Damn you, Warhol! Or: why modern art sucks.

I believe Andy Warhol killed modern art. While he was original, and insightful, too many people have used him as inspiration in negative ways. They use his example to defend their laziness, and lack of artistic vision.

A blank canvas mean you have no motivation, talent, or desire to put forth effort. It doesn't matter how you explain it, you didn't do anything. It simply proves that you put nothing into it, and people are gullible enough to buy into it. No artistic vision, pure corporate greed.

Obviously, some people are totally fine with that. They buy a worthless "painting" for an exorbitant fee, and their "friends" admire in awe the trendy, new "art." Simultaneously, Claude Monet does a triple axle in his grave. 

Simply put, most modern art is 3% talent, 10% effort, 87% bullshit.

Thanks, Andy. Asshole.

Leadership

I have noticed something about myself, especially in regards to leadership.

When it comes to crisis management, I am the calm in the storm, the man with the plan. However, I lack foresight, so outside of the crisis, my leadership falters. When there is a problem, I am fully capable of setting my team to correcting it. Without a problem, I tend to get bored, distracted.

As it stands, I could make an excellent adviser,  terrible ruler. A great lieutenant, poor general.

Now that I know the problem, though, perhaps I can begin to correct it.

Finality

Death is what gives life it's beauty.

While the beauty of death, itself, is debatable,  it is truly the juxtaposition of death that flavors life.

Imagine, if you will, that there is no death. You have infinite time to do an infinite number of things. Eventually, perhaps quickly, those things you cherish begin to lose their luster.  Some people would journey into true debauchery, just to elicit a response. This happens to some, even in the presence of death.

It is, however, with that could finality slowly, ominously, looming over us that we can enjoy our lives. Why? Because we have no other choice.

Songs I want played at my funeral

"Go to Hell," by Carcass.
"Save Yourself," by Stabbing Westward.
"The Final Countdown," by Europe.
"Everything Dies," by Type O Negative.

More to come.

10 things you may not have known about me

1) Even though I work in the automotive field, I don't really like cars.
2) I sometimes find myself staring out of windows, with no paticular thought in mind, much like my cats.
3) I would love to go to the Shoalin Temple, to study kung fu. I'd even consider living there for a couple of years.
4) Gay people make me uncomfortable, but only because they're better dressed than I am.
5) I prefer to be bare foot, if I can.
6) I tend to be easily distracted, and not finish thin

Pop Music

Having listened to some current pop/r&b music, it hit me. There are many things about it I should like, but I don't. Use of unusal insturments, such as a flute or jazzy sax; or an odd break down. But you know what? I still can't like it. Yeah, some of it is amazingly catchy, but usually annoyingly so. I just can't seem to find a redeaming feature to it.

However, if they ever used a harpsichord, I may change my mind. nothing sunds as sexy as someone stabbing a piano with a harp. And I actually like the harpsichord!

Souls

A crushing darkness descends upon me, dragging me down into my personal abyss. The weight of ages further bending my back, forcing me to bow down at the feet of cruel masters. My hands reach for salvation, but the threads of fate wrap tight around me, binding me into eternal servitude.

How long have I been here? My fingers bleed, but I know not what caused it. I work in this dreary silence, without light, never tasting the fruits of my labor. All that I have is ripped from me before it is even mine. I sense the joys of others, but take no comfort in it. No, I have only solitude.

A bleak landscape stretches before me. I cannot see it, but I know it to be there. My legs are too weak to carry me. There could be salvation, or just sustenance,  nearby, but I will not reach it. It is not from a lack of effort, but the chains of guilt and responsibility that hold me fast. I try to cry out, but my lips are cracked with thirst, and my throat parched.

So it is, that I came to be here. Waiting. Wishing for the cold, final embrace of death. An end to this, that which shall never end.

Mistakes

Is life about learning from your mistakes, or is it about making many mistakes, and realizing you got something right?

Perspective

To take in the whole of the sky, one must lay on the ground.

An interesting quote, but what does it mean? The obvious answer is that for any undertaking to succeed, you must first establish a foundation. This is, of course, generally true.

What if, however, this also is in reference to humility? Don't let your arrogance blind you. How can you see the whole of something, if you don't put yourself in the best position to examine it, which can sometimes hinder your pride.

My dictionary word for today...

Nerder: to murder some one by boring them to death with nerdy, or geeky, subjects.

This can include, but is not limited to: Star Wars, Star Trek, comic books, physics, astronomy, your "action figure" collection, anime, philosophy, etc.

Please, show caution before committing nerder. Do not become a nerderer.

Truth...

Little white lies are the currency of life. Honesty is a commodity rarely traded in. Deception is a tool that can be put to good use. Out right lies, however, are a volatile stock.

A fictional conversation...

"I don't do what I do for the attention."

With those words, he leans back in the recliner, taking a drag on his cigarette. A smug expression on his face.

"No. I do it to spread a message."

The other man curiously asked, "what message?"

The first man leans forward, extinguishing his smouldering cigarette. A mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he answered. "My message? Look at me, of course."

Half Full or Half Empty?

Generally speaking, whether you view the glass as half full or empty determines whether you are an optimist or cynic. I'd like to point out that there are other ways of looking at it.

1) The Paranoid: "Who drank my water?!?"

2) The Ultra Optimist: "It's fine, I can refill the glass."

3) The Ultra Cynic: "This isn't even what I wanted to drink!"

4) The Thief: "This wasn't even my drink!"

5) The Saint: "You can have my half."

And I'm sure there are many more ways to look at it. I guess my point is, there are rarely just two ways of looking at something. I say rarely because we should never say never, and all that.

Not really life altering, profound wisdom, but whatever.

Dreams...

So, I had an odd dream, last night. In this dream, the X-Men, of which there was no known member of the team, were all being turned into vampires. Of course, I wasn't an X-Man. Nope, just regular ol' me. The highlight of the dream was when a girl I work with, who apparently was one of said superhero team, turned me into a vampire.

Strange, right? Especially since I generally dislike vampires.

Anyway, this got me to thinking. I've been told that our dreams is the subconscious mind's way of communicating with us. So, what does that dream say to me? I don't particularly like the X-Men, or vampires.

I think that many of my dreams are simply my mind saying, "hey, I'm bored, and you're asleep, so I'm going to entertain myself." Not everything has to have a deep, mystical meaning. 

Dentists and drugs!

Today, I had a tooth extracted. A simple procedure, but as the numbness wears off, the pain creeps in. So, of course, I have a prescription for pain meds.

Reading through the side effects, I noticed one was "a change in vision." So, what does that actually mean? I'm sure they don't mean a perspective on life alteration, so what? Does this mean I could get x-ray vision??? I'd love to have x-ray vision...or should I say, x-rated vision? Hehe.

Anyway, this brings me to something that I've always wondered, how did ancient people learn much of what they knew? What foods are edible is pretty simple, "that bird ate it, and lived, so it must be ok." But, what about other stuff, like drugs? Who was the first guy to realize you could smoke pot, and get stoned? How did he figure it out? Why did he do it?

I don't know the answers, but if you do, share with me!

Why does everyone hate Gungans?

Okay, okay...Jar Jar Binks WAS lame, I know.

But...

But... Every time I see him, I can't help but think, "if Donald Duck and Goofy had a retarded love child...well, there it is!"

You can't honestly tell me you hate Donald AND Goofy! The two of them combined?!?!? C'mon!!!

Oh crap! Does this mean I'm evil????

I've realized, with great dismay, that I have something in common with histories most hated man. I am grateful I have realized this, before it came to a calamitous end.


Adolf Hitler began as an aspiring artist. He longed for the love, and acceptance, of an adoring crowd. However, he was rejected, not one, not twice, but three times, by a prestigious art school. The thing he longed for had been torn from him. In his despair, he fell into the exact opposite of his passion...politics.

Now, you may be asking, "how is politics the opposite of art?" A fantastic question! Allow me to explain: art seeks to create; politics seeks to manipulate. Art seeks to touch the soul, provoking thought and contemplation; politics would prefer for you to let politicians think for you.

Now, you are thinking, "now, wait a second...Before we stone you to death, what are you getting at?" Thank you, dear reader, for stopping to ask. What is the one thing that I wish to be? Tall. That, has been denied to me, but I have, instead, been gifted with it's opposite...I'm short.

I will not, I promise you, let this turn me to evil! No! For there are two very important things that separate me, from that most despised of people(aside from not wishing to harm anyone.)

1) Unlike Hitler, I can grow an almost Tom Selleck level moustache!

2) I have both of my testicles! (This may be an urban legend, both pertaining to Hitler, and myself, but it makes me giggle like a fourth grader with the farts.)