"Broken" November 14th, 2008

"Gifting Dignity is a non-profit advocacy group I've started as a legacy for my parents and family. Its mission will be to help patients, their family, and their friends facing a terminal illness identify the legal, financial, and medical resources they need so they can get what everyone deserves: the chance to prepare for the end of this part of their journey with dignity.

I've learned firsthand how difficult it is for patients and their families to navigate the healthcare system once they've received a terminal diagnosis. Frequently the only thing they are told is what medicine can do to prolong their life. Once no further treatment is available they are sent home; bewildered and confused about what happens next, not knowing who they can talk to, not knowing how to help prepare for the difficult days, weeks, months, or years to come. Even if they know about hospice or palliative care options they don't know who to talk to about it.

Our goal is to create a sustainable advocacy program, the core of which will be education. This will include supporting training for medical providers on how to talk to the terminally ill and their families, ensuring rural care providers know what hospice and palliative care resources serve their area, providing information to churches and secular organizations that patients and families turn to for support, and organizing and facilitating support groups so they simply have someone to talk to. We also intend to serve as a clearinghouse for volunteers. From medical, legal, and financial professionals that wish to assist with free or low-cost services and resources, to people that want to help any way they can; buying groceries, preparing meals, and giving the simple and priceless gift of time. Time to help families and friends remember that their life is about more than caring for the dying. It is about living, loving, and embracing the time they have left with their loved one.

This will be the first of many different events to help raise the awareness and funding necessary to help Gifting Dignity become a reality. If you have the ability and desire to help us, you can also make a contribution via PayPal to gifting.dignity@gmail.com. At this point in time these donations are not tax-deductible.

The biggest thing you can do to help is to stop and think of anyone that you know right now that might be in a similar situation. Reach out in any way you can and let them know that they are not alone. That they will never be alone.

I am very happy to be joined by my friends Whyrd and Dfx for this inaugural event."

Appleblim & Shackleton - "I Am Animal / Mystikal Warrior" - Skull Disco 001

The first, and highly sought after, release on Skull Disco. The production is certainly not as refined as on later releases, but it's got all the signature trademarks that have gone on to make Shackleton and Appleblim famous. Shack's percussion is as tribal as ever and drowned in echo, while the bass slumps along dropping down below. "I Am Animal" takes a bit to get moving, but by the second drop when all the percussive elements come together and the bass is just pulsating and the bleeps/efx come through it's nothing short of fantastic. Appleblim's "Mystikal Warrior" seems to be the blueprint for his later release "Vansan." A long, drawn out intro full of halfstep rhythm and delayed bleeps finally drops into a no u-turn-esque growling, distortion fused, bassline. However, the percussion is definitely lacking which takes away from the potential impact of the drop. My copy is one of the original pressings which doesn't have the same mastering as the properly pressed release, so it's possible that may have something to do with it. Overall this is one for any Skull Disco fan, and if you've got an extra $100 lying around pick this up. It's a record you'll never regret owning.