For what it’s worth

There’s something happening here

What it is ain’t exactly clear

There’s a man with a gun over there

Telling me I got to beware

I love this song. Funnily enough my first real memory of it is from the Muppets. There was a scene where there were a bunch of woodland creatures singing in the forest (or should that be forestland creatures signing in the woods? – whatever) when all of a sudden a bunch of bumbling hunters come crashing through the woods shooting at anything (and missing) then heading off camera to have the animals come out and continue singing – at the time I thought it was pretty damn funny. Right now a song from 50 years ago is ringing pretty damn poignant to me.

I think it’s time to stop, children, what’s that sound

Everybody look what’s going down

I am not smart enough nor have I experienced what some people have experienced in their lives so I am not going to make comment on anything although I do think, for what it’s worth, shit ain’t right.

There’s battle lines being drawn

Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong

Young people speaking their minds

Getting so much resistance from behind

So since I am not qualified to state anything apart from, shit ain’t right, let’s get to the actual meat of this sandwich and the connection to me between this song and charity. Sure, it’s a bit tenuous these are the cards I have been dealt so these are the cards I am playing with – not quite sure if it is a full deck actually J

Back in the early 90’s I had a short term stint working as a promotions manager/copy writer/voice over guy and occasional announcer at a radio station on the Coromandel Peninsula in NZ. I organized a bunch of sponsor products to hand out at beach parties and MC’ed a number of events. For some reason, whenever I was on air, I always played ‘For what it’s worth’ in my shift as I liked the song, didn’t care too much for the playlist I was given and didn’t care J Funnily enough a young studio tech, Leon,  who I worked with there is now a great friend of my brothers and is killing it with an awesome wife, gorgeous family and runs a brilliant production company. Kirkbeck was quite surprised when he found out later on that I was the oldest of the Roberts Boys J

One of the events I MC’ed was a fund raiser for a local surf club/volunteer firefighters in a place called Tairua, the local life guards etc basically dressed up as if they were in a Miss Tairua contest however there was not enough Veet used and way too many broken girdles (and hearts). I decided to do a charity event of my own and using the power of radio organized the first Birdman competition in Whitianga for over a decade or so – raising funds for the local fire brigade. We raised a few hundred dollars and had some fun. I decided earlier this year that it is time to do something like that again but without the firemen (sorry ladies), radio station and Kirkbeck.

So, as I have stated previously, I am going to finish my first 1.5k/40k/10k triathlon in 26 years in Austin, TX on September 5^th. May not be a big deal to some but when you weigh in at 245lbs (111kg), are treated like Norm at your chiropractor and quite frankly have abused the right to have a body for years it is a bit more, shall we say, challenging. The initial plan was to get a bunch of idiots to join in but then, you know, I got busy working, writing this crap and life. So that bit didn’t happen. Doesn’t matter, I am still doing it because I said I would and everyone needs a goal. I also thought it might be a good idea to raise funds for charity but since it is now just me I need to do something different to incent y’all to give a little. 

My idea was to get my legs waxed and post the film on the book of faces for y’all to laugh at. Someone else suggested getting my back waxed, but then complained she would have nothing to grab onto so that plan was canned J Then the idea was to dye my hair red for the race or to shave my head – I am looking for some ideas here people. What act of ‘running naked through the quad’ will get you to have a bit of a laugh at my expense, open up the wallets and give some money to a good cause (either Make-a-wish or The Variety Club are the choices at the moment). As the Dominatrix/Therapist I see says “I have to be more open to suggestion”.

So the plan is to find a stupid thing to do, set a $ goal and raise some money and try not to die in the process – and I need your help J Any ideas either send to me directly or ping me at poetsday.us at gmail. We will have a vote on it quickly and set the goal. If things go well then I will definitely work to make this an annual event and coerce a few idiots (sorry, I mean friends) to join in. Sometimes we need to enjoy life just a little bit more than usual, especially when shit just doesn’t makes sense. If thinking of a way to make me look like a dork and raise money for charity doesn’t give you a few minutes respite, well then why the hell are you reading this blog J

For what it’s worth, this seems like a good way to end this weeks post.

Paranoia strikes deep

Into your life it will creep

It starts when you’re always afraid

You step out of line, the man come take you away

We better stop hey, what’s that sound

Everybody look what’s going down

Written 50 years ago and we still can’t get this shit right.

Work hard, play hard and earn your inspiration 

Happy Poets Day