Get the BIKE outta here!

Wow. My last post was in October. I... really need to work on that. Well, I've had something on my mind recently and I think it's worthy of blogging.

Subtlety is a lost art. Not everywhere; not by everyone. Lately, though, it seems like a lot of things are very blatant. Take this song for example.

Doesn't take a genius to understand the song. The meaning is obvious. Blatant. There's barely a semblance of a thin veneer of metaphor. Lyrics like this insult my intelligence. Not to mention they contribute to a few stereotypes and the exploitation of women in today's media. I don't consider myself a feminist. I might even be a little bit of a chauvinistic pig (I can admit it every once in a decade. My wife probably agreed to marry me the last time that I admitted it), but this song offends even me.

Thanks again, media industry. Once again, I hate you. And you wonder why I don't want to pay for your music.

On Waking and Sleeping

I hate waking up early in the morning. Especially on weekdays. I'm not very coherent in the morning, as my wife can (and will) attest. So I was very surprised and a little irritated when my wife's phone rang this morning and woke me up. I three-quarters heard what was being said. Something about B being in the hospital and no, C probably wouldn't be available. Since it didn't seem like something that would directly affect me, I closed my eyes again and drifted off to... the sound of my phone bzzing. Outrage was starting to build. Who dareS distURB MY SLUMBER!

...Oh, it's B. Am I up? No. Awake. Sorta. Can we pick you up? From the hospital?? My eyebrows started wiggling their way up my forehead at this point. Needless to say, we went to the hospital this morning to pick up and take B home.

It didn't occur to me until later today that this was a wake-up call. B's significant other was at the hospital and was, understandably, upset. Would you like to hear that your spouse/partner/boyfriend/girlfriend has just felt the wind from the Grim Reaper's cloak?

I think not. This morning reminded me that life is fragile. I could be dead tomorrow. I could be dead a week from now. I could kick the bucket and spill the water all over the floor in a year. But I'm not terribly upset. Why? Well, when we arrived to pick B up, the crisis was long past. Out of danger, crisis averted. And the thought of my own death doesn't make me terribly upset right now. Why not?

I suspect it's because I've always had a sense during difficult situations that it wasn't my time. I don't believe in fate or destiny. Those ideas are... misguided. To borrow from Invictus (and you must imagine this in Morgan Freeman's voice, "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul."

My life, my choices. And when God decides that I'm ready to go, he'll make it my time.

So really, why am I writing this blog? To say that life is precious and we should make the most of it. To say that we should live in such a way that you or I could die in the next hour and feel that there is nothing to regret. To say that Thanatos is not to be feared. When the time comes, I think I'll be ready to sleep. And then, I'll go Home.

Sarifal did not Rise to the Adjustment by the Tinker.

This is a quick media update, nothing more. First: reading material; second: movies; third: music.

As far as books go, let me begin by warning you not to read Rose of Sarifal. It's a Dragonlance/Forgotten Realms book. I picked it up because the premise and the intro seemed interesting. Mixed group of adventurers are hired to save an outcase eladrin princess who commands an island of werewolves. And the intro had a bunch of drow and a handful of dragonborn. With a racial mix like that, how can you lose, right? Yet, somehow, the author managed to lose. The story went nowhere. I rarely have to say that about a book, but this was a bad case. The plot went nowhere, and most of the characters died. That's about it. Out of a rating of five thumbs, this book gets three thumbs down. As in -3.

Also, I've been reading a lot of Terry Pratchett books recently. I've been missing out all these years. The man is a genius. Currently reading Clay Feet and I'm enjoying following Sam Vimes around. =D

In movie news, I'd like to mention The Adjustment Bureau. I'd never heard of this film before I saw it, so I had no preconceptions going into it. It was a pleasant surprise to find that the film had good plot, good acting, and no real villain. It was like watching a live version of a Hayao Miyazaki film. And the writer and director managed to inject a lot of allegory into the time they took. I highly recommend this film. Five for five thumbs.

Also, I managed to find Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy at the library the other day. I've seen previews for this one and it looks good. Plus, the main character is Gary Oldman. He's one of a few actors whom I consider a genius at the craft. Looking forward to watching. Anticipation is at four of five thumbs.

Gangnam Style!

This is going to be a brief post. Don't feel like writing a lot at the moment. But, this is amusing and somewhat thought-provoking. If you haven't already, feast your eyes on the hilarity of Gagnam Style!

Now close this window and read the rest tomorrow. No joke.

Ah, you chose to read the rest. You fool. Well, I tried. Now you have to read the link to the follow-up article! At first, I thought the video was catchy and hilarious. Now, I have to consider that it's also quite serious. Even a parody can have deep meaning. Here's why...

Gangnam Style, Dissected: The Subversive Message Within South Korea's Music Video Sensation

Wasn't that interesting? Now think for a moment: do you live a Gangnam-style life?

Cogito Ergo Facere

I missed the chance to give away my Chacos today.

Shut up and read. Yes, you. Sit down, be quiet, and let your mind do the talking while your eyes catch up. Read. I know, they're brand new sandals. Good brand, good sandals. I still missed out.

I was on my lunch break, wandering over to the state office building to put something in the mail. On the way back, I was waiting at the crosswalk. There were two people waiting on the other side. One was a man who might have been a little warm. Lincoln's cooled down in the last couple days but mid- to high-eighties is still on the warm side for wearing jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. It wasn't until I was halfway across the street that I realized what made the man noticeable. I'd seen him bend forwards and backwards before the light changed, but that was just stretching. It started when he stepped down onto the street. His first step was cautious, like a person stepping onto a frozen lake. After that, he strolled forward casually, but my mind had already catalogued an important fact: this man was walking barefoot.

If you've ever walked barefoot over gravel or concrete, you know it's not pleasant. Making it hot just reduces the pleasantry. Your brief "hello" in passing becomes a frantic head bob as you sprint past. But this man walked unhurriedly across the street and continued on his way.

Sadly, it wasn't until I was across the street that I realized I could have offered him my sandals. My second thought was an objection that the sandals cost $80. The third thought gave the second thought a fatal beating and reminded me that it would have been Jesus-like to give away my footwear, new or not.

I missed an opportunity to preach. Not sermoning, not lecturing, not 28-fundamentalizing--preaching. I will remind you of the words of St. Francis of Assisi: "Preach at all times. Use words when necessary."

I missed an opportunity to do. I'm a huge Star Wars fan and I've found that some of the lines are solidly true. For example, "Do, or do not. There is no try." I did not do today. I only thought of doing. The difference between the two is so massive that you can fit an entire universe between them. Let me illustrate. When the world ends and everyone is judged, Jesus will not say, "I was thirsty and you thought of bringing me a drink. I was hungry and you thought of making food for me. I was naked and you thought of clothes for me. I was in prison and you thought of visiting me." Doesn't work like that. The phrase, "It's the thought that counts," is a lie. If thought is all you offer, don't be surprised if thought is all you get. Action begets action. "Cogito ergo sum--I think, therefore I am." Not, "I think, therefore I do."

So let's stop thinking about doing and just go do. Instead of thinking of exercise, go exercise. Instead of thinking of food, go eat. Instead of thinking of chasing God, get your runners on (not your Chacos) and sprint down the street. He won't run too far ahead of you. Just far enough to keep you running.

Do you get it? Or do you only think you do?

Updating Me

As my wife mentioned the other day, it's a terrible thing for a writer to not write. And, I admit, I haven't been wordcrafting lately. Perhaps I should have someone remind me to write every so often, or have someone bother me if I go too long without posting. We'll see. Anyone want to volunteer for the position?

Lately, life has been rather pleasant. Job's going well, my wife and I are settled into our new place (if you're behind in the news, yes, we moved), and we're enjoying life right now. With the possible exception of the weather. It's too bloody hot in Nebraska. Lots of sun and very little rain. The average temp is over 100 degrees Farenheit. There are a lot of outdoor activities that one can enjoy in the summer. Regrettably, the heat drains any enthusiasm for indulging in said activities.

On to music. I haven't been as much of an audiophile lately as I used to be. Perhaps that's a good thing, perhaps not. In large part, I think it's because I listen to the radio too much. And most of the sound on the radio is dissonance in my ears. A friend posted an article on FB the other day that said scientists have proved that pop music is starting to sound more and more alike and that the industry is compensating by cranking up the volume. It's sad, but confirms what I've suspected for a while. I need to find other methods of discovering music. Maybe I should listen to Pandora more. And, of course, there's always Tiesto. I'd like to get some of his latest music like Maximal Crazy and Zero 76. "Something with a little... bounce in it." And don't start singing the coconut song.

As for the other love of my life, my inner bibliophile has been having a great time. I picked up Sara Douglass recently. I've been reading her Wayfarer Redemption series lately and I can't put them down. The editing has been deteriorating and part of me is tempted to send a letter or e-mail to her and mention it. Perhaps I can point out all the errors and the books can be re-released? Anyways. The editing may be rotting, but the story is well written. If you want to sample them, pick up Wayfarer Redemption and see for yourself. Don't blame me if you go through the whole series, though.

Anyways. That's all for now. I type a lot at work and I don't think I want to type much more tonight. Still have some gaming to do. I'll cover that next time. Tomorrow, perhaps. There's always tomorrow. =)

The Importance of Frozen Yogurt

What does one do when confronted with something right out of a Chris Rock song? Stay tuned for the answer. (No Pumas were harmed and no smudges were made. If you don't get the reference... you're probably better off not knowing.) Last week, my wife and I decided to get some frozen yogurt on our lunch break. Well, she decided and texted me to ask if I wanted some. Same thing. Anyway. We were walking to Red Mango to get our frozen treat and chatting as we went. I happened to look down the block and noticed a black man approaching. Most of the time, I consider this a normal event and don't write a blog about it. This time was an exception. This particular fellow was angry, as noted by his scowling features and the "Get out of my way!"s that he gave to the people in front of him. Oh, and he was staring at me. Without further speech, this guy stalked up to me, stopped, and inserted his face into my bubble. His glare bounced off of my shades, but his face was about two inches from mine. I consider that to be a little too close for comfort. This is where the teacher in me says that a lesson should be illustrated. Perhaps something along the lines of "don't stereotype", "don't be racist", or "don't fight". Or I could tell you about how I utilized the skills I learned during my decade-and-more of karate training and beating the crap out of this guy for giving me the evil eye. But I won't. What happened? I kept walking with my wife so as not to miss out on frozen yogurt. Let's get a couple of things straightened out so that you follow my reasoning. First, I had no idea who the guy was. Still don't. Not good policy to get in a fistfight with a stranger over who-the-hell-knows-what. Secondly, lest you get the wrong impression, I used what I learned from my karate training. Don't get all "waitaminutewhattheheckareyoutalkingabout" on me yet. Remember that karate is meant for self-defense. And, as I was told by one of the black belts, "Your first option is to run away." The easiest way to defend yourself, as an aikido practitioner could tell you, is to not be there. So, when our belligerent, bellicose, African-American friend decided to be a stone in my path, I chose to be water and flow around him. After slipping past, I heard, "Smart. Smart." No doubt my would-be antagonist meant that I was smart to walk away as he would have beaten me to a pulp. I'm not as certain that a fight would have gone that way, but one can never be certain. I chose to interpret his comment this way: I was smart to avoid a fight because it would have been senseless violence. And because it would have run past my lunch break.