I didn't think it would ever happen, but a strange trend is starting to occur. I think we are starting to run out of applause.

On Friday, my band played at a local bar. Granted, we were on a bill with a variety of rock styles, and the last band even covered the Britney Spears song "Baby, Hit Me One More Time." O, how far we've come. During the last half of our set, the audience stopped clapping. Many still stood and watched us, sort of mesmerized by the eclectic & energetic songs we played, but when we completed the songs...no applause, no mass exodus from the room, but no instant gratification either. After our set, one guy said loudly "But that was awesome!" Almost confused by the lack of hand clapping. Many people told us we rocked after our set, but no applause actually while we played. Very strange.

I've been acting in a play called "The Pillowman" for the last three weeks, and the director decided not to have a curtain call. No bows for the actors. Granted, it's a dark & twisted play where two out of the four characters die. I hear the audience applaud when the show is over, but it's in the distance. I just don't get to embrace it with a bow or anything. It's not a big deal, but this weekend did make me notice that all the applause has started to slip away from me. Is someone intentionally making sure that people do not encourage my bizarrely artistic ways?

The mid-term elections are coming our way, and there's not a lot of clapping going on. Who's right? Who's wrong? Who's safer? Who more corrupt? There isn't anything on a national level to applaud. All these Congress folk are spewing out their party rhetoric, but there isn't anything to show for their two-year stint. No one is cheering. No one is expressing any true emotion. It's all gone flat. Our hands are in our laps.

Gas prices have come down from three dollars to about $2.25 where I live, but there is no celebration. Everyone has a justified suspicion that gas prices will spike somewhere around November 8. It will have nothing to do with the election, but really a myriad of reasons from North Korea's nuclear test to gusty winds in the Appalachian Valley, and blah blah blah. There is no joy or applause for falling gas prices. They were jacked up so high that can't even remember what cheap gas is any more, and we're all pretty much on to them. Of course, we have no control over gas prices. No one does, right? What is the sound of no hands clapping? Nothing at all.

A couple weeks ago in Albuquerque, a middle school girl said a man in a dark van & wearing dark clothes pulled a knife on her. Four nearby schools were put on lock down as the SWAT Team ran all over the school searching for a nonexistent bandit. The girl made up the hoax because she did not like her school. The police patted themselves on the back for a job well done and lobbied for school cops being able to carry their guns 24-7 (right now they must lock their guns up during school hours). That patting and lobbying were the only noises heard because no one else was clapping. We believed a little girl's lies, and the cops got to play out their School Lock Down scenario. Front page news, but it was really a whole lot of nothing. Can I stay home from school tomorrow?

In my Congressional District, a big fight is waged over the two female candidates: Incumbent Republican Heather Wilson & Democratic challenger Patricia Madrid. I'm not enamored with either candidate, but strangely enough, it's the only choice we have. For such a highly contested race, neither side wants to actually talk to each other. There are plenty of ads about what this woman did or didn't do, but they will have there first & only debate on Tuesday. That's it. One moment to actually speak to the people about what these women stand for & how they would represent us. Of course, the joke is on us. Neither seem to want to get into any issues at al. They just want us to pick a side and choose. I will select a woman, but don't expect to hear any prideful chest thumping from me or applause for the winner. I just can't put my hands together for the way things are being done these days, and no one deserves any ovation.

So what do we need to do to get those hands smacking together again. Do we need some cheerleaders for every event? Do we need to step up our artistic expression? Can we have a few more positive stories come our way? What should we do? What is the answer?

The sound of silence reigns.

Chris Jungle has never had The Clap.