Wow.
Just read a piece on the man in Time magazine. It wasn't long enough but I guess when you deal with a man of his vision it's hard to capture the essence in any length. However I was pleased to learn that Walter Isaacson has written a biography coming out on October 24. A must read.
The man was a visionary. He didn't invent things (I didn't know this) but he took what he saw, looked at them differently and vastly improved them and integrated them into our lifestyle and mindset.
Apparently he was a bastard to work for, but I guess that's what you get from a perfectionist and an innovator. And somehow, even though he became a corporate giant and one of the richest men in the world, he maintained an image as a rebel, an outsider, one of us. I don't know about you but I don't have a billion dollars in the bank. But I am working on it.
I read about people like this and I try to osmosis-ize something about them into my own DNA. I can never achieve at that level; my brain is too small and whiskey soaked - I have crossed the 50/50 line - more of my brain cells are dead than alive. But most of the human brain is wasted anyway, so there is hope.
The consistent thing about geniuses is that they see things differently. I think for many of us, that ability would drastically change our lives. We get trapped into a certain way of thinking, a specific view of the world and we are afraid of change. But a slight shift in perception, a more open perspective might just blow your world wide open. We don't have to be as small as we are, even though that is what life demands. Flapping your wings and puffing out your chest in a constructive way might free you of the chains that bind; easier said than done, however, which is why genius is few and far between.
I think at his core he was a sensitive man. The words he spoke at a commencement speech he gave at Stanford in 2005 certainly give you that impression, although this occurred after he was diagnosed with cancer. I don't know if he was reborn, or if this was the way he always looked at the world. In any event, dig this:
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other peoples' thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."
Straight to the heart, baby and words to live by. Not easy to do; we are all as pliable as Gumby, easily influenced and driven off track. We think (myself included) that by drinking excessively we are rebels and we are living our lives. We got to think bigger than that.
I'm going to read the book and dig into the man a little deeper. What have I got to lose?
Friday, October 14, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
To Winter With Love
Winter is here and nature is dying,
bright colors signal the grave.
The cold pains your bones as oil heats your home,
and oil companies measure their gains.
Your shovel is ready, your gloves and your boots,
you'll soon be the Michelin man.
You hunger for warmth but suffer instead, and
still do the best that you can.
Winter oh winter, please leave me alone,
I hate the way you behave.
Please let me have heat, live life on my feet,
save all of your cold for my grave.
bright colors signal the grave.
The cold pains your bones as oil heats your home,
and oil companies measure their gains.
Your shovel is ready, your gloves and your boots,
you'll soon be the Michelin man.
You hunger for warmth but suffer instead, and
still do the best that you can.
Winter oh winter, please leave me alone,
I hate the way you behave.
Please let me have heat, live life on my feet,
save all of your cold for my grave.
Don't Talk To Me
I don't believe in verbal communication. That's why I write. We'd probably be better off as a species if we grunted to each other or, even better, used sign language. Imagine how much more of the world you could experience if nobody talked. You would suddenly be exposed to the sounds of the world in wonder. 'Twould be amazing.
Oh my god - what is that music I hear? What is that missile flying over my head? Birds? We have birds on this planet?
A personal aside on the grunting thing. I very often reply to Carol's comments with a grunt and she likes to point this out to me in amusement. I am perpetually tired and talking requires energy. And honestly, she talks a lot more than I do. I am not a talker, as previously mentioned. But the other day in The Booze Emporium I made yet another unoriginal comment about the weather to a customer ( the least challenging way to make contact with other humans) and the guy grunted. I was like "Holy shit, that must be what I sound like to Carol." I wanted to smack the guy. Sorry, babes.
People don't really listen when you talk and even worse, they interrupt you. Don't you hate that? I despise it. I think that is the most blatant form of disrespect and self absorption. Someone who believes that what they have to say is so important that they have to interrupt what you are saying to regurgitate their own thoughts and opinions.
The whole opinion thing amuses me. I try not to be too vocal about my opinions in speech (I'm probably kidding myself) which is why I volcano them out in here. People are always trying to change other peoples' opinions. Are you kidding me? Do you really think that at the age of fifty seven I really give a damn about your opinion? I am not interested in your opinion of my opinion and I am REALLY not interested in your trying to prove me wrong. Opinions grow through experience and are warped by our own delusions and prejudices. They are uniquely unique. And they are rarely factual. In addition we are all in constant combat to prove ourselves superior to one another, so there is a lot of chest thumping involved in opinion rendering. You can offer me your opinion if it is completely in sync with my own; if not, just tell me a joke, make me laugh. I would rather laugh at your joke than to suppress a laugh about your opinion.
People who are forceful with their opinions are endlessly entertaining to me. The kind that talk to you as if their opinion is solid fact and that only a fool would disagree with them. I call them GOP's. Grotesquely Opinionated People. You get this all the time in retail. I have people say things to me at the register that make me want to break out my machete and behead them. Instead I yes them to death as if I agree with them because talking to a blockhead is an exercise in supreme frustration.
At this point I imagine there are hundreds of Booze Emporium customers who have walked away thinking "Wow I really connected with that pony tailed booze clerk." And I'm standing there thinking "I wonder if that moron can even find his way home."
I think the whole opinion thing springs from the need to feel important. You want to display your supreme intelligence and flawless reasoning ability to the world and, more than that, you want someone to agree with you. You lose all bowel control if it appears that you have changed somebody's opinion. If the listener appears to be considering your comments and then responds "You know, I think you're right", you start clapping your hands like a little child and jumping up and down in glee.
As far as not listening goes, when you tell somebody something, most people use it as a springboard to talk about themselves. You walk in to work with your arm in a sling and tell your buddy you fell and broke your arm while reaching for an apple in your orchard while riding your unicycle. He immediately launches into his remembrances of breaking his own arm playing flag football in a girls' league, followed by a brief history of unicycle riding leading into his opinion of circuses and novelty acts. It's forty five minutes later and your head is spinning. Empathy is hard to come by, baby.
I am not a fan of verbal communication. We don't say a lot that is meaningful or even true. We try to force our opinions on others as if our life experiences make us omniscient. They don't. They only make us unique. Uniqueness should be appreciated and enjoyed, not watered down by spreading it around like a communicable disease, or by trying to attract converts.
Keep your opinions to yourself. Say something to me to make me laugh. I'll laugh at your opinions in private.
Oh my god - what is that music I hear? What is that missile flying over my head? Birds? We have birds on this planet?
A personal aside on the grunting thing. I very often reply to Carol's comments with a grunt and she likes to point this out to me in amusement. I am perpetually tired and talking requires energy. And honestly, she talks a lot more than I do. I am not a talker, as previously mentioned. But the other day in The Booze Emporium I made yet another unoriginal comment about the weather to a customer ( the least challenging way to make contact with other humans) and the guy grunted. I was like "Holy shit, that must be what I sound like to Carol." I wanted to smack the guy. Sorry, babes.
People don't really listen when you talk and even worse, they interrupt you. Don't you hate that? I despise it. I think that is the most blatant form of disrespect and self absorption. Someone who believes that what they have to say is so important that they have to interrupt what you are saying to regurgitate their own thoughts and opinions.
The whole opinion thing amuses me. I try not to be too vocal about my opinions in speech (I'm probably kidding myself) which is why I volcano them out in here. People are always trying to change other peoples' opinions. Are you kidding me? Do you really think that at the age of fifty seven I really give a damn about your opinion? I am not interested in your opinion of my opinion and I am REALLY not interested in your trying to prove me wrong. Opinions grow through experience and are warped by our own delusions and prejudices. They are uniquely unique. And they are rarely factual. In addition we are all in constant combat to prove ourselves superior to one another, so there is a lot of chest thumping involved in opinion rendering. You can offer me your opinion if it is completely in sync with my own; if not, just tell me a joke, make me laugh. I would rather laugh at your joke than to suppress a laugh about your opinion.
People who are forceful with their opinions are endlessly entertaining to me. The kind that talk to you as if their opinion is solid fact and that only a fool would disagree with them. I call them GOP's. Grotesquely Opinionated People. You get this all the time in retail. I have people say things to me at the register that make me want to break out my machete and behead them. Instead I yes them to death as if I agree with them because talking to a blockhead is an exercise in supreme frustration.
At this point I imagine there are hundreds of Booze Emporium customers who have walked away thinking "Wow I really connected with that pony tailed booze clerk." And I'm standing there thinking "I wonder if that moron can even find his way home."
I think the whole opinion thing springs from the need to feel important. You want to display your supreme intelligence and flawless reasoning ability to the world and, more than that, you want someone to agree with you. You lose all bowel control if it appears that you have changed somebody's opinion. If the listener appears to be considering your comments and then responds "You know, I think you're right", you start clapping your hands like a little child and jumping up and down in glee.
As far as not listening goes, when you tell somebody something, most people use it as a springboard to talk about themselves. You walk in to work with your arm in a sling and tell your buddy you fell and broke your arm while reaching for an apple in your orchard while riding your unicycle. He immediately launches into his remembrances of breaking his own arm playing flag football in a girls' league, followed by a brief history of unicycle riding leading into his opinion of circuses and novelty acts. It's forty five minutes later and your head is spinning. Empathy is hard to come by, baby.
I am not a fan of verbal communication. We don't say a lot that is meaningful or even true. We try to force our opinions on others as if our life experiences make us omniscient. They don't. They only make us unique. Uniqueness should be appreciated and enjoyed, not watered down by spreading it around like a communicable disease, or by trying to attract converts.
Keep your opinions to yourself. Say something to me to make me laugh. I'll laugh at your opinions in private.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Scatman Testa
I am riffing today. Improvising, scatting, flipping and flopping and hippity hopping. Haven't written a word in three days. Painful word spewage back up.
I write therefore I am.
My work schedule has gotten crazy insane. I'm finally getting the hours that I need, but now that I am working almost full time like an adult, it is wreaking havoc with my schedule. Because of the nature of the biz, the work schedule bounces - in early out early one day, in late out late the next, five hours here, eight hours there, seven and six etc. Exercising, writing - I actually have to look at the work schedule and figure out how, when and why I am going to accomplish these all important things. However, as a confirmed low wage earner, it's good to get the hours and I will continue to swallow up everything I can get. Until I become rich and famous. Then it will be up all night, sleep all day.
Looking at the republican front runners over the past year. Palin then Trump then Bachman then Perry - can you take any of these people seriously? It is fascinating to watch the gop stumble around trying to find a worthy candidate for President Obama, while using scare tactics, lies and exaggerations to disorient the American public. American politics at it's worst. But still I fear President Obama's re-election is not in the bag. Strange times we live in, me thinks.
If I am in the mood for comedy tonight after work, it will be a tough choice between Stephen Colbert or the republican debate.
Steve Jobs is dead. That one threw me a little. He was such an iconic figure. I have a special issue Times magazine dedicated solely to him sitting next to my recliner and I can't wait to dig into it. Every once in a while, the death of someone notable flips me around and this is one of them. Not a hundred per cent sure why that is. Maybe because he is one of those people you can learn something from, a man who saw things differently and acted upon his visions. I am trying to break out of my own predictability and re-direct my life; maybe after reading this tribute I will invent something amazing. Similar to that awesome meatloaf pan on TV - the one that lifts the loaf right out of the pan. I covet that.
Al Davis is dead too. That one has me thinking too. He was no Steve Jobs but he was huge in the world of professional football. He was a rebel always, who translated that rebel swagger perfectly into the image of the Raiders. Did a whole bunch of other stuff also. Have to read up on him some more.
The special on Prohibition. Got that on the DVR machine, watched the first part but slept through chunks of it. But what I did see was excellent. Gonna re-watch that, then watch the other two parts. With a tumbler of civilized whiskey in my hand, in defiance.
The George Harrison special. Watched part one. SPECTACULAR. I saw clips I have never seen before, heard stories I have never heard before. I am close to being a Beatles fanatic, so it was so cool to see new stuff. Cannot wait to see Part two and read the companion book, put together by George's wife.
This whole year for me has been a search. With all the verbosity about losing weight and exercising and writing and making more money, what I am really trying to do is find myself. Digging deeper and trying harder than I ever have before. It occurred to me watching the Harrison special that I probably don't have to go any further than The Beatles for inspiration. It always comes back to The Beatles. At the age of ten I was shaken to the core by the Ed Sullivan experience. I will never forget it. I knew then how my life should be. Before I knew it, I was an accountant. Something went horribly wrong.
They were seekers and thinkers. That's what I dig about their legacy. After The Beatles split, John and George spent their lives questioning and learning and pursuing the meaning of life. In the special, George comments that acid opened up his mind, but at a certain point it became obvious that what he needed was a spiritual answer, not a chemical one. LSD opened the door, spirituality pushed him through. That is a man who is aware, a man who could step back from massive celebrity and conduct a journey inwards towards peace. That is somebody I can look up to and learn from.
That is what is on my mind today. Some of it will be fleshed out in future ramblings and used to torture you accordingly.
Please note: Most of these words were written with Maka on my lap. It was challenging, and my back hurts from the position I had to adopt to get it done.
That's how much I love that damn cat.
I write therefore I am.
My work schedule has gotten crazy insane. I'm finally getting the hours that I need, but now that I am working almost full time like an adult, it is wreaking havoc with my schedule. Because of the nature of the biz, the work schedule bounces - in early out early one day, in late out late the next, five hours here, eight hours there, seven and six etc. Exercising, writing - I actually have to look at the work schedule and figure out how, when and why I am going to accomplish these all important things. However, as a confirmed low wage earner, it's good to get the hours and I will continue to swallow up everything I can get. Until I become rich and famous. Then it will be up all night, sleep all day.
Looking at the republican front runners over the past year. Palin then Trump then Bachman then Perry - can you take any of these people seriously? It is fascinating to watch the gop stumble around trying to find a worthy candidate for President Obama, while using scare tactics, lies and exaggerations to disorient the American public. American politics at it's worst. But still I fear President Obama's re-election is not in the bag. Strange times we live in, me thinks.
If I am in the mood for comedy tonight after work, it will be a tough choice between Stephen Colbert or the republican debate.
Steve Jobs is dead. That one threw me a little. He was such an iconic figure. I have a special issue Times magazine dedicated solely to him sitting next to my recliner and I can't wait to dig into it. Every once in a while, the death of someone notable flips me around and this is one of them. Not a hundred per cent sure why that is. Maybe because he is one of those people you can learn something from, a man who saw things differently and acted upon his visions. I am trying to break out of my own predictability and re-direct my life; maybe after reading this tribute I will invent something amazing. Similar to that awesome meatloaf pan on TV - the one that lifts the loaf right out of the pan. I covet that.
Al Davis is dead too. That one has me thinking too. He was no Steve Jobs but he was huge in the world of professional football. He was a rebel always, who translated that rebel swagger perfectly into the image of the Raiders. Did a whole bunch of other stuff also. Have to read up on him some more.
The special on Prohibition. Got that on the DVR machine, watched the first part but slept through chunks of it. But what I did see was excellent. Gonna re-watch that, then watch the other two parts. With a tumbler of civilized whiskey in my hand, in defiance.
The George Harrison special. Watched part one. SPECTACULAR. I saw clips I have never seen before, heard stories I have never heard before. I am close to being a Beatles fanatic, so it was so cool to see new stuff. Cannot wait to see Part two and read the companion book, put together by George's wife.
This whole year for me has been a search. With all the verbosity about losing weight and exercising and writing and making more money, what I am really trying to do is find myself. Digging deeper and trying harder than I ever have before. It occurred to me watching the Harrison special that I probably don't have to go any further than The Beatles for inspiration. It always comes back to The Beatles. At the age of ten I was shaken to the core by the Ed Sullivan experience. I will never forget it. I knew then how my life should be. Before I knew it, I was an accountant. Something went horribly wrong.
They were seekers and thinkers. That's what I dig about their legacy. After The Beatles split, John and George spent their lives questioning and learning and pursuing the meaning of life. In the special, George comments that acid opened up his mind, but at a certain point it became obvious that what he needed was a spiritual answer, not a chemical one. LSD opened the door, spirituality pushed him through. That is a man who is aware, a man who could step back from massive celebrity and conduct a journey inwards towards peace. That is somebody I can look up to and learn from.
That is what is on my mind today. Some of it will be fleshed out in future ramblings and used to torture you accordingly.
Please note: Most of these words were written with Maka on my lap. It was challenging, and my back hurts from the position I had to adopt to get it done.
That's how much I love that damn cat.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Good Will Hunting Again?
So yeah, maybe I have a bit of an obsession with Good Will Hunting, but obsessions are good for the soul. The movie is damn good and digs deep into human frailty, self delusion and walls of defense. In other words it deals with all of us, in all of our self created worlds of illusion.
The scene where Robin Williams gets up close to Matt Damon, right up in his personal space, and repeats: "It's not your fault." Over and over again. He's referring to the abuses Damon suffered as a child. "It's not your fault." Over and over and over. Damon goes from shrugging it off, to showing some emotion, to questioning Williams' sincerity, to getting somewhat violent, to eventually breaking down and sobbing uncontrollably. It is a release, a breakthrough, a catharsis.
We all need this. We need to be pushed to this point and then broken down completely, forced to face the truth and then pushed beyond it. Recognizing your own reality and living in complete harmony with who you genuinely are, understanding the true source of whatever pain you carry around and getting beyond that, these things can be insurmountable. And they can completely distort your life and suck spontaneity from your soul, draw a curtain over your mind and send you through life living a lie.
Somehow you have to work yourself to that breaking point and then be around someone who can push you over the edge into peace. Unfortunately, for the most part, we are on our own. You can't afford a shrink, you don't have the time, and Robin Williams isn't going to walk into your life and wrap his arms around you.
Life is weird because we all walk around acting out parts and there is no truth, no honesty. When you walk out of your house it's like walking onto the set of a movie because there is no reality. There is only what other people choose to show you, which is just an act. That's why true friendship and genuine family love are so valuable.
"They say that what you mock will surely overtake you, and you become a monster so the monster will not break you." Peace On Earth - U2. This is what life does. You take whatever damage your parents did and combine that with the need to survive in a harsh world and you become a monster. It is not always deep and dark and soul crushing, but I do believe that most people have hangups that crept into their lives somewhere along the line, that keep them off balance, that prevent them from achieving the sweet peace that comes from fearlessly exposing your soul to the world.
"Children, insane people, fools and mystics are more interested in what is than in why it is." Another quote I picked up somewhere. This is what our essence aspires to. Simplicity. Innocence. Life experiences, pain, and self delusion all complicate things. Layers are added on as you move on down the road until you wear them like a soggy, wool blanket.
I have become overly dramatic, as is my way. My point is that almost everyone you meet is acting to some extent, including yourself. So what is this world that we live in? We really don't know.
And what would it be like if everyone was true to their soul, free of pain and hangups? We might not be able to handle it.
The scene where Robin Williams gets up close to Matt Damon, right up in his personal space, and repeats: "It's not your fault." Over and over again. He's referring to the abuses Damon suffered as a child. "It's not your fault." Over and over and over. Damon goes from shrugging it off, to showing some emotion, to questioning Williams' sincerity, to getting somewhat violent, to eventually breaking down and sobbing uncontrollably. It is a release, a breakthrough, a catharsis.
We all need this. We need to be pushed to this point and then broken down completely, forced to face the truth and then pushed beyond it. Recognizing your own reality and living in complete harmony with who you genuinely are, understanding the true source of whatever pain you carry around and getting beyond that, these things can be insurmountable. And they can completely distort your life and suck spontaneity from your soul, draw a curtain over your mind and send you through life living a lie.
Somehow you have to work yourself to that breaking point and then be around someone who can push you over the edge into peace. Unfortunately, for the most part, we are on our own. You can't afford a shrink, you don't have the time, and Robin Williams isn't going to walk into your life and wrap his arms around you.
Life is weird because we all walk around acting out parts and there is no truth, no honesty. When you walk out of your house it's like walking onto the set of a movie because there is no reality. There is only what other people choose to show you, which is just an act. That's why true friendship and genuine family love are so valuable.
"They say that what you mock will surely overtake you, and you become a monster so the monster will not break you." Peace On Earth - U2. This is what life does. You take whatever damage your parents did and combine that with the need to survive in a harsh world and you become a monster. It is not always deep and dark and soul crushing, but I do believe that most people have hangups that crept into their lives somewhere along the line, that keep them off balance, that prevent them from achieving the sweet peace that comes from fearlessly exposing your soul to the world.
"Children, insane people, fools and mystics are more interested in what is than in why it is." Another quote I picked up somewhere. This is what our essence aspires to. Simplicity. Innocence. Life experiences, pain, and self delusion all complicate things. Layers are added on as you move on down the road until you wear them like a soggy, wool blanket.
I have become overly dramatic, as is my way. My point is that almost everyone you meet is acting to some extent, including yourself. So what is this world that we live in? We really don't know.
And what would it be like if everyone was true to their soul, free of pain and hangups? We might not be able to handle it.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Eight A.M. Whiskey
If you enjoy an eight a.m.shot of whiskey before you set off to work, you have declared your independence from society and I salute you.
Social guidelines are generally silly, and the one about not having a drink before noon is especially so. What are you kidding me? Booze is medicine, and medicine is what is required to negotiate your way through life. If you wake up with a cold, you don't wait until noon to guzzle your Nyquil.
We taped the Ken Burns documentary on prohibition and I can't wait to watch it. That was the most misguided attempt at controlloing the general populace ever conceived.
People need their booze, it's the only legal drug you can openly consume, unless you have a laid back, forward thinking physician writing you prescriptions on demand. Everybody needs a Dr. Feelgood. Having spent the last five and a half years behind a bar, and the last year at The Booze Emporium, I am consistently overjoyed to see people embracing their love of the sauce. Openly, unabashedly and with great vigor.
True drinkers understand that there are no rules; do whatever works for you in whatever combination works for you, at whatever strength, and whenever you decide you need it.
When I first started working at the legion, the bar opened at 9:00 a.m. Friends, relatives and acquaintances were shocked when I told them this. "You mean people actually drink at 9 in the morning?" Of course they do; it's a great way to start your day and gain some valuable perspective on life. I loved serving drinks that early; felt like I was in some alternative universe or parallel dimension, a subset of humanity that lived by their own rules. My kind of people.
Here's the way I look at it. If you need an early morning shot to get your juices flowing, to get ready to face the world or just to get your energy level up to par, do it with abandon and sweet release. If you start with an 8:00 a.m. shot and continue drinking throughout the day (frequent furtive trips to the bathroom at work, nips in your pockets) then you have a problem. This I am not condoning.
But a shot of whiskey with your eggs in the morning is delightful. I was recently taken aback by my own strangeness, but I quickly adapted and found it quite amusing. I am on a health/losing weight kick, so I have been experimenting with my diet. Had a cup of yogurt for breakfast, followed shortly thereafter by a shot of whiskey. At first I thought "What the hell am I doing?" But it felt so natural that I knew it was the right thing to do. I should write a diet book; I am willing to bet that I could find a large number of devotees.
The psychological aspect is almost as rewarding as the physical. You set yourself apart as a rebel, a rule breaker, a rugged individualist when you consume early morning booze. You are thumbing your nose at society's arbitrary rules and setting a wonderful example for your children.
We all have to conform to get through the day. Individuality is not condoned or rewarded in the work place. But conformity is not natural. We are all born individuals who are then shaped, molded and intimidated into conforming for the sake of society. You have to do whatever you can to re-capture a tiny piece of your soul. I suppose you could go for a 5:00 a.m. jog, but it takes a hell of a lot less effort to raise a shot glass.
Side note: I cannot drink beer in the morning, my body rejects it. But if you were standing next to my bed as I awakened, with a delicate crystal tumbler holding a touch of civilized whiskey, I would consume it appreciatively, then stumble off to brush my teeth.
Do what you gotta do, folks. Life is way too short to live by other people's rules. Enjoy your vices with extreme prejudice, but try not to allow them to control you. Early morning moderation is sensible. You can go nuts when the whistle blows at 5:00 o'clock.
Social guidelines are generally silly, and the one about not having a drink before noon is especially so. What are you kidding me? Booze is medicine, and medicine is what is required to negotiate your way through life. If you wake up with a cold, you don't wait until noon to guzzle your Nyquil.
We taped the Ken Burns documentary on prohibition and I can't wait to watch it. That was the most misguided attempt at controlloing the general populace ever conceived.
People need their booze, it's the only legal drug you can openly consume, unless you have a laid back, forward thinking physician writing you prescriptions on demand. Everybody needs a Dr. Feelgood. Having spent the last five and a half years behind a bar, and the last year at The Booze Emporium, I am consistently overjoyed to see people embracing their love of the sauce. Openly, unabashedly and with great vigor.
True drinkers understand that there are no rules; do whatever works for you in whatever combination works for you, at whatever strength, and whenever you decide you need it.
When I first started working at the legion, the bar opened at 9:00 a.m. Friends, relatives and acquaintances were shocked when I told them this. "You mean people actually drink at 9 in the morning?" Of course they do; it's a great way to start your day and gain some valuable perspective on life. I loved serving drinks that early; felt like I was in some alternative universe or parallel dimension, a subset of humanity that lived by their own rules. My kind of people.
Here's the way I look at it. If you need an early morning shot to get your juices flowing, to get ready to face the world or just to get your energy level up to par, do it with abandon and sweet release. If you start with an 8:00 a.m. shot and continue drinking throughout the day (frequent furtive trips to the bathroom at work, nips in your pockets) then you have a problem. This I am not condoning.
But a shot of whiskey with your eggs in the morning is delightful. I was recently taken aback by my own strangeness, but I quickly adapted and found it quite amusing. I am on a health/losing weight kick, so I have been experimenting with my diet. Had a cup of yogurt for breakfast, followed shortly thereafter by a shot of whiskey. At first I thought "What the hell am I doing?" But it felt so natural that I knew it was the right thing to do. I should write a diet book; I am willing to bet that I could find a large number of devotees.
The psychological aspect is almost as rewarding as the physical. You set yourself apart as a rebel, a rule breaker, a rugged individualist when you consume early morning booze. You are thumbing your nose at society's arbitrary rules and setting a wonderful example for your children.
We all have to conform to get through the day. Individuality is not condoned or rewarded in the work place. But conformity is not natural. We are all born individuals who are then shaped, molded and intimidated into conforming for the sake of society. You have to do whatever you can to re-capture a tiny piece of your soul. I suppose you could go for a 5:00 a.m. jog, but it takes a hell of a lot less effort to raise a shot glass.
Side note: I cannot drink beer in the morning, my body rejects it. But if you were standing next to my bed as I awakened, with a delicate crystal tumbler holding a touch of civilized whiskey, I would consume it appreciatively, then stumble off to brush my teeth.
Do what you gotta do, folks. Life is way too short to live by other people's rules. Enjoy your vices with extreme prejudice, but try not to allow them to control you. Early morning moderation is sensible. You can go nuts when the whistle blows at 5:00 o'clock.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
President Obama's Reality
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
President Obama is a victim of circumstance and timing. I voted for him in 2008, and I will again next year, and I refuse to back down or apologize for that.
I was blown away by his persona, his speeches, his intelligence and his intensity during the first campaign. Since then, I have been disappointed by his weakness, his insistence to try to work with republican scum, his compromises, his confusion. He has not governed as he campaigned.
He is campaigning again and the old President Obama has been resurrected. But this time around I need more. I need him to kick republican ass as well as make new promises. I need victories in government, I need him to stand tall and win a few battles against enemies who are vastly inferior in ever single measurement of humanity.
I believe President Obama was naive about what he could get done. He is learning and adjusting and he needs more time. Four more years. When you start a new job you are confused, nervous and inefficient. Over time you adjust and eventually you get comfortable. This is true of all of us.
Imagine your new job is as President of the United States. I rest my case. In addition I am willing to bet his presidency has had to deal with the most and the worst crises in history. If not the worst, his problems are right up there at the top of the list. In addition to that, he has had to deal with republican scum who REFUSE to co-operate with him, whose only goal is to see that he is not re-elected. I can't make this point strongly enough. These people do not care about the welfare of this country, about us wee folk, about anything of substance. They only want to stop President Obama and they will allow us wee folk to lose our jobs, our pensions, our futures; they will allow our homes to be grossly de-valued, they will stand by and watch the lives of the working people in this country disintegrate. Do you understand how dangerous that is? THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THIS COUNTRY AND THEY HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED TO RUN IT. I believe President Obama has had to deal with more opposition than any other president, and absolutely no co-operation.
Why? What is the basis for this stubborn opposition? Intelligent analysis? Please, look at who you are dealing with. I am convinced the roots of this disrespect stem from racism. Don't take my word for it; go online and research racist comments about President Obama made by members of our own governing body. You should be enraged and disgusted; if you are not than you are worthless as a human.
I said President Obama is a victim of circumstance and timing. He was elected at a time when corporate greed, political greed and inefficiency are at an all time high. They are out in the open for all to see and there are no or minimal consequences. None. Enron, AOL Time Warner, Arthur Andersen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Halliburton, Merck, Tyco, Xerox. That is only a partial list. All corporate scandals. Look at what happened on Wall Street in the last couple of years. Look at what the banking system has done. Look at all the politicians who are backed by huge corporations. Who openly vote against energy alternatives because their campaigns are financed by major oil companies, as one small example.
The integrity of our political system has deteriorated for a long time and President Obama was elected at a time when it is at an all time low. He inherited huge problems created by that American Idiot, George W. Bush. He walked into the middle of all this crap and he had the lack of foresight to be BLACK on top of everything else.
I am not naive. I know that President Obama has been the beneficiary of funding from major corporations and this bothers me. I know he bailed out Wall Street when they should have been jailed. I know he bailed out the banks when they should have been jailed. I know that he has continued to try to work with republican scum even as they continue to disrespect him, and I know this optimism on his part has hurt this country. All of this bothers me.
But I also know that this man has not been given a chance. I know that if he gets re-elected he will kick ass because he will have nothing to lose and he will have learned his lessons. The first time around there was a lot of white guilt tied up in his votes. If he wins this time, it will mean that the wee folk finally figured out that republican scum don't give a damn about them, that they are destroying middle America while simultaneously kissing the ass of Wall Street, the banking system and the Big Money Boys. Unfortunately his re-election would not be a sign that we are becoming more intelligent when it comes to race; this country is way too stupid to ever stop judging people by the color of their skin.
If President Obama gets re-elected, this country will have a future. If he is defeated this country will be destroyed. That really is the magnitude of this election.
Do not vote republican unless you are OK with losing your home, your retirement, your future and your dignity. These people are openly mocking you.
Fight back.
President Obama is a victim of circumstance and timing. I voted for him in 2008, and I will again next year, and I refuse to back down or apologize for that.
I was blown away by his persona, his speeches, his intelligence and his intensity during the first campaign. Since then, I have been disappointed by his weakness, his insistence to try to work with republican scum, his compromises, his confusion. He has not governed as he campaigned.
He is campaigning again and the old President Obama has been resurrected. But this time around I need more. I need him to kick republican ass as well as make new promises. I need victories in government, I need him to stand tall and win a few battles against enemies who are vastly inferior in ever single measurement of humanity.
I believe President Obama was naive about what he could get done. He is learning and adjusting and he needs more time. Four more years. When you start a new job you are confused, nervous and inefficient. Over time you adjust and eventually you get comfortable. This is true of all of us.
Imagine your new job is as President of the United States. I rest my case. In addition I am willing to bet his presidency has had to deal with the most and the worst crises in history. If not the worst, his problems are right up there at the top of the list. In addition to that, he has had to deal with republican scum who REFUSE to co-operate with him, whose only goal is to see that he is not re-elected. I can't make this point strongly enough. These people do not care about the welfare of this country, about us wee folk, about anything of substance. They only want to stop President Obama and they will allow us wee folk to lose our jobs, our pensions, our futures; they will allow our homes to be grossly de-valued, they will stand by and watch the lives of the working people in this country disintegrate. Do you understand how dangerous that is? THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THIS COUNTRY AND THEY HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED TO RUN IT. I believe President Obama has had to deal with more opposition than any other president, and absolutely no co-operation.
Why? What is the basis for this stubborn opposition? Intelligent analysis? Please, look at who you are dealing with. I am convinced the roots of this disrespect stem from racism. Don't take my word for it; go online and research racist comments about President Obama made by members of our own governing body. You should be enraged and disgusted; if you are not than you are worthless as a human.
I said President Obama is a victim of circumstance and timing. He was elected at a time when corporate greed, political greed and inefficiency are at an all time high. They are out in the open for all to see and there are no or minimal consequences. None. Enron, AOL Time Warner, Arthur Andersen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Halliburton, Merck, Tyco, Xerox. That is only a partial list. All corporate scandals. Look at what happened on Wall Street in the last couple of years. Look at what the banking system has done. Look at all the politicians who are backed by huge corporations. Who openly vote against energy alternatives because their campaigns are financed by major oil companies, as one small example.
The integrity of our political system has deteriorated for a long time and President Obama was elected at a time when it is at an all time low. He inherited huge problems created by that American Idiot, George W. Bush. He walked into the middle of all this crap and he had the lack of foresight to be BLACK on top of everything else.
I am not naive. I know that President Obama has been the beneficiary of funding from major corporations and this bothers me. I know he bailed out Wall Street when they should have been jailed. I know he bailed out the banks when they should have been jailed. I know that he has continued to try to work with republican scum even as they continue to disrespect him, and I know this optimism on his part has hurt this country. All of this bothers me.
But I also know that this man has not been given a chance. I know that if he gets re-elected he will kick ass because he will have nothing to lose and he will have learned his lessons. The first time around there was a lot of white guilt tied up in his votes. If he wins this time, it will mean that the wee folk finally figured out that republican scum don't give a damn about them, that they are destroying middle America while simultaneously kissing the ass of Wall Street, the banking system and the Big Money Boys. Unfortunately his re-election would not be a sign that we are becoming more intelligent when it comes to race; this country is way too stupid to ever stop judging people by the color of their skin.
If President Obama gets re-elected, this country will have a future. If he is defeated this country will be destroyed. That really is the magnitude of this election.
Do not vote republican unless you are OK with losing your home, your retirement, your future and your dignity. These people are openly mocking you.
Fight back.
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