Sunday, December 31, 2006
Goodbye 2006
A year I won't ever forget, a year I'm glad to have behind me.
Labels: general
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Subaru, I <3 you
The 2003 Subaru WRC having some fun in the snow on Japan's Best Motoring car program. Mucho delicioso!
The cost of revolution
When World War II ended, a bunch of imperfect men came home to an imperfect country and started reproducing like rabbits. Eventually, those offspring would grow into their teens and reject a majority of their parents' value system in favor of the better living through chemistry/free-love approach to societal ascension. Of course, it failed miserably on most fronts. Where women's lib and the civil rights movement were positives, the abandonment of traditional values, rather than a progressive evolution and refinement of the old ways, was a total disaster. Forty years on, America is a drug plagued, crime ridden, divorce happy, sociological mess.
Sure, America was a sexist, racist place, particularly in South, in the 1940s and 50s. And those serious flaws needed addressing, there is no valid argument to be made otherwise, but it is HOW the ideas that led to those much needed social reform were abused and distorted in the larger context that ultimately derailed society. We're reaping what the drug-soaked 60s, hapless 70s, and greed-fueled 80s sewed.
Where the bad was discarded, as it should be, the good was also tossed aside, and we were left with what amounts to not much of anything. Society could have taken a turn and chipped away at rigid conservativism until it was something more tolerable, instead America threw away just about everything and tried to start over again. A 60% divorce rate and all-time highs in drug abuse, STD infections, and an ever widening gap between the wealthy and the "middle class" speak volumes about the success of said revolution. America got exactly what it wanted, a sex and drug fueled culture with a foundation made of selfishness and shortsighted social policy.
What started this whole rant? A discussion at the office this morning centered around modern relationships. Sometimes it doesn't take much to get me going. :)
On a completely different note, I finally got confirmation that I managed two more 4.0s this past term. With the visual arts side of my grade finally coming online and a class in the principles of marketing on tap, I'm optimistic that I can keep things rolling into Summer of 2007. We shall see.
I doubt I'll be updating before New Year's, so have a safe and happy one if I don't see you before!
Labels: life, relationships, school
Friday, December 22, 2006
Christmas time musing
I find myself thinking about the lyrics to (What's so funny) 'bout peace, love, and understanding quite a bit around this time of year. The song has been covered by everyone from Cyndi Lauper, to Elvis Costello, to A Perfect Circle. My personal preference is for APC's version, but then I've got a soft spot (in my pants...see the FUNNY!) for Maynard. If you're not familiar, the lyrics are as follows:
As I walk through
This wicked world
Searchin' for light in the darkness of insanity.
I ask myself
Is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?
And each time I feel like this inside,
There's one thing I wanna know:
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?
And as I walked on
Through troubled times
My spirit gets so downhearted sometimes
So where are the strong
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony.
'Cause each time I feel it slippin' away, just makes me wanna cry.
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?
So where are the strong?
And who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony?
Sweet harmony.
'Cause each time I feel it slippin' away, just makes me wanna cry.
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?
I'm not sure there is a song that better sums my, and I suspect many other peoples', collective thought processes. Our collective legacy is one of prolonged struggle and strife. We have not had a century of total peace in all of recorded history. Like various holy scriptures have noted, we are beset on all sides by evils. We have been collectively aware of this encroachment since our species achieved a level of intelligence that would allow us to record its presence. We have been talking about, arguing over, and fighting against these evils for thousands of years.
It is safe to say that evil is not going anywhere. So in these time of "good will toward men", it is difficult to practice what I would preach. There are times when I struggle to remember that there is some good being done out there, that there are reasons to be optimistic. As I pass through my 29th Christmas, I find myself no more sure of the larger "why" than I was on my first. The exceptions to the rules give me hope, but the larger, eternal mess that is Humanity leaves me bewildered.
In a world where peace is as simple as learning to live alongside each other, not necessarily in hippy harmony, but in some form of tranquility, it is nearly impossible to find peace. These days, I am not even at peace with myself, forget the world, and I know I am not alone because similar things are being said by nearly everyone I know. Bummer...
On a lighter note, my cousin Denis is in town. I haven't seen Denis in nearly 20 years, so you can imagine that we both look a bit different. He brought his girlfriend Monica with him. They are both PhD carrying academics and a blast to chat with. This is the first time I've ever known Denis, who is in his mid-40s, to have a serious girlfriend. This is also the first time we will have had any extended family around for the Christmas holiday. Their visit has been a welcome change of pace and I am glad they are here.
Interestingly, this is the 29th consecutive year that I have been single at Christmas. On one hand, I find that amusing. I mean, that is hard to do, trust me! On the other, it is a little discouraging. Somethings are not meant to be, and I think I have registered this particular message loud and clear, but I'm not so bitter and empty to not feel a slight pang of regret about this fact. No worries...it'll pass. :)
on that note, have a Happy Festivus! If I don't see you before, have a safe New Years. Hopefully my next post will be something on the order of "I'M AN UNCLE!!!!". Later kids...
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
An update to the quick tidbit
Murdok won! Despite the best efforts of several other bands, Murdok won the popular and the judicial votes, the latter unanimously! Of course, we had the smallest contingent of fans there, so when the winners were finally announced, all remained of the 66 people who had originally showed were myself, Dan C's parents, Josh's parents, and the band. Unfortunately, two other bands each brought a tour bus full of people. One allegedly bought 300 tickets AND opened the bar during their set in an attempt to win the crowd.
In the end, it didn't really matter. Murdok took 290 of around 600 possible votes, and got the nod from all three of the judges. Of course, none of the bands going home without a chance to play on were very happy about the situation, but a couple of bands were particularly pissed off, to the point that band members and their fans began sending hatemail on Myspace. I even received some hate after leaving a comment about the hateful comments! LOL
A few of the bands came up and chatted for a while. They seemed to be genuinely cool folks and everyone was supportive. But, it's funny how some people are driven to separate into factions and take these sorts of things personally. It's not about the love of live music, or enjoying the variety of bands that showed for the competition, all of which played solid sets. What it's really all about for some people is segregating into cliques, yelling your favorite band's name louder than the next guy, and generally devaluing anyone who isn't playing the specific type of music you are most interested in hearing. The funny part is, I actually liked a couple of the bands who are acting like the biggest asses after the fact. Obviously, they have a narrow view of what constitutes good music, and they could probably stand to learn a thing or two about conducting themselves with a sense of class. Just more examples of the same old, boring bullshit from people with nothing better to do. I can't say I'm surprised, people being what they are. Let them complain...there will always be haters doing what they do best.
So Murdok moves onto Cleveland, the haters continue to hate, and life goes on. In the meantime, I'm trying to finish a shirt design in time for the show at the Hall of Fame and prepping for the next term of school. Good times...
Labels: general, life, murdok, music
Saturday, December 16, 2006
A quick tidbit
Apparently, Eckerd College is one of the top-20 "wired colleges" in the entire country, according to PC World magazine. I knew the library was wired for serous broadband and that they had coverage at each satellite campus (I've used the wireless a few times during classes in Palm Harbor), but it would seem that the place is loaded like few other schools in the USofA. Considering that East Lake High School had 2100 students when I graduated in 1995, it's pretty impressive to see a school with only 1200 resident students make this sort of list. There was a brief snippet about in the the St Pete Times here.
Also, my boys (and girl) in Murdok will be playing Jannus Landing tonight. If you're not aware, they are entered in the Bodog Battle of the Bands and will be competing for a trip to LA, along with a chance to compete for a $1m record deal tonight. Should be a good show. The below Myspace bulletin says it all:
Feeling down, spiritually lost, or sexually confused? Do your friends demean you? Has society tossed you aside like the contents of a 17th century bedpan? Fear not fair brother or sister, there is a place for you in this world amongst a people headed to a land of spiritual enlightenment and total joy. Where is this wonderland and who are these people?
Venture out to Jannis Landing tonight and witness the birth of a new era in human history, as Murdok (Kodrum for those reading this in a mirror...we know who you are and we will find you!) takes to the stage to invoke the powers of Zeus himself in their effort to rock your weary braincase with the scintillating sounds of kinetic magic that have created such whimsical poetry as The Bubble Gum Princess and "The Polka Song"! I ask you, who doesn't have a passion for polka? You must be there...
Do not miss this opportunity to be touched by the labia majora of God herself!!! Bask in the mucosal deliverance only a supernatural, vaginal cleansing can bestow upon you!
Doors are at 5:00pm. Murdok is scheduled to begin their sermon at 8:00. The Great Goddess will make an appearance at 8:15p, Great Labia of Goodness at the ready! Be there, or be somewhere else, brothers and sisters!! The Day of Reckoning has come! Join us and be cleansed!
Labels: general, life, music, school
Thursday, December 14, 2006
2006 - A year in the tumbler
There's a band I really enjoy called My Morning Jacket. They're a melodic, pseudo-country band...their sound is hard to describe, but it's great stuff if you're in an introspective or contemplative mood. Anyway, here are the lyrics to one of their songs that is very high on my list of current favorites:
I Will Be There When You Die
Joe was born in New York City, son of Paul and Catherine
Always down and always out,
but his 'morrows always seemed just fine.
There will be bigotry and there will be open minds,
there will be days of peace; you'll never have the time.
As long as you keep a straight face,
I will be there when you die.
I was born in east Kentucky, home of where the grass is dyed.
Always down and always out,
but my 'morrows always seemed just fine.
There will be bigotry and there will be open minds,
there will be days of peace you'll never have the time.
As long as you keep a straight face,
I will be there when you die.
I will be there when you die.
This has been a year of change and chaos like none I have ever experienced before in my life. I've discussed the how, what and why behind that at one point or another here, so I'll save the rehash, but the repetitious nature of my musings on the subject do not make the matter any less powerful for me. I have not ever experienced a year like this one before, and while it is a bit early to properly reflect on it, I find myself trying anyway.
I have been wanting the pace of change to ease up a little, but things seem to be in a perpetual state of flux. From my love life to my personal life to my work life, nothing has settled down for long since this all began back in January, and we just found out that one of our guys at the office, someone I have known since high school, is leaving to make more money in another group. We just replaced the last guy who left...for more money...2 weeks ago. The end of the year is hectic enough without all of this additional transition going on. Luckily, there are only 17 days left in this torturous calendar year.
I find myself laying awake at night, hoping (praying?) for transcendence, taking a chance that something in the vast cosmos beyond the confines of my skull is listening. The way I see it, you pump enough will into the world around you, combine it with a disciplined and decent life, and you should be able to make good things happen regardless of your religious persuasion. If the only thing hearing my voice are the neurons firing in my head, it is enough.
And things are getting clearer. I've come to realize that much of the mess that has been this year has led me directly to the good that I have experienced. Without one, I would almost certainly not have the other. For example, school. I first started considering a return to school after helping The Ex write a paper for one of her classes senior level classes. The fact that I could write on a reasonably intelligent level became evident, and I began to believe that I was capable of channeling that into a return to academia. Eventually, a plan started formulating in my gray matter, and the good that came of it is now undeniable.
Then there is the car...if she hadn't been wounded over the Summer, I wouldn't have started down a path that has me back on an upgrade arc. This time, the car is set on a path toward 500bhp or so, with a 6-speed conversion as a part of master plan. So far, so good on that front, but the motor build up will take a lot longer than the tranny acquisition and install. After a spark plug change this past weekend, the car is back to life...and I'm smiling when I drive her again. :)
The good from the bad, the silver lining, the light at the end of the tunnel; all of the eternal cliches apply. It's all part of the balance, the constant push and pull. It is funny to find myself typing that. Regardless, it is true, because in giving one thing I can't replace away, I was inspired to begin a journey toward acquiring something that no one can ever take away. Balance...it's something that is an undeniably positive thing to believe in. Philosophers, theologians, good mothers, fathers, teachers, etc have all been extolling its virtues for eons.
Count me amongst the concept's most faithful.
Labels: faith, life, philosophy
Monday, December 11, 2006
What's irony?
An internet nudie girl with the word "Respect" tattooed about five inches above her exposed labia majora. Seriously?
Anyway, I had an unfortunate conversation with the New Girl at the office today. Strippers, I see them as tragically wounded souls unworthy of my money or my time, but most normal guys see them as the stuff dream fucks are made of. Nothing like a well worn, cocaine dried, heavily perfumed vagina to get a man's mouth watering! It's a sad truth, one that probably makes me look like a pathetic loser who rents a room from his parents so that he can finish up a pair of degrees about ten years too late, but in yet one more way, I am not up to average/normal guy standards. I digress.
The point is, strippers are empty, soulless women only interested in the money their clientele provide, in much the same way that their clients are only interested in the whorish fantasy that their naked, often drug-addled bodies provide. Some guys like to pay to be teased, a few like to ante up and get a little polish job in the VIP room, and a rare few will even go the full monty with a sleepover chaser. I didn't get the stripper thing at 18...in a society like this one, why the hell would you pay???...and I don't get it now, but then, I don't get anything anymore.
So I toss out a few clever zingers, some over the top condemnation, and a little bit of smartassery, just to amuse myself and anyone within ear shot. That's when the New Girl gets quiet. Now, I'm nearly positive she has never danced...not that she's not an attractive girl, she is, but she seems like someone who genuinely has her head in the right place...and I am not making a guy allusion to my lap, so get your fecking mind out of the gutter. But she got quiet after that, so I'm fairly certain I said something offensive...not sure if she had a friend who stripped, knows some strippers, or generally did not like my bluntness on the matter. At this point, it's no big deal, but I made a note to myself: watch the stripper thing.
Luckily, I am under no such obligation here. Now I understand that the money is great, the hours are short, blah-blah-blah, but seriously, don't most people see strippers as being just a rung above outright prostitutes? Am I the only one who sees this sort of thing as being just a rung above back alley blowjobs and cheap motel bang-busing? Is it crazy to think that stripping is about as morally justified as selling crack? For some reason, I think that I am probably devoting too many brain cycles to this sort of thing.
And maybe I'm just uptight. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the nude female form and I really enjoy sex, but I can't see paying to experience either of them. You can see naked girls for free, just log on somewhere and sex is everywhere these days...it's just a matter of having the right partner in your lap when the club's last round of musical crotch grinding stops. Why pay? And why should we show these sorts of people respect? Respect is earned, not given, and it can be lost as easily as it can be gained. I look at the girl who works two jobs through school, drives a 10 year old car the entire time, and sacrifices where she has to in order to achieve her goals as someone worth respecting. What about stripping is worthy of respect? And who in their right minds respects an internet nudie girl who tattoos the word respect on herself?
More important questions have never been asked.
On a positive note, I just got an A in my stats class, which made the day worth struggling through. I'm guessing that another A in my Environmental Perspectives class is to be expected, but I won't know until Thursday. Scooby is alive and WELL these days...complete with 6 forward gears, instead of 5...I like. :) The supplies list for my forthcoming double art class arrived last week and it looks like the term is going to be very interesting. Perhaps I will do some modeling, though I would have to on high alert at all times...you never know when one of the ladies in the class might go wild and ravage me right there in front of everyone! It's hard being a moralist and so damn sexy...but it is my burden to bare. Don't believe me? Just check out my Myspace...hell yeah, dead sexy.
Anyway, that's it for now. Back later...
Labels: life, morality, school, strippers
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Top Gear - Bugatti Veyron - A race from Italy to London - Video
This is the most amazing roadcar ever constructed. I literally giggled watching this. :)
Labels: bugatti, race, veyron, video
I wish Bill Watterson had never retired
These all comics from the last month of Calvin and Hobbes' 10 year run...
Labels: calvin and hobbes, comics, pics
About those travel plans
I’ve decided that a trip to London and Paris in 2008 is in order. Eckerd has a term abroad requirement as part of its international business program, and I had been looking at doing a week in the Bahamas to fill that spot in my course list, but the visual arts program’s academic advisor mentioned that I could knock out an art history, my global perspectives, AND a term abroad with the classes tied to this Euro trip. The choice became obvious, and two weeks in London and Paris are now the thing.
In some ways, this trip will be a reconnaissance mission. The feeling that I need to get away from here for a while has become a pressing one and I have been rolling around the idea of living in Europe for a couple of years, post-graduation. My understanding is that Europeans are every bit as commercialized as modern Americans, and that the moral social fabric is stretched even thinner there, but none of that is really a problem, since I wouldn’t be going for the people. It’s the history that draws me. I want to see the castles of England, the Louvre in Paris, and Rome’s ancient architecture. I would love to see the work of Michelangelo, Da Vinci, and Bernini up close and in person. Seeing a Formula One race at Monza or Monte Carlo has long been on my list of things to do.
Basically, I want to see all the places I have read about my entire life. The US has become this spiritually vacant, morally crippled, socially divided, generally unpleasant place to be. Maybe getting away for a while will help me rediscover the good in living here. At this point, I’m no longer sure. It may be that I move away and stay abroad, only coming home to visit friends and family. There is so much world to see, and so little time for seeing it, I’m afraid I might have already spent too much time in one place.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Obama Barack is making all the right noise
From CNN.com: At the conference today, Obama said he "respectfully but unequivocally" disagreed with those who do not want to include condom use in the fight against AIDS. But he also commented, "Let me say this loud and clear — I don't think that we can deny that there is a moral and spiritual component to prevention — that in too many places all over the world where HIV/AIDS is prevalent — including by the way right here in the United States — the relationship between men and women, between sexuality and spirituality, has broken down, and needs to be repaired."
This guy is playing the middle perfectly and if he can find a way to make his views known to a wider audience, I could see him building the sort of name recognition it takes to make a run at the Oval Office. He is an admittedly flawed, allegedly devout, Christian, who speaks with conviction and appears to be positioning himself as the Dems' man of the future. The one thing he lacks is experience, but then he can play that to his advantage, taking the moralist outsider position. His growing fame raises some interesting questions.
What would happen if Hillary Clinton decided 2008 was her year, as most people believe she will, and she tapped Obama as her running mate? I'm not sure what I would do, if such a circumstance were to arise. My feelings on Hillary Clinton vary between several shades of disgust, but Obama becoming the first, black Vice President to the first female President would make for an interesting story. With the damage George W and the outgoing Congress have done to the Republican cause, it seems like a plausible outcome. Of course, things change quickly in this country, so who knows what scandal the future will bring for any of the players currently being bounced around. While I would prefer to see Obama take a run himself, I'm not sure he will have the experiential credibility to get him over the hump. And I am not sure how well he'll fare against the Repub slander machine. After seeing what Karl Rove was allowed to do to John McCain in 2000, there's no telling how far America's party of the wealthy and the white would be willing to go in their efforts to keep a black man out of the White House.
I would also like to hear more about Obama's ties to corporate sponsorship. How deeply he is in the pockets of corporate America is more important to me than whether or not he believes in the virtues of condom use. If he is gulping up the sort of funds that his peers so ravenously inhale into their election coffers, he's really of no use to anyone with a mind toward change. After hearing him speak and some limited reading on his background, my gut says that he is at least a decent man. Whether or not he is a good one remains to be seen. If the Repubs nominate Guiliani, a man who fucked his mistress in the same bed his wife slept in during his time as mayor of New York, the Dems are more or less guaranteed my vote by default. While I enjoy the irony of Repubs boosting a man who shares the moral sense of Bill Clinton, another politician I detest, I can't vote for such a morally vacuous man in good conscience.
Something tells me 2008 will be a difficult year for many of us, when it comes time to head to the voting booths. The times, they are a-changing...for better or worse, no one knows.
Labels: politics
December 1st of my 29th year and this is what I know
This is not a comprehensive or top-10 list. I stopped at 10 because I was getting sleepy, and felt like I had typed enough for one day. A list like this one can go on and on, but these are the highlights as of December 1st, 2006, as I near the halfway point of my 29th year in this life. Just my thoughts...I make no claims to absolute knowledge or truth, only that these are mine as I see them today.
1. Decency does not have to be a myth. Despite the best efforts of the media, celebrities, sports figures, politicians, powermongering corporate executives, major religious leaders, criminals, degenerates, and other elements of society's detritus, I am more convinced than ever that decency can win the day. There is still good in the world...the real question is, how do we mobilize and empower it? At some point, the good has to start fighting fire with fire. Currently, good is getting its ass kicked.
2. Honesty is always the best option. This goes without saying, but it takes a certain level of commitment to ourselves, our collective integrity, and the values we claim to hold dear. If you believe something is right or wrong, say so. When someone asks you a question, give them your honest answer. It won't always help you win popularity contests, but it will help you sleep at night. And if the truth hurts, so be it. Truth is bigger than anyone's fragile ego and honesty more important than our momentary fear of it.
3. Love is still alive, but it has been on life support for far too long now. In a place where everything is a disposable commodity, love have been turned into a cliched distortion more often involving some form of dishonesty than a genuine oneness shared by two people. People use the word as a weapon, use the feeling as a tool, and generally shit all over the idea that it has spiritual implications. Our innocence is systematically ripped from us by a mass of cowards. They tell us that love is supposed to hurt, that love is painful, and even that love is an outright lie. But love does not, and should not, be any of those things. Love should be grand and powerful and empowering. Love should give us the courage to overcome our life's challenges and the comfort to heal our wounds after the struggle. People talk about these sorts of things, but talk is cheap, and too many peoples' actions reveal a deeply rooted skepticism, brought on by fear. I know there is truth in that statement, because fear is exactly why I am the skeptic I am today.
3b. Sex without an emotional attachment is nothing compared to "making love" with someone. Opinions vary on this one, but I accept the above as an inherent truth. Let the sexually enlightened, casual crowd do as they will. I'm more convinced than ever that it is to our collective detriment to take something so intimate and powerful lightly. Cheapening it and turning it into a marketing tool is one of the worst, and oldest, mistakes our species has ever made.
4. Speaking of spirit, I am now certain that on some level, spirit (or soul, if you prefer), is real. Spirituality, for me, is not the result of faith in a god or gods, but rather a faith in the power of embracing ideals of goodness that speak to my core awareness...the intangible something that fuels this body and mind. When I hit upon one of these ideas, or, better yet, find a way to make them a reality in my life, there is a tangible feeling of "right" that is hard to explain, but I think it is known to almost all of us at various points throughout our lives.
5. Goodness fuels all of our positive psychology and social structures. Decency, honesty, love, spirituality, they all are strengthened by holding goodness in your cognizant and subconscious. Goodness does not have to be grand or impressive in its scope, but we only benefit by remaining strong and determined in embracing it. We must be willing to defend it, uphold it, and nurture it at all costs. Look around and tell me whether or not you believe we are tending to these responsibilities adequately today.
6. People will disappoint, hurt and betray you. This is an inevitable component to any life, in any age, within an endless array of circumstances. We are all selfish on some level. You cannot thrive and ascend without some form of self interest generating the power to propel you forward. Even if your only drive is to become a better servant of your god(think Mother Theresa), you are still working to satisfy a personal desire. In this way, even Mother Theresa was selfish. What separates people like her from people subhumans like Paris Hilton, is a desire to channel that selfish desire for spiritual gratification into selflessness. Being selfish is not, in and of itself, a negative state. It is how we choose to steer that selfishness that ultimately determines our worth to others. Unfortunately, people like Mother Theresa are 1 in 6B or so, but that does not excuse any of us from doing what we can.
7. People will inspire, amaze, and uplift you. Mother Theresa, Gandhi, Siddhartha Gotama, Keith Lange, a litle brother, whoever, good people doing good things on a micro or macro scale hold the potential to be inspiring. In my Technology, Science and the Environment class, I read an article about John Crowley. At one point in his life, Mr. Crowley was a junior executive at Bristol-Myers Squibb. When his youngest son and daughter were both diagnosed with pompe, a disease that weakens muscle and generally kills most people within 5 years of diagnosis, he took action. He left his job, started a pharma company of his own, fought financial and development setbacks, and ultimately made substantial progress. The world is full of stories like this one. We do not hear about it often enough, but they are out there. We all owe it to ourselves to look.
8. Man is too primitive a beast to make widespread embrace of any given ideal a reality. We still destroy and exploit one another far too frequently, largely because of primitive drives (more of this is better, more of that is even better...the myths of material/physical happiness). When we derive more enjoyment from life, than from the things in our lives, we are well on our way. As a collective, we do not do this, and I believe that we are nowhere near that point at present.
9. Art and creativity, in all of their various forms, are more important than the monetary gains or losses brought about by them. Money is nothing, in the grand, spiritual reality that is inarguably larger than this life. But art and the products of creation take the intangible and make it tangible. Taking an idea and turning it into something real has defined our collective ascent. From cave paintings to thermonuclear reactions, the power of ideas has both propelled and decimated us.
10. The human brain is the single most amazing and spectacular creation of material reality that the world has ever known. Within its simple, physical structure lies an infinitely complex, as yet not understood, labyrinth of complexity. Our minds can comprehend calculus, fall in love, make sense of a Van Gogh painting, generate a car like the Bugatti Veyron, or make something like this rambling post possible. Our brains are the closest thing to a real miracle our species has ever seen. Few people seem to truly appreciate the fact that no other known species is as capable as ours and that lack of appreciation has become a tragedy unto itself...
Labels: aging, general, life, spirituality
The winds of change are stirring
Things at the office have been slowly metamorphosing from a laid back, relaxed atmosphere, to one completely saturated in modernist, corporate dogma. These days, GE buzz words like “sigma” and “boundarylessness”, which is actually not a word, ironically enough, are flying around like mosquitoes in the Everglades. A new corporate culture is on the rise, and not surprisingly, few people in the office seem prepared for the potential implications. Our new CEO is a 6-sigma devotee, a former disciple of GE’s Jack Welch and a man companies like the Carlyle Group and KKR believe is worth $20M/year, which is to say he is a man obligated to make waves and bring about sea change, for better, or worse.
You won’t find me arguing that change isn’t necessary. Many of the people I work with have become complacent, closed-in thinkers, with little drive or motivation to improve. Many of them are simply coasting through the final years of 25 or 30-year careers, so they are more worried about short-term job security than long-term advancement. You won’t hear me making the argument that everyone should be a corporate ladder climber, but there is no other way to bring about change in the workplace, or anywhere for that matter, than to ascend the rungs of the hierarchy and put yourself in a leadership position. Complaining about work conditions while idling at the senior level, does not make you an advocate. That message is missed here, as it is in most office environments.
So the political interplay is getting heavy and uncertainty is starting to bubble up in the ranks. Visits from “consultants”, business analysts seeking out various means to cut redundancy and streamline the workforce, i.e. identify people who can be laid off, are starting to haunt the halls and conference rooms on campus. Monitoring software is popping up on the PCs of more and more groups as part of an effort to automate micromanagement…a monumentally idiotic strategy, but one they have chosen to employ because of a corporate culture shift to authoritarian supervision. The times, they are a-changing.
We’re hearing talk about market synergies, parallel structures and business integration. I keep waiting for “paradigm shift” and “outside of the box”, but these age-old buzzwords seem to have been replaced by “boundarylessness”. These people really do read and subscribe to the same brands of groupthink. It would be comical, if they weren’t making millions doing it. Ultimately, in some ways they are absolutely right, but a heavy-handed approach is going to alienate many veterans of the business and cost us some talent. Any intelligent person knows this, but it is obviously a gamble they are willing to take.
For my part, I am not overly concerned. I’ve come to realize that money comes, money goes. If you’re smart, you setup a nest egg, spend wisely and try to keep yourself in a good position to weather the storm, should things get rough. When things are good, you remain disciplined for the long-term as part of that process. That’s why I am sticking with Scooby, rather than getting a new car. It’s why I am focused on school and pursuing both of my interests, the arts and business. We have to remain diverse, disciplined and dedicated to a vision if we are to transcend the greedy, the power hungry, and the incorporated sociopaths running most major businesses. To them, we are either drone ants in a farm they control, or threats to their controlling power and interests. Either way, non-executives should expect an attitude of condescending indifference at best, outright hostility at worst.
Most of the people here are not prepared to deal with that reality and I think it will cost them, long-term. At this point, I just want to graduate college, keep building my 401k, work the other limited investments I have going, and get the fuck out of America for a couple of years in the near future. More on that later…