On Tuesday, November 30, George Bush will be visiting Canada for his first official state visit. He will be meeting with Prime Minister Paul Martin to discuss various issues and attempt to gain contemptuous absolution of his guilt in the invasion of Iraq and other crimes. Such a coward is he that he will avoid speaking with our elected officials in Ottawa, as is customary for visiting leaders, fearing being booed for his numerous crimes and vile acts. Insead of this he will visiting the city I call home, beautiful Halifax, Nova Scotia. He will not be welcomed with open arms.
Bush’s visit to Halifax comes in the guise of thanking Canadians for opening our hearts, homes and borders to Americans and people of other nations following the attacks of September 11, 2001. Following that day Bush made little effort to acknowledge our aid, and we didn’t truly seek his approval, acting with compassion, not in expectation of recognition or reward. Now he claims to offer thanks for our help and presents his visit to Halifax in that light. Would it not have been a more sincere thanks for him to examine and respect the widespread opposition Canada presented to his invasion of Iraq, or to have listened to our concerns for his violations of human rights and his nation’s poor policy in many areas?
Across Canada on Tuesday and Wednesday we will offer Bush protests, a statement of our opposition to his invasion of Iraq and many of his policy decisions. We will present our vocal but peaceful opposition to many things this man has come to represent on the world stage and offer him no political or moral clemency in light of his arrogant and consistant defence of harmful, dangerous and immoral acts. A dangerous weave of violence, unilateralism, war, oppression, greed, corruption, terror, bigotry, deceit, arrogance and injustice has become the cloak Bush and his ilk and it’s a cloth that can not be trusted or tollerated.
On Wednesday I will be taking part in a protest here in Halifax to protest Bush’s visit and to voice our disgust at his actions. Before 10 a.m. I’ll be arriving at Grand Parade (1841 Argyle or Barrington St in front of City Hall) to join with other people of this city wishing to take part in the protest. From there we will march to Pier 21 to give as direct a confrontation to Bush as possible (he will be making his speach there at 10:30). It appears we’re being forced into a “designated area” by local law enforecement, and that’s a very discouraging turn of events, but it will not dissuade us from our peaceful protest.

I hope to document the protests as well as I am able to here at Frozen Truth . com, so please return to read my account and hopefully view some photos on Wednesday. If you happen to be here in Halifax I urge you to take part in this event and to read what is available at Halifax Peace Coalition. If you wish to take part in protests in other cities I encourage you to seek out information about them, and you can start at Halifax Peace Coalition as well.

Further information and arguements:

On November 16 Collective Soul released Youth, their sixth studio album and their first release since their 2001 greatest hits, 7even Year Itch. It’s an album of new beginnings, with the group now an indie band for the first time since their initial release, Hints, Allegations and Things Left Unsaid, and having undergone much unheval both in the personal realm and in the band’s dynamic (long-time guitarist Ross Childress left the band and Joel Kosche stepped in with a new approach). The band has created its own label, EL Music Group, to distribute the album, so not only is this artisticly new ground for the band, but also the result of unconventional work in creating a means to distribute a recording and fairly reward everyone involved in its creation.

The album opens with “Better Now,” an anthemic and upbeat rocker. The inclusion of saxophones on this track is a departure for a band that has been quite content to be guitar-based. There’s no denying the energy this song produces. It had me swaying and dancing right away, and that’s a rarity, I assure you.
“There’s A Way” continues the anthem theme and underlines the youth and energy this recording embodies. Like most of this album, it is evidence of a band that is enjoying the creation of music a great deal, one that’s enjoying a rebirth.
“Home” springs to life with lyrics kin to Ed Roland’s strongest.

I’ve come to interpret “Home” as a look at America, both an appreciation of its positive aspects and an acknowledgement of its weekness. I’m surely largely influenced by my own feelings on this, though, and would be interested in knowing Ed’s true intent for the song.
“How Do You Love” and “Him” form an interlude on romantic relationships. The former is a ballad that explores the barriers that can be held in relationships, the holding back of acceptance and intimacy. The latter looks at a betrayal and deception. They make for one of the strongest segments of the album, full of what seems to be deeply felt emotion.
“Feels Like (It Feels Alright)” is as positive and upbeat as the name would suggest. It’s the anthem I find has the most interesting lyrics, interestingly. “Feels like a new regime, all hail to the soul machine, Feels like the great escape, I love you baby but life can’t wait” and “Feels like a Sunday dress, stained with sin but always blessed,” may be simple, but I find they quite effectively flesh out a song clearly about having a good time.
“Perfect To Stay” and “Under Heaven’s Skies” are romantic mid-tempo songs filled with catchy lyrics and a great sense of popcraft that this band has mastered and used in their hits like “Run,” “Gel” and “Needs.”
“Counting The Days” was released as the album’s first single and has the superb hooks, guaranteed to be stuck in your head chorus and excellent rock instrumentation that made the band the creators of the most number one rock singles of the 90′s. It’s a typical Ed Roland search for freedom, as he’s said about some of his lyrics before, an “us against the world” song.
“General Attitude” is a rush of a tribute to change and new paths. As the last anthem of the album, it’s a great representation of the theme and feel of the entire work.
Youth closes with its strongest and most moving track, “Satellite.” It’s a touching tribute to parenthood, embracing the dual role of guardian and teacher with the metaphor of a satellite.

In 1994 I discovered Collective Soul and fell in love with their music. For most of the following decade the band was without a doubt my favourite. I found a tremendous amount of solace and inspiration in their albums, and each seemed to come at a time in my life when I needed exactly what it offered. The band’s consistant evolution and quality of output shaped me in more ways than I could express. It excites me very much to see them return after a few years on hiatus with an extremely enjoyable and energetic album that doesn’t fail in any way to meet my high expectations.

From the ninth floor of the hotel I work at I have encompassing views of this city. The lake reflects lights from the far shore, making fuzzy yellow streaks on its surface. From the opposite side I can see off into hills and drink in the brightness of the city’s center. At night, when I work, I usually step off my route and take some time to gaze off into lights of the city. They’re yellow stars on a concrete sky. As one of my favourite artist sang,

The formations of the lights, a mix of streetlights, outside houselights and the glow of windows, seem to create patterns of their own to match the heroes, animals, gods and objects above. Across the lake is a noble, intelligent crow in flight. On the hill is a wounded, bent golden crown. At the city’s heart is an alert and steadfast stag. They are constellations of class and location.
Shamen, story tellers and all walks of people created maps for their night sky in our distant past. Their skyscape was formed with visions of things essential to who they were, images so important to earthly life that they needed to be reflected in the still expanse of the heavens. We may not still place our hopes, stories and fears in the night sky, but what are we doing to interpret the lights we’ve placed on the earth? If we are placing sprawls of electric lights as stars around us, what stories will we imprint on them? What gods will you create on your block? Will your likeness grace the towers of commerce or the domain of sleeping families?

Photos that were once included with this entry have been removed and may now be in my main photo album.

For years The Marquee Club, on Gottingen St. in Halifax, has been Nova Scotia’s finest venue for live music. Countless artists of the highest calibur have graced its stage and delighted music fans in this city. Some of the great concerts I was lucky enough to see at the Marquee included Hawksley Workman with Mark Bragg and the Black Wedding Band, Eyes For Telescopes and The Trews, Bif Naked, Buck 65 and Al Tuck, Big Sugar and The Trews, Joydrop and Buck 65, and April Wine. I had some of my most memorable concert experiences at The Marquee and treasured the atmosphere it held.
It struck me with a true sadness to hear that The Marquee will be closing on January 11, 2005 after providing Halifax with the service of its musical heart for so long. As an article in The Halifax Herald shared,

January 11th will truly be a sad day for Halifax in many ways. We are losing a cultural center of this wonderful city, a place that sparked the careers of many of Nova Scotia’s most remarkable talents and gave so many of us the joy of astounding live music. The Marquee will be missed, and I’ll hold memories of it close.
I’m hoping to see at least one more concert at The Marquee on December 23 when The Trews will perform there. It should be an exciting way to say goodbye.

Matthew Sweet’s newest album, Living Things, stands as a landmark recording for an artist who has proved himself one of the most accomplished songsmiths of the past two decades. Not only is it the first release on his own label, Superdeformed, but it’s one of two recordings in what will likely be a line of home-recorded albums. The albums (Living Things and Kimi Ga Saki * Raifu) focus on spontaneous songwriting, each written and recorded in mere weeks. Matthew’s new albums can be released more quickly than his major label offerings while not sacrificing quality and increasing his artistic freedom.
Living Things is packaged in an attractive paper case that features flowers and bees. This is certainly an indication of the artistic direction of the album, as it brings on lightness musically and lyrically is rich with nature appreciation and metaphor. Perhaps this direction is in no small part prompted by Matthew’s recent interest in Zen Buddhism.
“The Big Cats of Shambala” opens the disc, treating listeners to a unique track that places mandola and steel drums in prominent places within a song voicing respect for nature and its beauty. Following is “You’re Not Sorry,” a somber ballad that can be placed among his very best and is reminicent of his Girlfriend album. “Dandelion” is the surprise of the album, opening with buzzing and moving into a great pulsing bass lead, exploring feelings of lacking purpose and wanting more than we get, all underlined with nature sound reminders of what we should be appreciating. “In My Tree” is another nature-inspired song that I took to be a wish for oneness. “Cats vs. Dogs” lightheartedly explores the differences between lovers of cats and lovers of dogs with amusing lyrics such as “a cat ain’t gonna save you, but he’ll clean your bones after you’re dead.” Three other highlight tracks are “I Saw Red,” a bluesy verse-driven song, “Season Is Over,” a well crafted lament, and “Tomorrow” a song about looking forward instead of dwelling on the past and the freedom of future choices.
Living Things is an excellent, experimental album of the highest quality. It shows the work of a pop master at his finest. If you have room on your Christmas list, I highly recommend you add it. Otherwise, treat yourself to a gem that has so far been overlooked.

Saturday afternoon winter hit Nova Scotia hard and early, blanketing us in snow and leaving the landscape a slushy mess that will persist for at least another day. The storm has left hundreds of thousands of people without electricity and many of those people are upset with with our local electricity utility. It’s certainly a difficult situation for many people in this province. Once again it’s a reminder of the need to prepare for disasters.
It’s sad to see autumn cut short. My favourite season seemed to speed by faster than ever before. I miss the colored leaves, cool (but not cold) days and the atmosphere of harvest. It’s the season of hibernation and I feel more like swimming in the lake, dashing along on my bike or kicking up some leaves in a run. Where’d all that go?

On January 25 Buck 65 will release his first major label album on V2 / Virgin in the US. It’s titled This Right Here Is Buck 65 and collects some new tracks and some of his best from previous albums. Many are rerecorded or previously not available on albums. It’s a great introduction to one of Nova Scotia’s finest exports. You can listen to it in full right here. Enjoy.

I’ve settled into a new life that includes my new home and job. It’s been a very easy transition, with only a few setbacks that I had to deal with. I’m happy with the changes this has allowed me and I find myself looking forward to each day more than I have for many months.
Where I want to take my life is still in question for me. I know the general direction I wish to move in, one that will allow me to create something that will have true value for the world. That’s incredibly vague though, isn’t it? That’s why for now I’ll continue my learning and building of a foundation that will allow me to construct the life I decide upon. Whatever I choose, I’m feeling very determined and positive that I can provide a healing influence in the world. Finding an outlet is the key.
The year and a half that I’ve been away from formal schooling, last at Dalhousie Univeristy, has been the most rewarding learning period in my memory. For me, it’s the best path I could have picked, as I needed time to discover a number of things about myself and the world. I know I wouldn’t have if I’d remained on the course I set for myself when I left high school.
While taking a degree in Computer Science it should have been obvious to me that I was taking my life in a negative direction. When I began university my motivation for choosing that degree was money, plain and simple. The field was looking like it would offer me a well paying job and I had an aptitude with computers, so I dove into it.
By the middle of my second year I was feeling depressed about the direction I was headed and that drove my grades down with my spirit. For a time I was in denial of the mistake I had made, caught up in the life-long myth that university is the only path to a successful life, convinced that career opportunites must be a primary concern.
One catalyst for my realization that I was on the wrong path came from a surprising source. My favourite teacher during high school was my grade twelve English teacher. I admired his insight and personality, and I believe his concern for his students was as sincere as that of any teacher I’ve ever had. I ran into him at a grocery store several times during my second year of university and talked a short while about my education. He was surprised that I hadn’t taken some sort of art, as that had always been my strength and deepest love (despite focusing on sciences in high school, taking 2 years each of biology, chemestry and physics). When I took the time to consider his words, I too was surprised at where I was headed.
Weighed down with the prospect of dissapointing my family and taking the risk of leaving school for a time, I continued with the degree until the end of that second year. Over the summer break I finally decided to leave school.
That summer I delved into a spiritual exploration and self-discovery, renewing interests and loves I had burried during my university life. I began to study eastern religions and philosophies with more depth and enthusiasm than I had in my high school days and discovered Taoism. It was exactly what I needed at that point, a practical spiritual system without contradictions or unnecessary dogma and a richness of natural associations.
Over the following year I struggled to find work and resolve personal conflicts that were contributing to my stagnation and depression. I made great advancements in forming a worldview and selfview that is positive and harmonious, growing more so as I learn.
Today I feel perpared to move forward on a new path, enriched with the mental and physical resources that I need to accomplish any goal I set before myself. Creating change in the world doesn’t seem so impossible.

Here you will find an older entry about myself.

My name is Apollo (a-PAW-lo) Lemmon (LEM-on). I’m a bookworm, a music lover, a writer, a seeker, a nature lover and a large number of other things.
I have created a patchwork of beliefs as I’ve explored spirituality and philosphy. I take great joy in learning everything I can about spiritual practices and beliefs, adopting what fits into my life. Here at Frozen Truth .com I try to share my experiences in hope they’ll be beneficial to others.
I’m currently living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and working as a night watchman for a hotel that is not currently housing guests. I was surprised to find that I really enjoy the work. It allows me to spend a good portion of my night reading, writing and talking with friends, and I’m quite thankful for that. I’m working on finding the direction I wish to take my life in, but for now this fits well.
Following is a point form detailing of who I am.

Nomenclature:

• Name : Apollo Lemmon
• Nicknames : Saviour (It’s a long story, but one I’d be willing to share if a request came my way.)

Contact:

• E-mail : frozentruth @ frozentruth . com

Origins:

• Birthday : December 10, 1982
• Place of birth : Middle Musquodoboit, Nova Scotia, Canada
• Home of my youth : Dean, Nova Scotia, Canada
• Star sign : Sagittarius
• Year of the : Dog
• Native language : English
• Genetic heritage : English and Scottish (Lemmons and Crawfords)

Locations:

• Current residence : Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
• Favoured terrain : Coastlines, forests and mountains.

Physical Attributes:

• Sex : Male
• Height : Six feet
• Hair color : Red
• Eye color : Blue
• Writing hand : Right
• Clothing and Accessories : Sandals, black jeans, black shirts, black boots, glasses, headphones.

Spirit:

• Spirituality : I wear a patchwork of beliefs and experiences. Taoism is currently waxing in its influence in my life. (Belief-O-Matic results of New Age (100%) & Unitarian Universalism (100%) )
• Motivations : Compassion, love and appreciation of beauty.
• Personality Type: INFP (Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving)
• Political Compass : Socialist or Libertarian Left (Economic Left/Right: -8.88 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -8.51)
• Vision of Divinity : I don’t have belief in a sentient god, but rather in the spiritual forces that connect all things.
• Material approach: Minimalism
• Season : Fall
• Animal : Crow
• Colour : Blue

Passtimes:

• Writing : Writing is my greatest passion. Though my skill and time devoted to it have been sadly lacking, I’m making sincere efforts to learn the craft.
• Nature : I very much enjoy spending time in nature, especially walking and hiking in it.
• Literature & Stories: I have a great love for stories, be they historic, mythic or fictional, and the art of storytelling. Some of my favoutite authors include Elizabeth H. Boyer, Terry Brooks, Mark Z. Danielewski, Charles de Lint, Diane Dreher, Neil Gaiman, Tanya Huff, Mike Jefferies, Jack Kerouac, Ross Laird, The Dalai Lama, Ursula Le Guin, Haruki Murakami, Richard & Wendy Pini, Irene Radford, J.R.R. Tolkien and Terri Windling.
• Music: I am always listening to music of a wide array of genres. It’s a vital part of my everyday life, and I find it very rewarding. Some of the artists I listen to are listed below, but it’s far from a complete list:
  • A : A Perfect Circle, A Silver Mt. Zion, Ace of Base, Aerosmith, Age of Electric, Alanis Morissette Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, April Wine, Aqua, At The Drive-In, Audioslave, Auf Der Maur, Avril Lavigne
  • B : The Beatles, Beck, Belle and Sebastian, Bif Naked, Big Sugar, Big Wreck, Blinker The Star, David Bowie, The Brokehearts, Broken Social Scene, Buck 65, Butch Walker
  • C : Cat Power, Eric Clapton, Tom Cochrane, Collective Soul, Jason Collett, Collide, Conjure One, Billy Corgan, Chris Cornell, Counting Crows, Crash Test Dummies
  • D : Danny Michel, Delerium, Ani Difranco, Do Make Say Think
  • E : Elastica, Duke Ellington, Esthero, Melissa Etheridge, Everclear, Eyes For Telescopes
  • F : Faithless, Fastball, Feist, Filter, Finger Eleven, Foo Fighters
  • G : Garbage, Gin Blossoms, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Matthew Good, Matthew Good Band, Goo Goo Dolls, Gowan, Great Big Sea, Gruvis Malt, Bruce Guthro, Gym Class Heros
  • H : Juliana Hatfield, Terami Hirsch
  • I : Incubus
  • J : Jaga Jazzist, Joydrop
  • K : K-Os, Keyke, Kidney Thieves, The Killers, Klang, Lenny Kravitz, Chantal Kreviazuk, Krishna Das
  • L : Marit Larsen, Le Tigre, Led Zeppelin, Lederhosen Lucil, Geddy Lee, Lene, John Lennon, Limblifter, Lisa Loeb, Live
  • M : M2M, Ashley MacIsaac, Marilyn Manson, The Mars Volta, Marvelous 3, Pepper McGowan, Medieval Babes, Katie Melua, Metric, Charles Mingus, Mogwai, Moist, Morphine, Shawn Mullins, M?m
  • N : Nickelback, Sigridur Nielsdottir, Nine Inch Nails, Northern Pikes, Heather Nova
  • O : Alix Olson, Our Lady Peace
  • P : Charlie Parker, Tom Perry, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Placebo, Poe, The Presidents, Prince
  • Q :
  • R : R.E.M., Radiohead, Rainbow Butt Monkeys, Rawlin’s Cross, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Red Rider, Ellen Reid, Sam Roberts, Rockets Burst From The Streetlams, Rush
  • S : Sandbox, See Spot Run, Scratching Post, Sevendust, Sam Shalabi, Shalabi Effect, Tommy Shaw, Sixtoo, The Smashing Pumpkins, Sneaker Pimps, Solas, Soundgardens, Sparta, Squarewaves, Stabbing Wesward, Stars, Stranger Than Blue, Strawberry, Sun Ra, Matthew Sweet, Swirl 360
  • T : Tas 1000, The Tea Party, Tegan and Sara, Third Eye Blind, The Thorns, Three Doors Down, The Tragically Hip, The Trews, Tuesdays
  • U : U2
  • V : Elizabeth Anka Vajagic, Valley of the Giants Vast, Virgos, Virgos Merlot
  • W : Tom Waits, The Wallflowers, Weezer, Hawksley Workman
  • X :
  • Y : Neil Young
  • Z : Molly Zenobia, Rob Zombie, Zwan

Last week I picked up Don Miguel Ruiz‘s The Four Agreements while browsing at Little Mysteries, a local book and spiritual supplies store. I had the book recommended to me through a friend and thus decided to give it a try.

Ruiz presents a set of practical and powerful tools to improve one’s life. The core of the philosophy he presents is that we fill our lives with agreements about everything we encounter and do. Some are true agreements, such as recognizing natural laws, and are worth keeping. Others can be harmful to us, limiting the ways in which we live. He proposes some stages that will allow us to break down harmful agreements and build new, positive ones.

The four agreements referenced in the title of the book are four simple yet powerful agreements we can make with ourelves in order to live well. They seem to be universal advice, but so often each of us do not follow what they insist is best. Ruiz suggests that if we accept these as true and sincere agreements we can use them to dismantle harmful agreements.
Ruiz’s philosophy is based on Toltec wisdom. The Toltec were a people of ancient Mexico, a people filled with scientists and artists, he tells. They followed a path quite similar to Taoists and members of other global traditions of philosophy.

My only major complaint about this book is the language Ruiz employs. I found it too steeped in words and metaphors that called attention to its “new age” nature instead of the underlying, beneficial philosophy. I believe the book would be much more effective if it had been written in more accessable language. If Ruiz wishes to help a wide audience, he fails in this respect by talking of “dream reality” and “black magic” as if they were common place ideas, essentially alienating anyone with a negative impression of “new age” movements and other works that utilize similar language.

Despite that one failing, I found the book to be rewarding, thought provoking and insightful. I’d have no hesitation recommending it to anyone with a tollerance for the language issue I mentioned. It’s really a valuable tool.

I’ve been taking part in coping with collective grief in the days since the American election was decided. There are so many of us (the vast majority of this world) that are disgusted and deeply saddened by the choice so many Americans made on November 2nd. I take heart in that, knowing that we can still work to better the world, to stand in opposition to all that Bush stands for.
I expressed my feelings immediately following the announcement that Bush had won, and mostly my sentiment has been the same. I must admit to feeling some anger about all of this in the hours following that. It’s not something I’m proud of at all, but I did feel it. I suppose I wasn’t prepared fully for the impact of knowing that Bush would be working to damage so much of our world for another four years.
As several people I know have expressed, it really feels like a death. Whether it’s the death of our faith in democracy, the chance that we’d be able to ensure human rights for Americans or the death of soaring optimism that Kerry could take America in a new direction, we all lost something important on November 2nd.
There has been talk that progressives need to change their policies and beliefs to attract American voters. I disagree with this notion wholeheartedly. Yes, politicians need to reflect the desires of their constituents, but we can not allow certain ideals to be burried in order to elect a party. We need to fight for human rights, our environment and every other important, positive aspect of our nations, no matter what. Anything else would be treasion to our global responsibility.