Back in the days when I first heard Paul Simon's groundbreaking Graceland album we didn't all have blogs and Twitter, etc. So back then I couldn't explode all over the Internet with hyperbole on how awesome and electrifying the sound of his music energized by some of South Africa's greatest musicians along with his stellar pop song writing.

These are the days of lasers in the jungle,
Lasers in the jungle somewhere,
Staccato signals of constant information,
A loose affiliation of millionaires

I just listened to this for the first time in more years than I care to think about. It doesn't matter-this music is timeless and vital. yes, vital-full of life. The sparks of God that exist in people and want to jump out with every opportunity they have in song, painting, music sculpture,writing,etc. Elements of the divine here on earth for us to construct/deconstruct and every one time in a million get it just right. Graceland was just that kind of work. Paul's pop genius, great timing, sophistication and openness and prescience to use musical forms that were good but under-exposed to the Billboard scene. The doors for 'world music" were thrown open by him and some people with an ear to hear started to connect the dots between earlier popular forms and their African or other "world" roots and connections.

So much brilliance in a song, the bass lines of Bakithi Kumalo exploding in my ears like sonic rubber trees bending and pulsing under the current and power of Simon's lyrics. Even some punk energy and terror hinted at:

There was a bright light,
A shattering of shop windows
The bomb in the baby carriage
Was wired to the radio,

Anyway, had I a blog in the day of Graceland's debut I would have done my ephiphanizing then. Color this making up for technological deficiencies back in the day. Let's have a listen to "The Boy in the Bubble" and for good measure "Graceland" the title track. There's so many different images that come to mind for me with both these songs, it's  almost too intoxicating and volatile. Good art affects me like that.

This shot was probably my favorite of the series at Sun Moon Lake that day. Liked how it looked in my viewfinder on the camera. I love how it seems like a doorway into a whole other world or realm. My wife Anne happened to walk into view just as I was pressing shutter. This is such an iconic spot for Taiwan: big Chinese palatial temple in traditional-style Chinese architecture next to a big lake. I never get bored of going to that place. Just oen of those special places that seem to have their own energy and resonate with a special glow.

In honor of that glow let's link to some St. Elmo's Fire by Brian Eno.

Initially this photo and title had nothing to do with Michael Jackson. Coincidentally am posting on the same day that Michael Jackson's death at age 50 was announced. Michael Jackson's life and mine are fairly well intertwined due to our ages being about the same an the overwhelming influence of popular culture disseminated by the media during my lifetime. I'm not here to praise of bury Caesar or Michael in this case. I am glad that I heard him and his brothers early on in my life as the Jackson 5. Their music as much of the music from Motown records filled me with great joy and hope before the Vietnam War and Nixon were able to tarnish it and cause me to think about all kinds of deep, important questions well before I was ready to.

I know there is a lot of controversy about Michael's life and his sexual habits, plastic surgery,etc. There is so much media information on the minutiae of his life many have firm opinions about him. I do too. I think the main one I have other than him being incredibly musically talented  and a great dancer and performer is this: he had no childhood. The poor guy was working relentlessly as a minor and was a cash cow for his manager which in this case, happened to be his father. It's easy to second guess people especially here on the Internet where a person like me with a blog can be a pundit. I still feel for the guy because it is quite obvious he had no time for a childhood when he was a child. How much did he enjoy the fruits of his labors? It appears to me not a whole lot. I'm not writing this as an indictment of Michael or his family, I just feel it offers a good back story to reflect on.

Should we desire and work hard to accumulate?-maybe. If that is what is important to you. I guess more importantly we should all take into consideration that everything has a cost, and sometimes the price is maybe just too high. My sympathies and respect to the Jacksons and all their fans. I'll always treasure the memories of being a 3rd grade milk monitor(1 of 2 students who left the classroom, walked down to the cafteria, drank extra ice cold milk, screwed around:in this case dancing to the Jackson 5-I Want You Back, before shlepping a crate of milk back upstairs to the classroom for distribution among the classmates).

Ahh, the original impetus for the post-well the Thao guy in traditional dress seems to have a pretty nice life. He gets dressed in brightly colored Thao tribal clothing, sings, dances and hawks his CD's next to the beutiful Sun Moon Lake. I doubt he'll ever get rich like this but his life seems pretty chill and nice. Looks like the young lady had an opinion she was voicing. Treatment is HDR.

I absolutely hate really posed cutesie portrait shots, especially when by some scenic landmark. This is my son on the ferry pier at Sun Moon Lakein the ItaThao village. He wasn't expecting me doing the "snap move". I did and am happy with the shot and kind of dreamy HDR treatment I did. Kevin(my son) loves Back in Black (play loud as you read this post)as do I. It is one of the tightest and most iconic hard rock songs ever. ACDC is not one of my favorite bands per se, but they are the only thing that works  when the mood is right. I am also partial to the All Blacks team regalia. The All Blacks are the national Rugby team of New Zealand(making them kind of neighbors to ACDC if it weren't for all that water...).

Interestingly, the Thao and other indiginous Taiwan peoples are cousins to the Maori of New Zealand, some of whom play for the All Blacks. Tiny world...