the juniper bends as if it were listening

Weekly Recommendations, Week 4: Me Likes You Comics

2012-01-25T13:59:00.000-08:00

This week, I highly recommend that you check out Me Likes You Comics by Lauren Barnett. They are some of the funnest and funniest comics around. They are often just a single panel, with minimal artwork, but despite their simplicity, they are loaded with humor and wit and sometimes even tenderness. Most of the comics feature either talking animals or talking food, which makes them especially endearing. Lauren also has various books and things for sale, and apparently has a new book coming out soon. Seriously, if you haven't checked out this site, go there now.

Weekly Recommendations, Week 3: Greenwoman Magazine

2012-01-18T10:43:00.000-08:00

Greenwoman Magazine is on a roll, and the second issue is this week’s recommendation. Sandra has high standards for the content in her magazine, and it continues to show. The thing I like most about Greenwoman is that, unlike most glossy, mainstream magazines, there is passionate, intriguing, and stimulating content filling its pages as opposed to countless pages filled with flashy graphics and advertisements accompanying a few throwaway sentences here and there. In that way, Greenwoman is a refreshing offering in a world of sound bites and background noise.

My two favorite articles in this issue were The Garden Club and Swarm Story. The Garden Club tells of a young girl who insisted on starting a gardening club with her reluctant but eventually relenting neighbor, who to his surprise ended up cherishing the experience. Swarm Story tells of a fascinating experience that Sandra had tagging along with a couple of beekeepers on a swarm capture. Also in this issue is an intriguing article about beetles, an interesting suggestion for an alternative use for honey, a charming story about a man who raises and breeds rare turkeys (and who is a “rare breed” himself), and a whole lot more. A stand out in this issue, of course, is an eleven page mini-biography of George Washington Carver, who, as it turns out, was so much more than just “The Peanut Guy.” I would highly suggest that you get your hands on a copy of this magazine, and while you’re at it, get yourself a subscription. With momentum like this, Greenwoman Magazine is bound to keep getting better and better.

Weekly Recommendations, Week 2: Oh No, Ross and Carrie! Podcast

2012-01-12T12:57:00.000-08:00

This week's recommendation is a highly entertaining podcast called Oh No, Ross and Carrie! hosted by Ross Blocher and Carrie Poppy. The purpose of this podcast is to investigate and report on different religions, alternative medicine treatments, and paranormal/fringe science claims. Apart from just doing the research, they actually participate in the ritual, treatment, etc. in order to get a first hand experience and, as their tagline proclaims, "show up so that you don't have to." The podcast is fairly new (not even a year old yet), so the list of investigations is small so far; however, that also means that it won't take you very long to get all caught up if you're a first time listener. Religions investigated so far include Kabbalah, the Sikhs, and Mormonism. They have also had tarot readings, received acupuncture, and been hypnotised. Some of the investigations (e.g. ear candling and homeopathy) have even taken place in the studio as they're recording. They have also done a couple of interesting interviews - Brian Dalton of Mr. Diety and Roger Nygard of The Nature of Existence - and likely have more interviews in the works. Each episode, aside from being interesting and compelling, is also filled with humor and wit, and it's very likely that you'll have a hard time making it through a single episode without laughing out loud as a result of the ensuing hilarity.

Weekly Recommendations, Week 1: Thee Headcoats

2012-01-05T14:17:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if this is really going to happen, but I'm going to give it my best shot (whatever that's worth?) and see if I can't post at least one recommendation each week for the next year. This being the first week of 2012, it seems like as good a place as any to start. My recommendations could be anything really - from music to books to food to people, places, or things - mostly they will just be something that I am finding enjoyable at that particular point in time. Perhaps you will also find them enjoyable, or perhaps you won't, that part doesn't really matter too much.

This week's recommendation is arguably one of the greatest garage bands of the 80's and 90's: Thee Headcoats. Hailing from Kent, England and fronted by prolific, multi-media artist and wild man, Billy Childish, Thee Headcoats put out a slew of albums in a relatively short period of time and also birthed a number of side projects, including their all-girl counterpart, Thee Headcoatees. If you're not familiar with Billy Childish and all of his numerous projects, musical and otherwise, I would encourage you to check him out. But for now, definitely give Thee Headcoats a listen - they will rock your brains out.

"the happy genius of my household"

2011-11-20T10:30:00.001-08:00

Danse Russe
by William Carlos Williams

If when my wife is sleeping
and the baby and Kathleen
are sleeping
and the sun is a flame-white disc
in silken mists
above shining trees,--
if I in my north room
dance naked, grotesquely
before my mirror
waving my shirt round my head
and singing softly to myself:
"I am lonely, lonely.
I was born to be lonely,
I am best so!"
If I admire my arms, my face,
my shoulders, flanks, buttocks
against the yellow drawn shades,--

Who shall say I am not
the happy genius of my household?

"shout it out, shatter your lungs"

2011-09-18T14:37:00.000-07:00

I have a couple things to share with you on this rainy, September weekend.

First off, a prolific zine writer and one of my long-time pen pals, Laura-Marie (of Eric and Laura-Marie Magazine and Functionally Ill), recently started a zine review blog, which can be found at http://lauramarieszinereviews.blogspot.com/ Laura-Marie is passionate about zine publishing and the reviews she includes in her zines are always interesting to read, so I'm sure the review blog will be equally great. If you're interested in seeing your zine reviewed on her blog, email her for her mailing address at robotmad@gmail.com. She's interested in reviewing most any zine except for music zines.

The second thing you should check out is Chelsea Lincoln's interview on the Our Hen House podcast. Chelsea (another long-time pen pal) is the author of Flavor Vegan blog and was recently a speaker and panelist at the Vida Vegan Con in Portland, OR. In the interview Chelsea talks about being vegan, her activism and how activism can mean something different for different people, and fat acceptance among other things. Chelsea is extremely articulate and passionate, and the interview is fun to listen to, so check it out, okay!?

"there's a violence in everyone"

2011-09-05T10:30:00.000-07:00

After a several month long hiatus, I am back to posting zine reviews at Syndicated Zine Reviews. I didn’t mean to take such a long break. I just got a little swamped with other things. However, the zines kept piling up, and I started feeling like a jerk and a lazy bum for not getting around to writing reviews for the nice folks who were kind enough to send me their zines, so I finally decided to get on it. You should visit the site and check out all the great postings that are updated regularly (and not just by me, of course). If nothing else, it provides proof that the zine scene is still alive and well, and that all those naysayers and nincompoops that keep on saying print is dead are just dead wrong.

Additionally, I received a postcard from a zine friend a few weeks ago that is just too awesome not to share with someone, so here it is.

How cool is that?

"we should live until we die"

2011-08-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

I recently moved into an apartment in the woods. It is a small place in the lower floor of a modest house. I am not completely isolated – I have neighbors, but they are no longer just across the hall or right next door, and the nearest store (which is unfortunately Wal-Mart) is about 4 miles away. I am not a city boy by any means, but I have grown accustomed to living in town, walking distance from the post office and biking distance from pretty much anything else that I might need or want. I hate driving, but now I don’t really have a choice. It’s not that I’m complaining or anything; after all, it’s beautiful out here, and the solace and solitude are unmatched. I can play my guitar as loud as I want (as long as my landlord isn’t around), and I can listen to the insects and birds all day long rather than being inundated with car and pedestrian traffic continuously. I can walk aimlessly through the woods and spy on the deer. I even saw a chipmunk outside my window recently, plus I’ve heard owls hooting and seen bats swooping around eating mosquitoes, etc. However, there is one major drawback, my cell phone and internet access is extremely limited. I can’t get any kind of access inside my apartment, so I have to step outside to send text messages, and I don’t have a strong enough signal to reliably make phone calls, so I’ll have to go somewhere else to do that. I reluctantly purchased a smart phone just so that I could have semi-convenient access to the internet and so that I’ll at least be able to check my email regularly. Oh, and if that’s not enough, I have no TV.

Over the years I have become a chronic multi-tasker and a lover of chaos and noise. I blame it on the fact that I grew up in a family of eight kids. As you can imagine, there was always a multitude of things happening at once in my house – constant noise and endless activity. Over the years, I became very accustomed to it. So, in my adult life a typical evening often consists of the TV on but muted, the stereo blasting, and me eating dinner while surfing the internet. Sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. So, you can see why no TV and limited internet access is causing some serious reflection. What am I going to do with myself now that I have been abruptly cut off from such things?

Actually, this is a good thing. I have so many things that I have been meaning to do, but the constant technological distractions seemed to have been making it nearly impossible to get to any of it. For example: I own stacks of books, comics, and graphic novels that I have never read (and there are lots of others that I have been meaning to read), I have piles of cassette tapes and CD’s that I rarely listen to (some that I haven’t listened to in years), I have dozens of zines and magazines that I have only browsed through, I have a small collection of DVD’s that I rarely watch (some that I have never watched), and I have multiple notebooks with blank pages waiting to be filled with writing, etc. Additionally, there are so many other things that I could do to pass the time: I love radio but I rarely listen to it. I have a box full of letters awaiting replies. I haven’t made a screen print or block print in months. I have tape loops to make and songs to write and record. I have languages to learn, and I’d really like to become math-ier. I like to cook and bake but I rarely get around to it. I have exploring to do and botanizing to pursue. I can even go skateboarding once in a while.

The bottom line is that I have no reason to be bored. I have no reason to complain. In fact, I should be celebrating my freedom and giving high-fives to all the neo-luddites. Life is packed with possibilities. My current situation may not be what I am accustomed to, but that doesn’t mean it’s not ideal. I am excited for the opportunities that present themselves. With time, I am certain to become acclimated to not having the technological conveniences that I once had, and I will probably look back on this time with longing, wishing I could go back to the days where I didn’t have it so easy. Either that or this will be my first step towards unplugging myself for good. Only time will tell.

Greenwoman Magazine: A Literary Garden

2011-07-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

The long-awaited, premiere issue of Greenwoman Magazine is finally out! After a few delays, numerous headaches, and some minor miracles (you can read all about it on the blog), Sandra finally has an issue of her new magazine completed and ready for dissemination. And it's fantastic! The first thing I noticed was just how packed with writing it is. This isn't your typical mainstream magazine all bogged down with ads and filler. There is real content in this thing. Stuff you'd actually want to read. There are several columnists (myself included) covering a variety of topics including the praying mantis, book reviews, growing poppies, and what it really means to go green. Some of the main articles discuss things like eating organic food, raising chickens, and the politics of seeds and seed saving. Also included is an interview with fiction writer, Carleen Brice, and a biography of Indian plant guru, Sir Jagadis Chandra Bose. And even that's not it! Several more pages are filled with art, comics, poetry, short fiction, etc. I haven't actually read the whole thing yet, but so far my favorite is a short piece about one woman's obsession with "stealing" native plants and seeds. There is great talent all throughout this magazine thanks to Sandra's keen eyes and ears and her refusal to settle for mediocrity, which leads me to believe that it will be a big hit, especially among the crowd that is not satisfied gushing over the usual pap.
To learn more about Greenwoman Magazine visit http://www.greenwomanmagazine.com/
To order a single issue or buy a subscription, go here.
Sandra also offers an online version - the "green" version of Greenwoman Magazine - for a reasonable price.

"it's not punk rock if it's not a house show"

2011-06-04T18:25:00.000-07:00

I wrote and recorded a new song, and then I made a video. The video is a bit lame - not much going on besides staring at my feet - but it was my first time making a video, so mostly I was just testing the waters. Future videos will be much better I hope.

I also posted a couple of brand new songs on soundcloud, so check that out if you want to.
www.soundcloud.com/the-mildews

More words next time.

"with bandanas around our faces"

2011-05-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

The Mildews is my one man pop punk band, and this is my sophomore release. It's called Misery Index, and it includes 17 tracks: 15 original songs, one cover song, and a strange voice mail message. Most of these songs are pretty short, all of them are very simple, and all of them are poorly performed and recorded. This is lo-fi punk rock after all, it's not really meant to be heard outside of my apartment bedroom, but I went ahead and made it available anyway. Don't worry, I'm not going to force it on anyone. I think these songs are worth a listen or two, but perhaps I'm a bit biased. It's definitely better than the first album though. If you'd like a copy, just let me know. Send me a request by email or letter or phone, and I'll get a copy sent your way. If you'd like to donate a few bucks for materials and postage or whatever, that's cool, too. Hopefully the next time I record an album it won't be just me in my bedroom laying down tracks on a crappy 8-track, but that's just wishful thinking. Rock 'n roll.

Dan Murphy, PO Box 363, Edwardsville, IL 62025
messyelephant@hotmail.com

here is something you should know...

2011-03-29T17:40:00.001-07:00

People of earth and readers of this blog (I'm sure the latter are few in number, but the former includes everyone), this is an announcement. A brand new magazine will be surfacing later this year, and it is imperative that you be aware of it. It's called Greenwoman Magazine, and it is a welcome extension of Greenwoman Zine, a publication produced by Sandra Knauf. You can learn all about this project on the Greenwoman Magazine website. I will be a columnist for this magazine, but that shouldn't be your main reason for supporting it. In fact, the magazine is certain to be packed with interesting, entertaining, and informative content by writers, artists, and activists far better versed, invested, and talented than me. My current intention is simply to promote this magazine as a future must-read. Also, I would like to make aware the Kickstarter page which Sandra has set up for this venture, where you can be a pivotal, monetary part in the unleashing of this magazine. There are several levels of donations, each with its more than generous reward. If you are not familiar with Kickstarter, no problem. It's simply a place where folks can seek and gain funding for projects that they are currently working on. Donating is simple, especially if you have an Amazon account (although I don't think such a thing is required). I realize this post is long overdue, because the Greenwoman Kickstarter proposal has just over a month left to collect funds, but it's never too late to pitch in though, right? Like I said, Sandra is being more than generous in rewarding those who donate, so please check it out. Also, keep your eyes peeled for the unveiling of Greenwoman Magazine issue number one. I am certain that it will be a huge reprieve from the tripe and blather that is currently gracing many of the magazine racks these days. I'm definitely looking forward to it.

"all our fears fall on deaf ears"

2011-03-02T17:03:00.000-08:00

Pen pals come and go, that's just the nature of the zine world. In the nearly 14 years that I've been doing zines, I've written to and received letters from hundreds of people. Most of these folks I hear from once or twice and that's it. Others will exchange letters with me for a few months or maybe even a few years, and then they'll disappear. A small handful of pen friends have stuck with me for many years and will probably be around for years to come (they're the ones I cherish the most, of course). Who knows why some pen pals don't last or why they disappear? "Life" is probably the best answer. People get busy. Stuff gets in the way. New things come along, and we lose touch. It's no big deal, really. Like I said, it's the nature of the beast. However, there are a few that I do miss, and I often wish we could have stayed in touch. Then there is that small handful of old pen friends with particularly interesting parting stories.
One such story took place nearly a decade ago. I had a pen pal named, Nikki Atwell. She ordered zines from me and sent me mix tapes in return. Some of the songs on the mix tapes were her own that she had recorded herself. I don't think our exchanges went on for too long, and at some point I stopped hearing from her. I didn't think that much of it at the time, until many months later when I received a letter from Nikki's parents. Included in the letter was a funeral program. Apparently, Nikki had died in a car accident several months earlier, and her parents were going through her address book, sending out announcements to anyone she may have known. I guess I didn't know her too well, but I still felt like it was a major loss.
The reason I bring that story up now is because recently another one of my pen friends died. His name was Tim Scannell, and he was an older man who had been doing mail art for many years. I had only been exchanging letters with him for about 18 months. I knew of his cancer and that he was receiving home hospice care, but I was still a bit shocked to receive this letter from his wife:
It was kind of her to give me the news, even though we didn't know each other too well. Of course, all of this (along with my general preoccupation with death) made me wonder: what will happen if/when I die? Will someone send letters to my pen pals to let them know that I have passed on or will they just be left hanging, wondering why I haven't written back? It makes me think I should keep an updated address book just in case.
Another recent letter came from a pen pal who is still alive today, but who apparently won't be exchanging letters with me any longer for reasons I don't quite understand. His letters have often been a bit cryptic, and this one is no exception. Along with notifying me that he had closed his PO Box, he offered no alternate return address. Apparently, Plastic Bucket is moving on to bigger and better things. Regardless, if you're out there Mr. Bucket, please feel free to write again anytime. And as for pen friends near and far, old and new, be in touch - you know I always love hearing from you.

slightly less invisible

2011-01-17T18:22:00.000-08:00

A new issue of The Juniper is done. Would you like one? If so, I can send you one for a stamp, two quarters, a trade, or some other kind of donation. Unless I'm already planning on sending you one, then you don't need to do anything except go about your daily life like nothing happened and lo and behold a crisp, clean copy of The Juniper #14 will eventually find it's way to your mailbox, at which point you can sit in your favorite chair and read all about my guerilla gardening misadventure, my building of a rocket stove, a couple recipes I highly recommend, as well as my usual ranting and raving. Oh, there are also a few letters to the editor included along with a couple other little tidbits of the typical fare.

As per usual, you can contact me here:
Dan Murphy
PO Box 363
Edwardsville, IL 62025
USA
juniperjournal@hotmail.com

money can be sent by paypal to this address (especially if you happen to have a large sum of money you'd like to donate to the cause): messyelephant@hotmail.com

How to Build a Rocket Stove

2011-01-12T16:34:00.000-08:00

A rocket stove is a simple wood-burning stove that can be easily constructed out of inexpensive or salvaged materials. Rocket stoves are often (although not always) portable stoves. They can be used in emergencies or as alternatives to conventional stoves both at home and outdoors. The design is very basic: fuel is fed into an opening at the base of the stove, a fire burns in the center of the stove, and heat is directed to the top of the stove through a chimney, atop of which food is cooked. Rocket stoves come in all shapes and sizes and can serve many purposes. Instructions for building a rocket stove are numerous, and designs can be very simplistic or quite complicated. The rocket stove that I built was a combination of several plans, including a few innovations of my own. Thus, the instructions that follow should not be considered the rule. Feel free to make your own modifications as necessary. In my opinion, rocket stoves should be built as cheaply as possible. So, I’m sure you can do much better than I did.

Tools:
-tin snips
-drill and drill bit (of any suitable size)
-pliers
-pencil (or some kind of marking device)
-whatever else you think you might need to get the job done

Materials:
-mini-keg (aka party keg)
-4 inch stove pipe elbow
-4 inch to 3 inch stove pipe reducer
-aluminum foil or wood ash
-stove grate (or rack of some sort)

Start by removing the top of the mini-keg. This can be done by drilling a few holes in the top to give you a starting point. Then, using tin snips, cut from your starting point around the sides until the top of the mini-keg is open. This may result in jagged edges around the sides, so use pliers to press them down, otherwise you might end up cutting yourself later.
Next you will need to make a hole at the base for the air-intake and fuel feed. Since it’s a mini-keg, the ideal place to make the hole for this would be around the tap. Use the 4 inch end of the stove pipe reducer to trace a circle around the tap. Again, use the drill to make a few holes and the tin snips to cut out the circle.
Now you will need to begin insulating the inside of the stove. This can be done with aluminum foil or wood ash or some other material that doesn’t conduct heat. I used aluminum foil. First, create a good base. I did this by taking small folded up pieces of aluminum foil and pressing them down with the blunt end of an old axe handle. After you have a short base, fit the elbow through the lower hole, making sure that your chimney will be centered inside the mini-keg, then continue packing the aluminum foil around the elbow.
Eventually, the elbow should be packed in pretty tight. At this point, you will need to fit the stove pipe reducer on the end of the elbow to complete the chimney. The top of the reducer will likely be sticking out of the mini-keg, so you will need to cut it so that it’s flush. Do this by drawing a line around the stove pipe reducer (while it’s fitted on the elbow) even with the top of the mini-keg, and then use tin snips to cut off the excess pipe (you might be able to cut it off with a hacksaw as well). Once the reducer is fitted on the elbow and the chimney is flush with the top of the mini-keg, continue packing in the insulation material until you reach the top.
Now you will need to find a stove grate or a rack of some sort to place on the top of your stove so that you can steady a pot above the chimney. Luckily, I have an old gas stove in my apartment, so I just used a grate from that. Once you have a grate, you are ready to fire up your stove and cook your next meal.

The cooking process is quite simple. Feed small pieces of wood into the base of the stove and light them on fire. Place whatever you are cooking in a small pot on the rack above the chimney. Continue to fuel the fire for as long as necessary. Eventually, your meal will be ready to eat.
One thing I noticed about this design was that the inside of the stove pipe elbow didn’t really have a nice, even surface on which to place wood, so I folded up a large section of aluminum foil and used it to line the bottom of the stove pipe. It seemed to work pretty well; however, you might have an even better solution for this minor design flaw.

famous casseroles

2011-01-08T14:39:00.000-08:00

Hello there. I finished another Hot Virus mini-disc. It's part 2 (of 2) of a little noise adventure that I call Science. This one is better than the first one, I think. It consists of 7 short tracks of experimental noise melodies for your eardrums and heartbeats. I mostly used my guitar and a micro-synthesizer to make these freakouts and mellow-outs. A few other random soundbites are included. I believe it's a little over 20 minutes long, so it won't be a huge waste of your life if you listen to it once or twice. If you want a copy, send 2 or 3 bucks to the following address. If you want both parts, send 5 bucks or so. I also accept trades of things like mix CD's, mix tapes, Meow mix, etc. Write soon. Or don't.

Dan Murphy
PO Box 363
Edwardsville IL 62025
USA

paypal payments go here: messyelephant@hotmail.com

"keep it up, keep it real, and keep it punk"

2011-01-01T16:46:00.000-08:00

If 2009 was my banner year, then 2010 was my bummer year. At times it felt as if the forces of darkness were conspiring against me, dead set on destroying me. However, I realize that the outward expression of this malfeasance was mostly non-existent (except for a few obvious exceptions which I won’t go into here). The majority of the devil’s work (whatever that means) was in my head, and it was rough for a while. Luckily, during the last few weeks of the year, things started to look a bit more promising, and I started feeling a bit more hopeful. I realize that my wallowing was mostly unwarranted. I live a good life. It’s the dim future that I worry about. At least, I've convinced myself that it’s dim. I can’t really know for sure until it gets here. I mean I’m trying to build something better, it’s just that I’m not really sure how well it’s going, and I won’t really know until I’m released from the clutches of academia and spat out into the world to fend for myself. The problem is that I constantly feel like I’m flailing towards disaster, hovering on the brink of collapse, standing at the edge of destruction, marching towards the precipice of the apocalypse, biding my time until the rapture is here and there is no more comfort left. Children of a few decades ago had nuclear annihilation to fear. Children of today instead fear poverty, joblessness, and the prospects of a polluted home planet, depleted of its resources by a blind and bullheaded populace. In other words, no future (or so it seems). But I don’t really want to wear you down with all that; after all, it’s the New Year and you’re probably looking for positivity and encouragement. So, even though all years can’t be winners, here’s hoping that 2011 is. We all really need it, I’m sure. As far as New Year’s resolutions go, I don’t usually take that sort of thing too seriously, but if I have to resolve to do something than I will just say that I resolve to listen to considerable amounts of punk rock and to smash my head with my skateboard because that’s the only thing that feels sane to me right now.

"All you need is the Ramones
No one's home but I don't feel alone
When I got the Undertones"
-The Queers

"the gift of memory is an awful curse..."

2010-12-04T18:08:00.000-08:00

"...with age it just gets much worse." -Death Cab for Cutie

I have a love/hate relationship with memory. It rivals the one I have for poetry. There are times when memories can make a moment a million times better, and there are other times when they can make life considerably worse. I could be engaged in the most mundane task, such as driving in my car or sitting in a boring lecture and out of nowhere, a random memory will enter my head. It could be a good one or a bad one; I don’t usually get to decide for some reason. If it’s a good one, a smile will burst across my face and my whole body will feel lighter. The world will appear conquerable. If it’s a bad one, my heart will sink and everything will go dark. The universe will be filled with despair. Certainly, the good memories help to prop me up when I don’t seem to have anything else that will do the trick. I can think about where I was a year ago, five years ago, or even ten or fifteen, and I can see how far I’ve come while simultaneously longing for a more innocent age and time. The good times help put life in perspective, like things aren’t so bad after all. My life hasn’t been so terrible. A plethora of great memories help confirm that. But then there are the bad memories, the ones that are filled with regret and sorrow. The woulda-coulda-shouldas and the if-onlys, like if only I could have known then what I know now I would have done things completely differently. But obviously there’s nothing I can do about anything that happened in the past be it good or bad, so why does the past have to stay with me? Haunting me. Lifting me up and then stomping me back down. I don’t want to have to get rid of the good memories, but I sure wouldn’t mind forgetting the bad stuff. However, I realize that if I got rid of all memory, I wouldn’t get to have those random and spontaneous moments of elation however fleeting and unpredictable they may be. Also, bad memories often come with a lesson learned, and so they serve as a reminder never to do that again or not to be such an idiot next time or whatever the case may be. Every memory has its value and purpose, even if it’s just to distract me from the tediousness of life and help remind me either that things aren’t always as bad as they seem or that they could be demonstrably worse. There’s beauty in forgetting, but remembering can be pretty great, too. I don’t want to lose my memory completely; I just can’t decide whether to love it or hate it sometimes.

"Sufjan, Follow Your Heart"

2010-10-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

A Review of Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz

Ever since Sufjan Stevens’ release of Illinois in 2005, I have been greatly anticipating future Sufjan releases. Originally, I expected them to be continuations of his so-called 50 States Project, but looking back I think we all knew that that was just a big joke. Last year, Sufjan released The BQE, which is actually the score of a film that Sufjan wrote and directed. However, seeing how it’s just an instrumental album, I haven’t made it a priority to check it out even though I probably should. And now finally, five years after Illinois, Sufjan comes through with some new songs, first by releasing the All Delighted People EP in August and then the full-length, The Age of Adz, in October.
The Age of Adz does not disappoint. Spanning genres and layering sounds in true Sufjan style, this album is loaded with passionate storytelling, sentimental fervor, and deep emotion. This is an album I think any grown up or anyone growing up can relate to. It tells the tales of pain, regret, heartache, and sorrow; stories that seem to get harder and harder to tell sincerely in an increasingly detached and distant electronic age. In “Get Real, Get Right,” Sufjan confesses that some his struggles may be the result of straying from his God: “I know I’ve caused you trouble / I know I’ve caused you pain / But I must do the right thing / I must do myself a favor / And get real, get right with the Lord.”
“I Walked” is a quintessential break-up song, replete with lyrics like, “For when you went away / I went crazy … I ran through the night / With the knife in my chest.” “Now That I’m Older” is a song that anyone who is advancing in their adult years can relate to as they look back on the stupid things they did in their youth and how they squandered away their time: “I wasn’t older yet / I wasn’t wise I guess.” In “I Want to Be Well,” Sufjan acknowledges that “illness likes to prey upon the lonely,” and with that asserts that he would “rather be fine” and he “wants to be well.” Towards the end of the song there won’t be any question about whether or not he is serious. I think he makes it pretty clear that he is.
Musically this album is pure Sufjan Stevens with its soft to loud to soft again and its layered instrumentation and intricate orchestration. And what Sufjan album would be complete without choirs pitching in on a few of the tracks? The musical element that stands out the most though is the heavy use of electronica. Those familiar mostly with Michigan, Illinois, and Seven Swans may find the synthesizers, drum samples, and noise freakouts a bit odd or unsettling, but Sufjan masters electronic music and could easily stand side by side with any of the giants of that genre. If you need proof, just listen to “Too Much,” “The Age of Adz,” “I Walked,” “Get Real, Get Right,” “All for Myself,” and “I Want to be Well.”
Finally, The Age of Adz culminates in a 25 minute track which is a medley of five songs all lumped under the title, “Impossible Soul.” The first song features a guitar solo that could easily be found in a Wilco song. In another song, Sufjan uses Auto-Tune on his vocals, which although quite popular in mainstream rap music these days is really just gimmicky and was probably a mistake. The next song is a dance party. Finally, the track wraps up with a quiet number that seems to sum up the feeling of the entire album: Despite our countless flaws, life is better when it’s spent with those we love.

“I’m sorry if I seem self-effacing
Consumed by selfish thoughts
It’s only that I still love you deeply
It’s all the love I’ve got.”
-Sufjan Stevens “The Age of Adz”

"they think that they get it but they always get it wrong"

2010-10-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

A few random things for you to waste your time on:

I made a mix CD of pop punk songs for the (unofficial) Summer of Pop Punk which is over now but the songs live on. If you are at all interested, I will send you one. Some people are getting one whether they like it or not. It's my desperate attempt to get more people to listen to pop punk, and yes you should listen to it because it's great. Also, if nobody listens to it then it might go away. Some musical genres wouldn't be missed and we are happy to see them go. Pop punk isn't one of them. I assure you. Anyway, send a buck or something to the address listed in previous posts, or just send me a message by fast mail (messyelephant@hotmail.com).

Have you heard? The Obamination is putting solar energy on the roof of the White House. That's good news. It's funny though because Jimmy Carter had solar energy installed on the White House roof in the 1970's, then Ole Reagan had it taken down. Also, I hesitate to admit it, but George Dubya did have some solar energy installed during his term as well. He used it to heat the water in the Presidential pool.

So, MLB playoffs start tomorrow. Last year at the end of the season I made a list of teams that I'd like to see in the playoffs this year. Only two of the teams made it, the Giants and the Reds, but that's mostly because I chose three options for the wild card. Anyway, I guess I'll go ahead and make my prediction for the World Series and see how badly I fail this time. Twins vs. Phillies. I think the Phillies will win it, but I'm rooting for the Twins.

"love like ours is terrible news"

2010-09-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

This may come as terrible news to some, but I finished the fourth issue of The Family Geek a couple weeks or so ago, and it's about time I got around to telling you about it. "Issue four?"you ask, "What happened to the first three issues?" Well, I assure you that they did in fact exist all those years ago. Probably before your time. It's okay, though. They are not important. The past is the past. I have moved on to issue four, and I'm not looking back. Oddly enough, however, much of what I wrote for this issue is heavily steeped in nostalgia, complete with a large dose of longing for the things of the past, so go figure. I wrote about my discovery of punk rock and how it ruined my life for the better, my inability to play the guitar despite the fact that I insist on establishing myself as a musician, and my love of skateboarding and what it has really meant to me all these years. There's more than that, but I don't want to spoil it for you, otherwise you probably won't feel the need to shell out the dollar to order one. I'll also take trades or a nice letter. Write to me about your grandma, and I'll send you a pin as well. Send all that stuff to the following address, okay?

Dan Murphy
PO Box 363
Edwardsville IL 62025
USA

In other news, it's September, and that's when baseball really gets exciting. It's the race to the post-season. Who will come out on top? The most exciting races right now, in my opinion, are the National League Wild Card race and, of course, the Eastern Division in the American League. Please let the Rays take out the Damn Yankees! This is the only time when I would urge people to stay glued to their TV's and computer screens. Unless, of course, you don't like baseball, then I guess September is probably just another month for you, and that's okay, too.

"sometimes a party takes you places that you didn't really plan on going"

2010-08-01T16:33:00.000-07:00

As of right now, I have been in Edwardsville, IL for one whole year. It's always amazing to me how time flies. This time last year my brother and I were unpacking the moving truck, and I was settling into the apartment that would be my home for at least the next two years. Now, one year into my stay here, it seems appropriate to do some reflecting and a bit of forward-looking as well. While most days I feel like I made the right decision leaving family and friends behind and moving more than 1,600 miles across the country to go to graduate school in southern Illinois, I realize that I have spent a good deal of my time here complaining about how much I don't really like this place and how much I am looking forward to the day I get to leave. True, I am not a big fan of this place, but I have to admit that it's mostly because I miss my family and friends and because I had it so good in Idaho before I came here - it's hard to beat what I had in Moscow, and it isn't really fair to compare Edwardsville to the awesome situation I was in prior to arriving here. So with that in mind, I decided to make a list of at least 5 things that I like about being in Edwardsville, just to assure myself and others that it's really not as bad as I make it out to be sometimes.

1. St. Louis, MO. Edwardsville is about a 20-30 minute drive away from St. Louis. My visits to St. Louis have been major highlights of my time here. I love being close to a major city where there is so much to do and see and so many things going on all the time. I don't make it over there very often, but I like having it nearby. (As a side note, Edwardsville is only about 4 hours away from several other major cities including Kansas City, Chicago, Memphis, and Indianapolis. I have only made it over to Kansas City once, but it's cool to think that there are so many potentially awesome places within driving distance.)

2. Madison County Bike Trails. There are dozens of miles of bike trails that extend throughout the Edwarsdville area. While it is a bit frustrating at times that they are not more conveniently placed for commuting and running errands, they are still a lot of fun to ride on and one could easily spend several days exploring them all.

3. The Farmer's Market. Not nearly as awesome as the farmer's market in Moscow, but it's still great that they have one here. It's only a few blocks from my house, so that's nice as well.

4. The Watershed Nature Center. It's a small nature preserve in close proximity to my house. I love going there and just being around nature. In fact, I was just there earlier today for an hour and a half identifying wildflowers. I've also volunteered there several times, and the people that work there are really cool.

5. My Graduate Studies and Research. The whole reason why I came here. I like doing research, and I am excited to be working with green roofs. I've also really enjoyed all my classes and I've been learning a ton. So, if nothing else, the fact that I like graduate school makes it all worth it.

*******

On another note, have you seen the movie, Creation, yet? It's the story of Charles Darwin leading up to the publication of his ridiculously important book, On the Origin of Species, and how difficult it was for him to make the decision to publish it due to his devoutly Christian wife and the death of his firstborn daughter. The movie is really well done, and the story is pretty amazing and touching. I highly advise that everyone see this. Here's a Darwin quote from the movie:
"I am a scientist, and I dare not study for the fear of seeing more clearly what is already as plain as day to me."

"alone and lonely aren't the same thing"

2010-07-17T13:34:00.000-07:00

Today I discovered that, embarrassingly enough, when I collated the latest issue of The Juniper (#13), I had one of the pages backwards. I'm not sure how many of them went out this way, but by my estimation it was a few dozen. Sorry about that. I'm sure that anyone who read it figured it out and if nothing else found it humorous, but it's an embarrassment nonetheless. I usually try very hard to make certain that there are no mistakes. I'm kind of anal-retentive in that way. Oh well, I guess it just proves my human-ness. However, this isn't nearly as embarrassing as when I locked myself out of my apartment wearing nothing but a towel (a story for another time), so at least there's that.

"is this your celebrated summer?"

2010-07-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

I hope that your summer is going well. Mine is going okay so far. It has had its ups and downs, but I am generally a positive guy, so despite the unseen forces that insist on being in opposition to my happiness, I don't have any intention of letting them win. I'm scrappy and resilient if nothing else.
Have you been watching the soccer games? Admittedly I have only watched bits and pieces here and there, but I have enjoyed what I have seen. In fact, the excitement of soccer on the world stage spawned a noise track called "Soccer Match" which I have posted on my Hot Virus page. You should check it out if you are the least bit interested. It's replete with vuvuzelas, apparently the bane of World Cup viewers and spectators. I, for whatever reason, have found them to be quite soothing. Either way, stay in touch, becasue if you don't like this track, I will be posting several others in the coming weeks and months that will hopefully be more to your liking. (www.myspace.com/thisvirusishot)
Furthermore, I have about a dozen new Mildews songs written. I just need to find the time and the guts to record them. I would also like to acquire a bass guitar at some point so that I can flesh them out a bit, but whatever.
Happy Summer!
.......
"Do you get tired of the stupid little boys
who do not think for themselves?
'Cause I got tired of the stupid little girls
Who wear their body weight in make up.

Do you get tired of the stupid little boys?
'Cause I was never one of them
I got tired of the stupid little girls
Who spend their whole lives planning their weddings"
-Soltero

"I cannot help but want to solder all the parts..."

2010-06-10T15:45:00.001-07:00

The Gulf of Mexico near Ft. Walton Beach, Florida
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

"...solder back together all the shattered hearts." -Laura Veirs

Last summer I got to visit Florida and swim in the Gulf of Mexico. It was a major highlight of my life. It's a memory that will stick with me forever. The white sand beaches, the clear blue water, and the beautiful blue sky that seemed endless. It was some kind of paradise. I wanted to stay there forever - set up camp and never leave.

Now that the oil from BP's ruptured pipeline has reached the Florida coast, I feel a great sense of loss. The whole thing is an enormous catastrophe, but it's a little more personal now that I feel somewhat connected to the place. It will be decades, perhaps centuries, before things return to normal. Or maybe they never will. It is all so heartbreaking and wrong.

Today I was at a bird sanctuary on the banks of the Mississippi River. It's called the Riverlands Bird Sanctuary, and it's right across the river from Alton, IL. I learned that they were working with Least Teals. Their population along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers is endangered, but Riverlands has been having success lately in getting them to nest and lay eggs on a small, makeshift, floating island. We saw between 20 and 30 of them flying around, and the biologist there said that there were at least 8 nests full of eggs on the island. However, these birds spend part of their life cycle on the gulf coast. Will efforts to improve their population numbers be thwarted by this devastating oil spill? It's quite likely.

The Least Tern is only one of many animal and plant species that will be adversely affected by this catastrophe. Along with that, there are all the negative effects on humans, both economical and cultural. Certainly I don't need to be the one to tell you that this is a devastating situation. I also don't necessarily have any answers, I would just be remiss if I didn't express my remorse.

To learn more about this and other issues, visit www.foodandwaterwatch.org or some other reputable site or source. If nothing else, be informed.

"blood thins at this war within"

2010-06-01T15:33:00.001-07:00

The Juniper 13
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

Out Now! The Juniper #13! Free in person or stamp by mail! Or trade!

This issue features info on green roofs, storing vegetable seeds, the health benefits of dandelions, as well as a short essay about sharing. Also included are some letters to the editor and food quotes by Michael Pollan. If any of this sounds like your cup of tea, inquire at:

Dan Murphy
PO Box 363
Edwardsville IL 62025
juniperjournal@hotmail.com

By the way, have you seen The 11th Hour? Not the TV show, but the documentary about planet earth's environmental crisis. I was hesitant to check it out because it's produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio. I've got nothing personal against the guy; I just questioned his credibility and motive. However, most of the dialogue in the film is by environmental experts and frontline activists and the result is a very inspirational, educational, and foward-thinking viewing experience. It's a deep dive into ecology, biology, environmental science, sustainability, psychology, and philosophy as they relate to the impact that humans have had on the planet over the centuries and what the future might look like depending on the choices we make from here on out. I highly recommend it. It's quite dense, so watch it a few times or take it slowly.

That's all.

"love, love, kiss, kiss ... you're making me sick"

2010-04-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

Folks interested in experimental noise music and/or my personal experimental noise project, Hot Virus, may also be interested in my Hot Virus myspace page, now unveiled. Currently there is only one track uploaded, but certainly there will be many more to come as time marches on (and on) indefinitely.

Additionally, I would direct you to an important link which certainly you have been directed to multiple times already, but I would be remiss if I didn't do the same here: From the makers of The Story of Stuff comes the The Story of Bottled Water (Annie Leanord is your hero). Watch it and quit refreshing yourself with plastic water bottles which will inevitably end up in the stomachs and intestines of ocean critters and will likely never disappear from the face of this living planet, etc. Your children's children's lives depend on this.

I will write more later when I am feeling more loquacious; until then, rock 'n roll (and baseball).

"dead folks in the clouds, for crying out loud"

2010-03-24T07:43:00.000-07:00

I meant to post something on the first day of spring, but life got away from me. Either way, spring has sprung, and it's time to come out of hibernation. The hellebores, crocus, and narcissus are blooming (the snowdrops bloomed weeks ago). Baseball players are training. And the weather is warming. I hope you are taking full advantage of these sunny days. No regrets.

A couple of things:
Microcosm Publishing is now distributing copies of The Juniper. They are still basically free (one penny), but now you will have the added convenience of getting your copy of The Juniper along with your Microcosm order. Incredible.

Last Monday (3/15) on the David Letterman show, Captain Charles Moore came on to talk about the plastic waste accumulating in the ocean. It's an important topic, and the interview was both informative and entertaining, so you should definitely check it out if you find a moment. Captian Moore founded Algalita Marine Research Foundation, so check that out, too.

And now for some words by the great, punk rock poet, Kepi Ghoulie:

I can't stop thinking about you
I've got to put an end to this madness
There ain't know living without you
I've got to flush away this sadness

I've gotta drain-o my brain-o
'Til no residue remains
I've gotta drain-o my brain-o
I've gotta get rid of this pain

My head is so polluted
In one big giant clot
It's all so convoluted
My cranium's begun to rot

I've gotta drain-o my brain-o
'Til no residue remains
I've gotta drain-o my brain-o
I've gotta get rid of this pain

"these are the nights that make us feel we belong"

2010-03-04T16:22:00.000-08:00

I made a noise album. It's something I've been wanting to do since I was a youngster delivering newspapers and day- dreaming of a brighter future. I don't know what took me so long. I guess I figured that I needed lots of fancy, expensive equipment; but no, you can make noise with anything really. This is experimental music that I made with my guitar, amplifiers, distortion pedals, tape recorders, typewriter, mouth and various other things. Some of it has a melodic, song-like quality to it, other parts are just chaotic. I call my noise project Hot Virus, and my first release is called Science, part 1. It's 8 tracks (22.5 minutes) on a mini-disc. You can purchase one if you'd like to (or just send some kind of trade). The cost is $2 or whatever. Send orders/requests to:

Dan Murphy, PO Box 363, Edwardsville IL, 62025, USA

messyelephant@hotmail.com

.......

Also, music by my one-man pop punk band, The Mildews, was recently featured in a short film made by No Fun Films called Bike Tunnels. You should check it out. The film discusses a pretty interesting concept.

.......

Make music and stuff.

"all my blood will spring and spill"

2010-02-06T11:00:00.001-08:00

sudden death semantics
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

My friend, Maaike, and I made a zine. We've been talking about it for more than a year now. The delay was my fault. I blame it on a very intensive publishing schedule that I set for myself last year. The important thing is that we got it done, and now it's yours for the taking. It's called Sudden Death Semantics. It's a one-shot zine of random words, collage art, cutting and pasting, and most importantly a short story by Maaike called Seedling, which alone makes this zine worth getting your hands on. We're only asking for a buck or trade or a few stamps. If interested, order directly from me as I have most of the stock and Maaike and I are seperated by about 2,000 miles. But do check out Maaike's blog regardless: www.thesixthminky.blogspot.com

Dan Murphy
PO Box 363
Edwardsville IL 62025
USA
messyelephant@hotmail.com

BONUS:
So, the other day I was going through some old stuff and I came across an entry that I wrote in my "Personal Daily Writing" journal for my high school English class. I thought maybe you'd enjoy reading it as much as I did.

March 16, 1995
"Create a Magical Scene in your head. Create a fantasy world where all dreams come true and whatever you want you can have. Then change it. Change it to a crappy world where everything is dirty, old, run down. You don't get what you want. Die."

I guess that's how I viewed life back then. It's funny because my view really hasn't changed much in 15 years. I've just grown to accept it.

"goodnight cruel world, my indifferent friend"

2010-01-28T22:05:00.000-08:00

Certainly you are aware of the passing away of one of literature’s greats, J.D. Salinger. A recluse for most of his adult life, he finally gave up the ghost at the age of 91. Watch for the floodgates to open as piles of notebooks full of his writing are certain to surface now that he’s not around to keep them under lock and key. Perhaps we should respect his wishes for complete, albeit extreme, privacy, but alas capitalism and curiosity will combine forces, and nothing will remain sacred.

However, I can’t say that I blame the nosey. When I find something that moves me, I want to know all there is to know. And Salinger’s words move me.

I’ll be honest. I’ve only read “The Catcher in the Rye,” but Holden’s story left a profound impression on me, and to this day I consider the weekend in which I read those 277 pages for the first time to be a pivotal moment in my life. If you want to know more, I can tell you all about it sometime. In person.

I realize I’m not alone in my fascination and appreciation of Salinger’s work. Millions have read his words and were transformed. Millions more will read his words and will likewise be transformed. I wonder what has triggered this transformation for others, and what will trigger it for those in the future. Undoubtedly it’s a bit ironical (as Holden would say) that one of the things that draws us to the work of Salinger is our feeling of being out of place, like we just weren’t meant for these times or this world, that we are perpetually surrounded by phonies, and we just want to be left alone for once. Yet, how can thousands or millions of people be feeling this same way at the same time. Shouldn’t we be able to recognize this in each other and then stop and do something to remedy this sentiment?

Do you want to know something else ironical or coincidental or whatever you want to call it? I finished reading “The Catcher in the Rye” for the third time on the same day that Salinger died. Maybe even the same moment. I’m not saying there is any supernatural connection there or anything, I’m just stating the facts. The third time’s the charm, right? Perhaps there’s some truth to that statement.

Here’s the thing though, while I could still relate to Holden and all his hang-ups this time through, I found his cynicism to be a bit of a turn off. I still understood why he had such a bad attitude, and I continue to applaud his balls, his boldness, and his rebellious heart, but I can now see why letting go of some of that bitterness could be good for one’s mental health, and I appreciated his acquiescence in the penultimate chapter when to appease his younger sister he decided not to run away from his family. In my mind, Holden was growing up, just like me. The difference is, it took me reading the book three times over the course of a decade to smarten up. It took Holden a weekend.

I wonder if J.D. Salinger never learned that lesson. I wonder if maybe that’s why he remained in hiding for so long. I wonder if he was happy at all. Did cynicism finally kill him? Or was he above it all? Was he really in this world but not of it, or is that just some lousy cop out? I guess that’s not for me to decide. Either way, his spirit will live on in his published works, and like it or not, more of his spirit will surely trickle out as moneyed interests and curious hearts and minds demand it. I have to admit, I wouldn’t mind browsing through his notebooks, with all due respect.

J.D. Salinger, may you rest in peace.

“So, goodnight cruel world
I will see you tomorrow
I will follow my heart
You will cause me no sorrow.”
-Kepi Ghoulie

"list the endless reasons why it's good to be alive..."

2010-01-01T17:52:00.000-08:00

"...and then just smile for a while about them." -Paul Baribeau

It's a new year and a new decade, so I guess I better say something about it. 2009 was a totally awesome year for a lot of reasons, and I can only hope that 2010 is either equally as awesome or even more so. I doubt that I could give you a thorough enough recap of last year that would justify me claiming it as the best year ever, but one thing that I can say is that in 2009, I conquered my demons. There's really no need to elaborate on that, all I can say is that really is the number one reason why last year was so great. I'm sure that you'll understand what I mean when you are older and have demons of your own conquer.

Anyway, I guess I better make a list for the new year, so here is some cheesy advice that will hopefully make 2010 a stellar and spectacular year for you:

1. Laugh out loud every day (preferably multiple times a day).
2. Find time each week to do something creative.
3. Sing out loud once in a while (even if you don't have a good singing voice and regardless if anyone is listening or not).
4. Dance like a maniac every now and then.
5. Go places that you've never been before.
6. Play/recreate as much as possible.
7. Learn lots of new things on a regular basis.

Now, to borrow from the movie Nacho Libre: You are the gatekeeper of your own destiny and you will have your glory day in the hot sun.

Happy New Year.

And as a bonus, here are more Paul Baribeau lyrics:

"think of all the things that are wrong with your life and then fix them
think of all the things that you love about your life, be thankful you are blessed with them
think of all the things that hold you back and realize that you don't need them
think of all the mistakes you have made in your life, make sure that you never repeat them

"because right now all you have is time time time
yeah but someday that time will run out
that's the only thing you can be absolutely certain about."

"if you plant a little fir tree on the roof..."

2009-12-19T09:29:00.001-08:00

em bimonthlies
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

"...then we'll all be gifts beneath it." -- Half-Handed Cloud

The year is coming to a close. Are you looking back or looking forward? I suppose I'm doing a little of both. This year was awesome. Next year's going to be awesomer. But how about we save that for another post. Right now I just want to tell you about the collection of Elephant Mess bimonthlies that I have put into this fancy little pocket. Six issues of Elephant Mess produced every other month in 2009 starting in January and ending in November spanning issue numbers 21 through 26. If you haven't heard, this may be it for Elephant Mess, so this is your big chance to see how it ended (maybe). The complete collection with pocket will set you back $3. If you are missing an issue here and/or there or if you just want the pocket to keep your archive safe and fashionably stored, that can be arranged as well for stamps or a buck or some kind of trade or something. I'm very accommodating. (And no, we are not dating.)

Inquire here:
Dan Murphy
PO Box 363
Edwardsville IL 62025
USA
messyelephant@hotmail.com

Happy Holidays, folks.

"you thought that you could outrun sorrow"

2009-11-29T20:05:00.001-08:00

em 26
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

If all good things must come to an end, then all bad things must come to an end too, right? Otherwise there wouldn't be balance in the universe. I'm not saying that the bimonthly-for-a-year series of Elephant Mess was good or bad - you'll have to conclude that for yourself - but I am saying that it's ending. Issue 26 is the last of 6, and it may even be the last of 26. Twelve years is probably enough. It may even be twelve years too many. Who knows? I can't really say for sure at this point. Either way, the 26th issue is now complete and ready for dissemination. In this issue, I filled a bunch of pages with lots of sentences and paragraphs and I used words like metamorphosis, unruly, sultry, and maudlin. I also referenced slag heaps and Canada (but not slag heaps in Canada). Lyrics of songs were basically used as filler. Oh, and I included the centerfold artwork of an inmate. Is that good enough for you? If so, send a dollar or stamps or a trade or cualquiera to:

Dan Murphy
PO Box 363
Edwardsville IL 62025
USA

Don't be sad. There are better days ahead.

"eating pizza is really great..."

2009-11-10T18:46:00.000-08:00

"...so is destroying everything you hate." -Be Your Own Pet

It's official, I am now writing reviews for the Syndicated Zine Reviews website. If you haven't had a chance to check out the site, do it. Not because I'm writing reviews, but because it's a great site.

Also, have you seen the documentary Food, Inc., yet? If not, you should definitely check it out. It just came out on DVD last week. It's all about how messed up our food system is these days. It's pretty disturbing at times, but it ends on a hopeful note, and it's important to know where your food comes from as well as being aware of all the absurdity and corruption that abounds in the industry. Here's a quote from the movie. It comes from one of the more positive scenes featuring food hero, Joel Salatin, of Polyface Farms.

"It is in that honoring and respecting the pigness of the pig and its distinctiveness that creates the philosophical building block for honoring and respecting your gifts and talents or even another culture's gifts and talents. [A] culture that just views a pig as a pile of protoplasmic, inanimate structure to be manipulated by whatever creative design the human can foist on that critter will probably view individuals within its community and other cultures in the community of nations with the same type of disdain and disrespect and controlling type mentality."

Bonus quote from Joel from an episode of Nightline:
"In our culture today - our western, reductionist, Greco-Roman, linear, fragmented, disconnected, systematized, all-parts oriented culture - we don't ask how to make a pig happy, we ask how do we grow them faster, fatter, bigger, cheaper, and that's not a noble goal."

"i might wear black for a year straight"

2009-11-05T08:49:00.000-08:00

The dreaded Yankees won their 27th World Series (in their 40th World Series appearance) last night. The 2009 Major League Baseball season has come to a close. It's a sad day indeed. Mostly what's sad is watching the same few teams win over and over again. I've always been one to root for the underdog. Maybe that's why I usually end up being disappointed. But I don't care; It's all in good fun. Either way, just once I'd like to see the tables turn. So, I'm offering to you my vision of the teams that I'd like to see in next year's MLB playoffs (even though I'm well aware of the unlikelihood of this happening). I picked these teams, not because they are all underdogs, but because they are teams that I like. Certainly there are other teams that have worse histories than some of these teams (like the Chicago Cubs for example).

For the National League:
-West division: Arizona Diamondbacks
-Central division: Pittsburgh Pirates
-East division: Washington Nationals
-Wild Card: Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, or Cincinnati Reds

For the American League:
-West division: Seattle Mariners
-Central division: Detroit Tigers
-East division: Toronto Blue Jays
-Wild Card: Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, or Oakland Athletics

Ideally, the World Series would feature the Seattle Mariners and the Washington Nationals because they are two of the three teams that have never even played in a World Series (the third team being the Texas Rangers). Ultimately I'd want the winner to be the Mariners of course, but seeing either team in the Series would be a very pivotal moment for me and certainly for anyone else who roots for and believes in the underdogs.

"i did a fast downhill on my skateboard..."

2009-10-12T10:44:00.001-07:00

The Juniper 12
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

"...but it never blew away the pain." -Mint

Hello folks. The Juniper # 12 is done, and it's everything you hoped it would be and more...except less. I wrote about microbes, bike riding, water wasting, transporting yourself post peak oil, emergency preparedness and being happy. I've also included some quotes about local eating and local purchasing, plus a recipe of course. It's all yours for a stamp. Or a trade. Or anything really. Just let me know that you want one by contacting me here:

Dan Murphy
PO Box 363
Edwardsville IL 62025

juniperjournal@hotmail.com

"you ain't even go to class, bueller"

2009-09-29T12:48:00.000-07:00

Saving the planet doesn't have to be boring. It's possible to have fun and make a positive impact at the same time. Here are two examples:

A dance club in Rotterdam, Netherlands called Watt has a special dance floor requiring dancers to keep moving if they want the lights to stay on. The more people dance, the more electricity is generated which is just one of the many sustainable features of "the very first Sustainable Dance Club in the world" with a "focus on sustainability in a creative and attractive way." Of course, you'll have to know Dutch if you want to read about it on their website, but you could also read about it here. Either way, it's a dance party 1998.

An organization called PlayPumps International has been installing water pumps in Africa for villages that otherwise have little or no access to fresh, clean water. The great thing about these pumps is that they double as a playground for kids. As the kids spin around a merry-go-round, water gets pumped from deep in the ground into a storage tank. The water can then be accessed from a nearby tap. Easy access to fresh water means that less people die of horrible, water-borne diseases and the women who usually spend their time fetching water from miles away can instead spend their time in school or participating in other worthwhile activites. Also, the kids get a safe and attractive place to play, which is in itself a major benefit.

Surely there are many other ways to enact positve change and have fun while you're at it. These are just a couple examples. Let me know if you can think of others.

"To be truly radical is to make hope possible rather than despair convincing."
-Raymond Williams

"and all this self awareness, the blind led by the blind"

2009-09-20T14:43:00.001-07:00

elephant mess 25: patience, prudence
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

The September 2009 issue of Elephant Mess is out, which means that there is only one issue left in the bimonthly series. Also this month marks the 12th year of Elephant Mess, so there's that.
Anyway, this issue is once again ultra personal and pretty pathetic in that awkward way that only Elephant Mess can be, so if you're in the mood to throw up in your mouth or feel all icky inside than send a stamp or trade or love note to the address below. I'll be sure to get a copy sent in your general direction post-haste, criminals.

Dan Murphy
PO Box 363
Edwardsville IL 62025
USA
messyelephant@hotmail.com

"drown the pain of this one to the sound of my guitar"

2009-08-23T16:35:00.001-07:00

The Mildews - Misadventures
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

It has taken me a while to tell you about this, but last month I finally finished recording my first album. I'm a one man pop punk band called The Mildews, and my album is called Misadventures. It's 8 tracks of the poppiest punk your grandma has ever heard. No drums though, because I don't have a drummer, yet. That will hopefully be remedied someday. Either way, if you want a copy, send a couple of bucks and a nice note my way. Also, you should check out my myspace page: www.myspace.com/themildews

Dan Murphy
PO Box 363
Edwardsville IL 62025
USA

"the town's so small..."

2009-08-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

"...how could anybody not look you in the eyes or wave as you drive by? The world is such a wonderful place." -Band of Horses

In the past 2 and a half weeks I have driven through all of these states:
-Idaho
-Utah
-Wyoming
-Nebraska
-Iowa
-Missouri
-Illinois
-Arkansas
-Tennessee
-Mississippi
-Alabama
-Florida
-Louisiana

I'm done travelling now. And I don't want to see the inside of a car for at least a couple months or more.

"let me be fictional once in a while"

2009-08-03T08:06:00.001-07:00

This is just a quick post to let everyone know that I have moved to Illinois. I'll be starting graduate school this month at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. My research will be in green roof technology.
All snail mail correspondence should now be sent to this address:

Dan Murphy
PO Box 363
Edwardsville IL
62025

I'll have more updates soon. Meanwhile, please send housewarming letters and stuff.

"hey young world, i'm the new slick rick"

2009-06-19T09:29:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but I didn't put out a spring issue of The Juniper this year. I've just had too much other stuff going on, and since I'll be moving across the country part way through the summer, I decided it would be best to put off doing another issue of The Juniper until this fall.

In the meantime though, I would like to make a zine recommendation:
Coco Negro from Sacramento, CA makes an awesome zine called Carrots & Condoms. It's a very well-written zine with some great illustrations accompanying the writing. She has two issues out. The first issue deals with the dichotomy of life in the city versus life in the country (something I can really relate with). It also tells of Coco's adventures working on a homestead, learning about permaculture and finding community (both urban and rural).
The second issue is much more personal and introspective. It's a much more melancholy read because it deals with her sister's mental illness and growing up with an abusive father. Coco's words are honest and brave and warrant great admiration.

Here's an excerpt from Carrots & Condoms #2:
"What do most people consider 'normal'? I looked at my surroundings. I saw the blinking lights of traffic signals, the cars zooming by, the manic expressions of infuriated drivers, the brisk hurried pace of pedestrians determinedly avoiding each others' gazes. Oh yeah, I thought, This is what is considered normal. Smartly dressed people, smartly ignoring the homeless hanging around the park. Fast food and fast lives. Going to work and going to the store and going home. A few nights a week at the bar or some other preferred peer-approved social gathering space. Therapy sessions. Church. The most that anyone that is seeking an alternative really does is dress differently and buy different things. Everything is superficial, ugly, and unimportant, and yet that was all anyone seemed to care about. The world itself is fundamentally depressed."

You can purchase Carrots and Condoms from Coco for $2 an issue or trade:
Coco Negro
PO Box 163327
Sacramento CA 95816

I promise to try my best to have a new issue of The Juniper out sometime this fall. I will be at a new address, which I will be posting here as soon as I know it, so keep an eye out for that. And have an awesome summer. Summer of Slow, part two!

"we can suture the future shut like a cut"

2009-06-08T16:36:00.001-07:00

"...we can replicate structures which replicate us." -Milemarker

Just a couple of things:

The new Sonic Youth album is coming out tomorrow. It's called The Eternal, and it features new band member Mark Ibold (former Pavement bassist). They are no longer on a major label; the new album is coming out on Matador Records, the home of Pavement, Mogwai, Yo La Tengo and lots of other awesome bands.

I probably didn't tell you this yet, but there is a new issue of Elephant Mess out. Issue #23. The fiction issue. Due to my recent bout of optimism and positivity, I didn't really have anything to write about. In the words of Al Burian, "I stopped liking the stuff I made. It seemed pointlessly negative. I didn't like the life I was documenting. My productivity ground to a halt. ... Even the bleakest art should be somehow life-affirming, otherwise, why bother?" I'd been meaning to do a fiction issue for a while now, so I decided that now is as good a time as any. I wrote a couple of very short stories using characters that I had developed more than a decade ago and I put together the May issue of Elephant Mess. Now, what am I supposed to do about the future? I guess we'll have to wait and see. Either way, if you're interested in reading some very poorly written fiction, send a stamp or something to:
Dan Murphy
PO Box 3154
Moscow ID 83843

"i totaled another amp, i'm calling in sick"

2009-05-26T20:39:00.000-07:00

The release of Sonic Youth's new album is only two weeks away. That's cause for another great Sonic Youth moment from the past:

Did you ever see the music video for Sonic Youth's "Bull in the Heather?" It featured Kathleen Hanna of the legendary riot grrrl band, Bikini Kill. She was the dancer. They didn't give her any direction as to what she was supposed to do, so she just danced around like a maniac all over the set (dance party, bedroom style). She kissed Kim on the cheek, dirty danced with Lee, mocked Steve's drumming and wrestled with Thurston (she even gave him a bloody lip according to the video commentary). Best of all, they paid her enough money to make rent that month. However, she probably would have done it for free, because like she said, "No one's too cool for Sonic Youth."

"smashed up against a car at 3 a.m.
kids dressed up for basketball beat me in my head
there's bum trash in the hall and my place is ripped
i totaled another amp, i'm calling in sick
it's an anthem in a vaccum in a hyperstation
daydreaming days in a daydream nation"
- Thurston Moore

"punk rock died when the first kid said, punk's not dead"

2009-05-19T07:12:00.000-07:00

The new Sonic Youth album, The Eternal, comes out in only three weeks. In anticpition of that event, I will be randomly posting awesome Sonic Youth moments from the past.

Today's moment is when Sonic Youth were featured in an episode of The Simpsons. The year was 1995. It was the 7th season of The Simpsons, and the episode was called, "Homerpalooza." Homer was part of the freak show in the touring music festival, Hullabalooza. The festival included Cypress Hill, Smashing Pumpkins, Peter Frampton, and Sonic Youth. Unfortunately, Sonic Youth didn't get as much exposure as the other artists, but there was a scene where they got caught stealing watermelon from Peter Frampton's cooler. Later, Kim Gordon delivered this awesome line, "Hullabalooza isn't about freaks. It's about music and advertising and youth-oriented product positioning."
Sonic Youth also covered The Simpsons theme song which played during the end credits. It was awesome.

Bonus quote from the same episode:
"I finally tapped into that spirit of self-destruction that makes rock and roll the king of music."
-Homer Simpson

"punk rock dream in a dimebag world"

2009-05-12T09:24:00.000-07:00

There are a few exciting things coming up, just so you know.

-May 16th - I graduate from college with a B.S. in Horticulture
-June 9th - Sonic Youth comes out with their new album, The Eternal
-June 23rd - Dinosaur Jr. comes out with their new album, Farm
-July 23rd - I get to see Sonic Youth live in Boise, Idaho
-Shortly after that - I move to Edwardsville, Illinois to go to graduate school

Certainly there are other exciting things happening along the way, but those are the things that stick out the most right now.

Summer 2009 is fast approaching. I'm pretty sure it's gonna rule.

" I don't want a girlfriend who doesn't listen to the Ramones
I don't want a girlfriend who doesn't go to punk rock shows."
-The Invalids

"give me back my childhood, but let me keep my beard"

2009-04-09T22:29:00.000-07:00

In light of recent lack of posting, I decided that I would offer some sort of update. And since I like making lists, here is a list of all the seeds that I have sown in the past couple of days:

-New Zealand Spinach
-Chervil
-Sedums (Rock Garden Blend)
-Bee Balm (Panorama Mix)
-Genovese Basil
-Epazote
-Mad-Dog Skullcap
-Baikal Skullcap
-Gourmet Lettuce Mix
-Mesclun Spicy Mix
-Rue
-Marjoram
-Lavender
-Lovage
-Micro-Tom Tomatoes
-Green Ice Lettuce

I won't have a garden of my own this year, but I can't not grow stuff.

"everybody needs a little devastation"

2009-03-10T21:10:00.000-07:00

I guess it's been a while since I've updated this damn thing. Oh well. Who cares? The interweb is ruining my life anyway. Sucking up all of my time. I feel like I am glued to this computer screen way too much lately. I just want to get off of this stupid planet. Find a wormhole somewhere to disintegrate in.

On that note, I finished another issue of Elephant Mess. Remember a while back when I said that I was going to do one issue of Elephant Mess every month for a year. Well, I lied. Or I changed my mind. I am now going to do Elephant Mess bi-monthly for a year. I put one issue out in January, and now it's March. So, Elephant Mess #22 was promptly born. It's kind of a tribute to The Promise Ring, but not really. In order to really be a tribute to The Promise Ring, it would have to be much better and about different things. Mostly it is a continuation of my empty ramblings and failed attempts at being philosophical (or something like that). If you are a huge fan of The Promise Ring, you will be sorely disappointed and probably offended. If you are just a regular ol' fan of The Promise Ring, then your chance of liking the zine will be based mainly on the degree to which you enjoy reading mopey, melodramatic prose that occasionally feels forced. If you don't even know who The Promise Ring is, then some things may not make any sense but otherwise see the previous sentence. Is this a long enough description about a 16 page, 1/4-sized zine? Either you want it or you don't, right? End of story. If so, send a buck, a couple stamps, a trade or a nice note to:
Dan Murphy
PO Box 3154
Moscow ID 83843
And I'll consider updating this stupid thing more frequently. Although don't count on it. I'm busy.

"Neon black future
charging like a bull
with a funeral bouquet
ready to explode."
-The Blood Brothers

"how can we be the best, yet be failing all the time?

2009-01-19T22:27:00.001-08:00

Elephant Mess 21
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

Elephant Mess has become a monthly zine for one year only, starting right now (with issue #21). This is the first issue of twelve for the year 2009. It's short but worth a stamp. I wrote about the double life syndrome and catalysts, plus I included artwork by Maaike. You can send a stamp for one issue or twelve stamps for all 12 issues (like a subscription ). A five dollar bill will also get you a one year subscription. Or just right me a friendly letter every month, and I'm sure you'll end up receiving all twelve.
Dan Murphy, PO Box 3154, Moscow ID 83843, USA
messyelephant@hotmail.com

"Hal Hefner floated above his life. He saw the world around him as if he were just a ghost floating through. Nothing could harm him now. Nothing could move him or make him love again. He was that kind of ghost. The kind that couldn't love again...
Eventually, all of this would pass, and the memory of it would give way to embellishment and fantasy and outright distortion until it was hard for Hal Hefner to remember what he was really like back then when he still carried in his head the sound of a made-up perfect voice, the voice that could speak its heart, the voice he used to wish he had, until the day he stopped wishing he sounded like anyone else and just started talking as he was."
-from the movie, Rocket Science

"please don't scratch me out"

2009-01-11T18:52:00.001-08:00

The Juniper 11
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

Hello there co-conspirators.
Were you aware that I have just recently finished a brand new issue of The Juniper? Well I have. And while it seems to be taking me longer each year to get these things done, the important thing is that they are getting done. And if I'm going to go through all the trouble of making these things, well then you darn well better take the time to read them, ya hear? In this issue I talk about slowing down and looking on the bright side. I also give a quick overview of last season's gardening adventures, offer a composting primer, share a couple recipes and talk about cold frames among other things. It's worth a stamp or a trade.
Dan Murphy
PO Box 3154
Moscow ID 83843
USA
juniperjournal@hotmail.com

Also, a new issue of Elephant Mess is in the works and should be done within the next week or two. So keep an eye out for that.

"the unexamined life is not worth living"

2008-12-26T18:11:00.000-08:00

Seasons Greetings Citizens.

I am in the midst of my holiday break. Are you?
I don't have too much to report, but I did want to let you know about a zine I recently read. It's called Greenwoman #3, and it's "dedicated to bees and their keepers." In this issue, Sandra writes all about bees and also includes some bee-themed writing from other authors. Sandra's obsession with bees is no secret, but it's nothing to be ashamed of. Bees are a gardener's best friend, and eaters all over the world should be grateful that those busy pollinators are around, making harvest possible. Sandra writes about assisting with a swarm capture, observing honeybees in the wild, and touring a meadery (mead = honey wine). Also included are several lists of plants that attract bees, some interesting facts about bees, a few recipes that call for bee products (including baklava and beeswax lip balm) and two bee-themed movie reviews. If you haven't yet had a chance to read an issue of Greenwoman, take the opportunity now. Send $3.50 to Sandra/Greenwoman, PO Box 6587, Colorado Springs CO 80934-6587, sandra@sandraknauf.com. (Issues #1 and #2 can be ordered from Sandra or from Carrot Row.)

Rumor has it that members of the band, Broken Social Scene, are currently dating characters from Sesame Street. Is this true?

Also: If it hurts to hold, just let it go.

"i don't listen to the suits behind the desk no more"

2008-11-28T17:33:00.000-08:00

I finally finished putting together another Carrot Row catalog. You can get a copy by sending me a stamp, or you can just keep on reading and you'll get the basic idea.

Carrot Row Mail Order is a small, laid back zine distro with a focus on DIY zines that, for the most part, promote a simpler life. Gardening, bike riding, composting, cooking, and crafting are just a few of the topics discussed in the zines featured in this catalog. These zines will not only entertain you, but educate you as well, and that is the whole point of The Carrot Row. If you have a zine that you think would fit in well with this ideology, please send it my way and maybe we can work something out. Otherwise, browse the list and pick out a zine or two to add to your collection. You won’t be disappointed.

Agriculture Biotechnology (free)
A genetic engineering primer (if you eat food, you should know about this stuff).

Axis of Evil ($2)
Recipes from the Axis of Evil. A case against war. A plea for cultural diversity.

Chickeney #1 & #2 ($1 each)
Sam’s fascination with chickens and living the slow life.

CROQ #4 & #5 ($2 each)
The craft revolution is here. Where were you during the craft takeover?

Dimanche #5 ($2) & #6 ($1)
A food/perzine. Recipes, food tips/ideas, and a glimpse into Sabrina’s life.

Dumpsterland #11 ($1)
Classic hobo-punk zine about dumpster diving and composting.

EnvironMENTAL Imp Pack! #1 & #2 ($1 each)
Maaike’s sustainability zine: reduce, reuse, recycle, repurpose and BUY LOCAL.

Farmer’s Daughter #2 ($1)
A farm zine written by a farm girl. Cow drawings and photographs included.

Fatty Boom Boom #3 (stamp/$0.50)
Vegan cookzine from English punk rocker.

Greasespot #4 ($3)
Punk rock stories by Texan punk rockers.

Greenwoman #1 & #2 ($3 each)
Sandra’s zine about gardening and being politically active. A gardening zine with lots to offer.

Punkman ($2)
Maaike’s comic about a punk rock superhero. Dumpster diving for the people. Do you believe in justice?

Resist #46 ($3)
Matte is back with more stories about bikes, gardening, parenting and DIY adulthood.

Spat Back #3 ($0.50)
DIY punk mini-zine from England.

Seattle DIY ($2)
Punk rock guide to Seattle, WA.

Sixth Minky’s Guide to Herbs ($1)
Maaike teaches you how to grow and harvest herbs for all your culinary needs.

Take It – It’s My Body ($3)
Chelsea’s zine about fat acceptance for the fat revolution.

Ordering stuff is simple. Just write me a note telling me what you want. Put the note in an envelope along with the cash (or we could also work out a trade) and mail that envelope here:

Dan Murphy
PO Box 3154
Moscow ID 83843
USA

When ordering multiple zines, please add a dollar or two or a few stamps to help with shipping.

Questions? Email:
messyelephant@hotmail.com

P.S. The Carrot Row will soon be restructuring. The mail order is dissolving but not right away. Stay tuned to learn more about a new website and a new direction.

"you can't trust a heart that was cold from the start"

2008-11-17T16:43:00.001-08:00

Elephant Mess #20
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

"...don't waste your time on it."

I am ashamed to admit that I have finished another issue of Elephant Mess. I am hesitant to even tell you about it. It is an embarrassment. It is more sappy pap, and it's hopeless. Bring on the melodrama! Why do I have to be so "emo"? The worst thing about it is that most of the writing is old (whether it be several years or several months), and I don't really feel that way anymore. I'm over it, okay. Now leave me alone. Anyway, I figured I better at least get it out there so that I can move on. I have big plans for future EM's, so if you'd like to just pass on this one and wait for something better, that's fine with me. I wouldn't blame you. But if you're brave enough to see what all the fuss is about, then send me a couple bucks or some stamps or a trade, and I'll send (albeit reluctantly) a copy your way.

Dan Murphy
PO BOX 3154
Moscow ID 83843
USA
messyelephant@hotmail.com

"you could play all day
and tell your friends that everything's alright
the truth is that your heart collapsed
two years ago tonight"
-bayside

"all fallen leaves should curse their branches"

2008-11-05T11:04:00.000-08:00

The results are in: Obama wins.
Hooray for rhetorical change: change you can believe in as long as it's not too specific.
Yes, of course I prefer Obama over McCain by far. And yes, of course I think it's awesome (incredible, really) that we have elected our first African-American President, and I am excited about that. BUT, the corporate state remains in tact, and the brutal war machine rages on. Let's not kid ourselves, the ensuing "change" as a result of an Obama Presidency will most likely be mild. Obama is, after all, a timid reformer and a BFF of the corporations and Wall Street. My question is, now that Obama has reached celebrity status and millions of Americans have fallen madly in love with him, swooning over his flowery speeches and endless charm, are these same people who elected him President ready to stand up, take to the streets and protest any bad policy that he attempts to push across (or under) the table during his Presidency, the same way that proud Americans have done for centuries. The act of protest against those in power is an American tradition. My point is that now that the elections are over and Obama has won, it is time to put our Barack-star worship aside and hold him to his promises and push him to make even greater promises (especially since his promises weren't all that great to begin with). We need to be willing to exercise our right to voice our opinions (beyond simply voting) regardless of who is President. Can we do that? Only time will tell.

Chris Hedges has enumerated a few things about President-elect Barack Obama to help us begin our protesting:

-his vote to renew the Patriot Act
-his votes to continue to fund the Iraq War
-his backing of the FISA Reform Act
-his craven courting of the Isreali lobby
-his support of the death penalty
-his refusal to champion universal, single-payer, not-for-profit health care for all Americans
-his call to increase troop levels and expand the war in Afghanistan
-his failure to call for a reduction in the bloated and wasteful defense spending
-his lobbying for the huge taxpayer swindle known as the bailout

As Hedges says, these are things that are "repugnant to most of us on the left." Hedges goes on to say that "there will be under Obama marginal improvements for some Americans although the corporate state, as Obama knows, will remain our shadow government and the working class will continue to descend into poverty. Democratic administrations have, at least until Bill Clinton, been more receptive to social programs that provide benefits, better working conditions and higher wages. An Obama presidency, however, will make no difference to those in the Middle East...I cannot support any candidate who does not call for immediate withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan and an end to Israeli abuse of Palestinians."

One more thing: It's November 5th. It's time to go to work.

"all fallen leaves should curse their branches
for not letting them decide where they should fall
and not letting them refuse to fall at all."
-David Bazan

"open your throat and just scream"

2008-10-29T18:53:00.000-07:00

The elections are less than a week away, so even though you may be getting sick of my posts, I feel like there is a sense of urgency about this stuff, so I just wanted to pass along a couple more things that I think are important.
First, I am sure you are aware that none of the third party/independent candidates were allowed at the Presidential debates. This is because the debate commission is a private, corporate entity headed by former heads of the Republican and Democratic National Committees, and they make it pretty much impossible for any other candidate to be included (another good reason to dismantle this corporate duopoly). Luckily there is an organization called Free and Equal Elections that has been organizing some third party debates under the premise that free and equal elections are guaranteed in the constitution (see Article I: Section 3). You can watch a debate that aired on C-SPAN a week or so ago between Constitution Party Presidential candidate, Chuck Baldwin, and independent Presidential candidate, Ralph Nader, on cspanjunkie.org.

Also, Raplh Nader's running mate, Matt Gonzalez, recently posted an article exposing many of the lies and capitulations of Obama and the Democratic Party. I don't think it's necessary to enumerate the crimes and gross errors of the Republican Party, they are all very obvious, but sometimes we need to be reminded that the Democrats are just as guilty and have committed countless atrocities of their own and that there is really no difference between the two - they are after all, as Noam Chomsky said, just two factions of the Business Party. So, what else do they have to do before they finally lose your vote? You can read the entire article here; it's pretty long (as there are many things to expose) but it's worth reading. Here are a few paragraphs from it:

"[Democrats] also like to say that voting for Nader is throwing your vote away. The Democrats often cite the 2000 election to blame Nader for Bush’s victory. But they noticeably never mention the 1992 election, when Bill Clinton won because Ross Perot 'spoiled' the race for George Bush’s father, an incumbent president. By the way, Clinton got only 43 percent of the vote in 1992 compared to 48 percent by Bush in 2000.

"And they offer no explanation for why they haven’t worked on election reform since 2000. Imagine claiming your political party lost the presidency because the 'winner' was declared even though he hadn’t won a majority of the votes cast? Then imagine doing nothing to make sure it wouldn’t happen again. Isn’t it odd that the Democrats haven’t worked on election reform in the past eight years?

"They never will change the system because the way things are now, they can be assured that they will be in office roughly half the time. They also count on people to accept their arguments that Nader and other third parties aren’t polling high enough to get your vote; that the real contest is between just two candidates.

"If all else fails, they argue that it’s the most important election of your lifetime. I’m 43 years old and I’ve heard this argument each time the presidential race has come up.

"If you accept these arguments, you are in effect rewarding the two parties for not fixing how we do elections in this country. You reward them for creating the Commission on Debates. You guarantee that things will not change. And you ensure that candidates that support single-payer health care, decent wages and pensions for workers, controls on corporations and a foreign policy based on achieving peace rather than driven by self-interest, cannot ever be heard.

"Nader wants a more humane and democratic society. He’s seen that you can’t get anything done in Washington because senators like Obama and McCain ignore what’s good for Americans in pursuit of their own interests. Sure McCain talks like a maverick and Obama talks like a revolutionary, but look closely and you will see repeated capitulations to the very entities our government needs to get away from if we are to build a more democratic society."

On election day, please vote for Decentralized Government for and by the People, and not for a continuation of Centralized Corporate Rule. Say no to the lowest common denominator. Say yes to the superlative.

...less than two weeks away...

2008-10-25T02:05:00.000-07:00

NO to the Republicrats
No to the Demicans
YES to the People
YES to INDEPENDENT

NO to the Corporacrats
NO to Big Money
YES to the People
YES to INDEPENDENT

NO to the Kleptocrats
NO to the Fat Cats
YES to the People
YES to INDEPENDENT

NO to Big Lobby
NO to Corporate Endorsements
YES to the People
YES to INDEPENDENT

NO to Endless War
NO to "Foreign Enemies"
YES to the People
YES to INDEPENDENT

NO to Broken Economy
NO to Job Losses
YES to the People
YES to INDEPENDENT

NO to the Corporate Future
NO to the Corporate Takeover
YES to the People
YES to INDEPENDENT

PLEASE, THINK ABOUT IT.
THE CORPORATE FUTURE ABOUNDS.
BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO.
LEGIONS OF YOUNG VOTERS DO NOT HAVE TO BE DISILLUSIONED.
THERE ARE VOICES AGAINST THE POWERFULL.
SEEK OUT THE INDEPENDENTS.
LISTEN TO THEIR MESSAGES.
CHOOSE THE PEOPLE...NOT THE POWERFUL.
VOTE INDEPENDENT. PLEASE.

I realize that ANARCHY is our ultimate goal, but how else are we going to get there if we don't get these KLEPTOCRATS/BIG LOBBY SYMPATHIZERS out of power. YES to the PEOPLE. YES to INDEPENDENT. That is my plea. I make it in earnest. Please vote your conscience and not the lesser of two evils. Read the constitution; I know it will depress you, but do it. We have lost sight of our goal: Of the people, by the people, for the people - NOT of the corporations, by the Demicans, for the Republicrats. Vote for the people. Vote independent. PLEASE.

That's all for now. HAPPY HALLOWEEN. (end corporate rule, i beg of you...)

GOOD NIGHT.

"i'm the fort knox of secrets"

2008-10-17T21:54:00.000-07:00

The Presidential elections are coming up, so I guess I better put my two cents in. I am not in any position to tell anyone how to vote, people should vote their conscience, and that’s a personal choice. Nor do I know for sure if voting really even counts for anything (remember what happened in 2000?); the jury is still out on that one. What I do know is that things are wrong and stuff is broken, and something has got to change, radically and thoroughly. We need a revamping. A complete overhaul.

It was Noam Chomsky who said, “the United States effectively has a one-party system, the business party, with two factions, Republicans and Democrats.”

I have never considered myself a member of any specific political party. And like many people (perhaps even most people), I am tired of this corporate duoply. Personally, I believe that if votes are going to be cast, they should be cast for independent candidates. Unless you whole-heartedly believe in what either the Democrats or the Republicans stand for, don’t vote for them. Why perpetuate this sick and sorry tradition of voting for the lesser of two evils? I wouldn’t be able to feel good about myself if I voted for someone who I didn’t fully believe in under the premise that, well, at least he/she is better than the alternative. Vote your conscience. Take pride in your decision. Stand up for your beliefs, and don’t back down. Don’t settle.

This country will never have a viable third party (or a second party if you consider what Chomsky said), if people don’t first begin to cast their votes for independent candidates. Consider this, if all you watch, listen to or read is mainstream news, you would most likely never know that there are actually several other candidates running for President besides just ObaMcCain. The corporations have taken over, and the Republicrats (aka Kleptocrats) are fully entrenched in the corporate army. It’s time for something different, don’t you think?

A few demands:

-Kick the crooks out of Washington.

-Reverse gangster capitalism.

-Give the people the power that the Constitution guarantees them.

-Smash the corporate duopoly.

“A vote cast for a Republican or a Democrat is a wasted vote because it ensures that nothing will change.” –Bob Barr, Libertarian Presidential Candidate

"don't sink the boat that you built to keep afloat"

2008-10-09T22:35:00.000-07:00

I read an awesome zine recently that I highly recommend. It's called Painting Over a Dead End City #1. There is lots of great stuff in it, like thoughts on the idea about how anarchism isn't so much about overthrowing government but outgrowing it and how girls can be pirates, too. But there was one thing that stood out to me the most - something that I can really relate to. Here is a quote:

"Social anxiety and community organizing are such a clumsy mix. I want to be a good ally to so many people and organizations working for equality, but my attempts at building community sometimes seem quite ridiculous when I'm fearful of things like calling even my good friends."

I want to be a part of the brave new world, fighting for justice and building community, but I too, am thwarted by my extreme introversion. It's a contradiction to say the very least. This has become all too evident now that I have been made president of the Soil Stewards Organic Farming Club. It has been incredibly taxing for me. I do just fine when all I have to do is volunteer a few hours of my time working on the farm or setting up and taking down our table for different events, but put me in charge and in the spotlight and all of my weaknesses come shining through quite vividly. The good thing is that the Soil Stewards are mostly made up of socially awkward folks (which is part of the reason why I fit in with them so well), still I find myself exhausted at the end of the day, not physically (or even mentally, really) but emotionally. Being the guy in charge is draining, and I'm just not cut out for it. So, I have to admit that I felt encouraged when I read Nicki's zine and was reminded that I'm not the only one. Therefore, I'll keep fighting the good fight, because it's worth it. Meanwhile, you should see if you can get a copy of her zine by sending a buck or something to:
Nicki S., PO Box 1122, Spokane WA 99210

Have you heard of a band called Fleet Foxes? They have an amazing album out that is definitely worth a listen. If you like My Morning Jacket and Band of Horses, I'm sure you'll like Fleet Foxes. Look them up. Their music will move you.

Also, I've been listening to The Mountain Goats a lot lately. I don't know why. I guess it's just that time of year.

"that's not music you hear, that's the devil
that's not the sun up in the sky, it's a human heart"
--The Mountain Goats

Do you like the gray, or should I go back to the green?

"young hearts should explode from all the lies they've been told"

2008-09-16T21:03:00.001-07:00

The Juniper: Summer 2008
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

I finished the summer supplement of The Juniper #10, just like I promised I would. It's mostly pictures - kind of like a picture diary. It just shows what I've been up to this summer. You should get yourself a copy. Just send a stamp or a nice letter or some sort of trade to me:
Dan Murphy
PO Box 3154
Moscow ID 83843
USA

Also, I am back on the air again. A new semester is in full swing, which means a new schedule of radio shows at the student radio station (KUOI 89.3 FM). My show is called The Vegetable Patch, and it airs every Tuesday morning (until the end of this semester) from 6-8:30am pacific time. You can listen online at www.kuoi.org

I gave myself a paper cut today trying to open the envelope that held the brand new issue of Zine World. Consider that a plug for one of the best zine review zines around. (Plus they said that I am friendly and unpretentious. At least somebody thinks so.)

Okay, that's all.

"if i could get anything done, maybe i'd hold still"

2008-09-12T21:39:00.000-07:00

I read a lot, but I don't read books much. I read zines. However, recently something came over me, and I decided to read a book. And I even read it in less than a month (the last book I read took me at least a year to finish). It was pretty short though, but who's keeping track?
The book I read is called Biodiesel Power by Lyle Estill. In it, Lyle talks passionately about his experience with the biodiesel movement and community. He began as a backyard brewer and evolved into the founder of a biodiesel co-op (called Piedmont Biofuels) and a prominent voice for the biofuels industry. Certainly biofuels are not without controversy, especially these days with all of the handouts and subsidies offered by our current administration to Big Agriculture and Big Oil for their participation in biofuels (and of course the moral dilema of using farmland to grow fuel instead of food), but Lyle understands sustainability, and his passion for biodiesel is rooted in that. That's what makes his views so intriguing and relevant. I highly recommend this book and will soon be reading Lyle's other book, Small is Possible, which I'm sure will be just as good, if not better.

A quote from the final chapter:
"Biodiesel is great fun. It's empowering. Nothing feels better than tooling down the highway with the knowledge that you are free. Free of Chevron. Free of Mobil. Free of George Bush. Free of the Saudis. Free of the whole sorry lot. I realize full well that hydrogen is the place to be, but I'm stuck on vegetable oil. It's here now. It works. It's renewable. It's sustainable. It smells good. It creates jobs in the United States. And there is no war required to get it."

Bonus quote:
"I find myself unwilling to abide sheer stupidity."

Also, check out Lyle's Energy Blog.

"girls have those eyes that will cut you to ribbons sometimes"

2008-08-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

The last list of the month. It's another small one.

The 5 DVDs at the Top of My Netflix Queue
1. Trailer Park Boys, Seasons 1 & 2 Disc 3
2. Dan in Real Life
3. Undertow
4. Noam Chomsky: Distorted Morality
5. Batman: Gotham Knight

A radio show/podcast recommendation especially for you: Destination DIY
Check it out for sure. The latest episode is about urban farming.

Fall semester has begun. Is summer really coming to an end? I guess Donald Draper was right. That's a bummer.

"how can i convince you it's me i don't like"

2008-08-21T19:03:00.000-07:00

This week's list is a short one, but I don't want to hear any complaining or I'll take away your driving privileges.

Top Five Clubs That I Must See A Show In Before I Die (in no particular order)
-40 Watt Club in Athens, GA
-924 Gilman Street in Berkeley, CA
-ABC No Rio in New York City, NY
-Emo's in Austin, TX
-Crystal Ballroom in Portland, OR

CBGB in NYC would of course be on this list if it hadn't closed down a couple years ago. I'm sure there are lots of others that I could add, but my mind is blank right now.

"I've got one hand on the wheel
the other's out the window
with a smile on my face
my middle finger's up."
-Less Than Jake

"i'm trying to find creative ways to keep my head out of the noose"

2008-08-13T09:41:00.000-07:00

This week's list:

Complete Albums That I Have Listened To Since Last Tuesday (8/5)
-Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - s/t
-Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
-Animal Collective - Feels
-Stephen Malkmus + The Jicks - Pig Lib
-Blonde Redhead - Fake Can Be Just As Real
-Free Kitten - Inherit
-The Sissies - Look Back and Laugh
-Rosa - I Mississippi You
-J Church - One Mississippi
-Radiohead - Hail to the Theif
-Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
-Brandtson - Send Us a Signal

"I can drink myself to sleep
and hopefully forget to breath
I hate what I've done to my life."
-J Church

"1960, I am so over you."

2008-08-09T17:24:00.000-07:00

Didn't I say something about posting a weekly list here on this blog? I'm pretty sure I did.

Things That I Harvested From My Garden This Week (8/5 - 8/9)
-Spearmint
-Mache (aka corn salad or lamb's lettuce)
-Onion
-Rosemary
-Lettuce
-Carrots
-Arugula (aka Rocket)
-Summer Savory
-Lemon Balm
-Korean Mint

Does urban/suburban farming interest you? Even if it doesn't, you should still check out this video. It's all about growing your own food, which is possible even if you live in an urban setting (and even if you are a renter). I like the guy's opinions about cohabiting with the insects and seed-saving. Something else you should check out is a documentary called The End of Suburbia. Perhaps you can find it at your local library or video store.

Also, a post on livejournal brought to my attention a little website called Zine Classifieds. I haven't posted anything on it yet, but it may be of interest to you.

"I know people say life goes on, and it does. But no one tells you that's not a good thing." -Betty Draper on Mad Men

"i wanna be jackie onassis. i wanna wear a pair of dark sunglasses."

2008-08-01T20:54:00.000-07:00

People were posting these lists on facebook, and so I figured I had to do one, too. Sorry, I couldn't help myself. But then it gave me this idea: since I like making lists and today is the first day of a new month, I am going to post a new list on here for each week of this month. They won't all be so long (in fact, they will be considerably shorter), and they will all have different themes. Just something to waste your time with, because that's all the internet seems to be for these days anyway.

101 Things You Probably Could Have Guessed About Me

I like to make lists.
I am fascinated by bugs.
I have been doing zines for eleven years and have made more than 50 of them.
I very rarely get bored.
I wish that I could be a nomad, but I’m not cut out for it.
I don’t like to drive.
I’ve been playing guitar for more than 13 years and I still suck.
I’ve been skateboarding for almost 13 years and I still suck.
I have several dozen pen pals (I don’t really want to take the time to figure out the exact number).
I’m a vegetarian…except when I eat the fish that I catch myself.
I like to keep secrets.
I like wearing glasses. I prefer them to contacts.
On that note…I’m attracted to girls who wear glasses.
I probably don’t trust you.
I was in a punk band back in the day. I will be in a punk band again someday.
My career goal is to be a rooftop gardener.
I am a fierce independent and a defiant individualist.
I think that celebrity crushes are lame, but I still have a few.
I probably don’t believe you.
I am rarely lonely alone.
I am not in love.
I am obsessed with the numbers seven and eleven.
I am rarely without a pen and paper in my pocket, and when I am, I feel unprepared.
I taught myself how to screenprint.
I wish that I could hibernate in the winter.
I have a mumbling problem and my voice is too quite.
I could probably sing better if my voice were louder.
I don’t like lima beans.
My brothers are my best friends.
I used to hate Idaho; now I think it’s an okay place (but Rigby can still burn in hell).
My favorite kind of music is punk rock, and my favorite band is Sonic Youth.
I have a goal to ride my bike across an entire state…I’d prefer it to be one of the larger states so that I don’t look like a total wimp (even though I am).
I have often thought that marriage is weird…but at least it means fewer taxes.
I refuse to have a pet (dog, cat, whatever) until I know for sure that I can give it the time that it requires and deserves.
I had three dogs when I was a kid, and they all had to be given away for various reasons.
I named my first dog, Buck, after the dog in the book, The Call of the Wild.
I am addicted to sugar.
I once went a whole year without drinking any soda, and then when I drank it again it made me sick.
I wish that I could remember what it feels like to have a lasting crush on someone.
I love being a bachelor.
For a long time, I was intimidated by comic books; now, I can’t get enough of them.
My new favorite comic book hero is the Blue Beetle.
I am not a group conversationalist.
I feel the most alive when I am either on my bike or my skateboard.
It takes me forever to write papers for school because I agonize so much about word placement and sentence structure. It is taking me forever to write this list for that same reason.
I became obsessed with baseball on my ninth birthday.
I used to shoplift incessantly, and sometimes I wish that I still did.
My brothers and friends got caught shoplifting, but I didn’t.
I like to stay up late and wake up early…sleep is for wimps.
I wish that humans didn’t have to sleep.
I think that I would make a pretty good spy.
I am trying to make my first batch of compost. It’s going pretty well.
My mom thinks that I’d be happier if I were married. (See number 40.)
I hate spitting, but for some reason, I spit a lot when I am riding my bike.
Commas, are an, over-used, punctuation.
I have probably judged you unfairly.
I enjoy washing dishes.
I love cooking, but I don’t like cooking for other people.
I consider myself a luddite, but in many ways I am also technophile.
When I lived at home with my family, I spent a large amount of my time alone in my room even when everyone else was busy doing things together (and by “doing things together” I mean watching TV).
I am the king of awkwardness.
I am very self-aware.
My favorite kinds of movies are indie dramas and comedies
I rarely read fiction, but I would like to start writing fiction again someday.
I am working on a concept album (but I say that mostly to make myself sound cool).
I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.
I find little things funny that most other people don’t, so when I am laughing at something, it’s difficult to explain why.
I am much more eloquent in my head than I am in conversation.
I am much more eloquent on paper but still not as eloquent as I am in my head.
I started writing my memoirs, but gave up.
I want to hitchhike someday.
I can tell you which copy machine in town makes the best copies.
I wish that I wasn’t so selfish.
I know that I said I like making lists, but I am getting tired of making this one.
I used to pretend to like things just so that people would like me.
I still think a lot about the girl that I had a crush on in junior high.
I love watching/listening to/reading the news.
I consider myself a closet socialist…decentralized socialism, that is.
I don’t own a pair of jeans because I don’t like wearing them.
I rarely wear shorts and I rarely go sockless (which apparently makes my brother uncomfortable).
I only like swimming occasionally and not for very long.
I almost drowned in a river when I was a little kid. My dad and grandpa saved my life. I think that’s why I hate being under water.
My favorite book when I was a kid was, My Side of the Mountain, and so I tried to find reasons to run away and live by myself in the woods.
I’m terrible at giving compliments.
I’m not as good a listener as some people think I am, but I’m working on it.
I used to think that I’d be dead at thirty; now, I’m sure that I will live into my nineties.
I love simplicity and minimalism.
I am torn between wanting to live in a big city and wanting to live in a small town.
There is music in my head constantly.
I wanted to major in communications but I was too scared/intimidated, so I chose horticulture.
I often feel cosmically misplaced, like I was meant for another time and place but was accidentally put in this time and place (unfortunately).
I’m very keen on expanding my vocabulary.
You make me nervous.
I think that confidence is a very attractive trait.
I have two bum knees.
I wish that I lived by the ocean.
One of the best things about living with my parents was that I could play my guitar as loud as I wanted to and no one cared.
I think that Northern California should be its own state.
I hate commercials and I hate how they are usually louder than the TV programs.
I want to be in a New York City noise band.
I’m over it.

"burn out switch is hit...instant meltdown...freak fry the ghost town"

2008-07-08T23:48:00.001-07:00

Punkman Comic
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

I have awesome friends who do awesome things:

My friend, Maaike, here in Moscow (Idaho) just put out a full color comic called Punkman. It's a fictional story with a conscience, and the main character is based on me. (I should say loosely, but I would also like to believe that I really am as cool as Punkman [even though I know I'm not]...so, I'm torn.) You can order a copy for yourself from either me (Dan M., Po Box 3154, Moscow ID 83843 USA) or Maaike D. (PO Box 8891, Moscow ID 83843 USA). The cost is two dollars or equal trade.

Another friend, Chelsea, in Portland OR just informed me that she recently started a blog called, Flavor Vegan, on which she is sharing her vast knowledge about cooking vegan food. And trust me, her knowledge really is vast. She develops her own recipes and cooks like a pro. Her blog includes tips, recipes, etc. and is definitely worth checking out.

As a side note:
The new Free Kitten album, Inherit, is incredibly awesome and totally worth the eleven year wait. Listen to it soon, please. Your mind will be blown.

"Yeah, I'll always be your friend...
at least just till the end."
-thurston moore ("Fri/end")

"with every broken heart, we should become more adventurous"

2008-07-04T19:29:00.000-07:00

Today is the fourth of July. The only thing that really means to me is that summer break is half over. School will be starting up again in about a month and half. Make the most of it, eh?

I finished reading another travel zine. It also happened to be about a trip to Europe. (I'm noticing a theme here.) Sarah Contrary went on a three month bike tour or Europe, alone. She wrote about it in Glossolalia #8. I bought this zine almost two years ago at Reading Frenzy in Portland, Oregon. It has taken me this long to finally read it. I have read past issues of Glossolalia, and they were great. This issue was no exception.

A coupla qoutes:
"[In France,] people always asked me if I was anything but American. They asked me if I was Italian or Spanish or British or even German. I don't know if they really thought that or if maybe it is just such a horrific insult to mistake someone for an American that no one will ever venture to ask unless you offer. When I said I was American, I always made sure to look sheepish. As long as I made it clear that I was enormously embarrassed by my country of origin, no one ever gave me a hard time, but every person I talked to for more than five minutes wanted to know why we drive such big cars."

"Sometimes it's hard to realize that no matter how hard you push yourself, there are some things you'll never be."

-You should read an issue of Glossolalia. It will inspire you to want to go on a bicycle trip. I get more excited about the idea with each issue that I read. GO BY BIKE!
-I also want to be in a New York City noise band. I even have a band name picked out and everything.
-Note to self: you are the king of awkwardness.
-This internet stuff is weird. Seriously.

"You say I choose sadness,
that it never once has chosen me,
maybe you're right."
-rilo kiley

"i'll love you forever if i ever love at all"

2008-06-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

During the summer, I try to get caught up on my zine reading. I don't think it's humanly possible to ever get caught up though, but I do what I can.
Recently I finished reading two zines that were somewhat similar in content. They were, for the most part, travel zines, and they both included trips to Europe. They have both been around for quite a while I guess. I'm glad that I finally got around to reading them, because they were both totally worth reading. They were:
-America? #14 by Travis F.
-Dream Whip #14 by Bill B.

Here are a few quotes from Dream Whip:
"In Austin, it was impossible to go on a simple errand without falling in love. Every time I mailed a letter, or went to buy a loaf of bread, I'd wind up with a broken heart." (pg. 32-33)
"The Berlin train pulls confidently out of Rotterdam's central station and speeds forward with a kind of assurance I can only dream of having. Me and my hesitant forward motion. Always shuffling and second-guessing." (pg. 165)
"For the first time in a couple months, my passport matches the country I'm coming into. 'Citizenship?' the border cop asks. 'American,' I say. 'Unfortunately,' I want to add, but I don't. I don't mention that I feel more like a dual citizen: American by birth, but Unamerican by inclination." (pg. 244-245)
"While I eat my ice cream, I think about happiness. How it's always temporary and unpredictable, and how most of the time, you don't even recognize it till later, when you're far away from it. Sadness sticks around. It's like your most reliable friend. You can be yourself around sadness. It'll drive across the country with you and it won't complain if the food is bad or if the motel has roaches. But happiness is a different story. It's always ditching you. Leaving you stuck with the bill. There's no one you'd rather spend your time with, and happiness knows it." (pg. 251-252)

Oh, and just like I promised, I added more links.

"it's not pretty, i know...but still, this is who i'll always be"

2008-06-10T20:53:00.000-07:00

Stranger things have happened, but on June 10, 2008, it snowed in Moscow, Idaho. What the...? I can only wait for so long for summer to come, and then I may be forced to take drastic actions. I haven't decided what those drastic actions will be yet, but trust me, they will be drastic.

After sending zines to Wyoming and Oklahoma, I am down to my last three states, and then my Elephant Mess U.S. Takeover will be complete. The last three states are: North Dakota, South Carolina and Mississippi. 2009 could be the year that Elephant Mess rules the Western world...or not.

My friend, Maaike, is selling her sock monkeys; plus she has an awesome zine called The Sixth Minky. I have added a link to her blog in my links section, so check it out. I plan on adding more links to my links section in the near future (maybe), so be in touch.

"Bothell is beautiful in the fall
Days of my youth were not so long ago
I learned things here that some men never see
The lucky ones know exactly what I mean."
-Rocky Votolato

Oh yeah...I turned thirty.

"the devil didn't make me do it...you did"

2008-06-06T17:55:00.001-07:00

The Juniper #10
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

Um...I guess it's been done for a couple of weeks now, but I have just been slow to tell you. Either way, The Juniper #10 is out now and ready to be disseminated. It's a short read, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I wrote about food preservation, critical mass, food not bombs, etc. Plus I included a recipe for seitan which you should really try. You know the deal: stamp by mail or free in person. I also enjoy trades, but this issue is pretty small, so if you do send a trade, I can pretty much guarentee you that I'll be getting a better deal than you will.
Send your stamp (or trade or even just a friendly letter) to:
Dan Murphy
PO Box 3154
Moscow ID 83843
USA
Contact me if you are interested in helping me with distribution: juniperjournal@hotmail.com

"let it go...the damage in your heart"

2008-05-30T21:01:00.000-07:00

I was going to blog about something, but then I forgot.

I was also going to blog about this:
I was on vacation visiting my family. I read a zine that I really liked. It's called Hip Hop Don't Stop. If you have never read an issue of said zine, you are missing out. Tyler's zine is awesome, and it just keeps getting better with each issue (he's up to issue #7). Tyler has graduated college and is adjusting to "the real world." His thoughts and observations about and inspired by such things are intriguing. Tyler is a guy I can relate to, and when I read his words I feel like I'm having a conversation with my brother or a good friend. Oh...but don't steal Tyler's yooper scooper, or else he'll be PISSED.

If I ever remember what I was going to blog about, I'll let you know.

"one more loss in a losing life
doesn't hurt so bad, anymore"
-weezer

"american flags are haunting the fortunate sons"

2008-05-17T17:54:00.000-07:00

Spring is in full swing. New zines are in the works. The garden is nearly planted. The farm is sure to be a success. No one is twitterpated...because love is a myth.

Two new zines have been added to the Carrot Row Mail Order catalog:
Dimanche #5 - Sabrina offers a plethora of recipes and food tips, recommends restaurants, survives a tooth extraction, sings praises to cookies and cupcakes, and gives updates about her young son. $2.
Dumpsterland #11 - Not a new zine, but a definite classic. Dave writes about dumpster diving, the evils of the trash compactor, composting both your crap and your food and yard waste, a DIY pressure cooker, and more. All from a hobo-punk perspective. $1.

dan murphy
po box 3154
moscow id 83843
usa

Have you seen the movie, Rocket Science? It's incredible. Hal Hefner is one of my new heroes. We are all so messed up. Hallelujah.

"to find someone you love, you've gotta be someone you love"

2008-05-07T17:16:00.000-07:00

Another semester down! Only two more to go, and I am out of this Idaho-hole.
Do you know what this means? It means that summer is here...prematurely. I get to start working 40 hours a week, but more importantly I get to start gardening/farming and I don't have to worry about classes and schoolwork for three plus months. I can read whatever I want, which means that I hope to get caught up on my zine reading and zine writing. I will keep you posted on such things. It shouldn't take me too long to finish the tenth issue of The Juniper, and then after that, the twentieth issue of Elephant Mess. Just in time for me to turn thirty. 10. 20. 30. The planets must be aligned. Get in touch soon. I miss you. This warm weather has me feeling less empty. More hopeful, in other words. More posts are fast approaching. Stay tuned.

"i spend all my energy staying upright."
-nada surf

"i heard from someone you're still pretty"

2008-04-22T18:14:00.000-07:00

Hello earthlings: Happy Earth Day!
Did you save the planet, yet? Or is it too late? Calamity is sure to ensue, but hopefully we can soften the blow somehow.

Here is something for you to check out. If I had the National Geographic Channel, I would watch this. Instead, I am going to have to watch it on DVD. I hope that you will watch it, too.

Also, I have finally added some links. Check those out, too. I will add more later when I'm a little less busy.

"Where in hell can you go?
Far from the things that you know,
Far from the sprawl of concrete that keeps crawling its way
About a thousand miles a day."
-Natalie Merchant

Human Footprint.

"my heart's an autoclave"

2008-04-09T20:06:00.000-07:00

Remember a while back when I was posting here every time I read a zine? That was weird.

Over a year ago, I received a zine in the mail called Phases of the Moon #2: I'm ready to grow young again. It's written by Ms. Skeleton Key. It has sat around in my apartment all this time, and now I finally got around to reading it. It was about time.

Ms. Skeleton Key's zine is awesome. Even though her story is much different from mine, I found so many things in her words that I could relate to. Much of what she wrote was just what I needed to hear right now. How serendipitous. Here is a random quote:

"This is a year of yesses (sic), and I speak in absolutes."

Is winter over, yet?

"I am this great, unstable mass of blood and foam
and no one in her right mind would make my home her home."
-The Mountain Goats

"i know it's hard when we sell plasma to pay for dinner"

2008-03-31T21:14:00.000-07:00

Some things:

-Baseball is back.
-Winter is still here.
-My hands are chronically dry.
-I am not the enabler, but I am the procrastinator.
-I am subscribed to the votenader.org emails. Look at the one I got today; It's right on.

"You have to wonder about self-proclaimed 'progressives.'

Take Matthew Rothschild, for example.

He's a self-proclaimed progressive.

He's the editor of the so-called Progressive Magazine.

He has written an editorial in the current issue (April 2008) of the magazine titled 'Don't Worry About Ralph.'

In it, Rothschild claims that 'to the extent that there is anything like a progressive movement going on right now, it is foursquare behind Obama.'

Rothschild must be plugged in.

The question is - to what?

Nader/Gonzalez have put together a campaign to push for public health insurance (single-payer), to cut the bloated, wasteful military budget, to reverse U.S. policy in the Middle East, to take nuclear power off the table and to put solar energy on the table, to repeal the anti-union Taft-Hartley law, and to impeach Bush/Cheney.

Obama stands with Clinton and McCain against Nader/Gonzalez on all of these.

Rothschild says he barely knows 'anyone who has voted for Nader in the past who will vote for him this time.'

That's because Rothschild is living in his little viral liberal bubble - where the anti-Nader virus has taken hold and won't let go.

Visit our website and you will meet voters from all across America - from outside the little viral liberal bubble in which Rothschild is ensconced - who stand foursquare behind Nader/Gonzalez.

They are voting with their donations of hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Nader/Gonazlez democracy agenda.

They are voting with their feet - collecting signatures all across the country to get Nader/Gonzalez on the ballot.

And they are voting with their writing to respond to viral liberals like Rothschild.

It doesn't matter that you call yourself a progressive, Matt, or that you call your magazine The Progressive.

You are not progressive.

And your magazine is not progressive.

You are supporting the corporate Democrats.

Therefore, you are a corporate Democrat.

Stop deceiving the public.

Onward

The Nader Team"

Ralph Nader tells it like it is even if it means that some people (and potentially lots of people) aren't going to like him for it. Even if you don't agree with him, you have to admit that he's got balls. Politicians that are running for office typically just tell people what they want to hear. Ralph Nader goes against the grain, and he doesn't back down. I admire him for that.

That's it for now...
More later.

"i wonder if i could tie the ocean to your knees"

2008-03-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

Last week was my spring break. Yeah, I know, what kind of sense does that make? It's not even officially spring, yet. Plus, it mostly just rained, snowed and hailed the whole time. Oh well, who cares? All I really did was work. But I did manage to read a few zines:

-Will You Marry Me...!? vol. 2, issue 1
-Blah Blah Blah vol. 3, issue 4
-Cuddle Puddles & Hot Pants #1
-Encycro-pedia 2006
-Sassyfrass Circus #1/Hobo's Lullaby Radio Opry!
-Blah Blah Blah vol. 3, issue 5
-Paste-eater #2
-Echo Echo! #5

Here is a quote from Echo Echo! #5: "I wish I could still smile without caring what it cost. I wish I could peel myself visible again."

Some other things:
-If you haven't watched The Story of Stuff yet, you really should. It's only 20 minutes long.
-I made quinoa sprouts.
-I planted some seeds indoors.
-I dug up the rest of the carrots in my garden.
-I watched a three hour long documentary about Noam Chomsky. He's the man. (I also watched a movie about The Queers. Up the punx.)
-I'm going to be an uncle for the 12th time.
-I sliced my thumb wide open in plant propagation lab, so I couldn't play my guitar at all during spring break. Lame.
-I wish I had the dreamy voice of Rocky Votolato and the mad chops of Thurston Moore.
-Apparently, I'm an introvert. But was that ever really a mystery?

"I'm living in lack of the blood sent from your heartbeat that arrived in your neck every time I salivated over you." -Alkaline Trio

"note to self: no one cares"

2008-03-01T17:42:00.000-08:00

Greetings Earthlings.

If you have 20 spare minutes, you should spend it watching The Story of Stuff. If you don't have 20 spare minutes, you should still watch The Story of Stuff.

I've been thinking a lot about waste lately. Garbage waste, wasted money, wasted resources, wasted time, wasted lives. Even though I have long considered myself fairly eco-friendly and eco-conscious, I still recognize that I waste much more than my fair share and I am still part of an ugly consumerism machine that keeps barreling forward at breakneck speed, intent on bringing civilization to an early grave. Yet, we are all manning this machine. We all play a small part in it. So, by default we are all committing cultural suicide. The process is just slow. But now that so many of our natural resources have either reached or passed the peak of their availability, a mass collapse is practically inevitable.

I am a doomsayer, I know. Let's hope that I'm wrong. Let's hope that the scientists and all of their models are wrong. But mostly, let's pledge to make a dramatic shift in our lifestyles. Let's be done with waste. And let's live. Authentically, naturally and sustainably.

Please watch The Story of Stuff.

"Are the punks still singing the same songs?"

2008-02-17T22:54:00.000-08:00

You may already know this, but I run a little zine distro called Carrot Row. It's been a while since I last posted a complete list of the zines that I carry. I made a little catalog last summer, but even that is outdated by now. I have several new zines - the very latest of which are Resist #46, Greasespot #3.5 & #4, The Art and Science of Billboard Improvement, and Seattle DIY. Also, I have lowered the price on the CROQ zines. There are (hopefully) more additions on the way. If you have a zine that you'd like me to carry, send it my way. I'm mostly looking for zines that deal with topics such as gardening, bike riding, homesteading, DIY living, crafting, cooking, camping, dumpster diving, foraging, food issues, and living the slow life.

Carrot Row Mail Order

The Art & Science of Billboard Improvement – “A guide to the alteration of outdoor advertising.” Selecting, planning and carrying out billboard alterations without getting caught. $1.

Agriculture Biotechnology zine – “Greens, genes, and in betweens.” Lara’s zine about biotechnology/genetic engineering. Everything you ever wanted to know about GMO’s, and why you should be concerned about them. Essential reading for anyone who eats food. Free, but maybe send a stamp or two.

Axis of Evil Banquet – “An intersection of recipes and politics.” Write-ups and recipes aiming to humanize the countries that the Bush Administration considers “The Axis of Evil.” Venezuela is also included. Worth $2.

CROQ #4 – Zine for the craft revolution. This issue: camp cooking, zine making, dandelion eating, parenting, unschooling, dyeing, Victorian era crafting, intellectual property protecting, etc, etc. For the reduced price of $3.

CROQ #5 – Bulb forcing, compost tea brewing, convenience food vegan-izing, DIY moving, zine library creating, craft burnout avoiding, homeschooling, exercising, time capsule-ing, 70’s crafting, self-publishing, retail shop opening, etc, etc. Also for the reduced price of $3.

EnvironMENTAL Imp Pack! #1 – Maaike’s zine about the why’s and how’s of reducing, re-using and recycling. Ten ways to go green, plus lots of other tips and resources offered. Includes a sticker and pin for a mere $2.

EnvironMENTAL Imp Pack! #2 – Maaike’s zine about food politics. Buying local and/or organic food. Buying fair trade products. Tips for shopping at farmer’s markets. Plus info on “unshopping” and sustainability. Lots of facts and resources. Educate yourself for $1.

Farmer’s Daughter #2 – A farm zine written by a farm girl. This issue focuses mainly on cows: facts, breeds (including color illustrations), milking, milk products, manure. There is also an article on urban sprawl, plus some recipes and book and zine reviews. All for just $1.

Greasespot #3.5 – Stream of consciousness mini-zine. Writing about zine making, tabling at events, and playing punk rock hangman. Also, some artwork with explanations. On green paper for 50 cents or a stamp.

Greasespot #4 – Punk rock stories from Texan punk rockers. Stories about being a pizza delivery punk, a trip to California, lost glasses, and a bomb threat at a high school. Lots more stories, too. Plus how to play a game called Botch and an awesome comic featuring the lyrics to an MTX song. $3.

Resist #46 – One of my favorite zines is back! Matte writes about riding his bike, working in his garden, seed saving, parenting, coffee, building a bike trailer, and much more. Fat zine for $3.

Seattle DIY – Your complete guide to all things punk rock in Seattle. Cheap living, transportation, local laws, book and record stores, restaurants, venues, parks, thrift stores and more. Listings are conveniently divided by neighborhood. It doesn’t matter if you don’t live in Seattle or whether or not you’ll ever visit Seattle, reading this will inspire you to create something similar in your area. $2.

Spat Back #3 - Emma’s little DIY punk zine. Make a bag out of old pants. Make your own stencils. Plus some personal writings about being a female in punk, rediscovering punk, and self-education. Only 50 cents.

Take it – It’s My Body (A Final Compilation) – “A zine about fighting fat hatred in life, in the world.” Chelsea’s zine about fat acceptance, fatphobia, size-ism, and body image. A compilation of new and old writing. It’s a fat revolution for $3.

Juniperbug Productions

(These are the zines that I make.)

Brown Rot – Political zine for armchair activists. Back after a long hiatus. New issue in the works (maybe). $1 for latest issue.

Elephant Mess – Perzine for family geeks. The cryptic words of a self-saboteur. Ten plus years running. $1 for latest issue (back issues available).

The Juniper – Biannual zine about living the slow life. Farming/gardening, bike riding, food politics, sustainable living. Stamp for latest issue (back issues available).

I also have a few patches and other things that I make. I will post pictures and a listing later. When ordering multiple items, please add a couple stamps or a dollar or two to help with shipping. Go DIY!

Dan Murphy
PO Box 3154
Moscow ID 83843
messyelephant@hotmail.com

"Are you restless like me?" - against me!

"the winter is taking my life"

2008-02-03T15:12:00.001-08:00

Datsun in the Snow
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

We had a big snowstorm last week. The snow almost buried my little truck (as you can see). The storm was so bad that the University was even canceled for two days.
Plus, I am sick with a cold now, and that is also winter's fault.

"I played a song so sweet/it brought winter to its knees/and froze us over." -- bloom igby bloom

"you won't catch me behind the wheel of a chrysler ever again"

2008-01-09T18:36:00.000-08:00

Today was the first day of spring semester. So, that means that winter break is over. That's too bad because I was really enjoying the break from school, and I didn't really get as much done as I had hoped. I did get a lot of zines read though. Here is a list for you:

-Keep Loving, Keep Fighting #7 / I Hate This Part of Texas #7 (split zine)
-Trabant #3
-Kissoff #12
-[list] #11
-A Million Birthdays #7
-Take It - It's My Body! (A Final Compilation)
-Seattly DIY
-EnvironMENTAL Imp Pack #2
-Blah Blah Blah vol. 2 #21 & #22
-Blah Blah Blah vol. 3 #1
-Infecticitis #6
-Marked for Life #4
-Even Artichokes Have Hearts #1
-Peas and Carrots 01

All of these zines were good and come highly recommended.
And that's all I have to say about that.

"la la la la love is dead"

2008-01-07T19:30:00.000-08:00

Love is dead, but life is good because lately I've been eating carrots that I harvested from my garden this month. That's pretty awesome if you ask me. And there are still more carrots to harvest, so chances are, I will be eating fresh carrots in February, too. We've been getting massive amounts of snow around here, but the ground isn't totally frozen, yet. Garden hoe!

"oh, i live this life...and i love it"
-the queers

"so this is the new year, and i don't feel any different"

2008-01-02T21:04:00.001-08:00

Hey all you punks and skins: Carrot Row Mail Order has new additions.

First, Take It - It's My Body (A Final Compilation). This zine is by Chelsea in PDX, OR and is all about fat acceptance, size-ism, and body image. $3 ppd.
Second, EnvironMENTAL Imp Pack #2. This is Maaike's zine (Moscow, ID) about organics, local food, and other food issues. $1 ppd.

There are more additions on the way, so be in touch. If you don't have a catalog, send a stamp.

Dan Murphy
PO Box 3153
Moscow ID 83843
USA
messyelephant@hotmail.com or juniperjournal@hotmail.com

May 2008 be the year of the punk rocker. Rock on.

"so this is the new year
and i have no resolutions"
-dcfc

"now my heart is as cold as ice"

2007-12-16T15:10:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, I finished reading another zine. It's called Ghost Pine #9 (subtitled, Bees), and it was writtten by Jeff from Canada.
Here is a quote: "After all these years of listening to the rhetoric claiming some subversive nature of zines; North American samizdat and the rebellion of it all, I felt completely denuded. Here were the zines folding and there were the guns walking. Something had changed."

"strange how the arms sting when you're left holding nothing"

2007-12-07T09:17:00.000-08:00

It took me a whole year, but I finally finished reading a book. I know, it's pretty pathetic that it takes me that long to read a book. And it was only 341 pages. Anyway, the book I read was The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved: Inside America's Underground Food Movements by Sandor Ellix Katz. I highly recommend reading this book if you care at all about food politics and food issues. Even if you don't care about those things, it's a very interesting and entertaining read. You will learn all sorts of new things about food and food systems, and there are several recipes worth trying. These are the last words of the book (I think they sum things up pretty well):

"I'm afraid that in the end I have no easy-to-follow recipe to offer my readers for how we can go about taking back community control of our food and water and, more broadly, our power and dignity. There are no easy formulaic answers. But as we search for answers, and allies, we can get our hands dirty working the soil and growing some of our own food. We can get to know farmers and support local markets. We can get to know plants, learn to save seeds, and learn how to heal our bodies and our souls. These activities ground us in the earth, and out of them grow health, abundance, community, and dreams of a better future."

This book was published by Chelsea Green Publishing and can be purchased directly from them. Or maybe find it at the library or borrow it from a friend or something.

"if my body goes then to hell with my soul"

2007-12-04T21:46:00.001-08:00

another juniper
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

Another issue of The Juniper hot off the presses. This time I have filled the pages with plenty of ranting and raving. You will be sick of it after a few paragraphs or less, but that's okay. I go on and on about living an authentic life and not being a ponce and a pandering aristocrat. I also push my politics on you and postulate a better a world. (I don't have all or any of the answers but I like to pretend that I do.) Then I tell you about my 2007 garden plot and offer some lists of seeds for seed exchange. It's short, and it won't hurt too badly.

send a stamp or trade to:
Dan Murphy
PO Box 3154
Moscow ID 83843
USA
juniperjournal@hotmail.com

ask for a carrot row mail order catalog, too.

"passed out in a datsun that's parked out in the hot sun"

2007-11-30T21:48:00.001-08:00

maaike's zine
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

My friend, Maaike, has a new zine out, and it's pretty sweet. It's called The Sixth Minky; it's a personal zine with a mix of humor and seriousness. Plus it has an awesome color layout. You can get a copy of it for yourself by sending a dollar or trade to:
Maaike Davidson
PO Box 8891
Moscow ID 83843
USA

oh yeah, the quote: "The back of your seat can be used as a flotation device...that's nice. But what they don't tell you is that you'll be dead by the time you hit the water."

I have been reading other zines too, but I have not been updating my blog. I am somewhat tired of the computer. It sucks away far too much of my time. So does the TV. Winter is here, and I am stuck inside much more than usual. I'm hoping that I can be productive this winter rather than sitting in front of a TV or computer screen in a coma the whole time. I have lots of stuff that I could be doing. I'll keep you posted. Or not.

"things i have loved i'm allowed to keep"

2007-11-15T22:04:00.000-08:00

School and other things had me swamped for a couple weeks. It was hard to get much extra reading in. Never fear though, between last night and today I was able to get a couple of small zines read:

Little Lady 02 by nichole anne
I don't have any quotes for you, but I would like to mention that there are two recipes found in this zine that I plan on trying out: vegan banana bread and pancake blueberry sauce.

Underwater Cigarettes #3 by elizabeth
"I don't think she loved me but she wanted to, and you can't help but love an overlap of madness to some extent..."
and
"Eating meat just seems like an invasion of my natural allotment of flesh."

By the way, I recently discovered that there is a blog that posts reviews of zines and some of the "reviews" that I have been writing lately here can be found there. (I say "reviews" because I don't really consider these things reviews, because mostly I am just posting about the zines I have read, but whatever.) I don't mind that my posts are being borrowed; actually I think it's pretty cool. I just figured that I would point out to whomever it is that is reposting my posts on their blog that you have been discovered and you're welcome.

"you have broken me all the way down...you will be the last, you'll see"

2007-11-03T00:49:00.000-07:00

In issue #15 of Elephant Mess, I introduced to my unsuspecting readers my "Elephant Mess World Tour & World Takeover" plan. If you are not familiar with it, I guess you will have to read it for yourself sometime because I don't feel like going into too much detail about it right now (contact me, if necessary). At that time (more than 2 years ago), I had only 10 states left in my quest to send an issue of Elephant Mess to all 50 states in the union. Now, I am down to only 5 states. I would like to use this space to list the 5 states that have not yet had the pleasure of receiving an issue of the disappointment of a zine and waste of precious paper, Elephant Mess, so that if anyone out there knows someone in one of these 5 states that would be willing to receive a copy of my boring read, I could then send a copy to them, thus fulfulling the first part of my mission to take over the world (with my zine). The five states are:

-Wyoming
-North Dakota
-Oklahoma
-Mississippi
-South Dakota

If you have friends, family or (preferably) know zinesters that live in any of these five states, please let me know what their address(es) is (are) so that I can get a copy of Elephant Mess off to them pronto. You are all stars in my book for helping me out with this. Now, stop reading this tripe and go do something useful with your life (that does not have anything to do with my zine).

okay.

"awful people, they surround you"

2007-10-28T21:32:00.000-07:00

I should be doing schoolwork, but instead I read another zine: Entropic Tendencies #3 (So Many Beautiful Parts) by Laura J.

"Because even the largest untruths are believable when you're 17 and dancing in Dallas rain."

Now, I better get my stuff done...maybe.

"he's a dirty trashcan full of poop"

2007-10-27T08:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I finished reading New To Everything #6 by Leanne. One of my favorite parts was this:

"Do you like pop punk?"
"Yeah, why?"
"That's it! See, pop punk perpetuates feelings of rejection and heartbreak. If you just stop listening to it, your life is gonna improve!"
I laughed so hard and put my Screeching Weasel records away...
(It didn't last long.)

"i want so badly to believe that there is truth, that love is real"

2007-10-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

Today, I read two zines: Erik & Laura-Marie Magazine #40 and #42 by Laura-Marie Taylor.

From #40:
"The school was bordered by a mortuary, cemetary, and hospital, which wasn't lost on me. Every few days, out to play on the playground, I smelled bodies being cremated, which unnerved me, to say the least, and I didn't discuss it with anyone at the time.
"But a few years ago, I called up the Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary and asked them about it. Yes, the nice gentleman told me, they did burn bodies there every few days, around 1984. Yes, there was a distinctive smell."

From #42:
Kimchee
We both
dislike that
hot cabbage

You will get your CD and zine soon, Laura-Marie. I promise.

"a baby sleeps in all our bones, so afraid to be alone"

2007-10-10T09:14:00.000-07:00

From Echo! Echo! #4 by Keet
"It seems hilarious now, but there are still times when I drift off into a trance and remember every terror I felt. It has been a month after if happened, but I still feel sick to my stomach whenever I remember it. On the other hand, it never fails to remind me that hey, I'm still alive, after all that. However small an accident it may seem. We all need to be reminded sometimes."

If you are interested in reading any of the zines that I have been reading, just let me know and I will tell you how you can get a hold of them.

"i'm battle scarred, i'm working oh so hard to get back to who i used to be"

2007-10-05T18:13:00.000-07:00

Friends and foes, I finished reading another zine. It's a zine out of Australia. It's by the same guy who does Das Papierkrieg and Westside Angst - Mr. Ianto Ware.

The Little Nerd Band That Could part 2
"I'm told Interpol played a show once where the guitarist stopped the song and told the audience to stop clapping along because they were putting him out of time."

"all that i have left are pieces of the ocean that i kept"

2007-10-01T19:59:00.000-07:00

I like posting on here, but I don't like posting about my everyday life. No one wants to hear about that, and frankly I don't feel like sharing.
I like reading zines, but I rarely get around to it. I have stacks of zines waiting to be read. I always think I'll get around to reading them sometime, but I don't. And I just keep on getting more. I keep on ordering more. And I keep not reading them. Well, I'm working on it. So, I devised a plan to post more on this blog and to get more zines read. This is my plan: read a zine (this could take days, weeks or even months), then when I am finished reading the zine, I will post the name of the zine I read along with one of my favorite quotes from it. Okay? Fortunately, I just finished reading a zine today, so here goes:

Endless Escalators #1 by Monica A.

"I discovered the purpose of life while at a Lutheran All-School Spelling Bee. It was during the awards ceremony. I was sitting on the cold gym floor with about 30 other kids in my age group. Only third through first place got trophies, so after the fourth place LOOOSER received his LAME RIBBON, everyone tensed up but tried to act calm, because no matter how you look at it, losing your shit over a middle school spelling bee is not okay. Third and second were announced, and I was glad to be almost able to go home, but then I heard my name. Once I had the trophy in my hands, I knew life isn't about things like trying hard and being fair and helping people. Really, it's about winning stuff and making everyone else feel bad."

"your heart won't heal right if you keep tearing out the sutures"

2007-09-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

I want secrets and anonymity.
So...
I embrace my anti-social tendencies.
I stretch myself thin trying to be accommodative.
I take pride in single-hood.
My individualistic independent-ism overwhelms me.
I become selfish, self-centered, and disconnected.
Cellphone is dead.
Introversion abounds.

"how cold can a heart become before it crumbles or decides to stay numb?"

2007-09-29T18:05:00.001-07:00

Elephant Mess: 10 Year Anniversary
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

Elephant Mess number nineteen is finished, and it's a zinger. It's the ten year anniversary. Yes, that's right. Elephant Mess has existed for ten years now. That's ten years of boring you to death with my skull droppings. You would do well to get yourself a copy and continue being unentertained. I wrote lots about being an adult zine writer with little or nothing to show for my life. I also wrote about reckless abandonment and skeletons in my closet. There's more, but I don't want to ruin the surprise. Here's what you should do. Find a dollar or three first class stamps. Put it or them in an envelope (or you could send me a trade of some sort - that's bartering). Mail that envelope to:
Dan Murphy
PO Box 3154
Moscow ID 83843
USA

queries?
messyelephant@hotmail.com

"Because I can't stand feeling nothing
I can't stand feeling old.
I can't stand standing for nothing
When standing up is all I know."
-Rumbleseat

"call in sorrow your friend, ask her where has she been"

2007-09-16T21:44:00.001-07:00

Field of Dreams
Originally uploaded by juniperbug

Last week the Soil Stewards had our very first Farm Field Day. It was a smashing success. More people showed up than I had expected, and everyone seemed to enjoy being at the farm. It felt good to think that all of our hard work is paying off, and that people are interested in what we are doing. More and more people are seeing the need to be connected to their food and to be involved in their community and local economy. The Soil Stewards hope to make this an annual event. There is so much more work to do at the farm. This is really just the beginning, but it's the start of something great. I'm excited to be part of this growing movement.

and now, just because it's in my head:
"be disappointed and glum
beat yourself like a drum
yell out, 'who stole my silent night?!'"
-The Microphones

"loyal to no one, no one at all"

2007-09-11T13:43:00.000-07:00

Long, long ago when I first started this blog I decided to play a little guessing game. I said that I would give a prize to the first person who correctly told me me where the title of my blog comes from. No one even made a guess until around 2 and a half years later when Maaike (upon reading over some old entries) came upon that post and answered correctly. The title comes from the song "Cinder and Smoke" by Iron & Wine. I told her I would give her a prize even though I had never originally decided what the prize would be, and quite frankly I had forgotten all about the whole thing anyway. Well, several months have passed and I still haven't given her a prize for winning. Again, I had forgotten until she reminded me recently. Where is my memory going? Where is Maaike's prize? I still don't know what it's going to be. Anyway, don't worry Maaike, you will get a prize soon...I promise. That is, if I don't forget again.