The moral flexibility of a 20-something
12 years ago
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
No More of This
Guys with girl's haircuts: this needs to end NOW!
I've ranted about inconsiderate shoppers and burnt Cheezits, but the shit is about to hit the fan. I'm not hateful against homosexuals, I don't believe everyone just chooses what sex to be attracted to, but I do believe it is a choice for a straight man to dress up like a woman and I just think that is a stupid choice to make. I don't mean cross-dressing either, I'm talking about the metrosexuals. It seems like the purpose of this style is to be as androgynous as possible without hinting at your real sexuality.
What does this style look like? It begins with the hair. Messy hair that's been stylized to look messy at any hour of the day. Uneven bangs that split down the face like a tear or a pear (lots of emo kids have these) and closely trimmed around the neck and shoulder area. On a woman these styles look fantastic, on a man they look clownish and effeminate. There may be highlights or one color, usually black, but it all says the same thing to me: hey man, girls are attracted to guys who look like 13 year old girls.
A man should not spend so much time and money on his hair. And do women notice a man's hair first, or something else? Men are competitive, does this mean now that guys are competing for the most sissified haircut?
Keep your damn skinny jeans and v necks, stop acting like your 13 year old sister! Sadly, I have a friend who thinks the metro dude is sexy. I try and remind her "Yeah, but he may be bi-sexual, and you aren't changing that. He is most likely a conceited fool." I find it discouraging that straight girls are attracted to gay men, even if they know they are out of the closet. Looks aren't everything, and if he isn't interested in your anatomy I don't see the point. A straight man is never going to be what that gay man is: another woman, with a penis.
Is that crude or offensive? I don't mean it to be, my point is that a man is never satisfied by just being friends with a woman. If a man is interested in you he wants what you got, but you can still be friends, he just won't be satisfied unless you put out. A gay man doesn't bring that kind of pressure, he isn't interested, so in that way he is another woman who shares a woman's sexuality.
This makes me ponder what gay men think of this look on straight men? I think of that show, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and what was the point of that show? If a gay man hits on a guy sporting a metro look, and it turns out he does it for the chicks, doesn't that frustrate him?
If more women are turned on by this look, I can almost understand the trend that follows. It is true that men will do some stupid things to get a woman's attention. How about these classic suggestions: learn a trade, be handy, be polite, and make some money so you could at least afford a family even if you aren't ready to have one. Oh, and cut that stupid fucking girl's haircut off your head, you wuss!
I've ranted about inconsiderate shoppers and burnt Cheezits, but the shit is about to hit the fan. I'm not hateful against homosexuals, I don't believe everyone just chooses what sex to be attracted to, but I do believe it is a choice for a straight man to dress up like a woman and I just think that is a stupid choice to make. I don't mean cross-dressing either, I'm talking about the metrosexuals. It seems like the purpose of this style is to be as androgynous as possible without hinting at your real sexuality.
What does this style look like? It begins with the hair. Messy hair that's been stylized to look messy at any hour of the day. Uneven bangs that split down the face like a tear or a pear (lots of emo kids have these) and closely trimmed around the neck and shoulder area. On a woman these styles look fantastic, on a man they look clownish and effeminate. There may be highlights or one color, usually black, but it all says the same thing to me: hey man, girls are attracted to guys who look like 13 year old girls.
A man should not spend so much time and money on his hair. And do women notice a man's hair first, or something else? Men are competitive, does this mean now that guys are competing for the most sissified haircut?
Keep your damn skinny jeans and v necks, stop acting like your 13 year old sister! Sadly, I have a friend who thinks the metro dude is sexy. I try and remind her "Yeah, but he may be bi-sexual, and you aren't changing that. He is most likely a conceited fool." I find it discouraging that straight girls are attracted to gay men, even if they know they are out of the closet. Looks aren't everything, and if he isn't interested in your anatomy I don't see the point. A straight man is never going to be what that gay man is: another woman, with a penis.
Is that crude or offensive? I don't mean it to be, my point is that a man is never satisfied by just being friends with a woman. If a man is interested in you he wants what you got, but you can still be friends, he just won't be satisfied unless you put out. A gay man doesn't bring that kind of pressure, he isn't interested, so in that way he is another woman who shares a woman's sexuality.
This makes me ponder what gay men think of this look on straight men? I think of that show, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and what was the point of that show? If a gay man hits on a guy sporting a metro look, and it turns out he does it for the chicks, doesn't that frustrate him?
If more women are turned on by this look, I can almost understand the trend that follows. It is true that men will do some stupid things to get a woman's attention. How about these classic suggestions: learn a trade, be handy, be polite, and make some money so you could at least afford a family even if you aren't ready to have one. Oh, and cut that stupid fucking girl's haircut off your head, you wuss!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
My Family, or, How Not to Build Wealth
I just finished a very unsettling conversation with my mother. I'm a little surprised at myself for feeling so agitated, and maybe I'm not thinking rationally, but I don't have any one else to talk to now so all I can do is write this blog. Sure, I could keep it private, but I think this is something relatable and I like feedback. The issue at hand is how the estate was passed along by my grandmother to my mother (also her brother, but he is not an issue) and what is planned for sharing some of it with me, my brother and my sister.
The main problem is that my grandma didn't have a will or anything. My mom took power of attorney and sorted out the estate, which was very stressful for her, and now the estate is divided between her and my uncle. Already my mother has spent a substantial portion on not one, but two newish cars (she sold one before my grandma was dying to put credit back onto a credit card and somehow replaced it with another car, so there was no immediate need for two cars) and tonight her plan was for me to get a car as well. Now, my need for a car is slightly more substantial (my car has 156K miles and a broken water pump that causes it to overheat if I use the air or drive it very far) but I would prefer to have a pricey repair done on it than have another car waiting for me in CA or sent to me in Georgia.
Before tonight, my mom said she would be "giving me some money" but never said how much. I have feelings about the timeliness of that conversation but it's too deep to discuss right now, but I'll say it was inappropriate and not what I had in mind when I heard my grandmother was dying. However, tonight, after explaining how she brought home two cars my mom said she'd like to buy me a car. This is different than giving me an amount of money, simply because that leaves options with where the money should go. All of this discussion begins about a car and I have no idea what amount she even has to give me or spend, just that we should pick something sometime and she'll spend it. We had to go round-about it until she gave me a number that she wouldn't spend over. I'm very uncomfortable talking to her about it, but I told her I don't want to spend any of it.
I've become a miser, and I like it. That's how my grandma was, but in a severe way that got out of hand for her. I hope I don't become like that, but the way I'm thinking tonight maybe I'm a little crazy. Tell me what you think...but I don't want any of that money unless it's under the condition that it's mine to spend or save on what I like (being within reason, I don't want a vacation in Paris or a thousand videogames and movies), I just want that peace of mind in a savings account.
So fixing my car would cost a fraction of a more expensive used car, and I would keep the most savings that way and still have a car. If a mechanic looks through it and says "She doesn't look good" then I will look into the issue of another car. I used to be just like my parents, you see they have a trend going back 27 years of spending through all their money when it becomes available, and in-between going bankrupt and being sadly foolish about making any money.
But the greater issue for me is all the focus placed on the estate of loved ones rather than mourning their passing in my family(my other grandparents had a lot of wealth that got divided up between 5 children, once they were gone the house they had lived in was sold and cleaned out, it had only monetary value it seemed). It's been less than a month and my mom has spent a good portion of the estate on two stupid cars she didn't need (some other things for the house but at least that's a real investment) and now she wants to decide what type of car I should have. Yes, if I went along with her I could choose a model under the amount she has in mind, but I'm more concerned about the future and what motivates us to spend money.
I'm also fighting against the urge to spend money quickly, putting myself at odds with my parents in all of this. They surely believe I'm being ungrateful, but I'm learning to be more considerate and independent than I've ever been. I don't want the kind of relationship with them they had with their parents, I don't want to resent them while they live and wait by for them to die so I can finally have their stuff. I want to earn my own stuff Goddamnit, what's wrong with this family of mine?
I can tell my mother is spending to keep herself happy, after all she just had a hell of a time dealing with her mother's things, and she hasn't had any income of her own for years now. I'm concerned however that this will be short lived, the money isn't being invested or saved up, and just taking what she has to offer me is taking her for granted. When I told her I wanted to make the decision with the money, to fix my car and save all the rest, she claimed to be confused and stated she won't pay to have my car fixed. When she reminded me "this is a freebie, there are no strings, you don't need to pay me back" I realized this isn't true, at least, she doesn't know it but there is a price to pay.
I've followed in her footsteps and have squandered certain sums in the past because at the time, there was a need for the money (just like my parents), and now it is all gone. Even my current car was purchased by my grandfather's estate money given to me by my parents, so why should they give me more money to get another more expensive car? If I had considered those "freebies" more than just a chance to spend money on a temporary need, for a temporary thing that loses value, what would my situation be like today? Wouldn't I be in school, in a better car, with a savings account, and some peace of mind?
I don't want any of this money because it will not motivate me to earn my own income, to strive for and work hard on a career, and because my parents aren't investors and they don't have a great retirement plan, just a monthly check from the government. I think they should keep it, but I also fear that they will lose it shortly. Cars lose value, break down, get stolen and wrecked, while people die.
All this time and my mother hasn't discussed what she is feeling, just what she has been doing. The only time she told me about how she felt was when she became physically ill from stress. I feel emotionally bankrupt in this family, I don't know how my sister feels, I don't know what my brother feels, I don't think I could bring it up comfortably or offer any consolation to them anyways, and no amount of money will change that.
In closing I have reflected on how my parents resented their own parents, even though they depended on them so much into mid-life, just because they could never be independent enough to make it by without asking for help. Only a few times my parents were rejected, but most of the time my grandparents were instrumental in helping us acquire yet another home, or yet another worthless car. All the while my parents squandered this generosity, but how could they know any better if this was the acceptable relationship between aged parents and grown children?
Even up to my grandmother's death my mother wasn't on speaking terms with her. I'm afraid of ending up this way. Even now I resent my mother for spending on those cars while refusing to let me fix up my own car for a fraction of the price. But what right do I have now, after my father paid for my car, it really isn't something I've earned. I don't even want to feel this way, it's poor judgment that they would spend so much without a second thought or a glance back at previous errors, but I would follow them further if I were to point a critical finger at them. sigh I have a lot of hard work to do now. But am I crazy?
The main problem is that my grandma didn't have a will or anything. My mom took power of attorney and sorted out the estate, which was very stressful for her, and now the estate is divided between her and my uncle. Already my mother has spent a substantial portion on not one, but two newish cars (she sold one before my grandma was dying to put credit back onto a credit card and somehow replaced it with another car, so there was no immediate need for two cars) and tonight her plan was for me to get a car as well. Now, my need for a car is slightly more substantial (my car has 156K miles and a broken water pump that causes it to overheat if I use the air or drive it very far) but I would prefer to have a pricey repair done on it than have another car waiting for me in CA or sent to me in Georgia.
Before tonight, my mom said she would be "giving me some money" but never said how much. I have feelings about the timeliness of that conversation but it's too deep to discuss right now, but I'll say it was inappropriate and not what I had in mind when I heard my grandmother was dying. However, tonight, after explaining how she brought home two cars my mom said she'd like to buy me a car. This is different than giving me an amount of money, simply because that leaves options with where the money should go. All of this discussion begins about a car and I have no idea what amount she even has to give me or spend, just that we should pick something sometime and she'll spend it. We had to go round-about it until she gave me a number that she wouldn't spend over. I'm very uncomfortable talking to her about it, but I told her I don't want to spend any of it.
I've become a miser, and I like it. That's how my grandma was, but in a severe way that got out of hand for her. I hope I don't become like that, but the way I'm thinking tonight maybe I'm a little crazy. Tell me what you think...but I don't want any of that money unless it's under the condition that it's mine to spend or save on what I like (being within reason, I don't want a vacation in Paris or a thousand videogames and movies), I just want that peace of mind in a savings account.
So fixing my car would cost a fraction of a more expensive used car, and I would keep the most savings that way and still have a car. If a mechanic looks through it and says "She doesn't look good" then I will look into the issue of another car. I used to be just like my parents, you see they have a trend going back 27 years of spending through all their money when it becomes available, and in-between going bankrupt and being sadly foolish about making any money.
But the greater issue for me is all the focus placed on the estate of loved ones rather than mourning their passing in my family(my other grandparents had a lot of wealth that got divided up between 5 children, once they were gone the house they had lived in was sold and cleaned out, it had only monetary value it seemed). It's been less than a month and my mom has spent a good portion of the estate on two stupid cars she didn't need (some other things for the house but at least that's a real investment) and now she wants to decide what type of car I should have. Yes, if I went along with her I could choose a model under the amount she has in mind, but I'm more concerned about the future and what motivates us to spend money.
I'm also fighting against the urge to spend money quickly, putting myself at odds with my parents in all of this. They surely believe I'm being ungrateful, but I'm learning to be more considerate and independent than I've ever been. I don't want the kind of relationship with them they had with their parents, I don't want to resent them while they live and wait by for them to die so I can finally have their stuff. I want to earn my own stuff Goddamnit, what's wrong with this family of mine?
I can tell my mother is spending to keep herself happy, after all she just had a hell of a time dealing with her mother's things, and she hasn't had any income of her own for years now. I'm concerned however that this will be short lived, the money isn't being invested or saved up, and just taking what she has to offer me is taking her for granted. When I told her I wanted to make the decision with the money, to fix my car and save all the rest, she claimed to be confused and stated she won't pay to have my car fixed. When she reminded me "this is a freebie, there are no strings, you don't need to pay me back" I realized this isn't true, at least, she doesn't know it but there is a price to pay.
I've followed in her footsteps and have squandered certain sums in the past because at the time, there was a need for the money (just like my parents), and now it is all gone. Even my current car was purchased by my grandfather's estate money given to me by my parents, so why should they give me more money to get another more expensive car? If I had considered those "freebies" more than just a chance to spend money on a temporary need, for a temporary thing that loses value, what would my situation be like today? Wouldn't I be in school, in a better car, with a savings account, and some peace of mind?
I don't want any of this money because it will not motivate me to earn my own income, to strive for and work hard on a career, and because my parents aren't investors and they don't have a great retirement plan, just a monthly check from the government. I think they should keep it, but I also fear that they will lose it shortly. Cars lose value, break down, get stolen and wrecked, while people die.
All this time and my mother hasn't discussed what she is feeling, just what she has been doing. The only time she told me about how she felt was when she became physically ill from stress. I feel emotionally bankrupt in this family, I don't know how my sister feels, I don't know what my brother feels, I don't think I could bring it up comfortably or offer any consolation to them anyways, and no amount of money will change that.
In closing I have reflected on how my parents resented their own parents, even though they depended on them so much into mid-life, just because they could never be independent enough to make it by without asking for help. Only a few times my parents were rejected, but most of the time my grandparents were instrumental in helping us acquire yet another home, or yet another worthless car. All the while my parents squandered this generosity, but how could they know any better if this was the acceptable relationship between aged parents and grown children?
Even up to my grandmother's death my mother wasn't on speaking terms with her. I'm afraid of ending up this way. Even now I resent my mother for spending on those cars while refusing to let me fix up my own car for a fraction of the price. But what right do I have now, after my father paid for my car, it really isn't something I've earned. I don't even want to feel this way, it's poor judgment that they would spend so much without a second thought or a glance back at previous errors, but I would follow them further if I were to point a critical finger at them. sigh I have a lot of hard work to do now. But am I crazy?
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Funny Thing of the Day
This is the funniest thing I've heard today: "Carve out your individuality by being inept." by Adam Carolla during his podcast. He's being sarcastic, BTW.
I highly recommend listening to this podcast when you have the time, I've been being doing it daily for 2 years now and I'm almost always entertained and provoked into thinking about important things. It kind of centers me, keeps me down to earth, and also reminds me to wash out the coffee mug when I'm finished drinking from it.
http://www.adamcarolla.com/ACPBlog/
I highly recommend listening to this podcast when you have the time, I've been being doing it daily for 2 years now and I'm almost always entertained and provoked into thinking about important things. It kind of centers me, keeps me down to earth, and also reminds me to wash out the coffee mug when I'm finished drinking from it.
http://www.adamcarolla.com/ACPBlog/
Monday, June 6, 2011
Huh?
Got to love that You Tube. Most of the time I only interact with sane polite people who I can relate to. I don't often post controversial comments, but sometimes I have to chime in on a heavy subject, and I never hear back on any of these. To my surprise, instead I see more random replies to what seemed like totally innocuous comments, like these.
The video is by a female gamer who is into WoW, a parody about giving advice to men who want their wives or girlfriends to play WoW.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_0g2kSg3VM&feature=relmfu
My comment was "Very nice. Now if you could teach us how to trick ladies into playing Minecraft, you might become a millionaire!" My comment was meant to reflect how WoW has a more diverse core of players while Minecraft appeals to very nerdy guys with too much time on their hands (including me).
Today I see these replies from some random person, who sounds strangely like a spambot (who is trying to sell BDSM? I don't know):
***male feminist supporter talking to male unknown !
The video is by a female gamer who is into WoW, a parody about giving advice to men who want their wives or girlfriends to play WoW.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_0g2kSg3VM&feature=relmfu
My comment was "Very nice. Now if you could teach us how to trick ladies into playing Minecraft, you might become a millionaire!" My comment was meant to reflect how WoW has a more diverse core of players while Minecraft appeals to very nerdy guys with too much time on their hands (including me).
Today I see these replies from some random person, who sounds strangely like a spambot (who is trying to sell BDSM? I don't know):
***male feminist supporter talking to male unknown !
ladies won't understand create power supply, collect wealthy minerals, construct military buildings, keep the power supply high for the ammunition and the fuel in the military vehicles, solve a riddle of many strengths of many soldiers with many weopens and vehicles many speeds thick and thin armour, etc=COMMAND AND CONQUER GAMES to play online with close friends against AI players !
ladies enjoy life, males construct civilty.
ladies won't want free gifts, ladies want money to spend for herself and her household!
i am male and i know that ladies should have fun and lots of parties !
i know that males should be the servent for feminist ladies and seduce them into oral orgasms and BDSM !
oral is a version from BDSM ; )
BDSM is a fantastic massage all over the body, extreme BDSM always leads to injury !
LADIES LOVE THE NINTENDO DS (mind solving games) AND THE NINTENDO WII (sport games) ONLY !***
Huh? I like the part that calls me "male unknown", like a terrible Sci-Fi movie. "Security alert! We've got an unknown male in sector 6!" I also like how they can claim "ladies only love the DS and WII" despite the fact that the woman who posted this video plays WoW on PC.
So, men build "civilty", that's why we play war games simulators? Or, just my theory, because men are very competitive with each other. And I wonder what the current Secretary of State knows about "solving a riddle of many strengths" and keeping the armed forces stocked up on supplies and military funding? Good thing she's not a woman...oh wait.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Coffee Trivia
I first saw this yesterday and it popped up again on Yahoo today. It's actually accurate, except for the part about the macchiato. According to Starbucks recipe cards, the macchiato involves pouring the espresso shots over the foam, thus "marking" or "staining" the milk. In the video they describe it as "mostly coffee stained with milk" which doesn't make sense, you don't stain coffee with milk and it's not how we make them at Starbucks. Maybe other cafes do?
It's a cool video and I'm pleased they explain the difference between a cappuccino and a latte. This pairs so well with my older post called "Petey Vanilla Bean", just like a classic coffee cake pairs with a cup of Pike's Place!
http://www.yahoo.com/_ylt=AmD1KqMJgEoyfTCopYgrlCSbvZx4;_ylc=X3oDMTZzOWIzZTlhBF9TAzIwMjM1MzgwNzUEYQMxMTA2MDMgbmV3cyB3aG8ga25ldyBjb2ZmZWUgZHJpbmtzIHYEY3BvcwMyBGcDaWQtOTY3OTgEaW50bAN1cwRpdGMDMARsdHh0A0hvd2NvZmZlZWRyaW5rc2dvdG5hbWVzBG1wb3MDMQRwa2d2AzE2BHBvcwMwBHNlYwN0ZC1mZWF0BHNsawN0aHVtYmxpbmsEdGFyA2h0dHA6Ly93aG9rbmV3Lm5ld3MueWFob28uY29tLz9uYyZ2aWQ9MjU0MjI2NTMEdGVzdAM3MDE-/SIG=126a8bfac/EXP=1307375889/**http%3A//whoknew.news.yahoo.com/%3Fnc%26vid=25422653
*POST EDIT* Ok so that link is freakishly long!
It's a cool video and I'm pleased they explain the difference between a cappuccino and a latte. This pairs so well with my older post called "Petey Vanilla Bean", just like a classic coffee cake pairs with a cup of Pike's Place!
http://www.yahoo.com/_ylt=AmD1KqMJgEoyfTCopYgrlCSbvZx4;_ylc=X3oDMTZzOWIzZTlhBF9TAzIwMjM1MzgwNzUEYQMxMTA2MDMgbmV3cyB3aG8ga25ldyBjb2ZmZWUgZHJpbmtzIHYEY3BvcwMyBGcDaWQtOTY3OTgEaW50bAN1cwRpdGMDMARsdHh0A0hvd2NvZmZlZWRyaW5rc2dvdG5hbWVzBG1wb3MDMQRwa2d2AzE2BHBvcwMwBHNlYwN0ZC1mZWF0BHNsawN0aHVtYmxpbmsEdGFyA2h0dHA6Ly93aG9rbmV3Lm5ld3MueWFob28uY29tLz9uYyZ2aWQ9MjU0MjI2NTMEdGVzdAM3MDE-/SIG=126a8bfac/EXP=1307375889/**http%3A//whoknew.news.yahoo.com/%3Fnc%26vid=25422653
*POST EDIT* Ok so that link is freakishly long!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Some Ron Paul Humor
A long long time ago I subscribed to the Libertarian newsletter but I've since become disinterested in them. However, this issue featured some Ron Paul jokes in the manner of the Chuck Norris jokes that became so popular on the Internet. I thought these are pretty good:
*Ron Paul has no alarm clock, but instead wakes every morning to the call of freedom.
* Ron Paul doesn't cut taxes. He kills them with his bare hands.
* Ron Paul doesn't go the gym. He stays fit by exercising his civil rights.
* Dr. Paul delivers babies without his hands. He simply reads them the Bill of Rights and they crawl out in anticipation of freedom.
* King Midas shook hands with Ron Paul once. Nothing happened.
* Ron Paul has two first names... and is proud of it.
* Ron Paul was born 75 years ago, but he is only 45.
And of course…
* Chuck Norris has a list of 5 people not to mess with. Ron Paul is all of them.
*Ron Paul has no alarm clock, but instead wakes every morning to the call of freedom.
* Ron Paul doesn't cut taxes. He kills them with his bare hands.
* Ron Paul doesn't go the gym. He stays fit by exercising his civil rights.
* Dr. Paul delivers babies without his hands. He simply reads them the Bill of Rights and they crawl out in anticipation of freedom.
* King Midas shook hands with Ron Paul once. Nothing happened.
* Ron Paul has two first names... and is proud of it.
* Ron Paul was born 75 years ago, but he is only 45.
And of course…
* Chuck Norris has a list of 5 people not to mess with. Ron Paul is all of them.
Why The Terrorists Hate Us
We let 10 year old girls sing our national anthem at our nationally televised sports championship games.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Video-10-year-old-wows-NBA-Finals-crowd-with-so?urn=nba-wp4339
Now I'm going to be a mean old grouch, but I did find it a little too much. The girl was basically screaming at a high pitch and over exaggerating the low notes, but it was still better than most adult singers who give us way too much ornamentation after every phrase. There was no pitch way--yy-yy-yay-y---yyave that most adults add just to show off.
It's a good thing, and more proof our country is the best.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Video-10-year-old-wows-NBA-Finals-crowd-with-so?urn=nba-wp4339
Now I'm going to be a mean old grouch, but I did find it a little too much. The girl was basically screaming at a high pitch and over exaggerating the low notes, but it was still better than most adult singers who give us way too much ornamentation after every phrase. There was no pitch way--yy-yy-yay-y---yyave that most adults add just to show off.
It's a good thing, and more proof our country is the best.
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