WTF has happened to us?

I haven't used this in three years but I had to say something. I was on Youtube trying to watch "Smells Like Teen Spirit" because it's still one of my favorite videos. I remember literally being a kid and being mezmorized by the anarchy taking place. Then came the unfortunate part. Two people started a fight about Nirvana and Miley Cyrus and who stole what from whom. If you were actually alive then, Nirvana was supposed to and did take over the world, you should be vomiting. Even if it isn't your "music". Then someone commented that Justin Bieber has more followers on Twitter so he must be the better artist. I almost wet myself. How dumb and pathetic have we become that muscianship is based "Twitter" followers? If you are old enough to remember a world before any of this existed or mattered, you should be asking yourselves "WTF has happened to us?". And if you are any older than that you should be shooting anyone under 40 in the face with a nail gun. Myself included. Please?

It Ain't 15 Minutes of FAME but 14:59 is Pretty Close...

So as Syraaj (The Alpha Male) and I were being the sweetest couple ever while lying in bed sending electronic data back and forth through our laptops, (Yeah, we're that lame) we came up With the idea of creating our own magazine. I guess technically it'd be an E-Zine. I digress.

The idea that the advent of technology has allowed us to become self-made celebrities. YouTube alone attracts millions of viewers who could, can, and do post daily accounts of their lives, memories, and random laughing German baby videos-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6UU6m3cqk. This little tidbit of cinematic history has attracted over 80 millions viewers alone.

As much as we progressive individuals like to think we are, I think a little kid in all of us want to be famous if even for a moment. Most people would take fame and prospective fortune over a lot of other "What's behind Door # 3 prize" .

While pondering these thoughts, Syraaj created the cover to the supposed magazine 'Polight Gestures' which features me giving him the middle-finger in a Photoshop-ed layover with notable magazine topics like "How many kids does Lara Croft have now?" and "Can dyslexic people read upside down?- We can't answer that".

I think it's absolutely hilarious and enormously fulfilling to watch people exploit themselves in the "YouTube, Google-It, Take a Video on my camera phone and Twitter you about it later" Culture we now drown in.

As I type, I can help but wonder if this blog itself in its self-righteous principles to uphold "Edward R. Murrow" standards of concrete journalism could be a little self-serving and 14:59 minutes of literary fame.

I Know...Isn't it Great?

Children should design social experiments

So I went to a birthday party last week and I took my son with me. The party was for my friend Kim and in the spirit of celebration we all wore sombreros, mustaches, and made hot chocolate with tequila. The fiesta complete with guacamole and all the flour tortillas we could handle was a fun theme party that had the most dedicated individuals I'd ever witnessed. A good time was had by all and on the car ride home my 3 year-old tells me that it was a "really fun party".

Considering he didn't get any spiked hot chocolate, I'm glad he was able to have such a good time. The next day he wakes up bright-eyed and asks if he can wear his mustache to daycare. I laugh explaining that it was just for the party and he doesn't have to wear it all the time but he wanted to. It really got me to thinking about how much balls kids have. They are bold and daring and could care less if anyone minds their eye makeup pencil mustache.

I think children should design social experiments. All those embarrassing things adults fear like social awkwardness, elevators, random I'm-trying-to-pass-you- but-you -keep-moving-the-same-way- I do-in-the-hallway dances, children embrace. My son held no fear of being ridiculed for his fake mustache. It was something he thought was awesome and he was gonna own that.

I love that attitude. It was a reality check for me. So often so many people are afraid to do anything for fear of what others will think of them. children see through all of that. They have the purest train of intention and thought. I'm actually convinced that in life, you're born knowing everything and slowly through the process of socialization you are striped of some of your intuition and your inclination to take risks.

...And a child shall lead them.

Hmmm...My first blog for the New Year.

"I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork."
- Peter De Vries

I've been auspiciously declaring that I was going to start a blog and after menial attempts I finally did it. The quote above rings more than a few bells for me. I have so much to say and no motivation to write it down. But I've finally found it. So many things have happened to me this year and in so many before, that it seems irresponsible not to keep some sort of memory library, chocked full of all the tidbits that the digital camera and Facebook didn't capture. After college, my own built-in memory has begun failing me and I'm sure I'm way past warranty.

So what to blog about? Well let's start with the present:

There are about 8 hours left in 2008 at this point and I can't say I'm sad to see them go. It's been a rough year. If you ask me, the past 3 have increased in melodramatic irony. Rather than dwell on the travesties, I turn and look the other way, onward to a hopeful future.

This New Year's Eve, the one thing I've heard more than anything else, is how much everyone is looking forward to a "NEW" year, not just New Year's. I feel this current flowing beneath the subconscious of our entire world. We all want a new year, a new beginning, a new direction. Regardless of politics or world events, I think the proverbial man has enough of the current state of affairs in his or her own individual lives and new year and another chance is in every one's mind.

More than that, for the first time I really feel like people are willing to work for that new year. People are willing to work to change their lives, their directions, and their minds. They are willing to strive for what they want. Frivolity and pettiness are being tossed to the wind for initiative and integrity.

It's long overdue and duly welcome. Most importantly, with these new ideas comes new attitudes. I've always said that perception is 100% of the game and when we change our minds, we change our focus thereby altering our directions in life, destiny, and the whole shebang.

Personally, I've taken to the change of attitude mantra. In the past, I've had a tendency to focus on what went wrong and the bad, instead of appreciating each experience for what I've learned. Believe me, I've made curtains and furniture covers out of what went wrong and what's bad. And you know what? I'm not doing it anymore.

In this life you get one shot and you don't get anywhere wishing you had a "do-over", when you mess up. You pick up the pieces and you move forward, looking positively forward, not looking back. If you want good to come to you, you have to focus on good things. Focusing on bad attracts bad energy to you. Think "birds of a feather..." You have to change your perception and seize your life. Make it what you want it to be.

For me, I'm looking forward, and I'm positive. I'm inspired. I'm dedicated. I'm hopeful.

It's going to be a new year indeed.