flog

Holy fucking shit, new earthlings? EP:
http://www.treasurecraftrecords.com/product_info.php?products_id=7

Free MP3 download with purchase.

This is a strange phenomenon, I think. On Facebook, unsurprisingly, I'm coming back into contact with many people from High School. I am struck by the number of people who are now blatantly Christian (quoting hymns or bible verses in their profile, listing Jesus or church in their interests, etc.). In high school I remember them as being mean and spiteful or promiscuous or drug users and now they're friendly church goers watching "American Idol" while herding their brood of 2.5 children.

They have all probably changed to some degree since high school. I imagine most teenagers are experimental, brooding, and maladjusted to some extent and it makes sense that a 30-something adult would have gotten some of his shit together by now. However, I think this is really strange not because of how these changes reflect on them, but because of what I think these (apparent) changes say about me [please let's bring this back around to me - this is *my* blog after all].

Even if they were attending church regularly in high school (and many of them probably were), they were still "bad" because they weren't attending the right kind of church according to me. Maybe they had a curious attitude towards sex and were trying things out in an investigative and responsible manner, they were still "bad" because they weren't denying their sexual urges in accordance with what my small group of church friends considered proper.

I think now I am also more sensitive to picking up on casual theism than I may have been in the past. Previously, the bar to enter my fold was very high and if you weren't in you were most definitely out. Now, if you are a Christmas and Easter Christian who thinks they should maybe take their kids to church more, I figure you are starting to trend toward "loon". So, this raises two questions in my mind. What the hell is wrong with me that I can't seem to find a middle way that will allow me to clump together with most of the people around me? Why in the hell would anyone who only knew me when I was in high school when I was a self-righteous asshole be interested in following up with me now?

I saw a bumpersticker on Friday, "It has become appallingly clear that our technology has surpassed our humanity", which sounds like a quote, but I can't find any confirmation on google beyond a vague reference that someone thinks Einstein might have said it.

I found the quote to be utterly absurd since it is technology which defines humanity. Human language creates the webby cradle in which cultures grow to encapsulate, morph, and transmit our technology amongst us all. Without the softwarey edifice of our abstract ideas and technology, we are tree-dwelling poop-flingers waiting in fear to be dinner for the next passing panther.

I saw a dying cat on the way home from work Monday night. The godbots say it has not a soul like humans do but I saw it in the middle of the road raging against the dying of the light. I regret I didn't have the good sense to aim my tire for its skull so I could put the little fucker swiftly out of its misery. I don't know how long it writhed out there alone.

I love this song by the earthlings? because it uses minimal music and lyrics to completely convey the tension between belief and the reality of the human condition. Lyrics taken from here:

you thought it was a headlight
it was a cop
you thought you'd wait a lifetime
and you will
you thought it was a lifeboat
but you're wrong
you thought you were saved
but you're not
you felt you weren't alone
but you are
you thought you'd live forever
but you won't
bet you won't

i've got good news...not really
i just wanted to light things up