Is that all there is?

Is it me? I don't know, it could be me. Have you ever gotten that email that says you've reached the end of the internet, now get back to work? Well, I think I've done it. I think I've seen everything there is to see on television at least once. I used to think it was OK because if I had missed anything, I got to catch up. But, now, I'm caught up. There's nothing left to see. I've learned all about the Knights Templar and know just exactly how haunted the Stanley Hotel really is. But, WHY must Pay Per View show the same movie on five of the 35 PPV channels all at the same time? Do they really think I would watch that many TV sets at once? Further more, if I lived in a house full of people, which I don't, why oh why would we all be watching the same movie at the same time on the same channel, on different tvs? I just don't get it. Have all the stories been told? Are there no more marvelous marvels? Has the last mystery been diagnosed? Perhaps the world drama has taken a toll on our creativity. The war has zapped our imaginations of tales of happiness and peace. Maybe we are so concerned about the cost of gasoline that there isn't anything left that we want to learn how to make. Our innocence has been robbed by the media and propaganda machines of the early 21st century and we no longer care if the Concords take flight or how big love really is, why, even the fashion police are out of rules.

Perhaps baseball. Maybe baseball is our one true saving grace in this world anymore. It's the All American pass time and more and more players are joining the big leagues from all around the world. It's the time that recalls days of summer vacations and baseball games with the neighbor kids in the park. It's happy time days. I must admit, there's a new game every day, on several different channels. And even if the teams are the same, you just never know when a 7-0 lead will turn into a 10-8 loss. Besides, I hear this is the year for the Cubbies! Maybe I haven't seen it all.

Spirits of Creativity

Sebor Absinth has a little collection of Absinth inspired art.  I took a look at what they had to offer and was a bit surprised.  A few were sexy, a bunch were really creative and worth taking a look through and of course, just a couple of camera phone shots with the green colors blasted through.  Absinth is also called the Spirit of Creativity.  Famous writers like Hemmingway and Oscar Wilde, artists like Picasso (some think it was the reason he went mad and cut his ear off), actors Johnny Depp and Dita Von Tesse, musician Marilyn Manson and quite a few others have all claimed some inspiration through the drink.

Well, so did I.  Here's what I had to work with and what I came up with.  I couldn't find the butterfly wings again.

I was going to send the photo to Sebor, but their disclaimer specifically stated that all the work must be original with absolutely no third party images or work be used.  So, I opted not to submit something to them.  They haven't gotten back to me, yet.  However, Alandia, didn't have such regulations, being in Germany.  So, I emailed them the photo and they liked it.  It's currently sitting on the first page of their "Top rated" images.

Wanted: Fraternity of Assassins

I don't know if I've ever been really excited about a movie as much as I am about this movie. It's called "Wanted" and it has the stunning, sultry and seductive Angelina Jolie doing what only Angelina Jolie knows how to do: kick everyones ass will looking like a goddess. Not to mention it has the subliminal undertones that strokes every mans hero fantasy: Dorky, good-for-nothing loser is chosen by the hottest babe in the Trifecta because it's his destiny to become the behind-the-scenes superhero of mankind. Enough of my blathering, take a look at this trailer:

NIN - Trent Reznor - Creative Commons

If you can't beat em' join em'.  I'm referring to the music industries proprietary grip on the music industry.  But some artists are getting a clue.  Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails is incredible.

A few months ago, he adopted a "pay what you like" strategy to his instrumental album "Ghosts".  On it, you could download 9 tracks for free and additional tracks for $5.  If you were really dedicated, you could have gone for the grand prize, one of the 2500 of his limited edition album for $300.  Unfortunately, he sold out of those, but the statement was made.  A true sign that people will pay for music they like.

People support their artists, despite the underground bootleg downloading done throughout the nets.  Now, he's done it again.  NIN is releasing a new album "The Slip" one-hundred percent FREE.  On the band's web site, Reznor has this to say:

"thank you for your continued and loyal support over the years - this one's on me"

Clicking through the site, the band offers several different types of downloads, MP3, FLAC lossless, M4A and the professional WAVE formats.  Aaaand you can download all of them if you want.

"the slip is licensed under a creative commons attribution non-commercial share alike license.

we encourage you to
remix it
share it with your friends,
post it on your blog,
play it on your podcast,
give it to strangers,
etc."

So, here I am.  Posting it to my blog.  You can download the entire MP3 album here, FREE and LEGAL!  Enjoy!

Something in me snapped into reality

I was watching television last night and saw a travel commercial.  Now, I've seen lots of travel commercials and most of the time, simply pass them off.  But there was an image in this commercial that seized me.  A bikini clad woman runs towards a cliff.  As she runs towards the edge, a beautiful blue lagoon is exposed, deep enough to jump into, which is what this woman did, jump.

I began wondering where my tropical island vacation went?

"Be not afraid of greatness; some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them."

~William Shakespeare

Throughout my life, I always felt the latter in Shakespeare's famous quote.  I felt it would be thrust upon me; I would handle it eloquently, and become rich and fantastic as a result.  At least wealthy enough to do anything, or go anywhere without worry.

As I watch this imagery of the woman and the lagoon, I get depressed.  My life is progressing.  I'm twenty-eight and still working an hourly job.  I punch my card day in and day out, working for the weekend, and my weekends are nothing to brag about.  I know this is the case of many people with dreams.  I also know there are some who writhe at the thought of it; they're happy "just the way things are."  But that's not me.

Everyday, I read more and more of young successes.  These beautiful models, the young actors and athletes who strike success and travel the world, talk about their work which they do because they love it and get paid "very well" to do it.  I don't fail to note that these successful children are roughly 5-8 years my younger.  It may not seem like much but I feel a great jealously towards them.  How did they do it?  What have they got that I don't?  What opportunities were they offered and snatched up that weren't offered to me?  Was I even paying attention?

Again, there are many people who have this same sense of entitlement.  I'm sure this "sense of entitlement" will be construed as self-centeredness but that's not me.  I sincerely and selflessly give and offer my services to anyone whenever I can without needing anything in return, and typically refuse repayments.  I try not to brag about myself or act selfishly (and probably, compensate by belittling someone or something to make myself more appealing, to myself if not anyone else, but I'm dealing with that as best I can.)

So now, I'm on a quest.  Within the next two years, I'm going to a tropical island or two (even if I have to accumulate a lot of debt to do it.)  Not a cruise, per se, because cruises always have the large groups of old folks or screaming children and small quarters and other restrictions.  I'm going to find a freedom filled, excursion. With warm weather, plenty of sun and sand and blue skies and bluer lagoons where bikini-clad women love to jump.