The following is an article I wrote for this great fitness site. Find the story on the site here. “No More Wasted Nights” at clarkbartram.com

The night before Labor Day, I was tired. I was unmotivated. My Sunday was fast becoming a wasted night. Funny thing was, I new exactly what could make it better.

Do you ever just get a moment (or long string of moments) where you are just completely unmotivated to get off your butt and do something for yourself? I don’t like the feeling, and I’m starting to think that the convenience of the internet and watching movies via the internet is catching up on me.

One of my favorite punk rock bands, Strike Anywhere, was playing a more-or-less secret show that night. I knew when and where it was, but the draw of sitting on my bean bag and zoning out kept pulling me away from grabbing my car keys and leaving. A huge contributor to my hesitation to just pick up and leave was my routine. Between juggling work, staying in shape, and my personal life, I usually don’t have much time to get out and go do things like I used to. I hate to say it, but I have become comfortable with staying at home and not going out (Don’t doubt that this is going to change though).

Well, after putting off deciding whether to go or not for hours, I finally had a moment in which I saw things clearly. I realized that despite my complacency with staying at home and my strange mood, there was no reason not to go: I had a car, I had food I could bring, I’d probably run into some cool people I knew there, and one of my FAVORITE bands was playing. Not only were they playing, but they were playing in a close, intimate venue; something that becomes increasingly rare when a band gets as big as a they are.

So I made the decision to go, even though I could so easily sit in my room and spend my night without expending an ounce of effort. In spite of lingering laziness, I kicked myself into gear. I shaved my head, x’d up, grabbed my carrot juice, and jumped in the hybrid. As I got ready to drive, I decided to try to light a fire under someone else who I suspected may have been experiencing the same lack of motivation that I had. I called up my friend Ryan, with whom I’d been talking to all day in an effort to decide whether or not to go to the show. He’d long ago decided that he was too tired to make it out, but I figured it was worth one last try. He picked up the phone and before 10 seconds had passed, he said even though he was lethargic and had work at 6am on Labor Day, he wanted to go. I said I’d pick him up from his house in Malibu. It was already a decent drive into downtown Los Angeles to get to the venue, but I figured the company and good times would be well worth doubling my drive.

I got to his place in no time flat and he hopped in my car and we were off. Driving down the Pacific Coast Highway, we both had the feeling that we had made the right decision in coming out. When we got to the small warehouse we found that we were still going to be able to catch the majority of the show. Mind you, it was almost midnight when we got there; it was going to be a long night. We kicked back, taking in the whole scene until Strike Anywhere was up.

It had been a long time since I had really been motivated to be active at a punk rock show. For the past year, I’d typically steer clear of the moshpit and just observe from the back. I kind of had the feeling that I was “getting too old for this”. This time however, I made a decision beforehand: I was going to go for it and really get involved, just like I used to. Years ago, I’d really get into the music as a way to vent my frustration at my perceived problems and life-obstacles. I realized that, honestly, there were so many more reasons than that to be enthusiastic and energetic while a band was playing. The simple appreciation for life and an awareness of the present was more than enough reason to let go and, in a sense, lose myself in the oneness of this community of people that had turned out for the show.

As a bit of background on Strike Anywhere, they are one of the most sincere and energetic punk rock bands I’ve ever seen live. Their emphasis on ethical behavior, peace, and community strength have always made a positive impression on me.

Anyway, they started with a fast paced and heartfelt song called “Refusal.”
“Embrace the whole world as your kin. Truth to truth and skin to skin, begin!”
That lyric set the tone for the whole experience that night. The people in that room were like an huge family. We sang along at the top of our lungs to lyrics we believed in and packed in so tight there was no such thing as “personal space”.

The set was intense, the message was pure and thoughtful, the feeling was present and real. Through this cathartic experience, my friend Ryan and I were able to become rejuvenated in body and soul. We went in tired and unmotivated. By the end, we were excited and ready to tackle the next big thing in our lives.

In writing this, I’m trying to do a bit more than just relate a story. I want to emphasize that you are responsible for getting yourself motivated. If I had a fool-proof formula that you could have on call for those lethargic and lazy moments, I’d give it to you. Unfortunately, I don’t believe such a formula exists. What I can definitely recommend however, is that whatever challenge or decision you are facing, there is always something there that you can focus on to get you going. It may be buried deep and it may be overshadowed by all the reasons that are screaming at you to back down, but if you can get to a clear mental place and focus on the positive, you can motivate yourself to do anything. For me, I simply thought of the incredibly positive experience that I would have and realized that if I passed it up, I would regret it. So with that said, know that it is possible to overcome the seemingly daunting mental, emotional, and even physical obstacles that will try to prevent you from doing what you truly want in life.

http://www.clarkbartram.com/story/2008-09-02/no-more-wasted-nights-finding-motivation-experience-life.html

Cruising through town, I am amazed at the plethora of eateries that are available for the average person. Even as a vegan, I had no lack of diversity in the restaurants available to me: Chipotle, California Pizza Kitchen, Papa John’s, Taco Bell, Del Taco, Subway, Souplantation, and an handful of local vegan friendly independents. Nowadays, I drive by these places and can barely imagine why, as a supposedly health conscious and eco-friendly vegan, I wasted my time and money in places like those. Since I transitioned to a Raw Food diet, I’ve cut out any food that is cooked, processed, or even pasteurized. This effectively meant an end to eating out, vegan meat substitutes and most soy products, bread, and those terrible, all too accessible indulgences like soda and candy. I forced myself to throw out or give away nearly 95% of the contents of my refrigerator and pantry and invest in a juicer, high-speed blender, and dehydrator. Without a doubt, this was one of the most radical changes I have ever made in my life.

Believe it or not, there are good reasons why I decided to slash and burn my old way of living. Honestly, I didn’t even have faith in many of the reasons at the time. My girlfriend had officially introduced me to the idea of a diet based entirely on raw foods, and I was skeptical, to say the least. Advocates were preaching that living on nothing but raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and sprouted grains could bring about such dramatic changes that I just couldn’t believe them. These practitioners boasted increased energy, enhanced mental clarity, a perceived oneness with nature, and stronger immunity, as well as boosted strength and muscle recovery. Even from my granola loving, grass munching vegan perspective, I just couldn’t place my faith in the idea. However, in what was perhaps an uncharacteristic spontaneity, I decided to fully dedicate myself to one week on nothing by raw foods.

The first two days consisted of a lot of strawberries and orange juice. I soon added calorically dense raw nuts and dates to my diet, to stave off instant weight-loss: I’ve been “underweight” my whole life. By the end of the week, I had expanded my diet to include a wide range of fruits and vegetable, nuts and sprouts. I dined on strawberries, oranges, bananas, grapefruit, apples, kiwis, mangos, tomatoes, avocados, zucchini, bell pepper, carrots, lettuce, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, cashews, almonds, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, and even a couple of transition-easing prepared raw snacks from my local health food markets like seasoned nut and trail mixes, and even dehydrated raw crackers.

At the end of the week, it was time to draw my conclusion on the Raw Food diet, but it had already been made. By the time day seven came to a close, I wasn’t even thinking about continuing; I was determined to. After only three or four days of only fueling my body with pure foods, and a ton of water, I felt amazing. I had more energy, increased focus, and a new zest for life. However, just to make sure, my girlfriend and I made one final trip to our favorite vegan restaurant, Follow Your Heart in Canoga Park, CA, for a sort of last meal. We thought we were just indulging in a what would be the last warm meal we had for a while, but what we got was a powerful and choice-affirming lesson. After ordering and consuming our favorite dishes, we noticed that the taste wasn’t all that we remembered, and within an hour, we were sick to our stomachs. Betrayed by our once favorite foods! Before we got home, we came to the solid realization that there was nowhere to go but forward.

Since that first week I’ve been noticing nothing but good things. To my utter and complete surprise, everything that I had read about the diet turned out to be true: even the part about detoxing. The theory is that once your body is fully able to reap the benefits of your new diet, it will work to purge you of the waste and toxins that have built up in your body since day one. This detoxing comes after a few weeks and can recur at various intervals, I am told, for up to a year. While enduring stomach aches, diarrhea, and vomiting, I had a very real sense that I was still on the right path. On the upside, I gained better energy, focus, and mental clarity. The quality of my work improved significantly and my critical thinking and organizational skills increased. I found I needed less sleep and never felt weighed down or tired after large meals. I gradually noticed improved strength and muscle recovery. I went from bench pressing 70lbs at the gym to 110lbs and also increased my pushup personal best from 20 to 50 (a longtime goal of mine was to reach 40). I’ve also felt more in tune with nature and astonishingly, spirituality; two things that had disregarded as “hippy talk” before beginning my experiment.

My journey into raw foods has been greater than anything I ever imagined. I was truly shocked to find out that there was so much truth behind the words of people like Victoria Boutenko and Alissa Cohen. My whole worldview has changed and I simply can’t imagine reverting to my old way of eating, and thinking. Everyday that I fuel my body with pure, natural foods instead of processed, preservative ridden junk is a day that seems better than the last. I believe that I have now found my path to a more natural and vibrant life.

If only I were crazy enough to do this…

E-bay used to seem like the most exciting thing online. We’ll isn’t it convenient that we have just been given a way to return it to it’s former glory!?! Mystery packages! How sweet would it be if you could buy something before ever knowing what it was? I mean, you wouldn’t spend a hundred dollars or anything, just a couple bucks. The anticipation and speculation alone could really spice up an otherwise boring day.

I actually can’t believe how easily this ties in, but I actually found a site that already does this. There is a website called Super Awesome Mystery Prize from which you can purchase a mystery prize. There are a couple different price options (shipping included) which relate to the size of the package you will receive. I have yet to order something but it looks like they’ve been in “business” for a while. Check it out: superawesomemysteryprize.com

Going back to XKCD, just let me say that this webcomic is more amazing than I can express. I wish I knew more about computer programming so that I could get half the jokes that Randall Munroe makes. However, the ones I do get are awesome.

Allow me to offer this introduction to the next comic: Management used to permit alcohol in meetings at my work. One day they took that privilege away (which didn’t bother me, since I don’t drink) but it really got me wondering why it was ever allowed in the first place. Thanks to XKCD, now I know.

XKCD presents “The Ballmer Peak”

This album has honestly left me not knowing what to say. I got an advance copy of the record and started listening to it five or more times a day. It’s now been almost a week since it’s official release and I’ve yet to review the record like I wanted to. I thought that since I finally have a second to take a breath deep and think, I might finally try to say…something. Now or never, right?

Anti-flag’s new album, titled “The Bright Lights of America”, is amazing. After loving Anti-flag for every minute of my early college career, I became fairly partial to them. Even when “The Terror State” came out, which for some reason rubbed me the wrong way, I still stood by them. With the release of “For Blood and Empire” the thought came to me that “Anti-flag has finally perfected what they do. There have been parts of songs in other albums that kinda felt funny, but now it’s ALL right.” However, “For Blood and Empire” in no way prepared me for “The Bright Lights of America.”

I think “The Bright Lights of America” comes close to being one of those albums that approaches being something more than just a record: more than being simply a collection of songs, it is a work of art. The instrumentation used in the music, the amazing lyrics and vocal performances, and the way the great flow of the album all work together to make this album feel complete.

Musically, there is just so much going on in this album. There are lots of great back-up vocal harmonies courtesy of Anti-flag and a children’s choir. I can also hear a distinctive female vocal on a couple choruses too which lends a nice sense of urgency. To further add to the layered sound of this album is the use of cello, harmonica, banjo, chimes, tubular bells, piano, organ, tambourine, brass horns, slide guitar and orchestral percussion parts. Also present is the tasteful use of various audio clips and digital sounds and mixing. I love nothing better than an album that you can listen to for months and still hear new material in (see Propagandhi’s “Potemkin City Limits” or “Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes”).

“The Bright Lights of America” is terrific in the vocal and lyrical category. By far the best content and feeling that Anti-flag has produced to date. Anti-flag albums have traditionally dealt with political issues or punk rock related diatribes. However, this album has ventured into the area of internal struggles. This is most apparent in “Vices”, which I could write a whole article about, and “Go West”. Also, the vocal performances on this album are superbly emotional and impassioned. It feels like a lot of heart went into this recording. Also, the lyrical timing, phrasing, and arranging is near perfect. No words feel out of place, nothing is rushed and the vocal trade-offs between Chris #2 and Justin Sane add a sense of excitement.

I must say that this is definitely an Album. It is not just a CD with a bunch of songs that were thrown together and given the bands seal of approval. Each song feels thought out. The album has no dead spots. It does not lose momentum after the first couple songs (see Bad Religion’s “New Maps of Hell”). It’s been a long time since I had a punk album that I didn’t need to skip songs on.

While I can totally understand that some older Anti-flag fans could lament the creation of this album and half-grudgingly continue to listen to “Their System Doesn’t Work for You” with the word “sellout” on their lips, I love what Anti-flag has evolved into. Every band will eventually change. A band is like a person. It can grow and change, hopefully for the better. This band has grown into something amazing. Maybe it’s the team up with producer Tony Visconti or maybe all the praise is owed to Anti-flag, but this album is a magnificent culmination of 20 years of punk rock.

I’d really like to point out a couple highlights while you’re here:

1. In “The Bright Lights of America” track, listen to the “just like an ocean” back-up vocal. Sweet!

2. “Vices”, period. But more specifically, Chris #2’s vocal performance on “This is the first set of words that I’ll put to these chords to indemnify me of the blood that runs through the veins in my arms.” Great, great lyric, by the way.

3. Please see my post on “Spit In The Face” here: Spit In The Face

4. The drum beat in the intro, verse, and outro of “We Are The Lost” (which reminds me of the breakdown from Trial’s “When There’s Nothing Left To Lose”) is awesome, especially when it’s paired up with the strings in the second verse.

5. The final sing along in “Go West”. That whole song is amazing.

6. The break in “Shadow of the Dead” at approximately 2:16.

7. “Tar and Sagebrush”, an interpretation of “Tar and Sagebrush” from Candace Serena Falk’s “Love, Anarchy, and Emma Goldman”. In 1912 Emma Goldman, an influential anarchist free-speech advocate, and her manager Ben Reitman traveled to San Diego to support the Industrial Workers of the World. While there, Reitman was abducted by a vigilante group and taken into the country where he was beaten, covered in tar and sagebrush, and forced to sing the “Star Spangled Banner”.

Here is a list of things that I did not enjoy from this album.

1. On “Good and Ready” pay close attention at 3:27. Please listen to me very carefully, when you perform a pick slide on an acoustic guitar…we all lose.

Even #2 can’t stand it.

Long story short, this album rocked. Check out this completely conflicting review: YahHey07’s review on punknews.org

Also, feel free to browse Anti-flag’s website and myspace.

I made this video a while ago while I was learning how to use some software for work. I dug it up today and decided to post it.

In case you didn’t know, Broadway Calls is probably one of the best bands in the world to sing along to. Making Broadway Calls karaoke just makes sense. They are also one of my all-time favorite bands. There are few live shows that I’ve been to that can even come close to theirs. I’ve had Broadway Calls benders where I listened to nothing but “Call The Medic” for months at a time. I once spontaneously drove eight hours through the night so I could see them play the next day.

Please post comments regarding any sweet karaoke parties that may feature this song.

If I saw this coming at me in the darkness of night (or even in broad daylight) I would be utterly terrified. If I didn’t know better I would say this was a demon machine sent from hell. This is the creepiest thing I’ve seen since the Pale Man in Pan’s Labyrinth. It looks as if the lower-halves of two people have been attached to a machine and somehow the legs have retained life and are forced to stumble around together. There’s also something sinister and malevolent about it. Maybe it’s the fear of the unknown. I mean, this is incredibly new to me. It could also be that it moves in such a human way.

All my fears aside, this is absolutely incredible. BigDog is the creation of Boston Dynamics, a company that developed out of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). The BigDog project is funded by the U.S. Military in the hopes of creating an all-terrain gear transporter. (Lerner 2008)

It’s awesome how quickly robotic technology is developing and I mean awesome in the sense that BigDog inspires fear. One person commented on BigDog by saying “I almost feel bad when they hit it to demonstrate how it regains balance on its own.” Robots don’t need our sympathy. That’s how it begins, “Aw, poor robot”. That’s just one card they’ll have to use against us in the take-over. Watch out.

1. Lerner, Preston 2008. Robotic Dog of War. CNN International. http://edition.cnn.com/2006/TECH/03/08/army.robot.dog/ (accessed March 17, 2008).

Yesterday, I heard a brand new track by Anti-Flag called “Spit In The Face”. It comes from their yet-to-be released full-length entitled “The Bright Lights of America”. If the album, slated to drop on April 1st (my one year anniversary with my girlfriend), is anything like this one track, it could very well be one of my all-time favorites.

I had a word document open as I listened for the first time and I started writing. This is what came out:

“Heart Attack! Bass?!?!?!?!?, so aggressive, so pissed off, so fast!
I hate friendly fire too! Screaming, 2 step breakdown,
I’m shivering….bass and vocal break? AHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Right from the beginning with the piano complementing the expertly produced punk quartet, I was set up for an overwhelming auditory experience. A frantic and desperate drum-lead section takes us to an inspiring use of the supreme, stage-dive inducing” fast drums with pick-slides” technique.

Chris #2 breaks the vocal silence with his characteristically melodically rough and passionate screaming. Once Justin Sane makes himself heard in the chorus, you realize the vocals for the song have reached a near-perfect level for aggressive/melodic music.

After a Propagandhi-esque guitar solo and a return to the chorus, a mid-song breakdown calls in an eerie siren to set the mood for a forlorn sing-along. It really makes you want to shed a tear and raise your fist. I can just imagine a whole venue full of frustrated kids (finally getting a chance to vent the feelings they’ve been holding in for who knows how long) singing along at the top of their lungs. When the drum cuts out in the last measure all you can hear is thousands of voices screaming, “I am infallible. I am untouchable!”.

The next new section takes the cake as my favorite. A two-step breakdown. Hardcore 101. It’s beautiful. I want to dance even though I don’t know how. I don’t know if I can even put the amazing power of this section into words.

The only part of the song I take issue with is the last return to the chorus. I don’t think it’s necessary. But still, it does little to diminish the song.

But seriously, how about that bass sound?

Listen now.

After listening to this, I can’t help but think of how the Anti-flag fans of the “Die For the Government” era would view a song like this. Anti-flag has really come a long way. Are they even recognizable as that band that started in 1988? Well, this is a huge discussion I’m about to get into, so I’ll just back off.

This came out in 1989! I can’t believe I was only six! That seems baffling to me now. When was I ever that young? (I really think that there needs to be a separate punctuation symbol for rhetorical questions). I loved this book. Well, really it was more of a collection of comics, but when you’re six…it’s the same thing. It goes on your bookshelf.

The reason I thought of this book is because of what I’m doing this summer. I’m going to the Yukon! Well, Alberta actually. It’s just one province down, so I figure it’s just as good.

Ever since I first got into Propagandhi, a Canadian progressive thrash band, I have wanted to go to Canada.

Then I met my amazing girlfriend (kinda from Canada) and she told me all about the greatness of the promised land, eh. Now this summer I’m going with her. I’m more excited for a trip than I’ve been in a long time.

I can’t believe I’ll only be 50 miles east of the Rockies. This will be amazing and I will be sure to review the country upon my return. Haha.

Amir’s Birthday