A R T , L O V E , C O N S C I O U S N E S S , A N D G R I L L E D C H E E S E

S I X t h E d i t i o n J u L Y 2 0 1 1

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BORN TO FOLLOWANNABEL LEE

It is widely held that all human

beings are born free, that freedom

is ours simply by virtue of being

human. Paired with different

adjectives or placed in certain con-

texts, freedom can mean many

different things. Freedom is unre-

strained dancing, uncontrolled

laughter, wanton prancing, shame-

less and uninhibited humanity.

The context we give to freedom in

the present day, however, is an

interesting one. I say interesting

largely because we are not born

free. In fact, we are born into a con-

tract with our government which

stems from tacit consent. We give

our consent to the government to

limit our freedoms through not

disagreeing and following the laws

they set forth. In order to take part

in the system our ancestors formed

to regulate our daily interactions,

we give up some of our own

freedoms. We exchange freedom

for certainty and regularity and

system.

(continued on the next page)

“Pyrotechnics” by kef

The Happy Collective represents an empowerment of individuals to broadcast and receive information and culture. We present an opportunity for you to become part of something larger and uniquely human. No longer counter-culture, no longer fringe, no longer the Other, we stand together to unveil our own significance and our individual artistic interpretations of reality.

Together, we can transcend the illusionary boundaries that disempower us and peel back the imaginary layers of separation that keep us from actualizing as a brilliant, radiant collective.

ADACK

WHAT IS THE HAPPYCOLLECTIVE?FREEDOM!

THE JULY ISSUE

BORN TO FOLLOWANNABEL LEE

THE PHOENIXTHE YELLOW JACKET

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staring at the moon in the long night he listened to his heartbeat impossible to hear the silence in the cell too great still pressing his face against the bars hands at his sides they had abandoned him left him to hang they had called themselves warriors claimed they feared nothing their allegiance to him and the Rebellion the promise to die for a new Nation born of Fire but they were not ready to suffer but that’s all they were men men afraid of the Fire the Fire that consumes the flesh the will that burns in him still to construct a mighty Nation of Fire in his throat to speak of it his hands to build it his eyes to witness its creation the Fire that cannot be extinguished and as he waits for the drums the cadence of Death the song of old rises from his cracked lips was a child just lost my way catch the rays catch the wind— and he was... gone.

“Psychotropic Transcendence” by Jazzinator

(continued from previous) John Stuart

Mill wrote a book entitled On Liberty in

which he expounds on the ways

government is allowed to limit our

liberties and how they should go about

doing so. He said that the only viable

reason for limiting an individual’s

freedom was in the event that their

actions bring harm to others. He further

theorizes that we concede our liberties to the governing

bodies that we do in order to be a part of the system

created by them. In other words, we, as individuals, are

not free on a most basic and simple level.

Seeing as we are bound as such by our governing

bodies, we learn to take liberties. We learn what we can

and cannot do. However, when questioned as to why we

will not do something, we commonly answer that the law

forbids it; but would we partake were it not for the law?

Our reasoning can tell us a lot about our views on

freedom. It gives us insight into what limits what we can

do, what we think we are subordinate to, and how we

believe our freedoms to be limited.

We are conditioned from birth to follow, follow,

follow, slaves to the spinning earth and social

conventions. We allow our surroundings to limit us—the

people, the places, the things we learn, the things we say.

As humans, simply by being born and existing, we are not

free.

-KIERKERGAARD

People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.

FREEDOMKRAKATOA

we live as fragmentsmonotonously

stifled

ethereal forcescontained by corporeal means

existing transforming persisting

we are all celestial bodies

everything isthe result

of everything

everything isconnected

to everything

the nexus

liberate consciousnesstranscend ego

merge unify combine

determinismis freedom

MILKFISH

Why is it that at times we can unknowingly foresee the next moment? Perhaps it is the heavenly ghosts from above looking down, guiding us moment by moment. Maybe it’s the sun, for it always brings tomorrow. Why however must we neglect what is right here, right now? Perhaps it is ourselves – our every thought, word, and action that governs the very next moment. It’s difficult becoming one with it, and then coming to terms that this one will soon evolve into the next, but just as the blood in my body never ceases to circulate, so does everything else.I’ve always thought it is easy to put faith in a separate and superior form, but this omnipresent, ever-existing causality is due to no higher power distinct from our hands, our hearts, and our minds, but rather a gift of responsibilities that we are designed to be entrusted with. But with such responsibilities, what now?It was nothing short of divinity coming across The Scripture of The Golden Eternity written by Jack Kerouac, ensuring me of what I’d come to know all along: we are here for a reason:“Be obliging and noble, be generous with your time and help and possessions, and be kind, because the emptiness of this little place of flesh you carry around and call your soul, your entity, is the same emptiness in every direction of space immeasurable emptiness, the same, one, and holy emptiness everywhere: why be selfy and unfree, Man God, in your dream? Wake up, thou art selfless and free.”

EVERY MOMENT IS FLEETINGIF YOU LET IT

“The Path Less Traveled” by kef

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I MUST CONSIDERENDS AND MEANSφιλόσοφοςrejection(a chest wound)fell.

know thatI am a man:

I feel fits,ecstasy and euphoria,rages and wraths,lusts and longings,words and whispers,sobs and sorrows.

know thatwhen life isheart-beatingback and forthI run:

no shoesno shirt(no service)

let the sweat seeplet the rain pourI’ll be immaculate(even ifthey’ll begawking)

know thatall things have endsand some things never beginbut if you don’t trymaybe you won’t crybut how could you fly?

so know thatliving is breathing,and breathing is chestrising and falling,and if you’re notrising or fallingthen you’re not living.

MENTAL FINGER-PAINTING MR. COSMIC CHARLIE

as the waking glow of morning-lightcame pouring through my window,dribbling day-dreams ‘round my room,i doodled, quiet. mental-finger-paintingon the wall inside my brain– i’ll make it prettyif i cannot break it down.

splashing colors loudly–i am feeling free as rain.i’ll fall all over,making all the sweetest sounds. find refreshing ground–i found it underneath my feet,but right for meis almost certainly not yours.

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“Hello Sunshine” by Snow White

FREEDOM FROM ADVERSITYFLYNNIUS (ANTHONY FLYNN)

WRITINGANNABEL LEE

Ink dribbles off the tableAnd mocks my pen forTrying to contain her freeFlowing spirit in wordsMy thoughts have long sinceSputtered to a halting stopAt a crossroads, a river sans bridgeThat no one ever attempted to crossThe lines that limited thatAdventurous few continue to rearTheir thorny head almost in jestA singular limiting entity that persistsDespite attempts to forget them andThrust them from all memory and recollection.

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“Hiding” by Mega

“Unt

itle

d” b

y V

eren

ice

(Mex

ico)

Adversity is normally defined as “a condition marked by calamity or distress” – however, in my life I learned to define it a bit differently…

Adversity is knowing that things will get worse but not knowing if they will get betterAdversity is feeling like a feather in the eternal winds of misfortuneAdversity is a week of sleepless nights and hopeless daysAdversity is hating your life just slightly more than you hate some of the people in itAdversity is standing on the ledge wondering if the abrupt stop at the bottom will break your neck before your fallAdversity can burrow deep into your mindAdversity can make you shun those who you loveAdversity can make you live on its terms, not yoursButIt can get betterYou can get betterYou can accept that it exists whether you do or notYou can understand its effects on your lifeYou can change it with the help of othersYou can learn who you love, and in turn who loves youYou can be free from its constant graspYou can learn to take it as it comes and enjoy life when it doesn’tYou can help others accomplish what you have for yourselfDon’t get me wrongI’m not suggesting it’s easy; in life I’ve learned that tooBecause although it does sound cheesy, there’s no limit to what you can doAdversity will always be there, in our lives through and throughBut people are defined by their adversity or how they deal with itWhich one are you?

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MARCH 19th, 2011JOHN-FRANKLIN FORESTER (NEW YORK)

UNTITLEDMR. COSMIC CHARLIE

The context we give to freedom in

the present day, however, is an

interesting one. I say interesting

largely because we are not born

free. In fact, we are born into a con-

tract with our government which

stems from tacit consent. We give

our consent to the government to

limit our freedoms through not

disagreeing and following the laws

they set forth. In order to take part

in the system our ancestors formed

to regulate our daily interactions,

we give up some of our own

freedoms. We exchange freedom

for certainty and regularity and

system.

(continued on the next page)

Strange thoughts this break, infinite insights. I’m beginning to wonder how much of it is from the way I think, and how much I can attribute to tiny, subtle, almost undetectable acid flashbacks. I don’t pretend to have intimate knowledge of how such things work, but some completely sober experiences seem so profound, so overwhelmingly rich and layered, that they defy alternate explanation. Today I saw something truly magnificent. Instead of going straight to the subway, I took the bus across town from ___’s house first. I wanted to remain above ground for as long as possible on this, the fairest day in a long, long time.

As I got off, slightly bewildered by the hustle and bustle of the crowded sidewalk, I heard music. It was faint but true. I couldn’t tell exactly where it was coming from except that it seemed to be emanating from the center of traffic. It was something rough and rhythmic, maybe some hip-hop coming from a car. Nearing the corner I saw a girl about my age dancing. She was Black and stunning; she had a beautiful flowered dress on. Sure enough, she was dancing, going all out, mind you, to the very same music I was hearing. Now, every city-raised bone in my body, those cruel, hard instincts that allow us to ignore suffering and(continued on the next page)

when i feeli need to feel free,i cry out her name,she comes to me and onto me,she has her wayof never losing hold. and lost with herfrom day to day,and never growing old. when i knowi need to be strongi think her nameshe comes in song. she’s gone with meover end-of-earth waters,and fallen deepinto infinite flight. found the lightoutside the cave,keep it ina jar, to save. we try our bestnot to behave,as adults tendto be depravedof imagination,and what it takesto save a worldat such high stakes.“We Are All Connected” by Stephen Martin

-HENRY DAVID THOREAUAll good things are wild and free.

MARCH 19th, 2011JOHN-FRANKLIN FORESTER (NEW YORK)

(continued from previous page) joy alike, told me to just walk by. I couldn’t help myself; it just made me so happy to see her there, in that moment, dancing. As I passed, I bobbed my head to the beat and grinned at her. There was a moment of perfect clarity: she understood my gesture of understanding and approval and smiled back very genuinely. I’ve thought long and hard regarding what about her had captivated my attention, about what exactly happened that day. I had found, for a fleeting moment, a kindred soul in a sea of orderly madness. Everyone else had been busy with themselves, consumed by their own interests, perhaps the music was mere white noise to them, something unimportant and forgettable. In a city where, to reference the film “Waking Life”, 60% of the people act like ants, merely avoiding obstacles and running about, there she was, dancing like there was no tomorrow. While others were engrossed in their iPods and cell phones, or perhaps swapping lies with their friend or lover, she had heard the song: the challenge was issued fourth by her environment, and she responded in kind. “By God!” I thought, “had I the will or reason to suspect that everyone on that street was a flesh and blood automaton, designed by dark powers to feign intelligence and free thought, she’s the only one for whom I could put this fear to rest!” Dancing is one of those things that’s so strange, so pointless, so savage and inappropriate that it is

unmistakably human. It affirms the presence of something that defies reason – a soul; like poetry or rituals or shattering a mirror with your fist out of fear, rage, grief. I smiled. It filled me with joy, like witnessing kindness or a sunset. It reaffirmed my faith in humanity, and reflecting upon it now I am moved to tears. Part of me wishes I had taken her hand and begged her: “Come with me! Let’s find some forgotten, uncivilized place: an island or a forest far away, let’s leave all this horror behind and be young and strong and beautiful and free and sane together!” Ah, fantasy. For it has passed and she is lost to me now. And to think, for all I know, that moment was insignificant to her. She may forget it, losing it in what I can only hope is a vast and rich life. I’ve never been a big fan of Nietzsche, but there’s one quote of his that I love and I couldn’t help but bring it to mind as I thought about all this:“…and those who were seen dancing, were thought insane by those who could not hear the music” – Friedrich Nietzsche

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“Breathe” by Stephen Martin

-SIGMUND FREUD

Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.

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SCHOOL’S OUT FESTIVAL CALENDAR

TICKETS

HEADLINERS

$215

LollapaloozaAugust 5-7, Grant Park, Chicago, IL

Camp Bisco XJuly 7-9, Indian Lookout Country Club,Mariaville, NY

HEADLINERSThe Disco Biscuits, Shpongle Live, Pretty Lights, Bogore, Ratatat, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Tobacco, Skrillex, Lotus, RJD2, Easy Star All Stars, Yeasayer, Emancipator

TICKETS$175

moe.down XIISeptember 2-4, Gelston Castle Estate,Mohawk, NY

All Good Music FestivalJuly 14-17, Marvin's Mountaintop,Masontown, WV

HEADLINERSmoe., Umphrey's, Toubab Krewe, STS9, Keller Williams, Furthur, Pretty Lights, Big Gigantic, Primus

TICKETS$199 Thursday arrival, $169 Friday arrival

HEADLINERSAnimal Collective, Fleet Foxes, OFWGKTA, DJ Shadow, TV on the Radio

TICKETS$45/day (3-day sold out)

Pitchfork Music FestivalJuly 15-17, Union Park, Chicago, IL

The Big UpJuly 28-30, Sunnyview Farm,Ghent, NY

TICKETS

HEADLINERSEOTO, Big Gigantic, Raq

$90 advance, $120 Day of TICKETS

HEADLINERSLauryn Hill, Immortal Technique

$113 GA Field

L.A. RisingJuly 30, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum,Los Angeles, CA

TICKETS

HEADLINERSFurthur, Jane's Addiction, moe., Big Gigantic

$205

Gathering of the VibesJuly 21-24, Seaside Park, Bridgeport, CT

Deadmau5, Atmosphere, Ratatat, Explosions in the Sky, The Mountain Goats

TICKETS

HEADLINERS

$200

Phish, The Meters, MGMT, Lotus

TICKETS

HEADLINERS

$115 tier 2

moe., Ween, Railroad Earth

Electric ZOOSeptember 2-4, Randall's Island Park,New York, NY

TICKETS

HEADLINERS

$290

Moby, Boys Noize, MSTRKRFT, Big Gigantic, Skrillex, Infected Mushroom,The Bloody Beetroots

-ROBERT HUNTER,“Franklin’s Tower”, The Grateful Dead

If you get confused,just listen to the music play.

Outside LandsMusic & Arts Festival

August 12-14, Golden Gate Park,San Francisco, CA

THC’s Featured ArtistFiery original jams, a solid repertoire of covers, good people, and a unique atmosphere combine to make this bi-weekly jam-band show a must see for any fun-seeking Bostonian.

Caton Sollenberger - Guitar/VOXScott Ferber - Drums/VOXSal Sisti - BassAndrew Johanson - Keyboards/VOX

Contact Info:The Jauntee can be reached by emailing thejauntee@gmail.com or by calling Scott Ferber @ 612-701-4908

Facebook:www.facebook.com/TheJauntee

Live Music Archive:www.archive.org/details/TheJauntee

Upcoming Shows:- Wednesday, July 13, 9pm Wonder Bar in Allston, MA

- Saturday, July 16, 9pm 20 Rugg Rd. in Allston, MA The Jauntee’s Regal Ball Presents: A Midsummer Night’s Jaunt

- September 23-25 Heads and Harmony Festival Harmony, ME Tickets available online at headsinharmony.com/tickets

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The JaunteeKELLER WILLIAMSJuly 1st

Nectar’s, Martha’s VineyardEdgartown, MA

Hip-Hop’s original teacher is coming to Boston, andas he has said before, “YOU MUST LEARN”

KRS-ONEJuly 9th

Wilbur TheaterBoston, MA

Al, Chuck, Rob, Jim, and Vinne make up anaxis of epic in this progressive rock/jamband that conducts some of the greatest liveperformances in the scene today.

MOE.July 14th

Newport Yachting CenterNewport, RI

World-renowned banjo player Bela Fleckleads this revolutionary Jazz-Bluegrassfusion band in what can only be describedas a symphony of awesome.

BELA FLECK ANDTHE FLECKTONES

July 9thNewport Yachting Center

Newport, RI

A relentless fusion of roots reggae,experimental dub, and NorthAmerican International Body Music,this band will dub your face off.

GIANT PANDAGUERILLA DUB SQUAD

July 10thThe Surf Lodge

Montauk, NY

A one-man-band that will acoustically rock your socks off, loop it, and then proceed to rock them off again.

Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, ‘nuff said.FURTHUR

July 21stThe Comcast Center

Mansfield, MA Tickets/Cover$32 Lawn

For many of us, this showpromises a bitch-slap of nostalgiastraight to the eardrums. Don’t actas if you need another reason tolace up the old checkered vans andskank for an extended period.

REEL BIG FISH &STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO

July 27thHampton Beach Casino Ballroom

Hampton, NH

Tickets/Cover$21 ADV - $24 DOS

Tickets/Cover$30 Standard - $45 Preferred

Tickets/Cover $20

Tickets/Cover $35 Standard - $48 Preferred

Tickets/Cover $45 (Seating may vary)

Tickets/Cover $15 ADV - $20 DOS

“Big Bird” by Jazzinator 10

RELIEVED FROM DUTYTHE YELLOW JACKETOnce upon two summers ago, I

turned eighteen and went off to the

magical land of college. For the first

time in my life I got to hang out at

burger joints late at night, binge

drink with friendly acquaintances

and strangers, and smoke sweet

illegality behind an abandoned

trailer. But as an American citizen

and a California resident, there are

certain responsibilities when being

“of age,” and halfway through my

summer break frivolities, the Santa

Ana Federal Courthouse cordially

invited me to visit them at 7:45 on a

Monday morning.

Jury duty.

My first (ignorant) thought was,

“Oh, exciting!” But as the date

neared and reared its ugly head,

began thinking something more

along the lines of “Oh, kill me.” I

was out of postponements and the

Courthouse was out of patience. So

Monday too - early - in - the -

fucking - morning, I packed myself

into my car and made my way to

Santa Ana.

Bumping my way into the Jury

Assembly room with the other

grumpy, groggy jurors around me,

I comforted myself with the

fact that no one wanted to be

here. As names were called, I

kept hearing the word “shit”

whispered angrily down the

aisles. Finally, my name…

Shit! Now I had to drag my ass

up to the eleventh floor along

with 64 other prisoners, all

cheerfully making unpatriotic

comments about the judicial

processes.

The courtroom was much

smaller than I expected, the

judge much older, and the

attorneys less entertaining.

After sitting through hours

and hours of jurors trying to

get themselves excused from

service, attorneys making

vague analogies to the case at

hand, and the patient judge

having to define every term for

the Chinese man in the back

row, I was done.

The glitter and shine of being

somewhere stately and historical

and patriotic and grown-up and

blah blah blah was just that: Blah

blah blah

And finally, the hands on the

clock righted themselves. 4:30

PM. Court is adjourned..

I made a dash for the elevator;

crammed myself between an

attorney, two other now-happy

jurors, and a file cabinet full of,

well, files. I sprinted my way

through the lobby like a football

player, cradling my purse in my

strong arm.

Then I saw it: the light of day.

Rushing out of the sliding glass

doors, I felt the fresh breeze hit

my face, and I knew I was free.

On the way to the car, I decided

that this freedom deserved a cold

root beer float despite the fact

that it would be taken back at the

courthouse at nine the next

morning.

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KRAKATOA

A NEURONIC APPROACH TO REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE IN HUMAN INTERACTION AND SOCIAL MOMENTUM

“Claws” by Mega

You are living—a breathing human being,who can read and perceivethese symbolic formsas meaning—

full of water, blood, and thoughts,failing organs, and a beating heartthat strains with love until life dies,pumps sensation, and vibrates in time

higher up, you’ll find your mind:racing, retracing—the neurons entwined;a floating enigma at the top of its chain,a conscious conductor of cosmic refrain

yet even in such a magnificent state,it falls to depravity, perplexed as it wakesin the ocean of knowledge, the forest of life,kingdoms of justice and dominions of strife

encompassed by chaos and natural controls,the mind seeks out answers and questions it allby exploring expanses of abiding existence,or resorting to lashings for the sake of convenience

but as the mind tosses, and grapples with fateit keeps on evolving, progressing the stateof its bridges and buildings by building its bonds,while severing others not fit to move on

alone, the mind dances and twiddles its thumbs;among, it explodes and retracts out to one—for as one, the mind’s sure that what exactly it knowscan’t be known by a soul, except for those it has known

yet it knows it full well that by reading these wordsthe eyes of its kind are rereading in turn—but the mind can’t quite fathom the place it inhabits,pondering past presents as futures just happen

and what’s one to do when it all seems so large?when the mind’s just a vessel for an electric dischargethat seems to conduct all that we’d accountas actions done freely, with egos to tout

but as charges determine whether guilty or pure,the mind remains vigilant, diligent to spurthe production of cells and excretion of waste,processing the inputs of data in space(continued on the next page)

KRAKATOA

A NEURONIC APPROACH TO REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE IN HUMAN INTERACTION AND SOCIAL MOMENTUM

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-VOLTAIRE

Man is freeat the moment

he wishes to be.

(continued from previous)so the mind remains active, yet passive and dumb,in chambers of old pale men—flushed girls, poor and young—where they writhe in complaints and the mind stays the sameneglecting to accept the fact that circumstances change

and the mind remains active, yet apathetic and numb,in the halls of assembly, where the lines assemble gunsfor deployment and seizure, manufacturing consentto the whites and their blues that draw a red consequence

but the mind remains active—yes, that pathetic crumb;a spec in the universe it originates from—because it knows of itself and the vastness abound,and yet, in all the confusion, it knows it’s around:

a floating enigma at the top of its chain,a conscious conductor of cosmic refrain—and again there it goes, now reusing the same;revolving through doors, closed and opened again

when the mind finds a sign, there’s a chance that it’s lostor has used all its energy to the point of exhaust—but when the mind finds a sign, and indeed far it has come,the revolutionary run has returned it back to square one

a full three-sixty degrees, though all inclusive it seems,can fool the mind’s maker and bring them their knees—unsettled and stagnant, jaded with dreams,sometimes the mind can’t comprehend what it’s seen

so when a sign’s seen by you or your mind—it happens no matter which way you’re inclined—take a moment to reflect on why, at this time,the world placed this sign for your mind to find.

Your mind is living—a musing conscious being,that can read and perceivethese symbolic formsas meaning—

WAIT N’ SEEMR. COSMIC CHARLIEi always listen to the weathermen–they tell all the best lies.woke up blue as the skywith raindropspouring from my eyes.. . . .the sun came out to share a shower–now i feel like outer space.i blew away my rainy faceand grew a smile in its place.. . . .of all the things i’ve ever been,i think life as a star’s the best. i never thought i’d get so high–i used to try,living out west.. . . .someday i know i’m going to burst–the End will come to make s’mores.

you think i’m bright now?wait, and see what kinds of lighti’ve got in store.

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-RAM DASS,BE HERE NOW

If you think you're free,there's no escape possible.

a TH

C recommended read

“Four Things” by Stephen Martin

OPEN UP THESHUTTERSMR. COSMIC CHARLIEdays like this,i miss the rainand melt likethin-cut butter. haze like this,i lose my painsand open upthe shutters. ways like this,not made for gain–i’ll leave it forthe others. stays like thisuntil we change–come sisters,and come brothers. . . . . . found a newfinal frontier–how no one found it first.. fountains right between our ears–enough for any thirst. ebb and flowinside my head–for better orfor worse. harvest magic,like a fruit treefull of flavorbursts.

Fiery original jams, a solid repertoire of covers, good people, and a unique atmosphere combine to make this bi-weekly jam-band show a must see for any fun-seeking Bostonian.

Caton Sollenberger - Guitar/VOXScott Ferber - Drums/VOXSal Sisti - BassAndrew Johanson - Keyboards/VOX

Contact Info:The Jauntee can be reached by emailing thejauntee@gmail.com or by calling Scott Ferber @ 612-701-4908

Facebook:www.facebook.com/TheJauntee

Live Music Archive:www.archive.org/details/TheJauntee

Upcoming Shows:- Wednesday, July 13, 9pm Wonder Bar in Allston, MA

- Saturday, July 16, 9pm 20 Rugg Rd. in Allston, MA The Jauntee’s Regal Ball Presents: A Midsummer Night’s Jaunt

- September 23-25 Heads and Harmony Festival Harmony, ME Tickets available online at headsinharmony.com/tickets

THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONEOLD DOGA common manWent out and soldAn equal priceOf lead to gold. Such simple actionsCause us bliss.This man becameThe Alchemist. Stretched quivering handsTo touch the gold.His body flowsTo liquid form.Dissolving into his unknownA blackness now is shown.

A light.A light is brought to life.The dove has won the raven’s fight.Now born again and purifiedHis consciousness sees light. A trip through mindOf body’s rest.His mouth uponHis mother’s breast.The taste of milk, so sweet.RejuvenationOf his self.

The peacock tail starts reddening.It flames into a dragon’s wing.Those dancing ‘round his fire singA universal sound. With new horizons broadeningThe liquid comes to hardeningInto a form so primitive.The body he once knew. Now back againTo touch his hands.The man now laughs, alone. “We are,” he says with a golden glow,“We are The Philosopher’s Stone.”

SUBMIT@HAPPYCOLLECTIVE.COM

Check out http://www.happycollective.comfor more content and submission guidelines!

THC would like to extend a special thank you to Sandra and Paul Pimentel of Edgartown, MA

for their generous donation to our ever-growing publication. It is the support of you and

others like you that help make THC possible. Thank you ver y much!

WOULD YOU LIKE TOSHARE YOUR ART, POETRY,OR WRITING? KNOW OF A

GOOD LOCAL SHOW? WANTTO BE THE CONCERT

ADVISOR FOR THE MAJOR CITYNEAREST YOU?

Dear Reader,Just by picking this up and reading it, you are an awesome person. Our friend and fellow writer Sunny Side Up says it best: “The Happy Collective is not a destination where we finally meet each other, but rather it is a realization that we have been with each other all along.” Everyone who is involved in The Happy Collective finds joy not only in what we’ve created, but also in sharing it and interacting with other like-minded individuals. Do you have something you would like to contribute? Whether it be art, poetry, an essay, comments, suggestions, hellos, or virtual hugs, email them to submit@happycollective.com along with your desired pen name.

Keep on keepin’ on,Jimmy Jazz and the rest of The Happy CollectiveP.S. - We will be sending good vibes your way.

Note: Some of the original work has been edited for style and grammar with the author’s consent.

T H A N K S F O R R E A D I N G !

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