I am the Highway

Few things stir our hero's soul like the open road. For out there are thousands of new beginnings and encounters waiting to happen. Adventures unseen and unexpected lay just around the bend. The launch of a road trip is a rebirth, a reawakening of the spirit, a chance to take control of one's destiny. The frontier myth is at the very foundation of American popular culture. Go west, seek your fortune and while you're at it, feel moved by the splendor and beauty of the homeland.

We join our hero back in the saddle ridin' dirty on 85 southbound, the wide vanilla skies drifting to pink and purple in the early evening. A sense of nostalgia creeps in; he knows these roads well, especially in the Volks. After years of pedal pushing on the Atlantic interstates together, it's time for one last ride. 

Our country's travel infrastructure is made up of endless miles of concrete, regional gift shops, rest areas and fast food joints. The slab network can be ridden to the ends of the earth as we know it. Freedom exists out there, on the slab, just under your tires. Pulling in for a pit-stop our hero spies a familiar scene: a doughy belly spilling over elast-i-waist jeans, pumping petroleum into a fortified tank and slurping the last bit of nacho cheese off a fat finger. In the background, big rigs hiss and sputter like latent, dozing dragons. And he loves it. 2 dogs for 2 dollars? All over it. Extra relish please. 

Re-juiced and feeling the caffeine kick of a cherry coke, our hero rejoins the pack, no momentum lost. Darkness now, but the urban glow of the Peach capital peeks over the horizon. He can't help what but wonder what the original ATLiens, Boi and Dre, are up to on a Sunday night. Flipping the road mix over to the FM dial, our hero tunes into J.D and Luda's hometown anthem bumpin' on 95.5 The Beat. Fitting.

Our hero exits the freeway and drifts through a quiet, green neighborhood to the home of his old college running buddy, Mo'Ladies Binz. He plops down on the couch to ideal results: U.S.A over Canada on the ice, Blue Devils over Hokies in Cameron. A couple Bud heavies and musings about the freak show that was higher education are followed by hazy speculations about their spectacular futures. The mandatory and traditional games of one on one pong follow but it's late and there are things to do tomorrow.

The mission is the 18th floor of a glittering skyscraper in Buckhead, a flacid flag the only indication of what's housed inside. Our hero takes the speedy elevator straight to the top, slips his documents through the glass window and hopes for the best. Suspicious looks. Interrogation. Not even our hero's charm and verbal spar can vault the unforeseen technicality. Invisible borders, made up by people, regulated with rigidity and incredible attention to detail stand tough. They tell him to go west but it's OK: he's got folk in Big Country.

Feeling slightly deflated, as if the wind suddenly died on the high seas, the drive back north is filled with mixed emotion. For nearly six years, our hero and the Volks have been a dynamic duo, rolling America's roadways. He thinks of the great ones and their steeds: The Lone Ranger and Silver, Link and Epona, Gandalf and Shadowfax. The trust, the bond formed through countless trial and tribulation. The shared experience. He turns up the pulsating, eight speaker sound- really makes it thump. He runs his hands over the smooth leather interior and gazes up through the sunroof at the star speckled night sky. Thank you. One more tank. One last cruise through the heart of Americana. 

If he has to go to finalize things in Texas then dagnabbit, he's taking a plane.

The Soundtrack

Music expresses what words cannot say. The sound of a feeling. Language of the soul. It unites across all boundaries, lifting spirits high and drawing individuals together. It allows us to experience the same emotion and live, if only for a moment, in the same heart. A few gentle piano notes can drape one in all the loneliness of the world. A tight beat moves the body uncontrollably, as if compelled by some ethereal unstoppable force.

Our hero has always been fascinated by power of structured sound; how it can build and sway, progress and break down. It's given him energy and while at the same time reduced him to a dripping mess of tears and snot. His first memories of music involve his mother's old Beatles LPs. The creative imagery of the album sleeves, the textured ridges on the vinyl, the whir of the turntable, the anticipatory crackle and pop as the diamond tip of the needle touched down upon the record. He remembers feeling confused by the emotions stirred up, curious and mesmerized amidst the floating melodies. Listening was not enough. By flipping over specially purchased trash cans and nailing pie tins to the top of toilet plungers, he was able to keep rhythm with the legends- greats like Buddy Rich, Mickey Hart and Animal the Muppet.

Music defies the laws of time and space, carrying us back to certain people and situations; associations strong enough to provoke emotional responses at the mere sound of a song. Adrenaline pumps, hormones rage, booties shake, toes tap and hands clap.  It focuses the mind, evokes creativity, sets the mood for making babies. Music reaches out to us in times of desperation, offering guidance and comfort. The voice of God comes though music and caresses the soul.

Beyond its intangible metaphysical properties, music can be explained through science. Sound is vibration that can be measured. Time signatures result in certain patterns of movement and rhythmic arrangements are what draw in and keep the listener. The tightness and width of sting dictate notes and key while the contour of lips shape sounds. The poetic construction of spoken word lends a human element to music, the voice serving as a unique instrument unto itself. Lyricism can tell a story, create an image or describe a feeling. Verses build, taking audiences to new exciting places they've never been before.

As you listen you see new possibilities in life. New angles and approaches. Music gives you style, a groove to bounce to. Lock yourself in an attic and compose the most soaring sonata the world has ever heard. Get some sticks and kick the most viscous, in-the-pocket beat that the crowd can't ignore. Pick up a guitar and shred the most gnarly, face melting solo ever played. Grab the mic and flip the illest rhyme-stricken verse that Dr. Suess never wrote. Sing loud and come together under the sound. So go on, push play. What spins as the soundtrack to your life?

  

The Way

In the rising action of Pulp Fiction (Tarantino, 1994) Jules tells Vincent that he quitting his job as a hitman and plans to "walk the earth" like Caine from Kung Fu. Later in the scene when Jules is collecting his wallet he tells Pumpkin it's the on that says Bad Mother Fucker. No one in their right mind would want to cross a wandering, jeri-curled Jules Winnfield on the open road but your hero guarantees, he is not the baddest wandering mofo that ever did live.

No, for that title one must place themselves in Feudal Japan during the seventeenth century. Known as the Edo period, this is when the cultural center and governmental seat of Japan was shifting from the historic capital of Kyoto to modern-day Tokyo. During this time the country operated under a feudal system; regional warlords called daimyo battled one another for control of populations and resources.  

In 1600 a great battle was fought at Sekigahara (also known as the Realm Divide) with the victor, Tokugawa Ieyasu becoming Shogun. He redistributed the land, awarding those instrumental in assisting his defeat of the Western Armies. The Tokugawa Shogunate would unify  the country in peace for more than 200 years and is considered the final shogunate of the feudal regime. The defeat of so many warlords left many warriors with no master. These masterless samurai, known as ronin, would often become mercenaries for hire, their blades at the service of the highest bidder. Equally often, they turned into thieves and bandits roaming the countryside. 

Enter Miyamoto Musashi. After defeating his first opponent (a much older man) at the age of 13, he set off on his own, following the way of the sword. He challenged the masters of every school of swordsmanship, never losing a battle. His most renowned victories include both brothers, Seijuro and Denshichiro, from the Yoshioka school and the lance wielding monks of the Hozoin in Nara. Musashi was the first to develop and utilize a two sword technique, said to be inspired by the two handed motions of temple drummers.

His most famous dual was with his long time nemesis Sasaki Kojiro.  The dual was set on a remote island at dawn. Musashi arrived by boat, carving a wooden sword or bokken on the way that he would use in the contest. Timing his arrival with the tide so that the sun behind him would blind his opponent, he struck down his enemy, retreating in the boat before Kojiro's supporters could seek revenge.

He would end up living out his final years in a cave called Reigando in the Kyushu mountains. There he wrote his manifesto and the definitive guide to strategy, Go-Rin-No-Sho (The Book of Five Rings) completing it just days before his death. The book is still studied today and taught in the top business schools around the globe. For like a swordsman, good business comes from hard work, dedication and focus. The strategy contained therein rendered it required reading among top executives.

Our Hero at Reigando

What sets Musashi apart is the way he lived and studied. Musashi was a painter, sculptor and writer. His paintings, considered some of the best to come out of Japan's history, are characterized by minimal brush strokes- the same way a swordsman would think. For Musashi, strategy was all about integration, using the right tool for the job and practical ways of thinking about everyday life. A true strategist has made master of many art forms. When you attain the Way of strategy there will not be not one thing you cannot understand. You will see the Way in everything.

 

The Nets

In his masterpiece novel, Ender's Game (1985), Orson Scott Card details a universe where global influence is perpetuated by issues discussed in online, virtual forums called "the nets". Ender's genius siblings, Valentine aged 10 and Peter age 12, post under the names Demosthenes and Locke, respectively, and through their writings the are able to gain huge followings, controlling world opinions and international events. Card's eerily prophetic vision of the World Wide Web continues to manifest today, as the speed and availability of the internet increases. Every citizen is equal on the nets; all you have is your ideas and command of the written word.

Today, there are millions of virtual communities with their own languages, rules and codes of conduct. The most bizzare and compelling individuals become heros, trendsetters and legends (when and if they fade away). Some leave and come back stronger than ever. Ownership of these online worlds changes hands regularly; factors such as momentum, shock value and the ability to deconstruct challengers all play a part in the development of ones online aura. It seems that rarely does anyone stay on top for long; the seat is too hot and the barrage to fierce. The highest level boarders are titans battling into eternity, words and imagery their armament.

Users spend years building reputations, gaining allies and "exposing" enemies. The growing library of multimedia on the web has also given users a new weapon in their arsenal- HTML- which enables hacking and use (and possibly abuse) of pictures and video. With the most serious online posters, as our hero has seen, the dismantling of a forum foe spills over into the physical realm, having real world consequences. Broken engagements, jail-time, lawsuits, violent confrontations and pregnancies are just some examples of the fallout from these virtual wars. Grown men have crumbled like the walls of Babylon.

For this reason many message boarders go to great lengths to keep their true identities secret, using aliases and gimmicks to mislead, confuse or spread further influence. While many of these online communities began and still exist underground, the model has become more conventional. Mainstream news sites that allow the anyone to comment on stories have given the public as much power as the journalist. The validity of factual information can be called into question and arguments can be disputed by anyone. If you have ever posted a You Tube comment, registered for E-Harmony or answered an ad on Craigslist, you are participating. Christian Bale won the role of Batman because of his popularity with online super hero geeks.

Its not just talent and style that take posters to the upper echelon but frequency and level of contribution. Generally thousands of posts and a strong resume of forum victories are essential to being accepted by the elite membership. As our hero has seen, users go to unbelievable lengths to prove themselves. Serious, civil debate has spiraled out of control into terrible freak-shows where heinous monsters rear their heads as madness descends. Silly jesters giggle and dance in the background while the King, not sure wether to scream for order or laugh maniacally, looses his grip.

But in the end, it's all about the LOLs. Board Hard.

"On the nets I can name myself anything I want, and so can you." - Peter Wiggin

Bull City

Enough about love lets talk about some gritty shit, the streets that made our hero who he is today. Having moved through many circles and phases in his own life it's hard to pigeonhole our hero's scene; for like a ninja chameleon he slides into any situation, blending in or standing out as need be. At any given moment he could be found in the company of bounty hunters, hustlers, academics, rap moguls and rock gods, pushermen, improvisational masters, con-artists, sages, pirate cooks, reclusive painters and even the occasional corporate stooge. It's this diversity that Durham owes its status as an up and coming cultural center to.  

From his portal into the world at Durham Regional, down the oak lined avenues of Trinity Park to a one story white house on Monmouth, this area and surrounding neighborhoods would become central to an emerging voice and ideology still taking shape. In his travels, rarely has our hero seen the type of hometown pride people from the Durty feel. A common, inherent awareness of being in a special place at a special time.  Part of something big.

It has become all the more obvious in recent years. The downtown revitalization has given the area an upscale cosmopolitan edge without loosing the blue collar, southern worker town feel that the city built around. The reconciliation of the traditional and the modern with regards to the architecture is remarkable; old warehouses and high ceilinged curing houses turned into spacious loft apartments, open air offices and elegant dining spaces. Music venues, art galleries and independent theaters just scratch the surface of the cultural offerings available.  Not to mention the illest summertime ballpark anywhere. 

Perhaps the newest addition is the skate park smack in the middle of downtown, featuring a steady stream of boarders, bladers, bikers and whatever-the-fuck- those wiggly things that kids are riding these days are.  Stroll through adjacent Durham Central Park, past the bronze turtle sculptures made in the local foundry just feet away and cross the street to the Durham Farmer's Market (where the kids would board before construction of the skate park).  At the farmer's market you find locally grown organic everything and on Saturday Mornings, the Only Burger.

One of the biggest draws to the area IS the booming culinary scene.  In many of the top restaurants, the seasonal menus are directly inspired by what's being grown in the regional farms. This model of utilizing local produce and livestock keeps food fresh and works in favor of the local economy. But you can find top of the line independently owned and operated restaurants of any kind, many of which have been around for years and established loyal, cult-like followings. Whatever your globals tastes might crave, the dining scene has you covered.   

The presence of one of the country's top research university ensures an intellectual community coupled with the youthful vibe a college town should have. Shit's poppin' off foreal, and at a rate that must be seen to be believed. Our hero's time home has been a calming reminder that things are moving in the right direction. However at this juncture, it's his global alliances that need forging.  

    

The Spark

Ever since Chaucer's Parlement of Foules, Valentine's Day has served as a celebration of intimate relationships and "love". Quotations used only because on this day love has become synonymous with exclusive restaurant reservations, roses and mass produced greeting cards. 

It's no secret that February 14th is dreaded by many. The lovers revel in their intoxicating chemistry while the loners have never felt so alone. Wether the timing was wrong, the person was wrong or dealings with Cupid went awry, these individuals need Valentines day more than ever.  The polarization and feeling sorry for oneself will not stand! Find something you love and express how you feel openly and honestly.  

Our hero has never felt February to be a particularly romantic month.  In fact his most memorable Valentine's Days happened long ago. Schoolyard courtships, waiting to see who gave the most creative, hand crafted Valentine. Who would go to the greatest length or take the biggest risk to make their affections felt? For during these formative years actions were from the heart, spiced with integrity. Let that young, carefree side of you take control this Valentine's Day.  Beyond the price tags and chocolate boxes, find the spark that started the inferno and bathe in that magic.   

Inception

From the outer reaches of space and the depths of consciousness comes your hero like you've never seen him before. Forget the mythology, the lore, the rumors floating on warm summer breezes-  CozmikGangsta, from the tip of his quill, uncut and unfiltered.

One would be hard pressed to find a better work environment than Intergalactic Headquarters in Durham.  Ample desk space enclosed by four glass walls, windows opening to the rustling foliage and afternoon play of woodland creatures.  

But time is indifferent, continuing to flow forth, bringing seasons, chapters and change.  

Rewind to late November 2009, Berlin.  Surrounded by the heartbeat of a revolution, our hero says goodbye to friends and colleagues.  While magic was made in the beautiful space of an amazing place, it could not last forever. What can?

North Carolina opens her arms in a warm, familiar embrace. Younglings have grown older, but their love has not faded. It is stronger and now they move through life with greater confidence and skill. The Main Street bars buzz with holiday cheer, spirits and nostalgia serving a powerful concoction for letting the mind wander to what could have beens as well as new possibilities. Old acquaintances promise each other the world.  A New Year. Then stillness.

In a few weeks our hero will set his course for Paris, again. Each time he returns it's different. New challenges and a chance to dig deeper, for his relationship with the city of light is ever evolving. Bittersweet the reunion will be. Every street corner, every bench, every avenue is filled with memories, moments shared and sweat spilt. The friends and feelings now etched into his very being.  But these souls, like the city, are timeless. Their faces linger on in memory and their laughter echos though the stone alleyways, forever.