BTW

I turned 28 years old last week and then this happened.

Words about Music

This is Don:

He is my friend and one of the owners of the super cool local music store called Rosevear's. I was really excited to see that they launched their new website today AND a blog! I've been waiting years (seriously) for these guys to start putting out some content on the web because I think they are hilarious and just good people. You should read these words from Don about music, because he is a very wise man.

Disappointed

I spent a good portion of today trying to figure out how I should react to the weird local drama that is unfolding around a yearly community event that takes place in my town. (I would tell you more about it, but I don't think it deserves any more attention)

First, I got mad. I kept wondering how anyone who considers themselves to be a good member of society could take a community event and turn it into a power trip. And not just a power trip, but one that directly affects a large group of people and highly offends and alienates the majority of the area's residents.

Then I got really frustrated with the fact that people are always placing blame on others and are quick to call out individuals and businesses who don't conform to their way of thinking in an effort to discourage others from communicating with them anymore. It's unfortunate that people think that complaining about another community member or group will actually fix any of their problems. In my experience, when you cut off someone or something from a community everyone ends up suffering for it. If you woke up with a headache one day, you wouldn't go and have your head removed right? You'd give your body what you needed to fix the problem. You'd give more to the part that needed the help.

All of this philosophical thinking today leaves me wondering what possible solution there could be? People are so divisive sometimes and nobody is willing to listen to each other or put their ego aside for just a second and consider the greater good. And I'm no better than anyone else, considering my first reaction to this was to get angry...

I usually have a very positive outlook about my town, but all of the drama lately does have me worried. How long can I stand up for a community that doesn't stand up for itself? 

I am curious about whether any other communities have encountered such negative and argumentative attitudes and how they may have overcome them (or not). What does it take to get people to realize that the only thing standing in their way is their own self?