Some Assembly Required » Human St(r)ain

Which and What Parts of All This Mess is All Just Temporary?

foley — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 23:28:45 +0000

In the end does it mean the Extended Warranty truly was a scam?

And how can this “mess” be “temporary” when it seems to never end?

This world operates by the notion of “having box you to brand you” in order to sell you. The role you play has to be clearly defined. Being a true individual is a very dangerous notion. All pieces in this world must clearly snap together like the pieces in a Lego set. If you are the odd piece you are going to be painted as a “target”. Recently, I came upon a story telling about me and all it gave me was another case “existential crisis” for my mental health file. I have a friend who likes to tell stories about me and use me as an example for his college class. I wouldn’t mind but I really wish he WOULD NOT use my real name. For once, I wish he would change my name to Ralph, or maybe Ron, or even Jeremy. The problem is the reaction other people have to these stories. Here is the direct quote from my friend, “They don’t think a person like ‘Foley’ can truly exist.” Now that I think about it. The other problem I have is my friend does not link my webpage to his work to prove otherwise that I may possibly exist.

I am beginning to think that the cup that holds my self esteem has really been poured into a “dribble glass”.

I just finished reading the latest book by Chuck Klosterman. The Visible Man which is his second fiction novel. The basic premise of this story is a therapist dealing with a mysterious stranger who claims he has invented an invisibility suit. The story is structured in the form of almost “oral history” retelling. Once again, he has the ability to make observations of people’s behavior and draw interesting parallels and context from them. The undertones of this book are about how people appear to be and how people really are when no one seems to be looking. How people have the ability to turn fact into fiction and vice versa.

This book for me brought forth one of “symptoms of the season”. We are nearing the eve of “the season of delusional economics”. The season where purchases are suppose to make up for a proportional of the previous year’s short comings. The advertisements are over the top and to point where no one can possibly meet the expectations of the overall message. The message has nothing to do anymore with original intent. Many of the purchases will reflect more about the buyer then the intended recipient. Too often a subtle message of “You need this. And you had better get on my program this year.” How about this for a change? Instead of buying into current “fad”. How about asking the person, “What is one thing you want me to help you get rid of in the upcoming year?” I know this idea will put me on the “Retailer’s of America’s Hit List”. The other problem is the News Industry needs to keep pushing “economic numbers of disaster” storyline that will fill a good chunk of airtime for December. Plus the idea is hard to gift wrap. Plus, too many people would rather have gift wrapped socks and underwear under the tree rather than the promise of “an idea”. The pile under the tree is how people tend to gauge “their worth” from others.

Just because the store has 10K + items does not mean you have to buy as many of them as you can.

The question that really needs to be put forth this time of year is

What is worth to hold on to? What do you let go?

Here are some movie examples that I recently watched that fit the theme of this post.

I want to say I am not that big of Will Farrell fan. I must say he was a good fit for his role in the movie Everything Must Go. This is the story of man whose relationships and standings have bottom out. In the movie, it has brought about his girlfriend throwing out of his belongings on to the front lawn. Everything he has and what presents him as is now out there for the neighbors to see. He decides instead of picking up everything and going that he is going to take up residency and live on his front lawn. The movie is the story about what he has, what he needs and what he let go. This movie is a good antithesis to the upcoming season.

I like the humor of Albert Brooks. However, I know it is not easy for everyone to notice. He is not “loud and in your face” with his humor. It is subtle and it may take a few rewinds to catch it. Defending Your Life is the story about a man who dies in an accident and goes to his Judgment Day. This means he had no choice but to leave all of physical belongings behind.

I like how the “Pearly Gates” is shown in this film to be the equivalent of Time Share Junket Vacation. I do not want to go on any religious perspective. But I have to a bit. And that means I going to “walk a thin line” with what I am about to say. They say the point of life on Earth is to prepare one for life in Heaven. And after what I saw in the movie. I now see God as NOT being represented by the Church. In the movie, Albert Brooks is assigned a lawyer to represent his case. There are people standing in lines and filling out paperwork. Therefore, God is really just a One Big Bureaucracy. On Earth, everywhere you turn you have to be deal one. Look at how many times a day you have to wait in a line. Why paperwork is also filed in triplicate? It is a bureaucratic representation of the Holy Trinity. Plus you do a lot more praying trying to maneuver through any bureaucracy.

Finally, the last movie on the “absurd undertones” of the Human Condition for this posting.

What can I say? All the movies in the Jackass series were at times disgusting and repulsive at the same time for me. And yet I still laughed my ass off.

Look many of us are going to have a “noble” death in the end. Quite a few will earn a posthumous Darwin Award.

There is a lot of yelling about what life is and what it owes people. And everyone has a different view of what that is. In a world of 7 Billion people there is only one resource or thing that will be disappearing in the future. The ability to have “Overall Consent of the Masses”. Put more than 3 people in a room in there are will be trouble. Multiply that by 7 Billion. And it will always total up to be “One Big Headache”. Which is how the pharmaceutical and alcohol industries want it.

So get off your occupying ass.

Put the tea cups back in the cupboard.

Try to gain some real perspective for yourself.

There is only one thing I really need purchased for myself this Holiday Season.

But knowing some of you.

You should probably get one for yourself.

Don’t be Delusional this Holiday Season.

There is Outrage. Part of It is Ridiculous. And that is Just the Starting Point.

foley — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 22:07:05 +0000

I have to throw a few ideas to start this post.

A theory: “Once you figure out life, God kills you.” Bill Burr’s Monday Morning Podcast for 10-10-2011

I have been reading the book The Nostradamus Prophecies by Mario Reading. It is the book that caught my attention as I was scanning the shelves in the library looking for a new fictional writer to try. I wanted to go with someone I have never heard of this time. I am trying to “plough” throw it. The book for me has the basic framing to that in the DaVinci Code without the pacing. I am trying to finish the book because I have the “disease” that says I have to finish it. I found this passage in the book that made me think a bit on a philosophical level.

Calque took the cigarette, lit and inhaled. “Why does something which kills you can also make you feel the most alive?”

Villada sighed. “It is what is called by the philosophers a paradox. When God made us, he decided that literalism would be the bane of the world. He therefore invented paradox to counteract it.”

“But how do we counteract the paradox?”

“By taking it literally. See. You are smoking. And yet you understand the paradox of your position.”

My own personal “Silly without all the Laughs” Season will be here soon enough. I see what I want. I know what I need. And in the end what I am going to actually going to get. There is wide divide amongst those three things. As I shout out across the canyon. I can hear the echo of my voice. And it comes back saying “Ricola!”It is not easy when the sound of my own voice acts like a “smart ass” too.

I spent yesterday listening to the Dusty Show doing segments from the Occupy Wall Street protest. And then I saw this video segment. I am not sure about the whole thing. I also know nothing attracts a crowd more than a crowd. And at this point I am neither for nor against it. I think at this point in my life I am realizing I need to have more “Switzerland” in my personal politics. I have to say in my life up to this point protest shouting and banner slogans or bumper stickers have never cause a direct and immediate change in my own personal viewpoints. I am kind of like the plot structure to a South Park episode. The kids are the middle of two extreme points of view within the story. And at the end of each episode they point out how both of them are just a “bit nuts”.

Greed is being called evil. But from what I am seeing is the opposite at the same time. I am not seeing much virtue in envy either as a counterpoint. I know the movement does not want to define its “demands”. However, until it does then this is all just a big “temper tantrum”. Anger cannot be resolved until its caused is firmly defined. People being people in mass will then turn on each other when the demands start coming out. I am not sure how to take this group as a whole. They claim being brought down by poor economic conditions. However, I see a lot of consumer electronics (i.e. iPods and cell phones) in use and quite a bit of subtle product placement. And none of those items come free or even cheap. Also I am quite sure mainly of them have not spent time trying to find a more cost effective phone plan. (Remember the corporations that run them can pull the plug at anytime and then put you into “Customer Service Hell” when you try to get a refund.) I guess I am looking for more details and less shouting before I can form my opinion. I do not believe everything “private” is evil and corrupt. And at the same time everything “public” is not benevolent. I wish there was more of case by case review rather than marching and shouting. I do realize that sometimes you need to do a lot of shouting in order to get a person’s attention. Any parent will tell you this. Or in an Adam Carolla rant or two. Lewis Black. Or Doug Stanhope.

I am not in the 1% but this group claiming to represent the other 99% made a mistake in their math. They are not representing me either at this point. But I will say it again there will never be an all encompassing singular belief system for myself. I also know that there is NO MOVEMENT on this planet that can perform any form of action without having “unintended consequences”. I was trying to find some point in history where place of land called an “Occupied Territory” lead to peace and consent. So far I have struck to find an example of one. I am not sure if hanging around in front of tent is going to lead anywhere or towards anything. I remember when I was kid at camp if I was hanging out in front of tent doing nothing it was going to eventually lead to ” a boot in my ass” to do something from an adult leader. And they would not accept my “taking up space” as being a valid activity for the day. I am also very skeptical of any gathering that has considerable contingent of “hippies and hipsters”. I remember one summer having a job that was down the road from KOA Campground. I remember the day before a Grateful Dead concert in town and how loaded the place was with their “fans”. The next morning after the concert and all of the “fans” had left all but the “cleaning up”. Let me say there is a reason why there is a reference known as a “dirty hippie”. I believe this world needs more on the “action” side rather that the “word” sides. The mountain never will come to you. You have to get up and go to it in order to “conquer” it. “Sitting around, waiting and shouting” is going to lead to the eventual “backlash”. And I going to guess it will be sooner rather than later. Prime real estate needs to be used soon for the shoppers and the tourists.

I also know if you want change you have to start with yourself. Therefore, I am planning to have “Occupy My Living Room“. First, I will have to recruit a maid or two to make some room for my potential “fellow occupiers”. My own personal “New World Order” needs to start with some cleaning. And on a side note: There will be no drum circles in my living room. Making random noise just to make random noise and then pass it off as “music” is just bullshit. It is not a “movement”.

I think the problem with the current numbers in the latest economic crisis is the fact they are so large that no one can fully comprehend them. I also hate when people complain that the “system” is broken and their solution to it is that even more of that “system” is broken. This “Too big to Fail” concept is getting out of hand. You can only pour so much into a flawed system before you have to take action. The economic system reminds me of my first car. In 1992, I bought a used 88 Chevy Beretta that had 19K miles for about $5500. For that time it was a lot for me. Here is the lesson. The first year I had the vehicle all it needed was regular oil changes. And after that it was nothing but “Hell” with that car and over the next 2years I would dump around $2000 into that piece of shit. It blew 3 transmission modules at $120 each. A pain to fix for it was behind the engine block and every time it happened was during the winter. Master brake cylinder twice. Bleeding brakes is so much fun. 2 Alternators along with the tensioner. Then the starter. I kept fixing it because it had such low mileage and every repair the “experts” said would help in the long run. Wrong. It seemed like 2K miles something else went. This car was making me feel like I know what “prison rape” feels like. 2 ½ years later and with just about 60K on this car (A cylinder lost compression) I had to admit my economic investment was no longer sustainable and the piece of shit was scraped for a return of $150 from the scrap yard. And I had to start over again. The lesson is that if the plan (whatever form it maybe) has to change with the conditions. Just because something is does not mean it therefore should be. (How’s that for a fortune cookie phrasing) And by the way when it comes to vehicles I am now starting over for a fourth time. Vehicles only last about at almost 6 months after all the payments are made.

I also think the large economic numbers are also buying a false sense of loyalty and overbearing amount of criticism. In other words, people in charge want to remain as is. The people who are not running things are making demands of things that are not always possible. Example, it is a like Big budget Hollywood movie. People assume it has to be good because the people behind it would never have spent all that money. They are buying loyalty. There is the crowd that always hates this movies and bitches about what is being spent. However, a lot of them could not tell how it could be spent better. The more venom there is in criticism the more likely the person behind does not have a clue on how to fix the problem. Example of this, listen to people watching a game at a sports bar.

This is what I moving towards in my watching of movies (and even TV series). I do not care about the budget or the star quality in it either. I am not going to qualify a movie by those two things. I want to experience the story that is trying to be told. Avatar for me looked great but the story and plot was basically the same as Dances with Wolves. I have not seen the third Transformers movie but I will someday though to see how a film can have three parts without any real character development. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was nothing special. Big budgets do not guarantee anything. You cannot buy your wait out. I am becoming more interested in how people make films with lower budgets and the creative decisions and actions it leads to. Example,

Clerks where they could only film in the convenient store at night when the place was closed so the”Savages” put gum in the lock of the security shutters. This allows them to act as if there was daylight. So they had to make sure the front door was never in the camera shot.

Here is a clip from comedian Bobcat Goldthwait. (In 1980′s he was best known for his role in the Police Academy movies.)

This is the source behind two movies I recently watched that he wrote and directed. These movies are not for the “over sensitive and easily outraged”. Neither of these movies has big dollar productions behind them. And this is a good thing because they both can take more chances with the scripted material. This is where creativity can really be seen. An “outrageous” premise can really draw a person into a storyline if it is done right. It can go there because the financial risks are much lower.

The first movie is Sleeping Dogs Lie.

This movie deals with aftermath of “youthful experimentation”. In this movie, a young woman showed some “admiration” to her dog in college. And it did not involve peanut butter. This movie deals with how people condemn other’s “experimentations” and yet at the same time are willing to accept their own. It is also about who is really honest and who is not within relationships.

The second movie is World’s Greatest Dad.

I have to say this about the movie. This one is a bit trickier with its premise. This movie is about a father who son accidently kills himself performing the same act the leader singer of INXS did. So not to be caught in people’s judgment he decides to make it look like a suicide. I know in this day where teen bullying and suicide is front page news this may seem harsh and no laughing matter. As someone who has know a few victims of suicide over the years I will say the whole act in of itself is “absurd”. This movie goes to another level with the material. This is about the truth and what we expect it to be.

Every now and then take a chance and watch a movie you may not have heard about.

And finally as usually I need to find some song to be the “Closing Credits” to wrap up a posting. I found this song on The Best of Miami Vice soundtrack that came into my collection. I just want to say “The Best of” part does not always hold up with time.

I liked this song because I think everyone wants to find or have “a good and honest” person to be around. And I like throwing in a “curve ball” selection every now and then.

In Repair

foley — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 12:55:36 +0000

Thursday night, I had a “moment of dread” and hours of anger that followed it. Lately, I have been having been getting a lot of ideas down on the notepad. I wanted to get them into “shape” on my laptop. I was making some progress when it for reasons unknown the screen went all blurry and crashed. 10PM and this was the last thing I needed. I was mad and did not get a good night’s sleep at all. Friday, after work the computer was able to reboot and I spent a lot of time backing up files to the external hard drive. (Backing up files needs to become more habitual for me) They say you need to know a good auto mechanic. I would also say you need to know a reliable computer repairman too. And if anyone knows of one in the Buffalo NY area please let me know for I will probably need one in the future. If not repair then data retrieval would be vital.

I have been carrying in my backpack a copy of The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. The book talks a lot about the concept of “Resistance” to the “Creative Side.” It is something that I have been struggling with. Some of it is internal and then there are the frustrating external ones that seem to come at the very wrong times. This made me think about my grade school education. Grade school that is suppose to give you foundation of preparedness for life. Remember the Hard Rule of “Sit there quietly and get your work done without any distractions.” Raise your hand if you have ever had a job in that type of environment. Anyone? I live alone and cannot get that work environment.

I was also in the library last week. I was going through the stacks looking for a new fictional author to read. I was looking for the final in The Strain Trilogy by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan but it has not been released as of yet. While he was not a totally new author to me I decided to read a book Chuck Hogan authored by himself. He is known for Prince of Thieves which is the book the movie The Town was based. That was a good movie and believe it or not Ben Affleck is showing the potential of a very good film director. His debut as director in Gone Baby Gone is also worth checking out. So I wanted to find a Chuck Hogan novel that I had no experience with. I decided to go with The Devils in Exile. There is a passage in the book that fits into this week’s “challenges and headaches” that I am experiencing. A character tells the concept of the “Tomorrow Man Theory”. I am not going to quote it directly from the book. I found it somewhere else on the Internet.

The Tomorrow Man theory.*

it’s pretty basic. today, right here, you are who you are. tomorrow, you will be who you WILL be. each and every night, we lie down to die, and each morning we arise, reborn. now, those who are in good spirits, with strong mental health, they look out for their Tomorrow Man. they eat right today, they drink right today, they go sleep early today – all so the Tomorrow Man, when he awakes in his bed reborn as Today Man, thanks Yesterday Man. he looks upon him fondly as a child might a good parent. he knows that someone – himself – was looking out for him. he feels cared for, and respected. loved, in a word. and now he has a legacy to pass on to his subsequent selves.

but those who are in a bad way, with poor mental health, they constantly leave these messes for Tomorrow Man to clean up. they eat whatever the hell they want, drink like the night will never end, and then fall asleep to forget. they don’t respect Tomorrow Man because they don’t think through the fact that Tomorrow Man will be them. so then they wake up, new Today Man, groaning at the disrespect Yesterday Man showed them. wondering why does that guy – myself – keep punishing me? but they never learn and instead come to settle for that behavior, eventually learning to ask and expect nothing of themselves. they pass along these same bad habits tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow and it becomes psychologically genetic, like a curse.

looking at you now, I can see exactly where you fall on this spectrum. you are a man constantly trying to fix today what Yesterday Man did to you. you make up your bed, you clean those dirty dishes from the night before, and pledge not to start drinking until six, thinking that’s the way to keep an even keel. but in reality you’re always playing catch-up. I know this because I’ve been there. the thing is – you can’t fix the mistakes of Yesterday. Yesterday Man is dead, he’s gone forever, and blame and atonement aren’t worth a damn. what you CAN do is help yourself today. eat a vegetable. read a book. cut that hair of yours. leave Tomorrow Man something more than a headache and a jam-packed colon. do for Tomorrow Man what you would have wanted Yesterday Man to do for you.

Imagine trying to write that on a wish inside of Chinese Fortune Cookie.

It is also a concept that will make you lie at night and stare at the ceiling.

The forces of Karma can be strange and we can do strange things to ourselves.

It reminded me of this clip from the Drew Carey Show.

A Gasp in the Existential Stratosphere

foley — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 21:19:49 +0000

I came across a news report that mentioned the yearly update from Beliot College. They publish the “Mind Set Listing”. This is a list of the life experiences that most of the graduating class has had. It shows how from year to year what a student has and has not experienced in their life up to that point.

Everyone experiences life differently. The culture is constantly shifting on some level within people. “Status quo” for a culture is a total myth. It can never exist as a constant state with our increasing knowledge that comes with time. The only way a “homogenized culture” can exist is within a milk carton. However, in that state it also comes with an expiration date. The problem with this mind set is that there is way too much arguing in society about these cultural shifts. A course of action can only be implemented when all sides come to an agreement. And that agreement has to be total aligned around set of beliefs. No one ever agrees fully with another person even if they are in the same group. Rhetoric has become the illusion of action. Time is not going to wait for people getting there “shit together”. Because it will never fully happen.

Now it is time to move off of that soap box.

I have been caught in the trap of too much Internet and TV. It is easy to do when I get into exhaustion and its side effects. (Which I will not go into) However, it is hard to read when my allergies flare up like they do every year in the end of August and early September and my eyes start burning. So the TV is there so I can watch something that may inspire at some point me down the road. I also (although it may be false) get the impression that I am at least trying to work towards something. I have to say with the Netflix subscription I have been watching more documentary films lately. There was one that is kind of in line with this idea here of “culture clash”. The film was called Exporting Raymond. It follows Phil Rosenthal, the former executive producer of the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond as he travels to Russia to help adapt this sitcom for TV there. This movie shows how he has to deal with the cultural shifts that make each side here argue over “what is funny”. He may be the award winning producer here but over there he is not always treated all that well. “The fish out of water” story helps to add a bit of unsuspected comedy to film.

If you watch this movie the DVD in the bonus section has two episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond. It also contains the exact same episodes that were adapted into Everybody Loves Kostya. It is a good exercising into noticing the difference between the two even though the overall story arc is the same in both shows.

The “Culture Clashes” are always going to be good fodder for sit-coms. However, in life they do not come with the “laugh track”. There are times when it can tempt you to want to go down “homicidal track”. I know this is my case. At my age, I made it to where I am still not “married with children”. And when I made it to this point I began to slowly notice more and more the looks of “suspicion and border line disgust”. I just call it the “look on envy”. This “existence” of mine causes real issues with my family. I come from an Irish-Catholic family and do not come out and say it. But I know this behavior of mind is definitely “out of line”. Outside of my last name the only part of my Irish heritage I still follow is that I like a good pint of Guinness. As for the Catholic part, I still like the Friday Fish Fry. With the pint of Guinness. What can I say after all of those years I finally found something I could give up for Lent. Church. Maybe they can give me a pass on the church part. I come from a family that only recognizes you when you produce children. It does not matter what I do. I could cure cancer, find world peace, whatever. It will not matter because I am still not “married with children”. So to keep the peace and what is left of my insanity I just do not have a lot of conversations with them about what I doing. I would rather have no conversation that an abrupt one. Plus I have seen enough clips from Maury. (I really need to turn the TV off) to realize that being able to reproduce does not guarantee any rising of a person’s character. It does make me wonder how a young woman can find half dozen men to drag on the show for a paternity test. Then none of them are the father. So she will be on next week with another half dozen hopefuls. Even worse are the so-called men who deny their responsibility in situation.

Here is an example of what it is like for me at times. It is the movie Behind Enemy Lines
which is a decent and effective action movie. There was a bit of a miscasting in Owen Wilson (but not a fatal one) as the Air Force pilot shot down behind enemy lines. The story is about him trying to evade capture. Gene Hackman starred as the commander office leading the effort to save him. This movie for me is a metaphor about “the married with children scenario”. I would be miscast to play a role in it. I am already a bit too narcissistic. The next level would be narcissism a completely greater level. At this point, I have none the resources needed to partake in the endeavor. I also do not want to go into by “accident”. I have no desire to share the stage with Maury Povich or Jerry Springer. However, may be Ripley’s Believe or Not! I also have no real influence on anyone who is “married with children”. They never take my recommendations. And it does not stop them from talking about theirs toward me. It can be frustrating but it just part of the game. Each side has a different view of the other’s “wants and needs”. And that disagreement is basis for my plotlines throughout sitcoms.

I now know better than with my life as it stands “acknowledgment and validation” will also be hard to come by. But I am going to follow the script I want.

There is quote from Phil Rosenthal in the movie that stuck with me.

“Make the television show that you want. Because they’re still going to cancel you in the end.”

Shameful I Must Admit to It

foley — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 01:18:09 +0000

“Everybody thinks of themselves as being slightly above average” – Garrison Keillor

I heard that confession is good for the soul. And what little I have left at this point could probably use some. I think that I am a bit more critical and selective when it comes to the various forms of media I read, watch or listen to. My own internal radar when it comes to those medium has a better construction to it than many of the people I know. I may feel that way. However, the reality of it reveals that “sadly it is far from the truth”. Last night, I wanted to write for a bit and get back to finishing a book from To Be Read Pile. I know better but last night I did not do better. ME.TV just came on air in this area. 7:30 PM, M.A.S.H. rerun was on and I love that show. It was one of the first shows ever that did a good job mixing and balancing comedy against drama. This episode “Mulcahy’s War” from Season 5 features the scene where Father Mulcahy has to perform an emergency tracheotomy on a wounded soldier his bringing back from the front line.

Instead of turning the TV when the show was over I made the mistake of channel surfing. It was a moment of weakness. It was a moment of weakness that is probably the side of effect of my current state of physical and mental exhaustion. (And that is on me to work through and out.) It is also the by-product of “The Examined Life”. In my case, it comes with no referee and a shot clock. At this moment, I needed to engage and disengage at the same time. I then changed the channel and got stuck on a show. It is hard to admit to the fact that I cannot avert my eyes when it is on. It is the TV game show Wipeout.

It is the game show equivalent of a NASCAR race. I am just waiting to see how the contestants “crash” into water. It is amazing how their bodies can be contorted in their “Wipeout” and they don’t end up in traction because of it. And then afterwards listening to the hosts make wiseass snarky comments about them. This show is like Jackass for jackasses.

When that show was over I had to surrender to fact I was getting nothing done of significant for the night. I surfed into that cooking competition show. And I still wonder why I stayed with it. Why watch a show where people tell me how food tastes? These shows are kind of worthless when it comes to their final product. At least until the Star Trek Food Replicator and Smell-O-Vision are available via TV or the Internet so you can experience what has been cooked.

It was not a total waste of time. I was able to make an observation in regards to so called “reality competition” shows. They are more “staged” than most fictional shows. Watch for this the next time you watch one of them. The more camera angles and edits there are just how much it is staged. Every camera angle has the same perfect lighting. And all these angles should capture the other camera operators shooting the exact same action. The show may say there was 2 hour time limit (for a 60 minute show) for the competition. However, with all the camera angles used I am going to guess it probably took 6-10 hours to actually film it. Remember when watching this genre of shows that what you do not see is probably more important that what you do see. There is probably a “blooper reel” for this show. If this is true then there is a good chance it was all staged.

My final solution is that I may have to lose my TV Remote Controller for a bit.

And if I throw out my couch then I could lose it forever.

In the Context of Morality

foley — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 01:29:25 +0000

“There is nothing that needs reforming more than the habits of others” – Mark Twain

I am being to realize more and more everyday that I do not have a “pony” in every race of how people choose to live their lives. I have also been listening to the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast when time allows. There are a lot of people who discount him because he was the host of Fear Factor. His podcast is nothing like that. He has some really interesting conversations with various guests over a whole range of topics. The subjects are not always something I am familiar with or have any real interest in at all. That’s fine. Too many people are only listening to whatever they do for “affirmation” and not necessarily “information”. For example, when he goes on about mixed martial arts or his own personal experimentation I have no real interest in but I do not fast forward through them either. There may be a chance I may find something new out in another avenue. He made this observation on one of the episodes which I will paraphrase “The Internet has allowed people to have the ability to see the world as a whole but I don’t think the human mind is wired to do so”. I think there maybe some truth to that. The Internet has allowed us to take photos or videos and distribute them at a pace that is only gaining speed. However, with all these available our ability to derive any real context from them has not caught up to speed. A picture may be worth a thousand words but too many people out there are not willing to say more 2-5 words about what they see.

The other gift or curse of the Internet is it allows anyone to post any thought they may had. Read any response to a news story or YouTube clip and I realized too many people really contribute nothing of substance in their post writings. Especially, the ones writing behind the disguise of a made up screen name. The other problem is most people based their replies on the highlights or speaking points of 30-60 second news story. An immediate story is not necessarily historical fact. History takes some time to figure out. I think all of the 24/7 news channels need a shot clock and cannot keep hammering on the same points. After watching a news story, people must take that information like swimming after eating. You have to wait at least 20-30 minutes before spewing your reply.

The other downside of the Internet is it allows anyone to state their opinion on anything. This is not necessarily a problem. However, it is when people turn out the “venom” when they hide behind a made up screen name. Remember a time when people secretly wanted a secret identity to fight crime. But today’s reality is that too many use a secret identity to spew hatred and ignorance on message boards or they are trying to “screw” someone they should not be touching what so ever. It is amazing that you could choose to be anything in this life and people choose to be ignorant.

Another problem is the Internet is turning too many people into writers are the same level as “tmz style” website. They feel the need to post “snarky” commentary about everything and everyone with an over charged sense of their own morality. How many times have you heard this comment? “If I was there I could have handled things better!” The truth is you may have an idea but you will never know until you are there. The live streaming video of news event may show you something. But remember you are not seeing all of it. What the camera does not show is having an effect on what is being shown. The truth or the lie is all in the editing. It is also very easy to ride on your high horse of morals when you are safely out of range of the bullets.

(NOTE: Before I go on any further with this posting. I am going to be mentioning a TV series and a movie. I am not going to write full reviews of them. I am just going to point out some things to take note of. I do not like writing full on reviews myself. I am not against others writing them. It is just not my approach. I like to point out certain things to suggest there is something there to be discovered. I do not want to tell you how to fully interpret a work. However, I am always open to a conversation afterwards if you have seen the works.)

Our current political and social landscape is being overwhelmed by rants about ideological differences. There is also a lot of criticism about people who are finding themselves between the “rock and a hard place”. It all goes back to people with opinions who are not there. Right now everyone needs to sit back a bit, take a deep breath and try to gain some perspective with the risk of becoming a bit empathetic towards others. I think the human condition is complicated and always will be. There will never be a self help style of book to simply as a whole explain it all. However, there might be one or two for a small portion of it. People want facts on the human condition as it stands now but are being fooled if that is being delivered with accuracy by 24/7 outlets. Sometimes, a fictional time show or a movie can do that better if you give it a chance. To all my teachers, TV is not always going to “rot my brain”. There are good “morality” plays on TV.

The “Rock and the hard place” is a state most people do not choose to be in. However, there is TV series where there is a group of people who choose a lifestyle that will always leave them in that predicament. This show also points out the schizophrenic nature of America. We love a good crime movie like The Godfather and at the same time fear we will be the next victim of crime.

Sons of Anarchy is the story of motorcycle club in small town. They run guns for living but do not allow their rivals to establish drug trade within the same town. The local police make side deals with them to keep everything in balance. The police look one way and the club looks another. The characters in this show are not stereotypes either. They are not your stereotypical bikers as portrayed on other TV shows. The creators have done a good job giving them depth. They are complex people who have both good and bad within themselves. They seem to always have to be making hard choices for their lives which make them interesting and empathetic.

The framework of this show is a modern day adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The series starts with a young man finding a book from his dead father who was a founding member of the motorcycle club. The voice of the book warns of danger in the kingdom. The young man’s mother has remarried his father’s best friend in the club. The story builds from there. The first two seasons are streaming on Netflix.

LESSON: I was so engaged by this series that after the seeing the first two seasons that I had to go and find the third season on the Internet. It has not been released yet. So I did what I have never done before. I tried to view illegal copies on the web. And my anti-virus software went crazy. Lesson is. When trying to entertain yourself on the cheap you had better being using protection because you have a greater chance of contracting a virus.

Third Season is coming soon on DVD and the fourth season will soon be on the air.

“The rock and the hard place” is also being framed within the context of ideology. In other words, “I am right. You are WRONG!” The political discourse in this country reminds me of the behavior of five year olds on a playground. At least those children have the hope of growing out it. The adult politicians seem to regressing back into it. The worse apart about politics is it all about assigning blame and yet at the same time denying any responsibility for the situation. To ALL THOSE ELECTED TO SERVE. You can yell, “Fire!” all you want but could you also “PICK UP THE FIREHOSE and help put the fire out.” Remember you were elected to serve. Could you imagine a group of politicians working a fast food burger joint? They would all be yelling orders into the microphone and none of them would be working on the grills to make the burgers. They would then be dumb founded on why there were no burgers coming out. I would love to hear the “Democrat/Republican Conspiracy Spin” on why there were no burgers coming out. It is all a lack of leadership by all. None of them know where to stand and what to do. And no one seems to be stepping up to the leadership position to assign people needed to get the job done.

Today, we have almost two years of campaigning for the Office of President of the United States. So we have two years of rants (not conversations) about ideological differences between those running for office and the person who has the office at the moment. And there has never been a time in the history of this country when only one party put someone up for the office. The problem is once I see the “D” or “R” after the person’s name I already know 95% about what they are going to say before they say it. It is just a lot wasted time and noise for nothing. I heard that the 2012 Presidential is going to have an estimated TWO BILLION DOLLARS spent on it. Given our current economic condition as a whole we should be outraged. There are so many better ways and causes to spend the money on. Here is my suggestion on how to stop it. The election involves way too much time and money for any agency to handle it. So I suggest we have the election run by E-Bay website. There is no way they would allow an auction (that what the election process has become) to go on for that long of time. And when the bid gets to an outrageous amount they declare “Fraud” and shut it down.

Here is a scene from a movie in which the undertone of the dialogue is about ideology. It comes from one of the closing scenes to end of the latest Star Trek movie. The Star Trek franchise is somewhat famous for it is use of time travel to bring different eras of characters together. Here brings together the new Spock with the original version (Leonard Nimoy)

Spock Meets Spock

Star Trek

— MOVIECLIPS.com

Spock (Zachory Quinto) is half Human, half Vulcan and in this movie he is trying to figure out which side of being will be the one he follows throughout his life. He is also at odds with Kirk (Chris Pine) through the movie in what is the best method to achieve the best results. In this scene, those conflicts serve as the undertone to dialogue between the two. Leonard Nimoy tells his younger self that he should embrace the differences between him and Kirk. The both of your approaches are complementing each other as you towards the mutual goal. There is a synergy here that has yet to be discovered in this time line. And by the way, ideology as an absolute is ultimately not as important as you perceive it to be.

I realized what makes Star Trek different than much of the other science fiction franchises is that it has an optimistic tone about the future. There will still be problems in the future but working together can overcome them. And none of the characters state their political party before saying or doing anything.

In comes down to this. Life will never be fair. There are way too lawyers on this planet to allow this to happen. Insurance policy would not need to exist. Photoshop was secretly developed by funding from cosmetic surgeons who sold the idea to magazine cover editors. There is a lot of money to be made by people who think those doctored photos are basis of reality. Let us not forget bartenders and strippers would be out of work too. Their jobs are to service people who are not happy.

This world while you are alive will never operate 100% by your ideology alone. So make peace with that.

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect” – Mark Twain

Slipping Back into Gear

foley — Sat, 28 May 2011 17:24:50 +0000

It has once again been way too long since I posted to this blog. It is has been a couple of weeks of annoyances and frustrations. And trying to attempt to put anything together for postings under this circumstances would have led to something that I would not like at all. It would have been a disservice to not only myself but anyone who takes the time to read this blog.

It has been a rainy spring here. And many of the home projects had to be put aside due to the weather. I was trying to write one night during a rain storm. It was raining hard and I went to check my basement to make sure the sump pump was working. I have had a couple of basement floods over the years. The basement was fine. However, the roof over the entrance way decided to spring a leak. The next day, I had to have a friend help try to repair where I thought the leak might be. And we had to do it while it was still raining. We thought we had it. A few hours later, when even more rain came the leak returned. I had to tarp the roof in a rainstorm. Let me warn you. Rain, a slippery roof, a plastic tarp along with the forces of gravity came close to making me test my health insurance coverage. The leak it turned out was caused by the roof vent not being broken and not sealed properly. The next joy was the fact it took over a week for me to be able to fix it properly. So every time it rained I was a “leak detection” duty. It was hard to focus on the writing when I was always on guard during the rains.

So let me throw a few more things out there.

Over the last few weeks, I have enjoyed the Adam Carolla podcasts. He can get on a “rant” that last a few minutes but in the end he brings to a great point. Comedian Bill Burr does the same thing with his podcast. Here is an episode when they teamed up.

I also need to rant. The rain has not been fun. It not only put a leak in my house. It is also caused a bunch of static to happen in my phone line. I had to wait to I got to work to call in to have a service call to fix the problem. My line went out on Saturday night. So this was Monday morning. I was told it would not be until at least Thursday before they could come out. And then it would be sometime between 9AM and 5PM. This is modern day customer service. “Customer service” has become an urban legend. It is a myth. I think I could find Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster a lot easier than I can find “service”. I think it would be easier to prove Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster actually exists. I also hate when the service rep tells me someone has to be their not necessarily myself and they could call me on my cell phone. I then I have to tell that person I have neither one of them in my immediate life. Then there is a brief pause. And I can hear the person thinking that I am a “pitiful borderline pathetic” person. But then again this person is in customer service which I know is providing me with the “illusion of service”. I know many who work in or have worked in customer service call centers. The next time, I see any of them I am going to have to asked them, “What the Fuck? Why do I call for customer service? If you are are just going to lie then I might as well call an adult hot-line for the same effect. I know they are lying to me to make me happy! And in the end I am going to have to handle the problem myself. But at least I can Guarantee! The job will be completed. And on time.” And by the way. It does not matter what company it is. I have never had a service tech make it to my house before 2:30PM.

I did fix the roof. My hands were covered in tar. I would not been surprised at all if the my friend who helped the first came back. He hit me with a broken opened feather pillow. Snapped a quick photo. Posted with the title “The Evidence that Surprised No One.” Trust me. He is that type of person.

My ranting is done for now. I needed to get that out.

I am trying to get back to doing what I need to. But there are a few things I also need to complete. I will spare those details from this post.

I have been reading blog postings that kind of align with my condition.

Stephen Pressfield’s post “The Pain of Being Human”

Chris Guillebeau’s post “The Need for Change”

And last night I stumbled upon this segment from writer Sebastian Junger where he is coming to realization that his own desire and circumstances have changed.

Finally, it is nice to have a long weekend. It would be nice to spend sometime with a book, maybe a movie, the notepad along with some of my ideas. And see what happens from there.

This Week’s Updated Embers of a Fried Brain

foley — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 18:38:58 +0000

Life chaotic still is in effect once again. It seems like everytime I started to write a post I got interrupted by something else that needed to take priority.

I continued my yearly habit of putting off filing my income taxes until the week they were due. As I watched the person filling out the forms I realized that the whole thing is just a pervertef form of “3 Card Monte”. I also live in a country that worships places like Las Vegas and Atlantic City as places to have the opportunity to change their personal fortunes. And as along as places like this exist and state lottery scams (I mean games) then there will never be any real hope for real tax reform in this country. In other words, talk is cheap and you had better the game.
I am being to see the consequences of “take out” eating. However, not in terms of health but in time. It leads to a “life on the run” lifestyle which is just another form of chaos. I wish I had the funds to pay for a personal assistant. Out source my life.
My sewar line to the house needed to be cleaned and snaked out yet again. The best long term solution is out of my price range. And it would be tricky (aka expensive too) to cut down the pine tree that sits on top of the line. I like the shade and wind break it provides.

I was reminded of this scene from the movie Almost Famous.

The Internet in vast reach can bring back a memory when you least expect it too. And sadly, a lot of the time it is not for a good reason. The last year, has brought too many “abrupt” endings in my life. I would hear this time a friend who I had lost touch with over a decade ago has lost his life to cancer. Dave was the owner of a local record store where i bought many of albums from the 80′s until the mid 90′s from. As I look to my shelves of CD’s a good chunk of them came from his store. He could talk about any form of music and how it all related to each other. He would pull out records and make you listen to a particular song. Dave like to have talks that were a kin to “holding court”. He was the closest I ever came to a Lester Bangs type of a person in my life. He turned me on to a lot different styles of music. Sometimes the greatest influences ina life are their for the shortest time.

And finally, I am liking podcasts more and more. They are more of a conversation then talking points that are their to sell product. They have a freedom to their talk that allows you to get into a topic. However, these are meant for the “brave, willing and open people”out there. It scares a lot of people out there who want their “point of view” only to be heard. And they backlash with censorship and speech codes. Annoying. They need to learn how to change the channel. So here are three to check out.

The Adam Carolla Show

The Joe Rogan Experience (This links to the episode that turned me on to his podcast)

WTF with Marc Mar0n (Don’t always agree with him but I like that challenge)

Brian Fried with a Touch of Ambivalence

foley — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 22:59:50 +0000

Here is the latest weather forecast about the things I have playing in my mind.

Given the title of this post the ablum that is on my heavy rotation is the 1992 album Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell by Social Distortion.

I have been going over my notepad. Yet again. I like the ideas but I know I can make some crazy leaps with them. So the latest idea (not this post) has not had enough “prep time” as of now to be posted. Somethings need more time than others. However, this mentality does not stop me from being impatient in lines. Especially when I am trying to get something done on my lunch break.

I have been watching old TV shows on the Internet lately.

The first show is the British sitcom Spaced. It is kind of hard to sum up its premise. Especially in a way to make sense to most Americans. This show is more for people who like surrealism. And for me that is known as the “everyday”.

And speaking about surrealism. I have been watching The Man Show. The show that featured Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla with their take on the male point of view. It may be politically incorrect and that is what made it funny. Political incorrectness cuts through a lot of bullshit to get to the center of a story. You may not like that center. But that’s on you. I like how in the first show Jimmy Kimmel said that the show was meant as a way to stop the “Oprahization of America”. (And that term is on Wikipedia. Sadly.) Their show has been off the air for almost a decade and she now has a cable network. This has to be a sign of something. And it is not good.

And now to move on to the next part in this week’s mental stir fry.

I have been thinking about how people are more complex than you can imagine. This thought pattern is the result of what I have been reading (too much to mention at this time) and the ideas on the notepad. However, it is hard to put anyone clearly in the good or bad category. Unless that person is Hitler. (But that is an easy call.)

That thought pattern is part of my morning ritual. I get up and get the coffee going. I am pretty much on auto pilot during this crucial task. I also make sure my MP3 player is charged and downloaded with that day’s podcasts. During this time I do some websurfing to see what I may stumble upon. I do this because I did learn a lesson. DO NOT repsond to any e-mails before the coffee has kicked in. And wait an hour to reply after that. It saves a lot of misunderstandings and pissed off responses.

I came across this article about Jodie Foster and her latest movie that co-stars Mel Gibson. I think it underscores people’s relationships and their perceptions.

It is odd that Charlie Sheen is praised for his bad boy image and Mel Gibson is condemned for it. But that is America. Schizophrenic in its judgment.

I have to say I am intrigued by the movie. And I am not going to judge it either way until I see it. (And this approach means my application to any fundamentalist organization is officially “declined”.)

Playing on Through

foley — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 23:19:46 +0000

I have been reminded of the following point recently. That point being that no one gets straight to their goals or desires without encountering some obstacles. The problem is you have to deal with others trying to navigate those obstacles. The real issue is when people tend to get stuck on your obstacles. It is also a by-product of our ever increasing hypermedia age. Just read the postings to any media news website articles. Especially ones that allow for people to be “anonymous” or have “made up screen names”. It is so easy for them “Cry foul – speak ignorantly – and offer no solutions”. I think in the next census people like this should have to mark whether or not they still live in their parents’ basement. If so then take at least 10 points off their opinion.

I think the real lesson is trying to develop ways to endure in those situations. Look through how history and you will see those that endured the test of times. Although they may have past their legacy is still very much alive. But please note that is not always a positive thing or even a negative one that too.

I have been thinking about what has endured and what has passed when it comes to just our modern day culture.

A co-worker has left a few issues of Rolling Stone magazine in the break room. I have been paging through the magazines over the last week or so. I have not really read this magazine since college. It is pretty much still the same even though the faces in it have. It is still has the same focus and tone it did all those years ago. I realize how irrelevant for the most part that is. It was no one more evident that reading the last page of the magazine. It features the top current music singles and album listings for that week. I did not know one music single in the top 10 list. I had heard of a few names on the album chart but not one I would be willing to buy for myself. There was another chart that listed the top 10 singles from 20 years ago. I remembered them and I saw how many of those acts were pretty much one and done. I realized that back then I had more time to devote to pop culture. In retrospective, a tad too much. The other thing was I did not have the filters that I have since developed to know what was wasting my time.

I also am beginning to wonder why music has to always being looking for the next big thing. The industry does not take the time to develop acts and is wondering why it is dying out. The other problem is things like American Idol has tricked people into think it is about the music. It is really about marketing. Which one can be packaged and sold the easiest. That show is nothing but an over produced karaoke act. Cover songs and make up. And it is not much deeper than that. I also realize having competitions to determine what is “creative” is a waste of time. Art in any form is a very subjective matter. I just listened to a comedian who was on Last Comic Standing who was talking about how being on something he very much loathed was also good for his career. And comparing comics in this matter is a complete waste because as comic you have to realize your humor is not going to be for everyone. However, these shows and their marketing are under the illusion they can create mass appeal to everyone. The Internet has killed mass appeal. It is now very much a niche market. And the macro economics of mass appeal does not apply to the new market.

This posting is also about “endurance” in a sense when it comes to my music listening. I have also been watching a lot of documentaries lately too. I started out listening to only heavy metal music for the most part as an early teenager. Luckily, I have expanded my music horizons. However, when I was young heavy metal was literally on trial. It was attacked on all fronts. They did everything to attempt to kill the genre. It was marginalized and ridiculed on various fronts. The Nirvana album Nevermind that became a surprise success in the early nineties was called the end of the genre. (NOTE: I think it is still a great album though) 20 years later metal is still around. It will never be the mainstream hit it was in the late eighties. But who knows. I realized something about it that is contrary to much of today’s pop music. It requires you to be able to play not just to be there to be a performer. They can’t bring in a mini army of producers and songwriters to help them craft a song. For the most part it is them on that stage. I also noticed how much of the bands I like have been going now for about 25-40 plus years at this point and they are still going on. They have also been the subject of some the better documentaries films in the last few years for music.

A good documentary film makes you care about people you would not have anything in common with. The first two films are about the core in a relationship between the people within a band. These are not movies about heavy metal music in of itself they are about guys who happen to be in heavy metal bands. These stories are about what is really going on behind the music.

Metallica is probably one biggest bands of all times. This movie is hard to watch because it shows a group of very rich men acting like brats. Rock stars like this shouldn’t being using a therapist. It is weak sauce for a heavy metal band. I think the story behind this is no matter how much wealth and fame they accumulated can’t purchase their basic human needs. There is a book written titled This Monster Lives by Joe Berlinger (he was one of the filmmakers) that expands out the story that did not make into the film. I think it should be noted in the end Metallica had to buy this movie with their own movie away from their label so that it could get released in its final edit. I do not know of any other band that would put something out like this that had the potential to ruin them. I know this film gets strong reactions from people. But it was a brave move on their part.

The next movie follows the Canadian heavy metal band Anvil. They were supposed to break to super stardom level in the 80′s. And that was not to be. However, 20 plus years later they were still playing on looking for their break. Behind their scenes many of the people in their life were wondering at which point will they stop and move on with life. This is the universal story throughout life. It asked the question, “How long do you follow the dream?” Especially when so many people have written you off. This is what happens when Spinal Tap is for real.

The next two films show how the music has spread through various cultures through the world. There is the big world touring band and the small band who wants to play in a place that does not by law want them to.
Iron Maiden one of the biggest of all time metal bands. They have sold close to 100 million albums worldwide with little support from radio and video stations. They are always dismissed by mainstream types who cannot see what they have really accomplished. This is story documents how the band toured around the world playing 24 cities in 21 countries in about a month’s worth of time. They covered 50,000 miles. The band did something no other band has done. They retro fitted a 757 airplane to haul themselves, their families and crew, along with all their equipment. Here is the amazing point is the singer of the band is the pilot of the plane. How many bands do you know who would be willing to take something like this on?

I think if you travel the world and take a look to underground music scene you will find metal music. Especially, in societies that is repressive to their people. This movie follows the band Acrassicauda who are playing in of all places Baghdad, Iraq. It follows the members who are trying to survive the war with their families. It follows them along as they have to flee their country in order to keep making their music. This is the core to the heavy metal music from day one. The desire to be heard despite the opposition to it. Music like this has some undertones to human conditions need to survive in the face of whatever it comes up against. The voice that searches to be heard. Especially in tough areas of the world.

The last two films I have show how the music defies convention of “popular music” to endure. If you are trying to market a band (or a person) for a long time career then the next two would not make the list.

Rush the band that is still going on despite never getting the critical claims or awards that come with it. I think that feeds the fans because they know this band is doing things on their own terms. This film shows how a band can for the most part skip the “hype machine” and make music. This band not being in the so called “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” makes a good case for the fact that institution is totally out of touch for the most part. Over 40 years of playing and they are still putting out new material. The refuse to just tour on their “greatest hits” and that is a testament. Their last two albums are some of their best work. The movie I Love You Man had one of the best tribute scenes to their influence

And finally.

Many of today’s star (and you know who they are) try create a sense of persona. Lemmy from the band Motorhead is just that and he does it on his own terms. That is how he has endured. And with that. That is how he became a huge influence upon the music. Here is a clue if a person behind the music will survive for years to come. A pretty boy will not last long at all because pop music leaves a pile of bodies because they are easily replaced. People like him cannot be created by mass market standards. And we gravitate to people like Lemmy who are genuine. But I have to admit I could never life his lifestyle either. Nor do I want to. People need to live on their own terms and accept the consequences of that.

Metal music is just the right tone for the soundtrack for “endurance”.

But do me a favor. Don’t get it all caught up in one style of music. That’s teenage crap when you are too young to notice the full scope of what is coming down the path.