Quote from the psych ward:

Quote from the psych ward:

Them: "No I'm not washing away my odor.  It took me years to get this. I'll get in the wet water, but I will not use soap. That's kicking away life. "

Me: (in my head) I like you.

Convo from the psych ward

Convo from the psych ward

Them: "Its like when you go to CVS; you don't buy all the twinkies! You have to leave some for someone else!"

Me: You're completely right. I like that you care  about how others feel.

Them: Well...yeah!

---a patient expressing empathy towards other patients and staff. The patients and staff were on the receiving end of another patient's hurtful and demanding statements.

Sun Ra

People on Earth ought make a mistake and do something right people have been doing wrong so long that if they did something right it would be a mistake. (Sun Ra)

Hubris

"I like the word 'hubris'. Sounds like the name of a man who pretended to be a god and as punishment  was turned into a dog.  I should use it more."
--Anis Mojgani (Slam Poet)

Writing on the Wall, Revamped

A couple of days ago,  I was listening to an Abraham-Hicks/Law of Attraction audio while on my way to work.  Abraham was speaking to a man who was disappointed with certain circumstances that were holding him back from what he wanted.  Abraham stated that he must learn to train expectation. To expect the universe to deliver what is wanted,  and to get into the receiving mode.

Suddenly I saw a huge truck beside me with writing on the side of it that said,

 "EXPECT MORE. . . WE DELIVER. "

the never ending argument

"Punk rock died when the first kid said,
'Punk's not dead!
Punk's not dead!'"

- David Berman (Silver Jews), "Tennessee"

yes yes

courage

“Courage isn't having the strength to go on – it's going on when you don’t have any strength.” 
– Napoleon

Libraries

Mysteries

I don’t even know what it's like
not to go back to you
I don’t even know
who I like less,
You or me
You or me
You or me

Well it’s anyone’s, anyone’s guess…
It’s anyone’s, anyone’s guess…
Stress, stress
Stress, stress
Stress, stress
Stress, stress
Stress 

~From "Mysteries" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs 

Thanks Mr. President

I don't have Twitter, I guess that is why I missed this on International Women's Day.

@BarackObama: "Empowering women isn't just the right thing to do—it’s the smart thing to do."

Good on ya, Swift

Taylor Swift is a woman who gets a lot of flak. She's pretty, young and writes about the men she's dated. GASP! I've never spent much time on Swift and the musing surrounding her, but today I took some pause.
I'll get to that in a bit.

Initially onlookers applauded her for her daring ability to write about former partners as if it was a new concept. I think it's great that she uses music as an outlet. I imagine there are other things that are on her mind -- such as record sales -- ticket sales -- listening ears. Amongst all that, there are these songs that seem to mean something to her. This is wonderful but she did not invent the wheel, nor is she reinventing it. It's amazing to me that crowds upon crowds speak of her as if she's doing something unique. There are zillions of known and unknown artists before her that have been doing this through song, poetry and other mediums.

I personally find Swift's music to be less than desirable: it's not my tea. Part of my distaste for the music I've been exposed to is the over-simplicity of her lyrics. Swift is a 23 year old woman and from the outside looking in, she seems to be a very young 23.

I don't want to make too many assumptions as I do not know Swift on a personal level, but I do know that the poetry I wrote at 23 (some of it good, some of it...huh?, some of it bad bad bad) was nothing like some of Swift's hollow and surfaced writing.

We are never ever ever getting back together,
We are never ever ever getting back together,
You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me
But we are never ever ever ever getting back together

Like, ever...

23?? In my mind the lyrics reflect a teeny-bopper.  The word "like" often murders any point a person can make. My goal is not to beat her up too much but rather to explain how she impressed me despite my distaste for her music and seeming persona.

Per Hollywood trash mag, US Weekly and newspaper LA Times, Swift responded to harsh criticism from Tina Fey and Amy Poehler  in the April issue of Vanity Fair. The criticisms via these comediennes came in the form of supposed levity. The two were co-hosts of the recent January Golden Globe awards where they made jokes about the many boyfriends Swift has had. Swift response couldn't have been more perfect.

"For a female to write about her feelings, and then be portrayed as some clingy, insane, desperate girlfriend in need of making you marry her and have kids with her, I think that's taking something that potentially should be celebrated -- a woman writing about her feelings in a confessional way --that's taking it and turning it and twisting it into something that is frankly a little sexist."

Good on ya, Swift. 

Swift said that Katie Couric relayed a quote to Swift that she very much admired: "There's a special place in hell for women who don't help other women." Couric told Swift that she couldn't remember where she had heard it, but it seemed to aid the frustrated country-pop star. 

There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women is authored by former Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright. As an engaging feminist I had known this. I knew this not simply because Albright has repeated this line when addressing various listening audiences but because this marvelous quote has appeared on t-shirts, mugs, bumper stickers and other novelty items. Although this may seem to cheapen or make light of the quote, I think it's a good one to spread around; a good one for Swift to carry in her pocket. Jumping on board with this quote does not mean that one cannot have an opinion about another woman's behavior, but it does encourage some introspection, reflection and empathy.

So whether you like or hate Swift, she has offered perspective with her above comment. It is a request to consider loosening the grip of damning certainty that her lyrics -- lyrics that reflect pain that would not be identified as weak if sung by a man -- makes her a pathetic female figure.

Swift will go forward making her like-like music and hopefully she will make more of it if it suits her, if it helps her heal. As mentioned earlier, her tunes aren't my tea, but the world is much larger than me and my tea cup.

To the survivors and the helpers of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut

On 12/14/12 a 20 year old male gunman shot 20 children and 8 adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut. 

Sandy Hook Elementary School on morning of shooting. Newtown Bee/ZUMA Press via Mother Jones

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of 'disaster,' I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers - so many caring people in this world." 

-- Mister Rogers

Why They Killed Him

"It is safe to say that Jesus was not crucified because he taught love and forgiveness or because he set about debating legal points with the scribes of his day. Jesus was crucified because he was seen as a threat to the powers-that-be. His brand of non-violent resistance, his manner of stirring the people and empowering the poor, were correctly judged to be challenging the political power structures of his day." 

-- Gerard Hall

Direct Action

I'm no sailor but..

Before we find insult we must first explore nuances. Below is a targeted rant, but I imagine one that tickles exhaustion rather than sweeping generalizations -- I think.

(source)

Fuck L Ron Hubbard and
Fuck all his clones.
Fuck all these gun-toting
Hip gangster wannabes.

Learn to swim.

Fuck retro anything.
Fuck your tattoos.
Fuck all you junkies and
Fuck your short memory.

Learn to swim.

Fuck smiley glad-hands
With hidden agendas.
Fuck these dysfunctional,
Insecure actresses.

Learn to swim.

--Aenima by Tool

swim

One great big festering neon distraction,
I've a suggestion to keep you all occupied.
Learn to swim.
Learn to swim. 
--Aenima by Tool

Mind & Spirit

A-E-n-i-m-a at deviant art

Fret for your figure and
Fret for your latte and
Fret for your lawsuit and
Fret for your hairpiece and
Fret for your Prozac and
Fret for your pilot and
Fret for your contract and
Fret for your car.

--Aenima by Tool

"Going Through a Scary Breakup? Celebrities Have Been There Too" - The Good Men Project

(source)

The Good Men Project, posted a simple article (which really isn't an article) about celebrity women who have had difficulty with romantic breakups. The article features women only, which I find interesting and also disappointing. 

Perhaps the November 3rd 2012 article posted by TrèsSugar was only meant to focus on women, but the question is: why? The title, Going Through a Scary Breakup? Celebrities Have Been There Too, suggests that celebrities are inclusive of both genders.

Perhaps TrèsSugar was unable to find quotes from male celebrities or perhaps TrèsSugar wasn't interested -- there's no way to know. If it was difficult to find quotes from a male voice, that tells me societal influence may be playing a part. Sexist society tells us that it is unacceptable for men to reveal their feelings without scrutiny. There are plenty of men who have been hurt by relationships gone sour and plenty who harbor gems of wisdom derived from their experiences. I would have loved to have read some quotes from male celebrities as well.

The quotes within the post came from Demi Moore, Taylor Swift, Jessica Simpson, Emma Stone, Kate Mos, Vanessa Paradis, Madonna, Kim Kardashian, Halle Berry and Debra Messing.

There are a couple of ladies on that list whom I'm not familiar with.

Below are two of the quotes which I found impressive.

Jessica Simpson

“It was like a death in the family: you go through the mourning stage, then the rebellion, and then all of a sudden you have to find life by yourself … I loved everything about marriage. I loved having a companion to wake up with and have barbecues with. But things happen and people grow apart. I don’t really ever talk about the divorce because it was a heart-wrenching thing to go through.”
— Jessica Simpson said divorce can feel like death.

Emma Stone

“I was crawling on the floor. I remember throwing up. I remember being on the floor … I have never felt anything quite like that. It was so visceral. It’s like someone has killed you and you have to live through it and watch it happen … It was awful.”
— Emma Stone’s teen heartbreak caused her to throw up.

When Jessica Simpson and her then husband Nick Lashay, participated in a reality tv show, she earned a reputation of being a ditz. It's a rep that she has not fully shaken. If there are any concerns, simply read this quote.

She likens the divorce to a death. This is an analogy that I have often used, myself. When you breakup with someone, there is no going back. It's done and that feels unbelievably suffocating.She goes on to acknowledge that although their is mourning there is the desire to fight back or fight off. She then makes the excellent and very true point, that afterwards one must "find life" by oneself. The world is different when you are minus the partnership. I also love how she speaks about waking up with a companion and having BBQs with them. An intimate experience and a seemingly casual one, that exists as a part of every day life. All of that can change in an instant and then all of a sudden, you have to learn to live without.

Emma Stone spoke about how she was crawling on the floor and puking. I've never thrown up, but I've certainly found myself on the floor. Ending up there is a strange and humbling experience. Her statement about living through your own assassination is a profound one.

Thank you ladies. There's an incredible importance and bravery in allowing oneself to be so vulnerable. It is quotes like these that exemplify how human we all are. Now, where are the gents?

amen

I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.
 - Gandhi