I think the problem lately is I've been trying too hard to be an adult (whatever that means) and not giving in to the old geekdom. All this anxiety over Housing and Career and Money blah BLAH blah BLAH....I mean, I'm childless and 30something, what do I really care about all that stuff? That's so not keeping it real. It feels like a pretentious front. A masquerade, if you will. Liked a mid-sized sedan that is really a robot from another planet. That was my weak segue into saying that I'm really thrilled about this new Transformers movie coming out. I'm pleased that there is a Skrull conspiracy going on in Marvel Comics. I am cautiously excited the original creators are remaking Neon Genesis Evangelion into a tetrology of new feature animes, because as we all know, the only thing better than a trilogy is a motherf-in' tetrology.
It's nerdy little otaku enthusiasms like these that have kept me going in the past, and there's really no reason to give up on them now. It has not been a good year, but it could get better.
Prayer
Poor you on a plastic bed
with so many painkillers
and full recollection
Yeah you in a cul de sac
almost to Ontario,
close to home, far from the bar
Brave you in a Vegas hospital
sad and strong, sucking in new life,
after all that gambling
it is a relief to see you sleep.
with so many painkillers
and full recollection
Yeah you in a cul de sac
almost to Ontario,
close to home, far from the bar
Brave you in a Vegas hospital
sad and strong, sucking in new life,
after all that gambling
it is a relief to see you sleep.
going to vegas....
....tomorrow, to visit ailing co-worker. Going to try not to gamble at all, leaving the question, what else do you do in Vegas? I'm not sure. There seems to be a De La Soul show at the Hard Rock, which sounds promising. Also probably some sort of exhorbitant steak will be involved.
lucky
A co-worker friend got in a pretty bad accident last week. Thankfully she survived, but she was seriously injured. I'm writing this not to gossip, just to say that it's the kind of thing that puts it all into perspective. All my complaining about moodswings, career, bills, the X-Men movie franchise, and bad grammar really doesn't mean shit. Having food to eat and a basically healthy body are indulgences of the very lucky. Because bad things are always happening to good people.
kindergarten cafeteria utopia
All I have to say today is that my condo-mate is hosting two Chilean friends at our place, and in the spirit of spoiling them with true American food, she made home-made Sloppy Joes, which were PHENOMENALLY DELICIOUS. Meaty, saucy, chunky with corn and onions and cheese and bell peppers on a soft toasty bun....just like they used to have in the school cafeteria....and just as they are served, I'm sure, in the eternal amber-hued mess hall of the Hereafter.
damn it!
The question for the day is, is sexual frustration really going to help the writing/artistic career? Or is libido one of those things that must be tended to before the deeply-felt writing can begin?
The first person (as if anyone reads this) to mention Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs gets hit with a brick.
The first person (as if anyone reads this) to mention Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs gets hit with a brick.
So if Burt Bacharach is writing protest songs...
....(which he is, on his new album) doesn't that mean that the situation is worse than it ever has been? I mean, the guy is like 80, and has been writing songs about love and raindrops for his whole life. He's lived through all the wars and all the administrations of the past century, but Only Now feels so compelled by the dire state of the country that he would, in his own words, write a song about it.
Where have all the protest songs gone anyway? I mean the ones that we all know, not just scattered fan bases.
The corollary thought is, there is an Old Wisdom that assures us, "Sure, things seem bad right now, but it has always been thus, and you are only now of the age to acknowledge it." Or, put another way, "In MY day, we had to walk to school, through the snow, six miles, uphill, both ways..." etc. It's this cozening thought which urges us to put things in perspective, and not act like such a victim of society.
It occurs to me that this Old Wisdom might, too, be a part of the vast right-wing corporate conspiracy. Because perhaps things have been bad before, but they were never so bad that Burt Bacharach felt he had to take a break from writing love songs and comment on it. It's to the bad guys' advantage when people say, "they're bad, true, but they're no worse than the past bad administrations, and certainly no worse than (...blank...)"
It's something else when qualitative information suggests that "Actually, even in comparison to other regimes, THESE Current Bastards ARE the most evil conniving vicious bunch of Bastards to EVER HOLD POWER."
Where have all the protest songs gone anyway? I mean the ones that we all know, not just scattered fan bases.
The corollary thought is, there is an Old Wisdom that assures us, "Sure, things seem bad right now, but it has always been thus, and you are only now of the age to acknowledge it." Or, put another way, "In MY day, we had to walk to school, through the snow, six miles, uphill, both ways..." etc. It's this cozening thought which urges us to put things in perspective, and not act like such a victim of society.
It occurs to me that this Old Wisdom might, too, be a part of the vast right-wing corporate conspiracy. Because perhaps things have been bad before, but they were never so bad that Burt Bacharach felt he had to take a break from writing love songs and comment on it. It's to the bad guys' advantage when people say, "they're bad, true, but they're no worse than the past bad administrations, and certainly no worse than (...blank...)"
It's something else when qualitative information suggests that "Actually, even in comparison to other regimes, THESE Current Bastards ARE the most evil conniving vicious bunch of Bastards to EVER HOLD POWER."
2 Gig or 4 Gig?
A short play, based on conversations had and overheard.
GUY 1: Nano, eh? 2 gig or 4 gig?
GUY 2: 2 gig.
GUY 1: They have 8 gig too.
GUY 2: I know.
GUY 1: I have the 60 gig video Ipod.
GUY 2: Good.
GUY 1: But it doesn't work! I try the AutoFill, it never works. I have to buy a new computer.
GUY 2: I have to buy a new computer too.
GUY 1: Also, not enough space! I downloaded a movie, but I can't watch the movie over and over again! So I have to take it off so I can download a new movie. That's how they get you.
GUY 2: "They?"
GUY 1: I know one guy, he was lost in the jungle with no food. His Ipod saved his life!
GUY 2: How?
GUY 1: I don't know. I think, software, or something.
GUY 2: I see.
GUY 1: Maybe you should upgrade to 12 gigs.
GUY 2: I hope. Someday.
Pause.
GUY 1: Nice weather today.
GUY 2: Could you please GO AWAY? I'm trying to listen to my Ipod!
The End.
GUY 1: Nano, eh? 2 gig or 4 gig?
GUY 2: 2 gig.
GUY 1: They have 8 gig too.
GUY 2: I know.
GUY 1: I have the 60 gig video Ipod.
GUY 2: Good.
GUY 1: But it doesn't work! I try the AutoFill, it never works. I have to buy a new computer.
GUY 2: I have to buy a new computer too.
GUY 1: Also, not enough space! I downloaded a movie, but I can't watch the movie over and over again! So I have to take it off so I can download a new movie. That's how they get you.
GUY 2: "They?"
GUY 1: I know one guy, he was lost in the jungle with no food. His Ipod saved his life!
GUY 2: How?
GUY 1: I don't know. I think, software, or something.
GUY 2: I see.
GUY 1: Maybe you should upgrade to 12 gigs.
GUY 2: I hope. Someday.
Pause.
GUY 1: Nice weather today.
GUY 2: Could you please GO AWAY? I'm trying to listen to my Ipod!
The End.
i don't mind being blue....
...what pisses me off is being blue and in the same day receiving 10 MySpace friend invites from fake hot babe profiles who like computers and don't want kids.
It feels like rubbing salt in the wound, somehow.
It feels like rubbing salt in the wound, somehow.
frakkin' A.
I don't know if this is an appropriate thing to talk about on Memorial Day, but I love Battlestar Galactica. I haven't watched hardly any of Season 3, either. I was just watching Season 2 on DVD today, and rediscovering how great it is.
I love the allegories for everything. I love the tough-guy dialogues. ("Go go go!") I love Mary McDonnell as the sick stoned prophet president. I love that people are always dying and coming back to life. I love the zero-g Viper maneuvers in space. I love that Starbuck looks and acts kind of like the line producer on my movie. I love the battle between monotheism and polytheism. I love the political references to everything from Jack Ruby to the War on Terror. I love Grace Park for excelling in the most ridiculously complicated actor role ever written. (She's a human. She's an alien. She's in love. She's a spy. She's a prisoner of war. She's in a love triangle. She has Ethernet ports in her arm. She's happy, she's sad, she gets killed, and reincarnated, and pregnant, and gives birth to a messiah? And you thought you had issues?) I love it for exploring a militaristic culture without jingoistically championing it. I love that Baltar is basically motivated by sex. I love that they used the original "Battlestar" theme in the episode with the reality show made by Xena. I love how everyone's hair remains perfect. And, all pretensions aside, I love Big Things in Space Blowing Up.
Also, I readily admit to loving how much some people do not love it. But AFAIK it is the only good show on TV.
I love the allegories for everything. I love the tough-guy dialogues. ("Go go go!") I love Mary McDonnell as the sick stoned prophet president. I love that people are always dying and coming back to life. I love the zero-g Viper maneuvers in space. I love that Starbuck looks and acts kind of like the line producer on my movie. I love the battle between monotheism and polytheism. I love the political references to everything from Jack Ruby to the War on Terror. I love Grace Park for excelling in the most ridiculously complicated actor role ever written. (She's a human. She's an alien. She's in love. She's a spy. She's a prisoner of war. She's in a love triangle. She has Ethernet ports in her arm. She's happy, she's sad, she gets killed, and reincarnated, and pregnant, and gives birth to a messiah? And you thought you had issues?) I love it for exploring a militaristic culture without jingoistically championing it. I love that Baltar is basically motivated by sex. I love that they used the original "Battlestar" theme in the episode with the reality show made by Xena. I love how everyone's hair remains perfect. And, all pretensions aside, I love Big Things in Space Blowing Up.
Also, I readily admit to loving how much some people do not love it. But AFAIK it is the only good show on TV.
The Culture of Fear...
...that we're currently living in is nowhere more evident, I feel, than in the telephone customer service from major banks.
Those people, in India or Omaha or whathaveyou, are so afraid of saying the wrong thing that they can't do ANYTHING. They recite nonsense dutifully off the script, do not listen to anything you have to say, and are always weirdly tense, probably because the conversation is being recorded to insure that they can be fired at any moment. Yesterday one of them asked me how the weather was, in California. I wanted to say:
"The WEATHER? The weather is freaking awesome in California, even when it's cold it's AWESOME. Could you please attend to my problem and not a) give me the wrong information b) connect me to someone else with the wrong information or c) attempt to connect me to someone else that ends with my line going completely dead so I have no option but to start this whole futile process again for the fifth time??!!??"
...but I didn't. Why? Because at heart, I'm a capitalist pig.
Those people, in India or Omaha or whathaveyou, are so afraid of saying the wrong thing that they can't do ANYTHING. They recite nonsense dutifully off the script, do not listen to anything you have to say, and are always weirdly tense, probably because the conversation is being recorded to insure that they can be fired at any moment. Yesterday one of them asked me how the weather was, in California. I wanted to say:
"The WEATHER? The weather is freaking awesome in California, even when it's cold it's AWESOME. Could you please attend to my problem and not a) give me the wrong information b) connect me to someone else with the wrong information or c) attempt to connect me to someone else that ends with my line going completely dead so I have no option but to start this whole futile process again for the fifth time??!!??"
...but I didn't. Why? Because at heart, I'm a capitalist pig.
overheard at my friend's wedding
This is the DJ, complaining about a change in the program order:
"That was COMPLETELY unexpected! We didn't have the song ready! No more changes like that! You HAVE to keep us in the loop!"
Other than that, it was nice for once spending the weekend with some Asian people who are not pathological gamblers.
Also, someone brought McDonald's to the after-party, which I haven't had in like six months.
"That was COMPLETELY unexpected! We didn't have the song ready! No more changes like that! You HAVE to keep us in the loop!"
Other than that, it was nice for once spending the weekend with some Asian people who are not pathological gamblers.
Also, someone brought McDonald's to the after-party, which I haven't had in like six months.
dreamgirl
Now and then I get a friend request on MySpace from somebody who is not obviously a fake/pornbot/pyramid marketer, but rather has a profile like this:
"HI. My name is Sarah-Nicole. I love to smell flowers before I see them. I heart watching silent black and white films from a projector. I watch the discovery health cannel (sic) at 3 in the morning, when I can’t sleep. When I am sick I like to watch my favorite family films, like Ghostbusters, The Labyrinth, Ninja Turtles, The Never Ending Story, and Disney movies. I like the smell of new clothes. My heart belongs to classic horror movies. I love to finger paint on walls. I fancy anything dealing with outdurrr space. I love Greek and Roman history, like the Persian Wars. I love to sing show tunes, like Wicked. I love the way a camera feels on you’re eye, and how you can see your visions through the lens. Japan is amazing, I love Asians. I love the taste of coca cola in the glass bottle. Sunflowers are my favorite because they are like the sun, they bring warmth and joy. Comic books are amazing. I like full composition notebooks. I want to be a director. I want to go to Emerson."
In Theory, this could be a real person, but it's extremely unlikely. But how good is that algorithm they've got writing this shit? Or is it some wannabe screenwriter's side job? I really am curious. Because unlike the nonsense jabber that distinguishes most Spam, this one has a few little touches that are clearly aimed at me, or someone categorically like me. To wit:
- "...at 3 in the morning, when I can't sleep..." (They KNOW that I take Lunesta!)
- "I love Greek and Roman history, like the Persian Wars." (NO REAL GIRL likes the Persian Wars. But they know that I MIGHT like Frank Miller and '300'".)
- "I love Asians." (Good God, I'M Asian!)
- "I love the taste of coca cola in the glass bottle." (That's ALMOST something peculiar enough for a real person to say.)
- "Comic books are amazing." (Well, duh.)
Maybe I'm ignorant of all the recent advances in marketing technology, but I think this stuff is really amazing. And, of course, horrifying. Unless it is a real person, who just happens to be 12 and that's why they can't spell "outdoor." But that would mean a whole different kind of big problem.
"HI. My name is Sarah-Nicole. I love to smell flowers before I see them. I heart watching silent black and white films from a projector. I watch the discovery health cannel (sic) at 3 in the morning, when I can’t sleep. When I am sick I like to watch my favorite family films, like Ghostbusters, The Labyrinth, Ninja Turtles, The Never Ending Story, and Disney movies. I like the smell of new clothes. My heart belongs to classic horror movies. I love to finger paint on walls. I fancy anything dealing with outdurrr space. I love Greek and Roman history, like the Persian Wars. I love to sing show tunes, like Wicked. I love the way a camera feels on you’re eye, and how you can see your visions through the lens. Japan is amazing, I love Asians. I love the taste of coca cola in the glass bottle. Sunflowers are my favorite because they are like the sun, they bring warmth and joy. Comic books are amazing. I like full composition notebooks. I want to be a director. I want to go to Emerson."
In Theory, this could be a real person, but it's extremely unlikely. But how good is that algorithm they've got writing this shit? Or is it some wannabe screenwriter's side job? I really am curious. Because unlike the nonsense jabber that distinguishes most Spam, this one has a few little touches that are clearly aimed at me, or someone categorically like me. To wit:
- "...at 3 in the morning, when I can't sleep..." (They KNOW that I take Lunesta!)
- "I love Greek and Roman history, like the Persian Wars." (NO REAL GIRL likes the Persian Wars. But they know that I MIGHT like Frank Miller and '300'".)
- "I love Asians." (Good God, I'M Asian!)
- "I love the taste of coca cola in the glass bottle." (That's ALMOST something peculiar enough for a real person to say.)
- "Comic books are amazing." (Well, duh.)
Maybe I'm ignorant of all the recent advances in marketing technology, but I think this stuff is really amazing. And, of course, horrifying. Unless it is a real person, who just happens to be 12 and that's why they can't spell "outdoor." But that would mean a whole different kind of big problem.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)