Saturday, July 30, 2011

"Every burned book or house enlightens the world; every suppressed or expunged word reverberates through the earth from side to side."

The hands of my soul heed my thoughts and manipulate their extraction, making the writing process so painfully slow. The delay intensifies the result. So, take care until we meet again in my next set of words. My pen awaits thee, eager to create and destroy.

Photo credit: Robert Moses Joyce, Title quote: Ralph Waldo Emerson

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Thoughts of a Moment

1. "Hipsters" spend a lot of money. To be one you have to like coffee because it's part of the code. But you can't just like any coffee; you have to like the expensive kind and/or subscribe to the "hip" ways of making it (i.e. French Presses only). Additionally, you must own a retro manual camera (the kind where you advance the film yourself) and carry around porcelain mugs because you're too hip for to-go mugs or wasteful cardboard cups. You spend more money on clothing because it looks dated, and then you have to pretend that you bought it at Goodwill so that it's accepted as "cool" and "thrifty." The hipster lifestyle is just the epitome of natural--the "grassroots approach" toward living, if you will. Being "natural" is just so expensive.

2. I can't stand obvious people with obvious taste. This is not to be confused with something that is commonly liked. It's okay to like something that a lot of people like, and rather silly not to like it because a lot of people like it. For example, a lot of people like Dave Matthews Band. It's okay to like Dave Matthews Band despite the fact that a lot of people like them. It's only annoying when someone's musical taste can be fit into a perfectly predictable square, a paradigm that can be derived based on the fact that he/she likes pussy cats, for example. Okay, so I'm officially horrible at articulating this point. But seriously, I can only recall one person in my head that I know despises DMB. Though, he's probably a hipster, and his opinion is likely branded on the bottom of an eco-friendly coffee cup whose proceeds benefit some orphanage in Guatemala. And no, I'm not judging him for it...outwardly, anyway.

3. People that only read the bestsellers is actually a better example than the previous Dave Matthews Band explanation. Like, don't you have your own interests? I have realized that I always ask for book recommendations and rarely follow them. People just don't know what I like; they just don't get me. I'm going to go off in a dark corner and brood but then think about how cool I really am. Woe is me. Woe is me. Woe is me. (Dramatic blog entries make me puke in rainbows, but I'm serious about only reading the bestsellers. Like, get a perspective).

4. Good thing Jews don't believe in hell. Hell, some don't even believe in God. A dissolute religion? No expectations? Remember: 613 commandments, only one day of atonement, and NO Christmas. The Chosen Ones- no recruitment necessary.

5. Too much pleasure lessens the measure of its intensity. If it means a lot, keep it infrequent. Also related to this idea: delayed gratification. It's actually much more gratifying.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Hey Jeff

I'm developing a text message relationship with my father. It's new, and I think he's still trying to get the hang of it. It's not that he doesn't know how to text message; he's plenty adept at talking to people and making his voice heard. It's quite cute though, he signs the bottom of each text message "Dad," as if each little vignette is a mini letter, or as if I didn't know it was him sending me the message. I know it's you, Dad! And this is me, your daughter, saying, "I heard you the first time."

I don't think he knows about my blog, so he's not reading this. If he is by chance reading this (highly unlikely, but whatevs, I have to cover my bases), hi Dad--fancy seeing you here! Did you catch how I mentioned you in my last post? I know, wild right?! I totally fell asleep drooling on the couch a-la-Jeff Waldman, except I wasn't watching the Phillies, I wasn't swearing at Kobe, and I wasn't in the middle of my nightly re-reading of this month's issue of Classic Trains. Oh, and I wasn't snoring either (thankfully I didn't inherit your air-puff exhale technique, so I'm still marriageable).

Although, I did inherit your legs. They serve me well, help me with sports, etc. But every time I eat a batch of cookies, I feel like I'm throwing out a big middle finger to your thighs. Thanks a LOT, Dad. But don't take it personally.

My patriotism construed via a once-jailed neo-soul/r&b star



I think this song is now mainly used for eighth grade graduation/promotion ceremonies. I remember when the video came out around 9/11. Still a nice song. Happy Fourth!

Make sure to take a special look at R. Kelly's dance-like head jiving during 4:37-4:40.