Reflecting on last weekend.

Last weekend was phenomenal, at least for me. I attended the tail end of Kodiak Out Loud and greatly enjoyed the what I heard. Jon Campbell's renditions were humorous and poignant. Dave Densmore read a piece that truly struck a tone with the loss any one of us has felt. I was also was able to catch our own Toby Sullivan's reading. His ability to describe an event that leads to further events is captivating and reflective of our fishing community.
Later I proceeded down to Tony's to catch the "after show". That to was great. I caught a set from our local McSkank band, (those guys are rockin'), and caught up with several folks I have not seen for far to long.
Joanna Fynn Reichhold, a poet/singer from Cordova, blew me away. Her voice and rhythm reminded me of the old Irish chanties I grew up with. Moe Bowstern's poetry was full of life and vinegar. Erin Fristad's poetry was meaningful and also rang true of the emotions in a fishing community. I loved her introduction of "I don't write happy poems". Pat Dixon's poetry was also a blessing to hear and remember.
The next day I was able to catch the end of the writers seminar that was hosted at the new refuge center. The openness of the writers and the chance to talk with them almost overcame my experience the night before. I bought some CD's and have enjoyed listening to their works ever since. In talking with these folks I was refreshed by their awe and appreciation of this island. I hope they will come again to share their talents with us.
In short: hats off to Toby Sullivan and the sponsors that made this happen. I would also reiterate one of the comments on the KoKon blog. Do not forget the "out loud" that Toby has organized every Crab Fest. It is always entertaining and sometimes thought provoking.
Later that evening I met an interesting individual, (imagine that), at Tony's. I was introduced to Ray Metcalfe. This man has a purpose, and it mostly involves holding our elected officials accountable for their actions. although I agree with his goal, I must ask one thing. To what purpose? The man who would be king, must first unseat the king.
Good luck Mr. Metcalfe you have a tough row to hoe. If you are able to bring the CBC to their knees will you be able to bring your ideals to office? I would like to think that you can do what you say, but as we both agreed that night; we must follow the dollar.
I will continue to do so. I hope you do the same.
Overall, it was a great weekend and this weekend is also full of entertainment. there is a KMXT show at the Golden Anchor, a kickin' band at the Rendezvous, and Othello is playing at the high school. So get out and enjoy!
Lastly; do a good thing this weekend, but not for yourself.
Peace
Griff

A NEW WORLD RECORD !!

It is Done! It is done!
My best friend and cancer survivor has escorted his daughter, ( and one of the brightest spots in my life), around the planet on an epic journey. Victoria White is now the youngest person to ever ski all seven continents and she did it in under a year.
Check out this amazing story at their web site and be sure to check the link to their blog. It is an amazing story.
Oh yeah,
HAPPY EASTER
Griff

The great Kodiak debate?

I just got done reading Ish' reviews on the KoKon blogspot.
Interesting stuff and sadly predictable. Somewhere near the end I actually tripped into the Charlie Brown's teacher flashback that fills all of our heads with white noise once in a while.
In short, Gabbie did well, Berkowitz & Metcalfe are very confident, even though I do not believe any Democrat can solve our problem. Just because they are in the same club as the current majority does not mean they will sway an established group of cronies that seems determined to steal the resources that provide our independence & livelihood . Never forget that it was a Dem in the oval office when IFQ's were forced down our throats. Not only that, it was a Dem from Arkansas, the same state that the corporate fishery raider Tyson is from.(check and see how much of their fleet got IFQ's).
Don Young sounded as I expected. I give him credit for not actually saying " I am The Don for crying out loud", but I sure could hear it in his voice. Face it Don, it's time to move on, before you are asked to.
The vocal sparring between Gabbie and Don was actually that. Sparring, where every one gets some exercise and no one actually gets hurt. Only in politics can you witness two people disagree, discuss it, and walkaway having actually said nothing and still feel like they won.
I want to thank Diane Benson for professing her love for our state so well. I also love this state, but I am not sure it is a strong enough pogrom to base a campaign on. you scared The Don a little last election so I know they are not taking you lightly. Good luck to you Ms. Benson and I hope Donny's boys don't play too rough.
As for the absent LT. Guv Parnell; don't give up the day job. Snubbing a fishing community at the beginning of your run could be your undoing. Perhaps some mainlander's can't grasp how much of our economy is based on this resource. I recommend you sit back and wait for the newest Palin to come. Then blaze forth in Ms. Palin's absence and show us your skills. There will always be another election to try again.
To sum it up,
The debate was as boring as the assembly meeting held the same day. Once again, an assembly member showed their lack of knowledge about a process, that; by now the entire assembly should be thoroughly familiar with. My advice to that individual would be to save embarrassing questions for work sessions and not closing remarks on public radio. Speaking of embarrassing. Where were the other two members of the lawsuit gang? That's at least two in a row now. Maybe you think that if you are on the same side as a certain, pain -in -the butt, no positive contributions, I just want my seat back, lawyer we know; you can't get ousted.
Remember, there is no honor among thieves.
Anyway, I have spun my spin, and I am spent.
Next entry will be about a group of visiting poets I met and a future king.
Do a good thing tomorrow, but not for yourself.
Peace
Griff

Happy St. Patricks day!

Wow! Where have I been, what the hell have I've been doing?
Does it matter?
The assembly has been so quiet, and I must admit that they have been fuel for my fire lately. Enough!
It is St. Patrick's day and time for celebration. I am going to celebrate the day of a great man. For those who do not know; here here are some facts.
Synopsis:
St. Patrick was not Irish. He was a captured Brit slave who escaped and returned to his homeland. While he was a slave of an Irish lord he spent the majority of his youth in solitude watching over the flocks of his master. In this solitude he found strength in his belief of Jesus and the Christendom. Later; after he returned to England and became ordained, he chose to return to the land he believed needed the word of salvation.
St. Patrick became one of the greatest evangelists in history. The majority of all Christian sects will agree that he was an amazing individual who overcame a century of violence and sadness.. He was able to combine the pagan beliefs of a nation with the beliefs of the fastest growing religion in the world. In doing this he enabled an entire people to grow strong in their conviction.
In doing this he took a nation that was lost. A nation that had been oppressed and had become the storm troopers of an empire. He gave them belief in the greater good. He took the genetic melancholy and violence of a people and unified them in the belief that God is good and we will suffer no more than we can bear.
That said; I give you this.
Enjoy tomorrow; I know I will. While you celebrate the day remember.
1. St. Patrick is a saint.
2. When the dark ages arrived it was Irish monks who recorded all the scientific and medical records, thus saving civilization.
3. The Irish were the shock troops the Brit's sent in first. Including the settling of our great nation.
4. Irish music is the foundation of all our country music. It also is the driving influence in our folk music and Canada's.
5. Only in America does this day result in drunken excess. In the rest of the world it is a day of somber gratitude for a man that saved a nation.
Doubt my Irish pride?
Read history. Do you feel oppressed? Do you feel the world owes you something because of the injustice served to your ancestors?
Get over it.
Put the wrongs of the past behind you and strive to prevent the real problems that face our nation. Ask hard questions, don't lay down and accept what the world serves you.
We cannot undo past wrongs. We can only choose to make sure they are not repeated.
More than one nation has shaped the world. Find strength in what your predecessors have done and build on it.
Woosh; I am spent. Tomorrow night I will have a pint and be glad to be here. I will listen to music full of sorrow and triumph. I will tell my son at least one story of triumph. Let him realize, that as we are surrounded by all the groups that claim foul and seek recompense, he has descended from a nation that persevered.
God bless the Irish and all who have an Irish heart.
Happy St Patrick's day!
Peace
Griff

Ya gotta have faith.

I have been reading again. There is so much in the media about the latest scandals that I am, at times, overwhelmed.
I will choose the latest headline grabber, our own local Russian Orthodox church.
Ok, there are problems in the church. Big surprise! Almost every religious organization in the U.S. has come under scrutiny for these same accusations.
Get over it. If you are seeking self gratification because a religious leader and his following are under media scrutiny, then I would lump you in with all the millions that slow down for car wrecks and follow media accounts of athletic icons falling from grace.
Face it; people are people. It does not matter where they work. Regardless of their fame or prestigiousness, some folks will make mistakes. Perhaps mistakes is an understatement, given the nature of some situations. However, it is in our very nature to make mistakes. We also have a unique ability to forgive.
The media will always focus on the negative. So long as it grabs the average person by their self righteous antennae, it will continue to so so.
Truth; every religious organization has fallen under this spotlight at one time or another. It is the individuals that must be judged, not the group.
If you do not believe this, think about it.
Muslims, true followers, do not blow people up. Mormons, do not advocate the forced marriage of teenage girls. The Southern Baptists do not condone the actions of a few of their misguided libidinous leaders. Catholics, school teachers, and The Boy Scouts of America do not recruit pedophiles and lecherous members. The sad fact is that certain predators are drawn towards vocations that give them access to victims.
I am not saying this is the case for the Orthodox church, I am saying that bad things happen and we must be ready for the outfall.
The very desires that drew us into the various beliefs we have has one basic tenet.
Faith, and belief in God.
Draw on that now, whether your organization is under the current spotlight, or you are a watcher on the sideline, is irrelevant.
My prayers go out to all the faithful, regardless of their religious following. Let man judge the actions of a few. God will decide in the long run.
For many years my beloved bride wondered where I drew my strength and conviction. At times it has made those close to me feel that they let me down when they chose the easy solutions, rather than the difficult. I finally came to the realization that it was never my strength that carried me through. It was my faith. God's strength; not mine, gave me perseverance. When I shared that with them, a family wide epiphany ensued. You are allowed to make mistakes, we were not meant to be perfect, we only strive towards perfection. However; that must be countered with understanding and forgiveness.
So let the media run with it's latest blood on the road stories. Draw strength in what you believe and persevere. After all, regardless of the outcome, we all answer to the same power in the end.
Maybe this will be the death nail to my little blog, maybe not.
The truth will set you free................
Peace
Griff

Special events in Camelot

I went to Camelot this weekend. What a great show! Our island is blessed with many fine performers and several excellent singers. If you get the chance, definitely catch one of the performances this weekend. My favorite part? I liked the whole show, but Guinevere's songs were masterfully performed as where the 3 enchantresses.Be prepared for a full evening though,I clocked it at about 3 hours and 20 minutes.
But what about our own little Camelot? I heard that the assembly had another special meeting last Thursday. Guess what the top topic was? If you said lawsuit; then you win.
PULEEZE! How many special and regular meetings are we going to host, just so that we can beat this horse to death? Three of the members cannot vote on this issue, nor can they discuss it in forum. That's right, as soon as they hired legal representation they forfeited those rights. Only their lawyer can speak about the case and only then in court. So hold a general election or get off the pot! If you joined the assembly to make new friends, you picked the wrong group, if you thought you could please everyone, then altruism is definitely your forte'.
I have heard that some folks want me to run, I have also heard that some folks want me to start the Recall initiative to get these crybabies off our assembly.
Well, I have spun my spin on running already and I believe that I have started the Recall process already. Public dissent is the first step. One of my goals for this little blog was to get my neighbors up and taking action. For far to long we have closed the barn door well after the cows have fled.
Maybe I will start one of those recall petitions; only I would recall the entire board. After all, then I can vote for the ones that have proved their worth, (and there are a few who do so), and add some new voices who might actually make decisions in a timely manner.
Perhaps I would add one of the characters from Camelot. Yes, I do realize that King Aurthur and his court are fictional. However; I think that any off islander reading about this lawsuit debacle, would also think our situation here so far fetched that it too was fictional.
Besides a person in character, would at the very least, act as if the populace matters, act as if democracy was important, and at least act in a civil manner.
Does this sound stranger than fiction? In our little Camelot, the truth often is.
Do the right thing; and not for yourself.
Peace,
G.