What's New From And With Tom Swiss?

What is Tom up to now? What's he been writing and recording, and what events is he scheming? Bookmark this page and check back often!
Make 2023 A Magickal Year
Are you ready for a more magickal year in 2023? Learn how to make it happen with my book Punk Magick! Read on-line for free or buy you Recent posts at The Zen Pagan
The only way to precisely engineer a wood fire is to pelletize the wood, to crush and grind and homogenize it. Short of that, each piece of wood is unique, and building and maintaining a fire from those pieces takes at least as much art as engineering. Daniel Penny, whether he acted reasonably and killed by accident or recklessly and committed manslaughter, was merely the randomly-chosen final mechanism of Neely's death, set up by a system dedicated to cruelty and profit rather than human well-being. As if to fit that mood, there was trash dumped in my old playground, and the hill was overgrown with brambles. But also amidst the weeds were a few small cherry trees, in full blossom. How do we eulogize people who were difficult to others and to themselves? And how do we, as Pagan folk, perform death rites, especially for those of ambiguous spirituality and for an interfaith gathering? But right now I'm tempted to consider whether putting unglamorous photos of dead alcoholics up on liquor store walls might help restrain excess. I wish that I could flash those minutes into the brains of those struggling with sobriety, for motivation, a "Don't Let This Happen To You" public service announcement. Giving anyone the power to label someone "fascist" and censor them is far more of a threat than a handful of Nazi punks. The story starts with British imperialism Imposition of Order = Escalation of Disorder. "Armed with the Law of Eristic Escalation and Fenderson’s Amendment any “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” — Hunter S. Thompson Inarguablely, we live in weird times. So: welcome to The Weird Turn Pro. This will be sort of a companion to my blog The Zen Pagan: TZP will focus more on matters of magick and spirit, while TWTP will focus on political philosophy, commentary, and analysis. We're doing outdoor karate classes during the COVID-19 crisis. Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:15pm. For the 2023 #FunADay project, a new song. A hymn of sorts to my patron Goddess, who asked me to remind you that you are free. Hail Eris! For part of my #FunADay project in January 2023, I wrote a song about Baltimore's best dive bar. Miss that place and its "Music EFN." For the January 5th instalment of my 2023 Fun-A-Day, a song. Tom Swiss speaking on "Punk Magick" at Autumn Fires at Wisteria Event Site, October 2022. Strip the art of ritual magick down to its basics and go forward with the same attitude as the punk 'zine which showed its readers three guitar chords and then said "Now go form a band." More information at https://punkmagickbook.com It’s been five years since my father died, changing my relationship with my ancestors. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thezenpagan/2022/09/parental-death-ancestor-work-and-the-search-for-love/ People Are Like Firewood
Posted on Monday May 29, 2023The System Killed Jordan Neely
Posted on Thursday May 11, 2023Death, Dogs, and Cherry Blossoms
Posted on Thursday March 30, 2023Eulogy For A Difficult Brother
Posted on Friday February 10, 2023My Brother Died Today
Posted on Saturday February 04, 2023Recent posts at The Weird Turn Pro
When censoring fascists, who gets to decide who's "fascist"?
Posted on Sunday May 30, 20211917: The Real Start of the Israel-Palestine Conflict
Posted on Monday May 24, 2021Police violence: seeing the fnords
Posted on Wednesday May 12, 2021
imbecile – not just a sociologist – can understand politics."The Weird Turn Pro: Commentary from a weird perspective.
Posted on Wednesday May 12, 2021Upcoming Events
Starwood 40
Posted on Wednesday May 05, 2021
I will be presenting at the Starwood Festival, July 13-18, in Pomeroy OH or on your computer screen.
And Saturday, July 11, after the Concert, I will be working with the Family of Fire to put on the Virtual Bonfire
Seido Karate - Outdoors
Posted on Thursday May 06, 2021
Open to all! We love absolute beginners!
See our website or the Catonsville Seido Karate Facebook page.
Humpback Happy Hour / Virtual House Concert, June 2, 7p,
Posted on Tuesday June 29, 2021
Grab a drink (from your own fridge) and settle in from some tunes with The Reverend Tom Swiss, in the comfort of wherever you are! Activate your telepresence device and join me for original tunes, traditional songs, and folky rock covers. Maybe a poem or three...
(A whimsical name; there will not, actually, be whales here.)
Videos on YouTube
"Hail Eris, All Hail Discordia" (original song)
Posted on Sunday January 29, 2023Song: "Leadbetter's Tavern", Tom Swiss
Posted on Friday January 20, 2023"Double Handful of Fire" (original song)
Posted on Friday January 06, 2023"Punk Magick", Autumn Fires 2022
Posted on Saturday November 19, 2022Parental Death, Ancestor Work, And The Search For Love
Posted on Monday September 19, 2022Recent Tweets and Retweets
Tweets by tom_swiss