Greetings!

Remember: 2020 is the Chinese Year of the White Rat with the Golden Sword. This year begins a sixty-year cycle and will set the tone for the next sixty years.

Conflict flew into the House of the Rat this year. The news is full of stories of conflict, especially protestors and counter protestors. Thus far, there are sixty incidents of cars being driven into protestors in this first year of the sixty-year cycle. The First Amendment is interpreted strangely by certain people. Many of the strange interpretations come from officials in the government and its supporters. The war predicted for this year appears to be a Civil War.

Illness flew into the Fame Sector. The news is also full of health issues around the planet. Good or bad, health issues are on everyone’s lips. Safety masks may not be on their lips but opinions about health issues certainly are. There is no celebrity getting more media time than illness itself.

The Year of the Rat is always known for gossip. This year is overrun with small-minded gossip on steroids. People have “bet the bank” on conspiracy theories (which I love) and fake news. People are putting their lives on the line for partisan nonsense. The problem is, both sides are somewhat right… and both sides are very, very wrong.

The heart of this Year of the Rat is violence. Government officials have called for it, fringe factions have called for it. Even religious leaders have called for it. What a world, what a country, what a year! On the microcosm, a day doesn’t go by that a white rat with a self-righteous golden sword isn’t filmed and posted on social media exhibiting her best non-compassionate nature. This year is a violent birth of the new cycle.

Next year will be better.

But what to do right now?

If there is conflict and violence outside, wouldn’t you stay in? This thought is not about hiding. It is about maintaining sanity. It is about maintaining balance and grounded-ness. It is about being the eye of the hurricane.

As always, I am telling you to make soup, meditate, practice yoga, put together a puzzle or do a crossword. Use the quarantine time (which will return in full force) to write that book you have ignored or at least clean the bathroom cupboard. If you cannot deal with yourself, you will not be able to deal with the world. Be quiet. Breathe and be quiet.

Buy my books. Buy my t-shirts. Buy my remedies (send me an email informing me because the website may not). If you want to protest, protest tax inequality, not masks. Right or wrong, it’s not such a great inconvenience to wear a mask. And it may save a loved-one. Protest the lack of education in America instead of missing a haircut. We are the idiot laughing stock of the world. Protest the gross inequality of our society. It has reached critical mass. But whatever you do, do it safely, consciously, peacefully. And with a little common sense. Your words are you presented to the world.

O yes, and buy my crap!

Thank you for your love and support.

Roy Anthony Shabla

i need a haircut
i need a haircut
i am protesting the government because
i need a haircut

i need a manicure
i need a pedicure
i am protesting the government because
i need a mani-pedicure

he cant pay his rent
she cant pay her bills
the rich aren’t paying taxes
the governments buying frills
we have no healthcare
we have no wealthcare
the corporations
are stealing the welfare
but i am protesting the government because
i need a haircut

i need a haircut
i need a haircut
i am protesting the government because
i need a haircut

(merge in rounds with “i wont wear a mask”)

i wont wear a mask, dont ask
i wont wear a mask, dont ask
i wont wear a mask
its too much of a task
i wont wear a mask, dont ask

i wont wear a mask, i dont care
i wont wear a mask, i dont care
i wont wear a mask
it just isnt fair
i wont wear as mask, i dont care

i wont wear a mask, let me be
i wont wear a mask, let me be
i wont wear a mask
in the land of the free
i wont wear a mask, let me be

i wont wear a mask, its my right
i wont wear a mask, its my right
the constitution says
or was it the prez
i wont wear a mask, its my right

i wont wear a mask, i cant breathe
i wont wear a mask, i cant breathe
i wont wear a mask
you have to believe
i wont wear a mask, i cant breathe

i wont wear a mask, its gods will
i wont wear a mask, its gods will
i wont wear a mask
im drinking the swill
i wont wear a mask, its gods will

choral verses:

i wont wear a mask / im smarter than you
i wont wear a mask / im smarter than you
i wont wear a mask / i wont wear a mask
i wont wear a mask / i wont wear a mask
i wont wear a mask / im smarter than you

i wont wear a mask / im smarter than you
i wont wear a mask / im full of poo
i wont wear a mask / i wont wear a mask
i wont wear a mask / i wont wear a mask
i wont wear a mask / im smarter than you