Boredom.
It recently occurred to me one reason why I do this thing that I do: boredom. I find myself going stir-crazy after 2 minutes of non-stimulation. I need sensory overload. I need flashing lights in all the colors of the world changing at the speed of…well, light. I need noises so abundant that my entire body vibrates with the voracity of a jet fighter flying at mach 2. I need my eyes spinning, jittering, bouncing 80 times a second that one day I will have to bob my head up and down like a bird just to see straight. Surround sound…how about surround vision? When’s that SV-TV going to be available to the consumer market? Imagine your TV viewing as if it were in an iMax theater…only with better quality and shows designed for that TV. They could incorporate the audience into the show…now that is interactive television.
What has fueled this onset of boredom in modern society? Efficiency, technology, sugar coated sugar dough? Mmm, donuts. Just take what we can do today in a fraction of the time it use to take the pre-computer age world:
-Filing taxes: No more writing onto forms, calculated dependents and deductions, rifling through receipts to see if you can write off the “spa treatment” you got on the business trip to Vegas.
-Video games: No more of that wasteful reading the rules for strat-o-matic baseball simulator (seriously? people still do this?), Risk, or Monopoly. Forget the wrist wrenching pain of dice rolling (you know, those little cube shaped things with dots signifying the numbers 1-6 on them? They’re still going with the dots aren’t they? These number things have been around for a while you know). Now we can use a controller to step up to the plate with our favorite steroid laden All-star and smack homers out of the authentic - computer generated - baseball stadiums. Who would have thought those days of Combat Games, Pitfall, or Baseball for the Atari 2600 would evolve into the sensory stimulating, virtual reality game-fest of today? Those old ‘board’ games could last for hours, now you can play 18 different video games in the same amount of time!
-Applying for…: Anything. Apply for school, apply for competitions, apply for authorization to buy supplies in mass quantities, “apply online now for your new low rate credit card”, no need to wait for that pesky post office mail to begin racking up massive debt.
-Break up: Uncomfortable with that time consuming and awkward “its not you, its me” speech every time you want to break up with that significant other? Well now do it online! E-mail, hire someone to do it for you, put in a classified add, post on your significant other’s website, IM the “Dear John” and consider yourself free and clear.
-Get your news: Wait for the morning paper? Why wait to read about that crazy Astronaut’s drive from Houston to Orlando? Get your info online, watch the pundits, talking heads, and her high school acquaintances psychoanalyze the situation from the comfort of your work desk. Although crazy Astronaut lady probably could have taken care of this all online, without having to drive non-stop along I-10 in diapers to meet the other woman at the airport….the AIRPORT, really? That one place in Orlando where the security personnel don’t look like Mickey Mouse and are probably more abundant than at the Magic Kingdom?
Just to name a few.
With all these technological advances, one wonders what did citizens in the pre-20th Century do in times of sheer, utter boredom. Sleep? Probably. Who has time for boredom when 18 hours of the day you are tilling the fields, pulling the weeds, harvesting the crops, grazing the livestock? Even when they got bored they didn’t do it right…next thing you know all the sheep are being attacked by a wolf and no one believes you.
So if you are still reading this, then that means you are really bored and I have done my part to help you through that. Now go find something productive to do…or find some other way to stimulate you senses with flashing colors, loud noises, and hair raising adrenaline. Then let me know what it is so I can beat back the boredom and monotony of work and everyday-ness.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Monday, February 5, 2007
Exposed
This recent and overwhelming call to blog has left me with quite a dilemma. As a few of my closest confidants warned me of the dangers of putting yourself out there on the internet, you know, expressing an opinion. Particularly for someone who will be entering a career in the public sector, and as important as the one I have chosen. Yes, you guessed it…Miss America. Oh, now that would be a funny post. (Speaking of which, Miss USA Tara Conner will be on Larry King Live this evening at 9pm)
See, here I had planned on writing a witty repartee on the pageant and male competitors but I feel that I must censor myself, thus not be funny, thus return to the true, underlying topic at hand: Internet and the public sphere. Miss America, or Teen Miss America, you know, the one the Donald let off the hook with a slap on the wrist. Well, I would like to think that Donald Trump is aware of the changing and modernizing of American culture. Kids, young adults, and even recent college graduates have been exposed to the internet since they could walk and talk, some even before. Computers and the internet are revolutionizing the world in ways that we can’t even predict. Just the other day, I was having lunch at a decent eatery in the area. The popularity of said eatery required close proximity to other patrons. Conversations were inevitably overheard (ironically like posting on the internet) and a group of recent college graduates were seated next to us. One of the young women exasperated on about a situation she recently had. The long short of it is, she used a phrase so common nowadays that it should be place along side the annals of such verbs as googled, or, well… blogged. She ‘myspaced’ a recently encountered individual and found some unwanted information involving a fiancé, yada, yada, yada. Other warnings have crossed my path recently from professors and relatives and here I pass it on to you dear readers / fellow bloggers. Anything – ANYTHING – you post on the internet, no matter how secure or believed private sites, can resurface in the future. Information, media, pictures, all can be downloaded, copied, stored, re-posted halfway across the globe.
Picture this, you are a 9 year old kid, you Dad tells you to do something cool while he is pointing his phone/digital video recorder at you. So you start gyrating and breaking off some funky funk moves in your kitchen…next thing you know little kids in Taipei are gathering around a laptop watching you go all weeble-wobble like. Eight years later you are randomly on vacation in New York City, walking with your lady and you see yourself on the big screen in Time Square and she breaks down in hysterical laughter. Then they turn it into a Cisco commercial…not cool.
Moral of the story my children…lock yourself in the deepest, darkest, devoid of all light and technology dungeon, with only books, musical instruments (no recording devices), and Tom Hanks movies until everyone is low-jacked and walking around in one-piece silver jump suits.
See, here I had planned on writing a witty repartee on the pageant and male competitors but I feel that I must censor myself, thus not be funny, thus return to the true, underlying topic at hand: Internet and the public sphere. Miss America, or Teen Miss America, you know, the one the Donald let off the hook with a slap on the wrist. Well, I would like to think that Donald Trump is aware of the changing and modernizing of American culture. Kids, young adults, and even recent college graduates have been exposed to the internet since they could walk and talk, some even before. Computers and the internet are revolutionizing the world in ways that we can’t even predict. Just the other day, I was having lunch at a decent eatery in the area. The popularity of said eatery required close proximity to other patrons. Conversations were inevitably overheard (ironically like posting on the internet) and a group of recent college graduates were seated next to us. One of the young women exasperated on about a situation she recently had. The long short of it is, she used a phrase so common nowadays that it should be place along side the annals of such verbs as googled, or, well… blogged. She ‘myspaced’ a recently encountered individual and found some unwanted information involving a fiancé, yada, yada, yada. Other warnings have crossed my path recently from professors and relatives and here I pass it on to you dear readers / fellow bloggers. Anything – ANYTHING – you post on the internet, no matter how secure or believed private sites, can resurface in the future. Information, media, pictures, all can be downloaded, copied, stored, re-posted halfway across the globe.
Picture this, you are a 9 year old kid, you Dad tells you to do something cool while he is pointing his phone/digital video recorder at you. So you start gyrating and breaking off some funky funk moves in your kitchen…next thing you know little kids in Taipei are gathering around a laptop watching you go all weeble-wobble like. Eight years later you are randomly on vacation in New York City, walking with your lady and you see yourself on the big screen in Time Square and she breaks down in hysterical laughter. Then they turn it into a Cisco commercial…not cool.
Moral of the story my children…lock yourself in the deepest, darkest, devoid of all light and technology dungeon, with only books, musical instruments (no recording devices), and Tom Hanks movies until everyone is low-jacked and walking around in one-piece silver jump suits.
Friday, February 2, 2007
Balancing Act
As we all know, all things in life can be referenced to a Seinfeld, Simpsons, Arrested Development, or Friends episode. Trust me, give it a try. Haven’t we all wanted to be a mascot for a minor league baseball team? Gone out with that girl with man hands? Joined an alliance of Magicians? Been infatuated with a girl then meet someone else only to find out the girl you were infatuated with is now infatuated with you which causes you to get your second divorce only to date for a little while, break up, then get back together when you are like 45 years old and still living in a two bedroom apartment with the same people you did 12 years ago? Yeah, same here. Its like they were broadcasting our lives into our homes every Thursday night. Which is weird because they never showed them watching TV with a show about a group of Friends.
So we come to the concept of balance. As some of you may recall the Seinfeld episode where everything seems to balance out for Jerry, it couldn’t be more true to life. To put it in economic terms, in the long run we always return to the equilibrium. This could also explain the return of the denim outfit and square sunglasses, maybe that’s just the equilibrium of American fashion. That’s a frightening thought. What goes around, comes around, cyclical. Moving wave-like though, and I am sure there is some kind of calculus formula for the area under a sine wave that explains it all, but I wasn’t the best student in that subject. I was pretty good at trig and geometry…must be the world of balances balancing out my math skills.
“If you had a friend who was a tightrope walker and you were walking down the sidewalk and he fell, that would be completely unacceptable” – Mitch Hedberg
Balance is important. Yin and Yang. Good and evil. Right and wrong. Day and Night. Neo and Agent Smith. One cannot exist without the other and too much of one will kill you. Too much of anything is bad for you…water = drown, sun = dehydration, alcohol = alcohol poisoning, The Brady Bunch = an overwhelming feeling Marsha is always stealing your thunder that leads to a mental break down and intervention by Peter who seems to be the only person who noticed, at which point Alice comes in and discovers the dog is missing and blames you for not being responsible. It never pays to be jealous. Oh, right, or too much of one thing.
So as you can see, balance is a good thing to have in life. Financial, emotional, love, communication. It keeps us from spinning off into the universe or being swallowed into a deep, dark hole – which you find to be really big worm with teeth that just happens to be using your asteroid hideaway as a den (you can never have too many Star Wars references, oh wait, that contradictory to my whole point, so I guess you can). And when the down times come, and they do, remember things will get better, things balance, times will return to the equilibrium and beyond. Try to see the best of a situation and it won’t make the bad times seem so bad and soon you will be back to your old, wonderful self. I think this pertains to so many of you that this is intended for no one in particular. Maybe I am writing this to myself, who knows.
Balance is found everywhere in nature. Tides, seasons, earthquakes, air pressure, lightning…they are all looking for equilibrium. Balance wins championships in the sports world. Balance keeps you from falling off exercise apparatuses, taking a nice gash out of your shin that requires 12 stitches, while you were playing around at your sister’s middle school track meet. I wish I had better balance.
So we come to the concept of balance. As some of you may recall the Seinfeld episode where everything seems to balance out for Jerry, it couldn’t be more true to life. To put it in economic terms, in the long run we always return to the equilibrium. This could also explain the return of the denim outfit and square sunglasses, maybe that’s just the equilibrium of American fashion. That’s a frightening thought. What goes around, comes around, cyclical. Moving wave-like though, and I am sure there is some kind of calculus formula for the area under a sine wave that explains it all, but I wasn’t the best student in that subject. I was pretty good at trig and geometry…must be the world of balances balancing out my math skills.
“If you had a friend who was a tightrope walker and you were walking down the sidewalk and he fell, that would be completely unacceptable” – Mitch Hedberg
Balance is important. Yin and Yang. Good and evil. Right and wrong. Day and Night. Neo and Agent Smith. One cannot exist without the other and too much of one will kill you. Too much of anything is bad for you…water = drown, sun = dehydration, alcohol = alcohol poisoning, The Brady Bunch = an overwhelming feeling Marsha is always stealing your thunder that leads to a mental break down and intervention by Peter who seems to be the only person who noticed, at which point Alice comes in and discovers the dog is missing and blames you for not being responsible. It never pays to be jealous. Oh, right, or too much of one thing.
So as you can see, balance is a good thing to have in life. Financial, emotional, love, communication. It keeps us from spinning off into the universe or being swallowed into a deep, dark hole – which you find to be really big worm with teeth that just happens to be using your asteroid hideaway as a den (you can never have too many Star Wars references, oh wait, that contradictory to my whole point, so I guess you can). And when the down times come, and they do, remember things will get better, things balance, times will return to the equilibrium and beyond. Try to see the best of a situation and it won’t make the bad times seem so bad and soon you will be back to your old, wonderful self. I think this pertains to so many of you that this is intended for no one in particular. Maybe I am writing this to myself, who knows.
Balance is found everywhere in nature. Tides, seasons, earthquakes, air pressure, lightning…they are all looking for equilibrium. Balance wins championships in the sports world. Balance keeps you from falling off exercise apparatuses, taking a nice gash out of your shin that requires 12 stitches, while you were playing around at your sister’s middle school track meet. I wish I had better balance.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Welcome!
So since only 2 people knew about this prior to my sending out that mass e-mail, I would like to welcome those who may be coming here for the first time. Below are a collection of entries that come out of recent and long term observances, daily acts of humor and social commentary. I would highly recommend reading from the bottom up, as the oldest entries are at the end of the page, more recent on top. Simple right? Certain words are hyperlinked but you are by no means required to navigate away from this page, I have never really been a fan of people who do that but you have to just to understand the rest of the article/blog/whatever. Looking at my blog I have the sudden sense that I don’t have enough on it…and currently no posts pending, or even an idea in the works, which has me concerned…hmm. Well, I’ll think of something to yammer on about, probably tonight when I’m half asleep and my brain lets in all those thoughts I’ve been spending all day trying to block out. Ok, that sounded creepy.
Also, if you are like me and get easily distracted or become uninterested in reading, I hope to have nice colorful videos and pictures in the future. So enjoy, bookmark, check back periodically if you are bored, post replies if you so desire...and most importantly, I hope life is treating you well! Without further ado…
Also, if you are like me and get easily distracted or become uninterested in reading, I hope to have nice colorful videos and pictures in the future. So enjoy, bookmark, check back periodically if you are bored, post replies if you so desire...and most importantly, I hope life is treating you well! Without further ado…
Chivalry Article
CHIVALRY IS DEAD! After a long investigation into the disappearance and subsequent discovery of the brutal remains, it has been concluded that Chivalry died of exposure to post-modern attitudes and egotism, an autopsy report states. First reported several years ago, chivalry had been reported missing since the late 1950s where it was believed the feminism movement, working conjointly with a retaliatory male chauvinism, inadvertently dumped chivalry into the ocean basins of the world. Eyewitness accounts at the time described the scene as unrelenting and a blur of “hippies, drugs, and rock n’ roll,” although the sources may be unreliable due to the distraction of exposed breasts drawing their attention from the actual events. Throughout pre-modern history, chivalry was abundant and ever-present, men honored women and women appreciated being honored. But soon after the great depression, reports of mass migration of chivalry from cities to rural areas of the country were being observed. Slowly, the decline of this fine trait went unnoticed by the masses; women began opening doors for themselves, men began to openly ogle the opposite sex without even offering to buy them a drink. In modern day North America, the rare report of chivalry spotting is on par with UFO, Bigfood, and the Loch Ness monster sightings. Authorities believe the death of chivalry is related to its lack of success in modern social situations. This quote was found in this news media’s archives, “Hey man, I’ve been, like, holding doors for all of these groovy cats and putting my denim vest around them and not one of those foxy ladies every offered to have sex with me. Not cool, man, not cool.” Nowadays, chivalrous acts go by unnoticed, un-appreciation like starving African children, if it doesn’t make you money then why bother? Agent Mike Michaels of the Chivalry Recognition, Investigation, Monitoring, and Extraction (CRIME) Taskforce who was looking into motive for the disappearance, and now homicide, of such a once highly thought of trait states, “We turned over every stone, followed every lead, spread out far and wide trying to find this thing…this thing I have grown to know. I have spent half my career, hell, half my life, investigating this case and not one clue can point me to a definitive assailant. But one thing is for sure, this high paced, ego-driven, impatient, think-of-me-first world is a clear accomplice.”
Will chivalry ever rise from the ashes? This journalist would like to believe so, but don’t expect to see it anytime soon, dear citizens. Chivalry, if you are out there, drifting through the foggy night, helping elderly ladies with their bags, holding doors for fellow citizens, sheltering another with your umbrella, let's hope that there are individuals out there who remember and appreciate your kindness and generosity.
Will chivalry ever rise from the ashes? This journalist would like to believe so, but don’t expect to see it anytime soon, dear citizens. Chivalry, if you are out there, drifting through the foggy night, helping elderly ladies with their bags, holding doors for fellow citizens, sheltering another with your umbrella, let's hope that there are individuals out there who remember and appreciate your kindness and generosity.
MY LIST: February
February’s Artist: David Gray
Actually, most of you probably know David Gray, listen to his music even. Some of you may already give him the appreciation he deserves. I figured I would be begin with an artist that may not be such a stretch for some of you, and for those of you who are uninitiated into the beautiful, melancholy world of David Gray, you will be instantly converted. Another reason why I chose David Gray…I just don’t think he is appreciated enough on this side of the pond. In my opinion, he should be at the level of Coldplay if not past. Anyway, on to the music.
Most of you may know David by his U.S. breakout album “White Ladder” – a distinctly dark and brooding album with hits such as “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye” and “Babylon”. I discovered Mr. Gray an album later: “A New Day at Midnight” and glad that I did. Not that I don’t like White Ladder, but I think discovering David Gray has matured in his musical writing with each subsequent album. His most resent album, “Life in Slow Motion” is an example of perfection. Every song could be deemed a single, although the title track will move you like the waves of the ocean. Once initiated into the blissful sounds of David Gray, one can move onward to his older albums, “Sell, Sell, Sell” and “Flesh”. These albums are a bit more unpolished and un-produced, rustic in some ways, but are filled with David Gray’s hypnotic rhythms, husky voice, and deep, spiritual lyrics. And don’t forget to check out his “Lost Songs” album that contains songs worthy of appreciation.
The song that will change your life: “Slow Motion”
Other Songs that you must listen to: “The Other Side”, “This Years Love”, “Dead in the Water”, “Ain’t No Love”, “Freedom”, “Alibi”
Hidden Tracks (those songs that could have been overlooked but shouldn’t be): “As I’m Leaving”, “Forever is Tomorrow is Today”, “Flame Turns Blue”, “Nos da Cariad”, “Magdalena”, “Hospital Food”
Actually, most of you probably know David Gray, listen to his music even. Some of you may already give him the appreciation he deserves. I figured I would be begin with an artist that may not be such a stretch for some of you, and for those of you who are uninitiated into the beautiful, melancholy world of David Gray, you will be instantly converted. Another reason why I chose David Gray…I just don’t think he is appreciated enough on this side of the pond. In my opinion, he should be at the level of Coldplay if not past. Anyway, on to the music.
Most of you may know David by his U.S. breakout album “White Ladder” – a distinctly dark and brooding album with hits such as “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye” and “Babylon”. I discovered Mr. Gray an album later: “A New Day at Midnight” and glad that I did. Not that I don’t like White Ladder, but I think discovering David Gray has matured in his musical writing with each subsequent album. His most resent album, “Life in Slow Motion” is an example of perfection. Every song could be deemed a single, although the title track will move you like the waves of the ocean. Once initiated into the blissful sounds of David Gray, one can move onward to his older albums, “Sell, Sell, Sell” and “Flesh”. These albums are a bit more unpolished and un-produced, rustic in some ways, but are filled with David Gray’s hypnotic rhythms, husky voice, and deep, spiritual lyrics. And don’t forget to check out his “Lost Songs” album that contains songs worthy of appreciation.
The song that will change your life: “Slow Motion”
Other Songs that you must listen to: “The Other Side”, “This Years Love”, “Dead in the Water”, “Ain’t No Love”, “Freedom”, “Alibi”
Hidden Tracks (those songs that could have been overlooked but shouldn’t be): “As I’m Leaving”, “Forever is Tomorrow is Today”, “Flame Turns Blue”, “Nos da Cariad”, “Magdalena”, “Hospital Food”
Music Appreciation
Under appreciated music is a sad thing in this modern, pop-oriented society (see previous post for my credentials of being an amateur sociologist). Something can be said for some of the past, current, and maybe future pop talents, but what is overlooked in the media driven, idol steered is the true musical talents and innovators that redefine genres of music. I have been trying to compile a list of artists that I feel fall into this category and whenever anyone attempts to do such a thing, others will differ in opinion. Remember, this is a relative world and this is a very relative topic. So I have decided each month to offer my Artist You Must Listen To That Will Change Your Appreciation Of Music and Possibly Life Itself, or AYMLTTWCYAMPLI for short. Actually, we’ll just call it: Music You’ll Like Instantly, SomeTimes, or MY LIST.
Each month I hope to bring you an artist you may or may not have heard of, but someone you should definitely give a listen to. I will provide you with songs that I feel have altered the music landscape, or just plane built a whole new skyline on that landscape. I hope to pick songs that best represent the artist and ones that may be hidden gems that deserve to be listened to. So check back here at the beginning of each month for a whole new artist that - could - possibly - change - your - life.
Each month I hope to bring you an artist you may or may not have heard of, but someone you should definitely give a listen to. I will provide you with songs that I feel have altered the music landscape, or just plane built a whole new skyline on that landscape. I hope to pick songs that best represent the artist and ones that may be hidden gems that deserve to be listened to. So check back here at the beginning of each month for a whole new artist that - could - possibly - change - your - life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
