-Lonely Mansion
Sir Truth watches the slushy snow drifts build.

Throwing slush balls at the occasional car on Gregson.
A sickly dog in the basement a senseless zombie only conscious of smell. Dragging its matted fur limbs in a circle of death.

The chandeliers hang low and the many remotes are indecipherable. A small robot cleans the floors in an organized chaos that no human could plan for or understand.
The holiday parties are singing their carols and drinking their mulled ciders and nogs. I clutch a champagne of beers, hardly a celebration, but a good place to begin.

Evil is not the only one who seeks company.
So much room for thoughts to live; a basement, veranda, foyer, garage, empty without my presence and energy. A ghost would not seek the kind of solitude in which I find myself.

The space is like a chair with no one for sitting; a park with no kids, or a castle without its king.


JJ Barnes -Snowflakes

'tis the season..



Johnny Adams - Please Come Home For Christmas

-Turkey
mmm... just a relish gravy dream.. melted between soppy sweet taters.


Laura Lee - Two Lovely Pillows

Holiday Hibernations from a Humbled Humbug

-The Joyce
Truth and La Sweat receive their payback in the order of an open ended bar tab.

We were there, by ourselves, waiting to have a go. Too old to be young and too young to be old. Our repertoire grew and our contacts did too; soon the famous unknown would be ours. The ears of isosceles had paid their respect and the lost souls were finding their meeting point.

Ibsen once wrote, "The strongest man in the world is the man who stands most alone."
The oddballs, lost souls, and dreamers alike are all gathered in collective isolation. Like the ODDcrew, spread on the map, once again to find ourselves in,
"this hailstorm of emotions called companionship!"

Carvin & Cliff part deux

Bobby Thurston - Foolish Man

-JACKPOT
More music, less words, ODDviewers happy...


Chi-Lites - There Will Never Be Peace

This comfortable classic made for the highlight of Jay-Z's career (his false retirement stunt on the Black Album)
Note* Truth digs the Reasonable Doubt and Hard Knock vol. II


Candi Staton - Sure As Sin

Candi is a queen in her own right but was wed to the king himself, Clarence Carter.


Bobby Womack - Fly Me To The Moon

Unable to retrieve the version with blasting horn refrain but still a classic cut


Darker Shades Of Black - And Then You Came

Soul Scholar, Sir Shambling, still seeks info on this cut. Hope it reaches the right ears. I still have a lot to learn...

-Skatepark
Truth slices the proverbial ribbon with Mayor Bell and 600 kids at the foot an excellent kicker!

Youtube has begun to surface footage of kids taking their very first runs on the park. The question on everyone's mind: where are the prizes? Having participated in the event; it felt only natural to receive a nominal compensation.

Perhaps free passes, an interview with a Troika representative, maybe even a free deck was in order. None were to be found. It is as the saying goes, "When you do something right no one remembers."

That said, thanks to Morgan (our Bookie who skated during sets), JFatz (the self proclaimed local celebrity), and The Wigg Report (especially the percussionist), for keeping the balance when the going was tough.

Eric Chen with photos and video soon!


Schiller Street Gang - Remind Me

-Meyers Park
Truth stands, rake in hand, as the wind blows and the pile of leaves continues to grow.

On the other side of the Piedmont, student Fellows, begins the laborious task of film editing. The aesthetic director of the group has been given the task of materializing a collective vision.

While back at home, the Mid-grade Lifestyle has become a self fulfilling prophecy; lost with the beat of no drum and no drummer. How will Troika respond?

So many questions
so little time...
???


Question Marks - Ain't That Sad