A dark song for dark days, as the defenceless bear witness to increased global unrest and conflict, ignited by the ruling elites who battle for resources and control.
One by Metallica is a hard rock classic that served to vent my teenage angst, yet I never fully felt the import of its message. Now I truly hear the lyrics, as it channels my adult rage over the injustices that will befall those on the battlefield-of-greed laid out like a red carpet.
To rage out a little with me this Monday Morning, find the song here:
Do you listen to music to let off steam?
What are some of the songs thatwork for you?
Praying for peace in the world on these darkest of days. 🖤
I thought I’d make a post offering a recap of some important things I have shared on my personal social media platforms over the course of the week.
I’ve been trying to reach people with quotes, but there’s likely a fair number of my friends that have snoozed me for 30 days. 😎
Damn, there were some excellent senate speeches this week, which surely every Canadian should watch, regarding the disaster that has been the invocation of The Emergencies Act. With a blend of history, a recap of the three weeks that led up to today, and a scathing critique of Trudeau’s reign of incompetence and disgrace, Senator Donald Plett’s words (see below) will go down on the transcript today and in the history books tomorrow.
Maybe Trudeau didn’t want to run the risk that speeches like this one would dissuade the senate out of his favour, and thought better to revoke the Emergencies Act before they did? In case you haven’t heard, that’s what he did mere minutes after Plett’s impactful chronicle was entered into record. However, I’m fairly certain that international businesses played more of a role in his change of heart; who the hell wants to get their money tied up in a Banana Republic?! Or are they just trying to spin us around in confusion until we all fall down?
The damage is done. Can’t put that genie back in the bottle. Trudeau has got to go, and you should watch this speech to see why. This is a long one, so grab a snack first.
A much shorter speech by Senator Denise Batters, but she was no less effective in conveying her message: Government should not be normalising emergency measures.
I was able to find some solace in Heather Heying’s article this week on her Substack: Natural Selections.
“We are living in a landscape of division, othering, and dehumanization. Some are offered treats, and not only do they readily accept those treats, they too often cannot be made to see that the treats themselves are being used to divide. Resistance is necessary. Whatever else you believe to be true, there is no version of reality in which acquiescence to the dehumanization of some part of society is okay. We must resist, in the ways that we can. To that end, let’s give them all a giant game of Whack-a-Mole to contend with.”
I was swept away to my teenage years this week, when hearing of the passing of Mark Lanegan. The 90s grunge scene and the music world as a whole mourns the loss of the accomplished solo artist and former singer of Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age, who passed away in his home at 57.
With his iconic gruff voice and flaming red hair, he will be remembered for the passion he brought not just to his music, but everything he did. I find this quote of his sums that up quite nicely.
May he rest in peace with his no longer absent friends. 💜
Take a few minutes to watch a video made by Grunge on YouTube, in tribute to Mark and his struggles:
Here in Canada the fight for freedom from medical tyranny continues, no matter how ineffectual or ignored by our media outlets.
Are there protests happening where you live, and if so, what are they for?
A Peachy Books MEme Collection in tribute to Anne Rice.
For those that might be interested in giving Anne Rice’s The Witching Hour a read, or even for old fans of the The Mayfair Witches, like me, I’ve compiled a list of memorable quotes that I’d recently shared over my social media platforms on Facebook and Instagram. Feel free to follow me on either of these spaces to get first access to memes before they make it to the blog!
One of the truths that still crushes me about humanity, as I am continually made aware of it in daily life.
At first glance I found this one a bit snobby, but after reflection I recognise it highlights that even though knowledge is power, someone lacking in knowledge could pose an unpredictable danger.
It’s so important to stay aware of our surroundings, to enjoy the beauty of nature and community, but also to keep vigilant of the dangers that sadly do exist, sometimes in the most unexpected of places.
I enjoy Anne Rice’s cunning insight into the human experience, and appreciate the way she marries it with her supernatural beings.
I found solace in this quote which reminds me that both light and darkness are to be found at our core, and that we have the power to live and learn through them equally.
Beautiful and profound, not unlike the Mayfair family’s jade necklace, I thought I’d end The Witching Hour MEme Collection with this salient quotation from Anne Rice, about the interplay between darkness and light.
Words of advice for writers from the late, great Anne Rice
Is there an author whose writing advice you appreciate?
With all of this Anne Rice talk, I’ve got New Orleans on my mind. I would love to share with you this Monday morning the heart of the French Quarter, one of New Orleans’ musical marvels: Doreen Ketchens.
Doreen’s Jazz Band typically busks for her many fans out in her city’s streets but has travelled the world to share her incredible mastery for the clarinet with a wide array of adoring jazz enthusiasts.
As someone who has never enjoyed this throaty woodwind instrument, especially after many a Greek wedding with endless solos at obscene volumes, I completely changed my mind after coming across a video of Doreen playing her heart out on Royal Street.
One day, when I finally get the chance to go and fulfill my lifelong dream of visiting New Orleans, tracking down Queen Clarinet will be first on my itinerary.
To see Doreen’s Jazz Band perform The House of the Rising Sun visit YouTube here:
Visit Doreen’s performance with the Louisiana Philharmonic here:
To support Doreen’s work please visit her website here.
Have you ever been to New Orleans?
Do you enjoy the clarinet?What’s your favourite instrument to listen to live?
I spent some time getting my frustrations out on Canva these past couple of weeks in what I like to call meme therapy. 😂 A way to let off some steam and send messages to others looking for laughs, commiseration, and hope.
Memes are a clever way to make political commentary and have the potential to spread to many different audiences via the social media sites, using their own AI and hashtags. As criminal as big tech is, it’s here, so I would be remiss not to enlighten others to what is happening and have opted to use it back against those that control it and us, at least for as long as they’ll allow it.
In case it’s not clear and anyone was wondering, I have no allegiance to any party or group at this time, and feel it is most likely that they are all in it together anyway, no matter the political theatre they use to entertain us warring useful idiots in their audience. My loyalty is to my family and friends, and doing what I can to stand up to the loss of our eroding rights and freedoms. I take this stance as much for my son as for the generations to come.
Lookin’ like a big ol’ winter jam in downtown Toronto during the anti-mandate protests of February 5th, 2022. Everyday Canadians standing up for their rights and freedoms and against tyrannical government overreach.
This episode of The Flinstones kept coming to mind whenever discussing the spell that I perceived those around me to be under regarding the CV narrative. I later came to find out this was mass formation psychosis, after hearing Belgian Professor of Clinical Psychology Dr. Mattias Desmet, speak about it on Peak Prosperity Podcast with Dr. Chris Martenson.
I found this one and changed it up a bit. This happy pair manufactured our current crisis and forced this revolution. But for the inhumane mandates by these two, there would be no supply issues.
Many were quick to decry Terry Fox being desecrated in his flags and sign, yet I didn’t here those same people with any issues when Sir John A. MacDonald was destroyed. I’ll bet they didn’t even hear about it as it wasn’t reported much in the mainstream, unlike Terry with his cap here, who became the poster boy for the convoy on the corporate media channels worldwide.
I saw this clever word play being repeated often in the livestream comment sections whilst watching the convoy roll in and had to borrow it.
Maybe a little cheesy, but I like it. Gives me that Sara Connor/Linda Hamilton vibe, and makes me want to go train outside with tractor tires and a skipping rope, even in the snow, haha.
Resistance is the only way we have any hope of stopping this charging bull hell bent to reset us. The truckers, farmers, and peaceful protestors of Canada are making a difference, make your voice heard before it’s too late.
Don’t hesitate to use and share any of these with your freedom loving friends!
Do you have any favourite Memes from the trucker convoy that you loved?
Do you like to create things, or do something specific to express yourself during challenging times?
The literary world lost a gothic erotica writing legend this past December. More than a decade before Buffy The Vampire Slayer and almost thirty years before Twilight, there were The Vampire Chronicles, and I devoured them like Lestat on a gaggle of girls. The difference being I didn’t feel guilty about it for a second.
The vampires were wild, but I preferred the Mayfair Witches, the tragic spirit Lasher, and their trilogy of supernatural fantasy. With psychic detectives working for secret societies, and 500 years of paranormal history and lore, you will get swept away to another land, and who couldn’t use that right now?!
Pictured above is a house that Anne Rice used to own in The Garden District, where some say the The Witching Hour was conceived. For those that love the richness of detail, Rice’s depictions of New Orleans and its historic neighbourhoods are vivid escapes to the true beauty of the city-parish. Be forewarned though, this is an elaborate accounting, so if descriptions aren’t your thing you might want to skip this series.
I’ll be sharing a MEme Collection for The Witching Hour on my Peachy Books social media platforms over the next few days; feel free to join me, or stay tuned for when I share a compilation post next week on the blog.
Fascinating Fact…
Anne Rice was afraid of the dark! Watch this fun interview from 1995, conducted by a Canadian great, Dini Petty, and hear some more interesting factoids about the Queen of Gothic Fiction. You have to hear what she thought about the famous actor that played Lestat in the movie adaptation. 😆
Is there a book from Anne Rice’s collection that you point to as her best?
Do you prefer books with a lot of detail, or does that turn you off?
A Peachy Books MEme Collection in tribute to Maya Angelou
When truth is the aim, silence is dishonesty.
No matter how hard it is to accept or how inconvenient it can be, truth must not be supressed lest it corrode the soul.
In I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou’s vulnerability in sharing her harrowing story of courage and survival is admirable whilst her talents are appreciated through her poetic voice.
Drifting away from ourselves when reality is too painful to bear is a self-preservation tactic, and a testament to the wonder that is the human mind.
The imagery in this quote by Maya Angelou, from her memoir I Know When The Caged Bird Sings, is one of the more beautiful depictions of disassociation that I’ve seen. I’ve read others interpret it instead as referencing her free spirit, which of course could also be the case.
After contemplation, I think the two concepts have more in common than different.
Seeing past hatred to extend forgiveness is a trait that only the mighty bestow.
Recognising that bigotry is taught and having the humility to deny it the power to control one’s own direction makes Maya a master of her emotions, and a leader among wo(men).
As a powerful civil rights activist and champion, in these current times she is surely missed.
To wrap up this week’s quote collection for I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings I thought a picture of Maya Angelou and her son would be lovely, as she looks to be teaching him.
Finding joy in struggle, is to be resilient, driven, and grateful of your blessings. From the daily grind to practising an instrument, caring for others to minding ourselves, there is much beauty and satisfaction to be had when working hard for your family.
Watch this wonderful live performance of ‘Still I Rise’ by Maya Angelou on YouTube.
Did You Know?
Maya Angelou was born in Stamps, Arkansas and read every book in her local library from A to Z!
The captivating emotion that Nina Simone emits with every syllable she sings can never be denied. When I listen to her songs of freedom, self-acceptance and love, the hair on my arms stands up as the electricity of her music shoots through me.
The first time I heard her play Sinnerman as a child, I must have played that 45 for an hour straight. I became a forever fan, and although many have sung the song, it will always belong to Nina in my eyes.
An artist without measure, her prodigal stroking of the ivory keys was unmatched. She was classically trained, and although many referred to her music as gospel or Jazz, she referred to it as ‘black classical music.’
To Listen to Simone Sing I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free please visit YouTube here:
For a glimpse into the artistry of Nina, and to get your Monday moving, watch this video of one of her incredible performances of Sinnerman here:
Is there a Nina Simone song or performance that stands out for you?
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