Ever since Wal-Mart moved into town, a number of local stores have either shut down lost serious business. When Blockbuster entered our small town, three video stores bowed out. Who can compete with thousands of free stuff on the opening day?
McDonald's, Staples, Circuit City! The corporate invasion is in full gear, and the free world is under fire. It used to be that two geeks with an idea could get together and form Microsoft, but not anymore. Sure there is the odd entrepreneur that sticks it to the corporate 'man', but like Dell even their future is that of an empire.
"Mom & Pop's Video Store" just doesn't cut it anymore. They can't compete with 'no late fees', 'free rental coupons', and a bigger selection than the local library. There are some of us that try to fight back. Instead of saving money at Wal-Mart we grit our teeth and pay the difference at the local store. Instead of getting the Thursday McDeal, we stop off at "Restaurant", hoping desperately that the food won't ruin your constitution.
At least shoppers have the option of avoiding the Evil Empires. But what of us poor diploma-less grunt workers? Unless you're cutting grass or working a golf course, the odds are very high that you are a slave to an empire. In a small town like mine, it's not unusual to bounce from empire to empire, just hoping that the next job won't be quite as stressful, and the pay might be just a few cents more.
I told myself I would never work at McD's, it smelled funny, their mascot should be shot, and the pay was crap. Little did I know that i'd be working there for 9 months. I told myself that i'd never work at Wal-Mart. They do stupid cheers before every shift and have more double-standards than products. I was only a blue-jacket for 7 months, but I barely escaped with my sanity.
Where is democracy when you need it? Where is my free choice to boycott slave-working villians and thieves? This is the dark side of capitalism.
* * *
Today's non-word is "nazicultarianism" (nat-zee-cult-tare-ee-an-ism). The overly strict, and controlling way of thought prominent in modern businesses. Also, the way of thought that allows corporations to knowingly work their employees so hard as to 'burn them out' or exaust them in a short and unlasting timeframe, causing higher rates of turnover.
Special note: according to BlogSpot's spell check, 'unlasting' is also a non-word. Oh well. :-P
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
ADD ....... ...... ..... .... ... .. .
.
.
.
.
. Today's post is about ADD. I sat here wondering what the heck I
. was going to write about, but then I was distracted and made this
. lovely ASCII art of a meteor hitting the ground.
. Now i'm bored, so I'm going to go watch something faster.
.
o ___ Why is it they call us the ADD generation..? *Hands fidgeting*
/||
It looked better before, but BlogSpot edits out unneccisary spaces. Gah!
* * *
Today's non-word is elemeno (el-i-men-o), as in ABCDEFGHIJK elemeno P...
.
.
.
. Today's post is about ADD. I sat here wondering what the heck I
. was going to write about, but then I was distracted and made this
. lovely ASCII art of a meteor hitting the ground.
. Now i'm bored, so I'm going to go watch something faster.
.
o ___ Why is it they call us the ADD generation..? *Hands fidgeting*
/||
It looked better before, but BlogSpot edits out unneccisary spaces. Gah!
* * *
Today's non-word is elemeno (el-i-men-o), as in ABCDEFGHIJK elemeno P...
Monday, March 27, 2006
Everybody Has a Story
Today's post breaks the trend by being in prose... hum along as you read it and you could even call it a song. I wrote this just after a long phone conversation with one poor soul with too much on their plate. I pray it brings comfort and mercy to you as well. It's so often that we think some rude person is a jerk, and then avoid them because they are nasty to us. When you get to know them and they open up about the life they live, and have lived, you really comes to see who and what they really are.
Today's non-word is Truthy (true-theey). Words or information that is presumed to be true, or at least to the extent that can be accomplished through a single perspective. (The writer's). As in, "Mike's blog is very truthy".
Everybody has a story* * *
Some people read me a chapter, and some just ignore me
Everybody has a story
And some bring tears to my eyes
Everybody has a story
Somebody I know has a thousand volumes
Everybody has a story
And then there's that stanger that just ignores me
Everybody has a weakness
And everybody bears pain
Everybody has a weakness
And some walk in shame
Everybody has a weakness
Some scar that haunts their mind
Everybody has a weakness
Some are fresh and some left behind
And I know you judge them well
Their eyes burn with the pains of hell
And I know that they depress you
And I know that in their pain they just dismiss you
You're just another bump in their road
Just another misery so they've been told
And they believe it, can't you see that
Everybody has a story
Some people read me a chapter, and some just ignore me
Everybody has a story
And her's bring tears to my eyes
Everybody has a story
Somebody I know has a thousand volumes
Everybody has a story
And how they continue to live, it astounds me
And I know you judge them well
Their eyes burn with the pains of hell
And I know that they depress you
And I know that in their pain they just dismiss you
You're just another bump in their road
Just another misery so they've been told
And they believe it, can't you see that
Everybody bears a pain that they can't stomach
Mine is yours, but you can't bear it
Pain is not yours to bear alone
Pray on your knees and reach for the throne
And everybody hears a pain they can't stomach
Their's becomes yours and you can't overcome it
Take it to the throne
Today's non-word is Truthy (true-theey). Words or information that is presumed to be true, or at least to the extent that can be accomplished through a single perspective. (The writer's). As in, "Mike's blog is very truthy".
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Thousands Drop Dead As She Smiles
Your national news anchor may have a gaping smile plastered on his or her face, but there's nothing happy about the news these days.
I like to stay informed - in fact, i'm almost horrified when people I know can't intelligently discuss current events. "What party are you voting for," I ask? After a few seconds of expression as thoroughly blank as space itself they respond, "oh, is there an election already?" Puh-leeze.
But even with such a rancor for staying on top of the world, even I am getting fed up with the news. What could make a news junkie so ticked off at his own hobby? The answer of course is the pessimism and "Entertainment Tonight" caliber reporting that makes me as ill as a hamster in a washing machine.
There was a day when new medicines and boy-saving-puppies made the headlines. Every once in a while you even hear about foreign aid workers. The trouble? I forgot to add that they've been kidnapped and are awaiting ransom. I don't mean to suggest that these horrors didn't occur before, but don't you find it sad that your news anchor's charming smile stays so wide as they describe the victims of hurricanes, tsunami, and earthquakes? Does it not make your heart cry out to see civilians executed on the news? Why do they feel we needed to see that? I appreciate their brief warning that "some images may be disturbing to some viewers", but that's just pushing things.
Is the world truly such an evil place that there is nothing better to report on, or have we as a society just been too molded by a shock-and-awe media that a good deed or accomplishment no longer warrants our precious attention? As for me, I'll still be keeping up on current events, but there isn't a network that will hold me nightly anymore.
* * *
To avoid complaining without actually doing something about this, i'm devoting today's feature to positive news. The sky is a bright, clear blue this afternoon. Clouds are scarcely visible on the horizon, and there's a cool breeze to keep you chipper.
In other news, this past March Break was a tremendous opportunity for many children to attend local camps. As I witnessed, there were many wide-eyed and joyful children at our local camp, and they learned many important values, skills, and the importance of caring. These children are now better human beings for having been exposed to this camp, and I pray that many more kids will have the opportunity to experience it.
Cheers, and have an optimistically fruitful day!
I like to stay informed - in fact, i'm almost horrified when people I know can't intelligently discuss current events. "What party are you voting for," I ask? After a few seconds of expression as thoroughly blank as space itself they respond, "oh, is there an election already?" Puh-leeze.
But even with such a rancor for staying on top of the world, even I am getting fed up with the news. What could make a news junkie so ticked off at his own hobby? The answer of course is the pessimism and "Entertainment Tonight" caliber reporting that makes me as ill as a hamster in a washing machine.
There was a day when new medicines and boy-saving-puppies made the headlines. Every once in a while you even hear about foreign aid workers. The trouble? I forgot to add that they've been kidnapped and are awaiting ransom. I don't mean to suggest that these horrors didn't occur before, but don't you find it sad that your news anchor's charming smile stays so wide as they describe the victims of hurricanes, tsunami, and earthquakes? Does it not make your heart cry out to see civilians executed on the news? Why do they feel we needed to see that? I appreciate their brief warning that "some images may be disturbing to some viewers", but that's just pushing things.
Is the world truly such an evil place that there is nothing better to report on, or have we as a society just been too molded by a shock-and-awe media that a good deed or accomplishment no longer warrants our precious attention? As for me, I'll still be keeping up on current events, but there isn't a network that will hold me nightly anymore.
* * *
To avoid complaining without actually doing something about this, i'm devoting today's feature to positive news. The sky is a bright, clear blue this afternoon. Clouds are scarcely visible on the horizon, and there's a cool breeze to keep you chipper.
In other news, this past March Break was a tremendous opportunity for many children to attend local camps. As I witnessed, there were many wide-eyed and joyful children at our local camp, and they learned many important values, skills, and the importance of caring. These children are now better human beings for having been exposed to this camp, and I pray that many more kids will have the opportunity to experience it.
Cheers, and have an optimistically fruitful day!
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Sickness - when the world stops.
It happens to all of us at one time or another. Some of us get it regularly and in mild spurts, and then there are some of us who pray to God that we never get sick again because it hurts so badly. I seem to fall into the second category. Yesterday I was hit by a 24 hour bug - call it samonela or overnight flu, but whatever it was it hurt like heck. I will of course spare you the details, but it sucks.
It got me to thinking - isn't it amazing how life seems to stop when you get truly sick? I'm not talking about a sniffle and a tear now, I mean truly ill. Appointments are cancelled, you call in sick for work, your diet changes drastically (if you can stomach anything at all)... it's the one thing in the world that can bring this schedule-driven life to it's knees. Suddenly, nothing else is as important as relieving your discomfort and getting better.
What amazes me are people who live with pain every day of their lives. Sure i'm likely to have a pain or headache on any given day, but some people suffer with massive pain that makes my head-pounding sound like a musical. I would love to ask one such person how they deal with life, but then again I don't dare for the fear of making it any more at the forefront of their lives. How do they go on? The worst pain i've ever felt was having my overly-cemented braces ripped off in high school.
I just sit back and shake my head...
* * *
To leave you on a happier note, today's non-word is disconfoundiation (dis-con-found-ee-ay-shun). The state of being disconfounded, or no longer being clueless about something.
It got me to thinking - isn't it amazing how life seems to stop when you get truly sick? I'm not talking about a sniffle and a tear now, I mean truly ill. Appointments are cancelled, you call in sick for work, your diet changes drastically (if you can stomach anything at all)... it's the one thing in the world that can bring this schedule-driven life to it's knees. Suddenly, nothing else is as important as relieving your discomfort and getting better.
What amazes me are people who live with pain every day of their lives. Sure i'm likely to have a pain or headache on any given day, but some people suffer with massive pain that makes my head-pounding sound like a musical. I would love to ask one such person how they deal with life, but then again I don't dare for the fear of making it any more at the forefront of their lives. How do they go on? The worst pain i've ever felt was having my overly-cemented braces ripped off in high school.
I just sit back and shake my head...
* * *
To leave you on a happier note, today's non-word is disconfoundiation (dis-con-found-ee-ay-shun). The state of being disconfounded, or no longer being clueless about something.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
...but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. - Corinthians 13:11"When I became a man I put aside childish things." It sounds simple enough. This saying got me to thinking... what exactly qualifies as 'childish things'? Dependance perhaps? Toys, games... the question is when do these things really need to go? Where is that magical line that we cross where we're suddenly someone else. An adult. Legally i've been an adult now for almost three years, but the conflict of what is and is not appropriate for an adult is raging as hard as ever.
Like many guys my age, I play video games. Is that childish? I know a lot of older adults that do that. I still live at home. I'll be moving out in time for university this fall, likely for good. I'll have to take over all the areas of my life that i'm used to having provided for me. And yet that question remains, how 'childish' should I be at my age? I'm certainly not supposed to be as a child, years of experience and teaching have progressed me past that point. Then again, i'm also not that adult with a family of his own and a secure future. My future is about as predictable as this summer's weather. (Just watch those experts be wrong again!)
So, as is my bloggish right, i'm excersizing the right to post this without any underlying complaint or point. I throw my thoughts out onto the open net...
* * *
"Bloggish" (blog-ish), one who writes a blog (as in, "he is bloggish"), or pertaining to blogs. See blogs. Read blogs. Eat eggs, they're good for you.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
The Outdatedness of Text
* * *
Your non-word is "outdatedness" (out-date-ed-ness), how patheticly old and outdated something is.
IMs - Can't Live With Them, Can't Live Without Them
Odds are if you're technically astute enough to be reading this blog in the first place, you likely also have an IM, or Instant Messenger.
Odds are even greater if you do have an IM that you carry with it a similar love/hate relationship that I do.
Hits: You can stay in constant contact with friends and family wherever you have internet access. You can share files and programs, you can send smilies and audio, and you can talk to a billion people at once. (That is of course if you're a skilled multitasker.)
Misses: You can stay in constant contact with friends and family wherever you have internet access - that means not a moments peace if you're trying to work, or you just feel anti-social. Sure you could set your status to 'away' or 'out to lunch', or even 'busy'. Do your contacts respect those settings? I know a lot of mine don't.
You'd think it would be obvious. I'm busy, therefore I don't want to have a "hey", "hey", conversation.
A desperate man might just turn the irritation off, so that no one can bother you. Oops... but that has a downside too. Now your significant other can't serenade you with textual pleasantness, your best friend can't arrange to come over, and you now have to check for email manually instead of getting that lovely message.
I was that desperate man... I shut off MSN, I shut off Yahoo, and I pulled Xfire clear off my auto-start list. So here I am, a man cut off of the world of IMing. I forgot all about them, and now people think that I blocked them. Well, long story short, I did. But hey, it wasn't personal - it was business.
Please respect the 'busy' setting, and let me get on with my online life. I'll be sure to do the same with you.
* * *
Your non-word is "irrination" (ear-ih-nation). A country that just likes to tick off the rest of the world, or stick it to world powers saying things like "We will now be continuing our nuclear weapons program, so what cha gonna do about it?" North Korea and Iran come to mind...
Odds are even greater if you do have an IM that you carry with it a similar love/hate relationship that I do.
Hits: You can stay in constant contact with friends and family wherever you have internet access. You can share files and programs, you can send smilies and audio, and you can talk to a billion people at once. (That is of course if you're a skilled multitasker.)
Misses: You can stay in constant contact with friends and family wherever you have internet access - that means not a moments peace if you're trying to work, or you just feel anti-social. Sure you could set your status to 'away' or 'out to lunch', or even 'busy'. Do your contacts respect those settings? I know a lot of mine don't.
You'd think it would be obvious. I'm busy, therefore I don't want to have a "hey", "hey", conversation.
A desperate man might just turn the irritation off, so that no one can bother you. Oops... but that has a downside too. Now your significant other can't serenade you with textual pleasantness, your best friend can't arrange to come over, and you now have to check for email manually instead of getting that lovely message.
I was that desperate man... I shut off MSN, I shut off Yahoo, and I pulled Xfire clear off my auto-start list. So here I am, a man cut off of the world of IMing. I forgot all about them, and now people think that I blocked them. Well, long story short, I did. But hey, it wasn't personal - it was business.
Please respect the 'busy' setting, and let me get on with my online life. I'll be sure to do the same with you.
* * *
Your non-word is "irrination" (ear-ih-nation). A country that just likes to tick off the rest of the world, or stick it to world powers saying things like "We will now be continuing our nuclear weapons program, so what cha gonna do about it?" North Korea and Iran come to mind...
Welcome to the Truthy Report!
You hear about these things everywhere - everyone who's anyone has a blog! Newspapers and television stations are quoting them, and powerful people watch as opinions are swayed by them.
Wait just a second! I'm a somebody, and I don't have a blog!
Well, now I do.
In direct contradiction to my belief that blogs are a waist of the writers time and nobody gives a crap about what other people have to say, I post my thoughts to you here. The Truthy Report will be just that - the world as I see it, with no Hollywood spin, no shock & awe, and no liberal agenda. I don't want to save the pandas with this blog, and I frankly don't want to hear about Bob and Joe marrying in Toronto. This blog is about US. (No, not the USA, "us", as in human beings with real lives).
As I discover new and terrifying ways to bring you the truth as I see it, you will see many new shiny things to occupy your generationally ADD mind. Don't have ADD? My apologies, I assumed we all have it.
Peace, love, and nappiness!
* * *
Today's non-word is "nappiness" (nap-ee-ness). The state of feeling "nappy", or in need of a good nap.
Wait just a second! I'm a somebody, and I don't have a blog!
Well, now I do.
In direct contradiction to my belief that blogs are a waist of the writers time and nobody gives a crap about what other people have to say, I post my thoughts to you here. The Truthy Report will be just that - the world as I see it, with no Hollywood spin, no shock & awe, and no liberal agenda. I don't want to save the pandas with this blog, and I frankly don't want to hear about Bob and Joe marrying in Toronto. This blog is about US. (No, not the USA, "us", as in human beings with real lives).
As I discover new and terrifying ways to bring you the truth as I see it, you will see many new shiny things to occupy your generationally ADD mind. Don't have ADD? My apologies, I assumed we all have it.
Peace, love, and nappiness!
* * *
Today's non-word is "nappiness" (nap-ee-ness). The state of feeling "nappy", or in need of a good nap.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
