11.30.01: I just launched a new section on your Fuck the World! website. I call it (due to lack of imagination) the features section. It will be a collection of interesting and important articles which I have encountered online or have been sent to me. Check it out. And, as Dave says, "Put stuff in your head!"

New CDs recently. I got the new Tomahawk (featuring Mike Patton from Faith No More and Henry Bodgen from Helmet) The new Estradashpere (check these guys out!), the new Secret Chiefs 3 album (a Mr. Bungle side project) and the new Faxed Head album.

A friend emailed me recently and categorically ranted about how dissatisfying his life is. It occurred to me that at many points in my life I have felt the same way as him. He is upset because he cannot find a romantic interest, at the monotony of life, and was generally getting down on himself for things that: a) were outside of his control or b) were manifestations of larger problems facing our industrialized capitalist regime. I thought I'd rant about it.

There are many intelligent, competency people who are coerced out of the threat of starvation to retain gainful employment. It is a sad fact of life, but the corporate jobs pay much better than your average fast food position, and so many of my friends who are secretly anti-corporate have sucked up their ideals and retained their position as cogs in our consumer society. Although I cannot get down on people for this (I myself have worked for banks, major corporations, consultant groups, etc.) my friends who are in this position must realize certain facts about employment.

First off: your job IS NOT your life. This is a common psychological condition which is becoming more prevalent as corporations BECOME reality. Ask people on the street one simple question: "Who are you?" I wager to guess most of the people surveyed will list occupation as the correct response to that question. Hannah Arendt talked about the phenomenon of private life being usurped by private life. This is a reality today in America. Exponentially, as cell phones and palm pilots become more and more common, our lives become more and more our jobs. This is a condition which must be avoided. Take your life back: become a person again.

The mode of banality permeates everything we do in modern American society. The fancy apartment with nice furniture, the SUV, the 2.3 kids . . . the American dream. The illusion of upward mobility is maintained by gathering stuff. When people think that they are "making it" they feel happy. Whether or not they actually are happy accumulating and consuming, the illusion of happiness spreads across the mind. Some of the more intelligent will not fall into this psychological trap. Many are unhappy even after playing the game according to "the rules." These people will not give into the mode of denial associated with modern capitalism.

To those people I offer one simple solution: take your life back. Break your cell phone. Find a job which does not hold the threat of starvation above your head. Simplify your life, thus being able to live on less. If you are able to live on less, you are able to maintain your life by working in a more fulfilling job, even if it does pay less. The corporations can only exist of you keep buying their products and keep buying into their new world order. Stop buying! Start living!

I cannot expect you all to pick up automatic weapons when the revolution comes; until then, help us by doing your small part to put dents in the machine that surrounds us all.

11.23.01: I partied with Jenn for Turkey-fest. She made several hundred pounds of mashed potatoes, which I attempted to consume. Then we kicked out the wine and Monty Python movies. 'Twas as good a Thanksgiving as I've ever had. Hope your Holi-daze were good.

I'm expecting money in my mailbox today. I hope it gets here, as Jenn, Craig and I (The Triple Threat) are a-going used book shopping today. I generally boycott contributing to the consumer craze on the day after Thanksgiving, but I'll make an exception for books. Don't support capitalizm! Buy as little as possible today!

I'm reading and writing for the thesis this weekend. I should have a chapter done by Monday. Wish me luck!

11.20.01: My phone got disconnected yesterday. It cost me $164.85 (past due balance) plus $1.50 Verison pay-by-phone fee, plus $18.00 you-were-too-poor-to-pay-your-phone-bill-so-now-we'll-fuck-you-with-charges Verison reconnect fee. I don't think that's what they call it in the advertising, but they might as well get to the point with it.

NY Jay is dissatisfied with his writing. I don't understand why. His ability to construct images and his sarcastic melancholy writing tone I would sell internal organs to reproduce. Plus, he is far more prolific than I; I should be writing my thesis right now, I guess.

Tanya chastised me for being incommunicado. I realize that I have been distant from those I care about in far-away places. If you are one of those people I haven't talked to for a while, I'm sorry. I'm not going to forget about you. I'm just busy busy busy (excuses) and can't afford to call (see above rant about Verison). When I get some money together and *gasp* a legal license to drive, I will make an extended visit to the great Northeast United States. That is, if Bush doesn't get too thirsty for blood and starts bombing domestic cities. After all, Amerikkka is always right.

How am I able to turn everything (even a sincere apology) into a piece of anarchist dogma? I'm gifted. And I have a one-track-mind.

I get to teach Marx today. Happy happy Tom!

11.19.01: I hate holidays. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Columbus Day, Flag Day, Birthdays, Anniversaries, occasions: anything marketed by Hallmark. I don't want to remember "special occasions" and don't want others to remember my own. Don't celebrate my birthday: if you don't care enough to care about me every day of the fucking year, then I don't care that you may or may not remember my birthday.

This rant sponsored by Thanksgiving, where every year I have less and less to give thanks for. This year is the lowest point of me life so far on the "thankful" scale. Give me a few days off, let me get drunk, and don't bother me with your silly sentimental hollow-days.

I am sick; I have been coughing up things that move on their own volition all day today. Oddly enough, cigarettes stop my coughing fits. Smoke 'em if you got 'em.

Spent the morning getting updated on NY Jay. I have not read his site for about two weeks, and he had quite a few interesting nuggets for me to chew on. Typical stuff: finances, stupidity, capitalism, and avant-garde music.

My MA thesis is still on hold. I've been reading more on topic now, however. I plan to have a chapter done by 26 November and another one by 7 January. I am dedicated to these dates, so I may not be updating as much. Or I may be updating every day in an effort to procrastinate. Who knows? If anyone wants to proofread, let me know. The less experience with philosophy the better, as I want to make sure it is readable by all.

Nothing much is happening in my life: I have been enwrapped in a very redundant schedule. Drinking, reading, writing, television, eating, sleeping, and occasional sex when not occupied with the above activities. Karaoke on Tuesday has become my only regular night out, as well as one show on the weekend at the Mug, subject to the schedule.

My "fine" institution of higher learning has proclaimed that I may only take eight credits on my tuition waiver for the Spring semester. That's right kids: eight. The kicker is that my department only offers three credit classes. Math break:

   90 credits (total to graduate)  11.25 semesters
   ----------------------------- = ------------------ = 6 years
         8 credits/semester 2 semesters/year 

Thus, they have just added two years on to my degree based on the fucking need to save money. I'm inquiring into other graduate programs. Maybe I'll try Syracuse, so NY Jay and I can kick some ass in the middle-of-fucking nowhere.

Hope this finds you well, dear reader. Signing out.

11.01.01: I lied. I said I would post a spooky Halloween post, but I was too busy sleeping off the hangover from Tuesday night. I went to the Brass Mug Halloween party last night. I wasn't celebrating Halloween, and instead got really drunk toasting Vanilla Ice's birthday. Good times.

For Halloween, I dressed up as Tampa Jay. There are photos which I will have scanned and posted sometime soon.

I've been toying over the concept of patriotism all day, thanks to NY Jay. He posted a link to a provocative article by Emma Goldman (1911), one of the most noted Anarchists of all time. It makes so much sense to me, I find it inconceivable that anyone can disagree. But, alas, there are so many nationalists who do disagree. I had an extended conversation with one of Dave's marine friends the other day. Both of us were drunk, and neither of us could put ourselves in each other's shoes. I am going to ponder some more, and write on this soon.

Short update today, but I'm not going anywhere; neither should you.