the truth of it all

the truth of it all

I spoke. she laughed.

Her eyes turned to me.

electricity.

an idiosyncratic moment which can never be repeated.

no. but, why no?

there is no tomorrow for those who live today.

leafs may change as do the color of the heavens.

in you I find a tomorrow.

in me you found a yesterday.

today we find a truth.

A truth that runs deep enough to leave it's mark where no one can see.

it's evidence only appears when fate crosses our path.

oh, yesterday. I remember you well enough to still have faith.

faith, however, is a young man's game and my soul hasn't the time.  

I forgot how much poetry i used to write. It soothes the soul when worldly remedies seem to fall short.  

My response to a comment on healthcare.

Why we need medical reform. My response to a negative feedback I received on Facebook about healthcare. I think it's important.

"I just lived through a very similar situation with my Uncle whom had insurance only to be denied treatment for his disorder because it would not be covered. Forcing him to forgo his work, being a productive member of society and tax payer and get on access to simply be treated. The common misconception of the issue at hand is that it will allow the government to "monopolize" the medical industry. All of us who have been directly effected by the morally corrupt business of health (I'm saying this as a raw, panning generalization) simply want to see regulation. As of now, the medical world is the wild west where business practices seemed to made as they go. Monopoly? What is more of a monopoly? Available medicine being sold at 500% profit and on the rise because you are the only maker and refuse to se the rights for others to make it as well? Thus making a treatment available for more of those who need it.

Regulation and alternative options is all we want. I am a capitalist but I am also a human being. There are countless drugs that have been made that were being sold at a reasonable profit only to have that price skyrocket when it was found to treat more serious disorders. Thus making it unaffordable for their original, niche market and cutting their new demographics market in half by tripling their costs and making it unaffordable when they should have left it at cost, or a small rise because or production cost would be acceptable due to the rise in demand, but profiteering at the cost of human life and their suffering is what needs to be examined. This isn't a republican, democrat or whatever thing. It is a human being thing. The reason that most people are against this needed change or regulation is because they can afford to be sick financially or have no problems medically. Politicians have their insurance provided by the government... Talk about hypocritical... it's like Britney Spears judging talent. Where do they get off?

I don't want private healthcare to go away. I am lucky enough to have a great insurance that covers my health needs. I'm lobbying for those who can't move on from their souls crushing jobs excuses they are tied to their company insurance because they happens to get sick once. For the kid who is suffering ecause their hard working parent(s) can't afford shoes, rent and food let alone a doctor visit and
Or more importantly, being sick should never bankrupt a family or cost them their home.

People who are sick should be treated not exploited!

The system is admittedly flawed right now, but, we are lucky enough to live in a country where are laws are not set in stone. We can amend and adjust until a law or system works.

This shouldn't be political, it should transcend politics, business and personal wants. It's a moral obligation to help. To regain our spot atop the world powers, we first have to fix our backbone, to make people, our greatest commodity, healthy again.

Regulation and alternative options is all we ask for. "We" being the people, whom simply want to do more than breath free. We simply want to breath and suffocate under a mountain of debt because they or a loved one simply got sick once.

I'm now off my soap box."

The Dark Knight Rises Above Expectations

As a long time reader of Batman, I came into this film with very high expectations. High enough to the point that I, along with two friends, drove a hundred plus miles to see this film in the best theater possible. Were my expectations reached? As a fan? Yes and beyond. As a film lover? A couple of issues with editing but that would be extreme knit-picking. I will put it to the reader of this review as simply as possible. The movie was so epic (a word I do not regularly use as a descriptor), on a level that only the Nolan brothers can afford us with a hardy assist from great acting and comic to movie heavy weight, David s. Goyer. In this era of the handy cam, first person film; dark knight along with films like Promethus, the Avengers, Amazing Spiderman and so on, are not only a throw back to the time of blockbusters but a throwback to Hollywood giving us the films we want and deserve. Not films made simply to be released.

I graduated.

I received my diploma today from the University of Arizona. The tactical affirmation that a chapter of my life is officially over.... This was simply chapter two, however. Tomorrow the new chapter of my life begins. A chapter filled with possibility (and a ton of student debt). I can't help but stop and reminisce of everything it took to get here. The drive, the perseverance, the support, the doubt, the trials and the tribulations. Most importantly. The will. I did because of family, friends and desire. I did it in spite of fear, naysayers and myself.

Today marks a proud day for me, my loved ones and my future. I have met my most formidable foe face to face and slew him. With this victory at my heels, tomorrow brings a new more exciting battle of which I am more prepared for.

Thank you to everybody who helped or inspired along the way of my adventure.

-tommy

To my Uncle whom I love...

To my Uncle, whom I love;

                Some of my earliest memories are traveling to my family’s quaint hometown of Hotchkiss, Colorado. A town of a few hundred people and where someone “egging” doors was headline news and if I were ever able to manage to get a date it would be wrong due to the fact I was releated to the entire town in one way or another…

Another memory is sitting around my Grandmother’s home watching University of Arizona basketball with my entire family. Cheering along with every Steve Kerr jump shot, leaping out of our seats with every Chris Mills fast break and finish, celebrating their wins and crying through their losses (I am referring to my beloved cousin Danny on this one). The only times we could hear ourselves talk was when we would all superstitiously sing the theme to Jack Furrier's westernTire Center so the Cats could pull out the victory. The rest of the time we were all muted, lost in the commotion if you will, as were all the commentators. There, above all, was my passionate Uncle arguing, commenting and for all intents and purposes “coaching” at the TV.  Like most adolescent memories, at the time I was annoyed, just wanting to hear the game and the roars of the crowed. Now, as a man, I look back on these times and treasure each moment; each time the ref “needed to pull the whistle from their ass” or “the refs are obviously paid off” are now sacred and sadly finding myself thinking the same things as I watch Pac12basketball.

My Uncle will always play a vital role in my life. I was lucky enough to have two parents who loved me; One affectionately and the other in his own, distant way. My Father, despite all of his faults, is a good man and I have never held anything against him or blamed him for any of my problems or him never being around, mostly because I have never felt I had anything missing from my life or childhood. Those “missing parts of our childhoods that only a father could fix” were never a concern for me. It wasn’t till later that I realized it was because the gaps were filled by an attentive Uncle who loved and treated me like a son. Teaching and playing basketball with me and his own kids, being that loud voice from the stands at all our sporting events that either was cheering us on or telling us to keep our head in the game and even helping me learn to drive a car as well as work on one…. There are many things a boy can only learn from a having a father around… I agree… I am fortunate enough to both have had a father as well as a surrogate one.

One of my faults in youth and now, to a lesser degree, is becoming easily annoyed. Mostly when people give an opinion and refuse to hear or cede that another opinion may be right. My Uncle and I would spend endless time “arguing” over the most inconsequential and trivial things. It wasn’t until years later that I realized that we weren’t arguing but discussing (be it loudly) these touchy topics. Moreover, I may have been arguing but he was always showing me that there are other opinions than my own (as wrong as they may be). These things that I once thought annoyed me are the very same that will make me laugh and smile 10, 20 and 30 years from now.

In 2010, my Uncle was diagnosed with esophageal cancer; another family member falling victim to cancer in my family. He has fought since day one by enduring chemo, radiation and multiple surgeries. Even now, as the final round of his bout approaches the end, he continues the fight.

 I have many heroes. Kevin Smith, Aaron Sorkin,Stan Lee, Robert Kirkman, Orson Welles and more. But chief among them is my Uncle. His strength, thirst for knowledge and love for his family will always serve as inspiration for me.

I wish I would have said all the above more the last 27 years, but I am saying them now. And putting it to stone in the cyber-verse for all to say and, like my Uncle has done for me, inspire all to love, pursue knowledge and understanding and, more importantly, take time to yell at the TV and coach your favorite team on to victory.

Forever your Tommy Two-Shoes,

Tommy

Rescue Lights Album Review.

One of the perks of what I do is that I am afforded the opportunity to find and experience new things and then share them with you good people. Whether it is movies, comic books, gadgets and even music; I can help you discover things going on in your own backyard you probably weren’t even aware of. Help shed light on an artistic culture here in Tucson that you may pass by everyday in your commutes. So here, on the blog I keep (and yes, I am aware I need to keep it up more often) for tandtpodcast.com, I can introduce these things and put them out there for you to go out and discover. In the end though, it is up to you to go out and experience and judge them
for yourself. I can only lead you to the water, as they say.

This last Friday, the 13th of January for those of you playing at home, I ran into an old classmate of mine whilst out and about; a guy that I remember for his love of golf, music and fashionable dress in our high school days. But he wasn’t here as a patron of the establishment. Oh, no. He was there as a performer along with his band mate, Eric Castillo. He is Corey Ferrugia and his band is Rescue Lights.

Rescue Lights

Now, I have seen Cory perform before when his band was known as a Search and Rescue and I have be honest, they were good but obviously a band that was still getting there sound figured out. Don’t get me wrong, they were far from terrible or bad; like most bands, you have to go through a journey of self discovery. After briefly catching up with Cory that night I went home and bought his bands newly released full length album. As I listened to the album, One More Try, I was fortunate enough to see where that journey of self discovery has taken the members of a Search and Rescue/Rescue Lights.

click here to buy Rescue Lights' album, One More Try

Although it probably was not the goal or intention of the band, I was whisked away back to the 90’s and the height of the indie sound that dominated the airwaves. Rescue Lights on their blog and facebook page list their influences as The Script, Augustana, The Fray, Maroon 5 as well as others and that is shown in their songs lyrical styling’s; however, it is bands such as Toad the Wet Sprocket, Soul Asylum and Matchbox 20 that comes to mind as I listen. With all due respect to the Bands Rescue Lights listed as their influence, they are, in my opinion, lacking that all important “indie love of music” sound that I hear in Rescue Lights album, One More Try.

Each track stands alone in its composition and lyrical content yet still follows the general theme of the album which is an element that is often lost in most bands independent releases. Inevitably, there is a few tracks that stand out more than others. The title track, One More Try, as well as Falling Apart both contain strong opening lines that truly draw in their listeners and then go on to paint a word picture that conveys a sense of relatability in their content.

One More Try, as a first full length album, truly does hit the mark as a freshman release. There are some aspects that can ne tweaked to improve the overall sound from a production stand point, but in all honesty, I think it would take away from the overall feeling of the album and make it something completely different and not as relatable and appealing as it currently sits.

I would give it an A-.

One of the better independent albums I have heard in a long time, Rescue Lights should be on your radar when you are looking for live, local music in Tucson, AZ. You can learn more about their music and the band at http://rescuelightsmusic.com/ or at their facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/rescuelights.

You can purchase their digital download cards at varying locations in Tucson or go to their homepage where it is available as well. That’s right, they are going green by not producing a physical album which, to a collector like myself who likes a physical copy in hand, not as satisfying, However, I do reluctantly agree with Corey who said that “this is the future of music”; but I do happily submit that so is groups like Rescue Lights.

Also, be sure to check out http://www.mytownmusic.com/ to learn more about music education in your communities. MyTown Music is a music education program started my Rescue Lights front man, Corey Ferrugia that offers music lessons privately or a classroom setting. They are now accepting lesson requests or bookings to bring live music to you. Be sure to give their website a thumb through.

Be sure to check back with us here at http://thomaskeith51.blogspot.com/ to see what we have in the works over at tandtpodcast.com. Or check out our Facebook and Twitter pages to stay up to date of our going ons.

-Tommy of TandT Podcast!
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