Month: March 2018

New ‘Mix in the Making’ will be posted in a week or so… It’s already nearly thirty tracks long with choices for a mix to complete by May 1st. I’m keeping the new album section for now and will be updating a new section like I sort of had before with mixes I have listened to and pass on to you.

Side note: Most of the stuff I approve to post isn’t normally excessively explicit unless that is what I think is needed at the time. In general I think people swear too much. Any words one uses over and over makes them loose their sting, meaning or seriousness. I guess I am guilty of this sometimes because society is numb to certain concepts. There was a song with J.Lauryn singing that sounded like she was swearing, but it was listed in the lyrics as ‘He knows how to fun me like that’. This is not proper grammar, but that is a lyrical license songwriters have to break different rules to make new meaning that isn’t tired.

Also, Ckwal’s only album is not going to iTunes in April as I updated in several posts.

I hate being obligated to share information I am pretty much drawn in to find when I already tried to tell people tactfully. Especially since I rarely confirm any actual readers of my life’s work and it seems like someone else tells everyone before I get the chance.

I found this website and there was a rather bold post about this topic I have been thinking about. The problems are “too many to confront”. If people can’t do it for themselves then why would you do it for your pets? I guess animal cruelty is the answer, but we are just as cruel to each other. Also, expanding on this topic would pretty much halt almost every activity we do everyday to really change. However, to be less hypocritical for places like animal shelters where the pet may have been abused or mistreated, why would we serve them other animals that have been killed? If anyone has an excuse for eating chicken it would be me. I was nearly killed in a motorcycle accident in Cambodia because a chicken was flying across the road. It walked as it approached the road and took off just in time to nearly collide with me before I broke and slid on the heavy antique. For awhile I thought this way. Then one day I bought some ramen on my road trip shortly before becoming vegan. I read the codes on the packaging and don’t ask me how, but it told me how my life was going to change soon.

One chicken that almost took away my life doesn’t justify eating anymore than zero. The local who walked up to me to see what happened said, “Do you believe in Jesus?” I said, “Yes.”

This is no news, so I am still dealing with good news.

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April’s tracks are completed in the below post.

This is from a year ago. I discovered it on the NESTHQ. I can’t listen to the whole thing before I post, but I remember I liked it at the time. It’s a style some call ‘Happy Hardcore’ which you will know it’s unique sound when you listen to this mix by Darren Styles. There is a remix of Gold Skies which I liked around when I worked some events at the Hard Rock Hotel in Chicago. A part of me is living there right now in another way later as some stuff I recently paid for was eating out of the Shell gas station via Guitar Center gift cards living from the Mission downtown.

I have known this for a little while, but was reminded today. If you are adding NON-GMO to your vegan diet as I am attempting, you can avoid looking for the flower and butterfly symbol all the time. Now you can add the Kosher/Pareve symbols. Let’s not get confused because these symbols don’t make them certified vegan. If you are not super strict with production, they provide a better chance the product is acceptable depending on the contents. Also if the food or ingredient is vegan certified, it should be NON-GMO too because many GMOs come from animals, but more realistically it is just a better probability. GMOs come from the lab which could have originated from viruses, bacteria, insects, animals or humans, however they could be from chemicals. Two reference articles on this (1,2).

Another interesting article about the new Kosher law. That law is good news for some of us, but it might make one less strict on their veganism search and circumstantially contacting companies for strictness control. Upon my research from earlier posts (which was a hobby at first that turned into a burdenous volunteer job), some companies seem to be only concerned about whether they are safe or not. This is understandable. My concern was whether companies are concealing this information or just don’t know (or won’t tell their employees who have to answer the questions for customers). Also, don’t forget about buying NON-GMO spices and even raw foods like fruits and vegetables. Remember ‘USDA Organic’ means that they have not been genetically modified as well.

Current GMO Crops and when they were introduced.

Update 3/11/18: I cannot confirm if any gmos are not tested on animals. Does any vegan verified food allow animal testing at any level? How about any company thinking they are vegan in which hasn’t been verified? I just read about vitro tests which are improving that don’t require animals. One last big concern is the dyes in our clothing. I found out last month that one dye maker doesn’t test on animals or support it, but their supplier for one of the contents does and it is required (by UK law). I think all GMOs are requiring these tests as well. Some GMO companies claim they are humane tests, but I still don’t see how they are getting permission. A real vegan product is packaged without and is without animal products or testing. As of now I cannot bother you with non-vegan spiritual concerns. I.E. Made or served by a non-vegan human or vegan of lower evolutionary status/development.

I forgot to mention these two cats…

Roman is a hunk of a character. He prowled the room when we first hung out with an impressive stride. Later Roman turned on the charm with puppy dog eyes. Just yesterday he was tapping the glass like a lion. You could probably take Roman for a walk, so hurry to the Kearney Animal Shelter to audition. Next is Curry who has been there awhile (must have snuck under the radar). Like Cajun who was almost nabbed, Curry is well behaved and under-rated in the appearance category. It’s been awhile since I had a chat with Curry, but these three were still there yesterday. Seems like with the weather getting nicer there are more companions in and out of the shelter, so see if you can get a hold on one if you are serious. Also if you want to contribute to Kearney Area Animal Shelter and don’t want to commit to a furry friend, they accept donations in all sorts of variations.

On a side note:
I’ll probably post a short ‘Mix in the Making’ list in a week, so hypothetically a mixer could have the final mix ready for April Fool’s Day. I’m delving into hobbies right now and struggling a little without my daily mix practice because after all, I was doing that for over two years! However I feel better to focus on a handful of songs (plus radio play catch-up) and the people in my life for awhile. Today I was thinking about putting an official MixList out for early summer, but still deciding how to deliver you the most concentrated content that you can value.