mypage2

Hello all...Nice to see you...Well, as a short side note--in case you haven't noticed--my message board closed down...It is nice to know your written messages are so disposable to these leeches...Oh well...I'll tell you a few cool "kid items" that I really think are cool and a must for any well balanced young American child...Here goes...
1)Dr. Suess books...this man is amazing..."Green Eggs and Ham." "Cat in the Hat"..."Sam I Am"...These books are priceless...
2) Mr. Rogers. I was a HUGE Mr. Rogers fan as a child...then I went through a phase of being a "Rogers HATER"...you had to be one in about third grade to save face ya know..Looking back, this guy was a genius...you watch one Mr. Rogers episode and you will improve your own self image more than twenty trips to any therapist in the country...As a side note--the very last new episode of "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" comes on in August..It's the end of an era : (
3) Sports...Kids should play them..They teach teamwork and essential motor skills...Plus, where else can you accuse your neighbor's kid or being a "jerk!" other than at a tee-ball field??
4)Music...I NEVER hear kids singing anymore. I hear lots of "POW'S" and "I'm gonna KILL YOU!!! AHAHAHA's"..but no singing..hmmm...
While we are on the subject of kids I would like to proclaim right here in front of you and all these witnesses that I-Trip Cook- will NEVER EVER own a minivan...or any vehicle who's prime selling point is the number of children it can haul...Buying a minivan is the last admission of the death of one's youth...When you utter those words "I think those Ford Windstars are nice.." You have officially taken your once vibrant youthful spirit and gave it the proverbial knife in the back...Sure, minivans are "cooler" than they used to be---but honestly, I am sure they make some slick looking pocket protectors too--but--no thanks.....Speaking of age...Everyone wants to age gracefully..I hope I age un-gracefully..I want to one of those old men that everyone says "arrrrghhh.." everytime I walk into the room...If you notice--those kind of old men NEVER die..Think of the meanest old fart you know--how old is he??? no one knows...300? 400? These men are ageless..Mean old men never die--they just cease to gripe...I am thinking that it is too late for me- personally- to be remembered for anything amazing or grand that I did...I may as well be remembered by various stomach ulcers and high blood pressure that I so generously give to my loved ones..Enjoy..just a thought...
Song of the day- "It's Oh So Quiet"- Bjork
Word of the day- Bjork

Hey you! How's it going? I am doing just swell--thank you...Well, my family has now just endured a period of deep hardship...With the help of my friends and others-I have been able to cope...What? You didn't hear?? We have been without cereal for like, FOUR days!!!! And I am hungry over here!! Well, they say you don't know what you got till its gone--so in honor of my recent depravity I will now list my top ten all time favorite cereals...this is gonna be tough..But here goes nothing...
10) Frosted Mini Wheats..These things are very good and there is something about the "ruffage" in them that makes me feel good about eating them...Like I am actually eating healthy or something...
9) Apple Jacks..Did you know the first ingredient in these things is CORN?!!? Kandi told me that anyway...I actually checked and she was correct...the second ingredient is WHEAT...Whatever these things are made of--they are good..As a child they would have ranked higher on this list--but somehow my love affair with Apple Jacks seems to have died down a little here lately..
8) Cinnamon Life..my friend Jonathan's family are the only people that I know that buy this stuff...I think they are keeping "Life" in business...It is really good...It has the strangest consistancy of any cereal on this list...
7) Wheaties...I think my love for Wheaties comes from my childhood belief that my abilities as an athlete and as an all around human would be greatly heightened with a few bowls of this stuff...As a child I wouldn't even add extra sugar because I was afriad the sugar would dillute the "power" of just plain Wheat flakes..It is good and crunchy and they always have cool sports centered things on the back of the box...
6)Franken-Berry...I am not sure if I am spelling that right--but who cares? that stuff is gooood..Those red marshmallows are unbelieveable and pack a awesome FRUIT FILLED punch...The main disadvantage of this cereal is its limited availability...
5)Smacks (or Golden Crisp)..Both of the cereal are awesome and I believe are the ONLY cereal that actually has small husk-like things in it...Between Smacks and Golden Crisp--I would have to choose Golden Crisp simply because Sugar Bear is a much cooler mascot than Dig 'em the Frog...
4)Lucky Charms....The only cereal that claims to actually possess some sort of supernatural force ("They're MAGICALLY delicious")...I love to eat the stupid little oat things out and then enjoy a half full bowl of marshmallows and milk...Now, thats some good stuff...
3)Golden Grahams...These used to be my favorite--but I believe they have slightly changed the texture in the past few years..nevertheless, these things are awesome...They also produce some very disturbing looking "yellow-ish" milk...
2)Blueberry Moning..This was tough..I hate to put "BM" at #2 because it is quite worthy to actually be #1..But I had to decide...This cereal is sooo good..It has REAL blueberries in it..It is filling...It is fruity..It is an amazing work of art from our friends at Post...Thanks Post...
1) Cinnamon Toast Crunch---Ok, what else can I say about this stuff that hasn't already been said...I mean it has "cinnamon and sugar you can SEE"...I could probably eat two boxes of "CTC" in one sitting...If you have never tried "CTC" go to the store NOW and buy some...One small complaint..Personally, I wish they would bring back the three chefs instead of only Wendell (the fat chef)..In spite of that--Cinnamon Toast Crunch is pure cereal delight...
Honorable mention- "Corn Pops", "Frosted Flakes", "NesQuik cereal", "Honey Bunches of Trip (of course)" , "Oops! All Berry Cap'n Crunch", "Count Chocula", "Life", "Rice Chex", "Honey OHS!", "Froot Loops",and "Rainbow Brite Cereal"...

Now, not all cereal are blessings...Here are a few cereal's that are a curse to cereal aisles everywhere..(aka 5 worst cereals of all time)
5) Cinnamon Bedrock Crunch....This is a new cereal...please for your own sake--avoid it like the plague..it is terrible..We actually had to throw a whole box away at MY house...and cereal is never ever wasted here..
4) Grape Nuts...These are just way TOO FILLING...I once ate a bowl and wasn't hungry for almost 6 months...
3) Generic Apple Jacks...Any generic brand...These generic people still have not cracked the code for the original and best..
2) All-Bran..Ok, unless you are eating this stuff for medicinal purposes---you are one sick puppy...
1) Cookie Crisp...I am just now recovering from the immense disappointment that struck me the first time I tried these...As a child I imagined these things being the Holy Grail of cereal...My mom would NEVER buy them...I wanted them sooo bad...I mean, on the commercials these guys were risking hard time in prison for ONE BITE! Finally after years of pleeding and begging good ol' mom bought me some!! I could NOT WAIT!!!! I nearly broke into tears after the first bite...These things were terrible...I had put all my hopes and dreams into one cereal and it let me down...I have not been the same since..
Honorable mention for the worst cereal list- "Rice Crispies (Rice Crispy Treats saved them)", "Cap'n Crunch", and Those huge Wheat things(ya know--I think they come in their own individual package) that grandparents put in the micowave with milk-yuck! just a thought..
Song of the day- "Tangled up in Blue"-Bob Dylan
Word of the day- Fructose

Yo..what up? Me-I am just kickin' it here in the hiz-ouse...word...Anyway, my day today has been fairly boring--I woke up..went to work..ate...Ya know-just another day in the life of a hardcore OG....I was thinking today at work...lucky for you...I was thinking about human interaction and what brings people together and what causes dissention and divides people from one another..Everyday, we hear about the horrible hate that seemingly rules our world...I have come to the conclusion that anyone can make friends and be a part of "something"..And now-my friends--I will tell you how...Ok-here it is---Get dumped...Yes, get a "significant other" and then let them treat you like yesterday's trash and then talk about it a little...Before you know it--you will not only gain friends--but you will be a part of a fraternity stronger than any "social club.."...I have found that a little talk of past suffering can bring people of all races, religions, and cultures together....People that have been dumped have a bond that is hard to understand...You can actually sit and talk negatively of one situation in your life with another kind hearted listener and before you can say "I didn't DESERVE to be treated like THAT!" you are a part of "something"...It's like an underground culture...Hard to explain --yet so true...It's sort of like war veterans...You been through the "crap" and only fellow "soldiers" can understand you...You will never truly understand how "horrible" and "evil" people are until you talk to a fellow reject..As iron sharpens iron--so one reject to another..or something like that...I have actually wondered how well an organized "reject club" or commune would be...Only problem is--no one wants to continue in their state of rejection...I have found that being in a state of rejection is much like being in the state of California--it's a nice place to visit--But I don't think I wanna live there...Its hard to find a content reject these days...oh well..Well, I want to take this time to personally thank all of you for your prayers and well wishes concerning my recent cereal depravity---I am happy to report that my pantry is slowly recovering to its original state of well-being...Those well wishes and the basic "will to live" of those empty shelves are a testiment to human...er...shelving potential...Nevermind...Just a thought..
Song of the day- "Desolation Row"- Bob Dylan
Word of the day- heyheywerethemonkees!

Am I doing ok? Fo- Sho! Hope you are too....Last night I sat down and watched some home movies...There is nothing like looking at yourself five years ago and feeling embarrassed..I want to know--is there ANYONE on the earth who doesn't look back to say--1993- and say "OH MY! Did I really look THAT stupid?!".. I think that is the best thing about home movies..In spite of feeling ashamed of yourself--it also kind of reinforces who you are NOW...You are thinking "Boy, I have improved since then..".. It must be depressing to watch a home movie and think "Boy, I looked good then.."..Basically looking good on a home movie signals that you are on the downward slide...And "looking good" is what its all about right?! You might not want to admit it--but ITS TRUE...Don't believe me??! Ok, next time you are out with friends--do this...Discuss how your view on the globalization of our society is slowly killing the "individual" and causing the culture to solely focus on the "masses"...and tell them that these "masses" are not actually a mass of individual's--but a mass of ideas and forced belief's...And through this "progression" of globalization we are becoming a society of mindless drones...Ok, say that...Now, watch their reaction-- and see how many times they bring that up when you come around...Then, a week later--grow a goatee(this also works for girls)...I will personally GUARANTEE that your goatee will get over 25 TIMES the amount of comments as your view on globalization...You want to know why? Because LOOKS MATTER MORE THAN IDEAS, THOUGHTS, or THEORY...We live in an appearance obsessed society...Still not convinced? How many UGLY singers have you seen on MTV lately? I guess ugly people just don't sing anymore or something...Don't think you are part of this shallow conspiracy?? Ok, next time someone is describing another human for you to consider taking out...Listen to the first question you ask..It's not "So, is he/she an honest person..?" or "What is his/her view on the equal distribution of wealth?.." .. 9,999,999,999,999 times out of 10,000,000,000,000-- the question will be "What does he/she LOOK like?"..It's all about looks... To steal a line from one of my heros-Jerry Seinfeld--"You don't see any good looking homeless..:" Just a thought..
Song of the day- "God Gave Rock and Roll to You." Kiss
Word of the day-SHUE

Hello..Nice to see you...I think it is probably nicer to see me though..I mean, if I don't see me--then where am I anyway? Hmmm.. Moving on to a less psycho topic..I think I have started to age...I'll tell you why...I think one of the key evidences that one is getting "old" is the fact that NOTHING excites him/her..I think that is where I am at right now...NOTHING excites me anymore..I mean, I cant remember the last time I said "I cant wait until..." and meant it...Seriously there is nothing that gets me giddy or that childish anticipation feeling anymore..I have found that those feelings of anticipation for me have slowly evolved into the slightly less sought after "nervous" feeling...The things that used to excite me--make me nervous...Ain't that a shame? I mean, I feel like I am just too young to already be thinking thoughts like "Yeah--ok, I've done that before...Whats the BEST that could happen? Oh--that?"....Its hard to explain but you get to the point where you think "Hmmm...Thats nice...I've had this before...It wasnt THAT great..."...I have always been a prime suspect for the "most UN-motivated person in the whole world.." but I like being unmotivated...some occassional excitement would be nice though...I just don't see whats worth all the energy anyway...The world would be a MUCH better place if it were run by us "UNmotivated types.."...President-"Oh, Iraq is bombing Iran? Hmm...I'll work on that after I get some lunch...Anybody want some gyro's or something?"..You never see us laid back types fighting...It's just not worth it to us...Wars are not fought by underacheiving laid back types---Look at some of these horrible tyrants in our past..Hitler..Custer(ok, not a tyrant--but definitely possesses the dorkiness of most tyrants.)...Napoleon...Sadam Hussein...Jimmy Carter (paahahaa!)..Look at these guys...They all fit the bill of the "ambitious motivated young man" perfectly...To be honest--I guarantee if the whole "taking over the world thing" wouldn't have opened up for Adolph or Napoleon--they would probably would have been the guys at Wal Mart who are managers after one month of working there...I like other unmotivated people...It's not that we're LAZY or SLOBS---Our problem is that we think about these "rewards" offered to us--ya know, the ones that these "motivated" types lose all control of their saliva over--and we think "Hmm...whats so great about all that?!?"...We don't go after that much--cause we don't want or need that much...To paraphrase a famous philosopher in my own "Trip version"---"On those who do NOTHING..At least they don't screw anything up..."..Just a thought..
Song of the day- " Fitter Happier"- Radiohead
Word of the day- So?

Hey there...It has been a while since I blessed y'all huh? I have been keeping the low profile here lately..For those of you who allowed to let it "slip your mind"--i recently got a year older..For those of you who were wondering if it is ok to give me my birthday presents a little late--Yes...I will be accepting presents from now until 7-22-02...Thank you..Birthdays are funny things...They are like the annual reminder that time is getting shorter and shorter for you...What I totally despise is the "birthday song"...Whoever wrote this bittersweet symphony must have been one sick puppy...These people aren't wishing you a "happy year.."..just a "happy birthday"..Forget the other 364 days you gotta drudge through...You're on your own there...Let us just look at a few birthday items...and i will attempt to use my razor sharp wit to make these symbols appear as silly as they truly are...
1)Candles-Does anyone know why you have to blow these things out? When did stopping a potential fire become a nice way to express your gratitude to your friends?
2)Presents-Ok, I love some presents..But honestly, aren't birthday presents our way of sayin "Well, you made it...Here's a little something to prove that I remembered that you were brought into this world.."
3)Singing-Enough already!! Please someone stop the insanity! If i wanted to hear your off key voice--I would put a cup next to your bathroom door while you're in the shower..
4) The stupid comments and questions-- Hey I ask these too..But do we really CARE what it feels like to be a year older?
5)Cards- sure, they're nice..but arent they really a way to say "Well, I don't want to waste any of my own precious time expressing how I feel about you--so here's this mass produced piece of paper with some words I didnt write...And look--its got a CROWN on the back"
6)Cake and ice cream- Why not a birthday orange or brocolli..Something that might actually encourage MORE birthdays..honestly, you are celebrating someone's face to face encounter with their own mortality..Cake is not helping things here...
Just a thought..
Song of the day- "When I'm 64"-Beatles
Word of the day- un-honest

First of all--I must get something off my chest--I am a male..total XY...but I have a very special place in my heart for the game shows that air on "Lifetime: Television for WOMEN"..."Supermarket Sweep" is one of the best shows to ever air on TV...I am a little worried about the host though--he just seems TOO happy...People that seem TOO happy scare me...I was thinking yesterday and i came to the conclusion that it is automatically assumed that people who smile and laugh alot are slightly "lacking" in intellect..Think about it--think of all the people you know who are ALWAYS smiling and happy--you think they are stupid don't you? Yup...Why is this? I think it has something to do with the fact that we as a collective society have decided that "Life stinks"...and anyone who does not see this obvious fact is apparently lacking some sort of mental capacity..Think of all the people that you know that are "smart"--they are pretty depressing, no? Ignorance CAN be bliss huh? There are some things I would rather just stay TOTALLY blind to...Moving on, today I was thinking about the "future"..thats always TONS O FUN for old trip...The future is so strange to me---its the one thing everyone plans for--but NO ONE ever gets there..Hmmm...To put it into more practical terms--I was sitting at a meeting at work in which the managment were discussing the "future" of our company with us...and we were told "In every company you are striving toward one goal--and once you reach that goal..you must begin on a new goal..there is no standing still...you're either progressing or falling back.."..How bout that? Sounds good huh? But honestly-I think 99% of the people who inhabit this earth are pretty much just moving from one "goal" to another until they die...No one really stops and just enjoys the fact that they are alive..I have heard it said that we are no longer "human being's" but "Human doing's"..Everyone has got something they are striving for--and there's nothing wrong with that..But seems to me there is way too much striving and not enough "living"...'Just a thought..
Song of the day-"She's a Lady"-Tom Jones
Word of the day- Larusso

Hey there..It has been quite some time..I need to stop being so dang lazy and update this thing more often..Lest I be accussed of not "keepin' it real, yo.."..You have all resided in that warm small fuzzy little triangle shaped area near my left ventricle...Must be nice...I will now attempt to fill you in on what has been going on in my life...Well, my childhood best friend was married this past weekend (and er...i ate some cake..and um..the punch was good..).. Moving on to a less frightening topic--I got a new job..woohoo! If there is one thing that i love--It's CHANGE! Ok, maybe not...My new job is an inside office job-and the first job I have ever had in which the words "Use your legs to lift that.." hasn't come up..I have noticed many new intersting things about "office work"..Here goes..
1) You aren't given "work.."..Its called "projects"..
2) You aren't given a "job.." its called a "position.."
3)You aren't a "worker"..You're "personnel"..
These are just a few of my many many observations these past few days..One other thing i have picked up on--at my old job--aggression was in the air...I worked at a place where it was hot..and sticky..and hearing one man defame another man's mother over a small incident was a common occurance... Yellling, screaming,swearing, biting, spitting and scratching were all standard operating procedure..At this new job--everyone wears their nice clothes, says nice things,listens to nice instrumental versions of cheesy love songs(aka-elevator muzak) and wears their nicest smile..At the end of the day at my old job--I felt like i had let off a large amount of aggression and by the time io got to my car--it was time for some "wind down" music...Now, when choosing my "drive home music" --I immediately reach for the closest piece of musical rage i can find and proceed to listen at seemingly unhealthy levels..Gimmie fuel indeed...Lastly, the other night i was with a good "pal" of mine (whose name will be withheld to protect the innocent) and as we were proceeding down an old country road--we noticed a car approaching with great speed..Naturally this person began to speed up...Well, as the car began to pass us as a very high rate of speed..my "pal" also began to speed up ever so slightly..As i glanced to the side--I saw a White BMW...As we were driving the car then suddenly flipped on some bright blue lights..Yes..you guessed it..5-0...po-po..John Law..Cop..(dont worry..we didnt get a ticket)..I could point the obvious irony in the fact that an agency that is here to "SERVE and protect" is driving a German luxury vehicle that costs more than more houses in the area..But I won't..The real issue is--Am I the only one thats frightened by the fact that law enforcement has run out of ideas on how to make more money--...er.. catch more "bad guys" ..and they now feel the need to disguise themselves..I thought it the criminals who were supposed to be hiding...Just a thought..
Song of the day- "So Happy Together(Yeah-its a cover of the Turtles song)" New Found Glory
Word of the day- Liiiife

Ok, so today I don't really have a "thought" per se--but a small excerpt from a seies of essays I have been considering writing for quite some time--tentatively I am gonna call it something like "Music in 2001: How bad can it get?" or something like that--If you guys have any better ideas for a title--feel free to email me and lemme know--...Ok, heres a working first draft on my first section of the series of essays..Enjoy : )

                                                               BLAME MTV

   Many people in the music community seemed baffled these days as to "what happened" to music..A once thriving, creative ART FORM is now reduced to a money making BUSINESS...What happened? There are many answers to this sad--yet all too true question--I believe one of the most obvious answers to this question is MTV...Yes, the enemy of every fourty year old housewife and the best friend of every 14 year old young boy--MTV...I admit--I do enjoy tuning in occassionally for a little brain-less fun...But what is "entertaining" and what is "beneficial" for music are two totally different entities...MTV is killing music--and we're all tuning into the execution everyday at 3..
     The enemy in question-MTV-has not always been a leech on the proverbial arm of music..Quite the contrary--though its hard to remember--MTV once revived a near dead music scene..After the the horrible scare that was-disco- died in the late 1970's--barring punk--popular music was stuck in the muck and mire of a corporate rock sound that pandered to radio instead of attempting to produce anything of depth...Basically, music was stale..Then came a brand new avenue for expression-MTV...MTV gave artists the opportunity to put moving pictures to their music..and allowed viewers to finally SEE their favorite artists UP close and personal--right in their living rooms..This gave artists that never would have been played on the radio a chance to have their music heard..Soon, a new twist on rock and dance-"new wave" exploded and artists like the B-52s and Gary Numan were household names..and music was finally alive and well once again. MTV had given a fading music scene a breath of life...But just like every mother has told their birthday cake deprived children--"too much of ANYTHING is a bad thing.."
     As MTV continued to blossom int he 1980's--something happened...Not just with music--Something was happening in America..People began getting rich--and excess was the rule..It didn't take long for this combination of greed and excess to infect the music industry..People had extra money--specifically young people--and they were willing to spend some of that extra money on their favorite artist's new cassette...The music industry was booming..Albums like Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and Van Halen's "1984" flew off the shelves at record paces..Suddenly, MTV was not a means to promote an artistic vision--but a means to show a 3 minute commercial of "our band's" new cassette...Promotion began to supercede art..Money was in--and your favorite band WANTED YOURS...Bands like REO Speedwagon and Journey began selling millions of their radio friendly corporate rock--and they had one group to thank--our friends at the Music Television Station..Then, came one of the lowest points in the history of music--and thing is--we never saw it coming--it looked like a big ball of curl and hair spray--yes HAIR BANDS invaded America- with a guitar in their hand and rouge on their face..This was only a signal of what was to come..
    As bands like Poison and Cinderella became a part of Americana--music was slowly dying...MTV had given us what we wanted--More hair--less brains..Some hair bands went so far as to even ADMIT that image was much more important to them than the actual MUSIC..Within 10 years we had went from the amazing sounds of Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" and the social upheaval appeals of the Clash's "London Calling" to "Nothing But a Good Time" by Poison...Music was choking on its own ambition...gagging on its favorite food..Then in a blaze of flannel and torn jeans came something new--and it smelt like teen spirit...
       Bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, and Alice in Chains brought something that had been missing for the past 10 years--anger, angst, and ugliness--with a catchy beat..Music finally had a brain again..MTV soon caught up with the rest of America and began showing videos by these so-called "grunge" artists--and almost overnight bands like Poison went from "Best Seller" to "Biggest Joke"..As this new breed of punk caught fire--MTV once again began to feed--or force feed--us moving pictures of these new "saviors" of music..But these "saviors" never wanted to SAVE ANYTHING--they just wanted to make music--and that's what made them great--But the proverbial spotlight of fame shone much too bright on these sensitive rockers...MTV had given them a platform they never asked for..These bands found themselves in the public eye--whether they liked it or not..Then--one of the leaders of this group of reluctant hero's-Kurt Cobain--committed suicide..Suddenly the public realized just how real this pain these artists spoke of really was..Music was not big enough to hold the anguish and pain--and with the death of Cobain--it became all too clear that something that started so beautfully-- was suddenly too ugly to even look at....The youth of America had seen enough--a man that should have felt loved by millions felt just as alone as they did...A man's plea for help was not heard--We were too busy singing along to actually LISTEN..
   Young people needed an escape--something lighter, happier--to make us forget what we all could not...Then, came bands like No Doubt and Sublime--These bands made good music that felt less heavy and angst ridden..It fit in perfect at MTV.....Nevertheless, with a few exceptions--music seemed to have hit rock bottom---Then, came the ultimate knife in the back of music--a little show called "Total Request Live" or TRL..A show that allows 13 and 14 year olds everywhere to choose their own videos--and gives these children a platform through which to proclaim the cutest member of their favorite group..Content is an afterthought while shirtless 18 year olds with rippling muscles dancing in the rain has become commonplace...The importance of the music is secondary-WHAT these artists are saying is insignificant compared to how they LOOK when they say it...The music industry is selling the youth of America bubble gum--and they're chewing it--by the millions..With this gum--Cash is king once again..and all we can hope for is a few "cavities"..
Why is this hurtful to music? The visual element of music should play some role--but when that visual element grows to the magnitude it is now--we are all victims..Music is no longer forced to paint pictures to the listener..Just listen to "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" by the Beatles or "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin and images abound in your mind without any sort of pictures to help you along--just a pair of closed eyes and some imagination..You are allowed to interpret your own feelings or emotions given by the songs..Todays music has no need to be vivid or descriptive--thats what videos are for, right? To SHOW the "listener" what they are SUPPOSED to think about the song..Music is no longer made to be an "experience" (as Jimi Hendrix put it)-but is made in a very calculated way to sell more albums, t-shirts, action figures, and LIVE Videos and DVD's..Many songs are made simply to "fit" into certain concepts for videos..Videos are no longer a breath of life to the music community but a cheap crutch on which weak and empty music has propped itself on for far too long now..Music needs new life--and the only way to heal this broken art form is to tear it down and start building again..Good music wil rise again--I just want to be here when it does..

Words cannot express all the things that have happened in our world in the past 48 hours..I will not even begin to pretend I have the words to say at a time like this...But I just wanted to get on here to express what has been one of the most apparent things to me through this entire tragedy--That could have been me..It could have been any one of us..I think that the images we see on the news now should be a reminder to each one of to "seize the day.."..Life is just sooo fragile and so short to not let those close to you know how you feel...I dont want to ever leave anything unsaid when my time comes..I want those people who have touched my life (all of you who read this have in some way..) to know how much they mean to me..The sons,daughters, wives, husbands, girlfriends, relatives, and friends of those who died at the WTC certainly believed they would see their loved one again that night..They had no way of knowing that those were the final moments of life for that person..and we do not know either...I just want to thank those of you who have been there for me personally throughout the years..I know I have not been the most "love-able" person --yet so many of you have showed me complete unconditional love in spite of myself--and for that i am eternally grateful--i will never be able to repay all of the things many of you have done for me..Even the little things many of you have done for me have meant so much..You guys will never fully understand what just knowing many of you has meant to me..I cannot imagine where my life would be without you guys..I cannot express my gratitude in words..Thank you...I am consistantly humbled by you guys and your selflessness..If you are reading this right now---that means there is still time..There is no petty disagreement or argument that is worth the chance of never tellling someone how you feel...We are only given a set number of days on this earth--after yesterday i can honestly say i am truly grateful for the ones i have already lived...and for those of you who have been put in my life...in a world where hate seems to reign supreme--please love someone..As cliche as that sounds--love is really the only thing that we can hold onto in times like these..Don't give up..As much of the "sinking sand" in the world today--love can "never fail"..As much love as we are all given--give some of it away today..Just a thought..

Song of the day- "Imagine"- John Lennon
Word of the day- ......

Anoter quote for today: "I know what God looks like.."- Ian Cook-4 years old (why do I not doubt this? like a child indeed)

Hey there..Once again, it has been quite some time since I have updated my page..So, I wil now attempt to shake off the proverbial rust and press on..Obviously, there is a whole lot going on in the world right now..Things I don't really understand-- and certainly do not feel qualified to spout my opinion on--so I will move on to much less important issues that I feel much more comfortable with..Yesterday, your e-hero (that's me) did not have to go to work..I was given a PAID day off to observe "Columbus Day"--and don't tell anyone--but Mr. Columbus did not cross my mind the whole day..I think certain holidays should have an expiration date--once their significance fades--they should be given a nice ceremony and should be buried..On another note--at work I have been making "Civilian Id Cards" for pretty much EVERY employee of the federal government within a 500 mile radius..Anyway, with these ID cards-one of my duties is to take pictures of these people..One thing I have learned from this project is this--86% of all people are in denial as to the depths of their ugliness..I have heard so many of the following comments--view with discretion..
"Oh, this picture is from my bad side.."-Bad side? Honestly, your other side LOOKS just as OFFENSIVE...
"There is not enough light for these pictures.." - Oh, I'm sure another 90 watts in this light bulb would make that double chin all but invisible to the genral public..
"Ohh.. you caught me on a bad day.."- Translation-'I'm good looking--really I AM! in spite of what you may think as you look at me..Normally I am 50 pounds lighter, and look 20 years younger.. "
"OOH! I don't REALLY look like this --do I?" -Yes, you do...
So, please if you know someone who is in denial about their ugliness problem--get them help..admitting your problem is the first step to recovery...just a thought..
Song of the day-"Oceans"-Pearl Jam Word of the day- serendipity