Valentines Day's?

Happy Valentines Day! And to the people whom I can honestly say this to : I love you! This should come as no surprise to any of you as I try my hardest to show my LOVE to you all as much as I can. This has become increasingly true since meeting someone recently who has SHOWN me the power of actually SHOWING your love. And not just on Valentines Day, but as often a you possibly can.
Why is it that we only celebrate love one day a year together as a nation? The fact that most people need an excuse to show love and care for others is rather disturbing if you really think about it. Come on, do you really feel special that you received "the standard" box of chocolates and roses? If your answer to this is yes... You need to take a serious look at the ways in which you are expending your energy and what you consider care and/or love to be.
Have you ever made someones day by having your day made by that same person? It's one of the greatest experiences in life.
I really test you all to do something that I was asked to do... try to make someones day as often as possible. It can be something as simple as a smile to a stranger. As my father told me "You never know what kind of day a total stranger is having". This really stuck with me when I heard it and I have since then made a conscious effort to be as polite and positive when I deal with strangers on a day to day basis. Now of course I am not perfect and neither are you (as much as you wont, cant, or don't want to admit this). Everyone is going to have their bad days and moments. But, imagine if for once, instead of going home and venting about it (to someone who is probably sick of hearing you vent) some random stranger just happened to turn your day around. Imagine if one of your friends or family members decided to do something nice for you on that day, with no prior knowledge of the how terrible you were feeling... It's not a hard pattern to start.
We all wait for a reason to do something nice for one another. Instead lets make one another the reason to do something nice.
It's a disturbing fact that people love so called "reality" shows these days. What do all these shows have in common? DRAMA. We as a society have become addicted to drama and it now starting to become part of our everyday lives. Take a listen next time your around friends and/or family a hear the negative talk that comes out of peoples mouths. Then do myself, yourself and society a favor... say something nice about someone... anyone.
With the direction that TV is heading and the undeniable effect it has on us as a people, drama is now becoming more and more contagious and it is nearly impossible to steer clear of it. Take a look at MTV ("music television") for example. I have distinct memories as a child of watching Green Day with my older sister, and who doesn't remember the day that Britney changed everyone's perception of the catholic school girl. But those days are long gone. Now MTV might play a total of 2 hours of music in a given day (usually around 12-2 a.m.) and Jersey Shore is their biggest show. Asking yourself wtf does this have to do with Valentines Day Marshall? Okay... how many of you hear a specific song and it immediately reminds you of a current or past love? Or, how often have you been in your car or room, blasting a song that triggered those exact emotions you needed to express and feel at the time? Did it make you feel as if nothing else in the world mattered? Now... how many times this loser who calls himself "The Situation" made you feel this way?
So lets remember today, as we are on our way to get that special someone something special. That love and care doesn't just have to be a once a year OBLIGATION. But rather we can do our best to extend it throughout our 360 day calendar.
If you need a little help getting started, here's and idea: When getting the flowers, buy one extra and give it to someone who is least expecting it...see what happens.

Song for today:
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Home

Light the Buddha

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him."

Glowsticks and Glowworms -- Part I: We Go All Night

Let us go then, you and I,

as a dull yellow blur spreads across the midnight sky,

like nature's scream against the neon city light.

We can but scream back.

Take a tour through taverns and taprooms,

the staging area, where casino phone lights blink back and forth.

No please, ignore that haughty laughing man in the corner,

he is neither asleep nor awake.

Drinks at eleven, bed by one,

a pat on the back for a job well done,

then afternoon brunch with daughter and son --

he is not the subject of our story.

Rather, step outside into car horns and mist.

The air is hot, the vapors curl in the nostrils of a vagrant man

whose beady eyes and crystal lips twist rainbow smoke to haunted shapes.

"Someday the rain will come," he says,

"and over time will turn to sleet which over time will turn to hail

and as the mercury condenses your skin will finally feel the chill."

And he is right,

but not tonight.

We wind through, shift gears, the bellicose monotony,

as we fight to take our place in the underground economy.

The alleyways are ours, the sidewalks are ours,

The basements are ours, the drum bass is ours,

We enter the circus, and it becomes ours.

Step in time, we step in line

in ranks and rows and crowds and mobs.

Digital lights shadow magical sprites

transformed by their smiles in a narcotic fog.

We go all night.

No, don't look right, pay those wallflowers no mind.

They wandered in from a web site, a friend's friend, a taxicab driver, a wrong turn …

Be not fooled by their affectation,

a look they learned from cardboard cutouts at the gas station.

They sold a perfume, a purse, happiness at 20% discount.

No return policy, see retailer for exact amount.

On their faces they are bored, too scared to let go

of a sense of pride, too easily wounded to glow.

Yes, look straight, see how they jump?

They are one heart now, each beat a single thump.

Under arches, stairwells, doorways you can watch their faces ignite

Lighting simple tiny fires just to watch themselves take fright.

We go all night.

They climb upon each others backs

the throbbing bass upon their skulls.

As the pressure rises, the crowd contracts

we beat our hands against the walls.

We go all night.

Just this once, and just once more,

synapses fill and bulge but do not break.

Electric tributaries, the eddies and flows,

they sparkle, crackle, melt and ache.

We go all night.

Outside the giddy pulsing army

a Jack and Jane break themselves away.

They think they're hidden by the mist,

but passers-by in the dawn's blunt gray,

jostling for position assertively,

catch the lovers kissing furtively.

They shake their heads at the crude display.

They have never spent a night the way

that we go all night.

From a distance, we are just glowsticks and glowworms.

They don't understand what we do.

*Unedited First Draft, subject to revision

**From the desk of Doug Sunshine, "The Happies" Special Contributor

Coachella 2010

When I decided to actually go through and start this blog it was very hard decision as to what the maiden post would cover. So I sat back and and asked myself "what has been the happiest time of your life in the past couple years?" the answer was actually quite simple... the mid April weekend I spent at the Empire Polo Club in Coachella, CA, for the annual Coachella Music Festival. Two months prior, I had just become a proud owner of an orange (soon to be changed) 1970 VW Bus and it only felt fitting to introduce her to my life with a journey out to some music, friends and sure to be great memories in the scorching desert.
So off I went, flying solo up the 241, where a quick shift into third was needed to make the arduous climb. Next the 91 then the 60. Lastly, a final stretch a top the 10 before finally reaching my home base for the weekend.
I stayed with a friend of mine who not only lived literally five blocks away from the venue, but had also attended the festival in previous years. So there I was, a home to retire to at night, local knowledge and not to mention a good friend. It was at this point, the night before the festival was to begin, where I became incredibly comfortable with my situation and thoughts.
The next three days were to be chalk-full of surprises. I learned of new music I would have never found strictly on iTunes (as my "recommended for you" MUST be broken, or has me completely confused with someone else) and met new people (some who have become good friends of mine). There was so much happiness throughout the whole weekend it almost felt illegal. I remember clearly the instances where I would just STOP... only to notice the thousands of people in attendance... all getting along. It seemed as if for once people were living completely GUILT FREE. Small communities were made and each one brought another new and interesting piece to the puzzle. There were also these times in which I would just lay on the soft grass and simply stare up at the deserts distinct clear night sky. Oh, and have I mentioned the music? Ghostland Observatory and Thievery Corporation's performances were worth the money spent on tickets alone. Not to mention all the memorable shows that took place at night in the Sahara tent. Now the weekend had to end, but the memories, feelings and friendships will live infinitely.

My recommendations for Coachella 2010:

FRIDAY
Deer Tick - one of my favorite new bands since Kings of Leon (before they went pop)
songs: Baltimore Blues No. 1 / Ashamed / Smith Hill / Not So Dense / Spend the Night

Avett Brothers - If it's the Beaches / The Greatest Sum

Passion Pit - Hoping they play Sleepyhead early in the set

LCD Soundsytem - cant wait to hear Tribulations through some giant speakers

Jay - Z - It's a "go see for a little" show. Just to say you did. Like Paul McCartney and The Killers last year. Although... if he flows these gangsta beats: Heart of the City / Lost One / Young Forever you might find hanging out a little longer with Hova

SATURDAY
Portugal. the Man - 3 must hear songs: The Sun / People Say / Colors

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - grab your most special somebody while they play : Home

MGMT - Hoping their live performance can live up to the great job they did in the studio: Electric Feel / Kids / Time to Pretend / Of Moons, Birds & Monsters / Weekend Wars (one of my all time favorite songs)

Tiesto - I'll be the guy dancing his brains out to quite possibly the best DJ in the world. Glow sticks will be available for a dollar as well =)

SUNDAY
Tom Yorke??? - Really? Why not all of Radiohead???

Miike Snow (yes, two i's in that) - this bands music has quickly been making its presence more and more felt on my iPod. The song Animal is a must listen along with Silvia / Burial

Infected Mushroom - Don't let the name scare you... but the freak show in attendance just might. Give their version of Riders on the Storm a college try.

Gorillaz - I personally am not a HUGE fan of theirs, but I do respect the different sound they bring to the music scene. I'm expecting a good visual / energy type show from them.

I am excited once again this year about the prospect of being introduced to new friends and music. The kind of people and music that can change your life forever... Just as it did for me almost a year ago (already).

LIVE & LOVE INFINITELY