~yawns and stretches~

It's 5:26am, and I'm just sitting down with my first cuppa joe. My caffeine consumption is seriously lagging these days, and that is probably not a bad thing.

I am relatively wide-awake for it being such an early hour. I was awakened around 3:30 by a combination of the pain in my back and the wretched feline yowling downstairs... sounded too much like my daughter saying "mom." Does that "mother hearing" never go away? ~sigh~

I hope you all liked yesterday's entry on The Story of Stuff. Other than some statistics, it really didn't present any information that I didn't know, but I hope it gets spread around the internet enough and seen by enough of those with the "Wal-Mart mentality" that SOMETHING in there strikes a chord with our consumer-driven masses.

Not that I think Wal-Mart is really any worse of a retailer than Target or K-Mart or Sears or Abercrombie or Macys... I see the same countries of origin on the labels of products sold in those stores as I do in Wally-World.

You know, if Americans were to not shop for a month (hell, two weeks), it would do more to damage our economy than high gas prices, plummets in the stock market, the failure of large banking/insurance corporations, and the housing crisis combined.

Whomever is to be the next president of this country (I really pray that it isn't McCain, and I'm a Republican. A Republican with a conscience, that is.) is walking into a truly fucked-up scenario.

Another big thank you to the Clinton administration. It was his administration that deregulated the securities industry in '98/'99 (somewhere around there, I'm getting old, gimme a break, OK). Those controls had been put in place after the GREAT DEPRESSION. And, hey, look... it took us less than a decade without those controls and regulations in place to totally screw things up. Gotta love the global economy and the fact that our currency is backed by nothing of any value. We have tremendous national debt and trade deficits. Oh hell... you all know how we got into this mess.

Oh, hey... I got one of those DVD's that Clarion sent out in order to smear Obama. If you didn't receive one, it is titled "Obsession." The "O" in the title is the Islamic crescent and stars and the cover art definitely lends an "apocalyptic" tone. I didn't get to watch it. The perverse and twisted part of my nature really did want to watch it for purely vicarious reasons. The offspring (another Republican with a conscience) however, stated quite matter-of-factly, "You know we're not watching this, right?" as she deposited it in the trash on Saturday - the very same day that it was received in the mail. I really don't know where that bitch gets it from.... ~insert giggle and wink here~

Well, it's 5:50am... shower time.

Ciao!

www.storyofstuff.com

Everything I Needed to Know in Life...

... I learned from Horatio Caine!

teehee

Your family are the most important people in your life. They may make things extremely difficult for you at times, but you do your best to take care of them. Remember, if you don't love your family, no one else may.

No matter how uncomfortable the situation, you must do the morally right thing.

You always eliminate the threat with extreme prejudice... no wavering, no doubt, no second thought.

A wry one-liner never hurts.

Isn't that all there is? LOL

Yeah, I watch CSI Miami. Not so much for David Caruso; more for that quasi-forensic stuff dramatized there. And, the plot lines of most of Bruckheimer's CSI series have some decent twists. I prefer the forensic shows for the truly vicarious stuff, but I've seen most of them. My mind is sort of warped that way.

I'm one of those people who looks at the grotesque photos on Rotten.com and is more fascinated by the "hmmmm, now exactly how did this get to be this" aspect of them than viewing them just for the sheer shock/schlock/horror value. I don't slow down on the highway at accident scenes. I have no morbid fascination. There's really nothing there that I want to see.

A couple of years back, the offspring and I were watching some forensic science-inspired TV program. I commented to her that I had been offered a full scholarship to study forensic science years ago, but my parents had been so appalled by the thought that they refused to allow me to accept it. She was incredulous. The next time we visited my family, I brought it up the subject of that offer. The memory of it still brought revulsion to my mother. I, however, think I would have made a kick ass blood-spatter expert.

On the internet browser homepage at msn.com yesterday was a little "what do your color preferences say about your personality and good career options" quizzes. I took it. It was pretty accurate. Paralleled my Jungian personality ENTP results. Said I would be ideally suited to arts/design/creative-type professions. Yeah, what else is new?

In defense of my left-brain, I took a career satisfaction inventory test from the same site. I'm well-suited and perfectly happy in my profession except in areas of salary, benefits, some of the organizational structure things. Who doesn't experience some dissatisfaction and frustration with those areas? It wasn't enough dissatisfaction to cause disharmony in my soul, so I suppose it doesn't matter that much, does it?

I have acquired the "head cold" that is making its way through the household. Rather than opting for the green death Nyquil route, I went the Vitamin C, Zinc, echinacea in addition to the B-complex vitamin and probiotics route. Some increased intake of water, some green tea with honey lemon and ginseng, and a bowl of hot and sour soup for good measure has me not feeling too badly at all.

The guy is heading back to class tomorrow. Two quarters to go. He's taking this engagement ring-thing quite seriously. I had joked that he should pick it up for me from Tiffany when he goes to NYC to do some Christmas shopping. He decided that was a good idea. As he stated to me, "Yes, you should have a nice ring." Guess I need to now redirect him to Ashcroft and Oak instead. Wonder if there's one in NYC? lol

... and two become one...

A relation between hell and heaven: your couple may be a real challenge for you two to make it last. With determination and courage, you can make your relation a joy and a very significant source of evolution for both and remain together for long years. You have very different natures and the adaptation to your partner must be considered before acting and unwillingly hurting the sensitivity of your partner. Think "mobility", "flexibility", "mutual comprehension" and you will in most cases win the challenge of your beautiful love story.


I had to post that little blurb "just because"...

If you peruse this page, you will have long ago noted that my astrological birth chart is posted. As an experiment, I emailed that man who is referred to as significant other/better half/jackass/him who sorely vexes my soul to have him send me the time and the location of his birth. Himbeinghim, ignored the email. Mebeingme, plugged the data as best I could into the program anyway.

The above statement of compatibility is what resulted from that little experiment.

I don't put much stock in horoscopes and astrology, so to speak. At least not as it is practiced by charlatans and is misunderstood by the masses. There was a time when the stars and the planets and the signs they conveyed were recognized and understood.

It was an interesting experiment. The result is accurate. Proves nothing but was fun to do and to read the results. Just to see...

Nine Inch Nails' Ghosts Film Festival - Introduction

Yeah, I'm a bit tardy in getting this posted.... so what else is new... lmao

Angst, Art, and Anarchy

I had originally envisioned this post going to my art blog, but after getting the play-by-play of the season finale (Yes, Virginia, there is a God, and we have been granted a respite.) of Ah-mur-kan Idle, this post definitely needed to find its way to my "angst blog." Definitely.

If you don't know about Plazm, you should.

Check it out. http://plazm.com/

It's going to get a permalink too, I'm thinking...

I do not watch television for a reason. And, as I was getting the scoop on that wretched show referenced above, I am thankful to a merciful God that I do not waste precious and finite fossil fuel resources on television viewing.

At this point, I am tempted to find myself a little villa in Sicily where television and internet access are rare, drink some local wine, and work on my tan. That or go expatriate myself in Los Angeles.

The recount of the TV show has made me feel decidedly unclean. I feel I must watch my illicitly obtained copy of "Broken" in order to restore my sensibilities.

The following is from the inaugural issue of Plazm Magazine.

Declaration of Scene Dependence

Originally published in Plazm #1, page #1, circa 1991

When in the course of the endless stream of eclectic weekend soirees, and grunge rock networking frenzies, it becomes necessary to dissolve the socio politico bands which have connected what we define as scene with what those of other cities, you know the ones, have haphazardly defined as scenes, but in doing so placed constraints on their creativity and manners of self-expression (usually motivated by the hint of the big carrot), and to assume, among the powers of the Earth, the separate and equal stations to which the laws of social interaction, party hopping, and Walt Curtis, entitle them.

We hold these truths to be self evident, that all nihilistic-hippy-entrepreneurial-ararcho-disaffected-forlorn youth spent listening to the fringe of industrial "Baudelaire" music-Kerowackian-just a day job-tartaric espresso drinkers- 3 a.m. the Smiths are playing-your lover's left-it's all too real-sink back into the comfort of sporty mixed drink-mind blasting-too many drug taking-potential rock star-first persons to make millions from Beat Poetry-conspiracy understanders-where does Mondo 2000 get all that money, anyway-Williamette Week thirty second flippers-glorious new age harbingers are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator(s) ((Warhol, Burroughs, and some unheard of French philosopher who has been tapping your dreams, and will soon publish your stream of consciousness to rave reviews)) with certain inalienable rights; life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (and maybe a good taco, every once in a while).

That the oppression of contemporary mass manipulation has reached such a level as to demand the actions we are taking. Through the realization that this is the moment, and that its integrity is defined by our acceptance of each other, and not by a section in Pulse, a blurb in Spin. That through our endeavors to promote harmonious, well lit, social interaction we will be the catalyst for true global change. The community should be bonded by the common goals of preserving "the ultimate party," and the freedoms that enhance and enable, even bands without talent, to thrive and prosper. The processes of democracy have been assailed long enough, and it is imperative that we, as citizens of the United States, commit every aspect of our lives to assuming the means of production of our own scene, and all the catering, decoration, and guest list responsibilities that are our God given rights. Thus, on this day July, Seventh, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety One, the good citizens of Portland do hereby declare their Scenedependence, and establish the structures of self-government, and open bars, necessary for the operation of a free society.

How forward-sighted was that?

Well, given the lame-assed status quo of 2007, at any rate.

As one who has always done the scene but wasn't necessarily into being seen, I can seriously appreciate the spirit with which that piece was inspired.

Popular culture is the enemy of thought, freedom, and expression.

There have always been many pretentions and poseurs and pseudo-angst as suitable sideshow fodder to any scene.... Oh, I really don't want to go there now, do I. Perhaps another time.

Adobe Magazine has been reborn in an online format. I mention this due to its current-issue connection with Plazm. (You'll just have to find out for yourself). Also because it is a worthwhile publication, and I am glad to see the phoenix rise from the ashes.

I'm off to go a-knitting now. Rest assured, this isn't your grandma's idea of knitting....