Had a bit of a weird moment today as I realised I was listening to Bouncing Souls and Rancid while sewing up a pair of trousers. For a brief moment I hesitated to think about my stereotypical masculinity and then figured “what the hell” and kept on at it. Sewing is a bit like graffiti…not as easy as it looks. Okay, it’s not like graffiti at all. The trousers are starting to look pretty cool tho.
For those who gave a damn, my jaw’s still not back to normal but we’re working on it.
No balance…it’s all gone wrong.
Pain. I have been living with a somewhat dislocated jaw this weekend. Basically the bugger won’t open fully and hurts like crap when I try. I am waiting with bated breath for the absense of pain. Funny how your priorities change quickly when the basics are attacked. I don’t like pain, never have…also have a few choice things to say about doctors but that’s a whole new issue.
Following on from the little rant last time I received some feedback suggesting I mention Open Office as an alternative to MS Word. Open Office is definitely a solid alternative and as it is a free download, uses XML behind the scenes and can open documents created in Word it has a more certain future than MS Word. There are really no excuses for accepting one format in life…you just make it harder for everyone else.
How’s this for arrogance, “We only accept attachments in MS Word format. Can you please resend your details”. Considering the original details were sent in PDF format and from a Mac that doesn’t have Word on it this response is just plain fucked up. I suppose we could steal a copy for the expressed purpose of sending this one email….that’d be worth the download. I’m sure they are very nice people and I appreciate that computers are not very helpful sometimes but still….wake up.
… and what the hell is up with having a third series of Aussie Big Brother on TV? Give it up already, we’re bored of seeing prepubescent adults wanking around a house talking about each others sex lives…get jobs!
Life carries on. Very tired. It appears that the US crusade continues. It seems that now Syria is the arch enemy and apparently have huge stockpiles of weapons capable of wiping us all off the face of the Earth as well as harbouring Saddam Hussein. It’s a good thing we’ve got the US protecting us from the bad people…or is it just that they happen to have the biggest guns.
I remember a photo taken during UK riots (presumably around the 60s) that showed one particular demonstrator with a placard that read “When those who make the law, break the law, in the name of the law, there is no law”.
It struck me that this is as relevant today as it was then. Despite overwhelming opposition a small group of stupid white men are able to break international law in the name of that same law so they can have a war. If the UN has no control over these men and there is no punishment for breaking international laws it is feasible to ask why bother having those laws.
Is the Australian prime minister now allowed to decide that the people of New Zealand have been a thorn in their side for too long and invade us? What could we do? Throw sheep at them? What’s the point of demonstrating if public opinion can be so easily dismissed? Would it be more effective to simply beat up on the people we’re opposing or who don’t agree with us. Sounds like a dangerous precedent to me.
What kind of a world do we live in these days? It’s not the one I thought it was.
Just looked at the clock which reads ‘9:11’. Funny how those numbers are now etched into world history despite being an American date format. That would be 9 November for us. I’ve stopped drinking coffee again in favour of tea. We need a drink that wakes you up without giving you the shakes if you stop drinking it.
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about business, people, war, history, recycling and being myself. All these things currently play a part in my life to some degree and when you look at the list like that it really highlights how silly life really is.
Probably due to my current reading list (Stupid White Men – Michael Moore, No Logo – Naomi Klein) I have been thinking about my business and the things I want it to accomplish and possibly, as importantly, what I don’t want it to do. Currently ZYPE is on a 1-2 month lifecycle with no life lines and no one going to bail me out if I screw it up. There’s work there, if not much, and I have products in development that may give me a chance to move ahead. Basically I’ve got no money but my dream of a sustainable company that hires a small team of great people is still strong.
I mention this to highlight the question I’ve been asking myself lately and that is: If I succeed would I know when to stop or would I simply fall back on the quest for growth and money that seems to be the goal of this society? I’d like to think I will be able to hold growth at a point that I’m happy with but it seems to be the exception to the rule to achieve that. I find that disturbing.
It’s an odd position I find myself in. Working with computers while disliking them with a vengeance, running a company with no love for business and punk in a world with few choices. It’s a very confusing time.
Just when you were thinking the Americans had completely lost the plot it is reassuring to see some voices fighting the idiocy. Punkvoter.com has some great articles by various punk leads. The downloads section is funny as hell…and a little scary.Also found the web site for Michael Moore.
My life is revolving around little caterpillars at the moment…I kid you not. The first generation of Monarch caterpillars that were growing happily on the swan plants I had provided were destroyed in a freak hail storm but a new generation has risen up to take their place. Last night I noticed one acting really weird by hanging head first from one of the leaves. I then noticed it was slowly covering itself with what looked like green snot. I am assuming it is forming a chrysallis and not that it has a cold.
ZYPE is still doing it’s thing and managing to pay the bills and the t-shirt designing has come along pretty well thanks to a major sale at Hallensteins and a big dose of creativity on my end. Three new t-shirts to wear now. Noticed a change in my attitude to Punk lately. The days of asking how I can break the system seem to have been replaced with asking how I can change the system. Interesting to see where that goes.
Just had some excellent service from DvdVideoPlanet which has been very refreshing. Sold out in stores, Steve found a copy of the DVD and got it delivered in record time.
The swan plants I planted a few months ago are now home to 5 caterpillars that should grow into Monarch butterflies. Save from a guy I used to know at school I have never seen anything eat so fast…and so much. I hope the plants hold out.
Looked at my little swan plants this afternoon and noticed the arrival of three monarch caterpillars. Mixed feelings as the plants are only about 40cm high and are likely to be decimated but I haven’t the heart to kill the very caterpillars I was hoping would arrive at some stage. We compromised as I placed them on one sacrificial plant. Surprisingly fast little buggers and I had an entertaining few minutes watching one destroy a leaf. Kinda looked like a cartoon character eating corn typewriter style.
The New Year brings a few changes. After a great holiday that involved a balanced mix of physical labour and extended periods of doing nothing some things seem a little clearer…tho they couldn’t have gotten much foggier. The nose ring is history after I realised I didn’t need it anymore.
’tis the season for people to be wankers. Just when you think you’re getting on top of things the dishonest and the pratty wander out and work their magic. This has been a year of heavy learning experiences that’s for sure. And what the hell is the American Emperor doing!! If you really want to fight have a civil war and leave the rest of us alone. Pricks.
Roll on Xmas. I am looking forward to a break. It has been a week of revising a business plan and starting to plan for next year. Despite all this I have still managed to fit in some GameBoy…what a champ.
Tired….just plain ol’ tired.
You wouldn’t read about it…the cat has gone and fractured his leg. Not bad for an animal that is barely a year old. Mixed feelings all around as I swing between feeling sorry for the little guy and seeing dollar signs flashing before me. It is odd that since starting the business we have had the worst run of events I have ever witnessed. Low income, lots of stress, a burglary, a car accident, illness and the cat incident. If I was a religious man I’d be getting worried about vengeful gods.
Post Japan all is beginning to settle down again. Great holiday, lots of fun and chance to get involved with a completely insane country. These photos show a brief synopsis of what went down while we were there. Summer is finally here and it’s a great time to be self employed.
Loading up for a holiday in Japan that starts on Monday. Really looking forward to this and just want to get going. Two weeks of Japanese people, food, beer and general sites and sounds.
Some major shit going down at the moment and the perpetual headache continues. Spending much more time working from home to avoid the realities of school holiday ugliness. Taking great joy in riding my bike straight at moving cars in a test of stupidity, social boundaries and sheer frustration. Trying to come up with a sticker campaign.
Feeling majorly trapped in life. No real reason expect for that quiet uneasiness that seems to be lurking underneath everything I do at the moment. Been following the ‘war on terrorism’, the ‘war on drugs’, the ‘war on music piracy’, the ‘war on idiots’ (actually that’s mine)….with all these wars on it’s hard to believe we live in peace. So much for the rational thinkers. Taking joy in music by the Vandals.
Major PS2 weekend planned with Aggressive Inline. Been watching the Asia X-Games on ESPN…finally something other than golf on. Noticed Scott at PRA is down. The car is back and repaired, the business is still alive and a holiday in Japan is on the books.
The last few months have been remarkably tough…in fact I think I can say they have been complete crap. The business has come to a tough patch where it needs to grow but also keep making money. I have had quite a major case of food poisoning, our house has been broken into and last night we were in a car accident (no one injured). I have had to bottle up a few of these to deal with later as at this stage it’s just way too much. It’s a weird feeling to know you are on the brink and not know quite how to get back from it.