By Beauty Damned

No one should sneer or scoff. Music is the background of our lives..we play what speaks to us and thank god there are so many different artists..something for everyone. I never really listened to punk in the 80's but you Jason did and I know what it meant and still means to him. The Ramones and what they did and what they brought to the music scene was phenomonal. I think it's great that when you speak of memories of your childhood that they are happy ones. I know Ailey will speak of Otis Redding and watching her momma sing and dance in the kitchen when she gets older. Your dad has a nice site btw..

Thanks Sandy! ;o) I am very proud of my dad. I am also a huge Ramones fan to this day. Joey is considered a saint in our house. And music in general is so important I think to connecting with others and enriching your own life. I'm sure Ailey will not forget the influence that your love of music has had in her life. I can't imagine being raised by uptight folks who didn't listen to rock n' roll. Give Jason a high five next time you see him for having excellent taste in music!

I'll give him a high five but now if I could just get him to admit that Disco wasn't so bad..haha..

HEY! I LOVE DISCO and funk.

You ever listen to Bootsy Collins? Talk about a good time.

Disco BAD???

SHIT.. I love disco (even in its present guise as "techno") esp. since it appears to piss of straight dudes so much!!! :-)

Yeah..why does disco piss off straight guys? I mean if you put enuff liquor into one of those fucks they'll shake their money maker on the dance floor...Won't they? hahaha..

I think cuz they know it got its start at Gay bars for the most part Sandy..

Just a guess but they're the ones who started the whole "disco sucks" thing.. Anyway, we just renamed it ;-)

Whoa hey..stop the "Love Train" man..John Travolta wasn't gay and none of those boys in Saturday Night Fever were sissys'..haha..naw straight guys think bands like "Metallica" make them macho..but I bet you anything if you'd play a Bee Gees song to those heavey metal Gods they'd know every damn word to every song..:)

oh and my personal favorite..don't forget the lead singer of Judas Priest, one of the most freakin' rockin heavey metal bands ever was GAY...I just love throwing that up to the straight guys faces...I really do..

Nothing like a good disco party. Am I getting old or are people not appreciating disco like they were ten years ago? Though, (sorry Richard!) I really hate techno, which has morphed into "House." Yuck. So repetative and it all sounds the same. Disco has soul. House has machine.

I'm making a concious effort.

You must elaborate Geoffrey. Do tell.

If I elaborate, then I'd be breaking my concious effort to stop making fun of your family just to piss you off.

Yeah probably best to refrain. But I'm sure you could have just as much fun over at your site making fun of Swill Bill's sudden pseudo spiritualism. GAG.

Yup M.

I get your point about techno.. however many of my friends swear by it (they're heavily into "E")

And I am sooooooooooooo tempted to take a hit and dance all night. Christ, they say it's so good you end up loving your enemies... HUH??

I saw a perfectly amazing exposé on some prime time news magazing about all the negative hype around ecstasy. I'm thoroughly convinced now I'm gonna give it a "go" this summer with Neil.

Anyone have personal experience??

OH noooooooooooo! Drug talk! ;-)

Yes I have some personal experience. I don't think it's what it's cracked up to be. I would highly recommend psilocybin (commonly known as mushrooms) before E.

E tends to use all of the serotonin in your body over the course of a night, causing an intense euphoria. Naturally, that can be a problem, since it takes a couple weeks for your body to fully regenerate its supply of serotonin, and in that time it is common to be depressed or "have the blues." I personally do not think that this extended period of sadness following an intense high is worth it.

In fact, the first time I ever did E was nice until someone at the party I was at claimed to have a gun on him and declared that pain and suffering were the very root of his existence. I went home shortly thereafter and laid in bed for hours in a state of paralyzed fear and sadness about the world. Couldn't stop thinking about all the people in the world killing eachother. For weeks after, I dwelt in a nasty case of the blahs.

I am not telling you not to try it because I'm a big believer in experimentation as long as you are being as safe as possible, but just thought you might want another side of the story than just the "ooooh, it was so beautiful..." On the other hand, I have a friend who experimented with the morphine his grandmother had left in the medicine closet, and he is no longer with us. So be CAREFUL!

I personally prefer natural stimulants that grow from the earth (think cannibus, psilocybin...) as opposed to things that are concocted in labs. I don't trust synthetics as much.

Maria's drug lesson for the day.

Ah.. Thank YOU!.

I had heard about the long recovery and the 'blues' phenomenon. Given my predispositions this is helpful insight. Your recounting of laying on your bed pondering the state of the world for hours hit home... ugh.

I wish I liked cannibus better... generally makes me uncharacteristically unsocial and introverted). I adore good hashish and my friends in Italy always have a handy supply ;-)

Perhaps, after all, I'll stick the 'knowns'.

Appreciate the input M.

;o) Anytime babe.