bc woods: I'd just give everyone my melon test
bc woods: and sterilize those that failed
bc woods: like dudes with male pattern baldness with pony tails?
bc woods: snip snip snp
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
iPhone widowry
malikfalasteeni: arthur's coming tomorrow to assist us by talking incessantly about his iPhone and generally take up space.
ilyeria: yeah, he's a hard worker
malikfalasteeni: we should trade him for you
ilyeria: that's like offering a 3rd round draft pick for an all star
ilyeria: yeah, he's a hard worker
malikfalasteeni: we should trade him for you
ilyeria: that's like offering a 3rd round draft pick for an all star
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Why I like stories about other people's dysfunctional families
I recently discovered this blog, which then led me to this other blog. It took me approximately 2 days to read every post on each one. One thing they both have in common is that they relate sometimes-horrible stories about the author's dysfunctional/retarded childhood and family. For some reason, I love these types of stories. Of course, both of these blogs are extremely well-written and the stories are presented in a humorous and entertaining manner. However, there is something about this subject matter in particular that fascinates me. I was thinking about it today, wondering what horrible psychological disorder makes me enjoy reading about horrible things happening to children and people being horrible parents/siblings/relatives/humans. It turns out, fortunately, that I'm not just some sick, twisted fuck. There actually is a reason that I like these stories so much, and it's a good one!
What I enjoy is that the people sharing these stories have "lived to tell the tale" as it were. They are functioning, successful, (mostly?) well-adjusted people who are doing just fine in life despite all the various past horrors. They have taken responsibility for their own lives. I get so sick of people using a person's past to excuse present behaviors. While I understand that trauma, especially at a young age, can warp a mind beyond repair, a poor upbringing is too often used to evade responsibility. And half the time, it isn't even the person with the bad childhood using it as an excuse! It's someone else--a lawyer, a bleeding-heart activist, a lawmaker--saying, "Oh, he can't help it!" Not that this should surprise me; these days no one takes responsibility for anything. But I digress.
The point is, I love stories about people who had something really shitty happen to them in the past and went, "Fuck that, I have a life to live." They don't look for pity, they don't bemoan the past, and they don't go crawling around expecting other people to help them because they "never had a chance." They don't even think of these experiences as something they "overcame." It's just how life was, and now life goes on. They get on with the business of living, taking whatever lessons they can from their experiences to use later in life.
That, I think, is why I like those stories so much. Every time I hear some "underprivileged" slacker whining about how he "can't get ahead," I almost feel like I can take these stories and smack him upside the head with them. If they were transformed into physical objects, I imagine they would be large hammers or clubs that I could use to beat the stupid out of people.
So, I encourage anyone who happens to read this to share any such stories that they have.
What I enjoy is that the people sharing these stories have "lived to tell the tale" as it were. They are functioning, successful, (mostly?) well-adjusted people who are doing just fine in life despite all the various past horrors. They have taken responsibility for their own lives. I get so sick of people using a person's past to excuse present behaviors. While I understand that trauma, especially at a young age, can warp a mind beyond repair, a poor upbringing is too often used to evade responsibility. And half the time, it isn't even the person with the bad childhood using it as an excuse! It's someone else--a lawyer, a bleeding-heart activist, a lawmaker--saying, "Oh, he can't help it!" Not that this should surprise me; these days no one takes responsibility for anything. But I digress.
The point is, I love stories about people who had something really shitty happen to them in the past and went, "Fuck that, I have a life to live." They don't look for pity, they don't bemoan the past, and they don't go crawling around expecting other people to help them because they "never had a chance." They don't even think of these experiences as something they "overcame." It's just how life was, and now life goes on. They get on with the business of living, taking whatever lessons they can from their experiences to use later in life.
That, I think, is why I like those stories so much. Every time I hear some "underprivileged" slacker whining about how he "can't get ahead," I almost feel like I can take these stories and smack him upside the head with them. If they were transformed into physical objects, I imagine they would be large hammers or clubs that I could use to beat the stupid out of people.
So, I encourage anyone who happens to read this to share any such stories that they have.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
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