Salem's Sanity

Moments in history — Obama on Afganistan troops withdrawal

2011-06-23T17:15:00.004-04:00

This seemed like a good time to update this blog with a new post.

At times it is hard to believe how long it has been since 9/11 and the war in Iraq began. When I was in a classroom at high school as the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center were attacked, I never would have thought today I would be a reporter helping document history. I think many people my age won't forget that moment, but how we have progressed since then is also interesting. We have had rather divisive national politics, but under dire circumstances we know our nation is united. Also, whether you support or don't support President Obama getting elected, it was another historic moment and one I won't forget.

Then, on top of the moments mentioned, we have the death of Osama bin Laden, which was another feat our country has accomplished. When I sit back and think about everything I've witnessed during my life it is rather remarkable. There are even more moments, positive and negative, I've seen but it would take too long to list. If you're reading this, you probably lived through all those moments too.

I didn't get to see the president live last night (I actually saw a movie screening for free), so if you were like me I'd take a minute to watch the video of his speech unless you already did before reading this post.

Typical Tuesday diet

2011-01-12T01:52:00.000-05:00

In response to my previous entry about the not-so-great diet of my journalism lifestyle I thought it would be funny, in some aspect, to what my meals actually consisted of today.

Breakfest:

Coffee (w/ cream and sugar of course)
Little Debbie brownie

Lunch:

Leftover chinese food

sesame chicken
pork fried rice
three steamed dumplings

Water

Dinner

Another coffee (this time Dunkin Donuts)
Chocolate glazed doughnut

There you have it folks, the diet of my pre-deadline day morning on Wednesday. Honestly, it doesn't usually differ too much from something like this on a Tuesday. Then on Wednesday morning I will usually get a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a hard roll with a coffee from the local market by my office. I need something to get me going that morning.

Oh, and digging my car out of the snow tomorrow morning will also be a welcomed joy.

A Journalist's New Years Resolution

2011-01-08T13:28:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading the Columbia Journalism Review's story "The Hamster Wheel" that any journalist or someone who is interested in how their news is selected should read. The 24/7 news cycle and technology growth is truly shaping the news industry, but the media often times is just not accepting the evolution. Any reporter and journalism student know that fact.

This led me to hop onto their website, after carefully holding the print edition, where I stumbled across their blurb Media New Year's Resolutions. I think the first paragraph just rings so true.

No point giving up dark chocolate, red wine, or blacker-than-black coffee. We’re journalists. We’d last a week. Max.

If I've learned one thing about being a reporter, it is your diet tends to suffer. There is a mix of rapid fast food stops and coffee binges, while puffing done another cigarette to make it through the day. I think if I had a resolution it would be to not eat so, well, unhealthy. Oh, and maybe get some more sleep, but that might be asking for too much.

I'm sure some of my problems are my own fault. Procrastination has been an ongoing problem for me. I'll never forget taking one of those tests online and coming up with the status "severe procrastinator," but the results are always the same for me. I'm not sure why I am this way, but I think I have been making some stride in that category.

Making a New Year's resolution though I now view as a curse. I never am able to keep any resolution I make, so in many ways I think it is damning to make it in the first place. In some superstitious way, I don't want to damn myself in an area I want to make an improvement. For instance, last year my resolution was to take better care of my teeth, which my dentist was pleased to hear. Well, lets just say that didn't turn out quite how I planned.

Well, I already had some coffee, chocolate and a cigarette today, so I think I am off to a pretty nice start.

Bill Zeller suicide note

2011-01-07T15:10:00.000-05:00

I happened to just stumble upon this story on Gizmodo and new as soon as I read it I would have to share it here to make sure everyone got the chance to read the suicide note Bill Zeller wrote.

To spare going into detail, it is a rather powerful and emotional piece of writing. I think anything someone writes in a suicide note probably would be, but Zeller really takes the time to explain his reasoning for taking his life. For a little background, he said he was sexually abused when he was a child and that stuck with him throughout his life, which caused him basically to never live a normal life.

Click here for Gizmodo story

Hopefully if others feel this way they can find something to help them out.

Let it snow

2010-11-08T17:20:00.000-05:00

I might be one of the few people that actually enjoy the first snowfall. With many people it seems to instill dread of the upcoming season, but I always seemed to enjoy the coming of season.

Even though I do snowboard now, though I didn't go last year, I enjoyed the snow without the board under my feet. Sure, as a child I loved the first time I would get to go sledding or jump in my snow-filled backyard. There always seemed to be something magical about snow and the ironic warmth it would bring to me. Now that I'm older I do think back on all the good memories I had sloshing through the snow.

Who doesn't remember watching a local broadcast news station during the morning hours before school to find out it was a snow day? Those were one of the best days any kid can have growing up. The freedom to know that on one blistery cold day you could escape the school day and just be a kid again. I have to say, I wish I still got snow days in the working world, but I had to pick the one profession that never stops for anything. At least I love what I do.

As my peers seem to let out cries against the white fluff on social sites, I can only share my excitement. Sure, there are things that aren't great, but I think every season has its ups and downs. To me, it just makes more sense to embrace the positive aspect. I'm not some happy-go-lucky person either, as many people will tell you, but for something you have no control over you might as well try to enjoy it if you can.

The snow ushers in many good things, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. I enjoy seeing all the Christmas lights around nearby towns and cities. There is a festive atmosphere in the winter that just isn't in any other season. You remember the family you have and the family members that are no longer around, but still in your thoughts. It is really about the good times.

When you look at the snow maybe you will see at as more than just white powder, or maybe you'll just be pissed you have to shovel out your car. Either way, cheers to the start of another winter.

You're at the right place

2010-10-03T23:50:00.000-04:00

This blog used to be "You're Famous When You're Dead," but after trying to decide what to do with Salem's Sanity (the old one) and YFWYD I decided to just make this blog the new Salem's Sanity.

All of the old posts from YFWYD are still on here and I don't plan to move all the old Salem's Sanity posts to here. They had there relevance at a time, but I don't see the point in transferring all of them over to this blog. What I used this blog for will still remain the same, with some possible album reviews and other news related opinion pieces. To not have a conflict, I don't plan to write any opinion pieces on things I cover for the newspaper I work at, but maybe some national news items would be okay.

I think most people reading this blog also read what used to be Salem's Sanity and there is a post on that site explaining everything, so I'll spare writing too much here.

I'm still working on revamping the design of this blog, so it might change more over time. I'll try to update it more often too. Hopefully I can at least write one post a week.

Pondering the WoW side of life

2010-05-29T20:00:00.002-04:00

For a while now I've been debating to purchase World of Warcraft. During college I knew I couldn't play it. I've heard the horror stories when people went that route. Besides, I think I know my own limits. I played Call of Duty a ton, but I still managed to graduate with honors — so, you can game and be successful.

Since I've graduated college I've been looking for a job for several months and gaming often has came back into the picture. I guess I just feel like I am accomplishing something when I play video games, but in reality I am not really accomplishing anything tangible. There are many other things I could be doing, such as actually updating my blogs. Lately, I've been trying to find ways to get paid for writing I do. I did find a few avenues for that, so updating blogs almost seemed like a waste of time.

Now the real question seems to be whether I should finally allow myself to play WoW. I always try to weigh the pros and cons of situations. The biggest con seems to be my girlfriend would probably be extremely pissed at me. For the most part, that has kept me from thinking about it. Also, the reccuring monthly fee isn't something I am crazy about either. I am spoiled cause I play PS3 online for free while other people pay fees for Xbox, but that is a whole different debate.

Do I really take the jump? The desire to play WoW seems to be more of an impulsive thing for me. After a little while I don't care as much anymore to play the game. I don't think I have ever really been addicted to a game or gaming either. If I was addicted to gaming then how did I graduate college? I think that would have been impossible.

Yes, I play video games more than I might like to admit, but does anything really negative come out of it? I'm sure there is probably something, but nothing overly drastic yet. I just find it to be a very relaxing and stimulating hobby. I guess that is why it has overtaken many of my other hobbies. I have an addictive personality at times, so that is why I should have never started smoking.

Well, I don't really want to play WoW anymore, now that I took the time to write all this. I guess I should play the games I have for PS3 first, because I still have games that are unopened. Sometimes I just can't pass up a good deal, because there is always some time in the future I am sure I can fit it in.

Actually, I think a part of me still wants to play it.

Atomic Fallout Wildlife

2010-01-21T11:20:00.009-05:00

This morning I watched a really cool documentary on HD Theater called "Chernobyl: Life in the Dead Zone." I would have never thought there was still a great deal of wildlife thriving in the aftermath of the nuclear power plant explosion.

Someone seems to have posted the video on YouTube broken into several parts, so I thought I would post the first part of the video here for you to check out if you can't watch it on television. Of course there are probably torrents of the video out there too.

The cats are so damn cute in this movie. All the animals are really interesting to watch. They decide to follow a few different animals, so you get to see how each lives out their life. At times different animals they are following cross paths too.

Only complaint I have is they really don't show any of the animals killing other animals. That surprised me. It just seems odd that they show a lot of footage about an animal, but skip over the most dramatic stuff. Still, the documentary held my interest even when I had to wait for the commercial breaks.

Does this thing ever get updated?

2010-01-19T02:08:00.003-05:00

My problem seems to be that I don't find the time or effort to write and update my blogs. Before it was college and then it was the internship and now it is the job search. Also, I very rarely do anything on the internet in the summer...I like to think of it as my digital vacation. You should try taking an extended break or drastic reduction of time from the digital world. It is really rather refreshing.

In the beginning of winter I found myself in a sort of gloomy state. It probably didn't help that during my internship I was in the Empire State Plaza Concourse in an office that had no windows. As the air grew colder the amount of sunlight I saw shrunk. When I walked to work I saw the sunrise and when I left work I saw the sunset. Of course a few smoking breaks I would take outside, but those were really minimal times outside at best.

Then my anxiety seemed to worsen slowly as my internship ended. I'm not totally sure of all the reasons why, but I think I know a few of them. It is hard to really convey to someone else what it is like to live with an anxiety disorder — something that you struggle to control. I've said before that sometimes I just wish I was normal and didn't have to deal with it, but then I remind myself that I could be far worse off and to be thankful for all the positive things in my life I do have.

How this all relates to writing, I don't know. I wish I did more of it. A lot more of it. I should probably do what Howie Good said in class before — set aside a designated time to write each day and all you can do is write for the full amount of time. It would probably do me some good. There are just so many other distractions and things to do that it can be hard to focus. Also, as a journalist I tend to do a lot of writing anyway, but not writing that is really for me.

I really miss writing poetry, but a part of me feels that I just can't do it anymore. The driving force that was there before just doesn't seem to be there anymore. I'm not really sure why, but that just seems to be the way it is. I'm sure I could change this, but I have never been when to force writing. I just did it when it came to me and maybe that is the problem. I might need to coax the writing essence to come out of me a little more than I do currently.

It just seems to be such a damn busy world out there.

The Loss of a Loved One

2009-09-28T08:25:00.004-04:00

When my grandfather on my Dad's side passed away it was truly tough, because I had never dealt with the loss of someone I was close to before. That was less than two years ago now. It seems like yesterday in some ways. Now, my grandmother on my Dad's side has passed away. It all seemed to happen very fast.

My Mother's parents passed away before I was ever born, so I never met them. Now, both of my Dad's parents have passed away, so now I have no living grandparents. That is a really weird feeling. I didn't really expect it to happen this soon. They both passed away while I was at New Paltz, even though now I am in Albany doing my internship currently. Both of them were so proud of me for going to college and getting as far as I have gotten. I wish they both could have seen me graduate, because they have truly been a big inspiration for me. I would always think of them when the going got tough. I got strength through them. I don't think that is going to change either.

I'm not really sure where I was going with this entry. I just felt like something needed to be said. It doesn't seem to get that much easier to deal with even though I have went through it once before. It took me a little while to go through the motions last time, but I feel like I am mentally dealing with it a little sooner this time. It just didn't seem real when it happened last time. This time I saw my grandmother in the hospital hours before she passed away.

I'm glad she opened her eyes and saw me before I left. I don't think I will ever forget that moment. There was just something powerful shared between us without her even saying anything. Now it is just how I move on from this loss, but I will have to figure that out as I go along.

Getting Thrown Into the Deep End

2009-09-13T19:32:00.004-04:00

The first week of my journalism internship is over and the second week is going to start tomorrow. It was a rather sticky and unusual first week. No orientation — no introduction. Just start typing and get going on some stories. Made for an interesting first week.

I never thought on my first day I would be calling up Assemblymen and starting to type out a story, but it was rather interesting. Later I found out the desk I choose that day would be mine for the rest of the semester. That is okay I guess, because I do like where I am sitting, although, I feel it slightly isolates me from the editors. Random how where you sit really affects your daily work life. I get selected, well, never, to do any stories that arise. I have to go to my editors and ask for more work. I think that will change soon, but maybe not? Maybe it doesn't have to do with where I am sitting either?

The cafeteria in the concourse, though, has pretty damn good food. I've said it is even the best meal I eat all day. Might be a little more costly, but I think it is worth it. Guess I just got to see how my expenses start to sort out as time goes on. On a side note, I wouldn't mind getting HDTV too. I think it is only like $10 more a month — but I digress. So far I am still trying to not have that much caffeine, so that is hard at times. I just have to make sure I get enough sleep every night and I am usually pretty good. Still got my cigarettes.

I already know one story I am going to be working on next week and I am really excited about it. So far, I haven't seen any other news source covering the story I am working on. Should be pretty cool if it stays that way and I get my story out first. I wouldn't be surprised if other news sources then followed me.

I hope your summer was good everyone, but now it is time to get back to work.

In Order to Express

2009-07-29T01:32:00.004-04:00

I know why
I write —
my tears need
someplace to fall.

My love
doesn’t look pretty
typed out.

You don’t want
to hear me love —
it wouldn’t hold
your interest.

My pain
bleeds vivacious beauty
typed out.

The moment
for words
is during nothingness.

I need words
when everything fails
to help me cope.

I’ll take a sip
and then write
some more misery.

It needs to get out.

Sand on State Street?

2009-07-27T20:58:00.004-04:00

Here is a quick but late update I meant to post a little while ago. Well, at least I should have posted it. I did tweet it on my twitter account. It is amazing what you can do with "phones" these days.

This was the same night and event that I talked about in the previous post where I uploaded the fireworks video. I'm still not sure what the event was called.

Teaser: I will write about the amazing apartment I am going to rent in Albany with Dylan. I really need to get some pictures up here so everyone can see it!

First iPhone Video

2009-07-20T16:48:00.003-04:00

Well, I get my iPhone 3G S for my birthday at the beginning of July and I have been highly enjoying it. Since it deterred me from playing my PS3 for a while you know it has to be good. I might do another post about the iPhone later, but since I have been lax with updating both my blogs I thought I would share this video with everyone that hadn't already seen it.

Feel free to subscribe to my YouTube channel too. I don't have that many videos posted, but I think I might try to update it a little bit from time to time since I can capture things on my iPhone.

I hope everyone has been enjoying their summer!

I Meet Him at a Bar

2009-06-29T15:25:00.008-04:00

I was out at the bars a couple nights ago with Dylan and it turned out rather good. First we were at Bomber's in Schenectady, but it was way too damn crowded. I had to bounce from that place. An overly crowded bar is not really my thing. Seriously, about 30 people walked in right before me and Dylan were finished eating our tacos (I always forget to say no sour cream). It wouldn't have been too bad if a mass of people didn't just show up together.

Moving on, so we were deciding were to go and I figured we could go to Manhattan Exchange. It is a slightly more upscale bar then the rest of the ones we normally go to in Schenectady. The nice thing there is that you know it isn't going to get overly crowded, usually has a nice atmosphere, there are HD TV's and free freshly popped popcorn. Sounds good, right?

Me and Dylan weren't sitting there too long before a friendly conversation started with two guys in their early 30's. Long story short, I found out that the one guy, Matt, was really into metal music. He got to talking to me and ended up giving me three CD's that he burned of bands he liked. So far, I have only listened to the first one and I am in love with this band — Kylesa. They kick some major ass and remind of a style similar to Mastodon. Oh, and one of the guitarists is a chick — that totally kicks ass (hence picture).

Who would have thought that I would meet a dude at the bar that gives me three CDs, oh, and he bought me and dylan a shot of Jameson. Pretty cool dude.

Now, should I be worried that he wanted my number and I gave it to him?

The Summer Dilemma

2009-06-09T04:23:00.002-04:00

It seems like whenever it is the summer I get faced with the same thing — I don't get anything constructive done.

I don't know why, but I don't seem to ever want to do anything. Right now my main concern is just trying to find I job. That is a huge pain in the ass. Even though I am about to graduate with a BA in journalism I probably still won't be "qualified" enough for a job behind a register. Every job I have ever gotten was cause I knew someone. I never really got hired for just me. That seems to be the way the world goes — you gotta know someone. Then again, if you know nobody, that might say something about your social skills. Oh well, whatever.

I have a lot of little things that I want to get done this summer. This happens every summer during the last few years. I got books I want to read, games to beat, songs to finish, bands to start and other various hobbies to pursue. Usually, barely any of it gets one (well the video game one probably will). Damn, now I can't even find my lighter. Okay, it was right next to the keyboard. Time to smoke.

One thing I do a lot during the summer though is drink. I'm not really sure why this happens. I don't get sloshed every night (actually, rarely ever), but I do drink almost every night. Usually around 3-4 beers over a few hours. During college I drank like once a week. Now, this happens pretty much every summer the last few years, but it is kinda weird. At least my tolerance gets built up I suppose?

Even doing things like writing in this blog never seem to get done. Maybe I take it too seriously. That could be a problem. I just take too many things too seriously. Or maybe I am lazy. But how I am lazy if I am about to graduate from college. I do procrastinate — I know that.

I'm pretty sure my credit score must be horrible.

After Seeing a Picture...

2009-06-09T04:04:00.000-04:00

A huge straight edge tattoo across your upper chest...really?

I'm sorry, but in my book that is pretty lame.

Typewriter Ramble #2

2009-03-31T02:59:00.002-04:00

THE GONZO'S FEAR & LOATHING: REFLECTIONS ONE HAS YET TO KNOW

The air is cold, as it suggests for me to continue down the path I have yet to see. Still, I must continue — the scent is drawing me in. Closer I walk as the leaves from strangled trees wave past my eyes. Silently I sing a lullaby that my mother would recite before she kissed my head. I fell asleep there as the colors stop to be what they were. They took on a whole new hue — one no person has ever seen. I was compelled to see the vibrancy at its fullest.

I only had to hope for what I thought it to be and then it would become something even I could not believe in. Yes, something that even a mother could not dream up to tell her child. That great truth we seek for out whole life, but maybe we can only find it in death?

In the silence we can hear everything that has yet to be heard — all those soft little sounds that come out of our true being. For it is screaming a scream that has never, not even once, been heard. THAT is the sad truth of it all.

Only if we could hear, truly hear, the first great truth to ever be known. Maybe the truth is already in the situation? That could be the truth and the only truth we could ever know.

3/2/2009

My Grand Life Goals (Round 1)

2009-03-01T23:56:00.000-05:00

I was asked to respond to this question in my Media Ethics course at SUNY New Paltz:

In his book, "A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy," philosophy professor William Irvine says many people have trouble naming their grand goal in living. Do you? In other words, of the things in life you might pursue, which is the thing you believe to be most valuable?

Sharing my answer seemed like a suitable thing to post to this blog. Since this blog, in some regards, is another thing I use to utilize these goals. Check out what I had to say and feel free to leave me a comment that sums up how you feel about this question in regards to yourself.

The first thing I remember promising myself, was that I would not work for a 9-to-5 job in a cubicle. I didn’t want an office job. I wanted something with more adventure and creativity. I wanted something that I could express myself in order to do my job. I guess that is how, in turn, I feel into journalism, eventually.

Ever since my mid-teens I have had this feeling that I wanted to change the world. I always feel childish admitting this, but I feel like I was put on this earth to change the world, or at least to affect some part of it in a positive manner. There are just too many reasons for me not to believe that I have a strong purpose here. I just don’t want to bore you with the details about why I feel this way. It started out that I thought I could achieve this through poetry, but now I feel I have more chance to do this through journalism. Who knows, maybe there will be a poetry revival in the future. At least I hope there is one — even if I never get my poetry published.

Lastly, I have decided recently that I want to be remembered. I don’t think it is being famous that I want, but I do want to be remembered in the future. I would like to have my writing looked back upon with significance to our culture and life. Similar to how we look back and study these great writers, such as (insert your favorite writer here), I want to be reflected upon too. I want to leave my mark on the journalism and literary world. Then I could die a content man.

Typewriter Ramble #1

2009-02-28T21:47:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Dylan, who recently offered to give me a typewriter he had sitting around from some suburban garage sale many years back, I have acquired a typewriter. I guess Facebook truly can be a good social networking tool. I posted something to the effect, "John Purcell wants to get a typewriter," as my Facebook status. Shortly later Dlyan offered the gift. Who would've thunk it? I certainly didn't, but, thanks again!

Besides a new ribbon and maybe some small maintance it should be really set. I am not sure how to get the musty smell off it though. Even the paper I typed onto reeks of this musty smell. It is not the worst smell, though, kinda homey.

After a Gonzo Imperial Porter, Miller High Life and two White Russians (with extra vodka) I sat down with the typewriter at Dylan's house while other friends conversed around me. I am not sure what exactly I was going to write when I sat down, but I just wanted to nail out something. Whatever the typewriter made me feel — for better or worse.

This made me think that I might have certain reoccuring posts just be whatever I ramble out on the typewriter. Hence the name for this post, "Typewriter Ramble #1," so maybe there will be more in the future, but here is the first.

You have no heart ... he is the golden boy of your sick shit.

What does the boy want from his father? The golden goose of sincerity that grows under his father's pathetic job of regret. The man said yes to his offer, for he had nothing to hide from his son. He gave him the gold he desired and he didn't shed a tear. He was only full of hope for the future of his family — he could not see the scum bubbling into his mouth. Yes, the scum does rise.

The Journalist's Drug

2009-02-21T18:33:00.002-05:00

I feel in love with this video the first time I saw it. This one goes out to all the coffee drinkers out there...let us hope we don't slip into a coffee paranoia.

le Café - Oldelaf (english subtitles)
Uploaded by Boebis

You Gotta Feel It Man

2009-02-16T03:18:00.008-05:00

"Some days I just really feel like a journalist." -Me

That was something that just really got me thinking. Why do I feel more like a journalist on certain days? Does it have to do with something that happened to me? Is there something that angered or frustrated me? Does it have to do with what I have been reading or watching? Maybe it is what I choose to wear? Could it really just be in the coffee?

Hunter S. Thompson really sparks me, I do know that. It always helps to read/study/observe those you idle. Although, I do not want to be the next Hunter S. Thompson. That would be pretty foolish...cause who the fuck could really be him, shit!

Well, whatever the answer is, maybe a mixture of them all, it seems I just feel more like a journalist at certain times. I have been falling further and further into becoming my major — which I hope you know after that long rant — journalism. I am finding myself welcoming and embracing the thought of being a journalist. I guess I am getting the feeling that I have chosen what is right for me. My biggest fear is that I am not going to amount to something on a grand scale. Not that I want to be famous, I don't feel that is really the word I would be going for, nor what I am striving for. "Famous" seems to involve a lot of dirty, shoe licking and puss sucking. Being well known, or at least well respected within a certain group, is all I really am striving for.

"Book people drink tea — Journalists drink coffee...and sometimes alcohol."

I feel like that quote is probably a mixture of a few real quotes. I like to think I added the "and sometimes alcohol" to the quote first, but who knows. I am still amazed how the "old school" journalist could pound down coffee during the day and pound down their liquor even harder at night. Yeah, and this is like every day.

"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me." - Hunter S. Thompson

The Restroom Entry

2009-01-26T14:40:00.003-05:00

Right now I am sitting in a public restroom. This is the first time I think I have ever been on my laptop in one...and much-the-less, actually had a WiFi connection. Sitting here, it seemed like a worthy moment to post an entry.

Let me tell you one thing — if you have a medium Red Bull and a small Latte and still cannot wake up, then you are in trouble. This is my case at the moment. Maybe 5 and a half hours of sleep is just not simply enough for me. Either way, I still have two more classes to go to and will not be out of here till 7:10 p.m. That three hour class is going to kill me.

One thing I have been noticing lately is that reading a book for leisure is hard to do. I don't think our culture is built to have leisure time for reading. While I do enjoy reading, it seems hard to just do, without having to fulfill some requirement/assignment for a class. I still have 10 pages left in Gonzo, that I have had for over a week now. Then I hope to read "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by you know who. If you don't know, well, you should, so shame on you. There really needs to be a course just on Hunter S. Thompson.

Okay, time to get off the throne and pull my pants up — I got me some college to go to.

I Spy A Messy Stench

2008-12-11T12:58:00.005-05:00

I am surprised it really took me this long to notice, but there was someone in one of my classes that came the closest to looking like Messy Stench that I have ever seen in person. First off, you are probably like who the hell is that — that is if you don't know me overly well. Even my parents know who she is, because of me. I think now I am more known for my Lindsey Lohan obsession, which is a shame, because Messy Stench is truly a more noble obsession. Then again, me and Lohan have the same birthday, so that is hot, right?

This realization I had during class reminded me of how much I used to be obsessed with Messy. I must say, in recent years I have been lacking in my obsession. Maybe it is since she seemingly has slipped off the radar a little bit. I have been waiting years for her to make a new calender by the way. That would make me so overly happy. Although, I should be getting the NerdCore calender this X-mass.

Still, Messy is probably the person I most adore. I would do anything to meet her in person and I still believe that somehow some day I will get to meet her. I would say it is one of my life goals. It also has crossed my mind that I don't know how I would react. How do you react to meeting someone you were obsessed with for about seven years? I think I would be speechless and maybe that would be for the best.

Awake For More Answers

2008-12-04T13:05:00.001-05:00

Gleams of light
shine through
the windowpane,
as night
disappears again
colors explode
from the bland scenery.

Lit a cigarette,
sip some
milk foam and coffee,
the pretentiousness
seeps through.

Been watching —
waiting till sunrise.

Trying not
to miss a beat,
headlines flash,
infomercials inspire,
atomic energy harvesting.

Maybe being asleep
isn’t too fruitless.

I close my eyes.