Outsider

 

The rock star who insists he is not a rock star snoozes next to me while brightness waxes through the ill-shaded hotel window. He recovers from last night’s show, a fun and intense expression of his religion. You can tell when someone “brings it” when the experience epitomizes intensity and grace. The physical manifestation of his craft integrated with his ability to take in what is going on around him - what the singer is doing, what the bass player is doing, how the audience is responding - comprises the product people want to experience. No, he’s not the lead guy or founder, but he is not on that stage by accident. This is the result of a theme that permeates every aspect of his life. 

I am an outsider to this scene. I absorbed myself in a different world than this for most of my life, but have always nurtured and encouraged the musicians and artists around me, especially my own son. Few pulled the trigger on those dreams. This time the experience is more intimate. This time, the encouragement is to go farther and deeper into what is already being done. 

In this journey I get to interact with people who are playing regularly at clubs in Los Angeles and surrounding communities. No pretense here: I don’t know shit about the music industry. I am an observer. I am absorbing. 

And you know me. I seize every opportunity to study people. Not just for future characters for tales and books, (Yes, Jeremy, I am still working on Mars book 2. Insert appropriate excuses here.), but to better serve and understand the people I care about and therefore the human experience. 

Obviously, his world is full of personalities worth appreciating. 

There is some cross pollination of industries in the people who choose this walk, like our subject artist who is submerged in electronics repair by day. Not many people are just one thing. (Except maybe Pat Todd.) Similar to my own associates, the music makers do what they do during the day so that they can feed their passion. Amplifiers and song writing contrasts propellers and avgas. 

I understand the fundamental nature of the people on that stage and their colleagues who show up to show support. They are the ones who don’t just dream. They make their world happen. Big part or small. Sincere or just for show. These are the doers. They’re the ones bringin’ it into the small hours. 

Then gear is broken down, encased in beat up containers and stowed, all the while and after they do what my ilk refers to as a debrief. “I screwed this part up. That thing was really good. Next time let’s do this other thing.” Cigarettes are smoked. Maybe another drink. Then one guy’s kid has soccer practice tomorrow so he has to go and everyone parts ways until the next rehearsal. 

The light streaming through the part of the blackout curtains that won’t close all the way is full bright now, and the rock star-not-rock star stirs. There is hotel coffee in my immediate future, breakfast, and then probably a trip to a second hand bookstore, consignment shop, or other joyful mundane adventure. I know that whatever it turns out to be, there’s a 90% chance of vinyl. 

Neighborhood Part 2

The morning ritual of sipping coffee on the front porch with Little the Cat continues today. I get to say hi to the neighbors as they walk by with their dogs. The Prince of Poor Choices just walked by with his untrained German Shepherd who is going to either maul somebody’s animal or worse someday. 

All of our backyards are separated by only fences, and as my little house is uphill, I can see most of the adjoining back yards whilst cooking in my kitchen. 

The other day, he was back there pretending to be a Polynesian fire dancer. Six foot red head Mthrfr swinging around flaming batons. He drops one and catches part of the lawn on fire. Genius had nothing with which to extinguish it, so there he was holding two flaming batons and trying to stomp out his on-fire lawn in his flipflops. 

It took several minutes but he managed it. 

Thank goodness, because I was not in the mood to have to call 9-1-1 because the neighborhood is on fire. 

I haven’t seen him do it since. Hopefully he finds another hobby soon.

Neighborhood Part 1

I’m sitting on my front porch with Little sipping coffee. This is one of her favorite morning things. People walk by with their dogs. Lots of dog walking goes on here. 

I just realized that Little is the only non-pedigree animal in the whole neighborhood… except for the squirrels and birds. 

Seriously, when I tell people I have a cat they ask me either what breed or was she expensive. No, really. It’s that kind of neighborhood. 

I have yet to say that I rescued her from the squalor of an antique store and she was feral when I got her. But luckily she was young enough where she tolerated people. Or me at least. Barely. 

I just realized how much I have in common with my cat.  

Billionaires in Space, a Different Perspective

I hear a lot of cynicism and grumblings about billionaires going to space. I hear a lot of passionate questions like, "Why don't they help the poor? Why don't they end world hunger?" Good questions.

Here is a look at some of the good that such ventures do, from an insider's perspective.

The companies that are building these spaceships to haul billionaires and those who can afford it to the brink of space are creating jobs. Thousands of jobs. And, not all of them are directly on the company payroll.

2018 Visit from Bill Nye

All kinds of people work in these space companies. Engineers and designers, of course. Managers and administrative people, yes. But also tradespeople. Tons of tradespeople. Fabricators. Mechanics. Quality inspectors. Security personnel. Safety personnel. Facilities workers. Information technology specialists. (I consider IT a white collar trade. They are very skilled people who are the backbone of every company these days and they do get dirty sometimes.) 

And then there are the subcontractors and vendors who benefit from relationships with these space companies. Textile companies make fabric for composite layup, chemical companies provide consumable materials for composite fabrications. There are companies that provide steel, aluminum, and alloys, companies that provide hardware, fasteners (screws, nuts, bolts), and specialized tools, companies that provide custom welding and metal fabrication. Many of these companies have supported the aerospace industry for years and benefit from additional business with private space companies. But there are many new companies, small businesses, and start ups that are providing products and services specifically for privatized and commercial space companies. 

Several small companies across the United States have started making rocket engines and propulsion systems. Some are providing products and services to the billionaires' space companies, and many are leveraging the inspiration that the more glamorous companies provide to forge ahead on their own or provide products and services to other space start-ups. While not creating thousands of jobs like the billionaires' companies, these small companies are creating jobs in small communities where cost of living and overhead tends to be lower. These small businesses bring high tech jobs and skilled support role opportunities that pay better than minimum wage to these smaller communities. Here are just a few examples: Aerojet Rocketdyne in Canoga Park, CA (https://www.rocket.com/), Ad Astra Rocket Company in Webster, TX (https://www.adastrarocket.com/), and C U Aerospace in Champaign, IL (https://cuaerospace.com/). 

There are small engineering services companies that provide temporary employees to augment an existing engineering team or perform one-time jobs. There are small companies who provide testing and quality assurance services for rocket engines. New small businesses are starting all the time to service this growing industry. And, there are small companies like SpinLaunch (https://www.spinlaunch.com/) who are creating their own space ventures.

In my opinion, space commercialization is the next great industry for the United States, similar in impact to the industrial revolution. It will not be long before we are mining asteroids for metals and water and taking vacations on space stations in orbit or on the moon. The people who are working for these private and commercial space companies and small companies that service them will be the ones starting new space ventures or training the next generation of workers on the skills necessary to go forward in the space industry. I am confident that there will be a lot more space-related jobs in the near future.

So, yes, billionaires are spending their fortunes on exhilarating rides to space instead of philanthropy. But they are also helping our economy by creating jobs and skills that will be a big part of our economic future. 

De Shiny

 Mother always say never touch the metal made by men. No touch the weapons, and no touch the body ornaments. We die if we touch de shiny. Here women sleep under my tree. Three women with shiny men metal woven in their hair. Gold, shiny. A’ wants to touch their hair. And if A' moves slow, A’ could touch hair, and de shiny. She awakes! A’s hand near the woman’s face. Near de shiny in her hair. 

You are not afraid of me. You blink green eyes and look into A’s eyes, am brown eyes. You know the Fey. You were many sun times younger when you played with us. A’ wants to touch your hair. A’ wants to touch de shiny.

Mother say we die if we touch de shiny, but no Fey really know. Old Wise He say we no die but turn into men if we touch. Have to leave the mists and live in the world of men if we touch. Only ancestors know really. No, I do not want to live in the men world with you. I want to touch your hair. I want to touch de shiny in your hair.

A’ am young like you, woman with gold hair, but in a different way. Time works not the same here, under my tree. Here in the mists. You know this, yet here you are, crawling through time with me. You who know de Fey. A’ am many times de solstice pass, fifty! Almost sixty! If A’ was of men, A’ would be old, wisen, gray. But you are not yet blooded as a woman. And A’ am not yet blooded in the hunt of the great deer of the forest. Not yet tested to be Fey man. Soon. Maybe five more solstice pass, then A’ hunt the deer, then A’ bleed with the great deer herd of the forest and become a Fey man. But today, I am still unblooded. Like you. You are safe, blossom, with me now, eh, as safe as women ever be with Fey.

Do not ask again for A’ to touch de shiny. A’ told you, it could kill me. Maybe make me a man, but A’ does not know. De shiny is dirty metal. Bad metal. The metal of men is ripped from the womb of the Mother, the Earth, without care, without respect for She. No blessing. No ritual. Just digging in deep, ripping out the homes of birds and forest animals with no care. Ripping out trees that give food and shelter with no honor to the purpose. Men is dirty this way. Men is cursed! Men give no care. No thought for what they do. 

Eh? Yes, Fey have metal. We have weapons and metal for spear tips and knives. Sometimes Fey find metal in the river. A gift from She. And She Who is Goddess in the Flesh has a sky metal band She wears on holy days, on Her brow. Sometimes fire metal falls from the sky. Warriors run to get the sky fire metal that falls. Masters hammer the metal hard, heat the sky fire metal in the hot hot coals, eh, and hammer again and again. But it no shiny. Dull, gray, strong. No shiny like de metal in your gold hair. 

(Whispers) A’ do not believe Fey die when we touch de metal of men. A’ want to touch de shiny. No, don’t flinch. A’ will not harm you. A’ wants to touch your hair. There see? A’ want to touch the men metal and put it in my hair. But A’ am so so afraid, blossom. No, no hold my hand. Do not make A’ touch de shiny. A’ no want to be men. But, oh, A’ do want to hold de shiny.

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A deliberately short scene between a young man of the Fae and a maiden traveling with her companions.