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Reality Check

by Buck Bowen

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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Packed with 6 bonus tracks! Sing along to the headboppin' upbeat motivational anthem iCan iWill (Succeed Excel) that'll have you feeling charged. Bust a gut with a goof off session by the talented and sexy Paul Gordon. Then rack your brain with two unexpected conversations about astrology and hell!

    And as always, Buck leaves you with another classic blooper reel.
    Purchasable with gift card

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  • Hand Crafted Compact Disc
    Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    16 songs hand burnt to CD-R, resting in a BPA free clamshell case with stenciled artwork and full color prescription label on back.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Reality Check via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.
An entertainer at heart, his name is Buck Bowen He helps the others embrace, reason and skepticism And to think critical, thru music art and lit Truth Before Comfort, you’re going to love this shit Oooooooo his name is Buck Bowen Ooooooo his name is Buck Bowen
2.
Let's be sincere in our questions, honest in our answers Open minded and respectful in our manners At the adult table take a seat People deserve respect, they deserve dignity Because they're humans, not because of their beliefs So when you're at the table, with adults talkin' No belief is sacred no subject is off topic You may not believe it But here adults can share ideas without getting heated Cause if you yell, call names, or use threats Go back to the kid's table, where you get spoon fed We welcome questioning, we think wonder's good Seek first to understand, then be understood You want to hang with us, come sit and listen But understand no belief's immune to criticism Whether religion, philosophy, or politics At the adult table you can discuss all of it But if you like to bully or get upset and pissed You shall be seated with the rest of the kids Let's be sincere in our questions, honest in our answers Open minded and respectful in our manners At the adult table take a seat Come have a conversation with me You can raise your voice or you can raise your words You can talk over others or you can take your turn You can throw a fit or spit insults Or you can, grow up and come and join the adults There's no need for you to ridicule Unless you're immature and haven't graduated middle school So what you gonna choose? To dive deep into topics, or belly flop in the kiddie pool? If you came to mock and shame or play the Gotcha game I got news for you this is not the place For that type of behavior If you can't keep your cool then you need to move to the kid's table Cause where we sit, there's no heated debate Only grown ups who can peacefully engage So if you're with non-confrontation conversation We adults are waitin' Let's be sincere in our questions, honest in our answers Open minded and respectful in our manners At the adult table take a seat Come have a conversation with me
3.
You say manic Monday, I say Tuesday Eve And I don’t let my mood swing based on what you think I live a life dictated by the thoughts of others?? Please I could never give over the key to a person who doesn’t even know… Me That’s where the difference lies You guise it as a kindness blindly being victimized While I, don’t tolerate that type of treatment People only treat you and behave to you in ways you teach them That’s worth a repeat In every interaction ask yourself how do I teach others to treat me Cause often you’ll see People don’t suck you’ve just allowed them to pull on your strings Are you a victim, who is choosin’ To complain and make excuses If this is You then stop what you’re doin’ It’s time to pull your own strings now get to it If you want more demand more, what do You stand for? Whether you think you can or can’t either way you’re right So why? Do you choose a losing attitude You’ll never get where you want with your negative thoughts attacking… You, often get what you expect So do you expect the best or neglect and disrespect? We love fulfilling our own prophecies You’ll notice how you’re so good at predicting when You’ll not succeed It’s not an accident, we like to bitch about our problems And to solve them means we’d have to, quit It’s funny how we don’t see Our own deeds often entangle us in our own strings Are you a victim, who is choosin’ To complain and make excuses If this is You then stop what you’re doin’ It’s time to pull your own strings now get to it
4.
Achieve Mode 03:00
There’s four basic reasons people don’t have goals The first one’s Fear, huh, what do ya know? There’s fear of success and of failure but here’s the deal It’s all False Evidence Appearing Real Number two, poor self-image Cause how you see yourself, you’ll act consistent with it Thinking positive works but forget it if You’re the type of person who’s self-image is negative Number three they’ve never really been sold But that’s about to change, you must have goals You can shoot a target in the dark a hundred feet back But how you gonna shoot a target you don’t even have? Number four, they don’t know how to set goals, It’s understandable But when you learn to set one you can set any So grab that pen and get busy You gotta put your mind on Achieve Mode You gotta put your mind on Achieve Mode You gotta put your mind on Achieve Mode Go for your goals boom boom explode! When you’ve got a solid base with a solid objective Plus a solid commitment you’ve got a much better chance of Reaching your goals, so keep persistin’ Failure is the path of least resistance There’s no debatin’, Most of us would set goals, if we only had the motivation But that’s backwards, cause see the fact is Motivation, follows the action Creating energy, so get on with it But don’t confuse activity with accomplishment There’s no time for hesitation Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation Life isn’t easy, life is tough But when you’re tough on yourself life becomes easier plus When you do what you ought to do when you ought to do it The day will come when you can do what you want to do, when you want to do it You gotta put your mind on Achieve Mode You gotta put your mind on Achieve Mode You gotta put your mind on Achieve Mode Go for your goals boom boom explode!
5.
Butcher the boys Massacre the mothers Debauch the daughters It’s all in Numbers! 31:17 Referring to Numbers 31:17 in the Bible
6.
If I was Jesus, and I came to start a new religion I would have written it myself without the contradictions Or procured a person to put it onto paper To write it while I was alive and not decades later I would have made sure, all was clear with nothing vague There’d be no need for interpretation of what I had said And consequently, no denominations Nor a single copy error to another language You wouldn’t see me heal a bunch of lepers I would do better and remove the disease altogether There’d be no sermons, only topics worth hearing Such as the scientific method, physics, and the germ theory I’d turn the golden rule into platinum By simply quoting the brilliant Dr. Linus Pauling maxim: Do unto others twenty percent better Than you’d expect they’d do to you to correct for subjective error There’d be no second coming, if I were Jesus I’d finish the mission first time task completed Cause if it’s really ‘bout love I would improve humanity without the spilling of blood If I were Jesus, and I came to do the will of God I would have thought that me being tortured to death was really odd Cause if God is all loving he, Could have snapped his fingers and done away with suffering Which is what I would have done Plus conquered evil so I wouldn’t need to make a second run Cause if I came to challenge status quo I would have mentioned that slavery has to go The proof is in the pudding I’d have it written that women are on an equal footing And so it isn’t vague I’d also add that they can be better in many ways God may have gave the devil a job But if I were Jesus, I’d lay down the law I would put hell out of business, done and end it By telling Satan he’s fired, pun intended There’d be no second coming, if I were Jesus I’d finish the mission first time task completed Cause if it’s really ‘bout love I would improve humanity without the spilling of blood
7.
Atheism is the arrogant belief That this entire billion galaxy universe wasn’t made for me Let me define it once more An atheist is one who lacks invisible means of support Now if you want, you can love religion But God made me an atheist, who are you to judge his wisdom? I was born without belief as every baby is And after finding reason became a born-again atheist The proof for other gods always gets ignored The reason you dismiss theirs is why I dismiss yours We’re all atheists, one way or another The difference is I take it one god further While your church and messiah engage in legal tax evasion Atheism is a non-prophet organization I have faith there is no god, I’ll admit it I’m not an atheist, I’m God’s loyal opposition If religion is the Belief in a super-human controlling power then atheism Is precisely not that It’s precisely not that If religion is the Worship of a super-human controlling power then atheism Is precisely not that It’s precisely not that But atheism’s a religion! You dare utter OK it’s a religion like bald is a hair color See atheists have no one to blame But still we sin so God’s sacrifice wasn’t in vein And when I’m mentioning thanks I give credit where it’s due instead of to a list of saints See I’m weird and a wee bit odd I’m a dyslexic atheist I don’t believe in dog So put the ball away You get like Christmas and Easter while 365 is my holiday Take a breather You think I worship the devil? Lol, I don’t believe in Satan either They say I have no basis for morality Yet when I do something wrong they all get mad at me But if it’s true in fact, Then it’s not my fault, since I wouldn’t know what counts as good or bad Every dogma has its day In the beginning was the word, in the end the cliche Some atheists attack religion And this is true but they won’t stone you to death for your beliefs like some religions do If religion is the Belief in a super-human controlling power then atheism Is precisely not that It’s precisely not that If religion is the Worship of a super-human controlling power then atheism Is precisely not that It’s precisely not that
8.
It was late when my friend called freaking out I guess some paranormal stuff had happened in her house She knows I’m a skeptic, who likes to question claims And so she asked if I would do the task and come investigate I was half asleep, but knew she was scared And so I said that I’m headed over just let me get prepared I grabbed the garlic, holy water, crucifix Wait, I don’t believe in ghosts, the hell I’m gonna do with this? When I arrived I tried to calm her Told her a couple jokes and poured her a glass of water Once she relaxed a bit, and could sit composed I kindly asked her, “what exactly is a ghost?” She tried to explain But couldn’t quite describe it and kinda was vague And, mentioned energy and white light And then I thought of Einstein and E=MC2 but whatever I was there to listen I guess she had been dosing off and saw an apparition Walking close to her side But it disappeared once she fully opened her eyes Plus she heard noises from the basement Movement in the kitchen and just couldn’t explain it But then claimed to it was a ghost But if she can’t explain it why does she claim to know? If there’s something strange that you can’t explain It’s ok to just say I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know If it’s, unexplainable Then don’t make a claim to know It’s ok to say I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know We began our investigation Grabbed some flashlights and headed for the basement Which I was teeny bit afraid to search So I opened the door, smiled and said “ladies first” She just gave a dirty look at me And so I turned on my flashlight and took the lead As we decended a recommended we hold hands When all of a sudden, fwoom! the door slammed She let out a screech and I jumped a bit But fortunately it was just the pressure from the wind And those noises she heard from before Sounded a lot like the wind blowing under the door I held her hand again, but she was sweating galore Saying she heard footsteps on the floor So now I’m bugging out, is this a booby trap? My only thought was to pop me a Scooby snack Man I bum rushed the door And nearly borke my shoulder as I rolled on the floor Of course it was nothing! Just a false alarm Even tho it felt like somebody had ripped off my arm I told her listen up Her imagination’s gonna get me killed and I’ve had enough And I got more to say But first, let’s take a chorus break so I can nurture this shoulder pain If there’s something strange that you can’t explain It’s ok to just say I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know If it’s, unexplainable Then don’t make a claim to know It’s ok to say I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I asked why she was freaking out, this is a creaky house Then I gave her something to think about If you’re a ghost, then it seems to me, if you can float You’d have no need for feet She heard stuff ruffle in the kitchen Then she found that cups and bowls and pots and pans had shifted But, hold up, let me get this straight A ghost can walk thru walls and then pick up a plate? For what? To let us know it’s here by moving this or that? And throwing fits but why don’t it just go get a pen and pad? Enough of the drama, let’s cut to the chase It could put it down on paper if it’s got something to say I know to her it’s all seemingly wild But to me it seemed like we were dealing with a child This ghost would, cry at night, slam doors, and throw stuff Clearly this is not the hallmark of a grown-up Then she showed me photos of orbs With a pixelated image of a human-ish form But, they looked like nothing to me Except light being reflected off of dust and debris Oh and just a question more Why does it always seem that ghost only show up when visibility’s poor? Or during the hypnagogic state Or out the corner of your eye when you’re alone and it’s late? If there’s something strange that you can’t explain It’s ok to just say I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know If it’s, unexplainable Then don’t make a claim to know It’s ok to say I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know We jump up in fright when things go bump in the night We evolved this propensity to help us survive Just like recognizing faces We’re a pattern seeking species so we see things in meaningless information Like the clouds or a piece of toast So keep that in mind next time you think you see a ghost My friend had an experience, no doubt that she did I just don’t think that it happened outside of her head
9.
Zodiacrobat 06:29
She was like an itch I couldn’t scratch I knew it wouldn’t last but I still pursued the path because… She was stunningly pretty, fun loving and friendly At least that’s how it seemed in the beginning Until it dawned on me I was dating a woman into astrology, for example I bought her shoes which she refused to unbox Because her horoscope said avoid the color black for one month There’s more tho, She would never even leave the house without first checking her horoscope It’s amazin’ the amount of frustration You tolerate when, you really think you care for someone She’d rarely offer an apology But instead would blame her behavior upon astrology She could justify, just about anything anytime By going back to the zodiac signs And to make it worse When I met her mom and dad they insisted on knowing my date of birth But why? So they could pigeon-hole me? Instead of taking the time to get to know me? It didn’t matter tho They had made up their minds, saying our signs were incompatible I said thanks it feels great to be judged By a preconceived opinion that you read in a book Yeah, cause astrology at its core Is stereotyping a person by the time of year they were born We had a lot in common but were barely alike I guess she just wasn’t my stereotype We got along great but everyday we would fight I guess she just wasn’t my stereo type We had a lot in common but were barely alike I guess she just wasn’t my stereotype I hate to admit it I think her parents were right I guess she just wasn’t my stereo type I had enough of their arrogance They thought they had an accurate system by which to judge others and that’s unfair to them But I wanted to be open to Listening to the reasons of how they know it’s true So I asked, how does it work? They said it has to do with the position of the stars and planets at your time of birth I said wait a minute, I got a question Why the time of birth and not conception? They gave a puzzled look And as they flipped thru the pages looking something up in a book I asked How could the planets, possibly function To signify what physiologically goes on with someone? They closed the book, looking mad at me And said perhaps it has to do with light or gravity I said yeah but we already know The obstetrician has a greater gravitational pull Than any planets, plus you’d have to admit None could be compared to the sun’s massive affect And if how you say it works is how it happens actually Then twins should always have the same fate and personality But they don’t, perhaps I’m missing something But it just seems this stuff is a joke They looked upset and said they didn’t wanna talk now Put the book on the table and walked out We had a lot in common but were barely alike I guess she just wasn’t my stereotype We got along great but everyday we would fight I guess she just wasn’t my stereo type We had a lot in common but were barely alike I guess she just wasn’t my stereotype I hate to admit it I think her parents were right I guess she just wasn’t my stereo type We were alone now and neither of us said a thing The silence was so loud that the sound of it was deafening I looked around the room for words, I wouldn’t find Cause she used the last few to say you’re so much like your sign I was annoyed beyond belief She could see I was upset and tried to kiss me on the cheek A typical pretty girl, move, who’s always had her way with men But my only thought was how to get out the relationship Not every couple lasts forever But it’s a massive treasure if you learn from what you had together I know I did, I just couldn’t help that I’d become So disenchanted with the soothing beauty of her Siren song OK so getting back on topic We both knew that we were thru yet we sat around talkin’ Smiling bout the good times, laughing at the bad ones Crying, realizing it’s the last time we’d have fun I held her close, knowing I was gonna miss The warmth of her body, the taste of her supple lips So with a subtleness I leaned in gently, giving her one last passionate kiss It was time for me to leave My eyes were so full of tears that I could hardly see So as I closed the door, knowing there was no going back I couldn’t help but think she’ll probably blame this on the zodiac We had a lot in common but were barely alike I guess she just wasn’t my stereotype We got along great but everyday we would fight I guess she just wasn’t my stereo type We had a lot in common but were barely alike I guess she just wasn’t my stereotype I hate to admit it I think her parents were right I guess she just wasn’t my stereo type Is astrology ridiculous Or does it give our lives a sense of cosmic significance? And can it help some of us cope Or is it bunk and what it’s really offering is false hope? If it’s fun to think about is it funny when You’re being treated differently because of what somebody read? And is it dangerous If it plays upon your fears and often manipulates your trust Several months had passed When I found myself, reminiscing about the past And wondering if I made the right decision Or is it just I can’t get along with these types of women You know the ones who think it’s fun to Ask your birthday so they can judge you Plus they love to place a lot of weight in Basing decisions off of the constellations I mean yeah the companionship is nice Besides the constant Barnum statements and the confirmation bias I guess I just can’t stand to watch Somebody I love pay money to get taken advantage of Look I get it, this world can be cold So I understand why people need a sense of control And, to feel connected, to be accepted To believe that positive things are pre-destined This is why I’m concerned Cause people searching for comfort can often get burned By those who offer answers for a costly price And the astrologers favorite house seems to be the dollar sign
10.
Let’s suppose I seriously claim That a fire-breathing dragon lives in my garage what would you say? I mean, with all the stories about dragons throughout history But, no real evidence now here’s an opportunity! “Show me,” you say And so we look in my garage but all we see is empty cans of paint “Where’s it at?” you question Oh she’s right here, but she’s an invisible dragon, I failed to mention And so you suggest We spread flour on the floor to capture the dragon’s steps That’s a good idea, and I suppose it’s fair But see this dragon’s always floating in the air You’ll use an infrared, sensor to detect, The invisible fire, but hold on a sec’ See the thing is That’s a good idea, but the invisible fire is also heatless You’ll spray paint the dragon to make her visible But the paint won’t stick she’s incorporeal And so on, I counter every physical test With a special explanation of why it can’t be met Now, what’s the difference? Between the dragon I described and one that never existed? If, you can’t disprove my contention and nothing counts against it What’s it even mean to say my dragon’s in existence? Your inability to invalidate My hypothesis is not at all the same As proving it true A claim is veridically worthless if it’s immune to disproof Despite whatever value it may have in Exciting our sense of wonder and inspiring action What I’m asking you to do Is to believe me in the absence of evidence because I say it’s true

about

What is Reality Check?

Reality Check contains a combination of critical thinking and self-development.
It is musical medication, ingested aurally, that is used to treat self-limiting beliefs and encourage skeptical inquiry.

Important Information
You should not listen to Reality Check if you are close-minded, pessimistic, afraid to ask questions, and/or lack control of your emotions.

Common Reality Check Side Effects Include
• Sudden bouts of inspiration
• Increased curiosity
• Waggish amusement
• Shift in paradigm
• Inclination to set goals
• Reflective thought

Ask Yourself If Reality Check Is Right For You and Try a Sample Today!

credits

released July 17, 2015

Written, recorded, produced, and mixed by Buck Bowen @ The Sweatbox in Long Beach, SkeptiCalifornia
Mastered by Doug Van Sloun in Omaha, NE | Artwork by Matt Urlaub 
Narration by Sean Torres (5) | Vocals by Paul Gordon (1, 5) 
Additional instrumentation by Erik Eklund (7, 9), Steve Thornburg (9)
Original music by Paul Gordon (1) | Remix by Femi Deacon (10)

Special thanks to Reid Nicewonder, Mike Shaknovich, Andrew Waite & his children (8), Mary O’Keefe, Chase Thornburg, Zach Clawson, Austin Petak, Richie Corbaley, Brandon Coleman, Josh Willis, Peter Boghossian, and the dedicated friends who helped pull this together.

A world of gratefulness and admiration to mom and pop duke for their invaluable support.
 
THINK RESPONSIBLY | LUNCHBREAK©2016 | BUCKBOWEN.COM

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Buck Bowen Long Beach, California

"Trying to bridge the growing gap between 'would-be' and 'has-been.'"

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