thank you. Mostly, I just fiddle around.
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“art harder” is fabulous! I really appreciate your words here. I’m finding a little more commonality and camaraderie in my blogging community than I’m currently experiencing in some of my long-standing friendships. So as much as I struggle with time, I’m not ready to let go of blogging. And we still listen to our vinyl Grateful Dead! The more the world spins madly, the greater I feel the need for nostalgic comforts.
Your photograph today moves to the top of my “favorites” list. It’s really beautiful!
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The art harder is really Jennifer’s words. You can find her at http://www.jennyslark.com. She’s my buddy in Memphis.
There’s a theory about online communities that basically says that we are drawn together by our interests and not proximity, which is how we usually make real world friendships. I don’t know…
Dead and Company opened their summer tour last night. The use a pay per view channel called .Nugs. The entire show was free last night. I streamed it from my i-Pad to our big screen. It brought back so many memories. I’ve listened to The Dead since at least 1969. In 1970 my sister took me to see them at the Hollywood Palladium. Three days later I was in SE Asia. Sheesh.
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Just now seeing this – whether or not you think you can write, you can, and the proof is in the connection your words have made with the folks here (and beyond). For me, the theme that connects is Listen harder, your last plea. I hear you! (No pun intended.) I really need and appreciate the encouragement to go on blogging and sharing, to be a positive voice in a tremendously challenging and sometimes discouraging time.
And oh, enjoy your memories of The Dead from the lens of your current life. What would you tell your 1970 self, if you could go back?
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What I write is self defense. And, I borrow a lot. What I really am is a magpie :Listen harder” comes from David Crosby at a Crosby, Stills and Nash concert when the audience was talking during a quiet song.
What would I tell 1970s self. About the same thing I knew back then, “If you can see the enemy, the enemy can see you.” They don’t teach you that in basic, OCS or flight school. Some old combat vet teaches you that..
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