Title: Teaspoon Carrier

Gender: Male

Age: 36

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Chinese Sign: Metal Boar

Location: Columbia, MO

Well, I was raised in a suburb of St. Louis called Maryland Heights, which was put on the map when there was a riot with the 1991 Guns N' Roses show. 
I now live in Columbia, a college town where people are friendlier and where idealism and creativity are nurtured… more so, anyway, than what I grew up with.
In my life I have worked, most notably, as a public aid caseworker, for almost 11 years. As one might expect, this job was stereotypical, whether you lean politically right or left. Despite the job's limitations, however, I really felt like I contributed, and I enjoyed many of the people I came across. 

 (We live in times where some awful shit is going on. But to quote pre-haircut Metallica, “listen, dammit, we will win.” (I at least think that a lot of the time.) It will take lots of effort, and lots of long-term thinking. For those of you who have not read it, read Rebecca Solnit's “Hope in the Dark,” a book with quantifiable evidence that good things are still happening. It's a short, quick, encouraging read.)

 I have also learned lots delivering newspapers in a van (if you're stuck in a van for a few hours through Missouri sunshine or cold, you'd better get along),  and as a houseboy in a sorority kitchen (though I met several people I really liked, I was disappointed to learn about a caste system in this country). I have also worked as a med tech in a mental health nursing home, which was fascinating.
I have a  bitchin' hamster named Sylvain, and I also have a great support system of friends. Much as I'd love to name them all, I shouldn't be encouraged to namedrop.
For the past 7 years of so I have been the fulltime bass-player, halftime lyricist, sometime singer of the Gringos. I'd call us punk but we never broke anything. (But we do hate the Queen.) We're working on a CD. Due to everyone being super-busy with things, we probably won't create any new music, but who knows. I do still love the intimidating challenge of putting an original song together. Our logo is on the mini-Stanley Cup that you see pictured with Basil.
Another current project I'm working on is compiling quotes and photos of my friends over the years. Sometimes these quotes show insight, or at least they make me laugh.
I also like to draw cartoons of animals doing goofy things. One of my favorites is a picture of dogs playing death metal.
I also follow some soap operas, otherwise known as the Cardinals, Rams, and Blues of St. Louis, and the Missouri Tigers.

I am also a founding member of the Hanukkah Jones Band-
go to
myspace.com/thehanukkahjonesband

where you can see a video of  me mocking Governor Matt Blunt.
The band is expanding…

What is a TEASPOON CARRIER? Years ago (7/4, a day when several U.S. Presidents have died!) I heard Pete Seeger speak, on Democracy Now, of people contributing towards a just society, bit by bit, each carrying a teaspoon's amount, to try to offset the injustice on the other side, illustrated by a boulder. He also added that when significant peace, etc., has been achieved, the balance of the just side will crash quickly.
Anyone have any Missouri  community-oriented work they'd like to pay me to do? Anyone want to help me start something? or MAKE me start something?


I have decided to go into a little detail here about my goals. A lot of them overlap.

 

EVERYTHING: things listed below, plus improving environment (including our energy crisis that fuels war); to try and eliminate the culture of machismo and violence that makes so many people feel war and fighting is the only way, and that makes so many men feel that showing affection is futile, or a sign of weakness; to work and create in the arts (especially music, writing, poetry, films); help people who don't look like, or live like, the stupid 1% of tv actors, to feel good about themselves; make the world safe for “weirdos”; help people think everything is possible.
CIVIL RIGHTS, LGBT:

This is a field I'd really like to contribute to, especially in my homestate of Missouri. Included here, I'd really like to help in the areas of self-esteem, reducing and eliminating violence, and eliminating verbal and physical attacks from hate groups. I include you, Focus on the Family. 

SOCIAL JUSTICE:

… especially (but not limited to) in the fields of LGBT, racial and economic issues including healthcare reform, and public education improvement.

EDUCATION:

I'd really like to see improvement in our public school system. I want to see urban schools get the same amount of funding as suburban schools. I want to see our youth taught about drugs and sex. ed. realistically and fairly.

HEALTHCARE:

I would LOVE to see the U.S. get a single-payer system like Canada, and most of the rest of the Western world. In the meantime, I want to see systems like Medicaid and the VA system improved, not slashed, as has happened here in Missouri.

ECONOMIC JUSTICE:

I'd like to see that the Have-Nots can survive in the United States. For me, this overlaps in the areas of education, healthcare reform, women's issues, taxation issues. (Did you know that in the past few years, several Missouri corporations, like Merrill Lynch and Toys R'US, have paid NOTHING in state taxes? And our governor Matt Blunt couldn't wait to slash Medicaid benefits, claiming the state can't afford it.)
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE:

Especially here in Missouri. A lot of people don't realize that our “Founding Fathers” wanted this nation to be secular. And folks on the Religious right would cringe at some of the things Washington, Adams, and Jefferson said about the matter.

STOP THE WAR(S):

This includes the next one that Bush, Cheney, Rice and company are preparing with Iran. More attention needs to be focused on all of the permanent military bases the U.S. is constructing in the Persian Gulf. With all of the empire building our tax dollars are paying for in that region, the Cubs will win the World Series before our troops come home.

Let's stop the DRUG WAR too.

MEDIA REFORM:

So that media holds our government accountable next time they try another war, instead of telling us we have to support the president.

WOMEN'S ISSUES:

Including but not limited to: abortion rights, equal pay, healthcare reform, domestic violence, self-image issues, ending fat-phobia, LBGT issues.

DEGLORIFY RONALD REAGAN:

http://www.alternet.org/story/18874/

CREATE ALLIES:

By this I don't just mean finding people who I agree with. I mean to find people I disagree with, holding back my judgments and understanding that they know stuff I don't and probably think the world is screwed up and want to help rectify that, just in different ways than me. Hopefully then we'd find middle ground, respect each other, and be allies in some way.
In short, I hope that people I think are enemies become allies.
And really, once conservative Christians realize their elected officials (mostly Republican) don't care about them unless they're rich, we'll have lots of allies! And there are many good Republicans sticking their necks out and critiquing the President at the moment.

Member Since: Friday, May 05 2006

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