Thursday, May 28, 2009

Life In Technicolor 2 : Obsession Continued..



The youtube video is the lyrics to Coldplay's "Life in Technicolor II" song. I posted two others related to this one...the original Life in Technicolor, then the extended version of the first version. This is part 3 of 4 total! Yes, one more is to come, that will be the actual video made for version II, an interesting animation video.

I am not obsessed with this song, I am COMPLETELY OBSESSED with it! Ha. Some things you just can't get enough of...like iced coffee, m&m's, Smartfood cheddar popcorn and music inspired euphoria!

SO, there are 3 versions of the same basic song. Instrumental, extended instrumental, and vocal part II. My favorite is still the old original but I love them all.

Take 4 minutes and 6 seconds to watch the video, read the lyrics and listen to the great tunes....enjoy. Live from a Dubble Dee, DD, Dunkin Donuts store! That's right, I'm not at Starbucks tonight. Giving Dunkin Donut's a piece of my bid-ness. Righteous. This one has free wifi, a nice flat screen tv with the news and some most outstanding java a' brewin'. The glorious roasted bean, the ambience, the internet, Colplay playing, what more could one ask for? Oh, a doughnut please...can I get one sweetened with stevia? Psyche. Peace out!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Aspartame to Green Tea switcharoo

(photo note) I shall continue my tradition of blurry light night photos with the above photo, free courtesy of pixmac.com, they just get to put their huge logo on the picture, not a bad trade since I did not take the picture!

I gave up diet soda 6 days ago. Tomorrow will be 1 week, day 7 wahooo. Whether it be diet-coke, diet-pepsi, diet dr. pepper, diet 7 up, I was drinking it. Lots of it. Diet soda had become a close friend of mine. Not a healthy friend. Especially when your friend wants you to drive to 7-11 at 11pm to buy 44 ounces of chemical sparkly liquid to quench an addiction. Sure, addiction to soda is not listed in the DSM IV as an "official" addiction but I believe it is an addiction like any other. Withdrawl symptoms when discontinuing use, cravings, excessive consumption etc. I am mostly doing this for my health and to save money.

I won't pretend to be a scientist but I became concerned about all of the not so natural sweeteners in diet sodas. Mainly aspertame in my drinks of choice. Just google aspartame and health and you will find thousands of articles alleging damaging health effects from its consumption. I am not here to defame the chemical, I just want to get off of it for good and feel healthier. You can be a guinea pig and keep drinking the stuff and let me know if you develop health problems later. I will be busy drinking water, coffee and iced tea. I've been chain drinking diet sodas for about 10 years and my bodily organs can not take the abuse any longer. I am on a detox from diet soda.

I have taken up a relationship with a new, healthier friend. Specifically, green tea. It's been consumed for thousands of years, has many health benefits and gives the body good things like antioxidants. I am flavoring it with the natural sweetener Stevia. I prefer iced tea but also drink some hot tea. You may know about Stevia already or not. It is a natural leaf grown mostly in South America. It is calorie free, completely natural and non-addictive. If they come out with a healthy soda flavored with Stevia I just might have to try it. Minus the phosporic acid that is. I'm getting picky! Next thing you know I'm going to be buying the hormone free meats at whole foods. Not too quick, just one change at a time, I'll tackle the other habitary monsters later...I can handle getting off diet soda and switching to tea. Not sure when I can be released from the nicotine prison.

I am having fun brewing my own tea at home. I've made some cool mixes with green tea with lemon mixed with earl grey and a green tea that has other natural herbs. It's fun to mix and match, experiment and try different flavors. I love juice mixed with tea. There is a wide variety of sweetened tea products for sale in any convenience store...however...most of these are 1. if they are diet they have the artificial sweetenters 2. if they are not diet, they tend to be loaded with high fructose corn syrup. I don't have time to go into that one...just google it to find out potential health hazards. It's hard to find a juice or sweet tea made with only natural or cane sugar. There are a few on the market but you really have to look around to find them.

And yes, I am beginning to appreciate the simplicity of a glass of cold water. So simple, so refreshing and pure. Water is the ultimate health beverage...that is if it's not full of harsh trace chemicals and tons of chlorine used to sterilize it! It's hard to be healthy isn't it.

Have you ever quit soda? How long did the withdrawls last? Are you a fan of tea? Do you believe it has many health benefits? Post my blog or call our customer care green tea hotline at 1-800-Drinkgreen to post your thoughts. I'm about to enjoy a warm cup of tea now. Nothing obscure, just Lipton Green tea flavored with natural lemon. It is relaxing to drink tea. Tea is comforting and soothing. I am teavolving away from the soda habit....I'll update you on my progress and withdrawl symptoms. Git R' Done, Git Some Tea!

Monday, May 18, 2009

Collage Novel : Michael Betancourt


(Image above: Michael Betancourt's textbook "Structuring Time" cover artwork)
And now, hot off the presses, check out this collage novel by the artist Michael Betancourt. It is titled, "Two Women and a Nightengale". He has made the 1st chapter available for free and it is available by clicking here:

http://www.michaelbetancourt.com/pdf/2Women_chapter1.pdf

If you are not familiar with Michael's artwork, videos, films and film theory check out these other links:

http://www.michaelbetancourt.com/

Cinegraphic, his avante-garde film and video blog: http://www.cinegraphic.net/

These sites are definetely worth checking out. Michael's work is fascinating to look at and the graphics are amazing. Check it out and blog me or Michael back directly if you would like more information. Mike has been a good friend of mine for many years. I've seen his work progress and it keeps getting better and better. I hope you will enjoy reading and looking at the images too...

Friday, May 15, 2009

Deep Thoughts for Friday..the Universe is REALLY big


The above photo is of a cartwheel galaxy. Looks more like fireworks. I believe it is one of the photos from the Hubble Telescope. If you want to see some awesome photos of space check out the Hubble photographs, they truly are amazing to look at. The photos on http://hubblesite.org/gallery/ are amazing!

The sheer immensity, diversity and beauty of the universe. At least the parts of it we are able to see. Science is still trying to figure out what all that "dark matter" is that takes up much of space. Black holes and such...dark, mysterious matter, will we ever really understand it?

Black holes always fascinated me, just thinking about them. I'm not even sure if my understanding of them is correct but I've read a lot about them. Supposedly, there is one big black hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. And when solar systems get their number called they enter the black hole and... poof...on to another dimension. What that other dimension entails, who knows. Reality is not necessarily what we think it is. Truth probably is stranger than fiction in most likelihood. Some believe our solar system will enter this black hole in 2012, just google "2012 prophecy" to see all the theories that abound. I don't know what the truth is, but it's wild to think about it. These theories are based off of the Mayan Calendar timetables of future history. Who knows.

We all wonder what's "on the other side". Some claim to just know from their faith in a religious or spiritual belief. But the truth for me is none of us know for sure. If we had proof it could be on display and shown to us. The idea of faith is just that, knowing something not on fact but by faith. I respect whatever faith you may have. No one is wrong when it comes to faith.. But I personally put more faith in facts than in faith...that's right I just said "faith in facts" because even what we think of as "facts" may not always be true. The laws of the universe are quite capable of changing or evolving themselves. So what do we really know for sure? Not much really.

We could get previews of an afterlife like movie previews on a dvd. Wouldn't that be great? Free preview of what happens after your life! Just click here. Is it just another dimension? Is there really a happy, heaven waiting for the good and a hell waiting for the bad? Are we reincarnated? Do we come back to finally learn a spiritual lesson we were supposed to learn in another past life? Is the whole universe and thus all life just in a never ending cycle of birth, death and rebirth? That is kinda cool if it's true. No beginning or end...just one unfolding process of change and evolution into the future. None of us got to choose how we came to be in this world so I suppose we don't get to choose the next destination. I think the idea of karma makes a lot of sense...

I always found it fascinating to think about how our own lives were like a crap shoot. Who we were born to, where we were born, what culture and what generation/time we were born in. And economics shows us the vast majority of us end up in the same socioeconomic class we came from. And genetics provides most of the rest of the instructions...environmental factors and choice play a role but so much is predetermined. The miracle of just making it to fruition from millions of sperm cells chasing egg cells...boys chasing girls...leading to the ultimate act of human creation, the birth of a new being. We are all mini-miracles of life. Each unique and amazing. Each life makes a difference in the scheme of things, all events influence other things. Our very existence influences the future of evolution. I love the Ghandi quote, "Be the change you want to see in this world". It is empowering.

Ok, so I got my philosophical questions and thoughts out for the day.. I'm going to sip on a diet coke now. I'm trying hard to switch to only coffee and tea. I drink too much soda and it's not good for me. Another bad habit. All that artificial sweetener is probably not healthy. And I can't seem to drink soda in moderation...so it's on my never ending list of habits that must go.
There is a great little cafe in Baltimore called "Tea-volve". Well, I need to teavolve and do some teavolution.. and drink more tea and iced tea and get away from the diet soda. My mom assures me even diet soda helps one keep weight on.

That's my blog for today. I mentally purged my thoughts, I hope you got something from them or at least the photo made you think about the vastness and beauty of life and the universe. Life is amazing. It may not always be fun but it really is an amazing thing to behold. I am going to do my best to enjoy the weekend and I hope you do to. Peace out and about around the universe.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

The Nightfly and other Road Oddities


The photo above is a tribute to the Nightfly everywhere, up at night. I am up late, I am blogging, it's all good. The photo is of the back of a plane in flight over a city on the West Coast, (I forgot which one) the night lights visual creates a beautiful blurred effect. It's a pun of sorts being the Nightfly. Flying at night. Blogging late at night. A tribute to Donald Fagen's song "The Nightfly". A song about a late night dj broadcasting into the middle of the night. From Donald Fagen's solo music work...he was in the band Steely Dan. My friend JoFi told me about the song so he gets credit. Here are the lyrics linked up for you to check out:

www.steelydan.com/lyrnightfly.html

As for road oddities. I thought of two things while driving on the interstate earlier this evening in NJ. I just came across two questions.

Many trucks have written on the side or back of their trailer "Air Ride Equipped". Who is the audience for this message? The passenger vehicle driver? Other truckers? What in the hell does "air ride equipped" mean anyhow? Does this make the truck capable of flight? Riding on air? Am I supposed to be impressed with trucks that have this? Are the non-air ride equipped trucks now diesel dinasaurs? How come no one told me about this? Were you aware of this change? If you know what this means.....please comment back explaining. I want an air ride dammit! Maybe I can ask Santa for one of those for Christmas this year. Then I too could have a cool announcement on my pick up truck that I too am "AIR RIDE EQUIPPED". Or it could be a new air mattress that's equipped...That's what she said...

The second question that came to me cruising on the interstate is a paradox/catch 22 of a situation. There are many signs and announcements (much needed) on the roads in NJ reminding people that it is illegal to drive and talk on your cell phone at the same time. It's obvious how dangerous it can be.. Here's the catch 22 one could be in: As you approach the Delaware Memorial Bridge there are signs lit up saying "If you are in crisis dial (an 800 help number)". This is a good idea, people in crisis and bridges do not mix well. But my question is very simple. Suppose this person in crisis calls on their cell phone, they are breaking a law! So double whammy not only are they in a crisis now they are s.o.l. because they are going to get a ticket for $75 for talking on their cell phone while driving! Perhaps the sign should say "If you are not in crisis put that damn cell phone away or you will be fined now". Did you hear the one about the lady who crashed her car while talking on her cell phone calling the crisis center? Stranger things have happened.

You are probably in the middle of a dream right now. I hope it is a pleasant one. It is 2:11 am now. Peace to you and have a great Wednesday. C. Dylan is in the house and back onto/into the night flight..

Friday, May 1, 2009

Meta-blogging...




What is meta-blogging? Of course it is blogging about blogging.

Just as meta-analysis is an analysis of analysis itself. Kind of self-referential in a way.

Not to be confused with Metaphysical; that is the philosophical study of the nature of reality, with meta-subdivisions that include meta-ontology and meta-epistemology. Everything can essentially be sliced and diced and broken down to a meta state of being. A meta-meta study would be interesting.

I have digressed. I will stick to a discussion of meta-blogging.

I took a break for more than a few days from my last blog post. I have been mostly consumed with jobhunting and career exploration. It has kept me quite busy, which is good, and it is feeling good to be making headway and progress. I really can't wait to be feeling productive again and a contributing member of society.

Being off work is not fun after a while. It may sound great to folks who are overworked and stressed but believe me not working has its own share of stresses, the number one being financial pressure of not having a reliable income. Time unstructured is also not fun. Having a set work schedule keeps things moving forward, too much free time is its own form of work, believe it or not. Being off work is very far from being on vacation, being retired or independantly wealthy. I want to be back at work very soon....feeling positive, making a difference and feeling good about myself and what I do. Please pray for me that I find the right career/work match very soon! I don't like the career purgatory I'm in right now..

Back to meta-blogging. I was unsure of what to blog about. So just by expressing what's on my mind at this present moment I have told you, the benevolent and appreciated reader, about my career search. I have discussed meta-analysis and meta -metas. M & M's. I am referring back to self-references. All this meta stuff is making me thirsty for some SBUX...that is Starbucks. That is their stock symbol and what I like to call my favorite coffee house/store/cafe.

I have a suggestion for Starbucks to improve the overall customer experence which is already excellent, just add a few items.. 1. have a shelf of used books one can peruse while visiting the cafe, this could be like a free lending library....use donated used books to be read only while in the store 2. add jacuzzis and hot tubs at select locations, I select the location nearest me! 3. Reopen the 24 hour sbux near me that recently stopped being 24/7 due to lack of business from the Great Recession, if you reopen I will be there and bring friends to buy things! Honk if you love SBUX. Add your own Comment to this meta-blog if you love SBUX! Even if you are not in love with sbux as I am, you should still add a comment...go ahead, at the bottom, see where it says comments? Just click on there and type in your message, bam, done, it was that easy! Now we are conversing, it's real communication, welcome to my world...

It's a meta-world and I love it. I wish you and yours a happy, relaxing and enjoyable weekend. It's supposed to rain around here so hey, go see a movie or read a new book. Or you could go online and watch Coldplay videos on youTube for fun. Either way, enjoy and peace out to you...in a meta-peace kinda way...