August 28, 2007
Risking life and limb
For you dear readers I have once more stepped into the breach to bring you the first and, as long as we don't get sued, hopefully not the last in a new series, Paul's Podcasts. I warn you now this is not for the weak of heart, or stomach. If you are brave enough to listen you will laugh, but there is a small chance you will throw up in your mouth just a bit. If you like it, let us know. If you hate it, even better, let us know so we can mock you.... I mean try to make the show better.
Paul's Podcast (.mp3, 29.6 MBs)
Posted by Ripley at 08:58 AM | Comments (591) | TrackBack
August 15, 2007
Burning Man
No, this is not a post about how to deal with snitches. I wanted to talk about what I know and don’t know about a strange thing called Burning Man.
First the facts:
Burning Man is a “festal” of sorts that is held in the desert of Nevada once a year.
This “festal” features art created by the participants, most of which is burned at the end of Burning Man’s 7 day run. (This is a wonderful idea for all modern art)
There are no permanent faculties for the “festal”, only portable restrooms are provided. That means there are no showers, stores, food, or power beyond what you bring in with you.
What I don’t know:
First and for most is the simple question, why? Why does anyone opt for a situation where they are in a desert with no showers, no good bed (unless you take one with you) and no clear purpose for the whole thing in the fist place.
What does one do in the desert for seven days, unless you angered God and he is making you wonder around for a little bit? (If you don’t get the reference go read the Bible)
What’s with the whole art thing, I mean some artists do some very wacky stuff but this seems a bit extreme. Can’t you just go cut off your ear or something?
There web site says “Our mission is to produce the annual event known as "Burning Man" and to guide, nurture and protect the more permanent community created by its culture.” And then what? Burn it down, because that’s what happens. I see this as a message that says “hay kids, art and community is nice and all but it won’t last, so we are going to make that point blazing clear by burning it all down in front of you while you watch, ha ha ha” Now maybe I am being overly critical but I don’t understand the seemingly contradictory message.
I see the desert as a mostly lifeless, barren wasteland. I also think the metaphor here is clear. Burning Man says “your life, and to a larger extent the community around you is a lifeless pit, devoid of nurture or refuge of almost any kind. Fire and the act of burning symbolizes the inevitable destruction of what little peace and meaning you have managed to scrape together in your otherwise useless existence. Let us all celebrate this tragedy together and maybe it will distract us from the sad truth staring us in the face”
All in all Burning Man seems to be a strange thing in a strange place for strange people.
Posted by Bailey at 11:54 AM | Comments (5)
August 06, 2007
The reason for the season
I've had a considerable absence from this venue. It occurred to me today that that's because I've lost track of my reason for writing. Some people write because their born to it and they feel like they have words bursting from them that need to be put on paper. I'm certainly not one of those people. Others write to communicate, to express themselves and gain the understanding of their readers. But why would I care what others think? Still others write to educate, to pass down their wisdom to others and improve the world. I don't feel that way about wisdom. If I ever get some, I'm going to hoard it.
In looking back, it seems I write because I've got no other convenient medium for bitching and moaning. So, that brings us to today's post.
Today I realized I'm doomed to the pink sticky notes. We have about 30 pads of sticky notes in our office. They're of all different colors. Somehow, no matter what I do, I always end up using the hot pink ones. I stay late and hide them. Literally, hide them behind desks and shit. I went to the trouble to hide one inside the ceiling like some sort of nightmarish alien paparazzi, stalking through the vents to feed on blood and illicit photos. Every morning when they come in all of my smiling employees are scribbling happily away on their green and yellow sticky notes and resting on my desk, practically grinning at me like some sort of sticky pink Cheshire Cat, are the damn hot pink sticky notes.
Tomorrow I'll try the garbage disposal, it looks fierce, it might help me.
Posted by DjDuk at 11:44 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
August 03, 2007
Charge (without your consent)
Change happens every day and in more ways then can be counted. Some of these changes are small and some are large. Some changes affect you every day while others you will never know about. But enough of the sappy, mellow drama, day time talk show advise. You didn’t come here for a hollow excuse and a pat on the head! On with the real stuff!
There are several proven methods of dealing with change you can’t control.
Method 1: Don’t care.
If you don’t care about other people or the world around you, then you are not likely to care if it changes. This is the method I use. Apathy is a very useful method of reducing stress. Just let it all go, its mostly useless noise anyway. People around you are going to be generally useless waist of biomaterial anyway, why not just let them do whatever they want, even if this means there own self-destruction. It’s like watching someone burn down there own house, offer help, ask if they understand the consequences but in the end its there house, let them do what they want. If you really embrace this idea the world around you becomes little more then a place you have to walk though on your way someone else.
Method 2: Take action
Most change that upsets people is the change that they have no control over. I say the way to fix that is to take control. For an example I will now tell you a true story from my own life (this is your que to snuggle up with your favorite stuffed penguin Mr. Duk). At the place I work the powers that be decided to bring in someone new to do my job, and while I was not fired I was demoted. This fun little Monday surprise was upsetting. Needless to say I was not happy with the change (and who would be), there was also not much I could do about it…or was there. I was basically faced with 3 options. I could quit, I could work with the new guy or, go on a killing spree (this last option it always a consideration). I decided (see I’m making choices now) to work with the new guy and learn all I could form the situation. I choose to view this as a way to learn, grow and gain new experience. Even if that learning is “wow, this sucks, but at least I learned and can move on to something better now”.
The bottom line here is that while changes often happen to us we can strike back by making changes of our own and thus retaining a measure of control in our own lives. Most situations are easer to accept if you can make some changes of your own.
Method 3: Let our anger destroy you
I’m not sure this is a good option, especially if your anger does not motivate action or understanding. But you can - if you want - let it all go to your head…so to speak. You can look at the would around you and your life as an uninterrupted string of things you can do nothing about. Let despair and fear take hold. You can’t control anything, the world does to you what it wants and you are just a puppet dancing for someone’s amusement. Live your life in quite distain (because they won’t let you speak out) until the day your set free by death. Don’t try and change a thing because it won’t work. Don’t try and understand the change or see the greater good because there is none and even if there was you would never understand it. Live your whole life as a victim.
Don’t kid yourself, there are people who live a life as I just described, and the sad part is they are completely right. If you don’t create your own future, someone else will do it for you.
I hope this offers at least some help in your day to day lives. If you have any questions please fell free to leave a comment.
Posted by Bailey at 08:32 AM | Comments (6)