Edipus Official Teaser Trailer

Hooray!

Edipus has reached its goal of raising $1,000. Thank you to all that donated their hard-earned money, baked goods, prayers, good vibes and positive attitude - it will never be forgotten.  

Video production starts November 2. Stay tuned!

Much love,

J. 

Wounded Knee

My right knee consists of two noticeable scars. Each have a story behind them, but only one I can vividly remember. I will not attempt to subject you to this particular memory because in all honesty, it's something that I don't wish to share. It's a flashback that doesn't need more light or attention. It is, however, the truth. Rape, regardless of its filth, shame and humiliation, is disturbingly truthful.

Edipus was born from that one peculiar scar. It's the tiny-big reminder of where I've come from and how I got over. Dwelling on the memory or staring at the healed tissue is not an option, but on those days when I do happen to notice I feel strangely proud of what looks back at me. I feel like a soldier who's survived the war.

I don't claim to know what my purpose is on this earth. I'm not one of those people who believe that they've gotten it all figured out and has now decided to share it with the others. No, I am a simple human being that knows nothing but wants to do something. By broadcasting the most infuriating and frustrating moments of this thing called Life, I feel a little more human and a little less alone. And when those feelings start to form and mesh together, my scars don't look so bad. In fact, they shine like badges of honor.

As always....

Be brave. Be Edipus.

www.edipus.org

C is for Cookies

What can I say? My heart is filled.

The first fundraiser for Edipus and we managed to rake in over $120! Wow. Who knew brownies and frosting had that much power, eh?

So many wonderful people took the time to listen to my quiet spiel about Ed - listening to the cause and its meaning without cringing or losing interest. Some even donated more then the original price to help fill the till. Was it my charm? Possibly. The whiff of butter? Probably. Who knows. It got us the exposure...and the dough. Yay!

A special thanks goes out to Lizette, Monique, Tanya, and Victoria who helped with the baking by donating their mad skills to the cause. Also, thanks to Petrelli (for trying) and my Sissy who - without a doubt - is my biggest supporter (and excellent booth-setter-upper).  [An extra special thanks to the homeless man who - after I explained what my cause was about - informed me that there was no need to put on this concert because in the next couple of weeks all men are to be abducted by aliens and taken away, thereby wiping out sexual assault forever.]

If you couldn't make it to this particular fundraiser, don't fret. There's plenty more to come. Maybe not a bake sale, but something will come about. Stay tuned and don't forget to donate!

Love, love & more love,
J.

I told you this was going to happen: Edipus has a website home!

Visit us at www.edipus.org

Peace, love & hair grease,

J.

Just Listen

The following albums can be sampled at iTunes and YouTube.

Lorde

The Love Club - EP

Tennis Courts - EP

You may have heard her song Royals on the radio because it seems to be in heavy rotation at the moment. But have you checked out her album? If not, you definitely should. She's sultry, jazzy, and a little bit out there - all good combos in my book. Did I also mention that she's only 16?

Icona Pop

Icona Pops' song, I Love It seems to be everywhere; radio, television commercials, and undoubtedly   the anthem for a cable show featuring some woman who can kick butt. Either way, the song is worthy to be played. It makes every woman want to sing it (I'm pretty sure I've thrown something on the otherside of the room whilst listening). Their self-titled EP is fab and has some amazing beats that you can dance, shout, and bang your head to. My personal fav is Ready for the Weekend. It makes me dance when I'm feeling great and kick it up another notch when I'm on the treadmill. 

James Brown

Sometimes you just need to get funky and James Brown is the Funk Master. I am always in the mood to hear him and find myself constantly going back to his albums no matter what I'm going through. The current one I've dug out of my collection is Soul Pride. It's a collection of his songs from 1960-69 and they happen to be all instrumentals. Even if you're not completely familiar with his songs (for shame!) you should definitely take a listen to this one. It gets to nitty-gritty - which in my opinion is the funk. 

James Rhodes

James Rhodes is an extraordinarily talented pianist. If this wasn't enough, he's also outspoken about sexual assault prevention. Being a survivor himself, he has worked tirelessly to change the misconception that is 'once a victim, always a victim'. James speaks candidly about his past not for sympathy, but to make humanity aware that those who have survived rape are not always lost and broken. There is life after and by using music as a catalyst, he manages to convey this message - in my opinion - quite beautifully.

For more information about James Rhodes, please check out his website at http://www.jamesrhodes.tv

In the meantime, watch his moving performance of one my favorite pieces from one of my favorite composers. Enjoy.

Although it's been awhile since the last update, rest assured that Edipus will be in full-swing in the next couple of weeks. I'm talking about Facebook, Twitter, a swanky new website, blogs, and most importantly: a bake sale. Yeah, I said it.

There will be cake.

Edipus 2015

[Updated : 7/12/2013]

What: 

Edipus is a free concert featuring all-male performers who believe in taking part in the anti-oppression/anti-sexism/ant-exploitation revolution. 

Who:

Taken from the tragic Greek mythical hero, Oedipus (think: Sigmund Freud's Oedipus Complex). Well, this Edipus doesn't want to kill his father nor does he want to marry his mother. No, this Ed represents the new male and his brand new way of thinking. This Edipus wants to tear down the sexist walls of tyranny and say he's sorry to anyone it has affected. 

When:
Sometime in 2015.

Where:
Somewhere in the Bay Area.

How:
Good question. The answer is: I don't know. Unfortunately, I have no rich relatives or friends in high places who are willing to open up their wallets and let me dig in. What I do have is a strong will and when you have that, you have a way, correct? Ah, Determinism. Not an inane platitude, after all.

Help me wash cars, have bake sales, beg, plead, pray and cry. It really doesn't matter how you help me do it, as long as you help me.

So...here goes...

Be Brave. Be Edipus.

J Dilla

My inoculation to J Dilla was so unexpected that I wasn't prepared for what it did to me. Since then, I have tried to share these memories with anyone that is anybody who's within earshot.

Listen and be free.

Read: March

The Evolution of Desire: Strategies of Human Mating - David M. Buss
Ibsen: Four Major Plays - Volume I
Hamlet - William Shakespeare


Comments:
- I'll admit it: I like bugs. I also like people (...well, some of them). Strangely, Desire does a great job at combining both species' rationale in a way that doesn't sound overly scientific or unbelievable. If comparing human mating strategies to African weaverbirds or scorpion flies sounds a little far-fetched and implausible to you, just think about any given club on a Friday night.  Leks of men smiling, waiting, panting, displaying themselves for all the world to see...and the women who acquiesce willingly. Hmm...

- Play, plays, plays. It's springtime and I'm in the mood. Henrik Ibsen is by far on my top 10 - 20? - list of favorite playwrights. The man just gets it - women, men, crazy children, life.

- In my opinion, every young boy, adolescent and adult male should read Hamlet. It should be taught in schools and acted out in prisons. Why? Because there are no more Hamlet's out there - raw, organic, neither good or bad - and that makes me very, very sad.

I was in London some years back and I not only fell in love with the city but with this football team. London is everything a good man should be: sexy, intelligent, beautiful - but not too cocky. Its football team, however, should be a real beast and that's definitely Manchester United.


Watch the English FA Cup and don't forget to shout, "GO RED DEVILS!"

Daft Punk

There are certain musicians that can do no wrong. They release an album or a song and you instantly go out and buy it because it's them. It's their name, their work and you want it. No matter what.

Although this album is not new, Tron: Legacy still remains supreme and I find myself coming back to it time and time again. Cook, clean, cry, yell, stretch, kiss or punch somebody in the face - it really doesn't matter. Just listen to it.

( Some kind and generous soul has taken the liberty to upload the entire album on Youtube. Click the link below!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LadRcupWDuI

Read: February

What am I reading this month?

Moby Dick - Herman Melville
A College Book of Modern Verse - Robinson & Rideout
Narrative of Sojourner Truth - Truth
Savage Spawn: Reflections on Violent Children - Jonathan Kellerman
Galileo's Daughter - Dava Sobel

Comments:
-Ah, the classics. I just started Moby and I'm really excited because I've been meaning to read this since...forever. It has a lot of meaty verbiage and I find myself being roped into the pictures of the deep blue sea.
- I'm a sucker for old textbooks and old books in general. So when I saw Modern Verse at an estate sale (for $1 no less AND it's a first edition!) I had to scoop it up. Edith Sitwell, Robert Frost, Ezra Pound, and the master himself - D.H. Lawrence are just a few of the names that grace these pages.
- Sojourner. Oh, man. One of the great luminaries of our time and her story is one that everyone should read regardless of color or sex. She is a testament to the human spirit and how it can never be broken despite repeated attempts of assassination. Although I don't face half as many trials and tribulations as she did in her time, her story still resinates. Ms. Truth was a lover and a fighter and she undoubtedly made the world a better place for you and I to live in.
- Savage Spawn attracts me for two reasons: 1) my degree in Psychology and 2) my childhood. No, I don't claim to have been a "savaged spawn" (how I do hate the title) or a psychopath, but unfortunately I can relate to its allure once upon a time.
- I saw a documentary once on physics that talked about Galileo and his contributions to the sciences. Since then I've wanted to know as much information about him as humanly possible. Daughter is just another peek into Galileo's world. Aside from being a physicist, philosopher, astronomer and prisoner of war, he was also just a dad that loved his daughter.

Why I read

In college you learn to read as many textbooks as fast as you can, consecutively, so you can hurry up and pass exams and get a diploma.  Ask any college student, past or present, and they will tell you that the constant volleying of one scholastic tome to the next is a normal practice whilst in school. But what if you've always been this way? Well, that's me. Looking back on my childhood,  I can distinctively remember my nose preferring the company of a paper gutter over anything else. Books were my refuge that provided a warm and safe respite from an outside world that seemed to be dark and merciless. With books I not only had friends, but ones that accepted me for who I was - without conditions.

To simply say that I was or still am a "bookworm" would be a complete understatement. To say that I am a fan, is laughable. No, my love for these bound pieces of parchment runs deeper than the Mariana Trench. Doesn't matter what subject or genre, I love them...and you should too.

Read entries are my little panaceas for the worm that still resides inside and is perfectly fine with never ever being cured.