Day 407
Ok... I am crazy fucking busy today, but I felt the need to throw a few short little thoughts out there this morning. None of which I've had the time to really explore much on yet... but all of which I'll get to in the not-too-distant-future:
1. I bought a fucking house. I guarantee that I'm going to regret this the first time I have to fight with my furnace in the middle of the night in January or every time I have to cut the damn grass or shovel the big fucking driveway... but hey, I got a house! I still have to wait for the inspection and whatnot, but my written offer was accepted and everything... so assuming nothing weird happens during the inspection, I'll be closing in the first half of July.
2. I'm thinking about a little ElitistFucks weekend escapade in the not too distant future as well... like, sometime over the summer. The initial idea is simple enough... head out to Cleveland for a First Friday thing at the Red Door and then grab a hotel room out near Elyria/Lorain area. It's about a half hour outside the city on the West side... then on Saturday, we drive to Sandusky and do Saturday and Sunday at Cedar Point. There's a million and a half hotels right outside the park and it can be done on a reasonable budget. So, if you have any interest in this... lemme know. The idea hit me on Sunday and outside of about 10 minutes yesterday, I haven't had time to think about it much beyond the "Oh, this could be a cool idea" thing... but if you're on a crazy-tight-budget... don't even think about it...
3. My fat ass ate WAYYYYY too damn much yesterday. Burgers, Dogs, corn-on-the-cob and the roomie's chicken and beef something-that-I-can't-spell-whatever-it's-called stuff (which was fucking awesome)... I'm just hoping I didn't poison anyone with the burger cooking... mmmm... MEAT!
4. Why am I thinking about food right now after eating that damn much yesterday?
5. Because I haven't told you in a while... I hate you all...
6. Oh, and I'd like to congratulate all the presenters at Shibaricon for making it a wildly successful event. While I didn't get to go this year for a number of reasons, every report that I've heard from friends that were there were raving. Congrats to TwistedView for his first ever Shibaricon class and congrats to Graydancer, DoNotGoGently, BrighidsCross, and probably another half dozen people I'm forgetting right now for making it a badass event... and for forcing my hand and convincing me "fucker, you better go next year"..
7. If you're poly, here's an idea... communicate with your partners... hell, this applies to monogamous people as well... but especially in poly situations... actually paying attention to your partners and talking to them regularly and generally not neglecting them is probably a pretty damn good idea... just saying...
8. And now I'm thinking about explosions... wtf?
9. Actually, explosions and bears.
10. Really... I still hate you all.
That's all for today. I think tomorrow, I might actually try to form a coherent thought and not a mindless drivel of half-thoughts. But probably not.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Random Thought Of The Day #406
Day 406
So I see we're back to discussing the dungeon thing... I have a few thoughts on the matter that I don't feel like putting too much time into throwing out there... so you'll get a list again. Here you go:
1. Richard is a Richard. The end. The guy could run the greatest dungeon in the world and he's still be a total Richard. To customers and potential customers alike.
2. The building is a piece of shit. Maybe if you ripped the top 3 or so floors off of it and put on a whole new roof, new ceilings, re-poured the concrete floor in entire play space level, added plumbing, some type of duct work, an HV/AC system, at least 1 more bathroom, dressing rooms and then made sure to spray the whole fucking place with pesticides before power-washing the living christ out of the entire building, you could have a halfway decent space. But at that rate... just rip down the fucking building and put up something new.
3. The old dungeon, the old-old dungeon and the new dungeon were all and will all be the same. A few dozen people who support it no matter what, another group that goes when it feels like to get their play on and the handful of random wanderers-in-from-the-street types. This is still a horrible business model. It doesn't matter who runs it, it can NOT work as a business model. The space provided serves a niche clientele. However, it could also appeal to a number of other niche potential clienteles that it generally ignores... to it's own detriment. And until that changes, neither will the outcome.The only person that can effectively run a dungeon is someone that is the kind of businessman that knows how and what is required to make a profit. It's no different than any other niche business. You find your target demographics, you appeal to them (even pander if needed) and you provide a good or service that they want, need and desire and entice them to regularly patronize your establishment. This is not complicated. The owners seem to love to make it their own little clubhouses with their few friends and the occasional newbie. No matter who the owner/proprietor is at that time.
4) that was far too much thought to put into one of these points.
5) I have no idea what happened to the renewal money from the old dungeon when it closed. I'd almost be interested, except I didn't renew before it closed. Sucks for those who did and that's hella shady, yo. Between the auction money and the renewal money and the admissions of those 2 months or so, that's a helluva lot of money to just kinda *poof* and disappear. What ever did happen to all that $$? Shady, man. Shady.
6) Anyone dumb enough to do business without a contract deserves everything they get. From unexpected rental rate hikes & being locked out when you're a half a month late on the rent to being considered the fucking devil for "closing down their dungeon", you deserve it. I don't give a fuck who screws who... THIS IS WHY YOU GET IT IN WRITING! Fuckwits.
7) I understand the whole "I'm boycotting the new dungeon because of what they did to the old dungeon and I'm gonna scream about how much of a douche-rocket Richard is to anyone that listens" thing... because while people figure it out quickly (how much of a richard he is), there's always a new sap around the corner that'll give him some money until they figure out too and it's a nearly never-ending cycle. But at the same time... fuck it... who cares? That doesn't fix the problem of their not being a dungeon with a sound enough business model to survive. Michael's fatal flaw was being a bad businessman and hitching his wagon to a small customer pool. Richard's is being a richard. So figure out a 3rd way that actually has a sound business model. Trust me... quality will win out. Get a 3rd way and you'll run the new dungeon in the old space right out of business.
8) The whole thing doesn't change the past. Or the present. There's a new dungeon in the old space... ok... you're not going to patronize it because of the owner... ok... so basically, you still don't have a dungeon, right? The old shithole is still gone. Again, you still don't have a space to play in, right? So the idea is that having no dungeon is better than having a craphole run by an asshat? What kinda sense does that make? Just saying...
I think that's all I really gotta say on the matter.
That was far too much thought to put into any of this... I need a nap now.
So I see we're back to discussing the dungeon thing... I have a few thoughts on the matter that I don't feel like putting too much time into throwing out there... so you'll get a list again. Here you go:
1. Richard is a Richard. The end. The guy could run the greatest dungeon in the world and he's still be a total Richard. To customers and potential customers alike.
2. The building is a piece of shit. Maybe if you ripped the top 3 or so floors off of it and put on a whole new roof, new ceilings, re-poured the concrete floor in entire play space level, added plumbing, some type of duct work, an HV/AC system, at least 1 more bathroom, dressing rooms and then made sure to spray the whole fucking place with pesticides before power-washing the living christ out of the entire building, you could have a halfway decent space. But at that rate... just rip down the fucking building and put up something new.
3. The old dungeon, the old-old dungeon and the new dungeon were all and will all be the same. A few dozen people who support it no matter what, another group that goes when it feels like to get their play on and the handful of random wanderers-in-from-the-street types. This is still a horrible business model. It doesn't matter who runs it, it can NOT work as a business model. The space provided serves a niche clientele. However, it could also appeal to a number of other niche potential clienteles that it generally ignores... to it's own detriment. And until that changes, neither will the outcome.The only person that can effectively run a dungeon is someone that is the kind of businessman that knows how and what is required to make a profit. It's no different than any other niche business. You find your target demographics, you appeal to them (even pander if needed) and you provide a good or service that they want, need and desire and entice them to regularly patronize your establishment. This is not complicated. The owners seem to love to make it their own little clubhouses with their few friends and the occasional newbie. No matter who the owner/proprietor is at that time.
4) that was far too much thought to put into one of these points.
5) I have no idea what happened to the renewal money from the old dungeon when it closed. I'd almost be interested, except I didn't renew before it closed. Sucks for those who did and that's hella shady, yo. Between the auction money and the renewal money and the admissions of those 2 months or so, that's a helluva lot of money to just kinda *poof* and disappear. What ever did happen to all that $$? Shady, man. Shady.
6) Anyone dumb enough to do business without a contract deserves everything they get. From unexpected rental rate hikes & being locked out when you're a half a month late on the rent to being considered the fucking devil for "closing down their dungeon", you deserve it. I don't give a fuck who screws who... THIS IS WHY YOU GET IT IN WRITING! Fuckwits.
7) I understand the whole "I'm boycotting the new dungeon because of what they did to the old dungeon and I'm gonna scream about how much of a douche-rocket Richard is to anyone that listens" thing... because while people figure it out quickly (how much of a richard he is), there's always a new sap around the corner that'll give him some money until they figure out too and it's a nearly never-ending cycle. But at the same time... fuck it... who cares? That doesn't fix the problem of their not being a dungeon with a sound enough business model to survive. Michael's fatal flaw was being a bad businessman and hitching his wagon to a small customer pool. Richard's is being a richard. So figure out a 3rd way that actually has a sound business model. Trust me... quality will win out. Get a 3rd way and you'll run the new dungeon in the old space right out of business.
8) The whole thing doesn't change the past. Or the present. There's a new dungeon in the old space... ok... you're not going to patronize it because of the owner... ok... so basically, you still don't have a dungeon, right? The old shithole is still gone. Again, you still don't have a space to play in, right? So the idea is that having no dungeon is better than having a craphole run by an asshat? What kinda sense does that make? Just saying...
I think that's all I really gotta say on the matter.
That was far too much thought to put into any of this... I need a nap now.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
RTOTD #405.1
Day 405.1
I'd like to thank the 1 Australian reader that checked out these stupid borderline-incoherant ramblings 1 time. Thanks for coming out.
I'd like to thank the 1 Australian reader that checked out these stupid borderline-incoherant ramblings 1 time. Thanks for coming out.
Random Thought Of The Day #405
Day 405
In this modern day of social networking, mobile networking, and every other way that we keep connected to friends and family, it seems everyone knows what everyone else is doing and who they're friends with or connected to with their social media. It doesn't matter if it's Facebook or FetLife. If it's Twitter or Foursquare or anything else. We stay connected to each other by "friending" one another somewhere.
And it seems like I always hear people talking about how this person or that person "de-friended" them on whatever social networking site it is... and apparently it's a big deal in a lot of cases. It's some sort of signifier that the friendship or relationship or connection is otherwise now over. I often hear, with a hint of bitterness in their voice that "so-and-so de-friended me! Asshole/Bitch! What did I do to them?" or "oh, yeah, we're not facebook friends anymore" or something else along those lines.
What I'm getting at with this little meandering diatribe is this:
We seem to so closely identify our friendships based on our social media anymore. Our social media and our actual social lives are now inexplicably tied together. If a friendship/connection ends on Facebook/Fetlife/Twitter, it's over in real-time as well, it seems. And vise-versa.
Ignoring the obvious questions about why we feel compelled to make our internet lives and real lives one in the same or the public nature of throwing our interpersonal drama out there for mass consumption by other "facebook/fetlife/twitter-Friends" or why we take the internet that seriously or any of that stuff... I have one simple question..
How the fuck do you people even remember everyone that's on your friends list to NOTICE A)when you've been de-friended, B) by whom you were defriended C) why you care?
I think I know how many friends I have on fetlife ... I honestly haven't the slightest clue how many I have on Facebook or how many followers I have on twitter... but outside of about a dozen people on each service that I actually hang out with or talk to regularly... I wouldn't be able to tell you who de-friended me without an extensive search thru my friends list now as well as my memory to figure out "were we friend? who isn't on this list that I thought should be?" before finally giving up and saying "fuck it, I'm gonna go eat a sandwich instead"...
Maybe it's because I border on narcissism and and sociopathy, or maybe it's because I have a bad memory or maybe it's because, outside of the occasional party or random chance, I don't talk to or see them and it's an "out of sight, out of mind" situation... or maybe it's beacuse I haven't seen a large number of them since highschool and really really just don't care... but outside of about a dozen or so people on each of my Friends Lists, I probably couldn't name 30% of them off the top of my head.
So seriously... am I just (honestly, surprisingly) not that into my social media enough? or do other people just REALLY spend the time to remember who their social-media friends are? Cause it's not like my Friends Lists are terribly extensive... I have less than 100 on Fetlife, less than 200 on Facebook, and less than 50 followers on Twitter (I actually had to stop typing this and look all those up just now to know... though I do regularly delete follow-bots on Twitter and only recently made my twats public... so that might have something to do with it)... but I guarantee that, outside of a dozen or so on each... I probably wouldn't notice if I lost a couple and definitely wouldn't know who the fuck it was that I DID lose.
In this modern day of social networking, mobile networking, and every other way that we keep connected to friends and family, it seems everyone knows what everyone else is doing and who they're friends with or connected to with their social media. It doesn't matter if it's Facebook or FetLife. If it's Twitter or Foursquare or anything else. We stay connected to each other by "friending" one another somewhere.
And it seems like I always hear people talking about how this person or that person "de-friended" them on whatever social networking site it is... and apparently it's a big deal in a lot of cases. It's some sort of signifier that the friendship or relationship or connection is otherwise now over. I often hear, with a hint of bitterness in their voice that "so-and-so de-friended me! Asshole/Bitch! What did I do to them?" or "oh, yeah, we're not facebook friends anymore" or something else along those lines.
What I'm getting at with this little meandering diatribe is this:
We seem to so closely identify our friendships based on our social media anymore. Our social media and our actual social lives are now inexplicably tied together. If a friendship/connection ends on Facebook/Fetlife/Twitter, it's over in real-time as well, it seems. And vise-versa.
Ignoring the obvious questions about why we feel compelled to make our internet lives and real lives one in the same or the public nature of throwing our interpersonal drama out there for mass consumption by other "facebook/fetlife/twitter-Friends" or why we take the internet that seriously or any of that stuff... I have one simple question..
How the fuck do you people even remember everyone that's on your friends list to NOTICE A)when you've been de-friended, B) by whom you were defriended C) why you care?
I think I know how many friends I have on fetlife ... I honestly haven't the slightest clue how many I have on Facebook or how many followers I have on twitter... but outside of about a dozen people on each service that I actually hang out with or talk to regularly... I wouldn't be able to tell you who de-friended me without an extensive search thru my friends list now as well as my memory to figure out "were we friend? who isn't on this list that I thought should be?" before finally giving up and saying "fuck it, I'm gonna go eat a sandwich instead"...
Maybe it's because I border on narcissism and and sociopathy, or maybe it's because I have a bad memory or maybe it's because, outside of the occasional party or random chance, I don't talk to or see them and it's an "out of sight, out of mind" situation... or maybe it's beacuse I haven't seen a large number of them since highschool and really really just don't care... but outside of about a dozen or so people on each of my Friends Lists, I probably couldn't name 30% of them off the top of my head.
So seriously... am I just (honestly, surprisingly) not that into my social media enough? or do other people just REALLY spend the time to remember who their social-media friends are? Cause it's not like my Friends Lists are terribly extensive... I have less than 100 on Fetlife, less than 200 on Facebook, and less than 50 followers on Twitter (I actually had to stop typing this and look all those up just now to know... though I do regularly delete follow-bots on Twitter and only recently made my twats public... so that might have something to do with it)... but I guarantee that, outside of a dozen or so on each... I probably wouldn't notice if I lost a couple and definitely wouldn't know who the fuck it was that I DID lose.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Random Thought Of The Day #404
Day 404
I like pi. Pi is fine. 3.14159
Yeah... it's one of those kinda days.
Ok... so now to talk about something that isn't just stupid bullshit. Ok, maybe to talk about stupid bullshit that requires more effort on my part than some dumb rhyme from like 5th grade.
I almost just started typing out the Toys R' Us theme song instead. Fuck, my brain isn't yet functional.
Instead of an actual stream of thought this morning... you're gonna get a list of crap that I don't care about or can't comprehend:
1. The environment. Sorry, I just can't seem to bring myself to care. And the idea of seeing everyone walking around wearing those bio-warfare suits is kind of amusing in a dystopian future movie kinda way. So yeah, I don't care.
2. Organic food. I just also can't bring myself to care. I've had strawberries that grew wild in the woods once... not nearly as sweet or juicy as the modified and pesticide soaked kind that I can get in the grocery store. And really... is my chicken going to taste any better if it's allowed to run around in a big pen outside instead of in a cage inside? And I can't taste any difference between wild grains and the kind that's in the bread I buy in the grocery store. So yeah... again... I don't care.
3. The new-found fascination that everyone has with bacon. What the fuck? Bacon has always tasted wonderful. Now, all of a sudden... everywhere I look... bacon. Why? Did the rest of the world just discover that little strips of pig thrown in a frying pan and let to cook in it's own juices until it's super crispy existed? Has someone changed the flavor of bacon so that it's now "more bacon-y!" or something? It's fucking bacon... it's been around for centuries and it'll be around for centuries more. Oh wait, maybe this is a movement to make pigs extinct by turning them all into wonderful, wonderful bacon?
4. Natural Disasters that happen hundreds or thousands of miles away. Maybe I'm a prick (oh wait... yeah... I am) but see... there's a reason that I DON'T live in places that are within walking distanct of a major unstable fault line or moderately active volcano, below sea level or in a flat, low-lying area that has a tendency to be hit by tornados. I also choose not to live in the desert. Why? Because the chance of dying by my own stupidity, a random act of voilence or too much bacon is significantly higher HERE than my chance of being swallowed by the fucking earth in an earthquake or covered in molten lava or starving to death because there's no food or water in those places. This is common sense, people. When the environment has a greater chance of killing you than a random stray bullet or being dumb enough to jump off a roof while drunk, you're living in the wrong place. (my sympathies to anyone who has lost a loved one or property in a natural disaster, but maybe those are warning signs that this is no longer the best place to be residing? It's at least worth some consideration.)
5. Politics (anymore). I used to be intrigued by it, but now? Now's it just a bunch of rich assholes yapping about the best way to spend someone else's money. Without ever actually asking the people whose money it is how THEY want to fucking spend it. They play games with words, they spin the truth to meet their agendas and they stay in power for so long that they have absolutely NO clue what it's like to be the one being bent over by douchebags in authority. They all say that they want to help the country or the people or the world but in the end, every single one of them wants to help themselves. That's it. Honestly, if these people just THOUGHT they had power but really didn't, it would make a helluva funny reality TV show. But sadly, they actually DO have power. And they'll keep fucking us, so at this point... I just don't care anymore.
6. The royal wedding. Why did we care? I'm really confused by this. I know they're also white and English speaking, but do we give a shit when a Spanish prince gets married? They still have royalty in most of Europe and we don't care. Do we care when some middle-eastern Sheik gets married? No. Why? Because they don't matter. So can SOMEONE explain what the hell the fastination was with that wedding? Cause all I saw were chicks in funny hats and a Canadian Royal Mounted Police officer getting married to some mildly attractive blonde chick and a bunch of old people in the audience.
*edit* 7. Baseball. Really, who cares? Basketball kinda falls into the same category. Every year, one team buys the best 3 or 4 free agents in the league and then win for a few years before trading or letting them walk when they get old and then buys the next crop of free agents.
I think that's all for now.
I like pi. Pi is fine. 3.14159
Yeah... it's one of those kinda days.
Ok... so now to talk about something that isn't just stupid bullshit. Ok, maybe to talk about stupid bullshit that requires more effort on my part than some dumb rhyme from like 5th grade.
I almost just started typing out the Toys R' Us theme song instead. Fuck, my brain isn't yet functional.
Instead of an actual stream of thought this morning... you're gonna get a list of crap that I don't care about or can't comprehend:
1. The environment. Sorry, I just can't seem to bring myself to care. And the idea of seeing everyone walking around wearing those bio-warfare suits is kind of amusing in a dystopian future movie kinda way. So yeah, I don't care.
2. Organic food. I just also can't bring myself to care. I've had strawberries that grew wild in the woods once... not nearly as sweet or juicy as the modified and pesticide soaked kind that I can get in the grocery store. And really... is my chicken going to taste any better if it's allowed to run around in a big pen outside instead of in a cage inside? And I can't taste any difference between wild grains and the kind that's in the bread I buy in the grocery store. So yeah... again... I don't care.
3. The new-found fascination that everyone has with bacon. What the fuck? Bacon has always tasted wonderful. Now, all of a sudden... everywhere I look... bacon. Why? Did the rest of the world just discover that little strips of pig thrown in a frying pan and let to cook in it's own juices until it's super crispy existed? Has someone changed the flavor of bacon so that it's now "more bacon-y!" or something? It's fucking bacon... it's been around for centuries and it'll be around for centuries more. Oh wait, maybe this is a movement to make pigs extinct by turning them all into wonderful, wonderful bacon?
4. Natural Disasters that happen hundreds or thousands of miles away. Maybe I'm a prick (oh wait... yeah... I am) but see... there's a reason that I DON'T live in places that are within walking distanct of a major unstable fault line or moderately active volcano, below sea level or in a flat, low-lying area that has a tendency to be hit by tornados. I also choose not to live in the desert. Why? Because the chance of dying by my own stupidity, a random act of voilence or too much bacon is significantly higher HERE than my chance of being swallowed by the fucking earth in an earthquake or covered in molten lava or starving to death because there's no food or water in those places. This is common sense, people. When the environment has a greater chance of killing you than a random stray bullet or being dumb enough to jump off a roof while drunk, you're living in the wrong place. (my sympathies to anyone who has lost a loved one or property in a natural disaster, but maybe those are warning signs that this is no longer the best place to be residing? It's at least worth some consideration.)
5. Politics (anymore). I used to be intrigued by it, but now? Now's it just a bunch of rich assholes yapping about the best way to spend someone else's money. Without ever actually asking the people whose money it is how THEY want to fucking spend it. They play games with words, they spin the truth to meet their agendas and they stay in power for so long that they have absolutely NO clue what it's like to be the one being bent over by douchebags in authority. They all say that they want to help the country or the people or the world but in the end, every single one of them wants to help themselves. That's it. Honestly, if these people just THOUGHT they had power but really didn't, it would make a helluva funny reality TV show. But sadly, they actually DO have power. And they'll keep fucking us, so at this point... I just don't care anymore.
6. The royal wedding. Why did we care? I'm really confused by this. I know they're also white and English speaking, but do we give a shit when a Spanish prince gets married? They still have royalty in most of Europe and we don't care. Do we care when some middle-eastern Sheik gets married? No. Why? Because they don't matter. So can SOMEONE explain what the hell the fastination was with that wedding? Cause all I saw were chicks in funny hats and a Canadian Royal Mounted Police officer getting married to some mildly attractive blonde chick and a bunch of old people in the audience.
*edit* 7. Baseball. Really, who cares? Basketball kinda falls into the same category. Every year, one team buys the best 3 or 4 free agents in the league and then win for a few years before trading or letting them walk when they get old and then buys the next crop of free agents.
I think that's all for now.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Random Thought Of The Day #403
Day 403
Numerology amuses me. Or let me rephrase that... Those that are into any sort of prophesying on world-wide matters based on texts written hundreds or thousands of years ago amuse me. They're mystics. Nothing more. They ignore their rational mind and throw their beliefs behind some wacky idea so they don't have to think. They can just believe.
I mean, last week we were inundated by the whole Rapture thing. Yeah... Nothing. Now we've moved back to the 2012 Doomsday theory. Before all these was Y2K and before that there was a coming doomsday about once a year for different belief structures. And after the winter solstice passes in 2012 and nothing happens, we'll be back to Nostradamus or they'll concoct some new ridiculous doomsday scenario to give themselves certainty.
The gullible buy into them from time to time. Maybe it's a desire to feel "certainty" about the future, even if that certainty is fatalistic. Because I guess, to them, fatalism is better than uncertainty.
Personally, I'm of the opinion that anyone that's able to look around at the world and see what's going on can be a "futurist". If you have the basic capacity of reason, decent observational skills and a logical thought process and understanding of how 1 + 1 = 2, you can put things together and get a general idea of what the future for you or the world around you is going to hold. Not specific, but good enough to know if it's going in the right or wrong direction.
I don't need a 3,000 year old book or calendar from a dead civilization to tell me that the world is presently on a bad course. But I'm also not so fatalistic as to say "oh, we're forever fucked and we're all gonna die."
And the wild theories that these fatalistic morons come up with to justify their beliefs, contrary to any science that says otherwise, is almost as amusing as the theories themselves. From a random rogue Planet X to Jesus/God/Allah/Whatever to photon belts to any other ridiculousness. It's greatly amusing.
And I just read a thing about how the number 11 is all kinds of special to numerologists. Like as if recurring 11's mean some sort of significance. Or that it happens more often leading up to some major event.
For instance, looking at the clock and it's 11:11 apparently happening often. No it's not, you twit. It's because it's an easily memorable time and you don't remember when you looked at the clock and saw it was 9:38 every few days. Because you remember the number 11:11. You don't remember 7:26 unless you have a tv show coming on at 7:30. It's memorable, so you remember seeing it more often than any other time.
Is it cool? I guess. But it would be about as giggle-worthy as if you looked at the clock and saw that it was 69:69. memorable, but not important. There's a difference. And these idiots just don't see it.
You can make numbers mean whatever you want them to. And anyone with a couple firing neurons can make a convincing argument to back up their theories. The same goes with translations of religious texts. But in the end, they're still mystics... Ignoring their mind and grasping to the ideas of others to avoid thinking.
Numerology amuses me. Or let me rephrase that... Those that are into any sort of prophesying on world-wide matters based on texts written hundreds or thousands of years ago amuse me. They're mystics. Nothing more. They ignore their rational mind and throw their beliefs behind some wacky idea so they don't have to think. They can just believe.
I mean, last week we were inundated by the whole Rapture thing. Yeah... Nothing. Now we've moved back to the 2012 Doomsday theory. Before all these was Y2K and before that there was a coming doomsday about once a year for different belief structures. And after the winter solstice passes in 2012 and nothing happens, we'll be back to Nostradamus or they'll concoct some new ridiculous doomsday scenario to give themselves certainty.
The gullible buy into them from time to time. Maybe it's a desire to feel "certainty" about the future, even if that certainty is fatalistic. Because I guess, to them, fatalism is better than uncertainty.
Personally, I'm of the opinion that anyone that's able to look around at the world and see what's going on can be a "futurist". If you have the basic capacity of reason, decent observational skills and a logical thought process and understanding of how 1 + 1 = 2, you can put things together and get a general idea of what the future for you or the world around you is going to hold. Not specific, but good enough to know if it's going in the right or wrong direction.
I don't need a 3,000 year old book or calendar from a dead civilization to tell me that the world is presently on a bad course. But I'm also not so fatalistic as to say "oh, we're forever fucked and we're all gonna die."
And the wild theories that these fatalistic morons come up with to justify their beliefs, contrary to any science that says otherwise, is almost as amusing as the theories themselves. From a random rogue Planet X to Jesus/God/Allah/Whatever to photon belts to any other ridiculousness. It's greatly amusing.
And I just read a thing about how the number 11 is all kinds of special to numerologists. Like as if recurring 11's mean some sort of significance. Or that it happens more often leading up to some major event.
For instance, looking at the clock and it's 11:11 apparently happening often. No it's not, you twit. It's because it's an easily memorable time and you don't remember when you looked at the clock and saw it was 9:38 every few days. Because you remember the number 11:11. You don't remember 7:26 unless you have a tv show coming on at 7:30. It's memorable, so you remember seeing it more often than any other time.
Is it cool? I guess. But it would be about as giggle-worthy as if you looked at the clock and saw that it was 69:69. memorable, but not important. There's a difference. And these idiots just don't see it.
You can make numbers mean whatever you want them to. And anyone with a couple firing neurons can make a convincing argument to back up their theories. The same goes with translations of religious texts. But in the end, they're still mystics... Ignoring their mind and grasping to the ideas of others to avoid thinking.
Monday, May 23, 2011
RTOTD #402.1
Behave, children. Daddy IS watching now.
Cause he's got site statistics from Google Analytics now!
You know, instead of just his normal omnipresent abilities to watch you from his high horse.
Cause he's got site statistics from Google Analytics now!
You know, instead of just his normal omnipresent abilities to watch you from his high horse.
Random Thought Of The Day #402
Day 402
I think we should alphabetize the months of the year. April goes first. It makes it easier when you want to put things in the computer but you spell the month instead of using the number of the month.
Either that, or we change the names of the months so that they're just numbers.
"what month is it?"
"seven"
"ok"
But that doesn't help if you still end up spelling the number of the month.
One comes before seven but two comes after it? WTF? See? Doesn't work.
Yeah, so.. That's why we need to alphabetize the calendar.
Joe logic 101
I think we should alphabetize the months of the year. April goes first. It makes it easier when you want to put things in the computer but you spell the month instead of using the number of the month.
Either that, or we change the names of the months so that they're just numbers.
"what month is it?"
"seven"
"ok"
But that doesn't help if you still end up spelling the number of the month.
One comes before seven but two comes after it? WTF? See? Doesn't work.
Yeah, so.. That's why we need to alphabetize the calendar.
Joe logic 101
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Random Thought of The Day #401
Day 401
Welcome to the new home for ElitistFucks everywhere and the new home of the Random Thought Of The Day.
Here we are, at the end of the original countdown. It is less than shocking that it ends with me bringing back this stupid little daily blabbering. But hey, what did I say when I ended this? I'd end up bored in a month and writing again.
Plus, in about an hour and change... it's fucking Rapture time, people!! Yeah, only I could pick an arbitrary day out of thin air and start a 30 day countdown that ends on the day of 2 different parties thrown opposite one another by people that don't get along well and the mother fucking biblical Day of the Rapture. I'm just that damn good.
So as I said.... Here we are. And I have a lot to say today.
First of all, the number of people anxiously awaiting what my countdown was leading to was getting to the point of ridiculousness. It's like the minute I put fingers to keys, people tune in. And while the ego bump is appreciated (if not necessary since it's already the size of my car), you really shouldn't take me that seriously. I don't. So you shouldn't either. Most of what comes out of my fingers is less thought thru than the dump I took this morning.
That said, as this is the first one back after a little hiatus, I figure I should probably address the elephant in the room.
I know that a number of you have probably all heard rumors about me. About my past. And the beautiful thing about rumors are that they're non-specific. And with that entails a degree of innuendo. Great for avoiding a debate when you have an indefensible position. Not so much for actually winning an argument.
I know what happened in my past. I know the actual details, cause you know... I lived it. But I'm not gonna get into that here. I don't need to defend myself or explain anything. I've done that more times than I can count already and I'm just not in the mood. My friends know me. My friends know my past. But considering that I don't really have any need or desire to fight a battle over something 8 years ago, I'm not going to. There's nothing in it for me. If people with nothing better to do than go digging up dirt on people they don't like want to pick that fight, whatever floats your boat, man.
And if you really need to know the story, feel free to ask me if you see me out sometime somewhere. But you're buying the drinks for it. It's funny, sad and irritating all at the same time. And makes me need a drink or 7 every time I tell it.
But hey, dirty politics works for some people. Demonize, demonize, demonize is their way of winning an argument. I could probably go digging up dirt on the pasts of others here and I know that I'll hit gold (to a degree) on a few of my biggest detractors, but that ain't my style. You don't need innuendo and rumors to figure out a reason to dislike me. I give reasons every single day and with every sentence I utter.
However, that's not the point of trying to hold it over my head. No, it's to polarize and isolate me individually. To make anyone I'm close to need to defend their friendship with me, again, instead of discussing disagreements. It's a wonderful tool for the radicals. Because the line between a commentator and the tin-foil hat man on the corner is an audience and friends.
I've already lost a friend or 2 in over the years because of my past. And I've lost a couple of really good relationships because of it too. So needless to say, using it against me is hardly a new plan. In fact, by this point, it's kinda trite.
I've never claimed to be a saint and I'm pretty sure that if you had to pick a biblical reference for me to be embodied by, it's definitely not hanging out with Jesus. I'm an asshole, I'm am individualist, I'm an objectivist and I'm an atheist. Not exactly the traits of a saint by any stretch.
So shooting the messenger here (or rather polarizing the messenger enough so that YOU, in the peanut gallery, actually are the ones that kill him instead... THAT is the goal of that method of attacking) won't get anyone any cred for getting rid of a symbol of the opposition. I'm just a dude with a keyboard, a couple more firing neurons than those I disagree with and people that like to sometimes read my ridiculous ramblings. So congratulations... You had the same effect as a screaming child and I decided talking wasn't worth the headaches anymore for a while.
And with all that said, you all can have the "community" and your munches and causes and little back-slapping discussion groups where you feel offended about everything and I'm still the worst person in the world. I got better (and significantly more amusing) things to do with my time.
Like being an ElitistFuck.
Because... Yeah... I am better than you. And my privilege agrees.
As of the end of this sentence, any implied or formal ties that I have with the community structure, the groups that encompass it, their leadership or attendees are officially severed. I will maintain my friendships, attend private parties when invited, throw parties of my own when I feel inclined and otherwise keep doing what I've basically been doing for the past year+ now. But the munches, the group outings or events involving the Pittsburgh community will be sans me going forward.
I'm not part of that club anymore and I don't want to be.
I might just include a disclaimer at the beginning of every random though stating that "I do not speak as a representative of, or otherwise as any form of authority, implied or otherwise, with any group, group members, or organization. And every word is just my opinion. That of a guy with a keyboard and the intarwubz as my billboard.". Think that's complicated and legal-ese enough to cover everyone's asses?
"so what you're saying is, nothing's changed?"
"pretty much, yeah"
And that's the end of my acknowledgment of you people. You've gotten more attention from others by me pointing at you in the past 3 months than your rantings have ever gotten you. I'm done giving you free advertisement. Back to insignificance with you.
Now, on to more amusing things...
I'm gonna be rolling out a few little projects that I've been working on in my spare time recently (read: the 15 or 20 minutes before I started writing this) and hopefully, they'll prove useful or amusing for people.
One of which is moving this blog thing into a little more appropriate location. I'll be still writing here for a little while longer, but I am going to be taking this column/blog/corner-of-the-intarwubz off of fetlife in the future and starting a blog site elsewhere. It'll collect the previous 400-odd days in archive, but it will be the home for this as well.
And by more suitable location, I mean because this blog/column/thing (I really gotta figure out what this THING is one of these days. Seriously. Anyone wanna decide? You pick what I describe this as) has no real theme. It's not about kink. It's not about politics. It's not about music or books or art or even about what I want for lunch. But I write about all those things. So neither Facebook of FetLife are appropriate venues. And myspace is junk. So it's gotta go elsewhere.
Also, I hope for it to slowly morph into a place for others to contribute their own blogs, articles, commentary, art and even contact information for vendors and artisans in the area.
It will maintain zero connection or ties with the local community and bloggers will be able to post under pseudonyms or anonymously as well. And the comment section will allow the same rights.
Similar to the Pittsburgh kinky magazine or e-zine that was thought about before but never done. But without any connection or speaking on behalf of the community. Just somewhere where people can voice their opinions outside of the purview of any groups or leadership. (though somehow, I think this is going to end up being a distinction without a difference)
That's all I feel like talking about today.
This was probably the most self-absorbed, self-indulgent thing I've ever written and I really hope I never do it again or am placed in a position where I feel compelled to do it again.
Now I do need a beer and some cheetos
Welcome to the new home for ElitistFucks everywhere and the new home of the Random Thought Of The Day.
Here we are, at the end of the original countdown. It is less than shocking that it ends with me bringing back this stupid little daily blabbering. But hey, what did I say when I ended this? I'd end up bored in a month and writing again.
Plus, in about an hour and change... it's fucking Rapture time, people!! Yeah, only I could pick an arbitrary day out of thin air and start a 30 day countdown that ends on the day of 2 different parties thrown opposite one another by people that don't get along well and the mother fucking biblical Day of the Rapture. I'm just that damn good.
So as I said.... Here we are. And I have a lot to say today.
First of all, the number of people anxiously awaiting what my countdown was leading to was getting to the point of ridiculousness. It's like the minute I put fingers to keys, people tune in. And while the ego bump is appreciated (if not necessary since it's already the size of my car), you really shouldn't take me that seriously. I don't. So you shouldn't either. Most of what comes out of my fingers is less thought thru than the dump I took this morning.
That said, as this is the first one back after a little hiatus, I figure I should probably address the elephant in the room.
I know that a number of you have probably all heard rumors about me. About my past. And the beautiful thing about rumors are that they're non-specific. And with that entails a degree of innuendo. Great for avoiding a debate when you have an indefensible position. Not so much for actually winning an argument.
I know what happened in my past. I know the actual details, cause you know... I lived it. But I'm not gonna get into that here. I don't need to defend myself or explain anything. I've done that more times than I can count already and I'm just not in the mood. My friends know me. My friends know my past. But considering that I don't really have any need or desire to fight a battle over something 8 years ago, I'm not going to. There's nothing in it for me. If people with nothing better to do than go digging up dirt on people they don't like want to pick that fight, whatever floats your boat, man.
And if you really need to know the story, feel free to ask me if you see me out sometime somewhere. But you're buying the drinks for it. It's funny, sad and irritating all at the same time. And makes me need a drink or 7 every time I tell it.
But hey, dirty politics works for some people. Demonize, demonize, demonize is their way of winning an argument. I could probably go digging up dirt on the pasts of others here and I know that I'll hit gold (to a degree) on a few of my biggest detractors, but that ain't my style. You don't need innuendo and rumors to figure out a reason to dislike me. I give reasons every single day and with every sentence I utter.
However, that's not the point of trying to hold it over my head. No, it's to polarize and isolate me individually. To make anyone I'm close to need to defend their friendship with me, again, instead of discussing disagreements. It's a wonderful tool for the radicals. Because the line between a commentator and the tin-foil hat man on the corner is an audience and friends.
I've already lost a friend or 2 in over the years because of my past. And I've lost a couple of really good relationships because of it too. So needless to say, using it against me is hardly a new plan. In fact, by this point, it's kinda trite.
I've never claimed to be a saint and I'm pretty sure that if you had to pick a biblical reference for me to be embodied by, it's definitely not hanging out with Jesus. I'm an asshole, I'm am individualist, I'm an objectivist and I'm an atheist. Not exactly the traits of a saint by any stretch.
So shooting the messenger here (or rather polarizing the messenger enough so that YOU, in the peanut gallery, actually are the ones that kill him instead... THAT is the goal of that method of attacking) won't get anyone any cred for getting rid of a symbol of the opposition. I'm just a dude with a keyboard, a couple more firing neurons than those I disagree with and people that like to sometimes read my ridiculous ramblings. So congratulations... You had the same effect as a screaming child and I decided talking wasn't worth the headaches anymore for a while.
And with all that said, you all can have the "community" and your munches and causes and little back-slapping discussion groups where you feel offended about everything and I'm still the worst person in the world. I got better (and significantly more amusing) things to do with my time.
Like being an ElitistFuck.
Because... Yeah... I am better than you. And my privilege agrees.
As of the end of this sentence, any implied or formal ties that I have with the community structure, the groups that encompass it, their leadership or attendees are officially severed. I will maintain my friendships, attend private parties when invited, throw parties of my own when I feel inclined and otherwise keep doing what I've basically been doing for the past year+ now. But the munches, the group outings or events involving the Pittsburgh community will be sans me going forward.
I'm not part of that club anymore and I don't want to be.
I might just include a disclaimer at the beginning of every random though stating that "I do not speak as a representative of, or otherwise as any form of authority, implied or otherwise, with any group, group members, or organization. And every word is just my opinion. That of a guy with a keyboard and the intarwubz as my billboard.". Think that's complicated and legal-ese enough to cover everyone's asses?
"so what you're saying is, nothing's changed?"
"pretty much, yeah"
And that's the end of my acknowledgment of you people. You've gotten more attention from others by me pointing at you in the past 3 months than your rantings have ever gotten you. I'm done giving you free advertisement. Back to insignificance with you.
Now, on to more amusing things...
I'm gonna be rolling out a few little projects that I've been working on in my spare time recently (read: the 15 or 20 minutes before I started writing this) and hopefully, they'll prove useful or amusing for people.
One of which is moving this blog thing into a little more appropriate location. I'll be still writing here for a little while longer, but I am going to be taking this column/blog/corner-of-the-intarwubz off of fetlife in the future and starting a blog site elsewhere. It'll collect the previous 400-odd days in archive, but it will be the home for this as well.
And by more suitable location, I mean because this blog/column/thing (I really gotta figure out what this THING is one of these days. Seriously. Anyone wanna decide? You pick what I describe this as) has no real theme. It's not about kink. It's not about politics. It's not about music or books or art or even about what I want for lunch. But I write about all those things. So neither Facebook of FetLife are appropriate venues. And myspace is junk. So it's gotta go elsewhere.
Also, I hope for it to slowly morph into a place for others to contribute their own blogs, articles, commentary, art and even contact information for vendors and artisans in the area.
It will maintain zero connection or ties with the local community and bloggers will be able to post under pseudonyms or anonymously as well. And the comment section will allow the same rights.
Similar to the Pittsburgh kinky magazine or e-zine that was thought about before but never done. But without any connection or speaking on behalf of the community. Just somewhere where people can voice their opinions outside of the purview of any groups or leadership. (though somehow, I think this is going to end up being a distinction without a difference)
That's all I feel like talking about today.
This was probably the most self-absorbed, self-indulgent thing I've ever written and I really hope I never do it again or am placed in a position where I feel compelled to do it again.
Now I do need a beer and some cheetos
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