And music has long been an outlet for such mass emotional strife. And Vision the Kid’s got it by the balls.

Vision the Kid‘s new album “Lost Summer” was released Nov. 10th, 2011 and is available as a FREE download here.

From Minneapolis, Vision is an indie hip-hop artist with elements of funk and soul with rap attitude covering the usual bases of sex, drugs and parties from a post-sensitive perspective.

But what draws me into his music is the way he weaves in a raw and direct flow of poignant, relevant and ear-catching lyrical genius.

A song that I just can’t hear enough is “D!e a Rockstar”, the closing track from Lost Summer, check it out:

Yes, it’s vulgar, yes it’s aggressive , and yes it said, “…All the teachers are getting cut, all the prisons are filling up, politicians don’t give a fuck, I might as well give up and try to die a rockstar, baby / we all going to hell, hell might as well try to die a rock star, baby /  burn ’til I burn out…”.

Less than a year ago I would have never, ever believed that I would be where I am today: selling cars?! WTF. But this song sums it up. You can’t change the world, you can only change your attitude.

You know it when you see a rock star, whether it’s a rock star quilter, a rock star cashier, a rock star sandwich artist, or a rock star dentist – it’s people who do their best and enjoy it at the same time. And it makes the experience of everyone around them better. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, you’ve got to own it. Define it. Be it.

“…It’s not our fault we were taught this, I had a point but I just lost it / can you blame me? they’ve been making crazy since the day I was born  and now they’re asking for more / after they shorted our futures, sold our careers to computers, sold the factories to China, do they really need reminders? / why most people my age ain’t finding no jobs, all they say is believe in God, I say try to die a rockstar, baby / we all going to hell, hell might as well try to die a rock star, baby /  burn ’til I burn out…”

Most people talking to a Car Salesman don’t necessarily trust ‘em. I respect that – I never really thought much of salesmen either…

And the direct quotes listed below will display my level of success at earning their business :)

Mandy in Grand Rapids, “Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it and i will definately reccomend you to any one that will listen. Really…thanks i absolutely LOVE the car. It is what Ive always wanted.”

Tom in Deer River, “Update: the VW made it to Warroad, Thief River, Warroad and back without a hitch last weekend. Many thanks!”

Karen in Grand Rapids, “We took the car to Duluth tonight for school shopping and we are truly really excited about it!  It fits us great and the kids are so excited!  Thank you for all you have done and YOUR patience! ha!  So, it is YOU that rocks! :D”

Becky from Grand Rapids, “Glad that we could make things happen today! This wasn’t the “bad”experience that I’ve had before when buying a car :D“

Carolyn in Grand Rapids, “Thanks for the concern.  Car is running great. Have saved a lot of money as far as filling the tank goes!”

Nate in Grand Rapids, “Thanks Doug.  You’re a great salesman and I would go back to you anytime.”

And I intend for Rapids Ford to rock Toys for Tots. I encourage you to take the time to drop off an inexpensive toy (still in the original packaging) and bring a little joy to those less fortunate. I overheard the Rep. say these toys stay local for our community members in need. We’ll be collecting toys through Dec. 20th at Noon.

The last time I did a toy drive I worked for a radio station in Duluth. The mid-day DJ and I spent an entire week, 24/7, living in a huge Pepsi semi-trailer parked outside a grocery store (I actually wasn’t there 24/7, because my professors at UMD said I still had to attend classes – pffft).  We had huge heat cannons and lots of sleeping bags. It felt really good every single time someone dropped something off.

Rapids Ford is located at 1510 Pokegama Ave. S. in Grand Rapids. Come over and say hi when you drop something off, I’m around.

The Babe’s are one of the latest member of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), the national governing body for women’s amateur flat track roller derby in the U.S.

As a new member of the WFTDA, the Babes join the ranks of over 75 all-female, skater owned and operated leagues nationwide that have united to lead the growing sport of women’s flat track roller derby. WFTDA member leagues engage in sanctioned interleague play, including regional and national tournaments. The Babe’s are a member of the North Central region.

The Des Moines Derby Dames are also newly minted WFTDA members, and this is sure to be a great match.

Doors open at 5p, and starting at 5:30pm it’s the Babe City Roller Whistle Punks (B team) vs. Forx Roller Derby League, then at  7pm the Babe City Roller All-Stars vs. Des Moines Derby Dames. $5 for adults, $3 under 18, FREE for kids under 10 and BSU students.

The First City Dance Studio will one again perform at the half of both bouts.

Read more about Northern MN Derby: click here.

Operating out of Minneapolis, adopted from Korea, this 4′-10″ frame will blow you away like a Tsunami.

I’ve written about a lot of genres over the years, but I still don’t know how to describe her music other than powerful, commanding, energized. And that’s both on her highly produced, high energy records, and intimate solo-performances. I’ve been there and have felt the way she captures an audience.

Check out the song “Ring Around the Microphone” from Tusks in Furs:

When you are comfortably electrified by the sonic experience, suddenly you realize Mayda isn’t just rockin’, but singing artistic, emotional and sometimes poignant lyrics. As in “Ring Around the Microphone”, where she sings of the dissociated greatest-recession generation; the hard times for new adults who are searching for purpose, passion… and work. An existing struggle that knows no single generation.

It’s a global thing.

“I’m walking in my neighbor’s mouth, underneath a sea of clouds, and I think they’re all coming down on this generation here and now / Us kids got a lot to work, earning money just to keep our shirts, back in the day they did the jerk, but we forgot those days and now we hurt

Ring around, ring around the mircophone,
Ring around, ring around the mircophone,
Ring around, ring around the mircophone,
Roll up your sleeves and show me who you work for

She used to be a Nun (what?!), scriptures wrapped around her tongue, but her heart was as eager as a searchlight beating for a revolution / Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna take the lesson, if your heart is as eager as her’s you best believe that it’s a blessing…“

It’s the Arab Spring and violent protests in London, it’s the Tea Party and Occupy Wallstreet. It doesn’t matter your political sympathy, there is a lot of stress and desperation out there. And when I listen to “Ring Around the Microphone” I see all these different people coming together in a club somewhere and just getting down. Bleed the same blood, cry the same tears, and rock the same beats.

Like Mayda sings in The Panthers, a serious ‘Song of the Year’ contender, “If the panthers pray, open up the cage, turn the music up, don’t be afraid / If the panthers pray there goes the world, there goes control. But it will be beautiful…“.

Music like this energizes my body, mind and spirit. Thank you Mayda Miller.

I was first introduced to the Minneapolis-based Big Quarters due to their Northern Minnesota connection; they grew up in Clearbrook in Clearwater County; in the north-western region of the state – not the first place most people would expect such dynamic hip-hop to have it’s roots, (same home town as fellow innovator Alan Sparhawk of Low / The Retribution Gospel Choir).

Truly independent artists, Big Quarters work hard for their fans and do all their production/promotion in-house. Following that independent spirit, all proceeds from “Party Like a Young Commie” will be donated to Youth Programming at Hope Community (Minneapolis, MN) – toward purchasing studio equipment and maintaining the Hope Community Music Studio. Through music projects at Hope Community, youth learn artistic elements, discipline, story-telling, taking a project through several stages to completion, cooperative learning and team building. All this work is centered in community, leadership development and creative expression/artistic development. Cool stuff.

With the real-world lyrics, modernized old-school beats, and socially conscientious attitude heard on both “Cost of Living” and “From the Home of Brown Babies and White Mothers”, Big Quarter’s forthcoming release “Party Like a Young Commie” is definitely something I’m looking forward to. Pre-order at blog.bigquarters.com/.

"Party Like a Young Commie" release Nov. 29th, 2011

The CD release party is at The Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis on Friday, Dec. 16th, 2011, hosted by Crescent Moon with performances also by Los Navitos and No Bird Sing. More details at blog.bigquarters.com/.

Pita Bread

6 cups All Purpose Flour (Substitute 2 cups of whole wheat flour for 2 cups of white flour if you like)

4 tsp salt

4 tsp yeast

4 TBSP olive oil

2 1/2 cups room temp H2O

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup room temperature water ( I sprinkle in a little sugar to feed the yeast buddies).   In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt.   Add remaining water, olive oil and yeast (it should be activated/foamed up).  Blend until you have a sticky dough.  Yes, it will be STICKY.  But dust your area with flour for kneading – you may have to work in 1/4 to 1/2 cup during this time.  Knead like the dickens for about 8-10 minutes until you feel the dough’s consistency change.  Poke your finger in it.  It should spring back.  Place the dough in an oiled bowl.  Roll it around to coat all sides in oil, then cover with saran wrap, a light towel and place in a warm place to rise and double in size.  Approximately 1-2 hours depending on how warm your house is :)  I turn my oven on warm for 10 minutes, then shut if off and that’s where I proof my dough.

After your dough is doubled, punch it down and place in the fridge to cool for 30 minutes.    Pull off tennis ball sized balls and roll them out in circles of a 1/4″ thickness.  Let them rest on a piece of wax paper or flour dusted parchment paper/counter top.   I roll out two or three pitas to start before I heat my griddle, then continue to roll as I cook them.  Beware, this takes attention to maintain the line.  If you suddenly have to run to the bathroom to “pee in the potty mom!” or similar emergency and would like to avoid a burnt spot in the center, you should roll them all out ahead of time.  Just sayin’.

I digress.

Heat your griddle over low-medium heat.  I use a large cast iron skillet because non-stick freaks me out and I don’t have a cast iron griddle.  Do not oil it in any way, shape or form.  Pitas cook on a dry surface.  Once heated, place a pita on the griddle.

Wait 20 seconds and flip it over.  Really.  This creates a blister, if you will, and allows the pocket to form from the steam generated within the pita.

Cook on this side for about a minute or until golden.    You may see a small bubble start to form.

Flip it over again and watch the magic happen!  Moisture trapped between the two cooked layers will cause the pocket to balloon up!

It’s really important to keep the rolled pita dough no less than 1/4″.

There’s a lot of power building up inside and it doesn’t take much steam to blow through a thin section of pita dough.  A hole prevents the pita from fully puffing out.  If your pita doesn’t puff, don’t pout.  It’s still delicious.  They make great chips.

Once the second side is browned and your pita is puffed, place it somewhere to cool.   I like to use a container with a lid and line it with a thin cotton dish towel. This keeps the pitas from drying out as they cool and absorbs any excess moisture.  No one likes wrinkly pitas.

Layer them in wax paper if you’d like to freeze them, then place in an airtight container on your counter or in your fridge.

Visualize Whirled Peas…and some warm pita.

Peace,

Wifey

Escher's first post-utero music festival, 6 months old

Music is my first language – as long as I can remember it’s always spoken directly to my soul in a very emotional way. As you can see in this picture, that passionate appreciation is shared by my family. I am pleased to say we’ve decided to put the time in to keep sharing the cream of the crop :)

I say ‘we’ because this actually was a family conversation. These days it seems like we’re working all the time with occasional glances of family-life.

But there are so many astounding musicians from Minnesota out there and it’s great to help put their music in a new set of ears.

I can think of no better creative hobby than getting to interact with these artists and share their creations. Even 8 months after my last edition of Centerstage MN I still hear from people daily talking about music or suggesting a new band to check out. And I hear from the artists too, who would like me to check out their new album and help spread the word. It’s a true pleasure.

I’m not in the position to produce audio presentations at this time, but the articles will flow. I have interviews with The Sunny Era and The Brothers Burn Mountain waiting for transcription, a half-written review of Mayda‘s new release, the new Enchanted Ape CD, Two Many Banjo‘s upcoming release already coming in the mail! What fun!

I’d like to give a shout out to Jake Dilley and Brian Skinness who’ve been whispering in my ear about the music calling me out – nourishing the dormant seed until the time was right.

I’ve reached a point with my new job that I can relax a little. And by that, I mean I believe I can do it. I don’t have words to describe the way it felt to sell that first car. And it had nothing to do with commission, just knowing I CAN do it. As that initial self-created stress fades, those extra layers of thought process can start humming lyrics and not always think about work.

But of course I find myself humming ‘Don’t let it blow your lifeforce out…” and suddenly can’t answer, “what mile-per-gallon does that Escape get?”. Oooops, I think. “Let’s go look at the sticker and check,” I reply ;)

To quote Mayda Miller, “…She used to be a Nun [what?!], scriptures wrapped around her tongue. But her heart was as eager as a search light, beating for a revolution. Well I don’t know about you, but I’m going to take the lesson. If you’re heart is as eager as her’s you best believe that it’s a blessing…” ~Ring Around the Microphone from the new album Tusks in Furs.

Introductions

Bemidji’s Babe City Rollers (aka Babes) were the first team to get started in this region and helped inspire the founding of the Grand Rapid’s area Iron Range Maidens (aka Maidens), and it has been a long time coming to see these two teams finally go at it!

While there may not have been a huge home-track advantage, with plenty of Rangers coming over to BSU to cheer on the Maidens, the Babes have been around longer. And with some amazing finesse combined with precision strategy, the Babes took control of the bout early and managed to keep the Maidens from recovering and building a head of steam. The final score was Maidens 19, Babes 187.

Without a doubt the Maidens are on their way to some amazing derby, and they will be eager to get even the next time these two teams square off. The Maidens are a bigger team overall than the Babes, which can be a good thing in the full-contact atmosphere of Flat Track Roller Derby, but the Babes had a flow of technique and experience-earned strategy that was able to duck and dodge the Maidens – shutting them down early and keeping them there. The Babes looked good.

Just wait until the Maidens have a few seasons under their garter belts – they will be another Northern Minnesota powerhouse.

Babes' Jammer Blurring Ahead of the Pack

P.S. I have to give compliment to the excellent half time show by the First City Dance Studio. The one guy who was out there dancing with the girls had that perfect mix of attitude and talent and really took it to another level :)

Read more about Northern MN Derby: click here.

Cheapest Car Available LOOKS GOOD!

And we LOVE it!

And it’s not like I got some special insight on a ‘good’ car on the lot, or special service for working at Rapids Ford.

We got a 2 door hatchback, it is a small car. But it fits our family of three perfectly, and I’ve always preferred hatchbacks.

Simple story: our Passat Wagon (R.I.P VDub) broke down and I came to work looking for the cheapest Ford I could find. It was an 01 Ford Focus ZX3 with 115K miles on it. And the seats are waaaay better than that 01 Cavalier we’re also running into the ground…

It’s clean and dependable, just like every other car on the lot; the Service Department inspects the vehicle and takes care of new tires, or new brakes, or whatever is needed. If it’s just a lemon, Management gets rid of it.

With a 110 mile commute every day a dependable car was vital to us – and I had full confidence in the cheapest Ford I could buy at Rapids Ford – and that is saying something. My wife looks forward to my days off so she can drive it instead of that Cav :p

Stop in an see for yourself: there’s a great line-up of used, clean, dependable vehicles – from fuel economy cars, to family friendly SUVs, and of course trucks (it IS a Ford dealership ;D). Just be sure to ASK FOR DOUG so I can do my best to earn your business and get you in the perfect vehicle for your needs.

Stop in anytime,
Doug

Douglas Dowling MacRostie
Sales Associate, Rapids Ford
Call: 218-760-5656