Weekly Update, December 21, 2020

Greetz internet friend and welcome back to my blog!

I almost forgot to do the weekly update because today I started a much-needed vacation. However, I did remember, so I am writing it. It’s also going to be a short one this week because I was watching our new puppy Bruiser while I wrote the draft this morning and he didn’t like my office. Update - Bruiser decided it would be more fun to play fetch, and so I taught him how to play. Then we played tug of war. Then I took him to the bathroom and he got really riled up, so I put him in his kennel for an hour until the rest of the family came home.

Professional

I’m on vacation - no updates this week.

Politics

Not going to get fired up. Skipping it this week.

Black Lives Matter

Still very important and going to spend a little time writing about it. I am going to write this next section to the people who are reading this and are white. If you are a white person reading this, I want to encourage you to find a few black people and start following them on social media. It is really important to get perspectives from other people. I hope you are already following some people who don’t look like you, because it is important!

In fact, I am going to go a step further in this section and specifically talk to my white audience in the United States. Listen - things are not good in this country right now. Despite the election of Joe Biden, there is still tremendous racism in this country and, white people, we are the ones who are to blame. Our society reacted to eight years of a black President by unleashing a torrent of racism that was hidden behind a thin veneer. As an academically trained historian, I am going to tell you that the “economic miracle” that boosted the United States in the 18th century was slavery and the “free” labor that came from it. After slavery was ended with the 14th amendment, it was still allowed in the form of punishment and the slave patrol transformed into the police we know today and the entire existance of black people was criminalized. My Twitter mutual Johnny B. Ill has talked about his time in the prison slavery system and it is indistinguishable from the historical description of plantation slavery. All throughout the south, from vagrancy laws to just straight lies from the police, black people were put in an even more brutal form of slavery that still exists today.

There is a great quote from a Propagandhi song. “What exactly are the great historical accomplishments of your race that make you proud to be white? Capitalism? Slavery? Genocide? Sitcoms? This is your fucking white history, my friends. So why don’t we start making history worth being proud of and start fighting the real fucking enemy?”

So understand, white people, the reasons why just electing Biden is not enough. Police still have their knee on the neck of all black people, not just George Floyd. They have been allowed to abuse communities of color with impugnity as long as they have existed. When the Black Panther Party started defending their communities, they were so brutally and totally surpressed that all their leadership was dead or in prison within ten years of forming. One of the legacies of that Black Panther Party was a school breakfast program, because they had the nerve to serve breakfasts in schools.

Talking once again to everyone who is reading this, my point in writing every week about Black Lives Matter is to never forget, and to keep it up, until we can achieve some real justice in this country! It won’t come from politicians, we have to demand it and take it for ourselves!

Personal

Today I registered the domain name for my revived music project, Dude and the missing rugs. I started this probably somewhere in the neighborhood of ten years ago? I was in a few bands in Bremerton, Washington where I was born and raised and between 2007-2011 I was making music with a few different bands and usually also had a solo project. Originally it was called something uncool like, The Dave Collins Project but I was and still am a huge fan of the movie, The Big Lebowski so I decided to rename my solo project Dude and the missing rugs. So, I created a Twitter account, as well as a TikTok and a YouTube channel - although there is not any content on the YouTube channel yet. I am working on editing the intro video and should have it up later today. If not, by tomorrow for sure!

I played my first show when I was twelve and started learning guitar around 14 perhaps? At least 15 for sure! As of right now, I have a drum kit that I am using to play grooves (it’s just a bass drum, hi hat, and snare, and I improvised a an egg shaker with one of my sons toys, some rice, and masking tape), and a cheap bass guitar and an Epiphone Vintage Les Paul electric. I’m going to have YouTube videos on my rig and gear, as well as on my songwriter journey and explaining how I go through the process of writing songs. If you are interested in that, follow me on those three platforms and keep on the lookout for updates.

You can also check out my personal TikTok, where I am experimenting with the platform and learning how everything works. I am going to post much more content on my dudeATMR TikTok, but you can check out my personal page and follow that here. I’ve been messing around and putting stuff up over the last few weeks, and if you are reading this blog I would love it if you follow me there. If you comment on one of my videos on my personal page and follow me I’ll probably follow you back!

Anyway, that’s all I have to share today. I’m going to spend the rest of my week writing music, creating art once again, and making YouTube videos. I made the switch a month or two ago from Android to iPhone and I plan on using my iPhone to do recording both video and as a mic for some or most of my albums and projects, so I’m going to be putting my creative chops to test. Check back in the future for more cool stuff!

People to follow (on Twitter)

Martin Luther King III - The son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Bernice King - The daughter of Dr. King

@cetolyne - great friend, awesome programmer, super helpful!

@blenster - cool maker, very positive, well worth a follow!

@GWeessies - very smart person doing interesting research!

Marley - first place champ! Marley is one of the best on Twitter!

Null Coder - another awesome person to keep an eye on!

@EvilMog - creator of the DC MUD and an interesting person to follow.

TrakoZG – an internet friend who tweets excellent things

Sofia Rune – brilliant scholar who shares things that are both insightful and valuable

MildThrone – up and comer with a small following for now, but I think this account is on the rise!

Johnny B. Ill – Brilliant musician with wisdom to share for those smart enough to listen

Tiffany Collins - This is my wife, who is making cool art and is well worth a follow!

That’s it for this week, internet friend! Thanks for checking it out and I hope you have a very nice day and a most excellent week,

Cheers!

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