Peter Gabriel is Not My Hero

Earlier today, there was an interesting discussion about heroes on Facebook.  I came to the realization that I have no heroes because heroes do not exist.  More than that, adults shouldn't need heroes to begin with.  They should be smart enough to realize that heroes make for great movie plots but do not actually exist in real life.

Heroes will always let you down.  Always.  That's because a hero is an ideal and not concrete reality.  Other examples of ideals that screw us up include:

• God
• Santa Claus
• manifest destiny
• Truth, Justice and the American Way
• the Roman Republic  (yes, I know the Republic ended with Augustus Caesar, but it seems to survive in some current governments such as the one in America.  The ideal lives on.)

Now, don't get me wrong.  I still admire Peter.  I'd take a bullet, blade or blunt object for him.  I am in awe of his creativity.  I also would love to shag him until one or both of us is in a chocolate-flavored coma but he's not my hero.  He's just a guy I really, really, really hope outlives me.

Am I mad at Peter for not living up to my hopes and expectations?  Nope.  I was the one dumb enough to pick heroes in the first place.

Things that Peter does that do not live up to my hero qualifications includes:

1. Getting married not just once but twice.  What -- he didn't learn his lesson the first time around that marriage sucks?
2. Betting on horse racing.  Horse racing is nothing but animal cruelty sanctioned by the filthy rich.  How does Peter not get that?  How does anyone not get that, for that matter?
3. Being, at times, kind of an idiot. 

Man, I hope Peter comes back from his around-the-world vacation soon so I can start writing some real posts instead of doing random navel-gazing.

My Cousin Was in the Boston Marathon

It's been a fucking stressful week.  How fucking stressful was it?  On Monday, my Mom turns on the fucking television to watch Ellen Fucking DeGeneres and Brian Fucking Williams of NBC Fucking News pops in with a red border (and with a red border you know the shit you're going to hear next is gonna suck big time).  Well, Mr. Brian Fucking Williams didn't fucking disappoint.

Two explosions at the Boston Marathon. 

"That sucks," I said to Mom.  See?  I could be news anchor.

Mom then quietly informed me that THREE OF MY FUCKING COUSINS WERE AT THE MARATHON (one running and two of her kids to cheer her on.)  After I got over the shock that anyone in my family had athletic inclinations, I told Mom, "FUCK!  GET ON THE PHONE AND FIND OUT IF THEY'RE STILL ALIVE!"

It took a couple hours for my Aunt Margie in Florida to track them down, but they are all okay.  Shaken and confused more than usual, but okay.  By the way, my Aunt Margie (mother and grandmother to my cousins) rely watches television, so it was up to Mom to act as a pseudo-Mr. Brian Fucking Williams.

THAT'S what kind of fucking stressful week it's been.

Now I'm going to try and fucking relax by watching a show about cannibals.  I can wax nostalgic about the good old days when serial killers would murder their victims one at a time.

Some Random Peter Gabriel Photos

Just thought I'd toss up a couple of images from my files -- just in case my laptop crashes.  Enjoy.

I'm Busy Making Money for Peter Gabriel Concert

I'm starting to dread my trip to Leipzig, Germany later this year to attend a Peter Gabriel soundcheck and concert.  I'm not dreading the plane flight, the language barrier or the music -- it's paying for it all.  Earlier this year, I needed fillings in 3 front teeth.  Unknown to me, my goofy health insurance no longer covered fillings in the front teeth.  I wound up having to shell out $100 per tooth.

Coupled with the sudden increase in food prices, pet food prices and my health insurance premiums (yes -- the same damn company that would no longer cover fillings in my front teeth -- ALL HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE EVIL), my bank account is severely drained.  I've been working hard to try and afford this trip.  Unfortunately, most available work is low-paying, so I'm back to churning out large quantities of web content, including (I kid you not) how to be a financial dominatrix.  (Look it up.)

Things I do to see a Peter Gabriel concert.

Image nicked from the web somewhere.  It may have something to do with being a financial dominatrix; I don't know.  I'm kinda hoping he lives in Leipzig.

Bye Bye Meeks Genesis Cafe

Back in the late 1990s, there were shovelfuls of websites and fan pages devoted to Peter Gabriel and/or Genesis.  I had one of them but it went down after I ran away to the UK because of a mental breakdown.  Anyway, just about all of those websites are gone.

Here's another one to add to the list -- Meek's Genesis Cafe.  The site owner but this announcement up today on Facebook:

I would like to take a moment to say goodbye to the Genesis Community as I know it. It really is time for me to gracefully decline. There will no longer be Meek's Genesis Cafe on FB or anywhere else as my radio will also close soon. If ever I do come back it won't be for Genesis Only..I would like to thank those who have been so supportive of me (not always easy) through the years. I have built many relationships that I would like to keep so if you want to continue those relationships (you all know who you are) https://www.facebook.com/michael.carzo . Everything will be closing shortly...carry on.

This was a real quality site and it has no substitute.  It's a sad day for Peter Gabriel and Genesis fans.  I guess it's back to where we were in the 1980s where we just sat in our rooms and imagined stuff about our favorite man and our favorite band.

EDIT: The site may be back.

Peter Gabriel at Mission Control & TED

Peter Gabriel was recently at NASA headquarters, where he talked to three astronauts up on the International Space Station (pictured).  An 11-minute film of the exchange is up on Peter's Facebook page, where the four Gabriels play happy families why the astronauts talk a bit about zero gravity, building with water and Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Peter is still on his year-long sabbatical.  According to his Facebook page, he spent his birthday in Mexico. 

He is now in California for the TED conference thingy.  I've never understood what the big deal was about TED (people go up on a stage and talk for 20 minutes in front of an audience.  Ooo.  Ahhh.)  but occasionally there's a gem of a talk, such as the one done in February 2002 by evolutionary biologist and bestselling author, Richard Dawkins.  Even Peter's talk in 2008 couldn't get better than that.

An article about Peter at this year's TED conference round table called "Interspecies Internet" appeared on TED's website.  Peter apparently is concerned for elephants and bonobos, but has no concern whatsoever for horses (since a couple of years ago (around the time of the Melbourne Cup fiasco) he admitted that he frequently bets on horse races.)

ANYWAY...

(Now comes the bit about me, so if you're only reading this for PG news, you can go now)

While Peter's off, I'm working as hard as I can.  I had a nice little nest egg saved for my trip to Germany later this year to see PG in concert, but then it was mostly wiped out from my most recent trip to the dentist.  Turns out my health insurance no longer covers fillings to front teeth and since they decided not to inform me of this change, I had work done on three of my front teeth.  Perhaps I'll just sleep on a park bench in  Leipzig instead of staying at a hotel.

As well as working for my Mom, working for my pets and working for my clients, I'm also trying to make a go of my blogs, all of which have been recently updated.  They are:

• ReasonsNotToCommitSuicide (about mental illness and mental health)
• Dreaming of Peter (about sleep and dreams)
• Why Van Gogh Matters ('cause he does, dammit!)

So Much for the Peter Gabriel Channel at Suite 101

Well, last week I blogged about the new Peter Gabriel Channel at the new Suite 101.  It was going to be a great new resource for Peter Gabriel fans. (Note: PG Channel is now off line.)

I wrote too soon.  Yesterday, the head honcho at Suite 101 has decided that the site will get rid of all channels and, in March, no longer will accept new articles.

It goes to show that when life gives you lemons, split 'em in half, douse them with hydrochloric acid and mash them into someone's face.