here are a couple of fun links to balance my anthropology tirade.
really, who WOULD buy that?
...and in honor of my friend accessg, here's a cool photo site about madonna.
Sunday, January 30, 2005
anthropology is so stereotyped, which is of course, an ironic irony
so the new movie 'Alone in the Dark' stars party-girl tara reid as a 'brilliant anthropologist'. the stereotyped anthropologist image strikes again. how idiotic is that? apparently all the props are there - ancient culture artifacts, digging tools, and the typical attitude that anthropology is all about stones, bones, and brainy, dorky professors.
so what does tara reid say about her part? "Oh, it was great. I play an anthropologist!" She laughs, finally. "You know, my hair's up, and I'm not sexy, and I have to, well, talk anthropology! That's one of the great things about this business - you can learn so much, if you want to - beyond the script. On one movie I did, I had to learn to play bongos. I kept it up, and I'm really good now!" she says in one interview with liz smith. she learns to 'talk anthropology' for the movie. sounds really intelligent. i wonder if she learned how to dig a hole for the movie too.
so what does the prestigious discipline of Anthropology have to say about this dumbed-down stereotype? here's the AAA's website. do you see any PR on that site? none whatsoever. and there is the problem with Anthropology. or rather the image problem with it. for a social science dedicated to studying humanity, anthropology is perhaps the apex of cluelessness when it comes to defining its public image within its own culture. like the absent-minded professor who discovers the mysteries of the universe but can't match his socks, anthropology for some strange reason doesn't address its stereotyped image in popular culture, and that has produced very negative press for the discipline.
why is this important? because, as any good anthropologist knows, culture includes promotion of ideas. ideas about people, professions, apprenticeships, as well as tools and food. culture is in the human mind as much as the environment, and certainly history is repleat with the positive and negative effects of well-executed PR. remember adolph hitler? certainly not the sexiest dictator, but the PR brainwashed a whole country for a decade to murder innocent people. PR is powerful. and PR is linked with economics.
most education institutions preserve the illusion that they are devoid of corporate influences. that they are free of the ties that bind most of us in the private sector, the monetary aspects of living that involve most of the world. but this is a carefully manicured illusion, since tuition fees (whether at a lower-priced public institution, like a state school, or an overpriced private one) can't really begin to pay for everything on a university campus.
endowments from corporations aren't uncommon, and even the private grants from successful individuals really come from corporations. i mean, how can these individuals become successful and rich? they work in the private sector. unless you're a corrupt New Jersey politician public civil service jobs just can't mint millionnaires. so even the most "pure" intellectual university is beholden on some level to corporate influence. and university departments, in need of this money, must answer to any given university board of directors to keep their sub-schools and departments awash in funds to pay for such things as tenure. tenure being a two sides sword: on one hand it allows freedom to speak out, on the other it keeps some professors employed at easy jobs long past their real-world knowledge and usefulness expiration date.
as of late Anthropology departments have increasingly come under scrutiny from directoral boards. how practical is Anthropology? what can students DO with it? what are the economic profits of this study of humankind? most anthro depts have found these questions difficult if not impossible to answer, especially since so many older current phd anthro professors are so lacking in any practical real-world knowledge. none have ever had to work in the private sector, and most consider the private sector a polluted world they would rather not touch, for fear of contamination. i am not making this up.
new applicants to anthro depts have been declining for years, meaning that anthro dept's anemic enrollments don't help any university's bottom line. yet, if you ask most anthro dept directors if perhaps some PR or popular promotion might help this--they'll stare at you like a deer into headlights.
and the public's defense of anthropology? there is none. ask the person on the street what anthropology is, and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom comes to mind. Right now perhaps Tara Reid's 'brilliant anthropologist' will be the flavor, but most people have not a clue as to what it is, so when Anthro depts need funding, or anything else, there's no public outrage when programs and budgets are cut. and that's why Anthropology's crappy attitude towards PR is so shocking, at least to me.
in 2004 i graduated from a state university [not necessarily the link i provide here) with an MA, or master of arts in Applied Anthropology. technically, i am an anthropologist (the applied section considers MA a terminal degree), but with a twist. what is Applied Anthropology? besides what Wikipedia says, its a fairly recent development in the hollowed ivory towers of Anthropology proper that takes anthro concepts back down to earth, applying them to real-world, modern problems that every culture, including US culture, must deal with: public health problems such as needle exchanges, AIDS education, homelessness, geriatric services, alcohol addiction, women's health issues, and urban decay just to start. our modern world is filled with policy problems that need fixing--not just in Africa and Asia, but right here in the US.
up until the 1970s Anthropology studied the far-away exotic cultures that appeared in National Geographic spreads, while Sociology handled the more mundane study of our own western culture. during the 70s Anthropology started to see a decline in new student enrollments, due mostly to the fact that PhDs in Anthro stayed at Universities in tenured positions, or performed 'fieldwork' in some exotic location no one ever heard of. as funding for anthro depts shrunk, tenure trak positions declined and graduates with anthro PhDs were jobless. what to do?
start a subdiscipline that put anthropology's theories and tools into practical use for real-world, modern problems. so the sub-discipline of Applied Anthropology was born in 1974.
fast-forward 30 yrs to 2005. so where is Applied Anthropology, savior of the discipline? on the peripheral outskirts of it, tucked away in the corner, hidden from view, not fully accepted by the more 'traditional' institutionalized PhD trak anthros. why? because applied anthro does something considered not kosher: applied anthros are taking their skills to corporate america, in droves. for example, marketing research firms are embracing corporate ethnography methods because ethnography can elucidate consumer trends much more deeply than more traditional sociological methods. many large companies today employ corporate anthropologists (applied anthros) as part of their marketing teams. but this is not acceptable to the ivory tower anthropologist back on campus. although this is a growing trend, its ignored just as much as PR issues within the discipline of Anthropology.
that's why tara reid can get away with playing a 'brilliant anthropologist' -- because many anthropologists aren't really THAT brilliant after all.
so what does tara reid say about her part? "Oh, it was great. I play an anthropologist!" She laughs, finally. "You know, my hair's up, and I'm not sexy, and I have to, well, talk anthropology! That's one of the great things about this business - you can learn so much, if you want to - beyond the script. On one movie I did, I had to learn to play bongos. I kept it up, and I'm really good now!" she says in one interview with liz smith. she learns to 'talk anthropology' for the movie. sounds really intelligent. i wonder if she learned how to dig a hole for the movie too.
so what does the prestigious discipline of Anthropology have to say about this dumbed-down stereotype? here's the AAA's website. do you see any PR on that site? none whatsoever. and there is the problem with Anthropology. or rather the image problem with it. for a social science dedicated to studying humanity, anthropology is perhaps the apex of cluelessness when it comes to defining its public image within its own culture. like the absent-minded professor who discovers the mysteries of the universe but can't match his socks, anthropology for some strange reason doesn't address its stereotyped image in popular culture, and that has produced very negative press for the discipline.
why is this important? because, as any good anthropologist knows, culture includes promotion of ideas. ideas about people, professions, apprenticeships, as well as tools and food. culture is in the human mind as much as the environment, and certainly history is repleat with the positive and negative effects of well-executed PR. remember adolph hitler? certainly not the sexiest dictator, but the PR brainwashed a whole country for a decade to murder innocent people. PR is powerful. and PR is linked with economics.
most education institutions preserve the illusion that they are devoid of corporate influences. that they are free of the ties that bind most of us in the private sector, the monetary aspects of living that involve most of the world. but this is a carefully manicured illusion, since tuition fees (whether at a lower-priced public institution, like a state school, or an overpriced private one) can't really begin to pay for everything on a university campus.
endowments from corporations aren't uncommon, and even the private grants from successful individuals really come from corporations. i mean, how can these individuals become successful and rich? they work in the private sector. unless you're a corrupt New Jersey politician public civil service jobs just can't mint millionnaires. so even the most "pure" intellectual university is beholden on some level to corporate influence. and university departments, in need of this money, must answer to any given university board of directors to keep their sub-schools and departments awash in funds to pay for such things as tenure. tenure being a two sides sword: on one hand it allows freedom to speak out, on the other it keeps some professors employed at easy jobs long past their real-world knowledge and usefulness expiration date.
as of late Anthropology departments have increasingly come under scrutiny from directoral boards. how practical is Anthropology? what can students DO with it? what are the economic profits of this study of humankind? most anthro depts have found these questions difficult if not impossible to answer, especially since so many older current phd anthro professors are so lacking in any practical real-world knowledge. none have ever had to work in the private sector, and most consider the private sector a polluted world they would rather not touch, for fear of contamination. i am not making this up.
new applicants to anthro depts have been declining for years, meaning that anthro dept's anemic enrollments don't help any university's bottom line. yet, if you ask most anthro dept directors if perhaps some PR or popular promotion might help this--they'll stare at you like a deer into headlights.
and the public's defense of anthropology? there is none. ask the person on the street what anthropology is, and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom comes to mind. Right now perhaps Tara Reid's 'brilliant anthropologist' will be the flavor, but most people have not a clue as to what it is, so when Anthro depts need funding, or anything else, there's no public outrage when programs and budgets are cut. and that's why Anthropology's crappy attitude towards PR is so shocking, at least to me.
in 2004 i graduated from a state university [not necessarily the link i provide here) with an MA, or master of arts in Applied Anthropology. technically, i am an anthropologist (the applied section considers MA a terminal degree), but with a twist. what is Applied Anthropology? besides what Wikipedia says, its a fairly recent development in the hollowed ivory towers of Anthropology proper that takes anthro concepts back down to earth, applying them to real-world, modern problems that every culture, including US culture, must deal with: public health problems such as needle exchanges, AIDS education, homelessness, geriatric services, alcohol addiction, women's health issues, and urban decay just to start. our modern world is filled with policy problems that need fixing--not just in Africa and Asia, but right here in the US.
up until the 1970s Anthropology studied the far-away exotic cultures that appeared in National Geographic spreads, while Sociology handled the more mundane study of our own western culture. during the 70s Anthropology started to see a decline in new student enrollments, due mostly to the fact that PhDs in Anthro stayed at Universities in tenured positions, or performed 'fieldwork' in some exotic location no one ever heard of. as funding for anthro depts shrunk, tenure trak positions declined and graduates with anthro PhDs were jobless. what to do?
start a subdiscipline that put anthropology's theories and tools into practical use for real-world, modern problems. so the sub-discipline of Applied Anthropology was born in 1974.
fast-forward 30 yrs to 2005. so where is Applied Anthropology, savior of the discipline? on the peripheral outskirts of it, tucked away in the corner, hidden from view, not fully accepted by the more 'traditional' institutionalized PhD trak anthros. why? because applied anthro does something considered not kosher: applied anthros are taking their skills to corporate america, in droves. for example, marketing research firms are embracing corporate ethnography methods because ethnography can elucidate consumer trends much more deeply than more traditional sociological methods. many large companies today employ corporate anthropologists (applied anthros) as part of their marketing teams. but this is not acceptable to the ivory tower anthropologist back on campus. although this is a growing trend, its ignored just as much as PR issues within the discipline of Anthropology.
that's why tara reid can get away with playing a 'brilliant anthropologist' -- because many anthropologists aren't really THAT brilliant after all.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
more imitation
More from The Imitation of Christ
BOOK TWO: THE INTERIOR LIFE
ELEVENTH CHAPTER: Few Love The Cross of Jesus
JESUS has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross. He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial. He finds many to share His table, but few to take part in His fasting. All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the chalice of His passion. Many revere His miracles; few approach the shame of the Cross. Many love Him as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive some comfort from Him. But if Jesus hides Himself and leaves them for a while, they fall either into complaints or into deep dejection. Those, on the contrary, who love Him for His own sake and not for any comfort of their own, bless Him in all trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation. Even if He should never give them consolation, yet they would continue to praise Him and wish always to give Him thanks. What power there is in pure love for Jesus -- love that is flee from all self-interest and self-love!
-------------------------------------------
SEVENTH CHAPTER: Loving Jesus Above All Things
BLESSED is he who appreciates what it is to love Jesus and who despises himself for the sake of Jesus. Give up all other love for His, since He wishes to be loved alone above all things.
Affection for creatures is deceitful and inconstant, but the love of Jesus is true and enduring. He who clings to a creature will fall with its frailty, but he who gives himself to Jesus will ever be strengthened.
Love Him, then; keep Him as a friend. He will not leave you as others do, or let you suffer lasting death. Sometime, whether you will or not, you will have to part with everything. Cling, therefore, to Jesus in life and death; trust yourself to the glory of Him who alone can help you when all others fail.
Your Beloved is such that He will not accept what belongs to another -- He wants your heart for Himself alone, to be enthroned therein as King in His own right. If you but knew how to free yourself entirely from all creatures, Jesus would gladly dwell within you.
You will find, apart from Him, that nearly all the trust you place in men is a total loss. Therefore, neither confide in nor depend upon a wind-shaken reed, for "all flesh is grass" and all its glory, like the flower of grass, will fade away.
You will quickly be deceived if you look only to the outward appearance of men, and you will often be disappointed if you seek comfort and gain in them. If, however, you seek Jesus in all things, you will surely find Him. Likewise, if you seek yourself, you will find yourself -- to your own ruin. For the man who does not seek Jesus does himself much greater harm than the whole world and all his enemies could ever do.
BOOK TWO: THE INTERIOR LIFE
ELEVENTH CHAPTER: Few Love The Cross of Jesus
JESUS has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross. He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial. He finds many to share His table, but few to take part in His fasting. All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the chalice of His passion. Many revere His miracles; few approach the shame of the Cross. Many love Him as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive some comfort from Him. But if Jesus hides Himself and leaves them for a while, they fall either into complaints or into deep dejection. Those, on the contrary, who love Him for His own sake and not for any comfort of their own, bless Him in all trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation. Even if He should never give them consolation, yet they would continue to praise Him and wish always to give Him thanks. What power there is in pure love for Jesus -- love that is flee from all self-interest and self-love!
-------------------------------------------
SEVENTH CHAPTER: Loving Jesus Above All Things
BLESSED is he who appreciates what it is to love Jesus and who despises himself for the sake of Jesus. Give up all other love for His, since He wishes to be loved alone above all things.
Affection for creatures is deceitful and inconstant, but the love of Jesus is true and enduring. He who clings to a creature will fall with its frailty, but he who gives himself to Jesus will ever be strengthened.
Love Him, then; keep Him as a friend. He will not leave you as others do, or let you suffer lasting death. Sometime, whether you will or not, you will have to part with everything. Cling, therefore, to Jesus in life and death; trust yourself to the glory of Him who alone can help you when all others fail.
Your Beloved is such that He will not accept what belongs to another -- He wants your heart for Himself alone, to be enthroned therein as King in His own right. If you but knew how to free yourself entirely from all creatures, Jesus would gladly dwell within you.
You will find, apart from Him, that nearly all the trust you place in men is a total loss. Therefore, neither confide in nor depend upon a wind-shaken reed, for "all flesh is grass" and all its glory, like the flower of grass, will fade away.
You will quickly be deceived if you look only to the outward appearance of men, and you will often be disappointed if you seek comfort and gain in them. If, however, you seek Jesus in all things, you will surely find Him. Likewise, if you seek yourself, you will find yourself -- to your own ruin. For the man who does not seek Jesus does himself much greater harm than the whole world and all his enemies could ever do.
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
and now back to that wedding
although there's not much headway on the bridesmaid's dress mess, there is a complete turn around in the bridal shower arena. after 3 months of my friend saying she doesn't want a bridal shower, nor needs one [the bride and groom do have all the necessities covered] her sister, who lives 2000 miles away somehow convinced her this weekend to all of a sudden change her mind and have one.
traditionally, the maid of honor is chief of this duty. but in this case her sister elected me deputy chief to plan this, with her sister's directives. nice. after telling everyone not to bother, here we are. and the best part? this isn't to be a traditional bridal shower, in fact when i googled the sister's emailed suggestions, i realized what the sister really wants is a bachelorette party, complete with "gag" (ie: 'adult toys') gifts. she also wants me to rent a male stripper. oh, and to have this event at the groom's home. i just closed the email's window and went to bed. i am not the most stellar choice for getting this thing set up at all.
don't get me wrong. i've got my kinks and all. i think giving a bride-to-be an electric dildo that looks like Dino dinosaur from the Flinstones is the height of funniness, but it can get carried away.
there's always the safer root of a gift that can double as a banal marital aid "how exciting! my husband's dick!...?
but my tastes i think differ considerably from my friend's, and don't think it belongs in a public forum such as a party. toys, my speed anyway, involve fun, not marriage, which i've already done. completing my PhD in one with a blue seal of divorce.
i think a more conventional 'story of O" would do more nicely than this sort of affair. household products can be fun, its all in the way they're presented.
the sister wouldn't attend this--she made that clear in email. as a matter of fact her reply to me mentioned that her sister had another friend with the same name as me, and suggested i get in touch with her....followed by another email stating "duh..." you're that friend! oops. she was tricked by the "formal and suburban" tone of my email. WTF?? anyway, the fact that the sister wants this thing at the future husband's home is i think just asking for bad karma. i'm going to have to just let this sit a few days before responding, since the whole thing rubs me the absolute wrong way.
traditionally, the maid of honor is chief of this duty. but in this case her sister elected me deputy chief to plan this, with her sister's directives. nice. after telling everyone not to bother, here we are. and the best part? this isn't to be a traditional bridal shower, in fact when i googled the sister's emailed suggestions, i realized what the sister really wants is a bachelorette party, complete with "gag" (ie: 'adult toys') gifts. she also wants me to rent a male stripper. oh, and to have this event at the groom's home. i just closed the email's window and went to bed. i am not the most stellar choice for getting this thing set up at all.
don't get me wrong. i've got my kinks and all. i think giving a bride-to-be an electric dildo that looks like Dino dinosaur from the Flinstones is the height of funniness, but it can get carried away.
there's always the safer root of a gift that can double as a banal marital aid "how exciting! my husband's dick!...?
but my tastes i think differ considerably from my friend's, and don't think it belongs in a public forum such as a party. toys, my speed anyway, involve fun, not marriage, which i've already done. completing my PhD in one with a blue seal of divorce.
i think a more conventional 'story of O" would do more nicely than this sort of affair. household products can be fun, its all in the way they're presented.
the sister wouldn't attend this--she made that clear in email. as a matter of fact her reply to me mentioned that her sister had another friend with the same name as me, and suggested i get in touch with her....followed by another email stating "duh..." you're that friend! oops. she was tricked by the "formal and suburban" tone of my email. WTF?? anyway, the fact that the sister wants this thing at the future husband's home is i think just asking for bad karma. i'm going to have to just let this sit a few days before responding, since the whole thing rubs me the absolute wrong way.
the northeastern blahs
i haven't posted for a few days 'cause i've been bummed. after the disaster of a workweek i had, i was really looking forward to the weekend. you know - puttering around, shopping, maybe going for a walk, to the gym, getting errands done, just DECOMPRESSING. but, that was not to be. instead we had a shitty winter storm that stretched from noon saturday to noon sunday, making me a prisoner of my apartment, plus the stupid dig-out on sunday afternoon for my car, which was plowed in.
some people are industrious adaptors to circumstance. like, if they're prisoners of their homes for a storm, they make the best of it and clean, do home repairs, organize bills, or whatever other mindless chores that need doing, so that at least they are 'productive'. somehow able to overcome their frustration and put it to use with other tasks.
i'm not that sort of person. i'm i guess what they call 'contrary' in this sort of situation. i really wanted to go out and do things this weekend. mindless things for the most part, but things that involved not being home. sure i have plenty to do at my place, its a messy disaster. but after a soul-draining week at my job, the last thing i want to do is more work.
so what did i do? i got mad, then frustrated, then depressed. i stayed in my PJs and just watched hours of mind-numbing TV. some movies, and plenty of anal-analysis snow reports from the news networks. i also looked out my window a lot. i live on the fourth floor and my windows look out on a very popular highway, that is elevated thru my city, and runs about 50 ft from my window. i'm always in the 'know' for road conditions, and watched helplessly as i saw the traffic conditions deteriorate to a crawl as the hours went by on saturday.
in the end, all i managed to do was count about $40 of spare change i had saved and roll it up, cut out and file some magazine articles i wanted to save, and eat two servings of macaroni and cheese with some cranberry juice. so nothing got accomplished. i thought of posting here, but decided to get hypnotized by the TV instead.
i guess what really aggravated me most was that everything was A-OK on the roads by yesterday morning, just in time for another pathetic workweek to begin. not having been able to decompress over the weekend means that this workweek will be just as bad as lastweek, and even worse, since its only tuesday morning and i am firmly focused now on only GETTING TO THIS WEEKEND, and nothing else, which i hope won't have another stupid blizzard attached to it. or if there is one coming, that it comes on THursday or Monday night, which just creates problems for getting to work, which of course i don't mind at all. oh well.
some people are industrious adaptors to circumstance. like, if they're prisoners of their homes for a storm, they make the best of it and clean, do home repairs, organize bills, or whatever other mindless chores that need doing, so that at least they are 'productive'. somehow able to overcome their frustration and put it to use with other tasks.
i'm not that sort of person. i'm i guess what they call 'contrary' in this sort of situation. i really wanted to go out and do things this weekend. mindless things for the most part, but things that involved not being home. sure i have plenty to do at my place, its a messy disaster. but after a soul-draining week at my job, the last thing i want to do is more work.
so what did i do? i got mad, then frustrated, then depressed. i stayed in my PJs and just watched hours of mind-numbing TV. some movies, and plenty of anal-analysis snow reports from the news networks. i also looked out my window a lot. i live on the fourth floor and my windows look out on a very popular highway, that is elevated thru my city, and runs about 50 ft from my window. i'm always in the 'know' for road conditions, and watched helplessly as i saw the traffic conditions deteriorate to a crawl as the hours went by on saturday.
in the end, all i managed to do was count about $40 of spare change i had saved and roll it up, cut out and file some magazine articles i wanted to save, and eat two servings of macaroni and cheese with some cranberry juice. so nothing got accomplished. i thought of posting here, but decided to get hypnotized by the TV instead.
i guess what really aggravated me most was that everything was A-OK on the roads by yesterday morning, just in time for another pathetic workweek to begin. not having been able to decompress over the weekend means that this workweek will be just as bad as lastweek, and even worse, since its only tuesday morning and i am firmly focused now on only GETTING TO THIS WEEKEND, and nothing else, which i hope won't have another stupid blizzard attached to it. or if there is one coming, that it comes on THursday or Monday night, which just creates problems for getting to work, which of course i don't mind at all. oh well.
Friday, January 21, 2005
thank God its friday.
i'm so glad its friday. this was another bad week. yesterday wasn't so bad tho. i had to go to a seminar in NYC. took the 7:26 bus in [it runs 3 blocks from my house] met my colleagues and we walked the 2 blocks to the show. after it was over, around 5:30 i hung around times square for a couple of hours, went to the virgin mega store [they had a live band playing for tsunami relief], went to the mtv store, and just stood and watched people. it was COLD! but even in the coldest weather NYC is filled with people. then i took the bus home, got changed, went to my new favorite sushi bar that just opened, thats on the way to my gym, worked out, and fell asleep. a decent day.
today on the other hand, back in the office, is stress filled. people are just dunderheads. and there's a stupid blizzard coming to ruin the weekend. i'd better go buy milk and bread like all that other idiots tonight just in case.
today on the other hand, back in the office, is stress filled. people are just dunderheads. and there's a stupid blizzard coming to ruin the weekend. i'd better go buy milk and bread like all that other idiots tonight just in case.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
in other news
so i went to an astrologer this week to get some progressive charts done, all having to do with stuff i want to accomplish in 2005. she answered many of my questions and did a good job at explaining some areas of my natal chart that i wasn't fully clear on. although 2005 is a good year, it will be challenging for me, as my own needs to take care of myself and my interests are being pitted against increasingly unreasonable demands from others, both personally and professionally. if i don't take this seriously and consider my own needs first, i could have some big problems. the stress will totally compromise me. i've been stressed out for a long time, but it seems to have gotten worse in 2004. the astrologer showed me there are current aspects that like heighten my sensitivity in general, so anything that happens in my environment i will sense more loudly or intensely. ugh.
but, its all about karmic lessons anyway. this is a big test, like a final exam for me. i have to be strong and have faith in myself, and in the creator of the universe who loves me. i have to remember i can call on that anytime.
today was just miserable though, all the drama here at my job is just draining. lots of arguments today and i let myself go too, with one wunderkind overachieving snake who is a master of deception for most here, but not me since i can see right thru her behavior and lies. but she's good though, and i think she has three totally fucked up adult children to prove it. i think one's a heroin addict and another popped out a kid around 18. you can't influence that kind of dysfunction unless your a master manipulator like her. she should win an award, but then again they take pride here in hiring the most dysfunctional, angry, dishonest and manipulative persons to add spice to our day. such fulfillment.
but, its all about karmic lessons anyway. this is a big test, like a final exam for me. i have to be strong and have faith in myself, and in the creator of the universe who loves me. i have to remember i can call on that anytime.
today was just miserable though, all the drama here at my job is just draining. lots of arguments today and i let myself go too, with one wunderkind overachieving snake who is a master of deception for most here, but not me since i can see right thru her behavior and lies. but she's good though, and i think she has three totally fucked up adult children to prove it. i think one's a heroin addict and another popped out a kid around 18. you can't influence that kind of dysfunction unless your a master manipulator like her. she should win an award, but then again they take pride here in hiring the most dysfunctional, angry, dishonest and manipulative persons to add spice to our day. such fulfillment.
the height of stupidity
so you win a million on a reality tv show, but somehow think you can keep it a big secret from the IRS. i think that's just a crowning achievement of stupidity.
Friday, January 14, 2005
my big cheez week
Big cheese Make me
Mine says, "Go to the office"
Big cheese Make me
Mine says, what the hell?
Black is black, no trading back
We were enemies
Show you all what a man is
[Sure you are, but what am I?]
Big lies make mine
Mine says "Go to office"
Big cheese Make me
Message? What is it?
Black is black, no trading back
We were enemies
She eats glue, how bout you?
---big cheese lyrics by nirvana
by the way, who killed kurt cobain?
Mine says, "Go to the office"
Big cheese Make me
Mine says, what the hell?
Black is black, no trading back
We were enemies
Show you all what a man is
[Sure you are, but what am I?]
Big lies make mine
Mine says "Go to office"
Big cheese Make me
Message? What is it?
Black is black, no trading back
We were enemies
She eats glue, how bout you?
---big cheese lyrics by nirvana
by the way, who killed kurt cobain?
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
imitation of Christ
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis is one of my favorite spiritual books.
book three: internal consolation
from chapter 48: THE DAY OF ETERNITY AND THE DISTRESSES OF THIS LIFE
THE DISCIPLE: The days of this life are short and evil, full of grief and distress. Here man is defiled by many sins, ensnared in many passions, enslaved by many fears, and burdened with many cares. He is distracted by many curiosities and entangled in many vanities, surrounded by many errors and worn by many labors, oppressed by temptations, weakened by pleasures, and tortured by want.
Oh, when will these evils end? When shall I be freed from the miserable slavery of vice? When, Lord, shall I think of You alone? When shall I fully rejoice in You? When shall I be without hindrance, in true liberty, free from every grievance of mind and body? When will there be solid peace, undisturbed and secure, inward peace and outward peace, peace secured on every side? O good Jesus, when shall I stand to gaze upon You? When shall I contemplate the glory of Your kingdom? When will You be all in all to me? Oh, when shall I be with You in that kingdom of Yours, which You have prepared for Your beloved from all eternity?
I am left poor and exiled in a hostile land, where every day sees wars and very great misfortunes. Console my banishment, assuage my sorrow. My whole desire is for You. Whatever solace this world offers is a burden to me. I desire to enjoy You intimately, but I cannot attain to it. I wish to cling fast to heavenly things, but temporal affairs and unmortified passions bear me down. I wish in mind to be above all things, but I am forced by the flesh to be unwillingly subject to them. Thus, I fight with myself, unhappy that I am, and am become a burden to myself, while my spirit seeks to rise upward and my flesh to sink downward. Oh, what inward suffering I undergo when I consider heavenly things; when I pray, a multitude of carnal thoughts rush upon me!
O my God, do not remove Yourself far from me, and depart not in anger from Your servant. Dart forth Your lightning and disperse them; send forth Your arrows and let the phantoms of the enemy be put to flight. Draw my senses toward You and make me forget all worldly things. Grant me the grace to cast away quickly all vicious imaginings and to scorn them. Aid me, O heavenly Truth, that no vanity may move me. Come, heavenly Sweetness, and let all impurity fly from before Your face.
Pardon me also, and deal mercifully with me, as often as I think of anything besides You in prayer. For I confess truly that I am accustomed to be very much distracted. Very often I am not where bodily I stand or sit; rather, I am where my thoughts carry me. Where my thoughts are, there am I; and frequently my thoughts are where my love is. That which naturally delights, or is by habit pleasing, comes to me quickly. Hence You Who are Truth itself, have plainly said: "For where your treasure is, there is your heart also." If I love heaven, I think willingly of heavenly things. If I love the world, I rejoice at the happiness of the world and grieve at its troubles. If I love the flesh, I often imagine things that are carnal. If I love the spirit, I delight in thinking of spiritual matters. For whatever I love, I am willing to speak and hear about.
Blessed is the man who for Your sake, O Lord, dismisses all creatures, does violence to nature, crucifies the desires of the flesh in fervor of spirit, so that with serene conscience he can offer You a pure prayer and, having excluded all earthly things inwardly and outwardly, becomes worthy to enter into the heavenly choirs.
---------------------------------------
book two: the interior life
from chapter 12: the royal road of the holy cross
CHRIST: Behold, in the cross is everything, and upon your dying on the cross everything depends. There is no other way to life and to true inward peace than the way of the holy cross and daily mortification. Go where you will, seek what you will, you will not find a higher way, nor a less exalted but safer way, than the way of the holy cross. Arrange and order everything to suit your will and judgment, and still you will find that some suffering must always be borne, willingly or unwillingly, and thus you will always find the cross.
Either you will experience bodily pain or you will undergo tribulation of spirit in your soul. At times you will be forsaken by God, at times troubled by those about you and, what is worse, you will often grow weary of yourself. You cannot escape, you cannot be relieved by any remedy or comfort but must bear with it as long as God wills. For He wishes you to learn to bear trial without consolation, to submit yourself wholly to Him that you may become more humble through suffering. No one understands the passion of Christ so thoroughly or heartily as the man whose lot it is to suffer the like himself.
The cross, therefore, is always ready; it awaits you everywhere. No matter where you may go, you cannot escape it, for wherever you go you take yourself with you and shall always find yourself. Turn where you will -- above, below, without, or within -- you will find a cross in everything, and everywhere you must have patience if you would have peace within and merit an eternal crown.
-------------------------------
book three: internal consolation
from chapter 12: ACQUIRING PATIENCE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CONCUPISCENCE
CHRIST: Do you think that men of the world have no suffering, or perhaps but little? Ask even those who enjoy the most delights and you will learn otherwise. "But," you will say, "they enjoy many pleasures and follow their own wishes; therefore they do not feel their troubles very much." Granted that they do have whatever they wish, how long do you think it will last? Behold, they who prosper in the world shall perish as smoke, and there shall be no memory of their past joys. Even in this life they do not find rest in these pleasures without bitterness, weariness, and fear. For they often receive the penalty of sorrow from the very thing whence they believe their happiness comes. And it is just. Since they seek and follow after pleasures without reason, they should not enjoy them without shame and bitterness.
How brief, how false, how unreasonable and shameful all these pleasures are! Yet in their drunken blindness men do not understand this, but like brute beasts incur death of soul for the miserly enjoyment of a corruptible life.
----------------------------------
book three: internal consolation
from chapter 48: THE DAY OF ETERNITY AND THE DISTRESSES OF THIS LIFE
THE DISCIPLE: The days of this life are short and evil, full of grief and distress. Here man is defiled by many sins, ensnared in many passions, enslaved by many fears, and burdened with many cares. He is distracted by many curiosities and entangled in many vanities, surrounded by many errors and worn by many labors, oppressed by temptations, weakened by pleasures, and tortured by want.
Oh, when will these evils end? When shall I be freed from the miserable slavery of vice? When, Lord, shall I think of You alone? When shall I fully rejoice in You? When shall I be without hindrance, in true liberty, free from every grievance of mind and body? When will there be solid peace, undisturbed and secure, inward peace and outward peace, peace secured on every side? O good Jesus, when shall I stand to gaze upon You? When shall I contemplate the glory of Your kingdom? When will You be all in all to me? Oh, when shall I be with You in that kingdom of Yours, which You have prepared for Your beloved from all eternity?
I am left poor and exiled in a hostile land, where every day sees wars and very great misfortunes. Console my banishment, assuage my sorrow. My whole desire is for You. Whatever solace this world offers is a burden to me. I desire to enjoy You intimately, but I cannot attain to it. I wish to cling fast to heavenly things, but temporal affairs and unmortified passions bear me down. I wish in mind to be above all things, but I am forced by the flesh to be unwillingly subject to them. Thus, I fight with myself, unhappy that I am, and am become a burden to myself, while my spirit seeks to rise upward and my flesh to sink downward. Oh, what inward suffering I undergo when I consider heavenly things; when I pray, a multitude of carnal thoughts rush upon me!
O my God, do not remove Yourself far from me, and depart not in anger from Your servant. Dart forth Your lightning and disperse them; send forth Your arrows and let the phantoms of the enemy be put to flight. Draw my senses toward You and make me forget all worldly things. Grant me the grace to cast away quickly all vicious imaginings and to scorn them. Aid me, O heavenly Truth, that no vanity may move me. Come, heavenly Sweetness, and let all impurity fly from before Your face.
Pardon me also, and deal mercifully with me, as often as I think of anything besides You in prayer. For I confess truly that I am accustomed to be very much distracted. Very often I am not where bodily I stand or sit; rather, I am where my thoughts carry me. Where my thoughts are, there am I; and frequently my thoughts are where my love is. That which naturally delights, or is by habit pleasing, comes to me quickly. Hence You Who are Truth itself, have plainly said: "For where your treasure is, there is your heart also." If I love heaven, I think willingly of heavenly things. If I love the world, I rejoice at the happiness of the world and grieve at its troubles. If I love the flesh, I often imagine things that are carnal. If I love the spirit, I delight in thinking of spiritual matters. For whatever I love, I am willing to speak and hear about.
Blessed is the man who for Your sake, O Lord, dismisses all creatures, does violence to nature, crucifies the desires of the flesh in fervor of spirit, so that with serene conscience he can offer You a pure prayer and, having excluded all earthly things inwardly and outwardly, becomes worthy to enter into the heavenly choirs.
---------------------------------------
book two: the interior life
from chapter 12: the royal road of the holy cross
CHRIST: Behold, in the cross is everything, and upon your dying on the cross everything depends. There is no other way to life and to true inward peace than the way of the holy cross and daily mortification. Go where you will, seek what you will, you will not find a higher way, nor a less exalted but safer way, than the way of the holy cross. Arrange and order everything to suit your will and judgment, and still you will find that some suffering must always be borne, willingly or unwillingly, and thus you will always find the cross.
Either you will experience bodily pain or you will undergo tribulation of spirit in your soul. At times you will be forsaken by God, at times troubled by those about you and, what is worse, you will often grow weary of yourself. You cannot escape, you cannot be relieved by any remedy or comfort but must bear with it as long as God wills. For He wishes you to learn to bear trial without consolation, to submit yourself wholly to Him that you may become more humble through suffering. No one understands the passion of Christ so thoroughly or heartily as the man whose lot it is to suffer the like himself.
The cross, therefore, is always ready; it awaits you everywhere. No matter where you may go, you cannot escape it, for wherever you go you take yourself with you and shall always find yourself. Turn where you will -- above, below, without, or within -- you will find a cross in everything, and everywhere you must have patience if you would have peace within and merit an eternal crown.
-------------------------------
book three: internal consolation
from chapter 12: ACQUIRING PATIENCE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CONCUPISCENCE
CHRIST: Do you think that men of the world have no suffering, or perhaps but little? Ask even those who enjoy the most delights and you will learn otherwise. "But," you will say, "they enjoy many pleasures and follow their own wishes; therefore they do not feel their troubles very much." Granted that they do have whatever they wish, how long do you think it will last? Behold, they who prosper in the world shall perish as smoke, and there shall be no memory of their past joys. Even in this life they do not find rest in these pleasures without bitterness, weariness, and fear. For they often receive the penalty of sorrow from the very thing whence they believe their happiness comes. And it is just. Since they seek and follow after pleasures without reason, they should not enjoy them without shame and bitterness.
How brief, how false, how unreasonable and shameful all these pleasures are! Yet in their drunken blindness men do not understand this, but like brute beasts incur death of soul for the miserly enjoyment of a corruptible life.
----------------------------------
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
well so much for finding peace
another horrible day at my job. although i won't get into specifics here lets just say that i never have to worry about raising my expectations here, in fact i don't think my expectations of this place is as low as it should be. people are amazing. the most amazing are those that think the rest of us are stupid and sneak around the background like some control-freak houdini manipulating things and then pretending everything is A-OK even though it is obvious things are not. these people must spend alot of time perfecting their lying abilities to themselves since they seem to keep a straight face no matter what sort of ridiculous garbage they happen to vomit up to the rest of us. just astounding really.
i don't think these lyers are stupid, or that their misperception of others intelligence levels is idiocy. i think its based upon ego--these selfish lyers think they're sooo good at getting over on people that others MUST be as stupid as they seem since they can't possibly be acting [keeping a poker face] when the lies are dispensed. well, really, poker faces are economical and save energy--why would i want to waste any energy on such a stupid, control-freak, selfish, delusional lyer?
on the other hand, emotions such as anger ARE motivating to change personal circumstances and not continue to put up with loose turds such as this situation.
i don't think these lyers are stupid, or that their misperception of others intelligence levels is idiocy. i think its based upon ego--these selfish lyers think they're sooo good at getting over on people that others MUST be as stupid as they seem since they can't possibly be acting [keeping a poker face] when the lies are dispensed. well, really, poker faces are economical and save energy--why would i want to waste any energy on such a stupid, control-freak, selfish, delusional lyer?
on the other hand, emotions such as anger ARE motivating to change personal circumstances and not continue to put up with loose turds such as this situation.
Monday, January 10, 2005
BLAM! anger everywhere
...well this week looks like may be part 2 of last week's difficulties. i'd been reading up this morning about the current explosive aspect, Saturn squaring Jupiter. Saturn's in Cancer until June, and Jupiter is in Libra until September. here at the beginning of 2005 Saturn and Jupiter "face off" in Cancer/Libra, which are cardinal signs. Saturn is the "Authoritative Patriarchal Dad" aspect--Saturn in Cancer is smothering at best. do this, don't do that, security over freedom. like Big Brother and Big Mother only worse since Saturn is uncomfortable in Cancer, its opposite, and doesn't like to have to deal with emotional issues.
Jupiter is quite at home in the cardinal sign of Libra. Libra, always with a smile, pushes harmony at all costs. no integrity or standing ground on anything. Libra is all about relationships, and choking when decisions of either/or need to be made, since one or the other will end up angry at not being chosen. although this harmony can be soothing, Libra lacks emotional depth to make harmony sincere. So everything comes off half-assed. Jupiter is all about expansion without limits. Jupiter wants to extend the harmony thing even where its not welcomed. The authoritative Dad aspect of Saturn in Cancer gets rubbed the wrong way with all this expansion stuff. Saturn is all about limits, clearly defined limits that are not up for discussion. Saturn is currently quite annoyed with Jupiter. and it shows.
Square aspects are annoying and filled with nervous unresolved energy. Like annoying winter static, or nails on a chalkboard. In the cardinal mode this annoyance comes off as impatience and pushyness. Like starting something without checking it out first. Cardinal signs in square jump around starting things in annoying ways and never stick around to follow them thru.
Later this year when Saturn passes to Leo and Jupiter to Scorpio the square aspect will remain but be centered on Fixed/Organizer energy instead of Cardinal. The fixed organizer mode is sort of opposite to cardinal--fixed organizers have the patience to see things thru and stick with things even when the going gets rough, so there's no impatience or pushyness. *but* thats replaced with obstinence, stubborness, inability to finish and let go, and controllingness, at its worst. So this face off of Saturn and Jupiter will continue well into 2006, highlighted from time to time by the degrees they are going thru (just like now)
as for today being unsettling, may i offer anger management tips and drama triangle segways. right now its all about emotion, which is the antithesis of logic.
the bottom line is that its not just you, everyone is feeling impatient and pushy or pushed upon. lets all take a break and relax. did you know that January is hot cup of tea month? we could have some tea. drinkup.
Jupiter is quite at home in the cardinal sign of Libra. Libra, always with a smile, pushes harmony at all costs. no integrity or standing ground on anything. Libra is all about relationships, and choking when decisions of either/or need to be made, since one or the other will end up angry at not being chosen. although this harmony can be soothing, Libra lacks emotional depth to make harmony sincere. So everything comes off half-assed. Jupiter is all about expansion without limits. Jupiter wants to extend the harmony thing even where its not welcomed. The authoritative Dad aspect of Saturn in Cancer gets rubbed the wrong way with all this expansion stuff. Saturn is all about limits, clearly defined limits that are not up for discussion. Saturn is currently quite annoyed with Jupiter. and it shows.
Square aspects are annoying and filled with nervous unresolved energy. Like annoying winter static, or nails on a chalkboard. In the cardinal mode this annoyance comes off as impatience and pushyness. Like starting something without checking it out first. Cardinal signs in square jump around starting things in annoying ways and never stick around to follow them thru.
Later this year when Saturn passes to Leo and Jupiter to Scorpio the square aspect will remain but be centered on Fixed/Organizer energy instead of Cardinal. The fixed organizer mode is sort of opposite to cardinal--fixed organizers have the patience to see things thru and stick with things even when the going gets rough, so there's no impatience or pushyness. *but* thats replaced with obstinence, stubborness, inability to finish and let go, and controllingness, at its worst. So this face off of Saturn and Jupiter will continue well into 2006, highlighted from time to time by the degrees they are going thru (just like now)
as for today being unsettling, may i offer anger management tips and drama triangle segways. right now its all about emotion, which is the antithesis of logic.
the bottom line is that its not just you, everyone is feeling impatient and pushy or pushed upon. lets all take a break and relax. did you know that January is hot cup of tea month? we could have some tea. drinkup.
Friday, January 07, 2005
the meltdown week
tgif! this has been such a shmushy week. blah. all work and no play makes me mentally tired. this first full week back at work has been draining. everyone's been complaining that 'we're behind' but not taking the holidays into consideration. there's no scheduling at my job to make allowances for holidays ever, and then after them, things are "behind" because, well, we've been having the holidays.
there's also been alot of animosity at work this week--a couple of people who are just cranky gave me and others here a difficult time because i guess they didn't get what they wanted for xmas, or need 'attention'. i've used up alot of patience this week waiting this hissy fits out. then there's the mental meltdowns to deal with. but my friend says not to have pity since one mental light weight here goes out of their way such a pain in the buttocks.
finally, there's my new sweater set. its wonderful, if you're a sweater person, which i haven't been since 1992. but oh well there's always ebay.
more dramalog later. tootles!
there's also been alot of animosity at work this week--a couple of people who are just cranky gave me and others here a difficult time because i guess they didn't get what they wanted for xmas, or need 'attention'. i've used up alot of patience this week waiting this hissy fits out. then there's the mental meltdowns to deal with. but my friend says not to have pity since one mental light weight here goes out of their way such a pain in the buttocks.
finally, there's my new sweater set. its wonderful, if you're a sweater person, which i haven't been since 1992. but oh well there's always ebay.
more dramalog later. tootles!
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Best Of/Worst of 2004: events
best event: protest of the nyc republican national convention. i was there. it was awesome. hundreds of thousands of kindred souls bonded together, and we all hate republicans [flash]. yes, i truly fucking hate those evil gop bastards.
the best part is that its just begun. looking for something to do on january 20th? why not visit emperor W and crash the multi-million dollar party by attending the counter-inauguration?
---------------------------------------
worst event tie:
the unbelievable re-election of emperor W. if you make less than $1 M a year and voted for bush, you're a fucking moron, plain and simple.
...and the continuation of suffering and unnecessary pain.
anybody seen bin laden? isn't it funny that he's still outsmarting us after all these years? hmmm.
the best part is that its just begun. looking for something to do on january 20th? why not visit emperor W and crash the multi-million dollar party by attending the counter-inauguration?
---------------------------------------
worst event tie:
the unbelievable re-election of emperor W. if you make less than $1 M a year and voted for bush, you're a fucking moron, plain and simple.
...and the continuation of suffering and unnecessary pain.
anybody seen bin laden? isn't it funny that he's still outsmarting us after all these years? hmmm.
sorry apple! i've manhandled your stuff.
my friend brought in his ipod firewire cable today and my little ipod mounted just fine. he looked at my cable and how i wound it around the 'brick' and told me i'd "manhandled" it and it broke because i'd twisted the wire too tight. so for all you apple ipod owners--go ahead, download OS 10.3.7 and have fun! just don't "manhandle" your cable.
Monday, January 03, 2005
2004 Best Of/Worst Of: music
like 2004 movies, 2004 music was generally hohum this year. there were several decent releases, but lots of crap. very few surprises. But my nominations for Best Of 2004 music is a three way tie.
first up is the year's surprise, Nirvana With The Lights Out. i wrote a review of this that will be up shortly. if you're a casual Nirvana fan, skip this for now and get Nevermind and In Utero. but if you're a dedicated fan like me, WTLO is a must. while much that's included here will certainly make you want to cry, it also proves that Nirvana, and Kurt Cobain were gifted and truly passionate about their art.
next for the Best Of tie is Green Day American Idiot. this CD is the tonal equivalent of Michael Moore's movie, expressing the frustration 50% of America has felt over witnessing emperor W's power grab since 9/11, and expressing it powerfully and intelligently. if you can listen to the lead track and know what they mean--get the CD. if it leaves you clueless i bet you voted for emperor W.
third up is a CD a friend of mine introduced me to. Good Charlotte The Chronicals of Life and Death is a terrific CD, playable all the way thru. like Nirvana, these guys are passionate and can express themselves both lyrically and tonally. wise beyond their years, Good Charlotte's take on fame and grudgingly living in this complicated world is intense and thought provoking.
all three of these are my Best Of Music for 2004. all three are A+++.
Best Of Honorable Mention: Kanye West The College Dropout. a great CD in the intelligent hip-hop spirit of Lauren Hill. makes you think.
------------------------------------------
like the Best Of, the 2004 Worst Of Music was also a tie. it was hard to decide since so much crappy stuff was released this year. i won't bother linking to anything here since its crap.
first up, U2 How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. yeah yeah yeah yeah! crap, crap, and more crap. i can't believe steve jobs was snookered into giving this has-been group their own special ipod. i haven't seen such posturing and arrogance by a group since the 80s. don't get me wrong--at one time U2 was a great band, but their last *great* release was Achtung Baby! in 1992. its been all crap and filler since then, no passion. i guess bono's been busy at the UN. if you want to experience the real U2, get some of their early stuff from 1981-1992, but dismiss this piece of shit entirely. blech.
second up is Nickelback Long Road. this imitation of imitation creed (which is an imitation of imitation Nirvana) is middling at best. the frontman looks like he should be at the local rennaisance fair. all their songs sound the same and there's no passion to be found. no emotional load on any of the songs. too polished. complete crap.
finally (and sorry about this but crap is crap), there's A Perfect Circle Emotive. what was maynard thinking? i don't mind bands covering songs, but a whole CD of covers that didn't NEED covering? from the emotionless 'Imagine' (lennon is turning in his grave) to Devo's Freedom of Choice without the intelligence, i think that maynard james keenan should take a leave of absence from this 'side project' and get back to focusing on Tool, whose Lateralus CD is one of the greatest expressions of cosmic spirituality of all time. we need more Lateralus' and less of Emotive. if you're that tantalized by these covers, go to iTunes and download the originals--all of which are much more lively and better produced than anything on this bowel movement of a CD.
first up is the year's surprise, Nirvana With The Lights Out. i wrote a review of this that will be up shortly. if you're a casual Nirvana fan, skip this for now and get Nevermind and In Utero. but if you're a dedicated fan like me, WTLO is a must. while much that's included here will certainly make you want to cry, it also proves that Nirvana, and Kurt Cobain were gifted and truly passionate about their art.
next for the Best Of tie is Green Day American Idiot. this CD is the tonal equivalent of Michael Moore's movie, expressing the frustration 50% of America has felt over witnessing emperor W's power grab since 9/11, and expressing it powerfully and intelligently. if you can listen to the lead track and know what they mean--get the CD. if it leaves you clueless i bet you voted for emperor W.
third up is a CD a friend of mine introduced me to. Good Charlotte The Chronicals of Life and Death is a terrific CD, playable all the way thru. like Nirvana, these guys are passionate and can express themselves both lyrically and tonally. wise beyond their years, Good Charlotte's take on fame and grudgingly living in this complicated world is intense and thought provoking.
all three of these are my Best Of Music for 2004. all three are A+++.
Best Of Honorable Mention: Kanye West The College Dropout. a great CD in the intelligent hip-hop spirit of Lauren Hill. makes you think.
------------------------------------------
like the Best Of, the 2004 Worst Of Music was also a tie. it was hard to decide since so much crappy stuff was released this year. i won't bother linking to anything here since its crap.
first up, U2 How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. yeah yeah yeah yeah! crap, crap, and more crap. i can't believe steve jobs was snookered into giving this has-been group their own special ipod. i haven't seen such posturing and arrogance by a group since the 80s. don't get me wrong--at one time U2 was a great band, but their last *great* release was Achtung Baby! in 1992. its been all crap and filler since then, no passion. i guess bono's been busy at the UN. if you want to experience the real U2, get some of their early stuff from 1981-1992, but dismiss this piece of shit entirely. blech.
second up is Nickelback Long Road. this imitation of imitation creed (which is an imitation of imitation Nirvana) is middling at best. the frontman looks like he should be at the local rennaisance fair. all their songs sound the same and there's no passion to be found. no emotional load on any of the songs. too polished. complete crap.
finally (and sorry about this but crap is crap), there's A Perfect Circle Emotive. what was maynard thinking? i don't mind bands covering songs, but a whole CD of covers that didn't NEED covering? from the emotionless 'Imagine' (lennon is turning in his grave) to Devo's Freedom of Choice without the intelligence, i think that maynard james keenan should take a leave of absence from this 'side project' and get back to focusing on Tool, whose Lateralus CD is one of the greatest expressions of cosmic spirituality of all time. we need more Lateralus' and less of Emotive. if you're that tantalized by these covers, go to iTunes and download the originals--all of which are much more lively and better produced than anything on this bowel movement of a CD.
i spoke too soon
i love my ipod and nominated it as the *best* gadget of 2004. of course, no sooner than uploading that post, i started experiencing *mounting* problems with my beloved Jason. like other apple users, i'd installed the recently released OS 10.3.7 update. this update supposedly 'fixed' firewire mounting issues in earlier OS X versions. it fixed them alright. although you can mount ipods by USB, the standard is firewire. but something in the recent update is causing it not to be recognized.
one of the things that makes the ipod so great is the software and its automated interface with iTunes. if you're on the apple platform, own an ipod, and haven't updated to 10.3.7 yet, please wait.
if you're like me and trying to figure out why your little ipod won't mount go here to view discussions concerning this problem on apple's website.
while members have suggested several 'fixes' to this (like erasing the ipod and reinstalling all the software), others are saying it must be 10.3.7. last night i plugged in my portable firewire drive and it worked fine, so i think this is software related. i'm going to try one more test tomorrow--my friend is bringing his ipod firewire cable in for me to plug into my ipod/computer--so i can rule that out. apparently that firewire cable has TWO separate wires in it--one for recharging, the other for data transfer--meaning that you can still recharge and not be able to mount the ipod. if the cable switch doesn't do anything, then i must agree with the discussion board that this is an OS update problem.
my ipod is still my #1 2004 gadget, but i wish that apple would address this problem. i'm sure many people who got an apple platform ipod for xmas are pretty bummed right now.
one of the things that makes the ipod so great is the software and its automated interface with iTunes. if you're on the apple platform, own an ipod, and haven't updated to 10.3.7 yet, please wait.
if you're like me and trying to figure out why your little ipod won't mount go here to view discussions concerning this problem on apple's website.
while members have suggested several 'fixes' to this (like erasing the ipod and reinstalling all the software), others are saying it must be 10.3.7. last night i plugged in my portable firewire drive and it worked fine, so i think this is software related. i'm going to try one more test tomorrow--my friend is bringing his ipod firewire cable in for me to plug into my ipod/computer--so i can rule that out. apparently that firewire cable has TWO separate wires in it--one for recharging, the other for data transfer--meaning that you can still recharge and not be able to mount the ipod. if the cable switch doesn't do anything, then i must agree with the discussion board that this is an OS update problem.
my ipod is still my #1 2004 gadget, but i wish that apple would address this problem. i'm sure many people who got an apple platform ipod for xmas are pretty bummed right now.
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