Musicians for Unity

As I sit here and watch our national monument get the land lord special I can't help to think that from the draining, to the lining, to the painting and then refilling can be symbolic to a motion of life.

This world gets loud and dark quick, drowning out the light and sweeping what little joy we have away in the currents. We panic as we try to keep everything in before being leaked out into nothing. A point where we can to turn despair into opportunity, to take the time to drain our pool and empty out our negativities. Let the sorrow, anxiety, everything that seems right out of your reach go right through the drain. With the emptiness we can now see our cracks we can fill in, our worn walls we can paint and our corners to clean out.

Then we fill it back up, holding on better now than before. Blue waters reflecting in the sun so we can sit back and laugh at the moments cleaned away that were thought to stay. Reflections on where we are now, not leaking to the damage from before.

A full cup to be shared together...even if its just for a moment

-Elrod Van Altizer

In the growing age of digital and social media, the products that were supposed to bring us together are becoming the stakes that drive us apart. With the ".com" boom from the 90's developing into every conspiracy theorist nightmare, the other side of the sword is the intimate connections we have are now with what devices are in our hands.

According to the world bank approximately 95% per 100 people(1) are on the web and approximately 73% on social media(2) in the United States. Having the worlds worth of knowledge and discovery at our very fingertips can have it positive swings, the negatives though can be dire. Kind of like trying to find what you want while having to block out noise coming from every direction. That's what a lot of it is, just noise to drown you out so you can buy the quiet way back.

The digital era is a quick moving one to this day. With the rise of AI integration we are seemingly being projected into an unknown world without a bottom, one where perfection prevails and the machine is the only answer to keep up. What's the answer on the newly designed world where only perfection is shown? Where the only way to win is to become a machine? DON'T, we are being sold to live a life of fabrication behind a backlit screen so our metrics can be sold to the highest bidder. The way back to where we started to lose our touch is to start shedding the mask we have been wearing, at least to the point where the real beauty can start to shine; the beauty of just being yourself.

Written with X's & O's not 1's & 0's,

-Elrod Van Altizer

“A bottom-up thing that anyone can do is making yourself available to develop some kind of relationship with someone different than you,” she says. “Develop an interpersonal bond, and that positive feeling might generalize to others, like the person you’re interacting with. It requires getting out of your comfort zone, but it’s probably the most fruitful way to go forward.” - Yuen J. Huo - UCLA(3)

Sources : 

(1) fred.stlouisfed.org/series/ITNETUSERP2USA
(2) https://soax.com/research/what-percentage-of-americans-use-social-media
(3) https://newsroom.ucla.edu/magazine/researchers-science-human-connection-psychology-neurobiology-sociology-marriage

Happy Mothers Day 💐 ❤️ 

No witty game banter, the sweep is done and that concludes the season for the Sixers. Our eyes are pointed to the off season and some to Cancun.

Better luck next year, go Sixers 🫶 

-Elrod Van Altizer 

Turmoil is starting to set again as Philly drops to 0-3 to the Knicks when the rally home fell short.

 2nd Half shooting woes and a hard hitting game with a lost whistle was the recipe we did not need on Friday Night. The only picture I can paint about it is a heartbreaking fall short in a city hungry for a win.

Uncertain on where to turn now it is unfortunately looking like another Philly second round exit. At least game 7 vs Celtics was fun. 

Written in Tears of my Own, 

-Elrod Van Altizer

As the curtain pulls back for an electric Wednesday night at The Garden, Sixer fans couldn't help to wonder how game 2 would look without Embiid. With a star studded court side presence the stage was set for a fiery showdown of 2 teams that love each other greatly. As the whistle blew we all hoped that our beloved Sixers wouldn't end up like a Timothee Chalamet opinion on opera and ballet; invalid.

First half success was found through Tyrese Maxey's point and PG getting hot early on. Kelly Oubre Jr made a new friend with Brunson as they are seen exchanging friendly words on the court after a drawn foul. Later Kelly got too excited with his new found friends after winding a block to high five combo that would swing a point and possession in the Knicks way.

Second half shooting woes started to come back to haunt us, possibly a lid was installed while we were distracted by the light blowing whistle. Even with the 2 recorded blocks each from Bona and Barlow the success in the paint couldn't hold up. Which in the end, on top of the turnovers that yielded an extra 23 points for the opposition, Embiidless Sixers fell to the Knicks 102 - 108 .

As the team now turn their way back to Home Court we can't help but wonder; Who is going to be able to save our beloved team after a struggle start in the second series? Who is going to be able to fill the void we have to push us to the next level? Who will give us the answer we need to shut down Brunson and Towns? The beacon is lit Philly, all we can do now is wait.

Sixers fall to the Knicks 0-2 in the series, next game tomorrow at 7pm est/6pm central on Amazon Prime.

                                                     Written with Tears of the Celtics,

                                                                 -Elrod Van Altizer

April 22nd, 2026

Perfect in size, once bright blue, full of oxygen and wonder. Unforgiving seas, beautiful wildlife, enough flare to show Jupiter up from every angle you look at (suck it Jupiter). Earth has everything we need to enjoy our short stay here.

For this earth day I reflect on the movements, changes and activism I've seen in my time here. From protecting and repairing our ozone, to protecting our beautiful nature and national parks. Oil spills turned into action, cleaning our waters and protecting our wildlife from harm.

We only have one planet to live on, if we can pitch together with just the mentality of doing one thing in our lifetimes to help this planet of ours I believe it can make a lasting positive effect for generations to come. We can come from being the civilization of damage, to a civilization of change. A civilization of progress, one to set the example of what positive change can look like for our temporary earthy home.

Earth may look like she's been through a lot, but haven't we all? Its time for us to work together <3

-Elrod Van Altizer

April 21st, 2026

I lay awake in bed again unable to sleep. The light shines in from the blinds shedding the darkness of being cuddled up again with self pity and despair. I lay here quietly awaiting the birds chirping of discovery that the sun has risen, hungry for the day before them. The creaking floors from ages of footsteps and life leads me to the refreshing cup of warm, smooth motivation to tackle what may be before me.

The aroma of regret and bourbon have worn off this Spring air, some claim the hint of sulfur and charcoal. The world police have suited back up, gearing themselves for a tour that the people should not want. It all starts different but all ends the same, innocent people lined up to be sent into the war machine with hopes of returning to the land of the free. Why worry about what food you have to eat or water to drink when there is black gold to be seized.

For me, this Spring holds hope. Like moisture in the clouds waiting for the perfect equation to give us a part of life we need. The hope that the troubles, worlds issues, reins of fire, all finally fall to our side. The hope that we can all finally stand together, in love and peace. The hope we desperately need for the times ahead.

Hope is not lost, just undiscovered

-Elrod Van Altizer