Hipsters are going to kill me!

Different.

Think about the term... Never really means bad. Never really means good. In some cases yes. Taking a different direction or something being too different, I'll give you that. But, lately I've been inundated with the "Hipster" movement and, I gotta say, although there are some attributes to throw some love and respect towards... There's an ass-load of hip I'd like to dispel.

Numero Uno: everybody in your crew isn't so fuckin' cool. Sometimes people are just plain messed up. All the interesting quirks in the world don't amend for monstrous insecurities, know-it-all philosophies, inability to wear deodorant, and pretending not to care about recognition or achievement.

Dos: your universal need to be unique has made you the opposite, and slightly cliche.

Tres: twitter isn't the future. It's simply a way for you to reach other hipsters out of pedal range.

Qutro: being really creative, intellectual and/or philosophical doesn't mean shit if you're an asshole to those around you.

Cinco: Status is important to you, otherwise you wouldn't try so hard.

Being different can be really cool. If you're a hipster and you're cool, then bravo to you. If you're a hipster because the only thing that you think is cool is to not be mainstream, then shame on you. I'm done now. Gonna go listen to some Robosapien, smoke-up, get my art crank poster ready fo da show, and have sex with a girl and treat her badly later...

Besides the music and the poster part sounds an awful lot like a frat boy to me...

peace!

Review

Think, ponder, shuffle, dissect, ponder some more, and then open yourself to a conclusion. In all areas of life we subconsciously run through our behaviors and histories to help decide what's next. Could be simple or complex, but what is next? I know for sure the next few months will be cold, snowy, and gray. It's January and February in the land of 10,000 lakes and this affects the moods of all us "Oh yahhh" folk up in this great state. Spring is clearly the next thing to look forward to, but that's just the weather...

Lately the "Next" has been the issue with my career. I'm a good worker, but if I decide to stay in what I'm currently doing I have to engage some things differently. I need to treat some people differently, work a little differently, and expand overall. Hopefully I will. Hopefully I will believe and embrace what I need to. However, in this mental review of my career recently, I found my self literally giving three employee reviews and receiving one myself. Now where my employees are concerned I have three distinctly different people. One male, two females, and each with an agenda. One agenda is to simply work and exist, another is to maintain a subtle amount of drama in her life and in the workplace, and then finally we have the murkiest agenda of all... the selfish-low self esteem- arrogant-tell you what you want to hear kind of agenda. I'm officially done with that one. I will do what I must to interpret the things she cares not to know. And, I will do so daily.

As for me my marching orders are clear: Focus on the projects that matter, not the others. Delegate differently. Speak up more. Believe, have faith in the company. And, put my stamp on those projects of matter. Now is the time... I think that statement always means something different then the intentions of the soul uttering it. I think the desire in stating "Now is the time!" is to emphasize ones movement and passion towards something. But, this something... Is it what lives on a priority list of a department of a business. Or is there purposeful implication that you might mean "Now is the time for something else!"? I tend to think it's both.

The "Next" is I fight again. But, if that fight ends and the next fight looks, smells, and sounds the same as the good fight you just had. Well. Then I say "Now is the time to move on.". It's a tough belief. You're constantly wondering "If I fight, make it out of this with the vision of what it should be then I didn't give up. I didn't fold. I did it.". I really hate that part. That can be a worse kind of murky. The kind that keeps you bound to a belief that may or may not be the real challenge. I think I'll start saying something different... Maybe "Oh well." is all I need? I tried, and the only thing better then trying at something over and over again is trying something new.

So that's it. I'll try it again in 2010 and if it doesn't work I'll simply say "Oh well..." and try something new. Because you can't review the new, you can just try it!

enews

Tonight I was working on the laptop and watching television at the same time... I heard it's good for your eyes, and has positive affects for those of us with ADD. I think a christmas tree would look good in the dinning room this year.

The prime-time emmys happened to be on, and when I looked up I noticed they were going through the best supporting actor in a comedy series category. Have to say it was a strong showing for the guys this year: Rainn Wilson, Kevin Dillon, Jon Cryer, Tracy Morgan, Neil Patrick Harris, Jack McBrayer. Ton of talent and then the emmy went to... The guy who should have been last. Jon Cryer, or Maxwell Houser from some bad 80's movie. Also played Ducky in Pretty in Pink I think. I was rooting for Kevin Dillon as Johnny Drama, one of the best characters I've seen in a while. But would have been thrilled with Rainn or NPH as well.

In the real world, it's just the emmy awards. No pulitzer level kind of work. But, tradition as it is has it's place. So here's to you Johnny Drama!

That G_ _ _ _

I remember somewhere around puberty, maybe a little ways into it, imagining the sensation of love and what a powerful force it would be to love a significant other. This was beyond family and friends, it was the first conscious thought about loving another and the power it could bring to your compassion, selflessness, sexual experiences, sharing, etc.. Of course I was still somewhere between teenager and young adult so there was exaggeration and being naive associated... And, probably a lot of lust that rages through boys in puberty. But, still it paved the way for the ideas of what it means to be with someone.

Most of us have a row with all kinds of relationships. The "I like her more than she likes me" or "She likes me more than I like her". The intense ones, the "Eh" ones where you were expecting a lot more but realized it was just a good cover on an uninteresting book. The ever popular codependent, the crazies who had a bad parent or parents and can't commit to anything but drama because there bound to repeat their parents relationship legacy. Then you get the ones where people hurt you. Or, maybe, your the one who hurts them... Either way this is one of the toughest because the only way to not live in this zone is to try and get some help, real help, for hope at a healthy version of a relationship.

Marriage can be the result of some relationships. For better or worse. But, chosen for a reason, or reasons, by the general population as a logical thing to do. It used to be people got married young and stuck it out regardless of the situation... time has taught us this is not smart. Then there's the next step where couples, or a person in the couple, thinks it's what's next in life. Why do 50% of marriages end in divorce... Because people don't think things through, and more importantly don't take stock in who and what they are and who they really want to be with at the time of their decision. There are NO guarantees. Even the best can end. But, I would bet my life on the fact that if people allowed themselves the time and attention to gain personal health in mind, body, and soul (their significant other should have this too) that it would go from 50% down to 25%. Marriage is like Vegas. Go with the best odds and chances are you'll have fun.

In my limited experience I've found one thing to be very true. Try and be friends with the person first. Easier said then done, but it will tell you a lot about one another and it's a lot easier to end things without all the relationship baggage. Or, you just have a friend. I will install it as best I can in my kids to embrace independence, make good friends, and be self aware. You will notice in your life regardless of where you are the best relationships and marriages have those things in common. I'm not suggesting this is fairytale. I realize we all have problems, nobody is perfect. But god dammit, is it better to hurt each other or spend some time being healthy before you take the plunge and having better odds of survival.

I asked a friend of mine once if he ever cheated. He immediately said no. Now first lets admit it comes across everyone's mind at least once, but then he said something simple and profound. He said "I don't want to be that guy!". That says it all. If you cheat, beat, are consistently untrustworthy, or just a bad person... You are THAT guy, or girl. If it's not right it's not right, but don't bring harm to another for something you are too scared or screwed up to handle. There is power in good love. There is power in treating people well. I'm no saint but I'm sick of seeing people I care about getting hurt for bad decision making. I also know people who are taking the high road in bad relationships and that hurts too. Badly. But, at least they can say "I'm not that guy!".

there once was...

We watched the movie BIG over lunch today with our five-year-old twins. They watched probably 20% of the movie, but for me it was a reminder of what a well done, feel good movie that was. Tom Hanks was great. Plus I got to relive some of my 80's/90's youth again. There's a part where Tom Hanks, after he turns BIG, gets on his pre-teen dirt bike and goes looking for the Zoltar machine to get back to childhood. It was funny to watch, but for me it was the moment I really missed being a kid.

From 5th grade up until my license I rode my bike all over the place with friends, sometimes solo, sometimes with kids I really didn't like. Didn't matter. Something as simple as riding a bike was so satisfying as a kid because it was fun, but more importantly because it was independence. We'd make jumps with plywood and car tires, or mounds of dirt. Whatever money we had saved we'd go to the bike store that carried Fuji, Diamond Backs, and the other trick-style dirt bikes too buy accessories for our Kmart and Target bikes. Most of the time I got too anxious and bought the cheaper accessories from Kmart, which sucked, but I did it anyway. We would give our friend a "buck" which ment a ride. Learned how to ride "wheelies" and brake fast to skid with our rear tire. Or if someone was mad, or looking to fight a kid they'd hop off the bike at full speed and let it careen into anything. It was cool because it would ride itself for a while and then crash.

Today you're more likely to see kids with bikes on a trail helmeted up with their parents. Not the same level of independence. Or in the city you see a lot of bikes, but not necessarily kids. Adult bikers by the way suck way more then kid bikers do. Just my opinion. Whatever it is it seems we want to helmet our kids into everything. I think we need to let them careen sometimes so they don't get bottled up and REALLY careen when they get older. There once was a time when we just rode. Because we could, and was most likely our only means of transportation. There are those who embrace it to the next level of trail riding or racing. But, I'm thinking of it more as the "every kids" entitlement. Think of the Goonies when the kids ride to the coast to find the Fortelli hideout way of the one-eyed-willy map. The bike trip made it that much more special. I have a feeling if that movie was made today kids would be wearing the shoes with the wheel in the heel texting their every pointless move to whoever will read it... Don't even get me started on old phone conversations. I remember when we went from a cord to a hand-held back in 9th grade.

Oops. That's my iphone. Gotta go!

Summers last month

Oh August! Dear, dear, August. For all of our youth you tormented us into realizing the inevitable school season was starting in a few short weeks, forcing us to squeeze enjoyment out of the remaining hot days and preparing for another season. Anticipation for athletes as practices start for fall sports. Shopping for the "What's Hot to Wear" items. Basically a month of preoccupation. Preoccupation of the new and different. The season changes to indicate the beginning-of-the-end of the year... Introducing a new school year, new car models, football season, home purchases in full swing. Gets you in a good mood for the last quarter of the year. Or is supposed to anyway.

The worst cold/sickness/virus I ever got was in an August. I lost 15 pounds off a very tall, very skinny 17 year old body before my senior year. I lost my virginity one August. Moved to Wisconsin one August for college. Always buy clothes in August, even though I'm not in school anymore... Stop using my air conditioning in August.

August does a lot. Cool, scary, and otherwise.

This August will be the last carefree weekdays for my twins. They will start kindergarten in September. I'm a little weary, but very excited about pushing them into social environments with all different types of kids and adults. For right now my kids are just right. Sweet, cute, funny, a little sassy, never listening very well, fighting, playing, playing to mom and dad's emotions... I wouldn't have it any other way. Public school will welcome my two little sweetshits in a few weeks and I hope it will carry with it the same anticipation it did for me when I was a kid. Especially cause my wife and I are not equipped to home-school anything bigger than 20" covered in fur and unable to speak...

Good luck kiddos! I'll be here for you in better or worse, in sickness and in health, and til I kick it... Be good, stand up for yourself, stand up for others, and try and learn something...

Itchy Monday

Why is it that Mondays get such a bad wrap? Is it because it's the first day after the weekend we work so hard to get to, only to be met with a day of work that starts with a healthy attitude, probably because of the recent weekend, and then slips immediately into "God I can't wait until Friday again."? Some people are lucky enough to have jobs they enjoy or are challenging in a proactive way. Most of us however, have the typical jobs where we mostly like the people we work with, sort of enjoy the work, somewhat don't mind the commute, and pacify ourselves with the paycheck every fourteen days. In reality Mondays are the "Time to make the doughnuts" day. Only becoming something to look forward to when a Monday is a random day off, or your wife's birthday...

My Monday job is a bit of a conundrum. It can be challenging in a good way, has provided good opportunity for me, and most importantly has taught me a lot in a relatively short period of time. But, even the good jobs get bumps in the road. My bump is in the form of a multi-personality personality. Though very distinct and intelligent in certain ways, when these personalities commune in meetings, project execution, or even something as simple as changing a light bulb they can be more counter-productive than Michael Moore at a Kate Hudson movie premiere.

Of course Tuesday comes and a whole new personality walks in. But, Kate Hudson showing up at a Michael Moore movie premiere wouldn't really seem all that odd???

Feels like Monday doesn't it...