THEA: Zine Issue 1, Summer 2008

Morning Poem: A Response to Mary Oliver
(Written in San Francisco's United Nations plaza during Pride)

Every morning the world
is created. Here
the water shoots up from
layered rocks and returns,
journeying like me
to arrive.

Rainbows fly where most nations
unite, so I give thanks
for this place and hope
to soon make it mine.
What I really want
to know: Does your spirit carry

with it a thorn or is your nature
to be happy? Regardless, there is
somewhere in you shouting
that peace on earth is exactly
what you wanted! After all,

each orange sun and blazing
pond is a prayer lavishly
answered. So, give thanks each
morning--whether or not you ever
dared to imagine and request
the divine.

Global Values, Local Action

Anna and I constituted the first book club meeting on Friday; we decided that Global Values 101 would provide the best introduction to a book club aimed at global consciousness and local action on the issues of utmost importance to us--democracy, human rights, environmental sustainability, free speech, etc. I will leave a copy of the book in the mailbox on the road house's front porch, so that anyone can come and read it before our next meeting, Friday 1 Aug at 7 pm before Expressions. Join us if you dare to think for yourself.
The other books that have attracted the most interest are: 1. Standing Up to the Madness by Amy and David Goodman and 2. Feminism is for Everyone by bell hooks. An additional suggestion made by Brandon is Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism by Ha-Joon Chang. I think the book covers much of the same territory as the new Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein, which I would prefer. But I do believe in democratic decision making, so come make your preferences known!

Birthday Wishes including ABC Announcement

First Activist Book Club (ABC) meeting this evening from 5 to 6 pm. This leaves time for people to eat, drink, and be merry before Expressions at 8:30. My hope is that we will break to eat dinner and go to Artrageous Fridays from 6 to 8 pm (c'mon, it only happens once every three months). Please take flyers to sing and play and talk and share about Expressions. My goal is to amass 23 wonderful people this evening to celebrate my 23rd birthday, which was yesterday.

Indeed, I celebrated my birthday with both my biological and chosen family. We had drinks at my parents' house, went out to Osaka for dinner and concluded back at teh stomping grounds with a few presents (three of the book club books!) and homemade peach cake. Cheers to good food, growing, learning and loving.

Photos from CoMo Road House

I am so excited! Something good HAS begun.



See Gus the fish? Community murals are conversation art at its best.



Last Friday I made a conversation corner. On a blanket, I displayed art journals from my travels as well as ABC books suggestion. I invited anyone to ask me questions, which invited good talks about art, change and life.


Let's learn the ABCs of activism together. I am in the process of reading the novels I mentioned in my post and have already read Batstone's Not For Sale. The others are all on my to read list.




This is the backyard in the summer morning light.




Here is cantaloupe/canteloupe (both are correct in the dictionary) from the Sustain Mizzou garden!


My girlfriend Struby has made two zines about her contributions to the Holy Road house: "The house is simply wood and nails and paint," she muses. "All of us are the magic."





This is my bedroom, my space; the yellow walls and art bring me hope plus the bumper stickers on my music box keep me motivated.

Expressions in the Now

I explain the Holy Road Tours Union (HRTU) as an intentional living community that supports artists and activists who advocate peace and sustainability in their art or lives. Its current manifestation is four fold:
1. The physical house in which I reside is a place where progressive activists and artists can come together to create and organize their dream into a reality.
2. Expression Sessions, open mikes every Friday evening, are the house's favorite times, when it is most full of diversity, freedom of speech, music, howling, truths, meditations, dissent, feelings, and even prayers.
3. HRTU wants to invest not only in local artists but also in local sustainability, both human and environmental. Residents conserve electricity and water (e.g., if its yellow, leave it mellow!). I put daily effort into growing local food for local people with a global conscience: I'm taking care of several community garden plots caddy corner to and at the side of this great house.
4. Lizzie West and Baba Buffalo's are on the first holy road tour. They're in recess after a series of shows on the east coast, in preparation for a series of shows moving toward the west coast. The ultimate goal is to have houses supported by local, progressive arts communities all across the nation from New York to California. Lizzie and Baba's vision has made much possible. They own the house; they run the 503c non-for-profit; they lit the candle. I am also realizing we have to make it what we want in the HERE and NOW:

So, 5. I'm starting HRTU's Activist Book Club: the ABCs of Everyday Activism for Global Peace and Sustainability. I am going to blog about the books we're reading so you can access or get involved with our our conversations. Indeed, here are the on the table for reading and discussion.

There are a couple memoir/novels on the table (Three Cups of Tea ; What is the What by Dave Eggars, Long Way Gone or another book about child soldiers in Africa). We're focusing on non-fiction books for motivating action. I have put them in my order of preference. What do you want to read that is on this list or elsewhere? Do you want to meet on Fridays from 7 to 8:30 for dinner and discussion or Thursdays 5 to 6:30 for snacks and discussion. Please respond via comments.
- Standing Up To The Madness: Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times by Amy and David Goodman
- Global Values 101 with interviews from Zinn, Goodman, Klein, Reich, Schor, Pollitt, Farmer, Guinier and others
- Feminism is for Everyone by Bell Hooks and/or Everyday Field Guide for Feminist Activism
- The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein
- 365 Ways to Live Green: Everyday Ways To Save the Environment
- A People's History of the United States of America by Howard Zinn
- An Update of Common Sense--> Global Sense: Awakening Your Personal Power for Democracy and World Peace" : by Judah Freed with an afterword by Dr. Vandana Shiva, Indian peace/sustainability activist
- An Ordinary Person's Guide to Empire by Arundhati Roy
- Not For Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade--and How We Can Fight It by David Batstone
- Manufacturing Consent by Noam Chomsky
- Target Iran: The Truth About the White House's Plkans for Regime Change
by Scott Ritter or another book about contemporary middle eastern politics