Privacy is not a Victimless Crime

Whenever I play a DVD, I get these weird warnings....

The State of the Union

Well, it's time for the President's State of the Union Address.  Let's watch and see how he does.

 

 

In Defense of Pop Culture or What I Learned at the Grammys

Okay I just want to make a quick self-indulgent announcement here.

I just discovered that I really like Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

 And here is a picture I drew of them.

It began, as many things do, on a Monday morning, searching Facebook to see what my finely filtered version of the world has been up to.  Tunisia signed in a new constitution, the Ukranian leadership doesn't seem particularly concerned about the past week's violent uprisings, and the value of the Turkish lira is dropping which, in addition to continued Chinese economic stagnation and global civil unrest, has some concerned that the recession is about to take a second and fairly violent .....how do you say in French....."chute" or "fall".  The French are protesting unemployment as well, despite Europe's supposed stability, just like always.... because the global community is collapsing upon itself....blerty blerty bler......

That and, several people were bragging that they didn't watch the Grammys last night.  They're so cool and superior and not a slave to the whims of pop culture that they didn't EVEN watch the Grammy's last night.

Well I've got them trumped, because I didn't even KNOW the Grammys were on, nor did I recognize anyone who was supposedly ridiculously freaking amazing.  Except for Daft Punk, but come on, it's Daft Punk.  They're French robots, and they give voice to the common plight of working it harder, making it better, and doing it faster.

Though it does make us stronger.  

I realize however, now that I am not a teenager, that universal exclusion from one's culture is not necessarily a thing to be proud of.  At a certain point, it might just be ignorance.  For example, I currently live in a place that struggles to receive streaming internet service.  So, do you see me bothering with ipads and netflixes and google goggles and 3D printed heart recuscitations?  Fuck no.  There isn't the satellite capacity for such ventures. And even if there was, who exactly am I going to go show off to? Some white pudgey bumpkin whose idea of sufficient humanitarian progress is smiling at the three black people occasionally seen around town?

Maybe I make claim to this ignorance with a sense of pride, because I'm so anti-culture that I wouldn't be swayed by all those paralyzing ads to buy products I neither want nor can afford.  I can form my own opinions on world affairs without even knowing what CNN thinks about it first.  I don't have to dress like they do in magazines, I can dress myself in whatever way I want!  I'm an independent thinker because I've eliminated all forms of exposure to pop-culture way out here in the countryside!  Hooray hooray!

But, at one point in my life, I did live in a major metropolitan area or two, and despite my staggering cultural independence, I was at least aware of certain aspects of pop culture.  I acknowledged that the only way to succeed in business was to be plugged into a Blackberry 24/7, excessive facial hair did not give a professional impression, and brown boots do not work with gray-toned outfits that are otherwise black, white, or blue.  Those boots need to be black.  Seriously, this is basic color wheel stuff.

In fact I would have then, and do now, make the argument that putting the effort into being aware of your bright plastic false sense of community, by which I mean American pop culture, does not mean that you can't be an intelligent and free-thinking person.  It means you acknowledge that there is in fact a game, and that you are willing to play it to one degree or another.  The phrase, "to beat them at their own game" comes to mind.  There are plenty of clever and liberated minds who do this. As an example, The Wachowski's of Matrix fame, who construct the highest order of cinematic instruction on how to "unplug" by tactically employing the promotion and funding by capitalism to question the true merits of unchecked growth and endless consumerism, both material and psychospiritual.

Okay so.... everyone on Facebook was like uuuuh I didn't EVEN watch the Grammy's last night, cuz I don't even kerr and pop music is formulaic and predictable and pandering to the lowest common denominator, which I am not! HuH!

While I agree with many of those charges, I do think that pop music has its place. Like Pharrell, he's a ridiculously happy guy. And in times of turmoil and riots and economic collapse, Pharrell's like, here comes bad news, but I'll be just fine, because I'm HAPPY! A sentiment that perhaps should not be entirely crushed by the nay saying snobs of the world.

So then this French guy on my Facebook newsfeed was like Daft Punk a remporté l'album de l'année and so I watched a clip of their performance on France24 because Daft Punk is French and I like to practice French by watching things in French. One of the music commentators started getting really excited about Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, who appeared to be two white guys riding shopping carts with thrift store bitches at their side. I was intrigued, and so tracked down the music video and was immediately delighted by its unassuming humbleness.

As playful as they were, I admit to being a little surprised to see a song with a more serious topic called, “Same Love." Aside from being a totally exquisite song, it's a fairly bold move as a white male rapper to go against his stereotype and provide an honest commentary on something that grieves such a large number of people, which is intolerance.  I guess this was the song they ultimately performed at the Grammys.  One hell of a platform for such a positive message.

This is another example of where pop culture and mass appeal serves its purpose, it has its place.

Here's another confession. When I'm really overwhelmed or upset about something, I have been known to go to PerezHilton.com, even though I don't know who any of these teeny boppers are. It's just a helpful reminder that people are trying so hard, and have these ideas of legacies that they'll leave behind. But nothing actually matters. It's just life. You just live it.

No biggie.

You know, life comes with some sweet music too.

Hey thanks pop culture!

I never actually did watch the Grammys.  I guess this post has thus far implied that I did.

What I did learn, other than that pop culture has some big important resounding social merits, was that I need to put a little effort into knowing what's going on culturally in this country.  If I plan on moving back into civilization in a year or so, I need to cut this back country keep-to-myself fantasy that I've been living, because I'm just not going to be able to keep up if I can't perform basic city functions.  Like programming the neighbor's microwave with my ipad, without them even knowing it.  That's what people do with those, right?  Instagram their laundromat to deliver streaming dinners while their moles are satellite-lazored from their backs?

 Wicked.

I'm not drawing that.  That would be gross.

And you know what they say:

If you pop it, it will culture.

Pleased to meet you, Mount Sinabung

PARDON?!?!

Mount Sinabung Erupts!!! 

 Why..... hello my lovely, we haven't met.  Your name implies a certain.... shall we say.... Cinnabun-ness, and your photographs shudder my breath to a halt-
I mean the volcano.  Not the terrified, fleeing people.  I doubt they're actually that frightened.  They live in Indo-fucking-nesia.  This is like weather to them.

This sassy little mistress is only 25 miles from the Lake Toba supervolcano!!!!!
I find this exciting.

"YEAH!  I'm in an ERUPTION"

Is that a pterodactyl in the foreground there?  I think that's a pterodactyl.

I find this soooooooooooooo exciting.











These images were taken from the Time.com article listed above.

The Title of the Story- and other updates!

Faster, computer!  Faster!  Faster!

Who else re-watched the Hobbit over the weekend?  Excited for that one to come out, just a few days now.  Friday?  I actually don't know when it comes out.  

Okay anyway, hey I just wanted to pop back here real quick to announce that I haven't abandoned this blog or anything, but I've been working on another one and thought I'd share the link.  

It's http://josephinapictures.blogspot.com/

"Who the F is Josephina?"  Why, are you with the NSA?  

"Why does that blog have such a stupid name?"  Why, are you Clement Greenberg?

I'm fairly taken with my new camera and my attention has been obsessively diverted towards photography for the moment.  Fret not, I shall return before long.

But yeah, head on over there.  I'm regaling a surprising number of readers with stories (and pictures) about the hardships of living in Montana, including our pipes freezing even though we do heat the house.  With heat.  Contrary to what those photos will imply.  Sentence fragments.  Good device.  Will be used more later.*

*Thanks David Moser, you're the BEST!!!

Also, here's another link to my other Photography Blog

Well that's the same link as above.  Now you're just getting confused.

But this link

should not be confused with this link.

Aww god now I'm confused.

Dual-Voiced Sleepy Wednesday Post

I'm happy to see that we've finally been getting snow this week, and today it seems to be sticking.

Perhaps like many other non-native Montanans, I had a reverie upon moving here that it would be snowing all the time.  I do prefer winter and snow, and am less enticed by heat and sunshine.  I was, however, disappointed to find that Montana is not a perpetual vision of icebergs, woolly mammoths, and fur-clad spear hunters.  It is only like that for a few months out of the year.

Now I don't want to cultivate an image of being the whiny East Coast girl who moved to the West only to find the weather unsuitable to her majesty's requirements.  In my defense I didn't necessarily choose to move here.  I just came along.  Like many non-native Montanans I've spoken to, we rode our youthful cannonade of adventure and landed in the alpine wonderland to see what was to be seen.  Once here, we found that it can be difficult to earn enough money living in Montana to move back out, and people become soothed into complacency, which isn't actually too hard when you consider the whole alpine wonderland part of it.

And this, dear souls, is where I find myself today.  Unable to conjure up much of anything but stupefied awe and gentle, wintry fatigue of which I will only awaken from with the return of scalding heat and flame of the rash of summer.

And I can't say that I'm in a hurry for that.

Now that it has snowed, I am like a fat baby full on warm milk.  I have nothing left to remain conscious for, knowing my security snow is just outside, covering the earth and dulling the tumult of sound.
I will now present you with pictures that depict my succor.

This is a pointless post.  Sorry.  I don't know why I'm posting this.  I haven't had motivation all week, I'm too sleepy and everyone around me is sick.  Even our little cat, Gabriel!  I think it's the snow.  

Anyway, I think I just wanted to capture the sleepiness.  But sleepiness is unremarkable, unless you're an insomniac.

Here is the view from the living room.

 

See?  Just look at how sleepy this is.  Who can possibly garner energy from this?  

Hello, welcome to my house.  Consider your energy garnered.  

-Oh!  Have you seen that movie with Jennifer You-Have-No-More-Energy Garner?
-No, I fell asleep during that one.  But I did listen to the new TedTalk, "Open your Eyes - A 12 Step Program to Rest and Recovery" narrated by James Why-Keep-Fighting-It Garner.
-Oh yeah, yeah!  I've seen that, they also did, "This is Dumb, I'm Disappointed in You" at Garner McGarnerton's inaugural garner.

Here's the view out of the bedroom window, with my little vegetable garden there.  This is at noon.  When it snows here the sky gets very thick and everything turns blue on the ground.

And then I nod off.

The inhabitants of the house are finding it difficult to muster up motivation or energy today too.

Right there with ya, Keiji.

Awwww, who needs to cuddle?  Is it baby Gabriel?  IsitbabyGABRielekljgkjgx?!!!?!

Someone in this house has always got ardor.

Bryn knows that beauty never sleeps.

Neither does evil.

Here's one of my favorite areas of the house.

View out of the kitchen window.

Pfft.  Who cares.  Wait, go back to the coffee. 

So. 
Yeah.  
Here I am, saturated by the throes of  paradise.

The Part Where I Turn 29 Again and have Amazing Insights on my Life Thus Far.

Hey there, what's up.  I just had a 30th second 29th birthday!  Look at me, I'm almost grown up!

Actually, a few weeks ago I got really sick and so my otherwise impeccable blogging, diet, and running regime took a major hit and I am now fat and saggy, and definitely feeling like I'm 29 again.  UUUUUUUgh.  Okay well anyway.  Here is my spouse and I, out at dinner where we enjoyed fine tastes and fine company.  Anyone else live in Montana?  We ate at the Silk Road, which is basically our go-to fine dining restaurant, at least when Scotty's Table is closed which it is on Mondays because apparently Scotty's Table thinks it's an ART MUSEUM.  That's how classy they are.  They're so classy they're closed on Mondays.

My part has meandered over to the far left of my face, just like when I was a toddler.  This either indicates that I'm still young like a joyous little fledgling, or it means my body is retreating towards death, and it'll be diapers again in just a few short months.  Well.  Maybe they make a cream for that.

So then we went bowling even though I haven't done that since I was in Girl Scouts, -brownie scouts?  Was that what that was called?  I hated those bitches.  That should have been my first clue that I wouldn't be hanging out with girls much later in life.  They just talked about cookies and hair and who was using all the colored construction paper!  Guess who it was?  It was me!  Because I had a vision, dammit, and not even a weird face or detrimental shyness was going to get in the way of that!  Which I suppose remains the case today, nearly three decades later.

We were pretty classy about it, though.  The bowling I mean.  Several days later, I still have The Big Lebowski theme music stuck in my head.  While we were playing, I was pretty much pretending that I was a semi-competent gangster do-gooder who could look awesome bowling, though none of that ended up being the case in this particular situation.  A nice lady came out from the bar and gave me a free shot of tequila to celebrate my birthday.  She said something about how it sucks to celebrate only with guys, which is what I was doing, and I didn't understand why I needed to take a shot about that.  But then, the Girl Scouts ruined me to women so... Oh also it's Montana.... so maybe she thought I was a multi-mannned whore.  Huh.  I hadn't thought of that.

Well anyway.  I am a whore for one man and one man only, and that man is the slickest looking bowler this side of the Mississippi, and not just because he's holding all the beer.

I mean also, look at that concentration.

So then we commenced with our awesome Big Lebowski-ness.

I have awesome shoes!

And awesome friends.

OH YEAH!  So the reason this blog post exists is because my Dad got me a new digital camera!!!  I am so freaking excitE you guys!  This will open a whole new avenue for what I can do here.

You will soon learn that I have a big hard-on for blurry photos.

Here's another, isn't it GLORIOUS?  I could desktop background the shit out of this shit.  (Don't tell my Mom I talk like that.)

In my nearly three decades on this earth, there are some things that I have learned about life.  I would like to briefly share those with you here.

1.  Shuck your pride and just say you're sorry when you've done something wrong.  Try not to do it again, and forgive when forgiveness is needed.  You will save yourself a lot of trouble and heartache if you just do it right off the bat.

2.  Don't get stuck in a habitual view of self pity and victimhood.  Fate brings what it will, and we may be dealt a terrible hand from time to time.  But choice is something you will always have, so if you're living a hell, then make the choice to stop doing what isn't working for you.

Oh yeah, and don't complain about things, that's just annoying to everyone else.

Unless you're Graham or myself, and you/I are gossiping about annoying habits of people we know.  Hmm?  No we don't do that.  And neither does anyone else......

3.  Don't hurt others, or at least try your best.  (but say you're sorry if you accidentally do!)

4.  Have make-up sex before the fight.  That way, by the time you bring it up for discussion, you're not irrational and angry about it.  You can just say, "oh hey I wanted to let you know that ______sort of bothered me. I know you didn't mean it that way, but just be mindful that it can come across as hurtful when you say it," and your lover will say, "oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you, I will do better," and then you can have second make-up sex to make sure the healing is complete.

I think I read that in the Bible.  There's like a whole section on healing.

5.  And have fun.  Not everything has to be as serious as you insist on making it.

Uuh, oh and yeah.  I believe I have referred to this blog/page as a web comic on occasion, but as you will see, I'm not entirely sure what it is yet.  It's going to be a series of things, highly visual in nature.  If you know me in real life, you will probably think less of me after reading my posts because I give an inaccurate portrayal of prudery and unwavering compassion for my fellow man.  I guess that implies that the alternative is that I am a multi-manned whore who hates a select group of planetary residents.  That's not accurate either.  As stated earlier, I am a whore for one man, (though that doesn't mean that he can whore me out) and I am rather fond of the company of most non-predatory and/or non-scaled animals.

And here's our band photo.

YAY!  Look at how much fun it can be to be 29 again!  You can do it too!  You can be anything you want to be.