First off, this here is a strangely good song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX01Rlt2vBc, which I’ve listened to well over 100 times in the past week alone. I like to leave it on repeat while I’m writing my novel/riding my bike/interviewing for a job. I don’t really like the lyrics though. In fact, they sort of upset me a bit. But what’s substance anyways? I for one am completely content with being distracted by the shinny lights and new car smell. For if I really knew the terrible truths of the world, I’d likely crap my pants. <—These are the words of past Kennett, for I’ve recently stumbled upon those terrible truths…and they’re more gruesome than even I could have fathomed. Here they: ( ).
Riding update: I’ve been riding my bike. Up some mountains and down some mountains too. It’s been good. Cold but sunny and dry. My red blood cell production is in overdrive, what with the high elevation and this cold, refreshing Coors Rocky Mountain air, which, BTW, smells like a rotting pile of fecalized hard neck garlic. I rode by one of the Coors plants today. At first sniff it reminded me of Campbell’s tomato soup. Then the stench hit my nostrils like an abusive drunk hitting his wifi antenna.
Job update: 36 is the number of applications/resumes I’ve filled out or emailed. Maybe even 136. My goal is 2,000.
House hunt: Apparently I’m too low class for the Craigslist folk of Boulder. $975 for a single bedroom?? Which is in a haunted basement?? Which is flooded?? With pickled jalapeno juice?? Dang.
Modeling update (since deciding upon writing a novel, I thought it would also be a cool, possibly even novel, idea to start my modeling career as well. They’re two trendy things that require no signs of progress, which I like, because in that sense they’re both like cycling): I made sure all my pimples were popped and the spinach was out of my teeth today. Okay I only did one of those things.
Since beginning this post I’ve now listend to the above song eight times. I’m a slow typer and thinker. But what comes out is pure silver baby!
Speaking of changing the subject, you know what I have a problem with? The fact that “hippies” are somehow viewed as a bad thing and that the only people out protesting in the Occupy Movement are dirty hippies. First of all, hippies are from the 60’s. They don’t exist anymore except as 65-year olds. And more importantly, what’s wrong with a hippie? Why is there such a negative connotation that goes along with the word now? Isn’t being a free thinker a good thing? Haven’t the masses always strived for and thought of themselves as being original, going against the grain, not running off the cliff with the rest of the herd? Of course the masses could never accomplish this, because that would be contradictory, but still. Hippies want peace, equality, freedom, environmental gradation, and love. Who the hell isn’t for these things? Today, anyone who speaks out against the obvious inequalities and corupt society we’ve created is seen as being lazy, dumb, needs to sack up, or is just a plain old waste of space and time: aka a hippie. And no one wants to be grouped in with a deadbeat hippie, so they keep their mouths shut while banks continue pilfering tax-payer cash.
When did the snubbing of the hippie begin? It began with poor journalism, like most of the world’s unseen or marauded stories. Even educated, rational thinkers seem to be easily manipulated into believing whatever they’re told. 99% of people I talk to say that the Occupiers “just don’t have a centralized request.” Bull shit. The request couldn’t be more clear. It’s to end corruption, create equality, and strive for a better society. It’s a protest against the status quo. A protest for justice. Those damn bankers should hang! Another one I’ve been told: “They’re just lazy. I mean, I have a job.” Congratulations. Here’s a medal. You make minimum wage and you have a college degree. Shouldn’t you be a little more outraged?
With all these “smart” people playing along like mindless drones, maybe the problem is that it’s too good of journalism. We’ve become so entranced with media outlets, our days so saturated with someone else’s ideas, that everyone’s been convinced. That’s the point of journalism isn’t it?–to get people into seeing things your way without them knowing that it wasn’t their idea. As it is now, journalists (advertisers) and most other media forums (TV, songs, movies) are bought, hired, and manipulated by the powerful few that shine the lights in our eyes and convince us that the new car smell actually smells good (volatile organic compounds).
November 11th (this Friday) is a good day to protest, as it’s going to be a big one from what I’ve been told by facebook. Come join the herd. I’ll be hitting up the Occupy Boulder protest for an old fashioned Bank of America window-smashing good time. I wish. Boulder is probably more inclined to have a couple wine-tasting tables set up with an assortment of fine cheeses.
As you can see, this global event has a staggering guest list of over 700 attendees. Don’t worry, I checked the math. 738/7,000,000,000=99%.
I liked the words better than the music. It isn’t music I could dance to, though any kind of dancing isn’t easy at age 82. Balance is bad. You didn’t really say much about bike riding. Are you with a group, well there be any races? Enjoy and don’t get cold. Grandma Carol
The bike riding has so far just been 2-4 hour rides. I did some group rides last saturday and sunday up north of us on the flatter roads, then I rode with my roommate, Philip, on Monday up in the mountains. The climb up there was pretty steep and topped out at around 7,800 feet. From there we rode across a ridge for eight miles then descended down into a little town for some cookies in a little shop. After that it was a long, cold descent down into Boulder. I rode by myself the next day, then with a couple other people yesterday including my team director who was in town for some meetings. So I’ve been riding with people, but none of my teammates since none of them are out here. I’m really just here for the training at a high elevation, since racing doesn’t start here until March, when I leave for California for the first team races of the year. The riding here is really nice though. Lots of climbs, small dirt roads, and the traffic isn’t too bad. It’s cold some days, and other days, like today, are warm and sunny. There are lots of people to ride with which is another bonus.