Attention

Current mood: savage
Category: Blogging

For those that are on the "preferred" list "Silly Niblets" is now open to you. It's back a few entries so you may have to dig, if you are interested.

If you would like to be on the preferred list, send me a written request with no less than 1,000 words explaining why you should be on said list. I will judge your composition on spelling, grammar, subject matter, bribery and hilarity.

Or just send me an email.

Currently listening : Appreciation Night By Bound Stems Release date: 19 September, 2006

Somthing Is Wrong ....

Current mood: disappointed
Category: MySpace

....with MySpace. Big shock. I wanted to change my tagline for my blog and it screwed everything up. So I put it back to default and it looks like shit. Everytime I try to customize it, it messes up again. So please, bear with me on the default appearance and bouncing kitty emoticons.

Currently listening : The Loon By Tapes 'n Tapes Release date: By 25 July, 2006

3:52 PM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

Stephanie

I don't see any bouncing kitties... it looks like it always has.... hmm. Now I want to see bouncing kitties! Posted by Stephanie on Thursday, June 28, 2007 at 4:27 PM [Remove] [Reply to this]

Tick Tock, Tick Tock

Current mood: angry
Category: News and Politics

My friend John and I banter back and forth about a lot of things at work. This isn't an entry constructed from the ground up, but rather excerpts strung together from a few emails in an attempt to make an entry. I was mad, pissed off and not in my best form for writing. However, I make no apologies for it.

Our local ABC affiliate KMBC, breifly announced two troops from Ft. Riley died in Iraq before leading in to their extensive coverage regarding one Paris Hilton. These are my rants that ensued to John when he informed me of this...

I've been fired up about this for awhile. People are so devoid of thought in this country that they don't want to put up with the confusion. They are either on one side like a co-worker of mine, who blindly follow who they vote for because of religion (or some other issue), or people that are our age that don't care because they are too self absorbed to invest the time to learn something of importance. All I hear from people my age is "I don't like politics man, it's all bullshit." Well, it's only bullshit because that's what you've allowed it to become. We have freedom as a society to choose what we can pay attention to, but that freedom has allowed a majority of people to ignore real issues that affect them every day. Politicians want you to believe that the issues at hand are so horrible and difficult to understand that they are the only people for the jobs. When in all actuality those issues never get resolved. This is the problem I have with people like this particular co-worker and my Mom that vote for Republicans because they vote for pro-life or abolishing gay marriage. But what has happened? Abortion is still legal and gay people can get married. So what did your vote accomplish? Tax cuts? People were so enamored with the fact that they got $300 for tax cuts post 9/11. Well fuck a doodle-doo!!!! That doesn't even cover my gas for three months. It doesn't cover people for the shoddy health care in this country if something bad happens to them. Oh, your son has leukemia? Sorry, your insurance company doesn't cover that, you'll have to file bankruptcy. Oh, you can't file bankruptcy anymore? Then I guess we'll just sue you and garnish your check for the next 158 years. Those tax cuts benefit the people at the top in the 1% of our population. You know how many people comprise that 1%? 3 million people out of 300,000,000 in case you don't have a calculator on you.

But the same things happen with Democrats. They were so sick of the war and our President's posturing, they're going to bring our troops home if you elect them!! So what did they do last month? Signed a bill for funding, that non-binding agreement you may have heard about, with NO TIMELINE to end the war. Basically they stabbed everyone in the back that voted for them. So what do you get? Guys that send our troops into a country that didn't have much of ANYTHING to do with terrorism at the time, or guys that will bend over and fund the jerks that put them there in the first place. No one will stand up and make them accountable. If you stand up to either side, you're either with the terrorists or with the Republicans.

You know what? I stand on my own, because I have the ability to think for myself and want to change things that go on. I'd love to do something like that, because I'm sick of turning on the news and trying to learn about something only to have it interrupted by Paris Hilton getting out of jail. Fuck that. I want real news. I want real reactions from people. 9/11 happened almost 6 years ago and already something has happened that I knew would happen that day. Our attention spans are so short, we'll lose the gravity of this ordeal in 2 years, maybe less. I was right. All these things happened on this administrations watch, and yet we still send them back to make the same decisions. Why? Because people are too stupid to pay attention to anything and do things out of fear. Politicians in power will use the most tragic event in recent American history to sway your vote so they can keep their jobs. We invade a country that has nothing to do with us being attacked, but us attacking that country has everything to do with us potentially getting attacked in the future. Invading Iraq is like if North Korea bombed us and then we invaded Cambodia. It's dumb, so dumb that it hurts my brain when I try to wrap my head around it.

Instead, people seek to "entertain" themselves by dropping out of anything that happens. You want to sit around and laugh at the Daily Show and the Colbert Report and laugh at our government while nothing gets done about it. People can create shows like Lil' Bush, and you'll watch it and like it because it makes fun of the President, yet it accomplishes nothing. While you waste your time watching shows like this and pretending like that is sticking it to the man, billions of dollars get wasted on a war while our infrastructure is compromised in the realm of health care, public schools, and basic priorities that we as a country should be focused on. George Clooney isn't going to save you. Bob Geldof isn't going to throw you a benefit concert with a resurrected John Lennon or George Harrison to reunite the Beatles for you either.

This is what is wrong with some elements that make up America. People are so willing to be detached from reality that they need to get away and submerge in the world of Paris Hilton or any other person that is not and should not be relevant to the rest of the world. We are so caught up as a society in entertainment that we forget that these people aren't going to save our country, aren't going to pay our bills or raise our kids, and certainly won't make any good decisions for us.

I hate hate HATE the fact that people have so much interest in the Paris Hilton thing that she's allowed to go on Larry King and talk about how horrible it was to be in jail for 23 days. 23 days!! Women go longer between their periods than she spent in jail! Learning experience my left toe, she wasn't in with GP at a penitentiary, she was in her own little bubble in county jail! Anyone could do that. She probably even got a toilet seat. I could go on and on, but I loose all ability to articulate because I get so mad that we put so much stock in people that make movies, TV shows, music, or whatever it is that Hilton did to get famous. Oh, this is just precious. One of her quotes was that stripping down before she was placed in jail was the most humiliating moment in her life. SHE MADE A SEX TAPE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE SAW ON THE INTERNET AND DVD!!! You've got to be fucking kidding me. Short attention span indeed. She should be happy though, having to get naked twice is making her a bigger star than anyone could have imagined. I'm becoming increasingly convinced she is the Anti-Christ. And you thought it would be a man. Think about that one for awhile.

Currently listening : The Greatest Songs of Woody Guthrie By Woody Guthrie Release date: By 16 September, 1991

1:51 AM - 4 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

	Stephanie	whoa. Posted by Stephanie on Thursday, June 28, 2007 at 4:28 PM [Remove] [Reply to this]

	Cory	Bottom line: Paris is hot, politics are not. I wish with all my might that our society didn't behave this way. We need to get out and act instead of needing to be "entertained" all of the hours we spend away from our bread and butter jobs. Everything is grossly commercialized. Even the condensed coverage we recieve on pertinent topics is steered to what the media wants us to see, and what helps out their cause and best intrests. I saw a picture once, right after Katrina, that made my stomach churn- a dead guy sitting in his lawn chair. Ok buddy, hope that shot made you a famous photographer. Good blog. Posted by Cory on Thursday, June 28, 2007 at 8:12 PM [Remove] [Reply to this]

		This Profile No Longer Exists [Remove]

Jami

Yep its just to distract us , dumb us down , so we really have no idea what is REALLY going on . Thats my thought anyway Posted by Jami on Thursday, June 28, 2007 at 9:43 PM [Remove] [Reply to this]

Monday

Current mood: cheerful
Category: Life

I've been listening to the "This American Life" podcasts for the past year or so. WBEZ and NPR publish this broadcast and is hosted by Ira Glass. I love listening to these broadcasts each week. The stories are fascinating and a good break from my normal video game and sports podcasts.

I've been enjoying The National's new album "Boxer." If you liked "Alligator" you will like this album as well. Even if you've never listened to The National before, I suggest you check it out.

I enjoy meeting new people, however people in my workplace that I can talk to are in short supply. I can count on about one hand those that I could see myself sitting down and actually having a good conversation with. I have realized that living in Sioux Falls surrounded by friends I had amassed over the years was a luxury.

I made two brand new playlists for gym over the weekend. On for running, one for lifting. I generally listen to podcasts while working out, however listing to people talk does not bode well for keeping your motivation going.

My month at work is coming to an end, which basically translates into this week being a little on the boring side. Next week I'm taking a long weekend to travel back to home to Sioux Falls. With all the overtime I've been putting in and time spent at the office, it will be a welcome break.

I know Missouri is not the south, but Missouri is further south than South Dakota. What does this equal? More humidity. I can tell the summer down here in Kansas City is going to be a little more brutal than in Sioux Falls. I don't enjoy being hot.

I've learned that I don't have nearly enough time to keep up with reading (either books or magazines), my shows I record on my DVR, baseball, work, and working out. Something probably needs to be cut, however I can't decide which to give the axe to. I may round down some choices and put it to a vote. Stay tuned for that, those that still read and comment.

Has anyone else noticed that all the new Volkswagen commericals have songs off the new Wilco album? I owned two Volkswagens, this type of advertising makes me wish I still had one.

Currently listening : Boxer By The National Release date: By 22 May, 2007

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Stephanie

I read! I comment! I'll vote! I like voting! I've heard of "This American Life" I think Jessica mentioned it or something... I did not know it had a podcast. Maybe I'll give it a listen... The gym smelled like sewage today. Have fun! Posted by Stephanie on Monday, June 25, 2007 at 6:57 PM [Remove] [Reply to this]

Random Thoughtlessness

Current mood: nauseated

1. The older I get the more Madonna annoys the shit out of me.

2. I've always hated it when people say "it's the same difference." What the fuck does that mean anyway?

3. I realize that I'm dumb for ever watching the Real World. Even when I was in middle school.

4. How come people never believe me when I say that I never owned a New Kids On The Block, Vanilla Ice, or MC Hammer tape? I didn't even own Michael Jackson's "Bad" but I did own a Robert Palmer tape. That's how much cooler I am than you.

5. Why do so many people like "Family Guy?" I know, I get it, I've watched it a lot, but I'm just not into it like everyone else is. I'm my own self contained smart ass. Watch South Park episodes #142 & 143 "Cartoon Wars Pt 1 & 2." That's all the proof you'll ever need that "Family Guy" sucks. Seriously, go back and watch it after you've seen these episodes. You'll hate yourself for claiming you liked it in public. There is a reason "Family Guy" was cancelled.

6. I love Transformers. I love (and own) the animated movie from '85. I know Michael Bay is going to fuck everything up. I will still pay $8 to see it in 10 days.

7. You know what? I didn't watch the final two seasons of the Soprano's. You want to know why? Because it got really fucking boring. I have no loyalty to finish a series if it's going to suck. Sorry. I watched that show from the start, back when it was a borderline drama/comedy. Do you remember when it was angled as an irreverent show? Of course you don't because you started watching it when your one cool friend said it was good, and lots of other cool people you know liked it as well*. Although how they finished the series was fucking brilliant, seperating the people with a sizable ability to process a thought from those with their brain stems detatched from their body.

8. People that are musical snobs and promote it can lick my balls. I know I've written about how Fall Out Boy sucks, because they do, but I don't go around telling people this. I'll tell my friends because I know it irritates them, and I get a certain, twisted satisfaction from doing this. That's the difference. There are two types of people that like good music. Those that know and shut the fuck up, and those that feel like they have to tell, call on the phone to tell and explain in an email. Watching High Fidelity and identifying with the characters in that movie does not make you a musical genius. Knock it off. Damn it.

9. The college sports fans in this area are retarded. Why? Because they act like Kansas is the greatest basketball team ever. Really? Two national titles in the past 173 years? I don't care if you "invented" basketball, get over it. Edison didn't stop with electricity. Kansas State football? You've competed for a national title, let alone any conference titles, what? Maybe 4 or 5 times in your school's history? Blow me. Don't even get me started on how mediocre Missouri is.

10. If you like new country I.E. Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Shania Twain, Dierks Bently, Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flats just go on and shoot yourself. Please, you perpetuate everything that has gone wrong with country music since the late 70's/early 80's. Go buy a Hank, Hank Jr., Merle Haggard, Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Statler Brothers, Loretta Lynn album and learn about what good country is. I swear to God, if I come within earshot of a person crowning Martina fucking McBride as the best female country vocalist ever, I'm going to pour hot coffee on them. I've met Ms. McBride before at my old record store I worked in, she's short.

I need a rant, a rant, a rant.

*not directed at the folks residing in 1317, you know who you are.

Currently listening : Mule Variations By Tom Waits Release date: By 27 April, 1999

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Cory

1. The more I listen to Madonna, the more I realize that she's absolutely brilliant. (Or Stephen Bray and others that write her songs are, although she has written quite a few of her own, very personal- and she can really perform and sing also.) It's like sheer sex eminating out of my speakers. 2. It's a walking contridiction. 3. I think I saw it once. Yeah, it sucked. 4. Your Thriller album is still here, want me to send it to you? J/K! 5. Agreed in full. 6.NC 7.NC 8. Your music sucks, cause mine sucks more, which means it actually sucks more. 9. Go Huskers! We can back our pride up. Edison- electricity? Yeah, somewhat. But he did invent the most important device to date. One of them at least. 10. There is good new Rock music out there- it's called Country! Seriously though, the new stuff that is coming out right now is much better than it has been. I listen some days to ONLY new Country. It really does have a lot of soul and meaning to it, just has to grow on you, that's all. To each his own, but I gotta stick up for it because a lot of it IS really good. I didn't like Floyd the first time I heard them either. Oops, now I'm being a musical snob ;-) Posted by Cory on Monday, June 25, 2007 at 8:26 PM [Remove] [Reply to this]

Caught Me A Big One!

Current mood: annoyed
Category: MySpace

I was just recently a victim of phishing on MySpace. I find it funny that the term "phishing" is derived from a name of a band that I completely detest. I had to change my password. If any of you were spammed by me, take this as my official apology. I believe I fixed the issue relatively fast though.

I know that no one that is phishing this account will read my blog, however this is my plea. I am on MySpace to keep up with current and old friends. I am not interested in sexy singles, mortgage or debt consolidation, free Macy's gift cards, penis enhancment, or the ho's that constantly flood my inbox and friend request box. Bugger off, vultures of MySpace.

Currently playing : Planet Puzzle League Release date: 04 June, 2007

Saturday - Part II

Saturday - Part II
Current mood: thoughtful
Category: Life

Invincible. Incapable of being overcome or defeated, unconquerable. An invincible spirit. Has what has changed in the last 6 years affected not only the feeling of invincibility regarding our country, but also ourselves? Did you feel indestructible? Did you think that no real harm would come to you? Anyone reading this blog between the ages of 18 and 30 has no recollection of living through a Vietnam. No one remembers seeing the news and seeing American lives pile up as we fought a faceless enemy. Holding on to that indominatable attitude during a fight with an ambiguous enemy has eroded my sense of the word and feeling of being "invincible." Maybe getting older goes hand in hand with the realization that the fragile ties that bind this world together are very easily unraveled. Of course, war against an enemy that has no face only exacerbates the realization I speak of. Or, is it all just coincidence?

On a personal level, issues that come up in my day to day life are such that I don't feel the same as I did as a 21 year old man-boy coming of age. That much is obvious, and most of you are probably saying the same thing to yourself. "Zach, how is this profound in any way?" Generalities lead to popular opinion and common thought. If no one had stories to tell, there would be no such thing as common sense. I would also say that not everything you read in this blog has to be profound.

Situations arise where it makes a person feel like they are standing on the edge of reason. Being cognizant of certain turning points is a luxury that most people can't afford to pay, either because of their lack of self recognition, or the strong ability of one to deny. For me, it's easy to get caught up in the philosophical thought trappings of "what does it all mean?" Part of me believes that people spent too much time searching for deeper meanings in events and issues and feelings that actually require little thought or time spent. I think if I were to take things more at face value, it would make life much more livable. Then again, the fear of ignorance and turning a blind eye is something that drives me to think and connect the dots of feeling regarding the sometimes generalities of the unnecessary.

Maybe it's because of the vulnerability I'm referring to in the first couple of paragraphs that contribute to wanting "to know" before it ends. At the moment my man versus self is wrestling with the possibility of not finding out where I really need to be or should be. When one path opens its door, another road will show itself. I can't recall if some great man or woman from the past made this quote, or if I saw it on a rerun of Kung-Fu.

I don't know where life is going, and I never really have. I pine over the future, yet I just put one foot in front of the other. Everyone tries to do that though, I think. I put in a concerted effort not to let my own thoughts consume my daily life to the point of not being able to operate. It would be easy to just wake up, eat breakfast, head off to work and do my job, go home at night and repeat the same thing over and over and over and not have any original thought about what those seemingly mundane events have on my grand scheme of things. That is the part that I have difficulty with, I generally always want it to mean something more than just another guy going out and doing his job and coming home to someone or something. Not that there isn't something rewarding in all of that, because the rewards that await you in life are set by the values you place on people and places in your world, it's just that at the end of the day sometimes something is lacking. I'm not sure what, if I knew, I probably wouldn't be writing this.

The situational life that is in front of everyone is difficult to get my head around. If I felt more in the moment, this may not be a problem. My mind is either locked in the past, or floating in the prospect of future events. Most people like to look ahead to the reward at the end, it may be more rewarding to me to make an account of the journey. I know the last few lines of this sound horrible and cheesy, but to a certain extent it's all true. If I were better with words I may be able to make it seem not so typical. But then this is where I find myself back in the same quandary as before, trying to break away from the "typical." So what do I do? Change my friends, change my clothes or my music I listen to? Do I keep reinventing my MySpace page to reflect the personal changes that I go through? I think not. These are all merely cosmetic changes. I'm looking for something a little deeper. Something that when I shut the lights off at night and hit my bed I know I've done something to better myself and maybe have a bit more comprehension on what I've done. This almost sounds like one of those Church of Latter Day Saints testamonials, doesn't it? Mormons beware.

Currently listening : Nothing's Shocking By Jane's Addiction Release date: 25 October, 1990

Miscellaneous Behaviour

Current mood: bouncy
Category: Life

I'm sitting at my desk looking at the clock and it's not moving at all. I think I caught it moving backwards actually. I'll have to keep an eye on it, some times it misbehaves. I think today is going to be a little boring at work, my friend and partner in crime whom I work with is out because he had to take his son to the doctor. Hopefully the whelp is ok, I don't want to make it seem like I'm upset he's not here exclusively to entertain me given the circumstances. That would put me in a selfish light I suppose.

I downloaded an eclectic mix of a few songs last night. While listening to my usual weekly (sometimes not) SModcast, a tune I had not heard in awhile was playing in the background. First, for those that do not know what SModcast is, even though I believe I've mentioned it before here, is a podcast with director/writer/actor Kevin Smith and his longtime producer, Scott Mosier. All they do is sit around and talk, but it's usually very funny and the highlight of my podcast diet. Back to the song in question, it is "No Myth" by Michael Penn. He's a great songwriter, and I've liked some of his past work but I've never really been into it. He's been pegged as a one hit wonder for this song, despite his subsequent albums receiving a lot of critical acclaim. I had this song on a CD and an old MP3 player, but was yet to put it on my iPod. Anyway, I really liked some of the songs he wrote for one of my favorite movies of all time, "Boogie Nights" as well. Even the song Mark Wahlberg and John C. Reily sang in the studio. No, not the one from the animated Transformers movie, the other one. Along with this song I downloaded "Blue Monday" and no, not the dumb Orgy version from a few years ago, the proper New Order version. Surprisingly, I don't have any New Order or Joy Division on my iPod. Then again, I've never really been a fan of post punk type music from the late seventies/early eighties. Also, Pixies "Where Is My Mind" (because I don't generally download greatest hits albums) "Jane Says" by Jane's Addiction, because I can't get my damn Jane's Addiction CD's to upload on to iTunes. And "Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House. Everyone has guilty pleasures when it comes to some pop songs and this is one of them for me. I think it's one of the best pop radio hits to come out of the 80's, as a matter of fact.

I'm at work until early afternoon, so that's not too bad considering the amount of time I've spent here on a daily basis the past month or so. Stephanie's friend from Colorado (originally from St. Joseph, Missouri) is flying in early this afternoon and we are going out to dinner with their friends this evening. Should be a good time, she is regarded as one of Stephanie's best friends and I don't even really know her at all. I haven't had a chance to see Kristin's new baby either.

Not much on tap for this weekend, for once. Stephanie may have something up her sleeve, but she's not telling me if she does. Saturday night I'm heading to Blue Springs to take in some Ultimate Fighting at a friend's house and Sunday will be the normal laundry/nap/watch sports type day. Have a weekend, kiddos!

Currently listening : Substance By New Order Release date: 25 October, 1990

Silly Niblets

Current mood: weird
Category: Dreams and the Supernatural

I'm not sure what point this is illustrating, far be it from me to understand myself.
I'm chasing the thoughts and I'm too slow to catch up.
I'm getting frustrated being in a funk.
This always happens to me,
people find the right one and
are content to go with what they know
will be right. I, on the other hand, always seem to get
caught up in something that I can't do anything about, the grass is always greener.

I'm always the one sabotaging the things that go well for me and have gone well for me
I've always seemed to fall in to the pattern of sticking with unhealthy things
people will use the phrase "self-destruction" like you'd play catch
with a baseball. It's not about anyone specific,
it's more or less just using something specific
to describe something that is a little broader in scope I suppose.
When you are on the verge of starting a journey in your life with a supposed
beginning and end, you try to set abstract ideas in a more linear way which is unsettling.

I guess I've never been the best at sorting why I am the way I am in a constructive
manner. I've always tried little remedies and such, but
they always seem to detonate in my face.
Most days I feel like I'm sort
of floating through life with
no real sense of purpose, I know that most
people experience this to some degree, however when
your life feels like it passes you by like a dream, it's hard to say what is right and wrong.

The concept of time is a funny thing, what do you relate it to? If anything, I certainly
don't do a very good job of that. Most memories and ideas and recalling
of events are skewed by what I want to believe, or
if I've told myself a given situation has turned
out a certain way, I'll begin to believe it. So,
how exactly do I equate skewed thoughts and make
any sense of them and apply them to my life now? That's a good question
and it's a thought that is present, often. It rolls around in my head like cloths in a dryer.

I know the way this page is constructed might be a little gimmicky, but I'm trying
to let go of the normal thought process I normally attempt
to commit myself to when I write in my blog.
I wouldn't expect too many kinds
of entries like this, it's not always me.
Writing is a comfort, of course you know how they
say to "get out of your comfort zone?" With me being very

OCD, this is very much outside of what I'm like. It's awkward for me to type like this and not have the lines sync up exactly. There is a pattern to all of this and that's what must end.

Currently listening : Melody A.M. By Röyksopp Release date: By 01 January, 2001

8:47 PM - 4 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

	J.F. Whitaker	I'll admit...I was a little confused reading this one. I actually thought it was some kind of gangsta rap that you wrote and I was trying to put it all to my righteous beat box. It didn't work. Then, I got to the end and saw what music you were listening to. It all makes sense now. Posted by J.F. Whitaker on Thursday, June 28, 2007 at 11:39 PM [Remove] [Reply to this]

	Zach	Yeah, damn ecstacy. Posted by Zach on Friday, June 29, 2007 at 12:08 AM [Remove] [Reply to this]

	Stephanie	Well this is good! Not silly! Although I'm a little afraid of what it's about. I'll go with John and say gangsta rap. hehe! Posted by Stephanie on Friday, June 29, 2007 at 6:20 AM [Remove] [Reply to this]

Zach

Sometimes when people write, the will say something specific to encompass something that is broad to make it easier to write/read. It's about nothing really. Just trying to do something different and see where it takes me. Posted by Zach on Friday, June 29, 2007 at 6:56 AM [Remove] [Reply to this]