Operation 365… Blog 84

Operation 365 – Jefferson Jay – Archives – 90 Kellis McDonald – 12-18-2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvit17ASbKA

Staying with performances from December 18, 2008 in the archives as I roll through my very unofficial “Best of The Rest,” featuring friends I haven’t yet featured here in Operation 365. Kellis McDonald first joined us at the end of 2008 at the strong suggestion of superhuman, Don Truesdail. Don brought many, many extremely talented friends in to our circle in ’08 and none came more highly recommended than Kellis. At this point, followers of the 365 are well-aware of the fact that we are blessed with many talented friends.

Of the dozens of singer/songwriters he knew locally, Kellis was Don’s favorite and he told me this many times. Because of that, I sought out Kellis and brought him in as many times as I could to play, in late 2008. I remember at this show specifically, Don standing next to me, gushing in my ear, about how if a talent scout were to come to one of our shows, sharing Kellis would be putting our best foot forward as a collective, big time. December 18, 2008, as I’ve mentioned, was a very special day in our world. It was out holiday fiesta and turned out to be Don’s final performance.

I had just gotten my video camera. I remember vividly at the beginning of Kellis’s set, desperately trying to figure out how the tripod worked with mixed results. I’ve come quite a way since then. It turns out, it’s not that hard. Anyway, here is Kellis. His music is awesome. He plays guitar with a technique I’ve never seen before or since. His songs are captivating. I’m glad I got to enjoy him playing several times, but not as glad as I am that I got to watch Don enjoy Kellis, because Kellis’s music lit up Don’s face like the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Centre. Hail Truesdail and al the incredible music he brought into my life. Hail seeing Kellis play again some time soon.

Operation 365 – Jefferson Jay – Covers – 90 “Gimme Me Some Money” by Spinal Tap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sybCsriXUU8

Today is a long day for me, off to teach at 8AM and teaching all they way through 6:30. Not tons of time for 365 today, so I’m squeezing it in around the edges as best I can. Due to the monopolization of my day by work, naturally I was thinking about money, the only reason I’m here in the first place. I decided Spinal Tap’s classic early era hit, “Gimme Some Money” would fir the bill nicely and I believe it has.

Bonus about this classic jam, is the encouraging solo banter, “Go, Nigel, Go.” I have recently agreed to co-parent an amazing little terrier mix puppy named Nigel. Nigel is named after Spinal Tap co-lead guitarist, Nigel Tufnel, the guy who liked to turn it up to 11. If you haven’t seen Spinal Tap, you need to go do it right now. Now. Little Nigel the puppy turns it up to 11 in cuteness and energy.

Operation 365 – Jefferson Jay – Orignials – 90 “Money’s Just Green Paper”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MOAT-kf43w

I wanted to do an original song about money, and then I realized I don’t have one. I don’t really like money. Yes, as nice as it would be to have way more and the corresponding freedom with my time that would accompany said cashflow, happiness, to me, is far more important, and no amount of money can buy it. In the name of money, people kill each other, take advantage of each other, ruin each other and for what. To grab more for themselves when most of these people in question already have so much more than they could ever need. That is what’s wrong with our society, that the people in charge not only think that’s OK, but it is the natural of their backwards morality.

I believe capitalism is wrong. If one were to push capitalism to its logical extreme, one person, the LeBron James of capitalism, would have all the money and everybody else would be at their mercy, lucky to have anything at all. Love is what matters, making people feel important and valuable. Enjoying each moment. Moments are life’s true diamonds and doing meaningful things with them is the measure of what your life is worth.

So I made this song up on the spot today, with my time limited, due to a full day of work and I hope you like it. Money’s OK and there’s nothing wrong with having a whole bunch of it, but if you mistreat people all the time to get it, then there is karmic price to pay for that in this life or at some other crucial time. If you have WAY more money than you need and still focus all your energy on getting more, that is wrong. There is a limited amount of resources in this world. For your 7th house or 19th car, people are starving every instant.

Endless war, poisoned skies, imprisoned herbal cancer curers, and Monsanto seed Nazis are just a few of the bold-faced criminals emboldened by capitalism without bounds. It is wrong, to me, clearly. I believe someday, if the world survives, extreme wealth will be recognized for the tacky, insecure, excess that it is. One may argue, “Well, I’m just doing my job.” The legitimacy of that overused excuse expired at least” a generation ago when the German army killed ten million people, “just doing their job.

A student just asked me "how many heads I’d blow off to save my girlfriend.” She seemed surprised when I answered, "None.” This is the world we’re raising our kids in. When they’re small we teach them to share and be kind to each other. Our adults are trained to do the opposite. When does it change? Is there anything we can do to stop it? I hope so because, besides to love and enjoy existence, that is my main reason to be here. I’m tired of a world of suffering just so rich people can get richer. Karma will come calling for them. I just hope they find some answers first.