Wow! Okay, you know what? Let’s just face it. We now live in a cartoon world. The absurdity we’ve had to accept and process on a regular basis has, in some ways, numbed us to the more shocking reality. We’re in a cartoon! Life and death are now no more significant than running to the store and having a flat tire on the way. Set to an evil laugh track. Everything is weird, scary, and disorienting, but maybe it’s also teaching us about the big picture and about ourselves. Did we choose to live in a cartoon world? Are those shiny objects just too damn shiny to ignore? Do we reign it in or just resign ourselves to our creation? Is superficial A-OK with everyone? Do we just accept that being suckered is a normal thing, like a cartoon full of ridiculous characters? Whatever, cartoons are for children and children have been running the show. But, beyond driving home from our most recent four-year hate fest, what do we do about the fallout? Things weren’t peachy-keen before 2016. Yeah, we dipped our toes in acid and decided that wasn’t a good idea, but now what? I mean, we can try not to be caricatures of things we think we admire and get back to the true essence of being, but that will require each person to self-evaluate and move his or her personal needle. That’s a tall order. Anyway, down is certainly up in the Brave Combo Universe and booking a gig is like walking through a pond of molasses. On the upside, the weather has been very nice in Denton, recently!

I’m tired of hearing my thoughts and the sound of my voice in my head and coming out of my mouth, so I’m not gonna write much more this month. Instead, here are four timely videos of stuff with which I’ve been messing.

Video 1. “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” There are two different well-known melodies for this song. I picked one of them. The lyrics were written, out of despair, during the Civil War, on Christmas Day, 1863, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. “Hate is strong and mocks the song of Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men.”

Video 2. “Happy Days Are Here Again.” Brave Combo, playing behind our office, in cold weather, just days ago.

Video 3. “Brenda Lee Sad Medley.” These are two sad songs, recorded by Brenda Lee, which work well together. “I’m Losing You” is about someone losing someone and “All Alone Am I” is the unfortunate, but inevitable, end of the story. Both have strong, haunting melodies. Since Brenda Lee is mostly associated with Christmas songs, like “Jingle Bell Rock,” it seemed appropriately inappropriate to do a quick mash-up of two of her downer hits. I like both songs a lot! The video, itself, was shot from my front porch one night as a thunderstorm was approaching.

Video 4. Some of my pet yellow jackets as their season ends. The nests were teeming until about a month ago. They’ll all be dead soon.

Okay, I hope you enjoy these little glimpses into the Brave Combo mindset. Don’t forget to keep putting one foot in front of another. Wear your mask and speak clearly. Be friendly and stay away from people. Also, check our itinerary often. We have some interesting opportunities brewing. It’s a crazy cartoon world, you know.

Okay, here we go.  There’s only one story right now and only one course of action which really matters and you know exactly what I’m talking about.

VOTE, even if you have to wait in line.

VOTE, even if you have to wait in a long line.

VOTE, even if you have to wait in a very long line.

VOTE, even if you have to drive or walk several miles.

VOTE, even if there is only one drop box in your county.

VOTE, even if it takes all day.

VOTE, even if it takes all day and all night.

VOTE, even if it sounds too dull to handle.

VOTE, even if you’re afraid.

VOTE, even if you’re stress-free.

VOTE, even if you think it’s dangerous.

VOTE, even if there are rednecks with guns nearby.

VOTE, even if you’re hungry and you forgot a snack.

VOTE, even if you’re thirsty and you forgot bottled water.

VOTE, even if you don’t like masks.

VOTE, even if you don’t like how you look with a mask.

VOTE, even if you don’t like how you look, mask or not.

VOTE, even if you don’t have a tuxedo or an evening gown.

VOTE, even if you don’t have a car.

VOTE, even if it’s too cold or too hot outside.

VOTE, even if it’s raining or snowing.

VOTE, even if it seems futile.

VOTE, even if you live in a town where you think your vote doesn’t matter.

VOTE, even if you live in a mansion.

VOTE, even if you live in a car.

VOTE, even if you’re just too busy.

VOTE, even if you’re too depressed to move.

VOTE, even if your friends say it’s no use.

VOTE, even if you’ve already had Covid-19.

VOTE, even if you think you won’t get Covid-19.

VOTE, even if you might miss something.

VOTE, even if you need to walk the dogs.

VOTE, even if you’re rich and have no debts.

VOTE, even if you’re poor and have no job.

VOTE, even if you’re so pretty nothing matters.

VOTE, even if you’re so ugly nothing matters.

Did I make myself clear?  I could, literally, go on and on, as could you.  Feel free to add to my list.  So, check out my new video and go vote.  Man, we are on a roller coaster to who knows where, aren’t we?  Good luck to us all!  Let’s polka!  And vote!