The First Of The Unplucked Gems.

I love The Hip. I don't think this point can be argued, or even overstated. If they were playing in San Francisco, would I book plane tickets to see them there? Of course I would, without a moment's hesitation. And that's exactly what I did. When I started this mojologue, I did so with the smug foreknowledge that being at the Hip concert would push my mojo status through the clouds, and that I could return home triumphantly.

And now, here comes the twist:

I never went to the concert.

The original plan was to hit a house party, shake a few hands, meet some contractual obligations, and then take my leave before the show started. But, woe of woes... it was a really great party. And thus, I arrived upon one of those grand questions in life... and the question I usually ask in such a case, "What would Gord Downie do?", seemed rather ill-suited to the situation.

Or was it? Naturally, I've been listening to their new album, "We Are The Same", while I've been walking these city streets. Some of their songs, like "Coffee Girl", became instant favourites, but most of them took some time... but once I started listening, the songs opened up for me. "The Depression Suite" is three minutes of ballad stretched over nine minutes of strings, but right in the middle, he sings a single line which cuts right to the heart of the matter:

And I think to myself in passing,
what if this song means nothing?
Now here comes the requisite strangeness --
things always have to get a little weird.

He wants this song to mean something. So do I. He doesn't mean, "What if this song doesn't become a hit?" It won't. He means, "I want this song to inspire people in some way." Well, for starters, this song got me into San Francisco in the first place. But more than that, yes -- not going to the concert is a little weird. But things have to be like that sometime.

And I've no regrets.

The other discovery I made while skipping the concert was this. It may sound like sour grapes, but bear with me: Seeing the concert, and being exposed to Hip mojo, would not have done much for my mojo status anyway. It's not what you receive... it's what you give. It's not a real goal to get your mojo to maximum capacity. That's the life I'd been living for the last few months. Good job, good friends, good life -- what part of that doesn't say my mojo was at 100%?

Nope. For mojo to have power... the mojo must flow. You must be aware of all the mojo around you, and try not to battle it, or surpass it, but simply to go with it. Not to be the shining star that blinds all others -- but simply to shine.

That is the secret of mojo. Thanks, Gord. Thanks, San Francisco.

mojo status: 75/500