2004 Best Of/Worst Of: movies

everyone's a critic aren't they? nevertheless i'm compelled to discuss this category.

while doing field work and writing my treatise from september 2003 to june 2004, i really didn't get a chance to see too many movies. but i didn't feel bad because most of the movies sucked during this time. i guess i was spoiled by the matrix trilogy, star wars, and lord of the rings--all of which made for great entertainment in 2001-2002. i was one of the few who enjoyed matrix revolutions, and think the three movies together are an unusual achievement in film making. but matrix revolutions came out in 2003, so i can't nominate it here. oh well.

the ny skyline has been part of me all my life…permanent i thought. growing up near nyc the skyline was always there. i was born around the time construction began on the twin towers. when they opened my dad took me to see them, and i remember pressing my face against the glass on the viewing floor, looking down, and feeling like i was going to pass out. i've also been to windows on the world. it was a great restaurant with a view that i cannot describe in words.

when i took a road trip to the grand canyon in the mid-1990s i got homesick, and the first thing i missed was the ny skyline. i remember a hick hotel clerk questioning me about nyc. they'd never been there and asked me how it was to live near the skyline. i told them that nothing i'd seen on my trip, not philly, pittsburg, nashville, memphis, little rock, oklahoma city, dallas, phoenix, or any other city skyline could come close to the magnificent skyline that i was able to see everyday.

then those terrorists came and violently gouged my skyline, creating a smelly, festering, ugly wound that will never heal. i don't remember life without those towers, and now they're gone forever, along with the 3000 souls who died there that day.

i couldn't look at the nyc skyline for a long time. it hurt too much. living near this tragedy, many in nearby communities lost loved ones, some kids were now orphaned, and i'd hear stories from friends who escaped 9-11 but work on wall st who had to endure all that followed. i was angry. very angry. i wanted justice for what those terrorists did, and nothing else would do. but as the months, and years passed, and the us has gotten further and further into the quagmire its created for itself in iraq, i started getting the sneaking suspicion that i'd been duped--that someone was using this tragedy to further their own agenda.

my feelings were confirmed this summer while watching Michael Moore's controversial movie, Fahrenheit 9/11. if you don't agree with me i don't give a shit--i think Moore nailed it completely. the whole embarrassing, tragic, greedy, fucked up mess that emperor gw bush has initiated. i don't think justice has been served. i think justice has been taken away by this fool and his money-grabbing, arrogant, redneck administration. i live very near nyc and i and thousands like me feel no safer today than 9/11--we got screwed. and still the american people were moronic enough to re-elect that turd.

for those of you who voted for "W" this past november i have this to say: don't you think its time you got your ass to your local recruitment center? and if you're too old, don't you think its time to round up your 18 and up kiddies and haul them down to the recruitment center in you gargantuan SUV? all of you who voted to continue this tragedy, this completely idiotic thing we've got going now should get on the next plane to iraq and start helping out your emperor. otherwise you're nothing but a cowardly hypocrite.

I vote Michael Moore's movie the best of 2004. See what else Moore is up to.

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…and the worst movie of 2004?

The first Resident Evil movie was very entertaining and scary. i loved the unusual plotline from the videogame, which was imaginative but with a "could happen" feel, using real science, like Jurasic Park. i found this horror movie original and it also had a strong female lead character, reminding me of the matrix movies. many movies cheap out on women, only using them as eye candy, but the lead in Resident Evil was intelligent and strong. if you haven't seen it, rent it.

i saw the advanced promos for Resident Evil: Apocalypse, and couldn't wait to see the movie, thinking it would be more of the same. well i was very disappointed. althought it was mildly interesting, it sucked compared to the original movie, and the end of the plotline was silly with not much development in areas that needed it. don't bother to rent it.

while there are many other 2004 movies that sucked, i give my Worst Of to Resident Evil: Apocalypse, because it leaned on the first movie to generate its audience and didn't deliver at all. so thumbs down on this one.

nobody reviews films more entertainingly than misguided, but earnest redneck born again fundamentalist Christians. Go here to see a review much more tragic than the movie.

remember South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut? see this.

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Worst Of 2004 movies honorable mention:

1. Surviving Christmas - putrid.
2. Taxi - idiotic.
3. Stepford Wives - a waste of film.
4. The Whole Ten Yards - why?
5. Catwoman - cats everywhere were embarrassed.

2004 Best Of/Worst Of: gadgets

now that 2005 is just around the corner i'd like to add entries about my personal "best of" and "worst of" lists for 2004. i' start with gadgets.

in 2003 a friend of mine kept telling me i needed an iPod. i didn't listen to him, i thought my deluxe Sony CD AM/FM/TV/Weather player was just fine. i'd payed $90 for that CD player, and at the time couldn't imagine spending $300+ for another music player. but i go to the gym everyday, and love music, so i need some portable audio with me all the time. at the time i didn't mind the limitations of CDs, and lugging 36 of them with me wherever i went.

i finally listened to my friend in february 2004 and purchased the 15 GB iPod [with the buttons] for my b-day. the first night i transferred 250+ songs from my CD collection to my new little iPod, which is named "Jason". the next day i no longer needed to lug around my CD collection, and bought an iPod clipcase for the gym. everyday i'd spend a little time adding more and more of my CD collection to this little gadget, about 2 months later i had my whole CD collection loaded. amazing.

my trip to atlanta included 2 train rides on amtrak that were supposed to be 18 hrs each. the trip down ended up taking 24 hrs; the trip back was 21 hrs. i sat next to the plug each way and had my iPod on and my earphones in for the entire trip. my iPod saved my sanity! i don't know what i would have done without it. probably choked the conductor.

for that reason my iPod gets the award for Best Gadget of 2004. if you're an iPod fan go here for nice tutorials and gread iPod community product reviews.

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If iPod was the best, what could be the worst?

another friend of mine who's a technophobe 'updated' her computer to a newer-used PC about 3 yrs ago. she hates computers to begin with, but doesn't know how much worse she makes it by owning a WinBox, with all the microsoft ugliness inside. a couple of years ago i'd helped her with some software problems [a small nightmare], but recently her mouse died and this became an issue only PC users enjoy. why? because her computer uses a DB9-Pin Serial Mouse. Not PS2 or USB. i couldn't believe it.

the CompuUSA guy snickered in my face when i asked him if they still sold DB9 Serial Mice : ) so i went online and bought my friend a Belkin Black Serial Mouse at Hardwarecooling.com. see it here. i had to register to order from these lunkheads, and in the registration page you're required to include your "surname", but the choices were only "Mr." or "Mrs." since i'm happily divorced i didn't want to register using "Mrs." but i had no choice which annoyed the shit out of me. i emailed Hardwarecooling asking them to fix this, but their located in Pennsylvania somewhere, so i wouldn't be surprised if some insecure country-twang male geek limited the choices on purpose. now i'm waiting for the mouse.

for that reason WinBox PCs [all of them] gets the award for Worst Gadget of 2004. apple simplifies. the PC platform thinktank finds ways to increase anxiety. owning and maintaining a computer shouldn't be THIS complex.

Next up for Best/Worst of 2004: i'm not sure.

100,000 is just numbing

if you're connected to the world you know that southern asia's suffering is increasing by the day. CNN just reported that although its estimated that 45,000-50,000 people died in the tsunami, another 50,000 are at risk to suffer and die from the diseases left in the disaster's wake, resulting in as many as 100,000 people dead in this terrible tragedy. nevermind the orphaned children, mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, and others who've suffered the loss of a loved one.

100,000 is just numbing. if you do happen to believe in a larger entity, such as God, please pray for relief of their suffering, and God's [that large entity] consolation of their broken hearts and spirits.

more than words

lets just start with this: i believe in Jesus Christ. but i am not 'religious', rather i am spiritually minded, even though i was raised catholic. i believe in what Jesus said--we need to love each other and treat each other with as much love, mercy, and forgiveness as we ourselves want. Jesus' love has saved me from myself many times, and i know in my heart that nothing can every separate me from Jesus' love.

this is not to offend blog readers who do not believe as i do. i respect all faiths, as well as those who choose to believe there is no God. i believe that God is smarter than us, and knows how human culture works. God's the ultimate marketing researcher, and it is my belief that God designs his message in packages that tune in to different cultures. Whether it be Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, or any other. at their core, all spiritual paths speak the same messages of forgiveness, mercy, compassion, faith, and love. i guess what i am concerned with is more the taking of the core messages to heart. its often difficult to love others and be forgiving; spiritual challenges are everywhere, tempting people [including me] to hate each other and cause suffering. but its important i think to keep my focus on God's love and to offer myself in service to the universal entity that i feel in everything. to me this feeling is very tangible and present all the time.

on another level, i am always curious to discover what people believe in, even within my own Christian faith. it never ceases to amaze me how differently people can believe in the same thing, and even how words can be interpreted so contentiously. For instance, this Catholic-themed website still hasn't gotten over Vatican II and the modern language used in the Catholic mass. While this Christian site isn't concerned with wording, but with God's love.

This nicely organized site provides overviews of twelve world religions, and links to their texts. Zoroastrianism is a very ancient religion, they call God 'Mazda'. here's a quote from their Yasna 68 book:

"Who think good only, for the overwhelming of oppression and of malice in the raids of the invader, and in face of foes who hate. Grant to us both the desire of, and the knowledge of that straightest path, the straightest because of Righteousness, and of (Heaven) the best life of the Saints, shining, all glorious. As the Ahu is excellent, so is the Ratu (one who rules) from the Righteous Order, a creator of mental goodness and of life's actions done for Mazda. And the kingdom (is) for Ahura, which to the poor may offer nurture."

here's a quote from the Jainist Holy Akarranga Sutra, "Hot and Cold":

"And the hero should conquer wrath and pride,
Look at the great hell (as the place) for greed.
Therefore the hero abstaining from killing,
Should destroy sorrow, going the road of easiness
Here now the hero, knowing the bondage,
Knowing sorrow, should restrain himself.
Having risen to birth among men,
He should not take the life of living beings."

and Hindu's Bhagavad Gita:

"The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.
This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same.
It is said that the soul is invisible, inconceivable and immutable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body."

Krishna also says:

"One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress, who is tolerant, always satisfied, self-controlled, and engaged in devotional service with determination, his mind and intelligence fixed on Me -- such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me."

And Paul says in Romans:

"Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

...amen.

stingy people are predictable and they suck

lets just say that i'm not disappointed about the owner's reaction to excellent work, since its predictable and never varies a micron. that reaction? it shouldn't be compensated for; it should magically, by osmosis, somehow be a *free* given. well, i remember hearing something in high school history 101 that slavery was abolished in the US last century. even communism, that modern slavery option, was out of popularity circa 1989.

if someone who owns a business really thinks their workers should work for free, *and* do a most excellent job, i would say that either that business owner is suffering from a psychosis, or they haven't explored their options of moving their business to some 4th world country bordering the indian ocean, where i hear people work for spoonfuls of rice.

of course a third thought would be for the business owner to invest in time-machine technology and transport his/her business back either to the middle ages [serfs are easy to train and will work for vegetables], or the deep south circa 1799, where they could have uninterrupted free slave labor until well into the mid-nineteenth century.

another tantalizing option lies within the world of robotics. thats right--replace all the workers with robots...atleast they wouldn't ask for raises, although they still might require some expense [like electricity--but only to keep moving, since robots can see in the dark, thus lightbulb $aving$].

...lest i get my hopes too high, i must remember that pursuing any of the above options hints at the act of THINKING, which requires a BRAIN. and since the owners here don't have brains [only the lower brainstem, the craniums are stuffed with gauze] it is too much to expect them to think before they speak, nevermind before they make decisions, or anything else.

the bright side of this is that it just goes to show that, like breeding children, intelligence is not a requirement for starting nor owning a business, all you need is greed, a flair for stinginess, unreasonable expectations, and the ability to make ludacris demands with a straight [albet stupid looking] face.

the twilight day

although very close to that 'twilight' time, today was good. i work near a mall and got stuck in an hour's long traffick jam on the way to work this morning--all mall traffic, or duckheads turning off at my exit to turn around. but once at work, everyone was in a good mood. my coworkers were very generous to me, i received many unexpected cards and gifts. i felt bad since i haven't done any shopping yet and would have to wait until next week to reciprocate.

why didn't i do any shopping? well, i was traveling, and thought i'd be able to in atlanta. but atlanta really isn't a shopping mecca, so it didn't pan out (unless i was going to bring back grits, jimmy dean sausage links, or ammo). before the trip i spent the other weeks prepping for it, plus other mindless stuff i had to do. plus like millions of others who may not admit it, this whole season makes me depressed. and its hard to do things when you're depressed.

i did mail out all my xmas and hanukkah cards on time though, so at least i did something. i'm looking forward to mentally vegging out this weekend. lots of DVD viewing and long contemplative walks with my iPod. i hope the weather holds out for the weekend.

although i sound like a grinch [i am], if your reading this blog, i do wish you a happy holiday in the spirit this season is in.

i want Grand Theft Auto and the war to be over

...so, what do discerning kids want this christmas?

An Ayn Rand Xmas

In this hour-long radio drama, Santa struggles with the increasing demands of providing gifts for millions of spoiled, ungrateful brats across the world, until a single elf, in the engineering department of his workshop, convinces Santa to go on strike. The special ends with the entropic collapse of the civilization of takers and the spectacle of children trudging across the bitterly cold, dark tundra to offer Santa cash for his services, acknowledging at last that his genius makes the gifts — and therefore Christmas — possible.

Prior to broadcast, Mutual Broadcast System executives raised objections to the radio play, noting that 56 minutes of the hour-long broadcast went to a philosophical manifesto by the elf and of the four remaining minutes, three went to a love scene between Santa and the cold, practical Mrs. Claus that was rendered into radio through the use of grunts and the shattering of several dozen whiskey tumblers. In later letters, Rand sneeringly described these executives as "anti-life."

Just one of many less than successful Christmas specials of yesteryear.

plastic joy / red and green M&Ms®

i dread the holiday home stretch--that twilight time just before the big X-MAS. the news reports retailer's fading hopes of 'topping last year's sales', i guess to make us consumers feel guilty so we make one last trip to the mall or Amazon.com. the news is also filled with those sourpatch plastic joy stories i detest. if you live in an urban or suburban area you're surrounded by homeless and working poor citizens most go out of their way not to notice for 360 days each year, and all of a sudden, the media discovers them anew each year during this twilight time.

salvation army bellringers, soup kitchens, homeless kids, fast food cashier moms making ends meet, displaced senior citizens living on heating grates by the subway--the media takes its 5 obligatory minutes during this time to bring these stories to the more affluent so they can: 1) feel guilty; 2) gloat; 3) do something to help; 4) slide deeper into apathy; 5) 1, 2, and 4 together, but not #3. then, a week after the big event, these nameless persons fade back into the background noise again, not to be mentioned again until next year.

i guess i find that the most pathetic part of this season. i spent last weekend away from home in atlanta. i attended a sunday methodist service out of curiosity. the reverend's sermon was about 'standing up for jesus'--how the congregants needed to not only vote for jesus, as they did 'in this last election', but continue to wage war with the rest of the citizens of this country to make 'jesus be heard'. after the sermon i walked two blocks down peachtree street and was confronted for the 50th time during my visit by a homeless man begging for money. he wore a blanket over his head and was wearing a filthy smelly sweatsuit. many of the atlanta homeless are dressed in little more than rags. this was in such juxtaposition to the smartly dressed, well manicured congregation i'd just left. i wondered if the reverend ever met some of these homeless men just blocks from his 'historical church--first in atlanta'.

certainly if a person considers the 'meanings' of this season [atleast for hanukka and christmas] there is a pattern of the unexpected--the oil burned for 8 days unexpectedly; the world received an undeserved gift of the christ unexpectedly. after i gave the man a dollar and continued on my way i wondered if maybe there was a bigger message in all this unexpectedness; that maybe that entity out there is prompting us to do the unexpected ourselves, to create our own miracles for each other by being nonjudgmental, merciful, forgiving, and compassionate when its least expected and undeserved, not just during this 5 day twilight time, but for the other 360 days as well.

then i thought of that congregation again and wondered if any of them would 'stand up for jesus' by doing what he did--communing with those homeless men, generously lending their time and talents to make some unfortunate person's life a little easier, especially those that society finds untouchable or undeserving. or, voting with those persons in mind, and not just the congregant's wallet. i don't know the answer to that question.

blech

well today wasn't very good. mercury retrograde was working overtime to screw everything up. nothing like repeating and rerepeating repeated info to people with brains the size of frozen peas. stupidity should be painful for the stupid, not just those who must deal with them. although if i must come back to this sorry planet i'd like to reincarnate as a fucking idiot. no intelligence, no worries, just the joy of aggravating everyone you meet.

or i'd like to come back as a squirrel. the ones in the parks near me have it good. assorted nuts and treats courtesy of people who have time to actually feed them, a big fluffy tail to curl up with at night, and lots of other squirrels to chase around when bored. oh and lets not forget the tantalizing entertainment bird feeders present. have you ever seen a squirrel disassemble a bird feeder? they are smart. and cute.

restless and angry as a storm

i think dolphins are the noblest creatures on earth.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6565810/

...and this is how we repay them.
http://www.marineconnection.org/campaigns/captivity_swim_programmes.html


This is a nice site about dolphins http://www.southwest.com.au/~kirbyhs/dolphins.html

If only I could leave this awful place
and find the tranquil waters of the sea
to swim with your abandon and your grace
and lead your life so simple and so free.
But I must travel through life as a man,
as restless and as angry as a storm.
I seek out and I find peace where I can
but, to my human nature, must conform.
What must you think of me out here afloat
just looking on, your captive as you play?
Upon this large and slow and clumsy boat,
if you could speak my words, what would you say?
They say you dream of men, perhaps you do.
But, in my fondest dreams, I dream of you.

(C) 2000 Sean McBride.

interactive-odular

cellular.
modular.
interactive-ODULAR.
http://www.filmbuffs.net/bananana/

crapping on a bank statement

yesterday i was trying to do 3-5 things at the same time. i'd cleaned out the kitty box and left it in the tub with disinfectant to soak, and promptly forgot about it as i moved on to something else. while eating dinner hours later, dinky, my little cat started jumping and mewing around me. i thought she wanted some of my meal. turns out she was yelling at me about the kitty box. after several attempts to get my attention she crapped on a bank statement that was on the hallway floor. thats when i realized i'd forgotten the kitty box soaking in the tub. i'm domestically gifted.

this mess isn't just because i'm sloppy. i'd spent the past year designing a study, doing fieldwork, and writing a large treatise, plus working to support myself and dinky. there was little time to do anything, nevermind clean. so this is like a long term mess, with stuffed away blobs to clear. my friend [the wedding one] is coming to take care of dinky for my trip, and i'd wanted to have the place kind of clean so she wouldn't think i was nuts. its only going to be half clean. but the kitty box [filled with premium *corn* litter] is spotless.

my whole existence was for your amusement

today i stayed home to clean my messy apartment, more mixed results. its more clean than before, but still a mess. i've been watching the Nirvana WTLO DVD, and playing other Nirvana tapes while scrubbing. i wrote a review of the box set for my friend's website [when its posted i'll link it]. i'm not much of a fan of any 'one' group, my musical tastes are very diverse, but i am a Nirvana fan. the box set is sad but i'm glad they released it finally. it was long overdue.

its astounding that the music market is glutted with thrice recycled crap filler by the same baby boomer postering egomaniacs. who needs another janice joplin or woodstock review? please, it was time to release something RELEVANT for the rest of the population that doesn't give a shit about the 60s.

in the spirit of "i don't give a shit about baby boomer culture", here's one of my favorite nirvana lyrics [papercuts]--

----------
when its my feeding time
she push food thru the door
i crawl towards the cracks of light
sometimes i can't find my way

newspapers spread around
soaking all that they can
a cleaning is due again
a good hosing down

the lady whom i feel maternal love for
cannot look me in the eyes
but i see her and they are blue
and they cock and twitch and masterbate

i said so....nirvana

black windows are paint
i scratch with my nails
i see others just like me
why do they not try escape?

they bring out the older ones
they point at my way
the older ones come with lights
and take my family away

and very later i have learned
to accept some friends of ridicule
my whole existence was for your amusement
and that is why i'm here with you

to take you with me to your eyes...nirvana
--------
if you're a boomer who's stumbled across this blog and are tempted to leave a comment [chastising me about my lack of respect for your *magnificent* generation], just a thought: do you really believe i give a shit what you think?

honey, let's have a PLAID wedding.

the first bridesmaid shopping trip was a mixed bag. mostly leftovers. as expected, every single thing was an ungodly design disaster. i couldn't shake feeling queezy and self concious about what we were doing, and i let my friend know i really really wasn't in the mood to do this. i mean, i'm going on a trip this week (more to come), and the stupid plastic joy holidays are here, so i'm mess to begin with. i have a problem with liking myself now to begin with, so adding this bridesmaid stuff in just paralyzes me. i think my friend understood when i explained it like that.

she ended up trying on what we picked out. the place was packed with bridal parties, but as usual, she looked good even in the ugly stuff we chose. of course the choices available were minimal, and all the designs were just horrible. who the fuck designs this stuff? like do they figure their goal is to make women as ugly and uncomfortable as possible, and make them spend $300 to do it?

what i don't understand the most is the material this stuff is made from. its like someone recycled old polyester-satin curtains into these humiliatingly horrid creations. the dresses are heavy and coarse. most women's clothing is lite and many pieces of business wear comes in 'stretchy' material, like spandex mixed in, so you can move. you'd expect that with these dresses--just a little give and some lightweight materials, but in fact everything is awkward, binding, and the type of material you'd use for a satin tent.

we visited a couple of places, and the worst dress of all was a fushia/coral/green/cobalt blue/yellow PLAID [yes i'm not kidding] monstrosity we unearthed at macy's. what the fuck? that had to be, hands down, the fucking worst offensively designed piece of shit bridesmaid dress of all. i wish i had my camera, it was just unbelievable. i don't know what was worse--the colors, or the PLAID. how can i take this seriously?

tasteless commitment fashions

on a serious note a friend of mine is getting married in june and i'm in her bridal party. i've been helping her shop for stuff the past few months, and now its time for the *ugh* brides maid dresses. tomorrow after all sorts of other last minute crap she and i are going shopping for that. and i have to get this out of my system before we go.

i have never, ever seen a pretty or tasteful bridesmaid dress. every last one is a horrible fashion accident that makes its wearer look like a picasso painting. i'm not a huge fan of dresses to begin with, i think they are impractical, awkward and showcase femininity's "weaker" side. i've worn them, and have a few that are at least tasteful and comfortable. but that's not what we're going shopping for.

my friend's changed her mind about the colors--from emerald green, to fucking *pink*, to now ~periwinkle~ ("because its a JUNE wedding!"). i'm not a periwinkle kind of person, even in june. i have a feeling i'm going to look like a tampon once i try one of these awful things on tomorrow.

and my friend wants the dresses to be *strapless* so that me, her sister, and her other friend will all expose our shoulders. i've never worn a strapless dress in my life. the idea of my shoulders being naked for a whole day at this thing, plus posing for photos, and looking friendly, is just going to drive me up a wall.

don't get me wrong, my friend is a great person, she's kind, smart, and all that and we get along well, but we're opposites and where she can put on a garbage bag and make it look good, i can't wear good clothes and make them look halfway decent. its just not something i care about. but no matter what i'm going to do what she wants and try not to make too many nasty sarcastic comments. we'll see.

the day

besides the last pithy post, emotionally, i feel like shit today. too much input from everyone around me. sometimes i wish people would just mind their own business. but i think its a fact of nature that people can't do that. everyone is always comparing themselves with everyone else, judging, analyzing. i notice people are always ready with a sarcastic or passive-aggressive comment to toss around, but hardly ever a good word. you've got to really dig around for that. its funny how perceptions are determined by moods and weather.

mercury retrograde

as some may know, mercury, planet of communication, is retrograde thru 12/20. lots of communication screw ups and breakdowns during this period, with the 'peak' being about now, 12/10. its retro in a 'mutable' sign [sagittarius] this time, which 'squares' [virgo] and 'opposes' [gemini] mercury's native signs, which are also mutable.

for those who don't know what mutability is, the mutable signs [gemini, virgo, sagittarius, pisces] represent 'flux', flexibility and movement of all sorts, from the media, computers, to cars, spiritual stuff, etc. people with lots of these signs in their native charts are restless, communicate well, move around alot, and can be spacey sometimes. when mercury is retrograde in one of these four, the max amount of communication chaos is the result. i know this sounds out-there, but i've seen and experienced it.

supposedly retrogrades focus on inward journeys. as in, since nothings going well, people tend to become focused on parts of their lives they don't normally think about, which is good really. insights can be had during these times, but you've got to know which wave to choose to benefit from it.

hello

this is my first blog and my first post. so very exciting. of course i have a hard time committing to anything, so we'll just see how this goes. no promises.