One month in Ddetroit

Working. Very hard. I'll leave this place come November. Until then I'm having a grand old time in the city. I missed live music so much. Now I'm seeing all kinds of good shows in good company and I couldn't be happier. It's nice to see the faces of my friends although now more than ever they feel like my brothers and sisters. I feel like I did last year about this time when I was waiting for my time to come; and here we are again. I used to sit on boats at the marina and imagine that I was the main character from The Prophet and I was waiting for my ship to come. Speak to us of..

I want to go to Africa. I didn't think I'd want to go there until I was older and more disillusioned with life because I feel that the motherland would be a good boost of reality to remind me what the world is really like but there is a breeze blowing that way and I never pass up a chance to follow the wind. You know, I used to take people seriously when they would tell me how things should be but now I wouldn't trust anybody with that type of advice. There is no universal to how things should be for everything is relative. If you want to tell me that I should be working on my masters and looking for a teaching job then I'll tell you that you should shut up. I like what I do. I can't wait to see what kind of toothpaste they use in Cape Town or see the sunset over the Atlantic. I'm stoked.

This city has been good to me. I say that in lieu of a few recent misfortunes but I'm still on fire. It's a good day to be on fire. There are of course elements of loneliness, fear, and fear of loneliness but I'm over it. Things always have a way of working out. Do I miss Samoa? Who wouldn't? I'm very relieved that I left because now I have a blank ticket to the entire planet and it's a damn big world out there. One should take seriously the knowledge they have gathered from friends and passing strangers. Lately I have learned:



-Don't ever think you are bigger than the ocean.

-Smile at every child, they might repay you with the same.

and

-Don't ever do that again. (have you seen my right hand?)



Gogol Bordello soon. Femi Kuti tomorrow at Cityfest. Manu Chao a few moons ago. I'm a happy fish.